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a_reader_obsessed's review
3.0
Ethan is fighting for his freedom and will do anything to gain such a coveted prize. He never thought he’d come across a foe that he actually admired and lusted over.
Short but sensual and never long enough.
Short but sensual and never long enough.
teresab78's review
4.0
I really liked the detail and feel of this. I could imagine watching this in a movie. I would love to see more of these two and appreciated the epilogue.
marlobo's review
2.0
The story is set in, for all the leads, in a alternate medieval England, one in which gayness at least isn't seen like alien or wrongful and in which, among other things that can be inferred, stands out the existence of a mechanism of social mobility for the serfs.
I have two objections basically: One is a quibble and it's that I consider very poor the excuse for Fitz to feel rid of guilt about not winning the tournament.
But the other one is a BIG objection, and it's the inconsistency between the prompt (that it must be strictly respected IMO) and the story itself . As it has remained, there's no harmony between prompt and tale, the letter loses every sense
Besides there're inconsistencies between Ethan and his background: Yes, Ethan that as it seems belongs to a lower-class, maybe the lowest social class is able to read and write, he expresses himself perfectly, whereas Brendan's mother, being of the same class shows a characteristic turn of phrase. In other words, there was any efforts to display and not only mentioning, the class difference between Fitz and Ethan; It's a shame, because maybe it would have lent itself to a pygmalian parallelism.
It could be told that what one rates is strictly the stuff that the author has written, but I don't see it that way, the prompt is part of the story and it's under its premises and inspiration that the author should write the fiction, that's her/his challenge. And in this case, I'm sorry to say it, I don't think that the story had made the grade.
But beware that I don't believe that the author is a goner; on the contrary I believe that she have a lot to give because, even with all the slips that I tagged above (and I admit that I'm obsessive regarding consistency matters), the story is well-written and the purely romantic moments are tender and very sexy.
I have two objections basically: One is a quibble and it's that I consider very poor the excuse for Fitz to feel rid of guilt about not winning the tournament.
But the other one is a BIG objection, and it's the inconsistency between the prompt (that it must be strictly respected IMO) and the story itself .
Spoiler
The letter says:«I didn't even compete to win, but once he was my final opponente, I had to give all I have in me, to prove him I'm worthy»Excuse me? Where is it reflected in the story? I'll tell you where: Nowhere. Both compete to win, for himself or for some other ones, but from the beginning that is their purpose. And nothing is in the tale about the winner's desire and decision of giving everything of himself to demonstrate his worthiness to the other
Besides there're inconsistencies between Ethan and his background: Yes, Ethan that as it seems belongs to a lower-class, maybe the lowest social class is able to read and write, he expresses himself perfectly, whereas Brendan's mother, being of the same class shows a characteristic turn of phrase. In other words, there was any efforts to display and not only mentioning, the class difference between Fitz and Ethan; It's a shame, because maybe it would have lent itself to a pygmalian parallelism.
It could be told that what one rates is strictly the stuff that the author has written, but I don't see it that way, the prompt is part of the story and it's under its premises and inspiration that the author should write the fiction, that's her/his challenge. And in this case, I'm sorry to say it, I don't think that the story had made the grade.
But beware that I don't believe that the author is a goner; on the contrary I believe that she have a lot to give because, even with all the slips that I tagged above (and I admit that I'm obsessive regarding consistency matters), the story is well-written and the purely romantic moments are tender and very sexy.
rebecca_3's review
2.0
Gorgeous cover, but the book was pretty meh. Very short, and the first half is just the guys fighting in the mud. Lots of staring into each others eyes. Then in the second half they talk and grope and eventually have sex, but it is nothing special. Very vague and not very graphic at all. At least there is an implied romance and an HEA. But it is simply way too short to actually feel any sort of connection.
si0bhan's review
2.0
Honestly, I was disappointed with this one.
To me, this seemed like an excuse to write about men playing in the mud. Before people start to question my sanity, know I have no issue with such a thing – I simply expect more story. Things seemed too forced. Everything was made to fit together. I couldn’t really enjoy it for this reason.
Had there been more of a story I may have enjoyed it more, as it was, it was merely an okay quick read to pass the time.
To me, this seemed like an excuse to write about men playing in the mud. Before people start to question my sanity, know I have no issue with such a thing – I simply expect more story. Things seemed too forced. Everything was made to fit together. I couldn’t really enjoy it for this reason.
Had there been more of a story I may have enjoyed it more, as it was, it was merely an okay quick read to pass the time.
moonwillow's review
5.0
Yeah, fighting dirty at the start, only because there was mud involved, always a bonus. It was the getting clean part that caught my attention. I've yet to read a better bathing scene. The fighting, the wrestling and the epilogue, they were all just perfect.
Five stars because, OMG, it was a great read.
Five stars because, OMG, it was a great read.
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