If you like a good sci-fi/slow burn romance,/mystery Yearning will be right up your alley! I have to admit that I normally stay away from books like this but I have enjoyed Gun's books in the past so I picked this one up and was not disappointed.

The premise of this book is why descendants of Dennamore have the "Yearning" to return. They have this yearning even if they have never been to this town before. I enjoyed how the author continued to build upon this mystery of why Darian is drawn to Dennamore and how she and Samantha must unravel the mystery surrounding this town with a few others from the town. There are some twist and turns that kept me reading and by the time I got to the end I was wondering when the next book in this series would be released. I think that makes Yearning a successful read for me. I am happily waiting for book two.

4.25 stars.

This arc was provided by net galley and the publisher for an honest review.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲.

I have to admit that I had no clue what kind of books Gun Brooke writes. I've read only one of hers before this - Ice Queen - and that one was a good pure romance novel that I enjoyed a lot. For that reason alone, I didn't think twice about picking up this book. I suppose the cover would have clued me in somehow that this one is a sci-fi / fantasy mystery romance, but it didn't, so here we are.

I'm not used to reading such books but I must say it wasn't bad. The premise was interesting, with Darian returning to the town of Dennamore with her grandmother, Camilla because of Camilla's compulsion to do so and Darian works to restore Camilla's house that has been uninhabited for 50 years. Together with Samantha, the town librarian and other town folks, they soon discover some interesting history about the town that may be the reason why its members are always drawn back to it. I finished it but the mystery of the town was slow to unravel. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it went a little faster and if more attention was given to developing the romance between Darian and Samantha. But since this is the first book of three in The Dennamore Scrolls series, we can expect to see more of them later on, though I'd still have to consider if I want to continue pursuing this series.

My views about this book may not be fair considering I'm a noob reader of such books so do read other reviews to get a more holistic impression. Most of the other readers really love this.

I love lesbian romance and I love science fiction so this book really should be right on the nose for me. But actually I found it really difficult to get into. Perhaps because the historical intrigue/science fiction and romance start almost immediately with very little character building or explanation before we launch into the story… I genuinely can’t work out quite why but it took a very long time for me to engage with the main characters.

I kept reading because I was intrigued by what would happen next - all the way to the end when I’m still intrigued by what will happen in the obvious sequel and it is an intriguing concept. But very mixed feelings about this one.

Gun Brooke is a fantastic writer, there’s absolutely no doubt about it! Her latest book is the first installment in The Dennamore Scrolls trilogy which will chronicle a mysterious town and a romance between the two main characters. The sci-fi elements in this book were well described and intriguing. The book’s pace is slow as is the development of the relationship between Darian and Samantha. I’m looking forward to learning more about the intriguing town of Dennamore.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a Brooke fan and was intrigued by the idea of a trilogy with a mystery thru-line. This features Darian, who has moved to Dennamore with her grandmother after feeling a pull (yearning) to return to her grandmother’s hometown, even though Darian has never been there. She then literally runs into Samantha, the town’s head librarian.

The town itself has some strange traits and the two MCs discover these through various circumstances and become drawn into the mystery of solving why. This leads them to form a group with other townspeople, including Darian’s grandmother and her assistant, a local teen and a few other prominent people.

Being a Brooke book, I expected the sci-fi angle, and enjoyed how this played out. As this is book 1 of 3 it suffers a little from typical book 1 issues, in that it has to lay a lot of ground work, but I enjoyed the world building and the town and characters within it.

I did find the characters a bit slow on the uptake, it felt like they should have made some realisations much sooner (I mean just the aspects of what they knew about the town and what lay under it really only lead to one possibility). I also found it hard to believe that no-one else had discovered this information in the past 250 years, but maybe that will be covered in one of the remaining books. Also thought it was convenient that everyone the two MCs approached was willing to believe what was happening and go along with the plan to uncover it (so far anyway). The main ‘villain’ is also sort of under-developed, he didn’t seem that much of a threat and just seems to be there to provide some conflict, since everyone else gets on so well.

Dar and Samantha also have a slow burn romance thing happening, which I enjoyed. Usually in Gun’s series there a new couple in each book, which can make the relationships happen too quickly, so I liked that this series seems to only be focussing on one couple and drawing the relationship out.

This is an interesting start to the series and I look forward to seeing how the other two books unfold.

I really don't like cliffhangers. But, it's worth it for this new series. I assumed this was a stand alone and that's my bad. Two thirds through I was pretty sure there would have to be at least a sequel. I quite enjoyed this book which isn't a surprise as I've enjoyed every book by Gun Brooke. She has a great mind for sci fi and I'm a great lover of that kind of fantasy writing. I think many things were well done about this book, from the small town dynamics and characters within, to the idea of a craving or Yearning to go to a place you've never heard of or left behind in youth. The technology described in the book was interesting and unusual. I am a huge fan of the Supreme Constellations series having read them all at least 10 times each. I am looking forward to the same experience in this series. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has an intriguing concept, but read a little too slowly for me. I'd definitely recommend it for people to enjoy slower paced beach reads but it wasn't for me at this time.

This was a very interesting start to a new series with some intriguing characters. The sci-fi elements were well-conceived and detailed. The author had done a great job of hinting at the possibilities of an alien world and at leaving loose ends to leave the audience wondering. The surprise element towards the end was predictable but a very interesting concept. The romantic storyline was on the back burner and the connection between the two leads didn't develop as much as I would have liked, but I enjoyed the book nevertheless and look forward to what happens next.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to read and review "Yearning".

I wouldn't normally dive into a science fiction novel, but in this instance the author and the blurb were enough to convince me to try this. I am so glad I did!

Reading a novel by Gun Brooke is as easy as slicing through butter. The details, the premise, the characters are all well thought out and carefully structured so that reading the story is immersive and very enjoyable. The bonus with this is there is more to come. It held my interest throughout.

The characters are well-drawn, and each have their individual idiosyncrasies which completes them as individuals The slow burn rapport between the two main characters is finely paced and well-judged. I just loved this and look forward to reading more about the characters and the mysteries they have started to unravel. 5*

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book, its blurb hinted at something really far removed from what I normally read.
But I loved it! I loved it unashamedly and completely and was rather disappointed when it ended (even though it's obvious there's more to come). What made it so special for me was the world-building and the mysterious tech. There was solid chemistry between the two main characters, and their shared desire to learn more, and never stop questioning. I thought that was very brave of them considering the odds, and the people, they were up against. The supporting cast were all quirky and unique, and each of them brought a special something to the tale.

Dennamore really intrigued me as well. I almost wish it was a real place...can you imagine living in a place that has such history...only to find out that history isn't what you think?

Gun Brooke is one of those storytelling Masters that draw you in, little by little, line by line until you suddenly realize you've been reading 3 hours past when you intended to stop. And even though it kinda kicks you in the butt the next day, you don't regret a second of it. She's that good!

I have a yearning to go back to Dennamore myself, just find out what happens next!

I was granted an ARC by Bold Strokes Books in exchange for this honest review.

No one can create a fictional world like Brooke. Seriously. Her imagination is astounding. Reading is about escaping for a little while and her books remind me how I felt when I watched Avatar for the first time. I didn’t think about all the problems that awaited me afterwards because I was so in the moment. I won’t recap the book because plenty of reviewers will be doing that so I’ll just say…buy it. Her books are always money well spent.

It's always a bit tricky to consider a series. On the one hand, there is the plot itself, if it is interesting enough, if it hooks you. On the other hand, there is the end of each episode, of each of the books, if it is possible to read them individually, if they are so related that without the others one does not make sense. There are many aspects to assess.

In this case, this first episode develops a very interesting line, a mixture of reality and science fiction, totally utopian at the moment, perhaps in the future it will become dystopian. It opens several aspects that can have an ambiguous continuation, how the events of the past are related to the current characters.

As regards romance, it is not developed here, only initiated, but it does foresee good things.

And the answer to the questions that I have formulated in the header is, it is not possible to read this book alone, we must wait for what will come, because the end of this first episode is unfinished in itself, I suppose the same will happen with the other two episodes of this trilogy. And it has really hooked me and I look forward to hearing how it will continue. I wish it didn't take long to find out, please, Mrs. Brooke.

I should know better - when Gun Brooke has a cover like this, its usually about aliens. In this case, it is a slow unraveling of a mystery that a town calls 'The Yearning'. The town in question is is the middle of the mountains. The town of Dennamore is sleepy, small, and a summer tourist hotspot. They'd like to keep it that way, but the town librarian, Samantha, is determined to find out why people who'd left town are drawn back to it. When she teams up with Darian, the granddaughter of one of the most infamous members of the town, the mystery really takes off. Darian was not born in Dennamore, but still feels the pull of the town. Why? They soon find out, and what they do find turns their world upside down.

I actually thought this would be more paranormal in nature, like some kind curse or spiritual pull. Not what I got, which is fine, but wow, once the characters found out some things, it veered way out to left field. Which is fine, but I thought the story moved at a glacial pace, almost at times where not too much happened. Whether the characters growing together or moving the mystery along, it takes a lot to get going, which was too bad, because I got bored through most of the first half of the book.

I like the characters, with our leading pair being great, and some excellent and personality filled side characters. I am looking at Carl especially, he's the youngest member of the hodge podge group of supernatural detectives. I love that he has this little brother like relationship with Samantha, and while way smarter than you'd expect a high schooler should be, he also gets to act like a teenager. I think what kind of bugged me about Samantha, no matter how great she is, is that she speaks formally for most of the book. While it could be that she is just an awkward nerd who has trouble connecting with people, or it could be contributed to her profession as a librarian. I am a librarian, and it is very rare to find a public librarian speak like an academic. Sure we can nerd out about rare books, or old ones, but in every day speech, we don't use that formalized pattern. Sam is more of an academic type, with multiple degrees to her name, but that formalized speech pattern is really distracting.

Other than that, I can't wait to see what happens next. It may have taken a while to get to the fun stuff, but when it does, it gets good. And while I wish Samantha's speech pattern weren't so stilted all the time, I love her and Darian, along with all the other great personalities in their little Scooby crew. I look forward to more from this sci-fi mystery.

3.75 stars. This is the first book of Gun Brooke’s new sci-fi/mystery trilogy and this book made me “yearn” for the books to come;). Even though this is the first in a series, it quickly dives into the sci-fi part of the story and it is very imaginative and fun to read.

While there are two main characters, Darian and Samantha, there is in fact a cast of characters that are important for the story and I enjoyed getting to know them. They were plenty diverse with each of them having their own quirks and strengths. Dennamore is a small town with some peculiarities, one of them is the fact that people that used to live in Dennamore seem to return there at some point in their life. The compulsion to return is described as the yearning by the towns people. Darian’s grandmother also feels the yearning and returns to Dennamore. Darian, a LA detective, comes along to fix up her grandmother’s home. When retrieving some blue prints of the house, Darian literally runs into Samantha, the head librarian, and there is an instant connection between the two. Soon they notice some strange things in town, which immediately peeks their curiosity. This is all I’m going to say about the story, because the fun is in discovering what’s going on in this little town.

Brooke is an excellent storyteller, without info dumping she quickly builds a world and a mystery of which I just wanted to know more, I needed to know what was happening. I guessed a few details of the story, but there was still plenty to surprise me along the way. The sci-fi elements are really good and well thought out with an eye for detail.

There is also the start of a romance between Darian and Samantha and I’m interested to see where it goes, but I was not convinced by the romance yet. There is immediately some sense of belonging together that they both seem to feel, but to me it was not really clear why they seemed to have this immediate connection. There is a lot of interaction about what’s happening around them, but not really about what happening between them. I guess sometimes things just are, but I missed a deeper connection and chemistry between them. Of course, this is only the first book, so I'm hoping that this will evolve in the following books.

As mentioned, this is a trilogy and it is a continuing storyline, meaning that the book ends in the middle of the story. Luckily, it does not end with a cliffy, but still I really want to continue reading. I think sci-fi/mystery fans will have a good time reading this book!

This was quite a suspenseful science fiction. The plot was quite interesting with great main and secondary characters. I cant wait for the next installment. I really enjoyed it and would recommend. 4 stars


Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A police officer from LA, a librarian from the sleepy town of Dennamore and the yearning that all citizens who have left Dennamore at one time get and return to their roots are the main ingredients of this new book by Gun Brooke. As a first book in a trilogy there's a lot of characters and places to introduce and if you go into this read with the right expectations you will definitely not be disappointed.

As always Ms Brooke sets up a good plot with relatable main characters, complimented by well rounded secondary characters. Without revealing too much since part of the fun is discovering things while the characters do, I'll say that slowly the book moves into the sci fi area instead of the mystery it appeared to be in the beginning. The romance is slowly developing which is actually nice since you know it's a trilogy so there is no need for a rushed, instalove kind of situation. It should also be no surprise that the ending is not really an ending, but it's not leaving you hanging on a big cliffhanger so nicely done!

I for one can't wait for the next installments to see how everything develops and for every sci fi fan out there who doesn't mind a bit of a slower pace to get into the story this should be a perfect fit.

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review ***

Yearning (The Dennamore Scrolls #1) is a wonderful first novel in a new trilogy by Gun Brooke. I already know this author is a great storyteller, and this book proves that once again.

The town of Dennamore seems to draw everyone who ever lived there back at some point in their lives. The townspeople who stayed there call it the yearning. Darian Tennen had the yearning, and left her job as a detective in L.A. to come back with her grandmother…even though Darian has never lived there herself. She tells everyone she came to help renovate the old family home so her grandmother can live there comfortably. She meets Samantha Pike, the town’s head librarian when she goes looking for the blueprints to the house. The two find way more than blueprints though, when they began searching the library archives.

This really is a thrilling start to an exciting science fiction series. Ms. Brooke has created the perfect setting for these tales. We have an isolated town that was founded a few years before the Revolutionary War. The families who founded it seem to either stay in the town their whole lives or get this overwhelming urge to return at some point. The characters are what kept me reading the story. I connected with Darian and Samantha as soon as they appeared in the story, but the secondary characters are almost as important as the two mains in this tale. All of them are well-developed and fit their roles. The sci-fi elements start out as only hints in the story, but become more evident as you read. The romance between Darian and Samantha is lovely, but seems to be just starting in this book.

This story doesn’t have a complete ending, but I kind of expected that so it didn’t really bother me. I know there are a least two more books coming in this series. I totally enjoyed this first book, and I can’t wait for the next one.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

This book definitely is out of this world...that's my best pun. Seriously though, this book is an original, with a crazy storyline about a small town and the people who get the "yearning" to return. I don't want to give much away, as part of the fun is figuring out what's going on along with Samantha, Darian and the whole rest of the "crew".

I will say a few simple things. It's part of a series, so yes it ends on a tiny cliffhanger. The romance bit of this book is a small part, so don't expect any groping. This book is truly a sci fi book that just so happens to have two characters that are crushing on each other a bit. The beginning is also a bit on the slow side so stick with it because you need to be introduced to so many people and ummmm places.

Overall, I thought it was an intriguing read and I'd like to read the second one to see how this secret unfolds.

Yearning is Book One in a new series by Gun Brooke and thus a lot of the book sets us up with the characters, the world they inhabit, and the problems they will need to overcome. This means it suffers slightly from all the book one issues of introducing us to everything while still telling us a satisfying story. Ms Brooke manages this just fine. There is definitely enough here with the main characters and the supporting cast to keep us reading on through several books and the place and setting are intriguing enough that I want to read more.

Darien is an LAPD cop who comes back to Dennamore with her gran and bumps into - literally - the local librarian, Samantha, while searching out old plans of her gran’s (Camilla) house. They become friends and research the local area and the strange way people who leave are always drawn back. The “yearning” is stronger than home sickness.

No spoilers here but the things that Dar and Sam discover are mind blowing and very cleverly developed and described. They have made me want to read on when number two in the series arrives.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I love libraries and genealogy and that was the key that opened the door to my reading this book. I wasn't disappointed. I missed the sci-fi aspect of the story until I got into it and couldn't believe the story that was unravelling. It appeared at first to be a cozy mystery in a small town. Many people yearn to return to their hometowns after a certain age and it wasn't all that surprising to me. Then it appeared there was some kind of magnetic pull for people who were born of the original settlers, I was seriously thinking of grid lines or something buried underneath the town. Yes, something was buried there and the two main characters and their group of explorers find an unearthly secret.
I kept reading, I enjoyed the beginnings of romance between a LA Detective and a small town librarian. I've never met a librarian as sexy as Samantha and I don't think the visiting detective Darian had either. Their explorations take the reader on a thrilling ride to unearth the secrets and find their true heritage.

A cast of interesting characters, delightful descriptions of historical homes and an otherworldly find round out this well thought out book. I had a lot going on in my life after I ordered this book, lots of interruptions but I felt the yearning to return to the book as much as the former residents felt the yearning to return to Dennamore.

**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**