Midnight Rain

This is almost a formula now in this genre: two hard-bitten guys down on their luck find each other despite life's vagaries. Then the baddies that were hounding them close in and threaten all that they have found. In this case, they are likely in America since one has to go to the cities of Wayne and Alexandria (Indiana). The artwork is suitably strong though there are a lot of goofy expressions to offset the darkness of the plot. Story: Ethan has just about given up on continuing with his futile, pointless, and hard life. Then a man appears on his doorstep - a stranger he met peripherally the day before. Mike was stabbed and in bad shape - the result of a run in with the crime lords of the area. Ethan finds a new resolve on life by helping the prickly Mike survive to the next day. In the while, they discover a physical attraction that soon begins to morph into something more. The story has its moments but I did find myself having a hard time wanting to continue. The author noted that the story was actually darker and with a harsher ending but that was changed once writing actually began. That said, I feel like I know exactly where the plot is going since I've seen it so often in the past. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.