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  • The Black Sheep and the Rotten Apple

  • Gay Historical Romance
  • By: K. A. Merikan
  • Narrated by: James Reily
  • Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (20 ratings)

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The Black Sheep and the Rotten Apple

By: K. A. Merikan
Narrated by: James Reily
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Summary

“How does one start a relationship with another man when it is forbidden?”

“One needs to decide that the other man is worth dying for."

Cornwall, 1785

Sir Evan Penhart. Baronet. Highwayman. Scoundrel.

Julian Reece. Writer. Wastrel. Penniless.

No one forces Julian Reece to marry. Not his father, not his brother. No one.

When he is thrust into a carriage heading for London to meet his future bride, his way out comes in the form of an imposing highwayman, riding a horse as black as night. Julian makes a deal with the criminal, but what he doesn’t expect is that despite the title of baronet, the robber turns out to be no gentleman.

Sir Evan Penhart is pushed into crime out of desperation, but the pact with a pretty, young merchant’s son turns out to have disastrous consequences. Not only is Evan left broke, but worse yet, Julian opens up a Pandora’s box of passions that are dark, needy, and too wild to tame. With no way to lock them back in, rash decisions and greedy desire lead to a tide that wrecks everything in its way.

But Julian might actually like all the sinful, carnal passion unleashed on him. How can he admit this though, even to himself, when a taste of the forbidden fruit could have him end up with a noose around his neck? And with highway robbery being a hanging offense and the local constable on their back, Julian could lose Evan before he can decide anything about the nature of his desires.

Themes: highwayman, abduction, ransom, forbidden love, self-discovery, danger, crime, Cornwal, Britain, England, Georgian

WARNING: Steamy content. Contains violence, distressing scenes, abuse, offensive language, and morally ambiguous protagonists.

©2017 Acerbi & Villani Ltd. (P)2020 Acerbi & Villani Ltd.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: Romance
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What listeners say about The Black Sheep and the Rotten Apple

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good story

Enjoyable story with interesting characters. This is a stand alone book with a presumed happy ever after.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

🎧 LesCourt Reviewer 🎧

The Black Sheep and the Rotten Apple (Gay Historical Romance)by K.A. Merikan. This story develops nicely. A good combination of world building and character development.
It was a little slow for me at times but came together in the end.
The Narrator James Reily did a fantastic job bringing these characters and story to life.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Historical regency drama teeming with emotion

I absolutely loved this decadently delicious historical highwayman romance.
The MC's Evan and Julian aren't necessarily the best depictions of humanity, they're both flawed and could even be considered anti-heros.
I really enjoyed the slow-burn and build-up of their relationship.
The initial animosity between them which lead to such great angst and tension.
There was plenty of fast paced action and suspense along with plot twists.
This was a grand, passionate and adventurous tale.
James Riley did an amazing job of richly and vividly depicting the Cornish countryside and bringing these characters to life.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

was unsure but loved it

I wasn't sure this was my cup of tea but I gave it a shot and loved it. definitely a bit more serious than most of my books but really quite good. had no issues with narration

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Not my normal listen

This was different. I mean the storyline was good. I'm just not into period mm romance. I got this listen for free from my favorite dynamic duo so thought I'd give it a chance. As usual their writing is awesome. The narration is good as well.

Not a bad listen all in all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Wonderful Historical Romp!

K.A. Merikan are both brilliant writers and I have loved each and every book they have brought out so far, this being no exception.
I don’t read/listen to many historical books but as it was by these two authors it was a no brainier and it lived up to their usual high standards.
Julian and Evan are really well written written developed characters and the plot was excellent and exciting. I highly recommend it.
James Reily is a new narrator to me and I thought he was perfect for this audiobook, his British accent and timing made it so he didn’t just read the book he took you with him there through the experiences and emotions. Great job! 👏👏👏

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A wild ride

I’m of two minds about this book. Through the first half, I kept checking the time remaining and wondering if I was ever going to make it. Although I can’t speed up the audio, I did lament not having that functionality. Then I hit the second half of the book and that lament became an inner wail because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I wanted to know RIGHT NOW. I don’t read a lot of suspense, but this book would be up there on my list. Every time I breathed a sigh of relief thinking ‘yeah, okay, they made it’, another obstacle would be thrown in their way. Another road block. Another dastardly secondary character. I mean, I knew there would be a happy ending, but I doubted so many times.

That is the mark of a good storyteller.

I took a writing class last year and the teacher said ‘imagine the worst thing that can happen to your protagonist’. He paused. ‘Then make it happen.’ He paused again. ‘What’s the next worst thing that can happen? Go ahead, make that happen as well.’ I’m too soft on my characters, I know that. K.A. Merikan are brutal on theirs.

The book comes with warnings, but after having read Wrong Way Home, this book felt tame in comparison. Yes, there’s dubcon. Yes, there are morally ambiguous characters. But I always understood their motives. I empathized with the characters. I grieved with them. I felt their pain.

Julian Reece is a wastrel. He sometimes writes, often carouses, and loves his drink. His father wants to marry him off because he’s obviously incapable of holding down an honorable profession. The Black Sheep. Sir Evan Penhart is the opposite. Left destitute by a reckless brother, he tries to hold together the family estate, all the while knowing it’s a fruitless gesture. He’s forced to turn to a life of crime to save the servants he considers family. The Rotten Apple.

The two men are an unlikely pair – especially since Julian is definitely straight. But there’s something about Evan that calls to him. Perhaps their coupling was inevitable. It was definitely interesting. Also, as a historical, there is always the threat of discovery and of the gallows. Another layer of danger.

In case you couldn’t tell, I really enjoyed the book. Could the first half have been shorter? Probably. Was the last half worth the price of admission? Oh hell yes. James Reily is a new narrator to me and I have to say I liked him. I settled quickly into his appropriately British accent and the rest was magic. So, I would definitely say check this one out.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Dangerous times for the pretty boy & the baronet!

James Reily is a new-to-me narrator, but he has a clear, even pace throughout while bringing the characters and the story to life.
I do like K.A. Merikan's historical gay romances as there always seems to be plenty of action and adventure combined with the illicit thrill of breaking the law merely by two men being together.
Highly recommended historical gay thriller.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Historical M/M Adventure Romance

I really enjoyed the background and events of this book, and the tale of two men coming together and finding love. I love historicals, and books that envision the struggles that men loving men faced in times where the penalty for such behavior could be death. It was interesting to watch as Julian slowly came to understand and accept his feelings for Evan. That said, I did feel the story dragged a little, especially toward the end with all the capture, escape, running, capture, etc, and it did get rather violent toward the very end. I would have loved an epilogue showing how things were a year or two later.

Just as a warning for sensitive types, there is some non-con/dub-con sex, and what could be considered a rape early on. It's not violent, but it is non-consensual. Also there was an overuse of the "c" word to insult men, which I found odd and jarring.

The narration was great and really seemed to fit the characters and the times.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing must listen/read

This book kept me in a state of anxiety and I feel the writers did the research for the time. Awesome writing, hot scenes and amazing characters.

Good job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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