| Title | : | Captured (Star Marked Warriors, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 222 |
| Publication | : | First published July 29, 2021 |
Lucas: Sure, my life isn’t going exactly according to plan—I have a degree that led nowhere, a crappy job as a closing-shift barista, and an ex who has everything I want and got it . . . by dumping my sorry ass—but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to give up on living yet! And holy crap, when I’m plucked off the sidewalk of my rural Colorado town on the very night of my ex’s wedding, I’m pretty damn sure I’m about to lose my life and a whole lot more.
If you’ve never tried flying, I do not recommend the first time be when you’re drunk and alone at two in the morning. But there I was, dumped in a cage on a spacecraft, surrounded by barbarous, giant blue aliens. And the only thing that might keep me safe is there’s one huge, intimidating warrior who can’t keep his eyes off me.
Kaelum: I am the true-born son of the King Xyren the Imperator, but as a Thorzi-human hybrid, my path to the throne of Thorzan is far from clear. My father’s people are enormous and foreboding, their skin is the deep dark of twilight when our planet’s twin stars set. I am not. My enemies think I am small, soft, incapable, and they dog my every step.
If I am to take my rightful place, I must focus on saving my people. But my mother was born on a far-away blue planet called Earth. In my bones, I know the answer to my problems hides out there beyond the stars.
By popular cowriting duo Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes, Captured is an M/M SciFi alien romance with a warrior prince, a resourceful human at the end of his rope, an intergalactic war that could keep them apart forever, and true love that’s entirely out of this world! This book is first in the Star Marked Warriors series, but each book can be read as standalone.
Captured (Star Marked Warriors, #1) Reviews
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~4.5~
This is the first book by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes I've read, which is crazy as they're clearly popular writers in the M/M romance genre and I've read nearly three thousands (!) M/M romance books. Mea culpa.
The first in a series (YES!), Captured blew me away! The book introduces us to Thorzan, a planet somewhere in our solar system with lush jungles, castles built into cliffs, waterfalls, and plants that will eat you alive. Thorzan is occupied by purebred Thorzi, humans, and "hybrids" of the two.
Kaelum is such a hybrid, all blue-tinged seven feet of him. He's a warrior and the son of the king with a human mother. His father is yet to name him successor to the throne, and Kaelum doesn't feel like he belongs in either the human or the Thorzan world. He's a little lonely but proud and just.
The story begins when 18 humans (of different ethnicities, from various culture, but all attractive) find themselves on an alien spaceship heading for Thorzan. They were supposed to have been taken with their consent, but that's debatable (and a big issue in the story).
One of the humans is Lucas, whom Kaelum is immediately drawn to and claims as his own. Lucas, a historian, is feisty and brave. He's not much for being claimed but can't help falling for the gentle, sexy giant who calls him "my Lucas" and whose mouth makes Lucas feel tingly all over.
I liked getting to know Thorzan as much as Lucas did and was jealous of Kaelum's gift of being able to talk to animals. That's like the coolest super power!
Captured contains heroes and villains, honor and deliverance, a battle between two brothers, stories of mages and magic, humans who stay and humans who leave, and, of course, love built on a connection neither Kaelum nor Lucas fully understands until they draw upon it.
But that's not all! There are also family dynamics, political intrigue, action, and a big, blue dick (with ridges!).
Lucas and Kaelum get a HEA, but a plot cliffhanger has me salivating for book 2.
This book is addictive, entertaining, and fun. I'm hooked, y'all. -
4.5 Stars
This was an M/M magic-tinged, sci-fi romp I couldn’t wait to get my hands on, and I wasn’t left disappointed!!!
Life is sucking on several fronts where Lucas is concerned. His ex has just married Lucas’ co-worker and all their “friends” couldn’t be happier, leaving Lucas alone, moody and downright disgruntled by all the royal dickheads in his miserable life. So, to be fair, being abducted by big blue warrior aliens might not be the worst thing to happen to Lucas lately, especially when their half-human prince takes a keen interest in claiming Lucas as his treasured mate.
Kaelum has always felt like an outsider on his home planet of Thorzan. As the son of a pure-blood Thorzi king and a kind-hearted human mother, Kaelum has spent his life striving to prove his strength and power as a half-breed in a world where smaller equates to weakness. Kaelum is not the only half-breed, though, as the Thorzi are no longer able to procreate without the aid of human help—hence the intermittent “peaceful kidnapping” of a handful of humans, like Lucas, which ensures that the Thorzi race will live on, but also guarantees future generations will be smaller and therefore not as physically commanding as the pure blood Thorzi people of generations past.
Upon meeting, Lucas and Kaelum’s lives change irrevocably. Smart, insightful and ballsy AF, Lucas challenges Thorzi preconceptions, proving to Kaelum (and others of his kind) that to be human does not necessarily make one weak, and that true strength can lie in even the smallest of people. As they fall in love, hard and fast, Lucas and Kaelum learn each other’s customs, histories, beliefs, and dreams for the future, and together, they might manage to bring both races together, united as one, thriving and happy and working for a joint future that ensures the Thorzi survival.
Honestly, being abducted by aliens has never sounded so damn good. I was completely obsessed with this story and its characters from page one, and I loved learning about the Thorzi people and how they needed humans to survive. There were some interesting discussions about consent and what it meant for those humans who were taken, like Lucas, but I loved the explanation for this, and how it ultimately played out worked totally in this stories favour. Also, as a bonus, this story was unexpectedly tinged with magic and superpowers, which I fricken loved and still want to hear more about in the sequels.
Kaelum was a god damn dream character, in my eyes. Sure, the guy is a half-blue alien warrior prince, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t want to get me one of those by the time this story was done. The way he adored Lucas so fervently, practically from the first meeting, gave me big heart-eyes. It certainly helped that he also followed Lucas’ cues, showing his affection and making it clear he wanted Lucas as his mate, but never once forcing himself on Lucas who needed time to adjust to his massively changed circumstances.
Lucas was a strong and vibrant character in his own right. I loved how his passion for history and teaching factored into how he could help empower the Thorzi and maybe make for better Thorzi/human connections. Knowledge is power, as the saying goes, and Lucas’ strong moral centre and his intellectual insights certainly came in handy throughout the story, benefiting Thorzi and human alike.
I just loved everything about this story, only giving 4.5 stars instead of a full five because I wanted to leave some room to rate up if the sequels prove to be even more awesome. Seriously, I adored this one and can’t wait to attack-read book two on release day, which couldn’t come any quicker if I magically willed it so. -
4 Easy Stars
With my recent bender in both paranormal and sci-fi this yr, this first book in Sams and Fawkes’s newest series definitely ticked off some boxes!
There’s nothing for me to add to the other reviews out there except if you want to read about a warrior alien race whose only solution to save their dying population is to “kidnap” technically willing humans to help them procreate, then come on over! I promise it’s not that nefarious at all.
This embodies outer space shenanigans, deadly flora and fauna, evil political machinations, family struggles, finding your true mate, and the magical power of lurve.
Now I haven’t read all of this duo’s collaborations but together, they typically bring consistently reliable paranormal MM romance and this foray into the science fiction genre with a yummy alien race to cheer for?? A win in my opinion for sure! -
4.5*
I do love me a good alien/human romance and this one was a doozy! It has a really interesting premise.
The opening chapter really does set up the narrative perfectly with Lucas abducted by an 8ft blue topless "man" as he drunkenly wanders home the day his ex-boyfriend married the guy he cheated on him with.
It has a mixture of humour and vulnerability throughout the story, as Lucas comes to terms, along with his other fellow captives, with the fact they're heading for another planet.
Our other protagonist, Kaelum, is also having a bad day when we first meet him, but he soon finds that his life's about to get more complicated when he comes across the cargo ship carrying Lucas and the other 17 humans under attack by his race's enemy ships.
One rescue later and the scene is set for what follows. It's an interesting mix as the plot treads the fine line between accepting your fate and being able to change it. Lucas and Kaelum are clearly attracted to each other but Lucas feels conflicted.
As it becomes clear to Lucas that the Thorzan world on which he finds himself is currently in the midst of a crisis over Kaelum's right to the throne, the issue of hybrids - those born with both Thorzan and human DNA - it becomes even more important.
What I really loved about this book was that it avoided a lot of the kidnapped by aliens tropes which can skirt very close to non-con or dubcon. Instead Kaelum, because of his human mother, is very much aware of the need to allow not only Lucas, but all the humans who end up on Thorzan, to be the architects of their own fate.
It's what drives the majority of the conflict throughout the story and provides the series long plot arc for the world's survival as a race of uber warriors facing extinction because an element of their society is so focused on purity they're missing the abilities of the hybrids.
The pace cracks along beautifully and as Kaelum shows Lucas his world, and they find out things haven't been all they seem with the rest of his human travellers, it becomes clear this pair are going to shake up more than just the bedsheets!
It's medium steamy, although the smexy times are made much more interesting by the things which make Kaelum different 😉 (and that's as much as a clue I'm giving you there!) and while it has a quite short timeframe, I totally bought into their mutual attraction turning into something with more depth.
Throw in the intrigues and a reawakening of magic type abilities as Kaleum and Lucas become fully committed to each other and you get a cracking fun adventure at the start of this new series.
Now, what's happened to Jax and Wesley?!
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review -
dnf @ 50%.
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Re-read May 2022
I've really enjoyed my re-read of this series.
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This was a nice surprise! I wan't expecting this to be so sweet and loving.
Lucas is not happy with his life. His ex suddenly decided to leave him and to marry the guy he’d been cheating with. Who also happened to be a former co-worker of the coffee shop Lucas works at.
So that’s how he finds himself all alone in said coffee shop, since almost all his colleagues are at his ex’s wedding.
When Lucas is drunk (he confiscated half a bottle of Jack from a colleague who showed up drunk at the coffee shop) and walking home by himself, he gets lost.
But when he suddenly finds himself in the arms of a big blue alien warrior, he faints.
When he comes to, he realizes he is not alone. It seems like several other people have been kidnapped by these aliens.
The aliens speak English, bring them food, and apparently mean them no harm, but are still taking them to their planet.
Lucas soon finds out that not all the aliens are as huge and blue as the first one he encountered. There is a 7 foot beautiful man with human like skin (with a tinge of blue) on the ship who seems to be very friendly.
Kaelum is the prince of his people. He might be a half breed with a human mother, but he is still a warrior! Even if some of his pure blood people don’t agree that the hybrids are as good as they are.
When they arrive at Thorzan, it becomes clear to Lucas why they have been kidnapped. These aliens cannot reproduce anymore, so they need humans and their genetic material to make babies…
Now, at first I was sure this was going the mpreg route, but nope, no mpreg. I’m not sure if that’s going to happen in other books, or if the babies are all born in a lab (I think it is mentioned, but it wasn’t quite clear to me).
This book focusses mostly on the (sweet) relationship between Kaelum and Lucas and on the way the Thorzi see the hybrids and humans.
What I absolutely loved about this book was how the Thorzi were big strong warriors, but also quite kind. They didn’t just kidnap people, no, they read their minds and took those who really wanted to leave their own lives. (Now this wasn’t quite what happened, but it’s a plot point in the book so I won’t say more.)
So Kaelum might have been a huge warrior, but he was also very much into consent and simply wanted Lucas to choose him and to love him. And I really loved that.
Their relationship progressed smoothly without too many obstacles. And can anyone say, SIZE KINK! Well, that was a nice bonus. ;)
I can’t wait for the next book to come out. It doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, but the next book could be either about Kaelum and Lucas some more or another alien and human. I don’t care, just give me the book. :) -
3.8 Stars 😊 Fico me perguntando porquê essas coisas só acontecem em histórias? custava ser abduzida por um alien gostoso\gostosa... 😂😂😂😂 Talvez eu já tenha sido ( Explicação por ter uma mente afetada). chega de escrever sobre meu desejo de abdução alienígena, vamos direto ao ponto 👉 O romance da hist��ria foi fofo, todo alien tem que falar de um jeito romanticamente brega, né? é um lance que acho fofo. O único problema dessa história é que é previsível, logo no início já imaginava que Lucas seria um mago, fiquei só esperando o momento acontecer. Não foi uma coisa que me pegou de surpresa, tava esperando uma coisa mais impactante, mas mesmo assim gostei do livro. Foi um romance bonitinho e agradável de ler. lerei o segundo livro e espero ter mais emoções nele💪('ω'💪)
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I haven't read an "Alien" book in a very long while so I was excited to see what this book would bring and what one of my favourite writer-duos would do with this sub genre. I was right to be excited because as usual, these two kicked butt and took no prisoners.
First thing I will say is that I loved the pairing of Lucas and Kaelum. Even though their connection was fast tracked(as is often the case in this subgenre), I found the way Kaelum doted on Lucas adorable and Lucas' inner thoughts funny as heck. He made me crack up more than once which I always consider a win when reading.
Additionally, I liked the way there was a major Thorzian cultural shift with respect to the concept of consent for humans. I'm glad they got to the bottom of the issue and realised that there were people taking advantage of the race crises & using it as a cover to "abduct" people. I found this to be a good angle to explore the whole situation.
All was not rounded up as well as I would've wanted them to though(hence my 4-star rating). I felt there were still some loose threads in the story (for example in relation to Crux) and other little things that I thought should've been covered in this book but seems like it would be covered over the course of the series.
In line with this, I peeked at the next two books in the series and and saw who our next two couples are ; Jax & Wes(who I suspected had a connection) and Vorian and Beau( who I clocked as possible partners when Beau did what he did).
As such, I simply cannot wait for these two books I tell you. I cannot.
Happy reading!
Oh and this is highly recommended for people who want to try something different as well as lovers of the Alien subgenre.
**eARC Provided by Authors in Exchange for an Honest, Unbiased Review ** -
Who doesn't fantasize sometimes about getting swept away to another planet and falling in love with an alien? No? Just me, then?
I really enjoyed this. I've read a lot of mf sci-fi books with the 'mars needs women' troupe, but this was a nice spin on the whole baby making thing in mm form without the men's anatomy changing so they could carry babies.
The only thing I couldn't quite reconcile was the deal with Crux and why he wasn't punished. I hope we get to see his fall sometime in the rest of the series. He's an asshole. -
DNF 34%
Not in the mood for using sex to advance a plot. Was hoping for more. Moving on. -
I picked this up because of the raving reviews that popped up on my timeline.
Unfortunately, all I got from this book was my brain pointing out all the ways that the execution of the story failed. There was not much about the MCs except the sex and snippets of their lives, mainly the dramatic parts.
The mage comeback was a predictable as my elbow being darker than my forearm, and I somehow managed to get disappointed by the turn of events.
The cat thing? Absolutely unnecessary!! And I find it impossible to believe that he stayed so long away from his apartment and still managed to find it intact. -
This book was weird.
And not in an alien-human way.
In a "there are alot of loose ends and plot holes" way.
The world building needed alot more work.
The climax was blink and you miss it.
How the humans were all ok with the aliens and wanted to stay....
Very very weird -
3.5-4 stars
A cute alien romance, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I do wish it was longer and we got to see some of the other characters from the next books in this standalone series, but overall sweet premise and Kaelum and Lucas were adorable haha.
Also I know Vorian is going to be that damaged soul who I hope is worth the wait. Also Michael Fell did a good job with the narrations, he did pronounce some words wrong, but I let that slide haha. -
"My Lucas...My Kaelum."
My god.
If we're being honest, this book doesn't really deserve a single star. The characters are weirdly written, the conversations, my god, the conversations! So utterly absurd. I find it really strange that the humans didn't put up much of a fight after being kidnapped by aliens. I know the author justified this by saying they all had issues with their lives on earth and wanted fresh starts. Um, duh? Even I want to escape this planet and be abducted by a bunch of hot seven feet aliens (Daemon Black, if you're reading this, come and take me!), but come on, they just accept it. They even get so comfortable that they return to earth to grab their stuff; hair dye, noodles 😂 and jeans! And then eventually returned to the planet of the aliens!
I get this is more romance than sci-fi, but no explanation for how they zipped between planets like it's just a regular Friday. And the thing with the translator that could magically understand thorzi? Lazy writing as hell 😂 Oh and get this, the aliens speak English!
I could go on and on, but it's late and I'm tired. -
This is my first book of this writing duo and also my first alien abduction romance. The world building is interesting, especially the reason the alien needs the human on their planet. I usually stay away from scifi because I don't like too much details and jargon about the new world, but in here, the details isn't too overwhelming. The story was told in light hearted and fun way and the human MC, Lucas is quite a funny guy despite being abducted by alien. The alien MC, Kaelum, who is the Prince was so sweet to his human. I think they are both cute together with Kaelum who cherished his Lucas very much. There are sex but just lack of some steam and emotional connection. Will see how the rest of the series goes.
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This was really good!
First read from the co-Authors, and I’m so glad they have a ton of other series to discover, bc this SciFi was amazing, so it’s promosing that I will love their other works too! About Captured, my favorite thing in sci-fi and fantasy books when the insignificant one becomes a hero🤩 This is a very well balanced book, with great word building,exciting plot, complex characters, interesting side characters, well described alien history and politics. The sex wasn’t too heavy on the plot, and the romance was well written, except the beginning… that was a bit awkward but overall it was really good. I didn’t fall in love with the MC’s but that’s on me, I think it’s will happen in book 3😉 And I’m really looking forward to the next book too! I’m already interested about the sci-fi nerd😄 -
Humans are being captured from Earth and brought to Thorzan to provide genetic material for the Thorzi to create offspring. It's a "Thorzan needs moms" kind of thing. The reason I didn't like this book, is that no one on Thorzan seems to understand the humans are being kidnapped. Everyone thinks they come willingly. And our Thorzi MC doesn't have much of a reaction when he starts figuring it out. But here's the most unbelievable part: His mother is human and was herself captured (and raped?) before marrying the King. But our MC doesn't have much thought about that either. He doesn't seem to understand his mother was KIDNAPPED. The whole thing was weird. DNF.
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This was so cute! Kaelum was a lovely surprise. Definitely assumed initially he'd be "just" another big blue alien dude. And I mean that in a good way - I would have been fine with that. I love big blue alien dudes. But he was so much more and his vulnerability was so sweeeeet. I'm a sucker for a big tough guy who gets all vulnerable with his special person.
Great, funny mm sci-fi (but still with some excellent action) and I'm definitely gonna go read everything else by these authors now! -
Captured was a fun, adventurous science fiction romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. Between the fast paced storyline, and the interesting worldbuilding these authors created, it was a quick, easy read for me.
It was light and fun and the chemistry between the heroes was a definite enjoyable read for me. I loved it.
Plus, Kaelum is incredibly sexy! He is definitely Lucas's porn dream come true! *fans self*
4.25 stars -
“I thought you might want to stay with your people.”
“I do.” He leaned down and the tip of his nose nudged against the side of my head. “But I also want to be with you.”
What a cute introduction to this series and, in my case, to this genre. Clearly, I can’t compare it with any book I've read before but I have to admit that, now, I'm quite curious about the Sci-Fi genre. And I think this is the perfect book to start, since the ‘weird’ stuff is not that extreme. I mean, it’s not like you can see 7ft blue aliens walking around, or at least I hope so. But, in general, the amount of strangeness was pretty mild.
Lucas and Kaelum’s relationship was a cute one. It’s in the field of insta-lovey, but in this case I wasn't mad about it. Both of them needed, in different ways, to feel understood and to belong. Either because of being surrendered by toxic people, like Lucas; or for living on a planet where everyone thought you were weak due to your heritage, like Kaelum.
There’s a little bit of action but the book’s more focused on the MCs and their path to get to know each other. We can also see a glimpse of the future MCs, among the abducted humans and the Thorzi-human hybrids. Of which, Vorian’s story is the one I want to read the most. But that’s just me always falling for the bad guys who can redeem themselves.
A human with nothing to lose. A half alien wanting to belong. If you’re new to this genre or want to read something cute, go get it!
*Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a free and honest review* -
A
Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
Captured is the first book in the Star Marked Warrior series, and it has a lot to offer. It tosses you into the middle of the story without an instruction manual, hinting at a barbaric alien society, interstellar conflict between two alien races, a hostile planet, complex politics, and then throws Lucas in to make things even more fun. And, for the most part, it sort of works. Lucas is more selfish and angry than plucky; he takes to being doted on by an alien prince pretty well for someone who was kidnapped, and yet he doesn’t wallow in angst or fear, choosing instead to make the best of the situation. Especially when that situation gives him Kaelum.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety
here. -
This was... sort of ridiculous at times, but also kinda addictive. I cannot even say why, but I read this book beginning to end and, despite quite a few eye-rolling moments, enjoyed myself quite a bit while doing so.
This is not a deep story, it is not thought-provoking or very emotive. (Mind you, it is not superbad either, it has some original thoughts, and two main characters that were scripted with distinct voices [which isn't always a given], and that are likeable most of the time.)
It felt a little bit like a dime novel, like a guilty pleasure. So if that's your jam right now, dive right in. I'll definitely look up the sequels, 'cause sometimes this is exactly what I want. -
Another great start to a new series by two of my favorite authors! I loved Lucas from the start, I found his inner dialogue to be witty and fun and he was just a great way to start the book. And sweet cinnamon roll alien warrior Kaelum was just perfect for him and honestly everything I want from my aliens in romance stories.
As always Burns & Fawkes have started to build this really interesting world and while I totally saw the twist coming, I was still so excited and into it when it happened. A great start to what I’m sure will be another winning series. -
This fit my cracky SFR needs, mostly because it was different.
I liked that it was MM, that it dealt with the worldbuilding with a diverse cast of characters. I gave it an extra star because it's not the same old same old, and while there's alot of weird bits - seriously, the way the reproduction works in this 'verse still vague AF but whatevs, I was willing to roll with it. Did I love how Lucas was described as small all the time next to the aliens? Not so much, but that's me, ymmv. Did I think that there could have been more time spent worldbuilding? Yep. Could this go off the rails real quick? Yep, but I'm willing to go along for the ride, for now. -
4.6 stars
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This was actually very good
Good chemistry
Good smut
What more could I ask for when that’s exactly what I was looking for -
Aww...
I found this book to be delightful and so freaking sweet. Yes, you have to go with the flow and don't question too much. I liked both Lucas and Kaelum and bought their instalove.
There were editing errors but not enough to take you out of the story. -
OMG!!! We need negative stars for this book…
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Meh. Not my cup of tea. I actually skimmed the whole book so I am going to give it 3 stars, because I didn't pay too much attention. I just didn't find it interesting.
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**4.5**
"And I love you, my Lucas, brightest light on all of Thorzan."
I absolutely adored Kaelum/Lucas story! My first experience with both authors, and now I'm so excited for the other books of this series. I hate when people say as if acting scared and submissive in a captivity situation is weakness, when all surviving mechanisms are valid, and I'm up for it all in books with this kind of situation. Said that, I was very interested in how Lucas stood up for his interests in a way that sounded actually smart and necessary, not just trying to look edgy and badass instead of an "weak" prisioner. I loved the detail of him having a history degree and using his knowledge like a actually smart person with a history degree and not like a white supremacist rightwing who thinks colonization is normal or something. I liked the way cultural difference was portrayed and the female characters were fine — while Kaelum's mother situation is complicated and I hope it will be talked about again in book #3. Kaelum is enchanting in a way I bet many authors wouldn't be able to do without sounding forced, I love him and it's a shame this is something of a standalone romance, I would love to read a same couple series about Kaelum and Lucas, they were really great together, but instalovey!! (like, one week) and I know a lot of people don't like it. This book is not for slow burn fans!
I really appreciate the way the authors wrote how different cultural romantic relationship values that may sound archaic under shallow and biased analysis don't mean disrespect and lack of consent as America portrays non-western cultural rituals. This was a total win for me, not full 5 stars because I wasn't totally obsessed with it and I'm not safe about the authors' thoughts on the concepts of Sex and Gender. In case anyone's wondering, this isn't a dark romance at all, everything is as healthy and consented as it gets, which said consent circunstances being discussed.
Really loved these boys, I was really sorry the book ended.
