Well, I have to say I was lost in this story. So lost while reading because of the pacing, the slow burn between Gio and Jason, the feel of their surroundings, the style and language used for every scene, it makes for a book to get lost in. Lost in the best way possible.

Two Man Station starts off with Gio’s first days in a new job. One he’s not excited about, feels pressured into taking, and one that’s so far out in this outback town that they don’t even have a stop light. Well, maybe they have one, but it’s only nearby. The town is so isolated it’s surprising they even have much of a population, much less a bingo night. But they do. Richmond has a bingo night, they have at least one bar, grocery, a school, and even an ambulance. What they also have are flawed citizens and people who need protecting, watching over, and taken care of. But because it’s so remote, and the town still so small, it’s a station that only has the two law enforcement man team. Just that fact alone brings home how the isolation might be like.

Already living in this isolation is Jason. Jason and his son Taylor, who is a total bundle of joy in a little boy body. Being in charge of Richmond Station is hard on Jason, hard on his son, hard on their relationship… just plain hard. Without someone to back him up and who he can trust completely, he’s in a situation that is even worse than before. But can’t he trust Gio? This is a huge question throughout the book, along with the big why Gio even stationed out there.

When the story started, at first I did have a hard time finding my feet with the pacing and language. Part of this is because I’m not from Australia so I am not as familiar with some of the words used for things that would be common place. But also just because of the way Henry put me directly into the heads of these characters. There was no easing in period. No, it was dive head first and I’m really grateful for it. I was mesmerized by it, the feeling of being in the room with them, the feeling and understanding how their lives were impacted by each other, and by the situations that had led them to where they were.

Later, as the story progresses, it just gets better and better. The mystery behind Gio is revealed. How the work he’s doing on some calls impacts his life because of his past was thoughtfully realized. And for Jason, his predicament is also something that as it is reveled fully, is recognized as something that many single parents deal with on a daily basis. The raw nature of their situations and the way it’s portrayed made me so sad. I really felt for these guys.

Henry deals with issues in this book regarding domestic violence, PTSD from past domestic violence, and the pain one goes through when dealing with all that can entail. While theres not on page domestic violence, the ramifications and knowledge that it had happened at one time are strong and present. It’s also a main plot line to the story, and the fallout from those situations come to a head in the end. I felt like they were handled with care and I appreciated the way Henry’s pacing and language added to that care.

I feel like I can’t really talk about the story more because it would ruin the experience. And I feel like maybe my warnings are really strong, but don’t confuse that with not loving this book. I adored Gio, Jason, and Taylor. I loved the way they start out as just boss/employee and neighbors, but also sort of enemies. I loved how they move on and their friendship starts to build, but it takes work. A lot of work. And I really loved how that friendship turns into something more. How for the first time in a very long time, each man finds someone who will have their back. How they build trust and how that trust grows. This is a book that I know I’ll read again and probably love even more the second time around. Recommended.

This book easily captivated me and transported me into the harsh countryside that is the australian outback. Life really has a different pace there than living in a city considering that they only have two police officers. It also differs on how things are handled and I loved that we got to see both Jason's and Gio's point of view on this. When Gio first arrives he has to get to used to the way things are done in the outback. Working in such a small station means that you're "on the job" basically 24/7 the whole year around and the people you're there to protect and keep in line are also your neighbours. It's impossible to just go home and forget about the job because something could happen anytime that needs both officers to handle it.
I found that Two Man Station perfectly captured the small-town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone, and you also know everything about people's private life.

When Gio first arrives in Richmond, him and Jason don't really trust each other. Gio still struggles a lot with what happened at the Coast and is wary to open up to Jason. He just wants to keep his head down and pass the two years of his banishment without incidents. He doesn't see himself staying more than the two years he's supposed to. He tries to keep his distance from Jason.
Unbeknownst to Gio, Jason does know what happened in Brisbane - at least he knows the official version. Which makes him wary of Gio, but he's stuck there with him for the time being.

Two Man Station is a rather slow-unfolding story, though it works really well for the story and the setting. Despite having both Gio's and Jason's point of view it takes a bit until the reader finds out why Gio left the Gold Coast and why he's still being harassed by his former co-workers. Also the tension between both builds up slowly. There is no overt flirting and the attraction isn't instant either. The whole relationship mostly begins as a friends with benefits kind of arrangement where both guys get off regularly, but there are no plans for commitment or anything alike. If you are looking for a super romantic story, this will not be for you. For me it was the perfect read at the time though.

I was equally sucked in by the need to find out what had happened to Gio at the Coast and also how it would all play out now that he was in Richmond -- not just the harassment by his former co-workers (though that too!) -- but also how Gio would adapt to life in such a rural environment.

Henry doesn't gloss over how hard and isolated the life in the outback can be. We see this throughout the book when Jason struggles to find someone to care for Taylor when he's working. It's also apparent when something happens how vast the outback is -- I've read a couple of books set in the outback and it still always blows my mind when you think of how big it is. How you have the bare necessities there, but if something major happens, help is not only a 10 minute drive away.

Henry also doesn't gloss over how hard it is to deal with, and to heal from emotional and physical abuse. That it doesn't happen on page did not make it easier. It's still so raw and painful for Gio. I liked the way the author handled this part -- it wasn't dramatic but handled carefully and with respect -- and it fit the overall tone of the story quite well.

On a lighter note: Taylor, Jason's son, was an absolute sweetheart and I really loved to see the relationship between him and Jason. Taylor is a quirky ten-year old kid and he constantly brought a smile to my face. Be it when he secretly tries to feed the stray cat -- though Jason knows what he's doing the whole time -- or when he finds out about the relationship between Gio and Jason. That kid is seriously adorable and definitely has the heart on the right place.

The story ends with a few questions still unanswered and I'd say it's a definite happy for now, but there are no plans really for the future -- something that I would have loved to have. At the same time I liked that the way the story ends leaves so much room for  the possibility of a sequel.

Great characters, great writing, great plot. I loved that the challenges these characters faced were different from what you usually see in M/M romance books. The challenges are what are stereotypically issues women face, so it was refreshing to see them covered in a realistic way by male characters. Great tension, and although the majority of their interpersonal issues could have been solved by just talking to each other, it made sense why they didn't.

The story was steeped in the Australian setting, so some things threw me off (not being from there), but nothing that couldn't easily be figured out from the context. There were a couple things I had to look up to really get a sense of them (like, wth is a road train, lol), but it really added to the setting. A new-to-me author I'll be adding to my short-list.

A slow burn of a story which takes it time but never lost my interest. Intense and very sexy, full of depth and description, but the sex didn't dominate the story at all which I particularly loved.
Overall it was real and believable. Definitely one for those who like the hurt/comfort genre as well as those readers who enjoy families and children in their stories.

Lisa Henry has sealed the deal.for me. Police procedurals are officially my favorite trope now.

Two Man Station is a lovely, meandering romance. A gentle view into two people's lives which have suffered in the past, yet are finding a way forward. A few missteps and a near tragedy later, they finally find the peace and comfort they both deserve.

Loved both characters, Jason and Gio. Ten year old Taylor was a bonus.

This is a 2018 release I definitely recommend.

I really wanted to like this book. It really seemed like it would be right up my ally. But unfortunately, I DNF at 38%. I never really connected with the characters, and felt the pace of the book was very slow. It took me days just to get to the 38%. I really wish that there was more of a hint as to what sent Gio out into, what I like to think of as, the Outback, maybe that would have held my interest a little more.

Not for a school library. Thought the writing was poor and drawn out.

4.5 stars!!

Last year, one of my favorite reads of the year was Jane Harper's The Dry. I was mesmerized with the strong sense of Australian's small town in that book, just as much as I loved the story. Ever since then, I am dying to get the same feeling in the romance genre. When I saw this cover and the author's name, I didn't hesitate. With that cover, I was hoping that Henry would deliver.

And boy, was I right! Two Man Station is pretty much EVERYTHING I am looking for in a romance set in Australia -- with maybe just a small dissatisfaction that stopped this from being my first 5-stars of 2018. First of all, the SLOW BURN romance. Heck yeah, it was slow burn. Because both Gio and Jason have their own, well, baggage.

Gio doesn't exactly come to the small outback town of Richmond willingly. He is a pariah at his old station at Gold Coast. His relationship is shattered and his colleagues hate his guts. So even if his boss said that it was "a fresh start", Gio knows that the transfer is basically a professional punishment. Meanwhile Jason is a single father and a cop. He has a slight trouble to juggle that part and often depends on people to take care of his son, Taylor. It's not an ideal situation. And he misses his wife.

So the two men comes into the relationship with rather tentative steps. And I was a sucker for that kind of set-up!

Another thing that captivated me was the town itself. Richmond, with its red dirt and poisonous snakes. I LOVED everything about it -- and I gobbled up the time that Gio spent learning about the ins-and-outs of working in a two-man station as well as the quirks of Richmond.

Then there's TAYLOR. OMG I LOVED THIS KID!! He is truly a GEM of this book. Like this scene -- you can understand why I think Taylor is PRECIOUS.

“Is Gio your boyfriend?” he asked.

“That’s not something we’ve talked about yet,” Jason said.

“Why not?” Taylor wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his pyjama top. Then he looked outraged. “Dad! You have to ask someone if they want to be your girlfriend or your boyfriend before you kiss them!”


It was a very, VERY good story in my point of view. The CLIMAX itself was OMG SO GOOD! And intense!! Boy, that part made my heart stopped!

The only thing that let me down was the part where near the end, Jason said something that kind of spoiled the romance for me. While it could be true for Jason as a character, I prefer the ending to be slightly more promising -- romantically -- than that. It would've been better for me if it wasn't mentioned at all considering that Jason and Gio were embarking this new relationship *pout*

Two Man Station is a good story from Lisa Henry, but it felt like an intro to a romance rather than the romance itself.

I adore everything Lisa Henry, especially her lighter stuff, and so I was honestly expecting to 5-star this one. I mean, two cops... all alone... horny and lonely... out in the country... I was hearing *bow china wow wow* in my head while reading the blurb! However, that wasn't quite what I got.

I liked the set up for the story and the hurt/comfort elements. I enjoy police stories, though I'm not a cop-junkie, and of COURSE I think men in uniform are hot. I wasn't expecting the story to be as angsty as it was, though the blurb is pretty accurate to the issues that the characters face.

My main complaint with the story is that is really isn't all that romantic. Sure, I don't need gushing and flowers, and I HATE instalove, but I honestly don't think these two even said "I love you" once during the story. They just never got there. The story ends with the two barely figuring out if they like one another in a romantic way.

There is some sex, but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting either. I felt like the sexual tension wasn't there, which is usually my favorite part of a story. There were very few signs of interest or attraction, and most of the story is the two men going on cop calls and getting to know country locals. The story picked up quite a bit towards the end, but I think I wanted more oomph in the chemistry between the two MCs.

While not my favorite Lisa Henry, I still enjoyed this cop romance and I'd recommend it Lisa Henry and hurt/comfort fans, especially those readers who enjoy children and families in their stories.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Solid 4.5

CW note: there are heavy themes around domestic violence in this book. As well as grief from losing a partner to cancer

This was a really enjoyable book. The writing is solid and I loved the characters.

I appreciated how hard it is for Gio to talk about what happened with Pete and how hard it is for male survivors and survivors in general to not only speak up but leave. So I felt that part of the plotline was handled respectfully

Taylor is absolutely adorable and I loved him to bits. Also how Jason struggled raising him alone and trying to make sure that there was someone to watch him was easy to empathize with. I also appreciated how he still loved and mourned his wife Alana and that Gio respected that .

There were a couple or loose ends. The packages are not resolved fully and I would have liked to see that happen. As well of more time of the guys actually together building a future but as this seems to be a series I hope we see more of Gio and Jason

Overall this is a really solid book

Loved it. 4.5 Stars

It had been a while since I'd read anything by this author and I was so glad I picked this up, because I could not put this book down.

The author's understated style and use of snapshot scenes had me hooked and kept the pace of the story going at a steady clip, even during the quieter moments of small town life. Speaking of small town life, the author painted a vivid portrait of the harsh landscape of the Australian outback. It was both fascinating and sobering how remote their town was, and she was really successful in bringing to life both the mundanity and hazards of Gio's new job.

Right from the start, there was an undercurrent of tension that kept me glued to the pages. The tension and drama had everything to do with the new environment and the past that Gio was running from, but then manifested in a whole other way when the interaction between the two men heated up. Having said that though, their romance was a very low, slow burn as they both had a lot of trust issues, both personally and professionally to overcome.

The dual POVs did everything it was supposed to and I felt like I really got to know our two heroes. I thought Taylor, Jason's 10-year-old son was written superbly, and I loved seeing him bond with his dad and eventually with Gio. Watching their relationship take its course and the love grow was wonderful and fulfilling and left me convinced that between the three of them, they had built something lasting and special together. Highly recommend.

I love the way Lisa Henry is able to pull a reader into the worlds she creates and provides a descriptive landscape to immerse yourself in, without becoming too lost in it.

With Two Man Station we get to meet and learn about two men who've lost almost everything starting over again.

There's big city copper Gio Valeri from the Gold Coast, who is under a cloud due to somewhat mysterious circumstances and ends up getting a promotion but shipped off to a two man station in the country. His new boss, Sergeant Jason Quinn, is a widower with a young son trying to do right both by his kid and the people he's in charge of protecting.

Two Man Station is told from a dual point of view so you get behind some of the motivations of both men. There's an air of mystery in the beginning surrounding why Gio's been banished to the country, there's an element of fish out of water for Gio as he's coming to a new place with a far different pace than he is used to, and there's a thread of hurt/comfort for both Jason and Gio.

I missed having a more obvious romance. Lisa Henry usually hits it out of the ballpark for me, but the romance aspect of this didn't really work for me. Perhaps it's because there's not a lot of traditional romance, it's not overt - there's no flirting or longing looks, and the physical relationship in the beginning is more of an arrangement between two people that are attracted to each other, and it's more about convenience and scratching an itch rather than a true melding of hearts and lives.

The first third starts off strongly, and is really engaging, with the mysterious shroud of why Gio is in town to begin with because the reader through both Gio and Jason gets only a little insight and really only is told about the aftermath but not what triggered it all. The second third includes the blossoming relationship between Jason and Gio, the revelation of Gio's past, and a lot of the day to day life of a small town and living out in the country where it's hours before major backup can come. The final third offers quite a bit of excitement and includes a HEA, but glosses over some details that I would have liked to have delved into more and didn't really deliver on the romance aspect I was craving.

In the end it is an engaging read with some humor and heat, but I wanted more romance.

The choice of this book was not accidental. It was my book number 130 - my goal for 2017 reading challenge- and I wanted to complete it with something special. And we know only too well that Lisa Henry definitely is able to offer it. Two Man Station is a good story that can make happy many MM romance readers, but it didn't make a highlight of the year for me.

The plot:


Gio Valeri, a big city cop from the Gold Coast, has to take a job in a small town Richmond, seventeen hundred kilometers from the life The transfer that he has to accept as a new start is actually nothing else than a banishment and he knows it too well. The events that preceded this radical change in the course of his life cost him not only his serene life and a secure career but deprived him also of his lover and his friends.

His new boss in a two man police station of Richmond, Sergeant Jason Quinn, is a widow in his mid-thirties, and a single dad of a ten year old boy named Taylor.(a cutie!!!) He understands pretty well that Richmond is not a career jump for Gio, but a punishment. Only all he is informed about is that his new officer acted disloyally to his copper workmates. Can he trust his new Senior Constable to cover his back? And what happened really on the Gold Coast?


If you read and enjoy MM romance books, it is easy to guess what direction the story will take and how it ends. Yes, it has a HEA, and yes, it won’t be without obstacles. And if you’re a sucker for the love stories that take place somewhere far from the civilization ,deep in the country or in the wildness, like I, it could be an extra bonus for you.

The final thoughts:

I liked the beginning (it was very promising) and the ending, but I found the middle part -that is not THAT short - very dragging and to a great extent boring. The first actual sex scene encounter appeared not before 50% (not THAT early), but still it came unexpected and not very convincing for me. The reason for it is very simple: I couldn't really connect with the main characters (except Taylor maybe). The two police officers from their first meeting behaved very reserved, distanced and unacquainted, it was like they didn't really interest in each other. No wonder, that after 3 weeks (!) working together and living next door to each other, Gio still had no idea that his boss were a widow. I can understand that he was busy with his own problems, but it is one of the examples why their attraction came from nowhere for me. It was just not enough tension between them and the way the story has evolved, there were not enough possibilities to prove the opposite. At the end of the book, I was still not sure I believe in their future together.. To make it short: they are good guys, but I didn’t really care too much about them.

My other problem was that nothing really happened through the most part of the book. The two police officers could be with equal success accouters or nurses working shift and being neighbors in some little town. Well the final twists got things going and brought some action in the plot, and their skills as cops skills would be required but it was already too late for me to turn it to a 4/5 stars read for me.


All in all, Two Man Station is a typical MM romance novel that follows all rules of the genre. It has some nice moments, and there is Taylor (it is impossible not to take him into your heart). But it also has nothing special or provoking (like we used to have from the author) or something memorable .

Ohh Lisa Henry how I have missed thee. Let me count the ways.

YOU GUYS. THIS BOOK. WAS DELIGHTFUL.

I read it in mere hours. I mean ok. I slept. I did. But I opened my eyes this morning and dove back in at 3:30 am with no regrets. I mean whats a little sleep when all you want is to find out how it ends for Gio and Jason.

And honestly Im so in love with Taylor that he made my heart hurt. '

That is all.

I love Lisa Henry. And Im so glad she wrote another book that I got to devour.

Mare~Slitsread