Professor Avery Cook has spent his career researching the mysterious side of New Orleans. Superstitions, legends, and lore—Avery has an academic explanation for all of them….
Until one night when he walks into a bar and his life changes.
In a sea of impossibly beautiful people, Tyson stands out, and he sweeps Avery off his feet with his old-world charm and romanticism. But there’s a darkness in Tyson too, and Avery discovers Tyson is part of a world he thought existed only in books and stories—the paranormal tales he studies at the university.
Tyson’s been lonely for a long time, and he’s falling in love with Avery. But his past is a long one, and it’s full of enemies and danger. The best way to keep Avery safe is to push him away….
I will state now that I have never met a MJ O’Shea book that I didn’t like. There is something about the way she writes that makes me think we get one another because I always find myself entertained and in love with her romance.
So this book, I was way curious about it because it’s a Dreamspun Beyond book so we are getting the paranormal but the blurb doesn’t state what form of paranormal Tyson will be and that makes this a fascinating read.
With the story taking place in modern day New Orleans and Avery being a professor of humanities with a strong focus on paranormal activities or myths and legends, it wasn’t hard for me to picture the setting. I am going to put this out there now, I am a huge fan of the American Horror Story series and season three, Coven, was my favorite. And guess what? It also took place in New Orleans. Just thinking about the setting, the house that the witches lived in and thinking of Tyson’s house and a few other characters mentioned in the story that should be dead--but aren’t--reminded me of a light and fluffy version of American Horror Story complete with my own Kyle/Tate. Yup, Tyson in this book is going to be a version of a very blond Evan Peters. Don’t judge me, I have a thing for him.
Anyway.
Told from the dual POV’s of Avery and Tyson, we know that their day to day is pretty well, boring. Avery goes about his day with teaching and hanging out with friends when he has the chance. As a young genius, he’s gone to college and graduated early and he even has written his own book that is a required text for his class. But Avery has been waiting for that one moment to arrive when he knows his life will never be the same and he won’t want it any other way.
Now Tyson, we know he is something and from the beginning we know his housekeeper is as well and we know it all has something to do with the tea why they don’t age or die. The tea is the key but we don’t get to know all about it, what it does and what Tyson is until further into the book. But the cover for this story works and I love that it does. The title does too and that makes this ginger so very happy. But Tyson is an old soul, literally who lives a mundane life to sustain his immorality and yet, he’s searching for more and this time, he doesn’t need to feel itchy and move to a new town to find it.
So the story was absolutely fun and engaging. I like how Avery and Tyson meet and what the bar comes to mean in this world of things that go bump in the night. The chemistry is there from the start with these two and they are super cute about all of it. I adored how much Tyson is willing to sacrifice to be with Avery in the way Avery deserves even if it means he doesn’t stay on his tea regimen. Tyson and Avery are both in over the heads and head over heels for the other. But there are dark forces out there that Tyson has tangled with that will stress what they have together.
Wow. Have I said anything? I am rambling I know. The book was a lot of fun. Finding out what Tyson is when he tells Avery his secret also let us in on what everyone else at the bar etc was eye opening. So many creatures Avery has researched and studied are suddenly tangible and I think he handled it pretty well. Tyson on the other hand, you’t think someone as old as he was would be able to handle a relationship better but then again, Tyson has never been in love the way he is with Avery, so he’s sacred and we do dumb things when we are scared.
Through it all, Tyson and Avery find themselves swept into a romance between two worlds that has more than enough power to sustain their love. They just need to get on the right page and move forward, together.
The end came with the ultimate decision I hoped would be made with Tyson and Avery, though I wasn't expecting who would be the one to change. It was great though that both men are willing to go all in, and I do mean all in to be with the other. Also, Tyson’s gift to Avery and where Avery puts it made me giggle. These two really were adorable and I loved being a witness to their story.
