Title: The Harvest Moon
Series: Darkly Enchanted Romance
Author: Joshua Ian
Genre: Historical, Romance, Paranormal
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Publisher: Moody Boxfan Books
Pages: 60
Reviewer: Sharonica
Get It On Amazon
About The Book
England, 1834.
On the night of a harvest moon, in the shadows of late autumn, Malcolm comes across a quaint village tucked away in the forest. It seems the perfect spot for a weary traveller to lay his head, and maybe find a little company. But there is dark magic afoot, and lots of local gossip swirls around the seductive titian-haired weaver, Daniel. All Malcolm seeks is a night’s pleasure. He never suspected he would have to worry about losing his life. Or his heart.
This novelette is about 14,000 words (~50 pages) in length and the first entry in the Darkly Enchanted Romance Series.
The Review
This Lil Novie was completely unexpected, and I must confess, I totally got this one for that gorgeous cover. Even without the hunk (man I completely just told my age with that word didn’t I) on the cover, it is beautiful with all the colors…it just drew me in. The “pretty as a picture” guy on the front was just icing.
I also grab books off lists because of keywords. It is very VERY rare for me to read a blurb. Because this one ticked a few of my favorite keyword boxes: gay, paranormal, historical, I had to read it. I also liked that it was a “New to Me” author. So all those things add up to one awesome book reading recipe in the making.
This was a little mystery wrapped in legend, superstition, and fear. However, behind every one of those things is a spark of truth that gives them life. The same holds in this story, where the villagers stay in their cups and close to their hearths each time the Harvest Moon hangs low in the sky.
For Malcolm, a gentleman passing through, it all means nothing. Malcolm and other men like him know what it means to hide certain sides of themselves in the shadows, lest be named a monster himself. In the shadows outside the tavern is where Malcolm meets the beautiful young weaver, who lives in the forest near the village, Daniel. Malcolm has no idea just how much his life is about to change…neither does the young weaver.
I loved reading this story as it was almost lyrical in its wording and pacing. The author took his time in setting the world around the tale, then he released the characters to drive the story forward. I was taken back to 1830’s England in Fall, and I saw the colors, smelled the spices and herbs in the air, and felt chilled as the story whirled around me.
I will be saving this to read again when Autumn returns to us and brings with her the spooky loveliness of all things wickedly legendary.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and in exchange, I am offering a review. 🍀
The Reviewer
I may be fairly new to the world of e-books, and audiobooks, but I am an old school girl so my print library reflects that. My sons call my reading room “The Dragon Lair,” with all the floor to ceiling bookshelves packed with everything from shifter romance novels to books on the Witches’ Goddess Hecate.
I love reading and read my first novel, “The Ring,” by Danielle Steel when I was in the 5th grade. While there were some things I didn’t “get” I completely understood the story as a whole and remember crying at certain times. While my friends read “Little House in the Big Woods,” I fell in love with ROMANCE! Decades later I am older, hopefully wiser, and still in love with romance. These days however my heart is captured by MM Romance, so that’s what I currently love to read and review….