Two men exiled to an untamed land must capture love.
Ever since Cambridge-bound Colin Lancaster spied on stable master Patrick Callahan mastering another man, he’s longed for Patrick to do the same to him. When Patrick is caught with his pants down and threatened with death for his crime, Colin speaks up in his defense and confesses his own sinful nature. They’re soon banished to the faraway prison colony of Australia.
Patrick never asked for Colin’s help, and now he’s stuck with the pampered fool. While it’s true that being transported to Australia is a far cry from the luxury Colin is accustomed to, he’s determined to make the best of it and prove himself. Patrick learned long ago that love is a fairy tale, but he’s inexorably drawn to sweet, optimistic Colin despite himself.
From the miserable depths of a prison ship to the vast, untamed Australian outback, Colin and Patrick must rely on each other. Danger lurks everywhere, and when they unexpectedly get the chance to escape to a new life as cowboys, they’ll need each other more than ever.
This historical gay romance from Keira Andrews features an age difference, an eager virgin, hurt/comfort, and of course a happy ending.
Would you look at that…me + (another) historical romance = bliss. I must say, that’s an equation I didn’t see coming. I was feeling a bit brave after Kidnapped by the Pirate, but held no confidence that this would be the same. It wasn’t but it was. Completely different but built on the same core foundation that makes Andrews stories so magnificent. This is a re-release and many thanks for bringing it to the spotlight again. There are times I wish to sit down and read every word my favorite authors have penned but a silly thing called time always gets in my way. But when an author takes time from their packed schedules to polish an older story, I know there must be good reason for it. Whatever the reason for bringing The Station to the front line was, I’m grateful.
Let’s wander back to the mid 1800’s. We are introduced to Colin, a wealthy young lord, during his adolescence. We witness a few years of his childhood and meet the stable master, an older Irishman, Patrick. Patrick rescues Colin when a dare takes a dangerous turn. Afterwards, the become fast friends and Colin looks up to Patrick (with shiny heart eyes). When Colin accidentally catches Patrick during a private moment with another man, everything changes. This rouses new and frightening feelings in Colin but he buries them deep. Fast forward a half a dozen years and Patrick is caught with his pants around his ankles again, but this time the wrong eyes witness him. Without hesitation, Colin puts his life on the line to save Patrick’s. Family connections and money spare them both execution but their persecution is a life sentence in the penal colony of Australia.
Next we travel the grueling trip to the vast foreign land below the equator. Honestly, I was glad because the hatred and shame in England was making it difficult for me to enjoy. But once we’re on the ship, I could breath again. I know they didn’t have a pleasant time sailing to their unknown future but I adored it. You see, this was when they began to truly fall for one another. Patrick is rough and gruff, perfecting the aloof act. Colin is bright-eyed and eager to discover the man he was meant to be, ecstatic that Patrick desires him too, even if he claims it’s only Colin’s body he craves.
Once they hit land everything changes yet again. They are assigned to accompany a widow and work off their sentence with hard manual labor. Their guide instantly sees what Colin and Patrick are to each other and easily takes it in stride. The young Australian is charming and endearing. The four band together as they embark on yet another treacherous journey. The dangers are extreme and the consequences are steep but it’s liberating for Colin and Patrick. They are finally free to explore the possibilities of being…together. But forbidden love hurts the most when it’s denied by the one desiring it.
This is an exhilarating adventure! From riding horses to riding the sea to riding..other things *wink*, the adrenaline never stops. The time spent in the Southern Hemisphere was my favorite. I kept envisioning Nicole Kidman when Emily was present. If you’ve seen the movie, you know what I mean. Robbie was definitely not Hugh (from the movie Australia), but I warmed to him instantly and longed for his happiness. When we finally make it to “The Station”, we are introduced to two incredible aboriginals. I very much enjoyed both. An action-packed, thrilling and passionate journey with marvelous characters? Yep, there’s a lot of good stuff here.
Colin and Patrick stole my heart. At first I was hesitant because Colin was such a young boy when things begin, but I believe it was important for us to witness their history before we could move along into their future. Colin is easy to love. He’s eager, loyal, funny and quite sexy. Patrick is harder, rough around the edges and leery of people and their sticky emotions. Sadly, he has good reason for his suspicion and distrust. Despite his insistence men like him don’t have happily ever afters, he desperately longs for his very own fairy tale…with Colin. Colin gave up the life he knew for him and as it turns out, Patrick would in turn sacrifice his for Colin. And as dangers threaten them at every turn, it’s a firm possibility he might indeed have to. The intense scenes near the end had me literally on the edge of my seat. SO good. The ending was spectacular.
Age gap, family disowning, and some violence. A bit of cherry popping and sexual discovery cranks the heat up. These men are snarky, sweet and sexy and I fear you will fall hard for them. But I promise it’s a tumble worth taking.
Historical romance fans looking for an unforgettable voyage, should jump on….Andrew’s takes us on a wickedly wild outback adventure. And hey, even if a travel back in time isn’t typically your favored fare, this one is not to be missed!
TITLE: The Station
AUTHOR: Keira Andrews
PUBLISHER: self-pub
LENGTH: 188 pages
RE-RELEASE DATE: January 18, 2018
BUY LINKS: Amazon
