Never Stay Gone

M|M Romantic Suspense (Big Bend Texas Rangers, Book 1)

By: Tal Bauer

Narrated by: John Solo

Six bodies in a single grave, in the same West Texas country where Dakota left everything behind.

Every beat of my heart belongs to you.

Thirteen years ago, Dakota Jennings thought he'd found his forever when he fell in love with Shane Carson. But one afternoon shattered their love story, and both Dakota and Shane left Rustler, Texas, with broken hearts. Even now, Dakota is still feeling the agony of losing Shane. Sure, he's a Texas Ranger, but that's not how he wanted to live his life. All he ever wanted was to love Shane.

Loving you is the only time I feel alive.

Shane's life was supposed to be different. There had been a plan, ever since he was knee-high to his father. But falling for Dakota spun Shane's world upside down, and for years, Shane has had nothing but the memories of all that he lost: Dakota's gentle touch, and the sweetness of his lips, and the star-strewn nights they spent wrapped in each other's arms.

West of the Pecos, there is no law.

When the Rangers get the call about six bodies being pulled out of a mass grave in West Texas, the governor sends Dakota to run the investigation. Dakota heads back to his hometown and comes face-to-face with the last man he ever expected to see again, only now, he’s Deputy Shane Carson, Dakota's local partner assigned to the case.

There's nothing Dakota wants more than a second chance with Shane, but so much is stacked against them: six corpses, a murderer on the loose, and history that refuses to stay buried. And the bodies keep piling up as Dakota and Shane try to run the killer down across the West Texas plains.

In a moment, everything changes: the hunters become the hunted, the past fractures, and all Dakota thought he knew comes tumbling down. Secrets break wide open as Dakota remembers...

This is West Texas, and out here, nothing is as it seems. Big Bend County is a place of beauty and desolation, of secrets and small towns. Where the past and the present collide, and where nothing stays hidden forever.

This MM romantic suspense is the first in the new Big Bend Texas Rangers series. Come along for the West Texas sunsets, the heart-pounding thrills, and the hard-won happily-ever-afters.

©2021 Tal Bauer (P)2022 Tal Bauer

Loved love loved it!!!

What a great murder mystery! The writing was awesome and I didn’t guess whodunnit until right before the reveal! Well played!!! The love story part had me with all the feel’s. Lost love is so heartbreaking! But their reunion was so perfect and not rushed!

Now for the narration…what was with all the whispering that JS did? It was so overused that it was grating on my nerves. There were so many times I could not hear it and I had to back it up, and we all know how annoying that becomes! Please stop doing that it ruins the book!!!!! 😤

Another stellar book by Tal Bauer

I shouldn’t have expected anything less, but every time I read a Tal Bauer book I’m blown away. Does it have romance? Yes. But his books are so much more than that. These are action packed, heart pounding rides that just happen to have gay leads. And that’s what sets his books apart. Seeing the representation outside of a “trope” is as brilliant as it is engaging.

If you’re even kind of on the fence with this book do yourself a favor and pick it up. Well worth the read/listen. I’ll be going back to this one again and again.

excellent

Great MM romantic suspense. A bit predictable but didn't take away from the story.
Would recommend.

heart in mouth

This book is so good! The suspense is wonderful along with the relationship. there is dome relationship angst, but it's balanced out by the suspense.

I Liked It

This was my first book by the author and I have mixed feelings about it, I enjoyed mystery and thrill of suspense, guessing who is the bad guy and following main characters uncovering clues about each victim. That was great, I liked it a lot. I was expecting more intense chemistry between Dakota and Shane, but for me the romance part of the story was just ok. Narrator did a very good job telling this story and made this book a great listening experience.