Captivation Creek by Claire Kingsley


 

In this latest Haven brothers tale, we get Theo's story. After a football career-ending injury, Theo is home in Tilikum, coaching and teaching at the local high school alongside his work bestie, Penelope. But when work friends become roommates, and the two conspire to solve a mystery, sparks start to fly. 

I was excited to return to Tilikum -- home of the Baileys and the Havens -- and more excited to get Theo's perspective, since he was the brother I felt like I knew the least. But even after plowing through this book, I still feel like I don't know him all that well. Contrary to her normal style, Kinglsey's characters felt a little flat in this edition. I appreciate that she weaves a good mystery into her stories, but this one felt like more of an afterthought and was fairly anticlimactic. 

The friends to lovers trope worked well and the characters were likable -- just not very deep. The squirrels were MIA, as were many of the beloved characters from the other books, and any Haven-Bailey interactions. 

We'll count this as a one-off and hope for better as we explore the "missing brother" in the final iteration. 

Captivation Creek: ★★★

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