George Martin and his partner Mike live a comfortable life in Jacksonville with their Irish Setter, but something's missing. Maybe George, a captain in the sheriff's office, has just been working too hard again. There's been a rash of break–ins in the area, and the homes targeted all seem to belong to older gay men. Then when the time finally comes for George and Mike to take their vacation, they pack up and head to their mountain cabin for two weeks—only to find a small boy living in their generator shed. Robbie, who bonds with George right away, had witnessed an unspeakable tragedy, but that is just the beginning of the trouble. Alone in the world apart from a very ill maternal grandmother, Robbie stands the very real risk of becoming a ward of the state if George and Mike can't convince a bigoted judge to change his mind. Meanwhile, George still has a job to do: solve the mystery of the break–ins—and a murder—and track down who's responsible.
Review
Break and Enter, by Etienne, from Dreamspinner Press, is the third in a series of "Avondale" stories revolving around George and Mike, a happily committed couple living in Jacksonville, Florida. The author works from the not unreasonable presumption that readers have perused the first two volumes. If you have not read those volumes, it is highly advisable to to do so before starting this one.
George, a captain in local law enforcement, heads a team that, in this episode, is trying to catch a predatory burglar--and, later, murderer--who is targeting older gay men. On top of that, he and Mike find Robbie, a recently orphaned five-year-old, hiding in a utility shed at their mountain cabin. George almost immediately announces that he and Mike intend to adopt Robbie.
Much of the novel revolves around George and Mike integrating Robbie into their lives and their extensive network of friends. Despite the title, the crime story is secondary and provides little suspense. There is even less suspense in George and Mike's relationship, and suspense is a necessary element in a romance novel, at least for me. They don't have a single disagreement here, even in the midst of a major, life-changing event such as adoption. But the characters are likeable, and the novel provides a pleasant, diversionary read.
