CRASH & BURN by Abigail Roux

 

Pages: 419

Date: March 28, 2015

Details: No. 9 Cut & Run

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The blurb:

“It’s been five years since Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett first worked together to solve the Tri-State murders, and time has been both harsh and kind. Engaged now, they face the challenge of planning a deeply uncertain future together. Zane is at the pinnacle of his career with one last mystery to solve, while Ty is at sea in a world where he’s no longer the tip of a spear.

There’s just one more hurdle in the way of their happy ever after: a traitor from their inner circle who threatens to burn their world to the ground.

Squeezed between the Vega cartel, an unknown mole, and too many alphabet agencies to count, Ty and Zane must gather all their strength and resources to beat the longest odds they’ve ever faced. To make it out alive, they’ll need help from every friend they’ve got. Even the friends who might betray their trust.”

My thoughts:

The final book in the Cut & Run series and if the previous eight books were action packed this book took the suspense to a new level. Roller-coaster doesn’t begin to describe the ride I got while reading this book.

There is so much going on in this book I’m not even going to try to get into the story. Besides, the people who haven’t read the book yet wouldn’t thank me for giving anything away and the people who have read it don’t need me to remind me what happens in this story; I’m sure it’s imprinted on their memory, just as it is on mine.

All I will say is that I went through every emotion known to men while reading this book. I laughed and I cried, and I nearly stopped breathing on several occasions and would have happily killed Abigail Roux once or twice only to adore her again a few pages later.

I’m so impressed with how she managed to pull all the different plot lines and lose ends from eight books together. If there are any questions left unanswered, I don’t know what they might be.

This book swallowed me whole on the very first page, and when I had to return to the real world after reading the very cute bonus scene at the end of the book,I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself – I still don’t, if I’m honest. I don’t usually suffer book hangovers. Most of the time finishing a really good book makes me want to pick up something else in the hope of replicating the experience. Because I know, without a doubt, no other book could bring me everything Crash & Burn brought, I’m taking a short break from reading.

I’ll share on quote because it gives absolutely nothing away and because it put a huge grin of recognition on my face when I read it:

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to organize books by subject when they should be alphabetical?” – Ty

While this book was a more than fitting finale to Ty and Zane’s story, I’m sad there won’t be any more Cut & Run stories. The fact that Sidewinder will continue and that Ty and Zane will more than likely make guest appearances in those stories, makes it a little bit easier to say goodbye.

CROSS & CROWN

CROSS & CROWN by Abigail Roux

Pages: 225

Date: 09/06/2014

Grade: 5

Details: no 2 Sidewinder

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The 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.

My thoughts:

This is going to be a completely spoiler free review which means I won’t be saying anything about the story line. The blurb tells you everything the author wants you to know about this story before reading it and I’m not inclined to argue with her.

I have quite a few things I want to and can say though. Let me start by stating that I loved the story and find myself getting more attached to Nick and Kelly with every story they feature in. In fact one of the things I liked best about this book was the opportunity to get a better insight into these two men and the way they are together. Much as I adore Ty and Zane, I relished this time with Nick and Kelly. I am grateful that these two and their relationship are very different from Ty and Zane. Nick and Kelly have known each other for years, have faced death and trauma together and it gives their relatively new relationship a depth most couples would take years to build.

Taken from Nick O'Flaherty's FB page

The mystery in this book was fascinating and well plotted. I was intrigued from the very first page and held my breath as the story unfolded and secrets were revealed.

History plays a huge part in the mystery in this book and I was intrigued by it all. It is clear the author has a deep love and endless amounts of respect for historical fact. Her depth of knowledge (or research) gives this story the ‘this might actually be true’ quality that always gives books added value for me.

As I’ve come to expect, there is an endless amount of humour in this book. My husband gave me numerous quizzical stares when I burst out laughing while reading. When Abigail Roux writes dialogue I can hear the characters voices and imagine their facial expressions even when they’re not described.

“No ID, no memory, shot in the head in the middle of a gunfight outside a robbery of a used bookstore. What. The. Fuck.” – Nick

The banter between Kelly and Nick had me smiling and laughing on numerous occasions.

“Romantic, but are you sure this isn’t just a history nerdgasm you’re having right now?” – Kelly

While the depth of their feelings for each other was swoon-worthy.

“I love you (...). Has nothing to do with the circumstances, or our history, or how close to death we’ve come together. I would love you in any incarnation of yourself.” – Nick

 

Taken from Kelly Abbott's FB page

My final quote is from Julian Cross. I’ve come to like this enigmatic man more with each subsequent book he appeared in and enjoyed encountering him again here, even if he was more of a secondary character in this story. His calm in the face of pending disaster and his wry sense of humour never fail to impress me while a glimpse of his more vulnerable side made him that much more relatable.

“If you would let me finish before you get your knickers in a twist, this would be easier.” – Julian Cross

This really is all I can say about this book without spoiling the story. I could easily have turned this review into a love fest featuring lots of detail. For the sake of those who haven’t read the book yet I won’t. Some books are best read without any prior knowledge. I’ll just end this post by saying that I can’t wait to see where Abigail Roux will take the story and her characters next. Needless to say, where ever that may be, I’ll be close on her heals.

BALL & CHAIN

TITLE: BALL & CHAIN

AUTHOR: ABIGAIL ROUX

Pages: 306

Date: 17/03/2014

Grade:  5+

Details: no. 8 Cut & Run

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The blurb:

“Home from their unexpected deployment, the former members of Marine Force Recon team Sidewinder rejoin their loved ones and try to pick up the pieces of the lives they were forced to leave behind. Ty Grady comes home to Zane Garrett, only to find that everything around him has changed—even the men he went to war with. He barely has time to adjust before his brother, Deuce, asks Ty to be his best man. But that isn’t all Deuce asks Ty to do, and Ty must call for backup to deal with the business issues of Deuce’s future father-in-law.

Nick O’Flaherty and Kelly Abbott join Ty and Zane at the wedding on an island in Scotland, thinking they’re there to assuage Deuce’s paranoia. But when bodies start dropping and boats start sinking, the four men get more involved with the festivities than they’d ever planned to.

With the clock ticking and the killer just as stuck on the isolated island as they are, Ty and Zane must navigate a veritable minefield of family, friends, and foes to stop the whole island from being destroyed.”

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My thoughts:

The official release date for this book is today which makes me disinclined to talk about the story. It would be too easy to spoil the story for those who haven’t gotten around to reading the book yet and since I would never forgive a reviewer for doing that to me, I won’t take the risk of doing so now. I’ll limit myself to listing a few things I loved about this book and will hopefully manage to do so without revealing things that I shouldn’t. Of course, the only way to make sure you don’t encounter any spoilers is to do what I did, and stay away from reviews all together until you’ve read the book.

Let me start by saying that I loved this book. For me this book had everything I love about the ‘Cut & Run’ series. There was the mystery and all the high thrills action needed to solve it, not to mention some twists and turns that took my breath away. The fact that it was set in a Scottish mansion with secret passage-ways and located on a remote and private island only added to the sense of danger. I have always loved the interactions between the characters in these books and the addition of Kelly and Nick to Ty and Zane’s double act meant a lot more quick fire dialogue.

The start of the book had me reading with a huge grin on my face, a grin that was semi permanent and only interrupted by moments of laughter. In fact, the grin was stuck on my face for a long time. But on those occasions when the grin did fall of my face it was because there was real pain in the story.

Stolen from B Ty Grady's Facebook Page

I’m not entirely sure what I expected when I started this book. I was ready for residue of Ty and Zane’s last fight, especially since it was followed almost immediately by their separation. Conflict between Nick and Kelly wouldn’t have surprised me either since their intimate relationship was so very new and almost nipped in the bud by their separation. What I was completely unprepared for were the issues between Ty and Nick I was confronted with; deep seated issue without any easy answers. Reading about those was as painful as it was fascinating and kept me glued to the page.

I loved Ty’s struggles when he finds out about Nick and Kelly and his difficulty in determining what exactly is causing him to feel so off about it.

“Stop. The deal is I don’t freak out, and you don’t share sex stories.” – Ty to Kelly.

And I have to admit that I’m falling deeper in love with Kelly and Nick as I read more about them. Kelly’s support for Nick when he’s facing one of the toughest decisions he’ll ever have to make was beautiful.

““The decision you make, you make it for you. Not him.” Kelly whispered in his ear. “You make it for you. And I’ll be here.” – Kelly to Nick

But the Kelly’s words towards the end of this book took my breath away.

 

Stolen from the Sidewinder Facebook Page

““I love you, Nick,” Kelly whispered. “No matter what those words meant before, we know what they mean now. They’re ours now. Just ours.””

Well, those these quotes all but melted me.

Now that I’ve finished the book I should say that I wouldn’t have minded a bit more sexual action on these pages. It wasn’t something I was missing or actively waiting for while reading the book though. The story with all its twists and turns, action and clever dialogue had me in such a tight hold that I didn’t even realise how little sex there’d been until the story had ended.

It sort of breaks my heart that we appear to be nearing the end of Ty and Zane’s story. Of course there still is the ‘mole issue’ to resolve but, as things stand now, it looks like that might be the end of their adventures. Having said that, the ‘Sidewinder’ stories have only started and this book set us up for what promises to be one hell of a storyline in that series. And since Ty is very much a member of the Sidewinder team, the future might not be quite as bleak as I fear. One thing is sure though; no matter where Abigail Roux decides to take her characters next, I will be following them closely, making very sure not to miss a single word in the process.

SHOCK & AWE

TITLE: SHOCK & AWE

AUTHOR: ABIGAIL ROUX

Pages: 106

Date: 13/03/2014

Grade: 5

Details: No. 1 Sidewinder

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The 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.”

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My thoughts:

Earlier this week I read and reviewed ‘Touch & Geaux’ - a story that managed to break my heart not once but twice - so I definitely was in the market for something a bit lighter. Thankfully, ‘Shock & Awe’ delivered just that; a more or less angst-free, sweet, sexy and very funny story.

‘Shock & Awe’ is the novella that kick starts the ‘Sidewinder’ series which is a ‘Cut & Run’ spin-off and concentrates, if this story is anything to go by, on Nick O’Flaherty and Kelly Abbott.

Kelly is recuperating after the near fatal gunshot in ‘Touch & Geaux’ and isn’t surprised when his friend Nick volunteers to stay by his side until he’s able to look after himself again.

When Kelly expresses his curiosity about kissing a man Nick isn’t too worried about satisfying it for him. Neither man is quite prepared for the way they react to what should have been an innocent kiss though.

With Kelly still in serious pain and on painkillers the two men can only take their experimentation so far, regardless of Kelly’s insistence that he wants to experience it all.

And both men have to consider what this new direction might mean for their longstanding friendship. Are they risking their close bond on a drug-fuelled whim, or is there more to Kelly’s desire and Nick’s reaction to it?

I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. It was nice to read a romance in which the story wasn’t about two characters getting to know each other; Kelly and Nick have known each other for years and don’t have secrets. This book is about two men dealing with the changing dynamic between them, and their reaction to the new feelings they’re developing for each other.

For me the best part of the story was probably the banter between Kelly and Nick; it kept a huge grin on my face almost from start to finish and started early on when Nick has to help Kelly to his bed so he can rest:

   

“Bet you never worked this hard to bet a guy in bed, have you?” – Kelly

Nick’s answer when Kelly asks him about his sexual preferences was priceless:

“I consider myself equal opportunity.” – Nick

The romantic and sexy exchanges were at least as good as the humorous ones and at times managed to take my breath away.

“He moaned again, and the sound travelled through his body, awakening the rest of him to the moment, to the scent of guns instead of roses, the brush of leather instead of lace.” – Kelly’s first kiss

And I adored how possessive Nick got even before Kelly was fit enough to go all the way:

““Oh God,” Kelly breathed.

“No, you don’t say his name when I fuck you. You say mine.””

And then there was the one line that actually had me laughing out loud:

“Oh, look at the pothead calling the kettle names.” – Nick

Just when I was about to get really upset that the story ended at only 77% into the book and, more importantly, before Kelly has a chance to fully experience sex with Nick, I discovered something I wasn’t expecting; an extra story called ‘Bait & Switch’. I liked that we got a quick glimpse of Zane in this story but loved that we finally got to see Nick and Kelly going all the way as well as committing to each other.

I was well and truly hooked on Abigail Roux’s books before I started this novella. I was also more than a little bit in love with Ty and Zane, something which hasn’t changed. I guess I’ll have to add Nick and Kelly to my (rather short) list of book-boyfriends now. I’m going to enjoy spending more time with them while watching how their relationship develops.

TOUCH & GEAUX

TITLE: TOUCH & GEAUX

AUTHOR: ABIGAIL ROUX

Pages: 349

Date: 12/03/2014

Grade: 5

Details: No. 7 Cut & Run

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The blurb:

“After having their faces plastered across the news during a high-profile case, FBI Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett have become more useful to the Bureau posing for photo ops than working undercover. Just as Zane is beginning to consider retirement a viable option, Ty receives a distress call from a friend, leading them to a city rife with echoes from the past.

New Orleans wears its history on its streets, and it’s the one place Ty’s face could get him killed. Surrounded by trouble as soon as they land, Ty and Zane are swiftly confronted with a past from which Ty can’t hide—one with a surprising connection to Zane’s.

As threats close in from all directions, both men must come to terms with the lives they’ve led and the lies they’ve told. They soon discover that not all their secrets are out yet, and nothing lasts forever.”

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My thoughts:

Well...Okay...Wow...I mean...

Just bear with me while I catch my breath and try to find the words I need to write this review because...Jaysus what a book.

In my review of ‘Stars & Stripes’ I said that while I liked that book and enjoyed my time with Ty and Zane it missed the WOW-factor for me because the relationship element of the story was just too smooth and – shock horror - wasn’t angsty enough. Well, in a perfect example of ‘be careful what you wish for because you might just get it’ this book made up for that lack of angst...and then some. In fact, I’m not sure ‘angst’ is the right word to describe everything that happens between Ty and Zane; all out warfare might be a better description.

Ty and Zane find themselves in New Orleans. And while this place holds happy memories for Zane, it is not somewhere Ty should be. When he was pulled out of New Orleans after spending two years there while undercover, he left a lot of unresolved issues and enemies behind. Issues and enemies that seem to know he’s back and are determined to bring him down once and for all.

And it is not just Ty’s past haunting him. Zane’s undercover past has descended on New Orleans as well and appears to match Ty’s when it comes to their need for vengeance. It soon becomes clear that Ty and Zane’s pasts are far more interwoven than Zane could ever have expected. The revelation that Ty has been keeping secrets from him for the past two years despite their, apparently strengthening, relationship crushes Zane. During the ensuing fight things are said and done that can never be taken back, leaving both investigators teetering on the edge while various groups are still out to kill them. It also becomes clear that someone is relaying information to their enemies. This may be one investigation too far for this couple; even if they manage to survive the attempts on their lives, their relationship may well be beyond repair.

This was, at times, a very hard book to read. The passages where Zane and Ty fight nearly broke my heart because it was so easy to understand both men’s point of view. The betrayal Zane felt made as much sense as Ty’s conviction that he had been doing the right thing all along. And that is the reason this particular version of angst didn’t upset me or put me off the book. I’ve read too many romances in which the issues between the two main characters seems contrived; only there because the author needed something to create tension. In this case it all made sense; not just in the context of this book but in relation to the story-line over all seven books. And while that didn’t make the whole mess any easier to read, it did get me even more involved with and attached to these two investigators.

There was one instance of coincidence in this book that went a bit too far for me. It seemed very unrealistic and I could see it coming a mile off. Having said that, it also brought me an ‘ah, isn’t that sweet’ moment in what was, otherwise, a tough and heartbreaking story, so I won’t hold it against the author.

Ty and Zane have over the past year or so joined the very small and select group of favourite fictional characters. They have become almost real in my head; I find myself dreaming about them and can easily imagine meeting them face to face. This doesn’t happen very often and I’m delighted every time I am lucky enough to stumble upon an author with the power to make their world real for me. I think it is safe to say that Abigail Roux has found a life-long fan in this reader.

My favourite quote from this book:

““Who are you Ty?” Ty smiled against his cheek. “I was an assassin”, he whispered. “I’m a marine. I’m the man who doesn’t miss. And I’m yours.” Zane bit his lip on a smile. “Who are you Zane?” Zane cocked his head. “I’m an artist. I’m a geek.” He felt Ty smile. “I’m one badass motherfucker on a motorcycle.” Ty began to laugh. Zane dipped his head until they were staring into each other’s eyes. “And I’m yours.”

STARS & STRIPES

TITLE: STARS & STRIPES

AUTHOR: ABIGAIL ROUX

Pages: 292

Date: 10/03/2014

Grade: 4.5

Details: no. 6 Cut & Run

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The blurb:

“Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett have managed the impossible: a few months of peace and quiet. After nearly a year of personal and professional turmoil, they're living together conflict-free, work is going smoothly, and they're both happy, healthy, and home every night before dark. But anyone who knows them knows that can’t possibly last.

When an emergency call from home upsets the balance of their carefully arranged world, Ty and Zane must juggle family drama with a perplexing crime to save a helpless victim before time runs out.

From the mountains of West Virginia to a remote Texas horse ranch harboring more than just livestock and childhood memories, Ty and Zane must face their fears—and their families—to overcome an unlikely enemy and bring peace back into their newly shared world.”

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My thoughts:

Before I start on my review proper I want to make something perfectly clear: I adore Ty and Zane who are fast joining that small and elite group of fictional characters who refuse to stay fictional in my mind. I love their antics, the quick fire dialogue between them, their relationship as it is steadily growing stronger and the mad adventures they find themselves caught up in. And as far as all of that goes this book was a very welcome addition to the series and a wonderful read.

And yet...While I had a wonderful time reading ‘Stars & Stripes’, this book missed the oomph factor for me. The previous books in this series somehow managed to hit me hard, made me want share my adoration for the series and the characters in it with the world in SHOUTY CAPS and refused to leave me alone.

This story on the other hand wasn’t more than a highly enjoyable read. While I loved every minute I spent with Ty and Zane, this book didn’t have the ‘can’t put it down, have to keep on reading’ urgency for me. And I think I know why that is. For me these books have always been about the relationship between these two men. I enjoyed the thriller aspect of the stories and can’t deny it added some much appreciated spice to them, but I didn’t read them because that particular kind of action.

In this book the relationship between Ty and Zane is rock solid and never in any doubt. They love each other and are so sure about their relationship that they actually find the courage to come out to those closest to them. With one exception this revelation didn’t cause the tension it might have and although that was heart-warming in a ‘if only that was true for everybody coming out’ sort of way it didn’t add a lot of emotional depth to the story.

Which leads me to a statement I didn’t think I’d ever make; I could have done with more angst in this story. Yes, you heard me right. Me, who always proclaims that she is not one for angsty reads, is bemoaning the lack of that aspect in this particular instalment. No, I don’t quite get it either and can’t begin to explain it.

Now, you may have noticed that I did give the book 4.5 stars. Everything I said above doesn’t mean that I didn’t like this book – I loved it – just that it lacked the WOW factor earlier titles had. There is a lot to love in this book; most of all the insight we get into Zane, his background and everything that made him into the person he is. My heart broke for him as his mother refused to give even an inch, knowing it would cost her the relationship with her only son. On the other hand, I adored Zane’s father.

“Had a gay bull I had to sell last year. That was a damn nuisance. Gay son? That don't cost me nothing.”

 And as always there are the jibes between Ty and Zane to bring light relief even in the direst of circumstances. I also loved Ty’s relationship with the animals he encounters, unrealistic as it may be.

I would probably read these books if all Ty and Zane did in them was talk to each other and have sex. I love these characters individually but adore them as a couple which makes me very glad that I have at least two more books of their story to look forward to. This brings me to something else I rarely do; read two books in a series immediately after each other. As soon as I finish this review I’ll be starting on ‘Touch & Geaux’. I realise that book number eight in this series, ‘Ball & Chain’ is already available. The official release day was March 17^th though, and my aim was always to be ready for that story on St. Patrick’s Day. The way things are looking right now, that won’t be a problem. I’m looking forward to an Abigail Roux filled reading week and can’t think of a more enjoyable prospect right now.

“There are...there are so many paths in life. Some we choose, and some are chosen for us. We walk our paths without looking down and that’s the life we lead. The only things you’ll get from guessing where another path would have gone are questions you can’t answer and heartache you can’t ever soothe.”

ARMED & DANGEROUS

TITLE: ARMED & DANGEROUS

AUTHOR: ABIGAIL ROUX

Pages: 330

Date: 25/01/2014

Grade: 5

Details: no. 5 Cut & Run

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The blurb:

“Left alone in Baltimore after his unpredictable lover bails, Special Agent Zane Garrett takes his frustration out on everything in his path until he is ordered to Chicago to back up an undercover operative. When he gets there, though, he finds himself face to face with his wayward partner, Special Agent Ty Grady. They have to deal with the uncertainty lingering between them while they work to retrieve their intended mark, a retired hit man and CIA wet-works operative named Julian Cross.

Ty, once a marine and now an FBI hotshot, has a penchant for being unpredictable, a trait Zane can vouch for. Zane is a man who once lived for his job but has come to realize his heartbreaking past doesn’t have to overshadow his future. They're partners, friends, lovers, and the go-to team for unusual cases. With Cross and his innocuous boyfriend, Cameron Jacobs, in tow, Ty and Zane must navigate the obstacles of a cross-country trek, including TSA pat-downs, blizzards, their uncooperative prisoners, CIA kill teams, a desperate lack of sleep or caffeine, and each other. Ty and Zane are determined to get Julian Cross to DC in one piece, but it’s starting to look like it might be the last thing they do.”

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My thoughts:

I think I may have said this before; I’ve fallen in love with this series and its two main characters. In fact, I think I could happily spend my days doing little else besides read about Ty and Zane. I mean what’s not to love. The reader is given heart-stopping thrillers, featuring two hot FBI agents with a wicked sense of humour and smart tongues who happen to be involved in one of the most fascinating love stories while trying to stay alive.

The ending of the last book, ‘Divide and Conquer’ was a bit of a cliff-hanger. Just when I thought Ty and Zane would find the time to enjoy each other for a while, Ty does a runner, leaving Zane confused, frustrated and alone.

When Zane is send on a mission he doesn’t know the man he’s to work with is his partner and lover. It is a welcome reunion but not one they can enjoy for long since the operation they’ve been sent on is filled with danger from the very first moment.

Enter Julian and Cameron from ‘Warrior’s Cross’. All Ty and Zane know is that they have to get Julian to Washington alive and as quick as possible. Julian is convinced that allowing himself to be taken there is the equivalent of signing his own death warrant and doesn’t come easily. The fact that the innocent in every possible way Cameron also comes along for the ride only complicates matters.

What starts off as a battle between Julian and the two agents soon turns into the four men fighting together against what appears to be a CIA operation to kill Julian. But people and things are not quite what they seem. Sometimes those who appear to be your enemies turn out to be friends and those who should be trustworthy let you down.

And that’s just the thriller part of the story.

When Ty and Zane reunite there is some soul searching to be done. And when these two characters delve into their hearts, it leads to beautiful scenes. Not in the least as a result of Ty’s refreshing and utterly charming honesty.

Asked why he left while Zane was sleeping, Ty answers:

“I was afraid... I was afraid if I woke you and looked into your eyes I wouldn’t be able to go. And I had to go Zane, I had to.”

As the story progresses, Zane and the reader find out more about Ty’s past, and with it comes an understanding of the man he is, and the reason’s he has for doing what he does, even when it means hurting the man he loves and himself. Which makes it all the more touching when he asks Zane:

“Next time...next time I need to go, will you go with me?”

Or when he says:

“I was always yours. (...) Because... you make me the kind of person I’ve always wished I was.” Ty

What I love about these books is the description of Ty and Zane’s deepening connection. I adore the way they develop together, get to know and understand each other better and grow ever more comfortable in their relationship. And the addition of Julian and Cameron’s perspective in this book means that the reader is giving new insights into Ty and Zane; as the heroes of Warrior’s Cross share their perceptions of the FBI agents, the reader is given the opportunity to expand the picture they have of our heroes.

In fact, the changing dynamic between the two couples was fascinating; from outright hostility through begrudging cooperation and admiration to something that could easily have turned into friendship if the circumstances had been different. The progression is natural, at times funny and ultimately beautiful.

But the best part about this book and the whole series is, was and always will be the relationship between Ty and Zane. I live for those moments when we’re given a glimpse of how they see each other.

“But then, Zane supposed that was part of Ty’s charm, the jumbled ball of yarn inside his brain that no one could unravel.”

Not to mention the moments that have you teetering between a smile and a few tears.

“I can’t remember a time that you weren’t the first thing I thought of, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don’t care what stands in our way.” – Ty

The books in this series have it all; danger, adventure, two fascinating men who happen to love each other despite the apparent impossibility of their situation, laugh out loud moments, angst and very hot passion. I could continue reading these books forever.

This book, like all the prequels was filled with quotable sentences. I had to use all my restraint to limit myself to those I’ve used above. I will add one more because sometimes a sentence is beautiful and worth keeping just because it tells a simple truth:

“Life is hard and confusing, Zane. Love doesn’t have to be.”