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virgo_reader's review
4.0
This cover does not do JUSTICE to Dr. Eastman. He reminds me of Tyler Oakley. ACK.
Anyway, I am shedding a tiny tear because this is my last Onley James book (besides 1 standalone that’s not available on KU). And it totally holds up!
We met Dr. Tobias Eastman in book 2 of this series - he’s the psychologist to psychopaths, but we learn there’s more than meets the eye to his bland, doctor persona. Something Soren, an assassin, picks up on immediately.
Again, this book felt very different from Onley’s usual books because there wasn’t insta-love or “you’re mine”. They were unwillingly attracted to one another.
And you know I love when there’s a pet side character. MANTIS!!
Anyway, I am shedding a tiny tear because this is my last Onley James book (besides 1 standalone that’s not available on KU). And it totally holds up!
We met Dr. Tobias Eastman in book 2 of this series - he’s the psychologist to psychopaths, but we learn there’s more than meets the eye to his bland, doctor persona. Something Soren, an assassin, picks up on immediately.
Again, this book felt very different from Onley’s usual books because there wasn’t insta-love or “you’re mine”. They were unwillingly attracted to one another.
And you know I love when there’s a pet side character. MANTIS!!
manda24176's review
5.0
Head Games
Toby and Soren
These two were something. Totally wasn't expecting the doctors history and his personality to be the way it was. It was super intriguing. I loved Sorens confidence and the way he knew he wanted Toby. Loved having all the guys and Sadie together helping each other and just being "family". Wish there was more books to come. Sadie needs her story told!!
Toby and Soren
These two were something. Totally wasn't expecting the doctors history and his personality to be the way it was. It was super intriguing. I loved Sorens confidence and the way he knew he wanted Toby. Loved having all the guys and Sadie together helping each other and just being "family". Wish there was more books to come. Sadie needs her story told!!
chaoskay's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
We met Tobias in Madigans book and I was excited to find this was his book. When he first meets Soren he tries to hide what he’s feeling but Soren sees right through him and warns him off going after his target .Tobias isn’t easily put off so brings the event forward and when things go awry Soren is there to save him .
tatabontz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
haletostilinski1's review against another edition
4.0
I think...that this was my least favorite installment of the series so far.
That's not to say I didn't like it. I actually quite enjoyed it most of the time. I thought Tobias and Soren's chemistry was pretty good and I liked their connection, for the most part.
But I just didn't quite feel it as much as I felt it between the first two couples. Maybe it was because of Tobias was written - he was interesting, but I don't think the "psychopath or sociopath" angle quite worked in this one, or just wasn't written quite write. It's interesting because with Onley James in another of her books, there was a sociopath character and the romance, the character, it worked really well in that installment.
In this one...not quite as much. It was hard for me to connect with Tobias for awhile because of how unfeeling he was. He just didn't quite...feel human, I think? And if I'm reading romance, there had to be some human connection, ya know?
Eventually we get that, we get Tobias feelings all the feelings for Soren and not knowing what to do with it, but still, at first, before he start to feel those things, it was hard to connect with him as a character.
I also wish we had gotten more on Soren. He still felt like a little bit of a mystery, even by the end of this. I really liked and enjoyed his character, but still, I wanted to know more about him. Was Soren his real name? How old was he? How long had he been an assassin, how long had be been retired? What was his childhood like that made him become a killer?
I just wish we had gotten to know him more, so I left feeling like I didn't quite 100% know his character, when I wanted to.
I felt like this story was very Tobias oriented. Which is fine, because I actually really grew to like Tobias as a character, and to see him fall in love with someone for the first time in his life, to let his walls down. But I wish it had been more even, that we could have gotten more of a balance between the focus between the two.
It felt like, at first, that Soren was there for Tobias more than he was there with Tobias, if that makes any sense?
That changed as these two become more of a unit, but that doesn't change how at first it felt like Tobias was the MC and Soren was almost secondary. I wanted him, for a good portion of this, to feel like an equal player. He did, eventually, but not at first.
Also I dunno what it is, but for some reason I'm cool reading with assassin characters most of the time, but characters who actually want to kill, desire to do it, is harder for me to deal with. Don't get me wrong, Tobias was certainly Dexter-esque, and only ever killed or wanted to kill very bad people. But he still had a certain bloodlust that made me uncomfy sometimes. Assassins are usually just assassins for money, it's very quick, impersonal, 'doing what I have to' type feel, that I guess in fiction I can disassociate that. But when someone *wants* to kill badly, it's just...yeah, uncomfortable.
But, Tobias being Dexter-esque really saved his character for me. He was capable of love. He was capable of lust, attraction, fear. He could feel things, even if it's just for one person, and he never wanted to kill innocent people. He wasn't a psychopath. Maybbeee a sociopath, idk. Either way, once we got more into his character and he become more than just an unfeeling guy who thought he himself was a psychopath, he became a more interesting character, and one I liked.
The plot didn't feel like a whole lot other than Soren teaching Tobias to kill properly, but these two, once they came into their own as characters and got together, really sold this book for me.
So overall, not my favorite of the series, but still pretty solid overall with a fun main couple who had great chemistry.
Still good enough that I recommend it, but for sure a weaker installment in this series, in my opinion.
Still give it two thumbs up, though!
That's not to say I didn't like it. I actually quite enjoyed it most of the time. I thought Tobias and Soren's chemistry was pretty good and I liked their connection, for the most part.
But I just didn't quite feel it as much as I felt it between the first two couples. Maybe it was because of Tobias was written - he was interesting, but I don't think the "psychopath or sociopath" angle quite worked in this one, or just wasn't written quite write. It's interesting because with Onley James in another of her books, there was a sociopath character and the romance, the character, it worked really well in that installment.
In this one...not quite as much. It was hard for me to connect with Tobias for awhile because of how unfeeling he was. He just didn't quite...feel human, I think? And if I'm reading romance, there had to be some human connection, ya know?
Eventually we get that, we get Tobias feelings all the feelings for Soren and not knowing what to do with it, but still, at first, before he start to feel those things, it was hard to connect with him as a character.
I also wish we had gotten more on Soren. He still felt like a little bit of a mystery, even by the end of this. I really liked and enjoyed his character, but still, I wanted to know more about him. Was Soren his real name? How old was he? How long had he been an assassin, how long had be been retired? What was his childhood like that made him become a killer?
I just wish we had gotten to know him more, so I left feeling like I didn't quite 100% know his character, when I wanted to.
I felt like this story was very Tobias oriented. Which is fine, because I actually really grew to like Tobias as a character, and to see him fall in love with someone for the first time in his life, to let his walls down. But I wish it had been more even, that we could have gotten more of a balance between the focus between the two.
It felt like, at first, that Soren was there for Tobias more than he was there with Tobias, if that makes any sense?
That changed as these two become more of a unit, but that doesn't change how at first it felt like Tobias was the MC and Soren was almost secondary. I wanted him, for a good portion of this, to feel like an equal player. He did, eventually, but not at first.
Also I dunno what it is, but for some reason I'm cool reading with assassin characters most of the time, but characters who actually want to kill, desire to do it, is harder for me to deal with. Don't get me wrong, Tobias was certainly Dexter-esque, and only ever killed or wanted to kill very bad people. But he still had a certain bloodlust that made me uncomfy sometimes. Assassins are usually just assassins for money, it's very quick, impersonal, 'doing what I have to' type feel, that I guess in fiction I can disassociate that. But when someone *wants* to kill badly, it's just...yeah, uncomfortable.
But, Tobias being Dexter-esque really saved his character for me. He was capable of love. He was capable of lust, attraction, fear. He could feel things, even if it's just for one person, and he never wanted to kill innocent people. He wasn't a psychopath. Maybbeee a sociopath, idk. Either way, once we got more into his character and he become more than just an unfeeling guy who thought he himself was a psychopath, he became a more interesting character, and one I liked.
The plot didn't feel like a whole lot other than Soren teaching Tobias to kill properly, but these two, once they came into their own as characters and got together, really sold this book for me.
So overall, not my favorite of the series, but still pretty solid overall with a fun main couple who had great chemistry.
Still good enough that I recommend it, but for sure a weaker installment in this series, in my opinion.
Still give it two thumbs up, though!
fae_princess_in_space's review
5.0
Read this in a day; absolutely loved the chemistry between Tobias and Soren! I think theirs was my favourite book - mostly because of Mantis the evil miniature Yorkshire Terrier, but also because this one, out of all three books, felt most believable. Criminal psychiatrist decides to take matters into his own hands, helped by smitten demo expert? Yep, love that.
vipersephone's review
adventurous
dark
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bergha1998's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
Tobias is a psychologist to the psychopaths, but he has decided to start killing his clients. Soren gets in his way during one of the hits, but decides to teach Tobias how to really kill and fuck.
jessie_h's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
This was nothing like what I was expecting but I was hooked immediately! I loved Tobias and Soren together! Soren teaching Tobias how to get away with murder was not what I was expecting! I hope we get more books in this series so we can see these two again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood