A Rose Among the Ruins is another of those gay historical romance that author and readers have to tag as fantasy to allow the possibility of a man on man love story in medieval time to be possible. But aside the small expedient of the love potion to loosen the reluctance of both men to admit they are in love with another man and the use of an imaginary kingdom, all the novel is a pure medieval romance, there are no more magic, or fantasy creatures or permissive behavior.

Rhicer is the Master of Arms for the king of Ageselm. He is also one of the oldest friend of the king and a faithful servant. It's many years that their kingdom is at was with the near kingdom of Mordyn, and finally they have found a truce: Emyl of Ageselm will marry the Mordyn princess and will sign a peace treaty. Rhicer is not so sure to like the idea, he has lost his soon to be bride 20 years ago to the hands of Mordyn warriors, she killed herself after being raped, and Rhicer has no good feelings in his heart for those men. More, the young men of Ageselm had to learn how to fight when they were way too younger, like Kanath, that is now Rhicer's lieutenant.

Rhicer and Kanath are good friends and fellow warriors, but never once it passed in their mind that they can be more. True, Rhicer has listened to some whispered tales of norther barbarians who bond in war with other men, but it's not something he can even consider... and even if he can consider it, what is the mechanism? With a woman he knows, but with a man? Surely it's not possible. But actually those are thoughts that Rhicer starts to have after Kanath stole a bottle of wine from the bride's dowry. Kanath believes it to be a simple bottle, and instead it's a love potion, intended to ease the first night between the king and the princess. When Kanath shares with Rhicer the bottle, everything changes between them.

Where Rhicer has loved a woman before, and knows the feeling, Kanath is still to young. And impulsive. When the love potion starts to work between them, Kanath is both repulsed than attracted by their feelings; but he is also to scared to do something, other than being irrationally jealous when some woman is near Rhicer. It will be Rhicer instead that, with the wise of his older age, will analyze their situation and try to find a suitable solution. And again, when that solution will not work, it will be again him that will find another one painful solution, but the only possible for two men in love in that situation.

Even if it's a fantasy that tends to be more realistic than some historical romance I read, A Rose Among the Ruins manages to still remain a romantic love story. More, it's also a quite naughty love story, once the two men understand how good it can be sex between men. This is only a novella and so the sex scenes weigh a bit on the length of the story, but since they are good, I didn't mind. Actually I think that, with some time more spent after they discover of the love potion they have taken and before they take their final decision, this story could have been without problem a full novel. But even like this, it's for sure above the average of many gay historical romance I read.

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