This was a bit of a departure from most of Z.A. Maxfield's books - less funny, less sweet, more unexpected and more morally ambiguous. The main characters were both flawed, and each had a past which included some poor decisions and willingness to look the other way. Dylan was the kept man of a mob boss, who survived a failed kidnap attempt. Dylan then saved William, the young man embroiled in the scheme, from paying for his involvement with his life. Rescuing William forces them both to flee from the criminals they've been involved with, and brings them together.I liked watching them start to become interested in each other, and even more I enjoyed some of the twists and turns of the interactions between Dylan, and all the people he'd had relationships with in the past, from family to former lovers to mentors. Dylan's past is complicated, and when he's in trouble he heads for his old home, and all the loose ends he walked away from years ago. And not everyone reacts the way he would expect.William is much more isolated. The grandmother who raised him is dead, and all his other relatives are among those he's escaping. He has no friends he trusts, and really no one but Dylan to share any part of his life with. This may help explain his fast attraction to Dylan, one of the minor issues I had with this story - that William was a bit of a cipher and I was more interested in Dylan outside the romance, because almost all the conflicts and decisions were his. Although the sex is well done, I'd have liked to see more of these guys together developing the non-sexual part of their relationship. I was interested in their conversations, and there was a lot about their lives that they could have shared in getting to know one another better, and demonstrating a deeper connection. There were a couple of dream sequences that I'd have liked to sacrifice for some real-world time.The plot in this one surprised me several times. I had a couple of minor quibbles early on, some of them medical, but I loved the twists of the ending. I even appreciated the lack of moral neatness to the wrap-up. There was a very unexpected emotional moment that was the highpoint of the story for me, and completely not the one I was expecting it to be. I definitely enjoyed this thriller-romance that managed not to be completely standard fare. I often screen my books by looking at the reviews. I almost missed a phenomenal one here and have to remember to trust myself. This story was excellent. One of the reviewers mentioned a question of love. It's all there. Do you even know why you fall in love yourself? Sometimes it's discovering that love is sometimes a mystery that truly holds a reader apt and ready for more. I love the characterization. I find it interesting that the young men in most of Maxfield's books are the take charge kind, but I love that, too. It's different, and I am running out of books to read. Thank you, Maxfield for truly great reads, awesome characters, and great storylines.
What do You think about The Pharaoh's Concubine (2011)?
Not at all what I thought this story was about but I I ended up liking it anyways!
—Saurabh
Very exciting very different from what i have read by her before
—Picklesrkewl
Another well written tale from Zelda Ann. I
—fathi
