Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall, which will be re-released with extra content by Sourcebooks Casablanca on February 20, 2024. I’m a huge fan of Hall’s work and have yet to find a book by him that I didn’t enjoy.

Twelve years ago, I came to Oxford and fell in love with a man named Marius. 

He was brilliant. An artist. It was going to be forever. 

But then, like all beautiful things, it ended…

And now, there is only silence.

Quietly heartbroken, Edwin Tully lives alone in the house he used to share with the man he once loved. He tends to damaged books and faded memories, trying to build a future from the fragments of the past. Then the weather turns, and the river spills into Edwin’s quiet world, bringing with it Adam Dacre from the Environment Agency. An unlikely knight, this stranger with roughened hands and worn wellingtons offers Edwin the hope of something he thought he would never have again.

As the two men are drawn together in their struggle against the rising waters, Edwin slowly lets down his guard as he comes to accept he can’t shield his heart from everything—and perhaps he doesn’t even need to try. Because love doesn’t only leave scars…sometimes, it heals them, too.

This lyrical, moving LGBTQIA+ romance contains never-before-seen content and exclusive bonus material—including a NEW novella, Chasing the Light, following Marius as he rediscovers love and the complicated joy of being truly alive.

***Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review is based on my reading of the finished copy, though, because my pre-order of the paperback arrived a few weeks early. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

It is important to note that this is a review of the 2024 Sourcebooks Casablanca version of Waiting for the Flood. It contains an extra novella and a follow-up short story, as well as other bonus content. I’ll start by saying that the bonus content makes this new version a must buy. The new novella and short story really rounded out the character arcs and made everything much more satisfying. I loved the inclusion of the recipe at the end, and definitely plan to try it out. I enjoy when extra stuff is included because it draws me deeper into the world. The annotations were also great and added context to the author’s choices for the characters.

The original novella, Waiting for the Flood, followed Edwin as he coped with the loss of his long-term relationship. He was incredibly lonely and haunted by the past. He kept people at a distance because he didn’t want to be hurt again, but Adam immediately caught Edwin’s eye because he’s kind, sincere, and helped Edwin find his voice again. At first, Edwin resisted getting close to him, but he slowly came to realize that just because something good ends doesn’t mean it wasn’t worthwhile. Their relationship was a bit too instalove for me, but I did love the writing and the intimate feel of the story. The friendship between Edwin and his neighbor was probably my favorite part.

The new novella, Chasing the Light, was a great follow up to Waiting for the Flood. I went into it hating Marius for what he did to Edwin. He came across as somewhat of a dick at first, but I ended up loving him most of all. He was all over the place and a free spirit. It quickly became obvious why he was not a good fit for Edwin, and I really related to his thoughts about being unworthy of love. This story was more fleshed out than Edwin’s, and I appreciated that it included scenes between Edwin and Marius that allowed the conflict between them to reach a resolution, while introducing a great new love interest for Marius.

I loved the setting and setup of both novellas. Waiting for the Flood happened amidst a natural disaster, with the love interest coming to the rescue in more ways than one. Chasing the Light started with a physical injury that led to Marius and his new beau being stuck on a small boat together. I’m always a sucker for a good forced proximity story. I also liked that the tone of the stories was pretty different, with the first being more somber and emotional and the latter being humorous and sexy. They paired well together, and I liked getting to see both perspectives of how they healed from the breakup.

I can’t wrap up this review without mentioning Marius’s parents. They were HILARIOUS. There’s a scene where they showed up on the boat unexpectedly, and it will live rent free in my mind forever. I was cackling the entire time I read it. Overall, Waiting for the Flood (and its bonus content) was another great read from Alexis Hall with relatable characters, witty humor, and plenty of emotion to tug on the heartstrings. Therefore, I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Have you read Waiting for the Flood? Do you enjoy Hall’s writing? Let me know down in the comments!