I may review this book in more detail later, but for now, let me say I really enjoyed reading it.Although I love Regency Romances, I've never really been drawn to non-contemporary m/m romances. Not sure why, maybe because too much effort has to go into being accurate and as a reader I'm always wondering whether this word would be appropriate for the day and did they really do that or have that attitude.Jane has managed to avoid this trap nicely by not setting her story in a real time or place. True, everything else about it seems like England, probably back in the time of Shakespeare or a bit after, but it's not. Hence we don't have to worry whether her facts or her scene setting are accurate, we only have to be concerned about whether they create a good and plausible background for her characters and the action that takes place.I once did an online writing course with C.J. Lines who showed how the personalities of your protagonists actually create the action. It's the premise behind being a pantser. Know the characters, their strengths and weaknesses and you will know where the conflict between them lies as they interact with the world and situation they are in.There are only a few authors that I trust enough to read without checking out the blurb and reviews. With these it's like being given a box of my favorite brand of chocolates (Nina's) and reaching for one with my eyes closed, knowing I'll enjoy it no matter what it is.This means that the setting and period affect the protagonists and the way they interact, but it's still a story about two men from vastly different backgrounds coming together and each bringing their own strengths and weaknesses to the relationship.Mind you, I didn't realize this was not contemporary m/m until after I bought it. Lol..... Glad I didn't or I might have missed a wonderful book.Jane's writing is so fluid and well paced that I was instantly drawn in by the premise and before too long, the detail of the world building sank into the background.It's like theatre, the main subject of the story. When you walk in and take your seat, everything reflects the current world we live in, the hard seats, the electric light above, the rest of the audience in modern day clothes. The stage itself is hidden but you know that everything on it, the props and canvas are just constructs. Then the lights dim, the curtain is raised and the play begins. If it's good, you soon forget the unreality of the setting and become immersed in the story.Reading "Spoken from the Heart" is a bit like that.
