Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/

When I pick up a book that has male pregnancy in it I know that it's time to suspend all beliefs that I have because reality has been tossed out the window. That said, I enjoyed this first book in The Marriage Groups series. The world building took up a lot of space in this story so I'm hoping that the next book will dig into the meat of the series. I felt the spin put on the old Sodom and Gomorrah myth was a good jumping off place for this piece of polyamorous fantasy. Keep in mind that this story is fantasy fiction used as an escape for a while and not high literature. The god Andalusia was a bit of a bother but then the royal marriage group weren't exactly the sharpest knives in the draw so perhaps they did need Andalusia's constant guidance. Nevin, Corbin, Gaige are very likable characters but also very cliche as hot but dumb gay men. I felt that being the rulers of the planet, the trio would have been afforded a little more intelligence especially since they had the wisdom of the prophesy in their hands. Elian was a much more forgivable character in that his schooling and experiences were lacking. The way that he used his position to make some changes in society was well done. Elian was really the brain of the group when it came down to taking action. I am still not sure why Andalusia decided to mingle the two sexes now when they had been doing fine for thousands of years. Again, this is escapism fantasy fiction so try not to take this story too seriously. When you boil it all down and overlook some flaws, this was quite an enjoyable read and a good beginning to what I hope is a much better series. ( )

Wildly imaginative fantasy in a setting so unlike our own it will make you blink? Check. Interesting concepts in terms of religious, spiritual, and societal background? Check. Characters who need to learn how to think for themselves rather than accept what has been “handed down”? Double check. Add a truly evil villain, some major surprises as the story unfolds, and a richly woven setting with lots of pomp and circumstance, and you’ve got the basic elements of this novel. I have to say, this world has made great strides since I got my first glimpse of it in the connected free short story (‘Steamy’, featuring Tabansi, Elian’s best friend) and even though I still didn’t think everything made sense in the traditional way we are used to in our universe, I was quite happy to suspend my disbelief and be swept away into this polyamorous adventure which includes magic, shapeshifters, and male pregnancy.

Elian is the lead character, and as the only curaçao born with just the breeder birthmark on his hip, he is clearly meant for great things. He does not see it that way, and his lack of self-confidence is significant before he finally meets and marries his three royal husbands. But he soon begins to learn, and the more he finds out, the clearer the picture becomes. I loved finding out things as he did, and was happy for him to have found three such wonderful men who would do anything for him. Talk about a Cinderfella story!

Nevin, the king, and his two husbands Corbin and Gaige have a lot to learn as well. Nevin and Corbin may never have questioned the status quo, but Gaige has a deep and damning secret which he is afraid to reveal. All three of them are determined to protect Elian, but need to accept that Elian will not be set aside as someone who “just gives birth”. That was one of the interesting aspects about this all-male society, to see some of the prejudice we have on Earth replicated – if for slightly different reasons.

The attempts on Elian’s life, the unrest on the planet Kardalusia, and the appearances of their god, Andalusia, made for a great adventure story in a fairy tale setting. If you like fantasy that is “way out there”, if you enjoy polyamorous situations where four men have to figure out how they all fit, and if you’re looking for an unusual and imaginative story, then you will probably like this novel.


NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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