What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dennamore Scrolls #1
Yearning
What is it about the sleepy town of Dennamore that causes an irresistible pull on those who’ve moved away?
LA cop Darian Tennen follows her all-consuming yearning back to Dennamore. Set on renovating her grandmother’s home, Darian needs the original blueprints and meets beautiful and aloof librarian Samantha Pike at the town hall.
A history buff with a keen interest in genealogy, Samantha has long researched mysterious discrepancies in Dennamore’s archives and census records, and together they begin to unravel centuries-old secrets that could affect not just their lives, but the world as they know it. Stumbling upon clues that don’t add up and supernatural accounts that can’t possibly be accurate, they’re forced to face their true identities and an ancient pact that must never be broken.
What they uncover will change them forever, but the love they find along the way just might be the key to saving themselves.
Words: 77,000
Cover Artist: Gun Brooke
Genres: Romance / Speculative Fiction
LA cop Darian Tennen follows her all-consuming yearning back to Dennamore. Set on renovating her grandmother’s home, Darian needs the original blueprints and meets beautiful and aloof librarian Samantha Pike at the town hall.
A history buff with a keen interest in genealogy, Samantha has long researched mysterious discrepancies in Dennamore’s archives and census records, and together they begin to unravel centuries-old secrets that could affect not just their lives, but the world as they know it. Stumbling upon clues that don’t add up and supernatural accounts that can’t possibly be accurate, they’re forced to face their true identities and an ancient pact that must never be broken.
What they uncover will change them forever, but the love they find along the way just might be the key to saving themselves.
Words: 77,000
Cover Artist: Gun Brooke
Genres: Romance / Speculative Fiction
264 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2021
11 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Gun Brooke
40 books227 followersGun Brooke resides in the countryside in Sweden with her very patient family. A retired neonatal intensive care nurse, she now writes full time, only rarely taking a break to create web sites for herself or others and to do computer graphics. Gun writes both romances and sci-fi. She is the recipient of the 2009 Alice B. Medal for "body of work."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 11, 2021
3.75 stars. This is the first book of Gun Brooke’s new sci-fi/mystery trilogy and this book made me “yearn” for the books to come;). Even though this is the first in a series, it quickly dives into the sci-fi part of the story and it is very imaginative and fun to read.
While there are two main characters, Darian and Samantha, there is in fact a cast of characters that are important for the story and I enjoyed getting to know them. They were plenty diverse with each of them having their own quirks and strengths. Dennamore is a small town with some peculiarities, one of them is the fact that people that used to live in Dennamore seem to return there at some point in their life. The compulsion to return is described as the yearning by the towns people. Darian’s grandmother also feels the yearning and returns to Dennamore. Darian, a LA detective, comes along to fix up her grandmother’s home. When retrieving some blue prints of the house, Darian literally runs into Samantha, the head librarian, and there is an instant connection between the two. Soon they notice some strange things in town, which immediately peeks their curiosity. This is all I’m going to say about the story, because the fun is in discovering what’s going on in this little town.
Brooke is an excellent storyteller, without info dumping she quickly builds a world and a mystery of which I just wanted to know more, I needed to know what was happening. I guessed a few details of the story, but there was still plenty to surprise me along the way. The sci-fi elements are really good and well thought out with an eye for detail.
There is also the start of a romance between Darian and Samantha and I’m interested to see where it goes, but I was not convinced by the romance yet. There is immediately some sense of belonging together that they both seem to feel, but to me it was not really clear why they seemed to have this immediate connection. There is a lot of interaction about what’s happening around them, but not really about what happening between them. I guess sometimes things just are, but I missed a deeper connection and chemistry between them. Of course, this is only the first book, so I'm hoping that this will evolve in the following books.
As mentioned, this is a trilogy and it is a continuing storyline, meaning that the book ends in the middle of the story. Luckily, it does not end with a cliffy, but still I really want to continue reading. I think sci-fi/mystery fans will have a good time reading this book!
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
While there are two main characters, Darian and Samantha, there is in fact a cast of characters that are important for the story and I enjoyed getting to know them. They were plenty diverse with each of them having their own quirks and strengths. Dennamore is a small town with some peculiarities, one of them is the fact that people that used to live in Dennamore seem to return there at some point in their life. The compulsion to return is described as the yearning by the towns people. Darian’s grandmother also feels the yearning and returns to Dennamore. Darian, a LA detective, comes along to fix up her grandmother’s home. When retrieving some blue prints of the house, Darian literally runs into Samantha, the head librarian, and there is an instant connection between the two. Soon they notice some strange things in town, which immediately peeks their curiosity. This is all I’m going to say about the story, because the fun is in discovering what’s going on in this little town.
Brooke is an excellent storyteller, without info dumping she quickly builds a world and a mystery of which I just wanted to know more, I needed to know what was happening. I guessed a few details of the story, but there was still plenty to surprise me along the way. The sci-fi elements are really good and well thought out with an eye for detail.
There is also the start of a romance between Darian and Samantha and I’m interested to see where it goes, but I was not convinced by the romance yet. There is immediately some sense of belonging together that they both seem to feel, but to me it was not really clear why they seemed to have this immediate connection. There is a lot of interaction about what’s happening around them, but not really about what happening between them. I guess sometimes things just are, but I missed a deeper connection and chemistry between them. Of course, this is only the first book, so I'm hoping that this will evolve in the following books.
As mentioned, this is a trilogy and it is a continuing storyline, meaning that the book ends in the middle of the story. Luckily, it does not end with a cliffy, but still I really want to continue reading. I think sci-fi/mystery fans will have a good time reading this book!
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2021
The secrets of Dennamore.
I have to admit that I had no clue what kind of books Gun Brooke writes. I've read only one of hers before this - Ice Queen - and that one was a good pure romance novel that I enjoyed a lot. For that reason alone, I didn't think twice about picking up this book. I suppose the cover would have clued me in somehow that this one is a sci-fi / fantasy mystery romance, but it didn't, so here we are.
I'm not used to reading such books but I must say it wasn't bad. The premise was interesting, with Darian returning to the town of Dennamore with her grandmother, Camilla because of Camilla's compulsion to do so and Darian works to restore Camilla's house that has been uninhabited for 50 years. Together with Samantha, the town librarian and other town folks, they soon discover some interesting history about the town that may be the reason why its members are always drawn back to it. I finished it but the mystery of the town was slow to unravel. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it went a little faster and if more attention was given to developing the romance between Darian and Samantha. But since this is the first book of three in The Dennamore Scrolls series, we can expect to see more of them later on, though I'd still have to consider if I want to continue pursuing this series.
My views about this book may not be fair considering I'm a noob reader of such books so do read other reviews to get a more holistic impression. Most of the other readers really love this.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit that I had no clue what kind of books Gun Brooke writes. I've read only one of hers before this - Ice Queen - and that one was a good pure romance novel that I enjoyed a lot. For that reason alone, I didn't think twice about picking up this book. I suppose the cover would have clued me in somehow that this one is a sci-fi / fantasy mystery romance, but it didn't, so here we are.
I'm not used to reading such books but I must say it wasn't bad. The premise was interesting, with Darian returning to the town of Dennamore with her grandmother, Camilla because of Camilla's compulsion to do so and Darian works to restore Camilla's house that has been uninhabited for 50 years. Together with Samantha, the town librarian and other town folks, they soon discover some interesting history about the town that may be the reason why its members are always drawn back to it. I finished it but the mystery of the town was slow to unravel. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it went a little faster and if more attention was given to developing the romance between Darian and Samantha. But since this is the first book of three in The Dennamore Scrolls series, we can expect to see more of them later on, though I'd still have to consider if I want to continue pursuing this series.
My views about this book may not be fair considering I'm a noob reader of such books so do read other reviews to get a more holistic impression. Most of the other readers really love this.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2021
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book, its blurb hinted at something really far removed from what I normally read.
But I loved it! I loved it unashamedly and completely and was rather disappointed when it ended (even though it's obvious there's more to come). What made it so special for me was the world-building and the mysterious tech. There was solid chemistry between the two main characters, and their shared desire to learn more, and never stop questioning. I thought that was very brave of them considering the odds, and the people, they were up against. The supporting cast were all quirky and unique, and each of them brought a special something to the tale.
Dennamore really intrigued me as well. I almost wish it was a real place...can you imagine living in a place that has such history...only to find out that history isn't what you think?
Gun Brooke is one of those storytelling Masters that draw you in, little by little, line by line until you suddenly realize you've been reading 3 hours past when you intended to stop. And even though it kinda kicks you in the butt the next day, you don't regret a second of it. She's that good!
I have a yearning to go back to Dennamore myself, just find out what happens next!
I was granted an ARC by Bold Strokes Books in exchange for this honest review.
But I loved it! I loved it unashamedly and completely and was rather disappointed when it ended (even though it's obvious there's more to come). What made it so special for me was the world-building and the mysterious tech. There was solid chemistry between the two main characters, and their shared desire to learn more, and never stop questioning. I thought that was very brave of them considering the odds, and the people, they were up against. The supporting cast were all quirky and unique, and each of them brought a special something to the tale.
Dennamore really intrigued me as well. I almost wish it was a real place...can you imagine living in a place that has such history...only to find out that history isn't what you think?
Gun Brooke is one of those storytelling Masters that draw you in, little by little, line by line until you suddenly realize you've been reading 3 hours past when you intended to stop. And even though it kinda kicks you in the butt the next day, you don't regret a second of it. She's that good!
I have a yearning to go back to Dennamore myself, just find out what happens next!
I was granted an ARC by Bold Strokes Books in exchange for this honest review.
July 5, 2021
Yearning (The Dennamore Scrolls #1) is a wonderful first novel in a new trilogy by Gun Brooke. I already know this author is a great storyteller, and this book proves that once again.
The town of Dennamore seems to draw everyone who ever lived there back at some point in their lives. The townspeople who stayed there call it the yearning. Darian Tennen had the yearning, and left her job as a detective in L.A. to come back with her grandmother…even though Darian has never lived there herself. She tells everyone she came to help renovate the old family home so her grandmother can live there comfortably. She meets Samantha Pike, the town’s head librarian when she goes looking for the blueprints to the house. The two find way more than blueprints though, when they began searching the library archives.
This really is a thrilling start to an exciting science fiction series. Ms. Brooke has created the perfect setting for these tales. We have an isolated town that was founded a few years before the Revolutionary War. The families who founded it seem to either stay in the town their whole lives or get this overwhelming urge to return at some point. The characters are what kept me reading the story. I connected with Darian and Samantha as soon as they appeared in the story, but the secondary characters are almost as important as the two mains in this tale. All of them are well-developed and fit their roles. The sci-fi elements start out as only hints in the story, but become more evident as you read. The romance between Darian and Samantha is lovely, but seems to be just starting in this book.
This story doesn’t have a complete ending, but I kind of expected that so it didn’t really bother me. I know there are a least two more books coming in this series. I totally enjoyed this first book, and I can’t wait for the next one.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
The town of Dennamore seems to draw everyone who ever lived there back at some point in their lives. The townspeople who stayed there call it the yearning. Darian Tennen had the yearning, and left her job as a detective in L.A. to come back with her grandmother…even though Darian has never lived there herself. She tells everyone she came to help renovate the old family home so her grandmother can live there comfortably. She meets Samantha Pike, the town’s head librarian when she goes looking for the blueprints to the house. The two find way more than blueprints though, when they began searching the library archives.
This really is a thrilling start to an exciting science fiction series. Ms. Brooke has created the perfect setting for these tales. We have an isolated town that was founded a few years before the Revolutionary War. The families who founded it seem to either stay in the town their whole lives or get this overwhelming urge to return at some point. The characters are what kept me reading the story. I connected with Darian and Samantha as soon as they appeared in the story, but the secondary characters are almost as important as the two mains in this tale. All of them are well-developed and fit their roles. The sci-fi elements start out as only hints in the story, but become more evident as you read. The romance between Darian and Samantha is lovely, but seems to be just starting in this book.
This story doesn’t have a complete ending, but I kind of expected that so it didn’t really bother me. I know there are a least two more books coming in this series. I totally enjoyed this first book, and I can’t wait for the next one.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
August 22, 2021
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m a Brooke fan and was intrigued by the idea of a trilogy with a mystery thru-line. This features Darian, who has moved to Dennamore with her grandmother after feeling a pull (yearning) to return to her grandmother’s hometown, even though Darian has never been there. She then literally runs into Samantha, the town’s head librarian.
The town itself has some strange traits and the two MCs discover these through various circumstances and become drawn into the mystery of solving why. This leads them to form a group with other townspeople, including Darian’s grandmother and her assistant, a local teen and a few other prominent people.
Being a Brooke book, I expected the sci-fi angle, and enjoyed how this played out. As this is book 1 of 3 it suffers a little from typical book 1 issues, in that it has to lay a lot of ground work, but I enjoyed the world building and the town and characters within it.
I did find the characters a bit slow on the uptake, it felt like they should have made some realisations much sooner (I mean just the aspects of what they knew about the town and what lay under it really only lead to one possibility). I also found it hard to believe that no-one else had discovered this information in the past 250 years, but maybe that will be covered in one of the remaining books. Also thought it was convenient that everyone the two MCs approached was willing to believe what was happening and go along with the plan to uncover it (so far anyway). The main ‘villain’ is also sort of under-developed, he didn’t seem that much of a threat and just seems to be there to provide some conflict, since everyone else gets on so well.
Dar and Samantha also have a slow burn romance thing happening, which I enjoyed. Usually in Gun’s series there a new couple in each book, which can make the relationships happen too quickly, so I liked that this series seems to only be focussing on one couple and drawing the relationship out.
This is an interesting start to the series and I look forward to seeing how the other two books unfold.
I’m a Brooke fan and was intrigued by the idea of a trilogy with a mystery thru-line. This features Darian, who has moved to Dennamore with her grandmother after feeling a pull (yearning) to return to her grandmother’s hometown, even though Darian has never been there. She then literally runs into Samantha, the town’s head librarian.
The town itself has some strange traits and the two MCs discover these through various circumstances and become drawn into the mystery of solving why. This leads them to form a group with other townspeople, including Darian’s grandmother and her assistant, a local teen and a few other prominent people.
Being a Brooke book, I expected the sci-fi angle, and enjoyed how this played out. As this is book 1 of 3 it suffers a little from typical book 1 issues, in that it has to lay a lot of ground work, but I enjoyed the world building and the town and characters within it.
I did find the characters a bit slow on the uptake, it felt like they should have made some realisations much sooner (I mean just the aspects of what they knew about the town and what lay under it really only lead to one possibility). I also found it hard to believe that no-one else had discovered this information in the past 250 years, but maybe that will be covered in one of the remaining books. Also thought it was convenient that everyone the two MCs approached was willing to believe what was happening and go along with the plan to uncover it (so far anyway). The main ‘villain’ is also sort of under-developed, he didn’t seem that much of a threat and just seems to be there to provide some conflict, since everyone else gets on so well.
Dar and Samantha also have a slow burn romance thing happening, which I enjoyed. Usually in Gun’s series there a new couple in each book, which can make the relationships happen too quickly, so I liked that this series seems to only be focussing on one couple and drawing the relationship out.
This is an interesting start to the series and I look forward to seeing how the other two books unfold.
October 30, 2021
If you like a good sci-fi/slow burn romance,/mystery Yearning will be right up your alley! I have to admit that I normally stay away from books like this but I have enjoyed Gun's books in the past so I picked this one up and was not disappointed.
The premise of this book is why descendants of Dennamore have the "Yearning" to return. They have this yearning even if they have never been to this town before. I enjoyed how the author continued to build upon this mystery of why Darian is drawn to Dennamore and how she and Samantha must unravel the mystery surrounding this town with a few others from the town. There are some twist and turns that kept me reading and by the time I got to the end I was wondering when the next book in this series would be released. I think that makes Yearning a successful read for me. I am happily waiting for book two.
4.25 stars.
This arc was provided by net galley and the publisher for an honest review.
The premise of this book is why descendants of Dennamore have the "Yearning" to return. They have this yearning even if they have never been to this town before. I enjoyed how the author continued to build upon this mystery of why Darian is drawn to Dennamore and how she and Samantha must unravel the mystery surrounding this town with a few others from the town. There are some twist and turns that kept me reading and by the time I got to the end I was wondering when the next book in this series would be released. I think that makes Yearning a successful read for me. I am happily waiting for book two.
4.25 stars.
This arc was provided by net galley and the publisher for an honest review.
June 22, 2021
I am so happy to know that Yearning, The Dennamore Scrolls is book one of a planned trilogy. Gun Brooke is a master of storytelling no matter which genre she chooses. This trilogy is a science fiction, mystery, romance. Gun definitely knows how to load her bases and deliver a home run.
The town of Dennamore sits in a mountainous valley with only one road to connect it to the outside world. It has retained its quaint bucolic feel and long historical roots to its founding in the 1700’s.
Camilla Tennen has returned to her hometown with her granddaughter Detective Darian Tennen in tow. Darian is working on the restoration of Camilla’s home as it has been uninhabited for fifty years.
Samantha Pike is the local librarian for the massive collection of books, maps and historical documents for the town. Darian’s naturally inquisitive nature and Samantha’s keen local knowledge combine to lead a small group of residents into unearthing a part of Dennamore’s history that is simply out of this world.
Yearning is the perfect balance of character development, factual revelations, exciting action and warm your heart budding romance to capture and hold your imagination. Book One ends just as the adventure heats up.
The town of Dennamore sits in a mountainous valley with only one road to connect it to the outside world. It has retained its quaint bucolic feel and long historical roots to its founding in the 1700’s.
Camilla Tennen has returned to her hometown with her granddaughter Detective Darian Tennen in tow. Darian is working on the restoration of Camilla’s home as it has been uninhabited for fifty years.
Samantha Pike is the local librarian for the massive collection of books, maps and historical documents for the town. Darian’s naturally inquisitive nature and Samantha’s keen local knowledge combine to lead a small group of residents into unearthing a part of Dennamore’s history that is simply out of this world.
Yearning is the perfect balance of character development, factual revelations, exciting action and warm your heart budding romance to capture and hold your imagination. Book One ends just as the adventure heats up.
June 21, 2021
LA Detective Darian Tennen takes a leave of absence to bring her grandmother to her small hometown of Dennamore. While helping restore the family home she discovers some an old journal on a bookshelf and questions the layout of the basement. Together with the help of the head librarian Samantha Pike they start to learn more of the unusual history of the town.
I've only read some of Gun Brooke's contemporary romances so a science fiction/fantasy novel was an interesting change of pace. The plot line is good and the story moves quickly. And the Sci-fi is believable. I liked the side characters as well. I wish there was more time with Samantha and Darian. I would like to have seen their romance develop with more conversations or intimacy beyond a couple of kisses. Also the ending came quickly.
This is the first of a trilogy and I will look for the next in the series. It doesn't leave you satisfied because you know the journey isn't finished. (3.5 stars) Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc. for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest reveiw.
I've only read some of Gun Brooke's contemporary romances so a science fiction/fantasy novel was an interesting change of pace. The plot line is good and the story moves quickly. And the Sci-fi is believable. I liked the side characters as well. I wish there was more time with Samantha and Darian. I would like to have seen their romance develop with more conversations or intimacy beyond a couple of kisses. Also the ending came quickly.
This is the first of a trilogy and I will look for the next in the series. It doesn't leave you satisfied because you know the journey isn't finished. (3.5 stars) Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc. for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest reveiw.
February 23, 2022
It's been a while since I read a book by this author. huh. Well, I was going to point out that this author was amongst those early, to me, authors I read a bunch of books by that involved women that liked women. The huh is where I looked and apparently I only read this author in 2016 before this work here. Six works read in 2016,one, this book here, read in 2022.
I ended up trying this book because something in the second book caught my eye. And this is a series so I read this book first. Which leads immediately to: as a series, does a reader need to read the books in order?Since I've only read this book here, I have to say that I have no clue what happens in the other books in this series so I can't really say at moment. But, unless the other books are prequels and/or set at the same time, chronologically, as this book here, yes I'd hazard the guess that you really do need to read this book here first. Subject to reading the other books in this series. Not that I'm likely to come back to "fix" this paragraph if I find out things differently. ETA; you need to read book one, this book here, before book 2, though I know people have read book two, and liked it, without having read this book (based on reviews).
I'll be brutally honest here: I cared a lot more about the mystery than the two lead characters as a possibly couple. From my own point of view, the book seemed to read that way (more interested on the mystery), but since that was my interest anyway, I might have been overlooking things. On the other hand: romance seemed to take a back seat to the mystery in this book. bah, paragraph got away from me. There was a romance, though, in the book, between the two main characters. Seemed to be the grounding for one more than an actual development of a relationship,which is unfortunate since book two appears to involve different main characters. That's actually also unfortunate if you are more interested in the mystery side of things. I don't want to 'restart' learning about the mysteries, and unraveling them again, I want to continue diving deeper from the end of this book. ETA: Book 2 more adds characters than removes. So no, not new main characters in POV positions.
The book is titled "Yearning" and is about the yearning natives or descendants of the natives of a small town feel to return to the small town. It might take a while, but that yearning seems to develop in them. Part of the book is about, indirectly, why they might have this yearning.
The book follows locals of the small town and two "returnees" (though one never lived or visited the town before, is just a descendant of a native) investigating mysteries in the small town. Like weirdly warm basement walls, glowing lights in the lake, a diary/journal from an ancestor dating back to the 1770s (and later), and other such things. Anyone that has glanced at the book description of book two in this series already has some glimpse of some of what is discovered (if you haven't glanced at that book description, don't).
There are some "obvious" hints dropped here or there, "beating about the head" hints and the characters seemed both able to make the jump to "understanding" and "taking a while, at times, to "get it"". To be fair, when faced with information about your own ancestors, it isn't always easy to think of and accept certain tidbits. Especially when it's a bit "different".
Good characterization, for the most part. Well, the characters were more than just cyphers, more than paper thin. Weren't fully developed, but better than placeholders. The small town oddly enough seemed to have a real presence, and it was interesting to read about a small town that was "strong" from the 1770s to today, without it "falling apart" somewhere along the way, or needing to rebound. Probably helps that people fell a real need, a yearning, to return if they ever leave. You know that old thing about the youngsters fleeing for better opportunities elsewhere that happens in other small towns? And this drains the small town of the ability to grow and/or sustain itself? Doesn't really happen here. Or, if it does, it's relatively brief. Some don't ever get the yearning, and some take a long time to return (like one of the main characters grandmothers in this book, who took 50 years to return), but most get the yearning to return after getting an education or training elsewhere (like the main character librarian, Samantha Pike, or the doctor, or . . ..)
Right, so there are mostly two main point of view characters (epilogue follows a third, and there might have been a brief break somewhere elsewhere in the book, though I think it was three total POV in the book). From book description: "LA cop Darian Tennen" I do not think she herself would describe herself that way, and I don't think anyone else did either. Possibly. She and others seemed to call her a police detective, emphasis on detective, from LA, as in Los Angeles not Louisiana (and yeah, I've seen people get the two confused when all the description given is "LA"). Darian and her grandmother are the "returnees" here. Grandmother Tennen has been away from Dennamore for fifty years, having spent the past how ever many years (50? 60?) being a writer in LA. A few years ago, 5?, she got that "yearning" to return. When she got that yearning, Darian picked up on it and developed a yearning of her own, to help her grandmother return and refurbish the log cabin in the woods in that small town in Dennamore. "Log cabin" being this big huge place with massive stone foundations, but, yes, "log cabin".
That was kind of the description I had going in. It kind of seemed as if things would take a while to develop, with some "settling" and "refurbishing" before the main mystery plot lines got explored. Instead, after Darren literally ran into the other main character in the library, Samantha Pike, the dive into mystery began almost immediately thereafter. A certain friendship and the appearance of lust developed between the two main characters, but both were somewhat distracted by the mystery plot lines; though at times distracted from the mysteries by that attraction.
hmm. I did what I almost never do. I just did a reread and rewrite. And . . . I'd only gotten to there? I thought I'd written more. pfft. Right. Okay, I enjoyed the book. Will immediately, I believe, dive into sequel.Even if it does not star the main characters from this book.
Rating: 4.37
February 22 20222
I ended up trying this book because something in the second book caught my eye. And this is a series so I read this book first. Which leads immediately to: as a series, does a reader need to read the books in order?
I'll be brutally honest here: I cared a lot more about the mystery than the two lead characters as a possibly couple. From my own point of view, the book seemed to read that way (more interested on the mystery), but since that was my interest anyway, I might have been overlooking things. On the other hand: romance seemed to take a back seat to the mystery in this book. bah, paragraph got away from me. There was a romance, though, in the book, between the two main characters. Seemed to be the grounding for one more than an actual development of a relationship,
The book is titled "Yearning" and is about the yearning natives or descendants of the natives of a small town feel to return to the small town. It might take a while, but that yearning seems to develop in them. Part of the book is about, indirectly, why they might have this yearning.
The book follows locals of the small town and two "returnees" (though one never lived or visited the town before, is just a descendant of a native) investigating mysteries in the small town. Like weirdly warm basement walls, glowing lights in the lake, a diary/journal from an ancestor dating back to the 1770s (and later), and other such things. Anyone that has glanced at the book description of book two in this series already has some glimpse of some of what is discovered (if you haven't glanced at that book description, don't).
There are some "obvious" hints dropped here or there, "beating about the head" hints and the characters seemed both able to make the jump to "understanding" and "taking a while, at times, to "get it"". To be fair, when faced with information about your own ancestors, it isn't always easy to think of and accept certain tidbits. Especially when it's a bit "different".
Good characterization, for the most part. Well, the characters were more than just cyphers, more than paper thin. Weren't fully developed, but better than placeholders. The small town oddly enough seemed to have a real presence, and it was interesting to read about a small town that was "strong" from the 1770s to today, without it "falling apart" somewhere along the way, or needing to rebound. Probably helps that people fell a real need, a yearning, to return if they ever leave. You know that old thing about the youngsters fleeing for better opportunities elsewhere that happens in other small towns? And this drains the small town of the ability to grow and/or sustain itself? Doesn't really happen here. Or, if it does, it's relatively brief. Some don't ever get the yearning, and some take a long time to return (like one of the main characters grandmothers in this book, who took 50 years to return), but most get the yearning to return after getting an education or training elsewhere (like the main character librarian, Samantha Pike, or the doctor, or . . ..)
Right, so there are mostly two main point of view characters (epilogue follows a third, and there might have been a brief break somewhere elsewhere in the book, though I think it was three total POV in the book). From book description: "LA cop Darian Tennen" I do not think she herself would describe herself that way, and I don't think anyone else did either. Possibly. She and others seemed to call her a police detective, emphasis on detective, from LA, as in Los Angeles not Louisiana (and yeah, I've seen people get the two confused when all the description given is "LA"). Darian and her grandmother are the "returnees" here. Grandmother Tennen has been away from Dennamore for fifty years, having spent the past how ever many years (50? 60?) being a writer in LA. A few years ago, 5?, she got that "yearning" to return. When she got that yearning, Darian picked up on it and developed a yearning of her own, to help her grandmother return and refurbish the log cabin in the woods in that small town in Dennamore. "Log cabin" being this big huge place with massive stone foundations, but, yes, "log cabin".
That was kind of the description I had going in. It kind of seemed as if things would take a while to develop, with some "settling" and "refurbishing" before the main mystery plot lines got explored. Instead, after Darren literally ran into the other main character in the library, Samantha Pike, the dive into mystery began almost immediately thereafter. A certain friendship and the appearance of lust developed between the two main characters, but both were somewhat distracted by the mystery plot lines; though at times distracted from the mysteries by that attraction.
hmm. I did what I almost never do. I just did a reread and rewrite. And . . . I'd only gotten to there? I thought I'd written more. pfft. Right. Okay, I enjoyed the book. Will immediately, I believe, dive into sequel.
Rating: 4.37
February 22 20222
June 23, 2021
Fun sci-fi/fantasy novel. Start of a series which I will definitely be keeping up with. Brooke is such a superb world-builder, dropping you effortlessly into her creations... in this book, the normal-seeming Catskill town of Dennamore - which has out-of-this-world secrets just waiting to be revealed.
When her grandmother is set on returning to her hometown of Dennamore after decades away, LA cop Darian cannot resist the yearning to accompany her. Once there, with the help of a handful of locals - including one very smart and sexy librarian - Darian and co. begin to uncover a cascade of secrets and discoveries.
**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
When her grandmother is set on returning to her hometown of Dennamore after decades away, LA cop Darian cannot resist the yearning to accompany her. Once there, with the help of a handful of locals - including one very smart and sexy librarian - Darian and co. begin to uncover a cascade of secrets and discoveries.
**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
July 12, 2021
I should know better - when Gun Brooke has a cover like this, its usually about aliens. In this case, it is a slow unraveling of a mystery that a town calls 'The Yearning'. The town in question is is the middle of the mountains. The town of Dennamore is sleepy, small, and a summer tourist hotspot. They'd like to keep it that way, but the town librarian, Samantha, is determined to find out why people who'd left town are drawn back to it. When she teams up with Darian, the granddaughter of one of the most infamous members of the town, the mystery really takes off. Darian was not born in Dennamore, but still feels the pull of the town. Why? They soon find out, and what they do find turns their world upside down.
I actually thought this would be more paranormal in nature, like some kind curse or spiritual pull. Not what I got, which is fine, but wow, once the characters found out some things, it veered way out to left field. Which is fine, but I thought the story moved at a glacial pace, almost at times where not too much happened. Whether the characters growing together or moving the mystery along, it takes a lot to get going, which was too bad, because I got bored through most of the first half of the book.
I like the characters, with our leading pair being great, and some excellent and personality filled side characters. I am looking at Carl especially, he's the youngest member of the hodge podge group of supernatural detectives. I love that he has this little brother like relationship with Samantha, and while way smarter than you'd expect a high schooler should be, he also gets to act like a teenager. I think what kind of bugged me about Samantha, no matter how great she is, is that she speaks formally for most of the book. While it could be that she is just an awkward nerd who has trouble connecting with people, or it could be contributed to her profession as a librarian. I am a librarian, and it is very rare to find a public librarian speak like an academic. Sure we can nerd out about rare books, or old ones, but in every day speech, we don't use that formalized pattern. Sam is more of an academic type, with multiple degrees to her name, but that formalized speech pattern is really distracting.
Other than that, I can't wait to see what happens next. It may have taken a while to get to the fun stuff, but when it does, it gets good. And while I wish Samantha's speech pattern weren't so stilted all the time, I love her and Darian, along with all the other great personalities in their little Scooby crew. I look forward to more from this sci-fi mystery.
*I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I actually thought this would be more paranormal in nature, like some kind curse or spiritual pull. Not what I got, which is fine, but wow, once the characters found out some things, it veered way out to left field. Which is fine, but I thought the story moved at a glacial pace, almost at times where not too much happened. Whether the characters growing together or moving the mystery along, it takes a lot to get going, which was too bad, because I got bored through most of the first half of the book.
I like the characters, with our leading pair being great, and some excellent and personality filled side characters. I am looking at Carl especially, he's the youngest member of the hodge podge group of supernatural detectives. I love that he has this little brother like relationship with Samantha, and while way smarter than you'd expect a high schooler should be, he also gets to act like a teenager. I think what kind of bugged me about Samantha, no matter how great she is, is that she speaks formally for most of the book. While it could be that she is just an awkward nerd who has trouble connecting with people, or it could be contributed to her profession as a librarian. I am a librarian, and it is very rare to find a public librarian speak like an academic. Sure we can nerd out about rare books, or old ones, but in every day speech, we don't use that formalized pattern. Sam is more of an academic type, with multiple degrees to her name, but that formalized speech pattern is really distracting.
Other than that, I can't wait to see what happens next. It may have taken a while to get to the fun stuff, but when it does, it gets good. And while I wish Samantha's speech pattern weren't so stilted all the time, I love her and Darian, along with all the other great personalities in their little Scooby crew. I look forward to more from this sci-fi mystery.
*I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 30, 2021
Yearning is Book One in a new series by Gun Brooke and thus a lot of the book sets us up with the characters, the world they inhabit, and the problems they will need to overcome. This means it suffers slightly from all the book one issues of introducing us to everything while still telling us a satisfying story. Ms Brooke manages this just fine. There is definitely enough here with the main characters and the supporting cast to keep us reading on through several books and the place and setting are intriguing enough that I want to read more.
Darien is an LAPD cop who comes back to Dennamore with her gran and bumps into - literally - the local librarian, Samantha, while searching out old plans of her gran’s (Camilla) house. They become friends and research the local area and the strange way people who leave are always drawn back. The “yearning” is stronger than home sickness.
No spoilers here but the things that Dar and Sam discover are mind blowing and very cleverly developed and described. They have made me want to read on when number two in the series arrives.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Darien is an LAPD cop who comes back to Dennamore with her gran and bumps into - literally - the local librarian, Samantha, while searching out old plans of her gran’s (Camilla) house. They become friends and research the local area and the strange way people who leave are always drawn back. The “yearning” is stronger than home sickness.
No spoilers here but the things that Dar and Sam discover are mind blowing and very cleverly developed and described. They have made me want to read on when number two in the series arrives.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
June 22, 2021
I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.
Detective Darian Tennen is taking a leave of absence from work. When she and her grandmother Camille return to her home of Dennamore to revitalize her home Darien is intrigue by this town and this house especially since she never been there and felt the same urge that her grandmother had to return.
Samantha Pike is the local librarian she always been intrigued by the town and tries to learn everything about it especially when people leave but have the urge to return after years of being gone. She quite literally runs into Darien when Darien comes to library to get blue prints of her grandmother house.
Samantha always wanted to explore Camille house when she and Darien stumble on what’s looks to be the history of Darien family they learn Dennamore isn’t what it seems. I enjoy this read it has mystery romance and finding out who you really are.
Detective Darian Tennen is taking a leave of absence from work. When she and her grandmother Camille return to her home of Dennamore to revitalize her home Darien is intrigue by this town and this house especially since she never been there and felt the same urge that her grandmother had to return.
Samantha Pike is the local librarian she always been intrigued by the town and tries to learn everything about it especially when people leave but have the urge to return after years of being gone. She quite literally runs into Darien when Darien comes to library to get blue prints of her grandmother house.
Samantha always wanted to explore Camille house when she and Darien stumble on what’s looks to be the history of Darien family they learn Dennamore isn’t what it seems. I enjoy this read it has mystery romance and finding out who you really are.
June 22, 2021
Science fiction and suspense at it's best. The premise of this story was very well done. I liked that there was not just one story, but several woven throughout this book. The author kept me on my toes, and the romance between the two main characters was sweet, but it wasn't what this story was all about. I can't say to much about what happens, don't want to give any spoilers about the story away. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family, and can't wait for the next book in this series.
October 19, 2021
A police officer from LA, a librarian from the sleepy town of Dennamore and the yearning that all citizens who have left Dennamore at one time get and return to their roots are the main ingredients of this new book by Gun Brooke. As a first book in a trilogy there's a lot of characters and places to introduce and if you go into this read with the right expectations you will definitely not be disappointed.
As always Ms Brooke sets up a good plot with relatable main characters, complimented by well rounded secondary characters. Without revealing too much since part of the fun is discovering things while the characters do, I'll say that slowly the book moves into the sci fi area instead of the mystery it appeared to be in the beginning. The romance is slowly developing which is actually nice since you know it's a trilogy so there is no need for a rushed, instalove kind of situation. It should also be no surprise that the ending is not really an ending, but it's not leaving you hanging on a big cliffhanger so nicely done!
I for one can't wait for the next installments to see how everything develops and for every sci fi fan out there who doesn't mind a bit of a slower pace to get into the story this should be a perfect fit.
*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review ***
As always Ms Brooke sets up a good plot with relatable main characters, complimented by well rounded secondary characters. Without revealing too much since part of the fun is discovering things while the characters do, I'll say that slowly the book moves into the sci fi area instead of the mystery it appeared to be in the beginning. The romance is slowly developing which is actually nice since you know it's a trilogy so there is no need for a rushed, instalove kind of situation. It should also be no surprise that the ending is not really an ending, but it's not leaving you hanging on a big cliffhanger so nicely done!
I for one can't wait for the next installments to see how everything develops and for every sci fi fan out there who doesn't mind a bit of a slower pace to get into the story this should be a perfect fit.
*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review ***
August 18, 2021
This was a sweet romance, a bit insta-love in nature but then a lot of things in the book were essentialised (like the "yearning" itself). It wasn't boring because there was a sort of mystery to solve and they brought in a few characters. It ended up seeming like the first episode of a tv show- it would work quite well as that I think. From the readers perspective you work out what is going on way, way, way before the characters but there's some cuteness around them making the wrong assumptions so it's not catastrophic.
I believe the author lives in Sweden and the book is set in the US. It's interesting to see some self-consciousness around the setting here and there (e.g. "the US government" where most Americans would just say "the government" from what I have seen). Also I believe centimetres should have been inches and in any case not spelled like that. These are not really flaws though.
So no real surprises- a mystery which is just what you expect it will be, a romance that is more warmth than passion and potential conflict on the outskirts of the story but I guess that is deferred for a later book. Enjoyable, undemanding it didn't rock my world but books like this have a place.
I believe the author lives in Sweden and the book is set in the US. It's interesting to see some self-consciousness around the setting here and there (e.g. "the US government" where most Americans would just say "the government" from what I have seen). Also I believe centimetres should have been inches and in any case not spelled like that. These are not really flaws though.
So no real surprises- a mystery which is just what you expect it will be, a romance that is more warmth than passion and potential conflict on the outskirts of the story but I guess that is deferred for a later book. Enjoyable, undemanding it didn't rock my world but books like this have a place.
October 26, 2022
4 stars. This was a really good set up book for what looks to be a really promising sci-fi series. I’m a fan of Brooke’s writing style and I thought this was well paced. It never felt too slow and it kept me engaged throughout. The main characters were very likable as were some of the side characters.
Darian and Samantha were great. I liked the budding romance between them. They have a great chemistry and I’m looking forward to seeing their relationship grow as the series goes on. I really liked the last 20% or so of this book as the action really picked up and the ending made me excited to get to book two. My one and only gripe is that I feel like the world building was a bit off but there’s definitely room for improvement and I’m sure it gets expanded upon as the series goes on. Overall, this was a really entertaining read and I think the series is going to be a fun time.
Darian and Samantha were great. I liked the budding romance between them. They have a great chemistry and I’m looking forward to seeing their relationship grow as the series goes on. I really liked the last 20% or so of this book as the action really picked up and the ending made me excited to get to book two. My one and only gripe is that I feel like the world building was a bit off but there’s definitely room for improvement and I’m sure it gets expanded upon as the series goes on. Overall, this was a really entertaining read and I think the series is going to be a fun time.
June 27, 2021
I love libraries and genealogy and that was the key that opened the door to my reading this book. I wasn't disappointed. I missed the sci-fi aspect of the story until I got into it and couldn't believe the story that was unravelling. It appeared at first to be a cozy mystery in a small town. Many people yearn to return to their hometowns after a certain age and it wasn't all that surprising to me. Then it appeared there was some kind of magnetic pull for people who were born of the original settlers, I was seriously thinking of grid lines or something buried underneath the town. Yes, something was buried there and the two main characters and their group of explorers find an unearthly secret.
I kept reading, I enjoyed the beginnings of romance between a LA Detective and a small town librarian. I've never met a librarian as sexy as Samantha and I don't think the visiting detective Darian had either. Their explorations take the reader on a thrilling ride to unearth the secrets and find their true heritage.
A cast of interesting characters, delightful descriptions of historical homes and an otherworldly find round out this well thought out book. I had a lot going on in my life after I ordered this book, lots of interruptions but I felt the yearning to return to the book as much as the former residents felt the yearning to return to Dennamore.
**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I kept reading, I enjoyed the beginnings of romance between a LA Detective and a small town librarian. I've never met a librarian as sexy as Samantha and I don't think the visiting detective Darian had either. Their explorations take the reader on a thrilling ride to unearth the secrets and find their true heritage.
A cast of interesting characters, delightful descriptions of historical homes and an otherworldly find round out this well thought out book. I had a lot going on in my life after I ordered this book, lots of interruptions but I felt the yearning to return to the book as much as the former residents felt the yearning to return to Dennamore.
**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
January 5, 2022
I'm afraid I am not as enthousiastic about this book as most reviewers seems to be. I sort of liked it, I guess, but I have many issues with it.
First of all, I thought the writing was not very good. And this could be completely on me, and it's normal, and I should get over it, but there were so many so-called participle phrases in this book, it was distracting. To give the author credit, the dreaded dangling participle was avoided most of the time (these are non-sensical phrases like: "Speeding down the hallway, the door to his math class came into view), but I still expected it to happen almost always. And yes, I stole that example from vocabulary.com
The story was also very predictable. I think it's safe to say, that when most readers reached the lights-in-the-lake-festival part of the story, they know what's going to happen. If not, the Journal in Camilla's library provides the necessary clue.
I think both Samantha and Darian were okay as leading characters, but I didn't see the point of most of the rest of the 'crew', particularly Carl and Raoul. Maybe they'll play a bigger role later on, but I had the distinct impression they were only there to have the correct crew composition, that is, dare I say it, still based on Star Trek in it's many incarnations.
I know part two is out, but I'm going to wait with that, although I will admit I'm intrigued by the decision a certain council made regarding leaving or staying. Maybe at the end of the year, when I struggle to complete my reading challenge again :)
First of all, I thought the writing was not very good. And this could be completely on me, and it's normal, and I should get over it, but there were so many so-called participle phrases in this book, it was distracting. To give the author credit, the dreaded dangling participle was avoided most of the time (these are non-sensical phrases like: "Speeding down the hallway, the door to his math class came into view), but I still expected it to happen almost always. And yes, I stole that example from vocabulary.com
The story was also very predictable. I think it's safe to say, that when most readers reached the lights-in-the-lake-festival part of the story, they know what's going to happen. If not, the Journal in Camilla's library provides the necessary clue.
I think both Samantha and Darian were okay as leading characters, but I didn't see the point of most of the rest of the 'crew', particularly Carl and Raoul. Maybe they'll play a bigger role later on, but I had the distinct impression they were only there to have the correct crew composition, that is, dare I say it, still based on Star Trek in it's many incarnations.
I know part two is out, but I'm going to wait with that, although I will admit I'm intrigued by the decision a certain council made regarding leaving or staying. Maybe at the end of the year, when I struggle to complete my reading challenge again :)
December 19, 2022
It's always a bit tricky to consider a series. On the one hand, there is the plot itself, if it is interesting enough, if it hooks you. On the other hand, there is the end of each episode, of each of the books, if it is possible to read them individually, if they are so related that without the others one does not make sense. There are many aspects to assess.
In this case, this first episode develops a very interesting line, a mixture of reality and science fiction, totally utopian at the moment, perhaps in the future it will become dystopian. It opens several aspects that can have an ambiguous continuation, how the events of the past are related to the current characters.
As regards romance, it is not developed here, only initiated, but it does foresee good things.
And the answer to the questions that I have formulated in the header is, it is not possible to read this book alone, we must wait for what will come, because the end of this first episode is unfinished in itself, I suppose the same will happen with the other two episodes of this trilogy. And it has really hooked me and I look forward to hearing how it will continue. I wish it didn't take long to find out, please, Mrs. Brooke.
Publisher Bold Strokes Books was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley for my honest review
In this case, this first episode develops a very interesting line, a mixture of reality and science fiction, totally utopian at the moment, perhaps in the future it will become dystopian. It opens several aspects that can have an ambiguous continuation, how the events of the past are related to the current characters.
As regards romance, it is not developed here, only initiated, but it does foresee good things.
And the answer to the questions that I have formulated in the header is, it is not possible to read this book alone, we must wait for what will come, because the end of this first episode is unfinished in itself, I suppose the same will happen with the other two episodes of this trilogy. And it has really hooked me and I look forward to hearing how it will continue. I wish it didn't take long to find out, please, Mrs. Brooke.
Publisher Bold Strokes Books was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley for my honest review
September 18, 2021
Yearning is the first book in a sci-fi/mystery/romance series. The main characters appear to be a potentially interesting couple. There is a large, diverse secondary cast. The sci-fi/mystery element could go in a number of directions.
On the downside there are many plots threads with more things appearing at every turn. This makes it difficult to get fully invested in the main characters. Events and discoveries pile up so quickly that there is little opportunity to make sense of them and even less time for development of a deeper relationship between Darian and Samantha. Hopefully later entries in the series will explore these things further. For now this is definitely a work in progress.
On the downside there are many plots threads with more things appearing at every turn. This makes it difficult to get fully invested in the main characters. Events and discoveries pile up so quickly that there is little opportunity to make sense of them and even less time for development of a deeper relationship between Darian and Samantha. Hopefully later entries in the series will explore these things further. For now this is definitely a work in progress.
October 26, 2021
I love lesbian romance and I love science fiction so this book really should be right on the nose for me. But actually I found it really difficult to get into. Perhaps because the historical intrigue/science fiction and romance start almost immediately with very little character building or explanation before we launch into the story… I genuinely can’t work out quite why but it took a very long time for me to engage with the main characters.
I kept reading because I was intrigued by what would happen next - all the way to the end when I’m still intrigued by what will happen in the obvious sequel and it is an intriguing concept. But very mixed feelings about this one.
I kept reading because I was intrigued by what would happen next - all the way to the end when I’m still intrigued by what will happen in the obvious sequel and it is an intriguing concept. But very mixed feelings about this one.
November 26, 2022
Loved the book. The story kept me flipping pages to see what amazing discoveries would be made in Dennamore. Gun Brooke pulled all sorts of tech into the story but didn't try to over-explain it like a lot of sci-fi writers do. Gun introduces the characters to the readers and makes us love them. I was itching for the MCs to make out, though. I wished it would have happened, but I am on to the second installment in the series now, so I am hoping it happens.
July 8, 2021
It begins with Darian returning with her grandma to a town she never visited ans her meeting with the local librarian, Samantha. And it continues with a mystery forged in the depth of the archives and reaching the stars.
November 12, 2021
Great Start to This Series
Fascinating start to a trilogy. Enjoyed the characters and premise. Great team of explorers. So enjoyed reading this with several love inrests.
Fascinating start to a trilogy. Enjoyed the characters and premise. Great team of explorers. So enjoyed reading this with several love inrests.
May 17, 2024
A fun read for someone looking for some low-stakes with a bit of a (predictable) twist.
January 15, 2023
I like this very much. It's the first time I read a sci-fi book of Gun Brooke. I'm looking forward to B2.
November 23, 2021
This book has an intriguing concept, but read a little too slowly for me. I'd definitely recommend it for people to enjoy slower paced beach reads but it wasn't for me at this time.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews