Rough Trade is third book in the Woodbury Boys series by Sydney Bell. I have not read the previous books, and aside from some character connections that returning readers will enjoy, this book stands up well on its own.
Quick-witted hustler Ghost is no stranger to living dangerously; survival has always been the name of the game. He’s just always gone it alone. Now he’s got the wrong people breathing down his neck, and the only way out demands placing his trust in the unlikeliest of heroes: Duncan Rook, a gruff cop whose ethics are as solid as his body. Cozying up to a criminal is hardly what Duncan’s reputation on the force needs—especially when that criminal is temptation personified. Ghost is Duncan’s polar opposite, and the last person he expected to fall for. So then why does every imaginable scenario for taking down their common enemy end with Ghost in his arms?
Rough Trade is much more than expected, and while having read the previous books would have made some of the secondary characters and wrap ups have more meaning to me, I still felt like i understood Ghost and Duncan fully and enjoy their story. I found the beginning hard to get into, but it was necessary to fully understand where Ghost was coming from and how he ended up in the situation that brings him to Duncan's door. I found the banter and developing relationship between the two to be well done, and well balanced with the danger and issues that they had to face. I like that the traumas of their pasts were not glossed over, but the time and effort that it takes to deal with them is talked about and included in the story. I really enjoyed that while attraction and interest might have developed quickly, the relationship was not instant or ignoring problems. I think the confrontation of the issues is what made the relationship so strong in the end. There were a good amount of surprises, scares, and chase scenes- and a good deal of emotional moments. I think the story is realistic and well balanced character wise. It was a little heavier than my typical read- but I am glad I gave it a chance.
Rough Trade is a romance that deals with some hard, real issues. I liked that it was about the characters dealing with their own issues in the process of finding their way to an happy ever after.
