Expected Release Date: June 14, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Samhain
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.joshlanyon.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Official Blurb:
Sometimes the adventure chooses you.
Lover of fine poetry and lousy choose-your-own-adventure novels, Professor Sebastian Swift was once the bad-boy darling of the literati. The only lines he does these days are Browning, Frost and Cummings. Even his relationship with the hot, handsome Wolfe Neck Police Chief Max Prescott is healthy. When one of his most talented students comes to him bruised and begging for help, Swift hands over the keys to his Orson Island cabin—only to find out that the boy’s father is dead and the police are suspicious. In an instant, the stable life Swift has built for himself hangs on finding the boy and convincing him to give himself up before Max figures out Swift’s involvement in the case.
Max enjoys splitting an infinitive or two with his favorite nutty professor, but he’s not much for sonnets or Shakespeare. He likes being lied to even less. Yet his instincts—and his heart—tell him his lover is being played. Max can forgive lies and deception, but a dangerous enemy may not stop until Swift is heading up his own dead poet’s society.
Warning: The Surgeon General has determined that Josh Lanyon’s smart, sexy, sophisticated stories may prove hazardous to your heart.
Professor Sebastian Swift grew up in the limelight. The only child of two brilliant and highly acclaimed poets, he himself was a rising star in literary circles until his drug addiction made him lose everything, including his own father. Now six years recovered, he’s eeking out a life as a Professor at a small university, and has established a relationship with local Police Chief Max Prescott. However, despite his growing feelings for Max, their relationship is slowly stagnating, with neither one pushing the other for actual commitment.
When a student in trouble come to Swift for help, Swift immediately gives him the money from his wallet and keys to his small island cabin, because he knows what it’s like to need to get away from everything and yet have no one to count on. Later that night, however, Swift discovers that the same boy he generously helped that afternoon is the prime suspect in the brutal murder of the boy’s father. Realizing that his lover has already convicted the boy in his mind, Swift risks everything by keeping the information to himself, hoping that he can contact the boy and convince him to turn himself into police.
Things come crashing down for Swift when he discovers that the boy never went to the cabin, and he must come clean to Max about his actions. No matter what Max’s feelings for Swift may be, he cannot stand being lied to, and is understandably furious about Swift’s lie of omission. When it becomes obvious, however, that Swift himself has become a target due to his involvement, Max risks not only his career but also his heart to protect Swift and bring a killer to justice.
What Worked For Me:
- I really enjoyed that every chapter started off with a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style opening that led foreshadowed very beautifully what would happen in the chapter.
- One thing you can always count on from Mr. Lanyon is the amount of depth that even his minor characters have. His main characters, however, really take the cake. Swift felt so incredibly real that my heart broke when he struggled, and I rejoiced when things went his way, and that is truly the mark of an excellent writer.
- While I thoroughly enjoy the mysteries of Mr. Lanyon’s books, I absolutely adored that Swift really didn’t give a flying fig about the murder mystery — he simply wanted to help locate a boy in trouble and salvage his own precarious relationship with Max. Fans of his mysteries won’t be left out, however, because there is a mystery that plays a big part, only the main character is merely caught up in it despite his preferences rather than attempting to solve it.
- The love scenes were wonderful as always, with just enough heat to keep things interesting, while still emphasizing the romance and tenderness between the characters.
- I really enjoyed that Swift was a recovering drug addict. That’s not something that I get to read about often in romances, because let’s face it — addiction isn’t sexy. Mr. Lanyon handled Swift’s past tastefully and with compassion, while still allowing readers to feel his struggle to avoid a relapse when life got incredibly stressful.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
- The only thing I didn’t care for was the climax of the mystery part of the novel. As much as Max had stressed doing things by the book and keeping Swift safe, I found it a little unbelievable he would’ve orchestrated things quite the way he did.
Once again I feel I should start this review with a warning — I love Josh Lanyon. He is, quite literally, one of my favorite authors of all genres, which is definitely saying something, and I’m only slightly joking when I say that I would likely give five stars to his detailing of a character spending 20 chapters over the mystery of how to properly setup his TiVo simply because I know that with his skills, he could make us care for the character and whether or not he was able to DVR his favorite shows. I have read almost all of Mr. Lanyon’s books, and I have finished each and every one with the feeling that I’ve taken the same incredible journey as his characters have. There’s just something about his writing style and characterizations that just draw you into the story and won’t let you go even at the final line. Angsty and romantic, the relationships in his books always feel very realistic, with believable problems and more importantly, very believable happy endings.
This story was no exception. The characters were all incredibly developed, with realistic backstories and personal issues, and the romance itself was achingly beautiful. The underlying murder mystery helped to add excitement to the story without taking anything away from the romance.
A delightfully solid 5/5 Stars.
