Blurb:
On the search for a serial killer, Detective Anthony Parglietto and Flynn Parker learn that every man must make a choice: to kill, to live, to love.
FROM DARKNESS AND LIGHT
Someone is leaving a trail of bodies throughout London, and Detective Anthony Parglietto is determined to end the violence. Then he’ll return to the man he loves.
Tough, street-savvy, and used to dealing with lowlifes, Flynn Parker is the last person Anthony thinks he has to protect. Then the Bow-Tie Killer strikes close to home and the world turns upside down. Right is wrong, black is white, and a policeman might become a monster. But in the name of love, justice must be served. In the name of love, pain can be endured. In the name of love, a man can taste the very essence that defines him.
Denise’s Review:
This book was a complete departure from what Susan MacNicol has written before (at least to me). Each book I have read from her has been about a couple falling in love, going through some hardships, and finding their HEA or HFN at the end of the book. This was completely off track from all that. AND I LOVED IT!!!!
When the book begins, our hero, Anthony, and the love of his life, the sexy Flynn, have already been together for six months. They absolutely adore each other, and know that they have found their soul mate. They had settled into a good routine, and I really enjoyed the easy going relationship that just shined through for them. So, the story really revolves around how the Bow-Tie Killer invades their life from personal (Flynn) and professional (Anthony) standpoints, and watching how it affects their love. And of course, just like any of Susan MacNicol’s books, she can write a HOT sex scene, and did for this book. Thank you Sue!
This killer had a personal vendetta with Anthony, more personal than he even realizes at first. Anthony puts everything he has into it, to not only find the killer, but to make sure Flynn is safe. With Anthony’s passion for justice that many would consider vigilante justice, the concern by his peers was that if and when he caught the Bow-Tie Killer (BTK), someone would not leave the confrontation alive.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the point of view changes. Normally, I do enjoy seeing the POV changes between the main characters, back and forth, seeing what they are thinking, feeling and experiencing. In fact, the very first scene in the book is not from the hero, Anthony’s, POV, but from Flynn’s POV. However, in addition, we get to see the POV of several other characters, including BTK. How challenging that must have been for Sue to delve into the mind of a serial killer, unless of course she has experienced that personally :-Þ. That is a challenge not many authors would be willing or able to take on. Kudos to Sue for taking that on, and doing it so well. The mind of BTK was a fascinating place to take a peek into.
There was a lot of humor in this book, as you can see by the quotes I loved below. And that is something I have always enjoyed with Sue’s books. There was also many tense moments as well. I read most of this on vacation, and at the climax scene (no, the other kind!), I was in the car, biting on my thumb nail, (which interestingly really only happens during Susan MacNicol books), and growling at my husband because at that moment he decided to turn on the radio to listen to traffic (WTF?). Let’s just say, I was a bit bitchy until all was resolved. 🙂
The only issue I had with the book actually had not one thing to do with how it was written or edited. I had problems with my kindle app removing the first line of the page, on many many pages throughout. I had no such problems with the book I read before or after, and I believe I have had that problem with previous books by the author, so I think it may be an issue with the publishing company’s transmittal to Amazon? Not sure. I did report to Amazon, because it happened often enough to be a big nuisance. But again, nothing to do with the author, or the writing.
This book was awesome, a great departure from what I have read before by Sue, and I have to say I loved these guys enough to want to see a follow up. Maybe they stop into the restaurant in Sue’s next series, Men of London? Just saying. :Þ
And yes, as always, I will be looking forward to anything that this lovely author puts out. Men of London, Book 1 is titled Love You Senseless. Sounds fun to me!!!
Final determination for Love and Punishment is 4.5 pieces of Eye Candy.
Quotes I loved:
“I really didn’t appreciate having to stand there looking like a fucking idiot in front of a bunch of press piranhas whose only intention was to sink their teeth into my fairly meaty dick and rip it off.”
“Personally, I don’t think the statue does you justice. I’ve seen you in the change rooms at the gym and I have to say I think yours is–“.
Purchase Link:
Some other favorite books of Denise’s from Susan MacNicol. Check these out on Amazon.
Author Bio:
Susan Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000. Currently, She lives in the rural village of Bocking, in Essex, with her family.
Sue is a PAN (Published Author’s Network) member of Romance Writers of America and a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. Also, she is a member of a rather unique writing group, called the Talliston Writer’s Circle, which in itself has a story all of its own to tell. She has written nine novels, two novellas and a screenplay since February 2012 and clearly believes in keeping herself busy. She has found herself wanting to stay in the sub-genre that is M/M Romance so more can definitely be expected.
Her plan is to keep writing as long as her muse sits upon her shoulder. Her dream is to make enough money to give up the day job and get that big old house in the English countryside overlooking a river, where she can write all day and continue to indulge her passion for telling stories.
Author Contact:
website: www.susanmacnicol.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/susiemax77
twitter: www.twitter.com/SusanMacNicol7
pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/susiemax777/pins/