Genre: Contemporary, Suspense
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
The job is as simple as they ever are for members of the Collective: get in, fool the marks, and commit some devastating corporate espionage. For Miroslav Antanasijević—an expert at faking identities—it’s a high-stress gig, but one he’s used to.
At least that’s how it starts.
When it all goes wrong, Mirko barely escapes with his life… and only because a ride share driver comes to his rescue.
Arlen Tate is just trying to finish his doctorate, help his sister through school, and leave his turbulent family life in the past where it belongs. His schedule is packed tight, and it does not have room for “help an organized crime syndicate rescue one of their own.”
Too bad the minute he hauls that stranger into his car and takes off, he’s on a one-way trip down a rabbit hole of crime, corruption, and a very strange gray area between moral and illegal.
And maybe he doesn’t want to go back. Especially the more time he spends with the enigmatic chameleon he rescued.
But someone is coming for the Collective. Someone ruthless and powerful.
And they will happily murder anyone who gets in their way.
The Review
Arlen Tate is a struggling grad student. He’s working on his Doctorate in Philosophy, is a part-time Teachers Aide, and helps support his sister with her college tuition. To top it all off, he’s sort of an uber driver, waiting for the next call to make ends meet. He also comes from a dysfunctional family.
His best friend and former roommate is Roxanne “Roxy” Lee. She had to relocate across town because of her clinical rotation at the Tender Care Exotic Animal Veterinary Practice, but they still keep in touch and watch out for each other.
The Collective, an organization that specializes in corporate espionage, is paranoid and fearful after the similar murders of two undercover operatives. Is there a mole in the organization? Who’s trying to bring it down?
Miroslav “Mirko” Antanasijevic and Anatolie Moldovao are two such operatives for the Collective. They each find themselves in dangerous and deep undercover assignments. They’ve been poisoned/drugged and it’s impossible to escape their situation. Mirko manages to get away. He doesn’t know where Anatolie is or if he’s been captured too – all he can do is run. He finds himself on the street, barely being able to comprehend anything and falls against a car. The next thing he knows, he’s in the back seat and headed to a hospital.
While waiting for the next pick-up, Arlen hears gun fire, and then a man slams into his car and falls to the ground. While he’s helping the stranger inside, he sees two suits coming their way. The next thing Arlen knows, they’re banging on the window and a gun is leveled at the man in the backseat. There’s only one thing left to do, and that’s drive.
The man is semiconscious and tells Arlen “no hospital.” There’s one place Arlen knows to get help – he heads for Roxy at the veterinary office.
What has Arlen gotten himself into? Even more important, what has Mirko done? He’s gotten an innocent involved in the Collective. And what of Anatolie? Mirko can blame himself all he wants, but he doesn’t know what he’ll find in Arlen Tate.
Ride Share is a roller-coaster ride of intense suspense, danger and fast-paced action. It’s an intriguing mystery thriller spiced up with with murder, corruption, torture and more.
Arlen and Mirko will find that they have a lot to learn about each other. Mirko will have to recognize Arlen’ strengths and let down his walls, and both men will need to find trust and respect for each other in these dangerous times.
Besides Arlen and Mirko there are a few strong women to recognize too: Roxy, Mariana, Danuta, and Jan.
I highly recommend Ride Share, the first book in “The Collective,” a new series from one of the best collaborative teams in MM romance – Cari Z and L.A. Witt. I loved it and can’t wait to see what this brilliant writing team has in-store for Mirko and Arlen next. Bring on book two!
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.
