Waiting for the Flood

Spires, Book 2

By: Alexis Hall

Narrated by: Will Watt

Twelve years ago, Edwin Tully came to Oxford and fell in love with a boy named Marius. He was brilliant, an artist. It was going to be forever. Ten years later, it ended. Now Edwin lives alone in the house they used to share. He tends to damaged books and faded memories, trying to build a future from the fragments of the past.

Then the weather turns, and the river spills into Edwin’s quiet world, bringing with it Adam Dacre from the Environment Agency. An unlikely knight, this stranger with roughened hands and worn wellingtons offers Edwin the hope of something he thought he would never have again. As the two men grow closer in their struggle against the rising waters, Edwin learns he can’t protect himself from everything—and sometimes he doesn't need to try. Because love doesn’t only leave scars; oftentimes, it heals them too.

This lyrical, moving LGBTQIA+ romance contains never-before-seen content and exclusive bonus material—including a NEW novella, Chasing the Light, following Marius as he rediscovers love and the complicated joy of being truly alive.

©2024 Alexis Hall (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Critic reviews

"Watt’s knack for capturing characters’ uniqueness shines brightly, most notably in his portrayal of Edwin. Watt’s expressive delivery transports listeners to these slices of Edwin and Marius’s lives." - Audiofile Magazine (Earphones Award Winner)

Alexis Hall and Will Watt are the best together.

Such a good book. Sad I finished it but will definitely listen again while waiting for the new For Real book to come out June 11th. Alexis Hall shall only be narrated by Will Watt for forever in my opinion. Will Watt gives a terrific spin to the books and honestly makes listening to them so much easier than other narrators. You’ve done it again Alexis Hall and Will Watt cannot wait for another.

This authors stories are like comfort food.

I really enjoy the way the author weaves their story. this book went by too quickly, but presented some thoughtful moments and some funny moments. I really enjoyed the exploration of how the primary characters evolved after their breakup. The role reversal regarding the relationship's power dynamic post breakup was an interesting reveal. Marius is a lovely, tortured train wreck and I appreciated Edwin showing that he was never 'less than' despite his own behavior. They both got what they deserved in the end.

Beautiful

When I got this book, I was really hoping to get some thing different and to my surprise I did. It was really refreshing to get both sides of the story being the adult that I am. I really enjoy this type of love stories where you can see aspects of reality without the overwhelming and unhealthy expectation of what romance should be. Great book.

Amazing dual storyline

One of Alexis’s best that I’ve read. Interesting perspective with the 2 character dual story lines.

Name a better duo!!!!!

WILL WATT READING ALEXIS HALL AGAIN IS BRILLIANT! THE NEW NOVELLA DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!! I AM ONLY SAD THAT I FINISHED IT!!! I NEED TO INSTANTLY RE-LISTEN!!!!

Healing

This book is whitty and heartfelt. The overall feel is healing. It has great banter between characters as they experience heartbreak of lost love and the discovery of new love. I truly loved this book and can't wait to listen to it again.

Mega swoon mega melt

This book is like getting joy injected into your heart. My only complaint is that it is unclear when Waiting for the Flood ends and Chasing the Light begins (only chapter numbers, no titles) which was a bit jarring. But not a big deal because it’s all wonderful.

Deserving of narration awards

This collection pairs two novellas about water and love and two exes struggling to trust new relationships. Nervous archivist Edwin lives in the house he thought was THEIRS, unwilling to redecorate or prepare for the oncoming flooding, and finds himself opening his home and his heart for a gentle civil engineer. Moody artist Marius sprains his ankle by the dark riverbank on Christmas Eve and is rescued by a mysterious stranger on a boat.

As always I never asked for Hall to break my heart open, but he does that anyway. The first novella is funny and sweet, with delightful banter. But the second is Hall at his best—tension and pain and damaged people hurting each other in ways that feel real. And at the same time it’s hilarious and romantic and surprising. The narrator of the audiobook is incredible - making every character’s voice completely unique in the most natural way.

TW/CW
emotional abuse; parental neglect; eating disorder; depression

For fans of:
melancholic yearning; rom-coms that leave you in a puddle of tears; 90s rom-com meet-cutes; ridiculously beautiful writing; banter x10

Good Soup

Alexis Hall has such a way with writing ppl, I still don't really like Marius but the story will stay with me a while and Edwin will stay with me even longer. Adam has so easily become my new highest standard of person and I really love how Edwin thinks.

Edwin wasn't the main character

All the reviews and synopsis talk about Edwin. However he wasn't the main character. I wish Hall would have spent more time on Marious. He was flawed but lovable. I didn't really understand the entire first half of the book.