Fish Out of Water (PIU’s Review)

Title: Fish Out of Water
Author: Amy Lane
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: July 29th, 2016
Genre(s): Mystery, Crime
Page Count: 270
Reviewed by: PIU
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Blurb:

PI Jackson Rivers grew up on the mean streets of Del Paso Heights—and he doesn’t trust cops, even though he was one. When the man he thinks of as his brother is accused of killing a police officer in an obviously doctored crime, Jackson will move heaven and earth to keep Kaden and his family safe.

Defense attorney Ellery Cramer grew up with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, but that hasn’t stopped him from crushing on street-smart, swaggering Jackson Rivers for the past six years. But when Jackson asks for his help defending Kaden Cameron, Ellery is out of his depth—and not just with guarded, prickly Jackson. Kaden wasn’t just framed, he was framed by crooked cops, and the conspiracy goes higher than Ellery dares reach—and deep into Jackson’s troubled past.

Both men are soon enmeshed in the mystery of who killed the cop in the minimart, and engaged in a race against time to clear Kaden’s name. But when the mystery is solved and the bullets stop flying, they’ll have to deal with their personal complications… and an attraction that’s spiraled out of control.

Fish out of Water is not exactly a romance. It’s a mystery and it was rough and gritty. The romance between the MCs cannot actually be called sweet or angsty. There was a lot of push and pull with one guy pushing aggressively to land the man he has been crushing for 6 years and the other trying to run away fast coz he thinks he is worthless. I have read Amy Lane before and this book is not like her usually written romances. The mystery/ investigation was on the front seat and the romance just tagged along.

Jackson Rivers is an ex cop who now is working as a PI in a law firm. After his “brother” Kaden is wrongfully accused of killing a cop, Jackson is shoved again into the world of dirty cops he has escaped with scars and bullet wounds, almost 8 years ago. Kaden is Jackson’s family and he needs the best lawyer his firm has to offer. Enter Ellery Cramer. He is a prim and proper lawyer, who knows how to make a cop cry on stand. Thus, making him the best choice Jackson has to get Kaden acquitted.

Jackson had a rough childhood. His mother is a druggie, her next hit more important than her only son. Kaden’s family has always been his real family. They had always had each others backs. So come hell or high water, Jackson will do his absolute best or die trying to get him out.

Ellery had a crush on the gruff and foul mouthed PI for a long time. Now he has the chance to work with him and get to know the guy more intimately. What he sees turns his crush to a full blown “over the top” attraction. Jackson has baggages and is ever ready to push Ellery away but he is determined to win the man over by any way possible.

“Fucking mine, you hear me? Mine- no one else’s, you’re fucking mine and I fucking want you. I want you, and I’m taking you, and I’m never giving you back!”

SEXY Huh*winks*

There is a lot of action in this book. We have drive bys after drive bys. The investigation gets sabotaged again and again when witnesses die and evidences are tampered with. I liked the fast pace of the plot. Jackson is street smart and with Ellery’s quick thinking, they start to unravel the mystery behind the murder of a rookie police officer, which also ties back to Jackson’s past connection with dirty cops. And in between being shot at and followed and run over, Ellery and Jackson manages to have some pretty hard core sex.

As the romance is a secondary in this book, there is no sweet love making or expressing of feelings. Both our MCs are pretty hard core when it came to getting the job done. The growing attraction between them culminates in great sex but there are no mushy stuff. They get their HEA as Ellery finally convinces Jackson that he is worthy of love and capable of having more than one night stands.

I enjoyed reading the mystery and would have absolutely loved it if so many things were not left unresolved. The way it ended, this book is definitely the start of a series. The ending felt a little off. The way the entire case was wrapped up felt very easy after all the bullets that Jackson and Ellery dodges. You would guess a villain to be more villainy (I am weird, I know*shrugs*)

Bottom line, mystery lovers should definitely read this book. I would look forward to Jackson and Ellery’s next adventure in ridding the city of dirty cops, once and for all.

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