Genre: Holiday, Contemporary
LGBTQ+ Category: Lesbian
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Melinda is staying on Lindisfarne for a Christmas break with her old friend when an unexpected argument leaves her alone for the holiday.
It’s the first Christmas since her mother died and the island’s peace and wild tranquillity bring balm to her wounded heart. Two chance meetings, first with a pair of wary otters and then with cafe-owner Rowan, bring her genuine joy.
Will her tentative relationship with Rowan survive the end of her holiday and the turning of the year?
A short sapphic Christmas story. With otters. A 10,000 words short story, part of the Contemporary Celtic Myth collection.
The Review
Surfacing Again is a short contemporary lesbian love story, part of A.L. Lesters “Celtic Myth” tales, and this one comes just in time for the holiday season with a couple of cute otters.
Melinda aka Lin had agreed to a Christmas vacation with her friend Justine. She has feelings for Justine, but had always kept them secret. Things don’t go so well, and Justine angrily leaves. None of this is Lin’s fault, only Justine’s.
Being on her own, Lin decides to finish out the vacation on the island of Lindisfarne. It’s a busy touristy island, but once the tourist are gone, Lin sees the quiet beauty of the place. For peace of mind, she wanders down to the shore of the North Sea and discovers the island’s otters.
Lins explorations also lead her to a small cafe, where she’s invited in by the owner, Rowan. They start up a new friendship and make plans to explore the wonders of castles and priories. As they spend the short time together, Christmas quickly approaches, and Rowan invites Lin to celebrate the holiday with her family.
Lin will need to return home soon. Can this sweet love affair survive beyond the short time they have left?
As always with the “Celtic Myths” A.L. Lester provides history in “About St. Cuthbert and Lindisfarne” at the closing of the tale!
Lester doesn’t disappoint with her lovely and romantic descriptions of Lindsfarne, the shore of the North Sea, castles and its monasteries. And of course the cute otters! The tale adds up to a wonderful romance – the perfect, little story for the holiday season. I love these little Celtic tales!
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.