Title: Craft Brew
Series: Trouble Brewing: Book Two
Author: Layla Reyne
Publisher: Carina Press
Length: 304 Pages
Category: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
At a Glance: I loved this book even more than the first, and am now even more excited for the next one! Definitely hop on this series if you haven’t already!
Reviewed By: Jules
Blurb: Assistant US attorney Dominic Price is staring down the barrel of his father’s debts. The bull’s-eye on his back makes him a threat to everyone he cares about, so when his lover wants to go public with their relationship, he bolts. Not because he isn’t in love—he can’t stomach the thought of putting Cam in danger.
Kidnap and rescue expert Cameron Byrne is determined to figure out what trouble Nic is running from, but devastating news from home brings him back to Boston and to the cold case that has haunted his family for two decades. Shoving aside his pride, he calls Nic for help.
Together they search for answers, navigating the minefield of Cam’s past. But when they get too close to the truth, Cam must use every skill in his arsenal to save the man he loves…before it’s too late.
Review: Dominic Price and Cameron Byrne are back and better than ever in Craft Brew, the second book in Layla Reyne’s Trouble Brewing series. I enjoyed Imperial Stout, the first book in the series, but I loved this one even more. Craft Brew is action-packed, emotional, and sexy. The story flow was much better than in the first book, and Reyne shifted seamlessly between the two main story arcs: the business with Nic’s dad’s shady business dealings and debt, and the unsolved case of Cam’s missing sister, taken from the family two decades ago. And in the midst of it all, of course, is the intensifying romance between Nic and Cam.
The book opens with Cam saying four words to Nic that he wasn’t prepared to hear. “Move in with me.” Things are amazing between them, and, as Cam points out to him, Nic has spent almost every night of the past four months at Cam’s place. But, Nic doesn’t want to put Cam in danger, which he feels he would be by his proximity to Nic. It’s been a bit since Duncan Vaughn’s goons paid him a visit, but Nic doesn’t want to risk Cam getting caught in any sort of crossfire, hence his hesitation to accept Cam’s offer. However, Nic does spring on Cam that he has to go to San Diego for a month or so to cover for the US Attorney down there—which is true, but also provides the perfect opportunity to run away from Cam for a minute. Cam knows Nic is running, but he assures him that he isn’t going anywhere, that he believes in what they’re building together.
The five-week separation is tough, but things get even tougher when Nic’s apartment building goes up in flames, and then Cam gets a call from his brother telling him that their mom has had a heart attack and that he needs to get back home to Boston right away. When he gets there, his mom is stable, but everyone is nervous about her upcoming surgery and her prognosis, including her. In private, she asks Cam to please solve the cold case of his sister’s disappearance, because she needs closure before she goes, if the worst should happen. Cam has worked his entire career trying to find out what happened to Erin that day, and has come up with nothing but brick walls. But, this time he has some notes from his mom that might just prove to be the leg up they need.
The story of Erin’s disappearance definitely carries more weight in the book than the mess with Nic’s dad, but as I said previously, Reyne does a good job of moving both stories forward. We learn so much more about both guy’s pasts and get to see them really grow as a couple. I adore them together so damn much. They had a few stumbles and some growing pains, but I absolutely loved where they ended up. And, Nic is still my faaaavorite. I LOVE him so, so much. It was also fun getting to know Cam’s family, and I loved it that Jamie was there with them, too.
So, yeah, I loved this book even more than the first, and am now even more excited for the next one! Definitely hop on this series if you haven’t already!
You can buy Craft Brew here:
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