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mallorypen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
j_bookaholic's review against another edition
3.0
There are elements to this story that I really enjoyed but overall I didn't really feel much of anything. The style of writing was awkward for me and there was no flow in the words. It kept throwing me out of the zone I was trying so desperately to get into with this book.
This is the second novel I have read by this author and I don't think her work is for me.
This is the second novel I have read by this author and I don't think her work is for me.
gillianw's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this gritty but beautiful, little story. Harper Fox writes some of the best stories in m/m romance and her characters are always interesting and lovely despite of (or maybe because of) their flaws. Their imperfections just seem to make them more attractive and relatable.
Jan 2017: I had forgotten I read this when I picked it up this month but I think I enjoyed it even more the second time around. It almost felt like a new but familiar story, but it definitely stands up to a second read.
Jan 2017: I had forgotten I read this when I picked it up this month but I think I enjoyed it even more the second time around. It almost felt like a new but familiar story, but it definitely stands up to a second read.
hellishlyawkward's review against another edition
3.0
Points lost for narration.
Found Tim Gilbert’s narration distracting throughout this entire book. While Vince is a tough, hard, narcotics cop, I still felt the harsh, gravelly voice the narrator employed during Vince’s parts of the story to be way too much. The discrepancy between Vince and Rowan’s voices was so extreme that I couldn’t imagine them being anywhere close to a similar age, being romantically involved, or even existing in the same fictional universe or story.
But, I do think I would have enjoyed this story a lot more if I had read it rather than listening to the audio. There was an ethereal quality to Rowan’s whole persona that I loved, along with his otherworldly living space and the possessions he surrounded himself with. And the story itself was entertaining.
Found Tim Gilbert’s narration distracting throughout this entire book. While Vince is a tough, hard, narcotics cop, I still felt the harsh, gravelly voice the narrator employed during Vince’s parts of the story to be way too much. The discrepancy between Vince and Rowan’s voices was so extreme that I couldn’t imagine them being anywhere close to a similar age, being romantically involved, or even existing in the same fictional universe or story.
But, I do think I would have enjoyed this story a lot more if I had read it rather than listening to the audio. There was an ethereal quality to Rowan’s whole persona that I loved, along with his otherworldly living space and the possessions he surrounded himself with. And the story itself was entertaining.
divapitbull's review against another edition
4.0
3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.
Half Moon Chambers takes place in Newcastle, the North East of England. 29-year-old Detective Sergeant Vince Carr 29 has no use for junkies. He hated his drug addicted brother Phil so much he became a copper and joined the drug squad. Maybe he internalized some of his father’s intolerance and “running around after Phil since he nicked his first bottle of prescription pills out of our mam’s knicker drawer” seems to have left a very bad taste in his mouth. He and his partner Jack (that’s partner and “partner”) are on track for the Met, the new unit formed in the capital to tackle drugs and gang warfare; until a routine drug raid goes horribly wrong.
6 months later, Jack has left the force and Vince has been riding a desk. There’s a pesky bullet lodged in his back. A second operation could ease his pain and give him back his balance and mobility; or it could paralyze him from the waist down. No surprise he’s having a hard time deciding. But all he’s ever wanted to be is a copper, just not the kind that pushes papers and goes on interviews requiring diplomacy. But he’s not up for much else which is how he ends up tracking down a very flighty potential witness in the hopes of convincing him to testify.
Goram Maric, the smack and cocaine baron from their botched raid is finally in custody. A couple of University students got too close to his turf peddling their heroin from their basement apartment in the ornate Half Moon Chambers and Maric personally took them out. Rowan Clyde, another Half Moon resident was placed at the scene as a possible eye witness by the cops on duty, but he skedaddled before they got to him.
Vince and Rowan have almost immediate chemistry; but then they’re on opposite sides. Rowan has plenty of reasons for wanting to stay uninvolved and keep his head down and Vince; aside from wanting Maric to be convicted also wants to succeed in the only aspect of his job that seems left to him. As they build an unlikely connection (“Look, I’m not the guy they normally send out to do interviews, okay? I’m sorry I told you to grow a pair.”), Rowan’s secrets come tumbling out; not the least of which is that he is a recovering addict.
Vince and Rowan are both damaged individuals, both are grieving their own losses. They are a bit of an opposites attract in that Vince is rather conventional, and provincial; while Rowan is artistic and worldly; but they compliment each other. Their interactions are charming, and their dialogue is laced with subtle humor. The author’s style is very evocative, almost poetic and lovely. It’s descriptive, but not overly so (nowhere near Anne Rice level descriptive which makes me want to put my head through a wall). And it didn’t really get over the top, well not until towards the very end. The sex was mediocre but the emotional connection between the 2 MCs made up for it. Fairly low angst all things considered and a nice happy ending.
Half Moon Chambers takes place in Newcastle, the North East of England. 29-year-old Detective Sergeant Vince Carr 29 has no use for junkies. He hated his drug addicted brother Phil so much he became a copper and joined the drug squad. Maybe he internalized some of his father’s intolerance and “running around after Phil since he nicked his first bottle of prescription pills out of our mam’s knicker drawer” seems to have left a very bad taste in his mouth. He and his partner Jack (that’s partner and “partner”) are on track for the Met, the new unit formed in the capital to tackle drugs and gang warfare; until a routine drug raid goes horribly wrong.
6 months later, Jack has left the force and Vince has been riding a desk. There’s a pesky bullet lodged in his back. A second operation could ease his pain and give him back his balance and mobility; or it could paralyze him from the waist down. No surprise he’s having a hard time deciding. But all he’s ever wanted to be is a copper, just not the kind that pushes papers and goes on interviews requiring diplomacy. But he’s not up for much else which is how he ends up tracking down a very flighty potential witness in the hopes of convincing him to testify.
Goram Maric, the smack and cocaine baron from their botched raid is finally in custody. A couple of University students got too close to his turf peddling their heroin from their basement apartment in the ornate Half Moon Chambers and Maric personally took them out. Rowan Clyde, another Half Moon resident was placed at the scene as a possible eye witness by the cops on duty, but he skedaddled before they got to him.
Vince and Rowan have almost immediate chemistry; but then they’re on opposite sides. Rowan has plenty of reasons for wanting to stay uninvolved and keep his head down and Vince; aside from wanting Maric to be convicted also wants to succeed in the only aspect of his job that seems left to him. As they build an unlikely connection (“Look, I’m not the guy they normally send out to do interviews, okay? I’m sorry I told you to grow a pair.”), Rowan’s secrets come tumbling out; not the least of which is that he is a recovering addict.
Vince and Rowan are both damaged individuals, both are grieving their own losses. They are a bit of an opposites attract in that Vince is rather conventional, and provincial; while Rowan is artistic and worldly; but they compliment each other. Their interactions are charming, and their dialogue is laced with subtle humor. The author’s style is very evocative, almost poetic and lovely. It’s descriptive, but not overly so (nowhere near Anne Rice level descriptive which makes me want to put my head through a wall). And it didn’t really get over the top, well not until towards the very end. The sex was mediocre but the emotional connection between the 2 MCs made up for it. Fairly low angst all things considered and a nice happy ending.
tricia03053's review against another edition
5.0
Lovely descriptive language. Many books are erotic, but IMHO, in places, this was pure sensual. The characters, especially Vince, we're vividly drawn. The pacing was good, plot believable and compelling, and the sex scenes were spaced so as not to overwhelm the story. Love the struggle of two hurt men fighting to find life and love in spite of their obstacles. While there is a happy ending, it avoided being Pollyannerish, leaving them with their healing scars, struggles and hope. I've never been disappointed by a Harper book, and neither was this one.
saemiligr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
pawtory's review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
So I really wish I could rate this higher, because Fox has a way with words and does well sucking you in. The character voice is strong (and I don't mean the narrator but I think he did awesome also), I enjoyed the relationship for the most part, and the steam was HIGH/well-written/sexy af. But unfortunately the way certain things happened in the story were often very unbelievable or out of place. For the latter, I don't know if it was a pacing issue, or just like she was trying to put all these scenes in her head in without proper set up around them. It seemed like a much longer book than it was, for all the content, but it just felt off sonehow and those two things often jarred me out of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Drug abuse
Moderate: Death, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Gaslighting
There is a strong theme of disability/ physical limitations after having severe injury, but at times Fox kinda handwaves it for sex and in the end