Rhys Ford – Dirty Kiss

Author: Rhys Ford
Genre: Romance, mystery, lgbt

Cole McGinnis is a private investigator usually hired to sniff out the unfaithful bone of spouses and lovers, but in Rhys Ford’s Dirty Kiss, Cole finds himself digging through the ashes of the dead.

Kim Jae-Min is the black sheep of the family, an outcast due to his lifestyle preferences. When his cousin dies from an apparent suicide and Cole is hired to investigate the situation, the attraction is magnetic. But magnets can repel as powerfully as they can pull together, and ghosts from the past haunt them both. With guilt and fear darkening the corners of their encounters, will they be able to open up to one another and banish the shadows of the past away? The mystery that surrounds the death of Jae’s cousin sucks Cole and Jae-min into a dangerous scheme and as the story progresses, we’re not only driven to see if Cole and Jae-Min will act on their feelings, we dread the idea that the escalating peril might devour one of the men whole.

Rhys Ford paced Dirty Kiss well. We’re pulled from one chapter to another, reluctant to leave Cole alone for even a moment — what if he gets himself into trouble while we’re gone? The story is written from Cole’s POV, and there is no denying that each paragraph is dripping with personality. Ford’s descriptions are lovely — one can feel the bite of an impassioned kiss, or the taste of panic when danger is nearby.

While I’m not one to read much romance or mystery, the book has a good balance of both, and I found that the mix quickened the blood in more ways than one! The shadows of Cole’s past add depth to the character and, with Jae-Min’s help, we watch as Cole grows. There is more than just a murder mystery going on here — both Cole and Jae are mysteries we as readers unravel through the story.

If I have any issues with Dirty Kiss, I’d have to say it’s the talking through the naughty scenes. But that’s just a personal preference! Joking aside, I have to say that the novel marks a strong debut for Ford. The book satisfied my taste buds and left me hungry for a second helping. I don’t suppose there will be a sequel?

Rating:  

You can buy the book via Dreamspinners Press.

By Courtney Parks