Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Dude Magnet

SERIES:  The Last Picks

AUTHOR:  Gregory Ashe

PUBLISHER:  Hodgkin & Blount

LENGTH:  212 pages

RELEASE DATE:  June 1. 2024

BLURB:  

You can’t hide from the truth. And apparently, you can’t hide from your ex either.

Dashiell Dawson Dane wants the simple things in life: to live in a (possibly) haunted mansion, to avoid socializing at all costs, and to write, and possibly finish, a book.

Unfortunately, the real world has a way of intruding. And since unfinished manuscripts don’t pay the bills, he finds himself persuaded—against his better judgment—to rent out Hemlock House for a wedding.

Having his ex-boyfriend, Hugo, arrive unexpectedly during the preparations is bad enough. But when Hugo is arrested for the murder of the groom-to-be, Dash seems to be the only one who believes he didn’t do it. And Dash’s efforts to uncover the truth will draw the attention of the real killer—who has a great deal to gain, and nothing to lose.

REVIEW:

When we last left our intrepid Last Picks friends, Dash had inherited a house and is trying to figure out how to make some cash to support the expense.  He lands on renting out the house out for a wedding.  However, the family of the groom, Mason, and the bride, Sharian  prove to be somewhat challenging.  Then the twin brother, Cole, hits on him while the bride is asking to know out the roof to “open the place up”.  The grandmother of the groom, Jodi, controls the purse strings and she’s no help either.  Things go from bad to worse when the groom announces that he’s going to give away the family money.  Needless to say everything is thrown for a loop – parents, bride, grandmother and even the maid of honor.  Just when Dash thinks it can’t get worse, his ex, Hugo shows up.

Dash has avoided Hugo since they broke up and he left and moved across the country.  He had no idea that Hugo was coming or that he thought they should get back together.  He’s also trying to keep Cole at bay since the guy is clearly high and won’t take now for an answer.  How in the world can he be dealing with all of these people who all want something from him that he’s not willing to give.  It doesn’t help that Indira, Keme, Millie and Fox seem to be taking Hugo’s side in everything because of course Hugo is charming and successful and rally seems to care for Dash.  Gah!  He cannot catch a break.

Things go from bad to worse when he goes out to the local bar to meet Cole and sees Deputy Bobby and Wes.  He also sees Hugo and Mason of all people.  They are clearly drunk and falling all over each other.  Dash is NOT having a good time.  But the time he’s having is great compared to leaving the bar and finding Hugo passed out drunk and in proximity to a dead body 🙁  Come on.  Again???

Hugo is taken to jail and while Dash doesn’t want to get back together with him, he knows he’s not a murderer.  The whole group is trying to figure out how to investigate without getting in the crosshairs of law enforcement.  But after Dash’s last experience with being accused of a murder he didn’t commit, well color him skeptical.  And since discovering that all was not well with the groom’s family, let’s just say that Dash isn’t willing to leave Hugo’s continued freedom to chance.

Oh and Deputy Bobby has some of this own problems to sort out.  For once Dash is helping Bobby out instead of the other way around.  Are they on the same page though?  Bobby isn’t happy still with Dash’s amateur sleuthing, but he does care about Dash.

This was another delightful cozy with some murder and mayhem thrown into what is a very slow burn here.  This time Dash’s past comes to call.  Dash needs to put the past firmly in the past, but it’s hard when Hugo is a nice guy.  But Dash wants more. He doesn’t want to settle.  He wants love and passion.  The rest of the Last Picks are there with their usual bizarre brand of support.  Millie and Keme and Indira and Fox help and push Dash.  There are plenty of red herrings in this one as well and we don’t know the real plot until the final reveal 🙂  I really enjoyed this installment and I can’t wait for the next one.  I think it’s going to be quite a while before Dash find his happiness 🙂  Good for us – that means more books!  Recommended 😀

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

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