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Butterfly Hunter #2
Of Dreams and Ceremonies
It seemed like a great idea at the time... Aussie Dave Taylor has followed Nicholas Goring to England, and the lovers have become engaged. But now Dave has to cope with living in a mansion full of family and servants, making wedding plans, getting his head around visa applications, and wondering why on earth he’d ever want to wear a ‘mourning suit’. He’s not sure if it will prove any easier, but right now Dave would love to just skip ahead to the honeymoon...
132 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
7 people are currently reading
328 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 76 reviews
November 1, 2013
This book is essentially a 148 page epilogue to the Butterfly Hunter. It takes up right where book 1 left off. And is, at its very heart, a celebration of the love between David and Nicholas. It isn’t huge on plot or story arc. And though there are a few twists and turns, what fills the majority of the pages are loving looks and declarations and adorations between our beloved MC’s. This was, quite frankly, perfect for me. :)
If you read Butterfly Hunter and loved it (as I did), this will feel like icing on the cake. It is a treat for the fans, in the lovely, gentle, kind Julie Bozza way. If book 1 wasn’t one of your favorites, this will feel cheesy and over-the-top gushy to you.
I adored it because I adore David and Nicholas and because I adore Julie Bozza…and I feel…embraced by it. Butterfly Hunter didn’t need this follow up…but I’m so thankful for it.
xoxo...
Check out Ami's great review of this book...
November 1, 2013
This lovely story is comprised of three sections: “Wedding”, “Honeymoon”, and “Corroboree”. In “Wedding”, we have David Taylor and his beloved English earl, Nicholas Goring preparing their wedding, after Dave accepted Nicholas’s proposal right in the end of Butterfly Hunter. “Honeymoon” captures their honeymoon phase in Cornwall and “Corroboree” is a short section when the newlyweds return to Brisbane, Australia.
“Wedding” is a beauty – I am in love with how Julie Bozza writes this section. It makes me feel like being wrapped in soft blanket of comfort. I enjoy reading about the preparation: what to wear (I learn a new term: morning suits – I am Indonesian, okay, I don’t know ALL the English words *lol*), where to live, what to do about getting Australian visa (for Nicholas), whom to invite to the wedding ... and most touching part, when Nicholas thinking about saying goodbye to his family. Dave and Nicholas are so besotted to one another – which makes my sappy self gushes in delight and sighs in contentment.
“Honeymoon” on the other hand, is slightly a drag for me. I guess in this section, my cynical self is making an appearance. I’m starting to think some parts as being too flowery – and well, few of the similes are simply cringe-worthy (‘you taste like the purest nectar’ – uhm, just NO). There is also a slight mystery here with a couple of men that Dave and Nicholas meet on their honeymoon, which I think slightly disjointed to the whole tone of the story.
“Corroboree” is the shortest of the three and it’s a bit too short to make an impact in my all reading experience. Although, I like the idea of ceremony and celebration in Australian way. It rounds up the story because it starts in Australia and here is Dave and Nicholas ready for the next phase of their life together as husbands in Australia too.
For some readers, they might find the story to be slightly too bland and lack of high speed pulse. For others, they might find the story to be a little too sweet and lovey-dovey. For me, though, my sappy self is beating my cynical self with a stick. So while this might not be as perfect as Butterfly Hunter, I am happily give this my 4-stars.
“Wedding” is a beauty – I am in love with how Julie Bozza writes this section. It makes me feel like being wrapped in soft blanket of comfort. I enjoy reading about the preparation: what to wear (I learn a new term: morning suits – I am Indonesian, okay, I don’t know ALL the English words *lol*), where to live, what to do about getting Australian visa (for Nicholas), whom to invite to the wedding ... and most touching part, when Nicholas thinking about saying goodbye to his family. Dave and Nicholas are so besotted to one another – which makes my sappy self gushes in delight and sighs in contentment.
“Honeymoon” on the other hand, is slightly a drag for me. I guess in this section, my cynical self is making an appearance. I’m starting to think some parts as being too flowery – and well, few of the similes are simply cringe-worthy (‘you taste like the purest nectar’ – uhm, just NO). There is also a slight mystery here with a couple of men that Dave and Nicholas meet on their honeymoon, which I think slightly disjointed to the whole tone of the story.
“Corroboree” is the shortest of the three and it’s a bit too short to make an impact in my all reading experience. Although, I like the idea of ceremony and celebration in Australian way. It rounds up the story because it starts in Australia and here is Dave and Nicholas ready for the next phase of their life together as husbands in Australia too.
For some readers, they might find the story to be slightly too bland and lack of high speed pulse. For others, they might find the story to be a little too sweet and lovey-dovey. For me, though, my sappy self is beating my cynical self with a stick. So while this might not be as perfect as Butterfly Hunter, I am happily give this my 4-stars.
November 10, 2013
Sigh......
I was stalling...badly!
I finished Of Dreams and Ceremonies on the day it was released.
I read it a second time after re-reading Butterfly Hunter, but I still don`t know what to write, so I won`t.
A simple "I loved it" has to do.
To "review" it, writing about content and writing style just feels so utterly wrong and would destroy a part of the warm and fuzzy feeling that book left me with. Yes, I have it bad...
I highly recommend Of Dreams and Ceremonies and its prequel to all people who believe love is nothing but a chemical reaction. These books will convince them that that`s not true.
And now let me go back basking in that peaceful, warm, and cozy place that is a Julie Bozza romance.
I was stalling...badly!
I finished Of Dreams and Ceremonies on the day it was released.
I read it a second time after re-reading Butterfly Hunter, but I still don`t know what to write, so I won`t.
A simple "I loved it" has to do.
To "review" it, writing about content and writing style just feels so utterly wrong and would destroy a part of the warm and fuzzy feeling that book left me with. Yes, I have it bad...
I highly recommend Of Dreams and Ceremonies and its prequel to all people who believe love is nothing but a chemical reaction. These books will convince them that that`s not true.
And now let me go back basking in that peaceful, warm, and cozy place that is a Julie Bozza romance.
November 1, 2013
This time the southern hemisphere meets the north. In the first book we were left reeling with joy after Dave follows Nicholas to England and proposes to him in front of the family? I was so glad when I found out a second book would be written, as I couldn't possibly rest without knowing, where does it go from here? Once again Julie doesn't disappointment and comes through with a wonderful story of the Aussie coming to terms with the UK and its culture. Even more so for Dave, the egalitarian Aussie, thrust right into the middle of British aristocracy.
For me this book is really in two distinct parts as the title even eludes too. The first half of the book dealing with the wedding and the second the honeymoon, so let's take a look at the book exactly in this way.
The Wedding
Has Dave done the right thing? Was it too hasty and on a whim? Was Nicholas's proposal of marriage really thought out? Well, after Dave gets over the jet-lag he reflects on what he had actually done and said yes too. Although he never has any doubts about his decision he does leave himself surprised and reeling from his spontaneity from such a important decision for life. Nicholas also, he asks and Dave says yes immediately from conviction and love, both never doubting that this is the right thing to do.
Dave is now trying to get to know the family and Nicholas's way of life. As you can imagine for an Aussie, being thrust into British aristocracy can't be easy. However, Nicholas's father the Earl is happy to except Dave as a future son-in-law and makes him feel at ease. Julie created a titled British family but with modern ideals very well. I must admit to thinking would an Earl really be so understanding of his son's homosexuality, but here the family just celebrates the joy that Nicholas has found in Dave and are happy for him that he has found his true love. I loved Nicholas's family and even if it was a family of nobility you felt the love and togetherness they all had for each other and Nicholas.
The wedding plans get underway and everything is perfectly arranged in record time. Only a couple of stumbling blocks. From Nicholas's family the expectation of dress for the day is top hat and tails. There is of course no way an Aussie could or would ever feel comfortable wearing that garb. A little disappointment can be sensed in Nicholas, but respects Dave’s values. Deniz comes to the rescue and comes up with the perfect solution on dress. Deniz, Vittorio and Charlie are invited, arrive and the celebrations can begin. This was for me a wonderful moment, a wedding is normally always a happy moment and this was no exception, you could feel the commitment that Nicholas and Dave have for each other and the love just oozed out of the book. Sappy? Well, I suppose. But then aren’t weddings anyway? Not a dry eye in the house.
However, all through the preparations and up to the wedding Nicholas has his fears about the immigration process for Australia and as Australia doesn’t recognize gay marriage he is worried whether they will let him in at all or the process would take so long they would be separated for 6 months just after getting married. I can perfectly understand these fears, dealing with officials, especially immigration ones is a daunting prospect. As a Brit living in Germany the process was a snap compared to getting into Australia, but the process of jumping through bureaucratic hoops is still the same and i totally sympathised with Nicholas and his concerns.
I really liked the family butler who is like a second father to Nicholas, always looking out for and looking after him. There were some nice moments between him and Dave as they spoke about their concerns of his health and condition. You could feel that he totally trusted Dave and therefore was happy that he should follow Dave to Australia.
As with any wedding, after this it was off on honeymoon………………
The Honeymoon
In the first book Julie creates a wonderful, magical and mysterious place with the watering hole in Australia where their relationship flourished into something beautiful. Here the magic and mystery is back on the honeymoon. So where do you go in the UK if you want, myth, magic, folklore and adventure? Yes, it’s off to Cornwall for the honeymoon. Being a born and bred Cornishman I was immediately delighted, well a little squee of joy did escape containment. Now I really was interested in how Julie was going to deal with this, especially for a reader like me who comes from this corner of the planet and knows almost every rock from childhood.
Well I needn’t have been afraid. Julie creates a beautiful picture of Cornwall, its mystery and magic and its quirky locals. We are swept away to a land of coasts, coves and shipwrecks, of stone circles and towering cliffs, if you are going to find magic and mystery in the UK then Cornwall is the place to go. But then maybe I’m biased - lol!. Julie describes things beautifully and mentions place names that all exist, so I rather think that she has been there maybe a number of times herself. I could smell the seasalt in the air, hear the crashing of waves on the beaches and feel the mystery hanging in the air. Julie mentions Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula, so to give you an idea...........
..........and as Dave puts it,
Well, I can only agree with Dave on that - fair dinkum mate!
They have a remote holiday cottage on a coast next to a stone circle. Nicholas is enchanted with the place, if not a little spooked. He almost senses the power and magic in this stone circle. Something built so long ago, it is almost like a lost form of the Aboriginal Dreamtime. Julie does it again, we are there feeling the atmosphere and pull of these stones. I know myself there are a number of these stone circles on the very South West tip of Cornwall, but only the locals know where they really are and keep them secret ~ unless you look up the grid reference in Google~ lol! But they are definitely not signposted from the road. You can find them, but it is a bit of a hunt which maybe adds to their mystery
Nicholas starts seeing strange lights in the stone circle at night, and his fascination for them increases. Dave the more practical one tries not to encourage Nicholas’s imagination. But alas Nicholas disappears one night, curiosity getting the better of him, and Dave has to go and search for him. As to what happens or what is going on, well I’m not giving that away here in my review, suffice to say that it is something that has been going on in Cornwall for about 200 years and is still going on. Want to know – then read the book! It had me guessing and glued to the page right to the end.
A lovely Celtic ceremony takes place for Dave and Nicholas in the stone circle before they leave, conducted by the locals which again can be seen as an honour, acceptance and sign of friendship. I found this to be a lovely touch. Especially as folklore is still very deep rooted Cornwall. Julie brings the local characters to life with all their quirkiness. I was smiling as I know such characters and how they treat the tourists or “emmets” in Cornish as they are called locally for someone who isn’t Cornish, always a little tongue in cheek.
Julie has definitely done her homework on researching the local folklore and its stories as I can vouch for their authenticity being a local. As I was reading the descriptions are perfect and I could feel a kind of energy emanating from the pages for something that is so old and steeped in myth and legend. I immediately knew she was talking about The Merry Maidens near to my hometown. Here are a couple of photos of this ancient stone circle that I took when visiting my family in Cornwall last year.
Back to the book, of course needless to say Nicholas manages to get all the paperwork done and leaves for Australia. As soon as they get there Charlie comes to Dave and tells him that the elders wish to hold a ceremony for himself and Nicholas. This of course in Aboriginal culture is a HUGE honour for two white males. I found this to be such a great balance between the ancient Celtic ceremony held in England before they left and then the welcoming Aboriginal one in Australia. Both ancient, both magical, it really is a book…………
Of Dreams and Ceremonies
Come and join us today on our blog, where we will be interviewing Julie about her book and to celebrate the release day will be having a great giveaway.
For me this book is really in two distinct parts as the title even eludes too. The first half of the book dealing with the wedding and the second the honeymoon, so let's take a look at the book exactly in this way.
The Wedding
Has Dave done the right thing? Was it too hasty and on a whim? Was Nicholas's proposal of marriage really thought out? Well, after Dave gets over the jet-lag he reflects on what he had actually done and said yes too. Although he never has any doubts about his decision he does leave himself surprised and reeling from his spontaneity from such a important decision for life. Nicholas also, he asks and Dave says yes immediately from conviction and love, both never doubting that this is the right thing to do.
Dave is now trying to get to know the family and Nicholas's way of life. As you can imagine for an Aussie, being thrust into British aristocracy can't be easy. However, Nicholas's father the Earl is happy to except Dave as a future son-in-law and makes him feel at ease. Julie created a titled British family but with modern ideals very well. I must admit to thinking would an Earl really be so understanding of his son's homosexuality, but here the family just celebrates the joy that Nicholas has found in Dave and are happy for him that he has found his true love. I loved Nicholas's family and even if it was a family of nobility you felt the love and togetherness they all had for each other and Nicholas.
The wedding plans get underway and everything is perfectly arranged in record time. Only a couple of stumbling blocks. From Nicholas's family the expectation of dress for the day is top hat and tails. There is of course no way an Aussie could or would ever feel comfortable wearing that garb. A little disappointment can be sensed in Nicholas, but respects Dave’s values. Deniz comes to the rescue and comes up with the perfect solution on dress. Deniz, Vittorio and Charlie are invited, arrive and the celebrations can begin. This was for me a wonderful moment, a wedding is normally always a happy moment and this was no exception, you could feel the commitment that Nicholas and Dave have for each other and the love just oozed out of the book. Sappy? Well, I suppose. But then aren’t weddings anyway? Not a dry eye in the house.
However, all through the preparations and up to the wedding Nicholas has his fears about the immigration process for Australia and as Australia doesn’t recognize gay marriage he is worried whether they will let him in at all or the process would take so long they would be separated for 6 months just after getting married. I can perfectly understand these fears, dealing with officials, especially immigration ones is a daunting prospect. As a Brit living in Germany the process was a snap compared to getting into Australia, but the process of jumping through bureaucratic hoops is still the same and i totally sympathised with Nicholas and his concerns.
I really liked the family butler who is like a second father to Nicholas, always looking out for and looking after him. There were some nice moments between him and Dave as they spoke about their concerns of his health and condition. You could feel that he totally trusted Dave and therefore was happy that he should follow Dave to Australia.
As with any wedding, after this it was off on honeymoon………………
The Honeymoon
In the first book Julie creates a wonderful, magical and mysterious place with the watering hole in Australia where their relationship flourished into something beautiful. Here the magic and mystery is back on the honeymoon. So where do you go in the UK if you want, myth, magic, folklore and adventure? Yes, it’s off to Cornwall for the honeymoon. Being a born and bred Cornishman I was immediately delighted, well a little squee of joy did escape containment. Now I really was interested in how Julie was going to deal with this, especially for a reader like me who comes from this corner of the planet and knows almost every rock from childhood.
Well I needn’t have been afraid. Julie creates a beautiful picture of Cornwall, its mystery and magic and its quirky locals. We are swept away to a land of coasts, coves and shipwrecks, of stone circles and towering cliffs, if you are going to find magic and mystery in the UK then Cornwall is the place to go. But then maybe I’m biased - lol!. Julie describes things beautifully and mentions place names that all exist, so I rather think that she has been there maybe a number of times herself. I could smell the seasalt in the air, hear the crashing of waves on the beaches and feel the mystery hanging in the air. Julie mentions Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula, so to give you an idea...........
..........and as Dave puts it,
“A long way down at the foot of the cliff, there was a crescent of pure white sand between two sharp dark outcrops of rock, with gorgeous turquoise water lapping gently on this mild day. “Beautiful” he said. And he’d thought Australia had cornered the market on beautiful beaches.”
Well, I can only agree with Dave on that - fair dinkum mate!
They have a remote holiday cottage on a coast next to a stone circle. Nicholas is enchanted with the place, if not a little spooked. He almost senses the power and magic in this stone circle. Something built so long ago, it is almost like a lost form of the Aboriginal Dreamtime. Julie does it again, we are there feeling the atmosphere and pull of these stones. I know myself there are a number of these stone circles on the very South West tip of Cornwall, but only the locals know where they really are and keep them secret ~ unless you look up the grid reference in Google~ lol! But they are definitely not signposted from the road. You can find them, but it is a bit of a hunt which maybe adds to their mystery
Nicholas starts seeing strange lights in the stone circle at night, and his fascination for them increases. Dave the more practical one tries not to encourage Nicholas’s imagination. But alas Nicholas disappears one night, curiosity getting the better of him, and Dave has to go and search for him. As to what happens or what is going on, well I’m not giving that away here in my review, suffice to say that it is something that has been going on in Cornwall for about 200 years and is still going on. Want to know – then read the book! It had me guessing and glued to the page right to the end.
A lovely Celtic ceremony takes place for Dave and Nicholas in the stone circle before they leave, conducted by the locals which again can be seen as an honour, acceptance and sign of friendship. I found this to be a lovely touch. Especially as folklore is still very deep rooted Cornwall. Julie brings the local characters to life with all their quirkiness. I was smiling as I know such characters and how they treat the tourists or “emmets” in Cornish as they are called locally for someone who isn’t Cornish, always a little tongue in cheek.
Julie has definitely done her homework on researching the local folklore and its stories as I can vouch for their authenticity being a local. As I was reading the descriptions are perfect and I could feel a kind of energy emanating from the pages for something that is so old and steeped in myth and legend. I immediately knew she was talking about The Merry Maidens near to my hometown. Here are a couple of photos of this ancient stone circle that I took when visiting my family in Cornwall last year.
Back to the book, of course needless to say Nicholas manages to get all the paperwork done and leaves for Australia. As soon as they get there Charlie comes to Dave and tells him that the elders wish to hold a ceremony for himself and Nicholas. This of course in Aboriginal culture is a HUGE honour for two white males. I found this to be such a great balance between the ancient Celtic ceremony held in England before they left and then the welcoming Aboriginal one in Australia. Both ancient, both magical, it really is a book…………
Of Dreams and Ceremonies
Come and join us today on our blog, where we will be interviewing Julie about her book and to celebrate the release day will be having a great giveaway.
January 23, 2014
Oh how wonderful it was to revisit Nicholas and Dave. I was enchanted by Butterfly Hunter and fell in love with them unconditionally as they fell in love with each over the course of that beautiful story, so to be able to spend more time with them in this sweet, gentle, tender follow up was like coming home. Familiar and comforting.
Theres no doubt that this is all about just how true the love between these two endearing men is. It's there in the build up to the wedding, it's there when they go on their honeymoon to Cornwall and encounter a little mystery and it's definitely there in the short but oh so lovely third section of the book when they fly back to Ausralia and take part in the Corroboree, a sacred aboriginal ceremony that involves the rituals and mystery of the Aboriginee's Dreamtime. What happens when they both play their designated parts in that, had me grinning like a loon but with tears running down my face!
That's what I love about Julie's books. She always manages to touch me deeply but any tears shed are never about the tragic but always about the joy. I can't tell you how many times my eyes got misty reading this but I started with a smile on my face and I ended with one. And yes I cried at the wedding! Plus even though I've never been there, the descriptions of Cornwall were fantastic and gave me a real sense of place, just like I got a real feel for Australia while I was reading Butterfly Hunter.
If you've read BH then you know that there's a very poignant side to the story and it's touched on in this book but never in a maudlin way. Even though its in the background, most of the time its at its most touching when Nicholas and Dave are just together on page, learning new things about each other, both inside and out of the bedroom, like brand new couples do...trying to work out how to make a future together work, in terms of where they'll eventually settle and how that will affect their relationships with beloved family and friends. But above all its the depth of love they share that makes this relationship so special between blokey, down to earth Aussie Dave and delicate, aristocratic, sensitive, loveable Nicholas who charms everyone he meets!
If you've read the first story don't hesitate to get this.
A special book written by a special lady, who is not only a super writer but is also one of the nicest kindest people I've had the privileged to meet and I have to say a special thank you to her for making my day... in more ways than one!
Theres no doubt that this is all about just how true the love between these two endearing men is. It's there in the build up to the wedding, it's there when they go on their honeymoon to Cornwall and encounter a little mystery and it's definitely there in the short but oh so lovely third section of the book when they fly back to Ausralia and take part in the Corroboree, a sacred aboriginal ceremony that involves the rituals and mystery of the Aboriginee's Dreamtime. What happens when they both play their designated parts in that, had me grinning like a loon but with tears running down my face!
That's what I love about Julie's books. She always manages to touch me deeply but any tears shed are never about the tragic but always about the joy. I can't tell you how many times my eyes got misty reading this but I started with a smile on my face and I ended with one. And yes I cried at the wedding! Plus even though I've never been there, the descriptions of Cornwall were fantastic and gave me a real sense of place, just like I got a real feel for Australia while I was reading Butterfly Hunter.
If you've read BH then you know that there's a very poignant side to the story and it's touched on in this book but never in a maudlin way. Even though its in the background, most of the time its at its most touching when Nicholas and Dave are just together on page, learning new things about each other, both inside and out of the bedroom, like brand new couples do...trying to work out how to make a future together work, in terms of where they'll eventually settle and how that will affect their relationships with beloved family and friends. But above all its the depth of love they share that makes this relationship so special between blokey, down to earth Aussie Dave and delicate, aristocratic, sensitive, loveable Nicholas who charms everyone he meets!
If you've read the first story don't hesitate to get this.
A special book written by a special lady, who is not only a super writer but is also one of the nicest kindest people I've had the privileged to meet and I have to say a special thank you to her for making my day... in more ways than one!
November 7, 2013
Of Dreams and Ceremonies is such a special book, I really wanted to savor every moment and take my time reading it. It's far too short for my liking but I'm glad to hear there's a third book on its way, so that's a consolation!
Dave and Nicholas are such a delightful couple, I'll never tire of hearing about their love for each other and all the special moments they share. I loved Nicholas's family, they're so supportive of everything and their love for Nicholas shone through. It was fun to read about the plans for the wedding and what each man was going to wear. The ceremony and the night in the manor was so special, I had tears in my eyes throughout the whole event I think. The honeymoon adventure was set in Cornwall which was a nice surprise, as it's local to me and I've spent a great deal of time there. More vows were given in a Celtic handfasting ceremony which was performed by their new friends and this was one of the best moments in the book for me. Eagerly awaiting the next book and praying for a HEA!
Dave and Nicholas are such a delightful couple, I'll never tire of hearing about their love for each other and all the special moments they share. I loved Nicholas's family, they're so supportive of everything and their love for Nicholas shone through. It was fun to read about the plans for the wedding and what each man was going to wear. The ceremony and the night in the manor was so special, I had tears in my eyes throughout the whole event I think. The honeymoon adventure was set in Cornwall which was a nice surprise, as it's local to me and I've spent a great deal of time there. More vows were given in a Celtic handfasting ceremony which was performed by their new friends and this was one of the best moments in the book for me. Eagerly awaiting the next book and praying for a HEA!
November 30, 2013
This is a difficult review to write. Butterfly Hunter was one of my favorite books of 2012, so I had high hopes for its sequel. Unfortunately, this story didn't hold the same magic for me. Whereas Butterfly Hunter had a lovely, quiet tension between Dave and Nicholas, I spent the first part of this book with a sneaking suspicion that they shouldn't get married. The story is stiff and mannered to the point of awkwardness. There's a mystery of sorts introduced during the honeymoon, but it felt arbitrarily thrown in, like the author realized there needed to be a conflict. I was bored. If there's a third book in the series, I'll definitely read it (perhaps the return to Australia will recapture what I loved about the first book), but I cannot recommend this one.
August 14, 2015
Another beautiful installment in this series. A quietly romantic story, this part focused on Dave's reactions to Noah's family and the planning for the wedding (which was perfect by the way!) There's no real angst or drama, just a solid affirmation of the love shared between these two wonderful characters. I gave it 4 stars mainly because I'm a drama junkie and needed a bit more excitement to really get me hooked. But the fact is, this was a lovely story that speaks to the heart.
December 1, 2013
This is the sequel to Butterfly Hunter and the second book in the Butterfly Hunter Trilogy. For those who enjoyed Butterfly Hunter, this one here is a must-read–who wouldn’t want to know what happened after Dave’s and Nicholas’s helter-skelter engagement to marry?
Well, what happens is a marriage, of course. The world might call it a civil union ceremony, but to Nicholas, it’s a wedding celebration, and he’s determined to make it a memorable one, complete with flowers and guests and formal dinner at the manor and matching morning suits for groom and groom.
Which, in turn, frightens Dave a little. For one, why on earth would he wear a “mourning suit” for his wedding? And once that misunderstanding is cleared up, Dave puts his foot down; since he hasn’t even worn a suit for his father’s funeral, why would he wear a suit–of any kind–now? Luckily, Dave’s former girlfriend Denise is as resourceful as ever and comes up with a solution that suits all parties and helps avoiding Dave’s and Nicholas’s first marital strife before they’re even married.
While Nicholas throws himself with his usual ardent zeal into the wedding preparations, Dave feels a little overwhelmed by all the foreign-ness coming at him, starting from living in a manor house with a big family and servants (who in fact didn’t only feel and act last-century to Dave, but to me as the reader too–an effect that might’ve been intentional, but struck me as taking the cliche a tad too far) and not ending with the many obstacles the Australian Immigration regulations put into the way of Nicholas moving to Australia permanently. (From the latter fact accidentally evolved a delicious blog Nicholas started to keep which provided some of this books best poetic lines.) Although the commitment ceremony is as perfect as it can be, Dave is more than relieved once it is over and done with and he can escape with his new husband to their honeymoon cottage by the sea.
As Butterfly Hunter was pervaded by the spirit of Australia and the Dreamtime, so to speak, it’s “merry old England” that waves a hand in Of Dreams and Ceremonies. From the cottage where Dave and Nicolas spend their honeymoon to the supposedly haunted stone circle right on their doorstep, from the eccentric characters they encounter in the nearby fishing village to their quirky secret-tunnels-and-hidden-trapdoors adventure–I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek references to “typically British” storylines including Enid Blyton’s Fabulous Five.
In spite of that, like with the Goring family’s servants I found the whole “ye olde” aspect layered on a bit too thick for my taste. Not to mention the fact that practically everybody simply accepted Nicholas and Dave as a gay married couple–the one expression of disapproval they encountered consequentially seemed forced, apparently only put into the story in order to break up the overall OK-gay world.
Otherwise the honeymoon portion of the story read to me like Nicholas’s symbolic goodbye to his childhood home (I figure he must’ve grown up reading all those stories referenced in the book). At the same time, the honeymoon time also stood for the beginning of a new period in Dave and Nicholas’s lives–breaking old habits and making new ones, raising questions and finding answers together, building and reinforcing mutual trust, with the handfasting ceremony that married them to each other for the second time as a fitting completion.
However, it isn’t before they go back to Australia that their new life really begins–and it does so with a song and a dance, quite literally, as they’re both invited to take part in a Dreamtime ceremony by Charlie, their Australian Native friend. Thus, their commitment is once again approved–as if along with society, Dave’s and Nicholas’s respective home countries personally gave their blessing to the union of those two men.
Once again, the characters carried the story along. Nicholas is as sweet, strong-willed and adventurous as ever, and Dave is brave and determined and always remains Nicholas’s unshakeably faithful rock. I loved how both Nicholas and Dave remained true to themselves while at the same time, they managed to grow toward each other, making a stronger couple in the end. Amazingly done and embedded in a smoothly flowing, at times almost poetic narrative laced with this author’s trademark gentley mocking humor–despite some minor niggles, this was a worthy sequel to a wonderful book and a treat to read.
Well, what happens is a marriage, of course. The world might call it a civil union ceremony, but to Nicholas, it’s a wedding celebration, and he’s determined to make it a memorable one, complete with flowers and guests and formal dinner at the manor and matching morning suits for groom and groom.
Which, in turn, frightens Dave a little. For one, why on earth would he wear a “mourning suit” for his wedding? And once that misunderstanding is cleared up, Dave puts his foot down; since he hasn’t even worn a suit for his father’s funeral, why would he wear a suit–of any kind–now? Luckily, Dave’s former girlfriend Denise is as resourceful as ever and comes up with a solution that suits all parties and helps avoiding Dave’s and Nicholas’s first marital strife before they’re even married.
While Nicholas throws himself with his usual ardent zeal into the wedding preparations, Dave feels a little overwhelmed by all the foreign-ness coming at him, starting from living in a manor house with a big family and servants (who in fact didn’t only feel and act last-century to Dave, but to me as the reader too–an effect that might’ve been intentional, but struck me as taking the cliche a tad too far) and not ending with the many obstacles the Australian Immigration regulations put into the way of Nicholas moving to Australia permanently. (From the latter fact accidentally evolved a delicious blog Nicholas started to keep which provided some of this books best poetic lines.) Although the commitment ceremony is as perfect as it can be, Dave is more than relieved once it is over and done with and he can escape with his new husband to their honeymoon cottage by the sea.
As Butterfly Hunter was pervaded by the spirit of Australia and the Dreamtime, so to speak, it’s “merry old England” that waves a hand in Of Dreams and Ceremonies. From the cottage where Dave and Nicolas spend their honeymoon to the supposedly haunted stone circle right on their doorstep, from the eccentric characters they encounter in the nearby fishing village to their quirky secret-tunnels-and-hidden-trapdoors adventure–I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek references to “typically British” storylines including Enid Blyton’s Fabulous Five.
In spite of that, like with the Goring family’s servants I found the whole “ye olde” aspect layered on a bit too thick for my taste. Not to mention the fact that practically everybody simply accepted Nicholas and Dave as a gay married couple–the one expression of disapproval they encountered consequentially seemed forced, apparently only put into the story in order to break up the overall OK-gay world.
Otherwise the honeymoon portion of the story read to me like Nicholas’s symbolic goodbye to his childhood home (I figure he must’ve grown up reading all those stories referenced in the book). At the same time, the honeymoon time also stood for the beginning of a new period in Dave and Nicholas’s lives–breaking old habits and making new ones, raising questions and finding answers together, building and reinforcing mutual trust, with the handfasting ceremony that married them to each other for the second time as a fitting completion.
However, it isn’t before they go back to Australia that their new life really begins–and it does so with a song and a dance, quite literally, as they’re both invited to take part in a Dreamtime ceremony by Charlie, their Australian Native friend. Thus, their commitment is once again approved–as if along with society, Dave’s and Nicholas’s respective home countries personally gave their blessing to the union of those two men.
Once again, the characters carried the story along. Nicholas is as sweet, strong-willed and adventurous as ever, and Dave is brave and determined and always remains Nicholas’s unshakeably faithful rock. I loved how both Nicholas and Dave remained true to themselves while at the same time, they managed to grow toward each other, making a stronger couple in the end. Amazingly done and embedded in a smoothly flowing, at times almost poetic narrative laced with this author’s trademark gentley mocking humor–despite some minor niggles, this was a worthy sequel to a wonderful book and a treat to read.
November 6, 2013
This story picked up right where book one of this remarkable trilogy ended. Ms Bozza spun a tale of cultural differences and adventure in The Butterfly Hunter. In this book, she wove a story of romance and the celebration of the love between Nicholas and Dave. Set back in the U. K., the huge Goring clan launches the two men off on their married life together. I liked the way that Ms Bozza gave us a look into the aboriginal mystic side of life in Butterfly Hunter and this time gave us a look at the Celtic mystical side of life with the circle of stones and the hand fasting. It was all these small pieces of England melding with Australia through David and Nicholas that made this story a heart warming read. I cannot wait for the third book in this remarkable trilogy.
March 31, 2014
This is a sweet, warm, slow story that reads almost as an extended epilogue to the first book. It's a mellow look at two man in love, getting married with family and friends around them. I don't think it would stand well alone, because you have to be invested in the guys from the first book to want to follow them through this one. There is very little conflict, and a serious issue from book one only appears in passing now and then, without the bite of deep emotion to it. The writing is smooth and easy, and I read through it fast, just enjoying a little time with two good-hearted men and an accepting family.
December 14, 2014
A lovely follow-up to Butterfly Hunter, Of Dreams and Ceremonies begins the day after the last book ends and is divided into three sections: preparations for Nicholas and Dave's wedding, during which the guys are steeped in some paperwork stress but surrounded by Nicholas' loving family; their honeymoon in Cornwall with a bit of atmospheric mystery thrown in; and their return to Australia, where they are invited to participate in an Aboriginal dancing ceremony.
This book is romantic and beautifully written. Most of the steamy bits still fade to black, but we see love shine through in every scene. This one will make you believe even more in Nicholas and Dave's HEA.
This book is romantic and beautifully written. Most of the steamy bits still fade to black, but we see love shine through in every scene. This one will make you believe even more in Nicholas and Dave's HEA.
February 7, 2017
Of Dreams and Ceremonies starts up right where Butterfly Hunter left off. There is a wedding to plan and visa concerns for David, because they want to live in Australia. I thought it was a good follow up to Butterfly Hunter, but it didn't wow me.
Dave and Nicholas have only been a couple for a few short weeks, but they seem like they have been together for forever and a day. They seem to almost be able to read each others minds and finish each others sentences. That kind of ties in to the mysticism a bit from book 1 with the two of them almost seeming to have been 'fated'.
But what I loved most about Butterfly Hunter seemed to be missing, here. There was little tension or conflict and the story felt a little too drawn out. The bit of mystery that was introduced during the honeymoon was ok, but it took over a bit too much for my tastes, though I did like the standing stones, as well as the corroboree later on.
So, while I liked Of Dreams and Ceremonies, I didn't love it and would put it at about 3 stars.
Dave and Nicholas have only been a couple for a few short weeks, but they seem like they have been together for forever and a day. They seem to almost be able to read each others minds and finish each others sentences. That kind of ties in to the mysticism a bit from book 1 with the two of them almost seeming to have been 'fated'.
But what I loved most about Butterfly Hunter seemed to be missing, here. There was little tension or conflict and the story felt a little too drawn out. The bit of mystery that was introduced during the honeymoon was ok, but it took over a bit too much for my tastes, though I did like the standing stones, as well as the corroboree later on.
So, while I liked Of Dreams and Ceremonies, I didn't love it and would put it at about 3 stars.
June 26, 2014
“Before … ?”
“Before there was you.”
Happy days for Davy and Nicholas...
This book is about the build up to the wedding, the honeymoon to Cornwall and encounter a little mystery and the fly back to Australia to take part in the Corroboree, a sacred aboriginal ceremony that involves the rituals and mystery of the Aborigine's Dreamtime.
Loved Nicholas and Davy... They are so perfect for each other...
Loved all the pre-wedding activities. The diary was oh so sweet..
"He said ‘I love you’"
The wedding night in the manor was very special and honeymoon also brought new pleasant experiences...
Very pleasurable read.
Eagerly awaiting the next book and well deserved HEA.
January 12, 2014
4.5
Loved it.
So wonderful to read about Dave and Nicholas again and to see their relationship move to the next level. I admit to being more than a bit emotional reading this one and tearing up a few times. I'm afraid
I loved the whole build up to the wedding an even though it's been ages since I've read the first book I slid into the lives of these characters seamlessly without having to do a re-read. Surprisingly, I found the honeymoon stones mystery more than a bit creepy. It added a bit of the otherwordly to the events.
Dave and Nicholas are in love and reading about it gave me a lot of joy. I basked in it. Wonderful story.
Loved it.
So wonderful to read about Dave and Nicholas again and to see their relationship move to the next level. I admit to being more than a bit emotional reading this one and tearing up a few times. I'm afraid
I loved the whole build up to the wedding an even though it's been ages since I've read the first book I slid into the lives of these characters seamlessly without having to do a re-read. Surprisingly, I found the honeymoon stones mystery more than a bit creepy. It added a bit of the otherwordly to the events.
Dave and Nicholas are in love and reading about it gave me a lot of joy. I basked in it. Wonderful story.
December 16, 2013
4.5 stars
It was a very good, fitting conclusion of their story, I could have done without the 'drama' around Bert.
Reading both books back to back left me with a warm feeling and a smile.
It was a very good, fitting conclusion of their story, I could have done without the 'drama' around Bert.
Reading both books back to back left me with a warm feeling and a smile.
July 5, 2014
*Sigh*... so beautiful!!! I loved this "epilogue" of the Butterfly Hunter!
I loved everything: the wedding preparations, the honeymoon, the blog... the silk... hummmmmm
Perfect!
I loved everything: the wedding preparations, the honeymoon, the blog... the silk... hummmmmm
Perfect!
November 14, 2013
Shortie review for this one. 4 stars... I did like it, but couldn't help feeling that it was an appetiser for the main course which is yet to come, and which I hope will include more of those amazingly beautiful butterflies 
.
There were parts of the book I loved, but I have to admit there were a few parts where I lost interest a little and wished (for Dave's sake as well as my own) that they were back in Oz. The Wedding was amazing, and so beautifully detailed by Julie including Dave's sexy silk nightwear, the night where Dave got to 'top' was pretty epic too, the Handfasting ceremony on their Cornish honeymoon (complete with a modern day smuggler, and quirky old Bert) and the Corroboree ceremony with Charlie and the native Australians when they finally return to Brisbane...all were done with Julie's inimitable style and panache, and her amazing choice of words and phrases..her writing makes me go a little weak at the knees sometimes I have to admit, it's so delightful.
All in all, this is a 4 star read for me, oh and Julie, that offer of coffee and cakes in Bristol next year that you accepted is rescinded if anything untoward happens to my guys in the last book...so be careful, otherwise it's tea and crumpets only for you my girl!!
. There were parts of the book I loved, but I have to admit there were a few parts where I lost interest a little and wished (for Dave's sake as well as my own) that they were back in Oz. The Wedding was amazing, and so beautifully detailed by Julie including Dave's sexy silk nightwear, the night where Dave got to 'top' was pretty epic too, the Handfasting ceremony on their Cornish honeymoon (complete with a modern day smuggler, and quirky old Bert) and the Corroboree ceremony with Charlie and the native Australians when they finally return to Brisbane...all were done with Julie's inimitable style and panache, and her amazing choice of words and phrases..her writing makes me go a little weak at the knees sometimes I have to admit, it's so delightful.
All in all, this is a 4 star read for me, oh and Julie, that offer of coffee and cakes in Bristol next year that you accepted is rescinded if anything untoward happens to my guys in the last book...so be careful, otherwise it's tea and crumpets only for you my girl!!
November 28, 2013
4.5 stars
One of the reviewers called this book 'a 148 page epilogue to the Butterfly Hunter' and I agree. Nothing much happens in this book in terms of action, but, as this is romance, many things happen when it comes to Dave and Nicholas's relationship. Wedding is just one of those things. This is essentially the beginning of their life together, so they are starting to learn how to navigate it. The story is somewhat bittersweet, at least for Nicholas - because he is leaving his family behind. But, it's also unapologetically sweet and hopeful.
All I know is that book made me stupidly sentimental and that I have read more than half of it with tears in my eyes. Julie Bozza's prose is so lovely that it just sweeps you in the story and the emotions of her protagonists. I still worry a bit for Nicholas's health, but I trust Julie to keep Dave and Nicholas safe. I can't wait to see what she has in store for them in the final book. *sigh*
One of the reviewers called this book 'a 148 page epilogue to the Butterfly Hunter' and I agree. Nothing much happens in this book in terms of action, but, as this is romance, many things happen when it comes to Dave and Nicholas's relationship. Wedding is just one of those things. This is essentially the beginning of their life together, so they are starting to learn how to navigate it. The story is somewhat bittersweet, at least for Nicholas - because he is leaving his family behind. But, it's also unapologetically sweet and hopeful.
All I know is that book made me stupidly sentimental and that I have read more than half of it with tears in my eyes. Julie Bozza's prose is so lovely that it just sweeps you in the story and the emotions of her protagonists. I still worry a bit for Nicholas's health, but I trust Julie to keep Dave and Nicholas safe. I can't wait to see what she has in store for them in the final book. *sigh*
January 17, 2014
After loving its prequel Butterfly Hunter I found this sequel very disappointing. This is perhaps a case of high expectations. Another reviewer called this sequel a long epilogue for Butterfly Hunter and I will have to agree. This book did not advance the characters or story line at all. There is no new element introduced. It is just the realization of the wedding and honeymoon and eventual move to Australia. Yes, it was all very romantic and I loved that but as I was reading it I felt empty. Which is funny considering I felt I was reading a "filler" story. Just not enough substance I think.
Want to read
October 1, 2013You beauty, I am stoked.:)
November 16, 2013
*happy sigh*
January 4, 2023
I know many people love this series. I have to admit, though, I only like it. This second book is a period of adjustment for Nicholas and Dave. Having followed Nicholas to his stately home in England and having become engaged within minutes of arriving, Dave has to figure out how to fit into Nicholas’ life and family, and to survive the wedding (ok, civil partnership) planning. The story takes a different turn on their honeymoon, but it reinforces their commitment to each other. It’s lovely to see the pair find the way they want to be together, and to make it happen.
May 30, 2021
2.5 stars
This just felt like a long epilogue, and I wasn't really burning for one in the first place. I just happened to buy this as a trilogy when it was on sale, otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered continuing past Book 1, which was fine, but nothing special. Decided not to bother with Book 3.
This just felt like a long epilogue, and I wasn't really burning for one in the first place. I just happened to buy this as a trilogy when it was on sale, otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered continuing past Book 1, which was fine, but nothing special. Decided not to bother with Book 3.
September 17, 2018
Review in English and Polish || Recenzja po angielsku oraz polsku
Although David and Nicholas just got engaged, they don't unnecessarily waste their time and start planning their wedding right away. There's a lot of work to do but none of them give up even for a moment. The fuss preceding the wedding ceremony looks like child's play compared to the legal problems standing between the lovers and their life together. Is their love enough to overcome all obstacles when their Australian "happily ever after" is at stake?
After the wedding, David and Nicholas spend their honeymoon in a beautiful English remote area near a stone circle in Cornwall that stimulates the imagination and around which people for years create thousands of theories. The proximity of this age-old construction, disturbing meetings and all the stories about witches, sacrifices and ghosts are enough to disturb the carefree love life of these two and then a tight circle of secrets slowly surrounds them.
"Of Dreams and Ceremonies" is the second volume of the "Butterfly Hunter" trilogy, which action is set largely in England. In her novel, Julia Bozza focused on two aspects of this country – people and the landscape – and I must say that she did a really great job. First of all, I think that she managed to fully present English inhabitants as they are. Most of them are in fact incredibly friendly and open to other people and their diversity. Also the fact that in her story she presented a very few people openly showing their negative attitude towards David and Nicholas' relationship completes the real picture of the English. I know for a fact that in this book the actual proportions of "nice" to "unpleasant" inhabitants of this country have been kept. As for the landscape, I really like that the author showed us this more natural beauty of England, with its sharp cliffs, restless sea, green meadows and a mysterious stone circle. In this way, Julie Bozza brought out all the magic in the British Isles and made the best background for the events of this volume out of it. I admit that this is exactly how she enchanted me. What's more, our return to Australia at the end of the novel has the similar vibe, as our main characters take part in the Aboriginal event. It's pure magic! It's hard to describe it though so you just must read it!
In terms of the plot, the novel can be divided into two parts, the first of which focuses primarily on the subject of David and Nicholas' wedding and all the things that go with it. I would even say that the author tried to bring out everything that is the best or exceptional in it. And so we have feverish preparations, enthusiastic plans for the near and distant future, problem of what to wear, as well as the whole range of emotions evoked by this event – joy, excitement, melting mood, embarrassment, fear. I admit that people who love this type of love stories will surely enjoy this part of the novel, while others may get a little bored. Nevertheless, I must point out that the author also develops the topic of possible difficulties that future spouses might come across as their civil partnership, although legal, will not be recognized as such everywhere in the world. The fact that to each problem presented by one of the protagonists the other one finds a reasonable solution, proves that Julie Bozza thought about the relationship between her characters really deeply and she really understands the situation they are in.
The second and in my opinion the best part of the "Of Dreams and Ceremonies" plot is the "secret of the circle". This part of the review won't be easy to write, as I don't want to reveal too much to you. However, I will do what I can to achieve the goal I have set for myself. So to the point! I admit that the way Nicholas reacts to the stories about the stone circle and his later behavior make the honeymoon part of the book have a good thriller vibe, which is undoubtedly a great advantage of this story. While reading we often come up with our own theories explaining the events taking place in the novel, and with impatience and thrill we look forward to its final part. However, at this point I must admit that we habitually expect a more "Americanized", effective ending, which we do not get. But taking into account the fact that our characters are not some American superheroes, but simple, ordinary people, the ending offered by the author is fully understandable and makes sense. It is also satisfying and doesn't leave anyone feeling unfulfilled, thanks to which this part of the novel definitely captures the reader's heart. Personally, I fell head over hills for their honeymoon and I can't wait for the moment when I will read this part of the novel again.
In "Of Dreams and Ceremonies" I also liked the fact that discovering his orientation, David needs time to get used to it and to get used to the changes it brings. Until now he considered himself to be heterosexual and this is exactly what shaped his approach to relationships, the way he sees himself and the awareness of how other people see him. Now, however, he must fully understand that regardless of his other half's gender, he is who he has always been, a man of flesh and blood, not a substitute for a woman. It may seem to us like something obvious, but it is not so simple. So many times I have heard the straight people asking questions like "Which of them/of you is a woman?" that I fully understand David's problem. I would even say that he must rediscover his own masculinity in the context of a relationship with another man. All this means that once again Dave is a very believable character who we could meet in the real world, not just in the work of fiction.
"Of Dreams and Ceremonies" is another worth reading and pretty good part of the "Butterfly Hunter" trilogy. The novel has a completely different vibe than the previous volume but I don't think that it lacks something because of it. It offers the readers the elements of a typical romance – however as for me it wasn't what I expected – as well as a bit of a thriller – and that's the part that fully conquered my heart. Therefore, it seems to me that more readers might take a fancy to this novel, depending on their literary preferences.
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Chociaż David i Nicholas dopiero co się zaręczyli, nie marnują niepotrzebnie czasu i od razu przechodzą do planowania ślubu. Pracy mają przy tym co niemiara, jednak żaden z nich się nie poddaje. Wszystkie trudy związane ze ślubną uroczystością to bułka z masłem w porównaniu z formalnościami stojącymi pomiędzy nimi, a ich wspólnym życiem. Czy ich miłość wystarczy aby pokonać wszelkie trudności, kiedy gra toczy się o ich wymarzone australijskie „żyli długo i szczęśliwie”?
Mając ślub za sobą, swój miesiąc miodowy David i Nicholas spędzają na pięknym angielskim odludziu niedaleko kamiennego kręgu, który pobudza wyobraźnię i wokół którego ludzie od lat snują tysiące teorii. Bliskość tej wiekowej budowli, niepokojące spotkania oraz wszystkie zasłyszane historie o czarownicach, ofiarach i duchach wystarczają, aby zakłócić beztroskie życie miłosne dwójki mężczyzn i aby tajemnice otoczyły ich ciasnym kręgiem.
„Of Dreams and Ceremonies” to drugi tom trylogii „Butterfly Hunter”, którego akcja została osadzona w dużej mierze w Anglii. W swojej powieści Julie Bozza skupiła się na dwóch aspektach tego kraju – ludziach oraz krajobrazie – i naprawdę dobrze poradziła sobie z tym tematem. Po pierwsze, uważam, że udało jej się w pełni ukazać mieszkańców Anglii takimi, jakimi są. Większość z nich jest bowiem niesamowicie życzliwa i otwarta na ludzi i ich różnorodność. Także przedstawienie w tej historii bardzo nielicznych osób otwarcie okazujących swoje negatywne nastawienie do związku Davida i Nicholasa dopełnia rzeczywistego obrazu anglików. Z autopsji wiem, że rzeczywiste proporcje między „miłymi” i „niemiłymi” mieszkańcami tego kraju zostały w tej książce zachowane. Co się zaś tyczy krajobrazu, naprawdę podoba mi się to, że autorka ukazała tę bardziej pierwotną urodę Anglii, z jej ostrymi klifami, niespokojnym morzem, zielonymi łąkami oraz tajemniczym kamiennym kręgiem. W ten właśnie sposób wydobyła z Wysp Brytyjskich całą ich magię, aby stanowiła tło dla wydarzeń tego tomu. Przyznaję, że mnie tym oczarowała. Co więcej, w podobnym stylu pod koniec powieści wracamy do Australii, gdzie nasi bohaterowie biorą udział w uroczystościach rdzennych mieszkańców tego kraju. Magia, magia, magia! To trudno opisać i po prostu trzeba przeczytać!
Pod względem fabuły, powieść możemy podzielić na dwie części, z czego pierwsza skupia się przede wszystkim na temacie ślubu Davida i Nicholasa oraz wszystkim, co się z nim wiąże. Pokusiłabym się nawet o stwierdzenie, że autorka starała się wydobyć z tego wydarzenia wszystko, co w nim najlepsze lub też wyjątkowe. Mamy tu więc zarówno gorączkowe przygotowania, pełne entuzjazmu snucie planów na bliższą i dalszą przyszłość, problem odpowiedniego ubioru, jak i całą gamę emocji związanych z przeżywaniem tej uroczystości – radość, podniecenie, wzruszenie, zawstydzenie, obawę. Przyznaję, że osoby lubiące romanse w tym klimacie na pewno bardzo ta część powieści ucieszy, podczas gdy innych może odrobinę nudzić. Niemniej jednak, muszę zauważyć, iż autorka rozwija w tym miejscu także temat ewentualnych trudności, na jakie przyszli małżonkowie mogą się natknąć z racji tego, że ich związek choć formalny, nie wszędzie będzie uznawany. Fakt, iż na każdy przedstawiony przez jednego z bohaterów problem drugi z nich znajduje sensowne rozwiązanie świadczy o tym, że Julie Bozza przemyślała temat związku między swoimi postaciami naprawdę dogłębnie i wczuła się w ich sytuację.
Drugą i moim zdaniem najlepszą część fabuły „Of Dreams and Ceremonies” stanowi „tajemnica kręgu”. Tę część recenzji nie łatwo będzie mi napisać, jako że nie chcę zdradzać Wam zbyt wiele. Zrobię jednak co mogę, aby sprostać zadaniu, jakie przed sobą postawiłam. A więc do rzeczy! Przyznaję, że to, jak Nicholas podchodzi do zasłyszanych historii dotyczących kamiennego kręgu oraz jego późniejsze zachowanie tworzą wokół poświęconej miesiącowi miodowemu części książki atmosferę dobrego thrillera, co bezsprzecznie stanowi jej ogromną zaletę. W czasie lektury niejednokrotnie wymyślamy własne teorie tłumaczące rozgrywające się w powieści wydarzenia i z niecierpliwością oraz dreszczykiem emocji czekamy na rozwiązanie. W tym miejscu muszę jednak przyznać, że z przyzwyczajenia oczekujemy raczej bardziej „zamerykanizowanego”, efektownego zakończenia, którego nie dostajemy. Jeśli weźmiemy jednak pod uwagę fakt, że nasi bohaterowie nie są amerykańskimi superbohaterami, ale zwyczajnymi, szarymi ludźmi, zakończenie zaproponowane przez autorkę jest w pełni zrozumiałe i jak najbardziej sensowne. Jest również satysfakcjonujące i nie pozostawia po sobie uczucia niespełnienia, dzięki czemu ta część powieści zdecydowanie podbija serce czytelnika. Osobiście straciłam głowę dla tego miesiąca miodowego i już nie mogę doczekać się chwili, kiedy powrócę do niego ponownie.
W „Of Dreams and Ceremonies” spodobało mi się także to, że David odkrywając swoją orientację potrzebuje czasu na to, aby się do niej przyzwyczaić i oswoić się ze zmianami, jakie ona ze sobą niesie. Do tej pory uważał się przecież za osobę heteroseksualną i właśnie to ukształtowało jego podejście do związków, sposób myślenia o sobie oraz świadomość tego, w jaki sposób odbierają go inni ludzie. Teraz jednak musi w pełni zrozumieć to, że bez względu na płeć swojej drugiej połówki jest tym kim zawsze był, mężczyzną z krwi i kości, a nie zamiennikiem kobiety. Może nam się to wydawać czymś oczywistym, jednak nie do końca takie jest. Tak wiele razy słyszałam heteryków zadających pytania typu „To który z nich/z was jest kobietą?”, że doskonale rozumiem podejście Davida. Powiedziałabym nawet, że musi on niejako na nowo odkryć swoją własną męskość w kontekście związku z innym mężczyzną. Wszystko to sprawia, że kolejny już raz Dave jest bohaterem bardzo prawdopodobnym, którego z powodzeniem moglibyśmy spotkać w realnym świecie, a nie tylko w fikcji.
„Of Dreams and Ceremonies” jest więc kolejną wartą przeczytania i całkiem dobrą częścią trylogii „Butterfly Hunter”. Powieść napisana została w zupełnie innym klimacie niż poprzedni tom i myślę, że niewiele na tym straciła. Oferuje swoim czytelnikom zarówno elementy typowego romansu, które mnie osobiście nie zachwyciły, jak i odrobinę thrillera, który w pełni podbił moje serce. Wydaje mi się więc, że właśnie dzięki temu powieść może przypaść do gustu większej liczbie czytelników, w zależności od ich literackich upodobań.
Although David and Nicholas just got engaged, they don't unnecessarily waste their time and start planning their wedding right away. There's a lot of work to do but none of them give up even for a moment. The fuss preceding the wedding ceremony looks like child's play compared to the legal problems standing between the lovers and their life together. Is their love enough to overcome all obstacles when their Australian "happily ever after" is at stake?
After the wedding, David and Nicholas spend their honeymoon in a beautiful English remote area near a stone circle in Cornwall that stimulates the imagination and around which people for years create thousands of theories. The proximity of this age-old construction, disturbing meetings and all the stories about witches, sacrifices and ghosts are enough to disturb the carefree love life of these two and then a tight circle of secrets slowly surrounds them.
"Of Dreams and Ceremonies" is the second volume of the "Butterfly Hunter" trilogy, which action is set largely in England. In her novel, Julia Bozza focused on two aspects of this country – people and the landscape – and I must say that she did a really great job. First of all, I think that she managed to fully present English inhabitants as they are. Most of them are in fact incredibly friendly and open to other people and their diversity. Also the fact that in her story she presented a very few people openly showing their negative attitude towards David and Nicholas' relationship completes the real picture of the English. I know for a fact that in this book the actual proportions of "nice" to "unpleasant" inhabitants of this country have been kept. As for the landscape, I really like that the author showed us this more natural beauty of England, with its sharp cliffs, restless sea, green meadows and a mysterious stone circle. In this way, Julie Bozza brought out all the magic in the British Isles and made the best background for the events of this volume out of it. I admit that this is exactly how she enchanted me. What's more, our return to Australia at the end of the novel has the similar vibe, as our main characters take part in the Aboriginal event. It's pure magic! It's hard to describe it though so you just must read it!
In terms of the plot, the novel can be divided into two parts, the first of which focuses primarily on the subject of David and Nicholas' wedding and all the things that go with it. I would even say that the author tried to bring out everything that is the best or exceptional in it. And so we have feverish preparations, enthusiastic plans for the near and distant future, problem of what to wear, as well as the whole range of emotions evoked by this event – joy, excitement, melting mood, embarrassment, fear. I admit that people who love this type of love stories will surely enjoy this part of the novel, while others may get a little bored. Nevertheless, I must point out that the author also develops the topic of possible difficulties that future spouses might come across as their civil partnership, although legal, will not be recognized as such everywhere in the world. The fact that to each problem presented by one of the protagonists the other one finds a reasonable solution, proves that Julie Bozza thought about the relationship between her characters really deeply and she really understands the situation they are in.
The second and in my opinion the best part of the "Of Dreams and Ceremonies" plot is the "secret of the circle". This part of the review won't be easy to write, as I don't want to reveal too much to you. However, I will do what I can to achieve the goal I have set for myself. So to the point! I admit that the way Nicholas reacts to the stories about the stone circle and his later behavior make the honeymoon part of the book have a good thriller vibe, which is undoubtedly a great advantage of this story. While reading we often come up with our own theories explaining the events taking place in the novel, and with impatience and thrill we look forward to its final part. However, at this point I must admit that we habitually expect a more "Americanized", effective ending, which we do not get. But taking into account the fact that our characters are not some American superheroes, but simple, ordinary people, the ending offered by the author is fully understandable and makes sense. It is also satisfying and doesn't leave anyone feeling unfulfilled, thanks to which this part of the novel definitely captures the reader's heart. Personally, I fell head over hills for their honeymoon and I can't wait for the moment when I will read this part of the novel again.
In "Of Dreams and Ceremonies" I also liked the fact that discovering his orientation, David needs time to get used to it and to get used to the changes it brings. Until now he considered himself to be heterosexual and this is exactly what shaped his approach to relationships, the way he sees himself and the awareness of how other people see him. Now, however, he must fully understand that regardless of his other half's gender, he is who he has always been, a man of flesh and blood, not a substitute for a woman. It may seem to us like something obvious, but it is not so simple. So many times I have heard the straight people asking questions like "Which of them/of you is a woman?" that I fully understand David's problem. I would even say that he must rediscover his own masculinity in the context of a relationship with another man. All this means that once again Dave is a very believable character who we could meet in the real world, not just in the work of fiction.
"Of Dreams and Ceremonies" is another worth reading and pretty good part of the "Butterfly Hunter" trilogy. The novel has a completely different vibe than the previous volume but I don't think that it lacks something because of it. It offers the readers the elements of a typical romance – however as for me it wasn't what I expected – as well as a bit of a thriller – and that's the part that fully conquered my heart. Therefore, it seems to me that more readers might take a fancy to this novel, depending on their literary preferences.
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Chociaż David i Nicholas dopiero co się zaręczyli, nie marnują niepotrzebnie czasu i od razu przechodzą do planowania ślubu. Pracy mają przy tym co niemiara, jednak żaden z nich się nie poddaje. Wszystkie trudy związane ze ślubną uroczystością to bułka z masłem w porównaniu z formalnościami stojącymi pomiędzy nimi, a ich wspólnym życiem. Czy ich miłość wystarczy aby pokonać wszelkie trudności, kiedy gra toczy się o ich wymarzone australijskie „żyli długo i szczęśliwie”?
Mając ślub za sobą, swój miesiąc miodowy David i Nicholas spędzają na pięknym angielskim odludziu niedaleko kamiennego kręgu, który pobudza wyobraźnię i wokół którego ludzie od lat snują tysiące teorii. Bliskość tej wiekowej budowli, niepokojące spotkania oraz wszystkie zasłyszane historie o czarownicach, ofiarach i duchach wystarczają, aby zakłócić beztroskie życie miłosne dwójki mężczyzn i aby tajemnice otoczyły ich ciasnym kręgiem.
„Of Dreams and Ceremonies” to drugi tom trylogii „Butterfly Hunter”, którego akcja została osadzona w dużej mierze w Anglii. W swojej powieści Julie Bozza skupiła się na dwóch aspektach tego kraju – ludziach oraz krajobrazie – i naprawdę dobrze poradziła sobie z tym tematem. Po pierwsze, uważam, że udało jej się w pełni ukazać mieszkańców Anglii takimi, jakimi są. Większość z nich jest bowiem niesamowicie życzliwa i otwarta na ludzi i ich różnorodność. Także przedstawienie w tej historii bardzo nielicznych osób otwarcie okazujących swoje negatywne nastawienie do związku Davida i Nicholasa dopełnia rzeczywistego obrazu anglików. Z autopsji wiem, że rzeczywiste proporcje między „miłymi” i „niemiłymi” mieszkańcami tego kraju zostały w tej książce zachowane. Co się zaś tyczy krajobrazu, naprawdę podoba mi się to, że autorka ukazała tę bardziej pierwotną urodę Anglii, z jej ostrymi klifami, niespokojnym morzem, zielonymi łąkami oraz tajemniczym kamiennym kręgiem. W ten właśnie sposób wydobyła z Wysp Brytyjskich całą ich magię, aby stanowiła tło dla wydarzeń tego tomu. Przyznaję, że mnie tym oczarowała. Co więcej, w podobnym stylu pod koniec powieści wracamy do Australii, gdzie nasi bohaterowie biorą udział w uroczystościach rdzennych mieszkańców tego kraju. Magia, magia, magia! To trudno opisać i po prostu trzeba przeczytać!
Pod względem fabuły, powieść możemy podzielić na dwie części, z czego pierwsza skupia się przede wszystkim na temacie ślubu Davida i Nicholasa oraz wszystkim, co się z nim wiąże. Pokusiłabym się nawet o stwierdzenie, że autorka starała się wydobyć z tego wydarzenia wszystko, co w nim najlepsze lub też wyjątkowe. Mamy tu więc zarówno gorączkowe przygotowania, pełne entuzjazmu snucie planów na bliższą i dalszą przyszłość, problem odpowiedniego ubioru, jak i całą gamę emocji związanych z przeżywaniem tej uroczystości – radość, podniecenie, wzruszenie, zawstydzenie, obawę. Przyznaję, że osoby lubiące romanse w tym klimacie na pewno bardzo ta część powieści ucieszy, podczas gdy innych może odrobinę nudzić. Niemniej jednak, muszę zauważyć, iż autorka rozwija w tym miejscu także temat ewentualnych trudności, na jakie przyszli małżonkowie mogą się natknąć z racji tego, że ich związek choć formalny, nie wszędzie będzie uznawany. Fakt, iż na każdy przedstawiony przez jednego z bohaterów problem drugi z nich znajduje sensowne rozwiązanie świadczy o tym, że Julie Bozza przemyślała temat związku między swoimi postaciami naprawdę dogłębnie i wczuła się w ich sytuację.
Drugą i moim zdaniem najlepszą część fabuły „Of Dreams and Ceremonies” stanowi „tajemnica kręgu”. Tę część recenzji nie łatwo będzie mi napisać, jako że nie chcę zdradzać Wam zbyt wiele. Zrobię jednak co mogę, aby sprostać zadaniu, jakie przed sobą postawiłam. A więc do rzeczy! Przyznaję, że to, jak Nicholas podchodzi do zasłyszanych historii dotyczących kamiennego kręgu oraz jego późniejsze zachowanie tworzą wokół poświęconej miesiącowi miodowemu części książki atmosferę dobrego thrillera, co bezsprzecznie stanowi jej ogromną zaletę. W czasie lektury niejednokrotnie wymyślamy własne teorie tłumaczące rozgrywające się w powieści wydarzenia i z niecierpliwością oraz dreszczykiem emocji czekamy na rozwiązanie. W tym miejscu muszę jednak przyznać, że z przyzwyczajenia oczekujemy raczej bardziej „zamerykanizowanego”, efektownego zakończenia, którego nie dostajemy. Jeśli weźmiemy jednak pod uwagę fakt, że nasi bohaterowie nie są amerykańskimi superbohaterami, ale zwyczajnymi, szarymi ludźmi, zakończenie zaproponowane przez autorkę jest w pełni zrozumiałe i jak najbardziej sensowne. Jest również satysfakcjonujące i nie pozostawia po sobie uczucia niespełnienia, dzięki czemu ta część powieści zdecydowanie podbija serce czytelnika. Osobiście straciłam głowę dla tego miesiąca miodowego i już nie mogę doczekać się chwili, kiedy powrócę do niego ponownie.
W „Of Dreams and Ceremonies” spodobało mi się także to, że David odkrywając swoją orientację potrzebuje czasu na to, aby się do niej przyzwyczaić i oswoić się ze zmianami, jakie ona ze sobą niesie. Do tej pory uważał się przecież za osobę heteroseksualną i właśnie to ukształtowało jego podejście do związków, sposób myślenia o sobie oraz świadomość tego, w jaki sposób odbierają go inni ludzie. Teraz jednak musi w pełni zrozumieć to, że bez względu na płeć swojej drugiej połówki jest tym kim zawsze był, mężczyzną z krwi i kości, a nie zamiennikiem kobiety. Może nam się to wydawać czymś oczywistym, jednak nie do końca takie jest. Tak wiele razy słyszałam heteryków zadających pytania typu „To który z nich/z was jest kobietą?”, że doskonale rozumiem podejście Davida. Powiedziałabym nawet, że musi on niejako na nowo odkryć swoją własną męskość w kontekście związku z innym mężczyzną. Wszystko to sprawia, że kolejny już raz Dave jest bohaterem bardzo prawdopodobnym, którego z powodzeniem moglibyśmy spotkać w realnym świecie, a nie tylko w fikcji.
„Of Dreams and Ceremonies” jest więc kolejną wartą przeczytania i całkiem dobrą częścią trylogii „Butterfly Hunter”. Powieść napisana została w zupełnie innym klimacie niż poprzedni tom i myślę, że niewiele na tym straciła. Oferuje swoim czytelnikom zarówno elementy typowego romansu, które mnie osobiście nie zachwyciły, jak i odrobinę thrillera, który w pełni podbił moje serce. Wydaje mi się więc, że właśnie dzięki temu powieść może przypaść do gustu większej liczbie czytelników, w zależności od ich literackich upodobań.
July 25, 2016
A wedding and a honeymoon and dream singing make this a lovely follow-up to the first book. We pick right up with Dave’s first day in England, with Nicholas’s family. I miss the greatness and aloneness of their trek in the Outback and the allure of that butterfly oasis, but it is great to see Nicholas’s background and meet his family too. And a bit of a Cornwall mystery unfolds later in the story, just to add some spice.
What’s so wonderful about Dave and Nicholas is that their coming together makes each of them much better than they were before. Nicholas’s whimsy and almost-feyness make Dave loosen up more, makes him stop and take delight in the small stuff. And Dave’s loyalty and care gives Nicholas the support and steadiness he needs. Dave’s acceptance of his bisexuality is refreshing too. No angsty soul-searching here, only some occasional blushing embarrassment over the newness of it all. Together, Dave and Nicholas are so giddy in the delight of being a couple, of becoming one— so fun to read!
I loved the romantic honeymoon trip to the cottage on the Cornish coast. The indulgence of these two men in their sensual pleasure of each other. And there is a stone circle nearby, so a whiff of mystery and enchantment colors the lover’s idyll. The writing is so good and the editing impeccable. Sweet work here.
What’s so wonderful about Dave and Nicholas is that their coming together makes each of them much better than they were before. Nicholas’s whimsy and almost-feyness make Dave loosen up more, makes him stop and take delight in the small stuff. And Dave’s loyalty and care gives Nicholas the support and steadiness he needs. Dave’s acceptance of his bisexuality is refreshing too. No angsty soul-searching here, only some occasional blushing embarrassment over the newness of it all. Together, Dave and Nicholas are so giddy in the delight of being a couple, of becoming one— so fun to read!
I loved the romantic honeymoon trip to the cottage on the Cornish coast. The indulgence of these two men in their sensual pleasure of each other. And there is a stone circle nearby, so a whiff of mystery and enchantment colors the lover’s idyll. The writing is so good and the editing impeccable. Sweet work here.
January 27, 2014
3.5 stars. Oh my lord!
At first I thought this novel was probably drawn from a harsh edit by the author from her first novel "Butterfly Hunter" as it continues straight on from where that novel ended. Perhaps she'd written too much and decided to use the edited out final chapters to publish a new novel. This may have been the case, but what was then added to continue the story was just odd.
There are many acknowledgments to Enid Blyton's "Famous Five" by the characters and yes, this plot did transcend into a Famous Five adventure. I actually wanted to laugh at the scene in the smuggler's cave and I cannot believe this was the intention at all.
Didn't like Nicholas in this story, not one bit. He came across as sulky and spoiled, and yes, he may have been correct about the lights around the standing stones but I still wanted to slap his face. Didn't feel that way at all in the "Butterfly Hunter". Dave was just Dave, still sweet and gentle but on the verge of becoming a doormat IMHO.
It was alright and nice to catch up with the couple after their adventures in the Ozzie Outback.
At first I thought this novel was probably drawn from a harsh edit by the author from her first novel "Butterfly Hunter" as it continues straight on from where that novel ended. Perhaps she'd written too much and decided to use the edited out final chapters to publish a new novel. This may have been the case, but what was then added to continue the story was just odd.
There are many acknowledgments to Enid Blyton's "Famous Five" by the characters and yes, this plot did transcend into a Famous Five adventure. I actually wanted to laugh at the scene in the smuggler's cave and I cannot believe this was the intention at all.
Didn't like Nicholas in this story, not one bit. He came across as sulky and spoiled, and yes, he may have been correct about the lights around the standing stones but I still wanted to slap his face. Didn't feel that way at all in the "Butterfly Hunter". Dave was just Dave, still sweet and gentle but on the verge of becoming a doormat IMHO.
It was alright and nice to catch up with the couple after their adventures in the Ozzie Outback.
January 27, 2014
I think that again I had an wonderful trip with Dave and Nicolas! I love that they're so in love but still have their misunderstandings and have to deal with real problems of a daily life but manage to find their balance even being so different from each other. I know they weren't in the magical blue butterfly paradise again but it felt magical for me just the same! I loved so much! So sweet and hot at the same time made me feel butterflies many times! Just great!
August 10, 2017
I loved Butterfly Hunter and this is sequel of sorts, but it felt somewhat like a really long epilogue. This is a very quiet, low drama book where not a whole lot happens, and it's mostly just about Nicholas and Dave sorting things out and getting married. Those two and their relationship are centre stage, so it's a great one for fans of Nicholas and Dave.
February 26, 2015
I read so many books that I don't always remember all of the fine details of the story but what does stick in my mind are the feelings that a book evokes. Only a couple of pages in and I remember the peace, the beauty and the love that accompanied the first book and they were perfectly continued in this sequel. A real spirit of gentleness and serenity are what I remember and what I got once again. A beautiful sequel to a beautiful love story.
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