Title: Nine Lights Over Edinburgh
Author: Harper Fox
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary M/M, Suspense, Action/Adventure
Length: Novel (42K words, 165 PDF pages)
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Summary Review: A Christmas story with two unusual protagonists who are tough as nails but soft where it counts. Harper fox has written another angst filled, gut wrenching romance that will break your heart, but at the same time will lift you up.
THE BLURB
Detective Inspector James McBride is riding high on the belief that he’s about to bust a human-trafficking ring. But just five days before Christmas, his unorthodox methods catch up with him and his world comes crashing down.
McBride tries to concentrate on his new day job as security for the visiting Israeli ambassador. He even starts to feel a renewed sense of self-worth when the leader of the Israeli team, the aristocratic Tobias Leitner, takes a bullet for him in the line of duty. But he can’t forget the trafficking case, especially when his investigations result in the kidnapping of his own daughter! McBride has no one to turn to for help—no one, except Toby.
Can these two very different men work together to bring about a holiday miracle—and heal one another’s heart in the process?
THE REVIEW
Detective Inspector James McBride had been screwing up his career for some time because he was an alcoholic and a gambler, and he committed the ultimate sin of drinking on the job. One evening, a week or so before Christmas, as he was leaving the department’s office party his second- in-command Andrew Barclay suddenly grabbed and pushed him into a darkened locker room where he proceeded to give him oral sex. McBride was so astonished he didn’t know what to do or say, other than enjoy the blow job because he had not had sex in over a year since his divorce. He was 40 years old and likely on the downslide of his career while Andrew was much younger, handsome and on the promotion fast track, and McBride couldn’t understand why he would do this because, as far as he knew, Andrew was straight. Why would he risk exposure and his career if they were discovered? Something seemed off about the sudden attraction for a man on Andrew’s part, but while he appeared to be uneasy McBride didn’t think anything of it because they had worked together for 5 years and he trusted Andrew.
McBride’s undercover investigation involving a human trafficking ring was jeopardized shortly after when he showed up drunk to meet his contact, and he didn’t realize until it was too late that his cover was blown. The next morning after a trip to the ER he was summoned to a meeting with his Superintendent, Lila Stone, who hated him with a passion and was looking for just this opportunity. She reassigned him to the security team for the visiting Israeli ambassador, took him off the human trafficking case, and demanded that he attend counselling for his alcoholism and gambling or lose his job. It was then he found out the extent of Andrew’s betrayal and how he had been played. As if that wasn’t enough, his ex wife gave him an ultimatum that was the most cruel blow of all. She demanded that he voluntarily stop seeing his daughter Grace until his alcoholism was under control, with no overnight visits even for Christmas, or she would go to court and fight for full custody – a case he had no chance of winning.
He showed up for his new assignment as down and depressed as he had ever been in his life, and it was then he met Tobias Leitner, head of the Israeli security team, a man to whom he felt strangely drawn. But before they could get to know each other they bonded in the way that people do when one saves the other’s life. Something went wrong with the elaborate security arrangements and when Toby saved McBride from a terrorist’s bullet he took the hit and almost lost his life. Can two men who lived so dangerously, who had both lost almost everything they valued, ever love someone so much that protecting him became more important than their own lives?
Harper Fox’s greatest strengths are her characterizations and in Nine Lights over Edinburgh Detective Inspector James McBride came alive in all his Scottish glory. McBride’s colleagues were all three dimensional and loyal to a fault, his ex and daughter Gracie were lovingly drawn as was her godmother Amanda, the former Police Superintendent, and the world building was so authentic I felt as if I were actually in the little town outside Edinburgh, Scotland where McBride lived. As for Toby Leitner, what a wonderful character the author created. He had just the right touch of arrogance as an Israeli Mossad officer, but he was also imbued with so much vulnerability over the loss of his former partner and lover that his grief was palpable. However, although he was still grieving he showed that he was prepared to move forward with a new love and he put his life on the line for McBride and Grace.
James McBride had tried to play the “straight” game for 10 years, having done the accepted thing by getting married and staying when that marriage was long over, for the sake of his daughter. When he could no longer pretend that this was what he wanted for the rest of his life he got a divorce. The only male lover he had ever had was decades ago and his father, a minister, soon put a stop to that. Now he was free to live as a gay man but he didn’t know where to start and had not been attracted to anyone until he met Toby who made it clear that he wanted him, and not just for a night. Their romance played out against a backdrop of the human trafficking case which turned into a debacle that hit too close to home for McBride, and almost led to him losing not only his job but something much more precious – his daughter. Only Toby stood in the way of his life completely blowing up in his face.
This is the fourth book I have reviewed by this author and her stories are not for the faint of heart. Her protagonists are flawed men who are on the brink of destroying their lives and seem determined to do so, no matter what the cost, and they are usually damaged almost beyond redemption. As a reader sometimes the ride is really rough, but in the end the journey is always worth it.
Harper Fox has written another angst filled, gut wrenching romance that will break your heart, but at the same time will lift you up. There’s no fluff or hearts and flowers here. This is a superbly written, intense, action/adventure with danger around every corner, but good things come at the end. 🙂
Nine Lights Over Edinburgh – not your usual Christmas fare.
Highly recommended.
Great review Wave. Leave it to Harper to give us an action/adventure Christmas story!
Thanks TJ. This is definitely not the usual holiday fare. I just love her characters and plots.
I love, love, LOVE Harper’s writing. We visited Edinburgh last summer. I can’t wait to read a story that takes place in a setting I’ve seen personally. 🙂
Patty
If you’ve visited Edinburgh you will love James’ Scottish accent and everything else in this story which is so heartwarming, despite its theme. As usual, Harper did an outstanding job on her story.
Thanks for that lovely review, Wave. I love McBride and Toby and I’m really delighted they speak to you as vividly as they did inside my head.
Patty, TJ – enjoy the story, and thank you very much!
Best
Harper
Harper
This is definitely an unusual story and I loved every minute of it. Both Toby and McBride were wonderful protagonists and little Gracie almost stole the show.
I just need to know when I have to gird my loins for your next book. lol. Who knew that a Christmas story would prove to be so dangerous? 🙂
Wow, another great offering in this collection. Looks like I’m getting them all. Great review.
Lynn
I think the four of us got lucky when we reviewed these individual stories, all of which are A+. I really would like this anthology in print and it’s a pity that Carina doesn’t offer their books in print.
Harper’s story is so different, just like the writer, and she really let us have it with both barrels with this book. 🙂 Outstanding!
Nice review Wave! Harper quickly became a “must read” author for me. Loved “A Midwinter Prince” and looking forward to this one. Ack – so many great stories becoming available this week it’s like being a kid in a candy store 🙂
Thanks Diane. She is definitely one of my new favourite authors and I recommend her to any reader who is looking for a book that’s unusual and intense. She definitely doesn’t write hearts and flowers and not everyone will be able to take the intensity of her plots and characters but I love them.
I hope you enjoy Nine Lights over Edinburgh – it’s definitely not your usual holiday fare.
Lovely, lovely, very emotional story. I’ve read only Harper’s Life after Joe before this one and, while I liked it well enough, there was something in it that kept me from loving it. I don’t know what it was, it was hard for me to pinpoint it. But, I simply loved this one and I’m not ashamed to say I cried through better part of it. James was a wonderful character and Toby was just what he deserved. I can see other Harper’s books on my HD in a very, very near future. 🙂
Halfway through the anthology and, so far, it rocks! Now, moving to ZAM and Josh.
LadyM
I may be biased but I think this may be the best of the collection because it isn’t the usual Christmas story and it’s filled with drama, love and loss. I love the way that Harper writes – she takes no prisoners. lol
Yes! Not your usual holiday fare, is it? But I think it helps balance the sweetness of the rest of the antholgy — and then I do love Harper’s work so much.
This story was just so…cold. You felt the chill of the stone and the wet streets and the bite in the air — and the terrible danger around every corner — so when the light finally comes. It’s just wonderful.
Great review, Wave.
Hey Josh
Thank you for coming by. This has been an eventful day for Carina.
As I mentioned to Lady M, I love the way that Harper writes because she takes no prisoners. 🙂 She’s one terrific writer and as her mentor you should be proud of your influence on her writing.
I love flawed characters, so I shall look forward to reading this. Great review, Wave :).
Jen
As you know, I don’t do angst very well yet Harper has become one of my favourite writers and every. single. damn. story is angst ridden. Don’t know why I love her protagonists but I do. She’s an exceptionally gifted writer.
Hi Wave….I guess I can thank you in advance for what I know will be another great read. I loved Harper Fox’s “Life After Joe” on your rec so I know I can’t go wrong adding this one to my TBB list too!
Elaine
If you want to read an unusual holiday story that’s packed with plot you will love Nine Lights Over Edinburgh.
The fact that Toby is Jewish makes the story even more interesting, both as a romance and in terms of the plot.
If you haven’t read Harper’s other stories my favourite is Driftwood and if you read it you will understand why. I love it even more than Life After Joe.
Hi Wave,
Thanks for the review. I saw the few books posted here from Carina Press, and I’m about to go on a shopping spree.
But before that, I have a question. When you say:
Harper Fox has written another angst filled, gut wrenching romance that will break your heart, but at the same time will lift you up. There’s no fluff or hearts and flowers here. This is a superbly written, intense, action/adventure with danger around every corner, but good things come at the end.
You mean it ends on a positive note, right? I’m not someone who demands a HEA, but I’d love to read a story that ends on a hopeful note. If it’s angst all the way, I fear my heart will break.
I’m definitely in the market for M/M books that put a lot of stock in plot and writing. I love the romance, too, but ahahaha, the sex is incidental to me (I don’t need to see the scenes described in detail every 15 pages :P).
(As an example, I recently picked up Elle Parker’s Coffee & Donuts, and Beer and Pizza – loved them so much because it’s more plot than sex, and the characters and stories are intriguing.)
Hi S.
Yes, there is definitely a HEA and a wonderful one. 🙂 There is sex in the book but it comes almost at the end and that’s so well done. Harper is an incredible writer and she seems to know how much plot to include to make her stories fantastic, and Nine Lights Over Edinburgh is packed with plot so you will love this story.
Please come back after you have read it to let me know what you think. As I said in the review, this is definitely not your usual Christmas fare. lol
Thanks for the response. 🙂 I love the sex scenes, too, but only within context. I just bought His for the Holidays Collection since it’s so highly rated by all of you. And since I haven’t had any experience with these authors, it’s a good time to try them out.
I’ll let you know what I think of them when I finish. 😀
S.
The amount of sex definitely fits the plot and the characters. McBride hadn’t had any sex with a man in about 20 years and was just coming off a divorce, and Toby had lost his partner less than a year ago, so I thought that aspect of the story was handled well.
These are some of the top M/M authors so you won’t be disappointed. The plots and the characters are diverse therefore you won’t be bored either. 🙂
I just finished all 4 of the stories and this was my hands down favorite (though I loved the others too). The writing, characterization, and plot are all amazingly well done. There were so many things to love, but I was especially impressed with the character’s bad decisions, flaws, and issues that were handled so well.
It was such a nice balance with the other stories and it just makes me want to re-read all of Harper’s works and consider stalking her until something new comes out.
Nolagal
This is why I love Harper’s writing! She’s exceptional and her characters are so flawed you wonder if their lives will ever be resolved, but she always manages to provide a realistic HEA.
You and I should both stalk her. lol
We can just follow her around and demand she write for us. It’s a solid plan. I love how everything I read of hers just gets better and better.
I just finished this story and while I loved her writing as much as ever and did not have a problem with this story being so much darker than the rest of the anthology, I did feel that the plot was in places too complex for novella and needed more page space to develop it. I love complex action/adventure/romantic plot, but I felt like it was too much for such short story. Loved the guys though and loved the descriptions of Edinburg.
Oh, if the author may see these comments, I was also wondering where the idea of Masad officer allowing to do what was done to Tobi’s former lover comes from. Thanks.