Book Title: Cold Day Dawning (Jagged Shores #4)
Author: Thom Collins
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Release Date: August 22, 2023
Genres: Contemporary MM romance, thriller, suspense
Tropes: Small town romance
Themes: Family, rivalry, revenge, overcoming PTSD
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 63 223 words
Although it can be read as a stand-alone, this book is best read as part of a series.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links
Available from Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, Pride Publishing,
First For Romance, B&N, and Kobo
Danger comes in the cold of morning
Blurb
It should be the perfect weekend away. Dalton Caine makes the long journey to Nyemouth to attend a party hosted by his sister. Catherine is estranged from most of the family, but Dalton feels the time has come to build bridges between them. Things don’t turn out how he wants, however, when Catherine gives him a cold reception at the party. But the evening is not a complete waste of time when he meets local photographer Antoni.
Following a near-fatal attack six months earlier, Antoni has struggled with his physical and mental recovery. Catherine’s party is the first time he has been out at night since then, and he’s ready for an early exit when he meets Dalton. The stranger is warm, friendly and incredibly handsome. When Antoni overcomes his reservations and accepts a drink at Dalton’s hotel, it could be the start of something new for them both.
Despite the joy of fresh romance, things soon take a darker turn. The morning after the party, Catherine’s boyfriend reports her missing. Dalton isn’t initially concerned. Catherine has disappeared of her own will before, and he’s more interested in getting to know Antoni, but the men soon find themselves at the centre of a twisted mystery, one that puts both of their lives at risk.
Reader advisory: This book contains violence, murder, PTSD, memories of a child in danger and mental illness. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, this book is best read as part of a series.
Cat gives this book 4 Meows with a 3 Purr heat index...
Hi Y’all! Come in and grab a cocktail while I tell you about this book I just read.
The title is Cold Day Dawning by Thom Collins, it is book 4 in the Jagged Shores series. Maybe you should read in order, but I read this one without the others and enjoyed it.
There is mention of things that happen in previous books, but it looks like each has its solved mystery. This one did.
The cover is nice and goes well with the title. Then I read the blurb and it really got my interest because... intrigue, murder, mystery, romance…yes please.
There are some trigger warnings mentioned so if PTSD, violence, mention of past child endangerment and mental health issues bothers you, skip this one or read with caution. It’s all pretty mild, I will say.
Who’s my favorite main character?
Antoni and Dalton tie.
Was there another character I liked?
Yes, a couple but all were very minor. I really liked Ethan and would like him a story.
The story is a romance with suspense.
What surprised me most about the book was?
A secret involving Dalton’s sister and his childhood. Why? Just didn’t expect it.
Were there significant plot twists and turns?
A few. There’s was some good twists and action at the end.
Was there something I didn’t like?
The only thing I didn’t like was that near the end it suddenly seemed rushed, but it didn’t effect the story much. I would have just liked a little more between the end and the epilogue. It skipped like 5 or 6 months. It was a satisfying HEA though.
Excerpt
A few moments later, a door on the right opened and a man stepped out. He caught Dalton’s attention straight away. Dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt and a dark overshirt, the man looked nothing like the pretentious people he’d encountered so far this evening. He was also very handsome, which didn’t hurt. He was naturally good-looking, with brown hair, slightly wavy on the top and cut short at the back and sides where it was starting to turn grey. He had a serious-looking face, and Dalton’s initial impression was of something quite sad about his eyes and downturned mouth.
“Hi,” Dalton said cheerfully, hoping the guy wouldn’t turn out to be like all the other guests.
“Hello.” The man didn’t return the smile, but seemingly noticing Dalton’s interest in the photographs, he came closer. “Do you like them?”
There was a trace of an accent there. Dalton couldn’t quite place it. Eastern European, he guessed.
“Very much,” he replied. “They’re remarkable. I’ve never seen Catherine like this before.”
The man looked between Dalton and photographs. “I’m glad you like them. I took all of these.”
Up close, he was even better looking than his first appearance. His eyes were dark grey and there was stubble on his square jaw, also flecked with grey.
“Wow,” Dalton said. “They are sensational…really.”
At last, his mouth turned upwards into the smallest suggestion of a smile.
“Thank you.” He held out his hand. “My name is Antoni.”
Dalton accepted the handshake. The party had finally improved.
Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, North Point and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.
Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.
Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook, The Night.
Other links
Twitter: @thomwolf | Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up
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