Reviewed by Carissa
SERIES: Metals #1
AUTHOR: L.A. Witt
PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing
LENGTH: 204 pages
BLURB:
Ever since Robert Belton gambled away the money to stake his claim in the Klondike gold fields, he’s been stranded in Seattle working as a prostitute. When an attractive customer needs help hauling provisions to the frozen north, Robert eagerly volunteers.
Dr. John Fauth is only searching for one thing, and it isn’t gold. He needs platinum for the prototypes of his revolutionary inventions, and if he doesn’t find it in the Klondike, his university career—and his research—is over.
Getting to the Klondike is a grueling, dangerous journey, and just hours after leaving Seattle, John and Robert find themselves in over their heads. John is carrying an invaluable device that his competitors will do anything to get their hands on. And as the cold nights and mutual desire pull John and Robert closer together, they discover that they have much more to lose than gold or platinum.
(Publisher’s Note: This book was previously published by a different press; it has since been edited extensively and expanded by over 10,000 words.)
REVIEW:
John had come this far and faced all these dangers for his work—this was a man married to his work, and he’d all but said himself he’d chosen that work over lovers.
Once we’d finished in Dawson City, he’d go back to Chicago. Back to his laboratory. Back to the people who couldn’t know about his “immoral conduct.” There was no room for me in that world.
But that didn’t stop me from hoping.
Robert Belton is a whore. John Fauth is a professor and a scientist. They have little in common–except the desire to make it to the gold fields of the Klondike. What metals they hope to dig up there may be different, but what they hope find is the same: a last chance and a new start. But John’s latest invention has brought danger dogging on both their heels, and they will be lucky to stay one step ahead of the scheming mechanisms of an old rival and the bullets of the gold hungry men who share their journey. And even if they find everything they are looking for beneath that frozen earth, it might just turn out to measure far less than what they find within each other.
I have not nearly enough steampunk in my life. It is a tragedy of monumental proportions. Which makes reading this all the more enjoyable. Because not only is it a good story, but the steampunk elements are so very well integrated into the world. It all feels so natural. Well, as natural as an eight-legged, steam-powered, mechanical luggage carrier can get. There is not a huge range of steampunk-esk elements in this story, but the ones that are there are the ones that needed to be there. In the harsh and deadly environment of the Yukon (think Canada, up near the hangy-on bit we call Alaska), you need something hardy to survive and I found the mechs that prospectors used a great creation and addition to the story.
I had read this story when it first came out, but it has been a while so I am not exactly sure what ended up changing from the first edition, to this one. I will say that this story was very well written, and whatever was added (or subtracted) fit seamlessly into the story. I love both John and Robert. John because I have a thing for clever men. And Robert because, while it is not something I go out of my way to read, I enjoy watching prostitutes fall in love with the men they most definitely should not be falling in love with. And if that isn’t a loaded sentence, I don’t know what is (just to clarify, I do not actually watch prostitutes. Outside of fiction. But if one was to judge me on what I enjoy in fiction, I do not believe I would be allowed out of my cell–padded or otherwise). The chemistry between these two characters is great, and I love how they grow. How they learn what is really important to them.
I do however wish that the ending was slightly different. I don’t want to spoil the surprise for those who have not read this book…but it has always felt like a bit of a letdown. Not to the story, and not to the characters. I think it is in fact the right thing for them. It just felt like it left something undone, at the end. Even if it wasn’t, really. I love the choices they made. I love their ending. Hell, I even love how much that ending cost them, even if it ended up giving them everything they needed. But it still…ugh. I guess it was not where I expected it to go. Even when I knew where it was going, since I have read it before.
I loved this new edition, and I am so glad I picked it up to review. I remember enjoying it when it first came out, but this is better. Somehow. I might have to go back and reread both just to find out what changed. Because whatever it was, it was most definitely the right choice. And I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series when it comes out in a couple months.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Noble-Metals-L-Witt-ebook/dp/B00LRZLOHU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405659233&sr=8-1&keywords=Noble+Metals+l.a.+witt
ARe
TAGS: Noble Metals, L.A. Witt, Riptide, Metals Series, m/m, m/m romance, love bytes, book review, Alternate Universe, Steampunk, Historical, Abduction, Academia, past abuse, road trip, scientist, sex industry