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Love in O'Leary #1
The Fall
“I was in free fall the moment we met, and I just keep falling.”
Small town police officer Silas Sloane knows every resident of O’Leary, New York. He’s earned the love and respect of its citizens, though living under the small-town microscope grates on him. But though he’s good at his job, there’s one thing he’s not good at: commitments. Until Everett.
Widower Everett Maior, O’Leary’s newest citizen, came to the small town kicking and screaming. He never wanted to become primary caretaker for his grandfather, and has no interest in living a provincial life. Snarky and superstitious, he’s proficient at keeping people at a distance... Until he lays eyes Silas Sloane.
Strange occurrences are plaguing O’Leary, but even as danger looms, Silas and Everett find their growing attraction undeniable. Can they remain safe…and together…despite everything that threatens to tear them apart?
Small town police officer Silas Sloane knows every resident of O’Leary, New York. He’s earned the love and respect of its citizens, though living under the small-town microscope grates on him. But though he’s good at his job, there’s one thing he’s not good at: commitments. Until Everett.
Widower Everett Maior, O’Leary’s newest citizen, came to the small town kicking and screaming. He never wanted to become primary caretaker for his grandfather, and has no interest in living a provincial life. Snarky and superstitious, he’s proficient at keeping people at a distance... Until he lays eyes Silas Sloane.
Strange occurrences are plaguing O’Leary, but even as danger looms, Silas and Everett find their growing attraction undeniable. Can they remain safe…and together…despite everything that threatens to tear them apart?
9 pages, Audiobook
First published September 24, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 583 reviews
September 30, 2018
I loved May Archer's The Way Home series and also enjoyed The Date, the prequel to the Love in O'Leary series, which introduced us to the town of O'Leary and featured Cal the baker and Ash the SEAL (two of the numerous secondary characters present in this story).
I liked The Fall for the most part too. The small town setting was charming, and Everett's grandpa Hen was hilarious. Silas, who's a police officer, was a likable character. He said something stupid once and apologized, but he was understanding and patient.
Unfortunately, I didn't much like Everett. Ev lost his husband a year prior and thinks that being with Si is tantamount to cheating on his deceased spouse. This is such a tired trope. Some authors can pull it off, but it got old quickly here, especially since I never felt Ev's grief. He tells us he's devastated, but the emotion didn't come through in the writing.
Ev was snarky and unwilling to commit, even though it was Si who was supposed to be the commitment-phobe (or so we were told; I never saw any evidence of this).
There were far too many secondary characters (I couldn't keep track of all the hot O'Leary men), not a lot of steam, and a fairly obvious mystery surrounding the disappearance of a camper.
Honestly, had it not been for the ridiculous resolution of the mystery, I might have rated this book 4 stars, but the whole thing was so far fetched, I couldn't even.
Also, Cal's sister-in-law Karen has to go. She was obnoxious in the prequel and annoying as fuck in this story. Self-centered, bitchy women aren't funny. Let's move on, please.
The Fall ends on a happy note, and there's a bonus scene that serves as an epilogue, but I'd call the ending a HFN. There wasn't quite enough relationship development on page for me to believe in a forever for these men.
I liked The Fall for the most part too. The small town setting was charming, and Everett's grandpa Hen was hilarious. Silas, who's a police officer, was a likable character. He said something stupid once and apologized, but he was understanding and patient.
Unfortunately, I didn't much like Everett. Ev lost his husband a year prior and thinks that being with Si is tantamount to cheating on his deceased spouse. This is such a tired trope. Some authors can pull it off, but it got old quickly here, especially since I never felt Ev's grief. He tells us he's devastated, but the emotion didn't come through in the writing.
Ev was snarky and unwilling to commit, even though it was Si who was supposed to be the commitment-phobe (or so we were told; I never saw any evidence of this).
There were far too many secondary characters (I couldn't keep track of all the hot O'Leary men), not a lot of steam, and a fairly obvious mystery surrounding the disappearance of a camper.
Honestly, had it not been for the ridiculous resolution of the mystery, I might have rated this book 4 stars, but the whole thing was so far fetched, I couldn't even.
Also, Cal's sister-in-law Karen has to go. She was obnoxious in the prequel and annoying as fuck in this story. Self-centered, bitchy women aren't funny. Let's move on, please.
The Fall ends on a happy note, and there's a bonus scene that serves as an epilogue, but I'd call the ending a HFN. There wasn't quite enough relationship development on page for me to believe in a forever for these men.
July 5, 2019
2.15 bored into skimming stars
- MCs got zero chemistry.
-I kept forgetting who the MCs were, because too many characters were introduced on page with no introductions, its like i was supposed to know them already.
-These people gossip and sigh like their lives depend on it.
-There was a mystery here but i don't how it was resolved, looks like i skimmed through it. I am now a professional skimmer.
I may or may not continue with the series.
- MCs got zero chemistry.
-I kept forgetting who the MCs were, because too many characters were introduced on page with no introductions, its like i was supposed to know them already.
-These people gossip and sigh like their lives depend on it.
-There was a mystery here but i don't how it was resolved, looks like i skimmed through it. I am now a professional skimmer.
I may or may not continue with the series.
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October 15, 2022
The Fall is book one in the Love in O’Leary series by May Archer. I’ve had this book on my to read list for a long time. I have to admit that it’s the cover that drew me. It just seemed to call to me somehow. Even though I read the blurb, I don’t think I was fully prepared for this book. It dealt with the sensitive subject of loss. Of loving someone completely, losing them, and the struggle to move on. I was also surprised at the mystery element. And it was a darn good mystery with a twist I didn’t see coming.
Everett Maior is twenty nine years old and is a widower. He has been for fifteen months. When he is told that his Grandpa Henry, in O’Leary, New York, has a broken leg and has asked for Ev to come and help him. Everett can’t imagine why he was asked for. They weren’t close and Ev always believed his grandfather didn’t approve of his lifestyle as a gay man. Everett had thought his life was perfect. He had fallen in love, and married the man he thought he’d be with forever. Until he lost him to illness. Even since then his life had been one of simply trying to conquer one day at a time. Maybe this trip to O’Leary is just what he needs.
Silas Sloane is thirty eight years old and is a police officer in O’Leary. Silas doesn’t believe himself to be commitment phobic, but instead, commitment cautious. He has never been in love, never had a relationship. But the night he came across the stranger on the side of the road on the way to O’Leary, he felt something he never felt before. That spark of connection, the need to protect him. The desire to make him smile. In an hour, he fell.
That’s the night that began a sort of new beginning for both of these men. For Silas, he found his life focused around one person for the first time ever. And for Ev, it was a new beginning. Only he didn’t perceive it as such for a long time. He saw O’Leary as a town stuck in time. As a short break before he went back to his real life. But he grew to love it, to enjoy knowing everyone he passed on the street. He grew to love his new job of teaching art at the local elementary school. And as much as it tore him apart, he grew to love Silas.
There was so much here within these pages. There was so much humor. I adored Ev’s Grandpa Hen. And these quirky residents stole my heart. My heart broke for Ev as he struggled with allowing himself to love again. I loved watching he and his grandfather develop their relationship. I also loved seeing Cal and Ash from the prequel novella, The Date. It hurt me to see the way Ev kept pushing Silas away. It took so long for Silas to meet his “one,” and I hurt for both of them as they struggled to find their way. As I said earlier, the mystery element really took me by surprise. Especially the little twists and turns it involved.
This was a sweet, sexy, and also a bit heart breaking story. The town of O’Leary is exactly the sort of place I would enjoy living in. The next book in the series is The Gift, and is Daniel and Julian’s story.
“You don’t plan for miracles. You just hold onto them when they come.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Everett Maior is twenty nine years old and is a widower. He has been for fifteen months. When he is told that his Grandpa Henry, in O’Leary, New York, has a broken leg and has asked for Ev to come and help him. Everett can’t imagine why he was asked for. They weren’t close and Ev always believed his grandfather didn’t approve of his lifestyle as a gay man. Everett had thought his life was perfect. He had fallen in love, and married the man he thought he’d be with forever. Until he lost him to illness. Even since then his life had been one of simply trying to conquer one day at a time. Maybe this trip to O’Leary is just what he needs.
Silas Sloane is thirty eight years old and is a police officer in O’Leary. Silas doesn’t believe himself to be commitment phobic, but instead, commitment cautious. He has never been in love, never had a relationship. But the night he came across the stranger on the side of the road on the way to O’Leary, he felt something he never felt before. That spark of connection, the need to protect him. The desire to make him smile. In an hour, he fell.
That’s the night that began a sort of new beginning for both of these men. For Silas, he found his life focused around one person for the first time ever. And for Ev, it was a new beginning. Only he didn’t perceive it as such for a long time. He saw O’Leary as a town stuck in time. As a short break before he went back to his real life. But he grew to love it, to enjoy knowing everyone he passed on the street. He grew to love his new job of teaching art at the local elementary school. And as much as it tore him apart, he grew to love Silas.
There was so much here within these pages. There was so much humor. I adored Ev’s Grandpa Hen. And these quirky residents stole my heart. My heart broke for Ev as he struggled with allowing himself to love again. I loved watching he and his grandfather develop their relationship. I also loved seeing Cal and Ash from the prequel novella, The Date. It hurt me to see the way Ev kept pushing Silas away. It took so long for Silas to meet his “one,” and I hurt for both of them as they struggled to find their way. As I said earlier, the mystery element really took me by surprise. Especially the little twists and turns it involved.
This was a sweet, sexy, and also a bit heart breaking story. The town of O’Leary is exactly the sort of place I would enjoy living in. The next book in the series is The Gift, and is Daniel and Julian’s story.
“You don’t plan for miracles. You just hold onto them when they come.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
March 11, 2019
Audio - 3.5 stars
Story - 2 stars
Story - 2 stars
Read
February 4, 2023[dnf ~60%] just ignore grumpy old me. i've been in a bit of a reading slump lately with very few books capturing my attention (hence the millions of titles on my currently-reading shelf). but if i had to point to what exactly had me losing momentum, i couldn’t keep track of all the characters - including a few who were introduced in a way that felt like i should’ve heard of/known them already - and my brief spark of interest in the MCs at their first meeting had petered out long before the quarter mark. there’s heavy-handed use of the deceased spouse trope as a source of conflict in the new, potential relationship, but few details are offered that allow us to connect to Everett’s guilt/grief.
so i'm going to briefly promote the german police procedural "Tatort Saarbrücken" instead, because i'm very happy to have it in my life now that a friend pushed me to watch it(even if we only get an episode a year) 😆
come on, look at that intimate eye contact
the show follows two childhood besties reuniting 15 years later as partners on the force with a shared dark past that catches up to them. Leo and Adam are everything, each interaction of theirs is gif worthy, and i'm a sucker for them classy shoulder holsters.
i just finished ep 4 a few hours ago, and i'm still stuck thinking about all the parts that destroyed me, especially this one:
i'm deep in the Spatort fandom now and have zero regrets 😌
so i'm going to briefly promote the german police procedural "Tatort Saarbrücken" instead, because i'm very happy to have it in my life now that a friend pushed me to watch it
come on, look at that intimate eye contact
the show follows two childhood besties reuniting 15 years later as partners on the force with a shared dark past that catches up to them. Leo and Adam are everything, each interaction of theirs is gif worthy, and i'm a sucker for them classy shoulder holsters.
i just finished ep 4 a few hours ago, and i'm still stuck thinking about all the parts that destroyed me, especially this one:
i'm deep in the Spatort fandom now and have zero regrets 😌
October 9, 2018
This was a nice little story of healing from loss and finding love in unexpected places until the author decided to put on the her Mary Calmes crazypants and add in a total WTF subplot that hit its zenith and was resolved in about 5 seconds flat. That pretty much ruined the end of the book for me. Boo hiss.
February 6, 2021
This was AWFUL. Hated the way grief was dealt with, strong message of giving up the past and moving on. A year and Ev's ex was someone to move on from, had to be less so Silas could be more. How dare he get upset, had to apologise for that! While Silas 'doesn't do commitment' which is a cute quirk and doesn't mean he's immature at all.
The book is full of interchangeable characters who either have books somewhere or will have, seriously, never known this many in a book; all thrown at the reader as if we're supposed to know them or care. They overwhelm. But joining the dots of who'll have a book with whom (the names blurr) was a relief to reading the actual couple together, that was mostly safer to skim.
Forget the mystery part, the police certainly do. I did flick to the end in the vain hope that the blatently comedically obvious villain was misdirection, but yeah, well. It's all easily forgotten anyway, noone cares about the missing even if local.
Ornery Hen's romance at least brought a smile, but it was fleeting.
No mystery, no real romance. Too many invading characters. Immature, highly uncomfortable vibe.
The book is full of interchangeable characters who either have books somewhere or will have, seriously, never known this many in a book; all thrown at the reader as if we're supposed to know them or care. They overwhelm. But joining the dots of who'll have a book with whom (the names blurr) was a relief to reading the actual couple together, that was mostly safer to skim.
Forget the mystery part, the police certainly do. I did flick to the end in the vain hope that the blatently comedically obvious villain was misdirection, but yeah, well. It's all easily forgotten anyway, noone cares about the missing even if local.
Ornery Hen's romance at least brought a smile, but it was fleeting.
No mystery, no real romance. Too many invading characters. Immature, highly uncomfortable vibe.
September 28, 2018
Well, hello O’Leary! Yeah, I know this isn’t my first visit but it is for sure the most memorable. (I vaguely recall the first story from the Anthology and will probably revisit it since it is now a “book”.)
Anyway.
Hello O’Leary! I think I probably liked this book a lot more than I should have. It has things that are potential bothers but somehow I just kept going and wasn’t bothered. Actually I was pretty entertained and plain ol’ happy.
There was something magical about the story that kept the things that would normally have me shaking my head or rolling my eyes from happening. I don’t know how to explain it but the situations were done well and I wasn’t annoyed and I believed as well as wanted.
I dunno. The stars just aligned for me with this one and I really, really enjoyed it.
I am not a fan of the dead husband being replaced. I know that isn’t the way I should think about it but a lot of the time the “I’ve never felt like this before”, “we never communicated with a look like that” or other statements like that always feel like a replacement. Somehow, in this book, it didn’t necessarily feel like that. I don’t know if it is because Si just didn’t put up with that or let it happen or whether it is because I never really got a true feel for Ev's first husband so I didn’t have a connection to him. Whatever it was I wasn’t bothered by this story line. If anything I was totally rooting for them.
My only real complaint with the book was the amount of characters and how many had the same first letter of their name. I just couldn’t keep track of who was who and it at times pulled me out of the story a bit especially since there was also a small mystery we were supposed to be solving (which I solved immediately, btw). This is not a huge deal I just couldn’t figure out who was who and who was friends with who and if they were young or old which matters because I kept trying to figure out who was getting the next story.
Not a big deal. I really enjoyed pretty much everything else about the story and can’t wait to head back to O’Leary.
Anyway.
Hello O’Leary! I think I probably liked this book a lot more than I should have. It has things that are potential bothers but somehow I just kept going and wasn’t bothered. Actually I was pretty entertained and plain ol’ happy.
There was something magical about the story that kept the things that would normally have me shaking my head or rolling my eyes from happening. I don’t know how to explain it but the situations were done well and I wasn’t annoyed and I believed as well as wanted.
I dunno. The stars just aligned for me with this one and I really, really enjoyed it.
I am not a fan of the dead husband being replaced. I know that isn’t the way I should think about it but a lot of the time the “I’ve never felt like this before”, “we never communicated with a look like that” or other statements like that always feel like a replacement. Somehow, in this book, it didn’t necessarily feel like that. I don’t know if it is because Si just didn’t put up with that or let it happen or whether it is because I never really got a true feel for Ev's first husband so I didn’t have a connection to him. Whatever it was I wasn’t bothered by this story line. If anything I was totally rooting for them.
My only real complaint with the book was the amount of characters and how many had the same first letter of their name. I just couldn’t keep track of who was who and it at times pulled me out of the story a bit especially since there was also a small mystery we were supposed to be solving (which I solved immediately, btw). This is not a huge deal I just couldn’t figure out who was who and who was friends with who and if they were young or old which matters because I kept trying to figure out who was getting the next story.
Not a big deal. I really enjoyed pretty much everything else about the story and can’t wait to head back to O’Leary.
June 1, 2023
I picked up The Fall because I read the synopsis of the sequel The Gift and it caught my attention. The books in this series all follow a different couple and are technically standalones, but I've read conflicting viewpoints on that in other reviews. So I decided to just start from the beginning anyway!
The Fall was an enjoyable romance that got bogged down along the way with drama, and not the fun kind.
Everett comes to the small town to take care of his reluctant-to-help grandfather. He doesn't want to be there and the loss of his husband a bit over a year ago weighs heavy on him. He's not looking for love, and when he meets Silas and sparks fly he feels a lot of guilt.
Silas is a police officer, and after his date is interrupted by a dispatch call he's understandably annoyed. But when it leads to meeting Everett he's certainly not complaining anymore. But Silas is a renowned commitmentphobe and things with Everett are panning out to be something serious.
The mystery aspect to the story with the missing people was only ok. I feel like it could have been done better to make it more engaging and interesting. It did feel a bit random.
The town of O'Leary and its inhabitants really intrigued me and I'll definitely be continuing on in this series.
The Fall was an enjoyable romance that got bogged down along the way with drama, and not the fun kind.
Everett comes to the small town to take care of his reluctant-to-help grandfather. He doesn't want to be there and the loss of his husband a bit over a year ago weighs heavy on him. He's not looking for love, and when he meets Silas and sparks fly he feels a lot of guilt.
Silas is a police officer, and after his date is interrupted by a dispatch call he's understandably annoyed. But when it leads to meeting Everett he's certainly not complaining anymore. But Silas is a renowned commitmentphobe and things with Everett are panning out to be something serious.
The mystery aspect to the story with the missing people was only ok. I feel like it could have been done better to make it more engaging and interesting. It did feel a bit random.
The town of O'Leary and its inhabitants really intrigued me and I'll definitely be continuing on in this series.
February 23, 2023
Hace casi 1 ano que Everett perdio a su amado esposo Adrian, y desde entonces puso su vida en pausa, sobre todo porque no quiere olvidarlo. Pero cuando su madre lo convence de ir a O'Leary a ayudar a su abuelo que tuvo un accidente y tiene una pierna enyesada, no se le ocurre nada mas que aceptar, aunque sabe que solo sera temporalmente, ya que esta decidido a mantener la misma vida y la misma rutina que tenia con Adrian. El problema es que el destino es muy caprichoso y apenas llega al pueblo conoce al Sheriff, un hombre alto, fuerte, apuesto, que lo atrae como ningun otro hombre, ni siquiera su difunto esposo, lo ha atraido nunca. Asi que ahora no solo tiene que luchar por mantener la memoria de Adrian viva, sino evitar enamorarse del Sheriff. Sera la suficientemente fuerte para hacerlo? El pueblo de O'leary lo convencera de quedarse? Realmente podria amar a otro hombre sin olvidar a Adrian?
Este libro es tal cual como uno lo espera, tiene un toque de misterio, pero realmente la trama es totalmente romantica. Los protas son hombres sencillos, sin mucho drama, pero con muchos complejos que el autor sabe manejar, de tal manera que no resulten aburridos ni extremadamente dramaticos. Y como decia, la trama es sencilla, pero lo que mas me gusto fue el pueblo y sus habitantes, me gusto la sensacion de comunidad, apoyo y confianza que uno tiene al leerlo. Me gusto lo facil que resulta enamorarse de estos personajes y como sus luchas internas son mas llevadas por la esperanza que por el resentimiento.
En fin, me gusto bastante este libro, como casi todos los que he leido de este autor, asi que voy a continuar con la serie, esperando que siga manteniendo ese toque dulce y romantico en toda la serie.
Este libro es tal cual como uno lo espera, tiene un toque de misterio, pero realmente la trama es totalmente romantica. Los protas son hombres sencillos, sin mucho drama, pero con muchos complejos que el autor sabe manejar, de tal manera que no resulten aburridos ni extremadamente dramaticos. Y como decia, la trama es sencilla, pero lo que mas me gusto fue el pueblo y sus habitantes, me gusto la sensacion de comunidad, apoyo y confianza que uno tiene al leerlo. Me gusto lo facil que resulta enamorarse de estos personajes y como sus luchas internas son mas llevadas por la esperanza que por el resentimiento.
En fin, me gusto bastante este libro, como casi todos los que he leido de este autor, asi que voy a continuar con la serie, esperando que siga manteniendo ese toque dulce y romantico en toda la serie.
November 8, 2018
* This humorous yet deeply emotional tale is beautifully written. * We see two men suspended in time, holding back from truly living.
Si/Silas, 38, is the law in O'Leary,
and he's strong, muscled, plus tough but nice; and struggles to make sense of his brother's death, because his family won't let it go.
Ev/Everett's husband died 1 1/2 years ago and now he's on his way to care for his Grandpa.
He is 29, with curly dark hair; an artist/teacher who crashes before getting to town.
We get a comical combination of wildly funny townsfolk with weird conversations and goofy suppositions. There is also the mystery of missing people. Amidst that, our two men find happiness and comfort in each other's company. They have a slow burn start and even after their steamy sexy times, they are holding back.
Ev's talk with his Grandpa is very revealing, and then Ev and Si have a confrontation where true feelings are brought out.
I loved this smooth, well paced tale of happiness found.
There is good times, quirky ones, tears, missing folks and autumn events, which hold us turning and loving every page.
Highly recommended. ENJOY !
=====
Si/Silas, 38, is the law in O'Leary,
and he's strong, muscled, plus tough but nice; and struggles to make sense of his brother's death, because his family won't let it go.
Ev/Everett's husband died 1 1/2 years ago and now he's on his way to care for his Grandpa.
He is 29, with curly dark hair; an artist/teacher who crashes before getting to town.
We get a comical combination of wildly funny townsfolk with weird conversations and goofy suppositions. There is also the mystery of missing people. Amidst that, our two men find happiness and comfort in each other's company. They have a slow burn start and even after their steamy sexy times, they are holding back.
Ev's talk with his Grandpa is very revealing, and then Ev and Si have a confrontation where true feelings are brought out.
I loved this smooth, well paced tale of happiness found.
There is good times, quirky ones, tears, missing folks and autumn events, which hold us turning and loving every page.
Highly recommended. ENJOY !
=====
September 24, 2019
Muy sencilla historia de amor entre un policía y un artista/profesor en un entorno de pequeña ciudad de Estados Unidos. Mona, pero totalmente olvidable. También es cierto que el tema del viudo/a es uno de los que menos me gustan, es como una tercera persona constantemente entre la pareja y no me gustan los triángulos amorosos.
February 2, 2019
This one was a hit for me
I really liked this full length entry in the Love In O'Leary series from May Archer.
The short novella The Date had been one of my favourites in the Heart to Heart anthology last year so it was good to see that continuing on.
I'm not sure if the mystery element of it quite worked for me, but it also wasn't hugely wrong or distracting either, and it did make sense given the clues hinted at.
I'd have liked a tiny bit more once Ev and Silas got themselves sorted out properly but overall, I really liked their relationship and the town setting itself.
I really liked this full length entry in the Love In O'Leary series from May Archer.
The short novella The Date had been one of my favourites in the Heart to Heart anthology last year so it was good to see that continuing on.
I'm not sure if the mystery element of it quite worked for me, but it also wasn't hugely wrong or distracting either, and it did make sense given the clues hinted at.
I'd have liked a tiny bit more once Ev and Silas got themselves sorted out properly but overall, I really liked their relationship and the town setting itself.
May 15, 2021
3.5 Stars
I liked it -- BUT... the sheer stubborn lack of communication drove me nuts. This was a solid 4 stars until Ev and Si actually got together (but weren't "together"). It was rather frustrating from that point. They mystery was ... meh. Still, I enjoyed, at least somewhat, the overall story. I think I will check out the other books.
I liked it -- BUT... the sheer stubborn lack of communication drove me nuts. This was a solid 4 stars until Ev and Si actually got together (but weren't "together"). It was rather frustrating from that point. They mystery was ... meh. Still, I enjoyed, at least somewhat, the overall story. I think I will check out the other books.
October 6, 2018
I really enjoyed this! I missed having things to read by this author, and I can't wait for the next book in this series.
O'Leary is a small town in New York - so small that basically everyone knows everyone and their business. But they also don't have the usual small town mentality (homophobia, racism, sexism). Not to say it doesn't exist in the town, just that the majority of people are good about it. Mostly with the gay couples, they treat them like straight couples - when will they get married, have kids, the whole shebang.
Everett heads there to look after his crotchety old grandpa after his mother asks him to, mainly to get out of the rut he's been in since his husband died 15 months prior to the start of the book.
Silas is a cop in the town - one of about three - and has his own pain (his brother having died in a car accident 12 years prior) to deal with.
He is ready to have a hook-up in the next small town over when he gets a call from the town dispatcher about something happening in the woods, this camper going missing. And Everett happens to be on the road leading to O'Leary that night, having been driving and then swerving to avoid what he saw is a man (but who looks so much like Adrian he thought it was just a hallucination).
So when Silas goes out there, he finds Ev's car and a little bit down the road, Ev himself.
Their connection is instant. Love at first sight? No, because Silas is "commitment-cautious" and Ev is still grieving. But they can't deny that there is attraction, something there. And they can't get each other out their heads after that.
But It's only been a little over a year since Ev's husband died, and he's scared of going there with anyone - thought he might never go there again. But he finds himself falling for Silas, but at the same time he's scared he's being disloyal to Adrian, forgetting him or replacing him (which he's not).
Silas, usually a casual sex kind of a guy, falls head over heels in love with Ev, only it takes him a bit to realize it. But once he does, he's almost all in. He tries to take his time with Ev and everything, but at the same time he can feel Ev pulling away at times, never getting too close. One foot out the door, type of deal.
While I understood Ev needing time, I also agreed with Silas. There's going slow, and there's not even truly trying because of fear. There's going slow to get to know each other and build a solid foundation, and there's pulling away all the time. So while it's understandable that Ev needed to go slow, Silas was also right in that it seemed like Ev wasn't really all the way in, because of his fears.
How could Ev and Silas really build something - even if it's a slow build - if one of them isn't even all the way in it?
So things happen, which I won't say because spoilers, but I felt it was the right amount of drama and climax for a small town, and seeing how Ev and Silas get their happy ending was awesome. There is sex in this, but since Ev is grieving for most of this, full anal sex doesn't happen until the end (and it was worth it, although I do wish it had gone on longer ;)).
I loved Ev and Silas together, I loved their chemistry, and I felt them falling in love, even if it was fairly quickly.
Two thumbs up from me for this book, I loved it. Definitely recommend :D
O'Leary is a small town in New York - so small that basically everyone knows everyone and their business. But they also don't have the usual small town mentality (homophobia, racism, sexism). Not to say it doesn't exist in the town, just that the majority of people are good about it. Mostly with the gay couples, they treat them like straight couples - when will they get married, have kids, the whole shebang.
Everett heads there to look after his crotchety old grandpa after his mother asks him to, mainly to get out of the rut he's been in since his husband died 15 months prior to the start of the book.
Silas is a cop in the town - one of about three - and has his own pain (his brother having died in a car accident 12 years prior) to deal with.
He is ready to have a hook-up in the next small town over when he gets a call from the town dispatcher about something happening in the woods, this camper going missing. And Everett happens to be on the road leading to O'Leary that night, having been driving and then swerving to avoid what he saw is a man (but who looks so much like Adrian he thought it was just a hallucination).
So when Silas goes out there, he finds Ev's car and a little bit down the road, Ev himself.
Their connection is instant. Love at first sight? No, because Silas is "commitment-cautious" and Ev is still grieving. But they can't deny that there is attraction, something there. And they can't get each other out their heads after that.
But It's only been a little over a year since Ev's husband died, and he's scared of going there with anyone - thought he might never go there again. But he finds himself falling for Silas, but at the same time he's scared he's being disloyal to Adrian, forgetting him or replacing him (which he's not).
Silas, usually a casual sex kind of a guy, falls head over heels in love with Ev, only it takes him a bit to realize it. But once he does, he's almost all in. He tries to take his time with Ev and everything, but at the same time he can feel Ev pulling away at times, never getting too close. One foot out the door, type of deal.
While I understood Ev needing time, I also agreed with Silas. There's going slow, and there's not even truly trying because of fear. There's going slow to get to know each other and build a solid foundation, and there's pulling away all the time. So while it's understandable that Ev needed to go slow, Silas was also right in that it seemed like Ev wasn't really all the way in, because of his fears.
How could Ev and Silas really build something - even if it's a slow build - if one of them isn't even all the way in it?
So things happen, which I won't say because spoilers, but I felt it was the right amount of drama and climax for a small town, and seeing how Ev and Silas get their happy ending was awesome. There is sex in this, but since Ev is grieving for most of this, full anal sex doesn't happen until the end (and it was worth it, although I do wish it had gone on longer ;)).
I loved Ev and Silas together, I loved their chemistry, and I felt them falling in love, even if it was fairly quickly.
Two thumbs up from me for this book, I loved it. Definitely recommend :D
February 6, 2021
I wanted to give this a higher score and I wanted to like it more than I did, but alas! 'twas not the case.
For starters, I thought it was a bit of an odd choice to have Everett's husband pass away from liver cancer, as the average age for liver cancer is ~63yrs, is uncommon under the age of 50, and usually happens as a result of cirrhosis. But, Adrian's age wasn't mentioned, so maybe he was considerably older than Everett, and maybe he had Hep C. But, for all intents and purposes, it could have just been said he died of cancer, not specifically liver cancer, colorectal or testicular would have seemed more realistic... not that cancer can't happen at any age.
Then there is the glaringly obviousness of who is behind the missing people and the . I don't know if it was supposed to be as obvious as it was, but almost as soon as that character made an appearance, it was obvious that they were the only choice.
And of course, there is the fact that Silas is a dick. Here we have a 38 year old man, who has never been in a relationship and is "commitment-cautious". He is instantly attracted to Everett and they hit it off on day 1. Then they don't talk for the better part of 2 weeks. They they have their romantic "let's go look for a missing hiker" blowjob walk. And then Silas makes his public asshole statement and they don't talk for another week. Silas finally decides to apologize for being a dick, Everett delivers the confusing/poorly edited line "I-If you forgive me, I'll apologize." (which makes no sense as Everett isn't the one that needs to be apologizing), and then all is forgiven. Silas, who tells Everett that it is okay to take it slow, gets pissed off when after 3 weeks, Everett isn't 100% committed and wanting to move in with Silas due to having only lost his husband 16 months ago and feels guilty to be moving on. Not to mention, Silas is the first man that he has had any interest in whatsoever since Adrian's death.... but Silas is too much of a self-absorbed asshole to actually realize how much of a dick he is. But "I'm sorry" seems to negate all that.
And then there is the whole broken arm thing. Like, the pain is blinding but it's just a hairline fracture and healed in 3 weeks, it didn't seem to cause any issues with painting the canvas, and there was no atrophy.
And overall, I didn't like the pacing. Everett moved to O'Leary in late August. 3 weeks of no talking puts us in early/mid September. 3 weeks of dating puts us in late September, early October. 3 weeks of a broken arm puts us at the last week of October. So, by the end, Ev and Si have been together 6 weeks and are already living together.
P.S. Silas is rather obtuse and does virtually no policing in this book, which is lame, as he is a police officer and there is a serial killer on the loose.
I may continue with the series. I did forget to read the prequel first, so I'll go back and read that and if it fares better than this one, I'll probably give book 2 a shot.
For starters, I thought it was a bit of an odd choice to have Everett's husband pass away from liver cancer, as the average age for liver cancer is ~63yrs, is uncommon under the age of 50, and usually happens as a result of cirrhosis. But, Adrian's age wasn't mentioned, so maybe he was considerably older than Everett, and maybe he had Hep C. But, for all intents and purposes, it could have just been said he died of cancer, not specifically liver cancer, colorectal or testicular would have seemed more realistic... not that cancer can't happen at any age.
Then there is the glaringly obviousness of who is behind the missing people and the . I don't know if it was supposed to be as obvious as it was, but almost as soon as that character made an appearance, it was obvious that they were the only choice.
And of course, there is the fact that Silas is a dick. Here we have a 38 year old man, who has never been in a relationship and is "commitment-cautious". He is instantly attracted to Everett and they hit it off on day 1. Then they don't talk for the better part of 2 weeks. They they have their romantic "let's go look for a missing hiker" blowjob walk. And then Silas makes his public asshole statement and they don't talk for another week. Silas finally decides to apologize for being a dick, Everett delivers the confusing/poorly edited line "I-If you forgive me, I'll apologize." (which makes no sense as Everett isn't the one that needs to be apologizing), and then all is forgiven. Silas, who tells Everett that it is okay to take it slow, gets pissed off when after 3 weeks, Everett isn't 100% committed and wanting to move in with Silas due to having only lost his husband 16 months ago and feels guilty to be moving on. Not to mention, Silas is the first man that he has had any interest in whatsoever since Adrian's death.... but Silas is too much of a self-absorbed asshole to actually realize how much of a dick he is. But "I'm sorry" seems to negate all that.
And then there is the whole broken arm thing. Like, the pain is blinding but it's just a hairline fracture and healed in 3 weeks, it didn't seem to cause any issues with painting the canvas, and there was no atrophy.
And overall, I didn't like the pacing. Everett moved to O'Leary in late August. 3 weeks of no talking puts us in early/mid September. 3 weeks of dating puts us in late September, early October. 3 weeks of a broken arm puts us at the last week of October. So, by the end, Ev and Si have been together 6 weeks and are already living together.
P.S. Silas is rather obtuse and does virtually no policing in this book, which is lame, as he is a police officer and there is a serial killer on the loose.
I may continue with the series. I did forget to read the prequel first, so I'll go back and read that and if it fares better than this one, I'll probably give book 2 a shot.
March 11, 2020
I enjoyed the romance and Everett's relationship with his grandfather. What I didn't like was how the endless parade of side characters detracted from it. Too many to keep track of and not all of them were necessary to the plot.
The murder mystery aspect was mostly simmering in the background until the kind of batshit ending of it. The biggest disappointment?
I'm hoping that now that all the introductions are out of the way, the next story will be a bit more focused as I've enjoyed the two shorts The Date and The Note.
The murder mystery aspect was mostly simmering in the background until the kind of batshit ending of it. The biggest disappointment?
I'm hoping that now that all the introductions are out of the way, the next story will be a bit more focused as I've enjoyed the two shorts The Date and The Note.
September 26, 2018
This was actually a sweet story with some unnecessary plot at the ending, that made me ouch!
Ev and Silas obviously happened for a reason.
They are adorable together, but then, there's too many people with their problem, and not actually theirs, I felt cheated on. I felt like this book is too long. I liked meeting Caelan and Asher again, but not stealing the spot for Ev and Si, I hope.
There's mystery but I don't think Ev and Si needed that. I don't know, I felt like there's something's missing in this story.
This is my least favorite of May's books. I hope the next installment would be better.
Sorry.
August 28, 2022
At first, I wasn't at all sure about this book. Not only was it the first book that I had read by May Archer, but the setting was a smalltown in New York. I have not had much love for M/M romances that are set in small towns since most of them present the townsfolks as homeomorphic and not particularly open minded. Not that that's true by any means, but it's usually how the story goes. First, we meet Everett Maior, an art teacher that had two-years ago, lost his husband of nine years. Everett is on his way to O'Leary, New York to help his grandfather who had recently broken his leg. It didn't appear that he was very excited to be doing this, but his overwhelming, and demanding mother made the case that he would be perfect for this task. He wrecks the car when he thinks his seen a ghost in the road, and was rescued by Police Chief, Silas Sloane who is loved by almost the entire little town. Now we have our two main characters that were not very charmed by one another...yet. To say these two are complicated would be a major understatement. Everett is trying to get control over his new life as well as that of his grandfather Henry (Hen) who is humorously cantankerous, and nothing like Everett remembers him but then Everett had only been 9-years old at their last meeting. Silas has his flaws and troubles to conquer also. He is a commitment-phobe whose first encounter with Everett sets the stomach and other parts rumbling and roiling and which eventually drives him into something that can certainly be described as more than lust. These two spend almost the remainder of the book dancing around each other. I just wanted to glue them together and lock them in a room. There is a mystery here as well that involves the disappearance of two young men in the area where Evertt had his car crash/ghost spotting. These events provide the set-up for a disturbing, but cleansing and healing, in the end... and our two guys get the chance to work out what we all knew was going to happen along.
July 25, 2020
⭐️ [3.5/5 Stars] ⭐️
This was quite sweet and I love a good small town romance with some mystery thrown in there, however I feel like the chemistry between Si and Ev was severely lacking and Ev seemed to be very confused about his feelings and I don’t think he ended up resolving them in the end. I also don’t think there was enough attention paid to the mystery/thriller part of this and there should have been a bit more of a discussion after everything that happened. Anyway. Regardless, it was still a short and sweet read.
This was quite sweet and I love a good small town romance with some mystery thrown in there, however I feel like the chemistry between Si and Ev was severely lacking and Ev seemed to be very confused about his feelings and I don’t think he ended up resolving them in the end. I also don’t think there was enough attention paid to the mystery/thriller part of this and there should have been a bit more of a discussion after everything that happened. Anyway. Regardless, it was still a short and sweet read.
July 18, 2022
Dead ex tropes are not and will never be my favorites
…no matter how well done. I quite liked the book for the most part, and I really wanted to read another small town romance by this author - and got a lovely one.
Ev, who’s husband does 18 months ago, is grieving and forgetting to live. He’s not happy when his grandfather is summoning him back to O’Leary, but his mum guilts him into doing it. There, he meets Silas, who doesn’t do relationships, and the attraction between them is instantaneous.
I loved the cute little moments between them, and I understood the conflicting feelings Ev had. I’m not sure why I didn’t like it more - maybe too many real life things that distracted me? On the other hand - a really good book makes me forget about real life things, so there’s that.
It has a bit too many side characters who’ve already been set up for the upcoming books, and the crime story felt a bit off to me. So yes, I’m not overly enthusiastic, but I’ll give the next book a as go nevertheless.
…no matter how well done. I quite liked the book for the most part, and I really wanted to read another small town romance by this author - and got a lovely one.
Ev, who’s husband does 18 months ago, is grieving and forgetting to live. He’s not happy when his grandfather is summoning him back to O’Leary, but his mum guilts him into doing it. There, he meets Silas, who doesn’t do relationships, and the attraction between them is instantaneous.
I loved the cute little moments between them, and I understood the conflicting feelings Ev had. I’m not sure why I didn’t like it more - maybe too many real life things that distracted me? On the other hand - a really good book makes me forget about real life things, so there’s that.
It has a bit too many side characters who’ve already been set up for the upcoming books, and the crime story felt a bit off to me. So yes, I’m not overly enthusiastic, but I’ll give the next book a as go nevertheless.
June 17, 2021
Silas has never wanted a relationship as he hates commitment until he meets O'Leary's newest resident Everett. Everett doesn't think he could or should love anyone again since his husband's death. With the instant attraction between them will they follow their hearts?
I love May Archer books they are always written really well. I love the alternate POV's and the snark that Everett brings. The secondary characters and the people of O'Leary bring so much humour. Another 5 star from me!
I love May Archer books they are always written really well. I love the alternate POV's and the snark that Everett brings. The secondary characters and the people of O'Leary bring so much humour. Another 5 star from me!
July 24, 2021
This is a really nice story.
The main characters are Silas and Everett. Over a year ago, Everett's beloved husband died of cancer and Ev has a hard time living without him. The focus point of this book is Everett's grief over the loss of his husband and how it affects his current life and relationships with other people. Such as, for example, with Silas, whom Everett, to his amazement, is very attracted to.
I didn't quite feel all the feelings that should be in this relationship. Maybe it's because between the moment Ev and Si decide to be together to the moment Si notices problems in their relationship, several weeks pass, but we don't see them. We only learn about them from what Si says. I guess this could be a problem. I understand that they are fascinated by each other, Si apparently is slowly falling in love with Ev, but I haven't been able to fully see the depth of their feelings.
It also made me think Ev was a bit too quickly getting serious about his relationship with Si. At the beginning of the book, he is seriously heartbroken after the death of his husband. But in just two or three months, he confesses his love to another man. Their relationship developed a little too quickly for me, and I lacked proper insight into their developing feelings.
Comparing with other books, the grief after the death of a loved one was presented quite delicately. Unless you are super sensitive to this theme then you won't have a problem.
There is a tiny portion of suspense in the background. But there's really nothing to talk about. Si is conducting an investigation, but it is not described in the pages of this book. The murderer reveals himself at some point. On the one hand, I was hoping for something more, on the other, I am not angry that it was not, probably because I did not really expect so much when it comes to this part in this book.
Despite some issues about which I wrote above, I think it's a good story. I really liked the main characters. Although the picture of small town life where everyone is constantly gossiping was a little exaggerated, it was a fun part of the story. I will probably read another book in this series as well.
The main characters are Silas and Everett. Over a year ago, Everett's beloved husband died of cancer and Ev has a hard time living without him. The focus point of this book is Everett's grief over the loss of his husband and how it affects his current life and relationships with other people. Such as, for example, with Silas, whom Everett, to his amazement, is very attracted to.
I didn't quite feel all the feelings that should be in this relationship. Maybe it's because between the moment Ev and Si decide to be together to the moment Si notices problems in their relationship, several weeks pass, but we don't see them. We only learn about them from what Si says. I guess this could be a problem. I understand that they are fascinated by each other, Si apparently is slowly falling in love with Ev, but I haven't been able to fully see the depth of their feelings.
It also made me think Ev was a bit too quickly getting serious about his relationship with Si. At the beginning of the book, he is seriously heartbroken after the death of his husband. But in just two or three months, he confesses his love to another man. Their relationship developed a little too quickly for me, and I lacked proper insight into their developing feelings.
Comparing with other books, the grief after the death of a loved one was presented quite delicately. Unless you are super sensitive to this theme then you won't have a problem.
There is a tiny portion of suspense in the background. But there's really nothing to talk about. Si is conducting an investigation, but it is not described in the pages of this book. The murderer reveals himself at some point. On the one hand, I was hoping for something more, on the other, I am not angry that it was not, probably because I did not really expect so much when it comes to this part in this book.
Despite some issues about which I wrote above, I think it's a good story. I really liked the main characters. Although the picture of small town life where everyone is constantly gossiping was a little exaggerated, it was a fun part of the story. I will probably read another book in this series as well.
November 21, 2019
The Story: 3 Pants Off
The Narration: 4.5 Pants Off
April 4, 2023
Cute series, a lot of small town vibes review to come
June 30, 2023
I'm not usually one to talk about the theme of a book because I prefer to review based purely on how a story makes me feel, but this is one of those rare occasions where the theme really stood out for me.
This book is all about grief and how people cope with it in different ways, but it's also emphasised that there is no right or wrong way to grieve, nor is there a one size fits all approach to it, which I really appreciated.
Some characters, such as Ev, Shane and Silas's mother focused on the fact that the person they loved died and are revolving their whole life around the death, whereas other characters, such as Silas and Henry, choose to celebrate the life the person lived, rather than dwelling on what could have been. It was interesting to see the different levels of grief with each character also, from mild to completely obsessed and warped, and they all felt believable.
Both of the main characters have suffered significant losses, Ev's fairly recent and Silas's over a decade ago, but both of their lives are plagued by the grief of either themselves or family members and they struggle to move forward in their relationship together. I think one of my favourite parts of this story is the character growth that shows characters coming to terms with how to live with grief (theirs or otherwise) in a healthy way, and also be able to move on with their own life - it felt entirely realistic and relatable. The way Ev and Silas fall at almost every hurdle they face but keep finding a way to fight to be together kept me intrigued, and I was definitely happy for them to get their HEA because it felt like it was really earned.
I was teary eyed a lot of the time reading this story, and although the mystery of the missing people had a culprit you could spot from pretty early on in the story, it was entertaining and I didn't put the book down once.
This book is all about grief and how people cope with it in different ways, but it's also emphasised that there is no right or wrong way to grieve, nor is there a one size fits all approach to it, which I really appreciated.
Some characters, such as Ev, Shane and Silas's mother focused on the fact that the person they loved died and are revolving their whole life around the death, whereas other characters, such as Silas and Henry, choose to celebrate the life the person lived, rather than dwelling on what could have been. It was interesting to see the different levels of grief with each character also, from mild to completely obsessed and warped, and they all felt believable.
Both of the main characters have suffered significant losses, Ev's fairly recent and Silas's over a decade ago, but both of their lives are plagued by the grief of either themselves or family members and they struggle to move forward in their relationship together. I think one of my favourite parts of this story is the character growth that shows characters coming to terms with how to live with grief (theirs or otherwise) in a healthy way, and also be able to move on with their own life - it felt entirely realistic and relatable. The way Ev and Silas fall at almost every hurdle they face but keep finding a way to fight to be together kept me intrigued, and I was definitely happy for them to get their HEA because it felt like it was really earned.
I was teary eyed a lot of the time reading this story, and although the mystery of the missing people had a culprit you could spot from pretty early on in the story, it was entertaining and I didn't put the book down once.
January 15, 2020
I liked this but didn’t love it. At least not as much as the short stories I’ve read by this author. Things felt a little too contrived and cutesy in places. I’m also not always into small town stories. I can be if the townspeople aren’t too kooky and weird just to be weird. I think that’s one of the reasons I held off on trying these for so long. Luckily, the people in this town weren’t too precious and quirky. They come close though.
Unrelated side note: I think that’s why I haven’t gone back and read the rest of the Lavender Shore books. The couples were good but the town drove me nuts! Maybe this is why I never finished Gilmore Girls too. 😂 Well this is all a rant for a different time and place.
I didn’t really feel the connection between Ev and Silas. It felt forced and, as cute as they were, I never fully took to them. I’m trying to keep this spoiler free but Silas also was way too pushy, considering the circumstances and considering how anti-commitment he was at the beginning. The mystery was resolved awkwardly.
All of this being said, I’m not trying to bash this book, I swear. I did like it. It just didn’t amaze me. Now, some friends with similar taste love this series. And there have also been plenty of series where I haven’t liked the first book as much. So even though I wasn’t crazy about it, I’ll at least try the next one or two. Because I do see potential.
Unrelated side note: I think that’s why I haven’t gone back and read the rest of the Lavender Shore books. The couples were good but the town drove me nuts! Maybe this is why I never finished Gilmore Girls too. 😂 Well this is all a rant for a different time and place.
I didn’t really feel the connection between Ev and Silas. It felt forced and, as cute as they were, I never fully took to them. I’m trying to keep this spoiler free but Silas also was way too pushy, considering the circumstances and considering how anti-commitment he was at the beginning. The mystery was resolved awkwardly.
All of this being said, I’m not trying to bash this book, I swear. I did like it. It just didn’t amaze me. Now, some friends with similar taste love this series. And there have also been plenty of series where I haven’t liked the first book as much. So even though I wasn’t crazy about it, I’ll at least try the next one or two. Because I do see potential.
January 12, 2019
3.5 stars. Could have gotten the round up to 4 stars, but I felt the story didn't really tell us enough about Everett's dead husband, Adrian.
When the main plot of the story is about getting over a lost spouse, and the guilt you feel for moving on, I would think that person would figure into things a bit more. I had so many questions, that just never got answered. How old was Adrian, was he older than Ev, or younger? How long were they together? How long was he ill? What was he like? In the end, all we ever learned was his name, his illness, and his job. NOTHING about his personality, and I just think I would have connected to Everett's grief more, if we had been allowed to learn even a little bit about Adrian.
I also thought the mystery sub plot could have been handled a bit better. Here, you have one, and then two people going missing, in this very small town, but Silas, an actual police officer in said small down, was never really shown to be working on things, other than that one hiking trip. If you're going to stick a mystery bit in there, play the notes, or don't bother. It didn't add anything to the story at all, IMO.
When the main plot of the story is about getting over a lost spouse, and the guilt you feel for moving on, I would think that person would figure into things a bit more. I had so many questions, that just never got answered. How old was Adrian, was he older than Ev, or younger? How long were they together? How long was he ill? What was he like? In the end, all we ever learned was his name, his illness, and his job. NOTHING about his personality, and I just think I would have connected to Everett's grief more, if we had been allowed to learn even a little bit about Adrian.
I also thought the mystery sub plot could have been handled a bit better. Here, you have one, and then two people going missing, in this very small town, but Silas, an actual police officer in said small down, was never really shown to be working on things, other than that one hiking trip. If you're going to stick a mystery bit in there, play the notes, or don't bother. It didn't add anything to the story at all, IMO.
January 22, 2026
Rating: 4/5 🌟
Spice: 2/5 🌶️
Heroes: Silas and Everett
Spice: 2/5 🌶️
Heroes: Silas and Everett
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