Cover design by Jay Aheer - Simply Defined Art
There are parts of our lives which are predestined, and no matter how hard we try, we can’t change what will happen — what must happen. Andrew Manners understood that better than most, but it didn’t change how he felt about his past or his desire to change it.
Even angels have regrets, and after living two mortal lifetimes in his angelic form, and with countless other years ahead, he would give it all up to be with the man he’d loved and lost for just one short lifetime together.
“Everything has a price. Every journey has an end.”
The price Andrew paid when his journey ended was immortality. A gift, some would say. A curse, others would whisper.
Even angels have regrets, and after living two mortal lifetimes in his angelic form, and with countless other years ahead, he would give it all up to be with the man he’d loved and lost for just one short lifetime together.
“Everything has a price. Every journey has an end.”
The price Andrew paid when his journey ended was immortality. A gift, some would say. A curse, others would whisper.
He’s walked the earth for almost one hundred years, putting aside all selfish needs while caring and offering comfort to others. When he finds a dying man on the streets of London, he’s unprepared for how it will change his life.
“I never knew how my life could change in such a short space of time, or how one decision would affect the outcome in such a monumental way.”
Josh is inconsolable after losing his partner, and as Andrew guides the grief stricken man through his pain, he’s forced to recall his own mortal life and the lover he left behind. Looking back allows him to see what he could find with Josh, but such a strong bond shouldn’t exist between a mortal and an angel, and Andrew struggles with the demands of his angelic duties and what his heart needs.
“I found out it was possible to love, and be loved in return, only to face losing it all.”
Knowing a relationship can only bring them both heartache, and unable to explain his angelic form, Andrew believes he will spend an eternity mourning what could have been.
“The true measure of love is what you’re willing to give up for it.”
With the terrifying prospect of living forever without the man he loves weighing heavily on his soul, Andrew seeks out a different path, one which could lead him into the hands of the demonic creatures which now hide in the shadows around him, or lead him into the arms of his soulmate. The risks are great. Andrew’s very soul is in danger. But what good is a soul without its mate?
Falling in love was easy. Falling for love would be the hard part.
This story had me hooked from the start, the premise of angels existing in the human realm something that has always held a fascination. Add to that the promise of love between two beautiful men and there was no way I was going to put this book down.
When we meet Andrew Manners, we discover he's an angel, charged to help mortals when the need arises. When he comes upon a scene of utter devastation, comforting a man named Josh during the loss of his partner, his fate is changed irrecoverably. This task is not new to Andrew, for as an angel it is part of who he is to help those in his charge, but never has the pull to a mortal been stronger.
While being there for Josh in his time of need, Andrew's story is also revealed, the emotions he feels about losing the one man he loved when in the prime of his mortal life overwhelming. The guilt is there as well as a strong sense of loss and longing - one Andrew can't seem to find a way around.
I wanted to hug Josh after seeing what he had gone through, Andrew the perfect balm for his battered soul. Yes these two were brought together by tragedy, but through these circumstances, they find something in one another that is essential for each of them to survive.
These two men tugged at my heartstrings big-time, the choices and sacrifices Andrew is forced to make potentially devastating, Josh's inability to function without Andrew obvious. I cried more than once for all they had endured. Smiled when they experienced happiness.
But this wasn't just about two men from entirely different worlds finding one another amongst the chaos and cruelty of fate.
It was also about hope.
Hope that after we are gone, we live on. That no matter what life throws at us, we can come out the other end stronger than ever before.
The author conveyed it all with skill, well rounded characters and the ability to put together a great tale.
Five stars for this emotional love story.
Born and bred in the the vibrant city of Leeds in the North of the UK. I’ve always loved reading, and one of my fondest memories from childhood was the weekly visits to the library with my beloved dad. It always seemed such a magical place to escape into through the books I read on a weekly basis.
I’d not really thought about writing in my adult life until I was introduced to the world of Fanfiction and after reading so many I found myself making friends through this new media. My friend, Lori, told me to have a go at writing one, and I did. That work took on a life of its own and opened my eyes to the possibilities. This allowed me to get used to plotting a story and while making the characters my own. I also started to beta/pre read for others and discovered, that much to my surprise, they valued my opinion and input.
Making the move to write M/M or slash as it’s known, took me a little longer. After becoming good friends with a wonderful lady from Illinois who told me (repeatedly), “You should write slash, I think you’d be good at it.” I shied away from the idea for so long, but the seed was firmly sown in my mind and soon took root and a life of its own. I decided to write a short piece as a surprise gift for Angela’s birthday that year. Emailing it to her, given the time difference between the UK and US this meant I was desperately waiting for her to see in and I think I heard her delighted scream. Thanks to this, and working on writing group competition, I soon found that I preferred writing M/M to M/F.
In 2013 fate intervened and I lost my job. Through my new one, I met Nicole Colville, and the rest, as they say, is history. This marked the start of a beautiful friendship. She encouraged me to make the switch to writing original fiction, and I signed up to Nano Wri Mo 2013, but due to changing jobs I couldn’t commit the time needed. In 2014 I signed up again, and smashed the 50K word goal in 30 days, with a story I love and am proud of.
I’ve been beta/pre reading for Nicole over 17 books now (including the 10 shorts in Knights) and the confidence she inspires in me has been invaluable in my joining this anthology and publishing my first work.
I’d not really thought about writing in my adult life until I was introduced to the world of Fanfiction and after reading so many I found myself making friends through this new media. My friend, Lori, told me to have a go at writing one, and I did. That work took on a life of its own and opened my eyes to the possibilities. This allowed me to get used to plotting a story and while making the characters my own. I also started to beta/pre read for others and discovered, that much to my surprise, they valued my opinion and input.
Making the move to write M/M or slash as it’s known, took me a little longer. After becoming good friends with a wonderful lady from Illinois who told me (repeatedly), “You should write slash, I think you’d be good at it.” I shied away from the idea for so long, but the seed was firmly sown in my mind and soon took root and a life of its own. I decided to write a short piece as a surprise gift for Angela’s birthday that year. Emailing it to her, given the time difference between the UK and US this meant I was desperately waiting for her to see in and I think I heard her delighted scream. Thanks to this, and working on writing group competition, I soon found that I preferred writing M/M to M/F.
In 2013 fate intervened and I lost my job. Through my new one, I met Nicole Colville, and the rest, as they say, is history. This marked the start of a beautiful friendship. She encouraged me to make the switch to writing original fiction, and I signed up to Nano Wri Mo 2013, but due to changing jobs I couldn’t commit the time needed. In 2014 I signed up again, and smashed the 50K word goal in 30 days, with a story I love and am proud of.
I’ve been beta/pre reading for Nicole over 17 books now (including the 10 shorts in Knights) and the confidence she inspires in me has been invaluable in my joining this anthology and publishing my first work.
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