Genre: Contemporary
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
A serious health scare forces Martin Purdy to rethink his life. He quits his job, sells his house, and buys a set of fixer-upper cabins on the coast. There’s just one teensy problem. Along with the property comes a very angry man.
Nicholas Waugh had his own scare, bad enough that he slunk back to the crappy town he grew up in. With no home to call his own, he finagles a security gig keeping an eye on a set of vacant cabins. The deal comes with a free one-year lease–and he’s not leaving a day sooner. Not even if the new owner gets down on his knees and begs him.
Okay… maybe if he got down on his knees.
Fifteen years of teaching college freshmen and patience is second nature to Martin. But Nick is giving Martin a run for his money. He’s one suggestive chainsaw sculpture away from justifiable homicide. If that wasn’t enough, when he’s not infuriated with Nick, Martin finds himself fighting an inappropriate and ridiculous attraction to the much younger man
Everyone in Cooper Springs thinks Nick is crying wolf, but creepy stuff is going on around town and he is the only one paying attention. Human remains found in the forest, and a body dumped on the property he’s in charge of, have Nick on high alert.
Meanwhile, all Martin wants to do is get started on the remodel. Instead, he’s fighting with Nick over things that go bump in the night and losing sleep worrying he’s made a disastrously wrong decision.
Failure is not an option.
What will it take for Nick to let his guard down? What will it take for Martin to admit that age is just a number and Nick is more than man enough for him?
Welcome to Cooper Springs, home to UFO chasers, Sasquatch believers, conspiracy theorists, chainsaw artists, and regular folk just trying to make a living. And, quite possibly, a killer.
Below Grade is second in the Reclaimed Hearts series, set in the wilds of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, it is an opposites-attract, age gap, only one bed, grumpy-sunshine, small-town romance, with a little murder.
The Review
Martin Purdy has finally made his move to Cooper Springs, and the old cabin resort that he plans to rebuild. His two friends, Simon and Charley, are in tow, helping him make the move, even though they don’t understand why he would want to live in a small town.
The stress of work as a Professor of Geology caused Martin to gave a health scare, and he abruptly retired. He received an inheritance from his Aunt Heidi, sold his house and bought the Cooper Springs property, hoping to find a much easier life.
Along with the vacant property comes a brooding, unfriendly, chainsaw carrying caretaker named Nicholas Waugh. Nick’s not very happy with the idea of the new owner. He remembers the now silver fox, Professor Purdy’s lectures from twelve years before, and blames him for failing the geology course. Nick took the failure so hard that he couldn’t face his odd, uncaring parents. He immediately left college, joined SeaTac and went to Southeast Asia. Even therapy didn’t help.
Nick’s best friend, Liam Wright, takes his time to understand Nick, and he’s the only one that Nick really talks to. Nick is different when he’s with Liam.
There’s something strange about Cooper Springs, something spooky in the woods. Is it Big Foot, or something else? Nick has had his own theories about it, and feels guilty when the body of a young woman is found at the property. He thinks he should have been more aware of what was going on.
Now more young woman have gone missing. And Nick still has to deal with Martin Purdy. Will he have to move on, once the property has been renovated? And what’s up with the strange vehicle he keeps seeing?
It’s been a while since I’ve read an Elle Keaton story, but this one drew me in. I loved Nick – he really brought out all the paranormal mystery of Cooper Springs. Even when he is brooding, he has a special sense of dry humor.
I also enjoyed the relationship that grows between Nick and Martin – wonderful and filled with humor. It was really fun to watch Martin get involved with Nick’s theories and suspicions.
What really makes Below Grade special is the great cast of characters. Many of the Cooper Springs residents can be found at the Steam Donkey, where they congregate to drink, eat, gossip and tell all about their encounters of Big Foot to Rufus Magnus And everyone comes together for Samhain Festival. The shining star of all the characters is, of course, Nick’s side-kick Kitten!
I highly recommend Below Grade, in Keaton’s “Reclaimed Hearts” series. I was entertained and loved the humor and the look into the paranormal side of Cooper Springs. Keaton did not disappoint, and every time I think of mushrooms, I have to laugh!
Next up in the “Reclaimed Heats” series is Red Flagged. I’m all in!
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.
