RATING: 4 out of 5

Dear, Ms. Sherwood…

May I tell you how I adore your complex characters and how you tell their stories?

From the moment I started the first chapter, I was spellbound with what Jericho Crewe was dealing this time. Three dead bodies found on blazing building of a bar, the federal agents pressuring Mosely Sherriff department, looming biker wars after drug-dealing territory between the local and out-of-town gang, not to mention on-going investigation of corrupted police officers, and taking care of his newfound family, a.k.a stepmother and step siblings.

Then of course, in the middle of it all, the smoldering sexual tension with ex-best friend, ex-childhood lover, Wade Granger…

Embers , the second installment of Common Law tetralogy, was as solid as the first book. Jericho often found himself being pushed from all angles: his boss Kayla, the federal agents, the biker gang (whose leader’s nephew apparently also went to the same school with Jericho), and Wade, who undeniably had his own agenda.

But even if Jericho realized that he might be used and manipulated, I found him still able to push back. Jericho might not be aggressive character, but I still found him resourceful to work around the feds or the biker gang.

I was entertained with how Jericho dealing with his step siblings… especially little Elijah who seemed to be fascinated with guns. Jericho might need help on that front, clearly kids were not his forte *haha*.

I was also happy that Nikki didn’t have too much of page-time this time around. I know that Sherwood’s characters are not rarely black and white. So there might be another layer of Nikki that haven’t been discovered. But it was really hard difficult right now to NOT feel annoyed with her. Nikki was pushing my patience and I hadn’t been able to have enough sympathy for her.

But I have to be honest … it was the relationship with Wade that made me salivating though. Since the narration for this series (so far) came solely from Jericho, Wade stayed as an enigma. It was really delicious reading how Jericho tried to figure Wade out while fighting the attraction.

Jericho and Wade had their KISSES (and a blowjob *wink*) this time, and I would like to think of it as mere foreplay. I couldn’t wait to see the main course. Which was why I wish I have book #3 in my hands right now *whine*.

With how this series is going so far, I think Common Law can easily be one of my favorites of the year…

So good. Jericho! Wade?? Gah......these books can't come out fast enough for me. This one picks up right after book one ends. Jericho is staying in his home town to help Kayla try to weed out the bad cops from her force and help her rebuild things again.

Jericho is now on the force with her and it's not long before another major crime happens. This one involving bikers, his step-mother, some federal agencies and perhaps Wade. Probably Wade. Most definitely Wade?? See, I'm not really sure and I love that about this series. It is a romantic suspense and it keeps your guessing throughout. I "think" I know where this is going with Wade but I'm not completely sure. I've second guessed myself on more than one scene.

What I do know about Wade is that he and Jericho have mad chemistry between them. It jumps off the pages every time they're in a room together. Whether they're verbally sparring or pushing each other up against walls and putting their hands down one another's pants, it's scorching. There are some really great scenes between the two of them in this book.

All of the side characters from book one make an appearance (including Jericho's demon spawn siblings who make me laugh) and we meet a few more of this town's quirky residents.

It's fast paced, fun, sexy and entertaining and the ending leaves you dying for more. I can't wait to get my hands on the next two books in this series. This shouldn't be read as a standalone. Make sure you read book one, Long Shadows, first.

**ARC received through Negally in exchange for an honest opinion**

Was a very good book. It felt a little superfluous though. Like, the story is dragging a bit without overmuch in th way of emotional development. Still, there was some development and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Embers, Common Law 2, Kate Sherwood

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  romance, LGBTQIA

This is my fourth Kate Sherwood read, two were five stars, one was three – that’s how it goes for me, liking an authors writing style doesn’t mean I’ll love all their novels ;-) Still, Long Shadows, Common Law 1, was a five and I was keen to see where Wade and Jericho (Jay) would go next.

This is one of those excellent slow burn romances that I love, where we can feel just how attracted each person is, feel the sizzle, the heat, the tension whenever they are together. Right now though they’re not together, not even close to that, still feeling their way round each other, but though everything seems stacked against them I just can’t help but feel them being together is something that’s almost predestined, fated, just has to happen at some point. But when, where and how still isn’t clear!
Wade and Jay had a relationship 15 years ago and then Jay left...didn’t stay in touch, didn’t contact anyone, and now he’s back. He and Wade are on opposing sides of the Law though, with Jay being undersheriff, his also close friend Kayla is sheriff, and Wade has a rep as a criminal.
Although he’s never been caught doing anything wrong, whenever there’s trouble somehow he seems to have a connection. This book shows that once more, with people believing Wade’s hand is in the mix of murders/drug smuggling and biker wars.

Its not as clear cut as Wade not being caught though, everything that makes the locals ( and the out of town Feds) think he’s guilty is circumstantial, and how much is jealousy from the locals and frustration from the feds?
Wade doesn’t not cooperate, on the surface he’s friendly, calm and helpful, but we all know that what he isn’t saying is far more important than what he is telling them.
Jay struggles to concentrate when he's with him, the Wade of now is wrapped up with his memories of past Wade and both have the tendency to make him forget everything, and that doesn’t bode well for a man of the Law.

All the old team are back, Jay, Wade, Kayla, Nikki – Jay’s fathers wife and her two kids, the feds who still seem to distrust Jay and shut him out as much as they can, and there’s a few new people, with the bikers being a main thread of this story.
It starts with the burning of Wade’s bar, and a text from him to Jay that no-one is there.
Jay was terrified Wade was inside, panicking over all the things he wanted to say and hadn’t, and then Wade texts him back this brief, ambiguous reply in response to Jay’s question over where he was. Does that mean he knew the bar was burning as he was involved? Jay hadn’t told him, and once more he’s left with the dilemma, does he show Kayla the text as he should as her deputy, knowing he'll drop Wade into trouble if he does, or should he keep quiet?
Its typical Wade, laconic information, words that can have more than one inference, and poor Jay, I so felt for him. The more he gets caught up with the town the more he feels for Wade.

I love these guys, the friction between them, Jay trying to do what's right morally, but struggling when it comes to Wade, Wade and his manipulations. I feel Wade knows Jay better than he knows himself, I think he’s a good guy, they both are but Wade hides it.
I haven’t worked out whether he’s just running his town the way he thinks benefits it, skirting the law deliberately or whether he’s maybe part of something bigger on the legal side. Who knows? Maybe I’m totally off tangent thinking that, but Wade is so closed, so careful and so manipulative that everything he says and does can be taken in many different ways. Is he using Jay for his own purposes, giving him info he knows Jay will feel he has to pass on to Kayla and the feds, or is he just trying to keep Jay safe?
Kayla, she asked Jay to stay, to take a huge pay cut from his city posting and help her keep the town safe, but she doesn’t seem to fully trust him when it comes to Wade and TBH its easy to see why. Sometimes Jay doesn’t trust himself. So far its all worked out well, but is that because Wade was directing it that way or purely coincidence?
What about the feds, first they don’t trust Jay but do trust Kayla, now it seems to have turned around, so what's really going on there?
What about the murders, how can Jay keep his town safe when the feds aren’t giving him info over such serious things as that?

Its a book that’s perfect for me, sizzling romance, great characters, small mysteries to puzzle out and lots of false trails. By the end we can see what has happened but we still don’t really know why, whether it worked that way by default or by clever planning. Jay’s getting to know the way Wade works, but still struggles with the morality of having such strong feelings for someone who may well be a murderer, drug smaller, involved in some serious crimes. Poor Jay. He wants to think the best of Wade but he’s hampered by that tricky stuff, evidence that seems to point Wade as guilty but doesn’t quite fit, can be seen in different ways.
Wade I just love, such a clever, sexy man and for me he’s not a murderer but has perahps found ways to skirt round the constraints of legalities to get the results that are best for the town and its inhabitants.
There’s some real steam coming off the pages in this book, although its mostly touches, glances and words, very little real action, but that makes it so much hotter, so that when they do kiss, one touch and bam....its explosive.

A fabulous story once more, carefully paced, flowing easily and taking the reader along a will they wont they/is he guilty or isn’t he/how can they ever actually make it as a couple journey?
Eternal optimist that I am I know Kate will work it out for them eventually but how, when and why...well, thankfully there’s more books to enjoy to read about that!

Stars: Five, perfect second book, advancing the story and opening up the plots for lots more. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

4 stars for this installment of the Common Law series.

Jericho "Jay" Crewe, he is torn between world's. Loving and upholding the law while loving and wanting a criminal. Wade Granger, small town criminal or criminal mastermind - the jury is still out and according to him there may be more than meets the eye. These two have history and passion - lovers from a troubled youth together and now they are on different sides of the law. The problem is, Jay and Wade still have a passion between them...something that can't be ignored. It's palpable. How will it ever work out though?

So, let me tell you Kate Sherwood is writing this series superbly. The world building is outstanding - I feel like I am watching a movie and witnessing this stuff in my head. I can smell the fire as it burned, hear the rumble of the motorcycles, and taste the flames between our two MC. I think the author is using hints and clues along the way,that if you speed read this story you might miss. I could be totally wrong and won't know until the end. But if I am right! Yowsa it's going to be epic!

The sex and chemistry in this series, well this series is the Mother of All Slow Burns - we see a little more action in this story but not a lot. Book one gave us a kiss. Book two we get a BJ. This is leading up to the moment of impact and I have a feeling when it finally does happen it's going to be HOT! So, please don't avoid this series due to a lack of our MC jumping in the sack.

The following scene is probably one of my favorite thus far in the series.

(view spoiler)


I am eagerly awaiting book 3 and 4 in this series and hoping for some kind of happy ending .. I have so many thoughts on different ways this story could go due to some creative foreshadowing on the authors part. I think books 3 and 4 are going to rock the small town...

4 stars


Review Copy of Embers provided by Riptide Publishing for an honest Review.

I can not wait to find out what happens in the next book in this series. Anyone would love the cop and criminal aspect of the relationship without the cop going back on his morals. Well written.

Post goes live 17 feb

This is book 2 in the Common Law series

There is more twists and turns then a country road. We are back in Mosley with the complex members of a small town that's trying to survive after the main employer shuts down yrs ago.

My favorite slick talking man, Wade is still walking the wrong side of the law. What makes him so intriguing is the smooth way he has, and how I just can't figure out if he is a bad guy or just someone who walks that fine line.

Jericho is trying his best to do the right thing, where the lines are clearly blurred. An honest cop that see's things black/white no shades of grey. As he fights with his conscience about things he knows are going on but can't prove.

I really like the way it's a who done it, but more down to earth with the feelings of each character. Another great book in this series. It can be read as as stand alone, but in my opinion better to read the series.