Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Winter Hearts
AUTHOR: Fyn Alexander
PUBLISHER: Loose Id LLC
LENGTH: 231 Pages
BLURB:
Luke Chandler says he wants nothing more than a quiet life on his land-claim in Dakota Territory. But what he also wants is a partner. The problem is, loving other men in 1881 means a lonely life for a man like Luke. As the son of a butcher from Boston, his desire for a loving domestic relationship seems nothing more than a dream, until one winter night, a snow storm blows a young man to his door in need of shelter. As the winter drags on, bringing with it a slow-burning love, his hopes begin to soar. Along with those hopes, his fears of the reactions of the people in the small town of De Smet grow.
Sam Smith is a romantic, but he also holds a strong family loyalty. He leaves Boston to get away from his parents’ expectations for a while, always knowing he must return at some point. The sweet young man does not anticipate meeting a rugged, honest man like Luke, who is desperate for love while at the same time afraid of the repercussions. The first time Luke holds him in his arms, Sam plans on making Luke his darling man.
REVIEW:
I don’t normally DO historical fiction. But something about this one appealed to me and I picked it up. I’m really glad I did. I really liked the story of Sam and Luke. Enough so that I couldn’t put it down and was up until 2AM finishing the book!
Luke has come to the Dakota Territory to escape the rampant homophobia of the time. He made a mistake in New York City and smiled at a man in a bar. Before he knew it he had been dragged outside and beaten severely. Prior to that, he was involved with a man in Boston, who he thought was another workman, but discovered too late was a wealthy married man only “playing” on the side. Luke has vowed to work his claim and build a new life for himself. Who needs the complication of a man in their life anyway?
Then one dark and snowy night in the middle of a blizzard, a knock sounds on Luke’s door. It is a young man, on his last legs, asking to come in.
Samuel Porter-Smith III has run away from his responsibilities to his wealthy family in Boston. He wants to prove that he can make it on his own, far away from the privilege of his old life. He knows, as the sole heir, that he will have to return to Boston at some point and take over the family business. He has lied and said he is 21 to file a claim on land, and is set to become a farmer. Sam left Boston after his family learned he was indulging in “inappropriate” activities with other young men while attending Harvard. Sam grew up on Beacon Hill and he knows nothing of surviving in the wilds of the Dakota Territory.
So…a blizzard…a one room cabin…and two men who fancy other men. Something is bound to happen! But remember we’re talking the Dakota Territory in the early 1880’s. Man on man action wasn’t condoned, and arrest, jail and even hanging could be the result. It isn’t somewhere that you can just come out and ask another guy if they want to hook up! The interplay between the characters as they get to know each other and discover that they both like men, is entertaining. Luke is written as being quite dominant and Sam as being quite submissive, something I also don’t really like, but with this pair it seemed to work. I did especially like it though when turnabout happened and Sam finally got a chance at Luke’s hairy butt! Lots of “a little bit of spit” and shove it in sex, which didn’t sound too comfortable, but it was the 1880’s after all. Not like the general store carried lube!
When the town finds out what’s going on, things get dicey. Along the way we have hostile homophobia, beatings, an arrest, abduction, threats of hanging, threats of disinheriting, a forced marriage proposal, lots of family drama and other general mayhem.
Will Sam and Luke ever find love with each other, or will society tear them apart and force them into societies “norm”? Pick up the book and find out. You won’t be sorry. I highly recommend the book and think you will enjoy it.
RATING: 
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