Goldilox and the Three Weres: Review: Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian

Hither, Page
(Page & Sommers #1)
Cat Sebastian
Release: June 18, 2019
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A jaded spy and a shell shocked country doctor team up to solve a murder in postwar England.

James Sommers returned from the war with his nerves in tatters. All he wants is to retreat to the quiet village of his childhood and enjoy the boring, predictable life of a country doctor. The last thing in the world he needs is a handsome stranger who seems to be mixed up with the first violent death the village has seen in years. It certainly doesn't help that this stranger is the first person James has wanted to touch since before the war.

The war may be over for the rest of the world, but Leo Page is still busy doing the dirty work for one of the more disreputable branches of the intelligence service. When his boss orders him to cover up a murder, Leo isn't expecting to be sent to a sleepy village. After a week of helping old ladies wind balls of yarn and flirting with a handsome doctor, Leo is in danger of forgetting what he really is and why he's there. He's in danger of feeling things he has no business feeling. A person who burns his identity after every job can't set down roots.

As he starts to untangle the mess of secrets and lies that lurk behind the lace curtains of even the most peaceful-seeming of villages, Leo realizes that the truths he's about to uncover will affect his future and those of the man he's growing to care about.

Review:
I have made it one of my 2020 goals to catch up on all of Cat Sebastian's backlist this year. I read five of her books last year and I adored four and enjoyed the fifth. The first book I picked up of hers this year was Hither, Page and I made the mistake of starting it before bed and read the whole thing in one sitting. It was SO good! I loved it so much!

I was sold on this book as soon as I read the first sentence of the synopsis:

"A jaded spy and a shell shocked country doctor team up to solve a murder in postwar England."

Once upon a time, I read a lot of WWII historical fiction novels. The small English village post WWII setting is not one I’ve read much in historical romances and I found it intriguing! Also, all of the WWII fiction I've read never had two gay men falling for each other. The spy angle and the doctor with PTSD were unique too.

Just like all of the other Cat Sebastian books I've read, I loved the characters! The two leading men stole my heart from the beginning. James and his struggle with PTSD and him trying to find a new normal even though he knows that most days he's not fine. Leo is not used to being a spy in a post-war world and doesn't know what to do with discovering things that HE likes and not one of his many assumed identities. What I loved even more is them together. I kept muttering "Just kiss already" to the book for a good portion of it.

I loved all of the supporting characters! I want to see more of the Vicar and his family and I especially need to see all of the ladies of Little Briars again. One of the things I loved the most about this was that nobody ignored what was happening. Some of the characters were slow to catch on to some things but then again so was I.

The mystery was clever and surprising and left me both in shock because I didn't see who did it coming but it totally made sense once I could look back after the reveal. This book was full of humor and great characters! I’m so glad this is the first in a series because I just want more of this romance, these characters, and really just everything about this book. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a queer historical romance that is set outside the Regency time period.