Eldritch Legacy 2: Lessons Learned by Katrina Strauss (M/F)
I am about to spice your m/m soup with some excellent m/f - m/f/f/m. Yes, I did it again! ;-)
Camille Rocheford is a talented writer, one of precious few female writers of her time published under her own name. Together with her best friend Nicolette, Camille spends a summer at Eventide, a country manor known for the debauchery surrounding its current owner, infamous poet Stefan Eldritch. Before long, demure Camille is seduced by the decadent pleasures of Stefan's world and the powerful magic he carries within. Sizzling chemistry and a shared love for the written word lead Stefan and Camille to become friends, lovers and collaborators. Inspired by their shared views regarding politics and the injustices perpetrated against the common people by the current emperor, Stefan and Camille begin writing seditious pamphlets and publishing them under a pseudonym. Outside the comforting walls of Eventide the head of the Eldritch clan is seeking favor with the emperor in a quest to place an Eldritch woman at the emperor's side and have the Eldritch name in the ruling house again, even if it means trampling one of their own.
I confess. I was addicted to historical category romance novels when I was a teen and the Regency period was my favorite. I loved those books, but they always left me wanting more, so much so that eventually I stopped reading them. Now, decades later, I picked up Katrina's Lessons Learned and found a Regency style romance that delivers everything I love about the period together with the kind of spicy, dark, explicit, genre crossing edge I always wanted, but never got . Yeah!
I was impressed by the writing and the way in which the author adapted her style to fit this story. This is one of Ms. Strauss' biggest strengths and a key element in creating the right "feel" for the book. The reader is placed in the right period and the right frame of mind from page one.
The characters are fabulous. It is apparent from reading the story that these are cherished characters. At times, I could almost hear the author clicking her tongue (or was that me...), particularly at Stefan, with a mixture of love and annoyance. Very appropriate since Stefan is like a wayward child in some ways. In fact, Stefan Eldritch is full of contradictions. He is disreputable but honorable, spoiled yet adaptable, incredibly powerful but with the soul of a lover. He is precious!
The plot is good and keeps the story moving at a nice pace. However, the enjoyment is not in unexpected plot twists or shocking discoveries. Instead the beauty of the story is in the masterful blend of Regency period sensibility with strong paranormal elements, executed in a way that keeps the perfect degree of tension flowing from the first page through the last. Even as the author pleasures the senses with idyllic descriptions, a thread of tension thrums underneath reinforcing the feeling that everything is not what it seems. Throughout the story, well placed details foreshadow future events. I love it!
Lesson's Learned is a unique story perfect for those of us who prefer our romance dark and spicy. A nice treat bound to bring excitement to the most boring of days!
Buy Eldritch Legacy 2: Lessons Learned here.
Let's not miss the opportunity to take a look at the gorgeous cover by Anne Cain. Yum!
Other books in the series:
Eldritch Legacy 1: Secrets Revealed
Camille Rocheford is a talented writer, one of precious few female writers of her time published under her own name. Together with her best friend Nicolette, Camille spends a summer at Eventide, a country manor known for the debauchery surrounding its current owner, infamous poet Stefan Eldritch. Before long, demure Camille is seduced by the decadent pleasures of Stefan's world and the powerful magic he carries within. Sizzling chemistry and a shared love for the written word lead Stefan and Camille to become friends, lovers and collaborators. Inspired by their shared views regarding politics and the injustices perpetrated against the common people by the current emperor, Stefan and Camille begin writing seditious pamphlets and publishing them under a pseudonym. Outside the comforting walls of Eventide the head of the Eldritch clan is seeking favor with the emperor in a quest to place an Eldritch woman at the emperor's side and have the Eldritch name in the ruling house again, even if it means trampling one of their own.
I confess. I was addicted to historical category romance novels when I was a teen and the Regency period was my favorite. I loved those books, but they always left me wanting more, so much so that eventually I stopped reading them. Now, decades later, I picked up Katrina's Lessons Learned and found a Regency style romance that delivers everything I love about the period together with the kind of spicy, dark, explicit, genre crossing edge I always wanted, but never got . Yeah!
I was impressed by the writing and the way in which the author adapted her style to fit this story. This is one of Ms. Strauss' biggest strengths and a key element in creating the right "feel" for the book. The reader is placed in the right period and the right frame of mind from page one.
The characters are fabulous. It is apparent from reading the story that these are cherished characters. At times, I could almost hear the author clicking her tongue (or was that me...), particularly at Stefan, with a mixture of love and annoyance. Very appropriate since Stefan is like a wayward child in some ways. In fact, Stefan Eldritch is full of contradictions. He is disreputable but honorable, spoiled yet adaptable, incredibly powerful but with the soul of a lover. He is precious!
The plot is good and keeps the story moving at a nice pace. However, the enjoyment is not in unexpected plot twists or shocking discoveries. Instead the beauty of the story is in the masterful blend of Regency period sensibility with strong paranormal elements, executed in a way that keeps the perfect degree of tension flowing from the first page through the last. Even as the author pleasures the senses with idyllic descriptions, a thread of tension thrums underneath reinforcing the feeling that everything is not what it seems. Throughout the story, well placed details foreshadow future events. I love it!
Lesson's Learned is a unique story perfect for those of us who prefer our romance dark and spicy. A nice treat bound to bring excitement to the most boring of days!
Buy Eldritch Legacy 2: Lessons Learned here.
Let's not miss the opportunity to take a look at the gorgeous cover by Anne Cain. Yum!
Other books in the series:
Eldritch Legacy 1: Secrets Revealed