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Porthkennack #1
A Gathering Storm
A Porthkennack Historical Novel
When grief-stricken scientist Sir Edward Fitzwilliam provokes public scorn by defending a sham spiritualist, he’s forced to retreat to Porthkennack to lick his wounds. Ward’s reputation is in tatters, but he’s determined to continue the work he began after the death of his beloved brother.
In Porthkennack, Ward meets Nicholas Hearn, land steward to the Roscarrock family. Ward becomes convinced that Nick, whose Romany mother was reportedly clairvoyant, is the perfect man to assist with his work. But Nick—who has reason to distrust the whims of wealthy men—is loath to agree. Until Fate steps in to lend a hand.
Despite Nick’s misgivings, he discovers that Ward is not the high-handed aristocrat he first thought. And when passion ignites between them, Nick learns there’s much more to love than the rushed, clandestine encounters he’s used to. Nevertheless, Nick’s sure that wealthy, educated Ward will never see him as an equal.
A storm is gathering, but with Nick’s self-doubts and Ward’s growing obsession, the fragile bond between the two men may not be strong enough to withstand it.
When grief-stricken scientist Sir Edward Fitzwilliam provokes public scorn by defending a sham spiritualist, he’s forced to retreat to Porthkennack to lick his wounds. Ward’s reputation is in tatters, but he’s determined to continue the work he began after the death of his beloved brother.
In Porthkennack, Ward meets Nicholas Hearn, land steward to the Roscarrock family. Ward becomes convinced that Nick, whose Romany mother was reportedly clairvoyant, is the perfect man to assist with his work. But Nick—who has reason to distrust the whims of wealthy men—is loath to agree. Until Fate steps in to lend a hand.
Despite Nick’s misgivings, he discovers that Ward is not the high-handed aristocrat he first thought. And when passion ignites between them, Nick learns there’s much more to love than the rushed, clandestine encounters he’s used to. Nevertheless, Nick’s sure that wealthy, educated Ward will never see him as an equal.
A storm is gathering, but with Nick’s self-doubts and Ward’s growing obsession, the fragile bond between the two men may not be strong enough to withstand it.
309 pages, Paperback
First published April 17, 2017
63 people are currently reading
1212 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Chambers
41 books1,222 followersJoanna Chambers' muse likes red wine, coffee and won't let Joanna clean the house or watch television.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
April 8, 2017
Sometimes a book gets everything right. A Gathering Storm is such a book: flawless writing, flawed but likable characters, strong sense of time and place, slow burn fraught with sexual tension, gorgeous romance, and a beautiful HEA.
Sir Edward has been obsessed with spirits since his brother died. Ward was on a ship in the middle of a great storm when George's spirit spoke to him, and then George—his best friend, his TWIN, his other half—was gone.
Ward had a reputation as a man of science, but when he began attending séances and defending clairvoyants, he lost the respect of the scientific community.
Lost and alone, Ward moves to Porthkennack in Cornwall and builds a great big hole with platforms that offers a free fall into the sea. The year is 1853, and all Ward needs are subjects who'll help him prove (scientifically, of course) that, given the right set of circumstances, one can communicate with spirits.
With his harsh voice (a permanent side effect of his long childhood battle with diphtheria) and aristocratic bearing, Ward doesn't make an easy sell, particularly when the rumors about lightning and "mesmerism" start swirling.
Nick is the illegitimate son of a wealthy, landed gentleman who left him and his Romani mother behind when the fling ceased to be fun. But Nick's mom, a medium herself, wasn't easily cowed. Now Nick is a steward tending his grandfather's lands. Except old man Godfrey is his grandfather by blood only. Nick is less than family, more than a servant. He's the "Gypsy bastard." He doesn't belong.
Ward's money and title allow him privileges he takes for granted. Ward can be thoughtless and self-centered at times, his obsession making him blind to other people's needs and intentions. He essentially blackmails Nick into being his subject.
Nick is at once suspicious of and fascinated with Ward. Nick doesn't believe in spirits; he grieves his mother's death, but sees séances as a way to prey on the bereaved.
Nick and Ward are polar opposites: Nick, dark, isolated, silent; Ward, blond-haired, confident, wealthy. Their connection can't be explained (not everything can or should be).
The unfulfilled sexual tension is absolutely divine. The more time Nick and Ward spend together (their weekly sessions involve hypnotism, conversation, and dinner), the more they want. While Nick is initially the instigator, seemingly the dominant one, Ward is better versed in the art of lovemaking (except kissing; Nick gives Ward his first breathtaking, heart-pounding kiss).
I wasn't expecting a steamy read, but the few intimate scenes between the men were about perfect: passionate yet so very tender. When Ward called Nick "Nicholas," I melted every time. Ward's dirty mouth is a thing of beauty.
I have to admit I was disappointed that . I was waiting for that scene, for that sign of trust, but it never came.
The historical setting is so well-sketched, I felt like I was walking the cliffs of Cornwall with Nick and Ward. The dialogue is pitch perfect and authentic.
The secondary characters, including Nick's arrogant grandfather and Jed, his antagonist, come alive. Jed is a bully without any redeeming qualities, but Godfrey, Nick's cousin Isabella, and his ex-lover Gabe are amazingly nuanced characters. Nick's relationship with Godfrey is particularly complicated, full of expectations, resentment, and things left unsaid.
While A Gathering Storm is relationship focused (the paranormal element is ambiguous and open to interpretation), the story is more than just a romance. It's an exploration of small-town phobia, racism, and classicism; the oppressive, sometimes obsessive, nature of grief; and the secret ways we escape our fears. None of these themes feel heavy handed or preachy; the men's experiences, their quirks, past hurts, and assumptions, are as much a part of this story as their love.
Because the story is told in the third-person alternating POV, I sympathized with both men. Even as I was screaming at Ward for being such a bloody snob, I wanted to take away his pain. And when Nick came across as standoffish and distant, I saw his insecurities, the way he protected his fragile heart.
I wish the last chapter hadn't felt so rushed, but the epilogue more than made up for it. I believed in Nick and Ward's swoon-worthy HEA!
Finally, a special shout-out to Master Snowflake, Nick's one-eyed bulldog, who stole my heart. I adored Nick so much more because Snow was his priority always. Even in the midst of a crisis, Nick thinks of Snow first. And Ward risks his own life to save Snow. Nothing, NOTHING, warms my heart more than men who love animals!
A Gathering Storm is one of the best books I've read this year. Unforgettable!
"You kissed me because you thought I was going to die?"
"I wouldn't have had the nerve otherwise."
"In that case, it was worth it—almost dying, I mean."
Sir Edward has been obsessed with spirits since his brother died. Ward was on a ship in the middle of a great storm when George's spirit spoke to him, and then George—his best friend, his TWIN, his other half—was gone.
Ward had a reputation as a man of science, but when he began attending séances and defending clairvoyants, he lost the respect of the scientific community.
Lost and alone, Ward moves to Porthkennack in Cornwall and builds a great big hole with platforms that offers a free fall into the sea. The year is 1853, and all Ward needs are subjects who'll help him prove (scientifically, of course) that, given the right set of circumstances, one can communicate with spirits.
With his harsh voice (a permanent side effect of his long childhood battle with diphtheria) and aristocratic bearing, Ward doesn't make an easy sell, particularly when the rumors about lightning and "mesmerism" start swirling.
Nick is the illegitimate son of a wealthy, landed gentleman who left him and his Romani mother behind when the fling ceased to be fun. But Nick's mom, a medium herself, wasn't easily cowed. Now Nick is a steward tending his grandfather's lands. Except old man Godfrey is his grandfather by blood only. Nick is less than family, more than a servant. He's the "Gypsy bastard." He doesn't belong.
Ward's money and title allow him privileges he takes for granted. Ward can be thoughtless and self-centered at times, his obsession making him blind to other people's needs and intentions. He essentially blackmails Nick into being his subject.
Nick is at once suspicious of and fascinated with Ward. Nick doesn't believe in spirits; he grieves his mother's death, but sees séances as a way to prey on the bereaved.
Nick and Ward are polar opposites: Nick, dark, isolated, silent; Ward, blond-haired, confident, wealthy. Their connection can't be explained (not everything can or should be).
The unfulfilled sexual tension is absolutely divine. The more time Nick and Ward spend together (their weekly sessions involve hypnotism, conversation, and dinner), the more they want. While Nick is initially the instigator, seemingly the dominant one, Ward is better versed in the art of lovemaking (except kissing; Nick gives Ward his first breathtaking, heart-pounding kiss).
I wasn't expecting a steamy read, but the few intimate scenes between the men were about perfect: passionate yet so very tender. When Ward called Nick "Nicholas," I melted every time. Ward's dirty mouth is a thing of beauty.
I have to admit I was disappointed that . I was waiting for that scene, for that sign of trust, but it never came.
The historical setting is so well-sketched, I felt like I was walking the cliffs of Cornwall with Nick and Ward. The dialogue is pitch perfect and authentic.
The secondary characters, including Nick's arrogant grandfather and Jed, his antagonist, come alive. Jed is a bully without any redeeming qualities, but Godfrey, Nick's cousin Isabella, and his ex-lover Gabe are amazingly nuanced characters. Nick's relationship with Godfrey is particularly complicated, full of expectations, resentment, and things left unsaid.
While A Gathering Storm is relationship focused (the paranormal element is ambiguous and open to interpretation), the story is more than just a romance. It's an exploration of small-town phobia, racism, and classicism; the oppressive, sometimes obsessive, nature of grief; and the secret ways we escape our fears. None of these themes feel heavy handed or preachy; the men's experiences, their quirks, past hurts, and assumptions, are as much a part of this story as their love.
Because the story is told in the third-person alternating POV, I sympathized with both men. Even as I was screaming at Ward for being such a bloody snob, I wanted to take away his pain. And when Nick came across as standoffish and distant, I saw his insecurities, the way he protected his fragile heart.
I wish the last chapter hadn't felt so rushed, but the epilogue more than made up for it. I believed in Nick and Ward's swoon-worthy HEA!
Finally, a special shout-out to Master Snowflake, Nick's one-eyed bulldog, who stole my heart. I adored Nick so much more because Snow was his priority always. Even in the midst of a crisis, Nick thinks of Snow first. And Ward risks his own life to save Snow. Nothing, NOTHING, warms my heart more than men who love animals!
A Gathering Storm is one of the best books I've read this year. Unforgettable!
Read
June 11, 2024Standalone historical with a scientist interested in electricity and spiritualism, plus a half-Romany steward who the scientist kinda blackmails into helping with his spiritualist experiments.
I loved the setting, especially the porousness of what we (or at least some of us) now consider the entirely opposed fields of actual science and woo-woo nonsense. It's fascinating to me how people approached belief and theories and finding explanations for phenomena, and that did involve a lot of going down what now look like blind alleys. In particular there's a tiny scene where Nick plays with magnets for the first time in his life, and feels the way they repel each other, and you have to reflect how very much that would seem like magic if someone didn't explain it.
The prevalent racism against Roma (I'd say of the time if it wasn't equally prevalent now) is very front and centre; the book makes a stringent effort to show Ward not falling into the trap of assuming Nick must be able to see ghosts because of his "gypsy blood", although we are told he did see a ghost once, as indeed did Ward. (I still don't know how anyone abbreviates Edward to Ward because in my dialect it's pronounced ED-w'd, so I was calling him w'd in my head, which was irritating [of] me.)
My issue was really that Nick has a couple of major and genuine beefs with Ward that never really get dug out and resolved. Ward blackmails him into agreeing to the experiments, and then later on flexes his superior status and education in a really obnoxious way, and Nick is rightfully angry but basically lets both go. We see Ward's remorse in both his POV and his actions, and the acknowledgement of his privilege blinkers throughout is really good, but I wanted more thrashing out. Perhaps that's unrealistic, and the more honest ending is he's learning and changing in a slow and incremental way.
I loved the setting, especially the porousness of what we (or at least some of us) now consider the entirely opposed fields of actual science and woo-woo nonsense. It's fascinating to me how people approached belief and theories and finding explanations for phenomena, and that did involve a lot of going down what now look like blind alleys. In particular there's a tiny scene where Nick plays with magnets for the first time in his life, and feels the way they repel each other, and you have to reflect how very much that would seem like magic if someone didn't explain it.
The prevalent racism against Roma (I'd say of the time if it wasn't equally prevalent now) is very front and centre; the book makes a stringent effort to show Ward not falling into the trap of assuming Nick must be able to see ghosts because of his "gypsy blood", although we are told he did see a ghost once, as indeed did Ward. (I still don't know how anyone abbreviates Edward to Ward because in my dialect it's pronounced ED-w'd, so I was calling him w'd in my head, which was irritating [of] me.)
My issue was really that Nick has a couple of major and genuine beefs with Ward that never really get dug out and resolved. Ward blackmails him into agreeing to the experiments, and then later on flexes his superior status and education in a really obnoxious way, and Nick is rightfully angry but basically lets both go. We see Ward's remorse in both his POV and his actions, and the acknowledgement of his privilege blinkers throughout is really good, but I wanted more thrashing out. Perhaps that's unrealistic, and the more honest ending is he's learning and changing in a slow and incremental way.
January 21, 2018
*Price drop to $0.99 right now at Amazon US, 1/21/18!*
*4.5 stars*
Beautiful, swoony, atmospheric, and everything a historical romance should be.
I'm really late on the Joanna Chambers train, but I'm here now! A Gathering Storm was a lovely, lovely story, and it affected me deeply. Everything from the setting to the pacing was spot on.
The story is slow-burn and the plot is interesting. Quirky, even. I think I was interested in the plot just as much as the characters. I loved learning about Nick's backstory and what drove Ward. I found their personal histories to be endlessly fascinating, and though the pacing was slow, I was really driven by the plot to keep reading.
The romance is there and passionate, though I don't think that Nick and Ward are going to go down as an epic couple in my memory. I liked them together (who doesn't love opposites attract!), and I think they had chemistry, but I was more interested in the beautiful writing and the overall feel of the story.
I had a few quibbles about the ending, but I thought that Joanna Chambers really nailed this story. The Porthkennack series is shaping up to be a winner for me.
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
*4.5 stars*
Beautiful, swoony, atmospheric, and everything a historical romance should be.
I'm really late on the Joanna Chambers train, but I'm here now! A Gathering Storm was a lovely, lovely story, and it affected me deeply. Everything from the setting to the pacing was spot on.
The story is slow-burn and the plot is interesting. Quirky, even. I think I was interested in the plot just as much as the characters. I loved learning about Nick's backstory and what drove Ward. I found their personal histories to be endlessly fascinating, and though the pacing was slow, I was really driven by the plot to keep reading.
The romance is there and passionate, though I don't think that Nick and Ward are going to go down as an epic couple in my memory. I liked them together (who doesn't love opposites attract!), and I think they had chemistry, but I was more interested in the beautiful writing and the overall feel of the story.
I had a few quibbles about the ending, but I thought that Joanna Chambers really nailed this story. The Porthkennack series is shaping up to be a winner for me.
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
October 20, 2018
4 Stars!
My first Joanna Chambers, and I call it a success!
I’m not sure this will necessarily appeal to everyone, as this series is uniquely set in the fictional Cornish town of Porthkennack - all with various authors contributing across different timelines, but I like the common thread portrayed throughout and am intrigued by all the potential different genres/tropes to come.
Admittedly, I’m not one for historicals, but they’re slowly worming their way into to my reading repertoire more and more. Though on general principle they give me a huge amount of anxiety, this was a well done and thoughtful romance that not only addresses the real need to hide one’s sexuality but also comments on the time period when technology was on the cusp of exploding into our daily lives.
So just know that our MC’s are very different individuals, not only in background but also upbringing and social status. On one side we have rich, titled Ward, who sets up house in the seaside town determined to carry out some scientific experiments in a desperate attempt to contact his dead brother. Ward is unsuccessful at finding willing human test subjects, as the villagers are too suspicious and scared of such unknowns to participate. However, when an opportunity to “persuade” a local steward into complying arises, Ward can’t resist this only chance despite his guilty feelings.
Nick is the said unlucky steward who’s found in a compromising position and he basically has no choice but to yield and help Ward out. Forced together through these circumstances, Nick and Ward slowly form a tentative camaraderie which eventually turns to familiarity that breeds passion. However, will their stark class divide come between them and ruin their chance at finding happily forever together??
Overall, some may find this sedate and slow, but I found it sexy, emotional, and touching. This was a unique story bringing two very different men together in a plausible and romantic way during a time and situation that was basically impossible. I know I won’t say no to more stories in Porthekennack and definitely will be further checking out this author’s other works!
My first Joanna Chambers, and I call it a success!
I’m not sure this will necessarily appeal to everyone, as this series is uniquely set in the fictional Cornish town of Porthkennack - all with various authors contributing across different timelines, but I like the common thread portrayed throughout and am intrigued by all the potential different genres/tropes to come.
Admittedly, I’m not one for historicals, but they’re slowly worming their way into to my reading repertoire more and more. Though on general principle they give me a huge amount of anxiety, this was a well done and thoughtful romance that not only addresses the real need to hide one’s sexuality but also comments on the time period when technology was on the cusp of exploding into our daily lives.
So just know that our MC’s are very different individuals, not only in background but also upbringing and social status. On one side we have rich, titled Ward, who sets up house in the seaside town determined to carry out some scientific experiments in a desperate attempt to contact his dead brother. Ward is unsuccessful at finding willing human test subjects, as the villagers are too suspicious and scared of such unknowns to participate. However, when an opportunity to “persuade” a local steward into complying arises, Ward can’t resist this only chance despite his guilty feelings.
Nick is the said unlucky steward who’s found in a compromising position and he basically has no choice but to yield and help Ward out. Forced together through these circumstances, Nick and Ward slowly form a tentative camaraderie which eventually turns to familiarity that breeds passion. However, will their stark class divide come between them and ruin their chance at finding happily forever together??
Overall, some may find this sedate and slow, but I found it sexy, emotional, and touching. This was a unique story bringing two very different men together in a plausible and romantic way during a time and situation that was basically impossible. I know I won’t say no to more stories in Porthekennack and definitely will be further checking out this author’s other works!
March 24, 2017
Joanna Chambers can write a story. I always enjoy her writing style. It's evocative, and the prose always pulls me right in.
I'm not the biggest historical mm fan. I hate the secretive escapades and the threat of jail time or worse, depending on the setting. That said, there are two authors of this subgenre who I've grown to be on the lookout for - KJ Charles and Joanna Chambers. These are writers that can grab me with their stories.
A Gathering Storm brings us Ward - Sir Edward - who is an aristocrat, a gentleman. Due to childhood illness, he was sheltered for much of his upbringing, and he is very naïve in a lot of ways. His biggest gap is his privilege. He tends to treat everyone a certain way, no malice intended, without understanding that not everyone has the access to the things that he has. Flimsy coat? Ward will just blurt out to go buy a better one. No thoughts whatsoever to the fact that not everyone has the money afforded him by his aristocratic roots.
Ward is a scientist. He is a complete nerd about it, in the most adorkable of ways, and he stole my heart fairly quickly. Because of an incident that happened at the time of his twin brother's death, he has decided to pursue scientific study of paranormal activity within controlled, electromagnetic weather conditions. Readers who shy away from paranormal stories need not be worried. There is no actual paranormal element to this story. Ward seeks to explain, with logical science and reason, the phenomena of certain paranormal sightings.
Nick is not an aristocrat. He isn't really a commoner. He's somewhere in between and doesn't really belong to a class. Born a bastard to his Gypsy mother and to the son of a wealthy gentleman, he has been sorta, kinda taken in by his grandfather following both his parents' deaths. Taken in doesn't mean what it sounds like, though. His grandfather employs him and allows him to live on his estate in a separate cottage. He does not publicly recognize the familial tie to Nick, although everyone in the small town knows the history.
Nick has a large chip on his shoulder due to his background. He feels that he doesn't really fit in anywhere. And his introvert personality tends to alienate some people from him.
Both of these men are passionate in their beliefs and stubborn to a fault. The pride is astounding, but what men in this time period didn't have this particular attribute to contend with?
I really enjoyed this story. Ward makes some questionable choices in the name of science, his naivety and immaturity showing through and through. He learns from Nick. But Nick learns from Ward too. He learns about himself, and he learns to love someone other than his mother for the first time in his life.
My only niggle with this story was part of the pacing. Everything was smooth, flowing organically, until the climax. I could easily see the relationship development until that point. It's just that when the realization of love came in, I didn't necessarily think the men were there yet. I rolled with it, and loved the ending, of course. In particular the epilogue. I just think I needed a little more before the climax to show the progression from like to love.
Fans of mm historical won't be disappointed. Recommended.
I'm not the biggest historical mm fan. I hate the secretive escapades and the threat of jail time or worse, depending on the setting. That said, there are two authors of this subgenre who I've grown to be on the lookout for - KJ Charles and Joanna Chambers. These are writers that can grab me with their stories.
A Gathering Storm brings us Ward - Sir Edward - who is an aristocrat, a gentleman. Due to childhood illness, he was sheltered for much of his upbringing, and he is very naïve in a lot of ways. His biggest gap is his privilege. He tends to treat everyone a certain way, no malice intended, without understanding that not everyone has the access to the things that he has. Flimsy coat? Ward will just blurt out to go buy a better one. No thoughts whatsoever to the fact that not everyone has the money afforded him by his aristocratic roots.
Ward is a scientist. He is a complete nerd about it, in the most adorkable of ways, and he stole my heart fairly quickly. Because of an incident that happened at the time of his twin brother's death, he has decided to pursue scientific study of paranormal activity within controlled, electromagnetic weather conditions. Readers who shy away from paranormal stories need not be worried. There is no actual paranormal element to this story. Ward seeks to explain, with logical science and reason, the phenomena of certain paranormal sightings.
Nick is not an aristocrat. He isn't really a commoner. He's somewhere in between and doesn't really belong to a class. Born a bastard to his Gypsy mother and to the son of a wealthy gentleman, he has been sorta, kinda taken in by his grandfather following both his parents' deaths. Taken in doesn't mean what it sounds like, though. His grandfather employs him and allows him to live on his estate in a separate cottage. He does not publicly recognize the familial tie to Nick, although everyone in the small town knows the history.
Nick has a large chip on his shoulder due to his background. He feels that he doesn't really fit in anywhere. And his introvert personality tends to alienate some people from him.
He found it difficult to reconcile these two complementary yet warring aspects of his character: his need for isolation, and how alone that isolation could make him feel.
Both of these men are passionate in their beliefs and stubborn to a fault. The pride is astounding, but what men in this time period didn't have this particular attribute to contend with?
I really enjoyed this story. Ward makes some questionable choices in the name of science, his naivety and immaturity showing through and through. He learns from Nick. But Nick learns from Ward too. He learns about himself, and he learns to love someone other than his mother for the first time in his life.
My only niggle with this story was part of the pacing. Everything was smooth, flowing organically, until the climax. I could easily see the relationship development until that point. It's just that when the realization of love came in, I didn't necessarily think the men were there yet. I rolled with it, and loved the ending, of course. In particular the epilogue. I just think I needed a little more before the climax to show the progression from like to love.
Fans of mm historical won't be disappointed. Recommended.
October 23, 2018
4 Stars
So far, this series – with its extremely atmospheric location, written by multiple authors, and featuring both contemporary and historical settings – has worked an absolute treat for me.
A Gathering Storm is the second story set in the fictional Cornish town of Porthkennack, England, and is a historically set M/M romance. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed book one in the series (Wake Up Call by J.L. Merrow) which featured a contemporary setting, I found it quite fascinating how the two different authors were able to depict Porthkennack so vividly, noting the similarities and the changes across different centuries of storytelling.
This story featured two flawed but likeable MCs in newcomer scientist Sir Edward “Ward” Fitzwilliam and local steward Nicholas Hearn. Their relationship was not an easy one, especially after the deceptive way Ward initially convinced Nick to help him with his science experiments. Thankfully, initial misgivings and doubts between the two men were overcome by the natural progression of friendship and the eventual sparks of passion and romance.
Reading M/M romance in a historical setting is always a tricky thing, especially with all the added worries of potential bigotry and persecution, but this one was handled really well and my stress levels were at an all-time low. Ward and Nick may have faced some relationship challenges, but most of those were internal conflicts revolving around their personal beliefs and long established hang-ups and insecurities, which were all things they were eventually able to work through together to reach their HEA.
Series enjoyment aside, this is one of the better M/M historical stories I’ve ever read. I haven’t had much exposure to Chambers’ stories before, but it’s clear she’s a strong writer and well adept in the historical romance genre. I’m certainly looking forward to both continuing with this series and exploring Chambers works separately.
So far, this series – with its extremely atmospheric location, written by multiple authors, and featuring both contemporary and historical settings – has worked an absolute treat for me.
A Gathering Storm is the second story set in the fictional Cornish town of Porthkennack, England, and is a historically set M/M romance. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed book one in the series (Wake Up Call by J.L. Merrow) which featured a contemporary setting, I found it quite fascinating how the two different authors were able to depict Porthkennack so vividly, noting the similarities and the changes across different centuries of storytelling.
This story featured two flawed but likeable MCs in newcomer scientist Sir Edward “Ward” Fitzwilliam and local steward Nicholas Hearn. Their relationship was not an easy one, especially after the deceptive way Ward initially convinced Nick to help him with his science experiments. Thankfully, initial misgivings and doubts between the two men were overcome by the natural progression of friendship and the eventual sparks of passion and romance.
Reading M/M romance in a historical setting is always a tricky thing, especially with all the added worries of potential bigotry and persecution, but this one was handled really well and my stress levels were at an all-time low. Ward and Nick may have faced some relationship challenges, but most of those were internal conflicts revolving around their personal beliefs and long established hang-ups and insecurities, which were all things they were eventually able to work through together to reach their HEA.
Series enjoyment aside, this is one of the better M/M historical stories I’ve ever read. I haven’t had much exposure to Chambers’ stories before, but it’s clear she’s a strong writer and well adept in the historical romance genre. I’m certainly looking forward to both continuing with this series and exploring Chambers works separately.
May 21, 2025
Beautiful writing, touching emotions, believable character development, satisfying relationship development.
Not as perfect as Provoked - Beguiled - Enlightened, but David and Murdo had 3 books to get closer, so comparing the books wouldn't even be fair.
I loved Ward and Nicholas together. Nick's reaction to Ward's kisses was heartwarming. The sex scenes were lovely, but their kisses were something else *sigh*.
4,25 stars
Not as perfect as Provoked - Beguiled - Enlightened, but David and Murdo had 3 books to get closer, so comparing the books wouldn't even be fair.
I loved Ward and Nicholas together. Nick's reaction to Ward's kisses was heartwarming. The sex scenes were lovely, but their kisses were something else *sigh*.
4,25 stars
March 27, 2017
It has been more than a year since I last read anything by Joanna Chambers ... so when I saw this one being listed by Riptide at Netgalley, I requested it without any second thought.
Sir Edward "Ward" Fitzwilliam comes to Porthkennack to continue his work -- to scientifically experiment and to prove how the plane of spirits can interact with the real world -- after his reputation is shattered among fellow scientists in London. In order to do this, Ward needs subjects, and he hopes with his money people in Porthkennack will be willing to participate. Ward doesn't count on how people distrust him since his work involves electricity.
Nicholas "Nick" Hearn is a land steward to the Roscarrock family. He is a half Romany Gypsy (from his mother's side) and Ward thinks Nick is perfect for his experiment. At first Nick refuses. However, after a slight misunderstanding -- Ward sees Nick with another man; Nick thinks Ward is going to blackmail him upon this knowledge -- Nick agrees to become Ward's subject for a limited time ...
Oh how I adore this story. It reminded me again how much I miss Chambers' writing, characters, and stories ♥. This is a classic opposites-attract, in my humble opinion.
Ward is a scientist but he also comes from privilege, so some things are easy for him (like purchaing the land for his experiments, or offering money to attract the locals). At the same time, he is also sheltered due to a grave illness so Ward is not the most sociable person. For me sometimes he is either too 'nerdy with his passion towards science (though nothing wrong with that!) or unable to get social cues.
Nick, on the other hand, is a half Gypsy and a bastard. Some people never really let Nick forget about that. He has a complicated relationship with old Godfrey Roscarrock -- his employer, landlord, and to an extent, his family after Nick's father left and his mother died. Nick distrusts Ward on sight and he feels that he is roped into agreement due to blackmail.
But then Nick gets to know more about Ward and vice versa, and how I devoured the progress. I loved their sessions. I loved how they exchanged things about their lives. I loved them together, period.
I also loved reading about them individually, these two men with their different baggage. Ward is still dealing with grief and unable to let his twin brother go, even if he tries to hide it by working on his project. While Nick tries to find a place he calls home as he feels like he never truly belongs in Porthkennack. Even if he loves the land.
I did have slight problem with the pacing. Somewhere in between Ward and Nick building their tentative relationship, to knowing each other better, to acting up on their attractions, to realizing their true feelings for one another ... I felt sometimes the pace was off. Especially during the part where they go to Truro to see the séance all the way to the ending. It felt rather rushed for that moment of love declaration.
Still, it ends in a lovely way that made my heart soared *smile*
I think fans of both Joanna Chambers and MM Historical Romance in general will not miss this one, for sure. Next time, Joanna, don't stay away too long, please?
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
Sir Edward "Ward" Fitzwilliam comes to Porthkennack to continue his work -- to scientifically experiment and to prove how the plane of spirits can interact with the real world -- after his reputation is shattered among fellow scientists in London. In order to do this, Ward needs subjects, and he hopes with his money people in Porthkennack will be willing to participate. Ward doesn't count on how people distrust him since his work involves electricity.
Nicholas "Nick" Hearn is a land steward to the Roscarrock family. He is a half Romany Gypsy (from his mother's side) and Ward thinks Nick is perfect for his experiment. At first Nick refuses. However, after a slight misunderstanding -- Ward sees Nick with another man; Nick thinks Ward is going to blackmail him upon this knowledge -- Nick agrees to become Ward's subject for a limited time ...
Oh how I adore this story. It reminded me again how much I miss Chambers' writing, characters, and stories ♥. This is a classic opposites-attract, in my humble opinion.
Ward is a scientist but he also comes from privilege, so some things are easy for him (like purchaing the land for his experiments, or offering money to attract the locals). At the same time, he is also sheltered due to a grave illness so Ward is not the most sociable person. For me sometimes he is either too 'nerdy with his passion towards science (though nothing wrong with that!) or unable to get social cues.
Nick, on the other hand, is a half Gypsy and a bastard. Some people never really let Nick forget about that. He has a complicated relationship with old Godfrey Roscarrock -- his employer, landlord, and to an extent, his family after Nick's father left and his mother died. Nick distrusts Ward on sight and he feels that he is roped into agreement due to blackmail.
But then Nick gets to know more about Ward and vice versa, and how I devoured the progress. I loved their sessions. I loved how they exchanged things about their lives. I loved them together, period.
I also loved reading about them individually, these two men with their different baggage. Ward is still dealing with grief and unable to let his twin brother go, even if he tries to hide it by working on his project. While Nick tries to find a place he calls home as he feels like he never truly belongs in Porthkennack. Even if he loves the land.
I did have slight problem with the pacing. Somewhere in between Ward and Nick building their tentative relationship, to knowing each other better, to acting up on their attractions, to realizing their true feelings for one another ... I felt sometimes the pace was off. Especially during the part where they go to Truro to see the séance all the way to the ending. It felt rather rushed for that moment of love declaration.
Still, it ends in a lovely way that made my heart soared *smile*
I think fans of both Joanna Chambers and MM Historical Romance in general will not miss this one, for sure. Next time, Joanna, don't stay away too long, please?
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
April 18, 2017
*4,5 stars*
There are not many authors out there who write convincing and totally enjoyable historical romance. Joanna Chambers is certainly one of them. A Gathering Storm is a winner on so many levels.
The setting in Cornwall, right at the coast, is beautiful and evocative at the same time. Grand houses, steep cliffs and the sea, wild and endless, make a stunning background for a heartwarming love story.
And I loved Nicholas and Ward.
Ward's nerdy enthusiasm is so appealing, although he is seriously misdirected when it comes to the topic of his studies. This is where his heart rules his head - he misses his twin brother so much he gets involved in spirits and trying to talk to the deceased. I'm not sure whether the short inserts from his personal journal told in the first person (while the rest of the book is dual POV, third person) were really necessary, but I enjoyed them nonetheless.
Ward has alienated himself from polite society, not only because of his studies and his social awkwardness, but also for his preference for men. Unsurprisingly he is a very lonely man.
The same goes for Nicholas who is half gypsy and has never really belonged, even though he was brought up in the village and is closely linked to the family he works for. This has become even more true since the death of his mother the year before.
Nicholas is on his own, his only companion a one-eyed bull terrier called Snow. His love for his dog and the way he looks after him speaks volumes about his character. (yes, I oohed and aahed over this one...)
I guess you could label this book as 'enemies to lovers'. The dislike and distrust Nicholas has for Ward for a good while (for very good reasons btw) only slowly disappears. Loved the slow burn, the very gradual change of feelings and the explosion of heat when they get together eventually.
Main problem between these two is their different social status and the way Ward sometimes plays the upper class 'master' card which is not something someone as independent as Nicholas can easily put aside. And why should he?
I was all behind Nicholas when things go seriously wrong for this reason, and was a little bit surprised that the issue was not really discussed properly between them later.
However, this does not take away from how fabulous this book is and how much I enjoyed it.
Highly recommended.
There are not many authors out there who write convincing and totally enjoyable historical romance. Joanna Chambers is certainly one of them. A Gathering Storm is a winner on so many levels.
The setting in Cornwall, right at the coast, is beautiful and evocative at the same time. Grand houses, steep cliffs and the sea, wild and endless, make a stunning background for a heartwarming love story.
And I loved Nicholas and Ward.
Ward's nerdy enthusiasm is so appealing, although he is seriously misdirected when it comes to the topic of his studies. This is where his heart rules his head - he misses his twin brother so much he gets involved in spirits and trying to talk to the deceased. I'm not sure whether the short inserts from his personal journal told in the first person (while the rest of the book is dual POV, third person) were really necessary, but I enjoyed them nonetheless.
Ward has alienated himself from polite society, not only because of his studies and his social awkwardness, but also for his preference for men. Unsurprisingly he is a very lonely man.
The same goes for Nicholas who is half gypsy and has never really belonged, even though he was brought up in the village and is closely linked to the family he works for. This has become even more true since the death of his mother the year before.
Nicholas is on his own, his only companion a one-eyed bull terrier called Snow. His love for his dog and the way he looks after him speaks volumes about his character. (yes, I oohed and aahed over this one...)
I guess you could label this book as 'enemies to lovers'. The dislike and distrust Nicholas has for Ward for a good while (for very good reasons btw) only slowly disappears. Loved the slow burn, the very gradual change of feelings and the explosion of heat when they get together eventually.
Main problem between these two is their different social status and the way Ward sometimes plays the upper class 'master' card which is not something someone as independent as Nicholas can easily put aside. And why should he?
I was all behind Nicholas when things go seriously wrong for this reason, and was a little bit surprised that the issue was not really discussed properly between them later.
However, this does not take away from how fabulous this book is and how much I enjoyed it.
Highly recommended.
May 19, 2017
It took me almost 3 weeks to finish this book. And I can assure you, it was too long, even for my slow reading speed recently because of my busy schedule.
So, on a scale of a reading pleasure from 1 to 5, it is probably even less than 2 stars, but I’d like to remain fair: this book probably is not THAT bad, but it didn’t work for me at all. Looking back at my everyday's struggle with this novel, and knowing the ending now, I can say, it would be better to DNF it. But here I am and I owe a modest explanation for my low rating for a book that seems to win the hearts of many readers.
I love historical fiction if it can convey a sense of time, the feeling of a past era. I didn’t have this feeling reading A Gathering Storm. The fact that Porthkennack is a fictional small town on the Cornwall coast, could hardly justify the absence of any historical feeling. It could have been set on a fictional planet in an imaginable universe; or even in a vacuum; it would not have played a role. A Gathering Storm is a novel without ANY historical feel. And neither experts from The Collected Writing of Sir Edward Fitzwilliam (I didn't get their purpose here at all) , nor the date of the mid-1850th that appeared in every chapter’s title, nor old-fashioned-sttyled dialogues couldn’t change this fact or my opinion about it.
A wealthy scientist Ward who came to Porthkennack to investigate certain effects in electromagnetism, found after some failures a perfect subject for his dubious scientific experiments - Nick Hearn, an attractive local bastard, whose mother was Romany Gypsy and whose natural grandfather, turned out to be old Godfrey Roscarrock himself, a local landlord with a lot of power.
This unusual constellation and particular circumstances under which Ward and Nick met could offer an exciting love story with a storm of emotions. Unfortunately, the closer these two lovebirds got, the more tedious and monotonous became the story. I didn’t find the main characters authentic or interesting or charming to be care of, their mutual attraction came from nowhere and was difficult for me to buy it, and even prolonged sex scenes couldn't convince me.
Actually they did just the opposite, I skimmed most of them.
And the dialogues! Did adult educated people talk this way, even more than 150 years ago?!
I was bored with this book to death.
It was my first book by Joanna Chambers and most likely the last one.
We have different ideas of historical fiction.
**Copy provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
So, on a scale of a reading pleasure from 1 to 5, it is probably even less than 2 stars, but I’d like to remain fair: this book probably is not THAT bad, but it didn’t work for me at all. Looking back at my everyday's struggle with this novel, and knowing the ending now, I can say, it would be better to DNF it. But here I am and I owe a modest explanation for my low rating for a book that seems to win the hearts of many readers.
I love historical fiction if it can convey a sense of time, the feeling of a past era. I didn’t have this feeling reading A Gathering Storm. The fact that Porthkennack is a fictional small town on the Cornwall coast, could hardly justify the absence of any historical feeling. It could have been set on a fictional planet in an imaginable universe; or even in a vacuum; it would not have played a role. A Gathering Storm is a novel without ANY historical feel. And neither experts from The Collected Writing of Sir Edward Fitzwilliam (I didn't get their purpose here at all) , nor the date of the mid-1850th that appeared in every chapter’s title, nor old-fashioned-sttyled dialogues couldn’t change this fact or my opinion about it.
A wealthy scientist Ward who came to Porthkennack to investigate certain effects in electromagnetism, found after some failures a perfect subject for his dubious scientific experiments - Nick Hearn, an attractive local bastard, whose mother was Romany Gypsy and whose natural grandfather, turned out to be old Godfrey Roscarrock himself, a local landlord with a lot of power.
This unusual constellation and particular circumstances under which Ward and Nick met could offer an exciting love story with a storm of emotions. Unfortunately, the closer these two lovebirds got, the more tedious and monotonous became the story. I didn’t find the main characters authentic or interesting or charming to be care of, their mutual attraction came from nowhere and was difficult for me to buy it, and even prolonged sex scenes couldn't convince me.
Actually they did just the opposite, I skimmed most of them.
And the dialogues! Did adult educated people talk this way, even more than 150 years ago?!
I was bored with this book to death.
It was my first book by Joanna Chambers and most likely the last one.
We have different ideas of historical fiction.
**Copy provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
April 12, 2017
*swoony sigh*
I loved this book. It was just…beautiful. And it wasn’t just the romance. It was all of it…the writing, the setting, the story, the emotion…I felt so swept away and didn’t put the book down until I got to the end in one sitting.
It is a classic opposites attract: Ward being a scholar and a man of wealth while Nick a townie, son of a gypsy, who looks after the property of one of the largest landowners. But what ties them is some connection to the supernatural…possibly, as well as a keen sense of loss and lack of place…definitely.
The slow build from distrust, to hopeful attraction, to deep connection was one that I had no problem patiently enjoying. The interactions between Ward and Nick were so genuine and caring, I wanted to read more and more pages just of the two of them.
I love Joanna Chambers’ writing. I have yet to read a story of hers that I didn’t enjoy immensely. And picking a favorite would be difficult. So I’ll just say that this is one of my favorites among all the favorites written by this author!
What's to Like:
It’s just great to have new books coming from one of my favorite authors. So for that I’m happy! I’m also excited that this is part of a Riptide Publishing series of books set in Porthkennack. The line up of authors for this series is impressive and I have a feeling each story will be entertaining to read.
What's to Love:
I really love books where the setting itself plays a part as a character. In the way that Joanna Chambers wrote this cliff side property and the town itself, I felt like I was there. I could visualize so clearly everything she described of the locations. And this town came to LIFE in this book and played it’s own role. I loved it!
Beware of:
This is my only teeny tiny grumble, and it could very well be mine alone. When a character pulls a dumbass, hurtful move in anger towards their beloved, I like a lot more groveling and apology before forgiveness. :) Earn your way back into my heart! It would’ve been PERFECT if there was just that little more crawling back with your tail between your legs! ha!
This Book is For:
If you love a good m/m historical, you’ll love this book. If you’re a fan of Harper Fox books, I think you’ll really love this book. There’s a similar feel to Fox’s “Cold Fusion” that I enjoyed in this one.
April 5, 2023
This series is just lovely so far. And as a huge fan of Joanna Chambers historical novels, this did not disappoint me. I adored Ward and Nick. Their relationship struggles were typical of the aristocrat and working man trope. The deep grief Ward was going through and the unique atmosphere with the spiritual element added something really interesting to the story.
April 21, 2017
4.5 stars!
Joanna Chambers is back with another brilliant historical romance!
Sir Edward Fitzwillian, known as Ward to his family and friends, moves to Cornwall in order to pursue a scientific experiment - to harness the elements in order to get in touch with his dead brother’s spirit.
At first, Ward may seem like a bit of a kook. However, he’s neither crazy nor particularly spiritual. A past encounter with the supernatural convinced him that he could reach his brother somehow. I couldn’t help but feel for Ward from early on. His grief for his brother was palpable.
Ward requires a volunteer to aid him, which is how he meets Nick Hearn, the land steward and half-Gypsy bastard of the Rosecarrock family. After the death of his mother, Nick never truly belonged anywhere or to anyone.
Nick comes across as grumpy and taciturn, but that tough exterior serves to hide how lonely he really is.
Nick and Ward don’t get off on the right foot. They’re complete opposites, and clash often.
But as they spend time together, they slowly begin realizing that their preconceived notions of the other weren’t true. They bond over their shared grief for their deceased family members and their less-than-perfect childhoods.
The two are also well-matched intellectually. Ward may be the scientist, and Nick’s education may not have been as extensive, but they find it difficult to be bored in each other’s company.
And underneath that gradual emotional connection, there’s a simmering sexual tension. This isn’t a particularly steamy book, but when the two finally give in, they’re passionate and intense.
‘A Gathering Storm’ manages to include some social commentary, which is what I’d expect from Joanna Chambers. The author explores class disparity between a titled aristocrat and someone who has to work for a living.
Nick’s view of the world is shaped by who he is - born out of wedlock to a Romani mother, and always aware that he doesn’t belong in Ward’s world. It takes a while for Ward to really understand where Nick’s coming from, but by the end he makes quite a lot of progress.
The ending was a perfect happy ever after. Sometimes the endings for an MM historical romance aren’t entirely believable, but Ward and Nick find a way to be together that’s entirely plausible.
Overall, ‘A Gathering Storm’ hits the perfect balance between well-rounded characters, a slow but sweet romance, some angst, and a brilliant HEA. If you’re looking for an MM historical read, I’d highly recommend this book!
Joanna Chambers is back with another brilliant historical romance!
Sir Edward Fitzwillian, known as Ward to his family and friends, moves to Cornwall in order to pursue a scientific experiment - to harness the elements in order to get in touch with his dead brother’s spirit.
At first, Ward may seem like a bit of a kook. However, he’s neither crazy nor particularly spiritual. A past encounter with the supernatural convinced him that he could reach his brother somehow. I couldn’t help but feel for Ward from early on. His grief for his brother was palpable.
Ward requires a volunteer to aid him, which is how he meets Nick Hearn, the land steward and half-Gypsy bastard of the Rosecarrock family. After the death of his mother, Nick never truly belonged anywhere or to anyone.
Nick comes across as grumpy and taciturn, but that tough exterior serves to hide how lonely he really is.
Nick and Ward don’t get off on the right foot. They’re complete opposites, and clash often.
But as they spend time together, they slowly begin realizing that their preconceived notions of the other weren’t true. They bond over their shared grief for their deceased family members and their less-than-perfect childhoods.
The two are also well-matched intellectually. Ward may be the scientist, and Nick’s education may not have been as extensive, but they find it difficult to be bored in each other’s company.
And underneath that gradual emotional connection, there’s a simmering sexual tension. This isn’t a particularly steamy book, but when the two finally give in, they’re passionate and intense.
‘A Gathering Storm’ manages to include some social commentary, which is what I’d expect from Joanna Chambers. The author explores class disparity between a titled aristocrat and someone who has to work for a living.
Nick’s view of the world is shaped by who he is - born out of wedlock to a Romani mother, and always aware that he doesn’t belong in Ward’s world. It takes a while for Ward to really understand where Nick’s coming from, but by the end he makes quite a lot of progress.
The ending was a perfect happy ever after. Sometimes the endings for an MM historical romance aren’t entirely believable, but Ward and Nick find a way to be together that’s entirely plausible.
Overall, ‘A Gathering Storm’ hits the perfect balance between well-rounded characters, a slow but sweet romance, some angst, and a brilliant HEA. If you’re looking for an MM historical read, I’d highly recommend this book!
August 16, 2018
Bien porque es la Chambers y porque los 2 personajes tienen mucha química juntos. Meh porque el plot me ha aburrido bastante, ese rollo espiritista, uf, qué agonía.
May 21, 2017
A fun, historical romance with an obsessive scientist. Sir Edward Fitzwilliam is a logical man with a huge blind spot - one possibly-paranormal experience has convinced him that the world of ghosts and spirits can be accessed from our own. The death of his twin brother tore such a hole in his life that he spends every ounce of his brilliance and talents in an uncritical attempt to contact the dead. But for his experiments he needs the right subject.
Enter Nick Hearn, local land steward, and a perforce closeted gay man trying to balance a life around his demanding boss with family complications, an ex who wants more, and his rescued bulldog. The last thing he needs is another complication, but a moment of indiscretion puts him in Sir Edward's sights. Nick doesn't want to contact his dead mother's spirit. But he's not sure he can say no to Ward. And against his will, he's fascinated by Ward's mix of science and superstition, enthusiasm and obliviousness, class blindness and wealth. Ward's a tough man to figure out, and Nick is far too interested for his own comfort.
I enjoyed the characters in this story a lot. They were a nice contrast of attitudes and experiences. This story was much less grounded in the historical realities than the author's Enlightenment series, and felt a lot lighter. I somewhat missed the deep and detailed enmeshing with time and place. However this was a fun, fast read, with some delightful moments.
Enter Nick Hearn, local land steward, and a perforce closeted gay man trying to balance a life around his demanding boss with family complications, an ex who wants more, and his rescued bulldog. The last thing he needs is another complication, but a moment of indiscretion puts him in Sir Edward's sights. Nick doesn't want to contact his dead mother's spirit. But he's not sure he can say no to Ward. And against his will, he's fascinated by Ward's mix of science and superstition, enthusiasm and obliviousness, class blindness and wealth. Ward's a tough man to figure out, and Nick is far too interested for his own comfort.
I enjoyed the characters in this story a lot. They were a nice contrast of attitudes and experiences. This story was much less grounded in the historical realities than the author's Enlightenment series, and felt a lot lighter. I somewhat missed the deep and detailed enmeshing with time and place. However this was a fun, fast read, with some delightful moments.
September 11, 2022
I'm a huge Joanna Chambers fan so this was always going to be a winner.
Interesting narrative, part science, part exploration of spiritualism and grief, there's some wonderful plot building in this historical Porthkennack entry.
I loved both MCs, each had their flaws and their strengths and together they worked beautifully at giving each other a home and a new purpose.
I will say, I felt they both read as older than their ages though, even with the historical factor taken into account.
It didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying their romance though.
Interesting narrative, part science, part exploration of spiritualism and grief, there's some wonderful plot building in this historical Porthkennack entry.
I loved both MCs, each had their flaws and their strengths and together they worked beautifully at giving each other a home and a new purpose.
I will say, I felt they both read as older than their ages though, even with the historical factor taken into account.
It didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying their romance though.
June 8, 2017
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this but it didn't wow me like it seemed to do to everyone else. I don't really know what was missing for me, I typically love this author's work, but it was just alright. I didn't write my review right away (my bad.....sorry author and publisher) but as I sat down to write this I realized I couldn't remember one thing about this book. Not one. I had to read other people's reviews to jog my memory. The fact that the plot was so unmemorable to me probably says it all.
I think though that this is a case of "It's not you, it's me." Everyone else seemed to love this book. It's probably best you all disregard my review totally and read other people's. They are far more comprehensive.
**ARC provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
I enjoyed this but it didn't wow me like it seemed to do to everyone else. I don't really know what was missing for me, I typically love this author's work, but it was just alright. I didn't write my review right away (my bad.....sorry author and publisher) but as I sat down to write this I realized I couldn't remember one thing about this book. Not one. I had to read other people's reviews to jog my memory. The fact that the plot was so unmemorable to me probably says it all.
I think though that this is a case of "It's not you, it's me." Everyone else seemed to love this book. It's probably best you all disregard my review totally and read other people's. They are far more comprehensive.
**ARC provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
October 11, 2018
One MC does something absolutely unforgivable to the other MC at the beginning of their acquaintance.
And since it was unforgivable, I couldn't forgive it. Therefore this was doomed to failure as a romance from the very beginning.
Four stars for the writing; two stars for the story; zero stars for the romance.
And since it was unforgivable, I couldn't forgive it. Therefore this was doomed to failure as a romance from the very beginning.
Four stars for the writing; two stars for the story; zero stars for the romance.
April 22, 2017
Sir Edward is grieving his twin brother and uses his scientist knowledge to reach him once more, even though it means to be cast out and being lonely even more than he already is. For his experiences, he needs some “subjects” and then start the regular Sunday encounters with Nicholas, the steward of a rich neighbour. The start of their relationship is quite rocky but more and more, deep feelings are involved, which will be put under pressure with the enormous difference of status and aspiration in life.
There is electricity in the air, but not necessarily one that can be measured scientifically.
I loved the characters Joanna Chambers built, with their strengths and flaws, their eagerness to learn and their need to be accepted and find a place. So even if I didn’t really get into the story and found the ending a but rushed, Ward and Nicholas made it worth the read.
There is electricity in the air, but not necessarily one that can be measured scientifically.
I loved the characters Joanna Chambers built, with their strengths and flaws, their eagerness to learn and their need to be accepted and find a place. So even if I didn’t really get into the story and found the ending a but rushed, Ward and Nicholas made it worth the read.
June 12, 2017
I've given this an A- at AAR, which is 4.5 stars rounded up.
Joanna Chambers’ A Gathering Storm is the sole historical entry in the Porthkennack series of queer romances written by five different award-winning, best-selling British LGBTQ+ romance authors. All the books – the others are by Charlie Cochrane, J.L. Merrow, Alex Beecroft and Garrett Leigh – can be read in any order and are standalone titles; the link is the setting of Porthkennack, a charming Cornish seaside town with a long and sometimes sinister history.
The story opens as Sir Edward Fitzwilliam Is travelling from Dublin to Anglesey on the night of a fierce, electrical storm. The storm is at its height when Edward – Ward – experiences a strange phenomenon; he hears his twin brother, George, assuring him that all will be well at what Ward later realises must have been the moment of his brother’s death. From that moment on, Ward becomes consumed by the idea of recreating the conditions that allowed the communication and devotes himself to the task, even though the wider scientific community - of which he had been a respected member - disapproves of his efforts to contact the departed and denounces him.
Following his disastrous public defence of a sham medium in opposition to some of his highly respected colleagues, Ward retreats to the small seaside town of Porthkennack in Cornwall, where he purchases a plot of land close to a place known locally as ‘the Hole’, an eighty-foot-high cavern that stretches from cliff-top to seabed. Stories of the supernatural cling to the place, but Ward’s interest is of a more scientific nature; he believes that the conditions experienced in that location during a storm will help him in his quest to recreate those he experienced on the night his brother communicated with him ‘from beyond the veil’.
But in order to prove that communication with the spirit world is possible, Ward also needs subjects willing to take part in his experiments, preferably people who have recently suffered a bereavement. He asks his solicitor if he can help him find such people, but even though Ward offers to pay well, the locals are naturally sceptical; and once rumours begin circulating about his using mesmerism and electric shocks (he doesn’t) not even the promise of payment can induce anyone to sign up.
On a visit to a local tavern in hopes of drumming up some interest, Ward meets Nicholas Hearn, land steward at the neighbouring Roscarrock estate. Nick is half Romany and, while it’s never publicly acknowledged, is the illegitimate grandson of his employer, old Godfrey Roscarrock. Nick’s gypsy mother is widely believed to have been clairvoyant, and when Ward learns of this, he is convinced that Nick is the very man to assist him with his experiments – but Nick isn’t interested, or at least, he isn’t interested in what Ward is trying to do, although he is fascinated by the man himself.
But circumstances have a way of changing unexpectedly, and not long after their initial meeting, Nick is manoeuvred into striking a bargain with Ward and agreeing to help with his experiments until the end of the summer. Over the ensuing weeks, the men fall into an unlikely friendship at the same time as the undercurrent of attraction that has been evident since their first meeting continues to bubble and simmer until it reaches a fever pitch they can no longer ignore or resist.
The romance between these two polar opposites – one fair, wealthy and privileged and the other a dark, reserved outsider – is incredibly well done and really quite beautiful. The sexual tension and the strength of the emotional connection the men share just leap off the page, and I really appreciated the way Ms. Chambers is able to put their romantic relationship on an equal footing in spite of their difference in social standing. Ward has never been in love, but is sexually experienced while Nick had a lover, but the opportunities to thoroughly explore the physical side of that relationship were few. But while Ward is rather deliciously naughty, the one thing he doesn’t have experience of is kissing – and the scene in which Nick shows Ward just how gloriously intimate a kiss can be is wonderfully tender and passionate.
They are very well-drawn, three-dimensional characters, both of them fervent about their beliefs and both stubborn to a fault. Ward was born into an aristocratic family and, while not an uncaring person, doesn’t realise the degree to which his privileged position distances him from other, ‘ordinary’ people. Nick, on the other hand, is neither fish nor fowl; his position as a land steward raises him above the farmers and working men of the village, yet even though he is the grandson of the one of the most powerful men in the area, Nick’s illegitimacy and his Romish blood mean that he is not gentry either. Ms. Chambers does a terrific job in exploring these differences, showing Ward and Nick recognising the need to make adjustments to their way of thinking and acting if they are to make a future together. Nick’s situation as being ‘between classes’ makes him particularly easy to empathise with; he feels he doesn’t really belong anywhere, and that sense of isolation is often compounded by his own, somewhat introverted nature. Ward, on the other hand, comes across as a bit of a snob at first, although it soon becomes clear that his sometimes dismissive attitude is as much to do with his absorption in his work and an inability to read social cues as it is to do with his upbringing.
There is a small, but strongly characterised secondary cast, and the uneasy relationship between Godfrey Roscarrock and Nick is particularly well done. Nick resents the older man; even though he has given him a good position, Nick sometimes wonders if he wouldn’t have been better off if he’d been left as he was, a gypsy bastard left to run with his mother’s folk – yet it’s obvious that Roscarrock has some degree of affection for his unacknowledged grandson, and sees in him a man like himself, a man whose love of the land is deeply entrenched.
I should probably point out here that in spite of Ward’s obsession with communicating with the dead, this book is primarily an historical romance and the paranormal aspect of the story is a background detail. It’s an important, very well researched and quite fascinating background detail, but that’s nonetheless what it is, so anyone coming to the book expecting a strong paranormal element may be disappointed.
<A Gathering Storm is a wonderful love story, and at the same time, a subtly nuanced exploration of the nature of obsession and grief. I’ve gone back and forth over a final grade for the book because while I enjoyed it very much, the final chapter is somewhat rushed, and there are a couple of pacing issues in the middle. Ultimately, however, neither of those things would deter me from re-reading it, which means it belongs on my keeper shelf.
Joanna Chambers’ A Gathering Storm is the sole historical entry in the Porthkennack series of queer romances written by five different award-winning, best-selling British LGBTQ+ romance authors. All the books – the others are by Charlie Cochrane, J.L. Merrow, Alex Beecroft and Garrett Leigh – can be read in any order and are standalone titles; the link is the setting of Porthkennack, a charming Cornish seaside town with a long and sometimes sinister history.
The story opens as Sir Edward Fitzwilliam Is travelling from Dublin to Anglesey on the night of a fierce, electrical storm. The storm is at its height when Edward – Ward – experiences a strange phenomenon; he hears his twin brother, George, assuring him that all will be well at what Ward later realises must have been the moment of his brother’s death. From that moment on, Ward becomes consumed by the idea of recreating the conditions that allowed the communication and devotes himself to the task, even though the wider scientific community - of which he had been a respected member - disapproves of his efforts to contact the departed and denounces him.
Following his disastrous public defence of a sham medium in opposition to some of his highly respected colleagues, Ward retreats to the small seaside town of Porthkennack in Cornwall, where he purchases a plot of land close to a place known locally as ‘the Hole’, an eighty-foot-high cavern that stretches from cliff-top to seabed. Stories of the supernatural cling to the place, but Ward’s interest is of a more scientific nature; he believes that the conditions experienced in that location during a storm will help him in his quest to recreate those he experienced on the night his brother communicated with him ‘from beyond the veil’.
But in order to prove that communication with the spirit world is possible, Ward also needs subjects willing to take part in his experiments, preferably people who have recently suffered a bereavement. He asks his solicitor if he can help him find such people, but even though Ward offers to pay well, the locals are naturally sceptical; and once rumours begin circulating about his using mesmerism and electric shocks (he doesn’t) not even the promise of payment can induce anyone to sign up.
On a visit to a local tavern in hopes of drumming up some interest, Ward meets Nicholas Hearn, land steward at the neighbouring Roscarrock estate. Nick is half Romany and, while it’s never publicly acknowledged, is the illegitimate grandson of his employer, old Godfrey Roscarrock. Nick’s gypsy mother is widely believed to have been clairvoyant, and when Ward learns of this, he is convinced that Nick is the very man to assist him with his experiments – but Nick isn’t interested, or at least, he isn’t interested in what Ward is trying to do, although he is fascinated by the man himself.
But circumstances have a way of changing unexpectedly, and not long after their initial meeting, Nick is manoeuvred into striking a bargain with Ward and agreeing to help with his experiments until the end of the summer. Over the ensuing weeks, the men fall into an unlikely friendship at the same time as the undercurrent of attraction that has been evident since their first meeting continues to bubble and simmer until it reaches a fever pitch they can no longer ignore or resist.
The romance between these two polar opposites – one fair, wealthy and privileged and the other a dark, reserved outsider – is incredibly well done and really quite beautiful. The sexual tension and the strength of the emotional connection the men share just leap off the page, and I really appreciated the way Ms. Chambers is able to put their romantic relationship on an equal footing in spite of their difference in social standing. Ward has never been in love, but is sexually experienced while Nick had a lover, but the opportunities to thoroughly explore the physical side of that relationship were few. But while Ward is rather deliciously naughty, the one thing he doesn’t have experience of is kissing – and the scene in which Nick shows Ward just how gloriously intimate a kiss can be is wonderfully tender and passionate.
They are very well-drawn, three-dimensional characters, both of them fervent about their beliefs and both stubborn to a fault. Ward was born into an aristocratic family and, while not an uncaring person, doesn’t realise the degree to which his privileged position distances him from other, ‘ordinary’ people. Nick, on the other hand, is neither fish nor fowl; his position as a land steward raises him above the farmers and working men of the village, yet even though he is the grandson of the one of the most powerful men in the area, Nick’s illegitimacy and his Romish blood mean that he is not gentry either. Ms. Chambers does a terrific job in exploring these differences, showing Ward and Nick recognising the need to make adjustments to their way of thinking and acting if they are to make a future together. Nick’s situation as being ‘between classes’ makes him particularly easy to empathise with; he feels he doesn’t really belong anywhere, and that sense of isolation is often compounded by his own, somewhat introverted nature. Ward, on the other hand, comes across as a bit of a snob at first, although it soon becomes clear that his sometimes dismissive attitude is as much to do with his absorption in his work and an inability to read social cues as it is to do with his upbringing.
There is a small, but strongly characterised secondary cast, and the uneasy relationship between Godfrey Roscarrock and Nick is particularly well done. Nick resents the older man; even though he has given him a good position, Nick sometimes wonders if he wouldn’t have been better off if he’d been left as he was, a gypsy bastard left to run with his mother’s folk – yet it’s obvious that Roscarrock has some degree of affection for his unacknowledged grandson, and sees in him a man like himself, a man whose love of the land is deeply entrenched.
I should probably point out here that in spite of Ward’s obsession with communicating with the dead, this book is primarily an historical romance and the paranormal aspect of the story is a background detail. It’s an important, very well researched and quite fascinating background detail, but that’s nonetheless what it is, so anyone coming to the book expecting a strong paranormal element may be disappointed.
<A Gathering Storm is a wonderful love story, and at the same time, a subtly nuanced exploration of the nature of obsession and grief. I’ve gone back and forth over a final grade for the book because while I enjoyed it very much, the final chapter is somewhat rushed, and there are a couple of pacing issues in the middle. Ultimately, however, neither of those things would deter me from re-reading it, which means it belongs on my keeper shelf.
April 7, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
I found myself delightfully transported by this story. Set in mid-1850, I found Chambers balanced plot and character development with world building very well. There are little tells like scientific developments and contemporary scientists, not to mention references to their mode of dress and the mannerisms of the wealthy, peppering the prose to set the timeframe as distinctly in the Victorian era. These differences also serve well to highlight the differences between Nick and Ward.
The pacing of the events kept me turning pages. Not only is Chambers crafting the “real time” events unfolding between Ward and Nick, but she has snippets from what is called “The Collected Writings of Sir Edward Fitzwilliam, volume 1.” It serves as a delightful contrast from the main text as it gives short, first-person accounts from Ward’s past, compared to the third person omniscient narrator in the main text. Initially, I thought it just served as a way to build up some of Ward’s backstory…but the deeper into the story we go, the more intertwining these snippets of collected writings reflect back on the main text, offering reason why Ward is so obsessed with the paranormal, how he came to be at Porthkennack, and his zeal for science.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
I found myself delightfully transported by this story. Set in mid-1850, I found Chambers balanced plot and character development with world building very well. There are little tells like scientific developments and contemporary scientists, not to mention references to their mode of dress and the mannerisms of the wealthy, peppering the prose to set the timeframe as distinctly in the Victorian era. These differences also serve well to highlight the differences between Nick and Ward.
The pacing of the events kept me turning pages. Not only is Chambers crafting the “real time” events unfolding between Ward and Nick, but she has snippets from what is called “The Collected Writings of Sir Edward Fitzwilliam, volume 1.” It serves as a delightful contrast from the main text as it gives short, first-person accounts from Ward’s past, compared to the third person omniscient narrator in the main text. Initially, I thought it just served as a way to build up some of Ward’s backstory…but the deeper into the story we go, the more intertwining these snippets of collected writings reflect back on the main text, offering reason why Ward is so obsessed with the paranormal, how he came to be at Porthkennack, and his zeal for science.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
April 29, 2022
This was a lovely read, full of all the wonderful historical details that really give this author's works a sense of time and place. I thought the ending felt a bit rushed, and the reconciliation lacked the depth I wanted, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed myself. :D
August 6, 2023
I've given this a B+ for both narration and content at AudioGals, 4.5 stars.
It’s taken a while for Joanna Chambers’ 2017 historical romance, A Gathering Storm, to make it into audio, but I remember enjoying the story back when I read it, so, despite the fact that the narrator is new-to-me, I decided to give the audiobook version a listen. The book is part of the multi-author Porthkennack series, all set in and around the Cornish seaside town of the same name, but it’s a standalone, so it’s not necessary to have read any of the other books in order to enjoy it.
The story begins on the night of a terrible electrical storm, when Sir Edward Fitzwilliam (known as ‘Ward’) is aboard ship, crossing the Irish Sea from Dublin to Anglesey. The storm is at its height when Ward experiences something very strange – he hears the voice of his twin brother George calling out to him and assuring him that all will be well. Realising later that this must have been the exact moment of George’s death and believing he’d received a communication from ‘beyond the veil’. Ward dedicates himself to recreating the conditions that allowed it to happen, in spite of the disapproval and dismissal of the wider scientific community of which he is – or had been – a respected member.
Ward decides to leave London for the small town of Porthkennack on the Cornish coast, where he purchases a plot of land close to a place known locally as ‘the Hole’, an eighty-foot-high cavern that stretches from cliff-top to seabed, and builds a house. There are rumours of the supernatural associated with the place, but Ward’s interest is far more scientific, as he believes the conditions in “the hole” during a storm will enable him to recreate the conditions he experienced aboard ship and contact his brother. The sticking point, however, is finding some suitable subjects willing to take part in Ward’s experiments, preferably people who have suffered recent bereavements. But with rumours that he’s performing mesmerism and electric shocks circulating, not even the promise of payment can induce any of the locals to sign up.
Nicholas Hearn is the land steward for the neighbouring Roscarrock estate and is widely known to be the grandson of its squire, Godfrey Roscarrock – although the old man has never actually acknowledged him. Nick is half Rom through his mother, who the locals believe to have been clairvoyant, and when Ward learns of this, he becomes convinced that Nick is exactly the person he needs to help him with his experiments. But Nick turns him down. He’s not interested in what Ward is trying to do, and makes no bones about the fact that he doesn’t believe in his mother’s supposed abilities as a medium. He can’t, though, deny the handsome baronet stirs his interest in other ways.
Circumstances enable Ward to manoeuvre Nick into helping him after all, and Nick agrees to visit Ward on Sundays until the end of the summer. Their first session is somewhat awkward. Nick is resentful (quite rightly) at being inveigled into being the subject of Ward’s experiments, and Ward is ashamed (also quite rightly) of how he obtained Nick’s participation. But that wariness soon begins to dissipate as Nick, who thought Ward would treat him as little more than a servant, realises that Ward, too, is nervous and uncomfortable. He hadn’t expected that – or for him to be so intriguing or agreeable, and certainly hadn’t expected the man to show any consideration for his comfort (or that of his nervous dog) and to treat him as an equal. But Ward reveals himself to be a kind man – even if he sometimes acts or speaks thoughtlessly – and, Nick realises, a lonely one, and as the weeks pass, a friendship develops and the mutual attraction that has been slowly building between them becomes stronger until neither man can deny or ignore it any longer.
There’s a lovely slow-burn feel to the romance here, and I enjoyed the contrast the author has created between the uptight yet more sexually experienced Ward and the down-to-earth yet inexperienced Nick. The two leads are well drawn and three dimensional, and the author conveys a strong sense of who they are, what they believe and what they want from life. Ward was born to privilege, and while not an uncaring person, can be high-handed, and his obsession with his work can make him blind to the needs and intentions of others. Nick’s position as a land steward raises him slightly above the farmers and working men of the village, but his illegitimacy and Romish blood mean he’s always going to be seen as an outsider. There’s no getting away from the fact that Ward, due to a happy accident of birth, holds all the cards, and it’s clear throughout the story that this is, for Nick, a cause of unease, no matter that he knows Ward is a good man or that he is falling in love with him. Ms. Chambers does a good job of exploring the effects of their difference in social status and of showing – through some very well written character development on both sides – the two men learning to make adjustments in their ways of thinking and acting in order to make their relationship work.
The settings – the village, the house by the cliffs, the bustling town of Truro – are all beautifully depicted, the secondary characters are very well drawn, and the author handles the particularly Victorian juxtaposition of science and spiritualism that underpins the story really well, with a look at the oppressive and sometimes obsessive nature of grief.
Simon Goldhill’s name and voice are new to me – and to romance audiobooks – but he isn’t completely new to audiobook narration. He delivers a terrific performance here, with clear characterisations and differentiation, good pacing, and a wide range of expression and nuance that add to the tension and emotions in the story. The West Country accent he adopts for Nick is consistent and feels just right – not so thick that it’s hard to make out the words, but enough so that the contrast between him and Ward is pronounced – and his portrayal of Ward is very good indeed. Ward is described as having a very ‘raspy’ voice due to the damage to his vocal chords caused by a childhood illness, and Mr. Goldhill is spot on with it; it’s not at all overdone and does indeed sound like someone whose vocal production has been impaired without being horrible or difficult to listen to. The small secondary cast is nicely judged, and the female voices are pretty good, too. I enjoyed the performance and will certainly be on the look-out for more books narrated by Simon Goldhill.
My one real complaint about the story is that the HEA is a little rushed, but overall, A Gathering Storm strikes the right balance between its sensual romance and unusual plot, and reaches a very satisfactory conclusion. Recommended.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
It’s taken a while for Joanna Chambers’ 2017 historical romance, A Gathering Storm, to make it into audio, but I remember enjoying the story back when I read it, so, despite the fact that the narrator is new-to-me, I decided to give the audiobook version a listen. The book is part of the multi-author Porthkennack series, all set in and around the Cornish seaside town of the same name, but it’s a standalone, so it’s not necessary to have read any of the other books in order to enjoy it.
The story begins on the night of a terrible electrical storm, when Sir Edward Fitzwilliam (known as ‘Ward’) is aboard ship, crossing the Irish Sea from Dublin to Anglesey. The storm is at its height when Ward experiences something very strange – he hears the voice of his twin brother George calling out to him and assuring him that all will be well. Realising later that this must have been the exact moment of George’s death and believing he’d received a communication from ‘beyond the veil’. Ward dedicates himself to recreating the conditions that allowed it to happen, in spite of the disapproval and dismissal of the wider scientific community of which he is – or had been – a respected member.
Ward decides to leave London for the small town of Porthkennack on the Cornish coast, where he purchases a plot of land close to a place known locally as ‘the Hole’, an eighty-foot-high cavern that stretches from cliff-top to seabed, and builds a house. There are rumours of the supernatural associated with the place, but Ward’s interest is far more scientific, as he believes the conditions in “the hole” during a storm will enable him to recreate the conditions he experienced aboard ship and contact his brother. The sticking point, however, is finding some suitable subjects willing to take part in Ward’s experiments, preferably people who have suffered recent bereavements. But with rumours that he’s performing mesmerism and electric shocks circulating, not even the promise of payment can induce any of the locals to sign up.
Nicholas Hearn is the land steward for the neighbouring Roscarrock estate and is widely known to be the grandson of its squire, Godfrey Roscarrock – although the old man has never actually acknowledged him. Nick is half Rom through his mother, who the locals believe to have been clairvoyant, and when Ward learns of this, he becomes convinced that Nick is exactly the person he needs to help him with his experiments. But Nick turns him down. He’s not interested in what Ward is trying to do, and makes no bones about the fact that he doesn’t believe in his mother’s supposed abilities as a medium. He can’t, though, deny the handsome baronet stirs his interest in other ways.
Circumstances enable Ward to manoeuvre Nick into helping him after all, and Nick agrees to visit Ward on Sundays until the end of the summer. Their first session is somewhat awkward. Nick is resentful (quite rightly) at being inveigled into being the subject of Ward’s experiments, and Ward is ashamed (also quite rightly) of how he obtained Nick’s participation. But that wariness soon begins to dissipate as Nick, who thought Ward would treat him as little more than a servant, realises that Ward, too, is nervous and uncomfortable. He hadn’t expected that – or for him to be so intriguing or agreeable, and certainly hadn’t expected the man to show any consideration for his comfort (or that of his nervous dog) and to treat him as an equal. But Ward reveals himself to be a kind man – even if he sometimes acts or speaks thoughtlessly – and, Nick realises, a lonely one, and as the weeks pass, a friendship develops and the mutual attraction that has been slowly building between them becomes stronger until neither man can deny or ignore it any longer.
There’s a lovely slow-burn feel to the romance here, and I enjoyed the contrast the author has created between the uptight yet more sexually experienced Ward and the down-to-earth yet inexperienced Nick. The two leads are well drawn and three dimensional, and the author conveys a strong sense of who they are, what they believe and what they want from life. Ward was born to privilege, and while not an uncaring person, can be high-handed, and his obsession with his work can make him blind to the needs and intentions of others. Nick’s position as a land steward raises him slightly above the farmers and working men of the village, but his illegitimacy and Romish blood mean he’s always going to be seen as an outsider. There’s no getting away from the fact that Ward, due to a happy accident of birth, holds all the cards, and it’s clear throughout the story that this is, for Nick, a cause of unease, no matter that he knows Ward is a good man or that he is falling in love with him. Ms. Chambers does a good job of exploring the effects of their difference in social status and of showing – through some very well written character development on both sides – the two men learning to make adjustments in their ways of thinking and acting in order to make their relationship work.
The settings – the village, the house by the cliffs, the bustling town of Truro – are all beautifully depicted, the secondary characters are very well drawn, and the author handles the particularly Victorian juxtaposition of science and spiritualism that underpins the story really well, with a look at the oppressive and sometimes obsessive nature of grief.
Simon Goldhill’s name and voice are new to me – and to romance audiobooks – but he isn’t completely new to audiobook narration. He delivers a terrific performance here, with clear characterisations and differentiation, good pacing, and a wide range of expression and nuance that add to the tension and emotions in the story. The West Country accent he adopts for Nick is consistent and feels just right – not so thick that it’s hard to make out the words, but enough so that the contrast between him and Ward is pronounced – and his portrayal of Ward is very good indeed. Ward is described as having a very ‘raspy’ voice due to the damage to his vocal chords caused by a childhood illness, and Mr. Goldhill is spot on with it; it’s not at all overdone and does indeed sound like someone whose vocal production has been impaired without being horrible or difficult to listen to. The small secondary cast is nicely judged, and the female voices are pretty good, too. I enjoyed the performance and will certainly be on the look-out for more books narrated by Simon Goldhill.
My one real complaint about the story is that the HEA is a little rushed, but overall, A Gathering Storm strikes the right balance between its sensual romance and unusual plot, and reaches a very satisfactory conclusion. Recommended.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
August 1, 2017
A Gathering Storm
Joanna Chambers
Riptide Publishing, 2017
Four stars
Ah, now I get it. This is the second of the series set in the town of Porthkennack, Cornwall. While the first one, “Wake Up Call,” by J.L. Merrow, is contemporary, Chambers gives us a classic historical romance set in the early 1850s—a very interesting time in Britain, and one that I know well from my love of Dickens and Trollope. The same physical and psychological aspects of Porthkennack are there: the backdrop of the Rosscarrock family and their great house, the strange and alluring cavern on the ocean, known locally as the Hole. Harper Fox has used the mystique of Cornwall well in her Tyack and Frayne series. To most Americans, the lure of Cornwall is somewhat puzzling, simply because we don’t know it. Rather like America’s Cape Cod, but more shrouded in ancient myth. But I rather like the idea of a gaggle of authors all setting their own kind of story in this locale, creating loose ties to link them together, but giving each author her own freedom.
Chambers has tackled the tough one, because historical romances are very tricky for a reader such as I. Although I loved Georgette Heyer as a teenager (yes, I was that kind of teenage boy), I ended up a curator, and thus the past is too well known to me to appreciate sloppy historical fiction. I was pleased that Chambers manages very nicely, blending just enough archaic language into her prose and dialogue to give her story the feel of a Victorian novel, without making it difficult to decipher for the modern reader. The other trick is to work the gay romance into this kind of setting without making it either depressing or unbelievably optimistic.
Nick Hearn is the illegitimate by-blow of a Rosscarrock, his mother being a Romany girl who was seduced and abandoned. The fact that he lives in Porthkennack and is the Godfrey Rosscarrock’s estate steward is a testimony to his mother’s courage.
Sir Edward Fitzwilliam, on the other hand, is an eccentric newcomer to town, having built himself a whopping great house near the Hole, and made talk of his strange scientific experiments valuable currency among the town gossips.
Both Nick and Ward are semi-outcasts in Porthkennack, but each is content with his lot. It is only when Ward, seeking out Nick as a subject for one of his experiments, accidentally discovers that he and this powerful young dark-haired man share a dark secret. From that moment on their relationship is fraught, as issues of class and money cloud the natural affinity these two twenty-somethings have for each other.
Chambers does a fantastic job of bringing out the very real issues of birth, class and privilege in this book. Her consciousness is quite modern, but she handles it in a way that feels right in the context of the 1850s in Britain. Both Dickens and Trollope were prone to underscore class issues in their novels, so there is nothing alien here. What Chambers brings to the conversation is what we all look for: the idea that two men might want to find something like happiness together in the face of a brutal culture where the cards are stacked against them.
I love that Chambers also brings in the world of spiritualism that burned through Britain and America in the 19th century, driven by the intense yearning to know of some way to communicate with the dead. Age-old mysticism merged with modern pseudo-science to engender a phenomenon that is well documented today. In a world that sought to rationalize emotion and to structure new ways for dealing with death (the garden cemetery is a product of this period), spiritualism was a logical outgrowth that lasted well into the early 20th century. Chambers makes this a driving plot motif, and uses it as a way to give her readers further insight into her two young heroes. The dramatic climax at the end is beautifully handled, worthy of anything the Bronte sisters could have imagined.
I’ve bought the third in the series, by Charlie Cochrane. How will another of my favorite authors tackle this place and make it her own? Can’t wait to see.
Joanna Chambers
Riptide Publishing, 2017
Four stars
Ah, now I get it. This is the second of the series set in the town of Porthkennack, Cornwall. While the first one, “Wake Up Call,” by J.L. Merrow, is contemporary, Chambers gives us a classic historical romance set in the early 1850s—a very interesting time in Britain, and one that I know well from my love of Dickens and Trollope. The same physical and psychological aspects of Porthkennack are there: the backdrop of the Rosscarrock family and their great house, the strange and alluring cavern on the ocean, known locally as the Hole. Harper Fox has used the mystique of Cornwall well in her Tyack and Frayne series. To most Americans, the lure of Cornwall is somewhat puzzling, simply because we don’t know it. Rather like America’s Cape Cod, but more shrouded in ancient myth. But I rather like the idea of a gaggle of authors all setting their own kind of story in this locale, creating loose ties to link them together, but giving each author her own freedom.
Chambers has tackled the tough one, because historical romances are very tricky for a reader such as I. Although I loved Georgette Heyer as a teenager (yes, I was that kind of teenage boy), I ended up a curator, and thus the past is too well known to me to appreciate sloppy historical fiction. I was pleased that Chambers manages very nicely, blending just enough archaic language into her prose and dialogue to give her story the feel of a Victorian novel, without making it difficult to decipher for the modern reader. The other trick is to work the gay romance into this kind of setting without making it either depressing or unbelievably optimistic.
Nick Hearn is the illegitimate by-blow of a Rosscarrock, his mother being a Romany girl who was seduced and abandoned. The fact that he lives in Porthkennack and is the Godfrey Rosscarrock’s estate steward is a testimony to his mother’s courage.
Sir Edward Fitzwilliam, on the other hand, is an eccentric newcomer to town, having built himself a whopping great house near the Hole, and made talk of his strange scientific experiments valuable currency among the town gossips.
Both Nick and Ward are semi-outcasts in Porthkennack, but each is content with his lot. It is only when Ward, seeking out Nick as a subject for one of his experiments, accidentally discovers that he and this powerful young dark-haired man share a dark secret. From that moment on their relationship is fraught, as issues of class and money cloud the natural affinity these two twenty-somethings have for each other.
Chambers does a fantastic job of bringing out the very real issues of birth, class and privilege in this book. Her consciousness is quite modern, but she handles it in a way that feels right in the context of the 1850s in Britain. Both Dickens and Trollope were prone to underscore class issues in their novels, so there is nothing alien here. What Chambers brings to the conversation is what we all look for: the idea that two men might want to find something like happiness together in the face of a brutal culture where the cards are stacked against them.
I love that Chambers also brings in the world of spiritualism that burned through Britain and America in the 19th century, driven by the intense yearning to know of some way to communicate with the dead. Age-old mysticism merged with modern pseudo-science to engender a phenomenon that is well documented today. In a world that sought to rationalize emotion and to structure new ways for dealing with death (the garden cemetery is a product of this period), spiritualism was a logical outgrowth that lasted well into the early 20th century. Chambers makes this a driving plot motif, and uses it as a way to give her readers further insight into her two young heroes. The dramatic climax at the end is beautifully handled, worthy of anything the Bronte sisters could have imagined.
I’ve bought the third in the series, by Charlie Cochrane. How will another of my favorite authors tackle this place and make it her own? Can’t wait to see.
May 26, 2017
The nuts and bolts of this were strong. Chambers is very good at historicals. The mid-Victorian era is captured well. The mix of science and spiritualism was well researched and felt very genuine to the period. The seance scene, in particular, was excellent. Simple, but effective. I liked that Chambers played with expectations as well - Ward, the scientist is a believer, but Nick, the half gypsy is not.
Her dialogue is good, and (something true also of the Enlightenment trilogy) she writes arguments well. The H/H are strong characters. Distinctive and well drawn. So, all in all, lots of good things here.
But, for me, for all that good stuff, the romance felt a bit: flat. I've tried hard to put my finger on why, and I think it comes down to a lack of fundamental connection between the characters. Lots of barriers: professions, aspirations, beliefs, wealth and, most fundamentally, class, but not enough focus on what breaks through them and allows these two people to be together. Class was very prominent (and well written into the story) but then it was overcome entirely too easily and without the breakthrough moment I hoped for. So, there is it, no doubt others will feel differently, but, it didn't quite all work for me.
Her dialogue is good, and (something true also of the Enlightenment trilogy) she writes arguments well. The H/H are strong characters. Distinctive and well drawn. So, all in all, lots of good things here.
But, for me, for all that good stuff, the romance felt a bit: flat. I've tried hard to put my finger on why, and I think it comes down to a lack of fundamental connection between the characters. Lots of barriers: professions, aspirations, beliefs, wealth and, most fundamentally, class, but not enough focus on what breaks through them and allows these two people to be together. Class was very prominent (and well written into the story) but then it was overcome entirely too easily and without the breakthrough moment I hoped for. So, there is it, no doubt others will feel differently, but, it didn't quite all work for me.
April 30, 2017
4.5 stars
Very good historical story of Sir Edward, who moves to his new purpose built house to conduct semi-scientific experiments using electricity and hypnosis to contact the dead. Nick, steward to the local land owner, and also his illegitimate grandson, ends up as unwilling volunteer to these experiments. A near death experience brings them closer together but there are problems on both sides in dealing with their situations before they can find a way to be together.
I really enjoyed this story which is very atmospheric.
Mind you... I am also a huge shipping forecast fan so Ward's new occupation amused me a lot
This is the 2nd book in the series and I am looking forward to reading more- which promise to cover the whole rainbow spectrum. I am really hoping for a good historical F/F story in the series
Very good historical story of Sir Edward, who moves to his new purpose built house to conduct semi-scientific experiments using electricity and hypnosis to contact the dead. Nick, steward to the local land owner, and also his illegitimate grandson, ends up as unwilling volunteer to these experiments. A near death experience brings them closer together but there are problems on both sides in dealing with their situations before they can find a way to be together.
I really enjoyed this story which is very atmospheric.
Mind you... I am also a huge shipping forecast fan so Ward's new occupation amused me a lot
This is the 2nd book in the series and I am looking forward to reading more- which promise to cover the whole rainbow spectrum. I am really hoping for a good historical F/F story in the series
May 8, 2017
Ah Joanna, you've done it again - you've left me feeling all squishy and warm inside with your new and beautiful novel.
Loved the setting, 1850s Cornwall, loved the protagonists, loved the elegant writing that you are so very good at penning and adored the romance.
Why do I keep thinking of Aidan Turner, stripped to the waist, scything hay when I read of the brooding, half Romany Nicholas Hearn?
Definite five stars. Exactly what I want from an historical m/m romance.
(Thank you Joanna for gifting me a copy of this most excellent novel, prior to publication. I'm sorry it took me so long to read.....work stuff managed to interrupt my reading again -x-).
Loved the setting, 1850s Cornwall, loved the protagonists, loved the elegant writing that you are so very good at penning and adored the romance.
Why do I keep thinking of Aidan Turner, stripped to the waist, scything hay when I read of the brooding, half Romany Nicholas Hearn?
Definite five stars. Exactly what I want from an historical m/m romance.
(Thank you Joanna for gifting me a copy of this most excellent novel, prior to publication. I'm sorry it took me so long to read.....work stuff managed to interrupt my reading again -x-).
June 6, 2017
3,5 stars.
It was a very pleasant book and I enjoyed it a lot. It was sweet, comfortable and entertaining, and at the moments when I was away from it, I had this wonderful feeling of looking forward to reading more of it. I like Joanna Chambers' clean, unobtrusive style very much, and it's amazing how in every book of hers it is always so easy for me to sympathize with the characters. I liked Ward terribly much :) Not even sure why but I felt for him right from the start. Even when he was doing things I'd probably hate another character for, like It's not that I liked Nick less, he was a great guy and perfect for Ward - I just liked Ward more. And Master Snowflake - oh, he was LOVE for sure.
I actually loved the book and was sure it'd be five stars for me - right up to the book's climax. Everything was rolling smoothly, and Ward and Nick had their serious crisis, and then And I felt it had to be something BIG there. And a BANG. Something going all out, mortal danger, life-n-death situations, great battle between good and evil spirits, love confessions on the brink of death, etc. And one of the reasons for it was that, as much as I enjoyed Ward and Nick's relations, they didn't feel like love for me. They were attracted to each other for sure but would I believe they were ready to spend their whole lives with each other, no matter the cost? Probably not. I think I felt it had to come with the climax and that's why I needed it to be, well, climatic.
And it was not. It was mellow and nice, and I understand the author's point here (and don't we often wish for the characters just to stop doing stupid things and start doing right things? :)) Okay, no. It didn't work for me here. I'm afraid it didn't feel cathartic enough - and that's why the sweetness of the resolution didn't really move me as much as it probably should have.
I also was a bit disappointed with how the subplot with spirits was resolved - that is, not resolved at all but decided unimportant. Okay, I love paranormal element in books. And here, when it played such a great role for most of the book - and then was called useless, and
Oh yes, and I was really sad not to see Snow in those last happy happy joy joy scenes. I know he must be okay but the last time we saw him he was such a poor baby, it would've been nice to see him content and enjoying his family :)
It was a very pleasant book and I enjoyed it a lot. It was sweet, comfortable and entertaining, and at the moments when I was away from it, I had this wonderful feeling of looking forward to reading more of it. I like Joanna Chambers' clean, unobtrusive style very much, and it's amazing how in every book of hers it is always so easy for me to sympathize with the characters. I liked Ward terribly much :) Not even sure why but I felt for him right from the start. Even when he was doing things I'd probably hate another character for, like It's not that I liked Nick less, he was a great guy and perfect for Ward - I just liked Ward more. And Master Snowflake - oh, he was LOVE for sure.
I actually loved the book and was sure it'd be five stars for me - right up to the book's climax. Everything was rolling smoothly, and Ward and Nick had their serious crisis, and then And I felt it had to be something BIG there. And a BANG. Something going all out, mortal danger, life-n-death situations, great battle between good and evil spirits, love confessions on the brink of death, etc. And one of the reasons for it was that, as much as I enjoyed Ward and Nick's relations, they didn't feel like love for me. They were attracted to each other for sure but would I believe they were ready to spend their whole lives with each other, no matter the cost? Probably not. I think I felt it had to come with the climax and that's why I needed it to be, well, climatic.
And it was not. It was mellow and nice, and I understand the author's point here (and don't we often wish for the characters just to stop doing stupid things and start doing right things? :)) Okay, no. It didn't work for me here. I'm afraid it didn't feel cathartic enough - and that's why the sweetness of the resolution didn't really move me as much as it probably should have.
I also was a bit disappointed with how the subplot with spirits was resolved - that is, not resolved at all but decided unimportant. Okay, I love paranormal element in books. And here, when it played such a great role for most of the book - and then was called useless, and
Oh yes, and I was really sad not to see Snow in those last happy happy joy joy scenes. I know he must be okay but the last time we saw him he was such a poor baby, it would've been nice to see him content and enjoying his family :)
February 2, 2018
Es una pena que no haya podido conectar con la historia que tenía un buen punto de partida y unos personajes, a priori, interesantes, pero según avanza la historia el interés decae y no me atrapa la historia.
Es una lástima porque es una autora que escribe muy bien.
Es una lástima porque es una autora que escribe muy bien.
January 5, 2018
I'm a little torn on the rating, but 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars is fine I think. Didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as the Enlightenment series by the same author [I 💚💛💜💙 Davie and Murdo to bits as vocalised by Hamish McKinlay], although the scientific stuff was really interesting.
Such a shame though that Ward was willing to believe anything or anyone rather than truly accept his brother was dead, and yes, I'd have had those charlatans up against a wall and shot for playing on people's grief and heartache, and asking money for it [and come to think of it, I don't remember that seance scene in Truro being mentioned again so we don't know what Ward did or said...if anything... to the fraudsters there].
Such a shame though that Ward was willing to believe anything or anyone rather than truly accept his brother was dead, and yes, I'd have had those charlatans up against a wall and shot for playing on people's grief and heartache, and asking money for it [and come to think of it, I don't remember that seance scene in Truro being mentioned again so we don't know what Ward did or said...if anything... to the fraudsters there].
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