The River’s Edge

by Jordan Castillo Price

Two lost souls…one uncanny journey.

Cynic, enforcer, and all-around dangerous guy—Gino is hardly surprised to find himself dumped on the riverbank. His gun, wallet and cellphone are long gone, though he has been left with one hell of a splitting headache.

But Gino’s not the only one in dire straits. Soon a damaged young man named Shane discovers his party friends aren’t really friends at all, and now he too is stuck in the middle of nowhere.

One man is a blunt weapon, while the other has never quite measured up—neither with any good prospects for a bright future. But when their paths collide, they embark on an extraordinary journey of redemption and self-discovery. Together, they confront the unknown and forge an unbreakable bond that defies the odds. Will they find solace and salvation, or will they be consumed by the secrets of their past?

Genres: Paranormal, M M Romance, Fantasy, Romance, Short Stories, Horror, LGBT

69 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 2023

About the author

Author and artist Jordan Castillo Price writes paranormal sci-fi thrillers colored by her time in the Midwest, from inner city Chicago, to various cities across southern Wisconsin. She’s settled in a 1910 Cape Cod near Lake Michigan with tons of character and a plethora of bizarre spiders. Any disembodied noises, she’s decided, will be blamed on the ice maker.

Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.

Reviews

[~Nicole~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

After starting this book (@20% in) I suddenly realized that one, it was a short story, two, it was dark and three, it was fantasy/pnr.
I was very sure this was a normal-length book with the typical pair mafia older guy/young twink as a trope.
Well, I wasn’t even close. For half a book I didn’t even know what I was reading. And I can’t even tell you what it is because it’s way way better to go in blind. I will say though that you have to be quite the author and have a fabulous imagination to create this quirky and enthralling piece of fiction.
Totally not my type and had I known what was what I probably wouldn’t even have picked it up and yet I didn’t even breathe until I finished it. Excellent!

PD. The cover is gorgeous.

[Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting short story. I liked it. I did have it figured out early on, but I liked how it progressed and ended. Nicely done.

[Hugo #freepalestine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fuck Me, How come a story so short manage to tugged a piece of my heart so badly goddammit 😭😭😭.

Please author make this a full-length story where it ended up with them finding each other irl at the end with HEA epilogue.


P.S. I love this bombass cover

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I picked up this book was because of the beautiful cover. I have enjoyed what I've read from JCP in the past, but it's rare that I pick up a short.

While it wasn't hard to know what was happening, I was interested to see how it would end. Atmospheric with good character development, it even had me tearing up at one point. Definitely worth the read.

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ulysses Dietz Member of The Paranormal Guild Review Team
Rating: 5 stars
Title: River’s Edge
Author: Jordan Castillo Price
Publisher: JCP Books
Genre:
M/M

Publication date: 2023
Page count: 69

Imagine, if you will, a Twilight Zone episode written as a m/m romance. This is a long short story, eerie and tender by turns. It is gripping. If you had a classical education, you’ll get it right away. If not, you’ll get it eventually.

Gino finds himself, groggy and bloodied, on the foggy banks of a river, realizing that his boss must have clobbered him and dumped him in the country. Then Shane stumbles upon the scene, pretty and red-haired and obviously upscale. Shane seems even more lost and confused than Gino does.

Gino’s initial suspicion turns to concern when he realizes that Shane is not well. For all his tough-guy demeanor, Gino has a big heart. Together, he and Shane head for the nearest road, sharing their secrets with each other and realizing that, in spite of the unfortunate circumstances, they’re both glad they met.

Jordan Castillo Price is always a go-to for me. Even in this short format, she does a fantastic job with mood, character, and emotional manipulation.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

The River’s Edge is an engaging novella by Jordan Castillo Price. This is a story that you really need to discover as you read, so I am keeping things vague (and I caution you to beware of spoilers that will ruin the story for you). The book opens as we meet Gino, laying on a riverbank with a bloody head and a raging headache. He knows he was dumped there by his boss, but has no idea what he did to get on the man’s bad side. Then he meets Shane, who is also injured, dumped by the river, and has no idea what happened to him. As the men work to make their way back to civilization, they have long hours to get to know one another, to talk and share secrets and connect.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down

Enjoyable and slightly spooky short story. I figured out what was happening pretty quickly, but I thought the concept was intriguing and well done. But the ending felt a little unsatisfying--it was a little too unresolved to be effective for me.

[PaperMoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I knew exactly the why and where of the MCs and their 'predicament'- this brief read kept my attention right through.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superbly atmospheric story that begins when two men wake up on a river bank with no idea where they are or how they got there.

It's fairly easy to guess what's going on, but the author brings a real nightmarish quality and sense of menace to the tale as Shane and Gino slowly become aware of what's happening, and start opening up to each other.

It's a quick, but intense read, and I was impressed with the amount of character growth, emotion and story JCP packs in to fewer than 70 pages.

Also - the cover is stunning.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was wonderful, both beautifully written and deeply moving. It's a short story about two men who wake up at a riverbank and that's all I'm going to say. Its better to uncover the layers as you read them. The story is clever even with me figuring out what was going on pretty quickly. But it didn't matter because it was the characters that mattered. And they mattered so much to me by the end that I had to hold back tears. Highly recommended.

[Evelyn220 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ Found this novella randomly on GR and loved the cover, so decided to give it a go. I’m not sure if I enjoyed reading it—it has this purposefully upsetting, eerie flow—but it definitely intrigued and fascinating me, and I loved the end.
It’s one of those books that you like better in retrospect than while you’re actually reading it. Once you can look back and see the story as a whole, it’s quite genius.

I think it would have been worlds better had it been fleshed out a bit more—it was too short. I needed a little more romance and time for the characters to grow on me.

If you like novellas or strange, dark, mysterious stories with a bit of romance mixed in, give this a go.

[Gabi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate short stories. -.-

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you realize what's going on or not, the author manages to keep this interesting, which is all I ask. But there's also character evolution, and a resolution I hadn't guessed, so yeah. Five stars.

[Ink & Echo]

A short novella with the typical JCP writing style. It was enjoyable but veryyyy short

[Bronwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars – I’m rounding this up because the writing was really good. This is the first book I’ve read by JCP, though I’ve had her PsyCop series on my tbr list for a while now.

I think what I enjoyed most about this novella was the atmosphere. It almost felt like a living character of the story. I also enjoyed the little bits of humor thrown in. They were subtle but so good. Even though I figured out what was going on before chapter 2, I liked not knowing where the story was going.

I’d recommend this if you’re looking for a short atmospheric story to while away an afternoon or evening. **I absolutely love the cover!**

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this author knows how to tell a good story but this was exceptional.
It's got a mystical and ethereal feeling and the writing pulls you into the story and gives you goosebumps.
Gorgeous cover and beautiful short story.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We’re in Egypt. Because yonder river,” Shane gestured dramatically, “is obviously DeNile.”

As usual, I really enjoyed this quickie from JCP, even if one of the MCs is clueless.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivid and unusual. This was a fascinating story. JCP never disappoints! It's gripping and a little strange and definitely eerie. I wanted a little more of an ending, but it was a great reading experience. Very intense.

[Mtsnow13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atmospheric, dark, and a bit spooky

As always, JCP never disappoints. Amazing how such a short novella can cover such a large amount of life, thoughts, emotions and kind of a feeling of a dark 'groundhog day' repeats. I didn't quite know what to expect, but this was worth the hour it took me to read 😉 Reminds me a bit of her older writing that I enjoyed before I became hooked on Psycop.. the Turbulence short series. Well worth the time invested. Thank you again, dear author, for peaking my interest in another direction from the normal fluff pieces that there seem to be so much of these days.. I always appreciate a new perspective for escapism.. Now, where's that boat...

[Rαιɳ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ rounded up because I didn't expect such a story at all.

[Kelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to predict everything for me, but a nice little short story nonetheless.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We’re in Egypt. Because yonder river,” Shane gestured dramatically, “is obviously DeNile.” — Shane

Warnings: death, child abuse, sexual assault, murder, drug use

This novella came from the thoughts of the author and scary media lover Jordan Castillo Price "I got to thinking, how could I create that sort of creeping unease in a story, without the advantage of a soundtrack?". It does that in spades. Unease permeates the narrative, questions arise and some are answered much later in the story or aren't answered at all. It becomes particularly uncomfortable if you start to put yourself in the shoes of Shane or Gino. The severely limited cast, really only Shane and Gino with the occasional mention of memories that bring other characters in to show other dimensions to both characters, adds to the slightly weird or eerie tone of the novella. It is a novella I recommend, beautifully written and well-paced. The characters are endearing to a degree, they are human, they have flaws and pasts and that makes them all the better. There are some warnings to keep in mind death (including but not limited to murder), past sexual assault, child abuse and drug use.

It is hard to review this without going into spoiler territory. But I will add a couple of quotes and comments.
• I really like the cover for this. I'm guessing that Jordan Castillo Price created it themselves given there is no cover credit on the title verso, where the credits usually would be. It is misleading given the content of the book but it is lovely.
• But promises are like kneecaps—made to be broken—so I wasn’t exactly surprised. — This is a perfect quote for demonstrating exactly what kind of past Gino comes from. Violent and dark. It is a wonderful precursor to the immediate aftermath to this, Gino remembering how he ended up where he is. (Gino)
• JCP does great first lines, both books in general and chapters generally well. They are usually enough to make you wonder what is that in reference to and continue reading for more context. It's compelling writing.
• Love is the closest thing to heaven you can experience on earth, at least while you’re in the thick of it. That’s why so many people keep going back for more, even after they’ve been burned. I’d met my last heavenly body at an overpriced cafe over by the second-hand record store and the yoga studio that keeps changing management. — For a character that is presented as deeply jaded this is an intriguing line from Gino.
• “Whatever you need to tell yourself. But I, for one, know exactly where we—”
“Don’t say it.” — Shane picks it up before I did I think. I appreciate Gino's reluctance to admit the truth to himself. It is human and realistic. (Shane and Gino)
• I am adding a spoiler quote for the sake of context for warnings. Read on at your own peril. In the midst of all the wrongness, everything about him felt so damn right. Even so, I couldn’t shake the thought I was putting my hands where some lecherous old man-of-the-cloth had already blazed a trail.
And he saw it in my eyes. His pale brow furrowed. “You think I’m broken.”
“Don’t be stupid,” I said. When he tried to turn his head away, I took him by the jaw and made him look up at me. “I think you’re perfect.”
Shane’s pupils flexed and his eyes darkened. “Then, for heaven’s sake, Gino…don’t make me beg.” — I need to put this in here. When I say child abuse and sexual assault I mean it. Shane was sexually abused by Priest. Gino has a rightful reluctance to a degree to go where that old bastard has been (especially since he really only just found out about this aspect of Shane's past) but everything about it works. I do love this moment of pain. It explains Shane and his actions. We know he is an addict he has a painful past. It is that last line though, that line is a brilliant addition given the context of the book. (Gino and Shane)

You gotta be careful when you deal with the smart ones, and that’s a shame. Most anyone can figure out what to do in bed. The clever ones are the ones who still hold your interest once the clothes go back on. —Gino

A representative gif:

[SJ]

That beautiful cover drew me in to what I thought would be a story of tough guy mobster meeting up with a pretty boy while both are in dire straits on a riverbank. It didn’t take too long for the penny to drop for me of where the river is and who is the boatman. I had forgotten that this author writes PNR.
I didn’t intend to read a sad or bittersweet story, so I’m exiting. From what I did read, the writing and characters are very good.

[Fay MMBookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short novella for a mystic story of Gino and Shane that is completely different.
Gino had been dating Carmine until their breakup.
At the river bank he meets Shane, both are not in 100% health given the circumstances.

[NikNak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I figured this out within one of the first pages and I think it kind of took away some of the “excitement” for me, despite the book being quite sort..it seemed to drag on a bit in the middle.
I enjoy this author and the writing was, of course, very pleasant but just missed the mark a little for me.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75⭐️ Good short story. Interesting plot and liked that this was a m|m couple leading this book. Tbh the story didn’t pull in until mid way and even then the ending was predictable while also left me wanting more. The book left me mainly unsatisfied unfortunately.

[MariaR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short and sad story. I hope they have their eternity to be happy.

[Lingovise · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5…

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gino & Shane. Both from different backgrounds. I loved them both. The book was good. Definitely a scary position having grown up Catholic. But overall a good story. Buddy reads with my sister. 💜💜💜

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is purgatory bearable if you’re not alone