By Honor Betrayed by Alex Beecroft

[reviews_and_ramblings]

The story doesn’t span a long time in the life of Lieutenant Conrad Herriot and Seaman Tom Cotton: when we met them, they are already “together” since when Conrad was a 13 years old boy entering the Royal Army as officer and Tom was assigned to him as a servant, Tom himself a boy of 15 years. They basically grew up together, becoming the men they are without no one intruding between them, no family, no women, no other men. The bond is so tight that Conrad prefers the company of Tom to other officers and this is arising embarrassing questions. They have nothing to hide, not yet at least, but the ship is a nest of gossips and they are condemned before being real sinners.

I like the bond between Conrad and Tom before and after it turns in a romantic relationship; it speaks of ordinary things, of everyday and of brotherhood. Sure there will be physical passion between them, but first of all there is a bond that was born when both of them were developing into men, it was like an imprinting, something that is impossible to break.

I’m not sure they would have arrived so soon to the physical side of the relationship if not for the gossiping of the other men, I can imagine both of them retiring in the country, now more friends than lord and servant, and enjoy a quiet old age far from indiscreet eyes. This was denied to them, but Conrad and Tom will find a way to dramatically change their future, and still be together.

I like that Tom was not so ready to lose his integrity in exchange of the satisfaction of his desires but most of all, of his life. Sure it doesn’t take long to him to reconsider the option, of what he is gaining in exchange of what he is losing, but still, it’s not an immediate decision. In this he is behaving more gentlemanly than Conrad, who should be the real gentleman between them, but I have the feeling that Conrad is also the more romantic… romanticism is something that noblemen can afford wherelse simple men like Tom are usually more practical.

http://ebooks.carinapress.com/309422ED-E92A-42D1-8DFA-2068C6705E89/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=E433596A-3645-493A-987A-8428CE0CA7D4

Amazon Kindle: By Honor Betrayed
Publisher: Carina Press (November 7, 2011)

Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading_list&view=elisa.rolle

Comments

[kc-risenphoenix.livejournal.com]

But does it have a HEA ending?

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

pssss, between us, yes, it does ;-)

Poetry?

[jan steckel (from livejournal.com)]

Hi Elisa!
It's Jan Steckel, whose poetry chapbook The Underwater Hospital was given a rainbow award in the category of lesbian and bisexual poetry a couple of years ago. My first full-length poetry book is out: The Horizontal Poet from Zeitgeist Press, published in November, 2011. I see you don't have a poetry category this year. Is it possible to enter the book in the nonfiction category? Or just in the cover contest? I'm so proud of the cover, a seminude portrait of me by my friend, the painter Deborah Vinograd.
Hope you're well,
Jan

Re: Poetry?

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

You can do both Jan, enter the poetry book for the Non-Fiction category (if I have enough submissions, more than 5, only poetry, I will do a separate category) and the cover for the cover contest. Just send me a .pdf of the book at elisa(dot)rolle(at)libero(dot)com. And thank you for being again with the Rainbow Awards this year.

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Hi Elisa! I only just saw this review - I've been missing in action from the computer for months now - and I wanted to say thank you ever so much for reading and enjoying it. I'm ever so glad you liked it! Thank you :)

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

You are welcome Alex, it's always a pleasure to read one of your books.