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Portugal, 1811—England and France are at war and Daniel Steinberg, secret agent for the Crown, is right in the thick of it. Caught one night in a violent act by handsome young Lieutenant Harry Ashbury, his assignment is compromised. But Harry isn’t there to expose Daniel. Other desires drove him to follow the infamous Mr. Steinberg. Desires Daniel shares. The two begin a torrid affair that night in the woods. Daniel knows it’s folly to take a lover while at war. Caring for Harry is madness. But, despite his innocence, his young lover pleases him more than any other lover the promiscuous Daniel has ever had. Lies, secrets and old lovers come between them. In one explosive battle, all is unfair in love and war when betrayal strikes at the heart.

79 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 4, 2013

31 people are currently reading
346 people want to read

About the author

Samantha Kane

54 books769 followers
Samantha Kane lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children, two boys and one girl. With a master’s degree in American history, she spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full-time writer and mom.

Series:
THE BIRMINGHAM REBELS
BROTHERS IN ARMS
THE SAINT'S DEVILS
THE 93RD HIGHLANDERS
MERCURY RISING

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5 stars
137 (36%)
4 stars
132 (35%)
3 stars
85 (22%)
2 stars
14 (3%)
1 star
7 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Katrina Passick Lumsden.
1,782 reviews12.9k followers
December 15, 2014
So this is a little bit different. If you read this one, it's a given that you'll have to read #11 in the series, Defeated by Love, because this one doesn't end with a Happily Ever After.

This is also unique in the sense that it is exclusively m/m romance. I love Daniel and Harry, even though they both make some monumentally stupid decisions, but they're just too adorable not to root for.

This isn't Pulitzer Prize winning stuff. This is erotic fiction. So if you're in the mood for something worthy of a Pulitzer, look elsewhere. If you are, however, in the mood to read a dirty story with hot sex, likable characters, and an engaging plot, you can't really go wrong with this one. So much erotica is focused solely on the sex, and I won't lie and say this book doesn't contain a lot of sex, but what sets Kane's work apart from some others I've read is her ability to actually give her characters personality, and to actually weave a story in between the steamy stuff. I liked this first book quite a bit, but there are a few in the series I will probably be rating higher simply because I liked the storyline and/or the characters a little more.

Contains m/m sex scenes with an insanely high steam factor, so if you're a pearl clutcher, don't bother.
Profile Image for Esra.
Author 50 books86 followers
December 15, 2014
10. kitap Daniel ve Harry'nin novellası..
Harry de kim derseniz, Very, Wolf ve Micheal'ın kitabında, Micheal'ın Amerika'da birlikte vakit geçirdiğini söylediği birisiydi.. Ki Daniel o ismi duyunca bir tepki göstermişti.
Bunun nedenini burada anlıyoruz.. Çünkü bu novella, savaş zamanında Daniel ve Harry'nin nasıl tanıştığını ve birkaç ay sonra neden ayrıldıklarını anlatıyor..
Yine Micheal'ın kitabında bahsi geçen ve Wolf'u son derece tedirgin eden birisi vardı.. Barnabas James.. İşte onun da hikayeyle ne gibi alakası olduğunu burada okuyoruz..
Şimdi Harry ve Daniel'in geçmişini okumuşken sıradaki kitapta tekrar nasıl karşılaşacaklarını merak ediyorum...
Profile Image for Yomi Mi Ri.
1,198 reviews1 follower
January 24, 2020
Es tan corto, el comienzo de una historia en medio de la guerra, con dos personas que no se esperaban en los 1800, me agrada pero a la vez algunas cosas me dejan con sensaciones no muy realistas, por otro lado la ambientación es estupenda, te hace sentir en la época y el drama me tuvo con lágrimas en los ojos.
Profile Image for Erica Anderson.
Author 3 books17 followers
June 10, 2015
If you read this novella, you'll need to follow it up immediately with Defeated by Love. Love Betrayed does not end with a HEA or a HFN, and I'm not sure why the publisher didn't simply combine the two stories into a single book. In contrast to most of Samantha Kane's erotic romance, this one is exclusively M/M, set in Portugal in 1811. There's a lot of sex. Explicit, hot-and-heavy M/M sex.

The emotional drama in Defeated won't make sense to you if you haven't read Love Betrayed, and the first book is also an essential introduction to the two lead characters--the intriguing, distrustful Daniel and Harry, an inexperienced and innocent young man who is completely out of his depth on the Peninsula.

While I liked the story, the novella format, followed by a much longer (perhaps too long) sequel, wasn't the best editorial decision. I hope Samantha Kane writes more M/M, since this book shows she can do it well. And I hope she leaves out (as she did in this book), all the references to earlier characters, with a few exceptions.
Profile Image for Bewitch_me_please.
55 reviews
March 29, 2021
This story falls off the usual map in this series and focuses on Daniel and Harry alone. There has been mention of Daniel and his lover Harry in the previous books. Daniel is so loveable and fun a character that in between his interference, he's a very caring friend.
This is a prequel and part one, which follows Daniel and his spy exploits where he meets the soldier Harry. One thing leads to another where Harry and Daniel start a physical relationship. Harry is completely in love, Daniel is a bit of a cynic and not really convinced of his feelings.
Sir Barnabas James, a mysterious character throughout the series, plays Daniel's lover on the side and there is more insight into him, though he still is quite ambiguous. Things end in an incomplete state where Harry and Daniel part ways.
There are instances where the plot does feel a little contrived, Harry's secret was a forced angst into the whole situation, however, it still works, sort of.

Read this for:
War time lovers
A younger man trope
Jealous Sir Barnabas
Hot steamy outdoor sex
Wolf and Simon are such fun characters
There is some plot
There is some action
It's mostly a sex-filled romp in the middle of war story
And it's all about Daniel
Profile Image for ♥ I’d Rather Be Reading ♥.
2,724 reviews
December 31, 2023
- MMC's: Daniel, Harry
- POVs Included: Dual POVs (Daniel, Harry)
- Book Playlist (Brothers in Arms Book Series Playlist)

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SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)

Daniel and Harry meet at war when they are both desperate for connection and forgetting the things they have to see every day.

Feelings start to form between them, but before they can do anything with those deeper feelings, Harry is sent home to England. But only after admitting to Daniel that he has a fiancé waiting for him at home.

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REVIEW:

This is more of a prologue or part one of Daniel and Harry's story. It's in no way complete and you need to read the next book, Defeated by Love, in order to get to their HEA.

I honestly don't understand why it was published separately. Kind of weird.

As a prologue to their story it was good, but as a standalone book it's just not complete.

Still, I will be heading right into the next book to read the rest of their story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lenna  Wright.
3,400 reviews35 followers
September 17, 2017
Now that a great past startup for their next full story. I hope it's a good one to come.

During the war 26 year old Daniel needed someone to 'ride' after killing a French informant, 'i just killed a man now I need to fu©k a man' when as young 19 year old Harry came near Daniel and pushed home to far so Daniel took from Harry what he needed. Harry knew Daniel will come back to him even if Daniel said 'never'... never thought what will come from their romp in the woods. Now French is invading and Daniel is afraid for Harry but the secret Harry has kept from Daniel will make looking Harry for good hurts but it saved his life, will their love protein or will Harry's fiancee be more what Harry will need.
Profile Image for Amyiw.
2,817 reviews68 followers
July 6, 2021
4 1/2
This was a novella/short about the meeting of Harry and Daniel. A m/m for this series which is a difference as most are mmf. Daniel needs the release of sex after particularly difficult assignments. He is a spy, officially, but very much an assassin during the Napoleonic wars. He doesn't want a connection, just a release so Harry is a difficulty because he keeps pushing for more, and with more and more encounters, the connection does come. Only now Daniel is not sure that he can still do his job, so what to do? How can he still do his job when Harry is in the line of fire, both friendly and enemy? And what secrets might Harry have of his own?

This was really good, not sure how they go forward from here but understand that they do in the novel that follows. I bought the compilation and finished this part July 2021. Marking it read in 2000 to not throw off my count but to know I read it later.
Profile Image for Whit.
37 reviews
June 1, 2021
I feel like this is half a book. Not only is it shorter than any others in the series, but it doesn’t have a full arc really. It seems to cut off half way through, picking up in the next book. If it’s going to do that why not just make it one book? Kinda feels like a sell out move :/

I liked the plot and it didn’t feel rushed overall. It wasn’t meet, fall in love, then declare undying love all within 6 days which was believable. I’m curious about the introduction of other characters and if they’ll play a part in #11 or will have their own stories.
Profile Image for Pamela aka Scottieluvr.
198 reviews2 followers
May 5, 2019
RRRC - 2019 May Monthly Challenge - reader's choice

This historical read was a roller coaster ride and very poignant at times. The characters were engaging and fun and genuine. Its amazing how well Ms Kane can make her characters come to life. Another thoroughly enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Kk.
1,887 reviews14 followers
June 19, 2019
Picked this up from my library.. so a quick read but so sad! but very hot!
Profile Image for Blondie.
267 reviews30 followers
August 23, 2019
Samantha Kane has a knack for creating passionate and loveable characters. The witty dialogue only completes the package to make her books some of the best historical erotic romances. I recommend reading Defeated by Love right after this book they are standalone though this book does not end happily but the second just brings the entire package together.

This book also takes place ten years before Defeated by Love but it also introduces the reader to a younger Daniel and Wolf.
15 reviews4 followers
January 5, 2014
I have been reading Samantha Kane's Brother's In Arms Series since the first book was released and have loved them all. This book is a prequel to "Defeated by Love" which will wrap up all the loose ends that this book starts. I enjoyed reading about Daniel and Harry's first encounters and the trials and tribulations they encountered being lovers during wartime...very steamy read! Yes, it was short, with an un-HEA ending, but it just made me anticipate their full-length book to come more. If you have read the rest of the books in this series, then you definitely should read this one!
Profile Image for starsaga.
772 reviews8 followers
January 29, 2014
Short introduction to Daniel and Harry's story,
I liked this short story, as an intro to Daniel and Harry's story. I am reading it after book 11 is out though so it is satisfying to read. If I read this book without having book 11 at hand I would be very frustrated with this author for putting this book out as a complete story for this price.
Profile Image for Jeri.
1,749 reviews42 followers
June 27, 2015
Just a teaser to introduce the story of Harry and Daniel. I like the way Ms Kane switches things up. This is clearly a prequel, many years before Defeated by Love wraps up their story. Well done.
Profile Image for Marie.
168 reviews4 followers
June 28, 2014

Guess I am not as open-minded as I thought, this was not my cup of tea but I will finish the series because I do enjoy the series itself.

Profile Image for Jewel.
1,939 reviews279 followers
January 14, 2015
Short and bittersweet. And hot. Definitely that. I am very glad I don't have to wait for the conclusion of Daniel and Harry's story. I suck at patience.
Profile Image for Elaine.
411 reviews14 followers
December 24, 2013
I'm glad I waited for the sequel before reading this book.
Profile Image for Amy.
425 reviews
April 7, 2016
I did not care for this book. It was boring.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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