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rellimreads's review
4.0
My first experience with Glenn Quigley's writing and I’m definitely looking forward to more.
I’m not sure what this classifies as - a historical featuring a small fishing village in the late 1700s. There's so much more to enjoy! Local lore, gossip, a Hurricane, several daring rescues, drama, and a budding romance. This is also set in a town/area accepting of and embracing gay couples. The main romance is MM.
While the main character and focus is gentle giant Robin, Quigley also writes from the perspective of many other townsfolk. I like that the majority of the characters are older - with Robin being 50. Except for the adorable May Bell who was a delightful addition to the story and helped highlight the characters who interacted with her. While this is long - it’s in that good way where numerous tales and events come together for a wonderful (well, for most of the characters) ending.
I enjoyed the pacing and world building. And I always enjoy books with all the emotions. Robin has gone through so much in his life and continues to face adversity. I loved that so many questions were answered for him and that he’s finally found happiness, and not just romantically. This does not end on a cliffhanger and you could stop here - but Robin has more adventures in The Lion Lies Waiting. I’ll be reading that soon.
2022 - Saw this author on IG - I need this book in my life.
I’m not sure what this classifies as - a historical featuring a small fishing village in the late 1700s. There's so much more to enjoy! Local lore, gossip, a Hurricane, several daring rescues, drama, and a budding romance. This is also set in a town/area accepting of and embracing gay couples. The main romance is MM.
While the main character and focus is gentle giant Robin, Quigley also writes from the perspective of many other townsfolk. I like that the majority of the characters are older - with Robin being 50. Except for the adorable May Bell who was a delightful addition to the story and helped highlight the characters who interacted with her. While this is long - it’s in that good way where numerous tales and events come together for a wonderful (well, for most of the characters) ending.
I enjoyed the pacing and world building. And I always enjoy books with all the emotions. Robin has gone through so much in his life and continues to face adversity. I loved that so many questions were answered for him and that he’s finally found happiness, and not just romantically. This does not end on a cliffhanger and you could stop here - but Robin has more adventures in The Lion Lies Waiting. I’ll be reading that soon.
2022 - Saw this author on IG - I need this book in my life.
book_mark_shelf's review
5.0
I picked up this novel by Glenn Quigley at my local Library and I’m so happy that I did. I recently bought Glenn’s latest novel and saw that his debut novel , The Moth and Moon, was available to a borrow. So I thought, why not?
The author transports us back to 1780 to a quaint little fishing village in Merryaple, introducing us to Robin Shipp. Most of the village didn’t get on well with Shipp because of the actions of his father and this honestly broke my heart. But then disaster strikes and only Shipp knew what was coming!
Robin is all about the sea because he finds solace there but it has caused problems in the past. The way Quigley’s use of words is astounding to say the least. The way he describes sounds, smells and even surrounding gives you no other choice but to enjoy being enveloped in the authors world. When the hurricane hits, oh may word, I was on the edge of my seat and could not put the book down. The angst, suspense and cathartic of it all was intense and loved every second of it.
I have rated this 5 starts and cannot wait to read on!
The author transports us back to 1780 to a quaint little fishing village in Merryaple, introducing us to Robin Shipp. Most of the village didn’t get on well with Shipp because of the actions of his father and this honestly broke my heart. But then disaster strikes and only Shipp knew what was coming!
Robin is all about the sea because he finds solace there but it has caused problems in the past. The way Quigley’s use of words is astounding to say the least. The way he describes sounds, smells and even surrounding gives you no other choice but to enjoy being enveloped in the authors world. When the hurricane hits, oh may word, I was on the edge of my seat and could not put the book down. The angst, suspense and cathartic of it all was intense and loved every second of it.
I have rated this 5 starts and cannot wait to read on!
authorofthings's review against another edition
My rule of thumb is that if nothing is happening in the first three chapters, give up. I did not feel connected to these characters. There was too much description and virtually no plot. I also personally can't stand when authors phonetically spell accents. My brain really struggles with that and it disrupts my reading flow. Just tell me he had an accent or the way he said one word sounded like something else. Please don't spell out the accent. It's so, so hard to read.
I really did want to enjoy this book! I was so excited for a fat-positive queer story! It's just that the author's writing style is not for me and I'm very sad about it.
I really did want to enjoy this book! I was so excited for a fat-positive queer story! It's just that the author's writing style is not for me and I'm very sad about it.
berad89's review
5.0
In 1780, Blashy Cove is a very progressive town, with running water and legal same sex marriages. An unexpected hurricane drives most of it residents into the cavernous the Moth & Moon, local tavern and inn. While they wait out the storm, fisherman Robin Shipp is forced to face demons from his past. Can the town and Robin pull together in the aftermath of the storm and pick up from the devastation to their homes and lives?
A wonderful combination of action, adventure, emotion, and romance. Once you start reading you will not want to stop! Full of real, relatable characters. They have flaws both physical and emotional; no one is picture perfect in Blashy Cove! However, most are lovable.
I like the descriptions given to the buildings and the surrounding area. It helps immerse the reader into the story. My favorite part of this book, however, is the idea of Blashy Cove, a place where homophobia does not exist. Same sex marriages are common and the norm. No one has to fight for their place. It is refreshing.
My only negative comment is that the physical description of The Moth & Moon gets repetitive throughout the first few chapters.
I highly enjoyed this read and definitely would recommend it to anyone. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
A wonderful combination of action, adventure, emotion, and romance. Once you start reading you will not want to stop! Full of real, relatable characters. They have flaws both physical and emotional; no one is picture perfect in Blashy Cove! However, most are lovable.
I like the descriptions given to the buildings and the surrounding area. It helps immerse the reader into the story. My favorite part of this book, however, is the idea of Blashy Cove, a place where homophobia does not exist. Same sex marriages are common and the norm. No one has to fight for their place. It is refreshing.
My only negative comment is that the physical description of The Moth & Moon gets repetitive throughout the first few chapters.
I highly enjoyed this read and definitely would recommend it to anyone. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
rosiecheeks's review
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
uriah's review against another edition
I can't tell if I wasn't vibing with this because I had read a 320k fanfic at the same time as reading this and I enjoyed the fanfic better or just because this one isn't for me! Will try again next year. That fic was fire though.
chocolatemeerkat's review
4.0
Arc recieved from Netgalley
This is a lovely little story. It takes a bit to get into as at times it gets bogged down by the details and descriptions of every bit of scenery, room, etc. Though once it picks up its such a lovely tale of a village and how a hurricane both brings them together and also washes out all the secrets kept hidden. Its full of the clearing of old pains such as with Robin and Duncans relationship and finding new love later with Edwin and Robin. It is about the pain and cost of secrets and how they can take a toll on the person but also the effect of being freed from them. Their are cute kittens and jaunty sea captains.
Overall this is a lovely debut novel.
This is a lovely little story. It takes a bit to get into as at times it gets bogged down by the details and descriptions of every bit of scenery, room, etc. Though once it picks up its such a lovely tale of a village and how a hurricane both brings them together and also washes out all the secrets kept hidden. Its full of the clearing of old pains such as with Robin and Duncans relationship and finding new love later with Edwin and Robin. It is about the pain and cost of secrets and how they can take a toll on the person but also the effect of being freed from them. Their are cute kittens and jaunty sea captains.
Overall this is a lovely debut novel.
suze_1624's review against another edition
4.0
I find it hard to describe the sort of story this is - it was charming, eloquently told and certainly engrossing and I read it quite quickly. For me it is of the place and all the people in it - yes Robin, Edwin, Dudley and Morwenna are fairly central but they are not the only ones with stories to be told. The Moth and the Moon is a story in and of itself. The hurricane also has a big role.
It is also set in a unique environment - isolated but then has very broad acceptance of all relationships and has elements of steampunk type contraptions.
We learn more about Robin who has been ostracised somewhat by his community but he still supports them, his family, his loves and losses.
Unique and quirky, I enjoyed it and do have the sequel already.
It is also set in a unique environment - isolated but then has very broad acceptance of all relationships and has elements of steampunk type contraptions.
We learn more about Robin who has been ostracised somewhat by his community but he still supports them, his family, his loves and losses.
Unique and quirky, I enjoyed it and do have the sequel already.
kaje_harper's review against another edition
4.0
This is a gentle, warm story of the fictional island of Merryapple in the summer of 1780, as her residents are beset by a hurricane. Among those residents are Robin, a middle-aged heavyset, sweet gay fisherman whose father left behind a scandal that has shadowed his life. Duncan, maker of fascinating mechanical wooden toys, who was the love of Robin's life before changes between them pushed them apart. And Edwin, local baker trying to go it alone in his business after the loss of his brother, who has had a crush on Robin for years.
These men are all ordinary people in many ways, not handsome, not athletic, not brilliant, just people with strengths and weaknesses. The folk around them are an interesting array of characters, from the lesbian couple with money, to the reluctant innkeeper, to the fishmonger too prissy to get close to his wares, to the small girl with an entrepreneurial spirit. On this fictional island, the idea that marriage or love should be only heterosexual has been soundly rejected, so there is no echo of homophobia and no axe of prison time hanging over these folk, as there would be in a typical historical.
That absence lets this unfold as a quiet tale of a weather disaster opening up old secrets and old wounds, getting people who have known each other a long time to see each other in a different light, regardless of the gender of the person they have wanted or loved. There is a happy ending, but this is not a romance. Its focus is broad across the characters, and even though Robin is the heart of the story, it is about him finding himself, understanding his past, and building his future, of which romantic love is only a modest part.
If you enjoy quiet, quirky, character-driven fiction (like, say, [a:Elizabeth Goudge|50786|Elizabeth Goudge|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1413290451p2/50786.jpg]'s het fiction like [b:A City of Bells|1490695|A City of Bells (Torminster, #1)|Elizabeth Goudge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1259355495l/1490695._SY75_.jpg|841394]) then this story brings some of the same reading pleasure.
These men are all ordinary people in many ways, not handsome, not athletic, not brilliant, just people with strengths and weaknesses. The folk around them are an interesting array of characters, from the lesbian couple with money, to the reluctant innkeeper, to the fishmonger too prissy to get close to his wares, to the small girl with an entrepreneurial spirit. On this fictional island, the idea that marriage or love should be only heterosexual has been soundly rejected, so there is no echo of homophobia and no axe of prison time hanging over these folk, as there would be in a typical historical.
That absence lets this unfold as a quiet tale of a weather disaster opening up old secrets and old wounds, getting people who have known each other a long time to see each other in a different light, regardless of the gender of the person they have wanted or loved. There is a happy ending, but this is not a romance. Its focus is broad across the characters, and even though Robin is the heart of the story, it is about him finding himself, understanding his past, and building his future, of which romantic love is only a modest part.
If you enjoy quiet, quirky, character-driven fiction (like, say, [a:Elizabeth Goudge|50786|Elizabeth Goudge|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1413290451p2/50786.jpg]'s het fiction like [b:A City of Bells|1490695|A City of Bells (Torminster, #1)|Elizabeth Goudge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1259355495l/1490695._SY75_.jpg|841394]) then this story brings some of the same reading pleasure.