Vesuvius
Cass Biehn
Jun 2025 · Little, Brown Book Group · Narrated by Amin El Gamal and Max Meyers
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14 hr 39 min
Unabridged
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'A thrilling star-crossed romance filled with intrigue, longing, and the looming dread of impending disaster. The explosive finale will have readers holding their breath'
Erik J. Brown, author of All That's Left in the World
Felix is a cunning thief. Loren is a temple attendant. Thrown together, the boys have to piece together their fates to make it out of a burning city. A stunning queer YA fantasy debut set in ancient Pompeii, for fans of THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END, ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD and LIES WE SING TO THE SEA. Give him your heart. Grasp your destiny. Get out alive.
Clever thief Felix seizes an opportunity to steal a helmet in Pompeii. But as he's chased by a mysterious patrician, Felix discovers the helmet is not only a priceless artefact but a relic of the god Mercury. When Felix touches it, pieces of his forgotten past begin to simmer.
Loren, an aspiring councilman and temple attendant, is plagued by nightmares of Pompeii's destruction. Nightmares that feature Felix, who stumbles into Loren's temple as an earthquake rocks the city.
Loren knows they have mere days to uncover Felix's ties to the relic and to Loren's own dreams if they have any hope of saving Pompeii from the boiling fury of Mount Vesuvius. But the Ancient Roman world is ruled by bloody politics and unstoppable destinies, with dangerous, desperate people lurking in every shadow.
Felix and Loren will have to piece together their fates - and their growing feelings for one another - to make it out of a burning city alive.
"Stunning prose meets heart-pounding thrills in this tense, fast-paced work of art. A must-read for lovers of history, fantasy and thriller connoisseurs, and those who prefer their romances burning" - Sophie Gonzales, author of Only Mostly Devastated
"Delightful characters and a wonderful queer love story that explodes with heart" - C.S. Pacat, author of Dark Rise
"A beautiful tale of love and self-discovery set against the fall of Pompeii, VESUVIUS is equal parts heart-wrenching and healing. Cass Biehn's stunning debut is sure to cement itself in reader's hearts for years to come" - Pascale Lacelle, author of Curious Tides
"A smart, tender, queer love story set on the precipice of one of the greatest natural disasters in history, Vesuvius seethes with tension, magic, longing, and mystery. I loved the beautifully reimagined world of Pompeii, and I was absolutely rooting for Loren and Felix, two broken boys who find a home in each other, despite the apocalyptic times they find themselves in" - Jamie Pacton, author of The Absinthe Underground and The Vermilion Emporium
"Felix and Loren are your next obsession! Weaving myth and mystery with prose defter than a pickpocket's fingers, Biehn guides readers through lively Roman streets, two boys excavating shadowy histories to find their own fortunes, and what matters most when the world is ending. Vesuvius sings - not of distant heroes but piercingly human defiance, ambition, protectiveness, and a love eternal as any epic" - Leanne Schwartz, author of A Prayer for Vengeance and To a Darker Shore
"Vesuvius is breathtaking and atmospheric, replete with secrets, hauntings, and tender longing. Readers will love this whirlwind visit to Pompeii, and they will fall in love with Felix, Loren, and their dreams - to survive, to remember, and to belong." - Jen St. Jude, author of If Tomorrow Doesn't Come
Erik J. Brown, author of All That's Left in the World
Felix is a cunning thief. Loren is a temple attendant. Thrown together, the boys have to piece together their fates to make it out of a burning city. A stunning queer YA fantasy debut set in ancient Pompeii, for fans of THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END, ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD and LIES WE SING TO THE SEA. Give him your heart. Grasp your destiny. Get out alive.
Clever thief Felix seizes an opportunity to steal a helmet in Pompeii. But as he's chased by a mysterious patrician, Felix discovers the helmet is not only a priceless artefact but a relic of the god Mercury. When Felix touches it, pieces of his forgotten past begin to simmer.
Loren, an aspiring councilman and temple attendant, is plagued by nightmares of Pompeii's destruction. Nightmares that feature Felix, who stumbles into Loren's temple as an earthquake rocks the city.
Loren knows they have mere days to uncover Felix's ties to the relic and to Loren's own dreams if they have any hope of saving Pompeii from the boiling fury of Mount Vesuvius. But the Ancient Roman world is ruled by bloody politics and unstoppable destinies, with dangerous, desperate people lurking in every shadow.
Felix and Loren will have to piece together their fates - and their growing feelings for one another - to make it out of a burning city alive.
"Stunning prose meets heart-pounding thrills in this tense, fast-paced work of art. A must-read for lovers of history, fantasy and thriller connoisseurs, and those who prefer their romances burning" - Sophie Gonzales, author of Only Mostly Devastated
"Delightful characters and a wonderful queer love story that explodes with heart" - C.S. Pacat, author of Dark Rise
"A beautiful tale of love and self-discovery set against the fall of Pompeii, VESUVIUS is equal parts heart-wrenching and healing. Cass Biehn's stunning debut is sure to cement itself in reader's hearts for years to come" - Pascale Lacelle, author of Curious Tides
"A smart, tender, queer love story set on the precipice of one of the greatest natural disasters in history, Vesuvius seethes with tension, magic, longing, and mystery. I loved the beautifully reimagined world of Pompeii, and I was absolutely rooting for Loren and Felix, two broken boys who find a home in each other, despite the apocalyptic times they find themselves in" - Jamie Pacton, author of The Absinthe Underground and The Vermilion Emporium
"Felix and Loren are your next obsession! Weaving myth and mystery with prose defter than a pickpocket's fingers, Biehn guides readers through lively Roman streets, two boys excavating shadowy histories to find their own fortunes, and what matters most when the world is ending. Vesuvius sings - not of distant heroes but piercingly human defiance, ambition, protectiveness, and a love eternal as any epic" - Leanne Schwartz, author of A Prayer for Vengeance and To a Darker Shore
"Vesuvius is breathtaking and atmospheric, replete with secrets, hauntings, and tender longing. Readers will love this whirlwind visit to Pompeii, and they will fall in love with Felix, Loren, and their dreams - to survive, to remember, and to belong." - Jen St. Jude, author of If Tomorrow Doesn't Come
About the author
Cass Biehn (they/them) writes messy queer characters in messier situations, usually with religious politics and always with angsty kissing. Raised in the Utah desert, they obtained their Master of Library Science from Aberystwyth University in rainy Wales before deciding they missed red rocks, rattlesnakes, and sand, and moved back. They now live in North Salt Lake and work in medical device marketing and spend too much time cosplaying and rearranging their bookshelves. You can learn more about them at cassbiehn.com or @cassbeewrites on X (12,000 followers) and Instagram.
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