I’m a bit late with this review but real life sometimes demands more than I expected. Nevertheless, I absolutely loved Cody and Wade’s story. They’ve been dancing around each other for a while and Elle Keaton has been teasing us about them in previous books. It’s been fun watching Cody grow from a young man forced to deal with a criminal uncle, and having ownership of The Brooch thrust on him before he was really ready, into the hotel owner that everyone loves.

Wade has been his knight in shining armor and keeps holding The Brooch together. He’s a wizard at fixing things and even designs needed parts when they can’t be found to buy. What Cody doesn’t realize is that Wade wants him as much as Cody wants Wade. And, of course, Wade is oblivious to the fact that Cody wants him. Wade has an extreme lack of confidence in certain areas. Everyone seems to leave him and he’s afraid if he lets Cody know how he feels that Cody will leave him, too.

The Real Thing is full of mystery and suspense and romance, too. Once Cody and Wade finally admit their feelings, they get a perfect HEA in the wonderful epilogue that Elle Keaton wrote for them. I’m not sure if this is the end of the West Coast Forensics series or not. I know that Elle has announced that she’s working on a new series and I also know that whatever she writes next, I’ll be reading it.

Reviews for Elle Keaton

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Wade knew one thing though. He was making some changes and it was starting with Cody Prescott. After today.

After today, he wasn’t rushing to Cody whenever he called. That era was over. In the last six months or so, it had become painfully obvious that Cody Prescott had no idea Wade existed except as a walking tool box.

Except the fact that he suggested you move in with him, that irritating voice reminded him.

Cody was always about to fall in love or mooning over a random hot guy he’d seen on the ferry. Once it was the new Food Services of America sales bro with his RayBan sunglasses. And his brown eyes lit up when Chief Flynn stopped by for the biannual safety inspection, in a way Wade knew they never did when Cody looked at him.

Leaving his bulging rucksack locked in the truck, Wade slammed the door, jiggling the handle so it would shut properly, and jammed his hands into the extra-thick semi-weatherproof Carhartt hoodie Cody had given him as “sort of a bonus” after Wade had complained about how fucking drafty his studio was.

Yeah, and the socks too. So, he does think about you, his inner voice snarked.

Whatever. However Cody thought of him, it wasn’t the way Wade wanted him to. Just one of these days Wade wanted Cody Prescott to look at him with the same hunger in his eyes that he had when a suited-up or otherwise expensively dressed guy with sunglasses on his head and a Rolex on his wrist strode into the resort, brandishing their American Express Black cards and platinum wives or girlfriends.

Bitter much?

Wade was rough. His hair was longer than the guys Cody looked at wore theirs. After separating from the military, he’d sworn he would never keep it short again. His razor hardly ever saw use. Wade’s clothing came from Costco, his work boots from Red Wing, and he didn’t have designer soap or fancy aftershave. He was plain old Wade Buckner, a low-end model for a boyfriend.

West Coast Forensics Series

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