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Ironbound Kisses
Don’t talk to him. For all intents and purposes, he doesn’t exist.
Thomas knows the rules when he takes a job with the circus, but he can’t stop thinking about the strange young man hidden away in the manager’s trailer. After a chance meeting with Isle, Thomas is even more intrigued, despite Isle’s warnings. As his obsession with Isle grows, Thomas vows to solve the mystery surrounding him and rescue him from his prison. But nothing is what it seems—especially not Isle—and Thomas is left unable to trust his own mind. Amidst the sparkles and illusions of the big top, Thomas can’t tell whether the spell he’s falling under is love… or something very different. He just knows he has to have Isle, and he’ll do things he never imagined himself capable of to get him.
Thomas knows the rules when he takes a job with the circus, but he can’t stop thinking about the strange young man hidden away in the manager’s trailer. After a chance meeting with Isle, Thomas is even more intrigued, despite Isle’s warnings. As his obsession with Isle grows, Thomas vows to solve the mystery surrounding him and rescue him from his prison. But nothing is what it seems—especially not Isle—and Thomas is left unable to trust his own mind. Amidst the sparkles and illusions of the big top, Thomas can’t tell whether the spell he’s falling under is love… or something very different. He just knows he has to have Isle, and he’ll do things he never imagined himself capable of to get him.
102 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2015
41 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Walsh
9 books24 followersMy life is a flurry of writing, art and creativity. You can usually find me reading a book, scribbling notes in a notebook for future creations, typing on a laptop with music blaring in my ears or buried in my basement watching documentaries and sitting behind a sewing machine.
I've been writing for as long as I can remember and have boxes of old notebooks in horrible handwriting to prove it. Only recently have I stumbled back into writing and finishing my ideas.
Seeking the Storyteller is the first novel I've published; with my partner in crime and life, Briana Lawrence. I also write horror, fantasy, supernatural and occasionally romance pieces which I am currently shopping around through contests and publishers.
(My opinions and views are my own - and may not necessarily represent companies or publishers I work for.)
I've been writing for as long as I can remember and have boxes of old notebooks in horrible handwriting to prove it. Only recently have I stumbled back into writing and finishing my ideas.
Seeking the Storyteller is the first novel I've published; with my partner in crime and life, Briana Lawrence. I also write horror, fantasy, supernatural and occasionally romance pieces which I am currently shopping around through contests and publishers.
(My opinions and views are my own - and may not necessarily represent companies or publishers I work for.)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 22, 2015
4.5 Stars
Wow, that was just . . . wow.
Such a unique tale that was a breath of fresh air. It was dark and mysterious but also hopeful and beautiful. I loved it.
I love, love, love fairy tales. Not the “pointless princess being rescued by pointless Prince Charming ending with a traditional pointless HEA” kind. No, I like the ones that are darker, deeper, where the lines between good and evil are blurred and the HEA is hard won and a little compromised. That’s how Ironbound Kisses read for me.
Ironbound Kisses is in a modern setting but the story’s feel could have easily been set in a fantasy world making it read timeless without ever being out of place. That could easily be attributed to the MC Thomas. I really don’t have the words to describe how much I liked and respected his character. He’s got a quiet and unassuming strength that was so natural for him the author didn’t ever have to tell me what he was like. I was shown his personality in his thoughts and action, it was very well done.
Thomas is a bit of a gypsy completely by choice. He’s got a decent relationship with his family, can go home anytime, but has no interest in a 9-5 life. He’s good with living like a nomad and it fit his personality well. I liked that he didn’t have a ridiculous amount of trauma and angst in his past that forced him to live how he did, he just plain liked it. He makes his way to a traveling circus and gets hired on as part of the ring crew. The Manager (he’s only referred to in this way through most of the book, names play a HUGE part in the power plays throughout) sees something unique in Thomas but it’s not something defined as of yet, but Thomas does have a way with the animals in the show that piques the manager’s interest but is completely natural with Thomas’s personality.
Life in the circus works for Thomas well. And, before I go on I have to say, I HATE circuses. I hate clowns, animals for entertainment, and clowns. Yes, I said clowns twice. So, in my head they always have a dark cloud of foreboding over them and I absolutely love them as a setting for anything scary. Think American Horror Story Freak Show. Love it. Now, this story is nothing like that, but it does have that sense of grittiness and mystery to it. Not everything is as it seems, but it’s a subtle feel that makes it all the better.
Anywho, there is a mysterious and beautiful young man that lives in the Manager’s trailer and Thomas is warned never to speak to him or of him. Anyone who has in the past has disappeared. No one knows what happened to them, some laugh it off, while others are dead serious. Well, you can’t tell a person as wise and altruistic as Thomas not to question why the young man is kept captive and not question the “why”. Thomas pushes his way in subtly and chance circumstances throw him together with the young man.
This is where things could turn hardcore spoiler-y and I don’t want to do that. You need to work your way through the story like I did. So, I’m going to try and describe how I felt reading the story while being vague on the specifics. Questions did get answered and Thomas’s curiosity was quelled, but the story was far from over and the overall sense of foreboding carried on beneath the surface of the temporary happy. And it wasn’t just the sense that someone or something was coming for Thomas and the young man, but that their relationship wasn’t quite right yet. As much as I wanted it to be, the supernatural element of things would have made an HEA at this point a bit of a lie. Was it true love the two men felt or were supernatural shenanigans at play? This is the point where “the shit went down” and I loved what the author did in Thomas’s head. This is where he went from being a good guy to a wise man. As said shit went down I really didn’t know where he was going to go with his actions. Was he going to give in to his heart or his head? Or was there going to be something else altogether?
Once you get to the “shit goes down” part of the book, don’t plan on putting it down. Up to that point the story was more quiet and full of subtle discovery. The steam level is relatively low but the steam that is there works perfectly for the characters and pace of the story. Anything more would have read false and detracted from the overall story. This is an instance where the subtle works and being shown instead of told worked out perfectly. Jessica Walsh writes my kind of paranormal and I look forward to reading more of her words.
a copy of this story was provided for an honest review
Wow, that was just . . . wow.
Such a unique tale that was a breath of fresh air. It was dark and mysterious but also hopeful and beautiful. I loved it.
I love, love, love fairy tales. Not the “pointless princess being rescued by pointless Prince Charming ending with a traditional pointless HEA” kind. No, I like the ones that are darker, deeper, where the lines between good and evil are blurred and the HEA is hard won and a little compromised. That’s how Ironbound Kisses read for me.
Ironbound Kisses is in a modern setting but the story’s feel could have easily been set in a fantasy world making it read timeless without ever being out of place. That could easily be attributed to the MC Thomas. I really don’t have the words to describe how much I liked and respected his character. He’s got a quiet and unassuming strength that was so natural for him the author didn’t ever have to tell me what he was like. I was shown his personality in his thoughts and action, it was very well done.
Thomas is a bit of a gypsy completely by choice. He’s got a decent relationship with his family, can go home anytime, but has no interest in a 9-5 life. He’s good with living like a nomad and it fit his personality well. I liked that he didn’t have a ridiculous amount of trauma and angst in his past that forced him to live how he did, he just plain liked it. He makes his way to a traveling circus and gets hired on as part of the ring crew. The Manager (he’s only referred to in this way through most of the book, names play a HUGE part in the power plays throughout) sees something unique in Thomas but it’s not something defined as of yet, but Thomas does have a way with the animals in the show that piques the manager’s interest but is completely natural with Thomas’s personality.
Life in the circus works for Thomas well. And, before I go on I have to say, I HATE circuses. I hate clowns, animals for entertainment, and clowns. Yes, I said clowns twice. So, in my head they always have a dark cloud of foreboding over them and I absolutely love them as a setting for anything scary. Think American Horror Story Freak Show. Love it. Now, this story is nothing like that, but it does have that sense of grittiness and mystery to it. Not everything is as it seems, but it’s a subtle feel that makes it all the better.
Anywho, there is a mysterious and beautiful young man that lives in the Manager’s trailer and Thomas is warned never to speak to him or of him. Anyone who has in the past has disappeared. No one knows what happened to them, some laugh it off, while others are dead serious. Well, you can’t tell a person as wise and altruistic as Thomas not to question why the young man is kept captive and not question the “why”. Thomas pushes his way in subtly and chance circumstances throw him together with the young man.
This is where things could turn hardcore spoiler-y and I don’t want to do that. You need to work your way through the story like I did. So, I’m going to try and describe how I felt reading the story while being vague on the specifics. Questions did get answered and Thomas’s curiosity was quelled, but the story was far from over and the overall sense of foreboding carried on beneath the surface of the temporary happy. And it wasn’t just the sense that someone or something was coming for Thomas and the young man, but that their relationship wasn’t quite right yet. As much as I wanted it to be, the supernatural element of things would have made an HEA at this point a bit of a lie. Was it true love the two men felt or were supernatural shenanigans at play? This is the point where “the shit went down” and I loved what the author did in Thomas’s head. This is where he went from being a good guy to a wise man. As said shit went down I really didn’t know where he was going to go with his actions. Was he going to give in to his heart or his head? Or was there going to be something else altogether?
Once you get to the “shit goes down” part of the book, don’t plan on putting it down. Up to that point the story was more quiet and full of subtle discovery. The steam level is relatively low but the steam that is there works perfectly for the characters and pace of the story. Anything more would have read false and detracted from the overall story. This is an instance where the subtle works and being shown instead of told worked out perfectly. Jessica Walsh writes my kind of paranormal and I look forward to reading more of her words.
a copy of this story was provided for an honest review
July 30, 2015
3.75 stars rounded up
I need to admit one thing – I am a book peeker. Yes, I am. I like to read the last few pages. I’m exactly like Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally in terms that I need to know how the story ends (what if I die before I finish a book and I don’t know how it ends?!? I will be haunting the world forever!!). But sometimes, when a story is really good, that it is able to build up the intrigue and mystery, I will be able to stop myself from checking for answers.
This is one of them.
There is always something magical and mysterious about the circus – one of the reasons why I requested for this book when I first read the blurb – and I thought Walsh did a really good job in luring me in as a reader. Written in third person solely from Thomas’ perspective, I was as curious as Thomas about the strange young man inside the manager’s trailer. I found myself guessing – was he the manager’s child, was he the manager’s lover, was he being abused inside that trailer, was it some sort of D/s situation – my mind went all over the place, for sure!
I don’t want to spoil the answer for everyone – although those who have read enough fantasy stories might draw their own conclusion from the title and the tags at the publisher’s website. I certainly did, and I thought it fit very well with the rather bewitching nature of the circus. Walsh has also written the circus acts very well, especially the knife-throwing act.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t 100% certain of the romance between Thomas and Isle. I guess it was the disadvantage of the story’s ‘magical’ territory. I would have loved to read more of the relationship building part when Thomas finally got his answers about Isle, and I didn’t feel like I got that.
However, my uncertainty about the romance aside, overall, I thought this had an alluring aspect to it. I have read this genre for years now, my read-number has gone past three thousand (in addition to slash fan-fiction), so in order for a story to be memorable, it has to have a stand-out element. This one definitely does. It had an enigma to solve with suspenseful and thrilling situations. I am sure in the future when someone asks me about it, I will still remember the circus and the twist of Isle’s identity.
This is my first experience with Jessica Walsh’s writing. I look forward to another story by her in the future.
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
I need to admit one thing – I am a book peeker. Yes, I am. I like to read the last few pages. I’m exactly like Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally in terms that I need to know how the story ends (what if I die before I finish a book and I don’t know how it ends?!? I will be haunting the world forever!!). But sometimes, when a story is really good, that it is able to build up the intrigue and mystery, I will be able to stop myself from checking for answers.
This is one of them.
There is always something magical and mysterious about the circus – one of the reasons why I requested for this book when I first read the blurb – and I thought Walsh did a really good job in luring me in as a reader. Written in third person solely from Thomas’ perspective, I was as curious as Thomas about the strange young man inside the manager’s trailer. I found myself guessing – was he the manager’s child, was he the manager’s lover, was he being abused inside that trailer, was it some sort of D/s situation – my mind went all over the place, for sure!
I don’t want to spoil the answer for everyone – although those who have read enough fantasy stories might draw their own conclusion from the title and the tags at the publisher’s website. I certainly did, and I thought it fit very well with the rather bewitching nature of the circus. Walsh has also written the circus acts very well, especially the knife-throwing act.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t 100% certain of the romance between Thomas and Isle. I guess it was the disadvantage of the story’s ‘magical’ territory. I would have loved to read more of the relationship building part when Thomas finally got his answers about Isle, and I didn’t feel like I got that.
However, my uncertainty about the romance aside, overall, I thought this had an alluring aspect to it. I have read this genre for years now, my read-number has gone past three thousand (in addition to slash fan-fiction), so in order for a story to be memorable, it has to have a stand-out element. This one definitely does. It had an enigma to solve with suspenseful and thrilling situations. I am sure in the future when someone asks me about it, I will still remember the circus and the twist of Isle’s identity.
This is my first experience with Jessica Walsh’s writing. I look forward to another story by her in the future.
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
October 10, 2015
3.5 stars!!
Huh, that twist was a little different from what I had anticipated.
Very erotic, suspenseful, and mysterious read.
Will add more to my review later.
Huh, that twist was a little different from what I had anticipated.
Very erotic, suspenseful, and mysterious read.
Will add more to my review later.
May 18, 2017
When Thomas joined the circus, the glimpses he caught of a young man who lived in the manager’s trailer intrigued him. He is further intrigued when he was told to seek no contact with him. Thomas curiosity is piqued after a chance encounter. Isle seems to be surrounded by secrets and Thomas wants to know them all. He plans to rescue Isle from his prison. But Isle is not all he seems and Thomas finds himself entranced. Is it love or something else?
Isle is a very interesting young man. He cannot help who he is. Nor does Thomas really want to change him. Escape seems impossible but Thomas is determined. This one has more than a few twists in it to keep us guessing and to keep us reading. This is my first book by Jessica Walsh but I would love to explore more of her stories based on this one. It has MM loving, some paranormal aspects, a rescue and, of course, a circus. A great combination!
Isle is a very interesting young man. He cannot help who he is. Nor does Thomas really want to change him. Escape seems impossible but Thomas is determined. This one has more than a few twists in it to keep us guessing and to keep us reading. This is my first book by Jessica Walsh but I would love to explore more of her stories based on this one. It has MM loving, some paranormal aspects, a rescue and, of course, a circus. A great combination!
dnf
October 15, 2022Kindle-Sort-ReRead
I don't know what it is but everytime I attempt this book I end up skimming through. Just never holds me to read through.
I don't know what it is but everytime I attempt this book I end up skimming through. Just never holds me to read through.
January 5, 2016
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Shortly after Thomas joins the circus, he discovers that the circus manager is keeping a mysterious young man secluded in his trailer. When Thomas inquires about the boy, all the other circus employees warn Thomas to never talk to the man and never ask questions about him. In fact, nobody even knows his name. Despite the warnings, Thomas is drawn to the mysterious boy and can’t help talking to him in secret. Thomas soon learns that Isle is his name, and when he suspects Isle is being abused, Thomas becomes obsessed with the idea of rescuing him. Thomas desires the young man, but when he learns Isle has magical powers that make people obsess over him, Thomas struggles to keep his desires in check. Their love appears promising, but there is danger lurking around the corner that threatens their happiness. Despite all that could possibly go wrong, the book has a happy and romantic ending.
This was definitely a fun fantasy. I enjoy books with magical forces especially when the magic appears in a believable world. I really loved Thomas and the conflicts he has to deal with. He wants to rescue Isle from an abuser, but at the same time he has to fight the pull of Isle’s magic that might push him to do the same. The magic made me think of things that can corrupt a person like power and wealth. I also loved how sweet Isle is and I thought the erotic scenes were pretty hot. I recommend Ironbound Kisses to anyone who loves magical beings, M/M romance, and M/M low fantasy.
Shortly after Thomas joins the circus, he discovers that the circus manager is keeping a mysterious young man secluded in his trailer. When Thomas inquires about the boy, all the other circus employees warn Thomas to never talk to the man and never ask questions about him. In fact, nobody even knows his name. Despite the warnings, Thomas is drawn to the mysterious boy and can’t help talking to him in secret. Thomas soon learns that Isle is his name, and when he suspects Isle is being abused, Thomas becomes obsessed with the idea of rescuing him. Thomas desires the young man, but when he learns Isle has magical powers that make people obsess over him, Thomas struggles to keep his desires in check. Their love appears promising, but there is danger lurking around the corner that threatens their happiness. Despite all that could possibly go wrong, the book has a happy and romantic ending.
This was definitely a fun fantasy. I enjoy books with magical forces especially when the magic appears in a believable world. I really loved Thomas and the conflicts he has to deal with. He wants to rescue Isle from an abuser, but at the same time he has to fight the pull of Isle’s magic that might push him to do the same. The magic made me think of things that can corrupt a person like power and wealth. I also loved how sweet Isle is and I thought the erotic scenes were pretty hot. I recommend Ironbound Kisses to anyone who loves magical beings, M/M romance, and M/M low fantasy.
August 22, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
This was my first book by this author and it didn’t disappoint. I was drawn into the story within the first few pages. There’s something very intriguing about the circus. It’s supposed to be this magical place but I can’t help but look towards the darker more sinister possibilities. This book has a little of both mixed with some paranormal. I was pretty impressed with how unique and well written this book was.
This novella is told from the POV of Thomas. A drifter who picks up odd jobs where ever he can. The type of work suits Thomas and it’s 3 meals a day. If only he could ignore the beautiful young man he catches glimpses of around camp. He’s warned off speaking to them guy but there’s something sad about him that calls to Thomas. Bringing him into trouble he did not need but Thomas can’t resist the need to do what’s right.
The romance here was pretty quick and literally magical. There was kind of an ominous tone to the couple’s future but Thomas’ determination kept me hoping for the best until the end. I really liked Thomas. He was a simple man. Not a lot of back story or character building. He was presented as a hard working good guy who just wasn’t meant for a “normal” job or life. There weren’t a lot of words needed for me to get him which was great. I was engaged without being bogged down in details. This helped move the story along to the angelic like guy and his secrets. How meeting him changed Thomas’ life forever.
I’ve tried really hard not to spoil even though I think it’s all pretty obvious given the title of the book and the secret. If you like romantic fantasy you’ll enjoy this quick read. The writing is lovely. The storytelling feels effortless. I was drawn into the world and my feelings about the boy fell right in with Thomas’. This story was totally worth taking the time to read. Fantasy novellas don’t always feel complete but this story did. I liked it!
This was my first book by this author and it didn’t disappoint. I was drawn into the story within the first few pages. There’s something very intriguing about the circus. It’s supposed to be this magical place but I can’t help but look towards the darker more sinister possibilities. This book has a little of both mixed with some paranormal. I was pretty impressed with how unique and well written this book was.
This novella is told from the POV of Thomas. A drifter who picks up odd jobs where ever he can. The type of work suits Thomas and it’s 3 meals a day. If only he could ignore the beautiful young man he catches glimpses of around camp. He’s warned off speaking to them guy but there’s something sad about him that calls to Thomas. Bringing him into trouble he did not need but Thomas can’t resist the need to do what’s right.
The romance here was pretty quick and literally magical. There was kind of an ominous tone to the couple’s future but Thomas’ determination kept me hoping for the best until the end. I really liked Thomas. He was a simple man. Not a lot of back story or character building. He was presented as a hard working good guy who just wasn’t meant for a “normal” job or life. There weren’t a lot of words needed for me to get him which was great. I was engaged without being bogged down in details. This helped move the story along to the angelic like guy and his secrets. How meeting him changed Thomas’ life forever.
I’ve tried really hard not to spoil even though I think it’s all pretty obvious given the title of the book and the secret. If you like romantic fantasy you’ll enjoy this quick read. The writing is lovely. The storytelling feels effortless. I was drawn into the world and my feelings about the boy fell right in with Thomas’. This story was totally worth taking the time to read. Fantasy novellas don’t always feel complete but this story did. I liked it!
December 16, 2015
I received this free book in exchange for an honest review
you can find this review and others at http://highway-ya.blogspot.com
Reading this story did not disappoint at all. I really enjoyed reading this book and it is the first book that I have read by this author. The first line in the synopsis itself had me wanting to read this and I knew that it was going to be good.
We have Thomas who is a hard worker and has divulged himself in all different types of odd jobs. He comes employed at a Circus and while working there he sees this man that he sees around the circus camp. Once he sees him its like something draws him to the mystery man.
The romance was quick but to me it wasn't the insta hype. In one word it was determination. It had fantasy and paranormal mixed into and it flowed really nice. It was fun and it had magic. I look forward to reading more from this author.
This story got right to the point without jumping right into your face. I love the pace that the author took while writing. The writing style was good and I was really impressed with the story line. I felt for the characters and the way the characters were writing it seemed so real. Good job. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Rating 4stars
Recommend? Yes
you can find this review and others at http://highway-ya.blogspot.com
Reading this story did not disappoint at all. I really enjoyed reading this book and it is the first book that I have read by this author. The first line in the synopsis itself had me wanting to read this and I knew that it was going to be good.
We have Thomas who is a hard worker and has divulged himself in all different types of odd jobs. He comes employed at a Circus and while working there he sees this man that he sees around the circus camp. Once he sees him its like something draws him to the mystery man.
The romance was quick but to me it wasn't the insta hype. In one word it was determination. It had fantasy and paranormal mixed into and it flowed really nice. It was fun and it had magic. I look forward to reading more from this author.
This story got right to the point without jumping right into your face. I love the pace that the author took while writing. The writing style was good and I was really impressed with the story line. I felt for the characters and the way the characters were writing it seemed so real. Good job. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Rating 4stars
Recommend? Yes
August 2, 2015
Such a different and intriguing story. a great read.
July 31, 2015
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews