Review of Bred for Love by Revella Hawthorne

by Revella Hawthorne, pen-name for SJ Himes

4 stars

In a world where humans are genetically designed, altered and sold for sexual pleasure and breeding, a young prince of the powerful Cassian Dynasty decides to take a mate and sire heirs. Not wishing to saddle himself with royal and meddlesome in-laws, and a wife he would have no desire to bed, Prince Edward goes to Heritage Breeders, and finds far more than just a warm body to sate his lust and carry on his lineage.

Percy is the result of a master DNA architect designing himself his own personal sex slave and breeder. Yet when his creator and Master dies, leaving Percy alone at the mercy of the callous stable masters and the new owner of Heritage, he fears his future. Afraid he'll be bought by a wretched old man or a deviant monster, Percy is terrified when he is dragged from his cell and presented to the most prestigious client Heritage has ever welcomed...a Cassian Royal.

Prince Edward is immediately infatuated with the shy, nervous and enchantingly beautiful Percy, and claims him for his own. Yet not everyone is pleased by a royal purchasing a breeder, especially one like Percy, and tensions rise both in Heritage and in the palace.

Torn between desire, duty, a king's command and the innermost desires of their hearts, Edward and Percy are set on path that is anything but easy. Can Percy trust Edward with his heart as he does his body? Can Edward keep an angry king and unseen enemies away from the young slave who is steadily stealing his heart?

And what happens when Nature takes its course, and sex leads to more than just pleasure?

At 160 pages, Bred for Love could be a short story, but there is so much going on that it really feels like a full length novel.  We liked this story, but were really fascinated with the world, the fantasy.

Prince Edward is a Cassian Blood Prince, but since he has older brothers who have provided heirs to the throne he find himself not willing to get married to produce an heir, and instead turns to Heritage and procuring a breeder to carry on his line.  While perusing the merchandise at Heritage, Edward meets Percy, unlike other breeders, has been built to have conscience thought and be a companion for his mate, not just to produce a child and be stabled afterward. 

See, sounds like a pretty easy story, but throw in self-lubrication,  breeders just to produce heirs, male pregnancies, sex-slaves and poof, our mind was blown, and actually kept us reading because darn, we were just fascinated. It felt like every page turn brought us to another weird revelation, or another head-scratching tid bit of this fantasy world.

 But, let’s talk the relationship between Edward and Percy.  The idea of a breeder is simple; buy a breeder, mount, repeat until they produce and offspring, they are stabled and then repeat  process when you want another child.  Edward goes to Heritage with this intention, but finds Percy; shy, sweet, beautiful, and Edward wants to take care of him, and they soon find themselves falling in love – ahh, insta-love.  It feels a bit like a shifter story, with the alpha/mate connection. 

We didn’t particularly like Percy, he was meek, subservient, and docile, never meeting anyone’s eyes, but he is essentially a slave, and acts as one should.  And if he cried one more time we might have just hit him! We wish sometimes he would stand up for himself a bit more, or grow a backbone, but again being a breeder put him as a certain level in this society, and we felt that looking through our perspective , we just didn’t understand where he was coming from some times.  The breeder thing made us a bit itchy as well.  Percy self-lubricates (umm, yes) and the sex is very vigorous, descriptive, explicit, and HOT.  But, fair warning, there is a lot lot lot of sex.  So much for such a short read. 

Honestly we couldn’t put this book down, and read the other 2 in the continuing story the next day, there is a flow to the writing, it grabs you and keeps you, folding you in this weird world.  It is easy to read and ends on a satisfactory note that you want to pick up the next books. 

Review of The Necromancer's Dilemma (Beacon Hill Scorer #2) by SJ Himes

by SJ Himes

4.5 Stars

Even love can die without trust.

Angel’s brother, Isaac, has returned home, and the pair begin to make slow and awkward attempts back to each other. Learning how to be a brother to a grown man instead of a parental figure has Angel adjusting his behaviors and habits, and Isaac still remains a mystery. Was it merely entering adulthood that turned Isaac away from an overprotective Angel, or does Isaac carry a secret that will keep them from finally being a real family?

Daniel Macavoy, Angel’s new apprentice, is torn between his bond with Angel and the grasping machinations of his father. Dealing with a traumatized apprentice with dangerous holes in his magical education, saving Daniel may be harder than Angel first thought—especially since the biggest problem is not revenge, but guilt.

The one shining beacon in his life is Simeon, Elder vampire of Boston’s only Bloodclan. Four hundred years old and sexy as sin, Simeon is warrior and sage, patient and cunning. The strength Angel draws from Simeon’s devotion and the newborn mate-bond between them is steadfast and true…and the fount of death magic that animates the undead lord places Angel in the midst of a power struggle for control over himself, his lover, and his family.

Through it all, Angel is beleaguered by the unwanted attention of a troll-hybrid, the adventures of a dragon in the city, and a serial killer has decided to hunt the back alleys and midnight streets of Boston.

The second in the Beacon Hill Scorers series and it is as good as the first.  We aren’t much for vampire romance, but SJ Himes has created a fantasy that is so imaginative that it makes you believe.

We start again visiting with Angel, and his hodge podge of family.  Isaac his brother has finally returned home and is learning how to let Angel in and understand his magical gift.  Daniel Macavoy has come to stay as Angel’s apprentice and struggles between his family and his desire to learn.  And as always there is Simeon.  Sweet, sexy Simeon. 

SJ Himes has such a way for storytelling, just as the first Necromancer book, the second edition is aa layered world that pulls you in and, immerses you in a bubble around Simeon and Angel.  Himes takes us deeper into her magical world exploring dragons, trolls and the mystical fae.  She balance the real wold, being set in Boston with actual Boston landmarks, and a fantasy work in a perfect harmony, so much you expect to see vampires walking around. 

The first book dealt with a new love between Simon and, this book is easier paced and heartwarming as they fall deeper in love.  And let’s not forget the best part of a scorer and vampire getting together, yep, the steam between the sheets.  Yummmm.  This does not disappoint, the chemistry is smoking hot, hot, hot! But regardless of the between-the-sheets, Simeon and Angel grow more into their relationship, working together, living together, and being a real blood bonded couple. 

There is so much going on in this book; family drama, return of an ex, mysterious murders, vampire power struggle, but it all fits together so well.  The book has a great flow that kept us engaged in the mystery and how everything fits together.   And we get to visit with our favorite characters.  Seriously loving Isaac and Daniel, and hoping the next book feature each one of these two hotties! 

So all in all, this is a fantastic addition to the Beacon Hill Sorcerer series.  Fast-paced, romantic, sexy, mysteries, a must read m/m romance.  Even if you don’t love fantasy, go pick up the series by SJ Himes, you won’t be disappointed.  And this 6-7 books planned in the series, there is lots of good reading to come!