Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Lieutenant Connor Morgan of SFPD’s SWAT division wasn’t looking for love. Especially not in a man. His life plan didn’t include one Forest Ackerman, a brown-eyed, blond drummer who’s as sexy as he is trouble. His family depends on him to be like his father, a solid pillar of strength who’ll one day lead the Morgan clan.
No, Connor has everything worked out—a career in law enforcement, a nice house, and a family. Instead, he finds a murdered man while on a drug raid and loses his heart comforting the man’s adopted son. It wasn’t like he’d never thought about men — it’s just loving one doesn’t fit into his plans.
Forest Ackerman certainly doesn’t need to be lusting after a straight cop, even if Connor Morgan is everywhere he looks, especially after Frank’s death. He’s just talked himself out of lusting for the brawny cop when his coffee shop becomes a war zone and Connor Morgan steps in to save him.
Whoever killed his father seems intent on Forest joining him in the afterlife. As the killer moves closer to achieving his goal, Forest tangles with Connor Morgan and is left wondering what he’ll lose first—his life or his heart.
Rhys Ford teased her readers with a pivotal scene from Tequila Mockingbird towards the end of Whiskey and Wry. The scene was apparently an old one at the Morgan house, one that occurred multiple times over the years. Donal waits in the library for one of his children to tell him what’s been tearing at them emotionally so they can go over it together to solve the problem. Only this time, the child is an adult Connor, the eldest who has followed in his father’s footsteps who has an emotional bombshell for his Da. He, Connor, the straight one, is in love with the gay victim of his latest case and he doesn’t know what to do.
Having that little emotional explosion (and Donal’s heartfelt reaction to it, how I love that character) firmly in our heads, the reader is ready for Tequila Mockingbird to start. Of course, it does with a blast! From there the narrative roars to life with the ferocity of those magnificent Detroit muscle cars, and often with as much subtlety.
I’m ok with all of that. Because the engine driving this story is Connor Morgan. He’s such a impressive figure, not quite as elemental, “henge-like” as Donal, but close. In Tequila Mockingbird, Connor retains all those qualities, yet Ford lets the fractures start to show that imbue him with the vulnerability we need to connect with him. Those fractures come with his meeting with Forest Ackerman, son of the victim of his case. And we see that scene again, from Connor’s perspective, this time with all the facts of the case and how he met Forest.
Normally, I have a hard time with “instant love”. Very few authors out there have been able to make me believe in their romances that include this feature. Some have, true. This is one of them. And again, its comes back to Connor Morgan. That character is so solid (as is my belief in him) that if he says he’s in love, ok, got it. He’s in love. With Forest Ackerman, that’s such a wounded soul that having found a safe haven for his heart (and body) in Connor, that case is made as well, albeit a little more cynically. Plus there’s Brigid who’s finally found a son in law who needs her. How I love Brigid too.
I thought the murder/mystery was a tad on the weaker side this time. For me, it didn’t have the strong power of the motives that the others did or the depth of the previous villains. It also doesn’t help that when you compare Forest to Miki and Damien, he suffers by comparison. He’s just a little too sweet.
Still, the heart of this story is Connor, finding himself, moving past what he conceived his role to be in the family, accepting his homosexuality and his love for Forest. Connor drives this story all the way to the end. His family, that incredible, can’t begin to get enough of them Morgans, they are the frame work, and the love of Forest and the man himself, well, that’s the fuel. Put it all, together and it adds up to to one wild ride of a story, taken at high speed, and one to be savored once its over.
Plus there is some very hot, hot, hot, first time gay sex scenes to burn up the pages.
But now three of the four band spots are filled. One to go. I hate coming to the end of a series I love. Next up, the series finale, Sloe Ride (Sinners, #4). We have one final band member to find, one space to fill.
Until that happens, I highly recommend this story and the entire series. The Morgan men and the wounded musicians they love are highly addictive, their stories fueled by high octane music, murder and hard won love. Once you start, you can’t put these books down. I’m only sorry that I’m seeing the end of the road for this series in sight. The Morgan Clan and this band should keep on living, loving, solving crimes, wailing on…singing, guitar strumming, and drum pounding for as long as Rhys Ford can write. I wonder if she takes bribes?
Cover art by Reece Notley does a good job of branding the cover, but no model could really live up to my idea of Connor. The one standing in for Forest is fine.
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | 
Book Details:
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 