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karsyn's review
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Dual timeline books are usually a hard sell for me, but this really worked! The narrative played out like a fun action movie, and even with a vague HFN ending, I’d read more.
hankerchiefghost's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
3.0
“Not until you apologise for punching me in the face.” Ethan winked.
On an explosive gasp of relief, Jack managed a half-hearted, “Fuck you, Blade.”
“Good enough, Jack.”
suze_1624's review
4.0
4.5*
Well this had a bit of everything!!
Plots, counter plots, assassins, spies, sub plots, fights, gunfights, secret codes, fudge!, love, hate, Sheila the camel (yes!) and superb planning - by Ethan and the author.
I enjoyed this a lot. Lots of plausible situations, a few implausible escapes, lots of gun fights and combat.
The story is told in the now and one year earlier, when all the now plot points are set in motion. The chapters alternate and are headed then or now so easy to keep track.
In this case the dual telling worked well, as a lot of the time the Then fed into the Now.
Who was who, who was good, bad or indifferent all went to the end - whilst there were a number of options for the mole, we were kept guessing.
Jack and Ethan got together but it is all a bit fragile - still lots of Ethan’s (or is he?) background to discover. There are 3 shorts out before book two later in year, so off to read them now!
Well this had a bit of everything!!
Plots, counter plots, assassins, spies, sub plots, fights, gunfights, secret codes, fudge!, love, hate, Sheila the camel (yes!) and superb planning - by Ethan and the author.
I enjoyed this a lot. Lots of plausible situations, a few implausible escapes, lots of gun fights and combat.
The story is told in the now and one year earlier, when all the now plot points are set in motion. The chapters alternate and are headed then or now so easy to keep track.
In this case the dual telling worked well, as a lot of the time the Then fed into the Now.
Who was who, who was good, bad or indifferent all went to the end - whilst there were a number of options for the mole, we were kept guessing.
Jack and Ethan got together but it is all a bit fragile - still lots of Ethan’s (or is he?) background to discover. There are 3 shorts out before book two later in year, so off to read them now!
shazov's review
5.0
I was worried when I started this book that it wouldn't live up to the hype, lol. Lucky for me, I didn't have to worry at all. It was all that is promised to be and more!
The writing style did take me a chapter or two to get used to, but as I don't mind books with flashbacks it didn't bother me too much. The story itself actually benefited from being told in this manner as far as I'm concerned as it never gave too much away at once and explained current actions or reasonings perfectly. It won't be an easy style for everyone, but trust me, the story itself is well worth it!
Jake and Ethan are fascinating men. Both flawed and damaged. And perhaps this story won't be seen as a "traditional" romance by a lot of people, but to me it still feels like a romance, just a slightly different kind *grin*
So if you like death defying action, super hot MCs, slow burn, and a story that grabs you and doesn't let go, don't miss out on this book!
The writing style did take me a chapter or two to get used to, but as I don't mind books with flashbacks it didn't bother me too much. The story itself actually benefited from being told in this manner as far as I'm concerned as it never gave too much away at once and explained current actions or reasonings perfectly. It won't be an easy style for everyone, but trust me, the story itself is well worth it!
Jake and Ethan are fascinating men. Both flawed and damaged. And perhaps this story won't be seen as a "traditional" romance by a lot of people,
Spoiler
in fact they never, ever utter any words of love at allSo if you like death defying action, super hot MCs, slow burn, and a story that grabs you and doesn't let go, don't miss out on this book!
book_4's review
mysterious
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
julesmcleish's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
div_hufflepuff's review
4.0
It's books like this that I tend to stay away from. I absolutely HATE the suspense, trying to put together the plot, trying to figure out who did it. Was it the butler or the host? It drives me up a wall and in the end I just end up skipping to the back of the book and reading the ending. Why didn't I do that with this one?
1. It was and Ebook
and
2. It caught my attention from page one.
I'm an impulsive reader, so if I see a genre, theme, or character that catches my fancy, I go all in. The Like Us Series by the Richie Twins is what made this book happen. It was my first MM romance of the year and I fell in love with the story, causing this book to pop up on my recommendation list. Impulsively I bought it.
Jack is Australia's version of the CIA/FBI/IA what have you. He was undercover infiltrating a major crime boss when his cover is blown by the infamous Ethan Blade. A world renown assassin who takes his job seriously. However it is also Ethan Blade who saves Jack's arse and sends his life spiraling out of control.
Be warned this book gives you major trust issues. The book is told in alternating chapters of Now and Then. Basically you will find yourself reading a chapter with a flashback, followed by the next chapter in the present, and vise versa. It actually works with the book which gave it major brownie points with me. Yet I still didn't know who to trust at the 80% point. There were twist and turns that just made you want to kill yourself sometimes.
Another point I would like to make is that I did not think of this book as a romance. I mean it is one of the reasons that I read it, a MAJOR reason I read it actually, but there really was no romance involved. More like lust turned into possible budding romance. To be honest if this had been a romance where Jack and Ethan fell madly in love with each other over the course of 10 days I would have lost interest. No this is Jack being attracted to Ethan, having lustful moments with him all the while trying to trust him. This Ethan, learning to trust another person and yet complete his mission.
I also loved how Hayward made Ethan's character a cold blooded killer yet vulnerable. In the end she kept him true to his nature, a cold blooded killer who was capable of feeling things if he wanted to. Especially with Jack. I also loved the way Jack accepted the fact that he couldn't FIX Ethan so he just let him do his own thing and rolled with the punches, no matter how frustrating it got.
I wanted to see more of Jack and Ethan's relationship without all the conspiracy. I wanted to see them 6 months from now learning each other's quirks and habits, turn-ons and turn offs, and pushing each other's limits. I really wanted to see a relationship blossom from these crazy, screwed up, nutcases. A cold blooded killer falling for a man with morals that clash with his own. That was the only downfall in this story for me. I wanted to see that love bloom!
Great book y'all.
1. It was and Ebook
and
2. It caught my attention from page one.
I'm an impulsive reader, so if I see a genre, theme, or character that catches my fancy, I go all in. The Like Us Series by the Richie Twins is what made this book happen. It was my first MM romance of the year and I fell in love with the story, causing this book to pop up on my recommendation list. Impulsively I bought it.
Jack is Australia's version of the CIA/FBI/IA what have you. He was undercover infiltrating a major crime boss when his cover is blown by the infamous Ethan Blade. A world renown assassin who takes his job seriously. However it is also Ethan Blade who saves Jack's arse and sends his life spiraling out of control.
Be warned this book gives you major trust issues. The book is told in alternating chapters of Now and Then. Basically you will find yourself reading a chapter with a flashback, followed by the next chapter in the present, and vise versa. It actually works with the book which gave it major brownie points with me. Yet I still didn't know who to trust at the 80% point. There were twist and turns that just made you want to kill yourself sometimes.
Another point I would like to make is that I did not think of this book as a romance. I mean it is one of the reasons that I read it, a MAJOR reason I read it actually, but there really was no romance involved. More like lust turned into possible budding romance. To be honest if this had been a romance where Jack and Ethan fell madly in love with each other over the course of 10 days I would have lost interest. No this is Jack being attracted to Ethan, having lustful moments with him all the while trying to trust him. This Ethan, learning to trust another person and yet complete his mission.
I also loved how Hayward made Ethan's character a cold blooded killer yet vulnerable. In the end she kept him true to his nature, a cold blooded killer who was capable of feeling things if he wanted to. Especially with Jack. I also loved the way Jack accepted the fact that he couldn't FIX Ethan so he just let him do his own thing and rolled with the punches, no matter how frustrating it got.
I wanted to see more of Jack and Ethan's relationship without all the conspiracy. I wanted to see them 6 months from now learning each other's quirks and habits, turn-ons and turn offs, and pushing each other's limits. I really wanted to see a relationship blossom from these crazy, screwed up, nutcases. A cold blooded killer falling for a man with morals that clash with his own. That was the only downfall in this story for me. I wanted to see that love bloom!
Great book y'all.
kr_gr's review against another edition
5.0
A DELIGHT!!!
This was a truly excellent read. For me, the back-and-forth between the present storyline and the past storyline worked incredibly well. It was a structure that really supported the narrative, the past and present kept me on the edge of my seat and informed each other and made the climax of the story abso-fucking-lutely climactic.
This was a truly excellent read. For me, the back-and-forth between the present storyline and the past storyline worked incredibly well. It was a structure that really supported the narrative, the past and present kept me on the edge of my seat and informed each other and made the climax of the story abso-fucking-lutely climactic.
on_my_bookshelf2's review
5.0
It is absolutely the best thriller I've ever read. It was mesmerizing and I savored every word. The beginning was confusing and it took me atleast 50 pages to get into the scene. Then I forgot everything happening around me. It pulled me inside and I loved it.
Ethan Freaking Blade is, hands down, the best character in this book. I know he was a cold-blooded killer but I loved him. My heart skipped a beat when he was attacked by Dingo and when Jack saw the whip marks. Whoever hurt my Ethan should rot in hell.
Jack talking to an assassin about food and car in the middle of nowhere is so far my favorite moment in the book. The way Ethan's face transformed while describing cars was awesome. That was the second I categorized Ethan as a human who kills for money and not a psychotic killer.
The fight scenes were absolutely mind blowing. In most of the books I can't connect with the fight scenes so I would mostly skip them but this one made me read everything and crave for more. I especially loved every scenes involving Ethan with Gun.
Another Remarkable moment is when Ethan introduces Jack to Sheila, his pet camel. The way he took care of Jack when he was sick and the secret code language he taught him made me overwhelmed with joy. I am heartsick for them.
When Valadian kissed Ethan in front of Jack, I wanted to kill valadian with my bare hands. I can't accept it, even imagining about it makes me want to vomit, probably on valadian. I seriously was on the verge of crying when Ethan kissed him back.
Ethan Freaking Blade is, hands down, the best character in this book. I know he was a cold-blooded killer but I loved him. My heart skipped a beat when he was attacked by Dingo and when Jack saw the whip marks. Whoever hurt my Ethan should rot in hell.
Jack talking to an assassin about food and car in the middle of nowhere is so far my favorite moment in the book. The way Ethan's face transformed while describing cars was awesome. That was the second I categorized Ethan as a human who kills for money and not a psychotic killer.
The fight scenes were absolutely mind blowing. In most of the books I can't connect with the fight scenes so I would mostly skip them but this one made me read everything and crave for more. I especially loved every scenes involving Ethan with Gun.
Another Remarkable moment is when Ethan introduces Jack to Sheila, his pet camel. The way he took care of Jack when he was sick and the secret code language he taught him made me overwhelmed with joy. I am heartsick for them.
When Valadian kissed Ethan in front of Jack, I wanted to kill valadian with my bare hands. I can't accept it, even imagining about it makes me want to vomit, probably on valadian. I seriously was on the verge of crying when Ethan kissed him back.