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Inheritance #1
Jack of Thorns
Florist. Psychic. Addict.
Laurence Riley coasts by on good looks and natural charm, but underneath lies a dark chasm that neither heroin nor lovers can fill. Sobriety is a pipe dream which his stalker ex-boyfriend is pushing him away from. Luckily, Laurence has powers most can only dream of. If only he could control them.
Aristocrat. Psychic. Survivor.
Quentin d'Arcy is the product of centuries of wealth, privilege, and breeding, and is on the run from all three. A chance encounter with an arresting young florist with a winning smile could make him stop. Laurence is kind, warm, and oddly intriguing but Quentin's wild telekinesis and his fear of sex make dating a dangerous game.
When opposites attract, they collide.
Desperate to fix his rotting life, Laurence prays for aid and accidentally summons a fertility god who prefers to be called Jack. Jack is willing to help out for a price, and it's one Laurence just can't pay: he must keep Jack fed with regular offerings of sex, and the florist has fallen for the one man in San Diego who doesn't want any.
If they're to survive Jack's wrath, Laurence and Quentin must master their blossoming feelings and gifts, but even then the cost of Laurence's mistake could well overwhelm them both. How exactly are mere mortals supposed to defeat a god?
Jack of Thorns is the first book in the Inheritance series and contains mature themes and events which may be distressing to some readers. It has a low heat rating and an HFN ending.
Laurence Riley coasts by on good looks and natural charm, but underneath lies a dark chasm that neither heroin nor lovers can fill. Sobriety is a pipe dream which his stalker ex-boyfriend is pushing him away from. Luckily, Laurence has powers most can only dream of. If only he could control them.
Aristocrat. Psychic. Survivor.
Quentin d'Arcy is the product of centuries of wealth, privilege, and breeding, and is on the run from all three. A chance encounter with an arresting young florist with a winning smile could make him stop. Laurence is kind, warm, and oddly intriguing but Quentin's wild telekinesis and his fear of sex make dating a dangerous game.
When opposites attract, they collide.
Desperate to fix his rotting life, Laurence prays for aid and accidentally summons a fertility god who prefers to be called Jack. Jack is willing to help out for a price, and it's one Laurence just can't pay: he must keep Jack fed with regular offerings of sex, and the florist has fallen for the one man in San Diego who doesn't want any.
If they're to survive Jack's wrath, Laurence and Quentin must master their blossoming feelings and gifts, but even then the cost of Laurence's mistake could well overwhelm them both. How exactly are mere mortals supposed to defeat a god?
Jack of Thorns is the first book in the Inheritance series and contains mature themes and events which may be distressing to some readers. It has a low heat rating and an HFN ending.
442 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2016
459 people are currently reading
3500 people want to read
About the author
Amelia Faulkner
22 books288 followersAmelia Faulkner was born in Thame, Oxfordshire, and sprouted upward in short order. The ground around Thame is reasonably mucky, especially in the winter, and she can’t be blamed for wanting to get away from it.
Raised on a steady diet of Star Trek and Doctor Who, Amelia stood no chance in not becoming a grade-A geek. She has sat on the board of the British Fantasy Society, contributed fiction and fluff to various published roleplaying games, and written non-fiction for SciFiNow and SFX Magazines. For every positive there is an equal and opposite negative, and Amelia is forced to admit that she loves Wild Wild West.
In her spare time she enjoys travel, photography, walking her Corgi, and trying to convince her friends to replay the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game with all the Goblins decks.
Visit her website at http://ameliafaulkner.com!
Raised on a steady diet of Star Trek and Doctor Who, Amelia stood no chance in not becoming a grade-A geek. She has sat on the board of the British Fantasy Society, contributed fiction and fluff to various published roleplaying games, and written non-fiction for SciFiNow and SFX Magazines. For every positive there is an equal and opposite negative, and Amelia is forced to admit that she loves Wild Wild West.
In her spare time she enjoys travel, photography, walking her Corgi, and trying to convince her friends to replay the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game with all the Goblins decks.
Visit her website at http://ameliafaulkner.com!
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December 18, 2021The new cover (not the one pictured on GR) for this is stunning. The writing is sound, the setting seemed interesting but I'm afraid I opted out because the English character, Quentin, talks like someone doing an outrageously bad impression of an English person.
What makes this is even weirder is that the author is, um, English?
I might come back to this once I've got past the initial impression. But it didn't feel fair on the book to continue with my WTF face on.
What makes this is even weirder is that the author is, um, English?
I might come back to this once I've got past the initial impression. But it didn't feel fair on the book to continue with my WTF face on.
April 4, 2019
I almost DNF this one. If I wasn't so focused on finishing all the books I read, no matter how boring, well I would have definitely given up on this one.
It was a freebie on Amazon when I got it and I told myself why not, let's try new books from unknown to me authors.
This story was a miss for me and I can't really say what bugged me the most. The beginning was interesting enough. I really thought it will keep me interested but then it all went downhill. I didn't like the MCs, I didn't like the story and to be honest, I know I will not read the next books. I am sorry to say this, but it was not my cup of tea. Not in a million years.
It was a freebie on Amazon when I got it and I told myself why not, let's try new books from unknown to me authors.
This story was a miss for me and I can't really say what bugged me the most. The beginning was interesting enough. I really thought it will keep me interested but then it all went downhill. I didn't like the MCs, I didn't like the story and to be honest, I know I will not read the next books. I am sorry to say this, but it was not my cup of tea. Not in a million years.
September 3, 2019
Unfortunately this story was just not for me. I think there was a good concept and an interesting way of colliding addictions and troubles with a paranormal/mythical aspect. Sadly though, I didn’t connect with any of the characters. Although they do each have interesting stories, I found it a bit hard to get through the book itself to learn more, and then the end being a cliffhanger ending it kind of left me wanting, but not wanting enough to continue on with the series.
I think that the copy I received was because the series is being rebranded. Not sure if it’s been edited from the original copies, but this one still had some issues and was problematic from some older reviews I’ve read.
I think if you want an M/M that isn’t safe per say, and has paranormal aspects, that I think will get more in depth as the series continues, then you will probably enjoy Jack of Thorns!
Available now!
*ARC provided by Edelweiss+
I think that the copy I received was because the series is being rebranded. Not sure if it’s been edited from the original copies, but this one still had some issues and was problematic from some older reviews I’ve read.
I think if you want an M/M that isn’t safe per say, and has paranormal aspects, that I think will get more in depth as the series continues, then you will probably enjoy Jack of Thorns!
Available now!
*ARC provided by Edelweiss+
August 13, 2018
What a great start to the series!
It wasn’t at all like I expected and in this case it’s definitely a good thing.
A good thing apart from the detailed description of , which gave me pause during the prologue because I wasn’t expecting it. There’s a warning at the end of the blurb about “mature themes and events which may be distressing to some readers”, but nothing specific so be aware that the most recurring “distressing” theme is
I loved the world-building and the characters were so refreshing to read, very different from the usual types, especially Quentin.
Even their dynamic isn’t something usually seen in a romance.
They bring slow-burn to a whole new level and I mean the maybe-in-the-next-book level when it comes to sex, but there was plenty of romance blooming here and I was a very happy reader.
I loved how it was handled, with
As it’s to be expected from the first book in a series, some things are more clear at the end of the book and some are still a mystery, barely hinted at.
If I had to find a flaw in the writing and the story, it would be a couple of minor inconsistencies, the first being the complete lack of comment on everyone’s part on
I should also add that it did ring a little too convenient that
The second thing might be me misunderstanding or an actual inconsistency, I’m not sure.
Anyway, it was just something minor, apart from that the book was perfect and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
It wasn’t at all like I expected and in this case it’s definitely a good thing.
A good thing apart from the detailed description of , which gave me pause during the prologue because I wasn’t expecting it. There’s a warning at the end of the blurb about “mature themes and events which may be distressing to some readers”, but nothing specific so be aware that the most recurring “distressing” theme is
I loved the world-building and the characters were so refreshing to read, very different from the usual types, especially Quentin.
Even their dynamic isn’t something usually seen in a romance.
They bring slow-burn to a whole new level and I mean the maybe-in-the-next-book level when it comes to sex, but there was plenty of romance blooming here and I was a very happy reader.
I loved how it was handled, with
As it’s to be expected from the first book in a series, some things are more clear at the end of the book and some are still a mystery, barely hinted at.
If I had to find a flaw in the writing and the story, it would be a couple of minor inconsistencies, the first being the complete lack of comment on everyone’s part on
I should also add that it did ring a little too convenient that
The second thing might be me misunderstanding or an actual inconsistency, I’m not sure.
Anyway, it was just something minor, apart from that the book was perfect and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
February 26, 2023
welcome to 202-Queer 🌈✨
50 in February: 44/50
the problem is that most books are actually bad and sifting through the trash looking for hidden gems is apparently what i decided to dedicate a substantial amount of my time to.
i have nothing nice to say so i'll consider shutting up. the plot was boring, the characters were boring and if one has to hear a character refer to themselves in third person one more time, one might consider stabbing someone.
50 in February: 44/50
the problem is that most books are actually bad and sifting through the trash looking for hidden gems is apparently what i decided to dedicate a substantial amount of my time to.
i have nothing nice to say so i'll consider shutting up. the plot was boring, the characters were boring and if one has to hear a character refer to themselves in third person one more time, one might consider stabbing someone.
April 21, 2017
This was awful, I really tried and pushed on but by 57% decided life was far too short for me to finish this.
One of the characters is English. I was extremely shocked to find the author is British. Assumed it was written by someone with only a cartoon view of what Britain is like, who'd possibly o'd on cheesy sixties/seventies tv series; though to be honest 'old boy' one fears even the poshest of those lordly specimens didn't talk anything like the quintessential Quentin. It's supposed to be a contemporary, yet time-travel wouldn't explain him. Being posh doesn't explain it. People don't talk like this. It's a kid play acting 'posh brit'.
Then there's Laurence whose a drug addict. Enabled by his sweet hippy mother. Seeing glimpses of the future means your son's inability to get through the day without drugs is a quirk and no call to step up and be his mother.
There were gods or something, some paranormal vibe and clearly some dark torturous past in a huge mansion somewhere for Quentin. But I didn't care. Didn't connect. One loathed Quentin and the pretentious fake vibe too much to continue.
One of the characters is English. I was extremely shocked to find the author is British. Assumed it was written by someone with only a cartoon view of what Britain is like, who'd possibly o'd on cheesy sixties/seventies tv series; though to be honest 'old boy' one fears even the poshest of those lordly specimens didn't talk anything like the quintessential Quentin. It's supposed to be a contemporary, yet time-travel wouldn't explain him. Being posh doesn't explain it. People don't talk like this. It's a kid play acting 'posh brit'.
Then there's Laurence whose a drug addict. Enabled by his sweet hippy mother. Seeing glimpses of the future means your son's inability to get through the day without drugs is a quirk and no call to step up and be his mother.
There were gods or something, some paranormal vibe and clearly some dark torturous past in a huge mansion somewhere for Quentin. But I didn't care. Didn't connect. One loathed Quentin and the pretentious fake vibe too much to continue.
October 6, 2019
I'm done with this one. I've read about one third of the book but there is no need to push myself to go any further.
Let's be honest, this book is just boring. It's drags on and on until you no longer care about anything. The characters are generally quite nice. But it's hard to attach to them. Quentin is sometimes a caricature of himself, and his manner of speaking is awfully artificial. He may have some very difficult and dark past, but somewhere in the meantime I've lost any desire to get to know it.
I expected romance. However, this part of the story goes at a pace which makes me believe that there will be nothing there. The paranormal part is somewhat strange and it is also not the clou of the whole book. The greatest secret is basically Quentin and his past. And all of these is interwoven with some weird amount of drama.
It all made me push myself to read this story when I really hadn’t any wish to do it. I picked this book as an easy read, which this one is definitely not. So I abandoned it at about 33%.
Let's be honest, this book is just boring. It's drags on and on until you no longer care about anything. The characters are generally quite nice. But it's hard to attach to them. Quentin is sometimes a caricature of himself, and his manner of speaking is awfully artificial. He may have some very difficult and dark past, but somewhere in the meantime I've lost any desire to get to know it.
I expected romance. However, this part of the story goes at a pace which makes me believe that there will be nothing there. The paranormal part is somewhat strange and it is also not the clou of the whole book. The greatest secret is basically Quentin and his past. And all of these is interwoven with some weird amount of drama.
It all made me push myself to read this story when I really hadn’t any wish to do it. I picked this book as an easy read, which this one is definitely not. So I abandoned it at about 33%.
November 24, 2016
4.5 stars. Loved it! One of those books where I was glued to the pages from just a few paragraphs in. I was so impressed with the way it starts out as a contemporary romance and bit by bit the little holes in the story are filled with magic. Both the characters are appealing and complex. The slow-burn romance is torture! (the good kind) There's mystery and some sadness in their backstories and all the questions are only partly resolved at the end. Great writing and great story. I've already started book 2 and if there was a book 3 I would have bought that too.
Thanks so much to Dirty Kinky Elf who bought me this book.
Thanks so much to Dirty Kinky Elf who bought me this book.
February 13, 2017
This was a frustrating book, in a lot of ways. It was very long, which is good, but the story felt sort of incomplete, even for a 'you have to keep reading' series. The amount of angst in the characters' backgrounds was *ridiculous* (content note: heroin addiction, alcoholism, past child abuse, past sexual abuse?, threatened sexual assault, dissociation and some mental illness). The Love Interest is sex-repulsed asexual currently because of trauma (but is attracted to the MC and doesn't realize that's what's going on); but their relationship is actually pretty well-developed for all that.
The actual story is quite interesting, and fairly atypical in my experience of Celtic-inspired urban fantasy.
The most frustrating thing, though, is definitely Quentin (Earl of Banbury): no one, not even a sheltered British peer, is that clueless about the modern world and the world of the not!wealthy. Seriously. Who would be so rude as to say to his not!boyfriend, "You live above a shop? People live above shops?" He comes off as a jerk, and I don't think he's meant to. SO RIDICULOUSLY RUDE, though.
Also... I get that the author wanted to use Quentin saying "one" instead of "I" as a characterization device. (He starts using "I" occasionally as he becomes more comfortable with Laurence.) But they are not simply interchangeable in English! You cannot reply to someone who's asked if you want to go surfing, "One cannot swim." That's not how English works. And you know who would know that? A British aristocrat. One was INCREDIBLY annoyed.
One also bought Book 2, so.... you know.
The actual story is quite interesting, and fairly atypical in my experience of Celtic-inspired urban fantasy.
The most frustrating thing, though, is definitely Quentin (Earl of Banbury): no one, not even a sheltered British peer, is that clueless about the modern world and the world of the not!wealthy. Seriously. Who would be so rude as to say to his not!boyfriend, "You live above a shop? People live above shops?" He comes off as a jerk, and I don't think he's meant to. SO RIDICULOUSLY RUDE, though.
Also... I get that the author wanted to use Quentin saying "one" instead of "I" as a characterization device. (He starts using "I" occasionally as he becomes more comfortable with Laurence.) But they are not simply interchangeable in English! You cannot reply to someone who's asked if you want to go surfing, "One cannot swim." That's not how English works. And you know who would know that? A British aristocrat. One was INCREDIBLY annoyed.
One also bought Book 2, so.... you know.
May 23, 2016
Terrible. (And HYPED)
Words actually fail me. So I'm going with some quotes…
Quentin referring to a mobile phone: "One does not have such a device." Quentin, instead of saying yes: "Quite so." or "Ostensibly." Quentin generally: "Oh, not you, dear boy." etc. etc. etc.
Nobody talks like that! Nobody! Not even an earl. Not even the queen. He never says "I" once. He always refers to himself as "One." It's utterly ridiculous. It sounds like 12 year old pretending to be posh.
This is supposed to be a contemporary mm story and yet one of the characters appears to have been plonked in it from an Agatha Christie novel. Except even Agatha Christie's aristocratic characters were based in a kind of truth. You could imagine that they were a product of a class system present at the time.
Quentin's whole persona and dialogue is appallingly conceived and written. It reads like high school english class nonsense.
… And I noticed that out of all the reviews on Amazon UK, and on Amazon.com, I was the ONLY VERIFIED PURCHASER. (And I got a refund.) Lots of reviews by people offering reviewing and editing services etc.
Strange that..
Words actually fail me. So I'm going with some quotes…
Quentin referring to a mobile phone: "One does not have such a device." Quentin, instead of saying yes: "Quite so." or "Ostensibly." Quentin generally: "Oh, not you, dear boy." etc. etc. etc.
Nobody talks like that! Nobody! Not even an earl. Not even the queen. He never says "I" once. He always refers to himself as "One." It's utterly ridiculous. It sounds like 12 year old pretending to be posh.
This is supposed to be a contemporary mm story and yet one of the characters appears to have been plonked in it from an Agatha Christie novel. Except even Agatha Christie's aristocratic characters were based in a kind of truth. You could imagine that they were a product of a class system present at the time.
Quentin's whole persona and dialogue is appallingly conceived and written. It reads like high school english class nonsense.
… And I noticed that out of all the reviews on Amazon UK, and on Amazon.com, I was the ONLY VERIFIED PURCHASER. (And I got a refund.) Lots of reviews by people offering reviewing and editing services etc.
Strange that..
November 13, 2016
This was a fun read, especially once I got a bit further into it. The blend of paranormal and old gods is somewhat unique. Lawrence is a nicely complex character, a man with odd inherited talents, and a great mother who is nonetheless very reticent, failing to tell him things he really needs to know. His potential that is starting to unfold scares him, and his addiction history is both a source of shame and a siren call he fights every day.
Lawrence works in his mother's flower shop, where their shared talent for growing and healing plants brings both satisfaction and a competitive edge for their business. But Lawrence seems like a man waiting for his life to make sense. He indulges in meaningless sex, smokes pot so he won't do the hard stuff, and wonders who he's meant to be.
Quentin is harder to get a handle on. His history is revealed more in hints than memories. He had a breakdown with psychic components at his mother's funeral. He hates and fears his father. He's wealthy and travels place to place, but yet he's cut off from his family and inheritance somehow. And he is cool, traumatized, and very oddly innocent. Or perhaps emotionally damaged to where he can't understand the obvious in personal responses. He has been isolated from mainstream media, to where he doesn't even own a cell phone, and he takes his piano with him on each move. Quentin is fascinating, broken, a little unbelievable, but fun to watch being pulled into Lawrence's world.
If I had an issue with this story, it was Quentin. As much as I liked him, he sometimes felt two-dimensional and unreal. I didn't see the human depths I expected, or the complexity as he cycled through his issues, and his drinking felt brought up and then dropped. His innocence sometimes seemed forced, although I could tell myself he was so traumatized that he pretended even to himself to not recognize anything related to attraction, or sex, or his own personal history. I did really like the way his powers went outside his control. It was cool to have a paranormal where a character had that much ignorance and ambivalence and risk in the use of his own abilities. I wasn't entirely sure what these two saw in each other, but in a paranormal, a hint of love at first sight isn't a deal-breaker.
The relationship is the definition of slow burn - basically no sex - and one of the best things about Lawrence is his unwillingness to push Quentin. The action is fun, with some dramatic moments. The ending is a solid resting place, but barely HFN. I did immediately pick up the next one.
Lawrence works in his mother's flower shop, where their shared talent for growing and healing plants brings both satisfaction and a competitive edge for their business. But Lawrence seems like a man waiting for his life to make sense. He indulges in meaningless sex, smokes pot so he won't do the hard stuff, and wonders who he's meant to be.
Quentin is harder to get a handle on. His history is revealed more in hints than memories. He had a breakdown with psychic components at his mother's funeral. He hates and fears his father. He's wealthy and travels place to place, but yet he's cut off from his family and inheritance somehow. And he is cool, traumatized, and very oddly innocent. Or perhaps emotionally damaged to where he can't understand the obvious in personal responses. He has been isolated from mainstream media, to where he doesn't even own a cell phone, and he takes his piano with him on each move. Quentin is fascinating, broken, a little unbelievable, but fun to watch being pulled into Lawrence's world.
If I had an issue with this story, it was Quentin. As much as I liked him, he sometimes felt two-dimensional and unreal. I didn't see the human depths I expected, or the complexity as he cycled through his issues, and his drinking felt brought up and then dropped. His innocence sometimes seemed forced, although I could tell myself he was so traumatized that he pretended even to himself to not recognize anything related to attraction, or sex, or his own personal history. I did really like the way his powers went outside his control. It was cool to have a paranormal where a character had that much ignorance and ambivalence and risk in the use of his own abilities. I wasn't entirely sure what these two saw in each other, but in a paranormal, a hint of love at first sight isn't a deal-breaker.
The relationship is the definition of slow burn - basically no sex - and one of the best things about Lawrence is his unwillingness to push Quentin. The action is fun, with some dramatic moments. The ending is a solid resting place, but barely HFN. I did immediately pick up the next one.
August 30, 2018
4.5 stars
A story set in San Diego written by someone who actually knows San Diego.
I was fully prepared to have to relive some really bad geography, ala Everything Changes by Melanie Hansen, but by the time chapter five or so rolled around, I knew I was in good hands. I even learned something about that ginormous tree in the middle of Balboa Park (because she's right; locals totally don't read those tourist signs, lol). Woot!
Now onto stuff other readers will actually care about. :D The world-building in this book is fantastic and I'm eager to see how she develops this world going forward. This is the way I like my world-building - just enough information that I'm not lost but not so much information that the mystery is ruined. There is no info-dumping here, but we still get a complex world with hints of more lairs hidden beneath. Faulkner borrows from Celtic myths, psychic tropes and even throws in a little bit of mystery, while also balancing themes of classism, abuse and addiction. Warnings re: the addiction storyline:
This is a really slow burn. If you're looking for smexy or smut, look elsewhere. The MCs only kiss - twice - and one of those times was not with romantic intentions. Quentin has a lot of hangups with sex, though those reasons are only guessed at here, so this is something that appears will be explored in later books. I love that Laurence never pressures him. He doesn't ignore the issues but doesn't push more than Quentin is comfortable with.
We get both Laurence and Quentin's POVs, and the author actually gives them their own unique voices in their POVs. This is sadly rare in M/M, where all MCs have the same voices, so it deserves recognition when an author is able to do this. Quentin does have this habit of referring to himself as "one" throughout the first half of the book, but this seemed tied up with his many issues.
There were a couple of minor continuity issues and very few typos. I also felt that Laurence's bisexuality was more lip service than anything else.
A story set in San Diego written by someone who actually knows San Diego.
I was fully prepared to have to relive some really bad geography, ala Everything Changes by Melanie Hansen, but by the time chapter five or so rolled around, I knew I was in good hands. I even learned something about that ginormous tree in the middle of Balboa Park (because she's right; locals totally don't read those tourist signs, lol). Woot!
Now onto stuff other readers will actually care about. :D The world-building in this book is fantastic and I'm eager to see how she develops this world going forward. This is the way I like my world-building - just enough information that I'm not lost but not so much information that the mystery is ruined. There is no info-dumping here, but we still get a complex world with hints of more lairs hidden beneath. Faulkner borrows from Celtic myths, psychic tropes and even throws in a little bit of mystery, while also balancing themes of classism, abuse and addiction. Warnings re: the addiction storyline:
This is a really slow burn. If you're looking for smexy or smut, look elsewhere. The MCs only kiss - twice - and one of those times was not with romantic intentions. Quentin has a lot of hangups with sex, though those reasons are only guessed at here, so this is something that appears will be explored in later books. I love that Laurence never pressures him. He doesn't ignore the issues but doesn't push more than Quentin is comfortable with.
We get both Laurence and Quentin's POVs, and the author actually gives them their own unique voices in their POVs. This is sadly rare in M/M, where all MCs have the same voices, so it deserves recognition when an author is able to do this. Quentin does have this habit of referring to himself as "one" throughout the first half of the book, but this seemed tied up with his many issues.
There were a couple of minor continuity issues and very few typos. I also felt that Laurence's bisexuality was more lip service than anything else.
Want to read
October 27, 2016Kindle freebie 10/27/16!
May 11, 2022
3.5 Stars
Review:
I enjoyed this, and it was a good intro to a series that I'm expecting to get even better as we get to delve deeper into these characters and their lives.
Laurence's future-seeing and plant-growing powers and Quentin's telekinesis were interesting. Quentin didn't even know he had powers until Laurence told him, because his only came out at times of anxiety or trauma, and then he'd forget what happened. There was also a nature/fertility god antagonist with his own powers thrown into the mix. The paranormal element kept the story interesting and added some stakes and danger.
Laurence and Quentin were both likeable enough and had some depth to them (a bit of a caveat about Quentin below). Laurence is struggling with a drug addiction, in and out of rehab, and has an abusive ex-boyfriend. Quentin has an alcohol addiction, though I don't think he realizes it, and it's hinted that he was abused by his father. But it felt like these topics were handled with care, and both characters were good people, just ones who are struggling and trying to get through life.
When they meet each other, that's when life seems to get a little brighter for the both of them. There wasn't much to the romance yet in this book, it's a bit of a slow-burn since I'm not sure Quentin had ever felt attraction before and didn't seem to realize that's what he was feeling, but what was there was sweet.
What I found really interesting was the dichotomy of one character who loves sex and does it all the time with lots of different people (Laurence) vs. a character who seems to have a fear of physical intimacy, including things like kissing and touching, and shows no interest in sex (Quentin). Since some readers may be wondering, I've already read a few books in the series, and I can tell you that Quentin doesn't seem to be asexual, rather he has other reasons for his aversion, and there are eventually sex scenes as he starts to enjoy physical intimacy. Of course, he could still be somewhere on the ace spectrum, but that hasn't been stated, and I wouldn't take this as ace rep. Anyway, all the talk of sex in the description had me a bit worried the book might not be for me, as I tend to not be into books that are super focused on that, and I was worried about how the author would handle the premise, but so far Laurence was pretty respectful of Quentin, and everything wasn't about sex (or the lack thereof); it was just one element of the story, and there wasn't anything more than kissing yet in this book. (Though there were things that could be upsetting to some readers, including a nonconsensual kiss that was done for non-romance reasons and the antagonist threatening rape.)
There were some issues that all but disappear as the series goes on, but they really bothered me while reading this book and affected my enjoyment, so I have to mention them. And those issues were: how Quentin spoke and the strange assortment of things he didn't know. He spoke in what I can only describe as old-timey formal language, which, on its own would've been acceptable. But he also used the word "one" in place of "I." E.g. Instead of, "I cannot swim," it was, "One cannot swim." I don't think that's how that works. It was like referring to himself in third person, but weirder. He also kept saying "dear boy" and "old boy." He also just didn't know about normal, common things. He was a British aristocrat, and he didn't know what Google was. Or Twitter. Or that "hot" meant "attractive." His father didn't allow phones or computers, but I didn't get the impression that he was fully confined to his house with no outside interaction. And now he's an adult out in the world, living on his own, going out among people. If nothing else, you would just pick up on things. And as an adult, he was fully choosing to not even read newspapers or watch the news. There was no satisfying explanation for any of it. And these things were very distracting and somewhat took away from Quentin's depth as a character. But as I said, in later books, he stops saying "one" and I guess starts learning about more things, so you basically just have to deal with it for this book.
Overall, I was intrigued enough by these characters, their blossoming relationship, their psychic abilities, and their story that I wanted to give the second book a try and see what would happen next!
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes psychic/telekinetic abilities, magic, sweet and strong m/m romance, slow-burn sex, and characters struggling with addiction and abuse trauma.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
I enjoyed this, and it was a good intro to a series that I'm expecting to get even better as we get to delve deeper into these characters and their lives.
Laurence's future-seeing and plant-growing powers and Quentin's telekinesis were interesting. Quentin didn't even know he had powers until Laurence told him, because his only came out at times of anxiety or trauma, and then he'd forget what happened. There was also a nature/fertility god antagonist with his own powers thrown into the mix. The paranormal element kept the story interesting and added some stakes and danger.
Laurence and Quentin were both likeable enough and had some depth to them (a bit of a caveat about Quentin below). Laurence is struggling with a drug addiction, in and out of rehab, and has an abusive ex-boyfriend. Quentin has an alcohol addiction, though I don't think he realizes it, and it's hinted that he was abused by his father. But it felt like these topics were handled with care, and both characters were good people, just ones who are struggling and trying to get through life.
When they meet each other, that's when life seems to get a little brighter for the both of them. There wasn't much to the romance yet in this book, it's a bit of a slow-burn since I'm not sure Quentin had ever felt attraction before and didn't seem to realize that's what he was feeling, but what was there was sweet.
What I found really interesting was the dichotomy of one character who loves sex and does it all the time with lots of different people (Laurence) vs. a character who seems to have a fear of physical intimacy, including things like kissing and touching, and shows no interest in sex (Quentin). Since some readers may be wondering, I've already read a few books in the series, and I can tell you that Quentin doesn't seem to be asexual, rather he has other reasons for his aversion, and there are eventually sex scenes as he starts to enjoy physical intimacy. Of course, he could still be somewhere on the ace spectrum, but that hasn't been stated, and I wouldn't take this as ace rep. Anyway, all the talk of sex in the description had me a bit worried the book might not be for me, as I tend to not be into books that are super focused on that, and I was worried about how the author would handle the premise, but so far Laurence was pretty respectful of Quentin, and everything wasn't about sex (or the lack thereof); it was just one element of the story, and there wasn't anything more than kissing yet in this book. (Though there were things that could be upsetting to some readers, including a nonconsensual kiss that was done for non-romance reasons and the antagonist threatening rape.)
There were some issues that all but disappear as the series goes on, but they really bothered me while reading this book and affected my enjoyment, so I have to mention them. And those issues were: how Quentin spoke and the strange assortment of things he didn't know. He spoke in what I can only describe as old-timey formal language, which, on its own would've been acceptable. But he also used the word "one" in place of "I." E.g. Instead of, "I cannot swim," it was, "One cannot swim." I don't think that's how that works. It was like referring to himself in third person, but weirder. He also kept saying "dear boy" and "old boy." He also just didn't know about normal, common things. He was a British aristocrat, and he didn't know what Google was. Or Twitter. Or that "hot" meant "attractive." His father didn't allow phones or computers, but I didn't get the impression that he was fully confined to his house with no outside interaction. And now he's an adult out in the world, living on his own, going out among people. If nothing else, you would just pick up on things. And as an adult, he was fully choosing to not even read newspapers or watch the news. There was no satisfying explanation for any of it. And these things were very distracting and somewhat took away from Quentin's depth as a character. But as I said, in later books, he stops saying "one" and I guess starts learning about more things, so you basically just have to deal with it for this book.
Overall, I was intrigued enough by these characters, their blossoming relationship, their psychic abilities, and their story that I wanted to give the second book a try and see what would happen next!
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes psychic/telekinetic abilities, magic, sweet and strong m/m romance, slow-burn sex, and characters struggling with addiction and abuse trauma.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
May 7, 2016
Wow.
Go get this book. It releases on the 13th and you want it. If you've ever bought a book on my recommendation before, you NEED this book.
First, I can't believe I've never read anything by Amelia before. She's made my auto-buy list from the first chapter. This book is THAT good. I'll be grabbing her entire backlist the second I get paid. You should too.
Jack of Thorns has an amazing voice. The characters have secrets. Their secrets have secrets. And that's hard to pull off when at least two of them have visions of the future/past throughout the story. This book is long and it could easily be longer. I didn't want it to end. And the final scene isn't a cliffhanger so much as an OOOOOHHHH SHIT?!?!?! that will leave you DYING for the next installment. I. Love. This. Book.
Lawrence is a heroin addict, a drug addict in general, and the story opens with overdose. Lawrence is not a clean, perfect hero. He's real, he's struggling hard, and he makes a lot of mistakes. By contrast, Quen is a really big questionmark throughout the entire story. He's got a history he's trying his best to repress which leaves a lot more questions than answers-- this book focuses on Lawrence and his situation rather than digging up Quen's past. I can't WAIT for a Quen-focused book.
Quen is ace, possibly by trauma rather than birth, and there's no sex in this book. Nothing explicit at all. Based on the direction the romance goes, I'd say Quen is specifically demisexual. There's definitely going to be more kissing.
There better be more kissing.
You hear me, Amelia?
Dan is an interesting character that I wanted to punch in the face repeatedly. Jack getting tangled up (ha) in Lawrence's life was perfectly played out. I did want to see more reflection on Dan's final situation and hopefully we'll get some of that in book 2.
Lawrence's mom is the best mom ever. I love her. If she's ever threatened I will cut someone. She is an angel and not to be harmed.
This book will leave you with the biggest hangover, FYI. I got sucked into the world and it wouldn't let me go. I was reading while out to dinner with Boyfriend. I HAD TO KNOW. Put this on your TBR. Mark your calendar for the 13th.
<3!!
Go get this book. It releases on the 13th and you want it. If you've ever bought a book on my recommendation before, you NEED this book.
First, I can't believe I've never read anything by Amelia before. She's made my auto-buy list from the first chapter. This book is THAT good. I'll be grabbing her entire backlist the second I get paid. You should too.
Jack of Thorns has an amazing voice. The characters have secrets. Their secrets have secrets. And that's hard to pull off when at least two of them have visions of the future/past throughout the story. This book is long and it could easily be longer. I didn't want it to end. And the final scene isn't a cliffhanger so much as an OOOOOHHHH SHIT?!?!?! that will leave you DYING for the next installment. I. Love. This. Book.
Lawrence is a heroin addict, a drug addict in general, and the story opens with overdose. Lawrence is not a clean, perfect hero. He's real, he's struggling hard, and he makes a lot of mistakes. By contrast, Quen is a really big questionmark throughout the entire story. He's got a history he's trying his best to repress which leaves a lot more questions than answers-- this book focuses on Lawrence and his situation rather than digging up Quen's past. I can't WAIT for a Quen-focused book.
Quen is ace, possibly by trauma rather than birth, and there's no sex in this book. Nothing explicit at all. Based on the direction the romance goes, I'd say Quen is specifically demisexual. There's definitely going to be more kissing.
There better be more kissing.
You hear me, Amelia?
Dan is an interesting character that I wanted to punch in the face repeatedly. Jack getting tangled up (ha) in Lawrence's life was perfectly played out. I did want to see more reflection on Dan's final situation and hopefully we'll get some of that in book 2.
Lawrence's mom is the best mom ever. I love her. If she's ever threatened I will cut someone. She is an angel and not to be harmed.
This book will leave you with the biggest hangover, FYI. I got sucked into the world and it wouldn't let me go. I was reading while out to dinner with Boyfriend. I HAD TO KNOW. Put this on your TBR. Mark your calendar for the 13th.
<3!!
October 28, 2019
This was a really great read! The writing style was lovely and I absolutely flew through this book. Even with the fantasy elements, the story was very grounded, the lessons taught and the struggles of the characters were completely applicable to real life.
This book deals with many important issues such as trauma and addiction, which is great since those are afflictions that are so often stigmatized and misunderstood.
Laurence is a very interesting character to follow, the saying that "The first thought that goes through your mind is what you have been conditioned to think. What you think next defines who you are" really applies to him, some of his thoughts and reactions are definitely morally questionable, but what he actually does is respectable.
The story is told from both Laurence and Quentin's POVs, and the narration between the two characters is distinct, so it was always easy to tell who we are following.
This was a fantastic character-focused story with some very unique fantasy elements in the mix. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it!
This book deals with many important issues such as trauma and addiction, which is great since those are afflictions that are so often stigmatized and misunderstood.
Laurence is a very interesting character to follow, the saying that "The first thought that goes through your mind is what you have been conditioned to think. What you think next defines who you are" really applies to him, some of his thoughts and reactions are definitely morally questionable, but what he actually does is respectable.
The story is told from both Laurence and Quentin's POVs, and the narration between the two characters is distinct, so it was always easy to tell who we are following.
This was a fantastic character-focused story with some very unique fantasy elements in the mix. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it!
November 1, 2016
Lawrence Riley runs a florist shop with his mom in San Diego. He suffers from drug addiction, which has led to numerous rehab attempts. One night he prays to his pagan gods to help him get his act together. When one appears, Lawrence is ecstatic, however there is always a price. Lawrence doesn't know if he is willing to pay that price.
Lord Banbury aka Quentin, is a product of English wealth and status. On the run from his past, his arrival in San Diego is met with the paparazzi and lavish life style that intrigues all the locals. His chance meeting with Lawrence, puts him on the road to possible romance, but also, in the path of a mysterious god.
For me the beginning was a little slow, but when it took off, I had a very difficult time putting it down. It's an intriguing story, not one I have come across in my reading. Lawrence and Quentin are total opposites, but makes for a rewarding journey as they come to be friends. I'm anxious to see what happens in the next book.
Lord Banbury aka Quentin, is a product of English wealth and status. On the run from his past, his arrival in San Diego is met with the paparazzi and lavish life style that intrigues all the locals. His chance meeting with Lawrence, puts him on the road to possible romance, but also, in the path of a mysterious god.
For me the beginning was a little slow, but when it took off, I had a very difficult time putting it down. It's an intriguing story, not one I have come across in my reading. Lawrence and Quentin are total opposites, but makes for a rewarding journey as they come to be friends. I'm anxious to see what happens in the next book.
Read
August 21, 2023Loved the premise, really enjoyed the first chapters, liked how it was developing, but was unable to keep going because the posh English character's dialogue was, let us say unconvincing (despite the author being British?) and that got too much in the way of my enjoyment, sadly. Won't be a problem for those who don't care/know about how posh people talk, and indeed why should you. DNF at 20%.
own-tbr
March 10, 2017Free @ Amazon US today.
February 6, 2017
“Woo me, Quen. I’m obviously worth it.”
It’s been a while since I read a book so fast, as soon as I picked “Jack of Thorns” I couldn’t stop reading it. Quentin of course was my favorite character, before he met Laurence he lived a very lonely life but his aristocratic upbringing has trained him to appear confident at all times. His closed off personality might have made it difficult for Laurence to come close to him, but nonetheless it was really funny to see him being out of place in the modern world with all his elegant manners especially when he used them to chase away Laurence’s stalking ex-boyfriend.
“Go on, dear boy, run along.”
“Your presence here is unwanted.”
“Toddle off. Shoo.”
With Laurence on the other hand, it was quite obvious that he was in an emotional turmoil, mostly because he chose to express it through his addiction. Despite his flaws though we can easily see his kindness after a while especially when it comes to Quentin and their slow burning romance was so wonderful to read.
There weren’t any sex scenes in this book but I am guessing there will be in the next ones and that’s understandable since Quentin was uncomfortable with sex or any other form of erotic contact. I loved the way Laurence handled that, he never forced Quentin to do anything and he didn’t try to find a way to make Quentin do something he was not ready to do.
Even though he thought Quentin might never let him get closer, he still preferred simply being in Quentin’s company instead of having sex with someone else.
“The softness of Quentin’s lips against his own was more of a prize than he could have hoped for, and he didn’t want to lose that by trying for more.”
In the end I think that level of devotion is what helped Quentin trust Laurence and open up to him and the way it happened in this book felt very naturally compared to other books where the characters seem to get over very fast their fear of sex and then rush to sleep with their love interest.
I also liked the paranormal elements in this story, not only was it interesting to read about them but I also liked the fact that they were used as a tool to express all the emotional turmoil that both Laurence and Quentin were facing. By the end of the book they were still trying to fully control and learn more about them so I hope that we will find more in the next book and also see how Quentin’s and Laurence’s relationship evolves.
I voluntarily reviewed the free copy that I received.
November 15, 2019
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jack of Thorns seemed like a pretty interesting book when I came across it. It honestly was just an okay book (at least for me). Of course the cliffhanger ending makes me want to dive into the next book just to see what the heck is going to happen next... but at the same time - I'd be okay if I never saw the second book in my life?
In it, you will meet Quentin and Laurence. Both guys are simply adorable and quite easy to ship together. They even had a slow burn romance.. which I'm not always a fan of. I will admit, this was okay for me but ugh.. it could've moved a bit faster in my opinion. Besides romance, this book dealt with addictions and paranormal activity. I was hoping for an adventure within each chapter.. but I mostly found myself being bored.
Overall, it had some cute moments that made me smile but the book just okay for me. Wished it was better and I might dive into book 2.. but no idea at this moment.
Jack of Thorns seemed like a pretty interesting book when I came across it. It honestly was just an okay book (at least for me). Of course the cliffhanger ending makes me want to dive into the next book just to see what the heck is going to happen next... but at the same time - I'd be okay if I never saw the second book in my life?
In it, you will meet Quentin and Laurence. Both guys are simply adorable and quite easy to ship together. They even had a slow burn romance.. which I'm not always a fan of. I will admit, this was okay for me but ugh.. it could've moved a bit faster in my opinion. Besides romance, this book dealt with addictions and paranormal activity. I was hoping for an adventure within each chapter.. but I mostly found myself being bored.
Overall, it had some cute moments that made me smile but the book just okay for me. Wished it was better and I might dive into book 2.. but no idea at this moment.
February 9, 2021
I went into this book unsure of what to expect, as many times m/m relationships can be problematic and awkward. I was so pleasantly surprised to find characters that were far more than two dimensional, didn't fit into boxes that others might try to define them by, and genuinely grew (both separately and together) as their stories evolved. With some great fantasy elements included, this is only the first in a series and I've already got book two queued up and ready to go next. I can't sit around long, waiting to know what happens next, so I'm just gonna go find out!
June 21, 2024
Rather enjoyed this novel.
I went into it thinking it was going to be a bigger story line? But it was much more of a sweet romance with a big bad in the background. The slight magic vibes but not being super at the forefront was nice.
There was so much I enjoyed about this. I’ll definitely be continuing the series.
Be aware this is a MM romance but one MC is demisexual so it’s not spicy. But I liked that. I definitely recommend!
Thank you to the author for providing a free copy for review.
I went into it thinking it was going to be a bigger story line? But it was much more of a sweet romance with a big bad in the background. The slight magic vibes but not being super at the forefront was nice.
There was so much I enjoyed about this. I’ll definitely be continuing the series.
Be aware this is a MM romance but one MC is demisexual so it’s not spicy. But I liked that. I definitely recommend!
Thank you to the author for providing a free copy for review.
Read
January 28, 2018One has had enough of this story. Definitely not one's cuppa.
July 28, 2022
Jack of Thorns, a LGBTQ+ urban fantasy by A.K. Faulkner.
“Are we not all different things to different people?”
Jack of Thorns is the first book (of eight) in the Inheritance series. I want to also mention that this is an entry in the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off 8 (SPFBO8). I took some time after entries were announced to go through each book and pull out those that captured my attention. The cover drew me in initially and stood out from the 300 entries. I had already gotten the book when the tour was announced and I made sure I didn’t miss out.
“Time was such an odd thing. Everything depended on it, and yet it cared for nothing. It was in some sense the ultimate apex predator, shaping all landscapes and yet consuming all who lived within it.”
Jack of Thorns follows the lives (using dual POVs) of two men who have more in common than they imagine, despite coming from entirely different lives. Laurence is one of the main characters – he is an addict, florist, and descendant of an ancient Celtic deity. Quentin is the complete opposite – a British aristocrat and psychokinetic.
The juxtaposition of Laurence and Quentin emphasized their qualities and traits. Laurence was quite full of chaotic energy. I enjoyed his psychic abilities of being able to glimpse the future and that he could use his energy to grow and heal plants as well as his pagan spirituality. The close relationship he has with his mom made my heart melt and reminded me of Blue and her mom from The Raven Cycle— one of my favorite series in the universe. I love the way Laurence described time (above quote)- it’s a hauntingly beautiful way of describing such a complex idea. As someone who has finally found their green thumb, having a main character as a florist was so lovely to read. All in all, Laurence was a bit of a complex mess fighting for a sense of belonging in his life.
Quentin was quite introspective and I enjoyed seeing the world through his eyes. He talks often in a third person sort of way, using ”one” instead of ”I” (e,g, One does not know instead of I do not know) and I guess that was a character quirk. Quentin also misses quite a bit of hidden context and meaning. As an American, I loved all of the generalizations about us and felt totally called out on multiple occasions- especially the part where Quentin wonders why we spill every detail about ourselves to strangers because omg… GUILTY! The nature/fertility god added such a fantastic and interesting mix to the story.
Despite the synopsis, this is one of the slowest burns to ever burn where it will unfold across multiple books. The characters have a lot to work through so I imagine we’ll see many personal moments throughout the series especially as their psychic abilities become alive when their going through something trauma related. Quentin feels a bit demisexual which would make my demi heart happy because I don’t see this rep enough. I love when Quentin begins to sort through his feelings and emotions of being cared for and vice versa because I don’t thing those are feelings he’s ever been shown before.
I believe that this was a great introduction to a series for anyone looking for a solid, slow burn m/m fantasy with the promise of further character development and world building across the series. The tough topics are skillfully handled and the story is wholly absorbing. It’s a journey of self-discovery where heart and perspective are overall themes. I clicked around on the series websit— and it’s awesome. You can take quizzes to learn what character you are, your magic style, and what your gift would be. I love these fun additions.
Content/Trigger Warnings: Shown on page: Gaslighting, Coercive control, Attempted sexual assault, Threatened sexual assault, Drug use, Drug overdose, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Classism, Vomiting; Alluded to: Childhood sexual assault
Thank you to Escapist Book Tours for allowing me to join in on the book tour. I received a reading copy and this did not influence my thoughts or opinions.
“Are we not all different things to different people?”
Jack of Thorns is the first book (of eight) in the Inheritance series. I want to also mention that this is an entry in the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off 8 (SPFBO8). I took some time after entries were announced to go through each book and pull out those that captured my attention. The cover drew me in initially and stood out from the 300 entries. I had already gotten the book when the tour was announced and I made sure I didn’t miss out.
“Time was such an odd thing. Everything depended on it, and yet it cared for nothing. It was in some sense the ultimate apex predator, shaping all landscapes and yet consuming all who lived within it.”
Jack of Thorns follows the lives (using dual POVs) of two men who have more in common than they imagine, despite coming from entirely different lives. Laurence is one of the main characters – he is an addict, florist, and descendant of an ancient Celtic deity. Quentin is the complete opposite – a British aristocrat and psychokinetic.
The juxtaposition of Laurence and Quentin emphasized their qualities and traits. Laurence was quite full of chaotic energy. I enjoyed his psychic abilities of being able to glimpse the future and that he could use his energy to grow and heal plants as well as his pagan spirituality. The close relationship he has with his mom made my heart melt and reminded me of Blue and her mom from The Raven Cycle— one of my favorite series in the universe. I love the way Laurence described time (above quote)- it’s a hauntingly beautiful way of describing such a complex idea. As someone who has finally found their green thumb, having a main character as a florist was so lovely to read. All in all, Laurence was a bit of a complex mess fighting for a sense of belonging in his life.
Quentin was quite introspective and I enjoyed seeing the world through his eyes. He talks often in a third person sort of way, using ”one” instead of ”I” (e,g, One does not know instead of I do not know) and I guess that was a character quirk. Quentin also misses quite a bit of hidden context and meaning. As an American, I loved all of the generalizations about us and felt totally called out on multiple occasions- especially the part where Quentin wonders why we spill every detail about ourselves to strangers because omg… GUILTY! The nature/fertility god added such a fantastic and interesting mix to the story.
Despite the synopsis, this is one of the slowest burns to ever burn where it will unfold across multiple books. The characters have a lot to work through so I imagine we’ll see many personal moments throughout the series especially as their psychic abilities become alive when their going through something trauma related. Quentin feels a bit demisexual which would make my demi heart happy because I don’t see this rep enough. I love when Quentin begins to sort through his feelings and emotions of being cared for and vice versa because I don’t thing those are feelings he’s ever been shown before.
I believe that this was a great introduction to a series for anyone looking for a solid, slow burn m/m fantasy with the promise of further character development and world building across the series. The tough topics are skillfully handled and the story is wholly absorbing. It’s a journey of self-discovery where heart and perspective are overall themes. I clicked around on the series websit— and it’s awesome. You can take quizzes to learn what character you are, your magic style, and what your gift would be. I love these fun additions.
Content/Trigger Warnings: Shown on page: Gaslighting, Coercive control, Attempted sexual assault, Threatened sexual assault, Drug use, Drug overdose, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Classism, Vomiting; Alluded to: Childhood sexual assault
Thank you to Escapist Book Tours for allowing me to join in on the book tour. I received a reading copy and this did not influence my thoughts or opinions.
February 28, 2018
This was an interesting, fast-paced fantasy about Laurence Riley, a young man who operates a florist shop with his psychically gifted mom and pretty much coasts along through life knowing he needs to get his act together but struggling to figure out how. He is also psychically gifted—with visions of future events that tend to come to reality.
Desperate for a positive change, Laurence invokes his magic abilities and calls for help from a fertility god. What he gets is Jack—green-eyed, self-possessed, egotistical Jack, who promises Laurence all will be well and he’ll meet his dream man if he has sex as often as possible so Jack can feed on the energy.
But Laurence has broken up with his boyfriend Dan, and isn’t really interested in anyone else, so Jack’s request may be a tall order. And then he meets meets Brambury, who turns out to be Lord Brambury, actual name Quentin, and his life takes a bizarre turn. Attracted to one another, it seems each time sex or the potential for sex arises, Quentin causes hurricane-like winds that destroy pretty much everything around him. It’s Laurence who figures out that Quentin is afraid of sex and that his powers of telekinesis may be much stronger than he initially suspected. Laurence can barely see the humor in the fact that he can’t very well keep Jack supplied with offerings of sex if the object of his affections is afraid of it.
Angry with Laurence about the situation, and having been the object of Quentin’s dangerous lack of control, Jack gives him one last chance. Laurence has to grow a plant from a special seed. And then the nightmare situation Laurence finds himself in gets worse. As the plant grows out of control, he finds out that it’s powers are addictive and Jack will be feeding on the life energy of the people who use it. Laurence knows about addiction. After all, he fights his addiction and craving for heroin every day and he can’t imagine leading others to face a similar fate. Nor can he imagine giving more power to the already powerful and evil Jack.
His nightmares and psychic predictions are getting worse and that, coupled with the irritating push-pull of his relationship with Quentin—one in which each man is attracted to the other but Quentin can’t bring himself to follow through on—is enough to make Laurence finally reach for the drug that will solve all his worries. Thankfully, life and Quentin intervene and a very bizarre, yet exciting, confrontation occurs that ultimately leads our guys to a place where they can at least find their HFN.
One strong word of caution here: the prologue contains graphic depictions of drug use and overdose. And though cravings are described in multiple locations in this story, the most graphic are in that prologue. Those in recovery from addiction may find this a trigger.
That being said, this is an enjoyable story. It’s quite long, over twelve hours, but full of interesting events, twists and turns, and of course, a romance. Both characters are interesting, but I must say that Quentin wins the prize for my favorite character in quite some time. First, because Joel Leslie’s delivery is divine, and second because the author created such an endearing and humorous character. Though upper class Brit, complete with his often voiced perceptions of American ways and 21st century culture, he’s also a sweetheart wrapped in a very emotionally damaged package.
Joel Leslie, as usual, delivers a flawless performance, providing a host of voices for the main and secondary characters, including the women. I truly enjoy listening to an audiobook in which I can identify characters by their voice. It makes me feel as if I’m actually “watching” the story and brings it to life. So kudos to my favorite narrator and to the author for an interesting, creative story.
If you enjoy fantasy and are looking for a very entertaining way to spend your time, I highly recommend trying this one—preferably in audio so you can enjoy the terrific narration.
Note: This audiobook was provided to me through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
Desperate for a positive change, Laurence invokes his magic abilities and calls for help from a fertility god. What he gets is Jack—green-eyed, self-possessed, egotistical Jack, who promises Laurence all will be well and he’ll meet his dream man if he has sex as often as possible so Jack can feed on the energy.
But Laurence has broken up with his boyfriend Dan, and isn’t really interested in anyone else, so Jack’s request may be a tall order. And then he meets meets Brambury, who turns out to be Lord Brambury, actual name Quentin, and his life takes a bizarre turn. Attracted to one another, it seems each time sex or the potential for sex arises, Quentin causes hurricane-like winds that destroy pretty much everything around him. It’s Laurence who figures out that Quentin is afraid of sex and that his powers of telekinesis may be much stronger than he initially suspected. Laurence can barely see the humor in the fact that he can’t very well keep Jack supplied with offerings of sex if the object of his affections is afraid of it.
Angry with Laurence about the situation, and having been the object of Quentin’s dangerous lack of control, Jack gives him one last chance. Laurence has to grow a plant from a special seed. And then the nightmare situation Laurence finds himself in gets worse. As the plant grows out of control, he finds out that it’s powers are addictive and Jack will be feeding on the life energy of the people who use it. Laurence knows about addiction. After all, he fights his addiction and craving for heroin every day and he can’t imagine leading others to face a similar fate. Nor can he imagine giving more power to the already powerful and evil Jack.
His nightmares and psychic predictions are getting worse and that, coupled with the irritating push-pull of his relationship with Quentin—one in which each man is attracted to the other but Quentin can’t bring himself to follow through on—is enough to make Laurence finally reach for the drug that will solve all his worries. Thankfully, life and Quentin intervene and a very bizarre, yet exciting, confrontation occurs that ultimately leads our guys to a place where they can at least find their HFN.
One strong word of caution here: the prologue contains graphic depictions of drug use and overdose. And though cravings are described in multiple locations in this story, the most graphic are in that prologue. Those in recovery from addiction may find this a trigger.
That being said, this is an enjoyable story. It’s quite long, over twelve hours, but full of interesting events, twists and turns, and of course, a romance. Both characters are interesting, but I must say that Quentin wins the prize for my favorite character in quite some time. First, because Joel Leslie’s delivery is divine, and second because the author created such an endearing and humorous character. Though upper class Brit, complete with his often voiced perceptions of American ways and 21st century culture, he’s also a sweetheart wrapped in a very emotionally damaged package.
Joel Leslie, as usual, delivers a flawless performance, providing a host of voices for the main and secondary characters, including the women. I truly enjoy listening to an audiobook in which I can identify characters by their voice. It makes me feel as if I’m actually “watching” the story and brings it to life. So kudos to my favorite narrator and to the author for an interesting, creative story.
If you enjoy fantasy and are looking for a very entertaining way to spend your time, I highly recommend trying this one—preferably in audio so you can enjoy the terrific narration.
Note: This audiobook was provided to me through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
September 26, 2019
★★,5☆☆ | Original take on Urban Fantasy but tinted with Livejournal type depth…
➽ SUMMARY
> M/M Romance
> Drug & Alcohol Addiction
> Slow Burn
> Poor Boy/ Rich Boy
> Plants
> Paganism
Lawrence saw the future and it’s not looking good. The deal he made with Jack, a pagan god, to get his life under control for the small price of keeping him fed is turning on him quite rapidly and developing a crush on a man he can only dream of does not help at all. Will he get a hold of this mess or will it drag him down once and for all?
➽ WHERE WERE WE??
I think this is the first time I read about a flower shop that wasn’t fanfiction. And, honestly, we need more flower shops in fantasy because I love some druid-like magic. Besides his plant skills, Lawrence can see the future. He inherited those gifts from his mother and they were in his family for quite some time. The world here is quite full of Psychics, actually, but it is rare to have abilities of this kind of strength and in two different areas. This is why a pagan god takes interest in him and propositions him a deal. Pagan gods are weak nowadays. Not many pay attention to them and that is crucial to their survival so Jack is desperate to get what he wants and he wants it now.
➽ MEET THE MEN IN QUESTION
Lawrence — Lawrence is a drug addict. He can’t keep a job so he works for his mother and lives above her flower shop. He’s a fuck up. AND he agrees to make a deal with the first magical weirdo who knocks on his door. Like, I know you’re a desperate dude but come on! You’re supposed to be the street-smart one! He’s a complex character though — he fights with his addiction despite seeing future where he fails anyway, he has intrusive thoughts of harming people because of how he was abused but he doesn’t give in.
Quentin — Quentin is… ugh. A snob. A Brittish noble who thinks the work is above him but will complain that the family he runs away from doesn’t give him enough money. I’m sure there’s more to his story to be revealed in the future books and I didn’t hate him (at least not all the time) but he can be annoying? And, I’m not Brittish but do high born people refer to themselves as ‘one’ all the damn time? He was sweet at times, I can’t say he wasn’t. But still.
➽ A LITTLE ABOUT THE BLOOMING LOVE STORY
Lawrence has fallen for the first guy who was nice to him I guess? It was a bit ‘insta love’ on his side or at least ‘insta fascination’ which rapidly developed into more and more. I liked his pinning but there could be more chemistry that wasn’t so I-want-what-I-can’t-have just for the flavour. As Quentin was so alien to the outside world, he’s pretty much experiencing his first friendship AND crush all at once and I enjoy a good slow-burn like everyone else but… something was missing here.
➽ AM I INTERESTED IN MORE OF IT?
I feel like there’s a hope for the series so I would still like to try the next book because plants and pagan gods is something I would love to see more of in fiction.
“He had a god in his fucking shop.”
➽ SUMMARY
> M/M Romance
> Drug & Alcohol Addiction
> Slow Burn
> Poor Boy/ Rich Boy
> Plants
> Paganism
Lawrence saw the future and it’s not looking good. The deal he made with Jack, a pagan god, to get his life under control for the small price of keeping him fed is turning on him quite rapidly and developing a crush on a man he can only dream of does not help at all. Will he get a hold of this mess or will it drag him down once and for all?
➽ WHERE WERE WE??
I think this is the first time I read about a flower shop that wasn’t fanfiction. And, honestly, we need more flower shops in fantasy because I love some druid-like magic. Besides his plant skills, Lawrence can see the future. He inherited those gifts from his mother and they were in his family for quite some time. The world here is quite full of Psychics, actually, but it is rare to have abilities of this kind of strength and in two different areas. This is why a pagan god takes interest in him and propositions him a deal. Pagan gods are weak nowadays. Not many pay attention to them and that is crucial to their survival so Jack is desperate to get what he wants and he wants it now.
➽ MEET THE MEN IN QUESTION
Lawrence — Lawrence is a drug addict. He can’t keep a job so he works for his mother and lives above her flower shop. He’s a fuck up. AND he agrees to make a deal with the first magical weirdo who knocks on his door. Like, I know you’re a desperate dude but come on! You’re supposed to be the street-smart one! He’s a complex character though — he fights with his addiction despite seeing future where he fails anyway, he has intrusive thoughts of harming people because of how he was abused but he doesn’t give in.
Quentin — Quentin is… ugh. A snob. A Brittish noble who thinks the work is above him but will complain that the family he runs away from doesn’t give him enough money. I’m sure there’s more to his story to be revealed in the future books and I didn’t hate him (at least not all the time) but he can be annoying? And, I’m not Brittish but do high born people refer to themselves as ‘one’ all the damn time? He was sweet at times, I can’t say he wasn’t. But still.
➽ A LITTLE ABOUT THE BLOOMING LOVE STORY
Lawrence has fallen for the first guy who was nice to him I guess? It was a bit ‘insta love’ on his side or at least ‘insta fascination’ which rapidly developed into more and more. I liked his pinning but there could be more chemistry that wasn’t so I-want-what-I-can’t-have just for the flavour. As Quentin was so alien to the outside world, he’s pretty much experiencing his first friendship AND crush all at once and I enjoy a good slow-burn like everyone else but… something was missing here.
➽ AM I INTERESTED IN MORE OF IT?
I feel like there’s a hope for the series so I would still like to try the next book because plants and pagan gods is something I would love to see more of in fiction.
__________________________
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April 7, 2022
This was truly a thrilling read. I don't normally care for contemporary settings but this one had enough magic and charisma to see me through. I went in unaware of the plot (read: by the time I got to it, I'd forgotten what it was about) and was pleasantly surprised. Laurence was such a lovely blend of loyal and self-sabotaging. Quen is.. oh, the poor boy. I want to hug him very badly, but I suspect that would not end well for me. I am desperate to know what's up with him and his family. The mythos presented was super intriguing and I'm excited to see what happens next!
February 2, 2017
*A free copy of this book was given to me by the author, in exchange for an honest review.*
Laurence is a wreck. A heroine addict living day to day, getting by in life stoned most of the time, relying on his charms, his good looks and willingness to sleep with anything that moves. He has psychic powers, but no control over them or his life in general.
Quentin / Banbury is a wreck too. Another addict, an alcoholic. Quentin flees his past and future quite literally by moving to a new location every few weeks. Quentin has psychic powers too, but are quite unaware of his own abilities. Everything about him is repressed, including this.
I liked both main characters a great deal, even if Banbury was a walking cliche of British peerage from a century ago and so far removed from everyday life, that it was a tad unbelievable. But his repressed demeanor was a nice contrast to Laurence, who was essentially a Satyr in modern day US, consumed by pleasures.
The two collide, past meeting future, repression meeting open sensuality and they are great together. The character growth is mainly on Laurence's side of the fence, but Quentin does grow, even if it is in more subtle ways.
Our story begins with Laurence overdosing on heroine and having a slew of visions about the future. Most of - though not all - we see to fruition during the cause of the book. This was an interesting idea, as we, the reader actually knew what would come to pass, before it happened, although we had no idea how it would happen.
This is the first book of a series, and that is quite clear. It is not quite a cliffhanger ending, but so many questions are left unanswered. I will be picking up book 2, when it is released, as I am curious to see what will happen next.
Laurence is a wreck. A heroine addict living day to day, getting by in life stoned most of the time, relying on his charms, his good looks and willingness to sleep with anything that moves. He has psychic powers, but no control over them or his life in general.
Quentin / Banbury is a wreck too. Another addict, an alcoholic. Quentin flees his past and future quite literally by moving to a new location every few weeks. Quentin has psychic powers too, but are quite unaware of his own abilities. Everything about him is repressed, including this.
I liked both main characters a great deal, even if Banbury was a walking cliche of British peerage from a century ago and so far removed from everyday life, that it was a tad unbelievable. But his repressed demeanor was a nice contrast to Laurence, who was essentially a Satyr in modern day US, consumed by pleasures.
The two collide, past meeting future, repression meeting open sensuality and they are great together. The character growth is mainly on Laurence's side of the fence, but Quentin does grow, even if it is in more subtle ways.
Our story begins with Laurence overdosing on heroine and having a slew of visions about the future. Most of - though not all - we see to fruition during the cause of the book. This was an interesting idea, as we, the reader actually knew what would come to pass, before it happened, although we had no idea how it would happen.
This is the first book of a series, and that is quite clear. It is not quite a cliffhanger ending, but so many questions are left unanswered. I will be picking up book 2, when it is released, as I am curious to see what will happen next.
January 22, 2021
So, I wasn't quite sure how I was going to feel about going into this book after reading some of the reviews, and frankly, even after about the first third but I stuck with it and I actually ended up really liking it. I think I am a little afraid of some of the books in the series going forward once again from reading the reviews, but I want to stick with it unless it just doesn't work for me.
I think the characters and the theme were very interesting but there was definitely a disconnect for me and I am not sure if it was because of how out of touch with the world that Quentin is or maybe how his mannerisms and upbringing have made him feel like there should be a hierarchy and he is at the top. It's not even as if he necessarily looks down on everyone else, it's just that it has been entrenched in his psyche that there should be a class system in order for his world to run properly due to his standing. It's odd to see someone so removed from the modern world try to navigate in it.
Quentin's personality doesn't actually start to peek through until closer to the end and that is due to his dynamic and closeness to Laurence. It seems he's never had anyone care for him before (except maybe his mother?) and the only people around him were those who wished to use him in some way except for maybe Neil, but it seems they weren't very close. His power is intriguing and I am definitely more curious to know more about that.
Laurence was a mess and it was understandable. He had so much going on in his life. He just kept getting kicked every way he turned except his mom. His drug use is certainly a sensitive topic and I think it was handled pretty well here (from a non-addicts POV.) There was no magical cure and unless he becomes some uber-magical being, it would surprise me if it ever does go away.
I am glad this story is about two damaged people who are so wildly different but are willing to get to learn about each other and understand each other and grow from there. It's certainly not any kind of insta-anything and with Quentin seeming to have some amnesia about his past abuses, it needs to be very slow and I think slow is a great thing for Laurence anyway. They both have trust issues so there's that too.
Anyway, onto the next and I am keeping my fingers crossed. 🤞
I think the characters and the theme were very interesting but there was definitely a disconnect for me and I am not sure if it was because of how out of touch with the world that Quentin is or maybe how his mannerisms and upbringing have made him feel like there should be a hierarchy and he is at the top. It's not even as if he necessarily looks down on everyone else, it's just that it has been entrenched in his psyche that there should be a class system in order for his world to run properly due to his standing. It's odd to see someone so removed from the modern world try to navigate in it.
Quentin's personality doesn't actually start to peek through until closer to the end and that is due to his dynamic and closeness to Laurence. It seems he's never had anyone care for him before (except maybe his mother?) and the only people around him were those who wished to use him in some way except for maybe Neil, but it seems they weren't very close. His power is intriguing and I am definitely more curious to know more about that.
Laurence was a mess and it was understandable. He had so much going on in his life. He just kept getting kicked every way he turned except his mom. His drug use is certainly a sensitive topic and I think it was handled pretty well here (from a non-addicts POV.) There was no magical cure and unless he becomes some uber-magical being, it would surprise me if it ever does go away.
I am glad this story is about two damaged people who are so wildly different but are willing to get to learn about each other and understand each other and grow from there. It's certainly not any kind of insta-anything and with Quentin seeming to have some amnesia about his past abuses, it needs to be very slow and I think slow is a great thing for Laurence anyway. They both have trust issues so there's that too.
Anyway, onto the next and I am keeping my fingers crossed. 🤞
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