Reviewed by True
TITLE: A Desperate Man
AUTHOR: Tia Fielding and Lisa Henry
PUBLISHER: JMS Books
LENGTH: 202 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 30, 2021
BLURB:
When they were teenagers, Quinn MacGregor and Aaron Larsen fell in love over the course of one magical summer. It ended in bloodshed and tragedy.
Now, ten years later, Quinn is back in Spruce Creek, Nevada, to inherit his family’s criminal cartel. His cousin Jimmy has been making friends — and enemies — in dangerous places, but that doesn’t mean he’s happy to hand over leadership to Quinn. And Jimmy might not be the only one who wants Quinn out of the way for good, especially if Quinn’s secret comes out.
Aaron Larsen is back in Spruce Creek to sell his former family home. Aaron lost a leg in Afghanistan, and he’s drinking too much and battling depression and PTSD. The last thing he needs is for Quinn MacGregor to drop back into his miserable life. But when Quinn is shaken by the news that he left more behind in Spruce Creek than his bad memories, he turns to Aaron like it’s old times, and Aaron doesn’t know how to say no.
The events of ten years ago cast a long shadow, and in a town where they can’t trust anyone else, Quinn and Aaron just might have to learn to trust each other again.
REVIEW:
A decade ago Quinn and Aaron were lovers, nicely covered by their mutual friend Charlie, they could slip away and dirty up. This way they could keep it secret.
One shot blew up their lives. Gone was Aaron and his mom, gone was Quinn and his mom, in different directions, leaving Spruce Creek, Nevada, leaving their homes, loves, and hurt.
Now both men are back, one just out of rehab to return to family and take care of business and one an amputee, suffering depression and PTSD, drinking his hurt away with beer and whiskey, back to pimp up and sell his childhood home.
When they meet again they are shocked, feelings of anger, pain, distrust, and lust are all over the place.
The family expects Quinn to take over Uncle Ian’s place as head of the family to keep their illegal business running. Quinn doesn’t want the heritage.
Throughout the story, we get to know what happened a decade ago, how both men lived, and how they end up back in Spruce Creek again. There‘s a dark shadow hanging above their lives.
Spruce Creek is a miserable little town where everyone lives at odds by the MacGregor’s rule. The town knows it will go down when the wrong MacGregor takes over.
When the truth about past and present gets clearer, the danger getting nearer.
That was quite a story, it was gritty, thrilling, somewhat dark and depressive, it shows the worst and the best of human beings. All entertainingly and pleasantly written.
There was also hope, hope and perspective for a better future!
What I admire about these authors writing skills, there is depth to find within characters, circumstances, and emotions, nothing is superficial. Aspects I highly appreciate in a story.
Don’t expect a super romantic story, there is romance but it’s modestly present, the hard life they lived made them ware, there is too much going on. The feelings here are the strong and firm ones.
Overall a well-balanced, structured written narrative, with a solid developed plot and a surprising final denouement.
RATING: 
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