Until It's Time to Go

It is easy to see that Connie Bailey is a seasoned writer. She does not make the mistakes that new writers often make in their books. The dialogue progresses well, and she does not spend too much time engaging in useless description. She sets the scene well, yet knows how much to leave to the reader's imagination.
The story is well done on several levels. First, she allows the main character to suffer. After the tragic opening, Bailey spends a great deal of time in the main character's head and the reader can see the pain and agony he endures after his fiancee's death. It manifests itself through alcohol and shiftlessness. I also like his (Isaac) sense of humor and, shall I say, smartass disposition. That does not seem to have been changed by the tragedy he endures; it cements it, rather. This allows her to develop an obstacle the main character's friends, godson, employer, and, most importantly, future lover must overcome to reach him.
The only criticism, and I hesitate to use the word, that I have is that I feel she spent TOO much time on Isaac, the main character, at the expense of Colby, his suitor. Colby falls for Isaac, and boy does he fall!! Yet, we are left with wanting more in terms of why. She does explain that through the two main character's interactions and dialogues later, but I feel that she should have shifted some of the narration to Colby and explored his past and what led him to that point a bit better. Perhaps a sequel is in order. However, this is a really good read. It took me two days to finish it. Once I made it through the Prologue (another nice addition to the book), I was hooked. I enjoyed delving in to the lives of these characters and would love to see more.

The snarky dialogue in the beginning goaded me into purchasing this book. I enjoyed how the author painted the asshole main character as someone you just had to love. I wasn't sold by the love interest, though, and there was a continuity thing that continues to bug me. Colby is 26, yeah? but there are many references to a 10-year age gap ... it was weird and kept throwing me off.
Anyway, they go out only a couple of times and suddenly it's 'love.' The characters just didn't seem to click for me in that way, but I loved them both individually. The supporting cast is wonderful, too. The dialogue, however, is just wonderful, very tongue-in-cheek and quietly poking fun at how weird writers can be.
And who doesn't need their very own Creature?