Killian has already lost so much.  After tragedy, you look for the little things that mean a lot.  He decides the music means the most.  Until he meets someone who gives him a reason to have hope.

Mike too has lost so much.  He is excited to find someone who he actually has so much in common.  Is it worth it to get your hopes up?  Maybe there is a future with another lost soul who knows how it feels to lose.

This story felt to me like the epitome of a slow burn.  Slower than I actually preferred, but the build was worth it as the backstory pays off as you read.  Such sad lives until they come together and you know it is meant to be.  Great book for a good cry, and two truly realistic characters that make you feel in such a genuine way for them.  I give this read a 3/5 Kitty's Paws UP!

***This copy was given in exchange for an honest review.

The fact that I even tried it...Eden Winters...Darcy Stark... 

I'm a big fan of this author. Even before her 'DIversion' series I was devouring her books...from 'Almost Mine' to 'The Wish' I've enjoyed this author's stories and while I had initially decided that this would be the one that I just took a pass on when the opportunity presented itself to read the book...I caved and in some ways that was probably the right choice...this one's SciFi folks...sooooo much SciFi I just couldn't connect so I took a break and because sometimes Karma's not a b*tch...the book came out on audio and audio is my friend especially when the audio is being done by a narrator as talented as Darcy Stark.

So I grabbed me a copy of the audio book and then I spent a week staring at it whenever I decided to listen to an audio book because "Ohmygod!!! It's SciFi and what if I don't like it...and yes, I did angst a bit about this." before putting on my big girl panties and telling myself "If I don't like it, I don't like it. The world will not end." So here's what my audio adventure taught me...

apparently if it's a good story, it's a good story and while I struggled a bit when I tried to read this story, when I got it on audio with what I consider to be a rather talented narrator I found myself relaxing and focusing on the details and allowing my mind to visualize the world(s) that this author created and the life forms...yes, that's right this one goes beyond the light SciFi that I've listened to and enjoyed in the past and by light SciFi I'm talking humans, tech, maybe some genetic enhancement and/or manipulation and for me that's a level of SciFi that I'm comfortable with and often enjoy. It's not about good or bad it's about comfort level and that's mine but even I occasionally venture outside of my comfort levels, I find it to be a healthy thing to do and as it turned out this was a good time to do it.

First off Darcy Stark did a superlative job with the voices in this story from Van and Tayn to Jorvik, whose voice I imagine offered it's own unique challenge and then there was the Commander whose voice along with Ms WInters description created a very well defined image for me and can I just say...I am never sitting down to a meal with that dude... humanoid...alien life form?

If I've learned anything from my past history it's not that I don't like SciFi it's that when it comes to SciFi my preferences are auditory and visual...I've enjoyed several SciFi stories on audio as well as more than a few movies and/or television shows...so this is totally me thing. But once I got into this story I was all in.

The combination of Eden Winters story telling skills and Darcy Starks narration created not just a world but a universe that I wanted to explore as well as telling me a story that I was fully invested in. From the heat and passion of Van, Taryn and Jorvik's relationship to Jorvik's struggles to save his world this story basically had it all and uniquely so.

I'm not going to delve into any of the intricacies of the this story because I truly don't think I could do it justice. What I will say is that whether it's auditory or visual SciFi still isn't an easy sell with me but in the end it comes down to the story that's been created and with "Consorts of the Red King" the reader or in my case listener's been given a story that's filled with action, adventure, intrigue, subterfuge, love and passion changing the challenge from 'how to start' to 'how to stop'? I may have had a rather late night in there somewhere.

My rating for this one may have only been 3.5 stars but considering that I'm not sitting in my comfort zone on this one either...well, let's just say for me those are some pretty bright stars.

The other thing that I know for sure is that while this story could essentially stand on it's own as it is. Should the author choose to pick-up where things have been left and give us more about this unique trio and their adventures it could be done seamlessly at any time and if that happens I'll be there waiting for the audio book narrated by Darcy Stark...please and thank you.

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It's always good to start the year of right and that's what me and my buddy read group did. We started our buddy read adventures for this year with Lucky and Bo.

'Suspicion' is the seventh book in Eden Winters 'Diversion' series and it is every bit if not even better than the first book. I've been reading this series since it first came out back in 2012 and I have every intention of being there until the end...which hopefully won't be any time soon. 

I love Lucky and Bo, they are absolutely one of my favorite book couples and like good wine they've only improved with time. I love their banter and snark. I love how they know each other and how things work between them and that's only gotten better with each story.

There was a lot going on in this one as is usually the case with these men and I really can't stress that if you haven't read the first 6 books in this series I strongly encourage doing that before getting into this one.

So now here's where I get lazy because I see that some of my buddy read friends have already done all the hard work and written awesome reviews for this one so I'm just going to say that I really, really loved it and reading it with my besties who also loved this series only made it that much better so here the links to some already written awesome reviews by my friends...Christelle, Josy and Simone...

Christelle's Review

Josy's Review

Simone's Review

My recommendation:  Read the books all the books!

and when I saw it on audible I just couldn't resist the opportunity to enjoy it on audio.

Every since the accident that claimed his life...Killian Desmond has lived his life in the shadows letting the world believe that the accident that claimed  him brother and bandmates also claimed him. But when the opportunity to earn a night's pay filling in with a tribute band presents itself Killian discovers that not everyone in the band is easily fooled and Tex sees past the shadows to the man who's hiding.

At less than 2 hours 'Highway Man' packs an emotional punch that will leave the reader reaching for some tissues and a little red around the eyes. It's been at least 6 years since I read the e-book but despite the years between then and now, the one thing I had no problem remembering was how much I enjoyed this story so there I was 'Highway Man' by Eden Winters and narrated by Darcy Stark...no thought needed on this one...I  clicked the buy button and it was a done deal.

'Highway Man' is a story of love and loss, of starting over, forgiving yourself, healing and second chances and it's 1 hour and 43 minutes of pure emotion. This is the 5th book that I'm enjoyed by this narrator and I know I have at least 2 more to go because he's also the narrator for Ms. Winters 'Diversion' series and I definitely looking forward to enjoying that series on audio...I've already got the first to books ready to go and as soon as the rest are available me and my grabby hands will be all over them.

If you're not familiar with this author or this narrator 'Highway Man' is a very enjoyable way to fix that little oversight...this one's definitely recommended.

So last Wednesday a couple of my Buddy Read Besties and I did this thing where we all pulled up our copies of 'Reunion' by Eden Winters and we jumped, we dived and we unrepentantly fell into this story. It was Bo and Lucky at their best and without a doubt it was one of our best buddy reads EVAH!!!...well, almost we were missing a member...*side-eyes Josy* but she did pop in to visit from time to time so that helped.

I'm probably going to take my lazy reviewers way out on this one for a couple of reasons...one because hey already some awesome reviews out there, here's proof...

Simone's Awesome 'Reunion' Review

Christelle's Amazing Reunion Review

Thanks for sharing the fun with me ladies as always you made something fantastic even more so.

So I'm just going to add a few random thoughts on this one before moving on. First if you haven't read the previous books in this series...ok, I admit it I don't really understand but ok, yes I do...so many books so little time, but honestly make time for this series you won't regret or at least I can't imagine that you will...*side-eyes Josy, again*.

If you have read been reading this series I think you're really going to love this one. I know we've been left hanging white-knuckles and all on the edge of a cliff at times, we've been left wondering how these guys are every going to make it, clutching our teddys with tears in our eyes and diligently praying for more...like yesterday but in this one at the end of it all we were left feeling pretty damned good about things and yes, still wanting more.

'Reunion' was filled with so much emotion we laughed...Oh how we laughed, we had a couple of 'what the hell?' moments and there may have been a tissue or two sacrificed along the way but at the end of it all without a doubt this one was 100% worth reading. 

Like my friend and Buddy Read Bestie Simone, I've been with this amazing series for a few years now and there is zero doubt in my mind that I'm in it for the long haul and I love that we've added Christelle to team #LUCKYandBOforever! For as much as I loved reading this one Christelle and Simone sharing the experience with you both made it even better and I can't wait until the next one because I just know that we'll have our fourth member of this buddy read team on board and up to speed for it..."right Josy?" *that's right I'ma lookin' at you girlfriend*...no pressure though ;)