CLARK DEHART

For an explorer, sometimes love is the greatest adventure.

QUERY LETTER:

SUNSETS DOWN UNDER is a 90,000-word, adult LGBTQ+ contemporary romance novel, set in Australia in 1981. This is a standalone novel with series potential. It will appeal to the readers of Ali Hazelwood’s Love, Theoretically for its “flirtatious in STEM” vibes; Something Wild and Wonderful by Anita Kelly; Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb; and Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid for navigating a career while falling in love with a LGBTQ coworker.

American explorer Ryan Miller is blamed for a research expedition gone terribly wrong. To redeem himself in the eyes of his supervisor, he must lead a team deep into the Australian Outback, along the Dingo Fence: a 5,000-mile-long barrier snaking through the very heart of the continent. While his teammates fanaticize about love and adventure abroad, Ryan’s solely focused on ensuring “no one gets left behind.”

With his career on the line, the very last thing Ryan needs is an unexpected addition to his crew. Yet, the British Broadcasting Corporation sends the devilishly charming and handsome wildlife filmmaker Thom Henderson to accompany their trek across Australia. Thom is infuriatingly headstrong and an ever-present thorn in Ryan’s side. Problem is, he may not mind being pricked.

Along the journey, Ryan tries to keep his work responsibilities and relationship with Thom separate, fearing it will dash his reputation or worse, he’ll be abandoned by yet another man he loves. He struggles with the expectation to be an infallible leader, maintain heteronormative appearances as the “face” of the Smithsonian’s explorer division, and star in Thom’s nature documentary. Ultimately, Ryan must decide if his career as an explorer is as important as savoring every sunset with the man who’s turned his world upside down.