Reviewed by Susan65
Title: Survival Game
Author: Susan Mac Nicol
Series: Men of London #9
Heroes: Eric Kirby/Kyle Tripper
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 172 Pages
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing
Release Date: September 7, 2017
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Since his true love died, paramedic Eric Kirby has been living a half life, but when he meets purple-haired Kyle Tripper, Eric’s heart is jolted into a whole new rhythm.
HANDLE…
Kyle Tripper has led an interesting life. Currently the manager of London’s famous Club Delish, he used to be a croupier extraordinaire in Las Vegas. But not everything in that life was so glamorous; his ex was a piece of work. Now gun-shy, Kyle hopes there is someone special out there for him, and secretly wishes it’s luscious paramedic, Eric Kirby.
WITH CARE
Every day Eric Kirby goes through the motions. Yeah, he saves lives, and, sure, he makes a difference, but he doesn’t feel it anymore – not since he lost his one true. But, when he meets wild, flamboyant Kyle Tripper and learns there’s a skittish, apprehensive man beneath the bold façade, the best of Eric’s protective nature kicks in, and opens his heart to a new love.
Review: The Men of London series is a keeper, and Survival Game was worth the wait. I never tire of meeting the new characters and checking in with those in the past eight books. In this installment, we get up close and personal with Kyle, our club manager who works for Ryan (our hero in the last book, Hard Climate) and with Eric, a paramedic and Ryan’s friend. These two guys have it rough. Hard times dealing with PTSD, but imagine both guys suffering in silence. Note: this book runs almost parallel with Hard Climate.
Kyle had it rough, I mean any victim of domestic violence suffers, but I believe men suffer psychologically even more so due to the stigma attached. But seriously, his ex was a real piece of work. And Eric just about broke my heart clean in half. I cannot imagine the horror he went through with the loss of his partner. Truthfully, that was a heart-breaker. Combined, our protagonists are trying to move on and be a real couple. But first they need to get to talking and discussing their pasts. Not easy at all considering their jobs and the fact that they rarely get any face time.
This book has some hard subject matter, but Susan Mac Nicol handled it with compassion and dignity. We all love that elusive love story where everything is perfect and the birds are always singing, but that is not real life. Realism is what I love in my stories, and we get that in spades with the Men of London series. Being American, I used to struggle a bit with British slang, but I am getting better. There is quite a bit in this book, and I remember thinking that Susan let it all out on purpose, that she was not trying to fit a mold but be true to herself. Good for her. And, in a way, our guys did the same thing. They knew they had to be real to move forward and move forward they did, brilliantly. Highly recommended.
Overall Impression: I really liked it!
*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*
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