Scan barcode
eesh25's review
2.0
Have you ever read a book in which you really don't like the writing, don't really get the characters and, for the most part, you don't particularly like the book, but you still keep reading it? Because that's what happened to me.
This book is about two FBI agents. There's a serial killer in New York. It's a top priority case after the guy took the life of two agents, and Ty and Zane are partnered up to solve it. They're total opposites. Zane, at first appearance, seems like the cookie-cutter, rule-following guy. Ty is abrasive, rude and has many unorthodox methods. Right off the bat, they hate each other. But as their lives are constantly endangered because of attacks by the killer, and as they spend more time together, they find that the two of them are not as different as first thought.
But the getting-to-know-you process sucks. For me, that is. I'm sure the two of them were having the time of their lives. I was not happy. The writing in this book is a mess. The coherency of the prose of very low and there are POV switches in ever paragraph because apparently, the authors were going for omniscient third person but failed. Then there's the dialogue. I literally can't remember the last time I read such poorly constructed interactions.
What's worse is that there are a lot of conversations. Like, there are actual consecutive pages full what the authors are trying to pass off as "banter". In really, it's awkward, it's clumsy, has no flow, and basically makes no sense. It's like someone guessing what big, bad, macho type men would talk like. Because, of course, it's absolutely crucial to assert that the two main characters are total badasses who really don't like each other. In short, the many conversations between the two men achieved next to nothing, and were just the same I-don't-like-you and I'm-so-tough thing over and over again.
The mystery part of the novel was one that I was really interested in. That is until we finally found out what the pattern/link between the murders was. I refuse to believe that none of the highly educated agents connected the dots. It's just not possible. The killer, in the end, was an easy enough guess but I didn't really see his motivation for his crimes. It didn't make sense.
In the end, what I'm saying is that this was not a good book. If I sat down and told someone the story within 5-10 minutes, they'd think it was good. But if the same person were to read it, the opinion would change. It's a promising idea, one that's trampled by the poor execution.
Even the characters would have been way more interesting if the writers weren't so busy trying to make them all macho and shit. Because the few scene in which they seemed to actually progress as people, and in their relationship, were good. The mystery part, though, seemed like it was little more than an excuse for the MCs to meet and, after pointing out so many flaws, I still can't get over the fact that I didn't hate the book.
I think it's because the story was promising; that kept me going. Hell, I might even read the sequel. I kind of want to. But the fact that there are nine fucking books following the same two characters... that makes me hesitate. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But even if we overlook the (excessive amount of) sequels, I still don't recommend this book. It does not live up to the hype.
This book is about two FBI agents. There's a serial killer in New York. It's a top priority case after the guy took the life of two agents, and Ty and Zane are partnered up to solve it. They're total opposites. Zane, at first appearance, seems like the cookie-cutter, rule-following guy. Ty is abrasive, rude and has many unorthodox methods. Right off the bat, they hate each other. But as their lives are constantly endangered because of attacks by the killer, and as they spend more time together, they find that the two of them are not as different as first thought.
But the getting-to-know-you process sucks. For me, that is. I'm sure the two of them were having the time of their lives. I was not happy. The writing in this book is a mess. The coherency of the prose of very low and there are POV switches in ever paragraph because apparently, the authors were going for omniscient third person but failed. Then there's the dialogue. I literally can't remember the last time I read such poorly constructed interactions.
What's worse is that there are a lot of conversations. Like, there are actual consecutive pages full what the authors are trying to pass off as "banter". In really, it's awkward, it's clumsy, has no flow, and basically makes no sense. It's like someone guessing what big, bad, macho type men would talk like. Because, of course, it's absolutely crucial to assert that the two main characters are total badasses who really don't like each other. In short, the many conversations between the two men achieved next to nothing, and were just the same I-don't-like-you and I'm-so-tough thing over and over again.
The mystery part of the novel was one that I was really interested in. That is until we finally found out what the pattern/link between the murders was. I refuse to believe that none of the highly educated agents connected the dots. It's just not possible. The killer, in the end, was an easy enough guess but I didn't really see his motivation for his crimes. It didn't make sense.
In the end, what I'm saying is that this was not a good book. If I sat down and told someone the story within 5-10 minutes, they'd think it was good. But if the same person were to read it, the opinion would change. It's a promising idea, one that's trampled by the poor execution.
Even the characters would have been way more interesting if the writers weren't so busy trying to make them all macho and shit. Because the few scene in which they seemed to actually progress as people, and in their relationship, were good. The mystery part, though, seemed like it was little more than an excuse for the MCs to meet and, after pointing out so many flaws, I still can't get over the fact that I didn't hate the book.
I think it's because the story was promising; that kept me going. Hell, I might even read the sequel. I kind of want to. But the fact that there are nine fucking books following the same two characters... that makes me hesitate. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But even if we overlook the (excessive amount of) sequels, I still don't recommend this book. It does not live up to the hype.
kathydavie's review
5.0
First in the Cut & Run romantic suspense series revolving around two FBI agents: Ty Grady and Zane Garrett. The majority of the story is set in New York City.
This is a male-on-male romance.
My Take
Excellent! It took a long while to get to the actual sex, but the suspense part was great with these two oddball FBI agents hunting for a serial killer whom they believe is one of them---definitely NO insta-love here. Meantime, between the snark, the insults, and the frustrations of hunting a serial killer, they slowly come to realize they want each other. LOL, who knew it could be such an effective deterrent for an addict?
Can you tell yet how much fun Ty has in being a jerk?
Both men are burnt out, just not on the job. Which is a unique tactic to me. And R/U keeps the truth hidden, dribbling it out in bits and pieces, torturing you into flipping those pages to find out the why, who, and what.
We get deep into these two from a man’s man perspective. How a guy copes with the grief of losing a beloved wife. The anger about being forced out of the military. The danger of the job they both love with the typical male reactions to injuries. Then we drop into touches of sensitivity as when Ty admits that his room is making him nervous, acknowledges that his partner is strong, and then R/U hit on the military’s don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy and how it affects a man.
LOL, I love it! Ty freaks because he’s never actually been picked up before.
Whoa. It’s not until I went back and sorted through my notes that I found those red herrings. No wonder I believed.
R/U certainly didn’t end this in any expected way. Instead it’s readus interruptus as both men get pulled from the case and the partners are split up. It’s that blending back together that gets interesting as each learns more about the other. Not always in a positive way.
Neither man is the stereotypical gay. Both men are tough, men’s men. It gives this story a greater realism as it brings their relationship into the average reader’s world where we expect the romantic male lead to be a grim, capable man, able to handle himself in any violent situation.
Aiyee, I love it! Zane is a bookworm!
That bit at the end. When Zane goes crazy and overdoses. I just wanted to cry at the sacrifice he was willing to make. And his reasoning? "You were in the dark."
The Story
Alison McFadden didn’t stand a chance.
And the Tri-State killer continues merrily on, taking out men and women, civilians and FBI agents.
The Characters
Special Agent B. Tyler “Ty” Grady, from coal mining territory in West Virginia and based in Baltimore, is an ex-Force Recon Marine and a college graduate with a collection of “naughty” FBI T-shirts I lust for (ExFed; You Have the Right to Remain Silent … So SHUTUP; Camp Runamuck; and lots more...LOL). He also has a way with the ladies. He’s not good at following the rules, and he dresses like a slob, but he does get the job done.
Special Agent Zane Z. Garrett, from Texas with degrees in statistics, Spanish, and law, is the epitome of the stick-up-his-arse FBI agent, for he’s determined to unblot his copybook and move out and up to better cases. Becky is the wife he mourns.
Assistant Director Richard Burns is Grady’s supervisor in Baltimore; he and Director Radshaw agree on the general identity of the killer. The New York agents sent to babysit include Mark Morrison and Tim Henninger; George McCarty is the Assistant Director in Charge; Special Agents Marian Sears and Gary Ross are two of their tails and the leads on the case; Karen Bryce is the medical examiner and Mina Holmes is her assistant; and, Jack Tanner is an ex-SEAL employed by the FBI to teach agents hand-to-hand combat.Serena Scott is a profiler with the New York Behavior Analysis Unit; both agents have a history with her. And I hope these guys quickly learn the truth about her…!
Special Agents Sanchez and Reilly were trained, ex-military. Isabelle St. Claire is a stewardess who enjoyed her night with Ty.
Detectives Steve Holleman and Steve Pierce are NYPD and in charge on that end.
The Cover and Title
The cover is spare with a thin gray horizontal line crossing the white background with a very sharp double-edged knife pointing at us.
The title doesn’t really fit. At least not in the usual sense of Cut & Run referring to leaving quickly. If anything, it’s just the opposite with both men willing to see it out.
This is a male-on-male romance.
My Take
Excellent! It took a long while to get to the actual sex, but the suspense part was great with these two oddball FBI agents hunting for a serial killer whom they believe is one of them---definitely NO insta-love here. Meantime, between the snark, the insults, and the frustrations of hunting a serial killer, they slowly come to realize they want each other. LOL, who knew it could be such an effective deterrent for an addict?
The groan from Zane had sent an odd jolt through his body, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. He needed … to shoot something, maybe."When they meet, it’s the Odd Couple with Grady as Oscar Madison and Garrett as Felix Unger. Mutt meets Finicky Cat. And the snarling commences immediately. Grady sees him as a bookkeeping babysitter while Garrett saw it as more of a clusterf**k, a punishment for doing the job well. Even their boss sees it as a nasty trick to play on Garrett.
"Are you getting hysterical?" Ty asked eagerly. "Can I smack you?"Jesus, Roux and Urban (R/U) suckered me right in with that initial scene. It was warm and inviting; it felt safe. Right up until that paragraph when R/U pulled the rug out from under me.
"You say that like you think I listen to you," Ty responded instantly, a smile pulling at his lips.Part of what I loved about this was, okay, an excellent suspense story. That’s a basic requirement and should be part of a good story. But what really revved me up was the intelligence in this. The banter between these two was quick and witty. Yeah, mostly cartoonish or in the gutter, but it was smart in several definitions of the word.
Can you tell yet how much fun Ty has in being a jerk?
Both men are burnt out, just not on the job. Which is a unique tactic to me. And R/U keeps the truth hidden, dribbling it out in bits and pieces, torturing you into flipping those pages to find out the why, who, and what.
We get deep into these two from a man’s man perspective. How a guy copes with the grief of losing a beloved wife. The anger about being forced out of the military. The danger of the job they both love with the typical male reactions to injuries. Then we drop into touches of sensitivity as when Ty admits that his room is making him nervous, acknowledges that his partner is strong, and then R/U hit on the military’s don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy and how it affects a man.
LOL, I love it! Ty freaks because he’s never actually been picked up before.
Whoa. It’s not until I went back and sorted through my notes that I found those red herrings. No wonder I believed.
R/U certainly didn’t end this in any expected way. Instead it’s readus interruptus as both men get pulled from the case and the partners are split up. It’s that blending back together that gets interesting as each learns more about the other. Not always in a positive way.
Neither man is the stereotypical gay. Both men are tough, men’s men. It gives this story a greater realism as it brings their relationship into the average reader’s world where we expect the romantic male lead to be a grim, capable man, able to handle himself in any violent situation.
Aiyee, I love it! Zane is a bookworm!
That bit at the end. When Zane goes crazy and overdoses. I just wanted to cry at the sacrifice he was willing to make. And his reasoning? "You were in the dark."
The Story
Alison McFadden didn’t stand a chance.
And the Tri-State killer continues merrily on, taking out men and women, civilians and FBI agents.
The Characters
Special Agent B. Tyler “Ty” Grady, from coal mining territory in West Virginia and based in Baltimore, is an ex-Force Recon Marine and a college graduate with a collection of “naughty” FBI T-shirts I lust for (ExFed; You Have the Right to Remain Silent … So SHUTUP; Camp Runamuck; and lots more...LOL). He also has a way with the ladies. He’s not good at following the rules, and he dresses like a slob, but he does get the job done.
Special Agent Zane Z. Garrett, from Texas with degrees in statistics, Spanish, and law, is the epitome of the stick-up-his-arse FBI agent, for he’s determined to unblot his copybook and move out and up to better cases. Becky is the wife he mourns.
Assistant Director Richard Burns is Grady’s supervisor in Baltimore; he and Director Radshaw agree on the general identity of the killer. The New York agents sent to babysit include Mark Morrison and Tim Henninger; George McCarty is the Assistant Director in Charge; Special Agents Marian Sears and Gary Ross are two of their tails and the leads on the case; Karen Bryce is the medical examiner and Mina Holmes is her assistant; and, Jack Tanner is an ex-SEAL employed by the FBI to teach agents hand-to-hand combat.Serena Scott is a profiler with the New York Behavior Analysis Unit; both agents have a history with her. And I hope these guys quickly learn the truth about her…!
Special Agents Sanchez and Reilly were trained, ex-military. Isabelle St. Claire is a stewardess who enjoyed her night with Ty.
Detectives Steve Holleman and Steve Pierce are NYPD and in charge on that end.
The Cover and Title
The cover is spare with a thin gray horizontal line crossing the white background with a very sharp double-edged knife pointing at us.
The title doesn’t really fit. At least not in the usual sense of Cut & Run referring to leaving quickly. If anything, it’s just the opposite with both men willing to see it out.
lmb50's review
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kerithesmutslut's review against another edition
2.0
Either I am even more stupid than I thought or about half of the dialogue made no fucking sense. Seriously these characters would be in the middle of a random ass conversation and all of a sudden one would get frustrated or pissed off about something and next thing I know the characters are in a fist fight and I’m left baffled at how we got there. It literally made no sense. It was boring and drawn out and all the random ass pov changes every other sentence…
I want to know if the authors read the dialogue out loud to see if it made any sense, because I’m still really confused as to what I just read. All of these 5 star reviews really has me questioning my intelligence because I truly didn’t get it.
I want to know if the authors read the dialogue out loud to see if it made any sense, because I’m still really confused as to what I just read. All of these 5 star reviews really has me questioning my intelligence because I truly didn’t get it.
tfpeel's review against another edition
4.0
Due testoni ma li amo troppo. Quattro stelle e mezzo. Sarà un viaggio indimenticabile
farah_sk's review
5.0
THE AUDACITY THIS BOOK HAS FOR BEING SO GOOD. I'm so glad this is a nine book series cuz I'd do anything for Ty and Zane
gillianw's review
2.0
This was a DNF for me. I actually couldn't bring myself to care enough about either of the main characters to continue reading. I have no idea why anyone thought this was worth finishing, never mind all the 4 star ratings it received. If you're looking for a hot M/M romance, this isn't it.
Aug 2017:
Welp, I finished it this time. And yeah, I pretty much despised it as much the second time around. However...I am committing to reading a few more books in this series because I've been told, ad nauseam, that it gets better. In fact, almost everyone tells me the series improves as it goes along so I'm hoping this is the case. Wish me luck.
Aug 2017:
Welp, I finished it this time. And yeah, I pretty much despised it as much the second time around. However...I am committing to reading a few more books in this series because I've been told, ad nauseam, that it gets better. In fact, almost everyone tells me the series improves as it goes along so I'm hoping this is the case. Wish me luck.
mazmum's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
notruse's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
thought_ballune's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0