Reviewed by Caroline

TITLE: Arctic Restitution

SERIES: Arctic Absolution Book 3

AUTHOR: Lynn Kelling

PUBLISHER: Fantastic Fiction

LENGTH: 80,000 Words

RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2017

BLURB:

As he approaches his twenty-second birthday, the three-year anniversary of the brutal attack in an alley that nearly cost him his life in a few different ways, Jaye Larson thinks he’s left behind the ghosts from his years spent incarcerated, but when he’s delivered a mysterious letter with terrifying implications, old monsters rear their ugly heads. His normal new life in remote Zus, Alaska, with his lover, Dixon Rowe, the heart of a found-family that supports Jaye in ways he’s never before dreamed possible, is threatened by old deals and ties he begins to fear may never be broken. While old alliances strive to draw Jaye backward, Dixon and the rest of their family are called to step up to keep him steady. When the letter turns out to be just the first clue in a chain leading both Jaye and Dixon back inside the walls of the Federal Corrections Institute of Sheridan, Oregon, all of them are left facing carefully-held secrets and terrible new truths that refuse to be ignored.

REVIEW:

Arctic Restitution is book 3 in Lynn Kelling’s Arctic Absolution series and is the book that finally lays a lot of ghosts to rest and brings Jaye back to a place in his life that isn’t always overshadowed by fear. You need to read the previous books before picking up this one as although the author has alluded to previous events with flashbacks and memories it is only in vague terms and doesn’t give you the meat of Jaye and Dixon’s story.

It’s hard to believe that the random attack that started all this and everything that followed as a result only began three years ago. Jaye is a completely different person as he celebrates his 22^nd birthday – different from who he was before the attack and different from who he was in prison but he is scarred mentally and physically and the nightmares are never too far away. When a letter arrives demanding he looks back at his past he knows he will never really outrun his ghosts.

Jaye’s past needs a favour that he can’t refuse. As well as terrifying himself and taking him back to places and memories he would rather keep locked away his partner Dixon is suffering too. Dixon loves Jaye more than he loves to breathe and it breaks something inside him to see Jaye suffering and afraid once again. Dix is a rock and constantly tries to be one step ahead and to be everything his lover needs. I love the way their dynamic switches around and plays to both their strengths and weaknesses – it feels fluid with each man knowing what the other needs. This is hard for Dix as he still doesn’t know all the details of Jaye’s life in prison and it doesn’t make for easy listening when Jaye realises the situation calls for more honesty.

Lynn has done a fantastic job with this one – no surprises there! This book feels like bringing Jaye, and to some extents Dixon too, full circle until there is happiness and laughter back in their lives. Tony was a character who suffered as much as Jaye but with a different outlook on things found it much more of a struggle. Kelling fans should look out for a sneaky little link to another series…

Arctic Restitution is a catharsis for the series. It made me feel sorry and a bit sad for Cash at times. It’s a book I hadn’t realised I needed until I read it and Jaye and Dix are definitely at a point now where their story could rest if that is what the author decides – their story feels complete and I would highly recommended the whole series.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

Fantastic Fiction Publishing

Amazon