Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon | Publisher | B&N |
About The Book
Not your average peck on the cheek …
Mild mannered Derek is a perfectly ordinary bloke living a perfectly ordinary life. He works at the library, supports Stoke City football team, and cares for the twelve beautiful racing pigeons he inherited from his father in his spare time. He isn’t into kink. He definitely isn’t into feathers, in spite of the birds. So when a mysterious young man appears in his home claiming to be a pigeon, it’s all a bit much.
Avery is eccentric, perching on the furniture, refusing to eat eggs and stealing Derek’s chocolate digestive biscuits when his back is turned. He’s also attractive, kind, mischievous, and a dab hand with a feather, and Derek finds himself falling madly in love. But when he discovers the truth about Avery, it causes him to question everything he thought he knew about himself. And when those doubts take him to a very dark place, it’s up to a library book, his own innate decency, and Avery himself, to make things right again.
This sweet, angsty romance is a contemporary, tongue-in-cheek take on the old northern European Swan Maiden fairy tale.
The Review
Derek’s father passed a year ago, and left him the house, garden and shed. The shed comes with his father’s long-time passion – twelve plump racing pigeons. When Derek was younger he always helped his father with the pigeons care.
They were very time-consuming and Derek wasn’t sure if he wanted to keep them. He thought about selling them, but procrastinated and eventually kept them. He found pride and joy in the Jassen pigeons, and raced them as his father did. It was beautiful to watch them fly off, and no matter how far they went, they always found their way home.
Derek’s life is simple and lonely. He has a few friends, works in the library, and cheers on the Stoke City football team.
Out of habit, he always counts the pigeon. One day he notices an extra. Most pigeons have an identification band, and so did this one. He identified the pigeon breed as a “Kipp,” and checked the band against the online register for the owner, which he couldn’t find.
One day, he gets the strange feeling that he’s not alone. A beautiful, strange man named Avery shows up at his table, munching on a biscuit. He knows he should ask this attractive man to leave, but he can’t. As rgw days go by, Avery’s odd habits fascinate Derek, and tempt him too. Derek forgets about the pigeons, but Avery is always there for him and makes sure they are well cared for.
After the odd find in the library of the haunting fairy tale Swain Maiden, Derek starts to worry. He has become very attached to Avery and fears he will soon leave, as pigeons always return home. In his panic, Derek makes a mistake that could make his life lonely once again.
Feathered Friend has charming characters, heartwarming moments and lots of love. I highly recommend this short love story with a fairy tale feel – an unusual and wonderful interpretation of the Swan Maiden.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.