Bad Idea

<b>Audiobook - 5+++++ It's GREG!!!!<br /><br />Story - 3.75 stars</b><br /><br />-This ended up being surprisingly good and enjoyable, the mystery was engaging enough to keep me going.<br /><br />-The characters were likable and I enjoyed their banter.<br /><br />-The chemistry was there from the beginning. <br /><br />Overall, it was enjoyable. <br /><br />

DNF @ 46% because I've skimmed almost that entire amount. The book is so predictable and I'm over every bad guy out there using the gay community to find victims to kill and the women to be portrayed as heartless bitches. I'm totally not invested in Jonah who is a clueless, unbelievably unself-aware doormat. <br /><br />This one just isn't for me

Honestly FUCK THIS BOOK. if Jonah is gay or bi and wants to leave his wife for a dude, fine. Whatever. But I can’t with m/m authors who need to make all women shrill and hysterical bitches. there’s even an old woman who’s supposed to be a sweet neighbor bc she calls Wendy a bitch and is super sad for Jonah. ??dnf but still 1 star for the fucking misogyny

DNF @58% aka around page 243<br /><br />Well.. I got bored.. I read a Max Walker book before and I didn’t enjoy it but saw this one got better ratings than my first attempt so I gave it another go..<br /><br />I need to listen to my gut.. I am bummed because Greg Boudreaux is the narrator for I think almost all Max Walker books… unfortunately for me it doesn’t fix the writing… he loves to write the corniest pun/dad jokes for the guys to try to be funny with… makes me cringe. <br /><br />The beginning had promise but overall the mystery was the afterthought to the bi-awakening Johan was having hours after breaking up with his girlfriend of 4 years…also the first and second day of Johan and Fox meeting lasted almost 40% of the book… and they already had a soulmate level connection…? Idk I am confused if it’s not a paranormal book for this quick instalove to happen unless it’s done well..

So here’s the thing. It was just fine. But I feel disapointed Because I had such high expectations. <br />It might have been the on page m/f sex that made me feel that way though.

Bad Idea (Stonewall Investigations – Miami #1)<br />By Max Walker<br />Published by the author, 2019<br />Four stars<br /><br />I rated this book based on its purpose and intended audience. It appears to be a detective story, and indeed there is one – two private investigators, Gabriel “Fox” Morrison and Jonah Brightly, go on the hunt to root out a new and dangerous recreational drug cutting a path of death in the gay community in Miami Beach. However, somewhat to my surprise, the detective story is distinctly secondary to the romance that is the centerpiece of the book – that of a young man (Jonah) waking up to his true self after signing on to work with Fox Morrison at the newly-established Miami branch of Stonewall Investigations. <br /><br />As a romance, it’s good, and emotional, and at moments intense. It speaks to denial and repression and that magic – possibly mythical – moment when another person sparks a fire in you and helps you see clearly for the first time in your life. <br /><br />Both Fox Morrison and Jonah Brightly have their issues. Like a lot of attractive gay men just out of youth but still young, Fox has resigned himself to being alone, caught up in his work and ready enough for the quick satisfaction of hook-ups. Jonah is in a different place, as his longtime relationship with a woman crashes and burns, leaving him lost and disoriented. It is Fox Morrison who strikes the spark that helps Jonah see potential he’s never been willing to see before.<br /><br />As a detective story, this is a three, because a very interesting plot gets pushed to the side. As a romance, however, this is very satisfying. In spite of the way the book is marketed, I decided to cast my vote on the side of romance. I’m interested into know what Walker will do with the Miami office of Stonewall Investigations next. <br />

This was middle of the road for me ...

3.5 ⭐

DNF at 60%. A gay detective-partners-become-lovers trope. There is a plot, of sorts, about the MCs investigating a dangerous new party drug. But, mostly, it is heavily padded, with little happening, while the two MCs go through juvenile internal monologues and ruminations about the other and how their relationship cannot work but they want it to so badly — on and on and on. I DNFed, but looked ahead to see whodunit: I was right and guessed it the scene in which the character was introduced.<br /> <br />This novel is boring. A stock gay ex-military character. A stock bi man (an ex cop) in his first gay relationship. They are not fleshed out very well at all. Insta-lust with both characters being impossibly good-looking. Highly unbelievable "plot" (such as there is any) and that is WITH granting allowance for the romance genre being a type of fantasy.<br /><br />The grammar is not great, but better than some romance novels. Editing is poor. This is my second <a href="https://goodreads.com/author/show/14739738.Max_Walker" title="Max Walker" rel="noopener">Max Walker</a> novel. I don't think there will be a third.

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