Cop Out

First book ... A great beginning of the series. Like the dynamic between the characters.

After reading my very first KC Burn story recently, I was really ready to read some more of her work as I had been pretty impressed with the quality of her writing. Reading the blurb for 'Cop Out', book one in her 'Toronto Tales' series really pulled me in and I was intrigued by the possibility of a great plot line. Turns out it wasn't just a possibility, it was a reality.
Kurt O'Donnell is thirty-one and the youngest child in a large, loving, and boisterous Catholic family. On a bust with his partner, Ben, they're set up by a recently released convict whom Ben put away years ago, and in the aftermath, Ben is dead and Kurt has some injuries. At Ben's memorial service, Kurt is shocked to see a young woman in the family pew wearing a wedding ring. Kurt can't believe that in the three years they partnered together, Ben never told him he was married. Granted, Ben deflected almost all personal conversation, but Kurt is still saddened to realize how much his partner didn't trust him. When Kurt realizes it isn't the woman Ben was married to, but her brother, Davy, Kurt is stunned beyond all belief. Ben was gay?
Kurt is finally able to track down Ben's address and he finds Davy there looking like a ghost in a white, sterile home with absolutely no personal effects. Like Ben's desk at the cop shop. Kurt does find a closet in the guest bedroom that obviously holds all of Davy's personal effects, stored away, out of sight. The detective in Kurt can't let this go, plus he feels an obligation to look after Davy, just as he would if Davy were a woman in Ben's life. Thus begins a hesitant friendship that grows every day, with Kurt looking out for Davy, and Davy opening up slowly to Kurt. The more Kurt gets to know the sweet, soft-hearted and gentle man, the angrier he gets at Ben for making Davy hide and retreat from society for the past ten years, just to protect Ben's secret. As time goes on, Kurt finds himself thinking of Davy in sexual situations and he's completely shocked about it. He's never thought of a guy that way. What's going on? And, one night, his desire for Davy explodes and Kurt has the most amazing night of his life. What now?
This was a super sweet love story with a different twist than the norm. I really liked it, and I thought the author did a great job depicting a guy's coming out drama. The secondary characters were equally fascinating and I'm looking forward to more books in the series. Thank you, KC, awesome tale!
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

After Kurt's partner is killed in the line of duty he finds out about Ben's double life and what he finds out upsets him because he's found out he had a life partner that he was treating really crappy. Kurt decides to help Davy out and a friendship begins to grow between the men. I really like how the author allowed the friendship and the help that came with it develop in a natural way. Poor Kurt gets confused when his feelings seem to become something more for Davy and he must battle with himself because no matter what he wants the best for Davy.

Cop Out is a wonderful M/M story about Kurt, a cop who loses his (work) partner, Ben, and Davey, the grieving widower of Kurt’s deceased partner. Kurt was shocked to find out about Davey’s existence as Ben had keep their relationship secret. Kurt, being the honourable and duty-bound partner that he was set out to help Davey get through his loss and recover from the years of social and emotional separation that Ben had imposed on Davey due to his fear of being ‘Outed’.
I adored Kurt and Davey, was able to understand and connect with both, and found the lack of extensive sex and action to be refreshing as this was a coming out / coming to terms with / love story, not a erotica / action story. Kurt's dedication to his love with such singular focus was refreshing as so often the spurned go a bit ‘sex crazy’ and yet he shows his strength and soul.
Davey is a bit harder to describe. He was emotionally abused then destroyed and through Kurt, he learns to live and love again. As one would imagine, he has a bit of a swing personality at times thanks to what he has suffered ‘for love’ but in the end he is simply wonderful! The only part that bothered me was the pseudo-violence of their ‘first time’ though in context it was perfect! In the state he was in and the way things ‘appeared’ I can’t blame Davey for the wrong conclusions and hurtful actions that follow.
I found the characters to be believable and the story line to be emotionally powerful as well. The writing is excellent – not a word I use a lot for writing styles – and am very glad that I took a chance on a new author (new to me at least). I enjoyed Cop Out and happily invite you to check it out for yourself.
http://apmassie.com/review-cop-out/

I really liked this story about a man, a cop, coming to terms with his attraction to another man, who happens to be his dead partner's lover. I thought it started out really well with Kurt just trying to help Davy through his grieving and becoming friends along the way even though the more he learns about Ben (the dead partner) the less he likes the man. I felt the more I read, the more I could see the love growing between them first as friends then as something more. Reading about Kurt falling to pieces after he comes to terms with his feelings was pretty heart-wrenching, but seeing Davy come back to life (for lack of a better phrase) ended up being worth it. I'm glad they had a HEA considering for a few chapters I wasn't sure it would or even could happen. This was the first book by K.C. Burns, but I'm sure it won't be the last. I'm hoping there will be a sequel centering on Ian (Kurt's brother) or even on Ivan (a vice cop) since they both need a little happiness in their lives.