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kathydavie's review
5.0
Ninth in the Cut & Run m/m romantic suspense series and revolving around a lethal pair of men: FBI agent Zane Garrett and the now-retired Ty Grady set in Baltimore, Maryland. The focus is on finding that mole in the office. It's February and it's been five years since Cut & Run, 1.
My Take
There are red herrings everywhere, touching on events throughout the story, and particularly from Touch & Geaux, 7, and Ball & Chain, 8. That Liam is one sneaky bugger. The man has no morals! Then again, he looks like an angel compared to others!
Roux uses third person multiple points-of-view from Nick's, Ty's, and Zane's perspectives, and there is plenty of emotion in this. I'm sure you can imagine it when it's full of such epic betrayal. A story full of intrigue, action — hoo-baby, all kinds of action with guns, in bed, kidnappings, explosions, and taking the bad guys down.
Nick's confession blew me away, and Ty's reaction to it blew everyone away. There's a lot about what Nick and Liam learned that makes sense, but there are bits that don't make sense either. For one, what's the deal about Nick's meds?
I do have to say that all of it, all the truths they've discovered, break my heart. It's betrayal on a personal level as well as a national one. That government agencies would treat citizens, their own agents, like this?!? That someone can do this to a friend, to his family... My. God.
Thankfully, Roux does have fun with this series, creating a balance to all the horrors, and I did enjoy "Detectives Black and Decker"...oy, *laughing*.
Aww, it's in Crash & Burn that Zane comes up with the name for their bookstore: Brick & Mortar.
But it's that betrayal at the end that really caught my heart up, when he shot everyone. Holy...
The Story
Liam Bell is on an NIA hit list and intends to hold Nick to that promise he made in Touch & Geaux.
Nick is unlikely to come out of it alive while Ty and Grady 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. Who turn their world upside down.
The Characters
Special-Agent-in-Charge Zane Garrett commands at the Baltimore field office. His life partner, the man to whom Zane is engaged, Ty "Six" Grady, retired from the FBI and is restoring an old building down on the waterfront as well as rebuilding a vintage Mustang Zane's dad gave him.
Deacon, a.k.a., Deuce, is Ty's psychiatrist brother newly married to Livi (Ball & Chain); Amelia is their daughter. Mara and Earl Grady are Ty and Deacon's parents. Chester is their grandpa who is very, ahem, attached to his shovel. Chester has told Zane to call him grandpa.
Zane's parents have a ranch in Texas. Harrison is Zane's really decent dad while Beverly is his bitch mom. Harrison says that Mara has been "talking" to Beverly...mm-hmmm... Annie is Zane's veterinarian sister.
Sidewinder is...
...was Ty's special ops team, Force Recon Marines. Nick "Irish" O'Flaherty, a Scout Sniper who's got the trembles now, used to be a homicide detective in Boston. The Fiddler's Green is the yacht he lives on. Kelly "Doc" Abbott had been the team medic and is now Nick's lover. He lives in Colorado working with at-risk kids. Digger lives in the bayous. Owen "Ozone" Johns is a security specialist with a huge corporation in L.A. Owen has recently started dating Riley.
Liam Bell is one nasty spy with the NIA. He'd been Ty's lover in the past and part of an SAS team that had been in joint exercises with the boys. Anna had been Liam's NIA partner before she was killed.
The FBI
Agents in the Baltimore office include Scott Alston, Freddy Perrimore, Harry Lassiter, and Michelle Clayton. Dan McCoy had been the previous special agent-in-charge.
Richard Burns, a former Marine, had been an assistant director, a friend of the Grady family, Ty's boss, and was murdered in Ball & Chain. Laura Burns is Richard's widow. Special Agent James "Jimmy" Hathaway had been Ty's partner before he was killed. Jack Tanner teaches knifework at Quantico. Wilkins is one of Tanner's new protégés. Randall Jones had been a CIA agent and a friend of Burns' (Armed & Dangerous, 5).
The CIA
Preston is still with them as an agent.
Julian Cross (Armed & Dangerous, 5, and Cross & Crown, 8.5) is an arms dealer who owes the boys a favor.
The Vega cartel has...
...had a contract out on Ty and Zane for some time now. Juan Carlos de la Vega is the one who took over when the more rational Antonio de la Vega was assassinated. Xander had been Zane's undercover name with the cartel.
The Admiral Fell Inn is Zane's choice of lodging. Hank Freeman is a judge who owes Ty a favor. Tudor is a tattooist friend of Zane's. John English is a security specialist with Snake Eater from Ball & Chain. Detective Alan Hagan had been Nick's partner in the Boston PD.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a white background with a ferocious fire of yellows, oranges, and reds at the bottom, and it's a gradient of reds to orange to yellow and back again in the title at the top. The author's name is just below center in a deep red on the left.
The title is the plan, to let them Crash & Burn.
My Take
There are red herrings everywhere, touching on events throughout the story, and particularly from Touch & Geaux, 7, and Ball & Chain, 8. That Liam is one sneaky bugger. The man has no morals! Then again, he looks like an angel compared to others!
Roux uses third person multiple points-of-view from Nick's, Ty's, and Zane's perspectives, and there is plenty of emotion in this. I'm sure you can imagine it when it's full of such epic betrayal. A story full of intrigue, action — hoo-baby, all kinds of action with guns, in bed, kidnappings, explosions, and taking the bad guys down.
Nick's confession blew me away, and Ty's reaction to it blew everyone away. There's a lot about what Nick and Liam learned that makes sense, but there are bits that don't make sense either. For one, what's the deal about Nick's meds?
I do have to say that all of it, all the truths they've discovered, break my heart. It's betrayal on a personal level as well as a national one. That government agencies would treat citizens, their own agents, like this?!? That someone can do this to a friend, to his family... My. God.
Thankfully, Roux does have fun with this series, creating a balance to all the horrors, and I did enjoy "Detectives Black and Decker"...oy, *laughing*.
"If there is anyone present here today who objects to this union, please take it up with the two armed federal agents who are getting hitched."I love the idea of the ring tattoos. Very safe. And the special symbols that make it so personal to both Ty and Grady make me want to cry. I do love that Digger is so mad at the boys for not waiting for them. And wanting to know if they're knocked up, lol.
Aww, it's in Crash & Burn that Zane comes up with the name for their bookstore: Brick & Mortar.
But it's that betrayal at the end that really caught my heart up, when he shot everyone. Holy...
The Story
Liam Bell is on an NIA hit list and intends to hold Nick to that promise he made in Touch & Geaux.
Nick is unlikely to come out of it alive while Ty and Grady 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. Who turn their world upside down.
The Characters
Special-Agent-in-Charge Zane Garrett commands at the Baltimore field office. His life partner, the man to whom Zane is engaged, Ty "Six" Grady, retired from the FBI and is restoring an old building down on the waterfront as well as rebuilding a vintage Mustang Zane's dad gave him.
Deacon, a.k.a., Deuce, is Ty's psychiatrist brother newly married to Livi (Ball & Chain); Amelia is their daughter. Mara and Earl Grady are Ty and Deacon's parents. Chester is their grandpa who is very, ahem, attached to his shovel. Chester has told Zane to call him grandpa.
Zane's parents have a ranch in Texas. Harrison is Zane's really decent dad while Beverly is his bitch mom. Harrison says that Mara has been "talking" to Beverly...mm-hmmm... Annie is Zane's veterinarian sister.
Sidewinder is...
...was Ty's special ops team, Force Recon Marines. Nick "Irish" O'Flaherty, a Scout Sniper who's got the trembles now, used to be a homicide detective in Boston. The Fiddler's Green is the yacht he lives on. Kelly "Doc" Abbott had been the team medic and is now Nick's lover. He lives in Colorado working with at-risk kids. Digger lives in the bayous. Owen "Ozone" Johns is a security specialist with a huge corporation in L.A. Owen has recently started dating Riley.
Liam Bell is one nasty spy with the NIA. He'd been Ty's lover in the past and part of an SAS team that had been in joint exercises with the boys. Anna had been Liam's NIA partner before she was killed.
The FBI
Agents in the Baltimore office include Scott Alston, Freddy Perrimore, Harry Lassiter, and Michelle Clayton. Dan McCoy had been the previous special agent-in-charge.
Richard Burns, a former Marine, had been an assistant director, a friend of the Grady family, Ty's boss, and was murdered in Ball & Chain. Laura Burns is Richard's widow. Special Agent James "Jimmy" Hathaway had been Ty's partner before he was killed. Jack Tanner teaches knifework at Quantico. Wilkins is one of Tanner's new protégés. Randall Jones had been a CIA agent and a friend of Burns' (Armed & Dangerous, 5).
The CIA
Preston is still with them as an agent.
Julian Cross (Armed & Dangerous, 5, and Cross & Crown, 8.5) is an arms dealer who owes the boys a favor.
The Vega cartel has...
...had a contract out on Ty and Zane for some time now. Juan Carlos de la Vega is the one who took over when the more rational Antonio de la Vega was assassinated. Xander had been Zane's undercover name with the cartel.
The Admiral Fell Inn is Zane's choice of lodging. Hank Freeman is a judge who owes Ty a favor. Tudor is a tattooist friend of Zane's. John English is a security specialist with Snake Eater from Ball & Chain. Detective Alan Hagan had been Nick's partner in the Boston PD.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a white background with a ferocious fire of yellows, oranges, and reds at the bottom, and it's a gradient of reds to orange to yellow and back again in the title at the top. The author's name is just below center in a deep red on the left.
The title is the plan, to let them Crash & Burn.
bitchie's review
4.0
I'm going to have to think on this one for a while.
On the one hand, I loved it. Vintage Ty & Zane, finally back where they belong, taking the lead in their own series, like it always should have been. On the other hand, my eyes almost sprained themselves, they rolled so hard, so often, at all the acts of betrayal and kidnappings and presumed deaths and stupidity that kept happening.
The Ty & Zane moments were perfection. Finally,finally, they are happy and healthy and living their lives, with just the giant hammer over their heads, waiting to drop. And drop it did, finally. SO much happened in this final book, and I wish I could say it was perfect, but the actiony/mystery bits seemed too over the top.
Still, all in all, I felt most threads were tied up nicely, and I'm quite happy with where everything ended up.
Now about that end at the VERY end. After all the "About the Author" and author's note and publishing notes, etc etc, that one little scene. Was that simply someone who's been watching too many Marvel movies, wanting to leave their own little "After the credits" Easter Egg, or dare we hope for another series featuring Ty&Zane, and their future with their bookstore and life as? Here's hoping it's the latter!
On the one hand, I loved it. Vintage Ty & Zane, finally back where they belong, taking the lead in their own series, like it always should have been. On the other hand, my eyes almost sprained themselves, they rolled so hard, so often, at all the acts of betrayal and kidnappings and presumed deaths and stupidity that kept happening.
The Ty & Zane moments were perfection. Finally,finally, they are happy and healthy and living their lives, with just the giant hammer over their heads, waiting to drop. And drop it did, finally. SO much happened in this final book, and I wish I could say it was perfect, but the actiony/mystery bits seemed too over the top.
Still, all in all, I felt most threads were tied up nicely, and I'm quite happy with where everything ended up.
Now about that end at the VERY end. After all the "About the Author" and author's note and publishing notes, etc etc, that one little scene. Was that simply someone who's been watching too many Marvel movies, wanting to leave their own little "After the credits" Easter Egg, or dare we hope for another series featuring Ty&Zane, and their future with their bookstore and life as
Spoiler
CIA agentsaframel2335's review
5.0
Sad to see the last of Ty and Zane in their own book, but hope to see a lot of them in the Sidewinder series.
a_reader_obsessed's review
5.0
5 NOT ENOUGH STARS!!
Holy. Freakin. Hell.
Warning. I know I'm biased when it comes to this series and these two characters. They were my first loves when I started reading m/m and I've thoroughly basked in and fretted over all their adventures, their wins and their losses. This absolutely was the epic conclusion they, and we, deserved.
So yes, the gas pedal was floored at about the 2% mark and it never let up until the bloody end.
What might have been missing for many in [b:Ball & Chain|17736067|Ball & Chain (Cut & Run, #8)|Abigail Roux|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386893141l/17736067._SX50_.jpg|24813988] have no fear. There's barely time to breathe in between the laughs/sexy times/private moments. There's barely time to process the action, the suspense, the twist and turns, and crazy revelations. There's barely time to recover from the fear, the relief and then the fear and disbelief around every corner.
Suffice it to say I loved every single word and I am devastated that this is the end but totally more in love if that's even possible.
Ty + Zane = 4 ever
Cut & Run Series
1. Cut & Run - 5 Stars
2. Sticks & Stones - 5 Stars
3. Fish & Chips - 5 Stars
4. Divide & Conquer - 5 Stars
Warrior’s Cross - 4 Stars
5. Armed & Dangerous - 5 Stars
6. Tigers & Stripes 5 Stars
7. Touch & Geaux - 5 Stars
8. Ball & Chain - 5 Stars
9. Crash & Burn - 5 Stars
Holy. Freakin. Hell.
Warning. I know I'm biased when it comes to this series and these two characters. They were my first loves when I started reading m/m and I've thoroughly basked in and fretted over all their adventures, their wins and their losses. This absolutely was the epic conclusion they, and we, deserved.
So yes, the gas pedal was floored at about the 2% mark and it never let up until the bloody end.
What might have been missing for many in [b:Ball & Chain|17736067|Ball & Chain (Cut & Run, #8)|Abigail Roux|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386893141l/17736067._SX50_.jpg|24813988] have no fear. There's barely time to breathe in between the laughs/sexy times/private moments. There's barely time to process the action, the suspense, the twist and turns, and crazy revelations. There's barely time to recover from the fear, the relief and then the fear and disbelief around every corner.
Suffice it to say I loved every single word and I am devastated that this is the end but totally more in love if that's even possible.
Ty + Zane = 4 ever
Cut & Run Series
1. Cut & Run - 5 Stars
2. Sticks & Stones - 5 Stars
3. Fish & Chips - 5 Stars
4. Divide & Conquer - 5 Stars
5. Armed & Dangerous - 5 Stars
6. Tigers & Stripes 5 Stars
7. Touch & Geaux - 5 Stars
8. Ball & Chain - 5 Stars
9. Crash & Burn - 5 Stars
reilarain's review
4.0
I can't believe I only found this series less than a week ago and have read the whole thing.
I didn't want this to end I could read about Ty and Zanes lives forever. I did feel like this book was on x5 speed and there is so much more I wanted to go through with these characters but what a journey. I'll never be forgetting this one!
I didn't want this to end I could read about Ty and Zanes lives forever. I did feel like this book was on x5 speed and there is so much more I wanted to go through with these characters but what a journey. I'll never be forgetting this one!
raynebair's review
5.0
Awesome!! So sad to have to say goodbye to Ty and Zane. I'm gonna miss these guys.
More review to come.
More review to come.
papasfritass's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
divapitbull's review
5.0
I can’t believe it’s over. I think I need a period of mourning before I can actually read something else. Maybe start at the beginning of the series and re-read all my favorite parts. I was debating on 4 or 5 stars. My first inclination was 4 because while Ty and Zane together were perfect – there was an awful lot of time taken up with…plot. I realize that for most people, a book being taken up with plot is not a bad thing…but I’ve always been in the Cut & Run series for the relationship building, the witty bantering, the chemistry, the hot sex and sappy sweet that encompasses Ty and Zane.
So yes, I get that the plot was actually crucial to wrapping up the story....and thus necessary…and it was nice to see Ty and Zane ride off into the sunset together (figuratively speaking). And the Ty and Zane that was present…was actually….perfect…so 5 stars to the ending of an absolutely stellar series.
I actually kind of liked all the cameos. If was fun to see the parents’ reactions to the nuptials. And nice to see Zane’s mother actually have a maternal instinct. I like the comfortable, solidarity of the Ty and Zane relationship and the fact that they still manage to have some pretty hot chemistry – even after 8 books – it doesn’t get old. I liked how all the Sidewinder boys came together with Liam and Julian and the FBI team to help out – but truth be told, really I would have liked less guest star appearances and more Ty and Zane. And yes I would have liked less Nick and Kelly. I like them, I really do – just not when they’re sucking up space in the last book of the series. (Unless Ty and Zane get to suck up some space in the next Sidewinder books – in which case – it’s all good).
Thank you to whichever reviewer (I’m so sorry I don’t specifically remember who) encouraged me to keep going to the very end of the end to get the little Brick & Mortar bonus ficlet. Very short and very sweet – the future of Ty and Zane.
So yes, I get that the plot was actually crucial to wrapping up the story....and thus necessary…and it was nice to see Ty and Zane ride off into the sunset together (figuratively speaking). And the Ty and Zane that was present…was actually….perfect…so 5 stars to the ending of an absolutely stellar series.
I actually kind of liked all the cameos. If was fun to see the parents’ reactions to the nuptials. And nice to see Zane’s mother actually have a maternal instinct. I like the comfortable, solidarity of the Ty and Zane relationship and the fact that they still manage to have some pretty hot chemistry – even after 8 books – it doesn’t get old. I liked how all the Sidewinder boys came together with Liam and Julian and the FBI team to help out – but truth be told, really I would have liked less guest star appearances and more Ty and Zane. And yes I would have liked less Nick and Kelly. I like them, I really do – just not when they’re sucking up space in the last book of the series. (Unless Ty and Zane get to suck up some space in the next Sidewinder books – in which case – it’s all good).
Thank you to whichever reviewer (I’m so sorry I don’t specifically remember who) encouraged me to keep going to the very end of the end to get the little Brick & Mortar bonus ficlet. Very short and very sweet – the future of Ty and Zane.