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Wofür es sich zu kämpfen lohnt
Hartwick County in South Dakota bedeutet einen neuen Anfang für Mackenzie „Mack“ Redford. Das Leben in der Großstadt war nicht das, was er erwartet hatte und nun ist er wieder zu Hause und arbeitet als Sheriff.
Brantley Calderone ist ebenfalls auf der Suche nach einem neuen Leben. Nachdem er New York verlassen und eine Ranch gekauft hat, versucht er sich einzuleben und sich daran zu gewöhnen, an einem anderen Ort zu leben – bis er eine tote Frau auf seiner Veranda entdeckt und sich selbst als Haupttatverdächtigen in einem Mordfall wiederfindet.
Mack und Brantley erkennen sehr bald mehrere Dinge: Irgendjemand will Brantley etwas anhängen, allein ist er nicht länger sicher auf der Ranch und zwischen ihnen entwickelt sich definitiv eine gewisse Anziehungskraft, die sich noch verstärkt, als Mack Brantley anbietet, vorübergehend bei ihm einzuziehen. Als ihre Romanze eskaliert, eskaliert auch das Verhalten des Mörders. Sie müssen ihm immer einen Schritt voraus sein und herausfinden, wer Brantley tot sehen will, ehe es zu spät ist. Nur dann können sie das neue Leben beginnen, das sie beide suchen – gemeinsam.
Brantley Calderone ist ebenfalls auf der Suche nach einem neuen Leben. Nachdem er New York verlassen und eine Ranch gekauft hat, versucht er sich einzuleben und sich daran zu gewöhnen, an einem anderen Ort zu leben – bis er eine tote Frau auf seiner Veranda entdeckt und sich selbst als Haupttatverdächtigen in einem Mordfall wiederfindet.
Mack und Brantley erkennen sehr bald mehrere Dinge: Irgendjemand will Brantley etwas anhängen, allein ist er nicht länger sicher auf der Ranch und zwischen ihnen entwickelt sich definitiv eine gewisse Anziehungskraft, die sich noch verstärkt, als Mack Brantley anbietet, vorübergehend bei ihm einzuziehen. Als ihre Romanze eskaliert, eskaliert auch das Verhalten des Mörders. Sie müssen ihm immer einen Schritt voraus sein und herausfinden, wer Brantley tot sehen will, ehe es zu spät ist. Nur dann können sie das neue Leben beginnen, das sie beide suchen – gemeinsam.
186 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2016
3 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Dirk Greyson
21 books115 followersDirk is very much an outside kind of man. He loves travel and seeing new things.
Dirk worked in corporate America for way too long and now spends his days writing, gardening, and taking care of the home he shares with his partner of more than two decades.
He has a Master’s Degree and all the other accessories that go with a corporate job. But he is most proud of the stories he tells and the life he's built.
Dirk lives in Pennsylvania in a century old home and is blessed with an amazing circle of friends.
Dirk worked in corporate America for way too long and now spends his days writing, gardening, and taking care of the home he shares with his partner of more than two decades.
He has a Master’s Degree and all the other accessories that go with a corporate job. But he is most proud of the stories he tells and the life he's built.
Dirk lives in Pennsylvania in a century old home and is blessed with an amazing circle of friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 4, 2016
3.5 stars – The MM/mystery Flight or Fight is my first exposure to author Dirk Greyson. Like many of the novels I have read in this subgenre of romance, the mystery is not terribly convoluted, but it serves its purpose well enough by giving the romantic pairing something extra to challenge it. Though the author accomplishes a good balance between the story arcs here, I still found myself scratching my head at times, and not in the way of when a good mystery baffles me.
Brantley Calderone is the new owner of ranch in rural South Dakota, a setting and life far afield from his high-rolling, successful days as a New York City investment manager. It’s a change he wanted to make, but when he finds his real estate agent shot dead on his front porch a few days after moving in, he wonders whether moving away from the “safety” of the city was the right choice. Mackenzie “Mack” Redford, the sheriff of Hartwick County, is relieved that it doesn’t take him long to rule out Brantley as the prime suspect, as it’s never a good thing to be attracted to the man he’s investigating. But since Brantley seems to be equally interested in pursuing something with Mack, the fact that the killer is intent on driving Brantley away by any means necessary makes the murder case all the more personal for the sheriff. If he’s to keep Brantley from leaving, he’ll have to make sure they work together to expose their adversary, for only then can they have a chance at a happily ever after.
Since much of my teenage years were spent enjoying mystery novels, picking up a romance book framed as a whodunit twenty years later (ok, closer to thirty…shut up) is something that I always do with a bit of excitement, in spite of the fact that my experience with them has been mixed. For some reason, it seems a challenge for authors of the subgenre to balance the romantic and mystery aspects without making a mess of it. Fortunately, the plot of Flight or Fight is not a problem. It does focus much more heavily on the mystery story, using the budding romance between the characters as a means for adding an extra layer of urgency to find the murderer quickly. I would hesitate to call this a noir-style mystery, even though it contains some of the style elements, because the story is not dark or gritty. Add to this the fact that the mystery itself is fairly easy to follow, and you have an easy, comfortable read that would work even in situations where your attention might frequently be dragged elsewhere while reading. Though there’s nothing really surprising here for a seasoned mystery reader, I have no complaints with the plotting—no loose ends nor any unbelievable twists, for example—so since the majority of the story is the mystery, that’s a good thing.
Probably the biggest issue I had with the book, though, is the writing style. The dialogue is fine, but the narration seems filled with a lot of extraneous details throughout. Details can be good, but too often here I found myself being pulled out of the story because of it. Is it necessary, for example, to comment about a character absently scratching his butt before taking a sip of his coffee? It certainly wasn’t bad enough that I couldn’t get back into the story, but still. And then where details are a big plus—ahem, in the romantic scenes—the author decided to leave much to the imagination most of the time. Maybe that’s a personal preference thing, but it certainly left me wanting.
As far as the characters and their romance are concerned, for the most part, I enjoyed them. They make a good pair because they are similar in many ways. While such similarity can post problems from a perspective standpoint, the author does an excellent job keeping this from becoming a problem. There are a few decisions the author makes that some readers may question, though. For example, almost right from the start, Mack seems rather open with Brantley about the facts of the case. But this makes a certain amount of sense if one considers the location and situation. There are a few other things like this in the book, but if you try not to let your “television policing” experience interfere with the story and just go with it, it will be for the better. It shouldn’t take long in reading the book for you to understand where the title of the novel comes from, and honestly, this behavior in Brantley seems a touch overdramatized at times, but that’s really the only thing I can say bad about either of them as characters. As I mentioned before, the romance plays a distant second fiddle to the mystery, and like the mystery, the romantic arc is also fairly uncomplicated. All of the drama in their quickly formed relationship comes directly from the events surrounding the investigation and their reactions to it. That being said, I do wish the author had taken more time to expand this part of the story line some.
As a whole, Flight or Fight is a decent mystery encasing a quick romance that is worth a read, particularly if you like things to be straightforward. While you might be tempted to gloss over some of the details that don’t pertain to the case—and, frankly, it’s okay if you do because there are a lot of them—if you pay attention to the important stuff, your inner gumshoe will appreciate the story.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Flight or Fight in exchange for this fair and honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
Brantley Calderone is the new owner of ranch in rural South Dakota, a setting and life far afield from his high-rolling, successful days as a New York City investment manager. It’s a change he wanted to make, but when he finds his real estate agent shot dead on his front porch a few days after moving in, he wonders whether moving away from the “safety” of the city was the right choice. Mackenzie “Mack” Redford, the sheriff of Hartwick County, is relieved that it doesn’t take him long to rule out Brantley as the prime suspect, as it’s never a good thing to be attracted to the man he’s investigating. But since Brantley seems to be equally interested in pursuing something with Mack, the fact that the killer is intent on driving Brantley away by any means necessary makes the murder case all the more personal for the sheriff. If he’s to keep Brantley from leaving, he’ll have to make sure they work together to expose their adversary, for only then can they have a chance at a happily ever after.
Since much of my teenage years were spent enjoying mystery novels, picking up a romance book framed as a whodunit twenty years later (ok, closer to thirty…shut up) is something that I always do with a bit of excitement, in spite of the fact that my experience with them has been mixed. For some reason, it seems a challenge for authors of the subgenre to balance the romantic and mystery aspects without making a mess of it. Fortunately, the plot of Flight or Fight is not a problem. It does focus much more heavily on the mystery story, using the budding romance between the characters as a means for adding an extra layer of urgency to find the murderer quickly. I would hesitate to call this a noir-style mystery, even though it contains some of the style elements, because the story is not dark or gritty. Add to this the fact that the mystery itself is fairly easy to follow, and you have an easy, comfortable read that would work even in situations where your attention might frequently be dragged elsewhere while reading. Though there’s nothing really surprising here for a seasoned mystery reader, I have no complaints with the plotting—no loose ends nor any unbelievable twists, for example—so since the majority of the story is the mystery, that’s a good thing.
Probably the biggest issue I had with the book, though, is the writing style. The dialogue is fine, but the narration seems filled with a lot of extraneous details throughout. Details can be good, but too often here I found myself being pulled out of the story because of it. Is it necessary, for example, to comment about a character absently scratching his butt before taking a sip of his coffee? It certainly wasn’t bad enough that I couldn’t get back into the story, but still. And then where details are a big plus—ahem, in the romantic scenes—the author decided to leave much to the imagination most of the time. Maybe that’s a personal preference thing, but it certainly left me wanting.
As far as the characters and their romance are concerned, for the most part, I enjoyed them. They make a good pair because they are similar in many ways. While such similarity can post problems from a perspective standpoint, the author does an excellent job keeping this from becoming a problem. There are a few decisions the author makes that some readers may question, though. For example, almost right from the start, Mack seems rather open with Brantley about the facts of the case. But this makes a certain amount of sense if one considers the location and situation. There are a few other things like this in the book, but if you try not to let your “television policing” experience interfere with the story and just go with it, it will be for the better. It shouldn’t take long in reading the book for you to understand where the title of the novel comes from, and honestly, this behavior in Brantley seems a touch overdramatized at times, but that’s really the only thing I can say bad about either of them as characters. As I mentioned before, the romance plays a distant second fiddle to the mystery, and like the mystery, the romantic arc is also fairly uncomplicated. All of the drama in their quickly formed relationship comes directly from the events surrounding the investigation and their reactions to it. That being said, I do wish the author had taken more time to expand this part of the story line some.
As a whole, Flight or Fight is a decent mystery encasing a quick romance that is worth a read, particularly if you like things to be straightforward. While you might be tempted to gloss over some of the details that don’t pertain to the case—and, frankly, it’s okay if you do because there are a lot of them—if you pay attention to the important stuff, your inner gumshoe will appreciate the story.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Flight or Fight in exchange for this fair and honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
January 12, 2018
3.75* I enjoyed this one!! It has a good mystery and the story is settled in a ranch! Andrew grey´s Ranch or farms stories have a soft enviroment that I really like :D !
Low angst and although they fall pretty fast for each other, is not insta... it goes deleloping with the story!
Low angst and although they fall pretty fast for each other, is not insta... it goes deleloping with the story!
January 9, 2018
3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars because still no 1/2 stars here on GR and the audio kinda' killed this one for me and not in a good way.
Who says life's quiet in a small town...
After things fell apart in New York, Brantley Calderone did what any sane person would do he bought a farm and left the city looking to make a new life for himself...he just didn't plan on that life including a dead body on his front porch at the end of his first week. Nor did he count on it including a sheriff who pushed every hot button he has.
When Mack pulled up to the house with the dead body on it and realized that he was more interested in the hot and very much alive owner as more than just a prime suspect. Mack learns in short order that first impression can be wrong and it doesn't take Mack long to figure out that his first impression was deceptive and as events unfold he realizes that not only is Brantley not a suspect, he's a potential victim.
I liked Brantley, he was determined not to give in to his fear and run back to New York no matter how tempting the idea became and I can well imagine that having someone try to kill you would be a real motivator to get the hell out of Dodge. But when push came to shove Brantley pulled on his big boy pants and held his ground and without fail Mack had his back. I might have warmed up to Brantley a little quicker than Mack but that didn't mean that I didn't appreciate Mack. I loved that Mack wasn't afraid to let Brantley know how he felt.
As Mack and Brantley pull together to solve the mystery and keep anyone else from being hurt or worse not only does the pressure to find a solution increase but feelings between Mack and Brantley change and Mack's desire to keep Brantley safe becomes more personal than professional.
I found myself engaged by both the romance between the MCs and the mystery in this one even though I was fairly sure who it was I still enjoyed the journey that the author took us one to get there.
Overall I enjoyed this story but I have to admit that ending was maybe just a little bit to much sunshine and rainbows for me to buy into but sometimes it's nice to get the sunshine and rainbows in my books because real life doesn't always have them to offer when life goes off the rails.
I've left my thoughts on the audio portion of this book for last because truthfully this one was a real challenge for me. I listened to the sample on audible.com before I requested this one and honestly it seemed ok, I really didn't think there was going to be an issue...I was wrong ok? Because about an hour into the book I picked up on the fact that what sounded like a slow easy drawl after only a few minutes turned into more of a sing-songy voice and truthfully just did not enhance the story for me especially as I began to feel like it was getting a bit challenging to distinguish the character voices apart as I didn't find the voices of the MCs to be overly distinctive. This was my first audio experience with Mark Westfield as the narrator and truthfully probably my last as well. I know he's a very popular narrator especially with fans of Charlie Cochet's THIRDS series and I'm cool with that. Once again this isn't a case of right or wrong it's just a case of this narrator's voice didn't work for me.
At the end of the story it's a case of the story was easily a 3.5 possibly a 4 star read for me but the audio only gets 3 stars from me because while this was by no means my best audio book experience I've had worse...a lot worse so I'm calling it a day at 3.5 stars for this one and moving on to my next adventure.
*************************
An audio book of 'Flight or Fight' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Who says life's quiet in a small town...
After things fell apart in New York, Brantley Calderone did what any sane person would do he bought a farm and left the city looking to make a new life for himself...he just didn't plan on that life including a dead body on his front porch at the end of his first week. Nor did he count on it including a sheriff who pushed every hot button he has.
When Mack pulled up to the house with the dead body on it and realized that he was more interested in the hot and very much alive owner as more than just a prime suspect. Mack learns in short order that first impression can be wrong and it doesn't take Mack long to figure out that his first impression was deceptive and as events unfold he realizes that not only is Brantley not a suspect, he's a potential victim.
I liked Brantley, he was determined not to give in to his fear and run back to New York no matter how tempting the idea became and I can well imagine that having someone try to kill you would be a real motivator to get the hell out of Dodge. But when push came to shove Brantley pulled on his big boy pants and held his ground and without fail Mack had his back. I might have warmed up to Brantley a little quicker than Mack but that didn't mean that I didn't appreciate Mack. I loved that Mack wasn't afraid to let Brantley know how he felt.
As Mack and Brantley pull together to solve the mystery and keep anyone else from being hurt or worse not only does the pressure to find a solution increase but feelings between Mack and Brantley change and Mack's desire to keep Brantley safe becomes more personal than professional.
I found myself engaged by both the romance between the MCs and the mystery in this one even though I was fairly sure who it was I still enjoyed the journey that the author took us one to get there.
Overall I enjoyed this story but I have to admit that ending was maybe just a little bit to much sunshine and rainbows for me to buy into but sometimes it's nice to get the sunshine and rainbows in my books because real life doesn't always have them to offer when life goes off the rails.
I've left my thoughts on the audio portion of this book for last because truthfully this one was a real challenge for me. I listened to the sample on audible.com before I requested this one and honestly it seemed ok, I really didn't think there was going to be an issue...I was wrong ok? Because about an hour into the book I picked up on the fact that what sounded like a slow easy drawl after only a few minutes turned into more of a sing-songy voice and truthfully just did not enhance the story for me especially as I began to feel like it was getting a bit challenging to distinguish the character voices apart as I didn't find the voices of the MCs to be overly distinctive. This was my first audio experience with Mark Westfield as the narrator and truthfully probably my last as well. I know he's a very popular narrator especially with fans of Charlie Cochet's THIRDS series and I'm cool with that. Once again this isn't a case of right or wrong it's just a case of this narrator's voice didn't work for me.
At the end of the story it's a case of the story was easily a 3.5 possibly a 4 star read for me but the audio only gets 3 stars from me because while this was by no means my best audio book experience I've had worse...a lot worse so I'm calling it a day at 3.5 stars for this one and moving on to my next adventure.
*************************
An audio book of 'Flight or Fight' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2017
Wofür es sich zu kämpfen lohnt ist eine gelungene Geschichte mit spannendem Krimiplot von Dirk Greyson, alias Andrew Grey.
Zur Handlung. Es ist nicht immer alles so, wie es der erste Anschein vermuten lässt. Das muss auch Sheriff Mack Redford erkennen, als er in einem Mordfall ermittelt. Denn der Hauptverdächtige beteuert seine Unschuld und hat zudem ein Alibi.
Brantley Calderone hat nach einem Misserfolg der Finanzwelt den Rücken gekehrt und möchte auf dem Land ein neues Leben als Rancher beginnen. Seine Wahl fällt auf Hartwick County. Hier hofft er fernab der Großstadt auf einen Neubeginn. Doch daraus scheint nichts zu werden, denn ausgerechnet seine Maklerin liegt nach seinem Einkauf im nahe gelegenen Ort tot auf seiner Veranda. Glücklicherweise kann er den Sheriff, der ihn umgehend verhaften will, von seiner Unschuld überzeugen. Bei den nun folgenden Ermittlungen kommen die beiden sich näher und Mack wird immer mehr zu Brantleys Beschützer. Das ist auch bitter nötig, denn jemand trachtet ihm nach dem Leben.
Mir hat die Story gut gefallen, der Krimianteil ist spannend erzählt und es gibt reichlich Verdächtige. Des Rätsels Lösung habe ich so nicht kommen sehen. Ich mochte auch das Paar Mack und Brantley auf Anhieb. Zwischen all den dramatischen Ereignissen entwickelt sich zwischen den beiden eine romantische Liebesgeschichte.
Die Story erhält von mir 5 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung.
Mein Dank geht an Dreamspinner Press für das erhaltene Rezensionsexemplar.
Zur Handlung. Es ist nicht immer alles so, wie es der erste Anschein vermuten lässt. Das muss auch Sheriff Mack Redford erkennen, als er in einem Mordfall ermittelt. Denn der Hauptverdächtige beteuert seine Unschuld und hat zudem ein Alibi.
Brantley Calderone hat nach einem Misserfolg der Finanzwelt den Rücken gekehrt und möchte auf dem Land ein neues Leben als Rancher beginnen. Seine Wahl fällt auf Hartwick County. Hier hofft er fernab der Großstadt auf einen Neubeginn. Doch daraus scheint nichts zu werden, denn ausgerechnet seine Maklerin liegt nach seinem Einkauf im nahe gelegenen Ort tot auf seiner Veranda. Glücklicherweise kann er den Sheriff, der ihn umgehend verhaften will, von seiner Unschuld überzeugen. Bei den nun folgenden Ermittlungen kommen die beiden sich näher und Mack wird immer mehr zu Brantleys Beschützer. Das ist auch bitter nötig, denn jemand trachtet ihm nach dem Leben.
Mir hat die Story gut gefallen, der Krimianteil ist spannend erzählt und es gibt reichlich Verdächtige. Des Rätsels Lösung habe ich so nicht kommen sehen. Ich mochte auch das Paar Mack und Brantley auf Anhieb. Zwischen all den dramatischen Ereignissen entwickelt sich zwischen den beiden eine romantische Liebesgeschichte.
Die Story erhält von mir 5 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung.
Mein Dank geht an Dreamspinner Press für das erhaltene Rezensionsexemplar.
August 17, 2016
Now THIS is how you do a murder mystery folks! It’s rare that an author gets the drop on me. I’m always figuring it out right away or at least half way. But for this one it took me right to the end. I literally cheered over the fact I was left stunned! I want to bake the author a cake!
This is such an awesome mystery with great drama and equally fantastic characters. Brantley comes to live in South Dakota from New York City to live a dream he’s had since he was a kid. Mack, the Sheriff, has his first encounter with Brantley when a woman is found dead and Brantley hovering over her. It was almost comical actually.
Of course Brantley isn’t guilty that would be too easy. But the whodunit is what was truly brilliant. We take this journey with these two and the rest of the town. Some near misses for Brantley who finds himself almost killed quite a few times.
So, we have this suspenseful mystery, Mack and Brantley falling in love, a billion secrets floating around this small town, some serious emotion too. Brantley finds so much more than his childhood dream though, he finds family. Something he really never had.
I loved the balance in this story. The love, drama, mystery, comedy, and just great all around writing. This is a wonderful book for someone who’s a fan of a well put together mystery and likes being on the edge of their seat.
This is such an awesome mystery with great drama and equally fantastic characters. Brantley comes to live in South Dakota from New York City to live a dream he’s had since he was a kid. Mack, the Sheriff, has his first encounter with Brantley when a woman is found dead and Brantley hovering over her. It was almost comical actually.
Of course Brantley isn’t guilty that would be too easy. But the whodunit is what was truly brilliant. We take this journey with these two and the rest of the town. Some near misses for Brantley who finds himself almost killed quite a few times.
So, we have this suspenseful mystery, Mack and Brantley falling in love, a billion secrets floating around this small town, some serious emotion too. Brantley finds so much more than his childhood dream though, he finds family. Something he really never had.
I loved the balance in this story. The love, drama, mystery, comedy, and just great all around writing. This is a wonderful book for someone who’s a fan of a well put together mystery and likes being on the edge of their seat.
May 10, 2017
4.5 stars
Because of people not pressing charges in domestic cases, in this state it's automatic. The police press charges.
They would automatically put someone in cuffs found hovering over a dead body covered in their blood, not take the cuffs back off because the guy said it was his right. If they needed to officially arrest him they would. But I've seen enough true crime cop shows to know they put people in cuffs all the time who aren't necessarily being are ester but who might be a danger to themselves or others or a flight risk when the officers don't have all the info they need at the scene.
Ooo, used whom correctly!
"We were supposed to meet this evening so I could thank her..." Then "I'm surprised she was here as well. I wasn't expecting her. She may have stopped by to give me something , but I would have expected her to call."
That makes no sense. They were going to meet. If they were going to meet later, why would she stop by earlier? Why wouldn't he say that?
I want to know why, if someone is trying to , they didn't just kill him rather than killing someone else. I would think it would accomplish the same goal of the land either being vacant or sold cheaply.
The police don't clean up nor pay to clean up the crime scene. The homeowner does.
Very cool to say that a man being a shrewd businessman is respected and expected but the same in a woman has her being called a bitch.
Holy cow the sexual tension is scorching. Oh my the sex is even hotter. His dirty talk is hot, not crass. (Fans self.)
I'm glad these small torn police officers are competent, that the deputy isn't being an idiot or slow.
The police procedure is really good. He verifies info even things like receipts, not just taking one person's word or evidence that could be manufactured or altered.
He pulls his gun way too easily. Most police officers never pull their guns in their careers.
Peril, danger, hospital scene!
The only women are wives with no jobs and waitresses and switchboard operators and nurses. The men were law enforcement and firefighters and ranchers and military. There was a real estate agent but she died before we met her and that's usually a woman in books. There as one female friend back in New York but we don't know her job, just that designer attire is important to her.
Finally near the very end, a male nurse!
Woo hoo! Someone who uses adverbs correctly! It's getting so almost every book I review gets my "adjectives do not modify verbs" tag. It's "go slowly" not "go slow." It's "Drive carefully" not "Drive careful." It's "really soon" not "real soon." It's really quickly driving me nuts. Ah crap. Many many times she did it right and then the stockbroker says, "if you search [the] ranch real good..." Criminy.
I love that the dad is playing Cards Against Humanity.
I figured out the culprit earlier than I would have liked but it wasn't too bad. The explanatory confession at the end was a little too formulaic for me though.
Because of people not pressing charges in domestic cases, in this state it's automatic. The police press charges.
They would automatically put someone in cuffs found hovering over a dead body covered in their blood, not take the cuffs back off because the guy said it was his right. If they needed to officially arrest him they would. But I've seen enough true crime cop shows to know they put people in cuffs all the time who aren't necessarily being are ester but who might be a danger to themselves or others or a flight risk when the officers don't have all the info they need at the scene.
Ooo, used whom correctly!
"We were supposed to meet this evening so I could thank her..." Then "I'm surprised she was here as well. I wasn't expecting her. She may have stopped by to give me something , but I would have expected her to call."
That makes no sense. They were going to meet. If they were going to meet later, why would she stop by earlier? Why wouldn't he say that?
I want to know why, if someone is trying to , they didn't just kill him rather than killing someone else. I would think it would accomplish the same goal of the land either being vacant or sold cheaply.
The police don't clean up nor pay to clean up the crime scene. The homeowner does.
Very cool to say that a man being a shrewd businessman is respected and expected but the same in a woman has her being called a bitch.
Holy cow the sexual tension is scorching. Oh my the sex is even hotter. His dirty talk is hot, not crass. (Fans self.)
I'm glad these small torn police officers are competent, that the deputy isn't being an idiot or slow.
The police procedure is really good. He verifies info even things like receipts, not just taking one person's word or evidence that could be manufactured or altered.
He pulls his gun way too easily. Most police officers never pull their guns in their careers.
Peril, danger, hospital scene!
The only women are wives with no jobs and waitresses and switchboard operators and nurses. The men were law enforcement and firefighters and ranchers and military. There was a real estate agent but she died before we met her and that's usually a woman in books. There as one female friend back in New York but we don't know her job, just that designer attire is important to her.
Finally near the very end, a male nurse!
Woo hoo! Someone who uses adverbs correctly! It's getting so almost every book I review gets my "adjectives do not modify verbs" tag. It's "go slowly" not "go slow." It's "Drive carefully" not "Drive careful." It's "really soon" not "real soon." It's really quickly driving me nuts. Ah crap. Many many times she did it right and then the stockbroker says, "if you search [the] ranch real good..." Criminy.
I love that the dad is playing Cards Against Humanity.
I figured out the culprit earlier than I would have liked but it wasn't too bad. The explanatory confession at the end was a little too formulaic for me though.
October 31, 2017
Brantley und Mack sind ein tolles Paar und der Krimi-Plot, der sie zusammenführt, ist verdammt gut gemacht.
Ich habe bis zum Schluss mit beiden gerätselt, wer hinter den verschiedenen Anschlägen auf Brantleys Leben und vor allem hinter dem Mord an seiner Immobilienmaklerin steckt, und obwohl dieser Teil der Story einen großen Platz einnimmt, kommen die Gefühle und die langsam aufkeimende Liebe zwischen beiden Männern nicht zu kurz.
Dabei steht selbige nicht gerade unter einem guten Stern, denn mit Beziehungen haben sie nicht gerade viel Erfahrung und sie sind beide zudem verdammt misstrauisch in puncto Vertrauen, was ihrer Vergangenheit geschuldet ist. Jeder wartet förmlich darauf, vom anderen verlassen zu werden und das macht es nicht immer leicht für die zwei, dabei ist praktisch vom ersten Moment an offensichtlich, dass sie aneinander interessiert sind. Nur ist Mack leider der Sheriff im Ort und Brantley anfangs sogar ein Tatverdächtiger.
Ich bin bei Dirk Greyson bzw. Andrew Grey immer ziemlich vorsichtig, weil ich seine Geschichten entweder gut oder furchtbar finde. Ein Mittelding gibt es bei ihm offenbar nicht, doch dieses Mal hatte ich Glück. »Wofür es sich zu kämpfen lohnt« ist ein sehr passender Titel für die Liebesgeschichte von Mack und Brantley, und sie zu lesen hat durchaus Spaß gemacht.
Ich vergebe 4 zufriedene Sterne, ein Leseempfehlung für alle, die Andrews Bücher mögen, und bedanke mich recht herzlich beim Dreamspinner Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar.
Ich habe bis zum Schluss mit beiden gerätselt, wer hinter den verschiedenen Anschlägen auf Brantleys Leben und vor allem hinter dem Mord an seiner Immobilienmaklerin steckt, und obwohl dieser Teil der Story einen großen Platz einnimmt, kommen die Gefühle und die langsam aufkeimende Liebe zwischen beiden Männern nicht zu kurz.
Dabei steht selbige nicht gerade unter einem guten Stern, denn mit Beziehungen haben sie nicht gerade viel Erfahrung und sie sind beide zudem verdammt misstrauisch in puncto Vertrauen, was ihrer Vergangenheit geschuldet ist. Jeder wartet förmlich darauf, vom anderen verlassen zu werden und das macht es nicht immer leicht für die zwei, dabei ist praktisch vom ersten Moment an offensichtlich, dass sie aneinander interessiert sind. Nur ist Mack leider der Sheriff im Ort und Brantley anfangs sogar ein Tatverdächtiger.
Ich bin bei Dirk Greyson bzw. Andrew Grey immer ziemlich vorsichtig, weil ich seine Geschichten entweder gut oder furchtbar finde. Ein Mittelding gibt es bei ihm offenbar nicht, doch dieses Mal hatte ich Glück. »Wofür es sich zu kämpfen lohnt« ist ein sehr passender Titel für die Liebesgeschichte von Mack und Brantley, und sie zu lesen hat durchaus Spaß gemacht.
Ich vergebe 4 zufriedene Sterne, ein Leseempfehlung für alle, die Andrews Bücher mögen, und bedanke mich recht herzlich beim Dreamspinner Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar.
August 5, 2016
(Originally Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews with a copy provided by the author / publisher for an honest review.)
I’ve read this author’s other books, and was curious where he was going with a western under this pen name. I like his books, no matter which name he publishes under but at first I wondered why this one wasn’t under his other name. Then I got into the book and realized it is primarily a murder mystery / whodunit. It is definitely a Dirk story. That said, I liked the book, quite a bit in fact. I liked the underlying mystery / whodunit, but I think more time was spent on the whodunit, than on the characters. Usually with this author, I have a pretty good image in my head of what his characters look like. Not in this one. I felt the characters’ background and descriptions were a little lacking. While that didn’t necessarily hurt the story, it hurt my connection to the story just a little bit.
Let’s talk about the story. Brantley Calderon was a big time hedge fund manager in Manhattan. When his business partner pulled some shady deals and tried to pin it all on Brantley, it didn’t stick, but the backlash was enough to topple Brantley from his position of trust to the ultra-wealthy clients he served. Washed up in Manhattan he purchased a ranch in South Dakota, sight unseen…well except for a ton of photos taken by his local realtor. So off he went to rural South Dakota, where there aren’t any sounds but insects and birds for as far as he can hear. Idyllic. Well…until he comes home from an unproductive visit to the local town to find his realtor shot dead on his front porch. Of course just when he leans over her and gets blood all over himself, the local Sheriff pulls up.
Mack is a hometown boy, having grown up in the community. He trained to become a police officer and planned on moving to a bigger town / city to pursue a police career. All that changed though when he had to return to his hometown when his father was crippled in a ranching accident. Mack then ran for and was elected to the County Sheriff’s position. What is he to make of the overdressed stranger standing over a local realtor’s body covered in blood?
That leads us off on a string of suspects in this story. I liked this book. It was well written except for my minor character background concerns that I mentioned above. On the whodunit side…honestly…I had no idea all the way through who the miscreant was. I had my suspicions and was hoping I was wrong. And I was…totally. Didn’t see that reveal ending coming at all! This was a good, fast read, similar to the author’s other books in its ease of readability. It had humor and drama in equal portions and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a feel good mystery/romance. No surprise with this author that it is a HEA. Trust me, if you like this author’s writing, you’re in for another enjoyable read.
Good job Mr. Greyson.
I’ve read this author’s other books, and was curious where he was going with a western under this pen name. I like his books, no matter which name he publishes under but at first I wondered why this one wasn’t under his other name. Then I got into the book and realized it is primarily a murder mystery / whodunit. It is definitely a Dirk story. That said, I liked the book, quite a bit in fact. I liked the underlying mystery / whodunit, but I think more time was spent on the whodunit, than on the characters. Usually with this author, I have a pretty good image in my head of what his characters look like. Not in this one. I felt the characters’ background and descriptions were a little lacking. While that didn’t necessarily hurt the story, it hurt my connection to the story just a little bit.
Let’s talk about the story. Brantley Calderon was a big time hedge fund manager in Manhattan. When his business partner pulled some shady deals and tried to pin it all on Brantley, it didn’t stick, but the backlash was enough to topple Brantley from his position of trust to the ultra-wealthy clients he served. Washed up in Manhattan he purchased a ranch in South Dakota, sight unseen…well except for a ton of photos taken by his local realtor. So off he went to rural South Dakota, where there aren’t any sounds but insects and birds for as far as he can hear. Idyllic. Well…until he comes home from an unproductive visit to the local town to find his realtor shot dead on his front porch. Of course just when he leans over her and gets blood all over himself, the local Sheriff pulls up.
Mack is a hometown boy, having grown up in the community. He trained to become a police officer and planned on moving to a bigger town / city to pursue a police career. All that changed though when he had to return to his hometown when his father was crippled in a ranching accident. Mack then ran for and was elected to the County Sheriff’s position. What is he to make of the overdressed stranger standing over a local realtor’s body covered in blood?
That leads us off on a string of suspects in this story. I liked this book. It was well written except for my minor character background concerns that I mentioned above. On the whodunit side…honestly…I had no idea all the way through who the miscreant was. I had my suspicions and was hoping I was wrong. And I was…totally. Didn’t see that reveal ending coming at all! This was a good, fast read, similar to the author’s other books in its ease of readability. It had humor and drama in equal portions and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a feel good mystery/romance. No surprise with this author that it is a HEA. Trust me, if you like this author’s writing, you’re in for another enjoyable read.
Good job Mr. Greyson.
August 7, 2016
One of the ways to reduce stress in your life is to leave the big city and move to the country. At least that is what Brantley expects when he leaves New York and buys a ranch in South Dakota. As it turns out, nothing could be further from the truth. He has barely moved in when he finds a dead woman on his porch, becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation, and subsequently gets shot at, watched, attacked, and worse. It takes all of his efforts as well as the local sheriff’s considerable abilities to solve the riddle of who killed the woman and why they now seem to be after Brantley. The result is an action-packed story with lots of twists and turns, surprises, and revelations, as well as a touching love story when Brantley begins to fall for Mack – the sheriff who is determined to keep Brantley alive and safe.
Brantley used to be a busy financial advisor with a knack for making millions for his clients, but he had a crooked partner who got him in enough trouble to ruin Brantley’s reputation and drove him to make the life-altering choice of buying a ranch and moving to the countryside. But the dead woman on his porch and the subsequent hunt for her killer quickly makes Brantley reconsider his choice. Even though Mack quickly clears him of all suspicion, who would want to stay in a town where his life is constantly in danger? But Brantley also has a few excellent reasons to stay: his attraction to Mack, his refusal to run from whatever coward is after him, and his determination to help Mack solve the riddle as clues start coming in.
Mack had expected his post as a sheriff in a small town to be far less exciting and suspense-filled than what he is finding once Brantley hits town. There are enough suspects, from neighbors who need the water on Brantley’s ranch to mysterious shooters, but not enough hard evidence. As Mack sifts through the circumstantial hints and rumors, the killer becomes more aggressive and more substantial proof emerges. Mack has a race on his hands, and since he is beginning to fall for Brantley, catching the murderer becomes more than a matter of professional pride.
If you like murder mysteries that turn into a character-driven mystery with a variety of motives, if you think two strangers can bond and fall in love while fighting for their lives and solving a mystery, and if you’re looking for a read that is suspenseful, surprising, and full of loving moments, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Brantley used to be a busy financial advisor with a knack for making millions for his clients, but he had a crooked partner who got him in enough trouble to ruin Brantley’s reputation and drove him to make the life-altering choice of buying a ranch and moving to the countryside. But the dead woman on his porch and the subsequent hunt for her killer quickly makes Brantley reconsider his choice. Even though Mack quickly clears him of all suspicion, who would want to stay in a town where his life is constantly in danger? But Brantley also has a few excellent reasons to stay: his attraction to Mack, his refusal to run from whatever coward is after him, and his determination to help Mack solve the riddle as clues start coming in.
Mack had expected his post as a sheriff in a small town to be far less exciting and suspense-filled than what he is finding once Brantley hits town. There are enough suspects, from neighbors who need the water on Brantley’s ranch to mysterious shooters, but not enough hard evidence. As Mack sifts through the circumstantial hints and rumors, the killer becomes more aggressive and more substantial proof emerges. Mack has a race on his hands, and since he is beginning to fall for Brantley, catching the murderer becomes more than a matter of professional pride.
If you like murder mysteries that turn into a character-driven mystery with a variety of motives, if you think two strangers can bond and fall in love while fighting for their lives and solving a mystery, and if you’re looking for a read that is suspenseful, surprising, and full of loving moments, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 6, 2016
Brantley Calderone escapes from the hectic life of a financial market advisor in NYC. He’s bought a ranch in the small county of Hartwick where there’s peace and quiet. Or, not so much: there’s a dead real estate agent on his porch, neighbors’ cattle on his property, he’s facing a drought and townspeople who aren’t friendly, and it just goes downhill from there.
Then there’s the biggest problem of all, Mackenzie “Mack” Redford. Mack is the sheriff in the small county of Hartwick. It seems like crime is starting to be a headache for Mack. Then, when Brantley comes on the scene, Mack has his hands full in more ways than one. When one shot from a rifle comes too close to Brantley, Mack immediately jumps into protective mode. Mack takes Brantley home where he meets Lew, Mack’s dad, and the lovable pups, Leo, Rex and Lulu.
Mack and Brantley share an attraction to each other. Both are a little unsure, but in between trying to solve crimes, they do take time to get to know one another. They team up together to try and figure out who’s causing all the problems, and why. I thought Mack and Brantley were really well developed characters and made a great couple. Lew is also a great character. He’s a wonderful dad to Mack, and he shares so much with Brantley. He also brings wisdom and humor to the story.
Dirk Greyson brings us a well plotted murder mystery with non-stop suspense and action. The danger never lets up in Flight or Fight; it keeps escalating right up until the guilty party is discovered. Right from the start there seems to be new characters that pop up and get added to the list of suspects, and the author kept me guessing. The big question is, what do they want? The ranch, land, water or something else? Absolute page turner for me!
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach Reviews
Then there’s the biggest problem of all, Mackenzie “Mack” Redford. Mack is the sheriff in the small county of Hartwick. It seems like crime is starting to be a headache for Mack. Then, when Brantley comes on the scene, Mack has his hands full in more ways than one. When one shot from a rifle comes too close to Brantley, Mack immediately jumps into protective mode. Mack takes Brantley home where he meets Lew, Mack’s dad, and the lovable pups, Leo, Rex and Lulu.
Mack and Brantley share an attraction to each other. Both are a little unsure, but in between trying to solve crimes, they do take time to get to know one another. They team up together to try and figure out who’s causing all the problems, and why. I thought Mack and Brantley were really well developed characters and made a great couple. Lew is also a great character. He’s a wonderful dad to Mack, and he shares so much with Brantley. He also brings wisdom and humor to the story.
Dirk Greyson brings us a well plotted murder mystery with non-stop suspense and action. The danger never lets up in Flight or Fight; it keeps escalating right up until the guilty party is discovered. Right from the start there seems to be new characters that pop up and get added to the list of suspects, and the author kept me guessing. The big question is, what do they want? The ranch, land, water or something else? Absolute page turner for me!
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach Reviews
August 11, 2016
Imagine you’ve moved from the biggest of cities, NYC, to the smallest of towns in South Dakota. You are seeking a stress free life in the safety of anonymity, and you’ve bought a house on some acreage to isolate yourself even more. This is the life Brantley Calderone was seeking. Instead he has stumbled into nothing but stressful and bizarre problems. His real estate agent is murdered on his front porch, he is initially the prime suspect, the clothing that he bought to “fit in” is all wrong, and no one is the least bit friendly. A drought is a huge problem in the area and in the middle of the night he sees cattle on the horizon. Brantley does not own any cattle.
Mack is the county sheriff in an area where the biggest crimes should be small, but are approaching real danger – murder, cattle thieves, and a newcomer who rings all the wrong bells in Mack’s lonely heart. As Mack and Brantley quickly get to know each other it becomes apparent that they are going to need to team up to solve the crimes that are suddenly coming to a head and escalating fast.
Who is at the bottom of the mysteries and is someone else going to have to die before the culprit or culprits are discovered? Mack and Brantley are great characters and are well developed in context. Dirk Greyson writes wonderful suspense and one of his gifts is creating characters that you truly care about. Mack’s father Lew is a secondary character but gets plenty of page time and is a wonderful man. I felt like I knew him and wanted to keep up with him as a friend even after the story was over. I could hardly put the book down while trying to anticipate what was going to happen next and why the crimes were happening.
Great modern day western, just my kind of story and one I highly recommend. When a plot-driven novel meets a character-driven romance great story telling happens and the reader is the beneficiary. Enjoy!
Mack is the county sheriff in an area where the biggest crimes should be small, but are approaching real danger – murder, cattle thieves, and a newcomer who rings all the wrong bells in Mack’s lonely heart. As Mack and Brantley quickly get to know each other it becomes apparent that they are going to need to team up to solve the crimes that are suddenly coming to a head and escalating fast.
Who is at the bottom of the mysteries and is someone else going to have to die before the culprit or culprits are discovered? Mack and Brantley are great characters and are well developed in context. Dirk Greyson writes wonderful suspense and one of his gifts is creating characters that you truly care about. Mack’s father Lew is a secondary character but gets plenty of page time and is a wonderful man. I felt like I knew him and wanted to keep up with him as a friend even after the story was over. I could hardly put the book down while trying to anticipate what was going to happen next and why the crimes were happening.
Great modern day western, just my kind of story and one I highly recommend. When a plot-driven novel meets a character-driven romance great story telling happens and the reader is the beneficiary. Enjoy!
August 14, 2017
Brantley Calderone, ein New Yorker Stadtei, kauft sich eine Ranch in einer kleinen Ortschaft in South Dakota und möchte dort zur Ruhe kommen. Nun ja, mit der Ruhe wird wohl nix, immerhin findet er auf seiner Veranda eine tote Frau. Mackenzie "Mack" Redford ist der Sheriff von Hartwick County und untersucht den Mordfall. Brantley kann er als Verdächtigen bald ausschließen, aber anscheinend ist jemand hinter ihm her. Aber wer? Und warum?
Ich war von diesem Buch wirklich positiv überrascht. Obwohl die Einleitung eher kurz war und man gleich mal in das Geschehen "reingeschmissen" wurde, konnte man sich doch sehr gut auf Brantley und Mack einlassen. Der Krimiplot nimmt einen großen Anteil der Geschichte ein, aber die Romanze zwischen den beiden kommt dadurch nicht zu kurz. Im Gegenteil, sie hilft, dass sich die Beziehung entwickelt. Ich habe manchmal Probleme damit, wenn sich ein Pärchen zu schnell findet, aber hier fand ich es glaubwürdig und konnte mich daher gut drauf einlassen.
Der Krimiplot ist spannend und obwohl ich Verdächtige im Visier hatte, so hätte ich mit dieser Auflösung definitiv nicht gerechnet. Well done, Dirk Greyson.
Ein paar Dinge kamen mir dennoch zu kurz, wie z. B. die Freundin von Brantley, die er am Anfang anrief, aber dann fand sie keine Erwähnung mehr. Das fand ich ziemlich schade.
Deshalb gibt es von mir solide 4 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung.
Ich war von diesem Buch wirklich positiv überrascht. Obwohl die Einleitung eher kurz war und man gleich mal in das Geschehen "reingeschmissen" wurde, konnte man sich doch sehr gut auf Brantley und Mack einlassen. Der Krimiplot nimmt einen großen Anteil der Geschichte ein, aber die Romanze zwischen den beiden kommt dadurch nicht zu kurz. Im Gegenteil, sie hilft, dass sich die Beziehung entwickelt. Ich habe manchmal Probleme damit, wenn sich ein Pärchen zu schnell findet, aber hier fand ich es glaubwürdig und konnte mich daher gut drauf einlassen.
Der Krimiplot ist spannend und obwohl ich Verdächtige im Visier hatte, so hätte ich mit dieser Auflösung definitiv nicht gerechnet. Well done, Dirk Greyson.
Ein paar Dinge kamen mir dennoch zu kurz, wie z. B. die Freundin von Brantley, die er am Anfang anrief, aber dann fand sie keine Erwähnung mehr. Das fand ich ziemlich schade.
Deshalb gibt es von mir solide 4 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung.
November 7, 2016
3.75 Stars. I can't quite go to a full 4 Stars but I would say the current rating of 3.82 is just about right. I enjoyed the characters. Thought I had the mystery solved around 50% of the way in and only realized I was wrong at about the last 85% so a good job keeping me guessing.
March 7, 2018
Audiobook review by Roberta
I have to say that the blurb really had me wanting to listen to this story and I’m really glad that I did. This mystery/suspense/romance had me enthralled and wanting to know if I was correct as to whodunnit…I wasn’t. I’m ashamed to say that I normally guess pretty damn good and this time…nope…I was wrong and I’m really happy about that. Dirk did such an amazing job keeping us guessing the entire time and to think that I was sure…SURE…I tell ya whodunnit and to find out that I was wrong…I was just flabbergasted.
Brantley…such a nice guy who just wanted to find his own slice of heaven. To have a home of his own and make a life in a new place and then to have his life just turned completely upside down when he arrives home to find his real estate agent murdered on his front porch…Damn…and then to find out that he’s a suspect…not the best welcome to have in a new place. Brantley’s life hasn’t been the stuff of fairytales. He’s estranged from his family and his ex-work partner did some horrible things and when it came out…Brantley was cleared…but his work reputation was in tatters and no one…I mean No One would have anything to do with him. Brantley pulled up stakes and moved to this really small town and gets embroiled into this huge murder mystery and ends up finding the love of his life.
Mack is this guy who has had some trauma in his life…he’s been raised by his father after his mother left and then committed suicide when he was still a toddler. Mack and his father actually have a really wonderful relationship and that is really wonderfully surprising. Mack was a cop in the big city and it wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be and he came home when his father got hurt and is now Sheriff. Things are going ok…nothing really major happens there until the murder of a real estate agent happens and then…all hell brakes loose and he’s now looking for a killer and trying to save the love of his life in the process.
As stated above, this was a great mystery/suspense story that had lots of twists and turns and kept me guessing the entire time as to who was doing all of this stuff. I have to say that I was very engrossed with the story and had the best time seeing what was going to happen next. There were some good sexy times as well and that just furthered the romance part of the plot along. The romance was quick…very insta-lovey…but that trope doesn’t bother me…so well done, Dirk.
Narration: I have to say that I truly love Mark Westfield’s voice. I love that he can do so many different voices and never get them confused and you always know who is talking. I love that sound effects that he does…if someone is talking over the phone…it sounds like someone is talking over the phone and that really just adds another level to the whole listening experience. I think that Mark could read me the phone book and I’d be happy as a clam.
Overall, this was a very good book that held my attention with a wonderful narrator. You can’t go wrong listening to this wonderful story.
This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I have to say that the blurb really had me wanting to listen to this story and I’m really glad that I did. This mystery/suspense/romance had me enthralled and wanting to know if I was correct as to whodunnit…I wasn’t. I’m ashamed to say that I normally guess pretty damn good and this time…nope…I was wrong and I’m really happy about that. Dirk did such an amazing job keeping us guessing the entire time and to think that I was sure…SURE…I tell ya whodunnit and to find out that I was wrong…I was just flabbergasted.
Brantley…such a nice guy who just wanted to find his own slice of heaven. To have a home of his own and make a life in a new place and then to have his life just turned completely upside down when he arrives home to find his real estate agent murdered on his front porch…Damn…and then to find out that he’s a suspect…not the best welcome to have in a new place. Brantley’s life hasn’t been the stuff of fairytales. He’s estranged from his family and his ex-work partner did some horrible things and when it came out…Brantley was cleared…but his work reputation was in tatters and no one…I mean No One would have anything to do with him. Brantley pulled up stakes and moved to this really small town and gets embroiled into this huge murder mystery and ends up finding the love of his life.
Mack is this guy who has had some trauma in his life…he’s been raised by his father after his mother left and then committed suicide when he was still a toddler. Mack and his father actually have a really wonderful relationship and that is really wonderfully surprising. Mack was a cop in the big city and it wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be and he came home when his father got hurt and is now Sheriff. Things are going ok…nothing really major happens there until the murder of a real estate agent happens and then…all hell brakes loose and he’s now looking for a killer and trying to save the love of his life in the process.
As stated above, this was a great mystery/suspense story that had lots of twists and turns and kept me guessing the entire time as to who was doing all of this stuff. I have to say that I was very engrossed with the story and had the best time seeing what was going to happen next. There were some good sexy times as well and that just furthered the romance part of the plot along. The romance was quick…very insta-lovey…but that trope doesn’t bother me…so well done, Dirk.
Narration: I have to say that I truly love Mark Westfield’s voice. I love that he can do so many different voices and never get them confused and you always know who is talking. I love that sound effects that he does…if someone is talking over the phone…it sounds like someone is talking over the phone and that really just adds another level to the whole listening experience. I think that Mark could read me the phone book and I’d be happy as a clam.
Overall, this was a very good book that held my attention with a wonderful narrator. You can’t go wrong listening to this wonderful story.
This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
November 4, 2017
Quite frankly, I do not understand all the hype on GR over this book. Apart from the competent, if rather flat and undistinguished, writing, there is not much to laud in this utterly mediocre romantic suspense. On top of my list, the fact that the entire story takes place within one and the same week suffices to disqualify the whole plot as plausible, a key characteristic of any whodunnit worth its salt; indeed such a short span of time hardly leaves room for two grown men to fall in love, foil death attempts and counfound a murderer anywhere outside of the imaginative mind of a third-rate writer. The mystery itself belongs to the contrived type whose depth is not furthered by the sheer amount of twists and wrong turns it teems with; by 50% I had already identified the most likely suspect only to be eventually proved right. This diminished a good deal my appreciation of the book, as the amount of obfuscation shielding this guilty party from being spotted was flimsy at best. The romance does not fare any better, due to the unbalance in the relationship between Mack and Brantley: if the former shines, both as a sheriff and as a man, the latter has no emotional range beyond cluelessness and lust and makes for a very weak love interest. Whatever spell he put on such a great guy as Mack, the writing does not reflect it in the least; all we get is a clumsy, rich city boy who calls the police when he spots dark shapes in the night that could be cattle stampeding on his ranch and, one week into his new life in the countryside, still ignores the names of his immediate neighbors. In so many words, a twat with precious few redeeming qualities. Finally, the extended swaths of conversation between Mack and Brantley constantly degenerate into idle chatter, when we are not treated to painful stretches of clichés as in the following fragment: "Brantley nodded. “I want all this to be over.” He began to shake. He tried to get himself under control again and failed. Mack sat down and put his arms around him. “I'm sorry about this,” Brantley said. “I thought I could handle it. But someone shooting a gun off somewhere out back was enough for me to hit the floor. I hate being scared all the time, and you know what?” He turned to Mack. “I'd like to be able to go back to the diner to eat, but I honestly don't know if I can do that. Someone took a shot at me through a window. How much am I being watched? Sometimes I feel like I am. But am I really?” “I wish I had answers for you. I know this is frightening, but we are going to catch this guy, and when I do, that will be the end of him. He's going to be put away for a very long time.”" Mr Greyson clearly did not get the memo that it is practically a rule of good whodunnits to stoke the readers' interest through pithy dialogue. Since there are many minor incoherences, we never get treated with a lavish evocation of small-town living, and finally the suspension of disbelief one has to abide by takes too much effort, I cannot rate high such a book. Next !
December 27, 2017
Dieses Buch hat mich positiv überrascht. Spannend mit nicht ganz so klischeehaften Charakteren, auch wenn das Setting die übliche Cowboyromantik vermuten lässt. Brantley und Mack müssen sich nicht nur zusammenraufen - der Großstadthai und der Kleinstadtsherrif - sie müssen auch gegen einen gemeinsamen Feind ankämpfen, der ihnen ans Leder will. Gute Story mit einer überraschenden Wendung.
September 26, 2017
Un livre sympathique avec juste ce qu'il faut d'intrigue policière, de romance, d'action. Petit bémol : la romance va trop vite car tout se passe sur une semaine mais je me suis laissée porter par l'histoire.
February 2, 2019
Diese Geschichte hat mir sehr gut gefallen,
alle Charaktere sind toll beschrieben,
eine Romance kombiniert mit einem Kriminalfall,
hat mir ausserordentlich gut gefallen, da man bis zum Schluss nicht wusste wer der Taeter ist,
Spannung vom Anfang bis zum Ende,
ein Klasse Buch
alle Charaktere sind toll beschrieben,
eine Romance kombiniert mit einem Kriminalfall,
hat mir ausserordentlich gut gefallen, da man bis zum Schluss nicht wusste wer der Taeter ist,
Spannung vom Anfang bis zum Ende,
ein Klasse Buch
December 29, 2017
3,5/5 stars
March 28, 2018
Audio review to come
September 26, 2016
An Excellent Whodunit
Brantley is used to the hustle and bustle of New York City. Settling in on a ranch in South Dakota means adjusting his entire mindset. Finding a body on his front porch means life has changed irrevocably. Mackenzie Redford moved back to his hometown when his dad needed assistance. Now sheriff, being called to the ranch because a dead body is on the front porch isn’t how he planned on meeting the man he didn’t know had bought the property. From there, all sorts of events happen that conspire to present clear and present danger to the county’s newest resident. Solving the mystery of who killed one person and seems determined to kill Brantley as well mixes in with Mack’s attraction to the urbanite, but can he solve the case before the killer strikes?
This is a fairly fast-paced novel. With a solid plot and curiously unique subplots involving cows and short-tempered ranchers, there is never a dull moment in this book. The pacing fits beautifully with the style in which the story is told. The main characters are written remarkably well, and it is clear from the moment they meet that the chemistry between them is explosive, even when Mack thinks Brantley is a potential murderer. The peripheral characters are few, the primary of which is Mack’s dad, but they add good depth and richness only to this book.
The only scene that really bothered me didn’t involve the mystery at all, but rather was a involving a dead cow and one of Brantley’s cantankerous neighbors. However, it wasn’t particularly graphic, and it was a relatively short scene. As a matter of fact, there is nothing particularly negatively graphic in the book that might set off triggers, so no need to worry about being squeamish.
This is an instant-attraction-but-seriously-slow-burn book that is low in angst with a surprise whodunit. I prefer not being able to figure out who the bad guy is, and while I was absolutely certain for a most of the book, it turned out I was wrong, which delighted me. This was my first Dirk Greyson book, but it absolutely will not be my last. Give this four star wonder a try – you’ll enjoy it!
ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review by Divine Magazine.
**Same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.**
Brantley is used to the hustle and bustle of New York City. Settling in on a ranch in South Dakota means adjusting his entire mindset. Finding a body on his front porch means life has changed irrevocably. Mackenzie Redford moved back to his hometown when his dad needed assistance. Now sheriff, being called to the ranch because a dead body is on the front porch isn’t how he planned on meeting the man he didn’t know had bought the property. From there, all sorts of events happen that conspire to present clear and present danger to the county’s newest resident. Solving the mystery of who killed one person and seems determined to kill Brantley as well mixes in with Mack’s attraction to the urbanite, but can he solve the case before the killer strikes?
This is a fairly fast-paced novel. With a solid plot and curiously unique subplots involving cows and short-tempered ranchers, there is never a dull moment in this book. The pacing fits beautifully with the style in which the story is told. The main characters are written remarkably well, and it is clear from the moment they meet that the chemistry between them is explosive, even when Mack thinks Brantley is a potential murderer. The peripheral characters are few, the primary of which is Mack’s dad, but they add good depth and richness only to this book.
The only scene that really bothered me didn’t involve the mystery at all, but rather was a involving a dead cow and one of Brantley’s cantankerous neighbors. However, it wasn’t particularly graphic, and it was a relatively short scene. As a matter of fact, there is nothing particularly negatively graphic in the book that might set off triggers, so no need to worry about being squeamish.
This is an instant-attraction-but-seriously-slow-burn book that is low in angst with a surprise whodunit. I prefer not being able to figure out who the bad guy is, and while I was absolutely certain for a most of the book, it turned out I was wrong, which delighted me. This was my first Dirk Greyson book, but it absolutely will not be my last. Give this four star wonder a try – you’ll enjoy it!
ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review by Divine Magazine.
**Same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.**
August 10, 2016
*** Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press to Bayou Book Junkie in
Exchange for a fair and honest review. ***
Brantley Calderone left New York while he was still on top of the
game. With more money than he'd ever be able to spend, he buys a ranch
in a small town in South Dakota. Unfortunately, the town doesn't seem
to be too welcoming, especially when the town's Sheriff finds him
leaning over the body of a dead woman on his front porch.
Mackenzie "Mack" Redford had thought he'd be a cop in the big city,
but it was not all he'd expected, so he came home to Hartwick County,
South Dakota, to serve as sheriff. While he loves his hometown, he
feels like something's missing. While not officially out, he won't
hide who he is or who he sleeps with.
As Mack and Brantley start piecing together the fact that someone is
targeting Brantley, they also notice the attraction simmering between
them. When it becomes obvious Brantley is no longer safe out on his
new ranch, Mack brings Brantley him to his place. The heat between
them turns up and they can no longer deny what is between them. As
their relationship deepens, the person targeting Brantley steps up
their game. Innocent people may get caught in the crossfire and that's
something neither man can let happen. Will they be able to figure out
who's behind the murder before someone else dies?
I really enjoyed Flight or Fight. If was a well done whodunnit with a
great romance, likable characters and wonderful writing. While this is
a fast, easy read, it was definitely engrossing. Once I started, I
didn't want to put it down.
I really liked Brantley. He may have been a rich city boy, but there
was nothing pompous about him. He really wants to live a slower life,
get in touch with the land and maybe be a rancher. He wants to get to
know the people in town, but unfortunately, they look at him like the
dreaded outsider. However, he doesn't let anything drive him away.
Mack is great, I loved him. While he was the strong small town
sheriff, he was very easy to get to know and didn't prejudge Brantley.
He doesn't fight his attraction, so there really isn't a lot of actual
angst.
I would definitely recommend Flight or Fight!
4.5 Stars!
Exchange for a fair and honest review. ***
Brantley Calderone left New York while he was still on top of the
game. With more money than he'd ever be able to spend, he buys a ranch
in a small town in South Dakota. Unfortunately, the town doesn't seem
to be too welcoming, especially when the town's Sheriff finds him
leaning over the body of a dead woman on his front porch.
Mackenzie "Mack" Redford had thought he'd be a cop in the big city,
but it was not all he'd expected, so he came home to Hartwick County,
South Dakota, to serve as sheriff. While he loves his hometown, he
feels like something's missing. While not officially out, he won't
hide who he is or who he sleeps with.
As Mack and Brantley start piecing together the fact that someone is
targeting Brantley, they also notice the attraction simmering between
them. When it becomes obvious Brantley is no longer safe out on his
new ranch, Mack brings Brantley him to his place. The heat between
them turns up and they can no longer deny what is between them. As
their relationship deepens, the person targeting Brantley steps up
their game. Innocent people may get caught in the crossfire and that's
something neither man can let happen. Will they be able to figure out
who's behind the murder before someone else dies?
I really enjoyed Flight or Fight. If was a well done whodunnit with a
great romance, likable characters and wonderful writing. While this is
a fast, easy read, it was definitely engrossing. Once I started, I
didn't want to put it down.
I really liked Brantley. He may have been a rich city boy, but there
was nothing pompous about him. He really wants to live a slower life,
get in touch with the land and maybe be a rancher. He wants to get to
know the people in town, but unfortunately, they look at him like the
dreaded outsider. However, he doesn't let anything drive him away.
Mack is great, I loved him. While he was the strong small town
sheriff, he was very easy to get to know and didn't prejudge Brantley.
He doesn't fight his attraction, so there really isn't a lot of actual
angst.
I would definitely recommend Flight or Fight!
4.5 Stars!
August 4, 2016
I had no preconceived notions about what this book would be about, especially coming from the Knight and Day series, so this newest from Dirk Greyson has his story all shiny; with a strong story, two strong characters, and a beautiful background. Aside from the murder…
Two men meet, each from two different walks of life. They are thrown together and upon meeting, possibly on the very first page, need to solve a murder in a small town in South Dakota.
Brantley Calderone has just moved to town from New York City. A bit of a nerd, a hedge fund manager, he is in his first week living out west. Brantley relocated to start fresh at a new life. Mack Redford tall dark and dangerous is the county sheriff. Their meeting was in their face, as Brantley came home from shopping in town to find a dead body on his front porch, and this is where Flight or Fight story took off.
So Beware...I could NOT put his book down…I had to read it through to the wee hours…So to start it is to be hooked. The mystery lead us from one clue to another. The fact that Brantley became the target brought the ‘Protect’ gene out in Mack. I thought I had it all guessed, I am usually good at that, only to be surprised at the reveal.
Now the relationship...Both men have been alone a long time, so it surprises them about how they feel so early, but murder, and the need to protect and be protected help their feelings explode. Fan your face...Big heat level !!!!
I loved the story as the nerd was strong, tough enough in the face of danger. Loved Mack’s Dad Lew…He needs an HEA…
Great mystery, good story…Had all I needed for 5 Stars.
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
Two men meet, each from two different walks of life. They are thrown together and upon meeting, possibly on the very first page, need to solve a murder in a small town in South Dakota.
Brantley Calderone has just moved to town from New York City. A bit of a nerd, a hedge fund manager, he is in his first week living out west. Brantley relocated to start fresh at a new life. Mack Redford tall dark and dangerous is the county sheriff. Their meeting was in their face, as Brantley came home from shopping in town to find a dead body on his front porch, and this is where Flight or Fight story took off.
So Beware...I could NOT put his book down…I had to read it through to the wee hours…So to start it is to be hooked. The mystery lead us from one clue to another. The fact that Brantley became the target brought the ‘Protect’ gene out in Mack. I thought I had it all guessed, I am usually good at that, only to be surprised at the reveal.
Now the relationship...Both men have been alone a long time, so it surprises them about how they feel so early, but murder, and the need to protect and be protected help their feelings explode. Fan your face...Big heat level !!!!
I loved the story as the nerd was strong, tough enough in the face of danger. Loved Mack’s Dad Lew…He needs an HEA…
Great mystery, good story…Had all I needed for 5 Stars.
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
December 11, 2016
Contemporary Romance m/m
Hartwick County, South Dakota
Mackenzie “Mack” Redford didn’t find life in the big city to be what he expected it to be. He is now home in Hartwick County, South Dakota and he serves as its sheriff.
Brantley Calderone left New York to start a new life by buying a ranch. He is getting used to living at a different pace and settling in when he finds a dead woman on his porch and himself the prime suspect in her murder.
Both Mack and Brantley quickly realized that someone is trying to frame Brantley and he is not safe on his ranch alone. Not to mention the attraction that is developing between them, an attraction that increases when Mack offers to let Brantley stay with him in his home. The killer escalates even as the romance between them does the same. They have to figure out who wants Brantley dead and stay one step ahead or it might end up being too late. Only then can they have the life they are both seeking - together.
This is book that is full of suspense that keeps building until the explosive end. The characters are very interesting and keep the story moving quickly. Just as the reader thinks they have it figured out who is behind everything another twist is thrown in that will have them seconding guessing if they actually do know what is happening and why. It will also have readers hoping there will be more books to go with this one. It will also pull at readers heartstrings and makes for an unforgettable read.
Hartwick County, South Dakota
Mackenzie “Mack” Redford didn’t find life in the big city to be what he expected it to be. He is now home in Hartwick County, South Dakota and he serves as its sheriff.
Brantley Calderone left New York to start a new life by buying a ranch. He is getting used to living at a different pace and settling in when he finds a dead woman on his porch and himself the prime suspect in her murder.
Both Mack and Brantley quickly realized that someone is trying to frame Brantley and he is not safe on his ranch alone. Not to mention the attraction that is developing between them, an attraction that increases when Mack offers to let Brantley stay with him in his home. The killer escalates even as the romance between them does the same. They have to figure out who wants Brantley dead and stay one step ahead or it might end up being too late. Only then can they have the life they are both seeking - together.
This is book that is full of suspense that keeps building until the explosive end. The characters are very interesting and keep the story moving quickly. Just as the reader thinks they have it figured out who is behind everything another twist is thrown in that will have them seconding guessing if they actually do know what is happening and why. It will also have readers hoping there will be more books to go with this one. It will also pull at readers heartstrings and makes for an unforgettable read.
August 12, 2016
Greyson-Grey Does It Again
No matter how many books I may be currently reading, and enjoying, when a new one by Dirk Greyson aka Andrew Grey appears on my Kindle I always start it with the idea that I will get through Chapter One and go back later to finish it.
Never happens.
This one took me half a day to read and I was mesmerized every page even though I guessed early on who might be the culprit in the plot. And quite a plot it is, on two levels, of course. The first is on the murder mystery that opens the book and consumes both sheriff Mack Redford (foreground on the cover, half Native American and whole man) and blonde, blue-eyed city escapee Brantley Calderone (a bizarre name for a kid born of religious Protestants in Virginia).
The mystery quickly consumes the town of Hartwick, South Dakota, and just as quickly Mack and Brantley consume each other. This is a full-on adventure on the prairie and in the bedroom,. Even though there are twists along the way that cock your eyebrow, there are enough wonderful supporting characters (Mack's dad Lew, a neighbor's precocious four-year-old Nathan, lead the parade) that you are right at home and trying to help them all solve what turns out to be a nifty plot.
And there are one or two men hanging around whom Greyson might want to expand upon in a sequel. Loved every minute of it.
No matter how many books I may be currently reading, and enjoying, when a new one by Dirk Greyson aka Andrew Grey appears on my Kindle I always start it with the idea that I will get through Chapter One and go back later to finish it.
Never happens.
This one took me half a day to read and I was mesmerized every page even though I guessed early on who might be the culprit in the plot. And quite a plot it is, on two levels, of course. The first is on the murder mystery that opens the book and consumes both sheriff Mack Redford (foreground on the cover, half Native American and whole man) and blonde, blue-eyed city escapee Brantley Calderone (a bizarre name for a kid born of religious Protestants in Virginia).
The mystery quickly consumes the town of Hartwick, South Dakota, and just as quickly Mack and Brantley consume each other. This is a full-on adventure on the prairie and in the bedroom,. Even though there are twists along the way that cock your eyebrow, there are enough wonderful supporting characters (Mack's dad Lew, a neighbor's precocious four-year-old Nathan, lead the parade) that you are right at home and trying to help them all solve what turns out to be a nifty plot.
And there are one or two men hanging around whom Greyson might want to expand upon in a sequel. Loved every minute of it.
July 27, 2016
Flight or Fight starts out with a “who done it” story-line - but that plot quickly turns into something else, as Brantley isn’t the culprit… enter the hot local cop, Mack. This was a quick read with a lot of interesting plot twists and turns - including constant protection and a surprising murderer.
That being said, the story was entrenched in the mystery and following the clues. There wasn’t a lot of character development, although the two main characters still fit together well. I fell in love with Mack and his family, but wished that more time was spent on developing them separately - there felt to be a lack of a backstory for some reason.
Regardless, this was a good read - I couldn’t guess the culprit until about 100 pages in, and even then it felt like a stretch (which I love!). The setting was a perfect blend of cowboy country and a city boy - add in two hot, sexy and lovable characters with a huge dose of mystery, and Greyson created an enjoyable, fast-paced read.
Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Mel from Alpha Book Club.
That being said, the story was entrenched in the mystery and following the clues. There wasn’t a lot of character development, although the two main characters still fit together well. I fell in love with Mack and his family, but wished that more time was spent on developing them separately - there felt to be a lack of a backstory for some reason.
Regardless, this was a good read - I couldn’t guess the culprit until about 100 pages in, and even then it felt like a stretch (which I love!). The setting was a perfect blend of cowboy country and a city boy - add in two hot, sexy and lovable characters with a huge dose of mystery, and Greyson created an enjoyable, fast-paced read.
Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Mel from Alpha Book Club.
August 15, 2016
Flight or Fight was, simply put, a fantastic read. I am not a real big western romance lover, but what Dirk Greyson has done didn't feel like a western so much as a spicy hot romance between complete opposites that shouldn't have any chance at being together and just so happened to be based in a country setting. It just works. Greyson has it molded and formed perfectly into this suspenseful and hot romance with loads of problems for these guys to get through and I do mean LOADs of problems. As with all his books these characters are of the dominant and aggressive sort and they pull this off deliciously so. This book is a perfect blend of heated romance, suspense and dominance.
The romance in this book is really beautiful. It is like insta-love but so well done I almost forget how long they have known each other. The characters are complex and well developed, with lusty and sexy scenes and nail biting moments. It kept me in suspense the get go and I refused to put it down until the last word was read. I highly recommend it.
The romance in this book is really beautiful. It is like insta-love but so well done I almost forget how long they have known each other. The characters are complex and well developed, with lusty and sexy scenes and nail biting moments. It kept me in suspense the get go and I refused to put it down until the last word was read. I highly recommend it.
September 21, 2016
What a great mystery! Just had to put that out there. Not only is it a great mystery but it's also a pretty cool romance too. I loved the way Brantley and Mack connect even though Brantley is a suspect at first, which of course he isn't guilty because that would be way too easy. When Brantley moved to South Dakota from New York, he expected his life to get simpler, well life has a way of working the way it's suppose to and that's not always how we expect. One thing I really enjoyed was as a Wisconsinite it was refreshing to read a book not full of cliches of simple country life vs. busy city life. The twists and turns of the mystery blended well with the burgeoning romance between Brantley and Mack, both of which had me on the edge of my seat. Flight or Fight is only the second Dirk Greyson story I've read but it certainly won't be the last.
February 11, 2017
Good story. And the culprit is not so obvious. Good
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