REVIEW : The Distant Hills and Other Stories – Kaje Harper

Title: The Distant Hills and Other Stories -
Series: Anthology
Author: Kaje Harper
Genre: Gay Fiction, LGBTQ & Gay Anthology
Publisher: Independent
Release Date: Feb 23, 2023
Format: Kindle
Pages: 339
Source: Amazon

 

Reviewed by Linda Tonis

Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

This book has something for everyone, paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, LGBT and touches on a lot of subject matter.

The Distant Hills: A beautiful story of second chances. Roy a farmer and Trevor a country music singer spent three years together until Trevor decided to chase his dream of stardom, leaving Roy without a backward glance or a goodbye. After ten years Trevor grew tired, he succeeded in becoming a star, money, fame and the only thing missing was love. At a press conference Trevor finally revealed to the world that he was gay and when he answered all the questions thrown at him, he got in his truck and headed for the man he has always loved hoping for a second chance.

Hello Darkness, My Good Friend:Very short but interesting.

Spot On: Two boys met at the age of five and their friendship just grew over the years. Casper was a free spirit and Zack was a young man who realized he wanted more than just friendship from his best friend. Zack came out to Casper when he was sixteen but never knew how Zack felt about him until one night Casper admitted in a roundabout way that he wanted to move their friendship in a new direction.

Forever Love: James brings his boyfriend Nathan to meet his Uncle John, the uncle who was there for him when no one else was. John has good days and bad and this day was not a very good one. John mistook Nathan for the man he once loved Tommy, loved and lost at a time when being gay was dangerous. This was a surprise to James but although he knew his uncle had found love with his wife for many years, he never knew this other side of him. Having a lucid moment John expresses his happiness for his nephew and his boyfriend and wishes them many years of happiness plus wanting an invitation to their wedding. Nathan wants a quick wedding so John can attend while there is still a chance of him having a memory of it. A story of joy and sadness.

What Real Dancing Looks Like: A little girl is blessed with a daddy and her daddy’s boyfriend who are willing to wear tutus around their waists and attempt to move their bodies in ways grown men shouldn’t.

In Times of War: WWII Part I Homecoming: Part II

David and Jack try to find any time they can alone, Jack is involved in secret missions but as soon as he has a chance to join David, he takes it.

The war is over, and David has returned to his farm only he is missing a leg. His search for Jack has been unsuccessful and he has given up hope of finding him. Jack’s name was fake so how do you find someone without a name. Then, just like during the war Jack appears out of nowhere giving David hope for a future together but is this the time when Jack is finally finished with his secret missions and is he ready to stay. War is Hell but finding peace and love would turn Hell into Heaven.

Fetching Him Home: This was such a sweet story told from the point of view of a dog who loves his daddies and worries that they are mad at each other. Rich and Arthur have had an argument sending Arthur out the door to cool off, but Tank wants to find Arthur and breaking out of the backyard is his way of doing it. Rich follows him till they find Arthur. Now his two men are together, and it proves how wrong his mommy was when she said he was the dunce of the litter.

Closure: At the age of fifteen Jason was thrown out of his home battered and afraid. That was ten years ago now he has a husband, a home and love. With his husband he goes back to the trailer he was thrown out of to confront the monster who was called his father and the mother who turned a blind eye. No one was living there anymore so should he continue his search or go back to where he is loved and happy.

Oops: A sorcerer apprentice should never attempt a spell, but he did and the manticore he attempted to summon turned out to be the size of a kitten. After all is said and done this apprentice would not come out of it unscathed.

His Last Words: Danny misses his friend and lover Jon who died a year ago in a sailing accident. Jon was always tempted by fate, this time he lost. Jon was a huge believer in paranormal and insisted when he died, he would return as a ghost, Danny never believed it until the night he sees a figure outside his window wearing the same hoodie Jon did and built the same. Danny discovers who the individual is and why he has been making nightly visits to him. Miguel, Jon’s cousin, delivered a message from Jon, a message that would change Danny’s life.

Uncorked:Part I: In Vino Veritas: Part II:

Uncorked is Part I of Wine Seller and it is where Shane O’Rourke meets Pete Kingsman. Pete came into Shane’s liquor store looking for a bottle of wine to give to his ex-lover, George, who is now marrying his boss’s granddaughter. George dumped Pete after four years and he wanted the bottle of wine to somehow show Pete’s hatred. Shane comes up with the perfect bottle of wine and a date.

In Vino Veritas is Part II of Wine Seller and Pete and Shane have been seeing each other for a while. The wedding is soon, and Shane will be Pete’s plus one supplying comfort during a difficult situation. The situation becomes both difficult and funny when a young man stands up and yells, he objects. Another young man left in the dust by George and his outburst brought a difficult situation to a laughable one and the removal of two bottles of four-hundred-dollar champagne.

Rockets’ Red Glare: Its Fourth of July and Greg knows that he will be facing the horrors of his PTSD. His neighbor Bron has asked him to join his family for the fireworks and food, but Greg doesn’t want to share his secret. When Bron’s dog enters his kitchen shaking as much as Greg he tries to comfort the poor dog, but Bron enters and tries to calm them both. Bron realizes that Greg is suffering from PTSD, but it doesn’t stop him from asking Greg out. Bron has seen him at his worst so maybe it is time to stop questioning the attention given to him by a man seemingly willing to take him PTSD and all.

Perceptions: Brent is all excited to be posing for Mr. September, he has worked hard for the body he has but there is part of his body that has kept him from a loving relationship, will that happen again once the photographer sees his defects firsthand.

Immutable Joker: For 81 years Rory and Laurence have been friends and now Laurence aka
the joker is about to celebrate his 90^th birthday. Friends for almost a lifetime and Rory has always loved him but Laurence nicked any chance of a relationship when he related, he wasn’t like that, so no romance but always a love.

Dragon Door: Will and Carter escaped jail together, fought a sorcerer together so Carter got attached. When Will, a dragon shifter told Carter to meet him at his uncle’s house, a house he couldn’t miss because of its unique door, Carter went hoping it would lead to a long-term relationship. After waiting five days for someone to show up and open the door Carter figured he got Will’s invite wrong.

An Old Truck and the Road Ahead: Johnny has decided to kill his abusive father. Gun in hand he was ready until Luke, his lover, appeared and stopped him. Luke convinced him that their future together was more important than killing his father which would end with Johnny in prison for life instead of in New York with the man he loves.

Treehouse Sanctuary: Jay has planned the perfect tenth anniversary dinner for his husband Rob, their three kids with the grandparents and a night to themselves. Unfortunately, the salmon burned, the kitchen stunk, and Jay had nothing to take the place of the salmon. Upset Jay runs to the kid’s treehouse to hide but Rob knew exactly where to look for his husband. Rob has a new idea for their anniversary and what started out a disaster turned out to be perfect.

What Grandpa Left: Noah always remembered a trunk that sat in front of his grandfather’s bed, a trunk no one opened. When his grandfather died it went to his uncle who also left it unopened. George was asked by his father not to open the trunk until his mother died. After George passed and his grandmother passed the trunk was delivered to Noah’s home and this time, he asked his father if he could open it. What Noah found was quite a surprise, but it was something his dad was familiar with. Noah learned about his grandfather and how lucky he was to have parents like his.

The House Feels Empty: Tim and Charles had been together for ten years when Tim walked out with their dog in hand. Since Charles was ten years older than Tim, he assumed Tim had moved on to someone younger. Sitting in the kitchen remembering all the things he promised Tim he would do he starts with a light dimmer, and it goes wrong. Then thunder and lightning leaves him crying on the floor for all the ways he failed Tim when their dog comes sniffing next to him and shaking. Tim has returned but is it only to retrieve his belongings.

Garden Guy: The delivery of what was supposed to be a small potted plant turned out to be a tree and impossible to replant with a bad back. Garden Guy for lack of another name agrees to plant the tree and keeps flirting with a man who gave up on ever having a relationship at his age and injured. There is always hope.

Can’t Share, But I Can be There:

Henry and his partner have been together for thirty-one-years and his partner has always tried to share everything with him, but Henry is black, and his partner is white so he can’t always share the way he wants to. Tomorrow is MLK Day, a day Henry always has a hard time with, he hates the hypocrisy and the lack of understanding who Martin Luther King was and what he stood for so like always his partner will be there to give his support.

The Secret Heart of Clover: Leo has always been the brunt of jokes in school so when David told him to such on clover Leo expected another joke at his expense, but he was wrong. That taste led to years together.

Intervention: This was an amazing story about a sixteen year old keeping secret that he is gay and finding out it wasn’t as much of a secret as he thought. Nasty notes, nasty sayings on his locker and beatings even though he has not come out. High school is a hell we all go through but someone like Seth is different than the rest and suffers even more. With no options and in a very dark place Seth has a gun in his mouth searching for a way to stop the pain. Fortunately, for Seth his older brother Jory saw him removing the gun from Seth’s hands. That might have been where anyone else may have ended their help, but Seth is blessed with a brother who admits to knowing that Seth is gay and will not leave him alone until he reveals it to his parents, goes to school to report the abuse and sees a doctor to help him through his tough time. I love Jory, if there were more like him there would be less suicides.

Plans Change Change 0.5: Will and his boyfriend Casey are on their way to see their other boyfriend, Scott. Scott is with the NHL and has injured his knee requiring him to come home for pre-op rehab. Three months of rehab before he heads for reconstructive surgery. All three of them dream of a long life together.

Safeword: Micky is a sub and tries to please Sir. His previous Dom was called Master and he didn’t hesitate to punish Micky for anything he considered an offense. With Master Micky never used his safeword either because he didn’t want to upset Master or because he feared deep down that Master wouldn’t stop. Now Sir has him standing worried about falling, the pain growing until all he could do was yell Red, Red, Red. Sir unlocked him and hugged him, but Micky was afraid that he failed and Sir insisted that what he did was on purpose to get Micky to use his safe word ensuring that he would always take his welfare seriously.

Holiday Home Truths: Jason is twenty-four and every year when he comes home for the holidays, he swears this will be the time he will reveal to his family he is gay, and once again he failed to do so. His cousin is aware that he is gay and has brought her college friend around hoping to finally encourage Jason to tell his secret. Foster is gay and is willing to accompany Jason when he talks to his mom, a little support goes a long way. Jason’s mom’s reaction was priceless and other mothers should learn from her.

To Death and Beyond: Roland is on his way to see his friend Colyn who he has been told is in trouble. He has been bringing things back to life evidenced by the zombie raccoon chewing on Roland’s boot and the dead bird falling from the sky. The woods are filled with zombie animals and if Colyn doesn’t stop, he risks being imprisoned for life. Colyn lost the love of his life Mark and Roland fears what Colyn’s true objective is in raising the dead. Can he save Colyn the man he once loved and the man who picked another.

Anniversary: Ben has come to visit his father and force him to go fishing. Ben’s father lost his love, Harry, so Ben is taking him fishing which was Harry’s love. A day of remembering a man loved by both his husband and stepson.

Looking Forward: Malia is going on nine lives with her daddy and pop and longs for a sister. Hoping her daddy and pop adopt another child she is unaware that they are way ahead of her and are already making plans.

Through all the Years a Life Lesson Coda: It’s Christmas and Detective Jared MacLean is married to Tony, the love of his life and his daughter Anna and his son Ben are there with them. Jared thinks back to when Anna was nine living with her Aunt Brenda due to Jared’s job and his determination to never reveal that he is gay. Being gay was a secret he thought he would take to the grave and then Tony came into his life and life became better than ever. Now he has everything he could ever have dreamed of, two children and a husband; life couldn’t get any better.

I tried to give a little review of each story to give a taste of what to expect and hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

 

LGBT/ANTHOLOGIES/COLLECTIONS