Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox

Written by Forthright

Narrated by Travis Baldree

Tsumiko inherits an ancestral home, a vast fortune, and a butler who isn't exactly human.

Humanity is rocked by the Emergence of a people who call themselves the Amaranthine. They are our myths and legends come to life. Neither human nor animal, yet embracing qualities of both, the inhuman races inspire both awe and fear. Every newsfeed is clogged with updates about the peace process, but some places don't concern themselves with worldly affairs. Like the girls' school run by Saint Midori's of the Heavenly Lights, where Tsumiko Hajime grew up.

A letter from a long-lost aunt names Tsumiko heiress to an ancestral estate and its accompanying fortune. Only the legacy comes with an aloof heirloom: an inhuman butler. Argent has served the Hajime family for centuries, and Tsumiko must renew the generational bond or he'll die. Argent hates her for the hold she has over him, but he craves her soul almost as much as he craves his freedom.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Feb 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781977341976

Reviews for Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox

[Deborah Dunson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it, and the narrator was awesome. This was a very unique story. I wish there were some open-door steamy scenes because I felt this story called for them. I also feel we need more of this couple; their story was just beginning and more should be said, but we'll have to wait to see if book 2 continues with them or moves on with another couple.

[anaelleg-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

5 stars

That book is gold. Let's get the downsides out of the way first to focus on the brilliant stuff quickly.
It's a whole new world, and explanations are somewhat lacking from my perspective, or at least there isn't as much as I would've liked. There are parts and twists I didn't understand and I found that particularly irritating seeing as I love fantasy and understanding the world the author creates, not being left wondering: "what the hell just happened?" and not get an answer. However, this book is the first of the series exploring a complex world, so, really, it's a small price to pay.
Also, the romance progressed weirdly, I think. It seemed to change really quickly, at some point in the book, and not really gradually. But those are the only things I didn't like and, believe me, there is a ton to love which more than balances it out.

I read that book almost in one go. I couldn't really do that, since my eyes were closing on their own accord at 4 am, but by then I had already read 40% of the book, in a few hours. Just saying how much I loved that book and was into it.

The characters are all really interesting, and I'm only a bit disappointed that I didn't get more time to get to know them even more completely. It must be said that there are sooooo many of them and so much going on that the author can't do everything at once. Between the plot including different species of people - and sub-species in the Amaranthine -, politics, history (personal and global), romance, and characters' growth, I think she kinda had her hands full already. She managed to balance all of that, though, and I'm really glad for that.

I can't wait for the next book to be out, because it feels that I only had my first taste at this brilliant world that the author developed, and I'm craving for more. Much like Amaranthine crave a reaver's soul, actually.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tsumiko is an orphan who was raised in a girls' school run by Saint Midori's of the Heavenly Lights. It is a life that she cherishes as she has found a purpose in taking care of the young girls and orphans who live there. When a lawyer comes to tell her that she is the heir of a great-aunt she doesn't know, she doesn't know just how much her life if going to change. She has inherited a house, a fortune, and an Amaranthine butler. When Tsumiko learns that she needs to bind Argent to her in order to save his life, she does it. But she makes a promise to him to find a way to set him free. Argent doesn't believe her since he has faced ownership from generations of women in Tsumiko's family. But Tsumiko gradually wins him over with her kindness and sincerity. But breaking a bond that has lasted for generations is not an easy thing to do.Since the Emergence which brought the Amaranthine to the notice of humans is only a year old, it is still a fragile situation. The Amaranthine are trying to convince the humans that they are harmless which is difficult because some kind of Amaranthine is kidnapping and impregnating young women. Unfortunately, most do not survive giving birth to an Amaranthine child. Argent has a grown, hybrid son of his own from a forced encounter with one of his owners who didn't survive the experience. Tsumiko is a beacon which means that she overflows with the life energy that the Amaranthine covet, but she is completely untrained. Her generosity with her energy is part of what draws Argent to her. It is also the thing that makes her a target for less scrupulous Amaranthine. I really enjoyed the creative world building in this story and the well-developed characters. The Amaranthine are fully developed and non-human characters. I liked that the story is told from both Argent and Tsumiko's point of view.