🌺Hello, From Xanthe Walter
January 10th, 2026
Greetings, my lovelies!
👀 In This Newsletter
- All About Romance reviewer Caz Owens has named Dark Water her favourite book of 2025 in her Best of the Best list. She previously shortlisted it as one of her best reads of the year, so this was an extra special cherry on the top.Here is what she said:
“The Dark Water series tell one complete story and it’s impossible to single out just one of them as they make no sense independently! The combination of gripping suspense, complex, well-developed characters, superb world-building and gorgeous romance hooked me in from the get-go and I can’t remember the last time I was on so many tenterhooks awaiting the next book that I was counting down the days.
It’s not a story that will work for everyone – it’s angsty, it’s violent at times, and it contains some dark themes (although it’s not ‘dark romance’) – but it hit just right for me, and the grip it had on me for about six months during spring/summer 2025 is why I’m making the Dark Water series my favourite book of the year.”Thank you so much, Caz!
In other news:
- I have THREE tickets to give away to ShiMMer. This is an MM author and reader event in Birmingham UK in June – and is your chance to meet your favourite MM authors (including me!), chat, and get your books signed.
- I’ve never been to an event like this before, so I’m excited. So, if you’d like to meet me (and Emma – she’ll be coming too!) and lots of other MM authors, here is your chance to win a FREE ticket.
- Just click here to enter and I’ll choose three winners at random and notify them. Please only sign up if you can go – it’d be a shame to waste the ticket.
- Having just created a new pricing structure for my books, Amazon, in its usual infinite wisdom, has decided that UK people should AGAIN receive a special deal on Ricochet. So, for the month of February, you can get Ricochet on Amazon.co.uk for the special knock-down price of £0.99 (down from £4.99, ebook only).
Regular Newsletter Features:
- In this newsletter, I’m featuring MM author Rebekah Dodson and her novel Postcards from Montreal, a lyrical, music-soaked romance about two men fleeing famous legacies and impossible expectations, who find love, anonymity, and harmony in a city that finally lets them breathe—until the past comes calling and asks what they’re willing to risk for the future they’re beginning to dream of.
- There’s also the usual selection of MM themed promotions and book fairs for you to enjoy.
- Enjoyed any of my books? Reviews, social media posts, and personal recommendations all help them reach new readers—and I’d be so grateful.
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Tenerife Tales
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Events
I’m attending some book signings and events in 2026. I hope to see you there!
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- ShiMMer: June 27th, Birmingham (UK).
- Rainbow Readers Cruise: August 10-14th, Florida (USA).
🎁 Walter’s World Gifts
- Free Stories: Bonus novellas and short stories including Safe Harbour, A Willing Lad, and more.
- Extras & World-Building: Spotify playlists, character photo stashes, Rising Radio shows, a London flood map, and The Daily Lowdown news site.
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Rebekah DodsonBetween the delicate plink of piano keys, I always found the comfort and solitude I longed for. As the only son of the infamous Arnolt family, I grew up in a world where every step I took made headlines. Every man I dated became gossip fodder. So when the Université de Montréal offered me a full scholarship to study piano, it felt like the escape I had always dreamed of. Then I met Sergei. He plays the violin, but somehow he’s playing the strings of my heart too. Sergei has his own legacy to outrun. The grandson of a legendary Russian composer, he grew up with the weight of expectations and the fear of living openly as a gay man. A forgotten postcard from his aunt led him to Montreal and to a new job, but love was never part of the plan. In a city where no one knows our names, we find harmony in each other. But when the past refuses to stay behind, we both have to choose whether we’re ready to risk the future we’ve started to imagine. |
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💬 Xanthology
Join Xanthology on Facebook to chat Dark Water theories and pairings, get the latest news, talk about any of my books and stories, and hang out with fellow fans.
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👋 That’s All, Folks!
Until next time, my lovelies!
XOXO
Xanthe
PS – let me know what you think of the new-look newsletter!
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