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The Warfield Hotel Mysteries #1
Drifting Sands
As he approaches his fortieth birthday, Justin Warfield feels alone, drifting like the sand that blows along the beach near his family’s hotel. He has done exactly as his father wanted. Married the right girl and carried on the family tradition of running the Warfield Hotel. On paper things seem perfect, but happiness hasn’t been a part of his life for a very long time.
Marcus Drummond once spent a summer with his best friend Peter at the Warfield Hotel and fell hard for Peter’s much older brother. Five years later he’s back, and this time hopes that Justin will see him as more than his kid brother’s friend.
Sparks fly when the two meet again, but there are a few things standing in their way. The closet that Justin has himself buried in and someone on a killing spree, dumping bodies on the Warfield beach . . . victims that indicate Justin may be involved in some way.
Marcus Drummond once spent a summer with his best friend Peter at the Warfield Hotel and fell hard for Peter’s much older brother. Five years later he’s back, and this time hopes that Justin will see him as more than his kid brother’s friend.
Sparks fly when the two meet again, but there are a few things standing in their way. The closet that Justin has himself buried in and someone on a killing spree, dumping bodies on the Warfield beach . . . victims that indicate Justin may be involved in some way.
194 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2015
2 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 11, 2015
Exasperating
*** 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars ***
One of my pet peeves is when a book ends on a cliff hanger. I find it irksome and I feel cheated and manipulated and quite frankly disinclined to buy the next instalment unless it is exceptional.
I quite liked the story of closeted hotel owner Justin and his love interest Marcus who comes to stay at the hotel with Justin's younger brother Peter. The story has a steady pace and plentiful if fairly brief chapters.
Peter arrives to celebrate his twenty-sixth birthday and claim his share of their family hotel (currently in the custody of his sister-in-law Caroline). Justin always aware he was gay, married at the behest of their dominating father. The marriage is one of convenience that has lasted fifteen unhappy years.
Not being American I am probably unaware of some nuances and sensitivities but I was deeply surprised to find someone as closeted as Justin. It felt somewhat like stepping back into the 1980's and I had huge difficulty suspending disbelief.
This is a murder mystery, victims are regularly discovered murdered close to the hotel. Each has some connection to Justin. There are in my opinion glaring plot holes and cardboard cut out villains. The clues to their identities may just as well have been flashed out with gaudy neon signs.
I was not comfortable with the underlying racism intentional or otherwise. I did not like the mental health elements either, which thankfully were not as crude as I initially suspected, however I remain to be convinced that it was either a realistic nor necessary plot development.
Perhaps there will be some amazing turn around in the second instalment and the reader will discover red herrings have been cleverly placed along the way. Personally speaking I would have preferred the lose ends satisfactorily tied up in the current book. It might have convinced me that this story is sufficiently well written to enjoy a second instalment.
In conclusion, this is a gentle romance between Justin and Marcus. Since both are really close to Peter this creates an interesting dynamic. I think it might have been better to concentrate on this than to introduce murders and unsympathetic supporting characters. Unfortunately the only interesting part of the story for me - the developing relationship between Justin and Marcus was lost amongst the unlikely body count and transparent villains.
The story was enough to sustain my interest and the hope that it might become something more than pedestrian. I remain unconvinced that there will be a clever plot twist in the next instalment, I am pretty certain I already know the outcome so I'll give it a miss.
I received a complimentary copy of Drifting Sands from the author in exchange for an honest review as part of M/M Romance group's Don't Buy My Love event.
*** 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars ***
One of my pet peeves is when a book ends on a cliff hanger. I find it irksome and I feel cheated and manipulated and quite frankly disinclined to buy the next instalment unless it is exceptional.
I quite liked the story of closeted hotel owner Justin and his love interest Marcus who comes to stay at the hotel with Justin's younger brother Peter. The story has a steady pace and plentiful if fairly brief chapters.
Peter arrives to celebrate his twenty-sixth birthday and claim his share of their family hotel (currently in the custody of his sister-in-law Caroline). Justin always aware he was gay, married at the behest of their dominating father. The marriage is one of convenience that has lasted fifteen unhappy years.
Not being American I am probably unaware of some nuances and sensitivities but I was deeply surprised to find someone as closeted as Justin. It felt somewhat like stepping back into the 1980's and I had huge difficulty suspending disbelief.
This is a murder mystery, victims are regularly discovered murdered close to the hotel. Each has some connection to Justin. There are in my opinion glaring plot holes and cardboard cut out villains. The clues to their identities may just as well have been flashed out with gaudy neon signs.
I was not comfortable with the underlying racism intentional or otherwise. I did not like the mental health elements either, which thankfully were not as crude as I initially suspected, however I remain to be convinced that it was either a realistic nor necessary plot development.
Perhaps there will be some amazing turn around in the second instalment and the reader will discover red herrings have been cleverly placed along the way. Personally speaking I would have preferred the lose ends satisfactorily tied up in the current book. It might have convinced me that this story is sufficiently well written to enjoy a second instalment.
In conclusion, this is a gentle romance between Justin and Marcus. Since both are really close to Peter this creates an interesting dynamic. I think it might have been better to concentrate on this than to introduce murders and unsympathetic supporting characters. Unfortunately the only interesting part of the story for me - the developing relationship between Justin and Marcus was lost amongst the unlikely body count and transparent villains.
The story was enough to sustain my interest and the hope that it might become something more than pedestrian. I remain unconvinced that there will be a clever plot twist in the next instalment, I am pretty certain I already know the outcome so I'll give it a miss.
I received a complimentary copy of Drifting Sands from the author in exchange for an honest review as part of M/M Romance group's Don't Buy My Love event.
October 23, 2015
I have a confession to make. This book has been on my review TBR pile for a while. I started it and then put it down. Started again and once more put it to one side... it took me a while to get into... but I think this was definitely a me thing. Sometimes I have to be in the right mood for a certain type of book. When I picked this up a third time, I couldn't put it down. Honestly, I loved it and can't wait to read the next in the series.
The Warfield Hotel and general setting of this story is as much part of the cast as any other character. CJ Baty has written a wonderful murder mystery in this setting. The thing is... I'm not sure it's solved yet. Sure, there was a conclusion, it seems wrapped up, but I'm really not convinced. And I LOVE this. I want more - but not in that horrible cliffhanger way where I felt I've only been fed half a story in order to line an authors pocket (I know that's not how it works, but we've all read those books which really are only half a book, none of the story solved until the second instalment. It's made me hate cliffhangers!).
Justin is not perfect, he tries hard, but he makes mistakes. His father's influence over his life - even though he's long gone - made me frustrated. I could understand (some) of Justin's reasoning, he was trying to keep what he loved. His brother, the hotel - and TBH, his father sounds like a completely manipulative bastard. The thing is, I felt Caroline ended up as a victim. While she could be seen as a hateful character, I have to admit I felt more than a little sorry for her.
I liked the dynamics between Marcus and Justin. I can't wait to see how it moves on between them. It wasn't a sweet romance - I wouldn't have believed it if it was. It was hot and cold and horny and subdued. Frustrating at times - and sometimes Justin annoyed me. Sometimes I wanted to shake him. Sometimes his decisions pissed me off no end. Then other times I felt so bad for him. I ached for him to have the easy settled - open - life he craved.
Marcus was unendingly patient, I felt. I'd like to know more about him. He's nobody's fool, smart and savvy, his attraction to Justin wasn't sickeningly sweet. It was real, and I wanted for him to get an HEA so much!
Before I go, I just want to mention Moses. Now he seems a really hateful character. One of those with absolutely nothing to like about him - and yet he intrigues me. I feel there's more if we just get to dig deeper - he's part of the reason I want book 2 so much.
This book is well worth reading, I'm just sorry it took me so long to get into it. Like I said, I honestly believe this was me and not the story! Recommended.
A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
Previously at BMBR.
The Warfield Hotel and general setting of this story is as much part of the cast as any other character. CJ Baty has written a wonderful murder mystery in this setting. The thing is... I'm not sure it's solved yet. Sure, there was a conclusion, it seems wrapped up, but I'm really not convinced. And I LOVE this. I want more - but not in that horrible cliffhanger way where I felt I've only been fed half a story in order to line an authors pocket (I know that's not how it works, but we've all read those books which really are only half a book, none of the story solved until the second instalment. It's made me hate cliffhangers!).
Justin is not perfect, he tries hard, but he makes mistakes. His father's influence over his life - even though he's long gone - made me frustrated. I could understand (some) of Justin's reasoning, he was trying to keep what he loved. His brother, the hotel - and TBH, his father sounds like a completely manipulative bastard. The thing is, I felt Caroline ended up as a victim. While she could be seen as a hateful character, I have to admit I felt more than a little sorry for her.
I liked the dynamics between Marcus and Justin. I can't wait to see how it moves on between them. It wasn't a sweet romance - I wouldn't have believed it if it was. It was hot and cold and horny and subdued. Frustrating at times - and sometimes Justin annoyed me. Sometimes I wanted to shake him. Sometimes his decisions pissed me off no end. Then other times I felt so bad for him. I ached for him to have the easy settled - open - life he craved.
Marcus was unendingly patient, I felt. I'd like to know more about him. He's nobody's fool, smart and savvy, his attraction to Justin wasn't sickeningly sweet. It was real, and I wanted for him to get an HEA so much!
Before I go, I just want to mention Moses. Now he seems a really hateful character. One of those with absolutely nothing to like about him - and yet he intrigues me. I feel there's more if we just get to dig deeper - he's part of the reason I want book 2 so much.
This book is well worth reading, I'm just sorry it took me so long to get into it. Like I said, I honestly believe this was me and not the story! Recommended.
A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
Previously at BMBR.
September 7, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a hard book to rate. There are a lot of interesting elements to this book that I enjoyed and the characters are likeable but the story needs a little polishing. Please don't take this to mean the writing was bad because it wasn't. For me, the story just needs a better layout.
First, the villains are no secret. Everyone who is trouble blatantly shows it. Yes, there are some circumstances that are unknown, but it doesn't negate the fact that they are the wrong doers. Then there is Justin. My goodness, he's been pushed around all his life and when he is finally able to be set free he's too scared to take the chance. I understand that he is scared but if he was that scared then he should stay in his marriage. (This will make more since when you read the book). I'm not sure about Justin and Marcus' past. A lot of things were vaguely mentioned and many elements of the story and their relationship were left unexplored.
Justin's brother Peter is great. His devotion to both his brother and friend is great. He brings out the best is Justin and Marcus. Justin's growth in the book was good to watch. He is a more confident man in the end then what he started out to be.
Warning though, this book is a To Be Continued. Some things are solved but there is a lot left unsettled. I did enjoy the book and became invested in the character enough to definitely want to read the second installment of this series.
This is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more of their books.
This is a hard book to rate. There are a lot of interesting elements to this book that I enjoyed and the characters are likeable but the story needs a little polishing. Please don't take this to mean the writing was bad because it wasn't. For me, the story just needs a better layout.
First, the villains are no secret. Everyone who is trouble blatantly shows it. Yes, there are some circumstances that are unknown, but it doesn't negate the fact that they are the wrong doers. Then there is Justin. My goodness, he's been pushed around all his life and when he is finally able to be set free he's too scared to take the chance. I understand that he is scared but if he was that scared then he should stay in his marriage. (This will make more since when you read the book). I'm not sure about Justin and Marcus' past. A lot of things were vaguely mentioned and many elements of the story and their relationship were left unexplored.
Justin's brother Peter is great. His devotion to both his brother and friend is great. He brings out the best is Justin and Marcus. Justin's growth in the book was good to watch. He is a more confident man in the end then what he started out to be.
Warning though, this book is a To Be Continued. Some things are solved but there is a lot left unsettled. I did enjoy the book and became invested in the character enough to definitely want to read the second installment of this series.
This is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more of their books.
June 22, 2015
An enjoyable and well written murder mystery with plenty of clues sprinkled along the way to help you guess who the culprit is. The mystery is only partially resolved by the end of the book and sets up the next stage of the story. The m/m romance plot is interwoven and told from two POV, with several hot scenes involving the two main characters. My heart went out to Justin as he struggled with his loveless marriage, his wish to remain in the closet, and his desire to protect Marcus from the would-be killer. I was surprised Justin didn't remember meeting Marcus beforehand, although a five year gap and a drunken encounter are feasible. I would have liked more scenes earlier on in the story to show the developing connection between the two lovers as they got to know each other. I am hoping for more interaction between them in book two and the answers to questions poised at the end of book one.
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
June 9, 2015
Justin keeps his true lifestyle hidden from everyone out of fear of how it might affect the hotel. Marcus tempts him in ways that he's never dreamed possible and makes him yearn to break free. But someone is killing Justin's ex-lovers and he doesn't want Marcus in the line of fire and even if that means losing him forever Justin will do all he can to make sure that he's safe.
The tensions mount as the story races to the climax. Who is the killer? What is the Chief of Police hiding? Will truth and love win out over the nefarious plans of the killer?
Pick up your copy now to find out the answers! I can't wait for Book 2-Crashing Waves to come out later this year!
The tensions mount as the story races to the climax. Who is the killer? What is the Chief of Police hiding? Will truth and love win out over the nefarious plans of the killer?
Pick up your copy now to find out the answers! I can't wait for Book 2-Crashing Waves to come out later this year!
September 4, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Justin is very attracted to Marcus, however he was forced into a marriage when he was younger and is unable to get out of it until after his brother turns 26. When Justin’s ex-lovers wind up being murdered near his hotel he wants to keep Marcus at arm’s length to protect him. The romance was a back seat to the mystery in the story. I definitely want to read the next one to see what happens next and if Marcus and Justin’s story will continue.
Justin is very attracted to Marcus, however he was forced into a marriage when he was younger and is unable to get out of it until after his brother turns 26. When Justin’s ex-lovers wind up being murdered near his hotel he wants to keep Marcus at arm’s length to protect him. The romance was a back seat to the mystery in the story. I definitely want to read the next one to see what happens next and if Marcus and Justin’s story will continue.
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June 12, 2015Wonderful
What a wonderful story this is. One of the best mysteries that I've read in a long time. I could feel Justin's pain. I wanted to smack his wife. I'm so frustrated with Justin over Marcus! Just a great read.
What a wonderful story this is. One of the best mysteries that I've read in a long time. I could feel Justin's pain. I wanted to smack his wife. I'm so frustrated with Justin over Marcus! Just a great read.
June 29, 2015
I Won a copy on Goodreads.
so good wanted to smack Caroline... Marcus and Justin so good together. Couldn't put it down once I started it.
so good wanted to smack Caroline... Marcus and Justin so good together. Couldn't put it down once I started it.
August 27, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think it was a really well written book. I enjoy it very much. It start a little slow and that last for most of the book, but it was interesting enough and didnt become boring. The storyline was mostly a mistery but had some romance elements, it keeps the atention in both subjects.
The thing that i liked the most of the book was the development of the characters, i think all of them were very interesting. The MC Justin is a very trouble person and most of his issues are due to his inability of come on terms of who he is. He was a very frustrating character to read about because, it seems to me, he is always chosing a path in which he will suffer even if its not necesary. His brother its a more put together character who gives support and love to everyone around him, its the kind of person you want to be around. Marcus it's a not so complex character, likable, but i think he lack the ability of doing a good job in his investigation which in the end seems to be unfinished and he only focus on his feelings. I think he is one of the persons who get to suffer the most even if it's obvious he is a good guy and deserves better.
I found the story development very satisfying and i actually liked the ending even if it wasnt all resolved. One thing that i kind of like was that wasnt a tipical HEA and i think the story sort of need that kind of end, but also there is hope for things to be better in next book.
From this point SPOILER ALERT.
One of the characters i enjoy the most (surprisingly because i was looking for M/M) was Caroline. For a moment i felt disapointed because i tough the story would rely on a mental illness to explain the plot, but it wasn't the case for what i am very grateful. She was a really good character and could always see her as very hurt woman and understand her actions for how hurt she was and not because of her disease, i felt very sorry for the situation she was on.
Justin, as i said, i found him very frustrating, and, in a way, very selfish. He hurt so much people for his inability to accept himself as he is, and for his constant need to satisfy everyones expectations about his family's and his own reputation at expense of the hapiness of the ones in his life who truly matter. Because of that he made me angry so many times, even through i can see the pain he is going throuh and some other times i felt sorry for him and the situations his actions put him through. The fact that he didn't end up with Marcus was a bit surprising but i think it help to the plot. Also the part chief Lee play in the story, specialy at the end, i found it very interesting, and make me wonder about his motives, what will keep me hook for another book.
To me it was a really good book and i'm very grateful for the oportunity of reading it.
I think it was a really well written book. I enjoy it very much. It start a little slow and that last for most of the book, but it was interesting enough and didnt become boring. The storyline was mostly a mistery but had some romance elements, it keeps the atention in both subjects.
The thing that i liked the most of the book was the development of the characters, i think all of them were very interesting. The MC Justin is a very trouble person and most of his issues are due to his inability of come on terms of who he is. He was a very frustrating character to read about because, it seems to me, he is always chosing a path in which he will suffer even if its not necesary. His brother its a more put together character who gives support and love to everyone around him, its the kind of person you want to be around. Marcus it's a not so complex character, likable, but i think he lack the ability of doing a good job in his investigation which in the end seems to be unfinished and he only focus on his feelings. I think he is one of the persons who get to suffer the most even if it's obvious he is a good guy and deserves better.
I found the story development very satisfying and i actually liked the ending even if it wasnt all resolved. One thing that i kind of like was that wasnt a tipical HEA and i think the story sort of need that kind of end, but also there is hope for things to be better in next book.
From this point SPOILER ALERT.
One of the characters i enjoy the most (surprisingly because i was looking for M/M) was Caroline. For a moment i felt disapointed because i tough the story would rely on a mental illness to explain the plot, but it wasn't the case for what i am very grateful. She was a really good character and could always see her as very hurt woman and understand her actions for how hurt she was and not because of her disease, i felt very sorry for the situation she was on.
Justin, as i said, i found him very frustrating, and, in a way, very selfish. He hurt so much people for his inability to accept himself as he is, and for his constant need to satisfy everyones expectations about his family's and his own reputation at expense of the hapiness of the ones in his life who truly matter. Because of that he made me angry so many times, even through i can see the pain he is going throuh and some other times i felt sorry for him and the situations his actions put him through. The fact that he didn't end up with Marcus was a bit surprising but i think it help to the plot. Also the part chief Lee play in the story, specialy at the end, i found it very interesting, and make me wonder about his motives, what will keep me hook for another book.
To me it was a really good book and i'm very grateful for the oportunity of reading it.
July 22, 2015
FourStars
This is an exciting murder mystery that I devoured in a single sitting.
Justin manages his family’s beachfront hotel in South Carolina. Aside from a messy divorce, things are going well until the bodies of his former lovers start appearing on his beach. Justin quickly finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation as he and his friends attempt to protect themselves and find the real killer.
Southern politics, a nasty and soon-to-be-ex wife and an escalating killer come together in an engaging, fast paced book. The characters are well drawn and complex enough to support a full series. The setting is gorgeous and the story is coloured with just a hint of Southern Gothic. More James Patterson than Kindle Alexander, I’m not too sure why this book has been described as a m/m romance. Justin has a love interest, there is some sex, but the mystery and suspense elements are the story’s focus.
One warning to readers though, this is the first installment in a series and neither the mystery or the romance is sealed with a HEA by the end. Personally, I hate cliffhanger endings. I like my books to finish! I feel a little cheated. The series is compelling enough that I will read the next book, but it’s frustrating that I have to wait for book two to find out whodunnit.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
ThreeandHalfStars
This story had a lot of mystery, some hot sex and some hateful characters. While I could understand Justin wanting to finally be rid of his crazy wife and out of his forced marriage, I felt plopped in the middle of this story.
You have Justin who runs the family business, the back story of why he runs the business and why he married Caroline. But, I felt like it was missing a huge piece of his past - because you are given hints of him meeting and having a scene with Marcus, but nothing more than a flash and Marcus' hurt feelings.
Then you have Marcus who is there to investigate in to these strange murders, but who is also there to see Justin again. But, then he just drifts and as a reader, I was left wondering where he had gone in the story.
While the story did include mystery, it was not a difficult one to piece together. The story leaves off in a very odd place too, because the characters are scattered. There is no real ending and that was frustrating. There is some completion of the murders in the end, but there is a huge hole in the story and while Baty does set up the next installment well, I felt there was no completion of the first installment in order to really do the second justice. I guess I will have to wait and see how the next installment brings the first together.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
AvidReader
This is an exciting murder mystery that I devoured in a single sitting.
Justin manages his family’s beachfront hotel in South Carolina. Aside from a messy divorce, things are going well until the bodies of his former lovers start appearing on his beach. Justin quickly finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation as he and his friends attempt to protect themselves and find the real killer.
Southern politics, a nasty and soon-to-be-ex wife and an escalating killer come together in an engaging, fast paced book. The characters are well drawn and complex enough to support a full series. The setting is gorgeous and the story is coloured with just a hint of Southern Gothic. More James Patterson than Kindle Alexander, I’m not too sure why this book has been described as a m/m romance. Justin has a love interest, there is some sex, but the mystery and suspense elements are the story’s focus.
One warning to readers though, this is the first installment in a series and neither the mystery or the romance is sealed with a HEA by the end. Personally, I hate cliffhanger endings. I like my books to finish! I feel a little cheated. The series is compelling enough that I will read the next book, but it’s frustrating that I have to wait for book two to find out whodunnit.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
ThreeandHalfStars
This story had a lot of mystery, some hot sex and some hateful characters. While I could understand Justin wanting to finally be rid of his crazy wife and out of his forced marriage, I felt plopped in the middle of this story.
You have Justin who runs the family business, the back story of why he runs the business and why he married Caroline. But, I felt like it was missing a huge piece of his past - because you are given hints of him meeting and having a scene with Marcus, but nothing more than a flash and Marcus' hurt feelings.
Then you have Marcus who is there to investigate in to these strange murders, but who is also there to see Justin again. But, then he just drifts and as a reader, I was left wondering where he had gone in the story.
While the story did include mystery, it was not a difficult one to piece together. The story leaves off in a very odd place too, because the characters are scattered. There is no real ending and that was frustrating. There is some completion of the murders in the end, but there is a huge hole in the story and while Baty does set up the next installment well, I felt there was no completion of the first installment in order to really do the second justice. I guess I will have to wait and see how the next installment brings the first together.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
AvidReader
September 9, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the Don't Buy My Love program from the M/M Romance Group on Goodreads for an honest review.
Justin Warfield is closeted and has been trapped in a fifteen year, loveless marriage due to his inability to stand up to his father. The bitterness between Justin and his soon-to-be-ex is heated. He has the love and support of his younger brother Peter who knows he’s gay and accepts him. Peter has come back to claim his part of the ownership of the Warfield Hotel and now that he has, Justin can finally end his marriage. Peter’s best friend, Marcus who once had a crush on Justin, has come back with Peter and is hoping to rekindle things with Justin. An even bigger problem is, the dead bodies of Justin’s ex-lovers keep showing up near the hotel. Things don’t look good for Justin and the Chief of Police is not a nice character.
This is a good story if you want drama filled with nasty characters. It is a mystery but the bad guys are very much in your face which makes it feels a little simplistic at times. It’s good, I just wish there were more red herrings to make me feel thrown off the trial. I would have liked to have known a bit more about Justin and Marcus in the past.
While there is some sex, it’s more a mystery-thriller with a little romance to go with it, so those who like their M/M on the lighter side, this will appeal to them. The mystery is not resolved by the end and the story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. There are still a number of loose ends yet to be tied up and the reader is set up for the continued story in book two. If you want your story to end neat and tidy, you might wait for book two to be completed and read these back to back. This was an enjoyable read with likable characters (even the nasty ones), with good writing. I just wasn’t expecting the open ending so be prepared and keep your eyes peeled for the sequel.
Justin Warfield is closeted and has been trapped in a fifteen year, loveless marriage due to his inability to stand up to his father. The bitterness between Justin and his soon-to-be-ex is heated. He has the love and support of his younger brother Peter who knows he’s gay and accepts him. Peter has come back to claim his part of the ownership of the Warfield Hotel and now that he has, Justin can finally end his marriage. Peter’s best friend, Marcus who once had a crush on Justin, has come back with Peter and is hoping to rekindle things with Justin. An even bigger problem is, the dead bodies of Justin’s ex-lovers keep showing up near the hotel. Things don’t look good for Justin and the Chief of Police is not a nice character.
This is a good story if you want drama filled with nasty characters. It is a mystery but the bad guys are very much in your face which makes it feels a little simplistic at times. It’s good, I just wish there were more red herrings to make me feel thrown off the trial. I would have liked to have known a bit more about Justin and Marcus in the past.
While there is some sex, it’s more a mystery-thriller with a little romance to go with it, so those who like their M/M on the lighter side, this will appeal to them. The mystery is not resolved by the end and the story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. There are still a number of loose ends yet to be tied up and the reader is set up for the continued story in book two. If you want your story to end neat and tidy, you might wait for book two to be completed and read these back to back. This was an enjoyable read with likable characters (even the nasty ones), with good writing. I just wasn’t expecting the open ending so be prepared and keep your eyes peeled for the sequel.
July 18, 2015
This is an exciting murder mystery that I devoured in a single sitting.
Justin manages his family’s beachfront hotel in South Carolina. Aside from a messy divorce, things are going well until the bodies of his former lovers start appearing on his beach. Justin quickly finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation as he and his friends attempt to protect themselves and find the real killer.
Southern politics, a nasty and soon-to-be-ex wife and an escalating killer come together in an engaging, fast paced book. The characters are well drawn and complex enough to support a full series. The setting is gorgeous and the story is coloured with just a hint of Southern Gothic. More James Patterson than Kindle Alexander, I’m not too sure why this book has been described as a m/m romance. Justin has a love interest, there is some sex, but the mystery and suspense elements are the story’s focus.
One warning to readers though, this is the first installment in a series and neither the mystery or the romance is sealed with a HEA by the end. Personally, I hate cliffhanger endings. I like my books to finish! I feel a little cheated. The series is compelling enough that I will read the next book, but it’s frustrating that I have to wait for book two to find out whodunnit.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Justin manages his family’s beachfront hotel in South Carolina. Aside from a messy divorce, things are going well until the bodies of his former lovers start appearing on his beach. Justin quickly finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation as he and his friends attempt to protect themselves and find the real killer.
Southern politics, a nasty and soon-to-be-ex wife and an escalating killer come together in an engaging, fast paced book. The characters are well drawn and complex enough to support a full series. The setting is gorgeous and the story is coloured with just a hint of Southern Gothic. More James Patterson than Kindle Alexander, I’m not too sure why this book has been described as a m/m romance. Justin has a love interest, there is some sex, but the mystery and suspense elements are the story’s focus.
One warning to readers though, this is the first installment in a series and neither the mystery or the romance is sealed with a HEA by the end. Personally, I hate cliffhanger endings. I like my books to finish! I feel a little cheated. The series is compelling enough that I will read the next book, but it’s frustrating that I have to wait for book two to find out whodunnit.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2015
I got a free copy of this book in exchange of a review, through the Don't Buy My Love reading group.
The story is an interesting whodunit, well-written and well-paced. It does not end up neatly, with all the loose ends tied up, but it seems that is part of a series, so some carry over is to be expected.
I am only giving it three stars, though, because there are too many cliches on which the plot is expected to hinge.
In this day and age, being "outed" is not that big of a deal, particularly for someone like Justin, who owns his own business and has no family other than his brother, who already knows. Maybe a more complex situation would have created some leverage, but I did not feel the urgency. The character of the cop, vengeful and homophobic, also felt cliched.
But my main pet peeve was that the villain's actions are explained as being due to mental illness. They could have been explained in many other ways: jealousy, envy, spite, greed, a broken heart, etc. Instead, the author went with one specific mental illness, which I thought was rather stigmatizing. Even so, I could have respected the choice if it wasn't that the symptoms for that disorder are nothing like what the character exhibits.
So, in the end...good writing, interesting plot, but characters' motivations fall flat.
The story is an interesting whodunit, well-written and well-paced. It does not end up neatly, with all the loose ends tied up, but it seems that is part of a series, so some carry over is to be expected.
I am only giving it three stars, though, because there are too many cliches on which the plot is expected to hinge.
In this day and age, being "outed" is not that big of a deal, particularly for someone like Justin, who owns his own business and has no family other than his brother, who already knows. Maybe a more complex situation would have created some leverage, but I did not feel the urgency. The character of the cop, vengeful and homophobic, also felt cliched.
But my main pet peeve was that the villain's actions are explained as being due to mental illness. They could have been explained in many other ways: jealousy, envy, spite, greed, a broken heart, etc. Instead, the author went with one specific mental illness, which I thought was rather stigmatizing. Even so, I could have respected the choice if it wasn't that the symptoms for that disorder are nothing like what the character exhibits.
So, in the end...good writing, interesting plot, but characters' motivations fall flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2015
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is the first book I have read by author C.J. Baty. It will not be the last. Drifting Sands was a very enjoyable read. I love a good mystery and when it comes mixed in with m/m romance, all the better. We have a mystery set at the family owned Warfield resort in coastal South Carolina. People are dying and it looks like Justin Warfield is responsible. What follows is a story of bigotry, lust, obsession and a whole lot of crazy. While the main plot of the tale finishes up, there is another mystery that is not. This book will just keep you guessing and definitely looking forward to the next installment. I highly recommend this book.
This is the first book I have read by author C.J. Baty. It will not be the last. Drifting Sands was a very enjoyable read. I love a good mystery and when it comes mixed in with m/m romance, all the better. We have a mystery set at the family owned Warfield resort in coastal South Carolina. People are dying and it looks like Justin Warfield is responsible. What follows is a story of bigotry, lust, obsession and a whole lot of crazy. While the main plot of the tale finishes up, there is another mystery that is not. This book will just keep you guessing and definitely looking forward to the next installment. I highly recommend this book.
January 20, 2017
3/3.5 A thrilling romantic mystery that wasn't much of a mystery. The story was paced well and it wasn't bad but it was kind of predictable and I would've loved some unexpected twists. The characters weren't bad but I would've loved to see more depth.
The story does end in a cliff hanger to keep you guessing.
All and all not bad but would've loved more twists and depth.
The story does end in a cliff hanger to keep you guessing.
All and all not bad but would've loved more twists and depth.
September 5, 2015
3.5 stars
Interesting who-dun-it story line, I must have changed my mind a dozen times. Unanswered questions abound at the end of the story, hopefully more will be answered in the next installment. I'm looking forward to the next story.
Interesting who-dun-it story line, I must have changed my mind a dozen times. Unanswered questions abound at the end of the story, hopefully more will be answered in the next installment. I'm looking forward to the next story.
August 9, 2017
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*
In Drifting Sands, Justin has been living a lie for years. Forced by his father to marry the daughter of one of his friends and having to remain married to her until his brother's 26th birthday as stipulated by his father's will, which is about to happen in two months, he's just had enough of Caroline, despite feeling guilty because she does love him. She knows he's gay and tries to make him stay married with her threatening to expose his secret to his staff at the Warfield Hotel and the rest of their town.
Marcus is Justin's brother's best friend and has been in love with Justin for a long time. He's a PI and goes to the small town in South Carolina where the Warfield Hotel is located to visit Peter and investigate a recent murder.
Justin can't deny the attraction to Marcus, even if he tries to hide it and once he gives into it, he pushes Marcus away when he realizes the murders near the hotel property are somehow connected to him.
I liked Marcus, he was really mature for his age and knew what he wanted, which is more than could be said for Justin (who was 14 years older than Marcus). Marcus was reliable and supporting, always trying to help in any way he could. His 'love' for Justin was more like an infatuation at first, but it was noticeable how it turned into more as time passed. I wanted to slap Justin silly several times. I understand trying to do the right thing, but really it was obvious Caroline was manipulating him so many times, and he almost always gave in, at least until around the 60% mark or so.
I liked the mystery surrounding the murders, even if it was fairly obvious Caroline was involved, I didn't quite imagine to what extent Moses Lee was or why until I read book two. Book 1 ends up in a cliffhanger, and really, I was so glad I had Crashing Waves already waiting for me because I hate having to wait to have a resolution.
The writing felt a bit choppy at first, not as fluid as other books by CJ Baty I've read, and I actually had to go back a couple of times because I got a bit lost in between the several POVs we see through the book. Still, it was intriguing, and I was swept into the suspense of finding out if my suspicions were right.
Rating: 3.5 Stars!
In Drifting Sands, Justin has been living a lie for years. Forced by his father to marry the daughter of one of his friends and having to remain married to her until his brother's 26th birthday as stipulated by his father's will, which is about to happen in two months, he's just had enough of Caroline, despite feeling guilty because she does love him. She knows he's gay and tries to make him stay married with her threatening to expose his secret to his staff at the Warfield Hotel and the rest of their town.
Marcus is Justin's brother's best friend and has been in love with Justin for a long time. He's a PI and goes to the small town in South Carolina where the Warfield Hotel is located to visit Peter and investigate a recent murder.
Justin can't deny the attraction to Marcus, even if he tries to hide it and once he gives into it, he pushes Marcus away when he realizes the murders near the hotel property are somehow connected to him.
I liked Marcus, he was really mature for his age and knew what he wanted, which is more than could be said for Justin (who was 14 years older than Marcus). Marcus was reliable and supporting, always trying to help in any way he could. His 'love' for Justin was more like an infatuation at first, but it was noticeable how it turned into more as time passed. I wanted to slap Justin silly several times. I understand trying to do the right thing, but really it was obvious Caroline was manipulating him so many times, and he almost always gave in, at least until around the 60% mark or so.
I liked the mystery surrounding the murders, even if it was fairly obvious Caroline was involved, I didn't quite imagine to what extent Moses Lee was or why until I read book two. Book 1 ends up in a cliffhanger, and really, I was so glad I had Crashing Waves already waiting for me because I hate having to wait to have a resolution.
The writing felt a bit choppy at first, not as fluid as other books by CJ Baty I've read, and I actually had to go back a couple of times because I got a bit lost in between the several POVs we see through the book. Still, it was intriguing, and I was swept into the suspense of finding out if my suspicions were right.
Rating: 3.5 Stars!
February 5, 2017
As Justin Warfield turns 40, he realizes his life has never really been his own. Southern society doesn’t look kindly on gay men and Justin would never bring shame to the family name or risk hurting the business; so he married the girl handpicked by his father and took his place running the Warfield Hotel. He’s so far in the closet, he will never find happiness. His brother comes home on vacation bringing with him his best friend, Marcus Drummond. One look and the chemistry between Justin and Marcus is instant and complicated. Complicated by the fact someone is leaving dead bodies near the hotel grounds. Dead bodies that all seem to be connected to Justin.
This is the first time I’ve read C.J. Baty and I am impressed. I loved the mystery and trying to figure out who was the murderer. But I also really liked the way, the author dealt with the social stigma that still surrounds being gay in some regions of this country. I really felt for Justin, trapped in a loveless marriage, sacrificing his own happiness to do the right thing. Marcus is the perfect foil for Justin. Comfortable in his skin, know what he wants to be happy and pursues it.
I’ll be honest, I did not anticipate the ending. While it didn’t end exactly as I would have hoped, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
This is the first time I’ve read C.J. Baty and I am impressed. I loved the mystery and trying to figure out who was the murderer. But I also really liked the way, the author dealt with the social stigma that still surrounds being gay in some regions of this country. I really felt for Justin, trapped in a loveless marriage, sacrificing his own happiness to do the right thing. Marcus is the perfect foil for Justin. Comfortable in his skin, know what he wants to be happy and pursues it.
I’ll be honest, I did not anticipate the ending. While it didn’t end exactly as I would have hoped, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
January 21, 2017
I found this to be a nice quick mystery read and I enjoyed it. Justin's family owns a hotel near a beach and he has done everything that had been expected from him. He followed tradition and married, followed the rules, and took over running the Warfield hotel but none of this has made him happy. This is because there is a secret inside him that most do not know, he is secretly into marriage and was forced to marry a woman by his father. Along comes Marcus who is the younger brother of Justin's best friend and while Marcus has had feelings for Justin for a while he hasn't been recognized as more than "the younger brother". Things take a change as they meet all grown up and they immediately have feelings for each other, ones that Justin tries to fight. Suddenly Justin's old lovers start showing up dead around the hotel. Of course all things point to Justin. Can they find out who is behind it? Is Marcus next? Will Justin and Marcus have a chance? Or worse of all.... is Justin behind it?
The characters were written very well. I am normally not a fan of this type of romance but I enjoyed it. It is a high drama book and is full of pain. Plus I live near the ocean so it also hits close to me for that. ;) The ending will throw you off a bit.
The characters were written very well. I am normally not a fan of this type of romance but I enjoyed it. It is a high drama book and is full of pain. Plus I live near the ocean so it also hits close to me for that. ;) The ending will throw you off a bit.
January 20, 2017
This is an enjoyable book. This is a murder mystery with an interesting premise. The characters are likable and interesting, even the villains. I would have liked the book better if the villains were not quite so obvious. While I'm not completely opposed to cliffhangers there were quite a few unanswered questions and loose threads remaining. The story is interesting and well written.
I received a copy of this manuscript from the author, my review has been voluntarily submitted.
I received a copy of this manuscript from the author, my review has been voluntarily submitted.
January 2, 2018
Good book
Received this series as a gift, not knowing the genre. M/M romance is not my style. I will admit to not reading the sex scenes but the book itself was very well written
Received this series as a gift, not knowing the genre. M/M romance is not my style. I will admit to not reading the sex scenes but the book itself was very well written
dnf-not-for-me
April 18, 2020Read sample. The description and background for Moses, who is black, in ch. 2; “he uses his height, weight, not to mention his skin color...” Sounds so racist to me. Racism is mentioned by other Amazon reviewers.
June 18, 2025
First time author to me and I really enjoyed this story. I was suspecting the wife but knew that the sheriff was involved. Did not expect the cliffhanger ending so will definitely will be reading the next story.
September 11, 2015
This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I would normally have stopped reading at around 35%, but due to the commitment I made to the M/M Romance group on goodreads.com I felt I had to finish this book to write a fair review.
This book is either very poorly edited or not at all. There are copy-editing issues from the first pages: everything from improper punctuation (incorrect comma use and comma splices) to inconsistent tense forms to incomplete sentences. These were distracting and gave the impression that the book was not ready for publishing. At the very least, a book should be properly edited before the author plans to ask money for its purchase.
In regards to the storytelling itself, the author failed to follow the cardinal rule: show, don’t tell. Every thought and action is detailed in lieu of letting the prose slowly and delicately expose subtext. No literary devices are used to gently guide the reader to extrapolate and interpret. By describing Justin’s pain instead of letting us feel it, there is no development of empathy from the reader and, thus, no sense of devastation at his loss. The main problem that develops is that we can barely be interested in Justin’s life, let alone his fate or the building plot line.
Furthermore, no other characters are multifaceted. Until Peter, Justin’s brother, and Marcus, the romantic lead, are introduced, every influential character is almost ludicrously unpleasant. Caroline, Justin’s wife and bane of his existence, is vile and most often described as mentally unstable; the poor woman is stuck in a loveless marriage, playing upper-class wife to a man who basically swindled her out of a legitimate marriage. She wanted to make love with her new husband on their wedding night - a ridiculous proposal, according to the deluded Justin: after he cannot perform, he finally “gives in” to her “blatant and poorly disguised attempts at seducing him.” A married woman does not have to seduce her husband on their wedding night. She deserves the love and faithfulness that she expected when she made her vows. Justin, who we are to believe is the hero of this story, justifies his affairs by rejecting responsibility. Justin is so unsympathetic that his fate - and that of those he loves - is of little interest to the reader.
The police chief, Moses Lee, is the archetypical homophobic and embittered villain of the story, whose entire existence is a sort of farcical display of reverse racism. He is the only character to be described by his skin colour, to remind us constantly that this lying, hateful cretin is also black.
If I may once again comment on the lack of editing, I will point out the uncommon vocabulary: must we use the word “squelch”? Can one “set his lust on fire”? Does an American even know what the term “to wank” means, and would he use it to metaphorise his masturbatory practices? Conversations are stilted - due often to the lack of contractions - and unnatural sounding, as if the characters were reading from a script. The narrator changes far too often, so that the focus is never on one perspective for long enough and, at the same time, too much of the plot is given away too soon. We never experience a deep introspection from any one character, leaving us with narrative holes sometimes days in length. Due to this, the romance storyline suffers. We are told that feelings exist (from the first look), but we don’t feel them ourselves. There is no passion between the lovers because there is no passion in the words: “the storm’s over … well [sic] at least the one outside.”
The book ends with a cliffhanger but not with any sort of twist. It is obvious from the beginning, with the introduction of the villains, who is responsible for the murders. Justin flitters about, oblivious and naive, while the characters around him stumble and deceive their way towards the truth. Never have I been more relieved to finish a book; never have I cared less about the fate of the main character.
I would normally have stopped reading at around 35%, but due to the commitment I made to the M/M Romance group on goodreads.com I felt I had to finish this book to write a fair review.
This book is either very poorly edited or not at all. There are copy-editing issues from the first pages: everything from improper punctuation (incorrect comma use and comma splices) to inconsistent tense forms to incomplete sentences. These were distracting and gave the impression that the book was not ready for publishing. At the very least, a book should be properly edited before the author plans to ask money for its purchase.
In regards to the storytelling itself, the author failed to follow the cardinal rule: show, don’t tell. Every thought and action is detailed in lieu of letting the prose slowly and delicately expose subtext. No literary devices are used to gently guide the reader to extrapolate and interpret. By describing Justin’s pain instead of letting us feel it, there is no development of empathy from the reader and, thus, no sense of devastation at his loss. The main problem that develops is that we can barely be interested in Justin’s life, let alone his fate or the building plot line.
Furthermore, no other characters are multifaceted. Until Peter, Justin’s brother, and Marcus, the romantic lead, are introduced, every influential character is almost ludicrously unpleasant. Caroline, Justin’s wife and bane of his existence, is vile and most often described as mentally unstable; the poor woman is stuck in a loveless marriage, playing upper-class wife to a man who basically swindled her out of a legitimate marriage. She wanted to make love with her new husband on their wedding night - a ridiculous proposal, according to the deluded Justin: after he cannot perform, he finally “gives in” to her “blatant and poorly disguised attempts at seducing him.” A married woman does not have to seduce her husband on their wedding night. She deserves the love and faithfulness that she expected when she made her vows. Justin, who we are to believe is the hero of this story, justifies his affairs by rejecting responsibility. Justin is so unsympathetic that his fate - and that of those he loves - is of little interest to the reader.
The police chief, Moses Lee, is the archetypical homophobic and embittered villain of the story, whose entire existence is a sort of farcical display of reverse racism. He is the only character to be described by his skin colour, to remind us constantly that this lying, hateful cretin is also black.
If I may once again comment on the lack of editing, I will point out the uncommon vocabulary: must we use the word “squelch”? Can one “set his lust on fire”? Does an American even know what the term “to wank” means, and would he use it to metaphorise his masturbatory practices? Conversations are stilted - due often to the lack of contractions - and unnatural sounding, as if the characters were reading from a script. The narrator changes far too often, so that the focus is never on one perspective for long enough and, at the same time, too much of the plot is given away too soon. We never experience a deep introspection from any one character, leaving us with narrative holes sometimes days in length. Due to this, the romance storyline suffers. We are told that feelings exist (from the first look), but we don’t feel them ourselves. There is no passion between the lovers because there is no passion in the words: “the storm’s over … well [sic] at least the one outside.”
The book ends with a cliffhanger but not with any sort of twist. It is obvious from the beginning, with the introduction of the villains, who is responsible for the murders. Justin flitters about, oblivious and naive, while the characters around him stumble and deceive their way towards the truth. Never have I been more relieved to finish a book; never have I cared less about the fate of the main character.
September 7, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've yeat to read a book that succesfully combines romance with mystery, and I don't think it's so strange. If a classic whodunnit takes ten characters to be muddy enough and to that, in a strong romance, you should ad two more (since it's hardly a great romance if one of the MCs did it, unless the author ir incredibly talented) as the main couple, it would take a hell of a lot characters. And to juggle that on top of great romance plot, would take several books.
So, I didn't have my expectation too high concerning the mystery part of the story, rather I was drawn to the characters. Justin and Marcus sounded like an interesting couple.
The mystery part managed to be underwhelming, as it was the two characters who were made out ot be unlikeable anyway who were invlolved. I kept thinking that maybe the author was going for some sort of noir vibe with the rich people, unpleasant cops and mysterious mental ilnesses, but if so, I couldn't completely get into it.
The romantic aspect wasn't the smooth sailing that I thought it would be, which is what made this book alot better. Justin wasn't very likeable, but at least he wasn't made out to be a saint, and he did recognize his part in his and his wife's misery. And my family backround being what it is, I can't wrap my head around this mindset where everything about your life is being dictated by what other people think.
All that said, I did read the book in one go, so clearly there was a pull. And aside from the occasional uncomfortable moment, when I kept asking myself if there were racist vibes (I guess I'm just overly sensitive), I was enjoying myself.
This story clearly isn't a standalone, as the MCs don't get their things resolved and the motive behind the murders is not clear.
All in all, I hope that the next part will be sharper about the murder aspect, but I will absolutely read it, as I am hooked and have every faith that the storylines will become more cohesive and deep as the series continues.
I'm sorry for my rambling review, but would like to thank the author and the DBML program for the opportunity to read this book.
I've yeat to read a book that succesfully combines romance with mystery, and I don't think it's so strange. If a classic whodunnit takes ten characters to be muddy enough and to that, in a strong romance, you should ad two more (since it's hardly a great romance if one of the MCs did it, unless the author ir incredibly talented) as the main couple, it would take a hell of a lot characters. And to juggle that on top of great romance plot, would take several books.
So, I didn't have my expectation too high concerning the mystery part of the story, rather I was drawn to the characters. Justin and Marcus sounded like an interesting couple.
The mystery part managed to be underwhelming, as it was the two characters who were made out ot be unlikeable anyway who were invlolved. I kept thinking that maybe the author was going for some sort of noir vibe with the rich people, unpleasant cops and mysterious mental ilnesses, but if so, I couldn't completely get into it.
The romantic aspect wasn't the smooth sailing that I thought it would be, which is what made this book alot better. Justin wasn't very likeable, but at least he wasn't made out to be a saint, and he did recognize his part in his and his wife's misery. And my family backround being what it is, I can't wrap my head around this mindset where everything about your life is being dictated by what other people think.
All that said, I did read the book in one go, so clearly there was a pull. And aside from the occasional uncomfortable moment, when I kept asking myself if there were racist vibes (I guess I'm just overly sensitive), I was enjoying myself.
This story clearly isn't a standalone, as the MCs don't get their things resolved and the motive behind the murders is not clear.
All in all, I hope that the next part will be sharper about the murder aspect, but I will absolutely read it, as I am hooked and have every faith that the storylines will become more cohesive and deep as the series continues.
I'm sorry for my rambling review, but would like to thank the author and the DBML program for the opportunity to read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2015
Drifting Sands - CJ Baty
3.5 stars
I was given this book for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
This story had a lot of mystery, some hot sex and some hateful characters. While I could understand Justin wanting to finally be rid of his crazy wife and out of his forced marriage, I felt plopped in the middle of this story.
You have Justin who runs the family business, the back story of why he runs the business and why he married Caroline. But, I felt like it was missing a huge piece of his past - because you are given hints of him meeting and having a scene with Marcus, but nothing more than a flash and Marcus' hurt feelings.
Then you have Marcus who is there to investigate in to these strange murders, but who is also there to see Justin again. But, then he just drifts and as a reader, I was left wondering where he had gone in the story.
While the story did include mystery, it was not a difficult one to piece together. The story leaves off in a very odd place too, because the characters are scattered. There is no real ending and that was frustrating. There is some completion of the murders in the end, but there is a huge hole in the story and while Baty does set up the next installment well, I felt there was no completion of the first installment in order to really do the second justice. I guess I will have to wait and see how the next installment brings the first together.
3.5 stars
I was given this book for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
This story had a lot of mystery, some hot sex and some hateful characters. While I could understand Justin wanting to finally be rid of his crazy wife and out of his forced marriage, I felt plopped in the middle of this story.
You have Justin who runs the family business, the back story of why he runs the business and why he married Caroline. But, I felt like it was missing a huge piece of his past - because you are given hints of him meeting and having a scene with Marcus, but nothing more than a flash and Marcus' hurt feelings.
Then you have Marcus who is there to investigate in to these strange murders, but who is also there to see Justin again. But, then he just drifts and as a reader, I was left wondering where he had gone in the story.
While the story did include mystery, it was not a difficult one to piece together. The story leaves off in a very odd place too, because the characters are scattered. There is no real ending and that was frustrating. There is some completion of the murders in the end, but there is a huge hole in the story and while Baty does set up the next installment well, I felt there was no completion of the first installment in order to really do the second justice. I guess I will have to wait and see how the next installment brings the first together.
August 30, 2015
*This book was received free in return for an honest review via the Goodreads Don't Buy My Love program*
An ok mystery romance. Justin, in the closet gay, owns and runs the family beach front hotel, but low and behold, lovers of his past are showing up dead on his beach.
There were things I liked and a few that I felt were a bit rough. The beginning felt a bit choppy, delievery of the characters background could have been delivered in a more cohesive timeline. I really like the character of Marcus. He was solid, great personality, easy to relate and emphasize with. Justin's character seems a bit wispy-washy, but does have potential to be more flushed out.
The delivery of the clues to the mystery were very predominant, like neon signs flashing "clue", thus making it too obvious who the killer is. Weave those clues a little more subtle in the next book and the mystery could be more intriguing.
An ok mystery romance. Justin, in the closet gay, owns and runs the family beach front hotel, but low and behold, lovers of his past are showing up dead on his beach.
There were things I liked and a few that I felt were a bit rough. The beginning felt a bit choppy, delievery of the characters background could have been delivered in a more cohesive timeline. I really like the character of Marcus. He was solid, great personality, easy to relate and emphasize with. Justin's character seems a bit wispy-washy, but does have potential to be more flushed out.
The delivery of the clues to the mystery were very predominant, like neon signs flashing "clue", thus making it too obvious who the killer is. Weave those clues a little more subtle in the next book and the mystery could be more intriguing.
September 3, 2015
drifting Sands by CJ Baty was a story I thought I would enjoy this a lot more than I did. The plot was an interesting but somewhat simplistic mystery. Men are getting lured by a letter to meet at the MC's Justin's hotel then get murdered. I found it pretty easy to figure out the mystery. The characters, Justin and Marcus were not particularly memorable. Justin had quite the martyr complex going on, marrying a woman he didn't really like to please their families. I liked Justin's brother best of all in the story. The wife was a horrible character, manipulative and nasty, but not especially believable as a real person. Frankly I didn't like the racist undertones about the black chief of police. I am not sure if it was the author or a plot device, but it made me uncomfortable. Overall, not exactly my favorite read, but did have some redeeming qualities. Was a little surprised there is going to be a continuation in the series. Seems like the story could have been wrapped up.
Read
October 21, 2016I think there was too much going on and a lot of info and characters were crammed into this book. Things got a little confusing at times with so much going on and a lot of contradictions were made. The fact that there were two Rogers didn't really help either. Both happened to be bartenders as well? Very confusing. Also, was Doc Martin a planned pun? or a happy coincidence??
That being said, this could have been a great murder/mystery if all the extra stuff had been edited out. A good editor can go a long way!! It really has the makings of a good series. Justin is a likable guy and Peter is charming. Marcus confused me at times, but it's not his fault :p
all in all i rate this 2.5*
That being said, this could have been a great murder/mystery if all the extra stuff had been edited out. A good editor can go a long way!! It really has the makings of a good series. Justin is a likable guy and Peter is charming. Marcus confused me at times, but it's not his fault :p
all in all i rate this 2.5*
January 21, 2017
God I loved this book! I literally could not stop reading and read it all in 1 long sitting. It was such a beautifully written story with just the right balance of heat, romance and suspense. My only complaint was where the book cut of at the end. It has left me chomping at the bit waiting for payday to roll around again so that I can purchase book 2!
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