Genre: Sci-Fi, Post Apocalyptic, Hopepunk
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay, Poly, Pansexual
Reviewer: Tony
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About The Book
After the second U.S. Civil War, life is dangerous, but risking their hearts might be even more perilous.
When charismatic town newcomer Clark walks into Van’s life in post-war rural Colorado, neither can ignore the sparks between them. Van has built a fulfilling new normal with his girlfriend Hadas after his wife’s death, but Clark’s brash flirtation and dominant tendencies awaken a desire for a kind of romance Van thought he’d lost forever. Even if he’s not sure he’s ready for it.
Clark survived the war, but his family fractured and now his relationships are in ruins. All that must be his fault, or everyone wouldn’t say so. He’s relocated to start over, zero interpersonal complications welcome. His inescapable chemistry with Van, who seems to crave more than hookups, is a complication. So is Clark’s growing platonic bond with Hadas. Both want an emotional connection that he can’t give them, and he’ll only disappoint them if he tries. Won’t he?
Then a violent gang of thieves threatens their small town. Van and Hadas prepare to fight—for their love, their home, and their close-knit community. Clark, who’s lost too much already, starts to pull away. But when a traitor betrays them all and Van and Hadas are captured, Clark is the only one who can save the two people who asked him to open his heart… and made him want to risk it.
A high heat M/M romance with D/s elements and a guaranteed polyamorous HEA. Tropes: post-apocalyptic, small town, hurt-comfort, widower, polyamory, open relationships. M/M love scenes only; no threesomes. Detailed content warnings are available in the book’s front matter and on the author’s website.
The Review
The Home I Find With You is based in a post Second Civil War America and follows the Freshtown defence team as they try to keep everyone safe and sound. It is an intense ride, with a bunch of folk trying to live a good life on next to nothing, and with little back up other than from the like minded people from the other circuit towns.
The rest of the world is probably fine but facing their own concerns, including what climate change has thrown at them. Added to the mix are those who choose to prey on the hard-working, taking what they can and leaving death and wreckage in their wake.
The main protagonists are Van and Clark who, like everyone else, are just about coping. Coping, that is, when they are not falling apart from the stress and strain of existing after having survived a very bloody and vindictive war.
Van is in charge of the defence team, and his second in command and partner is Hadas. Both of them and their team are still recovering from an ambush by the Dollars gang. They all lost people they were close to. Van lost Irene, the team’s previous leader and the love of his life. Hadas has been there for him ever since.
The story begins with the team returning back to Freshtown to find a stranger in town. The stranger is Clark, and there is an instant spark of attraction between him and Van.
Clark is trouble with a capital ‘T’, but trouble as much for himself as anyone else. He is just so messed up he can barely make polite conversation with anyone, but he needs to have somewhere safe to hang out. He is willing to try to be a useful member of the community. He can fix all kind of things, but relationships, no so much. He has just run away from one and he does not need is any more complications in his life. That’s tough, as Freshtown is all about people getting on with each other and pulling together.
The Dollars are even more trouble than Clark, and their raids are something the Freshtown defence team have been volunteered to deal with. What happens next will make a lot of people re-evaluate what is most important to them. Clark, for one, needs to work out if running away is his best option.
The author takes her time to develop her characters and create a vivid and believable world where nothing can be taken for granted, but where all types of people have a place regardless of race and gender. When I say place, I mean a place they have cobbled together themselves and are willing to defend and maintain. The world is harsh, most roads are not maintained, and if you want something you have find it, repair it when it breaks or make it yourself. If you want someone in your life you may have to share them as there are only so many of them around, the good ones that is.
I really enjoyed The Home I Find With You – it’s an emotional journey, but one it’s well worth making.
The Reviewer
Tony is an Englishman living amongst the Welsh and the Other Folk in the mountains of Wales. He lives with his partner of thirty-six years, four dogs, two ponies, various birds, and his bees. He is a retired lecturer and a writer of no renown but that doesn’t stop him enjoying what he used to think of as ‘sensible’ fantasy and sf. He’s surprised to find that if the story is well written and has likeable characters undergoing the trails of life, i.e. falling in love, falling out of love, having a bit of nooky (but not all the time), fending off foes, aliens and monsters, etc., he’ll be happy as a sandperson who has just offloaded a wagon of sand at the going market price. As long as there’s a story, he’s in. He aims to write fair and honest reviews. If he finds he is not the target reader he’ll move on.