Ok m/m romance about a sheriff's deputy and a country singer who were each others' firsts in high school, but who've taken different and equally self-destructive paths since then and that doesn't end when tragedy brings the singer back to their hometown. This book had a lot of unrealized potential, which was unfortunately overshadowed by somewhat choppy writing and the absolutely worst case of pronoun confusion I've ever encountered.

Tension. This book is all about tension.Quinn is a country singer who has hit the big time. Since leaving his Tennessee hometown, he has battled drug and alcohol addiction, hard times, family fights and an attraction to his best friend that broke that friendship.Nathan is a deputy in the same small town he and Quinn are from. Twice divorced, former Marine Corp, from a wealthy family, Nate is happy enough. As long as he can keep ignoring Quinn.When a crisis involving Quinn's father, the sheriff o [...]

Re-read before the sequel. And yes! To all of this still! Jan 4, 2012Ah, holy hell Mercy. I can't fucking believe you did this to me. I have GOT to start reading reviews before I throw myself heart and soul into something expecting a nice, angst-filled coming home romance. My (punched in the) gut tells me to give this 2 stars but my head and my heart are begging for 5. You sure know how to tear a girl apart.So, in the beginning the story follows the blurb. Tragedy brings country music star Quinn [...]

There were a lot of things I didn't like about this one. The love story more or less sprung to life when both MCs met again after years apart (having been secret High-School-Sweethearts). No real explanation. One of the MCs was deeply closeted, but the whole coming to grips with his orientation was very shallow and drowned in some not very sexy sex scenes. It was a strange mixture of sappy dialogue and senseless actions. Most characters remained shallow and stereotypical (e.g. the confident, cle [...]

I had to reread this because I couldn't remember what it was about. The writing just wasn't good. A lot of time was spent telling more than showing. I thought Nate's turnaround was a bit quick and Quinn calling him 'baby' practically every dialogue exchange was annoying. And I don't know how their dirty talk could turn anyone on, very cringe-worthy.I don't think the reason behind the crimes was fleshed out well. Neither was Nate's "recovery." I hardly think anyone would be up for sex of any kind [...]

I couldn't keep reading after about 12%. One MC was called home to see his dying father and the other MC constantly abused him. Who would do that to someone who's just been told his father's been shot?? And at the dying father's bedside no less. Not for me.

I had to read this 'cause it's set in Middle and East TN, where I have spent about 80% of my life. Unfortunately, because I've spent so much time here, I noticed all the niggling geographic research failures.A few examples:1. MC Nathan talks about leaving a key in a "mail slot" by the front door of his mountain lakeside cabin. Sorry, no. In this state we frequently have streetside mailboxes even in suburbs that are inside of town -- any mail carrier would laugh his ass off at the idea of stoppin [...]

5 angsty, sad, tragic, hot, lost love-found love stars Mercy Celeste is an auto-buy for me now. Poor Quinn and Nate. What a tragic history and difficult journey they had to get their HEA.

Big price drop to $0.99 at US, 11/2/14

There’s a lot of pain behind the words in this book, behind the characters. It’s a strong, intense read.In From the Cold is primarily about two men, Nathan Truman and Quinn Anders; who were childhood best friends, youthful, quasi-lovers, who have let time, denial and self destructive behaviours distance them. Nathan left home after graduation and enlisted. Now he's the deputy sheriff in his home town, and the Sheriff, Theo, Quinn's father has been shot. Nathan is the typical small town, in d [...]

Nathan and Quinn, best friends growing up, first love, together till Nathan could not admit to loving a man. Nathan joined the Marines, wound up in law enforcement. Quinn, became a singer and got lost in the world of addiction. Tragedy brings them back together in the little town where they grew up. Well this ain't your Mama's romance. It's tough, gritty and tense. It's full of heartache, miscommunication, and missed chances. If you know that life is not all roses, give this book a chance, you w [...]

Well, I have to say this was not at all predictable. This didn't go like I expected at all and I'm not sure it worked. I like stories that break formulas, but not when they're all over the place, and that's kind of what happens here. For that reason, the first half is about a five until we get into the WTF? part where I'd say we had a two. Fortunately that part was a lot shorter. There was way too much talking. They don't even stop during sex. Some of the dialog was moderately funny but so much [...]

This was so not what I was expecting from Mercy Celeste. All the other books of hers, that I’ve read, were nice angsty contemporary romances. Boy meets boy. Boy acts the fool. Boy forgives Boy. Boys live happily ever after.In From the Cold was that and so much more. The suspense of this novel was pretty intense and there were several scenes, near the end, that were amazingly horrific. If lifetime ever gets a clue and starts making LGBT moves, this would make a great movie.“If you loved it so [...]

Hmmm I should have loved this book. It had all of the right elements - strong plot line, enduring love, hurt/comfort. It seemed to be well-written, with some minor editorial issues and pronoun confusion. For some reason I couldn't get into it. Maybe I have been desensitized to some of the parts that should have had a high emotional impact by my recent reads, but I felt that these areas were glossed over a bit. So I didn't care like I should have. I didn't get the heart-twisty feeling that I love [...]

So not for me.I wish, I really, really wish, there had been trigger warnings or any warnings associated with the blurb for this.Rape, torture. This was WAY darker than I like to read. I forced myself to finish. Butwell, wasn't the right book for me.

I was liking this just fine until the plot shift towards the end. It seemed VERY unnecessary and I can't figure out why something that extreme was thought a good idea. I liked the push/pull between Nathan and Quinn. My heart broke over Quinn's dad. I see there's a sequel that shifts this into a menage and I'm curious, but reading reviews leaves me hesitant(plot points outside of the menage). I'll have to think on it.

Had this on my bookshelf forever and noticed Book 2 coming out soon. Thought I'd better jump in and read Book 1. Oh dear! What a mess. The conversations were all over the place and Nathan's I can't. Yes I can. No I can't annnnd back again - made my head spin!Quinn's "I need you inside of me so badly I can't see" was way too soon. The characters were shallow and not enough of a connection for me. I tried and sadly, failed :(DNF @ 52%

1.5 StarsBeautiful cover by Dan Skinner, but sadly, the story didn't work for me.The blurb basically says it all. I just had three main issues with the book. First was the writing style: It felt like the story was being told backwards, like there's a whole bunch of history behind Nathan and Quinn's relationship that gets conveniently thrown into conversation, revealing key elements in their past without the reader having any clue about it. It's as if the author got lazy in developing the plot fr [...]

The first 75% or so of the book is an old friends reconnect story. Quinn and Nathan had been best friends since childhood and had fallen in love as teens. After the first time they have sex Nathan takes off and they only see each other one more time in the next 16 or so years. A family crisis brings Quinn back home and the two are forced to admit they've never stopped loving each other. Everything was moving a long just fine for me through this part. It seemed they fell back together way too eas [...]

This is a 3 because I couldn't stand (view spoiler)[the viciousness and gratuity of the rape (hide spoiler)]. I think that, in all candor, I might be influenced by the fact that this theme pops up too frequently in Mercy Celeste's writing. Perhaps if this was the only book of hers that I had read involving that particular theme, I wouldn't feel quite so uncomfortable about it. But it isn't, and I do. The book was actually pretty well-written, but I view the key crisis in the story in context wit [...]

3.5 stars. Fair warning that there is a lot of brutality in this book. There is also a lot of disappointment and self-loathing and violence. It was sad to see how these men had wasted so much time in their lives either trying to forgot or trying to remember the past - and how they thought they were fooling everybody. Their reaction to seeing each other for the first time in over 5 years is visceral - you just know something big is going to happen. And it does. I had to finish the book in one sit [...]

In Queue*ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by JLoves2Read from Alpha Book Cluband Gay Book Reviews

A newly-famous country singer sees his estranged first love--now a cop--for the first time in years over his father's deathbed. In the face of tragedy and new dangers, can these men find each other again?You know how sometimes a book isn't, objectively speaking, really great writing, but it hits all the right buttons for you and you just have to read it again after finishing it? This book did that for me. I think Celeste may be one of those authors for me.

I couldn't decide between 2 stars and 3. In the end I gave it three just because there is HEA. Halfway through the book I wasn't sure I want to read the rest. I couldn't connect with neither character. Both were so annoying and their thoughts were all over the place. I honestly was glad I finished it. They both went through so many issues that each one would be good for one whole book and here they are both still alive at the end. Thank god. I didn't like them but Im glad for their happy end.

Hmmm, 3.5 on this one. A little too saccharine in parts (a few too many I love yous and other declarations) and I almost always hate murder mysteries in a romance. The ending wrapped very nicely (almost unrealistically) but I have to admit, I did love the epilogue.Still it's classic Mercy, as in HOT and it's an enjoyable, solid story.

Another great read from Mercy Celeste! Love Nathan and Quinn, their story is full of life and all it's love, loss and misfortunes. I look forward to reading the sequel "Cold Shadow of Doubt" when released in early 2013.

Man this was really horrible! I am not even upset about it, really. Bad writing, bad plot, and the weirdest dirty talk ever. Oh well, off to the next one.

Could not put this down - please note this is not a happy sweet story, but it is very good - riveting, tense, sad, and dark.

I have such a fickle history with Mercy Celeste books. This started off good but then just fell flat.

A 4.5 star review by The Blogger GirlsSo, twenty percent into Cold Shadow, the sequel to this book, I’d realized that I was missing a few key elements to continue. Since it had been five years since I’d read the first book, and stupidly forgot to review it, I went back to the beginning and started over.Best. Decision. Ever.I’d seriously forgotten how much I loved this book and it was amazing to go back and experience it all over again. But, prepare yourself, there are a ton of emotions: sa [...]