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Stand and Deliver
A tale of dark, dangerous highwaymen and the man they take captive.
When Lucien Mayer, 14th Earl of Ravensberry is taken hostage by a gang of highwaymen, he is drawn to the damaged, reclusive Ambrosius and the dangerous, brooding Dante. Torn between escaping and satisfying his body's needs, his life will never be the same again.
Reader Advisory: This book contains explicit scenes of m/m sex and ménage a trois.
When Lucien Mayer, 14th Earl of Ravensberry is taken hostage by a gang of highwaymen, he is drawn to the damaged, reclusive Ambrosius and the dangerous, brooding Dante. Torn between escaping and satisfying his body's needs, his life will never be the same again.
Reader Advisory: This book contains explicit scenes of m/m sex and ménage a trois.
102 pages, ebook
First published October 12, 2009
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November 1, 2009This is actually a book that won me over in time and not from the first pages as usually a book does. I'm very much the reader that, if at page 5 is not yet taken by the book, goes back to the blurb to see if I missed something, than read the last page, maybe the before the last page (I know, I know, shoot me on the place!) and then, if nothing else happens, I close it and open another one. No friends, I'm not such a martyr to finish a book I don't like, and so I don't post of book I don't like at all.
Said that, Stand and Deliver arrived to me with a big handicap, it's a menages a trois. Usually I don't read them, but this was an all male menages and plus it was an historical romance, so, well, I decided to give it a try. Another handicap was the starting point of the story, a young earl kidnapped by two highwaymen who becomes their private sex toy... well, a part from the "highwayman" factor, it didn't seem an accurate historical romance, and I have my idea: or you are perfect in what you write, full details and all, or you are at the opposite, the historical setting is barely there, and you instead focus on the characters. Scarlet Blackwell chose the second way.
Lucien is a young earl indeed, comes to his wealth maybe too soon. At nearly 30 years old, he spent all his life doing nothing, and now he is obviously bored. When his coach is cut off by four masked men, Lucien should be scared, and instead he is bored. He doesn't need the money he has with him, he could be very well give them to the men and being happy and alive, but he instead decides to not "stand and deliver". He dares one of the two leaders of the group and obviously he looses the challenge, managing only to see in face the other man. The same man who now forbids to his fellow highwayman to kill Lucien and instead kidnaps him.
Ambrosius is the man who saves Lucien and instead Dante is the one who would have preferred to kill him. They have a strange relationship, a man linked them, Sebastian, Ambrosius' lover and Dante's best friend, and now that he is died, the two men seem to find in each other comfort. But Dante is full of rage, and he thinks all the wealthy men he robs are the enemy, and instead Ambrosius is more the mourning type. With them there are also Robert and August, two lovers who play the role of silent best friends, usually characters that are not fated to last in the story, but don't worry this is not the case. All four of them live in a cottage in the forest, and no, it's not a retelling of Robin Hood, they don't rob the richer to give to the poorer, from what I gathered that is simply another job for them.
The main focus of the story it's not the "strange" career chosen by Ambrosius or Dante, or the tiredness of life that distresses Lucien, it's instead the play of domino among the three men (and even a bit with Robert and August, even if this couple remain exclusive). Lucien thinks to be in love with Ambrosius, but lusts after Dante. Lucien believes Ambrosius and Dante to be in love, and so he would not be against the idea to be third in the menages, if only for the chance to be with Ambrosius. Dante wants first to kill then to bed Lucien, but at the same time he behaves like he is trying to please Ambrosius, like if he is gifting him with a new toy to distract the man from the pain of losing his former lover. In all of this Ambrosius is the perfect mourning romance hero, with an aurea of sadness and imploring eyes, always trying to "say" something to Lucien, but actually never saying.
That's, the play between the three it was what kept me reading. Oh yes, there is sex, a lot of sex, even a threesome, and it was probably good, but the sex wasn't the main event in the story. The sex was always a tool, to persuade, to comfort, or to barter, and it was always used in the right way. The sex was not free and in this way it was right.
I usually don't like when the sex is too much in comparison of the story, and I'm true, I wasn't expecting for Stand and Deliver to balance it as good as it did. Lucien is for sure the better character, above all since he didn't change: he was and is and will be always a bored son of the aristocracy who has found a new toy; Dante and Ambrosius can believe that Lucien is their captive, but Lucien and the reader know better.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/83...
Said that, Stand and Deliver arrived to me with a big handicap, it's a menages a trois. Usually I don't read them, but this was an all male menages and plus it was an historical romance, so, well, I decided to give it a try. Another handicap was the starting point of the story, a young earl kidnapped by two highwaymen who becomes their private sex toy... well, a part from the "highwayman" factor, it didn't seem an accurate historical romance, and I have my idea: or you are perfect in what you write, full details and all, or you are at the opposite, the historical setting is barely there, and you instead focus on the characters. Scarlet Blackwell chose the second way.
Lucien is a young earl indeed, comes to his wealth maybe too soon. At nearly 30 years old, he spent all his life doing nothing, and now he is obviously bored. When his coach is cut off by four masked men, Lucien should be scared, and instead he is bored. He doesn't need the money he has with him, he could be very well give them to the men and being happy and alive, but he instead decides to not "stand and deliver". He dares one of the two leaders of the group and obviously he looses the challenge, managing only to see in face the other man. The same man who now forbids to his fellow highwayman to kill Lucien and instead kidnaps him.
Ambrosius is the man who saves Lucien and instead Dante is the one who would have preferred to kill him. They have a strange relationship, a man linked them, Sebastian, Ambrosius' lover and Dante's best friend, and now that he is died, the two men seem to find in each other comfort. But Dante is full of rage, and he thinks all the wealthy men he robs are the enemy, and instead Ambrosius is more the mourning type. With them there are also Robert and August, two lovers who play the role of silent best friends, usually characters that are not fated to last in the story, but don't worry this is not the case. All four of them live in a cottage in the forest, and no, it's not a retelling of Robin Hood, they don't rob the richer to give to the poorer, from what I gathered that is simply another job for them.
The main focus of the story it's not the "strange" career chosen by Ambrosius or Dante, or the tiredness of life that distresses Lucien, it's instead the play of domino among the three men (and even a bit with Robert and August, even if this couple remain exclusive). Lucien thinks to be in love with Ambrosius, but lusts after Dante. Lucien believes Ambrosius and Dante to be in love, and so he would not be against the idea to be third in the menages, if only for the chance to be with Ambrosius. Dante wants first to kill then to bed Lucien, but at the same time he behaves like he is trying to please Ambrosius, like if he is gifting him with a new toy to distract the man from the pain of losing his former lover. In all of this Ambrosius is the perfect mourning romance hero, with an aurea of sadness and imploring eyes, always trying to "say" something to Lucien, but actually never saying.
That's, the play between the three it was what kept me reading. Oh yes, there is sex, a lot of sex, even a threesome, and it was probably good, but the sex wasn't the main event in the story. The sex was always a tool, to persuade, to comfort, or to barter, and it was always used in the right way. The sex was not free and in this way it was right.
I usually don't like when the sex is too much in comparison of the story, and I'm true, I wasn't expecting for Stand and Deliver to balance it as good as it did. Lucien is for sure the better character, above all since he didn't change: he was and is and will be always a bored son of the aristocracy who has found a new toy; Dante and Ambrosius can believe that Lucien is their captive, but Lucien and the reader know better.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/83...
November 8, 2015
Talk about complicated relationships! It is one thing to have a captor/captive dynamic in this tale about Lucien, a bored and lonely earl, and the highwaymen who take him prisoner. Based on the book’s blurb, I expected that much. But then, as the story develops, it becomes clear there is far more going on underneath the surface than I expected. Between Dante, the cruel, cold leader who seems to have it in for Lucien, and Ambrosius, the man Lucien begins to fall for, there is not just heated lust but a dark past that keeps all three men in its clutches. It makes for a riveting read, deeply emotional outbursts and conflicts, and some scorching “therapy” between the sheets.
Lucien is a product of his time. He may be rich and an earl of some reputation, but he is lonely and very bored. The fact that he is attracted to men doesn’t help, but his lack of interest in any of the men he encounters makes it worse. When he is held up by highwaymen one night, decides to fight back, and gets taken prisoner when he (predictably) loses the fight, it is the most exciting thing that has happened to him in a long time. But he soon learns that the fantasy of living an exciting life as a criminal is far from romantic. Lucien is fascinated by Ambrosius, who doesn’t seem to be as cold and intimidating as Dante, their leader. But Lucien also feels Dante’s pull – the danger, sheer violence, and the promise of being used hard have Lucien enthralled.
Ambrosius has a sad history, and some of it is intimately entwined with Dante’s past. Not that Ambrosius is aware of this, and he has enough demons to fight as it is. But Dante is super aware of it and makes shameless use of his knowledge to get Lucien to where he wants him to be. By the time Lucien has figured out what is going on, he is neck-deep in trouble. He doesn’t want to return to his boring life, but he cannot stay with murderers, no matter how much he is beginning to love Ambrosius. The conflict almost tears him apart, and I was glued to the pages as he battled his conscience, his heart, and Ambrosius’s needs for revenge all at the same time.
If you like stories about men who live on the shadier side of the law, if two men who are separated by the life they live as much as their pasts sound intriguing, and if you’re looking for a read that is as fascinating and full of raw emotions as it is hot, then you will probably like this novella.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Lucien is a product of his time. He may be rich and an earl of some reputation, but he is lonely and very bored. The fact that he is attracted to men doesn’t help, but his lack of interest in any of the men he encounters makes it worse. When he is held up by highwaymen one night, decides to fight back, and gets taken prisoner when he (predictably) loses the fight, it is the most exciting thing that has happened to him in a long time. But he soon learns that the fantasy of living an exciting life as a criminal is far from romantic. Lucien is fascinated by Ambrosius, who doesn’t seem to be as cold and intimidating as Dante, their leader. But Lucien also feels Dante’s pull – the danger, sheer violence, and the promise of being used hard have Lucien enthralled.
Ambrosius has a sad history, and some of it is intimately entwined with Dante’s past. Not that Ambrosius is aware of this, and he has enough demons to fight as it is. But Dante is super aware of it and makes shameless use of his knowledge to get Lucien to where he wants him to be. By the time Lucien has figured out what is going on, he is neck-deep in trouble. He doesn’t want to return to his boring life, but he cannot stay with murderers, no matter how much he is beginning to love Ambrosius. The conflict almost tears him apart, and I was glued to the pages as he battled his conscience, his heart, and Ambrosius’s needs for revenge all at the same time.
If you like stories about men who live on the shadier side of the law, if two men who are separated by the life they live as much as their pasts sound intriguing, and if you’re looking for a read that is as fascinating and full of raw emotions as it is hot, then you will probably like this novella.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 25, 2010
Oh dear, I thought. Another kidnap/rape-non con turns to love story. However it turns out that it’s not quite as predictable as I imagined and that was a nice surprise.
The cover is quite nice. Frilly shirt: check. Moonlight and a castle: check. Not a bad cover at all.
The length is only 34,000 words, though – even though Total e-bound Publishing call it a novel. I wouldn’t call that size anything but a novella, so pay your £2.99 knowing the length.
Lucien is travelling the London to Nottingham road (incidentally where his parents were killed by highwaymen some years before.) I’d thought that it was nice to see highwaymen represented at killers, rather than “give us a kiss milady and I’ll stop at taking your earbobs” which you see too often. They were as nice and chivalrous as pirates were like Jack Sparrow. Sadly the men who kidnap Lucien fall prey to this Hollywood stereotype later in the book, content with kissing the bejewelled hand of the Baron’s daughter than nicking all her bejewells.
Lucien is waylaid by four highwaymen and when he jumps out of the carriage to defend himself, his coachman sensibly runs away. It’s a good, exciting beginning to the story, and made me want to read on, despite the editing, which was sadly lacking in commas in many places, such as before names (e.g. “I don’t want to see you suffer Lucien” which actually means that he doesn’t want to see him suffer from Lucien), and inconsistencies such as two men sticking their head through a carriage window, and the face that it was very late at night and yet eye colour is clearly noticed. There are unforgivable typos too. “Dual” instead of “duel” and Lucien’s name misspelled for two examples. All little things on their own, but put together they irritate and pull a reader out of the immersion of the story.
What happens next is pretty predictable. Even though Lucien has been kidnapped–and he seems to have no thought that anyone would miss him– he immediately gets aroused just by looking at the sexy quartet, and rather than worrying about his life, he starts fantasising about having sex with them all, even to the point of wanking off There’s obvious tips to the yaoi fans; Lucien has turquoise eyes (later blue green, then aquamarine), another has green/amber/gold eyes and so on.
The men are not really manly men either, there’s lots of soul-searching and I love you’s and a lover that can never be forgotten, lots of teardrops trembling on eyelashes and betrayed hearts. If that’s your cuppa tea, you’ll revel in this.
From the clothes, black velvet breeches with embroidered work, and the fact that there are glamorous highwaymen, I’m assuming that the time period is the 18th century, rather than the late 19th, so a cottage with a fully fitted bathroom with a large bathtub “swimming in soapsuds” was a little unusual. Granted the richest of the land could afford such luxuries, but these four bandits live alone with no servants and cook for themselves. They are not princes and kings. There’s no real sense of fear of capture for the highwaymen, either. They live very close to the road they predate, and they don’t worry about the watch at all–there would certainly be patrols out to capture four active highwaymen like these.
Lucien decides to seduce whoever it takes to get away, and he’s soon grappling with a few of the highwaymen, both participating willingly and watching avidly.
It’s all a little confusing and inconsistent, one minute he wants to escape, one minute he really fancies Ambrosius, the next he knows he’s going to beg the evil Dante to shag him. It’s like a big sexy orgy in the 1800s with everyone wanting everyone else.
There’s a quite jaw-dropping “revenge” issue to the story which I won’t spoil, but whilst I don’t want any 21st century values to creep into a historical story, I found this aspect particularly repulsive, as the man being sought out for revenge had only defended himself against armed robbers! It didn’t endear me to the highwaymen in the slightest, to be frank. Neither did the constant weeping.
I won’t spoil the plot any more than that, but if are a fan of the Black Lace type of erotica and you like a lot of sex with your story, then you won’t be disappointed with Stand and Deliver.
It’s not a bad story and as I say, if you like sexy sensual stories with your heroes finding their erections more diverting than being in fear for their lives then you’ll enjoy this. I’ll probably give this author another go, particularly if they work harder on the editing and make their men a bit less like erection obsessed love-struck girls.
The cover is quite nice. Frilly shirt: check. Moonlight and a castle: check. Not a bad cover at all.
The length is only 34,000 words, though – even though Total e-bound Publishing call it a novel. I wouldn’t call that size anything but a novella, so pay your £2.99 knowing the length.
Lucien is travelling the London to Nottingham road (incidentally where his parents were killed by highwaymen some years before.) I’d thought that it was nice to see highwaymen represented at killers, rather than “give us a kiss milady and I’ll stop at taking your earbobs” which you see too often. They were as nice and chivalrous as pirates were like Jack Sparrow. Sadly the men who kidnap Lucien fall prey to this Hollywood stereotype later in the book, content with kissing the bejewelled hand of the Baron’s daughter than nicking all her bejewells.
Lucien is waylaid by four highwaymen and when he jumps out of the carriage to defend himself, his coachman sensibly runs away. It’s a good, exciting beginning to the story, and made me want to read on, despite the editing, which was sadly lacking in commas in many places, such as before names (e.g. “I don’t want to see you suffer Lucien” which actually means that he doesn’t want to see him suffer from Lucien), and inconsistencies such as two men sticking their head through a carriage window, and the face that it was very late at night and yet eye colour is clearly noticed. There are unforgivable typos too. “Dual” instead of “duel” and Lucien’s name misspelled for two examples. All little things on their own, but put together they irritate and pull a reader out of the immersion of the story.
What happens next is pretty predictable. Even though Lucien has been kidnapped–and he seems to have no thought that anyone would miss him– he immediately gets aroused just by looking at the sexy quartet, and rather than worrying about his life, he starts fantasising about having sex with them all, even to the point of wanking off There’s obvious tips to the yaoi fans; Lucien has turquoise eyes (later blue green, then aquamarine), another has green/amber/gold eyes and so on.
The men are not really manly men either, there’s lots of soul-searching and I love you’s and a lover that can never be forgotten, lots of teardrops trembling on eyelashes and betrayed hearts. If that’s your cuppa tea, you’ll revel in this.
From the clothes, black velvet breeches with embroidered work, and the fact that there are glamorous highwaymen, I’m assuming that the time period is the 18th century, rather than the late 19th, so a cottage with a fully fitted bathroom with a large bathtub “swimming in soapsuds” was a little unusual. Granted the richest of the land could afford such luxuries, but these four bandits live alone with no servants and cook for themselves. They are not princes and kings. There’s no real sense of fear of capture for the highwaymen, either. They live very close to the road they predate, and they don’t worry about the watch at all–there would certainly be patrols out to capture four active highwaymen like these.
Lucien decides to seduce whoever it takes to get away, and he’s soon grappling with a few of the highwaymen, both participating willingly and watching avidly.
It’s all a little confusing and inconsistent, one minute he wants to escape, one minute he really fancies Ambrosius, the next he knows he’s going to beg the evil Dante to shag him. It’s like a big sexy orgy in the 1800s with everyone wanting everyone else.
There’s a quite jaw-dropping “revenge” issue to the story which I won’t spoil, but whilst I don’t want any 21st century values to creep into a historical story, I found this aspect particularly repulsive, as the man being sought out for revenge had only defended himself against armed robbers! It didn’t endear me to the highwaymen in the slightest, to be frank. Neither did the constant weeping.
I won’t spoil the plot any more than that, but if are a fan of the Black Lace type of erotica and you like a lot of sex with your story, then you won’t be disappointed with Stand and Deliver.
It’s not a bad story and as I say, if you like sexy sensual stories with your heroes finding their erections more diverting than being in fear for their lives then you’ll enjoy this. I’ll probably give this author another go, particularly if they work harder on the editing and make their men a bit less like erection obsessed love-struck girls.
September 9, 2014
Ok, another book that I almost abandoned. An earl gets robbed by some highway men and, much to their amusement, he decides to fight back. In the midst of the struggles, he rips off the scarf that conceals one of the highway man's face which means that he should be killed, but because the robber is attracted to him, he takes him with them. Right, sounded good.
This was another story that was bogged down with sex. Apart from that, we have the hemming and hawwing over Ambrosius's attraction to the earl (I'm forgetting names) while feeling like he's betraying the memory of his deceased lover, Sebastian. Dante (one of the other three highway men) is somewhat psychotic and bent on killing the earl, either with sex or by more traditional means. At some point, we see a softer side of him that just comes out of nowhere.
The ending left me totally confused. About the only person I still had respect for at the end was Dante. I hope we get to read his story. Why introduce us to him and go into all his unrequited love issues to leave us hanging? Ugh.
This was another story that was bogged down with sex. Apart from that, we have the hemming and hawwing over Ambrosius's attraction to the earl (I'm forgetting names) while feeling like he's betraying the memory of his deceased lover, Sebastian. Dante (one of the other three highway men) is somewhat psychotic and bent on killing the earl, either with sex or by more traditional means. At some point, we see a softer side of him that just comes out of nowhere.
The ending left me totally confused. About the only person I still had respect for at the end was Dante. I hope we get to read his story. Why introduce us to him and go into all his unrequited love issues to leave us hanging? Ugh.
October 28, 2015
Okay I want to start this review of by saying this is not really a menage m/m/m book. There is one scene when they are all
together otherwise it was just one main couple at the end. I could go into all the things I did not like and liked but this was such a short book I would end up giving away a whole bunch of spoilers then. So I will just say I liked Ambrosias and Lucien together and did not like Dante at all. The way Dante was with everyone was so mean... The way he implied taking Lucien by force even if Lucien did not want him. This book I am just not sure what to say about it. I think I just went in expecting one thing and got something completely different from it. So you get a lot of one on one time with all three men and very little of them all together. I think honestly Dante's whole attitude it just made me not a fan of the book unfortunately.
So while I liked parts of this book there were also parts that I did not like. Altogether this Novella was just not for me...
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
together otherwise it was just one main couple at the end. I could go into all the things I did not like and liked but this was such a short book I would end up giving away a whole bunch of spoilers then. So I will just say I liked Ambrosias and Lucien together and did not like Dante at all. The way Dante was with everyone was so mean... The way he implied taking Lucien by force even if Lucien did not want him. This book I am just not sure what to say about it. I think I just went in expecting one thing and got something completely different from it. So you get a lot of one on one time with all three men and very little of them all together. I think honestly Dante's whole attitude it just made me not a fan of the book unfortunately.
So while I liked parts of this book there were also parts that I did not like. Altogether this Novella was just not for me...
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
February 23, 2017
ugh. All the explicit sex couldn't save this from bad writing, bad characterization and a dull plotline. Who would think a book about a fancy earl getting kidnapped and having sex with sexy highwaymen would be dull? Also there's only so many times you can read the phrase "the other" or "the highwayman" without cringing inside.
July 26, 2010
Lucien Mayer, Earl of Ravensberry, is held up at gun point and robbed by four highwaymen. When he challenges one of the highwaymen to a fight, he ends up as their captive. As a captive, Lucien finds himself grows intense feelings for two of the highwaymen -- the sarcastic-coldhearted Dante and the reserved-angsty Ambrosius (whom just lost the love of his life six months previously). He falls for Ambrosius at the same time drives lust for Dante.
This is dark and complicated love as its best. I don't usually go for historical but this story focuses on the characters, the setting barely matters (and the language is also not one of those complicated old languages that I despise). It is so messed-up, the relationship between the three guys: Dante, Ambrosius, and the center of it all, Lucien. I love how Ms. Blackwell slowly reveals what happens to Ambrosius and how Dante is actually misunderstood, for he has more layers in himself for being who he is.
This story involves a ménage à trois, something that is usually a big no-no for me. But the setting of the situation is so captivating and yet again so complicated, my brain and heart is a mess when I read it, in a good way. I love how not simple the problem is, that there is more to the feeling that these men carry for each other. The sex is not a portrayal of romance (until the end, at least) ... sometimes it's a comfort, sometimes it's a necessity. Let's just say that by the time the story ends, I must take a deep sigh because I feel like in a rollercoaster ride. This is the kind of story I love ...
This is dark and complicated love as its best. I don't usually go for historical but this story focuses on the characters, the setting barely matters (and the language is also not one of those complicated old languages that I despise). It is so messed-up, the relationship between the three guys: Dante, Ambrosius, and the center of it all, Lucien. I love how Ms. Blackwell slowly reveals what happens to Ambrosius and how Dante is actually misunderstood, for he has more layers in himself for being who he is.
This story involves a ménage à trois, something that is usually a big no-no for me. But the setting of the situation is so captivating and yet again so complicated, my brain and heart is a mess when I read it, in a good way. I love how not simple the problem is, that there is more to the feeling that these men carry for each other. The sex is not a portrayal of romance (until the end, at least) ... sometimes it's a comfort, sometimes it's a necessity. Let's just say that by the time the story ends, I must take a deep sigh because I feel like in a rollercoaster ride. This is the kind of story I love ...
October 28, 2015
Everyone knows the dangers of night travel. Too many of the wealthy and prestigious have been robbed and killed by the highwaymen known as the Dark Knights. Lucien knows just how deadly they are. He is the Earl of Ravensberry a man that lost his parents to these devils on horseback. Leaving a card game with a purse full of coin and well into his cups he discovers that they are willing to take more than riches, sometimes the robbers take the robbed.
A little bit of Stockholm Syndrome meets an almost dubious consent here in the pages of Stand and Deliver. I need to stress the almost of this almost dubious consent. Lucien has managed to convince himself that he can use his sexiness as a method of getting away from the highwaymen. The more time he spends with them the more he discovers there are so many more pleasurable things to do with Ambrosius and Dante than escape them. It’s not all fun in the bedroom though. Ambrosius and Dante both have some inner torment they are attempting to deal with. They’re doing a poor job of it but they both agree that there are some rather hot ways to release the tension and Lucien is game for all of it.
I’m truly hoping there will be a follow up to this book. I really needed some closure where Dante is concerned. Yes, he’s an arse. He’s presented as that dark tortured soul. Dark and twisted guys need a happily ever after too. He had a few tender moments, well almost tender.
A little bit of Stockholm Syndrome meets an almost dubious consent here in the pages of Stand and Deliver. I need to stress the almost of this almost dubious consent. Lucien has managed to convince himself that he can use his sexiness as a method of getting away from the highwaymen. The more time he spends with them the more he discovers there are so many more pleasurable things to do with Ambrosius and Dante than escape them. It’s not all fun in the bedroom though. Ambrosius and Dante both have some inner torment they are attempting to deal with. They’re doing a poor job of it but they both agree that there are some rather hot ways to release the tension and Lucien is game for all of it.
I’m truly hoping there will be a follow up to this book. I really needed some closure where Dante is concerned. Yes, he’s an arse. He’s presented as that dark tortured soul. Dark and twisted guys need a happily ever after too. He had a few tender moments, well almost tender.
September 22, 2015
Stand and Deliver by Scarlet Blackwell
This is the first time I’ve read Scarlet Blackwell. I wasn’t sure going into this what to expect but I’m glad I chose to start with Stand and Deliver.
It’s on the historical side. The year isn’t mentioned but through description I gather it’s maybe late 1800’s. Lucien is kidnapped one evening by 4 highwaymen. Dante, the leader of the gang, is massively complex. I hated him, then liked him, then was confused by him, and ending it all with feeling bad for him. Ambrosius, is immediately taken with Lucien. Now, it gets a little tricky because there’s a very sad and heartbreaking past to these highwaymen. And it all leads to the reasons they act how they do.
There’s quite a lot of sex in this story but there’s also a love story to this. A story of mourning and accepting.
I really hope that Dante gets his own story. He is a man with serious sadness inside him and it’s suffocating him slowly.
This was a hot and exciting read and I look forward to reading more of her work.
This is the first time I’ve read Scarlet Blackwell. I wasn’t sure going into this what to expect but I’m glad I chose to start with Stand and Deliver.
It’s on the historical side. The year isn’t mentioned but through description I gather it’s maybe late 1800’s. Lucien is kidnapped one evening by 4 highwaymen. Dante, the leader of the gang, is massively complex. I hated him, then liked him, then was confused by him, and ending it all with feeling bad for him. Ambrosius, is immediately taken with Lucien. Now, it gets a little tricky because there’s a very sad and heartbreaking past to these highwaymen. And it all leads to the reasons they act how they do.
There’s quite a lot of sex in this story but there’s also a love story to this. A story of mourning and accepting.
I really hope that Dante gets his own story. He is a man with serious sadness inside him and it’s suffocating him slowly.
This was a hot and exciting read and I look forward to reading more of her work.
October 22, 2015
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
Reminding me immediately of the Adam and the Ants song, I could not resist this book - and I was really pleased with what was a fun frolic back in time. Lucien is a rather sad and lonely man who is catapulted into a den of highwaymen, and finds himself ... in a most delectable and decadent manner. Very enjoyable, down and dirty as well as somehow deep and meaningful. Not one to usually read much historical romance, this is a good one of the genre.
Reminding me immediately of the Adam and the Ants song, I could not resist this book - and I was really pleased with what was a fun frolic back in time. Lucien is a rather sad and lonely man who is catapulted into a den of highwaymen, and finds himself ... in a most delectable and decadent manner. Very enjoyable, down and dirty as well as somehow deep and meaningful. Not one to usually read much historical romance, this is a good one of the genre.
December 19, 2016
Lucien seemed to be thinking with his privates MOST of the time. I don't think sexual attraction would've been (or should've been) his first thought after being robbed, beaten, and kidnapped. He tries to seduce one of his kidnappers while he still has his own blood in his hair. His train of thought while being robbed should've been further explored--why would he have chased after the robbers? Confronted them? Pulled off a mask? Did he have a death wish? Was it frustration? Leftover anger from his parents being robbed and killed by highwaymen? As it was written, he just seemed idiotic.
He continuously references "escaping," but never makes any real moves at doing so. In fact, he does the exact opposite, accepting laudanum on several occasions, which knocks him out completely. When all (and I do mean ALL) of the highwaymen are occupied having sex (2 in each room), he spies at the keyhole instead of trying to escape. He even gives them ideas on who to rob and participates in the robbery.
The highway men being angry because someone killed one of their merry band is strange. They made it out like the Lord had done something wrong when really, he was defending himself against being robbed. They never acknowledged this, and made him out to be the villain.
I never truly see love occur between Lucien and Ambrosius. He salivates over Dante through over half the story, and even has sex with him several times...one of which is when Ambrosius is harmed. Ambrosisus makes a huge deal of not kissing someone he doesn't love...but then kisses Dante. Blackwell never truly explores why they rob (the deeper reasons) or how they came to be a group. It's supposed to be a period piece, but there is very little in terms of historical background...just a few historical terms thrown in for effect.
Two stars because the story had good bones, but a LOT of questionable execution.
He continuously references "escaping," but never makes any real moves at doing so. In fact, he does the exact opposite, accepting laudanum on several occasions, which knocks him out completely. When all (and I do mean ALL) of the highwaymen are occupied having sex (2 in each room), he spies at the keyhole instead of trying to escape. He even gives them ideas on who to rob and participates in the robbery.
The highway men being angry because someone killed one of their merry band is strange. They made it out like the Lord had done something wrong when really, he was defending himself against being robbed. They never acknowledged this, and made him out to be the villain.
I never truly see love occur between Lucien and Ambrosius. He salivates over Dante through over half the story, and even has sex with him several times...one of which is when Ambrosius is harmed. Ambrosisus makes a huge deal of not kissing someone he doesn't love...but then kisses Dante. Blackwell never truly explores why they rob (the deeper reasons) or how they came to be a group. It's supposed to be a period piece, but there is very little in terms of historical background...just a few historical terms thrown in for effect.
Two stars because the story had good bones, but a LOT of questionable execution.
October 19, 2015
* I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review. This novel was previously published and has been revised and re-released. *
I'm not sure that I should have enjoyed this book as much as I did, but it was so fun and delightful that it was the literary equivalent of eating an entire bag of candy in one sitting. Healthy? Nope! A well-deserved treat? Oh heck yes!
(First things first, the summary on the Pride Publishing website has a pretty serious typo, which is glaringly obvious: there are only four highwaymen, not five. Um, whoops?)
Okay, my review.
Look, this novel is cheesy to the max. It's Regency England, and Lucien is stuck-up and full of himself, with a bit too much money and too little common sense. It's full of characters getting aroused during inappropriate situations, and kidnappings, and tragic backstories that make the characters Dark, Brooding, and Mysterious. Basically, replace Lucien with a random woman and you'd have your standard bodice-ripper erotica.
But sometimes the brain needs a bit of junk food, and I really enjoyed this book. Lucien knows that the road home from a late-night party is dangerous, but he doesn't really expect to be robbed halfway to his home. So he fights back... and captures the attention of one of the robbers, who can't decide if he's brave or stupid but is intrigued all the same. An impulse decision to take Lucien with them results in Lucien being thrust into the world of the four highwaymen, all of whom are interesting and complex characters.
Keep reading the review on Just Love !
I'm not sure that I should have enjoyed this book as much as I did, but it was so fun and delightful that it was the literary equivalent of eating an entire bag of candy in one sitting. Healthy? Nope! A well-deserved treat? Oh heck yes!
(First things first, the summary on the Pride Publishing website has a pretty serious typo, which is glaringly obvious: there are only four highwaymen, not five. Um, whoops?)
Okay, my review.
Look, this novel is cheesy to the max. It's Regency England, and Lucien is stuck-up and full of himself, with a bit too much money and too little common sense. It's full of characters getting aroused during inappropriate situations, and kidnappings, and tragic backstories that make the characters Dark, Brooding, and Mysterious. Basically, replace Lucien with a random woman and you'd have your standard bodice-ripper erotica.
But sometimes the brain needs a bit of junk food, and I really enjoyed this book. Lucien knows that the road home from a late-night party is dangerous, but he doesn't really expect to be robbed halfway to his home. So he fights back... and captures the attention of one of the robbers, who can't decide if he's brave or stupid but is intrigued all the same. An impulse decision to take Lucien with them results in Lucien being thrust into the world of the four highwaymen, all of whom are interesting and complex characters.
Keep reading the review on Just Love !
November 22, 2015
The Blogger Girls
This story would make a great porn flick. I am not usually interested in books that are mostly sex with just a side dish of plot and characterization, nor do I like historicals. However, this one got me at the right time. I even found myself humming Stand and Deliver, by Adam Ant, while I was reading, like I said, right place at the right time.
A historical sex-fest involving highwaymen and a bored-to-tears nobleman. I admit I was a little taken aback by how harsh Dante was, and how Lucien got his butt handed to him on many occasions. I believe he was black and blue throughout the entire story. But that didn’t for one second stop him, or the others, from allowing their “arousal” to lead them around. These boys fight and fuck…point, blank, period.
To be fair, there is a nice underlying angst factor that is slowly unveiled, and you eventually understand why Dante and Ambrosius are so bitter. I enjoyed that aspect, but wish that Ambrosius and Lucien got together sooner. With those two being the main love interests, it was a little concerting that most of book was actually between Lucien and Dante. At the end, I needed more for Dante, too. He was the “bad guy” throughout but he was also hurting and alone. I wanted him to find someone to take that hurt away. As much as this is not my normal story, I would read a sequel if it featured Dante.
This story would make a great porn flick. I am not usually interested in books that are mostly sex with just a side dish of plot and characterization, nor do I like historicals. However, this one got me at the right time. I even found myself humming Stand and Deliver, by Adam Ant, while I was reading, like I said, right place at the right time.
A historical sex-fest involving highwaymen and a bored-to-tears nobleman. I admit I was a little taken aback by how harsh Dante was, and how Lucien got his butt handed to him on many occasions. I believe he was black and blue throughout the entire story. But that didn’t for one second stop him, or the others, from allowing their “arousal” to lead them around. These boys fight and fuck…point, blank, period.
To be fair, there is a nice underlying angst factor that is slowly unveiled, and you eventually understand why Dante and Ambrosius are so bitter. I enjoyed that aspect, but wish that Ambrosius and Lucien got together sooner. With those two being the main love interests, it was a little concerting that most of book was actually between Lucien and Dante. At the end, I needed more for Dante, too. He was the “bad guy” throughout but he was also hurting and alone. I wanted him to find someone to take that hurt away. As much as this is not my normal story, I would read a sequel if it featured Dante.
March 20, 2011
This was an interesting and complex story revolving around a gang of highwaymen and their emotional interactions throughout the gang.
The gang consists of four men and soon encompasses Lucian as well. Lucian is kidnapped after a botched robbery and taken to their hideout. He soon becomes like an insecure and untrusted fifth member as emotions run high amongst the three main characters. These include Ambrosius, the heartbroken and sensitive one, Dante, the misunderstood and sarcastic one, and Lucian, the spoiled and mostly undamaged one. Rounding out the gang are August, the healer, and Robert, another member that is August's partner.
There are conflicting feelings of loyalty, love, grief, disillusionment, rejection, jealousy, revenge and pretty much every other emotion you can come up with between the three men and the ghostly memories that live amongst them. These are also violent men with violent pasts that Lucian must learn to live with or let go.
I was taken in and found myself wondering how this mess of seething emotions that these men had no idea how to deal with was going to turn out. I was not as surprised by the ending as much as I thought I would be. The answers turn out to be fairly simple once you decide what is really important
The gang consists of four men and soon encompasses Lucian as well. Lucian is kidnapped after a botched robbery and taken to their hideout. He soon becomes like an insecure and untrusted fifth member as emotions run high amongst the three main characters. These include Ambrosius, the heartbroken and sensitive one, Dante, the misunderstood and sarcastic one, and Lucian, the spoiled and mostly undamaged one. Rounding out the gang are August, the healer, and Robert, another member that is August's partner.
There are conflicting feelings of loyalty, love, grief, disillusionment, rejection, jealousy, revenge and pretty much every other emotion you can come up with between the three men and the ghostly memories that live amongst them. These are also violent men with violent pasts that Lucian must learn to live with or let go.
I was taken in and found myself wondering how this mess of seething emotions that these men had no idea how to deal with was going to turn out. I was not as surprised by the ending as much as I thought I would be. The answers turn out to be fairly simple once you decide what is really important
February 2, 2012
At first it was OK. I read the first three chapters then I give up. The story made me frustrated.
November 20, 2015
3.5 stars
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