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Butterfly Hunter #1
Butterfly Hunter
It started as a simple assignment for Aussie bush guide Dave Taylor – escort a lone Englishman in quest of an unknown species of butterfly.
However Nicholas Goring is no ordinary tourist, his search is far from straightforward, and it’s starting to look as if the butterflies don’t want to be found.
As Dave teaches Nicholas everything he needs to survive in the Outback he discovers that he too has quite a bit to learn – and that very often the best way to locate something really important is just not to want to find it…
However Nicholas Goring is no ordinary tourist, his search is far from straightforward, and it’s starting to look as if the butterflies don’t want to be found.
As Dave teaches Nicholas everything he needs to survive in the Outback he discovers that he too has quite a bit to learn – and that very often the best way to locate something really important is just not to want to find it…
172 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 2012
13 people are currently reading
1123 people want to read
About the author
Julie Bozza
33 books306 followersOrdinary people are extraordinary. We can all aspire to decency, generosity, respect, honesty – and the power of love (all kinds of love!) can help us grow into our best selves.
I write stories about ‘ordinary’ people finding their answers in themselves and each other. I write about friends and lovers, and the families we create for ourselves. I explore the depth and the meaning, the fun and the possibilities, in ‘everyday’ experiences and relationships. I believe that embodying these things is how we can live our lives more fully.
Creative works help us each find our own clarity and our own joy. Readers bring their hearts and souls to reading, just as authors bring their hearts and souls to writing – and together we make a whole.
Julie Bozza. Quirky. Queer. Sincere.
I write stories about ‘ordinary’ people finding their answers in themselves and each other. I write about friends and lovers, and the families we create for ourselves. I explore the depth and the meaning, the fun and the possibilities, in ‘everyday’ experiences and relationships. I believe that embodying these things is how we can live our lives more fully.
Creative works help us each find our own clarity and our own joy. Readers bring their hearts and souls to reading, just as authors bring their hearts and souls to writing – and together we make a whole.
Julie Bozza. Quirky. Queer. Sincere.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
August 13, 2012
Okay, I think I’ve died and gone to butterfly heaven, a breathtaking part of the Aussie bush, a surreal and magical place. Spiritual and beloved these fragile, magnificent blue butterflies live and thrive. A wondrous and lovely moment for me was the absolute look of joy and awe on Nicholas's face when he first locked eyes on the little beauties. An unforgettable experience and of course the dreaded tears appeared.
There is a gentle beauty in Nicholas and Dave's relationship and during their quest, it blooms before our very eyes surrounded by these bewitching butterflies, who have taken quite a liking to Dave, in an intriguing way *grins evilly*. If you're a true romantic at heart, which I am of course you won’t want to miss reading this exquisitely written story. An amazing and simply beautiful romance. I loved it so very much, dreamy, fascinating and so beautiful, I am eagerly awaiting for the next book to be released.
There is a gentle beauty in Nicholas and Dave's relationship and during their quest, it blooms before our very eyes surrounded by these bewitching butterflies, who have taken quite a liking to Dave, in an intriguing way *grins evilly*. If you're a true romantic at heart, which I am of course you won’t want to miss reading this exquisitely written story. An amazing and simply beautiful romance. I loved it so very much, dreamy, fascinating and so beautiful, I am eagerly awaiting for the next book to be released.
March 3, 2013
Excuse me as I try to type while hugging myself holding this book...
Guess what book just quietly snuck its way on to my FAVORITES shelf – yup...BUTTERFLY HUNTER!
I loved this book. Sweet and kind and gentle and endearing…with 2 of the most charming MC’s ever – Davey, an Australian tour guide and Nicholas, a son of an English earl, out to find a rumored, yet undiscovered breed of butterfly. Admittedly, it doesn’t sound like the most interesting, captivating story. But think 2 gorgeous MC’s, with Aussie/Brit accents, in a friends-to-lovers (gay-for-you...but don’t let that stop you) romance set against the amazing Outback.
I found the book, from start to finish, utterly delightful. The sex scenes are mostly fade-to-black, but it didn’t bother me (there are some very hot kissing scenes though...:) ). This book is romantic and beautiful and put a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart.
Might be too sweet for some…but for me, I was enchanted. Now, off to look into Australian vacations…!!!
February 10, 2016
This is a GORGEOUS and LYRICAL story. The caps don't do it justice. It's butterflies and dreams and KISSING. Lots of kissing.
The writing is pure poetry, and this is by far the most believable GFY I've ever read. Really, it's an, I breathe for you, I've waited my whole life for you.
It just UNFOLDS, and you're powerless to stop it. Don't even try.
The writing is pure poetry, and this is by far the most believable GFY I've ever read. Really, it's an, I breathe for you, I've waited my whole life for you.
It just UNFOLDS, and you're powerless to stop it. Don't even try.
July 22, 2014
4.5 stars
"You matter to me. If not to the sky..." (Chapter 3)
The story makes me feel oddly nostalgic; which is weird because I have never been to Australia or experience hunting for butterflies. But there is something from the story that transcends the words and the pages, and reaches out to me, and holds my heart and doesn't let go.
It is probably the tentativeness of Dave as he discovers his first experience of falling for a man. It is probably the sheer joy that Nicholas spreads around with his smiles and his optimistic quest to find the blue butterflies. It is probably that 'old feeling' of being overcome with love and contentment, simply by reading how these two LOVELY souls find themselves in each others' arms.
And how I love the symbolism ... Nicholas's dream is to find the butterflies; facing what could be an ending, he wants to explore the other stage of life, out there in the Australian Outback. Finding the butterfly has transformed him into something beautiful.
For Dave, the whole experience has given him the chance to let go. All his life, he is 'one-woman' man; he has been with Denise since the very beginning. They might broke up, and stay friends, but Dave's dreams has always revolved around him and Denny (Denise's nickname). When Dave decides to stop looking, to just let go of his instinct, he finds the waterhole (that leads to the butterflies) and he finds love, with Nicholas. It's just so, SO wonderful.
Maybe the ending is a bit too abrupt and leaning a little in "too sappy" category. But I'm a girl who falls in love with Hugh Grant and Andie McDowell's 'in-the-rain' scene in "Four Weddings in the Funeral" or who thinks Julia Robert's "I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her" in "Notting Hill" to be sweet ... so this hits me in the right places. It's a lovely ending to an already lovely story, and it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
It makes me want to dream about an Aussie bloke and an English earling, who live happily ever after, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of butterflies ....
"You matter to me. If not to the sky..." (Chapter 3)
The story makes me feel oddly nostalgic; which is weird because I have never been to Australia or experience hunting for butterflies. But there is something from the story that transcends the words and the pages, and reaches out to me, and holds my heart and doesn't let go.
It is probably the tentativeness of Dave as he discovers his first experience of falling for a man. It is probably the sheer joy that Nicholas spreads around with his smiles and his optimistic quest to find the blue butterflies. It is probably that 'old feeling' of being overcome with love and contentment, simply by reading how these two LOVELY souls find themselves in each others' arms.
And how I love the symbolism ... Nicholas's dream is to find the butterflies; facing what could be an ending, he wants to explore the other stage of life, out there in the Australian Outback. Finding the butterfly has transformed him into something beautiful.
For Dave, the whole experience has given him the chance to let go. All his life, he is 'one-woman' man; he has been with Denise since the very beginning. They might broke up, and stay friends, but Dave's dreams has always revolved around him and Denny (Denise's nickname). When Dave decides to stop looking, to just let go of his instinct, he finds the waterhole (that leads to the butterflies) and he finds love, with Nicholas. It's just so, SO wonderful.
Maybe the ending is a bit too abrupt and leaning a little in "too sappy" category. But I'm a girl who falls in love with Hugh Grant and Andie McDowell's 'in-the-rain' scene in "Four Weddings in the Funeral" or who thinks Julia Robert's "I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her" in "Notting Hill" to be sweet ... so this hits me in the right places. It's a lovely ending to an already lovely story, and it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
It makes me want to dream about an Aussie bloke and an English earling, who live happily ever after, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of butterflies ....
March 4, 2013
Butterfly Hunter is one of those books that on first glance doesn't particularly excite or draw you too it because its cover doesn't contain sexy bare chested hunks or gorgeous guys entwined in a sensual pose. It doesn't even have the edge of your seat blurb promising hot sex scenes or torrid romance... No, its got an orange cover with a line of butterfly stamps on it and a synopsis that sounds mildly interesting about a man looking for butterflies in Australia with the help of an Aussie tour guide. To be honest if I'd come across it on my own I'd have probably blinked twice and moved on.....THANK GOD for friends with great taste and 5 star reviews! What an absolute gem this story is. I'm still smiling ( with wet cheeks ) as I'm writing this review.
From the first page I started to feel its magic and by the last I was totally under its spell. Just everything about it was pure joy. Nicholas and Dave and their gentle but truly romantic love story are the heart of this book but the wonderful Australian backdrop, the mysterious and fascinating aborigine dreamtime and the beautiful but fragile butterflies are its soul! The love scenes are tender yet still sexy and sensual and the emotion palpable. It made me cry but in that ' OMG that's so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes ' way and I'm not ashamed to say I loved every girly moment! There is a poignant undertone but overall this was just a lovely, lose yourself in it and escape from the horrors of real life story that I could have lost myself in for a lot longer! *'sigh* . I fell in love with Charlie too... What a sweetie. :)
Who couldn't love a book that has butterfly porn! LOL. Please read this you won't be disappointed. Thanks to my good buddies who persuaded me to give this a go. Mrs V and Mr ID. :)
Magic!
From the first page I started to feel its magic and by the last I was totally under its spell. Just everything about it was pure joy. Nicholas and Dave and their gentle but truly romantic love story are the heart of this book but the wonderful Australian backdrop, the mysterious and fascinating aborigine dreamtime and the beautiful but fragile butterflies are its soul! The love scenes are tender yet still sexy and sensual and the emotion palpable. It made me cry but in that ' OMG that's so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes ' way and I'm not ashamed to say I loved every girly moment! There is a poignant undertone but overall this was just a lovely, lose yourself in it and escape from the horrors of real life story that I could have lost myself in for a lot longer! *'sigh* . I fell in love with Charlie too... What a sweetie. :)
Who couldn't love a book that has butterfly porn! LOL. Please read this you won't be disappointed. Thanks to my good buddies who persuaded me to give this a go. Mrs V and Mr ID. :)
Magic!
August 8, 2012
5,5 stars
Sigh.....what a beautiful story!
Review? ...pfffffffff.......
I`m going to bed now, hugging my reader, and dreaming of Aussie blokes, British earlings, the night sky over the Outback, Aboriginal myths, clouds of blue butterflies and wondering how Julie Bozza managed to write such a sappy, soap opera-ish ending without making me run in the other direction...
Note:
"Two men chasing butterflies...."
And my friends had to stub my nose on it.
Thank you Julie, for writing this wonderful book!!!
Sigh.....what a beautiful story!
Review? ...pfffffffff.......
I`m going to bed now, hugging my reader, and dreaming of Aussie blokes, British earlings, the night sky over the Outback, Aboriginal myths, clouds of blue butterflies and wondering how Julie Bozza managed to write such a sappy, soap opera-ish ending without making me run in the other direction...
Note:
"Two men chasing butterflies...."
And my friends had to stub my nose on it.
Thank you Julie, for writing this wonderful book!!!
August 25, 2012
I loved this book for so many reasons. First the lovely romance between bush guide and quintessential Aussie bloke Dave, and his beautiful 'Earling' Nicholas. There were perfect for each other. Both men were lonely and needy but this was portrayed without losing any sense of their masculinity or independence. There were plenty of twists and turns in the story to pull at my heartstrings and the HEA made me cry.
The spiritual touches with the ties to the Dreamtime and the meaning of Land to Aboriginal people were dovetailed perfectly into the mystery of the waterhole and the butterflies.
What was really special for me though was the fact that the book was set in an area of Australia that I know very well. I've lived and worked in several country towns along the Warrego and Matilda highways. I've slept overnight in my swag, hundreds of miles from the nearest town, blown away by the dense neon whiteness of the Milky Way. I even went out with a lovely boy from Quilpie for quite a while. So it was a real pleasure to see all those places in a book I loved. I'll definitely be reading this again.
The spiritual touches with the ties to the Dreamtime and the meaning of Land to Aboriginal people were dovetailed perfectly into the mystery of the waterhole and the butterflies.
What was really special for me though was the fact that the book was set in an area of Australia that I know very well. I've lived and worked in several country towns along the Warrego and Matilda highways. I've slept overnight in my swag, hundreds of miles from the nearest town, blown away by the dense neon whiteness of the Milky Way. I even went out with a lovely boy from Quilpie for quite a while. So it was a real pleasure to see all those places in a book I loved. I'll definitely be reading this again.
February 7, 2017
What a rare and unexpected gem of a story Butterfly Hunter was. I adored it from beginning to end.
Nicholas Goring, the youngest son of an English Earl has come to Australia in search of a butterfly that may not exist. Nicholas is a bit of a dreamer, though, and through bits and pieces of stories and legends, he has determined that he must try. So he booked a guide for three months in hopes of finding his dream.
David Taylor is the bush guide that was hired to take Nicholas into the Outback. He's very Aussie -- no nonsense and is the man in charge when they're out in the bush. David, though he always thought of himself as straight, is drawn to Nicholas, though he never intended to act on it.
Through getting to know David, I think he's demisexual. He's only been attracted to one other person, and that is his best mate and ex-girlfriend Denise, who is now married to someone else. As Dave got to know Nicholas, his attraction to the Englishman just grew stronger.
Butterfly Hunter had a bit of a mystical edge to it that I - unexpectedly - enjoyed. I generally don't like mysticism in my non-paranormal books, but it just worked so well here, I wouldn't change a thing. I loved the symbolism of the butterfly in story, too.
I don't know why Butterfly Hunter never made it to my TBR before, but better late, than never, yeah? I loved it.
Nicholas Goring, the youngest son of an English Earl has come to Australia in search of a butterfly that may not exist. Nicholas is a bit of a dreamer, though, and through bits and pieces of stories and legends, he has determined that he must try. So he booked a guide for three months in hopes of finding his dream.
David Taylor is the bush guide that was hired to take Nicholas into the Outback. He's very Aussie -- no nonsense and is the man in charge when they're out in the bush. David, though he always thought of himself as straight, is drawn to Nicholas, though he never intended to act on it.
Through getting to know David, I think he's demisexual. He's only been attracted to one other person, and that is his best mate and ex-girlfriend Denise, who is now married to someone else. As Dave got to know Nicholas, his attraction to the Englishman just grew stronger.
Butterfly Hunter had a bit of a mystical edge to it that I - unexpectedly - enjoyed. I generally don't like mysticism in my non-paranormal books, but it just worked so well here, I wouldn't change a thing. I loved the symbolism of the butterfly in story, too.
I don't know why Butterfly Hunter never made it to my TBR before, but better late, than never, yeah? I loved it.
October 16, 2020
The final straw was when one of the adult male characters was described as skipping around the Australian Outback with a gurgling giggle.
Could not return this for a refund fast enough. But return it I did.
Could not return this for a refund fast enough. But return it I did.
September 30, 2014
4,5 Winged Stars - Magnificently beautiful and romantic! - I want more blonde (mate) Aussies and flirty, pale English aristocrats in my books to come
A new cozy favorite at only 165 pages - far too short, I want much more. A sequel maybe?
David (Dave) Taylor, an Australian bush guide, get a well paid mission to care for and help the English aristocrat and butterfly lover, Nicholas Goring, to find a unique and until now unknown blue butterfly, the Ogyris davidi, in the Australian wasteland. For three months they have to survive alone out there in the Outback and discover new things.
The first discovery of David is that the Englishman is not only slim, beautiful and has a wonderful smile. He is flirty and gay too. A brand new feeling awakened slowly in David...
“I always had a thing for chauffeurs,” the man confided.
“Huh.” Dave frowned, and stared very hard at the road ahead, trough he wasn't entirely sure how much he was actually seeing. “Well. What do you do when they don't have a thing for you?”
Goring chuckled, sounding genuinely amused. “Ah, come on. Seize the day!”
“Mate, life's not that short.”
The chuckle turned into a laugh - and Dave liked that.’
A sweet, fun and so very well told story about butterflies, the Australian landscape, emotions, touch and love. I immediately fell in love with these two men. Highly recommended to all romantic souls - fine as a blue flying butterfly...
I LIKE - cute, tender and beautifully told!
~~~~~~~~~~
Recommended by Bev, my friend - with the always so good taste and nose for wonderful M/M romances - with these words:
“Beautiful, gentle old-fashioned romantic love story, which has been given my highest rating ever!! ... ~ ...but you'll be missing out on a truly great book!”
September 3, 2018
*3.5 stars*
A very sweet book, lots to like there. The pace was a bit slow for me. Full review when I'm not impossibly jet lagged.
A very sweet book, lots to like there. The pace was a bit slow for me. Full review when I'm not impossibly jet lagged.
July 1, 2014
Review
"Even ugly creatures feel love, you know. Even ugly creatures can create beauty."
So so sweet…. Magical, romantic and beautiful put a silly smile on my face!
The MC are the most gentle and charming, “Blokes” ever, their connection is powerful and delightful romantic , the author writes this unforgettable story, with the spiritual touches of the aboriginal Australia culture, the mystery of the waterhole, and the gorgeous but fragile butterflies...
what a magical place I wish I could go there!!
A wonderful M/M romance! *Sigh*
August 27, 2012
This story bypassed my conscious brain and went straight to my heart, just the same way a new puppy eases into your bed despite your best intentions, and one morning you wake up to a velvety little snout nestled into the crook of your neck and you wonder how it came to be there, but at the same time you won’t even think about doing something about it because you’re much too blissfully happy to have it right there. Just the same way the love for Nicholas sneaked up to Dave, and when he finally recognized it for what it was, he didn’t think about fighting it anymore. He just let himself sink into it and be lead by it much the same way he’d let himself be led for most of his life by his friend Denise.
For, you see, most of his life Dave thought he was straight. Actually, he didn’t give that particular aspect of himself that much thought; all he knew he was one half of Denny and Davey from their first day in kindergarden. He always assumed that, in good time, he’d settle down and make babies with her. So when the book starts, more than a year after Denise left him, Dave is holding the baby she made with another man and still wondering the hell out of what happened and why this delicate little thing isn’t his.
It’s the same day on which he meets Nicolas, or rather the day on which Nicholas blunders into his life–literally, as when Dave sees him for the first time, Nicholas is smiling at him upside down from an airport floor where he ended up after tripping over his own feet.
What brought them together in the first place is the fact that Dave is a tour guide to the Australian outback and Nicholas hired him to go hunting for a mysterious blue butterfly–mysterious insofar as nobody’s really sure if this butterfly exists at all. Nicholas is English, an earl’s son (which has Denise name him an earling), he’s a quarter French and, in his own words, “incorrigibly gay”. And from the very first moment, starting with that upside-down smile at the airport, he’s as plain as can be about being attracted to Dave.
And now it’s Dave’s world that gets turned on its head, because he finds himself responding to the signals Nicholas sends his way, and how can that be? He’s a woman’s man, a one-woman-man to be precise, everybody knows that, so why is he cataloguing the one-thousand-and-one different ways in which Nicholas smiles, why did he match the color of the Akubra hat he bought for Nicholas to the man’s eyes, and why would he break his firmest rules for him?
As they slowly approach Nicholas’s improbable goal, their relationship changes, shifts, evolves as naturally and inevitably as a caterpillar becomes pupa becomes butterfly. But a butterfly’s lifespan is short. What will happen when Nicholas returns to England?
This book was enchanting, with finely drawn, adorable characters and a delicate, tender love story that was to die for. Even the slightly sappy ending had a beauty of its own; it was a secretly shameful pleasure to read, like a brush of Bob Ross on a Leonardo, and I just savored it, whipped cream, candied cherry and all.
The characters are the backbone to this story. Both Dave and Nicholas were lonely souls (though otherwise fully capable of looking after themselves). The increasingly intense emotions between them never took away from their dignity or their masculinity. The supporting cast, Denise and Charlie and the other people they encountered during their quest were sometimes only sketched with a few strokes of the pen, but recognizable personalities in their own right.
However, it’s in equal parts the setting that makes this tale so special. As I said above, this is a quiet read, unspectacular and timeless, though nothing less than boring, just like the landscape in which it is set. In fact, it is almost as if the land was a character in and of itself, and it lends this book a solid reality as well as a hint of magic with the mystery that is the Dreamtime, interwoven strong and palpable with the storyline in a respectful and unobtrusive way.
But the greatest lure of this book lay in the writing itself, which was exquisite. There was easy, smooth narrative and sparkling, lively dialogue, both laced with just the right dose of humor and tongue-in-cheek, and then, without warning, we stumble upon little gems of prose like this:
“… [Nicholas] sat there, offering a dazed smile to Dave, and said,”I just looked up.”
“Oh yes.The sky.”
“It’s rather larger than the one we have at home.”
Dave put his head back and looked up. There wasn’t a cloud to interrupt the enormous arc of pure blue, which if you didn’t –scarily–let into your soul, would indeed make anyone feel insignificant. Dave huffed a breath.
“You matter to me. If not to the sky.”
Passages like this made me sigh in contentment and longing, and, to quote the friend who recommended this to me, I went to bed hugging my reader, dreaming of acacia scrub and falling up into endless skies, and of adorably shy Australian outback guides and English earlings.
I’ve read this book in one go, I’ve reread it, and I’m likely to read it many times over. But in the end, what it comes down to it is what most anybody I know contented themselves with saying after reading it, as trite as it is, since just no other words seem appropriate:
What a beautiful story.
ETA: Review originally written for www.reviewsbyjessewave.com
For, you see, most of his life Dave thought he was straight. Actually, he didn’t give that particular aspect of himself that much thought; all he knew he was one half of Denny and Davey from their first day in kindergarden. He always assumed that, in good time, he’d settle down and make babies with her. So when the book starts, more than a year after Denise left him, Dave is holding the baby she made with another man and still wondering the hell out of what happened and why this delicate little thing isn’t his.
It’s the same day on which he meets Nicolas, or rather the day on which Nicholas blunders into his life–literally, as when Dave sees him for the first time, Nicholas is smiling at him upside down from an airport floor where he ended up after tripping over his own feet.
What brought them together in the first place is the fact that Dave is a tour guide to the Australian outback and Nicholas hired him to go hunting for a mysterious blue butterfly–mysterious insofar as nobody’s really sure if this butterfly exists at all. Nicholas is English, an earl’s son (which has Denise name him an earling), he’s a quarter French and, in his own words, “incorrigibly gay”. And from the very first moment, starting with that upside-down smile at the airport, he’s as plain as can be about being attracted to Dave.
And now it’s Dave’s world that gets turned on its head, because he finds himself responding to the signals Nicholas sends his way, and how can that be? He’s a woman’s man, a one-woman-man to be precise, everybody knows that, so why is he cataloguing the one-thousand-and-one different ways in which Nicholas smiles, why did he match the color of the Akubra hat he bought for Nicholas to the man’s eyes, and why would he break his firmest rules for him?
As they slowly approach Nicholas’s improbable goal, their relationship changes, shifts, evolves as naturally and inevitably as a caterpillar becomes pupa becomes butterfly. But a butterfly’s lifespan is short. What will happen when Nicholas returns to England?
This book was enchanting, with finely drawn, adorable characters and a delicate, tender love story that was to die for. Even the slightly sappy ending had a beauty of its own; it was a secretly shameful pleasure to read, like a brush of Bob Ross on a Leonardo, and I just savored it, whipped cream, candied cherry and all.
The characters are the backbone to this story. Both Dave and Nicholas were lonely souls (though otherwise fully capable of looking after themselves). The increasingly intense emotions between them never took away from their dignity or their masculinity. The supporting cast, Denise and Charlie and the other people they encountered during their quest were sometimes only sketched with a few strokes of the pen, but recognizable personalities in their own right.
However, it’s in equal parts the setting that makes this tale so special. As I said above, this is a quiet read, unspectacular and timeless, though nothing less than boring, just like the landscape in which it is set. In fact, it is almost as if the land was a character in and of itself, and it lends this book a solid reality as well as a hint of magic with the mystery that is the Dreamtime, interwoven strong and palpable with the storyline in a respectful and unobtrusive way.
But the greatest lure of this book lay in the writing itself, which was exquisite. There was easy, smooth narrative and sparkling, lively dialogue, both laced with just the right dose of humor and tongue-in-cheek, and then, without warning, we stumble upon little gems of prose like this:
“… [Nicholas] sat there, offering a dazed smile to Dave, and said,”I just looked up.”
“Oh yes.The sky.”
“It’s rather larger than the one we have at home.”
Dave put his head back and looked up. There wasn’t a cloud to interrupt the enormous arc of pure blue, which if you didn’t –scarily–let into your soul, would indeed make anyone feel insignificant. Dave huffed a breath.
“You matter to me. If not to the sky.”
Passages like this made me sigh in contentment and longing, and, to quote the friend who recommended this to me, I went to bed hugging my reader, dreaming of acacia scrub and falling up into endless skies, and of adorably shy Australian outback guides and English earlings.
I’ve read this book in one go, I’ve reread it, and I’m likely to read it many times over. But in the end, what it comes down to it is what most anybody I know contented themselves with saying after reading it, as trite as it is, since just no other words seem appropriate:
What a beautiful story.
ETA: Review originally written for www.reviewsbyjessewave.com
August 21, 2017
Well, I was pretty much captivated from the start. How can anyone fail to get caught up in this hauntingly beautiful and exquisite love story?? I've never given this rating before 
but this book thoroughly deserves it!!
The stars of the story are of course the Ogyris davidi or Australian Blue butterflies, and they are particularly dazzling to behold....
....
with vivid colours of blue and black, but I have to admit that as far as the characters of the book are concerned, Nicholas was nothing at all like I imagined the youngest son of an Earl to be (haughty, arrogant and a bit of a prat - just goes to show never use sweeping generalisations!!), he was both shy, reticent and extremely confident at the same time, and I really liked his character, but David Taylor just made me melt, he was so wonderful. I really felt for him, and after being gently wooed by Nicholas, their togetherness as a couple seemed assured, but then Nicholas dropped his bomb...and I was so upset for both of them... that I didn't know whether I would be able to finish the story; however, curiosity and a real desire to see these two men spend the rest of their lives together won out, and I finished the book in tears (as usual, complete sap!!).
To the author Julie, thank you so much for writing this delightful book and for giving the readers such a warm, wonderful and romantic treat, it was truly amazing!!
Addendum Julie tells me that she is doing a sequel to this...I can't wait!!
but this book thoroughly deserves it!!The stars of the story are of course the Ogyris davidi or Australian Blue butterflies, and they are particularly dazzling to behold....
.... with vivid colours of blue and black, but I have to admit that as far as the characters of the book are concerned, Nicholas was nothing at all like I imagined the youngest son of an Earl to be (haughty, arrogant and a bit of a prat - just goes to show never use sweeping generalisations!!), he was both shy, reticent and extremely confident at the same time, and I really liked his character, but David Taylor just made me melt, he was so wonderful. I really felt for him, and after being gently wooed by Nicholas, their togetherness as a couple seemed assured, but then Nicholas dropped his bomb...and I was so upset for both of them... that I didn't know whether I would be able to finish the story; however, curiosity and a real desire to see these two men spend the rest of their lives together won out, and I finished the book in tears (as usual, complete sap!!).
To the author Julie, thank you so much for writing this delightful book and for giving the readers such a warm, wonderful and romantic treat, it was truly amazing!!
Addendum Julie tells me that she is doing a sequel to this...I can't wait!!
October 6, 2012
There is no way I can really describe my feelings about this story adequately, it's such a beautifully written story, it flows and meanders slowly, taking me along for a ride not only to find the illustrious butterflies ...but also Dave's discovery..sometimes you just have to not want to find something, letting go really can open doors.
One of my favorite quotes that sums up a lot of it is :
Nicholas sighed. He was almost calm again now. "Because … you can hibernate a very long time in that chrysalis. But once you emerge - "
"You become fabulous," Dave supplied.
Nicholas shifted around so that he could see Dave properly. "But then the clock starts ticking."
The author could have made this angsty and overly dramatic but thank goodness she didn't instead she gave us a very sweet ending that made up for my niggle
Thank you Sims for pointing this one out to me.
September 5, 2014
This is ADORABLE.
I don’t even like insects. Everything with more than 4 legs and exoskeleton is must be further than 100m from me. Unless it can be eaten: shellfish.
I’m happy there are no spiders, though.
So, yes, butterflies, lots of butterflies.
I had the feeling I was reading a Jane Austen novel. Not that I ever read one. But I’m talking about the almost naïve perspective this book was written. It’s innocent and pure.
There is no angst here, but not everything is all roses.
Dave is a guide in Australia and he accepts the job of accompanying an Englishman throughout the country searching for a weird species of butterflies.
Nicholas is totally different than expected from an English lord. And Dave can’t help himself from noticing that he wants something more than friendship. He is a one woman’s man, so having feelings for a man is more than troubling. It breaks his mold.
It’s a good-feel story. There is humor here, and it’s a pleasure to follow their adventures in the Outback.
I know little to nothing about this country. Apart from Colleen McCullough's books, I only have the movie Australia, which is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Not even Hugh Jackman saves it. And that’s saying something. But here I learnt a lot. You don't say "Please" after ordering a drink, you say "Thanks".
It’s a very long read, only selected scenes and dialogues are written, but they are good selected, they are enough for what the author wants to transmit.
The ending is beautiful, it was old style. In a good sense.
I don’t even like insects. Everything with more than 4 legs and exoskeleton is must be further than 100m from me. Unless it can be eaten: shellfish.
I’m happy there are no spiders, though.
So, yes, butterflies, lots of butterflies.
I had the feeling I was reading a Jane Austen novel. Not that I ever read one. But I’m talking about the almost naïve perspective this book was written. It’s innocent and pure.
There is no angst here, but not everything is all roses.
Dave is a guide in Australia and he accepts the job of accompanying an Englishman throughout the country searching for a weird species of butterflies.
Nicholas is totally different than expected from an English lord. And Dave can’t help himself from noticing that he wants something more than friendship. He is a one woman’s man, so having feelings for a man is more than troubling. It breaks his mold.
It’s a good-feel story. There is humor here, and it’s a pleasure to follow their adventures in the Outback.
I know little to nothing about this country. Apart from Colleen McCullough's books, I only have the movie Australia, which is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Not even Hugh Jackman saves it. And that’s saying something. But here I learnt a lot. You don't say "Please" after ordering a drink, you say "Thanks".
It’s a very long read, only selected scenes and dialogues are written, but they are good selected, they are enough for what the author wants to transmit.
The ending is beautiful, it was old style. In a good sense.
August 7, 2012
One thing I love about Goodreads is the power of word-of-mouth recommendations. This book is a shining example of that. It's a quiet book. There are no big dramas or wild, histrionic emotions. But it's riveting all the same, with a lovely sense of place. The Australian outback might as well be a character itself, and I was captivated by this story of an Englishman and his Australian guide, hunting an elusive blue butterfly species. The evolution of their relationship felt very organic. When Dave realizes that he's attracted to Nicholas, he doesn't anguish over it. It just is. This is a beautiful story, and I highly recommend it.
June 25, 2013
The UK and Australia, two countries on opposite sides of the globe, but then opposites attract and this is the case for Nicholas and Davey.
Starting as a caterpillar, turning into a pupae and then emerging in a blaze of glory, of kaleidoscopic and radiant colour, butterflies go through many stages. The love and attraction between Nicholas and Davey develops in a mirrored image of the life of a butterfly.
Nicholas, son of a British Earl and very British to the core, but with a wry sense of humour and a beguiling smile is spending three months in Australia to search for a very rare blue butterfly. Davey, an all Aussie lad is expecting some stuck-up Earl's son and is his guide for the duration of his visit. Nicholas turns about to be nothing like he was expecting and finds himself attracted to the man immediately. Meeting Nicholas at the airport and picking him up off the floor after he trips and falls, Davey can't but help himself in realising that they are going to get along fine.
Nicholas is openly gay and has no problems with this, but sensing Davey's insecurities about the subject teases him gently, but never oversteps the mark. The banter between Nicholas and Davey is fantastic. Humorous, natural and thoroughly entertaining in itself, but also meaningful and with a depth of emotion behind the words. I could have listened to these guys all day. Davey is gay but doesn't know it, at least he has never slept with a man, but he can't stop adoring Nicholas and his smiles.
His only relationship was with a woman, Denise, when he was a young adult, whom he is still close friends with and godfather to her daughter finds himself second guessing and falling for the thousand beguiling smiles that Nicholas has. I had to laugh when Denise and Nicholas were talking about what title to call Nicholas and came up with Earling - wonderful! After all what do you call the youngest son of an Earl? Especially when you would have no clue in egalitarian Australia. I so have to visit this country.
Davey's first time with a man, was like a trembling butterfly, but safe in the arms of the more experienced Nicholas who treated him with gentleness, care and affection. After this their love blooms and heightens into an intense passion just like that of a butterfly. I could feel the tenderness and care Nicholas has for Davey, never pushing him too far, gentle and patient, who couldn't fall for the guy?
They find a waterhole which is a magical place and connected with Aborginal folklore. For Nicholas and Davey they had found their piece of paradise on earth. Nicholas has a secret which he keeps from Davey, but when he realises how much he is in love he has to share this with Davey. This was one of the most poignant and heart wrenching parts in the story for me. Yes, I had the tissues out!
Beautiful and descriptive, Julie took me on a literary journey through the Australian Outback. To magical and enchanting places, but getting there was an adventure. As Charlie says,
"Maybe we want it too much. Maybe we have to not want to find it.
This for me was the beauty of the whole story, the most amazing things happen when you're not looking for them. I loved Charlie, a wise native to Australia who is rooted in Dreamtime folklore, gave the story the magical touch. I adored the way Julie wrote about this character, he is obvioulsy an indigenous Australian, but she never refers to the obvious or the obtuse, you just know from the inferences in her writing. The writing has a depth of empathy that makes you feel the characters, sharing their bit of paradise in the Australian Outback. I would like to leave you with my favourite quote from the book.
"Oh, he’s not old. He’s newly emerged. And the longest any butterfly has been known to live is eleven months. They know all about seizing the day. They have to!"
CARPE DIEM!
Starting as a caterpillar, turning into a pupae and then emerging in a blaze of glory, of kaleidoscopic and radiant colour, butterflies go through many stages. The love and attraction between Nicholas and Davey develops in a mirrored image of the life of a butterfly.
Nicholas, son of a British Earl and very British to the core, but with a wry sense of humour and a beguiling smile is spending three months in Australia to search for a very rare blue butterfly. Davey, an all Aussie lad is expecting some stuck-up Earl's son and is his guide for the duration of his visit. Nicholas turns about to be nothing like he was expecting and finds himself attracted to the man immediately. Meeting Nicholas at the airport and picking him up off the floor after he trips and falls, Davey can't but help himself in realising that they are going to get along fine.
Nicholas is openly gay and has no problems with this, but sensing Davey's insecurities about the subject teases him gently, but never oversteps the mark. The banter between Nicholas and Davey is fantastic. Humorous, natural and thoroughly entertaining in itself, but also meaningful and with a depth of emotion behind the words. I could have listened to these guys all day. Davey is gay but doesn't know it, at least he has never slept with a man, but he can't stop adoring Nicholas and his smiles.
His only relationship was with a woman, Denise, when he was a young adult, whom he is still close friends with and godfather to her daughter finds himself second guessing and falling for the thousand beguiling smiles that Nicholas has. I had to laugh when Denise and Nicholas were talking about what title to call Nicholas and came up with Earling - wonderful! After all what do you call the youngest son of an Earl? Especially when you would have no clue in egalitarian Australia. I so have to visit this country.
Davey's first time with a man, was like a trembling butterfly, but safe in the arms of the more experienced Nicholas who treated him with gentleness, care and affection. After this their love blooms and heightens into an intense passion just like that of a butterfly. I could feel the tenderness and care Nicholas has for Davey, never pushing him too far, gentle and patient, who couldn't fall for the guy?
They find a waterhole which is a magical place and connected with Aborginal folklore. For Nicholas and Davey they had found their piece of paradise on earth. Nicholas has a secret which he keeps from Davey, but when he realises how much he is in love he has to share this with Davey. This was one of the most poignant and heart wrenching parts in the story for me. Yes, I had the tissues out!
Beautiful and descriptive, Julie took me on a literary journey through the Australian Outback. To magical and enchanting places, but getting there was an adventure. As Charlie says,
"Maybe we want it too much. Maybe we have to not want to find it.
This for me was the beauty of the whole story, the most amazing things happen when you're not looking for them. I loved Charlie, a wise native to Australia who is rooted in Dreamtime folklore, gave the story the magical touch. I adored the way Julie wrote about this character, he is obvioulsy an indigenous Australian, but she never refers to the obvious or the obtuse, you just know from the inferences in her writing. The writing has a depth of empathy that makes you feel the characters, sharing their bit of paradise in the Australian Outback. I would like to leave you with my favourite quote from the book.
"Oh, he’s not old. He’s newly emerged. And the longest any butterfly has been known to live is eleven months. They know all about seizing the day. They have to!"
CARPE DIEM!
November 2, 2012
I really want to read this book but the checkout process at Manifold Press just isn't working for me, I tried a few weeks ago and just now. I was able to get a few of the Manifold books at the other press (Rainbow EPress) that they mentioned on the site but "Butterfly Hunter" wasn't one of the ones available.
Anyone have suggestions? I've been looking around other places to try to find it but no joy so far. Is anyone else having issues? Or is there another press, that I haven't found yet, where the book is available?
**
Just finished it.
Damn it. I'm all weepy now. Gorgeous book but it ripped my heart out. I read from the author's blog that she's thinking of making Dave and Nicholas' story a trilogy.
Anyone have suggestions? I've been looking around other places to try to find it but no joy so far. Is anyone else having issues? Or is there another press, that I haven't found yet, where the book is available?
**
Just finished it.
Damn it. I'm all weepy now. Gorgeous book but it ripped my heart out. I read from the author's blog that she's thinking of making Dave and Nicholas' story a trilogy.
June 16, 2013
I loved this book, it was such a beautiful sweet story and although nothing earth shattering happened, it was simply a pleasure to read. I still prefer The Apothecary's Garden because I enjoyed the deep relationship between the two main characters, however this book will always hold a special place in my heart.
August 6, 2012
4.5 - Screw work, this book was brilliant.
Okay, back for more and will continue to think on this. I loved it, truth be told. Loved the story, the symbolism, the relationship, location all of it. There were a few bits that fell off at the end, loose ends, that I would have liked to have seen tied up, but it was still such a great story!!
Okay, back for more and will continue to think on this. I loved it, truth be told. Loved the story, the symbolism, the relationship, location all of it. There were a few bits that fell off at the end, loose ends, that I would have liked to have seen tied up, but it was still such a great story!!
May 18, 2015
Who doesn't love butterflies?
Subdued, charming, and a journey. Dave guides tourists around the Outback. His newest client is privileged and adorkable--Nicholas. He's also got a unique quest for his visit. During the search to find the illusive, perhaps mythic blue butterflies both men discover more than they expected.
The metaphor here is simple, elegant, and perfect. The read is a pleasure devoid of hyperbole, and resting on character transformation and the setting--both which are grand enough to carry it effortlessly. There are so many paths in this life, so many right choices.
Overall, a romantic story of change, life and the consequences of love.
Favorite quote:
Subdued, charming, and a journey. Dave guides tourists around the Outback. His newest client is privileged and adorkable--Nicholas. He's also got a unique quest for his visit. During the search to find the illusive, perhaps mythic blue butterflies both men discover more than they expected.
The metaphor here is simple, elegant, and perfect. The read is a pleasure devoid of hyperbole, and resting on character transformation and the setting--both which are grand enough to carry it effortlessly. There are so many paths in this life, so many right choices.
"There'll be time enough in the Dreaming for the rest."
Overall, a romantic story of change, life and the consequences of love.
Favorite quote:
So it was better that he pass those songs on to someone in the wrong tribe, from the wrong place, than let it all be lost.
September 6, 2014
When Mercedes recommended this lovely novel, I doubt she knew I have a thing about butterflies. For the curious, Vanessa is my middle name, and it's also the genus name for many species of butterflies, so I've grown up with a sort of whimsical affection for them--having been named after them and all.
This is the story of a man--Nicholas--with a more scientific affection for butterflies, but an affection nonetheless. Like me, he takes a certain philosophical pleasure in the metaphors inherent in the butterfly life cycle, and uses those metaphors to describe the phases of his own life.
And then there is David--his gruff, gorgeous guide in the Outback. David has, for much of his life, let others, and the perceptions of others, define him, and he's been okay with that. Until his definitions turned out to be more finite than he believed. David is a bit lost himself, so when he meets Nicholas, he's drawn to certain aspects of the butterfly hunter's personality, and ends up redefining himself.
I loved how Bozza handled David's bisexuality as though it didn't owe anyone, not even David himself, an explanation. I loved how David's awareness of his attraction to Nicholas built slowly, and how, when they began a sexual relationship, he didn't let fear hold him back from living in the moment and loving Nicholas with his full heart--even if he didn't realize that was what he was doing.
My only nit-picks are craft issues--a somewhat hesitant, maybe even timid authorial voice (I find that pointing out a metaphor by using the adverb "metaphorically" tends to spoil the magic of figurative speech), and sex scenes that seemed to be neither fully on page nor fade to black, but a puzzling combination of the two. I'm comfortable with a wide range of sexual heat levels in stories, but when there is kink, dirty talk, and biting, I feel a little bewildered that the author chose to sum up the sex scenes with a little dirty talk and then...skip to the orgasm and leave the rest untold.
All in all, a lovely, lovely book. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Bozza.
Thank you, Mercedes, for the recommendation, I enjoyed it very much! <3
This is the story of a man--Nicholas--with a more scientific affection for butterflies, but an affection nonetheless. Like me, he takes a certain philosophical pleasure in the metaphors inherent in the butterfly life cycle, and uses those metaphors to describe the phases of his own life.
And then there is David--his gruff, gorgeous guide in the Outback. David has, for much of his life, let others, and the perceptions of others, define him, and he's been okay with that. Until his definitions turned out to be more finite than he believed. David is a bit lost himself, so when he meets Nicholas, he's drawn to certain aspects of the butterfly hunter's personality, and ends up redefining himself.
I loved how Bozza handled David's bisexuality as though it didn't owe anyone, not even David himself, an explanation. I loved how David's awareness of his attraction to Nicholas built slowly, and how, when they began a sexual relationship, he didn't let fear hold him back from living in the moment and loving Nicholas with his full heart--even if he didn't realize that was what he was doing.
My only nit-picks are craft issues--a somewhat hesitant, maybe even timid authorial voice (I find that pointing out a metaphor by using the adverb "metaphorically" tends to spoil the magic of figurative speech), and sex scenes that seemed to be neither fully on page nor fade to black, but a puzzling combination of the two. I'm comfortable with a wide range of sexual heat levels in stories, but when there is kink, dirty talk, and biting, I feel a little bewildered that the author chose to sum up the sex scenes with a little dirty talk and then...skip to the orgasm and leave the rest untold.
All in all, a lovely, lovely book. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Bozza.
Thank you, Mercedes, for the recommendation, I enjoyed it very much! <3
July 5, 2014
Stunning! Emotional! Beautiful! Magnificent!
David and Nicholas have one of the most beautiful stories that I ever read!
The search of the most beautiful and rare butterfly, became the discovery of Dave's self and his true love... Nicholas!
This book is so well written... it's poetic, magical and will stay with me forever!
What a fabulous BR!!!
David and Nicholas have one of the most beautiful stories that I ever read!
The search of the most beautiful and rare butterfly, became the discovery of Dave's self and his true love... Nicholas!
This book is so well written... it's poetic, magical and will stay with me forever!
What a fabulous BR!!!
May 15, 2013
5+ Stars
What I loved
*David - This guy is so perfect! I loved being inside his head, he was just so sweet and funny.
*The setting - So romantic being in the Australian outback just two guys, a tent, butterflies and starry nights.
*Its a character rather than plot driven story
What could be improved
*I wish it was longer - The ending was too quick and perfect. Of course I wanted the HEA, but with a bit less cheese. The whole book before the ending didn't contain much cheese at all, so the ending felt a bit out of place within the story. I'm still giving it 5 stars though because the rest of the book was imo perfect.
What I loved
*David - This guy is so perfect! I loved being inside his head, he was just so sweet and funny.
*The setting - So romantic being in the Australian outback just two guys, a tent, butterflies and starry nights.
*Its a character rather than plot driven story
What could be improved
*I wish it was longer - The ending was too quick and perfect. Of course I wanted the HEA, but with a bit less cheese. The whole book before the ending didn't contain much cheese at all, so the ending felt a bit out of place within the story. I'm still giving it 5 stars though because the rest of the book was imo perfect.
March 5, 2013
One of the best things ever.
Poetic but not flowery writing, perfect pace and pitch, well-rounded, lovable characters and all that jazz. There's a hundred other reviewers out there that said way better than I ever could.
BUT. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the book in any significant way, so I will not take stars off for that. This is still one of the best romance novels I have ever read, for its general atmosphere and for its delicate, poignant portrayal of the characters' feelings.
Poetic but not flowery writing, perfect pace and pitch, well-rounded, lovable characters and all that jazz. There's a hundred other reviewers out there that said way better than I ever could.
BUT. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the book in any significant way, so I will not take stars off for that. This is still one of the best romance novels I have ever read, for its general atmosphere and for its delicate, poignant portrayal of the characters' feelings.
September 6, 2012
Okay, I'm just going to jump on the bandwagon here and second all the reviews that said this book was lovely. Because it was. Really, really lovely. Set in the Australian Outback and telling the story about an Englishman searching for an elusive creature and guided by an Australian through the bush, I inevitably compared it to Kennedy and Ford's Dash and Dingo, which I loved. But whereas that book was much more focused on the action/adventure aspect of the tale, this one is driven very much by the development of the relationship between the two men. There's a lovely tension in the beginning and the couple are great together, but it's the ending where things sat a little skew for me. It ends very happily, but there are some unresolved things kind of hanging in the air and I'm left with a slightly dissatisfied feeling and a little bit of dread. But that's just me, don't let it deter you. This is a beautiful story, and I'm very glad I read it.
September 17, 2018
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 because still no 1/2 stars here on GR. I've wanted to read this one for ages now and its re-release was the perfect reminder and now I just need to find the time to read the rest of the series...because Nicholas and Davey as just to precious to leave after only one book...full review to follow soonish!
Sometimes it’s what we find when we’re not looking that brings true change and love into our lives....
Dave wasn’t looking for Nicholas…much less love. Everyone knows he’s a one-woman man and when Denny decides that he’s not the right man for her, Dave resigns himself to being her friend and living a life alone running his tour guide business.
Dave’s not gay so the last thing he expects is to develop feelings for the son of a British Earl who’s hired him to help find an elusive blue butterfly located somewhere in the Australian Outback and it’s as the two men go on this journey together in search of Nicholas’s elusive butterfly that Dave begins to develop feelings for the unusual Brit feelings that inevitably go beyond friendship and ultimately beyond a vacation fling for both men.
I loved how fluidly both parts of this story melted together. The romance and the journey to find the butterflies. Two different parts of the same story that worked together beautifully, each side working to enhance the other part.
I also loved the setting for this story…Australia. It’s one of those places that while I’ll probably never get to go there, it’s always captivated me so reading stories set in Australia is my way of visiting a place that I’d love to visit but may never get a chance to.
It’s been a long time…maybe ever, since I’ve found a story that felt as genuine and organic in its progression as this one. I never found myself questioning that Dave, who was for all intents and purposes straight was feeling an attraction for another man or anyone for that matter given that until Nicholas he’d only ever loved one other person.
‘The Butterfly Hunter’ is a story that while as beautiful and timid as the insect that it’s named for is also the kind of story that eases into your mind and soul with such a gentle touch and captures the readers attention and left me wanting more, which I will get, hopefully soon…or at least as soon as time allows.
I’m pretty eclectic when it comes to my book choices and while I love a good murder mystery or what I lovingly call a ‘blow sh*t-up’ book, fantasy, urban fantasy, romance, paranormal, I’ll even do shifter books, seriously you’ll find a little of just about everything on my bookshelves including books like this…books that are soft and gentle, books that sooth my soul and bring out the romantic in me…they may even garner a few tears from me and while this one didn’t quite get the tears flowing there was definitely a point at which I felt my heart being tugged on as I held my breath and waited for what would happen next. ‘The Butterfly Hunter’ isn’t a fast moving action packed adventure or a hard-hitting mystery, it’s not even a gut wrenching romance…nope this one’s a sweet, gentle story not about finding what your looking for but about realizing what you need and letting it into your life.
For anyone who’s looking to read a book that’s sweet, romantic, has zero to no angst, gives you a peek at someplace you’ve never been all while telling a story that will warm your heart and leave you smiling.
************************
A copy of ‘The Butterfly Hunter’ was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Sometimes it’s what we find when we’re not looking that brings true change and love into our lives....
Dave wasn’t looking for Nicholas…much less love. Everyone knows he’s a one-woman man and when Denny decides that he’s not the right man for her, Dave resigns himself to being her friend and living a life alone running his tour guide business.
Dave’s not gay so the last thing he expects is to develop feelings for the son of a British Earl who’s hired him to help find an elusive blue butterfly located somewhere in the Australian Outback and it’s as the two men go on this journey together in search of Nicholas’s elusive butterfly that Dave begins to develop feelings for the unusual Brit feelings that inevitably go beyond friendship and ultimately beyond a vacation fling for both men.
I loved how fluidly both parts of this story melted together. The romance and the journey to find the butterflies. Two different parts of the same story that worked together beautifully, each side working to enhance the other part.
I also loved the setting for this story…Australia. It’s one of those places that while I’ll probably never get to go there, it’s always captivated me so reading stories set in Australia is my way of visiting a place that I’d love to visit but may never get a chance to.
It’s been a long time…maybe ever, since I’ve found a story that felt as genuine and organic in its progression as this one. I never found myself questioning that Dave, who was for all intents and purposes straight was feeling an attraction for another man or anyone for that matter given that until Nicholas he’d only ever loved one other person.
‘The Butterfly Hunter’ is a story that while as beautiful and timid as the insect that it’s named for is also the kind of story that eases into your mind and soul with such a gentle touch and captures the readers attention and left me wanting more, which I will get, hopefully soon…or at least as soon as time allows.
I’m pretty eclectic when it comes to my book choices and while I love a good murder mystery or what I lovingly call a ‘blow sh*t-up’ book, fantasy, urban fantasy, romance, paranormal, I’ll even do shifter books, seriously you’ll find a little of just about everything on my bookshelves including books like this…books that are soft and gentle, books that sooth my soul and bring out the romantic in me…they may even garner a few tears from me and while this one didn’t quite get the tears flowing there was definitely a point at which I felt my heart being tugged on as I held my breath and waited for what would happen next. ‘The Butterfly Hunter’ isn’t a fast moving action packed adventure or a hard-hitting mystery, it’s not even a gut wrenching romance…nope this one’s a sweet, gentle story not about finding what your looking for but about realizing what you need and letting it into your life.
For anyone who’s looking to read a book that’s sweet, romantic, has zero to no angst, gives you a peek at someplace you’ve never been all while telling a story that will warm your heart and leave you smiling.
************************
A copy of ‘The Butterfly Hunter’ was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2014
The way I discovered this book and Julie Bozza was eerily like the protagonists discovered the butterflies. I certainly didn't go looking. After hearing about the writer through convoluted means, I trusted my instincts rather than logic and followed a cloud of 5 star ratings that barely showed up against the plethora of five star ratings that stretch from horizon to horizon of the reading world. And I'm so glad I did.
Perhaps it was the shimmer that made her story show up, the unusual cover in a trope that depends on sex to sell.
There was sex, but it was very much the fade to black variety even if they do get to second base or even third base at times.
If I have a criticism of the book it is that at a couple of points during the sex scenes there was a gap that made me skip back a page because I thought I'd flipped over one too many. Is actual penetration that hard to include? Perhaps some nitty gritty real sex might have stolen some of the light hearted feel away but then again perhaps it could have grounded the story a bit more and made it more real. A sentence or two in the different scenes would have done me.
As an Aussie, I can vouch for the setting's authenticity. The attraction of the Australian outback is not easy to see. In the heat of the day, it's hot. Bloody hot. Shirts cling to your back from the sweat. Flies try to crawl into your nose, eyes and mouth seeking moisture. Ants are literally everywhere. Probably a good reason to sleep up on top of the Land Cruiser. Sometimes it's so hot even the birds are silent. That's when the insects start making a racket. Most city dwellers see the Australian outback as a harsh place and rarely venture out there which is a pity, because it is beautiful, and in certain lights, it's magic.
The trouble is you have to be there to experience it. Julie gives us a picture of the overwhelming magnificence of the southern skies at night. But I love the time just before dawn when there is an expectant hush in the air. I've only ever experienced the same thing when a baby budgie was hatching and its parents and siblings all grew quiet (a rare state in that breed) while tiny tapping sounds could be heard as the baby bird broke through the shell. It's the same in the bush. Everything goes quiet. The wind drops, the birds are silent and then the sun pokes its head above the horizon. Later, the heat of the day sucks all the energy out of the landscape, but the early morning light caresses the bush, making it unforgettable.
There is no lush grass, no soft colors, the ground is hard and unforgiving until you find a waterhole.
The wattle is our national symbol, but it can take on many forms.
As m/m writers go, Julie has come the closest so far to capturing this unique setting.
As someone whose father and sister were entomologists and actually worked for the organisations briefly mentioned, it gave me an eerie feeling of being right there.
Hunting butterflies isn't hunting Tasmanan tigers or even kangaroos. There's no guns, no villains, no drama just a gentle unfolding of the story. In fact, the analogy of their life spans, their metamorphosis into something beautiful mirrors Dave's change perfectly.
Tough macho Aussie males brought up far away from gay culture would seek the protection and company of a girl who was a mate. Uncomplicated. Unthreatening. They wouldn't even be aware they were doing it. They would assume that what they had was a normal boy/girl relationship. I found that part of the story totally believable. The girls themselves are often different. On the remote properties there aren't a lot of other girls around so being accustomed to hang out with their brothers, they tend to grow up as tomboys, being able to shoot and ride as well as the men. So Dave would be like a brother to her. Someone she is fiercely loyal to. In turn, he would feel totally comfortable with her and assume their relationship was more.
I also thought the way the author handled aboriginal culture was appropriate in the circumstances and wasn't condescending in any way. Not every Australian takes the time or has the interest in accepting that relationship to the land, but for those who do, there's this special way of looking at things. Outsiders may not "get it" or they may see it as appropriating their culture, but in fact not "getting it" and ignoring that aspect is more disrespectful.
It is probably best if you read the story when you are in the right mood for it. It certainly made a welcome change for me.
Perhaps it was the shimmer that made her story show up, the unusual cover in a trope that depends on sex to sell.
There was sex, but it was very much the fade to black variety even if they do get to second base or even third base at times.
If I have a criticism of the book it is that at a couple of points during the sex scenes there was a gap that made me skip back a page because I thought I'd flipped over one too many. Is actual penetration that hard to include? Perhaps some nitty gritty real sex might have stolen some of the light hearted feel away but then again perhaps it could have grounded the story a bit more and made it more real. A sentence or two in the different scenes would have done me.
As an Aussie, I can vouch for the setting's authenticity. The attraction of the Australian outback is not easy to see. In the heat of the day, it's hot. Bloody hot. Shirts cling to your back from the sweat. Flies try to crawl into your nose, eyes and mouth seeking moisture. Ants are literally everywhere. Probably a good reason to sleep up on top of the Land Cruiser. Sometimes it's so hot even the birds are silent. That's when the insects start making a racket. Most city dwellers see the Australian outback as a harsh place and rarely venture out there which is a pity, because it is beautiful, and in certain lights, it's magic.
The trouble is you have to be there to experience it. Julie gives us a picture of the overwhelming magnificence of the southern skies at night. But I love the time just before dawn when there is an expectant hush in the air. I've only ever experienced the same thing when a baby budgie was hatching and its parents and siblings all grew quiet (a rare state in that breed) while tiny tapping sounds could be heard as the baby bird broke through the shell. It's the same in the bush. Everything goes quiet. The wind drops, the birds are silent and then the sun pokes its head above the horizon. Later, the heat of the day sucks all the energy out of the landscape, but the early morning light caresses the bush, making it unforgettable.
There is no lush grass, no soft colors, the ground is hard and unforgiving until you find a waterhole.
The wattle is our national symbol, but it can take on many forms.
As m/m writers go, Julie has come the closest so far to capturing this unique setting.
As someone whose father and sister were entomologists and actually worked for the organisations briefly mentioned, it gave me an eerie feeling of being right there.
Hunting butterflies isn't hunting Tasmanan tigers or even kangaroos. There's no guns, no villains, no drama just a gentle unfolding of the story. In fact, the analogy of their life spans, their metamorphosis into something beautiful mirrors Dave's change perfectly.
Tough macho Aussie males brought up far away from gay culture would seek the protection and company of a girl who was a mate. Uncomplicated. Unthreatening. They wouldn't even be aware they were doing it. They would assume that what they had was a normal boy/girl relationship. I found that part of the story totally believable. The girls themselves are often different. On the remote properties there aren't a lot of other girls around so being accustomed to hang out with their brothers, they tend to grow up as tomboys, being able to shoot and ride as well as the men. So Dave would be like a brother to her. Someone she is fiercely loyal to. In turn, he would feel totally comfortable with her and assume their relationship was more.
I also thought the way the author handled aboriginal culture was appropriate in the circumstances and wasn't condescending in any way. Not every Australian takes the time or has the interest in accepting that relationship to the land, but for those who do, there's this special way of looking at things. Outsiders may not "get it" or they may see it as appropriating their culture, but in fact not "getting it" and ignoring that aspect is more disrespectful.
It is probably best if you read the story when you are in the right mood for it. It certainly made a welcome change for me.
August 12, 2012
Stunning! This book was not simply read, it was lived...experienced. I felt like I was THERE on a vacation of my very own seeing for myself the glorious sunrises and sunsets, the peaceful endless night sky impossibly full of brilliant stars, feeling the joyous wonder of discovering blue butterflies of all things! David and Nicholas were endearing and wonderfully romantic together. Terrific journey and a beautiful story...LOVED IT!
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