Dana reviews Butterflies Are Free (Tied By Fate 2) by M. LeAnne Phoenix (Published by Centurion Ashe on September 2, 2014, 58 pgs)
Why I read this: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. With it’s short page count, I thought it would be easy to read and review.
Synopsis:
Emrys Marlowe had only ever fallen in love once, and that was with Kiyoshi Gwynne. He’d been young and Kiyoshi had been a man in which he could care for… and he’d loved caring for him. Now, six years later, he finds himself nervous as for the first time, he’s meeting his best friend Lindsay’s brother Ísarr. Ísarr Trevelyan, bookshop owner and unpublished screenwriter, has been quite content in living with his sister above the shop while she attended college. When she befriended two actors one afternoon, he’d thought nothing of it, and since their busy schedules kept them away from L.A. for the most part, it wasn’t until today, six years after her meeting Emrys, that he finally got to meet the man. Neither man expected to feel anything for the other, but the light and the completion they feel lends wings that can surely weather any storm… can’t it?
Buy Link: Amazon
*****
My Review: When I started the book, I have to admit the first chapter confused me. It was told in a first person point of view and there was an explanation to how the narrator met handsome actor Emrys and became very close friends. For me the chapter felt choppy and I had trouble following along and then I was confused when the narrator turned out to be female. I didn’t understand why Lindsay was the narrator in a m/m love story.
In the second chapter/section the viewpoint changes to a third person and we meet Lindsay’s brother, Ísarr. From here on out, the story flowed smoothly and I was able to become engrossed in the book. When Ísarr and Emrys meet it is what some call insta-love, but in a romantic light, I would say they were soulmates. The stars were aligned perfectly, and with one look they fell head over heels in love. The only problem was that Lindsay had been crushing on Emrys for six years and was not happy with the lovestruck way the two men looked at each other.
I felt sympathy towards Lyndsay, even though I would hardly want to deny two soulmates their chance at love. I think most people have been friends with someone, while yearning for more. Her requests about not wanting to see them be affectionate with each other and to not be present at their wedding sounded selfish, but I didn’t begrudge her. She couldn’t take their love being in her face, so to speak, but she was on board with both of them finding happiness. When news of the marriage vows were made public, Lyndsay turned into someone I could no longer have sympathy for. Her selfishness and pettiness had no bounds and she displayed horrible cruelty to her brother and friend, the only people she had in her life after her parents died when she was younger.
After her freak-out and then Ísarr’s I had a strong suspicion of what would happen next. It was a natural conclusion that after spewing hateful words to someone beloved, there would be tragedy.Add to that the fact that the two men compared their love to the epic love of Romeo and Juliet several times, the following events were bound to happen. Lyndsay might not have caused the tragedy but would be left to forever replay the last words she uttered in self absorbed anger. I had some issues with the self blame afterwards though it was understandable. It was worse when others blamed her for her words causing the tragedy. Words can hurt and damage relationships but could not possibly be responsible for the unfortunate series of events that occurred. The person hurt worst by her temper tantrum would be forever herself, with no chance to take them back, and no reprieve from guilt. So I didn’t think it was fair of others to place it all on her.
Though the book can be read as a stand alone and I hadn’t read book 1 or book 1.5, there is a twist at the end of Butterflies Are Free that might refer to one of the previous books and also makes it appear that the next book in the series is a must read if you want to find out what happens in the wake of the misfortune. The story is short, and bittersweet, but I would recommend it. It has an important message and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
8.5/10 pots of gold
When Ísarr heard her bedroom door open and shut, he turned his mocha gaze to the Welshman sipping his tea across from him. Emrys watched him from beneath long black lashes, asking, “So… you’re the infamous elder brother of hers.”
Ísarr laughed, playing with a thick lock of sun-bleached russet hair. “She calls me infamous, does she? Hm. Interesting.”
Emrys laughed with him. “What’s so interesting about that?”
“It just makes me sound like a gangster or a bank robber or something of that ilk, you know.” Ísarr let his head fall back as he looked over at the other man. “Can I ask you a question, Emrys?”
The man nodded, sipping from the cup. “Sure… ask.”
“I’m going to be quite blunt, if that’s all right?” Ísarr arched an eyebrow, continuing when Emrys nodded. “You feel it, too, don’t you? This… familiarity? You’re wondering why you should feel some crazy draw to trust me other than just on Lindsay’s word, and yet you think that you would trust me and be drawn to me even if your best friend weren’t involved.” Ísarr chuckled and shook his head at his own words before looking up at the other man. “Am I in any way making any kind of sense?”
Emrys swallowed hard, but held his gaze steady. “Yes, you are… but that’s not your question, now is it, Ísarr?”
He shook his head. “No, it isn’t.” Sitting up, Ísarr swung his legs over the arm to rest his feet on the cool wood floor. “My question is this: do you believe in Romeo and Juliet?”
A slender chestnut eyebrow rose to crinkle Emrys’ forehead a bit and he took a sip of his tea. “The play?”
Ísarr’s lips toyed with a smile as he nodded. “The idea… its plausibility.”
“Yes, I do, why?” Emrys asked, settling his tea down on the coffee table. His face, so expressive, gave his nervousness away more than the tremors in his hands.
“Have you ever experienced it?” Ísarr asked him, watching him intently.
“Have you?” Emrys shot back, watching him just as intently.
“Only once,” Ísarr admitted, leaning forward, elbows docked on his knees. “But you’ve not answered my question, Emrys.”
The man blushed, nodding. “Yeah… but only once for me as well.”
Ísarr smiled, doing his best to keep the triumph out of his eyes as he gazed at him. “How’s that working out for you?” he whispered, leaning further forward and reaching out slender fingers to tug his chin up.
*****
NEVER SEE THE LIGHT: A Free Tied By Fate serial!
By M. LeAnne Phoenix
Published on Sept 3rd, 2014
Page Count: 89
Having grown up in Japan as the youngest son of Shimazu Masanori, Nowaki wanted to be his own man and be that son, but knew of no other way to do it than to walk the wire without the net. Emulating Bruce Lee, Nowaki travels to the U.S. in hope of making a big enough noise that his parents could hear it across the Pacific. Xavier Blair, friend to Nowaki’s father enters his life on the very day that he takes his first steps in Los Angeles, California. Son of one of the wealthiest men in England, Xavier works hard to look good and to be everything that the papers say about him: beautiful, playboy, superficial, always with a different woman. When their worlds collide, neither can deny the chemistry that veritably explodes between them, but will they find strength in one another and the love they discover, or will the film industry and their families drag them under to where they never again see the light of their sun?
*****
M. LeAnne Phoenix would tell you that the worst time of her life was the two years that she attempted to take off from writing. If you asked her to explain exactly why she did such a thing, you would most likely get the mad attempt to arch an eyebrow like her dad and then a shake of the head as she told you it was unlucky to speak of such things. Suffice it to say, it will never happen again!
Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas in the mid-1970’s, Ms. Phoenix was young and wild (and even free!) during the crazy wondrous decade known as the 1980’s and the even crazier but now grungy decade of the 1990’s. Music is second only to the muses that live and breathe to fill her mind with beautiful men, and music always helps them to tell their stories. She is never without her iPod or her computer no matter where she goes, although, she does like to hike and take pictures of the sky and the moon, and even the occasional shot of the sun through the branches of a tree.
An avid cat lover, Ms. Phoenix has been owned by many throughout her life, though her current owner is one Lily-Rose, who really would like for her to step away from the keyboard and pay her some attention! After all, hasn’t she earned it?
M. LeAnne Phoenix can be found on
Facebook at www.facebook.com/mleannephoenix
Twitter at @MLPhoenix
WordPress at http://mleannephoenix.com/
Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8302010.M_LeAnne_Phoenix
Amazon Author at: http://www.amazon.com/M.-LeAnne-Phoenix/e/B00KXW28ZU/
Rainbow Gold Reviews 