Parker FoyeCritiques

3.5, rounded up. For the most part, it's a sweet fantasy romance -- though there are some gruesome bits toward the end. I'd say it's a low stakes adventure in the sense that bad situations are resolved quickly. E.g., one of the characters is kidnapped and is recovered within 10 pages no worse for wear. If you're adverse to spicy scenes, just skip the epilogue. There were a few details toward the end that suggest a sequel wouldn't be out of the question. All in all, it was a quick read that fit my mood at the time so I'm glad I came across it.

Wynfield is an ex-soldier. When he lost his eye, he also lost his career. Now he's out of the military and in possession of an artificial eye that causes him more pain and grief than it's worth. When his new doctor takes an interest in him – both personally and professionally – things go from bad to worse.

This is a compelling story told skilfully. My only complaint is that Wynfield's view of Yeven made zero sense. The physical attraction … sure, but everything else about their relationship is really confusing. He likes him – no, he hates him. He trusts him – no, that guy's a liar. Maybe it's just my inability to understand romance. I don't know.

This was a really interesting take on the Green Man legend but then veers off into a completely unique fantasy tale. At first, it really reminded me of [b:Silver in the Wood|43459657|Silver in the Wood (The Greenhollow Duology, #1)|Emily Tesh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547478093l/43459657._SY75_.jpg|67575798], a series I definitely recommend if you're into this type of fantasy, but once they get to Prior's village, the prose changes and becomes more conversational as other readers noted. I think the author was trying to show that Fenton was becoming more human or at least remembering more of his humanity after centuries of wandering a forest alone, but it just felt like I was reading a different book. While it was one of the reasons I picked up the book, the sexual relationship between Fenton and Prior doesn't really feel natural. Besides a physical attraction (which is sus once Fenton starts literally physically changing), there's not really a reason for Prior to be so into Fenton besides a kind of worship which always makes me a little uncomfortable. The epilogue is sweet but that Fenton isn't the Fenton we first met.
Overall, I'm not sure I'm into Foye's writing style. The summaries of their other books make me really interested so I'll definitely look into those other works but this one took me a long time to get through as it just wasn't gripping.

3.25 starsThere were threads which needed a bit more development and one which really needed its own more complete subplot, but I like West and Julian, and would like to see more of this pair (no indication that will happen though).

‘Pastures New’ is one of the most unique shifter stories I have read – and not just because it is about a horse shifter. That alone made me want to read this story, because I love horses and horse shifters are rare. But to discover the extra-special twist of having a shifter with two different names and careers for each form, one of them quite famous, was a great surprise. I admit to being a little confused at first, but it’s actually pretty straightforward.

Illustrious Ruckus (what a name!) is James’s horse incarnation and a three-time winner of the British Open. He had to retire because horses can only credibly win races up to a certain number of years. James is the “human behind the horse”, so to speak, and he is so used to being a racehorse that he has great difficulty adjusting to “retirement”. Imagine – he doesn’t just have to get used to not working the same “job” he’s had for many years, he also has to get used to being in his human form most of the time. I can only try to imagine how traumatic that would be!

As if that doesn't stress enough, James also has to face a nasty ex who thinks he knows something and is attempting to blackmail James, his sister’s nagging about “getting a life” and moving out, and Archie, a curious sports reporter who is writing an article about retired riders and their horses. Add the attraction James feels for Archie, a few dates, and you’ve got an explosive mix. The result is a beautiful story, told by James with a snarky, self-deprecating humor I really liked, and an ending I didn’t see coming.

If you like horses and horse shifters, if you want to find out more about what it might feel like to be a retired racehorse – in human form, and if you’re looking for an entertaining read that is as funny as it is unexpected, then you will probably enjoy this hilarious novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.