H.B. Pattskyn

"'Only when I'm with you... when I'm with you it's not scary and I don't feel like a freak. With you it all feels right.'"

When I first saw this cover, it grabbed me. And, every time I glanced it, I had to look for longer. It is beautifully drawn, and gave me the perfect images and mental tone for the story (that collar, and the lock, and Henry--wow!).

The story followed in the cover's footsteps. From the first scene, I was hooked in with the very Dominant and experienced Henry and the show more verbally abused and inexperienced submissive Jason. I loved their chemistry, their need for what each other has to offer, and I believed in (and was teleported into) every scene they did. And, I want a sequel telling how they're getting on! Henry also very thoroughly explained the psychology behind D/s, and I'm planning on using some of those passages to illustrate points to my father and brother, who don't understand it.

The BDSM play was more hardcore than the "usual" written about in books, and I really appreciated that, since I like the more intense play and emotional release that comes from it. I learned about a couple new toys, too.

This book was also really funny at parts since Jason could be a brat and purposely push Henry. I cracked up a bunch of times at his unexpected responses.

For a little while, I lived in their world, and I really, really enjoyed it. It's not very angst-filled, but there are a couple of internal and external issues that are addressed and overcome. There was a good (AKA bad/noticeable/mentionable) amount of grammatical issues in this book, but that's the only criticism I have.

I highly recommend this if you like immersing yourself in BDSM play, getting a feeling for the safe and consensual, more hardcore side of it. It has both plot and play. show less

Heart’s Home
By H.B. Pattskyn
Dreamspinner Press
December, 2011
PDF Galley courtesy of NetGalley

***Some spoilers***











I am fairly new to the paranormal romance/urban fantasy genres despite having read fantasy for years. At first, I was tentative over the premise of Heart’s Home, but something about the description of it appealed to me. I generally don’t read much having to do with lycanthropy, but have started to become more interested in period and fantasy books involving M/M relationships. show more

The author takes no time involving the reader immediately into the story. Alun Blayney, a down on his luck Welsh lycan, and James Heron, a police constable, are a true case of opposites attracting. James, on patrol, finds a man hunched over the body of a dead woman, and is immediately assaulted by the man, Alun. Against the backstory of the murder(s), the relationship between James and Alun gets off to a somewhat odd beginning. James is a kind, generous man, so much so that he abandons all sense, seemingly, and invites Alun to his home to clean up his injuries. James is almost childlike in his trust of others. Alun finds himself drawn to James immensely, but isn’t sure whether his advances would be returned or spurned. Much of their relationship is their determination of whether or not it is a relationship, given the significance of the fact that James is human and Alun isn’t.

The reader knows at this point that Alun is an exiled lycan, alone in the world. This parallels James’ feelings of being alone in the world as well due to his sexual orientation. Both of them have no family. Alun’s desire to find his mate, which he thinks is impossible as an exiled lycan, drives him. He is attracted to James, but can’t imagine having a human male as a mate. Despite Alun’s determination that a relationship between the two of them wouldn’t work, his path and James’ continue to cross, and James continues to bring him home, where it’s obvious that the two are very well matched to each other desires and needs.

When Alun is arrested for the murder of a third woman, James takes desperate measures to keep him from being found guilty. The worlds of the lycans and the humans move around each other touching only at the edges, as separate as the edges of the impoverished society of London’s East End and the Magistrates who are to try Alun for murder. James hires a family friend, one of the country’s best attorneys, to get Alun out of jail.

What seem to be impossible situations are convincingly resolved, the characters are given depth and it is easy to be drawn into their lives once the story gets going. What appeared to be a difficult combination things to combine are mixed together well, and Heart’s Home is an enjoyable read. show less

Heart’s Home
By H.B. Pattskyn
Dreamspinner Press
December, 2011
PDF Galley courtesy of NetGalley

***Some spoilers***











I am fairly new to the paranormal romance/urban fantasy genres despite having read fantasy for years. At first, I was tentative over the premise of Heart’s Home, but something about the description of it appealed to me. I generally don’t read much having to do with lycanthropy, but have started to become more interested in period and fantasy books involving M/M relationships. show more

The author takes no time involving the reader immediately into the story. Alun Blayney, a down on his luck Welsh lycan, and James Heron, a police constable, are a true case of opposites attracting. James, on patrol, finds a man hunched over the body of a dead woman, and is immediately assaulted by the man, Alun. Against the backstory of the murder(s), the relationship between James and Alun gets off to a somewhat odd beginning. James is a kind, generous man, so much so that he abandons all sense, seemingly, and invites Alun to his home to clean up his injuries. James is almost childlike in his trust of others. Alun finds himself drawn to James immensely, but isn’t sure whether his advances would be returned or spurned. Much of their relationship is their determination of whether or not it is a relationship, given the significance of the fact that James is human and Alun isn’t.

The reader knows at this point that Alun is an exiled lycan, alone in the world. This parallels James’ feelings of being alone in the world as well due to his sexual orientation. Both of them have no family. Alun’s desire to find his mate, which he thinks is impossible as an exiled lycan, drives him. He is attracted to James, but can’t imagine having a human male as a mate. Despite Alun’s determination that a relationship between the two of them wouldn’t work, his path and James’ continue to cross, and James continues to bring him home, where it’s obvious that the two are very well matched to each other desires and needs.

When Alun is arrested for the murder of a third woman, James takes desperate measures to keep him from being found guilty. The worlds of the lycans and the humans move around each other touching only at the edges, as separate as the edges of the impoverished society of London’s East End and the Magistrates who are to try Alun for murder. James hires a family friend, one of the country’s best attorneys, to get Alun out of jail.

What seem to be impossible situations are convincingly resolved, the characters are given depth and it is easy to be drawn into their lives once the story gets going. What appeared to be a difficult combination things to combine are mixed together well, and Heart’s Home is an enjoyable read. show less

3 stars. Good writing kept me glued to the book, but I was left feeling a little disappointed. I didn't feel as if I really got to 'know' Henry and the abrupt HFN ending lost some points for me. I loved Jason, but was left worried about his future. I'm not a fan of open relationships, which is what it seems like this will be. Well...on Henry's side anyways.


I'm hoping this will be a series, because I really want to see what happens next.