Crocodile Tears: An MM Romantic Thriller (Dark Water Book 1)

I'm a slow reader, and I really wanted to savor this book, which is why it took me 2 whole days to read it. Because, if I'd let myself go quickly, I wouldn't have been sleeping, eating, or working until I'd finished it. I have loved Xanthe's writing for years, and I will admit to being worried that maybe one day I'd read something of hers I didn't like. This wasn't it. From page one, I adored the characters. Alex and Joe both have my heart now. Even when I was mad at them for making the choices they were making, I was still loving every second. There were flashbacks inside of flashbacks, so much physical and emotional hurt/comfort, lost loves, lost dreams, duty and loyalty and morality, and just the cutest pup! Xanthe's writing is exquisite, knowing when to hint and when to reveal details, knowing how to grip me tight and keep me feeling deep feelings for the characters. But what Xanthe has always been equally good at is worldbuilding. This near-future world created in the Dark Water series is just futuristic enough to be believable while being close enough to our own to feel relatable. It was such a pleasure to dive in (pun intended?) and explore this version of London and the world after the rising of the sea caused so much destruction, chaos, war, and social upheaval. It's the perfect backdrop to this murder mystery, making so many lovely dynamics and complications possible. The only thing I'm disappointed by is that I now must wait a whole month to find out what…

This story hooked me immediately and kept reeling me in. Intriguing concept, amazing world building, action, danger, drama, twisted and great characters. I'm absolutely looking forward to seeing more from this world.