Among the Palouse Hills (Book 2 of the Barcelona Skies Trilogy)

The heart knows what it wants, even when the mind refuses to listen. For Donovan, returning to Pullman after his life-changing summer in Barcelona should have felt like coming home. Instead, he finds himself caught between two worlds—the comfortable familiarity of his relationship with Tyler and the persistent pull of memories from Spain. As he tries to slip back into his old life, the connection he forged with Alejandro across the ocean refuses to fade. Balancing his senior year studies, his internship, and his increasingly complicated double life, Donovan walks an impossible tightrope of deception and desire. Every text message, every late-night call, every moment spent dreaming of Mediterranean skies pushes him closer to a breaking point. When the truth finally emerges, Donovan faces the most difficult decision of his life: continue with the safe, planned future he's always envisioned, or take a leap of faith toward a life he never imagined possible. Among the rolling Palouse hills of Washington state, Donovan must confront the consequences of his choices and finally answer the question that has haunted him since he left Barcelona: Where does his heart truly belong? This is Book 2 of the Barcelona Skies Trilogy. New chapters will be posted weekly. Haven't read Book 1? Start with Under Barcelona Skies: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/118193/under-barcelona-skies-a-summer-of-secrets-and What to expect: - A slow-burn queer / LGBTQ+ (gay, M/M) romance with emotional complexity and consequences- Long-distance longing: Connections that refuse to fade despite an ocean between them- Relationship strain: Secrets and guilt creating fractures in what was once solid- Limited dual perspective: A glimpse into life on both sides of the Atlantic- Coming-of-age reckoning: Confronting who you are versus who you thought you'd be- Pacific Northwest setting: Small college town atmosphere contrasts with Book 1's Barcelona- Character-driven introspection: Heavy on internal conflict and impossible choices- Bittersweet realism: No easy answers, just honest emotional complexity- Sensual but not explicit: Romantic and emotional tension, fade-to-black intimacy Content notes: This book explores the emotional consequences of difficult choices. It's a slower, more introspective story than Book 1—less about falling in love, more about facing what comes after.