Release Blitz, Review, and Giveaway: Of Sunlight and Stardust: Riley Hart and Christina Lee

by - Friday, September 21, 2018

Of Sunlight and Stardust
Riley Hart and Christina Lee
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Release Date September 21, 2018
M/M romance


After the death of his wife, Tanner Rowe takes a step toward making her dream come true and buys the house with the dilapidated barn she’d been inexplicably drawn to in the picturesque Upper Peninsula. But after a year, he still can’t get past his grief long enough to make the repairs he’d promised.

Recently out of prison, Cole Lachlan has little to his name. Homeless, broke, and without many options as a felon, Cole heads to Red Bluff with hopes of a second chance. There he meets Tanner, whose loneliness mirrors his own, and soon Cole is trading room and board for rebuilding the burned-out barn on Tanner’s property that hasn’t been touched in seventy years.

Turns out, the barn holds more secrets than either of them could have imagined. After unearthing a hidden journal from 1948, Cole and Tanner spend their evenings poring over the pages, reading about a young man pining after his best friend. The deeper they delve into this forbidden affair from the past, the more Cole and Tanner’s own relationship shifts—from acquaintances to friends…to undeniable attraction.

But as they begin to deal with the newness of falling in love in the wake of Tanner’s loss and Cole’s past, they also become more determined to unravel the mystery of the young lovers who’ve captured their hearts, the rumors about the fire, and what really happened that fateful night.

Wow! This book is really unique, moving, and powerful. I love the story within a story component as they learn about a couple from the past while becoming closer in the present.

Tanner Rowe is a lonely and broken man still grieving the loss of his wife.  He is closed off and in so much pain that he is not really living. He has taken on the project of buying a farmhouse and barn in a small town to honor his wife's dreams, but he is not sure how to even begin restoring it.

Cole Lachlan is a man who has made mistakes and has paid for them, but now needs a chance. He has nowhere to go and has had a hard time finding work. He is stubborn, prideful, but willing to work hard. But he does not really feel deserving of kindness, and hates pity or charity. But Tanner is willing to give him that chance and also stubborn enough to make Cole accept it.

From awkwardness to companionship to friendship and something deeper, these two begin to fill the void of the other's loneliness. They never expected the tension and connection, and it is tentative and fragile. But as they become more vulnerable and attached, they start to feel alive again and develop a bit of hope for building a new future.

When they delve into a journal from the past, they find a parallel story of friends falling in love, but the farther into it they get, the more it seems like they did not have their happy ending. They feel the need to investigate and figure out what really happened to the young men in 1948, while also still navigating the newness of their unexpected relationship. Have attitudes in small towns really changed that much over the years?

This is a poignant, raw, intense story of  loss, true love, and whispers from the past. These two men were so lost, lonely, and hopeless, but only finding each other brought them any semblance of healing and hope. My heart also broke reading about the loves in the past. It makes you believe in soul mates, fate, rebirth, and finding a true home. The characters have depth, are truly likable, and feel deeply. The story is unique, mysterious, and interesting, but also sweet, passionate, and heartfelt. It really touched me.

“I read somewhere that we’re all made of sunlight and stardust. So maybe, whenever you look at the sky, from morning till nightfall, you’re connecting with them in some small way.”


I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Tanner’s eyes snapped open. He didn’t know what had woken him so suddenly, but the moment he did, he realized he’d fallen asleep with Cole on the couch, that Cole’s head was on his shoulder. 

It was a little weird…and a little not weird…or maybe he was looking for it to be weird or not? As he sat there a moment, focusing on the heat of Cole against him, the feel of his head on his shoulder, it felt good. Christ, Cole felt good to him. 

It wasn’t the first time that seeing Cole, touching his skin, studying his hands or his back, felt right. That truth hit him in the gut, so the moment Cole groaned in his sleep and turned his head, Tanner slipped out from under the blanket. 

For a moment he considered trying to lay Cole down. Did his knee hurt? Was the position uncomfortable? But he didn’t know how to do it or if he should do it, and he suddenly really fucking needed to get out of the house. 

Tanner shoved his feet into his shoes. Thankfully, he was wearing jeans and a tee he’d put on before going to look for Cole last night. His keys were on the kitchen counter, so he swooped them up and quietly sneaked out of the house. 

Last night had been…something. How he could breathe easier after the loss of Emma, how much Cole’s friendship meant to him, Tom and Charlie, and falling asleep on the couch. It was…a lot, and he wished like hell he had his fishing supplies so he could go fishing. 

So what could he do? 

Guilt made his stomach tumble because he knew Cole would wake up and wonder where he was, might even think he’d done something wrong, which he hadn’t. Tanner just didn’t know how to do…whatever he was doing. It was like he was learning how to live again. 

He drove around for a little while, taking in the small town he and Emma had loved. What would she think about his friendship with Cole? He knew Emma, and she would be glad Tanner had him, that he’d allowed himself to have someone. 

The more he drove, the more he began to feel slightly foolish for leaving the way he had. Who cared if they fell asleep on the couch together? Who cared if having Cole around eased some of the weight in his chest? 

So instead of driving around town for no reason, Tanner turned and headed for the general store. He’d get some bacon and eggs, then go home and make breakfast for them.

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She's a hopeless romantic. A lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her reading.

Riley lives in California with her awesome family, who she is thankful for every day.


Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn. 
Nyrae Dawn:  Website | Facebook | Twitter 



Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives in the Midwest with her husband and son--her two favorite guys. She's addicted to lip balm, coffee, and kissing. Because everything is better with kissing. 

She writes MM Contemporary as well as Adult and New Adult Romance. She believes in happily-ever-afters for all, so reading and writing romance for everybody under the rainbow helps quench her soul.   

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