Mason Hanks has returned to Rainbow Cove, Oregon with one goal in mind: turn the struggling coastal community into a thriving LGBTQ tourism destination. Step one is transforming an old bar and grill into a gay-friendly eatery. Step two? Don’t piss off Nash Flint, the very hot, very stern chief of police who’s not so sure he’s on board with Mason’s big plans.
Nash Flint just wants to keep his community safe and enjoy the occasional burger in peace. He’s not big on change nor is he a fan of Mason’s troublemaking family, especially his rowdy older brothers. But Mason slowly wins him over with fantastic cooking and the sort of friendship Nash has been starving for.
When their unlikely friendship takes a turn for the sexy, both men try to steer clear of trouble. Nash believes he’s too set in his ways for Mason, and Mason worries that his family’s reputation will ruin any future with Nash. Burning up the sheets in secret is a surefire way to crash and burn, and discovery forces a heart-wrenching decision—is love worth the risk of losing everything?
Trust with a Chaser is a 75,000 word stand-alone gay romance with a May/December theme, a hot law-enforcement hero, opposites attract, plenty of sexy times, and one hard-fought, guaranteed happy ending with no cliffhangers.
Lost in a Book - 3.5 Hearts
You know how sometimes you have no idea what you want to eat for dinner but you know you have all the ingredients for a recipe that tastes decent, not complicated, and very dependable? One you could make with your eyes closed? That’s what I would equate Trust with a Chaser to. It’s solid Annabeth Albert in whom I have come to expect dependable reads from. But dependable doesn’t always have to be predictable and that is what I have also found with this book. The recipe for in-the-closet-MCs has been well played throughout the genre and unfortunately there wasn’t a lot of variation.
Recipe:
1 closeted cop
1 out and proud male
1 crazy-stuck-in-their-ways small town
2 families with drama
1 situation to overcome and determine whether coming out is worth the risk
1 million references to how OLD 39 years old really is *AARP anyone?*
You get my point? It wasn’t awful. Just very predictable in the way most books with closeted tropes are. I liked Police Chief Nash Flint and Tavern owner Mason together. They had great chemistry and pretty steamy sexy times. There was a lot of family drama that didn’t really explode. Mason was pulled in many different directions with the family of degenerates he shared blood with, the restaurant, and Nash. Chief Flint had to deal with his own reservations, how he thought his town and family would react to him coming out and the burden of being Chief in a small town. The coming out was practically a non-issue even though the build up made it seem it would be the opposite.
I could feel the connection between Nash and Mason. Their intimacy built slowly over time by starting with meals at the Tavern and escalating to “cooking lessons” at their houses. Nash learned how to *ahem* cook among other things. Their relationship was believable. I just wish that a little spice was thrown into the story to set it apart and make it somewhat more than the status quo.
I liked this book the same way I like cooking grilled cheese because it’s easy and I know it will come out edible. But, sometimes I want to add tomato, ham and if I’m feeling really frisky, grilled onions. Having regular grilled cheese isn’t bad… I just don’t want it all the time.
If you’re looking for a low key predictable read with sexy times, I’d recommend it. But if you’re in your 30s, make sure you have a will written, AARP card secured, and nursing home on speed dial. #ancient
Adam - 3.5 Hearts
Mason Hanks returns to his struggling hometown with plans to revive it as a LGBT tourism hotspot. He begins by opening a gay-friendly restaurant. He’s surprised when the local police chief, Nash Flint, becomes a regular customer.
Nash is wary of Mason’s plan, and of Mason’s trouble-making family. But as he and Mason slowly build a friendship, Nash can’t help but fall for the younger man and wonder about life outside of the closet.
I’ve got a soft spot for MM romances set in rural or seaside locations. The setting just makes the story feel more romantic. So I really enjoyed visiting the fictional coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Cove.
However, small town biases and stigmas also play a big role in this book. Both Mason and Nash have hang-ups that stem from growing up in Rainbow Cave. Mason finds it difficult to shake off the Hanks social stigma, while Nash thinks it’s impossible to be an out and proud police chief.
Both characters are immediately likable. It was easy to connect to Mason’s struggle of trying to balance work and family obligations. And Nash’s early efforts to give Mason a chance, despite his family history, quickly won me over.
Though Nash and Mason are attracted to each other from the beginning, it takes a while for them to act on it. Instead, they build a tentative friendship. Nash makes a habit of having lunch at Mason’s restaurant, and Mason looks forward to their regular lunchtime chats.
When the two finally give in to the heat building between them, they’re hot, hot, hot.
The chemistry, both physical and emotional, between Nash and Mason is obvious early on, and the two just click. But the big stumbling block is Nash’s refusal to come out of the closet.
I’ll admit, I got fed up with Nash’s behaviour at a certain point. I didn’t like the idea of him playing with Mason’s feelings, but I could understand the turmoil Nash himself was going through.
It takes a lot of hard work for Mason and Nash to get their happy ending. But even so, once it finally came about, I thought it was very sweet.
I would have liked some more closure on the storyline involving Mason’s family, but overall I enjoyed this sweet and sexy small-town romance.
Review copies were provided.
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