Reviewed by Vicki

TITLE: Tequila Mockingbird

SERIES: Sinners #3

AUTHOR: Rhys Ford

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 220 pages

BLURB:

Lieutenant Connor Morgan of SFPD’s SWAT division wasn’t looking for love. Especially not in a man. His life plan didn’t include one Forest Ackerman, a brown-eyed, blond drummer who’s as sexy as he is trouble. His family depends on him to be like his father, a solid pillar of strength who’ll one day lead the Morgan clan.

No, Connor has everything worked out—a career in law enforcement, a nice house, and a family. Instead, he finds a murdered man while on a drug raid and loses his heart comforting the man’s adopted son. It wasn’t like he’d never thought about men — it’s just loving one doesn’t fit into his plans.

Forest Ackerman certainly doesn’t need to be lusting after a straight cop, even if Connor Morgan is everywhere he looks, especially after Frank’s death. He’s just talked himself out of lusting for the brawny cop when his coffee shop becomes a war zone and Connor Morgan steps in to save him.

Whoever killed his father seems intent on Forest joining him in the afterlife. As the killer moves closer to achieving his goal, Forest tangles with Connor Morgan and is left wondering what he’ll lose first—his life or his heart.

REVIEW:

First things first. I LOVED this book! I am a big Rhys Ford fan, so I had high expectations going in to this book. But, I also have to say that I didn’t love Whiskey and Rye. I liked Damien and Sionn, but I had issues with the plot. I didn’t dislike it, but it wasn’t as strong for me as Sinner’s Gin. So yes, I hoped to love this one, but a little part of me was concerned. I had no reason to be concerned at all! This was a fabulous book, as good as Sinner’s Gin! Here we go:

We first meet Forest (I couldn’t help hearing Tom Hank’s voice in my head!) as a starving teenager, dumpster diving behind Frank’s recording studio one night, as he literally gets stuck in a dumpster. Frank hears him and comes to investigate, seeing the poor kid trying to be so tough. It takes some time but Frank tames him, adopts him, and raises him in to a very odd, music life, to be an amazing drummer. His mother is a hot mess, pimping him out, coming and going from his life, and using him as she can. Unfortunately she keeps coming back, and Forest can’t completely walk away. He’s doing ok with Frank, until Frank is murdered.

Connor is a bad-ass Morgan man, following in the footsteps of his father. He’s a cop, like his father and a couple of siblings, a member of the SFPD SWAT team, big and strong, and as straight as they come. He works, he owns a house he’s renovating, he’ll eventually get married, have a bunch of kids and be the patriarch of the Morgan clan. Just like his dad. Who he loves and respects. Connor has no problem with this plan, it’s just what will happen. Except for oooone problem. Forest Ackerman. Connor is one of the cops going in to Frank’s motor home one night, after it’s been reported that Frank is cooking and/or selling meth. Connor heads in to the RV, realizes it’s about to blow up, grabs the dude in there and jumps out. Unfortunately Frank is already dead. The RV blows up, Forest comes out, Connor sees hi melt down, and that is all she wrote. Not literally!

Connor offers Forest comfort that night, and can’t forget about him. He’s not involved in the case investigation,  but he keeps checking up on Forest, as he works in the coffee shop Frank added to the recording studio. Unfortunately it’s not a simple case of a drug deal gone bad, and Forest is at risk again and again. Connor is right in the middle of it, by choice and by coincidence. Keira (Kiki) Morgan is one of the detectives trying to figure out what the hell is happening in Forest’s life, as usual, multiple Morgan’s are involved. Connor introduces the lonely and needy Forest to his folks, and his mom sucks him right in. Forest so needs the attention and soaks it up. From Connor as well, who just can’t seem to decide which team he bats for anymore, but knows Forest needs attention desperately.

That’s really what got my heart involved in this story. Yes, it’s a great action story with lots of drama surrounding Forest and who’s after him, but it’s really about Connor and Forest. Developing as a couple, and as individuals. There is a scene between Connor and his da that was heartbreakingly beautiful. Connor cried, and I cried right along with him. He’s so strong, yet just wants his da to love him. Forest is skittish and scared, lonely and needy. Connor is everything he wants in a man, except for the fact he’s straight. But that changes, or at least Connor figures out who he really is and who he really wants. It’s not exactly a gay-for-you story, Connor may have found someone else, but it may have been after he settled. Forest gets sucked in to the Morgan juggernaut, and just hangs on for the ride. He actually fits right in, better that Miki did. Speaking of Miki, he and Damien play a big part in the taming of Forest. Music bonds the boys, and that’s it. A bit of posturing, but once the instruments are out, they are BFF’s.

Then there is the sex. Wow. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Rhys Ford writes some of the hottest sex scenes I’ve read. Hot, sexy, beautiful, deep, naughty, I could go on and on. It’s just good sex. No extras, no kink, just good sex, with a fantastic connection between her characters. Always hot, but just perfect too. Enough but not too much. Connor and Forest are great together in bed and out.

So it’s a great book. If you have read and liked the others, you’ll like this one. If you haven’t read them yet, you need to before you read this one. They are awesome, but you need the history before you’ll get this one. We learn more about the Morgan family, including a little surprise at the end (that was NOT a cliffhanger, but a lead in to the next book!), we see Miki and Damien and their men, Dude is there a bit, and get a great action story. And the romance…. Sigh, I love a big alpha man brought to his knees by the man he loves. Rhys at her best! Go read everything she has published, you won’t be disappointed! I promise!

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon