'Til Death Do Us Part

Vows #1

by Addison Albright

Henry and Sam Miller-Greene are living the dream. They love their careers -- which afford each of them opportunities to travel to exotic locations -- they love their home, Sam’s caring family, and each other. They disagree on the subject of adoption, but are fully committed to each other in marriage ... ’Til Death Do Us Part.

The dream is shattered when Henry’s plane crashes and he’s presumed dead. But four people -- Henry, two other men, and a child -- survive undetected on a remote, small, and insignificant island. Will Sam and Henry’s love be able to survive, as well?

Henry fights to endure in harsh conditions, never knowing when disaster will strike. Sam struggles with his loss, but with help moves on with his life. Will Sam be able to put aside his new love when he reunites with Henry?

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Second Chance, LGBT, M M Contemporary, Childrens

215 pages, ebook

First published April 3, 2016

About the author

Addison Albright is a writer living in the middle of the USA. Her stories are gay romance in contemporary, fantasy, and paranormal genres. She generally adds a subtle touch of humor, a smidgen of drama/angst, and a healthy dose of slice-of-life to her stories. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, french fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

CONNECT WITH ADDISON
EMAIL: addison.albright@gmail.com

FIND ADDISON ON THE WEB

BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/addis...

QUEEROMANCE INK: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-bo...

ACTIVE
WORDPRESS: https://authoraddisonalbright.com
FACEBOOK PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/AddisonAlbright
FACEBOOK PROFILE: https://www.facebook.com/addison.albr...
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/addisonalbright
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/addisonalbr...

INACTIVE
BLOGGER: http://addison-albright.blogspot.com
LIVEJOURNAL: http://addisonalbright.livejournal.com
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/addisonal...

ADDISON'S PUBLICATIONS

STAND-ALONE STORIES
- The Recruit (Novella)
- The Contingency Plan (Short Story/Novelette)
- Cultivating Love (Short Novel)
- King Kong vs. The Skinny Pirate (FREE Short Story)

SERIES - DREAM ON
- Closets Are for Clothes (Short Novel)

SERIES - VOWS
- ’Til Death Do Us Part (Novel)
- From This Day Forward (Novelette)
- Okay, Then (Short Story in the Vows Box Set)
- To Love and To Cherish (Novel)

BOX SETS
- Vows Series
- Snapshots (a collection of 11 short stories)

ANTHOLOGIES
- Captain Jack and the Snack Attack (a short story in the FREE Make the Yuletide Gay Anthology)

Reviews

[Fabi NEEDS Email Notifications · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving it the full five stars because I not only loved it, I also think I'll remember it forever.

I've read less than a handful of books with the "stranded on a desert island" survival trope. But I've loved and remembered every single one of them.

This one was both, incredibly romantic and incredibly realistic. It kept my stomach tied up in knots the entire time. It brought tears to my eyes. And joy to my heart.

An incredible story of love, loss, survival and second chances.

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Hearts

I don’t know what it is about being stranded on a deserted island but the setup of desperate survival fascinates me, and if you throw in some romance, even better.

This is about Sam and Henry - a happily married couple, so very deeply in love as they match perfectly where it counts. When Henry’s plane crashes over the ocean and he survives by making his way to a small uninhabited island with 3 others, obviously, he and Sam’s lives are irrevocably changed as years go by without rescue. Can their love endure such a traumatic, forced separation??

This book jumps timelines often, giving you glimpses of the past before the island, portraying life’s trials on the island, and watching present time unfold when Henry is finally discovered to be alive and well.

Full of tense situations as well as sad and emotional challenges, there were also some great instances of levity when it came to Henry being a surrogate father to an endearing 10 month old boy (seriously, too cute for words). I feared this would continuously be wrought with a lot of angst, but though it was heart wrenching at times, it was a totally tolerable turmoil for some reason - I guess because it was grounded in realism and mostly external forces and not due to some frustratingly stupid plot device. There are many things both Sam and Henry struggle with and triumph over. What remains so strong is their love in the face of crazy adversity, devastating loss, and grateful second chances.

Overall, I liked this and was quite entertained, but again, survival on coconuts, breadfruit, and seaweed apparently interest me a lot. Knowledge is power, right? The narration by David Gilmore was more than totally serviceable. Nothing grossly out of place but nothing extraordinary either. It was a pleasant listen, and I think most will have no problem with the audio version. I think it’s a testament to his rendition since I’m off to listen to the sequel!

Thank you to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for a honest review

[dammit, liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't decide between a 2 and 3 star rating, so I rounded up. This book was, to me, full of missed opportunity. While the story has great bones and the premise grabbed me, I found it anticlimactic.

Til Death begins with an engaged couple, Sam and Nash, being visited by military police. They inform Sam that his husband Henry, who was believed dead, was found marooned on an island. We are then told the stories of Henry's survival, Sam and Henry's relationship, and of Sam coming to terms with his grief. Sounds super angsty and emotional, right?

Just... Not so much. That's why I wanted to read this book. I figured it would be a serious tear jerker with a painfully romantic conclusion. It just didn't affect me the way I hoped. Sure, there was a bit of emotional conflict toward the end, but I guess I expected more. Sam was an absolute mess for years. He was the last one to believe he was a widower, finally moved on, then his world was turned upside down. It seemed like he was all too quick in getting his feelings sorted out. I feel like an entire (good) book could've been made about Henry's return.

The story of Henry's survival on the island with Buddy, Garrett, and Devon was what kept me going. This part felt much more well done than the romance. I was sucked in. The atmosphere and character development were great here. The four formed a sort of family, and I was attached to all of them. Even the technical parts of their survival were done well- there was just a lot of stuff here that was really cool. Their rescue was a great feel-good moment.

It was the reunion that I had been awaiting since the beginning of the book that just didn't do it for me like I hoped. I cry all the time when I read, but this just didn't move me. Buddy's assimilation was another thing I anticipated being an important part of the story, but that was glossed over for the most part.

There were a couple other issues I had. I actually didn't mind the perspective shifting- it cycled from Henry's first person account, to third person flashbacks, to Sam's coping in third person, but it was well done. The dialogue, however, felt off. I can't quite put my finger on it. Sometimes their voices were wrong for them. And there were a few times they sounded straight up cheesy 80's romance novel. Example: "It was only ever your scent that drove me mad with desire." What? Who the fuck actually talks like that? Sometimes they sounded stilted, female, or age inappropriate.

Then there was the romance part. I just found the emotionality lacking. Like I previously mentioned, I expected the reunion to be more moving and the angst to be angstier. There was also a bit of buildup to hot, needy reunion sex, but that was a letdown as well.

I can't say I'd recommend this one to romance readers, though there were aspects of it that were great. The survival and rescue were awesome, but if you want to get grabbed by an emotional story, and particularly if you want your romance on the steamy side, you might be a bit disappointed. That being said, I was entertained. This certainly wasn't one I felt like I was dragging myself to finish. And I feel like my last few reviews have disagreed with those I've read of friends on here and other GR members, so what do I know?

[BWT · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? I love deserted island survivor stories.

When TransOceanic Flight 3012 goes down there are only four survivors who manage to make it to a deserted island: Henry, Devon, Garret and Buddy. Using their skills sets: Henry is a marine biologist, Garret knows how to weave, and Devon has brute strength, the three men take care of Buddy, an under year old (they think) baby, and await rescue. Five years later they are still waiting.

Told from both Henry and his husband, Sam's, points of view the story covers both the hope that the survivors will one day get off the island and back to "civilization", and the devastation of loss when the love of your life goes down in a crash and is missing and presumed dead. I loved the emotion of the hope that Sam feels at first that they'll be found, then the denial that Henry is dead, the grief of trying to move on, and finally, falling in love with someone else.

The men on the island know the world outside them has kept going, and they worry about their families, if their spouses have remarried, what they will do when they get off the island. Henry's biggest worries are Sam moving on and if Henry will be allowed to keep custody of Buddy, who has been raised as his child and has known no other father.

Five years after the crash, Sam is notified Henry is alive and is immediately struck with what to do. His wedding to his fiancé is literally weeks away and must immediately be put on hold. Then it's a rush to Henry to see just what the future holds.

I loved most of the nuances of the story. While the day to day island life was a bit mired in minutiae some of the time, I appreciated the author's obvious research. My biggest issues were that the dialogue was a bit stiff at times, and things came a bit too easily to everyone. I felt like the resolution of the relationship angst was a little too quick, and I would have liked to have seen the resolution between Sam and Nash.

Also, the story starts most chapters with a flashback scene, which I sometimes felt dragged down the momentum of the story and caused me to skim a little. However, in the end this was filled with humor, emotion and hope and I eagerly turned each page to find out what happened next.

Bottom line: I enjoyed it thoroughly and I will definitely be checking out something else by Addison Albright.

Advanced Review Galley copy of 'Til Death Do Us Part provided by Addison Albright in exchange of an honest review.

This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

(I stayed up until 2:30am reading this book and made it about 60% and then my body rebelled and demanded I sleep! If I could have, I would have read this all night. I couldn't put it down.)

O.M.G!!! I LOVED THIS BOOK!! Let's start with the easy stuff. I have never read anything by this author before and that's always scary because you never know what to expect. The summary of this book, as well as others reviews led me to believe that the story was going to be amazing so I took a shot. It was truly beautiful. The writing was very well done. The story structure was SPOT ON! The characters were developed and believable.

As the summary says, Henry and Sam are "are living the dream." They are deeply in love, they like each other on top of that, they both enjoy their jobs, have a nice home and a good circle of family and friends. Then tragedy strikes. Henry's commercial flight crashes due to a bomb over water and the pilot is able to "crash" in a way as to float the plane instead of instantly breaking apart. Henry is near the emergency exit (because Sam has always been afraid of flying and it makes him feel better if Henry sits near the exit) and manages to make his way through the line. The plane is going down - it suffered tremendous damage- and water is quickly filling the interior. Out of nowhere someone thrusts a baby into Henry's arms and he just reflexively takes the baby. He is assisted from the plane by Devon (another survivor) and then Garrett, Henry's across aisle seat mate, and they all 4 manage to safely jump from the wing and into the ocean.

One thing that is important to know is that Henry is a (crap, forget the term right now) but his degree is in like ocean science, so he understands about ocean currents and what they need to do to safely make it to the island they saw in the distance. Others had managed to escape the plane, but they were not close to the 4 men, and later it's assumed they didn't swim in the right direction to safely navigate the current to the island. It's never clear what exactly happened to those people (did they die from the elements, did they choose to drown and remove their life vests?).

After the 4 (and only survivors) manage to make it to the island, they take stock of their situation and use their skills to survive.

Back home, Sam learns of the plane crash by, 1) he checks Henry's flight status online and instead of a status, there is a phone # to call for info. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Sam 2.) turns on the news and while he is on hold with the airline, sees the report about the plane crash. While it's unnecessary to say this, I feel I must express how truly, deeply devastated Sam is.

Sam and Henry had been work colleagues, then lovers, then partners, then married. They spoke all the time about their future, about spending the next 50 years together. They even discuss (because of a family death) what they want the other to do if one of them dies. They both promise that they will move on, if they can, and not be mired in their grief. To promise to some day move on and find love again.

In the beginning, Sam refuses to believe Henry is dead. As the months pass, he prays that Henry is stuck, but safe, on a remote island. His family (they are all very close) tries to comfort him and seek out professional counseling to help Sam with his stages of grief. It takes years, years of denial, pain, bitter regret (I would think) and just plain grief that is overwhelming. But through counseling, his family and friends, and the time it takes to allow the counseling to help, Sam is on the road to moving forward. He always remembered his promise to Henry and he is determined not to let his love down. He stores away Henry's special items, keeping special keepsakes and photos out around the house. After roughly 4ish years of Henry "dead" Sam meets someone. We as the reader know Henry is alive, but Sam does not and falls in love again. His name is Nash.

This is the fear that Henry lives with as the years on the island go on. At first Henry puts himself in Sam's shoes, thinking about how he would feel if it were reversed. He knows that Sam is in pain and grieving, and when it becomes readily apparent that help is not coming, Henry realizes that Sam had probably moved on. Henry too remembers their promises to each to keep living and be happy. There is nothing Henry can do except pray and wish and live on the island, taking care of the baby from the plane, and helping the others survive. They go through a lot, as you can imagine. They are stuck on the island for 5 years. It has fruit and other vegetation they can live on, fresh water, there are fish they can hunt, and seaweed they can eat. They are nourished and safe (baring any medical problems which is a constant worry because none of them are doctors).

They make attempts throughout their time on the island to send messages out to the world but they all fail. The men and boy on the island have grown close as friends, family, and have shared their histories, and their fears. They argue, they play, they comfort (not sexually in any way), they take joy in the young boy who is so carefree.

Their worlds all collide when a military drone doing surveillance, (searching for any signs of terrorists, pirates, what have you) spots them on the island. They relay who they are and the plane crash by writing in the sand (by the way, they are all naked because they have no clothes after 5 years and their all men so who cares?), the military alerts the families of this.

Sam and Nash have been living together for almost a year I think. They are engaged to be married and the wedding is roughly a month away. When Sam learns that Henry is alive, shock is too trivial a word to describe what Sam was feeling. I will leave the synopsis there and simply tell you to read the book to find your answers.

After reading so much about Sam and Henry's history, how they met, fell in love, bought a house, about their loving relationship, to see the book end the way it did, I was a little unsatisfied. It ends happily for Sam and Henry, and Buddy, the baby (Henry and Sam mange to adopt him), but I would have like a little something more. Maybe an epilogue where they renew their vows? I don't know what I needed, just more of the 2 men spending time together now that they were reunited. I wanted just more. Granted a story cannot continue into infinity, so it must end at some point, but just a little smidge more would have made me give this 5 stars. I loved ALL the men from the island, I loved Sam, and I loved Nash, knowing how things were going to turn out, and feeling so sorry for him. It's a 5 star book, with a 4 star (4.3?)ending.

You will not regret this book.

[Evelyn Bella (there WILL be spoilers) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plane crash? Tropical island survival? Separation of 5 years from husband back home who thinks he's dead? Rescue just in time to find him 3 weeks away from marrying again? Exquisite. No notes.

For me, the standout here was how the author was able to make me feel such gut-wrenching grief on Sam's behalf for a man I knew wasn't dead.

"Dear Henry, I want you to know that I tried—" in reference to being unable to move on from your husband's death even though when he was still alive, you'd promised him you'd find a way to be happy again in the event he died before you. I wanted to wail.

Him struggling to let go of that small glimmer of hope that maybe Henry was still alive, even two years after the plane crash, it killed me.

Meanwhile on the deserted island, Henry struggling with himself because much as he didn't want Sam to die pining for him, he also couldn't stomach the idea of Sam moving on and finding happiness with someone else, especially since he'd been the one that asked him to make that promise.

Goodness, the emotions in this book! I used to pray for times like this.

And then Sam fell in love again.

'It felt incredibly good, finally, fully keeping that promise he’d made to his dead husband so many years before.'

Yikes.

The reunion scene with Sam, Sam's fiancé and Sam's husband?

A.W.K.W.A.R.D.

It was glorious 😂💀. The emotions were overflowing. I didn't know whose side to take. Sam stuttering, Henry hurt, Nash hurt. Whew! Top tier writing.

Them traumatizing Buddy the first time he saw them kiss(first time he'd ever seen a kiss at all, really)

“What was that?” exclaimed Buddy. Sksksksks not them forgetting they had a child audience and doing the Long Lost Lovers Reunited™ kiss 💀
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

I knewwwwww that proposal would hurt like a sonofabitch and I was right.

This is a really good romance, guys. The time jumps weren't confusing, and much as we only get their initial romance through flashbacks, we get their current one in real time and it's somehow more amazing because we can see how they've grown and matured and are, in many ways, different from the men they once were, but love each other just as much as before.

And I usually dislike kids in romance novels but Buddy was just the CUTEST.

Read. This.

It's so amazing, I swear!

[Nichole (DirrtyH) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute story that I would encourage everyone to read!

It might suffer a little bit from the unfortunate timing of the release, coming so close after Keira Andrews' Beyond The Sea, which it pains to me to have to admit is much better.
But this one is a little bit different - the romance doesn't take place on the island, but is rather about a couple who is separated and what happens during that time.

It's an imperfect story. For one, the dialogue doesn't feel natural. The MC is a marine biologist, and so he knows a lot of sciencey stuff that comes in handy on the island. The way he presents it sounds like he's reading from a text book - if that were the extent of it, that would be fine. Some people just talk like that. But every conversation felt like that.
For example, there was one conversation between the three guys on the island where they were discussing the likelihood of being found, and they were talking about where the plane went down and what the search radius would be. For some reason, one of them happens to know what the velocity of the plane would have been, and another knows what direction they were going, because while everything was exploding around them he opened a compass app on his ipad. And the final one (a college student on a football scholarship) just happens to remember that he once read about a search where the radius was 100,000 square miles, so they figure they're within that and they'll be rescued eventually. It was just stuff like that that seemed odd to me.

Another problem was the lack of urgency I felt about the survivors on the island. They all just seemed really blasé about the whole thing. I never felt the fear or the desperation or the struggle. There was never a shortage of food, no one ever got sick, they never ran out of water. There seemed to be very little learning curve for any of them about how to survive. They just did.

I also didn't feel that the resolution of the relationship drama was satisfying. I feel like this is what set the book apart and where most of the focus should have been, but instead there were only one or two short scenes showing Sam with his new fiancé, and then Henry showed up and there was a little bit of tension when Sam had to make a decision, but it all happened rather easily in my opinion. Like it wasn't really even a decision; Sam was never truly in love with Nash and that just seemed like a cop out to me.

Every chapter started with a flashback scene of Henry and Sam's relationship. I wish that instead of that, we had spent more time watching Sam get to know and fall in love with Nash. I just don't think the stakes were high enough when Henry returned. To be honest, I skimmed heavily during the Henry/Sam flashback scenes.

So yes, the book was flawed. But the premise was good. I really liked the inclusion of the child. (Although again, resolved too easily in my opinion.) And I liked Henry a lot, and I wish he hadn't cut off the dreads! It was an easy read; I finished it in one day.

Bottom line: Good story that could have been great, but the stakes were just never high enough and everything seemed resolved too easily.

[Tully Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars
I enjoy stranded on an island stories, so the story was gripping enough that I finished it in one day to see the conclusion. The descriptions of how they survived on the island were very detailed and obviously well researched.

For such a small island, the survivors seemed to have it remarkably easy--like it wasn’t hard to find water and the supply stayed consistent and there was so little mishaps, sickness or injuries over the extended length of time they were there. But it was the connection to the characters that left me wanting most--I just never felt close or fully engaged with them. I wanted to feel more attuned to their emotions and desperation and trauma, but too much was told rather than shown, and I think that was what kept me at a distance from them.

The frequent flashbacks to Henry and Sam’s relationship prior to the separation bugged me. I think it was meant to make readers feel closer to them as a couple, but since it was in the past, I often felt compelled to skim that and get back to more urgent current matters. Personally, I’d rather have seen more time spent developing the relationship with Nash as it came across rather cursory and without depth.

Even still, before the rescue, I was invested in the story and would have given it at least a four. But the character’s reactions and dialogue (often times they all seemed to just spout words without even thinking) after the rescue changed the heart of the story for me. I came to dislike all of them at a time when I should have been feeling for them intensely. All the back and forth stuff, all the lack of thoughtfulness towards each other pulled me out of the story and made me hardly care. Also, the way it was handled, I came to doubt if it was ever truly love with one of the characters.

If you are looking for stranded on an island stories, this one is definitely readable with an interesting twist.

[Carra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve got a new-to-me author that is now sitting firmly on my list of ones to keep an eye on. Addison Albright totally sucked me in to this story from the very beginning, and holy cow she did not let me go for even a second until the very end. I loved the characters, the storyline, and pretty much everything else about this book…so I’m not even going to wait until the end of this review to let you know this was a 5-star read for me.

My heart broke over and over again for both Sam and Henry. Even knowing they’d have another chance in the end from the blurb, watching them both go through this heart-wrenching separation was tough. Seeing what they each went through also made me think what would happen if I was put in that same situation, and the thought of it is frankly terrifying. It made me feel so much for Sam, not ever having received any kind of true closure.

I loved how Henry kept focused virtually the entire time he and the others were stranded, and how he remained strong for the child that was stranded with them. It was uplifting to see how he, Garrett and Devon all worked together…the three of them seemed like a good representation of the spectrum of attitudes you would expect to see. Garrett, the ultra-calm, super level-headed guy who is the consistent voice of reason; Devon, the impatient, sometimes impulsive and hot-headed one; and Henry-torn apart by missing Sam, wondering what his disappearance is doing to his husband, and yet putting on a brave face and using his knowledge to help keep everyone alive…while becoming immediately attached to Buddy, the small child (a baby really) who was marooned with them.

The love between Henry and Sam is so deep that it makes it incredibly hard for Sam to move on-taking him years to finally do so. And just when he’s about to take a huge step with someone else (Nash, a sweet man who you’ll wind up feeling so much for), everything gets turned upside down again.

Between the intensity of Henry and his companions trying to stay alive on a deserted island, the heartbreak Sam goes through thinking he’s lost Henry, and finally the upheaval once they are reunited…I absolutely could not put this story down. It was utterly captivating, and made for an amazing read. Even though for the majority of the story Sam and Henry are apart, the way it is told-with the chapters before the rescue starting off with a flashback to a point in time in their relationship that lines up with the time from which Henry’s flight crashes (so for instance day one in their past is the day they met, in the present is the day the plane goes down)-is unique and keep you thoroughly invested in the story. It lets you learn about how their relationship starts and develops while at the same time showing how they deal with the present-day situation, and ultimately enforcing and reinforcing their utter devotion to each other.

You already know, but this was a 5-star read for me, and it’s also going on my Top Recommendations list. I highly recommend this story for any M/M romance fan, and while there is not much intimate content (and honestly, this story works very well with the small amount it does have), it is still meant for readers 18+ for adult language and some light intimate scenes. I really did love this story, and I can’t wait to keep reading the series—especially to find out what happens with Nash!

[BWT · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my review of the book click here.



I love deserted island survivor stories.

Told from both Henry and his husband, Sam's, points of view the story covers both the hope that the survivors will one day get off the island and back to "civilization", and the devastation of loss when the love of your life goes down in a crash and is missing and presumed dead.

I appreciated the greater delineation made by narrator David Gilmore for the chapters that begin with a flashback scene, so the listener could tell easily what was past and present. I do feel that the flashbacks, while providing history, did sometimes drag down the momentum of the story though.

I loved most of the nuances of the story and how it was filled with humor, emotion and hope. While the day to day island life was a bit mired in minutiae some of the time, I appreciated the author's obvious research. My biggest issues were that the dialogue was a bit stiff at times, and things came a bit too easily to everyone. I felt like the resolution of the relationship angst was a little too quick, and I would have liked to have seen the resolution between Sam and Nash.

One thing that was far more obviously awkward to me when listening rather than reading is the change from first person POV for Henry to a third person POV for Sam or others.

Regardless, David Gilmore narrates the story decently, adding character voices that are easily discernible. Though his pacing is a little slow at times, his timing is good, and enunciation clear. I would have liked to have heard a little more emotion in the performance, but all in all the narration is solid, if not particularly exceptional.

This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.

[Darina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Во время планирования своей свадьбы Сэм внезапно узнает, что его горячо любимый первый муж, считавшийся погибшим в авиакатастрофе более пяти лет назад, выжил. Книга состоит из флэшбэков о жизни Сэма и Генри до крушения самолета (довольно скучных, если честно), описаниях жизни Генри и еще пары счастливчиков на острове (это читать было интереснее, хотя мне не хватило деталей) и повествованием о жизни Сэма после того как он узнал о "смерти" мужа (которое я большей частью пролистывала, чтобы поскорее добраться до глав про остров). Для меня книгу омрачил любовный треугольник и первый муж Сэма и его новый жених оба неплохие мужики и мне заранее было жалко третьего лишнего.

[Leaundra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just crazy! The whole time I was reading it, I was wondering how I would act if my plane went down and I was stranded on a desert island? Not sure I would handle it all well. I also wondered how I would act if I thought my husband died and then came back into my life after 5 years? The day to day on the island was so interesting. What they had to go through to survive. Also Buddy, what a sweetheart. All he knew was Henry, Devon and Garrett. Poor Nash I see Book 3 is about him, which is great so he can get his HEA. Like everyone said we didn't get to really know him in this book. I'm so glad, it was hard enough what he went through, without loving him

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that makes you cry for the characters! The book is like a roller coaster ride. I feel sweet and fluffy on one page and felt that wave of tears on the next.

The romance built up between Sam and Henry was just so sweet, colleagues to lovers to the husband. It was a typical romance story until Henry (a Maine biologist) was stranded on an island trying to survive with a baby, a salesman, and a student-athlete. My heart ached for Sam wishing he could move on in life but also hoped he could hold it on with Henry in his heart. I love how the author switch between time telling the story of they became lovers, how Sam grieved, and how Henry coped with his stranded life. The switch was smooth and I never felt confused.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this I almost stopped once realising it jumped back and forth with the time line as I’m not a fan of that but I continued and I’m glad I did as it turned out after the initial few I actually enjoyed the way it was written and I really enjoyed reading this

[The Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story! This is a very emotional story told from the alternating first person POVs of our two main characters, Henry and Sam. Interwoven with the present day stories are flashbacks of Sam and Henry’s story—of meeting as coworkers, falling in love, buying their house, getting married, and then, Henry’s fateful research trip.

Sam and Henry are so happy together. They love their life together, and their home, and their family, and their jobs. They are college professors who have been together for a while, and while Sam isn’t thrilled that Henry will be away for the summer on a research trip, he can’t begrudge him the opportunity. Sam does insist that Henry sit as near the emergency exit row as possible. Little does Sam know that this is probably what saves Henry after the plane goes down over the Pacific.

The news of the plane crash devastates Sam. Even with his supportive family and co-workers, he cannot seem to move past Henry’s death. He has tried therapy and nothing has worked. As a last ditch effort, he tries a new Grief Recovery group, and lo and behold, he finally seems to be making progress—years after Henry’s plane crashed.

Meanwhile, miraculously, Henry and two other men, along with a young child, manage to make it to a deserted island after the crash. No one else who got out of the plane seemed to make it to the island. Henry had managed to hang on to the baby who was thrust into his arms by the mother, and he feels completely responsible for him from then on. Of course, not knowing the baby’s name, he begins calling him Buddy. Even though Henry wasn’t sure he wanted to be a father, he ends up being Buddy’s de facto parent on the island.

Luckily, because of Henry’s knowledge of the sea, and by luck of Sam’s specialty as well, Henry knows what is edible and usable on the island as food sources. There are some fruits and coconuts and, thankfully, a fresh water spring. They have one set of clothes each, and a baby that isn’t even close to being potty trained. The other two castaways are a college kid named Devon, and a salesman named Garrett. The adults do well enough with Garrett and Henry’s knowledge and skills and Devon’s muscle, but it’s really a full time job just to keep them fed and sheltered.

In the meantime, Sam finally is able to get some closure on Henry’s death, two years after the plane crash. He graduates from his Grief Recovery group and after another year, he’s able to think that maybe he can start living again. Then one fateful day he meets Nash, a nurse at the local hospital, and he chats him up. They begin a relationship and eventually become engaged. Then, shortly before their wedding, the bottom drops out.

Finally, after five years, Henry and his cohorts have been found. Sam cannot believe it. He has no idea what to do, as his wedding is just weeks away and now his husband is alive. And he’s wants to continue to raise Buddy, who only thinks of Henry as Papa. Nash is so very upset too, as his dream life is completely upended and there is nothing he can do about it.

No spoilers, but how all these men deal with the reality of the situation they are facing—five years separated, a child in question, a new fiancé—is pretty gut-wrenching. Sam’s family continues to stand by him, and Buddy is a cute and captivating presence. He’s finally identified and, of course, Henry has to figure out a way to deal with that as well, since his family wants to be involved. I really liked how the author dealt with all of this, and I appreciated that for the most part, everyone behaved like a responsible and thoughtful adult.

This book is just really well written. There was drama and suspense that is not manufactured, and sucked me in from the first page. I enjoyed all of the characters, including the large cast of supporting characters. I had only read short stories from this author in the past, but I’ll be looking for more longer works.

Definitely recommended for those who like a gripping and dramatic story with likeable characters who have to work for their happy ending.

Reviewed by Sadonna for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated for 2 star audiobook review:
Read the audio review in its entirety here.

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.75 stars

I haven’t turned pages so damn hard since Stanford shot Griffin and Alec chose Seregil!!
On one hand, I don’t want to give anything away. On the other, the three-page prologue and the book’s blurb set everything up so you can’t help but roll up your sleeves and enjoy the angst fest. ‘Til Death Do Us Part weaves a riveting story about Sam, Henry, and Nash. From the very start, we know Sam has presumed Henry dead and that Sam has moved on. Just like we also know that Henry did not actually die, but has been marooned on a remote island.

In just a few scant pages, all my expectations were wonderfully shaped. The prologue raised all the questions I’d then get to agonize over for 200-odd pages: How does Henry manage to survive? How do they find out Henry and the others survivors? How does Sam manage to move on? What will happen to Sam’s new fiancé, Nash? All those questions stemmed from the prologue. It was the best way to start this kind of book ever. Seriously, it summarized all the conundrums and all I had to do was enjoy watching it all unfold.

Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.

[UnusualChild{beppy} · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Synopsis: Sam is weeks away from marrying his fiancé, when he finds out that his husband, Henry, who he thought died in a plane crash years ago, is still alive. Henry was on his way to Fiji when his plane crashes in the ocean. Henry, a couple of fellow passengers and a baby all survive and make it to an island. For five years, while Sam mourns and then moves on with a new love, Henry and his fellow passengers work on surviving.

What I liked: The premise. I liked seeing the flashes from the past, getting to see Sam and Henry's building relationship. I liked seeing both Sam and Henry throughout the 5 years that Henry was missing. I also liked everything Henry and co did to survive. I could feel Sam's pain, and even though we know that Henry is alive, I still teared up feeling everything he was going through. I liked that Henry could legitimately know things about what it would take to survive on an island. I liked the relationships that Henry built with the people that he was stranded with, especially the child.

What I didn't like: Not much. An enjoyable story with well drawn, real characters who reacted in real ways.

[SoCalBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars
I have to say I really Enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. I feel like the Author put a lot of research and effort and thought into this book. I felt Almost like I was listening to a true story account of someone’s time stranded on a island and not just a fictional romance book, there was just so much information that I think could have actually been true.
Listening to the Audio was ok. I think I actually liked the book itself more than the Narration for it. But, I liked that when the Narrator was doing the “flashbacks in time” they made a good distinction for those parts so your not confused jumping back n forth in time and between character accounts of the story. There were a few times where it sounded like that narrator was maybe adjusting the microphone during the recording, & it made it sound a little off compared to the rest of the narration. But overall it was ok and the small sound/voice inconsistencies didn’t put me off the story or Narration.

[Sali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. I really liked it. Didn't love it.
I wish we saw more of the island with the guys, their friendships, mental health and discussions. And I wish we saw more of the return to civilization, what it entail for Buddy and Henry. More about Henry and Sam after the return..
But I definitely enjoy the story, the friendship between the guys, Buddy and Henry relationship, their lives on the island.. I guess I just wish we had more.
I usually don't like second chance romance trope and book that are told with flashback with the "then and now". This book did not have "the second chance/return part" storytelling, and the "flashback" of their meeting (Sam&henry) were well written with just the right information to see how they met and fell in love, all the little thing..

[Taid Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A number of books with often gay males being stranded on islands with one or more other characters are common enough, some classics. Albright novel, however, involves three men and a boy, a near toddler, all victims in a commercial plane crash. It also tells the story of the people left behind, those who cared about the four and those who didn't. It is probably more realistic in terms of survival in that one is a professor whose studies involve life in tropical settings, a character who can expand what might be a dull diet. There are some aspects of Albright's story that some might find difficult or even annoying, things like jumping around between too many minds and two many times in characters's lives, but readers should quickly see the order. All in all, the story leads to an interesting reading experience. Enjoy.

[Anke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps 2.5 stars

The way this story was told gave me difficulties. Overall it was an ok read.

[multitaskingmomma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original Blog Post: Giles West Reviews: ‘Till Death Do Us Part by Addison Albright


My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
My Thoughts

I read this novel in one sitting on a rainy day that seemed to just fit with the book somehow. The cover certainly works and the colors are eye-catching. I’m writing this directly after finishing the novel. Even though I’m still gathering my thoughts on it, I must admit I did get teary-eyed in parts. It’s never a bad thing when a story can elicit such emotions from a reader.

Albright’s writing is well done and her story concise with no major holes or problems that stuck out. The lead characters are certainly appealing and you feel for all of them. I must admit, however that I found myself rushing through some of the chapters more than others. In the story a married gay couple are separated when one is in a plane crash and stranded on an island with three other survivors for five years. Sam was back home in the states while his partner Henry was on the island. While it was important to see what Sam was going through, I was much more anxious to get back to the island and Henry. I suppose there’s no real way to make life back home as interesting as life on an island where it’s about survival. The character of Buddy adds a lot to the story and I throughly enjoyed reading about his interactions with the others.

If there was one weak link in the entire story I’d have to say it was with the character of Nash. After three years or so of mourning for Henry, Sam meets and ends up engaged to Nash. This was a tricky part in the book. As readers we, of course, have bonded with Henry so we wouldn’t necessarily warm up to Nash easily. Maybe it would’ve helped if there were more scenes with Nash. On the other hand there was already so much going on in the book that it may have been too much. At one point I thought maybe the story would’ve been better served by having the important decisions at the end carry over into a sequel. But, that would’ve been a bit much too.

There’s a whole lot to like about the ending, but somehow the part between Nash and Sam seemed just a tad bit rushed. Yet, in all honesty if the book were any longer it wouldn’t have worked either. It really is just Henry and Sam’s story where Nash is making a guest appearance—as it should be. My problem was that there were times when Nash manifested an anger that, despite the situation, seemed a bit too ‘angry’. Those scenes didn’t make me dislike the character necessarily, but they did make me think he was the type of person that could become enraged, maybe even abusive. The problem again is that I don’t feel he was really established as a character, he seemed pushy from the beginning and not entirely likeable. I believe the author is doing a spin off with the Nash character and I think his character definitely deserves that.

There was one other thing that bothered me slightly. I know the times Henry is thinking back on his relationship with Sam offer insight into their relationship. That’s a good thing, but it also took me out of the story. I’d be into a scene where they’re fighting hard to survive on the island then yanked out of it to read past reminisces. These past thoughts or insights are usually at the beginning of chapters and while I know the reader needs insight into the relationship, it was still jarring. But, it’s not so jarring as to have kept me from reading the book.

‘Til Death Do Us Part is a great read with interesting characters. The plane crash was handled well and the writer definitely did her research regarding not just the crash but also island survival. I enjoyed reading the story and cared about It’s a book I definitely recommend.

As a side note, while thinking on this book a few hours I realized something. Part of my rushing through some chapters wasn’t because I was bored or anything but because I was so into the characters and their fates I was anxious to find out what happened to them. It was incredibly hard to resist the temptation to skip to the end but resist I did and it was worth it.

[Juli · Rating 5 out of 5]

**** I received this book as a ARC for a fair and honest review****

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this. I haven't read many survival/reunion stories like this but man I could not put this down once I started.

The prologue sets the tone as the MC Sam is discussing his wedding to Nash, his new fiance when he finds out that his husband Henry is alive after a plane crash 5 years before.

From there we alternate between Sam and Henry. Sam as he tries to deal with the grief of losing his husband and his reluctance for years to admit he's gone. And then there is Henry who escapes the crash with 2 other men and a little boy thrust into his arms as they escaped the plane.

The whole story arc for Henry and his new island family was great. Yes they did seem to get food and water pretty easy but the way it was explained to me made it seem more like knowledge with a little bit of luck. The four don't always have it easy. They deal with weather, Henry gets a broken arm and Devon the youngest (besides the baby) has a hard time accepting that rescue is a long ways off.

Meanwhile Sam is struggling to move on and to me it never really seems that he does. Yes he does get involved and even engaged to Nash but he still has ALL of Henry's things and moves Nash into the home he and Henry purchased and remodeled. The reunion and result of Henry and Sam seeing each other again felt right and the ending to me was the logical conclusion.

[Amy Tasukada · Rating 4 out of 5]

video review here - https://youtu.be/BI0Byu7gIys


This was a cute lighthearted story that had me staying up to read the next chapter and had me telling my Husband I was happy he wasn’t trapped on an island. At the start of each chapter is a flash back between Henry and Sam, how they met, fell in love. After that the chapter goes into the story of Henry trying to survive on the island with the island. There are some mishaps but for the most part it’s a ‘lighthearted’ survival. They have lots of food/water so they have a decent life trapped there for all those years. When Sam learns that Henry is alive he’s already engaged to be married so he’s stuck in a bad situation, which is probably the most compelling in the story. I always felt really bad for him. Again if you looking for something super dramatic this probably isn’t the book. Also I usually skip prologues, but it was short so gave it a try. For some reason it really didn’t like it. The writing in the rest of the story is fine, but that prologue really threw me off. So don’t judge it just on that. It’s a cute, fun read.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

So gripping that I finished it almost in one sitting. I enjoy desert island stories and this was told well. I really liked Henry's pragmatic, scientific approach. Added an air of verisimilitude you don't often see in this particular trope. Also liked that there was drama but it was conveyed in a low key fashion. I could feel Sam's grief and struggle with letting go. His actions made sense in light of what happened. The way the book was structured was what made it so compelling. A bit of flashback to Henry and Sam's life along with how time moved on and then what was happening now. The way the situation was handled was adult, not without drama, but very realistic. That scene on the ship as they were coming into port - I sobbed. Great strong, secondary characters in Devon and Garrett and Sam's family. I wish I had gotten just a bit more of Henry and Sam together to further cement their relationship in my heart, but that was a minor quibble. The ending made sense and because it did, it was that much more emotional.

[Elisa Rolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

2016 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: ’Til Death Do Us Part by Addison Albright (75-04-06-2016)
1) ’Til Death Do Us Part combines drama, adventure, and true love that should never be taken for granted. A plane crash separates Henry from Sam. Henry spends over four years on a deserted island, combining his skills with those of two other men as they survive, raise a baby into a capable young boy, and hope for rescue. Henry is torn between hoping that Sam waits for him versus wanting him not to be lonely and find happiness. After years of coming to terms with his beloved Henry’s demise, Sam is presented with the unenviable position of choosing between his husband and his fiancee. The survival plot line the castaways is fascinating, and Albright exploits the emotional highs and lows of love, grief, and hope to its fullest. A wonderful and captivating read!

2) This was an interesting read. There are also a few OMG moments in this book that will keep the reader turning the pages.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read this story because I enjoy reunited stories, especially ones where there is a long period of separation, but this one didn’t give me the feelings I was hoping for. The story was told in dual POV along with flashbacks intermingled; it was structured in such a way that the flashbacks of their relationship’s history coincided with the timing of Henry’s years missing. I wonder if the building of their relationship to the time of Henry’s disappearance had been put first, would I have felt more emotionally connected to both of them. I didn’t feel the pain of Sam’s loss while reading and I didn’t feel a struggle to survive on Henry’s part. The story just felt like journal entries until the time of the rescue and by then, it was pretty much over and I hadn’t connected with either one.

[W.S. Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming story

What do you do if you believe you found your one true love only to lose him but by a miracle find out he's alive? What if there's someone else that you also love?

This is the crux of the question in this romance.

Addison Albright has written a compelling love story that I couldn't put down from the moment I downloaded the book at lunch until I finished close to midnight. The characters of Henry and Sam are extremely likable, and Buddy, a child thrust into Henry's life, is a beautiful soul.

Defiantly this is a five star story. Definitely highly recommend for reading.

[Kumar Gaurav · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I read the blurb, I could not wait to read the book ASAP. I Liked how Henry and his other 3 comapanions survived being stranded on an island. Also, liked Sam's grief and his eventually moving on and his relationship with Nash. Everything was going alright until Henry made re-entry in Sam's life. A lot might think that nobody was at fault except for the Situations. But I disagree here, completely. There was a certain character I could not understand exactly and I think was at fault the most.
Was it Henry? - NO
Was it Nash? - Not At All
Was it Sam? - HELLS YEAH!

One could understand his grief when Henry went missing, one could also understand his state of denial when he was declared dead, his acceptance of Henry's death and eventually his Moving on but what irked me about him was his behaviour and actions once Henry was found again.
We saw him saying several times that he loved both Henry and Nash. But I had hard time believing his 'love' for Nash. Nash's character was pretty much pushed aside easily towards the end . Yeah You Loved Henry before he went missing, but you took three and a half year to move on with him, right? So, either you saying you loved Henry was a lie or You claiming to love Nash. Nash literally begs for a decision before He leaves for Hawaii to meet Henry. At that point, he seems pretty confused because he didn't know that lf Henry will choose to be with him again or not. Is not that Keeping Nash as your second option? He claims to love Nash, but does a person keep the one they love as a second option? He also acts to be confused about his own decision as well, when Nash asks him to choose, But the very next moment he reveals that he had already accepted the proposal of taking the temporary custody of buddy with Henry. Also, he does not take a moment to declare to be with Henry, the moment they meet, again. He seems pretty clear then. Why keep Nash in a false hope then? Again, you don't intentionally hurt the people you love, when you are pretty clear about what decisions you are going to make, do you?

As I conclusion, I would say that Sam's character and His dilemma could have been constructed in far better way than done In the book. Sam's inconsistencies and hypocrite behaviour ruined it all for me and brought down the book from perfect 5 stars to ew 2 Stars.

[Christina Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Audiobook Review***

The narration just okay for me; some decent inflection but the voices are not too different except the kiddo. I’m pretty picky when it comes to vocal performers and this one wasn’t one of my favorites. It was hard to follow the flashbacks and going from Sam to Henry in present day while listening. I had to pause the book at each change to wrap my head around where the story was headed. That may have been easier to keep up with if I had read the book instead of listening.

I thought I read the synopsis of the story but I’m not sure I got it. I was surprised by the plane crash…and the story of each of them after the crash. I don’t know that I was fully prepared for the sadness of the book. Sam’s recovery was particularly hard to read. I didn’t like the Nash twist and honestly probably wouldn’t have read/listened had I known that was a possibility.

I really liked hearing about the time spent on the island. Their time there was a little too easy having an abundance of food and water. They go through a couple of struggles but not as many as I would have thought for the time spent there.

This story takes place over a long period of time and I know it’s hard to cover that much time and not have a novel that’s 1,000 pages in length but it seemed like there were holes in the story. There was a lot of detail about some things and others were glossed over. I’m assuming there was a settlement from someone about the crash but that was never mentioned. We didn’t have too many details about Nash which I see may be covered in his book.

Overall, I think this is a decent story. The angst was actually pretty low for the plot and things worked out both on the island and in other parts of the story pretty perfectly for the main characters. There was sadness, just not the all-consuming grief I was expecting at the beginning of the book.