This book has me in hangover mode. I absolutely cannot get into another book, and I've tried 3! 3! This book was so good that I'm just haven't been ready to move on...!

Sidney Bell's Rough Trade is Ghost's story, and my most anticipated book this year! For good reason. But if I thought Ghost was an enigma, just wait until you meet Duncan.

Gosh, this book tore me into pieces. I don't really want to give anything away, but there's hella angst, hella pain, hella heartbreak, but there's also so much emotion that it just bursts from each line. Duncan is a cop, but he's been hurt in the line of duty, one more fronts than one. You get what you see with Duncan, but there's also a hidden well to him. I didn't know who Ghost was going to get paired up with, but now that I met Duncan, I couldn't see any other man being able to burrow under Ghost's skin and get him to trust and open up, and it was absolutely devastating to read.

The slow burn is killer!!! There's slow burn, and then slooooowwww buuurrrnnnn. I about tore out my hair in the waiting and hoping. I loved how everything came together. It wouldn't have worked any other way, and it was pretty genius.

And Ghost. The strength and vulnerability mixed just kept opening new facets to who he is. There were some moments he has with Duncan where I high-fived Ghost mentally because damn, this man. He has been through hell, but nothing is keeping him down. The ending was PERFECT. Starry eyes and all!

I can't wait to re-read this entire series because I will. There's so much exploration and acceptance and slow-building love that you have to read it twice to really get every little nuance and nibble. Sidney Bell takes us deep into dark depths and brings it into the light and the beauty of it is something that will stick with me for a while.

5 Devastating stars!

Rough Trade is the third and final book in the Woodbury Boys series. While each book focuses on a different couple, it’s important to read them in order or you won’t really understand the overall story line. Ghost’s story is one that I’ve been curious about since the first book. I mean, he goes by the name Ghost. There has to be a reason for that alone.

This is probably the most action-packed of the three. Ghost is on the run from some really dangerous people, and he can’t even trust most cops, which makes for an interesting story when he has to hide out with cop Duncan. I really liked the character of Duncan. Yes, he’s a cop, and yes, he mostly believes in doing the right thing…but he also break some rules to do the right thing. And in Rough Trade, protecting Ghost is the right thing to Duncan.

The relationship between the two isn’t easy or quick, but it works, and it made sense. I thought this was a great ending to the story, even if I’d love to have more of the Woodbury boys!

The last in the Woodbury Boys trilogy. It was nice to see Ghost's point of view. I did feel the mystery aspect got a bit convoluted as extra characters were added although the resolution worked out and didn't seem like an out of the blue resolution. I preferred the second book over this one but it was still a solid addition to the trilogy.

OMG, I loved this, sooo much! I knew Ghost was going to break my heart but I had no idea I would have so many pesky feelings.

I'm not going to share a full review until we're closer to the release date. But this is a book you don't want to miss and that's not something I say lightly.

I think I might have my first ever book hangover! Anyone know of a cure? I'm so not ready to be done with Ghost and Duncan yet.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I now have her on my watch list. I really enjoyed this somewhat heartbreaking story. Ghost is a guy who just can’t get a break. He sees himself so differently than everyone else sees him. He has had awful things happen to him and yet is seems to carry on. I really enjoyed his quick personality. I was impressed the way the author brought out the background of Ghost and yet kept him a decent guy. As his path crosses with Duncan the two form a unusual relationship. Mostly a love hate interactions. Duncan’s personality is so literal that I had to laugh at these two together.

I really think the secondary characters added so much to the story and helped make Ghost human.

I am surprised the way the author took the story to the ending. It was so smooth and yet kept me hooked on the story. I have not read other stories in this series but will do so now. I want to thank NetGalley for bringing this author to my attention and providing me with a copy of this book. I just hope my review does it a little justice.

Rough Trade by Sidney Bell
The Woodbury Boys #3

Grabbed me and kept me glued to the story from beginning to end! I cared and felt and hoped and wished and was so glad that eventually Ghost and Duncan managed their HEA. I loved them both and only wanted the best for them.

What a tortured soul Ghost was and yet he was so giving and charming and wise and strong and damaged. Duncan was the perfect partner for Ghost even though it was NOT an easy relationship for either one of them.

With more than one villain to thwart the two had a lot to contend with. Car chases, shooting, corrupt police and so much more made this action-packed romantic suspense just what I needed on a cold rainy day!

This is the first book I have read by this author but it definitely won’t be the last. Thank you to NetGalley and HQN-Carina for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

5 Stars!!!

I'm afraid my review is never going to do justice to this book. It was so good and so different from anything I've read.

For starters, this is the third book in the Woodbury Boys series, but it can be read as a standalone. The characters from the previous books appear in this one and I'm intrigued enough to want to go back and read their books, but I never felt as if I was missing something.

This is a long book and there's a lot happening and let me tell you, some parts aren't easy to read. Everything Ghost has gone through since he was a little kid is heartbreaking and I was amazed at his strength. Don't get me wrong, he was affected by it all, but he found ways to cope with it. I loved that the author didn't decide to just have him be magically cured after meeting/falling for Duncan, but that Ghost actually went to therapy to work on his issues.

I loved Duncan and his patience. Perhaps he wasn't exactly a good cop, like his friend told Ghost, but he was a good man and it showed with the restraint he had with Ghost, who kept pushing and tempting him. Their relationship was a bit of a slow-burn, mostly because Duncan was really considerate and knew Ghost wasn't ready for anything else. He gave Ghost space and time and it turned out to be the right thing to do. The chemistry between them was undeniable and despite their age gap and how different they were from each other, they fit well together, working in tandem to keep Ghost alive.

As I said before, I was really intrigued by Church and Tobias and the dynamics of their friendship. I actually liked, or maybe more like respected, Mama and even Kellen, yes, they weren't exactly upstanding citizens, but they had some sort of warped sense of ethics. The ones I hated were Spratt, who thankfully got a satisfying resolution and Crayes, who provided some closure.

Overall, I can't recommend this book enough. I know it's not everyone's kind of read. It's not all flowers and candies, it's raw and emotional and deals with some very heavy issues, but it's very worthy of your time, in my opinion.

*** Copy provided to the reviewer via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

4 Stars
Review by Elizabeth
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog

Rough Trade is installment three in the Woodbury Boys series by Sidney Bell. I have not read the first two installments in the series so I went in blind. I do have to say, Rough Trade was a good read.

I may not have read the previous two installments in this series but I will be reading them as soon as I can.

Rough Trade is a slow burn story about so much more than romance. The main character, Ghost, has had a rough, tragic life and it broke me. I am not one for angsty reads but this one was just too good to put down. This is not your typical MM book and that is what I loved about it. I had so many feels while reading and I shedded countless tears. I cannot really say a whole lot without giving it away.

I will warn you that there are some sensitive topics (abuse). If you have not read this book, read it.

It's been months since I've read such a long book, but man, oh, man, was it worth turning all those pages!

Rough Trade is the third installment in Sidney Bell's Woodbury Boys, but it could be read as a standalone; in it were references that were obviously about the previous two books - enough for me to guess who the main characters in those books were - but I still didn't feel lost because this one follows a new main couple.

Ghost and Duncan both have their charms and are fleshed out, relatable, and realistic. I enjoyed the contrast of not only something as simple as their appearance, but their backgrounds, personalities, and outlook on life. Forcing two so very different people to spend time together kept the story interesting even when they weren't hiding or running for their lives.

And speaking of running: I loved the action scenes here.

I've read plenty of books that were labeled as Suspense, but only had a couple of scenes that kept me on my toes; Rough Trade isn't such a book. Even when the guys seem to have some downtime, at the back of their minds - and yours - is the fact that there's a whole bunch of people out there who want them dead. And one of the things I really appreciated this author doing?

She made a sympathetic villain. To the point where I was thinking "Okay, I don't want you to hurt my boys, but I'm hoping you make it out alive" even though I knew said person would go after them again if they made it out alive.

And speaking about my boys - yes, let's get back to them - they make each other better. The progress was more visible in Ghost - there was much more to change there - but we also see a new Duncan.

Who would I recommend this book to?

If you are sensitive to things like child abuse, rape, and murder, this book isn't for you; if you like a gritty and dark book with relatable characters and some humor thrown in, check out Rough Trade.

I don’t generally do trigger warnings, but in this case, I think it’s important to note that one of the main characters was abused as a child. It’s not extremely graphic, in my opinion, but there’s enough mention made that it might make some people uncomfortable.

The plot of this book springs directly from events in the two previous novels in the Woodbury Boys series. I hadn’t read them, so I was a bit lost in regard to the who, what, and why of the story at first. Eventually, though, I was able to pick up enough to focus on the action, and there was certainly enough of that to keep me interested.

Hooker Ghost is on the run from both corrupt cops and a Russian crime family when he meets Duncan Rook, an honest officer on medical leave from his police department. Duncan wants to take the bad guys down, and he needs Ghost’s help to do it. Ghost has pretty flexible morals and always plays the angles. He’s not really interested in justice, just in keeping himself and his friends safe, but he surprisingly also finds himself interested in the very upright Duncan. Ghost doesn’t think he has anything to offer Duncan; he’s bad, and Duncan is good. Duncan sees more in Ghost, though, and can’t help falling for him.

For a romance, this book has lots of action and a high body count. Bell doesn’t shy away from violence, and some of it is fairly vivid. The story is full of bad people who do bad things, so that’s not so surprising. But with that and the abuse Ghost experienced as a boy, it’s probably not something you want to pick up if you aren’t in the mood for something a bit dark.

I thought that the romance between Ghost and Rook was well done. Even with all his issues, Ghost is likeable—well, at least if you are a fan of strong, snarky people, like I am—and I could see why Duncan would fall for him. The relationship that develops between them was believable to me. I especially liked the fact that Ghost isn’t magically cured by love. Instead, Bell separates the two men for a while to give Ghost some space to work some things out for himself before giving them their happy ending.

If you are looking for a gritty romance, check this one out. I’m going to have to go back and read the other two books now, because I want to learn about Ghost’s friends, too.

A copy of this novel was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Beautiful writing, a riveting plot, and fascinating, complex characters. One of the best books I've read this year. Sidney Bell is an author to watch.

I have not read any of Sidney Bell's books before but I will be reading more from now on. From the beginning of this book my heart went out to Ghost. He is one of those characters that speaks to the toughness of the world we live in and sometimes don't pay enough attention to. But he found his defender in a tough cop who helped him when he was in trouble that he could not handle alone. This was well written, the characters were well drawn and now I want more.

This was the exciting ending to the Woodbury Boys trilogy. The story has two aspects. One is the case of the crooked policemen that they're working together on and the other is their relationship.

The case was action packed and could be made into a movie. There's fighting and car chases and shoot outs. I thoroughly enjoyed how this part of the story played out and how it gets wrapped up

I was most looking forward to the relationship aspect though. I admit I was a bit worried going in to this. Ghost has had a terrible past and he's suffered a lot of trauma over the years. I was really worried that the author might try to wrap up all his issues with the love of a good man as we so often see in romance stories. She didn't though. She made Ghost's progression very gritty and very realistic. He works so hard for his happily ever after. When he gets there though it is beautiful. The epilogue made my ears tear up I was so happy for him. Ghost was a very conplex and well written character and his sense of humor helped break up some of the more emotionally heavy scenes.

Duncan wasn't at all what I would have thought as a match for Ghost but he ended up being perfect. He was so calm. He took Ghost's issues seriously and he respected his boundaries which really needed to happen in a story which such a serious plotline.

I had high hopes going into this book and I'm really excited to say this exceeded my expectations. I loved every minute of this book and I'm sure this is going to make my Top 10 list for the year. This should not be read as a standalone as the criminal case is an ongoing one since book one. You should also note a content warning for non-graphic child sexual abuse flashbacks.

If you haven't started this triology I highly recommend it. All three books have been 5 star reads for me and some of the best books I've read this year.

Ghost has been on his own almost as long as he can remember. All of his choices were taken away and now survival is in his blood. He prefers to stay on his own because people bring complications. In a moment of good conscience, Ghost steps in to protect a friend. He has no idea how he even wound up with a friend in the first place, but Ghost ends up with more trouble than he even knows what to do with.

Ghost is pointed in the direction of policeman Duncan Rook and Duncan is nothing that Ghost expects. He may also be Ghost’s last and best hope. A hustler known for lying and breaking the law doesn’t quite fit into Duncan’s carefully ordered law-abiding world, but the real Ghost underneath, he may be exactly what Duncan needs.

This book is the third in the Woodbury Boys series and directly builds off of the books that come before it. Ghost has been an incredibly intriguing character throughout the series and I was waiting for his book, yet also hesitant if the story would match the anticipation. Ghost was even more than I thought he would be. One of the best things about this book is not knowing what is going to happen and, on that note, this will be on the brief side.

Leading off of the events of the second book, Ghost needs to get out of town. Yet, what he is trying to get away from wants to follow him. He winds up at Duncan’s door, although not quite in the way he intended. Ghost has a whole lot going on with him layered under all of his protective instincts. He’s snarky and witty with a dry sense of humor and that was hilarious to see as he plays off of by-the-book Rook. Their banter, and Ghost’s thoughts and comments, were highly entertaining all of the way through.

The book is a slow burn and anything else truly would not have fit Ghost. I truly appreciated that there was no quick fix for Ghost and everything was earned and hard won. Ghost has been on his own for so long and doing things solely to please other people and survive, so he has no idea what he might like and no idea how to even remotely go about having a relationship. But Ghost is a revelation even to himself and much stronger than he would ever give himself credit for.

Duncan is Ghost’s opposite is almost every way. He promises to protect Ghost, but he lets Ghost be. He doesn’t try to change Ghost and he doesn’t judge Ghost and he falls so hard so fast. Duncan, however, will not be a part of breaking the law and Ghost knows that Duncan is a good man, the best man he has ever known. But Ghost wants something for maybe the first time ever and he comes to realize that there is more than one way to be a good man.

The larger storyline of why Ghost is on the run is ever present throughout the entire book and Bell kept the intrigue high as to how it would all play out. If there was one area I would have wanted more on it would be Ghost’s past. We are given enough to work with to piece together where he came from, but I would have preferred even more detail on that. Rough Trade offers glimpses of Tobias and Church, but mainly the book is filled with Ghost, making this the absolute best book of the series.

Amazing action-filled story, the suspense nearly killed me! I also loved the sly humor that snuck in when the MC’s weren’t running or fighting for their lives.
This is a gritty romance between two heroes who have both been beaten down by life and aside from the suspense plot, it has some heavier themes too, like sexual abuse and its resulting mental health issues. So not a lighthearted read, but definitely an amazing, insightful, original and gripping story.
The two MC’s could not be more different.
Ghost takes a very dim view of the world and the people in it, and doesn’t trust easily if at all. He’s experienced some horrible things in his young life. But he survived. He’s very much a fighter, never giving up and using whatever means possible to get through another day, stealing, lying and cheating as he goes along. He needs every bit of his resolve and strength to fight for his life (literally) and for his chance at happiness with Duncan.
Duncan is the quintessential strong, silent type. He’s a firm believer in justice and made a brave choice to do the right thing in a difficult situation, only to be betrayed by the very people who were supposed to have his back. Now he’s struggling to find a new path, slowly realizing he can’t return to his former life. And then he meets Ghost!
The connection between Duncan and Ghost builds up slowly, with ups and downs, but it is beautiful to see the trust between them grow and to see them get closer, however tentatively at first. Ghost has serious mental health problems, and I was glad to see him reach out for help, going to therapy and building a life for himself. Love was not an easy fix for him, though it was an important motivator. I really liked that extra little bump in the road, the realism it brought to the story.
I very much enjoyed this book! I was so caught up in it, just couldn’t put it down once I started, which doesn’t happen to me all that much anymore.
This book is part of a series, but can be read alone.

We finally get the story of Ghost, the enigmatic hustler of the trio of Woodbury boys. It is as dark and as inspiring as I hoped it would be. In the first two books, we got to see Ghost as the character that nothing could touch, neither feelings nor fists, Ghost was portrayed as being beyond those things and in this book we find out why. Throughout the trilogy we have gotten hints to his past and know that it can’t be good but I was also unsure whether or not his past was past. In this book we find out it wasn’t, he is still so strongly affected by it, and hasn’t had any chance to heal, that he is essentially still suffering from his past and its painful to read. But this book wouldn’t be as great as it is, if the main character continued to keep punishing himself for what was done to him as a child. Instead we get to experience Ghost going through the healing process and its beautifully tragic to read.

The man that inspires Ghost to heal is Duncan Rook and I just love him. I’m a big sucker for gentle giant characters that are absolute sweethearts and Rook perfectly fits the bill. Rook is a cop on medical leave because he has found himself on the opposite side of the thin blue line after his definition of justice didn’t match with that of his comrades. He is a lawful good character if I’ve ever seen one and is perfect to inspire Ghost to want more out of his life. Its Rook’s gentleness and “stupid morals” that make Ghost want to be better and it was fun to watch him struggle between how he wants to act and how Rook wants him to act. Together Rook and Ghost make the perfect team to take down Mama and while that is how they initially connect, they eventually develop feelings for each other that can’t be ignored.

This book is dark and while you could technically read it as a standalone, you shouldn’t because you won’t get the full Ghost experience. I highly recommend this series as probably the best romantic suspense series that I’ve read. It was incredibly bittersweet to read the end of the Woodbury boy’s stories. I loved that they all got a realistic love story ending and still remain friends. But I’m so sad to see them go. Ghost’s story was a beautiful way to end the series because he was the most flawed. It was also the lowest heat story but I thought that the heat that was there was perfect because it shows that Ghost is on the path to healing. I feel like I could say so much more but you should do yourself a favor and read it yourself.

Ghost is a character with a terribly dark & tragic past (sexual abuse. prostitution, violence) so Rough Trade was a heavy read but so well done.

Duncan is an excellent match for Ghost and the whole process progressed slowly - as it should have.

I also loved how much Ghost realized he was worth more and took the time to work through his past before jumping into something new. It hurt while I was reading it but it made the eventual HEA that much better.

I’m not sure *enjoy* is the right word but I did love this final (I think) installment for the series. It gave Ghost a his HEA and wrapped up several loose series threads nicely.

Rough Trade is a dark, gritty, and rough M/M contemporary romance. It's the third in a series but it easily read as a standalone. This is my first book by Ms. Bell but after enjoying her smooth writing style, unique characters, and intriguing storytelling I quickly became a fan. In this book we have Ghost. A streetwise hustler who finds himself in more trouble than even he can handle. Thankfully he ends up in the care of a stoic yet sexy cop named Duncan Rook. Ghost doesn't trust easily but with his life on the line and dirty cops after him how much does he have to lose by leaning on Rook?

I highly recommend this one!

the final book in the woodbury boys series, rough trade, finally sheds light on the ever-enigmatic ghost. abused in every way possible, ghost's moral compass is somewhat lacking. but he's trying to do the right thing.

his problem is that the right thing keeps blowing up in his face. on his way to share some important evidence with duncan rook, an honest police officer on medical leave, ghost is left fighting for his life with the evidence he was meant to put to use completely destroyed.

duncan isn't sure what to do with ghost, except he believes him, and he sees all his broken pieces and wants to help. but ghost is so damaged, it's hard to fathom that it would ever be possible for him to be whole and healthy enough to be the person duncan believes he could be.

this series is gritty and suspenseful and tells these beautiful love stories. there's so much angst and anger and pain, but there is also romance and this astounding love and healing that these characters go through. this is the perfect series capper and i look forward to seeing more from this author.

**rough trade will publish on december 3, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

This review--like my reaction when I saw I'd been approved for an ARC--is basically *sounds only dogs can hear.* I have been waiting for Ghost's story. Waiting and waiting. And this ... was pretty much everything I could have hoped for. So much about this story is my catnip, all I can say is if you aren't reading this series yet, you have a treat in store for you! As for me, I can't wait to see what Sidney Bell writes next.