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Prides of the Moon #2
Emerald Moon
Prides of the Moon, Book 2 (a 1Night Stand tale ...)
Ben Harkil had long ago given up on love, refusing to believe that he was worthy of it. When he is given the gift of a 1Night Stand service blind date he goes into it expecting nothing more than a night of savage pleasure. Instead he finds the missing piece of his heart.
Jude Carson has an impossible task in front of him. He has to convince the man that he hasn't seen in fifteen years that he still loves him with all of his heart and wants him back. A task made even more diffuclt by the horrible circumstances that lead to their parting and tore their former pride apart.
Ben will have to learn that sometimes the hardest person to forgive is himself if he wants a second chance at the greatest joy he has ever known.
Ben Harkil had long ago given up on love, refusing to believe that he was worthy of it. When he is given the gift of a 1Night Stand service blind date he goes into it expecting nothing more than a night of savage pleasure. Instead he finds the missing piece of his heart.
Jude Carson has an impossible task in front of him. He has to convince the man that he hasn't seen in fifteen years that he still loves him with all of his heart and wants him back. A task made even more diffuclt by the horrible circumstances that lead to their parting and tore their former pride apart.
Ben will have to learn that sometimes the hardest person to forgive is himself if he wants a second chance at the greatest joy he has ever known.
28 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2011
6 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Ann Mayburn
95 books1,973 followersAnn is Queen of the Castle to her wonderful husband and three sons in the mountains of West Virginia. In her past lives she's been an Import Broker, a Communications Specialist, a US Navy Civilian Contractor, a Bartender/Waitress, and an actor at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. She also spent a summer touring with the Grateful Dead(though she will deny to her children that it ever happened).
From a young age she's been fascinated by myths and fairytales, and the romance that often was the center of the story. As Ann grew older and her hormones kicked in, she discovered trashy romance novels. Great at first, but she soon grew tired of the endless stories with a big wonderful emotional buildup to really short and crappy sex. Never a big fan of purple prose, throbbing spears of fleshy pleasure and wet honey pots make her giggle, she sought out books that gave the sex scenes in the story just as much detail and plot as everything else-without using cringe worthy euphemisms. This led her to the wonderful world of Erotic Romance, and she's never looked back.
Now Ann spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get into her 'sexy space' and has learned to type one handed while soothing a cranky baby.
From a young age she's been fascinated by myths and fairytales, and the romance that often was the center of the story. As Ann grew older and her hormones kicked in, she discovered trashy romance novels. Great at first, but she soon grew tired of the endless stories with a big wonderful emotional buildup to really short and crappy sex. Never a big fan of purple prose, throbbing spears of fleshy pleasure and wet honey pots make her giggle, she sought out books that gave the sex scenes in the story just as much detail and plot as everything else-without using cringe worthy euphemisms. This led her to the wonderful world of Erotic Romance, and she's never looked back.
Now Ann spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get into her 'sexy space' and has learned to type one handed while soothing a cranky baby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 24, 2011
I so wanted to like this more but unfortunately for me it fell flat. I was expecting a nice angsty fic of 2 lovers caught in a web of deciet and intrigue but instead all i got was a quick glossed over explanation and then sex.
Sorry but just another run of the mill shifter fic with nothing except the cover to recomend it.
Sorry but just another run of the mill shifter fic with nothing except the cover to recomend it.
August 25, 2011
My hopes were dashed again, it had so much potential and didn't quite make it. Way too short to get a feel for any deep and meaningful relationship. A disappointing read.
September 13, 2011
2.5 stars. Ok short paranormal m/m romance about a puma shifter who hasn't seen his mate since killing his mate's serial killer brother many years ago. I suspect I won't be reading more in this series, since it sounds like most of them will be m/m/f.
April 19, 2018
even shorter then book 1 - story had ok premise
August 29, 2011
Emerald Moon was a nice surprise for me on several levels. It is part of the 1 Night Stand series at Decadent Publishing, but it isn’t about what you could call a ‘typical’ one night stand, if there even is such a thing. I liked that surprise. It is also about werepumas and dealing with a past that haunts both main characters, which adds a back story that gives the story extra flavor. While it turned out that this is the second book in the Prides of the Moon series (something I had totally overlooked), it reads really well as a stand-alone, so don’t let that stop you. Or if you like m/m/f ménages, read the first book before you dive into this one.
At the beginning of the story, Ben is basically ready to die. He carries a lot of guilt from the past with him, still yearns for his mate, even though he believes Jude wants to kill him, and he’s spent several tours in Iraq, which has left scars of an entirely different nature on his soul. Basically, he is and emotional wreck. Despite this, his strength shone through from the very start, and I found myself cheering him on as he discovers that not all may be as he thought.
Jude is equally scarred, if for different reasons, and still pining after Ben. He may be the alpha in this pairing, but it’s clear he needs Ben as much as the other man needs him. The passion that flares up between them confirms this, and Jude takes the lead in trying to repair the damage long ago events and time apart have wrought.
If you like shifter stories, reading about men who are clearly meant for each other and appreciate some very hot sex added to the mixture of a story of consolation, you will probably like this book. It offers a fresh interpretation of the one night stand concept and an intriguing peek at a bigger ‘shifter world’ which will hopefully evolve over the next few sequels.
A small note of warning: there is a hint of a third (female) bond mate at the end of the story, but it is no more than a mention at this stage.
NOTE This book was provided by Decadent Publishing for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online.
At the beginning of the story, Ben is basically ready to die. He carries a lot of guilt from the past with him, still yearns for his mate, even though he believes Jude wants to kill him, and he’s spent several tours in Iraq, which has left scars of an entirely different nature on his soul. Basically, he is and emotional wreck. Despite this, his strength shone through from the very start, and I found myself cheering him on as he discovers that not all may be as he thought.
Jude is equally scarred, if for different reasons, and still pining after Ben. He may be the alpha in this pairing, but it’s clear he needs Ben as much as the other man needs him. The passion that flares up between them confirms this, and Jude takes the lead in trying to repair the damage long ago events and time apart have wrought.
If you like shifter stories, reading about men who are clearly meant for each other and appreciate some very hot sex added to the mixture of a story of consolation, you will probably like this book. It offers a fresh interpretation of the one night stand concept and an intriguing peek at a bigger ‘shifter world’ which will hopefully evolve over the next few sequels.
A small note of warning: there is a hint of a third (female) bond mate at the end of the story, but it is no more than a mention at this stage.
NOTE This book was provided by Decadent Publishing for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online.
September 15, 2011
This review can be found at Brief Encounters Reviews
This short story is set in an established shifter world which began in Book 1, however there is enough background given that you don’t need to have read the first book to read this one. Both are puma shifters which is a bit different from the usual wolves that inhabit shifter books. I found the background given about how Jude and Ben originally mated was well woven in to the story and you didn’t feel it was an info dump or that you were somehow missing something key.
However, given this and the fact that I enjoyed the author’s voice, I found the entire thrust of the story was explaining why the two men were apart and then their reunification which takes place over a period of a couple of hours, culminating in Ben’s submission to Jude who is now an alpha. Beyond that there really wasn’t much moving the story forward, although it does seem to be indicate that there will be a follow-up book.
I particularly enjoyed the character of Ben, who has been released from the military for extreme PTSD following fighting in Iraq in a special shifter unit and his longing for someone to fill the whole left by being apart from his mate, even if only temporarily. I got less of a feel for Jude, beyond his desire to have Ben back in his life.
So while on the whole I enjoyed this book, which had rather aggressive hot animalistic sex which was appropriate for two large shifter men, I will not be following up on this story as the men clearly state they are seeking a woman to complete their triad. A trio seems to be the norm in this world as Ben’s current alpha has two female mates. I think those who enjoy other combinations to m/m along with shifters will enjoy this series, as hopefully there would be more of Ben and Jude interacting in future books, rather than being told how they fell in love in this one with an extended reunification scene.
This short story is set in an established shifter world which began in Book 1, however there is enough background given that you don’t need to have read the first book to read this one. Both are puma shifters which is a bit different from the usual wolves that inhabit shifter books. I found the background given about how Jude and Ben originally mated was well woven in to the story and you didn’t feel it was an info dump or that you were somehow missing something key.
However, given this and the fact that I enjoyed the author’s voice, I found the entire thrust of the story was explaining why the two men were apart and then their reunification which takes place over a period of a couple of hours, culminating in Ben’s submission to Jude who is now an alpha. Beyond that there really wasn’t much moving the story forward, although it does seem to be indicate that there will be a follow-up book.
I particularly enjoyed the character of Ben, who has been released from the military for extreme PTSD following fighting in Iraq in a special shifter unit and his longing for someone to fill the whole left by being apart from his mate, even if only temporarily. I got less of a feel for Jude, beyond his desire to have Ben back in his life.
So while on the whole I enjoyed this book, which had rather aggressive hot animalistic sex which was appropriate for two large shifter men, I will not be following up on this story as the men clearly state they are seeking a woman to complete their triad. A trio seems to be the norm in this world as Ben’s current alpha has two female mates. I think those who enjoy other combinations to m/m along with shifters will enjoy this series, as hopefully there would be more of Ben and Jude interacting in future books, rather than being told how they fell in love in this one with an extended reunification scene.
August 29, 2011
Emerald Moon was a very, very short story about love, deceit and forgiveness. The story had a nice theme.
Ben and Jude have known each other for many years thanks to their connection to Axel. Axel was Alpha of the Pride pack. Ben was asked by Axel to be his beta. Ben met Jude Axel's young brother and fell in love with him. Axel was a cold blooded killer and betrayed both Jude and Ben using them as pawns for the numerous murders he committed. After Ben discovers Axel's crimes and Axel trying to frame Jude, Ben kills Axel to protect Jude. Jude worshiped his older brother and could not believe that Axel was capable of murder. After killing Axel Ben leaves the Pride pack and Jude.
After about 15 years, the two lovers are reunited via a blind date. Ben of course, still loves Jude and expects Jude to kill him for killing his brother. The reunion is blissful because Jude has forgiven Ben.
Ben realizes that forgiving himself was one of the hardest things he has ever done.
I was expecting hot, sizzling sex in Emerald Moon but it was not there. I like the way Ann Mayburn incorporated the sex, loving bond between Jude and Ben. I expected hot, monkey, loving sex scenes but instead I was disappointed.
Ben and Jude have known each other for many years thanks to their connection to Axel. Axel was Alpha of the Pride pack. Ben was asked by Axel to be his beta. Ben met Jude Axel's young brother and fell in love with him. Axel was a cold blooded killer and betrayed both Jude and Ben using them as pawns for the numerous murders he committed. After Ben discovers Axel's crimes and Axel trying to frame Jude, Ben kills Axel to protect Jude. Jude worshiped his older brother and could not believe that Axel was capable of murder. After killing Axel Ben leaves the Pride pack and Jude.
After about 15 years, the two lovers are reunited via a blind date. Ben of course, still loves Jude and expects Jude to kill him for killing his brother. The reunion is blissful because Jude has forgiven Ben.
Ben realizes that forgiving himself was one of the hardest things he has ever done.
I was expecting hot, sizzling sex in Emerald Moon but it was not there. I like the way Ann Mayburn incorporated the sex, loving bond between Jude and Ben. I expected hot, monkey, loving sex scenes but instead I was disappointed.
September 21, 2011
2 stars for the cover alone! Too short of a story to really connect with either character. And who wants to read a m/m romance story knowing that sometime in the near future the couple will be looking for a woman to add to the relationship? (and yes, that's totally just my own opinion, but it kind of ruined the HEA vibe from the whole book for me)
September 7, 2011
Even for a short 10k word novel there just wasn't enough detail, she would mention things and that was it no other detail added so it read like it wasn't complete ... Oh and i don't get why at the end she had to add in that they needed to get a female mate to start a new pride Like the two of them wasn't enough ... Pretty bad
September 4, 2011
2.5 Stars The start was great with the tension, PTSD, and the angst but then it smoothed out to something typical and predictable. Nothing wrong with it really. Just smooth sailing when I wanted something more.
October 17, 2011
Title: Emerald Moon (1Night Stand GLBT)
Author: Ann Mayburn
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Publication Date: Out Now
ISBN: 978-1-61333-103-3
Genre: Paranormal, erotic romance, shapeshifters, GLBT
Length: 28 pages
Rating: 5 Diamonds
Heat Level: Erotic
Other: anal/oral play, GLBT
Reviewer: TJ
Date: October 16, 2011
Ben Hanson had long ago given up on love, refusing to believe he was worthy of it. When he is given the gift of a 1Night Stand blind date, he goes into it expecting nothing more than a night of savage pleasure. Instead he finds the missing piece of his heart.
Jude Carson has an impossible task in front of him. He has to convince the man he hasn't seen in fifteen years that he still loves him with all of his heart and wants him back. A task made even more difficult by the horrible circumstances that led to their parting and tore their former pride apart.
Ben will have to learn that sometimes the hardest person to forgive is himself if he wants a second chance at the greatest joy he has ever known.
Emerald Moon hooked me at the dedication and the depth of the emotions in this story kept me tied to the characters awaiting the outcome of their relationship with great anticipation. Ben captured my curiosity and my heart the moment I was briefly introduced to him in an earlier story and I was happy to see him get his very own one night stand. Jude became just as important at his introduction. The shared past this couple has is at once heartbreaking and heart-warming. I’m a sucker for a hero with a tortured soul and when I’m given two what more could I ask for? The bar setting is marvelous, I am amazed by the wonderful personalities and cannot wait to read more about all these diverse shifters.
Author: Ann Mayburn
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Publication Date: Out Now
ISBN: 978-1-61333-103-3
Genre: Paranormal, erotic romance, shapeshifters, GLBT
Length: 28 pages
Rating: 5 Diamonds
Heat Level: Erotic
Other: anal/oral play, GLBT
Reviewer: TJ
Date: October 16, 2011
Ben Hanson had long ago given up on love, refusing to believe he was worthy of it. When he is given the gift of a 1Night Stand blind date, he goes into it expecting nothing more than a night of savage pleasure. Instead he finds the missing piece of his heart.
Jude Carson has an impossible task in front of him. He has to convince the man he hasn't seen in fifteen years that he still loves him with all of his heart and wants him back. A task made even more difficult by the horrible circumstances that led to their parting and tore their former pride apart.
Ben will have to learn that sometimes the hardest person to forgive is himself if he wants a second chance at the greatest joy he has ever known.
Emerald Moon hooked me at the dedication and the depth of the emotions in this story kept me tied to the characters awaiting the outcome of their relationship with great anticipation. Ben captured my curiosity and my heart the moment I was briefly introduced to him in an earlier story and I was happy to see him get his very own one night stand. Jude became just as important at his introduction. The shared past this couple has is at once heartbreaking and heart-warming. I’m a sucker for a hero with a tortured soul and when I’m given two what more could I ask for? The bar setting is marvelous, I am amazed by the wonderful personalities and cannot wait to read more about all these diverse shifters.
October 11, 2011
A seriously sexy read that left me breathing hard. This is the second in Mayburn's new
Prides of the Moon
series which is part of Decadent Publishing's
1 Night Stand
series. I love the cover! Is there anything sexier than a wet man?
Madame Eve of the 1 Night Stand dating service can put another notch in her belt for bringing two people together in another perfect match in this twenty-eight page short.
Ben Hanson, bisexual werepuma beta and enforcer, is hurting. He misses his former lover but when forced to kill his brother fifteen years ago, their romance was torn apart. He is set up for a blind one night stand as a birthday gift from his alphas. When the door to the bar where he is waiting is held open for a little while, Ben recognizes the scent of the werepuna who must be his date.
Jude, bisexual werepuma and Ben's former younger lover, is all grown up and is now an alpha looking to start his own pride. When he learned from a friend of the alphas' gift to Ben, he immediately began an email campaign with Madame Eve trying to talk her into letting him be Ben's date.
Many might criticize the story for having the two get back together so easily but I say bah! With the mating bond, they can feel each other thoughts and emotions and therefore know the other is sincere.
There is mention of characters from the first story in the series but this is a stand alone story.
Hot M/M love and I rate it a Four Alarm Fire #@!%$ (4/4) on the heat scale.
I read this, along with Mayburn's other two in this series in one sitting.
Madame Eve of the 1 Night Stand dating service can put another notch in her belt for bringing two people together in another perfect match in this twenty-eight page short.
Ben Hanson, bisexual werepuma beta and enforcer, is hurting. He misses his former lover but when forced to kill his brother fifteen years ago, their romance was torn apart. He is set up for a blind one night stand as a birthday gift from his alphas. When the door to the bar where he is waiting is held open for a little while, Ben recognizes the scent of the werepuna who must be his date.
Jude, bisexual werepuma and Ben's former younger lover, is all grown up and is now an alpha looking to start his own pride. When he learned from a friend of the alphas' gift to Ben, he immediately began an email campaign with Madame Eve trying to talk her into letting him be Ben's date.
Many might criticize the story for having the two get back together so easily but I say bah! With the mating bond, they can feel each other thoughts and emotions and therefore know the other is sincere.
There is mention of characters from the first story in the series but this is a stand alone story.
Hot M/M love and I rate it a Four Alarm Fire #@!%$ (4/4) on the heat scale.
I read this, along with Mayburn's other two in this series in one sitting.
April 20, 2013
Emerald Moon by Ann Mayburn
Ben Harkil has seen a lot in his time as part of a shifter special forces with the military he has also had to do his share of killing. The only thing Ben wishes for tonight is for someone to ease his spirit and take away the pain of all he has seen as well as the ache in his heart for the mate he left.
Jude Mason was the brother of Axel a sadistic alpha killer but he was also mated to Ben. When Ben was forced to kill Alex, Jude was left devastated and could not believe what they were saying about his brother was true and swore to kill Ben should he return.
When Jude learns of Ben's Alphas are seeing a potential mate for him Jude sees the opportunity to show Ben he knows he should never have let Ben go and hopes that Ben will forgive him for his youthful stupidity and become his beta forever.
Ben Harkil has seen a lot in his time as part of a shifter special forces with the military he has also had to do his share of killing. The only thing Ben wishes for tonight is for someone to ease his spirit and take away the pain of all he has seen as well as the ache in his heart for the mate he left.
Jude Mason was the brother of Axel a sadistic alpha killer but he was also mated to Ben. When Ben was forced to kill Alex, Jude was left devastated and could not believe what they were saying about his brother was true and swore to kill Ben should he return.
When Jude learns of Ben's Alphas are seeing a potential mate for him Jude sees the opportunity to show Ben he knows he should never have let Ben go and hopes that Ben will forgive him for his youthful stupidity and become his beta forever.
February 24, 2013
Holy wow. Ben and Jude are *fans self* hot together. I don't know if it's Ben's broken, tortured side (I do love my tortured heroes, don't I?) or what but this was a slice of m/m lovin' that really hit the spot. There's also a *slight* possibility that I got a little teary over Ben's issues. I just love those characters that are struggling to find themselves again after years of being mentally beaten down.
Madame Eve has done it again and given us another round of hot sexin' that's bound to turn into something more. I like.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Emerald Moon was part of a free Kindle bundle I downloaded on 02/13/13 for the Why Buy the Cow? reading challenge.
Madame Eve has done it again and given us another round of hot sexin' that's bound to turn into something more. I like.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Emerald Moon was part of a free Kindle bundle I downloaded on 02/13/13 for the Why Buy the Cow? reading challenge.
February 26, 2013
Posted on Romancing the Books blog
Reviewed by Nichelle
Review Copy Provided by the Publisher
Ann Mayburn continues to amaze me with her vivid story telling. I loved this 1NS story. There was enough backstory about the two main characters so that this being a short didn’t matter. This was 28 pages of delightful, tension filled, sexy fun!
Ben is a wonderful character that you feel for because he is a ex-Marine with PTSD. He feels unworthy of love and pines for a love lost. Jude has to prove that he is an Alpha and worthy to be Ben’s Alpha.
What a fantastic M/M story of love and redemption. This is a must read!
Reviewed by Nichelle
Review Copy Provided by the Publisher
Ann Mayburn continues to amaze me with her vivid story telling. I loved this 1NS story. There was enough backstory about the two main characters so that this being a short didn’t matter. This was 28 pages of delightful, tension filled, sexy fun!
Ben is a wonderful character that you feel for because he is a ex-Marine with PTSD. He feels unworthy of love and pines for a love lost. Jude has to prove that he is an Alpha and worthy to be Ben’s Alpha.
What a fantastic M/M story of love and redemption. This is a must read!
August 29, 2011
Reviewed by Mia: Emerald Moon is a 1 Night Stand Short Story.
The story has some hot scenes and a bit of fun in it. It’s a good story to read on its own, but it also sets it up quite nicely for Turquoise Moon (MMF) which has the same main characters as Emerald Moon.
There are a few things left unsaid like Ben not telling his mate about his PTSD for example, but hopefully that will be mentioned in the next book.
Overall it was a good read.
C+
Link: http://manohmanreviews.blogspot.com/2...
The story has some hot scenes and a bit of fun in it. It’s a good story to read on its own, but it also sets it up quite nicely for Turquoise Moon (MMF) which has the same main characters as Emerald Moon.
There are a few things left unsaid like Ben not telling his mate about his PTSD for example, but hopefully that will be mentioned in the next book.
Overall it was a good read.
C+
Link: http://manohmanreviews.blogspot.com/2...
April 14, 2013
I love the 1NS stories, especially shifter ones. The next installment is M/M and very hot. Ben has had to struggle with what he had to do years and years ago; his blind date is with Jude, someone from his past, someone he knew intimately. Ben feels what he did is unforgivable; however, Jude is the one looking for forgiveness.
Jude, an Alpha, has come looking for him to be his Beta and to prove he still loves him.
Awesome story of second chance love of two tortured heroes, souls being reunited and lots of sexual tension.
Jude, an Alpha, has come looking for him to be his Beta and to prove he still loves him.
Awesome story of second chance love of two tortured heroes, souls being reunited and lots of sexual tension.
October 3, 2014
What a great story! I am not much of an MM reader, unless it is in a series. Loved reading about Ben and more about his past. There is such a wealth of feeling in the backstory for Ben and Jude. It is a delight reading about them and then the smexy date happens.
I loved the mixed narrative, really helps having both sides of the story. Another winner in the series and the 1NightStand collection!
I loved the mixed narrative, really helps having both sides of the story. Another winner in the series and the 1NightStand collection!
March 30, 2015
Nice short story of werecat shifters. Beta Ben meets up with an Alpha of his past. Some history between them leaves the situation of death or resolve. Lovely erotic scene to resolve and start Emerald Moon Pride into existence.
Ann Mayburn writes well, and story is edited. Just tips in at 4 stars for me.
Ann Mayburn writes well, and story is edited. Just tips in at 4 stars for me.
September 17, 2014
Thank you to the author for this book.
September 21, 2011
Just too short for me to connect to the characters and what they had to go through. And although I have read some of the other 1 Night Stand books, this wasn't as much of a stand alone as the others I have read were.
October 22, 2013
I loved it! Only complaint was that it was too short. I would've like to have read more about Ben and Jude. But it was a nice, hot read. I love that Ann doesn't mince her words when it comes to sex. :heart:
September 6, 2011
For my piece of mind this short chapter was to simple, easy and bland. Where the heck was the plot...
December 3, 2011
cannot wait to read what happens next with Ben and Jude....don't tell the hubby I should be working on Christmas cards :)
February 14, 2013
Long lost love.
A misunderstanding, but a chance of love second time around.
Loved the chemistry between Jace and Ben
A misunderstanding, but a chance of love second time around.
Loved the chemistry between Jace and Ben
February 15, 2013
I liked Emerald Moon but wish it had been longer. Fortunately Ben and Jude's story continues with the next novella in the Prides of the Moon series. 3.5 stars.
February 15, 2013
Like it very entertaining
March 4, 2013
short sexy and so spicy
a most read if thats what your looking for
3.5 stars
a most read if thats what your looking for
3.5 stars
March 13, 2013
Not as good as the first book but thats probably personal taste rather than how it was written or the story..
June 28, 2018
Wonderful
What a great book about rekindled Love 💗 that really never goes away and the rebuilding of two broken souls
What a great book about rekindled Love 💗 that really never goes away and the rebuilding of two broken souls
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews