Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Under Gorse and Stone
AUTHOR: Lily Morton
NARRATOR: Joel Leslie
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 9 hours and 34 minutes
RELEASE DATE: December 24, 2025
BLURB:
Which is why it’s so strange to find himself drawn to a small Cornish beach and the man he meets there. Sigurd Arvesen is handsome and charming, but he also holds a secret—one that’s big enough to overturn Cary’s whole world.
Sigurd is a centuries-old dragon, and Cary is his mate.
Whisked into Sigurd’s magical world, Cary meets strange and wonderful creatures that he’s only ever read about in books. The mystical realm is both enchanting and dark, but even scarier are the warm feelings that Sigurd brings out in Cary.
What will happen when Christmas Eve dawns and Cary must go home?
From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a magical Christmas story about a lonely dragon and his one true love.
REVIEW:
This is an unusual offering from Lily Morton in that it is a fantasy/paranormal contemporary story. The setting is Cornwall and the main characters are quite different 😉
Cary is a researcher who is on a pre-Christmas holiday with his boyfriend/boss. But he’s gotten quite drunk and wakes up the next morning with a hellacious hangover – and a boyfriend packing up to leave him in Cornwall. The boyfriend is far less than complementary about Cary’s behavior and his suitability as a boyfriend. *sigh* Not the first time this has happened. While at breakfast at the lodging prior to his early departure, his waitress tells him he really needs to see a beach and theater close by. Cary shrugs and decided to go see it before he leaves. Cary has seen the beach from the hotel and he is intrigued – can’t figure out how to get down to it.
When he sets off for the car park for the beach, his car sounds like it’s in it’s death throws. I does end up dying and he does manage to find a path – but things are very strange and he thinks he sees branches growing up to cover the paths. He runs into a woman who directs him and finally makes his way down. He sees what he thinks is a seal in the water and then the weather changes. He sees a gap in the rocks that he hopes is somewhere he might be able to escape from any incoming tide or storm. But it’s too narrow. Except when he looks again, it seems to be larger and there is a light coming from someplace. Then he finds carvings that seem to come to life. Hmmm. Maybe he’s fallen and konked his head and this is some sort of dream.
The weather changes again and he finds that the seal is actually a man. He introduces himself as Sigurd. Sigurd speaks with a strange accent, but Cary is attracted and intrigued. Sigurd invites Cary for food and surprisingly Cary agrees. He tells Sigurd his boyfriend has dumped him and he’s going to cut his holiday short and head home. He’s expected for Christmas with his parents. But that is days away.
Sigurd is not what he seems. He clearly wants to spend time with Cary. Sigurd shows him his library and Cary finds himself in the strangest of positions. Turns out that there is a lot of things that Cary does not know and Sigurd is ready to introduce the magical world a bit slowly to Cary. Surprisingly Cary is not as shocked as Sigurd thought he might be. He seems to be more intrigued than afraid. And when Sigurd reveals his dragon self, Cary is definitely bedazzled.
Then there is a bit of a mystery with a disappearing mermaid, meeting the kind of the sea and other magical creatures as Sigurd shows Cary his world. Sigurd is reluctant to share the biggest secret with Cary though. He wants Cary to want Sigurd for himself – he never wants Cary forced into anything 🙂
This is a case where the story was a solid one, but the audio elevates it with the lovely and distinctive accents provided by the incomparable Joel Leslie. The characters in this book are so varied! Many different magical creatures, visits to fantastical realms and friends and foes alike who all play a part of making sure that Cary and Sigurd get their happily ever after. I will say that I got a little bit confused with all the characters and magic and mythology/folklore references, but I thoroughly enjoyed Cary and Sigurd and seeing them get their happily ever after. Cary is an adorable and cheeky character and Sigurd is ready to self-sacrifice, but there are plenty of supporters who want to help these two. Beautiful marriage of story and voice performance that made the hours fly by. Recommended.
RATING: 
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