Hyacinth

by Elle Porter

In this mythology reimagining of Hyacinthus and Apollo, a lighthouse keeper is afflicted with grisly nightmares after a mysterious yet charming shopkeeper arrives in a secluded coastal village.

HYACINTH is an m+m speculative romance featuring supernatural horror elements and a trans love interest.

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Novella, Romance, Mythology, Transgender, LGBT

99 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2021

About the author

Elle Porter (he/they) writes queer speculative romance. As a self-proclaimed cozy monsterfucker, they enjoy reading and writing stories both strange and sensual with a garnish of feelings.

You can find them on Bluesky and Instagram or visit their website for more of their works.

Reviews

[jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh to be a lighthouse keeper in a secluded coastal village falling in love with the mysterious new man in town


read as part of 202-Queer 🌈✨

[Nenia Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from HYACINTH but the premise sounded so fascinating that I went in cold, and that's honestly how I recommend you do it, too. HYACINTH is a little bit gothic, a little bit folk horror, a little bit star-crossed lovers. Leon is a grumpy lighthouse keeper living in a small town by the sea. Finn is the new mysterious owner of the general store that takes over when the man who used to own it dies under somewhat mysterious circumstances.

This is such an intense and lyrically beautiful story about rituals and fierce love and the horror of finding someone you'd do anything for. Whatever you think is going on, you probably won't be right, and honestly, that's more fun than anything. It's a little bit spicy too.

I will absolutely be reading more of their work!

5 stars

[౨ৎ bennett •𖤐🌷 · Rating 4 out of 5]

𖦹.ᡣ𐭩˚ started 29.04.25
˖ finished 29.04.25
. ݁⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ / ∿‧⁺. ෆ
❝we have known each other
many times over, leon.❞

「 ⸝⸝📋⊹ 」

[Hal · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

What a beautiful, haunting and romantic tale about lovers and the ultimate test of time.

I loved this so much. From the first page you’re there with Leon in that tiny little village and his lonely life in his lighthouse. Elle does such a good job with writing emotion in a way that is subtle but you feel it wholeheartedly. Leon’s journey from a loner to him realizing through Finn that maybe he doesn’t need to be alone forever was stunning.

The slight creepiness to the atmosphere was so cool. There’s undercurrent of terror with Leon’s dreams and the unknowns of Finn, I loved it! It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me devouring this in a single sitting.

I highly recommend this if you love beautiful writing, an atmospheric setting of a seaside village with a hint of a creepy factor and a romance between a lonely lighthouse keeper and the new man in town. Loved this!

5/5⭐️

TW: death, sexually explicit scenes, gore, blood, animal death.

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Por favor léanse esta joya

[Jenny (Nyxie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird and lovely. I did not expect any of the twists.

[Xavier Reads]

I have mixed feelings. I really, REALLY wanted to love this book. Because a MM Greek mythology retelling with supernatural horror elements and a trans mc? What more could a person ask for?
The writing was 5/5 fantastic with beautiful prose. I loved how Leon and Finn were a grumpy/sunshine paring and how Leon slowly opens up to Finn. I enjoyed the first half despite not knowing the original myth of Apollo and Hyacinthus. (Stopped in the middle of reading to google it)
Everything was good until Finn did THAT. I can't say anything else without spoiling. I still recommend this book, but please be careful.
PS: The cover is stunning!




*Spoilers from now on*
This is probably a “Me” problem since no one else seems to be particularly bothered by it.
I wish there was some kind of warning at the beginning of the book about on-page cheating. Yes, I know this is the retelling of a Greek myth. Yes, I know the original Apollo is an even bigger POS who does F*cked up things but I don't care! Finn was so blasé about getting caught banging other people in front of Leon; It doesn't matter that it was part of a ritual. The ritual itself is confusing. Did the men request their last moments to be having a great orgasm? Finn said that's not always the price and the ritual only requires that their bodies return to the earth. So he f*cked them willingly? I think his apology was pretty weak as well. And what is going to happen at the end of the book? Do the two of them continue to do that? I'm all for star crossed lovers reuniting in a new incarnation (Hell, it is a kryptonite of mine these days) but after those two chapters I stopped rooting for them to end up together. I did feel bad for Finn after his past was revealed (He never asked to be immortal in the first place) but not enough to like him as a person. If I don't like a character I can't root for them.
I don't know why I have such a knee jerk reaction to cheating, but I think If a book gets the reader to feel so passionate that they couldn't sleep at night thinking about it, that book is successful as a piece of art.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amanda Prado · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful writing, beautiful atmosphere, but not enough character development or justification for why they fall in love

[Lizzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two thumbs down

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short haunted, romantic, spicy and very atmospheric story about a lonely lighthouse keeper with a blurry past and the newcomer to town who he feels inexplicably drawn towards.
The setting was incredibly well thought out and I adored the landscape and nature descriptions very, very much. The characters were very interesting as well, as was the story.

[petiteghoul · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5) that was beautiful! and i’m learning that i love a good dark and cozy seaside setting. the plot, mostly the connections to the mythology, confused me (could definitely be just my fault) but once it all clicked together in the right way the story turned out very sweet

[Salem Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

anyone who knows me well would be able to tell you how much of a sucker i am for a greek mythology retelling. there’s just something about them that draws me in every time. hyacinth was no different.

i can honestly say that this is the perfect book. i am in love with everything about it. it’s dark, yet poetic…romantic, yet unhinged. if i could choose to attach a book to my soul and have it be part of me forever, i would pick this one.

[Desirée Niccoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the prose in Hyacinth, the mystery, the twist, and it’s creepy, atmospheric seaside setting. There’s a grumpy lighthouse keeper, and a ray-of-sunshine shopkeeper who knows what he wants and has made it his mission to get to know the grump. I enjoyed their chemistry, their banter, and their fast-burn romance.

There’s supernatural horror elements (which is BIG TIME my cup of tea), a god with teeth and claws, and it gets a touch gruesome with some heart-eating, but I loved every bloody second of it.

MM romance w/ a transmasc love interest.

CW: sex, body horror

[Ru · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story thoroughly gripped and intrigued me from the start. The isolated loner captivated by the mysterious and attractive newcomer is always a winning formula for me, although I felt rather on edge at the start, wondering what was going on with Finn.

The emergence of the truth and the full details of the relationship and history made me gasp, even as it was hinted at in the synopsis and it made fir a satisfying novella.

The writing was thoroughly absorbing, with an atmospheric quality that captured the feelings and the themes really well.

An very enjoyable read!

CW Death, Perceived infidelity

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

So amazing. I loved Finn and Leon! Full RTC!

[gigi.bibix · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Recuérdanos.

😭😭 No me esperaba para nada que un libro tan corto llegue a tanto.
Jacinto y Apolo 😔🤍

Eso sí, es un poco turbio, jaja

[everybookadoorway · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful

[Madison ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not think this little book was going to pack a punch but it did! Perfect book for (almost) Pride Month, and I love a good greek retelling!

[Jessica Swan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do I know what happened in this book? Debatable. Do I know I liked this? Yes. Do with that what you will.

[v0id_93 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coastal, lighthouse, secluded and grumpy keeper plus some mystery….yes 😌

[Andreas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m pretty sure this book was written for me specifically - monsterfuckery romance between a reclusive lighthouse keeper and a trans deity, yes please?! Very very good.

[Rian Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfect spooky read

I went into this without zero expectation and of course I was like what is this at first. But the short story was just spooky and eerie. I love different begin the end, and I definitely recommend it.

[As · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corto, bello y spicy, quieren algo más? Yo creo que este libro lo tiene todo

[MM Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hyacinth by Elle Porter was an interesting take on the Greek.mythology. It was quite unpredictable with lots of smut.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Benji · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was too short to have much depth, it wasn’t bad but also wasn’t good. Had some spooky/horror vibes. Retelling of Hyacinthus and Apollo with a trans love interest.

[DC Guevara · Rating 5 out of 5]

[...] like he'd wanted Finn the moment he'd opened the lighthouse door and let in the rain.

Snuggled in bed as the skies around me turned gray and rainy, a gentle Lighthousekeeper playlist playing in the background made for a perfect atmosphere to sink myself within Elle Porter's HYACINTH, a rich and mysterious story filled with the scent of sea salt, the desire for camaraderie and the subtle yet thrilling tale of two men finding one another against the vastness of time.

Leon is the lighthousekeeper of a small, unnamed village who is used to certain things always being as they are-- the monotony and the never-changing scenery comforting as it was constricting. He longs for an unnamed thing within him, something he has never had before, and finds it in Finn, a mysterious new shopkeeper whose bright smile and loving demeanor manage to soften his facade.

The two main characters are as charming as they are mysterious-- Leon, a roughed introvert meeting the ball of sunshine that was the extroverted Finn really came out to grasp my heart and didn't let go until the end of the tale. They made for a compelling duo to root for, even through the very small amount of trouble they encounter in their blissful courtship.

The atmospheric tone of Porter's writing style makes the immersion the reader feels as they go through the story feel as natural as breathing. Their skill at the craft cannot be underestimated, because, amidst the sweeping love story of a relationship found and gone throughout the years, Poreter manages to bring a sense of vibrancy and haunting melancholy to this small, coastal village of very, very few. I am constantly in awe by the net of indie authors around me who manage to make magic with so little time.

If you enjoy airy seaside villages, a comforting cast of villagers who only want to live a good life, and a story that transcends time and space into something more grand and mystical, you cannot miss reading out Elle Porter's HYACINTH, an mm retelling of the tale of Hyacinthus and Apollo, with a few twists and turns that definitely kept me on my feet.

Five outta' five-- no question!

[purely.romantic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trans Rights Readathon Review

CWs and CNs at the end.

Elle Porter is a new-to-me author and I blew through *Hyacinth* very quickly and loved every word of it. This beautiful Apollo/Hyacinth novella, reimagines the tragic mythological couple as a taciturn, grumpy lighthouse keeper and the mysterious newcomer to the seaside village who find each other despite their seeming incompatibilities.

What I loved the most about Porter’s novella was the utterly lush and robust writing style. His command of the language brought to life the magic that encompassed this story and I felt it seep into my bones. Porter also seamlessly weaves together melancholy, whimsy, cozy vives and mild touches of horror during the course of the narrative and it suited the story trajectory so well. The romance between the two characters, Leon and Finn, was so tender and I loved the achy gentleness with which they found each other. I don’t want to say too much about how the mythology is revealed but suffice it to say that it was utterly swoony and poetic and I adored watching these two get their HEA. It’s not easy to write short fiction with such skill and particularly to infuse it with just the write amount of plot, character development and atmosphere but Porter accomplishes this so well and I’m very eager to explore what else he has to offer. 5 massive and whimsical stars for this novella!

CWs: brief mentions of death of parents in the past; actions perceived by the character as cheating; animal death as part of a ritual sacrifice (not pets);

CNs: This is a speculative, MM, modern-day retelling of the Apollo/Hyacinth myth featuring a transmasc character. Tropes include grumpy/sunshine and epic love. This is an open door romance and contains on-page sex scenes.

[S.S. Genesee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐
This was a beautifully written story of a tale of lovers that transcends time. I really enjoyed the horror elements, the eerieness of it all and the mystery surrounding Finn going in, and everything wanted to keep me reading and learning more! Deer are also one of my favorite animals, so seeing them used in such a creepy way just heightened my enjoyment.

Something of note, this story is not set in any specific time period, but according to the technology mentioned it seems to be the equivalent of the 1960s-ish. But this is not really a "historical" story, it's like a world of its own.
Finn is trans(as you know from the blurb) but there is no mention of that in the story itself other than during the steamy scenes, which sort of threw me through a loop that Leon wasn't surprised when Finn revealed his naked body to him. But I can see what the author is doing, they're normalizing trans bodies in a casual way through their writing, where the characters are accepting unlike in the society of our real world. I respect that, a lot! 💕💖
I just wanted to make note of that to other readers, with the topic of trans characters, that this world in that sense is different from our own, since I didn't realize that until diving into the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! 💕

[Leon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of this, and I devoured it in a single evening.

Being a lover of reimagined Greek myths, I was very eager to read this one, and it did not disappoint. A delightfully twisty story that packs so much into the short novella format, it strikes a nice balance between intimacy and mystery that kept me turning the pages.

The beautiful, evocative prose pulled me right away into its seaside setting that's both threatening and warm. Leon is a very fun protagonist (not only because he's my namesake!), gruff, reticent, and as intriguing as the mysterious and charming Finn. I enjoyed seeing both of their characters unfold over the course of the story.

The horror elements really meshed with the atmosphere of the isolated seaside town, creating a delicious blend of sensual and unsettling that was very appropriate for the subject matter. While present, the gore wasn't overbearing, but rather gave me the kind of chills that only made me want to read more.

Overall, if you enjoy moody sea towns, sexy and emotional m+m romance, and eerie ancient rituals, I recommend giving this delightful novella a shot!

[Luna Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un desafortunado accidente ocurrió, que resultó en mi primera y única muerte. Una flecha me atravesó el corazón, lanzada por el dios que amaba

Jacinto y Apolo, nos demuestran que las historias de amor entre un humano y un dios no siempre salen bien, pero también, en este retelling nos demuestran que van más allá. En este libro tenemos a León y Finn, el primero vive en un faro en un pueblo, siempre solitario mientras que el otro llega de la nada a ocuparse de la tienda de su padre, y rápidamente se hace amigo de todos. Estos dos se conocerán rapidamente y nos veremos envueltos en su historia.

Es un libro rápido de leer, de narrativa sencilla perfecto para un bloqueo lector. Es mi caso no es un cinco estrellas porque siento que fue una idea increíble para el poco desarrollo que tuvo, me falto drama, conexión, amor, y más, unas cien paginas mas hubieran estado increíble.

Aún así, un buen libro.