A review by stang_gt3
Gangster Country by Kade Boehme

4.0

I believe this is the first Kade Boehme book I've read and I have to say I did really enjoy the writing. The characters are engaging and the world is clearly detailed and enriching. That being said the story falls a little short for me being on the slightly unbelievable side. Admittedly if you let that little wrinkle go you'll probably enjoy this story more.

Logan and Gianni as a couple are once wrong step away from exploding as a couple, but you really could feel that they were inexplicably drawn to each other. I liked that we got the intro to how these two met before jumping a year into the future. This story is all about the effects of these two finally getting to see who the other really is...ok so really Logan getting to see who Gianni really is, but that's ok. The people they are as a couple is the heart of who each man is, but the external day to day of Gianni's world has the potential to complete destroy the relationship he and Logan share.

The reality of the world that Gianni grew up in and lives each day isn't the unrealistic part of this. You sympathize with his plight, because it's easy to see how he ended up living in the world he does and following the rules that are expected of him. Logan is the only bright spot in his life and yet just being with Logan puts him in danger and makes him face the reality of his choices.

So where do things go downhill...well it's the actual conflagration that occurs for me. Ok not the event per se so much as how the aftermath plays out.

Spoiler

First of all I don't really think Miguel would let Logan go, secondly there's no way he could just leave the city and be fine to live his life how he likes, and thirdly Gianni wouldn't be allowed to just head out no repercussions to join his man. The only way they could possibly be together in this sort of scenario is Witsec and that's not even really likely. Gianni went to the cops but for the things he's done he'd be in jail for ages himself. Not to mention Miguel's whole "yeah letting you live is worse plan" nope, not buying that with him keeping his street cred. I found the ending got rushed over and I really want to know what actually happened in that car between Miguel and Gianni. I want to know where he's been the last 6 months and what he lived through. Felt a little cheated there honestly

This isn't really a happily ever after scenario in real life, though I do appreciate the author giving these two characters theirs anyway. I'll take it in my fiction. :D