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A review by eesh25
Hard Line by Sidney Bell
5.0
Tobias is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He can be quite naive and a little too optimistic but more importantly, he always, always, tries to make the right decision, but not necessarily the one that's right for him. No, his aim is make sure that he doesn't disappoint anyone. So on first glance, he might just seem like a really happy and good person (the latter is very true), but that goodness reaches self-destructive points.
When a lot of bad things happen at once, he kind of snaps. And it's while he's contemplating breaking into an apartment that his friend, who he hasn't heard from in a while, lived in, that he meets Sullivan.
Sullivan is a PI and after years of delivering subpoenas, he's finally convinced his boss to give him an actual case. And this case, which has been cold for over two decades, is important for his career because he's a guy who needs to do stuff that engages his brain. When he sees Tobias thinking of breaking into a place that has a connection to his case, he's very encouraging of the crime.
What happens is that Tobias decides that he's going to hire Sullivan. But he wants to be involved in the investigation. And since they broke into an apartment together, he blackmails Sullivan to let him join (while also paying him for the job). And if you've read Loose Cannon, you know how bizarre that is. Sweet, innocent Tobias, blackmailing someone. And a part of me thinks that I should be mad at him about it, but he's just so nice and unsure and hesitant and guilty-feeling about the ordeal that I can't. The words 'cinnamon roll' come to mind whenever I think about him.
So Tobias and Sullivan are working together to find Ghost (Tobias's friend) and solve Sullivan's case. Also, they need to figure out how the two the connected even though the case is older than Ghost is. And during the investigation, they explore the attraction between them. But more importantly, it's the compatibility.
You see, Sullivan has certain things, BDSM things, that he likes. He didn't think he'd find someone to would fit him. Not that he's been looking, after his ex called him a monster for of his preferences. Starting something again, and with a guy who's blackmailing him, is probably a bad idea. Though really, blackmail is such harsh word. If you read the book, you'll see how unlikely Tobias is to ever even want to threaten someone. It never felt like blackmail. Also, their mutual attraction was completely separate from the case.
Besides, Sullivan could've gotten out of working with Tobias if he wanted. Sullivan's a really smart guy and a brilliant character. I loved his contrasting personality, his thirst for knowledge, his sharp mind, his repertoire of endless, random facts about anything and everything, and his vulnerabilities when it came to his personal life. Loved him so much. I was gonna give the book 4.5 stars, but added .5 for Sullivan.
Overall, another great book by Sidney Bell. I highly recommend it. Tobias and Sullivan are great characters and the romance between is so much more than sexual compatibility. They're good for each other. They make the other feel accepted, like they have the right to feel what they feel. They both have insecurities about not being good enough and Tobias is dealing with finally wanting things for himself, even if it means disappointing his parents. There are big things going on with them, along with the investigations, and I loved reading about all of it.
When a lot of bad things happen at once, he kind of snaps. And it's while he's contemplating breaking into an apartment that his friend, who he hasn't heard from in a while, lived in, that he meets Sullivan.
Sullivan is a PI and after years of delivering subpoenas, he's finally convinced his boss to give him an actual case. And this case, which has been cold for over two decades, is important for his career because he's a guy who needs to do stuff that engages his brain. When he sees Tobias thinking of breaking into a place that has a connection to his case, he's very encouraging of the crime.
What happens is that Tobias decides that he's going to hire Sullivan. But he wants to be involved in the investigation. And since they broke into an apartment together, he blackmails Sullivan to let him join (while also paying him for the job). And if you've read Loose Cannon, you know how bizarre that is. Sweet, innocent Tobias, blackmailing someone. And a part of me thinks that I should be mad at him about it, but he's just so nice and unsure and hesitant and guilty-feeling about the ordeal that I can't. The words 'cinnamon roll' come to mind whenever I think about him.
So Tobias and Sullivan are working together to find Ghost (Tobias's friend) and solve Sullivan's case. Also, they need to figure out how the two the connected even though the case is older than Ghost is. And during the investigation, they explore the attraction between them. But more importantly, it's the compatibility.
You see, Sullivan has certain things, BDSM things, that he likes. He didn't think he'd find someone to would fit him. Not that he's been looking, after his ex called him a monster for of his preferences. Starting something again, and with a guy who's blackmailing him, is probably a bad idea. Though really, blackmail is such harsh word. If you read the book, you'll see how unlikely Tobias is to ever even want to threaten someone. It never felt like blackmail. Also, their mutual attraction was completely separate from the case.
Besides, Sullivan could've gotten out of working with Tobias if he wanted. Sullivan's a really smart guy and a brilliant character. I loved his contrasting personality, his thirst for knowledge, his sharp mind, his repertoire of endless, random facts about anything and everything, and his vulnerabilities when it came to his personal life. Loved him so much. I was gonna give the book 4.5 stars, but added .5 for Sullivan.
Overall, another great book by Sidney Bell. I highly recommend it. Tobias and Sullivan are great characters and the romance between is so much more than sexual compatibility. They're good for each other. They make the other feel accepted, like they have the right to feel what they feel. They both have insecurities about not being good enough and Tobias is dealing with finally wanting things for himself, even if it means disappointing his parents. There are big things going on with them, along with the investigations, and I loved reading about all of it.