Title: Ruby: Lost & Found
Author: M. D. Grimm
Genre: Fantasy
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Romance
Publisher: Amazon
Pages: 237
Blurb
Lord Morgorth is a dark mage on the planet Karishian. He’s considered a villain by his peers and relishes the title, having embraced the role earlier in his life. However, not all of his actions are necessarily villainous.
Despite owning several of the Stones of Power—gemstones infused with powerful magick—he doesn’t use them, preferring to keep them hidden away and out of destructive, power-hungry hands. He hates them more than anything. So when a sorcerer gets a hold of a major stone, Morgorth has no choice but to go after him. But, to his irritation, he is not alone. Aishe is a dialen whose tribe was massacred by the sorcerer, and is now on a mission of vengeance. The attraction is instant between them, but Morgorth keeps his distance. Because of a traumatic childhood and a deadly destiny, he has no desire for emotional complications. But Aishe’s very presence challenges Morgorth’s resolve.
Not only does Morgorth admire Aishe’s strength and intelligence, but he begins to see Aishe as a friend. As their hunt continues and their time together lengthens, their bond deepens, as does Morgorth’s fear. If he becomes the monster that destiny claims he will be, will he hurt Aishe? Will he harm the one person who sees right through him? Who accepts him wholeheartedly? Determined to not let that happen, Morgorth keeps Aishe at a distance. But when Aishe is kidnapped by the sorcerer, what will Morgorth do to get him back?
Review
When you’re the seventh son of the seventh son, and all signs point to your future being a disaster, you either fight the inevitable or embrace being the villain. Morgoth is a man who decided to do the latter. A fierce mage with the skill to go with his magical prowess, the man loves the title of being a bad guy and hides himself away in a giant castle guarded by beasts when he’s not visiting earth for some sightseeing and fun.
When a rogue brute steals one of the powerful stones that harness magic and begins destroying the neighboring Happy Valley, Morgoth has to step in to put the wannabe mage into his place and comes face to face with a tribeless man named Aishe. Aishe is honor-bound to kill the man who killed his family, which happens to be the same jerk who’s destroying Happy Valley. Morgoth and Aishe have to team up to take the maniac down before he destroys everything in his path.
Ruby: Lost and Found by M.D. Grimm was a fantastic mix of epic, high fantasy world-building, thrilling magical battles, interesting races and creatures, romance and humor. Morgoth has the perfect balance of a self-proclaimed fiend with a heart of gold, sharp wit and inner demons that make him instantly loveable and frustrating. Aishe is the opposite, a true hero with duty and honor, and the ability to see what Morgoth refuses to let anyone get close to — his good side.
What made me really fall in love with the book, was Morgoth’s attitude. The guy is a natural prankster and gives exactly zero shits what people think of him, especially when it comes in the form of handsome knights trying to slay him for glory. In the first few pages, Morgoth is interrupted while he’s coming back home after two years on earth by a royal knight trying to kill him. Morgoth is immediately bored and aggravated, essentially rolls his eyes at the oh so fearless knight who’s come to claim glory:
“Prepare thyself, villain, for the wrath of Goodness is upon you!” I kid you not. That’s exactly what he said.
Beyond the humor which drew me in, I really enjoyed the variety of creatures and races introduced. Grimm has a way of sprinkling these characters in without making you feel overwhelmed with information and has an excellent ability to describe not only their physical features but their culture and ideals easily. The magic system is unique in how the stones work, and Morgoth clearly defines the difference between a skilled mage and a magic slinging sorcerer, so the reader can understand why it is Morgoth is so damn good at what he does.
Aishe and Morgoth’s romance is a slow burn and intense, with plenty of built up sexual tension to keep you begging for more. Each time it seems like they’re making headway, some big badass monster pops up trying to kill them, and the duo has to team and take it down. The back and forth between the two is fantastic, and the characters compliment each other in personality. Aishe is a to the point, an honorable good guy who knows what he wants, and Morgoth is someone resigned to his fate as being a lost cause. I adored the build up between the two, and the romance was peppered in nicely with the action.
If you’re looking for a good, well-paced, fun fantasy with a slow burn romance built in, I highly recommend Ruby: Lost and Found by M.D. Grimm. Once I started the book I couldn’t put it down, and I can’t wait to see what adventures are in store for Morgoth and Aishe.
Maz is a long time m/m romance and sci-fi enthusiast who always has her nose buried in a book. When she’s not reading about love and adventures, she enjoys writing, paleontology and all things geeky.