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Half Moon House
Abandoned by an industry that has been decimated by the economy, and struggling in a marriage that isn’t quite the stuff of dreams, Jon Donovan is ready for a change. It appears in the shape of Cass Allen—as comfortable in a skirt and heels as he is in jeans—who has happily spent his life drifting from place to place and job to job.
Pragmatic and practical meets mystical and magical as they start a new business, help solve a murder, and are blindsided by a devastating betrayal neither of them saw coming.
The tiny house community has two new advocates, but Jon and Cass will only find their happy ending if they are willing to give up who they were and become the men they are supposed to be.
Pragmatic and practical meets mystical and magical as they start a new business, help solve a murder, and are blindsided by a devastating betrayal neither of them saw coming.
The tiny house community has two new advocates, but Jon and Cass will only find their happy ending if they are willing to give up who they were and become the men they are supposed to be.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2015
12 people want to read
About the author
Theo Fenraven
32 books75 followersTheo Fenraven happily lives in south Florida, where it is hot and sunny much of the year.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 19, 2015
First of all, I have to confess that I’m a huge Theo Fenraven fan. I’ve read pretty much every word Theo’s ever written and when new words of his hit my Kindle, I throw aside whatever else I’m reading in lieu of his work. This was no different – I’d just begun a book I’d been anxiously awaiting, but Theo sent me this piece to beta and I instantly dropped the other book.
I adore Theo’s writing for many reasons, like the neat, clean prose and spotless editing – those go without saying. But the thing that makes me always put his work first is that I never know what to expect when starting one of Theo’s books. One thing I can count on is that I won’t simply get a different take on a story that’s been written a thousand times before. Publishing criteria forces books to be pigeon-holed into certain genres and categories, but Theo’s books are all over the spectrum.
This book is no different – it’s main topic is one I’ve yet to see touched on by any other author and reading Half Moon House has been a fun way of getting a glimpse into the growing trend of ‘tiny houses’. Add to that a murder mystery and an unforeseen plot twist that I never saw coming and this quickly became a story I couldn’t put down.
It’s hard to write about anything that would give away the plot lines outside of the author’s own blurb, so I will instead share a paragraph that jumped out at me as being so ‘classic Fenraven’ I got a warm glow inside when I read it:
“Minette was inside, napping on the couch. He and Jon were sitting side by side on the deck. The fountain in the lake made pretty splashing noises, the long grass on the shore bowed gracefully under a light breeze and an osprey went into a sudden dive, slammed into the water, and came up with a sizeable fish in its claws. It flew to the highest branch in a diamond oak and tore at the fish, eating its flesh bit by bit.”
Gah! I’m in absolute awe of how simply and beautifully Theo can paint a scene, complete with sights, sounds. A few perfectly crafted sentences and I’m sitting right there, enjoying the light breeze with Cass and Jon.
Speaking of Cass and Jon: I enjoyed their chemistry and how they came to know each other. There was an instant attraction, but one different than normally seen in a M/M title. This was more… real? There was chemistry between them, but it built naturally, going from a casual acquaintance to friendship to something more at a believable pace. Jon could easily be any one of us and he was extremely easy to relate to. Cass, however, is fun and fascinating, and I adored him from his first on-page appearance. His dreadlocks and Jamaican accent blended well with his sweet demeanor and laid-back attitude. His mysterious sixth-sense and magical moments added a level of coolness I really enjoyed. His ability to see “duppies” (dead people) was as intriguing to me as it was to Jon.
Oh! And I was over-the-moon-delighted with a clever little tie-in to one of Theo’s most popular titles: The Haunted Maze (if you haven’t read it – grab that one too – you won’t be sorry - it’s amazing). I wasn’t expecting it and once it hit me what I was reading, I laughed out loud and said, “I see what you did there!” Nicely played and well done, Theo Fenraven. I’ve just added another Fenraven Favorite to my bookshelf.
I adore Theo’s writing for many reasons, like the neat, clean prose and spotless editing – those go without saying. But the thing that makes me always put his work first is that I never know what to expect when starting one of Theo’s books. One thing I can count on is that I won’t simply get a different take on a story that’s been written a thousand times before. Publishing criteria forces books to be pigeon-holed into certain genres and categories, but Theo’s books are all over the spectrum.
This book is no different – it’s main topic is one I’ve yet to see touched on by any other author and reading Half Moon House has been a fun way of getting a glimpse into the growing trend of ‘tiny houses’. Add to that a murder mystery and an unforeseen plot twist that I never saw coming and this quickly became a story I couldn’t put down.
It’s hard to write about anything that would give away the plot lines outside of the author’s own blurb, so I will instead share a paragraph that jumped out at me as being so ‘classic Fenraven’ I got a warm glow inside when I read it:
“Minette was inside, napping on the couch. He and Jon were sitting side by side on the deck. The fountain in the lake made pretty splashing noises, the long grass on the shore bowed gracefully under a light breeze and an osprey went into a sudden dive, slammed into the water, and came up with a sizeable fish in its claws. It flew to the highest branch in a diamond oak and tore at the fish, eating its flesh bit by bit.”
Gah! I’m in absolute awe of how simply and beautifully Theo can paint a scene, complete with sights, sounds. A few perfectly crafted sentences and I’m sitting right there, enjoying the light breeze with Cass and Jon.
Speaking of Cass and Jon: I enjoyed their chemistry and how they came to know each other. There was an instant attraction, but one different than normally seen in a M/M title. This was more… real? There was chemistry between them, but it built naturally, going from a casual acquaintance to friendship to something more at a believable pace. Jon could easily be any one of us and he was extremely easy to relate to. Cass, however, is fun and fascinating, and I adored him from his first on-page appearance. His dreadlocks and Jamaican accent blended well with his sweet demeanor and laid-back attitude. His mysterious sixth-sense and magical moments added a level of coolness I really enjoyed. His ability to see “duppies” (dead people) was as intriguing to me as it was to Jon.
Oh! And I was over-the-moon-delighted with a clever little tie-in to one of Theo’s most popular titles: The Haunted Maze (if you haven’t read it – grab that one too – you won’t be sorry - it’s amazing). I wasn’t expecting it and once it hit me what I was reading, I laughed out loud and said, “I see what you did there!” Nicely played and well done, Theo Fenraven. I’ve just added another Fenraven Favorite to my bookshelf.
July 19, 2015
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to be allowed to beta-read Half Moon House for the author.
Anyone who regularly reads my reviews knows that I’m a huge fan of Theo Fenraven’s writing. Ever since I first read Blue River in December 2013, I’ve been in awe of the way he manipulates words and his huge range when it comes to subjects and genres. It therefore won’t come as a big surprise when I say that once again this author managed to write a story which blew me away. I can’t believe Mr. Fenraven managed to surprise me once again
It is a lot easier to tell you what Half Moon House isn’t than exactly what it is. Without giving anything away, because this book should be experienced without any preconceived ideas, I can say Half Moon House gives the reader romance, devastating heart break, a mystery, ghosts, and legal drama all as experienced by two characters who appear to have very little in common and yet are perfect for each other.
In previous reviews I have mentioned how much I love it when a book manages to surprise me, and Half Moon House did just that. Most books will tackle one or two issues and, if there are more, they tend to show up in a logical if far from realistic sequence. Real life doesn’t work that way. We all know that when something goes wrong in one part our lives it usually means shit is about to hit the fan in several other areas as well. The same is true for Jon in this book. His simple, if maybe not quite satisfying and somewhat boring, life is blown apart in this story and everything happens if not at exactly the same time than at least in very quick succession. As a result, neither the reader nor Jon and Cass are given the opportunity to catch their breath while they are hurled from one issue to the next.
Cass *sighs*. I fell hard and fast for Cass. While I liked Jon and hurt for him as his life fell apart, Cass dug his way into my heart and took up residence. There was nothing I didn’t like about him but his easy going attitude towards life resonated with me on a deep level.
And just when I thought the book couldn’t possibly hold any other surprises or delight me anymore than it already had, Theo Fenraven made my day by allowing me to spend more time with Percy Callendar and Sage Donovan from The Haunted Maze.
Long story short: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Theo Fenraven’s writing is as beautiful, descriptive yet sparse as always. His characters touched me and the story made me think about several issues. As a reading experience this book hit just about every one of my buttons. I am once again impressed.
Anyone who regularly reads my reviews knows that I’m a huge fan of Theo Fenraven’s writing. Ever since I first read Blue River in December 2013, I’ve been in awe of the way he manipulates words and his huge range when it comes to subjects and genres. It therefore won’t come as a big surprise when I say that once again this author managed to write a story which blew me away. I can’t believe Mr. Fenraven managed to surprise me once again
It is a lot easier to tell you what Half Moon House isn’t than exactly what it is. Without giving anything away, because this book should be experienced without any preconceived ideas, I can say Half Moon House gives the reader romance, devastating heart break, a mystery, ghosts, and legal drama all as experienced by two characters who appear to have very little in common and yet are perfect for each other.
In previous reviews I have mentioned how much I love it when a book manages to surprise me, and Half Moon House did just that. Most books will tackle one or two issues and, if there are more, they tend to show up in a logical if far from realistic sequence. Real life doesn’t work that way. We all know that when something goes wrong in one part our lives it usually means shit is about to hit the fan in several other areas as well. The same is true for Jon in this book. His simple, if maybe not quite satisfying and somewhat boring, life is blown apart in this story and everything happens if not at exactly the same time than at least in very quick succession. As a result, neither the reader nor Jon and Cass are given the opportunity to catch their breath while they are hurled from one issue to the next.
Cass *sighs*. I fell hard and fast for Cass. While I liked Jon and hurt for him as his life fell apart, Cass dug his way into my heart and took up residence. There was nothing I didn’t like about him but his easy going attitude towards life resonated with me on a deep level.
And just when I thought the book couldn’t possibly hold any other surprises or delight me anymore than it already had, Theo Fenraven made my day by allowing me to spend more time with Percy Callendar and Sage Donovan from The Haunted Maze.
Long story short: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Theo Fenraven’s writing is as beautiful, descriptive yet sparse as always. His characters touched me and the story made me think about several issues. As a reading experience this book hit just about every one of my buttons. I am once again impressed.
August 25, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
Theo Fenraven creates an atmosphere and paints a vivid picture in setting the scene for Half Moon House. However, the published blurb states that this book is about two men, Jon and Cass, starting a business, solving a murder, and dealing with a betrayal. While the book does deal with those areas, the main focus is on the betrayal and the dissolution of Jon’s marriage. His marriage is stated in the published blurb, but had it been made clear that this would be the major focus of the book, it would not have been a storyline I would have chosen to follow.
Fenraven delivers the aggressive tension between Jon and his wife as their situation escalates and then explodes. But there remains no sexual tension between Jon and Cass, who are presented as upcoming romantic partners and their ending was not believable to me. The mystery and murder wants to imply what can happen when people are pushed to the breaking point, but it didn’t quite get there and didn’t all fit together. I wouldn’t recommend this book if you were looking for a romance, but if you wanted a tension filled end to a marriage laced with bitterness that is what this story primarily offers.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
Theo Fenraven creates an atmosphere and paints a vivid picture in setting the scene for Half Moon House. However, the published blurb states that this book is about two men, Jon and Cass, starting a business, solving a murder, and dealing with a betrayal. While the book does deal with those areas, the main focus is on the betrayal and the dissolution of Jon’s marriage. His marriage is stated in the published blurb, but had it been made clear that this would be the major focus of the book, it would not have been a storyline I would have chosen to follow.
Fenraven delivers the aggressive tension between Jon and his wife as their situation escalates and then explodes. But there remains no sexual tension between Jon and Cass, who are presented as upcoming romantic partners and their ending was not believable to me. The mystery and murder wants to imply what can happen when people are pushed to the breaking point, but it didn’t quite get there and didn’t all fit together. I wouldn’t recommend this book if you were looking for a romance, but if you wanted a tension filled end to a marriage laced with bitterness that is what this story primarily offers.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
February 6, 2017
The first half was fairly placid with the interesting bits of tiny houses and the enigma of Jon and Taryn's marriage, spiced up a bit by Cass's arrival and the Day's doings.
Then Taryn's true colours came out and I got really mad at the hopeless situation Jon was framed into. It did seem that it all was given into very easily - bank security tapes anyone? The frustration of it all was making me mad - had to do the 'it's only a story' talk!
Jon and Cass were an enigma - Cass has the hots for Jon but Jon has too many issues to deal with and I felt their development was a bit rushed. I did enjoy the link back to The Haunted Maze with Percy and Sage!
I bounced around on the rating - 3.5*
Then Taryn's true colours came out and I got really mad at the hopeless situation Jon was framed into. It did seem that it all was given into very easily - bank security tapes anyone? The frustration of it all was making me mad - had to do the 'it's only a story' talk!
Jon and Cass were an enigma - Cass has the hots for Jon but Jon has too many issues to deal with and I felt their development was a bit rushed. I did enjoy the link back to The Haunted Maze with Percy and Sage!
I bounced around on the rating - 3.5*
nope
November 25, 2015Because of - reasons
January 24, 2016
Wonderful, concise writing with great character development but it was too short. So much more of the story should have been told - no cliffhanger but I wanted to know more about their lives.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews