4⭐️ 3🌶️
MOOD: lighthearted, mysterious, adventurous
TROPES: bi-awakening, instalust, instalove, hurt/comfort(lite)
GENRES: Contemporary, Action/Adventure, LGBTQ+

MAIN CHARACTERS: Matthew Bauer and Kieran Stevenson

THE GOOD: The overall mystery is engaging. For the most part, the main characters and side characters have distinct personalities. The dynamic between Matthew and Kieran comes across as both humorous and sincere and they do mesh well together. I do like a quick, engaging, and low-angst read every now and then and J.F. Miev delivers that :)
THE NEUTRAL: While I enjoyed this story, I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book in the series Who Said Mobsters Were Scary?- this one somehow felt more ridiculous and over the top. The writing also felt a little unbalanced. I expected a slower burn in regards to the romance but the plot also moved unevenly (more so in than in the first book) the first 60-70% of the book it felt like not much was going on and then everything was resolved fairly quickly in the last quarter. I was also expecting Kieran to be a little older until he was designated as 24 just given his involvement in the CIA.
THE MEH: I was expecting instalust I wasn't expecting instalove so that threw me a little. I also walked my dog in Alley Pond Park so I wasn't expecting that location to pop-up, not necessarily bad but it broke my suspension of disbelief for a moment to get so specific when there aren't any other specific locations in Queens mentioned.

Sidenote: It is mentioned that you can read this as a standalone but I wouldn't recommend it.

CW: sexual content, violence, gun violence, death, death of parents, panic attacks, flashbacks related to trauma (non-graphic), voyeurism (light)
DISCLAIMER: I received an advance review copy. This is my honest review.