PI Jackson Rivers grew up on the mean streets of Del Paso Heights—and he doesn’t trust cops, even though he was one. When the man he thinks of as his brother is accused of killing a police officer in an obviously doctored crime, Jackson will move heaven and earth to keep Kaden and his family safe.

Defense attorney Ellery Cramer grew up with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, but that hasn’t stopped him from crushing on street-smart, swaggering Jackson Rivers for the past six years. But when Jackson asks for his help defending Kaden Cameron, Ellery is out of his depth—and not just with guarded, prickly Jackson. Kaden wasn’t just framed, he was framed by crooked cops, and the conspiracy goes higher than Ellery dares reach—and deep into Jackson’s troubled past.

Both men are soon enmeshed in the mystery of who killed the cop in the minimart, and engaged in a race against time to clear Kaden’s name. But when the mystery is solved and the bullets stop flying, they’ll have to deal with their personal complications… and an attraction that’s spiraled out of control.

I love Amy Lane’s writing. It’s always clear, crisp, and concise. The one thing it never is is boring. She’s got a host of trick up her sleeve that she pulls out to surprise me every time. Fish Out of Water did just that.

First we have Jackson. He’s grumpy and irascible. He trusts very few people, but the ones he does he holds on to very tightly. Such as his best friend, Kaden Cameron (who is more like a brother than a friend), who finds himself on the wrong end of a murder when he’s arrested for the death of a cop in Kaden’s service station. Things spiral out of control from there. Jackson is forced to turn to the one person he knows will fight for his friend, but he also knows that Ellery Cramer, defense attorney, as a stick up his ass. Still, when he and Jade–Jackson’s occasional bed partner and sister of Kaden–approach him, he agrees to help out. He wants a name for himself, but there’s more to his agreement than that.

This story moves at breakneck speed. Things you aren’t expecting are thrown at you rapid-fire, taking you from ‘oh, hell yes!’ to ‘Oh, Amy, how the hell could you?’ in the blink of an eye.

I would say this isn’t the typical Amy Lane fare, but the thing of it is, there’s no such thing as typical when it comes to her book. From Crick and Deacon (Promise Rock) to Terrell and Colby (Bolt Hole) to Kaden and Ellery, each man–and book–is something special.

Now for the fair warnings. Don’t go into this book thinking it’s a typical love story. Yes, there is love (though the word isn’t used), yes, there is family, yes, there is an amazing story, but there are also senseless deaths, a few somewhat graphic descriptions, and plenty of pain for the heroes, but there are also laughs (wait until you meet Ellery’s mother and Jackson’s cat) and a sense of family for those whose lives have been fractured and need a hand in putting them back together. For those still not convinced? Remember, shit go BOOM! 😉

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. If you want a great story with a stellar cast, then you’ll want to come along for the ride.