Reviewed by Amber
TITLE: The WAG and The Scoundrel
SERIES: Gray Fisher #1
AUTHOR: Debbie McGowan
PUBLISHER: Beaten Track Publishing
LENGTH: 310 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 22nd, 2016
BLURB:
Three years after the death of his civil partner, DCI Gray Fisher is finally ready to make the break from the police. For too long, he has used his work as a means of survival; now, he’s looking forward to a nice, quiet life in academia.
Investment banker Will Richards is a walking, talking contradiction. With his love of surfing and his farmhouse menagerie of rescue animals, he’s far removed from Gray’s idea of the perfect man, but that’s ‘not a problem’. Gray wants nothing more than friendship, and Will seems happy to accept that. After all, with his mum’s illness and resigning from his job, he’s got enough on his plate already.
Assuming, of course, he’s telling the truth.
When former colleague, Rob Simpson-Stone, asks for Gray’s help with a case of a destitute banker who faked his own death, Gray is understandably reluctant to get involved…until Rob reveals the identity of one of the suspects
REVIEW:
This was very difficult for me to get through. I wanted to put it down and never go back to it several times but I kept pushing forward. I wish I could say I loved this book because the writing was very well done. A lot of British slang but it was all pretty self explanatory. I love romance. I love M/M romance. I LOVE m/m romance with law enforcement elements. This book was none of those things. I would not label this romance. Not at all. The m/c’s don’t even like each other until almost ¾ of the book and don’t get me start on any physical entanglements. They don’t even kiss until like 90% into the book. But the romance or lack thereof wasn’t the only thing I had a problem with. The mystery element was incredibly convoluted and weak, in my opinion. It just didn’t work for me.
Gray Fisher has a lot of downtime after quitting his career as a cop. As a widower of 3 years he still mourns the loss of his husband everyday but finds himself incredibly lonely. He finds himself in a friendship with Will who he meets through his brother.
Will is in essence an odd ball. Seemingly quite intelligent but prefers mediocre jobs and staying home to care for his vast array of pets.
Gray and Will’s relationship is never steamy. This is NOT a slow burn type of story. There is no burn at all. For a good portion I didn’t even know if the MC’s even liked each other let alone want a relationship.
All of this is centered around a “murder mystery’ plot with “business scheming elements” and a lot of different characters being introduced.
I don’t know. I was just not a fan of this story at all.
BUY LINKS:
Well, it IS labelled ‘Comtemporary Fiction’, not Mystery or Romance.
Personally I liked the the way the main characters were getting to know each other throughout the book, and since it’s part 1 or a series, you can’t really expect every aspect of their relationship to be cut and dried within the first book.
Definitely 5 stars for me!
Hi Jor…thank you for your feedback as it is greatly appreciated, truly. I’m really a “cut and dry” romance lover. I’m simple like that. My taste are pretty basic. While I was reading this story I even went back to the publishers website and it is in fact in the “romance and relationship” genre.
I apologize if my review seemed harsh. I realize we all have different tastes. This was just not a story I enjoyed.
Thanks again and I’m very pleased you liked it.