Title: Catch a Ghost
Series: Hell or High Water 01
Author: S.E. Jakes
Genre: Action, Thriller, Suspense
Length: Novel Plus (250pgs)
Publisher: Riptide Publishing (9th September 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Blurb: When past and present collide, predicting the future is impossible.
Everyone knows that Prophet—former Navy SEAL, former CIA spook, full-time pain in the ass—works alone.
But his boss at Extreme Escapes, LTD. has just assigned Proph a new partner and a case haunted by ghosts from Proph’s past. Suddenly, he has to confront both head on.
Tom Boudreaux—failed FBI agent, failed sheriff, full-time believer in bad luck—is wondering why the head of a private contracting firm has hunted him down to offer him a job. Still, he’s determined to succeed this time, despite being partnered with Prophet, EE’s most successful, lethal, and annoying operative, on a case that resurrects his own painful past.
Together, Prophet and Tom must find a way to take down killers in the dangerous world of underground cage matches while fighting their own dangerous attraction. When they find themselves caught in the crossfire, these two loners must trust each other and work together to escape their ghosts . . . or pay the price.
Purchase Link: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/catch-ghost
Pixie’s Review: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Prophet works alone; he prefers it that way, but his boss at Extreme Escapes, LTD. has just given him a new partner and a case that is haunted by ghosts of his past. Tom has just come on board EEL and is still wondering why he was offered the job, but he takes the new case and reluctant partner anyway.
With a history of his partners, dying Tom is determined that it won’t happen this time, but with the way that Prophet dices with death, it is down to luck. Prophet and Tom have to find a way to take down killers in the world of underground cage fighting and discover just why the victim was murdered. Their attraction is instant and giving into their attraction is easy, but trusting each other is much harder and what little trust they have will be tested to the limits.
Both MC’s in this book are haunted by their pasts, Prophet because of a promise he made and Tom because all his partners have been killed. Both characters are complex in their own way, Prophet is the most complex with his attitude and broken self-worth, Tom has his own complexities with his seemly ‘bad luck’ and premonition feelings. Their instant attraction leads into a difficult relationship while they are investigating a murder that has murky leads and those leads are mysteriously tied to Prophet, and, a video that Tom mysteriously received even before ever meeting Prophet.
I have to say this is one frustrating book, it gives you hope, hints and clues but leaves you grasping for solid answers. While we learn a lot about both men’s backgrounds it still leaves us in the dark though, it’s like peeling back the first layer only to discover another layer underneath covered in steel. The storyline is really good and you are dragged into the danger and mystery, you get frustrated at Prophet’s attitude and you can’t help hope that Tom will smack the crap out of him to knock some sense into him. Their relationship is one of tension, frustration, and incredible hot sex with Tom doing most of the work to crack Prophet’s steel shell.
This really isn’t the book to read if you are just looking for an easy read or perfect relationship, it’s the book to read if you want something to chew on and frustrate you. It isn’t a pretty book with hearts and flowers; in fact, there are times you could cheerfully string up both Tom and Prophet because they annoy you so much. There are no dewy eyes from these dangerous men, black eyes yes, and there are no sweet words but plenty of cursing and there is certainly no happily ever after unless the author is very happy with our screaming and cursing as we get to the end and discover frustration.
I recommend this is you love mysterious men making the world a better place, if you love broken men who aren’t sure if they want to be fixed, scorching hot sex, a great storyline that leaves you frustrated and if are a glutton for punishment.
Gigi’s Review: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Let me start off saying that I became quickly invested in Prophet and Tom. The characters are richly written, detailed, and unique and grabbed my right away. Prophet is a male character I love to love and love to hate. I want to just slap some sense into him but that would never work. This guy is facing huge problems in his future, not only from a genetic illness but also from himself. He doesn’t allow himself to be loved, he distances himself from people who care, he puts himself in harm’s way intentionally, and I still can’t help but be drawn and sympathetic.
Tom is a character I underestimated. I first saw him as weak, but it turns out his intelligence is what sneaks up on a reader. He’s more experienced than he lets on, and he’s physically strong in addition to being the emotional strength. He’s also got a “gift” and a curse that he lives with that distances him from others. So two very hard men with stubborn streaks turning their professional relationship into a sexual one can only spell problems.
This is a book for those who love Special Forces, military, mercenary, and spy adventures. Catch a Ghost has plenty of action, violence, and aggressive sexual heat. All of these things kept me entertained, but the plot left me stranded.
I know this is a series, and I understand the use of a cliffhanger, but it seems to me the whole purpose of Catch a Ghost may have been to introduce Tom and Prophet, set up the drama, build a plot, but then it ended with no resolution. I like to see at least one problem solved in a series installment, but this one left me wanting. Wanting to read more is the result of the quality however!