What do you think?
Rate this book
Auckland Med. #3
Qualcosa di personale (Auckland Med
Il detective Mark Knight ha un problema grave: il nuovo patologo forese dell’Auckland Med. Un bell’uomo di un metro e ottanta, biondo, intelligente, severo e critico: il dottor Edward R. Newton.
Edward è del tutto fuori dalla sua portata, il suo opposto sotto ogni punto di vista e incredibilmente immune ai suoi tentativi di seduzione. Mark dovrebbe lasciarlo perdere, ma l’attraente dottore ha messo radici nella sua testa rovinando i suoi progetti, in particolare la decisione di evitare ogni attaccamento e tutti i drammi che ne conseguono.
Mark ha passato due anni a guardare i suoi amici cadere come mosche vittime del virus matrimoniale, e all’improvviso si ritrova a canticchiare lui stesso una marcia nuziale. Purtroppo Edward non è interessato al suo fascino malizioso.
Ma il detective non può evitare il patologo sexy, perché la morte li fa incontrare spesso e volentieri. E quando una serie di omicidi mette in pericolo le loro vite e li costringe a nascondersi, qualcosa dovrà accadere.
Edward è del tutto fuori dalla sua portata, il suo opposto sotto ogni punto di vista e incredibilmente immune ai suoi tentativi di seduzione. Mark dovrebbe lasciarlo perdere, ma l’attraente dottore ha messo radici nella sua testa rovinando i suoi progetti, in particolare la decisione di evitare ogni attaccamento e tutti i drammi che ne conseguono.
Mark ha passato due anni a guardare i suoi amici cadere come mosche vittime del virus matrimoniale, e all’improvviso si ritrova a canticchiare lui stesso una marcia nuziale. Purtroppo Edward non è interessato al suo fascino malizioso.
Ma il detective non può evitare il patologo sexy, perché la morte li fa incontrare spesso e volentieri. E quando una serie di omicidi mette in pericolo le loro vite e li costringe a nascondersi, qualcosa dovrà accadere.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2020
215 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
About the author
Jay Hogan
25 books917 followersHeart, humour and keeping it real.
I am a two times Lambda Literary Award Finalist—2020 for DIGGING DEEP and 2024 for THE ART OF HUSBANDRY.
I have also received the The Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Romance Book of The Year Award for OFF BALANCE.
I am a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense primarily set in my home country. I write character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality, and a splash of angst. I’ve travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life I worked as a critical care nurse and a counsellor. My family love and somehow put up with me, and my gorgeous Cocker Spaniel thinks I spend too much time at my desk but keeps my feet warm.
Join my reader group to keep up with my news.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hogan...
You can also find me at:
https://www.jayhoganauthor.com where you can buy my audiobooks direct at a discount.
https://www.facebook.com/JayHoganAuthor
I am a two times Lambda Literary Award Finalist—2020 for DIGGING DEEP and 2024 for THE ART OF HUSBANDRY.
I have also received the The Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Romance Book of The Year Award for OFF BALANCE.
I am a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense primarily set in my home country. I write character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality, and a splash of angst. I’ve travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life I worked as a critical care nurse and a counsellor. My family love and somehow put up with me, and my gorgeous Cocker Spaniel thinks I spend too much time at my desk but keeps my feet warm.
Join my reader group to keep up with my news.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hogan...
You can also find me at:
https://www.jayhoganauthor.com where you can buy my audiobooks direct at a discount.
https://www.facebook.com/JayHoganAuthor
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
November 23, 2021
Audio - 5++++ Gary Furlong is always amazing
Story - 3 Stars
I decided to pick this up again and finish it. Turns out the last three hours of the (audio) story got really good. It's too bad the beginning was so slow and full of bickering. Imagine a 10 and half hour audio of a story that is mostly a 72 hour time frame. That's a lot of blah blah blah....
__________
Story - dnf @ 59% Oh well. Shit happens.
Story - 3 Stars
I decided to pick this up again and finish it. Turns out the last three hours of the (audio) story got really good. It's too bad the beginning was so slow and full of bickering. Imagine a 10 and half hour audio of a story that is mostly a 72 hour time frame. That's a lot of blah blah blah....
__________
Story - dnf @ 59% Oh well. Shit happens.
March 3, 2020
My favourite in this series for sure, I absolutely loved the prickly Dr Edward R Newton and adored out there Detective Mark Knight.
I also love that each book in this series has been radically different from the others, this one falling almost directly into the romantic suspense narrative.
Now, I will admit that the big bad did make me 'wtf' a bit but I won't spoiler what my reasons were as I don't want to ruin anyone's reading experience.
Having said that though, I think Jay definitely did enough leg work in to make it flow naturally in the plot without it coming from left field.
Lots of delicious UST and slow burn, lots of brilliant communication and honesty, and plenty of emotional vulnerability all drew this into a cohesive and engaging story.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I also love that each book in this series has been radically different from the others, this one falling almost directly into the romantic suspense narrative.
Now, I will admit that the big bad did make me 'wtf' a bit but I won't spoiler what my reasons were as I don't want to ruin anyone's reading experience.
Having said that though, I think Jay definitely did enough leg work in to make it flow naturally in the plot without it coming from left field.
Lots of delicious UST and slow burn, lots of brilliant communication and honesty, and plenty of emotional vulnerability all drew this into a cohesive and engaging story.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
March 25, 2021
It took me days to finish this book. Including one anxiety filled insomnia night where the book wasn’t captivating enough to keep the anxious thoughts away. I almost DNF multiple times, but because there was nothing really wrong with the book, I kept reading.
I really liked Edward and Mark. But I was underwhelmed by their romance. They have both sworn off relationships. Edward doesn’t do hookups either, whereas Mark fucks anything with a dick. Their initial flirty banter is hot and entertaining. But then? One attack, a night of talking and a handjob later, they are boyfriends? What? I would have liked a bit more development there.
And the suspense just didn’t hold my attention. I guessed who the bad guys were early on and just didn’t care that much to find out what happened.
I think I’m done with this series, even though I liked the first two books. ☹️😴🤷♀️
I really liked Edward and Mark. But I was underwhelmed by their romance. They have both sworn off relationships. Edward doesn’t do hookups either, whereas Mark fucks anything with a dick. Their initial flirty banter is hot and entertaining. But then? One attack, a night of talking and a handjob later, they are boyfriends? What? I would have liked a bit more development there.
And the suspense just didn’t hold my attention. I guessed who the bad guys were early on and just didn’t care that much to find out what happened.
I think I’m done with this series, even though I liked the first two books. ☹️😴🤷♀️
October 3, 2023
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
Hospital Architecture 101 had to include the mandatory section, ‘Find the spookiest site for a morgue and build it right fucking there.’
Damn, I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this one. Let me start by saying that I love Jay Hogan’s writing. It is a really good book. Unfortunately there’s a fair few things in this one that I really don’t jive with, which impacted my rating a lot. I loved the suspense, all of the action, the forensic pathologist/detective/criminal investigation bits. That shit is my jam. However, Mark is a massive man-whore (his own words), and although I can often overlook this, it was harped on and brought up so fucking much that I literally couldn’t *not* think about it. I’m pretty sure I’m somewhere on the demi/ace spectrum, so hookup culture is a bigass puzzle to me on the best of days, and although I know we’re all different, when it’s sort of ‘jammed down my throat’ like in this one, it makes me uncomfortable. There’s never any hookups on page, Mark doesn’t even look at anyone other than Edward during the book (thankfully), but with phrases like ‘pump and dump’ actually used by the character to describe his usual style, it didn’t exactly make me very confident in their eventual relationship, you know? Both characters have issues with relationships, and it took me until like the last three chapters to even see why they would want to (or how they even could) be together, beyond them having some initial good banter and chemistry.
“You flirt with everyone, Mark. I’m nothing special. You flirt because that’s how it’s done in the one-and-done crowd. Flirt-hook-fuck-leave, right? And I’ve got zero interest in being a notch on your belt.”
Even though I don’t care a lot about spice, I definitely prefer any new experiences for the couple to happen on page, and with blowies being my favorite type of spicy scene, the fact that not a single dong was hugged with a mouth on page really bummed me out, lol. Maybe the worse example of a on-page-miss is how their first ‘I love you’s’ was off page as well. Like, come on!
Edward’s heart squeezed, and he realised that Mark had the power to hurt him far, far more than Edward had ever imagined.
I really loved Edward, which is what saved it and kept me reading, honestly, as well as some great side characters. Edward wasn’t perfect at all, and among other things, he judged Mark’s morals based on his hookup history, and he had to learn some lessons about his presumptions. Overall though, he was interesting, kept me guessing, and it was fun to see how he had multiple sides to him that came to light at the same time as Mark found out about them. I could relate a lot to how Edward looks at relationships and sex, which of course made me gravitate to his character.
“All I’m saying, Detective, is that I don’t do one-night stands, I don’t do friends with benefits, and I sure as hell don’t do the club scene. Nothing wrong with any of those, but they’re not me. If I were interested in anyone, it would only be on a dating basis—a very slow dating basis, I might add. Still interested, Detective?”
It really does sound like a very negative review, but it was entertaining and it’s not like I regret reading it. I just didn’t absolutely *love* it.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Reformed man-whore
Opposites attract
Forensic pathologist
Detective
Crime solving
Mystery
New Zealand setting
Slow burn
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Mentions of cancer and the death of a family member
Autopsy
Murder
Mentions of torture
Mentions of terrorist attacks (past)
Injured pet
Physical assault
Gun violence
Injuries
Neglectful parents
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile, no switching on page
Like everything else in Ed’s life, sex was something to be savoured, and the concept of a slow burn had pretty much dominated Ed’s romantic playbook for over twenty-four years—ever since fifteen-year-old Ed had glanced at Vicki Stanton’s pillowy breasts and then, an hour later, at Mitch Ellington’s epically glorious arse in the boy’s change room and thought, huh, Houston, we might have a problem.
Respond a little, maybe give him a reason to want more than a one-night stand.
“Would you like a bigger spade for that hole you’re digging?”
Hospital Architecture 101 had to include the mandatory section, ‘Find the spookiest site for a morgue and build it right fucking there.’
Damn, I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this one. Let me start by saying that I love Jay Hogan’s writing. It is a really good book. Unfortunately there’s a fair few things in this one that I really don’t jive with, which impacted my rating a lot. I loved the suspense, all of the action, the forensic pathologist/detective/criminal investigation bits. That shit is my jam. However, Mark is a massive man-whore (his own words), and although I can often overlook this, it was harped on and brought up so fucking much that I literally couldn’t *not* think about it. I’m pretty sure I’m somewhere on the demi/ace spectrum, so hookup culture is a bigass puzzle to me on the best of days, and although I know we’re all different, when it’s sort of ‘jammed down my throat’ like in this one, it makes me uncomfortable. There’s never any hookups on page, Mark doesn’t even look at anyone other than Edward during the book (thankfully), but with phrases like ‘pump and dump’ actually used by the character to describe his usual style, it didn’t exactly make me very confident in their eventual relationship, you know? Both characters have issues with relationships, and it took me until like the last three chapters to even see why they would want to (or how they even could) be together, beyond them having some initial good banter and chemistry.
“You flirt with everyone, Mark. I’m nothing special. You flirt because that’s how it’s done in the one-and-done crowd. Flirt-hook-fuck-leave, right? And I’ve got zero interest in being a notch on your belt.”
Even though I don’t care a lot about spice, I definitely prefer any new experiences for the couple to happen on page, and with blowies being my favorite type of spicy scene, the fact that not a single dong was hugged with a mouth on page really bummed me out, lol. Maybe the worse example of a on-page-miss is how their first ‘I love you’s’ was off page as well. Like, come on!
Edward’s heart squeezed, and he realised that Mark had the power to hurt him far, far more than Edward had ever imagined.
I really loved Edward, which is what saved it and kept me reading, honestly, as well as some great side characters. Edward wasn’t perfect at all, and among other things, he judged Mark’s morals based on his hookup history, and he had to learn some lessons about his presumptions. Overall though, he was interesting, kept me guessing, and it was fun to see how he had multiple sides to him that came to light at the same time as Mark found out about them. I could relate a lot to how Edward looks at relationships and sex, which of course made me gravitate to his character.
“All I’m saying, Detective, is that I don’t do one-night stands, I don’t do friends with benefits, and I sure as hell don’t do the club scene. Nothing wrong with any of those, but they’re not me. If I were interested in anyone, it would only be on a dating basis—a very slow dating basis, I might add. Still interested, Detective?”
It really does sound like a very negative review, but it was entertaining and it’s not like I regret reading it. I just didn’t absolutely *love* it.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Reformed man-whore
Opposites attract
Forensic pathologist
Detective
Crime solving
Mystery
New Zealand setting
Slow burn
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Mentions of cancer and the death of a family member
Autopsy
Murder
Mentions of torture
Mentions of terrorist attacks (past)
Injured pet
Physical assault
Gun violence
Injuries
Neglectful parents
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile, no switching on page
Like everything else in Ed’s life, sex was something to be savoured, and the concept of a slow burn had pretty much dominated Ed’s romantic playbook for over twenty-four years—ever since fifteen-year-old Ed had glanced at Vicki Stanton’s pillowy breasts and then, an hour later, at Mitch Ellington’s epically glorious arse in the boy’s change room and thought, huh, Houston, we might have a problem.
Respond a little, maybe give him a reason to want more than a one-night stand.
“Would you like a bigger spade for that hole you’re digging?”
June 12, 2020
Third in the Auckland series, a sexy series with a bunch of friends, each getting to meet their plus-one. I greatly enjoy this author, the banter and hotness she pours into her books, mostly with characters opposite in characters, mild angst and a good cast of secondary characters. But this time it was a miss.
After Reuben, the caring All Blacks star, and Cam, the sassy nurse (my fav because I discovered this author, to my great enjoyment, with that book), after Michael, the hot doctor, and Josh, the sexy K9 officer, (technically book 1, but I read it after book 2), it’s time for the flirtatious Detective Mark to star and be unexpectedly drawn to Edward, the new pathologist in town.
The banter was there, the subplot (a dead man discovered on the beach, autopsy reports tempered, an attack against Edward) was not bad, and the first chapters were promising but it petered out for me quite fast, mostly because I lost interest for Mark and Edward’s dance around each other, and the level of cuteness became too high for my taste.
Bah, a miss can happen sometimes. Next date with this author soon : I will be there !!
After Reuben, the caring All Blacks star, and Cam, the sassy nurse (my fav because I discovered this author, to my great enjoyment, with that book), after Michael, the hot doctor, and Josh, the sexy K9 officer, (technically book 1, but I read it after book 2), it’s time for the flirtatious Detective Mark to star and be unexpectedly drawn to Edward, the new pathologist in town.
The banter was there, the subplot (a dead man discovered on the beach, autopsy reports tempered, an attack against Edward) was not bad, and the first chapters were promising but it petered out for me quite fast, mostly because I lost interest for Mark and Edward’s dance around each other, and the level of cuteness became too high for my taste.
Bah, a miss can happen sometimes. Next date with this author soon : I will be there !!
November 24, 2023
Enjoyed this one! Loved that it had a detective and a medical examiner and a good mystery in the book. Loved the dog.
January 20, 2023
This has been a good series but it's more a mystery/police procedural than anything to do with medicine. A medical professional is always one of the main characters, but the stories always focus more on the police detective. Edward, a pathologist, and Mark, a cop, are both good at what they do. They're mostly settled in their lives, and they both come with a boatload of previous relationship baggage and phobias...enough to fill a mental ward. After the usual dance around one another they both acknowledge that they "like" each other...maybe even could love...but of course theirs a monkey wrench coming into the equation...they're both are thoroughly convinced that it would be a very bad idea to act on the attraction. They're equals in so many ways. Fate steps in and forces them to work together on a murder case that needs both their expertise. Nothing boasts that attraction like being forced to share not only a case but a house and a protection squad of fellow cops. Danger threats both them and also Edward's dog. I loved that dog...Tinkerbell...120 ponds of slobbery kisses. The dog, not the guys: Mark and Edward almost bite the dust another few times, but they come to realize that their feelings for each other are real...and live is short and theirs may be shorter. Character from the first two books reappear throughout the story making it a great homecoming. I hate losing characters that help make a series special. The banter between Edward and Mark was funny and priceless, and one of the most beautiful and amazing "Happy Ever After's" too.
April 12, 2023
I've enjoyed all the books in Jay Hogan's Auckland Med series - you can read them all as standalones, though characters from previous stories do pop in occasionally.
Each of the books in the series has a different flavor, so if you're looking for an exciting mystery, go with Up Close and Personal. This story is non stop action and a unique romance.
The audio version of the entire series is available narrated by the incredibly talented Gary Furlong. I adore his voice, no matter which gorgeous accent he's using!
Each of the books in the series has a different flavor, so if you're looking for an exciting mystery, go with Up Close and Personal. This story is non stop action and a unique romance.
The audio version of the entire series is available narrated by the incredibly talented Gary Furlong. I adore his voice, no matter which gorgeous accent he's using!
December 22, 2025
The first 50% or so was a bit boring and had a lot of just talking about them deciding whether they were going to be in a relationship or not. The side-plot with the fuel mystery and the police investigation was ok but also predictable.
October 15, 2024
2,5 disappointed stars
I love Jay Hogan’s more recent series (Southern Lights and McKenzie Country) but somehow this earlier one simply doesn’t gel with me.
I read the first book, and it was ok, but I had quite a few niggles. And this one is the same.
Loved the scenario, really liked the MCs and the idea for the plot is really good.
But somehow, somehow this didn’t quite reach its full potential. And here is why …
.) Language:
I didn’t particularly care for the plethora of emotional expletives that happen inside and outside the head of each MC all the time: Son of a bitch! Hell, yeah! Fuck! Christ! Like hell! What the hell! Shit! Holy shit! Oh boy! Etc etc.
I don’t care about swearing, LOL I would be reading the wrong genre, if I did, but somehow this irritated me. Because it is constant. And both guys do it. Which made them sound similar in my head. When they are two totally different guys. And there was really no need to make them sound like the graphic novels Edward likes so much.
.) The mystery fell rather flat for me.
It was easy to guess who the culprits are, and there is no real discernable detective work happening here. Tbh, these guys behave like true amateurs most of the time. I’m fine with the emphasis on the romance, but …
.) the relationship development seems to go in circles
Both men keep repeating the same reasons why they should not try a relationship again and again and again. And it’s in the same words, the same sentences (or so it felt!). I was actually rather shocked that Mark did not know where he stood exactly with Edward by the time they reach the epilogue!
.) And those surprises for Mark in said epilogue. Argh! Personally, I wouldn’t have appreciated them. Thank God, Mark did. To me it felt they hadn’t really talked properly about some huge decisions in their lives.
So all in all, some entertainment, but too many niggles! But, the fact that I finished the book speaks for it, no doubt, but I think I’ll refrain from reading the rest of this series.
I might just go and reread one of the other two by this author which are absolutely wonderful!
I love Jay Hogan’s more recent series (Southern Lights and McKenzie Country) but somehow this earlier one simply doesn’t gel with me.
I read the first book, and it was ok, but I had quite a few niggles. And this one is the same.
Loved the scenario, really liked the MCs and the idea for the plot is really good.
But somehow, somehow this didn’t quite reach its full potential. And here is why …
.) Language:
I didn’t particularly care for the plethora of emotional expletives that happen inside and outside the head of each MC all the time: Son of a bitch! Hell, yeah! Fuck! Christ! Like hell! What the hell! Shit! Holy shit! Oh boy! Etc etc.
I don’t care about swearing, LOL I would be reading the wrong genre, if I did, but somehow this irritated me. Because it is constant. And both guys do it. Which made them sound similar in my head. When they are two totally different guys. And there was really no need to make them sound like the graphic novels Edward likes so much.
.) The mystery fell rather flat for me.
It was easy to guess who the culprits are, and there is no real discernable detective work happening here. Tbh, these guys behave like true amateurs most of the time. I’m fine with the emphasis on the romance, but …
.) the relationship development seems to go in circles
Both men keep repeating the same reasons why they should not try a relationship again and again and again. And it’s in the same words, the same sentences (or so it felt!). I was actually rather shocked that Mark did not know where he stood exactly with Edward by the time they reach the epilogue!
.) And those surprises for Mark in said epilogue. Argh! Personally, I wouldn’t have appreciated them. Thank God, Mark did. To me it felt they hadn’t really talked properly about some huge decisions in their lives.
So all in all, some entertainment, but too many niggles! But, the fact that I finished the book speaks for it, no doubt, but I think I’ll refrain from reading the rest of this series.
I might just go and reread one of the other two by this author which are absolutely wonderful!
February 28, 2022
DNF at 60%
First they all want Mark to be in a relationship because he's a play boy. And of course, play boy means everyone obviously have to be worried about him, because how can a fully functional adult decide for himself if having sex with multiple partners is fine or not?
I hate when very in love couples want everybody else around them hooked just cuz they are so in love. I get it romeo and juliet, you guys are in fucking wonderland, good for you, but bold of you to assume everyone else around you ain't living their best life just cuz they don't have a partner. Please, the most you have more than me is tax benefits.
Edward was hot and cold throughout the story. He was quite honestly, irritating after a point. Mark was fine, better than Edward for me. The dog was awesome. I should get another.
They were bickering and avoiding and courting the 50% of the story and all of a sudden an assault and a hand job and they are dating. And that too without discussing about it and Mark just blurting it out? Wtf?
Nope. Too many old fashioned views for my liking. And to all the singles out there, you guys don't have to validate yourself for staying single. The best achievement of life is being happy and completely content in who you are without somebody else's help. Because after that, you r completely free from other people's opinion. I personally love being single and there ain't nothing wrong with enjoying sex with different people. Just don't let others get to you or bring you down on that.
And to the couples... Stay happy! ❤️
First they all want Mark to be in a relationship because he's a play boy. And of course, play boy means everyone obviously have to be worried about him, because how can a fully functional adult decide for himself if having sex with multiple partners is fine or not?
I hate when very in love couples want everybody else around them hooked just cuz they are so in love. I get it romeo and juliet, you guys are in fucking wonderland, good for you, but bold of you to assume everyone else around you ain't living their best life just cuz they don't have a partner. Please, the most you have more than me is tax benefits.
Edward was hot and cold throughout the story. He was quite honestly, irritating after a point. Mark was fine, better than Edward for me. The dog was awesome. I should get another.
They were bickering and avoiding and courting the 50% of the story and all of a sudden an assault and a hand job and they are dating. And that too without discussing about it and Mark just blurting it out? Wtf?
Nope. Too many old fashioned views for my liking. And to all the singles out there, you guys don't have to validate yourself for staying single. The best achievement of life is being happy and completely content in who you are without somebody else's help. Because after that, you r completely free from other people's opinion. I personally love being single and there ain't nothing wrong with enjoying sex with different people. Just don't let others get to you or bring you down on that.
And to the couples... Stay happy! ❤️
April 5, 2022
This one just didn't grab me the way the first two did. It had some pacing issues and though I liked both characters, I didn't fully connect with the romance.
dnf-for-good
June 2, 202151% dnf! wtf happened?!!! Books 1 and 2 were fucking awesome but this book right here ,, isn't!!! I really hope the other books in this series don't turn out to be duds like this one.
Even Gary Furlong's delicious talented voice couldn't help me push through.
Even Gary Furlong's delicious talented voice couldn't help me push through.
December 26, 2023
3.5 stars
I really liked the first half of the book and it was looking like a shoo in for 4 stars, but the second half didn’t work as well for me. Edward’s and Mark’s relationship went from 0 to 100 in a matter of days, and I ended up being more interested in the mystery than their insta-love.
I really liked the first half of the book and it was looking like a shoo in for 4 stars, but the second half didn’t work as well for me. Edward’s and Mark’s relationship went from 0 to 100 in a matter of days, and I ended up being more interested in the mystery than their insta-love.
March 25, 2020
Edward and Mark
Mark noticed the new forensic pathologist Edward Newton, he liked what he saw. But Mark is a flirt with only one night stands. Lately, his mind is only focused on Ed.
If anything detective Mark Knight pushed all Ed’s buttons, only Ed doesn’t need a flirt. He’s looking for something steady.
Mark is intrigued by Ed, there is so much to discover under that cold demeanor.
Besides the case, they are working on we meet both men where they are attracted to each other and through work meet each other several times. That was fun.
Both lovable characters were consistently put down, what I missed was strong chemistry, the slow burn was for my pleasure too slow, that’s me I’m not a slow burn fan.
The investigation side of this story was well put together, there were some thrilling moments, thank goodness for codes :)
There are some very nice secondary characters even some with fur.
With the entertaining way of writing, the steady pace and good plot, it was overall a very enjoyable read.
Mark noticed the new forensic pathologist Edward Newton, he liked what he saw. But Mark is a flirt with only one night stands. Lately, his mind is only focused on Ed.
If anything detective Mark Knight pushed all Ed’s buttons, only Ed doesn’t need a flirt. He’s looking for something steady.
Mark is intrigued by Ed, there is so much to discover under that cold demeanor.
Besides the case, they are working on we meet both men where they are attracted to each other and through work meet each other several times. That was fun.
Both lovable characters were consistently put down, what I missed was strong chemistry, the slow burn was for my pleasure too slow, that’s me I’m not a slow burn fan.
The investigation side of this story was well put together, there were some thrilling moments, thank goodness for codes :)
There are some very nice secondary characters even some with fur.
With the entertaining way of writing, the steady pace and good plot, it was overall a very enjoyable read.
March 11, 2024
I've given this a B+ for narration and a C+ for content at AudioGals.
This third instalment in Jay Hogan’s Auckland Med series has a bit of a romantic suspense vibe going on, as the two leads – one a detective, one a pathologist – become embroiled in a murder investigation that poses a threat to their lives. I enjoyed Up Close and Personal when I read it on release in early 2020; the frenemies-to-lovers romance is a sexy slow-burn and the leads are likeable guys who actually *gasp* talk to each other about what’s happening between them, but I’m sorry to say there were things that just didn’t hold up this time around – mainly I think because I’m more apt to spot certain weaknesses in audio than I am in print.
When the story begins, Dr. Edward Newton, the (relatively) newly installed pathologist at Auckland Med., has arrived at a remote location where he’s tasked with inspecting a body that’s been washed ashore on a nearby beach. Because the weather is atrocious, the body is being temporarily housed in a tent on site – and Edward’s heart sinks when he enters to begin his examination and discovers that the lead detective on the investigation is Mark Knight, who, in all of the three months they’ve known each other, has never passed up an opportunity to flirt with him – and has made no secret of the fact that he’d like to do a lot more than flirt. As usual, Edward ignores or rebuffs the detective’s innuendo and gets on with the job at hand – while wondering why, given Mark is not his type by a long chalk, he is nonetheless attracted to him.
During the autopsy, Edward discovers that the dead man – who has been identified as Rowan Bridge, a brilliant research scientist in the field of renewable energy – had been drugged and (possibly) tortured before he was killed. His deeper investigation into the drugs used shows one other instance of its discovery in the body of a murder victim – so it can’t be a ‘regular’ street drug – and the victim was also a scientist and had worked for the same company as Bridge. And there’s more bad news. Edward realises that the autopsy was carried out by his predecessor – but that there is no mention whatsoever of the drugs in the victim’s system on the autopsy report. Is there more to these two deaths than meets the eye? Or is it just coincidence?
Ed saves all the necessary files and alerts Mark to his suspicions, but before they can investigate further, they’re attacked in Ed’s home and his computers and all the files are stolen – all except for the flash drive he’s kept hidden.
The attack – during which both men sustain some nasty injuries – means they have to disappear for a while until the information Ed has unearthed can be followed up, so they end up staying at the remote cabin owned by Cam andReuben (Crossing the Touchline), and their enforced proximity gives them the chance to finally get to know each other better and talk about how things between them might work despite their very different attitude towards relationships. Mark is a player and casual is just how he likes it; no strings, no drama and no repeats, while Ed prefers to know and like the people he goes to bed with; for him, sexual attraction is about the whole person regardless of gender. His inconvenient crush on Mark is unsettling (and unusual for him), and Mark can’t quite work out what it is about the prickly, self-contained doc that pushes all his buttons…
There’s no question these two have plenty of chemistry, and although they dance around each other for a while, where this book really scores is in the way both men are prepared to be honest and emotionally available to each other in order to explore what they might be able to have together. Mark grew up in a family in which he was never anything but an afterthought or inconvenient extra because his parents were so obsessed with each other, so opening himself and his fears up to Edward is a big thing. And Edward has to decide whether letting Mark in is worth the potential risk to his heart. Their willingness to talk about what they want in a partner is refreshingly mature – but while I’m celebrating a romantic couple who actually communicates, there are times there’s too much talking and telling and going over old ground, and there are large chunks in the middle of the story that suffer from repetition and stodgy pacing.
And the suspense plot, once it’s provided the impetus for Mark and Edward to spend time together, kind of gets lost until the last few chapters. It’s interesting, but underdeveloped and really just book-ends the story.
I’m a big fan of Jay Hogan’s and have read everything she’s published so far. Up Close and Personal is one of her earliest works – her third or fourth published title, I think – and having now the read the half-dozen-or-so books she’s released since, I have to say that it shows. She has developed tremendously as a writer over the past year or so; the following Auckland Med book (Against the Grain) is superb and made my Best of 2020 list. The things that have become the hallmarks of her writing – complex characters, snarky banter, and a very earthy sexiness are all present here, but not so strongly, and weaknesses I maybe didn’t spot as I read (I read pretty quickly) are much more apparent in audio where there is more time to notice them. The repetitiveness of some of the discussions between Edward and Mark and the amount of inner monologuing and overdone mental lusting going on are way more apparent in audio. I mean, I noticed them in print, but they didn’t bother me as much.
I’ve been consistently praising Gary Furlong for his work in this (and a number of other) series recently, but although his performance here is good overall, I noticed some significant character differentiation issues – which isn’t something I’ve ever identified as a problem in any of the narrations of his I’ve listened to. It’s usually easy to identify Edward aurally; his voice is deep and his speech is considered, which fits the way he’s presented as a man who likes to think things through – but the portrayal of Mark is somewhat inconsistent; the higher pitch assigned to him comes and goes so that it’s not always possible to distinguish between him and Edward without referring to the dialogue tags. The same is true of the interactions between Mark and his work-partner, Liam, and between Mark, Edward and Josh in the few scenes in which Josh (First Impressions) appears – they often sound too similar. What Mr. Furlong gets very right however, is the emotional connection between the leads; when Mark and Edward are talking you feel as if you’re eavesdropping on an actual conversation – the pacing, the rhythms of speech, the degree of expression and all the little things like pauses or chuckles or snorts are spot on – and the way he injects a real sense of camaraderie, respect and admiration into the friendships definitely enhances the impression of a group of people who have each other’s backs without question. I freely admit to the possibility I’m holding Mr. Furlong to a higher standard precisely because he’s so good – I think we all do that to an extent with our favourites; there’s good and then there’s GOOD, so that the merely ‘good’ becomes somehow disappointing. I did enjoy his performance though; the differentiation issues I’ve mentioned aren’t frequent, and the narration worked for me in all other respects.
Up Close and Personal isn’t my favourite book in this series or by this author, and although I liked the characters and the narration, the problems with the storytelling I’ve outlined mean I can’t quite give it a wholehearted recommendation.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
December 24, 2023
4 stars
My favorite of the series so far! It's the most engaging and has a more interesting plot than the first 2. I'm happy to say that I didn't skim through any of the contents. 👏
I liked Mark from Josh's perspective in book 1 but I didn't expect him to be this adorable. Such a complex man. He's sarcastic, self-deprecating, humorous, and honest. Easily hurt and quite an overthinker but longed to be loved all the same. He liked teasing Edward's multisyllabic words and interesting underwear choices, and constantly tried to get a rise out of him. Edward was a surprise though. A very attractive, comic-nerd and pathologist who has a penchant for formal speaking and who hated casual hookups but was always drawn to Mark despite the incessant flirting. 🥰
Overall, decent mystery and action but what I LOVE the most was the slow burn. I was a bit disappointed on book 1 because the sex overpowered the plot but this installment made up for it. Plenty of tension, sexy, sometimes cute, flirting, adorable blushing, and hot HOT kisses. Yes, the kisses and making out were hotter than the actual sex scenes. 🥵😍
My favorite of the series so far! It's the most engaging and has a more interesting plot than the first 2. I'm happy to say that I didn't skim through any of the contents. 👏
I liked Mark from Josh's perspective in book 1 but I didn't expect him to be this adorable. Such a complex man. He's sarcastic, self-deprecating, humorous, and honest. Easily hurt and quite an overthinker but longed to be loved all the same. He liked teasing Edward's multisyllabic words and interesting underwear choices, and constantly tried to get a rise out of him. Edward was a surprise though. A very attractive, comic-nerd and pathologist who has a penchant for formal speaking and who hated casual hookups but was always drawn to Mark despite the incessant flirting. 🥰
Overall, decent mystery and action but what I LOVE the most was the slow burn. I was a bit disappointed on book 1 because the sex overpowered the plot but this installment made up for it. Plenty of tension, sexy, sometimes cute, flirting, adorable blushing, and hot HOT kisses. Yes, the kisses and making out were hotter than the actual sex scenes. 🥵😍
July 28, 2020
Oh this was much better than expected. I liked Mark very much, Edward did take a bit longer to like - as he really implied some things inbetween which were not only not nice but nearly unforgiveable.
but after some discussions - and I really appreciate that they talked, a lot - they worked it out.
the mystery was well done as well
I think I will read the other books in this series as well as I really enjoyed the book
but after some discussions - and I really appreciate that they talked, a lot - they worked it out.
the mystery was well done as well
I think I will read the other books in this series as well as I really enjoyed the book
April 20, 2020
4.25 stars
Hell, this definitely cemented Jay Hogan as an author for me. I LOVE ALL of her books I read so far, and this one, is probably my most favorite to date. There are so many things that work really well for me.
First of all, SPARKS. SIZZLING. FIRE-CRACKLING. SPARKS. It is mentioned that detective Mark Knight and forensic pathologist Dr. Edward R. Newton had known each other for a while -- and Mark had been flirting with the prickly Edward -- so this book is the moment where everything is FINALLY come together. Thanks to a dead body, a mystery related to a previous dead body, and forced proximity because someone is targeting Edward, injuring the doc and the detective, so they had to stick close together.
I adored how these two are going for it. Mark is flirty and not afraid of throwing words that make Edward blush. But Edward also keeps Mark surprised when he banters back. It is such a delicious back and forth rally between the two ... and I was SALIVATING. The words are sharp, and funny, and sexy, and all around wonderful to read.
Second of all, they TALK. Oh yes, they do. Mark and Edward has their own baggage and issues with relationship. And I LOVED how they address it before they even do the horizontal tango. For me, it feels MORE INTIMATE than the actual physical intercourse itself. They respect each other problems and boundaries. So fuck*ing MATURE this book 🤗.
Third... A DOG. A big slobbery dog. 'Nough said
Things are rather dragging a bit in the middle, and I admit that the whole murder/torture part of the story is still rather blurry for me because I can't understand the motivation () of the crime. Those are things that stop this one for being a 5-stars read.
It's still a good book, though! I look forward to more stories from Jay Hogan. I know I will always be entertained 😘
Hell, this definitely cemented Jay Hogan as an author for me. I LOVE ALL of her books I read so far, and this one, is probably my most favorite to date. There are so many things that work really well for me.
First of all, SPARKS. SIZZLING. FIRE-CRACKLING. SPARKS. It is mentioned that detective Mark Knight and forensic pathologist Dr. Edward R. Newton had known each other for a while -- and Mark had been flirting with the prickly Edward -- so this book is the moment where everything is FINALLY come together. Thanks to a dead body, a mystery related to a previous dead body, and forced proximity because someone is targeting Edward, injuring the doc and the detective, so they had to stick close together.
I adored how these two are going for it. Mark is flirty and not afraid of throwing words that make Edward blush. But Edward also keeps Mark surprised when he banters back. It is such a delicious back and forth rally between the two ... and I was SALIVATING. The words are sharp, and funny, and sexy, and all around wonderful to read.
Second of all, they TALK. Oh yes, they do. Mark and Edward has their own baggage and issues with relationship. And I LOVED how they address it before they even do the horizontal tango. For me, it feels MORE INTIMATE than the actual physical intercourse itself. They respect each other problems and boundaries. So fuck*ing MATURE this book 🤗.
Third... A DOG. A big slobbery dog. 'Nough said
Things are rather dragging a bit in the middle, and I admit that the whole murder/torture part of the story is still rather blurry for me because I can't understand the motivation () of the crime. Those are things that stop this one for being a 5-stars read.
It's still a good book, though! I look forward to more stories from Jay Hogan. I know I will always be entertained 😘
April 24, 2020
Started off well...
This starting off really awesome! I loved the banter and the smart retorts. And then they just absolutely had to devolve into immature jerks who can’t do commitment.
The flip flop between wanting to be together and their phobia is real ya’ll. So real it got on my nerves. It felt like both of them took turns being immature jerks, to be honest. I started skimming after that because I just couldn’t handle them being worse than teenagers, really 🙈 gah!
This starting off really awesome! I loved the banter and the smart retorts. And then they just absolutely had to devolve into immature jerks who can’t do commitment.
The flip flop between wanting to be together and their phobia is real ya’ll. So real it got on my nerves. It felt like both of them took turns being immature jerks, to be honest. I started skimming after that because I just couldn’t handle them being worse than teenagers, really 🙈 gah!
June 12, 2021
3.7 stars. A romance between a detective and a Forensic pathologic was more entertaining than I first tought. Wasn't too attached to the romance or characters but might read other in the series
April 11, 2022
Po raz pierwszy, po tylu już przeczytanych książkach Jay Hogan, muszę przyznać, że średnio mi się podobało. Bohaterowie niezbyt do mnie przemówili, miejscami mnie irytowali (co się u JH jeszcze nie zdarzyło), miałam z nimi taki zdecydowanie letni związek. To absolutnie moja najmniej ulubiona historia i para, która wyszła spod pióra Jay Hogan...
dnf
July 11, 2024I think I paused this at 60-70%? But I don’t care enough to finish it after all these months
April 29, 2020
I've given this a B at AAR.
Up Close and Personal is the third book in Jay Hogan’s Auckland Med. series of novels featuring characters who work in law enforcement and emergency services in New Zealand’s largest city. The opposites-attract romance between a quietly contained pathologist and a flirtatious, out-and-proud detective has lots of lovely UST and is a delicious slow burn, and the mystery is well-paced, with some nicely-done action scenes and narrative twists. The leads are complex and engaging, and I enjoyed catching up with some of the characters from the previous books; but if you haven’t read them, don’t worry because each book in the series works perfectly well as a standalone.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Edward Newton relocated to Auckland from Christchurch a few months earlier, and when the book opens, he’s just arrived at a remote farm, where the body of a man has been washed up on a nearby beach. The weather is atrocious; he’s drenched and caked in mud and thinking things can’t get any worse when – of course – they do. The lead detective on the case is Mark Knight, who, for the three months Ed has known him, has never missed an opportunity to flirt with him and make it very clear he’d love to get into Ed’s pants. There’s no question that Mark is a very attractive man, but he’s got a reputation as a player and Ed isn’t into casual sex and one-night stands. It’s not that he’s never had them; he just finds they leave him feeling empty and disappointed. For him, attraction is about the whole package; knowing and liking someone is as important to him as what goes on in bed, and it usually takes him a while to feel attraction for someone. Which is what makes his stupid crush on a man he hardly knows so annoying and unnerving.
Mark Knight – whom we met in book one, First Impressions - makes no secret of the fact that he’s not interested in relationships and makes no attempt to counter his friends’ belief in his man-whore ways. He likes things casual and repeats aren’t his style; he’s sufficiently self-aware to understand exactly why he feels that way, but has never found a reason to want to break his own rules. But something about the prickly, self-contained and buttoned-up Edward Newton really does it for Mark, and he just can’t resist getting the man riled up with a bit of teasing and innuendo. Not only is Edward damn cute when he’s pissed, it also guarantees he’ll keep himself at a distance, which is just how Mark wants it. Until he doesn’t. Because he finds himself actually wanting to get to know Edward, something he rarely thinks about anyone, ever. This is huge and uncharted territory for Mark, whose only experience of love has been watching his parents, who were so utterly besotted with each other that they had zero time or affection to give to their only child.
Mark and Ed are both fairly sure that their interest in the other is returned, but neither is sure how to take the next step – or if he even wants to. Ed knows he’s not the easiest guy to be around; he’s introverted and likes his own space; he takes time to warm to people and is often perceived as undiplomatically blunt. But when he uncovers some disturbing and potentially damaging information about the case they’re currently working on – and that this death may be linked to one that occurred shortly before Ed arrived in Auckland – he and Mark decide to work together to see if they can work out if the similarities are coincidental or if there is something sinister at work. That question is answered, however, when Ed and Mark are attacked and their case files and laptops stolen. Clearly, someone is prepared to go to any lengths to prevent the truth coming to light, and the men know they won’t be safe until they’ve exposed whatever is going on and whoever is behind it.
The suspense plot is well executed and there are several candidates for ‘main villain’ right up until the reveal, so it did come as a surprise. In terms of the romance, the events of the story take place over just a few days, but because Mark and Edward spend most of that time holed up together and they’ve already known each other for three months, the steps forward they take in their relationship don’t feel rushed. They have great chemistry, but best of all, these guys COMMUNICATE. They dance around each other for a while, but even while they’re doing that, they’re talking about what they want and gradually lowering their barriers and allowing themselves to be vulnerable around each other. There’s no silly prevarication or persistent denial here; Mark is scared shitless at the prospect of venturing into relationship territory – something he has no real experience of – and isn’t afraid to admit it, but realises that he wants to move forward with Edward more than he wants to continue to play it safe. And Edward has to decide whether he’s prepared to take a risk on Mark and let him into his life and heart. I really liked the way they opened up to each other about their concerns and agreed to keep talking – it gave the romance a refreshingly mature feel and also made it clear that these two weren’t just reacting to the sudden danger they were in.
With that said, I did sometimes think that some of those discussions were a tad long-winded, and some of the mental lusting was a bit overdone, but overall, the romance worked for me. There was, however, one big part of the story that didn’t, which was the presence of Ed’s huge, jowly, slobbery mastiff – or rather the constant mention of her slobbering. Almost every time she appears, she’s accompanied by descriptions of drool, which… well, eeeew. She drools over clothes, she drools over bedding, she drools over everything, but the absolute worst was the moment she’s licking Ed’s face and – her tongue found its way into her owner’s open mouth. Just… ugh. Even now, writing out that quote for this review, the thought makes me feel sick.
It’s a small thing, and it’s obviously something that isn’t going to bother everyone, but when it comes down to it, I’m here to give my impression of the book as a whole, and the constant mentions of dog-drool honestly did take me out of the story a few times. YMMV, of course.
In spite of that, Up Close and Personal proved to be an absorbing and entertaining read. The leads are likeable and their romance is sweet, sexy, tender and laced with humour; their relationships with their friends and colleagues are well-drawn and ultimately, the author has achieved a good balance between the romance and the suspense to achieve a cohesive and enjoyable whole.
Up Close and Personal is the third book in Jay Hogan’s Auckland Med. series of novels featuring characters who work in law enforcement and emergency services in New Zealand’s largest city. The opposites-attract romance between a quietly contained pathologist and a flirtatious, out-and-proud detective has lots of lovely UST and is a delicious slow burn, and the mystery is well-paced, with some nicely-done action scenes and narrative twists. The leads are complex and engaging, and I enjoyed catching up with some of the characters from the previous books; but if you haven’t read them, don’t worry because each book in the series works perfectly well as a standalone.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Edward Newton relocated to Auckland from Christchurch a few months earlier, and when the book opens, he’s just arrived at a remote farm, where the body of a man has been washed up on a nearby beach. The weather is atrocious; he’s drenched and caked in mud and thinking things can’t get any worse when – of course – they do. The lead detective on the case is Mark Knight, who, for the three months Ed has known him, has never missed an opportunity to flirt with him and make it very clear he’d love to get into Ed’s pants. There’s no question that Mark is a very attractive man, but he’s got a reputation as a player and Ed isn’t into casual sex and one-night stands. It’s not that he’s never had them; he just finds they leave him feeling empty and disappointed. For him, attraction is about the whole package; knowing and liking someone is as important to him as what goes on in bed, and it usually takes him a while to feel attraction for someone. Which is what makes his stupid crush on a man he hardly knows so annoying and unnerving.
Mark Knight – whom we met in book one, First Impressions - makes no secret of the fact that he’s not interested in relationships and makes no attempt to counter his friends’ belief in his man-whore ways. He likes things casual and repeats aren’t his style; he’s sufficiently self-aware to understand exactly why he feels that way, but has never found a reason to want to break his own rules. But something about the prickly, self-contained and buttoned-up Edward Newton really does it for Mark, and he just can’t resist getting the man riled up with a bit of teasing and innuendo. Not only is Edward damn cute when he’s pissed, it also guarantees he’ll keep himself at a distance, which is just how Mark wants it. Until he doesn’t. Because he finds himself actually wanting to get to know Edward, something he rarely thinks about anyone, ever. This is huge and uncharted territory for Mark, whose only experience of love has been watching his parents, who were so utterly besotted with each other that they had zero time or affection to give to their only child.
Mark and Ed are both fairly sure that their interest in the other is returned, but neither is sure how to take the next step – or if he even wants to. Ed knows he’s not the easiest guy to be around; he’s introverted and likes his own space; he takes time to warm to people and is often perceived as undiplomatically blunt. But when he uncovers some disturbing and potentially damaging information about the case they’re currently working on – and that this death may be linked to one that occurred shortly before Ed arrived in Auckland – he and Mark decide to work together to see if they can work out if the similarities are coincidental or if there is something sinister at work. That question is answered, however, when Ed and Mark are attacked and their case files and laptops stolen. Clearly, someone is prepared to go to any lengths to prevent the truth coming to light, and the men know they won’t be safe until they’ve exposed whatever is going on and whoever is behind it.
The suspense plot is well executed and there are several candidates for ‘main villain’ right up until the reveal, so it did come as a surprise. In terms of the romance, the events of the story take place over just a few days, but because Mark and Edward spend most of that time holed up together and they’ve already known each other for three months, the steps forward they take in their relationship don’t feel rushed. They have great chemistry, but best of all, these guys COMMUNICATE. They dance around each other for a while, but even while they’re doing that, they’re talking about what they want and gradually lowering their barriers and allowing themselves to be vulnerable around each other. There’s no silly prevarication or persistent denial here; Mark is scared shitless at the prospect of venturing into relationship territory – something he has no real experience of – and isn’t afraid to admit it, but realises that he wants to move forward with Edward more than he wants to continue to play it safe. And Edward has to decide whether he’s prepared to take a risk on Mark and let him into his life and heart. I really liked the way they opened up to each other about their concerns and agreed to keep talking – it gave the romance a refreshingly mature feel and also made it clear that these two weren’t just reacting to the sudden danger they were in.
With that said, I did sometimes think that some of those discussions were a tad long-winded, and some of the mental lusting was a bit overdone, but overall, the romance worked for me. There was, however, one big part of the story that didn’t, which was the presence of Ed’s huge, jowly, slobbery mastiff – or rather the constant mention of her slobbering. Almost every time she appears, she’s accompanied by descriptions of drool, which… well, eeeew. She drools over clothes, she drools over bedding, she drools over everything, but the absolute worst was the moment she’s licking Ed’s face and – her tongue found its way into her owner’s open mouth. Just… ugh. Even now, writing out that quote for this review, the thought makes me feel sick.
It’s a small thing, and it’s obviously something that isn’t going to bother everyone, but when it comes down to it, I’m here to give my impression of the book as a whole, and the constant mentions of dog-drool honestly did take me out of the story a few times. YMMV, of course.
In spite of that, Up Close and Personal proved to be an absorbing and entertaining read. The leads are likeable and their romance is sweet, sexy, tender and laced with humour; their relationships with their friends and colleagues are well-drawn and ultimately, the author has achieved a good balance between the romance and the suspense to achieve a cohesive and enjoyable whole.
March 6, 2023
La intriga es muy floja porque está muy poco desarrollada y la parte romántica no tiene fuerza suficiente para paliar el poco nivel de la trama.
March 12, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
Up Close and Personal follows along with the Auckland Med series. Edward is the doctor that works in the hospital and Mark is the detective that reluctantly has to watch an autopsy Edward performs. The hospital connects the series, as well as Mark being close friends with the MCs from previous books. Edward and Mark have crossed paths over the last few months and they have definitely noticed each other. Mark has a reputation as being a player and that is not at all what Edward wants to get involved in, except every time he sees Mark, he can’t seem to shake him from his thoughts.
I have read all of Hogan’s books and the characters and relationship development are what appeal to me most about her style. This story opens with a dead body and both men being called to the scene and then moving to Edward’s office. The men get under each other’s skin in the best of ways and, on the surface, there is an undercurrent of dislike. The men appear different, but underneath they are more alike than they know or even want to know. They both have reasons for not wanting to get close and it’s a slow burn for these men to admit what they want and talk it out between them.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
Up Close and Personal follows along with the Auckland Med series. Edward is the doctor that works in the hospital and Mark is the detective that reluctantly has to watch an autopsy Edward performs. The hospital connects the series, as well as Mark being close friends with the MCs from previous books. Edward and Mark have crossed paths over the last few months and they have definitely noticed each other. Mark has a reputation as being a player and that is not at all what Edward wants to get involved in, except every time he sees Mark, he can’t seem to shake him from his thoughts.
I have read all of Hogan’s books and the characters and relationship development are what appeal to me most about her style. This story opens with a dead body and both men being called to the scene and then moving to Edward’s office. The men get under each other’s skin in the best of ways and, on the surface, there is an undercurrent of dislike. The men appear different, but underneath they are more alike than they know or even want to know. They both have reasons for not wanting to get close and it’s a slow burn for these men to admit what they want and talk it out between them.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
July 12, 2021
***Audio Review ***
Once again, Gary Furlong does a really good job with his narration. I much prefer when he has character voices to narrate as he does put his heart into it, and both Mark and Ed but especially Mark, had some great lines in this one. The problem for me with Gary is when he just has plain old narrative to narrate...he sounds bored, and this is when he becomes monotonous and dull IMHO.
***Book Review***
4.25 stars from me. Yes, I liked Mark from First Impressions, Josh's best friend and a DI in the Auckland Police. I also liked Edward R Newton, but I didn't feel as though either of them acted their age, although I'm happy Mark finally had his own HEA. Their seeming immaturity brought the rating down a little for me I'm afraid AND the fact that I'd guessed who the villains were.
Would love to see Sandy get his own HEA.
Once again, Gary Furlong does a really good job with his narration. I much prefer when he has character voices to narrate as he does put his heart into it, and both Mark and Ed but especially Mark, had some great lines in this one. The problem for me with Gary is when he just has plain old narrative to narrate...he sounds bored, and this is when he becomes monotonous and dull IMHO.
***Book Review***
4.25 stars from me. Yes, I liked Mark from First Impressions, Josh's best friend and a DI in the Auckland Police. I also liked Edward R Newton, but I didn't feel as though either of them acted their age, although I'm happy Mark finally had his own HEA. Their seeming immaturity brought the rating down a little for me I'm afraid AND the fact that I'd guessed who the villains were.
Would love to see Sandy get his own HEA.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews