Thrust

Into the Fire #1

by Mia West

THRUST (Into the Fire #1)
When the western Roman Empire collapses into chaos, career soldier Marcus does the only thing that makes sense: he returns to the home of his foster father, a blacksmith who raised him on the northern frontier. But twenty years have passed, and the massive brute claiming the smith’s forge knocks Marc unconscious with a hammer blow.

Since the nearby garrison disbanded, Wolfram has defended his former master’s home and smithy against the marauding bandits thriving in the vacuum left by the legions’ retreat. When he fails to kill the latest intruder, Wolf drags the ragged man into his house, honor-bound to nurse him back to health.

As Marc heals at Wolf’s hands, the two men discover a slow-burn attraction drawing them together. The unexpected revelation that they once were boyhood rivals stokes the fire between them to a weapon-melting inferno.

A novella (approx. 21,000 words) featuring a M/M collision that makes the sack of Rome look like a tea party.

INTO THE FIRE Series
Against the backdrop of the Roman Empire’s collapse comes this story of two boyhood rivals reunited as very different men. Twenty years on, Marcus is a soldier with no army and few skills beyond killing. Wolfram is a blacksmith forced to defend his home with a hammer and his wits. Thrust together by cataclysm, Marc and Wolf will strike a partnership from the raw material of their shared past, shaping its angles and edges with a desire they won’t deny, to forge a future strong enough to withstand an unpredictable new world.

Genres: M M Romance, Historical, Romance, Historical Fiction, Erotica, Historical Romance, Gay

86 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2014

About the author

Epic romance, two heroes at a time! My story universe features warriors and blacksmiths, rescue swimmers and hockey players, treasure hunters and time travelers, and quite a few shifters. My favorite kind of hero: a grumpy f*cker who’ll do anything for the man he loves.

Read my entire universe free on AO3!

Novel-length ebooks are free on wide vendors.

Happy reading :)

~ Mia

Reviews

[AngelFire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable start to this series! My main interest in the series was that it focuses on the Dark Ages, which is a period of time that's very rare in MM historical romances.

I also liked the interesting relationship between the MCs. When he was a young orphaned boy, Marcus had spent his time being a nuisance in the Roman garrison where he'd grown up with his mother before she'd passed away. When the Roman soldiers at the garrison had reached their limit with pre-teen Marcus, a nearby blacksmith (Matthias) stepped in and became Marcus' foster father. When Marcus developed a stronger desire for being a soldier than a blacksmith, Matthias took on a new apprentice - Wolf, who is the son of a neighboring farmer. Since Marcus and Wolf are both teenage boys during this time and their relationship with Matthias is very important to both, they get off on the wrong foot and become fierce rivals, constantly competing for Matthias' attention until Marcus leaves to join the Roman Army. The story picks up 20 years later, after Rome has fallen and Marcus no longer has a military to fight for. He returns home to Matthias and to his disappointment, he discovers that his foster father had passed away a few years ago. Instead, Wolf has taken over his former master's home and trade.

I loved the introduction to both characters and their interesting dynamic. Wolf is a gentle giant in a literal sense - the man is the size of a mountain. Marcus is an experienced soldier who has become accustomed to being on his own after the Roman military collapsed. They were interesting men anyway but add in their unique connections from childhood and there was a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I felt the author didn't utilize Marcus and Wolf's former rivalry as well as she could have in the present. The two MCs do get off on the wrong foot and there's some antagonism between them but they get over that pretty quickly and then the story turns into a smut-fest, which it remains until the end.

While I would have preferred for the journey to them becoming sexual partners to take longer, I did appreciate that the author made it clear it wasn't a case of instalove. The MCs are attracted to each other because they're horny and sex hasn't been on the table for either of them for a long time. While I didn't fall in love with the MCs as a couple, this first installment nicely laid the foundations for a strong relationship to build over time.

The lack of proper romantic development is one reason I lowered my rating and the other is because the author didn't even try when it comes to making the MCs' speech patterns sound historical. I've seen worse examples where the author didn't even bother avoiding modern phrases. In this case, the author doesn't go that far but the book is filled with modern profanity and speech patterns that fit the 21st century, not the 5th century. There may have been other historical inaccuracies but if there were, they weren't jarring enough to distract me from the story.

In addition, I would consider this installment a prologue more than a standalone part of the series. We do get introduced to the MCs and they do embark on their relationship but way too little ground gets covered for this to feel anything more than a prologue. But in any case, I find the MCs very interesting, the idea behind the series is unique and I'm excited to continue.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

An encouraging start to this series. 4 very solid stars.

[Jax · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing was actually quite good but not much happens beyond the sex. It looks like plot points will be doled out slowly in each short installment so I won't be continuing with the series.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great start to a series. I would have felt a little disappointed if I didn't know there was more out there/on the way. It's not a cliff hangar ending, but it's definitely just the beginning.

I really like Marcus and Wolf together. I wouldn't really call what they do "banter" as that doesn't really fit with the times, but they do communicate well and honestly which you don't always get with the historicals. So, no unnecessary angst to move the plot along which was good since these guys are in survival mode. They are on their own after the fall of Rome and the danger they faced daily from predators (both human and animal) was well done. There was some good realistic tension written there which was why some angst would have taken away from the story and cheapened what they were going through.

I totally approve of the idea of "survivors lust" made total sense and made for some seriously hot scenes between Marc and Wolf.

On to Book 2.

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcus has served the Roman Legion for years, but the empire has fallen and all he wants to do is return home. He is hoping beyond hope that his old master, the blacksmith Mathias will still be there. When he finally gets home he's greeted by a giant of a man, who mistakes him for a marauder. Only after Wolfram realizes that Marcus survived his hammer blow does he recognise Marcus as his predecessor at the forge. The two men were once boys together, and now as Marcus recovers they realize that they want each other. A wonderfully written look at one possibile history of the the fallout of empire. I look forward to reading the next installment.

[Jude: The Epic Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and sexy, could've done with more historical context but the book certainly gives off more historical vibes than the cover (these covers are kind of ugly when put all together). For a novella it was cute and gave us brief amounts of background and childhood stories.

[Long Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I love historicals. But this one features too much sex and barely any plot. Obviously you have to read the whole series to get to the plot, but am I willing to do it? I need to get interested first from the start. Which I didn’t with this book.

[Carolyne Chand · Rating 4 out of 5]

The relationship between Into the Fire 's two protagonists--Marcus and Wolf--gets off to fairly straightforward start in Thrust. The prose is stark, sometimes gruesome, visceral in every way, evoking the time and place: the edges of a collapsing empire, the edges of a collapsed family.

If I'm going to complain about anything, and maybe drop back by a half-star (can I do 3.9?), it's that I wish it had taken longer for the relationship to kindle. What happens between the two men is as stark as anything else in the story, but I thought they fell toward each other, and into trying something "new," without as many, well, complications as I'd have expected. I can't really call it a slow burn. But I think some other readers wouldn't have wanted to slog through a long, drawn-out misunderstanding or extended mistaken identities or hesitation. The flashbacks are enlightening about their characters and buttress the scenes in the present. And, frankly, the when the scenes start getting heated, the flame doesn't turn down. And I have to give props to the author for handling a head injury in a realistic way.

As I write this, the next book, Strike , isn't available yet, and I'm impatient to see more of the raw, harsh world these men live in. Thrust reads as a preamble to something bigger, and I look forward to seeing what's next.

[J. Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little confused about Matthìas and his relationship with both of them but they were a damm good couple together.

[Elizabeth]

Got the whole series for free. Read the first one, dnf’d the second. Might go back later, just not feeling the series as a whole

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting start. Very easy read, no real thought required. I'm enjoying the setting, but I feel like it's very unrealistic for them to be attacker so much, but what do I know. I'll probably mindlessly finish this series.

[Maria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first part of Marcus and Wolfram’s journey introduces us to the setting of a world used to brutal violence on a daily basis. Rome has conquered and gone, leaving its local soldiers behind to make their way back to their homes. Away for twenty years, Marc doesn’t know what to expect when he gets back to where he grew up on the German frontier- he just knows he wants to find the blacksmith who gave him a home. But the smith he knows is gone, replaced by the once teenaged apprentice Wolf who idolized Marc before he went off to war. The area is deserted, only Wolf left tending the fires of the smith for no merchants. A daily struggle for survival against bandits and wild animals is the norm. Marc and Wolf have the bond of their teenage years between them, but not much else – though an attraction grows. It’s a fight for survival and a place to belong that brings them together, looking to an uncertain future.

It’s not often you come across a historical romance set with the backdrop of the early days of Rome’s conquest of Europe, so I was intrigued by the synopsis of this story right from the start. It’s well described and vivid in detail, such that you can feel the blow of the hammer and smell the woodsmoke of the blacksmith shop. The two men are both strong and fearless. Marc is leaner, years of marching in battle having honed him to a spare fitness. As a 37 year old now ex-soldier he’s weary in body and spirit. Wolf is larger, muscular, with strong arms to wield the hammer and used to solitary. Having Marc re-enter his life is a good thing, though he is already awaiting his departure. Their sexual chemistry startles Wolf, as it is new to him whereas Marc, having lived the life of a male soldier is used to having his needs met no matter the partner. They share some steamy scenes together. As this part ends, they have decided to throw their lot in together and see where the winds will take them. It’s obviously the start of a great adventure! I appreciated that there was no cliffhanger ending, and that the story felt complete (though I’m definitely interested in reading more). 4 stars.

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.

Note 2: this review appears as a blog post at: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this but there wasn't enough scene setting for me to loose myself in this story. Not enough to make me want to buy 2 and 3 of the series. This whole of thing should have been one book to at least build momentum.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do no read M/M books unless there is a woman in the mix..had to read this as part of a challenge. Nothing against the story or the writing, this just isn't my cup of tea.

If your a M/M fan, I can see where this will lead to a decent story line.

[Liz (Bugetta) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though short this novella had just enough swordplay,myth & darkness to make me eager for the next installment about a chieftain's heir & the blacksmiths son.

[Danielle Gypsy Soul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit short and I wanted a little more build up between the two men - it all just happened a little to fast but I still enjoyed it.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcus was a Roman soldier who has left the service as Rome falls. He travels to the far northern frontier of the former empire (presumably modern day Germany or France), moving at night to avoid the wolves and other unsavory creatures. His destination is to return to the home of his foster father, Matthias the blacksmith. Only when he arrives he finds a strange man in the smithy who knocks him out. When he comes to, he's addled but quickly realizes the stranger is Wolfram, the younger man who shadowed him twenty years earlier when they were children.

Wolfram is shocked to recognize Marcus, a familiar face after years of loss. The garrison the smithy serviced closed down, and people began leaving quickly. The blacksmith Matthias passed away shortly after. Then Wolf's wife Anna is attacked by roving bandits and dies shortly after. Wolf works and lives alone, fending off further attacks... until Marcus returns.

As Marcus heals from his injuries, the two men slowly bond again. They are attracted to each other, explore that attraction, and fend off more bandits. The two characters are given some good development and there seems to be some, uh, meaty scenes.

This was a reread, but honestly I don't remember much about my impressions for the first read. Thrust was a short read (about 80 pages), the first of a series. I liked this, despite some unease regarding the unlikely bondage element during the second sex scene, so I'm hoping this series doesn't devolve into a BDSM erotica thing.

[Taid Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

West's novella takes place when a soldier in the Roman army returns home to a fort on the Gaul-Germania border after it has been destroyed. Little is said of Rome other than a reference to a new religion. Marcus grew up in rough fashion taken in by a blacksmith at a young age. A second boy who is younger Wolfram (Wolf) is taken in later. Wolf is the only obvious surviver in the area. Much of the book is a set up for coming novellas, but the erotic relationship between the two men is no longer like it was as children. Life in the area is wild, from real wolves to men willing to do anything to survive. What is interesting other than the developing relationship is how men reduced to having little cope with the situation.

[Fanni's So Many Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this one 3.5 stars.

It was very intriguing, and this little love story set at the fall of the Roman Empire is very interesting. However I missed the story behind it. Yes, we got to see two men reuniting. Yes, we got to see some of their past and problems. Yes, we got to see a little bit of the world around them. But I missed the spark. Now, it's only primal desire and a fledgling of affection between Wolf and Marc. And as the story is quite slow I missed the deeper emotions between them to make a great romance.

I hope to see more emotion, more story in the next part. Though, I find the simplicity of the story telling fitting for a simpler era.
So, I kept reading it because somehow it grabbed me but I also wish for more in the upcoming books!

[Kailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought the complete set of novellas when they went on sale and only have read this one so far. I initially enjoyed Marc and Wolf, and still think the setting and the characterization of them is great, but I wanted more of plot thread to carry through the books. The sex is good, they’re both sweet, but there’s a bit of a pattern of attack, sex, comfort, then another attack or assault (no sexual assault). I’d be interested in other books from this author but don’t think I’ll continue the reading this series.

[Becky A · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Thrust" received TWO AND A HALF stars.

The novel gained *stars* for these items:

* gained for: "The book caught my interest in the first five pages."

1/2 * gained for: "I thought about the book when I was forced to set it down and re-enter society."

* gained for: "There were no info dumps, poor writing, or copy edit mistakes that jerked me out of the story."

The novel failed to gain stars for this item:

NO STAR gained for: "I was sad when the book ended. I wanted more!"

NO STAR gained for: "That's it. I'm hooked on this author. I will automatically try anything s/he writes."

[Emma Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrust (Into the Fire #1) by Mia West was a really yummy read. The storyline was good and I'm in love with both main characters. I wasn't sure what to expect when starting the series, I'm not familiar with Mia West's novels, but it was one of the top recommended books I saw on a list from Facebook. I really enjoy a well-thought-out and written MM Romance story. This one was also historical and I think it was well written. This one was just perfect. Highly recommend and will not delay in picking up the next title.

[LizzieG Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This was a great introduction to this series. It's important to note that that is very much what this book is, an introduction - a prequel really, as there's enough to keep you interested in moving forward but not enough to leave you feeling complete or satisfied. I really enjoy Mia West's writing style and storytelling, I've never once felt lost or bored or or annoyed with a book of hers. I'm very much looking forward to seeing where Wolf and Marc go in their journey.

[Sakuko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure about this one. I felt it had pretty much no plot, the relationship just falls into place without much preliminaries, the setting seems like it could be pretty much anywhere which just a little tweaking.
It mostly just sex, start to finish, and before it's sex it's cock-comparison. The sex scenes are good, though, but I'd like a little more than that to sell me to a whole series.

[Mae Hanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read many historicals from the Roman Empire age. Interesting.

Marc and Wolf are an interesting pair. Marc just returning from battles, Wolf, slightly younger, stayed with the smithy who "raised" them. In a savage area where it's every man for himself, these two manage to reconnect.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

They're so cuteeeeee 😫


☝️ December fatigue means this is the level of reviewing I'm capable of right now.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too insta-lust. No sure I'll continue the serial unless I'm stuck reading something for free w/ KU.

[Jaimed · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Not a bad start to a story. I'm not a fan of the way the story is broken up into multiple parts.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
I am so hooked. And so glad the series is done and I don't have to wait for the next book.