Two Man Station
Originally reviewed at Sinfully.3.5 stars
This is a story about two men trying to find their way, both on their own and as partners. Jason doesn't know all the details of what brought Gio to Richmond, but he thinks he knows enough to not trust the man. Gio's arrival is shrouded in a bit of mystery, but we know his transfer wasn't voluntary and that something went very wrong at his prior job in the city.
Much of the story is focused on Gio finding his place and settling into the day-to-day life of a rural cop. Gio's new life is worlds away from his last one in every way possible, and I did enjoy his acclimating to a new way of policing. He's become a pariah amongst those he worked with and he's left his family behind and hasn't been honest with them about the reason. Jason also has adjustments to make. He's now got a new partner that he can't trust and who doesn't know how to be a small-town cop. Jason's previous partner had not only been a friend, but he and his wife had also offered him reliable backup child care when he had to go out on a call. Jason knows he needs to fix the situation, at 10 years old Taylor (who is an absolutely delightful character) isn't ready to be left home alone and Jason on thin ice with his co-worker who has been helping him out.
As the two feel out their new partnership, there is also a growing attraction between them. It's a slow build, but what is first a convenient hook-up becomes a regular arrangement, with an agreement that they will keep their professional and sex lives separate. Unfortunately, Gio isn't able to compartmentalize that way. He never has been. It's a big part of why he's doing this two-year stint in Richmond.
I'm a bit torn about this book. It was well-written, I liked the characters, and the remote setting, along with its unique challenges, came alive with Lisa Henry's descriptions, but I also felt like there were things that were set up and not fully realized. Even with the dual POV I didn't really feel I knew Gio and Jason as a couple and they didn't really seem to get to know each other that way either. I learned a lot about them as individuals and as partners on the job but other than convenience, I wasn’t sure what they had together. We get a glimpse of their feelings at the end and they do have sexual chemistry, but the romance didn't grab me. I also became frustrated with Jason and his approach to his childcare issue. The story really revs up with plenty of action in the final chapters, the type that forces the men to face their issues and get their acts together, but even then, I felt like they were completely starting over and I still wanted more of them working together and building a life as a couple.
To me, this was a satisfying start to a relationship. It ends HFN, but I'm not sure if the next book will continue their story or move on. While I was left wanting a little more, I'll be looking forward to more in this series and hoping that we revisit Gio and Jason (and Taylor) and see how their relationship is progressing.
