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Storm Tide
Sean Brodie, an American engineer on contract in Adelaide, and his partner of eight months, local boy Rob Markham, are struggling to save their relationship by hiring a boat for a week's fishing off the wild south Australian coast. As a storm approaches, they go to the aid of a luxury cabin-cruiser apparently in trouble, only to find that they've stumbled into a drug smuggling gang's offshore headquarters. A lucky escape is only the start of their troubles, as they find their pursuers have unexpected friends on land as well as sea.
202 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1996
35 people want to read
About the author
Mel Keegan
52 books71 followersA self-confessed science fiction and fantasy devotee, Keegan is known for novels across a wide range of subjects, from the historical to the future action-adventure. Mel lives in South Australia with an eccentric family and a variety of pets.
Every Mel Keegan book is strong on gay or bisexual heroes (also, often, on gay villains), and some of these heroes are the most delicious in fiction: Jarrat and Stone from the NARC series, Bill Ryan and Jim Hale from The Deceivers, Neil Travers and Curtis Marin from Hellgate, and many more unforgettable characters. Because Mel's books feature the same sex relationships, the partnership at the core of each book is integral: this is the relationship driving the story, and it can be very powerful indeed.
Every Mel Keegan book is strong on gay or bisexual heroes (also, often, on gay villains), and some of these heroes are the most delicious in fiction: Jarrat and Stone from the NARC series, Bill Ryan and Jim Hale from The Deceivers, Neil Travers and Curtis Marin from Hellgate, and many more unforgettable characters. Because Mel's books feature the same sex relationships, the partnership at the core of each book is integral: this is the relationship driving the story, and it can be very powerful indeed.
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August 6, 2013STORM TIDE by Mel Keegan
You will not find feathery romances with Mel Keegan’s name on them. What you will find are novels with unusual plots and often unexpected settings. They are, simply put, great and fun reading.
That is definitely the case here. In a nutshell, this book takes place in a destructive and overwhelming storm on the coast of Australia. Sean and Rob take time out of their busy work lives to reconnect after a blow to the solidity of their young relationship. Staying on the shore in a remote cabin, they decide to go out fishing in the early morning. When a storm develops they do the Good Samaritan thing and board a luxury yacht that seems to be in trouble. Lo and behold there is trouble, but it’s trouble for Sean and Rob, in the form of finding themselves in a den of drug smugglers. A clever escape just leads to one disaster after another helping the quarreling lovers to build trust between them and an appreciation for what they had together.
This novel is just way fun. Any story about lovers devoted to finding a way to stay in love will have deeper meaning, such as how Rob and Sean learn to value their differences for the sake of complementing their skills instead of demanding each conform to the other’s. But I would recommend letting that affect you while you just sit back and enjoy the suspense. Mel is always a terrific storyteller. One way he demonstrates this in this book is the rather clever selection of hazards the men face in settings as diverse as the yacht and a classy gated community. Nothing will seem all that cliché, and it is fun to see how they find a way out of each of them. For example, what if you were trapped on the second floor of a McMansion with the tide flooding in and ruthless criminals gunning for you? Great stuff.
You will not find feathery romances with Mel Keegan’s name on them. What you will find are novels with unusual plots and often unexpected settings. They are, simply put, great and fun reading.
That is definitely the case here. In a nutshell, this book takes place in a destructive and overwhelming storm on the coast of Australia. Sean and Rob take time out of their busy work lives to reconnect after a blow to the solidity of their young relationship. Staying on the shore in a remote cabin, they decide to go out fishing in the early morning. When a storm develops they do the Good Samaritan thing and board a luxury yacht that seems to be in trouble. Lo and behold there is trouble, but it’s trouble for Sean and Rob, in the form of finding themselves in a den of drug smugglers. A clever escape just leads to one disaster after another helping the quarreling lovers to build trust between them and an appreciation for what they had together.
This novel is just way fun. Any story about lovers devoted to finding a way to stay in love will have deeper meaning, such as how Rob and Sean learn to value their differences for the sake of complementing their skills instead of demanding each conform to the other’s. But I would recommend letting that affect you while you just sit back and enjoy the suspense. Mel is always a terrific storyteller. One way he demonstrates this in this book is the rather clever selection of hazards the men face in settings as diverse as the yacht and a classy gated community. Nothing will seem all that cliché, and it is fun to see how they find a way out of each of them. For example, what if you were trapped on the second floor of a McMansion with the tide flooding in and ruthless criminals gunning for you? Great stuff.
March 27, 2008
This is the best Mel Keegan book I've read yet. The story, set in Australia, depicts the troubled relationship between male lovers Sean Brodie and Rob Markham. They decide to fix their troubles by taking some alone time together on Rob's boat, when they accidentally stumble onto a drug and gun-running gang. What follows is a thrilling chase during one of the biggest weather storms to hit in decades. This is a action-packed, suspense-filled roller coaster ride, with our protagonists stumbling from one life-threatening disaster to another. I really didn't want to put this story down! Had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next.
I admit, however, that I had been expecting more details into the foundering relationship between the two men, and the book does not deliver in that respect. However, the characters are believable and real, especially Rob and one definitely cares what happens to them throughout the story.
The fast pace and mile-a-minute plot twists made reading this book almost as much of an adventure as our heroes face. Recommended.
I admit, however, that I had been expecting more details into the foundering relationship between the two men, and the book does not deliver in that respect. However, the characters are believable and real, especially Rob and one definitely cares what happens to them throughout the story.
The fast pace and mile-a-minute plot twists made reading this book almost as much of an adventure as our heroes face. Recommended.
maybe
February 5, 2024I am so disappointed. I've been wanting to read this for a long time and now I need a book that takes place in Australia for a challenge. I started reading it and was horrified to find that the first few pages are about one of them cheating.
What really disturbed me is that they talked about it one night and the next morning they had apparently resolved it. They allegedly need to do this adventure together because the one who was cheated on works long hours and is always traveling and they need to try to save their relationship.
I don't care if he was in another country for six months. Cheating is not okay, not matter what Dan Savage says. If you feel you can't go that long without sex (OMG I have gone SO much longer in different parts of my life, times when my libido was allegedly at it's peak) then discuss it with your partner. Because they're going without sex, too. It's not just you!
What really disturbed me is that they talked about it one night and the next morning they had apparently resolved it. They allegedly need to do this adventure together because the one who was cheated on works long hours and is always traveling and they need to try to save their relationship.
I don't care if he was in another country for six months. Cheating is not okay, not matter what Dan Savage says. If you feel you can't go that long without sex (OMG I have gone SO much longer in different parts of my life, times when my libido was allegedly at it's peak) then discuss it with your partner. Because they're going without sex, too. It's not just you!
October 26, 2024
I found a copy of Storm Tide in Barter Books, Alnwick recently, and it seemed meant to be as I'm moving to Adelaide soon! An action-packed read 🌊
July 10, 2010
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this story set in the mid-eighties. Rob and Sean have been out sea-fishing before a storm and find themselves in a life threatening situation(s) after stopping to offer help to another boat.
There were a lot of "don't-walk-down-the-into-the-dark-basement" moments - not that there were any basements involved - but the boys couldn't seem to stop themselves doing foolish things. They had a very bad day because they made one bad call after another. Their continued bad luck took a bit of enjoyment away for me. I could admire the twists technically as they took the plot forward, but they weren't emotionally satisfying.
The boys did get their Happy Ending and there were explosions!
There were a lot of "don't-walk-down-the-into-the-dark-basement" moments - not that there were any basements involved - but the boys couldn't seem to stop themselves doing foolish things. They had a very bad day because they made one bad call after another. Their continued bad luck took a bit of enjoyment away for me. I could admire the twists technically as they took the plot forward, but they weren't emotionally satisfying.
The boys did get their Happy Ending and there were explosions!
March 23, 2013
SlashReaders: 'Storm Tide', was a wonderfully contrast to the last book that I read, which was not great. In comparison this book was a bed of roses. However, that being said this book was better in a 'happy ending' sort of way. I admit that I am a sucker for angst with a bit of happy fluff at the end. Somehow the happy makes all the bad worth while and I like that.
Between the pages of Mel Keegan's, 'Storm Tide' you find a lot of things from action, to capture, to rescue, to wildly lashing winds and interesting rope tricks. This book is pretty much your typical action sort of thing with a rather hardy boyesque sort of feel to it, but more adult than they ever were. *grins*
Between the pages of Mel Keegan's, 'Storm Tide' you find a lot of things from action, to capture, to rescue, to wildly lashing winds and interesting rope tricks. This book is pretty much your typical action sort of thing with a rather hardy boyesque sort of feel to it, but more adult than they ever were. *grins*
January 6, 2012
15年くらい前？の、まだMMなかりし頃のゲイ・アクション・ロマンス。いわゆるジャンルの走り、ということで読んでみましたが、ロマンス色はかなり薄め。むしろ、嵐の中逃げ惑い、時に戦う2人のサバイバルもの。
デズモンド・バグリイとか、ああいう昔の冒険小説の香りがします。懐かしい。
基本逃げてますが、最後の反撃シーンは大変スリリングだった。ほかはちょっと展開がゆっくりかな。でも思えばあの頃の自然系冒険小説って大体こうだった気がします。
冒険小説として見るなら4つ星でもいいかな。カプものとしてはロマンスやドラマがやや不足。
Josh Lanyonも、今のMMにつながる作者のひとりとしてMel Keeganの名前をあげてるので、抑えという意味ではオススメの一冊。
デズモンド・バグリイとか、ああいう昔の冒険小説の香りがします。懐かしい。
基本逃げてますが、最後の反撃シーンは大変スリリングだった。ほかはちょっと展開がゆっくりかな。でも思えばあの頃の自然系冒険小説って大体こうだった気がします。
冒険小説として見るなら4つ星でもいいかな。カプものとしてはロマンスやドラマがやや不足。
Josh Lanyonも、今のMMにつながる作者のひとりとしてMel Keeganの名前をあげてるので、抑えという意味ではオススメの一冊。
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