Book 722: His Horizon (His #1) – Con Riley

When I saw this come through from Gay Romance Reviews I wasn’t sure about it because so many abs and self-published, but then I read the synopsis and was on board with it so requested a copy.*

I loved my time living in England, so when a romance novel set on the south coast with a little bit of mystery and rivals to lover story line comes around, sign me up. That being said, when, not if, we buy a pub and/or bed and breakfast in England (or maybe Spain, Tim and I are still negotiating on location) I will 100% be blaming this book. Okay, maybe not blaming, but isn’t that a picture: a book blogger buying a pub/B&B so they can read and blog (and of course interact with the locals/travelers to an extent) because of a book? Swoon.

The be-all-and-end-all of MM romance writers for me is Annabeth Albert, she writes beautiful character driven romances with varying levels of heat that hit all the right buttons. Con Riley gave Albert a run for her money with this novel and I’m looking forward to exploring more of her works to see if she should be up there in my personal pantheon.

There was a lot going on in this book. Jude and Rob’s romance was the primary focus, but there was also a missing persons search after a natural disaster, a business/town in ruin being rebuilt, a secondary romance between Louise and Marc, a coming out and coming to terms with being gay in a small town, two father-son troubled relationships, a gay sailor’s expulsion from his job, and I’m sure there were others intertwined. Needless to say, there was a lot going on, but Riley somehow managed to keep them all balanced and organized.

I will say though, that with so many sub-plots I honestly thought the book was going to end at three or four different points. This didn’t actually hurt my reading of the book, mostly because I was able to keep track of the various threads, but I could definitely see that a less skilled writer would’ve struggled and lost my attention, but Riley managed to keep me interested time after time.

He wanted to see that happen, Jude knew. Wanted to watch those laugh lines deepen, to be around to have Rob annoy and embarrass him where everyone could see it. Wanted to take him back to that hotel suite and hold him, just hold him, for as long as Rob would let him. He opened his mouth to say so, but a gruff ‘You know that I’ll still have to leave at the end of the summer, don’t you?’ came out instead.” (Chapter 25)

Riley wrote decent sex scenes, but honestly, they took a backseat to the story (which is a plus for me) and in the end were somewhat forgettable. The scene that stands out the most for me was when Jude kissed Rob in front of a local fisherman and basically said to hell with it, if I want to live my life in the place I love then I want the man I love there with me and I want to be open about it. The scene and the follow up scene worked as a perfect turning point for their relationship and the story’s pacing.

This will sound strange, but my favorite character of the novel was the setting (the pub and the sea). Riley’s descriptions of the sea when Jude was searching for his parents and of the Cornish coast line were incredibly beautiful and also somewhat heartbreaking. When she described the storm damage and what it did to the local economy in juxtaposition to the various flashbacks it hurt my soul. And then when you add in that she (for the most part) seamlessly wove in sea/coast/sailing metaphors throughout the novel, it just was a constant presence. There was one that wasn’t great, but I didn’t highlight it, but one out of dozens is a hiccup not an infection.

That was a second brand-new truth that lifted him like a smaller wave hidden behind a first high one. He remembered his dad first taught him how to swim in the sea, reminding him not to panic. It didn’t matter if tall waves swamped him, he’d instructed. Another wave would be right behind it ready to lift him if he’d let it. And that was exactly how it felt to Jude right then, Rob being there to raise him up when sinking had seemed certain. Rob did so much more than buoy him.” (Chapter 34)

I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. I both loved it and also found it a little cringe worthy. It definitely wasn’t bad, if anything it was too perfectly happily ever after. I know that’s why we read these, but like everything lined up perfectly with no hitches which was somehow swoon worthy and “I threw up a little in my throat” worthy. This is 100% a result of my reading habits and not Riley’s writing, because the bow was perfectly tied and I teared up at least three times, but also come on realness. I guess I just can’t be happy.

Random thought to end this, I am curious about Riley’s reading tastes with a random The French Lieutenant’s Woman reference Jude and Rob visited a nearby town for ideas for saving Porthperrin. It’s not that obscure of a reference, but stood out as I was reading.

Recommendation: There is a lot going on in this novel, but overall Riley does a great job tying things together and keeping the reader engaged. I thoroughly enjoyed this and am looking forward to going through Riley’s back catalog, but perhaps more importantly, I am looking forward to the next book in this series (if Goodreads is anything to go by). I really hope the next book is set on the English coast as well, because for me the atmosphere and the setting really made this book. Sure, the slowly increasing heat between Jude and Rob was wonderful, but let’s face it the setting and atmosphere stole my heart. Annabeth Albert needs to watch out, Con Riley might be joining her in my personal pantheon of MM romance novels that I inexplicably fawn over. I need to read a few more of her works, but I will definitely keep you posted on this. 😀

*I received a copy of His Horizon via Gay Romance Reviews in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.

Opening Line: “Jude Anstey came home to Porthperrin months later than he’d promised, clutching the mast of the Aphrodite as she skimmed the Cornish coastline.”

Closing Line: “Rob raised the bottle for real and drank to their future.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)