The Horse Mistress: Book 1 (AUDIOBOOK, LGBT)

The downside to growing as a reader is realizing how much epic fantasy is problematic in terms of representation. Therefore, I thoroughly enjoyed discovering this series, which features queer characters, including a gender-fluid character. Carivel is a delight to read, and her relationship(s) with Andoc and Senovo are just the right mix of emotional and ****.This book can be read as a stand-alone, but the relationship arc doesn't quick work by itself. Carivel falls into Andoc and Senovo's arms without much conflict, as if it was inevitable once everyone's secrets were revealed.That didn't stop me from enjoying all of the characters and the broader world they live in, and immediately purchasing the next installment of this serialized tale.

Reasons why I love this so much:-girl hiding as a boy-the **** times-village setting-three is better than one-horsesThe list above is just the smaller things I look for in certain types of books, and this one already had a lot of my favorite things set up. In other words, it wasn't that hard to love it immediately. I really enjoyed the main characters and the things they contributed not only to the blooming relationships, but to the story as well. A little cliche in some parts, but it didn't effect my enjoyment.The plot was pretty good, and although not much happens 'the big picture' wise, I was given satisfaction in seeing the three of them work their... 'stuff' out and show a bit of what they can do. I'm surprised more people haven't found this yet, actually, and it's a definite recommend.

Very good story. I very much enjoyed the two male characters and thought they were well developed, but I did not care for the female at all. Other than her pleasant understanding of horses, I found her hard to connect to. I kept warring between viewing her as a innocent misunderstood girl and a dominate experienced man. It is hard to understand a character that possesses two extremely different sides. The **** was a bit TOO honest for my liking. I felt like I was reading a tutorial on how to have a three-way in ****- Ed class instead of reading hot erotica. Also, big pet- peeve here: women should not "squirt"... It brings to mind a camel. If I were basing my review on the female lead and the ****, it would be a one star book. But the story was well told enough around all that I did not like to give it a three. In my opinion this story would be much improved without the girl and the ****.

Overall, a well written story with a happy for now ending. This is the first book of the series and sets the tone, describes main & supporting characters, the scene and direction. It’s refreshing to read a novel that includes gays, transgender and women in predominantly male roles plus romantic interests. There are plenty of reviews that give a synopsis of the story & characters, so I won’t write anything about it. The author is new to me, but I’m glad I’ve taken the opportunity to read her work. I recommend this book to anyone interested in reading a great story. There isn’t a true ending, but you can continue reading the series.

Let me start by saying this is an excellent book. And there are at least four books to read. This book is about three people living in a small village. Carivel is a young woman that loves horses but is unable to work with them because she is a woman. She has been masquerading as a man for the last three year as an apprentice to the tribe's Horse Master. The other two characters are Andoc, a warrior and Senovo, a enuch priest. Andoc and Senevo have a very close relationship as friends as well as lovers.Towards the beginning, Andoc and Senovo discover Carivel's secret and they promise to keep it between them. The remainder of the book involves Carivel, Andoc and Senovo traveling to another village to see about getting their help to fight another tribe that attacked the first tribe. Hard to reviewa book without reveiling the plot.I received a free copy of this ebook for an honest review.

The gender roles that we may see as "normal", may not fit with who that person truly feels is "normal" to them. People are not meant to fix into boxes! This story clearly shows the struggles that the characters face, being put into boxes that they just do not fit into.This story is set in a time period where the roles between MALE and FAMALE are clearly defined and any who cross that defining line, risk their very lives.Carivel was born a "female" but she sure doesn't feel like a "female". Her mind and body, tell her that she would have been better of being born a "male". It doesn't help that those around her tell the same thing, all because she happens to like the same things as the "males" around her.Andoc is a manly warrior who believes that charm, good food, or good ****, can fix just about anything. If not, bang the persons heads together.Senovo is a Priest, who is hiding a big secret under his robes. Priests had to become eunuchs, in order to oversee the will of the Gods.Andoc and Senovo are very close, which does cause some talk amongst the villagers. Carivel does all she can do to pretend to be a "male", so that she can live and work with the horses that she loves. Their lives are interweaved with each others, by simply living in the same village. After their village is struck by battling warriors, Carivel, Senovo and Andoc, are setting the stones in place for their future lives.Will Carivel let her guard down enough to let the men in? Can Senovo reveal his secret to Carivel? Is Andoc warrior enough to handle what is to come?READ to find out for yourself!!( the hardest part for me to get over was the wordage used. its too modern for the time period the story is set it. the book is very detailed with the aspects of horse care and training-as far as I can tell you.)

Disclaimer: The following review was originally posted on my book blog The Book Challengers (link in bio).I actually started reading this book as it happens to be one of those freebies that has been sitting on my Kindle for an eternity and for a moment it seemed like something that I might enjoy at that particular moment. I quite enjoyed the fantasy-like background and the fact that our hero was born female but was trying their best to do what they loved despite the itsibitsy problem of having a female body but a male mind (I think it's the best description I can use).I think it was my first menage story with three people in a relationship. I'm not into BDSM in so-called normal relationships either, but I did appreciate the fact that the menage part was actually quite light. If it hadn't been, I don't think I would've read till the end. Also, three people in a sexual relationship really isn't my cup of tea. Each to their own, it simply isn't something for me.As the sexual part of the story started somewhere around 60% (I think, am not quite certain now), I got to enjoy the fantasy part of the story and really, Steffan managed that rather beautifully. The story would have been better (for me) if there was less of the menage part and more of Carivel working with horses.Will not continue with the series.

This story was very good. I loved the character and gender twists and how they interacted with each other and with others. It was not a shallow read. There is some stuff to "chew" on here. I loved the "horsey stuff". It seemed very realistic and lovely. I thought the action was good, as was the level of suspense and the resolution. I too, wish this were a longer story and I'm glad there are more in the series.This is borderline a "Serial" as opposed to a "series"; there is a wrap up but the adventure is just beginning, both in their relationship and in the defense of their homeland from the invaders and as 2 of them are un-masked and must make a new way in their society. I would recommend this book with the qualifiers that you will most likely want to buy the rest of the series and that it is not for the sexually squeamish.

Carivel is a an impressive horse trainer, apprentice to Draebard's horse master. There's just one problem with that, Carivel is a woman in a culture that doesn't accept women in such roles. Then one night her village is attacked by soldiers from the Alyrian Empire, during which she is knocked out & the two men she desires discover her secret, the horse master is killed & she is named the new horse master.Their village leader sends Carivel & her crushes to entreat a neighboring village to align with them against the Alyrean Empire. Now Carivel has to decide what she is willing to risk for love & the safety of her village.This review is for the kindle version, which I got for free. I enjoyed this book, but I do wish there had been more of a storyline. The world seems well built & the characters are well written. However I would have liked to of seen more of the culture, the world, & more interactions with other characters.If you like smutty filled storylines with some plot, you might enjoy this series.Also, some people have claimed in their reviews that Carivel is transgender but I don't think this is correct. When given the choice Carivel does consider herself to be a woman, just not in the sense that others do. It would be more appropriate to say that she is gender fluid or a non-binary gender (neither male nor female, but with elements of both).

What a delight!I haven't read Steffan before, but something called to me from the synopsis. Maybe the fact Carivel doesn't know where she belongs or the fact this is as much a story about trust as it a romance.Whatever it was I'm glad I picked this up. The progression of Carivel's feelings felt natural; here was a girl who found a purpose in life, was largely content with it, but when presented with more gave it serious thought.It's not that Carivel didn't want love or intimacy with Andoc and Senovo (after all she had her uncontrollable lust to manage according to Andoc), she didn't want to be the reason their completely backwards society ostracized them.Steffan also gave care to the fighting aspect and Carivel's horse training. I know nothing about horses (except, much like canines, they dislike me on sight) so I can't speak to if the method Carivel uses to tame a horse is as easy as Carivel made it seem, but it certainly SOUNDED reasonable.I was disappointed in the length, as I had hoped to see some sort of solid plan to take on the Invaders. I'm content to check out the next book with an eye on the series as a whole to fill my Kindle however.

I would have rated this higher if it had a better ending. I realize this is a series, but each book should have a conclusion of some sort to it, at least the main conflict should have some resolution.While the ending was a happily for now, it just left too much up in the air. The only real resolution to this book is with their finally falling into bed together, which while I enjoyed it, was not enough for me to call it a satisfying ending.I liked all the characters immensely which is why this story got 4 stars instead of 3.Andoc is definitely a dominant, but he's also sweet, fun, and a bit of an **** when it comes to his personality. He's what I think of as a happy dominate. He does it because it makes his partner feel good, or because it's what they need.Senovo is quiet and reserved, with depths of hurt and I suspect rage, though it isn't really shown that way in this book. He seems serene and very put together, while below the surface he's a mess, and a bit lost.Carivel is in hiding and can't trust anyone. Until they stumbled on his secret and help draw him out into the world. With patience and humor and more patience they help him find himself.They need to work together to find a way to save their settlement, and while they make great strides towards this, the book ends before we know if their plans will even have a chance to succeed.I like Carivel and Senovo's unique character attributes and how they were explored. I liked that Andoc was just sort of a dude, but also cared about much more than just himself.The writing was pretty good. I noticed a few poor editorial choices and a couple places where the writing was a bit clunky, but nothing horrendous. No vile purple prose, epithets, or weird euphemisms for **** and body parts. Always a big plus in my book.The book ends at 99% so you're getting all book, and not a bunch of advertisements.There is **** of nearly every variety in here, though most of it is sweet and in some cases instructional and fun. If any of the following bothers you, skip this one. **** includes, but not limited to the main characters, MF, MM, MFM, MMF.Some pretty violent things happen in one of the characters pasts, that as far as I'm concerned is definitely sexual assault, torture, and non-consensual body modification. If any of these things are triggers for you, I'd skip this one, as it's a pretty big part of the story Arc for one character.Otherwise, even with the open-ended vague ending, I think I'd still recommend this book.

THE HORSE MISTRESS: BOOK 1 was a really unique and interesting fantasy romance! We have a dominant human man, a eunuch conflicted over his shape-shifting abilities, and a genderfluid horse trainer all being thrust into the role of ambassadors for their village. The world building was fairly basic and tightly focused on the villages of Draebard and Meran but we do get some hints about the larger Eburosi world, so I'm hoping we learn more as the series progresses.The whole book is told from the POV of Carivel who was born biologically a female but has always felt more like a man in their mind (though Carviel does choose she/her pronouns when asked). But Draebard doesn't allow women to be horse trainers so Carivel has been living in secret as a man. Carivel's genderfluid (or possibly trans) identity is made more complex because of the world she lives in and the fact she hasn't had many opportunities to really explore identity without fear of being discovered or ostracized.At the start of THE HORSE MISTRESS Carivel is already attracted to Senovo and Andoc but believes nothing can happen between them. As for Andoc and Senovo, they're already together though this isn't something they're completely open about in their village. I enjoyed the contrast between the two -- Andoc is the confident and charming First Warrior poised to be the next Chief one day while Senovo is the brooding Priest who desperately tries to control his wolf and keep it a secret from the village. Adding Carivel to their relationship is natural and easy as all three of them get to know each other.While I found the trip to Meran and the subsequent trials where Carivel, Andoc, and Senovo all demonstrate their skills interesting, what I really loved about this was the polyamorous relationship between our three main characters. Their relationship was so tender and gentle and I loved how important consent was to each of them. The amount of care and respect they all put into the relationship was so beautiful and made my heart swoon each time they interacted. I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes next for this trio.

Very engaging and absorbing book. I couldn't stop reading once I started, which is why I bought the next 2 books. It is unique and a refreshing change in the fantasy genre. Senovo, Carivel and Andoc are all extremely cool, well defined characters who don't fall into any boring old character tropes. They are fresh.Their relationship is complex and fun and very romantic. Also the **** scenes are A+, I give them 5 stars.The plot is filled with tension and twists and political intrigue, which I like. I like when world's have defined rules and laws and geographies and differing cultures, it helps to pull myself in.I gave this a 4star review instead of 5, because sometimes the character actions and dialogue can be a little bit clumsy and juvenile? Not enough make me stop reading or continuing to read, but enough to be a little distracting. But whatever, I still really like the Horse Mistress and will absolutely buy the rest of the book in the series. It's very imaginative, well thought out and filled with cool characters and settings.I recommend it wholeheartedly. Buy this book, read it.And here is where my review of the book officially ends. Spoilers ahead.This next thing is a little tiny personal problem, and I guess SPOILER, but I kinda don't get the sense that Senovo actually loves Carivel, at least. Sure, he cares about her, and is attracted to her, but not very romantic. Andoc is the one who loves her, and so Senovo likes Carivel because Andoc likes her.In the latest 3rd book I do see that Senovo is in romantic love with her, but not so in the first book.Here is what I thought was going to happen:In the first book Andoc would become interested in Carivel. Senovo would like her and tolerate her, but of course he couldn't really bring himself to fall in love with her because of his trust and self esteem issues. Carivel, for her part, would like him but in a sort of undeveloped crush way. She wouldn't really know him or his characteristics, because he's always hiding them.In the second book they would be kidnapped together, and through these difficult circumstances where they have to learn to work together and get to know each other without their love for Andoc getting in the way, they'd truly fall in love and learn to trust each other. Just like Senovo and Andoc fell in love independently, and how Andoc and Carivel are able to love each other fully without trust problems. Senovo isn't the same as Andoc, so I wouldn't think he could fall in love the same way.So by the third book, everyone would have a strong bond with each other that can last without the 3rd person being there.But...not so.By the second book they already felt really strongly for each other, so it blindsided. I never felt like I had real evidence that Senovo really loved Carivel in book one or two. Yes, I know that he does love her, but I'm not sure when it happened or how or why. It's more like the story tells me to believe that he loves her, and I can do that, but I wish I had something of substance.

Reading the prerequel to the series drew me in so deeply that it provoked heartfelt emotions and anxiety for the male characters.An amazing story of a Warriors (Andoc) and a Eunuchs (Senovo) relationship. However, this time Book 1 introduces the reader to Carivel assistant to the horse master. But Carivel is not who "he" presumes to be. While secrets abound in Book 0 and so it does in Book 1. I recommend reading them to appease ones curiosity. R. A. Steffan did an awesome job writing this as I was kept on the edge of my seat till the very last page. Be warned there is M/M and M/F/M interaction but not overly so. The chemistry between the three characters is thoughtful and beautifully written. Loved both books.

3.5 to 4 starsThis was an interesting read. The series kind of breaks the mold. It is a medieval/Bronze Age style fantasy series that uses that medium to explore some pretty unique topics for a romance.Carivel (Cara) is the MC - a woman who ran from her village because she desperately wanted to work with the horses and women were not allowed to do that. She identifies herself as a man (I guess the medieval equivalent of someone that would today become transgendered). She is disguised in her new village as a boy and is the assistant to the Horse Master, hiding that she is a woman, and trying not to show her attraction to two men in the village.Senovo is one of the two love interests. He is a eunuch priest who was made so without his consent. He also happens to be a wolf shifter, though he keeps that a closely guarded secret and is desperately ashamed of being one. He does his best to keep his wolf locked away.Andoc is the second love interest. He is the second-in-command to the village chief. He is also in love with Senovo and they have a rather clandestine relationship (well, the village sort of knows about it, but no one talks about it).When their village is attacked, Cara is injured, but Senovo saves her life in his wolf form. It is the first she learns of their relationship and Senovo's wolf form; and the first they learn of her being female. These secrets bring the three of them together.The Horse Master Cara has been apprenticing under is killed in the same attack, and Cara is appointed as his replacement (Horse Master - no one knows she is female still).The story proceeds from there and explores not only issues of gender identity and dysphoria, but also same **** and bisexual relationships. It also explores the impact of the loss of one's sexual organs. The fantasy/paranormal story itself is very well done. The characters are well-drawn and easy to emotionally engage with (even for someone like me that does not personally identify with the more unusual themes explored). The plot is well-paced and quite engaging. I couldn't put it down. (In fact, I intend next to read The Lion Mistress, a spin off series by the same author that sounds like a slightly more traditional paranormal RH/menage.)I will say that all of these issues are handled extremely well, with sensitive, sensual and emotional **** scenes amongst all three parties (all three together, or in varying combinations). And Andoc is a sensitively drawn Alpha male. So there is a little bit of everything here (except for vaginal penetration, there is none of that in this series at all).The only thing I was missing was a true female character (since that is what I am looking for and identify with the most). I personally found myself wishing she would allow more traditional intercourse. But that was just a personal issue, not an issue with the series and how it was written.If none of these thematic issues bother you, this would be a very interesting and different read. I recommend it.Note: This is not your typical paranormal romance, but I did not have a category that fit exactly, and I didn't want to make a new one just for this series. I would call this fantasy/paranormal menage (with only two love interests, it is not RH, and it is only barely paranormal, really more fantasy oriented, though there are werewolves).Warnings: There is graphic **** here of multiple varieties (MM as well as MF and MMF and MFM, and anal ****). It is sensitively done, but if that is not your thing, steer clear.

After reading R.A. Steffan's series 'The Queen's Musketeers' which I loved, I decided I would give her new series a try as well. I was a bit skeptical because of the BDSM warning at the beginning. I am not a huge fan of M/M and or M/M/F **** scenes but I decided to give it a try anyway. I am very glad i did.The characters were so easy to like I was instantly hooked and couldn't wait to turn the page. Carivel, Andoc and Senovo drew me in and I found myself wanting to know more about each of them. I was also intrigued by their world and lives. And as another reviewer has stated, it was nice to see females in a position of power for a change.As for the BDSM warning, it was probably warranted but the sexual content was done in a way that did not make me uncomfortable and I was not offended in the least. And it does not dominate the story. So even if you are not a fan of BDSM do not let that scare you off. The book is well worth a read.If I had any complaint at all it would be that it is too short! I was actually sad when I realized I was finished. On the bright side I know this is only book 1 in a series. I will definitely be buying the rest when they are released.

That's not to say there weren't things I did like. Being a horsie person, the scenes involving Carivel's skill with them were refreshingly good. The **** scene at the end was also fine, even with the relationship between the three of them seeming a little rushed.But I was waiting for something else to happen.The plot was all right, although I was surprised the clans hadn't banded together prior to this if the threat to them was so great and, it would seem, easily done. In fact, beyond the attack near the beginning, there was little conflict. Even them returning home with their secrets bared would've sufficed. To have the story stopping where it did had me feeling... unfulfilled... I wouldn't even call it ending on a cliffhanger. It was as though I had read a sample.

Great book, great writing and great plot. While it is spicy its so well written with such a good plot it just sucks you in