Judith‘s review of Acts of Passion by Sedonia Guillone.

Jack Cade is skeptical of the new criminal profiler he’s using. Michael seems so absent-minded and too neurotic to be effective. But he is brilliand and hot and Cade finds himself falling hard and fast, both in lust and in love. The attraction is mutual, although Michael’s past demons haunt him, keeping him from getting too close. Together, they begin to unravel Michael’s emotional knots even as they close in on a killer, another brilliant, wily person whose sights are now set on Michael.

While I am not reluctant to read and review M/M romance, it just hasn’t come my way very often so this novel is only the second or third one that I have read. I was a bit concerned as I am with all erotic romance, that it will be sex scene after sex scene — to the detriment of the story. Believe me that is a situation that is not confined to either straight or gay romance writing. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised and delighted that first and foremost, the story was the thing in this book.

There is no getting away from it: Dr. Michael DiSanto was really different. Cade was used to working with an older, seasoned profiler but agreed to work with Michael, sight unseen, because his former profiler had retired and Michael was his protoge. So we find Detective Sargent Jack Cade trying not only to gather evidence and clues to a horrific death, possible suicide, possible homicide–with this very different kind of psychologist in tow. Michael was a professor at Harvard and his credentials were impeccable. He was just really different. Hot, but different.

Jack had not been with anyone for a very long time. There had been the occasional brief encounters, but he really wondered if he would find someone who would be special for him and for whom he was special. There was not doubt that he and Michael were attracted to one another. As the investigation proceeded, they each acted on that attraction and the two began a romance that had possibilities, but could it become serious and could it survive Michael’s penchant for emotionally withdrawing just when it seemed they were getting close.

I always try to figure out what is making the characters tick. I want to know what is the point that the writer is trying to make. I want to know what makes this relationship work and why this book works. And it just seems to me that there are two strands of suspense in this novel. First, there is the very real and dangerous killer who has worked very hard to make the murder look like a suicide. Real and careful premeditation all around. Second, there is the suspense over whether Jack & Michael’s encounters will develop into a relationship. Neither mystery is solved until the very end.

I think this author has done a very good job of putting together a plot that works, characters that are strong and authentic, good research into the context and surroundings of the story, and a sensitive approach to telling Jack & Michael’s story. They both need to know that they belong; they both have encountered the sordid and the difficult in their lives. They are not adolescents that are on a touchy-feelly journey of discovery. Yet they have tender feelings and worries–can this person really love me with all my bumps and bruises? I think this story explores those questions and all in all, the various strands of the tale and its component parts have come together to make a very interesting and readable novel. It have not ever read any of this author’s previous work, but it is certainly a worthy effort in this instance. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

You can read more from Judith at Dr. J’s Book Place.