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Damaged Package
Forced into early retirement from his career as a SWAT officer for the city of Detroit, James Deacon knew that when he failed it would be a fall of epic proportions. He’s been living life by the tips of his fingers for over twenty years, and his new gig organizing a group of misfit military types into a functioning team—including his reluctant ex-fiancée—won’t return him to stable ground anytime soon.
Trevor Barrow has been on the move for the last seven years—hitting the road when relationships became too real or too much work. He’s home now, working in the hazardous world of bike messengers in the Motor City, and the only one of his eight siblings who knows he’s returned is his sister Cat. It’s not as if reconnecting with them matters anyway, because it’s likely he’ll be gone again soon.
Both men are lugging some heavy baggage, but when they chance upon each other in a dive bar it’s hard to deny their flaws are more like symbiotic quirks. Trevor’s backpedaling instincts and Deacon’s dance-dance party past may just be intersecting at a time when things are about to get explosive in Detroit.
Trevor Barrow has been on the move for the last seven years—hitting the road when relationships became too real or too much work. He’s home now, working in the hazardous world of bike messengers in the Motor City, and the only one of his eight siblings who knows he’s returned is his sister Cat. It’s not as if reconnecting with them matters anyway, because it’s likely he’ll be gone again soon.
Both men are lugging some heavy baggage, but when they chance upon each other in a dive bar it’s hard to deny their flaws are more like symbiotic quirks. Trevor’s backpedaling instincts and Deacon’s dance-dance party past may just be intersecting at a time when things are about to get explosive in Detroit.
280 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2014
26 people are currently reading
821 people want to read
About the author
S.A. McAuley
27 books246 followersSam is a wandering queer romance author who sleeps little and reads a lot. Happiest in a foreign country. Twitchy when not mentally in motion. Her name is Sam, not Sammy, definitely not Samantha. She’s a dark/cynical/jaded person, but hides that darkness well behind her obsession(s) with shiny objects.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
March 23, 2016
3.5 stars rounded up. This is a thriller/mystery/romance story between a young guy with wanderlust who has finally come home for a while, and an older, fired SWAT cop turned private security. Reader ratings will no doubt be all over the map, depending on your level of amusement by the characters, and your tolerance for lapses in logic.
The writing is good, and I enjoyed Trevor and Deacon, especially early on. There is some fun and humor here, decent heat, and some good secondary characters as well. The dialogue isn't always believable, but it made me smile. It's a fast easy read, and the four stars is purely for the pleasure of the ride.
There are rather a lot of plot holes, from some of the basic premises behind Trav's back story, to the multiple unprofessional moments on the part of ex-cops that were required to generate the climax. The book gets credit for a plot twist I didn't see coming, and loses it for the number of times I couldn't buy some minor point. This is not a story for a picky reader, or someone who hates instalove, but I admit to gulping it down in one fast rush, and chuckling more than once at the guys together. For that pleasure, I'm giving it a purely personal rounded-to-4 stars.
The writing is good, and I enjoyed Trevor and Deacon, especially early on. There is some fun and humor here, decent heat, and some good secondary characters as well. The dialogue isn't always believable, but it made me smile. It's a fast easy read, and the four stars is purely for the pleasure of the ride.
There are rather a lot of plot holes, from some of the basic premises behind Trav's back story, to the multiple unprofessional moments on the part of ex-cops that were required to generate the climax. The book gets credit for a plot twist I didn't see coming, and loses it for the number of times I couldn't buy some minor point. This is not a story for a picky reader, or someone who hates instalove, but I admit to gulping it down in one fast rush, and chuckling more than once at the guys together. For that pleasure, I'm giving it a purely personal rounded-to-4 stars.
July 15, 2014
Loved this effing book. And Deacon. OMG be still my heart! Loved loved.
maybe
March 7, 2016FREE on Amazon Mar. 7th
Title with that picture makes me laugh. How do guys not nut themselves on bikes? That cross bar looks mighty dangerous.
Title with that picture makes me laugh. How do guys not nut themselves on bikes? That cross bar looks mighty dangerous.
July 24, 2014
Well now. It is fascinating to me how I can love a book and find a million faults. I dunno. I didn't want to put it down but I found so much very ridiculous. Maybe I loved that? If you ask me if you should read it my answer is yes. I didn't hate it or even dislike it. I actually loved it but it was really unbelievable. A kind of shake your head but can't put it down type of thing? Whatever, read it.
Thank you to my Skulls, Amy, G and Mish for another great read...
Thank you to my Skulls, Amy, G and Mish for another great read...
dnf
November 15, 201716% DNF
I found the writing to be rather unsophisticated and even at only 16% into the story there is entirely too much tell and not enough show. Moving on...
I found the writing to be rather unsophisticated and even at only 16% into the story there is entirely too much tell and not enough show. Moving on...
November 7, 2014
2.75 stars.
*pounds forehead into desk*
I didn’t like this book. I found myself wanting to end it multiple times throughout reading it. I gave these ratings based on the basic level of relationship between Deacon & Trevor. The entire book felt disjointed to me. It was weird, and none believable for me. I didn’t buy the corporate espionage angle one bit. I didn’t by a 16 yr old boy getting emancipated from his mother and for 7 years was able to travel to 93 countries. What did he do to gain money, shelter, protection, and knowledge? I can’t believe that would have unless he had a fairy godmother out here protecting him and supplying him with endless funds. Then after being gone from home from 7 years, he’s able to return and start up a bike messenger service; really, because it’s that simple. Trevor talks about these friends he’s got, and how he’s able to live in an upscale apartment building and have his own company at 23. He never once talked about formal education, any type of training. The one relationship he held dear to his heart the author decided to make a muck out of it. I didn’t like it, I felt it was too easy to place the blame and take away the only faith and trust in someone.
Deacon character’s through me off a lot, where as Trevor I understood why he was closed off, Deacon’s character seemed unauthentic throughout the entire book unless they were in some sort of physical state. The story seemed to be told out of sequence. They kept referencing the Audra Price incident as his reasoning from getting fired from his job of 20 years? What did he do that was so wrong? From my understanding of what was said in the book was whispering in Miss Price ear about what she did; it felt like a gimmick and not realistic. The crux of the story was basically Deacon working for “The Dictator” this powerful man in Detroit who owned lots real estate and businesses. Why does one need an paramilitary/ swat team to deliver correspondences all over the city? The corporate espionage plot was so stupid to me. I felt like the author spent way to much time on it, and it didn't solve, answer or satisfy me with the story.
The only plus for me was Trevor reuniting with his brother, seeing his mother doing better. I liked that Trevor knew his first thoughts were to walk away, but he did give himself ample time to like and potentially love someone else. Deacon was good for Trevor in some aspects, but he didn't seem like a real adult. It was kind of all over the place with him and his feelings and actions. I think Deacon compulsive liar, he didn't seem genuine in anything really. I felt like he was a spy and living for this mission. The whole fiancee thing that wouldn't go away was shenanigans. I don’t think the writing style was strong enough for me. It literally had me rolling my eyes a bunch of times.
*pounds forehead into desk*
I didn’t like this book. I found myself wanting to end it multiple times throughout reading it. I gave these ratings based on the basic level of relationship between Deacon & Trevor. The entire book felt disjointed to me. It was weird, and none believable for me. I didn’t buy the corporate espionage angle one bit. I didn’t by a 16 yr old boy getting emancipated from his mother and for 7 years was able to travel to 93 countries. What did he do to gain money, shelter, protection, and knowledge? I can’t believe that would have unless he had a fairy godmother out here protecting him and supplying him with endless funds. Then after being gone from home from 7 years, he’s able to return and start up a bike messenger service; really, because it’s that simple. Trevor talks about these friends he’s got, and how he’s able to live in an upscale apartment building and have his own company at 23. He never once talked about formal education, any type of training. The one relationship he held dear to his heart the author decided to make a muck out of it. I didn’t like it, I felt it was too easy to place the blame and take away the only faith and trust in someone.
Deacon character’s through me off a lot, where as Trevor I understood why he was closed off, Deacon’s character seemed unauthentic throughout the entire book unless they were in some sort of physical state. The story seemed to be told out of sequence. They kept referencing the Audra Price incident as his reasoning from getting fired from his job of 20 years? What did he do that was so wrong? From my understanding of what was said in the book was whispering in Miss Price ear about what she did; it felt like a gimmick and not realistic. The crux of the story was basically Deacon working for “The Dictator” this powerful man in Detroit who owned lots real estate and businesses. Why does one need an paramilitary/ swat team to deliver correspondences all over the city? The corporate espionage plot was so stupid to me. I felt like the author spent way to much time on it, and it didn't solve, answer or satisfy me with the story.
The only plus for me was Trevor reuniting with his brother, seeing his mother doing better. I liked that Trevor knew his first thoughts were to walk away, but he did give himself ample time to like and potentially love someone else. Deacon was good for Trevor in some aspects, but he didn't seem like a real adult. It was kind of all over the place with him and his feelings and actions. I think Deacon compulsive liar, he didn't seem genuine in anything really. I felt like he was a spy and living for this mission. The whole fiancee thing that wouldn't go away was shenanigans. I don’t think the writing style was strong enough for me. It literally had me rolling my eyes a bunch of times.
July 23, 2014
I'm a little bummed that I did not like this more. I really, really wanted to love it... I just couldn't.
While I think I liked the characters a lot, I just didn't get their chemistry. I felt like I was getting a whole lot of internal dialogue from each, with neither of them talking to each other. I guess there was a lot of telling, and very little showing.
But, I'd have to say my biggest issue was the climax of the story. Without being spoilery, I just couldn't figure out where the final conclusions came from, nor the motivations. It almost felt like we had to have a "bad guy", and the one that was provided was just plopped in, with not reason at all. I just didn't get it. As a result, I was really bummed when I finished.
It was okay, but didn't really work for me.
While I think I liked the characters a lot, I just didn't get their chemistry. I felt like I was getting a whole lot of internal dialogue from each, with neither of them talking to each other. I guess there was a lot of telling, and very little showing.
But, I'd have to say my biggest issue was the climax of the story. Without being spoilery, I just couldn't figure out where the final conclusions came from, nor the motivations. It almost felt like we had to have a "bad guy", and the one that was provided was just plopped in, with not reason at all. I just didn't get it. As a result, I was really bummed when I finished.
It was okay, but didn't really work for me.
August 11, 2019
This was...interesting.
I found myself either grumbling or smiling.
I liked the guys.
I loved their connection.
I tolerated the storyline.
It was too much at times and then not enough other times.
*back n forth*
Not a consistent read for me but enjoyable nevertheless.
And I sure do love McAuley's writing.
*3 see-saw stars*
*also...this Michigander loved Detroit getting some love...there never seems to be enough happy in Motown anymore.
I found myself either grumbling or smiling.
I liked the guys.
I loved their connection.
I tolerated the storyline.
It was too much at times and then not enough other times.
*back n forth*
Not a consistent read for me but enjoyable nevertheless.
And I sure do love McAuley's writing.
*3 see-saw stars*
*also...this Michigander loved Detroit getting some love...there never seems to be enough happy in Motown anymore.
March 7, 2016
Damaged Package is fanfuckingtabulous!!! If I could request from the literary powers that be, that one book I’ve read this year, be made into a movie, Damaged Package would be it. Trevor and Deacon are magical. Both men have issues that run deep. Deacon calms his demons with the intensity of being SWAT. And now that he’s lost that guaranteed adrenaline rush, he’s moved on to private security. .. in the murder capital of the US, Detroit.
There is a reason that Trevor’s family calls him Traveler. At 23, he’s already seen 93 countries. In his mind, he’s running from a screwed up past. Until he meets Deacon, it doesn’t even occur to him that he might be running towards something. Watching him integrate his past and present was almost painful, at time. He has so many reasons to not trust, but maybe Deacon is worth risking everything for.
The characters in this book are sooooo good. Not just the main characters, but the secondary as well. I’ve spent much of my professional life surrounded by SWAT team members. Trust me when I say, SA McAuley got these guys right. The bravado, the dark humor…spot on. I know it’s only July, but if I’m asking Santa to ensure that Damaged Package is just Book One of a series. And I would not be at all upset if Jackson were to get his own story. Gay for you, MMF, I’m not picky, just give the brutha someone to love. ;-) Oh, and Sam, if you think you can make me like that Prima Donna Bitch…you are a damn good writer.
I love a good romance, but wrap it up in a world-class romantic suspense, and I am a happy reader. Hot loving, buildings blowing up and oh, yeah…hot cops. Highly recommending Damaged Package to readers who like cops with swat, Twinks with brains, and bad guys who hide very well.
There is a reason that Trevor’s family calls him Traveler. At 23, he’s already seen 93 countries. In his mind, he’s running from a screwed up past. Until he meets Deacon, it doesn’t even occur to him that he might be running towards something. Watching him integrate his past and present was almost painful, at time. He has so many reasons to not trust, but maybe Deacon is worth risking everything for.
The characters in this book are sooooo good. Not just the main characters, but the secondary as well. I’ve spent much of my professional life surrounded by SWAT team members. Trust me when I say, SA McAuley got these guys right. The bravado, the dark humor…spot on. I know it’s only July, but if I’m asking Santa to ensure that Damaged Package is just Book One of a series. And I would not be at all upset if Jackson were to get his own story. Gay for you, MMF, I’m not picky, just give the brutha someone to love. ;-) Oh, and Sam, if you think you can make me like that Prima Donna Bitch…you are a damn good writer.
I love a good romance, but wrap it up in a world-class romantic suspense, and I am a happy reader. Hot loving, buildings blowing up and oh, yeah…hot cops. Highly recommending Damaged Package to readers who like cops with swat, Twinks with brains, and bad guys who hide very well.
July 22, 2014
More like 2.5 stars
This is a new to me author, it was her first book I have read. Mostly it was a fun read, but from some time on I got the heavy eye-roll disease. People appeared and disappeared out of the blue, mom sent a note, why? What happened? Out of the blue, after pedaling some 20 miles out of the city, at a lake, of course there's mom and her second family and everything's just love, peace and harmony.
Until about 90% the reader remains untold, just like Trevor, guessing WTH is happening here. Deacon got shot at - why? And did I miss the reason for him being in Brazil at all? Just because he was told to go? And then again, people appear and people vanish, the last disappearing act was rather far-fetched and didn't work at all. Nice to see Trevor and Deacon getting their happy ending, but the way until they reached it and the way it was told, well, that was rather aggravating.
This is a new to me author, it was her first book I have read. Mostly it was a fun read, but from some time on I got the heavy eye-roll disease. People appeared and disappeared out of the blue, mom sent a note, why? What happened? Out of the blue, after pedaling some 20 miles out of the city, at a lake, of course there's mom and her second family and everything's just love, peace and harmony.
Until about 90% the reader remains untold, just like Trevor, guessing WTH is happening here. Deacon got shot at - why? And did I miss the reason for him being in Brazil at all? Just because he was told to go? And then again, people appear and people vanish, the last disappearing act was rather far-fetched and didn't work at all. Nice to see Trevor and Deacon getting their happy ending, but the way until they reached it and the way it was told, well, that was rather aggravating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2018
this was a really good book. I loved James and Trevor
it was fun to see how their relationship developed - that combined with the mystery was really well done.
what I did not really like was the "I do it for your own good" attitude and I don't understand why so many author always come back to that.
it takes something away from the relationship and the necessary respect the MCs should have for each other
nevertheless, I really liked reading this story.
it was fun to see how their relationship developed - that combined with the mystery was really well done.
what I did not really like was the "I do it for your own good" attitude and I don't understand why so many author always come back to that.
it takes something away from the relationship and the necessary respect the MCs should have for each other
nevertheless, I really liked reading this story.
May 9, 2016
38 is not old and it's not too late to start a new career! The person hasn't even worked half his expected productivity time. He's worked legally for at most 22 years and even early retirement is 24-25 years away.
Dancers are not usually big guys.
Good grief. Why is he up early enough that he receives a text asking for a none AM meeting (that he is able to make) when they were up hours past last call at a dance club? Oh and the other guy was already at work at 7 am.
Deacon is only 38 and his chest hair is mostly gray? Premature. How old is this author?
When it comes to jealously regarding their partner, people are far more threatened by someone of the opposite gender because they have no way to compete with those things they just don't have. Books get this wrong a lot. There are gobs of support groups out there for people whose partners come out and overwhelmingly they say it's so much harder.
I hate that he didn't come out until he was 36.
Will we ever find out why he was fired?
We keep being told that Deacon is crazy, that he's rude and loud, or whatever, but we're not seeing it.
I'm glad they didn't go a whole book about Detroit without mentioning race.
If Trav went through an emancipation hearing and won due to his mother's meth use, then his siblings would have been removed from the home.
Rather philosophical.
Really well done sense of fear and flight.
I'm currently baffled. That's good.
Five star book until the end which I felt was rushed and incomplete.
I think the culprit was slightly unfair but it was okay. The ending was a three--so much hospital potential wasted!
4.5 stars rounded down because of the ending
Dancers are not usually big guys.
Good grief. Why is he up early enough that he receives a text asking for a none AM meeting (that he is able to make) when they were up hours past last call at a dance club? Oh and the other guy was already at work at 7 am.
Deacon is only 38 and his chest hair is mostly gray? Premature. How old is this author?
When it comes to jealously regarding their partner, people are far more threatened by someone of the opposite gender because they have no way to compete with those things they just don't have. Books get this wrong a lot. There are gobs of support groups out there for people whose partners come out and overwhelmingly they say it's so much harder.
I hate that he didn't come out until he was 36.
Will we ever find out why he was fired?
We keep being told that Deacon is crazy, that he's rude and loud, or whatever, but we're not seeing it.
I'm glad they didn't go a whole book about Detroit without mentioning race.
If Trav went through an emancipation hearing and won due to his mother's meth use, then his siblings would have been removed from the home.
Rather philosophical.
Really well done sense of fear and flight.
I'm currently baffled. That's good.
Five star book until the end which I felt was rushed and incomplete.
I think the culprit was slightly unfair but it was okay. The ending was a three--so much hospital potential wasted!
4.5 stars rounded down because of the ending
March 9, 2016
Phew, I'm not having a good streak right now.
The writing is decent though the MCs have these super wordy dialogues that just don't feel natural to me but that's probably a matter of taste. The same goes for the extreme insta-love which is not my favourite but okay.
But here is what really killed it for me. If I were to beta this book, I'm pretty sure that almost all my comments would start with the word "why". And there would be a lot of them. A veritable sea of red.
The suspense plot (if you want to call it that - completely withholding all information from the reader does not suspense make. Confusion, yes, but suspense, no.) does not make any sense at all. There are so many plotholes that I have a crick in the neck from shaking my head.
But even apart from that, there are so many things that are just not really thoroughly thought through... Content editing - it's a thing, you know?
Well, anyhow 1.5 stars rounded up because of the writing.
The writing is decent though the MCs have these super wordy dialogues that just don't feel natural to me but that's probably a matter of taste. The same goes for the extreme insta-love which is not my favourite but okay.
But here is what really killed it for me. If I were to beta this book, I'm pretty sure that almost all my comments would start with the word "why". And there would be a lot of them. A veritable sea of red.
The suspense plot (if you want to call it that - completely withholding all information from the reader does not suspense make. Confusion, yes, but suspense, no.) does not make any sense at all. There are so many plotholes that I have a crick in the neck from shaking my head.
But even apart from that, there are so many things that are just not really thoroughly thought through... Content editing - it's a thing, you know?
Well, anyhow 1.5 stars rounded up because of the writing.
July 24, 2014
This just didn't work for me. There was no true chemistry between the MC's, and their behavior was often contradictory to the persona built by the author. Trevor is depicted as a loner and a runner yet he passively accepts the crap excuses from Deacon when he asks for trust and honesty. The story irritated me the further I read. I read m/m for the male dynamic and Deacon's treatment/withholding of information from Trevor felt a little too much like the alpha male telling the little lady not to worry her pretty little head.
The timing also bothered me. One minute they meet in a bar, then the next thing you know Trevor is being trusted with critical documents. Trusted with meeting "the dictator's" sheltered wife. Huh? It was "insta-drama" and "insta-plot".
This could have been amazing. The premise of both characters, the retired swat dance party guy and the young traveler interested me. The " mystery" and the relationship development fell short.
The timing also bothered me. One minute they meet in a bar, then the next thing you know Trevor is being trusted with critical documents. Trusted with meeting "the dictator's" sheltered wife. Huh? It was "insta-drama" and "insta-plot".
This could have been amazing. The premise of both characters, the retired swat dance party guy and the young traveler interested me. The " mystery" and the relationship development fell short.
August 13, 2014
Extra star for being set in "The D".
Personally, I liked this until Trevor accepted Deacon's pitiful excuses. Maybe I needed more conflict or something, but Trevor's actions didn't sit well with me with this back story.
Deacon, I didn't like how he kept things to himself. I liked him until that point. From then on he kept losing me. Even at the end there I wasn't a fan.
Overall, I thought his was going to be better. I guess if Deacon would have opened his mouth I would have, but it is what it is.
Personally, I liked this until Trevor accepted Deacon's pitiful excuses. Maybe I needed more conflict or something, but Trevor's actions didn't sit well with me with this back story.
Deacon, I didn't like how he kept things to himself. I liked him until that point. From then on he kept losing me. Even at the end there I wasn't a fan.
Overall, I thought his was going to be better. I guess if Deacon would have opened his mouth I would have, but it is what it is.
November 4, 2016
There were things I enjoyed about this book:
I loved the setting and the way the McAuley wrote about Detroit.
I liked the characters of Trav and Deacon.
Overall I liked the dynamics between the protagonists. I found the age difference work.
Trav's interaction with his brother was intriguing.
There were things I didn't like about the book:
The women...I'll leave it at that.
Deacon's job was silly and the mystery portion of the story was ridiculous.
I loved the setting and the way the McAuley wrote about Detroit.
I liked the characters of Trav and Deacon.
Overall I liked the dynamics between the protagonists. I found the age difference work.
Trav's interaction with his brother was intriguing.
There were things I didn't like about the book:
The women...I'll leave it at that.
Deacon's job was silly and the mystery portion of the story was ridiculous.
October 29, 2015
This was my first S.A. McAuley book..and it will definitely not be my last. Absofreakinglutely loved Deacon and Trav. The dynamics between these two were fantastic, two completely different people but able to work so well together. Even through the bumps and bruises of relationship hell. Just loved this book so hard.
August 1, 2014
I really wanted to like this--I love this author--just couldn't get through this book--characters were boring--no chemistry
July 31, 2014
Damaged Package is yet another in a long list of S.A. McAuley’s books that had me falling hard and fast for the characters, something that seems to be the norm in her books. Whether or not it’s vastly different men—Merq and Armise in the Borders War series or Poe and Isaac in Someday It Will Be—there’s an undeniable chemistry they share that makes them not necessarily perfect but absolutely perfect for each other. Trevor Barrow and James Deacon are now tucked safely into that list of characters I love, right along with all the others. These two men won me over with not only what they said but how they said it, as so much of the attraction comes across in their verbal play. They spar with words, flirt, though you’d think with all the talking they do there wouldn’t be so many secrets for Deacon to keep. But lies of omission are still lies, and that’s at the heart of the issue with him and Trav (short for Traveler, the nickname earned because he’s not stayed in one place for very long since he turned sixteen and left Detroit behind).
Mixed into this budding relationship—the one Trav is building up defenses against just as quickly as Deacon tears them down—is a bit of a corporate thriller that throws Deacon and Trav together when Deacon takes on a new job working with the wealthiest man in Detroit and brings Trav onboard to act as a bicycle messenger, something Trav has invested a living in, albeit an intended short-term one since Trav tends to do a runner when things in his life get too real. There was as much suspense in the relationship between these two men as there was in the building evidence that something stunk at Hubert Enterprises, and all this suspense adds up to betrayal and a surprise twist at the end that tugged a little bit at my heartstrings and proved that love can be shown in even the most convoluted of ways.
Playing on the title is the fact that indeed both Trav and Deacon are maybe more than just a little bit flawed. Deacon’s been riding a slow burnout that finally sent his career up in flames when he pulled shenanigans at the scene of a crime, which spelled the end of his career on the Detroit Police Department’s SWAT team. Trav…well, poor Trav’s got family issues, which is why he’d left Detroit seven years earlier, and is why he’s got no incentive to stick around now he’s back. Watching these two men, who are damaged, slightly frayed at the seams but still strong at their broken places, take a tumble into love with each other was purely sublime.
Deacon may be fifteen years older than Trav, but don’t think for a minute this is anything like a typical May/December romance. Trav is something like a world weary old soul and Deacon is just playful enough to erase the difference in their ages, and I love the way Trav put Deacon through his paces at every opportunity. But let’s just lay all the cards out on the table here, shall we? Deacon is one sexy mofo who wears all his thirty-eight years well, and I don’t mind saying I would’ve wanted to wear all those thirty-eight years like a second skin myself, so go Trav!
The secondary characters do an excellent job of supporting Deacon and Trav’s storyline, with Detroit possibly being the most interesting of all of them. The last time I read a book set in Detroit, it was S.A. McAuley’s and she’d populated it with zombies, so while the Detroit in this story doesn’t crawl with the living dead, it still has the feeling of a city that’s trying to resurrect itself from the death throes of a brutal recession, and I liked the way the feelings toward the city played conversely in both Deacon’s and Trav’s lives.
As far as recommendations go, I have to say whether you’ve read every one of this author’s books, or have never read a single word she’s written but have been thinking about picking one up and don’t know where to start. Start here. Damaged Package…err…well, it delivers.
Mixed into this budding relationship—the one Trav is building up defenses against just as quickly as Deacon tears them down—is a bit of a corporate thriller that throws Deacon and Trav together when Deacon takes on a new job working with the wealthiest man in Detroit and brings Trav onboard to act as a bicycle messenger, something Trav has invested a living in, albeit an intended short-term one since Trav tends to do a runner when things in his life get too real. There was as much suspense in the relationship between these two men as there was in the building evidence that something stunk at Hubert Enterprises, and all this suspense adds up to betrayal and a surprise twist at the end that tugged a little bit at my heartstrings and proved that love can be shown in even the most convoluted of ways.
Playing on the title is the fact that indeed both Trav and Deacon are maybe more than just a little bit flawed. Deacon’s been riding a slow burnout that finally sent his career up in flames when he pulled shenanigans at the scene of a crime, which spelled the end of his career on the Detroit Police Department’s SWAT team. Trav…well, poor Trav’s got family issues, which is why he’d left Detroit seven years earlier, and is why he’s got no incentive to stick around now he’s back. Watching these two men, who are damaged, slightly frayed at the seams but still strong at their broken places, take a tumble into love with each other was purely sublime.
Deacon may be fifteen years older than Trav, but don’t think for a minute this is anything like a typical May/December romance. Trav is something like a world weary old soul and Deacon is just playful enough to erase the difference in their ages, and I love the way Trav put Deacon through his paces at every opportunity. But let’s just lay all the cards out on the table here, shall we? Deacon is one sexy mofo who wears all his thirty-eight years well, and I don’t mind saying I would’ve wanted to wear all those thirty-eight years like a second skin myself, so go Trav!
The secondary characters do an excellent job of supporting Deacon and Trav’s storyline, with Detroit possibly being the most interesting of all of them. The last time I read a book set in Detroit, it was S.A. McAuley’s and she’d populated it with zombies, so while the Detroit in this story doesn’t crawl with the living dead, it still has the feeling of a city that’s trying to resurrect itself from the death throes of a brutal recession, and I liked the way the feelings toward the city played conversely in both Deacon’s and Trav’s lives.
As far as recommendations go, I have to say whether you’ve read every one of this author’s books, or have never read a single word she’s written but have been thinking about picking one up and don’t know where to start. Start here. Damaged Package…err…well, it delivers.
October 29, 2016
Damaged Package is a suspenseful romance (or romantic suspense?) featuring a world-traveler-turned-bike-messenger (in the Motor City, of all places) and an ex-SWAT-cop-turned-head-of-security, set in Detroit. And it’s awesome. Read it!
Even though this sums it up short and sweet, there’s more to say about this book. A lot more, actually, beginning with the characters:
First, we have Trevor – Trav, as his family calls him, and rightfully so, since he’s been all over the world already at only 23 years old – a drifter with protective walls around his heart ten feet thick who thinks he’ll only stay long enough in his hometown until he’s made enough money to be off again.
Aaannnd we have *drumroll* Deacon, 38, out-and-proud party animal, batshit crazy adrenaline junkie and yet deeply rooted to his native soil and loyal to a fault.
When these two opposites meet at a dive bar, nothing can come out of it but a casual hookup, right? Wrong. From their initial banter to the first-date scene (which alone was worth reading this book) to their slowly building relationship, they peel layers upon layers of prickles, misgivings and apprehensions off each other until love and commitment stops being a mere distant possibility. Beautiful to watch, and their clashing personalities had me in stitches more than once, while at the same time I also more than once wanted to smack either or both to make them see reason. For that, though, I had the secondary characters, mainly Deacon’s friends and fellow private security “mercs”, some of which were so well-drawn they could easily carry a story of their own.
While the romance moves slowly, events around the main couple come thick and fast, past and present merging and moving in leaps and bounds toward the (literally) explosive showdown. If this book had any flaws, they lay in the plot itself – I found myself losing the logical thread once or twice, and sometimes chance intervened in a way that rather required suspension of disbelief – however, I could forgive these “huh?” moments for the sheer entertainment value of it all. In the end, I closed the book with a happy smile and a small wistful sigh for not wanting to leave the guys already, and that’s what counts, right? at least as far as I’m concerned.
I guess for me, it really comes down to this: it was awesome. Read it!
;-)
reviewed for www.prismbookalliance.com
Even though this sums it up short and sweet, there’s more to say about this book. A lot more, actually, beginning with the characters:
First, we have Trevor – Trav, as his family calls him, and rightfully so, since he’s been all over the world already at only 23 years old – a drifter with protective walls around his heart ten feet thick who thinks he’ll only stay long enough in his hometown until he’s made enough money to be off again.
Aaannnd we have *drumroll* Deacon, 38, out-and-proud party animal, batshit crazy adrenaline junkie and yet deeply rooted to his native soil and loyal to a fault.
When these two opposites meet at a dive bar, nothing can come out of it but a casual hookup, right? Wrong. From their initial banter to the first-date scene (which alone was worth reading this book) to their slowly building relationship, they peel layers upon layers of prickles, misgivings and apprehensions off each other until love and commitment stops being a mere distant possibility. Beautiful to watch, and their clashing personalities had me in stitches more than once, while at the same time I also more than once wanted to smack either or both to make them see reason. For that, though, I had the secondary characters, mainly Deacon’s friends and fellow private security “mercs”, some of which were so well-drawn they could easily carry a story of their own.
While the romance moves slowly, events around the main couple come thick and fast, past and present merging and moving in leaps and bounds toward the (literally) explosive showdown. If this book had any flaws, they lay in the plot itself – I found myself losing the logical thread once or twice, and sometimes chance intervened in a way that rather required suspension of disbelief – however, I could forgive these “huh?” moments for the sheer entertainment value of it all. In the end, I closed the book with a happy smile and a small wistful sigh for not wanting to leave the guys already, and that’s what counts, right? at least as far as I’m concerned.
I guess for me, it really comes down to this: it was awesome. Read it!
;-)
reviewed for www.prismbookalliance.com
May 3, 2015
Not bad, but nothing exceptional either. Deacon was incredibly sweet. There is something really emotionally resonating in seeing a man just want to make someone else happy. It pushes a lot of my happy buttons. I also liked that he was an older man. I liked that Trav wasn't brainless. He was a smart guy. I appreciated that. The sex was pretty good too.
But the book full of clichés. Full of them. It's all pretty predictable, and everything after about 75% is 100% predictable. Worst of all it has the dreaded, 'he didn't know what but something made this man/situation/feeling/etc different.' NO. That is NEVER enough to explain someone's uncharacteristic feelings about someone or something. NEVER. It's as bad as, if not worse than, insta-love. Which to be fair, this isn't quite (pretty close though).
Plus, a lot of it just didn't hold together very well. For example, The initial event in which Deacon was supposed to have come to Hank's attention didn't appear to be one in which a SWAT team would have been needed. Pretty sure the normal police could have handled that. Then, for the whole book it's hinted that Deacon was working for Hank to investigate corporate espionage, but it felt a bit over the top that he hires ex SWAT and soldiers for this. Then suddenly at the end, we're dealing with terrorists instead. But only for about 10 pages, it was all resolved in an instant. Then there's the fact that Deacon's ex just happens to work there too. Everything just barely hangs together. It does, if you don't look too closely at it, but just barely.
Lastly, a personal irritant, as someone who worked in Child Abuse & Neglect investigations for several years: if by some manner Trav did become emancipated form his mother at 16, which it takes a lot to do, all her other children should have been removed as well. Think on it. The court is willing to declare, and thereby be accountable if something happens to him, that his mother is so unfit her 16 year old is better off caring for himself. Would they then leave several other children ranging from infant to 9 years old in her drug-addled care? I think not.
The writing, however is fine and though the plot is shaky a lot of the men relating to one another is touching in it's own occasionally sappy way. The book is a solid, middle of he road read.
But the book full of clichés. Full of them. It's all pretty predictable, and everything after about 75% is 100% predictable. Worst of all it has the dreaded, 'he didn't know what but something made this man/situation/feeling/etc different.' NO. That is NEVER enough to explain someone's uncharacteristic feelings about someone or something. NEVER. It's as bad as, if not worse than, insta-love. Which to be fair, this isn't quite (pretty close though).
Plus, a lot of it just didn't hold together very well. For example, The initial event in which Deacon was supposed to have come to Hank's attention didn't appear to be one in which a SWAT team would have been needed. Pretty sure the normal police could have handled that. Then, for the whole book it's hinted that Deacon was working for Hank to investigate corporate espionage, but it felt a bit over the top that he hires ex SWAT and soldiers for this. Then suddenly at the end, we're dealing with terrorists instead. But only for about 10 pages, it was all resolved in an instant. Then there's the fact that Deacon's ex just happens to work there too. Everything just barely hangs together. It does, if you don't look too closely at it, but just barely.
Lastly, a personal irritant, as someone who worked in Child Abuse & Neglect investigations for several years: if by some manner Trav did become emancipated form his mother at 16, which it takes a lot to do, all her other children should have been removed as well. Think on it. The court is willing to declare, and thereby be accountable if something happens to him, that his mother is so unfit her 16 year old is better off caring for himself. Would they then leave several other children ranging from infant to 9 years old in her drug-addled care? I think not.
The writing, however is fine and though the plot is shaky a lot of the men relating to one another is touching in it's own occasionally sappy way. The book is a solid, middle of he road read.
May 23, 2019
I was really enjoying this book until the big, stupid "I can't tell you because you'll be safer that way" thing that Deacon tried to sell to Trav for most of the story. I just can't deal with that kind of nonsense, seriously. I don't know why people think ignorance is bliss... it's not, and honestly it soured my whole view of the book because I felt that Trav could've been more prepared if he had known what he was up against. That whole hiding thing was just a piss-poor excuse to add drama to a story that could've been handled a different way.
Also there were some plot holes and inconsistencies that just jarred me even more.
Also there were some plot holes and inconsistencies that just jarred me even more.
November 25, 2014
Damaged but unbroken package
I really loved and enjoyed this book. The MCs and secondary characters were all a joy to experience and get to know. I really felt for Trav and felt his character was really well developed. I love Deacon even though I really wanted to smack him upside the head a few times.
I would love to know more about Jackson.. I'm begging for a gfy story here!!! /begs
My only issue? WTF is a Gluck?! lol I about died laughing. Read this book and you'll understand.
I really loved and enjoyed this book. The MCs and secondary characters were all a joy to experience and get to know. I really felt for Trav and felt his character was really well developed. I love Deacon even though I really wanted to smack him upside the head a few times.
I would love to know more about Jackson.. I'm begging for a gfy story here!!! /begs
My only issue? WTF is a Gluck?! lol I about died laughing. Read this book and you'll understand.
March 14, 2016
I thought that this book had a lot of promise prior to reading it and I also thought that the beginning was very promising. However, I felt that the author's focus wasn't really there since I thought that there was both too little and too much going on at the same time.
More of my thoughts can be found HERE./a>
More of my thoughts can be found HERE./a>
August 3, 2014
2.5
Yes, I'm sad, I love this author, but I have to remember I won't always love everything :)
This story was all over the place, to disjointed for me to truly enjoy. And the main character was in his head for so much of the book, it was just too much.
Yes, I'm sad, I love this author, but I have to remember I won't always love everything :)
This story was all over the place, to disjointed for me to truly enjoy. And the main character was in his head for so much of the book, it was just too much.
April 22, 2015
I really liked the MCs.
But the suspense plot was a mess.
But the suspense plot was a mess.
March 25, 2016
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one! A great combination of an action/intrigue thriller and a romance. I was so caught up in the story that I didn't see the twist coming at the end!
March 14, 2016
Loved, loved, loved these two and their relationship!
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