The Deep of the Sound

Written by Amy Lane

Narrated by Nick J. Russo

Cal McCorkle has lived in Bluewater Bay his whole life. He works two jobs to support a brother with a laundry list of psychiatric diagnoses and a great-uncle with Alzheimer’s, and his personal life amounts to impersonal hookups with his boss. He’s got no time, no ambition, and no hope. All he has is family, and they’re killing him one responsibility at a time.

Avery Kennedy left Los Angeles, his family, and his sleazy boyfriend to attend a Wolf’s Landing convention, and he has no plans to return. But when he finds himself broke and car-less in Bluewater Bay, he’s worried he’ll have to slink home with his tail between his legs. Then Cal McCorkle rides to his rescue, and his urge to run away dies a quick death.

Avery may seem helpless at first, but he can charm Cal’s fractious brother, so Cal can pretty much forgive him anything. Even being adorkable. And giving him hope. But Cal can only promise Avery “until we can’t”—and the cost of changing that to “until forever” might be too high, however much they both want it. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Riptide Publishing
• Release date: May 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781626497764

Amy Lane

Award winning author Amy Lane lives in a crumbling crapmansion with a couple of teenagers, a passel of furbabies, and a bemused spouse. She has too damned much yarn, a penchant for action-adventure movies, and a need to know that somewhere in all the pain is a story of Wuv, Twu Wuv, which she continues to believe in to this day! She writes contemporary romance, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and romantic suspense, teaches the occasional writing class, and likes to pretend her very simple life is as exciting as the lives of the people who live in her head. She’ll also tell you that sacrifices, large and small, are worth the urge to write. Website: www.greenshill.com Blog: www.writerslane.blogspot.com Email: [e-mail] Facebook: www.facebook.com/amy.lane.167 Twitter: @amymaclane

Reviews for The Deep of the Sound

[sadiesforsythe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well darn, this is the second book in as many weeks that I've finished and then discovered it's part of a series. That really annoys me. On the plus side, if I made it all the way to the end without realizing it, it must be encapsulated enough to stand alone. So, I'm annoyed that the fact that it's an eighth book in a series wasn't made more apparent on the cover, or where ever, but I don't think it effected my read any.

This was my first Amy Lane book and a lot of people seem to love her writing. And while I appreciate a lot about this novel, thought the writing and editing were sharp, etc, I thought the story was far too schmaltzy for my taste. And I have two main reasons for this.

The first is the insta-meaningful relationship. Sure, it's not insta-love but almost immediately these two men are moving beyond sex or friendship or even getting to know one another into 'you complete my life' territory. They then spend an inordinate amount of time telling each-other how wonderful and vital to the other they are.

Second, I just basically hate PSAs in my fiction. I just do. If there are certain issues that are important to the story and a reader needs to know them to understand, sure ok, drop a few facts. But I HATE it when authors use their books as a platform to inform readers on how to be better humans in regard to XYZ. It feels unnatural, pompous and presumptuous. It's even worse when they do it serially. Lane hits Communicatively Handicapped, FanFiction communities/writing, Gender queers' pronouns and probably more.

Sure, one character was ADHD, OCD, bi-polar etc. I didn't feel lectured at because of his diagnosis. Nor did I feel lectured on about the Great Uncle's Alzheimer's and only a little about the importance of medication. This just proves to me that important social issues can be handled and included in non-PSA ways. But when Avery lectured Cal (a man who's lived his whole life and is currently responsible for the care and upkeep of a severely diagnosed brother), and by extension me on CH or that all that's really important about pronouns is respect it held none of that natural importance to the story. (The latter was about a character that never even shows up in the book.)

My problem is not that I disagree with the message, it's seeing (or feeling rather) it shoehorned into a story. To me it comes across as an author being like, 'See how informed and accepting I am? Yes, praise me for my liberal open-mindedness.' I'm not saying Lane is like this. I don't know. But I certainly felt this in this book and found it really off-putting.

Having said all that, it was a very sweet story. I liked the characters in general and the writing is perfectly readable.

[giuliosuprig · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the most heartfelt and challenging novels i have read in a long time.
What a delight!!

[NeosoulNoona · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story was real and honest. I enjoyed the connection between the characters, though not always easy, but raw.

I didn't have to read the entire series to be pulled all in with this story.

All the Bluewater Bay stories have been great, I wish there were more here on Scribd because these characters and town are AMAZING!

[Tamye Whitener · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Heartwarming M/M romance!

Cal McCorkle is having one heck of a week, month, year. He is drowning in responsibilities he doesn't know how to fix. Well he does, but he doesn't want to. His family is everything to him, and he will do whatever it takes to support them. Even if has to work two jobs.

Avery Kennedy has had it with Los Angeles, his sleazy boyfriend who is using him for his money, and a family that refuses to acknowledge his life choices. They want him to get over the M/M thing and the writing hobby. He needs to get a girlfriend and a real job. So Avery is off to Wolf's Landing convention for some interaction with his own kind of people and to figure out what to do with his life. He is done with LA and all it has to offer.

Of course, Avery has one thing after another happen to him on his trip to the convention. But he is saved by the sweet and sexy Cal McCorkle. Thus begins a friendship and more. Maybe all the bad things that have been happening in both men's lives are just what needed to happen to put them where they needed to go.

The chemistry between these two men is sizzling, but their romance is sweet, with enough conflict to add some spice and make them work for a HEA. I have to admit this book tugged at my heart and had me using a tissue or three. This a wonderful listen and I recommend it to anyone who likes a good M/M book with heart and sizzle.

[wilbertb_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a slow and happy burn! I love the lovers and hope to read about them in the next book!

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Bluewater Bay series has become my happy reading place and this book was no exception. Bluewater Bay native Cal cares for his brother and great-uncle, working two jobs and running himself ragged to keep them in meds and a roof over all their heads. Wolf's Landing fan Avery, fresh off a nasty breakup, comes to town for a con and looking for a new start.

This book touches on the fandom stuff some of the other books do, with Avery meeting an online fandom friend, with all the joy those of us in fandom know comes with that. There's also some nerdy moments about fanfic and AtLA, so that's cool. Then there's the heartbreaking stuff, about Alzheimer's, and mental illnesses, and how hard it is to be a caretaker. But there's joy in that, too, and the author shows it.

So Cal rescues Avery, Avery rescues Cal, Nascha is wily and rescues a lot of people, and everyone lives happily ever after.

If you haven't yet read book 6 in this series--Lights, Camera, Cupid!--you should read it after you finish this book so you can get a look at Great-Uncle Nascha's past. It'll make the ending far more meaningful.

[I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]