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Saving Liam
Leyton lived a quiet, simple life as a prosperous, thriving merchant alongside his twin brother Liam. But that life is shattered when Liam goes missing, and Leyton is told that the only way to save his brother's life is to seduce a king. The task proves to be even more difficult than Leyton feared, and soon he is swept up in a tide of political machinations, betrayal, and a looming threat of execution once the men who blackmailed him are caught.
But the threat of his pending death is nothing alongside the constant fear for his missing brother's safety—and the tangle of intrigue in which he is caught is nothing like the tangle he put himself in after breaking the heart of a king...
This story features incest and a threesome.
But the threat of his pending death is nothing alongside the constant fear for his missing brother's safety—and the tangle of intrigue in which he is caught is nothing like the tangle he put himself in after breaking the heart of a king...
This story features incest and a threesome.
370 pages, ebook
First published April 25, 2012
4 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
About the author
Sasha L. Miller
59 books230 followersSasha L. Miller spends most of her time writing, reading, or playing with all things website design. She loves telling stories, especially romance, because there’s nothing better than giving people their happily ever afters. When not writing, she spends time cooking, harassing her roommates, and playing with her cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 22, 2012
Main Characters:
Although the blurb would have you believe that Leyton and Mijah are the main characters, the primary cast is rather broader. In addition to Leyton and Mijah are Leyton's brother, Liam, Mijah's brother, Temel, and Liam's partner, Shakil. Yes, they're all main characters, not secondary.
Leyton is the soft-spoken one of the bunch. He's got some steel under his mild mannerisms, though, and is also a savvy businessman who's taken over running the family wine trading business after the death of his mother. He's half of a set of incubi twins (Liam being the other half) and shares a soul bond with his brother that he uses for everything from communication to tracking to pain-blocking.
Shakil is a Kingsman, a clandestine agent of the kingdom of Samaria. He's huge and not above looming to get what he wants, but he's also a mage with the ability to see energy across different magical frequencies. He's upbeat and teasing, rarely serious. He owns a jacket in which he can store anything, up to and including a tent.
Temel is Mijah's brother, the eldest son of the late king of Adina who was passed over in succession due to his being a mage. He's short-tempered and irascible, and doesn't like to ask for or accept help. Although a mage, he's not a particularly advanced one, noticeably weak in aspects like offensive magic, as his father refused to allow him to train in anything he thought might be a threat, leaving him to focus more on theory.
Liam is Leyton's twin brother and Shakil's partner in the Kingsmen. He tends toward smugness and manipulation, though rarely maliciously, and will do anything to protect Leyton--except tell him the truth about what he is.
Mijah is the new king of Adina, following the death of his father and elder brother, Ghalib. He never wanted the role thrust upon him but is making the best go of it he can.
Chemistry:
There are actually three main couples: in the beginning, Leyton and Mijah; in the middle, Temel and Shakil; and in the end, .
Leyton and Mijah are a charming couple, even if they came together under less than savory circumstances. They both bring a vulnerability to the table, Leyton because he's desperately trying to seduce a king to save his brother only to find that said king is more than a mark, and Mijah because he's reeling from the death of his family. Leyton is adorable when he realizes that Mijah is seducing him as surely as he is Mijah, and it's obvious that Mijah is quite brokenhearted when Leyton's deception is revealed. Although I knew it wouldn't end well (at least initially), I ended up quite invested in their brief affair.
Temel and Shakil were less appealing for me. Although I saw their romance coming (mostly when Leyton choked over Temel's implied reaction to Shakil's threat to tie him down), I never really felt that they had any chemistry leading up to their first kiss, and that what chemistry there was afterward was rather tepid. I liked their dynamics as a couple, but it felt to me more like a romance of convenience than passion.
And, finally,
It should be noted that there is incest in this book; it's implied that Leyton and Liam are or have been intimate, though there is nothing more graphic than a kiss. Those who are bothered by incest in any form will probably want to either read with blinders or give this a pass.
Secondary Characters:
Given the size of the primary cast, the secondary is surprisingly limited; I can't think of any characters that last the length of the book. Some are more fleeting than others, but I never really felt that even those that stuck around longer had enough development; their characters and motivations came across as a little flat.
In some cases, they just completely eluded me.
Story:
Given the title, you'd think that the story was about, well, saving Liam. And it is, initially. Liam, however, is quite thoroughly saved in the first third, leaving the rest of the book to focus on the plot behind his injury. It's an interesting story, but it dragged in parts (particularly between Liam's saving and the final confrontation with Aifric).
And then there were the holes.
Writing:
Although mostly pleasant, there were some quirks in the writing style that drove me nuts.
Statements frequently ended with question marks. It's a particularly annoying affectation? There are other ways to convey uncertainty that might work better than giving the impression of a valley girl speech habit? I'd thought initially that it might only be Leyton because of his general lack of confidence, but as the story progresses other characters do it as well. There were a few places where it made sense, but most of the time it was just bad.
Revisiting the non-modern world thought from above, there's a lot of modern language used. The first time someone was referred to as a jerk completely threw me.
There's a lot of redundancy in word usage (e.g. Mijah's thoughts travel to certain thoughts). It happens to all of us, but a little more editing might have caught a lot of it.
Punctuation is quite questionable at times, and there are some habits that made me blink each time they showed up. (Commas belong anywhere, but in the middle of this sentence.)
Each of the main characters has a section that's presented entirely from their point of view, but I felt at times that the switch was arbitrary, coming about just as I was getting to know each character and not when a particular character's focus had actually been completed. I did appreciate that within each section the point of view was limited, but I still could have done with fewer points of view overall.
Other Thoughts:
Early in the story is an offhand mention that Leyton's incubus magic ensured that he and Mijah came at the same time. I couldn't help thinking that this could be more inconvenient than not, depending on one's preferences and any games that might be being played.
Overall:
Despite my complaints, this isn't a bad story. I found it difficult at times to move past the flaws to really get into the story underneath, but if you can do so you'll find plenty to enjoy here.
Review originally posted at The Black Dog Reads.
Although the blurb would have you believe that Leyton and Mijah are the main characters, the primary cast is rather broader. In addition to Leyton and Mijah are Leyton's brother, Liam, Mijah's brother, Temel, and Liam's partner, Shakil. Yes, they're all main characters, not secondary.
Leyton is the soft-spoken one of the bunch. He's got some steel under his mild mannerisms, though, and is also a savvy businessman who's taken over running the family wine trading business after the death of his mother. He's half of a set of incubi twins (Liam being the other half) and shares a soul bond with his brother that he uses for everything from communication to tracking to pain-blocking.
Shakil is a Kingsman, a clandestine agent of the kingdom of Samaria. He's huge and not above looming to get what he wants, but he's also a mage with the ability to see energy across different magical frequencies. He's upbeat and teasing, rarely serious. He owns a jacket in which he can store anything, up to and including a tent.
Temel is Mijah's brother, the eldest son of the late king of Adina who was passed over in succession due to his being a mage. He's short-tempered and irascible, and doesn't like to ask for or accept help. Although a mage, he's not a particularly advanced one, noticeably weak in aspects like offensive magic, as his father refused to allow him to train in anything he thought might be a threat, leaving him to focus more on theory.
Liam is Leyton's twin brother and Shakil's partner in the Kingsmen. He tends toward smugness and manipulation, though rarely maliciously, and will do anything to protect Leyton--except tell him the truth about what he is.
Mijah is the new king of Adina, following the death of his father and elder brother, Ghalib. He never wanted the role thrust upon him but is making the best go of it he can.
Chemistry:
There are actually three main couples: in the beginning, Leyton and Mijah; in the middle, Temel and Shakil; and in the end, .
Leyton and Mijah are a charming couple, even if they came together under less than savory circumstances. They both bring a vulnerability to the table, Leyton because he's desperately trying to seduce a king to save his brother only to find that said king is more than a mark, and Mijah because he's reeling from the death of his family. Leyton is adorable when he realizes that Mijah is seducing him as surely as he is Mijah, and it's obvious that Mijah is quite brokenhearted when Leyton's deception is revealed. Although I knew it wouldn't end well (at least initially), I ended up quite invested in their brief affair.
Temel and Shakil were less appealing for me. Although I saw their romance coming (mostly when Leyton choked over Temel's implied reaction to Shakil's threat to tie him down), I never really felt that they had any chemistry leading up to their first kiss, and that what chemistry there was afterward was rather tepid. I liked their dynamics as a couple, but it felt to me more like a romance of convenience than passion.
And, finally,
It should be noted that there is incest in this book; it's implied that Leyton and Liam are or have been intimate, though there is nothing more graphic than a kiss. Those who are bothered by incest in any form will probably want to either read with blinders or give this a pass.
Secondary Characters:
Given the size of the primary cast, the secondary is surprisingly limited; I can't think of any characters that last the length of the book. Some are more fleeting than others, but I never really felt that even those that stuck around longer had enough development; their characters and motivations came across as a little flat.
In some cases, they just completely eluded me.
Story:
Given the title, you'd think that the story was about, well, saving Liam. And it is, initially. Liam, however, is quite thoroughly saved in the first third, leaving the rest of the book to focus on the plot behind his injury. It's an interesting story, but it dragged in parts (particularly between Liam's saving and the final confrontation with Aifric).
And then there were the holes.
Writing:
Although mostly pleasant, there were some quirks in the writing style that drove me nuts.
Statements frequently ended with question marks. It's a particularly annoying affectation? There are other ways to convey uncertainty that might work better than giving the impression of a valley girl speech habit? I'd thought initially that it might only be Leyton because of his general lack of confidence, but as the story progresses other characters do it as well. There were a few places where it made sense, but most of the time it was just bad.
Revisiting the non-modern world thought from above, there's a lot of modern language used. The first time someone was referred to as a jerk completely threw me.
There's a lot of redundancy in word usage (e.g. Mijah's thoughts travel to certain thoughts). It happens to all of us, but a little more editing might have caught a lot of it.
Punctuation is quite questionable at times, and there are some habits that made me blink each time they showed up. (Commas belong anywhere, but in the middle of this sentence.)
Each of the main characters has a section that's presented entirely from their point of view, but I felt at times that the switch was arbitrary, coming about just as I was getting to know each character and not when a particular character's focus had actually been completed. I did appreciate that within each section the point of view was limited, but I still could have done with fewer points of view overall.
Other Thoughts:
Early in the story is an offhand mention that Leyton's incubus magic ensured that he and Mijah came at the same time. I couldn't help thinking that this could be more inconvenient than not, depending on one's preferences and any games that might be being played.
Overall:
Despite my complaints, this isn't a bad story. I found it difficult at times to move past the flaws to really get into the story underneath, but if you can do so you'll find plenty to enjoy here.
Review originally posted at The Black Dog Reads.
July 8, 2012
I'm not entirely sure that this book technically deserves 5 stars, but I'm giving them all anyway because I really enjoyed it. It's a fairly long book, but I didn't want it to end, and out of the 40+ books on my "currently reading" shelf, I read the whole thing from start to finish without reading anything else in between (which, with my attention span, is miraculous; hence the 5 stars). I chose to read it because, from the descriptive blurb, one can't really tell what the ending is going to be and I've been feeling a little frustrated with the predictably happy endings I've been subjected to in MM fiction (and because I've been feeling more cynical than usual lately). Anyway, this book was just the foil for my bad mood. I won't spoil the plot with a summary, except to say that the plot is almost extraneous; what I loved about this book was the character study. It's written in the third person, but from the perspective of each of the main players, and I know this doesn't work for everyone but I really like it, it gives you insight into the motivations of the characters as well viewing these same characters from multiple perspectives and it's done well here. I mentioned the plot? The first part is kind of a road-trip (which I loved) and the second is all court intrigue (which didn't suck too much). The plot is a teeny bit contrived but at least it was lucid and well-written (bar a few clumsy turns of phrase and minor malapropisms) and definitely readable. As far as sexiness goes...well, it doesn't, really. Not a particularly explicit book, if that's what you're after. So, maybe be forewarned about that. And the ending? Well, it's a interesting little bit of indulgence and I won't give any more away other than: yes, it is happy.
November 27, 2012
A good to very good M/M fantasy romance involving incubi twins and a royal family.
When his brother Liam is kidnapped and is held under threat of death, Leyton is coerced into seducing the newly crowned King Mijah, with the intent to change a particular treaty. Using his incubi nature and Mijah's emotional vulnerability after the death of his father, the King, and his brother, the Crown Prince, his plan almost succeeds - until Mijah's brother Temel - a mage - arrives back at the palace rather earlier than expected. Thrown into the dungeon, and knowing his brother was soon to be killed, Leyton's despair is interrupted by Temel's decision to use him to find the mastermind behind the scheme.
As the story unfolds, we that there are many more layers to the plot than is first assumed, and that not all players are what they seem. While the romance is ultimately about Mijah and Leyton, another romance does take center stage for a bit, and the final scenario, which by then is not unexpected, may unsettle a few readers.
I enjoyed the basic premise of this story, although I know not everyone will like it, especially as there is some twincest involved. Admittedly, the sex scenes throughout the book take place behind closed doors, but the implication is certainly there, as are a few steamy kisses. Oddly, the issue I found most disconcerting was that the secondary romance seems at one stage to become the primary romance, which sort of side-tracked me for a bit. Even odder, after occupying a fair portion of the novel, it almost completely fades away, with only character of that relationship appearing with any kind of regularity. Overall, unfortunately, it leaves the novel feeling somewhat unbalanced.
When his brother Liam is kidnapped and is held under threat of death, Leyton is coerced into seducing the newly crowned King Mijah, with the intent to change a particular treaty. Using his incubi nature and Mijah's emotional vulnerability after the death of his father, the King, and his brother, the Crown Prince, his plan almost succeeds - until Mijah's brother Temel - a mage - arrives back at the palace rather earlier than expected. Thrown into the dungeon, and knowing his brother was soon to be killed, Leyton's despair is interrupted by Temel's decision to use him to find the mastermind behind the scheme.
As the story unfolds, we that there are many more layers to the plot than is first assumed, and that not all players are what they seem. While the romance is ultimately about Mijah and Leyton, another romance does take center stage for a bit, and the final scenario, which by then is not unexpected, may unsettle a few readers.
I enjoyed the basic premise of this story, although I know not everyone will like it, especially as there is some twincest involved. Admittedly, the sex scenes throughout the book take place behind closed doors, but the implication is certainly there, as are a few steamy kisses. Oddly, the issue I found most disconcerting was that the secondary romance seems at one stage to become the primary romance, which sort of side-tracked me for a bit. Even odder, after occupying a fair portion of the novel, it almost completely fades away, with only character of that relationship appearing with any kind of regularity. Overall, unfortunately, it leaves the novel feeling somewhat unbalanced.
February 22, 2014
I really enjoyed this saga which started out with Leyton trying to influence King Mijah to include certain wording in the treaty between his country and Leyton's that would allow a mage to hold a royal office. Leyton, an incubi, was doing this under the influence of a powerful mage named Grenville who was blackmailing him, telling him that he was holding Leyton's twin, Liam, hostage. The complication is that Liam really likes King Mijah, a young man who inherited the kingdom when his father and the prince consort were recently murdered. Their sexual chemistry can't be denied and when Mijah learns the truth upon the arrival of his older brother, Temel, he imprisons Leyton immediately. Temel himself is a mage and therefore unable to hold a royal office, otherwise he'd be king now. The reality is that neither Temel, nor Mijah, really want it, and Temel is fully supportive of Mijah.
They decide to allow Leyton to look for Liam when they realize that Leyton may be able to track him through his twin bond and by then they realize that the plot is much greater than they originally thought. Searching in the town where Liam originally disappeared, Leyton meets Shakil, Liam's work partner. Unknown to Leyton, Liam has been working undercover as a Kingsman for their government for the past 5 years. The two embark on an adventure to find Liam. There's an attraction between Shakil and Temel which unfolds over the course of the next two sections of this lengthy book. Neither man becomes overly warm and fuzzy together but it's evident that they want each other as lifemates. It's one of my favorite M/M tools -- slow burn/ust and it's done very well here.
Liam is finally found as is Grenville who is executed after telling them about a powerful bloodmage who is operating within the palace in the disguise of someone who belongs there. They don't know who it is but Liam is enlisted to help them ferret this man out. There's an entire section devoted to Liam's POV, where we get to know him as he recuperates from his injuries and we find a smart, humorous, engaging personality. He's devoted to his brother and wants Mijah and Leyton to get back together as it's clear they should be. He'd also like Mijah for himself but he knows no man has ever wanted both of them for themselves, just for the entertainment of bedding twin incubi at the same time.
The final POV in the story is that of King Mijah as the story finally unfolds and the bloodmage is caught. Without telling the end, I'll just say that Mijah, Leyton, and Liam all get what they want and have a HEA if they are willing to stay together because Mijah finally admits that he wants both of them and he wants them for themselves, not just as a set of incubi.
I enjoyed reading this book. I don't always enjoy the reading as much as I do enjoy getting to the end of a book I like. I'm not sure how to get my point across, except to say that, in this case, I can apply my favorite saying, "The joy is in the journey, not the final destination". Each page, each section was exciting to read. Each twist of the mystery, and/or of the fantasy, was exciting to read. The two sets of romances, both the Shakil/Temel couple, and the was exciting to experience. I truly highly recommend this one to all lovers of M/M romance, especially those who enjoy fantasy-based adventures. 4.5 stars, rounded up because of how much I enjoyed reading every page.
They decide to allow Leyton to look for Liam when they realize that Leyton may be able to track him through his twin bond and by then they realize that the plot is much greater than they originally thought. Searching in the town where Liam originally disappeared, Leyton meets Shakil, Liam's work partner. Unknown to Leyton, Liam has been working undercover as a Kingsman for their government for the past 5 years. The two embark on an adventure to find Liam. There's an attraction between Shakil and Temel which unfolds over the course of the next two sections of this lengthy book. Neither man becomes overly warm and fuzzy together but it's evident that they want each other as lifemates. It's one of my favorite M/M tools -- slow burn/ust and it's done very well here.
Liam is finally found as is Grenville who is executed after telling them about a powerful bloodmage who is operating within the palace in the disguise of someone who belongs there. They don't know who it is but Liam is enlisted to help them ferret this man out. There's an entire section devoted to Liam's POV, where we get to know him as he recuperates from his injuries and we find a smart, humorous, engaging personality. He's devoted to his brother and wants Mijah and Leyton to get back together as it's clear they should be. He'd also like Mijah for himself but he knows no man has ever wanted both of them for themselves, just for the entertainment of bedding twin incubi at the same time.
The final POV in the story is that of King Mijah as the story finally unfolds and the bloodmage is caught. Without telling the end, I'll just say that Mijah, Leyton, and Liam all get what they want and have a HEA if they are willing to stay together because Mijah finally admits that he wants both of them and he wants them for themselves, not just as a set of incubi.
I enjoyed reading this book. I don't always enjoy the reading as much as I do enjoy getting to the end of a book I like. I'm not sure how to get my point across, except to say that, in this case, I can apply my favorite saying, "The joy is in the journey, not the final destination". Each page, each section was exciting to read. Each twist of the mystery, and/or of the fantasy, was exciting to read. The two sets of romances, both the Shakil/Temel couple, and the was exciting to experience. I truly highly recommend this one to all lovers of M/M romance, especially those who enjoy fantasy-based adventures. 4.5 stars, rounded up because of how much I enjoyed reading every page.
April 3, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.75 stars
This book really missed the mark for me. Based on the blurb and the title, I was expecting a story about Leyton and the king—one that focused on Leyton’s betrayal of Mijas’s trust and how they either would or wouldn’t over come it. So when I open the book and see it’s separated into five parts and, per the table of contents, each part is named for a different character, I had some questions. I was under the impression Leyton and Mijah would be featured throughout. Then I started reading and things got worse.
It took me a few “parts” to figure out this story wasn’t going to focus solely only the Leyton/Mijah dynamic. That left plenty of opportunity to delve into the world Miller created. All I can say is that I was underwhelmed and a big part of this I can put down to poorly written prose. Perhaps it was intentional on Miller’s part, but I found language such as “he really sucked at bending people to his will” too modern for a fantasy piece. The author also seems to be padding every sentence…at first, I took the careful attention to detail as possible foreshadowing—but no, it’s just padding for padding’s sake and sometimes, it’s positively purple.
Another drawback of the book is the structure itself. Each of the five “parts” is told in third person in this order: Leyton (uses his magic to seduce King Mijah to change the laws for Aifric), Shakil (friend/colleague of Liam and helps Leyton and Temel find Liam because Liam has information that will lead them to Aifric), Temel (Mijah’s half brother and mage, serves as diplomat for Mijah), Liam (serves as “kingsman” to a kingdom that is friendly with Mijah’s), Mijah (reluctantly crowed king after his father/other older bother killed).
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
2.75 stars
This book really missed the mark for me. Based on the blurb and the title, I was expecting a story about Leyton and the king—one that focused on Leyton’s betrayal of Mijas’s trust and how they either would or wouldn’t over come it. So when I open the book and see it’s separated into five parts and, per the table of contents, each part is named for a different character, I had some questions. I was under the impression Leyton and Mijah would be featured throughout. Then I started reading and things got worse.
It took me a few “parts” to figure out this story wasn’t going to focus solely only the Leyton/Mijah dynamic. That left plenty of opportunity to delve into the world Miller created. All I can say is that I was underwhelmed and a big part of this I can put down to poorly written prose. Perhaps it was intentional on Miller’s part, but I found language such as “he really sucked at bending people to his will” too modern for a fantasy piece. The author also seems to be padding every sentence…at first, I took the careful attention to detail as possible foreshadowing—but no, it’s just padding for padding’s sake and sometimes, it’s positively purple.
Another drawback of the book is the structure itself. Each of the five “parts” is told in third person in this order: Leyton (uses his magic to seduce King Mijah to change the laws for Aifric), Shakil (friend/colleague of Liam and helps Leyton and Temel find Liam because Liam has information that will lead them to Aifric), Temel (Mijah’s half brother and mage, serves as diplomat for Mijah), Liam (serves as “kingsman” to a kingdom that is friendly with Mijah’s), Mijah (reluctantly crowed king after his father/other older bother killed).
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
August 13, 2012
3.5 stars for teasing the reader about kinky things that NEVER came to fruition! *grumble grumble*....
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February 20, 2021
Enjoyable on the surface, and only the surface because this doesn’t have any depth. I can’t really call it a romance, because there doesn’t seem to be any romance, just lust, driving the relationships in this book. And as for the conflicts, most of them work themselves, like .
October 1, 2013
It was.. I don't know, I'm quite torn. It was sweet while not saccharine and the magic system and world were quite intriguing.
On the other hand, many things I found aggravating.
*Like all three characters' choices/actions/words in the last 20 pages before the epilogue. I was, on more than one occasion, thinking, "Why are you even considering that? You haven't even cleared up that yet." And it still seems to me not cleared up.
*Or the too many main characters. I was okay with being in everyone's head, that was great, and the confusion was probably done on purpose. Either way I didn't appreciate the main couple/threesome being so slow to appear on the radar. This, as my previous point, could have been developed quite differently, making for more enjoyable read and for less hair pulling and eye rolling on my part.I might have even not felt guilty over skipping studying for tomorrow in order to finish this. As far as guilty pleasures go, it could have been more pleasurable to make it worth the trouble. Oh well. No one said I make good life choices.
*Same as above.^^ As an avid fanfiction reader I am okay with multishipping and don't mind any kind of couples (except few specific ones). It doesn't bother me they exist as an idea, doesn't bother me they exist in fandom. These days, when I watch a movie or a tv series or read a book, I kind of see the relationship/shipping potential between all the characters in all kinds of combinations. That doesn't mean I don't know what the canon relationships are before I start shipping. And even if this is not a piece of fanfiction, I could see it as a potential fandom, and as such could see the potential relationships combinations. All I knew was the warning: This story features incest and a threesome. Was the incest in the threesome or not? Five characters, many possible, and plausible, combinations. As the chances of me finding fanfiction written about these characters are close to non-existant, I'd have liked it better if I had known sooner who to "ship," so to speak.
*As Leyton was present on page far more than the rest, it could be assumed that his relationships woild be central. How come then, that It is true that every 3/3+ relationship written explicitly risks turning into the porn fest that is the average Anita Blake book but some is necessary for me to see how the characters fit together.
*Liam.
Despite all that, I liked it. *shrug* Could have given it a five stars rating without the issues, but with them it was still an enjoyable read.
On the other hand, many things I found aggravating.
*Like all three characters' choices/actions/words in the last 20 pages before the epilogue. I was, on more than one occasion, thinking, "Why are you even considering that? You haven't even cleared up that yet." And it still seems to me not cleared up.
*Or the too many main characters. I was okay with being in everyone's head, that was great, and the confusion was probably done on purpose. Either way I didn't appreciate the main couple/threesome being so slow to appear on the radar. This, as my previous point, could have been developed quite differently, making for more enjoyable read and for less hair pulling and eye rolling on my part.
*Same as above.^^ As an avid fanfiction reader I am okay with multishipping and don't mind any kind of couples (except few specific ones). It doesn't bother me they exist as an idea, doesn't bother me they exist in fandom. These days, when I watch a movie or a tv series or read a book, I kind of see the relationship/shipping potential between all the characters in all kinds of combinations. That doesn't mean I don't know what the canon relationships are before I start shipping. And even if this is not a piece of fanfiction, I could see it as a potential fandom, and as such could see the potential relationships combinations. All I knew was the warning: This story features incest and a threesome. Was the incest in the threesome or not? Five characters, many possible, and plausible, combinations. As the chances of me finding fanfiction written about these characters are close to non-existant, I'd have liked it better if I had known sooner who to "ship," so to speak.
*As Leyton was present on page far more than the rest, it could be assumed that his relationships woild be central. How come then, that It is true that every 3/3+ relationship written explicitly risks turning into the porn fest that is the average Anita Blake book but some is necessary for me to see how the characters fit together.
*Liam.
Despite all that, I liked it. *shrug* Could have given it a five stars rating without the issues, but with them it was still an enjoyable read.
December 21, 2014
If you're looking for a nice and hot incest book, well you can probably just skip this one because you'll just be thoroughly disappointed. So, not really a fun read for me since I particularly picked this up hoping for incest actions. And to add to that the threesome. It would have been a very delectable treat, only the author didn't even serve a delicious one. Gah!
Perhaps, if you're into stories about royalties and magic, then you might like this book. I did at first, but not having a background over who's someone's love interest, well, it got me shipping the wrong people and ended up getting very disappointed. Also, I couldn't picture out the characters clearly. So it was really hard imagining the entire story.
For the most part, the book is okay. It made me smile sometimes but there wasn't really much challenge in reading this book. At first, it was interesting. I came to appreciate the characters, Leyton and Mijah. I even came to like Temel and wanted these three together. But the author had another idea so it really couldn't be helped.
The book has five parts, each part from each character's POV. Starting with Leyton, followed by Shakil, Temmel, Liam and lastly, Minjah.
I did like Shakil at first.
I liked Temel too but only up to 31% of this book .
It really sucked then because I didn't really enjoy reading Temel's POV when previously, I've been waiting for it. This is the result of shipping the wrong people. You've maybe guessed by now why this book didn't work for me.
Anyway, I finished this because I was looking forward to the other pairings since my first ship failed miserably. It went okay I guess, as what's expected. Kinda anti-climactic perhaps?
Perhaps, if you're into stories about royalties and magic, then you might like this book. I did at first, but not having a background over who's someone's love interest, well, it got me shipping the wrong people and ended up getting very disappointed. Also, I couldn't picture out the characters clearly. So it was really hard imagining the entire story.
For the most part, the book is okay. It made me smile sometimes but there wasn't really much challenge in reading this book. At first, it was interesting. I came to appreciate the characters, Leyton and Mijah. I even came to like Temel and wanted these three together. But the author had another idea so it really couldn't be helped.
The book has five parts, each part from each character's POV. Starting with Leyton, followed by Shakil, Temmel, Liam and lastly, Minjah.
I did like Shakil at first.
I liked Temel too but only up to 31% of this book .
It really sucked then because I didn't really enjoy reading Temel's POV when previously, I've been waiting for it. This is the result of shipping the wrong people. You've maybe guessed by now why this book didn't work for me.
Anyway, I finished this because I was looking forward to the other pairings since my first ship failed miserably. It went okay I guess, as what's expected. Kinda anti-climactic perhaps?
October 6, 2015
Saving Liam is a story told in 5 parts from 5 points of view: Leyton, an incubus forced to seduce and control the king. Mijah, the new king. Tremel, a mage and Mejah’s brother. Liam, Leyton’s twin brother, a kingsman, and Liam’s kingsman partner, Shakil, a mage.
Leyton’s story comes first and 10 pages in I was ready to give it up. We are dropped right in the middle of Leyton’s controlling of the king and I felt so out of step as that story line moved with jumped around at lightening speed. Leyton is a civilian, forced into using is incubus magic to control the king for the men who hold Leyton’s brother captive and plan to kill Liam if Leyton fails. But before the worst can be done, Temel arrives and being a mage can sense the magic Leyton uses. Temel imprisons Leyton and this is the point where the story took me over and I never looked back.
I loved the characterizations in this story. Each man is unique and their personalities hold through the entire story save Mijah who grows more into his role as king at the end. They have stories and lives that make them into what they are but the author doesn’t info dump the past. Instead she leaves crumbs that let us know what the issue is without bogging the story down in something where the details are no longer important. What’s so fascinating is how much I liked each character when in his POV despite being annoyed with them as I looked at them through another’s POV.
The story is relationship driven. There is a plot that winds through and moves the story, but there is little magic used overall and no sword fights or intense action. I didn’t miss it. It’s how these characters relate to each other that made the story interesting. So much so when the confrontation with the big baddie is over, I didn’t mind that it was relatively straight forward and anticlimatic. I was glad it was done so I could find out how this thing ended.
To be sure there were a few niggles. Temel’s magic is a bit unclear, as to what he has or doesn’t have. An the end seemed a bit unplausible. But none of those detracted from my surprised enjoyment of the story.
Leyton’s story comes first and 10 pages in I was ready to give it up. We are dropped right in the middle of Leyton’s controlling of the king and I felt so out of step as that story line moved with jumped around at lightening speed. Leyton is a civilian, forced into using is incubus magic to control the king for the men who hold Leyton’s brother captive and plan to kill Liam if Leyton fails. But before the worst can be done, Temel arrives and being a mage can sense the magic Leyton uses. Temel imprisons Leyton and this is the point where the story took me over and I never looked back.
I loved the characterizations in this story. Each man is unique and their personalities hold through the entire story save Mijah who grows more into his role as king at the end. They have stories and lives that make them into what they are but the author doesn’t info dump the past. Instead she leaves crumbs that let us know what the issue is without bogging the story down in something where the details are no longer important. What’s so fascinating is how much I liked each character when in his POV despite being annoyed with them as I looked at them through another’s POV.
The story is relationship driven. There is a plot that winds through and moves the story, but there is little magic used overall and no sword fights or intense action. I didn’t miss it. It’s how these characters relate to each other that made the story interesting. So much so when the confrontation with the big baddie is over, I didn’t mind that it was relatively straight forward and anticlimatic. I was glad it was done so I could find out how this thing ended.
To be sure there were a few niggles. Temel’s magic is a bit unclear, as to what he has or doesn’t have. An the end seemed a bit unplausible. But none of those detracted from my surprised enjoyment of the story.
July 7, 2018
This book was just not my cup of tea. I felt like it fell flat in a lot of places. The book is told from 5 different perspectives, which can work under certain circumstances; these were not those circumstances. It felt like three different stories clumped into one, and the plot was all over the place. The various couples had very little chemistry, other than Leyton and the king at the very beginning. I was not thrilled to find that the story had elements of incest, as well as a three-way couple. I feel that should have been more evident from either the tags or the preview/blurb. Also, a lot of characters were very unlikeable in my opinion, particularly Temel, the king's brother. He was so angry and surly ALL THE TIME for no reason??
To conclude, this may be a great book for some readers, it just didn't work for me. I really liked another of Sasha Miller's books, so perhaps this one just wasn't right for me.
To conclude, this may be a great book for some readers, it just didn't work for me. I really liked another of Sasha Miller's books, so perhaps this one just wasn't right for me.
June 16, 2012
Автор прям немеряно растет над собой. Оч. милая фентезийная книжка, совершенно гениальные герои, все пять штук :)
November 7, 2016
Hmmm...
I think there was too much conversation in the character's heads than conversation and action with each other, making for slow story progress. It gets tiring I guess? Instead of knowing what's next, I have to read a whole page (exaggerated) of what they think instead of what they will do next. Also, to me, the story felt fast paced (Am I even making sense?), which resulted to not so great story building (or maybe my brain's just making it up, stupid brain).
The story would have been nice though, or rather it is nice. And no, I'm not sugarcoating it. I like the idea of the story, twins and three people (Especially in the Epilogue... yup gotta keep this wholesome) ... yeah I have that kink or whatever it's called. xD
PS. Is the setting of the story, like, the medieval period??? Why is it that there's a wallpaper??? Were there any wallpapers in that time period??? My knowledge is a bit low.
I think there was too much conversation in the character's heads than conversation and action with each other, making for slow story progress. It gets tiring I guess? Instead of knowing what's next, I have to read a whole page (exaggerated) of what they think instead of what they will do next. Also, to me, the story felt fast paced (Am I even making sense?), which resulted to not so great story building (or maybe my brain's just making it up, stupid brain).
The story would have been nice though, or rather it is nice. And no, I'm not sugarcoating it. I like the idea of the story, twins and three people (Especially in the Epilogue... yup gotta keep this wholesome) ... yeah I have that kink or whatever it's called. xD
PS. Is the setting of the story, like, the medieval period??? Why is it that there's a wallpaper??? Were there any wallpapers in that time period??? My knowledge is a bit low.
June 13, 2017
The most surprising thing about this book was that there was 5 main characters! As in, they received equal amounts of the story told from their point of view. I've never read a book with this many MAIN characters. I really enjoyed this story and the characters. My favorite character is Liam.
I think something I don't like is the cover of the book... I'm not sure what the cover has anything to do with the story
I think something I don't like is the cover of the book... I'm not sure what the cover has anything to do with the story
April 8, 2020
Extremely pleased!!
I am in love with this book. I've read many of this author's books and greatly enjoy them all, but this one is at the top of all my favorites. The way the story is told from different view poi ts makes it so much easier to fall in love with the characters. I was a little wary at first but I am completely pleased to say it makes the book ten times better. I would highly recommend!!!
I am in love with this book. I've read many of this author's books and greatly enjoy them all, but this one is at the top of all my favorites. The way the story is told from different view poi ts makes it so much easier to fall in love with the characters. I was a little wary at first but I am completely pleased to say it makes the book ten times better. I would highly recommend!!!
March 9, 2019
3,5 en realidad
October 22, 2012
On one level I really enjoyed this, because it's a longish fantasy novel and that almost guarantees it a good number of stars.
On another I just couldn't get too excited about it. Although there's quite a bit going on, it seems there's just a bit too much faffing around without really getting to the point between the characters. I found I didn't care enough about the twins. This really disappointed me, because twincest is one of my guilty pleasures, but I didn't get that zap here.
I can't put my finger on it; I was just left with a feeling of 'meh' after it ended. I've enjoyed other books by this author far more.
About 3.25 stars would be about right.
On another I just couldn't get too excited about it. Although there's quite a bit going on, it seems there's just a bit too much faffing around without really getting to the point between the characters. I found I didn't care enough about the twins. This really disappointed me, because twincest is one of my guilty pleasures, but I didn't get that zap here.
I can't put my finger on it; I was just left with a feeling of 'meh' after it ended. I've enjoyed other books by this author far more.
About 3.25 stars would be about right.
December 23, 2012
It's a very clean read except for one detailed sex scene. The story was well written and showcased the POV of all the main characters. Readers got to learn the characters personality through it which made it a bit more personable. I enjoyed it a majority of the way . All the characters were likable. The book had me crying when so it might be a good idea to have some tissue around when you first start the book.
July 8, 2017
4.5 stars
So, this is a really light M/M/M story. If you want to get some threesome actions or twincest or expecting a heavily erotica romance from this book, trust me this book is not for you. But if you love story with a good plot and great characterization, then maybe you should consider to read it.
Although it wasn't quite what I was expected, it was an enjoyable read. What I loved most from this book is we get to see everyone's POV (Leyton, Liam, Mijah, Temel, Shakil). Temel is my most favorite out of all characters in this book because he's such a tsundere and I always love tsundere uke, lol.
So, this is a really light M/M/M story. If you want to get some threesome actions or twincest or expecting a heavily erotica romance from this book, trust me this book is not for you. But if you love story with a good plot and great characterization, then maybe you should consider to read it.
Although it wasn't quite what I was expected, it was an enjoyable read. What I loved most from this book is we get to see everyone's POV (Leyton, Liam, Mijah, Temel, Shakil). Temel is my most favorite out of all characters in this book because he's such a tsundere and I always love tsundere uke, lol.
August 20, 2015
There are five main characters and the book goes through each of their perspectives, giving the reader very thorough insight into each of their very distinct personalities and thought-processes. It's obvious that the author spent a good amount of time world-building, as shown in different magic uses and types, laws of each of the countries, and the sociopolitical intrigue of the courts. The first main romance of the book (the M/M/M romance involving the twins) is an extremely slow-burn, whereas the second starts as a supposed-to-be-quick fling (complete with silk-bondage!) that winds up turning into true-love. The writing is captivating, sexy, and heart-warming.
February 2, 2017
I loved it
It was everything I wanted, with betrayal, magic, strong bonds, pining, people getting hurt and rescued...
I love both brothers dearly, I love how similar and different they are, and Liam is of course my favorite, even if I love Ley too and he impressed me the most. The king is sweet but a little useless if you ask me.
The king's brother and Liam's friend are great too, and I loved seeing the story from their pov.
This is a story where the shift in pov is really useful and really add something to the story.
The plot was great, almost more interesting than the romance, and it was a book I wouldn't mind reading again, because it has so much potential and so many things happening.
It was everything I wanted, with betrayal, magic, strong bonds, pining, people getting hurt and rescued...
I love both brothers dearly, I love how similar and different they are, and Liam is of course my favorite, even if I love Ley too and he impressed me the most. The king is sweet but a little useless if you ask me.
The king's brother and Liam's friend are great too, and I loved seeing the story from their pov.
This is a story where the shift in pov is really useful and really add something to the story.
The plot was great, almost more interesting than the romance, and it was a book I wouldn't mind reading again, because it has so much potential and so many things happening.
February 6, 2013
Not quite a 4-star.
I enjoyed the book, but, to be honest, if I could turn back time, I wouldn't care less if I read it or not.
This makes it the third menage book I've read from Miller, and though this was better than the first two, I've found that I don't quite like the way she balances a relationship between the three. It feels as though there's a couple, then an intruder. I would've preferred that she set the relationship up better to make it a more well balanced and believable menage or just made two couples with no menage.
I enjoyed the book, but, to be honest, if I could turn back time, I wouldn't care less if I read it or not.
This makes it the third menage book I've read from Miller, and though this was better than the first two, I've found that I don't quite like the way she balances a relationship between the three. It feels as though there's a couple, then an intruder. I would've preferred that she set the relationship up better to make it a more well balanced and believable menage or just made two couples with no menage.
March 5, 2015
2.5 stars... This book is a big tease so if you are looking for some smexy kinky scenes then skip this book. The constant tease & tease & tease with no satisfaction gets kind of annoying. I wish the author either followed thru with the sceanes instead of the frustration to lead on to unfinish scenes. This is an ok story, engaging enough except for the constant teasing that never amounts to much.
February 6, 2013
4.5 stars
July 21, 2012
I loved this book!
It started off slow and then there were a few ups and downs along the way but overall this story was wonderful! So glad I read it.
It started off slow and then there were a few ups and downs along the way but overall this story was wonderful! So glad I read it.
June 26, 2013
Didn't like the main characters and got bored with the story.
gave-up-on
June 11, 2014Couldn't finish. Returned to Audible
February 12, 2017
Would give this six stars if I could! Excellent - plot, characters, everything.
April 19, 2012
4.5 stars
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