I really loved this novella. It was beautifully written. The audiobook was fantastic. The narrator had such a rich voice and really brought this book to life.

This is one of a series re-released of Alexis Hall's earlier work, I wasn't a fan of the first in the series but quite liked this installment

I loved reading this book, so when I saw that an audiobook was available as well, I snatched it up! I loved the two intertwining stories and I found that the narrator was suburb in this audiobook!

Not gonna lie….this took me awhile to get through. Was taking my time soaking it up.
This works a lot better physically reading than listening. You’ll get more out of Alexis Hall’s prose.

What to expect…
- soft romance
- forced proximity
- melancholic tone but uplifting story!
- strange & beautiful prose

Thank you to the author, the publisher, & to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alexis Hall is a fav author of mine! I loved Glitterland and Boyfriend Material! I was really excited for Waiting for The Flood. This is book two of The Spires Universe.

“Life is so full of rough edges - small tasks and expectations that scratch you bloody and remind you that you're naked and alone.”

Twelve years ago, Edwin Tully moved to Oxford and fell in love with Marius, a brilliant artist. Two years ago, their relationship ended. Now, Edwin lives alone, tending to damaged books and memories in their former home. When a flood brings Adam Dacre from the Environment Agency into Edwin's life, this unexpected arrival offers him a chance at something he thought was lost forever. As they bond over battling the rising waters, Edwin learns that he doesn't have to shield himself from everything and sometimes, it's okay to let someone in.

"I don't know where love ends and habit begins."

What you’ll find in Waiting for The Flood:
LGBTQIA+ Romance
Loveliest Bean X Loveliest Bean
Tea Making & Caretaking
There’s Only One Boat (& One Bed)
Finding Things (Particularly Love) Where You Least Expect To

"Waiting for the Flood" is the second book in the Spires Universe series by Alexis Hall, offering a touching and introspective look at love, loss, and new beginnings. The story follows Edwin Tully, who moved to Oxford twelve years ago and fell deeply in love with an artist named Marius. For ten years, they shared a life and a home, but two years ago, their relationship ended, leaving Edwin to live alone with his memories and a collection of damaged books.

As Edwin navigates his solitary existence, a severe weather event changes everything. The rising river threatens to flood his home, bringing with it Adam Dacre from the Environment Agency. Adam, with his rugged hands and practical demeanor, is an unlikely savior, but he provides Edwin with something invaluable: hope.

As they work together to save Edwin’s home from the floodwaters, an unexpected bond forms. Edwin, who has been guarding his heart carefully, finds himself opening up to Adam, learning that not all losses are devastating and that sometimes, letting go is the key to moving forward.

**Review:**
"Waiting for the Flood" is a beautifully written novella that captures the essence of healing and the courage it takes to start anew. Alexis Hall’s prose is lyrical and evocative, immersing readers in Edwin’s quiet, introspective world. The novella explores deep emotional themes with sensitivity and grace, making it a poignant addition to the Spires Universe series.

Edwin Tully is a wonderfully complex character. His journey from heartbreak to hope is depicted with a realism that is both painful and uplifting. Hall’s portrayal of Edwin’s grief and his slow, tentative steps towards opening his heart again is profoundly moving. The character of Adam Dacre is equally well-crafted, serving as a grounding force in Edwin’s tumultuous emotional landscape. Adam’s patience and kindness provide a stark contrast to Edwin’s fragility, making their developing relationship both believable and heartwarming.

The setting of a flood-prone Oxford adds a layer of urgency and tension to the narrative, symbolizing the uncontrollable forces that often shape our lives. The rising waters mirror Edwin’s internal struggle, creating a powerful metaphor for the potential of renewal and change.

Tropes
- Second Chances
- Healing and Growth
- Unexpected Love
- Rescue Romance:
- Metaphorical Setting

Overall, "Waiting for the Flood" is a tender and reflective romance that highlights the resilience of the human spirit. Alexis Hall’s masterful storytelling and deep understanding of emotional complexities make this novella a standout in contemporary LGBTQ+ fiction. Fans of heartfelt, character-driven stories will find much to love in Edwin and Adam’s journey towards each other.

This book is not what I expected and the synopsis doesn't do it justice.  This is actually two novella's in one story.  One about Edwin who is struggling to move on after his boyfriend, Marius, of 10 years left him.  And one about Marius. The ending ties the two stories together and gives them both closure.  We discover why Marius left and we see Edwin close that chapter as he is growing in his next relationship. Beautiful stories both of them of heartbreak, anger, feelings of worthlessness and redemption. 

I was very confused when we switched to Marius's story since it didn't seem like that was a major plot of the story, which is why I feel the synopsis needs some adjusting. However, both stories complimented each other and how often do we get to hear both sides of the story? The narration was great and kept me engage. Not what I was expecting but really happy with what I got.

I recently had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook version, and I was absolutely captivated. The narration by Will Watt truly brought the story to life, with his impeccable range of voices perfectly capturing the essence of each character. His ability to convey the emotional depth and subtleties of the story added a whole new layer of engagement. The story, a touching tale of love, loss, and healing, was beautifully written, but Watt's performance elevated it to an extraordinary experience. The additional chapters and epilogue, not found in the ebook, were a delightful bonus. This audiobook is a testament to how a skilled narrator can enhance the beauty of a story.

This book contained both waiting for the flood and chasing the light as well as some fun bonus material. I enjoyed both stories but I enjoyed chasing the light a bit more, even though I loved the characters of waiting for the flood more. They were both novellas and I wish they had been longer because I wanted more.

waiting for the flood
Edwin and Adam are so sweet together! I loved them. Adam calling Edwin Petal?! I swooned so hard. That is probably one of my favorite nicknames now. I liked seeing the representation of a character with a stutter. I did struggle a bit with this one though because of the game theory talk between Edwin and Adam. All of that talk went straight over my head, so I was confused at times.

chasing the light
I liked seeing the difference between Marius and Edwin and how their stories differed as well as how they viewed their relationship ending. I loved that the two of them got some closure in this one. I thought that the way this one ended was great for Marius's character.

bonus material
I loved all the bonus material but I just have to say that the pierogis recipe from Marius's mom, was hilarious. Who knew a recipe could be funny?

audiobook specific: Will is a freaking master! The way he said Petal. God damn!! He also made the pierogis recipe extra funny. Amazing job on that section and the entire book. He knows how to give each character their own unique personality. In waiting for the flood there are little memories for each of the rooms in Edwin's house and Will made Edwin sound so wistful and longing. It was perfect.

content warning: grief, abandonment, eating disorder, sexual content, ableism

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ALC! This had some great dry humor, and I always appreciate a queer romance. The narration was fine, but this wasn't dazzling for me. Perfectly fine romance novel!

Alexis Hall can do no wrong. I have loved every single book I have read by Alexis Hall and I still have plenty to catch up on. Every romance lover should go and read these books as they are so well done and the characters are great.

Alexis Hall is absolute master of MM. Waiting for the flood is an interesting take on second chance romance. Although Edwin and Marius had a long relationship, this is a story of acceptance, morning on, and the idea that love endures even if looks different.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I have liked many of this author's previous books, but I did not care for this story or its characters.

I love Alexis Hall's books and this was no exception.
Edwin and Adam were adorable and I was so invested in their story.
I was not a fan of Marius but I loved the way his edges began to soften around Leo and that Leo didn't really entertain his bullshit.
One of my favourite things about Hall's books is the way they write parents for their characters. Odile was one of my favourite characters in the Boyfriend Material books and I completely fell in love with Marius' parents in this story.
This book fully cements Alexis Hall as an auto buy author for me!

Touching, tender & kind, WAITING FOR THE FLOOD is a gentle romance of second chances in the time of a winter flood. Bittersweet, even melancholic, WAITING FOR THE FLOOD still delivers Alexis Hall’s signature wit, warmth, and characters well worth rooting for.

First I would like to thank Dreamscape Media for providing me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Note, the audiobook includes both Waiting for the Flood and Chasing the Light (companion novella)

Waiting for the Flood: This is the story of Edwin and Marius who met at Oxford fell in love and 10 years later Marius ended it. Waiting for the Flood is a story of Edwin and Marius after the breakup. While Oxford is getting record breaking flooding Edwin has to figure out how to deal with not only how he feels about the house he shared with Marius but also how he is feeling about Adam the Environment Agency worker who has been helping Edwin throughout the flood. Will Edwin be able to get over his past heartbreak and let someone as sweet and kind as Adam into his life/heart.

Second half of the book is about Marius, after running out of his parent’s house at Christmas (after seeing Edwin and Adam together) he slips on ice and is rescued by Leo, local boat owner and recluse. Marius has spent his life using people and pushing them away but being stuck in a boat he isn’t able to use his old tricks which forces him to let Leo get to know him. As they spend more time together Marius start to see that someone might actually want him as he is if he just lets them in.

What I Loved:
Audiobook quality, Dreamscape has the highest quality of audiobooks and this one did not disappoint. It was so easy to listen to at a higher speed but still got the nuisances of the different stories
Edwin, he is such a sweet human who just can’t understand what he did wrong with Marius but just wants to love someone and be loved the same way. I also love that he has a relationship with his old neighbor even when she tries to push him away
Adam, he is such the opposite of Edwin in looks and background but ends up being that puzzle pieces that fit perfectly with Edwin, he is so patient and kind with the best nicknames for Edwin
Two parter, I liked that this version of the audiobook has both the book and the novella I would have been a bit frustrated if I didn’t get to hear Marius’ side of the story and it was worth it
Leo, he lives on a boat and has decided to remove himself from general society even though he is meant to be around people. I love how he refuses to take any crap from Marius and doesn’t let him wiggle out of hard conversations

This book was such a great story that I didn’t really know I needed. If you are looking for a more emotional romance with past hurts and bright futures on the horizon I would recommend reading this book.

4 stars!

"Waiting for the Flood" by Alexis Hall is full of seriousness, laughs, brooding, and tenderness. The characters here are multilayered, interesting, and well-developed despite being such a short book. I loved Edwin and Adam so, so much. I think, in the beginning, Edwin's hurt is vocalized so well, in such a relatable fashion. His ex, Marius, has fallen out of love with him, and Edwin must pick up the pieces of his shattered heart. His loneliness is palpable. Enter Adam. Despite not being a fan of insta-love, for some reason, with Alexis Hall's tremendous, evocative words, I felt invested in their romance thriving even though they just met. I appreciate how Adam and Edwin seem like such opposites of one another, yet feel strangely fated to be together. I also loved reading Marius and Leo's story. Everyone is worthy of a second chance at love. My initial dislike of Marius completely turned around in "Chasing the Light," where he turns from bitter and resentful to Wha you come to realize as the reader of these two novellas is that there are no "bad guys" or "good guys" in their stories. Sometimes, people just aren't good together, aren't their best together, such is the case with Edwin and Marius. Edwin moved on to someone who appreciated him and picked up the pieces of his tattered life, and Marius met his match in Leo during their awkward, lovely, special coupling. We see how Marius was always protecting himself first instead of loving Edwin first, but with Leo, he learns to break down his walls little by little. Some readers will never get over Marius's seemingly endless string of ungrateful, brash, rude comments and attitudes, but I know self-preservation when I see it. I love how Alexis Hall takes care of their characters' wants and needs in a poetic, beautiful manner. I love their writing so, so much, and this double feature is no different. Is Will Watt the greatest audiobook narrator? Why yes, I think he is. He brings these characters to life in such an honest, tremendous way. I just love listening to him narrate!

Thank you to NetGalley, Alexis Hall, and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This was such a lovely book!! I adore Alexis Hall’s romantic writing. They write great characters and complex relationships. This book was really two novellas in one, about two halves of a couple that had split up a few years prior. Seeing them both get their happy ending while also healing from their personal trauma was very well done. Plus the setting of a flood (part 1) and on a boat (part 2) felt unique and refreshing. Loved this one! Great narration too. 4.5 rounded up.

🌈 Queer rep: MM main pairings, gay male main characters, bi male main character

Edwin is moping like Eeyore about the recent demise of his decade long relationship with his ex, until a city environmental worker, Adam, shows up during a flooding crisis on his street. Adam's cheerful friendliness starts to break through Edwin's doom and gloom as they get to know one another during the crisis, and Edwin finds he may be ready to move on with someone new. Endearing characters!

Great audio narration!

Special thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The audio part of this book worked great, and I liked the narrator. My biggest issue is that the author's books are either a hit or a miss for me and unfortunately this one was a miss. I just wasn't the biggest fan of the flow of the book and didn't feel emotionally connected to any of the characters.