I had planned to give "Beartooth" a GRRReat review.

WHY?
1) The audiobook was read by Will Damron, one of my favorite narrators.

2) Early reviews of the book were stellar.

3) I am a boy-mom and I was instantly intrigued by the book's compelling premise:

Two brothers desperate for money are approached by a shadowy out-of-towner who convinces them to attempt a heist of natural resources from Yellowstone, a federal crime.

WHAT HAPPENED?
I am an impatient reader/listener.

Waaaaay too much time was spent on characterization, the bond between the two brothers, and the Yellowstone atmosphere.

I was more interested in the heist.

Although the book was well written, I prefer faster-paced books with early action.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

The cover is basic, but the book is anything but.

Beartooth , is more of a mystery than a thriller that had me in moments of deep thought along the way.

As someone who reads (listens) to quite a few books; most suspense/thrillers/mysteries have a certain something about them, a je ne sais quoi factor. But those of us who read that genre often know what to expect most of the time when we pick up a book like that. The book has a typical style/flow/pace/ and this had a much different feeling to it. For me, Beartooth had an almost historical fiction feel to it, but "historically" it is set right now.

So, in my mind throughout this book, I had a historical-fiction/mystery feel lens running like a filter almost, through the course of the book. That helped set the style/flow for me, and if you have that mindset going into this book, it will also help you ready your other senses. And as other reviewers have commented, you can smell what is going on in this book, but I could get the sense of what I could hear and feel too. So, for me, it was a full-on sensory experience if you put yourself into the mindset of this is more mystorical-fiction, if that were a thing. I think that should become a thing.

Anyway, along with all the sensory experiences, there are complicated relationship dynamics between the brothers while they deal with the harsh realities of life after the death of their father and the financial responsibilities.

I would absolutely recommend this book, but please, go into this knowing that it isn't going to be a thrill ride in the usual sense, and it may not be everyone's cup of tea. But I would absolutely listen to this again.