Diversion

Book 1

By: Eden Winters

Narrated by: Darcy Stark

There are good guys, bad guys, and then there's Lucky.

Former drug trafficker Richmond “Lucky” Lucklighter flaunts his past like a badge of honor. He speaks his mind, doesn't play nice, and flirts with disaster while working off his sentence with the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau. If he can keep out of trouble a while longer he'll be a free man - after he trains his replacement.

Textbook-quoting, by-the-book Bo Schollenberger is everything Lucky isn't. Lucky slurps coffee; Bo lives caffeine free. Lucky worships bacon; Bo eats tofu. Lucky trusts no one; Bo calls suspects by their first names. Yet when the chips are down on their shared case of breaking up a drug diversion ring, they may have more in common than they believe.

Two men. Close quarters. Friction results in heat. But Lucky scoffs at partnerships, no matter how thrilling the roller-coaster. Bo has two months to break down Lucky's defenses...and seconds are ticking by.

©2012 Eden Winters (P)2018 Eden Winters

entertaining

I enjoyed seeing Lucky vulnerable because of Bo and his feelings for him. The changes in Lucky because of Bo were compelling and impactful. What a glorious ending for now. The narrator did a great job bringing the characters and story to life.

MM Work Romance

Well I truly enjoyed this read. I loved Bo and then Lucky was just hilarious. Both MCs were very likeable and Lucky was really funny. I enjoyed the side characters as well. This book was about reformed felons who are now working for an agency to go undercover to find corporations that are operating illegally. I found the story to be good, and the characters to be very interesting. I look forward to seeing how the relationship of these two progresses and to read about what they get up to next. This was a new to author and narrator and I look forward to reading and listening to more by both.

Didn't Finish

The story line was a good idea, but I was never able to connect with it--or with the protagonists, for that matter.
If felt as if there was a lot of jumping around, and the writing style was,IDK,choppy or stilted a bit. Mechanical, rather than flowing. Lucky's immediate jump to sexual imaginings was a bit off-putting, as well. It just was too fast and too forced.
I lost interest in the book quickly, and didn't finish it.

And so it begins....

I read this book last year and I remember that it wasn’t this kind of wow read. I wasn’t quite sold on it or the characters. I also remember that I felt like it had a lot of potential, that there was something there worth exploring. And I was right, the series got better the more books I read, and by now. I *think* that I’ve read all of them (going off to double check) … and yes I have, and now I love this series. So when asked if I would like to review the audiobook of Diversion I was eager to do so. Lucky for me (pun not intended) I only had to wait a couple of weeks for it to be released.

Diversion starts off running, with former drug trafficker Lucky stealing a truck of pharmaceuticals right under the company’s nose – and he takes great pleasure doing it too. But what better way to expose weaknesses in the system than employing the expert who used to exploit them? At least that was what the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau thought when they offered Lucky a job within the bureau as a way to work off his prison sentence. Now with only weeks away from freedom, Lucky is partnered up with a textbook-quoting and by the book Bo Schollenberger, the man who will take his place for one last case.

The men are as different as fire and ice, and to say that there’s friction between them is an understatement. And it doesn’t help their working relationship that Lucky is more than a little obnoxious - a trait he's proud of and does everything he can to cultivate. He lives for annoying the ever-loving shit out of everyone, and does so every chance he gets. He didn’t really count on Bo being equally stubborn and the first one that ever really gave as good as he got. The physical part between them was easy, kind of instant, but the emotional part took some time and it still need some work by the end of the book – but hey there are many more books to go.

Both Lucky and Bo have shady pasts. Pasts that lead them to the bureau working off a sentence. They are for sure no angels or paint a rosy coloured and perfect picture. They both have issues both current ones and ones from the past. They've been dented and a bit chewed on in the past and they have the scars to show for it. It added to the kind of gritty and raw feel that this book had – in a very good way.

There was one issue for me with this book, these characters. They are supposed to be just under 40 years old, but they sure don’t act or feel like it. When listening or reading, they feel more like in their early twenties, so at times things don’t quite set right in my mind. I do feel that this bothered me a lot more when reading, compared to listening to Stark’s narration, so hat off for that – well, if I had a hat that is.

I really enjoyed Darcy Stark's narration of this book. I loved that he had different voices for the different characters. But more than that, he added emotions to his narration and the story. To me that bring the story to another level like nothing else can. It’s the thing that grips you and holds you captive from beginning to end. And I sure was hooked for the hours I listened to this book.

I know that this is only the beginning for Lucky and Bo’s adventures and there’s a lot more trouble to be had in the future. I for one can’t wait for this insane ride to really take off.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes

One to recommend

This is the first story I’ve listened to by this author. I have the audio version because I drive a lot so I really enjoy audio books. This story made me happy I’ve found this author. The story hooked me from the start. I enjoyed the wrong side of the law, the right side of the law, the flashbacks to the previous relationship and the current questionable relationship. I enjoyed the difference in personality types and the snarky thoughts going on. I liked not only was the sex hot but some of the outfits described were entertaining by themselves. I think the narrator really matched the story and made this book enjoyable. I’ve had books where the narrator ruined the book and believe me those give me a headache even if the story is good. This narrator and author made everything so identifiable and realistic. I will be recommending this to my friends.

Not my cup of tea

not very good. I would pass on this. The story is very slow and not very well developed