Rose and Thorne: Book One Vinnie Delarosa and Ethan Thorne are partners–on and off the clock. Federal undercover detectives, they’re part of a covert task force designed to promote goodwill between the feds and local authorities. They lend an unobtrusive helping hand wherever it’s needed. No credit required. Vinnie and Ethan work primarily in the Southeast region of the United States and live … of the United States and live together in Richmond, Virginia. A mugger problem brings them to Roanoke, where Vinnie is thrown out as bait to catch the man who’s been snatching purses in a city park, but they end up with more than they bargained for. Why is Vinnie always the one who has to wear the dress? Ethan says it’s because Vinnie looks much prettier in a skirt. How can he argue with that?
Expecting to return to Richmond afterward, Vinnie and Ethan find themselves assigned a new case instead. They are to go undercover at The Stroll, one of the biggest gay nightclubs in Roanoke. Someone is terrorizing both the customers and the performers. Could they be dealing with a hate crime? Someone has to protect the drag queens of Roanoke, so it’s Vinnie and Ethan to the rescue!
The author is donating 10% of the royalties from this book to No Kid Hungry. Visit nokidhungry.org for more information about this organization.
The author is donating 10% of the royalties from this book to No Kid Hungry. Visit nokidhungry.org for more information about this organization.
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Vinnie is always wondering why he’s the one always in a skirt. Vinnie and Ethan are partners…at home and at work. As federal agents assisting local law enforcement, they often go undercover, and if there’s a skirt, Vinnie is in it. Ethan says it’s because he has the better body for it, but Ethan suspects he may be fulfilling the female’s part of the relationship. As a man, this rankles him a bit.
They soon go undercover at a gay bar. Guess who’s behind the bar and who’s on stage? Ha! Vinnie, aka Boom Boom Sanchez, of course! Someone is terrorizing the customers and fellow drag queens. It’s up to them to discover and capture the culprit.
Hilarious hijinks ensue from the get-go. Vinnie is always finding himself the damsel in distress, and Ethan his savior. The arrest in chapter one finds them the reluctant caretakers to a yappy dog, with the unfortunate name of Spot. It doesn’t take them long to fall for the little guy.
It’s very obvious from the start that Ethan and Vinnie love each other. They’re very sweet together. Ethan is such a caretaker, and Vinnie loves letting Ethan take care of him. I enjoyed their banter.
This is a fun story, and I enjoyed the characters and the flow of the story. It’d make a great addition to your library and TBR list!
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn’t a requirement. **
I enjoyed Ethan and Vinnie very much. They were a loving couple, open and honest with each other. The banter between them was amusing, and the support they showed was what everyone looks for in a life mate. I loved how well they worked together on the job and solved the crimes. I recommend this story and I look forward to more in this series.
I received an ARC through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
3.5 stars
“Bad Dogs and Drag Queens” by Julie Lynn Hayes is the first story in the ‘Rose and Thorne’ series and features federal agents Vinnie Delarosa and Ethan Thorne, whose special talents (and fancy wardrobes) are used to solve cases for local law enforcement officials.
This contemporary gay mystery romance is a lighthearted look at the lengths some folks will go to nab their villains. Vinnie and Ethan are partners in life and on the job and have no problem dressing up to fit the role. The little dog and his actions almost steal the show, and he adds great “aww” moments. Although I love the connection the men have, at times I felt they were almost too sweet and mild, and I was surprised at the brief interludes of insecurity that almost blow their covers given the length of time they’ve been together. The interactions with the drag queens and their inventive names were fun elements but the motive behind the perpetrator seemed a little weak. I suspect that some of the dangling threads are going to be addressed in subsequent stories since this is the first in the series. Those in search of a low-angst-fun read should give this tale a try.
A copy was provided for review
This is a fun story that pulled me into the plot right away. It’s funny, yet suspense filled at the same time with great characters you can’t help but love. Ethan Thorn and Vinnie Delarosa, partners in both a special task force and in their personal life, are madly in love. It’s shown in every action they take, along with their wonderful lovemaking and they aren’t hesitant to tell each other just how much they love each other.
Vinnie is a rather sarcastic individual, tired of being the one that always has to dress in drag for missions that require it. He lets Ethan know in no uncertain words that he’s angry and it’s more than time for Ethan to take the position of the woman for once. Unfortunately, as we read through the novel, we do get to see that he is rather a diva and as much as he denies it, he doesn’t hate dressing in drag, just finds it humiliating. I love when we get to meet them for the first time, helping the local police catch a purse snatcher in a local park. Poor Vinnie was dressed in drag “again”, and was the bait.
I laughed at the commentary between the two while Vinnie does his best to look like a hopeless woman, with a gun stuck in his waistband. The funniest part was, while Vinnie was being distracted by a cute little dog that appeared out of nowhere, the purse snatcher appeared. Imagine his surprise when the ‘woman’ is a lot stronger than he thought, finding himself in a wrestling match. Ethan came to his rescue and Vinnie was pouting about his slight injuries and hurting feet, which I think all woman in the world can relate to. Those high heels can be killers.
After cuffing their suspect and handing him over to the local police, the end up taking the dog with them to the hotel not knowing what to do with the poor thing. They had called the number on his tag with no answer. They end up naming him Benny, already smitten with him. They find out that the dog actually belonged to the purse snatcher so they end up adopting him.
Ethan is a down to earth character, but he adores Vinnie and Benny. He’ll do anything to keep them safe. He also tends to be protective and at times babying Vinnie when he needs it. For example, he’ll give a foot rub after wearing the heels. Ethan and Vinnie have a relationship that many would love. They have each other’s back no matter what, in their police work or in life. Their love is expressed in their lovemaking; it’s hot but sweet along with comfort as needed. It’s them against the world.
I enjoyed the main plot where poor Vinnie is forced, yet again, to dress in drag. This time he has to infiltrate a club called The Stroll which is experiencing accidents to the drag queens and those who frequent the club are being blackmailed. This club is well known for their entertainment of the drag queens dancing and they also mixed with the customers. Each ‘woman’ has her own stage name such as Afternoon Delight, and Sparkles. Vinnie’s stage name is Boom-Boom Sanchez and Ethan goes undercover as a bartender so both could watch and listen for any clues. Vinnie was an instant success, to his consternation.
This is a fun, entertaining, and suspenseful book that kept me entertained from start to finish. A wonderful plot filled with great and exotic characters that allows the reader to get a peek in the drag queen society. I would recommend this to anyone that has an open mind and enjoys a mystery with great characters who don’t take themselves too seriously.