A Fine Tangle

Silver Locket Origins #2

by Kennedy Sutton

When the crew of King’s Glory tore their officers apart and renamed their brig Sneaky Lass, more than just rank changed for Hugh Digby. After a lifetime in the Goranese Navy, coming to terms with the piratical turn his life has taken is all the more challenging when his mind and heart stray to his brother-in-law and complicated lover, Mickey, even after Hugh sent him back to Alouett to care for his growing family.

The path of Mickey Compton's life has never been smooth, mostly due to his own impulsiveness. Meaning to put all of the disasters with Hugh Digby behind him, he arrives in Alouett, heart set on being a responsible family man, but finds only tragedy and expense once again.

Taking the first job he can find, Mickey finds that fates are not done with him, and after a run-in with a pirate fleet, he is left wondering if he would have been better off remaining on Sneaky Lass with the man who occupies his mind, Hugh Digby.

As Mickey and Hugh struggle to find footing on their new paths and to reconcile the places each occupies in the heart of the other, they're left to wonder if it's a knot worth untangling at all.

Content Warning: This book contains depictions of ruthless piratical violence, substance abuse, bigotry, and alcoholism. It contains off page sexual assault and mentions of suicidal ideation.

Genres: M M Romance

Unknown Binding

First published February 15, 2024

Reviews

[Kassybetweenpages · Rating 5 out of 5]

As if I needed another reason to become more sympathetic towards the man Hugh Digby in The Silver Locket Series.

in some ways I am glad that I was able to hate him throughout that series, but I also wish that I had read the prequels first so that I had a better sense of the who and why of the man. That being said I feel like you can go either way and read Silver Locket Origins first or the silver Locket series first.
We also get a deeper dive into the beautiful sad soul that is Mickey Compton, and Ben and his demons.

gahh I just love these characters so much and getting to find out more about them and who they were before The sneaky Lass has been filled it forbidden love, angst, sadness/madness and glorious little easter eggs or pivotal moments from the main series weaved into it.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tear-jerking Love Story

Somehow, I always end up with tears when I read Kennedy Sutton, and yet again, I am in tears within the first few chapters.

Mickey and Hugh's love story is raw and heartwrenching, and this book portrays all of that in the best way. These characters are so beautifully and thoughtfully written. I find myself feeling like I'm on their journeys with them!

Thank you for another beautiful story, Kennedy!

[Nrsk8tireads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a dedicated reader of Kennedy Sutton’s since she came out with The Sneaky Lass, book one of the Silver Locket series.
This is book 2 in her Origins series, and it’s quickly becoming my favorite!! I have such a soft spot for Mickey, and Hugh is now one of my favorite characters, too.
Kennedy weaves the most beautiful stories, with love, heartache, joy, and utter sadness. Mickey and Hugh’s story is one of being star crossed lovers across a sea with pirates and bluebirds.
In A Fine Tangle we get more Easter eggs from the Silver Locket series, the depth and background of the characters is *amazing* and so beautifully written.
I think my favorite character insight from this particular book is Archer Li. Seeing who and what made him tick, and how he interacted with Mickey was just amazingly well done!!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader of "A Glorious Mess," picking up its sequel, "A Fine Tangle," felt like reconnecting with old friends. Kennedy Sutton's latest installment continues the thrilling journey of Hugh Digby and Mickey Compton in a story that's as captivating and complex as ever. The transformation of King's Glory into the Sneaky Lass sets the stage for new adventures and challenges for Hugh saying goodbye to Mickey who travels back to Alouett for the birth of his child.

Sutton's storytelling shines once again, blending romance, adventure, and suspense seamlessly. The characters feel incredibly real, and their journey kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning the page to find out what happened next.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfection

SPOILERS!


Okay, so first of all: hot mess teenage Ben. Poor baby. As hard as it was reading about him at his lowest, it’s nice knowing how he ends up, happy with Jane.

Also, Mickey naming Sneaky Lass AND Deceit?! Get out of here. I had to put the book down for a moment because silly me didn’t realize who Archer was until that moment? Mickey and Jane’s stories are so paralleled, such kindred spirits. I wish they had more time together.

[Distracted Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this point I would read about Mickey and Hugh grocery shopping. A disaster, tangle, or mess sign me up, and don't even get me started on Bennett. 🥹 This book has such an interesting side character that I'll have to finish reading the main series hoping he makes an appearance. The heart break and angst tied up in a pirates adventure had me flipping pages well into time allotted for different tasks.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so gut-twistingly good. It was worth every second of the wait. I loved how Hugh and Mickey grew into who they needed to be throughout this book and Ben's addiction and choices, though difficult to read at times, were so beautifully described. It's one of the best depictions of substance abuse I've ever read.

I cannot wait for book 3 in this series! May can't come quick enough!

[Cass Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mickey and Hugh are my Roman Empire. Their story being told is heart-wrenching and beautifully written.

I knew I would love reading their story, but I also loved the origin story of other characters from The Silver Locket series...

Ben and his struggles with alcoholism.
Archer and his devils and his mother.

Remembering how these characters grow into who they become? Fantastic writing.

[Terri Seanard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kennedy Sutton does it again with the second book in the Silver Locket Origins series. It picks up right where A Glorious Mess left off and follows Mickey and Hugh's relationship. The trails and tribulations these 2 go thru are well written, and you will find yourself rooting for them.
Ben even makes an appearance. ❤️

[Sefri Kuehn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me longer to read this than i wanted it to. But life. Anyway. I’m soooo happy that I get read more about Mickey and Hugh^^ I won’t spoil anything, but we finally get to see Mickey being the dad he is (briefly), and we get reintroduced to one of my favorite characters^^ I loved everything about this book, and I can’t wait to read the next one!^^

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book one gave insta-love and book two said ha bitch you thought and separated them for the entire thing. Crazy work but the truly catastrophic levels of yearning and just missing each other over and ever again were incredible. For something I stumbled on as a free book this series is taking me on a wild emotional ride.

[Haylee Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mickey and Hugh are a couple of favorite characters from the Silver Locket Series, so of course I am thrilled about about The Silver Locket Origins trilogy. I love Kennedy Sutton’s books. I can’t put them down!

[Kirsha Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Read this book in one sitting because I couldn't bear to put it down. Across the map two lovers yearn for each other, each fighting battles that feel so beyond them. I love these characters so much.

[nora 📖🩷 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!

i love these characters so much, oh my god. it was interesting to learn more about hugh and mickey when they weren’t in the presence of each other and see them always yearn for each other raaaaa. i need it to be may rn

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up way too late and woke up way too early just DEVOURING this book the day after reading the first one and now the third book in this series isn't out until May and I have to just sit here with no star-crossed gay pirate lovers for THREE WEEKS!

I'm bereft!

[Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 46% So much helpless wallowing in self-inflicted misery... every single character... I felt like it would be a mercy to shoot the lot of them.

[Shavonne Belford · Rating 5 out of 5]

The saga continues in this emotional page turner filled with forbidden love, deceit, angst, heartbreak, love, hope and determination Hugh is a man whose life is filled with the weight of sins but none stronger than his love for Mickey Compton and the tangle that is their desire for each other. Just like this series first book a Glorious Mess, A Fine Tangle had me at the edge of my seat full of emotions love, joy, heartache and fear I couldn’t put it down unless forced to do so

[Chasity Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh my goodness....so as well written and interesting as this story is.....I kind of hated it. FIFTEEN PAGES! 15 pages is ALL we get of mickey and Hugh together. The LAST freaking 15 pages at that. And those FIFTEEN pages left something to be desired, I'll tell you that.
It largely reminded me of reading Vicious by VE Schwab, where I read the entire thing waiting for the romance just to get to the end and realize there is no romance!
I just.... That was so tough to read. I struggled with picking it back up but I just thought they've got to find one another soon, right? Wrong. So so wrong. And the way mickey didn't throw himself at Hugh's show of love was just 🙄🙄🙄. Ugh, couldn't even give us that much??
I'm so annoyed I honestly don't know that I want to read the next book. But then what did I SUFFER through this book for?

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic second book. It's hard to deal with the 3rd book not being out yet, because this book is almost entirely spent with the MMCs apart. Kennedy Sutton makes it worth it though.