Genre: Contemporary Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
About The Book
Two men from opposite sides of the law: will they be able to set aside their differences and trust love?
Danylo Peters has issues, lots of them. He’s not on Piedras Island by accident, he’s not a nice guy, and Peters isn’t his real name. Dany’s in hiding, trying to escape his family’s influence and start a new life. But Dany must have been born under a bad sign because the very man he’s really running from is one of the first he runs into.
A new life in a new town seemed like the right decision for Soren Jorgensen, especially after a difficult case left him recovering from a gunshot wound and lonely as he’s ever been. Finding Dany living on Piedras brings back all the feelings he’d tried to lock away. He’s angry and bitter and Dany will not away with his old tricks.
Too bad Dany is just as compelling as he ever was.
Dany is smack in the middle of Soren’s first case, and neither is able to deny the attraction between them.
Will love prevail? Or will mistrust and a killer end it all?
Real Trouble is set in the Veiled Intentions world. Soren and Dany first appear in When It Rains, from the Shielded Hearts series (was Accidental Roots). Real Trouble can be read as a standalone and is dual POV following Soren Jorgensen and Danylo Peters as they fight their way to their HEA and is the first in the new West Coast Forensics series.
The Review
Piedras Island isn’t magical, but it seems to be magnetic. It causes those whp leave to return, and it takes in new people looking for an escape and anyone seeking a new start.
Deputy Soren Jorgensen has relocated from Skagit to start over and forget a failed relationship that never really got started. He’s now found his place with the Piedras County Sheriff’s Office, and is focused on proving himself.
With Sheriff Mat Dempsey and Niall Hamarsson on their honeymoon, he hopes that all will be quiet. Deputy Birdy Flynn has been left in-charge, and she’s easy enough to work with.
Then the island turns to chaos.
Danylo “Dany” Petyr, aka Danny Peters is trying to build a new life on Piedras Island. He’s been offered a new job at Brooch Resort as a chef. This is something he’s had hopes for, a job more challenging then Lulu’s little diner. Dany’s been on the run from his notorious family and just want’s a new start and leave his troubles behind. He’s also run far away from Deputy Soren Jorgensen.
The chaos hits Piedras Island full force, and Soren and Birdy have their work cut out for them. Murder, arson and millions of dollars lead to everyone being a suspect. As the investigation becomes more complex, Soren comes face to face with a bigger problem – Dany.
Both men face overwhelming emotions that dredge up old feelings, from hate to doubt. Soren can only hope that Dany isn’t a part of any of Piedras’ “trouble.”
“Real Trouble” is an outstanding start to a new series, “West Coast Forensic.” Keaton made an excellent choice in selecting Dany and Soren as the best two characters to get this new series started. The plot’s well done, with a deep focus on investigative techniques and the persistence of Birdy and Soren to solve the crimes. It includes danger, shifty suspects, fast-paced action, humor and just the right amount of steamy moments.
Dany and Soren were unforgettable characters from the first time they met in “When It Rains,” from the “Accidental Roots” aka “Shielded Hearts” series.
Birdy Flynn has been an up and coming character too in the “Hamarsson & Dempsey” aka “Veiled Intentions” series. She gets a well earned spotlight it this new novel.
As always there’s an abundance of secondary characters and some will hopefully get a story of their own: Devon Flynn, Cody Prescott, Kim Carr and Winston Parsons, Shay Delacombe, Claribel Delacombe and Ryder Mann. And I love it when Adam Klay makes a cameo, even if he only has a one-liner!
Keaton first introduced the excellent series “Accidental Roots” aka “Shielded Hearts” in 2017, and I’ve been a fan ever since. With the start of “Hamarsson & Dempsey” aka “Veiled Intentions” and the mix of Skagit and Piedras Island, I’m hoping “West Coast Forensic” is a big success. I can’t wait for book two – “Real Danger,” coming in October 2021.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
