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Boats in the Night

by Josephine Myles (Goodreads Author)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 165 ratings · 41 reviews

Like two ships passing in the night--if one was a narrowboat and the other a luxury yacht.

Disgraced private school teacher Giles Rathbourne has been sent home on extended sick-leave and is stuck in a rut of obsessive housework and drinking. His ex may have been a snobbish bastard, but without him, Giles is adrift, rattling around his huge, lonely house. When a dreadlocked...more

ebook, 160 pages

Published November 16th 2011 by Josephine Myles (first published November 15th 2011)

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Jan 01, 2012 DarienMoya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, fave-m-m-characters, my-m-m-lovin, fave-books-of-2011, interracial-love, pants-off-reviews

^^ I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!^^

More of my reviews and ramblings at PANTS OFF REVIEWS

4.5

I often times start reading a book without expecting anything extraordinary, the blurb sounds interesting and I say to myself “yep, go ahead and read it”. In most circumstances, the book is just an all right read, and then you have those other times when you get so much more than expected. This time was one of those, Boats in the Night captured a piece if me. Miss Myles writing is superb and honest, the charact...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Kazza rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had to stop and think about the rating of this book if I could it would be 3.5 stars but 3 will suffice.

THE GOOD

Firstly, I do have a big soft spot for M/M books. Ms Myles writing was to the point and the editing was good, so were the lack of typos making me a happy reader. The language was excellent and the story was nice. The setting was pretty, to me Giles' home, Nunnery House, sounded lovely. As a keen gardener I loved the gardening aspect of the book and how grounded that made the two of t...more I had to stop and think about the rating of this book if I could it would be 3.5 stars but 3 will suffice.

THE GOOD

Firstly, I do have a big soft spot for M/M books. Ms Myles writing was to the point and the editing was good, so were the lack of typos making me a happy reader. The language was excellent and the story was nice. The setting was pretty, to me Giles' home, Nunnery House, sounded lovely. As a keen gardener I loved the gardening aspect of the book and how grounded that made the two of them as a couple. Giles was stuffy, had been easily manipulated and made to feel less than attractive or useful by his ex. He was also drinking too much and was terribly lonely. Having said this, he was a nice person, not bogged down in depression or self pity, so I liked him. Smutty was an innocent, naive man who seemed younger than his years and was used to a gypsy lifestyle. Once again he was a nice man who always tried to look on the positive side of life. Basically, his mum's motto was strangers are just friends you haven't met yet, which he lived his life by. They formed a nice relationship which made me feel glad for them.

THE NOT SO GOOD

Smutty as a name didn't grab me, sorry, for mine it was just off-putting. The word that I use to describe both characters is "nice" and that extended to their sexual exchanges, there was minimal heat between the two. I need sexual heat and zing in this genre, it just wasn't happening here. The characters needed some more fleshing out before they got together, it happened a little too quickly and too easily, and when it did, it didn't happen frequently enough. For a character that was a heartbeat away from alcoholism Giles gave up the grog straightaway, and that's just not realistic. I also had the ending worked out very quickly and hoped it didn't go that way, alas, it did.

In the wrap up, I would definitely read more of Josephine Myles books, as her writing style is very neat and stylish, plus the characters and backdrop of this story were enjoyable. Sometimes it's nice to read a story without really heinous characters, Fabian was a painful drip, but not evil, so this book was an easy read. I will add Ms Myles to my reading list.(less)

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May 12, 2012 Serena Yates rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

This is a cute, romantic story about two men who are fundamentally different. Yet, they both have quirks that make it difficult to live with other people. Interestingly, after some very amusing initial resistance and friction, it turns out that they can deal with each other extremely well.

Giles is a teacher at a private school: sedentary, set in his ways, and has been rejected by a snobbish ex. Without him, he is even more lost than normal and, forced to endure sick leave, doesn't quite know wha...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Tam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

4.5 stars

For those readers who were fascinated by the long-boat culture in Barging In will enjoy this second foray into the experience, although most of the action takes place off-boat. Giles' life kind of sucks. His ex left him and after a drunken flip-out on his students he's been put on administration leave. He spends his days obsessively cleaning and his nights drinking himself to sleep. He's not impressed when the freaky guy in the long boat ends up at the end of his garden, although really...more 4.5 stars

For those readers who were fascinated by the long-boat culture in Barging In will enjoy this second foray into the experience, although most of the action takes place off-boat. Giles' life kind of sucks. His ex left him and after a drunken flip-out on his students he's been put on administration leave. He spends his days obsessively cleaning and his nights drinking himself to sleep. He's not impressed when the freaky guy in the long boat ends up at the end of his garden, although really, the boat is broken, what can he do, besides basically tell him to move along. However despite his better judgment he's kind of curious about the flame haired supposed fire dancer, and ends up going for a visit that evening, which turns into more than a visit.

I'll be honest. At first Giles is damned annoying. He has this habit of putting his foot in it more often than not. He comes across as a bit of a jerk, who probably thinks he's better than most and a bit weak. Especially when you see him interact with his ex. However I adored free-spirit Smutty right off the bat. I have a feeling there is some part of me that wishes I could be like that, just travel, do whatever, see the world, no responsibilities, no commitments. Sigh. However once you get to know Giles he's not such a jerk after all and his defence of Smutty whose had some nasty run-ins with guys in bars was sweet and touching, for the reader and Smutty who'd never really had anyone stand up for him before.

I loved seeing Smutty bring about a change in Giles. Sex on the kitchen table? How "unsanitary". Maybe? Is it? Could he? Perhaps. And he's not alone. Giles makes Smutty think about some things that happened to him as a young man and the hurts he's still holding onto that affect how he looks at life and his need to keep on moving. But his exuberant good nature can't help but drag Giles out of the doldrums and Giles even manages to stand up to his ex a bit. An ex who appears to be a psychopath, not in the murder you and wear your skin way, but in a callous no feelings way which based on his history didn't really surprise me.

The only odd little niggle I had was the odds of Giles' ex and Smutty having a connection, although I suppose Smutty did grow up not that far from Giles, but still, I kind of thought "hmmm, what are the odds?" but hey, it worked with the story and by then I was totally invested in Smutty and Giles so I was okay with it. It's a very sweet story of opposites who bring out the best in each other and make changes in their lives for the better.

Oh and if you've never seen a fire dancer do their thing at night, it's amazing and if you get the chance do it. I've seen them perform after dark and it's probably dangerous as anything but it's dazzling and a true skill I wouldn't even attempt. I was very happy with the way it ended and it was a real pleasure and kept me coming back to it while I was reading. I have a tendency to get distracted while I read and I will read a bit then surf or watch TV and read a bit, but this one kept dragging me back as I wanted to see how it was all going to go. (less)

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Apr 11, 2013 ARe Cafe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vals-picks, are-top-picks

This wonderfully entertaining romance opens near Bath in the beautiful English countryside as Giles mourns his breakup with a selfish boyfriend. When under stress, he consoles himself with obsessive housework. In fact, he has just dusted every light bulb in his house. Since he is a man of inherited wealth who lives in a beautiful, historic estate, you can imagine the Herculean nature of this task. What else can he do? After he made a drunken spectacle of himself at the school where he teaches, t...more This wonderfully entertaining romance opens near Bath in the beautiful English countryside as Giles mourns his breakup with a selfish boyfriend. When under stress, he consoles himself with obsessive housework. In fact, he has just dusted every light bulb in his house. Since he is a man of inherited wealth who lives in a beautiful, historic estate, you can imagine the Herculean nature of this task. What else can he do? After he made a drunken spectacle of himself at the school where he teaches, the headmaster put him on leave.

Fortunately, his enforced vacation develops an immediate complication when a narrowboat breaks down in the canal bordering his property. The boat owner is gloriously different from Giles – Smutty, a free spirited world traveler of mixed ethnic heritage, juggles fire for a living. Smutty grew up in a hippie commune. He is strikingly beautiful and cheerfully ignorant about boats. When he agrees to work short-term for Giles as a gardener, the two men start a passionate relationship buffeted by old hurts, vastly different cultural outlooks, and the reappearance of the selfish ex-boyfriend.

My favorite thing about this book is its dynamic, three-dimensional characters. If you’ve read the author’s previous novel Barging In, you might assume the themes of opposites-attract and canal boating would be too similar and make the mistake of skipping this one, but you would be missing out. Both books are distinctly different while being equally good. Barging In celebrates the British narrowboat community, whereas Boats in the Night focuses more on Giles’s awakening to possibilities beyond his traditional English life.

Let me continue to praise the characters, who are both immensely likable. They are a fascinating blend of contradictory characteristics that ensures neither can be classified as types. Instead, they seem vividly layered and individualistic. For example, Giles is a wealthy but lovelorn gentleman, who could have seemed too mannered and self-pitying. Instead, there is a forceful, stoic, rugged quality about him as he pursues Smutty.

A world-traveling guttersnipe like Smutty could have been a fast-talking con man or an irritatingly strident flowerchild, constantly nagging Giles to get in touch with his feelings. Instead, there is a seductively vulnerable and sensitive aspect to him. He has experienced cruelty for being biracial and gay, but he strives to go on enjoying life and hoping for the best. How can we readers not fall in love with these two men? Boats in the Night is not to be missed!

Val for AReCafe(less)

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Dec 08, 2011 Dlee rated it 3 of 5 stars

My favorite thing about Ms. Myles writing is that she somehow manages to make the setting a character in the story. I enjoyed the canal, the fire juggling and the MCs were sweet. What I didn't like was the Big Coincidence. Followed by the smaller coincidence. All in all, I did enjoy the book. I stayed up until the wee hours finishing it because I just couldn't put it down. And once again, I am looking forward to Ms. Myles next offering which I will happily pay for. Boats in the Night was a gift...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Brie C. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

I know what you’re going to say, another British m/m author? Well, yes! I’m on a binge and I’m loving every part of it. There’s something about British writers that’s quite unique, not just m/m authors but romance in general, and Ms. Myles is one of them. Maybe you have heard of her before because her novel Barging In made the rounds in a lot of review blogs and everyone had nice things to say about it, so when I was presented with the opportunity to...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

I know what you’re going to say, another British m/m author? Well, yes! I’m on a binge and I’m loving every part of it. There’s something about British writers that’s quite unique, not just m/m authors but romance in general, and Ms. Myles is one of them. Maybe you have heard of her before because her novel Barging In made the rounds in a lot of review blogs and everyone had nice things to say about it, so when I was presented with the opportunity to read this novella I jumped right in.

Giles Rathbourne is a rich schoolteacher who’s going through a rough patch. His long-time boyfriend left him, he is suddenly alone in a house full of memories, he is teetering on the edge of alcoholism and he’s on an extended sick-leave from work. Needless to say, he’s feeling miserable.

One morning a narrowboat breaks down in the part of the canal adjacent to his garden. The owner of the boat is a dreadlocked, tattooed hippie named Smutty. Since Smutty needs a place to keep his boat while he fix it and Giles is lonely, they strike a bargain, Smutty will help take care of Giles’ garden in exchange of a free stay for as long as he needs.

These two guys could not be more different from each other. Smutty has a sunny and positive take on life whereas Giles is pessimistic and cynic. They feel a strong attraction and even deeper connection so it doesn’t take long before they become friends and lovers. But they have a lot of issues to overcome in order to get their happily ever after, so it won’t be an easy road.

I love opposites attract stories, and this one is exactly that. Giles was a straight-laced and spoiled man on the verge of self-destruction. He wasn't depressing though, and neither was Smutty, although both characters had dark and painful pasts. He was very likeable even though he had a fair amount of unlikeable traits, he was prejudiced, a neat-freak, depressed and a bit lazy. Once he meets Smutty, though, he starts to see himself under a different light and he realizes that he needs to change.

The romance was believable even though it takes place during a short time period, I felt like both Smutty and Giles were in need of love, support and companionship. They were lonely in different ways and that’s why they just click, I could just see them as lovers but also as friends.

I had one big issue with this book and it was the ending, it took me completely by surprise and not in a good way. It involves Giles’ ex-boyfriend and I won’t go into details as to not spoil the plot twist, but I do want to say that I was very disappointed by him. At first I thought that they were going to be a realistic ex-couple, one in which both parts were good and bad, and equally responsible in the ending of the relationship. But no, it turns out that the ex was an evil cartoon villain, crazy and one of those guy that make you wonder how no one realized how insane he was. I mean, Giles lived with him and he never saw any of this? I don’t buy it. I felt this last conflict was unnecessary for the plot, the book was fine just being about the leads finding happiness and dealing with their issues. By the end of the book everything is magically resolved and they never even addressed Giles drinking problem again. This annoyed me because up until that point the story was fantastic, I was in love with Giles and Smutty and I was rooting for them, and this felt like the author took the easy way out.

Maybe the reason why the ending bothered me so much was because the book is so beautiful. The setting was compelling and incredibly vivid, it was obvious that Ms. Myles has some type of personal experience with narrowboats because that part was detailed without being boring, it was like listening to someone talk about their life’s passion. The best part of the descriptions was that they were attractive and beautiful but there was no sugarcoating, this wasn’t a magical boat where everything sparkles, nope, the boat was messy and uncomfortable, but regardless of all that I hope I get the chance to visit England and see one. The same applies to the characters, I liked them very much, flaws and all, and I didn’t feel like the ending was up to par.

Overall I think Ms. Myles is a very talented author and I want to read more by her, this novella works well as a preview of what she’s capable of and if you can see past through the disappointing ending I think you will enjoy it.

Note: we received a copy of the book from the author for review purposes.
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Dec 16, 2011 LenaLena rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm, omg-wtf-bbq

This book reminded me of the Timotei commercials of yore. Of course, some dweeb has felt an urge to put those on youtube, so even if you did not live in Europe in the eighties, here is your chance to catch up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGog72...

There is a bit less sweeping of the long blond hair, of course, but the whole sweet, syrupy corny feel is there. This book is so mild you can wash your hair with it as often as you wish!

No seriously (I'll try, anyway), everything bad that happens to...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Jenre rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m, romance

After reading a couple of quite intense books I was in the mood for something fairly light. This book fit the bit for that exactly. It tells of Giles, who has recently had a bit of a minor breakdown after breaking with his lover, and is struggling with approaching alcoholism. He's very wealthy and lives in a huge house near Bath with a canal at the bottom of his garden. Smutty is a free spirit who has recently purchased a narrow boat. He's only had the boat a couple of days when the engine break...more After reading a couple of quite intense books I was in the mood for something fairly light. This book fit the bit for that exactly. It tells of Giles, who has recently had a bit of a minor breakdown after breaking with his lover, and is struggling with approaching alcoholism. He's very wealthy and lives in a huge house near Bath with a canal at the bottom of his garden. Smutty is a free spirit who has recently purchased a narrow boat. He's only had the boat a couple of days when the engine breaks down at the bottom of Giles' garden. They're a mix-matched pair, but Giles is almost instantly drawn to Smutty.

There was lots to like about this story, but the main thing which kept me reading was in the two opposite attract characters of Giles and Smutty. Giles is white, rich, upper-class, a little stuffy and conservative. Smutty is mixed race, was raised in a commune, has dreadlocks and no fixed abode. He makes his money as a street entertainer. Despite their differences they work as a couple. Smutty longs for a place to call home and Giles' garden calls to him as somewhere he can exercise his love of self-sufficiency. Giles' has been constrained for far too long by a now ex-lover who's love of propriety over-rode his love for Giles. In Smutty's presence Giles learns that there's more to life than wealth, finding himself able to breathe again and feel freer than he perhaps ever has. I read with delight their unfolding relationship as each learns to see life from the other's point of view. It was the early, awkward scenes between them that really caught my interest. Giles' blinkered viewpoint means that he often stumbles into saying the wrong thing, and only Smutty's laid back personality managed to get them through that initial almost offensive conversation.

The story is also about healing. Giles needs healing from his minor breakdown, and his encroaching OCD. Smutty needs healing from past hurts. They find this healing initially in each other's arms through the use of a number of well written sex scenes, and then later through discussion and conversation. The romance does move quickly but not so fast that I felt it unrealistic.

Any niggles I had about the story stemmed from the surprise reveal at the end. Whilst I understood the need for Smutty to have some closure on his past, in my mind it wasn't necessary and I was a little skeptical about the way that part was handled in the story, especially in the way that it linked with Giles. I don't want to say too much here because that would be spoilerish, but that part made me raise my eyebrows a little and marred what had been a pleasant and realistic situation.

Overall, though, despite my feelings about the end, I enjoyed this story. Although it has some serious themes, the writing had a light touch to it which made the story move swiftly and meant that the ansgt level wasn't high. I liked both main characters and was invested in their story and their romance which left me with a big smile on my face. If you're looking for a lovely character based romance then I would recommend Boats in the Night.(less)

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Nov 16, 2011 Josephine Myles added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: books-i-wrote, contemporary, m-m, romance

This novella was written as a serial on my blog, and that version can still be read for free online here. However, the ebook version has been fully revised and edited.

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Dec 13, 2011 Bruin Fisher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Boats in the Night is a great story, I knew I would enjoy it from the first time I heard of it. Jo Myles is a really skilfull writer, so anything by her merits my attention, and a story set in the world of narrowboats is always going to interest me. The particular stretch of water in which the story is set is one I know well, so I simply had to read the book.

Despite all the above motivation for reading, it could have been a disappointment, of course, but I had no need to worry on that score. Thi...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Jayhjay rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review was originally published on my blog Joyfully Jay.

I really loved Josephine Myles' recent novel Barging In, so when I heard she had a new story out that also takes place in the narrowboat community (although not in the same "world"), I was eager to pick it up. This story also features opposites attract, a trope I really love, so I was doubly excited.
Giles Rathbourne is coming off a long-term relationship that ended badly and left him on a leave of absence from his teaching job after hi...more This review was originally published on my blog Joyfully Jay.

I really loved Josephine Myles' recent novel Barging In, so when I heard she had a new story out that also takes place in the narrowboat community (although not in the same "world"), I was eager to pick it up. This story also features opposites attract, a trope I really love, so I was doubly excited.
Giles Rathbourne is coming off a long-term relationship that ended badly and left him on a leave of absence from his teaching job after his depression and alcohol use got the best of him. Giles is a pretty rigid, uptight guy living in his large childhood home backing up to a British canal. One morning his controlled life is shaken up when an old narrowboat breaks down behind his house and the owner can't move it until the boat can be repaired.

Smutty grew up in a transient life, living part of the year in a commune and part-time traveling the world with his hippie mother. He has continued a wandering lifestyle and recently bought the boat to continue traveling. He earns his money fire dancing for a crowd, a job that earned him his nickname for being covered in ash and smoke when he performs. After seeing the chaos of Giles' garden, Smutty offers to bring it back into shape in exchange for Giles allowing him to leave the boat behind the house until it can be repaired.

Despite having such different personalities and backgrounds, Giles and Smutty click right away, with a budding friendship as well as a sexual relationship. Smutty is a free spirit who enjoys life and is easily content. Giles is drawn to his open heart and beautiful graceful body, including his crazy red and gold dreadlocks. I loved Smutty right away but had a harder time warming up to Giles at first. He came across so rigid and uptight and a bit too snobbish. But as the story developed, I feel like we come to understand Giles and what has shaped him.

Giles only real relationship was with Fabian, his ex. We learn that not only was Fabian cheating on him, but he was belittling, controlling, snobbish, and manipulative. Giles never really knew anything else, and it is only after things end with Fabian and he starts to become his own person, that Giles really opens up to become a likeable guy.

With Smutty's help, the layers of Giles' old life peel away and he learns to relax, find what he wants out of life, and take chances on the things that will really make him happy. And in this case, what Giles wants most is to be with Smutty.

But Smutty is worried about taking a chance on Giles. The commune where he grew up was bought out and destroyed and he is afraid to settle and connect someplace for fear it will be taken away. Smutty is also still wounded from his closest childhood friend (and lover) picking up one day and leaving him and he is now wary about being hurt again. Although he cares deeply about Giles, he is not sure he can take the chance on staying with him.

I really liked this book and loved Giles and Smutty together. I enjoyed seeing Giles blossom from the uptight person he was at the start of the story into someone who felt free and happy with life. And I liked seeing Smutty realize that he could take a chance on love and happiness and trust someone to be there for him.

I will say there is a big twist toward the end of the book that I am not sure I loved. At first I was sort of thrown by the coincidence and not sure it worked for me. It was a bit too much suspension of disbelief for me I think. But despite my initial reservations, I was happy with the way things worked out at the end and I think that Myles did a great job of pulling it all together in a satisfying way. I really enjoyed the story and would definitely recommend it.(less)

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Nov 20, 2011 orannia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

Josephine Myles is a new-to-me author and I have say I'm really impressed. Boats in the Night is well written - the story flows well and I found the characters, although very different (from each other - in a good way), interesting and three-dimensional. I loved how the author wove the characters' emotions into the story - knowing what each character is feeling is important to me, and I got that with this story. And as I New Zealander I loved the Maori connection. But...small niggle - a poi is n...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Brian Williams rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is an good beach/rainy afternoon read because it has a happy ending after a tortured love story: poor gypsy/hippie meets rich toff. The Giles/Smutty man on man sex scenes are a highlight for sure. There was no explanation of why Giles was at home on sick leave (was it deleted from the Kindle version?) Did he come on to some student (totally out of character)?? Who knows and the author isn't telling? I haven't yet decided whether the Fabian/Finn connection and man/woman marriage is too over...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Rae Gee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

Living beside a canal and being fascinated by the life of those who live and work on it, I was eager to read Josephine Myles's "Boats in the Night". It's a sweet little tale of two men from very different walks of life. The posh Giles and hippy Smutty tell the weaving tale set (quite literally!) in an English country garden.

There were a few niggles in the story but nothing to take away from the overall effect of it. It's a wonderful story and if you want to read about the English summer, canals,...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Valentina Heart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt, the-romance-reviews

This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.

BOATS IN THE NIGHT is another romantic story by Josephine Myles, and while it wasn't quite as brilliant as Barging In, it was very good. I found the two to be similar. The author has a certain love for unusual men who prefer to drift in life and attract attention with their extraordinary looks.

Smutty is a man who moves around the world, experiencing one adventure after another, not all of them good but making...more This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.

BOATS IN THE NIGHT is another romantic story by Josephine Myles, and while it wasn't quite as brilliant as Barging In, it was very good. I found the two to be similar. The author has a certain love for unusual men who prefer to drift in life and attract attention with their extraordinary looks.

Smutty is a man who moves around the world, experiencing one adventure after another, not all of them good but making plenty of memories for himself. He dances with lit torches and has a fascinating relationship with fire, from his attention drawing haircut to his colorful tattoo. By chance, his newly bought boat breaks down by the bank of Giles' property.

Giles, a teacher on a forced holiday who's had alcohol problems since his ex-lover Fabian left, isn't all that happy with the prospect of a stranger lingering on his land, but that soon changes, and awkward Giles finds more than momentary attraction toward Smutty lurking within his emotions.

It's a sweet romance between unusual characters which has a nice flow and not too many tripping points. In fact, I don't have any issues with the romance in this book, but rather with a somewhat convenient plot and excessive descriptiveness, which just dragged the whole story for me. Giles was too naive and his relationship with Fabian rubbed me the wrong way. I just wanted him to become violent, smack Fabian a couple of times and move on with his life. Instead everything between them kept floating up in the air without a finalized solution. A few times I even thought the story would take a different direction because there were enough hints to back up that theory, but instead the ending was wrapped up rather fast and in my opinion left a few too many loose ends.

Now that I've read that last sentence and can't have anymore, I keep thinking how it would be nice to see Smutty and Giles together. The relationship we see in the book is solid and cute even, but I wouldn't mind a few more situations with the two of them and even a couple of more explicit sex scenes. Maybe I'm missing the connection between that what's on the screen and me as a reader. In any case, this is a very good romance on the very cute and sweet side, so if you do desire something to make you feel warm and carefree, I would suggest BOATS IN THE NIGHT.(less)

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Feb 13, 2012 Cryselle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

Giles and Smutty are opposites in every way—you'd think. Giles comes from money and lives in the ancestral house, which he's trying to take care of himself. The light bulbs are dusted, but the gardens are going to jungle, because Giles' obsessive cleaning keeps him indoors, fretting and drinking, trying to wash away the pain his stuck-up ex left behind. He's got a trace of whimsy, nearly dead and buried under the weight of Fabian's disapproval, but still hanging on, or he would never have gone o...more Giles and Smutty are opposites in every way—you'd think. Giles comes from money and lives in the ancestral house, which he's trying to take care of himself. The light bulbs are dusted, but the gardens are going to jungle, because Giles' obsessive cleaning keeps him indoors, fretting and drinking, trying to wash away the pain his stuck-up ex left behind. He's got a trace of whimsy, nearly dead and buried under the weight of Fabian's disapproval, but still hanging on, or he would never have gone out to the garden to chase away the intruder while wearing slippers with claws on.

Buying a wreck of a narrowboat with the last of his funds leaves Smutty depending on the goodwill of the property owner nearest where his engine expires. Raised in a commune that fell prey to developers and with a first love who ran out on him, Smutty's resisted forming ties anywhere else. A narrowboat's just the thing for a man who doesn't want to put down roots, until it won't run. With his dreads in bleached colours and tattoos blazing up his torso, Smutty looks like the flames he dances with; he's much too wild, and yet oddly too conservative, for a man like Giles.

Yet as they work out how to mesh, even if temporarily, the two are more alike than it seems at first glance, and if they don't mesh, the friction is interesting. Giles is teetering on the brink of alcoholism; Smutty shuns the stuff. Smutty dances with fire; Giles has reason to fear it. Yet they come together.

Fabian, the horrid ex, casts a very long shadow, even though he's offstage for most of his role. The author tweaks the reader's expectations of him masterfully; his truths are buried deep. Giles is still living in reaction to Fabian's expectations; this was a toxic relationship but repeated exposures to Smutty's herbal teas draw the poison from Giles' heart. Kindness and real love are so far in Giles' past he has some trouble recognizing the signs now. Fabian gets mentioned at times when I really didn't want him intruding, but I could see why Giles would think of him then.

The gap in social status weighs more heavily on Smutty, whose off-the-grid lifestyle lifts a lot of eyebrows. His Maori heritage is his pride, the source of his livelihood, and cause for discrimination. He's feeling the tick of time, not wanting to get too attached because he'll be moving along soon. A posh fellow like Giles surely can't want him long term, can he? The man who tends the gardens is only help to be dallied with, Smutty fears. A wanderer who accidentally boated into his life is only going to sail away again, Giles is sure. The gardens, long untended but starting to recover under Smutty's care, are a lovely metaphor for the relationship, with roots, blooms, and a lot of work.

This was a charming journey, as the two men find the way to be together, and around the barriers to happiness that their pasts have erected. I read this in one sitting, thoroughly engrossed, and wishing I could watch Smutty dance with fire.

The story was originally serialized on the author's blog, and is still there, but it's more than worth the modest cover price to have a nicely formatted version where all the text is in one place. If Josephine Myles wasn't already on my must-read list, this story would put her there.(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

kindle edition.
This and another book by the same author have me wanting a boating holiday right now! Doubt I will fall into bed with someone the first night on holiday, but the appeal of going from place to place and just enjoying being on the water and seeing both the country and the city from a different perspective is certainly appealing. Book is also great with the two people coming from different backgrounds trope, but making it work in a believable way.

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Jun 25, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novella-short-story, fiction, home-and-garden, m-m, romance, uk

Disparate and likable characters, a canal narrowboat, and the rescue of an overgrown garden. Well-written and well-edited novella that I'm likely to read again in the future.

The only thing that (repeatedly) got in the way is the name of one main character: Smutty. I'm not sure why the author chose it. Even though it's explained that it means sooty, of course it has the additional meaning of indecent, obscene. He was a complex character with emotional depth, and the name simply put me off.

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Dec 27, 2011 thelastaerie rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading Barging In, this story set in the same community adds even greater fascination to me. I also like the pairing here more - a very satisfying and believable "opposites attract" pair.

Giles is as uptight as one can imagine an upper middle class Englishman can be, and then there's the lively and free-spirited Smutty to light up the story and Giles's life. Their shared hurt in the past give them the rare common ground for affection to blossom and I love seeing the change, especially on...more

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Nov 29, 2011 C.J. Anthony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks-on-my-nook

I really really liked this book. The main characters are complete opposites, one rich and uptight and one who is more of a free-spirit, a go-with-the-flow guy. I loved seeing their relationship develop into something more. Even though the free-spirit is planning to leave. The end of the book also contains a couple of surprises I didn't see coming.

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Nov 20, 2011 Raevyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, books-i-love, 2011

I love Josephine Myles's narrow boat stories. I was able to get a peek at some of the boats when we were near Bath a few years back and being able to read about them has been wonderful.

Smutty and Giles are great characters and their story is touching. I only wish their story was longer. There is a twist in the book that I figured out before it happened, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Nov 14, 2011 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, gay, ebook, romance, 2011, done

Very good m/m romance about a guy who's not really doing so well since his boyfriend left him a month ago. He's dealing with a hangover when he hears a bunch of noise at the base of his garden and discovers a broken-down narrowboat, with a most fascinating owner...

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Jan 11, 2012 Antonella rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5

The half star more is because I really enjoyed the book as I read it, but there are too many plot/characters niggles to make it 4 stars for me. See for ex. reviews from Kazza K or Brie Clementine.

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Dec 11, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, glbt, m-m-romance

Another charming look at the colorful characters in the author's narrowboating world - Review HERE

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May 10, 2012 MandyM rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance

Don't know why I didn't read this earlier. Very enjoyable story. Similar to Barging in.

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Nov 18, 2011 Mandy*reads obsessively* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook-owned, m-m, hurt-comfort-disability

Giles and Smutty couldn't be any more different.
Both are hurting and dealing with their past,yet somehow they make it work.

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Feb 13, 2012 Page Crusherz rated it 4 of 5 stars

very cute. Myles is becoming a new fave. Likable MCs, slightly impractical twists, but sexy and fun.

1 like · like · see review

Jan 27, 2012 clear skies rated it 3 of 5 stars

A nice read with decent characters, I think the theme was too close to "Barging In" which made it seem like a cheap copy.

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Dec 20, 2011 Mandi Schreiner added it

I'm not feeling this one. Putting it down for now.

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About Josephine Myles

English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. She blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She's beginning to suspe...more

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