What do you think?
Rate this book
Gate to the Worlds #1
St. Andrew's Bay Chronicles
After the disappearance of his beloved at sea, Captain Andrew Callaghan found solace at St. Andrew’s Bay. Years later, a series of attacks to his merchant vessels have him turn into a feared pirate with an assumed death wish.
Washing ashore with no memories of his whereabouts for the last five years, Franco Rodríguez y Rivera knew he had to follow the mythical sextant now in his possession to retrace his forgotten journey.
Together, the men will take sail in hopes to find the truth behind Franco’s affliction. A battle against time, and the West Indies Squadron will show them that a life of adventure awaits beyond their bay.
***All stories in this series run parallel. Therefore, each one can be read as a stand-alone novella.***
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
Photo Description:
A vintage portrait of a pirate at a beach with the water in the background. The pirate seems to be in his early thirties, with long hair held back, and a muscular physique. With one hand he’s holding his pistol which is in his chest baldric, and in the other hand he’s holding a bloody cutlass.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
Washing ashore with no memories of his whereabouts for the last five years, Franco Rodríguez y Rivera knew he had to follow the mythical sextant now in his possession to retrace his forgotten journey.
Together, the men will take sail in hopes to find the truth behind Franco’s affliction. A battle against time, and the West Indies Squadron will show them that a life of adventure awaits beyond their bay.
***All stories in this series run parallel. Therefore, each one can be read as a stand-alone novella.***
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
Photo Description:
A vintage portrait of a pirate at a beach with the water in the background. The pirate seems to be in his early thirties, with long hair held back, and a muscular physique. With one hand he’s holding his pistol which is in his chest baldric, and in the other hand he’s holding a bloody cutlass.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
82 pages, ebook
First published June 16, 2015
1 person is currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Lila Leigh Hunter
12 books87 followersLila Leigh Hunter is the pen name of a Puerto Rican author with a hyphenated surname. Born and raised on the island, Lila grew up making up stories her siblings pretended to like. But no matter what they say, as the youngest of six, she’s still their mom’s favorite. According to the dusty diplomas on her wall, she’s an architectural designer living in Southern Texas with her husband and four military brats.
She spends most of her free time writing homoerotic romances about middle-aged men finding happiness and the rest hiding from pesky house chores. When outside of her cave, she likes to observe people and try to guess their stories. Sometimes she wishes the voices in her head were real; going out with the boys in her books sounds like a plan made in heaven.
CONTACT & MEDIA INFO:
Email | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Lila's Cabana | Pinterest
She spends most of her free time writing homoerotic romances about middle-aged men finding happiness and the rest hiding from pesky house chores. When outside of her cave, she likes to observe people and try to guess their stories. Sometimes she wishes the voices in her head were real; going out with the boys in her books sounds like a plan made in heaven.
Lila writes romances with female protagonists as Leigh Hunter, works as a freelance designer for Hunter Hues, and review books for Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words & Someone Else's Stories.
CONTACT & MEDIA INFO:
Email | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Lila's Cabana | Pinterest
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 20, 2015
There are a few things I love: a good adventure and when stories weave in some sort of legend/myth. This story had both of those. I found it immensely enjoyable and just an all around easy read. I may be biased, as I beta'd this, but still. Thank you, Lila!
August 12, 2015
“Let me make sure I understand, you brought the sextant to the triangle, wrecked in Bermuda, got captured by cursed pirates, became their slave for six years, escaped with a stolen object, and returned to Puerto Rico just to do it all over again?” Andrew asked.
“I did not remember doing it the first time. Therefore, it was a completely new adventure.”
Add in a merman, a crackdown on pirates, another character pining for your man, and you've got the first story in the St. Andrew's Bay Chronicles.
Andrew and Franco are inseparable. Deeply in love and planning a future together, they make plans to begin that future sailing for new lands, when they are waylaid by the necessity that Andrew return home to Maryland for a years time. Both are confident that when Andrew returns they can pick up where they left off. But when Andrew arrives back on the island years later than he expected, Franco is missing, and with it, Andrew's heart.
Five years later and Andrew is still mourning his lost beloved. He's captain of his own ship, rumored to be a pirate, and about to pull a man out of the sea. When that man turns out to be Franco, with the past 5 years missing from his memory, Andrew is shocked. Both are still very much in love with the other, and it's as if time has never separated them. Then the curse makes itself known...
I just realized what this reminded me of: Pirates of the Caribbean, minus the flamboyant Captain Jack. The setting is very Pirates, and the ending especially felt this way, as it was setting up for the sequel.
I liked this story (I have a thing for pirates), but I can understand why people felt disconnected from the characters and action. I have this pet peeve: when a character is trying to discuss something of importance and the other MC won't take the time to listen. When that happens more than once, I begin to think that the character trying to talk just isn't all that important to the other. Adding to this the fact that I felt like there was apathy when there should have been a greater sense of urgency, and I felt a little disconnected too. I also felt like it was rushed in places, especially the actual lifting of the curse part.
I liked Andrew and Franco together, but I kind of got lost amongst the rest of the story. I can see this story being and entertaining and appealing story for a lot of people, though.
I'll most likely read the next one, because, well mermen.
The author delivered on the prompt and did a good job creating a series based off it in such a short period time.
My thanks to the author for their time and participation in the Love is an Open Road event.
Read
June 17, 2015I tried. I really did, but I just can't get into it.
The language is too stilted.
I can't invest in either character.
I made it to Chapter 4 and I'm pretty sure I know what happened during the 6 yr absence.
There's something about sweet pirates that I find unnerving. I blame BeyBey for this.
Thanks to the author and her team for participating in the LOR event.
The language is too stilted.
I can't invest in either character.
I made it to Chapter 4 and I'm pretty sure I know what happened during the 6 yr absence.
There's something about sweet pirates that I find unnerving. I blame BeyBey for this.
Thanks to the author and her team for participating in the LOR event.
June 26, 2015
AU historical short story
Franco and Andrew are childhood friends who around the age of 17 become livers. Andrew and his family return to Boston, leaving Franco in Puerto Rico to take a place on board a ship. At the age off 22 Andrew returns to take up his position in the family firm and to take up his relationship with Franco again. But Franco has gone missing. Roll on 6 years and Andrew is now turned pirate though hiding under the guise of a merchant sailor whe Franco, who has not aged a day, returns. Together they set out to determine where he has been and to rekindle their relationship
Think m/m version of Pirates of the Carribbean... kind of... with added Merman. I really enjoyed this well written story
Franco and Andrew are childhood friends who around the age of 17 become livers. Andrew and his family return to Boston, leaving Franco in Puerto Rico to take a place on board a ship. At the age off 22 Andrew returns to take up his position in the family firm and to take up his relationship with Franco again. But Franco has gone missing. Roll on 6 years and Andrew is now turned pirate though hiding under the guise of a merchant sailor whe Franco, who has not aged a day, returns. Together they set out to determine where he has been and to rekindle their relationship
Think m/m version of Pirates of the Carribbean... kind of... with added Merman. I really enjoyed this well written story
June 24, 2015
Adventure, mysterious realms, long lost love. An interesting tale but doesn't quite win me over.
August 27, 2023
I thought this would be hot, but it was not. The dialogue is not very good and I was amazed when one MC was babbling to the uncle of the other MC about the love and desire he has for his nephew. This was 1817 and the uncle was a respectable figure in the town. This scene didn’t make sense. The story is all time jumps and I gave up a few years later. DNF
Read
November 24, 2015DNF @57% just couldn't get into it
June 24, 2015
This was a good story. It has mystery, love, action, and a happy ending with potential(and it looks like there will be) continuation for our guys, Franco “Frank” and Andrew. There love is epic and everlasting.
We start with them being close of age, eighteen. They love one another and Franco is the one with the visions of adventures for him and Andrew. Andrew is glad to follow, but alas, life happens. Andrew has to leave and head back home after the summer, promising to come back to Franco(as he always does). But this time, when they are reunited, they will be of age and can finally be together. Sadly, times passes. Andrew FINALLY comes back, only to find that Franco, his beloved, has disappeared. Everyone has given up on Frank every returning, but not Andrew. He knows… he feels it in his bones, his beloved will come back. Nothing… NOTHING… will keep the two of them apart.
But Andrew is no longer the follower when they are reunited. He is a captain… and a pirate(the good kind... like Robin Hood of the sea). Mysteries surround Franco when he comes back. Frank is blacking out and he doesn’t recall what happened.
We find out what happened to Frank during all those years of separation. I'd like to see where their next adventure will be.
We start with them being close of age, eighteen. They love one another and Franco is the one with the visions of adventures for him and Andrew. Andrew is glad to follow, but alas, life happens. Andrew has to leave and head back home after the summer, promising to come back to Franco(as he always does). But this time, when they are reunited, they will be of age and can finally be together. Sadly, times passes. Andrew FINALLY comes back, only to find that Franco, his beloved, has disappeared. Everyone has given up on Frank every returning, but not Andrew. He knows… he feels it in his bones, his beloved will come back. Nothing… NOTHING… will keep the two of them apart.
But Andrew is no longer the follower when they are reunited. He is a captain… and a pirate(the good kind... like Robin Hood of the sea). Mysteries surround Franco when he comes back. Frank is blacking out and he doesn’t recall what happened.
We find out what happened to Frank during all those years of separation. I'd like to see where their next adventure will be.
August 31, 2015
I think this is a cool story and absolutely based on the prompter's request.
It's a shame we only get a sort of description of the MCs after half of the book, and it was a bit confusing since at the end, Andrew (the Irish descendant) has black hair and Franco (from Puerto Rico but at the time they were either Spaniards or "half-blood" mestizos) has dark blond hair. I'm all for contrast, and I know that there are people with black hair in Ireland, but that's not the first image your brain is going to conjure when you say "Irish". Latin America during colonial times was a melting pot of races but (once again) if you say Spaniard, blond hair is not the first thing to come to mind. An earlier description of the MCs would have helped with this confusion and made us relate to the characters easily.
Let's see what new adventures the next book brings. Hopefully more of this
It's a shame we only get a sort of description of the MCs after half of the book, and it was a bit confusing since at the end, Andrew (the Irish descendant) has black hair and Franco (from Puerto Rico but at the time they were either Spaniards or "half-blood" mestizos) has dark blond hair. I'm all for contrast, and I know that there are people with black hair in Ireland, but that's not the first image your brain is going to conjure when you say "Irish". Latin America during colonial times was a melting pot of races but (once again) if you say Spaniard, blond hair is not the first thing to come to mind. An earlier description of the MCs would have helped with this confusion and made us relate to the characters easily.
Let's see what new adventures the next book brings. Hopefully more of this
October 11, 2015
This was a confusing and uninteresting story for me. It involves two lovers, one of whom has mysteriously disappeared for several years (it's hard to figure out how long). The setting is Puerto Rico at the start of the 1800s and aboard one or more sailing ships. I honestly did not care what happened to anyone.
Want to read
July 16, 2015
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love Is An Open Road event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!
June 24, 2015
A bit like Pirates of the West Indies, with lots of action and adventure, and, of course, pirates. Also a tender love story with Franco and Andrew and then more plot and piratey shenanigans. It was fun.
Read
July 26, 2015Review to come (when I remember)
June 25, 2015
Not for me, had a really hard time getting into this story. Really confusing, and found myself skipping a lot of it.
June 22, 2015
2.5 stars.
June 24, 2015
I really enjoyed this story. Nice interpretation of the photo and the story letter. Thank you Lila Leigh Hunter for donating your story, your time and your talent.
July 7, 2015
DNF. It read as if the author's first language wasn't english. Plus all the. Bars gets were confusing and I was somewhat lost as to what was going on. Too much work.
August 3, 2015
I really loved it. I'd found the main characters adorable, the way they talk and care for each other so much. I enjoy also the way it was written, i think the choice of words was so good.
December 11, 2015
Pirates! I was so excited. The ending seemed a little rushed after all the waiting. But she left us with the promise of Mermen! Oh yeah baby.
August 10, 2015
DNF at 40%.
Just couldn't get into it.
Just couldn't get into it.
July 24, 2024
The book was not completely predictable and had a lot of potential. There were some common tropes but more to the story that was unusual. Unfortunately, those aspects were the ones that left me with more questions than answers starting with the weirdness of the method and reason for Franco’s return.
I was very interested in the lands they were searching for and what they would learn, the breaking of curses, etc., but I was really disappointed in the execution. It felt like the author ran out of time after spending too much on the first half. I felt that the part that was a blip should have been several chapters.
I think that’s true of a lot of the DRitC stories because the time frame was really tight. I just wish the author had taken time to prioritize what was most important to the story. The ending made no sense at all.
The dialog was stilted. I’m guessing the intent was to make it sound old-school but it just sounded wooden. Like I said, I was really disappointed. Still, the effort was there and it was wonderful having the story taking place somewhere unusual like Puerto Rico.
I was very interested in the lands they were searching for and what they would learn, the breaking of curses, etc., but I was really disappointed in the execution. It felt like the author ran out of time after spending too much on the first half. I felt that the part that was a blip should have been several chapters.
I think that’s true of a lot of the DRitC stories because the time frame was really tight. I just wish the author had taken time to prioritize what was most important to the story. The ending made no sense at all.
The dialog was stilted. I’m guessing the intent was to make it sound old-school but it just sounded wooden. Like I said, I was really disappointed. Still, the effort was there and it was wonderful having the story taking place somewhere unusual like Puerto Rico.
November 3, 2020
I wanted to give this 3 stars because I enjoyed the story, but it needs more work to flesh out more of the characters and the background. Lots of things were quite confusing, and the dialog was horrendous.
did-not-finish
April 24, 2016This was sitting on my kobo for a very long time. Part of that was because in the beginning it ended on a cliffhanger and I wanted to read the whole story in one sitting.
I started but stopped like ten minutes in. Few reasons:
- Calling someone your own age 'Kid' annoys the bloody hell out of me. Just a personal thing.
- I... Got... Bored. *runs away*
*came back a bit calmer* I don't really know why! But when Franco was talking I.. Nop.
- I hate it when perfectly good names get westernised. Franco became Frank.. Why exactly?
Maybe I will come back to this because the story letter sounded interesting and apparently the writer did stick to it.
I started but stopped like ten minutes in. Few reasons:
- Calling someone your own age 'Kid' annoys the bloody hell out of me. Just a personal thing.
- I... Got... Bored. *runs away*
*came back a bit calmer* I don't really know why! But when Franco was talking I.. Nop.
- I hate it when perfectly good names get westernised. Franco became Frank.. Why exactly?
Maybe I will come back to this because the story letter sounded interesting and apparently the writer did stick to it.
December 22, 2015
This work could have hit every fictional bull's eye available to an M/M author as its premises had it all: interesting characters plunged in a world choke-full of wild adventures; fantasy/alternate reality elements to smooth all inconvenient historical details; a wild imagination in creating settings and side characters. Everything was there. Is there.
Unfortunately the author is not experienced/skilled enough and the disappointment is so much bigger because of the wasted potential.
The book is far too short; the plot is not well developped with too many events told and not shown and too many situations hurried through and not savoured; characters are described, not outlined. I also miss the far-reaching outlook of the gifted story-teller which is always useful in a novel, but essential in fantasy/period romance.
P.S. while I always prefer footnotes, a glossary is welcome all the same, but this one includes many words that should be well known.
Unfortunately the author is not experienced/skilled enough and the disappointment is so much bigger because of the wasted potential.
The book is far too short; the plot is not well developped with too many events told and not shown and too many situations hurried through and not savoured; characters are described, not outlined. I also miss the far-reaching outlook of the gifted story-teller which is always useful in a novel, but essential in fantasy/period romance.
P.S. while I always prefer footnotes, a glossary is welcome all the same, but this one includes many words that should be well known.
my-books
December 14, 2015
Free ePub | Mobi | Pdf downloads now available here.
January 27, 2016
Excellent. Exciting start of a new series and eager to discover what's next. And then, there're a few guys who absolutely need their HEA.
June 2, 2016
Nice read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews