A Forced Silence

This is the second of Cate Ashwood's books that I've read, and she is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

A Forced Silence was one of those stories you choose for one reason and end up enjoying for an entirely different one. What I was expecting was a hot and sexy romance and what I got was a gritty, deep, and moving plot that supported the hot and sexy.

Adam and Sam are such complex and real characters that you can't help but feel emotionally invested in their lives.

First responders and people who work to save lives or explain deaths have my utmost respect. It's half of the reason why I was interested in reading this first book in a new series. The other half was because the author is Cate Ashwood and I've enjoyed several of her books recently. The idea of a paramedic and a forensic pathologist dealing with a murder investigation had me excited to see what would happen.

I felt for both Sam and Adam when they met again after thirteen years. Sam was immediately thrust back into his old feelings of inadequacy and geekiness that high school and Adam, particularly, always made him feel. Especially when Adam refused to call him anything but Dexter, his hated nickname. Adam was reminded of his hypervigilance of not letting anyone suspect he was gay along with wanting to tease Sam in an awkward way of showing affection. The heat between them was palpable.

When Adam admits to Sam that he's gay, the night they share is off the charts incendiary. And every night that follows is exactly the same. Adam is shocked that Sam is willing to keep his secret but Sam feels coming out is a very personal decision and he's not going to take that away from Adam. Adam worries that his coworkers wouldn't understand and he wouldn't be able to count on them out in the field. Considering Adam and his partner, John, just had the worst kid possible as an intern and they ended it early when they found the kid being incredibly unprofessional, having your colleagues at your back can be a pretty important thing. Sam makes the difficult decision to end their seeing each other when it becomes obvious that Adam is stressing too much over being caught, especially in light of hearing John's venomous attitude toward gays.

I was a little disappointed at the predictability of the ending. But I really enjoyed the romance that bloomed between Sam and Adam, and I was happy to see Adam stand up and freely admit who he is. I was also very happy that the author didn't wrap the murder up in a tidy bow as it looks like it's continuing into the next book. A really wonderful beginning to a new series, even with my minor disappointment, and I look forward to book two.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

**eBook copy provided to bayou book junkie by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Adam and Sam went to high school together and had a mutual best friend, although the two of them were far from friends. Adam was mean to Sam, picking on him and even giving him the irritating nickname of Dexter that infuriates Sam. Adam and Sam/Dex haven't seen one another in about 13 years. Dex is now a Forensic Pathologist, Adam a Paramedic. After 13 years Sam and Adam run into one another at a bar. Both men working in and around the local hospital they have mutual friends. Can they put the past behind them and bury the hatchet?
I love a good enemies to lovers. This was an excellent one. I've read a few of Cate's books, and I've like a few and I've loved a few. This one, I LOVED. I adored Dex and Adam. I loved the plot and I enjoyed the mystery portion of the story as well. Adam and Dex were both lovable characters. Even as enemies you just had to root for them. They had an electric chemistry and the sex was unbelievably HOT, and plentiful. The story was well written and flowed well. It was a quick and easy read that pulled me in from the beginning and left me salivating for more in the end. This book had a twist I didn't see coming, and I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for book two. Cate, I really hope you are typing fast!!!
Highly recommended!!