Title: Pins and Needles
Author: A.J. Thomas
Narrator: Jason Riley
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Run Time: 8 hours and 57 minutes
Category: Contemporary, Legal Thriller
At a Glance: This is a great book and a great narration; it’s everything a good book should be. The narration adds to the words and makes them even better.
Reviewed By: Mike
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: Nate Delany would seem to have it all: An associate at his father’s firm, a well-educated, well placed new lawyer at the edge of greatness. And, a partner capable of and more than willing to take credit for every bit of Nate’s hard work on behalf of the firm’s clients. After a slight that’s impossible to ignore, Nate quits his job. Nate’s father, a named partner at one of the city’s most prestigious firms, can’t believe Nate will go through with it—until Nate packs up his office and steps out into the world without much of a plan. But a secretary at Nate’s firm points him in the direction of a potential new client and a new start apart from his well-respected and feared father.
The new client, Sean Wilkinson, has been devastated by a shipboard accident only three days into his new career as an oil drilling engineer. Sean’s stepfather, and protector, is skeptical that anyone can help with their situation as Sean lies in a hospital bed trying not to feel completely defeated by past events. As Sean recovers, Nate begins to delve into the incidents on the ship and the mystery surrounding the accident that cost Sean a leg and his livelihood. Things do not add up—and the oil company presents a story of events that are missing big pieces of truth.
The attraction to Nate is hard for Sean to resist because Nate treats Sean not as a broken toy but as a man in the world who needs a hand to get his life back. Nate discovers Sean isn’t just covered in tattoos; he’s an artist, a side of Sean that Nate finds as beautiful as the pictures he draws.
A. J. Thomas tells a complete and compelling story that is difficult to put down, and Jason Riley tells this story with a deep attention to detail. While this is a romance, it is also a legal thriller complete with action inside and outside of the bedroom. It tells a story worth hearing, with characters who just happen to be gay. Riley’s voice is a wonderful match to these words. Even in the places where other narrators would rush or seem bored, Riley gives us a complete world. Every bit of it, even the family subplot, is handled well. The outcome of the characters’ fates may be in doubt, but Jason Riley keeps your interest until the last word is spoken. This is a great book and a great narration; it’s everything a good book should be. The narration adds to the words and makes them even better, which is not easy considering Thomas’ considerable talent to begin with. This book is a must buy. You will be pleased with yourself that you bought the audio. You’ll also be disappointed when it ends—good books and good narration are like that. The bonus is that you can listen to it again.
You can buy Pins and Needles here:
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