Provoked

Rating: 4* of five

I'd rate this lower if I hadn't been prepared for the modest sexual content. What there was the author did well and it wasn't gratuitous or inorganic. I was sure the story needed to be in that place at that moment; I was sure the characters were true to their established motivations; in the end, it wasn't about dissatisfaction that I've read from a few other reviewers. I suspect the issues arose from what I was inclined to see as "instaluuuv" between men of radically (!) different stations in Regency life.

That mattered a great deal more then than it does now. Not that it doesn't now, it definitely does, but then it was an issue front and center in every act of daily life. How Balfour comes on to David is completely show more believable. How David responds, and how he feels, is also completely believable.

That Murdo Balfour argues for the pragmatic accommodation of self to society is unremarkably in character; that David starchily stands for conformity to the harshest possible code of actions while suffering for it is also unremarkably in character for his Presbyterian upbringing. A sect that preached predestination...your soul's salvation was not earned or even earnable since God decided the identity of the 144,000 saved at the beginning of time....wasn't likely to produce anything but the most craven sorts of lickspittles.

What made the read pleasurable for me was the sense that the men were genuinely, if ineptly and obtusely, falling for the person wearing the pretty face that neither could quite unsee. David's red hair, Balfour's dark eyes, David's slightness and Balfour's height and heft...timelessly, opposites do indeed attract. But the characters, the bits that have to fit if a passion is to alter its bell curve towards love's more complex shapes, do match. The men are motivated by their respective and surprisingly similar sense of honor.

It's just a pity that David's sense of humor is so impaired at the expense of that sense of honor.

Not for the squeamishly heterosexual. show less

Different from other M/M historicals I've been reading - the internal homophobia struggle actually didn't bother me. It was a change from the others, but it was a realistic struggle that I found intriguing. The clashing of the two personalities of the men was strong and sometimes I was tempted to say the hell with it myself, just don't talk to the jerk anymore. Then on the other hand I was like, make up and shake hands - or more!- already. The book also differs by an ending that makes it clear its a series, but I don't want to provide spoilers on that. Let's just say it doesn't follow a full circle story, but doesn't shake a mean cliffhanger at the reader either. Both of them still have a lot of things to resolve, which I applause, show more since it's only unrealistic when major issues like this are wrapped up in one book anyway.

The book doesn't have a strong plot outside of personal introspection, chance happenings, almost funny situations at times, and a political issue in the background. That said, it's still hard to put down and the pacing is all about character-building. The opening of the book was sad - so glad we don't have public executions anymore, dreadful blot on humanity's heart. I don't fully get all the political stuff, but my brain isn't politically leaning anyway. I'm sure we'll see more of a fallout from the friend who turned into revenge's path later on.

The writing style is fluid and easy to breeze through, and I loved the main character David. Elizabeth is also enjoyable, I really like her and hope she keeps playing a large part in the books. When intimate moments sprung up, they were well-done, thick with suspense, erotic as erotic gets, and the book only applied the right amount of these scenes, didn't overdo it.

Definitely will read the next one. show less

Often enough I have listened to the Scottish accent on TV or audiobook and found it impenetrable, but I had no problem understanding Hamish McKinlay and basking in his beautiful narration.

I had no expectation of this book, and would never have known about it except I came across a recommendation by someone called Jain on Reddit? who loves MM historical romance.

So glad I found it in my library as it was exactly my kind of novel ...

and it has reminded me that it is way too long since I've read any historical romance. At one stage, every 2nd or 3rd book I read would have been in this category.

The genre has a magical energy or intensity that's uniquely its own - and I badly needed to be reminded of that - is it because it relies more show more heavily on the interior life?

Provoked is short at just 6 hours, so I probably shouldn't have been surprised when it suddenly ended ... up in the air! ... to be continued in #2, Beguiled. I've read so few series that use this approach - it's a shame because it works.

I can't wait to read how David Lauriston's and Murdo Balfour's paths cross again. And to be exposed to more Scottish politics in the 1820s!

(Later) Upon writing my few comments, I then allow myself to read "reviews". It's so unexpectedly heartwarming to read the words of other Thingers and find they echo my own, not to mention, give me insights. I'm so often blown away by how articulate Thingers are, writing with such liveliness, authenticity and perceptivity.

Reading is such a solo business, your comments are one small point of connection, so my thanks to those who write something. show less

I listened to this due to Caz's favorable review of the new, Scottish narrator. He pairs so well with David, earnest as all hell. Wonderful as Murdo, who is a certified asshole I'd like to climb.

Looking forward to reading (listening)on in this series. I will say that the final chapter of this book was fabulous, as were quite a few scenes, but sometimes the sentence structure drives me bonkers. It's too rigid? She does best when it's flowing more naturally, but otherwise there's a lot of repetitive feel to it.

David watches the hanging of two of his weaver clients. He meets a man who shares his meal at the inn and has an encounter with him in the back alley. David figures they will never meet again. Euan, the younger brother of one of the men deported, comes to David with clues on the man who betrayed his brother and the other weavers. David tells him he will try to find out who the person is but not to expect much. As David tries to find out who Euan is looking for, he meets the man, Murdo, again who turns out to be a Lord. He also finds who Euan is looking for. Is Murdo the same man who betrayed the weavers?

I liked this story. David is an honorable man who knows he will never marry and break his vows to a wife to find male lovers. Murdo is show more the opposite. Murdo is like David as in a one and done. Murdo is obsessed with David. When they find the man who is the government agent, David puts himself in a dangerous position to get Euan to see reason. Murdo is afraid for David. He is also upset when he finds that David was attacked on his way home one evening. When Murdo goes back to London, both figure they will never see each other again.

I look forward to reading the rest of this series. show less

Wow, this was such an amazing book. I feel really bad about not finishing this series before, and also for somehow erasing it from my mind (?). Seriously, I cannot recall ever reading it before. How’s that possible, when it was one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read this year?

Provoked had everything I could want from a historical MM romance. I'm pretty much a connoisseur of that genre by now (maybe that’s what went wrong the last time, I was still unenlightened!

The audio book production is excellent and the narrator is perfect. i swear I could listen to him forever.

The story kept me engaged, but I won't do a full review until I have finished the rest of the series. As a standalone this ends with the MCs apart and with no indication there will be further contact.

As is often the case with 1st person pov, I find I prefer the non-pov character. David is rigid and unbending in his beliefs, he is also self-flagellating about his 'abhorrent' nature to the point where he appears to be borderline alcoholic.