For someone who mainly is into contemporary romance these days, this really was a nostalgic trip back to my reading past who ate up anything paranormal, supernatural, or fantastical. Richly detailed with an interesting historical backdrop, I truly enjoyed many things about this book.

I don't proclaim to be an expert in steampunk but the characteristics are fascinating. It doesn't hurt that both Cornelius and Johann were very likable. Cornelius is a genius tinker and he's just tapping into his talent. He abhors the war his father oversees for France, and he can't resist the pitiful call for help as he rescues an almost dead enemy soldier. Johann has been through hell and back in his short life, and though he can't quite grasp the surrealness of his new body, he knows for sure that he only wants to be with his savior, despite never knowing he had an interest in men before.

That set up right there should have clinched the deal. These two embark on a sweet, hot, and tender journey, where they should naturally hate each other because of birth and circumstance but instead, actually bond over an unexplainable connection...

Unfortunately there's a wrench. Now for many this would be no complaint, and it's my own fault for not fully reading the tags. I've come to learn that Cullinan is of two mindsets when it comes to love and smex and this one is just not for me. Fans of Special Delivery will no doubt enjoy the menage, exhibitionism, dp and mild humiliation, but I prefer my two MC's to be monogamous even though no romantic feelings are felt for the 3rd party. Which begs the question, why have such an extraneous and unnecessary scene IMO? For me it lessened everything and felt wholly out of place. So my staid self balked, and my liking for this decreased. Regardless, this still had great storytelling and the lovey, dovey parts present, I enjoyed immensely. So if you're a fan of Cullinan's in every which way, shape, and form, then this is a no brainer. ( )

As the French army leader’s bastard son, Cornelius Stevens enjoys a great deal of latitude. But when he saves an enemy soldier using clockwork parts, he’s well aware he risks hanging for treason. That doesn’t worry him half as much, however, as the realization he’s falling for his patient. Johann Berger never expected to survive his regiment’s suicide attack on Calais, much less wake up with mechanical parts. To avoid discovery, he’s forced to hide in plain sight as Cornelius’s lover—a role Johann finds himself taking to surprisingly well.

The words above, from the book, explains the story so much better than I felt that I could. The story has intrigue, espionage, pirates, revolutionaries, and steampunk style, romance. The setting is early twentieth century Europe, France and Austria are at war, and at the center of it all, are our exhibitionist "tinker"-surgeon and his rescued soldier. I really don't care much for steampunk in any genera but have always liked Heidi Cullinan so when I learned that this was her first steampunk novel, I thought that I would try it and see if I liked the genera more when it was done by a favorite author. I can't say that I did but this story did have some very interesting parts and being familiar with her work, I had no doubt that I would probably find something I would like about it. The characters are likeable, and the story was definitely a lot of fun. The entire plot revolved around a surgeon's spur-of-the-moment decision to give "his" soldier, Johann, the clockwork heart. The idea of the heart itself came about during a discussion over Johann’s worry over what having the heart meant, Cornelius, the surgeon, says this to him, “…I know everyone fancies the heart as the seat of the soul, but it truly isn’t. It’s nothing more than an organ, frail and mortal. I can’t control you with it. No one can.” The reader can understand the whole philosophy behind it. We talk of “heartache” and “broken hearts,” but does it really mean anything? Are our hearts simply a vessel for pumping blood? Things that make you think about all the things we humans attribute to our hearts. Did having the clockwork heart change Johann from who he always was...make him any less Johann? In spite of this not being my favorite M/M romance genera, Heidi managed to tell a sweet, compelling story, but I believe she has only begun to explore this world and the things she can do with it and these characters. Would I read another like this? I'm not sure... but fans of steampunk will more than likely find it something that captures and holds their interest, ( )

3.5 ( )

I tried, I really really tried :/

I made it to 60% (barely) and it was either me or the book. Guess who had to go.

Originally I gave this book 1.75 stars. Let me correct that. Book, you're demoted. 1 star. I was bored to tears by the pity fest and the long lists of who did what and where and only sometimes how they felt while doing it.

PS
A warning: brush up on your French and German before you read this book.

I dislike the use of foreign languages without translation immensely, no matter if I know the language or not. It's disruptive and annoying. Worse, if the author gets the foreign language wrong.

But I get it, Johann is Austrian, he is a foreign element in this book, so sure, it's OK for him to speak German.

Conny, tho? WTF? He is French. We know he speaks French even if it's written in English, cause - obvious reasons. So why does he keep switching from his (English) French and to (French) French within one paragraph? Oh, I know why - to annoy the crap out of us :( ( )

I haven't really read much Steampunk before, so I can't tell you much about this aspect, but two things. I really liked how it was handled, although sometimes it was a little too easy to invent things. There are worse things, though.

I can say more about the characters. They are adorable, especially Johann. The way he and Conny handle their language problems is very realistic and fun to read. I definitely want to know more about their relationship. I want to know more about all of the side characters, too. They seem very interesting.

The story is rather complex, so of course not everything is solved in this book - since it's book one of an installment it's totally okay. There is no mean cliffhanger, too. Really well done this.

So, when do I get to read the next book?!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you. ( )