Lindsay Carrington's world revolves around pain and the routine of trying to be "fixed". After his magic manifested his parents sent him to a military testing facility to have him studied and his magic removed. He has suffered tremendously and yet he continues to struggle to survive. When one test goes awry Lindsay makes a break for it, even if it's only to escape to die free, and in the process causes his magic to fracture.

Dane has been sent to rescue Lindsay from the clutches of his people's enemies. Dane himself has been through his own traumas and they have left him as broken as Lindsay. Dane has no problem with rescuing Lindsay but his role as nursemaid afterwards leaves him feeling unsettled. Lindsay brings out feelings in Dane that he has long learned to bury.

Can two men broken by life find healing together or will outside forces prevent them discovering that together they can find something even stronger than magic?

Tatterdemalion hits the ground running and never slows until the final word has been devoured and savored. Unlike the title there is nothing ragged, except perhaps my breathing, in this fantastic offering from the writing team of Anah Crow and Dianne Fox. From my first glimpse of Lindsay until my last he grew from a broken and frail victim into a man that does what needs to be done to protect those he loves. His journey was one that fascinated me. What makes this book completely awesome for me is how Lindsay and Dane, too seemingly opposites, grow into something completely new and in that process find something outside of their selves to believe in. Dane begins the journey as a seemingly strong, apathetic creature. More beast than man, his only sign of emotion is the rough loyalty he displays in caring for Cyrus and Vivian. Along the way we learn bits and pieces of what made him this way. The juxtaposition of the two men, each broken but manifesting it in different manners, was one that left me sympathetic to their plight and by the end of the story I was completely in love with both Dane and Lindsay. I don't want to give too much away so I will say that this story is action packed, filled with hot man on man loving, and left me breathless at times from the depth of emotion that each character drew from me. I'm thankful that the story ended with some loose ends because I sincerely hope that the authors are planning to make this a series and I, for one, want MORE!!!

Reviewed by: Hayley