Review: Pins and Needles by A.J. Thomas

Title: Pins and Needles

Author: A.J. Thomas

Length: 300 Pages

Categories: Contemporary

At a Glance: Though the pacing was slower than in previous books I’ve read by this author, Pins and Needles delivered a wonderfully delicious, slow-burn romance with captivating characters and a well written and obviously well researched plot.

Reviewed By: Lindsey

Blurb: The truth is rarely seen on the surface, and getting to it might mean digging deep….

After a devastating accident and a long stay in the hospital, the last thing petroleum engineer Sean Wilkinson wants to deal with is the settlement the oil company tries to force on him. He’ll never be able to work in his field again, his education is all but useless, and his surgeons are pessimistic about whether he’ll ever walk again. He needs someone in his corner, but most lawyers take one look at his tattoo-covered father and turn their backs. It’s just Sean’s luck that the one attorney willing to give him a chance is also the hottest guy he’s ever seen.

As a trial lawyer, Nate Delany has a lot to prove—to his father, the world, and himself. Sean intrigues Nate, and he struggles to reconcile the gifted tattoo artist he can’t stop fantasizing about with the quiet, brilliant engineer. His investigation reveals facts left out of the accident report—including an illicit affair, greedy coworkers, and a vicious corporation that will do anything to protect its bottom line. When Sean’s life is threatened, winning Sean’s case, and his heart, becomes a lot more dangerous.

Review: This book pulled me in from the beginning and held me absorbed until the last page.

Nate and Sean meet for the first time during life altering situations for both men: Sean’s near-brush with death at work, Nate’s change in his career path, which also is deeply entwined with his familial relationships. Though attraction sparks, neither man is in a position to consider anything more, Sean having a long recovery and legal battle ahead of him, Nate representing Sean in an intricate lawsuit and ongoing investigation into the circumstances of the event that lead to Sean’s accident. As the plot progresses, so do Nate and Sean’s feelings for each other, but there are so many reasons why this is not a good idea, including Sean’s recovery and learning to function without the use of his legs as well as the ethics of attorney/client relationship and conflicts of interest.

I really loved Sean, such a captivating individual. The intelligence and way he approaches situations with critical thinking, his mind was fascinating to me. Though younger than Nate, his life experiences and intellect gave him very mature insight into human nature, the imaginative tattoo artist with a creative mind possessing an engineer’s understanding of science and mathematics.

I felt for Nate so very much through this story, as he struggled to be ethical and follow all the legal BS with precision, driven by his desire to give Sean the best representation—sometimes at the possible expense of his career. His family and their interactions had my heart breaking as he was willing to just settle for handouts, his feelings overlooked to make others more comfortable. Ugh, I had such issues with that whole dynamic, but it was presented in such a realistic way. I wanted so much more for him, as it was clear he had so much to offer if only others would just see the beautiful soul he possessed. Families are multifaceted and interactions aren’t always clear cut, and the best way to handle the situation isn’t always clear.

The legal aspect of this book really astonished me. It’s a rarity for me to read a book that contains such a realistic and detailed insight into what happens behind the scenes on court cases. Some books have information and terminology, but oftentimes skip over the lengthier elucidations. Pins and Needles has a comprehensive timeline of events and explanations on expectations, which seemed to be accurate. I can’t be certain that all the processes explained in this book are true, as I am not an attorney, but it was a convincing portrayal of a lawsuit, ethics and due processes.

The lawsuit isn’t the only thing that was researched and thorough. The actual reason for the lawsuit involving oil rigs and ships and the equipment used is very detailed. I suck at science and math, for anything beyond the most basic level, and there were times I got a little cross-eyed and scrunchy-nosed while trying to figure out what the heck some of the more technical aspects were and how they caused the accident. Despite my confusion, though, I am pretty sure I got the gist of what the equipment should have done, what it did do, and the end result. Maybe. Don’t ask me to try to explain it, though.

I sort of had a notion of where the plot was headed, and in some ways, I was right. However, it was much more complex than I expected when everything reached the climax. If I am honest, I kind of felt it was a little over the top, but at the same time, the pieces fit, so I at least it wasn’t one of those come-out-of-nowhere-barely-makes-sense situations.

This is a great story and held me entranced from the beginning. Make no mistake the romance is unhurried in its progress, and it created a beautiful tension as both men become more comfortable and confident with themselves and each other. I’d recommend this to readers who are looking for a complex plot interwoven with a sweet, slow-building romance.

You can buy Pins and Needles here:
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