Dreamspinner Presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6144
Blurb
As a diehard music fan, a dirty, smoky gig is Vice Squad Detective Danny Jones’s idea of heaven. While watching one of the most popular bands in Northern England, the sight of gorgeous rock star Finn McGovern changes his life forever.
Beneath the tattoos and leather jacket, Finn is kind and sweet, but when he confesses a dark secret to Danny, it tests their fledgling bond. Danny digs deep to accept Finn, but before long, a terrifying trail of death threatens to tear them apart before they’ve even got started.
A monster is killing prostitutes on Danny’s patch, and when a dead girl turns up too close to home, Danny discovers a heartbreaking link between the girl and his bright new life with Finn, a life he’ll do anything to protect.
Review
Danny is a “sort of in the closet” vice detective who meets Finn one night after Finn’s gig. There is instant attraction and some hot sex that leads to an entire weekend of fun. But…
Finn has a secret that keeps him from finding a boyfriend who lasts. When Danny finds out, he’s not really too concerned, but it does make things more difficult.
And… Danny is working a case involving dead prostitutes and it keeps him away from Finn for days at a time.
Ultimately, Finn learns to overcome his fear of rejection and Danny manages to solve the crime and we end with a very solid HEA.
**
This is a short book FULL of subject matter. I really enjoyed the take on Finn’s medical condition. I found it fascinating and a unique subject for the genre.
There was very little angst surrounding Finn and Danny’s relationship. It sort-of flowed forward at a moderately quick pace with spikes of uncertainty mostly rising from Finn. Danny is more of a black box, not nearly as much introspection, but you can tell he cares for Finn deeply.
In a way, the book is almost too full. Since the subject of Finn’s illness is so big, I’m not sure adding in the other “heavy” subject of the dead prostitutes was necessary. To me it detracted from the romance and from the exploration of a disease that hasn’t been covered in this genre much, if at all. I don’t think the sad prostitute stories added enough to justify the neglect to the main theme. I wanted to see Danny interact more with Finn and to see them evolve more as a couple, dealing with the illness and ultimately winning.
I know I am definitely in the minority when I say this, but I loved book one because it was so light and fun, so the return to the darkness was a bit disappointing. I enjoyed the writing, the character building and the emotions Garrett Leigh is so good at drawing from us (she doesn’t disappoint on those fronts) but I had been hoping for a lighter story, similar to book one.
I really enjoyed seeing Will and Jack again – it was funny hearing them described as a couple who didn’t know where to go from here.
Overall, if you’re a Garrett Leigh fan you’ll love this. If you are (like me) a recent reader who loved the light hearted-ness of book one, you may be disappointed in the return to a more dark theme.
4 of 5 hearts
