Don’t Fight The Spark
by Kasia Bacon
Series: Soldiers and Mercenaries #1 (The Order Universe)
Release Date: April 26, 2019
Subgenre: M/M Fantasy Romance
* The Order Universe short story The Poison Within will be free on ebook during release-week and the tour, April 22-25. The novella is exclusive to Amazon and can be read through Kindle Unlimited or bought through the links below:
Synopsis
As the Light Festival draws near, the Něssyrians craft paper lanterns, awaiting the most important holiday of the year.
The Lyliňg Fighting House, too, prepares for celebration—by laying fresh sand onto the arena and setting up a match against their top pit fighter, the unrivalled Yüuzuki Ōren.
His last match. One he can’t win.
With the odds more than stacked against him, the gorgeous Barbarian is as good as dead. Unless his lover, healer Ĥaiatto Ẽkana, proves himself every bit as determined as he is clever and finds a way to protect the man he'd stop at nothing to save.
The Lyliňg Fighting House, too, prepares for celebration—by laying fresh sand onto the arena and setting up a match against their top pit fighter, the unrivalled Yüuzuki Ōren.
His last match. One he can’t win.
With the odds more than stacked against him, the gorgeous Barbarian is as good as dead. Unless his lover, healer Ĥaiatto Ẽkana, proves himself every bit as determined as he is clever and finds a way to protect the man he'd stop at nothing to save.
Author blurbs about Don’t Fight the Spark
“An irresistible gem of a love story. In just six short chapters, Kasia Bacon delivers all the goods: an adorably mismatched couple to root for, a seductive and dangerous fantasy world, and more than a spark of wit and charm. Read at your own risk: the second you finish, you’ll be afflicted with grabby-hands for Book Two.”
—J.C. Lillis, author of HOW TO REPAIR A MECHANICAL HEART and A&B
“Bacon delivers a jewel box world of magic and true-lovers with a yaoi-manga aesthetic so vivid that I can practically see the screen tone.”
—Nicole Kimberling, author of Sea of Stars
Excerpt
Yüu’s kisses were always sweet and gentle to start with. They quickly became testing, inviting more engagement, only to turn bold and shattering in the end. He kissed like he fought: sounding his opponent out, cranking up the challenge, then leaving them breathless, stunned and completely obliterated.
I welcomed every such defeat delivered by his clever tongue, and this time was no different. Hot-cheeked and a tad winded, I forced myself to break the kiss, at last, gratified at Yüu’s growl of protest. “Let me take care of you, love,” I panted into his ear. “All right?” And with that, I pushed him backwards onto the chair.
Showing no signs of resistance, he allowed me to guide him into a half-lying position.
Once I had him situated right where I wanted him, I drew back slightly, pausing to study the ravishing view sprawled in front of me.
Oh yes. I knew and adored the wild look glittering in his golden eyes. That tightly-wound hunger. That unconcealed want. The way he observed me with parted lips, his body coiled in anticipation, turned my blood into liquid fire.
Without stalling anymore, I let my hands wander across his shoulders and chest, avoiding the bruises and trying not to frown at them. I took a brief detour to tease his dark, hard nipples before continuing my unhurried descent south, caressing every single one of his delicious abdominal ripples. By the time I passed his belly button, having arrived at the edge of the cloth covering his groin, the material below tented over a generously sized bulge. Twitching now and again, it taunted me into uncovering it. And in two pulls at the material, I managed to do just that.
Carra's Review
If there’s one thing of which I can be certain when I pick up a short story or novella by this author, it’s that I am going to get a complete story and come to care for the characters—no matter how short the story’s length is. She is a master at packing a novel’s worth of story into a much shorter medium, and Don’t Fight the Spark is no exception. Giving us another view into The Order universe, this story focuses on two characters who seem trapped in their positions in one of the fighting houses…which hadn’t been an issue for them. Until now that is, when the stakes have climbed to a seemingly insurmountable level.
Yüu is an alpha warrior when fighting in the pit, the best at what he does. His outlook is practical, if resigned, and he is devoted to Ĥaiatto. Ĥaiatto is a healer, and though he has no magic of his own he is able to use magic stored in objects. He’s sweet, and though he might not seem strong, he is brave when it comes to the man he loves and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep Yüu safe. Though Yüu’s fatalistic view of what’s to come irked me just a bit (after all, he’s the big strong warrior, he should be ready to fight, right?), Ĥaiatto’s equally hopeful attempt at securing their future helps to balance things out.
I have to say, I love delving back into The Order universe. From the start, it has been richly detailed and has continued to evolve and gain depth with every story. Here we get to see another aspect of the Assassins’ Guild known as The Order, and get some page time with its Grand Master and some other members.
Though I felt a slight sense that the climax of this story was lighter than I was expecting given the grave outlook being pushed in the time leading up to it, the end result was still worth it…but I wouldn’t have minded a closer look at Ĥaiatto and Yüu’s relationship either leading up to where this book started, or at some point later in the future from where the story ended. Don’t Fight the Spark was a 4.5-star read for me, and is another highly recommended M/M fantasy romance for fans of the genre. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and some sexual content.
About the Author
Giveaway!
Win a physical copy of Don’t Fight the Spark or one of two Order Universe-inspired stationary sets.
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