THE GRAVEDIGGER'S BRAWL

TITLE: THE GRAVEDIGGER’S BRAWL

AUTHOR: ABIGAIL ROUX

Pages: 202

Date: 14/12/2013

Grade: 4+

Details: Received from Riptide Publishing

              Through NetGalley

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

Dr. Wyatt Case is never happier than when he’s walking the halls of his history museum. Playing wingman for his best friend at Gravedigger’s Tavern throws him way out of his comfort zone, but not as much as the eccentric man behind the bar, Ash Lucroix.

Ash is everything Wyatt doesn’t understand: exuberant, quirky, and elbow deep in a Gaslight lifestyle that weaves history into everyday life. He coordinates his suspenders with his tongue rings. Within hours, Wyatt and Ash are hooked.

But strange things are afoot at Gravedigger’s, and after a knock to the head, Ash starts seeing things that can’t be explained by old appliances or faulty wiring. Soon everyone at Gravedigger’s is wondering if they’re seeing ghosts, or just going crazy. The answer to that question could end more than just Wyatt and Ash’s fragile relationship—it might also end their lives.

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I’m quickly turning into a huge Abigail Roux fan. My infatuation started not too long ago with ‘Cut and Run’ and has only gained in strength since. Of course, Ty and Zane are by far my favourite creations of this author, but I have to say that I quite enjoyed the company of Wyatt and Ash. Wyatt’s geekiness contrasted nicely with Ash’s more flamboyant style and the way these two characters interacted brought a smile to my face on several occasions.

The ghostly aspect of this story worked really well for me too, especially because it entered the story stealthily, or should I say ‘ghostlike’. I liked that for the longest time it was possible, both for the characters and for the reader, to dismiss the strange noises and apparitions as the logical result of things such as faulty wiring or a bang on the head. And I admired the way in which the story gradually flowed from a wonderful love story scenario into full on creepiness.

In fact, there is more than one love story between these covers, and the second one between Noah, Wyatt’s colleague, and Caleb, Ash’s boss was as fascinating as the main attraction. It is refreshing to read a book in which the secondary characters are almost as vividly painted as the main ones. In fact, Abigail Roux succeeded so well in making Caleb and Noah full-fledged characters that there were times when I deeply regretted that the story had to focus on Wyatt and Ash. I wouldn’t have minded spending a bit more time with the other two men at all.

The finale to this story – about which I can’t say too much because I don’t want to give anything away – was ingenious. Let’s just say that the powers which eventually managed to bring the evil spirit down were not the ones I was expecting and the resolution worked all the better for it.

This may not be my favourite story by this author, and Wyatt and Ash may not quite be up to Ty and Zane’s standards when it comes to cuteness, that doesn’t mean this wasn’t a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. It would be hard to not enjoy the combination of sweet love story, hot M/M attraction and creepy ghosts, especially when those themes are as well balanced as they are in this book.