Otherwise Occupied (Evan Arden Trilogy #2) - Shay Savage

A Review by Carol

Book - Otherwise Occupied (Evan Arden Trilogy #1)
Author - Shay Savage
Publication Date - June 17, 2013
Type - Part of Series 
Genre - Romance, Thriller
Rating - 4 1/2 out of 5 Stars

Synopsis

Evan Arden is a hit man for a Chicago mob boss. He lives his life day to day with the company of his dog, Odin. He has to work hard to get back into his boss’s good graces, but the target proves to be difficult. As demons of his past begin to haunt him, he seeks the comfort of sleep from an unlikely candidate, but will confiding in her be his undoing?​

​He’s struggling to forget his past, and keep himself Otherwise Occupied.

Review

I first had a problem with this book because I wanted Lia back in Evan's life but I understand the author's reasons for not. This is a total build up for the next book - Evan is battling his guilt over leaving the shack along with thinking about Lia constantly and the beautiful time they shared.

I found myself pissed at Evan for bonding with Bridgett and constantly was hoping she was a "bad guy". I kept praying for a chance meeting between Evan and Lia but continually was disappointed when Lia didn't show up at any of the places Evan would be.

That ending though....damn, shit, fuck....that was heart-breaking and devastating --- the whole book brought us to that climax in the story and I'm dying to find out what happens next.

Evan is back from his banishment to the desert and he's trying to get back in the good graces of the man who sometimes calls him "son". Evan is battling with his PTSD from his time as a POW and it's only getting worse and worse. He's not sleeping without the night terrors and the only relief he gets is in the form of a prostitute named Bridgett. She is close in looks to Lia and Evan just needs her to be next to him in bed for a good nights rest.

Evan battles constantly with Bridgett wanting more than a "john"/"whore" relationship along with his recurring thoughts of Lia. He has a nemisis who wants Evan ousted along with his PTSD getting in the way of his "kills".

Wrap Up

There comes a time when even the hardest man will break when battling PTSD - the ending gutted me and I'm praying and praying that an angel will be able to save Evan from himself.

About this Author

Shay Savage lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, two children, and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker, and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. When not writing, she enjoys science fiction movies, and loves soccer in any and all forms. During the fall, she coaches her daughter’s soccer team. Though she currently works in the technology field, her school background is in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.

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