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Jeff Woods Mystery #1
Attachment Strings
Detective Jeff Woods and his partner have a new case. Someone has been making threatening phone calls to the mayor’s daughter, vowing to kill her disabled child. Though there have been accidents at the girl’s school—enough to take the threats seriously—the facts are few, and leads are sparse.
Needing a breather from the burden of the case, Jeff heads to a bar, where he meets Alex Fisher. Alex isn’t his type, but he’s young and cocky and perfect for a one-night stand. Or two. Soon Jeff starts thinking about how difficult and lonely it is being a cop, and that maybe Alex could fill a void in his life. But Alex has his own obligations: a disabled brother who is the target of threatening letters.
Jeff isn’t sure he’s ready to play house or overcome his prejudices, but he begins to think Alex might be worth it. Caught between his growing affection and his inner demons, Jeff struggles to focus on the case and protect Alex and his brother as the danger builds.
Needing a breather from the burden of the case, Jeff heads to a bar, where he meets Alex Fisher. Alex isn’t his type, but he’s young and cocky and perfect for a one-night stand. Or two. Soon Jeff starts thinking about how difficult and lonely it is being a cop, and that maybe Alex could fill a void in his life. But Alex has his own obligations: a disabled brother who is the target of threatening letters.
Jeff isn’t sure he’s ready to play house or overcome his prejudices, but he begins to think Alex might be worth it. Caught between his growing affection and his inner demons, Jeff struggles to focus on the case and protect Alex and his brother as the danger builds.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2013
7 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Chris T. Kat
26 books208 followersChris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, together with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there's any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks, or crafts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 1, 2016
Attachment Strings is a solid mystery with slightly irritating main characters.
When Jeff and his partner are asigned to investigate threats against disabled children, he doesn't know that his life is about to change. Being in the closet, he is only looking for one-night stands with no strings attached. One night, he meets Alex in a bar and is immediately interested in the young man who is very different from his usual type. After a hot night in a hotel, he keeps thinking about Alex and even his partner at work seems to see the changes in his behavior. During his investigations, he suddenly sees himself confronted with the fact that the man he might be falling for is taking care of his disabled brother Sean and he isn't sure if he really wants a future with them.
I have to admit that it took me quite a while to like Alex and Jeff. Alex is terribly moody and I didn't get his reactions most of the time, he was pissed off so very quickly. And Jeff was strange too, he has tons of prejudices and is disgusted by a disable child. They both discuss very sensitive topics in front of Sean who is perfectly able to understand what being said around him. While I felt irritated b< Alex and Jeff, I still had the feeling that their behavior was honest and I guess that it would be the kind of reactions and emotions likely to occur in real life. Not everybody is open-minded and accepting in the beginning.
I really liked the mystery. The focus of the book was lying on the investigation and not so much on the romance between the MCs. That's what might have made it so complicated to feel connected to them in any way. While the mystery was quite predictable, I still saw myself turning the pages quickly in order to get the solution.
I liked the writing style of the author and I will definitly give the second part of the series a chance.
3 stars for the opening!
When Jeff and his partner are asigned to investigate threats against disabled children, he doesn't know that his life is about to change. Being in the closet, he is only looking for one-night stands with no strings attached. One night, he meets Alex in a bar and is immediately interested in the young man who is very different from his usual type. After a hot night in a hotel, he keeps thinking about Alex and even his partner at work seems to see the changes in his behavior. During his investigations, he suddenly sees himself confronted with the fact that the man he might be falling for is taking care of his disabled brother Sean and he isn't sure if he really wants a future with them.
I have to admit that it took me quite a while to like Alex and Jeff. Alex is terribly moody and I didn't get his reactions most of the time, he was pissed off so very quickly. And Jeff was strange too, he has tons of prejudices and is disgusted by a disable child. They both discuss very sensitive topics in front of Sean who is perfectly able to understand what being said around him. While I felt irritated b< Alex and Jeff, I still had the feeling that their behavior was honest and I guess that it would be the kind of reactions and emotions likely to occur in real life. Not everybody is open-minded and accepting in the beginning.
I really liked the mystery. The focus of the book was lying on the investigation and not so much on the romance between the MCs. That's what might have made it so complicated to feel connected to them in any way. While the mystery was quite predictable, I still saw myself turning the pages quickly in order to get the solution.
I liked the writing style of the author and I will definitly give the second part of the series a chance.
3 stars for the opening!
July 2, 2013
Review Summary:
A book that I had high hopes for based on the blurb, but I ended up struggling to finish.
Review
I very much wanted to enjoy this book. I’m a sucker for a good cop drama, and I’m more likely to ‘forgive’ certain things when I’m reading my favorite trope. But, I’m sorry to say that this one just had too many problems or me to ignore.
Here’s my little disclaimer: I’ve never read anything by this author before, and I usually give an author at least a couple of chances, so I haven’t counted her out yet. This book wasn’t badly written, though the style didn’t really resonate with me—however, if there were no other issues, I wouldn’t even bring it up. My objections to the book were the attitudes and general unlikableness of the characters, plus the offensive theme which I will get to in a moment. Keep in mind that this is only my opinion, and I had a very strong adverse reaction to this story.
Let me get this little nitpick out of the way first. While I certainly wouldn’t call the writing bad, due to little things like odd word choice/sentence structure and some grammar issues, it wasn’t my cup of tea. One minute, the narrator (Jeff) would describe the tiniest minutiae of action and the next, there will be a mid-paragraph time/location jump. It didn’t fit the first person perspective very well.
For instance, this was a single paragraph:
The story is told in first person, from the POV of Jeff Woods, a police detective in Atlantic City. He and his partner are investigating the murder of a disabled man. *Here is the introduction to the offensiveness.* Jeff makes no move, either in his internal narrative or in his dialogue, to disguise his disgust and hatred for disabled people. Jeff’s internal dialogue makes him sound like equal parts petulant toddler and acrimonious blowhard.
Jeff decides to go to a bar and find a one-night-stand, and there he meets Alex. Alex acts like a bratty asshole and Jeff is completely rude to him back, yet for some reason they end up having steamy sex in a hotel room.
Jeff and his partner Parker investigate death threats and suspicious accidents of disabled children, all who attend the same school. Jeff and Parker seem to have trouble realizing that they had a case, even though they had at least two instances of death threats against children. They kept talking about how it could be a ‘conspiracy theory’, which I didn’t understand.
Jeff finds out that Alex has a six-year-old brother with cerebral palsy, of whom Alex is the sole guardian. Sean goes to the same school as the children who are being threatened and hurt. Through some questionable interrogation techniques, Jeff also finds out that Alex has received a threatening letter against Sean. Jeff decides he needs to stay with Alex and Sean to protect them, despite his quite obvious and often stated disgust and loathing of Sean.
I could go on with the offensive quotes, but I’ll move on to the rest of the review. I didn’t buy Jeff as a cop, because he seemed to hate his job. He complained a lot about having to do his duties in his internal narrative.
I also didn’t buy Alex as a guardian. He gets very pissed off at Jeff for not realizing Sean could hear and comprehend what was going on around him, he just couldn’t communicate. And yet, Alex curses in front of Sean several times and has very noisy sex with Jeff up against a wall with Sean having just gone to bed in the next room. That part was definitely implausible.
I think I sort of get what the author was going for here. She was trying to present Jeff as this unlikable, prejudiced guy, who would then fall in love and see the error of his ways. It just wasn’t executed effectively. I think way too much time was spent on showing us just how much of an asshole Jeff was (and really Alex too, although he wasn’t that way towards anyone but Jeff), and the ‘change of heart’ moment came too late and fell short of the mark.
The only redeeming part of this book was the action sequence at the end. It almost felt like it was a different book, because it managed to draw me in and I stopped hating Jeff for a moment.
I never bought into the love between Jeff and Alex, partly because Jeff never won me over so I never rooted for him, but also because it just wasn’t believable.
Again, I’ll say that this is my own opinion. I am a bit more sensitive about the attitudes presented towards disabled children because my mother was a special education teacher for many years and because of this, I was friends with a lot of the children she taught. They were some of the sweetest people I’ve ever encountered. I would hate to imagine what a family member of a disabled person would think if they ended up trying to read this book. As for other readers, I would peruse all of the reviews and decide for yourself if this is one you’d be interested in.
Review
I very much wanted to enjoy this book. I’m a sucker for a good cop drama, and I’m more likely to ‘forgive’ certain things when I’m reading my favorite trope. But, I’m sorry to say that this one just had too many problems or me to ignore.
Here’s my little disclaimer: I’ve never read anything by this author before, and I usually give an author at least a couple of chances, so I haven’t counted her out yet. This book wasn’t badly written, though the style didn’t really resonate with me—however, if there were no other issues, I wouldn’t even bring it up. My objections to the book were the attitudes and general unlikableness of the characters, plus the offensive theme which I will get to in a moment. Keep in mind that this is only my opinion, and I had a very strong adverse reaction to this story.
Let me get this little nitpick out of the way first. While I certainly wouldn’t call the writing bad, due to little things like odd word choice/sentence structure and some grammar issues, it wasn’t my cup of tea. One minute, the narrator (Jeff) would describe the tiniest minutiae of action and the next, there will be a mid-paragraph time/location jump. It didn’t fit the first person perspective very well.
For instance, this was a single paragraph:
Pictures were taken, the dead guy roughly examined, then carried away. Not surprisingly we didn’t find a passport, driver’s license, or anything else that could give us a clue to the guy’s identity. Later, Trenkins and I drove back to the station, changed into dry clothes and filled out the paperwork.
The story is told in first person, from the POV of Jeff Woods, a police detective in Atlantic City. He and his partner are investigating the murder of a disabled man. *Here is the introduction to the offensiveness.* Jeff makes no move, either in his internal narrative or in his dialogue, to disguise his disgust and hatred for disabled people. Jeff’s internal dialogue makes him sound like equal parts petulant toddler and acrimonious blowhard.
“My husband,” Mrs. Anderson added in case we weren’t sure how they were related. I swallowed down my sarcasm, wondering for a brief moment about my anger.
“What would anybody want with a guy like Phil? What was he useful for?” [Jeff speaking about the disabled man they found murdered]
Jeff decides to go to a bar and find a one-night-stand, and there he meets Alex. Alex acts like a bratty asshole and Jeff is completely rude to him back, yet for some reason they end up having steamy sex in a hotel room.
Jeff and his partner Parker investigate death threats and suspicious accidents of disabled children, all who attend the same school. Jeff and Parker seem to have trouble realizing that they had a case, even though they had at least two instances of death threats against children. They kept talking about how it could be a ‘conspiracy theory’, which I didn’t understand.
“Does she think there’s a conspiracy against disabled children?” Trenkins’s voice dripped with skepticism.
“How could she love someone so distorted, someone who was and would forever be a burden, so much? [Jeff speaking about the mother of the little girl who received the death threats]
“How can they be so fucking caring and nice and all with a daughter like that?” I muttered. [Again, Jeff talking about the little girl receiving death threats.]
[This one made me nauseous] “I mean, I can understand—understand I want to stress, not sympathize with—some of the arguments as to why they shouldn’t be allowed to live and so on…”
Jeff finds out that Alex has a six-year-old brother with cerebral palsy, of whom Alex is the sole guardian. Sean goes to the same school as the children who are being threatened and hurt. Through some questionable interrogation techniques, Jeff also finds out that Alex has received a threatening letter against Sean. Jeff decides he needs to stay with Alex and Sean to protect them, despite his quite obvious and often stated disgust and loathing of Sean.
“I wrinkled my nose. The sight of this kid was not pretty. Most definitely not.”
“Horrified, I watched Sean crumple the salami in his hand, then smash it onto the bread. I glanced at Parker, who stared at the scene in front of him in fascination. He didn’t show any sign of disgust, though, which bothered me. Since when was he so open-minded?”
“The boy opened his mouth willingly and this time Alex didn’t help him close his mouth while he chewed. It was a revolting sight and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep my face impassive.”
“Alex had to swaddle Sean. That translated into Sean wearing diapers, right? Wasn’t he six years old? Gross. Absolutely gross.”
“Inwardly, I cursed Alex for having to care for Sean. The one time after years I fell for another guy and he had to come with an appendage.”
I could go on with the offensive quotes, but I’ll move on to the rest of the review. I didn’t buy Jeff as a cop, because he seemed to hate his job. He complained a lot about having to do his duties in his internal narrative.
“We always had to be on high alert because we wouldn’t want to miss out on any important detail, but I still loathed those endless hours of asking questions.”
I also didn’t buy Alex as a guardian. He gets very pissed off at Jeff for not realizing Sean could hear and comprehend what was going on around him, he just couldn’t communicate. And yet, Alex curses in front of Sean several times and has very noisy sex with Jeff up against a wall with Sean having just gone to bed in the next room. That part was definitely implausible.
I think I sort of get what the author was going for here. She was trying to present Jeff as this unlikable, prejudiced guy, who would then fall in love and see the error of his ways. It just wasn’t executed effectively. I think way too much time was spent on showing us just how much of an asshole Jeff was (and really Alex too, although he wasn’t that way towards anyone but Jeff), and the ‘change of heart’ moment came too late and fell short of the mark.
The only redeeming part of this book was the action sequence at the end. It almost felt like it was a different book, because it managed to draw me in and I stopped hating Jeff for a moment.
I never bought into the love between Jeff and Alex, partly because Jeff never won me over so I never rooted for him, but also because it just wasn’t believable.
Again, I’ll say that this is my own opinion. I am a bit more sensitive about the attitudes presented towards disabled children because my mother was a special education teacher for many years and because of this, I was friends with a lot of the children she taught. They were some of the sweetest people I’ve ever encountered. I would hate to imagine what a family member of a disabled person would think if they ended up trying to read this book. As for other readers, I would peruse all of the reviews and decide for yourself if this is one you’d be interested in.
Read
June 17, 2013DNF at 32%.
June 24, 2013
Detective Jeff Woods is a closeted cop in Atlantic City, NJ. He and his partner are assigned to investigate threats received by the mayor's daughter against her disabled child. While investigating other incidents at the child's school, it becomes clear that both Jeff and his partner have some prejudices and are uncomfortable around these children and their families. Jeff realizes and is disgusted by his feelings, but can't help the way he feels.
Jeff meets Alex at a club one night while out looking for a one night stand. Young and pretty, cocky and forward Alex is not Jeff's usual type but their one night leaves Jeff realizing how lonely he is and wanting more, but a second night together ends abruptly with Jeff walking out on Alex.
While the investigation becomes more serious, Jeff is forced to face his prejudice in a way he never imagined. His partner also throws a few curve balls his way all making for an interesting and entertaining story.
Alex and Jeff have good chemistry and I really enjoyed the banter between the two. His partner Parker has an interesting social life that Jeff can't quite figure out, but looks like it will play a part in future installments. While the whodunit wasn't that hard to figure out, the investigation aspects of the story worked as well. The ending left me looking forward to more books in the series with a lot of ground for the characters still to cover.
Jeff meets Alex at a club one night while out looking for a one night stand. Young and pretty, cocky and forward Alex is not Jeff's usual type but their one night leaves Jeff realizing how lonely he is and wanting more, but a second night together ends abruptly with Jeff walking out on Alex.
While the investigation becomes more serious, Jeff is forced to face his prejudice in a way he never imagined. His partner also throws a few curve balls his way all making for an interesting and entertaining story.
Alex and Jeff have good chemistry and I really enjoyed the banter between the two. His partner Parker has an interesting social life that Jeff can't quite figure out, but looks like it will play a part in future installments. While the whodunit wasn't that hard to figure out, the investigation aspects of the story worked as well. The ending left me looking forward to more books in the series with a lot of ground for the characters still to cover.
Read
August 29, 2016DNF 40%
So much disgust...just disgusted me to read further.
So much disgust...just disgusted me to read further.
July 8, 2013
This review can be found at The Armchair Reader.
First, I just want to say that I love this cover! It’s what caught my eye at first and then I realized it was by Ms. Kat and I knew I had to have it right away and I’m so glad I read it!
Blowing off some steam after one of his cases goes unsolved, Jeff meets Alex, who’s as far from his type as he can get. No matter his rejections, Alex won’t take no for an answer and it isn’t long before these two are jumping into bed for a one-night stand. Except now Jeff can’t get Alex out of his mind and finding it harder and harder to deny he wants to see Alex again and with a little push, he does just that but things don’t exactly go as he planned. When the mayor’s daughter starts receiving threatening letters toward her disabled daughter, Jeff starts looking into other disabled kids and before long, Alex, and his brother Sean, fall right into the middle of Jeff’s investigation. Jeff wants Alex but with his prejudices, he can’t handle Sean, who he considers Alex’s ‘appendage’. It’s a rollercoaster ride for these two while Jeff tries to not only solve the mystery of the threats but to also work through his feelings and decide if Alex is worth all the effort.
At first, Jeff is one hell of a jerk. Most readers will definitely be turned off by him but my best advice is to just stick with it. He changes but it’s a hard, long process and he messes up during that journey. Jeff is aggressive, demanding and very stubborn and he’s this way to man, child or woman. His physical appearance is just as intimidating as his personality but he’s also judgmental and prejudiced to the point of heartbreaking. I loved that he was so unlikeable because that actually made him more likeable. I didn’t like his reactions to the disabled kids, in fact, his disgust towards them broke my heart. At the same time, I loved the struggle within him, the growth he achieves from his initial dislike to his grudging acceptance. Alex is the complete opposite in that he’s compassionate, gentle towards Sean and lovable. He’s stubborn and pushy but underneath it all he’s vulnerable and just wants someone to take care of him for once. Jeff gives him that opportunity and, if anything, I loved the relationship these two have because Jeff always knew the right moments to be tender and gentle. It starts off purely sexual but the situation they’re put into speeds along their feelings to something I really enjoyed.
While this book focuses on the mystery of whether threatening letters and injures to numerous disabled children is serious or not, it’s also very centered on the change Jeff goes through. From his views that he doesn’t want a relationship to developing feelings for Alex, who is in no way Jeff’s type but also how Jeff’s views on Sean – his disgust, how uncomfortable he is around him, and whether it’s even worth the effort to try – changes. You see a man who is essentially a brute slowly changing into a guy who wants to care for two of the most vulnerable people ever. It’s sweet but also heartbreaking and while the villain was easy for me to spot, the execution of how the author handled Jeff and his prejudices, as well as, his relationship with Alex and Sean, more than made up for it, IMO. That’s not to say the mystery was lacking, in fact, I really enjoyed it and liked that I was taken so deep into the investigation.
My biggest issue with this story was the ending. I take that back, the ending was actually really great, one that had my heart racing with me on the edge of my seat and I adored it wholeheartedly, but I wish more than anything Ms. Kat would embrace more epilogues because I felt like there needed to be more of a conclusion for after the fact. More than anything, I desperately wish there had been something to inform us on what happens next not just for Jeff and his job but for Sean, the school and ultimately Alex but also what’s next for Alex and Jeff, how this new development affects them. Beyond that, I think Alex could have been a bit more fleshed out because by the end, I realized I loved him to pieces but I didn’t really know him as a character either. Granted, this is the start to a new series so I’m probably just being very impatient right now.
Overall, I adored this book. It has its faults but what book doesn’t? I loved the conflicts that Jeff goes through when it comes to Alex and Sean but I also liked the mystery even if it was a tad predictable. The story is heartbreaking at times, funny at others and adorable everywhere else. I loved these characters and especially loved Sean. More than that, I have to say that Parker, Jeff’s partner, was a spitfire that I could never get a read on but found highly amusing. I’m glad this is a start to a new series because I can’t wait to read more about Jeff, Alex and Sean and to hopefully get some areas tied up better. As it is, this was a great story and I hope others are willing to give it a try and enjoy it as much as I did!
First, I just want to say that I love this cover! It’s what caught my eye at first and then I realized it was by Ms. Kat and I knew I had to have it right away and I’m so glad I read it!
Blowing off some steam after one of his cases goes unsolved, Jeff meets Alex, who’s as far from his type as he can get. No matter his rejections, Alex won’t take no for an answer and it isn’t long before these two are jumping into bed for a one-night stand. Except now Jeff can’t get Alex out of his mind and finding it harder and harder to deny he wants to see Alex again and with a little push, he does just that but things don’t exactly go as he planned. When the mayor’s daughter starts receiving threatening letters toward her disabled daughter, Jeff starts looking into other disabled kids and before long, Alex, and his brother Sean, fall right into the middle of Jeff’s investigation. Jeff wants Alex but with his prejudices, he can’t handle Sean, who he considers Alex’s ‘appendage’. It’s a rollercoaster ride for these two while Jeff tries to not only solve the mystery of the threats but to also work through his feelings and decide if Alex is worth all the effort.
At first, Jeff is one hell of a jerk. Most readers will definitely be turned off by him but my best advice is to just stick with it. He changes but it’s a hard, long process and he messes up during that journey. Jeff is aggressive, demanding and very stubborn and he’s this way to man, child or woman. His physical appearance is just as intimidating as his personality but he’s also judgmental and prejudiced to the point of heartbreaking. I loved that he was so unlikeable because that actually made him more likeable. I didn’t like his reactions to the disabled kids, in fact, his disgust towards them broke my heart. At the same time, I loved the struggle within him, the growth he achieves from his initial dislike to his grudging acceptance. Alex is the complete opposite in that he’s compassionate, gentle towards Sean and lovable. He’s stubborn and pushy but underneath it all he’s vulnerable and just wants someone to take care of him for once. Jeff gives him that opportunity and, if anything, I loved the relationship these two have because Jeff always knew the right moments to be tender and gentle. It starts off purely sexual but the situation they’re put into speeds along their feelings to something I really enjoyed.
While this book focuses on the mystery of whether threatening letters and injures to numerous disabled children is serious or not, it’s also very centered on the change Jeff goes through. From his views that he doesn’t want a relationship to developing feelings for Alex, who is in no way Jeff’s type but also how Jeff’s views on Sean – his disgust, how uncomfortable he is around him, and whether it’s even worth the effort to try – changes. You see a man who is essentially a brute slowly changing into a guy who wants to care for two of the most vulnerable people ever. It’s sweet but also heartbreaking and while the villain was easy for me to spot, the execution of how the author handled Jeff and his prejudices, as well as, his relationship with Alex and Sean, more than made up for it, IMO. That’s not to say the mystery was lacking, in fact, I really enjoyed it and liked that I was taken so deep into the investigation.
My biggest issue with this story was the ending. I take that back, the ending was actually really great, one that had my heart racing with me on the edge of my seat and I adored it wholeheartedly, but I wish more than anything Ms. Kat would embrace more epilogues because I felt like there needed to be more of a conclusion for after the fact. More than anything, I desperately wish there had been something to inform us on what happens next not just for Jeff and his job but for Sean, the school and ultimately Alex but also what’s next for Alex and Jeff, how this new development affects them. Beyond that, I think Alex could have been a bit more fleshed out because by the end, I realized I loved him to pieces but I didn’t really know him as a character either. Granted, this is the start to a new series so I’m probably just being very impatient right now.
Overall, I adored this book. It has its faults but what book doesn’t? I loved the conflicts that Jeff goes through when it comes to Alex and Sean but I also liked the mystery even if it was a tad predictable. The story is heartbreaking at times, funny at others and adorable everywhere else. I loved these characters and especially loved Sean. More than that, I have to say that Parker, Jeff’s partner, was a spitfire that I could never get a read on but found highly amusing. I’m glad this is a start to a new series because I can’t wait to read more about Jeff, Alex and Sean and to hopefully get some areas tied up better. As it is, this was a great story and I hope others are willing to give it a try and enjoy it as much as I did!
Read
July 9, 2013Most definitely not for me, and that's just from reading the sample.
What a thorougly dislikable bunch of characters, I can only hope they improve as the book goes on.
These are people who stand over a murder victim and mock how ugly (disabled) he is. This is the first time I've started WTFing and to actively despise a character -a main character- from the very first page.
- Partner Trenkins is quite handsome despite being chubby
- Mayor Miller has a penchant for underage girls, which is annoying
'Why would anyone beat up someone who's disabled?'
A rhetorical question we're told. Rhetorical would mean the literal answer is obvious, I really don't like the connotations of that.
The victim is forgotten for a quick pick-up round of snark and sex.
And I mean why would anyone care that disabled children are being killed or at least beaten up?
I get character pov and putting across views that are not your own but this (and yes I only read the sample) made me feel queasy, there's no counterbalance. I really fervently hope the thoughts expressed change but looking at other reviews I get the impression it gets a lot worse first.
What a thorougly dislikable bunch of characters, I can only hope they improve as the book goes on.
These are people who stand over a murder victim and mock how ugly (disabled) he is. This is the first time I've started WTFing and to actively despise a character -a main character- from the very first page.
- Partner Trenkins is quite handsome despite being chubby
- Mayor Miller has a penchant for underage girls, which is annoying
'Why would anyone beat up someone who's disabled?'
A rhetorical question we're told. Rhetorical would mean the literal answer is obvious, I really don't like the connotations of that.
The victim is forgotten for a quick pick-up round of snark and sex.
And I mean why would anyone care that disabled children are being killed or at least beaten up?
..Those children are disabled. They die more easily than healthy children....So that's okay then. It's already given that their ugly so why worry?
I get character pov and putting across views that are not your own but this (and yes I only read the sample) made me feel queasy, there's no counterbalance. I really fervently hope the thoughts expressed change but looking at other reviews I get the impression it gets a lot worse first.
Want to read
June 18, 2013I'm not sure about this. Most likely won't read based on the review/comments I have read thus far.
July 20, 2013
Review posted on World of Diversity Fiction Reviews
3.25 Stars
This was one of those stories that could have been great for me. I can’t find fault with the writing style it was easy to read and follow, a few times the flow was off but nothing major, it’s the story itself I had some issues with.
We first meet Det. Jeff Woods and his partner Det. Parker Trenkins at a murder scene of a disabled man and right off the bat their conversation made me cringe and I took an immediate dislike to both of them. Neither of these guys had an ounce of decency or respect for the victim. It made me feel like because he was disabled he deserved what happened that made me nervous about where this story was going. Sadly I know after having worked with the mentally challenged and disabled that people are like this in real life and maybe it was just bringing back sad memories but it made it harder to get too involved.
Jeff is a closeted gay cop who wants to stay that way and he normally ventures to clubs far from home for hookups but the night of the murder he finds himself restless and heads to a local club where he meets Alex. Alex is so not his type but after some persuasion from Alex they head to the motel for a one night stand. They both agree no strings attached but things don’t work out that way, neither can forget the other and Jeff just can’t believe how Alex is actually a perfect fit for him. When Jeff and Alex were together I saw a different side to Jeff and Alex is so sweet, he’s snarky and so sure of himself it’s hard not to love him but can Jeff be redeemed? I was sure that would be something this story would try to do so I needed to read on.
Jeff and Parker find out they must investigate the deaths and threatening letters parents with disable children are getting and it seems they are all from the same school. This is when Jeff finds out Alex is the legal guardian of his younger brother Sean who has Cerebral Palsy and in returns that jerk Jeff we met at the beginning.
The story continues on in that same mode throughout most of it. I saw good qualities in Jeff but I never was really comfortable with him. Watching Jeff and Alex alone you see a different side of him and you see the love they have for each other but to me his attitude about the disabled never really went away. He softened somewhat because he loved Alex so much but when the story ended I still had problems with him.
A big part of this story is the mystery but I found myself focused more on the dynamics of the characters maybe partly because with the who done it I had already suspected early on who it was. I come away from this book really needing more it ended to abruptly and all we got was a glimpse of someone who appears to have changed but living through a crisis can do that, for me it will take more than his being a hero to change my mind about him.
I’d like to know what happened after their crisis. I know it’s a first in a series so I’m hoping to get some answers in the next book and I will be reading it. Attachment Strings is far from being a book I would say you should pass on by and most people may not find issue with it, it was just the wrong subject for me personally. As for Det Parker Trenkins, I see a story there another person that needs redeeming.
July 26, 2013
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Now this was a book that at first sight had me thinking I wouldn’t like it. The Homicide Detective Jeff Woods started his introduction in a not very appealing way for me, what with him being closeted, his preferences were butch/macho/buff men like himself and his counterpart was the not-his-type, who he didn’t want to hook up with at all, etc. etc. etc. However fairly quick in the introduction of the story it became apparent that it was an excellent one.
As I said Jeff is closeted and adamant that he will not come out, especially in his line of job, for anyone. He doesn’t need the trouble that comes from homophobic colleagues and in the end there is no one in his life worth coming out for. Jeff has long stopped believing in that special someone with whom he’ll form that special relationship and those unicorns are right there side by side with love in the dream realm. He has no expectations for something like that, even if his house is starting to feel quite empty and his life quite hollow. But that’s how it is and that Friday night at the club he’s not trying to find his better half, simply someone to get off with. So when tall, blonde and sexy Alex hits on him, Jeff still has no intention of even hooking up with Alex. He is so NOT his type at all. And Jeff has no intention of staying cuddled in bed after the deed either. He especially has no intention searching for him at the same club two weeks later. And definitely he has no freaking intention falling in love with a guy who has the care of a child, a disabled one at that. Yeah, things didn’t really go as planned for Jeff.
And I think that this book was simply great. It had it all. Lovable characters, both Jeff and Alex were exiting and appealing and flawed and real. I had a blast with Alex; he was quite funny despite his life or because of it. He was also extremely sexy and hot. His and Jeff’s encounters were sinful and sensual and aroused feelings from you that were from sweet to downright carnal. It was a great chemistry, a pair I loved reading about. Jeff was also the hilarious type making you smile even when you wanted to give him a good shake.
So alright, I had a thing with the insta-love again, especially since there wasn’t just the leap from single to a relationship, but from single to a family involved here. And there was the mystery part where it wasn’t such a mystery at all, but rather a matter of time till the detectives saw what was in front of their damn eyes, making me wonder what the hell were they waiting for and why couldn’t they see what I was seeing all along and getting me frustrated a bit there because I felt it dragged a bit too long. And really the end was a bit too much; I mean come on, no matter how much of a madman that end was a bit stretched.
As for the story’s ending and the guy’s relationship, well I’m left with a “what the heck?” roaming my head. Is it just me or was that a tad abrupt?
But anyway, I loved the entirety of this book, it was funny, it was fast, it was a bit dramatic and emotional, it had a variety of things and evoked many emotions from the reader and I had fun reading it. I’m also very much interested in Parker’s relationship with David, I mean who can resist a “pup” right?
So totally recommended guys, it is a heck of a ride.
Thommie
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Now this was a book that at first sight had me thinking I wouldn’t like it. The Homicide Detective Jeff Woods started his introduction in a not very appealing way for me, what with him being closeted, his preferences were butch/macho/buff men like himself and his counterpart was the not-his-type, who he didn’t want to hook up with at all, etc. etc. etc. However fairly quick in the introduction of the story it became apparent that it was an excellent one.
As I said Jeff is closeted and adamant that he will not come out, especially in his line of job, for anyone. He doesn’t need the trouble that comes from homophobic colleagues and in the end there is no one in his life worth coming out for. Jeff has long stopped believing in that special someone with whom he’ll form that special relationship and those unicorns are right there side by side with love in the dream realm. He has no expectations for something like that, even if his house is starting to feel quite empty and his life quite hollow. But that’s how it is and that Friday night at the club he’s not trying to find his better half, simply someone to get off with. So when tall, blonde and sexy Alex hits on him, Jeff still has no intention of even hooking up with Alex. He is so NOT his type at all. And Jeff has no intention of staying cuddled in bed after the deed either. He especially has no intention searching for him at the same club two weeks later. And definitely he has no freaking intention falling in love with a guy who has the care of a child, a disabled one at that. Yeah, things didn’t really go as planned for Jeff.
And I think that this book was simply great. It had it all. Lovable characters, both Jeff and Alex were exiting and appealing and flawed and real. I had a blast with Alex; he was quite funny despite his life or because of it. He was also extremely sexy and hot. His and Jeff’s encounters were sinful and sensual and aroused feelings from you that were from sweet to downright carnal. It was a great chemistry, a pair I loved reading about. Jeff was also the hilarious type making you smile even when you wanted to give him a good shake.
So alright, I had a thing with the insta-love again, especially since there wasn’t just the leap from single to a relationship, but from single to a family involved here. And there was the mystery part where it wasn’t such a mystery at all, but rather a matter of time till the detectives saw what was in front of their damn eyes, making me wonder what the hell were they waiting for and why couldn’t they see what I was seeing all along and getting me frustrated a bit there because I felt it dragged a bit too long. And really the end was a bit too much; I mean come on, no matter how much of a madman that end was a bit stretched.
As for the story’s ending and the guy’s relationship, well I’m left with a “what the heck?” roaming my head. Is it just me or was that a tad abrupt?
But anyway, I loved the entirety of this book, it was funny, it was fast, it was a bit dramatic and emotional, it had a variety of things and evoked many emotions from the reader and I had fun reading it. I’m also very much interested in Parker’s relationship with David, I mean who can resist a “pup” right?
So totally recommended guys, it is a heck of a ride.
Thommie
July 12, 2013
This is the first book I've read written my Chris T. Kat and will say I did enjoy her writing style and look forward to reading more in this series.
We first meet Jeff who is a police detective in Atlantic City, Jess and his partner Parker are called out to investigate a murder. The murder victim is a disabled man.
After a hard day’s work Jeff decides to go out and have a drink in a local bar and find a man to have a quick romp. Jeff doesn't do relationship and just wants to get his needs met. In walks Alex who decides he wants to spend his evening with Jeff. Jeff hesitates as Alex is not really his type but decides to go with it. The chemistry between these two is great and the banter is quite funny.
The next day Jeff and Parker are called into their chief’s office and are asked to investigate the Major's daughters receiving some threats against her disable child.
As the investigation begins Jeff and Parker work together to figure out what is going on and if the threats hold any merit.
Meanwhile Jeff can't stop thinking about Alex and hopes to meet up with him again.
The mystery, the romance is good, the topic however is kind of hard to read considering some of Jeff's internal thoughts. But I enjoyed the story and really want to read the next book to see how things are going for Jeff, Alex and Sean. I also want to hear more about Parker.
Attachment Strings held my interested and I couldn't stop reading till I knew what was going on. The male/male romance is one of my favorite genres and I enjoyed this story, even though some of the Jeff's thoughts pissed me off.
Overall if you like mystery, romance and some hot male on male encounters then you should pick up a copy of Attachment Strings (Jeff Woods Mystery, #1). I would gladly recommend this story to my friends.
We first meet Jeff who is a police detective in Atlantic City, Jess and his partner Parker are called out to investigate a murder. The murder victim is a disabled man.
After a hard day’s work Jeff decides to go out and have a drink in a local bar and find a man to have a quick romp. Jeff doesn't do relationship and just wants to get his needs met. In walks Alex who decides he wants to spend his evening with Jeff. Jeff hesitates as Alex is not really his type but decides to go with it. The chemistry between these two is great and the banter is quite funny.
The next day Jeff and Parker are called into their chief’s office and are asked to investigate the Major's daughters receiving some threats against her disable child.
As the investigation begins Jeff and Parker work together to figure out what is going on and if the threats hold any merit.
Meanwhile Jeff can't stop thinking about Alex and hopes to meet up with him again.
The mystery, the romance is good, the topic however is kind of hard to read considering some of Jeff's internal thoughts. But I enjoyed the story and really want to read the next book to see how things are going for Jeff, Alex and Sean. I also want to hear more about Parker.
Attachment Strings held my interested and I couldn't stop reading till I knew what was going on. The male/male romance is one of my favorite genres and I enjoyed this story, even though some of the Jeff's thoughts pissed me off.
Overall if you like mystery, romance and some hot male on male encounters then you should pick up a copy of Attachment Strings (Jeff Woods Mystery, #1). I would gladly recommend this story to my friends.
June 20, 2013
4 Stars
Usually it’s a challenge finding something to read coming down from an-extraordinary-book high. It’s even worse when the reader is nearing the end of a series and has to put the final instalment aside to read something else. I was afraid Attachment Strings was going to fall victim to this common condition, afraid that no matter how hard I tried, it was going loose out to the epic story and larger-than-life characters I’ve had playing havoc in my head for weeks. I was a few pages in and realized my fear was unfounded. There was nothing to worry about. I was hooked. Surprisingly, I didn’t once long for the rival book. I also didn’t get a darn thing done all day, not until I was finished reading Chris T. Kat’s newest arrival.
Jeff and Trenkins work great together as a team. They’re abrasive, crude, arrogant cops with a ‘mine’s bigger than yours’ attitude that made me laugh out loud. I especially loved the way they blustered and bullshited each other. The investigation itself was a bit disappointing. Nothing comes of the homicide at the beginning of the story, unless there’s a connection that I missed by a mile. I’m a sucker for cops questioning suspects and victims, I like trying to figure out the whodunit before anyone else, but sadly, it was a no-brainer figuring out who was murdering the children....
Read Syd's full review at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
Usually it’s a challenge finding something to read coming down from an-extraordinary-book high. It’s even worse when the reader is nearing the end of a series and has to put the final instalment aside to read something else. I was afraid Attachment Strings was going to fall victim to this common condition, afraid that no matter how hard I tried, it was going loose out to the epic story and larger-than-life characters I’ve had playing havoc in my head for weeks. I was a few pages in and realized my fear was unfounded. There was nothing to worry about. I was hooked. Surprisingly, I didn’t once long for the rival book. I also didn’t get a darn thing done all day, not until I was finished reading Chris T. Kat’s newest arrival.
Jeff and Trenkins work great together as a team. They’re abrasive, crude, arrogant cops with a ‘mine’s bigger than yours’ attitude that made me laugh out loud. I especially loved the way they blustered and bullshited each other. The investigation itself was a bit disappointing. Nothing comes of the homicide at the beginning of the story, unless there’s a connection that I missed by a mile. I’m a sucker for cops questioning suspects and victims, I like trying to figure out the whodunit before anyone else, but sadly, it was a no-brainer figuring out who was murdering the children....
Read Syd's full review at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
September 23, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this story on quite a few levels.
The writing is good, the characters fully fleshed and believable.
I loved the romance between Jeff and Alex, they're great characters who ping off each other and their banter is adorable. Alex is so spunky (to coin a phrase) for a small, younger man.
The disability theme is great. I do love books including disabled characters, and we have an even wider view here with the threats to handicapped children, from a crazy potential killer who thinks they're a waste of space.
To me, Jeff's development as a character as he learns to appreciate Sean is just right. It's believable, so much so that I wanted to hit him at first! But watching him change, watching him learn from Alex and Sean himself, was great.
The pacing of the novel was good too. I also liked the work partnership of Jeff and Parker.
So I'm really looking forward to the next in the series.
The writing is good, the characters fully fleshed and believable.
I loved the romance between Jeff and Alex, they're great characters who ping off each other and their banter is adorable. Alex is so spunky (to coin a phrase) for a small, younger man.
The disability theme is great. I do love books including disabled characters, and we have an even wider view here with the threats to handicapped children, from a crazy potential killer who thinks they're a waste of space.
To me, Jeff's development as a character as he learns to appreciate Sean is just right. It's believable, so much so that I wanted to hit him at first! But watching him change, watching him learn from Alex and Sean himself, was great.
The pacing of the novel was good too. I also liked the work partnership of Jeff and Parker.
So I'm really looking forward to the next in the series.
December 6, 2015
This book was okay. I didn't love it. The writing was pretty good, but I didn't love any of the characters. I didn't buy the love between Jeff and Alex. And I didn't get Jeff total personality change. He's disgusted by disabled children until he falls in love? Nope, Not buying it.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
dnf
July 7, 2013If there are any questions as to why I'd rather have every hair on my body ripped out than finish this story, see this review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
November 16, 2014
As a hard-core fan of the M/M mystery sub-genre, I was very excited about reading Attachment Strings, the first in the Jeff Woods series by Chris T. Kat. On the whole, this first novel is a solid start to the series (with a few exceptions) that leaves enough unresolved elements that I’m looking forward to reading the second installment to find out what happens next for Jeff, Alex, and Sean, as well as Jeff’s pudgy partner Parker and his new love interest!
First off, let me say that I think the author makes a brave choice in writing this series in first person POV from Jeff’s perspective. I say this because for much of the book Jeff is a very hard person to like. I respect Chris T. Kat taking on the challenge of presenting us with a gay main character who is not an idealistic embodiment of equal rights. Jeff is a flawed and bigoted man (in this case, toward those who are disabled)— although it takes him a while to realize this about himself. Consequently, this makes for some very uncomfortable reading in places because we are getting Jeff’s perspective, which is very openly disgusted while working on a case involving death threats toward disabled children.
We get access to many thoughts like this from Jeff throughout the story, making it very hard to relate to him and his ignorance. However, Jeff’s attitude does not go unchallenged in the narrative, especially when the case he is working on intersects in complicated ways with his love life.
An in-the-closet-at-work detective, Jeff doesn’t do relationships and instead seeks out one-night stands to satisfy his needs, often going as far afield as New York or Philadelphia so as not to be seen by any of his colleagues. When he decides to scope out a gay bar closer to home one night, he encounters Alex—a much younger man who is not his usual type. But Alex manages to persuade him into a night of passion that Jeff can’t forget about afterward. Inevitably, the two come into contact again and begin a turbulent relationship that is complicated by the fact that Alex is sole guardian to his younger disabled brother, Sean.
Alex is a pivotal force in the narrative in humanizing Jeff. It is clear that Jeff has become desensitized to the violence and death he sees on a regular basis in his job. He has become so detached that feeling much of anything is surprising to him. This is partly why he is dumbfounded and annoyed by his interest in Alex and the hidden desires they bring forth—especially the need to be loved. Alex makes Jeff start to feel again, but it doesn’t happen without a struggle. Jeff wants to deny his feelings for the younger man, especially when he realizes Alex and Sean come as a package deal.
Alex deals with Jeff’s domineering behavior, attitude issues, and initial disgust toward Sean with far more composure and equanimity than seems realistic at times. He’s definitely a far more likeable character than Jeff, but we get less insight into him and his thoughts because the narrative is told from Jeff’s POV. Alex is not a total doormat, thankfully. Although he forgives a lot of bad behavior from Jeff, he’s very firm when it comes to his brother and the fact that Sean will always come first. He makes this clear but still tries to make things work with Jeff. He clearly sees something in Jeff that he is willing to hold out for.
A lot of Chris T. Kat’s skill here is in making the reader also slowly start to see there is something worthwhile about Jeff to make us care about him. Over the course of the novel, small tidbits of information about and glimpses into Jeff’s past are revealed that begin to make it clearer why Jeff has deeper underlying problems that he himself is not fully aware of. It was these fleeting revelations that made me want to learn more about Jeff, and made me start to feel more empathy toward him as a character despite my problems with his abhorrent thoughts at times. Furthermore, it was his burgeoning relationship with Alex, and his changing attitude toward Sean, that made me believe he had the potential to be a redeemable character and kept me reading. By the end of the novel I felt a lot more disposed to like Jeff and want to continue seeing how he evolves from a fundamentally flawed and unlikeable man into the kind of partner and protector both Alex and Sean need in their lives.
The novel ends on a climactic note with a number of new developments that pave the way for the sequel. The resolution is still relatively satisfying—not a total cliffhanger—but there are several unanswered questions that we will no doubt have to wait to learn more about it the next book. I am also looking forward to seeing more of Jeff’s detective partner Parker and his love interest. We get some sneak peeks in the first book that raised a number of interesting speculations for me that I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the sequel!
There were a few elements that were problematic for me in the story, beyond Jeff’s bigoted thoughts, which are hard to read. For me, the romance between Jeff and Alex went from stalled to all systems go a little too fast to be entirely believable. I would have liked to see a bit more development here. The same could be said for Jeff’s change of heart toward Sean, which is precipitated by his feelings for Alex. While I understand why he started to view Sean differently, I thought the transition was too rapid to be realistic. I think the next book will be very important in expanding upon this new dynamic, as Sean will no doubt become a bigger part of Jeff’s life. Finally, although the mystery was interesting its resolution was fairly predictable (I spotted the killer quickly and there weren’t any other real contenders to make the reader uncertain about whodunit). I like a bit more complexity than this, but all in all these are first novel foibles I’m willing to overlook at the beginning of a series. I hope to see the author fully hit her groove in the next book in this new and promising series!
Reviewed by Sparks
To see more of this review and others like it please visit us at Gay List Book Reviews at www.gaylistbookreviews.wordpress.com
First off, let me say that I think the author makes a brave choice in writing this series in first person POV from Jeff’s perspective. I say this because for much of the book Jeff is a very hard person to like. I respect Chris T. Kat taking on the challenge of presenting us with a gay main character who is not an idealistic embodiment of equal rights. Jeff is a flawed and bigoted man (in this case, toward those who are disabled)— although it takes him a while to realize this about himself. Consequently, this makes for some very uncomfortable reading in places because we are getting Jeff’s perspective, which is very openly disgusted while working on a case involving death threats toward disabled children.
“Mrs. Anderson smiled tenderly at her daughter and brushed a curl away from the child’s forehead. Love emanated from the woman, stunning me into silence. How could she love someone so distorted, someone who was and would forever be a burden, so much? Suddenly, I asked myself why I couldn’t find someone to look at me like that.”
We get access to many thoughts like this from Jeff throughout the story, making it very hard to relate to him and his ignorance. However, Jeff’s attitude does not go unchallenged in the narrative, especially when the case he is working on intersects in complicated ways with his love life.
An in-the-closet-at-work detective, Jeff doesn’t do relationships and instead seeks out one-night stands to satisfy his needs, often going as far afield as New York or Philadelphia so as not to be seen by any of his colleagues. When he decides to scope out a gay bar closer to home one night, he encounters Alex—a much younger man who is not his usual type. But Alex manages to persuade him into a night of passion that Jeff can’t forget about afterward. Inevitably, the two come into contact again and begin a turbulent relationship that is complicated by the fact that Alex is sole guardian to his younger disabled brother, Sean.
Alex is a pivotal force in the narrative in humanizing Jeff. It is clear that Jeff has become desensitized to the violence and death he sees on a regular basis in his job. He has become so detached that feeling much of anything is surprising to him. This is partly why he is dumbfounded and annoyed by his interest in Alex and the hidden desires they bring forth—especially the need to be loved. Alex makes Jeff start to feel again, but it doesn’t happen without a struggle. Jeff wants to deny his feelings for the younger man, especially when he realizes Alex and Sean come as a package deal.
Alex deals with Jeff’s domineering behavior, attitude issues, and initial disgust toward Sean with far more composure and equanimity than seems realistic at times. He’s definitely a far more likeable character than Jeff, but we get less insight into him and his thoughts because the narrative is told from Jeff’s POV. Alex is not a total doormat, thankfully. Although he forgives a lot of bad behavior from Jeff, he’s very firm when it comes to his brother and the fact that Sean will always come first. He makes this clear but still tries to make things work with Jeff. He clearly sees something in Jeff that he is willing to hold out for.
A lot of Chris T. Kat’s skill here is in making the reader also slowly start to see there is something worthwhile about Jeff to make us care about him. Over the course of the novel, small tidbits of information about and glimpses into Jeff’s past are revealed that begin to make it clearer why Jeff has deeper underlying problems that he himself is not fully aware of. It was these fleeting revelations that made me want to learn more about Jeff, and made me start to feel more empathy toward him as a character despite my problems with his abhorrent thoughts at times. Furthermore, it was his burgeoning relationship with Alex, and his changing attitude toward Sean, that made me believe he had the potential to be a redeemable character and kept me reading. By the end of the novel I felt a lot more disposed to like Jeff and want to continue seeing how he evolves from a fundamentally flawed and unlikeable man into the kind of partner and protector both Alex and Sean need in their lives.
The novel ends on a climactic note with a number of new developments that pave the way for the sequel. The resolution is still relatively satisfying—not a total cliffhanger—but there are several unanswered questions that we will no doubt have to wait to learn more about it the next book. I am also looking forward to seeing more of Jeff’s detective partner Parker and his love interest. We get some sneak peeks in the first book that raised a number of interesting speculations for me that I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the sequel!
There were a few elements that were problematic for me in the story, beyond Jeff’s bigoted thoughts, which are hard to read. For me, the romance between Jeff and Alex went from stalled to all systems go a little too fast to be entirely believable. I would have liked to see a bit more development here. The same could be said for Jeff’s change of heart toward Sean, which is precipitated by his feelings for Alex. While I understand why he started to view Sean differently, I thought the transition was too rapid to be realistic. I think the next book will be very important in expanding upon this new dynamic, as Sean will no doubt become a bigger part of Jeff’s life. Finally, although the mystery was interesting its resolution was fairly predictable (I spotted the killer quickly and there weren’t any other real contenders to make the reader uncertain about whodunit). I like a bit more complexity than this, but all in all these are first novel foibles I’m willing to overlook at the beginning of a series. I hope to see the author fully hit her groove in the next book in this new and promising series!
Reviewed by Sparks
To see more of this review and others like it please visit us at Gay List Book Reviews at www.gaylistbookreviews.wordpress.com
August 1, 2019
Detective Jeff Woods and his partner has a new case, the are investigating threatening calls to the mayor's daughter about her disabled daughter, as they continue their investigation they find more "accidents" at her school. Needing downtime from the case Jeff goes to a bar in hopes of finding some stress relief, he meets Alex, while not is normal type, Alex is just cocky enough to intrigue Jeff. Jeff wants Alex to fill a void in his life, but Alex has his own baggage in the form of his disabled brother that he the caregiver for. When Jeffs' case crosses Alex path, Jeff is going to make a decision on if he wants to overcome his prejudices in order to have a happily ever after.
I enjoyed the book, but Jeff was such an ass for pretty much the whole book and I'm not sure that Alex should have given his as many "2nd" chances as he did, his attitude toward Alex's brother was atrocious, I could understand being shocked at first, but he always seemed disgusted by Sean.
I enjoyed the book, but Jeff was such an ass for pretty much the whole book and I'm not sure that Alex should have given his as many "2nd" chances as he did, his attitude toward Alex's brother was atrocious, I could understand being shocked at first, but he always seemed disgusted by Sean.
March 31, 2016
*This review will be word-for-word as that contained within the Collection - Jeff Woods Mysteries*
For the first 20% of this story, I seriously considered not finishing it. To start with, I wasn't fond of Jeff Woods as a person or as a main character. He's very close minded and egotistical, with a very small minded view of the world. The way he thinks about and treats disabled children is disgusting. And, quite frankly, as a disabled person myself, I felt seriously degraded and furious with the story, as well as judged and classified as nothing more than some mindless idiot, incapable of looking after myself.
Though I know this wasn't the author's intention, that's how it felt to read the first half of the story. Every instance of a disabled person was followed by the implication that they were deaf, dumb, blind or completely mentally or physically useless. There was no disabled person in this story who was considered by Woods to have a redeeming quality. They were all worthless wastes of space, that should have been killed “mercifully” to save them from existence.
As such, I found it really hard to like the story or get into it. However, I understand the point the author was trying to make. As I'm already aware of the genius of Chris T. Kat's writing, I was able to respect that this was deliberate, to show growth, changing perceptions and the true prejudice against a lot of disabled people that exists in the world. I know, as I've experienced it. People looking at you like you're something less than them, even talking to you like you're an idiot. It's not unfamiliar to me.
On another note, I'm not a fan of 1st person POV, but this one worked in some weird way. Maybe because the prejudice so freely expressed towards disabled people would have seemed like the author's own personal view, without it. Which I know it's not.
As a detective story, I liked the investigation and the solving of the crime. It wasn't tied up with a neat little bow, but I have to admit that I knew who the killer was very early on. To be honest, there weren't many suspects, which made it hard not to notice.
As for editing, I barely had any problems. The only thing I noticed worth mentioning was that in one sex scene Alex removes his clothes, then does it again two pages later. Nothing really that would cause a problem in the reading or understanding.
Without giving anything away, about the plot, I'll confine myself to this – I loved Alex and Sean, as characters and their ability to communicate with each other and Jeff. They were the only normal two people in the story, for me. I also really liked Parker and David, though Parker was a real pain in the ass for a while. He's just as judgemental as Jeff, but with good reason for it. He was a character I could understand much better than Jeff.
For the first 20% of this story, I seriously considered not finishing it. To start with, I wasn't fond of Jeff Woods as a person or as a main character. He's very close minded and egotistical, with a very small minded view of the world. The way he thinks about and treats disabled children is disgusting. And, quite frankly, as a disabled person myself, I felt seriously degraded and furious with the story, as well as judged and classified as nothing more than some mindless idiot, incapable of looking after myself.
Though I know this wasn't the author's intention, that's how it felt to read the first half of the story. Every instance of a disabled person was followed by the implication that they were deaf, dumb, blind or completely mentally or physically useless. There was no disabled person in this story who was considered by Woods to have a redeeming quality. They were all worthless wastes of space, that should have been killed “mercifully” to save them from existence.
As such, I found it really hard to like the story or get into it. However, I understand the point the author was trying to make. As I'm already aware of the genius of Chris T. Kat's writing, I was able to respect that this was deliberate, to show growth, changing perceptions and the true prejudice against a lot of disabled people that exists in the world. I know, as I've experienced it. People looking at you like you're something less than them, even talking to you like you're an idiot. It's not unfamiliar to me.
On another note, I'm not a fan of 1st person POV, but this one worked in some weird way. Maybe because the prejudice so freely expressed towards disabled people would have seemed like the author's own personal view, without it. Which I know it's not.
As a detective story, I liked the investigation and the solving of the crime. It wasn't tied up with a neat little bow, but I have to admit that I knew who the killer was very early on. To be honest, there weren't many suspects, which made it hard not to notice.
As for editing, I barely had any problems. The only thing I noticed worth mentioning was that in one sex scene Alex removes his clothes, then does it again two pages later. Nothing really that would cause a problem in the reading or understanding.
Without giving anything away, about the plot, I'll confine myself to this – I loved Alex and Sean, as characters and their ability to communicate with each other and Jeff. They were the only normal two people in the story, for me. I also really liked Parker and David, though Parker was a real pain in the ass for a while. He's just as judgemental as Jeff, but with good reason for it. He was a character I could understand much better than Jeff.
October 15, 2013
Detective Jeff Woods is closeted. Better safe than sorry is his motto, so he keeps his true sexuality a secret from his fellow officers and gets his kicks in private. Feeling the need to get off, he heads to a little place he knows, called the Lion’s Den, and begins to scope out the inhabitants. He’s just picked out his choice for the evening when he’s hit on by a pretty blond guy who’s appeared out of nowhere, a guy that’s completely not his type, not in a million years. But Jeff ends up taking Alex to a nearby motel and having sex with him anyway.
Jeff tells himself it’s just for fun. A way to scratch an itch. Even if he does seem to like repeating this particular encounter of the intimate kind more often than not. Until one night when Alex gets a call in the middle of their fun and ducks out to handle what he refers to as a “family emergency”. An infuriated Jeff isn’t buying that, of course, and he won’t listen to Alex’s protestations that it isn’t what he thinks. Afterward, he becomes very hard to live with. His feelings are only exacerbated when his partner, Parker, reveals that he knows Jeff is gay. He promises he won’t tell, but can Jeff trust him?
The two detectives are assigned to work a case involving death threats against students at a special school for the handicapped. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the attacks. To his surprise, Jeff finds himself face to face with the brother of one of the kids at the school, in the course of his investigation, and it’s none other than Alex.
If Alex is all wrong for Jeff, how can he feel so right? And can Jeff accept Alex’s handicapped brother, Sean when he finds it hard to even be around the child?
The first book in the Jeff Woods mystery series introduces us to Jeff very nicely and lays the groundwork for future volumes. Told in a first person POV, I like Jeff’s brutal honesty about himself and the world around him, including his aversion to Alex’s handicapped brother. I like the way that his and Alex’s relationship grows and evolves in a realistic way, while they fumble their way through the getting to know you stage.
At the heart of the novel is a mystery: who is killing these children and why? Attachment Strings is a mystery first and foremost. This is Jeff Woods’ story, masterfully spun by a great storyteller. Has he found something serious with Alex, despite the fact that he’s not Jeff’s usual type? And where does Sean fit into the scheme of things?
The writing flows so smoothly that before you know it, the book’s done, and you’re ready for the next one. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good mystery as well as a bit of romance.
Jeff tells himself it’s just for fun. A way to scratch an itch. Even if he does seem to like repeating this particular encounter of the intimate kind more often than not. Until one night when Alex gets a call in the middle of their fun and ducks out to handle what he refers to as a “family emergency”. An infuriated Jeff isn’t buying that, of course, and he won’t listen to Alex’s protestations that it isn’t what he thinks. Afterward, he becomes very hard to live with. His feelings are only exacerbated when his partner, Parker, reveals that he knows Jeff is gay. He promises he won’t tell, but can Jeff trust him?
The two detectives are assigned to work a case involving death threats against students at a special school for the handicapped. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the attacks. To his surprise, Jeff finds himself face to face with the brother of one of the kids at the school, in the course of his investigation, and it’s none other than Alex.
If Alex is all wrong for Jeff, how can he feel so right? And can Jeff accept Alex’s handicapped brother, Sean when he finds it hard to even be around the child?
The first book in the Jeff Woods mystery series introduces us to Jeff very nicely and lays the groundwork for future volumes. Told in a first person POV, I like Jeff’s brutal honesty about himself and the world around him, including his aversion to Alex’s handicapped brother. I like the way that his and Alex’s relationship grows and evolves in a realistic way, while they fumble their way through the getting to know you stage.
At the heart of the novel is a mystery: who is killing these children and why? Attachment Strings is a mystery first and foremost. This is Jeff Woods’ story, masterfully spun by a great storyteller. Has he found something serious with Alex, despite the fact that he’s not Jeff’s usual type? And where does Sean fit into the scheme of things?
The writing flows so smoothly that before you know it, the book’s done, and you’re ready for the next one. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good mystery as well as a bit of romance.
January 22, 2015
Warning major rant ahead:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2013
I love a good serial killer story and was drawn by this story's unusual premise: the killer is targeting disabled children. Children are already guaranteed to generate pathos, but to prey upon the helpless is just cruel. So you know I was rooting for the police, right? But the author made me work for it, because initially I didn't like Jeff, the detective main character, very much. I liked another detective, Parker, much more. Jeff was a bit world-weary and smart, except when he said or thought completely awful things about disabled children. It was difficult for me to buy into his callousness. But I wanted to see where the story was going to go with it and I was glad I did.
When Jeff connects with Alex, the sparks fly. The two men have great chemistry and hot sex, no problem there. The problem is Alex has a disabled brother, Sean. Sean was an interesting character and I appreciated the unblinking portrayal of a severely limited child who is loving but not prettified. Many books might have made Sean cute and adorable; this one made him intensely real. Alex's devotion to Sean gives the story tremendous heart. Alex's relationship with Jeff challenged my willingness to believe he would put up with the man, but then convinced me of it. Alex wants more, and he craves protection. Jeff's saving grace is that he has world-class protective instincts. I loved watching their relationship change and grow, and I especially liked Jeff's evolving understanding of Sean.
I guessed the killer early on, but I do that a lot and it didn't take away from my enjoyment of a tight, well-told story. I did think the climax could have been set up a bit better, but my quibbles rested on questions arising from my familiarity with elements of the setting. The climax was dramatic and powerful and I was definitely along for the ride. I highly recommend this book to readers who love serial killer stories with a difference, relationships strained by family obstacles, hot sex on the sweet and loving side, and stories with conflicted detectives.
When Jeff connects with Alex, the sparks fly. The two men have great chemistry and hot sex, no problem there. The problem is Alex has a disabled brother, Sean. Sean was an interesting character and I appreciated the unblinking portrayal of a severely limited child who is loving but not prettified. Many books might have made Sean cute and adorable; this one made him intensely real. Alex's devotion to Sean gives the story tremendous heart. Alex's relationship with Jeff challenged my willingness to believe he would put up with the man, but then convinced me of it. Alex wants more, and he craves protection. Jeff's saving grace is that he has world-class protective instincts. I loved watching their relationship change and grow, and I especially liked Jeff's evolving understanding of Sean.
I guessed the killer early on, but I do that a lot and it didn't take away from my enjoyment of a tight, well-told story. I did think the climax could have been set up a bit better, but my quibbles rested on questions arising from my familiarity with elements of the setting. The climax was dramatic and powerful and I was definitely along for the ride. I highly recommend this book to readers who love serial killer stories with a difference, relationships strained by family obstacles, hot sex on the sweet and loving side, and stories with conflicted detectives.
May 10, 2014
This is a well written m/m mystery. I never expected who it was that was threatening those kids and I definitely didn't expect Jeff's partner to be gay as well. Or his relationship dynamics with Daniel or at least the hints of it that we get.
Jeff is lonely his one relationship in the past has made him shy away from them that and he is a detective. So when he wants companionship he goes to clubs. Hoping to get his needs met, he meets Alex. Alex is not his type but for some reason he gets to Jeff. They hit it off immediately but agree to a one night moment.
This one night sticks with Jeff and he can't forget Alex meanwhile the case he and his partner Parker (the rough tempered detective) has now involved threats to children with disabilities that all go to the same school. I immediately thought Principal when I read what a stiff man he was. Wrong.
Alex can't get Jeff out of his mind either. They see each other again and it doesn't go so well. Well it does but Jeff's trust issues come into play when Alex gets a call and Jeff misunderstands. This does come back to bite him in the butt though for Alex is on the list of family member's who was hurt that is disabled. Imagine the surprise when they see each other again. Didn't go over to well. Especially when Jeff couldn't hide how uncomfortable he was around Alex's brother. To his credit it is just his prejudice but that he is that way around all children. the threat is there though to Alex's brother and Jeff goes into protection mode. Alex and Jeff have a bumpy ride during the investigation. Sean the brother begins to like Jeff and Jeff starts to come to terms with the brother as well even begins to like him as well.
My favorite moment in the water when Jeff goes back for Alex. Awww....Swooning. He actually ends up outing himself. But so worth the beautiful moment. In trouble for it but worth the moment.
a intriguing mystery with a element of love that shows you can find it when least expecting to and how much you protect those you care for. A great read.
Jeff is lonely his one relationship in the past has made him shy away from them that and he is a detective. So when he wants companionship he goes to clubs. Hoping to get his needs met, he meets Alex. Alex is not his type but for some reason he gets to Jeff. They hit it off immediately but agree to a one night moment.
This one night sticks with Jeff and he can't forget Alex meanwhile the case he and his partner Parker (the rough tempered detective) has now involved threats to children with disabilities that all go to the same school. I immediately thought Principal when I read what a stiff man he was. Wrong.
Alex can't get Jeff out of his mind either. They see each other again and it doesn't go so well. Well it does but Jeff's trust issues come into play when Alex gets a call and Jeff misunderstands. This does come back to bite him in the butt though for Alex is on the list of family member's who was hurt that is disabled. Imagine the surprise when they see each other again. Didn't go over to well. Especially when Jeff couldn't hide how uncomfortable he was around Alex's brother. To his credit it is just his prejudice but that he is that way around all children. the threat is there though to Alex's brother and Jeff goes into protection mode. Alex and Jeff have a bumpy ride during the investigation. Sean the brother begins to like Jeff and Jeff starts to come to terms with the brother as well even begins to like him as well.
My favorite moment in the water when Jeff goes back for Alex. Awww....Swooning. He actually ends up outing himself. But so worth the beautiful moment. In trouble for it but worth the moment.
a intriguing mystery with a element of love that shows you can find it when least expecting to and how much you protect those you care for. A great read.
October 29, 2013
When you read a book by a new author, to me personally I think it’s one of the hardest things that a blogger can do. By that I mean you are reading a new style of writing, and a different story telling ability. This is the first book that I have read by Chris and I have to say overall, I did enjoy the story.
There were some parts of the story that I didn’t really understand and just sat wrong with me, but overall I still enjoyed the story. The story was one that I hadn’t read before, and I will say this, there are some parts that will bother people in general. During the story we find out about people who have certain disabilities and how someone is targeting those people.
My one issue with this book would be how quickly Jeff was able to overcome his fears when it comes to Alex’s brother. Throughout the whole book Jeff had an opinion about him, and then suddenly come the end of the book it seemed like Jeff suddenly overcame his feelings towards that.
Besides that, I thought that the story itself was very interesting and something different than what is typical now. There is enough suspense that keeps the story interesting and there is plenty of erotica that will keep you interested in the relationship forming between the two men.
There were some parts of the story that I didn’t really understand and just sat wrong with me, but overall I still enjoyed the story. The story was one that I hadn’t read before, and I will say this, there are some parts that will bother people in general. During the story we find out about people who have certain disabilities and how someone is targeting those people.
My one issue with this book would be how quickly Jeff was able to overcome his fears when it comes to Alex’s brother. Throughout the whole book Jeff had an opinion about him, and then suddenly come the end of the book it seemed like Jeff suddenly overcame his feelings towards that.
Besides that, I thought that the story itself was very interesting and something different than what is typical now. There is enough suspense that keeps the story interesting and there is plenty of erotica that will keep you interested in the relationship forming between the two men.
September 28, 2015
Jeff is an cop who finds casual hookups at the club when he needs it. He's in the closet and plans to stay there. One day, he hits the club looking for his next temporary guy and is instead hit on by a young blond twink. Not his type, so he turns him down. Imagine his surprise when the blond, Alex, decides to pursue him. They have an great time together, but it's a one off. However, somehow fate keeps pushing them together. When Jeff and his partner start investigating death threats to the handicapped children at a school, they find out that Alex has a younger brother who has cerebral palsy.
I really liked this, and would give it 4.5 stars (rounded up). I thought the portrayal of parents who have children with disabilities was done well. I've worked with special needs children before, and it is often a very tough situation for their parents. However, some of those parents are the best parents I've ever seen. And the way that people react to these children was portrayed realistically as well. Jeff is initially shocked and disgusted by Sean, Alex's brother. He can't speak, doesn't walk and drools everywhere. Alex knows that there's no future with anyone who can't accept that he and Sean are a package deal.
I really liked this, and would give it 4.5 stars (rounded up). I thought the portrayal of parents who have children with disabilities was done well. I've worked with special needs children before, and it is often a very tough situation for their parents. However, some of those parents are the best parents I've ever seen. And the way that people react to these children was portrayed realistically as well. Jeff is initially shocked and disgusted by Sean, Alex's brother. He can't speak, doesn't walk and drools everywhere. Alex knows that there's no future with anyone who can't accept that he and Sean are a package deal.
September 10, 2015
I started the free sample, as I normally do, and was enjoying it so much that I was surprised when the free sample ended. Hence, I immediately bought the book and hoped the story didn't fall apart and leave me with regrets. Well, it didn't and my purchase was a good decision. The characters are three-dimensional, the story is well-written and the sex is hot and graphic and frequent. I loved the initial meeting between Alex and Jeff and wanted to see how their romance developed as Jeff proclaimed Alex wasn't his type and he was a cop in the closet. It's an easy read with some truly touching moments and it was interesting to see the changes that Jeff goes through, from disgust to acceptance to love, when dealing with Alex's disabled brother. Jeff wasn't looking for a relationship, a pretty boy or a family, but has all three thrown at him and it's sink or swim. I think the price is too high for the length, but I liked the story enough that I just grumbled and bought it. Price nothwithstanding, I'd recommend this book to those who like to read this genre.
January 2, 2018
I enjoyed this story about cynical cop Jeff Woods softening up enough to let people into his life.
He has worked with his partner for two years and only now is finding out what makes him tick - and that may be more than he wants to know - I liked their interactions.
Work leads Jeff back to Alex, his recent no strings attached, one night stand who has got under his skin. With Alex's brother in danger, and his heart falling for Alex, Jeff has to breakdown his prejudices against Sean's disability.
It wasn't a perfect book, but it was fast paced and got me hooked into the story quicky. I will look out for more from Jeff Woods, as it is styled book 1
31.8.14 - reread in anticipation reading book 2 soon, wanted to get the characters back in my head. Enjoyed it a lot again!
He has worked with his partner for two years and only now is finding out what makes him tick - and that may be more than he wants to know - I liked their interactions.
Work leads Jeff back to Alex, his recent no strings attached, one night stand who has got under his skin. With Alex's brother in danger, and his heart falling for Alex, Jeff has to breakdown his prejudices against Sean's disability.
It wasn't a perfect book, but it was fast paced and got me hooked into the story quicky. I will look out for more from Jeff Woods, as it is styled book 1
31.8.14 - reread in anticipation reading book 2 soon, wanted to get the characters back in my head. Enjoyed it a lot again!
July 13, 2013
2.5
I believe the overall intended purpose of this story was for an MC to receive redemption. This story starts with an MC that is so insensitive and prejudiced toward people with disabilities that it was really hard for me to see any good in him. We really did not see him start to "see the light" until almost 65% into the story and I must admit, that was a little too late for me. I did like the picture that the MCs and brother made at the end, but I don't believe the MC has really changed yet. I will read the next book in the series when it comes out because I do want to see his relationship grow and his life change by the caretaking of Sean.
I believe the overall intended purpose of this story was for an MC to receive redemption. This story starts with an MC that is so insensitive and prejudiced toward people with disabilities that it was really hard for me to see any good in him. We really did not see him start to "see the light" until almost 65% into the story and I must admit, that was a little too late for me. I did like the picture that the MCs and brother made at the end, but I don't believe the MC has really changed yet. I will read the next book in the series when it comes out because I do want to see his relationship grow and his life change by the caretaking of Sean.
July 25, 2013
What’s better than reading the latest Chris T. Kat novel? Reading it for free of course! I won a copy of Attachment Strings, but at first was uncertain. No animal on the cover? No animal in the story? Was this really a Kat novel? But once I began reading, all her other familiar elements were there – flawed but lovable main characters and great supporting characters too. The mix of serious and comedic. What was new was the mystery element, which I loved, as mysteries are my second favorite genre, after FSF. Now I can’t wait for the next Jeff Woods mystery and Kat has indicated a third might be in the works too. This novel and writer are well worth your time to read.
September 9, 2016
This one was a hard story to read for me and harder to rate. I ended with two stars.
I liked about the story the mystery part and the writing. I would have ended with a 4*- rating ... but there is this really unlikeable MCs.
I liked Alex and his little brother. But Jeff and his partner Parker - not so much. Insensitive, prejudiced are the two words that comes to my mind. I like MCs that have some rough edges and flaws. But this character has too much of these and I wasn't able to find any good in him. But I will give the second book of the series another try to find out.
I liked about the story the mystery part and the writing. I would have ended with a 4*- rating ... but there is this really unlikeable MCs.
I liked Alex and his little brother. But Jeff and his partner Parker - not so much. Insensitive, prejudiced are the two words that comes to my mind. I like MCs that have some rough edges and flaws. But this character has too much of these and I wasn't able to find any good in him. But I will give the second book of the series another try to find out.
July 1, 2013
He came around eventually but it was a loooooooooong eventually where he was a dick to a 6 year old physically disabled boy who could understand everything.
I do want to say though with the right amount of physical therapy and adaptations Sean could lead a relatively normal life. It would a be hard physical therapy work and some surgeries but being able to feed itself and be somewhat ambulatory is a great sign for the future.
I do want to say though with the right amount of physical therapy and adaptations Sean could lead a relatively normal life. It would a be hard physical therapy work and some surgeries but being able to feed itself and be somewhat ambulatory is a great sign for the future.
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