Title: Stranded
Series: N/A
Author: Andrew Grey
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel (204 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (July 15th 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: Kendall Monroe is handcuffed to a car in the desert.
Is this life imitating art or art imitating life? The only thing he’s sure of is that the situation he finds himself in is a copy of a scene he filmed earlier, only this time, there is no director yelling “cut” and no crew to rescue him. Terrified for his life, Kendall takes comfort remembering happier times with his long-time lover, Johnny. He hasn’t seen Johnny in weeks since Johnny stayed behind to finish his latest best-selling novel.
As he attempts to survive scorching-hot days and freezing nights, Kendall tries to figure out who did this to him. Could it be Johnny, or the research assistant he suspects Johnny is having an affair with? Both options fill him with bitterness. Or is it a more likely suspect? Kendall has a stalker who sends him flowers and always seems to know where he is. But what does this stranger have to gain by leaving Kendall stranded in the middle of nowhere?
Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3994
Reviewer: Tams
Review: Something fresh and new from the king of M/M romance, Andrew Grey. Mystery, intrigue, and suspense overflow in Stranded.
Kendall Monroe is an accomplished stage actor taking on his first movie role. The director is not his biggest fan and makes him painfully aware of this from the start. Kendall is determined to show not just him, but everyone that he has what it takes to be a serious actor. He has no idea just how serious this role is about to get.
The story starts as Kendall’s latest play is ending and he’s just getting the offer for the movie. He and his longtime partner, Johnny, have been growing apart. So at first he’s hesitant to take on a job that would cause even more separation, but he accepts the part in the end. Miles away from his lover Kendall is lonely and exhausted. Random gifts start showing up at the studio and his room. At first he assumes they are from Johnny, until roses accompanied with a nastygram are left on his doorstep and his dressing room is trashed. While Kendall is dealing with the possibility of a stalker, Johnny is making excuses for not coming to see him.
Soon Kendall’s nightmare becomes a reality when he wakes up handcuffed to a car in the middle of nowhere. No cameras are rolling and no one is coming to his rescue, he’s alone and desperate. Dehydration and exhaustion kick in and Kendall begins doubting everything. His lover, the director, and even his own sanity.
Stranded at its core is a love story about two lovers that have grown apart and eventually find their way back together after a horrible event. Kendall being taken and left for dead in the car brings Johnny to him and makes them both realize why they fell in love in the first place. I loved how Grey told the story in the first half of the book with random flashbacks of when Kendall and Johnny first met, and the early aspects of their relationship. Then after the stalker left Kendall in the desert to die, and Johnny drops everything to be by his side, we get to see them remember why they fell in love and watch them fall in love all over again!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, ANYTHING written by Andrew Grey is a must read. The emotions that he can pull from a pen are absolutely amazing. No matter what he’s writing, he’s going to pull you in and get you invested in the characters every time.