Simon Peters and his partner Mark Smith face a number of challenging life events in the fourth and final volume of this heart-warming saga. Because of his time working on the streets after being kicked out of home by his father, Mark worries he may have contracted HIV. Despite knowing the lack of treatment options if he were to test positive -- this is the late 1980’s before the age of retro-viral drugs -- Mark is determined to know his fate. Things become complicated when Mark receives a letter from his father wanting to re-establish contact. Roy entering their lives presents further challenges, ones which ultimately threaten Simon and Mark’s continued happiness. Gay teens Sam and Billy play an increasingly important part in Simon and Mark’s lives, often regarding the older men as surrogate fathers/big brothers. Can this unconventional family pull together and become stronger, despite all the world has thrown at them?

Fireside Romance Book 4: Glowing Embers

“Can’t wait to use them,” Mark admitted, biting my bottom lip.


The next morning as Mark got ready for work, I noticed how he was moving more stiffly than usual. I, too, felt a certain satisfying ache in my rear, and would need to be more careful than usual for a while.


Mark noticed I was awake and came over to the bed. 


“Morning, sleeping handsome.” He bent down and gave me a kiss.


“Not sleeping,” I said. I was getting better; previously I would have added that I wasn’t handsome either, but thanks to Mark’s continued love for me I was beginning to accept my own self-worth. 


Before he left the room, I told Mark I’d call on him at the café at lunchtime.


Winking, he said, “I’ll be sure to have something hot and tasty waiting for you.” 


Sitting at my desk at the library, fortified with a large dose of caffeine, I began to scale the mountain of paperwork that always seemed to magically appear over the weekend. 


Chapter 20