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Emergency Services #1
Two Man Station
Gio Valeri is a big city police officer who’s been transferred to the small outback town of Richmond with his professional reputation in tatters. His transfer is a punishment, and Gio just wants to keep his head down and survive the next two years. No more mistakes. No more complications.
Except Gio isn’t counting on Jason Quinn.
Jason Quinn, officer in charge of Richmond Station, is a single dad struggling with balancing the demands of shift work with the challenges of raising his son. The last thing he needs is a new senior constable with a history of destroying other people’s careers. But like it or not, Jason has to work with Gio.
In a remote two man station hours away from the next town, Gio and Jason have to learn to trust and rely on each another. Close quarters and a growing attraction mean that the lines between professional and personal are blurring. And even in Richmond, being a copper can be dangerous enough without risking their hearts as well.
Word 74,900; page 290
Except Gio isn’t counting on Jason Quinn.
Jason Quinn, officer in charge of Richmond Station, is a single dad struggling with balancing the demands of shift work with the challenges of raising his son. The last thing he needs is a new senior constable with a history of destroying other people’s careers. But like it or not, Jason has to work with Gio.
In a remote two man station hours away from the next town, Gio and Jason have to learn to trust and rely on each another. Close quarters and a growing attraction mean that the lines between professional and personal are blurring. And even in Richmond, being a copper can be dangerous enough without risking their hearts as well.
Word 74,900; page 290
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2018
120 people are currently reading
1125 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Henry
103 books2,280 followersI like to tell stories. Mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters. They gotta work for it though. No free lunches on my watch.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
January 8, 2018
Two Man Station is a good story from Lisa Henry, but it felt like an intro to a romance rather than the romance itself.
I adore everything Lisa Henry, especially her lighter stuff, and so I was honestly expecting to 5-star this one. I mean, two cops... all alone... horny and lonely... out in the country... I was hearing *bow china wow wow* in my head while reading the blurb! However, that wasn't quite what I got.
I liked the set up for the story and the hurt/comfort elements. I enjoy police stories, though I'm not a cop-junkie, and of COURSE I think men in uniform are hot. I wasn't expecting the story to be as angsty as it was, though the blurb is pretty accurate to the issues that the characters face.
My main complaint with the story is that is really isn't all that romantic. Sure, I don't need gushing and flowers, and I HATE instalove, but I honestly don't think these two even said "I love you" once during the story. They just never got there. The story ends with the two barely figuring out if they like one another in a romantic way.
There is some sex, but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting either. I felt like the sexual tension wasn't there, which is usually my favorite part of a story. There were very few signs of interest or attraction, and most of the story is the two men going on cop calls and getting to know country locals. The story picked up quite a bit towards the end, but I think I wanted more oomph in the chemistry between the two MCs.
While not my favorite Lisa Henry, I still enjoyed this cop romance and I'd recommend it Lisa Henry and hurt/comfort fans, especially those readers who enjoy children and families in their stories.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
I adore everything Lisa Henry, especially her lighter stuff, and so I was honestly expecting to 5-star this one. I mean, two cops... all alone... horny and lonely... out in the country... I was hearing *bow china wow wow* in my head while reading the blurb! However, that wasn't quite what I got.
I liked the set up for the story and the hurt/comfort elements. I enjoy police stories, though I'm not a cop-junkie, and of COURSE I think men in uniform are hot. I wasn't expecting the story to be as angsty as it was, though the blurb is pretty accurate to the issues that the characters face.
My main complaint with the story is that is really isn't all that romantic. Sure, I don't need gushing and flowers, and I HATE instalove, but I honestly don't think these two even said "I love you" once during the story. They just never got there. The story ends with the two barely figuring out if they like one another in a romantic way.
There is some sex, but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting either. I felt like the sexual tension wasn't there, which is usually my favorite part of a story. There were very few signs of interest or attraction, and most of the story is the two men going on cop calls and getting to know country locals. The story picked up quite a bit towards the end, but I think I wanted more oomph in the chemistry between the two MCs.
While not my favorite Lisa Henry, I still enjoyed this cop romance and I'd recommend it Lisa Henry and hurt/comfort fans, especially those readers who enjoy children and families in their stories.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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September 25, 2017I had a lot of fun working on this one. I also had a lot of weird moments where the day job met the writing job.
If you want to know anything about Two Man Station, feel free to ask!
If you want to know anything about Two Man Station, feel free to ask!
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September 25, 2017Guess who got to beta read this?? AND IT'S INCREDIBLE. Holy cow, I love this book.
February 19, 2018
Two Man Station is the first book I read from author, Lisa Henry, and it certainly will not be my last.
Jason Quinn has been in charge of the small police station in a remote town in Australia. He is struggling with being a single Dad as well as the needs of his town. He certainly wasn’t looking forward to working with the new officer in town, Gio Valeri. Rumors have been flying about the backstabbing police officer, and Jason was worried if Gio would have his back, if needed. But Gio is definitely not what he expected.
Gio Valeri is forced to transfer from his big city police station, to some remote town, away from his family, and thankfully away from the bullying and harassment from people he, at one time, considered his friends. He just wants to keep his head down, and in two years, move closer to his sister. Gio starts to find out that small town life isn’t that bad, especially living next door to Jason, and his adorable son, Taylor.
The author does a fantastic job in developing a slower paced story, which is fine with me. I liked how we didn’t learn the true story behind Gio’s transfer and about Jason’s personal life, until later in the story.
Highly recommend.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Jason Quinn has been in charge of the small police station in a remote town in Australia. He is struggling with being a single Dad as well as the needs of his town. He certainly wasn’t looking forward to working with the new officer in town, Gio Valeri. Rumors have been flying about the backstabbing police officer, and Jason was worried if Gio would have his back, if needed. But Gio is definitely not what he expected.
Gio Valeri is forced to transfer from his big city police station, to some remote town, away from his family, and thankfully away from the bullying and harassment from people he, at one time, considered his friends. He just wants to keep his head down, and in two years, move closer to his sister. Gio starts to find out that small town life isn’t that bad, especially living next door to Jason, and his adorable son, Taylor.
The author does a fantastic job in developing a slower paced story, which is fine with me. I liked how we didn’t learn the true story behind Gio’s transfer and about Jason’s personal life, until later in the story.
Highly recommend.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2019
***3.5 Stars***
Thinking about how to rate this book was a little bit like...
I had to sleep over it because I couldn't decide if I should round the damned half star up or down...
First things first: the writing was great! Okay, I could have done without roughly twenty thousand acronyms and sometimes wished for a glossary because Non-Aussie here, but I love it when an author makes me feel like I would be part of the story, not just reading about it and that was definitely the case here.
And yet I had a bit of a hard time labelling this book...
~ it was about two coppers in the Australien Outback, but was it a mystery? No.
~ the story had every potential for situational drama (yeah, sorry, drama-queen here, born and bred), but when something happened and I was hopping excitedly up and down on my seat, it was glossed over within a few pages. I'm not saying it was boring, I just wanted more and was a bit of a sad puppy with its ears drooping. But how's the saying? Be careful what you wish for? Toward the end I finally got my drama, all at once, which drifted dangerously into B-movie-territory
and finally...
~ the book is referred to as gay romance, but it was difficult for me to feel it. Don't get me wrong I loved the characters individually, but their connection? Not so much. For me it was rather born out of necessity and lack of other options than real feelings. Right until the end their interactions conveyed deep trust issues and then the drama happened and I get some sort of epilogue that takes place six months later and everything is suddenly all sunshine and roses? I'm really sorry, but I couldn't and didn't buy it. :(
So, maybe you feel my predicament now. This is a good book, probably just not what I expected it to be. Let's go with I really liked it, but didn't love it. All in all, there are too many niggles for me to round my rating up.
Thinking about how to rate this book was a little bit like...
I had to sleep over it because I couldn't decide if I should round the damned half star up or down...
First things first: the writing was great! Okay, I could have done without roughly twenty thousand acronyms and sometimes wished for a glossary because Non-Aussie here, but I love it when an author makes me feel like I would be part of the story, not just reading about it and that was definitely the case here.
And yet I had a bit of a hard time labelling this book...
~ it was about two coppers in the Australien Outback, but was it a mystery? No.
~ the story had every potential for situational drama (yeah, sorry, drama-queen here, born and bred), but when something happened and I was hopping excitedly up and down on my seat, it was glossed over within a few pages. I'm not saying it was boring, I just wanted more and was a bit of a sad puppy with its ears drooping. But how's the saying? Be careful what you wish for? Toward the end I finally got my drama, all at once, which drifted dangerously into B-movie-territory
and finally...
~ the book is referred to as gay romance, but it was difficult for me to feel it. Don't get me wrong I loved the characters individually, but their connection? Not so much. For me it was rather born out of necessity and lack of other options than real feelings. Right until the end their interactions conveyed deep trust issues and then the drama happened and I get some sort of epilogue that takes place six months later and everything is suddenly all sunshine and roses? I'm really sorry, but I couldn't and didn't buy it. :(
So, maybe you feel my predicament now. This is a good book, probably just not what I expected it to be. Let's go with I really liked it, but didn't love it. All in all, there are too many niggles for me to round my rating up.
September 18, 2024
At 43% I'm embracing the DNF — embracing it with the fervor of a drowning man clutching a life preserver. Get me out of here!
So, yeah, this book wasn't for me. Despite its charms — and it did have them — well, did have one, at any rate — no amount of pigheaded persistence on my part could make me like it.
The biggest problem was that it was all about child-rearing. Jason is a single dad with a 10-year kid, and at least 25% of the story was about him either taking care of the kid or angsting about taking care of the kid.
I don't read m/m romance to read about kids and parents. Just personal preference here — but a very, very strong one. What I do want to see in a romance is two people falling for each other and becoming the single most important person in each other's world. When one of them is raising a kid, that's not possible. The kid will always come first. For Jason, "His son was the most important thing in his life."
As he should be.
But that kills all possibility of a romance that I have any interest in reading about. Sure, one MC may have found "Mr. Right," but the other MC has found "Mr. Maybe we can have something, maybe not, because I need to fit you in around the kid, and if that doesn't work, eh, too bad, but fortunately you're not the most important thing in my life, so it's not like it's a BFD or anything."
Romantic, much? Not to me.
I started skimming the scenes where Jason was making the kid yet another Vegemite sandwich, and his repetitive ruminations over the dearth of local child-care options.
But there were other problems too — I ended up loathing Jason because of his attitude toward ethical oversight of the police force. I've already used up my allocation of one rant per review, so I won't say anything more about it, other than wow, did I ever feel dismayed and demoralized by the author's take on the police.
I finally threw in the towel (grabbed the life preserver!) when I realized I'd made it almost halfway through without getting invested in either of the characters. Jason I hated, although he was maybe just on the verge of redeeming himself; Gio I felt indifference for. The bottom line was that this book was not working for me. I actually would have DNF'd much earlier, at about 20%, except for the fact that it was written by Lisa Henry and I was trusting that she could make the magic happen.
I was wrong. And in case you haven't figured it out, I am so relieved to give up on this book. It entertained me greatly, for a while, with its Australianisms — big lunch and little lunch! poddy calves! servo! rego! icy cup??? — I learned so many new expressions, and also was stumped by a few. Unfortunately the fun with words was nowhere near sufficient to carry me through the book.
So, yeah, this book wasn't for me. Despite its charms — and it did have them — well, did have one, at any rate — no amount of pigheaded persistence on my part could make me like it.
The biggest problem was that it was all about child-rearing. Jason is a single dad with a 10-year kid, and at least 25% of the story was about him either taking care of the kid or angsting about taking care of the kid.
I don't read m/m romance to read about kids and parents. Just personal preference here — but a very, very strong one. What I do want to see in a romance is two people falling for each other and becoming the single most important person in each other's world. When one of them is raising a kid, that's not possible. The kid will always come first. For Jason, "His son was the most important thing in his life."
As he should be.
But that kills all possibility of a romance that I have any interest in reading about. Sure, one MC may have found "Mr. Right," but the other MC has found "Mr. Maybe we can have something, maybe not, because I need to fit you in around the kid, and if that doesn't work, eh, too bad, but fortunately you're not the most important thing in my life, so it's not like it's a BFD or anything."
Romantic, much? Not to me.
I started skimming the scenes where Jason was making the kid yet another Vegemite sandwich, and his repetitive ruminations over the dearth of local child-care options.
But there were other problems too — I ended up loathing Jason because of his attitude toward ethical oversight of the police force. I've already used up my allocation of one rant per review, so I won't say anything more about it, other than wow, did I ever feel dismayed and demoralized by the author's take on the police.
I finally threw in the towel (grabbed the life preserver!) when I realized I'd made it almost halfway through without getting invested in either of the characters. Jason I hated, although he was maybe just on the verge of redeeming himself; Gio I felt indifference for. The bottom line was that this book was not working for me. I actually would have DNF'd much earlier, at about 20%, except for the fact that it was written by Lisa Henry and I was trusting that she could make the magic happen.
I was wrong. And in case you haven't figured it out, I am so relieved to give up on this book. It entertained me greatly, for a while, with its Australianisms — big lunch and little lunch! poddy calves! servo! rego! icy cup??? — I learned so many new expressions, and also was stumped by a few. Unfortunately the fun with words was nowhere near sufficient to carry me through the book.
January 13, 2018
"This is a two-man station. If things turn to shit, it’s just us."
I had missed a gritty story by Lisa Henry! I know she is a very versatile author but I have a soft spot for her gritty writes.
Pay atttention to the blurb. It's doing a great job describing the plot which I'm not going to rehash.
The setting is almost like a third character in the story. Lisa Henry does an incredible job describing life in the town of Richmond with its remote two man station and its people. These people and their personal stories will be of great importance to the main plot as well.
This is a very slow paced story. The chemistry is there, but nothing really happens between the characters until the 50% mark. I liked that because it gave time and space for the characters to bond. Gio was totally a fish out of water so he needed time to adjust, and Jason needed time to start trusting a guy that didn't exactly come with glowing references. There is a certain level of trust that needs to be buitl between two men who have only each other's backs on the field.
After the MCs get together, the mystery surrounding Gio's past clears away and we get some more romance and steam! In the last third, the plot really picks up and...I'll let you find out for yourselves.
I absolutely LOVED Taylor, Jason's kid. It's not very often that I see kids act their own age in books, but this one was amazing. Being real is a quality that all characters in this book share. Good people, good intentions and much love, but a lot of imperfections and mistakes as well.
I suspect that the most traditional romance readers might not find the ending satisfying enough. Personally, I would call the ending a very solid HFN, and I have no doubt that Gio and Jason are perfect for each other with a great future ahead of them. Gio found a home and a new family in Richmond, and Jason got his second chance.
My own personal little niggle is that I wanted to see these bastards, Gio's former collegues, pay for what they did to him.
Overall, I was very glad to read another book by Lisa Henry. I'm thrilled that this is going to be a series! I'm definitely going to keep reading.
Recommended!
January 5, 2018
Solid 4 star read!
I really enjoyed this one. Ele's review described the setting as being like a third character, and I couldn't agree more. The two man station and Richmond were just as much a part of the book as the main characters Gio and Jason.
This was a quiet read, very slow paced but I was never bored. I was always engaged and I appreciated the slow build between Gio and Jason. It felt authentic.
I was kind of bummed their relationship/feelings hadn't progressed a bit more by the end but I am glad to hear that this will be a series. I hope we get more of these characters. I also hope Gio's former teammates get what they deserve. I hated the way they treated Gio.
Last but not least....Taylor. He completely stole the show. I loved his character so much. I loved his reaction to catching Gio and Jason. I loved his love for the cat. I just loved him.
Definitely a recommended read.
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I really enjoyed this one. Ele's review described the setting as being like a third character, and I couldn't agree more. The two man station and Richmond were just as much a part of the book as the main characters Gio and Jason.
This was a quiet read, very slow paced but I was never bored. I was always engaged and I appreciated the slow build between Gio and Jason. It felt authentic.
I was kind of bummed their relationship/feelings hadn't progressed a bit more by the end but I am glad to hear that this will be a series. I hope we get more of these characters. I also hope Gio's former teammates get what they deserve. I hated the way they treated Gio.
Last but not least....Taylor. He completely stole the show. I loved his character so much. I loved his reaction to catching Gio and Jason. I loved his love for the cat. I just loved him.
Definitely a recommended read.
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
September 10, 2018
**4.5 stars**
YES, YES, YES and YES : Dear Lisa Henry, I wish I had read this book before meeting you in Amsterdam last June so I could have profusely thanked you face to face for this story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Gio has always wanted to be a police officer. But even a dream job can have some drawback. Despite the bullshit he’s facing, he grinds his teeth and accepts his transfer to a small town in the middle of nowhere, namely Richmond in Queensland, Australia. There, he meets his new Sarge, Jason, a widower with a 10-year-old kid. They are the only 2 police officers in the area and have to learn to trust and rely on each other. Not an easy fate, with Jason's responsibilities over his son and Gio's ordeal.
It’s a very slow burn that was so pleasing for me to witness, with an age-gap, some thoughts about domestic violence. The heaviness of some parts is nicely balanced with some real funny times. The characterization was well handled : special mention for Jason’s son, Taylor (and his cat). A little more steam and more time with Gio and Jason by the end would have been even better for me : yes, I can be greedy like that !
But what mostly appealed to me was the sense of place that Lisa Henry infused into this story. I won’t be very original and quote Ele (J did it, so I feel like I can do it as well) : ” The setting is almost like a third character in the story.” . And what a great character : I could imagine myself being in Richmond and being into Gio’s head when taking stock of his new surroundings.
Ele promised me that I would enjoy the next book in this series just as well : bring it on !!! And Lisa Henry stated there will be more of Gio and Jason soon : whenever you want, dear author, the sooner the better !!
**Note : Thank you so, so much, Judith : if only I could hug you for this surprise, <3<3<3**
YES, YES, YES and YES : Dear Lisa Henry, I wish I had read this book before meeting you in Amsterdam last June so I could have profusely thanked you face to face for this story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Gio has always wanted to be a police officer. But even a dream job can have some drawback. Despite the bullshit he’s facing, he grinds his teeth and accepts his transfer to a small town in the middle of nowhere, namely Richmond in Queensland, Australia. There, he meets his new Sarge, Jason, a widower with a 10-year-old kid. They are the only 2 police officers in the area and have to learn to trust and rely on each other. Not an easy fate, with Jason's responsibilities over his son and Gio's ordeal.
It’s a very slow burn that was so pleasing for me to witness, with an age-gap, some thoughts about domestic violence. The heaviness of some parts is nicely balanced with some real funny times. The characterization was well handled : special mention for Jason’s son, Taylor (and his cat). A little more steam and more time with Gio and Jason by the end would have been even better for me : yes, I can be greedy like that !
But what mostly appealed to me was the sense of place that Lisa Henry infused into this story. I won’t be very original and quote Ele (J did it, so I feel like I can do it as well) : ” The setting is almost like a third character in the story.” . And what a great character : I could imagine myself being in Richmond and being into Gio’s head when taking stock of his new surroundings.
Ele promised me that I would enjoy the next book in this series just as well : bring it on !!! And Lisa Henry stated there will be more of Gio and Jason soon : whenever you want, dear author, the sooner the better !!
**Note : Thank you so, so much, Judith : if only I could hug you for this surprise, <3<3<3**
February 23, 2018
City life didn't prepare Gio for this.
Gio's professional life has thrown 180 and he's been offloaded to the hinterland. He's trying to make the best of it, but his past won't stay past, and soon the present seems very different.
This is an armchair romance with a slow burn and easy meander because country life ain't city life. Henry does a bang up job painting the isolation, quiet, and stark beauty of the Australian outback. The politics of small town policing has a learning curve as Gio finds out.
This is more a character study story than a police action, or rather it focuses of the everyday minutiae of police work, the unglamorous and unsexy. Not to say that there isn't a burr in the ointment. Gio's got problems, but he's not the only in Richmond, and when the humdrum of everyday breaks--it's fast and merciless. Don't be fooled by the quaint.
This almost feels like it could be the beginning of a series because while there's resolution there's enough threads to pull and follow on in subsequent books. Recommended for those looking for conflicted and heartfelt heroes in a setting that dominates the story.
Gift from my Secret Valentine-- thank you!
Gio's professional life has thrown 180 and he's been offloaded to the hinterland. He's trying to make the best of it, but his past won't stay past, and soon the present seems very different.
This is an armchair romance with a slow burn and easy meander because country life ain't city life. Henry does a bang up job painting the isolation, quiet, and stark beauty of the Australian outback. The politics of small town policing has a learning curve as Gio finds out.
This is more a character study story than a police action, or rather it focuses of the everyday minutiae of police work, the unglamorous and unsexy. Not to say that there isn't a burr in the ointment. Gio's got problems, but he's not the only in Richmond, and when the humdrum of everyday breaks--it's fast and merciless. Don't be fooled by the quaint.
This almost feels like it could be the beginning of a series because while there's resolution there's enough threads to pull and follow on in subsequent books. Recommended for those looking for conflicted and heartfelt heroes in a setting that dominates the story.
Gift from my Secret Valentine-- thank you!
June 1, 2020
3.5 stars
I’m really torn on how to rate this book. Well, no, I know which rating I want to give, you can see it above, but since Goodreads doesn’t allow half stars, I’m really torn on rounding down or up.
Lisa Henry’s writing rarely fails to pull me in and this book was no exception. I really enjoyed the sense of place, the descriptions of this unfamiliar (to me) and fascinating Australian setting.
The characterizations were very good, we get to know the characters and their individual stories little by little and I loved it, I especially appreciated how long it took them to trust each other, to even contemplate a physical relationship, let alone a romantic one. This was as far from insta-love or insta-lust as you can get, the progression was very unusual for a romance. Which was a plus until it became a problem.
I enjoyed this story very much, despite the presence of elements I don’t usually like. There was a lot of focus on parenting here. It was well done, well incorporated in the story and it didn’t overtake it.
But it was also coupled with and while that’s not necessary a problem and I appreciated the role that had on Jason’s character’s development, in the end I knew more about than I did about the main couple and their relationship, their dynamic.
What I’ve seen of it, I liked, very much. There was some good conflict, a good basis for a great relationship development.
There were also a lot of external things happening around Jason and Gio, for most of the time their relationship kind of took the backseat to other things, still interesting and relevant to their lives separately and together, but they did nothing to advance their romantic relationship. I didn’t mind the shift of focus, I welcomed it as a pleasant addition, it made the story more complete, less ‘classic romance’.
In the end, though, the pacing failed me. Things went slow for most of the book and then they seemed to get a brusque acceleration to rush to the ending. It wasn’t a matter of what or how quickly things happened, it was more of what was missing, I think the book needed a few more chapters to develop things further.
What happened was that by the time the book ended, for me their relationship was just starting. Just starting not like ‘HFN ending, they’re solid and you can leave them feeling confident they’re in a good place’ but like ‘okay, you just pulled your heads out of your asses and made some tiny progress, now let me see where you go from here and how you really make it work'.
The last chapter was set six months after the previous one, like a sort of epilogue, but it didn't feel like an epilogue to me, it felt like I had missed part of the story.
A side note, which had no bearing on my rating, but annoyed the hell out of me.
I’ve no idea if when a character in a book calls somebody ‘kid’, that’s a realistic representation of how some English native speakers sometimes address other people, but I’ve never heard the equivalent Italian word “bambino” used as an endearment from a parent to a child, let alone from a big sister to her brother. If it does happen (I concede that’s a possibility, since I don’t know every Italian native-speaker on the planet), I don’t know how anybody could bear to be called that every other sentence. Personally, it grated on my nerves every single time, to the point where I started resenting Sophie every time she opened her mouth, even when I agreed with her.
I’m really torn on how to rate this book. Well, no, I know which rating I want to give, you can see it above, but since Goodreads doesn’t allow half stars, I’m really torn on rounding down or up.
Lisa Henry’s writing rarely fails to pull me in and this book was no exception. I really enjoyed the sense of place, the descriptions of this unfamiliar (to me) and fascinating Australian setting.
The characterizations were very good, we get to know the characters and their individual stories little by little and I loved it, I especially appreciated how long it took them to trust each other, to even contemplate a physical relationship, let alone a romantic one. This was as far from insta-love or insta-lust as you can get, the progression was very unusual for a romance. Which was a plus until it became a problem.
I enjoyed this story very much, despite the presence of elements I don’t usually like. There was a lot of focus on parenting here. It was well done, well incorporated in the story and it didn’t overtake it.
But it was also coupled with and while that’s not necessary a problem and I appreciated the role that had on Jason’s character’s development, in the end I knew more about than I did about the main couple and their relationship, their dynamic.
What I’ve seen of it, I liked, very much. There was some good conflict, a good basis for a great relationship development.
There were also a lot of external things happening around Jason and Gio, for most of the time their relationship kind of took the backseat to other things, still interesting and relevant to their lives separately and together, but they did nothing to advance their romantic relationship. I didn’t mind the shift of focus, I welcomed it as a pleasant addition, it made the story more complete, less ‘classic romance’.
In the end, though, the pacing failed me. Things went slow for most of the book and then they seemed to get a brusque acceleration to rush to the ending. It wasn’t a matter of what or how quickly things happened, it was more of what was missing, I think the book needed a few more chapters to develop things further.
What happened was that by the time the book ended, for me their relationship was just starting. Just starting not like ‘HFN ending, they’re solid and you can leave them feeling confident they’re in a good place’ but like ‘okay, you just pulled your heads out of your asses and made some tiny progress, now let me see where you go from here and how you really make it work'.
The last chapter was set six months after the previous one, like a sort of epilogue, but it didn't feel like an epilogue to me, it felt like I had missed part of the story.
A side note, which had no bearing on my rating, but annoyed the hell out of me.
I’ve no idea if when a character in a book calls somebody ‘kid’, that’s a realistic representation of how some English native speakers sometimes address other people, but I’ve never heard the equivalent Italian word “bambino” used as an endearment from a parent to a child, let alone from a big sister to her brother. If it does happen (I concede that’s a possibility, since I don’t know every Italian native-speaker on the planet), I don’t know how anybody could bear to be called that every other sentence. Personally, it grated on my nerves every single time, to the point where I started resenting Sophie every time she opened her mouth, even when I agreed with her.
January 14, 2018
4.5 stars!
Last year, one of my favorite reads of the year was Jane Harper's The Dry. I was mesmerized with the strong sense of Australian's small town in that book, just as much as I loved the story. Ever since then, I am dying to get the same feeling in the romance genre. When I saw this cover and the author's name, I didn't hesitate. With that cover, I was hoping that Henry would deliver.
And boy, was I right! Two Man Station is pretty much EVERYTHING I am looking for in a romance set in Australia -- with maybe just a small dissatisfaction that stopped this from being my first 5-stars of 2018. First of all, the SLOW BURN romance. Heck yeah, it was slow burn. Because both Gio and Jason have their own, well, baggage.
Gio doesn't exactly come to the small outback town of Richmond willingly. He is a pariah at his old station at Gold Coast. His relationship is shattered and his colleagues hate his guts. So even if his boss said that it was "a fresh start", Gio knows that the transfer is basically a professional punishment. Meanwhile Jason is a single father and a cop. He has a slight trouble to juggle that part and often depends on people to take care of his son, Taylor. It's not an ideal situation. And he misses his wife.
So the two men comes into the relationship with rather tentative steps. And I was a sucker for that kind of set-up!
Another thing that captivated me was the town itself. Richmond, with its red dirt and poisonous snakes. I LOVED everything about it -- and I gobbled up the time that Gio spent learning about the ins-and-outs of working in a two-man station as well as the quirks of Richmond.
Then there's TAYLOR. OMG I LOVED THIS KID!! He is truly a GEM of this book. Like this scene -- you can understand why I think Taylor is PRECIOUS.
It was a very, VERY good story in my point of view. The CLIMAX itself was OMG SO GOOD! And intense!! Boy, that part made my heart stopped!
The only thing that let me down was the part where near the end, Jason said . It kind of spoiled the romance for me. While it could be true for Jason as a character, I prefer the ending to be slightly more promising -- romantically -- than that. It would've been better for me if it wasn't mentioned at all considering that Jason and Gio were embarking this new relationship *pout*
I'd love to read more about Gio, Jason, and Taylor. Unfortunately based on Lisa's comment to my reply the next one will be about different couple. Well, I just have to wish strongly so I get an update about the three guys.
Initial Review
Dear book. I LOVED YOU. I really LOVED you.
Thank you for being my first 4.5* read of the year, and definitely one of my favorites in 2018.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
Last year, one of my favorite reads of the year was Jane Harper's The Dry. I was mesmerized with the strong sense of Australian's small town in that book, just as much as I loved the story. Ever since then, I am dying to get the same feeling in the romance genre. When I saw this cover and the author's name, I didn't hesitate. With that cover, I was hoping that Henry would deliver.
And boy, was I right! Two Man Station is pretty much EVERYTHING I am looking for in a romance set in Australia -- with maybe just a small dissatisfaction that stopped this from being my first 5-stars of 2018. First of all, the SLOW BURN romance. Heck yeah, it was slow burn. Because both Gio and Jason have their own, well, baggage.
Gio doesn't exactly come to the small outback town of Richmond willingly. He is a pariah at his old station at Gold Coast. His relationship is shattered and his colleagues hate his guts. So even if his boss said that it was "a fresh start", Gio knows that the transfer is basically a professional punishment. Meanwhile Jason is a single father and a cop. He has a slight trouble to juggle that part and often depends on people to take care of his son, Taylor. It's not an ideal situation. And he misses his wife.
So the two men comes into the relationship with rather tentative steps. And I was a sucker for that kind of set-up!
Another thing that captivated me was the town itself. Richmond, with its red dirt and poisonous snakes. I LOVED everything about it -- and I gobbled up the time that Gio spent learning about the ins-and-outs of working in a two-man station as well as the quirks of Richmond.
Then there's TAYLOR. OMG I LOVED THIS KID!! He is truly a GEM of this book. Like this scene -- you can understand why I think Taylor is PRECIOUS.
“Is Gio your boyfriend?” he asked.
“That’s not something we’ve talked about yet,” Jason said.
“Why not?” Taylor wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his pyjama top. Then he looked outraged. “Dad! You have to ask someone if they want to be your girlfriend or your boyfriend before you kiss them!”
It was a very, VERY good story in my point of view. The CLIMAX itself was OMG SO GOOD! And intense!! Boy, that part made my heart stopped!
The only thing that let me down was the part where near the end, Jason said . It kind of spoiled the romance for me. While it could be true for Jason as a character, I prefer the ending to be slightly more promising -- romantically -- than that. It would've been better for me if it wasn't mentioned at all considering that Jason and Gio were embarking this new relationship *pout*
I'd love to read more about Gio, Jason, and Taylor. Unfortunately based on Lisa's comment to my reply the next one will be about different couple. Well, I just have to wish strongly so I get an update about the three guys.
Initial Review
Dear book. I LOVED YOU. I really LOVED you.
Thank you for being my first 4.5* read of the year, and definitely one of my favorites in 2018.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
January 31, 2018
This book was so fucking AUTHENTIC, it almost hurt!
I lived in Australia for a while (never in the outback though), and this book captured so much of the essense of Australia (seen from the perspective of a short-term resident), it's not even funny.
I know that Lisa Henry is Australian, but it is rare (I think) for an author to capture the spirit, the feel and the humanity of a specific area and people, that realistically.
And this book with it's 'chill-ness', it's description of places and it's 'soul' really drew me in and took me back to another lifetime (as these things go, of course it's 7 years ago today, that I left Aus!)
As I said, I liked the feel of the story a lot, I kind of liked Gio and Jason, I loved Taylor, but didn't care for Sandra. It was this weird mix throughout, though one of my forefront thoughts were: "Why the hell are people living out there?"
I understand that there are ranches that need a lot of space for their cattle, but I will never understand why you would stay in a place where it takes 3 hours to the nearest 'larger' city. And if you're bitten by a snake or other (and we're talking Australia, so EVERYTHING can kill you) your survival is iffy, since you're living in a place where help might be coming, if the qualified people aren't at the other end of the state, 5 hours away.
The romance was sort of slow, and I felt there were some missing parts in the rest of the story.
Like, why did the guy before Gio, and his wife leave? It sort of read like... They were Jason's best friends and Taylor's loving caretakers, but not ONE PEEP was heard from them after they left.
Then there was the harassment and Gio's ex. I felt like something was missing there as well, since there was never a proper ending/explanation/confrontation, and it left me feeling like the story wasn't finished.
But all in all, this drew me in and brought me back to one of the greatest, chillest and craziest countries on earth, and I loved it<3
I lived in Australia for a while (never in the outback though), and this book captured so much of the essense of Australia (seen from the perspective of a short-term resident), it's not even funny.
I know that Lisa Henry is Australian, but it is rare (I think) for an author to capture the spirit, the feel and the humanity of a specific area and people, that realistically.
And this book with it's 'chill-ness', it's description of places and it's 'soul' really drew me in and took me back to another lifetime (as these things go, of course it's 7 years ago today, that I left Aus!)
As I said, I liked the feel of the story a lot, I kind of liked Gio and Jason, I loved Taylor, but didn't care for Sandra. It was this weird mix throughout, though one of my forefront thoughts were: "Why the hell are people living out there?"
I understand that there are ranches that need a lot of space for their cattle, but I will never understand why you would stay in a place where it takes 3 hours to the nearest 'larger' city. And if you're bitten by a snake or other (and we're talking Australia, so EVERYTHING can kill you) your survival is iffy, since you're living in a place where help might be coming, if the qualified people aren't at the other end of the state, 5 hours away.
The romance was sort of slow, and I felt there were some missing parts in the rest of the story.
Like, why did the guy before Gio, and his wife leave? It sort of read like... They were Jason's best friends and Taylor's loving caretakers, but not ONE PEEP was heard from them after they left.
Then there was the harassment and Gio's ex. I felt like something was missing there as well, since there was never a proper ending/explanation/confrontation, and it left me feeling like the story wasn't finished.
But all in all, this drew me in and brought me back to one of the greatest, chillest and craziest countries on earth, and I loved it<3
June 14, 2023
The "still in love with my dead wife trope" ruined this one. Sorry but I'm not a fan.
January 26, 2018
*** 3.5 Stars ***
When the book begins, our main character Gio's in a bit of tough spot. While he's ostensibly been promoted within the Queensland Police Service, the reality is that his personal life is in the shitter, he's endured months of harassment from his "brothers" in blue, and his superiors have now all but banished him from his city policing post to the rural nothingness of a two man station in Richmond. And, when he gets to the middle of nowhere, it's to discover that his (unearned) reputation has proceeded him and his new boss (a handsome man with a charismatic kid) already looks at him like he's something unpleasant the man stepped in.
I'm not going to beat around the bush: I was expecting big things from this novel.
First of all, it's a Lisa Henry book and that woman is crazy talented. I always expect characters with depth, slow, strong relationship builds that tug on all of my emotions, and a well-paced, flawlessly edited story from her.
Secondly, I love books set in rural Australia. There's just something about the ruggedness of the terrain, the unfamiliar slang (utes, road trains, dog act, etc.), and seemingly slower pace of life that transports me into whatever story I'm reading. For a second, I swear I can feel the hot wind and the grit of red dust on my face.
And this book was good, but it didn't feel complete somehow.
The setting was beautifully rendered, the characters were complex and flawed enough to seem real, the hurt/comfort elements were no joke, and the plot felt refreshing. I especially loved the immediate tension that Henry created between Gio and Jason and thought that she did a fabulous job of growing their relationship from reluctant coworkers to tentative friends to surprising lovers.
But I didn't feel like we got to bask in the newness of their relationship and feel secure in the strength of their feelings for one another before they experienced their first relationship-threatening fight. Or rather, I didn't feel as if they were back on solid enough ground from that fight when things completely went to shit to justify the depths of the feelings that we were told followed (and were necessary to make the book's ending make emotional sense to me).
I can clearly see that this was the first in a series. If Gio and Jason's romance continues on in the next book, then perhaps I'll revise my opinion of this one and consider it merely a dramatic stepping stone. But, if the next book focuses on another couple? I fear my disappointment with the romance in this one is going to stay high.
When the book begins, our main character Gio's in a bit of tough spot. While he's ostensibly been promoted within the Queensland Police Service, the reality is that his personal life is in the shitter, he's endured months of harassment from his "brothers" in blue, and his superiors have now all but banished him from his city policing post to the rural nothingness of a two man station in Richmond. And, when he gets to the middle of nowhere, it's to discover that his (unearned) reputation has proceeded him and his new boss (a handsome man with a charismatic kid) already looks at him like he's something unpleasant the man stepped in.
I'm not going to beat around the bush: I was expecting big things from this novel.
First of all, it's a Lisa Henry book and that woman is crazy talented. I always expect characters with depth, slow, strong relationship builds that tug on all of my emotions, and a well-paced, flawlessly edited story from her.
Secondly, I love books set in rural Australia. There's just something about the ruggedness of the terrain, the unfamiliar slang (utes, road trains, dog act, etc.), and seemingly slower pace of life that transports me into whatever story I'm reading. For a second, I swear I can feel the hot wind and the grit of red dust on my face.
And this book was good, but it didn't feel complete somehow.
The setting was beautifully rendered, the characters were complex and flawed enough to seem real, the hurt/comfort elements were no joke, and the plot felt refreshing. I especially loved the immediate tension that Henry created between Gio and Jason and thought that she did a fabulous job of growing their relationship from reluctant coworkers to tentative friends to surprising lovers.
But I didn't feel like we got to bask in the newness of their relationship and feel secure in the strength of their feelings for one another before they experienced their first relationship-threatening fight. Or rather, I didn't feel as if they were back on solid enough ground from that fight when things completely went to shit to justify the depths of the feelings that we were told followed (and were necessary to make the book's ending make emotional sense to me).
I can clearly see that this was the first in a series. If Gio and Jason's romance continues on in the next book, then perhaps I'll revise my opinion of this one and consider it merely a dramatic stepping stone. But, if the next book focuses on another couple? I fear my disappointment with the romance in this one is going to stay high.
December 18, 2017
Ohh Lisa Henry how I have missed thee. Let me count the ways.
YOU GUYS. THIS BOOK. WAS DELIGHTFUL.
I read it in mere hours. I mean ok. I slept. I did. But I opened my eyes this morning and dove back in at 3:30 am with no regrets. I mean whats a little sleep when all you want is to find out how it ends for Gio and Jason.
And honestly Im so in love with Taylor that he made my heart hurt. '
That is all.
I love Lisa Henry. And Im so glad she wrote another book that I got to devour.
Mare~Slitsread
!
YOU GUYS. THIS BOOK. WAS DELIGHTFUL.
I read it in mere hours. I mean ok. I slept. I did. But I opened my eyes this morning and dove back in at 3:30 am with no regrets. I mean whats a little sleep when all you want is to find out how it ends for Gio and Jason.
And honestly Im so in love with Taylor that he made my heart hurt. '
That is all.
I love Lisa Henry. And Im so glad she wrote another book that I got to devour.
Mare~Slitsread
!
January 28, 2018
~ Rural Aussie coppers at your slow build service ~
Lisa's usual quality writing...
Q: He set off at a slow jog to warm up. The soles of his shoes scuffed against the gritty bitumen at the shoulder of the road. There was no traffic to worry about. He heard the descending symphony of a semi’s compression brakes in the distance. The dawn was just starting to paint the sky pink when he reached the riverbank. A magpie was warbling in one of the ghost-pale eucalypts. A pair of sulphur-crested cockatoos sat on the back of a park bench, bobbing at one another. /Q
and spot on emotional truths...
Q: Jason crowded him against the door and kissed him. He put a hand on his cheek, something he’d been waiting to do all day, and swept his thumb over the delicate skin under his eye. Gio closed his eyes, his long lashes trembling, and Jason licked into his mouth and then pulled back. He tugged on Gio’s lower lip with his teeth, leaving indentations in the soft flesh, and Gio sighed.
I could fall into you./Q
in a story different than anything she's told before, in tone and pace, in setting and characters.
This is a right enjoyable read, the kind that reminds and reinforces why I love being inside a *good book*.
That this is set in rural aka middle of nowhere Aussieland adds a layer of muted mood to the story. It supports the organic slow build that are the relationships newcomer to Richmond copper Gio will need to foster if he has any hope of doing more than just going through the motions of life in his new assignment. Considering what he's been through prior to arriving, the post is a blessing and a curse. As the story progresses, he works more towards one belief than the other.
As for Jason, Richmond's current Sergeant, he's experienced a heavy load in the last couple of years and is continuing to deal with the emotional and physical aftermath. Most of all, he's trying to make everything work for his young son, Taylor. Who, by the way, is the star of this show, along with "the cat".
We get both Jason's and Gio's points of view, and I don't think the story would have worked in another format. At times, for me, I was feeling more connection to Jason as he shared his thoughts and feelings, his desires. He's in his mid-30's, about a decade older than Gio and, given that, everything feels more developed for him. For Gio's part, we learn some about his recent past and why he's been reassigned, and get glimpses into his family by way of convos with his sister, but I think there's more there to discover. He's a closed-mouth one, for sure.
I like that this is an Aussie story in terms of dialogue, cultural references, and how a two-man police station operates in a small village. Some acronyms and incident call-out phrases are new to me. Whenever I encounter these in a book, I treat them like I do some Shakespeare: read at normal pace and don't try so hard, the brain will interpret.
The chemistry twixt Jason and Gio is yummy tummy butterflies worthy. Both are sexually experienced and it gives them something besides cop shop talk through which to connect, to let some guards down. For me, though, it's not the main stage in this production. The baggage they're each carrying, their fears and uncertainties, and their struggles to move forward in life are front and center. Being thrown together as they're each dealing with their losses makes for a situational character study about which there is much more to learn.
Their multifaceted partnership feels like a cornerstone upon which this series could be built. I hope to see more of them. And the bingo maven. ;)
Lisa's usual quality writing...
Q: He set off at a slow jog to warm up. The soles of his shoes scuffed against the gritty bitumen at the shoulder of the road. There was no traffic to worry about. He heard the descending symphony of a semi’s compression brakes in the distance. The dawn was just starting to paint the sky pink when he reached the riverbank. A magpie was warbling in one of the ghost-pale eucalypts. A pair of sulphur-crested cockatoos sat on the back of a park bench, bobbing at one another. /Q
and spot on emotional truths...
Q: Jason crowded him against the door and kissed him. He put a hand on his cheek, something he’d been waiting to do all day, and swept his thumb over the delicate skin under his eye. Gio closed his eyes, his long lashes trembling, and Jason licked into his mouth and then pulled back. He tugged on Gio’s lower lip with his teeth, leaving indentations in the soft flesh, and Gio sighed.
I could fall into you./Q
in a story different than anything she's told before, in tone and pace, in setting and characters.
This is a right enjoyable read, the kind that reminds and reinforces why I love being inside a *good book*.
That this is set in rural aka middle of nowhere Aussieland adds a layer of muted mood to the story. It supports the organic slow build that are the relationships newcomer to Richmond copper Gio will need to foster if he has any hope of doing more than just going through the motions of life in his new assignment. Considering what he's been through prior to arriving, the post is a blessing and a curse. As the story progresses, he works more towards one belief than the other.
As for Jason, Richmond's current Sergeant, he's experienced a heavy load in the last couple of years and is continuing to deal with the emotional and physical aftermath. Most of all, he's trying to make everything work for his young son, Taylor. Who, by the way, is the star of this show, along with "the cat".
We get both Jason's and Gio's points of view, and I don't think the story would have worked in another format. At times, for me, I was feeling more connection to Jason as he shared his thoughts and feelings, his desires. He's in his mid-30's, about a decade older than Gio and, given that, everything feels more developed for him. For Gio's part, we learn some about his recent past and why he's been reassigned, and get glimpses into his family by way of convos with his sister, but I think there's more there to discover. He's a closed-mouth one, for sure.
I like that this is an Aussie story in terms of dialogue, cultural references, and how a two-man police station operates in a small village. Some acronyms and incident call-out phrases are new to me. Whenever I encounter these in a book, I treat them like I do some Shakespeare: read at normal pace and don't try so hard, the brain will interpret.
The chemistry twixt Jason and Gio is yummy tummy butterflies worthy. Both are sexually experienced and it gives them something besides cop shop talk through which to connect, to let some guards down. For me, though, it's not the main stage in this production. The baggage they're each carrying, their fears and uncertainties, and their struggles to move forward in life are front and center. Being thrown together as they're each dealing with their losses makes for a situational character study about which there is much more to learn.
Their multifaceted partnership feels like a cornerstone upon which this series could be built. I hope to see more of them. And the bingo maven. ;)
September 29, 2021
This is a pretty good story, although I don't know if that's exactly what I was expecting.
I'm not an overly big fan of forced proximity and stories set in a small town, but it all worked great here. Both when it comes to the atmosphere of a small town and the reasons why Gio and Jason are there.
The same goes for kids who I don't like in my books either. But Taylor is fine. I liked the role he played in the story. He wasn't just an accessory to his father, nor was he used to introduce comedy relief, as is often the case.
I also liked the main characters, Gio and Jason. I think they make a very good couple together and it was nice to see them together. But separately, they were also interesting characters, with enough depth and personality. I was really interested in Gio's past and whether this case would somehow be brought to an end in this book.
However, I'd like to know a little more about the time Gio and Jason are together. This time has been summed up by a fairly short description, and I would prefer a few more scenes from their daily life to see how their relationship develops and how Gio connects with Jason's son. But it wasn't that big of a deal.
Overall, it's a pretty good story. Unique enough that I might remember it in some time.
I'm not an overly big fan of forced proximity and stories set in a small town, but it all worked great here. Both when it comes to the atmosphere of a small town and the reasons why Gio and Jason are there.
The same goes for kids who I don't like in my books either. But Taylor is fine. I liked the role he played in the story. He wasn't just an accessory to his father, nor was he used to introduce comedy relief, as is often the case.
I also liked the main characters, Gio and Jason. I think they make a very good couple together and it was nice to see them together. But separately, they were also interesting characters, with enough depth and personality. I was really interested in Gio's past and whether this case would somehow be brought to an end in this book.
However, I'd like to know a little more about the time Gio and Jason are together. This time has been summed up by a fairly short description, and I would prefer a few more scenes from their daily life to see how their relationship develops and how Gio connects with Jason's son. But it wasn't that big of a deal.
Overall, it's a pretty good story. Unique enough that I might remember it in some time.
August 29, 2018
I love the way Lisa Henry is able to pull a reader into the worlds she creates and provides a descriptive landscape to immerse yourself in, without becoming too lost in it.
With Two Man Station we get to meet and learn about two men who've lost almost everything starting over again.
There's big city copper Gio Valeri from the Gold Coast, who is under a cloud due to somewhat mysterious circumstances and ends up getting a promotion but shipped off to a two man station in the country. His new boss, Sergeant Jason Quinn, is a widower with a young son trying to do right both by his kid and the people he's in charge of protecting.
Two Man Station is told from a dual point of view so you get behind some of the motivations of both men. There's an air of mystery in the beginning surrounding why Gio's been banished to the country, there's an element of fish out of water for Gio as he's coming to a new place with a far different pace than he is used to, and there's a thread of hurt/comfort for both Jason and Gio.
I missed having a more obvious romance. Lisa Henry usually hits it out of the ballpark for me, but the romance aspect of this didn't really work for me. Perhaps it's because there's not a lot of traditional romance, it's not overt - there's no flirting or longing looks, and the physical relationship in the beginning is more of an arrangement between two people that are attracted to each other, and it's more about convenience and scratching an itch rather than a true melding of hearts and lives.
The first third starts off strongly, and is really engaging, with the mysterious shroud of why Gio is in town to begin with because the reader through both Gio and Jason gets only a little insight and really only is told about the aftermath but not what triggered it all. The second third includes the blossoming relationship between Jason and Gio, the revelation of Gio's past, and a lot of the day to day life of a small town and living out in the country where it's hours before major backup can come. The final third offers quite a bit of excitement and includes a HEA, but glosses over some details that I would have liked to have delved into more and didn't really deliver on the romance aspect I was craving.
In the end it is an engaging read with some humor and heat, but I wanted more romance.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Lights and Sirens (Emergency Services #2) provided by the authorin exchange of an honest review.
This review will be cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
With Two Man Station we get to meet and learn about two men who've lost almost everything starting over again.
There's big city copper Gio Valeri from the Gold Coast, who is under a cloud due to somewhat mysterious circumstances and ends up getting a promotion but shipped off to a two man station in the country. His new boss, Sergeant Jason Quinn, is a widower with a young son trying to do right both by his kid and the people he's in charge of protecting.
Two Man Station is told from a dual point of view so you get behind some of the motivations of both men. There's an air of mystery in the beginning surrounding why Gio's been banished to the country, there's an element of fish out of water for Gio as he's coming to a new place with a far different pace than he is used to, and there's a thread of hurt/comfort for both Jason and Gio.
I missed having a more obvious romance. Lisa Henry usually hits it out of the ballpark for me, but the romance aspect of this didn't really work for me. Perhaps it's because there's not a lot of traditional romance, it's not overt - there's no flirting or longing looks, and the physical relationship in the beginning is more of an arrangement between two people that are attracted to each other, and it's more about convenience and scratching an itch rather than a true melding of hearts and lives.
The first third starts off strongly, and is really engaging, with the mysterious shroud of why Gio is in town to begin with because the reader through both Gio and Jason gets only a little insight and really only is told about the aftermath but not what triggered it all. The second third includes the blossoming relationship between Jason and Gio, the revelation of Gio's past, and a lot of the day to day life of a small town and living out in the country where it's hours before major backup can come. The final third offers quite a bit of excitement and includes a HEA, but glosses over some details that I would have liked to have delved into more and didn't really deliver on the romance aspect I was craving.
In the end it is an engaging read with some humor and heat, but I wanted more romance.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Lights and Sirens (Emergency Services #2) provided by the authorin exchange of an honest review.
This review will be cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
February 10, 2018
This is a slow-building story about two men, even more than about a relationship. Gio left behind a fast-paced police unit in the big city, after a messy break-up which ended up with him reporting his partner, and becoming a pariah with the rest of the cops for that disloyalty. He's never lived in a place so small that back-up is two hours away, snakes might crawl into your bathroom, and everyone knows your business. He's determined to do a good job as half of the local two-man police force, while licking his wounds and figuring out his life. But it's desperately lonely, especially when even his beloved sister can't be told all the reasons he abandoned her with family responsibilities, to move so far away.
Jason loves being in charge of his remote district. He moved here with his wife, and has stayed, along with their now ten-year-old son, despite her death years ago. His old second in command was a married man with a friendly wife who pitched in with child care, but since they left, he's been struggling to do his job and care for his son safely. Having his new hire be single, a loner, and a man with a history of settling personal grudges by calling in anti-corruption complaints, means he's now parenting, and patrolling, pretty much alone. He's stretched too thin, and fast using up all the favors he can call in. Something has to give.
Then a moment of clarity, a few words from Gio to a crime victim, gives him a flash of insight into who Gio is. And with that window open, a tentative friendship becomes possible. And Jason, who is bi, and Gio, who is gay, begin to dance around a something-more between them that could be wonderful, or could be a very, very bad idea, as a professional pariah, a single parent, and the only two cops in this small town.
This is a quiet book, despite flashes of police action. It's about surfaces and deeper truths, about trying to do the best you can while being too proud to ask for the help you need. It's about family, and community, flavored by the Australian outback setting of desolate beauty, red dirt and wide skies, and self-reliance. The ending is a HFN, a start, and I very much enjoyed the journey to get there.
Jason loves being in charge of his remote district. He moved here with his wife, and has stayed, along with their now ten-year-old son, despite her death years ago. His old second in command was a married man with a friendly wife who pitched in with child care, but since they left, he's been struggling to do his job and care for his son safely. Having his new hire be single, a loner, and a man with a history of settling personal grudges by calling in anti-corruption complaints, means he's now parenting, and patrolling, pretty much alone. He's stretched too thin, and fast using up all the favors he can call in. Something has to give.
Then a moment of clarity, a few words from Gio to a crime victim, gives him a flash of insight into who Gio is. And with that window open, a tentative friendship becomes possible. And Jason, who is bi, and Gio, who is gay, begin to dance around a something-more between them that could be wonderful, or could be a very, very bad idea, as a professional pariah, a single parent, and the only two cops in this small town.
This is a quiet book, despite flashes of police action. It's about surfaces and deeper truths, about trying to do the best you can while being too proud to ask for the help you need. It's about family, and community, flavored by the Australian outback setting of desolate beauty, red dirt and wide skies, and self-reliance. The ending is a HFN, a start, and I very much enjoyed the journey to get there.
September 18, 2018
There is a lot I really liked about this book...
... the age gap (Jason is a bit over a decade older than Gio)
... the VERY VERY slow burn
... the beautiful, brilliantly detailed descriptions of the Australian outback (and yes, Katerina, I did take note of all those cockatoos! XD)
... the tension filled plot
but I missed ...
... more on page interaction between Jason and Gio. They don't really talk to each for almost half of the book. Just courtesies etc. And then 'bang' - that kiss at about 59% came virtually out of nowhere. I had to reread the passage and figure out what had happened there. Although there had been hints that Jason was attracted in some minor way to Gio, for me it came out of the blue!
and ...
I can't simply buy that a responsible, sensible police man like Jason would not manage in FIVE years to sort out child care for his son who he loves very much when it is so necessary.
I really enjoyed the book, don't get me wrong - Lisa Henry is a fab author - and I was totally pulled in by both the MCs and the plot, but I would have wished for a little bit more romance development and on page steam.
... the age gap (Jason is a bit over a decade older than Gio)
... the VERY VERY slow burn
... the beautiful, brilliantly detailed descriptions of the Australian outback (and yes, Katerina, I did take note of all those cockatoos! XD)
... the tension filled plot
but I missed ...
... more on page interaction between Jason and Gio. They don't really talk to each for almost half of the book. Just courtesies etc. And then 'bang' - that kiss at about 59% came virtually out of nowhere. I had to reread the passage and figure out what had happened there. Although there had been hints that Jason was attracted in some minor way to Gio, for me it came out of the blue!
and ...
I can't simply buy that a responsible, sensible police man like Jason would not manage in FIVE years to sort out child care for his son who he loves very much when it is so necessary.
I really enjoyed the book, don't get me wrong - Lisa Henry is a fab author - and I was totally pulled in by both the MCs and the plot, but I would have wished for a little bit more romance development and on page steam.
January 28, 2018
Feels wrong low-starring a Henry but this didn't work for me, I barely connected and I'm already struggling to remember their names.
The chapters are short and we never pause long enough to connect. There's some backstory but not enough of the little daily communications that show the characters bonding and make them real. They got up, went on shift, got back - that's about it. Shift rotation meant they'd not spend that much time together and I didn't feel I got to know them either. Their getting together is sudden enough for whiplash, there's no lead up, no tension, nothing to suggest attraction between them, at that point they were barely on first name terms. I thought there'd been more bonding between Gio and the son Taylor than with Jason. Far too much happens off-page.
While Henry is clearly familiar with two-men stations... I'm not. I was confused when they were getting radio calls when the distance would limit where they could respond to and had assumed local problems would be reported directly. It was the same with Australian terms, not all were explained by context and it left me standing back from the story at times wanting more of an explanation.
I had no picture of the town, even on finishing the book I have no concept of how big the place is. I know there's a lot of dust and a river near enough for flooding to be an issue. That's it. The community is kept too distant, a few people flicker by but only two there's enough of a description of to picture. Family members appear to visit and go again within a chapter, it's all too fleeting to have impact.
In fact I have no visual of Jason beyond some freckles and 'strong hands' and by the end of the story was reaching to Henry's fanfics to provide a composite.
The last twenty percent or so was better, there were things happening; then there's a time jump to where we see things appear to be working out for them. I felt they were interesting characters and the story had great potential, but that I was just getting the summary and not really meeting the characters or being allowed to see past their defences. Things to like but then scene change before it could leave a mark. I know Henry is capable of wringing emotion from readers but it wasn't happening here, while there were traumatic stories everything was kept so light that little felt real.
Sadly a miss for me.
The chapters are short and we never pause long enough to connect. There's some backstory but not enough of the little daily communications that show the characters bonding and make them real. They got up, went on shift, got back - that's about it. Shift rotation meant they'd not spend that much time together and I didn't feel I got to know them either. Their getting together is sudden enough for whiplash, there's no lead up, no tension, nothing to suggest attraction between them, at that point they were barely on first name terms. I thought there'd been more bonding between Gio and the son Taylor than with Jason. Far too much happens off-page.
While Henry is clearly familiar with two-men stations... I'm not. I was confused when they were getting radio calls when the distance would limit where they could respond to and had assumed local problems would be reported directly. It was the same with Australian terms, not all were explained by context and it left me standing back from the story at times wanting more of an explanation.
I had no picture of the town, even on finishing the book I have no concept of how big the place is. I know there's a lot of dust and a river near enough for flooding to be an issue. That's it. The community is kept too distant, a few people flicker by but only two there's enough of a description of to picture. Family members appear to visit and go again within a chapter, it's all too fleeting to have impact.
In fact I have no visual of Jason beyond some freckles and 'strong hands' and by the end of the story was reaching to Henry's fanfics to provide a composite.
The last twenty percent or so was better, there were things happening; then there's a time jump to where we see things appear to be working out for them. I felt they were interesting characters and the story had great potential, but that I was just getting the summary and not really meeting the characters or being allowed to see past their defences. Things to like but then scene change before it could leave a mark. I know Henry is capable of wringing emotion from readers but it wasn't happening here, while there were traumatic stories everything was kept so light that little felt real.
Sadly a miss for me.
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June 15, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this story. It was quiet, slow-paced and apparently exactly what I was in the mood for. I liked both MCs, and absolutely loved how their back stories were gradually revealed to both the reader and to each other. Some impressively difficult themes interlaced in it too. Will definitely check book 2 in the series out.
January 26, 2018
Two Man Station is a story about new beginnings and second chances at love and life. Both MC's have loved and lost, though each in a different way. Both need to heal and learn how to move on. And neither have an easy time of it.
I loved the setting in a small town in the middle of nowhere, Australia. A place that looks pretty bleak on the surface, somewhere past the left edge of nowhere. Gio Valeri had no choice but to transfer, but he never expected to like it. This isn't the life he had planned for himself, at all. But Gio isn't a quitter, either, and being a cop is all he ever wanted, even if that means a 2 year transfer to Richmond.
Jason Quinn is Gio's new boss. A single parent and a widower, Jason struggles to do it all, and mostly he does ok, but it is not easy to juggle a job as a cop - even in a small town - and being a single parent. He's never felt quite ready to put himself out there again. At least not until he got to know Gio.
Trust does not come easily to either man, though, and with Gio's past, that could be trouble. Jason is professional, at first, having heard stories about Gio's last post, but learns soon enough that there must be more to the story than the rumors would suggest.
The romance is a super slow burn, and somewhat muted. Both Gio and Jason are cautious, for so many reasons and neither are prepared for a relationship. Well, boys, that's when they usually happen, so buckle up! We get to see them become friends, before they go further, and I was glad of that. They had some angst to work through and I enjoyed watching the story unfold.
I would have liked a bit more on the romance front, though, as well as a more solid ending. They're just figuring things out at the end, and though they are definitely giving a real relationship a shot, I would classify it more as an HFN, than HEA. Still, I really enjoyed the story and the setting and would definitely recommend it.
------------------
ARC of Two Man Station was generously provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the setting in a small town in the middle of nowhere, Australia. A place that looks pretty bleak on the surface, somewhere past the left edge of nowhere. Gio Valeri had no choice but to transfer, but he never expected to like it. This isn't the life he had planned for himself, at all. But Gio isn't a quitter, either, and being a cop is all he ever wanted, even if that means a 2 year transfer to Richmond.
Jason Quinn is Gio's new boss. A single parent and a widower, Jason struggles to do it all, and mostly he does ok, but it is not easy to juggle a job as a cop - even in a small town - and being a single parent. He's never felt quite ready to put himself out there again. At least not until he got to know Gio.
Trust does not come easily to either man, though, and with Gio's past, that could be trouble. Jason is professional, at first, having heard stories about Gio's last post, but learns soon enough that there must be more to the story than the rumors would suggest.
The romance is a super slow burn, and somewhat muted. Both Gio and Jason are cautious, for so many reasons and neither are prepared for a relationship. Well, boys, that's when they usually happen, so buckle up! We get to see them become friends, before they go further, and I was glad of that. They had some angst to work through and I enjoyed watching the story unfold.
I would have liked a bit more on the romance front, though, as well as a more solid ending. They're just figuring things out at the end, and though they are definitely giving a real relationship a shot, I would classify it more as an HFN, than HEA. Still, I really enjoyed the story and the setting and would definitely recommend it.
------------------
ARC of Two Man Station was generously provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2022
8/31/20 - Upping my rating from 4 to 5 stars. I just love this book.
8/29/20 - Time for a reread!
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LOVED!!
8/29/20 - Time for a reread!
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LOVED!!
January 30, 2018
A great story by Lisa Henry! I admit, a lot of her stories scare me away, because they can get darker and heavier on the BDSM themes than I like, but I love her more easy going stories. Not that this was all fluffy bunnies and kittens (although there was a nice stray cat!), but it was just the right levels of angst and conflict for me.
I admit, Jason's judgy attitude bugged me at the start, but I guess I could see where he was coming from, as he only had the part of the story he got through the law enforcement grapevine. I just wish he hadn't taken so long to try to get to the real story.
This one was really slow burn, in part, due to that distrust at the beginning, but it was nice as they got closer. I would have liked to have seen Gio interact more with Jason and Taylor as a family unit, but I'm hoping that, since this says part 1, that we'll get more of these guys in the next one. I feel that there's still a lot of story to be told with these guys, in particular, with Gio's former BF and job, not to mention an exchange of I love yous.
I admit, Jason's judgy attitude bugged me at the start, but I guess I could see where he was coming from, as he only had the part of the story he got through the law enforcement grapevine. I just wish he hadn't taken so long to try to get to the real story.
This one was really slow burn, in part, due to that distrust at the beginning, but it was nice as they got closer. I would have liked to have seen Gio interact more with Jason and Taylor as a family unit, but I'm hoping that, since this says part 1, that we'll get more of these guys in the next one. I feel that there's still a lot of story to be told with these guys, in particular, with Gio's former BF and job, not to mention an exchange of I love yous.
December 21, 2022
4,5/5 💗 realistico e intenso
“La stazione” di Lisa Henry è il primo volume di “Emergency Services”, una dilogia ambientata nell’outback australiano che ci mostra con dovizia di particolari le sfide quotidiane che gli addetti ai servizi di emergenza, in particolare poliziotti e paramedici, devono affrontare nell’ambito di piccole realtà cittadine. Questo primo libro ci narra la storia di Gio Valeri e Jason Quinn, due protagonisti che con il loro bagaglio emotivo hanno sicuramente conquistato la mia attenzione.
Gio Valeri è un giovane poliziotto che ha dovuto accettare un trasferimento come agente senior da una grande città sulla costa alla piccola Richmond. Almeno all’inizio non è chiaro il motivo del suo allontanamento, si parla di alcuni errori commessi e di una reputazione professionale rovinata, ma la verità che si cela dietro le apparenze è molto più complessa. Gio vorrebbe trascorrere i due anni previsti a Richmond senza ulteriori complicazioni, eppure nel momento in cui si trova di fronte al suo sergente, un uomo molto attraente e affabile di nome Jason Quinn, inizia pian piano a comprendere che forse in quella piccola cittadina le cose non andranno come previsto.
Jason ama il suo lavoro, nonostante le complicazioni derivanti dall’essere il sergente di una stazione di polizia in cui vi è un solo altro agente oltre a lui, soprattutto per ciò che riguarda la gestione dei turni. Inoltre, deve conciliare la sua attività professionale con il suo ruolo di padre single di Taylor, un adorabile bambino molto più maturo della sua età. Jason è ancora profondamente legato al ricordo di sua moglie, morta alcuni anni prima, ma nello stesso tempo inizia a desiderare di incontrare qualcuno. Quando Gio si presenta presso la sua stazione come nuovo agente senior, i suoi pregiudizi verso il ragazzo sono forti, convinto che si tratti solo di un piantagrane, ma con il passare delle settimane diventa sempre più difficile conciliare quei pregiudizi con l’uomo che sta imparando a conoscere. L’attrazione verso il giovane diventa sempre più forte e nella sua mente inizia a farsi strada l’idea che forse la verità non corrisponde a ciò che gli hanno raccontato di lui.
L’autrice con una scrittura precisa, efficace e ricca di dettagli ha dipinto in modo ineccepibile la vita dei poliziotti di campagna che devono saper gestire una piccola realtà cercando di raggiungere i necessari compromessi. Ci sono alcune cose di cui un agente di Richmond deve necessariamente tener conto: sarà sempre in servizio, anche quando berrà una birra o farà la spesa al supermercato, dovrà essere in grado di chiudere un occhio al momento opportuno e rendersi conto quando è, invece, necessario intervenire. Tutto ciò, al fine di raggiungere un buon equilibrio con i cittadini.
La narrazione è molto intima e coinvolgente, un procedere per fasi che progressivamente ci mostra i due protagonisti crescere e svelarsi in ogni aspetto del proprio carattere. Gio è un ragazzo che ha dovuto ingoiare tanta amarezza e rinunciare ai propri piani per il futuro, eppure con Jason sente di aver trovato finalmente qualcuno con cui sentirsi protetto e che lo vede per ciò che realmente è. È difficile per lui fidarsi ancora, ma forse il suo sergente potrebbe valere la pena. Per Jason non è facile gestire il suo rapporto con Gio, dalla diffidenza iniziale all’amicizia fino ad arrivare a una passione che vorrebbe essere solo una soddisfazione occasionale, ma che cela un sentimento più profondo. L’incedere della loro relazione è costellata da errori e ripensamenti, derivanti soprattutto dalla necessità di incastrare i pezzi delle rispettive vite, eppure l’autrice ci fa percepire in ogni loro gesto il desiderio di arrivare a un rapporto autentico. Un colpo di scena ben costruito potrebbe essere l’occasione per ognuno di loro di riflettere su ciò che realmente conta.
“La stazione” è un libro bellissimo, sincero e intenso che con profondità e realismo ci mostra la vita di due poliziotti che cercano di fare i conti con la realtà di tutti i giorni e di costruire insieme un pezzo di futuro.
“La stazione” di Lisa Henry è il primo volume di “Emergency Services”, una dilogia ambientata nell’outback australiano che ci mostra con dovizia di particolari le sfide quotidiane che gli addetti ai servizi di emergenza, in particolare poliziotti e paramedici, devono affrontare nell’ambito di piccole realtà cittadine. Questo primo libro ci narra la storia di Gio Valeri e Jason Quinn, due protagonisti che con il loro bagaglio emotivo hanno sicuramente conquistato la mia attenzione.
Gio Valeri è un giovane poliziotto che ha dovuto accettare un trasferimento come agente senior da una grande città sulla costa alla piccola Richmond. Almeno all’inizio non è chiaro il motivo del suo allontanamento, si parla di alcuni errori commessi e di una reputazione professionale rovinata, ma la verità che si cela dietro le apparenze è molto più complessa. Gio vorrebbe trascorrere i due anni previsti a Richmond senza ulteriori complicazioni, eppure nel momento in cui si trova di fronte al suo sergente, un uomo molto attraente e affabile di nome Jason Quinn, inizia pian piano a comprendere che forse in quella piccola cittadina le cose non andranno come previsto.
Jason ama il suo lavoro, nonostante le complicazioni derivanti dall’essere il sergente di una stazione di polizia in cui vi è un solo altro agente oltre a lui, soprattutto per ciò che riguarda la gestione dei turni. Inoltre, deve conciliare la sua attività professionale con il suo ruolo di padre single di Taylor, un adorabile bambino molto più maturo della sua età. Jason è ancora profondamente legato al ricordo di sua moglie, morta alcuni anni prima, ma nello stesso tempo inizia a desiderare di incontrare qualcuno. Quando Gio si presenta presso la sua stazione come nuovo agente senior, i suoi pregiudizi verso il ragazzo sono forti, convinto che si tratti solo di un piantagrane, ma con il passare delle settimane diventa sempre più difficile conciliare quei pregiudizi con l’uomo che sta imparando a conoscere. L’attrazione verso il giovane diventa sempre più forte e nella sua mente inizia a farsi strada l’idea che forse la verità non corrisponde a ciò che gli hanno raccontato di lui.
L’autrice con una scrittura precisa, efficace e ricca di dettagli ha dipinto in modo ineccepibile la vita dei poliziotti di campagna che devono saper gestire una piccola realtà cercando di raggiungere i necessari compromessi. Ci sono alcune cose di cui un agente di Richmond deve necessariamente tener conto: sarà sempre in servizio, anche quando berrà una birra o farà la spesa al supermercato, dovrà essere in grado di chiudere un occhio al momento opportuno e rendersi conto quando è, invece, necessario intervenire. Tutto ciò, al fine di raggiungere un buon equilibrio con i cittadini.
La narrazione è molto intima e coinvolgente, un procedere per fasi che progressivamente ci mostra i due protagonisti crescere e svelarsi in ogni aspetto del proprio carattere. Gio è un ragazzo che ha dovuto ingoiare tanta amarezza e rinunciare ai propri piani per il futuro, eppure con Jason sente di aver trovato finalmente qualcuno con cui sentirsi protetto e che lo vede per ciò che realmente è. È difficile per lui fidarsi ancora, ma forse il suo sergente potrebbe valere la pena. Per Jason non è facile gestire il suo rapporto con Gio, dalla diffidenza iniziale all’amicizia fino ad arrivare a una passione che vorrebbe essere solo una soddisfazione occasionale, ma che cela un sentimento più profondo. L’incedere della loro relazione è costellata da errori e ripensamenti, derivanti soprattutto dalla necessità di incastrare i pezzi delle rispettive vite, eppure l’autrice ci fa percepire in ogni loro gesto il desiderio di arrivare a un rapporto autentico. Un colpo di scena ben costruito potrebbe essere l’occasione per ognuno di loro di riflettere su ciò che realmente conta.
“La stazione” è un libro bellissimo, sincero e intenso che con profondità e realismo ci mostra la vita di due poliziotti che cercano di fare i conti con la realtà di tutti i giorni e di costruire insieme un pezzo di futuro.
February 18, 2018
Well that was a thoroughly enjoyable story! Beautifully paced, event unfold gradually but it's never slow. The characters are interesting and worked well together, with a supporting cast of characters ranging from frightening to charming. It was a great plot and seeing how it's the first in the series I'm hoping this is the continuing story of Gio and Jason - though if Lisa Henry decides to explore other characters in the Australian wilderness I won't exactly complain ;)
Gio's story was a heart-breaker and his resilience is admirable, and honestly that applies to Jason's tale as well. Both these guys have really been through the ringer so thank goodness they found each other.
Lisa Henry's amazing descriptions of this barren but beautiful red earth land were so poetic and haunting, it was easy to imagine what this place looked like.
Honestly, the descriptions of some of the people really did give me the shivers. I would hate to run into some of those bigoted, wife beating asshats and I wish it was all poetic license that she came up with these guys... unfortunately I know it's all too true.
this book was provided to me by NetGalley for the purpose of this review
Gio's story was a heart-breaker and his resilience is admirable, and honestly that applies to Jason's tale as well. Both these guys have really been through the ringer so thank goodness they found each other.
Lisa Henry's amazing descriptions of this barren but beautiful red earth land were so poetic and haunting, it was easy to imagine what this place looked like.
Honestly, the descriptions of some of the people really did give me the shivers. I would hate to run into some of those bigoted, wife beating asshats and I wish it was all poetic license that she came up with these guys... unfortunately I know it's all too true.
this book was provided to me by NetGalley for the purpose of this review
February 2, 2018
I really liked this - it was steady, even and very well written for Australian audiences. The unforgiving landscape, the wildlife and the attitude, be it supportive or outrageous! Gio had been treated like shit and was basically exiled after standing up for himself against a bully. Unfortunately the treatment from others was disgraceful and Gio became a social outcast. Gio moves to the outback and meets his Sarge Jason - uneasy at first, a friendship forms and respect is built. For me Jason’s Son was almost the glue in this book. He was hilarious and adorable ... his recount of his vomiting incident was brilliant! This book is not a heated steamy sexathon.. it’s just a slow burn but enjoyable all the same
January 27, 2018
The choice of this book was not accidental. It was my book number 130 - my goal for 2017 reading challenge- and I wanted to complete it with something special. And we know only too well that Lisa Henry definitely is able to offer it. Two Man Station is a good story that can make happy many MM romance readers, but it didn't make a highlight of the year for me.
The plot:
If you read and enjoy MM romance books, it is easy to guess what direction the story will take and how it ends. Yes, it has a HEA, and yes, it won’t be without obstacles. And if you’re a sucker for the love stories that take place somewhere far from the civilization ,deep in the country or in the wildness, like I, it could be an extra bonus for you.
The final thoughts:
I liked the beginning (it was very promising) and the ending, but I found the middle part -that is not THAT short - very dragging and to a great extent boring. The first actualsex scene encounter appeared not before 50% (not THAT early), but still it came unexpected and not very convincing for me. The reason for it is very simple: I couldn't really connect with the main characters (except Taylor maybe). The two police officers from their first meeting behaved very reserved, distanced and unacquainted, it was like they didn't really interest in each other. No wonder, that after 3 weeks (!) working together and living next door to each other, Gio still had no idea that his boss were a widow. I can understand that he was busy with his own problems, but it is one of the examples why their attraction came from nowhere for me. It was just not enough sexual tension between them and the way the story evolved it didn't leave enough possibilities to prove the opposite. At the end of the book, I was still not sure I believe in their future together.. To make it short: they are good guys, but I didn’t really care too much about them.
My other problem was that nothing really happened through the most part of the book. The two police officers could be with equal success accountants or nurses working shift and being neighbors in some little town. Well the final twists got things going and brought some action in the plot, and their skills as cops skills would be required but it was already too late for me to turn it to a 4/5 stars read for me.
All in all, Two Man Station is a typical MM romance novel that follows all rules of the genre. It has some nice moments, and there is Taylor (it is impossible not to take him into your heart). But it also has nothing special or provoking (like we used to have from the author) or something memorable .
***Copy provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
The plot:
Gio Valeri, a big city cop from the Gold Coast, has to take a job in a small town Richmond, seventeen hundred kilometers from the life The transfer that he has to accept as a new start is actually nothing else than a banishment and he knows it too well. The events that preceded this radical change in the course of his life cost him not only his serene life and a secure career but deprived him also of his lover and his friends.
His new boss in a two man police station of Richmond, Sergeant Jason Quinn, is a widow in his mid-thirties, and a single dad of a ten year old boy named Taylor.(a cutie!!!) He understands pretty well that Richmond is not a career jump for Gio, but a punishment. Only all he is informed about is that his new officer acted disloyally to his copper workmates. Can he trust his new Senior Constable to cover his back? And what happened really on the Gold Coast?
If you read and enjoy MM romance books, it is easy to guess what direction the story will take and how it ends. Yes, it has a HEA, and yes, it won’t be without obstacles. And if you’re a sucker for the love stories that take place somewhere far from the civilization ,deep in the country or in the wildness, like I, it could be an extra bonus for you.
The final thoughts:
I liked the beginning (it was very promising) and the ending, but I found the middle part -that is not THAT short - very dragging and to a great extent boring. The first actual
My other problem was that nothing really happened through the most part of the book. The two police officers could be with equal success accountants or nurses working shift and being neighbors in some little town. Well the final twists got things going and brought some action in the plot, and their skills as cops skills would be required but it was already too late for me to turn it to a 4/5 stars read for me.
All in all, Two Man Station is a typical MM romance novel that follows all rules of the genre. It has some nice moments, and there is Taylor (it is impossible not to take him into your heart). But it also has nothing special or provoking (like we used to have from the author) or something memorable .
***Copy provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
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