This is the second installment in Ruby Moone’s Winsford Green series after Dances Long Forgotten. I started the series when I accepted A Christmas Miracle, the fourth book, from Gay Romance Reviews and am glad I started it.
I was really hoping each one would have a contemporary connection like the first book, but this one didn’t have it. That didn’t detract from the story, but I still felt it would’ve been a cool connection between each of the books even though all the characters seem to know/meet each other.
Whereas Dances Long Forgotten takes place in the upper echelons of society, this one takes place in a lower class setting between Arthur, the valet we see being abused in book one by his horrible employer, and Joseph, the Winsford Green blacksmith. They meet when Arthur flees the big house in the middle of a blizzard and Joseph rescues him and gives him a place to stay since the inn is closed.
Of the two characters, Joseph was my favorite of the two protagonists. There was a confidence and a not knowing better that just made him so open and loving when he and Arthur finally started to interact with each other. He’s young and enthusiastic and just doesn’t care what society thinks to the extent that he can without being thrown in prison and when he falls in love he falls in love whole heartedly.
On the other hand I probably identified more with Arthur and his being a prude and not accepting his desires for what they are.
Joseph frowned and swallowed. Looked at the floor then back up. ‘Don’t hate me for giving you what you want. What you need. Don’t be that kind of man.’
The hand squeezed his heart so tight it was hard to breathe. ‘I don’t hate you. I could never hate you.’
Joseph nodded. ‘Of course not. Arthur, you can’t even look at me.’
When he managed to speak, the words were a mere whisper, but he forced himself to speak. Speak honestly. ‘It’s not you I hate, darling. It’s me.’
Silence ticked between them like a malevolent clock.
‘I see. I make you hate yourself.’ He nodded. ‘I see.’ He walked away and the hand holding Arthur’s heart delivered its killing blow. (76)
But the interactions between the two are so well balanced between heartwarming and tense. And when you add in the spanking kink Arthur has and the pseudo-D/s sexual relationship they develop it was an interesting story. The sex scenes were well written, intense, and so good. I took too long to write this review so may be wrong on this, but I think Moone said Joseph was verse, but then didn’t follow up on that and that’s a pet peeve of mine.
But what REALLY made the story were the minor characters, that I am drawing a complete blank on any of their names. The two ladies, who are very clearly lesbians, who have helped Joseph out since his mom and dad died with cooking and mending, and look out for his emotional wellbeing too:
Yes, we know. We know exactly how you feel about him, and it’s obvious how he feels about you. We tried to say it delicately the other day, but now I’m being blunt. If you are in love with him, tell him. He looks like the kind of man who has never had much love. He might not recognise it when it beats him over the head. You may have to be direct. (142)
And there are other minor characters that are part of the rainbow coalition that Winsford Green draws to them including Cross and Hugo from Dances Long Forgotten.
Recommendation: I enjoyed this one as much as the first. It was a different part of Regency society and while it touched on (and interacted with) the society from Dances Long Forgotten it gave a more realistic feel of an every-day LGBT person trying to survive and find a community for themselves. I was a little surprised at the spanking kink and slight D/s relationship that developed, but it was well written and I appreciated the variety, even if I’ll never look at butter the same way again 😀
Opening Line: “Joe Wilkinson trudged through knee deep snow.”
Closing Line: “He nodded mistily. ‘I do.'” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)