Repentance — And Absolution By Ae Lister

The book blends elements of historical Westerns with "hurt-comfort" tropes and LGBTQIA+ themes.

The introduction of external elements, such as a new horse for Oscar and the discovery of nearby neighbors, serves as a catalyst for growth. These interactions force the couple to navigate the boundary between their private truth and their public personas as mere "buddies". A dangerous encounter later in the novel further underscores the theme of "forces outside their control," suggesting that while they may try to hide from the world, their lives are inevitably intertwined with a larger community that holds its own surprising truths. Repentance and Absolution by AE Lister

Repentance and Absolution (Northern Horizons #2) by AE Lister The book blends elements of historical Westerns with

The historical romance novel by AE Lister is the second book in the Northern Horizons series, following the journey of Jimmy Downing and Oscar Yates as they attempt to build a life together in Port Essington. A dangerous encounter later in the novel further

AE Lister is a Canadian non-binary/gender-fluid author known for writing "heartwarming and kinky queer stories" across multiple genres, including historical and paranormal romance.

The central conflict of the novel is rooted in the characters' disparate but equally heavy pasts. Jimmy Downing is a man haunted by "nightmares of dark deeds" committed in his youth, seeking a form of penance through his devotion to Oscar. Conversely, Oscar Yates carries the scars of more recent trauma—physical and emotional mistreatment suffered during their time in Dawson City. Their arrival at an abandoned homestead represents a literal and figurative attempt to build something new from wreckage, yet the "long winter" forces them into a mental confinement where these memories resurface with terrifying clarity.