To Love a Traitor

Title: To Love a Traitor
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: JMS Books
Release Date: June 20, 2017
Genre(s): M/M Historical Romance
Page Count: 220
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

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I have a fondness for books set in and around World War I and J.L. Merrow's "To Love a Traitor" is set right after the war (1920) at a time when nations are rebuilding and mourning the loss of a generation of young men who died in the trenches.

George Johnson (actually Roger Cottingham) goes undercover to learn if Matthew Connaught is the traitor who caused his brother Hugh's death in the war. George/Roger was a conchie - conscientous objector - who spent a year in prison - and he and Hugh's fiance Mabel feel that someone betrayed Hugh and his men as they ventured out into No Man's Land on a secret operation and were shot and killed.

Matthew Connaught is their prime lead, so George moves into the boardhouse where Matthew lives in order to suss out any information. Matthew is completely adorable, a kind gentle man who copes admireably with the loss of his lower right arm. Before too long, the two men are dipping their toes into the start of a relationship, while the mystery continues to slowly unfold around them.

Matthew invites George home for Christmas and we meet his equally adorable family and JL Merrow does a wonderful job of showing us their close and loving bonds. There's a depth to the characters (even the tertiary characters) and as we get to know Matty and George better (and particularly George's feelings about being a conchie), their growing love is beautifully told.

The solution to Hugh's death is eventually revealed, with a particularly heartbreaking final discovery, and Matthew and George are on their way to a lovely HEA. A very satisfying read with great characters. 4 stars.

Heat Trap (The Plumber's Mate Mysteries #3)

Title: Heat Trap (The Plumber's Mate Mysteries #3) 
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: March 5, 2018 (Second Edition)
Genre(s): Mystery / Suspense
Page Count: 268
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

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I love the Plumber's Mate series by JL Merrow ... but thought this book wasn't as engrossing as the previous two. Now, don't get me wrong, I bloody love Tom and Phil, and Dave and Darren (because how often do you run across a ex-porn star dwarf in M/M romance?), Cherry and the ever-so-loud Reverend Greg, those psychotic cats, and the whole dysfunctional gang. Personally, the murder/mystery didn't grab my attention as strongly this time around, and there was an awful lot of missed phone calls and miscommunication between Tom and Phil.

 I liked the subplot about Tom's parentage, and how he has to wrap his head around the fact that the man who raised him is not his bio-dad. This book focuses upon family relationships throughout - Tom's family and their feelings about Phil, a revelation about Phil's past, and a mystery centered around a break-up that results in stalking and apparently murder.

Each book in this series shows us the hard work that both Phil and Tom do to make their unlikely relationship work, and in this book in the series particularly, their relationship is far more interesting than the murder/mystery aspect IMHO. 3 stars.

Blow Down (The Plumber's Mate Mysteries #4)

Title: Blow Down (The Plumber's Mate Mysteries Book 4)
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: March 24, 2018 (Second Edition)
Genre(s): Mystery / Suspense
Page Count: 174
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

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In this fourth book in the Plumber's Mate series, life goes on for the whole gang. Newly engaged Tom and Phil ponder the big issues - where will they live, will they hyphenate their surnames, should Tom invite his newly-found sire to the wedding, how can they convince Gary and Darren they are most definitely not interested in a foursome - while Cherry and the very (loud) Reverend Greg continue to plan their upcoming nuptials, Dave and Jen are awaiting the birth of their little sprog and Gary indulges Darren's love of Morris dancing with the St. Leonard's Stompers ... all four foot nine of him, done up in whites and bells and those funny-coloured tassel things they wear, and with a straw hat on top. [...] “Doesn’t he just look so virile?” Gary gushed.

Wake Up Call (Porthkennack #1)

Title: Wake Up Call (Porthkennack Book 1)
Author: J.L. Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: April 17, 2017
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 320
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

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I really enjoyed J.L Merrow's "The Plumber's Mate" series, so I began "Wake Up Call" looking forward to this story of two men: Dev, who comes to Cornwall with a purpose - find the woman who gave him up for adoption - and Kyle, who comes to escape - from his stressful career, his diagnosis of narcolepsy and the boyfriend he pushed away.

"Wake Up Call" is set in Porthkennack on the Cornish coast - windy, rocky and wild with steep cliffs cascading down to sandy beaches (think Game of Thrones location) - a former fishing village that now depends heavily on tourism. You really get a sense of the bleak, gray atmosphere. This is no light and happy Brighton Beach setting.

Caught! (Shamwell Tales #1)

Title: Caught! (Shamwell Tales Book 1)
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: June 5, 2017
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 337
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

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If you're a fan of JL Merrow's quirky / funny characters, I think you'll rather enjoy this first book in The Shamwell Tales series.

Robert Emeny is a primary school teacher … pronounced “Mr. Enemy” by the students at St. Saviour’s School, but he is pretty much beloved by his 2E charges. He attended a very posh college and favors the sartorial splendor of a bow tie and braces. His car is a lovely Nissan Figaro named "Portia." Robert has been scarred in matters of the heart and has sworn off men for life … well, at least the next 20 or 30 years.

Sean Grant is a green-eyed red-headed ratcatcher … er, “pest-control technician” with a sexy battered black leather jacket, a motorcycle and two equally red-headed nephews in Mr. Enemy's 2E class. He’s got a bit of a fetish for bow ties and braces … and nerdy snarky men with a penchant for Harris tweed jackets and reading E.M. Forester's Maurice rather than watching the telly.

Played! (Shamwell Tales #2)

Title: Played! (Shamwell Tales Book 2)
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: June 12, 2017
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 258
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

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According to Tristan's father, his fledgling acting career could be summed up as "I’ve read a few dusty old books and farted around on stage for a bit.” Tristan finds himself in Shamwell handling the estate of his beloved nannny / pseudo-Granny and ends up cast in the Shamwell Amateur Dramatics Society's production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This is his final hurrah, his last gasp of freedom before he goes to New York to join the family firm.

Cast as Puck, Tristan soon finds himself anxiously seeking his perfect Bottom ... that is, Shakespeare's character Nick Bottom. Con Izzard, the deliciously tall, muscular, dsylexic handyman ("delightfully rough around the edges, with dark stubble on his chin and unruly jet-black hair") seems an odd choice, but Tristan offers to go all Professor Higgins and tutor Con on his lines (while jokingly betting his BFF Amanda fifty quid he could get Con into bed).

Lovers Leap

Title: Lovers Leap
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: February 29, 2016
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 202
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

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Rufus and Michael "meet cute" at the beginning of Lovers Leap, as Michael wades to shore dripping wet, having been throw off the pier by his girlfriend Trix. Seems that Trix was all "Michael, babes, I love you so much, will you marry me?" at the same time Michael was like "Sorry, love, but we gotta split up." Oops. But then that's sort of par for the course for Michael. He's a nice 26-year-old bloke with a great smile and boatloads of charm, who actually read a book (once), but he's also that guy who tells really bad jokes (cue the crickets), asks Rufus' friend Liz (or as Michael refers to her - Lizzy the Lezzy) if she's a PE teacher or cop and what's she got against a bloke's tackle, and in a moment of post-shag bliss, writes his phone number on Rufus' forehead ...... in permanent marker. Ouch.

Rufus, on the other hand, is a sweet 20-year-old living with his dad and step-mum Shelley in the family B&B, who dreams of becoming a chef one day. Well, except for a phobia about ferries (or maybe not ....) and guilt at the thought of leaving his dad and Shelley to run the B&B by themselves.

Out! (Shamwell Tales #3)

Title: Out! (ShamwellTales Book 3)
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: June 26, 2017
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 305
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

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Mark Nugent finds himself in Shamwell after deciding to take a year away from his career as a tax advisor so as to try his hand at raising his teenager daughter Fen after she was expelled from school. As his ex-wife Ellen says: "It’s about bloody time you took some responsibility for your only child.” It's also bloody time Mark starts to explore his attraction to men, yet when he meets hot Shamwell local Patrick, rather than act on their mutual attraction, Mark instead decides he needs to hide his sexuality from Fen - “She’s not going to find out. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.” Mark took a deep breath. “There’s not going to be anything to find out. That’s why we can’t do this.”

Sadly, this was only the first time I dearly wanted to whack Mark sharply about the head with a Clue Stick. Mark and Patrick don't have a relationship as much as a running series of three steps forward, two steps back arguments that lead to them feeling the relationship is OVER, and then a few days later they are back together until the next miscommunication. The pace of their relationship slowly unfolds, ever so slowly, so slowly in fact they finally have sex in the last chapter of the book.

Spun (Shamwell Tales #4)

Title: Spun! (Shamwell Tales Book 4)
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: July 3, 2017
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 316
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

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We last met fabulous and flamboyant 24-year-old David Greenlake (they used to call him "Camp David" at work) in Out! where and his teddy bear Gregory made a memorable appearance or two. Fired from his PA position in London, David arrives in Shamwell hoping his old boss Mark can provide work and/or lodging.

41-year-old Rory Deamer (a background character in previous books in the series, usually in the company of the very drunk very homophobic Barry) is a postman, divorced with two kids who primarily live with their mother. Rory is a salt-of-the-earth sweet man who looks after his neighbor and the older folks on his mail route, assuming anyone else would do the same. He loves his job ("As much fresh air and exercise as a man could want, walking around the best village in the world") and loves his kids ("He’d loved walking them home from school, stopping at the swings and popping into the baker’s shop to buy them doughnuts or gingerbread men and making them promise not to tell their mum").

Lock Nut (The Plumber's Mate Mysteries #5)

Title: Lock Nut (The Plumber's Mate Mysteries Book 5)
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: May 14, 2018
Genre(s): Murder/Mystery
Page Count: 330
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

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I love the Plumber's Mate series in all its quirky English wonderfulness - the small town and all its inhabitants beautifully crafted by JL Merrow, the bloody wonder that is Tom Paretski, his relationship with former school bully / fiance Phil, Tom's family and friends, Dave and his new sprog, and all those murders!

However, after initially finishing Lock Nut, I felt a sense of disappointment. Of all the books in this great series, the murder/mystery here left me uninspired and few of its personalities grabbed my attention. But I freely admit this issue is all mine. After pondering it, I realize the joy of this series, for me, is the interaction between its characters and as the series continues, the murders become less and less central. I miss Tom's sister Cherry and the exceedingly loud Reverend Greg, the relative absence of Darren, Gary and Dave (beyond a few scenes), Tom's parents and his newly discovered sire, etc. Also at 330 pages, at times the pace of the story feels glacial.

Wight Mischief

Title: Wight Mischief
Author: JL Merrow
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (Second Edition)
Release Date: June 1, 2018
Genre(s): Mystery / Suspense
Page Count: 216
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

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The Isle of Wight, an island of about 140,000 in the English Channel, is said to be the most haunted in the world, sometimes referred to as "Ghost Island" (thanks, Wikipedia!). Will and his best mate Baz are on a camping holiday on the Isle, where journalist Baz is doing research for his book about the hauntings.

But their first night out, Will wanders onto a beach where he encounters perhaps Wight's biggest mystery - reclusive novelist Marcus Devereux swimming in the moonlight. Marcus' alabaster skin (due to his albinism) makes Will wonder if he is seeing one of Wight's ghosts.

Love at First Hate (Porthkennack #11)

Title: Love at First Hate (Porthkennack Book 11)
Author: J.L. Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: September 3, 2018
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 325
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

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We first met Bran at the beginning of this series and the wealthy Roscarrock family has been an integral part of life in the small Cornish village of Porthkennack. Bran's story is told against the backdrop of an exhibit being prepared for his personal hero, Edward of Woodstock, also known as the Black Prince (the eldest son of Edward III). Like Bran, Edward faced a huge amount of responsibility at a young age and often had to make decisions that didn't exactly endear him to others. Sam Ferreira is hired to curate this exhibit and butts heads with Bran when he attempts to present a more balanced perspective.

One Under (Porthkennack #9)

Title: One Under (Porthkennack Book 9)
Author: J.L. Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: March 19, 2018
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 281
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

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A few things first ... Having read almost all of the Porthkennack series, I find J.L. Merrow's Porthkennack considerably darker than portrayed by other authors in this series. Merrow's setting is a bleak, gray atmosphere with lots of rain, and more than its share of "Eeyoresque" characters. Also, it took me quite a while to get my footing in One Under. Characters from the first book are referenced here, and honestly, I didn't remember them and there is little information in One Under to flesh out their backstory.

Mal's best mate is Dev (whose story is told in Wake Up Call) and when Mal meets Jory Roscarrock, there is instant attraction, quickly followed by the realization that Jory is Dev's uncle, and a member of the family that basically kicked Dev to the curb. The two men spend considerable time agonizing about their respective secrets and how any relationship between them would never work.

Mal is a tube driver with PTSD and is in Porthannock to recover from a suicide jumping in front of his train; Jory is married to Kirsty and they have a genius 12-year-old named Gawen.

The pace of the story felt very slow and around 80% through the book, Jory finally asks Mal: “I wish I knew where I stood with you.” This book was very nearly a DNF for me because of the constant tension and second-guessing about each and every word and action and although there are a few sex scenes, it is difficult to sense a strong sexual chemistry between the two.

One Under is just not my cuppa, and my rating is 3 stars, but I fully realize that other readers may enjoy this introspective story.