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

I took comfort in the fact it was Wednesday and there were only three days left in the week. 


The boys began an exhausting round of exam-sitting. Mark and I didn’t see as much of them during this period as they spent much of their free time separated in their respective bedrooms. Though I understand the walkie-talkies got a fair bit of usage. 


The Saturday afternoon before my birthday saw Mark and I sitting on a railway station platform waiting for a train from Newcastle. In typical British Rail fashion, it was late. 


Things had continued to improve between Mark and Roy, so Mark had invited him to come for a visit to celebrate my and Mark’s birthdays. Roy had jumped at the invitation, although just before he was due to arrive he called to say his car was playing up and he would make the journey by train


Chapter 45