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Brothers in Arms #1
The Courage to Love
Brothers in Arms, Book One.
Kate Collier is still recovering from a vicious rape and trying to make a success of her dress shop when Jason Randal and Anthony Richards return to London from the Continent, intent on winning her. She's known them for years, ever since they served with her late husband in the Peninsula against Napoleon. She'd been in love with them for almost that long. To discover they feel the same is a shock, but Kate isn't ready to turn her life back over to a man, or men. Jason and Tony prove hard to resist, however, especially when their close friendship blossoms into desire for each other as they make Kate's body burn with passion. The combination of their insatiable desire for her and their journey into a sexual relationship with one another is irresistible to Kate. A nightmare from her past tries to keep them apart, but the three long for a life together in spite of society's censure, and they will not be denied.
Reader advisory: Contains male/male sex scenes.
Kate Collier is still recovering from a vicious rape and trying to make a success of her dress shop when Jason Randal and Anthony Richards return to London from the Continent, intent on winning her. She's known them for years, ever since they served with her late husband in the Peninsula against Napoleon. She'd been in love with them for almost that long. To discover they feel the same is a shock, but Kate isn't ready to turn her life back over to a man, or men. Jason and Tony prove hard to resist, however, especially when their close friendship blossoms into desire for each other as they make Kate's body burn with passion. The combination of their insatiable desire for her and their journey into a sexual relationship with one another is irresistible to Kate. A nightmare from her past tries to keep them apart, but the three long for a life together in spite of society's censure, and they will not be denied.
Reader advisory: Contains male/male sex scenes.
208 pages, Trade Paperback
First published April 1, 2006
141 people are currently reading
3463 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Kane
54 books769 followersSamantha Kane lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children, two boys and one girl. With a master’s degree in American history, she spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full-time writer and mom.
Series:
THE BIRMINGHAM REBELS
BROTHERS IN ARMS
THE SAINT'S DEVILS
THE 93RD HIGHLANDERS
MERCURY RISING
Series:
THE BIRMINGHAM REBELS
BROTHERS IN ARMS
THE SAINT'S DEVILS
THE 93RD HIGHLANDERS
MERCURY RISING
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May 30, 2020
RATING 3.5 STARS
The Courage to Love is book one in the Brothers in Arms series by Samantha Kane.
Lord Jason Randall and Anthony (Tony) Richards fought in the Napoleon war together and suffered endless misery side by side. They are best friends and inseparable. They first laid eyes on Kate when they saw her with her husband during the war. Now Kate is a widow. They have waited three long years for her to be ready for them. They are back in London ready to make her theirs. But they are quite shocked to find out that Kate is not so willing.
Katherine (Kate) Collier has probably been in love with Jason and Tony for years. But they left. And life has not been kind to her since. Kate is struggling to take care of her sixteen year old niece and is working to make her dress shop successful. They are barely getting by. When Jason and Tony stampede back into her life claiming to be in love with her and wanting to marry her, she is determined that she will not let her life be ruled by a man again. Not to mention that what they propose is against the rules of society. She is already shunned. Entering into the type of relationship they offer would only make things worse.
“It was as if suddenly all the pieces of a puzzle fit together.”
Jason and Tony can be very convincing and they used the chemistry between them and Kate to help win her over. And let me say, here, that there is chemistry in bucket fulls. This book is HOT! Their love for Kate also awakens feelings and desires they have kept hidden for each other. At the same time, a dark part of Kate’s past threatens their lives and their happiness.
As I said, this book steams up the pages. These three waste no time in the ways of pleasure. Historical romance is a struggle for me and that might have been part of my reason for not being able to connect with these characters though. The steamy scenes definitely were fun but I just couldn’t seem to get into the story. I do want to mention Kate’s niece, Veronica. She kind of stole the show for me. She was so entertaining in her innocence. I’m wondering if she’ll show up later in the series when she’s a bit older? Sadly, I’m not sure if I will continue this series.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
The Courage to Love is book one in the Brothers in Arms series by Samantha Kane.
Lord Jason Randall and Anthony (Tony) Richards fought in the Napoleon war together and suffered endless misery side by side. They are best friends and inseparable. They first laid eyes on Kate when they saw her with her husband during the war. Now Kate is a widow. They have waited three long years for her to be ready for them. They are back in London ready to make her theirs. But they are quite shocked to find out that Kate is not so willing.
Katherine (Kate) Collier has probably been in love with Jason and Tony for years. But they left. And life has not been kind to her since. Kate is struggling to take care of her sixteen year old niece and is working to make her dress shop successful. They are barely getting by. When Jason and Tony stampede back into her life claiming to be in love with her and wanting to marry her, she is determined that she will not let her life be ruled by a man again. Not to mention that what they propose is against the rules of society. She is already shunned. Entering into the type of relationship they offer would only make things worse.
“It was as if suddenly all the pieces of a puzzle fit together.”
Jason and Tony can be very convincing and they used the chemistry between them and Kate to help win her over. And let me say, here, that there is chemistry in bucket fulls. This book is HOT! Their love for Kate also awakens feelings and desires they have kept hidden for each other. At the same time, a dark part of Kate’s past threatens their lives and their happiness.
As I said, this book steams up the pages. These three waste no time in the ways of pleasure. Historical romance is a struggle for me and that might have been part of my reason for not being able to connect with these characters though. The steamy scenes definitely were fun but I just couldn’t seem to get into the story. I do want to mention Kate’s niece, Veronica. She kind of stole the show for me. She was so entertaining in her innocence. I’m wondering if she’ll show up later in the series when she’s a bit older? Sadly, I’m not sure if I will continue this series.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
June 28, 2008
Rating: 3.5 / 5
This book is all about the sex. Really really HOT sex, but pretty much just about the sex nonetheless. I saw it while I was poking around the Ellora's gave website and was hopelessly intrigued by the premise.
And after reading it, I'm having a hard time trying to decide how to review this book. Because on the one hand, the characters were cool, the romance was pretty good, and the writing itself lent it to being rather readable. Plus the sex was super hot, always fun to read.
On the other hand, where this book fell apart for me was on the historical accuracy. It is set in Regency period England and though there are historical aspects that were correct - like types of clothing, vehicles, places, etc - the dialogue and characters actions gave the book a much more modern feel. The way they spoke and acted just did not fit the period at all. It gives the book an air of fantasy instead of a historical.
I found that while reading the book, it was fun to read, but not one that I could take seriously. I applaud the author for her open-minded thinking and her support of alternative relationships, but I simply couldn't buy into anything like this ever actually happening in Regency England. Not the way she portrayed it.
The book had a lot of potential and the sex part lived up to it, but the storyline could have been better developed to add a bit more meat to the book.
So in the end, this is the kind of book that's fun to read, but not exactly the kind of thing you'd read if you wanted a historical romance in a more typical sense. There are several more books to this series and though I'd like to read them, I don't particularly feel an undying need to go get them.
Note of warning: this book does contain several full male/male scenes. If that doesn't trip you're switch, or if it turns your switch all the way off, then you should probably pick a different book to read.
This book is all about the sex. Really really HOT sex, but pretty much just about the sex nonetheless. I saw it while I was poking around the Ellora's gave website and was hopelessly intrigued by the premise.
And after reading it, I'm having a hard time trying to decide how to review this book. Because on the one hand, the characters were cool, the romance was pretty good, and the writing itself lent it to being rather readable. Plus the sex was super hot, always fun to read.
On the other hand, where this book fell apart for me was on the historical accuracy. It is set in Regency period England and though there are historical aspects that were correct - like types of clothing, vehicles, places, etc - the dialogue and characters actions gave the book a much more modern feel. The way they spoke and acted just did not fit the period at all. It gives the book an air of fantasy instead of a historical.
I found that while reading the book, it was fun to read, but not one that I could take seriously. I applaud the author for her open-minded thinking and her support of alternative relationships, but I simply couldn't buy into anything like this ever actually happening in Regency England. Not the way she portrayed it.
The book had a lot of potential and the sex part lived up to it, but the storyline could have been better developed to add a bit more meat to the book.
So in the end, this is the kind of book that's fun to read, but not exactly the kind of thing you'd read if you wanted a historical romance in a more typical sense. There are several more books to this series and though I'd like to read them, I don't particularly feel an undying need to go get them.
Note of warning: this book does contain several full male/male scenes. If that doesn't trip you're switch, or if it turns your switch all the way off, then you should probably pick a different book to read.
March 23, 2012
Reading this brought to mind the immortal "Simpsons" line, "I've said 'Jiminy Jillickers' so many times, the words have lost all meaning!" Kane's favorite sex word is "fuck" and its variants -- a nice forthright word, but like any fucking word, it can really get fucking tiresome and lose its fucking effectiveness when used without a fucking break. Fuck.
Telling the love story of Kate, Tony and Jason, The Courage to Love is an erotic menage Regency romance and succeeds at different levels in each category. The erotic elements are probably the most effective, despite the overabundance of fucks (not to mention "cream.") The heat level between the three is very high, with a lot of affectionate teasing, and I liked that Jason discovers a tendency towards dominance in a very plausible, natural feeling way, as part of their sexual play.
The romance elements are certainly passionate, but I was disappointed that so much of the story happens before the story, ala Diana Palmer. Tony and Jason are already established as a couple -- somewhat unconvincingly, they're not already lovers, yet in some unexplainable woo-woo way are firmly linked -- and both have their hearts set on Kate, and she on them, when the book opens. There's way too much potentially interesting backstory left out.
The historical element is undoubtedly the weakest. In a time when even being a homosexual was fraught with danger, Tony and Jason's partnered pursuit of Kate is accepted much too easily. They even propose to Kate that she "marry us" without feeling the need to offer any explanation. The instant acceptance of their threesome by Kate's 17 year old niece is particularly unbelievable. That niece, by the way, is one of the most annoyingly feisty Regency females I've ever encountered, and has an intensely irritating subplot, which took the book down a star all by itself.
Even though I didn't think this was objectively a very good book, I'd still recommend it if this happens to be a subgenre you enjoy, because it's hot and emotional and fun to read. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
Telling the love story of Kate, Tony and Jason, The Courage to Love is an erotic menage Regency romance and succeeds at different levels in each category. The erotic elements are probably the most effective, despite the overabundance of fucks (not to mention "cream.") The heat level between the three is very high, with a lot of affectionate teasing, and I liked that Jason discovers a tendency towards dominance in a very plausible, natural feeling way, as part of their sexual play.
The romance elements are certainly passionate, but I was disappointed that so much of the story happens before the story, ala Diana Palmer. Tony and Jason are already established as a couple -- somewhat unconvincingly, they're not already lovers, yet in some unexplainable woo-woo way are firmly linked -- and both have their hearts set on Kate, and she on them, when the book opens. There's way too much potentially interesting backstory left out.
The historical element is undoubtedly the weakest. In a time when even being a homosexual was fraught with danger, Tony and Jason's partnered pursuit of Kate is accepted much too easily. They even propose to Kate that she "marry us" without feeling the need to offer any explanation. The instant acceptance of their threesome by Kate's 17 year old niece is particularly unbelievable. That niece, by the way, is one of the most annoyingly feisty Regency females I've ever encountered, and has an intensely irritating subplot, which took the book down a star all by itself.
Even though I didn't think this was objectively a very good book, I'd still recommend it if this happens to be a subgenre you enjoy, because it's hot and emotional and fun to read. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
June 11, 2010
The Courage To Love is the first book in Samantha Kane's Brothers in Arms series. Jason Randall and Tony Richards return from their sojourn on the continent to claim the woman they love. Kate has been living as a mistress to several men. Jason and Randal received a letter from one of Kate's friends suggesting that Kate needed their help and would be ready to settle down with them and start a new life as their wife. When Jason and Tony, go to see Kate, they know immediately that something is not right. She is not her usually happy self. She seems jumpy and frightened by them. They need to find out what happened to Kate while they were away.
I had quite a few problems with this book. The biggest problem I had with the book was the believability factor. I just couldn't grasp how open these men were with their unusual relationship with each other and Kate. In no way could I suspend disbelief to believe that two men, in this time period would be that open about their homosexual feelings. Back in this time period sodomy was a hanging offence. I don't think these men would have been as flagrant about it as they were in the book. Nor, do I think Lord Randall's mother would be as accepting as she was.
I also felt like the dialogue was very weak. The men would say things that no man would ever be caught dead saying, or think thoughts no man would be likely to think. One other minor detail that left me grinding my teeth, was that Jason is a titled Lord, but it is never specified to exactly what title he holds. Little details like this would have gone along way into beefing up the story.
It is never really explained as to why these men love Kate. The beginning of the story starts with them already having an established past together. While this helps the believability of the characters being able to jump into the sex right away, it also weakens the plot. I think the story could have been strengthened with flash backs, or something to give the reader insight into how they fell in love. As far as I am concerned that the author could have inserted any woman into Kate's role and it would have read the same.
I had quite a few problems with this book. The biggest problem I had with the book was the believability factor. I just couldn't grasp how open these men were with their unusual relationship with each other and Kate. In no way could I suspend disbelief to believe that two men, in this time period would be that open about their homosexual feelings. Back in this time period sodomy was a hanging offence. I don't think these men would have been as flagrant about it as they were in the book. Nor, do I think Lord Randall's mother would be as accepting as she was.
I also felt like the dialogue was very weak. The men would say things that no man would ever be caught dead saying, or think thoughts no man would be likely to think. One other minor detail that left me grinding my teeth, was that Jason is a titled Lord, but it is never specified to exactly what title he holds. Little details like this would have gone along way into beefing up the story.
It is never really explained as to why these men love Kate. The beginning of the story starts with them already having an established past together. While this helps the believability of the characters being able to jump into the sex right away, it also weakens the plot. I think the story could have been strengthened with flash backs, or something to give the reader insight into how they fell in love. As far as I am concerned that the author could have inserted any woman into Kate's role and it would have read the same.
November 20, 2010
I'm going to say 2 1/2 stars, for the simple reason, the sex was HOT, BUT.............I had a lot of problems w/ this story.
1. This IS a historical erotica, right? Well, the language in this book is NOTHING like the 18th century. "can I drive you home", "All I want to do is to FUCK HER FUCK HER FUCK HER". Really? And if I read one more, "her sex was weaping", I'll start weaping.
2. The main heroine, Kate was brutally gang raped, and she has NO PROBLEM having a 3some w/ her boytoys who are back from "the continent", who came back to MARRY HER?
3. Um...........the main heroes in this book, Tony and Jason are so OBVIOUSLY gay, it screamed it from the pages, and yet they had no idea til the end of the book? They weren't complete until they had Kate in their bed. For me, this book could have done w/o Kate at all! It could have been based on Jason and Tony, ex war veterans coming home from war and "discovering" each other. This book would have been a much better M/M rather then M/M/F.
4. The only thing that was 18th century in this book was the duel. Jason challenged the man who had orchestrated Kates gang rape, and when that man (Robertson) turned early to shoot Jason, then ran, the author just let him get away???? Was NOT happy about that. Wanted Tony to hunt him down and rip his head off!
5. The sex was hot, it really was but I felt NO EMOTION at all between Kate and her boytoys. I felt more emotion from Jason and Tony together. THAT WAS HOT! OMY! "I think I have the vapors"!! (as I fan myself)
6. There was no real story here. I thought it was going somewhere after Kate explained to her boytoys about her gang rape but that was just left hanging.
Bottom line, hot sex, no story, no wrap up, going back to the used bookstore!
I like my smut w/ substance!!
1. This IS a historical erotica, right? Well, the language in this book is NOTHING like the 18th century. "can I drive you home", "All I want to do is to FUCK HER FUCK HER FUCK HER". Really? And if I read one more, "her sex was weaping", I'll start weaping.
2. The main heroine, Kate was brutally gang raped, and she has NO PROBLEM having a 3some w/ her boytoys who are back from "the continent", who came back to MARRY HER?
3. Um...........the main heroes in this book, Tony and Jason are so OBVIOUSLY gay, it screamed it from the pages, and yet they had no idea til the end of the book? They weren't complete until they had Kate in their bed. For me, this book could have done w/o Kate at all! It could have been based on Jason and Tony, ex war veterans coming home from war and "discovering" each other. This book would have been a much better M/M rather then M/M/F.
4. The only thing that was 18th century in this book was the duel. Jason challenged the man who had orchestrated Kates gang rape, and when that man (Robertson) turned early to shoot Jason, then ran, the author just let him get away???? Was NOT happy about that. Wanted Tony to hunt him down and rip his head off!
5. The sex was hot, it really was but I felt NO EMOTION at all between Kate and her boytoys. I felt more emotion from Jason and Tony together. THAT WAS HOT! OMY! "I think I have the vapors"!! (as I fan myself)
6. There was no real story here. I thought it was going somewhere after Kate explained to her boytoys about her gang rape but that was just left hanging.
Bottom line, hot sex, no story, no wrap up, going back to the used bookstore!
I like my smut w/ substance!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2009
The Courage to Love is a M/M/F erotic romance ostensibly set in the Regency era. Jason Randall, an earl of some sort, and Anthony Richards are veterans of the Napoleonic wars and formed an especially close friendship while serving together. With the war over, they return to London to propose marriage to Katherine Collier, a widow of a comrade of theirs. Kate, however, was forced to become a mistress after her husband's death, with traumatic results, and refuses to give up her hard earned independence easily.
The book has so many flaws, I wonder whether I read the same book as those who gave it five stars.
The most glaring flaw is a lack of sexual tension. Maybe it's a matter of opinion, but erotic romance should not merely be a romance with crudely worded, frequent sex scenes. It should be a romance where the sex plays an integral part in the conflict that drives the plot. I still want to see tension built up. A book where 80% of the action is sex builds no tension and leaves nothing to the imagination. Every itch was immediately scratched.
For a book with as much sex as this one has, it was incredibly unerotic. The language was appalling. It wasn't the obscenity that got me, it was the absurd purple prose. If I never see "rampant erection," "nether lips" or see vaginal lubrication referred to as "cream" again, it would be too soon. Newsflash erotic fiction authors: if a woman's vaginal moisture is opaque and whitish enough to be compared to dairy products, it means the poor girl has some sort of infection. Yeast infections are not sexy.
For a regency the language and attitudes were absurdly modern. Kate and her 16 year old niece Veronica have an absurdly modern relationship where Veronica is privy to, and accepting of, her aunt's sexual hijinks. The dialog sounds like something you'd hear on the streets of today and she makes a mess of the English title system. It is very much a wallpaper historical.
In the end, I finished the book only as a compulsion. The increasingly boring sex scenes got skimmed and I failed to make any emotional connection to the players. I was as invested in the characters' feeling as I would be in a porn star's, which is to say, not at all.
The book has so many flaws, I wonder whether I read the same book as those who gave it five stars.
The most glaring flaw is a lack of sexual tension. Maybe it's a matter of opinion, but erotic romance should not merely be a romance with crudely worded, frequent sex scenes. It should be a romance where the sex plays an integral part in the conflict that drives the plot. I still want to see tension built up. A book where 80% of the action is sex builds no tension and leaves nothing to the imagination. Every itch was immediately scratched.
For a book with as much sex as this one has, it was incredibly unerotic. The language was appalling. It wasn't the obscenity that got me, it was the absurd purple prose. If I never see "rampant erection," "nether lips" or see vaginal lubrication referred to as "cream" again, it would be too soon. Newsflash erotic fiction authors: if a woman's vaginal moisture is opaque and whitish enough to be compared to dairy products, it means the poor girl has some sort of infection. Yeast infections are not sexy.
For a regency the language and attitudes were absurdly modern. Kate and her 16 year old niece Veronica have an absurdly modern relationship where Veronica is privy to, and accepting of, her aunt's sexual hijinks. The dialog sounds like something you'd hear on the streets of today and she makes a mess of the English title system. It is very much a wallpaper historical.
In the end, I finished the book only as a compulsion. The increasingly boring sex scenes got skimmed and I failed to make any emotional connection to the players. I was as invested in the characters' feeling as I would be in a porn star's, which is to say, not at all.
March 20, 2018
*** Hot and heavy on the sex meter ! Wow ! *** These characters were sex obsessed.
Two men, Jason and Tony, come back from the war, and the "Continent" to claim their love, sweet Kate. But now, Kate isn't as sweet and rejects them. She's been through enough with men and wants no more of it. Her ex shared her with a bunch of friends, (gang rape), and she's disgraced in society. The men feel horrible that they didn't return sooner, but vow to make up for it.
If this were a longer story, deeper perhaps, we may have gotten to know the characters better, but I liked them well enough. This is a historical M/F/M, M/M/F ménage and the sex is explosive, extremely explicit, and fun. Veronica, the niece, is outspoken and more modern thinking than should have been for the times. I still recommend this highly for ménage lovers, and first time sex with Jason and Tony is well done. The guys are great ! This is a series, but each stands alone.
It's not perfect, but super sexy. I read the paperback, 204 pages.
ENJOY !!
===============
the past rape is only briefly described.
================
Two men, Jason and Tony, come back from the war, and the "Continent" to claim their love, sweet Kate. But now, Kate isn't as sweet and rejects them. She's been through enough with men and wants no more of it. Her ex shared her with a bunch of friends, (gang rape), and she's disgraced in society. The men feel horrible that they didn't return sooner, but vow to make up for it.
If this were a longer story, deeper perhaps, we may have gotten to know the characters better, but I liked them well enough. This is a historical M/F/M, M/M/F ménage and the sex is explosive, extremely explicit, and fun. Veronica, the niece, is outspoken and more modern thinking than should have been for the times. I still recommend this highly for ménage lovers, and first time sex with Jason and Tony is well done. The guys are great ! This is a series, but each stands alone.
It's not perfect, but super sexy. I read the paperback, 204 pages.
ENJOY !!
===============
the past rape is only briefly described.
================
May 12, 2010
Lord Jason Randall and Mr. Anthony Richards formed an unusual bond while in service. They found that to share a woman sexually made them feel emotionally complete. Jason and Anthony have been in love with Kate Collier for years. Kate was married to a fellow comrade but has been widowed for 3 years since his death.
Everytime they return to claim and marry her Kate has a new protector due to financial problems. Anthony and Jason thinking she is sowing her wild oats do not propose to her. Kates last protector set kate up to be gang raped and now she is a social outcast living in the poor part of London. Jason and Anthony try and heal her by love and showing her passion, but it might be too late for Kate to trust again. They soon find out what happened to Kate and with the help of her niece Veronica try and make her see that they are the perfect couple..erm sorry, threesome.
This book is not at all what I thought. I expected a deep touching story of 2 men and what they faced being Gay in regency times with a marraige of convenience and the wife falling for them etc. They do not even realise they are Bisexual until after being with Kate they realise they are sexually attracted to each other??? Im sorry but they were YEARS living together in the forces and shared loads of women and felt nothing..then they are all over each other, if I was Kate i would be feeling just a little worried about the fact they only fancied each other after bedding me!! We are to believe she is supposed to make them feel at ease and face their feelings for each other, but surely one of them would have realised over the years that they were attracted to the other??
I felt no love in this book only deep friendship and lust. The sex scenes are ok and rather explicit, but there is no sexual tension at all prior to them and made them very clinical. The Characters are ok and I kinda liked them but they were not developed enough for me to really care about them. I have the rest in the series so probably will get around to reading them. I loved the secondry characters especially Veronica the niece.
Everytime they return to claim and marry her Kate has a new protector due to financial problems. Anthony and Jason thinking she is sowing her wild oats do not propose to her. Kates last protector set kate up to be gang raped and now she is a social outcast living in the poor part of London. Jason and Anthony try and heal her by love and showing her passion, but it might be too late for Kate to trust again. They soon find out what happened to Kate and with the help of her niece Veronica try and make her see that they are the perfect couple..erm sorry, threesome.
This book is not at all what I thought. I expected a deep touching story of 2 men and what they faced being Gay in regency times with a marraige of convenience and the wife falling for them etc. They do not even realise they are Bisexual until after being with Kate they realise they are sexually attracted to each other??? Im sorry but they were YEARS living together in the forces and shared loads of women and felt nothing..then they are all over each other, if I was Kate i would be feeling just a little worried about the fact they only fancied each other after bedding me!! We are to believe she is supposed to make them feel at ease and face their feelings for each other, but surely one of them would have realised over the years that they were attracted to the other??
I felt no love in this book only deep friendship and lust. The sex scenes are ok and rather explicit, but there is no sexual tension at all prior to them and made them very clinical. The Characters are ok and I kinda liked them but they were not developed enough for me to really care about them. I have the rest in the series so probably will get around to reading them. I loved the secondry characters especially Veronica the niece.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2015
Arrrrrrg. I'm building up to a rant about this one.
1. At the beginning of the book, the heroine was gang raped the year before -- yet she throws herself into a vigorous threesome with no thought or hesitation.
2. The two male MCs have supposedly been in love with the heroine for years, yet they stood by and watched her whore herself out as a paid mistress to not one, but a whole string of rich men without even bothering to tell her how they felt -- even though one is a rich lord himself, and could at the very least have offered her patronage.
3. The whiplash from her she will-she won't-she will-she won't constant 180s is killing me, and I'm getting eye strain from all the eye rolling while reading. One example: deep-throating by a blowjob virgin? Riiiiiight.
4. Occasional truly atrocious lines -- like
5. An adult "friend" of the MCs, set to guard our heroine and the heroine's ward, forcibly seduces the **16-year-old virgin ward** within literally 30 seconds of first meeting her -- and the author treats it as erotic rather than as rape.
I won't even try to address the total disregard for historical accuracy, since this is obviously not intended to be a faithful representation of the time period. It's more like an AU version of Regency England, and I can live with that. But the 5 points above really get to me.
I'm rating this at 1.5 stars, right in the middle between 1 and 2. It wasn't quite offensive enough for me to rate it at a flat 1, but not far off. Rounding down to 1 because of the seduction of that teenager.
1. At the beginning of the book, the heroine was gang raped the year before -- yet she throws herself into a vigorous threesome with no thought or hesitation.
2. The two male MCs have supposedly been in love with the heroine for years, yet they stood by and watched her whore herself out as a paid mistress to not one, but a whole string of rich men without even bothering to tell her how they felt -- even though one is a rich lord himself, and could at the very least have offered her patronage.
3. The whiplash from her she will-she won't-she will-she won't constant 180s is killing me, and I'm getting eye strain from all the eye rolling while reading. One example: deep-throating by a blowjob virgin? Riiiiiight.
4. Occasional truly atrocious lines -- like
“Oh, Jesus, Kate, you taste so incredible,” Jason murmured against the hot flesh beneath his lips. “So sweet, and spicy, too. And so hot, so damn hot, as if you warmed your cream in an open fire before letting me taste it.”Can you just picture that, visually? Ewwwww.
5. An adult "friend" of the MCs, set to guard our heroine and the heroine's ward, forcibly seduces the **16-year-old virgin ward** within literally 30 seconds of first meeting her -- and the author treats it as erotic rather than as rape.
I won't even try to address the total disregard for historical accuracy, since this is obviously not intended to be a faithful representation of the time period. It's more like an AU version of Regency England, and I can live with that. But the 5 points above really get to me.
I'm rating this at 1.5 stars, right in the middle between 1 and 2. It wasn't quite offensive enough for me to rate it at a flat 1, but not far off. Rounding down to 1 because of the seduction of that teenager.
January 1, 2012
I was going for 2-3 out of 5 stars. Until a 16 year old (who's about to turn 17 in 2 months) got fingerfucked in an alley by a 30-something man. That, is just a big fucking no. I don't want to read about kids having sex. Ever.
Menages in Regency London did sound like it could be either very cool, or a complete train wreck. But polyamory and the formal language and very formal way of life just doesn't go together. It takes something that could potentially be very sexy, and makes it awkward at best.
The Heroine is a survivor of gang-rape and shunned as a whore for it, but yet she doesn't hesitate to have casual sex with two men in her living room. If you've been raped by several men, you won't be having sex with two men at once. At least not less than a year after the rape, and not without a shitload of therapy.
I also did not like a 3rd woman being hit so hard by a man, she fell to the floor and half her face swelled up. All the while a bunch of men watched and did nothing about it. Other than giving the beater a stern talking to, that is.
Flouncing this book at a little over halfway through, and I won't be reading the rest.
Menages in Regency London did sound like it could be either very cool, or a complete train wreck. But polyamory and the formal language and very formal way of life just doesn't go together. It takes something that could potentially be very sexy, and makes it awkward at best.
The Heroine is a survivor of gang-rape and shunned as a whore for it, but yet she doesn't hesitate to have casual sex with two men in her living room. If you've been raped by several men, you won't be having sex with two men at once. At least not less than a year after the rape, and not without a shitload of therapy.
I also did not like a 3rd woman being hit so hard by a man, she fell to the floor and half her face swelled up. All the while a bunch of men watched and did nothing about it. Other than giving the beater a stern talking to, that is.
Flouncing this book at a little over halfway through, and I won't be reading the rest.
April 12, 2009
3.5 of 5
This m/m/f menage set in regency England was enjoyable. The characters are instantly likable and the scars carried by Kate actually make her stronger and Tony and Jason become protective but not cavemanish about her security. Even the budding sexuality and sassy attitude of her young teenage niece was a perfect accent to this tender sweet story.
Tony and Jason know they love Kate. Kate knows Tony and Jason like to have menage a trois. The real emotional turn comes when Jason (the dom) almost falls to his knees at Tony's display of total submission while playing a game of Everyone Wins. I look forward to the next book in the series.
This m/m/f menage set in regency England was enjoyable. The characters are instantly likable and the scars carried by Kate actually make her stronger and Tony and Jason become protective but not cavemanish about her security. Even the budding sexuality and sassy attitude of her young teenage niece was a perfect accent to this tender sweet story.
Tony and Jason know they love Kate. Kate knows Tony and Jason like to have menage a trois. The real emotional turn comes when Jason (the dom) almost falls to his knees at Tony's display of total submission while playing a game of Everyone Wins. I look forward to the next book in the series.
June 21, 2015
I'm in two minds with regards to this one. On the other hand the author didn't capture any early 19th century details, i could have taken place in 1970 and it'd be the same thing. On the other hand the sex is pretty steaming hot, so that gets two thumbs up from me!
So, as historical fiction? Er, nope. As a one hand read? *fans self*
So, as historical fiction? Er, nope. As a one hand read? *fans self*
April 6, 2021
This one was also 🔥🔥🔥
January 9, 2016
**2 stars for plot and one additional star for unintentional humor.**
Whispersync, you'll be the death of me.
I've had this book on my TBR for almost two years so when it came out in audio, I decided to get it - for some reason, it's always easier for me to listen than to read. I was expecting the plot to be a bit out there but it surpassed even my higher expectations. I confess I laughed a lot.
Tony and Jason found during the war that they needed each other to be "complete" (!) - they are not lovers but since then, they share every woman. They've been in love with Kate for years and when they find out she's free, they swoop in to propose marriage. Kate also loved them both but after a horrible experience, she cannot trust men. But Tony and Jason won't give in and immediately they decide to "woo" her (just imagine what the wooing entails.)
Kate goes with one excuse after the other as to why she can't marry them. For a while, she insists that being with her will damage their reputation, like being in an open poly-amorous relationship is normal. Note to the author: being gay in those days was illegal so even if they weren't having sex with each other (and you know they were going to), people would have assumed they were! If I'd been Jason's heir presumptive, I'd have accuse him of sodomy just to get the title.
The prose was both maudlin and prurient. The dialogue was nothing to talk about but during the love scenes, they were straight out of a porn flick - - the word f*ck was just repeated over and over. Some quotes which had me giggling non-stop:
"These tears are magic, my love. You have shed for love of us, and in so doing you have bound us to you for all eternity." (snort)
"His self-satisfied smirk, much to Tony's amazement, actually made him burn hotter to be possessed by this arrogant stallion." (double snort)
Graphic quote...so I'm putting in spoilers! (HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Just re-reading this makes me laugh.)
The narration was adequate and I was comfortable listening at 1.5x. I thought this was going to be it with me and this series but the next book in the series is narrated by a guy - I listened to the sample and I'm now really tempted. Anyhow, I'll try not to give in to temptation, because I'm sure the next book will much of the same.
Whispersync, you'll be the death of me.
I've had this book on my TBR for almost two years so when it came out in audio, I decided to get it - for some reason, it's always easier for me to listen than to read. I was expecting the plot to be a bit out there but it surpassed even my higher expectations. I confess I laughed a lot.
Tony and Jason found during the war that they needed each other to be "complete" (!) - they are not lovers but since then, they share every woman. They've been in love with Kate for years and when they find out she's free, they swoop in to propose marriage. Kate also loved them both but after a horrible experience, she cannot trust men. But Tony and Jason won't give in and immediately they decide to "woo" her (just imagine what the wooing entails.)
Kate goes with one excuse after the other as to why she can't marry them. For a while, she insists that being with her will damage their reputation, like being in an open poly-amorous relationship is normal. Note to the author: being gay in those days was illegal so even if they weren't having sex with each other (and you know they were going to), people would have assumed they were! If I'd been Jason's heir presumptive, I'd have accuse him of sodomy just to get the title.
The prose was both maudlin and prurient. The dialogue was nothing to talk about but during the love scenes, they were straight out of a porn flick - - the word f*ck was just repeated over and over. Some quotes which had me giggling non-stop:
"These tears are magic, my love. You have shed for love of us, and in so doing you have bound us to you for all eternity." (snort)
"His self-satisfied smirk, much to Tony's amazement, actually made him burn hotter to be possessed by this arrogant stallion." (double snort)
Graphic quote...so I'm putting in spoilers! (HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Just re-reading this makes me laugh.)
The narration was adequate and I was comfortable listening at 1.5x. I thought this was going to be it with me and this series but the next book in the series is narrated by a guy - I listened to the sample and I'm now really tempted. Anyhow, I'll try not to give in to temptation, because I'm sure the next book will much of the same.
March 21, 2018
This was a wonderful erotic, historical and romantic read. I'm not a huge fan of historical stories, but this one was really good. The historical details were not too elaborate and added a nice touch to the characters' issues. Rules of society that brings a man to duel for a woman's honor or make a woman an outcast because she's raped did give this story's heroine a believable struggle when the two men she loved did ask her to marry them.
The Courage to Love is a story of a menage a trois and there's a lot of sex going on. The erotic scenes are written very graphically and I recommend to read this novel with a fan and a glass of cold water at hand because it gets very, very steamy and hot.
In the end there's also a sexy M/M scene: while the two male heroes started out as not being gay they are falling in love with each other as well after they're united with the woman they both love for years.
The feelings of all characters are described very well and make this novel a great romance, besides that it's very sensual and hot.
The Courage to Love is a story of a menage a trois and there's a lot of sex going on. The erotic scenes are written very graphically and I recommend to read this novel with a fan and a glass of cold water at hand because it gets very, very steamy and hot.
In the end there's also a sexy M/M scene: while the two male heroes started out as not being gay they are falling in love with each other as well after they're united with the woman they both love for years.
The feelings of all characters are described very well and make this novel a great romance, besides that it's very sensual and hot.
May 29, 2017
So I spotted this series a long time ago but it was in the middle of the whole Ellora's Cave fiasco and I just didn't feel like it would be right to buy anything from them. These came to my attention again last week and since EC is gone I decided to have a little look and discovered that they are all now being self published so I bought them all and now I'm addicted!!
This was lovely and smutty but also had a bit of a plot and which in turn made me just really like all the characters. I mean it is absolutely ridiculous but I want ridiculous at the moment and I want smut but with like a bit of trial and tribulation and bit of insta-love and all in a historical setting.
This book had all of this and even a bit more...
So it's not world changing or life altering but I devoured it and bring on all 13 is what I say!!!
March 9, 2018
Ummm I am just going to say HOT!
I love this series, and this is a re-read for me. I don't really have a lot to say because these are just guilty pleasures for me. :)
I love this series, and this is a re-read for me. I don't really have a lot to say because these are just guilty pleasures for me. :)
January 26, 2015
He vuelto a confiar en las historias de tríos xD
*Puede contener spoilers*
Al principio, si ella no está con ellos no se sienten completos, pero una vez que la consiguen descubren que pueden sentirse más completos el uno con el otro, y ella, como quien dice, sobra.
La chica se casó con el que tiene titulo noble porque él necesita un heredero, pero para ellos en realidad es esposa de los dos.
Es gracioso y surrealista.
Digo, te das una idea de la cantidad de amigos que ellos tienen que pasaran por lo mismo.
O sea, son dos hombres que por no-se-qué de la guerra, encuentran consuelo en su compañero de armas, porque nadie más que alguien que estuvo allí puede entenderlos.
Y son como ocho libros.. o sea... dieciséis hombres semi gay.
En Londres del siglo XIX
Es complicado de pensar y ni digo que imaginar. Voy a pensar que en realidad es una realidad alternativa donde dichos arreglos son posibles. :D
*Puede contener spoilers*
Al principio, si ella no está con ellos no se sienten completos, pero una vez que la consiguen descubren que pueden sentirse más completos el uno con el otro, y ella, como quien dice, sobra.
La chica se casó con el que tiene titulo noble porque él necesita un heredero, pero para ellos en realidad es esposa de los dos.
Es gracioso y surrealista.
Digo, te das una idea de la cantidad de amigos que ellos tienen que pasaran por lo mismo.
O sea, son dos hombres que por no-se-qué de la guerra, encuentran consuelo en su compañero de armas, porque nadie más que alguien que estuvo allí puede entenderlos.
Y son como ocho libros.. o sea... dieciséis hombres semi gay.
En Londres del siglo XIX
Es complicado de pensar y ni digo que imaginar. Voy a pensar que en realidad es una realidad alternativa donde dichos arreglos son posibles. :D
December 15, 2014
I just finished the entire Brothers in Arms series, which consists of 12 full titles and one prequel short. This is the first full title and it is the tale of Jason and Tony, best friends and war buddies who happen to enjoy sharing women in the bedroom, and who are also in love with the same woman - Kate.
This isn't Pulitzer Prize winning stuff. This is erotic fiction. So if you're in the mood for something worthy of a Pulitzer, look elsewhere. If you are, however, in the mood to read a dirty story about a hot threesome with likable characters and an engaging plot, you can't really go wrong with this one. So much erotica is focused solely on the sex, and I won't lie and say this book doesn't contain a lot of sex, but what sets Kane's work apart from some others I've read is her ability to actually give her characters personality, and to actually weave a story in between the steamy stuff. I liked this first book quite a bit, but there are a few in the series I will probably be rating higher simply because I liked the storyline and/or the characters a little more.
Contains m/m and m/m/f sex scenes with an insanely high steam factor, so if you're a pearl clutcher, don't bother.
This isn't Pulitzer Prize winning stuff. This is erotic fiction. So if you're in the mood for something worthy of a Pulitzer, look elsewhere. If you are, however, in the mood to read a dirty story about a hot threesome with likable characters and an engaging plot, you can't really go wrong with this one. So much erotica is focused solely on the sex, and I won't lie and say this book doesn't contain a lot of sex, but what sets Kane's work apart from some others I've read is her ability to actually give her characters personality, and to actually weave a story in between the steamy stuff. I liked this first book quite a bit, but there are a few in the series I will probably be rating higher simply because I liked the storyline and/or the characters a little more.
Contains m/m and m/m/f sex scenes with an insanely high steam factor, so if you're a pearl clutcher, don't bother.
March 4, 2008
I had great expectations for this book. And I must say that the story didn't meet them. I was actually quite disappointed.
In the beginning, it looked like there would be an actual plot there, balancing the sex, unfortunately, the plot quickly succumbed to a huge amount of sexing and pathos so bad my teeth hurt.
I expected some slow discovering, adversity, nervousness... But everybody was so accepting, so kind, so understanding... in the early frickin' 19th century! Right.
This book is simply bad. I liked Tony and Jason discovering each other, sure, but that was all that I liked about the story. Actually, I would go as far as to say that this book presents all that I dislike about ménage stories - a poor, hurt, abused woman, two bulky men all set to protect her, men who never even thought about getting it on with each other until she accepted them in her bed... One word: BAD!
In the beginning, it looked like there would be an actual plot there, balancing the sex, unfortunately, the plot quickly succumbed to a huge amount of sexing and pathos so bad my teeth hurt.
I expected some slow discovering, adversity, nervousness... But everybody was so accepting, so kind, so understanding... in the early frickin' 19th century! Right.
This book is simply bad. I liked Tony and Jason discovering each other, sure, but that was all that I liked about the story. Actually, I would go as far as to say that this book presents all that I dislike about ménage stories - a poor, hurt, abused woman, two bulky men all set to protect her, men who never even thought about getting it on with each other until she accepted them in her bed... One word: BAD!
June 29, 2008
"Brothers in Arms: The Courage to Love" by Samantha Kane is the first book in her historical erotica menage series. She uses the Napoleonic wars as the spur for her heroes preference for a menage relationship. The sex scenes are blistering and the love each hero feels for the heroine, and eventually, each other, shines through. I'm not usually a fan of M/M erotica, but in this book it just seems a part of the story and didn't turn me off at all. This first book sets up the villan and introduces the secondary characters for the rest of the series. Very hot, and very enjoyable!
WARNING: This book does contain both M/M and M/F/M scenes.
WARNING: This book does contain both M/M and M/F/M scenes.
January 9, 2023
★Book Basics★
Genre : - Historical MMF Romance
Series : - 1st in the series
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - Yes
Rating - 5 ★
★Review★
I read this before apparently but did not remember anything about it. However I loved it! Regency Setting. MMF. Social Outcast heroine and 2 heroes determined to have her - and also realising they mean more to each other than they thought. Off the charts hot.
Genre : - Historical MMF Romance
Series : - 1st in the series
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - Yes
Rating - 5 ★
★Review★
I read this before apparently but did not remember anything about it. However I loved it! Regency Setting. MMF. Social Outcast heroine and 2 heroes determined to have her - and also realising they mean more to each other than they thought. Off the charts hot.
January 2, 2015
Smutty historical erotica (or histo-erotica) with MMF menage. Oh my.
The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line
May 22, 2012
This is my first read from this author and not my last. Wow this story was HOT..... I have never read a book like this one m/m was different but I have to say made the book even more spicy.
March 17, 2017
I don't know what to say, except....OMG!
Yes, it was erotic and all that sex hoopla, but OMG the story....just wow!
Yes, it was erotic and all that sex hoopla, but OMG the story....just wow!
August 21, 2015
This book was picked for me in a menage pick it for me challenge and I must say well done. I was surprised and I wasn't sure of this series, because I did read the prequel to this book and it was ok, this book made up for that. Jason and Tony served in the war together and have always loved Kate and knew that they wanted to share her. Let me just say now that the sex scenes in his book were hot as hell. Kate Collier is slowly recovering from the brutal rape that has left her a social outcast among her so-called peers. Determined to not take any more lovers, she's started a dress shop in order to try to support herself. Slowly, Kate is reinventing herself, until Jason and Tony reenter her life and throw it completely off kilter again. Being in public where she runs the risk of being seen by the men who were part of her rape is terrifying for Kate. They'd returned to London from the continent to claim Kate as their wife. They are unprepared for the changes that have happened to the carefree woman she'd been. Having been abroad, they had no knowledge of what had happened to cause her fear but they intend to find out. Kate may believe that she can't marry Jason and Tony because of what had been done to her, but they intend to prove differently with a little help from Kate's niece, Veronica they get their woman. This was not my first time reading Ms. Kane's work this book was well written "read" as I listened to this one. The sex scenes were hot and had me throbbing at times. After wooing Kate and winning her heart and dealing with the man who used her she has learned to give in to the relationship. If you like historical hot reads than I recommend that you read this book.
January 28, 2012
I was a little confused in the beginning what time period this story was set in and then it seemed like the author kept jumping from character to another. Like I said I was confused, but that was only in the beginning.
After the first chapter everything started to make sense and I started to enjoy the story. The story is highly erotic and also very heartwarming and funny. I know it seems like those description probably shouldn't go hand in hand, but they fit.
The love that the heroes and heroine have for one another is very touching and the hot sex is just an added bonus.
If you don't like erotic romance then of course this isn't for you, but if you do this is definitely worth reading. Once I got past chapter 1 I couldn't put it down and I am looking forward to reading the remainder of this series.
After the first chapter everything started to make sense and I started to enjoy the story. The story is highly erotic and also very heartwarming and funny. I know it seems like those description probably shouldn't go hand in hand, but they fit.
The love that the heroes and heroine have for one another is very touching and the hot sex is just an added bonus.
If you don't like erotic romance then of course this isn't for you, but if you do this is definitely worth reading. Once I got past chapter 1 I couldn't put it down and I am looking forward to reading the remainder of this series.
October 14, 2021
This was quite possibly the worst book I've ever read. I won't list the ways - Plainbrownwrapper & Beate explained it best.
I was done when a 16 year old was fingered in an alleyway and it was supposedly "good". What the actual F*CK?
I was done when a 16 year old was fingered in an alleyway and it was supposedly "good". What the actual F*CK?
April 10, 2013
This book has been on my TBR for a while. I'm not fond of the historical genre (too many rules), I'm not fond of war type stories (too much chest thumping and/or pointlessly violent passages), in fact the only thing that kept this in my TBR is that MMF is my fave theme. It persistently popped up and has been rec'd to me so often that I gave in to peer pressure. I am so glad that I did.
Tony and Jason, comrades in arms, have loved Kate for years. First she was married to a fellow soldier, after his death the duo left her sow her wild oats (a huge mistake, brought on by testosterone poisoning, I'm sure), journeying to the continent so they wouldn't be forced to watch. They had always planned to make her theirs at some point.
By the time they return they find a Kate a fraction of the woman that they had come to know. She was stronger in some ways, but had a crippling amount of fear in her. Kate, not being privy to how a man's mind works, believed that she had been abandoned and set about making sure that she and her young ward survived (NOT sowing oats, grrr). Tragedy had struck, as can heartrendingly happen to a young woman alone in the world.
Jason and Tony have returned to claim their bride, against the mores of society and the protests from the fallen woman herself. They are soldiers on a mission, and will discover more than they thought to have.
The Courage to Love is a crazy sexy, wild ride of a book. Having said that, I need to point out a couple of points that niggled at me. There was a forced feel to some of the love scenes, I pictured a maniacal editor pointing at random pages shouting; "There, put a sex scene right there!". The author also seemed to be unsure of her "voice", for lack of a better term, at times. She began the book making Kate out to be a survivor; timid and fearful, then not six pages later have her committing wholeheartedly to crazy-hot menage; pushing Tony and Jase away for their own good and the next chapter letting them take on all her burdens. These are by no means deal-breakers. I have a good idea that Samantha Kane finds her niche in later books, seeing as there are so many books in the series.
Tony and Jason, comrades in arms, have loved Kate for years. First she was married to a fellow soldier, after his death the duo left her sow her wild oats (a huge mistake, brought on by testosterone poisoning, I'm sure), journeying to the continent so they wouldn't be forced to watch. They had always planned to make her theirs at some point.
By the time they return they find a Kate a fraction of the woman that they had come to know. She was stronger in some ways, but had a crippling amount of fear in her. Kate, not being privy to how a man's mind works, believed that she had been abandoned and set about making sure that she and her young ward survived (NOT sowing oats, grrr). Tragedy had struck, as can heartrendingly happen to a young woman alone in the world.
Jason and Tony have returned to claim their bride, against the mores of society and the protests from the fallen woman herself. They are soldiers on a mission, and will discover more than they thought to have.
The Courage to Love is a crazy sexy, wild ride of a book. Having said that, I need to point out a couple of points that niggled at me. There was a forced feel to some of the love scenes, I pictured a maniacal editor pointing at random pages shouting; "There, put a sex scene right there!". The author also seemed to be unsure of her "voice", for lack of a better term, at times. She began the book making Kate out to be a survivor; timid and fearful, then not six pages later have her committing wholeheartedly to crazy-hot menage; pushing Tony and Jase away for their own good and the next chapter letting them take on all her burdens. These are by no means deal-breakers. I have a good idea that Samantha Kane finds her niche in later books, seeing as there are so many books in the series.
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