Dave wasn’t looking for Nicholas…much less love. Everyone knows he’s a one-woman man and when Denny decides that he’s not the right man for her, Dave resigns himself to being her friend and living a life alone running his tour guide business. 

 

Dave’s not gay so the last thing he expects is to develop feelings for the son of a British Earl who’s hired him to help find an elusive blue butterfly located somewhere in the Australian Outback and it’s as the two men go on this journey together in search of Nicholas’s elusive butterfly that Dave begins to develop feelings for the unusual Brit feelings that inevitably go beyond friendship and ultimately beyond a vacation fling for both men.

 

I loved how fluidly both parts of this story melted together. The romance and the journey to find the butterflies. Two different parts of the same story that worked together beautifully, each side working to enhance the other part.

 

I also loved the setting for this story…Australia. It’s one of those places that while I’ll probably never get to go there, it’s always captivated me so reading stories set in Australia is my way of visiting a place that I’d love to visit but may never get a chance to.

 

It’s been a long time…maybe ever, since I’ve found a story that felt as genuine and organic in its progression as this one. I never found myself questioning that Dave, who was for all intents and purposes straight was feeling an attraction for another man or anyone for that matter given that until Nicholas he’d only ever loved one other person.

 

‘The Butterfly Hunter’ is a story that while as beautiful and timid as the insect that it’s named for is also the kind of story that eases into your mind and soul with such a gentle touch and captures the readers attention and left me wanting more, which I will get, hopefully soon…or at least as soon as time allows.

 

I’m pretty eclectic when it comes to my book choices and while I love a good murder mystery or what I lovingly call a ‘blow sh*t-up’ book, fantasy, urban fantasy, romance, paranormal, I’ll even do shifter books, seriously you’ll find a little of just about everything on my bookshelves including books like this…books that are soft and gentle, books that sooth my soul and bring out the romantic in me…they may even garner a few tears from me and while this one didn’t quite get the tears flowing there was definitely a point at which I felt my heart being tugged on as I held my breath and waited for what would happen next. ‘The Butterfly Hunter’ isn’t a fast moving action packed adventure or a hard-hitting mystery, it’s not even a gut wrenching romance…nope this one’s a sweet, gentle story not about finding what your looking for but about realizing what you need and letting it into your life.

 

For anyone who’s looking to read a book that’s sweet, romantic, has zero to no angst, gives you a peek at someplace you’ve never been all while telling a story that will warm your heart and leave you smiling.

 

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A copy of ‘The Butterfly Hunter’ was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Hilary Kent, a Londoner all his working life, retires to Wiltshire after an estranged cousin unexpectedly leaves him an inhabitable tower surrounded by an overgrown physic garden – and that’s when graduate student Tom Laurence suddenly erupts into his life, convincing him that together they can restore the ancient garden to its former glory. Tom’s cheerful friendship is the best thing that’s ever happened to Hilary and he’s perfectly content with that until, to his astonishment and confusion, it seems that Tom’s affection for him is beginning to grow into something more … something he feels he probably shouldn’t allow.

 

Review

 

 

OhmanOhmanOhman

I really don't know how to rate this book.

As I picked it up I hoped to find a well written mystery and the beginning didn't give away, not in the slightest way, that it was NOT a mystery!(If you're looking for a mystery, then you should look for it somewhere else.) The part about chasing a serial killer is incidental here.

I also can't say that it is a romance book, but the relationship between two VERY different men, between Albert, an FBI forensics expert, and Special Agent Fletcher Ash, who is obseesed with the idea to find a murderer but who is not very persuasive in his attempts, is the main focus of this book. And it is exactly where I have my issues. I just can't believe that this relationship can and could work. The idea itself is interesting but less credible.

The first half of the book was a pure struggle for me – an extremely slow pace of the story and the absence of any investigating activities, my permanent disconnection to the MCs, and my desperate waiting for something to happen here was almost the reason for my DNF. But something kept my attention on the story, that I can't put in words. Maybe it was the unique writing style of Julie Bozza, or maybe a simple human curiosity supported by highly appraised reviews from my GR friends.

And now, when I managed to finish it, I would say, you should give it a try. Not everyone's cuppa, but for sure something very unusual.

PUBLISHED AT DA SPOILERS BEWARE SPOILERS SPOILERS

 

Investigative journalist Mitch Rebecki loves his job and loves New York. He doesn’t mind making enemies, either. When a crime boss threatens retaliation, Mitch’s editor sends him out of harm’s way to Sydney. In exile and resentfully working on lifestyle pieces, Mitch is miserable. But he makes a friend or two, meets a man … and discovers that Australians do organized crime, too, in a small way. Mitch soon finds himself in too deep on all counts, and trying to head home again seems the only solution.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW . I DECIDED THAT IT DOES NOT EVEN MAKE SENSE TO USE SPOILER TAGS.

Dear Julie Bozza,

I am a little sad to write this review, because I have bought, read, and enjoyed almost every book you’ve published with Manifold press. Unfortunately this book ended up being a disappointment. I want to make it very clear that it has nothing to do with the quality of your writing – that felt just as smooth and polished as ever to me. I however had very few doubts about my grade because I had several problems with plot and characterization in this story.

The problems started early. As the blurb states, Mitch Rebecki is a journalist who wrote an article exposing a mafia boss before the FBI was quite ready to prosecute him. Mafia people started to threaten Mitch – first they killed his cat and sent it to him in a box and then they sent him a fake bomb (what could be made into a bomb I guess). Then, when Mitch asks the FBI for help they pretty much shrug it off (not much we can do). Seriously, FBI? Okay, you do not feel your case is ready yet, I get that, but you do not think those things could be the reason to hide Mitch before the prosecution has something to move on? I have no idea whether such stupidity can/did/may happen in real life. What I was sure about is that I did not find such a setup convincing.

My problems had just begun, however. I am sure that Sydney is a beautiful city, it is definitely on the short list of places I want to visit one day. But I was really bored when I was reading about Mitch doing research for his lifestyle pieces. I was bored and wondered what these parts added to the story.

Being an investigative journalist, Mitch of course eventually stumbles upon an Australian mafia person to investigate and expose. I thought that the story would pick up some action and suspense here. It has a little bit of that, but it happened somewhere in the last twenty percent of the book and by then it was too late for me.

But, you may ask me, what about the romance? My answer is that it was there – maybe, kind of. It was ridiculous, really. The photographer assigned to work with Mitch in Sydney suggests he do a piece on Australian architecture by interviewing Rory Pierce. Pierce is a famous architect who was previously married to their editor and whom this woman (the photographer) has a crush on, or is in love with to be more precise.

I felt that romance storyline moved with the speed of light and was over in a blink of an eye (and I am not exaggerating much). Somewhere around the forty percent point of the book they meet, Mitch thinks Rory is gorgeous, very soon after that Rory manages to sleep with the photographer (have I mentioned that she commits suicide shortly after that?) and then Rory and Mitch are in love very soon after that.

I also want to stress that I do not care if the romance storyline is not very important in books like this, but I need other stuff in the story to occupy my attention and here it did not happen, so I was left frustrated with the lack of romance and bored or annoyed by everything else.

As a last comment I want to note that Adena Nacano, the Sydney policewoman in Mitch’s neighborhood, was in a serious competition for the “most stupid law enforcement officer” trophy with the American FBI people. Okay, so she was suspicious of Mitch because Australian Immigration Service called her after he moved in the area, fine, I get that. After Mitch’s editor sent him to Sydney to hide him, as the FBI should have done, Mitch asked if the FBI could at least give him a new passport and they agreed to do that as a favor (how grand of them). They however forgot or did not bother to call Australian Immigration to warn them that there was a reason why a person with a brand new passport is entering their country.

Adena calls the American witness protection 1-800 number (don’t ask) and as evasive as they were, she got a clear message to let it be and leave Mitch under his new name alone, because you know, that way lies danger for Mitch. Do you think she stops? Nope, the idiot still thinks that she is entitled to Mitch’s real identity (?!). I was so annoyed at that point. I did not even care that at the end she helped Mitch with his Australian mafia problem – I wanted her to drop dead at that point in the story.

But wait, if you are expecting a happy ending in the romance department, don’t. Maybe it was a sequel bait, but that thought only annoyed me more.

Grade D.

5 beautiful, beautiful stars

Albert Sterne, forensics expert with the FBI, is so obnoxious on the surface that no-one bothers digging deeper. When he's sent to Colorado to investigate what turns out to be the work of a serial killer he encounters Special Agent Fletcher Ash and they end up reluctantly joining forces to unravel the case. It's only a matter of duty, though; it can't be more, because Albert doesn't do friendship - and he certainly doesn't do love!

This, ladies and gentleman, is my idea of a perfect blurb. It drew me in, I had a sample on my eReader in seconds and bought the paperback not long after. And loved it so danm hard!

I don't really want to write more about the plot, because really, it's hard to do it just right and IMHO, everyone deserves to experience this one uninfluenced. Suffice to say, Albert J. Sterne and Fletcher Ash stayed with me for a long time, mostly because they are both wonderfully complex characters with a life of their own, who threw me for a loop now and again. In some ways they might challenge your perception of what love is, what makes friendship real, and how much trust really matters, but leaves you with a satisfied little smile on your face. These two will probably always have a place on my "favorite-partners list".

But, of course there's a fly in the ointment. This is NOT your standard M/M romance. Sometimes while reading, you might start wondering if it actually is a romance at all. It has a strong, equally complex crime-solving plot, which I loved whole-heartedly. Not to fear, though, there is love, and trust-building and relationship-developing going on. And it is absolutely beautiful, but sure as hell not instant. This story strechtes over years (!), folks. So some patience is in order - just a fair warning. The end is absolutely worth it, though!

What makes this book really special to me is the writing! The writing, people! It's absolutely gorgeous, let me tell you. Ever since I've learned that Julie Bozza has some favorite authors I had to read in college, I start to understand where parts of it might come from. The rest though, is pure talent. It's most definitely different, which is why I understand that this book isn't necessarily for everyone.

It's not just story-telling, it's not just writing a love story. Some even might define it as purple prose,but I'm wouldn't be so sure about that. It's prose alright, but purple doesn't do it justice. Artistic would be more like it, and if you're looking for colloquial, skip this one and skip it fast. Julie Bozza's writing is beautiful, artistic, complex and even if it might seem to be very formal on the outside, it really isn't. You just have to look for finer emotions, for finer shades and colours, beneath the surface. It's a skill and a gift, something you won't find everywhere. As a German, I might be tempted to call it high literature, if it wasn't for my strong distaste for this label.

Still, this is one piece of art that made me laugh and cry, and broke my heart while putting it back together at the same time. I loved it, I adored it and it is one of my absolute favorites in this genre.