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Looking for Jesse
Life is full of decisions and it’s the split-second ones that change your world forever.
Nick Shepherd made such a decision on the day his son, Jesse, was taken from a Christmas market in Naperville. The woman looked normal and had a son of her own, and he was only going to be a minute. But that minute was all she needed. His son was gone.
A year later, the task force is being downsized and they are no closer to finding Jesse than they were the day he disappeared. At his wits end, Nick is given a number and a name by the lead on the case.
Ex-detective Frank Ford has issues, several of them. Two steps shy of a full-blown alcoholic, all he wants is to bury himself in the bottle. He’s doing a pretty good job of it, too, when Nick Shepherd asks for his help. Does Ford want to help? No. Is Ford going to help? Hell no. Until four words resonate deep within him.
“She took my son!”
Nick Shepherd made such a decision on the day his son, Jesse, was taken from a Christmas market in Naperville. The woman looked normal and had a son of her own, and he was only going to be a minute. But that minute was all she needed. His son was gone.
A year later, the task force is being downsized and they are no closer to finding Jesse than they were the day he disappeared. At his wits end, Nick is given a number and a name by the lead on the case.
Ex-detective Frank Ford has issues, several of them. Two steps shy of a full-blown alcoholic, all he wants is to bury himself in the bottle. He’s doing a pretty good job of it, too, when Nick Shepherd asks for his help. Does Ford want to help? No. Is Ford going to help? Hell no. Until four words resonate deep within him.
“She took my son!”
Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2017
5 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Worrall
72 books414 followersI live in Leigh on Sea, a small seaside town just outside London on the coast of Essex, about ten minutes from Southend, which boasts the longest pier in the world. I live with my husband and two ever-growing children, who I let think are the boss of me; along with two dogs who actually are.
As the wonderful Beatrix Potter said, “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a new story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” I know exactly what she means.
As the wonderful Beatrix Potter said, “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a new story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” I know exactly what she means.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 15, 2017
CONSISTENCY!
This book needs an editor or a Beta reader at the very least. My biggest pet peeve while reading is getting character names wrong.
First Graham was Graham and then Graham magically turned into Riley, but then became Graham again.
Then we have Penelope's last name as Lawrence, but then becomes Spencer, and then back to Lawrence.
I'm not going to lie, the story was great. I read it in one sitting and I couldn't peel my eyes away. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The thing was was that if this was longer (and edited) I would have liked it a lot more. I wanted the I missed those moments.
Not sure if I would categorize this as a romance though. There wasn't anything there. Yeah, we were all involved in the suspense, but I would have liked more between Nick and Ford.
Overall, if you want to read a good suspenseful book this will do, just watch out for rogue character names thrown at you.
This book needs an editor or a Beta reader at the very least. My biggest pet peeve while reading is getting character names wrong.
First Graham was Graham and then Graham magically turned into Riley, but then became Graham again.
Then we have Penelope's last name as Lawrence, but then becomes Spencer, and then back to Lawrence.
I'm not going to lie, the story was great. I read it in one sitting and I couldn't peel my eyes away. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The thing was was that if this was longer (and edited) I would have liked it a lot more. I wanted the I missed those moments.
Not sure if I would categorize this as a romance though. There wasn't anything there. Yeah, we were all involved in the suspense, but I would have liked more between Nick and Ford.
Overall, if you want to read a good suspenseful book this will do, just watch out for rogue character names thrown at you.
August 2, 2017
Heart stopping!
It seems as though I have been waiting forever for this book to come out. When the author first let us see a snippet I was hooked. The concept was both frightening in what happens and intriguing, since I couldn't wait to see how it all worked itself out. When I started reading this 5 hours ago, I kind of knew what to expect. But as the story unfolded and more and more was revealed I found my self speed reading. Hoping what I thought would happen could be right. One thing I did not see coming, but when it did, I thought it was perfect. So much going on in this story. So many secondary characters that I enjoyed getting to meet. I enjoyed every page, every sentence, every word! Cannot say enough good things about the main characters, what they went through and how they were at the end. Wonderfully written. Captured my attention straight off and by the time I was done, I had huge crushes on Nick and Ford as well as Jesse and Danny.
It seems as though I have been waiting forever for this book to come out. When the author first let us see a snippet I was hooked. The concept was both frightening in what happens and intriguing, since I couldn't wait to see how it all worked itself out. When I started reading this 5 hours ago, I kind of knew what to expect. But as the story unfolded and more and more was revealed I found my self speed reading. Hoping what I thought would happen could be right. One thing I did not see coming, but when it did, I thought it was perfect. So much going on in this story. So many secondary characters that I enjoyed getting to meet. I enjoyed every page, every sentence, every word! Cannot say enough good things about the main characters, what they went through and how they were at the end. Wonderfully written. Captured my attention straight off and by the time I was done, I had huge crushes on Nick and Ford as well as Jesse and Danny.
March 28, 2021
It's a harrowing story, but I couldn't stop reading because I needed to know if there was a happy ending.
It is very well written. In the first paragraph the book grabs you and doesn't let go.
It is very well written. In the first paragraph the book grabs you and doesn't let go.
August 14, 2017
I first fell in love with Lisa Worrall with her Laurel Heights books. She brought such a depth to her mysteries that left you with that lingering haunted feeling. When I saw the synopsis for Looking for Jesse I knew she was taking us back to that feeling and I wasn’t wrong.
As a mother, reading books that involve children in a dark way affects me hard. I knew going in what I was dealing with but still you’re never really prepared, are you?
Jesse, as you can guess, is kidnapped when he goes to a Christmas village with his father. Pretty much every parent’s nightmare. And a year later he’s still missing. Yeah, I know… A whole year. The horrors he endures are beyond words. And my heart broke throughout this entire story.
It’s told through multiple POV’s. Nick, (the dad) Jesse, even the kidnapper! That was very interesting. And it was rough to read, each passing word but I was invested. I had to see Jesse get home. As I read on I realized it wasn’t just Jesse who needed to get home and then the race was on. Time was a huge factor in this story and I didn’t put the book down once. I couldn’t leave these characters in limbo.
Lisa Worrall writes suspense in a way that you feel it in your bones and it lingers like an unforgettable frostbite. You will not be able to stop until the end and even after that it will stay with you.
There were some over the top scenarios in this book and I felt some of it almost pushed me out of the story but it wasn’t enough that it made me want to stop.
Definitely, give this a go if you love suspense with some darkness.
As a mother, reading books that involve children in a dark way affects me hard. I knew going in what I was dealing with but still you’re never really prepared, are you?
Jesse, as you can guess, is kidnapped when he goes to a Christmas village with his father. Pretty much every parent’s nightmare. And a year later he’s still missing. Yeah, I know… A whole year. The horrors he endures are beyond words. And my heart broke throughout this entire story.
It’s told through multiple POV’s. Nick, (the dad) Jesse, even the kidnapper! That was very interesting. And it was rough to read, each passing word but I was invested. I had to see Jesse get home. As I read on I realized it wasn’t just Jesse who needed to get home and then the race was on. Time was a huge factor in this story and I didn’t put the book down once. I couldn’t leave these characters in limbo.
Lisa Worrall writes suspense in a way that you feel it in your bones and it lingers like an unforgettable frostbite. You will not be able to stop until the end and even after that it will stay with you.
There were some over the top scenarios in this book and I felt some of it almost pushed me out of the story but it wasn’t enough that it made me want to stop.
Definitely, give this a go if you love suspense with some darkness.
September 18, 2017
I knew going in that this was more mystery rather than romance, and that can make a difference to enjoyment. I found it tense and exciting. The boys eventual HEA was downplayed, and maybe I wanted more introspection about their attraction, but yeh, they were kind of consumed with trying to locate missing children. Clearly a more important endeavour.
I like this author's style.
I like this author's style.
August 6, 2017
Could. Not. Put. This. Down.
I read this story in one sitting. I had to. I had to find out if Jesse would be found! If Danny would be found! What happened? How? Why? I had to know now.
Another nail-biting story from one of my favorite authors. Great job, Lisa!
I read this story in one sitting. I had to. I had to find out if Jesse would be found! If Danny would be found! What happened? How? Why? I had to know now.
Another nail-biting story from one of my favorite authors. Great job, Lisa!
August 16, 2017
The book had an awesome premise... other than that, I'm a little disappointed by the author. I've read other books by the author and loved them, but this one needs some work. I don't know if the editing was rushed or whatever, but there were lots of mistakes, timeline errors, and problems with this story. First Jesse's eyes are green, then blue, then green... Marcus's real name is Robbie, but really it's Danny... nick is experienced with men in the first half of the book, but a virgin with men in the second... even Ford is off putting. There are even your/you're issues among other things. I finished the book because I wanted to, not because I had to know how it ended. I was pulled out of the story many times because of the inconsistencies, and that really ruins a book for me. Overall, it was disappointing, especially since it had a really good and unique premise and I was excited about it. I'm not so excited now 😩
August 25, 2017
I normally don’t like to begin a review with a warning, but I struggled with this for a few days and decided it should be noted that there are on-page instances of child abuse in this novel that may indeed be triggering for some readers. While they were brief and definitely needed in order to fully project the evil that the character Penelope Lawrence embodied, they were also disturbing to read. Having said that, I felt the author dealt carefully with the subject of child abduction, and never sensationalized the subject matter just for the sake of a “good story”. But, make no mistake, this story was traumatic both for its characters and, at times, for this reviewer, and because this aspect of the novel was so well written, I felt very much a part of the action.
In a split second, Nick Shepherd loses his son to a horror of a woman who has stolen children before. Trying to assuage his son’s despair at losing a mitten his deceased mother had knitted for him, Nick asks a stranger to watch his son, who is in line to see Santa, while he darts across the hall to look for the lost article of clothing. When he returns, his nightmare begins–and lasts for over a year–as police fail to find his missing son. Already reeling from the loss of his wife at the hands of a car thief, little Jesse is all Nick has left, and he will stop at nothing to get him back. So when the police detective in charge of the case suggests using a private detective, former cop Frank Ford, Nick leaps at the chance. Frank is a borderline alcoholic who is haunted by demons of his own, and less than amenable to taking on the case–until he discovers Nick has lost his son. Now, the two men race against time to find the woman who has taken Jesse. Along the way, they will discover a closeness that neither of them have ever experienced before, and Nick will learn the secret Ford keeps that has haunted the man for six long years.
I will say that the mystery and pursuit part of this novel was outstanding. The entire time Nick and Ford are tracking Penelope and the boys, I was on the edge of my seat and simply unable to put this book down. With my heart in my throat, I read as they closed in on this woman, and the chapters where the children were the focus were just gut-wrenching to read. The fact that she had not only renamed Jesse and Danny but also made Jesse act and look like a little girl was just terrifying. Her madness coupled with her brutal, hurtful actions was nauseatingly real and horrifying. She was always one step ahead of the two men, and that made this novel so thrilling. Had the romance aspect been so adeptly handled this review would have been a solid five star, but, unfortunately, the relationship between Ford and Nick was a bit of a mess, to say the least.
It began strangely with a joking kiss from Ford to break the tension, and then was mainly seen through Nick’s confusing thoughts about why he would even be attracted to a man—something the author is quick to point out was never on the horizon before for Nick, not even a passing glance at other men. From there, it was more of an afterthought for both men as they pursued the kidnapper and the boys. Then, we suddenly get an epilogue eight months into the future that has put a definite spin on where these two guys end up, and the nature of their attraction to each other is defined with such a sudden about face that my head was spinning. Honestly, it just made no sense. There was no buildup, no sense of passion, no analyzing how two admittedly heterosexual men were now involved, and then some. The ending of this novel just had me scratching my head in disbelief, and that was such a shame because every chapter leading up to that was so very well written and amazing to read.
Essentially, this was a thrilling mystery with an ending that seemed tacked on to satisfy the m/m element needed to make it qualify as an m/m novel. It was so poorly done that I had to verify that the same author, Lisa Worrall, had written it. She had crafted a really topnotch story until the last chapter, and that was unfortunate. All in all, Looking for Jesse was a thrilling, action packed story that left me breathless but confused at the end. I like this author’s style and will go back for more of her stories, no doubt, but this one fell just short of perfect for me.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
In a split second, Nick Shepherd loses his son to a horror of a woman who has stolen children before. Trying to assuage his son’s despair at losing a mitten his deceased mother had knitted for him, Nick asks a stranger to watch his son, who is in line to see Santa, while he darts across the hall to look for the lost article of clothing. When he returns, his nightmare begins–and lasts for over a year–as police fail to find his missing son. Already reeling from the loss of his wife at the hands of a car thief, little Jesse is all Nick has left, and he will stop at nothing to get him back. So when the police detective in charge of the case suggests using a private detective, former cop Frank Ford, Nick leaps at the chance. Frank is a borderline alcoholic who is haunted by demons of his own, and less than amenable to taking on the case–until he discovers Nick has lost his son. Now, the two men race against time to find the woman who has taken Jesse. Along the way, they will discover a closeness that neither of them have ever experienced before, and Nick will learn the secret Ford keeps that has haunted the man for six long years.
I will say that the mystery and pursuit part of this novel was outstanding. The entire time Nick and Ford are tracking Penelope and the boys, I was on the edge of my seat and simply unable to put this book down. With my heart in my throat, I read as they closed in on this woman, and the chapters where the children were the focus were just gut-wrenching to read. The fact that she had not only renamed Jesse and Danny but also made Jesse act and look like a little girl was just terrifying. Her madness coupled with her brutal, hurtful actions was nauseatingly real and horrifying. She was always one step ahead of the two men, and that made this novel so thrilling. Had the romance aspect been so adeptly handled this review would have been a solid five star, but, unfortunately, the relationship between Ford and Nick was a bit of a mess, to say the least.
It began strangely with a joking kiss from Ford to break the tension, and then was mainly seen through Nick’s confusing thoughts about why he would even be attracted to a man—something the author is quick to point out was never on the horizon before for Nick, not even a passing glance at other men. From there, it was more of an afterthought for both men as they pursued the kidnapper and the boys. Then, we suddenly get an epilogue eight months into the future that has put a definite spin on where these two guys end up, and the nature of their attraction to each other is defined with such a sudden about face that my head was spinning. Honestly, it just made no sense. There was no buildup, no sense of passion, no analyzing how two admittedly heterosexual men were now involved, and then some. The ending of this novel just had me scratching my head in disbelief, and that was such a shame because every chapter leading up to that was so very well written and amazing to read.
Essentially, this was a thrilling mystery with an ending that seemed tacked on to satisfy the m/m element needed to make it qualify as an m/m novel. It was so poorly done that I had to verify that the same author, Lisa Worrall, had written it. She had crafted a really topnotch story until the last chapter, and that was unfortunate. All in all, Looking for Jesse was a thrilling, action packed story that left me breathless but confused at the end. I like this author’s style and will go back for more of her stories, no doubt, but this one fell just short of perfect for me.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
September 5, 2017
Looking for Jesse
Abrasive repartee, cold crime scenes and action…
Nick, whose wife, Anna, died a year ago takes his son Jesse on a trip to the Christmas Market in Naperville. Anna had been a Christmas freak and the trip would help Nick and Jesse process their grief, coming to terms with Anna's absence. Jesse becomes agitated when he finds he has lost one of his mittens. The two are in line to see Santa, so Nick entrusts Jesse to the woman and child in front of them, and runs back to get the mitten. He is only gone a few minutes, but when he gets back Jesse is gone.
While this novel technically qualifies as a gay romance the main emphasis is certainly on the crime/thriller aspect. The romance doesn't emerge until well after half way through the book, and even then it is only slight. If you are interested in erotica look elsewhere as there is not a single sex scene in the whole book. Worrall takes the reader on an exciting ride as Nick and Frank Ford (an alcoholic ex-police detective) sift through the now cold crime scenes, looking for evidence that the police might have missed. Both Nick and Ford are in their different ways macho men, and much of the book's charm lies in the abrasive repartee between the two. Each new chapter adds a new development and there are no quite spots. Some chapters are quite long, but all are broken up into smaller sections, so the reader can put the book down easily, if need be. The narrative is from Nick's point of view, so the reader is in the shoes of a well-meaning, but inexpert character. Much of the book deals with Nick's emotions as he deals with his double loss, his guilt and his frustration with Ford.
Nick could definitely be described as a working-class everyman. He is a carpenter and a loving family man. He is masculine in all the standard ways. Men, both heterosexual and gay, will certainly relate to him and be on his side. Most people will understand Nick's great need to be reunited with his son, or at least know what happened to him. Ford has a certain amount of mystery about him: why is he an ex-cop and why is he an alcoholic? He is certainly difficult to get on with, but he is saved by his humour, which shines through in tense moments. Also, for all his abrasiveness, he sometimes knows the right things to do and say when Nick isn't coping. It can certainly be said that Ford grows on the reader as the story continues. The reader is interested in both Nick and Ford and is willing to follow them wherever they may lead.
This is not really a book for deep themes, but Worrall does point out that life can have its unpredicted twists and turns, and that people throw together in trying times can make connections that otherwise wouldn't happen. We live our conventional lives and expect life to go conventionally, but the curve ball just might be headed our way.
I am gay and certainly like the odd crime story, so this book certainly suited me. Worrall certainly is a good author though and I'm sure this book will appeal to a wide audience. I am happy to rate this book at 5 stars.
August 24, 2017
As a mother of 2 this booking is heart breaking and horrifying. I might actually have nightmares tonight. I spent extra time today taking breaks from reading to snuggle and play with my kids. But that is because the Nick is portrayed exactly right and Jesse is so naïve and perfectly described as a scared child.
When I started this I was initially interested in a romantic thriller and although the romance is present it really, really, plays as a side plot to the much more gripping and important thriller of finding and rescuing Jesse. This was exactly the right choice for this story because otherwise either the story would have been way too long or I would have been annoyed they were waisting time and mental energy on starting a new relationship when they needed to focus on rescuing the kids.
When I started this I was initially interested in a romantic thriller and although the romance is present it really, really, plays as a side plot to the much more gripping and important thriller of finding and rescuing Jesse. This was exactly the right choice for this story because otherwise either the story would have been way too long or I would have been annoyed they were waisting time and mental energy on starting a new relationship when they needed to focus on rescuing the kids.
August 10, 2017
The mystery/rescue story is pretty good and if this book had better editing I'd have given it three stars. For one thing, it's very clear that the author is British and didn't have someone read her story to make sure the American characters sounded authentic, which is a pet peeve that always takes me out of a story (dates as '20 December' where we say 'December 20th,' use of 'post' when we say 'mail,' etc.) For another, there were some continuity issues such as a character whose name is changed.
The romance storyline seemed forced to me and simply didn't work. It probably didn't help that we got physical attraction and then in the epilogue That part of the story really felt shoehorned in.
The romance storyline seemed forced to me and simply didn't work. It probably didn't help that we got physical attraction and then in the epilogue That part of the story really felt shoehorned in.
October 25, 2017
2.5
This was a engaging read... The search for the boys, finding them all that was good...but their relationship was not.. I wanted to see them grow in to the relationship not the epilogue where everything had all ready happened..2 straight men falling in love..it was a missed opportunity.... I also wanted more of the boys and their closeness it would have been good to see them outside of their imprisonment... So IMO the ending was flat and rushed...2.5 stars... I rounded up because it was well written....
This was a engaging read... The search for the boys, finding them all that was good...but their relationship was not.. I wanted to see them grow in to the relationship not the epilogue where everything had all ready happened..2 straight men falling in love..it was a missed opportunity.... I also wanted more of the boys and their closeness it would have been good to see them outside of their imprisonment... So IMO the ending was flat and rushed...2.5 stars... I rounded up because it was well written....
August 3, 2017
KU
An absolutely fantastic story with tons of angst and a happy ending. Loved everything about it but the formatting went haywire around 78% and it was very difficult to stay in the story. Hope that gets fixed because I'd love to read it again when I can tell what all the words are.
An absolutely fantastic story with tons of angst and a happy ending. Loved everything about it but the formatting went haywire around 78% and it was very difficult to stay in the story. Hope that gets fixed because I'd love to read it again when I can tell what all the words are.
August 13, 2017
Great story
I loved the dynamics between Nick and Ford. It was a good plot, and a heartfelt story. Only downside was we didn't see the building of the personal relationship between the 2 MC's.
I loved the dynamics between Nick and Ford. It was a good plot, and a heartfelt story. Only downside was we didn't see the building of the personal relationship between the 2 MC's.
August 13, 2017
Have to admit, part of the story about kidnapping was pulling and heart wrenching, nonetheless, the romantic part, between Nick and Ford, wasn't. Romance between both MC felt forced and unrealistic, to me. But okay something like that, makes you bond.
August 15, 2017
Well Paced
This was a good story. Loved the suspense and the anticipation of what's next. Ford and Nick worked well together. Ford came off as brash and uncaring but there is always a back story. Nick was desperate to find his son. This story had the right mix of emotions.
This was a good story. Loved the suspense and the anticipation of what's next. Ford and Nick worked well together. Ford came off as brash and uncaring but there is always a back story. Nick was desperate to find his son. This story had the right mix of emotions.
August 20, 2017
The mystery part was pretty good, but the double GFY romance felt a little crowbarred in. The chemistry wasn't really there for me. And despite an entire page devoted to Ford's penis, all sex and even all their dating is off page.
September 4, 2017
This book could have been amazing if the romance hasn't taken the back seat.
There were almost no chemistry between 2 MC.
I hate sweet talk but this book has none, like zero.
It doesn't help that the mystery element is not even slightly mysterious at all.
End rant.
There were almost no chemistry between 2 MC.
I hate sweet talk but this book has none, like zero.
It doesn't help that the mystery element is not even slightly mysterious at all.
End rant.
February 5, 2018
Really enjoyed this one!
Great story, with really enjoyable lifelike characters
Worrall is a great author in the m/m & suspense genre!
Will definitely read other books as she is one of my favourite authors☺
Great story, with really enjoyable lifelike characters
Worrall is a great author in the m/m & suspense genre!
Will definitely read other books as she is one of my favourite authors☺
August 20, 2018
DNF @ 14%.
I'm really wasn't feeling this. It felt like it was trying too hard to be suspenseful.... and I think having Jesse's POV really took away from that. I didn't read very far into this, but I really wasn't feeling much of anything towards Nick.
I'm really wasn't feeling this. It felt like it was trying too hard to be suspenseful.... and I think having Jesse's POV really took away from that. I didn't read very far into this, but I really wasn't feeling much of anything towards Nick.
August 4, 2017
Good story, but no real romance or sexy times/ tension
August 8, 2017
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
I loved the story, the believeably flawed characters and if Iam honest, thid book made cry, and very happy too.
I loved the story, the believeably flawed characters and if Iam honest, thid book made cry, and very happy too.
August 8, 2017
t was GREAT!
August 12, 2017
2.5 stars
September 21, 2017
Suspense angst and tenderness
Loved this. Too favs. Bummed there was no man on man action but it for the story and besides it would have been tasteless.
Loved this. Too favs. Bummed there was no man on man action but it for the story and besides it would have been tasteless.
October 30, 2018
Decent enough, no major revolutionary plot but that's fine too.
August 6, 2017
The story was interesting and I liked the characters but the romance was all but nonexistent. No steam at all and we're told not shown them as a couple and that was in the epilogue.
September 30, 2017
The suspense is palpable but I can't get over the inconsistencies in characterisations and editing. It's distracting and disappointing to read a well-written book that is sloppy in the details.
September 12, 2017
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews