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Mended with Gold #1.5
Out Loud
For the fans, I’ve written a short FREE epilogue to Mended with Gold. Alex and Joe have been together for two months, and there's something Joe wants to say. Once he's said the most important thing out loud, perhaps he can say some other things as well...
34 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2018
74 people want to read
About the author
Lee Welch
7 books383 followersLee Welch lives in a house on a hill in the windiest city in the world – Wellington, New Zealand. She shares the house with her partner, two kids and two cats. Hedgehogs visit occasionally, which makes her happy.
Lee wrote her first novel (an unpublished pastiche of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) when she was seven and has been writing on-and-off ever since.
She studied ancient history at Auckland University and creative writing at Birkbeck, University of London.
To pay the bills, she works as an editor and business communications adviser for a large government department. By night, she writes escapist fantasies, mostly m/m romances, usually with magic in them. She likes crumbling mansions, cavernous libraries, mysterious curses and handsome magicians.
When she’s not writing, she reads, especially fantasy, history, romance, biography, folklore, comics, and children’s books. Her favourite authors include Ursula Le Guin, Peter Ackroyd and KJ Charles.
Lee wrote her first novel (an unpublished pastiche of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) when she was seven and has been writing on-and-off ever since.
She studied ancient history at Auckland University and creative writing at Birkbeck, University of London.
To pay the bills, she works as an editor and business communications adviser for a large government department. By night, she writes escapist fantasies, mostly m/m romances, usually with magic in them. She likes crumbling mansions, cavernous libraries, mysterious curses and handsome magicians.
When she’s not writing, she reads, especially fantasy, history, romance, biography, folklore, comics, and children’s books. Her favourite authors include Ursula Le Guin, Peter Ackroyd and KJ Charles.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 24, 2020
4 Stars
*dreamy sigh*
An oh so very nice epilogue to Mended with Gold allowing the reader to catch up with Alex and Joe a few months later. Still emotional, touching, and sexy.
I’m only sad that this author has not written more.
*dreamy sigh*
An oh so very nice epilogue to Mended with Gold allowing the reader to catch up with Alex and Joe a few months later. Still emotional, touching, and sexy.
I’m only sad that this author has not written more.
April 18, 2021
This was phenomenal. I don't usually rate short stories, but this gets all the stars.
Available for free(!), this is an epilogue to Mended with Gold. While I liked MwG, it was more in the way of "Wow, here's an impressive debut by an author I need to watch closely," rather than having fallen in love with it. (As I said here.)
But this quiet, low-key, emotionally-resonant visit with Alex and Joe, told from Joe's perspective two months after the end of MwG, was perfection. I spent the last half of the story on the verge of tears -- not sad tears, not happy tears, just I-am-moved tears. Everything rang true. Nothing was extraneous. It was simple, and powerful, and gorgeous. If you've read Mended With Gold, you need to read this too.
Available for free(!), this is an epilogue to Mended with Gold. While I liked MwG, it was more in the way of "Wow, here's an impressive debut by an author I need to watch closely," rather than having fallen in love with it. (As I said here.)
But this quiet, low-key, emotionally-resonant visit with Alex and Joe, told from Joe's perspective two months after the end of MwG, was perfection. I spent the last half of the story on the verge of tears -- not sad tears, not happy tears, just I-am-moved tears. Everything rang true. Nothing was extraneous. It was simple, and powerful, and gorgeous. If you've read Mended With Gold, you need to read this too.
December 17, 2018
**** 4.5 Stars ****
December 29, 2018
I'm melted. So emotional and hot at the same time. Perfect epilogue to Mended with Gold.
May 21, 2019
Calling this an epilogue seems reductive, it added so much more to the story. I loved getting Joe’s perspective and seeing he and Alex together after they had a little time to settle in their relationship.
February 1, 2019
Muy bonito y romántico epílogo.
December 19, 2018
Loved this epilogue to Alex and Joe's story in Mended with Gold.
Such a lot of feeling in such a short space!
Highly recommend these two reads!
Thank you Jan, for putting me into the right direction!
Such a lot of feeling in such a short space!
Highly recommend these two reads!
Thank you Jan, for putting me into the right direction!
January 31, 2021
4.5
This was much more substantial than I’d expected, and it nicely explored the changes in Joe’s character. He finally gained some self-confidence and I’m so proud of him! 😍
I hope the author’s other book is as well written as these two shorts.
This was much more substantial than I’d expected, and it nicely explored the changes in Joe’s character. He finally gained some self-confidence and I’m so proud of him! 😍
I hope the author’s other book is as well written as these two shorts.
December 5, 2018
A perfect conclusion to the story of Alex and Joe started in Welch's Mended with Gold.
Told from Joe's POV, Out Loud is short, tender and utterly sensual. Joe's shyness and his adorable personality really deserved to be explored with a more specific focus after the wonderful story told in the first book.
Alex, here as in MwG is a loving, generous but troubled man totally deserving the love he's found in Joe.
A little gem, to be absolutely read together with its companion book.
Told from Joe's POV, Out Loud is short, tender and utterly sensual. Joe's shyness and his adorable personality really deserved to be explored with a more specific focus after the wonderful story told in the first book.
Alex, here as in MwG is a loving, generous but troubled man totally deserving the love he's found in Joe.
A little gem, to be absolutely read together with its companion book.
December 5, 2018
Gorgeous epilogue to mended with Gold.
What a pleasure to read these two, totally loved them.
What a pleasure to read these two, totally loved them.
November 11, 2019
Epilogue of "Mended with Gold"
My Review.
My Review.
February 24, 2019
La guinda del pastel xD
May 22, 2020
Ay... Qué cosa más bonita <3
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June 13, 2024This is advertised as being the free epilogue to Mended With Gold, which implies it's optional for readers but I felt it was more like the last quarter of the story. The original story ends right when the MCs get together, giving it a HFN ending and Joe's character arc is left unresolved and is only finished in this 'epilogue'. IMO, readers should read both pieces back to back. Due to this epilogue being such an important addition to the original piece, I'm not going to rate this separately.
Since I don't think it makes sense to judge the two pieces separately, please refer to my review of Mended With Gold for my thoughts about both books together.
Since I don't think it makes sense to judge the two pieces separately, please refer to my review of Mended With Gold for my thoughts about both books together.
October 20, 2019
I just ... All the Happy Sighs. Gah, such beautiful characters.
January 12, 2019
What a joy it is to revisit Alex and Joe! A truly lovely epilogue to Mended With Gold. All the stars and then some!
May 17, 2019
Lovely little epilogue and very well done.
December 12, 2019
Lovely short follow-up to Mended with Gold! Everything I could have wanted AND it's free :D
October 4, 2018
Don't let the rating fool you. Lee Welch still owns my soul.
I didn't enjoy this story as much as I thought I would. Was it because it was told from Joe's POV? I love Joe and his wonderful sense of whimsey but he's young and hasn't had the worldly experience to reference his thoughts in Alex has had. Or maybe it's because Joe has such a hard time saying what he wants the sex scene didn't seem to have the passion of the one in Mended With Gold. (Which might be the whole point of the story and I missed it.) Whatever the reason, the story felt anti-climatic, from the ILYs, to meeting the family, to the sex.
Aha! I've figured it out! It's because the story was not about Alex getting to photograph Joe in that way that made "the hairs on the back of my neck stand up." (You know what I'm talkin' about.)
I didn't enjoy this story as much as I thought I would. Was it because it was told from Joe's POV? I love Joe and his wonderful sense of whimsey but he's young and hasn't had the worldly experience to reference his thoughts in Alex has had. Or maybe it's because Joe has such a hard time saying what he wants the sex scene didn't seem to have the passion of the one in Mended With Gold. (Which might be the whole point of the story and I missed it.) Whatever the reason, the story felt anti-climatic, from the ILYs, to meeting the family, to the sex.
Aha! I've figured it out! It's because the story was not about Alex getting to photograph Joe in that way that made "the hairs on the back of my neck stand up." (You know what I'm talkin' about.)
November 6, 2018
3.5 stars
A great epilogue / continuation that really fleshes out the relationship that started between Alex and Joe in Mended with Gold. I loved reading from Joe’s POV. This story picks up 2 months after Mended With Gold, so Alex and Joe are more secure in their relationship, but they haven’t said I love you yet or really put a label on their relationship. This short epilogue puts them in a more definite HEA than the end of Mended with Gold. I also felt that Alex was shown in a more favorable light through Joe’s eyes, whereas I got kind of miffed with Alex during the actual novella.
Can’t wait to read more by this author — particularly her full length works.
A great epilogue / continuation that really fleshes out the relationship that started between Alex and Joe in Mended with Gold. I loved reading from Joe’s POV. This story picks up 2 months after Mended With Gold, so Alex and Joe are more secure in their relationship, but they haven’t said I love you yet or really put a label on their relationship. This short epilogue puts them in a more definite HEA than the end of Mended with Gold. I also felt that Alex was shown in a more favorable light through Joe’s eyes, whereas I got kind of miffed with Alex during the actual novella.
Can’t wait to read more by this author — particularly her full length works.
September 25, 2025
My reviews are my own. If you liked this book, I’m glad you enjoyed it. If not, I respect your opinion. This is merely my opinion, so let's keep it courteous.
The story was great, and I love that it took place in NZ, my favorite place in the world! The characters are cute, especially Joe. I wanted to hug him! But the topic of PTSD wasn't properly treated, as this was a short romance story that does not allow proper development. Still, I was sweet and loving when 2 awkward personalities encountered each other and had chemistry together.
On to my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!
The story was great, and I love that it took place in NZ, my favorite place in the world! The characters are cute, especially Joe. I wanted to hug him! But the topic of PTSD wasn't properly treated, as this was a short romance story that does not allow proper development. Still, I was sweet and loving when 2 awkward personalities encountered each other and had chemistry together.
On to my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!
October 27, 2018
This was a perfect ending to the heartwarming Mended with Gold, which felt unfinished to me.
Lee Welch has a lot of potential to write great, meaningful stories and I'll be happy to follow her on the writing journey.
Lee Welch has a lot of potential to write great, meaningful stories and I'll be happy to follow her on the writing journey.
January 16, 2019
Great to revisit these characters. More sexy than I expected from the blurb (not a bad thing) and Joe's anxiety continues to be really hashtag relatable. One of the only romance novels I've read with an artist that seems realistic about what being an artist means.
March 29, 2019
Getting more of Joe and Alex is (of course) a divine delight. I didn't expect it to blossom like a perfect flower and make me catch my breath at the beauty of it. Wow, I can't believe this is free. You have to read it. Like, right now.
January 2, 2020
Beautiful and sweet and the perfect follow up! Short, but I read this back to back with Mended with Gold so it just felt like another long chapter, so I recommend downloading this freebie epilogue to read immediately after the main story. Much love.
August 18, 2019
It was perfect!
August 28, 2019
Lovely coda to the main story. I think I'm in a diabetic coma now, but in a good way :D
July 31, 2020
Is it bad I liked the free epilogue better than the original?
September 2, 2022
3.5 stars. A cute and heartwarming epilogue to Mended With Gold
May 7, 2021
re-read 5/7/21 since I found it downloaded on my kindle and couldn't remember what it was. And it was lovely. Happy sigh.
original review: Short and hot and lovely and gentle and sweet and hot and wonderful!
original review: Short and hot and lovely and gentle and sweet and hot and wonderful!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews