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Tofino
"In prose that sears, he gives us the wild coast and the wounded soul—both stripped of pretense, both tremblingly alive."
Author Tom Stewart—following a national fiction award for Immortal North—returns with his most intimate novel yet: an emotionally charged story of heartbreak and healing in the town he calls home. Lyrical and sexy, at once comedic and profound, the story unfolds over three days, seamlessly weaving sensational Tofino history with a blemished and modern romance.
Sunrise in downtown Vancouver. On her morning jog, Valerie Lou Roy falls to her knees from a panic attack. Founder and CEO of a disruptive social media firm, she’s facing public backlash and looming lawsuits. Last night she thought it was his truck outside her condo again—a man unstable well before their bad breakup.
Seeking a former peace she can hardly recall, Valerie boards a ferry to one of Canada’s most stunning coastal towns. Stubborn fate seems at play when she crosses paths again with a curious fishing guide: part-time smut writer with a taste for off-colour jokes and the occasional literary quote. Valerie begins to suspect that laughter and romance might heal more than even Tofino’s hot springs and taco trucks, endless beaches and an ocean coloured the blue of your dreams. But the past rarely stays where you leave it. As closeness stirs between her and the unlikely guide, honesty feels less like rescue than another weight to bear. Her business, her sense of self, and the fragile promise of new love are at risk, while an anxious tide rises and fresh betrayals near.
Author Tom Stewart—following a national fiction award for Immortal North—returns with his most intimate novel yet: an emotionally charged story of heartbreak and healing in the town he calls home. Lyrical and sexy, at once comedic and profound, the story unfolds over three days, seamlessly weaving sensational Tofino history with a blemished and modern romance.
Sunrise in downtown Vancouver. On her morning jog, Valerie Lou Roy falls to her knees from a panic attack. Founder and CEO of a disruptive social media firm, she’s facing public backlash and looming lawsuits. Last night she thought it was his truck outside her condo again—a man unstable well before their bad breakup.
Seeking a former peace she can hardly recall, Valerie boards a ferry to one of Canada’s most stunning coastal towns. Stubborn fate seems at play when she crosses paths again with a curious fishing guide: part-time smut writer with a taste for off-colour jokes and the occasional literary quote. Valerie begins to suspect that laughter and romance might heal more than even Tofino’s hot springs and taco trucks, endless beaches and an ocean coloured the blue of your dreams. But the past rarely stays where you leave it. As closeness stirs between her and the unlikely guide, honesty feels less like rescue than another weight to bear. Her business, her sense of self, and the fragile promise of new love are at risk, while an anxious tide rises and fresh betrayals near.
- GenresRomance
427 pages, ebook
First published August 13, 2025
51 people are currently reading
1160 people want to read
About the author
Tom Stewart
5 books213 followersI aspire to contribute to the craft that I value so highly. I hope you see something in my books, that would matter to me.
***** 2023 Whistler Independent Book Awards Winner in Fiction*****
***** 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards finalist in Literary & Contemporary Fiction *****
***** 2022 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book notable author *****
***** A Readers’ Favorite Five Star Author *****
I grow as a writer when I improve as a human. Reading helps. I value this community of readers for its shared love of meaningful words. I feel a type of connection.
Thank you.
For a FREE copy of Immortal North visit: Immortal North
Tom grew up near Winnipeg, Canada where he studied literature and philosophy at University of Manitoba. He worked in northern Canada as a fishing and hunting guide and bush-plane pilot. Tom now lives in Tofino on Vancouver Island.
https://tomswords.substack.com/
***** 2023 Whistler Independent Book Awards Winner in Fiction*****
***** 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards finalist in Literary & Contemporary Fiction *****
***** 2022 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book notable author *****
***** A Readers’ Favorite Five Star Author *****
I grow as a writer when I improve as a human. Reading helps. I value this community of readers for its shared love of meaningful words. I feel a type of connection.
Thank you.
For a FREE copy of Immortal North visit: Immortal North
Tom grew up near Winnipeg, Canada where he studied literature and philosophy at University of Manitoba. He worked in northern Canada as a fishing and hunting guide and bush-plane pilot. Tom now lives in Tofino on Vancouver Island.
https://tomswords.substack.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 7, 2025
Author Tom Stewart throws us a curve ball with this charismatic and warmly entertaining romantic novel.
He is, though, the same writer who gave us Immortal North one and two and so there is plenty of rough stuff in the wilds of Canada, but here the rugged outdoorsy narrative is minimized as we follow a pair getting to know one another in a rustic setting. Atmospheric and engaging, the dialogue between the two is endearing and fun.
Told with wit, charm and exceptional writing this can be funny and sexy and also poignant as both lovers have some baggage to share and there is some dramatic and theatrical tension built up for us as the pages go turning and turning.
This also makes me consider the state of publishing these days. I read a lot of books and Stewart produces writing that is as good or better than most of what we read from current writers and this hard working independent guy is trying to get the word out about his writing and I for one am happy to give him some reviews.
Good stuff and I’ll read more from him.
He is, though, the same writer who gave us Immortal North one and two and so there is plenty of rough stuff in the wilds of Canada, but here the rugged outdoorsy narrative is minimized as we follow a pair getting to know one another in a rustic setting. Atmospheric and engaging, the dialogue between the two is endearing and fun.
Told with wit, charm and exceptional writing this can be funny and sexy and also poignant as both lovers have some baggage to share and there is some dramatic and theatrical tension built up for us as the pages go turning and turning.
This also makes me consider the state of publishing these days. I read a lot of books and Stewart produces writing that is as good or better than most of what we read from current writers and this hard working independent guy is trying to get the word out about his writing and I for one am happy to give him some reviews.
Good stuff and I’ll read more from him.
July 12, 2025
Like a breath of fresh air after leaving a stale environment, Tofino: A Novel succeeded in capturing my attention and holding it. It is mostly a love story. But nature flows from the pages in all its infinite glory. And with it, beauty. Tom has a subtle writing touch, one that respects the reader without spoonfeeding, one both witty and succinct. In a genre I do not read, I couldn't help but respect the characters' pursuit of life. Their hope. Their attempt at happiness and their refusal to be tamed. What a pleasure.
Well worth anyone's time.
" They listened to water with such roar one wonders if the very belly of the world isn't angry. They spectating only a surfaced glimpse of her power where below were stacked fathoms of blue muscle. The roar and the boom and the spray, vertical spume and frothy water. "
" She looked from moon to stars to wherever began the wet horizon but sky seemed stitched to water like everything is connected, a tailor fashioning the sea's wet fabric in undulating silk starlight. "
Well worth anyone's time.
" They listened to water with such roar one wonders if the very belly of the world isn't angry. They spectating only a surfaced glimpse of her power where below were stacked fathoms of blue muscle. The roar and the boom and the spray, vertical spume and frothy water. "
" She looked from moon to stars to wherever began the wet horizon but sky seemed stitched to water like everything is connected, a tailor fashioning the sea's wet fabric in undulating silk starlight. "
August 13, 2025
Friends, Tofino: A Novel is now live and available at all major book retailers in paperback and eBook!
Advanced reviews are very positive (about 2/3rds of those are not family and friends, ha). I hope this sweet book I’ve given so very much to will find its readers.
If a writer doesn’t believe his own book is very good he shouldn’t have published it in the first place. I’m excited to be sharing my fourth book with you. I gave a lot to this novel. It ruined many sleeps, it teared my eyes, it induced anxiety at the thought of publishing it. After about 891 rounds of edits, 9773 sentence reconstructions (felt like it, anyways), so very many whole-chapter revisions, multiple audio playbacks trying to hear the story from a place other than the voice in my head, it can still make me laugh, still make me idolize love (in a good way), and strive to be worthy of the love I seek. This book was two years in the writing, three in the making, where one highly-acclaimed editor went awol on me delaying the book by a year, but where the second highly-acclaimed editor (multiple NYT bestsellers, national book award finalist) helped me work it to its polished final state (cutting 30,000 words), and she lavished it with such praise I simply will not repeat her words for fear of taking self-indulgence to new lows. Maybe a writer ought to let his work speak for itself (he almost certainly shouldn’t speak in the third person). But I hope you see something in this novel that you like—more than that: I hope I make you laugh, maybe even make you swoon. I hope I make you question something, cherish something, doubt something, renew conviction in something, want to fall in love or be a speck more loving to the lover you’re lucky to already have.
Some of the novel’s most pivotal scenes are set in the town’s streets and beaches, its restaurants and shops, and I hope in your dear reader’s mind Tofino the town shines like it does daily for me. I hope you remember something about the story long after you turn its last page. Why would I give such effort to it if I didn’t have high hopes? One writer said “Good writing is moving mountains or it’s sitting on its ass.” That’s how I see it. But moving a person means more to me than a mountain. I hope it’s a book you recommend to a friend because word of mouth drives discovery, maybe even read more than once because I can think of scarce few treasured honours more golden for a writer than that. A serious writer publishes only a book he hopes will truly affect his reader (and privately in his head he thinks that he might thereby affect the greater world, increase its love or in the least exhibit some of its wonder, its hardship, its beauty). Maybe that sounds grandiose. I hope I’ve done that. I tried hard to.
(If you enjoyed this novel to the extent you want others to find it, please mention it to a friend or your book club or the prime minister/president, or post a note on your social media. Reviews are crucial for sales and I’d be very appreciative if you’d review it on Amazon or Goodreads. Even two words are helpful, ex: “Oh wow”; “My Goodness”; “This book!” … I could go on…)
Advanced reviews are very positive (about 2/3rds of those are not family and friends, ha). I hope this sweet book I’ve given so very much to will find its readers.
If a writer doesn’t believe his own book is very good he shouldn’t have published it in the first place. I’m excited to be sharing my fourth book with you. I gave a lot to this novel. It ruined many sleeps, it teared my eyes, it induced anxiety at the thought of publishing it. After about 891 rounds of edits, 9773 sentence reconstructions (felt like it, anyways), so very many whole-chapter revisions, multiple audio playbacks trying to hear the story from a place other than the voice in my head, it can still make me laugh, still make me idolize love (in a good way), and strive to be worthy of the love I seek. This book was two years in the writing, three in the making, where one highly-acclaimed editor went awol on me delaying the book by a year, but where the second highly-acclaimed editor (multiple NYT bestsellers, national book award finalist) helped me work it to its polished final state (cutting 30,000 words), and she lavished it with such praise I simply will not repeat her words for fear of taking self-indulgence to new lows. Maybe a writer ought to let his work speak for itself (he almost certainly shouldn’t speak in the third person). But I hope you see something in this novel that you like—more than that: I hope I make you laugh, maybe even make you swoon. I hope I make you question something, cherish something, doubt something, renew conviction in something, want to fall in love or be a speck more loving to the lover you’re lucky to already have.
Some of the novel’s most pivotal scenes are set in the town’s streets and beaches, its restaurants and shops, and I hope in your dear reader’s mind Tofino the town shines like it does daily for me. I hope you remember something about the story long after you turn its last page. Why would I give such effort to it if I didn’t have high hopes? One writer said “Good writing is moving mountains or it’s sitting on its ass.” That’s how I see it. But moving a person means more to me than a mountain. I hope it’s a book you recommend to a friend because word of mouth drives discovery, maybe even read more than once because I can think of scarce few treasured honours more golden for a writer than that. A serious writer publishes only a book he hopes will truly affect his reader (and privately in his head he thinks that he might thereby affect the greater world, increase its love or in the least exhibit some of its wonder, its hardship, its beauty). Maybe that sounds grandiose. I hope I’ve done that. I tried hard to.
(If you enjoyed this novel to the extent you want others to find it, please mention it to a friend or your book club or the prime minister/president, or post a note on your social media. Reviews are crucial for sales and I’d be very appreciative if you’d review it on Amazon or Goodreads. Even two words are helpful, ex: “Oh wow”; “My Goodness”; “This book!” … I could go on…)
September 1, 2025
Beautiful book. Exactly the kind of romance book I want to read. There is no doubt that Tom Stewart is a talented writer; his poetic writing style is stunning. Now I want to go to Tofino 😭
August 20, 2025
Tom Stewart not only wooed me with a romance of the place, a picturesque town, but also the people. I was captivated with the vivid, crisp-in-color writing. This beautiful place called Tofino. He did a wonderful job of putting me right in the middle of the novel. Sharing its history and charm. I felt everything deeply. I saw pain, I felt love and rejection, and I swam with a humpback whale.
This was complicated just like life, and I was pulled apart and put back together with his words. Tom, I pictured a lot of endings to this novel, but that was not one of them. I really didn’t see that coming. Wow. I just stopped and pondered all the possibilities while I reread the last few pages again. Even with the ending, which I felt was left up to my imagination, I went in several directions. I’ll be thinking about this for days.
Thank you for sharing this beautifully broken story with me. You write like no other.
I received this from the author as a gift, and all thoughts and feelings about this book are mine. I can’t wait for the next one. There will be a next one, right?
This was complicated just like life, and I was pulled apart and put back together with his words. Tom, I pictured a lot of endings to this novel, but that was not one of them. I really didn’t see that coming. Wow. I just stopped and pondered all the possibilities while I reread the last few pages again. Even with the ending, which I felt was left up to my imagination, I went in several directions. I’ll be thinking about this for days.
Thank you for sharing this beautifully broken story with me. You write like no other.
I received this from the author as a gift, and all thoughts and feelings about this book are mine. I can’t wait for the next one. There will be a next one, right?
July 13, 2025
This is another great novel by Tom. The first romancesque book I have ever read. I look forward to reading his next book.
December 26, 2025
Anxiety, success, and longing collide in Tofino by Tom Stewart, a romance rooted deeply in it's Canadian setting and pure emotion. Valerie Lou Roy arrives in the coastal town seeking distance from a life that has begun to unravel. A public fall from grace, legal pressure, and a haunting past have left her raw and restless. Tofino offers beauty, salt air, and the illusion of escape, but it also reflects her inner unease. The town feels alive on the page, with its beaches, fog, ferries, and quiet corners shaping every moment Valerie spends there.
The romantic connection at the center of the novel unfolds slowly and with intention. Valerie’s growing bond with a local fishing guide is shaped by humor, attraction, and shared vulnerability. Their conversations feel natural, sometimes sharp, sometimes tender, and often disarming. Both characters carry emotional weight, and the book gives that history room to exist without rushing resolution. While the novel is longer than some romances, it is easy to sink into, inviting the reader to linger in the atmosphere and the emotional tension.
The ending lands with impact and leaves space for reflection rather than tidy closure. Some readers will find that openness powerful, others may crave more certainty, but it is undeniably memorable. Tofino is an immersive romance that blends love, anxiety, and self-reckoning with care. For readers drawn to emotionally driven stories where setting matters as much as connection, this is a book review recommendation worth considering.
Such a great read, and one I highly recommend if you want to get lost in the words.
Five out of five stars.
I received this book for free from the author, Tom Stewart, in exchange for an honest review.
The romantic connection at the center of the novel unfolds slowly and with intention. Valerie’s growing bond with a local fishing guide is shaped by humor, attraction, and shared vulnerability. Their conversations feel natural, sometimes sharp, sometimes tender, and often disarming. Both characters carry emotional weight, and the book gives that history room to exist without rushing resolution. While the novel is longer than some romances, it is easy to sink into, inviting the reader to linger in the atmosphere and the emotional tension.
The ending lands with impact and leaves space for reflection rather than tidy closure. Some readers will find that openness powerful, others may crave more certainty, but it is undeniably memorable. Tofino is an immersive romance that blends love, anxiety, and self-reckoning with care. For readers drawn to emotionally driven stories where setting matters as much as connection, this is a book review recommendation worth considering.
Such a great read, and one I highly recommend if you want to get lost in the words.
Five out of five stars.
I received this book for free from the author, Tom Stewart, in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed Tofino by Tom Stewart.
The prose is unhurried and the pace is leisurely, but the reward is language that is truly evocative and brings to life this wonderful part along the coast of British Columbia.
Admittedly, I normally prefer a faster-paced book, but being from BC myself, I truly enjoyed this story where the setting is as much a part of the book as the characters themselves.
The prose is unhurried and the pace is leisurely, but the reward is language that is truly evocative and brings to life this wonderful part along the coast of British Columbia.
Admittedly, I normally prefer a faster-paced book, but being from BC myself, I truly enjoyed this story where the setting is as much a part of the book as the characters themselves.
August 25, 2025
Drenched in nature, the prose in Tofino is inviting, refreshing and exciting. At its heart is a cheesy romance where small everyday moments are dragged out into long tireless paragraphs. I quite enjoyed the read, although I wish that the plot was thicker and carried on for a bit longer.
I am leaving this review as a thanks to the author and Booksirens for an ARC.
I am leaving this review as a thanks to the author and Booksirens for an ARC.
August 20, 2025
4.5 rounded up. This novel is quite different from the first two I read by Tom Stewart. I find his prose delightfully different. I had to take my time with this one. Not just because there is no audio version for me to use with my book but because I needed to spend time appreciating what I was reading. One thing that this novel has in common with the other two I read is that you really feel you are experiencing each scene as if you were there. His style writing style is unique ... special.
"The dependent clause being a single word, then the sentence."
"The dependent clause being a single word, then the sentence."
July 15, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Such a beautifully written book. The vivid details of the setting and the mindset of Valerie made this an easy to follow storyline. I felt so many emotions as I read including paranoia and fear, hope, and lust. The characters in this book are so well developed throughout that I feel like I know them in real life. I was really rooting for Valerie the entire way through. What a fantastic novel!
August 27, 2025
Tom Stewart quickly became one of my favorite authors after reading Immortal North and I continue to love his work.
While Tofino is remarkably different, no less beautiful. Stewart is such a descriptive writer, that instead of eagerly rushing through his words, I like to take my time reading them, I think I’ve mentioned before, it’s something to savor.
There were truly some excellent passages that I had to underline since I found them so perfect. He has a way of describing something that I feel so deeply, but lack the eloquence to do so myself.
I can’t wait to reread this book after I’ve let it marinate in my mind a bit longer.
While Tofino is remarkably different, no less beautiful. Stewart is such a descriptive writer, that instead of eagerly rushing through his words, I like to take my time reading them, I think I’ve mentioned before, it’s something to savor.
There were truly some excellent passages that I had to underline since I found them so perfect. He has a way of describing something that I feel so deeply, but lack the eloquence to do so myself.
I can’t wait to reread this book after I’ve let it marinate in my mind a bit longer.
October 16, 2025
This was my first Tom Stewart book, however it won’t be my last. I originally gravitated towards this book because I am from Vancouver island, and have spent many, many moments of my life exploring Tofino. I’m a sucker for a romance novel, so a romance set in a place I love? Absolutely sold. But the real treat? The writing. Tom has such a beautiful and entrancing way with words… it felt like the story was dripping with poetry. I’m usually one for a more fast paced story, however, the lovely prose and descriptive story telling is what kept me hooked here.
I for one will be reading more of Tom’s books and I believe he deserves more recognition as an author.
I for one will be reading more of Tom’s books and I believe he deserves more recognition as an author.
August 24, 2025
This book is a local story, set in beautiful Tofino, BC.
The writing itself is elegant and carefully crafted, with witty turns of phrase and prose that really shines. I think readers who love to sink into language, savor descriptive passages, and enjoy a slower, more reflective pace will especially connect with this one.
If you appreciate literary style and books that focus on the beauty of words and setting, this is definitely worth picking up.
The writing itself is elegant and carefully crafted, with witty turns of phrase and prose that really shines. I think readers who love to sink into language, savor descriptive passages, and enjoy a slower, more reflective pace will especially connect with this one.
If you appreciate literary style and books that focus on the beauty of words and setting, this is definitely worth picking up.
August 10, 2025
Tofino A Novel is a beautifully written love story which imaginatively explores the hopes and dreams we have for Alex and Valerie. It is with excitement, and at times some trepidation, how their chance meeting and ensuing romance emerges. And although this is primarily about them, a sinister character from Valerie’s past adds to the intrigue.
It is also a novel with some history of Tofino seamlessly interspersed, and with one chapter dedicated to Tofino’s very early days. From an elder with wisdom to share about Tofino’s past: “Young man, some things once heard cannot be unheard. You might not be ready for what I am about to tell you.” At times unsettling, it reveals the sordid beginnings of the area and some of the Native tribes at the time. Gripping.
From the very beginning to the hugely emotional ending, this is a novel that encaptures the reader - a novel that easily keeps the pages turning.
It is also a novel with some history of Tofino seamlessly interspersed, and with one chapter dedicated to Tofino’s very early days. From an elder with wisdom to share about Tofino’s past: “Young man, some things once heard cannot be unheard. You might not be ready for what I am about to tell you.” At times unsettling, it reveals the sordid beginnings of the area and some of the Native tribes at the time. Gripping.
From the very beginning to the hugely emotional ending, this is a novel that encaptures the reader - a novel that easily keeps the pages turning.
July 17, 2025
I started reading this novel with some trepidation as it is a genre that I have never read before and was concerned that it would be a struggle to get through. I was wrong! From the very beginning I was caught up in the lives of the characters and felt I couldn’t read fast enough to discover what would happen next; somewhat afraid that I wouldn’t like the outcome of each of their journeys. I powered through it with varying degrees of excitement and fear but I couldn’t put it down! I know the Tofino area well but if you don’t, by end of the book you would feel as though you had physically been there. Tom has a true gift for his mastery of the English language. His descriptions are vivid and beautifully written! A must read!
September 27, 2025
I don’t look for perfection in a novel. I look for a voice.
Tom Stewart has it.
His prose is visceral, raw at times, poetic at others, and always reaching beyond the page. Characters speak in ways that feel both ordinary and philosophical. A line like “Vows aren’t words. They’re something else” stayed with me. Later, a moment of reflection: “I’m scared of the coming realization when I know it’s all over and everyone is going on and I’m left behind and it starts to sink in how I didn’t love enough.” These are the kinds of passages that make you stop, reread, and underline.
This novel unfolds through multiple POVs, with Alex as the main male character and Val as the female counterpart, their voices weaving between intimacy, wit, and confession. What makes the book so compelling is not just the story, but the way Stewart writes: philosophical, poetic, and brimming with revelations like “At the altar of your values will you sacrifice your ego?”
It is, at its core, a love story between people, but also a love story with place. Tofino itself is carved as a character, alive with cedar, rain, tide, and surf. “Blue surf wax” and “fallen brown tree needles baking in the sun of a warm forest floor” root the novel in texture and scent, while “Water that can turn from grey to green to the blue of your dreams” captures its shifting essence. The setting shapes the intimacy of the book as much as the characters do.
There are twists along the way, but the real power lies in the emotional beats, the philosophy tucked into conversation, and the tenderness that breaks through. Stewart’s prose shows the mark of a writer who loves to read and is not afraid to wrestle with big questions on the page. His voice is distinct, unapologetic, sometimes raw and often beautiful. There are shades of Hemingway and Bukowski in the stripped-back confidence, but the rhythm is entirely his own.
Tofino: A Novel is memorable not because it is flawless, but because it has a voice — one that lingers long after, with sentences that echo like the tide.
Tom Stewart has it.
His prose is visceral, raw at times, poetic at others, and always reaching beyond the page. Characters speak in ways that feel both ordinary and philosophical. A line like “Vows aren’t words. They’re something else” stayed with me. Later, a moment of reflection: “I’m scared of the coming realization when I know it’s all over and everyone is going on and I’m left behind and it starts to sink in how I didn’t love enough.” These are the kinds of passages that make you stop, reread, and underline.
This novel unfolds through multiple POVs, with Alex as the main male character and Val as the female counterpart, their voices weaving between intimacy, wit, and confession. What makes the book so compelling is not just the story, but the way Stewart writes: philosophical, poetic, and brimming with revelations like “At the altar of your values will you sacrifice your ego?”
It is, at its core, a love story between people, but also a love story with place. Tofino itself is carved as a character, alive with cedar, rain, tide, and surf. “Blue surf wax” and “fallen brown tree needles baking in the sun of a warm forest floor” root the novel in texture and scent, while “Water that can turn from grey to green to the blue of your dreams” captures its shifting essence. The setting shapes the intimacy of the book as much as the characters do.
There are twists along the way, but the real power lies in the emotional beats, the philosophy tucked into conversation, and the tenderness that breaks through. Stewart’s prose shows the mark of a writer who loves to read and is not afraid to wrestle with big questions on the page. His voice is distinct, unapologetic, sometimes raw and often beautiful. There are shades of Hemingway and Bukowski in the stripped-back confidence, but the rhythm is entirely his own.
Tofino: A Novel is memorable not because it is flawless, but because it has a voice — one that lingers long after, with sentences that echo like the tide.
September 8, 2025
Such beautifully poetic imagery could only be written by someone absolutely in love with a place. I think I may have to see Tofino for myself.
August 18, 2025
This book certainly has strong initial reviews….. It just wasn’t the book for me. I wasn’t drawn to the characters nor the story. It definitely has an audience. Thank you to the author. Thank you to # NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.
August 12, 2025
Tofino is a love story, the obvious one is the two main characters within it, but the more important love story is the author's love for Tofino. Tom Stewart does an amazing job (once again) writing a story that gives you a full picture of the scenery. His writing style is leisurely in the best way, he always takes his time to describe every detail and as the reader you truly feel like you're in the woods, on a boat, near the ocean, etc. Stewart's love of nature explodes on the page and pulls those woodsy "get back to nature" vibes within you. While reading I can *smell* the sea breeze, *hear* the birds chirping, *feel* the morning dew of the forest...a person who has never seen Tofino gains a full picture with Stewart's detail heavy perfection on a page writing style.
I have always been a huge fan of Vancouver Island. It started from me watching shows like Alone or other nature shows that typically highlight the North West area of North America. Tofino is a town I had no prior knowledge about, but am now entranced by. Stewart describes every detail of the town, including eateries, hotels, and sights or activities to do while there. Although a tourist town, you feel the love and devotion Stewart has for this place through his writing. It made me look these places up on Google and want to taste, smell, enjoy everything the town has to offer. I am definitely planning a trip to Tofino now!
The main story itself is a slow burn, very real romance. I am a huge fan of smut novels and within those the character's love stories are always "perfect". Stewart writes a love story that is more real life, things might not add up right away, things can be awkward, emotions can be confusing...all the things a REAL love story would have that I found refreshing to read. It is nice to see a story that moves in real time and not on an "everything done is dramatic AF" type way. It makes this story feel genuine because it is lengthy and slow as love in real life typically is.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a fun way to read about love as well as Tofino and all the town has to offer the world. I am enticed to get to Tofino now, and I think anyone who reads this and loves nature will also be planning a trip! Thank you Tom for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review! A true treasure of a story!
I have always been a huge fan of Vancouver Island. It started from me watching shows like Alone or other nature shows that typically highlight the North West area of North America. Tofino is a town I had no prior knowledge about, but am now entranced by. Stewart describes every detail of the town, including eateries, hotels, and sights or activities to do while there. Although a tourist town, you feel the love and devotion Stewart has for this place through his writing. It made me look these places up on Google and want to taste, smell, enjoy everything the town has to offer. I am definitely planning a trip to Tofino now!
The main story itself is a slow burn, very real romance. I am a huge fan of smut novels and within those the character's love stories are always "perfect". Stewart writes a love story that is more real life, things might not add up right away, things can be awkward, emotions can be confusing...all the things a REAL love story would have that I found refreshing to read. It is nice to see a story that moves in real time and not on an "everything done is dramatic AF" type way. It makes this story feel genuine because it is lengthy and slow as love in real life typically is.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a fun way to read about love as well as Tofino and all the town has to offer the world. I am enticed to get to Tofino now, and I think anyone who reads this and loves nature will also be planning a trip! Thank you Tom for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review! A true treasure of a story!
July 27, 2025
"The pain of severance is not in proportion to the duration two people have passed together, but by the depth of connection once had, now lost. Big deep unions don’t need time’s permission."
This novel is the story of two people courting, and the author has a gift for capturing the chemistry and nuance of relationships. I appreciated the beautiful use of language, but I found it difficult to connect with the two main characters. It felt like a personality clash, which speaks to how vividly they are depicted through dialogue. While I liked the novel’s pacing and the subtlety and ambiguity of what was left to interpretation, I found that I wanted more time with the unstable ex-partner and his intriguing storyline, and less with the central pair.
Another major character in the book is its namesake, Tofino. It shares this characteristic, and many others, with the author's Immortal North series, two of my favourite books. Reflecting on why I connected more with Immortal North, I think it comes down to my affection for its characters and how the northern setting resonates with me. I’ve always been drawn to the north, while I feel more ambivalent about Tofino. And because the landscape is such an important presence in this author’s novels, I think that connection really matters.
I really enjoyed my experience reading this book and I am happy to give it five stars, even if it did kind of ruin otters for me.
This novel is the story of two people courting, and the author has a gift for capturing the chemistry and nuance of relationships. I appreciated the beautiful use of language, but I found it difficult to connect with the two main characters. It felt like a personality clash, which speaks to how vividly they are depicted through dialogue. While I liked the novel’s pacing and the subtlety and ambiguity of what was left to interpretation, I found that I wanted more time with the unstable ex-partner and his intriguing storyline, and less with the central pair.
Another major character in the book is its namesake, Tofino. It shares this characteristic, and many others, with the author's Immortal North series, two of my favourite books. Reflecting on why I connected more with Immortal North, I think it comes down to my affection for its characters and how the northern setting resonates with me. I’ve always been drawn to the north, while I feel more ambivalent about Tofino. And because the landscape is such an important presence in this author’s novels, I think that connection really matters.
I really enjoyed my experience reading this book and I am happy to give it five stars, even if it did kind of ruin otters for me.
November 16, 2025
The writing is poetic and painterly as a I float along in a strong sense of place. It focuses on Alex, the fisher guide and Valerie an, entrepreneur turned CEO of a highly successful app. A little bit further along, Valerie's ex Trent shows up. Is it a triangle or not? This is something made clear as the book unfolds. It's a commentary on men and women but much, much more as the mysteries of nature and man unwind. I received an advance copy in return for an honest review. #GoodreadsGiveaway #TomStewart
Below are some passages I marked as I read that particularly resonated for me and should not spoil the book:
"He wondered, in this connected world, if such vibrations ever end, or just reverberate. And so a splash, however light, is never wholly contained to its pond. The wave from a tiniest dropped pebble, from even a fallen feather on a still pool, light as a batting eye, light as exhalation, wakes your rippled life."
Memories are not always stored in the mind. You encounter them in movement, in sound, in fragrance. The scalding past itself occasionally bubbles up to the surface like natural hot springs. You keep busy and burn through days only to find the past keeps in muscle, that it’s stored in fat."
Below are some passages I marked as I read that particularly resonated for me and should not spoil the book:
"He wondered, in this connected world, if such vibrations ever end, or just reverberate. And so a splash, however light, is never wholly contained to its pond. The wave from a tiniest dropped pebble, from even a fallen feather on a still pool, light as a batting eye, light as exhalation, wakes your rippled life."
Memories are not always stored in the mind. You encounter them in movement, in sound, in fragrance. The scalding past itself occasionally bubbles up to the surface like natural hot springs. You keep busy and burn through days only to find the past keeps in muscle, that it’s stored in fat."
August 26, 2025
I enjoyed the read as I love the genuine appreciation of scenery, light and natural life presented. The characters are an interesting mix. One is a high-achieving person in the computer world, in need of a break and a reconnection with reality. The author's smart move is making this character female, as we've seen too many 'billionaire bosses' who are male. This lady travels from Vancouver to Tofino, a coastal town, where she soaks up the local ambience. A male fishing guide is delighted to meet her in a hostelry, as more men than women enjoy the sports aspect of the area.
However, there is a darkness in the story, because an unsavoury character has taken to stalking the lady.
I am categorising this tale as romantic suspense. I think for the future, the author could look at including more romance and more direct suspense, because it does take some time to get anywhere with these aspects. The fishing and historical notes are background, but they are presented as foreground. This is why I am not giving five stars. The writing is easy on the eye and vocabulary excellent.
I was sent an e-ARC and reviewed for Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.
However, there is a darkness in the story, because an unsavoury character has taken to stalking the lady.
I am categorising this tale as romantic suspense. I think for the future, the author could look at including more romance and more direct suspense, because it does take some time to get anywhere with these aspects. The fishing and historical notes are background, but they are presented as foreground. This is why I am not giving five stars. The writing is easy on the eye and vocabulary excellent.
I was sent an e-ARC and reviewed for Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.
July 25, 2025
I received the advance reading copy of Tofino and this story was beautifully written. At first I thought I would have a hard time finishing the book because it is a slow burn (I'm not use to those). But, I think this book is good for patient readers who love the art of storytelling. The writing was almost poetic! The wordplay was sort of complex like a work of art and there were times where I had to reread things a couple of times. This is not a book you just read but you have to process and let it marinate. We are, for the most part, in the mind of the characters Valerie and Alex, who are the main love interests and we follow the story of how they meet amongst other issues they end up facing. I found that this story was more introspective than narrative-driven. It's like we're watching their thoughts jump back and forward between the past and present moment. However, If you're a reader who likes clear plot points and fast pace reads, this book might frustrate you! But overall, this book was almost a masterpiece. I was rooting for Valerie throughout the entire book!
August 15, 2025
This novel gets five stars from me because I am still thinking about it and in many ways it was unlike most novels I've read.
The prose in this novel is outstanding. It's vivid and visual and sensory. And there's a feeling of longing, loneliness, beauty and foreboding throughout the whole novel. You almost don't want to succumb to the hope and beauty that comes with the young relationship because the foreboding is so strong and there's an inevitable question of what happens when Valerie's vacation is over.
The writing is masterful. The characters are richly drawn and most definitely I would love to live in Tofino. In fact, I spent a long time down in a rabbit hole after this novel looking at photos of Tofino.
with gratitude to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The prose in this novel is outstanding. It's vivid and visual and sensory. And there's a feeling of longing, loneliness, beauty and foreboding throughout the whole novel. You almost don't want to succumb to the hope and beauty that comes with the young relationship because the foreboding is so strong and there's an inevitable question of what happens when Valerie's vacation is over.
The writing is masterful. The characters are richly drawn and most definitely I would love to live in Tofino. In fact, I spent a long time down in a rabbit hole after this novel looking at photos of Tofino.
with gratitude to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2026
It held my attention although I found myself skipping paragraphs, especially at the beginning. A good editor would have helped. I found the writing style too overwrought for my taste. It was nice to read a book with the setting on Vancouver Island, and he did a good job of showcasing Torino and the island’s beauty and charms.
July 15, 2025
I read with trepidation, wanting something for the characters I didn't think they'd find, but I didn't anticipate the trajectory of the book. The characters' histories drew me in, the dialogue made me laugh, and the story broke my heart. Exceptional writing, an experience to read.
August 12, 2025
‘Tofino’ by Tom Stewart is a beautifully written book. It is such a treat to the heart and mind.
Many thanks to BookSirens, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC.
Many thanks to BookSirens, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC.
August 24, 2025
First time I have read this author and really enjoyed it.
January 28, 2026
Unreadable
Quite unreadable. It made no sense. It seemed to be a collection of sentence fragments with no connection or logic.
Quite unreadable. It made no sense. It seemed to be a collection of sentence fragments with no connection or logic.
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