Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Review: Blacktop Wasteland by SA Cosby

Blacktop Wasteland
by SA Cosby

Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Beauregard “Bug” Montage is an honest mechanic, a loving husband, and a hard-working dad. Bug knows there’s no future in the man he used to be: known from the hills of North Carolina to the beaches of Florida as the best wheelman on the East Coast.

He thought he'd left all that behind him, but as his carefully built new life begins to crumble, he finds himself drawn inexorably back into a world of blood and bullets. When a smooth-talking former associate comes calling with a can't-miss jewelry store heist, Bug feels he has no choice but to get back in the driver's seat. And Bug is at his best where the scent of gasoline mixes with the smell of fear.

Haunted by the ghost of who he used to be and the father who disappeared when he needed him most, Bug must find a way to navigate this blacktop wasteland...or die trying.


Kritters Thoughts:  An interesting book when pitched to me, I was intrigued to read something out of my wheelhouse.  A heist book with a black man as the central character and it took place in my old stomping grounds.  Beauregard "Bug" Montage owns a car shop and is barely making ends meet.  With three kids in his home and a biological daughter about to head to college, Bug wants to provide for his entire family.  He sees no other way than to dip into his old ways and be a driver for a heist or two, but will they go his way . . . 

This book was good.  When I was pitched this book it was in the middle of the black lives matter movement and I wanted to challenge myself to read more books with either black people as main characters and/or written by black people.  I am glad this was the first one that came my way.  It really challenged my perspective both with a man as the main character (don't read too many!) and a black man at that.  I loved that the style of the story wasn't completely out of my wheelhouse, I love a heist.  

This book had great pacing.  From start to finish I was on the edge of my seat wondering where this book was going to go and who was going to get what they want.  I loved the ins and outs and ups and downs - it was good. 

For me, the thing that I didn't completely love was the gory killing.  I don't tend to love the in your face killing in any book.  It wouldn't stop me from reading another one by this author, but would need a break in between books.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row



Ebook 2020 Challenge: 66 out of 100


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Harlequin.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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