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Ocean of Secrets
Andrew Elliot, the son of a Scottish nobleman, is being sent to America, accompanied by his fiancée and her brother. But Andrew’s engagement is not a love match. His family insists that he marries to “cure” him of his feelings for the son of the caretaker on his father’s estate.
Matthew Ahearn leaves Ireland to pursue his dream of becoming a Texas cowboy. In London, a brush with the law almost derails his plans, but Matthew perseveres and lands a job as a third-class steward on a ship bound for America.
Andrew’s and Matthew’s worlds collide as they—and their secrets—are brought together in the magic of an ocean voyage, one that will never be forgotten.
The year is 1912, and they are about to board RMS Titanic….
Matthew Ahearn leaves Ireland to pursue his dream of becoming a Texas cowboy. In London, a brush with the law almost derails his plans, but Matthew perseveres and lands a job as a third-class steward on a ship bound for America.
Andrew’s and Matthew’s worlds collide as they—and their secrets—are brought together in the magic of an ocean voyage, one that will never be forgotten.
The year is 1912, and they are about to board RMS Titanic….
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2016
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Sacher
13 books6 followersJerry Sacher was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, but he's always had a soft spot in his heart for San Francisco. He has been writing stories since he was able to put pen to paper, and he's come a long way since those stories about the Titanic. He currently lives in the Boystown area of Chicago in an apartment crammed with books.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 27, 2016
This was a boat wreck and I’m not talking about the Titanic.
I haven’t seen the Titanic movie. Ever. I can’t explain why, I guess because all that swooning and crying of my friends at school didn’t exactly invite me join to the gang. I guess because it’s so long that every time it was on TV I never arrived soon enough to watch it since the very beginning and simply gave up. I guess because I had more interesting movies to see.
So I don’t know if this is the gay version of Titanic. I’m sorry I cannot help here.
I’ve been to Southampton, though, and I was at the Titanic exhibition (where I of course played with the kids’ devices and touched every button available). I walked along the docks and ate fish&chips. So it’s not as if I were an ignorant.
I’m talking about the fish&chips. Obviously.
If I have to begin with something, I’d say insta-love is not my thing. But still, the problem here was more profound than that. The characters are bidimensional and their evolution is in fits and starts, if not totally absent. They both had affairs in the near past, then suddenly they leave or are forced to leave them, and they turn the page very easily at that! Ugh? Why? Weren’t they so comfortable, so invested, so in love? They overcome it with no effort and no second thoughts. Bombproof emotions, maybe? Or none at all?
There is no real depth in them, one second they are thinking about their future and the next they see a pair of green eyes and fall in love without even speaking with each other. And they basically don’t speak with each other, only daydream about how handsome that guy is and how is it possible that such a handsome man had looked at me twice! I’m so flattered!
But there is no chemistry, no thrill. I can compare them with bad actors who have forgotten the script.
There is a HEA but I wouldn’t have minded if there wasn’t one. Because I simply didn’t care for the characters. That is self-explanatory.
The MCs are apparently so different. Andrew in first class with his fiancée and her brother, Matthew working in third class in order to pay his trip towards his dream of becoming a Texan cowboy. Still, they are so full of emptiness they are automatic robots. There is no real life in them. No fire. Nada.
The chain of scenes is confusing. Their separate paths are a series of unfortunate events, some of them really serious, and still they seem unaffected. WTH? When they meet it keeps being that way. Andrew slips into the third class deck to be with Matthew, then he comes back to the first class quarters, then he changes his mind in the process before reaching his destination and talks to Matthew again, then he leaves until dinner, then he returns, then he goes to sleep, then he decides to go for a walk again. Every trip is so similar to the one before, and all the encounters are so alike I was never sure if Andrew ever left and did something apart from walking mindlessly back and forth. He was a yo-yo, no brain involved. Sometimes he reminded me of a stalker. He spends so much time with his changes of heart and walking that it was getting on my nerves. Above all because every conversation in between is so meaningless and nonsensical they don’t serve to develop their relationship further.
But what relationship, you moron?
They are infatuated with each other even before the relationship begins. They see each other casually, and they think, “you are so handsome I love you, I won’t leave you here because I love you, I only know you for 4 days but I want to be with you forever. Blablabla”.
The baddies are embarrassing. I have no idea how many “elbowings” and “grabbing arms” and “rubbing hands” there were but it’s irritating seeing how childish and obvious these characters were. It would take no effort to shrug them off, above all when everybody gets to see through them, their shady intentions and blatant lies. Yet they call the shots here. Bullshit! Claire, the fiancée, needs to be slapped on the face more than once. I volunteer. And William is the typical resentful man who wants the MC (Andrew) all for himself but when he refuses, he tries to hurt the MC’s loved one (Matthew) with his words or with his acts. It’s all so cartoonish I won’t even comment what I think of all of this.
The author even got confused with himself. In the beginning Andrew/Matthew think they haven’t had the chance to said to the other one they love him, but they indeed did! They said their words and then they forget they have said them. WTF? You only have to look for “love” in the kindle to find it.
Also, we are talking about 1912. The society has changed but not that much. Andrew says several times they are in the second decade of the twentieth century, as if that meant people are so open-minded they wouldn’t make him harm because of his homosexuality. WTH? Have you heard about what had happened to Oscar Wilde barely 10 years before? And maybe this is too soon for you, but Alan Turing in the 50s wasn’t so lucky, you know? It’s ridiculous how all the MCs who get in their paths are so respectful and accepting. There are only two characters that don’t accept this reality, and that’s Andrew’s father and uncle. The rest of the family is ok with it. All the celebrities and important personalities in the Titanic (the author demonstrated he had indeed made a great research showing off name after name after name) who discover the truth are ok with it. Their saviors are ok with it. Really! Everybody is so perfect and happy with it. It’s absurd! Everybody in the Titanic is so gay-friendly, I expected some mention of the rainbow flag dancing in the wind next to the Union Jack and the American one. I can’t even!
There are only a few things I consider positive from this book. One of them is the cover. Not the best, but it’s what drew my attention at first. The second one is that I learnt about the Titanic disaster in real motion, every chapter displaying the date and hour. The third aspect is that it’s easy to read. I guess. Or maybe having a 8-hour drive car round trip kind of helped for me to concentrate.
I’m not sure anymore.
*****
***Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***
I haven’t seen the Titanic movie. Ever. I can’t explain why, I guess because all that swooning and crying of my friends at school didn’t exactly invite me join to the gang. I guess because it’s so long that every time it was on TV I never arrived soon enough to watch it since the very beginning and simply gave up. I guess because I had more interesting movies to see.
So I don’t know if this is the gay version of Titanic. I’m sorry I cannot help here.
I’ve been to Southampton, though, and I was at the Titanic exhibition (where I of course played with the kids’ devices and touched every button available). I walked along the docks and ate fish&chips. So it’s not as if I were an ignorant.
I’m talking about the fish&chips. Obviously.
If I have to begin with something, I’d say insta-love is not my thing. But still, the problem here was more profound than that. The characters are bidimensional and their evolution is in fits and starts, if not totally absent. They both had affairs in the near past, then suddenly they leave or are forced to leave them, and they turn the page very easily at that! Ugh? Why? Weren’t they so comfortable, so invested, so in love? They overcome it with no effort and no second thoughts. Bombproof emotions, maybe? Or none at all?
There is no real depth in them, one second they are thinking about their future and the next they see a pair of green eyes and fall in love without even speaking with each other. And they basically don’t speak with each other, only daydream about how handsome that guy is and how is it possible that such a handsome man had looked at me twice! I’m so flattered!
But there is no chemistry, no thrill. I can compare them with bad actors who have forgotten the script.
There is a HEA but I wouldn’t have minded if there wasn’t one. Because I simply didn’t care for the characters. That is self-explanatory.
The MCs are apparently so different. Andrew in first class with his fiancée and her brother, Matthew working in third class in order to pay his trip towards his dream of becoming a Texan cowboy. Still, they are so full of emptiness they are automatic robots. There is no real life in them. No fire. Nada.
The chain of scenes is confusing. Their separate paths are a series of unfortunate events, some of them really serious, and still they seem unaffected. WTH? When they meet it keeps being that way. Andrew slips into the third class deck to be with Matthew, then he comes back to the first class quarters, then he changes his mind in the process before reaching his destination and talks to Matthew again, then he leaves until dinner, then he returns, then he goes to sleep, then he decides to go for a walk again. Every trip is so similar to the one before, and all the encounters are so alike I was never sure if Andrew ever left and did something apart from walking mindlessly back and forth. He was a yo-yo, no brain involved. Sometimes he reminded me of a stalker. He spends so much time with his changes of heart and walking that it was getting on my nerves. Above all because every conversation in between is so meaningless and nonsensical they don’t serve to develop their relationship further.
But what relationship, you moron?
They are infatuated with each other even before the relationship begins. They see each other casually, and they think, “you are so handsome I love you, I won’t leave you here because I love you, I only know you for 4 days but I want to be with you forever. Blablabla”.
The baddies are embarrassing. I have no idea how many “elbowings” and “grabbing arms” and “rubbing hands” there were but it’s irritating seeing how childish and obvious these characters were. It would take no effort to shrug them off, above all when everybody gets to see through them, their shady intentions and blatant lies. Yet they call the shots here. Bullshit! Claire, the fiancée, needs to be slapped on the face more than once. I volunteer. And William is the typical resentful man who wants the MC (Andrew) all for himself but when he refuses, he tries to hurt the MC’s loved one (Matthew) with his words or with his acts. It’s all so cartoonish I won’t even comment what I think of all of this.
The author even got confused with himself. In the beginning Andrew/Matthew think they haven’t had the chance to said to the other one they love him, but they indeed did! They said their words and then they forget they have said them. WTF? You only have to look for “love” in the kindle to find it.
Also, we are talking about 1912. The society has changed but not that much. Andrew says several times they are in the second decade of the twentieth century, as if that meant people are so open-minded they wouldn’t make him harm because of his homosexuality. WTH? Have you heard about what had happened to Oscar Wilde barely 10 years before? And maybe this is too soon for you, but Alan Turing in the 50s wasn’t so lucky, you know? It’s ridiculous how all the MCs who get in their paths are so respectful and accepting. There are only two characters that don’t accept this reality, and that’s Andrew’s father and uncle. The rest of the family is ok with it. All the celebrities and important personalities in the Titanic (the author demonstrated he had indeed made a great research showing off name after name after name) who discover the truth are ok with it. Their saviors are ok with it. Really! Everybody is so perfect and happy with it. It’s absurd! Everybody in the Titanic is so gay-friendly, I expected some mention of the rainbow flag dancing in the wind next to the Union Jack and the American one. I can’t even!
There are only a few things I consider positive from this book. One of them is the cover. Not the best, but it’s what drew my attention at first. The second one is that I learnt about the Titanic disaster in real motion, every chapter displaying the date and hour. The third aspect is that it’s easy to read. I guess. Or maybe having a 8-hour drive car round trip kind of helped for me to concentrate.
I’m not sure anymore.
*****
***Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***
November 19, 2016
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
In short this book is:
1. A combination of clichés - which are unnecessary
2. Has no chemistry between the MCs - like at all. I could have cared less if
3. I could not see the appeal of these characters, their "love" story or their apparent connection (there was none)
So, I do not recommend reading this book... Ever. However, because my review is of the ARC and maybe the author will take some of my criticism seriously and Idk do something about it... I stand by what I write for what I read at least.
ETA: My Review as I posted in on GBR - Enjoy my rant (though this is the longest review I have written, ever so you are warned)
ARC Review subdivided into the following sections:
1. What I think
2. Short summary
3. Suggestions to the author
The best thing about this book is the cover. Oh and the whole “I like men, it’s not as if it’s the end of the world mindset” Andrew has is admirable, I guess. This book’s one saving grace is that the MCs were not going through any particular identity crises. Though after going through the book, that might have made it at least interesting.
That’s it.
Let me start off by saying that since this book is about the Titanic the primary concern the reader faces is whether there is a HEA or not. There is one, the sad thing though? I couldn’t have cared less. That in itself is a huge problem. I tend to get attached to my characters. Since I have spent time, effort, emotion and eye rolls on them – I have the right to call them mine. I also love it when they end up happy, you know? Not dead is also good.
If you have not been living under a rock, it is very likely you’ve seen Titanic with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Hands up if that ending either pissed you off or scarred you? I fall somewhere in-between. So, while those two were having their ultimately doomed love story, it was an interesting premise to see what another couple on the boat were going through, namely Andrew and Matthew.
Their love story was tragic. But unlike Kate and Leo’s which brought tears to one’s eyes, this one was tragic in the sense that it gave me a headache. A headache thinking about all the things that bothered me about it that is.
To begin to describe how I felt while reading this would require me to think about what I read again, and I don’t particularly enjoy that prospect. This review has been rattling around in my brain for the past two days, ever since I finished it. Its inadequacies were highlighted by the other two ARCs I’ve been reading which are everything this book is not and I honestly just need to get it over with and be done with it.
Like the Titanic’s captain, I can more or less pinpoint the general area when the iceberg came into sight and this book, like the Titanic‘s, imminent demise.
There is no chemistry between the two MCs. Them being together does not make any sense.
Let me explain why exactly I think that.
Firstly, Andrew and Matthew have just left emotionally drenching relationships behind them. At the beginning of the book, Andrew is still in love with Robert! But, when he gets the ‘Congrats on the engagement bro’ letter, he doesn’t think twice on its authenticity? He then proceeds to fall into insta-love with Matthew. And at that point he doesn’t think twice about the inheritance not being worth it if you don’t have the one you love? Seriously? Very unrealistic. If the guy is brokenhearted there should be more hesitation when entering a new relationship. Same goes for Matthew. He left Daniel (WHY DID HE DO THAT? We have a general idea, maybe, but nothing concrete) and he then gets taken advantage of by Lord Carson (who should go die in a ditch somewhere) but we don’t see any of the emotional repercussions of that. I assume he’s just left an abusive relationship – but why is there no hesitancy falling for the next best eye candy he sees? WHY?
Ugh.
Secondly. At times I felt like I was reading a conversation that came right out of my high school English text books (it was my second language). If you happen to have ever taken a second or even a third language class you should be familiar with those text dialogues in the beginning of a new lesson/chapter.
Example:
“Hello Matthew. I had to see you.”
Matthew wished he could rush into Andrew’s arms. “I’m glad you came. I was afraid I could not see you.”
“Are you still on duty?” Andrew said.
“I’m on duty until midnight and then it starts all over again tomorrow morning,” Matthew said.
It might, of course, just be me, but this is just one instance where I thought seriously?
At times I actually felt second degree awkwardness. Not second degree embarrassment because that would imply the characters knew how awkward they were being when they interacted (their conversations). But, nope. That’s why… I came up with that word. It basically means that I felt awkward for them, because their exchanges were jus sad.
Thirdly: William and Claire. Ugh. They were horrible. William was the stereotypical villain – mustache, rubs his hands, has thinning hair, laughs evilly – ends up doing a monologue and like 99.9% of the time he was in the book I thought he was going to just say ‘Fuck it’ and take Andrew right then and there. Also, why didn’t the author describe him when we first meet him instead of when 60% of the book is already over? He was a grade A creep and gave bad vibes a mile off. I honestly felt Andrew should have been carrying a rape whistle or something like that.
I understand that the writer put himself in a tight spot by giving himself only 2-4 days for this “love”story but at the pace these two were going, it just did not work.
They had barely spoken (total 2 times, no longer than one minute conversations) and Andrew is apparently in love?!
Did they have built-in gaydar btw? Because, shouldn’t – historically speaking – they be way more wary of who they hit on because you could get thrown in jail or something. Seriously?
The worked in actual Titanic references made me roll my eyes, though they were accurate because the whole thinking the boat was unsinkable is the primary cause that tragic accident happened over a hundred years ago. But, seriously? Too many damn references. I was already annoyed with the characters and this just made me frown even harder.
The best written out scene is the Titanic sinking, because the author went into detail. The effect was promptly ruined by William – his monologue confession as to who he and Claire really are. Ugh.
ETA: the heat level? No. Just, no. Their first “peck” on the lips left them both breathless? Are you for real?
To pile on cliché after cliché – there were so many. Honestly, while reading this book – after the point they meet and how obvious the clear lack chemistry and their journey down “love” lane is, I kept checking the page number wondering when I’d be done, write my review and leave this behind me.
Maybe I’m being too critical, but on the other hand this book frustrated me to no end. You want my honest opinion? This book is by no means done yet and the author needs to work out a great number of kinks/flaws this book obviously has before he thinks about publishing it. The story has potential (a little), but there is so much left unsaid and much just not done right.
Looking back at the notes I made during my read these are the most frequent: a frown face emoji, whiplash and cliché. Words that sum up what I felt reading this book (the whiplash refers to their “conversations” because they were all over the place).
You might have gotten confused while reading this review as to how many things are wrong with this book. So, here is a short summary:
No chemistry – they move too fast.
There is no plot that I can discern as there are too many things going on at the same time.
William is just an added bad guy who detracts from the story, doesn’t add anything. There is already such a huge tragedy plot point going through the book, having William and Claire there as well does not work.
Suggestions for the author if he wants my advice:
Because the brother sister duo actually are more in the story than the two MCs together (it feels like it), how about losing them? The main problem is that I do not see the chemistry between Andrew and Matthew and this is simply because they don’t have enough time together to properly or at least believably fall in love. Both William and Claire detract MC together time, they’re added bonuses, there because a villain is needed? (but you don’t need one) They are walking talking clichés and you are better off without.
You introduce Andrew as being madly in love but all it takes is a hot guy to look at him twice and he’s over it? No! Give him time to heal.
You could work this in by first of all elongating the time that Andrew has to deal with his heartbreak. It’s two months in the story, make it a year – marry off Robert in that time so Andrew knows he should let it go. Make the parents more sneaky, rather than forcing Andrew to get over Robert they try to make him see that Robert is scum he shouldn’t think twice about. Because Andrew refuses to get married, make them think that all Andrew needs is a change of scenery, and if he happens to meet a suitable partner on the boat they want to send him on? Well, all the better. What this does is decrease the baggage that Andrew carries with him onto the boat, and there he meets Matthew. Ta da!
Of course these are just suggestions, and I don’t think they’ll be taken seriously, but still because this book isn’t published yet I wanted to put this out there and it is up to you to do with it what you will. What I basically suggested now is a rewrite, and my apologies for being so forward but I just needed to get this off my chest.
All in all, the book as it is now – I do not recommend reading it, at all. Of course, this is an ARC review and the author might have changed stuff by the time he decides to publish the book, but for what I read this stands.
In short this book is:
1. A combination of clichés - which are unnecessary
2. Has no chemistry between the MCs - like at all. I could have cared less if
3. I could not see the appeal of these characters, their "love" story or their apparent connection (there was none)
So, I do not recommend reading this book... Ever. However, because my review is of the ARC and maybe the author will take some of my criticism seriously and Idk do something about it... I stand by what I write for what I read at least.
ETA: My Review as I posted in on GBR - Enjoy my rant (though this is the longest review I have written, ever so you are warned)
ARC Review subdivided into the following sections:
1. What I think
2. Short summary
3. Suggestions to the author
The best thing about this book is the cover. Oh and the whole “I like men, it’s not as if it’s the end of the world mindset” Andrew has is admirable, I guess. This book’s one saving grace is that the MCs were not going through any particular identity crises. Though after going through the book, that might have made it at least interesting.
That’s it.
Let me start off by saying that since this book is about the Titanic the primary concern the reader faces is whether there is a HEA or not. There is one, the sad thing though? I couldn’t have cared less. That in itself is a huge problem. I tend to get attached to my characters. Since I have spent time, effort, emotion and eye rolls on them – I have the right to call them mine. I also love it when they end up happy, you know? Not dead is also good.
If you have not been living under a rock, it is very likely you’ve seen Titanic with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Hands up if that ending either pissed you off or scarred you? I fall somewhere in-between. So, while those two were having their ultimately doomed love story, it was an interesting premise to see what another couple on the boat were going through, namely Andrew and Matthew.
Their love story was tragic. But unlike Kate and Leo’s which brought tears to one’s eyes, this one was tragic in the sense that it gave me a headache. A headache thinking about all the things that bothered me about it that is.
To begin to describe how I felt while reading this would require me to think about what I read again, and I don’t particularly enjoy that prospect. This review has been rattling around in my brain for the past two days, ever since I finished it. Its inadequacies were highlighted by the other two ARCs I’ve been reading which are everything this book is not and I honestly just need to get it over with and be done with it.
Like the Titanic’s captain, I can more or less pinpoint the general area when the iceberg came into sight and this book, like the Titanic‘s, imminent demise.
There is no chemistry between the two MCs. Them being together does not make any sense.
Let me explain why exactly I think that.
Firstly, Andrew and Matthew have just left emotionally drenching relationships behind them. At the beginning of the book, Andrew is still in love with Robert! But, when he gets the ‘Congrats on the engagement bro’ letter, he doesn’t think twice on its authenticity? He then proceeds to fall into insta-love with Matthew. And at that point he doesn’t think twice about the inheritance not being worth it if you don’t have the one you love? Seriously? Very unrealistic. If the guy is brokenhearted there should be more hesitation when entering a new relationship. Same goes for Matthew. He left Daniel (WHY DID HE DO THAT? We have a general idea, maybe, but nothing concrete) and he then gets taken advantage of by Lord Carson (who should go die in a ditch somewhere) but we don’t see any of the emotional repercussions of that. I assume he’s just left an abusive relationship – but why is there no hesitancy falling for the next best eye candy he sees? WHY?
Ugh.
Secondly. At times I felt like I was reading a conversation that came right out of my high school English text books (it was my second language). If you happen to have ever taken a second or even a third language class you should be familiar with those text dialogues in the beginning of a new lesson/chapter.
Example:
“Hello Matthew. I had to see you.”
Matthew wished he could rush into Andrew’s arms. “I’m glad you came. I was afraid I could not see you.”
“Are you still on duty?” Andrew said.
“I’m on duty until midnight and then it starts all over again tomorrow morning,” Matthew said.
It might, of course, just be me, but this is just one instance where I thought seriously?
At times I actually felt second degree awkwardness. Not second degree embarrassment because that would imply the characters knew how awkward they were being when they interacted (their conversations). But, nope. That’s why… I came up with that word. It basically means that I felt awkward for them, because their exchanges were jus sad.
Thirdly: William and Claire. Ugh. They were horrible. William was the stereotypical villain – mustache, rubs his hands, has thinning hair, laughs evilly – ends up doing a monologue and like 99.9% of the time he was in the book I thought he was going to just say ‘Fuck it’ and take Andrew right then and there. Also, why didn’t the author describe him when we first meet him instead of when 60% of the book is already over? He was a grade A creep and gave bad vibes a mile off. I honestly felt Andrew should have been carrying a rape whistle or something like that.
I understand that the writer put himself in a tight spot by giving himself only 2-4 days for this “love”story but at the pace these two were going, it just did not work.
They had barely spoken (total 2 times, no longer than one minute conversations) and Andrew is apparently in love?!
Did they have built-in gaydar btw? Because, shouldn’t – historically speaking – they be way more wary of who they hit on because you could get thrown in jail or something. Seriously?
The worked in actual Titanic references made me roll my eyes, though they were accurate because the whole thinking the boat was unsinkable is the primary cause that tragic accident happened over a hundred years ago. But, seriously? Too many damn references. I was already annoyed with the characters and this just made me frown even harder.
The best written out scene is the Titanic sinking, because the author went into detail. The effect was promptly ruined by William – his monologue confession as to who he and Claire really are. Ugh.
ETA: the heat level? No. Just, no. Their first “peck” on the lips left them both breathless? Are you for real?
To pile on cliché after cliché – there were so many. Honestly, while reading this book – after the point they meet and how obvious the clear lack chemistry and their journey down “love” lane is, I kept checking the page number wondering when I’d be done, write my review and leave this behind me.
Maybe I’m being too critical, but on the other hand this book frustrated me to no end. You want my honest opinion? This book is by no means done yet and the author needs to work out a great number of kinks/flaws this book obviously has before he thinks about publishing it. The story has potential (a little), but there is so much left unsaid and much just not done right.
Looking back at the notes I made during my read these are the most frequent: a frown face emoji, whiplash and cliché. Words that sum up what I felt reading this book (the whiplash refers to their “conversations” because they were all over the place).
You might have gotten confused while reading this review as to how many things are wrong with this book. So, here is a short summary:
No chemistry – they move too fast.
There is no plot that I can discern as there are too many things going on at the same time.
William is just an added bad guy who detracts from the story, doesn’t add anything. There is already such a huge tragedy plot point going through the book, having William and Claire there as well does not work.
Suggestions for the author if he wants my advice:
Because the brother sister duo actually are more in the story than the two MCs together (it feels like it), how about losing them? The main problem is that I do not see the chemistry between Andrew and Matthew and this is simply because they don’t have enough time together to properly or at least believably fall in love. Both William and Claire detract MC together time, they’re added bonuses, there because a villain is needed? (but you don’t need one) They are walking talking clichés and you are better off without.
You introduce Andrew as being madly in love but all it takes is a hot guy to look at him twice and he’s over it? No! Give him time to heal.
You could work this in by first of all elongating the time that Andrew has to deal with his heartbreak. It’s two months in the story, make it a year – marry off Robert in that time so Andrew knows he should let it go. Make the parents more sneaky, rather than forcing Andrew to get over Robert they try to make him see that Robert is scum he shouldn’t think twice about. Because Andrew refuses to get married, make them think that all Andrew needs is a change of scenery, and if he happens to meet a suitable partner on the boat they want to send him on? Well, all the better. What this does is decrease the baggage that Andrew carries with him onto the boat, and there he meets Matthew. Ta da!
Of course these are just suggestions, and I don’t think they’ll be taken seriously, but still because this book isn’t published yet I wanted to put this out there and it is up to you to do with it what you will. What I basically suggested now is a rewrite, and my apologies for being so forward but I just needed to get this off my chest.
All in all, the book as it is now – I do not recommend reading it, at all. Of course, this is an ARC review and the author might have changed stuff by the time he decides to publish the book, but for what I read this stands.
March 12, 2017
As I read "Ocean of Secrets" I could feel Jerry Sacher's love for the Titanic story. He very briefly introduces us to the principals involved in the tragedy - Bruce Ismay, John Jacob Astor, the "unsinkable" Molly (Margaret) Brown, Captain Smith, Thomas Andrews, Archibald Butt, Francis Millet and many more - as well as describing life aboard the Titanic and the sinking in heartbreaking detail.
But in between the huge cast of characters and the well-known tragedy, Andrew and Matthew's love story comes in a distant second. Part of this is due to the short time frame Sacher is working with (4-1/2 days from the Titanic departing Southhampton on April 10th and sinking 2:20 a.m. April 15th) so Andrew and Matthew meet briefly and fall into insta-love which leaves little time for a relationship to develop. There is very little chemistry between the two and all sex scenes are off-page. Also the pacing of the book is very slow at times, with Andrew writing (and tearing up) letters numerous times, dining, walking the ship decks, Matthew serving passengers, ad nauseum. And the difference in Andrew's first class passenger status and Matthew being a steward in third class steerage, with the restriction of not mixing with the guests, leaves a lot of time to fill until the early morning hours of April 15, 1912.
Without going into too much detail, many plot elements felt contrived and sometimes unbelievable, for example But the ending ties everything together (albeit a bit too perfectly), and being a full-on history geek, I enjoyed the book in regards to the details about the Titanic but felt the love relationship lacking and the plot too awkward.
I received a galley copy from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review. Review also at GayBook Reviews. Check it out!
May 4, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
2 stars
I jumped at the chance to read Ocean of Secrets, because in my heart I’m still an eight-year old girl fascinated and horrified by the ill-fated maiden voyage of the luxury liner Titanic. Unfortunately, Ocean of Secrets failed to capture my interest or to fully develop any of its storylines. I give the author credit for using the Titanic as an intriguing backdrop for the story, but the main narrative simply wasn’t strong enough to develop any real momentum. Additionally, there were parts Ocean of Secrets that seemed reminiscent of scenes in James Cameron’s Titanic, which I found rather frustrating because the novel failed to develop an original voice.
Matthew and Andrew make a rather sweet couple even if they do suffer from an obnoxious case of insta-love. They are rather flat as individual characters, but they have a comfortable rapport that works despite their lack of fully formed personas. While their devotion to one another is somewhat unrealistic given the rapid development of their relationship, once they’re together they develop a sweetness that is endearing. Neither character goes through much development. Instead they seem to exist in the moment, which I found worked given the nature of the disaster building around them. The plot moves fairly quickly and evenly, but the author never really incorporates the Titanic as a character and I felt this was a real opportunity missed. Information about the ship is dropped into the action almost as an after thought, but we never get a sense of the opulence, the arrogance, or the terror surrounding the fateful night of April 14.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
2 stars
I jumped at the chance to read Ocean of Secrets, because in my heart I’m still an eight-year old girl fascinated and horrified by the ill-fated maiden voyage of the luxury liner Titanic. Unfortunately, Ocean of Secrets failed to capture my interest or to fully develop any of its storylines. I give the author credit for using the Titanic as an intriguing backdrop for the story, but the main narrative simply wasn’t strong enough to develop any real momentum. Additionally, there were parts Ocean of Secrets that seemed reminiscent of scenes in James Cameron’s Titanic, which I found rather frustrating because the novel failed to develop an original voice.
Matthew and Andrew make a rather sweet couple even if they do suffer from an obnoxious case of insta-love. They are rather flat as individual characters, but they have a comfortable rapport that works despite their lack of fully formed personas. While their devotion to one another is somewhat unrealistic given the rapid development of their relationship, once they’re together they develop a sweetness that is endearing. Neither character goes through much development. Instead they seem to exist in the moment, which I found worked given the nature of the disaster building around them. The plot moves fairly quickly and evenly, but the author never really incorporates the Titanic as a character and I felt this was a real opportunity missed. Information about the ship is dropped into the action almost as an after thought, but we never get a sense of the opulence, the arrogance, or the terror surrounding the fateful night of April 14.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
April 30, 2016
A ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Review. This review can also be found here.
2.5 Stars
Andrew Elliot finds himself caught in an unwilling engagement which is bound to get him trapped in a disappointing marriage.
Mathew Ahearn, lost after his parents’ deaths, finds himself desperate for a new start in his life.
These two men from very different strata of society find themselves together on a journey from Southampton to New York aboard the RMS Titanic.
The blurb of this book is what really had me interested in this story. Because once you reveal that the MCs are aboard the Titanic there is just something tragic that attaches itself to the storyline. As it happens I am writing this review on the 15th of April 2016 which happens to be the day that the Titanic sank into the Atlantic Ocean a hundred and four years ago.
This book had a certain novelty attached to it seeing as this is the first story I have ever read about the Titanic which is kind of what drove me to start and finish reading this story. But it should also tell you something else and i.e. the fact that the Titanic is the hero of this story. Because almost all the things I liked about this book are somehow related to the Titanic. Also more than following the journey of the characters we are also following the journey of this ship right from where it was created in Belfast, Ireland to its maiden voyage from Southampton which it never got to complete.
The plot and writing in this book are not very nuanced. Things are pretty plain from the starting; nothing really catches you with surprise. I guessed all the turning points of this book before they happened, which on one hand means that the events of this story lend themselves to future events but on the other hand with things being so forthright it is hard to find the story very interesting.
Andrew was quite irritating probably because all the time he spent on the Titanic not in company of Mathew he was either trying to get away from his current engagement or was being reprimanded to pay attention on the now and here seeing as he was so lost in his thoughts. Which yeah is okay the first few times but by the tenth time you start wondering if the guy ever really pays attention. Also his storyline was a little too transparent from the beginning.
Mathew is a twenty year old lad who finds himself in a difficult position but he just wants to get away and start a new life far away from everything he has ever known. Mathew’s story was actually interesting but his story pretty much wraps up in the first few chapters and later on the plot focuses more on Andrew. Personally I would have liked to have read more about Mathew’s time as a steward aboard the Titanic.
Overall what really lets this story down is the fact that the love story between these two characters is a little too unbelievable. I mean if they had probably spent a little more time together before they were professing their love for each other, it would have made their love a lot more believable. The plausibility of their love story is a bit hard to swallow literally because these two go from catching glimpses of each other to talking for 2-3 minutes at a time to making love and this all happens in the span of 5 days.
Also another thing I found a bit unbelievable was the number of people who were okay with Andrew’s homosexuality, I mean personally I would have expected more caution and disgust if just for appearance sake back in the 1912.
I guess if I had to summarize I would say the Titanic is the clear hero of the story and dominates the story line. Everything else feels and probably is secondary to the legend that is the Titanic. Personally as a love story this book sorely lacked development even though I liked how the story ended.
Cover Art by Bree Archer. I loved the cover of this book, it is really pretty.
2.5 Stars
Andrew Elliot finds himself caught in an unwilling engagement which is bound to get him trapped in a disappointing marriage.
Mathew Ahearn, lost after his parents’ deaths, finds himself desperate for a new start in his life.
These two men from very different strata of society find themselves together on a journey from Southampton to New York aboard the RMS Titanic.
The blurb of this book is what really had me interested in this story. Because once you reveal that the MCs are aboard the Titanic there is just something tragic that attaches itself to the storyline. As it happens I am writing this review on the 15th of April 2016 which happens to be the day that the Titanic sank into the Atlantic Ocean a hundred and four years ago.
This book had a certain novelty attached to it seeing as this is the first story I have ever read about the Titanic which is kind of what drove me to start and finish reading this story. But it should also tell you something else and i.e. the fact that the Titanic is the hero of this story. Because almost all the things I liked about this book are somehow related to the Titanic. Also more than following the journey of the characters we are also following the journey of this ship right from where it was created in Belfast, Ireland to its maiden voyage from Southampton which it never got to complete.
The plot and writing in this book are not very nuanced. Things are pretty plain from the starting; nothing really catches you with surprise. I guessed all the turning points of this book before they happened, which on one hand means that the events of this story lend themselves to future events but on the other hand with things being so forthright it is hard to find the story very interesting.
Andrew was quite irritating probably because all the time he spent on the Titanic not in company of Mathew he was either trying to get away from his current engagement or was being reprimanded to pay attention on the now and here seeing as he was so lost in his thoughts. Which yeah is okay the first few times but by the tenth time you start wondering if the guy ever really pays attention. Also his storyline was a little too transparent from the beginning.
Mathew is a twenty year old lad who finds himself in a difficult position but he just wants to get away and start a new life far away from everything he has ever known. Mathew’s story was actually interesting but his story pretty much wraps up in the first few chapters and later on the plot focuses more on Andrew. Personally I would have liked to have read more about Mathew’s time as a steward aboard the Titanic.
Overall what really lets this story down is the fact that the love story between these two characters is a little too unbelievable. I mean if they had probably spent a little more time together before they were professing their love for each other, it would have made their love a lot more believable. The plausibility of their love story is a bit hard to swallow literally because these two go from catching glimpses of each other to talking for 2-3 minutes at a time to making love and this all happens in the span of 5 days.
Also another thing I found a bit unbelievable was the number of people who were okay with Andrew’s homosexuality, I mean personally I would have expected more caution and disgust if just for appearance sake back in the 1912.
I guess if I had to summarize I would say the Titanic is the clear hero of the story and dominates the story line. Everything else feels and probably is secondary to the legend that is the Titanic. Personally as a love story this book sorely lacked development even though I liked how the story ended.
Cover Art by Bree Archer. I loved the cover of this book, it is really pretty.
April 30, 2016
Book – Ocean of Secrets
Author – Jerry Sacher
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 200
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, past tense, dual POV (with about one page of 3rd person, multi)
Would I read it again – Definitely!
Genre – Historical, LGBT, Romance
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
Wow! What can I say?
I've always had an interest in the Titanic. I've watched the movie (hating the historical inaccuracies), read the non-fiction books and watched the documentaries, so I had high expectations for this story. It's the first time I've ever been tempted to read a fictional account.
It didn't disappoint.
Yes, there are some plot similarities to the movie. Let me just get that out the way up front; an illicit love affair between upper and lower class, an upper class MC having to rescue the lower class as the ship is sinking. BUT – the similarities end there. The detail and level of sensory historical accuracy – down to every minor detail that may be important – was unparallelled.
I LOVED that Molly Brown made an appearance. (If you're not familiar with the name – in the book as Margaret Brown – then check out The Unsinkable Molly Brown movie, with Debbie Reynolds)
For me, the book was perfect. From the poignant and stirring Prologue, to the touching Epilogue that nearly had me in tears, it was a first class historical romance, with accuracy that even Hollywood didn't attain.
Not only covering the Titanic voyage and, of course, the sinking, I loved that we got a before and after for both main characters. It was important to see what brought Andrew and Matthew to the Titanic and why; to see what happened after the sinking and into the future. The story very skillfully covers the most important aspects of Titanic's history – from building, first voyage, sinking and rescue, right up to the inquest and after events.
As for the characters, I quickly fell in love with Andrew and Matthew. They were wonderful, well rounded characters, with enough history and back story slipped into conversations and some short descriptions that I got a real feel for who they were.
I loved the other passengers – Tom, Frank Millet, William Stead and Mr Gracie.
I hated Claire and William with a passion! And, although I guessed at the truth about them, I loved the way it was handled and revealed, a little at a time, letting us work it out on our own.
Andrew's mum and aunt were amazing. To be so supportive of him, at that time, just showed how much they loved him.
When it comes to the sinking, we get a very short deviation from the dual POV, to see how other characters are dealing with the events. There's about a page or two of 3-4 lines about how other people experience the sinking, which is a really good way to show the way different classes and different areas of the ship deals with the event.
In terms of heat, there's some incredible chemistry between Andrew and Matthew. Though everything happens very quickly, you can see what draws them to each other and why they feel the way they do. They've both come through unfulfilling relationships to get to each other, so I really like how it was handled. But, the explicit stuff is confined. For most of the book, their encounters are fade to black, until much later in the book than I expected. However, this really worked for me. It worked for the times, the situation and the characters.
Overall, a stunning presentation of a realistic snapshot into history. I believed every minute and would love to think there was a real Andrew and Matthew out there somewhere.
~
Favourite Quote
““Will I ever be able to forget, or will April 15 be a part of me forever?””
Author – Jerry Sacher
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 200
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, past tense, dual POV (with about one page of 3rd person, multi)
Would I read it again – Definitely!
Genre – Historical, LGBT, Romance
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
Wow! What can I say?
I've always had an interest in the Titanic. I've watched the movie (hating the historical inaccuracies), read the non-fiction books and watched the documentaries, so I had high expectations for this story. It's the first time I've ever been tempted to read a fictional account.
It didn't disappoint.
Yes, there are some plot similarities to the movie. Let me just get that out the way up front; an illicit love affair between upper and lower class, an upper class MC having to rescue the lower class as the ship is sinking. BUT – the similarities end there. The detail and level of sensory historical accuracy – down to every minor detail that may be important – was unparallelled.
I LOVED that Molly Brown made an appearance. (If you're not familiar with the name – in the book as Margaret Brown – then check out The Unsinkable Molly Brown movie, with Debbie Reynolds)
For me, the book was perfect. From the poignant and stirring Prologue, to the touching Epilogue that nearly had me in tears, it was a first class historical romance, with accuracy that even Hollywood didn't attain.
Not only covering the Titanic voyage and, of course, the sinking, I loved that we got a before and after for both main characters. It was important to see what brought Andrew and Matthew to the Titanic and why; to see what happened after the sinking and into the future. The story very skillfully covers the most important aspects of Titanic's history – from building, first voyage, sinking and rescue, right up to the inquest and after events.
As for the characters, I quickly fell in love with Andrew and Matthew. They were wonderful, well rounded characters, with enough history and back story slipped into conversations and some short descriptions that I got a real feel for who they were.
I loved the other passengers – Tom, Frank Millet, William Stead and Mr Gracie.
I hated Claire and William with a passion! And, although I guessed at the truth about them, I loved the way it was handled and revealed, a little at a time, letting us work it out on our own.
Andrew's mum and aunt were amazing. To be so supportive of him, at that time, just showed how much they loved him.
When it comes to the sinking, we get a very short deviation from the dual POV, to see how other characters are dealing with the events. There's about a page or two of 3-4 lines about how other people experience the sinking, which is a really good way to show the way different classes and different areas of the ship deals with the event.
In terms of heat, there's some incredible chemistry between Andrew and Matthew. Though everything happens very quickly, you can see what draws them to each other and why they feel the way they do. They've both come through unfulfilling relationships to get to each other, so I really like how it was handled. But, the explicit stuff is confined. For most of the book, their encounters are fade to black, until much later in the book than I expected. However, this really worked for me. It worked for the times, the situation and the characters.
Overall, a stunning presentation of a realistic snapshot into history. I believed every minute and would love to think there was a real Andrew and Matthew out there somewhere.
~
Favourite Quote
““Will I ever be able to forget, or will April 15 be a part of me forever?””
June 23, 2016
Review can be read at It's About The Book
2.5 stars
Being a huge fan of historical fiction, I was excited to read this story which features the Titanic tragedy as a background. While the beginning chapters of the story held promise, I found a lack of plausibility to many of the elements as the story unfolded.
The first few chapters presented interesting background pertaining to the two main characters, Andrew and Matthew. Born an Edinburgh nobleman, Andrew Elliot was set to enjoy a fine life and lucrative inheritance – until he was caught kissing Robert, a servant’s son. Matthew Ahearn led a lackluster life in Belfast — he dreamed of America, cowboys and moving pictures. I immediately had issues with the two similar names: Matthew and Andrew. I needed to remind myself who was who throughout the first half of the story.
Andrew’s father knew of his son’s dalliance with Robert and decided the best thing for it was an arranged marriage. If Andrew fought it he’d lose his inheritance. Exactly why the father felt it necessary to book Andrew, his arranged fiancé Claire, and her brother William on an ocean voyage was never clear to me. The three ended up booked first class on the doomed Titanic. Claire and William were obviously shifty and of dubious peerage, so I was keeping an eye on them and rightly so. Matthew had a tougher time making it shipboard. Part of his road involved being taken advantage of sexually by someone of a higher station. This incident was something that would come back to haunt him.
The historic elements of the story were fascinating and heartbreaking, and came across as well researched. The author had Andrew and his fiancé socializing with many of the big names on board, such as Francis Millet, Molly Brown, John Jacob Astor and Captain Smith. The reader was regaled with many facts about the ship, as well as the character’s reactions to its splendor. I found this detail overbearing after a while. It started reading as if the story was being dropped into a history lesson, rather than the history providing a backdrop for the story.
Matthew and Andrew met by chance the first night of the voyage and we are told they felt mutual attraction. Given the time frame of when the Titanic sank, this gave them four days to fall for one another. I don’t have an issue with love at first sight — the problem here for me was I felt zero chemistry between the two of them. None. Add to that the fact that Matthew had been traumatized to a degree shortly before the voyage, and Andrew had supposedly been pining for Robert. I just wasn’t feeling their supposed attraction. The near complete lack of on- page sex contributed to the lack of chemistry. Perhaps more insight into what happened during the moments the men were able to steal alone together would have better established a connection. The author devised a clever way for such liaisons to occur, which I felt went wasted as far as relationship building is concerned. In public the men lacked a sense of wariness regarding flirting with one another. Both men were proud, and accepted their orientation, which was refreshing, but in a day and age when such action could get one put in prison, this had me raising my brows.
Of course the men survive the fate of the Titanic, withstanding many freezing, fraught and despondent hours. They also survive the scheming of Claire and William, Matthew’s past, and Andrew’s family. It all wrapped up too conveniently for me.
The bones are here for an intriguing and colorful story. The lack of romantic connection between the main characters, combined with an unsettling lack of plausibility in so many elements, prevented me from becoming invested.
2.5 stars
Being a huge fan of historical fiction, I was excited to read this story which features the Titanic tragedy as a background. While the beginning chapters of the story held promise, I found a lack of plausibility to many of the elements as the story unfolded.
The first few chapters presented interesting background pertaining to the two main characters, Andrew and Matthew. Born an Edinburgh nobleman, Andrew Elliot was set to enjoy a fine life and lucrative inheritance – until he was caught kissing Robert, a servant’s son. Matthew Ahearn led a lackluster life in Belfast — he dreamed of America, cowboys and moving pictures. I immediately had issues with the two similar names: Matthew and Andrew. I needed to remind myself who was who throughout the first half of the story.
Andrew’s father knew of his son’s dalliance with Robert and decided the best thing for it was an arranged marriage. If Andrew fought it he’d lose his inheritance. Exactly why the father felt it necessary to book Andrew, his arranged fiancé Claire, and her brother William on an ocean voyage was never clear to me. The three ended up booked first class on the doomed Titanic. Claire and William were obviously shifty and of dubious peerage, so I was keeping an eye on them and rightly so. Matthew had a tougher time making it shipboard. Part of his road involved being taken advantage of sexually by someone of a higher station. This incident was something that would come back to haunt him.
The historic elements of the story were fascinating and heartbreaking, and came across as well researched. The author had Andrew and his fiancé socializing with many of the big names on board, such as Francis Millet, Molly Brown, John Jacob Astor and Captain Smith. The reader was regaled with many facts about the ship, as well as the character’s reactions to its splendor. I found this detail overbearing after a while. It started reading as if the story was being dropped into a history lesson, rather than the history providing a backdrop for the story.
Matthew and Andrew met by chance the first night of the voyage and we are told they felt mutual attraction. Given the time frame of when the Titanic sank, this gave them four days to fall for one another. I don’t have an issue with love at first sight — the problem here for me was I felt zero chemistry between the two of them. None. Add to that the fact that Matthew had been traumatized to a degree shortly before the voyage, and Andrew had supposedly been pining for Robert. I just wasn’t feeling their supposed attraction. The near complete lack of on- page sex contributed to the lack of chemistry. Perhaps more insight into what happened during the moments the men were able to steal alone together would have better established a connection. The author devised a clever way for such liaisons to occur, which I felt went wasted as far as relationship building is concerned. In public the men lacked a sense of wariness regarding flirting with one another. Both men were proud, and accepted their orientation, which was refreshing, but in a day and age when such action could get one put in prison, this had me raising my brows.
Of course the men survive the fate of the Titanic, withstanding many freezing, fraught and despondent hours. They also survive the scheming of Claire and William, Matthew’s past, and Andrew’s family. It all wrapped up too conveniently for me.
The bones are here for an intriguing and colorful story. The lack of romantic connection between the main characters, combined with an unsettling lack of plausibility in so many elements, prevented me from becoming invested.
April 29, 2016
(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews with a copy provided by the publisher / author for an honest review.)
I’m not sure how to review this one. I’ll start by saying that it read well, kept my attention, and I flew through it this morning. It is the first work I’ve read by this author but I grabbed the book as soon as I saw it, because honestly, I’ve been fascinated by the Titanic since I read “A Night To Remember” when I was a teenager. But I had a few issues…
Let me summarize the story, and see if you guess what I’m going to say at the end. Andrew Elliott was caught kissing a man on the family’s estate in Scotland. Before he knew it, he was home with his parents, engaged to a convenient female visitor, and along with her and her odd brother, he is to be sent off to America until the scandal dies down.
Matthew Ahern is a young man from Ireland, who has fallen on hard times. All he wants to do is to get a job on the new ship, Titanic, and get transportation to America, where he dreams of being a rancher.
Over the course of the voyage, the two men meet and share their secrets. It is difficult because Andrew is a First Class passenger, and Matthew is a steward in Third Class. Then we get to the “iceberg, dead ahead” point of the familiar story.
Overall, I would say that I liked the story. It started out with the main characters buildup background stories in the beginning and wrapped up with an acceptable ending. But here goes…there were quite a few issues that I had with the center of the book. Amongst other things which I won’t go into because I don’t want to do direct spoilers…we have a First Class passenger, a Third Class steward (instead of passenger), an unwanted fianceé, a bad guy with a gun (tied to the fianceé), Captain Smith admitting to a character that there is only less than an hour until the ship sinks, Mr. Andrews standing by the fireplace, the characters running through flooding halls to try to escape the sinking ship, and finally a character ending up on the RMS Carpathia in a borrowed coat with a name and photograph in the pocket (instead of a jewel). Do you see where I’m going here? In my opinion, if you took the James Cameron movie, stuck it in a blender, poured it out, changed the leads to a same sex couple and changed the ending, you would get this book.
Does that make it a bad thing? No. Like I said I enjoyed reading it. Based on the writing, I’m going to say the book would fall into our “Good/Average” category, but in addition, I’m adding in a sharp roll of my eyes at the similarities…
I’m not sure how to review this one. I’ll start by saying that it read well, kept my attention, and I flew through it this morning. It is the first work I’ve read by this author but I grabbed the book as soon as I saw it, because honestly, I’ve been fascinated by the Titanic since I read “A Night To Remember” when I was a teenager. But I had a few issues…
Let me summarize the story, and see if you guess what I’m going to say at the end. Andrew Elliott was caught kissing a man on the family’s estate in Scotland. Before he knew it, he was home with his parents, engaged to a convenient female visitor, and along with her and her odd brother, he is to be sent off to America until the scandal dies down.
Matthew Ahern is a young man from Ireland, who has fallen on hard times. All he wants to do is to get a job on the new ship, Titanic, and get transportation to America, where he dreams of being a rancher.
Over the course of the voyage, the two men meet and share their secrets. It is difficult because Andrew is a First Class passenger, and Matthew is a steward in Third Class. Then we get to the “iceberg, dead ahead” point of the familiar story.
Overall, I would say that I liked the story. It started out with the main characters buildup background stories in the beginning and wrapped up with an acceptable ending. But here goes…there were quite a few issues that I had with the center of the book. Amongst other things which I won’t go into because I don’t want to do direct spoilers…we have a First Class passenger, a Third Class steward (instead of passenger), an unwanted fianceé, a bad guy with a gun (tied to the fianceé), Captain Smith admitting to a character that there is only less than an hour until the ship sinks, Mr. Andrews standing by the fireplace, the characters running through flooding halls to try to escape the sinking ship, and finally a character ending up on the RMS Carpathia in a borrowed coat with a name and photograph in the pocket (instead of a jewel). Do you see where I’m going here? In my opinion, if you took the James Cameron movie, stuck it in a blender, poured it out, changed the leads to a same sex couple and changed the ending, you would get this book.
Does that make it a bad thing? No. Like I said I enjoyed reading it. Based on the writing, I’m going to say the book would fall into our “Good/Average” category, but in addition, I’m adding in a sharp roll of my eyes at the similarities…
May 1, 2016
After he's caught in a compromising position with the caretaker's son, Andrew Elliot finds himself boxed into a corner. His father will not stand for that kind of relationship for his son. So Andrew finds himself engaged to a woman he barely knows. And he's about to set sail to America with his fiancée and her brother--who makes Andrew uncomfortable. Andrew isn't exactly resigned to his fate, but he sees no way out. He hopes if he goes along with his father's wishes to a point, he can make him see reason. And maybe he'll learn more about his betrothed on their trip, which might provide him the ticket to break this match.
Matthew Ahearn has always dreamed of being a cowboy in Texas. It's a bit of a pipe dream for a lower class Irishman. But that doesn't have to stop him from pursuing it. And if he can get a job on a ship sailing to America, he'll be halfway there. A brief run-in with the law in London on his way to set sail isn't enough to hold him back. He's on the ship as he intended, and he's leaving his past behind him.
These two men come from different worlds. But there's something they have in common that might have the power to bring them together. If they happen to run into each other on the maiden voyage for the RMS Titanic, that is...
I know I've shared in my reviews before that I am a fan of historical fiction. And I really enjoy well-written historical m/m because I feel like it allows us to get a glimpse of stories that have been lost. The real stories weren't written down because most of them existed in the shadows. And the stories we do have are mostly extrapolations from euphemisms. So a nice m/m spin on a major historical event like this definitely appeals to me.
The cast of characters here is pretty great. There's a richness to their histories and personalities that really comes through. And the author's inclusion of real passengers alongside the fictional characters helps bring the story to life. It also shows an attention to detail and level of research that is appreciated when one takes on such an iconic moment in history.
To me, this was an excellent twist on the historical romances I typically read from this period. There were many layers to sort through beyond just the "it's not okay to be gay so I either have to hide it or be miserable" idea. And at the same time it acknowledges the tragedy of the Titanic and the lessons we learned (and can continue to learn) from what happened on that fateful night.
Matthew Ahearn has always dreamed of being a cowboy in Texas. It's a bit of a pipe dream for a lower class Irishman. But that doesn't have to stop him from pursuing it. And if he can get a job on a ship sailing to America, he'll be halfway there. A brief run-in with the law in London on his way to set sail isn't enough to hold him back. He's on the ship as he intended, and he's leaving his past behind him.
These two men come from different worlds. But there's something they have in common that might have the power to bring them together. If they happen to run into each other on the maiden voyage for the RMS Titanic, that is...
I know I've shared in my reviews before that I am a fan of historical fiction. And I really enjoy well-written historical m/m because I feel like it allows us to get a glimpse of stories that have been lost. The real stories weren't written down because most of them existed in the shadows. And the stories we do have are mostly extrapolations from euphemisms. So a nice m/m spin on a major historical event like this definitely appeals to me.
The cast of characters here is pretty great. There's a richness to their histories and personalities that really comes through. And the author's inclusion of real passengers alongside the fictional characters helps bring the story to life. It also shows an attention to detail and level of research that is appreciated when one takes on such an iconic moment in history.
To me, this was an excellent twist on the historical romances I typically read from this period. There were many layers to sort through beyond just the "it's not okay to be gay so I either have to hide it or be miserable" idea. And at the same time it acknowledges the tragedy of the Titanic and the lessons we learned (and can continue to learn) from what happened on that fateful night.
April 29, 2016
Every once in a while you read a blurb and get so excited because the plot is brilliant..such was the case with this book. Well I am happy to report that the book lived up to my expectations and then some!
Andrew is a sweet soul who feels stifled and unhappy because he is being forced into a marriage he doesn't want by his father. As if that isn't bad enough, Andrew has doubts about his fiance and her brother before they even begin their trip on the Titanic, and as time passes the doubts deepen.
Matthew is trying to better his life and boards the Titanic as a steward, but he gets much more than he bargains for when he meets the beautiful, classy man who seems to want to get to know him.
The sparks between these two are insane, and the chemistry electric, but can these two navigate a romance with so many things working against them, not the least of which is the looming disaster that no one can even fathom?
This book is amazing! There are so many surprises and oh my goodness moments that you will be riveted from cover to cover! Thanks Jerry, for making the first book I read of yours so great I know it won't be my last!
Andrew is a sweet soul who feels stifled and unhappy because he is being forced into a marriage he doesn't want by his father. As if that isn't bad enough, Andrew has doubts about his fiance and her brother before they even begin their trip on the Titanic, and as time passes the doubts deepen.
Matthew is trying to better his life and boards the Titanic as a steward, but he gets much more than he bargains for when he meets the beautiful, classy man who seems to want to get to know him.
The sparks between these two are insane, and the chemistry electric, but can these two navigate a romance with so many things working against them, not the least of which is the looming disaster that no one can even fathom?
This book is amazing! There are so many surprises and oh my goodness moments that you will be riveted from cover to cover! Thanks Jerry, for making the first book I read of yours so great I know it won't be my last!
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