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Never Hollowed By The Stare
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  • Uncategorized

    BLOG TOUR: Black Moon by Elle Keaton (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 6, 2020 / No Comments
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    RELEASE BLITZ: Black Moon by Elle Keaton (Giveaway)

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    LAST YEAR I WAS READING…(November 4, 2020)

    November 4, 2020 / No Comments

    This meme was created by Reading Marie. It’s a great meme because it’s nice and easy to do.

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    PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (October 21, 2020)

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  • Uncategorized

    AUDIO TOUR: Long Shadow by Elle Keaton (Excerpt)

    August 18, 2020 / No Comments
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  • book,  Uncategorized

    AUDIO REVIEW: Long Shadow by Elle Keaton

    August 14, 2020 / 1 Comment
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    Hamarsson & Dempsey: Long Shadow – Elle Keaton

    Niall’s known nothing but betrayal. All Mat wants is Niall’s heart; what will it take for him to coax Niall in from the cold?

    Mat’s connection with Niall is tenuous. One step forward, two steps back. Since that night on the beach Niall’s been avoiding Mat like a bad case of the flu–which, ironically, most of his deputies have come down with. What will it take for Niall to believe Mat wants him for who he is?

    Mat’s overworked, Niall’s unnerved, and then things really go sideways.

    Will a killer destroy everything before Niall realizes they are stronger together than apart?

    Long Shadow is a dual POV about a broody introvert and a somewhat patient Sheriff. Mat will have to prove to Niall he’s the man for him. The Hamarsson and Dempsey series follows the same couple as they find their way to their happily ever after.


    I was very much looking forward to this sequel. The first book, Conspiracy Theory, left us with an open ending that badly needed a resolution and this second book certainly made up for it!

    Long Shadow picked up from where we last saw Niall, living in a hotel when his cottage was burned to the ground. Another case of fire soon appeared and Mat suspected a serial arsonist.

    I very much appreciated the fact that this is not another murder case. No one was burned. The only casualties were the building structures. Although Mat had a close call when somebody planted a bomb in his cruiser. I liked how this part allowed Niall to step up as the significant person in Mat’s life.

    I also liked that Mat and Niall were not partners as is usually the case with police procedural. Mat is the sheriff and Niall is a retired cop wondering what to do with his life.

    The Hamarsson & Dempsey stories have a cozy feel to them. This is probably due to the small town setting and the way the gruesome details of the crimes were toned down, in addition to warm, friendly secondary characters and as well as other ‘distinguished’ minor characters.

    The author was able to build an interesting small town community and establish recurring characters that made me wish they had books of their own. One of them, Marshall Sopper (?), the doctor who loves taking in strays. The good doctor took in an army medic and his son and there’s a big story there waiting to be told.

    Another character I’d love to read about is Shay Delacombe, a lawyer who had surprising connections to Niall. He had a take-charge personality and would probably annoy Niall just for the heck of it.

    Admittedly, the first parts of the story meandered a bit the way Niall was meandering through town, suspecting unsuspecting RVs and taking his own sweet time deciding what to do with his relationship with Mat. ‘Glacial’ was how Mat described it.

    Luckily, the sheriff had infinite patience. Shouldering on, the story picked up when things started exploding and from then on it went on a quicker pace. Niall finally pulled his head out of his ass and took action. Then the story hurtled to an HEA. It may have been fast, it was still done nicely and with a few laughs especially with Shay butting in their business.

    Now I’m not sure if we will get another book. I hope we’ll get more. There’s something about this series that appeals to me. It does not go over the top with the action and suspense, the cases aren’t the type that would involved huge media coverage. Yet somehow, it’s very engaging.

    The audiobook was narrated by Michael Dean. He’s one of the more enjoyable narrators out there. He delivered suspense with just the right amount of tension. He also created distinct voices for each characters, even the female ones. I especially liked how his Niall voice suited the character to a T.

    The books are written in dual POVs and I liked Niall’s and Mat’s narrative voices.

    Niall is the last of the Hamarssons. He tends to overthink and is afraid of trusting anybody due to a rather traumatic childhood where he was abandoned by his mother. He says little and loves his alone time very much. As tactiturn as he is with humans, he talks a lot to his dog, Fenrir. His arc wasn’t fully resolved but I guess that leaves it open for more books.

    Meanwhile, Mat tends to be easy-going and open. He takes his numerous responsibilities seriously. He lives with his mother, sister and niece. I liked how he saw through Niall’s walls to the good person behind it. Then he proceeded to leap over those walls and love that person too.

    These books are not standalones. There were many events from the past that were directly referred to with not much explanation. I highly recommend meeting Niall when he first landed in Piedras Island. He was so alone and grumpy.

    Witness him as he slooowly open up to Mat and his endearing family. Niall had come a long way. He still has ways to go. At least now, he had friends, family and a loyal dog with him. That’s all he needs really.

    P.S.

    Thank you to Gay Romance Reviews and Audible UK for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

    Review of book 1, Conspiracy Theory, here.

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Headlights On Dark Roads
    Artist: Snow Patrol
    Album: Eyes Open


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get your copy of Hamarrson & Dempsey. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

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  • Uncategorized

    PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (May 27, 2020)

    May 27, 2020 / No Comments

    I found this tag on Chelle’s Book Ramblings . It’s simple and fun. I thought I would put my own spin on it and make it a weekly thing.

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  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Conspiracy Theory by Elle Keaton

    February 14, 2020 / 4 Comments
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    Hamarsson & Dempsey: Conspiracy Theory – Elle Keaton

    Years of grueling police work have left Niall Hamarsson jaded and disillusioned with life…although it’s likely he’s been that way all along. The last straw lands when the DA refuses to try a case Niall worked for years to bring to justice. Within hours he finds himself heading to the only place he’s ever been able to call home—a place he knows he doesn’t belong.

    Mat Dempsey returned to Piedras Island after his father’s death. These days he’s Island County’s sheriff. He’s happy enough, even if moving home from San Francisco effectively forced him back into the closet. Mat’s well-ordered universe collapses when a local’s body is discovered floating in the cold waters of Hidden Harbor’s marina. All hell breaks loose in the community, and accusations fly…all coinciding with Niall Hamarsson’s return.Niall and Mat have a history, and it’s not one Mat’s proud of. He owes Niall an apology, even if it means getting down on his knees. However, Mat’s first priority is investigating the murder before his community tears itself apart and he may have to ask the aloof Niall Hamarsson for help.

    Push apart, pull together, yes or no… The chemistry crackles between them but will the two men be able to put aside their pasts and embrace a future?
    Maybe.


    Hamarsson & Dempsey is a promising police procedural by new to me author Elle Keaton. The series is set in Piedras Island where everybody had their noses in everybody else’s business. While it is reminiscent of many mystery series, the first book, Conspiracy Theory, held its own.

    First, the mystery had me guessing until the end. I liked how the various threads and mini-mysteries relate to the main plot. The pacing was good but the resolution was just okay. It left some things open for the next books.

    The book also had a strong cast of secondary characters. As with many small town mysteries, it had its fair share of interesting eccentric town fixtures that will either serve as future victims, future perps, comic relief or mere annoyance. Chief of these are the town’s prominent families who were notorious for their bitter feuds.

    The two main characters couldn’t be more different from each other. Both were likable in their own way. The book is character-driven and the two leads were very compelling. Hamarsson in particular has a backstory that you make you feel for the guy.

    Hamarsson is of Viking descent and is built like one. He is anti-social with a miserly way of speaking as though each word cost him money. He has a troubled childhood and is the first to admit he is a not a good person. But the man had a rarely seen caring side that appeared when he became Fenrir’s human. The total number of sentences he used to explain the dog’s presence equaled the total number of the rest of sentences he spoke in the entire book. That’s how much he liked the dog.

    Dempsey is the town sheriff. He is a serial do-gooder who takes his responsibilities to the entire town very seriously. He’s a genial guy who loves his mom. He’s really easy to like. Early on, he knew there were hidden depths to Hamarsson that were worth taking the time to explore.

    The two men had mutual crushes on each other back in high school. Now face to face as grown ups, the attraction is still there. I liked how the slow-burn romance was built-up. I liked how it worked with the police procedural aspect. I even liked the cliffy ending because it felt right for the kind of thing they had at that moment.

    Overall, Conspiracy Theory is a great series opener. It has characters you can root for, a mystery that kept you turning the page and a tight plot that made you exciting for what’s coming next. Highly recommended for those into stories of big, taciturn men with giant hairy dogs and small island sheriffs who couldn’t stay away.

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: This Island Life
    Artist: Violent Femmes
    Album: New Times

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Hi there! I'm neverhollowed. I read too much MM romance and play music too loud. My blog combines my passion for books and indie music. I write book and manga reviews, create bookish playlists and share LGBT-related movies. Welcome to my blog! Hope you enjoy your visit.

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neverhollowedNever Hollowed By The Stare@neverhollowed·
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The rules are clear: no names, no details, no complications.

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An awkward, traumatized omega and a patient alpha determined to court him properly… fate has a way of righting old wrongs.

BLOG TOUR: The Devoted Alpha by Susi Hawke (Excerpt & #Giveaway)

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The call of the wild has never been so hot.

NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Destined Prey by Bailey Bradford (Excerpt & #Giveaway)

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