Summer Devon

Four stars for this one--interesting because of how the romantic cliches were made fresh: jaded older lover meets virginal, idealistic youth, plus the difference in social classes and wealth. The authors deftly handle the difficulties of creating and sustaining a deeper relationship than casual sex when discovery is a death sentence.

The way love can spark personal discovery and encourage growth is shown throughout the book, and the sensual side of love is detailed, from the emotionless show more physicality of pure hedonism to the tender act of lovemaking between friends. The pairing illustrated the visceral physical attraction that lies along side the soulful aspects of love. show less

I love rent boy stories. But you know what I enjoy even more? Great rent boy stories!! Paired with my fave historical time period (Regency), let's just say I was a happy lady.

Sir Alan is injured physically and mentally from war. He wanted to have one more night's pleasure before meeting his maker and decided to pay for a male prostitute. Who he picked up that night changed his life for the good. He and Jem have their night but there was something about him that kept pulling him towards the show more younger man. And their story is not a case of insta-love even though they had sex the first night. Alan had difficulties accepting his true nature and admitting that yes he has feelings for a man - it was an inner grapple that touched melancholy but was not overcome in a high tide of grief and angst.

You know why? Jem.

Jem! He's truly a gem. His name is just perfect for him.



He has got a mouth on him. And the best part he knew how to use it. His outlook on life (and he had a sucky one - pun intended) was surprisingly light. He was the light to Alan's dark and gloomy. I was afraid his feelings for Sir Alan were bred out of gratitude for not being on the streets anymore. (I mean, I'd be singing the man's praises myself if it meant I didn't have to whore myself anymore) But as the story progressed, you get a sense of the deep affection he had for his 'Lord Bumbuggerer'. I was happy for his happy ending.

The dark turn the story takes into the gruesome and macabre: There's a carve happy doctor who is a fan of abuse, messing with the minds of others, vivisection and just being fucking creepy.

This is how I kept imagining the bastard:

Just put some limp white blond hair on that dude and a scalpel in his hand. I loved what happened to him. He so deserved it. Asshat.

Though the angle was unexpected...I really liked it. It brought the story to a different level than expected. There's a satisfying HEA, well for what can be expected based on that time period. The dialogue read authentic to me. The characters were enjoyable.

The story dragged a little in the middle but not so much that I wanted to give up. So if you read and feel it drags, try to push through but it gets better towards the second half.

BTW: The original cover is exactly how I imagine the MC especially Jem.

Great story! show less

It's Victorian London, and wealthy young gentleman Giles Fullerton is still grieving a year after the death of the man he loved, his grief made worse by the need to conceal it. He deals with the emotional pain by walking the streets through the night, until he can face sleep. Young lamplighter John Banks knows a thing or two about grief himself. He loved his wife dearly, even though he's gay, and has missed her each day since her death. The young gentleman who wanders his route on so many show more nights may have attracted his attention with his good looks, but John can see that something drives him into the night. Enough so that at last John speaks to him, concerned for his safety. Curiosity about John's job of lighting and dousing the streetlamps provides something for Giles to focus on outside his grief.

There's companionship of a sort in a stranger to speak to, and gradually the two young widowers reveal more about themselves to each other in their conversation each night; first in coded and deniable references to their grief, and then more openly. Enough so that they finally act on their attraction. But this is Victorian London, and a relationship is barred by more than their being both men; the social gulf between them would be every bit as shocking to society, and moreover puts them at far greater risk of exposure than if they could meet as equals. Will they both have the courage to find a way through to a chance at happiness?

This is a gentle, slow romance, and all the better for it. It's a lovely short novella with a pair of well drawn, appealing main characters and some good secondary characters, and a sex scene that adds to the emotional development rather than being there to make up the word count. One for my re-read list.

Available free to members of the Heroes and Heartbreakers website, or you can pay a modest sum to get a nicely formatted ebook with a gorgous cover. show less

This book was originally published by Zebra in 2004, and I'm going to give Kate Rothwell (aka Summer Devon) the benefit of the doubt and say that she has become a much better writer in the ensuing 11 years since her debut. Because this book is ridiculous. It would be easier to think that the heroine, Timona ("Timmy") is from another planet or from the future than to believe that a late-19th century heroine would act, think, or talk the way she does. She decides within about 12 hours of show more meeting the hero that she is in love with him and wants to marry him, she has 21st century sex-positive attitudes that are explained away because she traveled the world with her absent-minded archaeologist father and her brother told her the facts of life, she charms everyone she meets from rich to poor, she laughs in the face of danger, and of course she is strikingly beautiful. Oh, and she knows how to fight with a knife (but she still needs to be rescued by the hero several times). One extra star for the gruff but adoring beta hero Mick (although the old "I found her on the streets so she must be a whore" trope hasn't worked since The Flame & the Flower.)

I have enjoyed several historical M/M romance novels co-written by Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee, but now I'm wondering if I should think twice about trying another one. Oh, let's chalk the ludicrousness of this book up to Zebra's mediocrity and the author's inexperience. show less