4 stars

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Find Love Abroad Under the Arabian Sky…

Arthur Somersby is an expert in sand. Working as an arenologist at Oxford University, it’s Arthur’s job to gather research and data on the movement and molecular structure of sand, blending geology, chemistry and biology into one specialty science. But while Arthur’s colleagues conduct their work around the globe — from the Sahara to the Kalahari and beyond — a tragedy in Arthur’s past prevents him from wanting to leave the safety of his office.

That is until one of his colleagues goes missing, presumed dead, and Arthur is called upon to take his place in the distant Arab nation of Oman.

It is there upon the shipless oceans of sand that Arthur meets falcon veterinarian Tariq Hassan. And while the desert heat ignites an instant spark between the two men, a clash of cultures could mean their Arabian love affair is over before it’s even begun.

Can two strangers from opposite worlds overcome the Middle East’s tightly-held religious beliefs and find a way to love one another? Can a connection be made between the science of sand and the spirituality of the desert? Will Arthur’s past and centuries-old traditions keep two souls apart, or will Arthur and Tariq find their happily-ever-after… Under the Arabian Sky?

Under the Arabian Sky is a 40k-word MM romance that will transport you to the deserts of Arabia from the comfort of your favorite reading chair. It can be read as part of the Love Abroad collection or as a stand-alone romance.

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Love Abroad collection (9 books)

Lost.

Despite the fact that Tariq knew exactly where he was going, lost was how I felt… but not in a bad way.

No, I felt lost in the best way possible.

After three hours of driving, the desert landscape we came across was like nothing else I’d seen before.

The road disappeared.

The dunes reached for the sun.

And the horizon seemed to run away from us, journeying as far as she could in her quest to touch the bright blue sky.

As civilisation fell away behind us and the burnt orange dunes of the Sharqiya Sands opened up before us, transporting us to a world beyond this one, I felt myself letting go of everything I was, everything I am, everything I knew. The desert unfolded before us, the dunes like the pages in a book of secrets that was forever re-writing itself.

There in Tariq’s Jeep— as I sat beside a man who seemed to be doing everything right if he wanted to capture my heart like a wounded falcon— I felt utterly, completely, wonderfully lost.

We neared the peak of a dune, and he stopped the Jeep.

He shut down the engine, then shouldered his car door open so I did the same, plucking my camera out of the daypack on the backseat and putting the strap of it over my neck.

He walked ahead of me to the crest of the dune, his kandura and ghutra billowing gently in a soft breeze.

I had to stop myself from trembling as I looked at him, this prince of the desert, in so perfect a pose I snatched up my camera and snapped half a dozen pictures of him before he had a chance to turn around and catch me out.

“Arthur! Come and see this!” he called over his shoulder.

My feet sank up to my ankles, but I managed to climb to the top of the dune… at which point the entire world fell at my feet, so much so I might as well have been standing on the top of Mount Everest, only surrounded by sand instead of snow.

“Take it in,” Tariq said. “Just take a deep breath and take it all in. This land is endless. This land is timeless. This land is alive and ever-changing. It is a shipless ocean, each dune forever shifting, forever moving like a wave carrying more grains of sand than stars in the heavens. So many men look up to find their god, their religion. Me? I look to the desert. This is where my spirit lives. This sand— and this sand alone— will guide me to where I need to go. It will always light the way and show me the man I need to be.”

He looked at me. Then, without so much as asking, he took me by the hand. “Sit with me.”

I didn’t question him. I did exactly as he asked. Together the two of us lowered ourselves and sat cross-legged on the sand. He released my hand and said, “You know the science of sand, but have you ever experienced the spirituality of sand?”

In this beautiful, breath-taking, faraway place, it felt unnecessary— almost inappropriate— to respond with words. In the golden glow of the desert, I simply shook my head.

He held up both hands and I did the same.

“Take your right hand and place it on the ground beside you, your palm upon the sand.”

I did as he said, and instantly I felt my body draw upon the warmth of the desert.

“Take your left hand and do the same on your left side. Now… close your eyes and feel the energy of the desert. The positive energy flows in through your right hand… and all the negative energy within you flows out through the left. Can you feel it passing through you? Can you feel the desert cleansing your soul?”

Perhaps it was the sun.

Perhaps it was the desert breeze gently brushing against my skin.

Perhaps it was the melodic tone of Tariq’s voice, his accent, the wisdom I so desperately wanted to hear in his words;

Whatever it was, I felt something that day.

I felt a connection.

I felt my energy become one with the earth.

I felt a pulse surging through me, a heat that rose up into the palm of my right hand and passed through my entire body before exiting back into the earth through my left hand.

At that moment, I felt what I can only describe as a sense of purification.

This is a new to me author, and I loved the premise of this series. I really enjoyed this novella! Unless this author has first hand knowledge of a lot of information that the general public doesn’t know, they did a great job researching this. I had no idea what an arenologist did, or even that it was a thing at all. And my knowledge of anything in Oman, other than it  being a desert was non-existent. However, the author presented it all in a way that made it easy to digest, and fascinating to read. If you don’t want to visit Oman after reading this novella, we need to have a chat. 🙂

Poor Arthur, still grieving and wanting to stay in his little apartment, in his leaking office, and not ever venture out again after his heartbreak. For him to be sent to a place he’d only seen on a map and had no notion what he was getting into, or even how to say “Hello” in the native language, this was very much out of his comfort zone. He bucked up though, and did his best. Meeting and spending time with Tariq really helped him to open back up and trust again. Arthur jumping in and helping when Tariq needed it the most, definitely hits you in the feels.

Tariq was such an amazing contrast, and it was lovely to read, since often you only hear the negative side of being LGBTQ+ within the bounds of the Muslim religion. He felt strongly that he could still honor and love his religion, do right by the world and the people around him, and be gay all at the same time. He was able to walk that line confidently. He cared so deeply about all those around him, and quickly drew Arthur into that circle.

Small side note, considering the impression that is often given about Muslim women, and that they are forced to be meek and defer to their husbands, she was so refreshing to read! She was sassy, clearly loved her family, no matter their faults, and was open and willing to letting an outsider such as Arthur come in and be welcomed. She was a favorite character, to be sure.

This just made me happy to read.

4 pieces of eye candy

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Robin Knight is the author of gay fiction novels, novellas, and short stories, ranging in genre from gay adventure, gay romance, gay suspense, and gay comedies.

The heroes of Robin’s books love to spend their time jumping off the page, stumbling through misadventures, and falling in love.

Robin has worked in advertising, politics, journalism, and event management, but nothing is as fun as telling stories.

Connect with Robin:
www.authorrobinknight.com
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