Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Rob is adrift, living on the street, when he falls under the domination of Daniel, the arrogant, self-proclaimed leader of the local Wiccan coven. Daniels helps Rob obtain a job in a book store, and recruits him to serve as his assistant in rites and ceremonies, though Rob lives in fear of making mistakes.

Sean has been alone since the accidental death of his Wiccan parents, and now works as a nurse. He attends a sabbat gathering in his new home town, where he meets and is instantly drawn to Rob, seeing the gentle, truly good soul behind his shyness.

Sean sets out to woo the other man carefully and win his trust before they can begin a real relationship, but Daniel stands in the way. When Daniel's overbearing ways finally create a rebellion in the group, Sean sees a chance to step in.

Will Sean manage to show Rob that relationships can be about caring, trust and love instead of domination and harsh control?

Book Review

Even though the blurb talks about a “rebellion” when the members of Rob’s Wiccan coven decide they no longer care for Daniel’s overbearing leadership, what that means for the small group is not at all what I expected. I love when an author manages to surprise me like that!
 
Rob may no longer be adrift in a physical sense – after all, after getting away from his abusive stepfather he now has a roof over his head and a job in a bookstore to provide him with some income- but he has not yet found his feet mentally or emotionally. The relationship with Daniel, the leader of the coven Rob joined in the hope of growing into a more self-confident man, is not healthy. Daniel keeps telling Rob how unworthy and useless he is, makes him his “assistant” just to get the grunt work done, and abuses him sexually. Rob is not stupid and he kind of sees what is going on, but he does not want it to be true. He so desperately wants to feel safe and loved.

Sean is a nurse at the local hospital and the new guy in the coven. He sees what is going on with Daniel’s arrogance and pompous leadership style, and the way Daniel treats Rob also bugs him. But Sean is not sure what to do or if it is even his place to say anything. He is sure about only one thing: he wants to get to know Rob better. As he proceeds along that path, the rest of the puzzle pieces fall into place, and things are resolved in a very Wiccan way.
 
If you are curious about winter holiday traditions outside Christmas, if you believe that two total strangers can meet and mesh almost immediately, and if you’re looking for a read that is as gentle as it is hopeful, then you will probably like this short story.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Changeling Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 53 pages/17135 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	02-December-2016
Price	$3.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2543