They say you can’t go home again. Adam Klay doesn’t intend to until the death of his father forces his return to Skagit, Washington. Cleaning up his father’s chaotic life was never on Adam’s bucket list. Worse, Adam finds himself inexplicably drawn to the elusive, terminally-clumsy, gorgeous, Micah Ryan. No way is he getting involved with someone from his hometown, he’s always insisted the best … best view of Skagit was in his rearview mirror.
Micah Ryan has been coasting on auto-pilot since his family was killed in a car accident a decade earlier. He runs a web business and has an irritable cat. He hardly leaves his house, unless it is for his afternoon espresso. His world tips upside down when Adam Klay rolls into town. For the first time in years, he feels alive. Unfortunately, Micah’s return to the living has been noticed and is not appreciated.
*This re-edited version of Storm Season does not differ significantly from the original except for better grammar.
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Storm Season is a fantastic read, filled with plenty of twist and turns, suspense, sexy times, and a bunch of colorful side characters.
The main characters, Micah and Adam, are polar opposites who meet up at a coffee house while Adam comes back home to empty out his father’s house after he had died.
Adam is a Fed, who comes off as quite rough around the edges, but I actually came to understand why he is the way he is the further I moved along in the story. He is relentless in his pursuit to give the families of murdered victims some type of closure.
Micah has lost everyone in his family and has been living like a zombie for the past ten years because of that. He’s withdrawn, clumsy, quiet, and zoned out to most everything around him.
He captures Adam’s attention at the coffee house, and from there, the most unlikely duo head on a journey of finding themselves individually and as a couple at the same time trying to solve something sinister going on in their small home town.
There are so many great supporting characters, which I always love because it adds a bucketful of depth to the storyline. The writing was outstanding as well with plenty of attention to detail along with great editing. I’m looking forward to diving into the next in the series. Five stars for me. I highly recommend this one!
Because I am an absolute genius, I picked up the seventh book in this series before I bought, or knew about, the first. And I’m glad I did because His Best Man was one of the sweetest, most warm-your-soul books I’ve ever read. Go buy it, right now, and come back to this one.
Or, you know, read them in order. Like a logical boring person. Or a sensible one. Whichever.
Anyway, while Micah getting his happily ever after is absolutely sweet, and there is an aura of sweetness to the side characters, there is nothing sweet about Storm Season and I loved every minute of it. Storm Season is about an FBI agent whose meat and potatoes is murder, and grisly murder at that.
Okay, so you knew I was going to love it as soon as you knew who Adam Klay was.
He’s called away from an exceptionally nasty murder (seriously, just look away from that one) to go back to his hometown of Skagit, Washington when his estranged father dies. He’s supposed to be taking all of his unused vacation time, but he doesn’t because he suspects a murder, and then he finds a murder, and the case blossoms from there.
BUT there’s also Micah. Micah is connected to the missing person, and he’s also handsome, and he’s clumsy and socially anxious. (I am also clumsy and socially anxious, so I related to him pretty easily.) Both of them left Skagit. Both of them came back without necessarily wanting to. There is intense Family Drama™ with both of them, which I won’t unveil because of spoilers.
The amazing thing about the books I’ve read by Elle Keaton is that she creates these characters who are just amazing for each other. Adam is intense, driven, and kind of fixated on murder. He’s also a kind of broken guy in a lot of ways. Micah is warm and nurturing, but he doesn’t have any outlets for his need to take care of someone until Adam comes into his life. They make each other better, and heal each other’s wounds, simply by existing and it’s beautiful.
The murders, human trafficking, old family secrets, and mayhem are icing on the cake here. It’s good icing, don’t get me wrong. The romance truly shines through here. It’s the perfect example of romantic suspense – neither aspect of the story would exist without the other, and it’s amazing. I’m envious of how well she pulled it off and I might just go cry in a corner or something.
(Not really, I’m going to read the next one. But the urge is there.)
The side characters are fantastic too, from Joey the nurse to the weird old men that used to be friends of Adam’s father. There wasn’t anyone I wanted to see off the page.
So why only four stars?
Honestly, Micah’s social anxiety seems to fade away when it’s not convenient or funny. So does his clumsiness. The guy who showed up in the first part of the book could never have pulled off what Micah does in the latter half of the book if he were as clumsy as first half Micah.
Nit-picky? Sure. But as someone who’s gotten up in front of a crowd and literally forgotten my native language, I found it difficult to work past it. Not so difficult that ruined the book, but more like sand in your swimsuit after a beautiful day at the beach.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series and I hope you do too.
My first Elle Keaton story gave me two very relatable characters, a sweet love story, and an amazing sense of location. Reading the next book now…
This is the first book I read from Elle…she hooked me! The characters are unforgettable. The suspense had me turning pages. The setting was amazingly described. I felt like I was right there in Skagit! Worth every second of reading time!
Honestly, book one didn’t seem all that appealing to me, so I wasn’t going to read it but book two sounded better and three even sounds better than two, so I thought what the heck. Reading a series out of order gives me anxiety so I just went with it. Storm Season was just meh, at best for me.
I found Micah really endearing in the beginning and his character pulled me in but then out of the blue he was not as clumsy, stronger and he felt more “awake” than he ever had. It wasn’t a slow progression at all it was just one page he was this way and the next he was that way. The whole appeal to his character was that he was shattered from the events of his past and losing his family, but it was just like “oh well, I got a man now so no biggie”.
Adam on the other hand was perpetually pissed off even he was being kind to Micah, I get it he had a crap childhood and never had love like he deserved. By the time he could have found love on his own he had put up a wall and was emotionally unavailable. Micah had it way worse than Adam and he was still kind even when he was closed off.
The writing was choppy, and I felt like there were so many points where the story was getting to a good climax or a bit of drama and the chapter would just end. For it being a mystery type of story, we didn’t really get much of the mystery part. One chapter was leading and the next everything was wrapped up and we got answers.
Really, I didn’t hate this book there was just so many holes and while we did get the answers, not very many explanations. Like with Micah having a kid, or Adam’s brother. I do have high hopes for book but if book two continues in the same way I don’t think I will continue on with this series.
Romantic suspense has become a favorite genre for me and I am loving this series. The first book in the series was a wonderful start. The mystery is nicely plotted and detailed. The characters are wonderful from the main characters of Adam and Micah to the supporting characters. Such wonderful characterizations and I look forward to visiting with them more in this series. The book wasn’t perfect as it really needed some better editing in spots, but it was a very entertaining story, highlighted by the wonderful characters.
Audiobook review
Overall – 5
Performance – 3
Story – 5
I loved this book; narration needs a little work.
I originally read Storm Season back in February 2018 and I absolutely loved it. Excerpts of my review from back then will be below my comments on the narration.
This is the first book I’ve listened to narrated by Nick Gallagher and he did a decent job. His voice is easy to listen to but there’s not a lot of differentiation in voices for each character; for some reason this didn’t really bother me with this particular story.
My biggest issue with the audio is that there were background noises that shouldn’t be there. I suspect that this narrator doesn’t have a lot of experience and maybe his recording environment needs some work. He doesn’t have a lot of books on Audible so maybe he’s just getting started. I know that quality recording equipment – microphone, booth, etc. – isn’t cheap but some of the background noise (humming) could probably have been eliminated with software. I thought his pacing and vocal inflections were really quite good and I would be very willing to listen to more books that he performs.
Below are my comments on the story itself from when I read it two years ago.
The MCs (main characters) are Adam and Micah. Both of these men are somewhat broken but manage to find happiness with each other. Adam is a federal investigator who returns to Skagit to settle up things after his estranged father’s death. Micah stayed in Skagit after his mother, father and sister were killed in a car accident. After the accident he became somewhat of a recluse. When he meets Adam at a local coffee shop, he feels something that he hasn’t felt in a very long time – alive. Mystery and suspense are plentiful in this story.
The romance for the main characters in this book is resolved but not the mystery that much of the story is about; that will conclude in book 2.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
This first book in the Accidental Roots series revolves around federal agent Adam and socially anxious loner Micah. Adam is called in the middle of a missing child case when his estranged father dies. He heads home to Washington where he has not been in 18 years. He meets Micah in a local coffee shop and is intrigued.
In the process of dealing with his father’s estate and getting to know and care for Micah, Adam learns things about himself. Likewise, Adam wakes Micah up from the slumbering life he’s been living since his family was killed ten years earlier. When Micah is targeted by someone, Adam pushes his boss to let him look into a case of bodies discovered in the area. The suspense story is exciting and the personal story is touching. It’s a good combination.
The story arc moves a bit slow in parts and there are some consistency and proofreading issues. A good editor should have remedied those issues. But if you can overlook those things this is a good, compelling read.
This was a really good book. Adam and Micah each had difficult pasts, and it was lovely watching them bring each other to a point where their love had a chance to blossom. Add in the friends and co-workers in this couple’s lives, and there was never a dull moment. The human trafficking/murder elements were creepy and intense, and I am looking forward to more being revealed in the next book in the series. This was a great romance in a small town full of nosy but loving people, and I really enjoyed it!
I couldn’t put this book down,
Another great read much more than five stars from me .
I loved everything the journey these men took to feel complete was amazing .
Such a great story line it kept me on my toes …
Micah and Adam were both lost but didn’t know they just existed .
Suspense , Romance and crime added up to a wonderful read , I read slowly to let it all take its place .
Adam and Micah just fitted , it is a reread for me , did I love this book ? Hell yeah !
A great page turner ..
** 4.5 stars **
This was my first book by Elle Keaton, and I really enjoyed it. I love a good mystery with a side of amateur sleuthing. Plus small town and people knowing everyone’s business makes for a very entertaining story. I liked that the author made chapters short. And each had either Adam or Micah’s POV. It was always clear who was who, and I really liked that. The pace was a bit slow for a mystery but it was interspersed with beautiful descriptions of local landmarks that I found myself envisioning the places that MCs went, the emotions that they caused. Those parts were lovely.
I enjoyed Adam’s slightly jaded attitude and sarcastic brand of humor. His often snarky inner comments just cracked me up. Little pieces of information from different people throughout the book created an image of a man who despite his inner strength and extreme independence was lonely at heart and didn’t know how to trust and open up. Adam was a perfectionist but he demanded the most from himself. It took him a while to recognize the feelings he had for Micah. I loved his very few overprotective friends, his deer in the headlights moments when he was so awkward surrounded by people, yet how free and uninhibited he was with Micah.
Micah is still grieving after his family was taken from him so suddenly over ten years ago. Even though he has people in his corner, he still feels like he is on the outside looking in. He is not living just existing. But he comes out of his stupor when he meets Adam and sees that Adam needs him just as much as he needs Adam. I liked Micah’s slow reemergence to the land of the living. (no pun intended) He remembered how it felt to be adventurous, spontaneous and brave. Sometimes his decisions were foolhardy but, I guess, after so many years of drifting he just went all in without reservations.
I loved the town of Skagit and its inhabitants. All the nosy, extra helpful, gossipy people who always thought they knew better. But the reality of the town was a lot scarier than anyone could have imagined. What starts as random murders turns into a horrible string of crimes that have been going on for years. Many things assumed as truth are questioned, old wounds are ripped open. But Adam and Micah are able to get to the bottom of it except they only scratch the surface, and it’s only the beginning. I enjoyed the romance, the mystery and the family that Adam and Micah inadvertently created. I will definitely continue the series!
What an exciting read. The plot is well thought out. The characters surprise you. Adam is the strong tough FBI agent home to settle his father’s estate. Micah is a clumsy guy fogged under by grief. The thrills a perfectly balanced out with what Adam originally came there to do and the crimson investigation that is going on. Elle Keaton gave us a great story wile leaving us with serious questions. Will Seth stick around so Adam and him can work on their relationship? Will Geir get his chance at a happily ever after? I loved this book and can’t wait to read the next?
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Veronica –
Hard-nosed Federal Investigator Adam Klay and reclusive Micah Ryan seem like an unlikely couple from the outside. Both men turn out to be far more complex than my initial impressions of them suggested. Neither one of them is looking for a relationship. They both live with few people who are close to them. This set up really worked for me because I love seeing lonely people find love.
I like that we get to meet the men alone and then get to see them discover each other. While their relationship is developing, the discovery of dead bodies coupled with arson attacks lead the men to think it may be connected to the death of Micah’s family years before.
I loved sitting back and watching this story come together and connecting all the dots. Briefly around the middle of the story, I wished it was moving faster but I just needed to be patient. The latter part of the story moves much faster. I also loved seeing Micah grow in confidence and come out of his grief and start living again.
Storm Season is a really good romantic suspense story and is the first in the Accidental Roots series. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone (I read book #5 first). I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series over the next few months.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Storm Season (Accidental Roots #1) by Elle Keaton to read and review.