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BOOK TOUR: The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray
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REVIEW: The Hazard and The Hitman by Cambria Hebert
The Protectors: The Hazard and The Hitman – Cambria Hebert
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and being in the hospital with stitches in my head and no way out makes me pretty desperate. So I log in to a dating app, searching for a guy willing to pretend to be my boyfriend so I can bust out of this overpriced nightmare.
But what do I get?
Accused of being a prostitute. Talk about a waste of phone minutes.
With plan A a no-go, I move on to plan B. Escape. Except, on my way to freedom, I’m nearly pummeled by a man wearing all black and with the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.
When he pretends to be my boyfriend, I’m shook. And even more shook when I discover this is the rude guy from the app.
Turns out he’s not only rude but bossy, irritable, and he keeps calling me a walking hazard. I go along with the lie anyway, thinking I can ditch him as soon as I’m free.
Except that doesn’t happen.
I end up back at his place, eating soup and trying hard not to catch feelings.
Then my apartment is broken into, and I’m running for my life, confused, injured, and with nowhere else to go. Kieran vows to keep me safe, something he seems more than capable of… Which is kinda odd for a real estate agent, right?
As the threat to my life intensifies, I start to wonder if I’ll make it to my next birthday and, more importantly, if trusting Kieran is the deadliest hazard of all.
The Hazard and The Hitman kicks off The Protectors, a hitman romance series by Cambria Hebert
The hazard, Hazier is a lonely orphan juggling four jobs. After a car accident lands him in the hospital, he can’t afford the bills and needs a companion to be discharged. Desperate, he messages a random guy on a dating app to pose as his boyfriend.
The hitman is Kieran. Intrigued by the odd request from a cute stranger, he shows up, quickly realizes Hazier is telling the truth, and steps into the role of protective boyfriend—going so far as to pay the hospital bill.
But Kieran soon discovers Hazier is a walking disaster who can’t be left alone and starts calling him Hazard. Worse, there’s a contract on Haz’s life, and Kieran himself was hired to kill him.
The premise is ridiculously cute, but Haz’s dude in distress antics wore thin. His clumsy, too-stupid-to-live moments weren’t endearing and dragged the story down. Also, Kieran and Haz suffered various injuries which seemed to magically vanish whenever sex entered the picture. At one point, Haz even had a head injury, which didn’t stop him from giving Kieran a blowjob.
Fortunately, I loved Kieran’s grumpy, over-protective brand of alphahole energy which carried the book. He fell hard and fast, ready to burn the world for his Hazard. His broody presence and swoony declarations made Haz tolerable.
Side characters Ghost, hitman and Kieran’s best friend, and Rhett, Haz’s neighbor and only friend, also added to the fun. Ghost’s quips are a humorous contrast to Kieran’s grouchiness. I’m thrilled he’s paired with the adorable Rhett.
The plot follows Kieran and Haz as they navigate romance, danger, and Haz’s numerous part-time jobs. Mafioso bad guys and irate bosses made Haz’s life more complicated while Kieran did his damnedest to keep his babydoll safe. Chaotic but entertaining, the story kept me hooked despite my frustration with Haz.
The Hazard and The Hitman is a swoony tale of protection and devotion. Overall, not realistic, but cute enough to enjoy, especially if you love a broody hitman falling hard for his disaster of a boyfriend.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Hazardous Eyes
Artist: Arca
Album: Hazardous Eyes
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THE HAZARD AND THE HITMAN: Audiobook
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RELEASE BLITZ: Hidden Power Play by Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood
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COVER REVEAL: Shadow Duet by Lark Taylor
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RELEASE TOUR: The Lost Lovelies by Vanora Lawless (Excerpt)
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RELEASE BOOST: Hot Axe by May Archer
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RELEASE BLITZ: Dead Nights by Crea Reitan
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PROMO BLITZ: Stride For Stride by Kim Stephenson
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RELEASE BLITZ: Hot Axe by May Archer
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REVIEW: Betrothed To The Emperor by Kai Butler
Emperor’s Assassin: Betrothed To The Emperor – Kai Butler
I was born to kill the emperor, but first, I must marry him.
I trained as an assassin while my twin sister trained to be the empress. My life will be forfeit once I murder the most powerful man on the continent, but I have no choice. If I fail, the Imperium will consume our nation and anyone who rises against them.
Too soon, we walk into the glittering imperial court, each step taking us closer to the dangerous man on the black throne, my sister’s future husband, the newly crowned Emperor of the Southern Imperium. Emperor Tallu has more spies than fish in the sea. He poisoned his own father to secure the golden crown.
When his sharp eyes skim over us, they don’t catch on my sister. They land on me, his killer.
“I choose you, Prince Airón of the Northern Kingdom. You will be my consort.” Tallu’s smile is mirthless. “Or I will reduce your entire nation to ashes.”
Betrothed to the Emperor ends with more story to tell, but the characters end on a HFN.
Betrothed To The Emperor opens Kai Butler’s epic Emperor’s Assassin series with a riveting blend of court intrigue, assassination plots, and enemies-to-lovers romance
Prince Airon and his twin sister arrive at the Southern Imperium intending for the princess to wed Emperor Tallu. Instead, Tallu shocks them by choosing Airon. Trained from birth as an assassin, Airon suddenly finds himself betrothed to his target. Yet Tallu proves far more complex than expected, revealing secrets that upend Airon’s mission.
I dove in blind—simply because Michael Ferraiuolo was narrating—and devoured the entire audiobook in one sitting. I was so engrossed I even listened while working (don’t tell my boss).
Fantasy is a tough read for my lazy reader brain because I have to deal with clunky descriptions. Here, the world-building seamlessly set the customs, culture, dress, and court of the Southern Imperium in the narrative with minimal info-dump.
The Southern Imperium is vaguely Chinese-inspired, the court brimming with ritual gestures of respect. Magic is present, and mages from the imperium, including the emperor, are able to generate lightning, which they use for combat. Other lands that the imperium has conquered have air mages and other types of magic exist.
Airon is from the Northern Kingdom, a snow-covered land reminiscent of Siberia. The Northerners fought hard for their independence, and their fighting style is designed to counter the electromages of the South.
The story is in Airon POV and seeing the court through his perspective heightens the intrigue. There is a constant feeling of anticipation and a sense of mystery. His conflicted attraction to Tallu fueled the tension, while court politics and the emperor’s hidden motives kept me guessing.
I love seemingly cold characters showing subtle hints of feelings that run deep. Tallu himself is an enigma—aloof yet quietly tender to Airon, his rare gestures carrying squee-tastic Mariana Trench–level depth. I loved the emperor so much! He absolutely made the book for me!
One of my favorites is during the wedding preparation, where Airon’s maids were arranging his hair. It’s a Southern Imperium custom for the groom to give his intended jewels for their hair, the number of pieces reflecting the feelings. Tallu giving Airon an entire jewelry box full of gems for his hair hit me straight in the kokoro!
“Because what you are is valuable. You are a treasure… and I am Emperor of the Southern Imperium. I know how to treat treasure.”
Though attraction sparks instantly, the romance simmers, teasing us with a delicious will-they-or-won’t-they dance. The slow burn perfectly amplifies the chemistry, making each revelation more impactful. They might be born enemies but I loved how they are at their best when they are together, an alliance that will change the fate of the world.
The book ends with a cliffhanger. Kai Butler did a spectacular job introducing Tallu and Airon and giving us exciting threads to follow for the next installments. Grabbing Book 2 now!
Overall, Betrothed To The Emperor is a story of known enemies and unlikely allies. The gripping plot, the captivating, hella swoony romance, the characters I rooted hard for, and the fact that I couldn’t put the book down made this a solid 5 imperial stars!
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Risk
Artist: Deftones
Album: Diamond Eyes
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