Recent Reads: The Family Man and Feral

I have two contemporary stories on my reading blog today, a romantic suspense thriller from AJ Rose and a gritty urban coming of age story by Kate Sherwood. And best of all, both these books are series starters!

I found The Family Man to be an excellent thriller! This story by AJ Rose is based around the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, often deployed to help track down the instigators of the most serious crimes. Agent Tracey Smith is the newbie to the team, fresh faced and eager and armed with people skills that make him the perfect interviewer. In contrast, team leader Jon Anderson is known as “the Ice Man”, rarely showing his feelings.

I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of this intense procedural, and the attraction and chemistry between agents Jon and Tracey only added to the tension and pace of The Family Man. A great read! I’m already looking forward to the next in the Mind Hacker series. What a fabulous start to this new MM romantic suspense series from AJ Rose!

Kate Sherwood is fast becoming a one-click author for me and so I was eager to read Feral, the first in Shelter, her urban contemporary series with an ensemble cast.

This captivating coming-of-age story is about two very different young men, middle-class would-be vet Noah and homeless Shane, brought together due to a mutual love of animals.

As usual with Kate Sherwood‘s books, the combination of character and situational development is compelling. There are no easy answers here but a gradual progression as Noah realises there’s a whole scary and brutal world out there he was previously unaware of and Shane hesitantly learns to trust, bit by bit.

The slow burn was absolutely right for these characters and I completely bought into the vivid and meticulous world building. I found Feral a hugely satisfying read. I can also highly recommend the rest of the excellent Shelter series!

Recent Reads: Badlands and Long Shadows

This week on my reading blog, I have a pair of first books in two marvellous contemporary romantic suspense series, Badlands by Morgan Brice and Long Shadows by Kate Sherwood.

In Badlands, the first book of the series of the same name by Morgan Brice, I was drawn into this engrossing story, part police procedural, part MM Romance with an element of that paranormal that drove the plot.

Simon, a shop owner and a medium, and cop Vic are intriguing characters. Both men land up at the seaside town of Myrtle Beach after a personal and professional crisis. That makes them understandably wary of each other, despite their mutual attraction, compounded by Simon’s psychic gift that gives some insight into a string of local murders.

The backdrop of the transient population of a busy resort was vividly described. I really bought into the burgeoning romance and the tension and sense of danger increased throughout the story as the body count rose. The paranormal aspect was gripping and gave a real insight into both MCs. Badlands and the ensuing series developing Vic and Simon’s relationship are terrific romantic suspense reads from an author I will definitely read more from!

I’m rapidly getting through Kate Sherwood’s backlist and was thrilled to discover that as well as contemporary romance, she has explored romantic suspense in her writing. Long Shadows is a fabulous gritty slow burn of a story with an intriguing premise. LA cop Jericho Crew reluctantly returns to his Montana hometown of Mosely summoned by a family emergency after half a lifetime away.

When he arrives, nothing is as it seems. Jericho is unsure of who to trust as events rapidly unravel, involving the local criminal network and police as well as the wider authorities.

I loved everything about Long Shadows. The way Jericho was thrown into the carefully drawn small town setting, reminded of a past he’d rather forget, and loyalties that might not have stood the test of time. Most of all, the connection with his old friend and former lover Wade sizzled with potential danger and mutual attraction. Fantastic storytelling and the start of the engrossing Common Law series from Kate Sherwood who is fast becoming a one-click author for me.

Recent Reads: Dark Horse and Gives Light

This week, I have two wonderful contemporary romance reads by Kate Sherwood and Rose Christo that kick off two equally compelling series.

Initially, I was a bit daunted by the length of Dark Horse, an MMM romance by Kate Sherwood, but I needn’t have worried as it flowed so beautifully.

This is such an absorbing tale of Dan, trapped in emotional limbo while his long-term partner Justin remains on life support after a horse riding accident. Dan works as a horse trainer for Justin’s parents and is not prepared for the dramatic changes that are barrelling his way.

I loved the slow burn of this story that allowed us to get to know Dan, his troubled drifting younger years and the sense of security he found with Justin. When faced with the prospect of a relationship with wealthy Evan and his older boyfriend Jeff, we feel all of Dan’s emotional turmoil and indecision. He’s a man far more at home with horses than people.

Dark Horse is a gorgeous character study, not only of Dan but of Evan and Jeff, fully exploring the complications of communication and misunderstood feelings. A truly satisfying read and the start of the wonderful and highly recommended Dark Horse series. An absolute delight!

Gives Light by Rose Christo is a Native American Own Voices story that’s been on my radar for a while. Due to the deeply affecting issues raised in the blurb, although I was very keen to read this YA story, I was geared up for an emotionally gruelling read.

So nothing prepared me for the beauty and humanity of this book, shot through with frequently hilarious shafts of humour. Teenager Skylar, mute since childhood, may have an uncertain present and a tragic past, but he’s warm, funny and observant. And once we get past Rafael’s scowl, he’s equally interesting, vivid and quirky.

I loved that we were introduced to the Nettlebush Reserve, its people and customs through Skylar’s eyes as a newcomer which was truly educational and very moving. This is the first of the magnificent Gives Light series, not only charting the life-changing relationship between two young men but also celebrating the Shoshone culture, and its trials both past and present. Simply unforgettable.