Tag: Sidewinder series

Shock & Awe by Abigail Roux Audiobook

Abigail Roux - Shock & Awe Audio CoverTitle: Shock & Awe

Series: A Sidewinders Story book #1

Author: Abigail Roux

Narrator: Brock Thompson

Genre: Contemporary MM Romance

Length: 3 hours and 59 minutes

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (12-18-2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

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.

Product Link: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/audio/1545

Reviewer: Tams

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.

Part & Parcel by Abigail Roux ~ Audiobook

61DZttYQ6hL._AA300_Title: Part & Parcel

Series: Sidewinder, #3

Author: Abigail Roux

Narrator: Brock Thompson

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 8 hours and 55 minutes

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (03-21-2016)

Heat Level: Moderate to Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts

Blurb: Nick O’Flaherty and Kelly Abbott had their happy ending in sight when a friend’s call for help almost ended with them losing it to the blade of a knife. Now, in the aftermath of near disaster, both men are trying to heal and move on.

Moving on together, though, is harder than either of them realized it would be. Kelly struggles with simply being a lover instead of the doc while Nick is mired in his recovery. The distance between them inches along in stilted silence.

Desperately seeking solace, Nick finally gathers the courage to sort through the possessions his dear friend and fellow Sidewinder teammate, Elias Sanchez, left him when he died. Instead of comforting memories, Nick and Kelly find a stack of letters and strict instructions from Eli that prompts them to send out a call for assistance. With Eli’s letters in hand, Sidewinder sets out on one last mission together, seeking peace and absolution from beyond the grave – and from each other.

Product Link: http://amzn.to/1T0fBOk

Reviewer: Tams

Review: This is it, the final hoorah for the Sidewinder team.

Nick is still on the mend from being stabbed and damn near killed while he, Kelly and the rest of the Sidewinder team did everything in their power to bring down the Vega cartel before they could kill Nick’s best friend Ty, and Ty’s husband Zane. By now Zane has pretty much become an honorary member of the team, having bled for them all more than once.

The knife wound, subsequent surgery and long road to recovery aren’t the only things hanging over Nick and Kelly. They’ve both lost their way, each of them were a compass for the other to light their way, all the secrets and lies has driven a wedge between them and Kelly is not sure he will find his way back to the love he feels for Nick.

It’s a letter from the only member of their psychotic team of misfits to meet an untimely demise that brings the whole of Sidewinder back together and quite possibly remind Nick and Kelly why they depend on, care for and love one another more than life itself.

Written fabulously by Abigail Roux, characters brought to life by Brock Thompson, the final book in the Sidewinder and Cut & Run series’ does not disappoint. I was a little worried about this group of men I have come to know and love having to go through another rough and tumble ordeal, but thankfully, Roux lowered the body count and anxiety level of this book dramatically from the others in these two series.

Part & Parcel brings the one character in the books we never really got to know to the forefront, Elias Sanchez. Through a series of letters and instructions, Sanchez takes his team on a trip down memory lane, making them all remember why they love each other like brothers, why they would put their lives in each other’s hands, and in doing so he also reminds Nick and Kelly that their love for each other is what matters, not the jobs or the missions or the bullshit, just love.

I will say that I don’t care very much for Thompson’s narration, but that is solely because I’ve listened to all the Cut & Run books and gotten used to a particular voice for each character.

That being said, Thompson did do a great job with the story including changes in inflection and tones to suit not only the character he was voicing at any given time, but to suit the situation at that time as well.

I know it’s an investment, but if you haven’t listened to these books, I recommend that you do. It is literally an epic saga, but it is so much fun to take the ride with all these guys.

Murder, Mayhem and Destruction is tempered by Love, Honor, Trust and Loyalty with these guys. Definitely a must read and/or listen series in my humble opinion.

I’m really quite said to have to say goodbye.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

Cross & Crown by Abigail Roux ~ audiobook

61NH3NeGNfL._AA300_Title: Cross & Crown

Series: Sidewinder, #2

Author:  Abigail Roux

Narrator: Brock Thompson

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Length: 6 hours and 50 minutes

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (11-18-2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts

Blurb: When Nick O’Flaherty arrives at the scene of a double homicide to find he has a witness to the crime, he thinks it’s his lucky day. But when he realizes his witness is suffering from amnesia and can’t even remember his own name, Nick wishes he’d gone with his gut and put in for vacation time.

Then Nick’s boyfriend and former Recon teammate, Kelly Abbott, joins him in Boston, and Nick finds his hands a little too full as the case and his personal life collide. The witness he’s dubbed “JD” is being tailed by Julian Cross, a retired CIA hitman. To complicate matters further, JD forms an attachment to Nick that Nick struggles not to respond to as they search for the key to JD’s identity.

Trying to determine whether JD is friend or foe as they investigate the crime puts them on the trail of a much older mystery. When multiple attempts are made on their lives, Nick is forced to turn to old enemies and new allies to solve a centuries-old crime before he and Kelly get added to the history books.

Product Link: http://amzn.to/1RLXsDc

Reviewer: Tams

Review: Nick has finally gone back to work full-time for the Boston PD, at Kelly’s urging, and he’s ready for a weekend off with Kelly who is flying into town for a couple of weeks. Just hours before Kelly’s plane lands, an odd case lands on Nick’s desk. A local bookstore that specialized in rare books is shot up. Two dead and one witness slash possible suspect suffering from amnesia is all Nick and his partner have to go on.

Instead of spending the weekend naked and in bed wrapped around Kelly, Nick winds up neck-deep in a case that has Nick asking for help from an old associate he never wanted to be in the same room with again.

Okay, this book was equal parts hysterical and frightening. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, not knowing the true identity of “JD” Nick and Kelly relying on him, when he could be more suspect than witness, it was nerve-racking! Then there is the appearance of Julian Cross, that can never mean anything good.

What I love so much about Nick and Kelly is that they have this unbreakable bond, forged over years in the service doing unspeakable things all in the name of God and Country. They have a trust, friendship and admiration for each other that only makes their love that much stronger.

While I absolutely enjoy Ty and Zane, I’m happy that Nick and Kelly while still getting into trouble all the damn time, like their brother series companions; their love story is softer, different. So readers get to see the other side of romance and a relationship from Roux who is no doubt, an amazing writer.

Narrated by Brock Thompson and my favorite thing about his voice is the native Bostonian accent he nails, flawlessly. Nick’s partner on the force had me in stitches with his tone and attitude, one of my favorite lines in the book came from him…

“Is it even sex with you two? Or just, sparring?”

His tones and inflections were spot on, emotion evident with changes in the mood of the story. Most importantly, he really conveys Kelly’s easy going nature, the calmer attitude that Kelly possesses that keeps Nick grounded.

Fans of Abigail Roux’s Cut & Run series will surely enjoy this series. Folks that enjoy a good mystery, flying by the seat of your pants, passionate and emotional connections between your MC’s will enjoy this book as well.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

Cross & Crown by Abigail Roux Spotlight tour, Cut Scene, Review & Giveaway!

Abigail Roux Cross & Crown_TourBanner 600x120

Hey guys we now have Riptide Publishing’s Abigail Roux joining us with her fantastic Cross & Crown, we get to read a cut scene and there is a fabulous giveaway! So guys don’t just sit there check out this post, read my review and click that Rafflecopter link! <3 ~Pixie~ 

Abigail Roux Cross & Crown_500x750

 Cross & Crown

(A Sidewinder Story 02)

by

Abigail Roux

When Nick O’Flaherty arrives at the scene of a double homicide to find he has a witness to the crime, he thinks it’s his lucky day. But when he realizes his witness is suffering from amnesia and can’t even remember his own name, Nick wishes he’d gone with his gut and put in for vacation time.

Then Nick’s boyfriend and former Recon teammate, Kelly Abbott, joins him in Boston, and Nick finds his hands a little too full as the case and his personal life collide. The witness he’s dubbed “JD” is being tailed by Julian Cross, a retired CIA hitman. To complicate matters further, JD forms an attachment to Nick that Nick struggles not to respond to as they search for the key to JD’s identity.

Trying to determine whether JD is friend or foe as they investigate the crime puts them on the trail of a much older mystery. When multiple attempts are made on their lives, Nick is forced to turn to old enemies and new allies to solve a centuries-old crime before he and Kelly get added to the history books.

You can order Cross & Crown directly from Riptide.

Continue reading “Cross & Crown by Abigail Roux Spotlight tour, Cut Scene, Review & Giveaway!” →

Abigail Roux's Shock & Awe Spotlight Blog Hop Contest & Review

ShockAwe_TourBanner1*glances around and tiptoes across cyberspace* Hey boys and girls, Portia’s been lax again and didn’t fasten the chains properly so here I am bringing you another Blog Tour 😉  Now I know you must have all wet your panties when you saw ‘Shock & Awe’ in the title and I have to tell you you have every right to get a bit damp with excitement, it’s Nick and Kelly with just a glimpse of Zane and Ty, but damn is there anything better. Now it’s very simple, just leave a comment and Riptide Publishing along with Abigail Roux will chose a winner from all the comments left throughout the Shock & Awe Blog Tour, so you will be in for a chance to win some super cool prizes (I am so trying for a t-shirt *winks*) So without further ado here’s my review and Abigail’s contest *blows kisses* Huggles Pixie

Shock&Awe_400x600Title: Shock & Awe

Series: Sidewinder 01

Author: Abigail Roux

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella (83pgs)

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (11th November 2013)

Heat: Explicit

Heart: Black heart (cards)Black heart (cards)Black heart (cards)Black heart (cards) 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

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.

With bonus story Bait & Switch.

Purchase Link: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/shock-awe

Review: This story & series is a spin-off from the Cut & Run series and the timeline starts just after the events in Touch & Geaux. Ah oh yippee!! It’s time for Nick to find the beginning of his ever after and it comes from a very surprising direction! With Kelly still recovering from his injuries Nick accompanies him home to take care of him, but Nick gets a surprise when Kelly asks for a kiss. Kelly knows Nick better than he has ever known any of his ex’s and after Nick’s confession to the Sidewinder team Kelly finds himself examining what he feels for his teammate, hoping to satisfy his curiosity he asks for a kiss and gets much more than he bargained for. Just as they begin to figure things out the past comes knocking at their door.

So we get a brief look into the Sidewinder team from the perspective of Nick and Kelly and we see a change in their relationship that can only be for the better. We see both men examining what they really feel for the other man and accepting that their feelings might be more than just the feelings of a comrade in arms or even brothers, they embrace the change between them with loads of sweaty sex but they hold back slightly from fully admitting the full extent of their feelings.

This story is a great look into the men that Ty calls friends, we see the loyalty they have for each other and the easy friendship they have even before they take it further. The story also connects to the ending in Touch & Geaux with a visit from the marines with us seeing what happens with Kelly and Nick, we also get to catch up with Ty and Zane briefly at the airport where Nick has to fast talking to do. In the bonus story Bait & Switch we meet up with Zane, Nick and Kelly when Nick is in the States for a flying visit, it is some time after Shock & Awe and we learn some details into what is happening to everyone and we see Nick and Kelly come to an agreement about their relationship.

Now I have got all that out of the way just let me express myself…. *squeal, happy dance, joyful jig, whoop* oh god it was soooooo good to see Nick get his happy going with Kelly and damn but they were hot! I loved this story for giving us a look at the Sidewinder guys and for giving us a peek into what was going on with Ty and Zane without giving much away. I loved how easily Kelly and Nick fell together but still held back a little and then when they finally have their heart to heart and admit what they really want from each other *sigh* it was so sweet edged with a touch of angst.

I recommend this to those who love men going after what they want, friends becoming lovers, admiting what you really want and grabbing hold of love with both hands.

ABOUT THE AUTHORShock & Awe Blog tour1

Abigail Roux was born and raised in North Carolina. A past volleyball star who specializes in sarcasm and painful historical accuracy, she currently spends her time coaching high school volleyball and investigating the mysteries of single motherhood. Any spare time is spent living and dying with every Atlanta Braves and Carolina Panthers game of the year. Abigail has a daughter, Little Roux, who is the light of her life, a boxer, four rescued cats who play an ongoing live-action variation of ‘Call of Duty’ throughout the house, a certifiable extended family down the road, and a cast of thousands in her head.

If you care to follow me more closely, you can find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

Contest:

In celebration of Nick and Kelly’s coming out, so to speak, I’ve got three of their Heart and Clover T-shirts for three lucky commenters. And I’ve got five sets of trading cards with original artwork and character  work-ups, something I intend to add new cards to every year, which makes this first year’s cards pretty important if you’re an obsessive  collector like I am.