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Time Gone By
San Francisco P.I. Nick Cutter spent one night with the man of his dreams—and then the man disappeared. Three years later, on a routine missing-person assignment in Weller Falls, Montana, Nick is shocked to find his dream man living under the alias of Tori Tanaka.
Tori won't talk about where he's been or why he changed his name, but Nick soon learns that Tori fled because he witnessed a murder—and now the killer may have followed him to Weller Falls.
Tori won't talk about where he's been or why he changed his name, but Nick soon learns that Tori fled because he witnessed a murder—and now the killer may have followed him to Weller Falls.
130 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 10, 2017
The beginning of this story is deceptively “normal”, in the sense that it focuses on Nick, a PI who is being asked to find some guy. As Nick gets more and more involved, pieces of his and Tori’s past turn up that make it clear there’s more to the situation than meets the eye. And then everything explodes into a full-fledged mystery, including a murder and attempts on Tori’s life. I really liked this slow unfolding of what was going on. Kept me guessing in a good way.
Nick is a typical PI in many ways. He does his job, is good at finding people, and goes out for the occasional one-night-stand. As soon as he gets handed Tori’s photo and starts realizing he may have seen this man before, it becomes obvious that there is much more to him than first meets the eye. As the story unfolds, the secrecy increases, and the true mystery is revealed, Nick’s personality becomes clearer. He learns a lot about himself as he goes, and I liked how honest he was about that. Rather than struggle with what he finds out, he takes it in stride and becomes a new person, in a sense.
Tori is more difficult to understand, since we only see him through Nick’s eyes. The picture that emerges is one of a shy guy who has landed himself in circumstances beyond his control. He does what most of us would attempt: he runs. Meeting Nick helps him figure out what is important though, and he shows a lot of courage and determination when push comes to shove.
‘Time Gone By’ is an interesting mix between mystery and psychological drama. Nick and Tori both learn more about themselves in the process of building first a tentative, then a more secure relationship. Set against the backdrop of some mysterious goings on, this makes for an exciting story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Nick is a typical PI in many ways. He does his job, is good at finding people, and goes out for the occasional one-night-stand. As soon as he gets handed Tori’s photo and starts realizing he may have seen this man before, it becomes obvious that there is much more to him than first meets the eye. As the story unfolds, the secrecy increases, and the true mystery is revealed, Nick’s personality becomes clearer. He learns a lot about himself as he goes, and I liked how honest he was about that. Rather than struggle with what he finds out, he takes it in stride and becomes a new person, in a sense.
Tori is more difficult to understand, since we only see him through Nick’s eyes. The picture that emerges is one of a shy guy who has landed himself in circumstances beyond his control. He does what most of us would attempt: he runs. Meeting Nick helps him figure out what is important though, and he shows a lot of courage and determination when push comes to shove.
‘Time Gone By’ is an interesting mix between mystery and psychological drama. Nick and Tori both learn more about themselves in the process of building first a tentative, then a more secure relationship. Set against the backdrop of some mysterious goings on, this makes for an exciting story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 5, 2012
Nick is a P.I. specialized in finding missing people. His experience is that most missing people don’t try too hard to remain that way, and so he is surprised how difficult it turns out to find Peter Kimura, librarian of Japanese descent, whom his casual friend Jack engaged him to root up. What’s more, the photo of Peter Kimura Jack provided him with evokes a strong response in Nick. The guy looks strangely familiar, although Nick can’t figure out why, and there’s something about Peter that arouses him to a point where he can’t resist traveling in person to Weller Falls, Montana, where Peter now lives under the name of Tori Tanaka.
As chance would have it, Nick stumbles upon Peter/ Tori almost right away; not much to his surprise, since this was bound to happen sometime anyway in a town as small as Weller Falls. But what Nick didn’t expect was Tori recognizing him – and bailing on the spot. It takes him a while to puzzle out that Tori is, in fact, the same man who disappeared without a trace after Nick fell in love with him three years ago over the course of a single evening, a man who took Nick a long time to forget even though they hadn’t even kissed back then.
Nick waits for Tori at the back door of the library where Tori works, and gets him to agree to dinner. Tori is elusive in many ways, but at the same time he is far from averse to catch up with Nick at the point where they left off three years ago. It doesn’t take long for them to land in bed together. Tori is everything Nick hoped he would be, and the feeling seems mutual. Over the course of the next few days Nick finds himself falling deeper and deeper under Tori’s spell. But there’s still the fact that Nick lied to Tori about the reason why he came to Weller Falls, and there’s also Tori’s reluctance to tell Nick why he felt the need to go into hiding in the first place.
While trying to figure out how to come clear to Tori, Nick continues to investigate Tori’s reason for going into hiding, and discovers there has been a murder about the same time and place when and where Tori disappeared. And then a mysterious man with a gun starts lurking in the shadows at the back door of the library. Both Nick and Tori need to put their cards on the table now, and fast, if they don’t want to risk losing each other again – and for good this time.
The summary above might seem like a single huge spoiler, but if you look at the blurb, it’s really not – this is indeed what the first two thirds of the book are about. This was also the major issue I had with this book. While Nick’s investigation, his gradual revealing of facts and truths was actually nicely done, I, as the reader, knew already what he was about to discover, and so there was no trace of tension, no element of surprise left for me. The actual mystery which revolved around the murderer’s identity was so obvious it practically jumped off the pages. I couldn’t help wondering why Nick, supposedly a seasoned P.I., took so long to figure it out – it made him appear stupid. Which was also a big part of the reason I couldn’t warm up much to him, even though the story is in his 1st person POV. I couldn’t take much more to Tori either; although he was understandably under stress, his actions seemed so random and illogical that I couldn’t get much of a picture of him as a person.
The problems I had with the characterizations made me more susceptible to some more minor issues with the plot, I wouldn’t quite call them holes, rather creases – for example, the strangely convenient coincidence that had Tori running off on that infamous night, or the way he reacted to Nick’s revelation – which was totally inconsistent with his former behavior – and there was also a small paranormal element that popped up out of the blue and was, in my opinion, completely out of place. Not that it wasn’t nicely written, quite the opposite, it was just merely a pretty, gratuitous adornment.
Speaking of gratuitous, this was also what I felt about most of the sex in the book. I found it mostly pretty much off the mill fare and a little blah; then again, this might be me being “jaded”; it might appeal more to other readers who like their smexxin’ detailed, sweet and clean.
It wasn’t that I hated this book, not at all, I just couldn’t work up much enthusiasm for it. The writing was smooth and the story, though somewhat predictable, was actually rather enjoyable. So if you’re in the mood for something nice and easy, this might be just the book for you.
The cover, though, is absolutely gorgeous, isn’t it?
Originally written for reviewsbyjessewave.com
As chance would have it, Nick stumbles upon Peter/ Tori almost right away; not much to his surprise, since this was bound to happen sometime anyway in a town as small as Weller Falls. But what Nick didn’t expect was Tori recognizing him – and bailing on the spot. It takes him a while to puzzle out that Tori is, in fact, the same man who disappeared without a trace after Nick fell in love with him three years ago over the course of a single evening, a man who took Nick a long time to forget even though they hadn’t even kissed back then.
Nick waits for Tori at the back door of the library where Tori works, and gets him to agree to dinner. Tori is elusive in many ways, but at the same time he is far from averse to catch up with Nick at the point where they left off three years ago. It doesn’t take long for them to land in bed together. Tori is everything Nick hoped he would be, and the feeling seems mutual. Over the course of the next few days Nick finds himself falling deeper and deeper under Tori’s spell. But there’s still the fact that Nick lied to Tori about the reason why he came to Weller Falls, and there’s also Tori’s reluctance to tell Nick why he felt the need to go into hiding in the first place.
While trying to figure out how to come clear to Tori, Nick continues to investigate Tori’s reason for going into hiding, and discovers there has been a murder about the same time and place when and where Tori disappeared. And then a mysterious man with a gun starts lurking in the shadows at the back door of the library. Both Nick and Tori need to put their cards on the table now, and fast, if they don’t want to risk losing each other again – and for good this time.
The summary above might seem like a single huge spoiler, but if you look at the blurb, it’s really not – this is indeed what the first two thirds of the book are about. This was also the major issue I had with this book. While Nick’s investigation, his gradual revealing of facts and truths was actually nicely done, I, as the reader, knew already what he was about to discover, and so there was no trace of tension, no element of surprise left for me. The actual mystery which revolved around the murderer’s identity was so obvious it practically jumped off the pages. I couldn’t help wondering why Nick, supposedly a seasoned P.I., took so long to figure it out – it made him appear stupid. Which was also a big part of the reason I couldn’t warm up much to him, even though the story is in his 1st person POV. I couldn’t take much more to Tori either; although he was understandably under stress, his actions seemed so random and illogical that I couldn’t get much of a picture of him as a person.
The problems I had with the characterizations made me more susceptible to some more minor issues with the plot, I wouldn’t quite call them holes, rather creases – for example, the strangely convenient coincidence that had Tori running off on that infamous night, or the way he reacted to Nick’s revelation – which was totally inconsistent with his former behavior – and there was also a small paranormal element that popped up out of the blue and was, in my opinion, completely out of place. Not that it wasn’t nicely written, quite the opposite, it was just merely a pretty, gratuitous adornment.
Speaking of gratuitous, this was also what I felt about most of the sex in the book. I found it mostly pretty much off the mill fare and a little blah; then again, this might be me being “jaded”; it might appeal more to other readers who like their smexxin’ detailed, sweet and clean.
It wasn’t that I hated this book, not at all, I just couldn’t work up much enthusiasm for it. The writing was smooth and the story, though somewhat predictable, was actually rather enjoyable. So if you’re in the mood for something nice and easy, this might be just the book for you.
The cover, though, is absolutely gorgeous, isn’t it?
Originally written for reviewsbyjessewave.com
April 8, 2012
3 1/2 - 4 Hearts
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Nick has been asked by a friend to find a missing person. When he traces that person down, he finds himself attracted and is later shocked to find it is the same man who disappeared on him 3 years before. Tori is in hiding. Well, as much as he can, by himself with no real clue how to disappear, and he wants to stay that way. He’s shocked that the man he wanted to know has tracked him down, after all this time and he just might get a bit of happiness.
This is quite a well written story that gives us good detail and description. Nick is searching for a missing person and when he finds him he realizes that he is the man he fell in love with during one night three years before. Tori has moved to Montana so as not to be found. But, when a man from his past turns up, he can’t help be happy as he had never forgotten him. This story is from Nick’s point of view and it is quite touching the way he agonized over the best way to admit to Tori why he is really there and the way that he to’s and fro’s over how Tori really feels about him.
The descriptions for Nick’s job as a Private investigator, the way he pieced together the information available to him to find missing people and track them down, were well written. I liked the way that the author set up the relationship between Tori and Nick… the way that Tori’s picture seemed to call to Nick although he can’t work out why and then later it all falling into place as he remembered a long ago night, the way that neither man had ever forgot the other and how they had both tried to find the other but it just wasn’t meant to be at that time.
This story moved smoothly along and both characters seemed really nice. Although, Tori’s behavior at times puzzled me and it wasn’t really explained why he reacted like he did and there is a mystery as to his estrangement with his family. The way both men fell back into an easy stance with each other was telling, and gave me a hint as to how Tori was with Nick the first time round rather than relying on Nick’s reminiscence of their first meeting. I really did enjoy the way that they both seemed so relaxed with each other, like they were really made for each other and the sex between them was hot, erotic and fun.
The only thing that bugged me was everyone’s easy acceptance of Nick’s friend hiring him to find Tori. Tori never asked ‘who and why is he trying to find me’. The detective never asked either. We know why Nick never asked, as it explains it in the book, but it got me that no one else asked. I have to admit that at first I couldn’t believe that Nick missed the obvious and I sat there thinking ‘He’s been a PI for ten years, he’s crap’. But, then as I sat there mulling it over I realized that I would probably have missed the same thing. I can’t tell you the amount of times that I have said or done something that may have inadvertently caused a problem and my first reaction is to look somewhere else for the cause of the problem and only realizing hours later that it had really been me (Completely innocently honest O:-)).
So with this one I am going to recommend it to those who love slight mystery, suspense, a touch of danger, finding true love, hot sex and a happy ending.
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Nick has been asked by a friend to find a missing person. When he traces that person down, he finds himself attracted and is later shocked to find it is the same man who disappeared on him 3 years before. Tori is in hiding. Well, as much as he can, by himself with no real clue how to disappear, and he wants to stay that way. He’s shocked that the man he wanted to know has tracked him down, after all this time and he just might get a bit of happiness.
This is quite a well written story that gives us good detail and description. Nick is searching for a missing person and when he finds him he realizes that he is the man he fell in love with during one night three years before. Tori has moved to Montana so as not to be found. But, when a man from his past turns up, he can’t help be happy as he had never forgotten him. This story is from Nick’s point of view and it is quite touching the way he agonized over the best way to admit to Tori why he is really there and the way that he to’s and fro’s over how Tori really feels about him.
The descriptions for Nick’s job as a Private investigator, the way he pieced together the information available to him to find missing people and track them down, were well written. I liked the way that the author set up the relationship between Tori and Nick… the way that Tori’s picture seemed to call to Nick although he can’t work out why and then later it all falling into place as he remembered a long ago night, the way that neither man had ever forgot the other and how they had both tried to find the other but it just wasn’t meant to be at that time.
This story moved smoothly along and both characters seemed really nice. Although, Tori’s behavior at times puzzled me and it wasn’t really explained why he reacted like he did and there is a mystery as to his estrangement with his family. The way both men fell back into an easy stance with each other was telling, and gave me a hint as to how Tori was with Nick the first time round rather than relying on Nick’s reminiscence of their first meeting. I really did enjoy the way that they both seemed so relaxed with each other, like they were really made for each other and the sex between them was hot, erotic and fun.
The only thing that bugged me was everyone’s easy acceptance of Nick’s friend hiring him to find Tori. Tori never asked ‘who and why is he trying to find me’. The detective never asked either. We know why Nick never asked, as it explains it in the book, but it got me that no one else asked. I have to admit that at first I couldn’t believe that Nick missed the obvious and I sat there thinking ‘He’s been a PI for ten years, he’s crap’. But, then as I sat there mulling it over I realized that I would probably have missed the same thing. I can’t tell you the amount of times that I have said or done something that may have inadvertently caused a problem and my first reaction is to look somewhere else for the cause of the problem and only realizing hours later that it had really been me (Completely innocently honest O:-)).
So with this one I am going to recommend it to those who love slight mystery, suspense, a touch of danger, finding true love, hot sex and a happy ending.
March 16, 2015
a nice story and reasonably well done, but lacking a depth that would make it great. felt like a novella in that lack of depth respect. also a bit of stupidity on PI's part, which is always tough to swallow.
May 14, 2012
More like a 3.5
May 7, 2012
It was a nice real but i wished they had utter the L word.. But it still is a great read...
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews