Airs above the Ground A Carnival of Mysteries Book
Fantasy, Gay Romance
Independent
Sept 10th, 2024
Kindle
318
Amazon
As a member of the Flying Galliers in the Carnival of Mysteries, Mario Gallier has remained an eternally young and carefree teenager for over a hundred years. When the Carnival stops for a time on a magic-sparse world, Mario finally meets a man for whom he wants to grow up. Unfortunately aging takes time, and the Carnival doesn’t linger anywhere for long.
Ilya Mirov was part of the greatest aerial straps duo in the world, but after losing his husband and partner Derek to cancer, he retired from performing to take a role as coach for the next great Circo Del Artes show, Capriccio. Yet men who are strong enough for the demands of the aerial straps are few and far between, and Ilya despairs of finding anyone who can handle his choreography.
Fate -- and the Carnival -- bring Mario back to Ilya’s world and to Circo Del Artes. Ilya is blown away by Mario’s talent and offers him a job. Elated, Mario believes he’ll have the chance to make Ilya see him as a man, not a child, and win Ilya’s heart at last.
Yet overcoming Ilya’s grief is only one hurdle in Mario’s way. Someone is preying on Circo’s paranormals, and Mario’s own hidden nature begins to surface. Ilya doesn’t believe in magic, and he doesn’t understand why Mario is driven to protect those who came from the Carnival. Dark forces press in from all sides, putting both Mario’s and Ilya’s lives at risk. Yet Mario knows that he alone can stop whoever is taking his friends, as well as find the killer who will stop at nothing to destroy both Mario and the man he loves.
Airs Above the Ground is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains a pair of reluctant heroes, a vast adventure, swords and fighting, several sets of interfering vines, and the beginnings of a guaranteed HEA.
Review By Jay
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
I loved this. Mario Gallier is one of the Flying Galliers in the carnival. He leaves, with the encouragement of Errante and his own family, to join the Circo del Artes in Las Vegas, at least temporarily. Partly, he hopes to gain experience, and partly, he has a crush on Ilya Mirov, who used to perform in the circo and now coaches.
He is initially unaware that Ilya has stepped aside since the death of his husband with whom he performed. There is fascinating world building with detailed descriptions of the aerial acts, and there is a slowly growing relationship between Mario and Ilya. But someone or something is abducting performers who have links to the carnival and Mario’s future happiness depends on uncovering what is going on.
The book is exciting and beautifully written, with the carnival playing a central role and Mario, who has secrets that are gradually uncovered, making a superb hero. His point of view alternates at times with that of Ilya. The minor characters are also well developed and the whole story builds to a frenzied climax with an ending that is happy, at least for now. I understand the author is one of the people who founded the series and this contribution is a fabulous addition to it.
Highly recommended.
A note of warning. The book shares a title with one by Mary Stewart which is about the Spanish Riding School horses. Beware, because websites will try to push that at you first! It’s a good book in its own right but is not this one!!