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Kanaan & Tilney #1
The Case of the Arms Dealers
John Tilney, praeternatural pyrokinetic and mystery author, has noticed the bottom dropping out of the market for his usual gothic fare, so he goes to Lowell Kanaan, PI, for a crash course in noir. Lowell, the cranky wolf-shifter detective, isn't sure why he agrees to let John shadow him--though it might have something to do with John's weirdly endearing honesty...and pretty lips. John thinks he's found the perfect detective novel hero in Lowell, but it isn't long before he realizes he doesn't want Lowell for his book, but for himself.
As they become entangled in a supernatural whodunnit involving the Zombie Mafia, black market body parts, and shady insurance deals, their partnership grows closer--and hotter. But when it comes down to the wire, Lowell's wolfy protective side threatens to drive John around the bend, or at least out of the office. Good thing John's as much sunshine as he is fire; hopefully, it's enough to help them catch a murderer before they end up--literally--in pieces, too.
As they become entangled in a supernatural whodunnit involving the Zombie Mafia, black market body parts, and shady insurance deals, their partnership grows closer--and hotter. But when it comes down to the wire, Lowell's wolfy protective side threatens to drive John around the bend, or at least out of the office. Good thing John's as much sunshine as he is fire; hopefully, it's enough to help them catch a murderer before they end up--literally--in pieces, too.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2015
7 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Rose
3 books11 followersJenna Rose is an avid reader and writer, particularly when it comes to science-fiction and fantasy. Currently, she works as a receptionist, but her real love is writing. In her free time, she likes to read comic books, play video games, and waste time on the internet. She currently lives in Massachusetts with her dog, Harley.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 3, 2020
Mystery novelist John Tilney thought he was up to a challenge: rebranding from Gothic to Noir.
But he just wanted to learn about Private Investigation, not do it for real...
He changes his mind pretty quickly, though. John has a bubbly ebullience about everything that makes him a fun character to spend time with. I also enjoyed the way his brain was often in "author mode" planning how he would describe a person or tone if he was putting it in his novels (which apparently don't sell very well. And the PI Kanaan doesn't seem to get paid very often, either. I don't know what these two are even living on. No wonder they can't afford a scanner.) Kanaan's manful efforts to be a hardboiled private eye despite being short and pretty and actually very soft-hearted were also cute.
This is a supernatural mystery; the titular "arms dealers" aren't selling guns but rather are . I liked the degree to which the fantasy elements figured into the plot: significant, but not overwhelming. There are different types of non-standard humans, shapeshifters and people with different magical traits, but the motivations for crimes are the standard ones like money and jealousy (i.e. it's not a story where the plot is based on monsters destroying the world or something like that) and investigation is apparently mostly stake-outs and tedious paper trails even if your detective is a werewolf.
The third book in this series is just out and I have a review copy (thanks, Katey!), so I am catching up on the series as quickly as I can. Keep your eyes peeled for my review of Kanaan & Tilney: The Case of the Man-Eater.
But he just wanted to learn about Private Investigation, not do it for real...
He changes his mind pretty quickly, though. John has a bubbly ebullience about everything that makes him a fun character to spend time with. I also enjoyed the way his brain was often in "author mode" planning how he would describe a person or tone if he was putting it in his novels (which apparently don't sell very well. And the PI Kanaan doesn't seem to get paid very often, either. I don't know what these two are even living on. No wonder they can't afford a scanner.) Kanaan's manful efforts to be a hardboiled private eye despite being short and pretty and actually very soft-hearted were also cute.
This is a supernatural mystery; the titular "arms dealers" aren't selling guns but rather are . I liked the degree to which the fantasy elements figured into the plot: significant, but not overwhelming. There are different types of non-standard humans, shapeshifters and people with different magical traits, but the motivations for crimes are the standard ones like money and jealousy (i.e. it's not a story where the plot is based on monsters destroying the world or something like that) and investigation is apparently mostly stake-outs and tedious paper trails even if your detective is a werewolf.
The third book in this series is just out and I have a review copy (thanks, Katey!), so I am catching up on the series as quickly as I can. Keep your eyes peeled for my review of Kanaan & Tilney: The Case of the Man-Eater.
October 18, 2020
There's a lot of paranormal romance out there, and I read very little of it. But when Mir makes such a persuasive review, I listen! And I'm glad I did - this is definitely an undiscovered gem.
In the pursuit of finding a new direction in his writing, Elementalist John (Johnny!) starts shadowing Lowell - private investigator and Beast (essentially a shape shifter - his is a wolf, but I believe there's variation). It's not long before they start striking some pretty hefty sparks, but their investigation is certainly quick to pick up too...
This was cute and funny, and yes - paranormal romance means erotic scenes in this case, though they fit in to the story and don't feel shoehorned in. Characters - especially our main two - are interesting and realistic, and the dialogue is fantastic. It's an interesting world, and one I'm super interested in coming back to.
Thanks Mir! Another winner :D
In the pursuit of finding a new direction in his writing, Elementalist John (Johnny!) starts shadowing Lowell - private investigator and Beast (essentially a shape shifter - his is a wolf, but I believe there's variation). It's not long before they start striking some pretty hefty sparks, but their investigation is certainly quick to pick up too...
This was cute and funny, and yes - paranormal romance means erotic scenes in this case, though they fit in to the story and don't feel shoehorned in. Characters - especially our main two - are interesting and realistic, and the dialogue is fantastic. It's an interesting world, and one I'm super interested in coming back to.
Thanks Mir! Another winner :D
October 28, 2015
2.5 stars
With the promise of a three things I love in a book – whodunnit mystery, supernatural beings, and romance – I thought this could be a winner through and through. Alas, I wish I liked it more than I did because it didn’t really do much for me.
First off, the world-building… okay, I admit that the supernatural beings in this world were nothing new. We had shifters, elementalists, zombies, etc. Having said that, I still thought there were things that were not explained clearly. For example, why were the Bureau for Supernatural Protection and Defense considered racists when it came to Beast, included their stance towards Kanaan? Was it something that happened in the past, a certain history there in this world? I am bit of lazy reader when it comes to urban fantasy / paranormal stories. I like things to be explained – especially since this is a world that is totally unlike the one I’m living in.
Then the mysteries … Kanaan and Tilney had two cases going on. One was the missing Eddie Quintus and the second one was a woman who thought she was being stalked. As always, with mystery, I guess I wanted it to be pretty much front and center, or at least that the romance didn’t interrupt the flow of investigation. Unfortunately, that was what I felt here. I thought that the relationship, ESPECIALLY the sex scenes (Kanaan and Tilney got down and dirty even before reaching half-way of the book!), were highly distracting. Every time they started to rut against one another (ha, I made a pun!), I just wanted to say, “Yes, yes, finish it, we have TWO cases to solve! Jeez!”
This one was probably my fault; I tend to build up a set of expectations when it comes to anything resembling ‘mystery’ even in romance so I always feel disappointed when it doesn’t turn out the way I hope for *shrugs*
Third … uhm, okay, I need to highlight Tilney’s sexuality here. Tilney was a demisexual … I actually applauded the authors for bringing a demisexual character into a story. It was nice to see another spectrum of sexuality. Having said that, again it had something to do with a set of expectations I had (or at least the way I imagine a demisexual character is), I just didn’t get enough ‘vibe’ or differences of Tilney being one.
I read this article in Huffington Post about a demisexual teenager, and the way she said about “… can’t feel attraction towards people unless I already love their personalities and minds along with a few other special snowflake qualities.” Well, that was what I thought was missing in this case. I guess I wanted to read more about Tilney loving Kanaan by finding Kanaan’s special snowflake – or maybe I thought this kind of attraction for demisexual would take a longer time to build that intimacy and closeness, compared to the time passed in this book.
I’m not going to pretend like all demisexuals are the same – I’m an asexual and I’m sure my experience would not be 100% similar to other asexuals – and maybe Tilney did experience that closeness to Kanaan faster than I expected. But I guess I just wanted … well, more.
As always, this was my opinion, mine alone, and just a drop of water in the ocean. I’m sure there would be readers who love it way more than I did. *smile*
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
With the promise of a three things I love in a book – whodunnit mystery, supernatural beings, and romance – I thought this could be a winner through and through. Alas, I wish I liked it more than I did because it didn’t really do much for me.
First off, the world-building… okay, I admit that the supernatural beings in this world were nothing new. We had shifters, elementalists, zombies, etc. Having said that, I still thought there were things that were not explained clearly. For example, why were the Bureau for Supernatural Protection and Defense considered racists when it came to Beast, included their stance towards Kanaan? Was it something that happened in the past, a certain history there in this world? I am bit of lazy reader when it comes to urban fantasy / paranormal stories. I like things to be explained – especially since this is a world that is totally unlike the one I’m living in.
Then the mysteries … Kanaan and Tilney had two cases going on. One was the missing Eddie Quintus and the second one was a woman who thought she was being stalked. As always, with mystery, I guess I wanted it to be pretty much front and center, or at least that the romance didn’t interrupt the flow of investigation. Unfortunately, that was what I felt here. I thought that the relationship, ESPECIALLY the sex scenes (Kanaan and Tilney got down and dirty even before reaching half-way of the book!), were highly distracting. Every time they started to rut against one another (ha, I made a pun!), I just wanted to say, “Yes, yes, finish it, we have TWO cases to solve! Jeez!”
This one was probably my fault; I tend to build up a set of expectations when it comes to anything resembling ‘mystery’ even in romance so I always feel disappointed when it doesn’t turn out the way I hope for *shrugs*
Third … uhm, okay, I need to highlight Tilney’s sexuality here. Tilney was a demisexual … I actually applauded the authors for bringing a demisexual character into a story. It was nice to see another spectrum of sexuality. Having said that, again it had something to do with a set of expectations I had (or at least the way I imagine a demisexual character is), I just didn’t get enough ‘vibe’ or differences of Tilney being one.
I read this article in Huffington Post about a demisexual teenager, and the way she said about “… can’t feel attraction towards people unless I already love their personalities and minds along with a few other special snowflake qualities.” Well, that was what I thought was missing in this case. I guess I wanted to read more about Tilney loving Kanaan by finding Kanaan’s special snowflake – or maybe I thought this kind of attraction for demisexual would take a longer time to build that intimacy and closeness, compared to the time passed in this book.
I’m not going to pretend like all demisexuals are the same – I’m an asexual and I’m sure my experience would not be 100% similar to other asexuals – and maybe Tilney did experience that closeness to Kanaan faster than I expected. But I guess I just wanted … well, more.
As always, this was my opinion, mine alone, and just a drop of water in the ocean. I’m sure there would be readers who love it way more than I did. *smile*
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
January 18, 2018
~ 4.5 Stars ~
A complicated, surly wolf, who’s an ex-cop now working on private cases; an elementalist who smells of brunt matches, lights things on fire, and loves a good mystery; and a missing insurance salesman all make for a quirky and fascinating new series driven by the writing team of Jenna Rose and Katey Hawthorne. In a world where there are multiple preternatural species that run the gamut from pyrokinetics to beasts and more, this author duo has invented a new world where just about anything or anyone is possible.
John Tilney is a mystery writer whose unstoppable enthusiasm and tendency to speak before he thinks has him seeking out Private Investigator Lowell Kanaan in order to learn more about the noir aspects of mystery work. Lowell is an ex-cop who hides his desire to help those in need beneath a rough exterior. A wolf-shifter who has little time for the likes of John, Lowell nonetheless finds himself drawn to the man. Despite his better judgment, Lowell allows John to tag along, and before either man realizes it, they are neck deep in a deadly game chasing down a murderer who sells his victims on the black market—a piece at a time.
This first novel in the Kanaan & Tilney series, The Case of the Arms Dealer, is brimming with supernatural oddities and fascinating characters. While there is sometimes a frustrating lack of definition about this new world, the beings we are introduced to in this novel could not be more interesting. John’s ability to create fire at will is secondary to his whimsical and incredibly sweet personality. Beneath his innocent and almost childlike approach to the attraction he feels for Lowell, is the very sad reality that prior to this moment, John has never really understood or experienced what love is. John was raised by a mother who used him as she would a research assistant—rarely showing him anything but a decided lack of interest in anything other than his ability to do research. John inherently trusts Lowell from the beginning, and has nothing but a growing affection for the reticent wolf.
Being demisexual also adds to the struggle John has with understanding his feelings for Lowell. Since being demi means that John must have real feelings of love for someone before experiencing any type of physical attraction, it comes as no surprise that when he finally understands the longing he feels while in Lowell’s presence is indicative of a deeper attraction, he is very forthcoming in announcing it to Lowell. Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead should be John’s motto. Lowell doesn’t stand a chance—nor does he secretly want to either.
Lowell has been alone far too much. John somehow calms his inner wolf, making Lowell feel at home for the first time in a long while. While we never get to the bottom of why Lowell left police work, what we do know is that he runs his PI business on a shoestring, often doing pro bono work for those in need. He is a lone wolf in many ways, and is reluctant to have John around—especially since he is becoming more and more attracted to the man. His need to protect John may prove to be the thing that drives John away, and Lowell is fairly certain he wouldn’t be happy if he allowed that to happen.
The Case of the Man Eater has definitely got some holes in it when it comes to establishing this new world of supernatural beings. However, the chemistry between John and Lowell, and their developing relationship, makes those flaws seem small and inconsequential. This duo is one that I cannot get enough of, and I look forward to reading the next in this exciting series.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
A complicated, surly wolf, who’s an ex-cop now working on private cases; an elementalist who smells of brunt matches, lights things on fire, and loves a good mystery; and a missing insurance salesman all make for a quirky and fascinating new series driven by the writing team of Jenna Rose and Katey Hawthorne. In a world where there are multiple preternatural species that run the gamut from pyrokinetics to beasts and more, this author duo has invented a new world where just about anything or anyone is possible.
John Tilney is a mystery writer whose unstoppable enthusiasm and tendency to speak before he thinks has him seeking out Private Investigator Lowell Kanaan in order to learn more about the noir aspects of mystery work. Lowell is an ex-cop who hides his desire to help those in need beneath a rough exterior. A wolf-shifter who has little time for the likes of John, Lowell nonetheless finds himself drawn to the man. Despite his better judgment, Lowell allows John to tag along, and before either man realizes it, they are neck deep in a deadly game chasing down a murderer who sells his victims on the black market—a piece at a time.
This first novel in the Kanaan & Tilney series, The Case of the Arms Dealer, is brimming with supernatural oddities and fascinating characters. While there is sometimes a frustrating lack of definition about this new world, the beings we are introduced to in this novel could not be more interesting. John’s ability to create fire at will is secondary to his whimsical and incredibly sweet personality. Beneath his innocent and almost childlike approach to the attraction he feels for Lowell, is the very sad reality that prior to this moment, John has never really understood or experienced what love is. John was raised by a mother who used him as she would a research assistant—rarely showing him anything but a decided lack of interest in anything other than his ability to do research. John inherently trusts Lowell from the beginning, and has nothing but a growing affection for the reticent wolf.
Being demisexual also adds to the struggle John has with understanding his feelings for Lowell. Since being demi means that John must have real feelings of love for someone before experiencing any type of physical attraction, it comes as no surprise that when he finally understands the longing he feels while in Lowell’s presence is indicative of a deeper attraction, he is very forthcoming in announcing it to Lowell. Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead should be John’s motto. Lowell doesn’t stand a chance—nor does he secretly want to either.
Lowell has been alone far too much. John somehow calms his inner wolf, making Lowell feel at home for the first time in a long while. While we never get to the bottom of why Lowell left police work, what we do know is that he runs his PI business on a shoestring, often doing pro bono work for those in need. He is a lone wolf in many ways, and is reluctant to have John around—especially since he is becoming more and more attracted to the man. His need to protect John may prove to be the thing that drives John away, and Lowell is fairly certain he wouldn’t be happy if he allowed that to happen.
The Case of the Man Eater has definitely got some holes in it when it comes to establishing this new world of supernatural beings. However, the chemistry between John and Lowell, and their developing relationship, makes those flaws seem small and inconsequential. This duo is one that I cannot get enough of, and I look forward to reading the next in this exciting series.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
April 1, 2017
4.5*
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews
John Tilney is an author whose books aren’t really selling anymore. Deciding he needs to make a change, he visits the local police department to see about doing research for a new type of novel (crime instead of gothic) only to be turned away and pointed in the direction of Lowell Kanaan. Kanaan used to be a cop but now works as a P.I, doing just as much pro bono work as he does paid, if not more. Agreeing to let John shadow him in exchange for help around the office, he ends up finding a lot more than just someone to file his paperwork.
This book was so GOOD! John is a fairly eccentric character (especially if you use his clothing as an indicator) while Lowell is more grounded; the two worked well together and each brought something needed to the investigations. I thought the characters were well developed, even though getting information from Lowell was kind of like pulling teeth, but there was still room for growth. I also really liked how there were many different types of praeternaturals in this book, including some I’ve never seen before, which made it more interesting to me, and which I hope to see in future installments even though there’s no series listed as of yet. The mystery itself was the best part, however. The pacing of the overall story was good and I never once figured out what was going on before the authors were ready for me to; everything was woven together so well that the book was truly a joy to read. There were a couple of different cases shown over the course of the story but both were handled well and it never felt as though one was being short changed in favor of the other. I really enjoyed this one and I know I’ll read it again several times over in the future.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews
John Tilney is an author whose books aren’t really selling anymore. Deciding he needs to make a change, he visits the local police department to see about doing research for a new type of novel (crime instead of gothic) only to be turned away and pointed in the direction of Lowell Kanaan. Kanaan used to be a cop but now works as a P.I, doing just as much pro bono work as he does paid, if not more. Agreeing to let John shadow him in exchange for help around the office, he ends up finding a lot more than just someone to file his paperwork.
This book was so GOOD! John is a fairly eccentric character (especially if you use his clothing as an indicator) while Lowell is more grounded; the two worked well together and each brought something needed to the investigations. I thought the characters were well developed, even though getting information from Lowell was kind of like pulling teeth, but there was still room for growth. I also really liked how there were many different types of praeternaturals in this book, including some I’ve never seen before, which made it more interesting to me, and which I hope to see in future installments even though there’s no series listed as of yet. The mystery itself was the best part, however. The pacing of the overall story was good and I never once figured out what was going on before the authors were ready for me to; everything was woven together so well that the book was truly a joy to read. There were a couple of different cases shown over the course of the story but both were handled well and it never felt as though one was being short changed in favor of the other. I really enjoyed this one and I know I’ll read it again several times over in the future.
dnf
August 29, 2020got a copy for free, looked it over to decide if i wanted to read or not--and apparently the whole thing basically goes back and forth between mystery investigation and incredibly long, detailed sex scenes. like the longest, most detailed sex scenes i've ever seen in a book. it felt like a weird combination, like idk what genre i'd even call this--it's not straight up mystery, or straight up erotica (maybe this is normal though, i don't typically read paranormal romance, which i think is what this would officially fall under?). nor would i call it romance--i didn't get much of a romantic vibe from the relationship (from what i saw); it seemed like it was mainly based on sexual attraction, despite one of the characters being demi. which didn't come up much, and the main time where it is discussed felt forced/tacked on. ALSO, the first time it comes up is right before they have sex the first time; john is like "oh btw i'm demi, hope that's not a problem for you" and i'm like, why would that be a problem?? and also this is not the best time to bring it up, like from the later convo it doesn't even seem like lowell knew what it meant at the time. anyway. /rant.
January 6, 2018
I have to admit, I enjoyed this a lot more than I originally thought I would. It seemed to take awhile for me to truly get into the story but once I did I thought it was a lot of fun. It’s a funny, sexy, mystery set in a world inhabited by humans and paranormals alike. We’re not just talking Shifters aka Beasts, but also Elementalists of many different types along with being that unfortunately I didn’t completely get to know. This actually brings me to my first issue with the story.
World building is so very important in these types of books and unfortunately I found this story to be kind of lacking in that area. I really wanted to know more about the different types of Paranormals. I understood the shifters and for the most parts the Necromancers, pyros, mediums and empaths. But I wasn’t sure about some of the others. We’re they part of the Fae? We’re they too considered Elementals. Why is there such animosity among the different paranormals? Their hatred/racism, the relationship they had with humans, all things I wanted more knowledge about.
As for the rest, well honestly I though it was good. John and Lowell were pretty likable and I felt their chemistry was believable. They made good partners both in and out of the bedroom and I liked that this wasn’t a angsty Romance. Their relationship was pretty much cemented right away and they worked well together throughout their story.
As for the mystery, I thought it was pretty entertaining and unique. We had a case of a woman being stalked and then a case of an Insurance Salesman who’s murdered and his wife is arrested. It was fun to watch it unfold, especially the Arms Dealer. I laughed out loud at that not to mention the Zombie Mafia. Overall I liked it and would definitely recommend it to
Anyone who enjoys a combination of suspense and comedy.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
World building is so very important in these types of books and unfortunately I found this story to be kind of lacking in that area. I really wanted to know more about the different types of Paranormals. I understood the shifters and for the most parts the Necromancers, pyros, mediums and empaths. But I wasn’t sure about some of the others. We’re they part of the Fae? We’re they too considered Elementals. Why is there such animosity among the different paranormals? Their hatred/racism, the relationship they had with humans, all things I wanted more knowledge about.
As for the rest, well honestly I though it was good. John and Lowell were pretty likable and I felt their chemistry was believable. They made good partners both in and out of the bedroom and I liked that this wasn’t a angsty Romance. Their relationship was pretty much cemented right away and they worked well together throughout their story.
As for the mystery, I thought it was pretty entertaining and unique. We had a case of a woman being stalked and then a case of an Insurance Salesman who’s murdered and his wife is arrested. It was fun to watch it unfold, especially the Arms Dealer. I laughed out loud at that not to mention the Zombie Mafia. Overall I liked it and would definitely recommend it to
Anyone who enjoys a combination of suspense and comedy.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
May 29, 2019
John Tilney, an author and pyrokinetic, finds his usual stories are losing their popularity. Seeking new inspiration, John finds himself in the office of PI Lowell Kanaan, wolf shifter and ex-cop. Agreeing to allow him to shadow him, John is delighted, thinking he has found his perfect hero. Too bad it is not long before he realizes he wants Lowell for himself. As they investigate Lowell's newest case, they find the Zombie Mafia, black market body parts, and insurance deals are all involved. Lowell finds himself increasingly interested in John and his protective side come into play. John is annoyed with this protection and has no problem doing the opposite of what Lowell wants.
This is another intriguing world created, this one created by Jenna Rose and Katey Hawthorne. The two heroes are completely opposite. John is fresh with a sunny disposition and no seasoning while Lowell is grumpy and has seen about the worst life offers. Somehow these two make it work. The plot was intriguing and kept my interest. It was quite different and added some unexpected twists. There is another book in this series which I look forward to reading.
This is another intriguing world created, this one created by Jenna Rose and Katey Hawthorne. The two heroes are completely opposite. John is fresh with a sunny disposition and no seasoning while Lowell is grumpy and has seen about the worst life offers. Somehow these two make it work. The plot was intriguing and kept my interest. It was quite different and added some unexpected twists. There is another book in this series which I look forward to reading.
October 31, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. John's enthusiasm toward, well, everything was a joy to read and I loved that Lowell didn't follow the stereotypical jerk-PI route (marshmallow, indeed). They were both very good men, wanting to help where they could. Their relationship took a little bit to get off the ground, but when it did, it was clear they were so well suited for each other!
This was a great start to what I hope is going to be a series. I'm eager to read more about John and Lowell's adventures!
This was a great start to what I hope is going to be a series. I'm eager to read more about John and Lowell's adventures!
May 16, 2022
What a fun and intriguing world these authors have created. A seemingly open world rife with paranormal and supernatural creatures I spent as much time piecing together as I did the supernatural whodunnit taking center stage.
John Tilley, Man of Mystery, and Lowell Kanaan, PI are a fun pair. Their grump meets sunshine vibe had a twist in that the grump was more marshmallow… a well-toasted one! They were absolutely adorable together and their romance and chemistry was off-the-charts. There were a few other cast members I enjoyed and hope to see again in book 2.
I was promised bodies, and bodies I got! The mystery was all-consuming and I enjoyed all the persons-of-interest as the secrets came to light. The Zombie Mafia may be my favorite…. I do hope we get more Tony and Serafina!
Great read and can’t wait to read the 2nd book!
John Tilley, Man of Mystery, and Lowell Kanaan, PI are a fun pair. Their grump meets sunshine vibe had a twist in that the grump was more marshmallow… a well-toasted one! They were absolutely adorable together and their romance and chemistry was off-the-charts. There were a few other cast members I enjoyed and hope to see again in book 2.
I was promised bodies, and bodies I got! The mystery was all-consuming and I enjoyed all the persons-of-interest as the secrets came to light. The Zombie Mafia may be my favorite…. I do hope we get more Tony and Serafina!
Great read and can’t wait to read the 2nd book!
December 30, 2017
Firstly I think that if this book was published by a different publisher it would have far greater exposure. Loose id are good but fail on the promo dramatically.
Loved the writing, world building and the mysteries. Adored the MCs, especially Lowell.
A few little things niggled: of a sudden (instead of 'All of a sudden'; the obsession with the height difference (it's mention in narrative a lot); the occasional comment re John's sexuality that didnt seem to fit with him being demisexual (But everyone is different and one person's experience or understanding is different to another's. They're just labels after all.)
But all in all I loved this and have bought the sequel.
Loved the writing, world building and the mysteries. Adored the MCs, especially Lowell.
A few little things niggled: of a sudden (instead of 'All of a sudden'; the obsession with the height difference (it's mention in narrative a lot); the occasional comment re John's sexuality that didnt seem to fit with him being demisexual (But everyone is different and one person's experience or understanding is different to another's. They're just labels after all.)
But all in all I loved this and have bought the sequel.
October 29, 2020
Hmm. It was sort of enjoyable, but dragged a bit in the external plot. Overall, the tone felt like Burke's "Not Dead Yet" series. There is definitely instalust, and I thought that was a little odd, given one character's announced demisexuality. Maybe I should try more recent work by this pair. I'd probably read more in this series if the library has it.
November 3, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Ooh, I really liked this one. Rose and Hawthorne have created some great characters in Lowell and John and I just adored them together. At one point John calls Lowell a burnt marshmallow — crunchy on the outside and mushy in the middle. And that is pretty much exactly how he comes across. He is a loner and doesn’t have a pack (shifter mom and human dad left him going solo) and he’s got a bit of brooding standoffishness at first. But soon we see that a lot of his distance is due to his attraction to John, as well as just covering for his sweet and sensitive side. It doesn’t take long for John’s charm to melt Lowell and soon he is a putty in John’s hands. For his part, John is pretty much too endearing for words. He is sunny and happy and plunges right ahead into everything without thinking much about the consequences. Lowell describes him as “guileless” and that is really what he is. He just says what he thinks and feels and it never occurs to him to watch his words or be afraid or hide his feelings. He just puts it all out there and is totally adorable and pretty much everyone loves him. I found him such a great character and I loved how the story frames him as this lonely guy who needs someone to guide him along, both sexually and with the investigation, and he finds that in Lowell.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Ooh, I really liked this one. Rose and Hawthorne have created some great characters in Lowell and John and I just adored them together. At one point John calls Lowell a burnt marshmallow — crunchy on the outside and mushy in the middle. And that is pretty much exactly how he comes across. He is a loner and doesn’t have a pack (shifter mom and human dad left him going solo) and he’s got a bit of brooding standoffishness at first. But soon we see that a lot of his distance is due to his attraction to John, as well as just covering for his sweet and sensitive side. It doesn’t take long for John’s charm to melt Lowell and soon he is a putty in John’s hands. For his part, John is pretty much too endearing for words. He is sunny and happy and plunges right ahead into everything without thinking much about the consequences. Lowell describes him as “guileless” and that is really what he is. He just says what he thinks and feels and it never occurs to him to watch his words or be afraid or hide his feelings. He just puts it all out there and is totally adorable and pretty much everyone loves him. I found him such a great character and I loved how the story frames him as this lonely guy who needs someone to guide him along, both sexually and with the investigation, and he finds that in Lowell.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
May 7, 2017
2.9 stars rounded up. Overall, this was a pleasant read for me, although there are some issues that could have improved my experience even more. I agree with Ami that the world-building needs further clarification, especially when simply dropping hints about it in conversations. These questions could be addressed in future cases/books.
Kanaan and Johnny are interesting protagonists, but their romance was definitely rushed. And fewer sex scenes during the critical moments of an investigation would also render the story more credible. A nice start to what will hopefully be an even better series!
Kanaan and Johnny are interesting protagonists, but their romance was definitely rushed. And fewer sex scenes during the critical moments of an investigation would also render the story more credible. A nice start to what will hopefully be an even better series!
January 27, 2016
Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance
I honestly didn't know what to expect going into Kanaan & Tilney: The Case of the Arms Dealers. As I finish this story, all I can say is I hope this isn't the last we hear from Kanaan and Tilney.
For full review see Prism Book Alliance® http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?p=4...
February 13, 2016
A surprisingly cute and low-angst romance in the middle of murder and supernatural shenanigans. I hope the series continues.
June 28, 2016
Wonderful! I WANT MORE!
July 5, 2016
**Four and a half stars**
Review to come...
Review to come...
listed
March 15, 2020Demisexual MC (John)
Read
October 10, 2015New series from me and my friend Jenna! Weeeee~
http://www.kanaanandtilney.com/
http://www.kanaanandtilney.com/
November 1, 2015
2.5 stars
February 5, 2018
This book was an almost there type of book for me. It was a book that at times I'd be interested in and other times I'd just feel a bit separate from.
John is an elementalist, a pyro, and he is an author. He is the type of author that likes to really learn about his book topics by going a bit into the world, and his most recent interest is a book about a cop. However, he hates cops and they don't want a tag along so instead he gets referred to a PI, Lowell, a shifter. Lowell is a wolf and he agrees to have John along. The two hit it off and actually begin working together on two cases.
Lowell and John didn't exactly have obvious sparks at first. Lowell dealt with his attraction by avoiding John, though it didn't really seem like he had much attraction from what I saw. John kept steady with the work though and eventually snagged Lowell through work and in love. Once they were together there was more obvious connection, but it took time to get there.
The cases in this book were a bit interesting. They were mostly solved through what seemed like real work, following paper trails, talking to witnesses, etc. It seemed both real and interesting.
The biggest problem in this book was the world. This has the feel of an intricate supernatural world, but it almost isn't discussed. There are multiple different species, and they each like or dislike from past animosities and such. There is even a supernatural police department, though it isn't explained how they can work and not interact with the regular police department. Not to mention that the supernatural exists alongside the normal, but somehow even the most fantastical things are hidden. None of this is explained which kept the whole book at an distance.
John is an elementalist, a pyro, and he is an author. He is the type of author that likes to really learn about his book topics by going a bit into the world, and his most recent interest is a book about a cop. However, he hates cops and they don't want a tag along so instead he gets referred to a PI, Lowell, a shifter. Lowell is a wolf and he agrees to have John along. The two hit it off and actually begin working together on two cases.
Lowell and John didn't exactly have obvious sparks at first. Lowell dealt with his attraction by avoiding John, though it didn't really seem like he had much attraction from what I saw. John kept steady with the work though and eventually snagged Lowell through work and in love. Once they were together there was more obvious connection, but it took time to get there.
The cases in this book were a bit interesting. They were mostly solved through what seemed like real work, following paper trails, talking to witnesses, etc. It seemed both real and interesting.
The biggest problem in this book was the world. This has the feel of an intricate supernatural world, but it almost isn't discussed. There are multiple different species, and they each like or dislike from past animosities and such. There is even a supernatural police department, though it isn't explained how they can work and not interact with the regular police department. Not to mention that the supernatural exists alongside the normal, but somehow even the most fantastical things are hidden. None of this is explained which kept the whole book at an distance.
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