The Horse Mistress: Book 3 (30-DAY AUDIOBOOK RENTAL, LGBT)

The first books in the series focused primarily on the development of the relationship among the three main characters. This one builds on that with the village facing an eminent threat from the forces from the south. While they still find time for one another, now they must find a way to defend against this threat.

I received an unproofed ARC of this book for free from the author in exchange of an honest review. (And I couldn't be more happy as I could read books 2 & 3 in quick succession!)Personal rating: 4 starsI thoroughly enjoyed book 3, as much as I did book 2. It takes off exactly where book 2 left off and progresses quite well. I feel as if the story expanded well throughout the series - we are being introduced to more characters and more action is happening, including the beginnings of war.Nevertheless, I do admit that I am particularly enamoured with the relationship between Carvel, Andoc, and Senovo. I did mention in my review of book 2 that I enjoy how the author explores the relationships between characters, making them multi-dimensional and therefore more real, with their own insecurities and fears. I was glad to see some of those fears to be resolved in book 3, only to be replaced by other problems that the characters had to face. There was a big challenge that they had to face by the end of the book, and even though I had a feeling as if it was resolved a bit too quickly and easily (I am a sucker for angst, so I expected to be left suspended longer as a reader), but it was still quite believable and well done.One of my pet peeves as a reader, is how often in adult (especially, queer) romance novels the characters, who claim to be inexperienced in some aspects of ****, seem to know what they are doing right off the bat, when they get in bed with "the love of their life". That does not happen in real life, folks! Humans are not born with knowledge of all!What I love about The Horse Mistress series is that everything that happens between characters happens gradually, as they explore each other and make mistakes (or discoveries) in the process. It is very easy to make a "menage a trois" relationship misbalanced by creating a preferred pairing within a trio, and at some point in Book 2, I did fear that it might happen, but I am happy to report that the author once again didn't let me down. There is no power imbalance in their relationship - on the contrary, everyone seems to be playing to their strengths.I don't know what else to say, without giving away the plot, but I loved this book, and I can't wait to read the final book, when it comes out.If you are looking for a well-written series with diverse queer characters, I highly recommend you pick this one up.(After reviewing the ARC, I purchased this ebook in Kindle Store, when it came out.)

I found book one by pure luck, I then ran to find more book 2 and 3. Are just as wonderful to read. The story line is inventive and entertaining. This series is a must read for anyone looking for something that has not been written about a million times. So excited to read number 4....💗

I received a free unproofed ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.A.R.Steffen has done it again. As with the 1st and 2nd books in this series, this one draws you in as a reader.Continuing on from book 2 flawlessly, we delve deeper into the lives of our trio of hero's, as they come to grips with their new roles as leaders within the community, even as they continue to explore their new relationship with each other, supporting each other as they face an unpredictable future and the tribe prepares for war.We see some of the more minor roles come into their own, and we also say goodbye to some of the lesser characters.Like books 1 & 2 in the series, from the first page this book draws you in and grips your imagination tightly until you are left gasping for more.Personally, even though I don't want the series to end, I can't wait for the next instalment.Bravo R.A. Bravo!!

This time it was Andoc, as the tribe prepares to fight the Empire that has taken over the southern part of their island. The book took some twists and turns I didn't expect, though I knew from book 2 that there would be a big meeting of the island's tribes. The three protagonists have gotten better at supporting each other, though each one still has a tendency to take everything on themselves. Fortunately, the other two are there to talk some sense into the one doing that. Even Carivel is learning to do it. The three still have their share of struggles, though, internal and external. The first book in the series had more concentration on the horses at first, and the subsequent books have widened the focus to include more interactions with other tribes and then the politics and strife going on across the island. There's a little work with horses here, but it's more a mix of the geopolitical and the protagonists' relationship. I like romance plots, but I also appreciated that there were other plots going on, too.I was given an advance reader copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I am really enjoying this series, so much in fact that I am basically binge reading these and I am not a binge reader usually. I thought after reading book 1 and 2 in a row, I needed a break before I came back for book 3. Well that nearly got me in a book slump, until I got back to this series and my slump disappeared immediately. There's just something about this series that makes me want to keep reading. And now I am almost finished with the horse mistress books of this series, only one more book left and I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet.The Horse Mistress Book 3 deals more with the plot line surrounding the Empire, the threat of invasion and the political tensions. Which was great. This plot line has been important since the start of the series, but in this book things escalate a lot more. I really enjoyed seeing how this developed and we get to more of Eburos and also of the Empire and how they act. There is even more danger and I was just hoping the characters I cared about stayed alive. There's also a development surrounding a side character, Favian, that's quite interesting and he's quite the interesting character.And next to the that plot line we still have the awesome romance going on. I just can't get enough of these three. Carivel, Senovo and Andoc are just so awesome together. And this book again shows the depth of their feelings and emotions. The events of this book put them all through a lot and we get to see how they deal with it. I don't want to spoil too much, but one of them goes through something difficult in this book and it was great to see how the other two were there. And how they resolve and handle things.Their romance is one of my favorite parts of this book, the author wrote their relationship so well. There are a bunch of hot **** scenes again in this book, the author can certainly write them well and there's a lot of variety in the **** scenes as well, which is great. And the way they care about each other only enhances the depth and feeling in the **** scenes as well.I also loved how we get to see a bit more of the island Eburos in this book. I feel like I got a better understanding of the island, the different tribes that lived there and also how solidarity all the tribes are. The threat of the empire also comes in stark focus in this book. And we learn more about how they operate and also how in contrast it is to the Draebardi people and the other tribes. I liked how seeing the city they visited tells us more about their own village and also how other people live in this world.And something I forgot to mention in the previous books is how I liked the role of religion and the priests and their role in the community. In this book we get introduced to another religion, which also brings more in focus how their current religion works and how different the religion of the Empire is.To summarize: Another awesome book in this series. I just love this series and reading about these characters. This book focuses on the threat of a possible invasion by the Empire, we get to see more of the island Eburos and see some of other tribes too. The relationship between Cairvel, Senovo and Andoc is probably my favorite part of this series as it just so well done. It's awesome how much these three care for each other and are there for each other. The **** scenes are hot and well written with quite some variation as well and the depth of their feelings for each other only makes the **** scenes even better. It was great to get a better insight in Eburos and how the different tribes lived and also how the Empire did things in this book. There's also an interesting contrast between the religion of the Eburosi and the Empire. I can't wait to read book 4!

I really enjoyed the continuing saga of Carivel, Andoc, and Senovo. It was great to see Andoc's emotional journey as the focus of the book and get a wider scope of the world, and I loved the plot developments that not only set the book up for the series, but showed the characters' ingenuity and cleverness - developments that will have wide impacts on these characters and future events. I'm excited to see where it goes from here!

I received an unproofed ARC of this book for free from the author in exchange of an honest review. (And I couldn't be more happy as I could read books 2 & 3 in quick succession!)Personal rating: 4 starsI thoroughly enjoyed book 3, as much as I did book 2. It takes off exactly where book 2 left off and progresses quite well. I feel as if the story expanded well throughout the series - we are being introduced to more characters and more action is happening, including the beginnings of war.Nevertheless, I do admit that I am particularly enamoured with the relationship between Carvel, Andoc, and Senovo. I did mention in my review of book 2 that I enjoy how the author explores the relationships between characters, making them multi-dimensional and therefore more real, with their own insecurities and fears. I was glad to see some of those fears to be resolved in book 3, only to be replaced by other problems that the characters had to face. There was a big challenge that they had to face by the end of the book, and even though I had a feeling as if it was resolved a bit too quickly and easily (I am a sucker for angst, so I expected to be left suspended longer as a reader), but it was still quite believable and well done.One of my pet peeves as a reader, is how often in adult (especially, queer) romance novels the characters, who claim to be inexperienced in some aspects of ****, seem to know what they are doing right off the bat, when they get in bed with "the love of their life". That does not happen in real life, folks! Humans are not born with knowledge of all!What I love about The Horse Mistress series is that everything that happens between characters happens gradually, as they explore each other and make mistakes (or discoveries) in the process. It is very easy to make a "menage a trois" relationship misbalanced by creating a preferred pairing within a trio, and at some point in Book 2, I did fear that it might happen, but I am happy to report that the author once again didn't let me down. There is no power imbalance in their relationship - on the contrary, everyone seems to be playing to their strengths.I don't know what else to say, without giving away the plot, but I loved this book, and I can't wait to read the final book, when it comes out.If you are looking for a well-written series with diverse queer characters, I highly recommend you pick this one up.

I still have so much love for this series! Who knew kinky polyamorous fantasy would be my happy place? The extra attention Andoc got in this book was great. Can't believe there's only one more book to go now.

Book Three of The Horse Mistress series leads on quickly from the events at the end of Book Two. It's clear by now that this isn't just a series of books with the same characters, telling stand-alone stories, but one longer cohesive story broken up into installments. That said, each of these books has its own story arc, its own focus that works well as a stand-alone story. That R.A. Steffan has managed that balancing act says much about her writing talent.Our trio of main characters, Carivel, Senovo, and Andoc are facing new challenges in their relationship and in their respective roles as leaders in their community. There are threats to their safety, to the safety of their entire village and other people they care about, and through it all we see these three contributing to their relationship and to the larger efforts of community safety. I love that these characters have important careers which they take seriously. I love that as much as they are the oddballs of their society in many ways, set apart, we still seem them as members of their village with a complex network of connections with their neighbors. Minor characters really stand out in this series, adding to the tapestry of the story with their limited 'on-screen' time.By the end of Book Three, some plot threads have been resolved, but there are enough unresolved points to let the reader know that we'll be in for a wild ride in the final Horse Mistress book, as the series comes to its conclusion. I personally plan to re-read Books 0--3 before Book 4 comes out. If you're just discovering this series, lucky you for getting to enjoy it for the first time, right from the beginning.I was given a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read every one of the series and love them all!!

A bit predictable which character would be the focus/what sort of trouble they would have based on books 2 and 3. However, I still loved the writing and the characters themselves

Love this series. Great poly romance. So sweet and such an interesting fantasy world. I love the characters and storyline.

Great addition to the first and second books. So much action in this one. Really loving the characters and the further into their world I get the more I want to know! Can't wait to read more!!!

I absolutely love this book series. Could Carivel, Andoc & Senovo be any cuter as a threesome? Can’t wait to read book 4

I still love these books. In some series, I find that the books that come after the first one are not as good as / do not as have as much thought out in them. That is not the case in this book. Nor is it the case in this book where there no character growth. It is like each book is dedicated to one character'set growth - this is Andoc's, which I was personally really excited to see. Andoc is always the one to take care of the others when they are facing their demons, but this time Senovo and Caravelle get the chance to care of and support Andoc. I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read the next one.

I really am enjoying this series in the Eburosi Chronicles. Carivel, Andoc, and Senovo are a wonderful trouple to read about. I am looking forward to the final book. I can most certainly say this series will not be sitting collecting dust after I am done reading it. I will most certainly come back to read it again.

When their rock shatters, Carivel and Senovo have to work together to put Andoc back together again. Their relationship arc goes through another set of trials, just enough to make a reader worried while also keeping faith that everything will work out for the best.The world of Eburosi grows again when the characters travel south to conduct political meetings in a bid to protect themselves from foreign invasion. In addition, more fantasy elements are introduced in this world that I occasionally forget isn't just ancient Britain with the names changed. Steffan has obviously done her research, so the intentional changes she does make are both seamless and pleasantly surprising.In a world where so many books rely on forcing "different" characters to embrace being outcast, a tale where the opposite happens is a refreshing change. Now that the three lovers are at the top, I'm sure that the conclusion in book 4 will be a **** of a ride.

When I originally started the Horse Mistress series, I thought it would be a trilogy only, especially since there are 3 main characters. I assumed each would get a book that would be more about that character. I was wrong. Book 3 amps up the action, but it is far from over. That’s why we have book 4 and the epilogue short story exclusive to the 4-book collection.So let’s get into book 3 and what it entails. For the plot, our trio is trying to get back to their new normal after the rescue from the hill fort. Mereni allies are still in Draebard, and many of the changes that were made on the fly at the end of book 2 are solidifying (ie, Lemdya as a female horse apprentice, designing and perfecting the bow and riding style for horseback archery). After a visit from a Rytheri ambassador, people from all over the island go there to figure out what they will do about the outside invaders. Then things take a turn for the worse, putting the entire situation in upheaval, especially for the character of Andoc.Andoc as a character has in many ways been the most hidden of the trio. The stories are told from Carivel’s point of view, so we get close to her right away. She bonds with Senovo because they both have obvious problems to overcome (her fight with gender roles, his acceptance of his inner wolf) and changes to their official positions in their tribe. Andoc, though, has been First Warrior and the kind of guy who takes care of everyone else without hint that he might need to be taken care of himself. That changes in a real way in this book, and as I reader, I liked that very much.The characters themselves address it as Carivel and Senovo ask Andoc early in the book what he gets out of their relationship. He replies that if they don’t know, they aren’t looking hard enough. Later in the book because of a chain of circumstances, Andoc has to let himself be weak and receive care from the other two.The trio is many months into their relationship now, and at this point even if they’ve tried to be covert, they really aren’t. Several characters acknowledge their existence as a unit. There is less **** in this book, but that seems somewhat normal to where we are in the story telling. We already believe in them as a unit, so we don’t need to see every example of passion. The on-page events of the story feature long swaths of time where they can’t be together because the travel situation makes it impossible.We do see more humor with the trio in this book, and I rather enjoyed that. Carivel wants to sexually dominate Andoc. To allow her to do that, he says she must best him in battle. Her first attempts are absolute failures, but she approaches it with good humor and says they were draws. When she does get her way eventually (spoiler), the experience is of benefit to all, another example of the **** scenes in this series having a strong character-driven purpose.So what’s the bottom line? This is still a fantasy set in a place similar to Britain at the time of the Roman invasion. War tactics and medical science are appropriate to that, and we see more tactics being used, especially in the last big war piece of the book. The major threat from the invading empire still exists, but we have safety for now thanks to all our characters, but especially Andoc.I do not recommend this as a stand-alone book. The events of the previous books are mentioned, but not really recapped. That might make things confusing for new readers. I think this is a great series, though, and suggest new readers should give the first 2 novels a try before reading this one. You won’t regret it.

I enjoy the characters stories and the beautifully detailed research without being to prosey. The author has taken a subject that for many would be too taboo or awkward to discuss and has developed an incredible series around it. The warning for explicit and graphic scenes is not to be taken lightly but is so worth the read.