Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: North Point
SERIES: Jagged Shores
AUTHOR: Thom Collins
PUBLISHER: Pride Publishing
LENGTH: 180 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2020
BLURB:
Book one in the Jagged Shores series
Will an idyllic summer holiday lead Arnie to the love of his life, or the end of it?
It should be the start of a perfect vacation. After a period of stress, Arnie Walker takes his nine-year-old son AJ home for the holidays. Arnie grew up in Nyemouth, a picturesque fishing town on the North-East coast of England, and he wants AJ to experience the kind of carefree, endless summer he enjoyed as a boy. It’s a short-lived dream. While taking an evening walk along the North Point cliff, Arnie and AJ witness a murder attempt.
For the volunteer crew of Nyemouth Lifeboat Station, it’s a rescue mission like none before, Helmsman Dominic Melton is part of the team who rescue the victim from the deadly North Sea. When Arnie and Dominic come together in the aftermath of the attack, the attraction is instant. Arnie isn’t looking for a relationship. He’s committed to his son’s wellbeing and has no time for a distraction like Dominic, even though the handsome ex-naval officer is hard to dismiss. Is it possible for Arnie to full fill his promises to AJ while falling for Dominic?
Despite the distraction, a fledgling killer is at large. As feelings between Arnie and Dominic develop, so does the danger they are in. North Point may be a beautiful place to fall in love, but it could also be the most dangerous.
REVIEW:
Successful actor Arnie Walker is spending the summer school break in Nyemouth, his hometown, with his son AJ. He’s happy to show his son the idyllic small town he grew up in and have a peaceful and enjoyable summer. But soon after they arrive, they witness a horrendous crime. Arnie is able to call the local rescue and lead the Lifeboat to the victim. Arnie meets the Lifeboat helmsman, Dominic Melton ,of the local volunteer crew after the rescue and he hits every one of Arnie’s buttons. But the experience takes a toll on Arnie, especially when there is no clue as to who the perpetrator is.
Arnie is a bit worried since the woman who was attacked is still unconscious and the police have no leads. But he’s trying to keep things normal for AJ. He lets him spend time with his cousins but he’s a bit worried about staying in the remote house they’ve rented. Thankfully the security for the house if quite good. But he discovers that it appears the perp has been stalking his house. In the meantime, he’s trying to resist his attraction to Dominic in favor of making sure AJ has a good vacation. Given the fact that Arnie’s ex and AJ’s mother has recently remarried and her exploits are splashed all over the tabloids so he’s trying to shelter him from that as well. It’s really not a good time to start a relationship.
Dominic for his part is also completely smitten with Arnie. He’s had a friend with benefits arrangement with a local guy, Gabriel, who also happens to be one of Arnie’s oldest friends. But it seems Gabriel wants more and Dominic has misread the situation. When he tries to end things amicably, Gabriel gets upset. And his jealousy of Arnie takes over and he’s none too happy with Dominic. But Arnie and Dominic start a tentative relationship trying to be discreet.
When the murderer strikes again and Arnie and AJ seem to be in the crosshairs, the stakes get higher and higher. Dominic and Arnie are determined to try to make a go of things with each other. But they want to take things at a reasonable pace since there is a child involved. Dominic also has no desire to be in the public eye, so his life can stay private 🙂 But in the end, they can’t resist each other and they will fight to make things work.
I’m giving this book a recommendation – with reservations. There is a lot going on in this book – maybe a little too much 🙂 Between his ex-wife’s shenanigans being spread all over the tabloids, a bitter former friend who seems to take issue with his success, a potential new romance with a guy who is perfect for him, trying to keep things stable for his son and also keep his acting career going, Arnie has a lot on this plate. I’m not sure how he’s not curled up in a ball! I loved Dominic and I was glad that they got together. There were a few too many red herrings for my taste, but overall I enjoyed the mystery aspect as well as the growth of the romance. Arnie is a really good dad but he does realize that he’s entitled to a life as well. Dominic is a really good guy and I really enjoyed getting to know him as well. Although I would have appreciated probably another round of edits that would have focused the story a bit more, I did like it and I’m looking forward to the next book 🙂
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
Pride