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A brilliantly strong finish.

Revisado: 08-09-24

Sweet Medicine is a phenomenal finish to an already exceptional series.

The story picks up from the cliffhanger ending of the last book. Things start off tense and it just continues to escalate. Unlike the previous novels there is a lot of action in this book - murder, murder cover ups, runaway slaves and so much more that I can't go into without spoilers. This does include one scene of graphic sexual violence. I think it's handled appropriately, but it was still hard to get through.

Sex and romance are present. I really enjoyed these sections of the novel. They are stories of intimacy and humanness instead of just rubbing naughty bits together. The tone of love and tenderness keeps them from being trite pornography.

As always, the book is spectacularly written and performed.

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A healthy infusion of action into the romance

Revisado: 05-30-24

I adored the drama and character building of the first two books. However, as a fan of more action oriented books I was left wanting a bit more in the way of swashbuckling and space marines. While Native Stranger remains a period drama with a lot of romance at its heart, there is lots of non-romantic action to be had. Esh really gets a chance to shine in this book, and brings with him several tense moments and slices of action.

The romance is still very much present, including a handful of brilliantly written adult scenes. Intimate, loving sex portrayed so arrousingly is rare. But yeah. Vetaoates were stirred.

There is non-consuesual sex as well. Its handled well and the act itself is not dwelled upon, but be aware it is there.

My only complaint is that this is very much a penultimate book. It is absolutely a build up to the final book, which I started listening to immediately after finishing this one.

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Romance in the front, adventure in the back.

Revisado: 08-07-23

Quick review: Another excellently written and exceptionally performed novel. The novel has two connected stories to tell, the first romantic in nature while the second is more of an adventure. The novel is clearly well researched and includes historical events, but doesnt beat the reader over the head with historical trivia. The narration is absolutely brilliant.

The first half of Lost Saints picks up immediately following the events of Necessary Sins. The budding romance between Joseph and Tessa dominates the first half of the novel. Lost Saints contains notably more erotic and sexual elements than the first book. It is not a bodice-ripper trashy romance, but a story of love, and physical intimacy is a part of that. The romance is told beautifully, while a shadow of longing and melancholy looms in the shadows. As beautiful as the story is, I would have liked a little more action. I'm a simple man. I like explosions.

The second half is hard to discuss in detail without spoilers. It is an adventure story about finding yourself and the meaning of family. A lot of time is spent with Native American tribes. Battles are fought, horses are stolen, and threat of war between the Native Americans and white settlers looms. I could not stop 'reading' this half of the book. I just got lost in the world.

Still no space dragons. Maybe in Native Stranger.

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A lovingly crafted story. No space dragons.

Revisado: 08-07-22

Historical fiction is not my typical taste in books. However, this novel intrigued me so I took a gamble. I absolutely loved it from start to finish - both the novel itself and the audiobook performance.

The novel quickly assures you that this is not a bodice-ripper romance novel. It is a character driven historical saga grounded in history. There is tragedy and brutal violence in the first hour. The story moves quickly, spanning decades but each act is fully developed. I didn't think I'd like this kind of pacing, but Bell makes it work fluidly.

The writing is truly exceptional and pulls you into the world. I was a little intimidated reading a historical-fiction novel. My history education ended in the 12th grade and has a thick coat of rust. My fears were unfounded as Bell builds the world cleanly, seamlessly meshing historical events with the fictional elements - I had no idea some of the events and people were historical until the author's afterward. Just a truly beautiful novel.

I was leery of a self-published audio book. Quality audio equipment and accomplished narrators aren't cheap. Dalin Bradford's performance was beyond exceptional. He did a great job keeping every character's voice distinct. His accents were perfect for an audiobook - enough to get the flavor without forcing you to strain to understand him. The technical quality was damn impressive too - crystal clear audio with no hisses or pops.

Anyway long story short: loved it even with the lack of space dragons.

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