An Arresting Ride: Survivors Find Love Book 2, Lissa Kasey

This was not an easy book.  There was trauma, recovery, PTSD, and a lot of judgment.  But what shone through by the end was the more societal messages of how we treat survivors of abuse of any kind, how we view their new state of being, and what truly constitutes "normal".

Graham and Jason shared a connection that set them on the paths that ultimately brought them together, but the situation was written with both understanding and confrontation.  For the confrontation, I really appreciated that what a real recovery looks like was given thorough consideration.  That not everyone will fully "heal" from trauma, certain things will never change, reactions may not disappear, and very few of us will ever be truly "normal" are ideas that most people don't understand because of adages like "time heals all wounds" and other similarly trite sayings.

The understanding part came when the tables turned and Graham was in need of support and compassion.  Jason's experience with his own journey helped open avenues of healing for Graham that he never would have considered on his own.  Together they were able to find something unique and special together that wasn't based on codependency or grief.  It was far more powerful than that and their relationship evolution started out realistically and the comfort and warmth built gradually.  How they jumped from becoming friends to more was where I felt like something was missing.

In the beginning it was as if Jason read slightly on the spectrum with how he was described, how he reacted to others, and his altered perceptions of consent and himself.  I didn't see a real changing point in him before he was very, very clear to Graham that he was fully in control of his choices and the consent portion of their changing relationship.  I liked both versions of him but would have liked to see his growth.  Because of the disparity I felt slightly disconnected from him as a whole.  A dual POV would have really helped with this.

There were a lot of preconceived notions that Graham had that needed to be reevaluated and altered to accept a life with Jason.  I felt that those ideas were really well-expressed by Bastian and Charlie and I cheered with how it really gave Graham a hard look at how he was treating and judging Jason and all victims.  Despite his innate sense of compassion he still fell prey to society's views just like the vast majority of humans in the Western world.  There was a little too much emphasis on the word "normal" though, and it wasn't really a fluid confrontation, it was thrown in so many times with very little variation on when, why, and how it was harped on or mentioned that it became something I almost wanted to skim over.

Similarly was the conflict with Clark, the IAD investigation, and the former employees of Jason's ranch.  The pieces didn't really connect completely and none of them felt concluded either.  It's like we got to the end of the story and the author was like, "oh shoot, I gotta write in the villain.  Villains?  Meh, whatevs."  So aside from feeling like all of those threads were throwaways, the overall messages in the story were unique and well-formed.  I enjoyed the story and felt the connection between Jason and Graham was real though not fully supported.  I was drawn into their lives and appreciated the setting, the whole cast, and the animals with distinct and memorable personalities.

*$3.99 on Amazon

Graham Church began career as a police officer with a case so gruesome it sent many officers into early retirement. That day he helped save the lives of children and began a long crusade of protecting the residents of Friday Harbor from the worst of humanity. But brutal car accidents and the discovery of a dog fighting ring have taken their toll on Graham. Returning to an over-crowded apartment where his room is a closet, and working sixteen-hour shifts, have left him emotionally exhausted and in need of a quiet place to call home.

Jason Wullcot is a horse breeder and a mystery to the island he lives on, but is in need of a roommate for human contact. His therapist recommends Graham Church, who also happens to have a "white knight" syndrome. When Graham discovers his new roommate was one of the children he helped save twelve-years prior, Graham’s need to protect and save kicks into high gear. Only Jason has no interest in being saved. In fact, Graham realizes that Jason may not be the one in need of saving at all, but maybe, just maybe they can fill the broken pieces of each other.