Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Shaggin’ the Dead
SERIES: The Teddy Bear Collection
AUTHOR: Tarian P. S.
PUBLISHER: TPS Publishing
LENGTH: 272 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 11, 2023
BLURB:
Some could have said, Brighton Ainsworth once had the life many a man wouldn’t mind boasting about. Except, he doesn’t much remember being anything but a pillock.
With no family, Brighton makes do with the local tangle of rough blokes of SoHo London. Them and a tavern owner who watches over him.
Most nights are spent hanging out at the Ten Bells Dandy because none of them had much else to look forward to— no future and Brighton wasn’t exactly added to any hat of brilliance. Not anymore. A dismal fate of loneliness and repeat.
That is until a wily looker walked in one night and of all people to make a go at, he picked Brighton.
Brighton couldn’t believe how much of a jammy plunker he was with the World Champion Soccer player, Erik Toby pawing on his grizzly carpet. Only when morning came and Erik wasn’t waking up for some morning fun, not even for breakfast, things start getting creepy for Brighton.
It’s at the end of the day things turn full out bollocks— to the tune of a bizarre and weirdly spooky relationship that ensues— and it’s just getting started.
MM-Gay Fiction / BearCub & Otter Romance / British vs American Humor / London Style (light) Paranormal Mysticism / Drama / Adult Content / British English Editing / Standalone / Ugly Cries, Joyful Cries, Tissues Recommended
REVIEW:
I have been a major fan of this author’s work and he is actually the reason I began reviewing so of course I had to do this book. Yes the title is a bit alarming and it takes more than a bit to get into the story and let your preconceived views go but the ending is so worth it.
Brighton isn’t the sharpest crayon in the box and he knows it. He’s different than all the other blokes that hang out at the Ten Bells Dandy Pub but Telus always seemed to have an eye out for him and would set the others straight when need be. So when the handsome man starts hitting on Brighton a lot of the bar notices immediately but Erik simply won’t take no for an answer. He’s going to climb the giant Bear-cub and enjoy every minutes of it…and totally does. Unfortunately Brighton wore him out and now comes the sticky situation. How do you explain away the fact that you aren’t breathing and am cold to the touch the next morning and still get to go for another round?
I will be the first to admit this this one’s a little out there and the thick English slang takes a might getting use to however it started pulling me in and even I began wanting Brighton and Erik to get their HEA. All that even though Erik is actually a walking dead. Again, it was hard to wrap my mind around that. But no one, except possibly Telus, looked out for poor Brighton. Hearing his backstory was particularly painful. I kept hoping that something would trigger more of his memories. And occasionally he did say something that came from his past. But this was a traumatic brain injury that he was not suppose to survive not a simple case of amnesia! His brain was now comparable to a 12 year old adolescent boy not a man of his former glory. But what got me was that Erik saw past his infliction to the man Brighton truly was. He was still the strong, honorable, giving man just with limited abilities due to his injuries. And a man with such limitations would be really scared badly to realize the gorgeous man that picked him up for their romp in the hay actually wasn’t really alive anymore. But Erik gave him the time and space to work through it all. And he really tried to find ways to make Brighton feel better about himself. That’s what really touched me. Erik wanted the best for Brighton even if it was at his own expense.
This had quite a bit of paranormal and mysticism. First, obviously, was Eric being dead but still up and galavanting around London. Next was the amount of undead that seemed to be in the same boat, such as Telus and Margaery, as Erik. Then add in the mystical creatures at Stonehenge and the fortune teller and there, at times, seemed to be more paranormals than living humans surrounding Brighton. I was thrilled to witness Brighton’s former mates come forward when they discovered their friend wasn’t really dead but that his parents had turned their backs on him and just told everyone he was. It was reassuring that Jensen, who was one of the mates he single-handedly saved, went to bat for him to get everything he truly deserved. I particularly loved the tea cup scene with Erik and Brighton’s mom!
This book isn’t for everyone. You have to be able to engage with the paranormal activities that are a major part of this book plus the romance of a challenged adult male with a very dead but walking around mate. But, if you can loose up your preconceived ideas, I believe you will be as fond of it as I was. It just took me a bit of time to get there. That and understanding the thick British jargon.
RATING: 
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