Review: Detour by Jay Crownover
SYNOPSIS:
Sometimes it’s the unexpected detour that life throws your way that ends up taking you exactly where you were meant to be.
Wyatt Bryant is all kinds of broken.
Wyatt never planned to end up in the middle of nowhere. He was a big city guy, used to bright lights and constant noise. He needed both those things to distract him from the ugly memories of his past and the loneliness he couldn’t seem to shake. Now, he is bound for the back roads of Wyoming because his younger brother is beyond worried about him. He’s headed for a quiet place to heal and search for some uninterrupted serenity to figure out what he’s going to do with the rest of his life. Wyatt never expected to live his life in the slow lane, and he really didn’t see the breathless attraction to a small-town sheriff coming.
Rodie Collins is all kinds of conflicted.
Rodie had long since grown used to the snail’s pace of life in Sheridan, Wyoming. He was accustomed to the gossip and malicious grapevine that was common in all small towns. Cruel words and judgmental looks followed him throughout his childhood and made him overly cautious as an adult. He had it easy keeping the peace in Sheridan most days, at least until Wyatt showed up. Rodie couldn’t hide his attraction to the sexy former special agent, and there was something about the city slicker that made him want to throw caution to the wind. Rodie loves his job and his hometown, but he may have to pick between what he’s always known and Wyatt when push comes to shove and long-held secrets come to light.
REVIEW:
I absolutely loved this story! Jay Crownover’s M/M novels do not get the recognition they deserve. Wyatt and Rodie are both silent strength and after four books of chaos, it was nice to finally see a little peace settle in the world. And while these two have a long road to their HEA, their story was uniquely refreshing.
I have been loving Wyatt since he first appeared on the scene back in Retreat. The man has been a pillar of strength and after Webb got his own happily-ever-after, I knew it was finally Wyatt’s turn. But Wyatt starts off a broken and battered man. He is still dealing with the pain and anguish of almost being killed, not to mention coming to terms with all his emotional trauma from his childhood which he never really dealt with. Needless to say, the man was breaking apart and breaking my heart.
I was a little tepid with Rodie, he didn’t have exactly a glowing reputation in the earlier books but the man really shined here. He oozed confidence and care and like Wyatt, I found myself swooning. The initial tension between these two builds into a breaking point. I loved how Wyatt was fighting his feelings and Rodie was endless in his pursuit. When these two finally give into each other, they realize just how similar they are. It’s like two puzzle pieces spinning around but once they locked into place, all the pieces seemed to follow suit.
But what I loved most about this story is that Wyatt and Rodie aren’t fighting that many external demons, their struggles are all closer to home. They are battling their own doubts and insecurities as well as the small town mentality. It was just the prefect balance of sweet/sexy and vulnerable/brave. With plenty of cameos from the rest of the Warner/Bryant clan. The epilogue had me feeling all the fuzzy feels and I was so glad to get closure on everyone, now my only wish that Cam and Ethan get a story too!
FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Doubt and insecurity grow and thrive in the dark, but when you pull them into the light, they often aren’t as scary as you think.”
LINKS:
