AMAZON REVIEW

Derek agrees to switch places with his twin brother something they hadn't done since they were teens. Alden needs Derek help in order to keep his cleaning contract for his newly formed company.

Derek is pulling double duty, detective by day and custodian by night. While there he encounters a woman that thinks he's his twin brother Alden. In order to keep his own secret he doesn't divulge his true identity. Back in the day her brother used to do drugs with Alden but now Alden's clean. She's looking for support from someone that has been there, done that. Alden has turned his life around but her brother has been unable to do the same. Days later, her brother accosts her on the street asking her to forge a prescription for him or else. She is torn between duty and loyalty.

This is a gritty story with a very realistic ending not froth with rainbows and sunshine and that's the way it should be.

Advanced Reader Copy provided for review from Netgalley.

**********************************
GOODREADS REVIEW

3.5 Stars

This book gave me a front seat to the impact of drug abuse within families. The lengths in which the drug addict will do anything to get their drug of choice; and the effects of their drug usage on family members. It also showed just how far families are willing to go (or not) to help their loved one(s) get clean, even after countless failed attempts.

I liked the hero, Derek because he is the person we really get to know in the story and to a lesser extent the heroine too. However, I didn't like the heroine very much. Yes, she was helping her brother, even willing to break the law. The heroine had tunnel vision and she came off as self-centered. She felt abandoned by her friends because only her issues were important. She failed to realize or wouldn't acknowledge that maybe they were dealing with an issue within their own families or just tired of hearing her gripe all the time.

I also found her aggressiveness with wanting Alden/Derek too off-putting. He told her no -- that it wasn't a good idea for them to get involved -- that his life was complicated, yet she still foisted what she wanted upon him. I don't like it when men do it and certainly didn't like it when she did it.

Donahue, one of the background characters -- really intrigued me and I'd definitely read a story about him. I was really tuned into Derek's observation of Donahue and Donahue's observation of others. There is definitely a story to be told about him and I hope the author considers writing one for him. Tough subject matter -- not much romance.

Netgalley ARC

First and foremost, thank you Audra North and netgalley for my advanced copy of Two Timing. I had no clue when I picked this book up that it was the second in a series. So pick up the first one! I loved Alden/Derek/Toni. There is lots to be said about office romances and you will get lots of that with this one. Derek Brewer, a detective working with Warren Davis (from Giving It Up), (I already bought to read)is standing in for his recovering addict brother at his new job, a janitorial position with a firm hiring him. The heat that is between Derek and Toni is undeniable. I love how the both are two jagged people that come together to form perfection. There’s tender moments there are dark moments all and all a great romance.

Two Timing by Audra North
Pushing the Boundaries #2

One brother has always been squeaky clean
One brother has spent half his life doing drugs
One brother is “good”
One brother is “evil”
One brother is resentful
One brother feels the resentment
The brothers are identical
A woman sees the “good” brother filling in for his brother
A romance based on mistaken identity begins
Can the romance be salvaged or will the lie destroy all hope of happiness?

Identical twin brothers swapping identities might happen from time to time but it is usually female twins in romances that do the swap-thing. In addition to the swap thing there is a missing baby-mama, a toddler to care for, another addict causing problems, a man trying to keep his two identities straight, steamy moments aplenty and an action-packed ending.

The story was well written but I had trouble believing there was a need for the identity swap in the first place and didn’t like the idea of two people being intimate with one believing they were with one person when they were really with another. That said…it was an entertaining story and a fun read.

Thank you to the author who provided the ARC through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

3 Stars

Derek Brewer, a detective working with Warren Davis (from Giving It Up), is standing in for his recovering addict brother at his new job, a janitorial position with a firm hiring him. He’s mad as hell at his brother for being the bad twin thus forcing Derek to be the good twin most of their lives, but at the same time, he’ll do anything he can to help him. Especially now that Alden has 3-year-old daughter to care for. And Derek will do anything for his niece.

It’s not hard to tell the brothers have issues with each other, although I’m pretty sure Derek’s issue with Alden, and mostly with himself, is key to the strain and awkwardness of their relationship. And twins have a special connection to begin with.

However, when he sees Toni that first night at the job, she recognizes him as his twin, and he goes with it. Playing along. Fearing that identifying as Alden’s twin, doing Alden’s job, he will lost his one chance at getting back on his feet.

He doesn’t plan on falling in love. Hell, he doesn’t plan on continuing the charade once Alden is able to resume his duties.

Toni realizes that “Alden”, he brother Sal’s friend whom she knows used to get high with Sal, has recovered and is turning his life around. She clings to the hope that Sal can get better, although he’s in far worse shape than Alden has ever been. And she’s instantly attracted to “Alden”.

Having given up her life in California to come back home and help her parents deal with Sal’s addiction, Toni feels she’s the only one left on Sal’s corner. She will do anything in her power to help him, and that means taking a job she doesn’t like, work for a promotion, in order to get him into a rehabilitation facility. She is even considering committing a crime.

As the story progresses, the instances where everything can turn on its head grow closer together, until the point where Derek actually helps Toni, when she’s attacked on the street, as a police officer (which is actually is) and she meet the real Alden, since he’s now able to do his own job.

There’s a beautiful balance to this romance, to the progression of the plot and the dynamics between Toni and Derek vs Toni and Alden is very nicely shown. Toni and Derek’s bond isn’t easily discarded by either of them when things come to a head, but is mended in a lovely way as both brothers heal, as well.

Audra North was able to mesh the two relationships, Derek’s with Toni and Derek’s with Alden. And with that, carried through a romantic, complex story Two Timing is.

an ok read