Review: Heart to Hart Has My Heart
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 29, 2013
Michael McCree had me from the first line: "Michael's life began all over again on Monday."  A perfect way to let us know that this man has a past, and a past that hasn't been fulfilling at that, as well as anchoring the story firmly in time.  Not "on that day" but Monday.  *That* Monday.  The rest of the book delivers the same way - solid, specific, hinting that there's much more without resorting to smoke and mirrors so that our uncovering of characters, events, motivations proceeds in perfect sync with Michael and his new partner (in every way) Simon.  Michael's skills and talents blend well with Simon's to solve several cases brought to them by Simon's clients.  Erin skillfully weaves the cases in and out of the larger story of the mens' relationship with one another: how they get the kidnapped pugs back pulls Simon off the shelf crammed with stuffed shirts and shows us his fun side as well as giving us another look at his readiness and ability to take on street toughs; how they free a client from the stranglehold of blackmail moves the draperies of 'hooligan' aside so Michael's utter comfort in the world of 'uppity-muppity' golfers is revealed.  Some (but not all) of the smaller cases are found to tie in to the larger issue of uncovering a murderer; Erin's skill means those tie-ins don't feel artificial.  She doesn't ask us to walk a plot-pretzel to prevent a premature ending to the story; there is no 'well, why didn't they just ...?' with an elaborate - and contrived - complication that prevents their having figured everything out on page 2.The larger story -- that of two men finding that trust does not weaken us but instead makes us strong -- is always present rather than being set down and returned to after a bit while the problems are worked on.  Like their relationship, it is there in their conversations about the cases, in their visit to Michael's Pinkerton contact, in their dealings with the small spies Simon employs.  Their trust, their love, unfolds at a very natural pace: there is nothing that makes us say 'come on and get on with it' or 'really? But you just met.'  Erin has found the balance point and lets Michael and Simon live the story at their own pace.Erin's balancing of description with direct action is also, in a word, elegant.  She tells us enough to transport us into the book's time and place without the weight of describing each freckle Simon's small spies have.  Her minor characters are just that -- they are minor and don't intrude upon the story; they are characters, not photos cut from a magazine and glued to a stick like poverty's paper dolls.  The sex is well-described and explicit without being crude and draped in purple prose.  Her writing throughout is pure, crisp and engaging.My only problem with the book -- and it's one that's easily remedied -- is that it came to an end.  Fortunately, there is a sequel.  I'll be buying that immediately.