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Treaty Brides #1
Boi Bride
Being a bride is a state of mind, not of body.
The Kingdom of Moorcondia and the Marshlands have been warring for years. Now a treaty has been negotiated, but it needs to be sealed by a marriage between the ruling families. But the bride has bolted, leaving her brother, Taryn, to fill the role. There is nothing in the law of either country that says a bride has to be female.
Forced to dress in his sister’s gown and marry Soren, Taryn faces his fate with anger, resolve and frightening anticipation. While the Moorcondians are flexible in their sexuality, the Marshers are more prudish, plus Taryn has learned the hard lesson that an attraction to men is unnatural and wrong. His desire for Soren frightens him.
As a prince, Soren knows his duty and executes it without hesitation. As a widower, he looks forward to a new marriage, and his unexpected bride is very fetching. If only he can convince Taryn to put aside his fears and accept the pleasures of the marriage bed.
Taryn struggles to fill the role of a wife in the royal family, even as everyone else tries to adjust to the notion of a male bride. As the days pass, Soren comes to appreciate his bride more, and Taryn tries embrace his new role with enthusiasm instead of resignation. But politics is a treacherous place to navigate, putting their blossoming love in jeopardy.
Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of dubious consent, homophobia and attempted suicide.
The Kingdom of Moorcondia and the Marshlands have been warring for years. Now a treaty has been negotiated, but it needs to be sealed by a marriage between the ruling families. But the bride has bolted, leaving her brother, Taryn, to fill the role. There is nothing in the law of either country that says a bride has to be female.
Forced to dress in his sister’s gown and marry Soren, Taryn faces his fate with anger, resolve and frightening anticipation. While the Moorcondians are flexible in their sexuality, the Marshers are more prudish, plus Taryn has learned the hard lesson that an attraction to men is unnatural and wrong. His desire for Soren frightens him.
As a prince, Soren knows his duty and executes it without hesitation. As a widower, he looks forward to a new marriage, and his unexpected bride is very fetching. If only he can convince Taryn to put aside his fears and accept the pleasures of the marriage bed.
Taryn struggles to fill the role of a wife in the royal family, even as everyone else tries to adjust to the notion of a male bride. As the days pass, Soren comes to appreciate his bride more, and Taryn tries embrace his new role with enthusiasm instead of resignation. But politics is a treacherous place to navigate, putting their blossoming love in jeopardy.
Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of dubious consent, homophobia and attempted suicide.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2022
67 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Cayto
103 books263 followersSamantha Cayto is a Boston-area native who practices as a business lawyer by day while writing erotic romance at night—the steamier the better. She likes to push the envelope when it comes to writing about passion and is delighted other women agree that guy-on-guy sex is the hottest ever.
She lives a typical suburban life with her husband, three kids and four dogs. Her children don’t understand why they can’t read what she writes, but her husband is always willing to lend her a hand—and anything else—when she needs to choreograph a scene.
She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the New England Chapter and credits RWA, NEC and the wonderful friends she’s made there with helping her become a published author.
She lives a typical suburban life with her husband, three kids and four dogs. Her children don’t understand why they can’t read what she writes, but her husband is always willing to lend her a hand—and anything else—when she needs to choreograph a scene.
She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the New England Chapter and credits RWA, NEC and the wonderful friends she’s made there with helping her become a published author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 15, 2024
Ehhh.. it might be me not the book. I’m not really a fan of omegaverse books and this one specifically was a bit ..meh. The premises were interesting - I love arranged marriages, widowers and ugly ducklings themes so it should have worked but ..nah. It didn’t have any depth or a plot for that matter..
May 9, 2022
one of my worst reads for sure. years 2022 and boring and anticlimactic stories like this are still getting published. went to the table and served absolutely nothing.
November 20, 2024
OK this book surprised me. I had read the bad reviews and didn't hold out much hope for it but I was surprised at how well this story kept my attention the whole way through.
I'm probably going to get chewed out for saying this but for those screaming "we don't condon r@p€" for the time and place setting of this story and what happened was not considered r@p€. In modern real world yes it would be. But historically speaking this is what happened and it was the "norm". Thankfully times have changed for the vast majority since but taking modern ideals and laws and trying to compare them to an essentially historical type setting is not going to work.
I'm probably going to get chewed out for saying this but for those screaming "we don't condon r@p€" for the time and place setting of this story and what happened was not considered r@p€. In modern real world yes it would be. But historically speaking this is what happened and it was the "norm". Thankfully times have changed for the vast majority since but taking modern ideals and laws and trying to compare them to an essentially historical type setting is not going to work.
July 21, 2022
Nope. We do not condone rape in this house.
November 26, 2022
Too much rape
Likes:
The prince eventually starts emotionally respecting his spouse.
- Plus one star
**mild spoilers **
Dislikes:
-The Prince prefers to be a rapist rather than a liar and isn’t smart enough to figure out that a man can provide evidence of intimacy without raping someone. Rape is immoral and not fun to read about.
Also, the prince almost “feels” like a rapist later, when his spouse is unwilling to seek release during intimacy. Since he is a rapist, perhaps that should have been acknowledged. Providing the victim with intimate release during the assault doesn’t change the fact that it’s rape. Additionally, providing pain as well as forced intimacy makes it assault and rape. Being confused about why the assaulted rape victim doesn’t feel safe with the aggressive spouse really undermines the prince’s intelligence as well as his integrity. An intellectually disabled rapist with no moral character just isn’t a very convincing romantic lead.
-Minus one star
-The prince isn’t smart enough to figure out that forced intimacy that is about controlling someone, even if the desire is to keep them safe, is still rape. Rape is about power not love. Rape is about controlling another person and that doesn’t keep them safe. Overwhelming someone’s coping skills and making them feel helpless is a precursor setting them up to develop PTSD. The prince keeps talking about love coming from forced intimacy and he clearly doesn’t know what love is. The fruit of the Holy Spirit of the God of “love,” is “self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). The prince may force a chemical connection through the human bonding hormones released during intimacy, but unless both partners retain their self-control, that isn’t love. Obviously, rape is not okay and it’s a lie to say rape is the way to achieve love.
- Minus one star
- Forced oral intimacy is rape. Prince seems to think both that the physical arousal of his treaty spouse means his coercive intimacy isn’t rape and that his own adrenaline, which results in physiological evidence of arousal without him actually being aroused means his spouse should not be frightened. The hypocrisy is blatant. 1. Physical arousal is not consent. 2. If the Prince can be aroused physically without desiring intimacy, why isn’t it obvious to him that the same applies to his spouse?
-Minus one star
-Normalizing pain during intimacy because the assault victim suddenly has so much “passion” that it overcomes the fear of pain even after the assaulting rapist finally figures out causing pain is wrong, is cliché, trite, and creepy. Many romance authors include this trope and it’s not enjoyable to read. Normalizing violence during intimacy is an unhealthy message and it’s also unrealistic.
- Minus one star
Other comments:
-Misgendering the treaty spouse hero against his will until past 40% of the book. Why is this necessary?
- Cross-dressing the hero against his will the majority of the book. Why?
- Falling in love doesn’t suddenly make someone okay with voyeurism. Why is that randomly thrown into the plot in one conversation in the HEA?
I do not recommend this book because rape isn’t romantic, it’s never honestly dealt with, and intimate assault combined with gaslighting wasn’t enjoyable to read about.
Likes:
The prince eventually starts emotionally respecting his spouse.
- Plus one star
**mild spoilers **
Dislikes:
-The Prince prefers to be a rapist rather than a liar and isn’t smart enough to figure out that a man can provide evidence of intimacy without raping someone. Rape is immoral and not fun to read about.
Also, the prince almost “feels” like a rapist later, when his spouse is unwilling to seek release during intimacy. Since he is a rapist, perhaps that should have been acknowledged. Providing the victim with intimate release during the assault doesn’t change the fact that it’s rape. Additionally, providing pain as well as forced intimacy makes it assault and rape. Being confused about why the assaulted rape victim doesn’t feel safe with the aggressive spouse really undermines the prince’s intelligence as well as his integrity. An intellectually disabled rapist with no moral character just isn’t a very convincing romantic lead.
-Minus one star
-The prince isn’t smart enough to figure out that forced intimacy that is about controlling someone, even if the desire is to keep them safe, is still rape. Rape is about power not love. Rape is about controlling another person and that doesn’t keep them safe. Overwhelming someone’s coping skills and making them feel helpless is a precursor setting them up to develop PTSD. The prince keeps talking about love coming from forced intimacy and he clearly doesn’t know what love is. The fruit of the Holy Spirit of the God of “love,” is “self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). The prince may force a chemical connection through the human bonding hormones released during intimacy, but unless both partners retain their self-control, that isn’t love. Obviously, rape is not okay and it’s a lie to say rape is the way to achieve love.
- Minus one star
- Forced oral intimacy is rape. Prince seems to think both that the physical arousal of his treaty spouse means his coercive intimacy isn’t rape and that his own adrenaline, which results in physiological evidence of arousal without him actually being aroused means his spouse should not be frightened. The hypocrisy is blatant. 1. Physical arousal is not consent. 2. If the Prince can be aroused physically without desiring intimacy, why isn’t it obvious to him that the same applies to his spouse?
-Minus one star
-Normalizing pain during intimacy because the assault victim suddenly has so much “passion” that it overcomes the fear of pain even after the assaulting rapist finally figures out causing pain is wrong, is cliché, trite, and creepy. Many romance authors include this trope and it’s not enjoyable to read. Normalizing violence during intimacy is an unhealthy message and it’s also unrealistic.
- Minus one star
Other comments:
-Misgendering the treaty spouse hero against his will until past 40% of the book. Why is this necessary?
- Cross-dressing the hero against his will the majority of the book. Why?
- Falling in love doesn’t suddenly make someone okay with voyeurism. Why is that randomly thrown into the plot in one conversation in the HEA?
I do not recommend this book because rape isn’t romantic, it’s never honestly dealt with, and intimate assault combined with gaslighting wasn’t enjoyable to read about.
May 4, 2022
I’m almost surprised by how decent this book is. Like, the title and cover suggest a ridiculous bodice-ripper of a romance, and surely there are elements of that.
But in practice, there are a bunch of pieces in these men’s relationship that turn it from “oh, look, there’s a dude who gets to be duke’s treaty bride” to, “huh, making this work is complicated, but I can believe they might fall for each other.” There’s also a ton of gender-bending forced by the fact that the bride is a man, particularly around costuming, and even a bit of pronoun uncertainty that reads as believable.
I don’t love the dubcon elements in the first few chapters (it’s not surprising that the manly duke forces himself on his chaste new boy-wife, but it’s still unappealing), but there is an affection that’s not completely silly. In the end, yes, it’s a book full of tropes. But the delightful side characters, obvious affection, and pretty hot smut do make up for the tropes. Mostly.
But in practice, there are a bunch of pieces in these men’s relationship that turn it from “oh, look, there’s a dude who gets to be duke’s treaty bride” to, “huh, making this work is complicated, but I can believe they might fall for each other.” There’s also a ton of gender-bending forced by the fact that the bride is a man, particularly around costuming, and even a bit of pronoun uncertainty that reads as believable.
I don’t love the dubcon elements in the first few chapters (it’s not surprising that the manly duke forces himself on his chaste new boy-wife, but it’s still unappealing), but there is an affection that’s not completely silly. In the end, yes, it’s a book full of tropes. But the delightful side characters, obvious affection, and pretty hot smut do make up for the tropes. Mostly.
October 1, 2022
I was a bit skeptical about this book based on some reviews I've read.
Hmm.. Yeah, I kinda disagree with some of them.
Is it rape? Nope! It's about a historical themed novel with an arranged marriage. First sexual encounter isn't the happiest, that's for sure, but considering the time period it was a normal act. The marriage had to be consumed to be valid and it was not brutal forced.
Moving on.. The book itself could have been MF. But all in all it worked for me.
There is gender-fluidity/non-binary theme also.
What made my head hurt-a man called 'wife' even if he identified himself a a man and nothing else. Made no sense to me but hey, the author wrote the book as they felt.
Good read for a lazy afternoon.
Hmm.. Yeah, I kinda disagree with some of them.
Is it rape? Nope! It's about a historical themed novel with an arranged marriage. First sexual encounter isn't the happiest, that's for sure, but considering the time period it was a normal act. The marriage had to be consumed to be valid and it was not brutal forced.
Moving on.. The book itself could have been MF. But all in all it worked for me.
There is gender-fluidity/non-binary theme also.
What made my head hurt-a man called 'wife' even if he identified himself a a man and nothing else. Made no sense to me but hey, the author wrote the book as they felt.
Good read for a lazy afternoon.
January 15, 2024
Terrible title (why it's spelt 'boi' is unclear and not referenced in the text).
There are two very non-consensual sex acts between the two MCs towards the beginning that felt icky and I wanted Taryn to find love with someone other than his husband Soren.
Overall it's a little boring. I may be interested in reading the next book in the series to see of there's improvements.
There are two very non-consensual sex acts between the two MCs towards the beginning that felt icky and I wanted Taryn to find love with someone other than his husband Soren.
Overall it's a little boring. I may be interested in reading the next book in the series to see of there's improvements.
March 25, 2023
Glad I didn’t judge a book by its cover…and title!
I had very low expectations going in, but I love a good arranged marriage trope. This book wasn’t refined, had some confusing language choices, and was a bit rushed at times, but it was an overall enjoyable read. This book would be a good palate cleanser between angsty stories or just a light read when you don’t want to think. It was fun to see all of the gender bending going on, but it also somehow felt like it was lacking something, which is kind of my overarching opinion on this book really.
I will say that the initial scene between the two MCs was noncon and it just didn’t fit the overall tone of the book. It wasn’t necessary and was rather off putting. I almost DNF’d at that point, but my expectations were already low so I didn’t. There was more noncon/dubcon after, but that actually made sense.
I had very low expectations going in, but I love a good arranged marriage trope. This book wasn’t refined, had some confusing language choices, and was a bit rushed at times, but it was an overall enjoyable read. This book would be a good palate cleanser between angsty stories or just a light read when you don’t want to think. It was fun to see all of the gender bending going on, but it also somehow felt like it was lacking something, which is kind of my overarching opinion on this book really.
I will say that the initial scene between the two MCs was noncon and it just didn’t fit the overall tone of the book. It wasn’t necessary and was rather off putting. I almost DNF’d at that point, but my expectations were already low so I didn’t. There was more noncon/dubcon after, but that actually made sense.
May 7, 2022
I just couldn't put Boi Bride down! This has to be the best of the best enemies to lovers, arranged/forced marriage with age gap I've ever read. Oh did I mention perfect angst between Soren and Taryn as well! I love these two. They're currently my favorite couple and is amongst my all-time favorite couples of all time.
December 25, 2022
Boi Bride
By Samantha Cayto
When Taryn's sister runs away and enters a monastery to avoid marrying a prince to solidify a treaty with their enemy, he is chosen by his hateful father to take her place as the prince's bride. When Soren's brother commands him to marry an enemy's daughter to bring about a truce between them, he's surprised to find out that instead of a woman, he'll be marrying a young man. Man or woman makes no difference to Soren. He will do as his king commands.
Except for Soren's behavior in the beginning, I did like how their relationship grew. However, I felt the part of whether Taryn was to be treated and referred to as a man or woman was unresolved and, as a result, left this big unanswered question in my head throughout the book. I loved how he was dressed by Kexen, though.
Triggers:
By Samantha Cayto
When Taryn's sister runs away and enters a monastery to avoid marrying a prince to solidify a treaty with their enemy, he is chosen by his hateful father to take her place as the prince's bride. When Soren's brother commands him to marry an enemy's daughter to bring about a truce between them, he's surprised to find out that instead of a woman, he'll be marrying a young man. Man or woman makes no difference to Soren. He will do as his king commands.
Except for Soren's behavior in the beginning, I did like how their relationship grew. However, I felt the part of whether Taryn was to be treated and referred to as a man or woman was unresolved and, as a result, left this big unanswered question in my head throughout the book. I loved how he was dressed by Kexen, though.
Triggers:
March 31, 2023
This was an entertaining read. I wish that Taryn had warmed up more slowly. I wish they had more on-page time together where they weren’t mainly fucking. I thought Lady Balter was going to serve some purpose, so was disappointed that little plot nugget went nowhere.
Taryn was only ever referred to as a “boy bride”, “boi” never once being used in the book aside dem the title, so I’m a little curious why the author didn’t either use “boi bride” as a term in the book, or call the book “Boy Bride”. And there were a few noticeable typos, like “idyll nobles”… idle or idyllic, maybe?
Taryn was only ever referred to as a “boy bride”, “boi” never once being used in the book aside dem the title, so I’m a little curious why the author didn’t either use “boi bride” as a term in the book, or call the book “Boy Bride”. And there were a few noticeable typos, like “idyll nobles”… idle or idyllic, maybe?
March 29, 2025
2022 = 3.5 stars / review written
2025 = DNF. I read & skimmed the first half, but wasn't engaged in the story like I was back in 2022. It takes Taryn until the halfway point to overcome his upbringing, and accept that he's married to a man who he has sexual desires for. There's barely any action, angst or tension. It's not what I'm currently looking for, but I'd still recommend it to those who want an easy-breezy read that's slow & sweet, and a little sexy.
2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣ 🇷🇪🇻🇮🇪🇼
🏰 𝙈𝙈 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 🏰
Taryn (18), a Marsher
🇦🇳🇩
Prince Soren (35), of the The Kingdom of Moorcondia
🇬🇪🇹 💍 🇲🇦🇷🇷🇮🇪🇩.
Taryn grew up believing that relationships between men weren't normal, which made it difficult for him to accept Soren as his husband. However, Soren's patience and kindness helps Taryn to accept his feelings and Soren's touch. Over time, their bond deepens, and their marriage blossoms into a loving union that defies Taryn's early beliefs.
It has some of my favorite tropes:
🟆 size difference
🟆 age difference
🟆 strict top/bottom
🟆 a virgin hero
🟆 alpha male / fem male who cries, gets cuddles, and swoons
And a kink that I found to be quite 🔥:
Taryn is Soren's "woman." He's referred to by several female titles: bride, wife, duchess, sister-in-law and princess.
▪️ Taryn supposed he really needed to get used to being referred to as a woman. They weren't going to change generations of tradition simply to placate his sensibilities. Besides, there was nothing demeaning meant by it. He was Soren’s wife, so it followed that he would be given the courtesy titles that went with that position.
▪️ ...Taryn was physically akin to a pubescent Moorcondian boy. He supposed he should find it embarrassing, and he might grow a bit more in the next few years, but he was never going to be tall or large. Maybe that was for the best and a design of the gods, given that he was now living the life of a royal woman.
At the start of the marriage, Soren wore dresses.
For a moment, Soren was distracted by how fetching the boy looked in the soft blue gown bordered with intricate flowers along the bodice, cuffs and hem.
Later, he wears a mix of male and female attire.
🔥 So wrong, but so sexy.
▪️ And there was no denying that Soren did love sucking his bride’s dick.
▪️ When he'd deemed himself under control, he'd disengaged his cock from his wife's ass and carried the boy into the bathing chambers.
This is a straightforward story with minimal depth or detail. However, I still enjoyed it. The first half was better, focusing on Taryn adjusting to his new role and his husband's affection. By the end, it became too sweet, which is common in this genre.
There are only two action scenes, and both are resolved quickly without any tension. I was hoping for more, especially in the final battle, where Taryn's father reneges on the treaty and tries to attack the Moorcondian army. Unfortunately, we miss the entire confrontation and only see the aftermath.
The plot could have greatly improved with an extra 100 pages to flesh out the story. Luckily, I was in the mood for something simple, or I might have found more to complain about.
The sex scenes start out fairly steamy, but sadly, they dwindle out altogether as the story progresses. (Another reason why I liked the first half better.)
The ending was satisfactory. There's a brief epilogue to show that the MCs did indeed get to live -
❤️ ✨ ᕼᗩᑭᑭIᒪY EᐯEᖇ ᗩᖴTEᖇ ✨ ❤️
🤕 A Minor Complaint: Sex with mere spit and no lube is not sexy! Unless Taryn is an omega and self-lubricates, I don't want to hear about him getting it dry.
The side character, Kexen, was one of my favorites. He's a MC in the next book. Unlike Taryn, he actually likes to wear dresses! I will be reading book 2 soon.
2025 = DNF. I read & skimmed the first half, but wasn't engaged in the story like I was back in 2022. It takes Taryn until the halfway point to overcome his upbringing, and accept that he's married to a man who he has sexual desires for. There's barely any action, angst or tension. It's not what I'm currently looking for, but I'd still recommend it to those who want an easy-breezy read that's slow & sweet, and a little sexy.
2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣ 🇷🇪🇻🇮🇪🇼
🏰 𝙈𝙈 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 🏰
Taryn (18), a Marsher
🇦🇳🇩
Prince Soren (35), of the The Kingdom of Moorcondia
🇬🇪🇹 💍 🇲🇦🇷🇷🇮🇪🇩.
Taryn grew up believing that relationships between men weren't normal, which made it difficult for him to accept Soren as his husband. However, Soren's patience and kindness helps Taryn to accept his feelings and Soren's touch. Over time, their bond deepens, and their marriage blossoms into a loving union that defies Taryn's early beliefs.
It has some of my favorite tropes:
🟆 size difference
🟆 age difference
🟆 strict top/bottom
🟆 a virgin hero
🟆 alpha male / fem male who cries, gets cuddles, and swoons
And a kink that I found to be quite 🔥:
Taryn is Soren's "woman." He's referred to by several female titles: bride, wife, duchess, sister-in-law and princess.
▪️ Taryn supposed he really needed to get used to being referred to as a woman. They weren't going to change generations of tradition simply to placate his sensibilities. Besides, there was nothing demeaning meant by it. He was Soren’s wife, so it followed that he would be given the courtesy titles that went with that position.
▪️ ...Taryn was physically akin to a pubescent Moorcondian boy. He supposed he should find it embarrassing, and he might grow a bit more in the next few years, but he was never going to be tall or large. Maybe that was for the best and a design of the gods, given that he was now living the life of a royal woman.
At the start of the marriage, Soren wore dresses.
For a moment, Soren was distracted by how fetching the boy looked in the soft blue gown bordered with intricate flowers along the bodice, cuffs and hem.
Later, he wears a mix of male and female attire.
🔥 So wrong, but so sexy.
▪️ And there was no denying that Soren did love sucking his bride’s dick.
▪️ When he'd deemed himself under control, he'd disengaged his cock from his wife's ass and carried the boy into the bathing chambers.
This is a straightforward story with minimal depth or detail. However, I still enjoyed it. The first half was better, focusing on Taryn adjusting to his new role and his husband's affection. By the end, it became too sweet, which is common in this genre.
There are only two action scenes, and both are resolved quickly without any tension. I was hoping for more, especially in the final battle, where Taryn's father reneges on the treaty and tries to attack the Moorcondian army. Unfortunately, we miss the entire confrontation and only see the aftermath.
The plot could have greatly improved with an extra 100 pages to flesh out the story. Luckily, I was in the mood for something simple, or I might have found more to complain about.
The sex scenes start out fairly steamy, but sadly, they dwindle out altogether as the story progresses. (Another reason why I liked the first half better.)
The ending was satisfactory. There's a brief epilogue to show that the MCs did indeed get to live -
❤️ ✨ ᕼᗩᑭᑭIᒪY EᐯEᖇ ᗩᖴTEᖇ ✨ ❤️
🤕 A Minor Complaint: Sex with mere spit and no lube is not sexy! Unless Taryn is an omega and self-lubricates, I don't want to hear about him getting it dry.
The side character, Kexen, was one of my favorites. He's a MC in the next book. Unlike Taryn, he actually likes to wear dresses! I will be reading book 2 soon.
December 20, 2022
I could overlook the wedding night but the repeated daily assaults on the road that are excused as somehow permissible because the rapist only expects to be orally serviced because a) he offers to return the favor b) he won't break his honor by going outside his marriage vows to someone actually consenting and finally c) it was in the best interest of his repressed wive who really wanted it as evidenced by his arousal. Ugh so gross. How is this shit still be written in 2022.
I really thought with the stupid title this was going to be light hearted good fun but it was awful rage inducing bullshit.
I really thought with the stupid title this was going to be light hearted good fun but it was awful rage inducing bullshit.
May 29, 2023
I almost did not pick this book because of the title - I do not read many hetero romances for my own reasons, but since I have found I like this author, I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did. For one thing, it is not a hetero romance - it is definitely m/m. It did send me off on another series binge - The Treaty Brides - which I found to be thought-provoking. A full review is given on the posting of the final book.
Overall, Well-developed characters, an extremely well-developed world with linked, but separate, stories, and each individual story with enough twists to make it interesting.
Overall, Well-developed characters, an extremely well-developed world with linked, but separate, stories, and each individual story with enough twists to make it interesting.
July 3, 2022
I like Samantha, so I’m biased. I also read the bad reviews before reading this book, so I’m prejudiced. Bottom line is: I liked this book, it didn’t blow my mind and it sure as hell wouldn’t leave a lasting impression, but honestly very little books do. And I’m not complaining because usually the books that stay with me are the books that hurt me. And who wants that? Not me (sometimes me). Anyway, I recommend it, but don’t expect to be moved all that much. A fun read is all.
June 21, 2022
Samantha Cayto definitely knows how to write, but this book was WAY too short. The story was almost ludicrously rushed and the last 20 pages read more like a summary than an actual story. What happened? Why so truncated?
Also, there were numerous grammatical errors.
Anyhow, this wasn't as good as her stuff usually is.
Also, there were numerous grammatical errors.
Anyhow, this wasn't as good as her stuff usually is.
October 14, 2022
If you pretend the rapist fuckery of the first few pages/chapters (been too long, I don't remember exactly) belongs to a separate book then the rest of the story isn't too bad. But first you have to make it through some seriously (at least for me) rage inducing shit at the beginning. And it wasn't something that needed to happen for the story to work, so that makes it doubly rage inducing.
May 8, 2022
Classic historical romance
Like many readers, I grew up reading tons of MF historical romances and this story was exactly the same kind of book. It was nostalgic and fun to see the reluctant MC find his way as he marries into royalty.
Like many readers, I grew up reading tons of MF historical romances and this story was exactly the same kind of book. It was nostalgic and fun to see the reluctant MC find his way as he marries into royalty.
January 12, 2024
So good!
This story was perfect! I loved it all, the characters, the descriptions, finally a story that had everything I was looking for. Absolutely love Soren and Taryn. Very sweet story, lower angst, but just enough! Great smutty scenes.
This story was perfect! I loved it all, the characters, the descriptions, finally a story that had everything I was looking for. Absolutely love Soren and Taryn. Very sweet story, lower angst, but just enough! Great smutty scenes.
May 6, 2022
The relationship was bland. The sex was just meh. Soren was caring. Taryn was a limp noodle
May 6, 2022
Reviewed for Love Bytes – 3.5 hearts
Part of an ungenerous brutal family, Taryn’s brother, Hobart, offers him in place of their sister to ‘seal the deal’ with their enemies. Despite no love lost between their family, Taryn is both scared and angry at his forced marriage. He also fights his attraction to Soren, which he has been raised to believe is wrong.
Boi Bride is the first book in the Treaty Brides series, and each looks to have a featured couple take up the journey to their happy ever after. The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Taryn and Soren. Technically, it is on the money. Worldbuilding has the right balance of picture building without overdoing the detail.
The blurb attracted me to this book, but upon reading it was different from what I expected – which can often be a good thing. Taryn has been brought up in the world of the prudish Marshers – effectively a homophobic race. Therefore, despite Taryn’s inner feelings, a lifetime of teaching takes a while to be undone and come to the understanding that being bi-gender is nothing to be feared. I found this aspect of the story lovely and interesting.
The opening chapters make for (rightly so) uncomfortable reading while Taryn is subjected to the expectations of a new marriage. This story is sexually based, and Soren is just about anyone’s wet dream of a man. Yes, I get that the hefty proportion of men are sexual beings. But, upon reaching 30%, where hardly a page was without sex or the mention of it, my interest in the story waned and continued that trend.
Yes, sex sells, and in this story, the bedroom encounters measure how their marriage is progressing - from treaty to love. To this end, I have no doubt plenty of people will enjoy the drama. But my personal reading tastes prefer less sex and more story or at least more events between the sex – hence the rating. Nevertheless, I adored some areas and would love to have read more of the elements that were skimmed over in favor of another tryst in the sack. These included palace hierarchy (bitches and all), family encounters, and territorial conflicts. Towards the end, I felt cheated of some drama - I was tormented by the opening scenes of an episode and then denied the event in favor of skipping to the result.
Boi Bride is different, I like different, and I wanted to like this book more. The overall effect of Soren and Taryn’s journey was good, but the events the author chose to highlight left me bereft.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
Part of an ungenerous brutal family, Taryn’s brother, Hobart, offers him in place of their sister to ‘seal the deal’ with their enemies. Despite no love lost between their family, Taryn is both scared and angry at his forced marriage. He also fights his attraction to Soren, which he has been raised to believe is wrong.
Boi Bride is the first book in the Treaty Brides series, and each looks to have a featured couple take up the journey to their happy ever after. The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Taryn and Soren. Technically, it is on the money. Worldbuilding has the right balance of picture building without overdoing the detail.
The blurb attracted me to this book, but upon reading it was different from what I expected – which can often be a good thing. Taryn has been brought up in the world of the prudish Marshers – effectively a homophobic race. Therefore, despite Taryn’s inner feelings, a lifetime of teaching takes a while to be undone and come to the understanding that being bi-gender is nothing to be feared. I found this aspect of the story lovely and interesting.
The opening chapters make for (rightly so) uncomfortable reading while Taryn is subjected to the expectations of a new marriage. This story is sexually based, and Soren is just about anyone’s wet dream of a man. Yes, I get that the hefty proportion of men are sexual beings. But, upon reaching 30%, where hardly a page was without sex or the mention of it, my interest in the story waned and continued that trend.
Yes, sex sells, and in this story, the bedroom encounters measure how their marriage is progressing - from treaty to love. To this end, I have no doubt plenty of people will enjoy the drama. But my personal reading tastes prefer less sex and more story or at least more events between the sex – hence the rating. Nevertheless, I adored some areas and would love to have read more of the elements that were skimmed over in favor of another tryst in the sack. These included palace hierarchy (bitches and all), family encounters, and territorial conflicts. Towards the end, I felt cheated of some drama - I was tormented by the opening scenes of an episode and then denied the event in favor of skipping to the result.
Boi Bride is different, I like different, and I wanted to like this book more. The overall effect of Soren and Taryn’s journey was good, but the events the author chose to highlight left me bereft.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
September 10, 2025
3.5 - liked it
This book follows Prince Soren of the Moorcondians. He is marrying one of the Marshers in an attempt to broker a peace treaty with the chieftain there by marrying the chieftain's daughter.
Except...the chieftain's daughter has taken her vows to become a nun. The only replacement to keep the treaty going is the chieftain's youngest son, Taryn.
And so Taryn becomes the duchess, though it's a bit awkward for everyone. They don't know what pronouns to use, how to dress him, etc. The Marshers are a very homophobic society, so Taryn has always been told his own feelings towards men are unnatural and wrong. The Moorcondians are significantly more understanding when it comes to homosexuality, so though Soren and his people weren't predicting a male bride for their prince, they aren't necessarily opposed to it, either.
I liked this book. I liked Taryn's struggle to go from completely repressing himself and being wholly opposed to the marriage to being quite happy in it. I liked that though there was some plot conflict in the book outside Taryn and Soren's relationship, their relationship was the bulk of the book. I liked them working through it.
I think my only real issue with the book was the insistence on gendered terms, but the wrong ones. They insisted on calling Taryn a male bride; couldn't he have been a groom? They insisted on calling Taryn a duchess; why couldn't he have also been a Duke alongside his husband? They insisted on calling Taryn Soren's wife; why couldn't they have called him his husband, spouse, or partner? Why the insistence on calling him female gendered terms just because his position was supposed to be a female?
Overall, would recommend for people who like arranged marriages, gay marriages, noncon/dubcon, and slow persuasion from dislike to loving.
This book follows Prince Soren of the Moorcondians. He is marrying one of the Marshers in an attempt to broker a peace treaty with the chieftain there by marrying the chieftain's daughter.
Except...the chieftain's daughter has taken her vows to become a nun. The only replacement to keep the treaty going is the chieftain's youngest son, Taryn.
And so Taryn becomes the duchess, though it's a bit awkward for everyone. They don't know what pronouns to use, how to dress him, etc. The Marshers are a very homophobic society, so Taryn has always been told his own feelings towards men are unnatural and wrong. The Moorcondians are significantly more understanding when it comes to homosexuality, so though Soren and his people weren't predicting a male bride for their prince, they aren't necessarily opposed to it, either.
I liked this book. I liked Taryn's struggle to go from completely repressing himself and being wholly opposed to the marriage to being quite happy in it. I liked that though there was some plot conflict in the book outside Taryn and Soren's relationship, their relationship was the bulk of the book. I liked them working through it.
I think my only real issue with the book was the insistence on gendered terms, but the wrong ones. They insisted on calling Taryn a male bride; couldn't he have been a groom? They insisted on calling Taryn a duchess; why couldn't he have also been a Duke alongside his husband? They insisted on calling Taryn Soren's wife; why couldn't they have called him his husband, spouse, or partner? Why the insistence on calling him female gendered terms just because his position was supposed to be a female?
Overall, would recommend for people who like arranged marriages, gay marriages, noncon/dubcon, and slow persuasion from dislike to loving.
February 4, 2023
Much better than the terrible title and cover would indicate. Definitely enjoyed it even if a few things made me cringe. - 3*
Soren is the king's brother and he has travelled to a neighbouring country in order to secure a treaty by marrying the daughter of the leader. He is a widower, bisexual, and a warrior. I guess that is supposed to be him on the cover but it didn't seem to fit.
Taryn is the petite younger brother to the aforementioned daughter who ends up taking her place at the last minute much to his horror. He is reviled by his father and brother for being petite and not masculine enough in their puny minds. He has no sexual or romantic interest in women but he has internalised his family belief that his interest in men is wrong.
Neither country has a law against same sex marriage but its the first one either country knows of. Soren's court has no language to deal with it so they use feminine titles for Taryn (Duchess, Princess, Wife). But Soren's youngest daughter, who wanted a new mother, quickly decides Taryn is an additional father. I thought it was so fitting for a child to not be at all stymied but the situation. Soren also arranges for a young servant, Kexen, who is "not not a woman" to become Taryn's dresser. Kexen dresses Taryn in clothing with both feminine and masculine traits, as well as guiding him through court life, and presumably making Taryn more comfortable with accepting himself.
I liked the touches of each man learning about the other. This is always my favourite aprt of marriage of convenience. So despite some clunkiness I went on to read Kexen's story right after.
Soren is the king's brother and he has travelled to a neighbouring country in order to secure a treaty by marrying the daughter of the leader. He is a widower, bisexual, and a warrior. I guess that is supposed to be him on the cover but it didn't seem to fit.
Taryn is the petite younger brother to the aforementioned daughter who ends up taking her place at the last minute much to his horror. He is reviled by his father and brother for being petite and not masculine enough in their puny minds. He has no sexual or romantic interest in women but he has internalised his family belief that his interest in men is wrong.
Neither country has a law against same sex marriage but its the first one either country knows of. Soren's court has no language to deal with it so they use feminine titles for Taryn (Duchess, Princess, Wife). But Soren's youngest daughter, who wanted a new mother, quickly decides Taryn is an additional father. I thought it was so fitting for a child to not be at all stymied but the situation. Soren also arranges for a young servant, Kexen, who is "not not a woman" to become Taryn's dresser. Kexen dresses Taryn in clothing with both feminine and masculine traits, as well as guiding him through court life, and presumably making Taryn more comfortable with accepting himself.
I liked the touches of each man learning about the other. This is always my favourite aprt of marriage of convenience. So despite some clunkiness I went on to read Kexen's story right after.
January 14, 2025
The Kingdom of Moorcondia is a strange world in which same-sex relationships are commonplace, but they seem to get thrown by the idea of two husbands marrying. So, one of the men must be considered the "bride" and take on a more feminine role in the relationship, finding a place somewhere between male and female.
Prince Soren has come to the Marshlands to collect his bride to cement a treaty between the two countries. When the bride has run off to a convent, her brother, Taryn, is given in her place. He's rather reluctant because he's heard bad things about the Moorcondians all his life. He's also been programmed that same sex relationships are taboo, although he's always had those inclinations. He is much smaller than Soren and inexperienced. There is also an 18 year age gap.
The story stays interesting although it skirts forced feminization a little. Taryn seems to actually move toward enjoying the dual-gender dress, activities, and a great, new life. He learns that Soren is a widower still grieving his deceased wife. This story has danger, court intrigue, a gentle relationship arc, passion, and a hard-won love.
Prince Soren has come to the Marshlands to collect his bride to cement a treaty between the two countries. When the bride has run off to a convent, her brother, Taryn, is given in her place. He's rather reluctant because he's heard bad things about the Moorcondians all his life. He's also been programmed that same sex relationships are taboo, although he's always had those inclinations. He is much smaller than Soren and inexperienced. There is also an 18 year age gap.
The story stays interesting although it skirts forced feminization a little. Taryn seems to actually move toward enjoying the dual-gender dress, activities, and a great, new life. He learns that Soren is a widower still grieving his deceased wife. This story has danger, court intrigue, a gentle relationship arc, passion, and a hard-won love.
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March 21, 2025DNF at 94% on 8th Nov, 2024.
If i tell you that i'm so disappointed in this particular book by Samantha (after loving her Rogue pack series) then it would be an understatement. It had the usual abused omega, it even had nc which i have no problem with. No. But by the end, i just didn't care so i just stopped reading, and even now, i don't think i ever want to go back to complete it.
The characters were ok ig, there's political intrigue, there's om drama from the king, he also has kids but i knew that going in, and didn't mind it.
The problem was me reading about an mc who's completely mute during sex and i can't stand such sex scenes or characters to stay silent. i need the emotions, the reactions in order to connect with the characters in their intimate moment. It never happened. i don't care if this was nc or not. Which, is so disappointing bcuz everything was perfect in the Rogue Pack series.
The 3rd book in this series looks promising, so maybe i'll give it a try but not right now. Stuff like this makes me weary to try even the tried and tested authors, because this doesn't feel like a Samantha Cayto book at all.
If i tell you that i'm so disappointed in this particular book by Samantha (after loving her Rogue pack series) then it would be an understatement. It had the usual abused omega, it even had nc which i have no problem with. No. But by the end, i just didn't care so i just stopped reading, and even now, i don't think i ever want to go back to complete it.
The characters were ok ig, there's political intrigue, there's om drama from the king, he also has kids but i knew that going in, and didn't mind it.
The problem was me reading about an mc who's completely mute during sex and i can't stand such sex scenes or characters to stay silent. i need the emotions, the reactions in order to connect with the characters in their intimate moment. It never happened. i don't care if this was nc or not. Which, is so disappointing bcuz everything was perfect in the Rogue Pack series.
The 3rd book in this series looks promising, so maybe i'll give it a try but not right now. Stuff like this makes me weary to try even the tried and tested authors, because this doesn't feel like a Samantha Cayto book at all.
November 1, 2023
As funny as this book might seem, I really liked it. It was an enjoyable easy read, and I specifically chose it for this reason, after A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, which became my fave btw, and even compared to that, it earns a solid 4 stars.
My only problem was that I would have needed bigger/deeper conflicts, but all is well.
I merely wanted a quick read of gay arranged marriage and I liked what I got.
I'd just like to note that anyone writing bad reviews about it because of the dubious consent scenes is probably overreacting a bit. It doesn't glorify rape, in my opinion, and as a reader, everyone should be able to place a story in the right context.
My only problem was that I would have needed bigger/deeper conflicts, but all is well.
I merely wanted a quick read of gay arranged marriage and I liked what I got.
I'd just like to note that anyone writing bad reviews about it because of the dubious consent scenes is probably overreacting a bit. It doesn't glorify rape, in my opinion, and as a reader, everyone should be able to place a story in the right context.
March 13, 2024
3.5⭐️
I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. I knew I would like it as it is the trope I have a particular fondness for, but I liked it more than I would've thought. It was different to what I expected. Though part of this world accepted queer relationships, a man being a wife or bride was something different for everyone. How this was tackled by the boy bride, the groom and the nation he married into was done pretty well. And the way Soren and Taryn's relationship developed was great to watch. I think I will be reading the next in the series and if I am not wrong the next book is Kexen's and I am looking forward to it.
I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. I knew I would like it as it is the trope I have a particular fondness for, but I liked it more than I would've thought. It was different to what I expected. Though part of this world accepted queer relationships, a man being a wife or bride was something different for everyone. How this was tackled by the boy bride, the groom and the nation he married into was done pretty well. And the way Soren and Taryn's relationship developed was great to watch. I think I will be reading the next in the series and if I am not wrong the next book is Kexen's and I am looking forward to it.
December 23, 2022
Novella that does not appear on Bookbub. Interesting world building in a secondary world with entirely made up royal families/histories/nations but no magic--the place was very reminiscent of France before the revolution with a great deal of tech and decadence. The author did an interesting job skirting around and addressing women's rights and places in a contrived hierarchy and how someone might dance between those gender lines. Very unique take on a marriage of convenience trope. Consent was a little dicey at times, but the characters also worked on their communication.
April 22, 2023
I shouldn't have even hesitated to read this at first. It's Samantha Cayto. I love everything she does. Fantastic book. I couldn't put it down. Is there some dub-con in it? Yes. But I enjoyed the story and the progression of Soren and Taryn's relationship. The interesting intersection of gender and role in society was done very well, and I loved Kexen. The way he was able to integrate Taryn as duchess while giving him more masculine versions of feminine clothing, putting him that delicate balance was brilliant. I look forward to his book!
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