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Working Dogs #1
Scapegoat
Special Agent Nolan Hudson
At seventeen, I ran. I joined the military and planned to never step foot in my home town again. Nothing could make me return to that hellhole and the pain I buried there, or so I thought— until I found myself on a plane to that very place.
Almost two decades later, I’m forced home to help find a missing nine year old. As a member of the most elite K9 special unit in the country, it was my job and you can’t exactly say no to the FBI. It should be easy, and I won’t have to face what I ran from.
However, the case is anything but simple and to make matters worse, I’m faced with the last person I ever wanted to see again: Officer Callum Stone— the sheriff’s son and the town’s golden boy. Only he’s not anymore—he’s a ruin of what he once was.
It’s Callum’s kid who’s missing, and all the feelings I’d spent almost twenty years running from rise to the surface.
As secrets come to light, we realize our small town is hiding a lot more than we thought, and we’ll have to follow the trail of deception to get justice and maybe a second chance at love.
Scapegoat is a second chance MM romantic suspense, featuring a small town, some FBI K9 fun, and hurt/comfort vibes. It is the first book in J.R. Gray's Working Dogs series, which will be packed with action, suspense, and humor.
At seventeen, I ran. I joined the military and planned to never step foot in my home town again. Nothing could make me return to that hellhole and the pain I buried there, or so I thought— until I found myself on a plane to that very place.
Almost two decades later, I’m forced home to help find a missing nine year old. As a member of the most elite K9 special unit in the country, it was my job and you can’t exactly say no to the FBI. It should be easy, and I won’t have to face what I ran from.
However, the case is anything but simple and to make matters worse, I’m faced with the last person I ever wanted to see again: Officer Callum Stone— the sheriff’s son and the town’s golden boy. Only he’s not anymore—he’s a ruin of what he once was.
It’s Callum’s kid who’s missing, and all the feelings I’d spent almost twenty years running from rise to the surface.
As secrets come to light, we realize our small town is hiding a lot more than we thought, and we’ll have to follow the trail of deception to get justice and maybe a second chance at love.
Scapegoat is a second chance MM romantic suspense, featuring a small town, some FBI K9 fun, and hurt/comfort vibes. It is the first book in J.R. Gray's Working Dogs series, which will be packed with action, suspense, and humor.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2022
197 people are currently reading
542 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Gray
59 books1,271 followersWhen not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it's half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.
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February 11, 2022
Scapegoat is book one in the new series, Working Dogs, by J.R. Gray. This is a MM second chance romantic suspense.
Special Agent Nolan Hudson I’m thinking is about thirty four years old and is part of the FBI K-9 Search and Rescue team. He loves his job. His dog is a lab named Snoop Dog! And I have to tell you that I loved the dogs in this book. Seventeen years ago, Nolan fled his small home town in Wisconsin with a broken heart, vowing he would never return. But now a child is missing and his team has been called in to look for her. Little did he know that the little girl they would be looking for is the daughter of the man who broke his heart.
Officer Callum Stone is the son of the town sheriff and a single dad to his nine year old daughter. His daughter is missing and he’s frantic to find her. Ever since the day seventeen years ago that he broke Nolan’s heart, the only person he has ever truly loved, his life has been a mess. The only good thing in it is his little girl. And on top of everything else, after all these years, there he is, the man he has never been able to forget.
“Forgiveness was the greatest gift he could give.”
These two feel the same connection that brought them together all those years ago immediately. I loved Nolan and he just let all the anger and hurt go and was there for the man who hurt him so badly. They just clicked right back together.
This book had a little bit of everything, some heart pounding suspense, a sweet little girl, dogs that were amazing, some hot smexy scenes and some humor. I struggled with a few things though as well. There were some vague scenes that confused me a bit. A few things seemed a little random, just like they were out of nowhere with no explanation. And some of the conversations seemed to be at inappropriate times when I couldn’t really imagine that they would be talking about the things they were while in whatever circumstances they were in at that moment. I did enjoy the book and loved that Callum and Nolan got their second chance. I’ll be interested to see who is next in the series. I’m thinking it could be Nolan’s partner, Hayes but we’ll have to wait and see.
Special Agent Nolan Hudson I’m thinking is about thirty four years old and is part of the FBI K-9 Search and Rescue team. He loves his job. His dog is a lab named Snoop Dog! And I have to tell you that I loved the dogs in this book. Seventeen years ago, Nolan fled his small home town in Wisconsin with a broken heart, vowing he would never return. But now a child is missing and his team has been called in to look for her. Little did he know that the little girl they would be looking for is the daughter of the man who broke his heart.
Officer Callum Stone is the son of the town sheriff and a single dad to his nine year old daughter. His daughter is missing and he’s frantic to find her. Ever since the day seventeen years ago that he broke Nolan’s heart, the only person he has ever truly loved, his life has been a mess. The only good thing in it is his little girl. And on top of everything else, after all these years, there he is, the man he has never been able to forget.
“Forgiveness was the greatest gift he could give.”
These two feel the same connection that brought them together all those years ago immediately. I loved Nolan and he just let all the anger and hurt go and was there for the man who hurt him so badly. They just clicked right back together.
This book had a little bit of everything, some heart pounding suspense, a sweet little girl, dogs that were amazing, some hot smexy scenes and some humor. I struggled with a few things though as well. There were some vague scenes that confused me a bit. A few things seemed a little random, just like they were out of nowhere with no explanation. And some of the conversations seemed to be at inappropriate times when I couldn’t really imagine that they would be talking about the things they were while in whatever circumstances they were in at that moment. I did enjoy the book and loved that Callum and Nolan got their second chance. I’ll be interested to see who is next in the series. I’m thinking it could be Nolan’s partner, Hayes but we’ll have to wait and see.
February 19, 2022
MM romance, Contemporary, Police Procedural, Small Town, Second Chance, Kid in The Picture, Unlimited
Ah… Well 2.5 Stars
I feel bad about my rating because it’s very well written, smooth, and polished. The issue is that Callum and Nolan bored me as a couple, their temperament didn’t mesh.
Callum is this weak man who simply allowed life to roll over him, repeatedly. His daughter had more depth and courage than he has ever had throughout his fictional life. Nolan isn’t any better, and he just allowed himself to be walked over, made all the concessions, and never stood up for himself.
They are well-developed characters, and so are all the secondary characters. But, the entire time, I was a lot more interested in the dynamics between Nolan and his partner, or Knox and Nolan. I wouldn’t even have minded learning more about the sheriff, but Callum, ugh.
I feel disappointed, I read this in its entirety because it’s well written in terms of language, sentence structure, world-building, and character development. But the pacing felt off to me. The external conflicts with the mc’s dad, the missing child, the case surrounding the mother… all of it felt flat. And I mean that emotionally…but also too many hands-on-deck where you sort of felt disconnected and uncaring whether it was solved or not.
Also, I think it was all too real for me. I know it’s a strange thing to say but the weaknesses of the characters, and their lack of or at least the minimal amount of personal growth was too close to the reality of many real-life ppl stuck in unhealthy relationships.
That’s how I felt about their romance, I didn’t think it was good for either of them. I felt Callum was just using Nolan and Nolan was too weak to move on from a high school romance gone wrong. Ugh, I really didn’t like Callum. Seriously.
I am going to say, I totally recommend this book because it has me venting. Any book that has me reacting so strongly deserves to be recommended for better or worse. I'm also curious about J.R. Gray's work, I will be giving this author another go just on the writing style alone.
Ah… Well 2.5 Stars
I feel bad about my rating because it’s very well written, smooth, and polished. The issue is that Callum and Nolan bored me as a couple, their temperament didn’t mesh.
Callum is this weak man who simply allowed life to roll over him, repeatedly. His daughter had more depth and courage than he has ever had throughout his fictional life. Nolan isn’t any better, and he just allowed himself to be walked over, made all the concessions, and never stood up for himself.
They are well-developed characters, and so are all the secondary characters. But, the entire time, I was a lot more interested in the dynamics between Nolan and his partner, or Knox and Nolan. I wouldn’t even have minded learning more about the sheriff, but Callum, ugh.
I feel disappointed, I read this in its entirety because it’s well written in terms of language, sentence structure, world-building, and character development. But the pacing felt off to me. The external conflicts with the mc’s dad, the missing child, the case surrounding the mother… all of it felt flat. And I mean that emotionally…but also too many hands-on-deck where you sort of felt disconnected and uncaring whether it was solved or not.
Also, I think it was all too real for me. I know it’s a strange thing to say but the weaknesses of the characters, and their lack of or at least the minimal amount of personal growth was too close to the reality of many real-life ppl stuck in unhealthy relationships.
That’s how I felt about their romance, I didn’t think it was good for either of them. I felt Callum was just using Nolan and Nolan was too weak to move on from a high school romance gone wrong. Ugh, I really didn’t like Callum. Seriously.
I am going to say, I totally recommend this book because it has me venting. Any book that has me reacting so strongly deserves to be recommended for better or worse. I'm also curious about J.R. Gray's work, I will be giving this author another go just on the writing style alone.
February 11, 2022
Something is missing, didn't love the relationship between Callum and Nolan. Nolan forgived him way to easily and I felt like he was doing all the work in the relationship. Nolan needs some self respect and not to be a doormat.
Loved Maddie. She was the best other than Snoop, Nolan's dog. The suspense part felt underwelming, and we didn't really get any closure regarding their parents.
Loved Maddie. She was the best other than Snoop, Nolan's dog. The suspense part felt underwelming, and we didn't really get any closure regarding their parents.
February 9, 2022
A Really interesting second chance romance with a bit of mistery and suspence!! 😍
February 15, 2022
This new year resolutions of mine was that i will not make myself miserable to torture-read books if the book doesn't meet my expectations.
This is definitely one of those ... not even 3rd page and there was so many wrong things. Professionally the MC shouldn't do this job. Not paying attention to briefing of a missing child's case ... fired.
Character wise superficial not even covers it.
Conversations were immature, not suited to grown MEN. And yes emphasize on men, because no way a grown FBI agent would behave like a hormon fueled 13 year old girl gasping and giggling.
Just because you attach an appendix to a character clearly written originally as a woman doesn't make it a man.
DNF ...and i think I'm done with this author...
This is definitely one of those ... not even 3rd page and there was so many wrong things. Professionally the MC shouldn't do this job. Not paying attention to briefing of a missing child's case ... fired.
Character wise superficial not even covers it.
Conversations were immature, not suited to grown MEN. And yes emphasize on men, because no way a grown FBI agent would behave like a hormon fueled 13 year old girl gasping and giggling.
Just because you attach an appendix to a character clearly written originally as a woman doesn't make it a man.
DNF ...and i think I'm done with this author...
November 30, 2023
2/5 stars
February 5, 2022
"Scapegoat" was a perfectely enjoyable read, but I felt like something was missing.
I'd managed to read "Sitting Ducks", the short novella in this same series before starting this and I really loved it: I was so looking forward to finally understanding what precisely happend in Wisconsin and to finally meet Nolan Hudson.
"Scapegoat" was fine. Action-packed and angsty, with some dark and tough themes and a boatload of hurt/comfort, and it still managed to be funny and romantic. I really liked the first half of the book, but well, after that I got a bit bored. I'm still not sure what went wrong, but I'm a bit disappointed. "Sitting Ducks" was so promising!
There were lots of things I liked, though. While I wasn't overly keen on the romantic relationship (I'll get back to that), I loved all the other relationships: Callum and Maddie were the most precious thing (and Maddie was AMAZING: I loved her so much, she was such a little, brave badass) and Nolan and Hayes had the funniest work husbands dynamic ever. Out of all the (human) characters, Knox was my favourite: he was already fantastic in "Sitting Ducks" but I was so delighted to discover how much he appears in this one aswell. The best characters were, obviously, the dogs and Snoop deserves all the love. I even liked Callum and Nolan, at least individually... together? Not so much.
I'm very picky with my second-chance romances, because if they're done well, they could utterly SLAY me. This second-chance romance was... underwhelming. I liked them, don't get me wrong, but I felt like something was missing. The ingredients were all so right though! The angst, the pain, the regret, the all-encompassing love. I was just missing something: maybe it was a bit more sexual chemistry, maybe I just couldn't see what was so amazing about either one of them that made 17 years of pining worth it. I'm not sure. But, oh well, nevermind.
The plot was pretty fantastic though, packed with tension and mystery and action. I'm also very, very curious to see what's going to happen next, if J.R. Gray is planning on expanding his series and who, precisely, is going to be the next protagonist(s). I hope it's Brixton and/or Ellis. They both felt very promising.
Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review.
I'd managed to read "Sitting Ducks", the short novella in this same series before starting this and I really loved it: I was so looking forward to finally understanding what precisely happend in Wisconsin and to finally meet Nolan Hudson.
"Scapegoat" was fine. Action-packed and angsty, with some dark and tough themes and a boatload of hurt/comfort, and it still managed to be funny and romantic. I really liked the first half of the book, but well, after that I got a bit bored. I'm still not sure what went wrong, but I'm a bit disappointed. "Sitting Ducks" was so promising!
There were lots of things I liked, though. While I wasn't overly keen on the romantic relationship (I'll get back to that), I loved all the other relationships: Callum and Maddie were the most precious thing (and Maddie was AMAZING: I loved her so much, she was such a little, brave badass) and Nolan and Hayes had the funniest work husbands dynamic ever. Out of all the (human) characters, Knox was my favourite: he was already fantastic in "Sitting Ducks" but I was so delighted to discover how much he appears in this one aswell. The best characters were, obviously, the dogs and Snoop deserves all the love. I even liked Callum and Nolan, at least individually... together? Not so much.
I'm very picky with my second-chance romances, because if they're done well, they could utterly SLAY me. This second-chance romance was... underwhelming. I liked them, don't get me wrong, but I felt like something was missing. The ingredients were all so right though! The angst, the pain, the regret, the all-encompassing love. I was just missing something: maybe it was a bit more sexual chemistry, maybe I just couldn't see what was so amazing about either one of them that made 17 years of pining worth it. I'm not sure. But, oh well, nevermind.
The plot was pretty fantastic though, packed with tension and mystery and action. I'm also very, very curious to see what's going to happen next, if J.R. Gray is planning on expanding his series and who, precisely, is going to be the next protagonist(s). I hope it's Brixton and/or Ellis. They both felt very promising.
Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2022
I read Sitting Ducks as part of the Your Book Boyfriend’s Boyfriend and really enjoyed it, so when the chance came to read Nolan’s story I leapt at it!
I didn’t enjoy this anywhere near as much as I liked Sitting Ducks. Initially, I wasn’t sure why – the parts I really enjoyed included Nolan’s relationship with Maddie, Snoop, the friendship between Hayes and Hudson, Knox and the procedural stuff. These were all top notch in my opinion.
The bits I didn’t like: the relationship between Callum and Nolan. Which, as they were the MCs was obviously a bit of a problem. I didn’t like how easily Nolan forgave Callum for what he had done in the past, and I didn’t feel enough time was given to resolving all of that between them. I didn’t like that Nolan seemed to be doing all of the work between the two of them – initially,yes, I could see why that was but after a while, it just got tiresome! Flying back and forth across the country once a month whilst Callum didn’t reciprocate just bugged the heck out of me! There were times when I mixed up Nolan and Callum because they didn’t come across to me as two separate people – their voices were too similar. There were too many loose ends for me – there felt like there was a huge amount of build up with regard to the Sheriff with no pay-off (for me at least); the relationship between Nolan and his parents – what was up with that? How come after such an intense friendship where they shared everything, Nolan treated Hayes so shabbily?
I really enjoyed getting to know Knox better, and like I said the stuff with the dogs was brilliant – the Snoop thing completely cracked me up! I am working my way through J.R. Gray’s M/M catalogue and really enjoyed Pretty Obsessed, and I will be on the lookout for the next Working Dogs book, but this one just didn’t work for me.
3.5/5 for me, although obviously YMMV.
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews.
I didn’t enjoy this anywhere near as much as I liked Sitting Ducks. Initially, I wasn’t sure why – the parts I really enjoyed included Nolan’s relationship with Maddie, Snoop, the friendship between Hayes and Hudson, Knox and the procedural stuff. These were all top notch in my opinion.
The bits I didn’t like: the relationship between Callum and Nolan. Which, as they were the MCs was obviously a bit of a problem. I didn’t like how easily Nolan forgave Callum for what he had done in the past, and I didn’t feel enough time was given to resolving all of that between them. I didn’t like that Nolan seemed to be doing all of the work between the two of them – initially,yes, I could see why that was but after a while, it just got tiresome! Flying back and forth across the country once a month whilst Callum didn’t reciprocate just bugged the heck out of me! There were times when I mixed up Nolan and Callum because they didn’t come across to me as two separate people – their voices were too similar. There were too many loose ends for me – there felt like there was a huge amount of build up with regard to the Sheriff with no pay-off (for me at least); the relationship between Nolan and his parents – what was up with that? How come after such an intense friendship where they shared everything, Nolan treated Hayes so shabbily?
I really enjoyed getting to know Knox better, and like I said the stuff with the dogs was brilliant – the Snoop thing completely cracked me up! I am working my way through J.R. Gray’s M/M catalogue and really enjoyed Pretty Obsessed, and I will be on the lookout for the next Working Dogs book, but this one just didn’t work for me.
3.5/5 for me, although obviously YMMV.
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews.
October 18, 2022
DNF at 43%
I am not a person who doesn’t finish a book, but this book was not for me. I couldn’t finish it. Supposed 17year gap between seeing each other and heartache and angst, all the pining in between those years? Nope. Straight off forgiveness and that’s it. Story over.
I appreciate the author and I respect their time and ability to write, and anyone who writes a book gets stars from me, bc that is a huge accomplishment. Unfortunately the story wasn’t for me.
I am not a person who doesn’t finish a book, but this book was not for me. I couldn’t finish it. Supposed 17year gap between seeing each other and heartache and angst, all the pining in between those years? Nope. Straight off forgiveness and that’s it. Story over.
I appreciate the author and I respect their time and ability to write, and anyone who writes a book gets stars from me, bc that is a huge accomplishment. Unfortunately the story wasn’t for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2022
Another amazing book by JR Gray. Loved getting to know Callum & Nolan. Perfect second chance romance. Absolutely loved that the Snoop & Anubis are such a big part of this story. Hoping Callum & Nolan appear in later stories. I miss them already & I just finished reading.
February 16, 2022
Amazon
Nolan's on the way back to the place he never wanted to be again, but when his job commands he go back to help find a missing child, he knows he can't say no. Here's hoping he doesn't run into the ex who decimated his heart all those years ago. Just his luck it's Callum's child who's missing. Now he just has to hope he can maintain an outward indifference to the man he still hasn't gotten over...
Callum too has never gotten over his ex. The difference being he's the reason Nolan left town, the reason they've both had broken hearts ever since. But when Nolan comes back to town on the job, will this be a second chance for them? Or is Nolan too jaded now to let Callum back into his heart?
I mostly enjoyed this second chance story, but not so much for the romance but for the mystery aspect. I loved Callum's daughter, and especially loved Nolan's dog/partner Snoop. The actual relationship was probably my least favorite part of the story, though, because I felt the connection between the two men was lacking in intensity and strength. I didn't really believe Callum deserved a second chance, quite frankly, but I was rooting for Nolan to find happiness. Since Callum was the man he loved, he got a pass, but only because of that. I am planning on checking out the rest of the series, though, even though this first one wasn't my favorite second chance story. The writing was good, though, the pace steady, and there were some standout characters in Maddie and Snoop. There were also some secondary characters whose stories I'm definitely interested in - Knox and Hayes, and I'm hoping they'll both find love and happiness too.
ARC provided by Candi Kane PR for an honest review.
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June 6, 2022
Wow, that was a stunning story. It was raw, real, and emotional AF.
The longing, the history, and the struggle was so palpable that there was no way I couldn’t finish this in one sitting. Ugh, these two have such an incredible second chance story that is by no means any easier the second time around, but so bloody worth it. I loved both Nolan and Callum, even if at times you wanted to yell at them (especially Callum), they felt real and intimate. And oh, their ‘first’ time together was everything.
As emotional as this story was, it also had some fantastic humor, moments where I literally laughed out loud. Maddie and Hayes both brought some especially great moments. And of course a shout out to K9 Snoop Dog, still laughing over that.
As an audiobook, it was fantastic. John Solo was a perfect pairing for a JR Gray novel. His performance, voice, and understanding of the material were spot on. He just captured it beautifully and really brought the story and characters to life.
Definitely one of the top audiobooks I’ve read/listened to.
The longing, the history, and the struggle was so palpable that there was no way I couldn’t finish this in one sitting. Ugh, these two have such an incredible second chance story that is by no means any easier the second time around, but so bloody worth it. I loved both Nolan and Callum, even if at times you wanted to yell at them (especially Callum), they felt real and intimate. And oh, their ‘first’ time together was everything.
As emotional as this story was, it also had some fantastic humor, moments where I literally laughed out loud. Maddie and Hayes both brought some especially great moments. And of course a shout out to K9 Snoop Dog, still laughing over that.
As an audiobook, it was fantastic. John Solo was a perfect pairing for a JR Gray novel. His performance, voice, and understanding of the material were spot on. He just captured it beautifully and really brought the story and characters to life.
Definitely one of the top audiobooks I’ve read/listened to.
February 16, 2022
Well, Callum is not very likeable, is he? I mean, I know that when we met him he is in a bad place, but it looks like he has always hidden himself in a bottle and drowned in self-pity. I truly don't know what Nolan sees in him, TBH, nor why he was still pinning, after all those years. Me? I would have been congratulating myself about getting scout free from that one. Seriously, I was tempted to skip the chapters from his POV, that much I dislike him. Not hard to imagine then that I really didn't buy into the romance side of things :/
Why then 3 stars? Because the action scenes and the procedure ones were really good, because I really liked Maddie and because it has a lot of well-done suspense that kept me reading until the end.
Why then 3 stars? Because the action scenes and the procedure ones were really good, because I really liked Maddie and because it has a lot of well-done suspense that kept me reading until the end.
February 23, 2022
This book had so many of the things I like to read about! Second chances, cop stories, smart kids and cute dogs! Nolan and Callum separate in high school because they don't believe their small town is ready for them. Years later Nolan returns to help find Callum's missing daughter. I enjoyed the fact that these men still had a bond after seventeen years apart. And that the author didn't shy away from showing the hardship they had to go through to be together. And all of this is set against a story with a bit of small town intrigue. This was a book well worth the time to read it.
February 17, 2022
This is my first book by this author and it makes me want to read more. A fast-paced second chance romance that had me unable to put it down. The addition of a kid and dog added a lot to the story.
The steamy scenes built up naturally, and I thoroughly enjoyed the slow burn. These characters were deep and troubled, but still entertaining and sweet. Excited to read the next one!
The steamy scenes built up naturally, and I thoroughly enjoyed the slow burn. These characters were deep and troubled, but still entertaining and sweet. Excited to read the next one!
February 13, 2022
This is a good second chance romantic suspense book, and a solid start to the Working Dogs series. It is action-packed, with a decent dash of angst, and a whole load of hurt/comfort vibes. This is one of my favourite tropes, and I think Nolan and Callum’s romance was well-executed. I felt the pain and regret, as well as a good balance of light-hearted humour, passion, and tenderness. Finally, they get their HEA, with just a little help from the sweetest little girl! The story was fast-paced and engaging; I can’t wait for more!
February 11, 2022
Great start to the series
I do like second chance romance and I really enjoyed this one. It was nice seeing Nolan and Callum back together after such a long time but I will say Nolan forgave way to quick in my opinion especially as he was so hurt. I bloody loved the banter between Nolan and his partner Hayes it just flowed and I think that's what made the book really. Hayes did seem to disappear for a bit which I found weird but he comes back so all ok lol Also you gotta love Maddie (Callums daughter) and snoop (Nolans dog) . 😊 I'm looking forward to book two
I do like second chance romance and I really enjoyed this one. It was nice seeing Nolan and Callum back together after such a long time but I will say Nolan forgave way to quick in my opinion especially as he was so hurt. I bloody loved the banter between Nolan and his partner Hayes it just flowed and I think that's what made the book really. Hayes did seem to disappear for a bit which I found weird but he comes back so all ok lol Also you gotta love Maddie (Callums daughter) and snoop (Nolans dog) . 😊 I'm looking forward to book two
February 5, 2022
Nolan and his K9 return to his home town to help look for a kidnapped child. Seeing the man who broke his heart seventeen years ago, isn’t easy. Damn hard actually. Callum has never stopped loving Nolan. But his treatment of the boy he loved leaves him scared and unsure of how they can get past their past. Especially since the missing child is his daughter.
This second chance romance was nice. I did have a few issues with how quickly Nolan forgave Callum for his past betrayal. That said, I liked these guys together. Add a bold little girl and a special K9 search dog and it was a well rounded story. The other K9 handlers and their dogs were just added reasons to like the story.
Well done story, with just enough suspense and hot times to make this a one sitting read.
This second chance romance was nice. I did have a few issues with how quickly Nolan forgave Callum for his past betrayal. That said, I liked these guys together. Add a bold little girl and a special K9 search dog and it was a well rounded story. The other K9 handlers and their dogs were just added reasons to like the story.
Well done story, with just enough suspense and hot times to make this a one sitting read.
February 10, 2022
4 STARS FOR SCAPEGOAT!! Wow, this on kept me on the edge and turning pages....what a good way to start a new series. I love dogs, so definitely a plus for me and great characters makes it a good read. This one had suspense, love, dogs and so much more.
September 23, 2022
This was such a good story about second chances. We have Nolan, who is an FBI K9 agent who left his small-town with a broken heart. Callum is the son of the sheriff of said small-town & is the one that broke Nolan's heart. Nolan's partner is also a K9 handler & that seemed a little odd to me that both partners would be handlers & have their own dogs. You would think that there would only be one dog. Anyway, Nolan and his partner Griffin, who I liked and hope we get to see more of in the future, are sent back to his hometown on a missing child case. Turns out that the missing child is Callum's daughter. When Nolan & Callum see each other, it is clear that their feelings for each other have not changed in the 17 yrs since Nolan was gone. What I really liked about the story was that Nolan made the decision that he wasn't going to hold the hurt/anger against Callum. As they work together to find Maddie, they also grow close again and realize that time apart hasn't dulled their feelings. Our MC's finally get their HEA with a little help from Maddie, she was so very cute. I can't wait for more!!
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion
February 16, 2022
3.5 Stars
What I Loved: The procedural portion during the first half of the book, I loved the search and rescue mission to find Callum's daughter. I loved Knox and Hayes, Nolan's coworkers, they were awesome! I loved Hayes and Nolan's friendship and their banter and bets during the first half of the book. I would've happily read an entire book of them alienating their boss, LOL! I loved Snoop Dog, such a clever name for an amazing dog. Maddie, Callum's daughter, was such a precocious little girl and I adored her to bits.
What I Liked: Nolan, first of all, he was too good for Callum, yes, they had chemistry, but Nolan kept giving and giving and I just wanted to strangle someone *cough Callum cough* and get it over with. I got that Callum was having a hard time with his daughter's disappearance and later with her mom's death, but not only did they avoid talking (and Callum apologizing) about what broke them up 17 years ago until after the 70% mark, but again, Nolan was the one making allowances. *sighs* I also hated that Nolan got so wrapped up in Callum that he totally forgot about his work husband, Hayes. *slaps some sense into Nolan*
What I Didn't Like: Callum, I couldn't stand him. He kept making excuses for everything and kept hurting Nolan and not really bothering that Nolan was running himself ragged for him. The conclusion of Maddie's case, I didn't see it coming and it felt a little anticlimactic, tbh. *shrugs* I really felt like Nick (Nolan's twin and Callum's 'supposed' BFF) was like an afterthought and underused and I would've liked seeing more of him in the book.
So, there was a lot I enjoyed about this book and then there were some things that didn't work as well for me, but overall, I liked the book, although unfortunately, the romance portion didn't quite work for me. Would I read more books in the series? Sure, and I'll certainly be reading Sitting Ducks, because I loved Knox and Hayes.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
What I Loved: The procedural portion during the first half of the book, I loved the search and rescue mission to find Callum's daughter. I loved Knox and Hayes, Nolan's coworkers, they were awesome! I loved Hayes and Nolan's friendship and their banter and bets during the first half of the book. I would've happily read an entire book of them alienating their boss, LOL! I loved Snoop Dog, such a clever name for an amazing dog. Maddie, Callum's daughter, was such a precocious little girl and I adored her to bits.
What I Liked: Nolan, first of all, he was too good for Callum, yes, they had chemistry, but Nolan kept giving and giving and I just wanted to strangle someone *cough Callum cough* and get it over with. I got that Callum was having a hard time with his daughter's disappearance and later with her mom's death, but not only did they avoid talking (and Callum apologizing) about what broke them up 17 years ago until after the 70% mark, but again, Nolan was the one making allowances. *sighs* I also hated that Nolan got so wrapped up in Callum that he totally forgot about his work husband, Hayes. *slaps some sense into Nolan*
What I Didn't Like: Callum, I couldn't stand him. He kept making excuses for everything and kept hurting Nolan and not really bothering that Nolan was running himself ragged for him. The conclusion of Maddie's case, I didn't see it coming and it felt a little anticlimactic, tbh. *shrugs* I really felt like Nick (Nolan's twin and Callum's 'supposed' BFF) was like an afterthought and underused and I would've liked seeing more of him in the book.
So, there was a lot I enjoyed about this book and then there were some things that didn't work as well for me, but overall, I liked the book, although unfortunately, the romance portion didn't quite work for me. Would I read more books in the series? Sure, and I'll certainly be reading Sitting Ducks, because I loved Knox and Hayes.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
February 8, 2022
3.5 stars…This book is the first book in the new working dogs series. There is a prequel though I’m not sure whether it is better to read it before or after this book. While the book is listed as romantic suspense and it’s about an FBI K9 handler, Nolan, and a deputy, Callum, there is much more romance than suspense. This is a second chance story, high school sweethearts with a horrible breakup reunited after nearly 20 years. I really liked and felt for Nolan. I felt bad for Callum but he wasn’t as sympathetic a character.
The crime element starts out as a missing little girl who turns out to be Callum’s daughter. Initially it is believed her mother abducted her. It turns into a murder/drug trafficking case. But there’s not really a lot about the case and the resolution to it is less than exciting. The crisis moment is also rushed and bland.
The relationship part is given more time, detail, and depth. The journey to rebuilding the relationship and trust is more the focus of the book. The big relationship reveal is amusing but ends up rushed due to the crime element popping back up. As a result, none of the elements of the story feel fully satisfying. The ending isn’t really clear on how it got there. All of a sudden we are six months in the future and no explanation for how decisions were made or how things ended with the crime.
It was still an entertaining read and much better than I anticipated having read the prequel novella first. I strongly recommend you don’t do that as it has spoilers for this book that take some of the suspense out of it. It also has parts that make no sense after reading this book (incorrect names for one.) But the end of this book has spoilers and parts that make no sense given what I read in the prequel either. The two books really need to be reconciled. It’s kind of a mess and a dubious start to a series. Gray really needs a better editor and proofreader.
**I voluntarily read an arc and this is my unbiased opinion.**
The crime element starts out as a missing little girl who turns out to be Callum’s daughter. Initially it is believed her mother abducted her. It turns into a murder/drug trafficking case. But there’s not really a lot about the case and the resolution to it is less than exciting. The crisis moment is also rushed and bland.
The relationship part is given more time, detail, and depth. The journey to rebuilding the relationship and trust is more the focus of the book. The big relationship reveal is amusing but ends up rushed due to the crime element popping back up. As a result, none of the elements of the story feel fully satisfying. The ending isn’t really clear on how it got there. All of a sudden we are six months in the future and no explanation for how decisions were made or how things ended with the crime.
It was still an entertaining read and much better than I anticipated having read the prequel novella first. I strongly recommend you don’t do that as it has spoilers for this book that take some of the suspense out of it. It also has parts that make no sense after reading this book (incorrect names for one.) But the end of this book has spoilers and parts that make no sense given what I read in the prequel either. The two books really need to be reconciled. It’s kind of a mess and a dubious start to a series. Gray really needs a better editor and proofreader.
**I voluntarily read an arc and this is my unbiased opinion.**
June 16, 2022
Callum allows himself to be an absolute doormat to his horrible father while making none of the compromises in his relationship with Nolan and Nolan just takes it. Callum pushes away any difficult conversations about the future of their relationship and Nolan gets upset and just allows him to. We get a flashback scene to what happened in high school but there’s never a present day in depth conversation despite them referencing it here and there. It felt like Callum wanted to just brush past it but after all the mutual pining and hurt Nolan was subjected to it felt wrong not to see that happen. I really don’t think Callum and Nolan were healthy for each other. It seemed like Callum was just using Nolan so he wasn’t lonely and he was comfortable for him despite what happened in high school. Knox is presented as a sweet helpful agent looking for a change here but in Working Dogs, the prequel, I found him to be an obnoxious, arrogant, entirely unlikeable man. It's like reading about an entirely different character.
March 19, 2022
Scapegoat is series starter in Working Dogs. HEA. MM Contemporary Romance. Suspense. Crime. Second Chances. Coming out. Hurt Comfort. Men in Blue. Trigger warning: Missing Child
2POV, 1st person, past tense. This kindle edition 250 pages, 9th February 2022.
This one was a good read! JRG is so good at writing to my taste :D
I jumped into reading this right after another JRG title which was of completely different type romance, but I love this one just as well. I love the variety. It made me really curious about what's going to happen next. I have nothing to complain about the story. An easy read. It's well written as this author writes. I was hooked on not only the romance plot, but the general plot and the side characters too besides the main characters who have a past from when they were young to deal with now they're grown up and lots of time has gone by and they meet again. There's K9 business and cute kid, and a well-crafted mix all around. A nice combo, well done!
2POV, 1st person, past tense. This kindle edition 250 pages, 9th February 2022.
This one was a good read! JRG is so good at writing to my taste :D
I jumped into reading this right after another JRG title which was of completely different type romance, but I love this one just as well. I love the variety. It made me really curious about what's going to happen next. I have nothing to complain about the story. An easy read. It's well written as this author writes. I was hooked on not only the romance plot, but the general plot and the side characters too besides the main characters who have a past from when they were young to deal with now they're grown up and lots of time has gone by and they meet again. There's K9 business and cute kid, and a well-crafted mix all around. A nice combo, well done!
March 20, 2022
I liked it, but it left me confused. I didn't get what their deal was 17 years ago. There were hints here and there, but nothing concrete to grab a hold of. The current mystery is also still a mystery to me. Oh, it got resolved, but somewhere behind the scenes. Other than that, I liked the writing and the flow of the story. It was a bit weird on occasion, but still enjoyable.
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
March 23, 2023
I'm wondering about the intense hate these characters have for their hometown. It's very intense and while in Callum's case, I can even understand it, then with Nolan I never understood what his issues with that were. It was kinda weird. How the characters thought about it.
The dogs were super cute.
I don't mind that it wasn't all that angsty. It was fine.
I do wonder about the title of the book though.
The dogs were super cute.
I don't mind that it wasn't all that angsty. It was fine.
I do wonder about the title of the book though.
April 17, 2022
3.5 Stars
I liked the storyline but sadly, the chemistry is missing completely!
I liked the storyline but sadly, the chemistry is missing completely!
December 20, 2024
Rating: 3.5/5 🌟
Spice: 2.5/5 🌶️
Characters: Callum and Nolan
Spice: 2.5/5 🌶️
Characters: Callum and Nolan
February 14, 2022
3.75 Stars
*** Arc Provided by GRR. This is my honest review ***
I enjoyed this one. It started off pretty quickly and I will admit to being surprised at how quickly Nolan changed his opinion on Callum, but as I continued, I think it was actually refreshing as Nolan understood that his friend needed support so he let go of the anger and hurt feelings and was there for his friend.
The storyline was engaging and kept me entertained throughout. The guys do have some hang-ups about the past and that makes it a little that neither wants to rock the boat, but they do face things head on. The main one holding back is Callum, and yes he has his reasons but at times he was frustrating. I really liked Nolan's brother and how he stood up for Nolan. I hope we get to see more of him. I also loved seeing Knox and how he was involved with the case. It helped knowing a little about how his mind works.
The way this one was wrapped up was well done. I was wondering how Nolan would go and I think the resolution was one that worked for both of the guys.
*** Arc Provided by GRR. This is my honest review ***
I enjoyed this one. It started off pretty quickly and I will admit to being surprised at how quickly Nolan changed his opinion on Callum, but as I continued, I think it was actually refreshing as Nolan understood that his friend needed support so he let go of the anger and hurt feelings and was there for his friend.
The storyline was engaging and kept me entertained throughout. The guys do have some hang-ups about the past and that makes it a little that neither wants to rock the boat, but they do face things head on. The main one holding back is Callum, and yes he has his reasons but at times he was frustrating. I really liked Nolan's brother and how he stood up for Nolan. I hope we get to see more of him. I also loved seeing Knox and how he was involved with the case. It helped knowing a little about how his mind works.
The way this one was wrapped up was well done. I was wondering how Nolan would go and I think the resolution was one that worked for both of the guys.
February 16, 2022
4.5 Stars
Scapegoat by J.R. Gray is a page-turning mystery romance novel. It's filled with great main and side characters, including the coolest search and rescue dogs. This is a second chance, small-town romance that makes your heartache for the MCs and root for their future.
Police officer, Callum, has had a rough go of things in his life. An abusive father, a drug-addicted on and off girlfriend, and a deep dark secret that's been eating at him for the last 17 years. Worst of all, his crazy ex took his daughter in the middle of the night, and they're now missing. The FBI search and rescue team has been called in to help. Tensions are high, but when he sees his long-lost friend, Nolan, one of the agents sent to help, things turn up to 11. Will they be able to find Maddie in time to save her from exposure?
FBI Agent Nolan Hudson never planned to return to his hometown in Wisconsin, but his great plans changed. He's called back to find a missing little girl. Never in his wildest dreams did he think it would be the kid of his first love, Callum. He and his team search the woods high and low. It's with the help of his dog, Snoop Dog, that they're able to save her and start looking forward.
These men are given a second chance at love, but there's still so much at stake, like Callum still being in the closet. And the men living in different states. Will they be able to make it all work and solve why Maddie was taken in the first place?
This book was so dang good. I had a hard time putting it down from page one. The only issue I had was with how quickly Nolan forgave Callum for how he treated him when they were younger, but clearly, Nolan is way more evolved than I am. If you like books about gorgeous law enforcement guys, smoking hot steamy scenes, and a good bit of banter between friends, this one's for you. Also, I have to give a big shout-out to the K9 pups. They were fiercely protective, and the scenes with Maddie and Snoop were some of my favorites.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn’t a requirement. ***
Scapegoat by J.R. Gray is a page-turning mystery romance novel. It's filled with great main and side characters, including the coolest search and rescue dogs. This is a second chance, small-town romance that makes your heartache for the MCs and root for their future.
Police officer, Callum, has had a rough go of things in his life. An abusive father, a drug-addicted on and off girlfriend, and a deep dark secret that's been eating at him for the last 17 years. Worst of all, his crazy ex took his daughter in the middle of the night, and they're now missing. The FBI search and rescue team has been called in to help. Tensions are high, but when he sees his long-lost friend, Nolan, one of the agents sent to help, things turn up to 11. Will they be able to find Maddie in time to save her from exposure?
FBI Agent Nolan Hudson never planned to return to his hometown in Wisconsin, but his great plans changed. He's called back to find a missing little girl. Never in his wildest dreams did he think it would be the kid of his first love, Callum. He and his team search the woods high and low. It's with the help of his dog, Snoop Dog, that they're able to save her and start looking forward.
These men are given a second chance at love, but there's still so much at stake, like Callum still being in the closet. And the men living in different states. Will they be able to make it all work and solve why Maddie was taken in the first place?
This book was so dang good. I had a hard time putting it down from page one. The only issue I had was with how quickly Nolan forgave Callum for how he treated him when they were younger, but clearly, Nolan is way more evolved than I am. If you like books about gorgeous law enforcement guys, smoking hot steamy scenes, and a good bit of banter between friends, this one's for you. Also, I have to give a big shout-out to the K9 pups. They were fiercely protective, and the scenes with Maddie and Snoop were some of my favorites.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn’t a requirement. ***
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