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Bless Us With Content
Ashton Laytham came to Fayerweather, his uncle’s estate, as an orphan at the age of seven. Family and servants alike perceived Ashton as an unlovable child and shunned him; as an adult, the occasional illicit rendezvous aside, Ashton remains aloof and alone. When his uncle dies, yet more abuse falls upon Ashton’s shoulders: the estate is bankrupt and Ashton must make good on his uncle’s gaming debts.
With the family talisman stolen and the suspects fled, Ashton faces certain ruin until the arrival of Geo Stephenson, who holds all of Sir Laytham’s IOUs. Geo proposes a solution: Ashton will accommodate him in his bed, thereby paying off the debt. Attracted to Geo in spite of himself and desperate for any human kindness, Ashton agrees … never expecting to lose his heart to a man who claims he will never give his.
With the family talisman stolen and the suspects fled, Ashton faces certain ruin until the arrival of Geo Stephenson, who holds all of Sir Laytham’s IOUs. Geo proposes a solution: Ashton will accommodate him in his bed, thereby paying off the debt. Attracted to Geo in spite of himself and desperate for any human kindness, Ashton agrees … never expecting to lose his heart to a man who claims he will never give his.
8 pages, Audible Audio
First published February 28, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
February 12, 2013
Having just read Tinneans Spy v Spook series and loving it, it was a foregone conclusion that I would try another of her books - I really enjoyed her style of writing - so after careful consideration I chose Ashton's story. I particularly love the Regency period, so any m/m regency romance gets my vote!
On another site I spotted one numb ass reviewer gave this 2 stars because they thought it was boring, with boring characters.... I know, each to their own... but come on!! OK this may not be 100% historically perfect but I thought the story had the right feel and tone of the period and not once did I ever feel my attention wandering. At the end of the day this is a love story and that's the main focus - the rest of the story and its characters support the two main MC's in this 'will they/won't they' romance extremely well, with an interesting family backstory that isn't just there to flesh out the story but actually adds a substantial plot as well.
Ashton is a character who from the word go pulls at your heartstrings because of the cold and thoughtless way he's treated by his family and Geo is dashing enough to make you root for them to get together despite the fact that at first he appears to be using Ashton to pay off his debts in a most dastardly way .. but its patently obvious that there is an instant attraction between the two of them so you cant help falling for his underlying charm!There's just a nice amount of misunderstanding to give the tale an injection of angst and an ending that satisfyingly wraps it up very nicely. Like any regency romance there are a few eye rolling moments but that's all part of the enjoyment and this is fiction so bring on the poetic licence!
I thoroughly enjoyed the complexities of the story and will definitely be adding more of Tinneans books to my library. :D
On another site I spotted one numb ass reviewer gave this 2 stars because they thought it was boring, with boring characters.... I know, each to their own... but come on!! OK this may not be 100% historically perfect but I thought the story had the right feel and tone of the period and not once did I ever feel my attention wandering. At the end of the day this is a love story and that's the main focus - the rest of the story and its characters support the two main MC's in this 'will they/won't they' romance extremely well, with an interesting family backstory that isn't just there to flesh out the story but actually adds a substantial plot as well.
Ashton is a character who from the word go pulls at your heartstrings because of the cold and thoughtless way he's treated by his family and Geo is dashing enough to make you root for them to get together despite the fact that at first he appears to be using Ashton to pay off his debts in a most dastardly way .. but its patently obvious that there is an instant attraction between the two of them so you cant help falling for his underlying charm!There's just a nice amount of misunderstanding to give the tale an injection of angst and an ending that satisfyingly wraps it up very nicely. Like any regency romance there are a few eye rolling moments but that's all part of the enjoyment and this is fiction so bring on the poetic licence!
I thoroughly enjoyed the complexities of the story and will definitely be adding more of Tinneans books to my library. :D
May 13, 2011
I'm a huge fan of Tinnean's "spy vs spook" stories, and was curious to see her switch gears for a historical. Wow! What attention to detail. My heart broke for Ashton, the target of so much misunderstanding and mistreatment, and I loved seeing him come into his own. Several scenes brought tears to my eyes (which for me is a good thing, I love angst!), such as when he had to put that poor horse down, and when the weeks went by and he felt deserted.
I would have liked to have known more about Geo and his motivations, and how he overcame animosity for Ashton family enough to develop feelings for Ashton. I'd also have liked a few more hints about the mysterious uncle who disappeared.
A thoroughly enjoyable read, I found I couldn't put it down and stayed up late at night reading, and then hurried home from work to read some more.
Bravo, Tinnean. You've given a die-hard historical fan a keeper in Bless Us With Content.
I would have liked to have known more about Geo and his motivations, and how he overcame animosity for Ashton family enough to develop feelings for Ashton. I'd also have liked a few more hints about the mysterious uncle who disappeared.
A thoroughly enjoyable read, I found I couldn't put it down and stayed up late at night reading, and then hurried home from work to read some more.
Bravo, Tinnean. You've given a die-hard historical fan a keeper in Bless Us With Content.
May 27, 2011
There’s a good story here, but it annoyed me as I was reading it, despite the fact the plot is decently formed and the structure was something I should have liked a lot.
The problem is with the pacing; it was very uneven. It spent a lot of time on some aspects that were sometimes less important than others that were frustratingly told not shown, and jumped about here and there. Characters were introduced as if we knew them well, when I’m scratching my head and saying “who’s this?” and searching back to find that they’d been mentioned once before in throwaway conversation.
I liked the beginning quite a lot–it had touches of Jane Eyre in the way that an orphan comes to a house and is looked after by relations who don’t think much of him because he’s upset about losing his parents. The trouble was, as is the case throughout the book, that the character description isn’t shown in any depth and when Uncle Eustace turns out to be a tyrant it’s a surprise, and doubly so when we are told that he’d whipped Ashton not just once but many times. Ashton’s “awfulness” is not really shown either. We are told that Ashton decided that he would be as awful as his nickname “Awful” made him out to be, but we aren’t shown this behaviour–and there’s no real reason that I could see why people disliked him so much. Granted the other adoptive children in the story bully him but children do.
Similarly, as Ashton grows up, and the other adopted children and then young adults, continue to treat him badly (despite the fact that as the last in the line, he’s the heir) we have no character development from Ashton. I predicted that he would behave like an absolute horror (in some way or other) but really putting on an act until the day he inherited—but this did not happen. He would have had every right to be a very flawed Heathcliffian character but he wasn’t this either. It was hard to see what he was, to be honest as he turned out to be a Nice Chap which seemed a bit odd.
Telling not showing was prevalent all the way through. We are told that Ashton cares for the tenant farmers, and it wouldn’t have hurt to have had him doing something good in secret as a child, or perhaps visiting the tenants when he wanted to get out of the house, but we don’t see this. We are just told that he looks after his people and I’m all “why?” Make him a saint, or make him a monster, but give us reasons.
Some of the sequences add to the disjointed effect. One minute he’s having dinner, the next he’s careering across the fields, the next brooding for days whether Geo loves him—despite the fact they’ve met once and shagged once. It’s like a roller-coaster ride but one where you can’t see where the tracks are going. Little things like him avoiding a phaeton coming up the drive so he doesn’t have to see any neighbours, despite the fact that no visits to the hall are ever mentioned, even though the ladies of the house make visits—so one assumes they would have been returned. It’s almost as if the author didn’t have the time to pad this out in a way it deserved, which is a shame because as I said at the beginning, there’s the kernel of a good story here. There’s just not the depth—other than the emo-ing over “does he love me?”—that it needed to do justice to the many other characters in the story.
What I liked was the language, even though (once again) it’s a little disjointed. Sometimes Ashton speaks like aperfectly normal aristocrat, and then he suddenly lapses into cant that would do justice to any Heyer novel. I didn’t look up every word, so can’t tell you if the slang is historically correct or whether it’s taken from Heyer. When it’s used, it’s used pretty well, although some words did need to have something in context to hang them on, for clarity.
There were no problems with historical accuracy that I could see, I might take issue with a two year old horse being broken to saddle and taken over jumps, but no-one’s except horse lovers would baulk at that anyway.
I look back at this review and it makes me look as if I hated this book—but I DIDN’T—that’s the crux of it. The problems that beset it could have been smoothed out to make the read more even, and the trope of “orphan makes good” (or bad!!) is one I highly enjoy and I did enjoy the book for all my criticisms. I suppose I got annoyed more because I did enjoy it than didn’t. Suffice to say that I’d seek out other historical by Tinnean.
Give it a try, it’s a nice meaty read and worth the cover price—and let me know what you think.
The problem is with the pacing; it was very uneven. It spent a lot of time on some aspects that were sometimes less important than others that were frustratingly told not shown, and jumped about here and there. Characters were introduced as if we knew them well, when I’m scratching my head and saying “who’s this?” and searching back to find that they’d been mentioned once before in throwaway conversation.
I liked the beginning quite a lot–it had touches of Jane Eyre in the way that an orphan comes to a house and is looked after by relations who don’t think much of him because he’s upset about losing his parents. The trouble was, as is the case throughout the book, that the character description isn’t shown in any depth and when Uncle Eustace turns out to be a tyrant it’s a surprise, and doubly so when we are told that he’d whipped Ashton not just once but many times. Ashton’s “awfulness” is not really shown either. We are told that Ashton decided that he would be as awful as his nickname “Awful” made him out to be, but we aren’t shown this behaviour–and there’s no real reason that I could see why people disliked him so much. Granted the other adoptive children in the story bully him but children do.
Similarly, as Ashton grows up, and the other adopted children and then young adults, continue to treat him badly (despite the fact that as the last in the line, he’s the heir) we have no character development from Ashton. I predicted that he would behave like an absolute horror (in some way or other) but really putting on an act until the day he inherited—but this did not happen. He would have had every right to be a very flawed Heathcliffian character but he wasn’t this either. It was hard to see what he was, to be honest as he turned out to be a Nice Chap which seemed a bit odd.
Telling not showing was prevalent all the way through. We are told that Ashton cares for the tenant farmers, and it wouldn’t have hurt to have had him doing something good in secret as a child, or perhaps visiting the tenants when he wanted to get out of the house, but we don’t see this. We are just told that he looks after his people and I’m all “why?” Make him a saint, or make him a monster, but give us reasons.
Some of the sequences add to the disjointed effect. One minute he’s having dinner, the next he’s careering across the fields, the next brooding for days whether Geo loves him—despite the fact they’ve met once and shagged once. It’s like a roller-coaster ride but one where you can’t see where the tracks are going. Little things like him avoiding a phaeton coming up the drive so he doesn’t have to see any neighbours, despite the fact that no visits to the hall are ever mentioned, even though the ladies of the house make visits—so one assumes they would have been returned. It’s almost as if the author didn’t have the time to pad this out in a way it deserved, which is a shame because as I said at the beginning, there’s the kernel of a good story here. There’s just not the depth—other than the emo-ing over “does he love me?”—that it needed to do justice to the many other characters in the story.
What I liked was the language, even though (once again) it’s a little disjointed. Sometimes Ashton speaks like aperfectly normal aristocrat, and then he suddenly lapses into cant that would do justice to any Heyer novel. I didn’t look up every word, so can’t tell you if the slang is historically correct or whether it’s taken from Heyer. When it’s used, it’s used pretty well, although some words did need to have something in context to hang them on, for clarity.
There were no problems with historical accuracy that I could see, I might take issue with a two year old horse being broken to saddle and taken over jumps, but no-one’s except horse lovers would baulk at that anyway.
I look back at this review and it makes me look as if I hated this book—but I DIDN’T—that’s the crux of it. The problems that beset it could have been smoothed out to make the read more even, and the trope of “orphan makes good” (or bad!!) is one I highly enjoy and I did enjoy the book for all my criticisms. I suppose I got annoyed more because I did enjoy it than didn’t. Suffice to say that I’d seek out other historical by Tinnean.
Give it a try, it’s a nice meaty read and worth the cover price—and let me know what you think.
May 29, 2015
It had started quite well for me, but lost its sparkle somewhere along the way, unfortunately.
As always, Paul Morey's narrating has made it more enjoyable.
***3.3 stars***
As always, Paul Morey's narrating has made it more enjoyable.
***3.3 stars***
October 7, 2015
2.75 stars stretching it to 3-stars
Picked this up because my friend Lada gave this 4-stars. Guess I should've learned that her taste and mine could be worlds apart *lol*.
I didn't dislike it, but I was indifferent with it. My thoughts have been captured by several reviews -- LenaLena, ElaineY, and Jenre.
Basically I thought ...
- I would like to understand more about Geo's motives. He suddenly came out of nowhere, proposed Ashton that way, and then missing for big chunk of the story. He didn't came alive in anyway for me.
- I wish Ashton could stand up to the women (or anyone else in his life, after his horrible uncle died) a lot quicker. Oh, I know that this supposed to be some sorts of journey of Ashton growing up but his personality just didn't charm me. I guess I wasn't impressed by Ashton allowing himself to be bullied -- sure, he probably couldn't fight the three Hoods brothers, but against his aunt and Arabella? Plus, too much pining and carrying the baggage of the world on his shoulder *shrugs*. The only time I thought Ashton had potential to charmed me was when he was dealing with the horses.
- On that note, why ALL the female characters are awful? Seriously? I want to bitch-slap them all, especially that spoiled Arabella and Juliet. REALLY!
Last but not least ... the ol' English writing totally not my cuppa tea.
Picked this up because my friend Lada gave this 4-stars. Guess I should've learned that her taste and mine could be worlds apart *lol*.
I didn't dislike it, but I was indifferent with it. My thoughts have been captured by several reviews -- LenaLena, ElaineY, and Jenre.
Basically I thought ...
- I would like to understand more about Geo's motives. He suddenly came out of nowhere, proposed Ashton that way, and then missing for big chunk of the story. He didn't came alive in anyway for me.
- I wish Ashton could stand up to the women (or anyone else in his life, after his horrible uncle died) a lot quicker. Oh, I know that this supposed to be some sorts of journey of Ashton growing up but his personality just didn't charm me. I guess I wasn't impressed by Ashton allowing himself to be bullied -- sure, he probably couldn't fight the three Hoods brothers, but against his aunt and Arabella? Plus, too much pining and carrying the baggage of the world on his shoulder *shrugs*. The only time I thought Ashton had potential to charmed me was when he was dealing with the horses.
- On that note, why ALL the female characters are awful? Seriously? I want to bitch-slap them all, especially that spoiled Arabella and Juliet. REALLY!
Last but not least ... the ol' English writing totally not my cuppa tea.
March 5, 2011
Overall, I enjoyed this novel but I would hesitate to call it a true 'romance'. Rather, it focuses on the life of Ashton, from the time newly orphaned at 7, he arrives at Laytham Manor, through to his adult years when he is the Lord of the said manor. Ashton's life is not an easy one, with very little trust and affection given to him over the years. He becomes hesitant and wary in all his relationships except those found in the stable, both human and equine. When Ashton finally becomes involved with his partner, there is little attention given to the actual romance, but instead the story follows how the relationship impacts on his life,and to some extent, the people around him. Admittedly, at the beginning, the relationship is for reasons other than romance, but as the relationship evolves, the focus mostly remains on the Ashton's dealings with the other family members and his responsibilities. It not until nearly the end that his partner's actions can be seen as romance, and with the rather abrupt ending, the is no real development of the relationship.
As I said, I did enjoy this novel, finding it well written for the most part. Ashton's struggle to find contentment and acceptance as he grows up, left me with a few tears here and there. I enjoyed the journey but to me, it is not a romance as such.
As I said, I did enjoy this novel, finding it well written for the most part. Ashton's struggle to find contentment and acceptance as he grows up, left me with a few tears here and there. I enjoyed the journey but to me, it is not a romance as such.
March 4, 2011
'Awful' Ashton was a contradiction of sorts. For the first three quarters of the book, he came across as a very weak, insecure man who was unable to stand up for himself. Even as an adult, he let his uncle Eustace beat him until his back was torn and when Geo makes love (or should I say 'sodomize' as the book does?), Geo and Ash to be careful not to injure his back further.
Perhaps I'm not that knowledgeable about 19th century men and perhaps they do allow themselves to suffer extreme corporal punishment (and no, it's not the BDSM kinda thing! <glares at Deanna & co.> but if that's so, I'll stick to Georgette Heyer-type romance heroes. They would never allow themselves to be treated so.
Anyway, poor Awful Ashton, as he is so unkindly called, has this miserable childhood when, orphaned at seven, he goes to live at Laytham Hall. There, he is joined by the three sons of his Aunt Cecily's friend - Robert, John and William and later, Arabella, the daughter of Aunt C's cousin. Ash and John start a sexual 'arrangement' (can't really label it a 'relationship') where Ash fucks John at night and John continues to treat Ash like a lower-class being during the day. But Ash is so in love with John and pines away for him when the three brothers take off suddenly one day. I won't go into the whys of this as that would be an unnecessary spoiler.
Despite Ash's weakness as a man, allowing himself to be physically mistreated by his uncle and bullied by the spoilt Arabella, Ash is a responsible and honorable man. He works hard at managing the estate, having inherited Fayerweather when the evil uncle drops dead after flogging Ash. Ash is every inch the caring and competent gentleman-farmer and I did feel for him that the household servants despised him whilst those that worked outside, on his land, knew he deserved better. My pity was not a little tinged with frustration that Ash couldn't get himself a pair of balls and remedy the situation for himself. I mean, hey, he's the hero, dammit!
It is not until the last quarter of the book that Ashton finds himself that pair of b's and that's when I begin to have some respect for him. He starts to put those two women who live with him in their place and I cheered for him when he put his foot firmly down where Arabella's friend, Juliet, is concerned.
Ash's romance with Geo is the weakest part of the book, in my opinion, as Geo was treated more like a secondary character than the protagonist and one that stayed in the background for most part, appearing only tosodomize fuck Ash then taking off for weeks on end. I never got to know Geo apart from the fact that he has a limp, is 28 years old and runs secret missions (did I get that correct?) for the government, hence his disappearances. And I only knew this (oh, the limp is there right at the start, of course) much, much later when the story is already coming to an end. I never got to know anything else about him - what he felt when he met Ash for the first time, what went on with him when he was in London during the week, every week. Zilch.
In the end, I'm not sure I'd call this a romance as it's more like what (I think) is a coming-of-age story - I don't read those much either so I could very well be wrong. I know I can't compare BUWC with Mann of My Dreams, not least being that the latter is a contemporary and I don't have to get used to terms like 'sodomize me' or 'fundament'. I thought 'chutes' and channels' were bad enough but 'fundament' is worse.
I'm going to stay away from historicals for awhile. I'll still be looking out for the author's contemporaries - if she does come out with more like MoMD which was such a winner with me.
3.5 stars for this book and now I'm off to start on the 4-book epic, Shadow of the Templar series:D
Perhaps I'm not that knowledgeable about 19th century men and perhaps they do allow themselves to suffer extreme corporal punishment (and no, it's not the BDSM kinda thing! <glares at Deanna & co.> but if that's so, I'll stick to Georgette Heyer-type romance heroes. They would never allow themselves to be treated so.
Anyway, poor Awful Ashton, as he is so unkindly called, has this miserable childhood when, orphaned at seven, he goes to live at Laytham Hall. There, he is joined by the three sons of his Aunt Cecily's friend - Robert, John and William and later, Arabella, the daughter of Aunt C's cousin. Ash and John start a sexual 'arrangement' (can't really label it a 'relationship') where Ash fucks John at night and John continues to treat Ash like a lower-class being during the day. But Ash is so in love with John and pines away for him when the three brothers take off suddenly one day. I won't go into the whys of this as that would be an unnecessary spoiler.
Despite Ash's weakness as a man, allowing himself to be physically mistreated by his uncle and bullied by the spoilt Arabella, Ash is a responsible and honorable man. He works hard at managing the estate, having inherited Fayerweather when the evil uncle drops dead after flogging Ash. Ash is every inch the caring and competent gentleman-farmer and I did feel for him that the household servants despised him whilst those that worked outside, on his land, knew he deserved better. My pity was not a little tinged with frustration that Ash couldn't get himself a pair of balls and remedy the situation for himself. I mean, hey, he's the hero, dammit!
It is not until the last quarter of the book that Ashton finds himself that pair of b's and that's when I begin to have some respect for him. He starts to put those two women who live with him in their place and I cheered for him when he put his foot firmly down where Arabella's friend, Juliet, is concerned.
Ash's romance with Geo is the weakest part of the book, in my opinion, as Geo was treated more like a secondary character than the protagonist and one that stayed in the background for most part, appearing only to
In the end, I'm not sure I'd call this a romance as it's more like what (I think) is a coming-of-age story - I don't read those much either so I could very well be wrong. I know I can't compare BUWC with Mann of My Dreams, not least being that the latter is a contemporary and I don't have to get used to terms like 'sodomize me' or 'fundament'. I thought 'chutes' and channels' were bad enough but 'fundament' is worse.
I'm going to stay away from historicals for awhile. I'll still be looking out for the author's contemporaries - if she does come out with more like MoMD which was such a winner with me.
3.5 stars for this book and now I'm off to start on the 4-book epic, Shadow of the Templar series:D
February 12, 2019
4 - 4,5*
Ok … langsam kann ich mir aus den Perlen, die ich in den Untiefen meines SuBs “finde” eine Kette basteln … und nein, keine halsnahe … wirklich nicht.
Gekauft habe ich dieses Buch im September 2014 und es war mit eines der ersten Gay-Bücher, die es auf meinen Reader geschafft haben. Vielleicht lag es daran, dass ich zu der damaligen Zeit, so als Neuling in dem “Genre” zwar den Klappentext mochte, dann aber doch lieber zu den locker, flockig, leichten Geschichten gegriffen habe. Dazu kam eine Neuerscheinung, dann die nächste usw. … tja und dann rutschen auch die besten Bücher immer weiter nach hinten
Asche über mein Haupt, denn auch noch kurz bevor ich dieses Buch (nun endlich) gelesen habe, habe ich noch überlegt, ob ein historischer Roman wirklich das ist, was ich gerade lesen will. Angefangen habe ich dann eher aus dem schlechten Gewissen heraus, dieses Buch schon so lange ignoriert zu haben, als dass ich so richtig “heiß” drauf gewesen wäre. UND …
… wie schon so oft hat mir ein schmählich vernachlässigtes Buch den Stinkefinger gezeigt. Wahrscheinlich lacht es jetzt noch über mich *g* (Ja, ich glaube daran, dass Bücher Seelen haben. Manche schwarze, manche eher ironisch-bissige, andere wiederum eine zuckersüße). Tja, in dieser Lesenacht hat es mich um den Schlaf gebracht, ich konnte es nicht aus der Hand legen und dass, obwohl der Wecker um 6.30 Uhr geklingelt hat.
Was soll ich sagen? Die Geschichte um Ashton und Geo ist wunderbar flüssig geschrieben, die beiden Charaktere sind liebevoll dargestellt und ihre Annäherung trotz der damaligen Zeit nicht wirklich sooo heimlich wie man es sich eigentlich vorstellen würde. Wie schon geschrieben, habe ich das Buch nicht aus der Hand legen können, doch als ich es dann gezwungenermaßen doch tun musste, fiel es mir extrem schwer. Ich fand es klasse, wie Ashton gereift und mit seinen Aufgaben gewachsen ist. Er ist ein toller Gutsherr und Freund geworden – Hut ab vor dieser nicht ganz selbstverständlichen Entwicklung.
Die Geschichte um Ashton ging mir wirklich zu Herzen. Allerdings ist mir Geo daneben fast etwas blaß geblieben, hier wurde für mich etwas viel Geheimniskrämerei um seine “Aufgaben” gemacht, auch hätte er mehr Tiefe vertragen können.
Wenn ich jetzt schreibe, was mich “gestört” hat, so hatte das keinen Einfluß auf meinen Lesefluss, sondern sind nur meine persönlichen “Kniefieseleien”, die sich mir im Nachgang (d.h. noch nicht mal während des Lesens) in meine Gedanken geschlichen haben
– die Abreise der drei Jungs und der wahre Grund warum (hier saß ich nach dem Ende beim Abendessen und plötzlich ging mir ein kurzes “Häh” durch den Kopf. Dies wirkte (aber wirklich erst im Nachgang als das Buch “sackte”) etwas sehr konstruiert für mich;
– zum Ende zu einige plötzliche “Zeitsprünge”, z.B. als William wieder am Tisch saß und wie das zu Stande kam und noch ein paar (wenige) andere;
– die Erklärung zu Burt, die ich toll fand – und dann war das Buch Schluß einfach zu Ende … Hallo? kein Epilog, kein wie “erging es ihnen nach dieser Erklärung …” Nein, einfach Schluß .
Nein, keine Sorge, das Happy End ist nachvollziehbar, aber ich wollte und will mehr. Ich will für die beiden den Regenbogen bei strahlendem Sonnenschein, ein Leben wie gemalt, einen Ashton, der einfach so sein darf, wie er wirklich ist und einen Geo, der diesen tollen Mann (sehr lange) mehr als zu schätzen weiß :-) Ich will für Ashton einfach das Rundumwohlfühlpaket mit einer dicken roten Schleife drumrum! Basta!
Sollte also jemand von euch gute historische Gay-Romanzen mögen – ich hätte hier eine im Angebot :-)
Ok … langsam kann ich mir aus den Perlen, die ich in den Untiefen meines SuBs “finde” eine Kette basteln … und nein, keine halsnahe … wirklich nicht.
Gekauft habe ich dieses Buch im September 2014 und es war mit eines der ersten Gay-Bücher, die es auf meinen Reader geschafft haben. Vielleicht lag es daran, dass ich zu der damaligen Zeit, so als Neuling in dem “Genre” zwar den Klappentext mochte, dann aber doch lieber zu den locker, flockig, leichten Geschichten gegriffen habe. Dazu kam eine Neuerscheinung, dann die nächste usw. … tja und dann rutschen auch die besten Bücher immer weiter nach hinten
Asche über mein Haupt, denn auch noch kurz bevor ich dieses Buch (nun endlich) gelesen habe, habe ich noch überlegt, ob ein historischer Roman wirklich das ist, was ich gerade lesen will. Angefangen habe ich dann eher aus dem schlechten Gewissen heraus, dieses Buch schon so lange ignoriert zu haben, als dass ich so richtig “heiß” drauf gewesen wäre. UND …
… wie schon so oft hat mir ein schmählich vernachlässigtes Buch den Stinkefinger gezeigt. Wahrscheinlich lacht es jetzt noch über mich *g* (Ja, ich glaube daran, dass Bücher Seelen haben. Manche schwarze, manche eher ironisch-bissige, andere wiederum eine zuckersüße). Tja, in dieser Lesenacht hat es mich um den Schlaf gebracht, ich konnte es nicht aus der Hand legen und dass, obwohl der Wecker um 6.30 Uhr geklingelt hat.
Was soll ich sagen? Die Geschichte um Ashton und Geo ist wunderbar flüssig geschrieben, die beiden Charaktere sind liebevoll dargestellt und ihre Annäherung trotz der damaligen Zeit nicht wirklich sooo heimlich wie man es sich eigentlich vorstellen würde. Wie schon geschrieben, habe ich das Buch nicht aus der Hand legen können, doch als ich es dann gezwungenermaßen doch tun musste, fiel es mir extrem schwer. Ich fand es klasse, wie Ashton gereift und mit seinen Aufgaben gewachsen ist. Er ist ein toller Gutsherr und Freund geworden – Hut ab vor dieser nicht ganz selbstverständlichen Entwicklung.
Die Geschichte um Ashton ging mir wirklich zu Herzen. Allerdings ist mir Geo daneben fast etwas blaß geblieben, hier wurde für mich etwas viel Geheimniskrämerei um seine “Aufgaben” gemacht, auch hätte er mehr Tiefe vertragen können.
Wenn ich jetzt schreibe, was mich “gestört” hat, so hatte das keinen Einfluß auf meinen Lesefluss, sondern sind nur meine persönlichen “Kniefieseleien”, die sich mir im Nachgang (d.h. noch nicht mal während des Lesens) in meine Gedanken geschlichen haben
– die Abreise der drei Jungs und der wahre Grund warum (hier saß ich nach dem Ende beim Abendessen und plötzlich ging mir ein kurzes “Häh” durch den Kopf. Dies wirkte (aber wirklich erst im Nachgang als das Buch “sackte”) etwas sehr konstruiert für mich;
– zum Ende zu einige plötzliche “Zeitsprünge”, z.B. als William wieder am Tisch saß und wie das zu Stande kam und noch ein paar (wenige) andere;
– die Erklärung zu Burt, die ich toll fand – und dann war das Buch Schluß einfach zu Ende … Hallo? kein Epilog, kein wie “erging es ihnen nach dieser Erklärung …” Nein, einfach Schluß .
Nein, keine Sorge, das Happy End ist nachvollziehbar, aber ich wollte und will mehr. Ich will für die beiden den Regenbogen bei strahlendem Sonnenschein, ein Leben wie gemalt, einen Ashton, der einfach so sein darf, wie er wirklich ist und einen Geo, der diesen tollen Mann (sehr lange) mehr als zu schätzen weiß :-) Ich will für Ashton einfach das Rundumwohlfühlpaket mit einer dicken roten Schleife drumrum! Basta!
Sollte also jemand von euch gute historische Gay-Romanzen mögen – ich hätte hier eine im Angebot :-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2012
I'm afraid I'll end up killing this book with faint praise. Sorry.
This book was not at all like I expected after having read Mann of My Dreams, which is a good thing in this case. It does not have the editing problems that book had and neither does it veer off into increasingly unlikely lalaland. Two excellent points in its favor!
It is also not quite as stupid as other m/m regencies I've read (Kindred Hearts, Muffled Drum). But neither is it good enough to be the book I am waiting for in this sub-genre. It is well written and entertaining, but it has problems.
The main problem in this book is that Geo remains a mystery. To us, but also to Ashton. They have a little heart to heart about his mom at some point but that is pretty much it in getting to know him. Why does he propose this business deal to Ashton? What does he feel for Ashton, and why, and when did that start? Where does he go when he goes? It's like having a romance novel where one of the MCs is a cardboard cutout. This book would have been greatly improved by having a few chapters from Geo's POV. Maybe Tinnean has been traumatized by all the bitching about showing EVERYTHING from two POVs in Mann of My Dreams, but seriously, there is a middle road. And it should be taken in this case. If your MCs are reserved English regency dudes (read: minimal communication, unless inebriated) the lack of communication is obviously a plot driver and a source of conflict. Which is fine, as long as you manage to communicate to the reader what they don't communicate to each other. Else we're all left in the cold.
Another thing that bugged me is that there is not a single female in this book that does not fall somewhere in the range between pathetic and spoiled bitch. In fact, the HEA for the MCs is created by removing ALL females from their life together, not in the least the potential future female necessary to produce an heir. Except for the scullery maid and other female lowlife, I'm sure. Good riddance?
This book was not at all like I expected after having read Mann of My Dreams, which is a good thing in this case. It does not have the editing problems that book had and neither does it veer off into increasingly unlikely lalaland. Two excellent points in its favor!
It is also not quite as stupid as other m/m regencies I've read (Kindred Hearts, Muffled Drum). But neither is it good enough to be the book I am waiting for in this sub-genre. It is well written and entertaining, but it has problems.
The main problem in this book is that Geo remains a mystery. To us, but also to Ashton. They have a little heart to heart about his mom at some point but that is pretty much it in getting to know him. Why does he propose this business deal to Ashton? What does he feel for Ashton, and why, and when did that start? Where does he go when he goes? It's like having a romance novel where one of the MCs is a cardboard cutout. This book would have been greatly improved by having a few chapters from Geo's POV. Maybe Tinnean has been traumatized by all the bitching about showing EVERYTHING from two POVs in Mann of My Dreams, but seriously, there is a middle road. And it should be taken in this case. If your MCs are reserved English regency dudes (read: minimal communication, unless inebriated) the lack of communication is obviously a plot driver and a source of conflict. Which is fine, as long as you manage to communicate to the reader what they don't communicate to each other. Else we're all left in the cold.
Another thing that bugged me is that there is not a single female in this book that does not fall somewhere in the range between pathetic and spoiled bitch. In fact, the HEA for the MCs is created by removing ALL females from their life together, not in the least the potential future female necessary to produce an heir. Except for the scullery maid and other female lowlife, I'm sure. Good riddance?
February 13, 2018
https://bianchianita1971.blogspot.it/...
Da parecchio non leggevo uno storico e da ancora più tempo avevo questo romanzo in attesa sul Kindle... perchè ho aspettato tanto???
Ho amato fin dalle prime righe il povero Ashton: la sua vicenda mi ha ricordato un po' la favola di "Cenerentola" (con le dovute differenze). Il bambino orfano allevato dagli zii è sempre stato molto solo, a causa di alcuni malintesi e del profondo dolore per la morte dei genitori. Crescendo le cose non sono migliorate molto per Ashton, nonostante dimostri giorno dopo giorno il suo valore e la sua lealtà; alcuni cambiamenti drammatici porteranno Geo nella vita di Ashton, ma come al solito, il giovane dovrà mettere in gioco tutto se stesso per ottenere il suo amore.
Ho trovato molto particolare la scrittura della Tinnean, a tratti quasi "brutale", diretta e priva di fronzoli, perfetta per narrarci di un amore apparentemente impossibile. Questa storia mi è sembrata davvero molto riuscita: drammatica, avvincente ed emozionante al punto giusto. Ho solo un piccolo dubbio: davvero all'epoca in cui sono narrati i fatti le persone potevano permettersi di vivere quasi alla luce del sole le loro relazioni? Mi piacerebbe pensare di si ma temo proprio che fosse assai difficlie...
Voto: 8
Da parecchio non leggevo uno storico e da ancora più tempo avevo questo romanzo in attesa sul Kindle... perchè ho aspettato tanto???
Ho amato fin dalle prime righe il povero Ashton: la sua vicenda mi ha ricordato un po' la favola di "Cenerentola" (con le dovute differenze). Il bambino orfano allevato dagli zii è sempre stato molto solo, a causa di alcuni malintesi e del profondo dolore per la morte dei genitori. Crescendo le cose non sono migliorate molto per Ashton, nonostante dimostri giorno dopo giorno il suo valore e la sua lealtà; alcuni cambiamenti drammatici porteranno Geo nella vita di Ashton, ma come al solito, il giovane dovrà mettere in gioco tutto se stesso per ottenere il suo amore.
Ho trovato molto particolare la scrittura della Tinnean, a tratti quasi "brutale", diretta e priva di fronzoli, perfetta per narrarci di un amore apparentemente impossibile. Questa storia mi è sembrata davvero molto riuscita: drammatica, avvincente ed emozionante al punto giusto. Ho solo un piccolo dubbio: davvero all'epoca in cui sono narrati i fatti le persone potevano permettersi di vivere quasi alla luce del sole le loro relazioni? Mi piacerebbe pensare di si ma temo proprio che fosse assai difficlie...
Voto: 8
March 5, 2011
I really love Tinnean, but I haven't really read to many historicals, so it took me a bit longer to get into the book because of it. But once I fully engaged, I really loved Ashton, he is one of those characters that is disturbingly misunderstood that you root for. I love Tinnean's writing and being able to bring the nuances of the characters that allow you to love or hate them or a little of both. I also loved her imagery that really brought old England to my mind.
February 24, 2013
This had me captivated during the last few days. I really liked it and normally I'm not a fan of historicals. Poor Ashton, coming to live with his uncaring relatives and then getting to clear up their mess. I couldn't relate to the reason of Geo's staying away, but in the end both got their very satisfying happy ending.
June 23, 2012
I liked Bless Us With Content, but not as much as I would have liked to. The author is to be commended for all of the effort that was put into the book. Historical novels are not easy to write, they require an exorbitant amount of time doing research on the period. They also require a lot of skill in keeping the tone and the language of the period consistent throughout the book. All of these things Ms. Tinnean has done well. However, there are a few things that keep the book from being excellent. First, and foremost, is the pacing of the story; it's very choppy and uneven. The beginning of the book is taken up with too much background information that could have been told within the plot of the two protagonists instead of waiting until page 60 to have them meet. A lot of the secondary characters did little to move the story along, especially their side-bar dramas and angst driven tantrums. More white space was taken up with the secondary/tertiary characters than with the two main characters. If the book was meant to be an ensemble piece like the BBC's Upstairs, Downstairs, then Bless Us With Content was mistakenly marketed as a romance.
I give Bless Us With Content three and a half stars.
I give Bless Us With Content three and a half stars.
May 17, 2014
Sweet, enjoyable historical, not quite fluff, but not earth-shattering. I'll go with well-done and engaging. Though the blurb makes it sound like the hero's childhood could rival Jane Eyre's in misery and alienation, the actual situation was far milder and more ordinary. Given the preponderance of insanely wretched childhoods in fiction, the author's restraint here comes off as fresh and original. Sadly, the conceit of the hero's having to trade his body to pay off gambling debts is pretty stale, though it ends up being a lot less lurid than it might have. In its defense, the plot device was very popular in 19th century fiction as well, which fits since this book could double as a thesaurus for Regency vocab and expressions. Mostly I liked that aspect, since it managed not to feel too researchy and it spiced up the narrative voice, though I couldn't help feeling there were a lot more "historical" expressions here than one finds in novels actually written during the Regency period--I'll have to think on why that might be.
Definitely recommend for fans of M/M historicals.
Definitely recommend for fans of M/M historicals.
March 17, 2011
I started and finished this in one sitting last night, staying up past midnight because I couldn't put it down. I imagine some people will find Ashton to be a difficult character, but I liked that he wasn't the typical dashing romantic hero, beloved by all who knew him. If I occasionally wanted to smack him, the first person narrative (not something I'm usually a fan of, but well done here) made sure I understood him. I'll definitely be watching for more by this author.
September 18, 2014
I loved the story and the writing style. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book contains everything that is needed in a love story. Characters one hates and characters one has to love, and a good amount of angst. I also like that the sex scenes are well incorporated into the story and part of it. I recommend it...
April 2, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Bless Us With Content features beautiful horses and handsome men, a stolen ruby, an estate in ruinous debt, and love that stretches across oceans. It has betrayal, broken engagements, more orphans than you can shake a stick at, marriages of convenience, and a gentleman’s agreement. In order to repay his uncle’s debts and save Fayerweather Estate, “Awful” Ashton Layton has no choice but to welcome the handsome George Stephenson into his bed. Unfortunately, life gets more complicated with a returning lover, a case or three of mistaken identity, and a child who looks very much like Ashton. All in all, a very expected regency romance.
Only … it’s not exactly that expected.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Bless Us With Content features beautiful horses and handsome men, a stolen ruby, an estate in ruinous debt, and love that stretches across oceans. It has betrayal, broken engagements, more orphans than you can shake a stick at, marriages of convenience, and a gentleman’s agreement. In order to repay his uncle’s debts and save Fayerweather Estate, “Awful” Ashton Layton has no choice but to welcome the handsome George Stephenson into his bed. Unfortunately, life gets more complicated with a returning lover, a case or three of mistaken identity, and a child who looks very much like Ashton. All in all, a very expected regency romance.
Only … it’s not exactly that expected.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
July 24, 2017
Very very enjoyable read.
I loved Ash from the first and my heart went out to him at every turn.
I knew Geo would prove to be the man I hoped.
The little mystery was well done and I can't say I was that upset to know the Hoods outcome. I only wish Arabella had a fitting outcome to her nastiness.
If I had any complaint it was the wording. While it kept me in the right mood it also at times proved confusing. But even odd words could not dampen my enjoyment. A story full of feelings just how I like it.
I loved Ash from the first and my heart went out to him at every turn.
I knew Geo would prove to be the man I hoped.
The little mystery was well done and I can't say I was that upset to know the Hoods outcome. I only wish Arabella had a fitting outcome to her nastiness.
If I had any complaint it was the wording. While it kept me in the right mood it also at times proved confusing. But even odd words could not dampen my enjoyment. A story full of feelings just how I like it.
October 28, 2012
Good writing with a well-formed setting
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 8/10
PROS:
- This story shows a progression of a decent amount of time; it’s not just a few key scenes. As a result, I really got a good idea of the men’s growing affection for each other.
- The author does a good job of establishing that Ashton’s relatives are horrible without making his circumstances seem too despairing. He’s not entirely happy with his lot in life, but he’s also not so unhappy that I ever had the urge to go and kill myself on his behalf. (I’ve felt that way before when reading certain books.)
- I wasn’t sure sometimes whether to be amused or annoyed by the author’s choice of words (“fundament,” for example…I picked up the meaning through context clues, but I’d never heard the word before, and it’s used often). But overall the tone of the writing seems consistent with the story’s historical time period. I got the feeling that Tinnean did her research on phrases used in early 19th-century England.
- Ashton is ridiculed his entire childhood by practically everyone he knows, and I loved seeing how responsible and authoritative he is once he comes into his own as the master of his household.
- The scenes late in the story, when Ashton and Geo’s connection has grown, are sweet and tender. Geo takes to calling Ashton by a nickname that threw me a bit at first, but by the end of the story I thought it was adorable.
CONS:
- The way in which Ashton and Geo’s acquaintance develops into a physical relationship struck me as a little far-fetched.
- All of the plotlines are tied up at the end, but the various conclusions didn’t seem to weave together all that well to me. The ending felt just the slightest bit disjointed, like I saw the ending to this storyline and then it disappeared while I saw the ending to another one, which then disappeared in turn while I saw the ending to another…and so on.
Overall comments: Regency romance is one of my favorite subgenres within the m/m genre, and this is a good Regency. The characters are multi-dimensional and likeable even in spite of their flaws, and Tinnean writes well: she’s certainly an author I’ll keep an eye out for in the future.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 8/10
PROS:
- This story shows a progression of a decent amount of time; it’s not just a few key scenes. As a result, I really got a good idea of the men’s growing affection for each other.
- The author does a good job of establishing that Ashton’s relatives are horrible without making his circumstances seem too despairing. He’s not entirely happy with his lot in life, but he’s also not so unhappy that I ever had the urge to go and kill myself on his behalf. (I’ve felt that way before when reading certain books.)
- I wasn’t sure sometimes whether to be amused or annoyed by the author’s choice of words (“fundament,” for example…I picked up the meaning through context clues, but I’d never heard the word before, and it’s used often). But overall the tone of the writing seems consistent with the story’s historical time period. I got the feeling that Tinnean did her research on phrases used in early 19th-century England.
- Ashton is ridiculed his entire childhood by practically everyone he knows, and I loved seeing how responsible and authoritative he is once he comes into his own as the master of his household.
- The scenes late in the story, when Ashton and Geo’s connection has grown, are sweet and tender. Geo takes to calling Ashton by a nickname that threw me a bit at first, but by the end of the story I thought it was adorable.
CONS:
- The way in which Ashton and Geo’s acquaintance develops into a physical relationship struck me as a little far-fetched.
- All of the plotlines are tied up at the end, but the various conclusions didn’t seem to weave together all that well to me. The ending felt just the slightest bit disjointed, like I saw the ending to this storyline and then it disappeared while I saw the ending to another one, which then disappeared in turn while I saw the ending to another…and so on.
Overall comments: Regency romance is one of my favorite subgenres within the m/m genre, and this is a good Regency. The characters are multi-dimensional and likeable even in spite of their flaws, and Tinnean writes well: she’s certainly an author I’ll keep an eye out for in the future.
December 16, 2018
Will elaborate later but in the meantime, I will mention that this book is definitely not what I have come to expect from Tinnean [an author whose works I really and truly enjoy]!! This book was NOT on par with Tinnean's writerly abilities - it was rambling, nonsensical, and holy shit is EVERY woman a fucking villain?!!? That said, this went on and on and on without any sense, direction, or purpose! I lost interest VERY quickly - though to be blunt, it was very difficult to develop interest to begin with, and finally gave up at 60%!! If this book improves from this point onward, I really don't care, as I think incentive should have introduced itself by now ... I feel like I read 5 bad books instead of only 60% of one, that's how exhausting this was :-/!! I'm definitely going to stick ONLY with Tinnean's series that are connected to Spy Vs. Spook (which was PHENOMENAL); the series being: Mann of My Dreams and The Light In Your Eyes (of which I own ALL the books but haven't read yet, so YAY I have lots of books to read)!!
Okay so as I write, I'll admit there ARE a few other books outside of those series that I'm intrigued by and am thinking of purchasing (and probably will), but I might just have to stay away from the historical books she rights, if this book is any indication of how they're written!! This just wasn't for me!!
I do ADORE Tinnean's writing and do plan on keeping an eye out for other books she has planned for the future, especially if they're a part of the series' I've mentioned (though I'm open to other unrelated books and news series, but that'll be on a case by case assessment) :-D!!
Once again I will emphasize that Tinnean's writing - AS A WHOLE - really is SPLENDID, it's just in THIS specific book, I couldn't see that, and it felt like this was written by someone else entirely!! Bummer!
Okay so as I write, I'll admit there ARE a few other books outside of those series that I'm intrigued by and am thinking of purchasing (and probably will), but I might just have to stay away from the historical books she rights, if this book is any indication of how they're written!! This just wasn't for me!!
I do ADORE Tinnean's writing and do plan on keeping an eye out for other books she has planned for the future, especially if they're a part of the series' I've mentioned (though I'm open to other unrelated books and news series, but that'll be on a case by case assessment) :-D!!
Once again I will emphasize that Tinnean's writing - AS A WHOLE - really is SPLENDID, it's just in THIS specific book, I couldn't see that, and it felt like this was written by someone else entirely!! Bummer!
April 9, 2011
I love a good old fashioned historical romance where the proud yet brave hero(ine) must sell their body to pay off a debt or face familial ruin. Of course it never hurts if the dastardly rogue who you have to have sex with is gorgeous, wealthy and amazing in the sack. (Wait, where can I sign up for this? I have student loan debt!) But seriously, Tinnean’s Bless Us With Content offers the best of the historical romance genre as we find Ashton in a rather dire predicament when Geo tells him: sleep with me to pay off your dead Uncle’s gambling debts or lose your home.
In the end, Ashton decides to bite the bullet, lay back and think of the Queen as Geo does his business, but not for long, as Geo weaves a sensual trap designed to entice Ashton into his world and bed willingly. This is where Bless Us With Content comes alive as the growing friendship and attraction between Geo and Ashton develops, so does the drama in the story. And like any good mainstream historical, Tinnean is able to construct the world during that time period effortlessly. I truly enjoyed the relationship between the two men and the believability of how Ashton emerged as a stronger man by novel’s end was flawless.
Also, because I am a history teacher, I have a higher standard when judging historicals, and I could find no inaccuracies in this book, which was a huge plus for me. Coupled with the fact that I enjoyed Geo and Ashton’s romance, I am happy to give this book 4 stars.
Dark Divas Reviews
In the end, Ashton decides to bite the bullet, lay back and think of the Queen as Geo does his business, but not for long, as Geo weaves a sensual trap designed to entice Ashton into his world and bed willingly. This is where Bless Us With Content comes alive as the growing friendship and attraction between Geo and Ashton develops, so does the drama in the story. And like any good mainstream historical, Tinnean is able to construct the world during that time period effortlessly. I truly enjoyed the relationship between the two men and the believability of how Ashton emerged as a stronger man by novel’s end was flawless.
Also, because I am a history teacher, I have a higher standard when judging historicals, and I could find no inaccuracies in this book, which was a huge plus for me. Coupled with the fact that I enjoyed Geo and Ashton’s romance, I am happy to give this book 4 stars.
Dark Divas Reviews
March 25, 2016
I've owned this since 2011 and Booyah! now was the perfect time to read it. Ashton has had a tough life and he has had to suffer every wrong move ten-fold as he grows up. Despite this he is a man of honer and responsibly. Enter Geo and life changes with new challenges and possibilities. Tinnean didn't rush the story and gave the readers a complete view of Fayerweather life for these characters. I personally detested the female characters but I fear I would have no patience with any woman of means during this area.
To be honest...I think the cover made me think this was going to be a butt-fest. I'm glad I was wrong.
To be honest...I think the cover made me think this was going to be a butt-fest. I'm glad I was wrong.
December 11, 2013
A f'ing lovely little story. This writer has such a way with her words, her characters and scenes always take on a life of their own. I wanted to throttle..every single POS who referenced 'Awful' instead of the MC's birth name of 'Ashton'...something fierce.
The sex was lacking...disappointing because Tinnean can pen some fabulous fornication.
Historical fiction (not historical romance) was my genre of choice for many-many years, so of course I felt very much at home..even if for too-too short of a visit...it was still mildly entertaining.
The sex was lacking...disappointing because Tinnean can pen some fabulous fornication.
Historical fiction (not historical romance) was my genre of choice for many-many years, so of course I felt very much at home..even if for too-too short of a visit...it was still mildly entertaining.
February 8, 2019
All I want is to be loved!💕
Awful beginnings, a debt to be repaid and a limping handsome stranger are pieces of the Ashton Laytham & Geo Stephenson story. An enjoyable tale set in Regency period. Well written, good pacing and intriguing characters.
Although l’m a bit ambivalent about the premise and the beginning interaction of the MCs considering the perils of this period.
Still a good read!
Awful beginnings, a debt to be repaid and a limping handsome stranger are pieces of the Ashton Laytham & Geo Stephenson story. An enjoyable tale set in Regency period. Well written, good pacing and intriguing characters.
Although l’m a bit ambivalent about the premise and the beginning interaction of the MCs considering the perils of this period.
Still a good read!
May 3, 2011
3.5 звезды. !Внезапно до чрезвычайности прониклась историческим романом. Хорошее повествование, очень милый гл.герой, совершенно упоительные страдания оного главного героя. Совершенно остеновское ничего-тут-у-нас-не-происходит в качестве сюжета, но с заменой героини на героя. И мне очень понравилось, как эта замена вышла.
February 8, 2018
I usually love Tinnean's books, but this one was pretty much a miss for me. I wasn't a fan of the storyline or the characters this time around. It wasn't horrible, it just wasn't what I was in the mood for I guess.
January 26, 2014
A subtle smart play with language made this harlequin- esque convenient HEA story a joy to read. Sweet, entertaining and pleasant.
November 12, 2019
3 1/2 stars.
I liked the story, but the ending felt very rushed, in an emotional sense.
It left a sense of imbalance.
Tl;Dr: this book should be about Ashton getting free from all the people whose affection he craved who never cared for him, and finding someone who does love him.
But while we get shown a lot of his loneliness and other people mistreating him, we are just told he gets his HEA, we aren't actually shown any of it. So it feels incomplete.
Long version:
For the whole book we are shown and told how Ashton only wants to be seen and loved, not just by a lover, but by his "family", how very alone and lonely he feels. His uncle was a cruel man, the other children despise and bully him, even as adults, the servants can't stand him and more or less refuse to serve him, and he is in love with a guy that, while using him for sex, not only despises him as a person, but is also ashamed of his own sexual desire for a man (so it's not even a good sexual relationship). Then there is his aunt, perfectly happy with doting on the other children and ignoring how they mistreat him. (They continually call him Awful as if that was his given name, and she never has anything to say to this)
And by the end of the book nothing has changed on that front.
Sure, the servants learn to respect him, but on the other hand he realizes that his aunt cared even less than he thought about him, and she goes from ignoring other people mistreating him to saying pretty hurtful things to him herself.
Geo and Ashton's romance is supposed to be the counterbalance to all this.
In theory the story is about Ashton getting over the people whose affection he uselessly craved as a child and finding someone who actually loves him.
The problem is that in the beginning Geo is not better than everyone else. By his own admission, he is resentful of Ashton's aunt, and initially wanted to take it out on Ashton. Then he switched to wanting some fun, and uses the debt to more or less coerce Ashton into his bed. And even when they have become friends, he explains that he has no interest in love.
And then he leaves, without a word.
So for most of the book, Ashton is quite reasonably convinced that Geo only sees him as an investment or a bit of fun to be discarded at any moment. So once again he is left loving and craving affection from someone who doesn't reciprocate.
We are never shown them going from this precarious relationship to something real. We are just told that it happens.
Geo comes back, ad suddenly they are proper friends. We (and Ashton) are given no reason we should believe Geo actually cares, aside from the fact that he is the love interest of the MC of a romance book, so duh.
Geo has to go away again, and when he comes back, suddenly they are actual lovers.
Just like that. A bit of practical issues resolutions, and the book ends.
There are pages and pages of people being mean and unkind to Ashton and of the hurt he feels because of it. (And no real sense of satisfaction, as most of them get a happily ever after.)
But there is very little of Geo actually showing that HE cares, and of Ashton finally receiving the affection he craves. So the ending feels unbalanced. Sure, we are told he gets his happily ever after, but we don't get to see any of it, while we saw his suffering in detail.
I liked the story, but the ending felt very rushed, in an emotional sense.
It left a sense of imbalance.
Tl;Dr: this book should be about Ashton getting free from all the people whose affection he craved who never cared for him, and finding someone who does love him.
But while we get shown a lot of his loneliness and other people mistreating him, we are just told he gets his HEA, we aren't actually shown any of it. So it feels incomplete.
Long version:
For the whole book we are shown and told how Ashton only wants to be seen and loved, not just by a lover, but by his "family", how very alone and lonely he feels. His uncle was a cruel man, the other children despise and bully him, even as adults, the servants can't stand him and more or less refuse to serve him, and he is in love with a guy that, while using him for sex, not only despises him as a person, but is also ashamed of his own sexual desire for a man (so it's not even a good sexual relationship). Then there is his aunt, perfectly happy with doting on the other children and ignoring how they mistreat him. (They continually call him Awful as if that was his given name, and she never has anything to say to this)
And by the end of the book nothing has changed on that front.
Sure, the servants learn to respect him, but on the other hand he realizes that his aunt cared even less than he thought about him, and she goes from ignoring other people mistreating him to saying pretty hurtful things to him herself.
Geo and Ashton's romance is supposed to be the counterbalance to all this.
In theory the story is about Ashton getting over the people whose affection he uselessly craved as a child and finding someone who actually loves him.
The problem is that in the beginning Geo is not better than everyone else. By his own admission, he is resentful of Ashton's aunt, and initially wanted to take it out on Ashton. Then he switched to wanting some fun, and uses the debt to more or less coerce Ashton into his bed. And even when they have become friends, he explains that he has no interest in love.
And then he leaves, without a word.
So for most of the book, Ashton is quite reasonably convinced that Geo only sees him as an investment or a bit of fun to be discarded at any moment. So once again he is left loving and craving affection from someone who doesn't reciprocate.
We are never shown them going from this precarious relationship to something real. We are just told that it happens.
Geo comes back, ad suddenly they are proper friends. We (and Ashton) are given no reason we should believe Geo actually cares, aside from the fact that he is the love interest of the MC of a romance book, so duh.
Geo has to go away again, and when he comes back, suddenly they are actual lovers.
Just like that. A bit of practical issues resolutions, and the book ends.
There are pages and pages of people being mean and unkind to Ashton and of the hurt he feels because of it. (And no real sense of satisfaction, as most of them get a happily ever after.)
But there is very little of Geo actually showing that HE cares, and of Ashton finally receiving the affection he craves. So the ending feels unbalanced. Sure, we are told he gets his happily ever after, but we don't get to see any of it, while we saw his suffering in detail.
October 3, 2014
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Bless Us with Content was my first M/M historical romance, and it was a very good one with which to begin my foray into this new-to-me sub-genre of M/M romance. It was also my first book by Tinnean, and I have to say, she's hooked me already. I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. Overall, it was very easy to read and free from distracting errors. Her main characters are genuine, lovable guys, and her story is very sweet and romantic. I really liked how she used authentic historical verbiage and jargon. I felt like it truly brought the setting to life by giving it a strong sense of time and place. The light mystery surrounding the disappearance of the family gem known as the Flame of Diabul took some unexpected twists and turns that I never would have predicted and which made me stop and think for a moment on how that all turned out. The twist the author used to give the book a true HEA was unanticipated as well, but very welcome. Everything simply came together to made Bless Us with Content a highly pleasurable and very romantic read.
Ashton is the first-person narrator of the book, and I have to say that he has a very dynamic voice. As a child, he was deeply loved and doted upon by his parents, but sadly, he lost them at a young age. After that, he was sent to live with his uncle and aunt. His uncle was an abusive cur, who sometimes took out his rage on Ashton. Because of his sullenness over his parents deaths, his aunt and the servants mistakenly perceived him as an unlovable child. His aunt rarely paid much attention to him, especially after she took in three brothers and another young girl who were also orphaned and whom she obviously favored over him. These new children treated him with disdain as well, saddling him with the hated nickname of 'Awful Ashton.' Poor Ash had no one to love or understand him. He basically went through an emotional hell, but as he grew older, he tried to cover up his pain with a matter-of-fact attitude. Ash fell in love with John, the middle of the three brothers, when he was just a boy. As teenagers, John seemed to reciprocate the attraction, which thrilled Ash, until he realized it wasn't meant to be the grand, romantic affair, he'd hoped for. John still treated him coldly and basically just used him for sex, but Ash was so starved for affection, he was willing to take whatever he could get.
Ash's life changes when his uncle dies, leaving him the heir to the estate, and a man shows up at the door, holding 10,000 pounds in gambling debts his uncle had racked up. With the estate in dire financial straits, Ash has no money to pay, so the man makes a proposition that Ash accommodate him in bed as payment. Ash is so hungry for any scrap of love and affection he soaks up what Geo offers like a sponge. He soon finds himself having feelings for Geo, but he's still wary of giving the other man his heart, out of fear it will just be broken again. In his mind, he believes their relationship is nothing more than a business arrangement. Ash was an incredibly sympathetic character who I adored. He wears spectacles and thinks of himself as a pretty ordinary man who isn't particularly attractive. What I liked most about Ash is that even though he's been treated poorly for most of his life, he's still very protective of, and kind toward, those for whom he feels a responsibility, whether it's his aunt and cousin, his servants and tenants, or even his animals. Ash may be a loner and a bit aloof until Geo comes into his life, but he lives by his own code of treating others the way he would have liked to have been treated, even if they were never particularly kind to him. I also loved seeing Ash grow and change from a shy youth, who was uncertain of his own abilities, into a mature and more confident man, in part because of Geo's love.
Even though Geo started off by making a seemingly cold-hearted and scandalous proposition, he was never anything but kind and gentle with Ash. It was obvious from the start that he was fascinated by Ash and loved everything about him. It takes a while, but when we finally learn a little about his background, we discover that he's had experiences which make him uniquely attuned to Ash's pain. I loved how protective Geo was of Ash, caring for him when he's hurt and not letting anyone badmouth him. However, at least on an intellectual level, Geo seems determined not to fall in love. He may care for Ash, but he watched what loving someone did to his mother and has no interest in experiencing that kind of emotional pain himself. He tries not to feel anything for Ash, but that soon proves much easier said than done. I kept getting the feeling that there was more to Geo's initial intentions than meets the eye, but if there was, it wasn't really communicated. This is where I dearly would have loved to have been privy to Geo's POV, because there were times when I felt like it would have shed more light on his feelings and actions. In spite of wanting to know more about Geo, I can't deny that he was a great guy. He was just so sexy, seductive, and vulnerable, I couldn't help but adore him. We see just enough of him and his beautiful personality through Ash's eyes to make me fall for him anyway.
Ash and Geo share an incredibly romantic relationship. I really appreciated how the author strongly differentiated between Ashton's early sexual experiences before Geo and those with Geo. With John, it was strictly about the sex, at least from John's perspective, and rarely embodied any tenderness at all, which I think made Ash feel like it was sordid and dirty. With Geo, it's explosively passionate right from the start. The first time they make love it's so much more than Ash could have hoped for. It's everything he's always wanted but never had. Their love scenes are steamy, but embody a sweet warmth that conveys deep intimacy. The way Geo takes such good care of Ash and reads him so well is very romantic. I might have wished for these two to have more time together in the story (unfortunately they spend large swaths of time apart, which means no Geo for pages at a time), but when they are together, their scenes are laden with so much emotion, I had no trouble at all believing they were falling in love. Also, the longing Ash experiences (and later we discover Geo as well) when they're apart, simply adds to that strong sense of them being perfect for each other.
Overall, I really loved Bless Us with Content. It's one of the most romantic stories I've read, M/M or otherwise. I really enjoyed that there was an HEA ending, not only for Ash and Geo, but for some of the secondary characters as well. I also appreciated how well-written the book was. This is one of those stories that was often hard to put down and that I was always eager to pick up again. All this being the case, I was sorely tempted to give it the full five stars, but despite how good it was, I couldn't quite get past the lack of POV for Geo and the long separations for him and Ash. However, Ash is a tantalizing and compelling character who was a joy to read about, and I couldn't deny that I enjoyed his narrative voice very much. In the end, I couldn't bear to mark it down more than a half star. Bless Us with Content was a truly lovely read that I highly recommend to M/M romance fans, especially those who enjoy sweeter stories. It has certainly put Tinnean on my radar. Unfortunately, it appears to be the only historical romance she's written to date, but I'm very much looking forward to checking out her contemporary romances soon.
"4.5 stars" Bless Us with Content was my first M/M historical romance, and it was a very good one with which to begin my foray into this new-to-me sub-genre of M/M romance. It was also my first book by Tinnean, and I have to say, she's hooked me already. I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. Overall, it was very easy to read and free from distracting errors. Her main characters are genuine, lovable guys, and her story is very sweet and romantic. I really liked how she used authentic historical verbiage and jargon. I felt like it truly brought the setting to life by giving it a strong sense of time and place. The light mystery surrounding the disappearance of the family gem known as the Flame of Diabul took some unexpected twists and turns that I never would have predicted and which made me stop and think for a moment on how that all turned out. The twist the author used to give the book a true HEA was unanticipated as well, but very welcome. Everything simply came together to made Bless Us with Content a highly pleasurable and very romantic read.
Ashton is the first-person narrator of the book, and I have to say that he has a very dynamic voice. As a child, he was deeply loved and doted upon by his parents, but sadly, he lost them at a young age. After that, he was sent to live with his uncle and aunt. His uncle was an abusive cur, who sometimes took out his rage on Ashton. Because of his sullenness over his parents deaths, his aunt and the servants mistakenly perceived him as an unlovable child. His aunt rarely paid much attention to him, especially after she took in three brothers and another young girl who were also orphaned and whom she obviously favored over him. These new children treated him with disdain as well, saddling him with the hated nickname of 'Awful Ashton.' Poor Ash had no one to love or understand him. He basically went through an emotional hell, but as he grew older, he tried to cover up his pain with a matter-of-fact attitude. Ash fell in love with John, the middle of the three brothers, when he was just a boy. As teenagers, John seemed to reciprocate the attraction, which thrilled Ash, until he realized it wasn't meant to be the grand, romantic affair, he'd hoped for. John still treated him coldly and basically just used him for sex, but Ash was so starved for affection, he was willing to take whatever he could get.
Ash's life changes when his uncle dies, leaving him the heir to the estate, and a man shows up at the door, holding 10,000 pounds in gambling debts his uncle had racked up. With the estate in dire financial straits, Ash has no money to pay, so the man makes a proposition that Ash accommodate him in bed as payment. Ash is so hungry for any scrap of love and affection he soaks up what Geo offers like a sponge. He soon finds himself having feelings for Geo, but he's still wary of giving the other man his heart, out of fear it will just be broken again. In his mind, he believes their relationship is nothing more than a business arrangement. Ash was an incredibly sympathetic character who I adored. He wears spectacles and thinks of himself as a pretty ordinary man who isn't particularly attractive. What I liked most about Ash is that even though he's been treated poorly for most of his life, he's still very protective of, and kind toward, those for whom he feels a responsibility, whether it's his aunt and cousin, his servants and tenants, or even his animals. Ash may be a loner and a bit aloof until Geo comes into his life, but he lives by his own code of treating others the way he would have liked to have been treated, even if they were never particularly kind to him. I also loved seeing Ash grow and change from a shy youth, who was uncertain of his own abilities, into a mature and more confident man, in part because of Geo's love.
Even though Geo started off by making a seemingly cold-hearted and scandalous proposition, he was never anything but kind and gentle with Ash. It was obvious from the start that he was fascinated by Ash and loved everything about him. It takes a while, but when we finally learn a little about his background, we discover that he's had experiences which make him uniquely attuned to Ash's pain. I loved how protective Geo was of Ash, caring for him when he's hurt and not letting anyone badmouth him. However, at least on an intellectual level, Geo seems determined not to fall in love. He may care for Ash, but he watched what loving someone did to his mother and has no interest in experiencing that kind of emotional pain himself. He tries not to feel anything for Ash, but that soon proves much easier said than done. I kept getting the feeling that there was more to Geo's initial intentions than meets the eye, but if there was, it wasn't really communicated. This is where I dearly would have loved to have been privy to Geo's POV, because there were times when I felt like it would have shed more light on his feelings and actions. In spite of wanting to know more about Geo, I can't deny that he was a great guy. He was just so sexy, seductive, and vulnerable, I couldn't help but adore him. We see just enough of him and his beautiful personality through Ash's eyes to make me fall for him anyway.
Ash and Geo share an incredibly romantic relationship. I really appreciated how the author strongly differentiated between Ashton's early sexual experiences before Geo and those with Geo. With John, it was strictly about the sex, at least from John's perspective, and rarely embodied any tenderness at all, which I think made Ash feel like it was sordid and dirty. With Geo, it's explosively passionate right from the start. The first time they make love it's so much more than Ash could have hoped for. It's everything he's always wanted but never had. Their love scenes are steamy, but embody a sweet warmth that conveys deep intimacy. The way Geo takes such good care of Ash and reads him so well is very romantic. I might have wished for these two to have more time together in the story (unfortunately they spend large swaths of time apart, which means no Geo for pages at a time), but when they are together, their scenes are laden with so much emotion, I had no trouble at all believing they were falling in love. Also, the longing Ash experiences (and later we discover Geo as well) when they're apart, simply adds to that strong sense of them being perfect for each other.
Overall, I really loved Bless Us with Content. It's one of the most romantic stories I've read, M/M or otherwise. I really enjoyed that there was an HEA ending, not only for Ash and Geo, but for some of the secondary characters as well. I also appreciated how well-written the book was. This is one of those stories that was often hard to put down and that I was always eager to pick up again. All this being the case, I was sorely tempted to give it the full five stars, but despite how good it was, I couldn't quite get past the lack of POV for Geo and the long separations for him and Ash. However, Ash is a tantalizing and compelling character who was a joy to read about, and I couldn't deny that I enjoyed his narrative voice very much. In the end, I couldn't bear to mark it down more than a half star. Bless Us with Content was a truly lovely read that I highly recommend to M/M romance fans, especially those who enjoy sweeter stories. It has certainly put Tinnean on my radar. Unfortunately, it appears to be the only historical romance she's written to date, but I'm very much looking forward to checking out her contemporary romances soon.
June 25, 2017
I'm going to have to break down into spoilers to justify these two stars... look out...
1--no one, at any time in history, has looked at a little child whose parents have just died and decided they would just hate him for life, no matter what.(staff, doctor, lawyer, family, EVERYONE) If he'd killed a kitten, maybe!
2--I did not get enough description of the Hoods to be able to say they were in any way honorable because they were kids through most of it. I understand siblings sticking together, especially when they lose their parents, but not stick together to just torture another kid because a MAID said she didn't like him.
3--When Ashton is in the stable with Jemmy, he appears so absolutely confident, inviting John to watch. This did not and never does match his character for the rest of the entire book. He is always a doormat.
4--The sudden, out of the blue appearance of Geo. All but literally falls from the sky without any explanation as to why he bought the debts or why he wants this arrangement with a stranger. I thought maybe it was to get back at the family in some way, destroy them, but he never does.
5--Geo disappears without a word for half the book on some secret mission. In this time, pages are filled with waiting and melancholy, then the guy just waltzes back in and says he can't do his job because of his bad leg, won't do that again, then goes to the US for 5 months.
6--Comes back, brothers stole the jewel but didn't steal it, they switched it, then the aunt switched it and then the aunt stole but they have the jewel back now, here are some black pearls and a horse.
7--I love you, I love you, too, THE END
Two stars is the apex of my generosity for this mess. The love scenes were not very good, the speech and wording felt contrived and unbelievable, and so did everyone else. One star for a happy ending and one star because he kicked that horse-killing bitch out his house.
1--no one, at any time in history, has looked at a little child whose parents have just died and decided they would just hate him for life, no matter what.(staff, doctor, lawyer, family, EVERYONE) If he'd killed a kitten, maybe!
2--I did not get enough description of the Hoods to be able to say they were in any way honorable because they were kids through most of it. I understand siblings sticking together, especially when they lose their parents, but not stick together to just torture another kid because a MAID said she didn't like him.
3--When Ashton is in the stable with Jemmy, he appears so absolutely confident, inviting John to watch. This did not and never does match his character for the rest of the entire book. He is always a doormat.
4--The sudden, out of the blue appearance of Geo. All but literally falls from the sky without any explanation as to why he bought the debts or why he wants this arrangement with a stranger. I thought maybe it was to get back at the family in some way, destroy them, but he never does.
5--Geo disappears without a word for half the book on some secret mission. In this time, pages are filled with waiting and melancholy, then the guy just waltzes back in and says he can't do his job because of his bad leg, won't do that again, then goes to the US for 5 months.
6--Comes back, brothers stole the jewel but didn't steal it, they switched it, then the aunt switched it and then the aunt stole but they have the jewel back now, here are some black pearls and a horse.
7--I love you, I love you, too, THE END
Two stars is the apex of my generosity for this mess. The love scenes were not very good, the speech and wording felt contrived and unbelievable, and so did everyone else. One star for a happy ending and one star because he kicked that horse-killing bitch out his house.
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