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lezreadalot's review
3.0
“‘Intimacy issues’ is code for ‘I haven’t met the right person.’”
“And what is ‘trust issues’ code for?”
Pierce held his gaze. “I’m afraid to believe I’ve met the right person.”
So here's the thing about this book. There's a plot twist that's not meant to be a plot twist. It's a surprise to the characters but it's not a surprise to the reader. At first I thought this was just bad writing, and I've seen a few reviews that mirror that, that say it was 'too obvious'. But the thing is, I don't think that detail was supposed to be a mystery for the reader? I think laying the foundation early, and building the story knowing that the reader most likely caught on to that piece of information (and I mean it was NOT subtle) was very much part of the writer's plan for this book. If it wasn't, I would seriously be baffled. This is the sort of twist where if it had been sprung on me at 80% I would have just been annoyed. I think it worked out well this way, and after all, there were other facets to the mystery that had to be found out (facets that I didn't see coming, but in hindsight they make sense).
All that to say: this was a serviceable mystery and I liked it! More so in the beginning. It kept me on my toes, and it was one of those things where like, I was constantly engaged, constantly thinking about things (as I love doing) but I never actually really settled on a culprit in my mind, and I ended up being mildly surprised by the reveals (though again, I was able to look back and see how it made sense). Some parts of the final reveals irritated me deeply, but that's subjective, because it involved a trope/theme I just don't like, especially when it pops up in mysteries and thrillers. There were also a few details that made me raise me brows or just made me annoyed, because I am, as ever, kinda picky.
The best part of this for me was the romance! I just really liked the... well, the romance of it all, just in terms of the setup and Griff and Pierce's dynamic. I really liked their chemistry, and how it eventually overpowered their initial animosity. It does mirror a certain story that I won't mention because it's a spoiler, but now I want to read a lot more with that dynamic/trope!
Listened to the audiobook as read by Jeremy York, who is fairly new to me, and I liked it a lot.
This was my first Lanyon mystery, and I'm definitely willing to give her another try. 3.5 stars.
3r3buh's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
missawn's review
3.0
This came so perilously close to being perfect, but somehow came up short in the end. I think a big part of that for me was the lack of chemistry between the two MCs. The story happens too quickly, and there isn't enough time to develop the depth and growth needed by this otherwise well written story. There are times that literally we went from "I hate you, goodbye" to "I love you" in the span of 15 minutes! Too sudden for me ... I didn't feel it. Both MCs started off as distant but instead of that slow burn progression I was longing for from mutual dislike to love ... we got painful whiplash and confusing inconsistencies that jarred the reader into doubting what was real. The lack of chemistry and wasted potential was sadly this book's biggest downfall. Had the love story (and the mystery for that matter) been spread out over a long period and developed gradually, I may have felt the connection more (one week isn't really enough for the kind of bonding that was implied).
Still there are things that I loved about this book ... the writing as always from Josh Lanyon was impeccable ... and the sprinkling of Great Gatsby themes and images was a very lovely touch. A common trait for most of the books that I have read by this author, I found that there was an over emphasis on the mystery SL which overshadowed and watered down the love story a little bit too much. I just wish there was more between Pierce and Griff to hold the rest of the book together ... that would have made this book perfect for me.
Still there are things that I loved about this book ... the writing as always from Josh Lanyon was impeccable ... and the sprinkling of Great Gatsby themes and images was a very lovely touch. A common trait for most of the books that I have read by this author, I found that there was an over emphasis on the mystery SL which overshadowed and watered down the love story a little bit too much. I just wish there was more between Pierce and Griff to hold the rest of the book together ... that would have made this book perfect for me.
sarful's review
5.0
4.5
What a well done mystery. This book has this old school out of touch wealthy family, mixed in with slight noir and wholly influenced by The Great Gadsby, that flows in throughout the whole book.
Griff comes into town to write a book on the mysterious kidnapping that had happened 20 years ago from an incredibly wealthy family estate. He’s met with Pierce, the family lawyer and a hard man to read. There’s a quality about him Griff is both intrigued by and suspicious of. Strange things begin to happen and it seems personal. Griff has a strong connection to the mystery, a pull to the town, a seemingly too quick love for Pierce and it unnerves him as the story begins to unravel.
I don’t know if it was because of how great the reader was for the audio, but I was completely hooked on Griff’s investigative journey and I was surprised by the ending. I mean you know the answer is right there, but you just can’t put you’re finger on it. Great reading and great individual voices for each character. Probably just the mixture of good writing a good reader.
I really enjoy how Lanyon writes her mysteries. And I love it when her mysterious men turn out to be so romantic when they finally spill their feelings.
What a well done mystery. This book has this old school out of touch wealthy family, mixed in with slight noir and wholly influenced by The Great Gadsby, that flows in throughout the whole book.
Griff comes into town to write a book on the mysterious kidnapping that had happened 20 years ago from an incredibly wealthy family estate. He’s met with Pierce, the family lawyer and a hard man to read. There’s a quality about him Griff is both intrigued by and suspicious of. Strange things begin to happen and it seems personal. Griff has a strong connection to the mystery, a pull to the town, a seemingly too quick love for Pierce and it unnerves him as the story begins to unravel.
I don’t know if it was because of how great the reader was for the audio, but I was completely hooked on Griff’s investigative journey and I was surprised by the ending. I mean you know the answer is right there, but you just can’t put you’re finger on it. Great reading and great individual voices for each character. Probably just the mixture of good writing a good reader.
I really enjoy how Lanyon writes her mysteries. And I love it when her mysterious men turn out to be so romantic when they finally spill their feelings.
cheri_champagne's review
3.0
The idea for this one was decent, though I've seen it before. The writing was good, I was just disappointed with the pacing (it was very slow), the lack of a hearty mystery (I'd solved all mysteries by the first 1/4 mark), and the chemistry between our heroes.
emmascc's review
4.0
i'll admit, i had the whole mystery solved from around halfway through except for who took brian. still was a really enjoyable read, and i loved griff and pierce
merny88's review
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0