New Release Review: Forever Moore by Riley Hart & Christina Lee #Review #Giveaway

Title: Forever Moore
Series: Forbidden Love #2
Authors: Riley Hart & Christina Lee 
Self-Published
Cover Artist: Sarah Jo Chreene
Publication Date: April 22, 2019
Length: 288 pages 

Reviewed by Michael

Synopsis

With his raven hair and snow-white skin, Lord Ansil Eirwin draws unwanted attention wherever he goes. After his father’s untimely death, Ansil is set to become Duke of Ravenswood on his next birthday. The gallant and timid lord would never dream of shirking responsibility, so he subverts his desires in order to please his mother and new stepfather, Reginald.

Orien Moore, known as the Huntsman, lives on the fringes and has forsaken close bonds with anyone, even the misfits he has taken in. When Orien is called upon by his brother, Reginald, to kill the pampered future duke, it is the perfect opportunity to seek revenge against his power-hungry brother. Orien formulates a plan to use Reginald’s vicious request to his advantage by kidnapping Ansil and holding him hostage until he can fulfill his birthright.

Soon Orien realizes that Ansil is nothing like he’d expected. Kind and joyful, Ansil enchants Orien and his ragtag group. And Ansil, in turn, cannot help but be curious about the gruff huntsman as Orien’s vulnerabilities are exposed. Their mutual interest transforms into affection, followed by overwhelming desire. But they are living on borrowed time.

With Reginald seeking power in Ravenswood, they have no way of knowing what will transpire once Orien returns Ansil to his proper place in society. The only certainty is that the odds are stacked against them. Will the young lord and his huntsman ever have the chance to experience the happily ever after they’ve found in each other’s arms?

***PLEASE NOTE: FOREVER MOORE is a romantic fairy tale—minus the magic—that features one reluctant lord, one brooding huntsman, and plenty of angsty, forbidden love. It’s loosely based on a treasured fairy tale in a make-believe setting that isn’t part of any specific time period and doesn’t play by any traditional rules. It also completely stands alone from EVER AFTER.

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Review

As a kid growing up, I didn’t pay much attention to fairytales.  They were geared toward people like me.  Most of them featured a damsel in distress in need of rescuing by a knight in shining armor.  Once the rescue was complete, the new couple (who had instantly fallen in love, by the way) rose off into the sunset together to live their Happily Ever After.  In fact, unless I’m mistaken, the term “Happily Ever After” comes from these fairytales.  None of these stories had anything to do with little gay boys like me.  So instead, I would create situations in which Luke Skywalker would need rescuing from the dashing Han Solo. Or, Apollo and Starbuck (from the original Battlestar Galactica) would connect and raise Apollo’s son Boxey together.  I was shipping long before shipping was actually a thing.

So, I was super excited when Christina Lee and Riley Hart decided to take these fairy tales and rework them in ways that would be more relatable to little gay boys like me.  Much like the fairytales these books are based on, Christina and Riley’s stories are almost completely independent from one another.

Forever Moore is their second fairytale retelling.  It’s a riff on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, complete with big Huntsman, the wicked step-parent, and the poison apple. 

Orien is the Huntsman.  He’s noble and reserved, with a well-earned hatred for his brother Reginald (who is also the step-father to the other MC, Ansil).  He maintains an estate far removed from the rest of society, and “collects” people in need of saving, seven of whom have ended up living on his estate.  (Now, it’s here that I will freely admit that I didn’t clue in to the fact that these seven were Riley and Christina’s version of the dwarves because…well… they aren’t dwarves.  But I had a giant moment of duh as I neared the end of the book)

Ansil is every bit the Snow White character:  pale skin, raven black hair, and bright red lips.  He’s about to turn twenty-one, at which time he will inherit his late-father’s title and the wealth and notoriety the title comes with.  Reginald, the snake that he is, comes up with a scheme to get rid of his step-son and take the inheritance for himself.  Which is where Orien comes into play.

Riley and Christina write seamlessly together.  Some authors have a “tell”, certain phrases that they use in their own books that also get used in the collaborations.  There’s none of that here.  The entire book has one, singular voice.

I loved this fairytale!!!  It’s kind of a slow burn.  Despite the circumstances in which they originally meet, the MC’s learn about each other at their own individual paces.  The “Black Moment” was a natural outgrowth of the characters different roles in Society, and the resolution was completely believable. 

So if you believe in the power of the Happily Ever After, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

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Release Day Review: Peter Darling by Austin Chant #Review #Giveaway

Author: Austin Chant
Book: Peter Darling
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Publication date: February 15, 2017
Length: 140 pages


Reviewed by Erin


Synopsis

Ten years ago, Peter Pan left Neverland to grow up, leaving behind his adolescent dreams of boyhood and resigning himself to life as Wendy Darling. Growing up, however, has only made him realize how inescapable his identity as a man is.

But when he returns to Neverland, everything has changed: the Lost Boys have become men, and the war games they once played are now real and deadly. Even more shocking is the attraction Peter never knew he could feel for his old rival, Captain Hook—and the realization that he no longer knows which of them is the real villain.

Buy Links

Less Than Three Press

Amazon

Review

I'll be totally honest with you, fairy tale retellings are usually not my thing. But between the absolutely stunning cover of Austin Chant's Peter Darling and the blurb to go along with it, I knew right away that this was one book I could not miss. A queer retelling of Peter Pan? Boy am I glad I didn't. I don't know if I've read a book that was quite this extraordinary in a very long time. Brilliantly imaginative with the most gorgeous, vibrant imagery and a story that while familiar was VERY different from the original, Peter Darling was one breathless surprise after another. Austin Chant is one of the most gifted writer's I've come across—his ability to weave a story that will catapult you to a world you can't even being to imagine is almost mind-blowing. 

Though the world that Chant delivers his readers to is one that most will be familiar with—Hook, the Lost Boys, Tinkerbell, crocodiles and mermaids just to name a few—the differences make the story completely his own. There is a mystical, magical, ethereal vibe that is present from beginning to end that really just wowed me. I felt like I could SEE everything and HEAR the waterfalls and the clash of swords or the chittering of fairies. The fact that this is a story about Peter and Hook just made this all the more interesting to me. As a trans man writing about a trans character, I felt Chant's writing of Peter's inner thoughts and his memories were achingly realistic. 

Peter Darling is a hard book to review for the simple reason that it's an experience that should be savored. I would absolutely hate to take any of the surprise away. Peter's journey from London to Neverland and back again is emotional, painful, and joyous in turns. His growth from a rather spoiled, devious and almost cruel child to the person who loves and adores James Hook is remarkable. There are moments of gender dysphoria that brought tears to my eyes for the pain and confusion and fear that Peter goes through. As Peter begins to understand the true meaning of Neverland and what he must do to return home ... well, you'll just have to read to see just how magnificent it all is. Peter grows and learns and as he realizes and accepts his feelings for Hook, my heart just warmed me all over. 

James grimaced, which was difficult, because his face was mostly numb. "Don't pretend to be concerned," he snapped. "If you really wanted to help, you'd stop making this accursed storm so I could find him without freezing to death."

The queen's laughter was a terrible, discordant clanging that set his teeth on edge. "Oh, James," she said. "It's his storm."

James opened his mouth, then shut it.

"I see," he said at length. "I should have known."

He felt blank. He'd truly thought it was Neverland or the fae or some malicious force of nature trying to wash him into the sea, trying to keep him away from Peter.

But it had been Peter—Peter trying to keep him away, or just raging against the world, thoughtless of what he might be doing to James.

"Haven't you ever noticed that the sun comes out when he smiles?" the queen said. "It's another thing he wished for when he was a boy."

James laughed raggedly. "And all I wished for was a pirate crew."

"He is a far bolder storyteller than you."

This is a beautiful story of love and acceptance. It's a journey, sometimes brutal and sometimes soft and tender. Hook ... man I just loved him. Like A LOT. From his clothes to his speech to his teasing of Peter, he's just fabulous. The Lost Boys, Ernest in particular were such an integral part of the story and let's not forget Miss Tinkerbell and the rest of the fairies, too. All of them have a place. There are lessons to be learned while reading Peter Darling. Don't miss this one people, it's truly magical. 

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