Hell and Back by Dirk Greyson | Tams Release day Review, Excerpt & #giveaway @Dreamspinners @dirkgreyson ~ '

Hell and Back is the latest release from Author Dirk Greyson (the spicier side of Andrew Grey). I got to read this one a few weeks ago and I could not put it down once I started. Without further ado... here's my thoughts on this story, an excerpt and a giveaway!!

Seventeen years ago, Forge Reynolds fell in love… and had his heart broken. When Staff Sergeant Gage Livingston was brought into Forge’s Army field hospital, temporarily paralyzed, Forge sat with him, read his letters, answered his mail, and formed a connection he thought would last. But Gage was sent home, Forge transferred to a new post, and his letters to Gage went unanswered.

Now in the middle of a bitter divorce, Forge is sick and tired of his husband’s manipulation. He's almost ready to make any sacrifice to get closure—then he finds Granger murdered execution-style in their home. Forge had no idea about Granger’s illicit activities, but the killers don’t believe that. They think Forge has something they want, and they’re coming after him.

When Forge’s lawyer arranges for professional protection, the last face Forge expects to see is Gage’s. Can he even contemplate a second chance for them after almost two decades, or will hope only lead to more heartache? Before they can explore the possibilities, they must figure out what information Granger had—that others are willing to kill for—or that possible heartache could become a certainty.

Buy links: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Tams gives this one 5 Stars...

Almost two decades ago, Forge Reynolds had his heart broken by a soldier he cared for that went home to heal with the promise of keeping in touch. Worlds apart, Gage Livingston sits and waits for a letter than never comes. Now, seventeen years later, they find their way back to each other. But time is a fickle thing and there is so much water under the bridge that there's a very real danger of drowning.

This book hit the ground running. I was pulled into Forge's world from the start, the conversation with his attorney. I really liked that Greyson used the first few chapters to introduce this character to the reader before pulling Gage back into Forge's orbit. And as the story progresses and you learn more about both men, what kept them apart and the lives they've been leading, you see that neither has ever truly forgotten one another.

Forge never stopped loving Gage, but he did find room in his heart for another. And though they were going through a bitter divorce, finding his soon to be ex-husband dead on the back lawn shakes Forge to his core. When Gage pops back into his life he knows he still wants him, but he's uncertain and unsteady and questions everything.

Gage too never fell out of love with the man that nursed him back to health sitting vigil at his bedside all those years ago. When the truth of what actually happened to keep them apart emerges, Gage refuses to let love slip away again. Too bad there are some pretty nasty people after Forge, people that will stop at nothing to get what they want, even if that includes more bodies on the back lawn.

Oh my, my, my... this book was fantastic. Action packed, suspenseful and so very sexy. Once these two men let their guard down the years apart seem to fade away. The problem is, they can't just pick up where they left off. First they have to figure out who killed Forge's ex and why. What is it they thing Forge has and why can't he and Gage figure it out? I will say that I'm quite pleased Greyson didn't erase the confusion and decades long ache these men felt during the time apart. I think that would have been far too cheesy, for lack of a better term. Forge can't say no to Gage, but he continues to question the rationale of what they're doing and that only added to the suspense of the story. Love, want and need, these emotions are valid, but is judgement clouded because of the situation they find themselves in?

Looking for something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, flipping through the pages eager to see what happens next? You'll want to get a copy of Hell and Back then.

Excerpt...

“VINCE, I don’t know what the hell to do anymore.” Forge Reynolds sat in one of the client chairs in his lawyer’s office, as he had so many time over the last eight months, wondering just how much more of this he could take. “I’m not asking for anything that isn’t reasonable or that I’m not entitled to.” He huffed slowly. This was a war of attrition, and Forge was starting to feel like a casualty.

“That’s very true, but Granger has obviously decided to fight you on every point, no matter how small.” Vince shook his regal head of impressively black hair. He was an unusual attorney in that he wasn’t all buttoned-up and proper. His hair was long and shiny and so black that it had hints of blue. Forge might have been attracted to him if Vince hadn’t been straight. But after trying to end one marriage for the last eight months and going through hell, again and again, at this point in his life, Forge was planning to give up on men all together.

“What do we do from here?”

“We’ll counteroffer, and I’ll add all the legal points in our favor. At this point the law is on our side because it states very clearly for ‘equitable division of the assets.’ They should be close to even, not with one party deciding he wants it all because he’s a greedy son of a bitch.” Vince inhaled sharply. “Did I say that?” He placed his hand over his mouth, and Forge laughed for the first time in weeks. “Don’t worry, I’ll….”

“Can I see his offer again?” Forge asked. He was tempted to just tell Vince to take it. That way he could have this whole thing done and could move on with his life. One of the bones of contention was the house, especially since they still lived under the same roof. They hadn’t slept in the same bed for eight months, not since Forge had kicked Granger’s cheating ass out of the master bed, literally. Granger had had the gall, after the asshole’s affair became public, to crawl into bed as normal. Forge had pushed him hard enough that Granger actually rolled onto the floor. A screaming match commenced, but it ended with Forge emptying Granger’s closet by hauling everything to the guest room and dumping it in a pile on the floor. When Granger tried to stop him, Forge had used Granger’s shoes as missiles.

Forge stopped his woolgathering and took the papers to look them over once again. “Go ahead with your plan.” He handed the papers back, shaking his head. “But we have to bring this to an end, somehow. I need my life and my sanity back.”

He had done his best not to allow the upheaval in his personal life to affect his work and friends, but he was finding that nearly impossible. As an interior designer for companies, he required a great deal of creativity, and that part of himself had been slowly dying throughout this ordeal. Forge knew he needed this to end so he could breathe again and maybe have a life that wasn’t consumed with divorce proceedings, offers, counteroffers, and fights at home revolving around how Granger kept trying to hide assets.

“This will end. There is no doubt about that.” Vince set the papers on his immaculately clean desk and stood.

Forge did the same and shook Vince’s hand before leaving the office. He stopped to say hello to Vince’s assistant, Gloria, before heading back to his office in downtown Milwaukee, lost in thought. Work was quickly becoming his sanctuary. Most days it was relatively quiet and he was able to think. But that was also a problem—his thoughts were consumed with his troubles with Granger.

“How did it go?” Rory asked, plopping into one of his desk chairs after closing the door. “What did Dickhead, Esquire, want now?” Rory was on his creative team and was bright and enthusiastic. He was also incredibly loyal and took delight in coming up with new and interesting lawyerly names for Granger. It was a source of amusement for both of them.

“More and more, it seems. Just when it looks like we’re getting close, he changes his demands. I think this is a game for him. He doesn’t need anything and has plenty of money, which he will still have when this is over. It’s just an ego thing. Win at all costs—and I’ve about had it. Thankfully he’s been on a business trip for the last few days and the house has been quiet. But that will change tonight.” Forge wasn’t looking forward to it.

“If you need anything, you know all you have to do is say something.” Rory smiled the same smile he used when he wanted something. He had made little effort to hide the fact that he was interested in Forge, which Forge found flattering but nothing more.

“How about we talk about something else?” He needed something, anything else, to distract him.

“If we must,” Rory said in an exaggerated manner, then gave him an update on where he was with all current projects for the design team that Forge headed. “The only problem right now is Midwest Bank. They still want to go with a variation of the same tired look they’ve had for twenty years, and it just makes them look out of step with the times. It’s dated and makes the entire organization look worn out.”

“I know. I’ve been giving that some thought. I have a meeting with a new client in fifteen minutes, but after that, let’s sit down with the entire team and see what we can do to try to accomplish both goals. There has to be a way. We just need to find it.” Forge hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.

“I don’t know if that’s possible, but we can try.” Rory stood and left the office, giving Forge a few minutes to get ready for his meeting.

Dirk is very much an outside kind of man. He loves travel and seeing new things.

Dirk worked in corporate America for way too long and now spends his days writing, gardening, and taking care of the home he shares with his partner of more than two decades.

He has a Master’s Degree and all the other accessories that go with a corporate job. But he is most proud of the stories he tells and the life he's built.

Dirk lives in Pennsylvania in a century old home and is blessed with an amazing circle of friends.

Website: http://dirkgreyson.com/