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A review by kp_hobbitreads
Hijacked by May Archer, Lucy Lennox
3.5
#1 Hijacked: ★★★✮☆ | 3.5 stars
Okay, to first things first. Regardless of its setting or plot, this is still a Licking Thicket novel. So should you go into it expecting to see a truly harrowing escape after being kidnapped? Absolutely not. What about a realistic portrayal of a drug cartel? Big ole nope. What you can expect is an abundance of puns, ridiculous hijinks, and a satisfying HEA.
Carter Rogers has decided that he needs to get out of Tennessee for a bit so he signs up to do another trip with Doctors Across Continents. His grandfather basically guilts him into taking along a bodyguard who, as it turns out, doesn't want to be there any more than Carter wants him to. Riggs, a former soldier turned personal protection specialist, is sent with Carter to Venezuela as punishment for massively bungling his previous assignment. What is supposed to be a easy, but boring month long trip ends up being anything but when the pair are kidnapped by the cartel to treat their leader. When his current assignment collides with the one he messed up, Riggs sees his shot at redemption. But, he has to decide if it's worth the cost of sacrificing his growing bond with Carter and the future he sees with him.
I love Carter's relationship with his grandfather and especially his cousin Kevin. He comes across as this aloof person, but he really does care deeply about the people in his life. And his worry about his "fear-lust stress response" was hilarious. He and Riggs are great together. I love a good forced proximity romance, so I liked seeing these two having to work together to escape after being kidnapped. And, Riggs genuinely wanting to do a good job to make things up to his boss Champ while also developing real feelings for Carter added some great tension to the story. However, I could have done without the miscommunication at the end - or at least I wish it had been done a different way. But, the intervention, groveling, HEA made up for it.
My only other "issue" is that I don't think some of the humor works quite as well in an action adventure type story that requires them to leave the Thicket. I get why they had to leave, and it makes sense for the story the authors are telling, but what makes these books so special is all the small town shenanigans and the people they encounter. So I'm glad to see the next book seems to be taking place back in the Thicket and will center around the Horn of Glory game because I loved that part of this story.
Three Thoughts:
1. I adored every single Tucker and Dunn mention/cameo in this book. It wasn't so much that it it overwhelmed the story or kept it from standing on its own, but Tucker and Carter's friendship was an important part of Fools so I'm glad it wasn't ignored or forgotten in this book.
2. I love the found family vibes Riggs has with Champ, Hux and the rest of their coworkers.
3. The banter and tension between Kevin and Hux is already amazing. I absolutely cannot wait for their book.
So this wasn't my favorite book by this duo, but I do think it sets this series up to be a lot of fun. And, I'm excited to see what happens next.
content warnings: sex (on page), kidnapping, threats of violence, loss of a loved one (in the past)
Okay, to first things first. Regardless of its setting or plot, this is still a Licking Thicket novel. So should you go into it expecting to see a truly harrowing escape after being kidnapped? Absolutely not. What about a realistic portrayal of a drug cartel? Big ole nope. What you can expect is an abundance of puns, ridiculous hijinks, and a satisfying HEA.
Carter Rogers has decided that he needs to get out of Tennessee for a bit so he signs up to do another trip with Doctors Across Continents. His grandfather basically guilts him into taking along a bodyguard who, as it turns out, doesn't want to be there any more than Carter wants him to. Riggs, a former soldier turned personal protection specialist, is sent with Carter to Venezuela as punishment for massively bungling his previous assignment. What is supposed to be a easy, but boring month long trip ends up being anything but when the pair are kidnapped by the cartel to treat their leader. When his current assignment collides with the one he messed up, Riggs sees his shot at redemption. But, he has to decide if it's worth the cost of sacrificing his growing bond with Carter and the future he sees with him.
I love Carter's relationship with his grandfather and especially his cousin Kevin. He comes across as this aloof person, but he really does care deeply about the people in his life. And his worry about his "fear-lust stress response" was hilarious. He and Riggs are great together. I love a good forced proximity romance, so I liked seeing these two having to work together to escape after being kidnapped. And, Riggs genuinely wanting to do a good job to make things up to his boss Champ while also developing real feelings for Carter added some great tension to the story. However, I could have done without the miscommunication at the end - or at least I wish it had been done a different way. But, the intervention, groveling, HEA made up for it.
My only other "issue" is that I don't think some of the humor works quite as well in an action adventure type story that requires them to leave the Thicket. I get why they had to leave, and it makes sense for the story the authors are telling, but what makes these books so special is all the small town shenanigans and the people they encounter. So I'm glad to see the next book seems to be taking place back in the Thicket and will center around the Horn of Glory game because I loved that part of this story.
Three Thoughts:
1. I adored every single Tucker and Dunn mention/cameo in this book. It wasn't so much that it it overwhelmed the story or kept it from standing on its own, but Tucker and Carter's friendship was an important part of Fools so I'm glad it wasn't ignored or forgotten in this book.
2. I love the found family vibes Riggs has with Champ, Hux and the rest of their coworkers.
3. The banter and tension between Kevin and Hux is already amazing. I absolutely cannot wait for their book.
So this wasn't my favorite book by this duo, but I do think it sets this series up to be a lot of fun. And, I'm excited to see what happens next.
content warnings: sex (on page), kidnapping, threats of violence, loss of a loved one (in the past)