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kaity_b's review against another edition
4.0
3.5-4 stars
It was a good read enjoyed the mystery! The relationship left a lot to be desired, probably because Mac is closeted… but overalll I really like the book.
JF Harding did a good job narrating, and I know the rest of the books are planning on coming out this year on audio so I will wait for them to continue the series.
It was a good read enjoyed the mystery! The relationship left a lot to be desired, probably because Mac is closeted… but overalll I really like the book.
JF Harding did a good job narrating, and I know the rest of the books are planning on coming out this year on audio so I will wait for them to continue the series.
raynebair's review
4.0
I loved the action and suspense in this one. It seems lately many of the m/m romances lack this main stream aspect. I hate that Tony and Mac are hiding their relationship. I could never do that. I am too much of an open book to hide something that is such a big part of my life with my family and friends. I look forward to reading the rest of this series, in hopes that they get their "someday".
mikibooks's review
3.0
No estuvo mal para una lectura livianita de verano, sin muchas más pretensiones literarias ni argumentales. Un par de ingredientes bastante conocidos, de la mano de una autora que no parece pretender mucho más de sus libros que arrojar una buena historia sólida. Lo cual no está mal de ninguna manera, pero que a mí me supo a poco.
La trama policial no es del todo entretenida ni contiene elementos electrificantes, como personalmente espero del género, y hay partes que se extienden demasiado sin mucha necesidad. La resolución final del conflicto, por ejemplo, tiene demasiados párrafos al divino botón. Yo como lectora realmente disfruto más los escritores que toman algún riesgo, que se la juegan al presentar una historia. Me resultó un tanto complaciente con ciertos ingredientes que se esperan de una historia romántica como esta.
Y sé que para muchos puede ser una completa tontería, y realmente aparece una sola vez al comienzo del libro, pero me sacó de lugar el uso del término "Hispanic". No quiere decir nada, gente. Absolutamente nada. Es sólo una irreal fusión de clichés sobre lo "latino". Si querés darle una identidad fuera de EEUU hay muchos países para elegir. Pensá alguno que cuadre con el personaje o la situación, buscá su gentilicio y lo tenés resuelto.
Imagino que voy a leer el segundo porque me interesa saber de qué manera Harper resuelve la historia entre los dos protagonistas, pero no está entre mis prioridades.
La trama policial no es del todo entretenida ni contiene elementos electrificantes, como personalmente espero del género, y hay partes que se extienden demasiado sin mucha necesidad. La resolución final del conflicto, por ejemplo, tiene demasiados párrafos al divino botón. Yo como lectora realmente disfruto más los escritores que toman algún riesgo, que se la juegan al presentar una historia. Me resultó un tanto complaciente con ciertos ingredientes que se esperan de una historia romántica como esta.
Y sé que para muchos puede ser una completa tontería, y realmente aparece una sola vez al comienzo del libro, pero me sacó de lugar el uso del término "Hispanic". No quiere decir nada, gente. Absolutamente nada. Es sólo una irreal fusión de clichés sobre lo "latino". Si querés darle una identidad fuera de EEUU hay muchos países para elegir. Pensá alguno que cuadre con el personaje o la situación, buscá su gentilicio y lo tenés resuelto.
Imagino que voy a leer el segundo porque me interesa saber de qué manera Harper resuelve la historia entre los dos protagonistas, pero no está entre mis prioridades.
layla87's review
4.0
This was my first Kaje Harper book and #ColorMeAshamed.
This was SO GOOD!!
Q: Oh exciting!! What are the tropes?
A: Closeted MC, Mystery-Whodunnit, Hurt-Comfort
Q: This sounds good! What about the characters?
A: We got Mac, the closeted detective, who was stretched too thin between his home life. His work and meeting an intriguing man who unleashed special feelings. #ThatAlienFeeling
Then we have Tony, the teacher who witnesses a heinous crime, finds himself inexplicably attracted to the detective and craving his presence. #ASpecialKindOfPerson
The characters sound good!! What about the Romance-o-meter?
A: Swoony romance, the pacing slow and just right. #Perfect
Aww cute! and the Angst-o-meter?
A: Medium-low angst.
Steam-o-meter?
A: Medium steam, sexy and sweet.
Is there an HEA?
A: There is an HFN. This is the first book in the series.
Niggles:
The mystery was a bit underwhelming. It could have been done better or more intricately.
This was SO GOOD!!
Q: Oh exciting!! What are the tropes?
A: Closeted MC, Mystery-Whodunnit, Hurt-Comfort
Q: This sounds good! What about the characters?
A: We got Mac, the closeted detective, who was stretched too thin between his home life. His work and meeting an intriguing man who unleashed special feelings. #ThatAlienFeeling
Then we have Tony, the teacher who witnesses a heinous crime, finds himself inexplicably attracted to the detective and craving his presence. #ASpecialKindOfPerson
The characters sound good!! What about the Romance-o-meter?
A: Swoony romance, the pacing slow and just right. #Perfect
Aww cute! and the Angst-o-meter?
A: Medium-low angst.
Steam-o-meter?
A: Medium steam, sexy and sweet.
Is there an HEA?
A: There is an HFN. This is the first book in the series.
Niggles:
The mystery was a bit underwhelming. It could have been done better or more intricately.
ofbooksandromance's review
4.0
3.5 “I want to try[…] with you.” stars
I’ve never called anyone “babe” in my life. Pet names. Sharing a bed. Being willing to do anything to keep him safe. What next? Mac was scared as hell, but he couldn’t wait to find out.
I have had this book on my TBR for an embarassingly long number of years and with it being rereleased, I decided that now was finally the time for me to read it. And boy am I beating myself up for waiting so long to read this one because I had such a good time reading this book.
Brief summary
Tony is a teacher and one night he is working at the school he teaches at and he stumbles upon one of his collegue who is dead and has a knife in his back. Mac is an homicide detective and they met because of that what happened at the school. They start hanging out together because of the case and they fall in love.
First, Mac is closeted and he has no intentions of ever coming out. I really liked how that part of the book was done. I really enjoyed how he had a reason that was realistic and understandable for staying in the closet, I probably wouldn’t have been very eager to come out if I was in his situation too, so that really worked for me. And I liked how we got to see him experience being closeted through his point of view and the effects it had on him. I really enjoyed how we got to see how being closeted affected Mac’s life and how he wished that things could be different but it was hard for him to imagine how he could make that work too. I really enjoyed how we got to see during Mac’s point of view of how being closeted for so much time affected him and his actions, that part really worked for me. Also I really appreciated how Tony was super sweet about it and never told Mac that he had to come out or made him feel bad about being closeted, that part just really worked for me.
Side note, this is a small detail but one that is very important to me. Mac had a wife but she died before the book started. I will be honest, the trope of a gay man who married a woman when he knew he is gay is very triggering for me and it’s hard for me to read a book in which that trope is featured but I really appreciated how it was done in this book. Mac had married his ex-wife for the legal benefits and she had known the entire time that he is gay. The fact that he didn’t lie to his ex-wife for such a long period of time really worked for me and I was a big fan of it.
Second, I really enjoyed Mac and Tony together, they were a good couple and they balanced each other out really nicely. However, I felt like how they got together was a little too fast for the events in the plot, mostly everything that had good reasons to keep the apart, I just wished that there was a little more pining and everything before they got together, but thats just a preference. I really enjoyed the time that they spent together and I felt like they were well suited for each other. Also I really enjoyed how they were always there for each other, that was so sweet and I adored it.
Third, I really enjoy following investigations in books and I really liked how much of the investigation we got to see in this book. I liked that we got to see every parts of the investigation and that we got to follow the characters around while they were investigating what happened. I do wish that the mystery was a little less predictable, because I guessed the suspect a little too early for me to have a lot of fun trying to put all the clues together. But I did really enjoy how the we got to see so much of the investigation happening on page.
As this is the first book in a four book series about the same couple, don’t be surprised when you find me reading the next book in this series very soon, because I really enjoyed this book and I just need to know what will happen to these guys in the next book.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
I’ve never called anyone “babe” in my life. Pet names. Sharing a bed. Being willing to do anything to keep him safe. What next? Mac was scared as hell, but he couldn’t wait to find out.
I have had this book on my TBR for an embarassingly long number of years and with it being rereleased, I decided that now was finally the time for me to read it. And boy am I beating myself up for waiting so long to read this one because I had such a good time reading this book.
Brief summary
Tony is a teacher and one night he is working at the school he teaches at and he stumbles upon one of his collegue who is dead and has a knife in his back. Mac is an homicide detective and they met because of that what happened at the school. They start hanging out together because of the case and they fall in love.
First, Mac is closeted and he has no intentions of ever coming out. I really liked how that part of the book was done. I really enjoyed how he had a reason that was realistic and understandable for staying in the closet, I probably wouldn’t have been very eager to come out if I was in his situation too, so that really worked for me. And I liked how we got to see him experience being closeted through his point of view and the effects it had on him. I really enjoyed how we got to see how being closeted affected Mac’s life and how he wished that things could be different but it was hard for him to imagine how he could make that work too. I really enjoyed how we got to see during Mac’s point of view of how being closeted for so much time affected him and his actions, that part really worked for me. Also I really appreciated how Tony was super sweet about it and never told Mac that he had to come out or made him feel bad about being closeted, that part just really worked for me.
Side note, this is a small detail but one that is very important to me. Mac had a wife but she died before the book started. I will be honest, the trope of a gay man who married a woman when he knew he is gay is very triggering for me and it’s hard for me to read a book in which that trope is featured but I really appreciated how it was done in this book. Mac had married his ex-wife for the legal benefits and she had known the entire time that he is gay. The fact that he didn’t lie to his ex-wife for such a long period of time really worked for me and I was a big fan of it.
Second, I really enjoyed Mac and Tony together, they were a good couple and they balanced each other out really nicely. However, I felt like how they got together was a little too fast for the events in the plot, mostly everything that had good reasons to keep the apart, I just wished that there was a little more pining and everything before they got together, but thats just a preference. I really enjoyed the time that they spent together and I felt like they were well suited for each other. Also I really enjoyed how they were always there for each other, that was so sweet and I adored it.
Third, I really enjoy following investigations in books and I really liked how much of the investigation we got to see in this book. I liked that we got to see every parts of the investigation and that we got to follow the characters around while they were investigating what happened. I do wish that the mystery was a little less predictable, because I guessed the suspect a little too early for me to have a lot of fun trying to put all the clues together. But I did really enjoy how the we got to see so much of the investigation happening on page.
As this is the first book in a four book series about the same couple, don’t be surprised when you find me reading the next book in this series very soon, because I really enjoyed this book and I just need to know what will happen to these guys in the next book.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
teresab78's review
4.0
Great mystery, great chemistry, solid story. Looking forward to the next book.
adammm's review
4.0
4.5 rounded down.
I saw this floating around my Goodreads newsfeed last month and thought I'd give it a go, even though I wasn't overly impressed by my last read by Kaje Harper. I'm glad I did. The book is quite strong overall, managing to succeed in spite of what I consider to be significant handicaps - namely being written pre-gay marriage (aka the early 2010s) and featuring a love interest who is not and never plans to be out. The book managed to suck me in with some strong characterization, great writing, and a gripping plot. I will admit that it certainly reads dated (references to queer people not being able to get married...), the killer was a bit obvious, and to be quite honest, I find myself skeptical about whether or not police detective Mac is doing things by the book in his investigation. Regardless of any qualms I may have, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone interested in gay mysteries or willing to overlook its slightly dated nature.
I saw this floating around my Goodreads newsfeed last month and thought I'd give it a go, even though I wasn't overly impressed by my last read by Kaje Harper. I'm glad I did. The book is quite strong overall, managing to succeed in spite of what I consider to be significant handicaps - namely being written pre-gay marriage (aka the early 2010s) and featuring a love interest who is not and never plans to be out. The book managed to suck me in with some strong characterization, great writing, and a gripping plot. I will admit that it certainly reads dated (references to queer people not being able to get married...), the killer was a bit obvious, and to be quite honest, I find myself skeptical about whether or not police detective Mac is doing things by the book in his investigation. Regardless of any qualms I may have, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone interested in gay mysteries or willing to overlook its slightly dated nature.
ellelainey's review
5.0
I adored this book. This is my favourite Kaje Harper story so far, and that's saying a lot. I've loved everything I've read until now.
This one made me laugh, snort, cry, smile...all the embarrassing little things. Snorting in the middle of the night and hoping someone thinks you're snoring. Choking on a drink because you can't laugh and swallow at the same time. Unable to read the next line because your eyes are welling up and the writing is jumping all over the place.
This book did it all for me. I love, love, love Tony and Mac and Marty and the kids. They're bundles of cuteness wrapped up in cotton balls of deliciousness. Once again the author combines a full, intriguing story, this time a murder mystery, with excellent character exploration. There is no HEA with this story, but I like to think there could be. The entire story, down to Mac's insecurities and the ending, are all believable and the most we could hope for considering the characters.
I love it and I think it will become a yearly read for me.
This one made me laugh, snort, cry, smile...all the embarrassing little things. Snorting in the middle of the night and hoping someone thinks you're snoring. Choking on a drink because you can't laugh and swallow at the same time. Unable to read the next line because your eyes are welling up and the writing is jumping all over the place.
This book did it all for me. I love, love, love Tony and Mac and Marty and the kids. They're bundles of cuteness wrapped up in cotton balls of deliciousness. Once again the author combines a full, intriguing story, this time a murder mystery, with excellent character exploration. There is no HEA with this story, but I like to think there could be. The entire story, down to Mac's insecurities and the ending, are all believable and the most we could hope for considering the characters.
I love it and I think it will become a yearly read for me.
nicola949's review
5.0
Love the combination of characters (Tony the teacher & Mac the cop) and the development of the relationship between the two. There is a good balance of background and soul searching along with mystery and drama. Definitely a good start to the series.
bibliophile24's review
4.0
I would have given it 5 stars if the hostage situation hadn't taken up 26% of the book. It was just too long, and I got bored. It got better when it got back to Tony and Mac. I enjoyed the rest of it enough I downloaded the sequel.