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The Cross
Colin McDermott goes home to Sydney, Australia, to await his Green Card, which will grant him legal residence in the US. When the process drags on, he's worried he'll be denied, but he's also financially stressed. He's still paying his bills back in LA and coping with a sub-leased apartment in Kings Cross, the famed red-light district.
Forced to take a part time job in a Darlinghurst cafe, Colin comes face to face with the past he'd fled and the childhood he sought to forget. And there's one other thing—he's reunited with the Ronan Hensley, the man he thought he could love until Colin shamed himself on a disastrous date ten years ago.
Can these two men rekindle their relationship? Can old wounds be forgotten and forgiven? As Colin walks the streets of the Cross—which, like him, clings to its shameful past—history comes back to life. He realizes so many things, but mostly that you can take the boy out of Australia, but you can't take Australia out of the boy...
Forced to take a part time job in a Darlinghurst cafe, Colin comes face to face with the past he'd fled and the childhood he sought to forget. And there's one other thing—he's reunited with the Ronan Hensley, the man he thought he could love until Colin shamed himself on a disastrous date ten years ago.
Can these two men rekindle their relationship? Can old wounds be forgotten and forgiven? As Colin walks the streets of the Cross—which, like him, clings to its shameful past—history comes back to life. He realizes so many things, but mostly that you can take the boy out of Australia, but you can't take Australia out of the boy...
103 pages, ebook
First published March 10, 2013
1 person is currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Llewellyn
288 books452 followersA.J. Llewellyn lives in California, but dreams of living in Hawaii. Frequent trips to all the islands, bags of Kona coffee in the fridge and a healthy collection of Hawaiian records keep this writer refueled.
A.J’s passion for the islands led to writing a play about the last ruling monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili’uokalani as well as a non-erotic novel about the overthrow of her kingdom written in diary form from her maid’s point of view.
A.J. never lacks inspiritation for male/male erotic romances and on the rare occasion this happens, pursues other passions such as collecting books on Hawaiiana, surfing and spending time with friends and animal companions.
A.J. Llewellyn believes that love is a song best sung out loud.
A.J’s passion for the islands led to writing a play about the last ruling monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili’uokalani as well as a non-erotic novel about the overthrow of her kingdom written in diary form from her maid’s point of view.
A.J. never lacks inspiritation for male/male erotic romances and on the rare occasion this happens, pursues other passions such as collecting books on Hawaiiana, surfing and spending time with friends and animal companions.
A.J. Llewellyn believes that love is a song best sung out loud.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 13, 2019
This is a very special book, and I really loved it. First, because it is wonderfully told, very descriptive, and had some great characters I was able to empathize with (especially Colin). Second, it is set in one of my favorite cities: Sydney. I was lucky to live and work there for six months, and this story brought back a lot of good memories. But most of all this is amazing because the main character undergoes a tremendous change in how he looks at life, and what he wants from it, yet it all happens naturally and in such small steps that I almost didn’t notice.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 15, 2013
Quintessential armchair traveller read.
I've been many places, but Australia is not one of them, but having read this...I feel like I've wandered parts of Sydney. The sense of place and nostalgia is astounding. Is it accurate--no clue. Do I care? Absolutely not. The setting is tightly woven into Colin's journey back home as he comes to term with the past: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It becomes a character.
I've read a couple books by Llewellyn and I've come to expect the scorching hot, all-in sex. What completely sideswiped me was the tenderness and emotional connection. I'm still a bit shellshocked to be honest. Really poignant without angst or melodrama, more like the swirl of a wave pushing you about and carrying you along.
This is really lovely as Colin gets the opportunity to change things in his life and add one he never dreamed he get. That said, there isn't a great deal of conflict, little to resolve as it meanders through to Colin's acceptance to let go of the unimportant, liberate himself from the bad, and find where he fits in now. Enjoyable, but not complicated.
Recommended to romantics who believe in second chances and enjoy literary tourism.
Favorite quote:
~~ A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
I've been many places, but Australia is not one of them, but having read this...I feel like I've wandered parts of Sydney. The sense of place and nostalgia is astounding. Is it accurate--no clue. Do I care? Absolutely not. The setting is tightly woven into Colin's journey back home as he comes to term with the past: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It becomes a character.
I've read a couple books by Llewellyn and I've come to expect the scorching hot, all-in sex. What completely sideswiped me was the tenderness and emotional connection. I'm still a bit shellshocked to be honest. Really poignant without angst or melodrama, more like the swirl of a wave pushing you about and carrying you along.
This is really lovely as Colin gets the opportunity to change things in his life and add one he never dreamed he get. That said, there isn't a great deal of conflict, little to resolve as it meanders through to Colin's acceptance to let go of the unimportant, liberate himself from the bad, and find where he fits in now. Enjoyable, but not complicated.
Recommended to romantics who believe in second chances and enjoy literary tourism.
Favorite quote:
"Love, like rain and thunder and snowstorms and fire and pestilence, had its own agenda."
~~ A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
April 19, 2013
We get it: the book is set in Australia. We can hardly forget it with the sheer number of product placements and travelogue style descriptions in this story.
March 17, 2013
Just finished reading this story and have to say I loved it. As usual, AJ packs the prose with details that put the reader right there in the story. I liked Colin so much and laughed at some of the Aussie lingo. So much fun to see this story taking shape and I did feel for Colin who'd had a disastrous date with Ronan and thought he could never live it down.
I sense a deep longing in this author for the Kings Cross of the past, whilst respecting the changes to the red light district. I also know the Piccolo bar!
I remember some of the closed coffee houses referred to and now long gone. A really lovely read.
I sense a deep longing in this author for the Kings Cross of the past, whilst respecting the changes to the red light district. I also know the Piccolo bar!
I remember some of the closed coffee houses referred to and now long gone. A really lovely read.
May 15, 2013
The author has a simple, but crisply concise, style of writing that provides a wealth of knowledge about the place and time that you almost feel like you were there yourself. The characters are well rounded, to the point that they could be your next door neighbor. I really enjoyed the HEA ending and would happily recommend this book to everyone.
Trish's complete 4 sweet pea review appears on May 16, 2013 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
Trish's complete 4 sweet pea review appears on May 16, 2013 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
May 22, 2014
I love the feeling I got from reading this book. Though the feeling were powerful it was to short to really feel them.
to-read-pruned
January 5, 2018heyyyyy this is bugging me a lot
If he's waiting for his green card for the U.S. why tf did he leave the country?? Okay that's not how green cards work, if he's already got an application pending it's best for him NOT to leave the country, actually. And honestly, more often than not, the process drags out, they've got heavier than usual caseloads, etc etc
but also lmao yeah he SHOULD be worried about his case being denied, what with him having left the U.S. and, apparently from the blurb, intent on staying long-term in Australia. My dude,,,,,,,
Okay wait actually, if he's not waiting for his actual green card petition, but the sponsor petition, then it might make sense? But no it says there, he's waiting for his green card? Which should imply it's the actual adjustment of status petition, in which case he really shouldn't have left...
or it could be he's opting to do consular processing, which I think at some point was considered much faster than adjustment of status adjudications? But if his I-130 passed (and if he's doing consular processing, then yes it should have) then there really shouldn't be any reason for him to be anxious about whether or not his application for an immigrant visa would be denied, not unless he lied about anything in his original petition or his sponsor is withdrawing his petition..
actually wait I'm assuming he's doing family-based, it could be some other category I guess.
But either way in most cases if he "goes home" to Australia, that means he was in the U.S., which means he was doing adjustment of status, which means he really shouldn't have left the country.
If he's waiting for his green card for the U.S. why tf did he leave the country?? Okay that's not how green cards work, if he's already got an application pending it's best for him NOT to leave the country, actually. And honestly, more often than not, the process drags out, they've got heavier than usual caseloads, etc etc
but also lmao yeah he SHOULD be worried about his case being denied, what with him having left the U.S. and, apparently from the blurb, intent on staying long-term in Australia. My dude,,,,,,,
Okay wait actually, if he's not waiting for his actual green card petition, but the sponsor petition, then it might make sense? But no it says there, he's waiting for his green card? Which should imply it's the actual adjustment of status petition, in which case he really shouldn't have left...
or it could be he's opting to do consular processing, which I think at some point was considered much faster than adjustment of status adjudications? But if his I-130 passed (and if he's doing consular processing, then yes it should have) then there really shouldn't be any reason for him to be anxious about whether or not his application for an immigrant visa would be denied, not unless he lied about anything in his original petition or his sponsor is withdrawing his petition..
actually wait I'm assuming he's doing family-based, it could be some other category I guess.
But either way in most cases if he "goes home" to Australia, that means he was in the U.S., which means he was doing adjustment of status, which means he really shouldn't have left the country.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews