Lanta: Another Life

by Jern Tonkoi

On a moonlit Thai beach, one kiss knocks two lives off course.

Twenty-five-year-old Lester has flown from wintry England to Ko Lanta to shepherd a friend’s bachelor trip—not to be seen, understood, and quietly undone by Silom, a young boatman who reads tides better than he trusts promises. Set largely on Ko Lanta in the 1990s, this is a sun-drenched, quietly yearning story of first desire, family obligation, and the small choices that become fate. Between them stand class, culture, an ocean, and the futures their families demand. Content some on-page consensual intimacy, one scene of homophobic violence with brief blood detail, and occasional strong language. A complete standalone.

For readers who like island-set queer romanceFor readers who like slow-burn longing across yearsFor readers who like working-class/upper-class contrastsFor readers who like found-family warmthFor readers who like tender stories with melancholic hope

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2025

About the author

Jern Tonkoi writes introspective LGBTQ+ fiction that spans genres but shares one emotional core: stories of longing, identity, and the quiet ache of becoming. Her work often explores queer lives caught between worlds—geographical, cultural, or internal—and the fragile beauty of connection across time.
Split between Thailand and the UK, she writes with a cross-cultural eye and a lyrical touch. Her novels offer intimate portraits of love, friendship, and the spaces between people that make us human.

Reviews

[Brianne McCallum · Rating 5 out of 5]

M/M
Life in Lanta, Thailand
2nd chance
secret love
fobidden love

Arc Audio review

Story = 5 stars
Narration = 5 stars

"It's never too late for a new life on Lanta." That pretty much says it all. This was a story of the life and love of a young man that spanned 26 years. A sad, tragic life full of loss that is so realistic for so many lgbt people. This gave me Call me by your name vibes but with a much better HEA. I went into this thinking it would just be ok but I absolutely loved it. So many emotions wrapped up in one book that you can feel fly off the page. It was refreshing to hear what life is like outside of North America. Not to say these things don't happen here too but I found this distinction in plot to be extra interesting.

Fantastic narration by someone with same last name. I'm so glad it was narrated by someone so close to the story and the same ethnicity. It made the reading extra special. He expressed all the emotions wonderfully, bringing the story to life and gave each of the characters, including the side characters distinct voices that made it easy to follow the story and it was a pleasure to listen to.

TW* Mentions of the tragic tsunami, the Pandemic, Multiple deaths (family and partners), homophobia/trans phobia, on page phsical assault of a side character, as well as secretcy and cheating.

[Sabrina Mordini · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ache of Waiting, the Joy of Finding

Lanta is a story that quietly broke my heart and then pieced it back together again. Spanning 26 years, it follows Silom’s life and love—his struggles, his losses, and the way longing can linger like an echo across decades. It’s a sad, tragic story at times, yet achingly realistic, reflecting the experiences of so many LGBTQ+ people whose lives are shaped by silence, distance, and societal expectations.

This gave me Call Me by Your Name vibes, but with a more fulfilling and hopeful resolution. The ache of wanting someone for over twenty years is deeply moving, and yet, the fact that love endures and eventually finds its way makes the ending all the more beautiful.

What struck me most was the atmosphere: Tonkoi writes feelings in a quiet way—never loud, never forced—yet every heartbreak, every longing glance, every fragile joy can be felt so vividly. I also loved how the story highlighted a perspective beyond North America. The setting and cultural nuances brought a refreshing distinction to the plot, grounding the romance in a world that felt both specific and universal.

Lanta is lyrical, bittersweet, and unforgettable—a love story about memory, endurance, and the quiet strength of the heart.

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duty and familial responsibility can be a killer to the romantic soul. Lester is on the beach with his very drunk future brother-in-law when a young man, native to Thailand, kisses him. Lester seeks out the young man the next day and finds Silom. After a brief encounter Lester returns to England for the wedding and life as a pier. Lester returns to Thailand obsessively to say goodbye to Silom, but their connection continues. Silom has his own familial responsibilities which keep him in Thailand and his sexuality hidden for the most part. Wanting someone for more than 20 years is in a way heartbreaking, but still wanting that person and finally finding a way to happiness is wonderful.

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

[Laora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author took me by surprise. The quiet, yet strong writing style by this new to me author drew me in from the start.
The book is almost fully written from Silom his pov and takes moatly place on and near Ko Lanta
This story to me is an 'if you love them let them go story'.
It also observes people living live's that are expected of them and being truely themselves in an place that is safe.
I also like to acknowledge Kamil, his character, what a strong person who felt true.
I am very pleasantly surprised by this book and will have a look for other work by the author.

Triggers might apply: description of parental physical abuse, mention of suicide, e.o.

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

[GreenPhoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lanta tells the fleeting yet profound connection between Silom, a nineteen-year-old fisherman’s apprentice on the sun‑drenched shores of Ko Lanta, and Lester, an older Englishman adrift from his life in London. An impulsive, moonlit kiss sparks a tender bond that transcends cultural and temporal divides, as both men grapple with memory, longing, and the weight of duties pulling them back to vastly different worlds.

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

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle moonlit kiss turns into the tailmans that keeps two men connected. These two are kept apart because Family responsibilities, distance, and the secret of loving a man. Their connection continues for 20 years the longing and wanting never ceasing. Their connection is magnetic, and heartbreaking, and wonderful. Two worlds who shouldn’t collide yet can’t help but be pulled back to each other.