Erik and David really communicate, and while there is definitely a physical attraction, it isn’t the only thing that sparks their curiosity. Their journey to friendship – and more – is slow and measured. Luckily he has already met David, who works at the tourism office, and while David is a stranger, the two men hit it off well enough to explore what’s between them.

So when he arrives and discovers there is not a single hotel room available, he panics. What surprised me – and Erik! – is that he flies out without a detailed plan. While I can’t see myself going there to “run with the bulls” like Erik, it’s a nice addition to my “maybe one day” list of places to visit.Įrik is a writer, likes the quiet of a fairly lonely existence, and only travels to Pamplona to honor his now-deceased father who traveled there once a year for twenty years. This is a story of hope, and it’s set in a wonderful city that comes alive with a lot of interesting and fun details, written by someone who obviously knows and loves Pamplona, Spain, a lot. His story is about dealing with his father’s death, embarking on a new life, and finding what he never expected to be his – a boyfriend and lover on top of a better way of dealing with his own shortcomings. Impulsive decisions and anxiety attacks don’t really go together, but Erik, who recently lost his father, is going to have to figure out how to deal with the decision. For the first time in a long while, Erik feels something for another person, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is only temporary and he needs to go back home, does it?įirst edition published by Dreamspinner Press, May 2017. The two of them get to know each other as David shows Erik what’s to love about Pamplona. Faced with the choice of sleeping on the ground or the friendly offer of an extra bed, the decision is an easy one. Until help comes from an unlikely place.ĭavid works in the tourism office, and Erik is surprised but grateful when he offers him his spare room, despite being a complete stranger.

No accommodations to be had, he’s resigned to sleeping in a park. Erik hasn’t booked a hotel, and he’s completely unprepared for a city bustling with people. Now his father is gone, and in a spur of the moment decision, Erik finds himself in another country to run with the bulls in his memory. Whenever his father asked Erik to accompany him to Pamplona for the San Fermín festival, he said no.

The Sun Still Rises by Laura Bailo