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Nancy M. Griffis

Författare till Mind Games

7 verk 26 medlemmar 9 recensioner

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Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/

I was totally surprised by this wonderful short story and the remarkable amount of world building Ms. Griffis could pack into thirty pages. Set during the reign of Queen Victoria but in a reality ripe with magic and gay marriages, Gerald Smithson is a master leather worker. He lives with his wily old grandfather that loves Gerald but wants in the worst way to marry him off. The problem is that Gerald doesn't want to get married so immerses himself in his work. Leo is a mage of the highest ranking and a protector of the royal family. Leo enters Gerald's shop one day and is immediately told to leave as Gerald does not work for mages. Leo is in need of Gerald's craftsmanship and a battle of wills begins between the two men. I found the characters of Gerald, Leo and the elder Mr. Smithson to be well developed and extremely charming. The story line itself was fun and I was sucked in from page one by Ms Griffis' writing style. The actual courtship between Leo and Gerald was left up to me to imagine for the most part as the story's length did not permit much. The HEA ending was icing on the cake of this short masterpiece. This story is too good to pass up and I would definitely buy a further story about Gerald and Leo.… (mer)
 
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Connorz | 2 andra recensioner | Jan 4, 2023 |
This is such a great story! The contrast between the bleak beginning, reflecting the reality of a military spouse's life while the 'other half' is gone, and the joyous reunion was really well done. The fact that the setting is 2035 added an interesting bit of a glimpse into the future, but it wasn't overpowering.

Ryan, from whose point of view the story is told, is an artist and a very sensitive soul. This shows up both in the way he thinks and how he reacts to people and situations. His loneliness and suffering in the first half of the story are palpable. His family is a total hoot and I loved reading about their crazy dinner. Daniel is a great guy, solid and real and he truly rocks Ryan's world. I'd love to see more of him. In fact, I'd love to read a sequel to this short 'introduction', since I am sure there is much more to tell about these guys. Actually, while I'm at it, a prequel would be really nice as well.

If you like stories with lots of emotion, lovely details and a touch of the futuristic, I am sure you will love this one as much as I did.



NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review.
… (mer)
 
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SerenaYates | Oct 19, 2017 |
The courtship in this short story isn't the only thing that is 'most unusual', since the author has developed an alternate reality/world here with some interesting differences to reality as we know it. Some are rather obvious (there is magic in this world), some more subtle, like the fact that same-sex couples and marriage are considered normal (which is nicely explained). The setting is the London of Queen Victoria and her surviving children (after Prince Albert's death).

Gerald is a very talented leather worker, if somewhat quirky. He refuses to work with mages, which leads to all kinds of interesting twists as the story develops. His reactions to suddenly being pursued by one are funny, but he is willing to learn and adapt and was less 'blinded' by his prejudice than I first feared.

Leo is a mage of the very highest caliber and desperately needs Gerald to work with him on a project of 'royal importance'. Once they meet, he is also desperate for more than a temporary working relationship, hence, the courtship that follows.

If you like stories that are funny with humor coming from unexpected angles, if you enjoy reading about two men working through their differences, and if a bit of magic is the spice of life for you, then you may like this short book.



NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review.
… (mer)
 
Flaggad
SerenaYates | 2 andra recensioner | Oct 19, 2017 |
'By the Book' is a good title for this story for many reasons. Books are what Roman makes a living from, mainly the antique kind. Books are what bring the two together when Kyle needs an expert opinion on a case. And, finally, Kyle (being a detective)does most things by the book - quite literally. I had to laugh when they were making out in the car and Kyle pulled back, saying he might have to arrest himself for indecent exposure if they didn't stop.

For such a relatively short story, there was enough background and history for me to understand who Roman and Kyle are. I loved how Roman was easygoing enough to accept Kyle's crazy work hours, and how Kyle was the perfect gentleman on dates.

If you like stories with a gentle tone of voice, two great guys who discover they fit far better than either would have ever suspected, and if you're looking for a quick, sweet read, then you will probably like this short story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review.
… (mer)
 
Flaggad
SerenaYates | 1 annan recension | Oct 19, 2017 |

Statistik

Verk
7
Medlemmar
26
Popularitet
#495,361
Betyg
½ 3.6
Recensioner
9
ISBN
5