Brute

Reading this book was like meeting an old friend for the first time. It felt comforting and familiar, like I'd loved it for years and knew every beat by heart. And even better than the fantasy books of my childhood I could legitimately feel this kind of nostalgia for, in this story gay people exist and sex is a part of life.

It's always good to have a giant or two looking after you."

Words so true, especially if that giant is Brute aka Aric aka the current tugger on my heartstrings.



How to describe Kim Fielding's "Brute"? It's a sort of fantasy featuring a gentle giant among men, Aric/ Brute. He's seven and half feet tall, ostracized, abused (emotionally and physically), scarred and never knew any kindness. His father was a thief, his mother took the easy way out and left poor young Aric on his own in a cruel world.

Add in an unexplained mega growth spurt, being bullied and told how "ugly" he is, assumed to be stupid, Aric didn't have many options to believe in himself. With all the hurt heaped upon him, he is so kind, so thoughtful and unassuming.

One day he show more helps a young prince and saves his life. At what cost? Losing his left hand. But he gains so much more, a new position in the palace as a guard for a single, chained prisoner Gray - an accused witch who has been imprisoned for over 12 years (WTF)! When we learn of the crime he committed, it boggled my mind. On one hand, I get people do some crazy things when grieving but it wasn't Gray's fault. I think he ore than paid for his supposed "crime". But on the other hand, the king must save face. Yes, it's a matter of pride but sometimes people rather save face than do what's right. It's debatable but I'm not that pressed to argue.

Aric can't help being who he is and it shines through and attracts the young, blind prisoner. I get where some readers wondered if Gray wasn't blind, would he have really chosen Aric? Their story was meant to be told this way so I can't question.

I do wish we had more sexy times or at least described instead of glossed over for a number of parts. Aric is BIG all over. So much so the whores Brute pays for charge him double and usually have to take off the rest of the day to recuperate...so I'd have love Aric and Gray's first time with more detail. Just saying.

The story lasts for over a year or so and for the most part, paced fairly well. There's some dragging here and there but the story is entertaining and emotional.

Did I weep? No. But I did have to stop a time or two to whimper for Brute. He's so good and a pure soul. You can't help but root for him. And Gray too.



There's a HEA that was well earned, Brute and Gray learn about themselves and discover depths they did not know they had.


So...


Emotionally Invested = Me



Right up in my feels, I tell you. I recommend highly. 4.5 STARS

Now I need to read some action or violence or BDSM and get those feels right out of here... :P" show less

This is a sweet romance set in a world where magic and other fantasy elements are common (and homosexuality is apparently mostly accepted). Brute is a hulking, ugly giant. Orphaned as a young boy, he has had to work most of his life doing menial labor. He can neither read nor write, and he doesn't really see a life outside of the small town where his presence is only barely tolerated. All of that changes when he saves Prince Alfrid's life quite unexpectedly. Although Brute loses his left hand, he gains a much better paying job in the royal city as a guard to a very special prisoner.

Gray Leynham is blind, almost rendered mute by a stutter, and has horrible dreams of people's deaths almost every night. He is not used to being treated show more kindly by his guards, but Brute is different. Brute feeds him well, doesn't mistreat him, gives him blankets, and begins to fall in love with him. But Gray is rumored to be a witch and a traitor.

I don't say this often, but I really could have gone for more sex in the book, haha. Most of it happens "off page," although there are a few brief scenes between Gray and Brute/Aric. This kind of gave the book a more young adult vibe to it, which I'm not opposed to necessarily - I just wanted to kick it up a notch or two. ;)

I did like the slow build between the two of them; neither of them are looking for love, and it takes a while for them to get there. Brute/Aric is incredibly sweet as a main character, and I loved the elements of Beauty and the Beast and various giant folktales woven into the story.

I felt like the ending was just a little too expected, but I didn't really mind, because I so wanted these two to have a happy ending.

I also liked how Brute, who had been alone and mistreated most of his life, began to develop confidence and made several good friends during the book. The book didn't just revolve around his relationship with Gray; it showed some quality character development, and I really liked that.

Definitely recommended. show less

Brute has spent most of his life alone. Most people find him frightening due to his height and his background. But when he risks his life to save the life of the prince, he is rewarded with a new job in the palace and a total change in his station. His new job is a mysterious one, however. He is tasked with guarding a single prisoner, Gray Leynham. Rumor has it that Gray, who is blind and can barely speak due to a severe stutter, is a powerful witch and traitor to the kingdom. Gray is plagued by terrible nightmares--nightmares that Brute learns have a tendency to come true. As Brute learns more about Gray from the man himself, however, he finds out the truth of Gray's fate. And he also begins to understand that life does not necessarily show more need to be defined by what people expect of you and sometimes it is in doing the unexpected that one gets the chance to truly live.

There are some heavy moments here, and I personally wished that some things would have turned out better than they did. But there's also something refreshing about characters reaching points in there story that work, even if those points don't come together perfectly. Life is full of challenges, after all. Kim Fielding has a way of bringing characters to life on the page, and I certainly saw that same magic at work here as I was fixed to the book from pretty much the very beginning right on through to the end. show less

The story of Brute and Gray was so sweet that I'm not ashamed to say in more than one occasion my eyes were brimming with tears. It was an out and loud crying, but more a lump in the throat, something that I managed to contain but nonetheless emotional. I was able to rein my emotions only cause, as I said, the story was sweet, even cute sometime.

Brute is not an ogre, but he is not far from it; very tall, and truth be told, quite ugly, he hadn't many chances at happiness; that he prefers men isn't apparently a problem, the problem is that male or female, no one is really attracted to him, cause before knowing him, and the good man he is, they see the ugliness, and no one has cared to go beyond that. Than a chance brings him to the court show more and he is apprenticed as guardian of a very special prisoner, a blind man and a witch to both. Brute didn't know Gray from before, he doesn't know what the man did, what he knows is that Gray was mistreated, and that he is hurting, and Brute doesn't like to see anyone hurt. Kindness will give space to friendship, comfort to desire, and soon enough, Brute and Gray are in love with each other, but Gray is still a captive.

I had the feeling the novel was more dramatic, I was expecting a tragedy to happen, and instead, while they have to face oddities and difficulties, the author managed to stay on a light tone, so much that, while commonly I don't like very much Fantasy novel, I truly enjoy this one, so much to list it as one of my favorites of this year.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1623802261/?tag=elimyrevandra-20 show less

A delightful journey through parts of MC Aric's (aka Brute's) life. A tough start is overcome by his incredibly generous and caring nature. I loved listening to his obstacles and triumphs. And the love that develops with MC Gray is quite lovely.

Narrated by K.C. Kelly - 4.5 stars. Excellent with great voice distinctions.

With any other story I would scream 'MENTAL DISORDER WARNING' but this read as a lovely fairytale. More Disney than Grimm but both warm my heart.