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jackiehorne's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Not as good as Beecroft's later FALSE COLORS, but still a well-written, emotionally satisfying read
maya56's review
3.5
One of my oldest books finally finished. And as I feared (and what kept me from reading it for so many years), I felt like I was back in my dreaded history class of 5+ decades ago. There were a few glimpses of romance but not nearly enough to say I enjoyed the reading. Twice I almost DNFed it but I'm stubborn and really hate not finishing what I started.
beecycling's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this, liked the characters, who were complex and underwent good development through the story. I did come away a bit unsatisfied though, as some parts of the story felt too rushed through. I'd have liked to see them expanded on. The biggest example being when martinet Captain Walker has Peter - an officer - flogged. That's huge! For Peter, for Josh, who's in love with him, for the crew of the ship. But the story covers it in some paragraphs of narrative after it's happened and that left me feeling cheated out of what could have been some really dramatic conflict-filled scenes.
So it's good, but in general it felt a bit underdone, like a cake that came out of the oven too soon, before it finished rising. I enjoyed it, but definitely prefer False Colors, which is longer and meatier.
So it's good, but in general it felt a bit underdone, like a cake that came out of the oven too soon, before it finished rising. I enjoyed it, but definitely prefer False Colors, which is longer and meatier.
skepticalmoose's review against another edition
3.0
Pirates! Tight breeches! The open sea!
It's a gay historical romance novel - if you like the genre then you might as well read this book. If you don't like the genre then it doesn't matter how well it's written.
It's not the worst thing I've ever read. Hell, it isn't the worst thing I've read this week.
It's a gay historical romance novel - if you like the genre then you might as well read this book. If you don't like the genre then it doesn't matter how well it's written.
It's not the worst thing I've ever read. Hell, it isn't the worst thing I've read this week.
annaswan's review against another edition
3.0
Fun read, if you're into homoerotic naval adventure fiction. The ending was a bit pat.
koryou's review against another edition
3.0
There are only two things about this book that irritate me somewhat.
1) The development from two strangers forced to share their space, to friends, to lovers. I can see them becoming friends. But Peter's decision to take this relationship further doesn't make sense to me. I'd have liked to read more about their friendship first and how they grew closer over time, because it seems that there's an important part simply missing.
2) Josh's time with Giniw and Opichi. I don't know why, but... well, maybe because it's just a little too cliche for my tastes. And because I think Beecroft westernized them too much.
Apart from that, I really enjoyed reading this book.
1) The development from two strangers forced to share their space, to friends, to lovers. I can see them becoming friends. But Peter's decision to take this relationship further doesn't make sense to me. I'd have liked to read more about their friendship first and how they grew closer over time, because it seems that there's an important part simply missing.
2) Josh's time with Giniw and Opichi. I don't know why, but... well, maybe because it's just a little too cliche for my tastes. And because I think Beecroft westernized them too much.
Apart from that, I really enjoyed reading this book.
rissa53's review against another edition
4.0
It took a while before I got into this book. I actually started it and then read two other books before I got truly into it.
This book was gruesome and hopeful.
There were a lot of characters and lots of POVs to keep track of.
This book was gruesome and hopeful.
There were a lot of characters and lots of POVs to keep track of.
galadhir's review against another edition
5.0
This is a gay Age of Sail romance. My aim was to produce something that was a cross between the Patrick O'Brian novels that I love, and Brokeback Mountain - but with a happy ending. I gave it five stars because I like it a lot myself :)
mousegoddess's review against another edition
3.0
On the one hand Josh is too good for him, on the other I'm glad Josh got happy.
expendablemudge's review against another edition
4.0
This contented sigh of happy gooshy romantic squooshiness has been revised and can now be found at Exendable Mudge Muses Aloud.
***2018 UPDATE***
The original paperback edition I reviewed no longer exists and I'd like a new generation of MM romance consumers to discover and adore this book. So here's the original review, since y'all're a buncha clickaphobes.
I gave this book to my friend Frank the Fireman, since like the main character, Peter Kenyon, he is an adult out-comer. I wanted him to, in particular, notice the last chapter wherein Peter goes through the long, dark night of the soul as he struggles between the lifelong conditioning he's heir to...the societal and legal issues surrounding being queer in the Royal Navy of the 18th century...and his love for Joshua Andrews, his best friend, former ship-mate, and one true love.
I didn't mention that I wanted him to notice that chapter, I just sat and hoped. I was rewarded by a phone call. Frank was shaken, saying he'd done almost the precise same minuet of fear, anger, doubt, fear, rage, lust and...in the end...honest peace.
I told him the author was a woman. He didn't say anything for a minute. "Lesbian?" he asked. "No. Married with kids." "That is one lucky man," was Frank's response.
I concur.
This book fulfills a long-felt absence in my reading life. It's an historical sea-novel, with nicely handled battle scenes and an authentic-feeling atmosphere of male camaraderie. Its flaws include a rather cavalier approach to time, as in there is no indication that the characters have to wait the extended periods they would really have been forced to endure for news, for travel, for anything. Also bothersome are some absences...backstory mostly, but also some characters have unresolved storylines, and I don't mean opening-for-sequel unresolved, I mean holes. The antagonist of Peter and Joshua is the first one who springs to mind, since he's presented in one dimension and never seen to have reasons for his actions beyond moving the plot along.
I make this point because the book is getting a four-star rating. It's not perfect, I'd really really like to see more of the men's backgrounds even if in flashback for example, but it's a beautifully realized love story with excellent atmospherics and a happy ending...and a Happy Ending, too. Well done, Author Beecroft, and do it again soon.
***2018 UPDATE***
The original paperback edition I reviewed no longer exists and I'd like a new generation of MM romance consumers to discover and adore this book. So here's the original review, since y'all're a buncha clickaphobes.
I gave this book to my friend Frank the Fireman, since like the main character, Peter Kenyon, he is an adult out-comer. I wanted him to, in particular, notice the last chapter wherein Peter goes through the long, dark night of the soul as he struggles between the lifelong conditioning he's heir to...the societal and legal issues surrounding being queer in the Royal Navy of the 18th century...and his love for Joshua Andrews, his best friend, former ship-mate, and one true love.
I didn't mention that I wanted him to notice that chapter, I just sat and hoped. I was rewarded by a phone call. Frank was shaken, saying he'd done almost the precise same minuet of fear, anger, doubt, fear, rage, lust and...in the end...honest peace.
I told him the author was a woman. He didn't say anything for a minute. "Lesbian?" he asked. "No. Married with kids." "That is one lucky man," was Frank's response.
I concur.
This book fulfills a long-felt absence in my reading life. It's an historical sea-novel, with nicely handled battle scenes and an authentic-feeling atmosphere of male camaraderie. Its flaws include a rather cavalier approach to time, as in there is no indication that the characters have to wait the extended periods they would really have been forced to endure for news, for travel, for anything. Also bothersome are some absences...backstory mostly, but also some characters have unresolved storylines, and I don't mean opening-for-sequel unresolved, I mean holes. The antagonist of Peter and Joshua is the first one who springs to mind, since he's presented in one dimension and never seen to have reasons for his actions beyond moving the plot along.
I make this point because the book is getting a four-star rating. It's not perfect, I'd really really like to see more of the men's backgrounds even if in flashback for example, but it's a beautifully realized love story with excellent atmospherics and a happy ending...and a Happy Ending, too. Well done, Author Beecroft, and do it again soon.