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The Eburosi Chronicles #1
The Horse Mistress: Book 1
**Book One of the 2016 Rainbow Award winning poly romance series**
Carivel has a secret. It could save her village, but it will also destroy her life.
She was born female, but she has been secretly living as a boy for years in her adoptive village of Draebard, doing a job the elders insist can only be done by a male. The last thing she needs is to fall for not one, but two unattainable men—a fierce warrior and a reluctant wolf-shifter with a horrific past. Now, the Alyrion Empire is poised to invade, and Carivel must choose whether to keep her secret or reveal it—not only to the men she loves, but also to the powerful female ruler whose army could help protect Draebard during the coming war.
Perfect for open-minded fans of ménage and reverse harem romance, The Horse Mistress: Book 1 by USA Today bestselling author R. A. Steffan combines detailed world-building, and a heartfelt romance between three noble, damaged people who have no one to turn to but each other.
Author's note: This book contains sex. The sex is not vanilla. Some of it is between two men who love each other. If any of those three facts made you go "Eww," please do the author a solid and don't download this book.
Carivel has a secret. It could save her village, but it will also destroy her life.
She was born female, but she has been secretly living as a boy for years in her adoptive village of Draebard, doing a job the elders insist can only be done by a male. The last thing she needs is to fall for not one, but two unattainable men—a fierce warrior and a reluctant wolf-shifter with a horrific past. Now, the Alyrion Empire is poised to invade, and Carivel must choose whether to keep her secret or reveal it—not only to the men she loves, but also to the powerful female ruler whose army could help protect Draebard during the coming war.
Perfect for open-minded fans of ménage and reverse harem romance, The Horse Mistress: Book 1 by USA Today bestselling author R. A. Steffan combines detailed world-building, and a heartfelt romance between three noble, damaged people who have no one to turn to but each other.
Author's note: This book contains sex. The sex is not vanilla. Some of it is between two men who love each other. If any of those three facts made you go "Eww," please do the author a solid and don't download this book.
219 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2015
476 people are currently reading
1362 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Steffan
85 books501 followersUSA Today bestselling author R. A. Steffan lives in New Mexico, where the sunsets paint the mountains purple, and roadrunners roam the desert endlessly in search of their coyote victims. When she’s not busy writing stories about people loving each other in all sorts of different and interesting ways, she can be found taking care of her small menagerie of critters.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
April 19, 2016
★★★★☆ ~ 4 Stars
This is one of those freebies that surprise you by being pretty darn good. Author has written a sensitive menage story about three different people who you wouldn't think would work, but they're well on their way by the end of this first story in a trilogy.
Carivel (Cara) escaped her village because women weren't allowed to work with horses, something she's very skilled at. So she's been hiding that she's actually a woman. But that's not all her secrets, she identifies as a male and is attracted to men.
Senovo is a eunuch who was made so against his consent. And he has his own secret, he's a wolf shifter who hasn't made peace with his wolf.
Military man, Andoc has cared for Senovo nightly and after their village is attacked, begins caring for Cara.
Sensitive sex scenes with all three recognizing that Senovo has been castrated and Cara is a man in her mind. Extremely sensual.
Author really seems to know her horse stuff. Enjoyable read and I'll look into the rest of the series.
This is one of those freebies that surprise you by being pretty darn good. Author has written a sensitive menage story about three different people who you wouldn't think would work, but they're well on their way by the end of this first story in a trilogy.
Carivel (Cara) escaped her village because women weren't allowed to work with horses, something she's very skilled at. So she's been hiding that she's actually a woman. But that's not all her secrets, she identifies as a male and is attracted to men.
Senovo is a eunuch who was made so against his consent. And he has his own secret, he's a wolf shifter who hasn't made peace with his wolf.
Military man, Andoc has cared for Senovo nightly and after their village is attacked, begins caring for Cara.
Sensitive sex scenes with all three recognizing that Senovo has been castrated and Cara is a man in her mind. Extremely sensual.
Author really seems to know her horse stuff. Enjoyable read and I'll look into the rest of the series.
June 14, 2017
Very enjoyable book! It's a romantic and believable three-person love story with a solid fantasy-quest type of plot. It is definitely not a YA novel, but it's fun in the way that YA can be; the main characters don't fit into their world, and it seems likely that they will change their society over the course of the series.
The point-of-view character, Carivel, is nonbinary in my (cis) opinion, and uses female pronouns. To me the character is written with sensitivity, and her gender is only one part of the story. I would say this is a book about being trans (in a historical fantasy setting), but it's also about Carivel carving out her place in the world. There's also a good amount of focus on Senovo, his (very sad) past, and his feelings about being a shapeshifter.
I was completely enthralled, with the plot and with the erotic content. The author does an excellent job of showing all of the ways in which these characters connect to the world and each other. Senovo is my favorite of the trio, and I really like the way that the romance develops between him and Carivel. I look forward to continuing the series.
The point-of-view character, Carivel, is nonbinary in my (cis) opinion, and uses female pronouns. To me the character is written with sensitivity, and her gender is only one part of the story. I would say this is a book about being trans (in a historical fantasy setting), but it's also about Carivel carving out her place in the world. There's also a good amount of focus on Senovo, his (very sad) past, and his feelings about being a shapeshifter.
I was completely enthralled, with the plot and with the erotic content. The author does an excellent job of showing all of the ways in which these characters connect to the world and each other. Senovo is my favorite of the trio, and I really like the way that the romance develops between him and Carivel. I look forward to continuing the series.
September 27, 2015
I am going to use gender-neutral pronouns for one of the characters, though they're not used in the book.
In Carivel's tribe, women aren't allowed to work with horses. Carivel doesn't usually think of zirself as a woman, and dresses as a boy to be assistant to the Horse Master. Zie has what she thinks are hopeless crushes on the eunuch priest Senovo and the warrior Andoc. Tragic circumstances bring them to try to seek an alliance with another tribe.
I liked that there was some focus on the characters' jobs, and how they did their jobs. Sometimes romances ignore that. Also the characters talked things out, Carivel learning about the relationship between Senovo and Andoc. The three protagonists made a good team.
I liked the world-building, too. There are interesting details in the historical part of the historical fantasy that help ground it and make the suspension of disbelief for the supernatural parts easier. The dynamic of the power exchanges between the protagonists was interesting for me, too.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy menages and power exchanges in a relationship. There was a lot more to the story than the physical relationship, though.
Edited to add: I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(This review was originally on Amazon.)
In Carivel's tribe, women aren't allowed to work with horses. Carivel doesn't usually think of zirself as a woman, and dresses as a boy to be assistant to the Horse Master. Zie has what she thinks are hopeless crushes on the eunuch priest Senovo and the warrior Andoc. Tragic circumstances bring them to try to seek an alliance with another tribe.
I liked that there was some focus on the characters' jobs, and how they did their jobs. Sometimes romances ignore that. Also the characters talked things out, Carivel learning about the relationship between Senovo and Andoc. The three protagonists made a good team.
I liked the world-building, too. There are interesting details in the historical part of the historical fantasy that help ground it and make the suspension of disbelief for the supernatural parts easier. The dynamic of the power exchanges between the protagonists was interesting for me, too.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy menages and power exchanges in a relationship. There was a lot more to the story than the physical relationship, though.
Edited to add: I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(This review was originally on Amazon.)
October 12, 2019
3,5 ⭐️ A very pleasant read with several of themes I enjoy: fantasy, bdsm, ménage (mmf) and shape shifting. Get some horses, gender fluidity and action & diplomacy in the mix and you’ve found yourself a good read.
February 1, 2018
Carivel is a young woman who is forced to pretend she is a man by the Bronze Age style culture which forbids women from handling horses. Since she arrived at this village and apprenticed to the Horse Master, though, the horses have thrived. Then an attack by night kills some of the villagers including the Horse Master. Can Carivel keep her secret and live up to her training? I enjoyed particularly a scene where Carivel works the Monty Roberts magic on a fierce stallion. (If you don't know about this horse trainer, look up his books.)
Be prepared for a multifaceted fantasy romance for adults, between the werewolf, the bondage, the trio and the eunuch. Mature scenes and strong language are presented in context. This is a book which firmly separates sex from violence and shows that gender roles can be altered.
As raiding parties and seeking allies are a major part of the tale, I take it the series will continue with more battles. I would keep reading for the horses.
I availed of a free download day. This is an unbiased review.
Be prepared for a multifaceted fantasy romance for adults, between the werewolf, the bondage, the trio and the eunuch. Mature scenes and strong language are presented in context. This is a book which firmly separates sex from violence and shows that gender roles can be altered.
As raiding parties and seeking allies are a major part of the tale, I take it the series will continue with more battles. I would keep reading for the horses.
I availed of a free download day. This is an unbiased review.
October 19, 2016
The following review was originally posted on my book blog The Book Challengers.
I actually started reading this book as it happens to be one of those freebies that has been sitting on my Kindle for an eternity and for a moment it seemed like something that I might enjoy at that particular moment. I quite enjoyed the fantasy-like background and the fact that our hero was born female but was trying their best to do what they loved despite the itsibitsy problem of having a female body but a male mind (I think it's the best description I can use).
I think it was my first menage story with three people in a relationship. I'm not into BDSM in so-called normal relationships either, but I did appreciate the fact that the menage part was actually quite light. If it hadn't been, I don't think I would've read till the end. Also, three people in a sexual relationship really isn't my cup of tea. Each to their own, it simply isn't something for me.
As the sexual part of the story started somewhere around 60% (I think, am not quite certain now), I got to enjoy the fantasy part of the story and really, Steffan managed that rather beautifully. The story would have been better (for me) if there was less of the menage part and more of Carivel working with horses.
Will not continue with the series.
I actually started reading this book as it happens to be one of those freebies that has been sitting on my Kindle for an eternity and for a moment it seemed like something that I might enjoy at that particular moment. I quite enjoyed the fantasy-like background and the fact that our hero was born female but was trying their best to do what they loved despite the itsibitsy problem of having a female body but a male mind (I think it's the best description I can use).
I think it was my first menage story with three people in a relationship. I'm not into BDSM in so-called normal relationships either, but I did appreciate the fact that the menage part was actually quite light. If it hadn't been, I don't think I would've read till the end. Also, three people in a sexual relationship really isn't my cup of tea. Each to their own, it simply isn't something for me.
As the sexual part of the story started somewhere around 60% (I think, am not quite certain now), I got to enjoy the fantasy part of the story and really, Steffan managed that rather beautifully. The story would have been better (for me) if there was less of the menage part and more of Carivel working with horses.
Will not continue with the series.
May 4, 2018
I got this as the complete series in audible format. While it generally was an interesting storyline and it had a bit of western and paranormal aspects in it, what I really was looking for was something a bit more... I don't know... something with a little more umph to it. I was first attracted to this book because of the ménage aspect and I also seem to side on the one female and two guys angle, it just didn't live up to what I was hoping for. I'll keep this one on the back burner and update it if I get bored enough to take another shot at it.
August 14, 2018
Mini-Review:
I am pleasantly surprised by the fact that there's an actual story before all the sex. =D The core idea is cool but the actual process is a bit rough. Narrator does a nice job of making the overall story more cohesive. I like the relationship developing between the three main characters, but find it hard to swallow some of the details about the setting and characters.
This series is part of the Romance package on Audible. I'm going to gobble up as many books as possible and try stuff out while I have my trial month.
I am pleasantly surprised by the fact that there's an actual story before all the sex. =D The core idea is cool but the actual process is a bit rough. Narrator does a nice job of making the overall story more cohesive. I like the relationship developing between the three main characters, but find it hard to swallow some of the details about the setting and characters.
This series is part of the Romance package on Audible. I'm going to gobble up as many books as possible and try stuff out while I have my trial month.
March 15, 2020
In Carivel's tribe, women aren't allowed to work with horses. Carivel doesn't usually think of zirself as a woman, and dresses as a boy to be assistant to the Horse Master. Zie has what she thinks are hopeless crushes on the eunuch priest Senovo and the warrior Andoc. Tragic circumstances bring them to try to seek an alliance with another tribe. Carivel is a young woman who is forced to pretend she is a man by the Bronze Age style culture which forbids women from handling horses. Since she arrived at this village and apprenticed to the Horse Master. The horses thrived. Then an attack by night kills some of the villagers including the Horse Master. Can Carivel keep her secret and live up to her training?
I like the character of Carivel she was strong and determined. You cheer for Carivel because she has to pretend to be a guy to do her job. It was an enjoyable read.
I like the character of Carivel she was strong and determined. You cheer for Carivel because she has to pretend to be a guy to do her job. It was an enjoyable read.
November 9, 2022
I liked it. I happen to read a lot of amateur/new/self-published writers as well as I get free books at Kindle store and I must say that half of the time I am disappointed by the quality of books. It is hard to stumble upon something which is not too cliched, full of tropes or basically a retelling of another book.
Even though this book was not mind blowing or exciting in terms of the plot, the characters were pleasant and likeable, and I think this book deserves some love for executing a believable ménage a trois that includes an intersex character. It definitely picked my interest so I'm going to check out other books by this author.
EDIT: overall rating 3.75 stars
Even though this book was not mind blowing or exciting in terms of the plot, the characters were pleasant and likeable, and I think this book deserves some love for executing a believable ménage a trois that includes an intersex character. It definitely picked my interest so I'm going to check out other books by this author.
EDIT: overall rating 3.75 stars
March 22, 2016
This story hit several of my favorite themes: role-bending, fantasy, horses, social role negotiation, power exchange, and the characters filling in the empty spaces in each other. The protagonist doesn't necessarily identify as male or female, although they live as a male for their role in society and were born female. I appreciated that the situation was handled with such matter-a-factness by the two secondary leads and love interests. Beautiful horses and shape-shifting wolves did not hurt either! A well written first person narrative.
Want to read
September 20, 2016First one's free! I got the drm-free epub at Kobo. It's also at Amazon. September 20, 2016.
May 13, 2020
So it wasn’t perfect and there were a couple of things that I would have liked better if they were done differently (Senovo could have been asexual instead of a eunuch, but then I guess the trauma in his backstory would have had to be a worse kind. Idk) but ultimately I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was everything I needed and wanted.
April 24, 2021
Rollicking, fun, trashy, and as easy to gobble up as popcorn. I was initially really annoyed when one of the characters turned into a wolf, but that aspect was mercifully low-key. I am going on to the next!
July 25, 2017
Wow! I was not expecting the steamy scenes. A bit crazy and VERY adult.
July 29, 2021
I really like this author. The characters are always interesting and different from the average. Carivel is an interesting character and his/her two friends are a bit mysterious. I loved their background stories despite their stories being pretty sad.
November 14, 2021
Out of my usual orbit. What turns these people on is not what turns me on. But I saw the author's upcoming cover revision in a Facebook group, and I was intrigued. Her profile pic proves Steffan is a horsewoman herself. I can't resist fictional horses--or a sexy priest. This is very well-written. I was really rooting for Carivel. Steffan's love for and knowledge of horses come through clearly. An enjoyable departure.
June 26, 2016
I finished listening to this story a few days ago, and I had to give myself time to consider my best response. The short answer is that I *really* liked this story. It has a lot of elements that shouldn’t work, and yet it does quite well.
The plot of the story is that our 3 lead characters are all important people in their village. When the village gets attacked, they got to a neighbor to recruit help for the war that is sure to come. Each of them shows strength and weaknesses with each other and with the new political allies. By being their best and truest selves, they secure the aid they need.
The trio of characters are what is interesting here, and the author handles them all sensitively.
*Carivel is the titular Horse Mistress, someone who has been living as a male to be able to do the job she loves, one that would be forbidden to her as a woman. This isn’t merely a matter of historical cross-dressing. Carivel uses female pronouns in the privacy of her relationship with Andoc and Senovo, but in her own mind she feels mostly male.
*Andoc is the warrior who is very skilled, yet he is also one of the most caring characters. He makes sure Carivel and Senovo eat, and he is tender and sympathetic beyond his outer braggart persona.
*Senovo is the eunuch priest who turns into a wolf. Only Andoc’s care can give him the relief he craves. In this installment, he saves Carivel, and I predict that in later sequels, he may learn to live comfortably (or at less odds) with his inner wolf.
Steffan shows a relationship here about people who shouldn’t have found each other or care about each other. Carivel can’t believe it because it seems like such and impossibility. The thing is that it works very well. The relationship, while new to all of them, feels believable. It’s in what they say and do, and it seems very plausible that they could form a healthy trio.
I have to say here that I have not read many ménage or polyamory stories. I posit that they must be different since the few ménage stories I’ve read seem more focused on the sex and how hot it all is. It comes across to me as very shallow and just an excuse to see how many interesting ways we can connect tabs and slots A, B, C, etc.
That’s not what happens here. There is a very graphic (and quite instructional) sex scene, yes, but the story still feels like it’s more about the love relationship with the characters. They will stand by and support each other whether or not a physical act is involved.
As for the elements here that shouldn’t work but do… We have consensual BDSM, that makes sense with the characters. Senovo chooses to be restrained to control his wolf. We have realistic and honest talks about gender identity. They aren’t long or with hard to understand language. They just admit to a person who is trying to figure it out. The warrior, who would normally be a toxic masculine stereotype, is sympathetic to that and doesn’t care about body parts because he likes the person Carivel is. All of this is wrapped up in a fantasy setting. I never thought I’d see these elements together working so well. It’s a little like the Hamilton musical—objectively crazy in premise but an absolute success in execution.
I would also like to interject here that Steffan herself is a horse expert. She explains things in easily understandable ways, and for my own development as a writer, I feel the need to take notes! (I have my own trio story in the works involving a female horse expert and a male wolf shifter.)
As to the narration since I had this as an audiobook, the narrator was excellent. The story is told from Carivel’s first person point of view, but there are a few times when Andoc is talking with his mouth full. Those passages of dialogue actually sound like he’s talking with his mouth full. She uses other acting tricks so that it’s more than just a story read out loud, but it’s as exciting as a radio play.
I don’t always become a writer or narrator’s fan after a free (e/audio)book, but in this case that I am. Upon finishing this book, I immediately wanted to listen to the rest of the series on audiobook. As I write this review, they aren’t available yet, but please make haste in getting them ready. I definitely want to scoop them up, and I’m better with audio than I am with ebooks.
Disclaimer: This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.
The plot of the story is that our 3 lead characters are all important people in their village. When the village gets attacked, they got to a neighbor to recruit help for the war that is sure to come. Each of them shows strength and weaknesses with each other and with the new political allies. By being their best and truest selves, they secure the aid they need.
The trio of characters are what is interesting here, and the author handles them all sensitively.
*Carivel is the titular Horse Mistress, someone who has been living as a male to be able to do the job she loves, one that would be forbidden to her as a woman. This isn’t merely a matter of historical cross-dressing. Carivel uses female pronouns in the privacy of her relationship with Andoc and Senovo, but in her own mind she feels mostly male.
*Andoc is the warrior who is very skilled, yet he is also one of the most caring characters. He makes sure Carivel and Senovo eat, and he is tender and sympathetic beyond his outer braggart persona.
*Senovo is the eunuch priest who turns into a wolf. Only Andoc’s care can give him the relief he craves. In this installment, he saves Carivel, and I predict that in later sequels, he may learn to live comfortably (or at less odds) with his inner wolf.
Steffan shows a relationship here about people who shouldn’t have found each other or care about each other. Carivel can’t believe it because it seems like such and impossibility. The thing is that it works very well. The relationship, while new to all of them, feels believable. It’s in what they say and do, and it seems very plausible that they could form a healthy trio.
I have to say here that I have not read many ménage or polyamory stories. I posit that they must be different since the few ménage stories I’ve read seem more focused on the sex and how hot it all is. It comes across to me as very shallow and just an excuse to see how many interesting ways we can connect tabs and slots A, B, C, etc.
That’s not what happens here. There is a very graphic (and quite instructional) sex scene, yes, but the story still feels like it’s more about the love relationship with the characters. They will stand by and support each other whether or not a physical act is involved.
As for the elements here that shouldn’t work but do… We have consensual BDSM, that makes sense with the characters. Senovo chooses to be restrained to control his wolf. We have realistic and honest talks about gender identity. They aren’t long or with hard to understand language. They just admit to a person who is trying to figure it out. The warrior, who would normally be a toxic masculine stereotype, is sympathetic to that and doesn’t care about body parts because he likes the person Carivel is. All of this is wrapped up in a fantasy setting. I never thought I’d see these elements together working so well. It’s a little like the Hamilton musical—objectively crazy in premise but an absolute success in execution.
I would also like to interject here that Steffan herself is a horse expert. She explains things in easily understandable ways, and for my own development as a writer, I feel the need to take notes! (I have my own trio story in the works involving a female horse expert and a male wolf shifter.)
As to the narration since I had this as an audiobook, the narrator was excellent. The story is told from Carivel’s first person point of view, but there are a few times when Andoc is talking with his mouth full. Those passages of dialogue actually sound like he’s talking with his mouth full. She uses other acting tricks so that it’s more than just a story read out loud, but it’s as exciting as a radio play.
I don’t always become a writer or narrator’s fan after a free (e/audio)book, but in this case that I am. Upon finishing this book, I immediately wanted to listen to the rest of the series on audiobook. As I write this review, they aren’t available yet, but please make haste in getting them ready. I definitely want to scoop them up, and I’m better with audio than I am with ebooks.
Disclaimer: This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.
June 4, 2018
3.5 to 4 stars
This was an interesting read. The series kind of breaks the mold. It is a medieval/Bronze Age style fantasy series that uses that medium to explore some pretty unique topics for a romance.
Carivel (Cara) is the MC - a woman who ran from her village because she desperately wanted to work with the horses and women were not allowed to do that. She identifies herself as a man (I guess the medieval equivalent of someone that would today become transgendered). She is disguised in her new village as a boy and is the assistant to the Horse Master, hiding that she is a woman, and trying not to show her attraction to two men in the village.
Senovo is one of the two love interests. He is a eunuch priest who was made so without his consent. He also happens to be a wolf shifter, though he keeps that a closely guarded secret and is desperately ashamed of being one. He does his best to keep his wolf locked away.
Andoc is the second love interest. He is the second-in-command to the village chief. He is also in love with Senovo and they have a rather clandestine relationship (well, the village sort of knows about it, but no one talks about it).
When their village is attacked, Cara is injured, but Senovo saves her life in his wolf form. It is the first she learns of their relationship and Senovo's wolf form; and the first they learn of her being female. These secrets bring the three of them together.
The Horse Master Cara has been apprenticing under is killed in the same attack, and Cara is appointed as his replacement (Horse Master - no one knows she is female still).
The story proceeds from there and explores not only issues of gender identity and dysphoria, but also same sex and bisexual relationships. It also explores the impact of the loss of one's sexual organs. The fantasy/paranormal story itself is very well done. The characters are well-drawn and easy to emotionally engage with (even for someone like me that does not personally identify with the more unusual themes explored). The plot is well-paced and quite engaging. I couldn't put it down. (In fact, I intend next to read The Lion Mistress, a spin off series by the same author that sounds like a slightly more traditional paranormal RH/menage.)
I will say that all of these issues are handled extremely well, with sensitive, sensual and emotional sex scenes amongst all three parties (all three together, or in varying combinations). And Andoc is a sensitively drawn Alpha male. So there is a little bit of everything here (except for vaginal penetration, there is none of that in this series at all).
The only thing I was missing was a true female character (since that is what I am looking for and identify with the most). I personally found myself wishing she would allow more traditional intercourse. But that was just a personal issue, not an issue with the series and how it was written.
If none of these thematic issues bother you, this would be a very interesting and different read. I recommend it.
Note: This is not your typical paranormal romance, but I did not have a category that fit exactly, and I didn't want to make a new one just for this series. I would call this fantasy/paranormal menage (with only two love interests, it is not RH, and it is only barely paranormal, really more fantasy oriented, though there are werewolves).
Warnings: There is graphic sex here of multiple varieties (MM as well as MF and MMF and MFM, and anal sex). It is sensitively done, but if that is not your thing, steer clear.
This was an interesting read. The series kind of breaks the mold. It is a medieval/Bronze Age style fantasy series that uses that medium to explore some pretty unique topics for a romance.
Carivel (Cara) is the MC - a woman who ran from her village because she desperately wanted to work with the horses and women were not allowed to do that. She identifies herself as a man (I guess the medieval equivalent of someone that would today become transgendered). She is disguised in her new village as a boy and is the assistant to the Horse Master, hiding that she is a woman, and trying not to show her attraction to two men in the village.
Senovo is one of the two love interests. He is a eunuch priest who was made so without his consent. He also happens to be a wolf shifter, though he keeps that a closely guarded secret and is desperately ashamed of being one. He does his best to keep his wolf locked away.
Andoc is the second love interest. He is the second-in-command to the village chief. He is also in love with Senovo and they have a rather clandestine relationship (well, the village sort of knows about it, but no one talks about it).
When their village is attacked, Cara is injured, but Senovo saves her life in his wolf form. It is the first she learns of their relationship and Senovo's wolf form; and the first they learn of her being female. These secrets bring the three of them together.
The Horse Master Cara has been apprenticing under is killed in the same attack, and Cara is appointed as his replacement (Horse Master - no one knows she is female still).
The story proceeds from there and explores not only issues of gender identity and dysphoria, but also same sex and bisexual relationships. It also explores the impact of the loss of one's sexual organs. The fantasy/paranormal story itself is very well done. The characters are well-drawn and easy to emotionally engage with (even for someone like me that does not personally identify with the more unusual themes explored). The plot is well-paced and quite engaging. I couldn't put it down. (In fact, I intend next to read The Lion Mistress, a spin off series by the same author that sounds like a slightly more traditional paranormal RH/menage.)
I will say that all of these issues are handled extremely well, with sensitive, sensual and emotional sex scenes amongst all three parties (all three together, or in varying combinations). And Andoc is a sensitively drawn Alpha male. So there is a little bit of everything here (except for vaginal penetration, there is none of that in this series at all).
The only thing I was missing was a true female character (since that is what I am looking for and identify with the most). I personally found myself wishing she would allow more traditional intercourse. But that was just a personal issue, not an issue with the series and how it was written.
If none of these thematic issues bother you, this would be a very interesting and different read. I recommend it.
Note: This is not your typical paranormal romance, but I did not have a category that fit exactly, and I didn't want to make a new one just for this series. I would call this fantasy/paranormal menage (with only two love interests, it is not RH, and it is only barely paranormal, really more fantasy oriented, though there are werewolves).
Warnings: There is graphic sex here of multiple varieties (MM as well as MF and MMF and MFM, and anal sex). It is sensitively done, but if that is not your thing, steer clear.
September 28, 2023
What I liked: the horse stuff, stable boy power struggles and the bits of politicking that we got to see (whatever that wasn't contrived Tests TM). The writing was ultimately better than I would have expected if someone had shown me the list of things I don't like before reading.
The rest: characters are horny cardboard cutouts that lust after each other before they get to have any personality. I think I need to just drop romances because I just can't buy into this. What's the point if I don't get a chance to crush on the characters cause they're too busy being bland, flat and just mysteriously horny for each other, despite having nothing much else to them but quippy flirting. Blah.
I thought that the way Carivel's gender situation was handled was a bit strange. Didn't feel genderqueer so much as Very Tomboy who wants to work with horses.
Lack of buildup, lack of real stakes and danger.
The characters spend a lot of time talking about and explaining to each other what's happening between them romantically/sexually - I don't want to read a 101 on power exchange after the scene, it's... Boring. I'm not here for an instruction manual.
Ending the novel without any real conclusion to the politics is just not permissible imo when the book is 200 pages... Just make it longer.
The mix of misogynistic rules about who can take care of horses and the very.. modern real world approach to pronouns, names and all the three main characters automatically being immune to misogyny felt really jarring. That's not organic world building, that's mashing things together as is convenient.
The rest: characters are horny cardboard cutouts that lust after each other before they get to have any personality. I think I need to just drop romances because I just can't buy into this. What's the point if I don't get a chance to crush on the characters cause they're too busy being bland, flat and just mysteriously horny for each other, despite having nothing much else to them but quippy flirting. Blah.
I thought that the way Carivel's gender situation was handled was a bit strange. Didn't feel genderqueer so much as Very Tomboy who wants to work with horses.
Lack of buildup, lack of real stakes and danger.
The characters spend a lot of time talking about and explaining to each other what's happening between them romantically/sexually - I don't want to read a 101 on power exchange after the scene, it's... Boring. I'm not here for an instruction manual.
Ending the novel without any real conclusion to the politics is just not permissible imo when the book is 200 pages... Just make it longer.
The mix of misogynistic rules about who can take care of horses and the very.. modern real world approach to pronouns, names and all the three main characters automatically being immune to misogyny felt really jarring. That's not organic world building, that's mashing things together as is convenient.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2020
Song of the Lioness Quartet meets The Immortals quartet, but all grown up. For all the little kids who kept thinking "why not both" while reading stories with love triangles, and are probably (relatedly) poly now. Also for the little queer kids who read the Lioness Quartet and didn't realize why they related to Alanna so much until they grew up and came out. This gives us that "what if... I, the heroine, lived as a MAN" tropeage with an actually trans (nonbinary? trans man? unclear, which is fine because not everything needs labels in fantasy) character. Honestly, I picked up this book as a free read ages ago just because it seemed interesting, and didn't get around to reading it until this year. I then promptly bought the whole box set (and will probably get the sequel box set).
I don't know if it's just because it consistently hit my sweet spots one right after another (dealing with insecurity? dealing with trauma? dealing with SOCIETY? KINKY THREESOMES???), but I found this to be the best book I'd read in ages, and enjoyed the sequels just as much.
It touches on a lot of very difficult subjects (no spoilers, but I found a particular one in book two massively triggering, but it was dealt with with so much care and respect that it ultimately wound up really emotionally satisfying for me. Did I cry? Yeah like a baby.) but manages to handle them well (IMHO) and keeps the characters' journey difficult but not cruel. They're forced to face their fears, but never forced to overcome them and move on. Their fears are treated as valid and not just weaknesses to conquer, which I REALLY appreciated. A special shout out goes out to the pacing, which I found so good that I was mentally taking notes on how it was handled. for my own writing.
You can get the book free on the author's website, so honestly, do yourself a favor and check it out!
I don't know if it's just because it consistently hit my sweet spots one right after another (dealing with insecurity? dealing with trauma? dealing with SOCIETY? KINKY THREESOMES???), but I found this to be the best book I'd read in ages, and enjoyed the sequels just as much.
It touches on a lot of very difficult subjects (no spoilers, but I found a particular one in book two massively triggering, but it was dealt with with so much care and respect that it ultimately wound up really emotionally satisfying for me. Did I cry? Yeah like a baby.) but manages to handle them well (IMHO) and keeps the characters' journey difficult but not cruel. They're forced to face their fears, but never forced to overcome them and move on. Their fears are treated as valid and not just weaknesses to conquer, which I REALLY appreciated. A special shout out goes out to the pacing, which I found so good that I was mentally taking notes on how it was handled. for my own writing.
You can get the book free on the author's website, so honestly, do yourself a favor and check it out!
October 1, 2018
This is juuust barely a 2. I picked it up (free on Kindle) so I could read a queer poly relationship, and I did enjoy that part of it, but the story is otherwise pretty predictable and weak. The fantasy world of Eburosi is not that interesting, we only see a few scenes of the main character Carivel demonstrate her "horse mistress" skills (which imo was still a snooze), and there's some shape shifting? If you're going to read this book, my advice is to read it as a how-to on navigating an intimate relationship with more than one person involved, especially if one or more of those people is outside the straight, vanilla, heterosexual norm.
The clear highlight here is the way Steffan develops the identities of the main characters who are love interests: Carivel is a woman "with the mind of a man" who's lived as a man, and who I read as nonbinary or FTM trans. Senovo, one half of her crush, is a eunuch and priest. Super kudos for writing an erotic story with a eunuch?! (Don't worry, the mechanics are explained, though I googled a bunch too, about what would be possible.) And even Andoc, seemingly super warrior masculine, has a caretaking side . They treat each other with respect and have very mature conversations between the three of them. I LOVE this representation and I'm obviously here for it.
But. The problem with this book is there is NO. CONFLICT. WHATSOEVER. There's like, some unfortunate things that happen, and some slightly mean people. But at no point did I ever worry for Carivel and what was going to happen to her, as it was all generally moving in a good direction with no stumbles. Even the Carivel, Andoc & Senovo coming together into a relationship lacks conflict! It goes like this: . It lacks any kind of tension.
There are a couple nice (explicit) sex scenes, best of which is at the end. But I've honestly read better books marketed as erotica that incorporated fantastical elements. I wanted this one to succeed, but for this reader it's just "eh." Please someone direct me to other queer poly romance SFF books!
The clear highlight here is the way Steffan develops the identities of the main characters who are love interests: Carivel is a woman "with the mind of a man" who's lived as a man, and who I read as nonbinary or FTM trans. Senovo, one half of her crush, is a eunuch and priest. Super kudos for writing an erotic story with a eunuch?! (Don't worry, the mechanics are explained, though I googled a bunch too, about what would be possible.) And even Andoc, seemingly super warrior masculine, has a caretaking side . They treat each other with respect and have very mature conversations between the three of them. I LOVE this representation and I'm obviously here for it.
But. The problem with this book is there is NO. CONFLICT. WHATSOEVER. There's like, some unfortunate things that happen, and some slightly mean people. But at no point did I ever worry for Carivel and what was going to happen to her, as it was all generally moving in a good direction with no stumbles. Even the Carivel, Andoc & Senovo coming together into a relationship lacks conflict! It goes like this: . It lacks any kind of tension.
There are a couple nice (explicit) sex scenes, best of which is at the end. But I've honestly read better books marketed as erotica that incorporated fantastical elements. I wanted this one to succeed, but for this reader it's just "eh." Please someone direct me to other queer poly romance SFF books!
October 15, 2018
It was super gratifying to read about a nonbinary protagonist saving the day and finding love with not one but two people. Assigned female at birth, Carivel has spent the last several years passing for a boy. When asked by her traveling companions and future lovers whether she'd prefer they continue to treat her as male, she is very touched by their unexpected offer but chooses female pronouns (fortunately for future-plot). Her partners respect her desire to be understood as a man's spirit inside a woman's body, and offer her support and love in and out of bed while she refines what her identity means to her, both practically and philosophically.
Beyond all that, I enjoyed that her gender identity was relevant to the plot only in that her role as a 'woman' in a rigidly male job facilitates largely the alliance between two tribes that don't tend to get along. Carivel explores her identity in her private life, and then gets to spend her public life being badass and excelling at her job of managing her tribe's horses.
Also super gratifying? Beautifully, tenderly written polyfidelity.
This is clearly the first book in a series, as the story pauses before the trio even returns to their home tribe with the alliance needed to see them through the larger conflict alluded to at the beginning. As this first book was free on Amazon and I enjoyed both the plot and the sex so much, I definitely felt it was worth purchasing the box set of the rest of this series!
I voluntarily reviewed the free copy that I received.
Beyond all that, I enjoyed that her gender identity was relevant to the plot only in that her role as a 'woman' in a rigidly male job facilitates largely the alliance between two tribes that don't tend to get along. Carivel explores her identity in her private life, and then gets to spend her public life being badass and excelling at her job of managing her tribe's horses.
Also super gratifying? Beautifully, tenderly written polyfidelity.
This is clearly the first book in a series, as the story pauses before the trio even returns to their home tribe with the alliance needed to see them through the larger conflict alluded to at the beginning. As this first book was free on Amazon and I enjoyed both the plot and the sex so much, I definitely felt it was worth purchasing the box set of the rest of this series!
I voluntarily reviewed the free copy that I received.
September 16, 2019
A solid beginning to a series. I enjoy what we've seen of the world so far, the characters leave a strong impression without being total archetypes, and I could really get into the relationships. I do have a lot of questions about the surrounding world, but I trust that answers are coming soon. I love that gender identity and fluidity are at the forefront, and the scene where Andoc asks Carivel what to call her in private and she almost cries before answering almost made ME cry lol.
My only nitpick is... IDK, I am clearly here for the poly and I'm clearly up for it, but it seemed a very quick jump for two people who've been together for so long to invite another person not only into their bed but their HEARTS so very quickly. Unless I'm misunderstanding, Andoc and Senovo knew of Carivel before the events of the book, but didn't know her on a personal level, and for them to become so close, SO quickly (no even a week has passed!) was kind of jarring. Forgivable, but jarring. The courtship period is often the best part of a romance, and I feel like we didn't spend enough time there!
I listened to the audio-book as read by Gwendolyn Druyor, who has a great voice and did a great job creating personality and accents for the different characters. And I like that she puts EMOTION into her reading. She would, however, sometimes sound like she was vaguely holding back laughter, which I wasn't too fond of. But the narration was awesome.
Pretty excited to see where the plot goes from here.
3.5 stars.
My only nitpick is... IDK, I am clearly here for the poly and I'm clearly up for it, but it seemed a very quick jump for two people who've been together for so long to invite another person not only into their bed but their HEARTS so very quickly. Unless I'm misunderstanding, Andoc and Senovo knew of Carivel before the events of the book, but didn't know her on a personal level, and for them to become so close, SO quickly (no even a week has passed!) was kind of jarring. Forgivable, but jarring. The courtship period is often the best part of a romance, and I feel like we didn't spend enough time there!
I listened to the audio-book as read by Gwendolyn Druyor, who has a great voice and did a great job creating personality and accents for the different characters. And I like that she puts EMOTION into her reading. She would, however, sometimes sound like she was vaguely holding back laughter, which I wasn't too fond of. But the narration was awesome.
Pretty excited to see where the plot goes from here.
3.5 stars.
October 10, 2018
This series has been on my wishlist for a while now, as it sounded like a series I would enjoy. When I won a copy of the the box set containing the entire series I was determined to finally get around to reading it. It still took me a while longer, but I finally picked up book 1 now and I am glad I did as I really enjoyed this one.
The Horse Mistress Book 1 takes place in a fantasy world on the island Eburos. It follows the story of Carivel, who is a women, but disguises herself as a man so she can work with the horses. As in this village they believe only males can tame the spirits of animals. Her life changes when an attack hits the village she lives in and she has to go to another village to ask them for aid. Her two companions are the two men she has a crush on.
The author nicely mixes the story, world building and romance elements together into a compelling story. I liked how every element gets the attention it deserves. The story is interesting and while in a sense this really only feels like the first part of this series it grabbed my attention and I wanted to know what would happen next. We get to know enough about the world of Eburos to get a feel for how the world works, although I would've loved to see a world map to better visualize what the island looked like. The romance and the characters were all so well done and I really enjoyed reading about them.
Carivel is easy to like immediately. She hasn't had an easy life, but she made the best of it she could and she gets to work with the horses. She works hard and I liked reading about her and how she interacted with the horses. I am pretty sure the author knows a lot about horses by the way the horse scenes were written. I kinda like the whole female disguises herself as a male trope and in Carivel's case it's even more complicated. While she has a female body, she feels like a men for the most part. If I understood things correctly, she wouldn't want to have a men's body, but she wants to act like a men for the most part. I think she just wants to be accepted for who is she is and how she wants to act. And it's beautiful to see when she finds that acceptance with the two men she is falling for.
Andoc and Senovo are the two men Carivel falls for. From the start of the book they are already in a relationship with each other, but as the story progresses it becomes clear they would like to be close to Carivel as well. I liked how different these two are. Andoc is this tough warrior, the second ranked warrior in the village, but is also very caring, which I liked. He can joke, but also takes things seriously. Senovo is more quiet and less outspoken than Andoc. He has this secret he has been hiding for years and he struggles to keep it hidden and control that part of himself. I felt so sad and angry about what happened to Senovo and how he became a priest, his past is truly sad and horrifying.
I really liked the romance in this book. Senovo and Andoc already are in a relationship and Carivel grows closer to them in this book. There is basically no drama and I liked how things progressed between them. Carivel is a bit hesitant at first, but it's clear it's only a matter of time before she gives in. It was great to see how they grew closer to each other in this book when they had to spend time together. They discover each others biggest secrets early on in the book so they quickly have a bond and trust between them. I liked this and that their secrets got revealed so early on to each other.
There is a bit heat between the two men and with all three of them in bed toward the end of this book. This book contains LGBT elements and some BDSM and a reltionship involving two men and a women who all care for each other. The sex scene(s) toward the end was my favorite, it was pretty hot and well written. What I actually liked most about the sex scenes was how caring they all are. They paid attention to each other and what they liked and didn't. They stopped when someone didn't like something and also communicated during the sex scenes to make sure everyone was on the same page. I loved that. It's amazing to see how caring and considerate they all are. It was beautiful to see how they fit together and made this thing between them work.
The world building is done really well too. There are mentions here and there about how they handle things and while it's a fantasy world based on an earlier time in our world, there are also differences. Things like how shifters exist and the role of priests. There were also different tribes with different values and different manners. We mostly get to see two villages, but also hear about some others. And while we only get a small glimpse of this world, it was enough to get a feel for how things work and I am looking forward to learn more about this world.
To summarize: I really enjoyed this book. The author nicely balances the different elements together, with an engaging story, well done world building and great characters and romance. I liked Carivel and the two men she falls for. I liked how they quickly grow to trust each other and I liked seeing them grow closer together. There is a bit heat as well and I thought it was awesome how considerate and caring these characters were both in and outside the bedroom. They communicated clearly during the sex and communicated their wishes and stopped when someone didn't like something. All three of them are interesting characters and I am looking forward to read more about them. The world building is done well with information about the world sprinkled throughout the book. The world came alive with the information we got and I am curious to learn more about the world. All in all this was a great start to this series and I hope to continue on to book 2 soon.
The Horse Mistress Book 1 takes place in a fantasy world on the island Eburos. It follows the story of Carivel, who is a women, but disguises herself as a man so she can work with the horses. As in this village they believe only males can tame the spirits of animals. Her life changes when an attack hits the village she lives in and she has to go to another village to ask them for aid. Her two companions are the two men she has a crush on.
The author nicely mixes the story, world building and romance elements together into a compelling story. I liked how every element gets the attention it deserves. The story is interesting and while in a sense this really only feels like the first part of this series it grabbed my attention and I wanted to know what would happen next. We get to know enough about the world of Eburos to get a feel for how the world works, although I would've loved to see a world map to better visualize what the island looked like. The romance and the characters were all so well done and I really enjoyed reading about them.
Carivel is easy to like immediately. She hasn't had an easy life, but she made the best of it she could and she gets to work with the horses. She works hard and I liked reading about her and how she interacted with the horses. I am pretty sure the author knows a lot about horses by the way the horse scenes were written. I kinda like the whole female disguises herself as a male trope and in Carivel's case it's even more complicated. While she has a female body, she feels like a men for the most part. If I understood things correctly, she wouldn't want to have a men's body, but she wants to act like a men for the most part. I think she just wants to be accepted for who is she is and how she wants to act. And it's beautiful to see when she finds that acceptance with the two men she is falling for.
Andoc and Senovo are the two men Carivel falls for. From the start of the book they are already in a relationship with each other, but as the story progresses it becomes clear they would like to be close to Carivel as well. I liked how different these two are. Andoc is this tough warrior, the second ranked warrior in the village, but is also very caring, which I liked. He can joke, but also takes things seriously. Senovo is more quiet and less outspoken than Andoc. He has this secret he has been hiding for years and he struggles to keep it hidden and control that part of himself. I felt so sad and angry about what happened to Senovo and how he became a priest, his past is truly sad and horrifying.
I really liked the romance in this book. Senovo and Andoc already are in a relationship and Carivel grows closer to them in this book. There is basically no drama and I liked how things progressed between them. Carivel is a bit hesitant at first, but it's clear it's only a matter of time before she gives in. It was great to see how they grew closer to each other in this book when they had to spend time together. They discover each others biggest secrets early on in the book so they quickly have a bond and trust between them. I liked this and that their secrets got revealed so early on to each other.
There is a bit heat between the two men and with all three of them in bed toward the end of this book. This book contains LGBT elements and some BDSM and a reltionship involving two men and a women who all care for each other. The sex scene(s) toward the end was my favorite, it was pretty hot and well written. What I actually liked most about the sex scenes was how caring they all are. They paid attention to each other and what they liked and didn't. They stopped when someone didn't like something and also communicated during the sex scenes to make sure everyone was on the same page. I loved that. It's amazing to see how caring and considerate they all are. It was beautiful to see how they fit together and made this thing between them work.
The world building is done really well too. There are mentions here and there about how they handle things and while it's a fantasy world based on an earlier time in our world, there are also differences. Things like how shifters exist and the role of priests. There were also different tribes with different values and different manners. We mostly get to see two villages, but also hear about some others. And while we only get a small glimpse of this world, it was enough to get a feel for how things work and I am looking forward to learn more about this world.
To summarize: I really enjoyed this book. The author nicely balances the different elements together, with an engaging story, well done world building and great characters and romance. I liked Carivel and the two men she falls for. I liked how they quickly grow to trust each other and I liked seeing them grow closer together. There is a bit heat as well and I thought it was awesome how considerate and caring these characters were both in and outside the bedroom. They communicated clearly during the sex and communicated their wishes and stopped when someone didn't like something. All three of them are interesting characters and I am looking forward to read more about them. The world building is done well with information about the world sprinkled throughout the book. The world came alive with the information we got and I am curious to learn more about the world. All in all this was a great start to this series and I hope to continue on to book 2 soon.
February 12, 2020
Interesting premise, but weak story line, and execution.
The whole story got a lot of what I like to call 'convenience'. Everything just falls into place, happens just so and so, and there is hardly any struggle to it.
Predictability in this story also wasn't a good thing.
Then there is Carivel; a person who presents themselves as male, with a female body.
Nothing wrong with that, but it stays unclear to me if they see themselves as female, but only present male because the job they do is only permitted to be done by men. Or if they truly see themselves as male. It would have been lovely to read about Carivel's thought process about themselves after meeting the people of the other village.
The whole story got a lot of what I like to call 'convenience'. Everything just falls into place, happens just so and so, and there is hardly any struggle to it.
Predictability in this story also wasn't a good thing.
Then there is Carivel; a person who presents themselves as male, with a female body.
Nothing wrong with that, but it stays unclear to me if they see themselves as female, but only present male because the job they do is only permitted to be done by men. Or if they truly see themselves as male. It would have been lovely to read about Carivel's thought process about themselves after meeting the people of the other village.
April 17, 2016
I enjoyed this way more than I thought it would. It's a romance set in a fantasy world involving two men, one of which is an eunuch, and a woman who is struggling with her gender identity. I liked the fact that it had real substance to the plot despite the heavy focus on the romance. For some reason when I started this I thought it was erotica. However, aside from one scene at the end there aren't any sexual scenes although sex and sexuality are discussed throughout the book. I immediately read the sequel.
March 29, 2016
I don't know how I stumbled upon this book on Amazon, but I did, and I really liked it surprisingly. It's not a complete story, but where it ends was a good location. It has enough of a closure and depth to it, so that it doesn't feel like a serial novella. I enjoyed the character development and the interaction between themselves and the villages/townspeople around them. I don't normally like to read about this time period, but word play was just so rich that I was drawn right into the story. Really need to get books 2 & 3 now because I want to know what happens next.
August 13, 2016
This book is very cliché. The main character especially, and many scenes with her and horses, are straight from horse books you give little girls.
It is saved by the humor, and by one of the love interest, who is so nice, natural and funny.
And the sex was really good.
But personally, I was uncomfortable with the straight woman worming her way in a already established relationship between two men.
This book is not the original and revolutionary story I was hoping for, even if it is fun and well written
It is saved by the humor, and by one of the love interest, who is so nice, natural and funny.
And the sex was really good.
But personally, I was uncomfortable with the straight woman worming her way in a already established relationship between two men.
This book is not the original and revolutionary story I was hoping for, even if it is fun and well written
January 10, 2017
For starters, if this book wasn't free when I got it from Amazon, I never would have discovered this amazing author R. A. Steffan, nor been so enthralled with this series. I'd looked at this book a few times, downloaded the sample, but day on it forever. Once I finally sat down and read book 1 completely, I was hooked. This story has so many twists and turns and adventure that you won't be bored; you'll probably want to just binge read the whole series.
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