“Mistakes are, after all, the foundations of truth.” ― C.G. Jung
Title: Lumber & Law (Shoes & Ties: Book Two)
Author: Jena Wade
Publisher: Loose Id
Pages/Word Count: 95 Pages
Rating: 4 Stars
Blurb: A few months after his brother’s accident, Jesse Brody can’t stop thinking about Troy Evans, the police office that helped solve the case. Even though Troy almost had to arrest him, Jesse is sure he has a shot at a date.
The two meet by chance and share a nice dinner at Jesse’s apartment, which ends with Jesse all over Troy’s lap. Though he isn’t out at work, Troy agrees to give a relationship with Jesse a chance. Everything is fine, until the two are seen in public together by some of Troy’s coworkers.
Out of panic, Troy ends the relationship. Of course he regrets his decision, but it will take more than just an apology to win Jesse back.
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Review: A few months ago Ashten Brody was hurt badly in a hit and run, and Detective Troy Evans was the officer in charge of the investigation. When Ashten’s boyfriend Trent Cole teamed up with Troy in a sting to lure out Trent’s stalker, Ashten’s twin brother Jesse Brody got all kinds of the wrong impression. Troy was insanely attracted to the man who punched Trent Cole to defend the honor of his brother. The thing is, Jesse was pretty darned smitten with Troy also.
As a police detective, Troy believes that he can’t come out, ever. Jesse has been interested in men before, but never brought it up to his family. They would be supportive, but he figured why rock the boat until there was someone worth rocking it for.
After a few months of stalking Troy during his jogs through the park, Jesse thought Troy would never notice him. Luckily for both men Troy’s dog Duke made the introductions for both of them. This leads to them cautiously starting a relationship.
From the beginning Troy is up front and honest about the fact that he is not only in the closet, but he has zero intention of ever coming out. He feels he cannot be an out and proud gay detective and at first, Jesse is fine with this arrangement. Over time, though, Jesse realizes he wants more. He wants Troy at the dinner table with the rest of his family, he wants to be able to go out to dinner together, and he finally realizes he wants the whole package deal. When he voices these concerns to Troy, it is made clear that he won’t be getting the happily ever after. What he gets instead is dumped.
With Troy out of his life, the happy-go-lucky, fun loving Jesse is no more. Funnily enough, Troy isn’t winning any popularity contests at work either. As usually happens, Troy didn’t realize what he had until it was gone, and he knows he has a huge decision to make.
Jesse wants Troy, but he doesn’t hold out any hope that the man will come out, and Jesse will not be a dirty little secret again. Eventually everything comes to a head at the finish line of a marathon, in a very romantic way.
Jena Wade has taken a very common theme and made it her own in this book. I loved Jesse and wanted him to get his HEA. Troy on the other hand… let’s just say he is like mold; he grows on you. By the end of the book I was rooting for these two, but I have to say I think Troy should have had to suffer just a bit more. ;) These twin brothers and their beaus were very entertaining, and I absolutely loved their father, brother, and sister-in-law. I highly recommend this book and the previous book in the series.
You can buy Lumber & Law (Shoes & Ties: Book Two) here:
