Hi peeps, we have Cordelia Kingsbridge stopping by today with her new release Can’t Hide From Me, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Can’t Hide From Me
by
Cordelia Kingsbridge
Charles Hunter’s team is on a mission to extract an unidentified ATF agent from an undercover job gone wrong. All they’ve got to go on is the rendezvous location—until Charles recognizes the ex he hasn’t seen in years. Their “simple rescue mission” is about to get a lot more complicated.
For Ángel Medina, adjusting to life after his cartel nightmare is hard enough without confronting memories of a failed relationship. All he wants is a fresh start. But when a violent stalker lashes out from the shadows, Ángel realizes his nightmare is far from over.
As the stalker’s obsession escalates and bodies start dropping, Charles and Ángel are thrown together in a desperate search for the culprit. Tempers flare and old passions reignite, drawing them back into the same turbulent relationship that once ended in disaster.
But the stalker isn’t letting go—and the next strike might hit straight through the heart.
Hi peeps, we have Daisy Harris stopping by today with her brand new YA release Investigating Julius Drake, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Investigating Julius Drake
by
Daisy Harris
After arriving at Seattle’s prestigious Clinton Academy, fourteen-year-old Henry Walker realizes he won’t fit in. If he’s going to run with the rich and powerful, he’ll have to hide his modest background, his lack of interest in girls, and most importantly, his fascination with his handsome but troubled classmate Julius Drake.
When Julius draws Henry into the investigation of a classmate’s suicide attempt, Henry can’t resist the case—or Julius. Soon, Henry’s not only facing the truth about his feelings for Julius, but also risking his life to unmask a social media imposter. “The Other Woman” is manipulating his classmates, searching out their vulnerabilities, and driving them to desperate actions. Julius himself is at risk, what with his callous parents threatening to send him away, and his mental health taking a beating both at school and at home.
If Henry’s going to save the day and get the boy of his dreams, he’ll have to stop worrying what everyone thinks and stop pretending to be someone he’s not. Most of all, Henry will have to be honest about who he loves.
Hi peeps, we have L.A. Witt popping in today with her new release Kinky Sprinkles, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Aerin’s review, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Kinky Sprinkles
by
L.A. Witt
Joel has finally walked away from his abusive ex and is ready to meet new people. But that isn’t easy for a guy who’s shy, self-conscious, and struggling with his body image.
Andre has wanted Joel since the first time he laid eyes on him, and finally Joel is single. But Andre is a Dom and a sadist, and Joel is unapologetically vanilla. There’s no happy medium—either Andre reins in the kinky side that took him years to accept, or Joel grits his teeth and subjects himself to kinks that aren’t his thing. No matter who bends, someone’s going to be unhappy.
They agree to walk away, but they keep circling back to each other. Though their kinks might not line up, the chemistry between them sizzles and the emotional connection keeps getting deeper. But none of that will get them anywhere if they can’t find some kind of middle ground in the bedroom.
Hi guys, we have Rowan Speedwell stopping by with her new re-release Bitterwood, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Bitterwood
by
Rowan Speedwell
Outrunning a winter storm in the north, Captain Faran of the King’s Guard leads his men and a young mage named Meric to shelter at Bitterwood Manor, the ancestral home of the Daenes. Faran and his troops have been searching for weeks for a mysterious, lion-like beast that reportedly haunts the uncharted northern woods. For Meric, finding that prophesied cat is a matter of life and death.
Though Faran is deeply focused on their mission, the enigmatic Joss Daene, Lord of Bitterwood, fascinates him. Strong and proud, Joss is everything Faran wants in a lover. More, if he were honest. But Joss belongs to Bitterwood, and Faran to his duty.
Together they will need to brave the oldest, darkest part of the Bitterwood in the coldest, deepest snows of winter to find the legendary cat. But time is running out—for Meric, for the kingdom, and for Faran and Joss’s fledgling love.
Hi peeps, we have Jane Davitt stopping by today with her new re-release Gambling on Love, we have a brilliant guest post, a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway! So guys, check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Gambling On Love
by
Jane Davitt
When Gary and Abe came out to each other in their final year of high school, a longstanding friendship turned into a new love. Keeping their feelings a secret was easy until a coach caught them together in the locker room, and their fragile relationship shattered around them. Panicked, angry, and rejected by his mother, Gary fled town, breaking Abe’s eighteen-year-old heart.
Eleven years later Gary returns just as unexpectedly, crashing into Abe’s truck during a blizzard. He’s as arrogant and stubborn as ever—and just as irresistible. Time has changed them both in ways they never imagined, but the heat that flares between them is enough to thaw any ice.
While Abe discovers what Gary did to survive in the city, Gary realizes that Abe has grown into a man with needs to match his own, and they fall in love all over again. But Gary’s determination to carry out one final order from the rich, older man he lived with—and obeyed—for years means that a dead man’s plans might split them apart again . . . this time for keeps.
Publisher’s note: This title is an edited second edition, previously published in 2011.
Hi peeps, we have Aidan Wayne stopping by today with their new release Counterbalance, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Counterbalance
by
Aidan Wayne
John loves his job as head rigger for Cirque Brilliance. The heavy scarring over half his face makes it a little hard to meet new people, but John’s got a good crew and a nice found family, and he’s content with his lot in life.
When Cirque hires talent for a new show, John meets Bao, a bright, ever-cheerful acrobat. Bao seems drawn to John and becomes a constant presence at his side—talking to him during downtime, spending time with him at lunch, and generally seeking out his company.
John doesn’t know what to make of this. Sure, he likes Bao—maybe a little too much, honestly—but he’s had enough experience to know that Bao couldn’t possibly like him back. Or so he thinks, anyway. Fortunately, Bao seems determined to prove him wrong.
Hi guys, we have Garrett Leigh stopping by today with her new release Rented Heart, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Aerin’s review, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Rented Heart
by
Garrett Leigh
Ex-surfer-turned-businessman Liam Mallaney moved back to Holkham, Norfolk, to mourn the loss of his husband. Grief and loneliness keep him a solitary figure, and he likes it that way. There’s no room in his broken heart for anything else.
Rentboy Zac Payne left London and most of his demons behind, but he still only knows one way to make a living. When he spots Liam in a club one night, it seems he’s found his mark. But Liam proves nicer—and their connection far deeper—than he’d bargained for.
Their arrangement quickly becomes too complicated for Zac, who has other things on his mind: namely his BFF and wayward flatmate, Jamie. Zac owes Jamie the world, and even as Jamie’s drug addiction destroys all they have, Zac won’t leave him behind.
Besides, Liam knows nothing of Zac’s home life, too caught up in his own head to think much beyond the crazy heat he and Zac share. But when trouble comes to Zac’s door, putting his life in danger, Liam must set his grief and anger aside to pick up the pieces of Zac’s shattered heart and his own.
Blurb: After breaking his arm on set, Wolf’s Landing stuntman Ginsberg Sloan finds himself temporarily out of work. Luckily, Bluewater Bay’s worst B&B has cheap long-term rates, and Ginsberg’s not too proud to take advantage of them.
Derrick Richards, a grizzled laid-off logger, inherited the B&B after his parents’ untimely deaths. Making beds and cooking sunny-side-up eggs is hardly Derrick’s idea of a man’s way to make a living, but just as he’s decided to shut the place down, Ginsberg shows up on his doorstep, pitiful and soaking wet, and Derrick can hardly send him packing.
Not outright, at least.
The plan? Carry on the B&B’s tradition of terrible customer service and even worse food until the pampered city boy leaves voluntarily. What Derrick doesn’t count on, though, is that the lousier he gets at hosting, the more he convinces bored busybody Ginsberg to try to get the B&B back on track. And he definitely doesn’t count on the growing attraction between them, or how much more he learns from Ginsberg than how to put out kitchen fires.
Bluewater Bay stories can be read or listened to in any order – jump in wherever you’d like!
Review: There is so much to love about The Burnt Toast B&B.
This is the fifth installment of the Bluewater Bay series, based around the premise that a popular Hollywood TV show (something like Castle crossed with Supernatural) begins to shoot exclusively on location in Bluewater Bay, Washington. With the production brings a whole lot of different personalities in a small town which. The series can be read or heard as standalone or in any order you want – I personally have only heard the audio for this one and have read book 1, Starstruck.
Firstly, I love the fact that there are 2 narrators: Dorian Bane – who I have loved from Stormy Glenn audios, is really good at the big, powerful guys – and Tobias Silversmith – first time I’ve heard her work, but I found it wonderful that a trans-person was selected for the role of Ginsberg. And that leads into the second thing that I love about this story. I have read only a few stories (and heard the audio for none) that feature a transgender MC. And for what it’s worth coming from a cis-female, I really think that the authors achieved a very classy story. I love that fact that the Burn Toast B&B doesn’t make Ginsberg’s gender a massive part of the story. I also love how Derrick doesn’t make a big deal out of Ginsberg being transgender. Instead, this story is primarily about the worst B&B in Bluewater Bay, run by Derrick, and what happens to Derrick when Ginsberg crashes into his life.
Ginsberg and Derrick are well balanced and I love that we are treated to the POV of both guys. It’s so good that we are able to get into the head of the two MCs because they have very contrasting mindsets. While Ginsberg is presently settled in who he is, he is not so settled when it comes to letting someone to love him into his life. Obviously, he’s been burnt bad by gay men who objected to his being trans. On the other hand, Derrick, is busy trying to be the perfect son his dead parents wanted, running their business and being out as gay all at the same time. Yet, he has a number of hang ups that stem from bullying in his past. Both guys have a lot to get over if they are even going to make it.
Hi guys, we have Erica Cameron with her new F/F release Assassins: Discord, we have a Erica showing us her Moodboards for Assassins: Discord, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Assassins: Discord
(Assassins 01)
by
Erica Cameron
Kindra’s moral compass has never pointed north, but that’s what happens when you’re raised as an assassin and a thief. At sixteen, she’s fantastic with a blade, an expert at slipping through the world unnoticed, and trapped in a life she didn’t chose. But nothing in her training prepares her for what happens when her father misses a target.
In the week-long aftermath, Kindra breaks ranks for the first time in her life. She steals documents, starts questioning who their client is and why the target needs to die, botches a second hit on her father’s target, and is nearly killed. And that’s before she’s kidnapped by a green-eyed stranger connected to a part of her childhood she’d almost forgotten.
Kindra has to decide who to trust and which side of the battle to fight for. She has to do it fast and she has to be right, because the wrong choice will kill her just when she’s finally found something worth living for.
Hi guys, we have Xen Sanders stopping by today with his new release Shatterproof, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Shatterproof
by
Xen Sanders
Saint’s afraid to die. Grey can’t stand to live.
Grey Jean-Marcelin wants to die. He thought painting his passion—vivid portrayals of Haitian life and vodou faith—would be enough to anchor him to this world. But it isn’t. And when the mysterious man known only as Saint saves Grey from a suicide attempt, it’s more curse than blessing—until Grey discovers that Saint isn’t just an EMT. He’s a banished fae, and can only survive by draining the lives of those he loves.
All Saint needed was a simple bargain: one life willingly given for another. But as Saint’s feelings for Grey grow deeper, centuries of guilt leave him desperate to save a man who doesn’t want salvation, even if Grey’s life means Saint’s death.
When Grey’s depression consumes him, only he can decide if living is worth the struggle. Yet his choice may come too late to save his life . . . or Saint’s soul. And whatever choice he makes, it may shatter them both.
Hi peeps, we have Alexis Hall stopping by today with his new release Looking for Group, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Looking For Group
by
Alexis Hall
So, yeah, I play Heroes of Legend, y’know, the MMO. I’m not like obsessed or addicted or anything. It’s just a game. Anyway, there was this girl in my guild who I really liked because she was funny and nerdy and a great healer. Of course, my mates thought it was hilarious I was into someone I’d met online. And they thought it was even more hilarious when she turned out to be a boy IRL. But the joke’s on them because I still really like him.
And now that we’re together, it’s going pretty well. Except sometimes I think Kit—that’s his name, sorry I didn’t mention that—spends way too much time in HoL. I know he has friends in the guild, but he has me now, and my friends, and everyone knows people you meet online aren’t real. I mean. Not Kit. Kit’s real. Obviously.
Oh, I’m Drew, by the way. This is sort of my story. About how I messed up some stuff and figured out some stuff. And fell in love and stuff.
FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness and con man Henry Page are on the run again. This time they’re headed back to where it all began: Altona, Indiana. Population: some goats. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm, but they’ve got nowhere else to go.
While Mac fights to clear his name and Henry struggles with whose side he’s really on, a ghost from the past threatens to destroy everything. And those aren’t the only storms on the radar. Cut off from both sides of the law, Mac and Henry must rely on their tenuous partnership to survive.
If Henry can convince himself to let Mac see the man behind the disguises, they’ll stand a chance of beating the forces that conspire against them. The course of true love never did run smooth, but for the two of them, it might be their only hope.
Review: The third book in the Playing the Fool trilogy, The Tempest continues on with the Shakespeare references, lots of dramatic action, a lovely mystery that comes full circle. There was a lot to bring together in this last book, many characters to tie together and a future to weave for Mac and Cheese. I was very satisfied with this ending, though saddened there could be no redemption for one of my favorite characters…I’ll let you read about it!
The sexual tension between Henry and Mac took some backwards steps a few times, unveiling Henry’s insecurity, leaving me wondering if Mac could really help heal those old wounds and the distance between them.
One of my favorite characters, Henry’s sister, plays a pivotal role in The Tempest, and I’m so glad of it! It helps bring the future together for them all.
The narrator does another wonderful job, though there does seem to be a chapter missing….wish I had that, but the story still moves forward at a fast pace.
An action packed trilogy, something to read that feels fresh and different than what the m/m genre has been pumping out lately. Worth a read or listen for sure. Oh and I can’t forget to throw in there…I totally LOVE Mac’s parents. Wish I had them myself!
There’s something rotten in the state of Indiana. When con man Henry Page takes it upon himself to investigate the death of an elderly patient at a care facility, he does so in true Shakespearean tradition: dressed as a girl.
FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness has more to worry about than Henry’s latest crazy idea. Someone is trying to send him a message – via a corpse with a couple of bullets in it. He needs to figure out who’s trying to set him up before he gets arrested, and he really doesn’t have time for Henry’s shenanigans. Then again, he’d probably be able to focus better if Henry didn’t look so damn distracting in a baby doll dress and a wig.
But when Mac discovers that Henry has been keeping a secret that connects the cases, he has to find a way to live on the right side of the law when he just might be in love with the wrong sort of man.
Review: A continuation of The Two Gentlemen of Altona, book two in the Playing the Fool series, The Merchant of Death keeps playing along with Henry’s creative acts. It’s very hard to review this highly entertaining mystery without giving away the big surprises, but there’s plenty of new adventures and new characters to this story.
Henry is making himself at home at the station, making friends among Mac’s staff members, and along the way he’s making Mac crazy. A constant change in identity, keeping Mac guessing, and keeping the bad guys off his tail, all start to spell trouble for our lovely couple.
We learn a new secret about Henry, something right out of Shakespeare’s classics, and he will do anything to protect and care for that secret, even if it means ending his romance with Mac before it gets a chance to truly begin. Henry’s biggest guise yet is to play the sexy temptress, throwing Mac for yet another loop when he finds himself attracted to Henry even disguised as a woman.
There is plenty of nail biting action, murderous plots, and humor in this second book, but this time we get hot and steamy too! We finally get to see the fireworks fly between Mac and Henry, even though there’s a bit of a surprise and twist in the bedroom too!
More characters come to visit us, we get to learn so much more about Henry’s back story, and as we get to know the other court members in Henry’s life, one can easily see new stories begin to unfold.
Russo is an excellent narrator, giving unique and enjoyable voices to both male and female roles. I really look forward to the next book in the series.
Publisher: Riptide Publishing (11th February 2016)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating:♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Blurb:Mischief, thou art afoot.
Special Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness is having a rough week. Not only is he on a new diet, but he’s also been tasked with keeping Henry Page – the world’s most irritating witness – alive. Which is tough when Mac’s a breath away from killing the Shakespeare-quoting, ethically-challenged, egg-obsessed Henry himself. Unless killing isn’t really what Mac wants to do to him.
Con man Henry Page prefers to keep his distance from the law… though he wouldn’t mind getting a little closer to uptight, handsome Agent McGuinness. As the sole witness to a mob hit, Henry’s a valuable asset to the FBI. But he’s got his own agenda, and it doesn’t involve testifying.
When evidence surfaces of a mole in the FBI office, Mac and Henry are forced to go into hiding. Holed up in a fishing cabin, they’re surprised to discover that their feelings run more than skin deep. But as the mob closes in, Henry has to make his escape. And Mac has to decide how far he’s willing to go to keep Henry by his side.
Review: The Two Gentlemen of Altona is a funny, devious, and fast paced who dunnit with a healthy dose of attraction thrown in. It’s a very “Catch me if you can!” scenario between Mac and Henry. Many humorous references to Shakespeare are woven into this funny mystery.
As far as the heat goes, our two characters seem to have chemistry, but they keep missing the ignition process…leaving us wanting and waiting until the next book!
My favorite thing about The Two Gentlemen of Altona is the character Henry, or whatever identity he’s going with. He’s so creative, devious, and totally enjoys getting under Mac’s skin. I love how he keeps picking on Mac about his diet. It’s a simple ploy, but so funny in the ways he uses it.
The narrator, Nick J. Russo does a wonderful job giving each character a unique sounds, I’ve enjoyed many of his narrations, and the Playing the Fool series is just as top notch as all of the others.
This is a series you’ll definitely want to read in order, and it’s serial, so you won’t get all your answers or even half of them in this book. Totally worth the listen, and I look forward to more!
Genre: Science Fiction, Alternate World / Alternate Universe
Length: Novel (346 pages)
Publisher: Riptide Publishing (July 11, 2016)
Heat Level: Low – Moderate
Heart Rating:♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Blurb: What humans want from the Silver Planet is water. What they find is a race of humanoids who are sentient, but as emotionless and serene as the plants and placid lakes they tend.
B, captain of the mission, doesn’t believe that the “Silvers” are intelligent, and lets his crew experiment on them. But then he bonds with Imms, who seems different from the others—interested in learning, intrigued by human feelings. And B realizes that capturing, studying, and killing this planet’s natives has done incalculable damage.
When a fire aboard B’s ship kills most of the crew and endangers Imms, B decides to take him back to Earth. But the simplicity of the Silver Planet doesn’t follow them. Imms learns the full spectrum of human emotions, including a love B is frightened to return, and a mistrust of the bureaucracy that wants to treat Imms like a test subject, even if they have to eliminate B to do it.
(Note: This is a revised second edition, originally published elsewhere.)
Review: Captain B and his crew are tasked to investigate an unknown lifeform named Silvers. They travel to Silvers and discover humanoids almost devoid of emotions. One such Silver is Imms. He is an enigma of his kind as he actually feels emotions.
Imms goes back to earth with Captain B. I found it interesting to see how Imms tried to blend into his new surroundings. Things were not easy for him in the least.
I found the book to be interesting as two men from different worlds collide. It makes you think of all you know and what it means to be human. Are things really as they seem or are they different and we just do not see past what is right in front of us.
I loved the details regarding Imms and his planet. I was impressed by the complex yet simplicity of the story.
Hi peeps, we have Lisa Henry stopping by with her new release Adulting 101, we have a brilliant guest post, a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Aerin’s review, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Adulting 101
by
Lisa Henry
The struggle is real.
Nick Stahlnecker is eighteen and not ready to grow up yet. He has a summer job, a case of existential panic, and a hopeless crush on the unattainable Jai Hazenbrook. Except how do you know that your coworker’s unattainable unless you ask to blow him in the porta-potty?
That’s probably not what Dad meant when he said Nick should act more like an adult.
Twenty-five-year-old Jai is back in his hometown of Franklin, Ohio, just long enough to earn the money to get the hell out again. His long-term goal of seeing more of the world is worth the short-term pain of living in his mother’s basement, but only barely.
Meeting Nick doesn’t fit in with Jai’s plans at all, but, as Jai soon learns, you don’t have to travel halfway around the world to have the adventure of a lifetime.
This is not a summer romance. This is a summer friendship-with-benefits. It’s got pizza with disgusting toppings, Netflix and chill, and accidental exhibitionism. That’s all. There are no feelings here. None. Shut up.
Genre: Contemporary, Drama, New Adult, Sci-fi, Alien, Shifter
Length: Novella (103 pages)
Publisher: Riptide Publishing (April 11, 2016)
Heat Level: Low – Moderate
Heart Rating:♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Blurb: When Jay heads to the university’s learning center for help with his math class, he doesn’t expect his tutor to be tall, dark, and handsome. But Roswell is all that and more, and their instant connection over cult movies, books, and TV shows quickly evolves into dating.
That’s when things get tricky.
Roswell might claim he doesn’t have issues with Jay being trans, but when he’s constantly insisting they “take it slow,” Jay’s not so sure. He’s been hurt before, and he’s not going to let it happen again.
But then Roswell reveals that he, too, has a few secrets under his skin.
Review: I honestly do not know how I feel about this book. I know for sure Roswell’s character was lacking in depth details about himself especially the alien aspect. Jay confused me as I didn’t understand why he would tell someone he did not know well that he was Trans. I mean he does not know Roswell or how he is or even that if he’s prejudice in some way.
I really wanted to like this story as I love sci-fi and paranormal stories but there were too many head scratching moments for me to get into the story. The story seemed to jump from one thing to the next at times without any resolution.
Hi guys, we have S.C. Wynne sopping by today with her new release StartingNew, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Starting New
by
S.C. Wynne
Life hasn’t been good to Francis Murphy. He’s survived twenty-one years of homelessness by hooking and taking handouts where he can find them. When the local shelter is vandalized, he’s forced to seek food at the Grace and Light Church, where he runs into the pastor’s son, Randy.
Randy Wright believes the best in others. He’s immediately drawn to Francis, even though Francis is hardened and wary. When Francis is attacked by one of his johns, Randy and his family take him in and offer him temporary work. Randy always thought he was straight, but something about Francis has him yearning for more than just friendship, and realizing he might be bisexual.
Francis is attracted to Randy too, and Randy and his parents say they’ve always believed in gay rights. But talk is cheap. What are the odds that these Christian parents will remain open-minded when it’s their own son in a relationship with another man?
Blurb: After barely surviving a shootout in New Orleans, Sidewinder medic Kelly Abbott has to suffer through a month of recovery before he can return home to Colorado. He’s not surprised when fellow Sidewinder Nick O’Flaherty stays with him in New Orleans. Nor is he surprised when Nick travels home with him to help him get back on his feet – after all, years on the same Marine Force Recon team bonded the men in ways that only bleeding for a brother can. He’s very surprised, though, when Nick humors his moment of curiosity and kisses him.
Nick knows all of Kelly’s quirks and caprices, so the kiss was a low-risk move on his part…or so he thought. But what should’ve been a simple moment unleashes a flood of confusing emotions and urges that neither man is prepared to address. Now, Kelly and Nick must figure out what they mean to each other – friends and brothers in arms or something even deeper – before the past can come back to ruin their tenuous future.
Review: Kelly Abbott and Nick O’Flaherty have been friends, brothers, comrades in arms for over a decade. With Kelly still on the mend after being shot during the fiasco in New Orleans, Nick takes the time off to stay with his friend and help him while he heals. Kelly isn’t sure if it’s the pain meds, or being in such close quarters with Nick, but his perception of his friend shifts almost as soon as they get to his cabin. What starts out as mild curiosity quickly turns into so much more and soon, they cross a line that they can never jump back over again.
I really enjoyed getting to know more about Nick and Kelly. Being secondary characters throughout the Cut & Run series as members of Ty’s rag tag secret black ops team, the Sidewinders, I only got to know them in the capacity that fit into those stories. Now the focus of the story shifts to Nick and Kelly, the strong bond they already share after relying on each other in life or death situations for over a decade. So, while to some this may seem like an insta-love story, I assure you, it is not. It’s been brewing for close to fifteen years.
Narrated by Brock Thompson, this is my first audio with Thompson and it did take me about twenty minutes to get used to his narration. After listening to the Cut & Run series, I got used to that specific voice for Nick and Kelly, so Thompson’s was off at first. It did not take long for the story to pull me in though, and I actually think I like Nick more voiced by Thompson because he has his Boston bread accent. This wasn’t the norm for the Sidewinder guys, this was a singular story about Nick and Kelly realizing a mutual attraction, talking about it, and then acting on it. It was short, sexy and even a bit steamy.
I quite enjoyed this romantic reprieve and look forward to more stores for Nick and Kelly. They aren’t quite as troublesome and volatile as Ty and Zane, but they might graduate to that with more time. If you are a fan of the Cut & Run books of course you’ll enjoy this companion series.
But if you’ve avoided that series due to the madness, murder and mayhem… this is slower but just as appealing as anything else Roux has written.
Publisher: Riptide Publishing (15th December 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating:♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Blurb: It’s been five years since Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett first worked together to solve the Tri-State murders, and time has been both harsh and kind. Engaged now, they face the challenge of planning a deeply uncertain future together. Zane is at the pinnacle of his career with one last mystery to solve, while Ty is at sea in a world where he’s no longer the tip of a spear.
There’s just one more hurdle in the way of their happy ever after: a traitor from their inner circle who threatens to burn their world to the ground.
Squeezed between the Vega cartel, an unknown mole, and too many alphabet agencies to count, Ty and Zane must gather all their strength and resources to beat the longest odds they’ve ever faced. To make it out alive, they’ll need help from every friend they’ve got. Even the friends who might betray their trust.
Review: Ty and Zane have survived so much, fought so hard for the right to love each other. Their life will never be boring, but a little bit of sunshine is always appreciated, even for half psycho FBI agents that like to shoot things. Ball & Chain ended with Zane finally accepting Ty’s proposal, and this book starts with their wedding. I was sitting on my head in the few minutes leading up to the ceremony, fearing Roux would pull out some sort of ninja on a wave runner with an AK47 to destroy the nuptials. I was so very pleased, and even in tears, as Ty and Zane had probably their first ever day of peace to have a quick civil ceremony on the water with Livvy and Deuce by their side. The wedding night was full of passion and love we’ve come to expect from these two. When the bell tolls one, all bets are off and the madness begins by way of a battered, bruised and bloody Nick landing on their doorstep with a gunshot wound.
From this moment on the action was non-stop, the suspense insane and the body count climbing as Ty, Zane, Sidewinder, the Cia and Nia set out to take down the Vega cartel that won’t stop until Ty and Zane are dead, buried and burned to the ground. It just so happens that the afore mentioned list of crazy people and agencies with nothing but alphabets in their name feel the same way about the cartel. Now the race is on to see who can take down whom first.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I love the characters and their story, but I’m sad that this is the last HooRah for Ty and Zane. Five years after that first tryst in a hotel room while investing the death of one of Sidewinders team members, Elias Sanchez, Ty and Zane are moderately healthy, mostly happy and ready for the next chapter. Too bad their pasts didn’t get that memo, because everything is about to come to a gnarly head and not everyone makes it out with their life.
What I have thoroughly enjoyed about this series is that nine books in, and I’m still intrigued, sad in fact that it’s the last one. Every installment has brought something new to the table, more madness and chaos for Ty and Zane and everyone they care about. These two men have literally been to hell and back, and back again, a side trip to New Orleans where the devil himself was knocking on their door, and now they find themselves facing down those demons, praying they will make it out alive. These books are action packed, emotional, dramatic, passionate and intense.
Narrated by JF Harding and its amazing how he pulled off so many different voices and never, not once, mixed them up. Everyone has their own distinct voice that wavers occasionally depending on the characters mood or the circumstance at that time in the story. As I said, this is probably the most intense, emotional book of the series and Harding captured every ounce of the pain, fear, love, elation and desperation with tones and nuances as he voiced the characters. I hadn’t listened to anything from him prior to this series, but I will probably seek him out for his voice chops alone in the future.
If you are a fan of this series you are going to love this final climax for this multitude of characters you’ve come to know and love. Everyone that is anyone in the Cut & Run universe, that is still breathing that is, is back for their 5 minutes of page time. As I said, it’s very bittersweet. Sad to say goodbye, but the boys definitely went out with a bang and a smile.
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