Amaka’s Golden Books- Bound to Liberty
Hello guys, it’s been a minute, hasn’t it? I missed you all. Did you miss me? … Nope, don’t answer that. hehehe.
This year, I’m on maternity leave (Yes, I just had a baby 2 months ago), so I’ll be reading a lot.
In a new segment called Amaka’s Golden Books, I’ve decided to share any book I’ve enjoyed reading on this blog.
What better book to begin with than my first man and man (M/M) romance, right?
Okay, so I’ll start by saying that I’m not an expert on book reviews. This will be a fun and relaxed segment of my blog showcasing my own opinions, and should not be taken too seriously ?
Let’s go then.
Title: Bound To Liberty
Author: Kai Tyler/ Kiru Taye
Genre: Romance
Heat Level: Sweet to sensual
Blurb:
As if life isn’t tough enough for James Coker, rejected and nearly killed by family, he is also a closeted gay man in a country where being gay is outlawed. So when the first man he’s ever loved gets engaged to a woman, James’s solution to heartbreak is to indulge in a holiday fling.
In contrast, Ethan Eze has had life relatively easy. Born in the ‘Land of the Free’ and nurtured within a family where he can be whoever he wants to be, he’s a military veteran who is not afraid of going for what he wants. When he meets James, Ethan wants him.
Desire burns between them and soon blurs into devotion. But James is not ready to lose his heart again, certainly not to another man who can eat his cake and have it. Ethan has fought for his country. Now will he fight for love?
Bound to Liberty is a story about breaking free from mental chains and living a life of boundless love.
My review:
I enjoyed this book. Kiru has done it again. She’s broken boundaries which many have not dared to.
First of all, I want to commend this author for her boldness.
She’s one of the pioneers of Nigerian contemporary erotic romance fiction.
And now, she’s even gone a step further and written a wonderful same sex love story.
This is my first M/M romance novel and I must confess, I wasnt sure what to expect. I’ve never known anyone in a gay relationship in real life, so I was looking forward to reading about one, especially with Nigerian main characters in a country where there’s a lot of homophobia and laws against same sex relationships.
Kiru did a good job of making the story sweet and sensual at the same time. I felt myself blush sometimes, reading about the romantic way Ethan took care of James emotional needs and insecurities. Although Ethan was confident in his sexuality, James was still very closeted.
He needed Ethan’s strong guiding hand to gradually loosen him up and accept himself as gay publicly.
The secondary characters, Gloria, Kezie and Ify were all interesting.
I would have really liked to see Ethan and James navigate their relationship more in Nigeria. That would have given this story much more substance in my opinion because they would have had to hide their love due to the criminality of same sex relationships in Nigeria. It would have been nice to see how the author tackled this issue.
Verdict: 4/5 stars.
Have you read Bound to Liberty?
Please share your thoughts below.
Available in ebook and paperback format.
Amazing book.
