LENGTH:  270 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  November 7, 2023

Eden Zika does what he has to in order to survive and protect his orphaned half-siblings, unapologetically so. With a smart mouth, a quick wit, and a bad habit of reckless behavior, he’s still managed to rise to the top of an underworld that eats most men alive. As the highest-grossing drug dealer on Denver’s south side, he’s attracted the attention of the Denver Narcotics unit. When he realizes he’s being tailed by a member of the DPD, instead of lying low till the heat dies down, he does what he always the exact opposite of what he should. Ryan Quinn is a newly minted member of the Denver Police Department’s drug unit. Twelve years ago he lost his brother to drugs, and secretly riddled with guilt, he’s fought obsessively to eradicate them ever since. He’s puzzled when, after months of tailing low-level dope dealers, he’s assigned to be the lead targeting the biggest drug ring in town. However unlikely, when the cop and the drug dealer meet, sparks fly, triggering a chain of events that forges an unlikely partnership that both men should, but neither man can resist. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as coincidence in this high-stakes game of cat and mouse, and when Ryan uncovers the real reason he’s been assigned to Eden’s case, a decade-old secret threatens their fragile relationship… and their lives.

I was looking for something a bit darker and gritty and this one sounded like it would do the trick.  I was not disappointed.  It doesn’t take long for the initial plot of Eden the drug dealer and Ryan the cop’s “relationship” to start up or for us to learn the basics about Eden’s current situation.  Ryan is tasked with taking down the drug dealers and is told to get close to Eden.

However, Ryan doesn’t expect to actually like Eden or that he would see past his facade to the different person underneath.  Eden has a lot of issues, from his crazy childhood and caring for his siblings to how he ended up working as one of the head honcho’s top dealers.  But, as the story unfolds, we learn there is a lot more behind the characters and their chosen paths. The twists take a turn when we learn why Ryan has been involved.

I really didn’t want to put this story down.  Throughout, I was trying to see how these two could possibly end up together given their different occupations.  It isn’t until the twists take place that you begin to see possibilities.  However, before that can really take off, the story ends and I was left with a bit of a hangover.  I sure hope this isn’t the end of this story, as I am really looking forward to seeing more of these guys from this new-to-me author.  I really enjoyed the writing style and how the story kept me engaged to the end.

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