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REVIEW: King Slayer by Layla Reyne
Fog City: King Slayer – Layla Reyne
Never fall for a mark. Mission fail.
Christopher Perri—a.k.a. Dante Perry—infiltrated the Madigan organization with one goal: vengeance for his murdered partner. Falling for the assassin at the head of the table wasn’t part of the plan, but Hawes Madigan is not the cold, untouchable Prince of Killers Chris expected. Everything about the newly crowned king is hot, and every inch of him eminently touchable…and off-limits once Chris’s cover is blown.
Exposure couldn’t come at a worse time. Hawes’s throne is threatened, and Chris suspects the same person who killed his partner is behind the coup. Working with Hawes benefits them both, but Chris’s employer has other ideas. Dismantling criminal organizations is what Chris does best, and his boss expects the King Slayer to deliver.
But Hawes is taking the Madigans in a new direction, one Chris can get behind, and the two men form a shaky alliance strengthened by the irresistible attraction between them…until Chris learns who killed his partner. Once he knows the truth, the King Slayer is unleashed, and Chris will stop at nothing to destroy those who betrayed him, including the king who stole his heart.
Twists and turns—and cliffhangers—continue in book two of the Fog City Trilogy. Read at your own risk!
King Slayer picks up immediately from the very last part of book one, where Hawes was handcuffed to the bed and Christopher Perri turned the world upside down with his shocking revelations. Plans of working together were proposed but trust was in short supply. Hawes was burned all right but didn’t stop him and Chris from getting into each other’s pants yet again.
I mentioned before that Hawes wasn’t that badass for somebody who leads a family of assassins. Seeing him from Chris’ perspective, the parts of the King that other people, me included, see as weaknesses only that proved he had a soul (also that his badassery is there when he needs to be, not something he flaunts). Hawes fought hard to keep that part of him. The assassin was always described with sharp edges but there’s a softness to him that makes it easy to see why Chris would fall for a mark like that.
Still not into Dante/Chris, but I liked the story better from his POV. My earlier impression was that of him being a manipulative bastard so I feel a lot better understanding his motives this time. And he was willing to do more than just blur the lines as he fully committed himself to the mission. Many times, he outright lied to his coworkers about the details of events to protect the Madigans. I was left wondering if he still has a job after this. Then I remembered, this was his last hurrah. The guy had nothing to lose. Knock yourself out, Chris! I have an idea what he’s going to do after all this is over. Can’t wait!
I liked how Fog City connects to the bigger Layla Reyne universe. Definitely enjoying those little references to the FBI and that SAC with an Irish accent ( ~ _ ^ )b. New characters were introduced including a by-the-book agent, Scotty Wheeler, who turned out to be not so bad after all. I wouldn’t mind reading a book about him. I could see an opposites-attract enemies-to-lovers thing going for this agent. Make it happen, please!
King Slayer clocks in at 5+ hours, relatively short but very twisty. Major hints of who’s behind the plans to get Hawes out of the picture dropped like a bomb. Who that person was was surprising and in hindsight, made a lot of sense because who else had a vested interest in the future of the business? The most surprising part of it all was that their interest was serious enough to make it worth eliminating someone as closely connected as Hawes. Damn! How would this play out? Can Hawes pull the trigger when the moment of truth arrives?
Like Prince of Killers, I was swept along by the fast-paced writing. It’s still as tight and suspenseful as ever, but there’s less of a rushed feeling and more getting into the moment. I loved the ending for this book. Still very cliffy but satisfying because some questions were answered and finally, Hawes and Chris are in sync.
Saw the cover for book 3, A New Empire. Oh-em-gee! I know Chris is retiring but whatever you do, stay in business, Hawes.
P.S.
Layla Reyne book here
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: King Rides By
Artist: Cat Power
Album: What Would The Community Think -
REVIEW: Ramen Assassin by Rhys Ford
Ramen Assassin – Rhys Ford
When life gives Kuro Jenkins lemons, he wants to make ponzu to serve at his Los Angeles ramen shop.
Instead he’s dodging bullets and wondering how the hell he ended up back in the black ops lifestyle he left behind. After rescuing former child star Trey Bishop from a pair of murderous thugs, he reluctantly picks his guns up again. It seems trouble isn’t done with Trey, and Kuro can’t quite let go… of either danger or Trey.
Trey never denied his life’s downward spiral was his own fault. After stints in rehab, he’s finally shaken off his Hollywood bad-boy lifestyle, but not his reputation. The destruction of his career and relationships was epic, and no one trusts anything he says, including the LAPD. When two men dragging a dead body spot him on a late-night run, then try to murder him, Trey is thankful for the tall, dark, and deadly ramen shop owner not just for rescuing him, but also for believing him.
Now caught in a web of murders and lies, Trey knows someone wants him dead, and the only one on his side is a man with dark secrets. Trey hopes Kuro will stick around to see what the future holds for them once the dust settles, but from the looks of things, neither of them may survive to find out.
Kurotsuki ‘Kuro’Jenkins whose name literally means black moon (and how cool is that!) tried taking it easy. He really did. As a veteran black ops agent, he had many dangerous missions under his belt. He wanted to do more had he not been seriously injured and was forced to retire. He was doing a good job lying low so far when trouble came running towards him in the form of Trey Bishop, former child star and recovering addict. The former black ops turned ramen chef had to help because he has a soft spot for underdogs. Plus the man was a regular customer.
Harrington ‘Trey’ Bishop III went down the route of most Hollywood child stars. He has done it all and been in and out of rehab for most his life. Now at 28, he’s washed up and lived on his father’s dole-outs. In all fairness to Trey, he was really, sincerely trying to get better. Just that, no one believes him. He routinely jogs anytime he feels the urge to drink or shoot. It was on one of these runs that he met bad luck in the form of two men trying to dispose a dead body in the wee hours of the morning. Lucky for him, a certain ramen shop owner he has a crush on was secretly packing high calibers and saved his ass.
“…you’re my particularly favorite brand of trouble.”
Their mutual attraction had been going on for months. It was the alleyway incident that finally broke the ice. The ramen chef has white knight tendencies and the younger man brought out his protective side. The romance happened over the few days of things going tits up. I didn’t mind the insta-ness of it all. Dead people aside, it was soft and sweet. I was sold.
I appreciated the way Kuro handled Trey’s many issues. He did not try to ‘fix’ him. He could see outright that the former actor was doing his best to deal with his demons. I especially approved of the way he stood up for him when Trey’s sister, Kimber, was putting him down yet again.
I admired Trey’s determination in the face of all the negativity he received especially from his own family. His only friend was his father’s former mistress. He needed an extra boost and Kuro was the guy to give him what he needed. I rooted for Trey all the way. He’s a genuinely nice person who had the misfortune of growing up in Hollywood and picking up many bad habits. It’s not all that bad because some of the moves he learned on sets were used in a creative ways to help him out of sticky situations. Which made things a whole lot of fun.
Bonus that Ramen Assassin contains an interesting lesbian couple. If ever Rhys Ford decide to write FF stories, if she hasn’t yet, Boom Boom and Kimber is a good place to start. I’m super intrigued with how a former Russian spy and an LAPD police lieutenant would make it work.
Kimber is Trey’s older sister by 15 years. She bucked family expectations by becoming a cop. I didn’t like her at first. She hardly gave him the benefit of the doubt and she said many harsh words. But she redeemed herself in the end. Tatiana aka Boom Boom aka Black Widow is Trey’s dad’s bodyguard/right hand woman/former demolitions expert. She and Kuro had a colorful history together. Now she’s on their side. She almost stole the show.
Face claims are in order:
Hideo Muraoka as Kuro 
Max Barczak as Trey 
Shelley Rae as Tatiana 
Silje Vallevik as Kimber
This is my first full-length Rhys Ford novel. I wasn’t disappointed though not entirely blown away either. It fell somewhere between like and love. I enjoyed how she brought all the elements together, from Kuro’s hush-hush past to Trey’s sordid family dramas and how they inter-played nicely with the murder mystery and the romance. Many of the characters were well-fleshed out, even if some were not entirely likable. The latter was more in keeping with a character’s personality and not due to poor writing.
I prefer mysteries where the villain was present most of the time, just not obvious. This gives a more satisfying aha moment but trickier to execute without making it predictable. Still, the mystery was a good one, leaving me guessing until the last 20%. The turn of events made it plausible that the MC finally met the villain face-to-face at the time he did. Though I felt it would be more interesting if he made an early appearance.
Ramen Assassin is very much a story of people struggling to start a new life. It is also an entertaining murder mystery with action scenes this side of OTT and plot twisty enough to keep things exciting. Even if it’s only an HFN, I’m so glad things are finally looking up for Trey. They might not be on my top ten but I’m fully invested on him and Kuro and will follow their next adventures.
Time for that comeback!
P.S.
Rhys Ford stories here
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Begin Again
Artist: Purity Ring
Album: Another Eternity -
REVIEW: Couldn’t Cheat Death by A.P. Eisen
Paul Monroe Mystery: Couldn’t Cheat Death – A.P. Eisen
Detective Paul Monroe has little room in his life for anything but work. Maintaining order and solving cases in the town of Thornwood Park keeps him busy. When Jerry Gregoria, a popular bartender and personal trainer is found murdered, there’s no shortage of suspects. It seems Jerry was busy shaking more than cocktails all over town, leaving Paul and his partner with an ever-growing list of men and women who have reasons to want Jerry dead. The deeper Paul delves into the case, the more he finds himself drawn to hotel manager Cliff Baxter, whom he hasn’t seen in years.
Cliff Baxter’s childhood crush on Paul Monroe hasn’t waned since high school. In fact, with the sexy detective conducting the investigation at the hotel, Cliff is more than happy to help. Ever since his last relationship went up in flames, Cliff has made it a rule to never get involved with a closeted man. But after Paul is threatened and things between the two heat up, Cliff decides to make an exception.
With new twists in the case popping up every day and the mayor breathing down the police department’s neck, Paul needs to solve the case yesterday. It takes a crisis for Paul and Cliff to realize what started out as something casual could be everything they’ve both been looking for but never thought to find. But if the killer strikes again, they might never get that chance.
A.P. Eisen is a new author and her debut, Couldn’t Cheat Death, book one of the Paul Monroe Mystery, showed a lot of promise. It’s the kind of book you go for if you want a light, easy, satisfying romance mystery.
Detective Paul Monroe, known in his department as Bulldog for his relentless pursuit of a case, was called to investigate the murder of a bartender from a hotel. The victim was a larger than life, when-does-he-sleep sex machine who slept with anything with a pulse so their list of suspects was a mile long. One of the first persons he questioned was hotel manager, Cliff Baxter, who turned out to be his late brother’s best friend.
First, I really enjoyed Paul and Cliff as a couple. Cliff had crush on Paul since they were teens and their shared history gave them a common ground which made the fast-paced (and also slow-burn) development of their relationship believable.
Paul is in the closet and occasionally relieves stress with anonymous hookups. Generally, I don’t like stories about being in the closet but this issue was handled pretty well. It was light on angst, no self-loathing or shame but more about a person so used to a certain way of life that he can’t be bothered much about changing it. Unless he has a very good reason to do so and Cliff, kind, cheerful and understanding, made a compelling argument. He fell naturally into place and fit comfortably in Paul’s routine. I especially liked the way they talked liked sensible adults about the whole relationship/coming out thing. So no petty squabbles or misunderstandings here, thank god!
I also liked that nobody pressured anybody about anything. Paul is a workaholic loner and very upfront with the fact that he always puts the case above anything else. Amazingly, Cliff didn’t throw a hissy fit at coming second. In fact, he was a big help in the case and had a great time while at it. Even Paul’s partner and only friend, Rob, knew when not to push even though he knew about Paul and simply told him he’ll be there when he’s ready to say it.
Case-wise, it was not the most procedural of police stories. A glaring clue tipped me off on the killer’s identity but overall, I still think it had a solid investigation to read about. I could understand why this book has high ratings in Goodreads. Even with the predictable part, the writing kept me engaged until the end. The characters were people I’d like to know more. The author wisely veered away from unnecessary conflict, focusing instead on communication. This is not, in any way, novel but it was, in a way, refreshing given the frequency miscommunications occur. I even think the story hardly had any serious conflicts. It had a straightforwardness to it that appealed to me which I hope would carry over to the next books. Because I’m there for the next one and I’d like to see where this series is heading.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: The Heart Is A Muscle
Artist: Gang Of Youths
Album: Go Farther In Lightness -
REVIEW: Pros & Cons Of Deception by A.E. Wasp
Pros & Cons: Pros & Cons of Deception – A.E. Wasp
FIVE JOBS. FIVE CHANCES FOR REDEMPTION. One thing’s for sure: these men are no angels.
There’s nothing like being blackmailed by a dead man to really bring a group of cons together. The deal is simple, we do the jobs and Charlie’s lawyer wipes the slate clean for each of us, one at a time.
Job number two lands right in my lap. I’m Bond. Wesley Bond. (I can’t resist saying it that way. Blame my dad, if you can find him.) You could call me a hacker. I redistribute wealth – moving it from rich slimebags to poorer but infinitely more deserving people – and make a tidy profit as I do. My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to bring down some modern-day slave traders.
I definitely choose to accept it.
With the life of the one person in this world I love on the line, I can’t afford any screw ups or distractions. Unfortunately, my biggest distraction is my biggest asset – Danny Monroe. Danny is a leftover complication from our first job; a victim of the vicious senator we’d gotten locked up. He’s a smart, funny, gorgeous, ex-prostitute, who can’t seem to keep his clothes on. I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut around him. But I need a fake boyfriend, and Danny is the only option.
Fooling the world into thinking we’re in love will be easy; fooling myself that I’m not might be impossible.
We don’t know who the bad guy is, we have no idea how to prove anything. There’s no internet on the island, no cell service, and i’ll have only the bare bones of my gear. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to need all the help I can get.
Like it or not, we’re all in this together.
Pros & Cons is an MM version of Oceans Eleven / Leverage where a group of men with ‘special skills’ were gathered posthumously by the late Charlie Bingham, information broker and con-man extraordinaire. He ‘persuaded’ them into doing certain ‘assignments’.
Charlie’s boys:
Leonard ‘Leo’ Shook – The FBI agent goes undercover as a bartender. Had conflicting feelings about Charlie. Didn’t know whether to arrest him or ask him out. Last we know of Leo, he was getting cozy with the ‘interested party’ a.k.a Al over the phone. Hmm…
Carson Grieves – Plays the part of a Spanish-speaking groundskeeper. Still not much is known about the man. Though he’s comfortable enough with the guys to go around without make-up. Has hinted on having a very lonely life when younger but that’s about it. Argh! I need your book, Carson!
Ridge Pfiefer – Can salsa so he gets to be the dance instructor. Oho! Him and that Davis Ethan guy! Thief and diplomatic security, interesting combination. I guess they’re next.
Wesley Bond – Poses as a tech billionaire on vacay with his boyfriend. Not much of a hardship there but unfortunately for him, all his hacking genius and social engineering skills couldn’t stop the inevitable: falling in love with Danny
Castille ‘Steele’ Alvarez – the bodyguard and ex-soldier disguised as a child minder. Promptly built a child army. I liked him and Brekkie better in this book.
Breck ‘Brekkie’ Pfiefer – the younger Pfiefer twin had to spend most of the time winging it with broken toilets as the maintenance man. Proudly showed off his toolbelt to Steele who lost no time admiring it
Danny Munroe – Breckkie’s bff had to play Wes’ fake bf. All he had to do was smile and be charming. Easiest job of all, right?Charlie’s angels:
Miranda Bosley – the lawyer popped up now and then but not much page-time for her. Too bad
Josie DuPont – our international woman of mystery worked her magic in the kitchen and in the open seas. A literal lifesaver. Can’t do without our Josie.The second job involved cracking the case of a shady guest worker program in an island resort. Wes takes point but couldn’t use his hacker skills in the bat cave because the island had no internet connection. The gang flew in and infiltrated the resort disguised as workers while Wes and Danny pretended to be a couple.
One misanthropic hacker redistributing wealth could only do so much, but I was more than that now. I was part of a team. Sometimes even the good guys had to fight a little dirty. Sometimes, to bring the truth to light, you needed to employ a little deception.
Game. On.
Wes is my favorite next to Carson. He’s a digital Robin Hood, who steals from the rich and distributes the money to various charities. That’s why he never gets caught. He’s skilled at manipulating people behind his computer screens. Face to face though, his foot is constantly in his mouth. And poor Wes seems to have a special talent for pissing Danny off.
Danny came out to his parents at 17 and was kicked out of the house. He was forced to work as a rent boy in order to survive and was rescued by the gang along with Breck two years later. I loved how Danny managed to still see the good in people despite what he had been through. It makes a good contrast to Wes who was more jaded. The attraction between them started in Pros & Cons of Vengeance. Everybody knew it was only a matter of when. Wouldn’t be surprised if they started making bets.
Romance was at the forefront, touching upon the age-gap and fake boyfriend tropes. Since this involved two people I really liked, I feel more invested in it. And I was pretty happy with how it was done.
I’m guessing it’s a thing with this series that it’s going to be heavy on the relationships and light on the heist. It’s easy to forget they’re on a job with all those umbrella drinks and spa treatments. I hardly thought about it too until 75% in when things went FUBAR and adrenaline started pumping. After that, it’s one big suspenseful moment after another. Danny’s life was on the line and he’s on his own.
There’s one thing that bothered me: the coms. I totally hated the fact that everybody could hear EVERYTHING over the coms. It’s used as a gag to butt in whenever things get steamy between couples. It was funny the first time it happened to Steele and Breck but after that, ewww!
As predicted, I liked Pros & Cons Of Deception better than the first book. What it lacked on con procedural it more than made up for the lovable characters and their endearing connections. There so much growth in terms of characters and relationships. The group synced really well. Their banters kicked the book up a notch. They’re slowing becoming good friends whether they’ll admit it or not. Makes me wonder what they would do when the jobs are over. Is Leo going to arrest them? Noo!
More importantly, this sequel was just much more entertaining overall now that the set-up was established and the series hits its stride. I hope A.E. Wasp keeps the momentum going for the rest of the books.
Also, for the love of god, Wes, FIX THE COMS!
P.S.
Book 1, Pros & Cons Of Vengeance review here
Pros & Cons is best read in order. We owe it to Charlie.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Love Hope
Artist: PIL
Album: That What Is Not -
REVIEW: Cold Light by Michelle Frost
Criminal Delights: Assassins: Cold Light – Michelle Frost
Being an assassin wasn’t something Lexington Campbell ever envisioned for himself, but after spending eight years doing just that, he’s prepared to take his place at the table of his father’s motorcycle club, The Iron Heretics.
Arden spends his nights dancing on stage at Spritz, one of St. Louis’s hottest night clubs, and waiting for Lex to pass back through town. After being orphaned young, he fears letting himself get too attached to the distant, bearded Lex, even after three years of inviting the man into his bed.
When Lex finds himself with a price on his head, he unknowingly pulls Arden into the darkness with him. When things aren’t what they seem, and enemies abound, will they find themselves still standing together in the cold light of day?
This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
Cold Light reads like a Dreamspun Desire offering. Sweet and cute. Nowhere near dark. Almost a fairytale even. One where daddy bear Lex plucks his boy, Arden, from a brothel, showers him with gifts, saves him from the bad guys, finds the treasure and they live happily ever after.
Which is fine if you’re selling fluff but underwhelming if you’re advertising stories designed to disturb. And I was ready to be disturbed.
I was awww-ing instead.
They even have a lovable mutt named Pipsqueak, ffs!
I would have preferred Lex to do a few dastardly deeds. As an assassin, he did kill some people but everybody was so blase about it, you’d hardly noticed. He didn’t feel like an assassin, not because he was really, really nice to Arden but because he seemed to lack that killer instinct. I didn’t sense any danger coming from him.
There were other darker aspects present. A troubled past and an attempted sexual assault. There was also a torture scene but not gratuitous. Any resulting angst or trauma was not dwelt upon too deeply by the story.
Taking it for what it is, a daddy-boy romance with a side of MC, I think many people would enjoy this. It’s not a trope I usually go for but Lex and Arden had this fantastic chemistry going, they made the experience worthwhile. The rest of the characters were likable and interesting enough, their books, if any, might be worth looking into. Mason, Lex’s mentor, I’m shipping with Pax, Arden’s friend. Lex’s dad, Jeb, with whom he had a complicated relationship, turned out to have a few surprises of his own. On the other hand, the bad-guys were given cardboard personalities so you know right away they won’t live long.
Plot-wise, the premise was intriguing. For the most part, it was delivered well and wrapped up neatly. It could have done with some more action and suspense and also possibly, deeper exploration of Lex’s and Arden’s backstories. There was a lot of history going on that were only hinted upon so if there is a second book, I’ll gladly read it.
This is another Criminal Delights installment that’s different from what’s expected (for sure, this series never lacks surprises). I love assassin stories, the kind that leans more towards the job. Cold Light turned out to be the less killing, more cuddling variety. Luckily, I like fluff so it’s still a win.
P.S.
Criminal Delights books here
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Cold Light
Artist: Fenech-Soler
Album: Zilla -
REVIEW: Pros & Cons Of Vengeance by A.E. Wasp
Pros & Cons: Pros & Cons Of Vengeance – A.E. Wasp
*FIVE JOBS. FIVE CHANCES FOR REDEMPTION. One thing’s for sure: these men are no angels.*
There’s nothing like being blackmailed by a dead man to really bring a group of cons together. And what a group we are: a hacker, a thief, a con artist, a thug, and a Federal agent with an axe to grind. The deal is simple, we do the jobs and Charlie’s lawyer wipes the slate clean for each of us, one at a time.
Since job number one calls for some muscle, it looks like I’m up first. I’m Steele Alvarez, ex-Special Forces Close Protection Specialist (aka, a bodyguard for some not so nice guys).
After learning what the job is — taking down a seemingly untouchable senator with a penchant for beating up young male prostitutes — I’m in. No questions. A bullet ought to do the trick.
Then I met Senator Harlan’s latest victim: Breck Pfeiffer, the gorgeous hooker with a heart of gold and the soul of a fighter. One look at him and I’m gone. That kid laid me out harder than any punch ever did. I’ll do anything to protect Breck, even kill for him. But Breck doesn’t want the senator dead, he wants vengeance.
If we’re going to find a way bring down the slimebag and get the blackest mark on my record erased, I’m going to need all the help I can get.
Like it or not, we’re all in this together.
Pros & Cons is an MM version of Oceans Eleven / Leverage where a group of men with ‘special skills’ were gathered posthumously by the late Charlie Bingham, information broker and con-man extraordinaire. He ‘persuaded’ them into doing certain ‘assignments’.
It all became clear to me at that moment what Charlie’s ultimate motivation had been. These weren’t personal vendettas or petty crimes he wanted to be solved. He wanted justice, the kind he couldn’t get from inside the system
The first book, Pros & Cons of Vengeance, did a good job setting up the series and introducing the cast. I might not like George Clooney but I definitely love Charlie’s boys.
Leonard ‘Leo’ Shook – an FBI agent who’s been on Charlie’s tail for ages. I’m betting good money him and the mysterious ‘interested party’ will be hooking up soonish, maybe 5th book. And I think I know who that ‘interested party’ is.
Carson Grieves – a man of a thousand faces. The most mysterious person in the group. He’s so mysterious no one even knows his real name, age or accent. He always blends in but in this group of ridiculously good-looking people, he stands out for being plain. My favorite character. Can’t wait for his book.
Ridge Pfiefer – a thief. Kind of grumpy. The twin I liked better
Wesley Bond – hacker and master of all things tech. Social engineer. He’s my second fave.
Castille ‘Steele’ Alvarez – hitman, bodyguard and ex-Army Ranger. Doesn’t get along with Ridge but thinks Breck is adorbs.Then we have Charlie’s angels:
Miranda Bosley – tough lawyer, executor of Charlie’s will and not someone you mess with
Josie DuPont – international woman of mystery and jill of all trades. Can cook the best Mexican dishes. Teaches a class on underwater demolition. Also, not to be mess with. I think she and Miranda might be occasional bedmates.The ex-hookers with a golden heart:
Breck ‘Brekkie’ Pfiefer – Ridge’s younger twin. Fell into Steele’s lap and was happy to stay there
Danny Munroe – Breck’s friend who was dragged into the group and promptly adopted. He and Wes had that ‘I’m pissed at you because I like you dammit‘ thing going on. I’m going to love their book, I know it.Steele takes point in the first assignment. They were to bring down a corrupt evangelical senator who preaches against LGBTQ but hires and abuses rent boys whom he sleeps with and uses to blackmail influential people by secretly recording them while they do the dirty. Two of these boys were Breck and Danny.
Steele was instantly attracted to Breck the moment he saw him but unfortunately they’re the two people in the group I’m least interested in. I have no complaints about them, I just didn’t really care much so I left them in peace a.k.a tune them out when they weren’t talking about the case.
The book is written in both MCs’ POV, except for the prologue and epilogue which were in the ‘interested party’s’ and Leo’s perspectives. The premise immediately grabbed my attention with a plotline that was made for movies. A big part of the story was the romance, this is MM afterall, but I did wished there was a little bit more heist in it.
The job is what I’m all about. Like in most heist novels, careful planning is the key. The fun part was the execution. I was keen on watching their elaborate scheme unfold because it’s going to be very satisfying to witness them destroy the bad guy. They’re pulling out the big guns at the end and boy, did Brekkie had his moment!
But it was the ensemble cast that really made the book shine. Each character brought something special to the table, both in skills and personalities. I liked how each of them was given ample page-time without them taking over Steele and Breck’s story. I loved the humor, the dialogues and the grudging camaraderie of the group. Like all the best teams, they have that kind of charismatic dynamics that drew you in and kept you in. The kind that makes you go, ‘adopt me please!‘ A.E. Wasp did a fantastic job with these characters.
Overall, Pros & Cons Of Vengeance was a fun, entertaining ride that succeeded in making me look forward to future capers. Recommended if you like cons, shenanigans and other creative ways of bringing the (other) bad guys down.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Vengeance
Artist: The Nipple Erectors
Album: -
REVIEW: Prince Of Killers by Layla Reyne
Fog City: Prince Of Killers – Layla Reyne
No indiscriminate killing. No collateral damage. No unvetted targets.
These are the rules Hawes Madigan lives by. Rules that make being Fog City’s Prince of Killers bearable. Soon, he’ll be king—of an organization of assassins—and the crown has never felt heavier. Until the mysterious Dante Perry swaggers into his life.
Dante looks like a rock god and carries himself like one too, all loose-limbed and casually confident. He also carries a concealed weapon, a private investigator’s license, and a message for the prince. Someone inside Hawes’s organization is out to kill the future king.
In the chaos that follows the timely warning, Hawes comes to depend on Dante. On his skills as an investigator, on the steadiness he offers, and on their moments alone when Hawes lets Dante take control. As alliances are tested and traitors exposed, Hawes needs Dante at his back and in his bed. But if the PI ever learns Hawes’s darkest secret, Hawes is sure to get a knife to the heart—and a bullet to the brain—instead.
There’s no shortage of twists and turns in this new romantic suspense trilogy from Layla Reyne. Prince of Killers is book one of three. Fair warning: buckle up, cliffhangers ahead!
Like many Layla Reyne fans, I was super excited to start on her new series. Obviously with all the glowing reviews, my expectations were skyhigh. Now that I’ve read it, in a word, Prince Of Killers was FAST.
So fast that I was still savoring my tour of San Francisco with the Madigans before I realized it, they were already about to do the big reveal. I hardly felt the 5+ hours of the audiobook. Even with that kind of pacing, the story didn’t feel incomplete. The author was able to establish the need-to-knows, build-up, conflict and mystery efficiently. It’s just that I was lulled by the great writing and Tristan James’ narration. I had fun listening to Hawes and his siblings going about their business. Assassins going through the step-by-steps of their jobs never failed to fascinate me and I could listen to that kind of shit all day.
I was expecting many twisty and shocking events though, but there were only one or two twists that were actually surprising.
Dante Perry literally walked into Hawes’ life and I was taken aback at how easily the Madigan scion trusted this stranger. This from the leader of a family who trusted no one. Then Dante proceeded to breeze through everything.
They started sleeping together from day one and from that point on, Hawes fantasized about his getting his HEA. He knew not everyone would be as lucky as his grandparents, Papa Cal and Rose, given his line of work. Still, can’t blame a man for being hopeful. But really? Day one? His brother Holt hasn’t even finished vetting the PI.
I liked Hawes but for a master assassin, he came across as, well, not bad-ass. I know giving him ‘weaknesses’ was intentional in order to emphasized his humanity, especially to Dante, but I share the sentiment of those who gave lower ratings. Him making this poor a decision on something as major as to who he lets into his inner circle doesn’t ring true to his character. What would Papa Cal say, Big H?
All this griping aside, I have faith in Layla Reyne and gladly suspended disbelief. One of her strong suits is creating characters you can root for and their awesome family dynamics. She did it in Agents Irish and Whiskey and its spin-off, Trouble Brewing. She also did it again here. She made me rally for the Madigans. As to Dante, I need to get inside his head first. Not warming up to him yet.
Hawes for all his weaknesses and grey morality, his heart’s in the right place. His twin, Holt, best hacker in town and father of the year. Helena, their sister, now she is bad ass. A ninja moonlighting as a lawyer. Emilia, Holt’s wife, devoted mother and their on-call nurse, is a woman who can do scary things with your pressure points. Together they form a warm, cozy family who just happened to have a deadly business on the side. I really liked how they worked together which why I had a rude awakening when they finally unmasked the traitor. Tsk tsk tsk! To think I liked that character. Too bad. A great twist nonetheless.
Which made me expect a big Madigan showdown. It was anti-climactic. The boss fight was over in a snap. I nearly missed the part and had to replay it just to be sure. Oh well, they did promise not to hurt the traitor.
Prince Of Killers is a good series opener. It’s a fun, suspenseful book that promised more action-packed goodness in the future. It did not entirely not wow me but that’s par for course with many series openers I’ve encountered including LR‘s series so no biggie. I know the next book is going to be EXPLOSIVE. I am so hyped up for King Slayer because damn that cliffhanger! Also, Dante’s POV!
I recommend the Fog City series if you like high-stakes romantic suspense stories about assassins with souls and LEOs finding love outside the law.
P.S.
Layla Reyne books here.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Shot In The Dark
Artist: Ozzy Osbourne
Album: The Ultimate Sin -
REVIEW: Dantes Unglued by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
Ward Security: Dantes Unglued – Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
When private investigator, Shane Stephens, is hired by the mayor of Cincinnati to track down the hacker who has been threatening him, Shane is sure this is the opportunity to launch the Merleau Detection Agency into the big time. He even convinces Rowe Ward of Ward Security to loan him one of his best IT specialists, Quinn Lake.
Shane, a man who prefers casual intimacy, is surprised by his attraction to the moody computer geek, but when Quinn suggests they have fun for the month he’s on loan, Shane happily agrees. Both men are expecting nothing more than a good time.
But the investigation takes an unexpected turn and they quickly discover they are facing more than a hacker out to ruin the mayor’s re-election chances. And as they spend more time together, they realize their relationship may be a lot more than just a good time.
With only weeks until the election, Shane and Quinn race to gather the proof they need while dodging bullets and possibly…falling in love.
Ward Security is the spin-off series of Unbreakable Bonds. This features Ward Security employees from the bodyguards like Sven to the tech specialists like Quinn. Ward Security is like a family to many of them.
Dantes Unglued is the second book of the series starring IT specialist a.k.a. reformed hacker Quinn Lake and private investigator Shane Stephens. They were to track down a hacker threatening the mayor. The story was about revenge, referencing the characters in The Count of Monte Christo. As is usually the case with this author pair, the mystery was nothing to write home about but since it gave a viable reason for the hacker and PI to work together and be together (because that is really why we’re here), I’m not complaining about that part.
But, hmm…I dunno. I wanted to like this more. I’m all gung-ho for the entire idea of Quinn and Shane hooking up, I’ve been hearing about Shane in the other books and Quinn had major page time in Psycho Romeo. But, what came out fell somewhere between liked and loved.
I adored Quinn. Always had. Diggin’ his nerdy hacker vibe. I wanna hang out with him and chill over Assassin’s Creed. Shane, I could take or leave. I liked that he reads, he’s easy going, he’s honest and he’s not afraid to admit he’s scared but he wouldn’t really stand out in a room full of JD & RE characters.
The book is written in dual POV and that is normally something I go for. In this case, however, I think it would be more interesting to see the story progressed through Shane’s perspective alone. I liked seeing nerds from their lover’s POV and I wanted to see how Quinn put his genius to work and how he blossomed as he went from shy and inexperienced to toppy and happy though Shane’s eyes. I enjoyed experiencing Shane’s growing awareness that there is somebody worth committing to as the truth gradually dawned on him. And I liked his determined pursuit of the man.
“Sometimes, when it’s real, it doesn’t take long at all.”
Quinn and Shane were good together. The affection was there, the physical attraction was strong, so was the chemistry. They were upfront that it’s all about fun, casual sex. But it kind of seemed like it was all they had. I wasn’t that convinced that they should be using the L-word already for the mere two weeks they were together. Though I am convinced they’re heading towards that point, they just need more chapters to build their relationship or at least an epilogue. But yeah, if your boy’s a hardcore gamer, a room full of gaming consoles seals the deal.
P.S.
The Dark Lord is next. Fuck yeah Royce!
To fully enjoy Ward Security, it’s best to also read Unbreakable Bonds. The books should be read in order.
Ward Security books here
Unbreakable Bonds here
Jocelynn Drake books hereRating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Little Bit
Artist: Lykke Li
Album: Youth Novels -
REVIEW: Before The Sun Rises by Christopher Renna
Darkness On The Horizon: Before The Sun Rises – Christopher Renna
THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YESTERDAY – – Despite the odds, Morgan defeated his captor, DuPont, and the Immortals of the East Horsley Colony. His rebellion destroyed plans for initiating a new Great Immortal Battle. Now, returning to America with his allies, Morgan will confront a war in the form of retaliation. The defeated Immortals want Morgan dead for disrupting their plans. Although protected by security, Morgan must fight to survive while testing his independence and defining his role as part of a team.
Morgan’s past paves the road to his future. Survival is not the only goal. He must come to terms with guilt. Accept failures and celebrate successes. Embrace friendships and trust new relationships. Abide by rules and lead with authority. Because everything that happens now will shape the man that Morgan becomes.
Morgan is back! Wiser, more mature and definitely more badass!
Before the Sun Rises continues Morgan’s journey. He and Jonathan had returned to America and currently recovering from their England ordeal. Nicolas and Emily, the Mortal Souls who became Morgan’s friends, went with them. Because of what happened in England, many vampires were out to kill Morgan. With the help of Immortal Elder, Priscilla, they prepared to lure and kill the defeated Immortals who wanted to start a vampire war, using the young man as a bait.
This sequel did a good job portraying Morgan’s growth. Here, he listened more to Jonathan and thought harder about the consequences before acting. Even though he was caught up in paranormal events, he still dealt with practical real world responsibilities and understood the importance of getting a diploma. He’s adjusting to his life as an Immortal and he’s also able to explore his sexuality with both Emily and Nicholas. He was honest enough to admit to himself and to everybody who and what he liked. There were still times when he acted like a typical teenager but that is to be expected from an eighteen year old who still had a lot to learn.
There were many new characters introduced, most notably Erin, Kendall, Lee, and the rest of the security team who went with Morgan, Jonathan, Emily and Nicholas to Colby. Majority of them were faceless and ageless as there were minimal character descriptions. Some features would have been appreciated, just to give these people dimension. The book was written from Morgan’s POV so maybe we can assume, he didn’t really pay attention to their appearances. I was surprised to learn that Nicholas was already in his late 20s because he came across as much younger.
The flow of the story was smoother this time. There were less erratic twists and much faster pacing in general. However, the middle part dragged a bit and felt like nothing’s happening. I was also wondering about the part of Lee and his team being pulled out, only to be reassigned again. I think they could have done the hunt at that point already. The story picked up when Kendall started training Nicholas and the two of them, along with Morgan and Jonathan went around town looking for the killers’ hideout.
The climax had humans and Immortals battle it out with the vampires in an all-out leave-no-one-standing chaos. The fights were as bloody and brutal as in DOTH but with a higher body count. And just when you thought it was over, the book has more surprise in store!
Before The Sun Rises is a paranormal coming of age tale of a young man who found himself the target of inhuman killers. He learned to fight the hard way, met new friends, lost a few, survived a war, proved himself the better man, all while dealing with Algebra and graduating from high school. All in all, I’d say Morgan’s doing pretty good!
P.S.
Before The Sun Rises will be released August 2019.
Thank you to the author, Christopher Renna for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Final copy of the book may have revisions.
review of book one, Darkness On The Horizon here
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Breathe
Artist: Pink Floyd
Album: The Dark Side Of The Moon
