Release Day Review ~ Ride Along by Meghan Maslow (Giveaway)

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Title: Ride-Along
Author: Meghan Maslow
Release Date: June 14, 2017
Category: Contemporary, States of Love
Pages: 122

Drew Nolan is a loud-and-proud mystery writer with a brutal case of writer’s block. He needs practical experience with the Baltimore police beat to get his latest manuscript to his publisher on time. When he wins a ride-along at a writer’s conference, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot… until he meets his partner.

Closeted cop Josh de Oliveira lost his family, his partner, and the respect of his unit—all for doing the right thing. Recently busted back down to patrol, he’s relieved to get a cushy assignment at the Author’s Police Institute where he’ll take one lucky writer on a ride-along. Unfortunately, his author looks like he belongs in the backseat of Josh’s squad car—long, ginger dreadlocks, piercings, and an “I would bottom you so hard” T-shirt. But there’s something about Drew Josh is having a hard time resisting.

It’s going to be a long night and one hell of a ride as opposites attract and realize they share a lot in common beneath the surface. As animosity becomes desire, they realize they can help each other out—in more ways than one.

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3.5 Stars

Josh and Drew meet when Drew, a writer, wins a ride along with Baltimore Police Department that's conducted by Officer Josh de Olivera. It's lust at first sight for both men, but a closeted Josh is rude and unresponsive to Drew's attempts to make conversation. As the ride progresses, Josh lets his guard down and they begin to talk, eventually this leads to a night of smoking hot sex, but is Drew ready to be Josh's dirty little secret?

I loved Drew. He was sweet and funny and I'll be honest, when I saw Drew wore a "I would bottom you so hard" t-shirt when I read the blurb, I knew I had to meet him. Josh, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to punch or hug him. I guess a little of both. I understand why he's so deep in the closet, and my heart broke for how badly he was treated by his fellow officers.

This was a sweet and easy read. It does have some angst, but I love that the main characters work through it together. Both men have been hurt by past lovers, so it takes a bit of time for Drew and Josh to be able to trust each other. Although they do end up in bed together the first night, the rest of the relationship moved at a more realistic pace. This was an enjoyable and recommendable read.

*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement.*

*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*

Drew is a mystery writer from a very involved, but not necessarily supportive family.  They loved him and supported him, except when it came to his writing.  They dismissed his accomplishments, and I found interactions with them to be annoying instead of loving.  Drew has hit a writer's block with his newest manuscript and is attending a conference that interacts with local police to help writer's get the details right.  He's not having any luck at the conference getting the sessions he wants, but when he wins the chance to ride-along with a police officer, he feels that's about to change.  Only maybe not, when he realizes it's the rude officer who seems to have a problem with Drew making no attempts to hide himself in the closet.  Police Officer Josh's only problem with Drew is that he's attracted to the man but it's unsafe for Josh to be out of the closet at work.  He's hated in his department and has an ugly history there that just makes the job unbearable.  The forced time with Drew will make Josh reconsider what he really wants for his life.

I liked the snarky Drew and thought the interactions between him and Josh were really well done. Drew is funny and just seems to attract people wanting to befriend him.  I wasn't a fan of Josh.  Once his story goes along further, I understood where he was coming from, but he was really a jerk when he didn't need to be.  Ride-Along is a novella, and I would have loved to have it been longer with more story.  I felt like so much information was stuffed into so few pages that I didn't get to enjoy the building of their relationship.  They seem to go from hate-at-first-sight to love-at-first-sight.  

I really enjoyed the author's writing and the premise of this book.  This is a quick read, and regardless of the length, very enjoyable.

Rating: 3.5 stars

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