Secrets Clad in Light
by Krya Gregory
Historical M/M Romance
4 Stars
Blurb:
London, 1888. Henry decides to abandon all social conventions and rescue his lover, Seth, from an abusive household. He has replayed the moment in his head and has always known it wouldn't be easy. He has never thought that it would be Seth who would cut his time too short. With Seth barely breathing, Henry must make the hardest decision of his life: try to save Seth, possibly condemning him to a life of suffering, or let him pass on in peace. But the arrival of a young stranger forces Henry's hand, doing little to ease his qualms of uncertainty as everything he thought he knew changes.
Caught between self-doubt and his own selfish desires Henry learns to fight it all, using this stranger as a light to shine on what he hopes is the right path... All the while aware that there is still so much he doesn't yet know...
Review:
The book starts off with Henry rescuing Seth, his lover, from a collapsing building, but it isn't the injuries sustained in the collapse that worries Henry most. Seth has a large bloody gash across his neck, has he tried to cut his own throat?
Henry is homeless and penniless on the streets of Victorian London, but he has eked out a nest of sorts in the sewers under the city. He takes Seth there, unsure if he is doing the right thing, should he try to save Seth, only for him to be in misery, or should he let him go? Is he being selfish by wanting to keep his lover alive? A young woman comes to their aid, who seems to know a lot about medicine and she helps Henry save his lover. She speaks well and her clothes, although dirty are well-made and Henry wonders what has befallen her that she too is on the streets, but she isn't saying.
The characters in this book are wonderful, Henry is the most fully-realised and you feel his worry over what to do to best help the three of them. 1800s London is vividly brought to life, from the sewers where our trio first start out to the dilapidated bakery they make their home. It's part romance, part drama, part mystery and the writing draws you in so that you become one with the characters and their dilemmas. Although mute due to his injuries for most of the book, Seth is still a very strong character, full of life, despite not being able to speak. If you like books of the hurt/comfort genre, you'll love this. There was a very sweet scene where Henry gave Seth a massage after a bath and he fell asleep.
There were a few wrong words used in some places, such as 'throws of passion' instead of 'throes of passion' and 'peak' instead of 'peek', as in 'he peaked round the door'. But the story was so engrossing that I easily forgave the slips. It's the sort of book you get lost in and want to curl up with on a rainy day. An enjoyable read.
Reviewed by Annette Gisby
No comments:
Post a Comment