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Gay Ever After #4
Magic & Mirrors
When King Lucius is imprisoned in a magic mirror by an evil wizard, he is forced to watch as his life is destroyed and his kingdom brought to the brink of ruin. Trapped in his own reflection, he only has the freedom to move and talk when the wizard sleeps.
With his subjects under the dark spell of the wizard, Lucius is forced to rely on the most unlikely of heroes if he hopes to get his life back.
Harry comes from a long line of assassins and prides himself on being one of the best in the kingdom, but when he is hired to kill King Lucius he discovers that all is not as it seems in the Kingdom of Cinders.
Harry agrees to help Lucius in return for a full pardon for his crimes, but to complete his quest he may have to give up everything, including his freedom and the king he has come to love.
With his subjects under the dark spell of the wizard, Lucius is forced to rely on the most unlikely of heroes if he hopes to get his life back.
Harry comes from a long line of assassins and prides himself on being one of the best in the kingdom, but when he is hired to kill King Lucius he discovers that all is not as it seems in the Kingdom of Cinders.
Harry agrees to help Lucius in return for a full pardon for his crimes, but to complete his quest he may have to give up everything, including his freedom and the king he has come to love.
- GenresM M RomanceLGBTFantasy
91 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2019
About the author
L.M. Brown
65 books77 followersI live in England, in a quaint little village that time doesn't seem to have touched. No, wait a minute- that's the retirement biography. Right now I am in England in a medium sized town that no one has ever heard of, so I won't bore you with the details. Keeping me company are numerous sexy men. I just wish that they weren't all inside my head.
Please note, L.M. Brown is no longer active on Goodreads. Although she does occasionally check in to comment on another's blog the visits are few and far between.
Please note, L.M. Brown is no longer active on Goodreads. Although she does occasionally check in to comment on another's blog the visits are few and far between.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 7, 2019
Not as good as the rest
This was the least convincing fairy tale in the series, feeling very full of gaps and holes in the story that brings the two men together. King Lucius has been trapped in a mirror by a wizard, though we never really learn why or how. In fact it isn't even really clear what the wizard is doing. While he isn't a great king, people just seem disappointed by the actions rather than them being truly bad, so it seems odd. When Harry is sent to assassinate Lucius he is caught easily by mirror Lucius which seems odd for a professional assassin, especially when later it is pointed out that he has good enough skills to get them through the other trials in the book. As the two men travel together is doesn't really feel like they build a connection and certainly not one strong enough to decide to give up everything for each other. It was simply hard to really feel they were a good match which makes the rest of the story hard to buy.
This was the least convincing fairy tale in the series, feeling very full of gaps and holes in the story that brings the two men together. King Lucius has been trapped in a mirror by a wizard, though we never really learn why or how. In fact it isn't even really clear what the wizard is doing. While he isn't a great king, people just seem disappointed by the actions rather than them being truly bad, so it seems odd. When Harry is sent to assassinate Lucius he is caught easily by mirror Lucius which seems odd for a professional assassin, especially when later it is pointed out that he has good enough skills to get them through the other trials in the book. As the two men travel together is doesn't really feel like they build a connection and certainly not one strong enough to decide to give up everything for each other. It was simply hard to really feel they were a good match which makes the rest of the story hard to buy.
January 19, 2020
On paper they are villain's, but in reality they are each other's support. But they have a slow burn connection that cannot be ignored. I loved the romance between them and how they will give each other to keep the other safe. I was glad to see Harry risked his life for Lucius and that Luc tries to help Harry in return. I am glad to see a cameo from a certain couple from book 1.
November 14, 2019
Enjoyable
There were magic mirrors galore in this tale of an imprisoned king and his would be assassin. A great addition to the series.
There were magic mirrors galore in this tale of an imprisoned king and his would be assassin. A great addition to the series.
July 14, 2023
1.5⭐️
“Magic & Mirrors” has an interesting premise, and Harry’s intro makes him seem like a cool protag to follow. Alas, the best part of the story is before the MCs meet. Harry is hired to kill Lucius, and clearly, he's as talented as he claims (or security that abysmal) bc he sneaks into Lucius’ chamber with nary a problem and is able to have a long chat before an alarm is raised. Harry is convinced to help Lucius break his curse, and armed with Lucius’ personal mirror and his ability to appear in mirrored surfaces, they escape.
Unfortunately for such a great setup, the story is pretty boring (except for the ending being silly enough to regain my attention). There’s no real action, and the characters aren’t interesting. The MCs don’t do much on-page relationship building, and the thing they talk about the most is Lucius pardoning Harry for his murdery ways. Basically, Harry’s personality of “proud assassin from a long lineage” gets poofed away to turn him into a malleable doll whose life as an assassin “feels like a dream”.
Their absent chemistry and bonding are also magically papered over. Lucius is a Cinders— a family who falls in love at first sight. Presumably, even when Harry is getting ready to stab Lucius’ sleeping body, Lucius is like “wow, get it baby”. The plot is a series of steps that didn’t engage me enough to make up for the lackluster MCs. They go to a neighboring kingdom to get their instructions -> head off to a mystical island -> defeat the evil wizard. But before they do, they declare their love in front of said evil wizard and take so long he has time to make a potion!
As eye-rolling as this is, they then decide that the best way to ensure a dangerous relic doesn’t fall into someone’s hands is for Lucius to abdicate and he and Harry stay in the castle? To put the mirror back into the dungeon where anyone can sneak into it. . . like Harry did? Although Lucius was devastated to be “forced to watch. . . his kingdom brought to the brink of ruin”, I guess helping his subjects and providing for their safety and security no longer matters?
Somehow in a world of magic and manacles, “all” the ways to hide the mirror won’t work long term. Yet, their plan is still a kick the can down the road solution. Adopting and tasking each generation with keeping it safe is the only way this resolution is remotely more sensible. However, it hinges on no subsequent generations having assholes, opportunists, curious wannabe wizards, or simply a child that doesn’t want to be caged to an island for the rest of their life. Had this book not been so meh, this lazy ending probably wouldn't have riled me up so and been given more slack.
“Magic & Mirrors” has an interesting premise, and Harry’s intro makes him seem like a cool protag to follow. Alas, the best part of the story is before the MCs meet. Harry is hired to kill Lucius, and clearly, he's as talented as he claims (or security that abysmal) bc he sneaks into Lucius’ chamber with nary a problem and is able to have a long chat before an alarm is raised. Harry is convinced to help Lucius break his curse, and armed with Lucius’ personal mirror and his ability to appear in mirrored surfaces, they escape.
Unfortunately for such a great setup, the story is pretty boring (except for the ending being silly enough to regain my attention). There’s no real action, and the characters aren’t interesting. The MCs don’t do much on-page relationship building, and the thing they talk about the most is Lucius pardoning Harry for his murdery ways. Basically, Harry’s personality of “proud assassin from a long lineage” gets poofed away to turn him into a malleable doll whose life as an assassin “feels like a dream”.
Their absent chemistry and bonding are also magically papered over. Lucius is a Cinders— a family who falls in love at first sight. Presumably, even when Harry is getting ready to stab Lucius’ sleeping body, Lucius is like “wow, get it baby”. The plot is a series of steps that didn’t engage me enough to make up for the lackluster MCs. They go to a neighboring kingdom to get their instructions -> head off to a mystical island -> defeat the evil wizard. But before they do, they declare their love in front of said evil wizard and take so long he has time to make a potion!
As eye-rolling as this is, they then decide that the best way to ensure a dangerous relic doesn’t fall into someone’s hands is for Lucius to abdicate and he and Harry stay in the castle? To put the mirror back into the dungeon where anyone can sneak into it. . . like Harry did? Although Lucius was devastated to be “forced to watch. . . his kingdom brought to the brink of ruin”, I guess helping his subjects and providing for their safety and security no longer matters?
Somehow in a world of magic and manacles, “all” the ways to hide the mirror won’t work long term. Yet, their plan is still a kick the can down the road solution. Adopting and tasking each generation with keeping it safe is the only way this resolution is remotely more sensible. However, it hinges on no subsequent generations having assholes, opportunists, curious wannabe wizards, or simply a child that doesn’t want to be caged to an island for the rest of their life. Had this book not been so meh, this lazy ending probably wouldn't have riled me up so and been given more slack.
November 11, 2019
Love this series.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews