Review: I highly recommend Haunting Passions to anyone who likes spicy and spooky historical fiction.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 1, 2012
Ranae Rose - Haunted Passions (Sleepy Hollow #1) {Reviewed by Aggie @ Hearts On Fire Reviews}Ooo la la! If Johnny Depp ever starred in a movie version of Haunted Passions he would be a gay Crane.(hahaha) Well, er, at least a bisexual one.Why do I mention Johnny Depp in this review? Because reading this atmospheric and erotically charged novella by Ranae Rose, reminded me of the movie Sleepy Hollow, in which the scenery is often dark and the mood gloomy. Rain and fog meld together. A marriage that adds a bit of creepiness. But most importantly, there is that annoying Headless dude, prancing around on his horsie, scaring the bejesus out of the residents of the quaint, but repressive village of Sleepy Hollow, New York.That being said, Johnny would have to be sexually flexible because in Haunted Passions, an excellent re-telling of Washington Irving's classic, The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow, mild mannered school master, (and a whole lotta sexier than Ichabod!), John Crane is a bisexual young man in love with his friend, Brom Bones. He is also in love with respectable, Katrina Van Tassel, Brom's soon-to-be-wife. But it is Bones that John has been " boning " (roll eyes here for really bad pun...crude, but appropriate!) for the past seven months.When John tries to kill himself in the opening scene of the novella the tone is set for a very entertaining and emotional read: one that is filled with sensual scenes of male on male, and menage a troi, eroticism. There is also some bone-chilling thrills when the Horseman makes his ghastly appearances in the story.I won't go into any specific scenes or plot points, only to say that once Brom and Katrina are sure that John won't attempt the "foolish act" again, Brom and John decide to get to the bottom of the Headless Horseman sightings that are scaring the denizens of Sleepy Hollow. I will also say this, Haunted Passions, (aptly titled) is a combination of mystery and of forbidden passions, and for it being only one hundred and fourteen pages, Ms. Rose crammed much into it. This a good thing! The action and love scenes moved well. And I felt genuine dread when the trio were confronted by the big bad You- Know Who. The author wrote the chills and suspense so well that she avoided delving into pure horror, which also was a good thing.I have to mention the sex scenes. They were steamy. I mean smokin. My glasses fogged every time John and Brom made love, whether it was in a farmhouse, in a field, in a horse stall, or in the outhouse with the Headless Horseman. Ok. I made that last one up. They didn't seduce the Horseman. But the reader gets the point.And the sex was tastefully written. Ms. Rose conveyed that these three people loved each other. They just didn't hump like horny bunnies in heat. Actually, it is the love that they express towards each other that is very moving. I appreciate the fact that there was little melodrama with John, Brom, and Kat. The author could have turned Haunted Passions into a historical Peyton Place, with Katrina freaking out over her unique situation. But Ms. Rose didn't go that route. Instead, the characters moved towards each other in a way that seemed natural and normal, even though the good citizens of Sleepy Hollow would not be tolerant of any kind of deviant sexual behavior in the community.In addition, I don't think I have ever read a lovemaking scene that had such wonderful, vivid details to it. For example, as John and Brom are making love in a field, in the heat of passion, John wipes away a blade of grass that is stuck to Brom's jaw. Or the way, Brom seductively unties the ribbon in John's hair, freeing the wild, brown waves so he can grab John's locks while coupling. Wow, wow, wow. And Zowzas!One can almost picture straw sticking to skin as bodies come together in a stall.It's these details I enjoyed.Katrina, John, and Brom were wonderfully showcased. Brom is a perfect hero. He is not overbearing, just a bit stoic, but not afraid to declare his love  for both his sweeties. Katrina, is not a weeping willow. Instead, she is a good natured woman who likes to read poetry, bake pies, and feed John.Ahhhhh....John. My favorite character.  What can I say? His yearning and pining for Brom and Kat was endearing. And I really felt for him. He is sincere, sweet, and sexy, with light brown hair and stormy gray eyes and a trim build. He suffers much in the book. He has many bruises, physically and some emotionally. Yet resiliency seems to be his strong suit. And determination. He is self-sacrificing, as the reader will see towards the end of the novella, when he takes matters into his own hands to solve the case of the Headless phantom. But will he survive?This is a long winded review. And my eyeballs are crossing from typing so much. I must apologize. But it was such a joy to read and comment on. I feel like a love struck pimply faced teenager again. Hahaha. And it is worth the googly eyes. I swear it is!!!I highly recommend Haunting Passions to anyone who likes spicy and spooky historical fiction, with an unconventional love story thrown in for good measure, and for those who don't mind m/m sexual situations and m/f/ menage a trois.Happy reading. Beware of the Headless Horseman. And Johnny Depp.