Title: Heart to Hart
Series: The Gaslight Mysteries 01
Author: Erin O’Quinn
Genre: Historical (1923), Detective
Length: Novel (217pgs)
Publisher: Amber Allure (1st May 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½ Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Michael McCree is one with a mysterious past, who ends up as a newspaperman, thereby meeting the strikingly handsome Simon Hart, who comes to his shop to turn in an obituary notice.
Simon’s flat-mate and former business partner has been killed, and Simon, a private investigator, needs to track down the murderer. Michael, immediately smitten with the sulky and sexy man, lays a plan to first become his new roomer, then his business partner.
But Simon, stricken by his recent loss, is having none of Michael’s undisguised interest.
Not a man to be deterred easily from a goal, Michael sets about winning Simon’s affection. That particular battle is almost as difficult as tracking down the murderer of his predecessor, a nosy detective who was getting too close to the crimes of an evil person.
Simon spends more time ducking Michael’s advances than actually finding clues and solving the mystery. Inquiring minds want to know—how hard is Simon really trying to avoid Michael? And Michael isn’t hiding his forthright urges, but what secret is he hiding?
Purchase Link: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/HeartToHart.html
Review: Michael works in a newspaper, he is also a man of mystery and secrets, he meets Simon when the man comes in to put a notice in the paper, Michael is intrigued by the man and decides that he will get closer to him. Simon is an investigator, who is looking for a new flat mate because his best friend and business partner, Sargent, was murdered, and he has no interest in letting a hooligan like Michael anywhere near him. Simon finds himself with Michael as his new flat mate and prospective business partner and, if Michael has his way, his soon to be lover, but Simon can’t shake the loss of Sargent and needs to find his killer.
This is an interesting mystery story set in a fictional city in the 1920s. Simon has just lost the man that he secretly yearned for, Sargent was murdered, and now Simon is determined to find out by who. Michael has secrets from his past, when he meets Simon the challenge of corrupting the sexy stiff man is too much to ignore. As he gets to know Simon, he wants something permanent he divulges one of his secrets and he decides to join up with Simon and help him with his investigations. Simon is resistant to Michael’s charm at first but Michael can be very persuasive, as the two become close and their investigations heat up they discover that Sargent’s killer may be from close to home and that the killer has their fingers in more than one pot.
Michael and Simon are very different characters, Simon is stuffy, rigid and likes the finer things in life, and Michael is rough, scruffy, and lusty. Putting them together was an interesting combination especially when it came to the sex scenes, with Michael alternating between gentle and rough coaxing of the virginal and prudish Simon. The mysteries that are investigating were quite rudimental, a dog snatching and blackmail, but the most interesting one is Sargent’s murder. Discovering the connections and secrets as we go along makes for an interesting story, and the characters as they open up to each other gives us a romance that is unlike many that we read about.
I will recommend this to those that love historical eras, opposites attracting, danger, threats, investigations, and a great happy for now ending. I will be interested to see what comes next for Simon and Michael. 