Title: Forlorn
Series: Wavesongs #2
Author: Elvira Bell
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: March 9, 2019
Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 97300 words
Genre: Romance, age gap, historical, pirates, adventure, m/m romance, gay
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Synopsis
Nick Andrews is back in England. He is a broken man, living on the streets and trying to cope with everything he’s been through. Nick thinks that his life is over, but then Tom comes along. Tom, who is handsome and wealthy and intent on making his acquaintance.
Nick ends up as Tom’s valet, a position that brings him to the remote estate of Ravensleigh. At Ravensleigh, he soon realizes that Tom and his family have a past laden with shadows. Nick regrets coming there, but at the same time finds it harder and harder to resist Tom’s advances.
Then one night, a stranger arrives at Ravensleigh. And Nick’s world is turned upside down once more.
Warning: This book ends with a cliffhanger. The series as a whole will have a HEA ending.
Please note that the books in the Wavesongs series should be read in chronological order!
Excerpt
Two nights later, Arlington returns to the coffee house. He doesn’t show up until late—half an hour before closing he saunters in and sits himself down close to the fireplace. He takes a long look around the room, removing his hat and straightening the black ribbon holding the curls of his wig together at the neck. There’s only one other customer left, so Nick isn’t busy. He has no excuses.
“Just a little,” Arlington says as Nick starts pouring him coffee. “Too much of this late in the evenings and I get no sleep until morning.” He smiles. “How about you, Mr. Andrews? Is coffee to your taste?”
Nick looks down at his hands. “No.”
“How expected!” Arlington chuckles. His fingertips run over the brim of the cup, tracing the edge. “Have you tried it? Surely Mr. Goodall has offered you some?”
“Don’t want to,” Nick mutters, and hurries away. When he enters the back room with some dirty dishes Goodall is there, rummaging for something in a cupboard. The room is dim, and so small that there’s barely space for both of them.
“No good, that one,” Goodall says under his breath. As if Nick didn’t know already that Mr. Arlington is no good.
“Why?”
Goodall is quiet for a moment. “Oh, it’s rumors,” he says at last, getting to his feet. “Nothing for a young boy like you to hear.”
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Exclusive Excerpt
Nick is in the pantry polishing silverware late the next evening when Mrs. Lloyd calls his name. She is sitting at the table when he enters the kitchen, drinking a cup of tea, though Nick knows she’s prone to enjoying it with a generous amount of gin. He saw her before dinner, chugging it straight from the bottle.
“Heard the door upstairs,” she says, her feet resting on the chair in front of her. “The young master got himself drunk, I’m sure, and needs to be led to his room. Ain’t the first time.”
When Nick reaches the entrance hall, Arlington is leaning against the banister by the grand staircase with his head hanging. Amy stands by his side.
“Look here, sir. Here’s Mr. Andrews now—he’ll sort it all out for you.” She slinks away, obviously eager to get out of earshot before Arlington can tell her to stay.
“You’re late.” Arlington raises his head to glare accusingly at Nick. “Why did you make me wait?”
Nick resists the urge to glare back. “I only came here two nights ago, remember? Sir,” he adds, in case anyone’s overhearing.
“Yes, yes.” Arlington makes a clumsy wave with his hand. “Will you help me up to my chamber now? Assuming you’re able to find it.”
Nick grabs him by the arm, a little harder than necessary. “Come on.”
Arlington moans, grimacing as he starts to move. “Why are you being cruel to me? My head hurts like hell.”
Nick keeps dragging Arlington upward, his eyes on the steps in front of him. Inside the bedchamber, he leaves Arlington in the doorway and goes to the windows to close the shutters.
There’s a soft click when Arlington shuts the door. “Come back here,” he whines. “You really are cruel.”
Nick hesitates, but he can’t disobey. “You should go to bed,” he says as he walks up to Arlington and places a hand on his arm. “Pardon me, sir, but how much did you drink?”
Arlington scowls at him. “None of your damn business. Now, how come I don’t get a welcome back kiss? Can you explain that to me?” His eyes are a little out of focus, and his breath reeks of sour wine.
“You really are drunk.” Nick doesn’t look at Arlington as he leads him toward the bed. “Shouldn’t have so much at once.” He motions for him to sit down, and Arlington heaves a deep sigh as he starts working, unsuccessfully, on the buttons on his waistcoat.
“Don’t tell me how much I can take,” he mutters. Then he grabs Nick by the wrist, pulls him down on the bed. Arlington ends up sprawled on top of him, the smell of alcohol almost overpowering as he leans in close to Nick’s face. “I want to bed you,” he says, his voice low. “Right now.” His erection digs into Nick’s thigh. He’s not much taller, but he is bigger, heavier, though not bulky. The weight of him isn’t entirely unpleasant. Nick squirms, pushing at Arlington’s chest with both hands.
“Sir, what are you doing? Get away from me. Please.”
Arlington pulls away. He throws himself down on the bed next to Nick, his face turned to the other side. “Then leave.”
Nick gets back on his feet. His heart is pumping. “I ain’t leaving you in this state.”
“As if you care about me.” But Arlington gets back into a sitting position, allowing Nick to take off his clothes. It’s mortifying to undress him after what has just occurred, and Nick keeps his eyes away from the hair on Arlington’s chest and the smooth stretch of skin right above the knee and below the hem of his drawers.
“There,” he says when he’s all done and Arlington has been tucked into his bed. “Goodnight, sir.”
Arlington doesn’t reply immediately. “I don’t know if I should be happy about you being here,” he says when Nick has almost reached the door, “or if I should curse the day I met you.”
3.5 Stars
Forlorn is book 2 in the Wavesongs series by Elvira Bell, and like I did in my review for the first book, Astray, I need to warn you that this book is not fluffy and sweet, nor does it present a romanticized vision of pirates or life in England or the colonies in the 1700's, plus it ends with a cliffhanger yet again, perhaps not as bad as the one in Astray, but not all that good either.
I really felt bad for all that Nick had to go through since we saw him last, and while he had to do what he had to do to survive, it was undeniable where his affections lay. In regards to Christopher, though, I'm not so sure what to think. He seems a whole lot more pragmatic and focused than Nick and not as invested in their relationship, so I'm not really sure if I really want them together. Not that Nick's other romantic prospect, Tom, is any better, since he appeared to be more than a bit creepy at times.
While I found the book to be well-written, for the most part, I can't say I enjoyed it more than the first one. Forlorn was a bit of a hot mess, there were too many things happening and I think the author got a bit lost in it all, and unfortunately, she lost me in the process. I'm still undecided whether or not to pick up the next book, but that's just me, if you enjoyed Astray, there's a chance you might like this one, too.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
Meet the Author
Elvira Bell lives in Sweden and spends most of her time writing, reading or watching movies. Her weaknesses include, but are not limited to: vintage jazz, musicals, kittens, oversized tea cups, men in suits, the 18th century, and anything sparkly. Elvira writes m/m fiction with a touch of romance and has a penchant for historical settings. She adores all things gothic and will put her characters through hell from time to time because she just loves watching them suffer. It makes the happy endings so much sweeter, after all.
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