Reviewed by Nikyta
Title: Prodigal
Author: T.A. Moore
Series: Lost and Found, #1
Heroes: Morgan & Boyd
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 242 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: February 11, 2020
Available at: DSP & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Fifteen years ago Sammy Calloway disappeared on his way home from school. Now he’s back… or is he?
Boyd Maccabbee has spent his life second-guessing his actions on that fateful day. What if he’d done something differently? Maybe Sammy would have made it home safe and never become Cutters Gap’s most tragic famous son. Or would it have been Boyd who was never seen again? When the police find new evidence on the disappearance, Boyd hopes to finally get some answers.
The last thing Morgan Graves needs is to be dragged into some old case about a missing kid. He doesn’t know why police hit on his DNA, but he’s not Sammy Calloway. He thinks he’d remember being kidnapped.
He knows he’d remember firefighter Boyd.
Drawn into the complex web of suspicion, grief, and anger that has knit Cutters Gap together in the years since Sammy’s disappearance, Morgan struggles to hang on to himself when everyone already assumes they know him.
And somewhere, the truth about Sammy Calloway is waiting.
Review:
So, I finished this book a while ago but I couldn’t really sort out my feelings for it or how I’d even review it. I absolutely adore T.A.’s writing and I’ve pretty much liked all of her stories so far but this one really had me stumped because on one hand, I really liked it and on the other, I had issues with it. For me, it was kind of like a train wreck where I didn’t want to see it happen but I couldn’t help but watch. I say that with love because, again, I really liked it but also… didn’t. I’m not really explaining it right so let me move on.
I was really intrigued by this story and absolutely loved the idea of a missing kid being found all these years later (especially when I was watching Criminal Minds at the time I was reading this and just so happened to be watching the episodes where this didn’t exactly happen :(). It was interesting to see that Sammy, now possibly Morgan, is more often than not, in trouble with the law. I didn’t exactly love Morgan as a character, and not because he’s a criminal, but because he really made himself into such an asshole, it was hard to believe he could change. As for Boyd, I loved him as a character while also feeling like he was a bit naive and gullible for being his age (although….. what is his age? I feel like he’s 23 from context but not entirely sure). I mean, he was weirdly responsible while at the same time… not. Now, this one was a bit too smutty for me but Morgan and Boyd definitely have great chemistry and I did enjoy the push/pull between them.
Now, when I say it felt like a train wreck for me it’s because of a few things. For one, it took me a bit to get into the story, probably about 35% is when I really got hooked but then the story went by too quick to the point it felt rushed. Granted, the parts with the smut didn’t but everything else felt rushed. Too much was happening all at once without giving any answers to questions. Like how Morgan was so quick to scam everyone and threaten to leave but never once did. Like all the little ‘fires’ but no idea why they were all happening at once. Like all the threatening from EVERYONE else towards Morgan (which may be why he threatened to leave but never did). Like Shay’s constant need to be (and I’m probably the only one that thinks this) verbally and physically abusive. And speaking of Shay, I didn’t get his logic. He wanted Morgan to tell everyone he wasn’t Sammy but yet wanted him to pin the blame on an old school teacher. How would that have worked if he claimed he WASN’T Sammy? Maybe I read that wrong but I was extremely confused. And then the ending… I’m feeling bereft at that because it ‘feels’ a bit like a cliffhanger but it’s kind of not but I still have soooo many questions and no answers and it’s more than just questions about the ending.
All in all, I had a lot of issues with it BUT I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN, which is why I’m left with this weird feeling. I loved and hated it at the same time. It aggravated me and pissed me off at times but I couldn’t stop reading it once I got into the grove of things. I was confused and have so many questions but I won’t lie about not being able to put it down. I did like Boyd as a character, even if he is extremely gullible, but it was hard for me to like Morgan when all he wanted to do it scam people and threaten to leave…. but then never did. So, I feel like readers should make up their own minds with this one. Read it, give it a try and maybe you’ll love it, maybe you won’t but I bet you won’t be able to put it down.
Overall Impression: I liked it
*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*
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