Book Review: Closed Eyes by Jerry Bomhan

Title: Closed Eyes
Author: Jerry Bomhan
Genre: Historical Romance, F/F Romance
Sensuality Rating: Sensual
Source: review copy provided via NetGalley
Published: March 18, 2015 by Less Than Three Press

Ryo was once a soldier, a hardened warrior who put her life on the line without hesitation or regret. Then she met Kei and found someone worth living for.

Now Kei has vanished, and Ryo must once again don the garb of a warrior. However, a life of peaceful labor has dulled her previously sharpened edges, and the mission to save the love of her life may be her final in more ways than one.

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Reviewed by: J9

First, I have to mention what an arresting cover this novella has—it made me read it! Now to the novella, this isn’t a romance in the traditional sense but more an adventure novella with an established relationship deepening. Ryo and Kei are already a couple when at the novella’s beginning, Ryo returns home to find Kei gone from their home.

I liked Ryo most in this story, as I think it’s her story of having to don her warrior’s garb to rescue Kei. Kei fell flat for me as readers spend little time with her when she’s thinking her own thoughts, instead just returning to Kei’s storyline when she’s again victimized. The beauty of this novella isn’t in the romance as I think that’s secondary at best, but in the writing. This author manages to make even the Emperor’s death be a compelling scene. Ryo’s fight scenes also have a macabre beauty to them that clearly indicates a strong writer.

The romance lover in me wanted Kei’s character to be a little better developed and Ryo and Kei to spend more of the novella together. Still, for readers looking for the too-rare FF novella, this is an engaging read.

Trigger warning: Fairly graphic on-page rape scene.

J9’s Rating: