Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Moon Flower
SERIES: Fated
AUTHOR: Christina Lee
NARRATOR: Iggy Toma
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
LENGTH: 7 hours and 25 minutes
RELEASE DATE: January 25, 2022
BLURB:
When Galen flees his home and travels to Lunar’s Reach, he does what he needs to survive. But trading his body for food is always a risky undertaking. After he’s found injured in an alleyway, his new friends take him to Moon Flower apothecary, where the madam in charge offers him the proposition of a lifetime.
Little does he know that the Moon Flower flourishes at night – in more ways than one. Gentlemen gather in secret, yearning for an evening with Galen and the others, where they offer pleasure willingly while exploring their desires.
But Galen is continually drawn to the most unassuming man – Azriel, the resident healer, who has the most unusual aura. There’s an understated melancholy in him that Galen longs to soothe, and the more time they spend together, the more he craves to know Azriel’s touch.
But security is only a threadbare veneer, and soon danger is upon their doorstep. Galen has only ever needed to protect himself, but now he belongs to an ensemble of unlikely characters who’ve become the family he never had. So he’ll put himself on the line, along with his heart, if it means keeping them safe – especially Azriel, the man who quiets his restless soul.
Contains mature themes.
REVIEW:
Galen has had to leave his village and the home of his aunt and uncle where he landed after his mother died. He was just one more mouth to feed and when he got into trouble, he had to flee. He’s landed in Lunar’s reach where he is able to eke out a barely surviving existence selling himself in secret to men who seek his company. But when he makes a mistake despite being able to determine a man’s aura means nothing good, and takes coin from the man who then blames Galen for tempting him and is beaten, Galen thinks maybe his time is up.
He’s rescued by some angels names Wren and Sparrow who take him to the local apothecary where he is cared for, fed, cleaned and mended. But what he doesn’t realize is that on the weekends, in the evening, the Moon Flower apothecary becomes a place where gentlemen who prefer the company of other men can some for an evening of pleasure. Galen is taken aback at first because he’s so used to being on his own and he doesn’t want to lose what little control he’s gained over his life. He agrees to stay and work off his debt for the help recovering, but he can’t see himself staying there – even though none of the others are there against their will and seem to live a good life.
He grows close to Azriel, one of the other men at the apothecary and the apprentice of the madame who owns the shop. He’s working on his craft developing elixirs and the like and is a talented healer. He even helps Galen with his injuries. He’s quiet and unassuming but Galen is drawn to him. He admires Azriel’s calm nature and he’s quite attracted to him as well. But the madame has rules about fraternization among the men – with the exception of the sunny Wren and Sparrow who are a matched set.
Galen’s pride gets in the way several times, but he’s able to get things back on track. He enjoys the camaraderie with the others, but he and Azriel continue to grow closer and seem to have a bond. There are threats to the Moon Flower though and the men who work there as well as the madame have to determine how to handle these threats in a way that will keep them all safe. Just when all seems lost, an unexpected gift provides the way forward for Galen and Azriel.
This was a lovely and unexpected treat. I picked it up because I am a huge fan of Iggy Toma’s narration. I’ve read a couple of other books by this author, but both were contemporaries and this definitely is not. This story provides quite the span of emotions. From the initial fear and pain of Galen’s existence and his abuse to the bond and love and happiness he finds with Azriel, there are high highs and low lows. The world is sort of an alternative non-specific 19th century fantasy world with individuals exhibiting various powers such as seeing auras, healing, creating magical potions, foresight, and hopefully more 😉 The homophobia of this world is akin to the time period and there is a lot of self-loathing from those who would harm the men at the Moon Flower.
The men who call the Moon Flower home have very distinct in their personalities and I am hoping that we will see more of them in the subsequent books. The story felt sort of ethereal and dreamy in some ways and I though Mr. Toma’s gorgeous narration adding to that feeling. There is a bit of a slow burn between Galen and Azriel because of their circumstances, but their unexpected benefactor gives them the freedom to be themselves and their relationship evolves and cannot be hidden from those around them. This of course adds to the potential for great harm as well since it’s clear that they belong together and some seek to exploit their bond. The villains were quite villainous and the heroes very heroic. Despite the odds and in the face of setbacks, Galen and Azriel persevere.
If you’re looking for a bit of an unusual slow burn romance that doesn’t shy away from the dark side of life and provides an interesting setting/word, I’ll think you’ll enjoy this one. The beautifully done narration that conveys the emotional weight of the trials and tribulations of the main characters as well as the sweet lighter moments greatly enhances this story and I definitely recommend giving this one a listen.
RATING: 
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