At first, I thought I'd found a real hidden gem with this one. The world-building was really interesting, but it lost momentum at some point 2.5 stars
At first, I thought I'd found a real hidden gem with this one. The world-building was really interesting, but it lost momentum at some point (I waited too long to rate this, so the details are fuzzy...) and I never really bought the connection with the love interest. Good enough to finish, but no interest in continuing the series
Part of my "Two-star Ratings Do Not Make Me the Devil" Era!!! I rate a lot of good books 3 stars because they didn't contend with my favorites for whatever reason (sometimes small, sometimes very personal), so I've decided I have to be more honest about 2 stars = It's ok...more
It's well-written and a quick read, but I can't give it three stars since I didn't actually *enjoy* it. Mostly because there's way more of th2.5 stars
It's well-written and a quick read, but I can't give it three stars since I didn't actually *enjoy* it. Mostly because there's way more of the bad kind of tension than the good kind.
The teenage drama didn't bother me from, like, a moral perspective or anything. I mean...they're teenagers. The MC actually handles the situation with his "girlfriend" pretty well from that standpoint -- if you take the initial decision out of the equation :)
But I didn't feel like there was enough buildup between him and the cousin before the drama started. The pieces were there, and it was quickly building in that direction, but the author jumped the gun on bringing in the other characters and changing the dynamic. And then it was just Non. Stop. TENSION. I don't know how the MC could handle living it because I could barely handle reading it!
Everyone is just constantly arguing and the new dude is so fucking MEAN. The way he treats the MC for the majority of the book is plain unacceptable, and the "girlfriend" and the cousin both brush it off "because he's not usually like that," "he's just being protective," blahblahblah "reasons" that leaves the MC in a seriously shitty position that they're majorly underestimating because of how well he's handling something that he shouldn't have to handle at all.
So obviously the writer is talented because I truly *felt* all of this, but this was also the stretch where most of the relationship-building with the cousin was happening, and that's the part I wanted to read about. But those were all short scenes in between these long, drawn-out angsty scenes that were making me feel violent!!
Then we went through all that for an ending that felt abrupt and therefore extremely unsatisfying. So I don't know. The author is definitely a talented writer, but I'm not sure we're on the same page as far as what I want to read in my romances....more
This was fun. Not much depth or sophistication to the romance since it takes a while for the love interest to show up, but this one's more about the jThis was fun. Not much depth or sophistication to the romance since it takes a while for the love interest to show up, but this one's more about the journey. Barry has such a good heart and easy-going attitude about the whole thing, that it makes for an amusing little diversion. Makes me want to track down the book that kept popping up on my feed last Christmas with a similar premise......more
DNF around 23% a couple of weeks ago, but it's all me, not the book. I always think I like this dry, dry, DRY Raymond Chandler type mystery writing stDNF around 23% a couple of weeks ago, but it's all me, not the book. I always think I like this dry, dry, DRY Raymond Chandler type mystery writing style a lot better than I actually do. Apparently I need a reminder about once a decade :) In another week/month/year, I probably would have finished it.
The time period it was both set and written in didn't help either. I was alive, but barely, and I was very aware that I was missing some of the humor/details/subtleties just by my lack of familiarity with the setting....more
I read the first two of these novellas together, but I've decided not to continue even though I absolutely love the MCs. They are just two good peopleI read the first two of these novellas together, but I've decided not to continue even though I absolutely love the MCs. They are just two good people being good to and for each other, and there really isn't enough of that in romance.
I think the problem for me is the shorter story length makes it feel like both the paranormal plot and the romance plot are getting short-changed. They don't feel underdeveloped, just ... fast-forwarded at the end. It somehow makes the conclusions to the paranormal plots feel unsatisfying, even though I enjoyed all the individual pieces of them, and the relationship doesn't develop quite enough per book, even though they're fully together so I don't really know how to explain that.
It's definitely just a personal preference, and I can absolutely see why these are popular....more
So I just binged this 6-book series in a little over 24 hours, and I may have made a mistake not rating each book as I went! I go back and forth on thSo I just binged this 6-book series in a little over 24 hours, and I may have made a mistake not rating each book as I went! I go back and forth on this when I'm reading this kind of series because, as a binger -- very much the upside to being a little late to the m/m party :) -- I'm usually judging the series as a whole.
But this one is written episodic-ly, and I think it's the best use of this format I've read. All the books are short, quick reads that center on a case/investigation/particular set of special agent-y events that frame the narrative and drive the plot but the relationship between the MCs is really the heart of the books, which was AWESOME.
I am forever picking up these kinds of series, even though I rarely get very far with them, because when I find one that hits the romance right I absolutely love them.
And this one did overall, but also....hooooooooboy these guys are quite the tangle.
The first book drops you right in the middle of that tangle, and I'm glad I read the reviews first because I think I would have fallen in the "frustratingly lost" camp had I not.
Technically this info is all in the blurb (minus one detail), but I think you need to know these three things going in to not go a little crazy trying to understand what the hell is happening:
(view spoiler)[ 1. These guys have been work partners and best friends for years, and at some point Taylor realized he was in love with Will. This all came out in a messy way one night when Taylor got super drunk.
2. The next day, before the guys have a chance to clarify what the hell happened the night before, Taylor is shot and severely wounded.
3. The book starts six weeks later, in the middle of a backpacking trip, with this conversation still hanging over their heads as Taylor prepares to return to work the next week. (hide spoiler)]
I'm spoiler tagging it, but IÂ really think this book was in desperate need of a prologue. I can't see a single benefit to not knowing this info going in, and it definitely would have detracted from my enjoyment to not understand what the guys are talking about from the get-go.
But I did, so I enjoyed the hell out of it. It's a great setup for the series (with no cliffhanger), the action plot zips along at the perfect pace and the only time I questioned the logic/realism was the sex scene (view spoiler)[in the hot spring! (hide spoiler)] That would HURT.
Will can be frustrating, but here's the thing: There are absolute downsides to knowing someone so well *before* you start a relationship. To know, with absolute certainty, what the challenges of this specific relationship are going to be is somehow scarier than going in blind. It makes you feel like a crazy person to even consider taking the chance.
And when you're that close to someone, and literally the only thing making your relationship platonic is the lack of physical benefits, it really does become the line in the sand between Before and After.
What can feel so contrived sometimes rang so true here, but that's how I always feel about Josh Lanyon. If you like these kinds of series, I don't think you can go wrong with this one -- as long as you read those "spoilers" first :)...more
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