Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for this aARC. This book was so different from any romance I’ve read before. Switching perspectives halfway through threw me off at first and it was truly very hard to care about the main characters Ex after I had come to love him so much but wow by the end I wanted to wrap him in a warm blanket and never let him go. Alexis Hall will never be nailed down and I am kind of in love with that.

Sometimes all it takes is a flood, a civil engineer, a sprained ankle and a stranger on a boat to make you see how people in your life view you.
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This is my third Alexis Hall book, and I seem to be in a pattern of liking one, not really liking the second, and then really enjoying the third.
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There’s a flood coming, and the only person who has checked in on Edwin is his ex-boyfriend’s mum. While considering how to protect his home, Edwin encounters Adam, the burly, ginger civil engineer who may be the one to cure Edwin’s low self-worth.
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Their initial interactions are cute, Edwin fumbling over his feelings for Adam and his fear of being hurt again. Adam trying to get through Edwin’s walls and show him how he sees Edwin.
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Then there’s Marius, the ex, who storms out of his parents house upon seeing Edwin and Adam sitting there and winds up spraining his ankle, only to be rescued by a mysterious man with a man-bun who lives on a boat.
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I’ll spare the rest of the story and encourage you to pick this up when it is released on Feb 20, 2024. What I will say though is that this felt to me like two stories that were very separated at first. Part one focused on Edwin and part 2 on Marius before they join together at the end. It felt a bit disjointed.
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Both parts had a different kind of vibe, Edwin was sweet and homey, whereas Marius’ part was more emotional and spicy. And part of this is down to their personality, but it didn’t help much with the flow.
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Aside from this, I really thought that the story had a really great arc, it didn’t blather on, or sound super predictable. The spice was the perfect temperature and I am totally in love with Marius’ mum 😂

(Re)read December 2023: ARC of the new 2024 edition with a second novella Chasing the Light

I reread Waiting for the Flood regularly because I love to see how, as the water levels rise, Edwin finally moves on after his relationship fell apart. It’s a lovely, sweet novella with a strong sense of place. In this case place isn’t just Oxford but also Edwin’s home; it’s almost as if the house is a character.

And now, Alexis Hall has written a new novel to go with Waiting for the Flood. In Chasing the Light we finally meet Edwin’s ex Marius properly. We also saw a glimpse of him in For Real (Spires Universe #3), but now he finally becomes a fully formed character. It’s once more set in Oxford, but this time during Christmas. The river is very present again, as is a home. This time it’s not a regular house but a narrow boat, and living on one is just as demanding as protecting a home against a flood. And for me this is the strength of Chasing the Light. It isn’t just a story that happens to feature Edwin’s ex, but it truly complements Waiting for the Flood. It is angstier than a lot of Alexis Hall’s more recent work, which makes it fit in perfectly with the other books in the Spires series. The prose is exquisite, with luscious descriptions of life on the river.

Marius is a difficult man to like and I’m not sure he ever becomes likeable. Leo seems easy-going but is recovering from a life-changing experience. I found the romance believable but it is very much an HFN rather than an HEA. In Waiting for the Flood Marius’s mother is already introduced but only in text messages and on the phone. I always loved those little scenes. She now plays a bigger part and she’s even more amazing. There’s also a scene between Edwin and Marius where they finally speak very frankly about their relationship and its ending. It’s beautiful.

(Re)read December 2023: ARC of the new 2024 edition with a second novella Chasing the Light

I reread Waiting for the Flood regularly because I love to see how, as the water levels rise, Edwin finally moves on after his relationship fell apart. It’s a lovely, sweet novella with a strong sense of place. In this case place isn’t just Oxford but also Edwin’s home; it’s almost as if the house is a character.

And now, Alexis Hall has written a new novel to go with Waiting for the Flood. In Chasing the Light we finally meet Edwin’s ex Marius properly. We also saw a glimpse of him in For Real (Spires Universe #3), but now he finally becomes a fully formed character. It’s once more set in Oxford, but this time during Christmas. The river is very present again, as is a home. This time it’s not a regular house but a narrow boat, and living on one is just as demanding as protecting a home against a flood. And for me this is the strength of Chasing the Light. It isn’t just a story that happens to feature Edwin’s ex, but it truly complements Waiting for the Flood. It is angstier than a lot of Alexis Hall’s more recent work, which makes it fit in perfectly with the other books in the Spires series. The prose is exquisite, with luscious descriptions of life on the river.

Marius is a difficult man to like and I’m not sure he ever becomes likeable. Leo seems easy-going but is recovering from a life-changing experience. I found the romance believable but it is very much an HFN rather than an HEA. In Waiting for the Flood Marius’s mother is already introduced but only in text messages and on the phone. I always loved those little scenes. She now plays a bigger part and she’s even more amazing. There’s also a scene between Edwin and Marius where they finally speak very frankly about their relationship and its ending. It’s beautiful.

I finished the book yesterday and I’m already considering rereading it. I loved it that much. Waiting for the Flood has always been a 5-star read for me, but I think I love Chasing the Light even more. So can I give this 6 stars?

Such a sweet, emotional, and ultimately uplifting book. I love this story and these characters. I was so glad to revisit them with this re-release, and I'm looking forward to the other books in this series.

I adored this book. It definitely reads more like romantic literary fiction than some of Alexis Hall's other books - so don't expect a Boyfriend Material - like experience per se. While it has Hall's snarky humor and sense of romance - it is a very different experience. Waiting for the flood tracks the road back from a break up of a long term relationship for both Edwin and Marius. Edwin and Marius were together for ten years and have been broken up for four. Since that time neither has really moved on. Marius instigated the breakup and it totally blindsided Edwin. Both characters are imperfect in every sense of the word and have a lot of baggage.

Edwin is a sweet, introverted book conservator at Oxford. He has a speech disorder that has left him quiet when he really is anything but. When a flood threatens his house - he encounters Adam. Adam is an engineer who is quite perfect for Edwin and totally gone for him very quickly. Alexis Hall's writing of Edwin's character is so perfect and spot on for his personality. I adored the way Edwin loved words and it showed so clearly in the way his character was written.

Based on the the description provided by the publisher, you might think that the story focuses only on Edwin - and while his story with Adam is delightful - it was really the part of the book that focused on Marius and Leo that I couldn't stop reading. The second half of the books moves from Edwin connecting with Adam on to Marius. Marius is a very damaged person. He feels very unlovable - and you can feel how at risk he really is, even though it is never directly addressed. He is also somewhat of an unreliable narrator - which I kind of love. We learn a lot about him - but not everything is 100% clear about his story or where he stands. Leo is also a work in progress (aren't we all) - but he spent time in prison and is working hard on himself in a way that Marius really needs. Marius has also been in a prison of a different kind - and he needs Leo to show him how to move forward and find acceptance of himself and his new reality.

Overall, I can't recommend this book more! If nothing else read it for the final 1/4 of the book. The final scenes of this book - between Marius and Edwin are just so perfect. I know - vague recommendation - but honestly - you need to read this book if nothing else so you can get to those scenes.

I received this book via NetGalley as an ARC, but these opinions are all my own.

Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall is as close to a perfect read as there is. I might be biased because I'm a huge fan of Alexis Hall's writing but I don't think I am. It's not a long book but it packs quite the punch. It's quiet, lovely and unforgettable. It's the perfect book to read on a rainy day spent at home while surrounded by your loved ones.

This title has two novellas in one. The first one waiting for flood is about Edwin. Edwin who has got left by Marius after a 10 year relationship has difficulty moving on. The second one chasing the light is marius’ story.
Both stories have four fully formed beautiful characters each with a back story and inner life so lovingly etched. This is one of my favourite romances I have read and I have read many. I just love how different each and every alexis hall character is. While the first novella waiting for flood is quiet, the second one is more powerful as the main character has a lot of things to work through. The second one also has quite a bit of sex which is different from Alexis hall’s more recent work but I loved how naturally he writes the scenes! Highly recommend.

I’ve read Waiting For the Flood a couple of years ago so was very interested in the new content. The first 35% was old content but the rest was all brand new. The new story took on Edwin’s ex boyfriend Marius. Marius’s love story was good. Though I felt that perhaps Marius should have seen someone professionally that specialized in grief work. I also thought Leo was a great partner for Marius, perhaps a bit too forgiving. Overall, a really good story that I enjoyed reading. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

First, thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for the E-ARC of Waiting for the Flood!

Alexis Hall is one of my absolute favs these days, so I was thrilled to get Early Access to Waiting for the Flood and Chasing the Light. These two novellas complement each other so perfectly. Edwin's story is a beautiful journey of overcoming challenges and finding yourself and love, and so is Marius's.

I was surprised by the fact that I enjoyed Marius's story more, especially having read Edwin's book, but I think that's what was so great about this! Hall expertly told Edwin and Marius's stories, which complemented each other and let us see two sides of a break-up where they each find love with different people.

My only criticism is that I wanted more of each of there stories, but I always want more Alexis Hall!

🥰😭🥰😭🥰😭 Sheer perfection.

Spires has always been my absolute favorite of Alexis Hall’s books since I first read the series in early 2021. The atmosphere, romance and heart in the writing is something special. To now get a new companion story with Chasing the Light is such a treat and is the perfect bookend to Waiting For the Flood. If you liked Glitterland, the first in the series, you will absolutely love this one.

Water plays a role in meeting someone new in both of these stories and becomes a metaphor for where the MC is in their lives. In Waiting, it’s a flood in Oxford where Edwin is lonely and lost after his broken relationship with Marius and meets civil engineer Adam. They have tea and conversation and Adam draws him out and it’s gentle and lovely. In Chasing, it’s a frozen river in winter where Marius sprains his ankle and meets Leo who lives on a narrowboat on the Thames. Leo comes to his aid, feeds him, f*cks him and grabs ice from the towpath to help with the swelling. Marius stays on the boat while he heals and feelings happen between them. Both Edwin and Marius are stuck in different ways and the resolution is so beautiful it made me tear up.

Hall effortlessly blends dialogue that feels real with inner thoughts, insecurities, doubts, confused feelings and things the MC’s are afraid to tell the other person, but the reader knows about. It creates an intimacy and hooks you where you instantly fall in love with everyone. And the way complimentary feelings are so deftly incorporated like fear, courage, desire, doubt, humor, sass, kindness & angst is the Hall Magic I love and that makes all of his books distinctly his.

But I think the thesis statement for the Spires series, and especially this book, is that Love has nothing to do with Worth–Everyone is Worthy and Deserving of Love–no matter how rude, broken or messed up you are. It’s the importance of being seen by someone who gets you, who fits with you. And it’s about accepting life’s conditions in order to move on with the freedom to trust someone new. It’s the truth in this that becomes so relatable and endearing in these companion stories. I absolutely loved it and can't recommend it enough.

I also caught a few Spires cameos & mentions: Coal (For Real), Ash, Max (Glitterland), Lionel Dance of Jarndyce & Dance (Pansies)

**Thanks to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC**

- "Waiting for the Flood": I had listened to the audiobook before, and was excited to now read the edited version! Waiting For The Flood is a very short, but still a very intense and sweet story. The characters are lovable, and as all Alexis Hall books there are a lot of emotions in the story, you'll be happy and sad, but overall go out of the story with a very happy feeling. The writing is slow and very poetic at some times.
- one small thing I was not happy about (not added in the public review as I hope this still can be changed before publication): this is a republication, and as far as I know the story got small edits, so I was very surprised there was still a Harry Potter reference in the book (Adams family is compared to the Weasleys). The author has stated he does not support JKRs transphobic beliefs, and does not use HP references anymore in the newer book, so I would really appreciated if in this republication this reference would be removed!!!
- "Chasing The Light" This story is promoted as additional Novella about Marius from "Waiting for the Flood" but actually is much longer than the first story XD
I was very curious to get to know the character Marius, and had imagined him completely different from how Edwin described him in Waiting for the Flood. We get to know a very insecure and unhappy Marius, who has stuff to deal with and so far has not opened up to anyone about it, which impacted his relationship to Edwin and his parents. After the chance encounter with Leo, the story is set over just a few days and we see how Marius opens up a bit. The characters are lovable, and even though it still is a short book, you'll go through all the emotions. I definitely recommend to read this one!

**Review for the rerelease ARC for Waiting for the Flood and its new companion piece Chasing the light**

I don’t even know how many times I’ve reread this quiet, carefully stunning novella. And I didn’t hesitate holding it again, like an old friend or a lover, trusting that, as always, it would unspool and reveal another nugget of beauty or quiet wisdom worth witnessing.

The rerelease of this second instalment of Alexis Hall’s beloved Spires series brings back the story of not just Edwin and Adam from Waiting, but also unveils the internal world of mercurial Marius, who was thought to have grown tired of loving and listening and preserving, and a man whose sparkly warm, quiet and slowed down life he crashed into on a frosty and dark Christmas night: Leo Dance.

These two, Waiting and Chasing, are stories about taking care to really listen and see, and the value and restorative impact of truly being witnessed and loved for all that you are. Your hesitations, silences, imperfections, fears, savoury and unsavoury truths, neediness and push-awayness, even and especially your pissyness. Without editing, without beautifying or seeking to change or control, shackle or shoo.

These are also stories about the importance of history and love shared even when it doesn’t lead to a happily ever after. Of attachments that linger and last beyond a goodbye, in memories gathering dust, empty spaces where shared things used to be, the quiet knowledge of how someone did or did not like their tea, how they sounded and looked - and looked at you - in a moment of unguarded ecstasy.

To look for a fig in winter might be the act of a madman - and goodness have I seen a lot of hesitation in some parts of the readership as to whether people might ever thaw to the inexcusable Marius - but maybe, just maybe sometimes we find the richest beauty, and the most sensuous of pleasures, in the darkest, barest moments in the dead of a frosty cold winter’s night. Even if we have to slip and fall on our arses before getting to them.

And as always, Alexis has things to observe about identity, creativity, family, justice and society in the kindest, most clear sighted of ways.

I don’t want to say too much to spoil your pleasure of gradual discovery here. Suffice to say that as always, Alexis made me feel ALL the things. The way these stories unspool and unravel and get woven together again in the most satisfying, most right and most cathartic way I could ever have imagined 🩷 My heart!

I CANNOT wait for my physical annotated copy in February 2024!

Not Boyfriend Material, but A Lady for a Duke is my favorite Alexis Hall book. By far. Its tenderness and the heartbreaking moments imbued with so much love make this book a gem.

I know Alexis Hall writes lots of different romances, and most of them are witty and funny, or even over the top. But he’s at his best when he writes romance without the com in it. Or maybe even more when (some) trauma is added, the so called romtrom.

I got an ARC for Waiting for the Flood, but the ARC actually contains two novellas, Waiting for the Flood and Chasing the Light.

Waiting for the Flood is a soft, sweet, and quiet romance, and I really liked it. But the real gem in this book is Chasing the Light. It’s about two broken men, Marius, who always seems to do everything wrong, and Leo, who has broken with his past. Even though this is just a novella, I treasured the character growth in this story. Sometimes, Alexis Hall’s wit shone through, but there was also so much love and attention for self care in this novella.

Like I said, Alexis Hall is at his best when he writes romances, and I hope he will write far more of them. Especially when he tones down the com part!

Actual rating Waiting for the Flood 3.5 stars.
Actual rating Chasing the Light 4.5 stars.

Thank you so much, Sourcebooks Casablanca, for the ARC. I hope someday Marius and Leo will get their own book, too, with that beautiful cover!

Edwin is heartbroken over his failed relationship with Marius. Adam offers Edwin a hope. Will they be able to help each other. Marius meanwhile meets Leo. Will he find his happinesee too?

A beautiful love story. Very wonderful and moving writing. The characters are terrific and so complicated. Tender and sweet.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

How did I not know about this series? It was only until it was (pre) re-released from Sourcebooks Casablanca that I discovered this, and I didn’t know this was the second book in the series… I didn’t read the first book… That aside, I was stunned by the weight of this book. It’s an emotional piece and while I HIGHLY recommend reading the first book, I was still able to follow along with the back story decently enough.

Edwin is lost and lonely, living seemingly without purpose after a broken relationship left him shattered. Now, preparing for an impending flood, a sweet Environment Agency worker sweeps in and saves him. Adam is so different from anyone he’s known and the two continue finding themselves together.

But, there is so much more to this story than a potential second chance at love. The other party in the failed previous relationship is a very prevalent part of this book.

This was full of self discovery and such beautiful self growth. I adored the characters and the complexity of their stories.