N.R. Walker - Tallowwood

Sydney Detective August Shaw has spent the last decade of work solving cold cases. Since the death of his boyfriend eight years ago, August works alone, lives alone, is alone--and that's exactly how he likes it. His work is his entire life, and he's convinced a string of unsolved cold-case suicides are linked to what could be Australia's worst ever serial killer. Problem is, no one believes him.
Senior Constable Jacob Porter loves his life in the small town of Tallowwood in the middle of the rainforests in northern New South Wales. He runs summer camps for the local Indigenous kids, plays rugby with his mates, has a close family, and he's the local LGBTQIA+ Liaison and the Indigenous Liaison Officer.
When human remains are found in the camping grounds at Tallowwood Reserve, Jake's new case turns out to be linked to August's cold cases, and Jake agrees they're not suicides at all. With Jacob now firmly in August's corner, they face one hurdle after another. Even when more remains are found, they can't seem to gain ground.
But when the body of a fellow police officer turns up under the same MO, it can't be ignored anymore. August and Jake must trace the untraceable before the killer takes his next victim or before he stops one of them, permanently.

Comment: I had seen this book being recommended by several readers and I enjoyed the books by the author I have read already, thus choosing to try this one as well wasn't difficult at all.

Human remains are discovered in Tallowwood, a quiet place in the northern part of New South Wales and the similarity to other cases makes senior constable Jacob Porter to call detective August Shaw, responsible for investigating those cases. It does seem the cases might be connected but doing all that is necessary is complicated since not many people believe August when he says the murders are the work of a serial killer. As the investigation develops, with sudden new little things becoming obvious, August and Jacob become close and despite the difference in their personalities and ages, they do form a bond... but is there room for romance when a killer ants up his tally?

I've found this book to be engrossing and captivating to read. It has a murder investigation which is vibrant and interesting without too much graphic details and goring scenes, which makes it bearable to go through, and includes a cute romance between two people who might pose for the definition of "opposites attract", and this did please me a lot.

August is a 41 year old detective who has lived through a terrible loss, especially hard since it was linked to the cases he is investigating. He is now a loner, only dedicated to his work but still determined to catch the killer who has been murdering gay men for years. The fact he is gay too makes it even more important for he feels it's his duty in a way, to try to help others he empathizes with and he wants to give closure to the family members still waiting for news. He is likable and competent but he was a little too aloof, this is true. I liked him, though, and his dynamics with Jacob helped to give him perspective.

Jacob is bubbly, sweet and competent, is 29 and dedicated his time to many things, loves his job and his family and the rain forests around Tallowwood. He is very different from August but as keen to find the killer, not only for the same reasons as Augusts' but also because he wants to give back serenity and peace to the place and he believes in the spiritual beliefs of his Aboriginal ancestors. I liked him a lot, I loved the fact he went though prejudice of course,but this didn't bring him down and his confident personality makes him a very approachable and humble person to want to see succeeding.

Their romance is sweet and develops slowly, with some cute yearning scenes, a lot of consideration for what they are doing but always a certain notion there can be something special about the other. Their age difference isn't much of a deal except for some light teasing, and I was convinced their personalities would adjust fine to one another. I still think the story would have gained from a more obvious romance development (no, I don't mean sex scenes), mostly to counterbalance the sadder aspects of the police investigation, but the focus was not on romance alone.

The murder investigation and the details we get to learn while they investigate, the method the killer uses to incapacitate the victims were very well planned, the psychology of why this happened to begin with, all sounded well planned by the author and gave me food for thought. 

Along with the descriptions of that Australian region, the references to some cultural elements and the characters dynamics, all made for a great reading experience. A bit more romance (for me, it would have been a plus) and a bit more explanation of a few details would have made this even better, but I was very happy with the result. Will read more by the author, of course.

Grade: 8/10

NR Walker - The Weight of It All

After being dumped by his long-term boyfriend for being overweight, Henry Beckett decides to make some drastic changes. In a vain attempt at getting his boyfriend back, Henry does the most absurdly frightening thing he can think of.
He joins a gym.
Reed Henske is a personal trainer who isn’t sure he’ll ever be ready to date again. He’s sick of guys who are only interested in the perfect body image, never seeing him for who he really is.
As Reed tortures Henry with things like diet and exercise, Henry enamours Reed with recipes and laughter. As the friendship lines start to blur, Henry is convinced there’s no way Thor-like Reed could ever be interested in a guy like him.
Reed just has to convince Henry that life isn’t about reaching your ideal bodyweight. It’s about finding your perfect counterweight.

Comment: After seeing many positive reviews on this book I thought "why not" and decided to get it. Finally, it was time to pick it up and start reading...

This book begins with Henry realizing his weight has been the main reason why his long term boyfriend left him although probably not only because of that. He decides it's time to change his days and he joins a gym, not only to, perhaps, win his ex back but to prove he can be more attractive and energetic. By doing so he meets Reed, a personal trainer who enrolls Henry in a program and they hit it off pretty much from the start. As the days pass and his body starts to change, so does Henry's attitude and everyone likes who he is becoming. Henry knows his change in habits can explain why he feels better in his skin but could it also have something to do with his friendship with Reed, even outside of the gym?

It was very enjoyable to read this book. It's easy and low in angst and we know it will end well. It's also not focused on the sexual relationship, so we can appreciate the story for its moral lesson: we should do what makes us happy while having a healthy life and that feeling good to ourselves and in our own skin, will make others like us more and be happy to be near us.

This is basically what happens to Henry as he tries to change a bit after his boyfriend left him. In the blurb it is said he does it to get his ex back and that might be the reason why he took the first step but let me say that the plot is more centered on Henry's self journey into being happy in his own skin. That also means the romance is quite ow level, but very sweet and tender nonetheless, because we get to see the little things that make him and Reed be happy in each other's company.

In fact, if there is something I might change or would emphasize, that would be how much of an impact the changes had in Henry because, considering the writing style - so direct and without fluff - it looks as if, sometimes, this isn't such a big deal and the changes are just difficult physically while Henry mentions some exercises. In fact, the biggest changes are in his personality and perception of himself as someone worthy but at times I felt this made it look like the physical side of things, the motivation to go to the gym and the time it takes to notice he was different physically was made to seem quick, easy. I think Henry was sometimes too economical in the descriptions of how much that might have been.

I suppose I understand the author wanted to reinforce the fact that the big thing happening here was Henry realizing if he was nicer, if he felt he was improving, those around him would see a better side of him, the same way if we are feeling well and smile to others, they will be more likely to reciprocate. However, there were moments I felt the process was happening too quickly and too easily.

As for the romance, it was more on the sweet, companion-like level, than a passionate or pining kind of way. The two guys are in sync for most of the time, they have many things in common - certainly part of their emotional journeys too, and their professional relationship runs smoothly. Slowly we get to see how they might be developing feelings but there's nothing flashy or dramatic over it. When the time comes, they just talk about it, everything goes quite simply and they act like people going through doubts and uncertainty about the other person.

I liked them as a couple but theirs was a cute, tender romance.. I think if the author had added a bit more pining to their feelings, a bit more "need" to how they wanted each other, this would have been even more romantic, especially if the focus would have kept being the emotional and not the sexual aspect of their love demonstrations. 

 This was a sweet story, it's true, easy and funny in several passages, shows a positive side to weight loss and accepting oneself and the message is all we could ask for. Personally, the romance could have been a little stronger and the writing a bit more intense here and there but, for the most part, I liked reading this book and getting to know Henry and Reed.

Grade: 8/10

NR Walker - Learning to Feel

Resigned to living a sexless, loveless life, Doctor Nathan Tierney knows something is missing. In a rash decision, he leaves his life-consuming job at Mass General Hospital, Boston, to be the small-town doctor in Belfast, Maine.
With the job comes a house, and with the house comes a handyman-painter. Trent Jamieson, a nomadic artist, and his dog Bentley, are offered free accommodation for the few weeks he fixes up the hospital-owned house.
Nathan is transfixed by this free-spirited, undeniably gorgeous man. Confused but amazed to feel any kind of attraction - much less to a man - Nathan convinces himself to put aside any preconceived ideas, and allows himself to just feel.
As their attraction for each other grows, one man learns to live, the other learns to love. But just who is teaching who?

Comment: This short story was recommended to me by a fellow m/m reader. This book is a free read as stated on the author's site and it's available at ARe, where I got my copy. The story looks promising from the blurb alone and I was actually looking for to read it.

This is the story of doctor Nathan Tierney, a young man who' dedicated his whole life to studies and work but has always felt apart from others and not even his wonderful close family helps every time. When the chance to change airs and start working at a quieter place comes his way, he signs up and moves to a small town, away from the stress of the hospital where he is at.

At the house part of the deal, he finds Trent Jamieson, a painter who's finishing some walls. In the meanwhile they have to share the house and Nathan starts to feel attracted to Trent although that has never happened to him before. What can happen with them?

I liked the story for the most part. This was the first story by this author I've tried and it wasn't that bad as I may have thought when I knew some insta-love would be going on.

The story is pretty simple, Nathan is a tired doctor who wants a change of pace. He meets a man he begins to be attracted to and then develops feelings for him. There are some obstacles which I think were slightly oversimplified but this is a romance and I liked the fantasy of it.

Still, I can't help but wrinkle my nose at how fast it was for Nathan to go from a overstressed man to one used to quiet and even more from someone without libido - his words - to be practically in love with another man, while he never even thought about being gay.

I know gay-for-you plots can work, I've read some that, while not believable, were done in such a way I loved them anyway. But in this case I think his evolution was too fast and for such an analytical person as a doctor should be, I think he didn't think properly about what was happening in his life. I assume such a discovery would make one think a lot before coming into any truths or positions in life. Sure, the goal is to be the opposite, like the title says, Nathan should let go and feel, be alive. But there's new thinking and there's life changing.

Trent seems a good man. I did find some faults with him, which is great because or things go too wrong or too perfect and that's harder to come across as something usual people would be like.

Trent is one of those with bad experience in his past when it came to come out of the closet, but he's a good man and has a good heart, despite some bad decisions that influence the development of the story. I mean, nothing bad, but as always, any words we say or don't say can be read differently by others, thus miscommunication and that can set the potential for problems. Or not, as we could saw everything worked out well here. A bit too much, but still.

I liked how Nathan's family accepted him and was here for him no matter his own feelings of fear or anticipation. Again, this isn't certainly the norm for gay individuals out there, but it was sweet and uplifting and that exists too, so I can't really say it would not happen.

I think some situations in the story were there only to exemplify something and to make the characters do something, as the plot is very simple once they admit their feelings for each other. The end was a bit too sugary for my taste, but it's a HEA and sometimes that's the best thing anyone can ever hope so.

I think it's very difficult to balance a believable story with a realistic one plus a HEA. I think this one wasn't done perfect on all counts but it came out good and that's what I remember the most.

Grade: 7/10