Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Riding The Waves

SERIES: Love and Other Disasters

AUTHOR: Nic Starr

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 121 Pages

RELEASE DATE: July 24, 2024

BLURB:

A race against time and nature, to save the man he loves…

Owen Hewitt thought he had weathered every storm life could throw at him, but the last twelve months have tested him like never before. His six-year relationship with Sebastian Carmichael, the love of his life, is crumbling under the weight of Owen’s injury-induced depression and chronic pain. Once a vibrant and active partner, Owen now feels like a burden, believing he’s holding the younger Sebastian back.

Desperation sets in when Sebastian, seeking solace and clarity, retreats to their holiday house on the Tasmanian coast. The distance between them feels insurmountable, and Owen fears it’s the end of their love story. But as nature unleashes its fury in the form of a devastating tsunami, the end of their relationship might be the least of their worries.

Riding the Waves is a story of love’s endurance against all odds. It has themes of natural disaster, rescue romance, hurt/comfort, and the dynamic of an age-gap relationship.

Riding the Waves is an expansion of Sebastian & Owen, a story that was briefly available in 2016. The story now includes Sebastian’s point of view.

REVIEW:

Owen and Sebastian have been together for six years. But, since Owen’s injury, things had been strained. Owen couldn’t do the things he used to. It made him depressed, and he was taking it out on Sebastian. When Sebastian suggests they need time apart to think, Owen is devastated, but will a tsunami rob him of the opportunity to make things right?

The title, ‘Riding The Waves,’ makes this tale sound like a surfing story – nope, no surfing, but there is water in the form of a tsunami. This book was originally briefly published in 2016. Back then, it was called Sebastian and Owen. It has since been revamped and now contains Owen’s additional viewpoint. In 2016, I gave it four stars. Now, it’s 4.5 hearts. The extra content and the authors’ mastery at packing short stories with emotion provided a super read – and I remembered the original tale.

This 121-page story is told in the third person and is technically splendid – which I expected as Nic Star is also an accredited editor. Worldbuilding is well contained within the walls of their home and immediate surroundings. No scene is wasted or irrelevant. The imagery was detailed enough to put me on the coast with the boys, in their lounge, office, bedroom, or anywhere needed.

Concentration is placed on the feelings of Owen and Sebastian. There is a fifteen-year age gap, with Owen being the older. The difference, compounded by injury, gives the couple two levels of emotion. On the surface, the men try to be upbeat, but under the surface, there are undercurrents of worry, holding back, doubt, and, above all, love. But love is thwarted by the unwillingness to talk.

The tsunami makes for heart-stopping action and gives the reader a taste of devastation. Also, the relationship fallout had me almost in tears – especially one touching side story.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon