Harper Fox

I was gripped by this story ... through ghastly revelations, runaway lovers, and servings of gloominess and creepiness that created a gothic romance.

Viscount Gracie, a beautiful man of 20, sheltered by his privilege, needs a tutor to prepare for Cambridge. The war veteran, Frank Harte, is chosen for the job. He's world weary, in constant pain from war injuries and impoverished.

Gracie brings "a golden light" to this darkness and Frank falls in love, something he didn't think he was capable show more of. There is hope that they will rescue each other, but it is a challenge to break through the sadness of the grim reality of being homosexual at the start of the 1900s in English society.

That it is the honourable Frank who becomes Gracie's tutor, and that Frank's lifelong friend leaves him his money to aid the rescue, are events sufficiently serendipitous that they fit nicely into the vibe of gothic mystery.

Narrator Callum Hale has a slightly mournful voice that suits the material. And I can bathe in Fox's literary style of writing any day of the week.

There's a wonderful idea that a parent teaching their child everything they know becomes an inheritance received before parental death. I'd not thought of that before. show less

This is the overstuffed, wonderfully warm-hearted coda to Fox's [b:Seven Summer Nights|33116450|Seven Summer Nights|Harper Fox|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1479938519l/33116450._SY75_.jpg|53781146] that I never realized I was missing. Retired (not quite "defrocked") vicar Archie Thorne is anxiously awaiting the return of his lover, Rufus Denby, from his latest archeological expedition just a few days before Christmas. In a little over 100 pages, show more Archie and Rufus' reunion is enlivened by an exorcism, a conniving movie star, an unusual artifact, a busload of orphans and the looming threat of discovery, which is still a dangerous prospect in post WWII England. It's a good thing that Fox includes a list of the dramatis personae in the beginning, because other than Rufus and Archie, I confess I had forgotten a lot of the details about the secondary characters, but she gives each of them their moment to shine and in some cases redeem themselves for wrongs they committed in Nights.

The book is full of love, forgiveness, faith and humor (including a reveal that reaches Monty Python levels of zaniness). Archie and Rufus are still trying to figure out exactly how their relationship is going to work, but they never doubt that it is a forever one. Despite the danger the couple face, the strength of their bond proves to be strong enough to keep them safe, although a bittersweet postscript written by a secondary character in 2020 reminds us that we are in danger of returning to the time when a true love like theirs was a crime. It's a sobering close to a lovely story. Many thanks to Harper Fox for giving her readers this holiday gift. show less

On BlueSky, someone complained about all the Regency romances, begging authors to set m/m stories in other times. This was praised, so I sought it out. Great setting, exploring the tension of the medieval church, simultaneously fighting and creating the Dark Ages, as some monks seek to preserve Classical knowledge while the rising fanatical forces seek to destroy it. Caius and Fenrir are terrific protagonists. Passage of time confused me a bit at times, and I think Fox is a bit too free with show more the presence of the supernatural in a story that otherwise seems to want to adhere closely to socioeconomic reality, but it's a terrific read. show less

"'And you, my fine man, whispering in the dark, as if I couldn't read your words on my skin, even in your own language...'"

Oh God, I want to rave about this book. It is an epic. A beautifully written and created piece of artwork. I don't say that only because it combined some of my favorite elements in writing (history, good quality work, gay romance), but because it made my heart and stomach twist from sadness and fear, it took my breath away with its gorgeous passages--which I highlighted show more innumerable sections of, it spirited me away to Britannia in the year 687, painted a vivid picture of that world, its pace, its ferocity and darkness alongside its beauty and growth, and it introduced me to the most wonderful characters, whom I will never forget. And it had some of the most beautiful and romantic writing I have read.

"It gave Cai a vision of oak saplings springing up, each on its own side of a stream. Winter passed, suns and moon, and in the heat of summer each tree leaned across the stream and enmeshed its young foliage with the crown of its brother. More summers, more winters, more suns and moons, and the two had grown together, their great trunks fused, the stream parting now to flow round them."

This book took me by surprise so many times. It did not go anywhere I expected, and I was unsure of the ending until just before the epilogue. Cai and Fen picked me up and carried me with them, burrowing into my heart, from their first meeting until even now, when I am still living through flashbacks of their scenes of violent passion and love. The pacing to this book reflected the life there, and was in several spots slow, but I devoured this, read it straight through to almost 3am--and I have work tomorrow, sheesh--but I could not stop, did not want to. I plowed through the entire day reading this, and still wish there were more pages to read. This world fascinated me, and I don't think I'll ever want to leave it. It just took me up, and placed me so completely in their land, which was full of magic, that I'd swear I had journeyed there for the last day and night.

"There was something better even than their coupling. Cai discovered it, drawing Fen's head down to this shoulder, tears stinging the roots of his lashes at the revelation. There was the place where all passion and strength had been spent. Fen was asleep the instant he lay down, warm as winter fire at Cai's side. There was the place where they would seek one another, beyond the furthest reach of desire. On battlefields, beaches, hollows in the dunes where they had loved one another till their coming was only dry spasms, scraping, painful... Beyond all of those places, here they would be. He pressed tighter into Fen's embrace. This place had forever in it. Time couldn't end it, nor even the limits of life. Not distance--not even the wastes of the wild North Sea."

This is just such an all-encompassing story, so tender, humorous, painful, wondrous, and great. I will definitely be reading more of Harper Fox, and I have a feeling that she's going to become a favorite author for me. All I can encourage you to do is read and enjoy as I did, be swept away.

"'Carve your shape into me. So I won't ever forget.'" show less