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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I'd give a 4.5 if I had the option.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Its a murder mystery with snarky male MC's and I loved all their banter.
The story is of Tom and Phil - high school protagonists. Phil leader of a group who harrassed Tom, eventually leading to him, while running from them, being severely injured by a car. It doesn't help that Phil was Tom's secret crush.
Back in the now, Phil returns to town as an ex cop turned PI - and gay! Tom helps the local PD, using his psychic powers to find things. The two meet again on a murder case - and the games begin. Secrets abound, and not just between Tom and Phil. Some great support characters and we see Tom actually working, love the thought of him going to meetings after having his arm up a blocked pipe!
The murder investigation throws up some quintessential english village residents and twists and turns.
The growing attraction between Phil and Tom proceeds through revelations from Phil's past.
I really enjoyed the book, it's more focussed on the buildup of the relationship of Tom and Phil than lots of heavy sex which is fine, though I felt I'd have liked a bit more depth to them. So if you want lots of sex, you'll be a bit disappointed but if you enjoy a good British yarn, you'll love it!
18.8.15 reread : ah, the start of Tom and Phil! I just love the interactions between these two, the snarky banter. The cosy mystery is a good one too with lots of village secrets and potential do-badders!
20.3.18 reread : I do enjoy Tom and his cheeky chappie ways. Phil is more of an enigma and a bit of a grump. Having read this a couple of times, the murderer sprung to mind as soon as he appeared but still enjoyable to go the journey.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Its a murder mystery with snarky male MC's and I loved all their banter.
The story is of Tom and Phil - high school protagonists. Phil leader of a group who harrassed Tom, eventually leading to him, while running from them, being severely injured by a car. It doesn't help that Phil was Tom's secret crush.
Back in the now, Phil returns to town as an ex cop turned PI - and gay! Tom helps the local PD, using his psychic powers to find things. The two meet again on a murder case - and the games begin. Secrets abound, and not just between Tom and Phil. Some great support characters and we see Tom actually working, love the thought of him going to meetings after having his arm up a blocked pipe!
The murder investigation throws up some quintessential english village residents and twists and turns.
The growing attraction between Phil and Tom proceeds through revelations from Phil's past.
I really enjoyed the book, it's more focussed on the buildup of the relationship of Tom and Phil than lots of heavy sex which is fine, though I felt I'd have liked a bit more depth to them. So if you want lots of sex, you'll be a bit disappointed but if you enjoy a good British yarn, you'll love it!
18.8.15 reread : ah, the start of Tom and Phil! I just love the interactions between these two, the snarky banter. The cosy mystery is a good one too with lots of village secrets and potential do-badders!
20.3.18 reread : I do enjoy Tom and his cheeky chappie ways. Phil is more of an enigma and a bit of a grump. Having read this a couple of times, the murderer sprung to mind as soon as he appeared but still enjoyable to go the journey.
DNF 45%
Phil is still a bully and Tom is a doormat..
Just because he’s hot you’ll do any of his bidding? idiot..
Phil is still a bully and Tom is a doormat..
Just because he’s hot you’ll do any of his bidding? idiot..
I really enjoyed this offering from J.L. Merrow. It has all the elements to make a book a great read: a good 'voice', sexy, interesting MC's and a storyline with some teeth.
Tom, the humble plumber is a fun and interesting character. He has been gifted (although he's really not sure at times if it truly is a gift) with the ability to find things that have been hidden. While helping the local police with a case, he runs into an old protagonist, Phil a P.I.
The relationship between Tom and Phil is complicated due to a lot of things that have happened in the past. And the case that Tom was helping the police with, and Phil is investigating as well, makes things even worse. Needless to say romance doesn't come swiftly, nor easily to them.
Tom, the humble plumber is a fun and interesting character. He has been gifted (although he's really not sure at times if it truly is a gift) with the ability to find things that have been hidden. While helping the local police with a case, he runs into an old protagonist, Phil a P.I.
The relationship between Tom and Phil is complicated due to a lot of things that have happened in the past. And the case that Tom was helping the police with, and Phil is investigating as well, makes things even worse. Needless to say romance doesn't come swiftly, nor easily to them.
On the surface, a story of a homosexual plumber with psychic tendencies drawn into a murder investigation with an old school nemesis. Underneath this was a story that took a swipe at homophobic society - showing the damage done to those who were just as nature intended them to be.
An enjoyable read but not memorable, like others didn't get quite a connection between the 2 MC's.
An enjoyable read but not memorable, like others didn't get quite a connection between the 2 MC's.
Unfortunately, I really didn't like this book or the one that follows. I've been reading a lot of paranormal psychic books lately and thought this one would be a good addition. This definitely missed the mark. I'm sure lots of people will love it. If you just want a very low key romance (very low key) and the main focus to be a basic mystery with a bit of action at the very end of the novel...then this is the book for you. I definitely want more romance and more focus on his psychic powers (which he uses even less in the next book). I was wondering why the author even gave the MC powers/psychic gift at all. Would have felt better to just have a plumber/cop light romance. I also didn't enjoy the British aspect, but I have a feeling that is just me. So I hope that other readers enjoy this but I will not be continuing on to book 3 until I have run out of books to read.
What do you get when you have a plumber as your MC. . .
and a grizzly private investigator. . .
engaging in an enemies to lovers romance. . .
that's set in a quaint and sleepy English Village
where. . .
including a cat. . .
and all kinds of shenanigans are afoot. . .
that result in a million and one (or maybe just three) questions about whodunit. . .
Spoiler
YES.Spoiler
YES.Spoiler
MAYBE . . . Ah, come on. Do you think I'm going to spoil everything?but the whodunit was sufficiently mysterious that I was entirely clueless as to whodunit until it was obvious whodunit which made me feel like a noob for not getting whodunit much earlier than I did. . .
So lemme ask you again. What do you get?
I'll tell you.
You essentially get a m/m version of. . .
which is totally and utterly. . .
and therefore means you should definitely read it . . . OR ELSE.
This book features another great narrator MC from JL Merrow. Tom is funny, snarky, kind and self-aware. He had a painful and life-changing trauma in his past but he has very little self-pity and has made a life he's content with. The British idioms were in full force and I personally love the flavor they lend to the book. The mystery is well presented, although not too hard to figure out, and the supporting characters are great. The touch of paranormal works well and doesn't overwhelm the book or force any suspension of belief.
As always when a book is written from one POV, it is harder to get to know the other MC. Phil was appealing, but a little closed off and still a bit of a mystery at the end of the book. I thought that Tom was quick to put aside what had been a very violent and fact-based dislike of Phil. I was looking for more angst between the characters over their mutual past. But the narration had a lot of charm and the well-rounded story made this book a pleasure to read.
As always when a book is written from one POV, it is harder to get to know the other MC. Phil was appealing, but a little closed off and still a bit of a mystery at the end of the book. I thought that Tom was quick to put aside what had been a very violent and fact-based dislike of Phil. I was looking for more angst between the characters over their mutual past. But the narration had a lot of charm and the well-rounded story made this book a pleasure to read.