Pins and Needles

This novel had me so frustrated with the characters at times I nearly threw my phone across the room. It was perfect. Though I originally thought this would mainly be a romance it's not, it's a lawyer crime novel with some romance thrown in and I LOVED IT!! I will read from A.J. Thomas again for sure! Everything about it had me engaged and following every move each character made. I did NOT expect the ending to happen like it did and the fact that I couldn't predict the ending really drives home how wonderful this novel is.

Pins and needles is a sweet romance that centers around a few romance tropes. We have Boss and client, classes, flawed men, Physical handicaps and a basic sweet romance.

Nate has worked hard to prove himself to his father to only be put down and accused of trying to steal praise from his superiors. fed up he walks out. Fate must've been smiling on him as Their assistant talks him into taking a case that his former superior refused because the man was all tattooed up and couldn't pay an exorbitant retainer. Nate goes to the hospital to meet Hawk and find out more about the case.

Sean is about to give up hope after a tragic accident that took one of his legs and left the other one not perfect. The doctors are pessimistic he will walk and he won't be able to work in the field he went to school for. The settlement the company is trying to force him into won't cover all of his bill little less anything else. Just when he loses faith in walks a lawyer willing to help and the hottest man he ever has seen.

I loved this story. It is sweet and all the sex is off the page. There is a lot going on and there are several twists along the way as the story unfolds. I would have listened in one sitting If I hadn't started so late in the evening.

This is new to me narrator but it won't be the last. Jason Riley has a smooth voice and it was easy to follow the story.

Reviewed by Erin for Diverse Reader

One of my favorite things as a reader (and a reviewer) is when a book totally surprises you in all the best ways. I really didn't know what to expect when I started Pins and Needles by A.J. Thomas. I'd read her book Sex and Sourdough years ago so this isn't a new to me author, and the blurb had me totally intrigued so I dived in. I'm so glad I did! What I got was a fantastic romance, characters that were so real and wonderful, and a plot that had me completely enthralled. I read so much that's it's not often I find something new and different, but I sure did find that in Pins and Needles.


So, what's different you ask? Well, first, Sean. This guy is something else. He's a genius, he's a petroleum engineer, he's a tattoo artist, he loves heavy metal and he's recently had his leg amputated due to a freak, horrible accident aboard an oil rig. Interested yet? Well, let's see if I can add a little more. Not only is Sean Wilkinson all of what I just mentioned, he's also charming as all get out, sassy, and endearingly vulnerable. His pseudo father, Hawk, is pretty great, too, and when they need a lawyer, it's lucky for them that Nate Delany just so happens to need clients. Nate's been working his fingers to the bone at his father's law firm trying to impress him and the other partners and show he's ready to take on cases of his own. When he's overlooked, again, and downright lied about, Nate's had enough and goes out on his own.


Sean needs help. The oil company he works for isn't willing to pay for the damages they're liable for and what ensues is a thoroughly engrossing and captivating court case worthy of a John Grisham novel. The facts of the case, the invention that Sean developed, all of it was just utterly fascinating and Thomas does an incredible job of giving the reader all they need to know to follow along without overwhelming or making the terms and technical language too wordy. In the midst of the intrigue, we have two guys who are so completely different from one another slowly but surely becoming the best of friends and then of course lovers. It's not the easiest road. Sean is struggling to overcome his injuries and the physical therapy is painful, intense, and physically and emotionally draining. Nate, for his part, is so smitten by Sean, but realizes that not only is there a pretty big conflict of interest since he's Sean's lawyer, but he doesn't want to take advantage of Sean's vulnerable state. The push and pull makes total sense here, and once these two realize their feelings are real, well, it'll melt your heart.


There's so much to Pins and Needles. Suspense, romance, family, friendship, and some really fantastic chemistry between Sean and Nate. I read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I am keeping all my fingers crossed that there might be another book with Sean and Nate because I need more of them. You will, too, once you read so make sure you check it out!

Pins and Needles by A.J. Thomas is a complex story about a young man (Sean) who receives life changing injuries while working for a petroleum company. The reader is brought into the story after the fact during the recovery and while Sean's "Dad" is looking for an attorney to represent them. This brings Nate Delaney into the picture, a young lawyer, who has been trying to prove himself to his father over the last two years only to keep getting shut down day after day. Nate has had enough and is leaving his fathers firm when he gets word that Hawk, Sean's Dad, was turned away earlier in the day. It's the perfect set up for multiple reasons.

When Sean and Nate meet the first time, There is attraction despite the situation of Sean being in a hospital bed and on serious pain meds. Once Sean gets out of the hospital these two start developing that lovely unresolved sexual tension that I just love. I enjoyed how the author really had them get to know each other. In addition, the traumatic injuries that Sean is dealing with were not ignored in the storyline as Sean dealt with insecurities and Nate became a better listener.

However, I have to be honest, I almost stopped reading this book. It seemed to drag until about 40% and then the conflict was so perfect it was annoying -- not to mention it could have been so easily prevented it just made me mad. "Miscommunication v misunderstanding v insecurity = perfect storm" this is not what I expect from this author who writes well-rounded, well-thought romances with a touch of crime, mystery, and, of course, passion. So, yes - I was dissappointed. Additionally, if you have no idea about fracking and the oil industry or engineering this book has the potential to confuse you quite easily. I was constantly having to look up terms,(which I don't mind) and I was still confused about certain aspects including pumps, pressure, thrusters, yada yada ... it made my head hurt 😉 - I did however, understand the chemistry and medical jargon so yay for me!

Anyhow, back to Sean & Nate, Once these two learned how to talk the story picked up. Then however, it went back to the case and figuring out what went wrong that led to Sean's Accident. From this point, the plot just sort of bounces around and I found myself forgetting who certain characters were when they would show up again later in the book. There seriously is a lot going on in this book - family drama, homophobia, murders, attempted murders, engineering, medical jargon, legal jargon, and a budding romance -- it's quite a busy book!

Then, it's just sort of over. Not really a cliffhanger. But I guess a Happy for Now..not too far into the future and pretty abruptly. It left me feeling like after all the "work" of the story...we didn't get much "happy times." If you are going go make me work that hard while reading a romance, please give me more happiness at the end...-- *sigh*

Overall a good book ~ 3 stars

I love when books selected on a whim end up being a hit. With Pins and Needles, I not only got a fantastic read, but I also was introduced to a new-to-me author.

I’d bill Pins and Needles as a romantic suspense that also features a slow-burn romance in which opposites attract. Much like the romance, the suspense builds slowly over the course of the book. What initially appears to be a lawyer representing and falling for a client, turns into so much more as the heroes attempt to piece together the events that led to Sean being severely wounded on an oil rig, and who is really at fault for the accident. I don’t know that I’d consider it heart-pounding, edge-of-my-seat style suspense. Rather this plot involves more of a mystery element with a few intense action scenes livening things up. Regardless, I enjoyed Pins and Needles immensely and found the ending somewhat of a surprise when all the players and the how of the incident are fully exposed.

As much as I liked puzzling out who did what on the ship, I really love the characters of Pins and Needles. One of the reasons I enjoy slow burn love stories so much is the ample time to build chemistry between characters. That is certainly true in this book. There’s a healthy dose of sexual tension AND there’s a payout with some heated, sexy scenes between Nate and Sean. I also appreciate how much of an emotional connection the author establishes between the couple, there’s certainly no denying that these two are a great match. Nate and Sean both have a lot of depth, and I liked that the reader gets to see the characters grow and develop over the course of the book individually, and not only as a couple. Their personalities and familial experiences have a healthy bit of contrast, which enhanced their relationship development and highlighted the characters’ depth. This is definitely a book that didn’t leave me wanting for more information about the characters thoughts, motivations, or emotions. My only downside really was the more rapid wrap-up to all the excitement and climaxes. While the reader got all the details between the final chapter and epilogue, it felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the book.

I’d highly recommend Pins and Needles to fans of romantic suspense, a bit of mystery in their romance, or slow burn romances. This book has such well-developed characters that I can’t help but think others will enjoy it as much as I did. I’ll definitely be looking for more from Miss Thomas.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*