American Prince: New Camelot, Book 2

Dramatically eloquent & endearing, with an erotic sharp edge! These books have been on my TBR for awhile. I knew of Sierra Simone’s capability to create a very risqué storyline after reading Priest. Yet nothing could have prepared me for this impressive trilogy! It’s scandalous. It’s witty. It’s angsty. It’s super-sexy-hot! I binged these books over the course of the last few days and I’m a wreck and in complete awe. Not only is the prose so beautiful and descriptive, there’s a heaping measure of pure wit and intelligence that delves deep into the complexities of human behavior and love. The woven metaphors of mythological references tied with legend - particularly that of King Arthur and his Knights - make a formidable backbone to this story. The imagery spectacularly detailed, my mind swirled with so many conjured-up scenes. “I’ve become one of those damsels in the legends that I teach about at Georgetown, one of those women in the stories who represents sex or virtue or deceit or any number of things to the gallant knight she’s entreating for help. To complain that these women are passive is to miss the point; they aren’t women at all. They’re symbols, defined by the meaning the knights make of them, recognizable only as the role they play in the knight’s adventure.” The varied points of views created so many layers, opening revelations and shrouding mystery at the same time. I am a conflicted pile of feelings I can’t even begin to articulate. I felt hate and love and…

American Prince is essentially Embrey’s story. In essence it is about the ongoing sacrifices he makes for the ones he loves. Suggestion, coercion and manipulation are steering Embrey down a painful path of nobility echoing his selfless determination to protect the people he loves. The story is told through past and present chapters as well as multiple PoVs from both Ash and Greer. While the depth of detail continues to flesh out the trilogy building a steady supply of suspense, it began to frustrate me. Repercussions from each new twist in the story blocks Ash, Greer and Embrey’s happiness. I questioned again who was running the country and reminded myself that facts can be stranger than fiction. Maybe my expectations of elected public figures are higher than the reality if there is an ounce of realism to be found in this story. Therefore, the setting is of no consequence to me and remains focused on the tangled relationship heavily influenced by the desire of others to have the people they want making the decisions. Being Embrey’s book, there’s a heavy MM take on the romance. Then with the ménage aspect placed on hold, there is a heavy air of unrequited love. All in all, I became a tad frustrated with the void created by the bitter behaviour of one character in particular. I love the trio together, but in isolation or paired the heat level went begging. For a lover of dark reads, I started to slip into a sombre mood the further I ventured into American Prince. And yet…

"One runs the risk of weeping a little if one allows himself to be tamed." Antoine De Saint-Exupery's "The Little Prince". This book, "American Prince" is another pattern of weaving in the rich tapestry that Sierra Simone has created with her erotically-charged "New Camelot Trilogy". The richness comes from her facile references to Ancient Greek Myth through the centuries-old Celtic tale of Tristan and Isolde, as well as, other period literature. Most notably is her revisiting of Arthurian legend, undoubtedly without the projection of traditionally stricter values which are reflected in most retelling of the legend. This is the continuation of the inter-tangled love story and sexual menage a trois of three people: Ash (King Arthur), Greer (Guinevere) and Embry (Sir Lancelot). This is Lancelot, " The Little Prince's" story. No reader will however, describe this rich, devastatingly sexual, emotionally colored, suspenseful story as dry and antiquated legend that requires the passion of the erudite reader to enjoy. No, this story takes place in a plausible political world where weighty issues of world events having impact whether America once again goes to war or not, are inter-twined with the loves and destinies of these three lovers. Embry fully and completely drowning in the love he holds for both of them, is achingly handsome to both Ash and Greer. He has the air of a spoiled rich playboy. He, himself knows that until Ash and Greer, his previous sexual dalliances were…

I really don't know how I feel about this book. All of the main characters are unbelievable and pretty dumb. Ash(the President) is very manipulative and over the top dominant. He says he loves Greer, but he is mean to her, really bordering on abusive. I don't think their relationship is what a D/s relationship is supposed to be like. He does things when he is angry and she never safewords. He is an idiot and she is naive. She just lets him do whatever he wants to her and she always forgives him. Sounds like the definition of abuse. Then there is, Embry, again not very smart. He allows himself to be manipulated by Ash all the time. The 3 of them are in some kind of threesome, the President, Vice President and First lady. Too weird to even consider. There is chapter after chapter all about Ash & Embrey's secret gay sex life while in the army. I'm not into that stuff, so I just skimmed those chapters. There is a lot of crazy back story and interesting if not weird and some evil characters. Lots of weird, weird stuff. But, I will read the last book, if only to see how this crazy mixed up story ends. Lots of questions to be answered and people to hopefully kill off, so that maybe this weird threesome can live happily ever after.

I’m not a speed reader, no, not really. But why then do I find myself being finished with both book one and two of Sierra Simone’s American Queen series after less than 24 hours? I wanted to savor those books so much, but instead, I inhaled them – lived and breathed them, neglecting sleep in the process. At some point, listening to the audio book was not even fast enough anymore and I found myself alternating between the reading the ebook and listening. Yup, total nutcase, that’s me. I’m seriously addicted. And now I’m on the verge of screaming, shouting, bursting into tears because the last book of this epic love story of America’s most powerful men and their queen is not released yet! On the other hand… how am I supposed to feel when it’s indeed over? Should I stall reading the last book like I did with the first two or should I dive right in once I can get my grabby hands on it? Seriously, I don’t even know… I love how every of the characters – first Greer, now Embry and with the last book Ash – all get to tell their story from their own point of view. And I love them all to pieces – all three of them! I love how Ash is so domineering and stoic and intense and sometimes even dark, how Embry is much more sensitive and sacrificing himself so many times while still maintaining an all-encompassing alpha vibe and how Greer is so strong while being submissive and complements them just perfectly. Their relationship, as unconventional and wrong as it might be, comes utterly…