REVIEWED BY CINDY
TITLE: The Last Concubine
AUTHOR: Catt Ford
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 220
RELEASE DATE: July 13, 2012
BLURB:
When Princess Lan’xiu’s brother delivers her under duress into General Hüi Wei’s harem as a political offering, her only question is how soon her secret will be discovered. She is under no illusions: when the general discovers she is actually a he, death is his only future—though he doesn’t plan to make it easy. Lan’xiu has dressed as a woman all his life, but he is no damsel in distress. He can swing a sword with the best of them.
General Hüi Wei has everything a man could want: power, wealth, success on the battlefield, and a harem of concubines. At first, he regards Lan’xiu with suspicion, but he finds himself strangely drawn to her. When he discovers the beautiful young woman is actually a man, his first reaction is to draw his sword. Rather than waste such beauty, he decides to enjoy the spirited Lan’xiu’s submission—and ignites a passion and desire deeper than anything he’s felt with other wives. But court intrigue, political ambitions, and the general’s doubts may be too much for their love to overcome.
REVIEW:
I wanted to do a retro review on this story because it was one of the first m/m that absolutely blew me away. I am not a fan of most historical fiction but this story just picked me up and pulled me along and wouldn’t let me go until the very end.
Lan’xiu is given to General Hüi Wei as a way to start a war, but when the young “woman’s” secret is revealed, the General finds that he cannot seem to get the young man out of his mind.
The two characters are a perfect balance for each other. Lan’xiu is brave and sweet and determined to live…or die…with grace and dignity. I could picture him in my head clearly, right from the start. Hüi Wei is strong and compassionate, with an underlying sweetness that’s hard to resist.
I’ll be honest and say that I don’t know how much of this story is historically correct for the times, but to me it didn’t matter. The world these characters live in is vivid and rich, a beautiful picture painted by this talented author’s words and it’s something I appreciate.
The side characters are interesting as well. Ning, Lan’xiu’s devoted eunuch and sword master is entertaining in his own right, with a quick wit and fierce character. The General’s best friend and confidant Jiang is the kind of man you’d want to have your back, and Hüi Wei’s other wives and concubines are a mixed bunch that keep things jumping, as well as advancing the plot.
I reread this story before writing this review to make sure I still loved it as much as the first time and I truly did. There are as many moments when I was moved to tears as there was moments that made me angry. And it makes the smiles all the more sweeter.
I can heartily recommend this book for anyone, but if you are a fan of historical romance this is surely the story for you.
RATING: 
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