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Porthkennack #3
Broke Deep
A standalone contemporary novel in the Porthkennack universe
Morgan Capell’s life is falling apart by small degrees—his father’s dead, his boyfriend dumped him, and his mother’s in the grip of dementia. His state of mind isn’t helped by his all-too-real recurring nightmare of the wreck of the Troilus, a two-hundred-year-old ship he’s been dreaming about since his teenage years.
The story of the Troilus is interwoven with the Capell family history. When amateur historian Dominic Watson inveigles himself into seeing the ship’s timbers which make up part of Morgan’s home, they form a tentative but prickly friendship that keeps threatening to spark into something more romantic.
Unexpectedly, Dominic discovers that one of the Troilus’s midshipman was rescued but subsequently might have been murdered, and persuades Morgan to help him establish the truth. But the more they dig, the more vivid Morgan’s nightmares become, until he’s convinced he’s showing the first signs of dementia. It takes as much patience as Dominic possesses—and a fortuitous discovery in a loft—to bring light out of the darkness.
* * * * * * *
Word 65,900; page 249
Morgan Capell’s life is falling apart by small degrees—his father’s dead, his boyfriend dumped him, and his mother’s in the grip of dementia. His state of mind isn’t helped by his all-too-real recurring nightmare of the wreck of the Troilus, a two-hundred-year-old ship he’s been dreaming about since his teenage years.
The story of the Troilus is interwoven with the Capell family history. When amateur historian Dominic Watson inveigles himself into seeing the ship’s timbers which make up part of Morgan’s home, they form a tentative but prickly friendship that keeps threatening to spark into something more romantic.
Unexpectedly, Dominic discovers that one of the Troilus’s midshipman was rescued but subsequently might have been murdered, and persuades Morgan to help him establish the truth. But the more they dig, the more vivid Morgan’s nightmares become, until he’s convinced he’s showing the first signs of dementia. It takes as much patience as Dominic possesses—and a fortuitous discovery in a loft—to bring light out of the darkness.
* * * * * * *
Word 65,900; page 249
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2017
16 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Charlie Cochrane
86 books373 followersBecause Charlie Cochrane couldn't be trusted to do any of her jobs of choice—like managing a rugby team—she writes. Her mystery novels include the Edwardian era Cambridge Fellows series, series, and the contemporary Best Corpse for the Job. Multi-published, she has titles with Carina, Samhain, Riptide and Bold Strokes, among others.
A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Mystery People and International Thriller Writers Inc, Charlie regularly appears at literary festivals and at reader and author conferences with The Deadly Dames.
A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Mystery People and International Thriller Writers Inc, Charlie regularly appears at literary festivals and at reader and author conferences with The Deadly Dames.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
February 20, 2019
2 Stars
I’m not quite sure what to say about this book.
Basically, main character Morgan, helps out this guy Dominic, who has a huge interest in the history surrounding the tragic shipwreck of the Troilus. Apparently, Dominic’s ancestor was the ship’s captain, and he wants to prove that said captain did not murder one of his crew who was rumored to be his illegitimate son. It just so happens that the ship’s wooden remnants makes up Morgan’s family home, and thus that presents the impetus on how these two meet.
Throw in Morgan having recurrent vivid nightmares about that tragic night and his growing fear that he’s going crazy, and I couldn’t decide whether this was some paranormal story about to happen or the most boring discovery about this fictional town’s past.
Make sense? Yeah, I didn't think so.
It didn't help that neither character drew me in as there was not one iota of chemistry to be found. Morgan was basically a snappish asshole the entire book, where Dominic ceaselessly apologized for everything he did or didn't do.
So, I didn’t hate this story, but I basically wasted six or so hours of my life for a not-romance and a mystery that ultimately left me disinterested.
I’m not quite sure what to say about this book.
Basically, main character Morgan, helps out this guy Dominic, who has a huge interest in the history surrounding the tragic shipwreck of the Troilus. Apparently, Dominic’s ancestor was the ship’s captain, and he wants to prove that said captain did not murder one of his crew who was rumored to be his illegitimate son. It just so happens that the ship’s wooden remnants makes up Morgan’s family home, and thus that presents the impetus on how these two meet.
Throw in Morgan having recurrent vivid nightmares about that tragic night and his growing fear that he’s going crazy, and I couldn’t decide whether this was some paranormal story about to happen or the most boring discovery about this fictional town’s past.
Make sense? Yeah, I didn't think so.
It didn't help that neither character drew me in as there was not one iota of chemistry to be found. Morgan was basically a snappish asshole the entire book, where Dominic ceaselessly apologized for everything he did or didn't do.
So, I didn’t hate this story, but I basically wasted six or so hours of my life for a not-romance and a mystery that ultimately left me disinterested.
February 24, 2019
2.5 Stars
I love the idea behind this series, with a group of M/M authors each writing (mostly) standalone stories, both historical and contemporary in genre, all set in the fictional Cornish seaside town of Porthkennack.
Even though these stories can be read as standalones, I’ve been doing my best to read them in chronological order of release, so this was my third story of series so far. I absolutely adored books one and two, written by J.L. Merrow and Joanna Chambers, respectively, but unfortunately, that same level of wonder and enjoyment was not experienced this time around.
Charlie Cochrane is a completely new-to-me author so I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in. Much like with my previous experiences with these Porthkennack stories, Broke Deep certainly conveyed a strong sense of person and place, truly capturing what I imagine is a true-to-life representation of a Cornish town and its people.
I’m not going to waste time regurgitating the plot; I’ll simply say I wasn’t as engaged by this story as I hoped to be. The characters came across as extremely bland and the romance shared between the two MCs, Morgan and Dominic, was practically non-existent as far as I was concerned. Usually I can look past limited relationship growth (or even just character connection) in my romance reading as long as some other story element holds me captivated, but, unfortunately, even the “mystery” plot, which revolved around the sinking of a centuries old ship and its doomed sailors, was not at all appealing to me here.
At the core of it, this story was well-written, especially in terms of technical writing quality and how well Cochrane captured the atmosphere of the setting and the people. Both of these things hold great value for me as a reader, but the fact that I was essentially bored from start to finish, never growing to care for the characters, their romance, or the historical mystery they were exploring, tells me this was not the book for me.
I still plan to read all the books in this series, so Cochrane and I aren’t finished yet! I’ll definitely be keeping an open mind going forward and hopefully this was just a one-off flat experience for me where both this author and this series is concerned.
I love the idea behind this series, with a group of M/M authors each writing (mostly) standalone stories, both historical and contemporary in genre, all set in the fictional Cornish seaside town of Porthkennack.
Even though these stories can be read as standalones, I’ve been doing my best to read them in chronological order of release, so this was my third story of series so far. I absolutely adored books one and two, written by J.L. Merrow and Joanna Chambers, respectively, but unfortunately, that same level of wonder and enjoyment was not experienced this time around.
Charlie Cochrane is a completely new-to-me author so I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in. Much like with my previous experiences with these Porthkennack stories, Broke Deep certainly conveyed a strong sense of person and place, truly capturing what I imagine is a true-to-life representation of a Cornish town and its people.
I’m not going to waste time regurgitating the plot; I’ll simply say I wasn’t as engaged by this story as I hoped to be. The characters came across as extremely bland and the romance shared between the two MCs, Morgan and Dominic, was practically non-existent as far as I was concerned. Usually I can look past limited relationship growth (or even just character connection) in my romance reading as long as some other story element holds me captivated, but, unfortunately, even the “mystery” plot, which revolved around the sinking of a centuries old ship and its doomed sailors, was not at all appealing to me here.
At the core of it, this story was well-written, especially in terms of technical writing quality and how well Cochrane captured the atmosphere of the setting and the people. Both of these things hold great value for me as a reader, but the fact that I was essentially bored from start to finish, never growing to care for the characters, their romance, or the historical mystery they were exploring, tells me this was not the book for me.
I still plan to read all the books in this series, so Cochrane and I aren’t finished yet! I’ll definitely be keeping an open mind going forward and hopefully this was just a one-off flat experience for me where both this author and this series is concerned.
January 4, 2018
Broke Deep (a Porthkennack book)
Charlie Cochrane
Riptide Publishing, 2017
Four stars
I’m really getting very fond of Cornwall. Between Harper Fox’s Tyack and Frayne series and these Porthkennack books by various authors, I almost feel I know the place. Charlie Cochrane is also a longtime favorite author of mine, and she brings her own inestimable charm to this fictional town on the Cornish coast.
Although set in the present, the theme is the past and its mysterious influence on old families. Specifically, a late-18th-century shipwreck, which has been the subject of local lore and obsession since the Troilus was dashed against the jagged rocks of the Devil’s Anvil. Morgan Capell, a native Porthkennacker, is reeling from his father’s untimely death, his mother’s early descent into dementia, and a cowardly kiss-off letter from his longtime boyfriend. He meets Dominic Watson, a London accountant with childhood memories of Porthkennack. But more significantly, Dominic is descended from the captain of the doomed Troilus, and has learned that some of its timbers were used to build the Capell family house two centuries ago.
Morgan spends his days as a website designer, consciously avoiding any thoughts of the Troilus, haunted since his teen years by a horrifically realistic dream about the wreck. Dominic, on the other hand, tries to bring some variety and color into his humdrum city life by hunting down clues to the truth about the Troilus, and about a young sailor who might or might not have survived its confrontation with the Devil’s Anvil.
Dominic is lonely; Morgan is afraid. Together they find out not only the truth, but the possibility of something more for the both of them.
Charlie Cochrane is a low-key writer; her work is all about the everyday intimacies that make life pleasant. One of her great gifts is to be able to talk a good bit about the physical side of romance without any actual on-page sex. It is masterful, and sexy, and for all its quiet discretion, “Broke Deep” is intensely romantic, affirming love’s essential power to heal.
Charlie Cochrane
Riptide Publishing, 2017
Four stars
I’m really getting very fond of Cornwall. Between Harper Fox’s Tyack and Frayne series and these Porthkennack books by various authors, I almost feel I know the place. Charlie Cochrane is also a longtime favorite author of mine, and she brings her own inestimable charm to this fictional town on the Cornish coast.
Although set in the present, the theme is the past and its mysterious influence on old families. Specifically, a late-18th-century shipwreck, which has been the subject of local lore and obsession since the Troilus was dashed against the jagged rocks of the Devil’s Anvil. Morgan Capell, a native Porthkennacker, is reeling from his father’s untimely death, his mother’s early descent into dementia, and a cowardly kiss-off letter from his longtime boyfriend. He meets Dominic Watson, a London accountant with childhood memories of Porthkennack. But more significantly, Dominic is descended from the captain of the doomed Troilus, and has learned that some of its timbers were used to build the Capell family house two centuries ago.
Morgan spends his days as a website designer, consciously avoiding any thoughts of the Troilus, haunted since his teen years by a horrifically realistic dream about the wreck. Dominic, on the other hand, tries to bring some variety and color into his humdrum city life by hunting down clues to the truth about the Troilus, and about a young sailor who might or might not have survived its confrontation with the Devil’s Anvil.
Dominic is lonely; Morgan is afraid. Together they find out not only the truth, but the possibility of something more for the both of them.
Charlie Cochrane is a low-key writer; her work is all about the everyday intimacies that make life pleasant. One of her great gifts is to be able to talk a good bit about the physical side of romance without any actual on-page sex. It is masterful, and sexy, and for all its quiet discretion, “Broke Deep” is intensely romantic, affirming love’s essential power to heal.
August 14, 2022
This was an odd one. I'm not sure it quite made its mind up about what sort of story it was telling with a kind of mystery, kind of suspense, kind of ghostly vibe muddled together.
The problem was none of the threads was really strong enough to hold the narrative up and the romance part was okay but with the kind of 'passing references' to them having sex that isn't quite fade to black or closed door but just turns into disappointment.
I've said it before but I think FTB or closed door romances make a story less impactful. Without the intimacy and trust that comes with letting yourself be vulnerable with a lover, the stakes never seen as high.
With this, I'd have had no problems if Dominic never came back to Morgan because the latter was a complete arse at times throughout the book!
Still, it wasn't all bad, I liked the historic element of the shipwreck and the local connections to it and I liked the friendship Morgan and Dominic grew between them.
The problem was none of the threads was really strong enough to hold the narrative up and the romance part was okay but with the kind of 'passing references' to them having sex that isn't quite fade to black or closed door but just turns into disappointment.
I've said it before but I think FTB or closed door romances make a story less impactful. Without the intimacy and trust that comes with letting yourself be vulnerable with a lover, the stakes never seen as high.
With this, I'd have had no problems if Dominic never came back to Morgan because the latter was a complete arse at times throughout the book!
Still, it wasn't all bad, I liked the historic element of the shipwreck and the local connections to it and I liked the friendship Morgan and Dominic grew between them.
May 6, 2022
DNF @32%
Not particularly captivated by the plot which is just a bit strange, and there's absolutely no chemistry at all between the main characters. Morgan is, frankly, a massive wanker, which is impressive considering his is the only POV we get, and I still find him incredibly annoying and a total dick.
Not particularly captivated by the plot which is just a bit strange, and there's absolutely no chemistry at all between the main characters. Morgan is, frankly, a massive wanker, which is impressive considering his is the only POV we get, and I still find him incredibly annoying and a total dick.
July 6, 2017
Wanting to know more about the deadly crash that wrecked the Troilus several hundred years ago and (supposedly) killed all hands aboard, Dominic Watson gets a hold of Morgan Capell whose family has connections back to when the nautical disaster happened. Even some of the timber from the doomed ship was used to help frame the old Capell house. Dominic, having heard from Morgan’s ex about the connection, asks to come down to Porthkennack and perhaps have a look around to see if there might be clues about what befell a particular member of the shipwrecked crew. Morgan, having just found out that his boyfriend was actually now his ex, is less than cordial; but he then tells Dominic that if he can convince Morgan that he isn’t just some tourist with a camera trying to barge into his house for no reason, then he’ll think about helping Dominic out. Dominic takes up his challenge and convinces the man to let him take a few pictures of the relics left in Morgan’s family’s possession. As the days go by, though, the men start to see that there is perhaps more to the story than they have been told, and more in each other than meets the eye.
I have really liked the previous two books in this series. I was excited for this one, what with the whole mystery and ghostly suspicions–which I think was a nice link (if a very small one) to the previous book. However, when I got down into this story I was left disappointed and confused.
Despite my best efforts to get into this story and interested in these characters, I just couldn’t. There was nothing about them that stood out, nothing about this story that sparked interest. The chemistry between these two was non-existent. Had they not said on page that they felt attracted to each other, I would have never known. There is nothing here that says “I’m falling in love.” Hell, there is nothing here that says “I’m falling in like.” They are just two guys, who happen to be gay, so I guess they should be together now. For..reasons? There was certainly enough there that I could see maybe the possibility (in another universe, perhaps) that they would fall in love. But here? I honestly couldn’t tell if it mattered to them that they were in the same room. When they were separated I couldn’t really feel any loss, and when they were together I never once felt like they wanted it to stay that way. And I’m not really even talking about the fact that the sex in this book is mostly fade-to-black, because those are actually my preferred kind of stories. But my gods when I read a romance novel I do actually expect there will be some kind of romance in it.
The mystery was hardly any better. Mystery…hah! I can’t say for one moment that I cared about whether we found out if this sailor lived, died, or was abducted by aliens before the ship wrecked. The book never really gives us a reason to care about the mystery either. Dominic wants to know…because he is curious. Morgan wants to know…because he had a nightmare as a kid? (More on that in a bit). Not one life will change if they get an answer. Not a one. Why on earth would I care then what happens? So…I didn’t. Which is good because (spoiler!) we don’t actually find out any answers to anything in this story. I actually had to go back and reread the last 10 pages of this story to make sure I didn’t actually skim over the resolution of this mystery that was apparently the driving force for the whole book. But, no. All we got was a “I guess we will never find out the truth” half attempt at wrapping everything up. Which…what the fuck? Granted, I didn’t care what the answer was, but I would have liked to think that the author did…or else why the hell did this book have to exist in the first place?
And on the note about Morgan’s nightmares. Let’s just say that this is the part of the book that held the most potential to draw me in. Morgan’s mom has either Dementia or Alzheimer’s (I can’t remember which), and when Morgan finds a link between his mom and himself he starts to worry about if he might be losing his mind as well. Great. I like where this is going…except it all hinges on the fact that Morgan had a few nightmares about the ship crashing when he was a kid. Which…kids have nightmares about all kinds of shit. I had and still have a recurring nightmare about being stuck in Jurassic Park and being chased down by a group of Velociraptors. That does not mean I am going crazy. That means I watched that movie too many freaking times growing up. I don’t know a whole lot about Dementia and Alzheimer’s, but I am willing to bet that the first sign of those diseases are not childhood nightmares. Or even nightmares when you are an adult. This part of the story came across as so ludicrous that it ruined any attempt by the book to have me worry and/or care about Morgan.
When I finished this story I can’t say that I was angry or upset about how things concluded. Mostly because by the time I got to the end I was just unsure why this book had to exist in the first place. It was boring and bland and didn’t even seem to make attempts at correcting either of those. If you read this, are you going to want to throw your kindle thru the window? No. But you might find yourself, the day after finishing it, completely forgetting any and everything about it.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I have really liked the previous two books in this series. I was excited for this one, what with the whole mystery and ghostly suspicions–which I think was a nice link (if a very small one) to the previous book. However, when I got down into this story I was left disappointed and confused.
Despite my best efforts to get into this story and interested in these characters, I just couldn’t. There was nothing about them that stood out, nothing about this story that sparked interest. The chemistry between these two was non-existent. Had they not said on page that they felt attracted to each other, I would have never known. There is nothing here that says “I’m falling in love.” Hell, there is nothing here that says “I’m falling in like.” They are just two guys, who happen to be gay, so I guess they should be together now. For..reasons? There was certainly enough there that I could see maybe the possibility (in another universe, perhaps) that they would fall in love. But here? I honestly couldn’t tell if it mattered to them that they were in the same room. When they were separated I couldn’t really feel any loss, and when they were together I never once felt like they wanted it to stay that way. And I’m not really even talking about the fact that the sex in this book is mostly fade-to-black, because those are actually my preferred kind of stories. But my gods when I read a romance novel I do actually expect there will be some kind of romance in it.
The mystery was hardly any better. Mystery…hah! I can’t say for one moment that I cared about whether we found out if this sailor lived, died, or was abducted by aliens before the ship wrecked. The book never really gives us a reason to care about the mystery either. Dominic wants to know…because he is curious. Morgan wants to know…because he had a nightmare as a kid? (More on that in a bit). Not one life will change if they get an answer. Not a one. Why on earth would I care then what happens? So…I didn’t. Which is good because (spoiler!) we don’t actually find out any answers to anything in this story. I actually had to go back and reread the last 10 pages of this story to make sure I didn’t actually skim over the resolution of this mystery that was apparently the driving force for the whole book. But, no. All we got was a “I guess we will never find out the truth” half attempt at wrapping everything up. Which…what the fuck? Granted, I didn’t care what the answer was, but I would have liked to think that the author did…or else why the hell did this book have to exist in the first place?
And on the note about Morgan’s nightmares. Let’s just say that this is the part of the book that held the most potential to draw me in. Morgan’s mom has either Dementia or Alzheimer’s (I can’t remember which), and when Morgan finds a link between his mom and himself he starts to worry about if he might be losing his mind as well. Great. I like where this is going…except it all hinges on the fact that Morgan had a few nightmares about the ship crashing when he was a kid. Which…kids have nightmares about all kinds of shit. I had and still have a recurring nightmare about being stuck in Jurassic Park and being chased down by a group of Velociraptors. That does not mean I am going crazy. That means I watched that movie too many freaking times growing up. I don’t know a whole lot about Dementia and Alzheimer’s, but I am willing to bet that the first sign of those diseases are not childhood nightmares. Or even nightmares when you are an adult. This part of the story came across as so ludicrous that it ruined any attempt by the book to have me worry and/or care about Morgan.
When I finished this story I can’t say that I was angry or upset about how things concluded. Mostly because by the time I got to the end I was just unsure why this book had to exist in the first place. It was boring and bland and didn’t even seem to make attempts at correcting either of those. If you read this, are you going to want to throw your kindle thru the window? No. But you might find yourself, the day after finishing it, completely forgetting any and everything about it.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
April 10, 2018
First of all, I would not classify this book as a romance. I feel is more like a mystery novel with the extra romance between the two main characters.
The characters are pretty good, their romance is far more REAL than my usual "hallmark sugary" readings. They can tell when something is not as good, they don´t speak about insta attraction (thanks) and say loud when love is not the solution for some problems. But is not harsh saying it. They built a domestic enviroment during the book that make me end totally invested in this relationship.
The plot, the mystery, starts when Dominic contact Morgan asking to see his house. There is the mark of the Troilus ship and Dominic is behind a clue to clean the name of one of his ancestors, the ship's Capitan. So they visit diferent places and people around Porthkennack to achieve his hunt. Morgan starts to feel interested in the matter too when some present and past issues come back and interfere !
The characters are pretty good, their romance is far more REAL than my usual "hallmark sugary" readings. They can tell when something is not as good, they don´t speak about insta attraction (thanks) and say loud when love is not the solution for some problems. But is not harsh saying it. They built a domestic enviroment during the book that make me end totally invested in this relationship.
The plot, the mystery, starts when Dominic contact Morgan asking to see his house. There is the mark of the Troilus ship and Dominic is behind a clue to clean the name of one of his ancestors, the ship's Capitan. So they visit diferent places and people around Porthkennack to achieve his hunt. Morgan starts to feel interested in the matter too when some present and past issues come back and interfere !
June 7, 2017
I loved the first two installments in the Porthkennack series, and I had high hopes for Broke Deep, especially since the premise sounded so fascinating - I'm a history student so the aspect of researching local and family history and shipwrecks was really something I looked forward to read about. However, Broke Deep didn't meet my expectations and I had hard time connecting with the characters, and overall I was quite disappointed with the story.
To me, the story and its characters felt quite one dimensional as there wasn't much to hold onto or to identify with. The beginning of the book was promising: there was some strong feelings as Morgan had just been dumped by his insensitive ex-boyfriend while he was still dealing with his mother's early dementia, and Dominic seemed really enthusiastic about the research of the shipwreck. However, from then on it was a downhill for me, because the ship and plot surrounding it got lost among the all the long heart to heart talks. And despite all those long conversations between Morgan and Dominic, the reader don't learn anything new about the characters, their past and aspirations beyond what the first chapters told. For example, Dominic's career choice was mentioned once and there wasn't really anything about his family or living situation, other than he was mainly living in London. All of that made the characters bland and they just lacked any personalities. Most prominent characteristic that Morgan had was that he was really selfish most of the time, and Dominic was way too forgiving. I just couldn't connect with either of the characters and it all just felt so bland, especially since even the romance lacked a lot of any sort of heat.
Broke Deep just didn't seem to go anywhere, and all the major things were left unsolved: the budding relationship, the shipwreck, Morgan's fears of dementia. There were also plenty of telling but not really showing how the characters felt. The story had a lot of potential because the premise was very interesting and even the beginning of the story had potential to be as good as the previous books in the series. In the end it just didn't work for me because by the end I just didn't care about the characters or the plot.
If you're into long heart to heart conversations and romance that's slow burn and doesn't really have any steamy scenes and you find the premise interesting, then Broke Deep might be for you. I just didn't click with the story. However, I can wholeheartedly recommend the two previous books (Wake Up Call and A Gathering Storm) in Porthkennack series.
(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)
To me, the story and its characters felt quite one dimensional as there wasn't much to hold onto or to identify with. The beginning of the book was promising: there was some strong feelings as Morgan had just been dumped by his insensitive ex-boyfriend while he was still dealing with his mother's early dementia, and Dominic seemed really enthusiastic about the research of the shipwreck. However, from then on it was a downhill for me, because the ship and plot surrounding it got lost among the all the long heart to heart talks. And despite all those long conversations between Morgan and Dominic, the reader don't learn anything new about the characters, their past and aspirations beyond what the first chapters told. For example, Dominic's career choice was mentioned once and there wasn't really anything about his family or living situation, other than he was mainly living in London. All of that made the characters bland and they just lacked any personalities. Most prominent characteristic that Morgan had was that he was really selfish most of the time, and Dominic was way too forgiving. I just couldn't connect with either of the characters and it all just felt so bland, especially since even the romance lacked a lot of any sort of heat.
Broke Deep just didn't seem to go anywhere, and all the major things were left unsolved: the budding relationship, the shipwreck, Morgan's fears of dementia. There were also plenty of telling but not really showing how the characters felt. The story had a lot of potential because the premise was very interesting and even the beginning of the story had potential to be as good as the previous books in the series. In the end it just didn't work for me because by the end I just didn't care about the characters or the plot.
If you're into long heart to heart conversations and romance that's slow burn and doesn't really have any steamy scenes and you find the premise interesting, then Broke Deep might be for you. I just didn't click with the story. However, I can wholeheartedly recommend the two previous books (Wake Up Call and A Gathering Storm) in Porthkennack series.
(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)
June 18, 2017
ARC provided by the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an impartial review.
I’ve been following this series to date and I was hoping for a really interesting paranormal story based on the blurb, or at least a good ghost story to chase away the chill on a stormy night, but this one fell short. Other readers may love it, but it just wasn’t my cuppa. I found the romance to be lukewarm at best, and in fact, at times I wasn’t even sure it was a romance. Just a little light sex between two older blokes who put their books down long enough to hop in bed together. What they do there remains a mystery since the sex wasn’t explicit. Normally, I don’t care about that, but I just felt that there was no excitement to either character, individually or as a couple, so I was hoping for a spark to be revealed in the bedroom.
Morgan Capell has been having vivid nightmares since his childhood about the Troilus, a ship that wrecked offshore from his quaint family home many generations ago. Some of the timbers from the original ship are support beams in his house and stories of the wreck have been handed down for generations, but he doesn’t understand why his dreams are so vivid. And now, after breaking up with his long-time boyfriend, the dreams are back in force. Add to that, his worries over his mother who has developed early onset dementia and the troubling issues are too much for him some days.
When he’s contacted by a man interested in learning more about the wreck and in seeing the timbers for himself, he’s not sure he should get involved, but eventually he decides it will be okay. Dominic has an interest in more than the beams though. He’s convinced one of the midshipmen escaped the wreck and washed ashore, only to be killed later by a scorned lover. Morgan agrees to help him investigate and the two develop a romance after a while—though neither admits it’s a real romance, and at times, it seemed as if it wasn’t. But they persevere in their investigations of the lost sailor and eventually the mystery is solved.
As I said earlier, this one is fairly mild and the mystery is not such a mystery after all. The romance turns out to be one of those slow-burn, you-fit-me-like-an-old-shoe sort of relationship, but the story is pretty long and by that point I really didn’t much care. This is not one I would recommend. It certainly can be read as a standalone as others in the series can be, so skipping this one won’t spoil the series since the only thing the stories have in common is the location.
I’ve been following this series to date and I was hoping for a really interesting paranormal story based on the blurb, or at least a good ghost story to chase away the chill on a stormy night, but this one fell short. Other readers may love it, but it just wasn’t my cuppa. I found the romance to be lukewarm at best, and in fact, at times I wasn’t even sure it was a romance. Just a little light sex between two older blokes who put their books down long enough to hop in bed together. What they do there remains a mystery since the sex wasn’t explicit. Normally, I don’t care about that, but I just felt that there was no excitement to either character, individually or as a couple, so I was hoping for a spark to be revealed in the bedroom.
Morgan Capell has been having vivid nightmares since his childhood about the Troilus, a ship that wrecked offshore from his quaint family home many generations ago. Some of the timbers from the original ship are support beams in his house and stories of the wreck have been handed down for generations, but he doesn’t understand why his dreams are so vivid. And now, after breaking up with his long-time boyfriend, the dreams are back in force. Add to that, his worries over his mother who has developed early onset dementia and the troubling issues are too much for him some days.
When he’s contacted by a man interested in learning more about the wreck and in seeing the timbers for himself, he’s not sure he should get involved, but eventually he decides it will be okay. Dominic has an interest in more than the beams though. He’s convinced one of the midshipmen escaped the wreck and washed ashore, only to be killed later by a scorned lover. Morgan agrees to help him investigate and the two develop a romance after a while—though neither admits it’s a real romance, and at times, it seemed as if it wasn’t. But they persevere in their investigations of the lost sailor and eventually the mystery is solved.
As I said earlier, this one is fairly mild and the mystery is not such a mystery after all. The romance turns out to be one of those slow-burn, you-fit-me-like-an-old-shoe sort of relationship, but the story is pretty long and by that point I really didn’t much care. This is not one I would recommend. It certainly can be read as a standalone as others in the series can be, so skipping this one won’t spoil the series since the only thing the stories have in common is the location.
November 5, 2017
Morgan is a quiet man who has recently broken up with his boyfriend James. Morgan is dealing with a number of life pressures and difficulties. His father passed away and his mother now has Alzheimer's and he has put her in a care home. He feels lonely and a bit lost. He is also haunted by troubling dreams about the wreck of the Troilus which was a ship which ran aground during a storm two hundred years ago.
Dominic Watson is researching local history and is keen to look at the beams in Morgan's house which are actually from the Troilus. When Morgan meets Dominic he decides to help him and allow him access to his home so that Dominic can do his research.
As the two men get to know each other Morgan is able to share with Dominic about his mother's dementia and about the ship that keeps haunting his dreams. Morgan finds that the pressures he is facing have made it difficult for him to form friendships or relationships. He is caught between his loss and the unwelcome developments in his life and whether he can rise above these difficulties and step into something new.
I initially thought this would be a ghost story of some kind and I was a bit disappointed to find out that it wasn't. Morgan was a difficult character to get into. He just had too much sadness and fear in his life and I was hoping that this would all build up to solving the mystery of the wreck and what happened. The guys end up together and Morgan seems to find answers to his fears about his health. I was left with questions about the ship, survivors and Mary. The writing is good but the story isn't what I was expecting.
Copy provided by Riptide Publications via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Dominic Watson is researching local history and is keen to look at the beams in Morgan's house which are actually from the Troilus. When Morgan meets Dominic he decides to help him and allow him access to his home so that Dominic can do his research.
As the two men get to know each other Morgan is able to share with Dominic about his mother's dementia and about the ship that keeps haunting his dreams. Morgan finds that the pressures he is facing have made it difficult for him to form friendships or relationships. He is caught between his loss and the unwelcome developments in his life and whether he can rise above these difficulties and step into something new.
I initially thought this would be a ghost story of some kind and I was a bit disappointed to find out that it wasn't. Morgan was a difficult character to get into. He just had too much sadness and fear in his life and I was hoping that this would all build up to solving the mystery of the wreck and what happened. The guys end up together and Morgan seems to find answers to his fears about his health. I was left with questions about the ship, survivors and Mary. The writing is good but the story isn't what I was expecting.
Copy provided by Riptide Publications via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
June 8, 2017
3.5 stars
This is the third book set in the fictional Cornish town of Porthkennack but can be read as a stand alone.
Morgan is not having a good time of it - his dad died not too long ago, his mum's dementia has meant her moving to a nursing home, and he has just received a "Dear John" letter from his partner... the day he opens the letter though, he gets a phone call from a stranger wanting to come and look at the timbers in his cottage - which come from the wreck of a ship that went down off the Devils Anvil about 200 years before. Morgan isn't keen to have Dominic come to his house but Dominic is persistent and soon arrives. Dominic is investigating the same shipwreck, and particularly what happened to one man from the ship - particularly whether he was murdered before it sailed, died in the wreck or survived.
There is a slow building relationship between the two while they investigate and the whole story is told at a gentle pace. I was really enjoying it... but then it ended... and I just didn't feel like it was fully explored. I am not sure why, I think I was expecting more - a family connection maybe for either of the two men, rather than the damp squib explanation.
I really like this authors writing but just felt the story was a little under developed.
This is the third book set in the fictional Cornish town of Porthkennack but can be read as a stand alone.
Morgan is not having a good time of it - his dad died not too long ago, his mum's dementia has meant her moving to a nursing home, and he has just received a "Dear John" letter from his partner... the day he opens the letter though, he gets a phone call from a stranger wanting to come and look at the timbers in his cottage - which come from the wreck of a ship that went down off the Devils Anvil about 200 years before. Morgan isn't keen to have Dominic come to his house but Dominic is persistent and soon arrives. Dominic is investigating the same shipwreck, and particularly what happened to one man from the ship - particularly whether he was murdered before it sailed, died in the wreck or survived.
There is a slow building relationship between the two while they investigate and the whole story is told at a gentle pace. I was really enjoying it... but then it ended... and I just didn't feel like it was fully explored. I am not sure why, I think I was expecting more - a family connection maybe for either of the two men, rather than the damp squib explanation.
I really like this authors writing but just felt the story was a little under developed.
June 4, 2017
Picked this up because I greatly enjoyed the other books in the Porthkennack series, but this one turned out to be a disappointment.
The book felt like 90% dialogue, which made it an exhausting read. Perhaps this style of writing works for other people, it didn't work for me. There was hardly any action, all the characters did was talk. They went to a restaurant to talk, they went to the beach to talk, they went to the pub to talk, and then home to talk some more.
I couldn't connect with the characters, they seemed to lack personalities. Despite the endless conversations I learned very little about them.
The plot about the nightmares was confusing. The plot about the shipwreck and researching the local history was interesting but sadly not very detailed.
The book felt like 90% dialogue, which made it an exhausting read. Perhaps this style of writing works for other people, it didn't work for me. There was hardly any action, all the characters did was talk. They went to a restaurant to talk, they went to the beach to talk, they went to the pub to talk, and then home to talk some more.
I couldn't connect with the characters, they seemed to lack personalities. Despite the endless conversations I learned very little about them.
The plot about the nightmares was confusing. The plot about the shipwreck and researching the local history was interesting but sadly not very detailed.
June 8, 2017
I just couldn't connect to either one of these MCs, but especially Morgan. Numerous times throughout the book I wondered why Dominic even stuck around. Morgan was rude, and his anger would come out of nowhere. How Dominic put up with that, I don't know. On top of that , the chemistry between them seemed flat to me.
One thing I did think was done well was the turmoil family members of dementia patients go through. Having to see the personality changes and the memory losses causes a toll on family, and Morgan's reaction to all of this was realistic to me.
One thing I did think was done well was the turmoil family members of dementia patients go through. Having to see the personality changes and the memory losses causes a toll on family, and Morgan's reaction to all of this was realistic to me.
dnf
June 6, 2017DNF at 50%. I tried, but the story just didn't engage me. The ship thing was a bit interesting, but it's drowned in between all those awkward conversations and heart-to-hearts.
June 23, 2017
Third in Riptide Publishing's Porthkennack series
The books in this series are all set in the same town but written by various authors and sometimes in different eras so all books can be read as a standalone.
I am a huge fan of Charlie Cochrane's Cambridge Fellows series and having enjoyed the first 2 books in this series I had high hopes for this one. Well, I thought it was ok but didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. At first I thought there was going to be a paranormal element due to Morgan's dreams but no there was a logical explanation for those though no resolution to the research Morgan and Dominic spend so much time on. I'm wondering if that will be resolved in another book.
I liked Dominic as a character but Morgan was tougher to like because he was quite short tempered and hot headed, understandable maybe given the stresses he was dealing with but it felt like Dominic was the one who had to make all the compromises to fit in with Morgan. Still looking forward to other books in the series.
*Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The books in this series are all set in the same town but written by various authors and sometimes in different eras so all books can be read as a standalone.
I am a huge fan of Charlie Cochrane's Cambridge Fellows series and having enjoyed the first 2 books in this series I had high hopes for this one. Well, I thought it was ok but didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. At first I thought there was going to be a paranormal element due to Morgan's dreams but no there was a logical explanation for those though no resolution to the research Morgan and Dominic spend so much time on. I'm wondering if that will be resolved in another book.
I liked Dominic as a character but Morgan was tougher to like because he was quite short tempered and hot headed, understandable maybe given the stresses he was dealing with but it felt like Dominic was the one who had to make all the compromises to fit in with Morgan. Still looking forward to other books in the series.
*Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
May 17, 2018
Very sorry to rate a book so low from an author I really do love, but the characters were not well-developed or likeable, especially Morgan. I've dated a man like him and would end the story with him going over a cliff, not as a protagonist. I dnf'ed this book at chapter 7 because their conversations were empty, and the story hadn't progressed enough by then. I also read a lot of reviews stating nothing really ever got solved, so I gave up.
April 4, 2021
It took way too long. It kept dragging and dragging. I kept hoping it would get better but I just couldn't after a while. And the whole mystery didn't seem to be much of a mystery.
July 24, 2017
I had a very difficult time reviewing this one. I really wanted to like it, and came away feeling “It's not you, it's me. Okay, a little bit you.”
Dominic Watson is trying to solve a mystery about the wreck of the Troilus, which most say ended with all hands lost, while some versions of the tale speak of a lone survivor. He seeks out Morgan Capell, who lives in a house made with timbers from the wreck, hoping he can find more information.
Morgan has just gone through a bad breakup, but we never actually see the ex-boyfriend, we just hear about him several times. He's even the one who told Dominic about the timbers in the house, which isn't widely known. Beyond the timbers, Morgan has another connection to the Troilus, which is a recurring nightmare of the wreck since he was a teenager. Combined with his mother's early onset dementia (and apparently her mother had dementia too), he's now convinced he's headed down the same path. I'm not clear how he makes this connection, because he thinks he's going mad because of the nightmares that started when he was a teen, which is a completely different thing than dementia, even if it was early onset.
There's a lot of lots of telling, not showing. I was actually rather intrigued by the “fade to black” sex scenes, with talk about the two having sex but not in great detail, which is unusual in most romances these days. The rest... well, I honestly can't see what these two have in common beyond the shipwreck one wants to learn more about while the other doesn't want to think about it because there's not much spent on developing the characters. We're told they're into each other, so they are.
Morgan is a bit of an ass to Dominic because of the break-up, nightmares, and his fear of dementia. The reader knows all this, and Dominic does to a certain extent, but I was left wondering why he stuck around when Morgan repeatedly lashed out. I can't say it's due to True Love, because they're not even in the vicinity of it as far as the words on the page tell us.
Meanwhile, Dominic wants to find out if there was a survivor of the wreck, because one story has it that he was killed by another crewman onboard, which can't be the case if he survived the wreck. I honestly can't remember if his research was due to pure curiosity or family history, but it doesn't matter, it's merely a MacGuffin to get him to Porthkennack, which he had visited with family for several years when he was a child. We don't get a lot of details about Dominic's life beyond he mostly lives in London, he's apparently well-off, and he's nostalgic about his childhood vacations.
I think a large part of my problem with this one were the expectations set up by the blurb, and the book felt like something only vaguely similar. It sounds like there's going to be a hint of paranormal elements, but the author quickly discards that as “rubbish”, which is fine, but the resolution for why Morgan has been having dreams of the wreck is rather lame. It also leads to the missing piece of the puzzle about the fate of the possible survivor, then leaves it feeling unfinished with yet another clue to chase after.
I'm still interested in happenings in the fictional Porthkennack, but I'm afraid this particular book (or possibly the author, as this is my first one by her) just didn't work for me. It's not horrible, but it just didn't pull me in at all, and what did interest me ended up not being featured elements.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dominic Watson is trying to solve a mystery about the wreck of the Troilus, which most say ended with all hands lost, while some versions of the tale speak of a lone survivor. He seeks out Morgan Capell, who lives in a house made with timbers from the wreck, hoping he can find more information.
Morgan has just gone through a bad breakup, but we never actually see the ex-boyfriend, we just hear about him several times. He's even the one who told Dominic about the timbers in the house, which isn't widely known. Beyond the timbers, Morgan has another connection to the Troilus, which is a recurring nightmare of the wreck since he was a teenager. Combined with his mother's early onset dementia (and apparently her mother had dementia too), he's now convinced he's headed down the same path. I'm not clear how he makes this connection, because he thinks he's going mad because of the nightmares that started when he was a teen, which is a completely different thing than dementia, even if it was early onset.
There's a lot of lots of telling, not showing. I was actually rather intrigued by the “fade to black” sex scenes, with talk about the two having sex but not in great detail, which is unusual in most romances these days. The rest... well, I honestly can't see what these two have in common beyond the shipwreck one wants to learn more about while the other doesn't want to think about it because there's not much spent on developing the characters. We're told they're into each other, so they are.
Morgan is a bit of an ass to Dominic because of the break-up, nightmares, and his fear of dementia. The reader knows all this, and Dominic does to a certain extent, but I was left wondering why he stuck around when Morgan repeatedly lashed out. I can't say it's due to True Love, because they're not even in the vicinity of it as far as the words on the page tell us.
Meanwhile, Dominic wants to find out if there was a survivor of the wreck, because one story has it that he was killed by another crewman onboard, which can't be the case if he survived the wreck. I honestly can't remember if his research was due to pure curiosity or family history, but it doesn't matter, it's merely a MacGuffin to get him to Porthkennack, which he had visited with family for several years when he was a child. We don't get a lot of details about Dominic's life beyond he mostly lives in London, he's apparently well-off, and he's nostalgic about his childhood vacations.
I think a large part of my problem with this one were the expectations set up by the blurb, and the book felt like something only vaguely similar. It sounds like there's going to be a hint of paranormal elements, but the author quickly discards that as “rubbish”, which is fine, but the resolution for why Morgan has been having dreams of the wreck is rather lame. It also leads to the missing piece of the puzzle about the fate of the possible survivor, then leaves it feeling unfinished with yet another clue to chase after.
I'm still interested in happenings in the fictional Porthkennack, but I'm afraid this particular book (or possibly the author, as this is my first one by her) just didn't work for me. It's not horrible, but it just didn't pull me in at all, and what did interest me ended up not being featured elements.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2017
Since the blurb does such a great job of describing the basic plot of Broke Deep, I won’t waste words on a rehash of events, but I will say that there’s a lot to like about this installment in the Porthkennack series, thanks to Charlie Cochrane’s proficiency at telling a solid story with likeable characters, and setting the stage with plenty of local flavor.
Broke Deep is a slow-burn romance, with its share of ups and downs, beginning as a burgeoning friendship, and running alongside the mystery of a long-ago shipwreck off the Cornwall coast that Dominic is researching because of the suspicion that one of the crewmen survived only, perhaps, to be murdered later in a crime of passion. I loved the sense of comradery that built between Morgan and Dominic as Morgan revealed more about himself and his possible familial connection to the events surrounding the Troilus’s sinking as they sifted through local legend and tall tales, including a particular event that strikes fear in Morgan’s heart due, not it small part, to its eerie implausibility.
But where this story really resonated with me on a personal level is with Morgan’s mom, who suffers from dementia, and the reality of losing a parent by degrees—not to a slow death but to the slow ravages of memory loss and the unraveling of personality as well. Watching the rare moments of lucidity slip away before Morgan’s eyes was touching, and the helplessness and frustration so relatable to anyone who has lived through it, not to mention the always underlying concern that you can’t escape your gene pool.
One of the things I love about this author is that her characters are consummately English, whether she’s writing a historical or contemporary novel, and the dialogue tells the story as much as it reveals about her characters: their thoughts, feelings, and personalities. Morgan has just gone through a rather humiliating breakup, and is a bit on the prickly side at times, isn’t particularly looking for a rebound romance, not to mention everything he’s going through with his mother, and I liked how his moods highlighted Dominic’s presence as the more even keeled character; although, Morgan’s moods are understandably turbulent rather than gratuitous for the sake of added drama. These two men can be playful as well, and completely endearing as their connection is tested and, in the end, becomes stronger.
This being the third installment in the Porthkennack series, and the second I’ve read after Joanna Chambers’ The Gathering Storm, I can say that this is shaping up to be another successful Riptide collection of novels. Each book is written as a standalone within the -verse, and Broke Deep is reliable Charlie Cochrane in plot, prose, and characterization. This is a book that fans of the author should enjoy just fine.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach
Broke Deep is a slow-burn romance, with its share of ups and downs, beginning as a burgeoning friendship, and running alongside the mystery of a long-ago shipwreck off the Cornwall coast that Dominic is researching because of the suspicion that one of the crewmen survived only, perhaps, to be murdered later in a crime of passion. I loved the sense of comradery that built between Morgan and Dominic as Morgan revealed more about himself and his possible familial connection to the events surrounding the Troilus’s sinking as they sifted through local legend and tall tales, including a particular event that strikes fear in Morgan’s heart due, not it small part, to its eerie implausibility.
But where this story really resonated with me on a personal level is with Morgan’s mom, who suffers from dementia, and the reality of losing a parent by degrees—not to a slow death but to the slow ravages of memory loss and the unraveling of personality as well. Watching the rare moments of lucidity slip away before Morgan’s eyes was touching, and the helplessness and frustration so relatable to anyone who has lived through it, not to mention the always underlying concern that you can’t escape your gene pool.
One of the things I love about this author is that her characters are consummately English, whether she’s writing a historical or contemporary novel, and the dialogue tells the story as much as it reveals about her characters: their thoughts, feelings, and personalities. Morgan has just gone through a rather humiliating breakup, and is a bit on the prickly side at times, isn’t particularly looking for a rebound romance, not to mention everything he’s going through with his mother, and I liked how his moods highlighted Dominic’s presence as the more even keeled character; although, Morgan’s moods are understandably turbulent rather than gratuitous for the sake of added drama. These two men can be playful as well, and completely endearing as their connection is tested and, in the end, becomes stronger.
This being the third installment in the Porthkennack series, and the second I’ve read after Joanna Chambers’ The Gathering Storm, I can say that this is shaping up to be another successful Riptide collection of novels. Each book is written as a standalone within the -verse, and Broke Deep is reliable Charlie Cochrane in plot, prose, and characterization. This is a book that fans of the author should enjoy just fine.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach
February 14, 2018
This is another enjoyable, well-paced "Porthkennack" romance and my favorite of the modern-day books so far. While the books, which take place in an interconnected world set in the Cornish resort town of Porthkennack, haven't quite yet made the connections to one another I've been hoping for, I like how this one weaves together a bit of the town's past and present.
Morgan, the POV character, lives in a historical Porthkennack home that is made partly from the timbers of the wrecked ship Troilus, a local legend. He's been recently dumped by a shitty long-term partner and he's not really looking for anything new, but when the charming, slightly awkward amateur historian Dominic contacts him about the Troilus, the two men feel an instant connection (also, since Morgan describes Dominic as slightly akin to David Tennant, I had a very cute mental image of the character).
The romance between town local Morgan and historian Dominic comes together quickly, but there's no feeling of insta-love or rushing as they get a feel for one another. Their affection begins so organically and sweetly, and they are so comfortable with one another so quickly, that reading about them falling for one another feels like sinking into a warm bath. There are no super-high stakes, no points of wild tension or conflict between them, and when they do hit snags in their developing relationship, they deal with them like rational adults.
This is definitely an adult romance, and I don't mean that in an R-rated sense...it's more about two mature people finding their person at last rather than falling into a whirlwind romance. When Morgan must deal with his grief for his father and his mother's early-onset dementia, Dominic is right at his side, despite them not knowing each other well yet. We get that feeling that both men are "all in," which removes the whole will they/won't they trope immediately from the narrative. Their romance is built more on making each other cups of tea or putting each other to bed than anything more dramatic.
I like how this book introduces the Lusmoore family and thus deepens the Porthkennack history and lore. I won't spoil anything further, but in the next two books, we definitely get a closer peek into the social stratus of the town and how Morgan and Dominic's research makes it clearer. But the conclusion involving Morgan's dreams and Dominic's research never reaches much of a climax, and the historical plot often takes a backseat to what's happening in present day, making the Porthkennack connections feel a little clumsy at times.
Though it is technically part of a series, this book feels like a very cozy, self-contained romance about two likable characters.
Morgan, the POV character, lives in a historical Porthkennack home that is made partly from the timbers of the wrecked ship Troilus, a local legend. He's been recently dumped by a shitty long-term partner and he's not really looking for anything new, but when the charming, slightly awkward amateur historian Dominic contacts him about the Troilus, the two men feel an instant connection (also, since Morgan describes Dominic as slightly akin to David Tennant, I had a very cute mental image of the character).
The romance between town local Morgan and historian Dominic comes together quickly, but there's no feeling of insta-love or rushing as they get a feel for one another. Their affection begins so organically and sweetly, and they are so comfortable with one another so quickly, that reading about them falling for one another feels like sinking into a warm bath. There are no super-high stakes, no points of wild tension or conflict between them, and when they do hit snags in their developing relationship, they deal with them like rational adults.
This is definitely an adult romance, and I don't mean that in an R-rated sense...it's more about two mature people finding their person at last rather than falling into a whirlwind romance. When Morgan must deal with his grief for his father and his mother's early-onset dementia, Dominic is right at his side, despite them not knowing each other well yet. We get that feeling that both men are "all in," which removes the whole will they/won't they trope immediately from the narrative. Their romance is built more on making each other cups of tea or putting each other to bed than anything more dramatic.
I like how this book introduces the Lusmoore family and thus deepens the Porthkennack history and lore. I won't spoil anything further, but in the next two books, we definitely get a closer peek into the social stratus of the town and how Morgan and Dominic's research makes it clearer. But the conclusion involving Morgan's dreams and Dominic's research never reaches much of a climax, and the historical plot often takes a backseat to what's happening in present day, making the Porthkennack connections feel a little clumsy at times.
Though it is technically part of a series, this book feels like a very cozy, self-contained romance about two likable characters.
June 18, 2017
Each of the books in the Porthkennack series share a common setting - the Cornish community of Porthkennack (although A Gathering Storm is set in the 1850's) - but are stand-alones. The blurb for Broke Deep intrigued me because it involves a two-hundred year old shipwreck and two contemporary men who work to solve the mystery.
Through most of Broke Deep, I admired the tightly constructed plot that gives us Morgan Capell who dreams of the wreck of the Troilus in graphic detail and fears he was losing his mind - a concern that is not wild fantasy given his 60 year-old mother is in a nursing home with dementia.
When amateur historian Dominic enters the picture, Morgan meets someone who may be able to help him figure out the dream that he, his mother and his grandmother all had in common, but also salve the wounds of his breakup with James. Morgan and Dominic's relationship is not built on hot steamy sex scenes and is more quirky than carnal. I adored the author's depiction:
I received an ARC from Riptide Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Through most of Broke Deep, I admired the tightly constructed plot that gives us Morgan Capell who dreams of the wreck of the Troilus in graphic detail and fears he was losing his mind - a concern that is not wild fantasy given his 60 year-old mother is in a nursing home with dementia.
When amateur historian Dominic enters the picture, Morgan meets someone who may be able to help him figure out the dream that he, his mother and his grandmother all had in common, but also salve the wounds of his breakup with James. Morgan and Dominic's relationship is not built on hot steamy sex scenes and is more quirky than carnal. I adored the author's depiction:
When they got to the bedroom and the big, firm bed, their big, firm, and desperate body parts made it plain the time was right to couple again" [...] "Dominic had suggested a safeword — bloody Milton Keynes again — if things became uncomfortable, but it hadn’t been needed."The blurb drew me in ... but the blurb also reveals something Morgan and Dominic only figure out 3/4 of the way through the book (aarrgghh) and hints at perhaps a paranormal resolution to the story. I give Broke Deep 3.5 stars but feel the blurb ultimately did not do the book any favors.
I received an ARC from Riptide Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
January 1, 2018
The protagonists were repressed and seemed quite old-fashioned, though it was a contemporary. I'm a member of Generation X, and I don't write letters. These characters were younger. I had the feeling that at least some of the repression was a British thing.
Morgan was a jerk a lot of the time. Dominic was more sympathetic. I thought there would be a paranormal explanation for Morgan's dreams. I was left wondering if there would be a sequel that gave more answers.
Dementia is a depressing topic, especially early dementia. The victims of dementia can be terribly difficult to deal with. I could sympathize with Morgan's feelings there, but still didn't think his mother's condition excused him from acting like such a jerk in general.
I thought the book was interesting, but it wasn't a cheery book at all.
Morgan was a jerk a lot of the time. Dominic was more sympathetic. I thought there would be a paranormal explanation for Morgan's dreams. I was left wondering if there would be a sequel that gave more answers.
Dementia is a depressing topic, especially early dementia. The victims of dementia can be terribly difficult to deal with. I could sympathize with Morgan's feelings there, but still didn't think his mother's condition excused him from acting like such a jerk in general.
I thought the book was interesting, but it wasn't a cheery book at all.
June 5, 2017
Lovely story!
November 23, 2018
I did not like Morgan at all, and that diminished my enjoyment of the book.
June 11, 2017
3.5 stars- A unique setting and lovely couple
Broke Deep is a part of Riptide Publishing’s Porthkennack Universe, a series of standalones by various authors all set in the same coastal town. This is my first book of the series but I certainly wouldn’t hesitate revisiting the world. I’d characterize Broke Deep as a gentle romance. The plot and romance has a rolling tempo, not rushed but not dragging either. Although it’s a contemporary romance set on the Cornish coast of England, the romance and characters have a bit of a historic quality to it that makes it a unique read.
The plot revolves around a famed shipwreck that crashed upon the shores of Porthkennack. Morgan is a resident of the town, living in a house that incorporated salvaged timbers from the ship. While researching the history of the ship, Dominic meets Morgan. Both men have a stately, genteel affect to their characters- preferring written correspondence, skirting the subjects of attraction and sex, and using a polished, proper dialogue. Rather than off-putting, it fits and makes envisioning Dominic and Morgan as a couple easy. The sex scenes are minimal and occur behind closed doors, which fits with the tone of the characters and plot. Though there’s minimal heat, it doesn’t diminish the obvious chemistry between the men. A main source of angst in the romance is Morgan’s uncertainty about pursuing a long-term relationship with Dominic. While I did wish Morgan would get out of his own way at times, the incessant worrying aligned with his personality, making it a frustrating but believable plot point. Overall I found this couple a bit quirky, but likable.
The mystery surrounding the shipwreck and one particular sailor drove the plot for me. I enjoyed seeing Dominic and Morgan piece the clues together. I found the final resolution a bit more subdued than I expected, but again that fits with the characters, pacing, and plot- so I wasn’t unsatisfied. I think readers looking for an escape or fans of both historical and contemporary romances will appreciate Broke Deep and the unique town of Porthkennack.
*Received eARC via Netgalley. The author and publisher had no influence over this review*
Reviewed by Annie from Alpha Book Club
Broke Deep is a part of Riptide Publishing’s Porthkennack Universe, a series of standalones by various authors all set in the same coastal town. This is my first book of the series but I certainly wouldn’t hesitate revisiting the world. I’d characterize Broke Deep as a gentle romance. The plot and romance has a rolling tempo, not rushed but not dragging either. Although it’s a contemporary romance set on the Cornish coast of England, the romance and characters have a bit of a historic quality to it that makes it a unique read.
The plot revolves around a famed shipwreck that crashed upon the shores of Porthkennack. Morgan is a resident of the town, living in a house that incorporated salvaged timbers from the ship. While researching the history of the ship, Dominic meets Morgan. Both men have a stately, genteel affect to their characters- preferring written correspondence, skirting the subjects of attraction and sex, and using a polished, proper dialogue. Rather than off-putting, it fits and makes envisioning Dominic and Morgan as a couple easy. The sex scenes are minimal and occur behind closed doors, which fits with the tone of the characters and plot. Though there’s minimal heat, it doesn’t diminish the obvious chemistry between the men. A main source of angst in the romance is Morgan’s uncertainty about pursuing a long-term relationship with Dominic. While I did wish Morgan would get out of his own way at times, the incessant worrying aligned with his personality, making it a frustrating but believable plot point. Overall I found this couple a bit quirky, but likable.
The mystery surrounding the shipwreck and one particular sailor drove the plot for me. I enjoyed seeing Dominic and Morgan piece the clues together. I found the final resolution a bit more subdued than I expected, but again that fits with the characters, pacing, and plot- so I wasn’t unsatisfied. I think readers looking for an escape or fans of both historical and contemporary romances will appreciate Broke Deep and the unique town of Porthkennack.
*Received eARC via Netgalley. The author and publisher had no influence over this review*
Reviewed by Annie from Alpha Book Club
July 10, 2017
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Once again, the Cornwall in this series is magical. I love the nearly mythical history of Porthkennack, the captivating folklore and and the tangled family trees. Saying that, I was underwhelmed by the story in this this third book.
Firstly, the voices, the lifestyles and the interests of the two main characters make Morgan and Dominic feel like two men in late middle age. I was thoroughly surprised when Dominic was described as being on the right side of thirty.
I’ve never encountered twentysomething men who wax lyrically about the merits of Waitrose soups. Dominic and Morgan have the same conversations as my seventy something mother-in-law. Their tasteful fade to grey relationship feels like something out of one of my mother-in-law’s romances - especially when sex is blushingly referred to as a ‘coupling’. These two seemed almost asexual and both were far more interested in investigating an old shipwreck than they were in each other. They fit each other well but their relationship really didn’t capture my interest.
I was initially excited by the shipwreck storyline and the hint of supernatural occurrences. However, this storyline ends up rambling in circles before limping to a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion.
The one storyline I did enjoy was Morgan’s relationship with his mother and his growing anxiety over his family history of dementia. The author treats the relationship between mother and son very sensitively and Morgan’s fears about his own future are explored in a thoughtful and empathetic manner.
I love the town of Porthkennack but this is definitely not my favourite story in the series.
Once again, the Cornwall in this series is magical. I love the nearly mythical history of Porthkennack, the captivating folklore and and the tangled family trees. Saying that, I was underwhelmed by the story in this this third book.
Firstly, the voices, the lifestyles and the interests of the two main characters make Morgan and Dominic feel like two men in late middle age. I was thoroughly surprised when Dominic was described as being on the right side of thirty.
I’ve never encountered twentysomething men who wax lyrically about the merits of Waitrose soups. Dominic and Morgan have the same conversations as my seventy something mother-in-law. Their tasteful fade to grey relationship feels like something out of one of my mother-in-law’s romances - especially when sex is blushingly referred to as a ‘coupling’. These two seemed almost asexual and both were far more interested in investigating an old shipwreck than they were in each other. They fit each other well but their relationship really didn’t capture my interest.
I was initially excited by the shipwreck storyline and the hint of supernatural occurrences. However, this storyline ends up rambling in circles before limping to a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion.
The one storyline I did enjoy was Morgan’s relationship with his mother and his growing anxiety over his family history of dementia. The author treats the relationship between mother and son very sensitively and Morgan’s fears about his own future are explored in a thoughtful and empathetic manner.
I love the town of Porthkennack but this is definitely not my favourite story in the series.
May 10, 2021
Interesting Enough!
Amateur historian Dominic Watson seeks Morgan Capell's help to investigate a historical shipwreck, the Troilus, and a mysterious midshipman, though he discovers so much more. I have mixed feelings about this tale. The emphasis is more on the shipwreck story than on the romantic tale. The MCs were both abrupt and a bit rude. I didn’t feel the connection. Also, the Cornish/British pop culture references were a bit distracting. Overall, this is a “G” rated sexy read.
Amateur historian Dominic Watson seeks Morgan Capell's help to investigate a historical shipwreck, the Troilus, and a mysterious midshipman, though he discovers so much more. I have mixed feelings about this tale. The emphasis is more on the shipwreck story than on the romantic tale. The MCs were both abrupt and a bit rude. I didn’t feel the connection. Also, the Cornish/British pop culture references were a bit distracting. Overall, this is a “G” rated sexy read.
April 8, 2022
Eh, I was bored. So, so bored. This is meant to be a romance and a mystery, but neither part turned out to be anything to write home about. I didn't much care for the characters - Morgan in particular is an ass, and Dominic lost my sympathy a little more every time he put up with being snapped at for no reason other than, y'know, Morgan being an ass - and they lacked chemistry. The whole ship wreck mystery was pretty insubstantial and, quite frankly, failed to keep my interest.
June 30, 2017
I like Charlie Cochrane's books which are generally on the intellectual side of romance - romance of the mind rather than the body, if you like. No instapassion, screaming fights, or hot sex.
I liked both of the characters and I understood Morgan's worries about dementia, although it was one of several things that made him seem older than he was supposed to be (30). How many people start worrying about getting dementia before age 50, even if it's in the family? However, the description of his mother's deterioration and her good and bad days was heartwrenching, and I could certainly feel his pain.
Morgan and Dom are a good match, but I had the feeling the relationship could fall apart at any moment and it was chance that both brought them together and kept them together.
From the description, I was hoping for some paranormal elements here, or at least a duel time narrative where we would hear the story of what was going on with the midshipman of centuries ago ... but there was none of that. Nor was the resolution as exciting as I'd hope for. In fact there's not much excitement in this book, except for the description of Morgan's dream of the boat, which happens pretty early. That wouldn't matter except that the blurb makes us expect a suspenseful story.
Having said that though, I tend to be an overly critical reviewer, and I did enjoy this. I like the way Charlie Cochrane writes and she did a great job of making me feel I was right there at the top of the cliffs. A well deserved 3 stars.
Note: I was given a free copy for review.
I liked both of the characters and I understood Morgan's worries about dementia, although it was one of several things that made him seem older than he was supposed to be (30). How many people start worrying about getting dementia before age 50, even if it's in the family? However, the description of his mother's deterioration and her good and bad days was heartwrenching, and I could certainly feel his pain.
Morgan and Dom are a good match, but I had the feeling the relationship could fall apart at any moment and it was chance that both brought them together and kept them together.
From the description, I was hoping for some paranormal elements here, or at least a duel time narrative where we would hear the story of what was going on with the midshipman of centuries ago ... but there was none of that. Nor was the resolution as exciting as I'd hope for. In fact there's not much excitement in this book, except for the description of Morgan's dream of the boat, which happens pretty early. That wouldn't matter except that the blurb makes us expect a suspenseful story.
Having said that though, I tend to be an overly critical reviewer, and I did enjoy this. I like the way Charlie Cochrane writes and she did a great job of making me feel I was right there at the top of the cliffs. A well deserved 3 stars.
Note: I was given a free copy for review.
August 22, 2017
Though I didn’t absolutely love them, I enjoyed the first two novels of this series. However, reading Broke Deep, the third, was an exercise in staying focused. That’s not to say the novel was bad. It was just boring.
Read the full review on my blog.
Read the full review on my blog.
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