Old Poison (Dangerous Ground, #2) in Q&A with Josh Lanyon

Sep 06, 2011 Morgana rated it really liked it

Shelves: friends-to-lovers, cop-fbi-detective-pi-bodyguard-spy, mystery, suspense, crime, favourite-authors, josh-lanyon, annoying-ex, awesome-couples, my-audible-audiobooks

Read on February 22, 2013

Listened to the audiobook on August 25, 2014.
Still like it and yes, David Bradley still annoys the hell out of me. Thank God he doesn't appear in book 3. After (view spoiler) I need a break from more DB drama. Now on to the next one. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 29, 2011 Paola rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourite

This second novella in the Dangerous Ground series builds up on the already strong and satisfying premise of the first book. The character dynamic and the progression of their relationship play out against a new, compelling mystery related to Taylor’s past when he was stationed in Japan. The guys are now one month into their relationship and settling into a new, though still fragile, ‘domesticity’. They obviously care a lot for each other and the way they communicate through their physical passi This second novella in the Dangerous Ground series builds up on the already strong and satisfying premise of the first book. The character dynamic and the progression of their relationship play out against a new, compelling mystery related to Taylor’s past when he was stationed in Japan. The guys are now one month into their relationship and settling into a new, though still fragile, ‘domesticity’. They obviously care a lot for each other and the way they communicate through their physical passion, and chemistry, reveals a lot about their feelings, but it doesn’t hide the fact that there’s still some underlying tension between them, not just carried over from the events narrated or referenced to in the previous book, but also related to Taylor’s past in Japan, to Will’s relationship with Bradley, etc. and more in general due to both guys being ‘alpha males’ over and beyond their different character and personality traits. The tension and frustration mount when the guys are given separate assignments (and working partners), and when Taylor finds himself in serious danger following a series of threats all apparently related to the time he’d spent in Japan.
In this book, the author fleshes out both guys’ personalities in even more depth than in the first novella, once again using both characters’ alternating POVs.
As with other Josh Lanyon characters I’ve read so far, Will and Taylor are both ‘flawed heroes’, and all the more believable and human. The sex scenes are never gratuitous or meaningless, and they’re very intense and beautifully written. As is the dialogue: the guys often exchange conversations that start from talking about their work, but then end up discussing more personal things, such as the nature of their relationship. There’s a tense conversation in chapter three when Taylor replies to Will’s accusation that Taylor is acting jealous and insecure and irrational by honestly admitting he’s like that only because he’s got more invested in their relationship than Will does. The interesting thing, however, is that Taylor’s POV is ‘flawed’: he doesn’t know (yet) the full extent of Will’s feelings for him, and is still convinced their relationship is based on ‘uneven’ premises. Though in this book Taylor will have several opportunities to ponder Will’s real feelings for him, including when Will makes him an expensive and extremely thoughtful birthday present.
Bradley is also a very interesting secondary character: he gets more ‘screen time’ than in the previous book, and his conversation with Will is beautifully written and painfully honest; so much is revealed about Bradley, and Will, also through what is not said, but implied.
I can’t wait to read the third book in the series.
...more

Like · see review