CHASING SAFE HARBOR by Andrew Grey

Fiction, Contemporary Romance, M/M, Suspense

3***

Blurb: The last thing DEA contractor Thorsen Magnus wanted was an assignment that brings him back to where he grew up, a small town four hours north of San Francisco. He left years ago to get away from his intolerant father and hasn’t been anxious for a reunion. But he has a job to do, and his reward might turn out to be more than he hoped for. Michael Constantine trained as an architect, but now works for his father’s construction company. Unlike his golden child younger brother, he does all his family expects and still feels like he can never do anything right for his father. Needing time to think, he goes to his favorite spot overlooking the ocean, where he witnesses something strange through the fog, and in the process nearly falls right into Thor’s strong arms. Thor had been hoping to see a rendezvous off the coast, but Michael’s presence changes everything. Thor needs to know what he saw, but as attraction builds with Thor’s attempts to get Michael to confide in him, so does Thor’s caution about starting a relationship, no matter how strong the desire. Eventually they agree to work together, but any investigation in a small town has the potential to come close to home and could terminate their fledgling relationship before it really begins.

Thoughts: At only a hundred pages, this was a short, quick read. Thor and Michael are good characters who have family issues—mostly with their fathers. But the two of them work well together. Thor is a DEA contracted agent searching for drug runners in a small town north of San Francisco. He meets Michael while staking out an area where the ships might meet and the two have an instant attraction. Michael helps Thor out and the two draw closer. The heat levels build nicely and the intimate scenes are well-written.

What I had a problem with was the length of the story vs. the subject matter. I really wish we could have found out more about why Thor and his father didn’t get along. And what happened between Michael and his father when he confronted him. I mean, it all worked out nicely in the end, but there could have been a lot more to flesh this story out. And the ending was more a “happy-for-now” rather than a HEA that is the way the author’s books usually end. This one just seemed rushed to me.

Recommended with the caveats above.

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”