November Reading Challenge Discussion

November’s reading challenge was to read a book featuring an ex-con or a criminal element.

One of my selection’s for the challenge was the first novel in the Woodbury Boys series, Loose Cannon by Sidney Bell. The history between Edgar-Allen Church and Miller Quinn is complicated but also very caring. Church is from a very dysfunctional background and I was rather surprised to discover how he met Miller. (I won’t spoil it but I will say it says an awful lot about who Miller is as a person.)

Despite the caring and compassion Church experiences throughout his teenage friendship with Miller, his anger and reactive violence simmers below his surface and it does not take much for him to lash out. After he violently assaults someone following a devastating interaction between him and Miller, Church eventually ends up in Woodbury where every effort is made to give him the tools he needs to understand and overcome his propensity for violence.

Fast forward to Church’s reintegration into society and he needs a place to stay since a condition of his release is to stay with a responsible adult. With nowhere else to turn, he calls Miller who never hesitates to welcome him back into his home and his life. The intervening years have been kind to Miller and Church realizes he still has very strong feelings for his friend. But Miller is straight. Or is he?

Miller is a caring and compassionate man who takes his responsibilities very seriously. He is close to his sister and niece and although he is not completely fulfilled with his career path, he wouldn’t dream of leaving them in the lurch. Miller’s romantic life is a bit lackluster but he does not have an inkling that might be because he might be dating the wrong gender. His inability to accept the realization he might be bi or gay that leaves him incredibly conflicted.

Church stumbles into the middle of criminal activity that leaves him constantly watching his back. He also keeps this information from Miller and his reasons for this decision are frustratingly withheld until very late in the story. I could honestly have done without this secondary story arc but it will be interesting to see how this storyline will play out in the next two novels in The Woodbury Boys series.

All in all, I really enjoyed Church and Miller’s story and I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Click HERE to read the summary.

The other book I selected this month is the first novel in Julianna Keyes’ Time Served series, Time Served. Successful lawyer Rachel Moser is unexpectedly reunited with her ex-boyfriend, Dean Barclay, ten years after she abruptly left town without telling him (or anyone else). Just a few weeks after she left, Dean and two of his buddies were arrested for armed robbery and Dean is now out of jail after completing his sentence.

Both Dean and Rachel are from the wrong side of the tracks and Rachel always planned to leave town after high school. She had dreams of making it big and she has definitely worked hard to make her aspirations come true. Never mind that she has to work long hours on her climb up the corporate ladder; moving up in the world is what she wants. Isn’t it?

Dean has completely turned his life around following his release from prison but he still harbors a seething resentment toward Rachel. He plans to exact his revenge on her but this hardened ex-con still has an unexpectedly softer side. Although Dean does not trust Rachel not break his heart again, they begin seeing one another but both of them agree they are not looking for happily ever after together.

Time Served is a blistering hot romance with characters who are likable but both of them make some stupid decisions. The love scenes between Dean and Rachel are plentiful and erotically charged. I am looking forward to book three in the Time Served, but it will be interesting to see how Julianna Keyes redeems the female lead in book two.

Click HERE to read the summary.

Now, it’s your turn to talk about the book you selected for November’s challenge. Hopefully you enjoyed it!

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Check out December’s challenge HERE.