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REVIEW: Hitman Vs Hitman by Cari Z & L.A. Witt
Hitman Vs Hitman – Cari Z & L.A. Witt
Ricardo Torralba and August Morrison don’t agree on much besides the fact that they hate each other. According to Ricardo, August is a spoiled brat who really needs to knock off the sass once in a while. August insists that Ricardo needs a sense of humor, a good lay, or a well-placed bullet. Maybe all three.
Fortunately, the assassin’s profession is a solitary one, and they can go about their lives without getting in each other’s way.
Usually.
When a contracted hit turns out to be a setup for both of them, they narrowly escape with their lives. Now, even if they don’t like it (spoiler: they don’t), August and Ricardo have to work together if they want a shot at survival.
In between firefights and questionable interrogation methods as they hunt down their would-be killer, the cranky assassins discover that under all that mutual loathing is a spark of chemistry they can’t ignore. They want to ignore it, they probably should ignore it, but August can’t help flirting to annoy Ricardo, and Ricardo can think of at least one way to shut him up for a while.
But they need to focus, damn it, and figure out who’s gunning for them and why.
Assuming they don’t kill each other first.
Hitman vs Hitman is a standalone gay romantic suspense featuring two men who’d rather chew glass than fall for each other, a whole lot of inappropriate comments, and some buttons that will need resewing.
L.A. Witt and Cari Z had wowed me with their awesomely co-written series, Bad Behavior. Their latest book, Hitman Vs Hitman is a fun, explosive romp oozing with USTs between two hired guns who were contracted to take on an assignment that was set up to get them both killed.
Hitmen all over the world are ranked in a website called Rate My Hit. It’s where clients post reviews worded as satirical comments.
The #1 hitman according to the website is Ricardo Torralba. He’s a born planner who has a trunk full of props and costumes that lets him slip through security. He’s of Spanish descent but he can change his accent when undercover. He’s a grumpy, taciturn fellow with a drawer filled with burner phones.
And #2 on the chart is August Morrison, an unlikely person for such occupation. He is publicly known as the son of a billionaire. His mansion is built like Bruce Wayne’s. He loves clothes. Wears designer suits to his assignments. And jeeesus, when is he going to shut up?!
This book moved fast, much like the way Ricardo and August were constantly on the run from whoever had them in their crosshairs. They paused long enough to come up with a plan to turn things around. Along the way, their combustible combination finally combusted and they discovered, that despite their very obvious differences, they’re really good together in more ways than they expected.
The chemistry is off the charts! The sexual tension adding piquancy to the already strained interactions of two men on edge. I love the way these two threw off fireworks while constantly bickering. And that they took time before jumping each other’s bones.
I do think the way their backstories were presented could have been stronger. While we get a good picture of Ricardo’s and August’s personalities, I felt their pasts could have been explored further. We learn more about August and his quirks. Also him with his famous billionaire face, going about his secret missions sans disguise and not recognized is stretching it.
Majority of the book is spent uncovering the identity of the person who set them up. The mystery wasn’t hardcore mindboggling and you can kind of expect who the bad guy was. Still, it was an intriguing enough plotline.
We get an HFN that left some things open in case the authors decide to give us a sequel. I wish they would because that conclusion certainly felt like the start of events that will shake up the charts. I liked that Ricardo and August did not retire as is usually the case when assassins are given their happy endings.
Overall, Hitman Vs Hitman is light, humorous, suspenseful with OTT stunts and a lot of ridiculousness, mostly from August. It might not be a bullseye but it still hit its target.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Bullet
Artist: Riot Child
Album: Made For Another Time
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KINDLE AUDIOBOOK -
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Love, Logan by Tilly Keyes (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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RELEASE BLITZ: Honorable Conviction by Jessamyn Kingley (Excerpt)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Burying The Hatchet by A.C. Thomas (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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COVER REVEAL: Honorable Convictions by Jessamyn Kingley
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BLOG TOUR: Gingerbread Mistletoe by Amy Aislin (Excerpt & Giveaway + Q & A with Author)
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RELEASE BLITZ: All Screwed Up by Beth Bolden & Brittany Cournoyer (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Godfather Wars by Brittany Cournoyer
Godfather Wars – Brittany Cournoyer
Dolan versus Everett. Snarky meets stoic.
Dolan Masters loathes many things: root canals, splinters in his fingers, and people putting toilet paper on the roll wrong—loose end over the top, please. But the one thing he hates more than anything else is Everett freaking Henson.
Everett Henson spends more time with animals than people, his best friend Eli being the exception. The downside of that friendship means crossing paths with Dolan Masters; the man who rubs Everett wrong in every way possible.
But a baby changes everything.
With both men believing they deserve the honor of being the godfather to their best friends’ baby, the only way to settle things is through a competition. Will there be bloodshed, or will these two realize the truth staring them in the face?
May the best godfather win.
Godfather Wars is a stand-alone MM romantic comedy, filled with funny mishaps, snarky banter, and colorful language.
I have only read one other Brittany Cournoyer book and that is the dark stalker story, Captivated. Godfather Wars is her more effervescent offering. It grabbed my attention me because of the cute premise. Which is two guys duking it out to become the godfather of their bestfriends’ first baby.
I love enemies-to-lovers stories, most especially when the MCs hated each other with a passion. I wouldn’t say Dolan and Everett hated each other with a passion but there’s enough animosity for them to be considered enemies. We later discovered this was due to a miscommunication between the four friends that happened a couple of years ago. The two then went about snarling and snarking at each other whenever they meet.
To decide who deserves the title of godfather, soon-to-be-parents Tasha and Eli, concocted a series of tests for the two contenders. This was one the best parts of the story. Expect hilarious epic fails, gross chocolate/peanut combinations and killer geese. Competition was fierce. The two men fought hard. They were neck to neck. The clincher is the toughest task of all. Who will come out on top?
For me, it’s the dogs.
Delilah is Everett’s dog. She has eyes that stares right into your soul. Lucky found Dolan when the stray pooch injured his hind leg. The two furballs bonded right away. They had front row seats to the two dorks and truth that is staring their humans in the face. If dogs could roll they eyes, they would be rolling them out of their sockets.
I liked the MCs’ voices and how they were distinct from each other. Dolan had a more serious, level-headed personality while Everett’s thoughts run to the more dramatic and hyperbolic.
The contest was a brilliant ploy to get the two to see past whatever it is that kept them apart. After the initial hostilities, Dolan and Everett soon discovered how easy it is to talk to one another. The transition from enemies/rivals to lovers happened naturally. I liked the pacing a lot, being a fan of slow burn.
While the romance was cute and all, I don’t sense that strong a connection between Dolan and Everett. I appreciated the plot veered away from the cliches, like the big fights and the grand gestures, focusing instead on smaller, more intimate moments like bonding over their dogs and splinter removals. However, the whole thing lacked depth somewhat which was unfortunate because the story had all the right ingredients.
Overall, Godfather Wars is a low-angst, low-steam novel with almost no conflict. It’s a happy book about expectant parents, ridiculous feuds, judgmental dogs, missed encounters and a second chance of sorts. Recommended if you like your MM romance sweet and light with a chick-lit vibe.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Haven’t Had Enough
Artist: Marianas Trench
Album: Ever After
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get your copy of Godfather Wars. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
Kindle Audiobook -
AUDIO BLITZ: Starting From Here by Lane Hayes (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Their Bounty by K.A. Merikan
Four Mercenaries: Their Bounty – K.A. Merikan
— Taken. Prized. Possessed. Loved. —
Clover is an orphan and has led a tough and chaotic life. No stability. No money. No friends. He trusts no one.
His already miserable life takes a nosedive when he ends up in the hands of a human trafficking gang. Someone has placed a request for a young albino man, and Clover is to become the property of a mysterious buyer who will stop at nothing to satisfy their depraved desire. Clover’s fate seems sealed until four bounty hunters appear to take out his captors and accidentally save him.
The four mercenaries want to move on, but when Clover pleads for protection, they offer it to him at a price. In the beginning, the arrangement is all kinds of shady, but as he gets to know the four men who’ve taken him on a wild ride, his developing feelings might become as dangerous as the elusive buyer.
But can a relationship with four such different men even work? Men who kill for a living? Men so full of contradictions?
Tank. The massive ex-soldier eager to be Clover’s Daddy.
Pyro. Wild, tattooed, with a filthy mouth and an itch for violence.
Boar. Ginger, bearded, a big teddy bear who can turn into a grizzly.
Drake. Dark and dangerous, with a tongue as sharp as his knives.Can these men provide him with the love and security he craves? Or has Clover made the worst mistake of his life?
THEIR BOUNTY is a dark gay harem contemporary romance, book 1 in the “Four Mercenaries” trilogy. The story contains scenes of explicit violence, offensive language, morally ambiguous characters and lots of scorching hot, emotional, explicit scenes.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: abduction, polyamory, mercenaries, bounty hunters, albinism, commitment issues, indecent proposal, dark past, male bonding, human trafficking, size difference, enemies to lovers, danger, alpha male, found family, size difference, distrust, shared, victim and protector
Apart from their Criminal Delights contribution, Wrong Way Home, I am hard-pressed to find a K.A. Merikan that sticks. Unexpectedly, this polyamorous series opener seemed to do the trick.
I picked up Their Bounty after reading Our King, Our Master, another poly series that had interesting characters but poor execution. I’m neutral on poly but I wanted to see better examples of how this particular trope can be done.
The four mercenaries are a brotherhood of former soldiers who take on jobs that bring down the bad guys while bringing in the money. On one of their jobs, they stumbled upon a 19-year old orphaned albino kid chained up to be sold to a mysterious buyer.
The kid, Clover, was part of a pick pocket gang ran by a local criminal. He was getting too old and too conspicuous given his unusual looks. Aware that he is a wanted man with no defenses, Clover pretends he has friends waiting for him in New York and negotiates his safe passage to the city in exchange for the men using him while they escort him on their roadtrip.
The leader of the group was Tank, a huge man whom Clover immediately tagged as his Daddy. He’s level-headed and he’s no fool. He knew what kind game Clover was playing but he felt protective of the kid. Tank’s alright but I don’t really go for Daddy kink.
Boar and Pyro are a couple very much in love but sexually incompatible. Boar is a hearts and flowers kind of teddy bear while Pyro is a blue-haired punk with ink and fast bike. Together, they found Clover to be the missing link in their relationship.
Everyone was quite smittened with their new boy. All except Drake. So of course he’s my favorite. I have huge respects for people who are not easily swayed by a pretty face and Drake was the only one who was unimpressed by their new plaything. He kept his distance. He was the only one in their group who thought they should stop spoiling Clover and teach him practical skills. Like self-defense especially with bad guys coming after him.
Drake was the main reason I stuck around. There was something about him, something smoldering behind his frosty exterior. He was the most nuanced of all the characters and therefore the most compelling. He talked some sense into Clover and in doing so revealed deeper hurts he rarely showed his brothers. He was definitely worth winning over especially when the ice did melt bit by bit. He wouldn’t admit it, but I bet he’s Clover’s favorite too.
I really liked how the authors made all of them stand out. It was tricky to find a nice balance between five MCs where each can shine individually and with their love interests. The authors succeeded in doing just that. The men each gave something to Clover who, in turn, gave them what was missing in their lives. It’s what made their 5-person romance work. They were like different puzzle pieces forming a cohesive whole
An oversight by the mercs came back to bite their asses and poor Clover was captured again. Clover was thrown into the very sinister world of human menageries and most definitely not the fun kind. Will he ever see his men again?
Unlike the other poly series where meeting a new character is just prelude to sex, the book had a solid story line that was pulled off well. Even if it was only secondary to the relationship development and group dynamics, the mystery + action-suspense part carried enough weight that added a lot of excitement to the overall plot. I liked how that twist came out of nowhere and threw me for a loop.
Their Bounty falls somewhere between like and love. I had a great time with it but some aspects were not my cup of tea. And TBH, Drake was all I cared about although I liked the other guys just fine. Clover was the one I’m least drawn to. He tended to act like a spoiled brat. And really, for a street kid, I expected better survival skills other than offering sexual favors.
Please do heed the warnings. The book touches upon human trafficking and other sordid crimes. There are some graphic details, enough to give color but not too much to completely gross the reader out. It’s dark but not so much. Probably medium gray on the blackness scale. Some things were somewhat dub-con. Most of the more disturbing aspects were off-page or hinted at.
The song for this book is Sweet Surrender, originally by Sarah Maclachlan. It’s a lazy choice because I have a hard time looking for a song about poly romances. The lyrics kinda fits the way Clover left his miserable life behind and surrendered himself to four dominant people. Turned out to be a pretty sweet deal.
Not outright recommending. I know how most people feel about poly so I say read this if you’re feeling adventurous.
P.S.
Sharing these face claims from Ele, a GR reviewer because they’re perfect:
L to R: Drake, Tank, Clover, Boar, Pyro Posts on K.A. Merikan here.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Sweet Surrender
Artist: Thierry Amiel
Album: Où Vont Les Histoires ?
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get your copy of Four Mercenaries. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
