Splinters

Title: Splinters
Author: Thorny Sterling
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 12, 2014
Genre(s): Contemporary, Mystery
Page Count: 170
Reviewed by: Lili
Heat Level: 2 flames out of 5
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Blurb:

Waking up in a strange place isn’t a first for model and actor Allan Seville, but discovering himself alone and bound to a rough plank in the middle of an open Texas range certainly is. With no memory of who did this to him or why, panic sets in, until rescue comes riding up on a big, brown horse.

There’s more to Duke Walters than a handsome face and sexy drawl. In the arms of this rugged cowboy, Al discovers a peace and safety he never knew he needed, and now doesn’t want to be without.

But someone wants Al out of the way and drugging him during a movie junket in Houston is only the beginning. A world of differences may separate this cowboy and diva, but when danger strikes again, Duke might be the only one who can get them out alive.

What a delightful little book this was! It’s fun, light, sweet, and sexy. In this story we have Allan, an androgynous model turned actor who found himself alone, naked and tied up. In rides Duke, the rugged cowboy (every time he talked I heard Matthew McConaughey’s Southern drawl) who rescues him. The romance takes off rather quickly and it kind of scared me this could become an insta-love not done right but it wasn’t. These two characters fit so well together that it just felt right. The book is not oozing with sex scenes but the few that it has are quite delicious- and to be honest it didn’t need them.

We also have a mystery at hand. Who did this to Al and why? Normally I shy away from mysteries. I read them here and there for a change but not typically my cuppa. I get bored with them. Luckily, I didn’t with this one. Thorny Sterling didn’t have the mystery overshadow the romance. It was a perfect blend of both. For anyone maybe shying away for that reason- fear not! Give this a go!

My only two complaints are that I wish it had been told from a dual POV (I so wanted inside Duke’s head!) and that it had been a bit longer. I didn’t want it to end. I just loved the characters and Thorny has a great way with words and was able to make me feel as if I was in the story. This was a solid 4 star book and a great debut by Thorny Sterling. Well done!