Genre: Fantasy, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Mage Roland sends Lochlan, his adopted son and apprentice, to a distant city to steal a valuable item — a relatively simple task for a thief with Lochlan’s skills. On his journey, Lochlan meets two commoners will soon play an important part in his life — Garratt and his sister, Maurenn, who Garratt is escorting to meet her betrothed.
At first, the young men dislike each other but they are thrown together again when Garratt discovers why Lochlan is in the city and convinces him that he can help if Lochlan will teach him the art of thievery.
Then, there’s the problem with Hankin, Maurenn’s betrothed, who intends to wed her so he can have an unpaid servant at his beck-and-call. When Garratt finds out, he and Lochlan devise a plan to sneak her out of the city, but only after they retrieve the item Roland needs — a flask of Vampyre blood. They manage both objectives, and in the process Lochlan and Garratt begin to care for each.
There’s a reason Roland wants the blood. He intends to use it a part of a plan to eliminate a coven of Vampyres who hide in caverns on Ayr Peak. As his plan comes together, he brings in friends and Lochlan to help complete it.
Will they find and eliminate the Vampyres? If they do, how will it affect Lochlan’s budding relationship with Garratt, especially when the problem of a rogue werewolf needs to be addressed and Lochlan is once again called upon to help his father?
The Review
Lochlan has been asked by Mage Roland to complete an important mission. He needs to travel from Whitehaven to Folkestone, and retrieve a sealed flask from the home of Lord Anfroy, which will help defeat the coven of Vampyres at Ayre Peak.
Lochlan is more than happy to help Roland. He started as Roland’s apprentice and has learned a lot, even though he feels that he could do more than just menial chores. On his own time, he has taught himself to be an expert thief, and that’s the skill Roland needs to get the flask. As much as he’s grateful to Roland for adopting him, Lochlan still feels humiliated that he was abandoned as a child.
On the way to Folkestone, he meets brother and sister, Garratt and Maurenn. Garratt is escorting Maurenn to meet her betrothed. Even though Garratt is not fond of Lochlan traveling with them, they let him join them. Lochlan helps to keep them safe from a werewolf attack, but Garratt is still not impressed with him. When the weather turns, they stop at a small hut and meet an older man named Jervis, who is kind to them all and warns them about the werewolves.
Once Lachlan reaches his destination, Garratt and Maurenn go their separate ways. Garratt has escorted his sister to the betrothed’s home, and plans to return the next day to check on her. Garratt is not staying far from Lochlan, and happens to run into him that evening. Lochlan decides to take Garratt along on his thieving adventure. When they manage to steal the flask together, a friendship starts to form between them. They visit Maurenn at the home of the Hankins, and have to come up with a plan to save her and make it back to Whitehaven.
Once they reach home and Garratt leaves, Lochlan realizes that he wants to find a way for the two of them to can be together. But first, there’s one more dangerous task that Lochlan, Roland and their friends must confront. Will they all survive to see a new day?
Lochlan is an exciting and suspenseful adventure, with a nice blend of spells, vampyres, werewolves and ghouls. It’s not heavy on magic, which is used more in the way of spells that are necessary to help one another: healing, protection, and fire.
Kendrick’s descriptions of the magic and spells and the big scene with the vampyre coven were all clear and easy to follow, as this small group of men is faced with the ghouls and vampyres and puts up a fantastic fight.
I enjoyed the enemies-to-friends connection between Lochlan and Garratt, which eventually turns into a sweet romance with many a steamy moment. There’s also a surprising secondary romance.
Along in this dangerous journey Lochlan and Roland will team up with Volke, a werewolf; mercenary brothers Walcher and Piers; freebooter and expert thief Tibost; and good friend to Roland, Mage Edrian. I really enjoyed this dysfunctional little group!
Lochlan is a fun and thrilling read. I loved all the characters, and especially the outcome with Garratt and Lochlan. Kendrick doesn’t disappoint.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.