A Solitary Man (Ele’s review)

Title: A Solitary Man
Author: Shira Anthony and Aisling Mancy
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: November 6, 2015
Genre(s): Contemporary/Mystery-Suspense
Page Count: 304
Reviewed by: Ele
Heat Level: 3.5 flames out of 5
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Blurb:

Sparks fly when Chance meets tall, sexy Xav at a Wilmington bar and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn’t do repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word. Later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild meets Dare’s Landing’s newest deputy sheriff, Xavier “Xav” Constantine, Evan isn’t only wary. He’s irritated as hell.

Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the eleven-year-old witness who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in the heat of a sweltering North Carolina summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on

Just the thought that the child abuse and child sex trafficking described in this book, are based on real events, feels like a punch in the gut. Lets just say that my level of respect for the people working on cases like these, is much higher after reading this story.

Xavier Constantine, former FBI agent and current deputy sheriff, and Evan “Chance” Fairchild, assistant district attorney meet at a club, and after an explosive one night stand, they part ways. Little did they know that a few days later, they would end up working on the same case.

The mystery.
This is one of the most well-written suspense stories I’ve ever read. It was hard to read, because the authors didn’t shy away from the ugliness of it. It isn’t just numbers and statistics and people sitting behind desks trying to solve a mystery. The child abuse is off page but the horror of it is right there, in your face.

Xav and Chance have to work together on a prostitution/ drug/ child trafficking case. There are surprises at every corner and although I take pride in figuring mysteries out from the get go, I really didn’t expect how things played out in the end.

The romance.
I have to admit that I missed the romance. I feel that the mystery overtook the story at some points and there were large parts of the book that are just action and suspense. There is slow burn and there are romantic moments. There aren’t many steamy scenes, but the existing ones are very intense, detailed and emotional. Chance is a solitary man and it’s not easy to let Xav in. And Xav is way too deep in the case, it’s now personal for him. BUT in the end we get our HEA and it is a hard earned one.

Had there been more romance, this would be a solid 5 star read for me. But then again, I’m greedy and when I see explosive chemistry and connection like these two had, I want more.

First time with these authors left a great impression. Recommended!

Buy Link Aisling Link Shira Link GoodReads