This is a wonderful, masterfully-written story about two men on opposite sides of the law. FBI Agent Miller Sutton has spent the past nine months tracking and learning everything about drug runner Danny Butler. Finally, after Danny gets busted on gun charges, Miller has an opportunity to catch the elusive drug lord and Danny's boss Hinestroza by convincing Danny to testify against his criminal employer. When Hinestroza learns about this betrayal, Danny is placed under Miller's protection, living with him in an apartment safehouse owned by the FBI. In these close quarters, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to ignore their growing attraction.

McKinley weaves a compelling and emotional tale with tight prose and fully-fleshed out characters. I loved seeing the slow build of Miller and Danny's mutual attraction and understanding, and the tenderness they shared when they finally got together. I thought the process they took from first meeting to becoming a couple was done in a fairly believable way. Granted, the entire premise of this book requires much suspension of disbelief, but I think if an FBI agent and a criminal informant were to get together, this would be how it happens. I really appreciate how McKinley never makes it easy for Miller and Danny. They both face some extremely difficult moral choices and have to live with the consequences of their decisions. I had difficulty imagining how McKinley would pull off a happy ending for these two considering their circumstances, but she managed to do it very convincingly without sacrificing the integrity of the characterizations or the internal logic of the plot.

There are only a couple things that keep this from being a 5 star read for me. First off, I think the timeline is a little fast. The way Miller and Danny's relationship developed was realistic, but the book mentions at one point that they had only been living together for about a month when they got together. That really surprised me, since it seemed like far more time had passed in the story. It didn't really ring true for me that they would have such deep feelings for each other at that point. Miller also makes a critical decision at the climax of the novel which would have been more believable if he and Danny had been together for longer.

I did like how McKinley dealt with the ending of the story. Too many authors wrap up their books really quickly after the climax and slap a happily ever after on it without really showing us how the characters would get there. Shades of Grey still had a significant amount of pages after the climax, which covered how Danny and Miller dealt with the aftermath. I liked that we got to see how Danny and Miller lived with the consequences of their actions and decisions, and how they were both changed by the events of the book. The ending, when it finally came, was incredibly touching and demonstrated the depth of the love Miller and Danny had for each other. The ending isn't a typical happily ever after, but it is deeply satisfying. ( )

This is a psychological thriller with a lot of action. Miller Sutton is an FBI agent with absolute strong morals and views. He is now being forced to confront new perspectives when his sexuality is questioned. Miller views all of life as either being good or bad...black or white...hot or cold. He's been constructing a case against the drug lord Hinestroza and has finally gotten a break when one of Hinestroza's drug runners, Danny Butler, is brought in for questioning. A bad choice now occurs. Danny and Miller have an immediate attraction...to each other...and Miller never admitted that he might be gay. Even took it so far to find himself engaged to a woman. Miller realizing that his perspective could be, and more than likely was probably...wrong. Things in life are more than black or white and there are many "shades of gray". I didn't give it 5 stars since I found their actions during the romantic scenes slightly uncharacteristic based upon what we already knew about them.... but it was interesting and well worth the reading time. Wish we could have learned more about their life together but maybe there will be another book. ( )

action-thriller, contemporary, cops-detectives, criminals, enemies-to-lovers, lgbtqa, read, slow-burn ( )

It was ok ( )

I really enjoyed Shades of Gray. There’s something about law enforcement types that I find so hot. And Miller definitely had it going on, even if he was delusional. Danny too was a compelling character. He hooked up with his drug lord boss when he was 18 and working a low-end job. His father was abusive and so he struck on out his own and the second Danny got into Hinestroza’s vehicle, he knew he made a mistake. But one he couldn’t get out of. And so now in his early 30s, he’s Hinestroza’s trusted lackey and the target of the FBI, who force him into turning on his boss. You see, even though Danny knows he’s doing wrong, Hinestroza provided for Danny and so Danny is twistedly loyal to him because of his own daddy issues. Here’s someone who appreciates Danny’s efforts and trusts him (to a degree). Danny though is a very deep well of emotion – he feels guilt over the people he has dragged into his own screwed up life. There’s a buddy of his from the early days and there’s his ex-wife. Their lives are forever affected because of knowing and loving Danny. Danny is burdened down by guilt. But he takes the good stuff where he can but otherwise puts his head down and does his job. But Miller changes all that when he gets him turn on Hinestroza. At first, Miller has Danny go back home and act like nothing has changed – but Hinestroza tortures Danny’s ex-wife and realizes there’s something fishy going on. He sets his dirty-work man, Madrigal, after Danny but since Danny’s familiar with how Madrigal works, he manages to escape in time and Miller sets Danny up in protective housing.

And this is where things get interesting. Danny has recognized the flashes of interest he’s received from Miller – but Miller is so totally blind to the fact that he is attracted to Danny. There is a two-pronged denial going on here. First because Danny is a criminal. Second, because Danny is a man. But Miller gets to the point where he can no longer deny that he wants Danny and oh my goodness is it ever hot when he gives in to his desire. The tension here is so well done up to that point that it just catches the page on fire when they get together– for me anyway. *g*

While these gorgeous men embark on a steamy, secret affair (Miller could lose his job for getting involved with a key witness, for which he feels guilt too), all is not well. Both guys realize that once Danny is placed in the Witness Protection Program, the affair is over. And although Danny and Miller don’t acknowledge their feelings, they’re both sad to think of things having to end.

Eventually, Madrigal finds where the FBI is hiding Danny and these two lovers have to run again. And that’s where Shades of Gray really kicks it up another notch. Because now Hinestroza has a hit out on Miller.

I have to tell you, I really feared for Danny and Miller’s HEA. There were so many obstacles to these men being together, it was almost painful reading their story. I was really gunning for these guys. The set up of this story also reminded me of Jane Seville’s Zero at the Bone. That story has an assassin and a doctor on the run, but there were some similarities and I liked how it was almost a role reversal – an assassin and an FBI agent. It was good stuff.

I definitely want to read more by this author. ( )