REVIEW: If All The Sand Were Pearl

If All The Sand Were Pearl by Pepper Espinoza


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This ficlet by Pepper Espinoza was my introduction to her works and I must say it was a good one. I will admit to being drawn to this book by the cover as I'm a huge fan of Gael Garcia Bernal and one of the men on the cover has a striking resemblance to the Mexican actor of "Y Tu Mamá Tambien" fame as well as the mention of the priesthood. What can I say? I have a real Hot!Priest kink streak! What kept me reading was Espinoza's lyric prose and distinctive plot line.

Summary: Love…or freedom–A Calling of Souls story–As a youngest son, Jag Martin has eagerly walked a life-long path toward the priesthood. Then his once-great family falters under a mountain of debt. Their only hope—marry Jag off to an appropriately wealthy suitor.Brace Rivers desperately wants more than just a short fling. However, his economic and political reality makes finding an appropriate male partner next to impossible. When the Martin family offers Jag’s hand, it’s a dream come true. But his suspicions mount that the young man is being forced into an unwanted marriage.Compassion wins out over loneliness, and Brace offers Jag a pearl ring valuable enough to both save his family’s fortunes and give him freedom. There’s just one thing Brace wants in return—twenty-four hours together.Brace can only pray it’s long enough to convince Jag that a life together is worth more than all the pearls in the sea.

What I liked about this book: I love the premise of this book. You're not quite sure where the story is set, this dimension, this planet, even another time altogether and you really don't care. It's a slow start but once it gets past the first few paragraphs, I was completely absorbed in Jag and Brace's relationship. It's a May/December romance mixed with arranged marriages, a virgin groom and the premise that love can grow even through the most uncertain of circumstances.

Excerpt: Brace reached over to the shelf beside the bed and snagged the lubricant and three of the smaller dildos. With those in hand, he moved down Jag’s body, tickling Jag’s back with the soft hair around his mouth. Jag wiggled, a low moan indicating his approval. Once his mouth was even with Jag’s ass, he pulled his betrothed’s cheeks apart, seeking his tight hole. Brace pressed the back of Jag’s thigh until he lifted himself off the bed, the tip of his erection scraping across the sheet. Jag hissed at the contact, and the hiss turned into a long moan as Brace dragged his tongue from Jag’s balls to his ass.

Brace sighed as the tip of his tongue found Jag’s tight ring of muscle. His skin still smelled like rainwater, but here it was a deeper, earthier scent. Brace’s cock was already throbbing, but now the ache spread through him, acute and overwhelming. He even felt it in the back of his throat. His mouth sparked and tingled as he circled Jag’s hole, coaxing and teasing the muscle. He felt more than heard Jag’s moans, vibrating through Jag and into his body.

If Brace didn’t have other pressing needs, he might have been able to simply fuck Jag with his mouth all night. He had always enjoyed pleasuring his lovers this way, and Jag was so responsive. He seemed thrilled by every motion, by every stroke of Brace’s tongue. He grew more and more vocal, voicing his approval in shouts and moans and the occasional coherent word. More. Please. Oh Goddess. Brace.

But if Brace didn’t find out soon what it felt like to be buried in this boy, he’d burst.Long minutes passed before Brace straightened again. Jag kept moving against the sheet, unable to hold still for even a second, like he had too much energy to burn off. Brace understood the impatience. He put one hand against Jag’s back, between his shoulder blades, holding him still. He didn’t want to discourage Jag’s responses, but Brace feared hurting him if he didn’t remain still.

“If this hurts…or feels uncomfortable at all…tell me.”

“I will.”

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