Miles Cross

Title: Miles Cross
Author: Rachelle Cochran
Cover Artist: V. Rios
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Buy Links: Amazon; Publisher
Genre: historical fantasy
Length: Novella (50.000 words)
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A Guest Review by Larissa

Review Summary: A fairy tale containing some nasty and some nice fairies and a couple madly in love but in a tight spot. A good story with the right amount of angst and drama.

Blurb:
On the way to visit his uncle, Lord Ciarnán McKay and his guards are attacked. In search of assistance, he finds his way to Oakwood Manor, where he meets the mysterious Leannán Roxbrough. Immediately drawn to Leannán, but unable to linger as he would like, Ciarnán takes his leave with a promise that he will return.

Upon his return however, Leannán immediately turns him away …

Review:
Fairies can be some nasty pieces of work and in Miles Cross they get in the way of two lovers. Miles Cross is an exquisite, well written story that mixes folk lore with romance, angst and drama.

The story starts with Ciarnán arriving at Oakwood shortly after his escape from bandits. It’s here that he meets Leannán the younger brother of the Lord of the house. While not quite instant love, there is a good deal of instant infatuation and Leannán convinces Ciarnán to stay for a bit before moving on to visit his ill uncle.

Upon his return Leannán immediately turns him away, though he seems reluctant to do so. Ciarnán being Ciarnán can’t leave well enough alone, despite many warnings and soon discovers a secret that lands him amidst beings he never thought existed and a Leannán who is in big trouble. Trouble he might not get out of.

Of course, I could tell you what said trouble it, but that would ruin a good story. What I can tell you is, that it’s a good one and worth reading.

The writing is very nicely done, giving both characters as well as the support cast their own voice and role in the story. There is also that mysterious air that comes with fairy tales and it managed to draw me in quite well.

The story is told third person from Ciarnán’s POV and he is quite the narrator. He is a serious person with quiet strength. Once he makes up his mind, he goes for it (and it this case it’s Leannán) and nothing can stop him. Well maybe a bitchy fairy queen who needs to have some wicked sex to cheer her up.

Leannán is quit, sweet and willing to do everything for the people he loves, even if that means his own life. While the story is never told from his POV, the reader gets a good feel for him and who he is. I liked that. No head-hopping necessary.

The story is set in two places, Oakwood and its surroundings and the Fairy Court. While that’s not exactly a problem, I felt there was some limit to the world building. The fairies were all well balanced and represented and thus well worked out, but the world they lived in was more or less taken for granted. It would have been nice to see a little more of the surroundings. My guess is the author worked with pre-existing notions of fairies and courts.

My other little niggle, though I think perhaps this is more me, was the use of ‘love’ and ‘beloved’ and ‘dearheart’. While endearing it gave the story an almost too sweet edge.

All in all, Miles Cross was a good story to read that was free of the usual tropes but with a dash of instant love. Readers with definitely love a certain fairy couple in this story. Go find out for yourselves!