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Like Silk Breathing
When Tom Apollyon returns to Cromer to help oversee his uncle’s pub, it’s a difficult adjustment. Overwhelmed by his born ability to sense auras, Tom relies on constant drinking and drifting to function normally. Coming back is too much to handle and one night, he decides to end it all. He just doesn’t expect to encounter a bewitching stranger when he tries.While on an annual seaside holiday with his lover, Theo Harper takes a solitary evening stroll near the water. He thinks it’s just the thing a landlocked selkie needs, yet instead of being soothed, he stops a troubled man from drowning. The earnest good deed sparks a romance that makes Tom and Theo hope for a happier, gentler life together.While both need to decide to trust themselves and each other, they’re not daunted until an alarming problem presents itself. Theo’s skin — which can definitely be used to capture or kill him, to Tom’s horror — has gone missing.To build the future they want, they have to get the skin back…
231 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 28, 2022
52 people are currently reading
776 people want to read
About the author
Camille Duplessis
7 books6 followersCamille is a thalassophile who sadly spent too long residing in Chicago, where there’s just a very large lake and no sea. Their stories are often called things like dreamy, evocative, or liminal; things are rather dark and generally take place by an ocean. Inspired by folklore, theatre, and romantic and literary fiction, Camille is always playing with expectations. Once you explore the depths with them, you may not want to emerge.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 18, 2023
3.5 Stars?
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
I enjoyed this, and it was well-written! I liked the characters and writing style and paranormal elements.
The main problem though is that it feels like the author tried to include too much. A romance between Tom and Theo. Tom's powers that he struggled with and didn't know how to control. Tom's alcohol addiction and depression. The relationship between Tom and his uncle that they started repairing. The relationship between Theo and David that had no spark and wasn't working but that neither had ended yet since they did care about each other in some way. The history between David and Tom. David's feelings about his boyfriend being attracted to Tom. The selkie seal skin being taken (it's mentioned in the description, but it's barely even a blip in the book). Paul (Tom's uncle) and a bit of his story. All of these threads were great ideas with potential! I was interested. I would've liked to know more and go deeper with them. But they just weren't explored enough. And for a romance, the main characters didn't seem to spend much time together, either in their lives or in page-time. The bulk of the book mostly seemed to be taken up by inner monologues.
I also struggled to figure out and remember whose POV I was in sometimes. And sometimes something would be worded in a way that made me confused, like the POV character seemed to know a little too much about what another character was thinking or feeling (and I'm not talking about Tom's empath powers). Also, speaking of POVs, I didn't really see the point of including David's. It wasn't used in a way that added anything. At first I thought perhaps we were getting it because this would be a surprise throuple romance, but no. (I suspect he may get his own book though.) Same for starting the book with Paul's POV, it didn't add anything.
The writing was lovely though! It had sort of old-timey eloquence to it that I enjoy.
The historical coastal setting was nice too.
I also liked the characters. Tom and Theo were easy to like. Tom was struggling with his empathy and related supernatural powers that he didn't understand, drowning his troubles in alcohol, sometimes having depressive bouts. Theo was long-lived and sort of started just moving with the current of life but maybe not so much really living it. David wasn't the most perfect or likeable person, but he wasn't bad either, just someone's whose upbringing affected him. Paul was sort of prickly and cold toward Tom, but admitted to his flaws and mistakes.
Some readers may take issue with the fact that this is a romance and one character is in a relationship with a different person for most of the book. But it's a spark-less, failing relationship that both characters were planning on ending. And personally, I like when books explore and portray the complications and messiness that life can have, especially when it comes to relationships. Plus, I like that no one was made out as a villain.
Tom had empath powers. Paul had similar powers. Theo was a selkie. David had some sort of witchy powers. I can't say any of it was used in the story much, but still, I like those sorts of things.
This is one of those books I'm really struggling to decide on a rating for, because it had all the foundations to be a great book, it had good writing and ideas and characters, but it just didn't delve deep enough into all the things that were included. But, despite my complaints, it was still a good book, and I enjoyed it.
*Rating: 3 or 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes m/m romance, historical fantasy, selkies, empaths, and books that portray some of the messiness and imperfections relationships can have without villainizing anyone.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
I enjoyed this, and it was well-written! I liked the characters and writing style and paranormal elements.
The main problem though is that it feels like the author tried to include too much. A romance between Tom and Theo. Tom's powers that he struggled with and didn't know how to control. Tom's alcohol addiction and depression. The relationship between Tom and his uncle that they started repairing. The relationship between Theo and David that had no spark and wasn't working but that neither had ended yet since they did care about each other in some way. The history between David and Tom. David's feelings about his boyfriend being attracted to Tom. The selkie seal skin being taken (it's mentioned in the description, but it's barely even a blip in the book). Paul (Tom's uncle) and a bit of his story. All of these threads were great ideas with potential! I was interested. I would've liked to know more and go deeper with them. But they just weren't explored enough. And for a romance, the main characters didn't seem to spend much time together, either in their lives or in page-time. The bulk of the book mostly seemed to be taken up by inner monologues.
I also struggled to figure out and remember whose POV I was in sometimes. And sometimes something would be worded in a way that made me confused, like the POV character seemed to know a little too much about what another character was thinking or feeling (and I'm not talking about Tom's empath powers). Also, speaking of POVs, I didn't really see the point of including David's. It wasn't used in a way that added anything. At first I thought perhaps we were getting it because this would be a surprise throuple romance, but no. (I suspect he may get his own book though.) Same for starting the book with Paul's POV, it didn't add anything.
The writing was lovely though! It had sort of old-timey eloquence to it that I enjoy.
The historical coastal setting was nice too.
I also liked the characters. Tom and Theo were easy to like. Tom was struggling with his empathy and related supernatural powers that he didn't understand, drowning his troubles in alcohol, sometimes having depressive bouts. Theo was long-lived and sort of started just moving with the current of life but maybe not so much really living it. David wasn't the most perfect or likeable person, but he wasn't bad either, just someone's whose upbringing affected him. Paul was sort of prickly and cold toward Tom, but admitted to his flaws and mistakes.
Some readers may take issue with the fact that this is a romance and one character is in a relationship with a different person for most of the book. But it's a spark-less, failing relationship that both characters were planning on ending. And personally, I like when books explore and portray the complications and messiness that life can have, especially when it comes to relationships. Plus, I like that no one was made out as a villain.
Tom had empath powers. Paul had similar powers. Theo was a selkie. David had some sort of witchy powers. I can't say any of it was used in the story much, but still, I like those sorts of things.
This is one of those books I'm really struggling to decide on a rating for, because it had all the foundations to be a great book, it had good writing and ideas and characters, but it just didn't delve deep enough into all the things that were included. But, despite my complaints, it was still a good book, and I enjoyed it.
*Rating: 3 or 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes m/m romance, historical fantasy, selkies, empaths, and books that portray some of the messiness and imperfections relationships can have without villainizing anyone.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
October 8, 2023
5 stars
Content Warnings my ARC didn't have: attempted suicide, depression, death, grief, alcoholism, cheating (kissing only), fade to black, point of view chapters from two side characters
This was a lovely little seaside jaunt of a book. It had some heavy themes but they seemed to be more accepted as something that simply was instead of a Big Dramatic Thing. The subtlety magical world building made me want a deeper dive into the lore of witches and selkies and witch hunters. The two main characters were also lovely and the slowburn relationship was nicely developed.
It's just a nicely packaged simple little story. I wasn't expecting much and it gave me a lot even without Theo ever shifting into a selkie on page. (I am still disappointed we don't get to see Theo as a selkie!) Anyway, the emotional depth in the book is like looking into a tide pool: small but complex. Highly recommend giving this book a shot.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
Content Warnings my ARC didn't have: attempted suicide, depression, death, grief, alcoholism, cheating (kissing only), fade to black, point of view chapters from two side characters
This was a lovely little seaside jaunt of a book. It had some heavy themes but they seemed to be more accepted as something that simply was instead of a Big Dramatic Thing. The subtlety magical world building made me want a deeper dive into the lore of witches and selkies and witch hunters. The two main characters were also lovely and the slowburn relationship was nicely developed.
It's just a nicely packaged simple little story. I wasn't expecting much and it gave me a lot even without Theo ever shifting into a selkie on page. (I am still disappointed we don't get to see Theo as a selkie!) Anyway, the emotional depth in the book is like looking into a tide pool: small but complex. Highly recommend giving this book a shot.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
June 21, 2022
Content warnings: In case you don’t see the content warnings in the author’s note at the beginning: grief, loss of a loved one, depression, mental health, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt
This was not the story I had expected based on the blurb. I had anticipated more of a suspenseful, action-y paranormal romance, in an alt-historical setting.
This is actually a much more internally focused book, rather than being concerned with a larger external plot. I found it to be a captivating and emotional look into mental health and especially depression as we see it through Tom, who I related to rather strongly. I would say I may have enjoyed it more this way, than if it had been what I had originally expected.
The way depression is described was intensely on point. I felt very seen by this book, and in a positive way, even if it hit harder than I’d expected. Especially with the progression we see with Tom throughout the book.
The writing:
The writing in this had a dreamy sort of historical feeling to it. It really helped set the tone for me, once I adjusted to it. It’s almost poetry at times, describing feelings and emotions and even just scenes.
The paranormal portion of the story seemed more allegory or myth-type analogy for exploring the relationships between the characters - Tom, Theo, Paul, David, even Benson and Mrs. Lloyd. It was still part of the plot, but much more myth than paranormal romance level.
The romance:
The romance is intensely slow burn, and also fade to black. Fade to black to the point that I almost missed the allusion to them spending the night together. I think I would have liked a little more on page, since they had fairly intense chemistry that had been stymied by Theo not leaving David for most of the book. It’s not a book that highly detailed explicit scenes would fit, but more than just a kiss would be nice.
Outside of the physicality chemistry component, I did like the pull between Tom and Theo. It was made more visible via the magic component of this world, but I also felt it in their actions and conversations. I found their connection to be well balanced and very sweet.
A few mild criticisms:
As far as criticisms, the ones I have are mostly minor. The several POV - always a choice. It worked okay here to have David’s POV, so that we could get to know him and his actual lack of malice. The one that confused me was the opening chapter with Paul. That felt …out of place. It wasn’t necessary to set the scene, so mostly I was confused by it. I was able to pick up all the background information throughout the story anyway.
Overall, I ended up really enjoying this, but not for the reasons I had originally anticipated. I would not recommend this as a typical paranormal romance, but more if you’re looking for a contemplative, emotional read with a strong focus on mental health and the connections we have to people. It ends on such a sweet and hopeful note, that I felt was well balanced to the darkness earlier on, without completely erasing the permanent struggle that is depression.
Highlights:
Since this is an ARC file, I tend to collect some highlights at the bottom. It was hard to limit myself since I enjoyed the writing style so much.
Of anywhere, this is where I would warn for spoilers, and remind you of the content warnings.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
In his version of the myth about a man who stole a selkie’s skin, the selkie kept the man.
This was not the story I had expected based on the blurb. I had anticipated more of a suspenseful, action-y paranormal romance, in an alt-historical setting.
This is actually a much more internally focused book, rather than being concerned with a larger external plot. I found it to be a captivating and emotional look into mental health and especially depression as we see it through Tom, who I related to rather strongly. I would say I may have enjoyed it more this way, than if it had been what I had originally expected.
The way depression is described was intensely on point. I felt very seen by this book, and in a positive way, even if it hit harder than I’d expected. Especially with the progression we see with Tom throughout the book.
“Today is. . .” Tom paused as he replaced the pen. “Not inky. No.” He glanced up at Theo. “Yesterday was. I was drowning in ink.”
The writing:
The writing in this had a dreamy sort of historical feeling to it. It really helped set the tone for me, once I adjusted to it. It’s almost poetry at times, describing feelings and emotions and even just scenes.
The paranormal portion of the story seemed more allegory or myth-type analogy for exploring the relationships between the characters - Tom, Theo, Paul, David, even Benson and Mrs. Lloyd. It was still part of the plot, but much more myth than paranormal romance level.
The romance:
The romance is intensely slow burn, and also fade to black. Fade to black to the point that I almost missed the allusion to them spending the night together. I think I would have liked a little more on page, since they had fairly intense chemistry that had been stymied by Theo not leaving David for most of the book. It’s not a book that highly detailed explicit scenes would fit, but more than just a kiss would be nice.
Outside of the physicality chemistry component, I did like the pull between Tom and Theo. It was made more visible via the magic component of this world, but I also felt it in their actions and conversations. I found their connection to be well balanced and very sweet.
A few mild criticisms:
As far as criticisms, the ones I have are mostly minor. The several POV - always a choice. It worked okay here to have David’s POV, so that we could get to know him and his actual lack of malice. The one that confused me was the opening chapter with Paul. That felt …out of place. It wasn’t necessary to set the scene, so mostly I was confused by it. I was able to pick up all the background information throughout the story anyway.
Overall, I ended up really enjoying this, but not for the reasons I had originally anticipated. I would not recommend this as a typical paranormal romance, but more if you’re looking for a contemplative, emotional read with a strong focus on mental health and the connections we have to people. It ends on such a sweet and hopeful note, that I felt was well balanced to the darkness earlier on, without completely erasing the permanent struggle that is depression.
Highlights:
Since this is an ARC file, I tend to collect some highlights at the bottom. It was hard to limit myself since I enjoyed the writing style so much.
Of anywhere, this is where I would warn for spoilers, and remind you of the content warnings.
But there was no telling what tomorrow would be like, or the day after. Maybe you should just focus on the tonight and the next tonight one by one. No, nothing crucial could be so incremental.
He was mired with regret that he had not succeeded and relief that he had survived.
The sun blazed. Had it been summer, it would be quite warm, but as it was, the light seemed to turn everything to cold glass.
Thankfulness was a difficult thing to accomplish, if only because he could not quite imagine living into the next month, never mind imagining what the next year might be like. The weight of his inability to do so drove him to excesses.
“I wish to repent for the years I’ve spent disdaining you purely because I also disdained me.”
“I did love him once, or I thought I did. . . or I thought I could.” Theo pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know hearts can change. I just didn’t know mine had.”
The inky days still came and he did not know if they’d cease to come.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
June 9, 2023
2.5 stars rounded up. I really enjoyed the premise and the characters but the writing itself is a problem. The first 30% or so was hard to get into as the writing is a little odd - a lot of extra words that read like Duplessis really utilized their thesaurus instead of writing in a natural flow. Some of the words are also used in a contextual or grammatically incorrect way for a North American reader. It was hard to really understand what was being expressed/thought/said by the characters. However, after that 30% or so point, I must have just gotten used to it because I started to really get into and enjoy the story.
Both Tom and Theo are very sweet and their relationship felt organic though it does have trauma as the catalyst - be warned if you're sensitive to suicide ideation and mental issues.
The next book in the series focuses on David who I have no interest in. He was a bit of a non-character in this book and I'm not interested in his father issues so I probably won't be moving forward here. I would like to read more about Paul and Alistair like the end of this book seems to tease.
Overall, if you want a book that challenges your vocabulary, this might be for you. Unfortunately, the magical and selkie elements are almost an afterthought so don't expect much there - but that might be explored in more books if Duplessis continues.
Both Tom and Theo are very sweet and their relationship felt organic though it does have trauma as the catalyst - be warned if you're sensitive to suicide ideation and mental issues.
The next book in the series focuses on David who I have no interest in. He was a bit of a non-character in this book and I'm not interested in his father issues so I probably won't be moving forward here. I would like to read more about Paul and Alistair like the end of this book seems to tease.
Overall, if you want a book that challenges your vocabulary, this might be for you. Unfortunately, the magical and selkie elements are almost an afterthought so don't expect much there - but that might be explored in more books if Duplessis continues.
January 13, 2023
Dammit, Goodreads duplicated my entry for this and then deleted the one that had my actual review instead of the blank one. That'll teach me not to write out my reviews in a Word doc and copy/paste them here instead of posting directly.
To the extent that I can recreate my original review, here goes.
Like Silk Breathing opens with the bereavement of a secondary character and continues with some heavy drinking and a suicide attempt by MC1, Tom. That having been said, and even though grief is a running theme, this isn’t really a gloomy book: Tom is rescued by MC2, Theo the selkie, so things start looking up for him right away.
I liked: the characters, including the secondary characters; the fact that with one possible off-page exception, there are no real villains here; the specific hinge on which Theo’s trust of Tom depends; the author’s decision to go with FTB, because I presume that such decisions are made when a writer knows they don’t write explicit sex well and FTB is infinitely preferable to any of those endless stripes being licked from root to tip.
OK, that gave the lack of sex scenes much more space than I meant it to.
Negatives: Telling not showing. I mind this much less than I think most people do, but even for me the telling got to be a bit much. And sentences like this one: “When one had been so maltreated as David, it seemed they could not adroitly display or manage their inner world and so it manifested in a tangled fashion.” Tangled, yes. I think the problem here is that Duplessis is trying to replicate or evoke that delicious late-Victorian narrative idiom but hasn’t quite mastered it, so the result is a kind of clumsy gesture at the idiom’s formality and slight archaism. That sounds harsher than I mean it to – I kept reading, after all. The secret is that I always felt like Duplessis had a story she wanted to tell; she wasn’t just writing to the latest popular trope.
Duplessis says this is the start of a planned series, and I’m placing my bets on who the MCs of the second installment will be.
To the extent that I can recreate my original review, here goes.
Like Silk Breathing opens with the bereavement of a secondary character and continues with some heavy drinking and a suicide attempt by MC1, Tom. That having been said, and even though grief is a running theme, this isn’t really a gloomy book: Tom is rescued by MC2, Theo the selkie, so things start looking up for him right away.
I liked: the characters, including the secondary characters; the fact that with one possible off-page exception, there are no real villains here; the specific hinge on which Theo’s trust of Tom depends; the author’s decision to go with FTB, because I presume that such decisions are made when a writer knows they don’t write explicit sex well and FTB is infinitely preferable to any of those endless stripes being licked from root to tip.
OK, that gave the lack of sex scenes much more space than I meant it to.
Negatives: Telling not showing. I mind this much less than I think most people do, but even for me the telling got to be a bit much. And sentences like this one: “When one had been so maltreated as David, it seemed they could not adroitly display or manage their inner world and so it manifested in a tangled fashion.” Tangled, yes. I think the problem here is that Duplessis is trying to replicate or evoke that delicious late-Victorian narrative idiom but hasn’t quite mastered it, so the result is a kind of clumsy gesture at the idiom’s formality and slight archaism. That sounds harsher than I mean it to – I kept reading, after all. The secret is that I always felt like Duplessis had a story she wanted to tell; she wasn’t just writing to the latest popular trope.
Duplessis says this is the start of a planned series, and I’m placing my bets on who the MCs of the second installment will be.
June 9, 2022
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for providing a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Overall I liked this one, but I didn't absolutely love it.
This is a historical with supernatural elements, and while I never felt overly confused about the worldbuilding, I did find myself wishing for a bit more detail when it came to the witchy bits. Theo is a selkie (part selkie?) but other than his fur, increased lifespan/physical abilities, and a mentioned longing for the sea, I never felt like I had a real understanding of what being a selkie meant for him, or how it impacted him. Similarly, Tom is some sort of witch, and despite having his POV, I honestly didn't feel like his abilities were really very strongly incorporated into the narrative, to the point where I often forgot he had them at all--given that at the beginning of the book he's driven to a suicide attempt in part by how overwhelming he finds these powers, I wanted to see them more present in the book.
The book also starts in a very confusing way, with the first chapter set about a decade and a half before the main narrative from the POV of Tom's uncle, Paul--I honestly thought I'd grabbed the wrong book, as the set up in this chapter very much made it seem as if this would be Paul's story. I honestly don't think it did much for the story other than introduce some very side characters and kind of set up the story, but all of that could have been done easily through the main narrative. Similarly, throughout the book we occasionally get chapters told from the POV of David, Tom's ex-lover and Theo's current lover, and while I do understand why the author felt that was necessary, it was a little odd to have the romantic rival have POV chapters--I wouldn't be surprised if David got his own book.
Something about the writing style here didn't 100% work for me, either, and I have a hard time pinning down what about it rubbed me the wrong way. Something about it felt a little confusing, as if the author expected the reader to have more knowledge than we'd been given. It was fine, but I did find myself being thrown out of the story and having to reread sentences/passages because the meaning was a little opaque.
As for the character, I did really enjoy both Tom and Theo and thought their connection was lovely. I do wish we had more of a chance to see them properly together and developing their relationship, as until the last chapter, Theo is involved with David, and both Tom and Theo have agreed not to do anything until Theo has properly broken off with him. Which I do appreciate! But it ended up feeling a little frustrating that he doesn't actually break up with him for the entire book despite having feelings for Tom this entire time. I can appreciate there were practical reasons for why he didn't, but it was still frustrating.
Partially because there is absolutely no smut in this book. Which, had I known that ahead of time, I frankly wouldn't have bothered reading, because I want my romance with smut. Particularly when there is an entire book's worth of delayed gratification, and then when they get together we basically get a single kiss. There was some great chemistry, and not having any sexual payoff was both disappointing and didn't actually feel organic to the story--this story felt like it was building towards smut, and to not include it seemed an odd choice.
So, overall a mixed bag. Honestly, if there'd been a sex scene, I'd probably say this is an author I'd keep an eye out for and be open to reading more of their stuff, as this is their debut and most of my issues aren't reasons I'd write off an author. However, my personal preferences being what they are, the lack of smut in this book makes me think that is likely what I could expect in future releases, which means this is probably not an author for me.
Overall I liked this one, but I didn't absolutely love it.
This is a historical with supernatural elements, and while I never felt overly confused about the worldbuilding, I did find myself wishing for a bit more detail when it came to the witchy bits. Theo is a selkie (part selkie?) but other than his fur, increased lifespan/physical abilities, and a mentioned longing for the sea, I never felt like I had a real understanding of what being a selkie meant for him, or how it impacted him. Similarly, Tom is some sort of witch, and despite having his POV, I honestly didn't feel like his abilities were really very strongly incorporated into the narrative, to the point where I often forgot he had them at all--given that at the beginning of the book he's driven to a suicide attempt in part by how overwhelming he finds these powers, I wanted to see them more present in the book.
The book also starts in a very confusing way, with the first chapter set about a decade and a half before the main narrative from the POV of Tom's uncle, Paul--I honestly thought I'd grabbed the wrong book, as the set up in this chapter very much made it seem as if this would be Paul's story. I honestly don't think it did much for the story other than introduce some very side characters and kind of set up the story, but all of that could have been done easily through the main narrative. Similarly, throughout the book we occasionally get chapters told from the POV of David, Tom's ex-lover and Theo's current lover, and while I do understand why the author felt that was necessary, it was a little odd to have the romantic rival have POV chapters--I wouldn't be surprised if David got his own book.
Something about the writing style here didn't 100% work for me, either, and I have a hard time pinning down what about it rubbed me the wrong way. Something about it felt a little confusing, as if the author expected the reader to have more knowledge than we'd been given. It was fine, but I did find myself being thrown out of the story and having to reread sentences/passages because the meaning was a little opaque.
As for the character, I did really enjoy both Tom and Theo and thought their connection was lovely. I do wish we had more of a chance to see them properly together and developing their relationship, as until the last chapter, Theo is involved with David, and both Tom and Theo have agreed not to do anything until Theo has properly broken off with him. Which I do appreciate! But it ended up feeling a little frustrating that he doesn't actually break up with him for the entire book despite having feelings for Tom this entire time. I can appreciate there were practical reasons for why he didn't, but it was still frustrating.
Partially because there is absolutely no smut in this book. Which, had I known that ahead of time, I frankly wouldn't have bothered reading, because I want my romance with smut. Particularly when there is an entire book's worth of delayed gratification, and then when they get together we basically get a single kiss. There was some great chemistry, and not having any sexual payoff was both disappointing and didn't actually feel organic to the story--this story felt like it was building towards smut, and to not include it seemed an odd choice.
So, overall a mixed bag. Honestly, if there'd been a sex scene, I'd probably say this is an author I'd keep an eye out for and be open to reading more of their stuff, as this is their debut and most of my issues aren't reasons I'd write off an author. However, my personal preferences being what they are, the lack of smut in this book makes me think that is likely what I could expect in future releases, which means this is probably not an author for me.
June 27, 2022
Like Silk Breathing wasn't what I expected it to be based on the blurb but still fell in love with it. It's a beautifully written story with a melancholic, yet dreamy atmosphere. This was a paranormal romance story in an alternative-historical setting steeped in a bit of slice of life for that period.
I wasn't expecting the book to be very character driven and have a focus on depression as was shown in the portrayal of Tom. The way it was described felt so real and hit a bit too close, I had to stop at some points to take a break. Those moments where Tom felt light and clear made me smile in contrast.
The characters were interesting including Paul, Benson, David and Mrs. Lloyd. I liked how their relationships with each other were explored throughout the tale. All of them were bound by fate, their lives meant to meet and be entangled for better or for worse. There was an attempt to show the similarities between Tom and his uncle Paul and their situation but this got lost somewhere during the story.
Tom and Theo were likeable and their romance is a slow-burn. Within the story, Theo is in a relationship with David but it has been deteriorating for sometime now. Both struggled on how to end things and thus complication arose from that indecisiveness. The romantic relationship between Tom and Theo was a slow build-up but their connection was lovely. I wished we were given a chance to see these two properly together and not just in the last few chapters.
The supernatural elements in the story were subtle and fit nicely with the way the world-building was done. I'd have liked it better if there were more details regarding Tom's power and Theo's background as a selkie but what was provided was enough to not be much of a deterrent in enjoying it.
Overall, Like Silk Breathing was a delightful with its gorgeous prose, lush, dreamy atmosphere, endearing characters and nuanced portrayal of depression. I'd recommend giving this a try if one was into slow-burn romance with their historical fantasy.
This would be 4.25 stars out of 4 stars for me.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
I wasn't expecting the book to be very character driven and have a focus on depression as was shown in the portrayal of Tom. The way it was described felt so real and hit a bit too close, I had to stop at some points to take a break. Those moments where Tom felt light and clear made me smile in contrast.
The characters were interesting including Paul, Benson, David and Mrs. Lloyd. I liked how their relationships with each other were explored throughout the tale. All of them were bound by fate, their lives meant to meet and be entangled for better or for worse. There was an attempt to show the similarities between Tom and his uncle Paul and their situation but this got lost somewhere during the story.
Tom and Theo were likeable and their romance is a slow-burn. Within the story, Theo is in a relationship with David but it has been deteriorating for sometime now. Both struggled on how to end things and thus complication arose from that indecisiveness. The romantic relationship between Tom and Theo was a slow build-up but their connection was lovely. I wished we were given a chance to see these two properly together and not just in the last few chapters.
The supernatural elements in the story were subtle and fit nicely with the way the world-building was done. I'd have liked it better if there were more details regarding Tom's power and Theo's background as a selkie but what was provided was enough to not be much of a deterrent in enjoying it.
Overall, Like Silk Breathing was a delightful with its gorgeous prose, lush, dreamy atmosphere, endearing characters and nuanced portrayal of depression. I'd recommend giving this a try if one was into slow-burn romance with their historical fantasy.
This would be 4.25 stars out of 4 stars for me.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
did-not-finish
February 5, 2023DNF @ 6%. No rating.
I tried starting this 3 times but the writing style doesn't work for me. There's a lot of internal monologuing during which the MC goes off on tangents, which makes it difficult to follow conversations. The author also uses a lot of fancy big words that I sadly don't understand. There was also some minor head hopping for random sentences here and there and the reveal of background information was written in a strange way.
It's difficult to explain exactly what my issues were and maybe it was just me but I kept re-reading the same sections over and over and I couldn't understand what was going on. I think this is a case of the writing style not meshing with my reading brain.
I tried starting this 3 times but the writing style doesn't work for me. There's a lot of internal monologuing during which the MC goes off on tangents, which makes it difficult to follow conversations. The author also uses a lot of fancy big words that I sadly don't understand. There was also some minor head hopping for random sentences here and there and the reveal of background information was written in a strange way.
It's difficult to explain exactly what my issues were and maybe it was just me but I kept re-reading the same sections over and over and I couldn't understand what was going on. I think this is a case of the writing style not meshing with my reading brain.
January 29, 2024
Picked this one up because, yup, I like the cover. Sigh. When will I ever learn?
This was a non-starter for me. The story is actually sort of a love triangle; Tom, now single, has an ex, David, and the breakup between the two was painful (for Tom, at least); David, Tom's ex, has a new lover, Theo; Theo meets Tom under extremely intimate and emotional circumstances and there is an instantaneous attraction.
Each of the these three (along with Tom's uncle, who also has a large role in the book) have secrets/issues that they take great pains to skate around whenever they are interacting with each other, so the author is constantly juggling the possibility of a sort of domino effect on all 3 characters, dependent upon which leg of the triangle gives way first. This becomes annoying for me, because we don't have just 2 people being aggravatingly oblivious around each other, we have 3 clueless individuals who are putting up facades.
It might have helped if I had liked either Tom or Theo - but I didn't. I couldn't connect with either of them at all. In actuality, I ended up feeling like Tom's-ex/soon-to-be-Theo's-ex David was the most sympathetic and appealing character. Let's just say you don't want a romance novel to end where the reader feels sorry for the third wheel.
There is an overlay of subtle (and perhaps not so subtle) magic in the plotline - just about everyone has some sort of magical capacity to varying degrees, which allows the author a lot of room to create moody/atmospheric scenarios. Unfortunately these scenarios are often so vague that I (apparently) miss the point most of the time. Even the character of Theo, who is a selkie, feels as slippery as his pinniped alter ego.
The author also has an annoying-to-me habit of putting huge chunks of text in between portions of conversations, to the degree that when the next line of dialogue does come down the pike, I find that I don't recall what was last said, much less what the gist of the conversation was at the time. To wit, here's a conversation between Theo and Tom:
Theo said, with his eyes momentarily on Tom’s chest as he contemplated what it might look like under his shirt and coat, “How is your arm, then?”
“Painful, but I’ll live.” The barest of smiles surfaced on his face.
“That is good of you to help her.” They must not have as many employees this time of year, Theo reasoned.
Tom seemed to read his mind. “It’s a little leaner right now. We aren’t keeping as much help.”
“Well, I shall let you know if I am ever in need of a decent position. You seem like you’d supply a good one.” Even to Theo’s own mind, which was usually of a slightly devilish turn, it sounded a bit crude when he hadn’t meant it to be. He cleared his throat. “And if I ever wish to move away from the city to reside on the coast.”
There was the small detail of how he lived with David in a lovely house with a wonderful view of Chapelfield Gardens, but if he’d been planning on running away, already, he could do it this way. You cannot run away simply to run to someone else, he told himself, trying to be firm about it. A creature like him was supposed to attract men, but not keep attaching itself to them. Such a pattern, he knew, might lead to nothing but trouble. David wasn’t the specific reason for his fear, and although his father had made it obvious why such a thing was to be avoided—any person who had his skin could keep him captive—it was just a base, uncontrolled instinct to be terrified by the notion.
In the best case, he would experience that most elusive of things: love.
The worst does not bear contemplating. Visions, thoughts of his skin being separated from him, or of torture for his differences, momentarily occupied his mind. He was no witch or seer, but his kind had often found themselves treated the same according to their own whispers and rumors. Never mind the skin-stealing. They were often treated with hostility and distrust
He still felt more for all of the innocents, especially women, whose mundane differences or choices marked them as deviant. On the surface, he was nothing but a mild-mannered man with good taste, a knack for organization, and an accent that never belied where he was born and had grown up. He could talk himself out of almost any trouble and be given the benefit of the doubt.
Much to his surprise, Tom tilted his head and said one word. “Do.”
Note the enormous number of words between "Do." and the previous sentence. It's bad enough that "Do" all by itself feels unfinished (as in "Do" . . . what, exactly?), but the huge amount of subtext that is presented between the lines “Well, I shall let you know if I am ever in need of a decent position. You seem like you’d supply a good one. And if I ever wish to move away from the city to reside on the coast.” and the (curious) response of "Do." made this bit of dialogue both hard to follow and, ultimately, baffling. Indeed, if I am being honest, even the line “You seem like you’d supply a good one.” sounds out of kilter - who would respond to an offer of work (no matter how lightly implied) with something like "you'd supply a good one" - ?? How does one "supply" a position? It's just so torturous and unwieldy.
Additionally, there are many times when it's unclear which character is speaking. Here's a conversation between Tom and Theo:
Another grin from Theo, and this time it was Tom who blushed. He knew he wasn’t pale enough for it to show and he presently hadn’t shaved for a week, so his coloring was largely obscured. He took a piece of dried apple and held it, forgetting to put it in his mouth until the door facing the street opened, allowing a bit of cold air inside.
“There must be someone else with sense rattling about this building. Your uncle, maybe?”
Theo wasn’t grinning, now, but he was smiling. Teasing. It was pleasant.
Tom said, after he finished chewing, “That deeply depends upon the day. He is of sound mind, but his life hasn’t been the easiest. Sense isn’t all he’s interested in.”
“That must be a family trait, Mr. Apollyon. You do seem to be a rather fanciful lot.”
He couldn’t immediately place the voice or the person, which wasn’t a concern given his occupation. Whether word of mouth or personal knowledge, most of those who entered the premises knew his surname. Tom had also worked hard to guard himself against others’ feelings and sensations when they simply just entered The Shuck, for onboarding so many of those was exhausting.
But Theo, even with his back turned, apparently could instantly divine the speaker’s identity. All it took to dash his levity was the short, cool sentence. He looked up at Tom with a grimace of apology. Yet it was the finally-diffused effervescence that truly made his displeasure known. And when Tom looked at the man who’d just entered his uncle’s establishment, he wished he always allowed others’ feelings to precede them after all. Mr. David Mills stood in the taproom, looking as out of place as a proverbial bull in the china shop, his blue eyes striking even from across the room.
Because this is an ongoing conversation, I assumed that the lines “That must be a family trait, Mr. Apollyon. You do seem to be a rather fanciful lot.” were coming from Theo. Instead, I find out that a third person has entered the conversation, but not until I've waded through two more fairly lengthy paragraphs. Urghh. In order for the lines a character delivers to work/have impact/be meaningful, one must be aware of which character is "speaking" at the time the lines are uttered. If (as I initially assumed, due to the structure of the scene) Theo had uttered “That must be a family trait, Mr. Apollyon. You do seem to be a rather fanciful lot.” then I would consider the comment as being light-hearted and joking. Because the lines were actually coming from David, the comment should have felt snide and insinuating - an impact that was totally lost to me because I didn't know David was "speaking" until well after the comments were made.
Ultimately, it often felt like the author knew what was meant/implied in their head during every scene, but they were unwilling or unable to share that knowledge on the page. (BTW, there are a number of authors who do this, to the point that I'm starting to wonder if I just can't read coherently anymore.) Frustrating, to say the least.
Another negative for me is that this an extremely G-rated story. The are two instances of sex where the sex is only implied as having happened and does not take place on the page. This doesn't make for much passion between the MC's and just added to the overall vagueness of the book.
The cover is nice (very Poldark-ian), but that's about it. 2 stars because it's not terrible, but I personally couldn't recommend it to anyone. That being said, I'm sure there are readers who will find it all terribly atmospheric and appealing, so I'm applying the standing caveat of YMMV.
This was a non-starter for me. The story is actually sort of a love triangle; Tom, now single, has an ex, David, and the breakup between the two was painful (for Tom, at least); David, Tom's ex, has a new lover, Theo; Theo meets Tom under extremely intimate and emotional circumstances and there is an instantaneous attraction.
Each of the these three (along with Tom's uncle, who also has a large role in the book) have secrets/issues that they take great pains to skate around whenever they are interacting with each other, so the author is constantly juggling the possibility of a sort of domino effect on all 3 characters, dependent upon which leg of the triangle gives way first. This becomes annoying for me, because we don't have just 2 people being aggravatingly oblivious around each other, we have 3 clueless individuals who are putting up facades.
It might have helped if I had liked either Tom or Theo - but I didn't. I couldn't connect with either of them at all. In actuality, I ended up feeling like Tom's-ex/soon-to-be-Theo's-ex David was the most sympathetic and appealing character. Let's just say you don't want a romance novel to end where the reader feels sorry for the third wheel.
There is an overlay of subtle (and perhaps not so subtle) magic in the plotline - just about everyone has some sort of magical capacity to varying degrees, which allows the author a lot of room to create moody/atmospheric scenarios. Unfortunately these scenarios are often so vague that I (apparently) miss the point most of the time. Even the character of Theo, who is a selkie, feels as slippery as his pinniped alter ego.
The author also has an annoying-to-me habit of putting huge chunks of text in between portions of conversations, to the degree that when the next line of dialogue does come down the pike, I find that I don't recall what was last said, much less what the gist of the conversation was at the time. To wit, here's a conversation between Theo and Tom:
Theo said, with his eyes momentarily on Tom’s chest as he contemplated what it might look like under his shirt and coat, “How is your arm, then?”
“Painful, but I’ll live.” The barest of smiles surfaced on his face.
“That is good of you to help her.” They must not have as many employees this time of year, Theo reasoned.
Tom seemed to read his mind. “It’s a little leaner right now. We aren’t keeping as much help.”
“Well, I shall let you know if I am ever in need of a decent position. You seem like you’d supply a good one.” Even to Theo’s own mind, which was usually of a slightly devilish turn, it sounded a bit crude when he hadn’t meant it to be. He cleared his throat. “And if I ever wish to move away from the city to reside on the coast.”
There was the small detail of how he lived with David in a lovely house with a wonderful view of Chapelfield Gardens, but if he’d been planning on running away, already, he could do it this way. You cannot run away simply to run to someone else, he told himself, trying to be firm about it. A creature like him was supposed to attract men, but not keep attaching itself to them. Such a pattern, he knew, might lead to nothing but trouble. David wasn’t the specific reason for his fear, and although his father had made it obvious why such a thing was to be avoided—any person who had his skin could keep him captive—it was just a base, uncontrolled instinct to be terrified by the notion.
In the best case, he would experience that most elusive of things: love.
The worst does not bear contemplating. Visions, thoughts of his skin being separated from him, or of torture for his differences, momentarily occupied his mind. He was no witch or seer, but his kind had often found themselves treated the same according to their own whispers and rumors. Never mind the skin-stealing. They were often treated with hostility and distrust
He still felt more for all of the innocents, especially women, whose mundane differences or choices marked them as deviant. On the surface, he was nothing but a mild-mannered man with good taste, a knack for organization, and an accent that never belied where he was born and had grown up. He could talk himself out of almost any trouble and be given the benefit of the doubt.
Much to his surprise, Tom tilted his head and said one word. “Do.”
Note the enormous number of words between "Do." and the previous sentence. It's bad enough that "Do" all by itself feels unfinished (as in "Do" . . . what, exactly?), but the huge amount of subtext that is presented between the lines “Well, I shall let you know if I am ever in need of a decent position. You seem like you’d supply a good one. And if I ever wish to move away from the city to reside on the coast.” and the (curious) response of "Do." made this bit of dialogue both hard to follow and, ultimately, baffling. Indeed, if I am being honest, even the line “You seem like you’d supply a good one.” sounds out of kilter - who would respond to an offer of work (no matter how lightly implied) with something like "you'd supply a good one" - ?? How does one "supply" a position? It's just so torturous and unwieldy.
Additionally, there are many times when it's unclear which character is speaking. Here's a conversation between Tom and Theo:
Another grin from Theo, and this time it was Tom who blushed. He knew he wasn’t pale enough for it to show and he presently hadn’t shaved for a week, so his coloring was largely obscured. He took a piece of dried apple and held it, forgetting to put it in his mouth until the door facing the street opened, allowing a bit of cold air inside.
“There must be someone else with sense rattling about this building. Your uncle, maybe?”
Theo wasn’t grinning, now, but he was smiling. Teasing. It was pleasant.
Tom said, after he finished chewing, “That deeply depends upon the day. He is of sound mind, but his life hasn’t been the easiest. Sense isn’t all he’s interested in.”
“That must be a family trait, Mr. Apollyon. You do seem to be a rather fanciful lot.”
He couldn’t immediately place the voice or the person, which wasn’t a concern given his occupation. Whether word of mouth or personal knowledge, most of those who entered the premises knew his surname. Tom had also worked hard to guard himself against others’ feelings and sensations when they simply just entered The Shuck, for onboarding so many of those was exhausting.
But Theo, even with his back turned, apparently could instantly divine the speaker’s identity. All it took to dash his levity was the short, cool sentence. He looked up at Tom with a grimace of apology. Yet it was the finally-diffused effervescence that truly made his displeasure known. And when Tom looked at the man who’d just entered his uncle’s establishment, he wished he always allowed others’ feelings to precede them after all. Mr. David Mills stood in the taproom, looking as out of place as a proverbial bull in the china shop, his blue eyes striking even from across the room.
Because this is an ongoing conversation, I assumed that the lines “That must be a family trait, Mr. Apollyon. You do seem to be a rather fanciful lot.” were coming from Theo. Instead, I find out that a third person has entered the conversation, but not until I've waded through two more fairly lengthy paragraphs. Urghh. In order for the lines a character delivers to work/have impact/be meaningful, one must be aware of which character is "speaking" at the time the lines are uttered. If (as I initially assumed, due to the structure of the scene) Theo had uttered “That must be a family trait, Mr. Apollyon. You do seem to be a rather fanciful lot.” then I would consider the comment as being light-hearted and joking. Because the lines were actually coming from David, the comment should have felt snide and insinuating - an impact that was totally lost to me because I didn't know David was "speaking" until well after the comments were made.
Ultimately, it often felt like the author knew what was meant/implied in their head during every scene, but they were unwilling or unable to share that knowledge on the page. (BTW, there are a number of authors who do this, to the point that I'm starting to wonder if I just can't read coherently anymore.) Frustrating, to say the least.
Another negative for me is that this an extremely G-rated story. The are two instances of sex where the sex is only implied as having happened and does not take place on the page. This doesn't make for much passion between the MC's and just added to the overall vagueness of the book.
The cover is nice (very Poldark-ian), but that's about it. 2 stars because it's not terrible, but I personally couldn't recommend it to anyone. That being said, I'm sure there are readers who will find it all terribly atmospheric and appealing, so I'm applying the standing caveat of YMMV.
August 10, 2022
*A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley*
I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a slow read, but in a nice way. It felt comfortable if that makes sense. Honestly it felt like the title. It's not terrible exciting, but it's smooth. It's all a bit ephemeral, and a lot feels unsaid but again, in a good way. I don't know how to explain it honestly. I really liked all the characters. I love that there's no "bad guy". It was so nice. I kept waiting to hate a specific character but it never came. The main characters are great, and their connection was so comforting and just felt...right. I thought the ending was perfect and exactly what I was hoping would happen. It was what was deserved.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a slow read, but in a nice way. It felt comfortable if that makes sense. Honestly it felt like the title. It's not terrible exciting, but it's smooth. It's all a bit ephemeral, and a lot feels unsaid but again, in a good way. I don't know how to explain it honestly. I really liked all the characters. I love that there's no "bad guy". It was so nice. I kept waiting to hate a specific character but it never came. The main characters are great, and their connection was so comforting and just felt...right. I thought the ending was perfect and exactly what I was hoping would happen. It was what was deserved.
May 31, 2022
That was a delight. Truly a delight.
Okay, so the style this is written in might be hard for some folks. It feels older--in a way I adore, but it did take a chapter or two for my brain to settle into the cadence of it. For a while, I was left scratching my head because we're introduced to characters that aren't really the main characters, but I know well enough to trust that authors will bring me back around to make it make sense. And I wasn't disappointed. It didn't happen exactly the way I thought it might, but I was pleased all the same. Theo and Tom are such amazing characters. Their hearts are beyond generous and open and I love them immensely. The portrayal of depression/melancholy as 'inky days' was so freaking beautiful. A great deal of the nuances of this book and these characters really resonated with me. Grief, love, acceptance, dark days, hope. This book was everything. I *highly* recommend it.
Okay, so the style this is written in might be hard for some folks. It feels older--in a way I adore, but it did take a chapter or two for my brain to settle into the cadence of it. For a while, I was left scratching my head because we're introduced to characters that aren't really the main characters, but I know well enough to trust that authors will bring me back around to make it make sense. And I wasn't disappointed. It didn't happen exactly the way I thought it might, but I was pleased all the same. Theo and Tom are such amazing characters. Their hearts are beyond generous and open and I love them immensely. The portrayal of depression/melancholy as 'inky days' was so freaking beautiful. A great deal of the nuances of this book and these characters really resonated with me. Grief, love, acceptance, dark days, hope. This book was everything. I *highly* recommend it.
November 3, 2023
Ok. This book took forever for me to read. It had a slow start, so it was hard to motivate myself to really read it for the longest time. I was also confused because the book started with Paul, but he was not a main character. It was easier once Theo and Tom's relationship got started.
This romance was cozy, and the stakes were not too high. Theo and Tom have an instant connection, but he still needs to break up with his current boyfriend since that relationship has been done for a while. The whole selkie skin thing is late in the book, not really even the main story driver, I think. The romance and the happily ever after were indeed happy. Would probably be a good cozy comfort read if you didn't have to meet Tom until Chapter 2.
I received the ebook ARC of this book thanks to a Goodreads giveaway.
This romance was cozy, and the stakes were not too high. Theo and Tom have an instant connection, but he still needs to break up with his current boyfriend since that relationship has been done for a while. The whole selkie skin thing is late in the book, not really even the main story driver, I think. The romance and the happily ever after were indeed happy. Would probably be a good cozy comfort read if you didn't have to meet Tom until Chapter 2.
I received the ebook ARC of this book thanks to a Goodreads giveaway.
May 2, 2024
I only somewhat liked this book. There was a warning on the giveaway that included this story talking about male with male relationships (which I'm okay with reading about) but I was sadly disappointed that the paranormal aspect didn't really get discussed in the book til almost 70 percent into the book. it should have been marketed as a male on male relationship book with a little bit of paranormal included.
I won this book through a goodreads.com giveaway.
I won this book through a goodreads.com giveaway.
Read
May 22, 2023Very different from the books I usually read, I think I was expecting something more paranormal too
The romance is barely there, no sex, and very light on the supernatural aspect too
I won't read the next one
The romance is barely there, no sex, and very light on the supernatural aspect too
I won't read the next one
November 14, 2023
I received a copy of this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway. I liked aspects of this book, but I didn’t care for the execution. I felt like too much time was spent explaining the fantasy elements that I already understood and not enough time was spent on the romantic development.
February 10, 2024
Enjoyable yet hard to understand story. Am glad I read it though.
August 1, 2022
The gay fantasy novel was right up my alley. I loved the relationship between Theo, a Selkie, and Tom, who has a touch of witchiness inside of him in that he can see people’s auras. I enjoyed how they brought out the best in each other, and I loved journeying with them as they got to know each other and understand each other. The supernatural elements in the story were a lot of fun, and just about everyone in the story had a touch of the supernatural to them, whether they knew it or not.
I tend to enjoy stories involving mythical creatures and felt the Selkie aspect of this was exceptionally well done, especially once Theo’s skin goes missing and the two of them together take on the quest to find it. Of course, as the reader, we know what happened to the skin, which makes it all the more enjoyable.
Initially, I wasn’t quite sure of the time period where the narrative takes place as the prose felt like a book written in Victorian times. However, at one point, a character mentions it’s the 20th century and that being gay is still considered a crime, so I’m guessing it took place at the beginning of the century (if the time period was ever mentioned, I missed it).
Like Silk Breathing was a subtle blow-me-away kind of book that got its hooks in me quite quickly and even moved me to tears in a couple of places. This was a lovely and eye-opening story about letting go of one’s prejudices and seeing beyond what is there. I found it to be as thought-provoking as it is emotional. Furthermore, it is utterly enchanting and a hell of a treat for anyone who enjoys good yarns with believable characters and a healthy dose of the supernatural. Though there are only a handful of people in the story that really matters, their characterization is really well done. As a reader, it’s easy to identify with almost all the characters in the story.
This beautifully written tale, with its lush prose, takes the reader into a delightful new fantasy world, and I adored the time I spent there with these characters. It’s an engaging, quiet, and gentle story, yet it pulled me through the narrative wonderfully.
Note that though this is a romance, you won’t find any steamy erotic scenes. Instead, this is a tender love story about two men from completely different worlds who discover that they have more in common than they thought — a story about love in its purest form. Definitely worth the read!
A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.
I tend to enjoy stories involving mythical creatures and felt the Selkie aspect of this was exceptionally well done, especially once Theo’s skin goes missing and the two of them together take on the quest to find it. Of course, as the reader, we know what happened to the skin, which makes it all the more enjoyable.
Initially, I wasn’t quite sure of the time period where the narrative takes place as the prose felt like a book written in Victorian times. However, at one point, a character mentions it’s the 20th century and that being gay is still considered a crime, so I’m guessing it took place at the beginning of the century (if the time period was ever mentioned, I missed it).
Like Silk Breathing was a subtle blow-me-away kind of book that got its hooks in me quite quickly and even moved me to tears in a couple of places. This was a lovely and eye-opening story about letting go of one’s prejudices and seeing beyond what is there. I found it to be as thought-provoking as it is emotional. Furthermore, it is utterly enchanting and a hell of a treat for anyone who enjoys good yarns with believable characters and a healthy dose of the supernatural. Though there are only a handful of people in the story that really matters, their characterization is really well done. As a reader, it’s easy to identify with almost all the characters in the story.
This beautifully written tale, with its lush prose, takes the reader into a delightful new fantasy world, and I adored the time I spent there with these characters. It’s an engaging, quiet, and gentle story, yet it pulled me through the narrative wonderfully.
Note that though this is a romance, you won’t find any steamy erotic scenes. Instead, this is a tender love story about two men from completely different worlds who discover that they have more in common than they thought — a story about love in its purest form. Definitely worth the read!
A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.
August 15, 2022
A lovely, introspective book about Tom, a depressed man with heightened sensory abilities, and Theo, a selkie. A brief aside, the reader should not skip the author’s note with trigger warnings, which I won’t repeat or comment on here, except to say that I thought the author handled some difficult themes with great sensitivity.
This is a rather quiet and moody story but with plenty of bright spots as well. The atmospheric quality of the English coastal town of Cromer in 1901 sets a mood that matches the emotional tone of the story. There were fewer on-page selkie moments than I had expected. But the story is woven with presence of many characters who are something more or different than ordinary humans, and all of this aligns with queer characters in a really interesting way. Self loathing vs happiness in one’s own skin, trying to understand how we all fit in the world despite/because of our quirks and abilities, the importance of self love but also meeting the right person at the right time - so many interesting themes. Several characters struggle with the repercussions of difficult father-son relationships, showing how misogyny and stilted male emotions impact gay men in many of the same ways as straight men. Tom and Theo have an instant visceral connection, and I really enjoyed watching them navigate their growing connection along with the complications in their lives. The secondary characters are really intriguing as well. The writing is beautiful and I’m not sure I caught all the ideas and imagery the first time around; this will be on my reread list.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
This is a rather quiet and moody story but with plenty of bright spots as well. The atmospheric quality of the English coastal town of Cromer in 1901 sets a mood that matches the emotional tone of the story. There were fewer on-page selkie moments than I had expected. But the story is woven with presence of many characters who are something more or different than ordinary humans, and all of this aligns with queer characters in a really interesting way. Self loathing vs happiness in one’s own skin, trying to understand how we all fit in the world despite/because of our quirks and abilities, the importance of self love but also meeting the right person at the right time - so many interesting themes. Several characters struggle with the repercussions of difficult father-son relationships, showing how misogyny and stilted male emotions impact gay men in many of the same ways as straight men. Tom and Theo have an instant visceral connection, and I really enjoyed watching them navigate their growing connection along with the complications in their lives. The secondary characters are really intriguing as well. The writing is beautiful and I’m not sure I caught all the ideas and imagery the first time around; this will be on my reread list.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
February 12, 2023
A slow, sweet, contemplative historical romance with a hint of magic! Perhaps a bit too slow and internal for me personally, but I think this could work for a lot of historical romance readers if you go in with the right expectations (I wanted the plot to be more substantive). Like Silk Breathing reads like a character study of a few people (there are a couple chapters from POVs outside the main 2 characters), adrift in their lives and making their ways in a small coastal town. Heavy topics are handled gently with grace, such as grief, alcoholism, and depression/suicidal ideation, and I appreciated the author's note regarding this content - the book itself focuses on recovery and living with these issues. Tom runs his aging uncle's inn and one night encounters Theo walking along the beach; a connection sparks between them and from there the book centers learning more about the characters and their past and current situations and what they might do to have a life together. The blurb mentions the theft of our selkie character's skin as if it it's a mystery to be solved in the book, but it actually doesn't take place until about 60% and the thief is readily apparent. I'd recommend for anyone who enjoyed Cat Sebastian's Page & Sommers series or Alexis Hall's A Lady for a Duke!
(thanks to the publisher on netgalley for the arc!)
(thanks to the publisher on netgalley for the arc!)
June 27, 2022
3.5 star
Like Silk Breathing was an interesting take on a Selkie romance. While I had a good time with this story, I did struggle a bit to keep all of the characters clear and separated in my head during this narrative. I'm not sure if it was the Tom, Theo, Paul of it all with period-appropriate white guy names or if the characters were just not unique enough to keep straight in my brain. I'm also not entirely sure why I expected a little bit of spice or heat to this story, but if you are looking for that this will not be your jam. This is a mild but sweet story that deals with some heavy issues. Trigger warning for suicide, alcoholism and closeting.
**Thank you Netgalley and Oliver Heber Books for granting me access to an Advanced Reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.**
Like Silk Breathing was an interesting take on a Selkie romance. While I had a good time with this story, I did struggle a bit to keep all of the characters clear and separated in my head during this narrative. I'm not sure if it was the Tom, Theo, Paul of it all with period-appropriate white guy names or if the characters were just not unique enough to keep straight in my brain. I'm also not entirely sure why I expected a little bit of spice or heat to this story, but if you are looking for that this will not be your jam. This is a mild but sweet story that deals with some heavy issues. Trigger warning for suicide, alcoholism and closeting.
**Thank you Netgalley and Oliver Heber Books for granting me access to an Advanced Reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.**
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July 7, 2022DNF I just couldn't get into this book.
A first read for this author with this book. Triggers included alcoholism, attempted suicide, depression, death, grief.
okay it took some getting into this book with the way its written. The start includes Paul (Tom's uncle) set in 1886 when Tom discovers Alistar deceased.
Time jumps to 1900 when he's a proprietor of an Inn.
Theo arrives in the scene when Tom is at his lowest by the seas. Theo was seeing David when he'd seen Tom in the sea.
As far as I could figure out Tom was had powers while Theo was an selkie.
This is a well written time period story set in England forbidden for being gay in a small town.
The author had included a monologue narrative telling most of the story which was why I gave up on this book..
A first read for this author with this book. Triggers included alcoholism, attempted suicide, depression, death, grief.
okay it took some getting into this book with the way its written. The start includes Paul (Tom's uncle) set in 1886 when Tom discovers Alistar deceased.
Time jumps to 1900 when he's a proprietor of an Inn.
Theo arrives in the scene when Tom is at his lowest by the seas. Theo was seeing David when he'd seen Tom in the sea.
As far as I could figure out Tom was had powers while Theo was an selkie.
This is a well written time period story set in England forbidden for being gay in a small town.
The author had included a monologue narrative telling most of the story which was why I gave up on this book..
June 27, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for a copy of Like Silk Breathing in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great story! I've read a lot of queer fantasy and this is definitely close to the top of my favorites. Tom and Theo come from two different worlds but feel an instant attraction to one another. Unfortunately for them, an ex/current lover, a missing skin, and other supernatural forces seem to want keep them apart, despite their desire to be with each other. Like Silk Breathing was an interesting and sweet fantasy romance that I greatly enjoyed reading.
This was a great story! I've read a lot of queer fantasy and this is definitely close to the top of my favorites. Tom and Theo come from two different worlds but feel an instant attraction to one another. Unfortunately for them, an ex/current lover, a missing skin, and other supernatural forces seem to want keep them apart, despite their desire to be with each other. Like Silk Breathing was an interesting and sweet fantasy romance that I greatly enjoyed reading.
July 10, 2022
A well written story that definitely brings awareness to depression and emotional problems. It also shows how Tom was able to begin a relationship with Theo. I enjoyed reading the story and I loved the characters. It was a little different, but it was definitely worth reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 9, 2022
This is interesting, entertaining with mysterious characters. It's not really romantic, but it does have a love triangle with a twist. I enjoyed reading this book and it's happy ending.
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