Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the chance to review.

I'm giving this one 3.5 stars. Where I loved Edwin's story and the aftermath story. I didn't really care for Marius storyline or character. Where he isn't a bad person he just doesn't seem to change his rude or condescending behavior. I am looking forward to reading more of the spires series!

This is a re-release with new bonus content. I’ll be including my impressions of both Waiting for the Flood and Chasing the Light, the bonus story, as well as the additional content.

Waiting for the Flood
I love Edwin! He is introverted and insecure due to a speech impediment, plus still heart broken over his split from Marius. I identified with him so much. He’s also super sweet and looks out for his elderly neighbor.

The entire story takes place around preparing for flooding from an oncoming storm, so it’s a pretty short time frame and an insta-love type story (which I don’t mind).

Adam is adorable, patient, and incredibly genuine. It is obvious that he really likes Edwin from the first meeting, calling him “Petal” from the start. He doesn’t try to rush Edwin when he’s trying to talk or correct him when he struggles. And while Edwin is initially resistant, Adam doesn’t push, he waits until Edwin is ready.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship and was happy to see them make an appearance in the bonus story.

Chasing the Light
This one is Marius’s story, taking place at Christmastime and picking up after Edwin’s story.

Marius starts out unlikeable. He is kind of obnoxious and acts like a jerk, though you can see some vulnerability in him as well. He pretends that he doesn’t care about people, but is actually hiding from a painful truth. As the story progresses and layers are pulled back, he is still a bit arrogant, but opens himself to life again.

Leo is a genuinely good guy, though he has a troubled past. He rescues Marius and offers help, even though Leo has kept himself a bit isolated for a while. He is ultimately good for Marius, helping him to be honest with himself.

The relationship between Marius and Leo starts out as strictly sexual, evolving into friendship, and eventually something more.

Bonus Content
Also included are 2 recipes, one for Edwin’s (terrible?) elderflower wine- complete with hilarious notes, and the other for Marius’s family pierogis (written as a letter from his mother’s POV).

And finally a bonus chapter for Edwin and Adam taking place after Marius’s story that features both couples and hints at exciting futures for them all.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I did not love the first book so I was nervous to pick this one up but I did like it a little more. I don't know if its because I was going in expecting myself to not like it or if it was just actually better lol. I still don't know if I would pick up this series again if I had the chance but it served its purpose.

Waiting for the Flood, Chasing the Light, and Aftermath are all intertwined. In Waiting, we meet Edwin and learn how he's handling losing Marius and how he can move on. In Chasing, we see Marius's side of things. Aftermath is the epilogue to both that we've been waiting for!

The writing is so beautiful and vivid. The characters are very well written and relatable. I read this book slower than I usually do so that I could savor the writing. I easily conjured mental images from the descriptions given. I love having these stories as companion stories. Both the Flood event and the boat situation took the characters out of the everyday and brought them into an almost limbo situation where they could have some of their issues. I truly was drawn into the characters and their relationships, and I loved watching the journey of both couples. The theme that everyone is wishing and deserving of love is beautiful and really hits home.

In Waiting, I could really relate to Edwin, with his insecurities, trust issues, and self doubt. Adam was so warm and loving and felt like a giant teddy bear. I loved his outlook and how he helps Edwin. My only complaint is that I wish it were longer, as I didn't want to say goodbye to these two. I really enjoyed these two characters.

In Chasing, Marius gives us a glimpse into his thoughts and redeems himself. I can relate to how he feels about his art and how fragile it is. Leo has so much patience and is so honest. He's an interesting contrast to Marius. Marius's mom is wonderful.

Aftermath was the beautiful closure that wraps everything up. I was happy to get to read it! I won't go too much into it too keep this spoiler free.

I loved reading the bonus material and annotations. I highly recommend this book!

Alexis Hall’s *Waiting for the Flood* is a beautifully poignant exploration of love, loss, and the hope of renewal. The story centers on Edwin Tully, who, twelve years after a devastating breakup, is still living in the remnants of his past. His life is upended when a flood brings Adam Dacre into his world—a stranger who, despite his rough exterior, offers Edwin a glimmer of hope.

Hall’s writing shines as he delves into the nuances of Edwin's emotions and the subtle transformation that occurs when Adam enters his life. The juxtaposition of Edwin’s quiet, introspective existence with Adam’s grounded, practical presence creates a compelling narrative dynamic. The way their relationship unfolds against the backdrop of the flood is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching.

While the book doesn’t reach the heights of Hall’s most celebrated works, it’s a testament to his skill in capturing the delicate intricacies of human connection. The story’s emotional depth and the gradual healing process that Edwin undergoes are handled with great sensitivity.

Overall, *Waiting for the Flood* is a moving and heartfelt read that reaffirms Alexis Hall's talent for crafting emotionally resonant stories. It may not be his strongest work, but it is definitely worth reading for those who appreciate his unique voice and storytelling prowess.

DNF at 14% I thought I would enjoy it a lot more than I am. I don’t know if it’s just me and my reading mood right now.

This was an interesting book. I do love how Alexis Hall writes. This story just felt a bit unfinished to me. I wasn't bored...I guess I wanted more, closure maybe? I loved Edwin and loved that he got what he needed in the end. Marius is still a mystery to me. I'm not sure I even liked him very much or understood him at all. Maybe I was all up in my head. The ending felt...abrupt...again, unfinished. I loved this authors other stories so this isn't the end for me. 3.5 stars.

This wasn't my favourite Alexis Hall book but honestly I'll read anything he writes. I liked having the two novels combined to show Edwin and Marius's different perspectives.

Four stars! Loved it. A soft, sweet and quiet romance that leaves you feeling all the feels. I love the aspects of self care throughout the novel.

The little bits of tenderness and heartbreak throughout the book are what really make this book so beautiful.

Short but sweet! The writing wasn’t filled with Hall’s typical banter and wit, but I loved seeing a different side to the author. I love this series and am excited to read the remainder of it.

Alexis hall continues to write stories that pull at the heart strings. It was a pleasant surprise to find this was separated into two separate stories that were equally enjoyable

Aside from the writing style, I didn't love the MC, Edwin. He obsessively thought about his ex, and seemed emotionally unavailable to me. I'm not sure what his appeal was to Adam. They had an insta-lovey chemistry, and I just wasn't buying it.

“𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬, 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬, 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬.”

I LOVED Glitterland, the first in Alexis Hall’s Spires series being re-released by Sourcebooks. Spires continues with two interconnected novellas (found in Waiting For The Flood), both related to love lost and love found again.

This may be the shortest Alexis Hall book I’ve ever read, however that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t pack a strong emotional punch. Waiting For The Flood focuses on Edwin, as he finds love with Adam after his breakup with long-term boyfriend, Marius. Edwin is such a gentle soul, and his love of English and words were after my own heart. Edwin’s neighbour, Mrs. P, was a total hoot - she reminded me of Sophia from Golden Girls and I loved the way she and Edwin looked out for each other. Adam and Edwin are a wonderful match, with Adam’s persistence helping Edwin find his joy again. Published for the first time with Flood is Chasing The Light, focusing on Marius finding love with Leo. It is much steamier than Flood, with the spice coming right away. It took a while to warm up to Marius - he seemed very self-centered and unappreciative - whereas I adored Leo’s attempts making up for his past right away. Hall knack for humorous older characters continues, with Marius’ parents cracking me up the second they stepped onto Leo’s boat. Together, Flood and Light tell a complete tale of two people finding love again, and finding closure with each other, and I couldn’t imagine one without the other.

Waiting For The Flood and Chasing The Light are stories of memory, loneliness, forgiveness, liberation and love. They make for a worthy addition to the Spires series. Thank you to Sourcebooks, NetGalley & Raincoast Books for the ARC!

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the eGalley to review!

Another emotionally wrenching title from Alexis Hall! You do not need to read the first Spires book to read this one. It is a story of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Edwin's beloved Marius breaks up with him one day with no real explanation other than that he's just no longer in love with him and Edwin has been trying his best to cope with that in the house they were living in together. A flood brings Adam to him and he learns to let himself fall in love again in such a sweet, heart-achingly way. I love their characterizations the most and they beautifully come together.

My only problem is this story between Edwin and Adam is just too short. We do get the "Aftermath" chapter after the added (fifteen-chapter) novella for Marius, and some of Edwin's story is mentioned in said novella, but given the title and summary, I would have expected more than just the main six chapters we're given. I liked and enjoyed the juxtaposed "meanwhile: Marius" story, but it took too much focus away from the titular story in my opinion, especially since most of it was Marius just being self-pitying and having sex with his new boyfriend (which is fine, especially as Hall does a very fine job of creating lip-biting, steamy scenes; he just didn't get as much growth as Edwin was getting, at least that I could tell).

It's another excellent set of whirlwind romances and I love the bonus material we receive at the end; I just wish it had been executed a little bit better than it had been. But, if you like queer, sarcastic Brits pining for each other, this is definitely for you.

If I had to choose a favourite Alexis Hall novel (a really difficult choice, I hope I’d never have to make) I might decide on Waiting for the flood. I love its gentle melancholy, its quiet domestic setting. Edwin thought his love would be forever; it was not. He is slowly coming to terms with the way ‘our house’ is becoming ‘my house’, when he has to start preparing the house to withstand flooding from a nearby river. Adam, the engineer in charge of flood mitigation, is a kind person, and seems to just get Edwin. I’m thrilled that this book is being re-released and will meet a larger audience.
But wait, there’s more. This isn’t only a re-issue of Waiting, but includes a whole new novella, Chasing the light, which focusses on Marius, Edwin’s ex. When Marius is walking by the river bank and badly sprains his ankle, the only person around to help is Leo, who lives on a narrow boat. Both men have their secrets, slowly revealed through the story.
Two beautifully told romances in their own right, but I particularly love the way we see the old relationship from both sides, the way Hall shows us that no one here is a bad person, they are just people. . A wonderful pair of stories.

I was not exactly expecting this to be two installments. It felt like a novella duology, and maybe that's what it was supposed to be, but I did find the shift a little confusing. That said, the prose was absolutely gorgeous, the characters beautifully flawed and believable and relatable, and I adored everyone, which has been my experience with most Alexis Hall books.

I normally enjoy books by this author but I struggled with this one. I actually started in earlier this year but had to put it down because I couldn't get into it. I picked it up again this week, and I did finish but didn't love it.

The writing at the beginning was kind of strange, and it took me a long time to get into the rhythm of the book. I was a bit surprised, because Alexis is an amazing writer! Once I got past the first few chapters, I really enjoyed the writing style.

Edwin is still not over his ex when he meets Adam, He's basically mentioning the ex (Marius) every other paragraph. Yet...it's instant love with Adam.

And I'm not a fan of insta love. I never really felt true chemistry between them, so I had a hard time believing it moved so quickly.

Waiting for the Flood actually has two stories: Waiting for the Flood, Edwin's story; and Chasing the Light, Marius' story (Edwin's ex).

I enjoyed both stories, they had a lot of sweet or heartfelt moments. I just didn't particularly like either Edwin or (especially) Marius. Everything moved very quickly as well, so no chance to really get invested

Overall, pleasant, but it didn't really stand out for me.