Savage Love by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

795a1aea82727f52235700fcaff67f48827bf41cTitle: Savage Love
Series: Assassin/Shifter, #23
Author: Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Novel (45,979 words)
Publisher: Skull Blaster Publishing (August 14th 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Tams
Blurb: Six years ago, Chaz Savage was on top of the world: Beloved NFL star, filthy rich, great friends — and a man he was close to falling in love with. Lev Chirkoff was smart, funny, sexy and freaking adorable. Then, one night he was gone with no explanation. Chaz is devastated, left wondering what happened to the only man who ever had his heart. Eventually, hurt turns to anger and then to rage. If he EVER sees that man again….

Lev Chirkoff has an impossible job forced on him by the mob boss his father works for. It involves a professional athlete he has worshiped since the first time he saw him, and the very thought of it sickens Lev. He meets Chaz and they seem to be made for each other. Soon, his only plan is falling in love. When a traumatic night forces Lev out of Chaz’s life, he disappears. But Chaz Savage never leaves his heart.

Six years later, Lev returns to Seattle, makes new friends and finds a purpose in life. A Halloween party puts him in Chaz’s orbit again, and unsportsmanlike conduct doesn’t begin to cover the big man’s reaction. With the mob after Chaz, Lev is assigned to protect him as they go into hiding. But Chaz Savage isn’t about to make it easy for the man who devastated him. Once old feelings stir, he finally has a chance to discover the truth of Lev’s betrayal. Lev falls even more deeply for the man who is so much more than just a football star — but surely his secret will only cost him Chaz’s love forever.

They say it takes a village, but in this case it’s a reservation — and as Chaz and Lev come to an uneasy peace, they discover that the people around them are more than willing to give their lives for the safety of their family.

Purchase Link: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-savagelove-1588912-145.html#.U-LQBy2z2yM.facebook
Review: Chaz Savage had it all, a successful NFL career and budding relationship with one sexy little Russian, Lev Chirkoff. The closeted football player starts to turn heads turning up everywhere with Lev, but he assures everyone they are just good friends. But that was then, and this is now, now Chaz is a firefighter and one of the few humans that are privy to the true heritage of the Skullblasters unit. But he still loves Lev, misses him, and thinks about that man every damn day.

Six years ago, Lev Chirkoff made a deal with the devil that cost him the man he loved. Now back in Seattle as the newest recruit for the elite Skullblasters unit of Assassin’s and Shifter’s, Lev is brought face to face with that man. And it’s anything but a warm welcome. Chaz knows about the team, about the wolves, his best friend was saved by one, and fell in love with one before becoming one. So he can’t wrap his brain around Lev thinking he would not love him because he’s a shifter. But Chaz doesn’t know the whole story, and Lev fears losing him all over again once he tells Chaz the truth.

Lev has lost everyone and everything in his life that mattered and subsequently secluded himself in Siberia while he learned to control his wolf. He knows that returning to Seattle will open old wounds, but he didn’t expect the wash of emotions when he sees Chaz for the first time in six years. Chaz is angry, no volatile is a better term, but there is still love in the depths of those sad angry eyes. Lev as well reacts to Chaz invading his space immediately. He still wants this man more than anything.

There is a lot to resolve, but it doesn’t take either man long to realize that they still love each other. That they never stopped loving each other. They will have to share everything, even the painful truths, and deal with them to get beyond their own hurt and face the oncoming threat now seems intent on getting Chaz as well as the team’s young charges, the Olympians. Lev just got him back, he refuses to lose Chaz again, but sometimes fate has other plans.

Classic Sandrine! Colourful storylines, witty dialogue, passionate love and a group of men and shifters that will protect each other and their own with such ferocity that it’s downright frightening. As each of these new books progress, there is a sister story for the Twelve Olympians series, but everything always ties in together. And we are starting to see more and more characters within each story as the threat from Petey and the Rogues grows closer. I love how Sandrine focus’ on the current pairing, but always manages to make sure we stay in contact with favourites and give us a juicy morsel of some fun pairings to come.

This is a must read series, still my favourite M/M series, I love how the author manages to continually bring us something fresh twenty something books in. You MUST start at the beginning, seriously, you must. Each new instalment is just one piece of a very large puzzle that you have to have an outline for first, and then add the pieces as they fit. Another success for Sandrine Gasq-Dion and the Skullblasters!