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Deceived #1
Deceived
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This book has been revised. The story Deceived has a new, longer ending. The story The Highwayman is now it's own book, and the following stories have been added to this volume: The Wager, Seconds, Runaways. This book also contains all the free ficbits posted to my website.
AS ALWAYS if you bought this book previously, you need only contact me and I'll give you the new version (ebook only).
*****
Deceived—Rae cannot stand his job as secretary to Prince Benedict, and the feeling is entirely mutual. In the aftermath of yet another fight, Rae lights upon the idea of giving Benedict a taste of his own seduction throughout the three day masque about to take place. But a deception meant to put a rakish prince in his place reveals a man Rae never expected, and a secret he never anticipated…
Scandalous—Since the death of his parents, who lived and died scandalously, Gideon has tried to make up for their mistakes by leading a strict, quiet life, and giving his little brother the stability he never had. On a journey home, he is waylaid by a storm—and distracted by a handsome man who proves to be more temptation than he can resist…
From Afar—Pierce has all that anyone could want in life: a doting brother, the fame and adoration from being an accomplished fencer, and his best friend. What he wants most, however, is to know the identity of the person who leaves him ardent love letters and why his admirer will not step forward…
Lessons—Bored and alone one night, Jude chances upon Crispin, who despairs of ever catching the eye of the man he loves because he's too innocent to be appealing. Jude, a notorious rake, impulsively offers to teach him all he needs to know…
Seconds—Called to the be the second to a brash yong man, Alexis seeks out the appointed second of the challenger. But the man he encounters has Alexis considering things he swore off long ago, when he decided one broken heart was more than enough.
The Wager—While serving as ambassador on his mother's orders, Prince Lazare spends most of his time either confused and frustrated by his peers, or struggling uselessly against his growing feelings for Maitland, appointed to be his guide and assistant throughout his stay. Neither situation is improved when he learns of a mysterious wager concerning Maitland and a dead man…
Runaways—Addison hates the city, and he really hates spending all his time dancing attendance upon his brat cousin. When his cousin falls sick, Addison seizes the rare chance for solitude and flees to the park. But he is not there long before he is accosted by a stranger, who is like no one Addison has ever met, and who shows him a world he actually enjoys—a world to which he will never truly belong.
AS ALWAYS if you bought this book previously, you need only contact me and I'll give you the new version (ebook only).
*****
Deceived—Rae cannot stand his job as secretary to Prince Benedict, and the feeling is entirely mutual. In the aftermath of yet another fight, Rae lights upon the idea of giving Benedict a taste of his own seduction throughout the three day masque about to take place. But a deception meant to put a rakish prince in his place reveals a man Rae never expected, and a secret he never anticipated…
Scandalous—Since the death of his parents, who lived and died scandalously, Gideon has tried to make up for their mistakes by leading a strict, quiet life, and giving his little brother the stability he never had. On a journey home, he is waylaid by a storm—and distracted by a handsome man who proves to be more temptation than he can resist…
From Afar—Pierce has all that anyone could want in life: a doting brother, the fame and adoration from being an accomplished fencer, and his best friend. What he wants most, however, is to know the identity of the person who leaves him ardent love letters and why his admirer will not step forward…
Lessons—Bored and alone one night, Jude chances upon Crispin, who despairs of ever catching the eye of the man he loves because he's too innocent to be appealing. Jude, a notorious rake, impulsively offers to teach him all he needs to know…
Seconds—Called to the be the second to a brash yong man, Alexis seeks out the appointed second of the challenger. But the man he encounters has Alexis considering things he swore off long ago, when he decided one broken heart was more than enough.
The Wager—While serving as ambassador on his mother's orders, Prince Lazare spends most of his time either confused and frustrated by his peers, or struggling uselessly against his growing feelings for Maitland, appointed to be his guide and assistant throughout his stay. Neither situation is improved when he learns of a mysterious wager concerning Maitland and a dead man…
Runaways—Addison hates the city, and he really hates spending all his time dancing attendance upon his brat cousin. When his cousin falls sick, Addison seizes the rare chance for solitude and flees to the park. But he is not there long before he is accosted by a stranger, who is like no one Addison has ever met, and who shows him a world he actually enjoys—a world to which he will never truly belong.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2008
36 people are currently reading
512 people want to read
About the author
Megan Derr
283 books2,935 followersMegan is a long time resident of queer romance and keeps herself busy reading and writing it. She is often accused of fluff and nonsense. When she’s not involved in writing, she likes to cook, harass her wife and cats, or watch movies. She loves to hear from readers and can be found all over the internet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
January 3, 2013
6 stories -- average: 3.875 stars rounded up
Deceived - 4 stars
This story was good because the MCs were mortal enemies and in the beginning, they seemed to loathe each other! Usually, in Megan Derr's enemies-turn-to-lovers stories, one of them will be the passive, quite, brooding one. Here, both had quite volatile temper and it was amusing to read.
Scandalous - 4 stars
This probably the most adorable story of Megan Derr featuring a little brother!! Previous stories of hers that I have read usually have the brothers in some sort of conflicts. But Gideon and Pierce relationship is wonderful. Of course, Gideon and Tem's relationship is lovely too, but it's the big brother-little brother story that stole my heart.
From Afar - 2.75 stars
This story is about Pierce, the little brother who has all grown up. Unfortunately, his story felt flat for me. He didn't spend enough time with the love interest, and I was bored, and I skimmed a lot for a short story. Not a good sign.
Lessons - 4.25 stars
Favorite #1. I love how Jude is the rakish lord, the one intent to teach Crispin how to seduce, only to fall in love with the younger more innocent man. My kind of story (siiiiigh)
The Highwayman - 4.25 stars
Favorite #2. The longest of the bunch and was complex (with mystery, action, and hurt/comfort!). I loved that Bartholomew was trying to fix everyone else's life. Love the hurt/comfort between him and Perry. Loving it. LOVING IT!
Extra - 4 stars
I know that it's really, REALLY short. Only a scene between Thad and Burr (a missing scene from the 5th story). But I loved it as well. It wasn't often that Megan Derr had May/December romance. If only they had their own story. Sounds like it would be a great hurt/comfort tale.
Deceived - 4 stars
This story was good because the MCs were mortal enemies and in the beginning, they seemed to loathe each other! Usually, in Megan Derr's enemies-turn-to-lovers stories, one of them will be the passive, quite, brooding one. Here, both had quite volatile temper and it was amusing to read.
Scandalous - 4 stars
This probably the most adorable story of Megan Derr featuring a little brother!! Previous stories of hers that I have read usually have the brothers in some sort of conflicts. But Gideon and Pierce relationship is wonderful. Of course, Gideon and Tem's relationship is lovely too, but it's the big brother-little brother story that stole my heart.
From Afar - 2.75 stars
This story is about Pierce, the little brother who has all grown up. Unfortunately, his story felt flat for me. He didn't spend enough time with the love interest, and I was bored, and I skimmed a lot for a short story. Not a good sign.
Lessons - 4.25 stars
Favorite #1. I love how Jude is the rakish lord, the one intent to teach Crispin how to seduce, only to fall in love with the younger more innocent man. My kind of story (siiiiigh)
The Highwayman - 4.25 stars
Favorite #2. The longest of the bunch and was complex (with mystery, action, and hurt/comfort!). I loved that Bartholomew was trying to fix everyone else's life. Love the hurt/comfort between him and Perry. Loving it. LOVING IT!
Extra - 4 stars
I know that it's really, REALLY short. Only a scene between Thad and Burr (a missing scene from the 5th story). But I loved it as well. It wasn't often that Megan Derr had May/December romance. If only they had their own story. Sounds like it would be a great hurt/comfort tale.
October 2, 2018
DNF 49%
WORST.EDITING.EVER. Unbelievable.
WORST.EDITING.EVER. Unbelievable.
November 13, 2011
Five stars
I seldom encounter an 'anthology' where all stories are captivating. There are five loosely related stories in this book (characters from previous stories appear in other stories), and they are all great. The first four are quite similar: sweet, face pace, heartwarming stories that have been Ms. Derr signature. The fifth one is different in length and pace. The length is about the first four stories combined, and the pace is quite slow, especially at the beginning. Characters in all five stories live in a regency-style fantasy world, where love between men is acceptable. For this reason, Ms. Derr could focus on the romance side... All main characters are of noble background, or at least one of them in each story is.
While there are some sex scenes, they are downplayed.
Deceived
The story of Prince Benedict and his secretary, Rae. They couldn't stand each other, but neither wants to be the one who resign or fire the other. Benedict thinks his secretary to be bossy for his position. Rae thinks the prince lazy and only enjoys sleeping around with willing ladies and lords. At one point, Rae planned humiliate the prince by deceiving him in the masquerade festival. Little did he know, the plan backfires...
The characters' fixation on perfumes is really interesting. .
Scandalous
The story of Gideon and his brother's tutor, Artemis. Gideon is so surprised to learn that his night-stand lover happens to be the person who applied to be his brother's tutor. Since his 12-yr old brother Pierce has basically thrown out every tutors before, Gideon hires Artemis. How would they keep themselves from each other now?
This story moved me very much. The love between Pierce and his brother, and in contrast between Artemis and his own brother, in fact stole the scene for me.
From afar
Pierce has grown up to be a young adult. He's very close to the lovely Crasseda, Lady St. Rose, and everybody expects them to be married one day. Little do people know, Crass has always loved another person, Seymour. A lowly noble, Seymour is making fortune somewhere else before he could ask Crass. A fencing champion, Pierce is sought after by many lords and ladies. Yet, his attention is on the person who keep sending him love letter... Unfortunately, he doesn't know the identity of his secret admirer.
Not often do we see a story of the older version of characters we know as a child. Pierce was only 12-yr old in the previous one, and in this one he's an adult.
Lessons
Jude is known as a player. When a young noble Crispin told him that he is innocent in the art of the flesh, Jude offers him lessons. Crispin agreed, and for a month Jude gave him lessons on how to seduce man of his heart. Hopefully Crispin would be ready with his skill in the King's gala next month. What Jude didn't expect was his student learned his lessons too well that teacher fell himself...
There is not much happening in a way of the plot, but it is really sweet. While this is basically a story of sex education (in its full meaning), the sex itself is downplayed. The angst actually plays a bigger role. .
The Highwayman
Lord Bartholomew, Crispin's big brother, is known as someone who meddles in other people's affairs. When he learned that there's a highwayman in their estate, he went home by himself. On the way home, he encountered the highwayman, but he was let go. This is a partly a detective story with many characters. A local baron and his ward. A constable and his son. A local pastor and his son. And of course, the highwayman himself.
The first part of the story is quite slow, and quite uncharacteristic of Ms. Derr's work. However, it picks up in the middle. .
Definitely recommended.
I seldom encounter an 'anthology' where all stories are captivating. There are five loosely related stories in this book (characters from previous stories appear in other stories), and they are all great. The first four are quite similar: sweet, face pace, heartwarming stories that have been Ms. Derr signature. The fifth one is different in length and pace. The length is about the first four stories combined, and the pace is quite slow, especially at the beginning. Characters in all five stories live in a regency-style fantasy world, where love between men is acceptable. For this reason, Ms. Derr could focus on the romance side... All main characters are of noble background, or at least one of them in each story is.
While there are some sex scenes, they are downplayed.
Deceived
The story of Prince Benedict and his secretary, Rae. They couldn't stand each other, but neither wants to be the one who resign or fire the other. Benedict thinks his secretary to be bossy for his position. Rae thinks the prince lazy and only enjoys sleeping around with willing ladies and lords. At one point, Rae planned humiliate the prince by deceiving him in the masquerade festival. Little did he know, the plan backfires...
The characters' fixation on perfumes is really interesting. .
Scandalous
The story of Gideon and his brother's tutor, Artemis. Gideon is so surprised to learn that his night-stand lover happens to be the person who applied to be his brother's tutor. Since his 12-yr old brother Pierce has basically thrown out every tutors before, Gideon hires Artemis. How would they keep themselves from each other now?
This story moved me very much. The love between Pierce and his brother, and in contrast between Artemis and his own brother, in fact stole the scene for me.
From afar
Pierce has grown up to be a young adult. He's very close to the lovely Crasseda, Lady St. Rose, and everybody expects them to be married one day. Little do people know, Crass has always loved another person, Seymour. A lowly noble, Seymour is making fortune somewhere else before he could ask Crass. A fencing champion, Pierce is sought after by many lords and ladies. Yet, his attention is on the person who keep sending him love letter... Unfortunately, he doesn't know the identity of his secret admirer.
Not often do we see a story of the older version of characters we know as a child. Pierce was only 12-yr old in the previous one, and in this one he's an adult.
Lessons
Jude is known as a player. When a young noble Crispin told him that he is innocent in the art of the flesh, Jude offers him lessons. Crispin agreed, and for a month Jude gave him lessons on how to seduce man of his heart. Hopefully Crispin would be ready with his skill in the King's gala next month. What Jude didn't expect was his student learned his lessons too well that teacher fell himself...
There is not much happening in a way of the plot, but it is really sweet. While this is basically a story of sex education (in its full meaning), the sex itself is downplayed. The angst actually plays a bigger role. .
The Highwayman
Lord Bartholomew, Crispin's big brother, is known as someone who meddles in other people's affairs. When he learned that there's a highwayman in their estate, he went home by himself. On the way home, he encountered the highwayman, but he was let go. This is a partly a detective story with many characters. A local baron and his ward. A constable and his son. A local pastor and his son. And of course, the highwayman himself.
The first part of the story is quite slow, and quite uncharacteristic of Ms. Derr's work. However, it picks up in the middle. .
Definitely recommended.
January 24, 2012
5 stars!
How many times have you read an anthology where you loved all of the shorts? It's pretty rare for me, but this was the exception. I really LOVED this anthology. Not only did I enjoy each individual story, but I particularly enjoyed how they were all interwoven. It was almost like reading an entire series without having to wait for the next book to be released. I haven't enjoyed an anthology like this in quite some time.
Deceived - Prince Benedict, a notorious rake, and his secretary Rae are known for their hatred for each other. Their daily arguments are a source of gossip at court. Rae finally decides to get back at Benedict by seducing the playboy and then leaving him suffering. Unfortunately, his plan backfires. I loved Rae and Benedict and enjoyed that their relationship was truly a hate relationship and not an "I hate you but am strangely attracted to you" type of relationship. It made their coming together all the sweeter. [5 stars.]
Scandalous - After the untimely death of his parents, Gideon has been responsible for raising his younger brother. On his way home from his court visit with Prince Benedict and his new lover Rae, he meets a beautiful stranger at an Inn. Although the man is gone the next morning leaving only a note, Gideon is happy for the night they had together. Artemis "Tem" rarely allows himself to indulge the way he did at the inn with the handsome stranger, but what could be the harm of one liaison before taking a job as a tutor? Little does he know that the man at the inn is the brother of his new ward. Another really sweet regency romance. I liked the interaction between Tem and Pierce as well as Pierce's relationship with his brother Gideon. I enjoyed this story a lot. [5 stars]
From Afar - Pierce is a man now and is a successful duelist following in his brother Gideon's footsteps. He has been receiving love letters from a secret admirer that he can't help but fall in love with although he has no idea who his admirer could be. This was a sweet story but I felt ended just a tad abruptly. I did enjoy seeing Pierce all grown up though. 4 stars.
Lessons - Jude is a near-despicable rake who is simply bored with the court's offerings. After having been through most of the men and women at court, he despairs of finding suitable entertainment. A chance encounter finds Crispin writing love letters in the park. Crispin confides that he is in love with a man who could never love him back because he lacks the worldliness of the others at court. While Jude usually doesn't have the patience for Innocents, he decides that this is the opportunity to break his boredom. He offers to tutor Crispin in all the ways of the seductive world. This story was great. I loved Crispin and his sweet innocence. While the ending was obvious, it didn't detract from my enjoyment. 5 stars.
The Highwayman - Bartholomew has spent his whole life taking care of others. He even helped his brothers Crispin and Lane catch their true loves. When he hears that a highwayman is terrorizing the bridge back in his village, he sneaks home to deal with the miscreant personally. This was one of the more exciting stories in the anthology with robbers, smugglers, and corruption - oh my! I thought it was a great story and enjoyed the characters immensely. 5 stars.
How many times have you read an anthology where you loved all of the shorts? It's pretty rare for me, but this was the exception. I really LOVED this anthology. Not only did I enjoy each individual story, but I particularly enjoyed how they were all interwoven. It was almost like reading an entire series without having to wait for the next book to be released. I haven't enjoyed an anthology like this in quite some time.
Deceived - Prince Benedict, a notorious rake, and his secretary Rae are known for their hatred for each other. Their daily arguments are a source of gossip at court. Rae finally decides to get back at Benedict by seducing the playboy and then leaving him suffering. Unfortunately, his plan backfires. I loved Rae and Benedict and enjoyed that their relationship was truly a hate relationship and not an "I hate you but am strangely attracted to you" type of relationship. It made their coming together all the sweeter. [5 stars.]
Scandalous - After the untimely death of his parents, Gideon has been responsible for raising his younger brother. On his way home from his court visit with Prince Benedict and his new lover Rae, he meets a beautiful stranger at an Inn. Although the man is gone the next morning leaving only a note, Gideon is happy for the night they had together. Artemis "Tem" rarely allows himself to indulge the way he did at the inn with the handsome stranger, but what could be the harm of one liaison before taking a job as a tutor? Little does he know that the man at the inn is the brother of his new ward. Another really sweet regency romance. I liked the interaction between Tem and Pierce as well as Pierce's relationship with his brother Gideon. I enjoyed this story a lot. [5 stars]
From Afar - Pierce is a man now and is a successful duelist following in his brother Gideon's footsteps. He has been receiving love letters from a secret admirer that he can't help but fall in love with although he has no idea who his admirer could be. This was a sweet story but I felt ended just a tad abruptly. I did enjoy seeing Pierce all grown up though. 4 stars.
Lessons - Jude is a near-despicable rake who is simply bored with the court's offerings. After having been through most of the men and women at court, he despairs of finding suitable entertainment. A chance encounter finds Crispin writing love letters in the park. Crispin confides that he is in love with a man who could never love him back because he lacks the worldliness of the others at court. While Jude usually doesn't have the patience for Innocents, he decides that this is the opportunity to break his boredom. He offers to tutor Crispin in all the ways of the seductive world. This story was great. I loved Crispin and his sweet innocence. While the ending was obvious, it didn't detract from my enjoyment. 5 stars.
The Highwayman - Bartholomew has spent his whole life taking care of others. He even helped his brothers Crispin and Lane catch their true loves. When he hears that a highwayman is terrorizing the bridge back in his village, he sneaks home to deal with the miscreant personally. This was one of the more exciting stories in the anthology with robbers, smugglers, and corruption - oh my! I thought it was a great story and enjoyed the characters immensely. 5 stars.
March 10, 2013
As usual, Megan Derr weaves these wonderful, lovely worlds and then chucks in a bajillion of characters all of who we cannot help but love. And, as usual, I adored reading these stories. I have always been a fan of series/stories where all of the stories intertwine with one another (and not necessarily in gaymance either).
Deceived: 4.25 STARS
It was hilarious just watching such vibrant (and violent) characters clash together in her classic enemies-to-lovers theme. And it was just as a lovely seeing them get together.
Scandalous: 4 STARS
This was an incredibly sweet story, and especially so because I absolutely adore the whole tutor/master set up, even if the relationship isn't between the tutor and the student, but rather the tutor and the student's brother in this case.
From Afar: 2.75 STARS
I honestly I can't remember what happened in this story, unfortunately. Take that as you will, haha.
Lessons: 4.5 STARS
Okay, this was just too adorable. It's probably an overdone concept, but goddamn it, I loved this story. A rake teaching an 'innocent' the art of seduction seems like the premise for a trashy PWP story, but this was incredibly endearing.
The Highway Man: 4 STARS
This is probably one of the most complicated stories I've seen Ms Derr do in an anthology. It worked out very well though, and I was pretty intrigued with the mystery. And the romance was a pleasure to read about.
(I absolutely adored Thadd and Burr [I think those are their names] and I definitely definitely wished they had a story of their own. That incredibly short scene was probably worth 4.5 STARS alone)
Overall I think this was an incredibly entertaining and delightful anthology. I most likely will visit these stories again one day.
Deceived: 4.25 STARS
It was hilarious just watching such vibrant (and violent) characters clash together in her classic enemies-to-lovers theme. And it was just as a lovely seeing them get together.
Scandalous: 4 STARS
This was an incredibly sweet story, and especially so because I absolutely adore the whole tutor/master set up, even if the relationship isn't between the tutor and the student, but rather the tutor and the student's brother in this case.
From Afar: 2.75 STARS
I honestly I can't remember what happened in this story, unfortunately. Take that as you will, haha.
Lessons: 4.5 STARS
Okay, this was just too adorable. It's probably an overdone concept, but goddamn it, I loved this story. A rake teaching an 'innocent' the art of seduction seems like the premise for a trashy PWP story, but this was incredibly endearing.
The Highway Man: 4 STARS
This is probably one of the most complicated stories I've seen Ms Derr do in an anthology. It worked out very well though, and I was pretty intrigued with the mystery. And the romance was a pleasure to read about.
(I absolutely adored Thadd and Burr [I think those are their names] and I definitely definitely wished they had a story of their own. That incredibly short scene was probably worth 4.5 STARS alone)
Overall I think this was an incredibly entertaining and delightful anthology. I most likely will visit these stories again one day.
February 20, 2014
It's always hard to rate a book with more than one story. I'm going with an overall rating of 4 stars.
Deceived I enjoyed this tale, especially as I got to see Benedict and Rae from the start. I was left a little disappointed that I did not get to see the big show down with Benedicts parents. But as a love story this was sweet.
Scandalous I loved this one. With just a little more back ground this could easily of worked as a novella. I admit as lovely as watching Gideon and Tam fall in love was, Pierce was my main enjoyment 4
From Afar Another sweet little story. Predictable but still a feel good read. Would of been a little better if we had got to read a few of the earlier letters. 3
Lessons Not sure on this one. Very little story as such, still sweet and I enjoyed the ending, but just missing that little something for me. 2.5
The Highwayman My favorite by far. I wasn't sure at first, once I realised this was about Crispins older brother, but then I got to know him and of course fell in love with him. Such a misunderstood soul lol.
The romance was beautifully done, but the main smugglers story was what gave this one an edge, the highway man theme was predictable but still charming. A full bodied tale with enough MM romance to satisfy me completely 5
Thaddeus and Alfred A brief snippet that tidied up a loose end. 2.5
Deceived I enjoyed this tale, especially as I got to see Benedict and Rae from the start. I was left a little disappointed that I did not get to see the big show down with Benedicts parents. But as a love story this was sweet.
Scandalous I loved this one. With just a little more back ground this could easily of worked as a novella. I admit as lovely as watching Gideon and Tam fall in love was, Pierce was my main enjoyment 4
From Afar Another sweet little story. Predictable but still a feel good read. Would of been a little better if we had got to read a few of the earlier letters. 3
Lessons Not sure on this one. Very little story as such, still sweet and I enjoyed the ending, but just missing that little something for me. 2.5
The Highwayman My favorite by far. I wasn't sure at first, once I realised this was about Crispins older brother, but then I got to know him and of course fell in love with him. Such a misunderstood soul lol.
The romance was beautifully done, but the main smugglers story was what gave this one an edge, the highway man theme was predictable but still charming. A full bodied tale with enough MM romance to satisfy me completely 5
Thaddeus and Alfred A brief snippet that tidied up a loose end. 2.5
December 28, 2011
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Deceived - 4.25 stars
Scandalous - 4.25 stars
From Afar - 4 stars
Lessons - 4 stars
The Highwayman - 5 stars
Deceived - 4.25 stars
Scandalous - 4.25 stars
From Afar - 4 stars
Lessons - 4 stars
The Highwayman - 5 stars
February 6, 2021
Overall rating: 3.5
I originally read the paperback of this, in July 2020, just before LT3P closed and the books were removed to be republished. I LOVED it. I loved the characters, each individual story was easily 5* for me, and I forgave some editing issues because the stories shone.
When I saw they were being republished, I purchased ALL the books in the series, because the blurb mentioned extra content, for stories I already loved, so of course it was a given I'd want to read it.
Honestly...I'm disappointed.
Maybe it's time or the changes, but it didn't have the same shine as before.
First...EDITING.
I won't sugar-coat it, because it would be pointless. The editing is a mess. I mean, I compared this to my paperback edition and the NEW changes are the problem. There are silly, little, annoying mistakes like missing words, bad spelling, bad grammar, that really ruin the story. There is at least twice as many editing problems as my original paperback edition, because...and I'm going to be brutally honest here...it feels like the new work hasn't been edited at all. (e.g. strange > stranger / these free nights > these three nights / 899kjinclined > inclined) There is also a consistent problem of missing quotation marks at the beginning of scenes/paragraphs.
Then there's the editing of the original parts. I'm HUGELY disappointed that one glaring problem wasn't resolved - Lady Q. I wasn't the only person who pointed this out, in the original stories, but it's super lazy to not bother naming secondary characters. It wouldn't take any effort at all to name Lord K and Lady Q properly. A simple replace-all in the document would get it done. But it wasn't done, and that's frustrating.
I mean, if you're going to go to all the trouble of rewriting the stories, updating the stories, adding new stories, making new covers and adding extra scenes to stories...the least you can do is fix this one, simple problem that everyone pointed out in reviews.
EXTRA CONTENT
1.
Hmm. Honestly? I don't feel like *any* of it was necessary. Extending the stories seems to have been only for the purpose of adding more sex. I happened to like the historical fade-to-black choice made in the first edition, with some minor exceptions that added heat and spice where appropriate. This time, there are extra scenes at the back that are basically just excuses to include sex scenes.
2.
I also didn't like the choice to include the "extra" bonus shorts at the back. There was no reason they couldn't have been used to EXPAND on the original story, or be slipped in when appropriate. It felt choppy and disjointed to include them at the back when it wouldn't have taken much effort to weave them into the main story, and it would have made more sense of the circumstances they mentioned, as well.
3.
The new stories were...lacklustre. For me, I didn't feel like they added anything new or exciting. The only one that had any real relevance to the world and characters I already loved, was Runaways. HOWEVER, I honestly didn't like what was done to Benedict in that story. We ended Deceived feeling hopeful for Benedict's future with Rae, that they were strong enough to withstand the storm together and fight to be with each other. It was a GREAT ending. In the original story.
The new story adds an extra sex scene that doesn't contribute to the story much, but was fine. Then Runaways goes and undoes ALL of that goodwill they'd built with each other, to show them 23 YEARS after the events of Deceived...and mentions that they're STILL being hounded by the past. This completely ruined the original story, for me. I literally hated what was done to Benedict, and how it was used as a means to give Jewell a similar storyline, but giving him the HEA I thought Benedict had found.
I also found it confusing, and somewhat annoying, that Benedict wasn't named in Runaways until well into the story, as if we weren't supposed to realise that it was Benedict, or that it was supposed to be a huge surprise. Except, mentioning a royal who ran off with a secretary makes it pretty obvious that's who was meant, so...yeah, not seeing the point of that, really.
All the new stories are too short. Every time we start to learn about a new couple, it's a mad-rush to get them together and into bed, then they're abandoned just as the story is getting good. Some of them had huge potential to be better explored, but were just ignored. I wanted to know what happened to Otis and Henry, with their enemies-to-lovers hinted story, but we got nothing of them and everything of two people who were barely fleshed out or interesting.
I also don't understand why Runaways was included here, as it completely messed up the timeline for Highwayman. As far as I remember, Highwayman takes place while Bart is still in his 30s/40s, but Runaways takes place 23 years AFTER the events of that story, so...I'm really confused.
In some stories, the timeline flow is completely random. There is no mention of timeline between scenes, but pages in you find out it's been 4 days or a few weeks, without any warning. I also feel like some really interesting events that had huge potential were completely sidelined for the sake of the 'romance'. Things like Jewell meeting the King, and Addison and Jewell travelling together were things I really wanted to see play out on page, but they were skipped over entirely.
OVERALL
I felt the new shorts were TOO short, that they didn't add much to the collection, as a whole, and the connections between them were weak. The original stories were all linked by a social circle or family members, and it worked well. This version has weak connections between the original stories and the new extras, and I barely recognised the Bartholomew from the Highwayman in the shorts that were added here. He felt like a completely different character.
Runaway was the best of the new stories, but promptly ruined that feeling when it completely changed Benedict's fate and made out that he suffered beyond falling in love with Rae. It ruined the HEA that was left wide-open with hope and strength, in the original version.
Honestly, I feel like this republication is a fanfic version of the original stories. It's like the author spent a lot of time revisiting these characters and stirring up trouble, for whatever reason, as their own personal fanfic of the world and original stories. But to publish them without proper links, without addressing previous issues, and with lacklustre editing, feels like I wasted my money.
When it comes to these characters, I'll be re-reading the ORIGINAL book, not this one.
While the cover is pretty, I just feel frustrated that a collection of stories I loved have been toyed with and changed in a way that doesn't make them better, but which ruins the good memories the originals gave me. As for the new stories, they're not good enough to bring me back to re-read them, and I wish more time and effort had been spent on fleshing out the stories rather than adding disjointed extras.
I originally read the paperback of this, in July 2020, just before LT3P closed and the books were removed to be republished. I LOVED it. I loved the characters, each individual story was easily 5* for me, and I forgave some editing issues because the stories shone.
When I saw they were being republished, I purchased ALL the books in the series, because the blurb mentioned extra content, for stories I already loved, so of course it was a given I'd want to read it.
Honestly...I'm disappointed.
Maybe it's time or the changes, but it didn't have the same shine as before.
First...EDITING.
I won't sugar-coat it, because it would be pointless. The editing is a mess. I mean, I compared this to my paperback edition and the NEW changes are the problem. There are silly, little, annoying mistakes like missing words, bad spelling, bad grammar, that really ruin the story. There is at least twice as many editing problems as my original paperback edition, because...and I'm going to be brutally honest here...it feels like the new work hasn't been edited at all. (e.g. strange > stranger / these free nights > these three nights / 899kjinclined > inclined) There is also a consistent problem of missing quotation marks at the beginning of scenes/paragraphs.
Then there's the editing of the original parts. I'm HUGELY disappointed that one glaring problem wasn't resolved - Lady Q. I wasn't the only person who pointed this out, in the original stories, but it's super lazy to not bother naming secondary characters. It wouldn't take any effort at all to name Lord K and Lady Q properly. A simple replace-all in the document would get it done. But it wasn't done, and that's frustrating.
I mean, if you're going to go to all the trouble of rewriting the stories, updating the stories, adding new stories, making new covers and adding extra scenes to stories...the least you can do is fix this one, simple problem that everyone pointed out in reviews.
EXTRA CONTENT
1.
Hmm. Honestly? I don't feel like *any* of it was necessary. Extending the stories seems to have been only for the purpose of adding more sex. I happened to like the historical fade-to-black choice made in the first edition, with some minor exceptions that added heat and spice where appropriate. This time, there are extra scenes at the back that are basically just excuses to include sex scenes.
2.
I also didn't like the choice to include the "extra" bonus shorts at the back. There was no reason they couldn't have been used to EXPAND on the original story, or be slipped in when appropriate. It felt choppy and disjointed to include them at the back when it wouldn't have taken much effort to weave them into the main story, and it would have made more sense of the circumstances they mentioned, as well.
3.
The new stories were...lacklustre. For me, I didn't feel like they added anything new or exciting. The only one that had any real relevance to the world and characters I already loved, was Runaways. HOWEVER, I honestly didn't like what was done to Benedict in that story. We ended Deceived feeling hopeful for Benedict's future with Rae, that they were strong enough to withstand the storm together and fight to be with each other. It was a GREAT ending. In the original story.
The new story adds an extra sex scene that doesn't contribute to the story much, but was fine. Then Runaways goes and undoes ALL of that goodwill they'd built with each other, to show them 23 YEARS after the events of Deceived...and mentions that they're STILL being hounded by the past. This completely ruined the original story, for me. I literally hated what was done to Benedict, and how it was used as a means to give Jewell a similar storyline, but giving him the HEA I thought Benedict had found.
I also found it confusing, and somewhat annoying, that Benedict wasn't named in Runaways until well into the story, as if we weren't supposed to realise that it was Benedict, or that it was supposed to be a huge surprise. Except, mentioning a royal who ran off with a secretary makes it pretty obvious that's who was meant, so...yeah, not seeing the point of that, really.
All the new stories are too short. Every time we start to learn about a new couple, it's a mad-rush to get them together and into bed, then they're abandoned just as the story is getting good. Some of them had huge potential to be better explored, but were just ignored. I wanted to know what happened to Otis and Henry, with their enemies-to-lovers hinted story, but we got nothing of them and everything of two people who were barely fleshed out or interesting.
I also don't understand why Runaways was included here, as it completely messed up the timeline for Highwayman. As far as I remember, Highwayman takes place while Bart is still in his 30s/40s, but Runaways takes place 23 years AFTER the events of that story, so...I'm really confused.
In some stories, the timeline flow is completely random. There is no mention of timeline between scenes, but pages in you find out it's been 4 days or a few weeks, without any warning. I also feel like some really interesting events that had huge potential were completely sidelined for the sake of the 'romance'. Things like Jewell meeting the King, and Addison and Jewell travelling together were things I really wanted to see play out on page, but they were skipped over entirely.
OVERALL
I felt the new shorts were TOO short, that they didn't add much to the collection, as a whole, and the connections between them were weak. The original stories were all linked by a social circle or family members, and it worked well. This version has weak connections between the original stories and the new extras, and I barely recognised the Bartholomew from the Highwayman in the shorts that were added here. He felt like a completely different character.
Runaway was the best of the new stories, but promptly ruined that feeling when it completely changed Benedict's fate and made out that he suffered beyond falling in love with Rae. It ruined the HEA that was left wide-open with hope and strength, in the original version.
Honestly, I feel like this republication is a fanfic version of the original stories. It's like the author spent a lot of time revisiting these characters and stirring up trouble, for whatever reason, as their own personal fanfic of the world and original stories. But to publish them without proper links, without addressing previous issues, and with lacklustre editing, feels like I wasted my money.
When it comes to these characters, I'll be re-reading the ORIGINAL book, not this one.
While the cover is pretty, I just feel frustrated that a collection of stories I loved have been toyed with and changed in a way that doesn't make them better, but which ruins the good memories the originals gave me. As for the new stories, they're not good enough to bring me back to re-read them, and I wish more time and effort had been spent on fleshing out the stories rather than adding disjointed extras.
May 1, 2015
3.5 stars
This is one anthology that definitely works for me.
Then again what could go wrong with love between lordlings and their peerage in Regency era? Not for me at least!
My favorite here is Scandalous, not to say I like the others any less though! :)
This is one anthology that definitely works for me.
Then again what could go wrong with love between lordlings and their peerage in Regency era? Not for me at least!
My favorite here is Scandalous, not to say I like the others any less though! :)
April 20, 2019
I enjoyed the stories in this one, even if they were a bit short. There are definitely some forever favourites in this collection. But while I can ignore a few SPaG errors here and there, this book contained far too many of them so I've dropped my rating to 3 stars as opposed to 4.
June 1, 2023
This is a pretty good collection of interlinked or 'same universe' m/m fantasy romance stories. I didn't care for a couple of them, but most are satisfying in various ways, and easy to fit into bits of reading time.
October 3, 2019
This was comfy and nice and I really liked it. I liked the changes done to the free reads, and the new ones are great! I love Lessons and Scandalous. The premise is basically all these idiots getting mistaken/confused/DECEIVED ahaha get it it's the title about their crush's feelings, it's great I love it.
I wish there could've been more, after reading other books with more content at lesser price I think the author might be overpricing these but idk if she has power over that or not. But it's nothing outrageous at any rate.
I'm just padding this review bc I'm tired I'll prolly come back to it later to add to it
Edit Oct. 2nd 2019 ALRIGHT I am back to add to this. First, Deceived. I liked the changes done to the free read, and how we get a bit more at the end, and just more in general. I love Rae and Benedict, I can never get enough of these hateful lovers couples and the world was neatly done, I liked the costumes and scents and all the stuff. The way Benedict gets a hold of Hunter's identity is a bit strange, but it works.
I have one issue that is UNFORGIVABLE and it's the names. Everyone but Rae, Benedict and I think his brother have single letters for names, like "Lady K" and "Lord F". I understand how that happens in a first draft, you don't want to be thinking of names for characters who don't even appear, but we're past that phase! How hard is it to look up names that begin by K or F???
Next is Scandalous! I thought that one was very fluffy. I like Tem and Gideon and the whole little plot, Pierce is great and I like their romance. I wish we had more of Tem and his brother, but otherwise it was very fine.
From Afar was nice, I actually like it more on re-reads because of the unrequited love spilling aspectI love unrequited love I think I like Cressida but I also don't, it's weird. The pacing and little plot was very nice and the climax was adorable. Pierce was nice and I like how we see past and future characters from other stories, it's a nice touch that makes the world feel connected.
Lessons! I love that one. Unrequited love all the way. I really liked Jude and Crispin was very cute. I wish we had more hints about Crispin's crush? From what Bart says at the end I mean. The unrequited love was spilling from my kindle it was great.
Seconds is a softer one, def more comfy than the others. The romance is nice but I would've liked to see that thundercloud action Otis talked about. I'm also disappointed we don't see Otis and Henry's problems get resolved later :(
Runaways was great! It's the longest and I really enjoyed it. It was sad and cute and warm, we saw more of the world and past characters, it was a nice coming-together. The romance was very sweet, I love Jewell and Allison's chemistry and their characters.
Overall I liked this! Def get it if you want some tasty unrequited love
I wish there could've been more, after reading other books with more content at lesser price I think the author might be overpricing these but idk if she has power over that or not. But it's nothing outrageous at any rate.
I'm just padding this review bc I'm tired I'll prolly come back to it later to add to it
Edit Oct. 2nd 2019 ALRIGHT I am back to add to this. First, Deceived. I liked the changes done to the free read, and how we get a bit more at the end, and just more in general. I love Rae and Benedict, I can never get enough of these hateful lovers couples and the world was neatly done, I liked the costumes and scents and all the stuff. The way Benedict gets a hold of Hunter's identity is a bit strange, but it works.
I have one issue that is UNFORGIVABLE and it's the names. Everyone but Rae, Benedict and I think his brother have single letters for names, like "Lady K" and "Lord F". I understand how that happens in a first draft, you don't want to be thinking of names for characters who don't even appear, but we're past that phase! How hard is it to look up names that begin by K or F???
Next is Scandalous! I thought that one was very fluffy. I like Tem and Gideon and the whole little plot, Pierce is great and I like their romance. I wish we had more of Tem and his brother, but otherwise it was very fine.
From Afar was nice, I actually like it more on re-reads because of the unrequited love spilling aspect
Lessons! I love that one. Unrequited love all the way. I really liked Jude and Crispin was very cute. I wish we had more hints about Crispin's crush? From what Bart says at the end I mean. The unrequited love was spilling from my kindle it was great.
Seconds is a softer one, def more comfy than the others. The romance is nice but I would've liked to see that thundercloud action Otis talked about. I'm also disappointed we don't see Otis and Henry's problems get resolved later :(
Runaways was great! It's the longest and I really enjoyed it. It was sad and cute and warm, we saw more of the world and past characters, it was a nice coming-together. The romance was very sweet, I love Jewell and Allison's chemistry and their characters.
Overall I liked this! Def get it if you want some tasty unrequited love
September 9, 2012
I'm not sure whether to consider this historical fiction or fantasy. It was a delightful mix of both, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
I loved getting to have the Regency-esque setting, while at the same time getting to read about these men having what felt like true HEAs because they didn't have to hide their relationships from anyone.
I think my favorite story in the set was "Deceived," the first story--likely because of the fairy tale quality brought in with the three days of the masque and the secretary getting the prince. I just adored both Rae and Benedict, and I found myself wishing their story would continue rather than starting a new story.
I also very much enjoyed the last and longest story, "Highwayman," but had a harder time getting into that one. I found myself getting frustrated about half way through that we were just encountering more and more mysteries without any being solved--or even finding any clues about any of them. I loved how it all worked out, though, and decided that the end more than made up for the confusing and frustrating middle.
The rest of the stories were also fun, and I did like that the characters overlapped among all the stories.
I loved getting to have the Regency-esque setting, while at the same time getting to read about these men having what felt like true HEAs because they didn't have to hide their relationships from anyone.
I think my favorite story in the set was "Deceived," the first story--likely because of the fairy tale quality brought in with the three days of the masque and the secretary getting the prince. I just adored both Rae and Benedict, and I found myself wishing their story would continue rather than starting a new story.
I also very much enjoyed the last and longest story, "Highwayman," but had a harder time getting into that one. I found myself getting frustrated about half way through that we were just encountering more and more mysteries without any being solved--or even finding any clues about any of them. I loved how it all worked out, though, and decided that the end more than made up for the confusing and frustrating middle.
The rest of the stories were also fun, and I did like that the characters overlapped among all the stories.
October 30, 2011
3.5 stars A luscious collection of stories set in Megan Derr's historical fantasy world where m/m relationships are accepted and honor and
'derring-do'
are the order of the day. My favourite is the last and longest, 'The Highwayman' which includes smugglers, a not-so-bad highwayman and two friends who discover almost too late what they mean to each other.
Although MD writes very sexy stories they vary in how much 'on-page' sex is written. This collection ranges the full gamut from kissing/embracing to one brief sex scene.
Although MD writes very sexy stories they vary in how much 'on-page' sex is written. This collection ranges the full gamut from kissing/embracing to one brief sex scene.
January 18, 2020
New edition of Regency by Megan Derr. The stories in both anthologies are the same.
Deceived - 5 stars
Scandalous - 4.75 stars
From Afar - 4.75 stars
Lessons - This one is fabulous! A story of a rake, who bored with life decides to amuse himself by teaching a young man the art of seduction. A must read! 5+
The Highwayman - 5 stars
Overall rating - 5 stars
Read twice so far. Will read this anthology again.
Highly recommended.
Deceived - 5 stars
Scandalous - 4.75 stars
From Afar - 4.75 stars
Lessons - This one is fabulous! A story of a rake, who bored with life decides to amuse himself by teaching a young man the art of seduction. A must read! 5+
The Highwayman - 5 stars
Overall rating - 5 stars
Read twice so far. Will read this anthology again.
Highly recommended.
May 4, 2024
I really liked all the stories!
I love Megan Derr's writing so I have no complains there for how the love stories between all the couples unfolded. Really if there was a bit more angst would have been all the better but my thirst for Victorian MM Romances was sated.
The reason I'm lowering the previous rating I had (4 stars) to 3 stars is, that for how many times these stories have been edited and republished the staggering number of editing errors was off putting.
I love Megan Derr's writing so I have no complains there for how the love stories between all the couples unfolded. Really if there was a bit more angst would have been all the better but my thirst for Victorian MM Romances was sated.
The reason I'm lowering the previous rating I had (4 stars) to 3 stars is, that for how many times these stories have been edited and republished the staggering number of editing errors was off putting.
February 6, 2024
Lots of shorter novellas (I think like six?) These are set in a Regency-esque setting where same-sex relationships are fine, no one bats an eye. They are all interconnected, and I just had a fun time with them. There are a bunch of little short stories about some of the couples in the back of the book, as well, which was fun and very fanfic-cy.
January 11, 2012
A 3-4 read. Really enjoyed the way that each of the stories were linked in this anthology, although there were a couple which seemed to have some similarities to them. My faves were Deceived and The Highwayman.
January 11, 2012
4.25 stars :) loved all the stories! SWORDS :)
July 10, 2020
It's so rare when you come across an anthology of stories where EVERY story is an equal weighted 5*.
I think it's only ever happened once before, for me.
Now, I know these stories have been slightly adapted and re-released, with new covers etc, but I didn't know that when I bought the paperback a few months ago. I was right in the middle of a binge of Megan Derr works, and needed to top-up my basket on Amazon to get free delivery (it's much better to pay it for a book, than for delivery) and this gem popped up in my price range. It was Megan Derr, and it was the right price, so it was mine!
It was fate.
I loved EVERY. SINGLE. STORY. Every word. Every page. Every character.
1. Deceived
My, the snark in this story was just sublime! So much UST. So much of everything I love about Megan Derr's fantasy works. Benedict and Rae were an ideal match, and I loved them both utterly and completely from start to finish.
The teasing, the chemistry, how they resolved the deception. Perfection.
2. Scandalous
First off, I was thrilled that all the stories would be linked by the same world and with character cross-overs. That just made it 10x better, for me.
Pierce was adorable, and I fell in love with him entirely. Tem and Gideon were shudderingly perfect together. The fencing was...
3. From Afar
Ugh, as if Pierce wasn't adorable enough in Scandalous, he actually got his own story? Shut. TF. Up! The whole secret love letters was beautiful. Cressida was an evil bitch at the end, but it was just as well or there might never have been any resolution whatsoever. The romance was exactly the right balance for Pierce. Silver was such a lovely character!
4. Lessons
I absolutely LOVED Crispin and his innocent naivety, his bravery. From head to toe, he was wonderful. And Jude was a loveable rogue. The perfect balance of romantic and seductive. The lessons were so well done, never overdone or silly.
5. The Highwayman
The longest story of the bunch, with a nicely twisty plot, it was everything I could have wanted for the gruff and loveable Bart. Perry was intriguing and wonderful, alternately sad and sexy. Perhaps my favourite story of the bunch, because it was so extensively explored, meaning we got to get much more deeply attached to the characters and their story.
I absolutely positively adored the extra bonus short for Thaddeus and Alfred. It wouldn't have been the same without it.
I think it's only ever happened once before, for me.
Now, I know these stories have been slightly adapted and re-released, with new covers etc, but I didn't know that when I bought the paperback a few months ago. I was right in the middle of a binge of Megan Derr works, and needed to top-up my basket on Amazon to get free delivery (it's much better to pay it for a book, than for delivery) and this gem popped up in my price range. It was Megan Derr, and it was the right price, so it was mine!
It was fate.
I loved EVERY. SINGLE. STORY. Every word. Every page. Every character.
1. Deceived
My, the snark in this story was just sublime! So much UST. So much of everything I love about Megan Derr's fantasy works. Benedict and Rae were an ideal match, and I loved them both utterly and completely from start to finish.
The teasing, the chemistry, how they resolved the deception. Perfection.
2. Scandalous
First off, I was thrilled that all the stories would be linked by the same world and with character cross-overs. That just made it 10x better, for me.
Pierce was adorable, and I fell in love with him entirely. Tem and Gideon were shudderingly perfect together. The fencing was...
3. From Afar
Ugh, as if Pierce wasn't adorable enough in Scandalous, he actually got his own story? Shut. TF. Up! The whole secret love letters was beautiful. Cressida was an evil bitch at the end, but it was just as well or there might never have been any resolution whatsoever. The romance was exactly the right balance for Pierce. Silver was such a lovely character!
4. Lessons
I absolutely LOVED Crispin and his innocent naivety, his bravery. From head to toe, he was wonderful. And Jude was a loveable rogue. The perfect balance of romantic and seductive. The lessons were so well done, never overdone or silly.
5. The Highwayman
The longest story of the bunch, with a nicely twisty plot, it was everything I could have wanted for the gruff and loveable Bart. Perry was intriguing and wonderful, alternately sad and sexy. Perhaps my favourite story of the bunch, because it was so extensively explored, meaning we got to get much more deeply attached to the characters and their story.
I absolutely positively adored the extra bonus short for Thaddeus and Alfred. It wouldn't have been the same without it.
December 18, 2020
Oh gosh, I don't know where to begin. I fell into this gay fairytale pit a while ago and here we are, still in the pit, still having a grand ol' time. And also, still not sure how to rate these books.
In one sense, I feel like giving this book 3 stars because some of the stories weren't terribly original and felt repetitive. On other hand, I enjoyed reading this quite a bit and was pleasantly surprised by all the sexy material that was left out of some of Megan Derr's earlier retellings. I also loved how the stories were all interconnected. It could be confusing at times (especially if you don't remember all of the character names), but mostly it was fun to see characters from other stories end up in stories of their own.
In terms of my favorite short stories (though some are really close to novella length), I think "Deceived" has got to be up there. I loved getting to know Rae and Benedict and was intrigued at the "seduction gone wrong" aspect of their story. It was a fun spin on the masquerade balls so common in fairy tale. I also loved "Scandalous" and "From Afar."
Honestly, they were all quite enjoyable. I just wish the author would take some of the longer stories and really expand and develop them into longer stories. The character development and worldbuilding that is sacrificed due to the brevity of the stories would really be able to thrive in a longer novel.
Regardless, I'm off to read more gay fairy tales because that's where I'm at in my life now. BYE.
In one sense, I feel like giving this book 3 stars because some of the stories weren't terribly original and felt repetitive. On other hand, I enjoyed reading this quite a bit and was pleasantly surprised by all the sexy material that was left out of some of Megan Derr's earlier retellings. I also loved how the stories were all interconnected. It could be confusing at times (especially if you don't remember all of the character names), but mostly it was fun to see characters from other stories end up in stories of their own.
In terms of my favorite short stories (though some are really close to novella length), I think "Deceived" has got to be up there. I loved getting to know Rae and Benedict and was intrigued at the "seduction gone wrong" aspect of their story. It was a fun spin on the masquerade balls so common in fairy tale. I also loved "Scandalous" and "From Afar."
Honestly, they were all quite enjoyable. I just wish the author would take some of the longer stories and really expand and develop them into longer stories. The character development and worldbuilding that is sacrificed due to the brevity of the stories would really be able to thrive in a longer novel.
Regardless, I'm off to read more gay fairy tales because that's where I'm at in my life now. BYE.
March 4, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book. Some stories are quite good and touched me nicely, while some are really boring. 3 stars solely for Deceived, as it is supposed to be the center of the whole book.
Deceived
My favorite is by far this one, for I'm always a sucker when it comes to sad disguise as someone slutty or mean while the person is actually fragile.
Scandalous
A bit plain and no surprise at all.
From Afar
This one, as Deceived, also comes with a character with drastic contrast, and somehow it feels uncannily like Japanese manga. The emotional tension isn't as dramatic as Deceived, but this is still my type of story.
Lessons
A bit boring to me. I'm not very into the type of story about an experience lover falling into his student/lover.
The Highwayman
Also boring and predictable. And I do not think the post office owner's son would be so observant that he noticed the details in the interaction of the couple of Deceived.
Extra
My least favorite. I feel I'm supposed to like them as they're the extension of the couple in Deceived, but all the scene feel very deliberate and I can't feel anything from them.
Deceived
My favorite is by far this one, for I'm always a sucker when it comes to sad disguise as someone slutty or mean while the person is actually fragile.
Scandalous
A bit plain and no surprise at all.
From Afar
This one, as Deceived, also comes with a character with drastic contrast, and somehow it feels uncannily like Japanese manga. The emotional tension isn't as dramatic as Deceived, but this is still my type of story.
Lessons
A bit boring to me. I'm not very into the type of story about an experience lover falling into his student/lover.
The Highwayman
Also boring and predictable. And I do not think the post office owner's son would be so observant that he noticed the details in the interaction of the couple of Deceived.
Extra
My least favorite. I feel I'm supposed to like them as they're the extension of the couple in Deceived, but all the scene feel very deliberate and I can't feel anything from them.
April 17, 2021
Sometimes it's difficult to keep track which stories are in which anthologies or solo versions.
Deceived, Scandalous, From Afar, Lessons and The Wager I've read in Regency three times already.
Seconds, 0h 35min, 3.5 stars - A nice short story about risking love again. Though I am confused why in this anthology the story is printed before The Wager, that is chronologically incorrect and would have confused me.
Runaways, 1h 22min, 3.5 stars - I loved reading about the hardships of Benedict and Rae and how happy they are decades later. Though this love story read a bit more immature, both young men not even being of age yet and full of youthfull energy, it was still sweet and I liked it.
Bits & Pieces, 0h 40min, 3.5+ stars - A nice addition to the main stories, little sensual tidbits of daily life.
Deceived, Scandalous, From Afar, Lessons and The Wager I've read in Regency three times already.
Seconds, 0h 35min, 3.5 stars - A nice short story about risking love again. Though I am confused why in this anthology the story is printed before The Wager, that is chronologically incorrect and would have confused me.
Runaways, 1h 22min, 3.5 stars - I loved reading about the hardships of Benedict and Rae and how happy they are decades later. Though this love story read a bit more immature, both young men not even being of age yet and full of youthfull energy, it was still sweet and I liked it.
Bits & Pieces, 0h 40min, 3.5+ stars - A nice addition to the main stories, little sensual tidbits of daily life.
October 4, 2017
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review
Rating 5 stars out of 5
For the full review visit http://wp.me/p220KL-bKZ
From that review: "Here are my thoughts on each.
Deceived – This is a enemies to lovers story between Prince Benedict and his secretary Rae. Each day is spend trying to force the other to quit/fire him based on the false assumptions each has allowed to accumulate over the years about the other. Until an upcoming masked ball changes everything. With the ability to hide behind gorgeous masks, their true personalities draw the men together. That and their shared love of fragrances. This is a wonderful story and a sensual one as well. I love the element of perfumes woven throughout. 5 stars...."
For all our review, author interviews and such visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
Rating 5 stars out of 5
For the full review visit http://wp.me/p220KL-bKZ
From that review: "Here are my thoughts on each.
Deceived – This is a enemies to lovers story between Prince Benedict and his secretary Rae. Each day is spend trying to force the other to quit/fire him based on the false assumptions each has allowed to accumulate over the years about the other. Until an upcoming masked ball changes everything. With the ability to hide behind gorgeous masks, their true personalities draw the men together. That and their shared love of fragrances. This is a wonderful story and a sensual one as well. I love the element of perfumes woven throughout. 5 stars...."
For all our review, author interviews and such visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
October 14, 2018
I can't even begin to tell you just how much I enjoyed this. Sweet, charming tales of princes, lords and love. I guess my favorite one was the Cinderella-like story of Rae and Benedict. The temper Rae has! Other then him, I fell in love with his exact opposite, that hopeless romantic Silver St. Rose. I totally recommend to read one of the additional shorties set in 'Deceived' universe on Megan's page - the letter from the 'Star'! Well, actually read all of them :D they're worth it.
July 27, 2017
Fantastic! Several tales of different men who each find love and happiness in the most unexpected places. From enemies that have been at each others throats to drifted apart childhood friends, each story is unique and brings together people who have been deceived in way one or another. Absolutely lovely, though The Highwayman was likely my favourite!
November 11, 2017
Wow - this was a lovely anthology! Each story is great (some are 6 stars, some are 4 stars) and they are loosely connected in that they all take place in the same kingdom and the MCs all know each other, though not necessarily each other's love interest. I loved each and every character and the deceptions were mostly well-wrought. More please!!!
November 25, 2020
These were lovely little pieces - loosely connected in that they all take place in the same realm and people appear (or are mentioned) across stories, but they are standalones nevertheless. (The book comes full circle in the end, when we meet the first couple again - 23 years later.) Megan Derr sure knows how to entertain ❤
March 30, 2019
All of the stories in this collection were quite sweet. I liked how they were connected, especially the first one and the last one, and the little snippets (or bits and pieces) at the end of the book were also quite lovely. I will say that the copyediting/proofreading was not the greatest.
May 14, 2017
Deceived - 5 stars
Scandalous - 5 stars
From Afar - 4 stars
Lessons - 4 stars
The Highwayman - 5 stars
Scandalous - 5 stars
From Afar - 4 stars
Lessons - 4 stars
The Highwayman - 5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews