Review: The Trouble with Tony (Sex in Seattle, #1) by Eli Easton

As part of the investigation into the murder of a young woman, Seattle P.I. Tony DeMarco poses as a patient of Dr. Jack Halloran, the therapist who treated the victim at a Seattle sex clinic. This isn’t the first time Tony has gone undercover, but it’s the first time he’s wanted to go under cover with one of his suspects. He can’t help it—Jack Halloran is just the kind of steely-eyed hero Tony goes for. But he’ll have to prove Halloran’s innocence and keep the doctor from finding out about his ruse before he can play Romeo.

Dr. Halloran has his own issues, including a damaged right arm sustained in the line of duty as a combat surgeon in Iraq and the PTSD that followed. He’s confused to find himself attracted to a new patient, the big, funny Italian with the puppy-dog eyes, and Tony’s humor slips right past Jack’s defenses, making him feel things he thought long buried. But can the doctor and the P.I. find a path to romance despite the secrets between them?

"But...if two people who are right for each other can meet in a bar, why can't they meet in a doctor's office?"

Really, why can't they? Especially if they have a good connection like the two main characters did in Eli Easton's "The Trouble with Tony", the first book in the Sex in Seattle series. I know I'm sure I'd get a lot of ethics arguments but just give this book a try and see why I agree with the quote. Eli Easton delivers a sexy, funny novella about sex. I should say a sex clinic. And what I am learning with this author, she gives excellent dialogue. My third book that I've read from this author and another slam dunk.

Tony is an ex-cop turned private investigator. He's a Brooklyn implant with an Italian Catholic background. He has yet to come out to his family so the thousand miles between his tight knit family helps. He's investigating a  murder and has to pretend to be a patient for a sex clinic in Seattle. But the thing is, he actually does suffer from an ailment. According to Tony, he has "picky dick".

Before you start trying to figure out if you have that, it's a pretty simple diagnosis. Not telling you what it is...you'll have to read to find out. But just note it's hilarious reading Tony's near panic attack discussing his 'ailment' to the other main character, while being attracted to him and pretending to be a patient but he sorta, kinda is.

And Dr. Jack Halloran...yum, yum, yum! Blonde, a wounded ex-solider who is not super tall but don't let his height fool you. He can kick ass. He's battling PTSD while trying not to be depressed about not being able to practice surgery. His job as a sex therapist seems to be going well for him until he meets Tony, whom he thinks is a patient. 

These two struggle to deny the heat between them but it's there. Oh, it's there.

"What's that I smell? Oh yum. Sexual tension." He winked, licked his finger, and planted it in the air with a sizzle sound. 

Michael, the saucy sex surrogate at the clinic, nailed it with that line. (I think I am going to like Michael's book coming out later on this year) The sexual tension is everything, it outshines the murder mystery, in my opinion because I devoured the words waiting for these two to finally succumb to their desires. And when they finally do...explosive. 

Hint: a memorable hand job. ;D

The clinic and how it is run is pretty interesting. I definitely will be reading the rest of this series because I find the profession or sex surrogacy intriguing and sex therapy as well. Tony has one cloying mother...she asks about his BM at one point. Oh man, she has a tight grip on her son. But it's out of love so it didn't annoy me. But I can see where Tony gets his hangups about sex.

"Sad, isn't it? I've already ordered the tombstone for my penis at Everlasting Hills," Tony agreed morosely.

"What about masturbation?"

Tony groaned. "Doc! You're killing me. Can you call it something else? Like 'tenderizing the steak'? I'd feel better."

And Tony has other euphemisms for sexual acts. It's quite hilarious reading that Catholic boy squirm and sweat when talking about sex.

The story progressed at nice pace, it's closer to novella in length. I liked Jack a lot, he was a cool customer struggling to deny how he felt for Tony. I do love a good struggle. Makes the coupling hotter, in my opinion. There was a little medical kink...it was light. It's my first brush with this particular kink in a book (what I can remember) but it was tame comparing to some of the other examples I've heard from...er, sources. All in all, the sex was vanilla. And it ends with a HEA. Loved the epilogue.

Recommended? Oh yes!

I already have book #2 waiting on my e-reader.