Out

by Harper Fox

It’s Christmas at Edinburgh’s magnificent Barlinney Hotel, and chief housekeeper Cosmo Grant is in charge of the festivities. He’s already got his hands full when handsome Ren Vaudrey checks in. Ren is an accountant, or so he says, and he’s asking questions about his missing colleague, Sam. It soon turns out that Ren is an undercover cop. Cosmo wants to help him – Ren is kind as well as handsome as hell – but unless he can do it within the Barlinney’s walls, Cosmo is stuck. A victim of crippling agoraphobia, he’s been a prisoner in this gilded cage for over a year. There’s another problem too. Ren clearly adores his partner Sam. In the face of his rising attraction for this man, Cosmo has to bear in mind that Ren may be already taken. Cosmo gathers all his courage to do the right thing by Ren and Sam – and as a glittering Christmas Eve descends on the city, finds himself confronting his very darkest fears.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Christmas, Holiday, Short Stories, Anthologies

96 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 7, 2014

About the author

Harper Fox is an M/M author with a mission. She’s produced six critically acclaimed novels in a year and is trying to dispel rumours that she has a clone/twin sister locked away in a study in her basement. In fact she simply continues working on what she loves best– creating worlds and stories for the huge cast of lovely gay men queuing up inside her head. She lives in rural Northumberland in northern England and does most of her writing at a pensioned-off kitchen table in her back garden, often with blanket and hot water bottle.

She lives with her SO Jane, who has somehow put up with her for a quarter of a century now, and three enigmatic cats, chief among whom is Lucy, who knows the secret of the universe but isn't letting on. When not writing, she either despairs or makes bread, specialities foccacia and her amazing seven-strand challah. If she has any other skills, she's yet to discover them.

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A totally unique - if unrealistic - Christmas story that gave my heart a good, warm buzz at the end. But that fade to black sex'll lower my star ratings every time.

[Arch Bala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out is part of the Holiday anthology “Comfort and Joy”. It’s a nice little story involving an agoraphobic hotel staff and a “undercover” agent. The whole back story about Cosmo developing agoraphobia was very well-established whilst Ren’s insistent on looking out for his partner was a bit odd indeed (from Cosmo’s point of view.) It’s another lovely holiday offering from Harper Fox so be sure to check this one out and the rest of the anthology.

[Elizabetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Well, this is nearly perfect. The story unfolds like a bit of origami with the foundation slowly discovered on the way… important plot facts disseminated and not force fed.

I loved it. As to be expected: descriptive, emotion-pulling writing without manipulation or coyness. And, as always, the story is like a discovery, a trip, and still a bit of a challenge. It’s what I count on with this author and when it clicks, it’s all you could want.

And it is so with Cosmo Grant’s story. Cosmos works in an exclusive, posh hotel; he’s clearly an invaluable staff member seeing to every detail. But, we find that he has an unhealthy relationship with his job. There is something very wrong with Cosmos, and he is being taken advantage of, nay, abused. by his evil git of a boss, the hotel manager It’s all a part of a bigger picture, becomes a bit of a thriller, too.

Out is an interesting addition to the holiday anthology (Comfort and Joy) for it is immediately dark and tense. But, rest assured, it all tumbles out well and the Christmas setting enhances rather than detracts from the plot.

A gorgeous setting, bad guys, coppers, good friends, blossoming love, and a bit of intrigue, too.

I’m a broken record… More! I want more of this. I think a series set in a fancy Scottish hotel with staff romances (Duffy and (kilt-wearing) Andrew, helloooo!) and even romance or intrigue amongst the guests would be sweet. Especially in Ms. Fox’s hands. Highly recommended.

Favorite bit (of the very many):

"He sprang out of bed and stood naked, looking more like a good day out at the beach than ever, damn him. Skin like hard-packed sand, wide miles of grey-blue North Sea distance in his eyes. A trace of semen on his belly, as if the waves had washed him and left an arc of foam."

P.S.
I love the title. I guessed one thing before reading the story, and found that it meant something else.

P.P.S
I dislike the story blurb because it totally gives away too much of the plot. Luckily, I didn’t read it before reading the story so I was able to enjoy the ‘mystery’ more. Like a movie ‘trailer’ that gives away the whole plot of a film making you think there’s no reason left to see it, I very much don’t like when the story blurb does the same.

Out is part of the Comfort and Joy holiday antholog

[Lila · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Out" by Harper Fox - 4,5 stars

There is one line I keep repeating when it comes to Harper Fox novels: the way she writes British setting is just amazing. Whether we read about hauntingly beautiful moors of Cornish Coast or she takes you on a walk through Grainger Street of Newcastle...she just has a way of describing setting so vividly it becomes a character in a story. Take Scrap Metal for example- that story wouldn't be the same and it would be lacking if it's set anywhere else but Arran.
This reader would presume that this is where author truly shines.
So... you know what Fox did in this novella?
She gave her main character agoraphobia and locked him in a hotel. Narrator doesn't go out so we would be treated with one of her "come visit this city, you know you want to" specials, since at the time we meet him, Cosmo hadn't left that hotel for over a year.
But here is the kicker, guys...she brought Barlinney Hotel to life. She did it so masterly I feel like I was there. She actually did it again.
This story is a bit different from other holiday romance reads in tone and style: main character is more complicated because of his condition and it has a genuine suspense and romance thrown in. Cosmo is a housekeeper in-chief in Barlinney Hotel and Ren is a UC cop trying to locate a colleague last seen there. Plotwise, it wasn't totally perfect since some things were a bit over the top, but I liked it- obviously, usual sugar&sweet season novellas are not working for me at all. It seems I love my holidays with a bit of carnage. :P
Somehow.... in content this story feels very substantial- so many things is going on it doesn't feel like short story at all.
It also has lines like this one:

He sprang out of bed and stood naked, looking more like a good day out at the beach than ever, damn him. Skin like hard-packed sand, wide miles of grey-blue North Sea distance in his eyes. A trace of semen on his belly, as if the waves had washed him and left an arc of foam.

*I read and reviewed this also as apart of Comfort and Joy anthology, but I liked this story so much I ended up buying it separately. I adapted text slightly here not to be confusing.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Och aye, a wee bonnie story for Hogmany! I just loved this story about Cos who is head of housekeeping at one of Edinburgh's finest hotels. A sweet guy with a good nature and all the staff under him love him. Too bad the hotel manager is a bully and nasty piece of work getting Cos to pimp himself out for some of the more exclusive services. However, a guest comes to stay for Hogmany that sees how horrible the boss is and Cos finds talking to him very easy. What Cos doesn’t know is that his manager is involved in a number of shady dealings with Edinburgh’s low life and the guest is an undercover cop trying to find his partner who has disappeared. I just loevd the dynamics between these two MCs. Cos who I felt underestimates his own strengths and a confident caring cop.

All this is set at Christmas and Harper paints a wonderful scene of a hotel all ready for Christmas but we learn that Cos is agoraphobic and has actually never never ventured beyond the front doors of the hotel for a long time since he was hostage in an armed robbery. However, his love and attraction for that special someone makes him confront his fears on several occasions and overcome them. I would never have thought it would have been possible to fit a police investigation, a mystery-thriller into a short story, but Harper manages it masterfully. Complete and rounded in so few pages. Wonderful! A lovely story for the holiday full of one man’s courage and his new found love.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful and exciting story! I really liked how the beginning sets the tone, an undercurrent of adventures ahead. Cosmo is a lovely hero (literally), Duff is cute and funny, and Ren so dashingly dashing. The story made me miss Edinburgh even though I haven’t even visited yet – the festive atmosphere is palpable. I loved seeing and feeling the world filtered through Cosmo’s eyes: the way the sky and the sea are superimposed, and the hotel a “steampunky” flying tamed-monster-ship, the juxtaposition of containment and freedom. Absolutely lovely!

[Suki Fleet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Harper Fox's characters :)

This story was a little oblique and hard to fathom especially in the beginning. There was so much story packed into this!

Enjoyable read.

[coflo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't understand the reason why the two MCs are attracted to each other. And the author spends too much time describing details of something that doesn't really matter.

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harper Fox and Christmas? Yes, please!

Thank you, Secret Santa! I loved this holiday season snippet from one of my favorite authors. Xoxo!

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story and the setting, Harpers descriptions of the Hotel where Cosmo works and the city of Edinburgh are as alluring as always.

Cosmo is a slightly sassy Hotel worker with an unfortunate case of agoraphobia. He meets the mysterious Ren, who he ends up getting to know as more than a paying guest. Cosmo also "helps" Ren when the reason for his visit to the Hotel is made clear.

I didn't mind that the sexy part of the story "fades to black" for our guys, it felt appropriate and was rather refreshing considering the shorter length of the story.

A fun Holiday read, hopefully a longer sequel planned for the future!

[Shelba · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I did, but ultimately I feel like for the length, it had to be either about an agoraphobic hotel worker, or a hotel worker helping a guest find their missing partner. I think the agoraphobic hotel worker helping a guest find their missing partner just a bit much for how short this was... oh, and through in that the hotel worker used to play the violin, because that was obviously necessary.

And there is the painfully obviously misunderstanding on Cosmo's part concerning Ren's partner.

And when it comes down to it, lust, not even love, cured Cosomo. Boo.

Had this been about just an agoraphobic hotel worker, with a slow burn romance with a frequent guest, I probably would have loved this. If it had been a nosy hotel worker caught up in a cosy mystery, I would probably have loved this.

[Julesmarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drug dealers and armed robbers are not what I typically associate with Christmas. But here they actually served to make the sweet holiday ending feel even more joyful. Wonderfully well done.

Some Favorite Quotes:
his grey eyes kindling with a blue light I hadn't seen before, looking tired and calm and ... oh, just nice, as if despite thirty years in a tough world, none of the bad stuff had got to him.

could put a smooth mask over the ordinary daily heartaches everyone had to put up with.

"I don't understand how he stopped him."
"I know. It's like a beach ball getting the drop on a torpedo, isn't it?"

[Feliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just love this author's writing and the way settings are always so intimately included into the storylines. That said, I liked the Edinburgh setting almost better than the story in and of itself.

The latter required a lot of suspension of disbelief. The characters remained somewhat distant, despite the 1st POV. But as I said, I loved the setting, and some elements were really moving, like the orchestra scene for example.

Not a book I'd gush over, but certainly not one I hated. Recommended with provisos.

[Debbie McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very much my kind of story - a chief housekeeper with agoraphobia and how he overcomes this to become a bit of a hero is exactly the sort of thing I love to read. It offers a very realistic portrayal of the condition, and the connection between the characters is excellent. I may have been left a little smitten by Cosmo.

A perfect Christmas read.

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really sweet story with interesting characters. But the dialogue seemed a bit... off, like taken from a Victorian novel, too old-fashioned for the setting. Also, Cosmo was jumping to conclusions way too fast for my liking.

[Snowtulip · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Eleeze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda like a little fable, and full of Xmas miracles and spirit :)

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps a little ambitious for a short story, but what fun! A Christmas caper instead of the common sweet story. I would love to get a glimpse into Ren and Cosmo's future!

[Kezia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kind of story you'll want to read again and again

I've just finished my third read through of Harper Fox's novella, Out. It was published in December of 2014 in the Comfort and Joy anthology, and is also available individually. It stayed with me when I first read it, and it's better each time I come back to it. Like most other books written by Harper Fox, Out is blessed with realistic characters who live and breathe in my heart long after I turn the last page. The writing is solid, sprinkled with enough Glaswegian tidbits to give you the flavor of the city, without laying it on so thick that you feel like you're slogging through molasses. The heroes are unashamedly male, and the on-page sex is neither sickeningly sweet, nor treated like overly athletic porn. I suppose you could say it's a Goldilocks story - everything is just right. And now I'm feeling inspired to revisit the Tyack and Frayne series, also by Harper Fox, and also for the third time.

[Aldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet little Christmas novella. Some elements of the plot are a bit wonky (pretty sure it takes more than a thrilling police chase and a hot new love interest to cure PTSD-induced agoraphobia), but it was fun and fast-paced, and Harper Fox's characters are always such lovely, genuinely kind-hearted people that it's always a pleasure to spend time with them in whatever circumstances.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read! There was a lot of emotion and action squeezed into less than 100 pages and I enjoyed every minute of it! We don't get too many Christmas stories that include a hot cop with a gun and a badge... I guess I just got lucky all around with this one! *grin*

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely

I would dearly love more of Cosmo and his detective! I could smell the crisp winter air and Hear the hum of a great hotel.

[Eva Strange · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much plot, too little feeling. :/

[Chris, the Dalek King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since being held-up at the post office a year ago, Cosmo has suffered from an acute case of agoraphobia. Unable to leave the hotel in which he works, he is forced to follow the whims of his homophobic, bigoted-–and probably criminal–-boss. When Ren checks into the hotel, though, Cosmo didn’t expect to find himself challenging all his fears to help and protect a man he has only know for a few hours.

It took a bit for me to get into this one. There was just something about the writing that had me off-kilter for the first two chapters. I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on or why Cosmo was being forced to stay in the hotel, but after all that settled into place the story started to really flow for me. I really do love Harper Fox’s way of writing, and these two characters really were fun to read about. I am rather hoping that Cosmo’s boss finds himself at the pointy end of a rather sharp stick, the poncy bastard.


This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.

[Sonia Vice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story that almost makes it to novella status but falls a little short. I wanted to try out a new author and went for something short and sweet.

This one is both. The story about Cosmo, an agoraphobic hotel employee and the mysterious man he has an adventure with is very sweet and is set at Christmas, but has not one meaningful thing to do with the season, so if that's a turn off, don't worry.

The reason to read this is for Cosmo and his voice as he tells this story. The setting is intensely vivid and well described so that you'll feel like you can see the hotel. The hero, who we can just keep calling The Hero is never really coloured in at all, and is there to be a supportive caring new lover. Cosmo is funny, charming, acerbic and could absolutely carry a novel that was about something more than the cliché of him being forced to confront his fears to save The Hero.

This was well written, and if you take it for what it is, very pleasant, but until The Hero becomes a person, it's just a pleasant diversion.

[Pete W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had an almost dream like quality to it. Cosmo had a big problem that would have been detrimental to his livelihood, had he not been working in a 5-stars hotel. But that put him at the mercy of his horrible boss.

I felt that Ms. Fox did a great job of expressing the works of hotel staff. I like Cosmo for his attitude but not how he dealt with or rather ignoring his condition.

Help comes in the form of a dashing guest, Ren, who come to the hotel with a mission of his own.

Now, the insecurity Cosmo had regarding Ren felt a bit... overwrought and slightly melodramatic, considering that they only know each other for a few days. That's just a minor gripe for me though.

Overall, I like this one quite a bit. The stories and their elements fit well together and the Christmas theme added an extra layer of atmosphere.

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Sweet suspense story with likeable characters and a quick moving plot. The story was a little less sappy gooey bland like so many Christmas stories are. I liked that it had a bit of excitement. It was a little instalovey but not too bad. The narrator was a great guy, a really good boss taking responsibility for his staff and knowing that's how it's supposed to be. Your teams successes are theirs. Their failures are yours. That's what being a boss is about: enabling your employees to do the best they can. His mental illness is believable as well, and it was good that it wasn't suddenly solved in the course of the story. It's kind of an HFN in that they live in different cities, but the ending is very happy.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet, super quick read, promising end, and virtually no steam. Wishing there were sexy times, but with Cosmo pushing through his agoraphobia and his direct and sweet manner, I forgave the intimation of but no actual on-screen heat. Ren was a bit of a mystery in all ways and I would like to have gotten to know him. I do think he'll be good for Cosmo, what little we know of him. Not a ton of time spent on the villain so the book was allowed to remain relatively upbeat and to end with a sweet anticipation and hope for the pair. Good book, wish it were a bit longer, would have liked Ren's perspective or at least more about him, enjoyable hour of reading for me.

[Heather York · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-1/2 Stars
Poor Cosmo has a hard time dealing with life outside the walls of his home and the hotel where he works, and the reason is understandable. I can't say I would have the same reaction but it is not out of the realm of possibility. Sometimes though it's just a question of timing and companionship and when Ren walks in to the hotel Cosmo's life is never the same again. That's about he extent of what I can say without leaking spoilers but I will say that it's emotional, heartwarming, suspenseful, and just a plain fun Christmasy read.

[Lena Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Comfort and Joy' is a combination of insightful, short stories which give us a look at relationships particularly during the holiday season which is, by definition, an emotional time for most of us. It's also be a magical time when hearts are more open than at any other time of the year, giving us the opportunity to right wrongs; sort out misunderstandings; and rekindle love we thought was lost to us forever.