Title: : The Mercenary’s Tale
Author: Lynn Lorenz
Publisher: http://loose-id.com/
Genre: Erotic Historical, M/M
Length: Novel
Rating: 5+ stars out of 5Lord Drake is a mercenary. When he meets Ansel for the first time he is immediately attracted to him and waives his usual rule of not training young men to become mercenaries because so many have died in battle while under his care.
Drake and Ansel travel together to the next battle and as expected, they fall in love. Neither man has ever had a gay encounter before and the sex between them is hot, fresh and new. Drake is the initiator or ‘top’ whenever they have sex and they cannot get enough of each other; it is as if they are the only people in the world. The night before they go into battle at Foray they make love and blow each other away with tenderness; the lovemaking is moving and sensuous as they try to store up memories that will last a lifetime, just in case.
When Ansel loses his life at Foray the setting, as expected, is poignant, moving and sad as Drake searches for him on the battlefield among the bodies of men and horses. He eventually finds Ansel as he lay dying next to his horse; when it is all over Drake cannot leave him and holds his lover in his arms for hours afterwards. This scene was really heartrending.
For 2 years after Ansel’s death Drake spirals into depression and alcoholism, only working to get money to drink himself into oblivion, until his old friend Jackson offers him a job as Master of Arms for the Duke of Marden. This new chapter heralds a significant change in the direction of Drake’s life and fortunes and he opens his heart to a new love – Logan, Duke of Marden.
The Mercenary’s Tale can actually be viewed as two stories covering the evolution of Lord Drake, and it is one of the most delightful books that I have read in a while. The language and dress are true to the era, and the author Lynn Lorenz should be commended for making the book as historically accurate as possible, within the confines of a work of fiction.
I highly recommend this fabulous story which is Book 1 in the series In the Company of Men as one that anyone would be proud to have on their bookshelves. Well done! I can’t wait for book 2 Jackson’s Pride.
Because of the subject matter and the time period this is a very violent and bloody story and is not for the faint of heart.
Please note: This book contains het sex with whores
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Hm. Sounds good too but I prefer the premsie of book 2 of this series. I’m always hesitant with books where you see the main characters fall in love (really) twice, because I fear I’ll have trouble believing in the second love story if I really wamed up to the first one. Not to mention you have a guaranteed heartbroken in it… I love romances because they always end well and you already know that in this one, one of the love stories DOESN’T get an HEA. But the way you talk about it, it seems ot be worth it.… Read more »