What do you think?
Rate this book
Ariel #1
Deep
Fleeing from a troubled past that left him feeling tarnished and used, Sean finds work as a medic aboard the deep sea mining ship Ariel, on a distant planet.
Under the leadership of the infuriating, yet charismatic, Captain Joel Riley, Sean settles into his simple, but dangerous, new life. It’s a life he soon comes to love; albeit one in which he conceals his sexuality and avoids intimacy.
But Sean’s new world is turned on its head when an old face threatens to expose him for the man he used to be.
With Joel’s help, will Sean learn to come to terms with his past and become a man he can be proud of?
Under the leadership of the infuriating, yet charismatic, Captain Joel Riley, Sean settles into his simple, but dangerous, new life. It’s a life he soon comes to love; albeit one in which he conceals his sexuality and avoids intimacy.
But Sean’s new world is turned on its head when an old face threatens to expose him for the man he used to be.
With Joel’s help, will Sean learn to come to terms with his past and become a man he can be proud of?
123 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2017
12 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 17, 2020
Nothing fancy, but extremely satisfying.
Sean is running from his past, his abusive father and ex-boyfriend/partner in crime. Mining minerals from the ocean floor on a remote moon is a perfect hiding place when the Earth's rich and powerful are eager to get their hands on you. And it's been almost perfect for Sean for the whole two seasons. Until, that is, their rescue team finds a survivor on an abandoned boat.
Not much of a world building, I agree, but how much do you need when you are stuck on a submarine for the entire book?
Well written, well edited. Short, but whole, with no loose ends.
Tags: gay-for-you; sci-fi; under-water location; past abuse/sex-worker; doctor; tough alpha/captain; age difference (10 years or so); off-page rape and abuse.
Sean is running from his past, his abusive father and ex-boyfriend/partner in crime. Mining minerals from the ocean floor on a remote moon is a perfect hiding place when the Earth's rich and powerful are eager to get their hands on you. And it's been almost perfect for Sean for the whole two seasons. Until, that is, their rescue team finds a survivor on an abandoned boat.
Not much of a world building, I agree, but how much do you need when you are stuck on a submarine for the entire book?
Well written, well edited. Short, but whole, with no loose ends.
Tags: gay-for-you; sci-fi; under-water location; past abuse/sex-worker; doctor; tough alpha/captain; age difference (10 years or so); off-page rape and abuse.
January 9, 2026
This was a weird one. On one side, the plot was semi-original and interesting. A deep mining operation on Titan, a moon of Jupiter, a small crew and a Doctor with a sketchy past and a no-nonsense ship captain. Whom, by the way, kept referring to Sean as “the boy/son/kid” continuously, even though he is in his mid 30s and Sean in his mid 20s.
The addition of David, a sort of evil friend from Sean’s past, was weird, it made no sense, and the fact that Sean was basically prostituting himself for the ship after the captain blamed him was awful. Immediately trying to hook up with the same captain after being repeatedly 🍇 by David was definitely a choice.
The book is short, and yet it felt super long. It ends in a sort of HFN, but I have no interest in continuing this story. I didn’t care about the rest of the crew and didn't like them either.
The addition of David, a sort of evil friend from Sean’s past, was weird, it made no sense, and the fact that Sean was basically prostituting himself for the ship after the captain blamed him was awful. Immediately trying to hook up with the same captain after being repeatedly 🍇 by David was definitely a choice.
The book is short, and yet it felt super long. It ends in a sort of HFN, but I have no interest in continuing this story. I didn’t care about the rest of the crew and didn't like them either.
March 24, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Deep was a wonderful novella that I really wanted more of right from the start. The world building is somewhat limited, but the author has done a good job of describing the otherworldliness of the oceanic space that surrounds the Ariel. Mining the ocean of the moon Titan is far from safe and we’re given a good sense of just how much the crew of the Ariel depends upon on one another for survival. The easy, comfortable relationship between them is evident, even if the characters themselves are a little flat. The exceptions to that last statement are Joel and Sean. While they aren’t drawn as completely as I would prefer, they do have more depth than any of the other characters. The tension and eventual passion between them feels realistic and natural. Joel’s gruff devotion to his crew and to the Ariel meshes well with Sean’s desire for a new start and earnest need for family. We are given a bit of information about Sean’s past, but Joel is more of a mystery. But while I wanted to know more about all the characters, the lack of information didn’t distract enough to pull me out of the story. The action and pacing are fairly strong for the first two thirds of the book. Things slow down a bit during the last third, but not so drastically as to become frustrating.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Deep was a wonderful novella that I really wanted more of right from the start. The world building is somewhat limited, but the author has done a good job of describing the otherworldliness of the oceanic space that surrounds the Ariel. Mining the ocean of the moon Titan is far from safe and we’re given a good sense of just how much the crew of the Ariel depends upon on one another for survival. The easy, comfortable relationship between them is evident, even if the characters themselves are a little flat. The exceptions to that last statement are Joel and Sean. While they aren’t drawn as completely as I would prefer, they do have more depth than any of the other characters. The tension and eventual passion between them feels realistic and natural. Joel’s gruff devotion to his crew and to the Ariel meshes well with Sean’s desire for a new start and earnest need for family. We are given a bit of information about Sean’s past, but Joel is more of a mystery. But while I wanted to know more about all the characters, the lack of information didn’t distract enough to pull me out of the story. The action and pacing are fairly strong for the first two thirds of the book. Things slow down a bit during the last third, but not so drastically as to become frustrating.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
February 14, 2016
A gripping story with a distinct location and memorable characters. Perfect for those looking for a little adventure along with steamy romance.
Disclaimer: I was involved in the production of this title.
Disclaimer: I was involved in the production of this title.
Want to read
August 1, 2018💝FREE on Amazon today (8/1/2018)!💝
August 18, 2022
I’m not a big Sci-fi fan, but I enjoyed it. I agreed that it should have been Joel and not Sean who was freaked out by their mutual attraction. I thought that the story moved along at a brisk pace and kept my interest.
February 3, 2016
Original Blog Post: Blog Tour, eARC Review, Excerpt & #Giveaway: Deep by A.L. Bates
Review by: multitaskingmomma
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
This is the love story of two men who had been working together within tight quarters for three years on one of the moons of a distant planet. The setting: Ariel, a deep sea mining vessel manned by rough and tough men and women who live for the challenge of mining minerals. Sean is this ship's doctor and he has reached the third year aboard Ariel. As they say, after three years, one either leaves or stays on for life. Sean has no plans of leaving finding the men and women aboard the Ariel as his family. There is one man in particular whom he loves in secret, Joel, Ariel's captain.
As deep sea vessel stories usually goes, there is an unexpected distress signal and they go aboard the ship to investigate. No one was prepared to find a lone survivor who miraculously escapes a shady emergency. No one is more scared than Sean who discovers the survivor is a man from his past. One who could not only destroy his happiness aboard the Ariel, but out him to the crew, his captain and probably set everyone's lives in danger. And so the story begins. Sean's struggles, Joel's epiphanies, and the discovery that family is one whom you choose not what you are born into.
As science fiction stories go, this is very laid back. Other than the setting of outer space, this gives me flashes of the 1989 movie, The Abyss. It is one of my favorite sci-fi adventure stories ever, from it's unfolding drama and twists that can confound what we think we know of the known universe. Deep by A.L. Bates has the feel of that movie but focuses more on the drama rather than the special effects seen in the movie.
The romance that unfolds, well, this is a gay-for-you romance and so the usual questions are raised. Having said that, I am left with some reservations. Joel seemed to get into the romance of things without much angst and it is actually Sean who cannot seem to accept Joel's change of mind and heart. The fun is reading how Joel convinces Sean that even if he were new to the sexual experience, his love for Ariel is as deep as the oceans they travel.
If you life a light, GFY romance with a hint of science fiction, then this is the book for you.
Review by: multitaskingmomma
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
This is the love story of two men who had been working together within tight quarters for three years on one of the moons of a distant planet. The setting: Ariel, a deep sea mining vessel manned by rough and tough men and women who live for the challenge of mining minerals. Sean is this ship's doctor and he has reached the third year aboard Ariel. As they say, after three years, one either leaves or stays on for life. Sean has no plans of leaving finding the men and women aboard the Ariel as his family. There is one man in particular whom he loves in secret, Joel, Ariel's captain.
As deep sea vessel stories usually goes, there is an unexpected distress signal and they go aboard the ship to investigate. No one was prepared to find a lone survivor who miraculously escapes a shady emergency. No one is more scared than Sean who discovers the survivor is a man from his past. One who could not only destroy his happiness aboard the Ariel, but out him to the crew, his captain and probably set everyone's lives in danger. And so the story begins. Sean's struggles, Joel's epiphanies, and the discovery that family is one whom you choose not what you are born into.
As science fiction stories go, this is very laid back. Other than the setting of outer space, this gives me flashes of the 1989 movie, The Abyss. It is one of my favorite sci-fi adventure stories ever, from it's unfolding drama and twists that can confound what we think we know of the known universe. Deep by A.L. Bates has the feel of that movie but focuses more on the drama rather than the special effects seen in the movie.
The romance that unfolds, well, this is a gay-for-you romance and so the usual questions are raised. Having said that, I am left with some reservations. Joel seemed to get into the romance of things without much angst and it is actually Sean who cannot seem to accept Joel's change of mind and heart. The fun is reading how Joel convinces Sean that even if he were new to the sexual experience, his love for Ariel is as deep as the oceans they travel.
If you life a light, GFY romance with a hint of science fiction, then this is the book for you.
August 26, 2023
3.5 stars.
Interesting sci-fi setting, diving into the deep seas on a distant moon. I was very engaged through the early parts of the story, but towards the end it seemed there was maybe a bit too much going on and I got a bit disconnected. Sean has a horrible past and just tackling that would have required the novella length, but there's an abusive ex-something plotting against the Ariel team and the captain having a GFY moments. I think I would have dropped the bi-awakening from this story to focus on the other parts.
But there's much I liked, I was contemplating giving a 4 star regardless of my issues. And it seems this is a debut book, so I'll definitely read another one.
Includes past and current abuse and rape, mostly off-page.
Interesting sci-fi setting, diving into the deep seas on a distant moon. I was very engaged through the early parts of the story, but towards the end it seemed there was maybe a bit too much going on and I got a bit disconnected. Sean has a horrible past and just tackling that would have required the novella length, but there's an abusive ex-something plotting against the Ariel team and the captain having a GFY moments. I think I would have dropped the bi-awakening from this story to focus on the other parts.
But there's much I liked, I was contemplating giving a 4 star regardless of my issues. And it seems this is a debut book, so I'll definitely read another one.
Includes past and current abuse and rape, mostly off-page.
May 23, 2016
Sean is a medic on a deep space underwater mining ship. Unfortunately, he has a past that is about to catch up with him. Will it wreck his new life, and damage his budding relationship with the ship's Captain Joel Riley?
This is a novella, but it doesn't feel like it. The characters are well developed as is the story line. I found the characters very likeable. I hope that they have another story in the future.
This is a novella, but it doesn't feel like it. The characters are well developed as is the story line. I found the characters very likeable. I hope that they have another story in the future.
August 1, 2018
Quick little sci-fi read with some fun characters, I liked the crew a lot. I loved Joel and Sean (uncomfortable in his own skin, but really such a sweetheart) This wasn't as emotionally deep as it could have been, but it was a good, quick read. There were a few moments that really hurt and made me and everyone else on board cringe, but i liked it and will read more from this series.
January 12, 2021
The Deep
This is not a long novel, but there is a lot of story and human connection packed in the story told.
This is not a long novel, but there is a lot of story and human connection packed in the story told.
February 16, 2016
This was such a great read, dark, profound, and surprising in setting and character development. Sean’s progression from the new kid on the block to part of the Ariel family is endearing, and the way he falls back on past reactions when he is hurt and cornered was heart breaking. Captain Joel is a hard man and an unexpected, yet totally fitting partner for Sean, with both men having to learn to trust each other and themselves enough to take a plunge.
The deep water mining activity on Ariel – yes, I love the mermaid name A.L Bates chose for this ship, the rules that apply in the blue depths, and the dangerous, crazy rhythm of life aboard all seem real and relatable despite being part of a made up world. Science fiction fans and gay romance fans are both going to enjoy this book and I can’t wait for more from this author! I mean, even her baddie was great, in an I-want-to-punch-you-in-the-face sort of way. So go grab yourself a copy and enjoy!
The deep water mining activity on Ariel – yes, I love the mermaid name A.L Bates chose for this ship, the rules that apply in the blue depths, and the dangerous, crazy rhythm of life aboard all seem real and relatable despite being part of a made up world. Science fiction fans and gay romance fans are both going to enjoy this book and I can’t wait for more from this author! I mean, even her baddie was great, in an I-want-to-punch-you-in-the-face sort of way. So go grab yourself a copy and enjoy!
November 8, 2016
This title was originally reviewed for Prism Book Alliance®
Sean has a past and used a deep sea moon mining mission to escape that past. Three years on and that past catches up with him. Meanwhile, Sean is starting a tentative romance with his otherwise straight captain, Joel.
For complete Review see http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?p=4...
August 22, 2018
This story felt a little disjointed.
July 14, 2025
I got the opportunity to read an advanced review copy of Deep while I was on vacation in January, and it was a great read for the mood I was in: light, fun and adventurous. It was action and plot-oriented, with just enough worldbuilding to make it clear the characters were on a different planet (or moon, in this case), but not so much that it bogged down the narration. Details appeared naturally when they were relevant to the plot, so the reader gets little hints throughout the book to build a fuller understanding, which I enjoyed. Both the adventure and romance kept me engaged with the story until the end. While Sean identifies as gay, Joel is more aptly described as heteroflexible. Sean spends the first part of the book assuming, however, that Joel is entirely straight and the crew likely homophobic. His assumptions on both fronts get challenged when Sean gets outed by a deep sea interloper.
I got sucked in by the first paragraph of Deep and only put it down when I had to pay attention to my fellow vacationers. If I’d been alone, I would have refused to leave the couch until I was done. Beyond the romance, I liked how Bates fleshed out the entire crew and the "chosen family"-type friendships that developed among them.
I got sucked in by the first paragraph of Deep and only put it down when I had to pay attention to my fellow vacationers. If I’d been alone, I would have refused to leave the couch until I was done. Beyond the romance, I liked how Bates fleshed out the entire crew and the "chosen family"-type friendships that developed among them.
December 17, 2023
really unique setting (deep sea mining on Jupiter) and great premise. I wish it was a little more flushed out but overall quite enjoyable
November 6, 2016
3.5 stars
This is a fun start to a new series that I am now eager to read. First, I loved the interactions between the crew. They were relaxed, funny, and all around enjoyable to see. In a book where you have a small number of characters stuck together, the interactions between those characters can be vital to the story, and they helped keep the plot moving in Deep. I could feel their comradery and shared history, even if I couldn’t read all about. While we met and learned a little bit about all the characters, I would have liked to learn more about Ariel’s crew, which I imagine would be explored in further books in the series. And I want to know more about Sean aside from the glimpses we get in the book, as he definitely fits the tortured soul with secrets category, some of which is explored in the book.
As for the interactions between Sean and Joel, their romance was definitely a slow burn, especially on Sean’s part. Joel’s reaction to learning about Sean’s feelings and his attraction to Sean was actually surprisingly refreshing for me. I don’t want to spoil it, but suffice to say that it was not what I was expecting and definitely fit his character.
I had a bit of a different reaction to the plot though. While I enjoyed the story and how it developed, parts of the plot seemed a bit out of place, particularly the whole David thing. It just seemed a bit abrupt and didn’t really fit too well into the story, particularly when the plot then went from this high stakes situation to mining in the deep, which wasn’t written with the same amount of urgency as the David situation. The transitions were choppy and the plot didn’t flow as well it did in Bates’ novella Blood Lines. However, this is a great attempt for the author’s debut novella. I also think part of my issue was that I would have liked to see more focus on the sci-fi aspects, such as more time and detail on the deep-sea mining and the planet since we saw parts of it, but there wasn’t a lot of world-building, which is something I love to see in sci-fi novels.
The ending is definitely a HFN with a lead into what the next book will delve into, which kind of annoyed me because I was going to have to wait to read the next book for more answers and to see how their relationship developed, but it wasn’t a cliffhanger ending, which I appreciated.
Overall, this is a good start to a new series with awesome characters that I cannot wait to learn more about. I highly recommend giving it a shot.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is a fun start to a new series that I am now eager to read. First, I loved the interactions between the crew. They were relaxed, funny, and all around enjoyable to see. In a book where you have a small number of characters stuck together, the interactions between those characters can be vital to the story, and they helped keep the plot moving in Deep. I could feel their comradery and shared history, even if I couldn’t read all about. While we met and learned a little bit about all the characters, I would have liked to learn more about Ariel’s crew, which I imagine would be explored in further books in the series. And I want to know more about Sean aside from the glimpses we get in the book, as he definitely fits the tortured soul with secrets category, some of which is explored in the book.
As for the interactions between Sean and Joel, their romance was definitely a slow burn, especially on Sean’s part. Joel’s reaction to learning about Sean’s feelings and his attraction to Sean was actually surprisingly refreshing for me. I don’t want to spoil it, but suffice to say that it was not what I was expecting and definitely fit his character.
I had a bit of a different reaction to the plot though. While I enjoyed the story and how it developed, parts of the plot seemed a bit out of place, particularly the whole David thing. It just seemed a bit abrupt and didn’t really fit too well into the story, particularly when the plot then went from this high stakes situation to mining in the deep, which wasn’t written with the same amount of urgency as the David situation. The transitions were choppy and the plot didn’t flow as well it did in Bates’ novella Blood Lines. However, this is a great attempt for the author’s debut novella. I also think part of my issue was that I would have liked to see more focus on the sci-fi aspects, such as more time and detail on the deep-sea mining and the planet since we saw parts of it, but there wasn’t a lot of world-building, which is something I love to see in sci-fi novels.
The ending is definitely a HFN with a lead into what the next book will delve into, which kind of annoyed me because I was going to have to wait to read the next book for more answers and to see how their relationship developed, but it wasn’t a cliffhanger ending, which I appreciated.
Overall, this is a good start to a new series with awesome characters that I cannot wait to learn more about. I highly recommend giving it a shot.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
April 1, 2017
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
In order to escape a life he didn’t want, Sean did what he had to and fled Earth. Three years later he’s remade himself and is living a life he enjoys and can be proud of when the past suddenly intrudes in a shocking and unwelcome way. With his new life and friends threatened, Sean does the only thing he feels he can and falls back into the behaviors he’d been so desperate to leave behind. The rest of the crew is beginning to notice that things aren’t right with the doctor they’ve come to claim as their own, however, and when the Captain gets involved, things come to a head. Now, with his world seemingly in tatters, Sean will have to make a choice: let the past continue to haunt and chase him or find the strength to stay and fight for the life and the man that he wants.
I was first drawn to this book because of the deep sea mining aspect; I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that had this in it and I found I actually liked it quite a bit. Things pick up at a decent speed in the beginning so that all of the players are present and I found I didn’t mind that at all as I was interested in seeing what direction the plot would go. Sean was a very private character and you could see just how painful it was for him to come clean about things he’d done and the man he used to be. While it wasn’t a quick fix, and he was prone to falling back into ingrained behaviors, I liked that you could see progress being made and I loved that it was the Captain that was helping him through it. I didn’t really see Joel and Sean together in the beginning because of how they reacted to one another but Joel really did care about his crew and Sean specifically. I was thrilled when he stepped up to the plate and showed what kind of man he really was.
The major drama of the book, if you want to call it that, was done well before the ending but as the rest of the story focused on Sean’s healing and his burgeoning relationship with Joel, I found I really didn’t mind at all. By the end of the book I was a total fan of these two men and even without a great deal of detail about the mining operation itself, I really enjoyed the general setting of the story too. This was a unique read that kept me entertained and I know I’ll read again in the future. I’ll also be keeping my eye out for more from this author as I’d really like to see what they come up with next. :)
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2016/04/2...
In order to escape a life he didn’t want, Sean did what he had to and fled Earth. Three years later he’s remade himself and is living a life he enjoys and can be proud of when the past suddenly intrudes in a shocking and unwelcome way. With his new life and friends threatened, Sean does the only thing he feels he can and falls back into the behaviors he’d been so desperate to leave behind. The rest of the crew is beginning to notice that things aren’t right with the doctor they’ve come to claim as their own, however, and when the Captain gets involved, things come to a head. Now, with his world seemingly in tatters, Sean will have to make a choice: let the past continue to haunt and chase him or find the strength to stay and fight for the life and the man that he wants.
I was first drawn to this book because of the deep sea mining aspect; I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that had this in it and I found I actually liked it quite a bit. Things pick up at a decent speed in the beginning so that all of the players are present and I found I didn’t mind that at all as I was interested in seeing what direction the plot would go. Sean was a very private character and you could see just how painful it was for him to come clean about things he’d done and the man he used to be. While it wasn’t a quick fix, and he was prone to falling back into ingrained behaviors, I liked that you could see progress being made and I loved that it was the Captain that was helping him through it. I didn’t really see Joel and Sean together in the beginning because of how they reacted to one another but Joel really did care about his crew and Sean specifically. I was thrilled when he stepped up to the plate and showed what kind of man he really was.
The major drama of the book, if you want to call it that, was done well before the ending but as the rest of the story focused on Sean’s healing and his burgeoning relationship with Joel, I found I really didn’t mind at all. By the end of the book I was a total fan of these two men and even without a great deal of detail about the mining operation itself, I really enjoyed the general setting of the story too. This was a unique read that kept me entertained and I know I’ll read again in the future. I’ll also be keeping my eye out for more from this author as I’d really like to see what they come up with next. :)
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2016/04/2...
February 1, 2016
I'm a sucker for science fiction and for troubled men and Deep has both. Sean is the doctor of a deep ocean mining ship on a distant world, having left behind the man he once was back on Earth. They say if a person stays three years in the deep, they're there for life. Sean is completing his third year and he feels at home on the Ariel. The only real problem is he's attracted to the gruff captain, Joel Riley who is straight.
To complicate things further, during a rescue mission, Sean is forced to face his past head on in the form of a former companion in bad behavior and lover back on Earth. This man knows all his secrets and some of them could put the crew of the Ariel in a lot of trouble should it get out. These are people Sean has come to think of as family. Worse, he has gotten the attention of Joel but Sean fears if the man knew the truth about his former life - a truth he knows his former friend will have no trouble using against him to further his own cause - Joel will hate him.
The drama unfolds from there but since I want to keep it non-spoilery, that's all I'm going to say about that. I really like Sean and Joel (not to mention the supporting cast, especially Mia and Selena). I like the deep sea space mining worldbuilding as well. It's a world I wouldn't mind dropping back in on down the road.
The only thing that bothered me a bit was Sean hiding his sexuality because he was convinced the crew would hate him (his past I can see him hiding that). That's just a matter of my personal taste. I'm more of a Roddenberry happy future type of sci-fi woman. I would hope that by the time we're mining planets in space, we won't care about who's sleeping with who (though to be fair Sean seems to be the only one worrying about it). But like I said, that's just a matter of my tastes and Sean's fears are a part of him as he worries about a ton of stuff.
And in full disclosure, I did receive a copy in exchange for an honest review. It did not sway my review one way or the other.
To complicate things further, during a rescue mission, Sean is forced to face his past head on in the form of a former companion in bad behavior and lover back on Earth. This man knows all his secrets and some of them could put the crew of the Ariel in a lot of trouble should it get out. These are people Sean has come to think of as family. Worse, he has gotten the attention of Joel but Sean fears if the man knew the truth about his former life - a truth he knows his former friend will have no trouble using against him to further his own cause - Joel will hate him.
The drama unfolds from there but since I want to keep it non-spoilery, that's all I'm going to say about that. I really like Sean and Joel (not to mention the supporting cast, especially Mia and Selena). I like the deep sea space mining worldbuilding as well. It's a world I wouldn't mind dropping back in on down the road.
The only thing that bothered me a bit was Sean hiding his sexuality because he was convinced the crew would hate him (his past I can see him hiding that). That's just a matter of my personal taste. I'm more of a Roddenberry happy future type of sci-fi woman. I would hope that by the time we're mining planets in space, we won't care about who's sleeping with who (though to be fair Sean seems to be the only one worrying about it). But like I said, that's just a matter of my tastes and Sean's fears are a part of him as he worries about a ton of stuff.
And in full disclosure, I did receive a copy in exchange for an honest review. It did not sway my review one way or the other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2016
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***
Trying to escape from a troubled past, Sean finds work aboard a deep sea mining ship on a distant planet. Sean has settled into his new life and the Ariel's crew, and he's especially drawn toward the charismatic and prickly Captain Joel Riley. He's been hiding his sexuality and avoids getting too close to anyone on the ship. However, Sean's world will be tilted off its axis when an old 'friend' shows up and threatens to expose the man he used to be.
Sean was a fantastic character, so loyal and willing to do what was needed. And Joel was such a strong, loving man. I loved that while Joel had never been with a man before, he could accept his attraction to Sean so easily. That was a nice change from other stories. The chemistry between them was amazing, too! I adored that they had such a wonderful foundation before starting something between them. I loved the rest of the Ariel's crew, too, they were truly a family, so supportive of both Sean and Joel.
I loved this book, it was fast-paced, well-written, hot and fun to read! Definitely one that I will read again, hopefully soon.
Rating: 5 Stars!!!
Trying to escape from a troubled past, Sean finds work aboard a deep sea mining ship on a distant planet. Sean has settled into his new life and the Ariel's crew, and he's especially drawn toward the charismatic and prickly Captain Joel Riley. He's been hiding his sexuality and avoids getting too close to anyone on the ship. However, Sean's world will be tilted off its axis when an old 'friend' shows up and threatens to expose the man he used to be.
Sean was a fantastic character, so loyal and willing to do what was needed. And Joel was such a strong, loving man. I loved that while Joel had never been with a man before, he could accept his attraction to Sean so easily. That was a nice change from other stories. The chemistry between them was amazing, too! I adored that they had such a wonderful foundation before starting something between them. I loved the rest of the Ariel's crew, too, they were truly a family, so supportive of both Sean and Joel.
I loved this book, it was fast-paced, well-written, hot and fun to read! Definitely one that I will read again, hopefully soon.
Rating: 5 Stars!!!
May 21, 2016
This book is constructed well - the plot is predictable but I don't really mind that. Unfortunately, it does have one of my least favorite concepts in MM, gay for you, as well as a lot of present-day sensibilities, even though it's set in the future. The sci-fi trappings were not really important, which was disappointing.
One of the MCs has a lot of serious stuff in his past - and I didn't feel the author handled it with a lot of sensitivity. Specifically:
But I don't usually read books with most of these themes - I wouldn't have read this if I'd known it was GFY - so YMMV.
One of the MCs has a lot of serious stuff in his past - and I didn't feel the author handled it with a lot of sensitivity. Specifically:
But I don't usually read books with most of these themes - I wouldn't have read this if I'd known it was GFY - so YMMV.
August 25, 2016
Great start of a new series!
I'm not much of a fan of sci-fi, but the Ariel's world pulled me in from the start. The action takes us deep in the waters of Titan where the boat is mining for minerals. The danger of the lifestyle is clear throughout the story and the need for a medic on board is obvious.
Sean, the medic on Ariel, makes for a wonderful character, and you can feel his loyalty to the ship and the crew throughout the story. The chemistry between him and Joel, the captain, is obvious and the pace their relationship progresses is perfect.
All the characters are well rounded and I would have loved to see more of the crew, but as it turns out, this happens in book 2, so Yay!!!
This is a GFY story, but it's very well done, with Joel's and Sean's reactions real and relateable.
I'm not much of a fan of sci-fi, but the Ariel's world pulled me in from the start. The action takes us deep in the waters of Titan where the boat is mining for minerals. The danger of the lifestyle is clear throughout the story and the need for a medic on board is obvious.
Sean, the medic on Ariel, makes for a wonderful character, and you can feel his loyalty to the ship and the crew throughout the story. The chemistry between him and Joel, the captain, is obvious and the pace their relationship progresses is perfect.
All the characters are well rounded and I would have loved to see more of the crew, but as it turns out, this happens in book 2, so Yay!!!
This is a GFY story, but it's very well done, with Joel's and Sean's reactions real and relateable.
March 10, 2016
The path of finding the 'one' is never easy, is it?
Having come from a much privileged background, Sean, or the submarine’s ‘Doc’ has had a rougher life and a darker past than the simple miners in the mining vessel, Ariel. Not that anyone on the ship was privy to it, of course.
The Captain Joel had seen something in the scrawny young man three seasons ago, a decade younger than him and trying very hard to prove himself off-planet. And, even though his initial scrutiny of Sean’s papers had proved them false, Joel decided to give him a chance.
Sean, the odd one out, the one not used to miners and their minerisms
Having come from a much privileged background, Sean, or the submarine’s ‘Doc’ has had a rougher life and a darker past than the simple miners in the mining vessel, Ariel. Not that anyone on the ship was privy to it, of course.
The Captain Joel had seen something in the scrawny young man three seasons ago, a decade younger than him and trying very hard to prove himself off-planet. And, even though his initial scrutiny of Sean’s papers had proved them false, Joel decided to give him a chance.
Sean, the odd one out, the one not used to miners and their minerisms
September 16, 2020
2020 Re-Read:
I'm not sure I would've given this 4 stars if it had been my first read-through. There are some awkward scene changes, and there's some unevenness to the writing, with some important things glossed over and some inconsequential things beaten to death. The end is better than the beginning, though, so it paid to stick with it.
I'm not sure I would've given this 4 stars if it had been my first read-through. There are some awkward scene changes, and there's some unevenness to the writing, with some important things glossed over and some inconsequential things beaten to death. The end is better than the beginning, though, so it paid to stick with it.
March 2, 2016
I really, really wish it was a longer book, because the world and the premise were absolutely fascinating and a short and relatively simple plot didn't give it justice. Still, it was a good read with likeable characters, definitely recommended.
April 10, 2016
This was really good and sweet too, in it's own way...
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews