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Chronicles of Ylandre #3
By Chance Met
A chance meeting heralds the convergence of two heretofore wildly divergent fates.
From the moment he laid eyes on the handsome Lord of Ilmaren, Naeth Orosse fell head over heels in infatuation with him. And after that first meeting in the middle of a tavern brawl in the dual-gendered realm of Ylandre, Reijir Arthanna did not forget the orphaned youth who came to his aid unasked. When fate brings them together anew, Reijir becomes Naeth’s guardian, which proves both blessing and bane when their mutual attraction is guilelessly nursed by one and distrustfully downplayed by the other.
Between attempting to ignore Naeth’s artless overtures and suppressing feelings he had long disavowed, Reijir has his hands full. But more than a title and duty were forced on this enigmatic cousin of Ylandre’s king. A less than benevolent past has left its imprint on Reijir who is as known for his cynical outlook on life as he is for his exotic features and proficiency between the sheets. Convincing him to risk his heart in love is a battle more experienced Deira than Naeth have waged and invariably lost.
Contains hermaphrodism and explicit homoerotic sexual encounters.
From the moment he laid eyes on the handsome Lord of Ilmaren, Naeth Orosse fell head over heels in infatuation with him. And after that first meeting in the middle of a tavern brawl in the dual-gendered realm of Ylandre, Reijir Arthanna did not forget the orphaned youth who came to his aid unasked. When fate brings them together anew, Reijir becomes Naeth’s guardian, which proves both blessing and bane when their mutual attraction is guilelessly nursed by one and distrustfully downplayed by the other.
Between attempting to ignore Naeth’s artless overtures and suppressing feelings he had long disavowed, Reijir has his hands full. But more than a title and duty were forced on this enigmatic cousin of Ylandre’s king. A less than benevolent past has left its imprint on Reijir who is as known for his cynical outlook on life as he is for his exotic features and proficiency between the sheets. Convincing him to risk his heart in love is a battle more experienced Deira than Naeth have waged and invariably lost.
Contains hermaphrodism and explicit homoerotic sexual encounters.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2011
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404 people want to read
About the author
Eressë
10 books363 followersAKA Eressë Belley
Eressë has always enjoyed reading and writing historical fantasy. Indeed, her pen name is taken from the elvish language J.R.R. Tolkien created for his fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, a favorite of hers since way back when. However, most of her stories turned into M/M romances because the male leads had more chemistry with each other than with the females. Why she wrote them that way she doesn't know. But this penchant for M/M fantasy romance became the wellspring of her series Chronicles of Ylandre.
Eressë lives in Southeast Asia with her husband, three sons and one dog. She also likes to cook and bake and is a professed chocoholic. But her first love is and always will be writing stories.
Blog: Tales by Eressë
Eressë has always enjoyed reading and writing historical fantasy. Indeed, her pen name is taken from the elvish language J.R.R. Tolkien created for his fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, a favorite of hers since way back when. However, most of her stories turned into M/M romances because the male leads had more chemistry with each other than with the females. Why she wrote them that way she doesn't know. But this penchant for M/M fantasy romance became the wellspring of her series Chronicles of Ylandre.
Eressë lives in Southeast Asia with her husband, three sons and one dog. She also likes to cook and bake and is a professed chocoholic. But her first love is and always will be writing stories.
Blog: Tales by Eressë
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December 19, 2015
12/19/15: Series RE-READ in preparation for newest book, coming December 21, woot woot!
Original Review
4 Stars
So, I'm completely obsessed with this series right now.
Seriously.
Obsessed.
Like as in the Tom Cruise style "I'm so obsessed with Scientology I shall laugh maniacally" kind of obsessed.
*
*
*
*
*
I know this series kind of...different...
...in what some might say is a "weird" M/M on steroids genre...
...But whatevs!
I freakin' DIG it.
See Mer-Man says it's cool, so it's aight.
So see, totally reasonable.
But I digress.
Book One is still my favorite, of course.
Nothing and no one can compare to Rohyr and Lassen in my opinion.
And while I at least liked Naeth and Reijir more as people than I did Riordan from book two, I didn't necessarily feel their connection as strongly as I did with the couples from books one and two.
Still, a really good story against a backdrop of outstanding world building.
Something else I think the author does that is really cool is tell each story in a timeline that interweaves itself into the timelines of the previous books - thereby making the time frame make sense and giving us even more details from those previous book relationships - but without being repetitive in any way.
Pretty neat trick if you ask me.
Well I would actually put some true effort into this and make this review an actual review, but like I said:
#OBSESSED
So I need to get back to reading book 4...which I am already 80% into...
Whoops!
Original Review
4 Stars
So, I'm completely obsessed with this series right now.
Seriously.
Obsessed.
Like as in the Tom Cruise style "I'm so obsessed with Scientology I shall laugh maniacally" kind of obsessed.
*
*
*
*
*
I know this series kind of...different...
...in what some might say is a "weird" M/M on steroids genre...
...But whatevs!
I freakin' DIG it.
See Mer-Man says it's cool, so it's aight.
So see, totally reasonable.
But I digress.
Book One is still my favorite, of course.
Nothing and no one can compare to Rohyr and Lassen in my opinion.
And while I at least liked Naeth and Reijir more as people than I did Riordan from book two, I didn't necessarily feel their connection as strongly as I did with the couples from books one and two.
Still, a really good story against a backdrop of outstanding world building.
Something else I think the author does that is really cool is tell each story in a timeline that interweaves itself into the timelines of the previous books - thereby making the time frame make sense and giving us even more details from those previous book relationships - but without being repetitive in any way.
Pretty neat trick if you ask me.
Well I would actually put some true effort into this and make this review an actual review, but like I said:
#OBSESSED
So I need to get back to reading book 4...which I am already 80% into...
Whoops!
February 8, 2015
Still love the world of Ylandre. While this one was good, and who doesn't like a duke and his ward pining for each other, the miscommunications multiple times annoyed me.
March 10, 2012
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
This is the third book in the Ylandre series, an elaborate world of titles, arranged marriages and male pregnancy. It follows in the footsteps of its prequels, with great characterization, vast world spread and a solid story.
Naeth lost his family in a fire and ended up working in a tavern for a family friend. One night, Lord of Ilmaren walks in with his friends and Naeth is completely enchanted by the Lord's exotic appearance. Naeth is charmingly innocent, being raised in a sheltered manner by his loving family and still has a profound sense of right and wrong despite the jaded view the others around him possess. So once he sees an injustice in a tavern brawl, he jumps to the rescues and consequently saves Reijir's life.
The roles turn quickly after and it is Reijir who saves the day and eventually makes himself Naeth's guardian. The attraction between them is evident and unlawful as Naeth hasn't reached the age of majority (age of thirty). That leads to Reijir distancing himself until the time is right, but once it is – the sparks fly to the fullest.
Reijir's high position is an obstacle in the long term because having Naeth as his leman doesn't solve his need for a spouse. With Naeth not being a ‘True Blood', he doesn't have a high enough social standing to fill in that role for Reijir and give him heirs. Solving those serious issues will take some time and there are plenty of pages to take the readers through it.
The writing style of this series is very difficult. The names come on top of each other rather quickly and it's much easier to get lost in the world than to understand it. A lot of the terms have been used in previous books, but even if not, I would still recommend you read them first, it will make things easier and more enjoyable. Despite that I do like it very much. It takes me some time to get into it and get ‘the feel' of things, but once I do there is no stopping me.
This particular book started slow. The development kind of dragged and most of the story was from Naeth's point of view. There are reasons for it, among them the need to keep Reijir mysterious and make the whole plot more believable. While it was very well thought through and developed nicely, I missed Reijir's personality more. For me he was cut off as a character, getting the chance to shine only at the very end of the story. I would have easily said – change the plot but give me Reijir as a full character – but since that is not possible I'm pretty sure other readers, just like me, will hate him a lot before even getting a chance to understand him.
Naeth was a sweetheart. Really innocent and naïve, he always looked how to do the best thing and often did the worst one possible. It was part of his charm and made him an exceptional character. Unlike Reijir, Naeth is an open book and next to him it's too easy to see Reijir as the bad guy.
The side characters carried the funny parts of this story. They were diverse, interesting and often without a filter when it came to speaking their mind. Where the rest of the story took to the serious note and a great emotional investment, nights with friends made things look brighter, or in Naeth's case – caused a blush.
Chronicles of Ylandre is a series that takes some getting used to and is a bit of an acquired taste. The hermaphroditism alone is not for everyone but the brave ones will probably be pleasantly surprised.
Eressë is probably one of the most talented authors in the genre. The first book in this series has taken the first place and has been firmly standing there since the day it was published. That shows exactly what I'm talking about and any readers who pick up one of Ylandre series books will see the brilliance of the world and the poetry of the author's words. The elaborate development of every detail and the romance threaded in between the sentences will give an experience that will probably stay with you for days, because one thing is for sure, an Eressë book is not something you forget.
This is the third book in the Ylandre series, an elaborate world of titles, arranged marriages and male pregnancy. It follows in the footsteps of its prequels, with great characterization, vast world spread and a solid story.
Naeth lost his family in a fire and ended up working in a tavern for a family friend. One night, Lord of Ilmaren walks in with his friends and Naeth is completely enchanted by the Lord's exotic appearance. Naeth is charmingly innocent, being raised in a sheltered manner by his loving family and still has a profound sense of right and wrong despite the jaded view the others around him possess. So once he sees an injustice in a tavern brawl, he jumps to the rescues and consequently saves Reijir's life.
The roles turn quickly after and it is Reijir who saves the day and eventually makes himself Naeth's guardian. The attraction between them is evident and unlawful as Naeth hasn't reached the age of majority (age of thirty). That leads to Reijir distancing himself until the time is right, but once it is – the sparks fly to the fullest.
Reijir's high position is an obstacle in the long term because having Naeth as his leman doesn't solve his need for a spouse. With Naeth not being a ‘True Blood', he doesn't have a high enough social standing to fill in that role for Reijir and give him heirs. Solving those serious issues will take some time and there are plenty of pages to take the readers through it.
The writing style of this series is very difficult. The names come on top of each other rather quickly and it's much easier to get lost in the world than to understand it. A lot of the terms have been used in previous books, but even if not, I would still recommend you read them first, it will make things easier and more enjoyable. Despite that I do like it very much. It takes me some time to get into it and get ‘the feel' of things, but once I do there is no stopping me.
This particular book started slow. The development kind of dragged and most of the story was from Naeth's point of view. There are reasons for it, among them the need to keep Reijir mysterious and make the whole plot more believable. While it was very well thought through and developed nicely, I missed Reijir's personality more. For me he was cut off as a character, getting the chance to shine only at the very end of the story. I would have easily said – change the plot but give me Reijir as a full character – but since that is not possible I'm pretty sure other readers, just like me, will hate him a lot before even getting a chance to understand him.
Naeth was a sweetheart. Really innocent and naïve, he always looked how to do the best thing and often did the worst one possible. It was part of his charm and made him an exceptional character. Unlike Reijir, Naeth is an open book and next to him it's too easy to see Reijir as the bad guy.
The side characters carried the funny parts of this story. They were diverse, interesting and often without a filter when it came to speaking their mind. Where the rest of the story took to the serious note and a great emotional investment, nights with friends made things look brighter, or in Naeth's case – caused a blush.
Chronicles of Ylandre is a series that takes some getting used to and is a bit of an acquired taste. The hermaphroditism alone is not for everyone but the brave ones will probably be pleasantly surprised.
Eressë is probably one of the most talented authors in the genre. The first book in this series has taken the first place and has been firmly standing there since the day it was published. That shows exactly what I'm talking about and any readers who pick up one of Ylandre series books will see the brilliance of the world and the poetry of the author's words. The elaborate development of every detail and the romance threaded in between the sentences will give an experience that will probably stay with you for days, because one thing is for sure, an Eressë book is not something you forget.
September 14, 2014
Boring as f*ck.
And here I thought Lassen was a chick-with-a-dick. Well, at least Lassen was a normal, romantic chick...Naeth here was of the worst kind...TSTL! (i.e. too stupid to live) He was one of those chicks whose sheer idiocy leads them headfirst into dangerous situations, from which the hero saves them...Just kill me now!
I hated Naeth with passion. Bland, blushing, stuttering, mousy, with a distasteful habit of eavesdropping..pathetic. I HONESTLY can't see why Reijir would be attracted to him! The guy didn't have a bit of a personality..no sparkle, no humor, and no brain to talk about. Reijir's ability to fall in love with that ensured that I didn't like Reijir, either. First, he was under-developed..we don't know much about Reijir's personality, why everyone is concerned about him, how he used to be..the reason he changed is shown only in the end of the book, when I wasn't interested anymore. He was one-dimensional.
The story dragged out mercilessly. The sex was lukewarm ('cos Naeth was as boring in bed as out of it). The pregnancies failed to move me.
The only reason this book gets 2 stars from me is because of Keiran. And a brief glimpse of Dylen&Rio.
And here I thought Lassen was a chick-with-a-dick. Well, at least Lassen was a normal, romantic chick...Naeth here was of the worst kind...TSTL! (i.e. too stupid to live) He was one of those chicks whose sheer idiocy leads them headfirst into dangerous situations, from which the hero saves them...Just kill me now!
I hated Naeth with passion. Bland, blushing, stuttering, mousy, with a distasteful habit of eavesdropping..pathetic. I HONESTLY can't see why Reijir would be attracted to him! The guy didn't have a bit of a personality..no sparkle, no humor, and no brain to talk about. Reijir's ability to fall in love with that ensured that I didn't like Reijir, either. First, he was under-developed..we don't know much about Reijir's personality, why everyone is concerned about him, how he used to be..the reason he changed is shown only in the end of the book, when I wasn't interested anymore. He was one-dimensional.
The story dragged out mercilessly. The sex was lukewarm ('cos Naeth was as boring in bed as out of it). The pregnancies failed to move me.
The only reason this book gets 2 stars from me is because of Keiran. And a brief glimpse of Dylen&Rio.
November 5, 2014
Ok. I have a confession to make. When a story is done well, I have a weakness for too-stupid-to-live characters. Boy, do I love this story.
Naeth is a naive, blinkers-on young man who sees absolutely no wrong in his hero, Reijir. Meanwhile, the rest of the readers are probably going "Dude! WTF, Reijir?! Again???"
While I feel I ought to be throwing this book at a wall, I find myself hugging it close and reveling in my guilty pleasure. I loved seeing Naeth follow Reijir around like an adoring puppy chasing the bacon treat in Reijir's pants. I loved seeing the stoic and aloof Reijir try to restrain his passions when faced with such sweetly worshipful, unconditional love.
So many infuriating yet glorious misunderstandings and miscommunications. It was happening almost every other chapter!
If you hate the big misunderstandings trope and a somewhat cruel, utterly boneheaded alpha male hero, this book may not appeal to you.
But if you're like me, you may end up loving the crap out of this.
Naeth is a naive, blinkers-on young man who sees absolutely no wrong in his hero, Reijir. Meanwhile, the rest of the readers are probably going "Dude! WTF, Reijir?! Again???"
While I feel I ought to be throwing this book at a wall, I find myself hugging it close and reveling in my guilty pleasure. I loved seeing Naeth follow Reijir around like an adoring puppy chasing the bacon treat in Reijir's pants. I loved seeing the stoic and aloof Reijir try to restrain his passions when faced with such sweetly worshipful, unconditional love.
So many infuriating yet glorious misunderstandings and miscommunications. It was happening almost every other chapter!
If you hate the big misunderstandings trope and a somewhat cruel, utterly boneheaded alpha male hero, this book may not appeal to you.
But if you're like me, you may end up loving the crap out of this.
January 25, 2018
3.5 Stars
I mentioned in an update how much I loved how events in the other books are mentioned here but aren't completely rehashed (because I hate when that happens)...and of course the writing is engaging as are the characters.
But it very much read like a rehashed MF historical romance with the pining, dedicated, orphaned virginal ingenue (who runs off - twice! - because of misunderstandings and has to be rescued from ravishment/murder because he's a bit TSTL) and the stoic, hardened, older protector who has to fight his urges to claim the boy while he's still under-age. And then some stuff, plus an OMG a way too romantic first-time encounter, more stuff, secret background revealed, stuff, flashback to why the older man can't trust love, "chance" meeting with the one that broke his trust to rub in the happy ending...
Color me a bit disappointed considering how much I loved the first one and really, really liked the second one. Maybe those were just as formulaic and I missed it because I was dazzled by the world-building and intricacy of the tales? Gah.
I mentioned in an update how much I loved how events in the other books are mentioned here but aren't completely rehashed (because I hate when that happens)...and of course the writing is engaging as are the characters.
But it very much read like a rehashed MF historical romance with the pining, dedicated, orphaned virginal ingenue (who runs off - twice! - because of misunderstandings and has to be rescued from ravishment/murder because he's a bit TSTL) and the stoic, hardened, older protector who has to fight his urges to claim the boy while he's still under-age. And then some stuff, plus an OMG a way too romantic first-time encounter, more stuff, secret background revealed, stuff, flashback to why the older man can't trust love, "chance" meeting with the one that broke his trust to rub in the happy ending...
Color me a bit disappointed considering how much I loved the first one and really, really liked the second one. Maybe those were just as formulaic and I missed it because I was dazzled by the world-building and intricacy of the tales? Gah.
November 23, 2013
I believe that this was the best book in the series so far. It was cleanly written without any bog down and had all the members of the previous books in it. I liked Naeth and Keiran a lot. Reijir was very noble but needed a boot in the ass to wake up from the hurt Darion gave him 25 years ago. Both Kieran and Reijir were mistreated by their ada and were each damaged in their own way. Naeth was a study in resiliency with all that he went through in his short life. This was a true romance story beset by two men who don't communicate well, are duty bound to family and are great between the sheets. There was plenty of action and intrigue along with some comedy that kept the pace moving well and kept the story moving. It was nice that Reijir and Darion met up again and that Darion was not so happy with the life that he threw Reijir over for. Highly recommended if you can get through the first two books.
August 3, 2013
3.0 Stars
Reijir Arthanna, the Lord of Ilmaren, is a survivor of a troubled past. Abused by his sire and betrayed by his first love, Reijir has not risked his heart in years and has no intention of doing so ... until Naeth Orosse enters his life. During a tavern brawl, Naeth saves Reijir from a head bashing. When fate brings them together again, Reijir returns the favor and becomes the the orphaned youth's guardian. Reijir successfully fends off Naeth's flirtations and ignores their mutual attraction, until Naeth reaches the age of consent and decides to go after the lord he has come to love.
This one was okay. I wasn't as smitten with this couple as I was with Dylen and Riodan. I can't put my finger on the source of my ambivalence other than to say that the chemistry was not really there for me. It may have something to do with the fact that Naeth was Reijir's ward and - even after Naeth reaches the age of consent (30 years old) - Reijir refers to him as "youth." Blech. It was nice to revisit with some of the extended cast of characters (as always, I love Rohyr and Dylen) but they played very minor roles. The writing, as usual, was tight and moved at a fairly nice clip.
Bottom line: I wish I loved this one more than I did.
Reijir Arthanna, the Lord of Ilmaren, is a survivor of a troubled past. Abused by his sire and betrayed by his first love, Reijir has not risked his heart in years and has no intention of doing so ... until Naeth Orosse enters his life. During a tavern brawl, Naeth saves Reijir from a head bashing. When fate brings them together again, Reijir returns the favor and becomes the the orphaned youth's guardian. Reijir successfully fends off Naeth's flirtations and ignores their mutual attraction, until Naeth reaches the age of consent and decides to go after the lord he has come to love.
This one was okay. I wasn't as smitten with this couple as I was with Dylen and Riodan. I can't put my finger on the source of my ambivalence other than to say that the chemistry was not really there for me. It may have something to do with the fact that Naeth was Reijir's ward and - even after Naeth reaches the age of consent (30 years old) - Reijir refers to him as "youth." Blech. It was nice to revisit with some of the extended cast of characters (as always, I love Rohyr and Dylen) but they played very minor roles. The writing, as usual, was tight and moved at a fairly nice clip.
Bottom line: I wish I loved this one more than I did.
January 6, 2012
It's been a long time since I've read either Sacred Fate or Hallowed Bond. I enjoy this series very much because of the world that's been created and the uniqueness of the stories.
One thing that Eressë is always able to do is make me love her characters whether they are sweet and innocent or cold and mean. With this story, Naeth is the sweet, innocent one while Reijir is cold and sometimes mean and harsh. They are drawn to each other from the start, though, and Reijir tries to stay the gentleman and keep his hands to himself until Naeth is no longer 'underage'. It's admirable that Reijir does that but there's also the fact that Reijir doesn't do anything with Naeth because he doesn't trust easily and doesn't want to turn out like his father who was a real monster.
The fact that Reijir doesn't fully trust Naeth starts to wear on their relationship because even the smallest omission from Naeth causes Reijir to withdraw from their relationship. As such, Naeth misunderstands Reijir and believes he is becoming a nuisance to Reijir. Eventually Reijir realizes what he's doing and let's Naeth know his true feelings.
In the beginning, I felt like this was very similar to Sacred Fate but then it goes off into it's own story and became enjoyable. I had some problems in the beginning mostly because I was so confused. I didn't know what was going on or who half these people were. There's a glossary in the back but I don't think it helped me much. The beginning was a bit slow so I wasn't quite drawn into the story until things started to escalate between Naeth and Reijir. In the end, I really enjoyed the story but I was left with some questions about Naeth and his inheritance.
Overall, the story is enjoyable and the world is very fascinating once you get used to some of the wording. The characters and the conflicts they put themselves through were very entertaining and I liked seeing Reijir and Naeth work through it. For all those wondering, yes there are pregnancies in this one. I'm hoping we get to see more of Naeth and Reijir someday because I'd love to see them make a family.
One thing that Eressë is always able to do is make me love her characters whether they are sweet and innocent or cold and mean. With this story, Naeth is the sweet, innocent one while Reijir is cold and sometimes mean and harsh. They are drawn to each other from the start, though, and Reijir tries to stay the gentleman and keep his hands to himself until Naeth is no longer 'underage'. It's admirable that Reijir does that but there's also the fact that Reijir doesn't do anything with Naeth because he doesn't trust easily and doesn't want to turn out like his father who was a real monster.
The fact that Reijir doesn't fully trust Naeth starts to wear on their relationship because even the smallest omission from Naeth causes Reijir to withdraw from their relationship. As such, Naeth misunderstands Reijir and believes he is becoming a nuisance to Reijir. Eventually Reijir realizes what he's doing and let's Naeth know his true feelings.
In the beginning, I felt like this was very similar to Sacred Fate but then it goes off into it's own story and became enjoyable. I had some problems in the beginning mostly because I was so confused. I didn't know what was going on or who half these people were. There's a glossary in the back but I don't think it helped me much. The beginning was a bit slow so I wasn't quite drawn into the story until things started to escalate between Naeth and Reijir. In the end, I really enjoyed the story but I was left with some questions about Naeth and his inheritance.
Overall, the story is enjoyable and the world is very fascinating once you get used to some of the wording. The characters and the conflicts they put themselves through were very entertaining and I liked seeing Reijir and Naeth work through it. For all those wondering, yes there are pregnancies in this one. I'm hoping we get to see more of Naeth and Reijir someday because I'd love to see them make a family.
December 26, 2011
2.5 – 3 stars or something.
Seeing the high ratings and great reviews this book has received, I'm feeling a bit like the odd duck in the pond because I think this one was the weekest installment in this series to date. Compared to the first two books it was rather bland in terms of characters, events and/or plot.
Despite the smooth narration and rich fantasy world I found the story to be dragging, unoriginal and rather boring with characters I couldn’t quite warm up to. The twists and turns of the plot were predictable, well-used and uninspriring and despite the spot-on characterizations of Naeth, the innocent and naïve youth, and Reijir, the hurt, cynical and reticent noble, they didn’t really feel three-dimensional to me. And although there were the usual obstacles to their blossoming relationship I would have loved to have it all go down a bit more spectacularly. But that’s probably just me. Also, there were some moments where the MCs’ actions or reactions slightly confused me or left me wondering. All in all, there wasn’t much chemistry between me and the MCs and the story just couldn’t hold my undivided attention. In fact, I was tempted more than once to skim through it to come to the end.
In addition, new bits and pieces to add to this amazing fantasy world were scarce and I would have loved to see more of the wonderful and amusing family banter between the members of the royal clique which I came to love in the first two books.
My highlights of this installement were Keiran and Ruomi, the former almost stealing the show from his brother Reijir, certain funny/hot incidents and the few heartwarming moments of kinship that are, among other things, kind of a trademark of this series.
To make a long story short, I was disappointed with this newest offering.
But I’m not questioning the great reviews, I’m even a bit jealous as I expected to enjoy this one very much, too. And I do not mind well-used, typical plot devices that serve a certain story trope – going by the blurb this was right up my alley. When it came down to it, though, it simply didn’t work for me on many levels.
That being said, I’m looking forward to the next installment in the hopes I’ll like it better than this one.
Seeing the high ratings and great reviews this book has received, I'm feeling a bit like the odd duck in the pond because I think this one was the weekest installment in this series to date. Compared to the first two books it was rather bland in terms of characters, events and/or plot.
Despite the smooth narration and rich fantasy world I found the story to be dragging, unoriginal and rather boring with characters I couldn’t quite warm up to. The twists and turns of the plot were predictable, well-used and uninspriring and despite the spot-on characterizations of Naeth, the innocent and naïve youth, and Reijir, the hurt, cynical and reticent noble, they didn’t really feel three-dimensional to me. And although there were the usual obstacles to their blossoming relationship I would have loved to have it all go down a bit more spectacularly. But that’s probably just me. Also, there were some moments where the MCs’ actions or reactions slightly confused me or left me wondering. All in all, there wasn’t much chemistry between me and the MCs and the story just couldn’t hold my undivided attention. In fact, I was tempted more than once to skim through it to come to the end.
In addition, new bits and pieces to add to this amazing fantasy world were scarce and I would have loved to see more of the wonderful and amusing family banter between the members of the royal clique which I came to love in the first two books.
My highlights of this installement were Keiran and Ruomi, the former almost stealing the show from his brother Reijir, certain funny/hot incidents and the few heartwarming moments of kinship that are, among other things, kind of a trademark of this series.
To make a long story short, I was disappointed with this newest offering.
But I’m not questioning the great reviews, I’m even a bit jealous as I expected to enjoy this one very much, too. And I do not mind well-used, typical plot devices that serve a certain story trope – going by the blurb this was right up my alley. When it came down to it, though, it simply didn’t work for me on many levels.
That being said, I’m looking forward to the next installment in the hopes I’ll like it better than this one.
November 12, 2013
Naeth is a useless damsel-in-distress of an ingenue whose default method of dealing with issues is running away. God. He's such a woman. Who is permanently PMS'ing. Just...the way he reacts to things. It's like every horrible stereotype of women all wrapped in one. It's like Padme Amidala, but when in II and III, when she was the useless damsel in distress and the useless sobbing wreck, respectively.
Reijir I thought I would like/I really wanted to like, but he's got issues. A lot of them. And not the nice angsty ones. Fundamental character problems. More on that later.
Keiran...okay. So he's a breeder. The biggest issue is the author made it out like there are really, really obvious defining features of breeders compared to other males, but all it boiled down to were variances in nipples. Something about slightly plumper and paler areolas. ...Do the people here just all have the same nipples, then, regardless of skin color, race, whatever? Just copy+paste nipples across this universe? Cuz otherwise, slight variances in nipples seems rather arbitrary. Like "Hmm...Yeah, I think this baby's nipples are slightly larger than the average. He must be a breeder. No, no. I'm sure. Look at them. Nevermind the baby's slightly larger than the average; his nipples are definitely slightly larger than the average baby's nipples."
I mean, I get it. It's not like the wome- *cough cough* I mean breeders have obvious differences, like no penis and a vagina, since EVERYONE has a penis AND vagina! I mean sheath, of course.
No, now I'm just getting really unnecessarily snarky. But still. Nipple variations? This is fantasy; go all out with some sort of birth mark or third nipple or something. Something obvious like that, you know. (Maybe not a third nipple...)
I wanted to like Reijir. He seemed like he had a lot of nice angst in store.
Reijir is an abusive asshole. There's no way around it. He may not be consciously trying to be an abusive asshole, but his gross negligence and callous disregard and inherent self-centeredness...they make him an abusive asshole. And Naeth crawls back for more each time. Why? Clearly he has no idea what love actually is. No, love is NOT about enduring everything the other person dishes out because they profess love to you. Love can't be all about giving. That would be codependence.
Another thing that really, really bothered me was the lack of any mention or even allusion, really, to Darion for a good half of the book, maybe more. I mean, you can't just mention him in the prologue, and then ignore the fact that you introduced him as Reijir's love interest. That's like Sophie from Da Vinci Code if you read the first book (Angels and Demons) first. You go through DVC wondering what the hell happened to Vittoria. Go finish and still wonder what happened to Vittoria. You see the two of them ending up together and wondering what happened to Vittoria.
I kept wondering what the hell happened with Darion.
At first I thought, "Hey. We didn't actually get to know Darion at all. Maybe he is a jackass after all." Except in the meantime, all we get are examples of why Reijir is a jackass; Naeth is a useless, irrational, thoughtless, sobbing, avoidant wreck; Keiran's pretty much a fop; and Ruomi, a minor character, is probably the only character worth liking.
Yeah, we're told later about Darion's perfidy and shit, but by then, too little too late.
Keiran I wish the author had characterized better/less shallowly. The MCs...I think I'm just disgusted with them that idgaf.
To add insult to injury, Naeth's name is just aesthetically unappealing. It makes me think of "naif," partly because that describes him so well.
The "explanation" (of Darion's evil, diabolic, conniving perfidy) did not endear the MCs to me at all. I thought Reijir was a paranoid bastard who read too much into too little and thus gave Darion plausible cause for breaking it off with him and taking R's dad's deal.
Yeah, I didn't like it.
Reijir I thought I would like/I really wanted to like, but he's got issues. A lot of them. And not the nice angsty ones. Fundamental character problems. More on that later.
Keiran...okay. So he's a breeder. The biggest issue is the author made it out like there are really, really obvious defining features of breeders compared to other males, but all it boiled down to were variances in nipples. Something about slightly plumper and paler areolas. ...Do the people here just all have the same nipples, then, regardless of skin color, race, whatever? Just copy+paste nipples across this universe? Cuz otherwise, slight variances in nipples seems rather arbitrary. Like "Hmm...Yeah, I think this baby's nipples are slightly larger than the average. He must be a breeder. No, no. I'm sure. Look at them. Nevermind the baby's slightly larger than the average; his nipples are definitely slightly larger than the average baby's nipples."
I mean, I get it. It's not like the wome- *cough cough* I mean breeders have obvious differences, like no penis and a vagina, since EVERYONE has a penis AND vagina! I mean sheath, of course.
No, now I'm just getting really unnecessarily snarky. But still. Nipple variations? This is fantasy; go all out with some sort of birth mark or third nipple or something. Something obvious like that, you know. (Maybe not a third nipple...)
I wanted to like Reijir. He seemed like he had a lot of nice angst in store.
Reijir is an abusive asshole. There's no way around it. He may not be consciously trying to be an abusive asshole, but his gross negligence and callous disregard and inherent self-centeredness...they make him an abusive asshole. And Naeth crawls back for more each time. Why? Clearly he has no idea what love actually is. No, love is NOT about enduring everything the other person dishes out because they profess love to you. Love can't be all about giving. That would be codependence.
Another thing that really, really bothered me was the lack of any mention or even allusion, really, to Darion for a good half of the book, maybe more. I mean, you can't just mention him in the prologue, and then ignore the fact that you introduced him as Reijir's love interest. That's like Sophie from Da Vinci Code if you read the first book (Angels and Demons) first. You go through DVC wondering what the hell happened to Vittoria. Go finish and still wonder what happened to Vittoria. You see the two of them ending up together and wondering what happened to Vittoria.
I kept wondering what the hell happened with Darion.
At first I thought, "Hey. We didn't actually get to know Darion at all. Maybe he is a jackass after all." Except in the meantime, all we get are examples of why Reijir is a jackass; Naeth is a useless, irrational, thoughtless, sobbing, avoidant wreck; Keiran's pretty much a fop; and Ruomi, a minor character, is probably the only character worth liking.
Yeah, we're told later about Darion's perfidy and shit, but by then, too little too late.
Keiran I wish the author had characterized better/less shallowly. The MCs...I think I'm just disgusted with them that idgaf.
To add insult to injury, Naeth's name is just aesthetically unappealing. It makes me think of "naif," partly because that describes him so well.
The "explanation" (of Darion's evil, diabolic, conniving perfidy) did not endear the MCs to me at all. I thought Reijir was a paranoid bastard who read too much into too little and thus gave Darion plausible cause for breaking it off with him and taking R's dad's deal.
Yeah, I didn't like it.
July 28, 2012
Another fascinating installment in Eressë's Chronicles of Ylandre. I loved that in this book we actually get to know and experience some of Ylandre's lower class. Although some of the later plotlines were a tad too predictable, By Chance Met is nevertheless a book that you start and don't want to put down. Naeth and Reijir are well-developed characters that actually have reasons for their actions, and I really enjoyed that Eressë gave both of them extensive background histories. Reijir's brother, Keiran, and their adjutant, Ruomi, contribute to make this story memorable.
November 24, 2013
This is the third book in the Chronicles of Ylandre series and for me it was the weakest so far. I liked the relationship between Reijir and Naeth but I thought the plot was predictable at times and the ending was very long winded. That said, I did enjoy the book and will definitely be reading Heartstrings.
October 8, 2012
So, I feel like 1/2 - 1 of these stars is just good will from the previous two books. I liked it, but the constant sobbing and misunderstandings just drove me nuts! My god...the big misunderstanding is old after one use and there were at least 3, maybe 4 in this book. So, a generous 3 stars for this one.
April 25, 2013
4.6 stars
Angst, heart-aching.
Angst, heart-aching.
October 7, 2016
It just keeps getting better and better! 3 down, 3 to go.
So... I started this again 10/5/2016, and have finished it on 10/6/2016!
I love this series! Currently reading book #4!
So... I started this again 10/5/2016, and have finished it on 10/6/2016!
I love this series! Currently reading book #4!
December 11, 2015
Still loving it. While I'll admit that I am seeing repetitiveness in the storylines of these books it's not enough for me to get bored with this world.
January 20, 2021
The couple kind of felt like book one, with gap in age and social status, but somehow Naeth was less likable than Lassen to me.
I like how Rei was depicted as someone who wanted to do everything right while struggling with his short temper, and the occasional bursting of his anger was really...hot? On the other hand, Naeth was a little sympathy inspiring when he collapsed, but overall I just don't like that he always ran away from problems and set himself into bigger ones. Lassen ran as well, but at least he knew enough to take basic care of himself.
Maybe, just maybe, if I had read this book before reading the first one, I might have liked Naeth more without comparing him to Lassen. But really, after comparing with Lassen, Naeth felt like a cliché damsel in distress and thus not very likable.
I like how Rei was depicted as someone who wanted to do everything right while struggling with his short temper, and the occasional bursting of his anger was really...hot? On the other hand, Naeth was a little sympathy inspiring when he collapsed, but overall I just don't like that he always ran away from problems and set himself into bigger ones. Lassen ran as well, but at least he knew enough to take basic care of himself.
Maybe, just maybe, if I had read this book before reading the first one, I might have liked Naeth more without comparing him to Lassen. But really, after comparing with Lassen, Naeth felt like a cliché damsel in distress and thus not very likable.
May 17, 2020
It's an enjoyable read, just that I couldnt feel much of a sizzling chemistry between the MCs. Naeth is quite the naive and innocent character. His undying devotion and adoration towards Reijir is quite apparent from the first quarter of the novel.Though, I did feel bad that he had to go through so much hurt for things he didnt really do.
There were times I felt like dunking Reijir in some ice cold water... To clear the guy's head... Dude is stuck in the past wayyyy too much.
And as usual we have the marathon sex.. is that a complaint? not really... I'm used to the sex-on-steroids thing these novels have going on.
There were times I felt like dunking Reijir in some ice cold water... To clear the guy's head... Dude is stuck in the past wayyyy too much.
And as usual we have the marathon sex.. is that a complaint? not really... I'm used to the sex-on-steroids thing these novels have going on.
February 13, 2023
enjoyable!
Lyrical language , a rich world, and distinct characters made this book engaging. I could have done without all the miscommunication and misunderstandings but therein laid most of the tension and conflict of the book. I really like this series and will continue with it!
Lyrical language , a rich world, and distinct characters made this book engaging. I could have done without all the miscommunication and misunderstandings but therein laid most of the tension and conflict of the book. I really like this series and will continue with it!
June 25, 2018
Such a brilliant series. The world building is just epic.
November 5, 2020
Here is my tier list for the Chronicles of Ylandre books:
Tier 1 (great): Heartstrings, Hallowed Bond
Tier 2 (good): Sacred Fate, Shield Mate, Duty or Desire
Tier 3 (okay): In Fine Form
Tier 4 (bad): Cross Purposes
Tier 5 (awful): By Chance Met
So yeah, I believe this book sucks which is unfortunate because I believe that this author is an extremely talented world-builder (seriously, the level of detail about Ylandre is pretty incredible) and pretty good character creator and a decent writer who is getting better across almost every book. But every author (except Tolkien) has duds and this is a pretty massive one. It's a pity an entire Ylandre book and a potentially compelling character was wasted on this story.
Spoilers ahead!
Tier 1 (great): Heartstrings, Hallowed Bond
Tier 2 (good): Sacred Fate, Shield Mate, Duty or Desire
Tier 3 (okay): In Fine Form
Tier 4 (bad): Cross Purposes
Tier 5 (awful): By Chance Met
So yeah, I believe this book sucks which is unfortunate because I believe that this author is an extremely talented world-builder (seriously, the level of detail about Ylandre is pretty incredible) and pretty good character creator and a decent writer who is getting better across almost every book. But every author (except Tolkien) has duds and this is a pretty massive one. It's a pity an entire Ylandre book and a potentially compelling character was wasted on this story.
Spoilers ahead!
May 6, 2012
Another great installment in the Chronicles of Ylandre. I've read all three released thus far and all three have been worth every star of the 5 star rating(s).
Naeth worked at a rough tavern after having tragically lost his family in a house fire. He really was rewarded for unselfishly helping out visiting True Bloods at the tavern when a brawl erupted and some foul play was at hand. His life at the tavern was rather Cinderella-ish as the owners' partner certainly acted like an evil step mother (although technically not). Reijir, the high ranking visitor he helped out, came in and offered him his (metaphorical) glass slipper as his ward, as well as salvation from a near horrific experience. As a character Naeth was naieve, sweet, old fashioned, level headed and unselfish in his demeanor and behaviour. He was such a girl but, to be honest, I loved him for it, it suited the book and it suited his partner Reijir. He's a runner when things get tough but I could not blame him as Reijir could be quite perplexing.
Reijir has inherited the title of the Herun of Ilmaren, in spite of the fact that he was the younger brother. He is also a cousin of Rohyr Essendri the Ruler of Ylandre. His cruel Aba was violent towards all in his household, including his sons, and beyond. He set Reijir up in this role to cause derision amongst the brothers, Reijir and Keiran, even after his death. It was a testament to them and their other parent that the brothers deeply loved one another. Reijir has made Ilmaren prosper under his rule but he cannot/will not settle down in love, as his previous serious lover has caused him great heartache. That is until Naeth comes along and chips away at his walled up heart.
This book was more character and angst driven than plot driven but, for me, lost no points as I really enjoyed it for that very reason. It so suited the characters and it allowed the sexual heat to be ratcheted up several notches. It was steamy and it was smoking hot. By Chance Met was an unabashed bodice ripping romance, as Naeth needed hand holding and rescuing, and Reijir was the rescuer, brooding and sexually demanding. There were clearly delineated male and female roles within the two main characters. Actually House Ilmaren ended up with two manly men and two more effeminate men. Definitely some yin and yang going on. Don't get me wrong, it was not just a romance book, there was still great fantasy components to this book as well, it was well rounded with further world building. There is also the bonus of terrific characters, who share a wonderful camaraderie as well as a close lineage. All the characters are interesting and seem like 'kith and kin' as you read. I, too, loved Reijir's brother, Keiran, and his lover Ruomi. Keiran was flamboyant, sure and bawdy. Ruomi, his actual household adjutant, was devoted and always there to carry Keiran off to bed of a night.
As with all of these books much more could be put in the review but it's more pleasurable to unfold the events as you read. There is an extended glossary at the end with geography and character descriptions thrown in, which I read with relish. I am now having to wait for book 4, which promises to be out this year, for more of my fix of this series. I can't wait to come back and re visit my favourite (hermaphroditic) men.
Naeth worked at a rough tavern after having tragically lost his family in a house fire. He really was rewarded for unselfishly helping out visiting True Bloods at the tavern when a brawl erupted and some foul play was at hand. His life at the tavern was rather Cinderella-ish as the owners' partner certainly acted like an evil step mother (although technically not). Reijir, the high ranking visitor he helped out, came in and offered him his (metaphorical) glass slipper as his ward, as well as salvation from a near horrific experience. As a character Naeth was naieve, sweet, old fashioned, level headed and unselfish in his demeanor and behaviour. He was such a girl but, to be honest, I loved him for it, it suited the book and it suited his partner Reijir. He's a runner when things get tough but I could not blame him as Reijir could be quite perplexing.
Reijir has inherited the title of the Herun of Ilmaren, in spite of the fact that he was the younger brother. He is also a cousin of Rohyr Essendri the Ruler of Ylandre. His cruel Aba was violent towards all in his household, including his sons, and beyond. He set Reijir up in this role to cause derision amongst the brothers, Reijir and Keiran, even after his death. It was a testament to them and their other parent that the brothers deeply loved one another. Reijir has made Ilmaren prosper under his rule but he cannot/will not settle down in love, as his previous serious lover has caused him great heartache. That is until Naeth comes along and chips away at his walled up heart.
This book was more character and angst driven than plot driven but, for me, lost no points as I really enjoyed it for that very reason. It so suited the characters and it allowed the sexual heat to be ratcheted up several notches. It was steamy and it was smoking hot. By Chance Met was an unabashed bodice ripping romance, as Naeth needed hand holding and rescuing, and Reijir was the rescuer, brooding and sexually demanding. There were clearly delineated male and female roles within the two main characters. Actually House Ilmaren ended up with two manly men and two more effeminate men. Definitely some yin and yang going on. Don't get me wrong, it was not just a romance book, there was still great fantasy components to this book as well, it was well rounded with further world building. There is also the bonus of terrific characters, who share a wonderful camaraderie as well as a close lineage. All the characters are interesting and seem like 'kith and kin' as you read. I, too, loved Reijir's brother, Keiran, and his lover Ruomi. Keiran was flamboyant, sure and bawdy. Ruomi, his actual household adjutant, was devoted and always there to carry Keiran off to bed of a night.
As with all of these books much more could be put in the review but it's more pleasurable to unfold the events as you read. There is an extended glossary at the end with geography and character descriptions thrown in, which I read with relish. I am now having to wait for book 4, which promises to be out this year, for more of my fix of this series. I can't wait to come back and re visit my favourite (hermaphroditic) men.
August 6, 2012
5 Hearts
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Oh yes… Eressë you beauty, you have produced yet another incredible story. Reijir is wary of trusting anyone but when Naeth sweeps into his life Reijir’s family and friends notice the difference straight away. Naeth’s life fell apart when his family was killed in a fire, helping a friend of his father out; he ends up meeting Reijir who turns his world upside down.
YES! YES! YES! Ylandre is back and is just as interesting as always. All the world building was done in the first book Scared Fate along with the history and the explanations as to why and how it’s an all-male world. This book is well written and plunges you right back into the world of Ylandre. In this one we find out more about Reijir and Naeth and the development and difficulties of their relationship.
Reijir is the Herun of Ilmaren (there is a glossary in the back of the book) and was once badly burned in love and has now built a wall around his heart, when he takes Naeth in as his ward he begins to thaw but it isn’t until it is nearly too late before he admits it to himself. Naeth falls rapidly for Reijir but it is years before he can act on it and even then he still doesn’t know if Reijir feels anything for him but lust.
I loved this story as it has conflict, love, despair, intrigue, danger, lust, hidden secrets and misunderstandings. The story is well crafted and the plot well-developed, we meet the characters from the previous books and those books run parallel to this book, all the characters are well-developed and well-rounded and the sex is off the charts scorching hot.
I will recommend this to those who love fantasy, science-fiction-ish type stories, hot sex, m-preg and a very happy ever after.
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Oh yes… Eressë you beauty, you have produced yet another incredible story. Reijir is wary of trusting anyone but when Naeth sweeps into his life Reijir’s family and friends notice the difference straight away. Naeth’s life fell apart when his family was killed in a fire, helping a friend of his father out; he ends up meeting Reijir who turns his world upside down.
YES! YES! YES! Ylandre is back and is just as interesting as always. All the world building was done in the first book Scared Fate along with the history and the explanations as to why and how it’s an all-male world. This book is well written and plunges you right back into the world of Ylandre. In this one we find out more about Reijir and Naeth and the development and difficulties of their relationship.
Reijir is the Herun of Ilmaren (there is a glossary in the back of the book) and was once badly burned in love and has now built a wall around his heart, when he takes Naeth in as his ward he begins to thaw but it isn’t until it is nearly too late before he admits it to himself. Naeth falls rapidly for Reijir but it is years before he can act on it and even then he still doesn’t know if Reijir feels anything for him but lust.
I loved this story as it has conflict, love, despair, intrigue, danger, lust, hidden secrets and misunderstandings. The story is well crafted and the plot well-developed, we meet the characters from the previous books and those books run parallel to this book, all the characters are well-developed and well-rounded and the sex is off the charts scorching hot.
I will recommend this to those who love fantasy, science-fiction-ish type stories, hot sex, m-preg and a very happy ever after.
June 9, 2012
I really liked book 1 in the series, and book 2 was interesting enough, too. But this third book didn't work for me. It was often predictable and I just couldn't take to the two main characters.
The beginning really excited me, when it showed orphaned Naeth working in a tavern. I thought we were finally going to see something of the regular people's lives in Ylandre. But instead, Naeth soon became the ward of Reijil, and we were back in the world of the powerful, and my hopes were dashed. That isn't the reason for two stars, though. I couldn't warm to either of the main characters. Naeth felt too impulsive and perhaps not too bright at times. Sure he was innocent and sweet, but I like to see more about a main character's personality than mere sweetness. And Reijil was too often too quick to see the worst of a person's motive/reason. He didn't seem to grow out of it.
Another thing that bugged me-- the way the bad guys were portrayed and handled. One example is Camrion's mate. He was petty and mean, but I wondered about what might've sparked his resentment of Naeth. He made a very poor decision and was judged on it, but since Naeth didn't suffer for it in the end, I kinda thought it might be good if he was given a chance to change. If Camrion would talk to his mate to find out what the problem at the core was, and if fixable, start fixing it. Or was it that he was a totally incorrigible evil man? Without all these information, the characters felt like cardboard cutouts, holding their places in "good" or "bad" corners.
I don't think I'll continue with this series. At least not anytime soon.
The beginning really excited me, when it showed orphaned Naeth working in a tavern. I thought we were finally going to see something of the regular people's lives in Ylandre. But instead, Naeth soon became the ward of Reijil, and we were back in the world of the powerful, and my hopes were dashed. That isn't the reason for two stars, though. I couldn't warm to either of the main characters. Naeth felt too impulsive and perhaps not too bright at times. Sure he was innocent and sweet, but I like to see more about a main character's personality than mere sweetness. And Reijil was too often too quick to see the worst of a person's motive/reason. He didn't seem to grow out of it.
Another thing that bugged me-- the way the bad guys were portrayed and handled. One example is Camrion's mate. He was petty and mean, but I wondered about what might've sparked his resentment of Naeth. He made a very poor decision and was judged on it, but since Naeth didn't suffer for it in the end, I kinda thought it might be good if he was given a chance to change. If Camrion would talk to his mate to find out what the problem at the core was, and if fixable, start fixing it. Or was it that he was a totally incorrigible evil man? Without all these information, the characters felt like cardboard cutouts, holding their places in "good" or "bad" corners.
I don't think I'll continue with this series. At least not anytime soon.
October 11, 2017
So often authors try to convince the reader that changing to fancy clothes and expensive hairstyles can be enough for a poor uneducated person to attract in an enduring way a rich powerful educated person.
This is not the case in real life which really throws me out of a story when they try to push that agenda.
We don NOT find that in this story, thank goodness!
This is a case of an orphan poor person, but he was raised his entire life as an educated boy in a good loving family so this is a Cinderfella story.It lends a likely possibility to this story that kept me reading to the end.
Naeth Orosse is in trouble when he meets the hot sexy rich and powerful, Lord of Ilmaren, Reijir Arthanna. Reijir has been burned (and tortured!) in his past so it makes sense that he is careful with his love for his ward, Naeth.
I liked that Naeth has to seduce Rei when he is so much younger and innocent, but still sure of his feelings for his beloved guardian. The silly obvious death threats wasn't needed. I wish there had been another story involving friends or staff from the university instead of the death threats plot line that brings the two together. The glimpses of the royal family as well as Eiren and Ash was fun since I didn't read this series in order.
Just did a little re-read and this was just as fun as the first time. Although Neath is really naive, probably the most naive person in all the series.
235 pages and bought for $6.99
3 stars
This is not the case in real life which really throws me out of a story when they try to push that agenda.
We don NOT find that in this story, thank goodness!
This is a case of an orphan poor person, but he was raised his entire life as an educated boy in a good loving family so this is a Cinderfella story.It lends a likely possibility to this story that kept me reading to the end.
Naeth Orosse is in trouble when he meets the hot sexy rich and powerful, Lord of Ilmaren, Reijir Arthanna. Reijir has been burned (and tortured!) in his past so it makes sense that he is careful with his love for his ward, Naeth.
I liked that Naeth has to seduce Rei when he is so much younger and innocent, but still sure of his feelings for his beloved guardian. The silly obvious death threats wasn't needed. I wish there had been another story involving friends or staff from the university instead of the death threats plot line that brings the two together. The glimpses of the royal family as well as Eiren and Ash was fun since I didn't read this series in order.
Just did a little re-read and this was just as fun as the first time. Although Neath is really naive, probably the most naive person in all the series.
235 pages and bought for $6.99
3 stars
October 21, 2012
This series and the world in which it takes place is such an interesting dichotomy of old and new. For example, it feels historical from the perspective that people travel by horse and/or carriage, they use oil lamps and candles, and they have minimal modern conveniences such as indoor plumbing. Yet, the year is futuristic (late 2000’s, early 3000’s), there’s some time travel, etc. – this diversity is part of what I love about the series.
As for the characters, I loved Naeth and Reijir much more so than Dylen and Rio from the second book. This was a classic case of opposites attract – youth & innocence vs. hard & experienced. I loved how Reijir took Naeth under his wing and never once gave up on the boy despite a couple of instances of stupidity. I also loved how much Naeth worshipped Reijir and hung on his every word and action.
This series is about a dual-gendered race of people, and therefore, means than men can become pregnant. I was happy that this element factored more prominently into the story than it did in the second book. It’s one of the key elements that set this series apart from others. Don’t give up after book two or you’ll miss this wonderful continuation of the series!
As for the characters, I loved Naeth and Reijir much more so than Dylen and Rio from the second book. This was a classic case of opposites attract – youth & innocence vs. hard & experienced. I loved how Reijir took Naeth under his wing and never once gave up on the boy despite a couple of instances of stupidity. I also loved how much Naeth worshipped Reijir and hung on his every word and action.
This series is about a dual-gendered race of people, and therefore, means than men can become pregnant. I was happy that this element factored more prominently into the story than it did in the second book. It’s one of the key elements that set this series apart from others. Don’t give up after book two or you’ll miss this wonderful continuation of the series!
November 28, 2011
So, full disclosure, I did not read book 2 due to the betrayal referenced in some of the reviews. Like them, when I found out what it was I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to get past it. I think the author may have heard you guys (and sensed the reticence in folks like me who hesitated to read) by putting a pretty touching scene in this book addressing and having Rio "own" the betrayal. Rio is obviously still heavy with the guilt, as he should be, but at least there is acceptance that what he did was wrong which may have not been obvious before. So, off to buy book 2!
As for this book, other than wanting to thunk Rei over the head, repeatedly, and the fact that I could see the twist about what happened to Naeths family coming a mile away, this was *awesome*. I love these characters and this world so, SO much. The richness of it just thrills me. So, other than a bit of obviousness in the storyline (and a little repetition to be honest) the writing just flows and I just lose track of time. Great read and a great addition to this series.
As for this book, other than wanting to thunk Rei over the head, repeatedly, and the fact that I could see the twist about what happened to Naeths family coming a mile away, this was *awesome*. I love these characters and this world so, SO much. The richness of it just thrills me. So, other than a bit of obviousness in the storyline (and a little repetition to be honest) the writing just flows and I just lose track of time. Great read and a great addition to this series.
January 8, 2014
Main Characters: Naeth Orosse & Reijir Arthanna
Key Themes: Age Gap, Social Differences, MPreg, Paranormal
Location: Ylandre
Rei and Naeth are easily the least convincing couple of the series so far.
This is similar to Book I
, except Naeth does not have Lassen’s sparkling personality and beauty, and Rei does not have Rohyr strength of character. Instead Naeth was kind of insipid, a bit stupid, and oddly fond of eavesdropping on Rei's conversations.
Whilst I commended Rei for his sexual restraint until Naeth had reached his majority, even he was not a compelling character. I guess it didn't help that his desire for Naeth was just not believable.
Lastly, the story just seemed to drag on and on….this is easily my least favorite story of the series so far.
Key Themes: Age Gap, Social Differences, MPreg, Paranormal
Location: Ylandre
Rei and Naeth are easily the least convincing couple of the series so far.
This is similar to Book I
, except Naeth does not have Lassen’s sparkling personality and beauty, and Rei does not have Rohyr strength of character. Instead Naeth was kind of insipid, a bit stupid, and oddly fond of eavesdropping on Rei's conversations. Whilst I commended Rei for his sexual restraint until Naeth had reached his majority, even he was not a compelling character. I guess it didn't help that his desire for Naeth was just not believable.
Lastly, the story just seemed to drag on and on….this is easily my least favorite story of the series so far.
August 11, 2014
I really enjoy this series. Though i like this book a little less than the first two. I wasn't sure if I'd find it creepy with the ward/guardian relationship, but I didn't. Rei doesn't really "parent" Naeth ever, so it's more technically, than emotionally so it was fine. Rei was a bit of a jerk for a lot of the book. And Naeth was way too immature. That's where it becomes squicky. Naeth is no where near mature enough for an "adult" relationship. And Rei is a bit of a rapist, no matter how Naeth wants to excuse it. Also, after three books, I'm still confused on their aging/time marking. Love seeing the returning characters from the previous books. Bad guy was super obvious, as was the big reveal of his evil deeds. Will absolutely continue the series. But I really hope I connect to a couple more.
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