2017 Rainbow Award honorable mentionA bloody past haunts him. A devastating present calls him back… would’ve died if not for Nao’s help. He knows nothing of his savior’s connection with the local mafia, but Saehyun has his own secrets. He commands the Korean mafia, the mortal enemy of Nao’s former syndicate.
As Nao and Saehyun grow closer, so does the strength of the Korean mob. A shocking murder pulls Nao back into a past he’d all but abandoned. War is looming, and Nao must choose between protecting Saehyun or avenging the honor of his old mafia family..
The Yakuza Path: Blood Stained Tea is the first book in a series of Japanese mafia thrillers. If you like complex characters, blood-soaked violence, and twists you won’t see coming, then you’ll love Amy Tasukada’s gritty crime masterpiece.
Buy Blood Stained Tea to dive deep into the Asian mafia tale today!
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This is a tough book for me to review. It has a romantic subplot that ends in neither HEA nor HFN, steam level of 1.5 with most encounters either off page, fade to black or short and not very descriptive. The writing style is a bit different than what I usually like but here it mostly works. The chapters end a certain way and in the next there is no continuation of the previous scene most of the time. Like I said it should not have worked but it did. I really like immersion in Japanese culture and traditions. Some of the things I found really fascinating.
The MCs, Nao and Saehyun, are both morally ambiguous characters. Being Japanese and Korean respectively, they are on the opposite sides. Yet despite the lies and betrayal they find comfort in each others arms. This book is not about finding love but is about making choices and finding one’s purpose in life. Nao makes a decision that changes his life and stands up for what he believes. He sees the bigger picture. He is a very interesting character. There is honor and so much loyalty in him to those who probably do not deserve it. Saehyun while seeking happiness unfortunately only brings destruction in his wake, but he loves fiercely and is able to forgive.
The story has a trope that really is not a favorite of mine. Dead lover/pining for dead lover/comparing everyone with the said dead lover. So be in the know.
The pace is steady and there is plenty of action and gory fighting. This is not a light-hearted book. But throughout the story Nao finally comes out of his shell. He has been stagnant for so long that his return is loud and sends long lasting ripples through everyone. I like that he is not perfect. He is a man wracked with guilt and unable to let go. But Saehyun sets him on the path of change, reflection and hopefully one day healing.
There was a moment I wanted to stop reading. But I chose to continue. And the story turned so compelling. It’s a blend of modern world, old fashioned traditions and men who have integrity despite the evil deeds they commit either out of love or loyalty forced or otherwise. I enjoyed it. The author made me root for her deeply flawed men.
Extra: tough man who likes stray cats, all you need to know about tea, deep in the heart of Japan.
I’m not quite finished reading this book, but thought I’d review it because it’s different than any m/m romance I’ve read. I can’t imagine these two characters having an HEA, but I haven’t finished reading it so they could very well pull it off. I’m learning a lot about Japanese culture and the criminal yakuza underworld. Yes, there’s violence but it’s not gratuitous or drawn out, thank goodness, just what you would expect given the lives these characters lead. The main drawback for me is that the characters feel emotionally “flat” even though they are in a relationship “of sorts.” There’s no “passion” that I would expect from two people growing to love one another. Anyway, it’s a good read if only for the fact that it’s so different from the typical m/m romance out there. Well edited, too.
I’m a huge fan of mafia m/m romance from the lighter versions to the very dark, but the ones I’ve read are set in the US or UK. My experience with this type of Asian setting goes back to Eric Van Lustbader’s Ninja series and I am delighted to return to some of that feel here. This story, set in the Asian mafia world introduced me to an amazing new world and two wonderful characters. Nao and Saehyun meet under a hurt/comfort opening and as their story develops, it has almost an Romeo and Juliet feel. These two come from two different groups, the Japanese and Korean mafia and these groups are about to go to war. This story takes us behind the scenes in both groups, creates the world for the series and starts us off with a bang. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series.
Read this and the follow up book
more gruesome gory than i care for instantaneous love between 2 fairly despicable people a bit over the top but as a whole the book kept my interest
The ending cut me deep.
How refreshing to find a story about a gay Japanese man and his affairs with a scheming Korean man. Well written, not overly explicit and reminds me of someone I met many years ago. We need more good gay themed suspense/action novels!!