{"id":12152,"date":"2019-10-15T16:47:17","date_gmt":"2019-10-15T20:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=12152"},"modified":"2022-08-17T20:42:00","modified_gmt":"2022-08-18T00:42:00","slug":"single-malt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12152","title":{"rendered":"Single Malt"},"content":{"rendered":"

Single Malt<\/a><\/em> (2017) Layla Reyne<\/a> (Agents Irish and Whiskey)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Aidan Talley is back at work eight months after the hit-and-run that killed his husband as well as his partner. His best friend (also his boss and his sister-in-law) has a new partner for him, but also a new case to work off the books: evidence that the hit-and-run wasn’t an accident, and that the car Aidan, Gabe and Tom were in was specifically targeted.<\/p>\n

He’ll also be working as a mentor to his new partner, cyber expert Jameson Walker (also known as Whiskey). And if he’s lucky, he’ll be able to trust his new partner to help him discover who murdered his partner and his husband.<\/p>\n

Aidan turned for the exit and Jamie grabbed his arm, spinning him back around. \u201cDammit, Talley, let me say it, then you won\u2019t have to keep avoiding it.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve heard it enough already,\u201d he snapped, tortured gaze locked on Jamie\u2019s hand around his arm. <\/p>\n

\u201cBelieve me, I know better than most.\u201d Between his father\u2019s death and his injury, Jamie had heard more than enough condolences. <\/p>\n

\u201cThen why?\u201d Aidan asked, gaze still averted. <\/p>\n

Jamie\u2019s hand glided down his jacket sleeve to the shirt cuff and sparking cufflink, straightening it. \u201cRespect. Not for what you lost, but for what you had. And my Southern mother would kill me if I didn\u2019t.\u201d <\/p>\n

Aidan looked up, one corner of his mouth slightly hitched. <\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s she ever gonna know?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYou weren\u2019t raised in the South. They always know.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So I started this book with grave concerns. Generally a romance between law officers who are partners is a HUGE problem with me. I don’t like it when people have to keep their feelings a secret, and I really dislike it when they ignore rules and regulations that are there for a very good reason. So you’re going to have to work pretty hard to convince me that professionals are going to blatantly ignore the rules.<\/p>\n

(F)raternizing with a fellow agent was frowned upon by the Bureau; with one\u2019s partner was taboo. He loved his job and didn\u2019t want to do anything to jeopardize it, especially now that SAC Cruz was eyeing him for promotion. While he preferred to stay in the cave, out of the public eye he\u2019d already had enough of, he wanted to do well and advance, which meant doing good, clean fieldwork and keeping his hands off Aidan.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This book actually managed that, and did it well. When the two give into their feelings and impulses it’s a reasonable response to the circumstances (near death experience and pain pills). And why they–and a third party–agree to keep their relationship under wraps AND to keep them as partners also made sense considering The Mystery.<\/p>\n

Yes, there is not a complete resolution of the mystery within this book, and yes, we get a Big Reveal at the end of the book (also something I generally DESPISE) but since the entire series is published, and since the Big Reveal actually felt like it belonged where it was, I wasn’t mad.<\/p>\n

Another reason that the budding relationship bothered me far less than it normally would is that Aidan is still getting through his grief.<\/p>\n

It\u2019d been only eight months since he\u2019d lost Gabe. His husband deserved more, better.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cHow long were you two together?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cTen years.\u201d Aidan opened the drawer next to Jamie\u2019s dangling legs, pulled out two spoons, handed him one and set the other on the opposite counter. <\/p>\n

Jamie tapped the utensil against his thigh as he did the math in his head. \u201cYou weren\u2019t together right away?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Aidan split the steaming pudding mixture between two bowls. \u201cHe was still playing football, and I was still playing the field.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Aidan quite clearly loved Gabe, and the grief remains a struggle as he goes through his first year, but he also seems in many ways ready to go on with his life, and struggles with the guilt over feeling that as much as the survivors guilt. <\/p>\n

I really appreciate the time and effort that went into that portion of Aidan’s character.<\/p>\n

Another thing is that the two had some fun banter, and good chemistry.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll need to distract them long enough for me to upload the monitoring program.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you propose I do that?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAsk them to repeat everything in plain English. It\u2019s damn annoying.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The other thing I especially liked was Aidan’s family, and their unconditional love and support. And that it went both ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cLove you too, baby bro.\u201d Said in jest before, Aidan spoke the words sincerely now, forced out over the lump in his throat. He was close with all his siblings. They\u2019d never been bashful about expressing their feelings for one another, even in front of others. After the accident, those expressions of love took on new significance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s a good story that managed to get me past issues that are generally major problems in a story for me.<\/p>\n

Publisher: Carina Press
\nRating: 8.5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Single Malt (2017) Layla Reyne (Agents Irish and Whiskey) Aidan Talley is back at work eight months after the hit-and-run that killed his husband as well as his partner. His best friend (also his boss and his sister-in-law) has a new partner for him, but also a new case to work off the books: evidence […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[191,207,8,42,148,26,56],"tags":[50,213,187,544],"class_list":["post-12152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-8-5-10","category-mental-health-rep","category-mystery","category-police","category-queer","category-romance","category-sexual-content","tag-boinking","tag-grief","tag-layla-reyne","tag-mm"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-3a0","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12475,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12475","url_meta":{"origin":12152,"position":0},"title":"Imperial Stout","author":"Michelle","date":"February 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Imperial Stout (2018) Layla Reyne (Trouble Brewing) Dominic \"Nic\" Price has been a lot of things: SEAL, JAG, and now assistant US attorney. But he didn't think he'd particularly been in love, until he meets Cameron Byrne, the FBI's kidnap and rescue expert. Cameron Byrne has played the field for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Imperial Stout","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Imperial-Stout.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12156,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12156","url_meta":{"origin":12152,"position":1},"title":"Cask Strength","author":"Michelle","date":"October 19, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Cask Strength (2017) Layla Reyne Aidan Talley and Jameson Walker are partners, and enjoying each others company. But nothing more. Just casual is all Aidan wants, because he doesn't think he can survive the loss of someone else he loves. Jameson thinks he can handle \"just casual\" but if he's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Cask-Strength.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12482,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12482","url_meta":{"origin":12152,"position":2},"title":"Craft Brew","author":"Michelle","date":"February 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Craft Brew (2018) Layla Reyne (Trouble Brewing) Dominic Price and Cameron Byrne have been serious about each other for months, but Nic is so afraid that the gangster who holds his (estranged) father's debts will go after anyone Nic cares for, so he and Cam have kept their relationship quiet.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"craft brew","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/craft-brew.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12485,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12485","url_meta":{"origin":12152,"position":3},"title":"Noble Hops","author":"Michelle","date":"February 8, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Noble Hops (2019) Layla Reyne (Trouble Brewing) Nic and Cam are ready to settle down in their relationship but nothing can remain calm for the two of them. In this case, Nic's estranged father has been found dead, and it's good odds he was murdered by DUncan Vaughn, the gangster\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Noble Hops","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Noble-Hops.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12159,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12159","url_meta":{"origin":12152,"position":4},"title":"Barrel Proof","author":"Michelle","date":"October 19, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Barrel Proof (2017) Layla Reyne (finishes previous book) (literally scrambles to start this book) Don't even bother reading this if you didn't read the previous two. You have no reason to read this without the others, and you shouldn't, because she does a fabulous job building the characters and their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Barrel-Proof.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12525,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12525","url_meta":{"origin":12152,"position":5},"title":"Dine with Me","author":"Michelle","date":"February 21, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Dine with Me (2019) Layla Reyne Miller Sykes rose in the food world until he had his own restaurant. But now the restaurant is closing, his best friend is getting married, and according to the doctor he has 6 months to live if he doesn't get his cancer treated. 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