Reviewed by Cheryl
TITLE: Dilly and Boz
AUTHOR: John Inman
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 222 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 19, 2019
BLURB:
It’s funny how love nails you when you least expect it.
Dilly Jones has pretty much given up on romance ever finding him. Boz Jenkins, his neighbor, is recently out of a bad relationship but has definitely noticed the cutie across the street. When Dilly drops a bag of donuts on the sidewalk, it sets a chain of events into motion. And suddenly both men’s hearts are lost.
But Boz’s ex is still hanging around, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get Boz back.With a brand-new romance gearing up to knock their socks off, the last thing Dilly and Boz expect is to get tangled up in a stranger’s murder. Or to find themselves fighting for their lives.
Just as they finally find happiness, their love for each other becomes the thing that threatens them the most.
REVIEW:
I have a few difficulties in writing this review, the major one being spoilers. I don’t want to give any, because I don’t think it’s fair, but if I don’t give at least a few tiny ones I don’t see how I can give a fair representation of the book. I’ll have to risk it, so if you don’t like any spoilers at all, just know this book is hugely satisfying but spans two genres that don’t necessarily go together as far as reader taste goes, and leave it at that.
As a general rule, the book is well written, although there are places where it gets a bit stiff and clunky (highly technical terms for not being as flowing and smooth as it could have been). I also have a little trouble with the author’s overuse of names sometimes. Oh, and there are one or two word choices that might raise an eyebrow, or more. There was one particular “Ah. Er…okay,” moment and if you’re someone who gets easily offended…you have been warned. On the whole, however, the story drives you on and the characters charm and delight.
On the subject of the characters, I loved them. Both are far from perfect, but totally adorkable. The first two thirds of the book is a funny, cute, stumbling, occasionally eyebrow-raising, sweet romance. I absolutely adored Dilly, Boz and Dilly’s boss, an ageing hippy aptly nicknamed Puffer. Puffer takes both boys under his wing, recognizing a painful and possibly ultimately doomed courtship, and fanning the flames in the right direction. There were just so many little details to love.
One of my favourite scenes in the whole book, is where, after Puffer suggested Boz romances Dilly with a gift for his pet (roses, chocolates, a flower arrangement with melons, and a card with a condom having been discounted), he turns up with a chewed up teddy that used to belong to his dog. There ensues the most endearing vignette starring Grace the cat that pretty much encapsulates this part of the book.
However… Through the first part of the book runs a dark vein, bearing the name of Bobby Mayfield, Boz’s ex. After trying unsuccessfully to get back with Boz, Bobby, now a meth addict takes another boyfriend—an illegal immigrant, Angel—and uses him in a way that highlights Bobby’s nasty side, and it is this that ultimately changes the book from sweet, funny romance to unrepentant horror. There are scenes in the latter part of the book that are not recommended for the feint hearted as they are graphic descriptions of violence and death. I loved it but nevertheless it came as something of a shock. Just as well written as the rest of the book, these scenes, especially the last one, spared no punches and were all the more shocking when contrasted to the sweet, amiable nature of the rest of the book.
Personally, I think the entire package was very well done, with the gentle beginning lulling us into a false sense of security before whacking us right between the eyes with some pretty harrowing stuff. It really gave a punch to the dark side. However, as mentioned previously, that might not be to some people’s liking, so you have been warned. If you like your romance with a pinch of gunpowder and a blade then this is one-hundred-percent the book for you. If you like fuzzy bunnies and chocolate kisses maybe give it a miss, or proceed with extreme caution.
RATING: 
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