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

Roy asked if he could have a few minutes alone with his son. I looked at Mark, who, after a few seconds, gave me a brief nod.


“I’ll just be in the living room,” I said, exiting with reluctance.


“How’s it going?” Martin asked me when I re-joined him.


“A bit tense,” I said, sitting on the edge of the sofa, ready to spring up again should Mark need me.


Martin nodded and let out a breath. I wanted to ask him about Roy, how genuine he thought Roy’s desires to get back in touch with Mark were. But I realised Martin would be bound by rules of confidentiality or something.


Martin and I must have spent half an hour trying to find something safe to talk about before Roy and Mark came back in the room. I could see from their reddened eyes that both men had shed a few tears.


Mark came to sit next to me on the sofa and reached for my hand. Roy went back to his armchair and sat back in it, looking more relaxed than previously.


Chapter 39