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Gay Romance #12
Romance on the Orient Express
Two young men meet on board the Orient Express in the freezing February of 1929. An unanticipated closeness develops between Nedim and Braslav as a collision with a snowdrift in Croatia leaves all on board facing cold, hunger and danger. As the bond between them is tested by events, they discover that they share a difficult secret… The tale of a surprising love that blossoms in unexpected places, against the backdrop of the glamorous Express’s odyssey through inter-War Europe, Romance on the Orient Express is a roller-coaster journey of intrigue, passion and adventure.
- GenresGayHistorical
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2015
11 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Anthony McDonald
68 books106 followersAnthony McDonald studied history at Durham University. He worked very briefly as a musical instrument maker and as a farm labourer before moving into the theatre, where he has worked in almost every capacity except those of Director and Electrician.
His first novel, Orange Bitter, Orange Sweet, was published in 2001 and his second, Adam, in 2003.
Orange Bitter, Orange Sweet became the first book in a Seville trilogy that also comprises Along The Stars and Woodcock Flight.
Other books include the sequel to Adam, - Blue Sky Adam - and the stand-alone adventure story, Getting Orlando.
Ivor's Ghosts, a psychological thriller, was published in April 2014.
The Dog In The Chapel, and Ralph: Diary of a Gay Teen, both appeared in 2014. Anthony is the also the author of the Gay Romance series, which comprises ten short novels.
Anthony McDonald's short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies on both sides of the Atlantic
He has also written the scripts for several Words and Music events, based around the lives and works of composers including Schubert and Brahms, which have been performed in Britain and in Portugal.
His travel writing has appeared in the Independent newspaper.
After several years of living and teaching English in France McDonald is now based based in rural East Sussex.
His first novel, Orange Bitter, Orange Sweet, was published in 2001 and his second, Adam, in 2003.
Orange Bitter, Orange Sweet became the first book in a Seville trilogy that also comprises Along The Stars and Woodcock Flight.
Other books include the sequel to Adam, - Blue Sky Adam - and the stand-alone adventure story, Getting Orlando.
Ivor's Ghosts, a psychological thriller, was published in April 2014.
The Dog In The Chapel, and Ralph: Diary of a Gay Teen, both appeared in 2014. Anthony is the also the author of the Gay Romance series, which comprises ten short novels.
Anthony McDonald's short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies on both sides of the Atlantic
He has also written the scripts for several Words and Music events, based around the lives and works of composers including Schubert and Brahms, which have been performed in Britain and in Portugal.
His travel writing has appeared in the Independent newspaper.
After several years of living and teaching English in France McDonald is now based based in rural East Sussex.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 1, 2021
Rain or snow, the train must go!
Life is full of little coincidences and big events that link people and places into dependant relationships and history that exceed the understanding of most people. Connecting with love may have several categories and levels from lovers to family to friends to acquaintances to enemies. The brotherhood of man might help shield the true relationships, but two men getting too close too often tends to blur reality into something evil and requiring hatred and destructive action.
But love shines thru the hatred of the world into the hearts of lovers everywhere even if on moving trains. The heat of love makes shoveling coal into the fire pit or thawing frozen toilet drainpipes equally important to survival. Bonding thru touch and sex changes people, their lives, their dreams, and their story. This story is not just moving because of a train, but because it changed passengers, crews, cars, locomotives, locations, countries, history, and the world. A drift can bring the story to a stop, but not love.
Life is full of little coincidences and big events that link people and places into dependant relationships and history that exceed the understanding of most people. Connecting with love may have several categories and levels from lovers to family to friends to acquaintances to enemies. The brotherhood of man might help shield the true relationships, but two men getting too close too often tends to blur reality into something evil and requiring hatred and destructive action.
But love shines thru the hatred of the world into the hearts of lovers everywhere even if on moving trains. The heat of love makes shoveling coal into the fire pit or thawing frozen toilet drainpipes equally important to survival. Bonding thru touch and sex changes people, their lives, their dreams, and their story. This story is not just moving because of a train, but because it changed passengers, crews, cars, locomotives, locations, countries, history, and the world. A drift can bring the story to a stop, but not love.
October 3, 2018
This gay romance story set in 1929 is about two Orient Express crew members who fall in love. Nemid, a twenty something Bosnian Muslim, is assigned to be a fireman on the Orient Express. He will work with Braslav, a Croatian Christian, who is the train's driver on the Belgrade to Trieste segment of the Express journey to its ultimate destination, Paris. There's an instant mutual attraction when they meet in Belgrade, which is soon consummated.
Nemid has never been outside Yugoslavia and the trip to Trieste is a real adventure for him, in addition to his new relationship with Braslav. The trip itself is interrupted when the train encounters a massive snowstorm and becomes snowbound. After being stuck for several days, food and fuel is running out. Nemid and B, along with several other crew members go off in search of provisions for the crew and snowbound passengers It's a dangerous and perilous outing which is the heart of the story and its outcome drives much of the subsequent events.
Nemid and Braslav of course face the dilemma of "coming out" in their communities in the 1920's and encounter homophobic backlash. It's interesting that this reaction is not driven by the difference in their ethnic backgrounds. Nemid finds he likes alcohol, something that is anthemia to many Muslims.
There's plenty of background about the operation of the Orient Express which makes for interesting reading. Similarly for the geographical information about the train's routing. There's a curious tangential side story about a murder on the train, but nothing seems to come of it. One could guess that it's an attempt to make this train the one in Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express"; in one scene the presence is noted of a small Belgian detective.
There's enough male/male sex to warn readers about it, although it is not particularly graphic.
This novel is one of twelve or so by this author, which are standalone stories. It's an entertaining read, interesting for its romance as well as the glamour of the Orient Express.
Nemid has never been outside Yugoslavia and the trip to Trieste is a real adventure for him, in addition to his new relationship with Braslav. The trip itself is interrupted when the train encounters a massive snowstorm and becomes snowbound. After being stuck for several days, food and fuel is running out. Nemid and B, along with several other crew members go off in search of provisions for the crew and snowbound passengers It's a dangerous and perilous outing which is the heart of the story and its outcome drives much of the subsequent events.
Nemid and Braslav of course face the dilemma of "coming out" in their communities in the 1920's and encounter homophobic backlash. It's interesting that this reaction is not driven by the difference in their ethnic backgrounds. Nemid finds he likes alcohol, something that is anthemia to many Muslims.
There's plenty of background about the operation of the Orient Express which makes for interesting reading. Similarly for the geographical information about the train's routing. There's a curious tangential side story about a murder on the train, but nothing seems to come of it. One could guess that it's an attempt to make this train the one in Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express"; in one scene the presence is noted of a small Belgian detective.
There's enough male/male sex to warn readers about it, although it is not particularly graphic.
This novel is one of twelve or so by this author, which are standalone stories. It's an entertaining read, interesting for its romance as well as the glamour of the Orient Express.
October 24, 2016
This was one of those stories that started off OK, moved to interesting and intriguing and then big likes - and a very short finale that made it stick in my head!
The author hangs the story around a real event and a classic interpretation of that event but they are the setting for Nedim and Braslav's story rather than being part of the story. Though there is a cameo of a dapper Belgian gent with a waxed moustache!
The story has a fair bit of technical steam engine info but I liked that, harks back to an interesting childhood.
Nedim and Braslav are two young men from different cultures and religions but who have trains in common. Fate puts them together on the ill fated Orient Express and they strike an instant accord.
The story is told from alternating view points, clearly marked and some passages are short and others longer but this format makes for a fast, pacy read. It is their story, largely over a very short 2 yr period but stretches to 10 years.
At first the story appears quite simplistic and they certainly fall fast and quick. However, the style is quite nice, innocent in some ways. I did wonder if the author wrote like this or had his characters act like this to show that they were from different times and cultures. All this explained at the end of the book.
Occasionally a hint of modern came through and I think some may find it too light and want more depth but I enjoyed it and was humming along quite nicely. Then along came the Valete and that raised it into memorable territory for me. And answered those style questions I had.
So a story where the feels creep up on you, I wanted Nedim and Braslav to have lived those lives and it kept intruding on my work day (always a bonus!!)
The author hangs the story around a real event and a classic interpretation of that event but they are the setting for Nedim and Braslav's story rather than being part of the story. Though there is a cameo of a dapper Belgian gent with a waxed moustache!
The story has a fair bit of technical steam engine info but I liked that, harks back to an interesting childhood.
Nedim and Braslav are two young men from different cultures and religions but who have trains in common. Fate puts them together on the ill fated Orient Express and they strike an instant accord.
The story is told from alternating view points, clearly marked and some passages are short and others longer but this format makes for a fast, pacy read. It is their story, largely over a very short 2 yr period but stretches to 10 years.
At first the story appears quite simplistic and they certainly fall fast and quick. However, the style is quite nice, innocent in some ways. I did wonder if the author wrote like this or had his characters act like this to show that they were from different times and cultures. All this explained at the end of the book.
Occasionally a hint of modern came through and I think some may find it too light and want more depth but I enjoyed it and was humming along quite nicely. Then along came the Valete and that raised it into memorable territory for me. And answered those style questions I had.
So a story where the feels creep up on you, I wanted Nedim and Braslav to have lived those lives and it kept intruding on my work day (always a bonus!!)
April 21, 2015
I grew to love these guys and sorry to see their story end.
"all routes to truth led to the same place, just as all railway lines converged on Trieste." Who did the actual murder? I guess we'll never know.
Valete, Nedim and Braslav.
A good map to use if your so inclined, while on this great journey: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia...
AMAZON: If you can't find it U.S. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
December 16, 2025
I'm beginning to wish McDonald had a co-writer to work on his novels with him. He comes up with some decent scenarios, some workable concepts, and some likeable characters, and he writes something that is pleasant and engaging to read - generally quite sweet and tender and appealing. But then it just lacks that something to give it a bit of oomph, to turn a good book into a great book. I can't really put my finger on precisely what it needs. Sometimes the dialogue needs a bit of tightening up - it becomes a bit too trivial or pathetically and sickly sweet, a bit unnatural. For much of this book I was feeling like it is the best McDonald book I have read to date, but then it just seemed to lose a bit of momentum and lacked that certain something to leave you feeling like it had made any kind of impact upon you. It's enjoyable while it lasts but then just leaves you with vibes of mediocrity.
October 6, 2019
Great alternative take of original
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews