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Hudson Valley Murder Mystery #1
Heart First
Daniel Rosenbaum leads a predictable life. He’s a professor at Lobell, a small liberal arts college in the Hudson Valley, where he spends his days teaching classes and doing research alongside his friends and fellow professors, Colette and Mario. The biggest change Daniel’s routine has seen in years is when car trouble leads him across the Hudson and into an unexpected romantic encounter with local mechanic Tony.
When tragedy strikes in the form of Mario’s murder, Daniel’s orderly life is thrown into chaos. Not only is his friend dead, it seems Mario was keeping secrets that could cause rifts in Lobell’s close-knit community. At first, Daniel’s intensifying relationship with Tony is the only way he can find solace from his grief and confusion. But all too soon, the trail of Mario’s secrets leads Daniel to the same place he’s been seeking comfort: Angel Automotive, the auto repair shop run by Tony’s family.
Before long, Daniel is forced to question everything: his friends, his job, the way he lives his life, and the relationship he’s not even sure he’s in yet. Only one thing is for sure: Daniel is falling heart-first—in love or into mortal danger.
When tragedy strikes in the form of Mario’s murder, Daniel’s orderly life is thrown into chaos. Not only is his friend dead, it seems Mario was keeping secrets that could cause rifts in Lobell’s close-knit community. At first, Daniel’s intensifying relationship with Tony is the only way he can find solace from his grief and confusion. But all too soon, the trail of Mario’s secrets leads Daniel to the same place he’s been seeking comfort: Angel Automotive, the auto repair shop run by Tony’s family.
Before long, Daniel is forced to question everything: his friends, his job, the way he lives his life, and the relationship he’s not even sure he’s in yet. Only one thing is for sure: Daniel is falling heart-first—in love or into mortal danger.
341 pages, ebook
First published December 5, 2023
10 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
S.B. Barnes
5 books48 followersS. B. Barnes attended college in the Hudson Valley, studying English Language and Literature and Anthropology (although unlike her characters, her time there was not interrupted by crime-solving). She grew up split between the USA and Germany, attending university in both countries before eventually settling in Germany. Today, she works as a teacher and lives with her husband, son, and two cats. Fiction has always been one of her greatest loves, as a reader, as a teacher, and as a writer, and she hopes you enjoy reading her work as much as she enjoys creating it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
January 3, 2024
It’s so like me to find a good book on the last 100 meters of the finish line 🤣
This was an excellent debut book and I thoroughly savored it, let me tell ya . I’ve never even heard of it before this morning when I saw it reviewed by a friend here,and because I trust their tastes I went and bought the book. (I usually refuse to buy debut books that are not on KU)
And how lucky I was because this was great. I love murder/mysteries romances and while most of them involve a cop/detective as a main character here we have none. The MCs are a university professor and a auto-mechanic. And they are so…normal!! They’re not panty-melting hot, or heroic.Or stern and poised . They’re normal guys, with normal bodies and insecurities and with normal flaws that start a relationship in a pretty normal way (Although it was kind of fast if you ask me, I would have liked a bit of tension, some more push and pull between them. However I wasn’t really bothered by the author’s choice either) . As for the murder/mystery I have to say that too is done in a refreshing way. The reader and the MCs are not actively involved in the investigation although we are constantly aware that an investigation is being done. I also loved the somber tone of the book, the gloomy atmosphere, the heavy rain that gave the book thriller vibes despite that it wasn’t really a thriller. That whole atmosphere plus Daniel’s general grey mood gave the book a sort of ..tension, because we spend a lot of time in Daniel’s head as we only have his POV and let me tell you that his spiraling thoughts are not easy to put up with. He pissed me off most of the time - his brooding, his inability to communicate drove me crazy yet I couldn’t help loving him and rooting for him and even though Tony was absolutely amazing I still found Daniel much more interesting (maybe because we had his POV) . The balance between romance and mystery was a good one, just like the balance between romance and sex scenes . And omg, the sex was soooo hot. So sensual and the intimacy was incredible. I loved them!
I could have done without “sweetheart” and “babe so soon in the book/relationship - especially “sweetheart”,I hate that pet name because it sounds exactly like Daniel said, condescending and imo also ….slimy(for lack of a better word)when the relationship is so very new.
As for the side characters, they’re all very realistic and complex yet I don’t think I particularly liked any of them and probably wasn’t supposed to, they weren’t necessarily good or bad but simply human.
Actually the only person I really liked (he was all kinds of perfect) was Tony but that’s because I saw him through Daniel’s eyes and Daniel was kinda smitten with him 😍. Colette gave off creepy vibes, Stacy was obnoxious, Gianna was broody and kind of a mystery, Andrew was pretty disturbing and considering the prologue his character’s participation ended up to be quite underwhelming , the police detective was kinda meh, Daniel’s and Tony’s families weren’t too likable either and Mario ..no words. Jeff was decent-I would like for him to have his own book or maybe a novella . Oh and the cat! I loved the cat 🐈⬛😍
So yeah, this was a good read. Solid writing, smart subtle humor an good dialogues. I don’t know what to think about the second book,though , books with established couples who already are in a good place rarely keep my interest. I would have enjoyed more an emotionally stunted character and a difficult and complex love story instead of a low angst one . We’ll see.
4.5 stars rounded up because I was pleasantly surprised.
This was an excellent debut book and I thoroughly savored it, let me tell ya . I’ve never even heard of it before this morning when I saw it reviewed by a friend here,and because I trust their tastes I went and bought the book. (I usually refuse to buy debut books that are not on KU)
And how lucky I was because this was great. I love murder/mysteries romances and while most of them involve a cop/detective as a main character here we have none. The MCs are a university professor and a auto-mechanic. And they are so…normal!! They’re not panty-melting hot, or heroic.Or stern and poised . They’re normal guys, with normal bodies and insecurities and with normal flaws that start a relationship in a pretty normal way (Although it was kind of fast if you ask me, I would have liked a bit of tension, some more push and pull between them. However I wasn’t really bothered by the author’s choice either) . As for the murder/mystery I have to say that too is done in a refreshing way. The reader and the MCs are not actively involved in the investigation although we are constantly aware that an investigation is being done. I also loved the somber tone of the book, the gloomy atmosphere, the heavy rain that gave the book thriller vibes despite that it wasn’t really a thriller. That whole atmosphere plus Daniel’s general grey mood gave the book a sort of ..tension, because we spend a lot of time in Daniel’s head as we only have his POV and let me tell you that his spiraling thoughts are not easy to put up with. He pissed me off most of the time - his brooding, his inability to communicate drove me crazy yet I couldn’t help loving him and rooting for him and even though Tony was absolutely amazing I still found Daniel much more interesting (maybe because we had his POV) . The balance between romance and mystery was a good one, just like the balance between romance and sex scenes . And omg, the sex was soooo hot. So sensual and the intimacy was incredible. I loved them!
I could have done without “sweetheart” and “babe so soon in the book/relationship - especially “sweetheart”,I hate that pet name because it sounds exactly like Daniel said, condescending and imo also ….slimy(for lack of a better word)when the relationship is so very new.
As for the side characters, they’re all very realistic and complex yet I don’t think I particularly liked any of them and probably wasn’t supposed to, they weren’t necessarily good or bad but simply human.
Actually the only person I really liked (he was all kinds of perfect) was Tony but that’s because I saw him through Daniel’s eyes and Daniel was kinda smitten with him 😍. Colette gave off creepy vibes, Stacy was obnoxious, Gianna was broody and kind of a mystery, Andrew was pretty disturbing and considering the prologue his character’s participation ended up to be quite underwhelming , the police detective was kinda meh, Daniel’s and Tony’s families weren’t too likable either and Mario ..no words. Jeff was decent-I would like for him to have his own book or maybe a novella . Oh and the cat! I loved the cat 🐈⬛😍
So yeah, this was a good read. Solid writing, smart subtle humor an good dialogues. I don’t know what to think about the second book,though , books with established couples who already are in a good place rarely keep my interest. I would have enjoyed more an emotionally stunted character and a difficult and complex love story instead of a low angst one . We’ll see.
4.5 stars rounded up because I was pleasantly surprised.
Read
January 21, 2024I’m so sorry, but this is a dnf. I’ve picked it up again and again for three weeks, but I don’t like the writing. On top of that, it’s written in 3rd person pov in PRESENT TENSE, which isn’t easy to pull off. Maybe I’ll pick it up another time, for now, it wasn’t the right book for me.
January 25, 2024
The mystery was pretty boring, I knew who the killer was early on. It didn’t stop me from enjoying this but I wish there was a more exciting conclusion.
I actually feel like this was less a mystery and more a romance that had a mystery happening in the background. I didn’t mind that since this is the first book and it’s sort of setting everything up for these characters. There is only room to grow now so that is exciting.
I wasn’t crazy about some of the characters though. Colette didn’t have much of a personality and she hated everything about the United States so I was wondering why she lived there. I hope we see her open up more and show some personality.
Daniel, the MC, I did like but he seemed to live a very boring life until he got truly involved with Tony. I loved how his relationship with his family was evolving too. He came far and I started to see him open up and live, which he deserved. I am interested to see how much more he grows in the next book.
Tony was a conundrum at first to me. He’s a mechanic who hits on Daniel soon after they first meet. He calls him “sweetheart” right away which was way too soon to me. He’s described at first as wearing jeans and a tank top with a mustache and I immediately pictured Freddie Mercury! I couldn’t shake that description for a bit but once more things were revealed about him I liked him much more and I saw him as the 27 year old he was. He’s a caring brother and son and he’s shaking up Daniel’s boring life.
For the first book by this author this was good. I hope the mystery is more interesting in the next book. It seems like Daniel and friends got a taste for sleuthing in this book so hopefully they’ll do more of that in the next one! I think this can be a really good series.
I actually feel like this was less a mystery and more a romance that had a mystery happening in the background. I didn’t mind that since this is the first book and it’s sort of setting everything up for these characters. There is only room to grow now so that is exciting.
I wasn’t crazy about some of the characters though. Colette didn’t have much of a personality and she hated everything about the United States so I was wondering why she lived there. I hope we see her open up more and show some personality.
Daniel, the MC, I did like but he seemed to live a very boring life until he got truly involved with Tony. I loved how his relationship with his family was evolving too. He came far and I started to see him open up and live, which he deserved. I am interested to see how much more he grows in the next book.
Tony was a conundrum at first to me. He’s a mechanic who hits on Daniel soon after they first meet. He calls him “sweetheart” right away which was way too soon to me. He’s described at first as wearing jeans and a tank top with a mustache and I immediately pictured Freddie Mercury! I couldn’t shake that description for a bit but once more things were revealed about him I liked him much more and I saw him as the 27 year old he was. He’s a caring brother and son and he’s shaking up Daniel’s boring life.
For the first book by this author this was good. I hope the mystery is more interesting in the next book. It seems like Daniel and friends got a taste for sleuthing in this book so hopefully they’ll do more of that in the next one! I think this can be a really good series.
January 24, 2024
Tony blinks. “Not a car guy, huh?” “No,” Daniel says quickly. “Computers guy. Classic literature guy. Fourth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer guy. Very much not a car guy.”
4.5⭐
Murder Mystery romance with mature characters who are very much your average kinda guys, and are not really tasked to solve the murder because they are neither law enforcement, PI nor attorneys but can't help to get involved and kinda think they can solve it because we have all watched way too much Criminal Minds and CSI for our own goods? I RAN. AND OH, WAS I REWARDED. THIS ONE WAS REALLY GOOD!!
The romance was absolutely lovely *insert swooning noises here*, the smut was insanely hot *insert HOTTT AF emoji here* and intimate *eats her own fist*, the whodunit plot kept me entertained and turning page after page (although I have to admit that my suspicions of who was the murderer were sidetracked from early on because my initial suspect was the perfect meta suspect, fitting all those things that crime profilers in tv shows tell you these people are: narcissistic, self-serving, more often than not can not help involving themselves in the investigation, the last person you would expect, checked all the boxes and I thought no way they were the murderer and even tilting my scale towards someone else and then BAM! Yes, they were the murderer all along and I am not quite sure how to feel about that yet lmao).
The writing is also very solid, which considering this is a debut work had me so incredibly and pleasantly surprised. In particular how well done the writing of someone who is an overthinker and runs on anxiety™️ (Daniel); it is infuriating, exhausting and yet deeply relatable that will make you want to hug the mc or just hug yourself because you see so many traits of your own mind’s tendency to catastrophize and spiral out of control, being reflected in a way that you know can feel judgy but here feels comforting, because it is ok to not have your shit together all the time, that doesn’t make you less impressive as a person or a professional (Daniel’s field of research, as a professor, is fascinating and made me google so many aspects of it, particularly about our fascination with crime procedure shows and the sensationalizing of human misery and the patterns about where crimes occur, fictionally, versus where they occur in reality. See, utterly fascinating!).
And If I have only talked about Daniel so far, it is because this is a single POV story, Daniel’s, which means we only see Tony through Daniel’s besotted eyes, aka perfect.
Ok, maybe not perfect perfect because none of them are; Tony is a 27 year old adult who works as a mechanic in his family shop but still lives with his parents and has not explicitily come out to his parents or friends yet, even though clearly should because hooking up with a stranger on broad daylight in your family’s business doesn’t really scream I am trying to keep my queerness in the down low lol. However, it is precisely because of it that very nuanced and heartfelt conversations go through both our mcs, another delightful surprise.
Honestly, whether you come here for the romance or the murder mystery, or simply a cozy (yes, my definition of cozy includes murder mystery, so sue me lol), fun, full of layers and thought-inducing read, you are bound to enjoy it. I sure did. I personally NEED book 2 more than Horatio Caine needs to wear his sunglasses 24/7.
P.S. Thank you for the rec, Nicole❤️. Your taste is exquisite. 10/10
4.5⭐
Murder Mystery romance with mature characters who are very much your average kinda guys, and are not really tasked to solve the murder because they are neither law enforcement, PI nor attorneys but can't help to get involved and kinda think they can solve it because we have all watched way too much Criminal Minds and CSI for our own goods? I RAN. AND OH, WAS I REWARDED. THIS ONE WAS REALLY GOOD!!
The romance was absolutely lovely *insert swooning noises here*, the smut was insanely hot *insert HOTTT AF emoji here* and intimate *eats her own fist*, the whodunit plot kept me entertained and turning page after page (although I have to admit that my suspicions of who was the murderer were sidetracked from early on because my initial suspect was the perfect meta suspect, fitting all those things that crime profilers in tv shows tell you these people are: narcissistic, self-serving, more often than not can not help involving themselves in the investigation, the last person you would expect, checked all the boxes and I thought no way they were the murderer and even tilting my scale towards someone else and then BAM! Yes, they were the murderer all along and I am not quite sure how to feel about that yet lmao).
The writing is also very solid, which considering this is a debut work had me so incredibly and pleasantly surprised. In particular how well done the writing of someone who is an overthinker and runs on anxiety™️ (Daniel); it is infuriating, exhausting and yet deeply relatable that will make you want to hug the mc or just hug yourself because you see so many traits of your own mind’s tendency to catastrophize and spiral out of control, being reflected in a way that you know can feel judgy but here feels comforting, because it is ok to not have your shit together all the time, that doesn’t make you less impressive as a person or a professional (Daniel’s field of research, as a professor, is fascinating and made me google so many aspects of it, particularly about our fascination with crime procedure shows and the sensationalizing of human misery and the patterns about where crimes occur, fictionally, versus where they occur in reality. See, utterly fascinating!).
And If I have only talked about Daniel so far, it is because this is a single POV story, Daniel’s, which means we only see Tony through Daniel’s besotted eyes, aka perfect.
He’s going to remember this. The crisp scent of cold air, the sound of the river, the sight of Tony smiling nervously. The sense memories will stay, and the feelings Daniel associates with them. Wild, giddy excitement and the pounding of his own heart.
Ok, maybe not perfect perfect because none of them are; Tony is a 27 year old adult who works as a mechanic in his family shop but still lives with his parents and has not explicitily come out to his parents or friends yet, even though clearly should because hooking up with a stranger on broad daylight in your family’s business doesn’t really scream I am trying to keep my queerness in the down low lol. However, it is precisely because of it that very nuanced and heartfelt conversations go through both our mcs, another delightful surprise.
“You don’t have to leap out of the closet. You can…I don’t know…leave the door on the lean. Be who you are with no extra explanations. If someone asks, you can tell them what you just told me, about wanting to wait, but you don’t have to. Just because you’ve thought about it a lot doesn’t mean you owe people explanations.”
Honestly, whether you come here for the romance or the murder mystery, or simply a cozy (yes, my definition of cozy includes murder mystery, so sue me lol), fun, full of layers and thought-inducing read, you are bound to enjoy it. I sure did. I personally NEED book 2 more than Horatio Caine needs to wear his sunglasses 24/7.
P.S. Thank you for the rec, Nicole❤️. Your taste is exquisite. 10/10
July 3, 2024
Clever mystery,
fluent writing, real people:
Remarkable debut.
fluent writing, real people:
Remarkable debut.
Read
February 9, 2024DNF at 8%. I’m already skimming. At 8%…
Note to self: There was a tiny little thing at 3% that rubbed me the wrong way and now my brain can’t stop thinking about and looking for more casual, nearly invisible but insidious misogyny. I suspect this author is not for me.
May 21, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
This was an excellent debut: well written with droll, likable, relatable characters; a disturbingly accurate depiction of academia; and the most hilarious possible Big Bad. Around halfway through I thought, "wouldn't it be funny if [x] was the murderer because [y]?" and you should have heard my gleeful cackle when it turned out that [X] WAS THE MURDERER BECAUSE [Y]!!! That's not even me being particularly astute, that's the author picking the most satisfyingly bonkers conclusion and doubling down on it.
(OK, fine, it is quite sad once you think it through in connection with the backstory. But still. Hilarious!)
Rounding down only because will always harsh my buzz, even though it was crucial to how the mystery plot played out; this kind of storyline will never not piss me off. Boo! But hopeful that that particular trope is now out of the way -- and looking forward to following this series!
This was an excellent debut: well written with droll, likable, relatable characters; a disturbingly accurate depiction of academia; and the most hilarious possible Big Bad. Around halfway through I thought, "wouldn't it be funny if [x] was the murderer because [y]?" and you should have heard my gleeful cackle when it turned out that [X] WAS THE MURDERER BECAUSE [Y]!!! That's not even me being particularly astute, that's the author picking the most satisfyingly bonkers conclusion and doubling down on it.
(OK, fine, it is quite sad once you think it through in connection with the backstory. But still. Hilarious!)
Rounding down only because will always harsh my buzz, even though it was crucial to how the mystery plot played out; this kind of storyline will never not piss me off. Boo! But hopeful that that particular trope is now out of the way -- and looking forward to following this series!
December 31, 2023
This was so refreshing and in a way so different from other crime books, that I had to give it high marks. Too busy to write a longer review now but loved it.
April 25, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
Heart First is a debut work from author S.B. Barnes. Since I’m a fan of cozy mysteries, I was quick to pick this one up. I will say that I finished this story with some mixed feelings. There were parts I really enjoyed, and other things that didn’t work so well for me. One of those problem areas is that the story is told in third-person present tense, all from Daniel’s POV. This tense doesn’t work for me very well, and I find it harder to read and it doesn’t hold my attention. Now, I do understand this is a subjective thing, and overall, the author handled it pretty well. But considering the choice of third present, I had to wonder why we didn’t get Tony’s POV as well, especially considering he was wrapped up in this case too, just from a completely different perspective.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
Heart First is a debut work from author S.B. Barnes. Since I’m a fan of cozy mysteries, I was quick to pick this one up. I will say that I finished this story with some mixed feelings. There were parts I really enjoyed, and other things that didn’t work so well for me. One of those problem areas is that the story is told in third-person present tense, all from Daniel’s POV. This tense doesn’t work for me very well, and I find it harder to read and it doesn’t hold my attention. Now, I do understand this is a subjective thing, and overall, the author handled it pretty well. But considering the choice of third present, I had to wonder why we didn’t get Tony’s POV as well, especially considering he was wrapped up in this case too, just from a completely different perspective.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
April 23, 2026
At first I want to thank the author for gifting me this book during the m/m romance group anniversary celebrations.
The story has a sweet love story (I love romances with seemingly huge differences or obstacles between the MCs).
Here we have a slightly older, established college professor who is out and proud and distinguished meeting a mechanic still living at his parents house. Talk about opposites attract but it works beautifully. I loved how Tony was able to be there for Daniel and how they were able to build a relationship against all odds.
Ah yes, the mystery. I had no clue about the murderer but spoilered myself by reading the blurb of the second book whilst halfway through book number 1...
The story has a sweet love story (I love romances with seemingly huge differences or obstacles between the MCs).
Here we have a slightly older, established college professor who is out and proud and distinguished meeting a mechanic still living at his parents house. Talk about opposites attract but it works beautifully. I loved how Tony was able to be there for Daniel and how they were able to build a relationship against all odds.
Ah yes, the mystery. I had no clue about the murderer but spoilered myself by reading the blurb of the second book whilst halfway through book number 1...
January 31, 2024
RTC! This was a breath of fresh air in the genre!!!
Read
June 3, 2024Palatable, but I’m not in the mood for this kind of daily-life-plus-murder-mystery style. DNF @ 24%.
January 10, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyable mystery with rounded characters and thoughtful writing. The identity of the murderer was pretty obvious, but that really wasn't the point. Looking forward to the sequel.
April 12, 2024
Professor Daniel Rosenbaum leads a predictable life. He teaches and researches along with his fellow professors, Collette and Mario. That predictability changes when he has car trouble and stops at a garage for repairs. He meets Tony and there is instant chemistry. The two men cannot resist each other. Then tragedy strikes when Mario is murdered. Now Daniel is questioning everything, from his love life to his professional life to his friendships. When it is revealed that Mario was keeping more than a few secrets, everything is really changed, including how he looks at Tony who seems involved in the whole thing as well.
Daniel was interesting. His projects sound unique and intriguing. He met Tony when his car broke down and both men felt the chemistry. They were in the process of exploring that when it became clear that Tony and his family had a connection to Mario and that muddied the waters quite a bit. It was great to see them communicate about the misunderstandings. It was also fun to watch each man feel some jealousy. The ending was a bit of a surprise. There were some clues to lead to the culprit but not enough to really say. There is another book planned and that should be just as intriguing.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Daniel was interesting. His projects sound unique and intriguing. He met Tony when his car broke down and both men felt the chemistry. They were in the process of exploring that when it became clear that Tony and his family had a connection to Mario and that muddied the waters quite a bit. It was great to see them communicate about the misunderstandings. It was also fun to watch each man feel some jealousy. The ending was a bit of a surprise. There were some clues to lead to the culprit but not enough to really say. There is another book planned and that should be just as intriguing.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
February 5, 2025
I really enjoyed this! Daniel is a great POV character and the single POV didn’t flatten Tony’s character. In particular I liked that the author actually showed how Mario’s death affected Daniel and his friends, because I’ve read too many mysteries/crime thrillers lately where people had only a brief reaction, at most, to the death of a friend or loved one. And I liked all the discussions of Tony’s identity and whether/how he should come out. It felt realistic and true to his character, especially in contrast to another book I read recently (Off the Ice) that treated coming out as an on/off switch with no nuance. The resolution of the mystery was satisfying and Daniel and friends’ involvement in the investigation made sense.
December 22, 2023
A debut author for a mystery story that starts with an intriguing prologue.
Daniel is having car problems which he needs the mechanic to fix, he absolutely doesn't know anything about cars.
A great first meeting is when Daniel meets with Tony, 27 years old, sparking of in a sarcastic humoured conversation. Damm Tony works fast on a first kiss but they do have some awesome chemistry going between them that I fell in love with them both.
Daniel is a teacher at the college and gets caught up in a murder when he is one of the first persons to find poor Mario along with his friend Colette.
Once I started reading this I was glued to their story. A few twists included a drama filled ending for the identity of the killer. I loved the hot sexy scenes as the story rolled on.
Trust issues and doubts began as Daniel didn't know what to believe. The information about the victim, possible suspects, and motives make the story more engaging.
This was a fantastic book with equal amounts of mystery and romance, I can't wait for their next book to continue the romance and mystery.
also reviewed on mmbookwormreviews.com
Daniel is having car problems which he needs the mechanic to fix, he absolutely doesn't know anything about cars.
A great first meeting is when Daniel meets with Tony, 27 years old, sparking of in a sarcastic humoured conversation. Damm Tony works fast on a first kiss but they do have some awesome chemistry going between them that I fell in love with them both.
Daniel is a teacher at the college and gets caught up in a murder when he is one of the first persons to find poor Mario along with his friend Colette.
Once I started reading this I was glued to their story. A few twists included a drama filled ending for the identity of the killer. I loved the hot sexy scenes as the story rolled on.
Trust issues and doubts began as Daniel didn't know what to believe. The information about the victim, possible suspects, and motives make the story more engaging.
This was a fantastic book with equal amounts of mystery and romance, I can't wait for their next book to continue the romance and mystery.
also reviewed on mmbookwormreviews.com
April 5, 2024
This book takes you on a journey that twists and turns. Likely suspects and unlikely suspects both spar in this story for guilt. The guilty party took me a little by surprise. The lead up to the big reveal was exciting while the friendships that were reshaped, strengthened and survived the struggles were ones that deserve mentioning. The romance/love story between the m/c’s had its place in this story but it ran alongside the mystery. It didn’t overshadow but complimented the story as it was strong in its own right enhancing the storyline. Well done to this author for a job well done. I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.
April 6, 2024
I picked up this ARC from a new author because I love MM mysteries, and I was so pleasantly surprised! S.B. Barnes is a really good writer, descriptions are vivid and draw you in, the plot was well-paced and intriguing (though a bit far fetched in places, but most mysteries are) and the characters were so appealing. I loved getting a peek inside Daniel's neurotic head, his thought patterns felt so relatable and real, and his inner monologue was funny, too. I'm not a reader who prefers dual POV - and this single POV tale was just great. I was so surprised it was a debut novel - I will certainly be picking up the sequel and anything else S.B. Barnes writes.
February 1, 2024
I really liked this book and was impressed that it was her first book. Daniel made me laugh with his overanalyzing everything and Tony was such a terrific guy and was perfect for Daniel. The murder was a shock and then finding out how Mario had betrayed Tony's sister and had started on another vulnerable young woman whose suicide attempt really brought out his betrayal. I should have guessed who was responsible and I know people who would have laughed because I didn't get it until the big reveal. Very pleased that there will be another book coming.
February 4, 2025
4.5 stars - This was really lovely and did the nicely. It's a mystery with a dash of romantic suspense featuring a professor/mechanic couple burgeoning throughout the story. Not straight up investigator husbands; they get together during the time of the investigation and are both close to the case, but aren't intently trying to solve it. (Daniel, the professor, has a few thoughts that Tony, the mechanic, .)
The third person limited POV (present tense but I barely noticed) follows Daniel, and I really enjoyed his character voice/observations. I got an ARC of the second book and am very much looking forward to spending more time with these characters.
(I've lost my ability to write reviews with any regularity or coherence, mainly save up my good wording efforts for the ARC reviews, so maybe I'll have something more interesting to say about book 2, lolsob)
The third person limited POV (present tense but I barely noticed) follows Daniel, and I really enjoyed his character voice/observations. I got an ARC of the second book and am very much looking forward to spending more time with these characters.
(I've lost my ability to write reviews with any regularity or coherence, mainly save up my good wording efforts for the ARC reviews, so maybe I'll have something more interesting to say about book 2, lolsob)
January 22, 2025
This was a NTM author. It did take a while to get used to the writing style. It was all written in present tense which made it seem some of the story was narrated.
The story itself was interesting and did keep me involved although I did guess the killer quite early on.
Ill be interested to read book 2 next month.
The story itself was interesting and did keep me involved although I did guess the killer quite early on.
Ill be interested to read book 2 next month.
May 25, 2024
I enjoyed this debut, but wasn’t crazy about the way it played out, hence only 3 stars. I liked the character building and romance, thought there was a lot of 🌶️ which felt a little gratuitous. I look forward to more in the series.
April 26, 2024
Ugh. Writing reviews for debut novels is so hard!
You want to be honest, but you also don't want to ruin someone's hopes and dreams with a few sentences. That just seems too mean! Rock meet a hard place! Now it sounds like I didn't like the book at all, but I did like it. See what I mean?
I did like the book. It is a mystery and MM romance mix which is basically my kryptonite. So obviously, I just had to read it. I liked the main couple. They are one of those opposites attract matches that work out really well. The main plot line in the story is the romance, so they got a lot of on screen time. It is incredibly detailed, full of inner monologues and a bit slow burn. Mystery is kind of the background noise, happening somewhere behind the scenes. Got to say, the mystery was not a very strong one, since the number of characters in the book is limited and there weren't that many options who the villain could have been, which means the mystery was not really a mystery. Yet, the main character managed to bumble it all up with his amateurish investigation methods and suspecting everyone based on little to no facts. You know, like a typical cozy mystery with an amateur sleuth. In a way, it was entertaining, but it also didn't put the main character in the best of light in some scenes. However, since the main plot is the romance, the character's actions in the background didn't seem all that important to the main plot either. In a way, it gave the characters some extra depth. There are quite a few steamy scenes in this book, which I am also conflicted about. On the one hand, I approve that the author described the need for condoms with BJ too, which is something many, many, many romance authors forget about when talking about using protection in sex scenes, but in general, the overall energy of those sex scenes is still undeniably FM. Maybe except 1 or 2 scenes, but in general it has that FM vibe.
Anyway. I liked it. There are some things I cringed about, there are some things I felt conflicted about, there are some things that made me roll my eyes, but my overall impression is still a positive one. As a debut, it was nice, and I am sure that with practice and some more editing, there is strong potential in this author and in this series. I am sure if I get offered the opportunity to read the next book in the series, I will, because of the overall positive impression I have left after reading this book. While not perfect, it is still good.
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
You want to be honest, but you also don't want to ruin someone's hopes and dreams with a few sentences. That just seems too mean! Rock meet a hard place! Now it sounds like I didn't like the book at all, but I did like it. See what I mean?
I did like the book. It is a mystery and MM romance mix which is basically my kryptonite. So obviously, I just had to read it. I liked the main couple. They are one of those opposites attract matches that work out really well. The main plot line in the story is the romance, so they got a lot of on screen time. It is incredibly detailed, full of inner monologues and a bit slow burn. Mystery is kind of the background noise, happening somewhere behind the scenes. Got to say, the mystery was not a very strong one, since the number of characters in the book is limited and there weren't that many options who the villain could have been, which means the mystery was not really a mystery. Yet, the main character managed to bumble it all up with his amateurish investigation methods and suspecting everyone based on little to no facts. You know, like a typical cozy mystery with an amateur sleuth. In a way, it was entertaining, but it also didn't put the main character in the best of light in some scenes. However, since the main plot is the romance, the character's actions in the background didn't seem all that important to the main plot either. In a way, it gave the characters some extra depth. There are quite a few steamy scenes in this book, which I am also conflicted about. On the one hand, I approve that the author described the need for condoms with BJ too, which is something many, many, many romance authors forget about when talking about using protection in sex scenes, but in general, the overall energy of those sex scenes is still undeniably FM. Maybe except 1 or 2 scenes, but in general it has that FM vibe.
Anyway. I liked it. There are some things I cringed about, there are some things I felt conflicted about, there are some things that made me roll my eyes, but my overall impression is still a positive one. As a debut, it was nice, and I am sure that with practice and some more editing, there is strong potential in this author and in this series. I am sure if I get offered the opportunity to read the next book in the series, I will, because of the overall positive impression I have left after reading this book. While not perfect, it is still good.
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
February 20, 2025
I really enjoyed this one! 4.25⭐️
Daniel works as a professor and one of his coworkers and friends is murdered right in front of his home. While he developes feelings for a mechanic that help him through the initial shock, all traces suddenly lead back to the garage his love interest works at.
The suspense is not palpable throughout most of the book as in you don't feel the MCs being in danger, but you still want to continue with reading so you know who did it and why. That's definitely a question of preference in how you want your murder mysteries. And the finale was really, really good! I also tried to solve the case while reading it, and I did have some assumptions, but I actually was wrong in the end, and I love that about these books.
I was a bit frustrated Daniel didn't tell the police everything he knows, and I had struggles to understand why he would interfere with police work at first, but then I remembered differences between the police work in the US and in Germany😂
I've seen some people complain about the third person present tense writing style, but I actually found that to sound more natural than third or first person past tense, maybe because it's more common in German literature and I'm used to it. And the single POV was really important to keep the suspense up, even if rather uncommon for romances.
I really liked the political takes and inputs as well, from the FU NRA bumper sticker to the criticism about the political system, the police system and the healthcare system in the US, to debates about abusing power as a male teacher/professor to the talks about the gap between academics and nonacademics, to racial profiling, to abortions, there was SO much covered and I loved all the takes!
Another minor point I liked: FINALLY an MM romance where a condom is used for the first BJ between strangers!
The romance was rather secondary, but that was totally fine - also the main characters seemed a little flat, but since they and their relationship will also be portrayed in the following book, this is definitely okay, compared to standalones.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC, left this review voluntarily and it features my honest opinion.
Daniel works as a professor and one of his coworkers and friends is murdered right in front of his home. While he developes feelings for a mechanic that help him through the initial shock, all traces suddenly lead back to the garage his love interest works at.
The suspense is not palpable throughout most of the book as in you don't feel the MCs being in danger, but you still want to continue with reading so you know who did it and why. That's definitely a question of preference in how you want your murder mysteries. And the finale was really, really good! I also tried to solve the case while reading it, and I did have some assumptions, but I actually was wrong in the end, and I love that about these books.
I was a bit frustrated Daniel didn't tell the police everything he knows, and I had struggles to understand why he would interfere with police work at first, but then I remembered differences between the police work in the US and in Germany😂
I've seen some people complain about the third person present tense writing style, but I actually found that to sound more natural than third or first person past tense, maybe because it's more common in German literature and I'm used to it. And the single POV was really important to keep the suspense up, even if rather uncommon for romances.
I really liked the political takes and inputs as well, from the FU NRA bumper sticker to the criticism about the political system, the police system and the healthcare system in the US, to debates about abusing power as a male teacher/professor to the talks about the gap between academics and nonacademics, to racial profiling, to abortions, there was SO much covered and I loved all the takes!
Another minor point I liked: FINALLY an MM romance where a condom is used for the first BJ between strangers!
The romance was rather secondary, but that was totally fine - also the main characters seemed a little flat, but since they and their relationship will also be portrayed in the following book, this is definitely okay, compared to standalones.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC, left this review voluntarily and it features my honest opinion.
April 19, 2024
This was SO GOOD! Super well written, especially since this is the author’s first book. I’m incredibly impressed. The mystery, the romance, and the plot were all top-notch. The author managed to pack in a ton while making it all feel authentic. I felt like I was friends with the characters and could easily drop into their life. Daniel and Tony were both super loveable and relatable. I’m not usually too much of a mystery novel girl, but I really loved this one! I’m super excited to see this author’s future work.
I received a copy of this book at no cost. This review is entirely voluntary and reflects my honest opinion of the work.
I received a copy of this book at no cost. This review is entirely voluntary and reflects my honest opinion of the work.
April 12, 2024
His life is simple and uncomplicated until his car breaks down. He will meet a new man and a relationship will start but a death will change his life. Life is about to become very complicated when a friend dies. What is going on? Will he find the answers he needs? Where will he end up at? Follow him to find out
April 11, 2024
This was a mediocre book for me. Although I had high expectations in terms of the mystery and thriller, unfortunately, it didn't work out for me.
The characters didn't spike my interest, the plot was not engaging for me.
The characters didn't spike my interest, the plot was not engaging for me.
April 6, 2024
4 ⭐️
Easy, though sometimes slow-paced, read with an engaging mystery and cute love story. It didn’t feel like a book I couldn’t put down but every time i was reading it I was enjoying it. MCs felt real with their struggles, I liked how they balanced each other out once they figure their issues out. I’ll definitely read the next book in the series to see where their relationship goes.
Easy, though sometimes slow-paced, read with an engaging mystery and cute love story. It didn’t feel like a book I couldn’t put down but every time i was reading it I was enjoying it. MCs felt real with their struggles, I liked how they balanced each other out once they figure their issues out. I’ll definitely read the next book in the series to see where their relationship goes.
April 7, 2024
It was a mix of my favorite story genres. The romance but was cute . However is didn’t enjoy how the mc over thought stuff but I feel like that is real life. The mystery part was intriguing and kept me guessing till the end. I would definitely pick up a book 2 .
December 28, 2023
Half price in the winter Smashwords sale. The opening struck me as a tad rushed but there was also something appealing about the POV MC and the prose was looking good, so I took a flyer on it, and let's put it this way: I am 100% buying the next in the series when it comes out.
I don't think I have it in me to write an extensive review tonight, so resorting to lazy itemization:
- murder mystery in which the perspective is decidedly suspicious of the police as an institution
- academic (Daniel Rosenbaum)/ auto mechanic (Tony d'Angelo)
- but the auto mechanic isn't an Alpha Male
- neither is the academic
- oh yeah, the passages describing the academic's field and his research interests are (wait for it!) smart and interesting! NO REALLY
- Daniel's cat is named Worf
- Worf loves tuna but "Daniel tries to keep the tuna for special occasions out of a halfhearted hope he’s somehow helping with climate change and chronic overfishing at least a little bit."
- Tony doesn't have a thing for cars just because he knows how to fix them
- there are no hardbodies to be seen (Tony's muscly, for example, but he's also got a bit of a belly, and Daniel's self-conscious about his own looks)
- character growth!
- what I think of as unaffected diversity, in that there are characters of color who are actual characters and whose experiences of race aren't just life lessons for the white characters
- lots of slyly funny bits, like "the 9W Motel, which is scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as Daniel’s concerned. Naming the motel after the road it’s on is tantamount to admitting its only claim to fame is being better than sleeping rough."
Mind you, there were annoyances! Daniel's anxious overthinking leads him into pointless suspicions, to a degree that I found exasperating; also, a couple of the things that make him suspicious have blindingly obvious explanations -- as in, so blindingly obvious that I spotted them, and I am pants at solving murder mysteries. I never know who did it.
. . . I knew who did it. Though, to be fair, S.B. Barnes dropped the clues neatly and subtly; I identified the murderer only by meta means, namely that .
Also the denouement was a bit OTT (but maybe that was intentional? I'm not sure).
So, you know, 4.5 stars? But rounding up, because this was a delight even though I read it while visiting my er challenging mother-in-law, and then in coach on the itty-bitty jet home, and a book that you can enjoy under these conditions has a lot going for it.
I don't think I have it in me to write an extensive review tonight, so resorting to lazy itemization:
- murder mystery in which the perspective is decidedly suspicious of the police as an institution
- academic (Daniel Rosenbaum)/ auto mechanic (Tony d'Angelo)
- but the auto mechanic isn't an Alpha Male
- neither is the academic
- oh yeah, the passages describing the academic's field and his research interests are (wait for it!) smart and interesting! NO REALLY
- Daniel's cat is named Worf
- Worf loves tuna but "Daniel tries to keep the tuna for special occasions out of a halfhearted hope he’s somehow helping with climate change and chronic overfishing at least a little bit."
- Tony doesn't have a thing for cars just because he knows how to fix them
- there are no hardbodies to be seen (Tony's muscly, for example, but he's also got a bit of a belly, and Daniel's self-conscious about his own looks)
- character growth!
- what I think of as unaffected diversity, in that there are characters of color who are actual characters and whose experiences of race aren't just life lessons for the white characters
- lots of slyly funny bits, like "the 9W Motel, which is scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as Daniel’s concerned. Naming the motel after the road it’s on is tantamount to admitting its only claim to fame is being better than sleeping rough."
Mind you, there were annoyances! Daniel's anxious overthinking leads him into pointless suspicions, to a degree that I found exasperating; also, a couple of the things that make him suspicious have blindingly obvious explanations -- as in, so blindingly obvious that I spotted them, and I am pants at solving murder mysteries. I never know who did it.
. . . I knew who did it. Though, to be fair, S.B. Barnes dropped the clues neatly and subtly; I identified the murderer only by meta means, namely that .
Also the denouement was a bit OTT (but maybe that was intentional? I'm not sure).
So, you know, 4.5 stars? But rounding up, because this was a delight even though I read it while visiting my er challenging mother-in-law, and then in coach on the itty-bitty jet home, and a book that you can enjoy under these conditions has a lot going for it.
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