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Gypsy Rain
OUT OF PRINT
Now available as HEART, a full length novel.
Cornish fudge maker Seb Wright is anticipating and dreading the upcoming tourist season with equal measure. The cash injection is more than welcome, the long hours in the sticky, vanilla scented kitchen less so.
A few days into the first tentative sparks of summer a shadowy Good Samaritan catches his eye. Vagrant Dex is a new face in town…a beautiful, sullen enigma, and yet with each busy day that passes, Seb finds himself becoming more and more attracted to the mysterious, young man.
A young man who seems destined to become the heartbeat of a summer he'll never forget.
Now available as HEART, a full length novel.
Cornish fudge maker Seb Wright is anticipating and dreading the upcoming tourist season with equal measure. The cash injection is more than welcome, the long hours in the sticky, vanilla scented kitchen less so.
A few days into the first tentative sparks of summer a shadowy Good Samaritan catches his eye. Vagrant Dex is a new face in town…a beautiful, sullen enigma, and yet with each busy day that passes, Seb finds himself becoming more and more attracted to the mysterious, young man.
A young man who seems destined to become the heartbeat of a summer he'll never forget.
34 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2013
2 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Garrett Leigh
87 books2,399 followersShe/Her
Bonus Material available for all books on Garrett's Patreon account. Includes short stories from Misfits, Slide, Strays, What Remains, Dream, and much more. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/garrettleigh
Facebook Fan Group, Garrett's Den... https://www.facebook.com/groups/garre...
Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British romance author and artist. Her debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and she is a 4 time LAMBDA finalist.
In 2017, she won the EPIC award in contemporary romance with her military novel, Between Ghosts, and the contemporary romance category in the Bisexual Book Awards with her novel What Remains.
Garrett is also an award winning cover designer, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com
Bonus Material available for all books on Garrett's Patreon account. Includes short stories from Misfits, Slide, Strays, What Remains, Dream, and much more. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/garrettleigh
Facebook Fan Group, Garrett's Den... https://www.facebook.com/groups/garre...
Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British romance author and artist. Her debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and she is a 4 time LAMBDA finalist.
In 2017, she won the EPIC award in contemporary romance with her military novel, Between Ghosts, and the contemporary romance category in the Bisexual Book Awards with her novel What Remains.
Garrett is also an award winning cover designer, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 24, 2016
This is about a chef:
And a vagrant.
As always, it's GL. As always, it's too short to taste. But there is a long novel based on it, so I'm happy!
And a vagrant.
As always, it's GL. As always, it's too short to taste. But there is a long novel based on it, so I'm happy!
May 12, 2015
I think I'm the wrong audience for this kind of story. It was a 4* read until, well, until I turned the page and realized the story was finished.
July 14, 2013
I really liked the beginning. I loved how we got a slow build with Seb and Dex. I would of preferred a little more detail on Dex’s life before, how he came to be at that point in his life, but knowing this wasn’t a long read I was OK with it being left out.
Things were going along smoothly for me, then I got to the end. Not the kind of ending I want in my books, ( I guess I need my predictable HEA lol ). I understand why this ending might work for others, but for me it just feels like there is a whole lot more missing.
Overall a nice story that, for me, ended once the sex started. A 3 star begining, but for me ended as a just OK read by the end.
On a side note, I’ve also discovered another personal pet peeve, dream sex, like the solo shower scene I just don’t see the point.
OK Vio, your turn.
July 20, 2013
3.5 stars
I was interested because Daniel gave this a 4-stars. I know the no-HEA warning, but I have to admit, despite the beauty of the writing, I still want my taste of happiness. The ending felt abrupt (. Dex was still an enigma to me. Thus yes, I could only give this one 3.5 stars.
But oh, what a lovely writing it is. Lyrical. Melancholy. Like a piece of beautiful poetry.
I was interested because Daniel gave this a 4-stars. I know the no-HEA warning, but I have to admit, despite the beauty of the writing, I still want my taste of happiness. The ending felt abrupt (. Dex was still an enigma to me. Thus yes, I could only give this one 3.5 stars.
But oh, what a lovely writing it is. Lyrical. Melancholy. Like a piece of beautiful poetry.
Read
June 9, 2014OUT OF PRINT
Full length novel, HEART, coming Autumn 2014 from Dreamspinner Press
Full length novel, HEART, coming Autumn 2014 from Dreamspinner Press
July 9, 2013
Short but oh, so sweet! This is a beautifully written story.
It is a gentle story that provides a glimpse into the life of Seb, who owns a fudge shop and Dex, a young man who enters his life for a short time.
The author does a wonderful job of describing the setting for the story. It is beautifully descriptive and makes it so easy to imagine the small town of Padstow in Cornwall. There is a real sense of the place and people. Likewise with Seb - although a short story, there is a real feel for the type of man Seb is and of the life he leads.
Seb is intrigued by the quiet and vulnerable Dex and over many weeks they develop a unique friendship. We don't learn a lot about Dex and even at the end of the story he is still a mystery. "Dex was like a short summer rain: heady, unexpected and all too rare."
There is no happy ending in the traditional sense, more a reinforcement that some people can enter your life for a short period and touch deeply. "....and as the fast-breaking dawn light crept into the sky, he felt blessed, like he'd been touched by an angel."
I also adored the cover of this book. It is gorgeous! The author is obviously very talented as she is credited with being the cover artist too!
I will definitely be checking out more work by this author and would love to see a full length novel. Perhaps Seb could get his HEA?
4.5 stars
I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
It is a gentle story that provides a glimpse into the life of Seb, who owns a fudge shop and Dex, a young man who enters his life for a short time.
The author does a wonderful job of describing the setting for the story. It is beautifully descriptive and makes it so easy to imagine the small town of Padstow in Cornwall. There is a real sense of the place and people. Likewise with Seb - although a short story, there is a real feel for the type of man Seb is and of the life he leads.
Seb is intrigued by the quiet and vulnerable Dex and over many weeks they develop a unique friendship. We don't learn a lot about Dex and even at the end of the story he is still a mystery. "Dex was like a short summer rain: heady, unexpected and all too rare."
There is no happy ending in the traditional sense, more a reinforcement that some people can enter your life for a short period and touch deeply. "....and as the fast-breaking dawn light crept into the sky, he felt blessed, like he'd been touched by an angel."
I also adored the cover of this book. It is gorgeous! The author is obviously very talented as she is credited with being the cover artist too!
I will definitely be checking out more work by this author and would love to see a full length novel. Perhaps Seb could get his HEA?
4.5 stars
I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
July 9, 2013
A pleasant short story. I bought it having been to Padstow and liking the area.
Seb seems disenfranchised with his Fudge shop and the hours, never felt any love for the family buisness just his exhaustion. Dex we never learn anything more about than that he's pretty and an incredible f*ck.
The writing is good; there's a poetic, almost mythical feel to the ending, at the same time I'll warn it's not a hea. It's left open and dependant on how romantic your soul. The future could be Dex turns up on schedule and something develops, but more likely he disappears as the tide, hell he could easily find a nasty end by gypsy hand! We, like Seb, never get to know know him; a treasured taste never fully in reach.
Seb seems disenfranchised with his Fudge shop and the hours, never felt any love for the family buisness just his exhaustion. Dex we never learn anything more about than that he's pretty and an incredible f*ck.
The writing is good; there's a poetic, almost mythical feel to the ending, at the same time I'll warn it's not a hea. It's left open and dependant on how romantic your soul. The future could be Dex turns up on schedule and something develops, but more likely he disappears as the tide, hell he could easily find a nasty end by gypsy hand! We, like Seb, never get to know know him; a treasured taste never fully in reach.
July 12, 2013
What a fascinating and wonderful read! Perfect for the afternoon coffee, a short break or while waiting for an appointment.
It took me a bit to get into the story but that might just be because I am not that familiar with British English. However, from the first line I was instantly drawn to the characters. The author portrays them with such gentleness and love that you can only fall in love with them, too. The intensity of the emotions literally gave me goose bumps.
I felt almost honoured to be allowed to be a part of Seb and Dex’s relationship. It has a fragility to it that I was sometimes afraid I could break it somehow.
The contrast between Seb as the mature, responsible one with a “regular life” and Dex as young and without roots only added to the attraction and mystery between them that could be felt throughout the story. The characters feel well developed and complex; they are intriguing as they are sexy and I really enjoyed the little details that are added surrounding Dex’s job. The author manages to do all this over only a few pages, always keeping a perfect pace so the reader never feels rushed.
At times it was very “sweet” in every sense of the word and I was worried that it would get too much, but it never did. Rather it made the “transition” into an “all-male-universe” a soft and easy one for someone like me, who is new to it.
The ending was - to my biggest surprise - as different and amazing as the rest of the story. I’m saying this because I usually need a story to have a happy ending! Gypsy Rain convinced me that a happy ending doesn’t necessarily have to be “and they lived happily ever after”. These two characters are so special in many ways and so is their story/time together and I felt like the author acknowledged that by finishing the story in this way.
Reading recommended. It definitely left me wanting more!
July 22, 2013
I almost only gave this four stars for one very simple reason... I want more! More Seb, more Dex, more Padstow, and even more fudge. Always more fudge.
It's rare to find such well-developed characters in such a small space and that's one of the most compelling things about this story. Even though the mysterious Dex only has a couple dozen lines, you can't help but feel a pull to him. You want to know where he came from and where he's going. You want to take him in and give him warm, dry clothes.
That's what makes a really good story, the connections the reader feels.
If you can put yourself in the town, in the fudge shop, in Seb and Dex's shoes... that's what makes you think about knocking off a star just because it's so short even if it is so good!
It's rare to find such well-developed characters in such a small space and that's one of the most compelling things about this story. Even though the mysterious Dex only has a couple dozen lines, you can't help but feel a pull to him. You want to know where he came from and where he's going. You want to take him in and give him warm, dry clothes.
That's what makes a really good story, the connections the reader feels.
If you can put yourself in the town, in the fudge shop, in Seb and Dex's shoes... that's what makes you think about knocking off a star just because it's so short even if it is so good!
July 14, 2013
This was such a good short! The ending will drive many bat crap crazy, but I liked the bittersweet-ness of it all. It was very well written and will definitely make me look for more from this author.
Without giving away anything, I tried to keep in perspective that this was a book about one magical summer in Seb's life and not necessarily a complete romance. That would have made it almost too easy and the fact that it ended the way it did actually made the book more memorable and realistic for me.
Besides, there's always next summer ;).
Without giving away anything, I tried to keep in perspective that this was a book about one magical summer in Seb's life and not necessarily a complete romance. That would have made it almost too easy and the fact that it ended the way it did actually made the book more memorable and realistic for me.
Besides, there's always next summer ;).
October 19, 2013
3.5 stars from me for this one. I really like Garrett's descriptive writing and the fact that this story was set in Padstow (better known to those of us in the UK as Padstein), a place I know well and try to avoid in the summer due to the tourist 'plague' that blights most of Cornwall, was an added bonus. Seb was a lovely character, and deserving of someone to love...strangely I was sure that Dex wouldn't be that someone, and I was proved right, so no HEA in this one, but a nice little freebie tale from ARe anyway.
Read
April 5, 2014Well crap. I got to the end and thought you're kidding? That's the end? Really? Whhhhaat?!
I will say, it's beautifully written and I loved the setting and could picture the town, the store, and smell all that fudge.
So, while I loved the writing and the gist of the story the ending left me wanting.
But, that's my problem and might be very different for others.
I will say, it's beautifully written and I loved the setting and could picture the town, the store, and smell all that fudge.
So, while I loved the writing and the gist of the story the ending left me wanting.
But, that's my problem and might be very different for others.
January 26, 2014
A beautiful written short story. :) I loved the characters and the story-setting. Seb and Dex are such lovely guys, they touched me deeply.
A HEA would have been nice, but the story left me with the knowledge that sometimes life takes different turns. People enter our life only for a short period, touch us deeply and then vanish from the face of the earth.
Time flies, let’s make the best of it. Thank you Garrett for this little gem.
July 16, 2013
A beautiful yet bittersweet love story. I really loved the pacing of this story, and the characters. The ending was a bit sad, but it felt honest to the story, the characters, and their situations. Short, but really well done.
September 29, 2013
This was a wonderful short story that captivated me from the first page. It was a sweet and tender love story set in the beautiful Cornish town of Padstow, which is one of my most favourite parts of the World so was an instant page turner for me.
Seb runs his traditional family business of fudge making (yum) where his days are long and his nights even longer and getting lonelier. He is getting ready for the tourist season and wondering if the sexy fisherman from overseas will be calling into Padstow again this summer. With his mind on other things after a hectic day in the shop he doesn't realise he has dropped his wallet until he gets a tap on the shoulder from Dex who is kindly returning it to him. Dex is a traveller who touts for business on the beach braiding hair for the tourists. At first Seb is wary of trusting this ‘vagrant’ but then he realises his misconceptions are totally misplaced and so begins a beautiful friendship that turns into so much more.
I really loved the writing style of this and how beautifully it flowed for such a short story. There was no feeling of being rushed or of tailoring it to fit into a diluted novel. The characters were so well developed that you were instantly drawn into their world and wanting them to complete this gorgeous pairing. Even without a HEA as such, I finished the book feeling extremely satisfied and content.
I would definitely recommend this short read. It was a story that left me thinking about it hours afterwards. Very thought provoking and memorable. Brilliant.
Seb runs his traditional family business of fudge making (yum) where his days are long and his nights even longer and getting lonelier. He is getting ready for the tourist season and wondering if the sexy fisherman from overseas will be calling into Padstow again this summer. With his mind on other things after a hectic day in the shop he doesn't realise he has dropped his wallet until he gets a tap on the shoulder from Dex who is kindly returning it to him. Dex is a traveller who touts for business on the beach braiding hair for the tourists. At first Seb is wary of trusting this ‘vagrant’ but then he realises his misconceptions are totally misplaced and so begins a beautiful friendship that turns into so much more.
I really loved the writing style of this and how beautifully it flowed for such a short story. There was no feeling of being rushed or of tailoring it to fit into a diluted novel. The characters were so well developed that you were instantly drawn into their world and wanting them to complete this gorgeous pairing. Even without a HEA as such, I finished the book feeling extremely satisfied and content.
I would definitely recommend this short read. It was a story that left me thinking about it hours afterwards. Very thought provoking and memorable. Brilliant.
June 17, 2015
Sorry, didn't know it was a bittersweet story. Originally rated it a 2 star but change it to a 4.
Reason:
6/16/15 Strongly recommend that you skip Gypsy Rain and just read Heart, cause it has this story and what happened to Dex after he left Seb.
Reason:
6/16/15 Strongly recommend that you skip Gypsy Rain and just read Heart, cause it has this story and what happened to Dex after he left Seb.
July 29, 2013
A sweet, tender short. Written almost lyrically I found this bittersweet story very enjoyable. I wish I knew what more of the words meant.
July 29, 2016
This was a very sweet and loving little story. I liked it along up until the ending which sucked! The ending ruined this entire story for me.
July 26, 2013
This short story by Leigh is sweet, and I am always amazed when an author in a short space of 40 pages is able to make characters and their story come to life. I found myself liking both characters and was happy that they were mutually attracted to one another.
You can read the rest of Bruce's review at The Novel Approach
You can read the rest of Bruce's review at The Novel Approach
February 9, 2014
If M/M books don't bother you, or if you haven't tried one yet, I highly recommend this lovely, heartwarming, lyrical sweet little short love story. I don't think I have ever enjoyed a short story quite this much before. They usually leave much to be desired, but this one was a perfect morsel of deliciousness. I sincerely hope that there will be a sequel or have this turned into a full length novel. It was just that good!
October 24, 2014
I was pleasantly surprised with this title. It was a short but well written sweet and sultry tale of two people wandering into each other by chance but hanging on to each other by choice. The odd friendship, the hesitant attraction, the giving in to the flames of passion all very believable for such a short story. Nothing felt rushed or "skipped over" for the sake of brevity.
Definitely ups the bar for what is expected out of a "short & smexy" work of fiction.
Definitely ups the bar for what is expected out of a "short & smexy" work of fiction.
July 17, 2013
I absolutely adored this short! loved it in fact. Alas I do have one complaint. I wanted more after I finished! :) Also I do have to agree on the "nitpicky" little things. The beginning started off rocky for me but then began to flow and I loved it. :)
July 26, 2013
Cute and sweet but not a HEA
May 14, 2017
Well written, interesting characters. Would have been a four-star but the ending took a lot of the pleasure out of my read.
wish-list
September 11, 2016Note to self:
September 11, 2016
Short and sweet. While Seb may have been happy/content with the ending, it didn't do a lot for me.
March 25, 2015
It was cute... even though I didn't have much of a read on Seb's character. He felt too 'nice'.
August 29, 2014
Lovely short, though bittersweet it was rewarding just the same. Worthy read!
November 25, 2013
Short, sweet, free read from a terrific author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews