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The Uncanny Aviator
The only way out is up.
Lord Cay is desperate. Adrio, his husband, has grown cold and distant, and Cay can’t fathom why. Unless Adrio somehow found out about Cay’s appalling past, but Cay has taken care to hide it from him. Lying to the man he loves is painful, but it’s better than the losing Adrio forever.
Meanwhile, rumors swirl of a mysterious hero who rescues captives from the labor camps of Muntegri and magically flies them over the mountains to safety. When a cruel enemy agent blackmails Cay for information about this aviator, Cay makes a rash decision. He knows nothing and can’t turn to his husband for help without revealing the truth about his past. The only thing he can do is lie even more.
Each new falsehood succeeds in misleading the enemy, but it also drives another wedge between Cay and Adrio. Forced to choose between love and honor, Cay must decide where his loyalties truly lie. And the Uncanny Aviator may be the key to everything, including saving their marriage.
Lord Cay is desperate. Adrio, his husband, has grown cold and distant, and Cay can’t fathom why. Unless Adrio somehow found out about Cay’s appalling past, but Cay has taken care to hide it from him. Lying to the man he loves is painful, but it’s better than the losing Adrio forever.
Meanwhile, rumors swirl of a mysterious hero who rescues captives from the labor camps of Muntegri and magically flies them over the mountains to safety. When a cruel enemy agent blackmails Cay for information about this aviator, Cay makes a rash decision. He knows nothing and can’t turn to his husband for help without revealing the truth about his past. The only thing he can do is lie even more.
Each new falsehood succeeds in misleading the enemy, but it also drives another wedge between Cay and Adrio. Forced to choose between love and honor, Cay must decide where his loyalties truly lie. And the Uncanny Aviator may be the key to everything, including saving their marriage.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2024
1 person is currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Jenya Keefe
3 books56 followersJenya Keefe was born in the South. She has an advanced degree in European history, and has spent much of her life working the kinds of jobs a history degree qualifies you for: gift shop employee, lumber grader, classifieds clerk, hot glass artist. She currently lives in the Seattle area, where she works at a library. She has always written stories.
Website: www.jenyakeefe.com
TikTok: @JenyaKeefe
Website: www.jenyakeefe.com
TikTok: @JenyaKeefe
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 16, 2024
So uh I loved Jenya Keefe's other two books, especially The Musician and the Monster, and I might be a little bit excited about the fact that ARCs for this one have just shown up on GRR ...🤞
ETA: here to report that shamelessly sucking up to the author on GR proved a successful tactic 🎉🎉🎉
5/16/24 ETA: And now the actual review!
This doesn't take flight immediately. I was going to say that the worldbuilding is a bit clunky, but that's not really the issue. It's more that, after a brief prequel, we launch right into that part of the relationship between Adrio and Cay when Adrio's completely alienated from Cay and treats him badly, while Cay pines and is grateful for every crumb of even feigned affection. Because we've gotten only a glimpse of their relationship before its breakdown, it's hard to understand or believe in Cay's persistent love for Adrio. Later on, flashbacks to their courtship fill in that gap, but at the book's outset you do have to suspend what I might call characterization disbelief.
That having been said, persistence pays off. As the suspense plot thickens, Cay appears as more and more clever and resourceful and the shape of his past begins to show itself. Well before his secrets were revealed in detail, I understood that he had strong reasons for keeping them. And, as we get more and more flashbacks in which Adrio tries to get Cay to open up to him but Cay deflects, distracts, and outright lies, Adrio's hostility comes to make sense, though (wisely) Keefe's narrative never excuses his cruelties.
This is where the book really shines, I think. Adrio finally pushes Cay too far and Cay decides to end their relationship, a resolution he keeps even though he's still in love with Adrio and even when Adrio, as he understands more of Cay's heart and past, begins to thaw toward him. They rebuild trust in each other slowly and painfully; that emotional progress gets The Uncanny Aviator 5 stars, and never mind the wobbles in the first few chapters.
The story ends with a strong HFN for Cay and Adrio, but the story of the Chende people remains unresolved --which makes me want and hope for a sequel in which the monstrous Grup party (think Nazis) is overthrown. Jenya Keefe, are you listening?
Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC.
ETA: here to report that shamelessly sucking up to the author on GR proved a successful tactic 🎉🎉🎉
5/16/24 ETA: And now the actual review!
This doesn't take flight immediately. I was going to say that the worldbuilding is a bit clunky, but that's not really the issue. It's more that, after a brief prequel, we launch right into that part of the relationship between Adrio and Cay when Adrio's completely alienated from Cay and treats him badly, while Cay pines and is grateful for every crumb of even feigned affection. Because we've gotten only a glimpse of their relationship before its breakdown, it's hard to understand or believe in Cay's persistent love for Adrio. Later on, flashbacks to their courtship fill in that gap, but at the book's outset you do have to suspend what I might call characterization disbelief.
That having been said, persistence pays off. As the suspense plot thickens, Cay appears as more and more clever and resourceful and the shape of his past begins to show itself. Well before his secrets were revealed in detail, I understood that he had strong reasons for keeping them. And, as we get more and more flashbacks in which Adrio tries to get Cay to open up to him but Cay deflects, distracts, and outright lies, Adrio's hostility comes to make sense, though (wisely) Keefe's narrative never excuses his cruelties.
This is where the book really shines, I think. Adrio finally pushes Cay too far and Cay decides to end their relationship, a resolution he keeps even though he's still in love with Adrio and even when Adrio, as he understands more of Cay's heart and past, begins to thaw toward him. They rebuild trust in each other slowly and painfully; that emotional progress gets The Uncanny Aviator 5 stars, and never mind the wobbles in the first few chapters.
The story ends with a strong HFN for Cay and Adrio, but the story of the Chende people remains unresolved --which makes me want and hope for a sequel in which the monstrous Grup party (think Nazis) is overthrown. Jenya Keefe, are you listening?
Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC.
June 11, 2024
A gripping story that kept me on tenterhooks the whole time. Fast-paced and, in parts, action-packed, but also angsty, resonant, and so, so rich.
Keefe set herself a difficult task: getting us to care about a relationship in which one MC, Adrio, is cruel, snide, and distant -- and, as the non-POV character, almost completely inaccessible to the reader -- while our narrator, Cay, is baffled, heartsick, and stranded in a marriage suddenly turned sour, but also secretive and prone to rash decisions. In the main narrative, we are experiencing Adrio's jabs and malice through two layers of confusion: Cay's lack of mastery of the obtuse, courtly "starlight conversation" which Adrio uses to code his disdain; and more fundamentally, Cay's lack of understanding of why his new husband suddenly, with no explanation, rejected him, in stark contrast to their brief but ardent courtship (which we get in concise, melancholy-tinged flashbacks). Cay knows he has lost his husband's love, but he doesn't know why. And despite himself, he still loves Adrio, and despises his own weakness in clinging to this love. Cay is a survivor through and through, but he is also almost entirely alienated: living in the house of his rich, noble husband who hates him; barely accepted by the society in which they move, who see only his history as a poor refugee and tradesman; possessed of only a single confidant, Ondrei, who is nonetheless unblinkingly loyal to Adrio, his longtime friend; and even distanced from his brilliant, beloved younger sister, Kell, who has a genuine, mutually affectionate friendship with Adrio which Cay is loathe to betray. Living in luxury but trapped by circumstance and protective of his secrets, Cay is ripe to be preyed upon by an envoy/ spy sent by the evil regime of his former homeland -- and it is this spy's machinations and threats that set the plot in motion.
This book thus lives and dies on whether the Cay-Adrio relationship can be believably salvaged and rehabilitated. Adrio has a huge hill to climb for the reader to understand why he acted as he did and be willing to forgive him. A lesser author wouldn't manage it, or would drag out the mis/non-communication and obstacles to the point that there's no reason to root for these two in the first place. But Keefe deftly guides us through these emotional rapids. The first major confrontation between Adrio and Cay, where we finally start to piece together some of what's been going on (mostly from Adrio's side; Cay keeps his secrets from us, too), is enraging, frustrating, and masterfully done. And, crucially, it is followed up by a fantastic scene with an incensed Kell, in which yet more pieces come to light -- information that Cay, in despair and hopelessness, withheld from a husband who no longer cared to hear. Finally, Adrio is forced to question his own assumptions and behavior, and start reckoning with the harm he's caused. But the path to reconciliation is not an easy one, and this, too, is crucial: Cay is no pushover and not one to let Adrio easily off the hook. Cay acknowledges that his secrets had costs, but recognizing this does not absolve Adrio for his actions. Cay must thus reckon with what he is able to forgive, and whether what's left is enough to, not just save, but build upon and make whole. All of this is woven in with meditations on honor, trust, and what we do to survive -- meditations that are rooted in Adrio and Cay's characters and actions, so that they feel integral and explanatory to why they behaved as they did.
Note, however, that I'm not kidding when I said that Adrio really is horrible for a good chunk of the book. This includes a scene that is not technically dubcon, but is incredibly hard to read for the way Adrio treats Cay and how Cay is affected. Again: this book sets itself a tough task, and only works if you believe Adrio is, ultimately, forgivable -- including for a scene that can only be described as vengeance sex. Proceed with caution.
But I genuinely hope that this book finds a lot of readers, for there is so much to delight in here. I adored its cleverness, its integrity, its colorful world, its challenge, its heart. One of my most compelling reads of the year thus far, and a real gem.
I got an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review.
Keefe set herself a difficult task: getting us to care about a relationship in which one MC, Adrio, is cruel, snide, and distant -- and, as the non-POV character, almost completely inaccessible to the reader -- while our narrator, Cay, is baffled, heartsick, and stranded in a marriage suddenly turned sour, but also secretive and prone to rash decisions. In the main narrative, we are experiencing Adrio's jabs and malice through two layers of confusion: Cay's lack of mastery of the obtuse, courtly "starlight conversation" which Adrio uses to code his disdain; and more fundamentally, Cay's lack of understanding of why his new husband suddenly, with no explanation, rejected him, in stark contrast to their brief but ardent courtship (which we get in concise, melancholy-tinged flashbacks). Cay knows he has lost his husband's love, but he doesn't know why. And despite himself, he still loves Adrio, and despises his own weakness in clinging to this love. Cay is a survivor through and through, but he is also almost entirely alienated: living in the house of his rich, noble husband who hates him; barely accepted by the society in which they move, who see only his history as a poor refugee and tradesman; possessed of only a single confidant, Ondrei, who is nonetheless unblinkingly loyal to Adrio, his longtime friend; and even distanced from his brilliant, beloved younger sister, Kell, who has a genuine, mutually affectionate friendship with Adrio which Cay is loathe to betray. Living in luxury but trapped by circumstance and protective of his secrets, Cay is ripe to be preyed upon by an envoy/ spy sent by the evil regime of his former homeland -- and it is this spy's machinations and threats that set the plot in motion.
This book thus lives and dies on whether the Cay-Adrio relationship can be believably salvaged and rehabilitated. Adrio has a huge hill to climb for the reader to understand why he acted as he did and be willing to forgive him. A lesser author wouldn't manage it, or would drag out the mis/non-communication and obstacles to the point that there's no reason to root for these two in the first place. But Keefe deftly guides us through these emotional rapids. The first major confrontation between Adrio and Cay, where we finally start to piece together some of what's been going on (mostly from Adrio's side; Cay keeps his secrets from us, too), is enraging, frustrating, and masterfully done. And, crucially, it is followed up by a fantastic scene with an incensed Kell, in which yet more pieces come to light -- information that Cay, in despair and hopelessness, withheld from a husband who no longer cared to hear. Finally, Adrio is forced to question his own assumptions and behavior, and start reckoning with the harm he's caused. But the path to reconciliation is not an easy one, and this, too, is crucial: Cay is no pushover and not one to let Adrio easily off the hook. Cay acknowledges that his secrets had costs, but recognizing this does not absolve Adrio for his actions. Cay must thus reckon with what he is able to forgive, and whether what's left is enough to, not just save, but build upon and make whole. All of this is woven in with meditations on honor, trust, and what we do to survive -- meditations that are rooted in Adrio and Cay's characters and actions, so that they feel integral and explanatory to why they behaved as they did.
Note, however, that I'm not kidding when I said that Adrio really is horrible for a good chunk of the book. This includes a scene that is not technically dubcon, but is incredibly hard to read for the way Adrio treats Cay and how Cay is affected. Again: this book sets itself a tough task, and only works if you believe Adrio is, ultimately, forgivable -- including for a scene that can only be described as vengeance sex. Proceed with caution.
But I genuinely hope that this book finds a lot of readers, for there is so much to delight in here. I adored its cleverness, its integrity, its colorful world, its challenge, its heart. One of my most compelling reads of the year thus far, and a real gem.
I got an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2024
so. this was a fun read. i always love me an established couple, especially one with trust issues. the first part was a lot of relationship and emotional turmoil, and ngl i was so mad for the first 30% or so cos adrio was an incredibly beastly jerk and poor cay!! i advise hot soup to help with the anger.
but they did get better. cay and adrio, even with all the secrets, were to some extent ready to work things out instead of say, breaking up hastily. cay is my absolute fave cos he's a badass and stayed with adrio even after all the insults (>:((( adrio).
actually the worldbuilding was pretty fun. i liked reading about the political turmoils, and the conflicts between the societal classes. Starlight Conversation and the Chende culture with the blood debts/feuds are interesting concepts; such a pity they're fictional.
obviously i would like seeing more of cay & adrio, but with that hfn i don't have much hope ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
4.5 stars
but they did get better. cay and adrio, even with all the secrets, were to some extent ready to work things out instead of say, breaking up hastily. cay is my absolute fave cos he's a badass and stayed with adrio even after all the insults (>:((( adrio).
actually the worldbuilding was pretty fun. i liked reading about the political turmoils, and the conflicts between the societal classes. Starlight Conversation and the Chende culture with the blood debts/feuds are interesting concepts; such a pity they're fictional.
obviously i would like seeing more of cay & adrio, but with that hfn i don't have much hope ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
4.5 stars
July 1, 2024
It’s been 5 years, but this is finally the third publication by this author. And the third one that’s been a hit for me.
She’s treading into autobuy territory.
Yummy relationship angst for the win.
She’s treading into autobuy territory.
Yummy relationship angst for the win.
August 26, 2024
They search him here, they search him there;
Those Muntegri search him everywhere.
He may be a hero but he’s cruel as well,
Making Cay’s life a living hell;
But Cay hid and tricked and even lied—
Because of him they nearly died!
Still, words sparkle, winds blow,
Love blossoms, and trust grows.
Those Muntegri search him everywhere.
He may be a hero but he’s cruel as well,
Making Cay’s life a living hell;
But Cay hid and tricked and even lied—
Because of him they nearly died!
Still, words sparkle, winds blow,
Love blossoms, and trust grows.
June 3, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
The Uncanny Aviator was such a charming, imaginative story! I was absolutely enamored with Cay and his experience being a fish out of water, as well as the absolute mystery surrounding Cay and Adrio’s broken marriage. The prose conveyed a delightful sense of place and made the world and story wonderfully immersive. Having Cay as a lone narrator was a great choice; he lives in the lap of luxury, even as he feels shunned by his new peers, a phenomenon that is substantiated by a handful of flashbacks that flesh out Cay and Adrio’s whirlwind romance. The world building, the characters’ voices, and the action all come together to shape this story into a lovely tale of privately struggling lovers and more than a little derring-do.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.">here.
4.75 stars
The Uncanny Aviator was such a charming, imaginative story! I was absolutely enamored with Cay and his experience being a fish out of water, as well as the absolute mystery surrounding Cay and Adrio’s broken marriage. The prose conveyed a delightful sense of place and made the world and story wonderfully immersive. Having Cay as a lone narrator was a great choice; he lives in the lap of luxury, even as he feels shunned by his new peers, a phenomenon that is substantiated by a handful of flashbacks that flesh out Cay and Adrio’s whirlwind romance. The world building, the characters’ voices, and the action all come together to shape this story into a lovely tale of privately struggling lovers and more than a little derring-do.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.">here.
June 1, 2024
Oh this was so so good. A brand new author to me but one I will be sure to revisit! Initially, I almost didn't pick this one up because established relationships are hard for me, but I saw a trusted friend's glowing review, and knew I needed to pick this one up. It is so much more than an established relationship. If you're looking for a very cheerful, light book based on the cover, this is not the book for you. My heart was breaking for Cay from the very first page. Keefe wrote so that you felt all his emotions so acutely, that I absolutely had to keep reading to make sure that everything worked out. Through flashbacks as well a very intriguing present narrative you learn the story of Cay, of Cay and Adrio, and of the very mysterious Uncanny Aviator. 5 glowing stars and a new lifelong fan!
April 30, 2024
This book was wonderful in so many ways ✨ I would class it as historical fantasy - it has a similar world set up to The Captive Prince series, in a historical fantasy world with no magic but plenty of political intrigue, different races with different cultures and plenty of secrets, lies and mystery!
Lord Adrio is a noble, married to commoner Cay. Initially very much in love, the pair have grown apart after Adrio returned from one of his mysterious business trips. Cay, terrified that Adrio will discover the secrets he has been hiding since childhood, lets his husband walk all over him.
The political scene is alive with stories of an Uncanny Aviator flying refugees across the mountains to safety and, in a misguided attempt to draw attention away from himself, Cay feeds fictional information about the Aviator and his mysterious floating balloon to spies from the neighbouring country. Before Cay knows it, his lies and fabrications have drawn him and Adrio further into the spotlight, with disastrous effect.
The story is told from Cay’s perspective, but I liked that we didn’t get all the information straight away, discovering it as Cay lets his walls down and lets Adrio in on his secrets. Cay is such a wonderful character and, despite being a total ass at the beginning of the book, I also grew to adore Adrio as well!
Read The Uncanny Aviator for:
✨ Marriage in trouble
✨ Established MM couple with lies between them
✨ Queer normative world
✨ Historical fantasy
✨ Political intrigue
✨ Lies and deceptions
✨ Language made up of idioms and metaphors
I absolutely loved this book and look forward to reading more from Jenya Keefe! Thank you to GRR for an ARC of this wonderful book. It is available on the 3rd June 2024 💕
Lord Adrio is a noble, married to commoner Cay. Initially very much in love, the pair have grown apart after Adrio returned from one of his mysterious business trips. Cay, terrified that Adrio will discover the secrets he has been hiding since childhood, lets his husband walk all over him.
The political scene is alive with stories of an Uncanny Aviator flying refugees across the mountains to safety and, in a misguided attempt to draw attention away from himself, Cay feeds fictional information about the Aviator and his mysterious floating balloon to spies from the neighbouring country. Before Cay knows it, his lies and fabrications have drawn him and Adrio further into the spotlight, with disastrous effect.
The story is told from Cay’s perspective, but I liked that we didn’t get all the information straight away, discovering it as Cay lets his walls down and lets Adrio in on his secrets. Cay is such a wonderful character and, despite being a total ass at the beginning of the book, I also grew to adore Adrio as well!
Read The Uncanny Aviator for:
✨ Marriage in trouble
✨ Established MM couple with lies between them
✨ Queer normative world
✨ Historical fantasy
✨ Political intrigue
✨ Lies and deceptions
✨ Language made up of idioms and metaphors
I absolutely loved this book and look forward to reading more from Jenya Keefe! Thank you to GRR for an ARC of this wonderful book. It is available on the 3rd June 2024 💕
February 19, 2025
I adored this book, and I'm kicking myself for taking seven months to get it off my TBR list. It was wonderful and lovely and heartbreaking...and did I say lovely? Cay and Adrio were so fantastic together and the worldbuilding and character development were smart and well-rounded. Five stars!
July 17, 2024
Unusual story, lovely (and very flawed) characters, fantastic (and very frustrating) romance. I need more of this world!
June 11, 2024
The Uncanny Aviator is a book about second chance, misunderstandings, mysteries and secrets. This book made me remember how good mystery can be. Cay was such a complex character, with his many secrets and his survivors instinct and loving nature that, in a way, put him into a hard position. We follow Cay into a life of riches and glamour, seen how different his culture is with the new one that he marry into, and how miserable his marriage is with the mystery that comes to why his husband is acting the way he is. This book made me sympathize with Cay and his complicated relationship with his husband, Adrio and his indirect nature and high profile, these two had to learn how to be with each other all over again because of a change of character from Adrio.
I didn’t like Adrio at first because of his mean demeanor with Cay but throughout the book we learn more about him and his noble nature and somewhat naive ways of seen the world which made me warm up more to him, but honestly I wanted for him to beg for forgiveness to his husband.
Adrio is a very open minded person in someway and a very childish in others and because of his nature he has created an environment that put Cay in emotional distress. Adrio had a lot of resentment with Cay because of the lack of communication with both sides creating a big misunderstanding between the two. Both of the are stubborn and because of that they have created a hostile communication style. Adrio with his poems that describe imperfection and resentment and Cay with his hush past that he so desperately want to hide.
This story is about second chances with a lot of hurt, the storyline that the author create into 265 pages book is such a masterpiece. We enter into a very complex world with little to no knowledge of it but ended up with an understanding of it. It was easy to read, creative with its made up language. The Uncanny Aviator was a book about wanting to learn from mistakes, discovering hidden pasts and culture.
I cannot recommend this book enough! Please if you got a chances, read this and cry with me.
This book was an ARC from GRR, this review is entirely my personal opinion. Thank you GRR for the ARC!
I didn’t like Adrio at first because of his mean demeanor with Cay but throughout the book we learn more about him and his noble nature and somewhat naive ways of seen the world which made me warm up more to him, but honestly I wanted for him to beg for forgiveness to his husband.
Adrio is a very open minded person in someway and a very childish in others and because of his nature he has created an environment that put Cay in emotional distress. Adrio had a lot of resentment with Cay because of the lack of communication with both sides creating a big misunderstanding between the two. Both of the are stubborn and because of that they have created a hostile communication style. Adrio with his poems that describe imperfection and resentment and Cay with his hush past that he so desperately want to hide.
This story is about second chances with a lot of hurt, the storyline that the author create into 265 pages book is such a masterpiece. We enter into a very complex world with little to no knowledge of it but ended up with an understanding of it. It was easy to read, creative with its made up language. The Uncanny Aviator was a book about wanting to learn from mistakes, discovering hidden pasts and culture.
I cannot recommend this book enough! Please if you got a chances, read this and cry with me.
This book was an ARC from GRR, this review is entirely my personal opinion. Thank you GRR for the ARC!
Read
July 17, 2024DNF, stopping at 19% because I am not in a place to appreciate this one, and may never be since the main character is ...not my favorite kind of character. Seems smart, but is cowed by his husband and his own insecurities and, somehow, also loses his temper. This reader doesn't want to be a yoyo on this string, I guess you could say.
August 9, 2024
That's 2 for 2 of Jenya Keefe's books that I have really loved. I enjoyed this so much despite the fact that one of the MCs - Adrio, behaved really badly and I don't think the plot ever really redeemed him. So despite the fact that I still thought he was kind of an ass at the end, I was still rooting for the couple and for Cay who I loved. One of my top holiday reads - despite the aforementioned niggle which would ruin an inferior book.
June 16, 2024
This was really fun. The world building and characterisation are excellent, and I wished it was a lot longer. The peril was a little too neat, and the big reveal telegraphed a long way away, but I could have spent a long time in this world and enjoyed all of it.
August 16, 2025
4.5⭐
Oh, this book got me engaged, and I will marry too. It seems I might need to be careful when starting a Jenya Keefe book because I will lose my touch to reality for several hours.
The world building is good, I'd be happy to see more of this world. But the story is still very character driven, closely following Cay and his emotions. I always connect the most to these kind of stories. The plot is clever but also just a bit silly. There are some obvious things that I'm sure are not even meant to be mysteries to the reader, but there are also some whimsical twists.
I've read The Musician and the Monster before and thought the building dread and eeriness in it was delightful. Here, after reading the blurb, I was already feeling the dread in good and bad. I'd say there wasn't a lot of dread in the end, but the story certainly delivers some exquisite agony. Just give me that angst—cruel bastard of a love interest can be catnip for me. And it was. Probably because it's not all suffering, there's a good balance.
Reconnecting a couple, especially when one or both them have been very hurtful to each other, can be a difficult thing. The Uncanny Aviator succeeds in this. The book hits my personal two necessities in fixing a broken relationship.
1. Both have to be at fault at least to some extent. Cay is really a sweetheart and definitely not the "bad guy", but as much as he is an evasive bastard with the reader, we can get an inkling of how frustrating it has been for Adrio who doesn't even get the crumbs we do. But Adrio was so mean! 😥
2. Showing regret and doing better. Adrio makes up for it in words and deeds (and I believe he will keep making up for it).
BUT: If there was more groveling porn here for me, I'd give the full 5 stars.
Oh, this book got me engaged, and I will marry too. It seems I might need to be careful when starting a Jenya Keefe book because I will lose my touch to reality for several hours.
The world building is good, I'd be happy to see more of this world. But the story is still very character driven, closely following Cay and his emotions. I always connect the most to these kind of stories. The plot is clever but also just a bit silly. There are some obvious things that I'm sure are not even meant to be mysteries to the reader, but there are also some whimsical twists.
I've read The Musician and the Monster before and thought the building dread and eeriness in it was delightful. Here, after reading the blurb, I was already feeling the dread in good and bad. I'd say there wasn't a lot of dread in the end, but the story certainly delivers some exquisite agony. Just give me that angst—cruel bastard of a love interest can be catnip for me. And it was. Probably because it's not all suffering, there's a good balance.
Reconnecting a couple, especially when one or both them have been very hurtful to each other, can be a difficult thing. The Uncanny Aviator succeeds in this. The book hits my personal two necessities in fixing a broken relationship.
1. Both have to be at fault at least to some extent. Cay is really a sweetheart and definitely not the "bad guy", but as much as he is an evasive bastard with the reader, we can get an inkling of how frustrating it has been for Adrio who doesn't even get the crumbs we do. But Adrio was so mean! 😥
2. Showing regret and doing better. Adrio makes up for it in words and deeds (and I believe he will keep making up for it).
BUT: If there was more groveling porn here for me, I'd give the full 5 stars.
June 6, 2024
Oh, I really liked this! It was just so clever amd engaging and well written! Creating a vivid world with vivid characters without ever getting wordy or exhausting.
I was about a third of the way in when I realized this is a retelling of which I read and loved as a kid. It was a very smart, imaginative take, and it was cool to realize I was reacting to this book in the same way as I reacted to the original some 20 years ago - with a mixture of delight, fascination, and dismay.
Dismay bordering on horror actually, because the first part is rough to read. Adrio's behavior is bad and cruel, and though the author did an impressive job with his redemption arc, and managed to get me to admit he doesn't deserve to go to hell for eternity, I'm not sure I really got to the point where I'm eager for him to get a second chance at happiness with Cay.
Great read, but the relationship between the MCs, and its affect on Cay, might be upsetting for some. Totally worth it for me though!
I was about a third of the way in when I realized this is a retelling of which I read and loved as a kid. It was a very smart, imaginative take, and it was cool to realize I was reacting to this book in the same way as I reacted to the original some 20 years ago - with a mixture of delight, fascination, and dismay.
Dismay bordering on horror actually, because the first part is rough to read. Adrio's behavior is bad and cruel, and though the author did an impressive job with his redemption arc, and managed to get me to admit he doesn't deserve to go to hell for eternity, I'm not sure I really got to the point where I'm eager for him to get a second chance at happiness with Cay.
Great read, but the relationship between the MCs, and its affect on Cay, might be upsetting for some. Totally worth it for me though!
June 7, 2024
This was my first read from Jenya Keefe, but I will certainly be looking for more books from her. I loved the characters of Cay and Adrio, and their different, but similar world to ours. I had a little trouble getting into the story at first, because I didn't feel I had enough knowledge of the characters' history, but the characters soon drew me fully in. Mystery, secrets, communication and ideological differences all added to the terrific love story. I felt bad for Cay and how Adrio treated him, but as the story went on, I began to understand Adrio's POV, although it was still challenging to forgive him. There is enough penance, though, that I could get behind the couple and their (hopefully) HEA. The story didn't feel completely finished to me, and I would love to see a more final ending with still-open questions answered. Still. I loved it.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
June 7, 2024
This book made me cry, big sobbing tears, really! For the first part at least because it’s so sad that Lord Cay has no idea why his husband has turned away from him. BUT! Then the story becomes a mystery as Cay tries to take things into his own hands and figure out what is happening with Adrio. This is a very clever book because even if some of the mysteries are as obvious as a mountain Jenya Keefe has written about it all in a way that sucks you in very quickly and makes you care about these characters and what is going on. Don’t assume that you can easily figure things out because there is a lot more hidden behind this initially obvious tale. This story is one of the best things I’ve read this year. Highly recommended reading.
I got a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review
I got a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review
June 6, 2024
His husband has started to ignore him and he has no idea why. He has kept his past so secret that he does not think they have found out about it, or have they? a hero is saving people from a slave camp and getting them to safety. He will find he needs to lie even more to his husband when trouble comes. What will he do? Will they ever find out? Can he find the hero? What else is going to happen? Follow them to find out
June 1, 2024
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed it, the story is a historical, political, romance, fantasy which has plenty of mystery and intrigue and is well written with good world building our MCs Cay and Adrio are a married couple with a lot of secrets between them which is causing the breakdown of their marriage even though they both love each other the story of how their relationship started and how they do get back together is good but hopefully there will be a second book as there are questions left unanswered about what happens in the story plot, in the romance side of it we get a Hfn. Good read.
August 25, 2024
I certainly love a book were u can tell just from the first pages it's going to work for you. Loved the ambiance, the prose, the MCs and their relationship dynamic. And even when Adrio behaved the way he did, I found myself understanding his reasons... Though I'm glad Cat didn't forgive him easily
"You’re as beautiful as a roseapple tree on a hill." God, this man! The way I gasped when I realised the meaning!! And I really liked how Cay reacted to all of Adrio passive-aggressiveness.
"You’re as beautiful as a roseapple tree on a hill." God, this man! The way I gasped when I realised the meaning!! And I really liked how Cay reacted to all of Adrio passive-aggressiveness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2025
LOVED THIS SO MUCH
I’m a sucker for a relationship in crisis, especially one with really visceral pining from at least one side so I was invested from the start. The world building was really fascinating, the characters were dynamic, and the plot flowed easily. The author’s writing style really vibed with my tastes.
I’m a sucker for a relationship in crisis, especially one with really visceral pining from at least one side so I was invested from the start. The world building was really fascinating, the characters were dynamic, and the plot flowed easily. The author’s writing style really vibed with my tastes.
January 30, 2025
4.5 stars!
Finally. A 4-star (or above) rating for me for the first time this year. Took me 10 books to get here lol. Anyways, here's my review.
I loved, loved, loved that this book was about an established couple. I was a little on the fence about it at first cos established relationships supposedly already had their happy ever afters so why would I subject myself to a story about a relationship crumbling down? But I was proved wrong. A little different from what I usually read but I must admit that this was a very welcome breath of fresh air.
Firstly, the setting. Never would I have ever imagined a story in this kind of a universe. A bit historical with a dash of fantasy but without the magics. I pictured a whimsical-like setting with how the author described it, sort of like a society of old English with a topographical landscape not unlike Skala and Seregil's hometown from Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series. Add to that the practical application of scientific principles. Like who the hell makes a hot air balloon as one of the main intrigues in a story? That was such an ingenious idea.
Then here was the plot. Truly unconventional compared to the books I usually pick up. The structure of the story made it so readers don't discover the main conflict until the very end . Yes we knew Cay was lying, yes Adrio had fallen "out of love," yes they're fighting their own internal battles but about why exactly kept me on my toes as I continued reading. There was no avalanche of big revelations. It's like an onion where we only discover things one layer at a time. And with the pace set as it was, it's like I'm discovering Cay's secrets at the same time as Adrio. It could be predictable, sure, but the pacing wasn't rushed.
I also admire Cay's characterization. How very much in love was he that despite months of thorny treatment from Adrio he still gave him puppy eyes and showed his sweet side like a martyr. He just couldn't help himself, could he? He's that beholden to Adrio. My heart broke when he seemed to have finally given up, deciding to leave Adrio for self-preservation but also because he wanted Adrio to supposedly have a happier life. The way Cay just accepted it's all his fault his husband acted the way he did. Oh Cay. And Adrio? Deserved a smack upside the head. I mean how could he easily be swayed by other people's judgment towards his husband without asking him first? Pretty cruel.
But anyways, my tears and I really enjoyed this one. I'm glad I finally found a book I had fun reading and could give a high rating to this year. I've had 3-star ratings 9 times in a row to start this year I was getting really disappointed until this one. This saved my January reading mood.
Finally. A 4-star (or above) rating for me for the first time this year. Took me 10 books to get here lol. Anyways, here's my review.
I loved, loved, loved that this book was about an established couple. I was a little on the fence about it at first cos established relationships supposedly already had their happy ever afters so why would I subject myself to a story about a relationship crumbling down? But I was proved wrong. A little different from what I usually read but I must admit that this was a very welcome breath of fresh air.
Firstly, the setting. Never would I have ever imagined a story in this kind of a universe. A bit historical with a dash of fantasy but without the magics. I pictured a whimsical-like setting with how the author described it, sort of like a society of old English with a topographical landscape not unlike Skala and Seregil's hometown from Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series. Add to that the practical application of scientific principles. Like who the hell makes a hot air balloon as one of the main intrigues in a story? That was such an ingenious idea.
Then here was the plot. Truly unconventional compared to the books I usually pick up. The structure of the story made it so readers don't discover the main conflict until the very end . Yes we knew Cay was lying, yes Adrio had fallen "out of love," yes they're fighting their own internal battles but about why exactly kept me on my toes as I continued reading. There was no avalanche of big revelations. It's like an onion where we only discover things one layer at a time. And with the pace set as it was, it's like I'm discovering Cay's secrets at the same time as Adrio. It could be predictable, sure, but the pacing wasn't rushed.
I also admire Cay's characterization. How very much in love was he that despite months of thorny treatment from Adrio he still gave him puppy eyes and showed his sweet side like a martyr. He just couldn't help himself, could he? He's that beholden to Adrio. My heart broke when he seemed to have finally given up, deciding to leave Adrio for self-preservation but also because he wanted Adrio to supposedly have a happier life. The way Cay just accepted it's all his fault his husband acted the way he did. Oh Cay. And Adrio? Deserved a smack upside the head. I mean how could he easily be swayed by other people's judgment towards his husband without asking him first? Pretty cruel.
But anyways, my tears and I really enjoyed this one. I'm glad I finally found a book I had fun reading and could give a high rating to this year. I've had 3-star ratings 9 times in a row to start this year I was getting really disappointed until this one. This saved my January reading mood.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2024
This is a sweet and lovely book, my first from this author and I will definitely check out her other works (I wish her back catalogue was bigger!). The story is immersive, with a new world that feels like a twist on the familiar, with exploration of important themes such as race and class in addition to the romance. Cay is so sweet and appealing, your heart breaks at all he has endured and all he is enduring. I have to say that I came away still with mixed feelings about Adrio - while he (mostly) redeems himself, his early actions aren't really consistent with where he ultimately ends up, and I think he's *pretty* lucky that Cay took him back. That's all I'll say about that, and truly, my only gripe about the book is that I would have preferred a more robust redemption. The writing is lovely and the story is a good one, highly recommended!
May 13, 2024
This is a lovely mystery romance for those who enjoy solid world building and an interesting adventure.
I adored Lord Cay and truly felt for him - his painful past, lack of acceptance into society, husband's hurtful comments, and efforts to protect those he loves while facing terrible choices. Thank goodness for his sister - an excellent side character and stalwart friend - and the servants who had his back.
The world building was excellent, characters well developed, and the plot captivated me from beginning to end.
I adored Lord Cay and truly felt for him - his painful past, lack of acceptance into society, husband's hurtful comments, and efforts to protect those he loves while facing terrible choices. Thank goodness for his sister - an excellent side character and stalwart friend - and the servants who had his back.
The world building was excellent, characters well developed, and the plot captivated me from beginning to end.
October 25, 2024
4.5, great ending!
October 25, 2024
Looking forward to more from this author, I read two of her books in two days and both were bangers.
January 25, 2025
4.25 stars
July 13, 2025
The book is very well written and the idea of it - amazing. Worldbuilding? Great, but... all the rest? I admit I really could not enjoy it, so much that when I got to 45% I just started skimming through pages to the end to see if my worst suspicion was correct.
The thing is, the book does two things I usually really hate in novels.
The first is flashbacks that are happening while the present story is going on. I really hate them because most of the time they tend to give the reader information that the reader already has. Ex. here in this novel most of the flashbacks show us how much Cay and Adrio love each other's. It was frustrating because it was information I already have, given it was repeated all the time by Cay's introspective narrative. There was no need for them, and I would have preferred the author spent more time trying to flesh out the bittersweet nostalgy of their relationship in the present than adding long flashback that literally interrupts scene.
My second pet peeve which happens in here is when a character is hiding a big secret and the whole novel is built over it. Look, if the whole story is built over a big mysterious horrible past, please, make sure it really is horrible and big. .
Another thing is... Cay is supposedly smart, I guess, but he literally throws his friend under the bus because he thought nothing bad could happen?
Ironically, I liked Adrio so much more.
I also had another small annoyance, which was that this could have been a straight romance. I kept forgetting I was reading a MM romance because everything seemed painted on for a heterosexual story. There's little explanations on why there seem to be such a big disparity between Cay and Adrio in their marriage. The status/class thing should be long gone, and especially not influence too much among their closest friends/servants, and yet it felt like I was reading the story of a woman being discriminated for being a woman and her powerful husband. I felt like the worldbuilding was lacking and could not fully explained why this dynamic was happening. There were also a few other things, like the fact that Adrio had an active life outside the house, was Cay seemed to relegated to the role of staying in, the fact that Cay receive gifts from Adrio (earrings for example), is paraded around, how Adrio seemed to consider Cay almost vapid, pretty but not too smart, even their sex scenes felt so strange (I think there are two) .
I am not saying you cannot write a satisfying MM romance where you have a power imbalance similar to the one seen in historical straight marriages (god knows how many omegaverse I have read), I am saying this book kind of forgot that it had two male protagonists. For example, there is a scene .
The thing is, the book does two things I usually really hate in novels.
The first is flashbacks that are happening while the present story is going on. I really hate them because most of the time they tend to give the reader information that the reader already has. Ex. here in this novel most of the flashbacks show us how much Cay and Adrio love each other's. It was frustrating because it was information I already have, given it was repeated all the time by Cay's introspective narrative. There was no need for them, and I would have preferred the author spent more time trying to flesh out the bittersweet nostalgy of their relationship in the present than adding long flashback that literally interrupts scene.
My second pet peeve which happens in here is when a character is hiding a big secret and the whole novel is built over it. Look, if the whole story is built over a big mysterious horrible past, please, make sure it really is horrible and big. .
Another thing is... Cay is supposedly smart, I guess, but he literally throws his friend under the bus because he thought nothing bad could happen?
Ironically, I liked Adrio so much more.
I also had another small annoyance, which was that this could have been a straight romance. I kept forgetting I was reading a MM romance because everything seemed painted on for a heterosexual story. There's little explanations on why there seem to be such a big disparity between Cay and Adrio in their marriage. The status/class thing should be long gone, and especially not influence too much among their closest friends/servants, and yet it felt like I was reading the story of a woman being discriminated for being a woman and her powerful husband. I felt like the worldbuilding was lacking and could not fully explained why this dynamic was happening. There were also a few other things, like the fact that Adrio had an active life outside the house, was Cay seemed to relegated to the role of staying in, the fact that Cay receive gifts from Adrio (earrings for example), is paraded around, how Adrio seemed to consider Cay almost vapid, pretty but not too smart, even their sex scenes felt so strange (I think there are two) .
I am not saying you cannot write a satisfying MM romance where you have a power imbalance similar to the one seen in historical straight marriages (god knows how many omegaverse I have read), I am saying this book kind of forgot that it had two male protagonists. For example, there is a scene .
June 4, 2024
I’ve been keeping an eye out for a new book from Jenya Keefe because I thought her retelling of Beauty and the Beast, The Musician and the Monster, was terrific. Now she’s given readers a riff on The Scarlet Pimpernel that’s a bit less swashbuckling than the original but still an entertaining mix of adventure and romance.
If you’re familiar with Pimpernel, you know the broad outlines of the storyline. This version takes place in a fantasy world, where the POV character, Cay, is a poor refugee from a country led by a ruthless revolutionary government that has cruelly imprisoned a despised marginalized people, the Chende, in work camps. Cay is courted by the aristocratic Adrio, and they fall in love and wed, even though Adrio’s peers are scandalized by him marrying a poor commoner. Happy at first, their marriage is now strained, leaving Cay wondering what went wrong and how he can fix it. Meanwhile, everybody else is wondering why there suddenly seem to be more Chende refugees around. Could someone be helping them escape the camps?
As the story progresses, the novel echoes Pimpernel but throws in enough twists to keep the narrative from feeling stale. One of the biggest changes has to do with something that always bothered me about the original—Sir Percy and Maguerite could resolve their differences if they would just be open and honest with each other. In this case, Cay’s past gives him good reasons to be unwilling to be forthcoming with Adrio. But Keefe cleverly also uses cultural differences between Cay’s and Adrio’s countries to complicate matters. Where Cay comes from, people prize being direct, but Adrio’s society favors communicating through allusion, trusting that people will pick up implied meanings. So, the two of them literally don't know how to talk to each other about their problems; Cay can't translate Adrio's hints about what's bothering him, and Adrio can't bring himself to confront Cay directly. Which is frustrating for a reader, but not as much as it is for Cay and Adrio!
Cay also runs afoul of Adrio's cultural notions of personal honor, which is the crux of their marital problems. The glimpses into their courtship make it easy to see why Cay fell in love with Adrio, and for Adrio to then withdraw his affection without explanation and leave poor Cay devastated . . . Talk about frustrating! I wanted to thump Adrio for going on about his honor while Cay is just there offering him his whole heart. Of course, Cay is vindicated in the end, and Adrio realizes he’s been an idiot. Luckily for Adrio, Cay is willing to forgive and trust him again, and they get their happy ending.
I’ve been having trouble finding books that grab my interest lately, but this one did the job. Angsty romance and dangerous rescues definitely make for a fun read!
If you’re familiar with Pimpernel, you know the broad outlines of the storyline. This version takes place in a fantasy world, where the POV character, Cay, is a poor refugee from a country led by a ruthless revolutionary government that has cruelly imprisoned a despised marginalized people, the Chende, in work camps. Cay is courted by the aristocratic Adrio, and they fall in love and wed, even though Adrio’s peers are scandalized by him marrying a poor commoner. Happy at first, their marriage is now strained, leaving Cay wondering what went wrong and how he can fix it. Meanwhile, everybody else is wondering why there suddenly seem to be more Chende refugees around. Could someone be helping them escape the camps?
As the story progresses, the novel echoes Pimpernel but throws in enough twists to keep the narrative from feeling stale. One of the biggest changes has to do with something that always bothered me about the original—Sir Percy and Maguerite could resolve their differences if they would just be open and honest with each other. In this case, Cay’s past gives him good reasons to be unwilling to be forthcoming with Adrio. But Keefe cleverly also uses cultural differences between Cay’s and Adrio’s countries to complicate matters. Where Cay comes from, people prize being direct, but Adrio’s society favors communicating through allusion, trusting that people will pick up implied meanings. So, the two of them literally don't know how to talk to each other about their problems; Cay can't translate Adrio's hints about what's bothering him, and Adrio can't bring himself to confront Cay directly. Which is frustrating for a reader, but not as much as it is for Cay and Adrio!
Cay also runs afoul of Adrio's cultural notions of personal honor, which is the crux of their marital problems. The glimpses into their courtship make it easy to see why Cay fell in love with Adrio, and for Adrio to then withdraw his affection without explanation and leave poor Cay devastated . . . Talk about frustrating! I wanted to thump Adrio for going on about his honor while Cay is just there offering him his whole heart. Of course, Cay is vindicated in the end, and Adrio realizes he’s been an idiot. Luckily for Adrio, Cay is willing to forgive and trust him again, and they get their happy ending.
I’ve been having trouble finding books that grab my interest lately, but this one did the job. Angsty romance and dangerous rescues definitely make for a fun read!
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