UNDER THE SURFACE by N R Walker

3* Interesting premise, but spoilt by too much faux angst, faux hating, faux roaring, too much sex, and too little storyline. 

This had the potential to be a decent book in a PNR world where so far, the octo guys' lives have been low-key and like they like it. At times it sounded as if they lived in the back of beyond, but all had travelled, had mingled with humans in every way, but almost never had sex with their own kind, and all seemed content with life as it was, with maybe just one having a case of unrequited love. 

Then came Sawyer, a cop that the octo guys might not be able to run off, unlike his predecessors that couldn't cope with the boring life and the PNR aspects. What got me was the immature posturing and faux anger and roaring from Ciaran. Didn't 'roaring' and 'mine' and the sex fest the book turned into. Yes, they found they were mates, but the instalove didn't feel believable. Everything felt a bit cartoon-like and immature.

BUT, there was an unknown trench, à la The Meg, with a potential Meg, and there was intrigue with the Something Bass Boys - that turned into nothing - and there was potential for Norse lore to play its part. Or so I thought. That didn't happen in book 2, which was even more of a plays-at tale, even more of a caricature. 


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