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Mended with Gold #1
Mended with Gold
A photographer with post-traumatic stress disorder falls for a comics artist on a wild New Zealand beach, but can he find true love when he feels so wounded by life?
Everything changed when the bomb exploded. Forty-five-year old, Alex Cox worked as an international photographer until a deadly explosion left him with post-traumatic stress disorder. Emotionally wounded, and desperate for a sense of safety, he's run all the way to wild and remote Kahawai Bay, New Zealand.
Under the worst possible circumstances, Alex meets Joe, a shy young comics artist. Joe lets Alex into his playful, gentle world of comics, and soon Alex is falling for him, hard. Alex longs for more. Joe is reticent. But is it shyness? Or does Joe not want a much older lover with 'issues'? Or is something else keeping them apart?
This is a tender and uplifting story about creativity, adversity, true love, and comics.
Everything changed when the bomb exploded. Forty-five-year old, Alex Cox worked as an international photographer until a deadly explosion left him with post-traumatic stress disorder. Emotionally wounded, and desperate for a sense of safety, he's run all the way to wild and remote Kahawai Bay, New Zealand.
Under the worst possible circumstances, Alex meets Joe, a shy young comics artist. Joe lets Alex into his playful, gentle world of comics, and soon Alex is falling for him, hard. Alex longs for more. Joe is reticent. But is it shyness? Or does Joe not want a much older lover with 'issues'? Or is something else keeping them apart?
This is a tender and uplifting story about creativity, adversity, true love, and comics.
ebook
First published November 17, 2017
18 people are currently reading
600 people want to read
About the author
Lee Welch
7 books377 followersLee Welch lives in a house on a hill in the windiest city in the world – Wellington, New Zealand. She shares the house with her partner, two kids and two cats. Hedgehogs visit occasionally, which makes her happy.
Lee wrote her first novel (an unpublished pastiche of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) when she was seven and has been writing on-and-off ever since.
She studied ancient history at Auckland University and creative writing at Birkbeck, University of London.
To pay the bills, she works as an editor and business communications adviser for a large government department. By night, she writes escapist fantasies, mostly m/m romances, usually with magic in them. She likes crumbling mansions, cavernous libraries, mysterious curses and handsome magicians.
When she’s not writing, she reads, especially fantasy, history, romance, biography, folklore, comics, and children’s books. Her favourite authors include Ursula Le Guin, Peter Ackroyd and KJ Charles.
Lee wrote her first novel (an unpublished pastiche of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) when she was seven and has been writing on-and-off ever since.
She studied ancient history at Auckland University and creative writing at Birkbeck, University of London.
To pay the bills, she works as an editor and business communications adviser for a large government department. By night, she writes escapist fantasies, mostly m/m romances, usually with magic in them. She likes crumbling mansions, cavernous libraries, mysterious curses and handsome magicians.
When she’s not writing, she reads, especially fantasy, history, romance, biography, folklore, comics, and children’s books. Her favourite authors include Ursula Le Guin, Peter Ackroyd and KJ Charles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
May 24, 2020
4.5 Stars
It’s the quiet ones that can sneak up on you.
What happens when you cross a traumatized worldly photographer who just wants a little escape, with a shy fragile but resilient artist who just wants to be understood?
Something quite impressive, if I do say so myself.
Understated and thoughtful.
Touching and poignant.
Emotional and sexy.
Two people separated by age, experience, and vastly different personalities find a way to connect, and this was quite the beautiful, slow burn novella.
It’s the quiet ones that can sneak up on you.
What happens when you cross a traumatized worldly photographer who just wants a little escape, with a shy fragile but resilient artist who just wants to be understood?
Something quite impressive, if I do say so myself.
Understated and thoughtful.
Touching and poignant.
Emotional and sexy.
Two people separated by age, experience, and vastly different personalities find a way to connect, and this was quite the beautiful, slow burn novella.
November 1, 2018
A truly beautiful and compelling novella focusing on a war photographer suffering from PTSD and a young and shy comics author who may be having secrets and hidden suffering.
The story is written wonderfully and is animated by two rounded and believable main characters who explore their boundaries and get close to each other inch by inch, without rush and with great mutual respect and understanding.
The title - referring to the Japanese art of the kintsukuroi , the mending of broken porcelains with veins of gold - reminds us subtly of the beauty that can be found in broken and mended objects and people, in their imperfections and unevenness.
I've stumbled on this novella by chance, following a tweet by K.J. Charles about Lee Welch's first novel ( Salt Magic, Skin Magic that came out at the beginning of August) and it was a truly delightful discovery.
Really recommended!
The story is written wonderfully and is animated by two rounded and believable main characters who explore their boundaries and get close to each other inch by inch, without rush and with great mutual respect and understanding.
The title - referring to the Japanese art of the kintsukuroi , the mending of broken porcelains with veins of gold - reminds us subtly of the beauty that can be found in broken and mended objects and people, in their imperfections and unevenness.
I've stumbled on this novella by chance, following a tweet by K.J. Charles about Lee Welch's first novel ( Salt Magic, Skin Magic that came out at the beginning of August) and it was a truly delightful discovery.
Really recommended!
December 16, 2018
I can’t remember the last time I felt so taken by a story.
Mended with Gold was absolutely charming, captivating and beautiful.
Details sometimes can ruin a story to me. It's been happening a lot lately. The way descriptions are written fall under the category of unnecessary information. In other words, they bore me to death. Who knows? Perhaps I'm reading the wrong books?
It is so rare to find a story where you can find beauty in a description of a place, a painting, a photo, a person, a seagull, you name it. This kind of unique voice that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Mended with Gold had that in spades.
My highlights:
1) The author’s voice was a magic tunnel transporting me inside his world.
2) 3D characters, full of personality, fleshed out with insecurities, fears, vulnerabilities, hopes and life.
This is a very short story and as always, every time I want to give it 5 Stars, it rings a guilty bell in my conscience, for tossing 5 stars for such a short story. I am totally ignoring this bell today and going with my heart. After all it brought me all the feels I have had numb for a while.
Loved it! So much talent.
Teal, I can't thank you enough for this rec.
January 4, 2019
4.5 stars. Gah this was gorgeous! What a sensual, atmospheric, touching read. I loved the pace, and I lost myself while I got to know these two wounded characters and they got to know each other.
There were so many... circumstances, for lack of better way to describe it... that were brought to this story. More than you’d suspect could be unpacked in the length of a 27K-word novella. Yet most of it was addressed, just enough to allow me feel what the characters felt. Somehow I didn’t need all the details in order to know who Alex and Joe were.
I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything quite like this, and I’m really impressed. It’s definitely one of those stories that you know could have been a full novel, but it also works perfectly at this length. Off to read the acclaimed epilogue!
NOTE: I know $4.99 is a bit steep for less than 100 pages, but it’s on sale 50% off right now on Smashwords.
There were so many... circumstances, for lack of better way to describe it... that were brought to this story. More than you’d suspect could be unpacked in the length of a 27K-word novella. Yet most of it was addressed, just enough to allow me feel what the characters felt. Somehow I didn’t need all the details in order to know who Alex and Joe were.
I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything quite like this, and I’m really impressed. It’s definitely one of those stories that you know could have been a full novel, but it also works perfectly at this length. Off to read the acclaimed epilogue!
December 16, 2018
Updated to add:
1. There's now an epilogue, Out Loud, available for free from the author (see the book's GR page for the link). It's a gorgeous, quiet, moving, 5-star read. It took Alex and Joe's story to another level -- truly, they're a couple I won't soon forget. To reflect that, I bumped my rating of this book up to a solid 4 stars.
2. The mystery of the kitchen bench has been solved! Thanks. :)
_____
This lovely debut novel, set in rural New Zealand, features an age-gap romance between a Canadian photographer/photojournalist and a Kiwi cartoonist. The writing is exquisite, but because I didn't fall in love with the characters, I wasn't as deeply moved by their story as I would have liked. Also, I'm not big on age-gap romances -- at least, not in fiction. Apparently I like them plenty well in real life.
Still, the quality of the writing is sufficient that I didn't hesitate to preorder the author's next book, Salt Magic Skin Magic, which has been generating some buzz on GoodReads recently.
As an aside: Would some kind Kiwi please explain to me what a "kitchen bench" is? Is it the same as a counter? Inquiring minds want to know, and are being driven mildly bonkers by encountering that mysterious term in books by New Zealand authors.
1. There's now an epilogue, Out Loud, available for free from the author (see the book's GR page for the link). It's a gorgeous, quiet, moving, 5-star read. It took Alex and Joe's story to another level -- truly, they're a couple I won't soon forget. To reflect that, I bumped my rating of this book up to a solid 4 stars.
2. The mystery of the kitchen bench has been solved! Thanks. :)
_____
This lovely debut novel, set in rural New Zealand, features an age-gap romance between a Canadian photographer/photojournalist and a Kiwi cartoonist. The writing is exquisite, but because I didn't fall in love with the characters, I wasn't as deeply moved by their story as I would have liked. Also, I'm not big on age-gap romances -- at least, not in fiction. Apparently I like them plenty well in real life.
Still, the quality of the writing is sufficient that I didn't hesitate to preorder the author's next book, Salt Magic Skin Magic, which has been generating some buzz on GoodReads recently.
As an aside: Would some kind Kiwi please explain to me what a "kitchen bench" is? Is it the same as a counter? Inquiring minds want to know, and are being driven mildly bonkers by encountering that mysterious term in books by New Zealand authors.
May 21, 2019
4.5 stars
*Me after buying the book and adding it to my TBR*
I'm totally blaming Teal and Moony for this.
*Me after reading the book*
I’m totally thanking Teal and Moony for this.
I was afraid this story would be anxiety-inducing and depressing, given some of the issues mentioned in the blurb, and I couldn’t have been more mistaken. Well written and original, with wonderful complex characters and an atmospheric setting, it was a really lovely read, nicely completed by the free epilogue.
*Me after buying the book and adding it to my TBR*
I'm totally blaming Teal and Moony for this.
*Me after reading the book*
I’m totally thanking Teal and Moony for this.
I was afraid this story would be anxiety-inducing and depressing, given some of the issues mentioned in the blurb, and I couldn’t have been more mistaken. Well written and original, with wonderful complex characters and an atmospheric setting, it was a really lovely read, nicely completed by the free epilogue.
December 23, 2018
It wasn't the best book I have read this year, yet it was THIS PARTICULAR book that left me satisfied in every possible way, sated, fulfilled. For the first time this year I'm in no rush to read another one, and then another one. It's really a strange feeling ;)
Thank you, Teal and Jan for showing me this little gem :)
Thank you, Teal and Jan for showing me this little gem :)
August 7, 2025
Lovely mm romance full of tender feelings.
Main themes are self acceptance and self worth, life with PTSD, isolation, age gap, art/comics.
Single pov third person past tense, the story is told from Alex' pov. He's a 45 year old photographer moving to a small village by the sea, slowly getting to know the villagers, among them Joe, a shy comic artist.
The story itself is only 90 pages long, but in this edition the 33 pages short story Out Loud is added as epilogue (the epilogue is told from Joe's pov).
I enjoyed the quiet vibes, the author took me directly to the small village by a rough sea in New Zealand.
I could have done without a certain plot part (see my content warning at the end of my review), not because of the decision to include that part, but because this part got too much on page space when I would have preferred it to be some minor accident (given the overall shortness of the book).
3,5 stars rounded up.
The book doesn't feature CWs or TWs, here are a few (be aware, possible spoilers)
CW: Alex realises he's in love with Joe, they are only friends though, and Alex takes Joe's refusal to go out with Alex and his friends as sign that Joe doesn't see Alex as more than a platonic friend. The same evening he takes a man he met that night home, letting him sleep on the couch, implying that they could have sex, a man Alex doesn't even really like, but he's available...They don't have sex, only because Joe has an emergency and Alex (and his friends and the new acquaintance) have to get Joe out of it. Alex tells Joe upfront that he possibly would have slept with the other man otherwise.
It didn't bother me much, but I would have preferred less on page time with that douchebag.
TW: recollection of a bomb explosion killing people one MC knew, description of severed body parts due to the explosion (causing PTSD).
Main themes are self acceptance and self worth, life with PTSD, isolation, age gap, art/comics.
Single pov third person past tense, the story is told from Alex' pov. He's a 45 year old photographer moving to a small village by the sea, slowly getting to know the villagers, among them Joe, a shy comic artist.
The story itself is only 90 pages long, but in this edition the 33 pages short story Out Loud is added as epilogue (the epilogue is told from Joe's pov).
I enjoyed the quiet vibes, the author took me directly to the small village by a rough sea in New Zealand.
I could have done without a certain plot part (see my content warning at the end of my review), not because of the decision to include that part, but because this part got too much on page space when I would have preferred it to be some minor accident (given the overall shortness of the book).
3,5 stars rounded up.
The book doesn't feature CWs or TWs, here are a few (be aware, possible spoilers)
CW: Alex realises he's in love with Joe, they are only friends though, and Alex takes Joe's refusal to go out with Alex and his friends as sign that Joe doesn't see Alex as more than a platonic friend. The same evening he takes a man he met that night home, letting him sleep on the couch, implying that they could have sex, a man Alex doesn't even really like, but he's available...They don't have sex, only because Joe has an emergency and Alex (and his friends and the new acquaintance) have to get Joe out of it. Alex tells Joe upfront that he possibly would have slept with the other man otherwise.
It didn't bother me much, but I would have preferred less on page time with that douchebag.
TW: recollection of a bomb explosion killing people one MC knew, description of severed body parts due to the explosion (causing PTSD).
February 25, 2022
This is a novella, but it felt so complete and well-imagined that I didn't even realize its length. Told from Alex's POV, we follow the photographer who has retreated to a quiet, uneventful small town in New Zealand to regroup after a disaster that killed two of his friends and left him with PTSD. His first introduction to the supposedly-empty house he's buying is the sight of an appealing young man in an exhausted slumber on the couch. That young man turns out to be Joe, a local comic artist.
Against his plans, Alex is drawn to Joe, and curious. For a young man with a ton of talent, Joe is retiring, self-deprecating, and hard to pin down. But as Alex is pulled into the life of the small town, they're thrown together. And slowly, Joe becomes not some idealized image of youth, but a real person. And one more wounded than Alex ever realized.
The story is simple and warm, the writing flows smoothly, and the New Zealand small coastal town setting is appealing. The antagonist at the end is a bit of a jarring note, but serves to push these characters off their cliff, and I finished it with a happy sigh.
Against his plans, Alex is drawn to Joe, and curious. For a young man with a ton of talent, Joe is retiring, self-deprecating, and hard to pin down. But as Alex is pulled into the life of the small town, they're thrown together. And slowly, Joe becomes not some idealized image of youth, but a real person. And one more wounded than Alex ever realized.
The story is simple and warm, the writing flows smoothly, and the New Zealand small coastal town setting is appealing. The antagonist at the end is a bit of a jarring note, but serves to push these characters off their cliff, and I finished it with a happy sigh.
January 30, 2021
4.5
Lovely story. Unassuming but powerful. Beautiful writing.
Lovely story. Unassuming but powerful. Beautiful writing.
October 7, 2018
There is a certain love in mending, in accepting the broken, that does not exist in loving something new, something perfect.
My second book by Welch is different from the first. I loved it as well. I noticed the same caring writing and the same caring heart.
Photo by Yousef Karsh
December 18, 2018
*4,5 stars*
A really lovely love story that goes straight to your heart.
Loved the scenario and how these two broken men are simply just right for each other. That last scene is beautiful and heart-rending at the same time. As is the well chosen title.
This is really amazing in a quiet and serene way. I could have easily done with a lot more of Joe and Alex.
Thanks for the tip, Jan!
A really lovely love story that goes straight to your heart.
Loved the scenario and how these two broken men are simply just right for each other. That last scene is beautiful and heart-rending at the same time. As is the well chosen title.
This is really amazing in a quiet and serene way. I could have easily done with a lot more of Joe and Alex.
Thanks for the tip, Jan!
February 1, 2019
Una historia sencilla, tranquila y fundamentalmente bonita.
December 4, 2018
I read this in the back of Salt Magic, and this really blew me away. I was not expecting to have this many feelings over this book.
There are some novella's that hit right to the heart of something, an this was one of them. Alex and Joe are just lovely, how they meet and slowly fall into something is so well explored. I have a big thing for the settings in books, and one of my main complaints especially in romance is that a book was set in blandtown somewhere in the western world. Not this - the setting is evocative and adds to how Alex and Joe get to know each other. It's quite a low burn, but so emotional and in keeping with the two men.
One of the best romances I have read this year, and there is a free epilogue !
There are some novella's that hit right to the heart of something, an this was one of them. Alex and Joe are just lovely, how they meet and slowly fall into something is so well explored. I have a big thing for the settings in books, and one of my main complaints especially in romance is that a book was set in blandtown somewhere in the western world. Not this - the setting is evocative and adds to how Alex and Joe get to know each other. It's quite a low burn, but so emotional and in keeping with the two men.
One of the best romances I have read this year, and there is a free epilogue !
November 10, 2017
This book is beautiful, that's the best way I can describe it. I've not read anything by Lee Welch before but I'll be looking for her other stuff now.
For a novella she manages to create such a rich and compelling storyline with two fully developed characters and a pitch perfect setting. It's only not a 5* read for me because I wanted more than just a short peak to Alex and Joe.
These two richly portrayed men are both scarred, one in body, one in his soul and it takes a long slow almost torturous build up to get them together. By the time that happens, and it's mutual blow jobs only, the book ends, but with such a promise of joy and happiness going forward.
I loved this, it just brought happiness to my heart.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
For a novella she manages to create such a rich and compelling storyline with two fully developed characters and a pitch perfect setting. It's only not a 5* read for me because I wanted more than just a short peak to Alex and Joe.
These two richly portrayed men are both scarred, one in body, one in his soul and it takes a long slow almost torturous build up to get them together. By the time that happens, and it's mutual blow jobs only, the book ends, but with such a promise of joy and happiness going forward.
I loved this, it just brought happiness to my heart.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
December 1, 2018
5/5 stars.
Mended With Gold May be the best novella I have read all year. Writing a novella as good as this one is surely an art form in itself; to pack as much character depth and feeling all woven into a beautiful love story of ~30,000 words is truly impressive. I’ve read other novellas that were good, but still felt short and somewhat unfinished by the end.
Mended With Gold, however, is beautifully written, almost lyrical in prose and feels like a full length novel in the best way. I still wanted to live for longer in the world of these two main characters but the ending left me feeling satisfied, not cheated.
Mended With Gold May be the best novella I have read all year. Writing a novella as good as this one is surely an art form in itself; to pack as much character depth and feeling all woven into a beautiful love story of ~30,000 words is truly impressive. I’ve read other novellas that were good, but still felt short and somewhat unfinished by the end.
Mended With Gold, however, is beautifully written, almost lyrical in prose and feels like a full length novel in the best way. I still wanted to live for longer in the world of these two main characters but the ending left me feeling satisfied, not cheated.
November 11, 2019
I saw in a review that it was a sensual reading and it’s exactly how it was for me.
This is exactly the kind of “quiet” relationship-oriented MM romance I enjoy. Add some nice introspection and what seems a nice location.
PS : **Thank you Ariana**, for this beautiful Christmas gift : a piece of warmth I loved being wrapped in. 😘
Epilogue with “Out Loud”.
This is exactly the kind of “quiet” relationship-oriented MM romance I enjoy. Add some nice introspection and what seems a nice location.
PS : **Thank you Ariana**, for this beautiful Christmas gift : a piece of warmth I loved being wrapped in. 😘
Epilogue with “Out Loud”.
August 19, 2025
I was quite taken with the writing early on. What I personally consider "good" writing is on display here. It doesn't sustain the rhythmic heights throughout, but it's never jarring. I can't quite name what's holding me back from giving it that fifth star, but it's more to do with what's said than how. As usual I could have done with a little more fade out on the sex scenes, but other than that all I can explicitly point at is that the epilogue felt like it was trying to do too much, and maybe I'd have been happier without it?
June 13, 2024
Rating: 2.5 stars (rounded down)
This review will cover Mended With Gold and the free epilogue Out Loud (available from the author's website) because Out Loud isn't really a traditional epilogue. Instead, I felt it was the last quarter of the story and I don't think you'll find Joe's character arc satisfying unless you read Out Loud.
My favorite part of the story was how the rugged New Zealand coast played a huge part. The weather, the vegetation and the lifestyles of the people who live in such an inhospitable place were always present and I loved how vibrant all of it was. I also liked Joe. He was 26 but acted much younger due to a lack of self-confidence and having recently come out of an abusive relationship. I loved how important his art was and how the author incorporated his love for drawing comics into nearly every aspect of the story. It was also great that the author showed how two artists could realistically make a living by doing their chosen art but it meant taking jobs where they could find them and that might mean doing something they weren't super passionate about but it was also clear that they felt the tradeoff was worthwhile. Joe might spend a few hours drawing different beetles for an environmental organization and Alex might spend a day shooting generic happy-people pictures for an insurance company but those jobs pay the bills and allow them to spend their downtime drawing comics featuring the adventures of Joe's ugly old snowflake sweater or taking tons of beach photos during a storm. The necessity of accepting jobs that utilize artistic skills but aren't necessarily fulfilling on a personal level is a reality for the majority of people who chose to make their living doing something artistic and I love that the author portrayed this realistically.
I also liked how Alex's PTSD was depicted. He's a former photojournalist who witnessed a random landmine explosion in Laos, which killed the two Laotians who were guiding him around the country. Witnessing the horrifying aftermath left him with PTSD, including reacting very strongly to triggers specifically associated with things that match the conditions of that day (freshly plowed dirt, palm trees etc). Whenever something triggered Alex, I loved that the author kept his reaction realistic, based on where Alex is at in his recovery. The guy's spent years dealing with his PTSD so his reactions to being triggered are controlled but they still heavily impact him.
Now for the negatives. Unfortunately, I didn't care much for the romance between the MCs and it was due to the author's approach to the age gap. Alex is 48 years old and not only is Joe two decades younger than him physically, but it felt like Joe was even younger emotionally. The guy was very shy and due to his lack of life experiences, he tended to be overly emotional and react in an immature way to certain situations, which is behavior I'd expect to see in teenagers or young adults. All of this made Joe come across as even younger than he really was and it meant Alex spent the entire book switching back and forth between being a potential love interest and being a surrogate parental figure. This type of dynamic in age gap romances doesn't work for me and I wish the author had flipped the dynamic around so that Joe was the more confident and mature one, which would have put them on a more level playing field.
I also felt the book was too short and too light on plot. It kind of felt like the author got distracted by the descriptions of the New Zealand coast and the MCs' art endeavors and forgot to tell a complete story. It's obvious from the start that Joe's character arc will involve him gaining more confidence and becoming more mature. But oddly enough, the author ends the story right when the MCs have gotten together and with Joe having barely changed from the start of the story. In the epilogue, the author addresses this oversight by switching to Joe's POV and telling/showing the readers about some major milestones that Joe goes through. This process was essential and that's why I'm not viewing the two books separately.
That being said, the changes Joe undergoes even in the epilogue aren't enough to make me believe he's a suitable long term partner for Alex.
Then there's Alex, who starts and ends the story being exactly the same person. The problem is that Alex's character arc was already finished before the first book started. We're told that Alex had spent years struggling with his PTSD, using alcohol and sex, and letting his severe mood swings run rampant. But after his anger results in him unintentionally hurting a few innocent people, he decides to get a better handle on things and he does. He goes to therapy, he practices different calming techniques, he learns what his triggers are and how to deal with them when they appear...but all of this happens before the story starts. Alex has gotten to the point where his PTSD is as good as it's going to get for the next several years, which meant he had no character arc to go through and that's boring.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this but not because of the romance. I loved the writing, the New Zealand details, the rugged coastal setting and the descriptions of the MCs art and their love for it. Unfortunately, the romance and the character arcs for both MCs left a lot to be desired.
This review will cover Mended With Gold and the free epilogue Out Loud (available from the author's website) because Out Loud isn't really a traditional epilogue. Instead, I felt it was the last quarter of the story and I don't think you'll find Joe's character arc satisfying unless you read Out Loud.
My favorite part of the story was how the rugged New Zealand coast played a huge part. The weather, the vegetation and the lifestyles of the people who live in such an inhospitable place were always present and I loved how vibrant all of it was. I also liked Joe. He was 26 but acted much younger due to a lack of self-confidence and having recently come out of an abusive relationship. I loved how important his art was and how the author incorporated his love for drawing comics into nearly every aspect of the story. It was also great that the author showed how two artists could realistically make a living by doing their chosen art but it meant taking jobs where they could find them and that might mean doing something they weren't super passionate about but it was also clear that they felt the tradeoff was worthwhile. Joe might spend a few hours drawing different beetles for an environmental organization and Alex might spend a day shooting generic happy-people pictures for an insurance company but those jobs pay the bills and allow them to spend their downtime drawing comics featuring the adventures of Joe's ugly old snowflake sweater or taking tons of beach photos during a storm. The necessity of accepting jobs that utilize artistic skills but aren't necessarily fulfilling on a personal level is a reality for the majority of people who chose to make their living doing something artistic and I love that the author portrayed this realistically.
I also liked how Alex's PTSD was depicted. He's a former photojournalist who witnessed a random landmine explosion in Laos, which killed the two Laotians who were guiding him around the country. Witnessing the horrifying aftermath left him with PTSD, including reacting very strongly to triggers specifically associated with things that match the conditions of that day (freshly plowed dirt, palm trees etc). Whenever something triggered Alex, I loved that the author kept his reaction realistic, based on where Alex is at in his recovery. The guy's spent years dealing with his PTSD so his reactions to being triggered are controlled but they still heavily impact him.
Now for the negatives. Unfortunately, I didn't care much for the romance between the MCs and it was due to the author's approach to the age gap. Alex is 48 years old and not only is Joe two decades younger than him physically, but it felt like Joe was even younger emotionally. The guy was very shy and due to his lack of life experiences, he tended to be overly emotional and react in an immature way to certain situations, which is behavior I'd expect to see in teenagers or young adults. All of this made Joe come across as even younger than he really was and it meant Alex spent the entire book switching back and forth between being a potential love interest and being a surrogate parental figure. This type of dynamic in age gap romances doesn't work for me and I wish the author had flipped the dynamic around so that Joe was the more confident and mature one, which would have put them on a more level playing field.
I also felt the book was too short and too light on plot. It kind of felt like the author got distracted by the descriptions of the New Zealand coast and the MCs' art endeavors and forgot to tell a complete story. It's obvious from the start that Joe's character arc will involve him gaining more confidence and becoming more mature. But oddly enough, the author ends the story right when the MCs have gotten together and with Joe having barely changed from the start of the story. In the epilogue, the author addresses this oversight by switching to Joe's POV and telling/showing the readers about some major milestones that Joe goes through. This process was essential and that's why I'm not viewing the two books separately.
That being said, the changes Joe undergoes even in the epilogue aren't enough to make me believe he's a suitable long term partner for Alex.
Then there's Alex, who starts and ends the story being exactly the same person. The problem is that Alex's character arc was already finished before the first book started. We're told that Alex had spent years struggling with his PTSD, using alcohol and sex, and letting his severe mood swings run rampant. But after his anger results in him unintentionally hurting a few innocent people, he decides to get a better handle on things and he does. He goes to therapy, he practices different calming techniques, he learns what his triggers are and how to deal with them when they appear...but all of this happens before the story starts. Alex has gotten to the point where his PTSD is as good as it's going to get for the next several years, which meant he had no character arc to go through and that's boring.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this but not because of the romance. I loved the writing, the New Zealand details, the rugged coastal setting and the descriptions of the MCs art and their love for it. Unfortunately, the romance and the character arcs for both MCs left a lot to be desired.
April 15, 2019
This was excellent. Full review to come.
January 21, 2023
I wasn’t going to read the short epilogue bonus story that came after, because I knew I probably wouldn’t like it… if you wanted me to read it, put it in the book. Well, apparently Welch got wind of that and put the epilogue in this edition of the book, which I didn’t realize. Which is unfortunate, because as suspected, I didn’t care for it. Otherwise, I thought the book was absolutely lovely.
November 17, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Mended with Gold was sweet and simple and that was enough to make it memorable. We are given a short novella about two men who need one another more than they realize. It’s not perfect, but it has more good than bad to offer. Firstly, the pacing is excellent. The author does a wonderful job of packing a lot of story into a shorter length. This really never felt like a novella to me, which is huge because shorter works often leave me struggling to connect. But the characters here are given a strong sense of purpose that fits the plot and never feels off balance. There is a smoothness to the writing that allows readers to place themselves on the New Zealand coast and to feel apart of the action. This is another reason the pacing works so well — the author has taken the protagonists, the plot, and the location and blended them perfectly.
The only time that Mended with Gold doesn’t work is towards the end. There appears, as if from thin air, a rather contrived antagonist who fails to add anything of value to the story. This character sticks out so badly it becomes glaring. Also the moment of danger suggested to Joe as a result of several poor choices is really nothing more than a shrug. It felt slightly forced and while the actions weren’t necessarily out of character for Joe and Alex, neither did it have the same syncopation as the rest of the plot. This section of Mended with Gold doesn’t last long and it doesn’t detract from the story as a whole.
Mended with Gold has just enough sweetness and strong writing to make this novella an enjoyable read that never tips over into the saccharine. It staggers at the end just a tad, but is ultimately good enough to weather the rougher parts. Consider this one recommended to anyone who enjoys vivid locations and well-paced plots.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Mended with Gold was sweet and simple and that was enough to make it memorable. We are given a short novella about two men who need one another more than they realize. It’s not perfect, but it has more good than bad to offer. Firstly, the pacing is excellent. The author does a wonderful job of packing a lot of story into a shorter length. This really never felt like a novella to me, which is huge because shorter works often leave me struggling to connect. But the characters here are given a strong sense of purpose that fits the plot and never feels off balance. There is a smoothness to the writing that allows readers to place themselves on the New Zealand coast and to feel apart of the action. This is another reason the pacing works so well — the author has taken the protagonists, the plot, and the location and blended them perfectly.
The only time that Mended with Gold doesn’t work is towards the end. There appears, as if from thin air, a rather contrived antagonist who fails to add anything of value to the story. This character sticks out so badly it becomes glaring. Also the moment of danger suggested to Joe as a result of several poor choices is really nothing more than a shrug. It felt slightly forced and while the actions weren’t necessarily out of character for Joe and Alex, neither did it have the same syncopation as the rest of the plot. This section of Mended with Gold doesn’t last long and it doesn’t detract from the story as a whole.
Mended with Gold has just enough sweetness and strong writing to make this novella an enjoyable read that never tips over into the saccharine. It staggers at the end just a tad, but is ultimately good enough to weather the rougher parts. Consider this one recommended to anyone who enjoys vivid locations and well-paced plots.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
January 21, 2018
5 stars - What a delightful story! I started this one without any expectations, I read the blurb and thought “why not” and I fell so madly in love with it that it’s become an instant favourite! I know I’ll revisit it; I already want to have a reread! I absolutely loved the writing and the characters and all the emotions that the story made me feel.
The whole thing was really just so beautiful. The characters, the setting, the romance... everything just flowed so well and filled my heart and left me feeling so emotional and happy and heart wrenching teary eyed from the heart wrenching moments but also from the loveliness of it all. Alex and Joe were wonderfully crafted characters with deeply interesting personalities and histories, and I adored them both so much.
I would recommend this one to absolutely anyone looking for a good romance novel. It’s a must read! So please, give this one a go!
The whole thing was really just so beautiful. The characters, the setting, the romance... everything just flowed so well and filled my heart and left me feeling so emotional and happy and heart wrenching teary eyed from the heart wrenching moments but also from the loveliness of it all. Alex and Joe were wonderfully crafted characters with deeply interesting personalities and histories, and I adored them both so much.
I would recommend this one to absolutely anyone looking for a good romance novel. It’s a must read! So please, give this one a go!
February 24, 2019
Me ha encantado, muy dulce, gracias, Izen, por la rec <3
July 22, 2022
This was soothing and sweet, despite the issues the characters are dealing with. It was just what I needed at the moment and I enjoyed it a lot despite
January 12, 2019
Fantastic! The characters and storytelling are SO beautiful! I repeatedly found myself tearing up as my heart was overwhelmed and bursting with happiness. I love when a book makes me want to meet the characters in real life, want to be part of their world and inspires me to be a better person. Mended With Gold was that kind of book, one that I will undoubtedly read again and again simply to revisit Alex and Joe and be inspired by their compassionate hearts and beautiful souls.
This was the first book that I’ve read by Lee Welsh, I now want to read everything she’s written. If her books are consistently this stunning, she will join ranks with Suki Fleet and Al Stewart and Claire Davis as one of my favorite, autobuy authors.
5+ brilliantly shining stars. I wholeheartedly recommend it!
This was the first book that I’ve read by Lee Welsh, I now want to read everything she’s written. If her books are consistently this stunning, she will join ranks with Suki Fleet and Al Stewart and Claire Davis as one of my favorite, autobuy authors.
5+ brilliantly shining stars. I wholeheartedly recommend it!
July 22, 2022
RECENSIONE A CURA DI SLANIF
Venite a leggerla sul nostro blog!
Venite a leggerla sul nostro blog!
June 22, 2022
I just wrote a review and accidentally deleted it!
So quick recap - this is a charming book with a fairy tale feel. My version had book 1 and book 1.5 in it together. The epilogue really strengthens the book. Afterwards I realized that I had read Lee Welsh's other books - which were more overt in their magic. This is a more mundane setting but still had a fairy tale feel to it. I enjoyed spending time in this world, with these men. I liked the cartoon analysis and the general mood of the book, though I have to say I liked the previous two, which were more strongly fantasy better. The writing is quietly beautiful. This is my third Lee Welsh and they have all been worth reading.
So quick recap - this is a charming book with a fairy tale feel. My version had book 1 and book 1.5 in it together. The epilogue really strengthens the book. Afterwards I realized that I had read Lee Welsh's other books - which were more overt in their magic. This is a more mundane setting but still had a fairy tale feel to it. I enjoyed spending time in this world, with these men. I liked the cartoon analysis and the general mood of the book, though I have to say I liked the previous two, which were more strongly fantasy better. The writing is quietly beautiful. This is my third Lee Welsh and they have all been worth reading.
September 29, 2025
What a gem! This novella (it includes the epilogue) has so much character and story development for the page count. It's emotional and atmospheric and beautiful.
A Canadian photojournalist (Alex) suffering from PTSD buys a house in a remote New Zealand village to get away from his old life, and heal. An almost reclusive young artist (Joe) peaks Alex's interest, and vise versa, but it takes time and courage for both of them to step out from safety and risk love.
A Canadian photojournalist (Alex) suffering from PTSD buys a house in a remote New Zealand village to get away from his old life, and heal. An almost reclusive young artist (Joe) peaks Alex's interest, and vise versa, but it takes time and courage for both of them to step out from safety and risk love.
August 22, 2024
I really loved the atmosphere the author created (in short order too!) and liked the characters quite a lot. The MCs’ love story was really lovely too: they met each other where they were at. Things like Alex figuring out Joe’s humor was through his comics universe and not poking fun at him is such a loving action to me.
I also loved the epilogue/short story, where there are glimpses of the HEA with realistic challenges they face.
I also loved the epilogue/short story, where there are glimpses of the HEA with realistic challenges they face.
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