Thursday 23 December 1999

Waiting for a Spark

The Book

Could running out of milk have Jerome running headlong into love?

Jerome's life is pretty mundane. Every day he catches the bus to work, listens to his best friend rant on about the latest crisis in his life, and tries to stop his attention from wandering to the gorgeous guy in the back seat.

Friday morning is no different. Except that Jerome is lost in all kinds of lustful dreams because Gorgeous is definitely making eye contact. But when his best friend involves the entire bus in a rant about jobs lost to Eastern Europeans, Jerome finds himself too distracted to challenge it. And that moment of inattention might ruin Jerome's chance to finally discover if reality can match his fantasies because Gorgeous has gone. And without as much as a backwards glance. 

Two days later, Jerome’s run out of milk and all the local shops are shut except for the Polskie Delikatesy. Stepping through the door brings Jerome face to face with the object of his hopeless affection—and an awkward confrontation about the nature of prejudice. If he can come to terms with his own misconceptions about others, and accept the offered chance to set the record straight, maybe he'll be going home with more than just a pint of milk. 



Waiting got a Spark was originally released in the Lashings of Sauce anthology.

This new edition contains the ficlet 'When the Boat Comes In', previously available as a blog post.


Buy Links

Universal Amazon Link getBook.at/WaitingforaSpark


Add it to your Goodreads shelf.


Wednesday 22 December 1999

Just Hanging Out

Just Hanging Out


Only 99p

The Book
“Come and honour the Oak King.” 

The countdown to the company solstice picnic is one of Shawn’s favourite times of the year. The scents of sage, mint, basil, sunflower, and lavender fill the air as the workshop mixes up the final batch of Litha, their solstice soap. It’s celebration time! This year, Shawn has an extra spring in his step, and it’s all for the new buyer, Tim. Shawn’s fine having a crush on the gorgeous new straight guy. Until he isn’t. 

As the clock ticks down to Picnic-Day, Shawn’s confidence and Tim’s sexuality become mired in doubt and second guesses. It’s a minefield of embarrassed glances and missed opportunities. Seems like they’ll never get together… 

To cap it all, Shawn’s drawn Tim in the secret solstice gifting. What to get for the quiet man who turns Shawn’s legs to jelly and has the best underwear hanging from the washing line in his garden? And will that tempting rainbow of colour be forever seared onto Shawn’s brain?

Word count: ~16700

Cover designed by Lillian Francis at Finally Love Press


Buy Links: Kobo // Payhip // B&N // Smashwords
Universal Amazon link: myBook.to/JustHangingOut_LF

Add it to your Goodreads bookshelf here. 


About the Author
Lillian Francis is a self-confessed geek who likes nothing more than settling down with a comic or a good book, except maybe writing. Given a notepad, pen, her Kindle, and an infinite supply of chocolate Hob Nobs and she can lose herself for weeks. Romance was never her reading matter of choice, so it came as a great surprise to all concerned, including herself, to discover a romance was exactly what she’d written, and not the rollicking spy adventure or cosy murder mystery she always assumed she’d write. 

Email: lillianfrancis@rocketmail.com


Excerpt
“Come on, everyone. Time to honour the Oak King.” Miriam stood in the centre of the office and jiggled a deep wooden bowl, exquisitely carved with the face of the Green Man. “Come and pick your giftee.”

Yes, I did say Oak King. Miriam’s a new-age hippie, whose 100% natural soap has taken her from cooking the stuff up in her kitchen and selling it from a stall at various markets, to a thriving shop and workshop with a staff of twenty plus. We’ve branched out into candles in the last few years, but it’s the soap, especially the seasonal range, that brings in the punters. Oh, and she’s a Pagan. Hence, the honouring the Oak King statement.

Don’t worry. There’s no sacrifice involved. We have a massive picnic on the Downs on Midsummer’s Eve, drink too much local ale, and the Oak King—normally Ali from Packaging, in a headdress made of antlers and a myriad of leaves, flowers, and herbs—hands out our jokey gifts. Then we settle in to watch the sunset and bid the Oak King farewell for another six months. In other words, it’s a chance to eat well, drink better, and have a laugh, all the while showing appreciation for an amazing boss and honouring her beliefs, even if we’re a mix of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and atheists. Dunno why the atheists can’t have their own capital letter. Me, I’m probably an agnostic with Taoist leanings.

“You too, Shawn,” Miriam called over to me. “Stop hogging the copier and grab a name.”

I glanced at my watch and then flicked my gaze surreptitiously out the window. Still time. If I was quick, and Miriam didn’t choose that moment to chat, I could be back at my station without missing a moment of the action. Shaking a leg, and my impressively pert behind, I slipped in between two of the admin clerks and plucked a slip of paper from the pot. Without bothering to even glimpse at the name written on it, I stuffed the folded slip into the front pocket of my jeans and returned to the photocopier. One more glance at the time—8:52—and I pressed the button to start my items printing.

There were enough pages in this print run to keep me at the copier for a good few minutes. I saved up all but the most urgent for these five minutes just before nine. It was a routine I’d been keeping for the last few months. As the copier warmed up after a night of inaction, with the gentle whirr of reanimated machinery, I took a moment to enjoy the view from the window. The azure blue of the sky contrasted with the white blossom on the tree just on the edge of the company’s land at the rear entrance. Beyond, a neat row of cottages caught the eye and drew the gaze of anyone who had time to stop and watch.

As I appreciated the view, a door of one of the cottages opened and a tall, broad man stepped out onto the path that led down a well-kempt front garden to the road. Yeah, I know that kempt means well cared for, so the well is redundant. I work in communications and I’ve a Desmond in English Lit and Environmental Science. That’s lower second class honours for those of you not in the know. Not bad for a lad from Saath London. Of course, four years at Canterbury, another four living in this small Sussex town, coupled with some conscious effort, have more or less knocked that accent out of me.

Less about me, back to another thing that was kempt and well put together. The object of my voyeuristic tendencies stepped through his gate and out onto the pavement then turned in my direction. A happy sigh escaped me as the early morning sun caught his wavy hair just right; fiery copper reflected back to me in reds and gold. His eyes were green, and flecked with amber. Not that I could see his irises from this distance—I could barely make out the strong features that made up his ruggedly handsome face. And the freckles that gave him an oddly incongruous boyish look were filled in from memory at this point. I sighed again, far too dramatically for my own liking.

Rather than concentrate on the parts of him that required my imagination, I studied the visual feast in front of me. Now he’d cleared the obstruction of his neighbour’s privet, I had an uninterrupted view, where I could drink my fill without the risk of getting caught.

Chinos—the russet pair today—encased long legs, and heavily muscled thighs bunched beneath the material with every determined stride that brought him a step closer. Finally, the man disappeared below my sight line. The photocopier whirled to a stop, spitting out the last few pages of my weekly comms report and a stack of sample leaflets for Miriam’s perusal. I had about five minutes to school my features and get back to my desk, or get caught tongue-tied. Again.

A flash of colour caught my eye as I turned away from the view and I spun back to the window expecting to see the swoop of ring-necked parakeets. The birds were becoming a more common sight in local gardens these days. Maybe the green bastards thought I was homesick and followed me from London.

Instead of the expected flap of wings, my gaze found the source of the flashes of colour: a washing line strung in the back garden of one of the cottages. Clothes hung from the line, fluttering in the gentle breeze of a pleasant June morning. Not just any clothes, though.

Nope, a whole line full of bright, skimpy, tight underwear. Underwear that I’d seen advertised in Attitude that very morning as I read on my bus journey to work. And by seen, I meant studied. Intently. Double-page spread. Three all but naked guys getting handsy with each other and appearing to love every minute of it. Hell, I’d even stuffed in my headphones, thanked any deity who wanted to listen that I was sitting in the back, and watched the ‘making of’ video. Those models were having fun, no doubt about it.

Get A Grip. Flamboyant, colourful, crotch-cupping, butt-caressing underpants. With a marketing campaign that focused on the gay man. Ask a straight guy about GAG and 95% wouldn’t know what you were talking about.

Not only that, but the garden the washing line was located belonged to—

“Morning, Shawn. Printing again?”

Now I was close enough to see the green of his eyes. The deep rumble that came from his broad chest caressed the vowel sound in my name and threatened to turn my legs to jelly.

Stupid! Answer him. All I could do was echo the greeting, anything else was beyond me, the sight of those pants hanging in a neat rainbow of colour seared on to my brain. “Morning, Tim.”

Tim faltered as though expecting there would be more forthcoming, but I had nothing. Nothing workplace appropriate, anyway. Asking your colleague to model his undies for you was probably frowned upon, even for a liberal employer like InScents, and Tim was still comparatively new and seemed kinda shy for a big guy. I wouldn’t say we were friends yet but I hoped we were getting there. So I kept my mouth shut.

The moment stretched on but it could have lasted no more than a second or two, then Tim carried on past, heading for his desk. I thought I’d detected a dusky flush of rose under his freckles but I was easily distracted and couldn’t quell the urge to watch the tight pull of Tim’s chinos as he walked away from me.

Not an unfamiliar feeling any time Tim walked in front of me.
But now I couldn’t stop myself from imaging his muscular arse cheeks enclosed in a pair of GAGs.


* * * * *

Wednesday 15 December 1999

New Lease of Life



Cover Art: Paul Richmond

There’s a fine line between independence and isolation.

Phillip used to laugh a lot, back when his friends called him Pip. However the good deed that left him hospitalized not only marred his body, it stripped him of his good humor too. Ever since, he has pushed his friends away and shut out the world. Donating his vintage clothing to a charity shop should have been the final act in a year-long campaign to sever the links with the man Pip used to be, but the stranger on his doorstep awakens feelings in Pip that he hasn’t experienced since the incident that left him angry at the world and reliant on the cold metal of the hideous hospital-issue crutch.

Colby forces his way into Pip’s life, picking at the scab of his past. Colby isn’t interested in Pip’s money or his expensive address. He has only one goal: to make Pip smile again. With every moment in Pip’s presence, Colby chips away at the walls Pip has built around himself. Pip knows it’s impossible to fight his attraction with Colby’s sunny disposition casting light into the darkness in his soul.



Release date: 25th December 2015

Buy Links
Dreamspinner Press // Amazon US // Amazon UK // Kobo 


It's also available in paperback.


New Lease of Life


Reviews for New Lease of Life


An excellent review from MelanieM over at scattered thoughts and rogue words. 

"Once again, Lillian Francis has written a story and characters guaranteed to capture your heart."

"This is a story to treasure and Lillian Francis an author to put on autobuy.  This is just so well written, its entertaining and just such a lovely romance. I so highly recommend them both.   Make it your New Year’s resolution to seek them both out and find out why!"

Read the whole review here.



Another 4.5 star review for New Lease of Life, this time from Divine Magazine.


"New Lease of Life is a story about a young man losing his way when something unexpected happens to change his self-perception. ... Lillian Francis has dealt with this issue compassionately in New Lease of Life, as we watch the journey one man takes to learn to like, and then love himself, again, with the help of his special someone."


"I absolutely loved New Lease of Life. It's a feel good story that will touch your heart and keep you riveted to the very end."


Check out the full review here.



Yep, not one but three 4 star reviews from Inked Rainbow Reads.

"The two of them together – watching Pip come out of his shell and Colby learn to respect Pip, but do so in a way that also pushed his boundaries was great to read.

Both were given a new lease on life and it was a sweet, not a lot of drama story." - Avidreader

"Colby comes into his life like a rainbow after a storm." - Cookie.
LOL Love this description of Colby. So much the way I wrote him. (LF)

"I liked this couple together and was hoping for more of them.
 Maybe a part 2? I want Pip to meet Colby’s family. I want both their worlds to mesh and see how they handle it. It felt like book one was a set up for a book 2, or maybe that’s my wishful thinking." - Cookie

"I really liked the way this author wrote this characters and this story! You get some angst with this book but you also get so much sweet too!" - Kira


See the reviews in full here.


This one from Joyful Jay.

"What I liked best about this story was that it was a slow burn romance with a lot of angst, mainly in the form of miscommunication and misunderstandings. I also liked that the two characters didn’t immediately jump into a physical relationship. In fact, readers don’t begin to see any heat until almost the end of the book. Therefore, instead of sexy scenes, readers are treated to a an extended period of getting to know each other before things heat up…and heat up they do!"

"If you are a fan of a good hurt-comfort storyline, one with a lot of angst and short on sexy scenes, you are going to love this book."

3.75 stars

Read the rest of the review here.


A 3.5 star review from My Fiction Nook.

"I liked this book. I liked the story, and I liked the plot. The setting in England was well done, and the writing followed the setting, with Colby being a bit rougher around the edges than Phillip. I enjoyed the snark and sarcasm, and Phillip's dry humor.

Definitely worth checking out."

Full review here


A 3 heart review from Love Bytes Reviews

"Once I warmed to Pip’s character this was a very enjoyable read. I recommend it to lovers of the MM romance genre, who like stories that focus more on angst and relationship development than sex."

Although she does say about the sex "Around the 87% we finally get some heat. And in the words of the characters, it was downright ‘filthy’."

Full review here.








Sunday 7 November 1999

When Love Flue In



 photo whenlovefluein_800_zps5dcaa93f.jpg

A soot-haired chimney sweep, an exploding flue and an uncooked turkey. It’s an unholy trinity that may make all of Dominic’s Christmas wishes come true.
Dominic is celebrating his first Christmas since his divorce, and although he’s spending it on his own, he’s determined to have a traditional Christmas morning, including a roaring fire. Unfortunately, Dominic’s chimney is blocked, which is why Reagan, a soot-haired chimney sweep, is head and shoulders up Dominic’s flue. Dominic is just lucky the man had a cancellation on Christmas Eve.
Unable to take his eyes off Reagan’s low-slung jeans and enticing arse while Reagan sets about the hearth with rods and brushes, Dominic knows five years is a long time to be obsessed with the man who sweeps his chimney every Christmas. This year there’s nothing to stop Dominic from acting on his desires—except his own insecurities.
An exploding flue provides the opportunity for more than just polite conversation and could be the catalyst for a perfect Christmas. But Dominic will need to stop hiding who he really is before a special sweep can light a fire in his heart.
Publisher's Note: This book was previously released by another publisher. It has been revised and re-edited for release with Totally Bound Publishing.


Release date: 5 December 2014

Buy Links: Totally Bound // All Romance ebooks  //  Kobo  //  Amazon UK  // Amazon US

Reviews for When Love Flue In
Nautical Star Books - 4 stars
"When Love Flue In had me smiling about half way through the book.  I always know I am going to love a story when it actually makes me FEEL something!"
"I loved the details that the author provided and the wonderful character development."
"Reagan’s mom is just awesome"
"If you are looking for a short and sweet romance to get you in the Christmas spirit, When Love Flue In is a great choice!  There is a sweet and gentle buildup to Dominic and Reagan’s relationship and when they finally give in to temptation, the heat is phenomenal.  After years of longing glances and private fantasies, they finally get what they have wanted for so very long!"


Sexy Erotic Xciting Reviews - 'Sexy and Sizzling' 4 handcuffs.


"Lillian Francis’ When Love Flue In was a lovely tale built on not only mutual attraction but mutual affection."


"Ms. Francis allowed for character development and led us in a journey of self-discovery and sensuality."

"When Love Flue In should be added to any collection of gentle lovers and Christmas cheer. This short read will not disappoint."

Read the full review here.

The Bookpushers - I’m giving “When Love Flue In” a B

"I had a great time with this read."

"For a shorter read this packed a wonderful little emotional punch that didn’t rely solely on the incredibly hot sex but included the dialogue and fantasies as well."

Read the full review here.



YAY! A five star review for When Love Flue In, this review from Sinfully Sexy Books. 


"A true Christmas fairy tale."

"Reagan and Dominic are as sweet as Christmas fruit pies."

"Dominic's first time is funny, romantic, threaded with caring and so wonderfully hot."

"You have to read this one for Christmas. It will genuinely warm your heart."



Read the full review here.



A Four Heart review from Boy Meets Boy Reviews. I got a double review, so I had to please two reviewers not one.

"Holy jingle balls, talk about some well written sexual tension."

"...one of the sweetest/hottest first time scenes that I've read"

"It made my heart grow three sizes."

"Pretty much everything you need for a wonderful Christmas story"

"It made me gooey inside and left me sighing happily at the end. A really lovely little read."

The whole review can be found here.

Tuesday 26 October 1999

Lovers Entwined



Ewan Matthews is one of Boston’s leading genealogy experts. When a would-be bridegroom comes looking for confirmation that there are no skeletons in his ancestral closet, Ewan considers turning the job down. Trey Capell is a jerk of the highest order and yet Ewan experiences an infuriating attraction that’s easy to justify. Trey’s exactly his type—a carbon copy of the man Ewan’s been looking for his entire life.

Harder to explain is the sense of recognition that leaves Ewan speechless the moment Trey steps into his office. Or the stomach-churning sensation at the thought of casting the job aside. Trey gets more appealing by the day, leaving Ewan struggling with forbidden desire for his client. Desire not helped by strange voyeuristic dreams that have started to haunt his sleep. Dreams that appear to be an echo of the past.




Release Date: 3rd August 2015

Published by Finally Love Press

Buy Links: Amazon US // AmazonUK // Kobo //  Payhip // B & N // Smashwords


Reviews for Lovers Entwined

Inked Rainbow Reads have given Lovers Entwined a 5 star review.

"It’s Ewan’s journey that’s most compelling, falling down a family tree that reveals that love is eternal, soulmates are real, and history, so often, is tragic."

"I loved this book. It has torrid, forbidden romance, ups and downs, triumph and grief, and it made me CRY."

"if you want a good Romance Novel, this one’s it."


A 5 'Victoria Cross Medal' rating review from Bike Book Reviews.

"This is one of those books that you wish you could read over and over for the first time!"

"...a beautiful love story that is timeless and beautiful in the telling!"

"This book is epic... you don't just get one love story, you get several, but get out your tissues, because you WILL cry!"

"Thank you Lillian, for a love story that is so big it spans centuries!"

Read the review in full here.


This time from Bayou Book Junkie. Rating: 4.5 Stars.

"This was a really interesting read. I love how the author blended the past with the present in such an intriguing way."

"I adored Ewan"

"Very recommendable read"

Read the review in full here.


MelanieM over at scattered thoughts and rogue words has given Lovers Entwined a brilliant 4 star review.

"Lovers Entwined by Lillian Francis is a moving, romantic story, one that I loved."

"I was sobbing like mad several times in this story, even though I knew it was coming.  But the power of the descriptions and the emotional strength of those moments won through and I was lost."

"But (Ms) Francis handles each flashback and couple almost as a separate story, giving them the attention each is due.  She gives us a real connection to every reincarnation, and as that love is lost, all that affection and hope is transferred to the most recent couple…Ewan and Trey."

"Lillian Francis is quickly becoming a “must read” for me.  I loved her “Theory Unproven“, and now her “Lovers Entwined”.  I highly recommend both of these stories and author Lillian Francis!"

Read the review in full here.


A lovely review for Lovers Entwined over at Sue Browns Stories.

"Definitely a 5 star book. I adored Lovers Entwined and read it in one session. Normally I'm wary of the dream sequences but Lillian handled them skilfully and led us into their entwined lives down the generations. As the book progressed I wanted to kick Trey as he dangled on the hook of his relationship but that was handled so well. Lillian didn't make his fiancée the 'villain', so much as a woman whose focus has changed. Trey and Ewan's relationship is gloriously spiky and sweet at the same time. Well worth reading."




A 4.5 star review from Nautical Star Books.

"Lovers Entwined by Lillian Francis is truly an exceptional book."

"I could not put this book down and there were tears in my eyes during a lot of it.  Reading about the historical characters was incredibly moving.  Seeing glimpses of these couples and learning how they were all entwined together was beautiful."

"The Epilogue of Lovers Entwined was creative and made me smile."

If you want to read the review in its entirety you can find it here.


A 4 heart review from Love Bytes Reviews for Flashback Friday.


Monday 2 August 1999

Resistance - Village Love #1

Cover designed by Garrett Leigh
at 
blackjazzdesign.com
The Book

How long can you wait on a promise?

After his first night with Mal, Rick broke the habit of a lifetime and invited the sexy radiographer to spend the weekend in the sleepy English village he called home. Rick isn’t in denial but he’s afraid to reveal his sexuality in the close-knit community that has known him since he was a babe in arms.

The sex is amazing but equally Mal loves lazy days spent in the garden at Slopy Bottom, and every precious moment he spends with Rick. For Mal the village quickly becomes an oasis of peace, far from the noise and grime of life in London, a slice of tranquillity with Rick at the heart. But Mal has defied his family and his religion to be true to himself, and there is no way can he join Rick in his self-built closet, no matter how comfortable it is...

Rick is afraid revealing the true nature of his relationship with Mal will change the way his neighbours see him. He adores these people, this village, and he can’t face the thought of losing everything over who he chooses to sleep with. When the alternative is giving up a man who has slotted perfectly into his life—a man who he might just love—it’s no choice at all. But, knowing what has to be done isn’t always as easy as putting it into practice.








Buy Links: Kobo // 
Universal Amazon link: myBook.to/Resistance_LF



Add it to your Goodreads bookshelf here


About the Series
Resistance is book 1 in my new series, Village Love. Village Love is set in the fictional Sussex village of Slopy Bottom. I'll let Rick tell you how Slopy Bottom got its name.

“It’s one p, Slopy Bottom. The village has been there centuries. Local historians think it started life as Slope Bottom since the oldest houses are on the low slope at the bottom of a hill. The rest of the village spread out into the valley as the years went by but the name stuck. At one point the village was all but owned by a French lord, which could account for the mispronunciation, and it appears to have been Slopy Bottom ever since.”

Rick and Mal? Haven't you written about those characters before?
The simple answer is yes. Rick and Mal appeared in a one-off short story, Resonance. Resonance spawned this story which in turn spawned a whole host of storylines. As Resonance doesn't take place in the village it has been assigned as Village Life 0.5.

Do I need to read Resonance to read Resistance?
No. Several of my beta readers didn't read Resonance before working on Resistance and found it had no impact. However, Resonance is the story of how Rick and Mal meet and will obviously shed further light on their relationship.

Where can I buy Resonance?
Resonance is currently available at ARe and Amazon.
I regularly make this a free read at ARe, keep an eye on my feed for when I might do this again.
At Amazon it is 99p or the equivalent. Here's a universal link to take you to your local Amazon store.

Will there be more books in the series?
Definitely. I'm already working on Book 2, and Book 3 has been urging me to write it's opening scene in the last couple of days (I resisted, but I did make some scrappy notes). I have very brief story lines, if they work out, for at least a Book 4, and maybe a Book 5. If you read a particular character that you like drop me a line and let me know, I've undoubtedly got a plan to pair him with someone!




Excerpt
‘A smile can always be heard in your voice’.
He could almost hear his mum uttering those words of wisdom—just nine of many in her repertoire—and for a moment Rick wished that his parents still lived in the village. That he didn’t need to travel halfway around the world for a hug from the woman who’d always been there for him.
Not that she’d entertain his chiping for more than a moment before he got a bannicking. She’d always listened to his complaints, would offer advice where necessary, but stupidity would be followed by a whack upside his head or being chased off with the yard brush. He smiled at the memories the thought conjured up. No, his mum would provide no help in this situation. He’d be thirty in eighteen months, old enough to deal with his relationship woes, especially since they were problems of his own making.
Rick forced the widest smile he could manage and gripped his phone while he waited for the call to connect. Leaning on the old wooden farm gate that cut his property off from the lane beyond, Rick scratched at the short hair at the back of his head. The lane was empty; his cottage the last before the cobbles narrowed to a dusty footpath and disappeared into the lush green of the woodland.
“Mal,” Rick said the moment the call was picked up at the other end, not even giving his lover a chance to utter his standard greeting.
Too bright. Too quickly. He knew his voice would be giving him away but he couldn’t stop himself. “Look, Mal…” He glanced at the overnight bag at his feet.
Mal sighed, breaking Rick out of his contemplation. “What’s happened now?”
“Happened?” Shit! Mal didn’t sound at all surprised that he’d called. Not angry, either. Just resigned.
“Yes. What natural disaster has befallen your sleepy little village this weekend? Has the church spire collapsed and killed the verger? Or has Mr P K Pig had his roof blown off and you have to fix it post haste to protect him from predators?”
“What?” For someone who’d had the entire conversation planned in his head before he’d pressed Mal’s speed dial button, Rick was far too rapidly losing control.
“Tell him that it’s his own fault for building his house out of straw and winding up hairy men.”
“Mal, are you okay? What is this obsession with pigs? Have you succumbed to the enticing waft of bacon from the flat upstairs?”
Every time Rick woke up at Mal’s flat, the aroma of gently crisping bacon all but lured him up the stairs to 35B. Not that Mal had banned Rick from eating bacon when he visited, but bringing a pack of sliced pig into the flat of his Muslim boyfriend seemed a trifle insensitive. The neighbour in 35B was a behemoth of a man, unlikely to be satisfied by a couple of slices of bacon. More than likely he was up there every Sunday morning roasting the whole pig. He was hairy too, from the full beard and tufts of hair sprouting from the V-neck of his T-shirt that Rick had glimpsed when they’d bumped into each other in the communal hallway last weekend. More a bear than a wolf…
Had Mal been lured by the scent of bacon into the hairy arms of the biker upstairs, all because Rick kept mucking him around? Surely Mal wouldn’t—
“Rick!” Mal sounded exasperated and Rick wondered how many times he’d called his name while Rick was lost in nightmares involving bears and bacon. “I asked you what your excuse was this time. Why can’t I come over to you this weekend?”
“I wasn’t phoning for that.” Rick’s gaze dropped to the bag by his feet once more, and he hoped the guilty feeling rising in his gut hadn’t transferred to his voice.
“Really?” Mal’s tone held a trace of hopefulness that made Rick’s stomach lurch. Had his constant changing of plans caused Mal to worry about Rick’s commitment to their fledgling relationship? “Because you’ve had some type of handyman emergency on both previous occasions I was supposed to come down and stay with you.”
“I still managed to see you both times,” Rick argued. But it was a weak response and he knew that spending time together wasn’t the issue Mal was highlighting.
“And I appreciate that you made the drive up here after you finished your work. But I thought we were going to try to make a go of things, not just grab a couple of hours together on a Sunday afternoon or fall into bed on a Saturday evening because you’re too tired to go out anywhere.”
“I had fun both times.” Whether they were shagging like bunnies or meeting for a late lunch and a walk in the park, Rick enjoyed Mal’s company. Something more than passion had flared brightly between them the first time they met, but Mal lived in London, over an hour’s drive from Rick’s sleepy village, and not wanting to lose touch was the only reason he’d agreed to these alternate weekends. Well, actually, it had been Rick’s idea, and yet, so far, Mal hadn’t set foot anywhere near Rick’s home.
“So did I—” The line crackled and Mal’s voice dropped out for a second or two. “Sorry, lost you for a moment there. I like you Rick, probably too much for a relationship that’s only in its sixth week, and I want more than a couple of hours here and there. I want the lazy weekends. I want to see where you live.”
“I want that too.” Rick kicked the bag at his feet. “I’ve just been really busy.”
“I know you work for yourself and you have to take the work where you can. I hope you don’t hate me for pushing you. I can help if you have to work this weekend. Or I can just sit in the spring sunshine and read a book. The sun is shining in Sloppy Bottom, isn’t it?”
Rick couldn’t help it, he laughed. “Slopy Bottom, you idiot. Wait, hate you? What have you done?”
“I was trying to pre-empt this call.” Mal sounded sheepish.
I wasn’t cancelling. The lie teetered on Rick’s tongue but he couldn’t let it fall. He didn’t want to risk Mal calling him on it.
“How?” Rick asked, although he had a feeling he knew. Those strange dips in the conversation would make sense if Mal—
“I’m already on the train.”
Of course he is. Rick’s heart picked up in a rabbity beat as the thrill of seeing Mal again warred with the familiar nervousness that always accompanied the thought of bring a guy back to the village. The nerves had always won out in the past, previous lovers not even getting as far as an invite, but Mal was different. Mal was…saying his name again.
“Rick? Are you still there? Rick, dholna—”
Dholna?”
“Er, it’s Punjabi.”
“I kind of figured that for myself,” Rick said with a chuckle. “What does it mean?”
“It’s an endearment.”
“Like ‘babe’.”
“Sure, let’s go with that.”
Oh, right, so, not like babe then. Dholna. Rick repeated the word several times in his head, determined not to forget it.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I can see how this could be considered press-ganging you into something you’re not comfortable with. Do you want me to get off at the next stop and go home?”
“No!” God no. “No. Do you want me to get the car out? I can drive over to Hillchester and pick you up from the station?”
There was no station in Slopy Bottom. With a population hovering at around five-hundred, give or take, since the time the first track had been laid over a century ago, the tiny village hadn’t warranted the encroachment of civilization. Nor had it mourned being passed by, not until the commuter couples arrived to buy up the empty farm hands’ cottages; the wives praising the adorable quaintness of the place, while the husbands—who would happily spend an hour on the train—were bemoaning the twenty-minute drive to the station in town.
“Thanks, but I’ve arranged for a cab. I had intended to take you completely by surprise and hope you thought it was a good one.”
“It is a good one.” Rick agreed, bending to pick up his overnight bag and hoisting it over his shoulder.
“I promise I won’t do anything to out you while I’m visiting.”
“No rainbow flag T-shirts? Or skipping through the village?”
“Definitely no skipping. I can’t even run. That’s why I cycle.”
“You can’t run?”
“Have you seen Friends?”
“Who hasn’t?” Rick faltered in his stride up the garden path. “Oh my God, you’re Phoebe! You know I’ll do everything in my power to get you to run now.”
“Thanks. So glad I told you. Wanker.”
“You allowed to swear?”
“Double wanker.”
“I am very ambidextrous. I’m sure I can take care of both of us at the same time.”
“Don’t I know it. But I’ll not talk about it. They’ll be no smutty talk or double entendres. No touching in public or holding hands.”
Touches that they had both bestowed without thinking, while walking through many parts of the city when he’d visited Mal. This would be harder than he’d imagined.
“Nothing until you’re ready,” Mal continued. “I promise. Looks like this is my station coming up. I’d better go.”
“Tell the cab driver to drop you at the top of the lane. There’s nowhere to turn around down near me without coming into the driveway. I’ll walk up there in a bit and wait for you. See you soon.”
“Bye.”
Rick disconnected the call and unlocked his front door. He took the stairs two at a time and burst into his bedroom. He dropped the bag on the ottoman under the window and then quickly made the bed. Satisfied the room was reasonably tidy, Rick turned his attention back to the bag and unpacked the items he’d packed an hour earlier to take with him to Mal’s.



Reviews


4 hearts from Pixie at MM Good Book Reviews


"both Mal and Rick are great characters that you can easily see care a lot about each other."

"some of the secondary characters made this story shine just a little more; Edna, Rick’s elderly neighbor, was a little star she shone brilliantly in the couple of scenes she was in. Smudge was a shining beacon as he lends a shoulder to Rick, I’d also love to see Smudge’s story in the future."
"I recommend this to those who love village stories, fantastic characters, overcoming fears, budding love and easy going stories where love shines through."

Laura at From Top to Bottom Reviews 


"I love small town stories, and this certainly was one of those, on top of being a feel-good story with a low level of angst."

"I loved Rick and Mal, and the two of them together had great chemistry, and I liked all the secondary characters, too."
" Rick’s fears, and the moments when Mal may have doubted he was ever going to admit he was his boyfriend, were really well done by the author."
"All in all: a sweet, cute, feel-good story with lovely characters and a lot of Britishness. And I can’t help it, I love the Britishness. Recommended."

4.5 stars from Mari at Bayou Book Junkie 


"I adored Rick and Malik... They were awesome together and had the kind of chemistry and love you know it's everlasting."

"The villagers were amazing as well, and having them interact with both Mal and Rick, gave the book depth and many scenes that had me laughing out loud."
"This was one of the most disarmingly charming British books I've ever read, it was funny, sweet, romantic with fantastic characters that I fell in love with. Definitely recommendable!"

Rayne at Thorns and Ink

"It takes a lot of balls to bring casual racism front and center and force the characters to deal with their ignorance. I give Ms. Francis props for that. She handles this subject matter well."


Other reviews

Dog-Eared Daydreams - 4 stars
Bella's Blog - 5 stars
Blissfully Bookerized - 4 out of 5
Books Laid Bare Boys - 4 out of 5 
Naughty Book Eden - 4 stars
Melissa Feist

All the above reviews were provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.