Rating: 7/10  Title: Servant of the Seasons 3: Spring
Author: Lee Benoit
Genre: Speculative/science-fiction
URL: Torquere
Price: US $2.48
Other Information/warnings: Violence, m/m
Summary [from the publisher]:
Edor, Lys and Tywyll continue to work hard to make their land and home better as winter turns to spring. They’re focused on keeping the spring floods their home, building channels so the water reaches their fields instead. They also continue to learn more about Cynar, the Novigi they found during the winter, who comes in very useful for keeping their farm secret from passers-by.
Varas has not forgotten Edor and his two helpers though and he shows up, making demands in return for not giving away the secret of their existence to the Salters. Edor and Cynar refuse to give Varas what he wants, fighting against the Salters who come to take their land, which helps the two grow closer every day. Can they keep their little farm, and family, afloat?

My review: Continue reading Servant of the Seasons 3: Spring by Lee Benoit – review →

Rating: 8/10  Title: Servant of the Seasons 2: Winter
Author: Lee Benoit
Genre: Fantasy
URL: Torquere Press
Price: US $2.49
Other Information/warnings:explicit m/m, some violence
Summary [from the publisher]:
Edor and his new friends, former slaves Tywyll and Lys, are still making the most of the land. Every day the two norvigi bring changes, improving Edor’s way of life. As is their way, Tywyll is growing stronger with the winter equinox, while Lys is growing weaker.
When Lys goes into his sleep, Edor finally gives into his attraction to his two friends with Tywyll, knowing Lys would give them his blessing if he were awake. When Lys finally wakes, the three men find their home in danger, and they must band together even closer to save their newfound happiness. Can they solve the mystery that their attackers leave behind, and stay safe at the same time?

My review: Continue reading Servant of the Seasons 2: Winter by Lee Benoit – review →

Rating: 8.5/10  Title: Catching out
Author: Lee Benoit
Genre: Contemporary romance
URL: Torquere Press (Part of the Taste Test: Blind Dates collection.)
Price: US $2.49
Other Information/warnings: none
Summary [from the publisher]:
Blind Dates have a rotten reputation for a reason. They can be risky, at best, but not all of them have to end badly….in “Catching Out,” by Lee Benoit, Ab is ready to take on a new relationship, so his family and friends set him up on a slew of blind dates. When he meets Mole, he sees a whole new life opening up. Can Ab find the courage to go for it? Find out how these blind dates turn out!

Catching out is the longest of three stories in the collection. The others (not reviewed here) are The Cure by Jodi Payne and Dinner and a Movie by Alex Marcus-Jacobs.

My review: Continue reading Catching out by Lee Benoit – review →

Rating: 9/10  Title: Master of None: The Eight of Pentacles
Author: Lee Benoit
Genre: Romance
URL: Torquere Press
Price: US$2.49
Other Information/warnings: Mild references to animal cruelty, adult themes, slavery, mildly graphic m/m sex.

Summary (from the publisher): Adiún has terrible luck with lovers. One has died, the other has been traded away to help the village, and he has no one left. Joining a troupe of acrobats, Adiún leaves his village in search of Devi, his old lover and best friend, hoping to save him from whatever fate has befallen him since he was sold.He searches in brothels and slave pens with the help of his new friends, but when he finally finds Devi, Adiún is afraid too many bad things have happened for Devi to trust again. Can he find a way to convince his lover that they can have a life together?

My Review: Continue reading Master of None: The Eight of Pentacles by Lee Benoit – review →

Rating: 8.5/10  Title: Servant of the Seasons 1: Autumn
Author: Lee Benoit
Genre: Sci-fi/speculative
URL: Torquere Press
Price: US$2.49
Other Information/warnings: m/m, slavery
Summary [from the publisher]:
Kicked out of his home in the Domes, Edor finds himself squatting on abandoned land, taking it on as his own and trying to eke out a meagre living from the infertile soil. When his closest neighbor, Varas, offers to trade his hard-earned crop for him in the town several weeks’ walk away, Edor takes the man up on it.
Months later, when Varas still has not returned, Edor has given his hopes of getting seed for a winter crop and a beast of burden. In fact, he’s just decided that Varas has cheated him when the man returns, two slaves meant to be Edor’s in tow.
Edor frees the slaves as soon as Varas leaves, but to his surprise, the men stay with him and change his life and his land in ways Edor could never have dreamed

My review: Continue reading Servant of the Seasons 1: Autumn by Lee Benoit – review →

Rating: 7/10  
Title: Heard on High
Author: Lee Benoit
Genre: Romance
URL: Torquere Press
Price:US$1.29
Other Information/warnings:explicit m/m, naughty words
Summary (from author):
Hal is a composer and director of the local gay men’s chorus. Arlie’s a young tenor who comes highly recommended, but his voice doesn’t measure up to his reputation. Hal likes Arlie a lot, though, and decides to take a chance on him as something more than a singer.

My review:
This is a cute seasonal short from an adept writer who just loves her porny little choir boys and their naughty songs. The premise of the story – a boy soprano who doesn’t live up to his early promise when his voice breaks – is all too believable, and though it’s a teeny bit schmaltzy, it’s not too over the top. Arlie has enough sass to leaven the sugar, and he and Hal make a hot little couple. A gay men’s chorus provide the comedy and the snark as counterpoint to the romantic goings on.

A warm and fuzzy accompaniment to mulled wine and mince pies, it doesn’t outstay its welcome at 10,000 words, and if your gorge is rising at the 5,000th rendition of ‘Away in a manger’ or ‘Walking in the air’, this could be the perfect antidote to seasonal floss.