Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books I’ve Read In 2018 (So Far)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week participating bloggers can create lists of topic given by the host, and share them with others!
I've had a pretty good reading year this far; I've read plenty of five and four stars books and not so many disappointing ones. And yes, most of these are LGBT books, as I've been loving M/M romance recently.

 

Release Day Blitz: Tight Quarters by Annabeth Albert

“Sexy, sweet and heartfelt, Annabeth Albert's Out of Uniform series is a fresh take on Navy SEALs that will delight and entertain romance readers.”

--Layla Reyne, author of the Agents Irish and Whisky series.   

Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform, #6)
by Annabeth Albert
Published by Carina Press
Release date: ebook July 9th, 2018 | print July 31st, 2018
M/M romance, contemporary, military

Petty Officer Bacon, a navy SEAL and ace sharpshooter, has been on the front lines of more than his fair share of dangerous ops. Yet when a minor injury relegates him to the beta team, he’s tasked with what may be his riskiest assignment yet: the silver fox journalist he’s babysitting is the hottest, most charismatic man he’s ever encountered.

Award-winning journalist Spencer Bryant may have been named one of Pride magazine’s most eligible bachelors of the year, but he’s not looking to change his relationship status. He’s a consummate professional who won’t risk his ethics or impeccable reputation by getting involved with a source. Even a sexy-as-hell military man. But while Spencer can resist his physical attraction to Bacon, he has less control over his emotions—especially when the mission goes sideways and the two men are trapped alone.

Getting out of the jungle alive turns out to be easy compared to facing the truth about their feelings for one another back in the real world. And whether or not they can build a future is a different story altogether.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

Teaser excerpt:

Bacon was hanging on to life by one index finger. Literally. One sore, overused finger was all that separated him and a plunge down the sheer cliff face. The desert sun had sweat rolling down his face, stinging his eyes.“Come on, Bake. You’ve got this!” Curly called at him. He was already safely on the ridge, along with several other SEAL team members. This was the last step in a grueling training mission that had tried their stamina with a HALO jump followed by a long run over rough terrain and this final climb..

About Annabeth Albert:

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.  The #OutOfUniform series joins her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ  romance #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat and #PerfectHarmony series.

To find out what she’s working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: www.annabethalbert.com or connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter.  In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two active children.

Connect with Annabeth: Twitter | Facebook  | Facebook Group | Newsletter | Instagram | Website

Giveaway!

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ARC Review: Circe by Madeline Miller

Circe
by Madeline Miller
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing
eARC
Mythology, fantasy, retelling, historical

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft.

When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe's place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home.

There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe's independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

Circe was one of my most anticipated releases for 2018, because Miller's debut The Song of Achilles is one of my all time favourite books. Circe includes a lot of Ancient Greek myths; the tension between Titans and Olympians, feuds and dalliances between gods, Daedalus, Ariadne and the birth of Minotaur, Jason and Medea, and even Achilles and Patroclus get a mention, and of course, Odysseys and his involvement with Circe. I liked reading these myths as retellings through Circe's immortal eyes.

Maybe it was just me, because so many seems to love Circe, but I couldn't connect with Circe as a main character. First she's so naive and a little bit spineless when it comes to her family and the Olympians; it was almost impossible to connect that Circe to the legendary witch of Aiaia. Then there's a twist when Circe snaps and becomes ruthless witch who cares nothing for men, gods and sea nymphs. It's abrupt change and while the naive Circe frustrated me at times, I could barely stand her after she becomes the legend I knew. However, there's few times when I liked Circe and rooted for her; when she meets Prometheus at the beginning, and when she spends time with Daedalus and Ariadne.

What kept me going was curiosity. Miller is a good writer and she can bring myths and legends alive. Circe might not have awoken such emotional response from me that The Song of Achilles did, but it was a solid retelling that included many well known myths from Ancient Greek. I admit that I had high expectations and I was prepared for similar emotional rollercoaster that The Song of Achilles put me through, even when I knew I've always been more invested in Ancient Greek tales of adventure, romance and war than tales of Circe and witchcraft.

Anyway, there was both moments that captivated me and moments when I was bored and disconnected from the story. This is mostly case it's me and not the book, because so many have embraced and loved Circe. If you find the premise interesting and you love myths and legends, I highly recommend Circe.

3 of 5 stars

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Thank you, Bloomsbury Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Circe!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Review: Ever After by Riley Hart & Christina Lee

Ever After
by Riley Hart & Christina Lee
Self-published
LGBT, romance, fantasy, historical

As next in line for the Evergreen crown, Prince Merrick Davendall's future involves ruling, marriage, and producing an heir of his own. But he's long been tormented by desires that are far from princely. Especially when the beautiful Cassius is promoted to be his new valet, and Merrick is struck by a longing like never before - a longing to know him far beyond royal and servant. 

After his father's passing, Cassius Havendale's sole duty is to provide for his family. A promotion to serve a pampered prince is something he endures only for their sake. Surely Prince Merrick had no understanding of the true suffering of the common people, nor could he possibly understand what it's like to desperately desire something he cannot have.

Except the prince is not at all what Cassius imagined. Kind, humorous, and caring to those in need, he also shares Cassius's affinity for the arts. In fact, Merrick understands his deepest vulnerabilities in a most remarkable way.

As their affection deepens, the underlying tension between them becomes unbearable and they're unable to ignore it any longer. But when the queen prepares a lavish ball with all the eligible ladies in the land in attendance, Merrick must fulfill his obligations to his country. They've long known their stolen moments would have to come o an end, but are they ready to give up one another and the idea of a happily-ever-after?

Ever After is a sweet fairytale with adorable and likable main characters. It's all around a feel good romance, which was just what I needed at the time I read it, and I fell for it. There's plenty of angst because of the forbidden love: Merrick is a prince and his parents are waiting for him to choose a lady to marry, and Cassius is Merrick's new valet, who can loose everything with a wrong move, because the society is homophobic. There's also the power imbalance between Merrick and Cassius, although Merrick never missuses his power.

Ever After gives serious Downton Abbey vibes. The book is described by the co-authors as wintery make-belief setting that isn't based on any specific time period, but for me it gave a lot of Downtown Abbey, especially when it came to the servants interacting with each other and with the people from upstairs. Anyway, while I liked the ambiguous setting and time period, I loved Cassius and Merrick, and their developing relationship. Merrick is a prince but he's all around a good guy, who prefers to be more modern and involved with the staff and subjects; instead of being cold and distant, he likes to play around in snow with orphan children and so on. Cassius is an introvert, who's a bit broody and prefers the company of his family and one friend at the castle, Valor. Together Cassius and Merrick are adorable, and I kept turning pages to see what will happen next. Another great point is how family is included and quite central for both Cassius and Merrick, for different reasons for both of them, although both have a loving family and devoted sisters.

I wholeheartedly recommend Ever After if you're in need for something cute, adorable and sweet romance with a side of angst. It certainly is stunning one that deserved praise.

5 of 5 stars

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books With Blue & White Covers

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week participating bloggers can create lists of topic given by the host, and share them with others!

I decided to go with both the colours of the country I was born and raised, and the country I currently call a home. Luckily for me, Finland and Scotland have same colours on their flags, blue and white. Finland has blue cross on white background and Scotland a white cross on blue background, so here I am presenting books with blue and white as dominant colours on covers!

 

Wrapping the Month: June

What's greater way to start new month than taking a look at previous one?

June was a good month both reading and blogging wise. I managed to be more consistent with the blogging, posting twenty post! I also read five books and one short classic story, and I liked all the five books so that was great. I'm happy that I managed to find the balance between life, reading, blogging and watching Netflix (I did binge watch most of Black Sails, which I'm currently loving!).

I got plenty of eARCs in June and two paperbacks. I'm currently travelling so I can't take a picture of them, but here's to covers to show you what I got.

June's reviews:

A Light Amongst Shadows (5 stars)
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime (4 stars)
Only Dull People Are Brilliant at Breakfast (3 stars)
How To Use Your Enemies (2 stars)
I Am Not A Serial Killer (4 stars)
Foxes Unearthed (4 stars)
Moonrise (3 stars)
Out, Proud, and Prejudiced (4 stars)
Cash Plays (4 stars)
The Near Witch (4 stars)

I'm happy with the five books and one short classic I read in June. Especially since I read most of them on the first half of the month before I went on a holiday.

  

  

I hope to blog in July as much as in June - and who knows, maybe even more!

Hugs,

Henna

Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

The Near Witch
by Victoria Schwab
Published by Disney-Hyperion
YA, fantasy, paranormal, romance

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. 

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. 

There are no strangers in the town of Near. 

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger - a boy who seems to fade like smoke - appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. 

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. 

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know - about the withc thta just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

I love Schwab's books, so I was overjoyed when I managed to find an used copy of The Near Witch, which is out of print. I went in knowing that it's a debut and might not be as good as some of her latest work, but I still loved this story. The most unique aspect in The Near Witch is the poetic, descriptive language. It's absolutely beautifully written and Schwab certainly knows how to play with words. It's a joy and wonder to read!

While the language was poetic and absolute joy, the plot was a little simple and characters were a bit tropey. The main character Lexi was quite bland as she got least development and her feelings weren't explained. It was difficult for me to identify with Lexi when her main objective seemed to be rebellious against her uncle Otto, and she made some stupid mistakes because of it. I was also a bit disappointed because the lack of suspense as it was easy for reader to see what's going on based on blurb and first clues alone.

Despite of the small disappointments with lack of suspense and character development, I enjoyed The Near Witch. However, there was plenty of intriguing side characters, such as the stranger Cole and the witches of Near, Magda and Dreska. Despite the criticism I have for some aspects, I truly enjoyed the story and poetic language. It was captivating, and I would have read a sequel if there was one. A good debut from Schwab, I'd say.

4 of 5 stars

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Stacking the Shelves (77)

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is all about sharing the book you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
Purchased

 

For Review

  

Book Blitz + Giveaway: The Proposition by A. M. Salinger

The Proposition (Nights, #6)
by A.M. Salinger
Publication date: June 26th 2018
Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

They call me the Charmer. My best friend Wade tells me it’s because I’m suave and mysterious. But he doesn’t know my secret. The one I’ve kept hidden from him for twelve years. The one I will never reveal to him — Rhys 

They call me The Brute. Probably because of my physique. And, let’s face it, because I’m a total dick at times. So Rhys likes to tell me anyway. Thing is, there’s something Rhys isn’t telling me. Something I’m dying to hear from his lips. His sinful confession. You see, I know Rhys’s secret — Wade 

Rhys Damon has spent most of his adult life watching Wade Tucker bed woman after woman, his dark desire for his best friend and business partner a secret he is determined to take to his grave, since he knows it will never be reciprocated. With their design firm thriving across two continents, Rhys finds himself content burying his heartache in a string of meaningless, casual sex arrangements. Until the night everything changes. 

When Wade Tucker stumbles upon his best friend calling out his name as he pleasures himself, he knows his relationship with Rhys will never be the same again. A year later, the memory of what Wade saw is still branded in his mind and his feelings for Rhys have evolved into something he never anticipated. As tension mounts and the relationship between the two business partners becomes increasingly strained, things finally come to a head the night Wade follows Rhys and discovers him with another man. 

After an explosive confrontation, Wade makes Rhys a proposition he can’t refuse: that they try things out for six weeks. Six weeks of exploring a side of each other they never knew before. Six weeks of torrid kisses and sultry touches. Six weeks of screamingly good, scorching hot sex. Six weeks of utterly losing themselves to one another. 

But as the end of their proposition looms in sight, can Wade persuade Rhys that he wants more? Or will Rhys’s deep-seated fears stop him from fully surrendering his heart and soul to the one man he thought he could never have? 

Discover Rhys and Wade’s wickedly intoxicating story in this sixth novella in the hot, contemporary romance series Nights by A.M. Salinger. Note from the author: although each book in Nights can be read as a standalone, you will enjoy this series even more if you read the books in order! 

This is a novella length MM romance with a HEA.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

A muscle jumped in Rhys Damon’s jaw as he strode across the open plan workspace of the Tokyo branch of Damon & Tucker. He ignored the curious looks of the men and women seated at the neat, uncluttered cubicles lining the ebony floor and stormed inside a large, glass-lined office. He slammed the door shut and glared at the figure on the other side of the sleek desk dominating the stark masculine room while he flicked a switch. The outside world disappeared as the privacy glass changed from clear to frosted.

“Why did you take Misaki off the Osaka project?” Rhys snapped.

Wade Tucker placed his pen down on the file he was working on and leaned back in his leather chair. His expression grew shuttered as he locked gaze with Rhys, his slate blue eyes unreadable.

“She’s not fit for it right now.”

Rhys inhaled shallowly and counted to five.

Breathe. Just breathe. Don’t let him get to you.

“Would you care to explain?” Rhys said between gritted teeth. “We agreed months ago that it was time to give her the lead on one of the new contracts and we did so. We’re now six weeks from the deadline. The timing of this couldn’t be any worse.”

Wade drummed his fingers on the white laminate table, a slight frown darkening his chiseled face. Rhys found his eyes drawn to Wade’s large hand and immaculately clipped nails. He wondered if Wade had touched anyone with that very hand the night before. Had dipped his fingers inside a woman’s hot mouth and her wet pussy. Had gripped her ass and her hips while he thrust his hard dick repeatedly into her body.

Rhys reigned in on the torrid images flashing across his inner vision and cursed internally.

Now is not the time to indulge in your usual fuck fantasies about this dipshit.

Rhys thinned his lips, leaned against the door, and folded his arms across his chest. “I’m still waiting, Wade.”

Wade let out a rueful sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “She’s made several mistakes in the past two weeks that would have jeopardized the entire project had one of the other designers on her team not picked up on them.”

Surprise jolted through Rhys at Wade’s words. It was followed by a surge of irritation. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me about this sooner? That doesn’t sound like the kind of thing she’d—”

“Because I only managed to pin her down and talk to her last night,” Wade said, his own voice laced with annoyance.

Rhys stilled, his mouth suddenly dry. “Wait…please tell me you didn’t sleep with her!”

Shock flared across Wade’s face. He scowled and jumped to his feet, his hands flat on the desk.

“What?! No! What the hell do you take me for?” he barked.

“An asshole who likes to dip his stick in any wet hole he can find,” Rhys said bluntly.

Wade blinked owlishly, his expression so disconcerted Rhys would have laughed had the candid statement he had just made not burned through his very core.

He’d watched Wade bed woman after woman in the sixteen years they had known each other, and it still hurt just as badly as the day he realized he wanted the man who ended up becoming his closest friend and business partner.

Fate is a sick, twisted bitch.

“You’re such a fucking contradiction,” Wade muttered.

Rhys stiffened under Wade’s heated stare. “What do you mean?”

Wade’s eyes darkened with a mixture of frustration and amusement.

“You’ve got that whole suave, sophisticated, butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-your-mouth look down to a T,” he said, his laser-like blue gaze roaming Rhys from his carefully-styled, dark blonde hair to the polished caps of his Italian loafers, “yet you’ve got the filthiest mouth of anyone I’ve ever met.”

Rhys ignored the fire licking across his skin where Wade had literally kissed his body with those dangerously mesmerizing eyes of his. He unfolded his arms, pushed away from the door, and tucked his hands in the pockets of his tailor-made trousers as he strolled casually across the office. He stopped opposite Wade and faced him across the desk.

“Of course.” Rhys arched an eyebrow arrogantly. “After all, that’s why they call me The Charmer and you The Brute.”

Wade’s lips twitched at the nicknames that had plagued them since their college days. “I still maintain they should have named us The Joker and The King.”

Rhys’s shoulders relaxed, the tension that had been with him since that morning slowly abating. “With me in the role of king, obviously,” he said tartly.

Wade chuckled, his mouth curving in a lopsided grin that brought out his dimples. Rhys swallowed a groan when he felt his dick stir in response.

Sexy fucker.

Wade’s expression gradually sobered. “Misaki’s pregnant. And she’s thinking about having a termination,” he said quietly.

Rhys inhaled sharply, surprise tightening his muscles once more.

Wade sighed. “And no, before you ask, it isn’t mine.”

Rhys’s heart thudded in his chest as he considered Wade. “Who’s the father?” he mumbled.

Wade rolled his eyes. “You get one guess.”

Rhys’s mind raced frantically as he thought of their staff and anyone Misaki had shown interest in of late. From Wade’s words, it had to be somebody they both knew.

“Not Reo?” Rhys said. “I know she had a thing for him a while back but he just got engaged, didn’t—”

“For one of the smartest guys I know, you sure are dumb sometimes,” Wade interrupted, deadpan. “It’s Itsuki.”

Rhys ignored the insult and frowned. “We haven’t got an Its—” He froze as a face swam before his eyes. “Oh my fucking God, you mean that Itsuki?!”

Wade nodded, his eyes sparkling with mirth at Rhys’s stunned expression.

“The sandwich guy?!” Rhys spluttered. “That baby-faced kid who looks like he hasn’t hit puberty yet? The one who delivers our lunch every day?!”

“Shush, keep your voice down!” Wade said with a frown, eyes darting to the frosted glass separating them from the outer office.

“We both know it’s soundproof,” Rhys said absent-mindedly. He crossed his arms and leaned his hip against Wade’s desk, still startled by Wade’s revelation. “Is she serious? About the termination?” he said after a while, chewing his lower lip thoughtfully.

They both knew Misaki was deeply committed to her career at Damon & Tucker. She had been with their Tokyo branch ever since its inception four years ago.

Wade’s gaze dropped fleetingly to Rhys’s mouth. He sat down slowly.

“I’ve told her to take some time out and think about it.” He picked up his pen and rolled it between his fingers. “Her head is all over the place right now and, until she makes her decision and comes to terms with it, she won’t be able to concentrate fully on work.”

“Good move,” Rhys murmured. He was still annoyed Wade had kept what had happened from him, but he was also pleased Wade had chosen to address things personally with Misaki first, before hauling her over the coals about her mistakes in front of the entire office. It was one of the reasons they had built such a successful business together and had fiercely loyal employees who rarely jumped ship.

“So, who are you thinking of giving the lead on the project to?” Rhys said curiously.

The pen stilled in Wade’s hand. The strangest look flashed in his eyes as he gazed at Rhys.

“I thought you and I could take this one on together.” A faint smile curved his sculptured lips. “Like the good old days.”

Rhys’s stomach plummeted as he stared back at Wade. The last thing he wanted to do with Wade was get back to their “good old days”. In fact, he couldn’t think of anything worse.

Rhys knew there was no way he could be that close to Wade again without doing something stupid.  Like kiss him. Or jump his bones.

“It’ll please our client. And with the both of us working on it, it won’t impact too much on our schedule,” Wade continued in a wary tone, as if he were testing the waters.

“What about Gabe?” Rhys said, conscious he was grinding his teeth. He took a breath and deliberately relaxed his jaw.

“He’s got his plate full with the Hawaii project.” Wade grimaced. “Besides, I can practically see heart-shaped bubbles above his head whenever I look at him these days. If he wasn’t a guy, I’d swear he was pregnant, too. He’s positively glowing.”

Gabe Anderson, one of their senior and most sought after design consultants, had recently gotten engaged to his boyfriend. Their relationship hadn’t been without its trials though, and it was a testament to the two men’s commitment to one another that they had come this far in such a short time.

“Well, if anyone could impregnate a guy, I’d say it was Cam Sorvino,” Rhys murmured as he thought of the gray-eyed king Gabe had tamed. He smiled faintly when another man’s face swam before his eyes, one he knew could also lay claim to that improbable scenario. “Or Joe Cavendish. And you, of course.”

Wade startled.

Rhys suppressed a bitter smile at his business partner’s expression.

“Don’t worry,” he drawled in the nonchalant tone he had mastered over the years of his friendship with Wade, “I know you have zero interest in sticking your dick in a man’s ass.” He pushed away from the desk and started for the door.

“Who’s Joe Cavendish?” Wade said.

Surprise flashed through Rhys at Wade’s tone. He paused and looked over his shoulder. “A friend.”

Lines wrinkled Wade’s brow. “You should introduce me, one day.”

Rhys blinked. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that was a hint of jealousy in his voice. He scoffed at himself internally then. Yeah, like that would ever happen.

“I don’t think so,” Rhys said smoothly.

Wade’s frown deepened.

And there it is.

Author Bio
Ava Marie Salinger is the pen name of an Amazon bestselling author who has always wanted to write scorching hot contemporary and erotic romance. In 2018, she finally decided to venture to the steamy side. NIGHTS is the first of several sizzling series featuring sweet, sexy men and women with dark pasts and a whole lot of love to give to the ones brave enough to fight for their hearts. When she’s not dreaming up hotties to write about, you’ll find Ava creating kickass music playlists to write to, spying on the wildlife in her garden, drooling over gadgets, and eating Chinese.

Want to be the first to know about Ava’s new releases and get access to exclusive content, sneak previews, sales, and giveaways ? Then sign up to her Reader Group here and join her VIP Facebook Fan Group here. 

Here are some other places where you can connect with her: 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon / Pinterest / Book+Main Bites

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Book Blitz + Giveaway: Galaxies and Oceans by N.R. Walker

Galaxies and Oceans
by N.R. Walker
Publication date: June 25th 2018
Adult, LGBTQ+, Romance

Seizing his one chance to escape, Ethan Hosking leaves his violent ex-boyfriend, leaves his entire life, and walks into the path of a raging bushfire. Desperate to start over, a new man named Aubrey Hobbs walks out of the fire-ravaged forest, alive and alone. With no ID and no money, nothing but his grandfather’s telescope, he goes where the Southern Cross leads him. 

Patrick Carney is the resident lighthouse keeper in Hadley Cove, a small town on the remote Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia. After the tragic death of his lover four years ago, he lives a solitary life; just him, a tabby cat, the Indian and Southern Oceans, and a whole lot of loneliness. He’s content with his life until a stranger shows up in town and turns Patrick’s head. 

Patrick never expected to be interested in anyone else. 

Aubrey never expected to be happy. 

Between Aubrey’s love of the stars and Patrick’s love of the ocean, these two fragile hearts must navigate new waters. If they can weather the storm of their pasts, they could very well have a love that eclipses everything.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Patrick
I stopped, looked toward the lonely figure still watching the ocean below, and with a deep breath and nothing to lose, I crossed the street and walked toward him.

“Hi,” I said, still a few metres away so as not to scare him.

He spun regardless, his eyes wide. He had dark eyes, pale skin, and I could see short brown hair poking out from under his hood. He looked three days unshaven, and the bump on the bridge of his nose gave his handsome face a rugged edge. “Oh, hi.”

“Didn’t mean to scare ya.” I nodded toward the tumultuous, tumbling ocean. “She’s upset today.”

He looked back out to the rough seas and gave me a quick smile. “It’s actually kinda pretty.”

I scratched at my beard. “I’ve heard it been called cruel, cold, rugged, hellish. The only people who call it pretty are the ones who end up staying.”

He looked back out to sea and smiled. The wind caught his hood and tousled his hair. His cheeks were pink from the cold as was the tip of his nose. He was handsome, no two ways about it. And possibly fifteen years younger than me.

I made myself look away. “What brings you here?”

“Looking,” he answered without turning to me.

“For?” I stared out across the stormy waves with him. “Work? A new beginning?”

He shot me a look. “Something like that.”

I sipped my coffee. “There’s not much work here. Well, that’s not true. There’s a tonne of work; this whole town is weather-beaten and old. Just not much work that pays.”

His lips twitched.

“But you can try the caravan park.” I didn’t let on that I knew that was where he was staying. “Old Frank Hill who runs the place would never say no to help. Maintenance, that kind of thing.”

He turned back to the water, to the wind. “I’ve asked him already.”

“Frank’s just a grumpy old man who thinks anyone under thirty’s a hooligan. I’ll have a word with him if you like.”

“Why would you do that?”

I smiled and gave pause. Why was I offering to help this guy? I didn’t know him from Adam. Sure, he was good-looking, but there was something in his eyes. Something deep, hidden, and burning. Something horrendously painful. Something I recognised.

I faced the angry sea alongside him. “Because you called this ocean pretty.”

Neither of us spoke for a while. I drank my coffee and he turned his empty cup in his hands.

“Anyway,” I said, realising I couldn’t stand around all day. “My name’s Patrick. I live at the lighthouse.”

That made him look at me. “In the lighthouse?”

“No. Not in it. In the residence.”

“Oh. Cool.”

“Well, it’s almost two hundred years old, made from sandstone, and it’s tiny. But yes, it’s cool.” I smiled as the wind whipped around us. “I should go. I have work to do, but I’ll call around and see Frank after lunch.” I pulled the newspaper out from under my arm, and his eyes darted to the front page.

He stared so long I turned it around so he could read it, but he shot me a look that I couldn’t place, and it was gone so fast I’d wondered if I’d seen it. He stepped back. “Yeah, um, thanks. That’d be great.”

It wasn’t until I got home that I realised what the look on his face was. It was fear. And I realised I didn’t know his name.

Author Bio
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.

She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don't let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words. 

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. 

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She's been writing ever since... 

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