Review: 4.5 Stars for Private Eye
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 2, 2012
In the beginning, I wasn't sure about this book.  The "proglouge" section seemed weak and the dialouge kind of cheesy.  However, chapter one completely changed this.  The writing improves and the story really starts to come together in an interesting and enjoyable way.  This book seems to have something for everyone: blossoming romance, a jealos yet relentless ex-boyfriend, an emerging awareness of one's sexuality, all wrapped around a well constructed mystery.  It also has a couple of hot cops. :) The relationship between Rafe and Jeremy, the two main characters, is realistic, although a few minior parts felt a bit rushed.  The sexual tension and attraction between them is sizzling--it gives you that warm feeling all over.  Culpepper does a nice job balancing the mystery part of the story with the romance part of the story, which is great because it keeps the novel dynamic and discourages readers from putting the book down.  The writing is also very solid, although there were some pop culture references that felt a little weird (although that could just be me).  However, there are a couple of things I didn't like that made me take away half a star.  Some of the fights between Jeremy and Rafe, especially in the beginning of their relationship, seemed silly and it interrupted the flow of the otherwise smooth story telling.  Also, the mystery--and the events surrounding it--was cliche for me, so some of the excitement was removed.Overall, I recommend this book.  The writing is gripping and the characters are endearing.  And, if you enjoyed this book, I must recommendPromises (Coda Books, #1).  I was reminded of this book while reading Private Eye, and I think if you enjoyed this book by S.E. Culpepper then you'll enjoy Promises by Marie Sexton as well.