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The Lamb and the Lion #2
The Same Place
For what seems like the first time in Teancum Leon’s life, things are looking good: he’s put an end to the toxic relationship with his former sex buddy, work is going well, and Jem Berger has officially decided they are best friends—in spite of Tean’s objections. Things are looking good for Jem too, although he’s not thrilled that somehow Tean has talked him into getting a real job. Everything changes, though, when Tean’s friend Hannah asks for help: she’s being followed, she tells them, and she thinks she’s might be in danger.
After Jem and Tean spend a weekend tailing Hannah, trying to catch her stalker, they make two unpleasant discoveries. First, Hannah is right that she is being followed. Second, she isn’t being stalked. She’s being watched by the police, who are interested in Hannah’s connection to a missing person investigation. And the detective in charge is none other than Ammon Young, Tean’s former friend and ex-sex buddy.
Tean and Jem’s search for the missing woman leads them to a body. The cause of death is a mystery, but one thing is clear: someone wanted the remains destroyed. Tean believes it was homicide, and so do the police.
When Hannah is arrested for the murder, Tean and Jem must race to prove her innocence. But everyone seems to be lying, including Hannah, and she’s willing to take her secrets with her to prison—or to the grave. The answer may lie with the animal teeth marks on the victim’s remains. Good thing Jem knows a wildlife vet.
After Jem and Tean spend a weekend tailing Hannah, trying to catch her stalker, they make two unpleasant discoveries. First, Hannah is right that she is being followed. Second, she isn’t being stalked. She’s being watched by the police, who are interested in Hannah’s connection to a missing person investigation. And the detective in charge is none other than Ammon Young, Tean’s former friend and ex-sex buddy.
Tean and Jem’s search for the missing woman leads them to a body. The cause of death is a mystery, but one thing is clear: someone wanted the remains destroyed. Tean believes it was homicide, and so do the police.
When Hannah is arrested for the murder, Tean and Jem must race to prove her innocence. But everyone seems to be lying, including Hannah, and she’s willing to take her secrets with her to prison—or to the grave. The answer may lie with the animal teeth marks on the victim’s remains. Good thing Jem knows a wildlife vet.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 24, 2020
57 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Ashe
135 books1,785 followersI'm a long-time Midwesterner. I've lived in Chicago, Bloomington (IN), and Saint Louis, my current home. Aside from reading and writing (which take up a lot of my time), I'm an educator.
While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!
My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.
While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!
My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
October 14, 2021
Audiobook - 5 stars
Story - 4.5 stars
I have waited for so long for this audiobook to come out. Yaay! Finally.
I freaking loved every second of this book. Well, just the Tean and Jam parts. Ammon needs to disappear somewhere where the sun don't shine.
Tean - I freaking love him and all his awkward weirdness. He is so lovable. Greg writes some of the best relatable characters. I feel the feels when Tean is on page and his rumbles are some of the best arts of this series. We get to see a glimpse of Tean's family, Lawd! what a bunch of douches. They don't deserve him. UGH!!!
Jem - The ever smiling guy, who can easily take care of everyone around him but not himself. Loyal, sweet and a very lovable companion. My peanut heart broke for Jem, he deserves the world. Greg sure knows how to add in the more pepper. This one got me a little teary.
I guess we can call this another slow burn. Oi! I want these two to be together so badly because they just fit. At this point, they are each other's person. It is the best thing ever. The way Jem knows Tean so well and can just be silent and let Tean ramble on and on about how he is going to die and be eaten by ants. 🤣🤣 Without making Tean feel like a weirdo. Tean knowing how Jem's mind work and believing in him. These two are perfect for each other. What are they waiting for?
Ammon! Ammon! What the heck is he still doing here? Ugh! He needs to have disappeared a long time ago. What a tool! And Tean? I can't believe he still entertains him.
The writing is enjoyable as always. Flowed so well from the beginning. The Utah scenery description made me feel like I was there with Tean and Jem. I feel like this series is a bit light compare to the other Greg's series and I love that so much. The humor and the banter was also on point. I was loling so hard.
The mystery was engaging and interesting enough to keep me going, I had no clue until towards the end. Just how I like my mysteries to be. While solving the mystery we also get to see how Tean and Jem work so well together. Jem insisting that Tean is his best friend is the most hilarious thing ever.
Overall, I had so much fun with this one. JF Harding was born to be a narrator. Freaking love his voice. The dog gets an award for the best supporting character.
Disclaimer! A copy of the audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Story - 4.5 stars
I have waited for so long for this audiobook to come out. Yaay! Finally.
I freaking loved every second of this book. Well, just the Tean and Jam parts. Ammon needs to disappear somewhere where the sun don't shine.
Tean - I freaking love him and all his awkward weirdness. He is so lovable. Greg writes some of the best relatable characters. I feel the feels when Tean is on page and his rumbles are some of the best arts of this series. We get to see a glimpse of Tean's family, Lawd! what a bunch of douches. They don't deserve him. UGH!!!
Jem - The ever smiling guy, who can easily take care of everyone around him but not himself. Loyal, sweet and a very lovable companion. My peanut heart broke for Jem, he deserves the world. Greg sure knows how to add in the more pepper. This one got me a little teary.
I guess we can call this another slow burn. Oi! I want these two to be together so badly because they just fit. At this point, they are each other's person. It is the best thing ever. The way Jem knows Tean so well and can just be silent and let Tean ramble on and on about how he is going to die and be eaten by ants. 🤣🤣 Without making Tean feel like a weirdo. Tean knowing how Jem's mind work and believing in him. These two are perfect for each other. What are they waiting for?
Ammon! Ammon! What the heck is he still doing here? Ugh! He needs to have disappeared a long time ago. What a tool! And Tean? I can't believe he still entertains him.
The writing is enjoyable as always. Flowed so well from the beginning. The Utah scenery description made me feel like I was there with Tean and Jem. I feel like this series is a bit light compare to the other Greg's series and I love that so much. The humor and the banter was also on point. I was loling so hard.
The mystery was engaging and interesting enough to keep me going, I had no clue until towards the end. Just how I like my mysteries to be. While solving the mystery we also get to see how Tean and Jem work so well together. Jem insisting that Tean is his best friend is the most hilarious thing ever.
Overall, I had so much fun with this one. JF Harding was born to be a narrator. Freaking love his voice. The dog gets an award for the best supporting character.
Disclaimer! A copy of the audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2021
**Audio reread/listen October 2021**
I already loved Jem & Tean fiercely but listening all my favorite moments with them *which, to be clear, is all of them* just locks them up even tighter inside my heart. JF Harding has both their hilariousness and their heartbreak down flawlessly. I can't get to the next one fast enough. 🥰
Disclaimer: A copy of the audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
**First read January 2021**
4.5 stars. Killing me, Ashe is killing me!! *Notice that I write this as I have already run to the next book*
There is nobody in fiction who can play the tension in his stories like Gregory Ashe. And please understand that when I say this, it's not necessarily a good thing. 🙄 I love Jem and Tean so much already. I dunno, maybe I'm predisposed to love any of Ashe's characters? Or loathe them completely. 🤬 Either/or. But GA writes his soft-hearted, perplexing, mule-headed men in a way that they are irresistible to me.
I'm not even going to comment *much* on the development of the relationship between these two. The frustration part, that is a given. The most frustrating part is how they fit each other. So well, even the parts of them that shouldn't, can't, won't fit, they fit each other perfectly. The times that they're on page together is so damn entertaining, I can't take it. They make me laugh, oh my God. Then they break my heart. *sigh* The best-friend banter is excellent, and I love their dynamic together.
The crime/investigation part of the story is always compelling, and this was no exception. However, this time there were parts that were damn scary. And not just in the physical sense. Both Tean and Jem have endured so much emotional abuse in their lives, though in much different ways. Sometimes I wonder how much they can endure before they break. I'm so, so grateful that they found each other, because they truly do help each other through.
Already reading the next one, and I can already tell it's going to be rough. 😬 But it will be worth it.
I already loved Jem & Tean fiercely but listening all my favorite moments with them *which, to be clear, is all of them* just locks them up even tighter inside my heart. JF Harding has both their hilariousness and their heartbreak down flawlessly. I can't get to the next one fast enough. 🥰
Disclaimer: A copy of the audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
**First read January 2021**
4.5 stars. Killing me, Ashe is killing me!! *Notice that I write this as I have already run to the next book*
There is nobody in fiction who can play the tension in his stories like Gregory Ashe. And please understand that when I say this, it's not necessarily a good thing. 🙄 I love Jem and Tean so much already. I dunno, maybe I'm predisposed to love any of Ashe's characters? Or loathe them completely. 🤬 Either/or. But GA writes his soft-hearted, perplexing, mule-headed men in a way that they are irresistible to me.
I'm not even going to comment *much* on the development of the relationship between these two. The frustration part, that is a given. The most frustrating part is how they fit each other. So well, even the parts of them that shouldn't, can't, won't fit, they fit each other perfectly. The times that they're on page together is so damn entertaining, I can't take it. They make me laugh, oh my God. Then they break my heart. *sigh* The best-friend banter is excellent, and I love their dynamic together.
The crime/investigation part of the story is always compelling, and this was no exception. However, this time there were parts that were damn scary. And not just in the physical sense. Both Tean and Jem have endured so much emotional abuse in their lives, though in much different ways. Sometimes I wonder how much they can endure before they break. I'm so, so grateful that they found each other, because they truly do help each other through.
Already reading the next one, and I can already tell it's going to be rough. 😬 But it will be worth it.
November 29, 2020
4,5 stars
Fabulous writing.
Intricate plot.
Amazing characterization.
I also learnt a few new words in this book, with this one the most significant: crypsis.
In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal to avoid observation or detection by other animals. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle and mimicry. And “one of the most common form is simply remaining motionless.”
Now don’t worry, I haven’t turned into Tean overnight who can quote stuff like that off the cuff(and is as adorably nerdy with it as in book 1!), but he describes himself here, and that’s when it takes on a lot of meaning.
Tean has never been able to be himself – a gay man- without feeling shame or guilt. This is partly due to his upbringing in a Mormon environment and to the way his family treats him. My God, that Mother's Day visit was hurtful! And his poisonous relationship with Ammon (that bl**** b******!) certainly hasn’t helped over the years.
It is agonizing to see, for example, how he shies away from any touch with another man, even if it’s just a friendly hug.
Jem is in many ways also an expert at crypsis – he has been self-reliant for so long, sharing anything personal is virtually alien to him. Or accepting help. I really would have liked to shake some sense into him on a couple of occasions.
Jem’s issues are deep-seated and utterly heartbreaking, particularly the part concerning his mother. It is inconceivable to me how anyone can do that to their child. It is unsurprising he lacks self-worth and is stuck in a rut of surviving rather than living.
Tean and Jem are two truly complex, multi-layered and completely different men. And Gregory Ashe just knows how to describe them in so many detailed nuances and so much heart, you have no choice but to root for them.
At the end of book 1 we are left with two guys who decided to be friends, and they continue in that vein for most of book 2. Well, that’s what they say anyway (crypsis, you see!?), and the banter whether they are ‘just friends’ (Tean) or ‘best friends’ (Jem) is truly chuckle-worthy.
But the more they get to know each other – as friends – the more they realize that there are deeper feelings. Still, I have to say that I was totally flabbergasted when . That seemed to come a little bit out of the blue, even if I was relieved that Tean is able to ‘label’ his emotions. After all the ongoings with Ammon (did I mention how much I hate that b******?) that was certainly appreciated. Of course he might mean it in a totally unromantic way!?
Due to Tean and Jem’s friend status, you’ll find no steam in this book. We get some hugs (reluctant on Tean’s side) and a couple of kisses on the cheek, but that’s pretty much it. Tbh, I don’t think that they are ready for more meaningful intimacy. (what they did in book 1 was a 'mere' hook up fuelled by lust and attraction)
Not to forget that Ammon, that b******, is doing everything he can to get Tean back into his manipulative claws.
What I love most about Tean and Jem though is how they support and challenge each other. In important things and little ones. While Jem is trying to loosen Tean up, be it with food or cuddles, Tean tries to help Jem to improve himself and his life situation. So heart warming and cute! And very funny on occasions!
Sorry for the rambles, but Gregory Ashe’s characters seem to have a habit of triggering major word vomit on my part every single time….
So, in short - I loved this and can’t wait for book 3.
Fabulous writing.
Intricate plot.
Amazing characterization.
I also learnt a few new words in this book, with this one the most significant: crypsis.
In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal to avoid observation or detection by other animals. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle and mimicry. And “one of the most common form is simply remaining motionless.”
Now don’t worry, I haven’t turned into Tean overnight who can quote stuff like that off the cuff(and is as adorably nerdy with it as in book 1!), but he describes himself here, and that’s when it takes on a lot of meaning.
Tean has never been able to be himself – a gay man- without feeling shame or guilt. This is partly due to his upbringing in a Mormon environment and to the way his family treats him. My God, that Mother's Day visit was hurtful! And his poisonous relationship with Ammon (that bl**** b******!) certainly hasn’t helped over the years.
It is agonizing to see, for example, how he shies away from any touch with another man, even if it’s just a friendly hug.
Jem is in many ways also an expert at crypsis – he has been self-reliant for so long, sharing anything personal is virtually alien to him. Or accepting help. I really would have liked to shake some sense into him on a couple of occasions.
Jem’s issues are deep-seated and utterly heartbreaking, particularly the part concerning his mother. It is inconceivable to me how anyone can do that to their child. It is unsurprising he lacks self-worth and is stuck in a rut of surviving rather than living.
Tean and Jem are two truly complex, multi-layered and completely different men. And Gregory Ashe just knows how to describe them in so many detailed nuances and so much heart, you have no choice but to root for them.
At the end of book 1 we are left with two guys who decided to be friends, and they continue in that vein for most of book 2. Well, that’s what they say anyway (crypsis, you see!?), and the banter whether they are ‘just friends’ (Tean) or ‘best friends’ (Jem) is truly chuckle-worthy.
But the more they get to know each other – as friends – the more they realize that there are deeper feelings. Still, I have to say that I was totally flabbergasted when . That seemed to come a little bit out of the blue, even if I was relieved that Tean is able to ‘label’ his emotions. After all the ongoings with Ammon (did I mention how much I hate that b******?) that was certainly appreciated. Of course he might mean it in a totally unromantic way!?
Due to Tean and Jem’s friend status, you’ll find no steam in this book. We get some hugs (reluctant on Tean’s side) and a couple of kisses on the cheek, but that’s pretty much it. Tbh, I don’t think that they are ready for more meaningful intimacy. (what they did in book 1 was a 'mere' hook up fuelled by lust and attraction)
Not to forget that Ammon, that b******, is doing everything he can to get Tean back into his manipulative claws.
What I love most about Tean and Jem though is how they support and challenge each other. In important things and little ones. While Jem is trying to loosen Tean up, be it with food or cuddles, Tean tries to help Jem to improve himself and his life situation. So heart warming and cute! And very funny on occasions!
Sorry for the rambles, but Gregory Ashe’s characters seem to have a habit of triggering major word vomit on my part every single time….
So, in short - I loved this and can’t wait for book 3.
July 4, 2022
***Re-read/listen 7/2/22 - 7/4/22 ***
I'll add no more to my original review but to say that J.F. Harding will bring the strongest souls to their knees.
(it would seem like July is my prescribed month for this boo 🤷🏻♀️)
***Original read 7/26/21 - 7/30/21***
This is that part of Tean & Jem's story that's like a series of body blows, not gratuitous, but necessary. If you read The Same Breath (you really should before reading this book) you know that both of these men carry some heavy emotional burdens that won't (can't) be resolved by good sex as seems to be the norm in most romance. Gregory Ashe has doubled down on his choice of characters who have complicated lives, pasts, and relationships and I'm here for it. Big time. In fact I feel like this fits more fairly as gay fiction (I hate labels) and not romance at all though the MC are in fact falling in love in a deep way, almost cellular way.
Some six months have passed since Tean & Jem's lives collided. They've settled into a sort of detente where they're "best friends" according to Jem and just "regular friends" in Tean's estimation. Tean has been trying to help Jem make a life for himself but for Jem these societal norms are more like a noose cutting off his air. Meanwhile Tean is also, if only just on a subterranean level, rebalancing the books of his life, of his own relationships, familial & romantic.
Hannah's past & present problems bring our two amateur detectives back to the fray and, as usual, we the reader and the characters learn as much about themselves as they do about the case. In the course of events Jem's past also comes calling. It's all heady stuff and sensitively executed. I loved it.
As much as this book was about the guys figuring out it's also very much about the separate internal emotional journeys of two very different men and we hope they get to the same place 😉. As much as I liked the exploration of these two men's psyches and their relationship to each other I loved the evocative writing of place. The description of the mountains, the vegetation, the wildlife is cinematic. Beautiful.
For those interested there isn't even a real kiss between T&J and yet ... *sigh* I wasn't mad. Jem has a lot of blank spaces to fill out in his fractured life. Tean has to reevaluate his relationship to his family (I'll be keeping an eye on that) and more urgently the toxic one he's had with Ammon who's trying to hold on to Tean using every trick he can muster. I was inclined to give Ammon a chance (not with Tean) but I've come to see him for the manipulative snake that he is. I dislike Ammon.
The exploration of family dynamics and group behavior (the Mormon church) when you're an outlier by being gender non-conforming or a non-believer or raised feral is a strong subtext to the whole story and really touched me in tender spots.
After all of the walking on broken glass Gregory Ashe ends the book on a hopeful note: My eyes welled up and my heart was full because what else do we want in life but to be known, even if it's just by one person.
I'll be on to the next book soon.
I'll add no more to my original review but to say that J.F. Harding will bring the strongest souls to their knees.
(it would seem like July is my prescribed month for this boo 🤷🏻♀️)
***Original read 7/26/21 - 7/30/21***
This is that part of Tean & Jem's story that's like a series of body blows, not gratuitous, but necessary. If you read The Same Breath (you really should before reading this book) you know that both of these men carry some heavy emotional burdens that won't (can't) be resolved by good sex as seems to be the norm in most romance. Gregory Ashe has doubled down on his choice of characters who have complicated lives, pasts, and relationships and I'm here for it. Big time. In fact I feel like this fits more fairly as gay fiction (I hate labels) and not romance at all though the MC are in fact falling in love in a deep way, almost cellular way.
Some six months have passed since Tean & Jem's lives collided. They've settled into a sort of detente where they're "best friends" according to Jem and just "regular friends" in Tean's estimation. Tean has been trying to help Jem make a life for himself but for Jem these societal norms are more like a noose cutting off his air. Meanwhile Tean is also, if only just on a subterranean level, rebalancing the books of his life, of his own relationships, familial & romantic.
Hannah's past & present problems bring our two amateur detectives back to the fray and, as usual, we the reader and the characters learn as much about themselves as they do about the case. In the course of events Jem's past also comes calling. It's all heady stuff and sensitively executed. I loved it.
As much as this book was about the guys figuring out it's also very much about the separate internal emotional journeys of two very different men and we hope they get to the same place 😉. As much as I liked the exploration of these two men's psyches and their relationship to each other I loved the evocative writing of place. The description of the mountains, the vegetation, the wildlife is cinematic. Beautiful.
For those interested there isn't even a real kiss between T&J and yet ... *sigh* I wasn't mad. Jem has a lot of blank spaces to fill out in his fractured life. Tean has to reevaluate his relationship to his family (I'll be keeping an eye on that) and more urgently the toxic one he's had with Ammon who's trying to hold on to Tean using every trick he can muster. I was inclined to give Ammon a chance (not with Tean) but I've come to see him for the manipulative snake that he is. I dislike Ammon.
The exploration of family dynamics and group behavior (the Mormon church) when you're an outlier by being gender non-conforming or a non-believer or raised feral is a strong subtext to the whole story and really touched me in tender spots.
After all of the walking on broken glass Gregory Ashe ends the book on a hopeful note: My eyes welled up and my heart was full because what else do we want in life but to be known, even if it's just by one person.
I'll be on to the next book soon.
August 3, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Stars. Rounding UP!
Oh my gosh you guys. Gregory Ashe continues to knock it out of the park with The Lamb and the Lion series. I truly feel that his writing continues to get better and better and this book really showcases that. This was beautifully written. Gorgeous prose. And not purple prose where it looks pretty but lacks depth. We're talking hit you in the heart, painful and poignant stuff. But also laugh out loud funny in places. Which is always nice as I personally need my pain broken up into manageable pieces. 🤣
So Tean and Jem are back and they continue to climb their way up the favorite couples list I keep in my head. That they aren't a couple yet doesn't matter to that list. Because in my heart they are. They, Tean in particular, are simply taking longer to realize it. Big surprise right? Shocker. 😱
(If you've never read one of Greg's books, that was sarcasm. This is absolutely no shocker at all.)
They are just friends for now. Jem would say best friends. Tean would say regular friends. I would say they are lovely. This is a more gentle pairing than other Ashe couples. Kinder. Sweeter. They are building this solid foundation of friendship that I am so here for. This isn't a romance. Not yet. But it is a love story. It's two broken guys finding their person.
Jem continuing to spout fake facts remains one of my favorite things ever. 😂
And I continue to relate on a very deep level to Tean's aversion to hugs. 🙃
Random thoughts and observations: The mystery was solid and kept me engaged. I love how much Tean's dog Scipio loves Jem. I was hoping Ammon would get mauled by the bear. Sadly he did not. Can't have everything I guess. Maybe I'll get lucky in the next book. 😆
Oh my gosh you guys. Gregory Ashe continues to knock it out of the park with The Lamb and the Lion series. I truly feel that his writing continues to get better and better and this book really showcases that. This was beautifully written. Gorgeous prose. And not purple prose where it looks pretty but lacks depth. We're talking hit you in the heart, painful and poignant stuff. But also laugh out loud funny in places. Which is always nice as I personally need my pain broken up into manageable pieces. 🤣
So Tean and Jem are back and they continue to climb their way up the favorite couples list I keep in my head. That they aren't a couple yet doesn't matter to that list. Because in my heart they are. They, Tean in particular, are simply taking longer to realize it. Big surprise right? Shocker. 😱
(If you've never read one of Greg's books, that was sarcasm. This is absolutely no shocker at all.)
They are just friends for now. Jem would say best friends. Tean would say regular friends. I would say they are lovely. This is a more gentle pairing than other Ashe couples. Kinder. Sweeter. They are building this solid foundation of friendship that I am so here for. This isn't a romance. Not yet. But it is a love story. It's two broken guys finding their person.
Jem continuing to spout fake facts remains one of my favorite things ever. 😂
And I continue to relate on a very deep level to Tean's aversion to hugs. 🙃
Random thoughts and observations: The mystery was solid and kept me engaged. I love how much Tean's dog Scipio loves Jem. I was hoping Ammon would get mauled by the bear. Sadly he did not. Can't have everything I guess. Maybe I'll get lucky in the next book. 😆
July 9, 2022
"Maybe you're right. Maybe the universe is meaningless, and maybe life is absurd, and maybe all we can do is try to decide who we want to be, and then be authentic about it. Maybe we really are strangers in a strange land. Maybe we're even strangers to ourselves. But you, Teancum Leon, are not a stranger to me."
to be known, even if just by one single person, is all you really need in life 🤧
[4.5] oh my chicken tendy, i might be more invested in them than i thought 😩 (translates to: i will protect them at all costs 🔪)
i simply cannot get over the lush subtleties in characterization that show us exactly how much of a wizard Gregory Ashe is of his craft.
this second installment breaks down their respective trauma and digs out one of the largest pieces to examine under a microscope: family dynamics. only one because they simply carry too much baggage to realistically sift through in one book (thank goodness GA has superhuman prolific abilities and is eager to deliver on content so his characters are as fleshed out as a person could ever be and have layers upon layers like a towering tiered cake 🍰).
through the interactions, confrontations, and eventual revelations connected to Jem's adoptive mother aka Ms. Poor Excuse of a Human and Tean's obliviously toxic family members hoity-toity in their ideals, we learn so much about why they are the way they are and how these two are perfectly fitted opposites.
my feelings were running the full gamut of emotions—chuckling one second, chest tightening the next. masterful in its execution, the trauma depiction had me out-of-my-window ready to act on this sudden need to seek solace in a doggo despite allergies. where are the fluffy Scipio cuddles at? 🥺
trust me. once you read it, you will understand.
"I was going to stare up at the empty skies and think about how the universe is endlessly spinning us farther and farther into a cold, merciless void and about how we're all going to die and how meaningless everything is. Just a normal weekend."
what a coincidence! i blocked my calendar for an existential crisis session too 😃
even though i have not come close to experiencing the same level of pain and rejection Tean has, his thought processes remain the most relatable in my eyes. ruminations venturing into worst case scenarios, the darker the better, is me in a nutshell. finding a character who does the same is an odd comfort in the emotional storm that makes landfall in my brain every so often.
Jem continues to be a delight, spouting fake facts with unparalleled conviction to cheer Tean up, as if nothing in the world could hold a truth greater than that of "water penguins." activate protector mode and he's a frustratingly lovely gem of a man (get it? feeling extra punny in my reviews today 😂). the way they both think of and try to do what's best for each other, even if stemming from misguided notions, contains more intimacy than any sex scene could offer in a million years.
"I'm going to hug you like a crazy motherfucker later," Jem said, his hand still tight around Tean's. "Remind me."
"Let's not and say we did."
"Never mind. I'll just make a note in my phone." As they climbed onto the porch, Jem took out his phone and said to the virtual assistant, "Remind me to hug Tean like a crazy motherfucker."
"No," Tean said to the phone. "Cancel. Abort. Order rescinded."
"Got it," the virtual assistant said. "I will remind you to hug beans like a crazy mother fork cancel abort order rescinded."
"Perfect," Jem said. "Thank you."
in another case of opposites, we have touch-averse Tean and touch-starved Jem. it's clear Jem enjoys the connection that comes with physical touch () but does his best to resist smothering Tean for the most part. so when Tean pushes past his own discomfort to give Jem what he craves—needs—at his most vulnerable, it's everything and then some.
rays of sunlight through the storm clouds come in forms of more beeping and booping, a running "best friends" and "just normal friends" joke, multiple nickels getting added to the swear jar, being that gentle presence by each other's side at their lowest. i love them so much 🥺
Ammon, Ammon, Ammon. there's less of him than i remembered but still too much for comfort. begone foul beast! you shall never fool us again 👿
December 13, 2020
I've given this an A at AAR.
The Same Place is book two in Gregory Ashe’s The Lamb and the Lion series about a Utah-based wildlife vet and a con man – an odd couple if ever there was one – who, in The Same Breath teamed up to solve a murder. Like its predecessor, this book is a perfectly balanced combination of mystery and romance boasting an intriguing, tightly-written plot, two flawed but intensely loveable leads, lots of humour and a wonderfully detailed setting.
There are spoilers for The Same Breath in this review.
Several months have passed since the events that brought Tean Leon and Jem Berger together. During that time, they’ve settled into a routine of sorts; they see each other most days, Tean is teaching Jem to read and trying to help (as he sees it) Jem into a normal life, with a job, an apartment and all the things Tean things Jem needs. Jem, however, doesn’t think they’re all that important, but he loves Tean (despite their agreement at the end of the previous book to keep things between them platonic going forward) so he goes along with it. Or tries to. But he keeps getting fired (he's had six jobs in the last three months!), and things go from bad to worse when he discovers he's been the victim of identity theft. Someone has taken out (and defaulted) on several credit cards in his name – and the address on the accounts indicates the perpetrator is someone Jem knows only too well – his former, abusive foster mother, LouElla.
Tean has noticed that his friend and colleague Hannah hasn’t been herself lately, but hasn’t liked to ask – when one day, she bursts into tears and tells him she thinks she’s being followed. With Jem jobless yet again, Tean calls Hannah and asks her if she’d consider hiring Jem to look into her situation. After agreeing to the idea – against the wishes of her husband and her very proper Mormon parents, who don’t take her concerns seriously – Tean and Jem spend the weekend tailing Hannah and discover that she is, indeed being watched. By the Salt Lake City PD. Ammon Young – the married detective with whom Tean had a very toxic relationship for well over a decade – and his partner are following Hannah in hopes of finding the whereabouts of a missing woman named Joy Erickson, an eco-terrorist with whom Hannah had once had a close friendship. When they ask her about Joy, they know Hannah isn’t telling them the whole truth – and when she goes missing, Tean and Jem are frustrated by the police’s casual attitude towards her disappearance.
Jem and Tean set about looking for the missing woman – and when they turn up a body, it seems they might have found her. But the cause of death is a mystery. The location of the body and state of the remains indicate that someone wanted them completely destroyed – and the animal teeth marks on the bones seem to be pointing in a certain direction. But is it the right one? While Tean tries to identify the markings and he and Jem are try to find out who or what Hannah is protecting (and why), Tean’s day job keeps him busy tracking a possible outbreak of canine distemper amongst the local coyote population, while Jem is forced to confront the past he hoped he’d left behind in the form of the manipulative and deeply unpleasant LouElla.
As always, the mystery Gregory Ashe has lined up for us takes plenty of unexpected twists and turns, and a number of seemingly unrelated incidents slowly start to take on a new significance. The denouement comes from a direction I really didn’t expect but which, now I think about it, was cleverly and subtly signposted along the way.
But as in all of Mr. Ashe’s books, the richness of the characterisation and complexity of the relationship he creates between his principals, the insight into their thought processes and motivations, are where his writing really is head and shoulders above so many other authors in the genre. Tean and Jem couldn’t be more different – or more perfect for each other; they’re polar opposites and yet they get each other and see each other in ways nobody else ever has. They’re deeply flawed and have been completely fucked up by those who were supposed to care for them – Jem in foster care, Tean by his Mormon family and upbringing – and here we get to see a little more of how those relationships have affected them. Adult Jem projects confidence and good humour, but deep down inside he’s sometimes still that little kid nobody wanted or cared about, while Tean’s family make him feel like a leper because he’s gay. The scene where Tean – with Jem in tow – visits his parents’ home for Mother’s Day reveals so much about why he is the way he is and why he put up with Ammon’s crap for so long; it’s also a pivotal moment of understanding for Tean – and I loved seeing Jem go into full-on protector mode and giving Tean’s horrible relatives what for at the end of it.
The chemistry between Tean and Jem is off the charts, and both men are struggling with their decision to be friends and nothing more. This is a brilliantly written friendship between two people who obviously care for each other a great deal, but who are still working out how to be with and around one another. And – *sigh*- there’s such tenderness and affection underpinning their relationship that there’s no question they’ll always be there for one another. But although the intense attraction that sparked between them is still very much alive, so are the trust and communication issues that caused so many problems and effectively put an end to their burgeouning romance. When they fight, they know just how to twist the knife, but they can also take a step back and see the issues through the other’s eyes – which is, in the end, why they’ll always come back to each other. It’s a wonderful and genuinely loving friendship, and it’s something neither man has ever had before, so they’re understandably wary of screwing it up… plus, Tean has only recently put an end to the affair he’d been having with Ammon, and he’s still unlearning the behaviours and reactions he acquired over nearly two decades of emotional manipulation. But Ammon – who is so much worse than the abusive arsehole I thought he was – wants Tean back, insisting he’s the most important thing is his life and that he’ll do whatever Tean wants so they can be together… and Tean is more inclined to give Ammon the benefit of the doubt than Jem – and this reader – would like.
Once again, the Utah locations are vividly and lyrically described, putting the reader right there amid the lakes and canyons and mountains, and the parts of the story that revolve around living in a faith-based community, and how that affects the people within it as well as those who leave it, are simultaneously fascinating, sad and… just a little bit disconcerting. I know next to nothing about the Mormon way of life, but as with the first book, details are woven very subtly through the story to provide a realistic backdrop for the action and character exploration and development.
The Same Place ends with one of the most beautiful declarations I’ve ever read, and with Jem making a momentous decision. It’s not a cliffhanger as such – the investigation is wrapped up and the guys are safe – but there’s more to be said and I’m very much looking forward to finding out how everything works out in book three, The Same End, when it appears in 2021.
The Same Place is book two in Gregory Ashe’s The Lamb and the Lion series about a Utah-based wildlife vet and a con man – an odd couple if ever there was one – who, in The Same Breath teamed up to solve a murder. Like its predecessor, this book is a perfectly balanced combination of mystery and romance boasting an intriguing, tightly-written plot, two flawed but intensely loveable leads, lots of humour and a wonderfully detailed setting.
There are spoilers for The Same Breath in this review.
Several months have passed since the events that brought Tean Leon and Jem Berger together. During that time, they’ve settled into a routine of sorts; they see each other most days, Tean is teaching Jem to read and trying to help (as he sees it) Jem into a normal life, with a job, an apartment and all the things Tean things Jem needs. Jem, however, doesn’t think they’re all that important, but he loves Tean (despite their agreement at the end of the previous book to keep things between them platonic going forward) so he goes along with it. Or tries to. But he keeps getting fired (he's had six jobs in the last three months!), and things go from bad to worse when he discovers he's been the victim of identity theft. Someone has taken out (and defaulted) on several credit cards in his name – and the address on the accounts indicates the perpetrator is someone Jem knows only too well – his former, abusive foster mother, LouElla.
Tean has noticed that his friend and colleague Hannah hasn’t been herself lately, but hasn’t liked to ask – when one day, she bursts into tears and tells him she thinks she’s being followed. With Jem jobless yet again, Tean calls Hannah and asks her if she’d consider hiring Jem to look into her situation. After agreeing to the idea – against the wishes of her husband and her very proper Mormon parents, who don’t take her concerns seriously – Tean and Jem spend the weekend tailing Hannah and discover that she is, indeed being watched. By the Salt Lake City PD. Ammon Young – the married detective with whom Tean had a very toxic relationship for well over a decade – and his partner are following Hannah in hopes of finding the whereabouts of a missing woman named Joy Erickson, an eco-terrorist with whom Hannah had once had a close friendship. When they ask her about Joy, they know Hannah isn’t telling them the whole truth – and when she goes missing, Tean and Jem are frustrated by the police’s casual attitude towards her disappearance.
Jem and Tean set about looking for the missing woman – and when they turn up a body, it seems they might have found her. But the cause of death is a mystery. The location of the body and state of the remains indicate that someone wanted them completely destroyed – and the animal teeth marks on the bones seem to be pointing in a certain direction. But is it the right one? While Tean tries to identify the markings and he and Jem are try to find out who or what Hannah is protecting (and why), Tean’s day job keeps him busy tracking a possible outbreak of canine distemper amongst the local coyote population, while Jem is forced to confront the past he hoped he’d left behind in the form of the manipulative and deeply unpleasant LouElla.
As always, the mystery Gregory Ashe has lined up for us takes plenty of unexpected twists and turns, and a number of seemingly unrelated incidents slowly start to take on a new significance. The denouement comes from a direction I really didn’t expect but which, now I think about it, was cleverly and subtly signposted along the way.
But as in all of Mr. Ashe’s books, the richness of the characterisation and complexity of the relationship he creates between his principals, the insight into their thought processes and motivations, are where his writing really is head and shoulders above so many other authors in the genre. Tean and Jem couldn’t be more different – or more perfect for each other; they’re polar opposites and yet they get each other and see each other in ways nobody else ever has. They’re deeply flawed and have been completely fucked up by those who were supposed to care for them – Jem in foster care, Tean by his Mormon family and upbringing – and here we get to see a little more of how those relationships have affected them. Adult Jem projects confidence and good humour, but deep down inside he’s sometimes still that little kid nobody wanted or cared about, while Tean’s family make him feel like a leper because he’s gay. The scene where Tean – with Jem in tow – visits his parents’ home for Mother’s Day reveals so much about why he is the way he is and why he put up with Ammon’s crap for so long; it’s also a pivotal moment of understanding for Tean – and I loved seeing Jem go into full-on protector mode and giving Tean’s horrible relatives what for at the end of it.
The chemistry between Tean and Jem is off the charts, and both men are struggling with their decision to be friends and nothing more. This is a brilliantly written friendship between two people who obviously care for each other a great deal, but who are still working out how to be with and around one another. And – *sigh*- there’s such tenderness and affection underpinning their relationship that there’s no question they’ll always be there for one another. But although the intense attraction that sparked between them is still very much alive, so are the trust and communication issues that caused so many problems and effectively put an end to their burgeouning romance. When they fight, they know just how to twist the knife, but they can also take a step back and see the issues through the other’s eyes – which is, in the end, why they’ll always come back to each other. It’s a wonderful and genuinely loving friendship, and it’s something neither man has ever had before, so they’re understandably wary of screwing it up… plus, Tean has only recently put an end to the affair he’d been having with Ammon, and he’s still unlearning the behaviours and reactions he acquired over nearly two decades of emotional manipulation. But Ammon – who is so much worse than the abusive arsehole I thought he was – wants Tean back, insisting he’s the most important thing is his life and that he’ll do whatever Tean wants so they can be together… and Tean is more inclined to give Ammon the benefit of the doubt than Jem – and this reader – would like.
Once again, the Utah locations are vividly and lyrically described, putting the reader right there amid the lakes and canyons and mountains, and the parts of the story that revolve around living in a faith-based community, and how that affects the people within it as well as those who leave it, are simultaneously fascinating, sad and… just a little bit disconcerting. I know next to nothing about the Mormon way of life, but as with the first book, details are woven very subtly through the story to provide a realistic backdrop for the action and character exploration and development.
The Same Place ends with one of the most beautiful declarations I’ve ever read, and with Jem making a momentous decision. It’s not a cliffhanger as such – the investigation is wrapped up and the guys are safe – but there’s more to be said and I’m very much looking forward to finding out how everything works out in book three, The Same End, when it appears in 2021.
January 6, 2025
This is the book equivalent of blue balls, I swear 😤 Gregory Ashe has made me nearly lose my mind many times, but he really tested me here. Uggggh, I loved it so much though! The man has a way with words. Ashe can write the absolutely most bonkers exchange that will have you laughing your ass off and then turn around and write the most beautiful sweeping scenes that take your breath away. It's pure magic 😌
I didn't feel particularly interested in the mystery this time compared to the one in the first book, but it was fine overall. What I was invested in though was white-knuckling my iPad at the relationship development between Jem and Tean. There's a word on the tip of my tongue... torture, I think... yes, TORTURE.
Jem and Tean couldn't be any more perfect for each other if they tried. They're tiptoeing around a romantic relationship in the gentlest way possible, and I know they're getting there, but my goodness they are killing me in the process 😭 I do appreciate that they didn't just jump back into things after the events of the first book though.
I know everything that happened here has a place and a purpose in bringing them closer together in a more meaningful way. When they really go for their second chance, I want it to be strong and stick because that's what they both deserve. Jem and Tean are so clearly and admittedly in love with one another (platonically, of course...) Just friends, not even best friends, acquaintances really. Maybe no more than neighbors who wave hello to one another as they go to check the mail 🤣 Anyway, I digress...
Seriously though, if I didn't already love Jem more than words can say, the scene with Tean's family would have sealed the deal. The way he stuck up for Tean was top tier boyfriend behavior. You just love to see it 😍 Not that they're boyfriends, barely even friends. I mean, who can say they even know each other. Strangers passing in the night, if I'm being honest. Again, I digress...
Last but not least, if I had genie wishes, you can guarantee I would use one of those bad boys to make Ammon suffer a fate worse than hell. I'm not sure a suffering has even been invented for how badly I want that man to suffer. His comeuppance can't happen soon enough 🔪
P.S. I love Scipio with my whole heart 🫶🏻
/end spastic review
I didn't feel particularly interested in the mystery this time compared to the one in the first book, but it was fine overall. What I was invested in though was white-knuckling my iPad at the relationship development between Jem and Tean. There's a word on the tip of my tongue... torture, I think... yes, TORTURE.
Jem and Tean couldn't be any more perfect for each other if they tried. They're tiptoeing around a romantic relationship in the gentlest way possible, and I know they're getting there, but my goodness they are killing me in the process 😭 I do appreciate that they didn't just jump back into things after the events of the first book though.
I know everything that happened here has a place and a purpose in bringing them closer together in a more meaningful way. When they really go for their second chance, I want it to be strong and stick because that's what they both deserve. Jem and Tean are so clearly and admittedly in love with one another (platonically, of course...) Just friends, not even best friends, acquaintances really. Maybe no more than neighbors who wave hello to one another as they go to check the mail 🤣 Anyway, I digress...
Seriously though, if I didn't already love Jem more than words can say, the scene with Tean's family would have sealed the deal. The way he stuck up for Tean was top tier boyfriend behavior. You just love to see it 😍 Not that they're boyfriends, barely even friends. I mean, who can say they even know each other. Strangers passing in the night, if I'm being honest. Again, I digress...
Last but not least, if I had genie wishes, you can guarantee I would use one of those bad boys to make Ammon suffer a fate worse than hell. I'm not sure a suffering has even been invented for how badly I want that man to suffer. His comeuppance can't happen soon enough 🔪
P.S. I love Scipio with my whole heart 🫶🏻
/end spastic review
May 13, 2021
4.50 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another great installment! Teancum and Jeremiah are two of the most complex, flawed, and enduring MCs I’ve ever read. As was with the first installment, these books are not a traditional romance (I.e. ZERO SEX). The intimacy is built solely through their growing friendship, and I gotta say it’s DELICIOUS. Ashe’s subtle descriptions around their interactions to express to the reader how the characters feel is so well done. He paints such a vivid picture that you can envision every facial expression, every location detail, every sound and you are submersed in the moment. There’s one moment in the book when Tean and Jem are eating at a burger joint, and it’s not anything truly pivotal to the story. They are just sitting there conversing about Tean being on a dating app, Jem lightly ribbing him as he often does throughout the book, and noticing in small ways how much they just get each other. Jem makes a passing comment about something on Tean’s app profile - pointing out to the reader how much he knows this person across from him - and Ashe makes this blink-and-you-miss-it call out to Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You playing in the restaurant background. It was so minuscule in the grand scheme of things, but it felt so poignant. In the moment I could visualize the scene perfectly and hear the song, and my heart truly constricted. Those moments, along with so many others, drive home how deep their relationship is in a way that you don’t feel a lack from not seeing the more physical expression.
The mystery in this book I also enjoyed quite a bit, and it built up to quite the conclusion. I’m feeling bittersweet as I approach the final installment and will soon have to say goodbye to these two who I’ve found myself so invested in.
My only gripe is that I F-CKING HATE AMMON OH MY GOD. I am hoping that subplot reaches a final conclusion in the next book because if anything can disappoint me about this, it would be that toxic connection not severing.
Another great installment! Teancum and Jeremiah are two of the most complex, flawed, and enduring MCs I’ve ever read. As was with the first installment, these books are not a traditional romance (I.e. ZERO SEX). The intimacy is built solely through their growing friendship, and I gotta say it’s DELICIOUS. Ashe’s subtle descriptions around their interactions to express to the reader how the characters feel is so well done. He paints such a vivid picture that you can envision every facial expression, every location detail, every sound and you are submersed in the moment. There’s one moment in the book when Tean and Jem are eating at a burger joint, and it’s not anything truly pivotal to the story. They are just sitting there conversing about Tean being on a dating app, Jem lightly ribbing him as he often does throughout the book, and noticing in small ways how much they just get each other. Jem makes a passing comment about something on Tean’s app profile - pointing out to the reader how much he knows this person across from him - and Ashe makes this blink-and-you-miss-it call out to Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You playing in the restaurant background. It was so minuscule in the grand scheme of things, but it felt so poignant. In the moment I could visualize the scene perfectly and hear the song, and my heart truly constricted. Those moments, along with so many others, drive home how deep their relationship is in a way that you don’t feel a lack from not seeing the more physical expression.
The mystery in this book I also enjoyed quite a bit, and it built up to quite the conclusion. I’m feeling bittersweet as I approach the final installment and will soon have to say goodbye to these two who I’ve found myself so invested in.
My only gripe is that I F-CKING HATE AMMON OH MY GOD. I am hoping that subplot reaches a final conclusion in the next book because if anything can disappoint me about this, it would be that toxic connection not severing.
May 8, 2025
I spent so much of this book shouting what the actual fuck is wrong with you, Tean?!?!?! My god he is difficult to like. Jem on the other hand, I want to sweep him off to somewhere safe along with Emery. I instantly loved Jem and I feel so protective of his character - same with Emery - and he deserves so much better than wishy washy Tean.
How Tean can be so intellectually intelligent, yet so fucking stupid when it comes to actual life.... His parents are taking advantage of him and he rolls over and lets them. His siblings and their partners assume he's a child molester because he's gay, and he just rolls over and takes their shit. Ammon just uses him as a hole and has somehow brainwashed him into thinking they love each other. I'm sorry but if you have to get absolutely shitfaced to feel comfortable having sex with someone, they are not for you. Get it the fuck together Tean! I literally have no sympathy or empathy for him because it's all of his own doing. He knows what he's allowing is wrong, but he just lets it keep happening and then blows up at Jem when he calls him out on it. I actually think Tean is my most disliked character in the Hazardverse! At least Ammon knows he's a manipulative piece of shit.... Also, acknowledging that he doesn't eat because Ammon likes him skinny.... get the fuck out of here Tean!!! Christ on a bike, he frustrates me even more than John-Henry! At least John's issues are just ego related, he's not so far in denial he may as well move to Egypt like Tean should...
Ughhhhhh!!!!! I have to say fuck being a Mormon too, what a fucking miserable and small life. I will never understand the organised cult of religion. I can't even imagine my family being that involved in my life, it makes me itchy just thinking about it 😂
The crime was interesting enough, but I don't actually like Hannah so I wasn't all that bothered if she was guilty or not. she annoyed the ever living fuck out of me in book one and I can't say I care if she comes back in book three 😂😂
I mean, I guess I hope book three sees Tean finally getting his head out of his arse, but I swear Jem better realise what a catch he is and make Tean fucking work for it. The most annoying thing is that when Jem and Tean are bantering, and Jem is winding Tean up for darker and more weird facts, they are so fucking good together! Why is Ammon even still an option???
I do love Jem's character growth though, and I'm so excited to see what he achieves next!
How Tean can be so intellectually intelligent, yet so fucking stupid when it comes to actual life.... His parents are taking advantage of him and he rolls over and lets them. His siblings and their partners assume he's a child molester because he's gay, and he just rolls over and takes their shit. Ammon just uses him as a hole and has somehow brainwashed him into thinking they love each other. I'm sorry but if you have to get absolutely shitfaced to feel comfortable having sex with someone, they are not for you. Get it the fuck together Tean! I literally have no sympathy or empathy for him because it's all of his own doing. He knows what he's allowing is wrong, but he just lets it keep happening and then blows up at Jem when he calls him out on it. I actually think Tean is my most disliked character in the Hazardverse! At least Ammon knows he's a manipulative piece of shit.... Also, acknowledging that he doesn't eat because Ammon likes him skinny.... get the fuck out of here Tean!!! Christ on a bike, he frustrates me even more than John-Henry! At least John's issues are just ego related, he's not so far in denial he may as well move to Egypt like Tean should...
Ughhhhhh!!!!! I have to say fuck being a Mormon too, what a fucking miserable and small life. I will never understand the organised cult of religion. I can't even imagine my family being that involved in my life, it makes me itchy just thinking about it 😂
The crime was interesting enough, but I don't actually like Hannah so I wasn't all that bothered if she was guilty or not. she annoyed the ever living fuck out of me in book one and I can't say I care if she comes back in book three 😂😂
I mean, I guess I hope book three sees Tean finally getting his head out of his arse, but I swear Jem better realise what a catch he is and make Tean fucking work for it. The most annoying thing is that when Jem and Tean are bantering, and Jem is winding Tean up for darker and more weird facts, they are so fucking good together! Why is Ammon even still an option???
I do love Jem's character growth though, and I'm so excited to see what he achieves next!
October 26, 2023
I've given this an A for both narration and content at AudioGals.
Gregory Ashe’s Utah-set The Lamb and the Lion series continues with The Same Place, which takes place a few months after the events of The Same Breath. Wildlife vet Teancum Leon and con man Jem Berger have decided they’re better as friends than lovers (well, Tean’s decided, and Jem is mostly going along with it), and over the past few months have settled into a routine of sorts; Jem breaks into Tean’s apartment and makes himself at home whenever he feels like it and talks him into spending money he doesn’t have on clothes he doesn’t want, and Tean is teaching Jem to read and trying to help him settle into a ‘normal’ life, with a job, an apartment, and all the things Tean thinks Jem needs. Unfortunately however, Tean’s idea of normal isn’t really Jem’s – but, well, Jem loves Tean and likes to do things that make him happy. Although it would be easier to do that if Jem didn’t keep getting fired. On top of being fired from his latest job, Jem learns that his abusive former foster mother LouElla has committed identity theft, taken out a number of credit cards in his name and defaulted on the payments. He had hoped never to have anything more to do with the woman, but he isn’t about to stand by and let her ruin his life – again. However, confronting her doesn’t quite work out the way he’d hoped, and seeing her again stirs up memories and feelings he thought he’d buried for good.
At work, Tean is kept busy tracking an outbreak of canine distemper among the local coyote population, but he’s also very concerned about his friend and colleague Hannah, who hasn’t been herself in recent weeks. Tean hasn’t really known how to ask her what’s wrong – but one day, she bursts into tears and tells him she thinks she’s being followed. Concerned, Tean suggests that perhaps she might consider hiring Jem to look into it – he’s observant, he’s got a good memory and he was a big help in tracking down his brother’s murderer – and is newly unemployed. Hannah agrees to the idea, against the wishes of her husband and her very proper Mormon parents who think she’s worrying about nothing, and Tean and Jem spend the weekend trailing her, discovering that she is, indeed, being watched. By the Salt Lake City PD.
Detective Ammon Young – with whom Tean had been in a very toxic relationship until recently – is not at all pleased to find Jem and Tean watching him watching Hannah. He tells them in no uncertain terms to back off – and that he’s following Hannah in the hopes of discovering the location of a missing woman named Joy Erickson, an eco-terrorist who had once been very close to Hannah. Tean isn’t pleased to discover that Hannah hasn’t told him the whole truth, but she insists she doesn’t know anything about Joy’s latest activities – and then asks Jem and Tean to look for Joy. After all, if the police are looking for Joy, finding her would get them to leave Hannah alone. Wouldn’t it?
Tean and Jem aren’t so sure about that, but when they find the body of a woman, it seems they may have found Joy. But the cause of death is hard to determine. Given the state of the remains and their location, it would appear that whoever dumped the body wanted it to disappear without trace. The animal bite marks on the bones could bear out that conclusion, but Tean doesn’t think so. He starts to suspect that this was murder made to look like an animal attack – but without being able to match the bites to a specific animal, it’s going to be impossible to prove.
There’s always plenty going on in a Gregory Ashe story, and as one would expect, the mystery is solid – skilfully constructed and interesting with plenty of red herrings and twists and turns along the way. The writing is superb; the descriptions of the Utah landscapes are beautiful and evocative, much of it cleverly and subtly mirroring the emotional content of the story – and the characterisation is sublime. Easy-going Jem and buttoned-up Tean make a wonderfully odd couple; they’re like chalk and cheese and yet they see and understand each other in ways nobody else ever has, their chemistry is through the roof, and although they insist they’re ‘just’ friends (yeah, right!) the depth of their affection for each other is evident in every word and deed. There’s absolutely no doubt that they love each other or that they’re in love with each other – but the trust and communication issues that caused such problems and put paid to their burgeoning relationship in The Same Breath are still hanging between them, and they’re both wary of screwing up their friendship, something neither has really had before and which means a lot to both of them. They’re damaged and flawed and so wonderfully human – and in this book, we get a little more insight into why they’re the way they are, especially Tean, who, while not disowned by his Mormon family, is nonetheless made to feel like a leper because he’s gay. The way they treat him reveals so much about why he is the way he is, and makes it easier to understand why he put up with Ammon’s crap for so long. But although Tean has ended his affair withthat shit-head Ammon, he is – unfortunately – still in the picture, insisting that he’s changed, that Tean is the most important thing in his life and that he’ll do whatever Tean wants so they can be together. Jem – and just about everyone else on the planet – knows it’s all total BS, but two decades of emotional manipulation is a long time, and Tean is too ready to give Ammon the benefit of the doubt.
J.F. Harding’s narration of The Same Breath was flawless so I had high expectations going into the audio of The Same Place – and I’m delighted to say I wasn’t disappointed. If anything, I was even more impressed! His portrayal of the two leads is perfection – they’re very clearly differentiated, their personalities simply shine through, and their strong emotional connection is superbly conveyed. The deep affection they have for one another permeates the entire book, but comes through most strongly in their banter – Jem’s gentle teasing and Tean’s attempts not to join in (although not really) – and Mr. Harding pitches it just right, with expert comic timing and a wonderful range of expression and nuance. His narration is well-paced, the secondary cast is distinctly portrayed and the few female characters are voiced appropriately, without squeaks or falsetto. But his Jem and Tean steal the show in all their damaged, fucked-up glory, which is just as it should be for these two wounded but adorable characters.
The Same Place is another combination of masterful storytelling and outstanding narration from this hugely talented author/narrator team, and is an audiobook I’m sure I’ll be revisiting often. At time of writing, the final book in the trilogy – The Same End – has just been released, and I can’t wait to get stuck in.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals .
Gregory Ashe’s Utah-set The Lamb and the Lion series continues with The Same Place, which takes place a few months after the events of The Same Breath. Wildlife vet Teancum Leon and con man Jem Berger have decided they’re better as friends than lovers (well, Tean’s decided, and Jem is mostly going along with it), and over the past few months have settled into a routine of sorts; Jem breaks into Tean’s apartment and makes himself at home whenever he feels like it and talks him into spending money he doesn’t have on clothes he doesn’t want, and Tean is teaching Jem to read and trying to help him settle into a ‘normal’ life, with a job, an apartment, and all the things Tean thinks Jem needs. Unfortunately however, Tean’s idea of normal isn’t really Jem’s – but, well, Jem loves Tean and likes to do things that make him happy. Although it would be easier to do that if Jem didn’t keep getting fired. On top of being fired from his latest job, Jem learns that his abusive former foster mother LouElla has committed identity theft, taken out a number of credit cards in his name and defaulted on the payments. He had hoped never to have anything more to do with the woman, but he isn’t about to stand by and let her ruin his life – again. However, confronting her doesn’t quite work out the way he’d hoped, and seeing her again stirs up memories and feelings he thought he’d buried for good.
At work, Tean is kept busy tracking an outbreak of canine distemper among the local coyote population, but he’s also very concerned about his friend and colleague Hannah, who hasn’t been herself in recent weeks. Tean hasn’t really known how to ask her what’s wrong – but one day, she bursts into tears and tells him she thinks she’s being followed. Concerned, Tean suggests that perhaps she might consider hiring Jem to look into it – he’s observant, he’s got a good memory and he was a big help in tracking down his brother’s murderer – and is newly unemployed. Hannah agrees to the idea, against the wishes of her husband and her very proper Mormon parents who think she’s worrying about nothing, and Tean and Jem spend the weekend trailing her, discovering that she is, indeed, being watched. By the Salt Lake City PD.
Detective Ammon Young – with whom Tean had been in a very toxic relationship until recently – is not at all pleased to find Jem and Tean watching him watching Hannah. He tells them in no uncertain terms to back off – and that he’s following Hannah in the hopes of discovering the location of a missing woman named Joy Erickson, an eco-terrorist who had once been very close to Hannah. Tean isn’t pleased to discover that Hannah hasn’t told him the whole truth, but she insists she doesn’t know anything about Joy’s latest activities – and then asks Jem and Tean to look for Joy. After all, if the police are looking for Joy, finding her would get them to leave Hannah alone. Wouldn’t it?
Tean and Jem aren’t so sure about that, but when they find the body of a woman, it seems they may have found Joy. But the cause of death is hard to determine. Given the state of the remains and their location, it would appear that whoever dumped the body wanted it to disappear without trace. The animal bite marks on the bones could bear out that conclusion, but Tean doesn’t think so. He starts to suspect that this was murder made to look like an animal attack – but without being able to match the bites to a specific animal, it’s going to be impossible to prove.
There’s always plenty going on in a Gregory Ashe story, and as one would expect, the mystery is solid – skilfully constructed and interesting with plenty of red herrings and twists and turns along the way. The writing is superb; the descriptions of the Utah landscapes are beautiful and evocative, much of it cleverly and subtly mirroring the emotional content of the story – and the characterisation is sublime. Easy-going Jem and buttoned-up Tean make a wonderfully odd couple; they’re like chalk and cheese and yet they see and understand each other in ways nobody else ever has, their chemistry is through the roof, and although they insist they’re ‘just’ friends (yeah, right!) the depth of their affection for each other is evident in every word and deed. There’s absolutely no doubt that they love each other or that they’re in love with each other – but the trust and communication issues that caused such problems and put paid to their burgeoning relationship in The Same Breath are still hanging between them, and they’re both wary of screwing up their friendship, something neither has really had before and which means a lot to both of them. They’re damaged and flawed and so wonderfully human – and in this book, we get a little more insight into why they’re the way they are, especially Tean, who, while not disowned by his Mormon family, is nonetheless made to feel like a leper because he’s gay. The way they treat him reveals so much about why he is the way he is, and makes it easier to understand why he put up with Ammon’s crap for so long. But although Tean has ended his affair with
J.F. Harding’s narration of The Same Breath was flawless so I had high expectations going into the audio of The Same Place – and I’m delighted to say I wasn’t disappointed. If anything, I was even more impressed! His portrayal of the two leads is perfection – they’re very clearly differentiated, their personalities simply shine through, and their strong emotional connection is superbly conveyed. The deep affection they have for one another permeates the entire book, but comes through most strongly in their banter – Jem’s gentle teasing and Tean’s attempts not to join in (although not really) – and Mr. Harding pitches it just right, with expert comic timing and a wonderful range of expression and nuance. His narration is well-paced, the secondary cast is distinctly portrayed and the few female characters are voiced appropriately, without squeaks or falsetto. But his Jem and Tean steal the show in all their damaged, fucked-up glory, which is just as it should be for these two wounded but adorable characters.
The Same Place is another combination of masterful storytelling and outstanding narration from this hugely talented author/narrator team, and is an audiobook I’m sure I’ll be revisiting often. At time of writing, the final book in the trilogy – The Same End – has just been released, and I can’t wait to get stuck in.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals .
January 10, 2021
This is possibly the strongest second novel of a trilogy/series I've read to date. Impressive character development, very twisted murder mystery, some ugly family dynamics, PTSD, trauma, misunderstandings, twisted expectations, lies and consequences... And wow, that ending.
I couldn't read all of the Hazard and Somerset series for character reasons, but I am thoroughly invested in this series, for character reasons, and #3 promises to be one heck of a trip. I preordered it several chapters from the end of #2. It's due out January 29. Can't wait.
I couldn't read all of the Hazard and Somerset series for character reasons, but I am thoroughly invested in this series, for character reasons, and #3 promises to be one heck of a trip. I preordered it several chapters from the end of #2. It's due out January 29. Can't wait.
January 14, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
I loved the development of Tean and Jem's (best) friendship in this one. The way they know each other, the way they accept each other, the way they see the best in each other, the way they forgive each other. I'm dying for them to be together together, but I think this gradual deepening of the ties between them is necessary to the story and to an eventual HEA. Jem is carrying around so much trauma and damage and pain; Tean, while his past is not as obviously and dramatically horrific as Jem's, has years of emotional abuse and gaslighting to work through from Ammon and (to a lesser extent) his family of origin. This isn't one of those slow-burn stories where the author just makes up dumb obstacles or conflicts to keep them apart and fluff up the page count. Much as Jem would happily claim Tean as his lover, it makes sense for now for them to stay on friends-footing (and Jem, for all his longing, seems to realize this at some level). The way the third-act crisis went down and was resolved was so good, and when read against the blow-up in book 1, shows so clearly that the way Tean and Jem know and understand the other has evolved, and that they're willing to extend grace and forgiveness to each other (if not themselves).
The mystery in this one was great, and I appreciated how all the small details (including the ones I had completely forgotten about by the end) came back and were accounted for. Hannah didn't do much for me in book 1 -- tonally, she was off, always too flippant when the situation was serious or too hulk-ragey when it was soft -- but I liked her better here. And the depiction of these big, pious, holier-than-thou, meddling, hypocritical families . . . hoo boy. That read like some hard-earned knowledge.
Ammon is the Worst Worst that ever Worsted. HATE. HATE!!!!!
Extremely indignant about Jem's credit. Seriously. He does not seem indignant enough, if you ask me. That's ok, Jem, I'll hold that grudge for you.
"Infliction of what seems like extremely serious head trauma that is subsequently depicted as a black eye with no lasting after-effects"-count: one. smh.
On to book 3!
I loved the development of Tean and Jem's (best) friendship in this one. The way they know each other, the way they accept each other, the way they see the best in each other, the way they forgive each other. I'm dying for them to be together together, but I think this gradual deepening of the ties between them is necessary to the story and to an eventual HEA. Jem is carrying around so much trauma and damage and pain; Tean, while his past is not as obviously and dramatically horrific as Jem's, has years of emotional abuse and gaslighting to work through from Ammon and (to a lesser extent) his family of origin. This isn't one of those slow-burn stories where the author just makes up dumb obstacles or conflicts to keep them apart and fluff up the page count. Much as Jem would happily claim Tean as his lover, it makes sense for now for them to stay on friends-footing (and Jem, for all his longing, seems to realize this at some level). The way the third-act crisis went down and was resolved was so good, and when read against the blow-up in book 1, shows so clearly that the way Tean and Jem know and understand the other has evolved, and that they're willing to extend grace and forgiveness to each other (if not themselves).
The mystery in this one was great, and I appreciated how all the small details (including the ones I had completely forgotten about by the end) came back and were accounted for. Hannah didn't do much for me in book 1 -- tonally, she was off, always too flippant when the situation was serious or too hulk-ragey when it was soft -- but I liked her better here. And the depiction of these big, pious, holier-than-thou, meddling, hypocritical families . . . hoo boy. That read like some hard-earned knowledge.
Ammon is the Worst Worst that ever Worsted. HATE. HATE!!!!!
Extremely indignant about Jem's credit. Seriously. He does not seem indignant enough, if you ask me. That's ok, Jem, I'll hold that grudge for you.
"Infliction of what seems like extremely serious head trauma that is subsequently depicted as a black eye with no lasting after-effects"-count: one. smh.
On to book 3!
July 22, 2023
Can anyone tell Jem and Tean that they are perfect for each other? 😭💞
So, i can definitely say that this book is much better than the first one.
I love this guys. We get to know more about them and their families.
I really liked how the connection they had improved, and how individually they are taking better baby steps in their life.
The mystery hooked me on this occasion, it was much more interesting than the first book.
And the 'fight' wasn't that ugly (again, how in the first book). And thank you. My heart is grateful. 😭
So, i can definitely say that this book is much better than the first one.
I love this guys. We get to know more about them and their families.
I really liked how the connection they had improved, and how individually they are taking better baby steps in their life.
The mystery hooked me on this occasion, it was much more interesting than the first book.
And the 'fight' wasn't that ugly (again, how in the first book). And thank you. My heart is grateful. 😭
April 3, 2025
3.0 ⭐️
June 12, 2023
🎧🎧🎧 Audio Review 🎧🎧🎧
Another great job done by JF Harding. Onto The Same End. 5 stars without a doubt.
📚📚📚 Book Review 📚📚📚
I absolutely LOVED this one, 5 stars no question. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
We have lots of character growth...especially Tean and Jem. The banter between the two of them is wonderful, and really funny most of the time. They help each other out with things that they've personally struggled with i.e. Jem is furious with Tean's homophobic and money-grabbing Mormon family and tells his brothers and sisters exactly what's been going on, which will hopefully help Tean with his relationship with them going forward, and right at the end Tean does something completely out of character about LouElla, which really made me smile.
As far as the mystery is concerned, it was a wild one involving Hannah's background, a pig farm 🐷🐷🐷, weird and crazy humans and coyotes. We had quite a few negative comments about Mormons and their persistence in keeping women downtrodden...
"Individuals, for Mormons, are incomplete. You’re not a full human being until you’re packaged with someone else and pumping out babies. Eternally. That’s their idea of heaven: this unending existence of creating spirit children.”
“Christ, sounds awful if you have a uterus.”
“I guess it might. Women have always been second-class citizens. They can’t hold any positions of real importance. They can’t be priests or bishops, prophets or apostles. Motherhood is the sop they get instead, so there’s all this rhetoric about how every woman is a mother, and motherhood is this sacred trust that men wouldn’t be worthy of, and how women are so much purer by nature.”...
which makes it really tough for you I suppose if you're a woman in Utah and you either can't have kids for some reason, OR horror of horrors don't actually want them. 🙁
I did actually read the little teaser for book 3 this time around, and can't wait for it. Needless to say, with this story, I've completely changed my view of Jem, and can only hope that they do get together eventually. Ammon is a complete arse.
Another great job done by JF Harding. Onto The Same End. 5 stars without a doubt.
📚📚📚 Book Review 📚📚📚
I absolutely LOVED this one, 5 stars no question. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
We have lots of character growth...especially Tean and Jem. The banter between the two of them is wonderful, and really funny most of the time. They help each other out with things that they've personally struggled with i.e. Jem is furious with Tean's homophobic and money-grabbing Mormon family and tells his brothers and sisters exactly what's been going on, which will hopefully help Tean with his relationship with them going forward, and right at the end Tean does something completely out of character about LouElla, which really made me smile.
As far as the mystery is concerned, it was a wild one involving Hannah's background, a pig farm 🐷🐷🐷, weird and crazy humans and coyotes. We had quite a few negative comments about Mormons and their persistence in keeping women downtrodden...
"Individuals, for Mormons, are incomplete. You’re not a full human being until you’re packaged with someone else and pumping out babies. Eternally. That’s their idea of heaven: this unending existence of creating spirit children.”
“Christ, sounds awful if you have a uterus.”
“I guess it might. Women have always been second-class citizens. They can’t hold any positions of real importance. They can’t be priests or bishops, prophets or apostles. Motherhood is the sop they get instead, so there’s all this rhetoric about how every woman is a mother, and motherhood is this sacred trust that men wouldn’t be worthy of, and how women are so much purer by nature.”...
which makes it really tough for you I suppose if you're a woman in Utah and you either can't have kids for some reason, OR horror of horrors don't actually want them. 🙁
I did actually read the little teaser for book 3 this time around, and can't wait for it. Needless to say, with this story, I've completely changed my view of Jem, and can only hope that they do get together eventually. Ammon is a complete arse.
March 19, 2025
4.5⭐️ I enjoyed this one even more than book one. It felt very deep and meaningful as both Jem and Tean struggle to cope with their past traumas and dysfunctional/abusive family members, and begin to acknowledge their individual toxic coping mechanisms. I also loved Tean coming to terms with his Mormon upbringing and the explanation of the Mormon faith and how his family views him. I knew nothing of the religion so I really appreciate GA’s informative narration and dedication to making his characters as authentic and multidimensional as possible.
Jem and Tean are still only trying to love one another as friends at this point because neither of them is emotionally ready for a relationship, but I do love a good slow burn and I can’t wait for it to hit.
Jem and Tean are still only trying to love one another as friends at this point because neither of them is emotionally ready for a relationship, but I do love a good slow burn and I can’t wait for it to hit.
February 9, 2023
4.5 STARS
I finished this one a while back but was just too obsessed with this series to stop and write a review. I reviewed the entire series after book 3, and just love the series and narration.
I finished this one a while back but was just too obsessed with this series to stop and write a review. I reviewed the entire series after book 3, and just love the series and narration.
December 4, 2022
I made the mistake of reading the 3rd book before reviewing the 2nd and now my thoughts and feelings for each are all tangled up and confusing. Lesson learned. I hope this review makes sense.
I'm starting with the mystery this time because it was SO GOOD. I loved the way it progressed and kept me guessing. I also loved how Hannah, an extremely likable female side character (yay!), was wrapped up in it. Having met her in the first book and already deciding she was a good person and a great friend to Tean, seeing her as a murder suspect was beyond comprehension. The sneaky way GA used her character to highlight the way women are viewed and view themselves in the Mormon community was genius. I think most women feel pressured to fulfill specific roles in life and struggle to carve out pockets of time/identity that belong solely to them. This is obviously not something unique to the Mormon faith, but anytime societal or familial expectations are buoyed by religion there's another level of pressure added to them. While I couldn't relate to the religious aspect of it, I could relate to the way Hannah struggled with the weight of that pressure and the decisions she made in response to it.
There has been a lot of focus on autonomy in this series so far. Tean who has never had it. Jem who had it taken away and has clamored to get it back. Ammon who will take someone else's in order to hold some semblance of his own. Hannah who fights a losing battle for it. It continually amazes me how this author can work so many thought provoking elements into what is ostensibly a murder mystery. The character development is just beyond. It's like he creates these people, gives them a backstory and then psychoanalyzes them down to the marrow of their bones until he understands every minute detail about what makes them tick. His characters are painfully human, make tons of mistakes and carry enough trauma to support an entire community of mental health professionals. Yet they're funny and endearing and you can't help but root for them, even when they're pissing you off and breaking your heart. It's almost unsettling how real my emotions are for these fictional characters.
In all honesty, there's too much to tackle in this book without turning this into a 50 page diatribe about the human condition and all the different ways we can hurt each other. I'll let Tean be the bearer of that bad news since it's his favorite pastime and I wouldn't want to take that away from him. I won't even waste time regaling you with all the ways I'd like to see Ammon disappear (which would be lengthy, potentially repetitive and might put me on some kind of watch list). Instead I'll stick with saying that I love Jem, I want to love Tean, I hate Ammon and Scipio continues to be the goodest good boy there is.
While this review was not supported by McDonald's, I'm pretty sure this book was. If not, it definitely should have been.
I'm starting with the mystery this time because it was SO GOOD. I loved the way it progressed and kept me guessing. I also loved how Hannah, an extremely likable female side character (yay!), was wrapped up in it. Having met her in the first book and already deciding she was a good person and a great friend to Tean, seeing her as a murder suspect was beyond comprehension. The sneaky way GA used her character to highlight the way women are viewed and view themselves in the Mormon community was genius. I think most women feel pressured to fulfill specific roles in life and struggle to carve out pockets of time/identity that belong solely to them. This is obviously not something unique to the Mormon faith, but anytime societal or familial expectations are buoyed by religion there's another level of pressure added to them. While I couldn't relate to the religious aspect of it, I could relate to the way Hannah struggled with the weight of that pressure and the decisions she made in response to it.
There has been a lot of focus on autonomy in this series so far. Tean who has never had it. Jem who had it taken away and has clamored to get it back. Ammon who will take someone else's in order to hold some semblance of his own. Hannah who fights a losing battle for it. It continually amazes me how this author can work so many thought provoking elements into what is ostensibly a murder mystery. The character development is just beyond. It's like he creates these people, gives them a backstory and then psychoanalyzes them down to the marrow of their bones until he understands every minute detail about what makes them tick. His characters are painfully human, make tons of mistakes and carry enough trauma to support an entire community of mental health professionals. Yet they're funny and endearing and you can't help but root for them, even when they're pissing you off and breaking your heart. It's almost unsettling how real my emotions are for these fictional characters.
In all honesty, there's too much to tackle in this book without turning this into a 50 page diatribe about the human condition and all the different ways we can hurt each other. I'll let Tean be the bearer of that bad news since it's his favorite pastime and I wouldn't want to take that away from him. I won't even waste time regaling you with all the ways I'd like to see Ammon disappear (which would be lengthy, potentially repetitive and might put me on some kind of watch list). Instead I'll stick with saying that I love Jem, I want to love Tean, I hate Ammon and Scipio continues to be the goodest good boy there is.
While this review was not supported by McDonald's, I'm pretty sure this book was. If not, it definitely should have been.
November 30, 2020
4.5 Stars!
RTC
RTC
December 22, 2023
When someone shows you
who they are, you believe them.
Truest, bravest, best.
who they are, you believe them.
Truest, bravest, best.
December 22, 2023
I can't even stop for an actual review. I need to read the next book right now. And then curl up in a ball because there are only 3 books...
February 20, 2021
In a word: phenomenal.
In a much longer review: Gregory Ashe can write a hell of a mystery, creates fully formed and explored characters that seem more three dimensional than actual people I pass on the street, and has a unique ability to harness the English language as a tool that somehow simultaneously tells a fictional story, while also allowing the reader to reflect inward on themselves through the narrative. The Lamb and the Lion series isn't quite like anything else in the gay mystery/romance genres, and for this reason alone: you should pick up The Same Breath right now without even bothering to read the rest of this review!
Dr. Tean Leon, wildlife veterinarian in Salt Lake City, Utah, is doing okay. He's back to work since the events of Book 1, has left behind the toxic relationship with Ammon Young, police detective and Tean's boyhood love, and he's got Jem Berger, conman extraordinaire, at his side as his new best friend—Jem's decision, not Tean's. It's only then, as life settles into a new routine, that a spoke is thrust into the wheel. Hannah Prince, Tean's co-worker, has been acting decidedly odd, and when her behavior escalates beyond reason, she comes clean to Tean: someone has been stalking her. Hannah has no information on who or why they're terrorizing her, but she's willing to pay to find out—pay Jem, that is. And Jem's not a PI—he's a conman trying to walk the straight and narrow as a promise to Tean, and is failing miserably at it—but Hannah needs help, so Jem and Tean are on the case.
And in true Ashe style, this is when all hell truly breaks loose on our heroes. Hannah's in deeper than she was willing to admit. Now she's in jail for a murder she didn't commit, the police are involved, and that includes the return of Ammon into Tean's life. The complex web of personalities, emotions, push-and-pull, give-and-take, past and future, all represented by these three men is nothing short of incredible. I absolutely loved Ammon being thrust back into the story. The healing between him and Tean was no where close to over, so while the angst and heartache intensified, it was worth it, from a storytelling point-of-view. The other fabulous element Ashe included in this book, seamlessly woven into an escalating murder plot, was the introduction of both Jem and Tean's families. For Jem, that was his foster mother, which leads down a surprising and heart-wrenching path. I just adore Jem. He's such a pure soul, a gift to fiction, that when he hurts, it's like a real friend in pain. The other family, of course, being Tean's brothers, sisters, and parents, which was quite possibly, one of the most honest and raw chapters I've ever read in all of Ashe's books, and I've read most of his backlist at this point!
This is a stellar sequel to an already amazing series. A masterclass in the exploration of English and in the study of the human condition. If this book were a piece of artwork, I'd frame it and put it on my wall.
In a much longer review: Gregory Ashe can write a hell of a mystery, creates fully formed and explored characters that seem more three dimensional than actual people I pass on the street, and has a unique ability to harness the English language as a tool that somehow simultaneously tells a fictional story, while also allowing the reader to reflect inward on themselves through the narrative. The Lamb and the Lion series isn't quite like anything else in the gay mystery/romance genres, and for this reason alone: you should pick up The Same Breath right now without even bothering to read the rest of this review!
Dr. Tean Leon, wildlife veterinarian in Salt Lake City, Utah, is doing okay. He's back to work since the events of Book 1, has left behind the toxic relationship with Ammon Young, police detective and Tean's boyhood love, and he's got Jem Berger, conman extraordinaire, at his side as his new best friend—Jem's decision, not Tean's. It's only then, as life settles into a new routine, that a spoke is thrust into the wheel. Hannah Prince, Tean's co-worker, has been acting decidedly odd, and when her behavior escalates beyond reason, she comes clean to Tean: someone has been stalking her. Hannah has no information on who or why they're terrorizing her, but she's willing to pay to find out—pay Jem, that is. And Jem's not a PI—he's a conman trying to walk the straight and narrow as a promise to Tean, and is failing miserably at it—but Hannah needs help, so Jem and Tean are on the case.
And in true Ashe style, this is when all hell truly breaks loose on our heroes. Hannah's in deeper than she was willing to admit. Now she's in jail for a murder she didn't commit, the police are involved, and that includes the return of Ammon into Tean's life. The complex web of personalities, emotions, push-and-pull, give-and-take, past and future, all represented by these three men is nothing short of incredible. I absolutely loved Ammon being thrust back into the story. The healing between him and Tean was no where close to over, so while the angst and heartache intensified, it was worth it, from a storytelling point-of-view. The other fabulous element Ashe included in this book, seamlessly woven into an escalating murder plot, was the introduction of both Jem and Tean's families. For Jem, that was his foster mother, which leads down a surprising and heart-wrenching path. I just adore Jem. He's such a pure soul, a gift to fiction, that when he hurts, it's like a real friend in pain. The other family, of course, being Tean's brothers, sisters, and parents, which was quite possibly, one of the most honest and raw chapters I've ever read in all of Ashe's books, and I've read most of his backlist at this point!
This is a stellar sequel to an already amazing series. A masterclass in the exploration of English and in the study of the human condition. If this book were a piece of artwork, I'd frame it and put it on my wall.
February 17, 2021
I'm not sure I just read a Gregory Ashe book. I didn't even feel like pulling my hair out. Or just punching somebody. I mean, Jem and Tean were a bit frustrating, but not the usual tears-inducing type.
I think what's different about this series is that no matter how Ammon makes Tean's heart 'flutter' or how he came out for him and moved out and separated from his kids and wife, I know he's an abusive dickhole and there's no way Tean is going to end up with him. Or it could also be that after the first book when Jem and Tean started sleeping together and the whole mess with Jem's lies and Ammon's cheating came to light, Ammon hasn't done much more than kiss Tean. And then repeatedly lie to him. (It's probably the latter).
And Jem. Doesn't he realize he's being the same type of dickhole that Ammon is by lying to Tean? But, this wouldn't be an Ashe book without at least one murderous-thoughts inducing part. And maybe I do understand where he's coming from. Thinking Tean wouldn't love him if he wasn't perfect.
The crime part was also not up to the usual standard. I felt like it was a bit...bland, I guess (it might have something to do with being about animals though, not a big fan). I can't believe I'm saying this, but, I think I prefer the other series' over this one. There wasn't much romance in this book either. Actually there was one measly kiss that Jem and Tean shared that was spoiled by Ammon and Jem's lies again.
I think what's different about this series is that no matter how Ammon makes Tean's heart 'flutter' or how he came out for him and moved out and separated from his kids and wife, I know he's an abusive dickhole and there's no way Tean is going to end up with him. Or it could also be that after the first book when Jem and Tean started sleeping together and the whole mess with Jem's lies and Ammon's cheating came to light, Ammon hasn't done much more than kiss Tean. And then repeatedly lie to him. (It's probably the latter).
And Jem. Doesn't he realize he's being the same type of dickhole that Ammon is by lying to Tean? But, this wouldn't be an Ashe book without at least one murderous-thoughts inducing part. And maybe I do understand where he's coming from. Thinking Tean wouldn't love him if he wasn't perfect.
The crime part was also not up to the usual standard. I felt like it was a bit...bland, I guess (it might have something to do with being about animals though, not a big fan). I can't believe I'm saying this, but, I think I prefer the other series' over this one. There wasn't much romance in this book either. Actually there was one measly kiss that Jem and Tean shared that was spoiled by Ammon and Jem's lies again.
November 24, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
The Same Place is the second book in Gregory Ashe’s excellent The Lion and the Lamb series. This book follows closely after the first and the relationship dynamics definitely set up in the first story, so you are going to want to read these in order. My absolute favorite part of this book/series is the dynamic between Tean and Jem. They are just such a fun, opposites attract pair who both push and challenge one another, but also so clearly care deeply for each other. I am always a huge sucker for banter and wit and there were several places in this story that had me laughing out loud. Tean is such a glass half empty kind of guy. He protects himself by imaging the worst and it is a trait that makes most people crazy. But Jem takes it all in stride. Even more, his acceptance gives Tean the space to maybe realize just a little that he is stepping off the cliff and to take a moment and breathe.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
The Same Place is the second book in Gregory Ashe’s excellent The Lion and the Lamb series. This book follows closely after the first and the relationship dynamics definitely set up in the first story, so you are going to want to read these in order. My absolute favorite part of this book/series is the dynamic between Tean and Jem. They are just such a fun, opposites attract pair who both push and challenge one another, but also so clearly care deeply for each other. I am always a huge sucker for banter and wit and there were several places in this story that had me laughing out loud. Tean is such a glass half empty kind of guy. He protects himself by imaging the worst and it is a trait that makes most people crazy. But Jem takes it all in stride. Even more, his acceptance gives Tean the space to maybe realize just a little that he is stepping off the cliff and to take a moment and breathe.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
January 1, 2024
Welp this one made me cry. I love Tean and Jem a lot, it’s a problem. This is an excellent romantic suspense series.
May 25, 2021
4.5 stars. Jem and Tean are definitely friends. Definitely just friends. Mars Rover-esque friends, even, checking in with each other by sending occasional beep-boops and nothing more.
Which is of course a bunch of nonsense, and I thoroughly enjoyed Jem's insistence that they're BFFs and how Tean would come back insisting that they're barely even casual acquaintances, all the while doing something incredibly dangerous and probably pretty stupid together.
Again, heads up for violence and some pretty intense moments, though if you've read the first book then you'll have a good idea of what to expect here.
Which is of course a bunch of nonsense, and I thoroughly enjoyed Jem's insistence that they're BFFs and how Tean would come back insisting that they're barely even casual acquaintances, all the while doing something incredibly dangerous and probably pretty stupid together.
Again, heads up for violence and some pretty intense moments, though if you've read the first book then you'll have a good idea of what to expect here.
March 9, 2021
Their friendship is BEAUTIFUL. I love it so much.
October 3, 2021
Teancum Leon, a Veterinarian for Utah’s Department of Wildlife Resources has an alarmist view toward life in general and glasses that barely stay on his nose. Jem Berger is a homeless, illiterate man who, with Tean’s help, makes an effort to adjust to mainstream life and learn to read. Life doesn’t always go as planned, when Tean’s co-worker Hannah hires the duo to find out who is following her, and why one of her former associates is missing.
The hilarious banter that bounces back and forth between the characters keeps you laughing, yet GA does not spare the reader from heart-clenching emotional trauma. The author has a remarkable way of expression emotions we all find difficult to put into words, which helps us connect with the main characters a reader doesn't often experience. GA has mastered the art of "Show, Don't Tell!" Throw Ammon, Tean’s former boyfriend into the mix and you’ve got an exciting murder mystery that keeps you on your toes from beginning to end!
You can’t just ‘read’ a Gregory Ashe book; you become immersed in it. You feel joy at their triumphs, and real anger at them for their mistakes (which only serves to all to the depth of the characters), and you can’t help but pray for a Happily Ever After, all the while knowing it is never that simple.
April 15, 2021
more great Tean and Jem. The mystery wasn't as compelling to me as the first, but still a great read!
ONE WARNING: The third book in the series gets a LOT into the sexual abuse Jem experienced in juvie. So as you're barreling through this one, excited to finish the series for the HEA, read content warnings for #3 first.
Again, this one is good, but the whole series squicks me out now because of #3, so be forewarned.
ONE WARNING: The third book in the series gets a LOT into the sexual abuse Jem experienced in juvie. So as you're barreling through this one, excited to finish the series for the HEA, read content warnings for #3 first.
Again, this one is good, but the whole series squicks me out now because of #3, so be forewarned.
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