Book Reviews

Book Blurb

“I was in free fall the moment we met, and I just keep falling.”

Small town police officer Silas Sloane knows every resident of O’Leary, New York. He’s earned the love and respect of its citizens, though living under the small-town microscope grates on him. But though he’s good at his job, there’s one thing he’s not good at: commitments… Until Everett.

Widower Everett Maior, O’Leary’s newest citizen, came to the small town kicking and screaming. He never wanted to become primary caretaker for his grandfather and has no interest in living the provincial life. Snarky and superstitious, he’s proficient at keeping people at a distance... Until he lays eyes on Silas.

Strange disappearances are plaguing O’Leary, though, even as Silas and Everett find their growing attraction undeniable. Can they find their way to a future together, even as ghosts from the past threaten to tear them apart?

 

Book Review

Welcome to O’Leary, New York, the greatest small town imaginable. In fact, it was what I imagined when I moved to a very small town only to discover the reality is not the same. This is why I shall continue to love the fictional small towns created by authors such as May Archer, and grit my teeth on a daily basis in my own small town.

 

Everett is an artist, a widower at the young age of twenty-nine, and a recent transplant to O’Leary. He has moved here for a year to take care of his grandpa Hen, even though they’ve never gotten along, and to teach art at the elementary school. Ev is convinced that he’s going to be teaching the offspring of backwoods troglodytes, and thus is determined to do one year and then he’s back to Boston. His first introduction to O’Leary (well, really, it’s the route to get into the town) and a citizen, or an O’Learian as they refer to themselves, isn’t the greatest. Granted, I would have been in a less than stellar mood myself had I just wrapped my car around a tree on a pitch-black two-lane winding, curving monstrosity of a road, and was stuck schlepping down the road carrying my pissed-off cat in her carrier, limping because I banged my knee in the accident, and having to use the flashlight on my phone to see anything. Then, to be accosted by a sheriff deputy and accused of being a drunk, irresponsible teenager, would have lit my temper on fire. Trust me when I say the scene is hilarious!

 

Silas has lived in O’Leary his whole life and even though he’s used to how it works, i.e. gossip, inaccurate facts being spread around, everyone knowing everyone’s business, etc., doesn’t mean that he has any intention of ever being the recipient of said gossip. This is why Silas is commitment-cautious and prefers to handle his hookups out of the general vicinity of O’Leary. Not that that prevents the gossip from spreading, but perhaps Si can keep it limited. Silly man, that’s been working because you haven’t cared about anyone before. And then you meet Everett – snarky, gorgeous, spitfire of a man who keeps you interested beyond the physical.

 

“O’Leary didn’t give a shit that I was gay, but they sure as hell cared that I was single.” ~ Silas

 

It was fun, exciting, a little sad but mostly hopeful, to watch these two fall in love. As a widow myself, I think the author did an outstanding job with the reality of grief, and the idea of moving forward after the loss of a loved one. I think my favorite part of this story was seeing Ev and his grandpa mend their fences along with Ev falling in love with the small town and its occupants. All the quirky people certainly helped.

 

Speaking of the residents… keep in mind that this book, the first in the series, can easily be read as a standalone, but afterwards it is my opinion that they should be read in order. There are way too many fabulous characters introduced in this book that I’d like to see more of. Example: Julian, veterinarian and older brother to Constantine and Theo; Daniel, the mysterious newcomer who lives out in the woods and has very strong recluse tendencies; Jamie, who is inordinately furious at his former best friend Parker who moved back to town and opened a bar/restaurant; and more. There is a mystery/suspense ongoing with disappearing people, but it doesn’t detract from the love story, and in my opinion, only makes the entire tale richer.

 

Thank you, May, for this introduction to O’Leary, Everett, and Silas. Although, would it have killed you to NOT mention all of the baked goods coming out of the bakery? I was salivating and cheating on my diet at every turn. Regardless, I will be jumping into the next installment because this small town is too good to miss.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been purchased by the reviewer.

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 306 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	24-September-2018
Price	$5.99 ebook, $18.99 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HNBXP3C