| Title | : | Smoking Gunn (A Bridge to Abingdon #7) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 274 |
| Publication | : | First published October 9, 2019 |
I only have two rules: I don’t tangle with anyone who wants a relationship. And I’m the one who decides when it’s over.
The guys I see are quick and dirty—that’s what I want. I keep my head down and my heart to myself. The only person who sees the real me is my daughter, and I need it to stay that way.
My life is small, and the guys at my new job hate me—and they’ve got plenty of good reasons. I’m not the kind of guy who deserves a redemption. I keep my life simple, small, and easy.
Well, I kept it that way. The minute I saw Cole Gunn, everything changed. He’s a hardbodied bundle of sensuality and pent-up desire. He keeps looking my way when I run into him at the gym.
Cole is the exception to both of my rules—but he’s an ex-con, I’m a cop, and my boss was the one who landed him in prison for a decade. But that’s not going to stop me from trying.
Cole:
I don’t fit in here in Abingdon. I don’t have a fancy job, and I got my degree in prison instead of at Jackson Academy. My only goal now is survival, and I don’t have time for anything else.
Yeah, I had dreams. I wanted a boyfriend, maybe a family. That went down the tubes the second I was convicted. My name has been cleared, but the scars are still there—and no good man would want anything to do with me.
Did I say Jamie Grant was a good man? He’s not. But he might be the brashest son of a b*tch I’ve ever met. He rolled up to my uncle’s farm the week after I got out of the clink to accuse me of stealing the beehives on my property, and he started undressing me with his eyes long before he proved my innocence.
I dodge every one of his advances. I keep telling him he’s pissing me off, that I don’t want a damn bit of what he’s offering, that he’s a fool for hanging around. None of that is true, of course, and that sizzling hot smirk tells me he knows it. I can’t get that infuriating man off my mind—and the things I’d do to him in bed would make a stripper blush.
In the midst of an investigation where I’m getting framed all over again, Jamie Grant is the only one who cares about my story. He keeps coming back, begging for more.
If this is what life is like on the outside, I might just want more of it.
Smoking Gunn is the seventh book in the Bridge to Abingdon series. Each book focuses on one sizzling couple, and each can be read as a standalone. There’s plenty of hot mm love, lots of sensual firsts, lovely beehives, crazy uncles, and an HEA that’s sweeter than honey. Cole Gunn and Jamie Grant are the redemption at the end of the Abingdon Series. Enjoy!
Smoking Gunn (A Bridge to Abingdon #7) Reviews
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Cole and Jamie
After spending ten years behind bars, innocent, Cole is free to go with a lot of money to compensate. Cole can’t believe it until he is at his uncle Thad's farm. He is the only relative who cares for him. Cole wants a simple life, withdraws and sets up his dream holding beehives and going to a gym to keep in shape.
Jamie is a cop, after work in the gym, he is impressed by the beautiful man full of tattoos.
When they get together it seems they fit perfectly.
Only there are thieves who steal beehives and Jamie’s chief has his eyes on Cole.
A wide story with a lot of education about bees and beehives. We meet Jamie’s daughter and her mother, we meet Cole’s uncle Thad. There is a lot going on with thieves and criminals who aim at Cole. For the second time, there is a chance Cole gets convicted. His biggest nightmare!
A very nice story, with kind characters, original environments and sweet romance, and lovely family members, there are even some angsty moments.
I almost couldn’t handle the injustice towards Cole. Thank goodness for Jamie and his unconditional love and dedication. Overall a captivating story. -
3.5-4 stars!
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🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/1/2021)! 🎁
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I'm so far behind on this series.
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3.5 stars
Good reading and does stand alone. I did read book one and Gil turns into Sheriff hard-ass here but felt realistic. Jamie and Cole were interesting characters although the relationship process felt rushed and characterization uneven at times. The bee keeping info and suspense angle were original. -
A great read!!
Jamie and Cole... Cop and ex-con. What can I say this book called to me to read it. It was both mixed with mystery and heartwarming moments. I enjoyed the lightness of the book. If your looking for a sweet light read give it a chance! -
Second chances!
Sometimes life deals us blows, a lot of them, it is up to us whether to face it bravely and get through it or cower against it and just surrender. People usually focus on our mistakes, negating the good, we have to fight for a life we deserve, within our rights.
Cole has been wrongfully convicted, imprisoned without even the slightest use of due process. He served a wrong conviction maybe because he was too young, too stunned and too slow that before he knew it he was already convicted. It was likewise a prejudiced decision!
Jamie didn’t really know what he was getting into, he didn’t know what was going on in the department until he was in so deep that when he was asked to help to make things right, he grabbed it.
This story made me cry. For all the prejudices and assumptions that people thought about Jamie and Cole, these two beautiful men found each other. Ms. Tatum West was able to tell a story with heart and so much love, about two people who have gone through so much individually. She was able to tell us about how people react base on what is expected of them, sometimes we are too afraid to be called out, so most of the time, we conform.
This is part of a series but it can also be read as standalone, I was able to follow it through. Thank you and Congratulations Ms. Tatum West! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -
Cole Gunn’s been given a second chance to prove his worth. Jamie Grant’s been given a second chance to prove his integrity. Together they must fight against forces determined to undermine them and ultimately for their trust and belief in each other and their future.
Abingdon is a wonderful place and each visit there is an emotion-filled journey. This is certainly full of heart-stopping and heartwarming moments that will keep you captivated from start to finish. Cole and Jamie’s story will definitely tug at your heartstrings. You’ll be outraged at the injustice Cole has to endure and ready to cheer on Jamie’s efforts to support Cole and find out the truth behind the circumstantial evidence.
It’s a roller coaster of drama with some unexpected twists and turns and plenty of hot, steamy passion. And if Cole and Jamie don’t steal your heart, there’s an adorable, precocious pixie who will. Of course, you get to touch base with some of the characters you’ve met from previous trips to Abingdon, which is always a joy, but it’s the meeting of new characters that make these stories so engaging and make you never want to leave. I truly hope there’ll be more to come as I will always want to visit again!! -
I loved this it was a beautiful conclusion to a Great series and I really liked the pairing of social outcasts Jamie and Cole so all in all a sweet and fluffy book with a good mystery
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Solid romance!
I have to give this book a 3/3.5 stars because so many details in this book are just silly and/or unrealistic. But overall the story was interesting (albeit incredibly predictable) and I loved the main guys. This is definitely insta-attraction that quickly becomes more, but I didn’t mind the speed of the romance at all. Jamie and Cole have been through a lot and are ready to find stability and a serious relationship. What I loved most, and why I kept reading, is how much Jamie believes in Cole and fights for his innocence. It totally fit his character and I liked how genuinely good Jamie is. And then Cole as a beekeeper? Such a fun detail! I liked that he just wants to care for bees and live quietly in the country. These two were really hot and sweet together and I loved their HEA. I like the way that Tate writes relationships, but everything else could use a lot of work. Especially the details of the story that are clearly not researched or are totally made up. I get that this is fiction, but you have to make things a little more believable when writing contemporary romance.
Overall I enjoyed this series, but I don’t think it’s a must read unless you really enjoy small town drama and well written relationship dynamics. I do highly recommend Silver Fox. I really loved that one! -
well, I went out of order. I couldn't help it. I started the series out of order anyway, and then went back to start at the beginning again. It was nice to see some familiar faces, even though their character is a bit off. Jamie and Cole's story is sweet, and it was really nice to read Jamie's story after his introduction in the first book. I wish we were able to delve into his life a bit more, this felt a bit one sided for Cole (not a bad thing, but I feel like there were only glimpses into Jamie's life).
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This is a well written book that clearly draws the characters and personalities of both MCs. Cole the wrongly convicted ex-con and Jamie the man responsible for revealing and ultimately the imprisonment of the corrupt local sheriff and his lackeys. Neither man is popular in the town of Abingdon, but somehow they are drawn to each other through their own vulnerability. It's an unlikely coupling but the author convinced me of its rightness set against the unusual background story of bee-keeping. A good strong read deserving of 5 star reviews.
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Some of the character were pretty unlikable in this one so I subtracted one star.
Other than that, it was a good read. -
Redemption
Loved both characters and how they had to overcome stupid stuff that people shouldn't have to. At least they found each other through it all -
I love this series and I loved this book!
An ex-con, a cop and a lot of bees 🐝...
The plot worked really well and kudos to the writer for the very thorough research on bee keeping. -
I did not like that Gil turned into such an asshole for this book. And while I was glad to get a Jamie story, the connection between the MCs didn't feel substantive.
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“There is no greater power and support you can give someone than to look them in the eye, and with sincerity/conviction say, 'I believe in you.” - Ken Poirot, (Mentor Me: GA=T+E—A Formula to Fulfill Your Greatest Achievement
Convicted for a crime he didn’t commit, Cole Gunn has recently been released from prison. It’s difficult for him to be bitter, especially when the people in his hometown still treat him as if he is a criminal, despite the evidence to the contrary. As if his life couldn’t get more complicated, he meets and is attracted to Jamie Grant, who is, of all things, a police officer. Even though Cole wants to stay away from him, Jamie’s persistence makes it difficult to do.
Keeping his sexuality under wraps while he was in prison was hard. but doing so was a matter of survival. Prison life is hard enough without being out, but Cole kept his head down and stayed to himself. One of the most important skills he learned in prison was beekeeping. When he is released from prison, he goes to live with his uncle. With the compensation Cole got from being unlawfully incarcerated, he purchases several beehives with the intent to sell honey to local businesses. Because he wants to maintain his fitness level where it is now, Cole checks out a local gym. During Cole’s visit to the gym, he accidentally runs into a handsome guy, Jamie. They introduce themselves, then work out together for a while. One of the first things they discuss is some beehives that have been stolen. This clues Cole in to the fact that Jamie is a cop, making him suspicious about his motive for talking to Cole. As much as he is attracted to Jamie, Cole decides it is best to walk away. Jamie follows Cole and wants to know why he left. Cole decides to tell Jamie the truth.
Even before Cole tells him, Jamie had figured out that he was an ex-con. Instead of rejecting Cole, as he expects, Jamie gives him his card, telling him to call; he wants a chance to change his opinion of cops. After doing a computer search, he understands why Cole reacted so badly when Jamie mentioned the stolen bees. When his chief catches him looking at Cole’s record they start discussing him and his bees. After hearing that Cole has bees, the sheriff decides to pay Cole a visit, taking Jamie along.
When they arrive at Cole’s place, he and his uncle are not home. They decide to search the beehives anyway, without their permission, looking for any distinguishing marks that may incriminate Cole. Cole drives up while they are there and he is furious, but hesitant to pick a fight with the police. He is beyond disappointed when he sees that Jamie is with the sheriff. Sadly, Cole is expecting to be accused of stealing the beehives and not surprised when the sheriff asks for a receipt, which, of course, he has. After an uncomfortable confrontation, in which Cole reminds him of things that he did when he was younger and chastises the sheriff for his ‘holier than thou attitude’ they leave. The sheriff still isn’t convinced of his innocence. But Jamie has his doubts. What he is sure about is that Cole has lumped him firmly in the cop role and he is not going to be able to change his mind.
This story is a great addition to the ‘Abbingdon’ series. It was full of action and intrigue and kept me guessing. It was good to see familiar characters like Gil, Dillon, and others. I’m looking forward to seeing what the good folks of Abbingdon get up to next. Thanks, Tatum. I can hardly wait to see what happens next in Abbingdon.
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Too much!!
This book is way more intense then I expected. First off, I cannot handle the crap that Cole has to endure...it's not okay. And Jamie too? Why is everyone so mean to them?? Even some of the other characters from other books we fell in love with...*cough cough, Gil** and then the ending??? Wayyyyy too emotional. But also perfect. These people came to life and are now in my heart. That is good writing. Thank you Tatum West. -
4.5 stars 🌟
I’ll start by saying that I love the Bridge to Abingdon series by Tatum West. This, the seventh book in the series is no exception. Whilst some characters from earlier books appear in this one, it can be read as a stand-alone.
In this well written instalment, Jamie and Cole give us some happy moments, sad moments and steamy moments. There are layers to the main characters that slowly get peeled away as the story unfolds.
Jamie is a new addition to the local police after working for the County Sheriffs department. It was there that he had to make some very hard decisions and he feels that he doesn’t deserve redemption.
Cole is recently released from prison after serving nearly 10years after being framed by the Sheriffs Department. Even though he is cleared and fully exonerated, the scars are always going to be there. All he wants to do is live quietly and tend to his bee hives. Another nightmare begins when he is once again being framed, this time for theft of bee hives.
Jamie and Cole know there’s a spark between them but Cole can’t bring himself to be involved with a police officer. After a lot of bumps along the way they finally get their HEA and get to be the family they’ve always wanted.
I highly recommend this book and the prior releases in the series. -
All ex-con Cole Gunn wants is the raise his bees and live the quiet life. All Officer Jamie Grant wants is to do the right thing, to serve and protect. When a rash of beehive thefts break out, the natural suspect is Cole, and it's up to Jamie to prove his innocent, but can he keep a clear head when it concerns his new boyfriend?
Smoking Gunn is a redemption love story for both characters. You don't get a lot of stories involving beekeeping and I actually found that interesting and used to make Cole feel adorable well. With a good plot, finely detailed landscapes and characters and a lot of heat, I really enjoyed this book.
Smoking Gunn is the 7th movel in the A Bridge to Abingdon series. While it was incredibly enjoyable as a standalone (being my first nook of the author) I feel it may probably be better enjoyed read in sequence.
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The Bridge to Abingdon is paved with heart heavy, heady and captivating stories, which is clear from Jamie and Cole's whirlwind story ( book #7.)
A lot has happened over the years, painting Police Officer Jamie Grant in a bad light to the town. While Cole Gunn was thrown in the slammer, accused of heinous crimes, making him out to be something he wasn't.
Both are ready for a fresh start in Abingdon, but some people around them may still need a little convincing.
Jamie comes to Cole's aid in more ways than one; the sparks begin to swirl as the rumors start to accumulate.
Injustice is on the horizon, as their feelings progress to uncharted territory, Jamie will do whatever it takes to protect Cole from the town, and himself.
But who will protect him?
Another stellar story in one of my favorite series!
Plenty of twists and swoon worthy turns, I love the humorous mixed with the darker side and suspenseful tinges. So much went on- I was a ball of emotions throughout!
Tatum West continues to wow me with the unique stories and characters she creates.
If you love M/M than these are a MUST Read! -
Wow! What a grand finale in Abingdon! Redemption all the way! I never would have guessed those two to become a couple but what a gorgeous one Cole and Jamie are!
Cole and Jamie find themselves at the edges of Abingdon’s society after they both were put into difficult situations in their respective pasts. They both have people who care for them and who speak up for them. But they crave a deeper connection to somebody special.
Being warned about the other Jamie and Cole cannot stop their mutual attraction. Their mutual understanding what the other is going through, their vulnerability and the longing for more is pulling them together. The development of their relationship is so beautiful I literally couldn’t put the book down until I finished it.
The special care the author took to create the side story is amazing. I loved reading Tatum´s approach on judicial errors, life in prison and learned so much about bee keeping, bee hives and the life of bees.Those topics are so well researched and written so perfectly into the story that it really makes a perfect book. -
Smoking Gunn is a wonderful redemption story in the Bridge to Abingdon series. I immediately fell in love with Cole. He had been treated horribly all throughout his life and, despite his conviction finally being overturned, he still had it far from easy. It was hard not to feel outrage at the injustice he experiences, especially how he was treated during the investigation. The author did an amazing job at writing his character, so much so that all I wanted to do was wrap Cole up in a hug and protect him from all the hate and prejudice being thrown his way. This is honestly the main reason why I adored Jamie, because he did exactly that. He was extremely devoted to Cole and truly believed in him despite what others thought. Cole and Jamie fit together perfectly and I was so desperately rooting for them to get the HEA they truly deserved.
[I received an advanced copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review].
