This is the second of three novellas in the Between States series. I read this story in preparation for my review of the final story A More Perfect Union. You really do need to read this series in order and since they are relatively short it isn't hard to do. While the first story is told from Caleb's POV, this story is strictly from Brance's POV and that makes it my favorite of the three stories. I fell in love with Brance and all his quirks while reading this story.

Caleb is the energetic youngster that is just all over the place and always, and I mean always, ready for sex. Brance is the quiet and brooding one who puts up with Caleb's excited antics but underneath he loves deeply and completely. He doesn't always show his emotions but he is ready to protect Caleb at all cost and can't imagine living without him. He is the type of man whose exterior gives away nothing of this true feelings but his heart and soul are true and dedicated.

"Hugging Caleb closer, Brance wondered how he could've gone from having nothing in this world to holding everything in the span of his embrace."

"his lover, the tangible part of his soul and all that he held dear in this world"

Beneath a Yankee Sky is a fabulous story with well developed characters and an intriguing plot. There is a lot of develoment of the relationship between these two men and how they will need to work together to survive. I love how the men interact as bobcats and how their personalities translate into cat terms. J.M. has done a fabulous job maintaining their differences from human to cat form as well as describing their physical characteristics that are so truly feline. I found myself often comaring the descriptions I read to the behavior of my own two cats. This is a fantastic story and I highly recommend this series!

http://emily83176.livejournal.com/271... ( )

This sequel to “Under a Confederate Moon” is very well done. In this first story, we’re introduced to Caleb and Brance, two shapeshifters who turn into bobcats for the three days around a full moon. Caleb is in the Confederate Army, and Brance in the Union Army. This novella takes place 6 months after the two become a couple. They’ve both deserted after realizing their paranormal natures and love for one another put them in danger on opposite sides of a war.

Brance is fighting to overcome his solitary nature. He loves Caleb, but has trouble expressing his feelings. In the first story we learned how Caleb became a bobcat, and about his boring but happy homelife. Brance’s story is anything but happy. The two men are hiding out in the woods, but soon learn that being deserters is not the only danger they face. Brance must make difficult choices to protect his new mate when hunters enter the forest looking for furs.

The first story had more angst and packed a bigger punch since the two men had just met and were almost immediately thrust into danger. This story is more subtle, and heavier on the romance since the two are now a couple. Didn’t make the story less enjoyable, just on a different level. The sex is still frequent, despite the short length. Personally, I would have preferred the author put the two novellas together for a short novel since they are so closely connected. Overall, I highly recommend both novellas and hope Amber Quill decides to release a paperback edition, with a bonus story since I’m being so hopeful anyway! ( )