Genre: Fantasy, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Linda, Paranormal Romance Guild
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About The Book
When a hero becomes a slave, his greatest enemy might be his only hope…
Albion Rasendin, the renowned general known as the Winter Fox, has only one option to save the lives of his men: surrender. After a war that nearly ripped two nations apart, Albion knows he’ll be executed. The victor, Prince Treynar Massan, has other plans. Locking a slave collar around Albion’s throat, the prince hopes to sully the legend of the cunning and elusive Winter Fox. But Draven, the prince’s bastard half-brother, sees only an act of dishonor and the undoing of the man he once secretly loved.
It breaks Draven’s heart to see Albion enslaved and humiliated. Before the war, he had studied tactics under the Winter Fox, until family honor demanded he use those tactics to defeat him. But family honor can be a slippery thing, and secrets don’t always stay hidden. When Draven learns that the war against Albion might have been unjust, he uncovers secrets he was never meant to learn. Yet, his love for Albion cannot be destroyed by lies and obsession. He’s forced to make choices that will shake his world to the core, creating both a nightmare and, just maybe, one final hope for a life with the man he loves…
Reader note: this gay fantasy romance contains intense emotional elements, a trigger-warning scene, enemies-to-lovers themes, and reader discretion is advised.
The Review
Two kingdoms, Vasnaq and Tarlantin, have been at war for four years, a conflict started by Vasnaq’s king. The king is General Albion Rasendin’s uncle, whom Albion didn’t hesitate to kill when he saw him raping the daughter of the king of Tarlantin. Hoping that. by killing that king responsible for so much hurt, he might end the war, Albion sent the girl home with a delegate to offer peace. The peace was refused, the delegate never returned, and the princess was sent away so she couldn’t reveal details of what happened.
Now General Albion’s army is starving and tired, and it’s finally time for surrender. During the years of war, Albion had become known as the Winter Fox, and it’s his decision to send his men away. He hopes that, in capturing the most hated man in Tarlantin, Prince Treynar will leave his men alone to find freedom. Standing in the middle of the road, sword in front of him and kneeling, Albion presents himself to the enemy, prepared to die. Unfortunately, his horse gets in the way and is killed, and then falls on top of Albion, injuring him gravely.
Near death, Albion’s fate rests with the King, if he dies before arriving in Tarlantin, that would be the end of it but if he survives, his death would be in front of all of its citizens. Locked up in chains, Albion awaits certain death. But when Trey’s twin sister, the one who was raped, returns home, the truth is revealed. A truth that will change the Winter Fox’s fate.
Albion will become Trey’s slave, a fate worse than death. But Draven, the prince’s half-brother, tempers Trey’s hatred, so Albion fares better than expected. Draven, a bastard, was disregarded by everyone in the palace, including the king. Only his brother was always there for him.
Draven became a possession of Trey’s, and he always kept Draven by his side. His obsession with his brother left Draven feeling like a prisoner too, but Trey had his hooks in him and wouldn’t let go.
Albion is chained, a collar around his neck, and is made to succumb to all of Trey’s madness. Draven tries to intercede when he can, to ensure that Albion gets medical care, food, and is kept warm. Before the war, all three men knew each other and Draven was in awe Albion. He’d even fallen in love with the Winter Fox. But he’s unaware of the truth of what brought about the war, so he sees Albion as an enemy, but can’t get himself to hate him.
It will take an act of violence against Albion to change how Draven sees his brother, and a reveal from the king that will forever change his life. The more Draven cares about the Winter Fox, the more Trey does everything in his power to make Albion pay.
I had a hard time with this review because I had to curb my desire to reveal everything. Time and time again, surprises and secrets are revealed, but you’ll get no spoilers here.
It’s a tale of violence, betrayal, lies, secrets and romance – three men living in a palace, and only one of them is free to leave.
I loved this book, the complex characters, and the fact that there was not one borking moment. I couldn’t put it down for fear of missing something – the mark of an amazing book.
Five stars.
The Reviewer
I am an avid reader the mother of 3 sons and grandmother to seven grandchildren. Since retiring I have been doing more reading while volunteering as a CASA worker. CASA is an organization that works with the family court system to ensure that children are in the best living situation. There are way too many children that get overlooked in the foster care system and I visit homes and make visits to the parents. I was born and raised in New York and my husband of 50 years and I live in Upstate New York.
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