A Dangerous Thing (The Adrien English Mysteries, #2) in Q&A with Josh Lanyon

Sep 09, 2010 Emanuela ~plastic duck~ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: action-crime-suspense, glbt, rainbow-gay, romance

Review written after re-reading it.

I was hooked with the first book in the series and last year I read the five installments back to back. I enjoyed this book, but with time its memory sort of faded in my mind, because what happens in book 3 is shocking and you just HAVE TO read #4 to keep your sanity. Poor #2 seemed almost light in comparison to the darker story in Fatal Shadows and the shock (I don't have another word) of The Hell You Say. I was a bit surprised and very delighted to find that Review written after re-reading it.

I was hooked with the first book in the series and last year I read the five installments back to back. I enjoyed this book, but with time its memory sort of faded in my mind, because what happens in book 3 is shocking and you just HAVE TO read #4 to keep your sanity. Poor #2 seemed almost light in comparison to the darker story in Fatal Shadows and the shock (I don't have another word) of The Hell You Say. I was a bit surprised and very delighted to find that I enjoyed this book much more on the re-read.

Jake - in retrospect - seemed kinder and sweeter than I remembered and Adrien seems to be more aware of the problems in his friendship with Jake. Being away from LA and his job is probably what makes Jake take a step toward Adrien and to the intimacy with him. I also liked to see a glimpse of domesticity in their supposed vacation.

As always what is not said and left hanging between them is what is probably more significant. The short dialog where Jake says to Adrien how worried he was during the confrontation with the bad guy from the previous book and therefore how much he's cared for Adrien since the beginning. Jake doesn't express himself at length about it, but few words convey a depth of concern. And love, ok, I'm going to say it. Well, you know, probably since the beginning I saw Adrien as the weaker part in the relationship, but I think probably Jake was more into him than Adrien was into Jake. I also think that Jake was less equipped to deal with this situation and that's why he did disasters - because of what is left hanging between them.

I realize I am not really talking about this book, because I'm already projecting into the next, so back to it. The very first moment of Jake and Adrien together are passionate, intense, but also reverent. It's the beginning of Jake's worshipping of Adrien. It's moving and it's erotic at the same time, but it's also strangely sweet, because Jake is not a young boy, he interacted with men only in BDSM clubs, he gives in to his attraction to men, but doesn't accept it, and yet he is generous and attentive. I'm writing an ode to Jake Riordan, forgive me.

Mmm, I have to wrap this up. This book confirmed to me that Adrien's voice is still my favorite, with his dry (and sometimes bitter) humor. I must confess that I didn't remember Adrien being so athletic and resilient. I think there was more suspense and action than mystery, maybe, but the continuous attacks on Adrien and Jake kept the tension high. I really liked Adrien's tense relationship with the local cops, it brought out the best in him.

It's a very enjoyable book and it sets the reader up for an expected development that is shockingly (again...) disattended in the third book. Don't say I didn't warn you... ...more

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Nov 23, 2010 Celine rated it it was ok

Shelves: good-ol-paperback, m-m

i'm still not overwhelmed...hm
dunno perhaps i'm just not getting into the story? i'm missing something.... more tension? Adrien is okay but i don't find him that intriguing... Jake has more going on but we don't get to know much about him, do we?

and the detective plot...frankly that left me cold, cold, cold...

perhaps i had too high hopes? everybody seems to like these.... I read the book and it's just...meh not bad, not great either.

Not giving up on Josh Lanyon though! will try something else : ...more

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Aug 24, 2010 S.J.D. Peterson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: suspense-mystery-m-m, reviewed

It's rare that a sequel is better than the first book. But, that is exactly what this book is. A rare delight. Even better than the first book in the series. I swear in my next life I'm going to be Adrien English. The characters wit is fun and his presence commands a rooms attention. No wonder Jake is obsessed with him. I know I am. ...more

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