Reviewed by Jen B.
TITLE: Redemption
SERIES: Darkest Skies
AUTHOR: Garrett Leigh
NARRATOR: Dan Calley
PUBLISHER: Fox Love Press
LENGTH: 6 hours and 26 minutes
RELEASE DATE: August 17, 2020
BLURB:
Reformed gangster Luis falls hard for his boss. When friendship turns to love, it’s up to Paolo to convince him second chances are worth the pain.
Luis Pope is back on the street after a six-year stretch in prison, but life on the outside seems just out of reach, especially when the whole neighborhood knows his face for all the wrong reasons.
Paolo’s temper makes it hard to keep staff, and he knows Luis’ rep all too well. But his nonno believes in redemption, and Luis isn’t the tough guy Paolo remembers. Prison has left its mark, inside and out, and all the kindness in the world can’t fix the three inch scar on Luis’s skull.
And it can’t keep ghosts locked up. Luis is the best worker Paolo’s ever had, and Luis is happier than he’s ever been. But his old life doesn’t want to stay in the past. Trouble comes to call, and when it makes him an offer he can’t refuse, keeping Paolo safe hurts the most.
Redemption is an angsty, stand-alone M/M romance novel, with second chances, found family, friends-to-lovers, and buckets of hurt/comfort themed loveliness.
REVIEW:
I have long been a fan of Garrett Leigh so thought I’d grab a chance at this audio on a book I had somehow missed the first time around. I’ve also listened to a number of Dan Calley audios and really grew to love his voice. That said, I definitely find it a bit of a challenge to listen to him on a book I haven’t already read previously. The accent is quite fitting though and fit the story quite well.
As for the characters, Luis is a guy down on his luck starting over after doing time as a result of his gang life. He’s desperate to leave his life of crime behind him, but sadly, his gang leader brother isn’t making it very easy to do.
Paolo is the restaurant owner who gives Luis the break he has been looking for, and he wasn’t disappointed. He’s a man struggling to stay afloat while taking care of his grandparents.
As the story progresses, we learn more about Luis’ and Paolo’s respective back stories and what brought them to where they are today.
As these two start to forge a relationship, the past comes back to haunt them bringing angst, anticipation and suspense while, at the same time, pushing them closer together. The story gets a little slow in the middle, but picks up speed as things heat up. These guys had great chemistry and were fleshed out in true Garrett Leigh fashion.
The story ends with a lovely epilogue to finish things off. This wasn’t one of my favorite Garrett books, and I definitely wish I had read the book first, but all in all, I found it quite an enjoyable audio.
RATING:
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