What do you think?
Rengara #1
Salt in the Wound
Indrie has spent five years keeping a dying king alive, and all it's earned him is bruises
So when Rengaran barbarians storm the castle and Indrie is handed over to their king as a parting gift, he doesn't fight it. He clutches his healer's satchel to his chest and braces himself for a new kind of cruelty.
King Eskil is, by every measure, the most dangerous man Indrie has ever met. He's also the first person who has ever helped Indrie to his feet instead of putting him on the floor.
But when a stolen aphrodisiac fruit from the pilfered stores leaves the king burning with a deadly fever only Indrie can break, the careful distance between them shatters in a single passionate night, and with it, a bond neither of them want to undo.
Salt in the Wound is a m/m romantic fantasy story about a barbarian king and a healer. It deals with themes of abuse, power imbalance, and continuous misunderstandings. It contains an age gap, size difference, class difference, found family, a virgin MC, and an accidental marriage.
This is book 1 in the series and should be read in order.
So when Rengaran barbarians storm the castle and Indrie is handed over to their king as a parting gift, he doesn't fight it. He clutches his healer's satchel to his chest and braces himself for a new kind of cruelty.
King Eskil is, by every measure, the most dangerous man Indrie has ever met. He's also the first person who has ever helped Indrie to his feet instead of putting him on the floor.
But when a stolen aphrodisiac fruit from the pilfered stores leaves the king burning with a deadly fever only Indrie can break, the careful distance between them shatters in a single passionate night, and with it, a bond neither of them want to undo.
Salt in the Wound is a m/m romantic fantasy story about a barbarian king and a healer. It deals with themes of abuse, power imbalance, and continuous misunderstandings. It contains an age gap, size difference, class difference, found family, a virgin MC, and an accidental marriage.
This is book 1 in the series and should be read in order.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
September 1, 2026
I really loved the main characters. But the writing...felt like I was reading someone's fantasy RPG chatbot thread. It is extremely repetitive and each paragraph and chapter is formulaic in the prose and cadence. To the point where there is very little momentum in the structure. And there are occasional bizarre continuity/logic failures.
In a way that is extremely evocative of AI.
The prose FEELS algorithmically constructed, with the same observation-->reaction-->interpretation pattern repeated over and over, trying very hard to sound literary. Instead of scenes building on one another and creating momentum, each beat seems to pause for another round of emotional narration, which gives the whole book this weird feeling of reading an RPG chatbot generating increasingly elaborate responses to the same situation.
In a way that is extremely evocative of AI.
The prose FEELS algorithmically constructed, with the same observation-->reaction-->interpretation pattern repeated over and over, trying very hard to sound literary. Instead of scenes building on one another and creating momentum, each beat seems to pause for another round of emotional narration, which gives the whole book this weird feeling of reading an RPG chatbot generating increasingly elaborate responses to the same situation.
August 29, 2026
Seriously? 300 pages of misunderstanding and miscommunication?
Why is the writer explaining to me, the reader the miscommunication between the characters? I don’t need the explanation I’m reading it already and I can deduce why there’s one in the first place? Maybe let the characters explain it to each other instead of repeating the same dialogue and situation ten times?
Also the main issue between the couples is language barrier but at the same time Indrie’s teaching someone how to read their OWN language even though he’s weak at it? Make it make sense.
Honestly, wasted potential.
Why is the writer explaining to me, the reader the miscommunication between the characters? I don’t need the explanation I’m reading it already and I can deduce why there’s one in the first place? Maybe let the characters explain it to each other instead of repeating the same dialogue and situation ten times?
Also the main issue between the couples is language barrier but at the same time Indrie’s teaching someone how to read their OWN language even though he’s weak at it? Make it make sense.
Honestly, wasted potential.
August 26, 2026
Something felt off in the writing :/
August 1, 2026
Gorgeous story, but there better be another book after!
The story was fantastic and I enjoyed it a great deal. The writing is beautiful, the material addressed with kindness and understanding both by the author and by the characters, and the pacing moves along well.
I think it might serve the author well to let buyers know if this is intended to be part of a series or a standalone, particularly as it’s a romance. I might have waited to read it if it’s part of an unfinished series, instead of starting a new book at 3am, which was the soonest Kindle Unlimited would give it to me. >.> I’m devoutly hoping it is part of a series, as otherwise the ending is a little too abrupt and open for my taste.
All that aside, this book is a collection of most of my favorite tropes, and I was quite delighted by it. Thank you, Atlas Jones, for another delicious story. I’m very much a fan!
The story was fantastic and I enjoyed it a great deal. The writing is beautiful, the material addressed with kindness and understanding both by the author and by the characters, and the pacing moves along well.
I think it might serve the author well to let buyers know if this is intended to be part of a series or a standalone, particularly as it’s a romance. I might have waited to read it if it’s part of an unfinished series, instead of starting a new book at 3am, which was the soonest Kindle Unlimited would give it to me. >.> I’m devoutly hoping it is part of a series, as otherwise the ending is a little too abrupt and open for my taste.
All that aside, this book is a collection of most of my favorite tropes, and I was quite delighted by it. Thank you, Atlas Jones, for another delicious story. I’m very much a fan!
August 11, 2026
3.5. It's a guilty pleasure but much better and more nuanced that I expected. I also liked both main characters, what does not happen often to me, but hot damn, the side characters stole the show - Gunnar, you can cook for me every time you want.
August 29, 2026
this... wasn't great. i don't mind books that do little dialogue with heavy paragraphs but this felt wrong the more i read. at first, it was interesting seeing them both get to know each other through watching each other rather than actively communicating, but that got old real quick. especially with how heavy and many the miscommunications turned out to be--and NO you cannot blame all of that on the language thing. obviously there were others that spoke his language well enough to play intermediary. and i'm not here throwing accusations but the last like 20% or something seriously had me wondering if it was AI. there's the king, who was passed out in a fever in the bed, explaining to the guy WHO WENT AND GOT TO THE MEDIC AND TALKED TO THE MEDIC about what the medic looked like when he saw the fruit core? what? some things just didn't make sense. and don't even get me started on the fuck-or-die-fruit. ANYWAY. won't be reading on, even with the cliffhanger.
August 26, 2026
Unfortunately this has all the markers of it being artificial. Call me a masochist but I actually finished this or something.
August 15, 2026
Really strong start
I was immediately sucked in because the two main characters hit all my favorite trope buttons, and I was on board (literally) during their whole voyage up until the contrived miscommunications started. The ending was awfully abrupt and their one sex scene dropped in random magical fruit that no one expected or needed. I see the second book is coming out soon, so I’m wondering why the split is happening so early- this installment just feels like the first part of a whole, not something that can stand on its own.
I was immediately sucked in because the two main characters hit all my favorite trope buttons, and I was on board (literally) during their whole voyage up until the contrived miscommunications started. The ending was awfully abrupt and their one sex scene dropped in random magical fruit that no one expected or needed. I see the second book is coming out soon, so I’m wondering why the split is happening so early- this installment just feels like the first part of a whole, not something that can stand on its own.
August 4, 2026
genuinely terrible
August 5, 2026
Please let the next book come quickly!
I have never read a book so fast in a long time. The word building and imagery was breathtaking, and all the MC and supporting characters were just luminous. This book ends in a cliffhanger, which made me sad, because I was hoping for a beautiful resolution…I pray the next book comes out soon in this gorgeous series!
I have never read a book so fast in a long time. The word building and imagery was breathtaking, and all the MC and supporting characters were just luminous. This book ends in a cliffhanger, which made me sad, because I was hoping for a beautiful resolution…I pray the next book comes out soon in this gorgeous series!
September 8, 2026
6% in and I tried to give the benefit of the doubt but I’m really tired of authors who have, in recent, let an AI write the majority of their story.
“ He speaks. A single sentence, low, even, unhurried”
“ The strike, the kick, the command to look up..”
“ A sound, distant, muffled”
“He feels it, undeniable, physical, pressing against his skin”
This pattern is consistent throughout the pages I’d read and are markers of AI influence. The writing was off, and there was so much being said that could have been deduced in one sentence. Again it highlighted how likely is was AI did the legwork because it can go from “Short. Clipped. Intense sentence structures” “to the kind of ease often only one knows through utilizing AI.”
“ Erlan hauls him across the room with the ease of long practice”
“ Mild contempt. Impatience. The look of someone who is annoyed he’s taking up space”
“ Not angry. Not amused. Not hungry in the way that some men look at him”
“ Not screaming, not wailing, but the awful, compressed quiet of people trying desperately not to be heard”
“ Not the kitchen staff... Not the changing of…. Not the low tolling of the chapel bell... The sound of metal clanking”
I would enjoy and have read this story in its entirety had the author put their own voice in this. Or at least greatly stripped away a lot of the unnecessary verbiage, because it’s also partly a lot of filler.
“ He speaks. A single sentence, low, even, unhurried”
“ The strike, the kick, the command to look up..”
“ A sound, distant, muffled”
“He feels it, undeniable, physical, pressing against his skin”
This pattern is consistent throughout the pages I’d read and are markers of AI influence. The writing was off, and there was so much being said that could have been deduced in one sentence. Again it highlighted how likely is was AI did the legwork because it can go from “Short. Clipped. Intense sentence structures” “to the kind of ease often only one knows through utilizing AI.”
“ Erlan hauls him across the room with the ease of long practice”
“ Mild contempt. Impatience. The look of someone who is annoyed he’s taking up space”
“ Not angry. Not amused. Not hungry in the way that some men look at him”
“ Not screaming, not wailing, but the awful, compressed quiet of people trying desperately not to be heard”
“ Not the kitchen staff... Not the changing of…. Not the low tolling of the chapel bell... The sound of metal clanking”
I would enjoy and have read this story in its entirety had the author put their own voice in this. Or at least greatly stripped away a lot of the unnecessary verbiage, because it’s also partly a lot of filler.
August 25, 2026
OKAY SO. I have so much to say about this book. I did give this book 4 stars and I will explain why, but I want to make it clear first that I absolutely DEVOURED this book. I could not put it down, I finished it in a day. I absolutely loved it, and I was absolutely devastated to see that the second book doesn’t come out for another week. Trust me, come September 1st, it is getting added to the library so fast. READ THIS. Truly wish I could give it 5 stars (I’m usually a pretty biased eater so this is a surprise to me) because of how much I enjoyed it, but there were some pretty glaring issues. So let’s get into it!
1. How the author tackled the language barrier made no sense. Indrie understood way too much way too fast, be able to have full conversations, but then randomly wouldn’t be able to really have any of them? I get that the author was probably writing it that way more for our understanding but it just felt like the language barrier was kind of an after thought in a lot of scenes.
2. Miscommunication trope. Absolutely LOATHE this trope so maybe it’s not fair of me to put this incredibly biased feeling in a review (bc I do think the trope is valid), but whatever. The issue was not the language barrier and there were SO many instances where eskil could’ve clarified, my god that shit was driving me insane.
3. A fruit? Really? That’s what’s gonna do it? I think a medicinal aphrodisiac would’ve been much more believable, the fruit just seemed so cheesyyyy. And you’re gonna sit here and tell me that eskil, somebody completely obsessed with indrie, could only comment on sex?? You couldn’t call him beautiful or anything ONE TIME? He said “you’re perfect” and then immediately followed with “you take my c*** so perfectly.” Like come onnnnnn there’s no way he knows what that means but he would probably understand things like beautiful or idkkk just anything!!! Infuriating.
4 WHY WAS INDRIE THE ONLY ONE LEARNING A LANGUAGE. Why did this literal KING not try to educate himself and learn indies language too? Indrie is over here bending over backwards just to try and communicate with this man and eskil draws a mf picture (v cute but still) instead of listing one of the several other people on board that speak a bit of indies language. Like just a few words or phrases would’ve gone a long way.
5. Not enough dialogue, which I understand because the language barrier is kind of the plot of this whole book. But if it was stretched out, instead of being 3 weeks, it would’ve given opportunity for more dialogue. Just felt like 3 weeks was way too short. Finding myself comparing this to daughter of no worlds, and how well the language barrier with Tisaanah was written in that.
I have never written a review this long but I had to get it out! All in all, still recommend this book lol.
1. How the author tackled the language barrier made no sense. Indrie understood way too much way too fast, be able to have full conversations, but then randomly wouldn’t be able to really have any of them? I get that the author was probably writing it that way more for our understanding but it just felt like the language barrier was kind of an after thought in a lot of scenes.
2. Miscommunication trope. Absolutely LOATHE this trope so maybe it’s not fair of me to put this incredibly biased feeling in a review (bc I do think the trope is valid), but whatever. The issue was not the language barrier and there were SO many instances where eskil could’ve clarified, my god that shit was driving me insane.
3. A fruit? Really? That’s what’s gonna do it? I think a medicinal aphrodisiac would’ve been much more believable, the fruit just seemed so cheesyyyy. And you’re gonna sit here and tell me that eskil, somebody completely obsessed with indrie, could only comment on sex?? You couldn’t call him beautiful or anything ONE TIME? He said “you’re perfect” and then immediately followed with “you take my c*** so perfectly.” Like come onnnnnn there’s no way he knows what that means but he would probably understand things like beautiful or idkkk just anything!!! Infuriating.
4 WHY WAS INDRIE THE ONLY ONE LEARNING A LANGUAGE. Why did this literal KING not try to educate himself and learn indies language too? Indrie is over here bending over backwards just to try and communicate with this man and eskil draws a mf picture (v cute but still) instead of listing one of the several other people on board that speak a bit of indies language. Like just a few words or phrases would’ve gone a long way.
5. Not enough dialogue, which I understand because the language barrier is kind of the plot of this whole book. But if it was stretched out, instead of being 3 weeks, it would’ve given opportunity for more dialogue. Just felt like 3 weeks was way too short. Finding myself comparing this to daughter of no worlds, and how well the language barrier with Tisaanah was written in that.
I have never written a review this long but I had to get it out! All in all, still recommend this book lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2026
Eskil, a mighty and well-loved King, and Indrie, shy, broken slave, fall head over heels for each other in a complicated push and pull relationship. How does Eskil reconcile the messed up power imbalance between them and his flaming attraction towards the most beautiful man he's ever met? How can Indrie accept that someone so mighty can feel even an ounce of warmth towards someone as small and inconsequential as him?
I am absolutely torn. While here is an absolutely valid use of the miscommunication trope for once, as Eskil and Indrie literally do not speak each other's language, I am also simply impatient. There is NO WAY I am reading more of this series if the push and pull does not resolve within the first half of the second book.
I am absolutely torn. While here is an absolutely valid use of the miscommunication trope for once, as Eskil and Indrie literally do not speak each other's language, I am also simply impatient. There is NO WAY I am reading more of this series if the push and pull does not resolve within the first half of the second book.
September 13, 2026
super well written
Beautifully written, super slow burn which ends on a soft cliffhanger. The development of the characters and their feelings is very well done but be warned that there’s no resolution to their feelings or their miscommunication in this book. Fingers crossed the next one provides at least a happy for now ending because these two deserve it!
Beautifully written, super slow burn which ends on a soft cliffhanger. The development of the characters and their feelings is very well done but be warned that there’s no resolution to their feelings or their miscommunication in this book. Fingers crossed the next one provides at least a happy for now ending because these two deserve it!
September 16, 2026
I loved this. So many people dislike the miscommunication trope, but I love it and I think the language barrier was a great way to do it. An interesting and engaging story. I can't wait to continue the series and see where it goes.
August 30, 2026
Good basic romance novel. Interesting premise, plot didn’t really pan out how I thought it was going to, but not bad
October 8, 2026
This is AI slop. Never in my life have I requested an ebook refund but this pissed me off so much I did even though it was $3. Save yourself and read Patience, A Steady Hand instead.
September 21, 2026
took a break from my spoopy books to read about two gays at sea. no regrets.
September 22, 2026
Did not like this writing style
Did Not Finish
August 3, 2026Really weird writing style, like trying to be super poetic, but coming off very performative and repetitive. Kind of long winded and unnatural. Also, the characters felt unbelievable, all the instalove and ... It felt way off and life is too short to spend it on books not made for my taste.
August 25, 2026
SUCH good potential but seemed to drag on a little too long.
Unresolved ending.
Unresolved ending.
August 18, 2026
Didn’t realize it left on a cliffhanger. No HEA here -_-
September 14, 2026
It looked promising, but the writing seems to be filled out with AI. On the other hand dialogues were stiff and definietly not suited for the characters. One of the nothernman said - " Not only is it psychologically detrimental...". The story takes place in a period resembling the Middle Ages, yet they talk about psychological well-being?
September 13, 2026
The entire love conflict is built on language misunderstanding? On the top of that I had to skip several pages at a time while reading to get to the end of the first book and discover no resolution whatsoever. It was a mental torture to read this book. Needless to say, I will not be reading the next book.
September 7, 2026
The author will describe a situation by seven ways it’s not, using four word sentences, before saying what it is like with stunted sentences again. You can’t just get a straight answer out of the author about a scene, it’s paragraphs long. Also there is hardly enough dialogue; most of the book is describing a situation instead of walking the reader through it in real time.
Spoiler:
There is no resolution to the issue in this book. What a waste.
Spoiler:
There is no resolution to the issue in this book. What a waste.
September 9, 2026
Ai slop
October 9, 2026
Briefly this is a strong 3.5 . . . but with caveats.
I have unfortunate mixed feelings about this one. I haven't read a worthwhile MM romance in ages (it seems), so I was happy to finally find a book with a great pair of MC's and a decent storyline. The physical dynamic portrayed by the gorgeous cover looked like it would be right up my personal preference alley and was confirmed with this description of Indrie by Eskil: "Slender and fine-boned and exquisite . . . smooth, heated skin . . . narrow hips" Much to my delight, Eskil and Inrie ARE both great characters, although Inrie's obvious and highly intense PTSD make him an MC that will take a lot of careful handling by the author.
Most of the book takes place on board a ship. This benefits the author, as the world-building is kept to a very confined space and the author seems to struggle with keeping an appropriate tone for the supposed environment (quasi-Viking in nature). It will be interesting to see if they do better once these characters hit land in what will be a new country for Indrie.
Secondary characters are really well done. I already love Bodhi as Eskil's BFF/second in command and I was happy to see that he will eventually have his own story. He's a perfect foil for Eskil. What's a tad hard to swallow (pardon the pun) about the rest of the cast is that EVERYONE is so at home with the concept of homosexuality; this feels really strange when applied to a people clearly based on a quasi-Viking foundation.
I'm giving this 3.5 stars as I really enjoyed it, but there are very definite missteps. First of all, the perspective is weird. I'm not a grammarian, but it appears to be written in some sort of third person aspect and I find it a clunky way to portray a story like this. The writing isn't bad at all - in fact, there are a few really evocative bits, such as this description post-sex:
fine, continuous vibration that starts in his core and radiates outward, his bones rung and still resonating.
And here we can really feel the trepidation Indrie is negotiating internally when he's around Eskil:
He exists in the negative space of the king's presence, occupying the places Eskil isn't.
Also:
Eskil had watched the young man erase himself word by word. Watched him flatten his own feelings, dismiss his own pain, take responsibility for Eskil's failures and package them up as his own shortcomings, and do it all with the smooth efficiency of someone who has been punished for every honest emotion he's ever shown.
The author makes Indrie's pain and hesitation downright palpable. Maybe too palpable, because what we have throughout this story is the slowest, most torturous and convoluted of slow-burns, to the point where this reader was at times wondering if they should keep reading. The language-based misunderstandings that keep the two MC's apart gets ridiculous after awhile and can be hard to slog through. This isn't helped when the single sex scene is preceded by a trope straight out of Bad Romance Writing 101 - the poisoned aphrodisiac fruit that is somehow ingested in a scene that comes across as completely false to the character and what the character is currently experiencing. I wish the author could have found some other way to move these two into a an intensely complicated forced proximity scene that might have otherwise been quite nicely done. Full disclosure: this plot point IS mentioned in the blurb so I was well aware that it was waiting in the wings when I started the book: I decided to risk it anyway and I'm glad I did. 😁
Another quibble is the fact that in this quasi-Viking environment/setting, Bodhi and Eskil both say things that you wouldn't expect anyone except a student of Psych 101 coursework to know, such as:
“She is not teaching him the nuances of cultural integration.”
and
“Not only is it psychologically detrimental,” Bohdi continues,
and
" . . . That's who you're faulting for not grasping the nuances of your culture's position on personal liberty?”
Even Gunnar, the cook, gets in on the action:
“You need to make peace with your demons,” Gunnar tells him.
These are some pretty obscure references for guys who make a living wielding axes and raiding other countries. It just doesn't fit. Nor does this statement:
“What's eating you, Eskil?”
Which REALLY feels out of place.
These quasi-Viking also have oranges (?? from WHERE??) and Indrie knows about scurvy. Sure. I kept waiting for them to break out the avocados.
My worst peeve, however, is how the author insists on having Eskil's thoughts occasionally use the term "boy" when thinking about Indrie. (Note: we do find out that Indrie is 22 late in the book - so definitely NOT a "boy"). When Eskil thinks "He doesn't want to startle the boy." early on, I literally flinched. You simply CANNOT have Eskil using the concept/word "boy" when he's supposed to be sexually attracted to someone. This term is repeated a few times throughout the book (when even once is too often) and it just brings me to a screeching halt each time. This needs to be changed to "young man" or some such thing, pronto. Was an editor involved? Did they just let it pass?
I would definitely recommend this book, but the author would greatly benefit from a good strong editor to take the writing in hand in future. I'm looking forward to book 2 and the others in the series.
I have unfortunate mixed feelings about this one. I haven't read a worthwhile MM romance in ages (it seems), so I was happy to finally find a book with a great pair of MC's and a decent storyline. The physical dynamic portrayed by the gorgeous cover looked like it would be right up my personal preference alley and was confirmed with this description of Indrie by Eskil: "Slender and fine-boned and exquisite . . . smooth, heated skin . . . narrow hips" Much to my delight, Eskil and Inrie ARE both great characters, although Inrie's obvious and highly intense PTSD make him an MC that will take a lot of careful handling by the author.
Most of the book takes place on board a ship. This benefits the author, as the world-building is kept to a very confined space and the author seems to struggle with keeping an appropriate tone for the supposed environment (quasi-Viking in nature). It will be interesting to see if they do better once these characters hit land in what will be a new country for Indrie.
Secondary characters are really well done. I already love Bodhi as Eskil's BFF/second in command and I was happy to see that he will eventually have his own story. He's a perfect foil for Eskil. What's a tad hard to swallow (pardon the pun) about the rest of the cast is that EVERYONE is so at home with the concept of homosexuality; this feels really strange when applied to a people clearly based on a quasi-Viking foundation.
I'm giving this 3.5 stars as I really enjoyed it, but there are very definite missteps. First of all, the perspective is weird. I'm not a grammarian, but it appears to be written in some sort of third person aspect and I find it a clunky way to portray a story like this. The writing isn't bad at all - in fact, there are a few really evocative bits, such as this description post-sex:
fine, continuous vibration that starts in his core and radiates outward, his bones rung and still resonating.
And here we can really feel the trepidation Indrie is negotiating internally when he's around Eskil:
He exists in the negative space of the king's presence, occupying the places Eskil isn't.
Also:
Eskil had watched the young man erase himself word by word. Watched him flatten his own feelings, dismiss his own pain, take responsibility for Eskil's failures and package them up as his own shortcomings, and do it all with the smooth efficiency of someone who has been punished for every honest emotion he's ever shown.
The author makes Indrie's pain and hesitation downright palpable. Maybe too palpable, because what we have throughout this story is the slowest, most torturous and convoluted of slow-burns, to the point where this reader was at times wondering if they should keep reading. The language-based misunderstandings that keep the two MC's apart gets ridiculous after awhile and can be hard to slog through. This isn't helped when the single sex scene is preceded by a trope straight out of Bad Romance Writing 101 - the poisoned aphrodisiac fruit that is somehow ingested in a scene that comes across as completely false to the character and what the character is currently experiencing. I wish the author could have found some other way to move these two into a an intensely complicated forced proximity scene that might have otherwise been quite nicely done. Full disclosure: this plot point IS mentioned in the blurb so I was well aware that it was waiting in the wings when I started the book: I decided to risk it anyway and I'm glad I did. 😁
Another quibble is the fact that in this quasi-Viking environment/setting, Bodhi and Eskil both say things that you wouldn't expect anyone except a student of Psych 101 coursework to know, such as:
“She is not teaching him the nuances of cultural integration.”
and
“Not only is it psychologically detrimental,” Bohdi continues,
and
" . . . That's who you're faulting for not grasping the nuances of your culture's position on personal liberty?”
Even Gunnar, the cook, gets in on the action:
“You need to make peace with your demons,” Gunnar tells him.
These are some pretty obscure references for guys who make a living wielding axes and raiding other countries. It just doesn't fit. Nor does this statement:
“What's eating you, Eskil?”
Which REALLY feels out of place.
These quasi-Viking also have oranges (?? from WHERE??) and Indrie knows about scurvy. Sure. I kept waiting for them to break out the avocados.
My worst peeve, however, is how the author insists on having Eskil's thoughts occasionally use the term "boy" when thinking about Indrie. (Note: we do find out that Indrie is 22 late in the book - so definitely NOT a "boy"). When Eskil thinks "He doesn't want to startle the boy." early on, I literally flinched. You simply CANNOT have Eskil using the concept/word "boy" when he's supposed to be sexually attracted to someone. This term is repeated a few times throughout the book (when even once is too often) and it just brings me to a screeching halt each time. This needs to be changed to "young man" or some such thing, pronto. Was an editor involved? Did they just let it pass?
I would definitely recommend this book, but the author would greatly benefit from a good strong editor to take the writing in hand in future. I'm looking forward to book 2 and the others in the series.
September 6, 2026
I GET IT
This book was good. It had great characters, a genuinely interesting plot, and honestly had all the ingredients to be a 5-star read for me. The biggest thing holding it back was the unnecessary amount of detail.
And when I say unnecessary, I mean… I GET IT.
There were so many moments where I felt like the author had already made the point, but then kept explaining it anyway. I was reading the ebook, so the page numbers may be different in the physical copy, but there were a few moments that really stood out to me.
For example, on page 228:
“He doesn't knock. The door is ajar, not fully open, but not latched…”
YA COULD HAVE LEFT IT AT AJAR AND CONTINUED THE THOUGHT.
And then on page 203:
“The word detonates in Eskil's mind with the clarity of a signal fire…”
The description continues for quite a while explaining exactly what Eskil is thinking and feeling.
And I'm sitting there like… BABE. I UNDERSTAND.
Same thing on page 199:
“The grip is loose. Deliberately, consciously loose…”
Again, I GET IT. I promise I do.
The writing isn't bad… which is actually what makes this frustrating. There were so many genuinely beautiful moments, compelling characters, and interesting developments that I kept thinking, this could have been a 5-star book for me if it had just trusted the reader a little more.
The plot has so much room to grow, and the characters are definitely the strongest part for me. I wanted to know more about them, see where their relationships went, and explore the world even further.
Overall, this was an okay-to-good read with a lot of potential. I enjoyed it, but I think the story would have been much stronger if the author had trimmed some of the over-explaining and let certain moments speak for themselves.
Great characters. Great potential. Interesting plot. Just… please trust me to understand what you're saying the first time.
I would absolutely be interested in continuing the story because I genuinely think there is something here. I just hope the next book learns that sometimes less is MORE.
This book was good. It had great characters, a genuinely interesting plot, and honestly had all the ingredients to be a 5-star read for me. The biggest thing holding it back was the unnecessary amount of detail.
And when I say unnecessary, I mean… I GET IT.
There were so many moments where I felt like the author had already made the point, but then kept explaining it anyway. I was reading the ebook, so the page numbers may be different in the physical copy, but there were a few moments that really stood out to me.
For example, on page 228:
“He doesn't knock. The door is ajar, not fully open, but not latched…”
YA COULD HAVE LEFT IT AT AJAR AND CONTINUED THE THOUGHT.
And then on page 203:
“The word detonates in Eskil's mind with the clarity of a signal fire…”
The description continues for quite a while explaining exactly what Eskil is thinking and feeling.
And I'm sitting there like… BABE. I UNDERSTAND.
Same thing on page 199:
“The grip is loose. Deliberately, consciously loose…”
Again, I GET IT. I promise I do.
The writing isn't bad… which is actually what makes this frustrating. There were so many genuinely beautiful moments, compelling characters, and interesting developments that I kept thinking, this could have been a 5-star book for me if it had just trusted the reader a little more.
The plot has so much room to grow, and the characters are definitely the strongest part for me. I wanted to know more about them, see where their relationships went, and explore the world even further.
Overall, this was an okay-to-good read with a lot of potential. I enjoyed it, but I think the story would have been much stronger if the author had trimmed some of the over-explaining and let certain moments speak for themselves.
Great characters. Great potential. Interesting plot. Just… please trust me to understand what you're saying the first time.
I would absolutely be interested in continuing the story because I genuinely think there is something here. I just hope the next book learns that sometimes less is MORE.
August 29, 2026
okay the cover is very pretty and I appreciate kindle unlimited for showing this up on my algorithm I read it very fast. I have little else to say that's positive ngl
why mention an aphrodisiac fruit in the blurb only not to include it until 80% through the book? Like what was the point in adding that especially when the whole time the main guy has been worrying about the power imbalance. It wasn't needed at all like I don't understand other than so the author could write a smut scene I guess.
firstly they've been obsessed with each other the whole time and that miscommunication beforehand felt so stupid like why can't they clear it up or at the very least it could've been written better idk what else to say about that. Like that rando crewmate refers to indrie as sir because he means a lot to Eskil AND RISKS HIS LIFE TO PULL HIM OUT OF THE SEA but Indrie doesn't think he matters to him at all? (the same random guy that got skurvy after 3 weeks on the trip down when it takes 1-3 months to get it in the way he had)
three weeks doesn't feel like enough time for anyone to get the grasp of the language however the best way to learn one is to immerse yourself so maybe that's different I don't know I've never been in that situation.
ALSO how do they not have any healers? they've not communicated at all to indrie that there are NO healers in Valen it's mentioned offhandedly at the start that they didn't come with any healers as they didn't have any to come. Surely a land of warriors would be able to take care of themselves??
It feels like really really poor communication from everyone because if I was Indrie I would likely feel the exact same about my circumstances surely they're teaching him their language but not trying to explain what the plan is? AND WHY DID ESKIL NOT BOTHER AT ALL TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE?! like it would've been so sweet if they at least tried beyond pointing at stars and naming them together. And indrie has memorised being called sweetheart in their language but doesn't think to ask anyone or him what it means? like we can get there if we know the cook has a partner we can get to the bottom of deciphering other parts of the language. How did Indrie teach someone to read too when they don't speak the same language? are we using the same alphabet ? and indrie couldn't rlly speak much at that point so like the process of knowing how to spell the words is so much to add to being able to speak it.
it doesn't feel like a completed story arc I'm not happy with the ending at all. it didn't feel fulfilling and I get that cliffhangers can add suspense but not for me.
why mention an aphrodisiac fruit in the blurb only not to include it until 80% through the book? Like what was the point in adding that especially when the whole time the main guy has been worrying about the power imbalance. It wasn't needed at all like I don't understand other than so the author could write a smut scene I guess.
firstly they've been obsessed with each other the whole time and that miscommunication beforehand felt so stupid like why can't they clear it up or at the very least it could've been written better idk what else to say about that. Like that rando crewmate refers to indrie as sir because he means a lot to Eskil AND RISKS HIS LIFE TO PULL HIM OUT OF THE SEA but Indrie doesn't think he matters to him at all? (the same random guy that got skurvy after 3 weeks on the trip down when it takes 1-3 months to get it in the way he had)
three weeks doesn't feel like enough time for anyone to get the grasp of the language however the best way to learn one is to immerse yourself so maybe that's different I don't know I've never been in that situation.
ALSO how do they not have any healers? they've not communicated at all to indrie that there are NO healers in Valen it's mentioned offhandedly at the start that they didn't come with any healers as they didn't have any to come. Surely a land of warriors would be able to take care of themselves??
It feels like really really poor communication from everyone because if I was Indrie I would likely feel the exact same about my circumstances surely they're teaching him their language but not trying to explain what the plan is? AND WHY DID ESKIL NOT BOTHER AT ALL TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE?! like it would've been so sweet if they at least tried beyond pointing at stars and naming them together. And indrie has memorised being called sweetheart in their language but doesn't think to ask anyone or him what it means? like we can get there if we know the cook has a partner we can get to the bottom of deciphering other parts of the language. How did Indrie teach someone to read too when they don't speak the same language? are we using the same alphabet ? and indrie couldn't rlly speak much at that point so like the process of knowing how to spell the words is so much to add to being able to speak it.
it doesn't feel like a completed story arc I'm not happy with the ending at all. it didn't feel fulfilling and I get that cliffhangers can add suspense but not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2026
🚨🚨 SPOILERS 🚨 🚨
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So freaking good. I loved this book from start to finish, could not put it down! The way this author describes Indrie and how he responds to what he knows as abuse....it's so REAL and RAW and I just felt like I was living it with him. The details in this story are incredible.
I usually hate a miscommunication trope but when there's a huge language barrier it makes total sense. I do wish Eskil would hurry up and find a way to convey to Indrie that HE WANTS HIM. It wasn't until about 75% into the book that I realized nothing was going to get resolved in this book and that there was in fact a book 2... But I'm ready for it, I NEED these men to get it together and get on the same page. Because one singular scene where they finally get physical after the slowest of slow burns was so damn good. I mean it was just so beautifully written, the way they were in sync with one another, the praise that was falling out of Eskil's mouth 🫠🔥...I just kept thinking the whole time that I wished they didn't have this misunderstanding between them. I was so sad and so happy at the same time.
However, one thing that really had me stressed the hell out was the fact that the cook gave Eskil this fruit and someone didn't IMMEDIATELY go tell him not to serve it to anyone else!! Like was there only one piece?? I feel like Bohdi should've ran to the kitchen and told him to get rid of all that fruit! But no one mentioned it! I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that other people could be eating it.
The intimate scenes were so dang sweet. Not spicy scenes, just the intimacy of them being in close proximity and reading each other's eyes and pointing at the stars with joined hands. So sweet, I love them so much. I am jumping into book two right now!
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So freaking good. I loved this book from start to finish, could not put it down! The way this author describes Indrie and how he responds to what he knows as abuse....it's so REAL and RAW and I just felt like I was living it with him. The details in this story are incredible.
I usually hate a miscommunication trope but when there's a huge language barrier it makes total sense. I do wish Eskil would hurry up and find a way to convey to Indrie that HE WANTS HIM. It wasn't until about 75% into the book that I realized nothing was going to get resolved in this book and that there was in fact a book 2... But I'm ready for it, I NEED these men to get it together and get on the same page. Because one singular scene where they finally get physical after the slowest of slow burns was so damn good. I mean it was just so beautifully written, the way they were in sync with one another, the praise that was falling out of Eskil's mouth 🫠🔥...I just kept thinking the whole time that I wished they didn't have this misunderstanding between them. I was so sad and so happy at the same time.
However, one thing that really had me stressed the hell out was the fact that the cook gave Eskil this fruit and someone didn't IMMEDIATELY go tell him not to serve it to anyone else!! Like was there only one piece?? I feel like Bohdi should've ran to the kitchen and told him to get rid of all that fruit! But no one mentioned it! I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that other people could be eating it.
The intimate scenes were so dang sweet. Not spicy scenes, just the intimacy of them being in close proximity and reading each other's eyes and pointing at the stars with joined hands. So sweet, I love them so much. I am jumping into book two right now!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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