A review by kathydavie
Fish & Chips by Abigail Roux

5.0

Third in the Cut & Run erotic romantic suspense series revolving around Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett. The setting is a cruise ship at Christmas.

It's been a few weeks since Sticks & Stones, 2.

My Take
Huh. The first sixty pages is all about the thieves and fencing. Then, all of a sudden, it's smuggling. I gotta confess, I never considered them the same. Still it is too funny, and Roux/Urban have timed this perfectly, allowing us to get to know Grady and Garrett, which makes the effort these two have to go through on the cruise ship in their undercover roles so hilarious. As far as their fellow agents know, these two are the ultimate tough guys, and they're finally being allowed to be themselves in public.

Lord, this was intense! I couldn't read fast enough for all the action even as Roux/Urban address Zane's fears about heights, their fears about falling in love, and only one admitting it.

It's those T-shirts! I love Ty's T-shirts: out standing in his field, oh, yeah, LOL.

Hmm, Zane comes from money?

Ty ain't kidding. Love is like a free fall, with no nets.

With all the possibilities for ways for things to go wrong. It's worse. A twist I had not expected.

Oh, well, that's not fair! The Bianchis get their cabin and the boys get a cell, *grin*?

I do enjoy Roux/Urban's writing. Sure, it's mostly sex with the boys, but they also slip a story in and around it all that will catch you up and make you race.

The Story
Chance allows Grady and Garrett to impersonate two low-profile thieves the FBI has been wanting for some time. The catch? The thieves are not brothers. And the rough-and-tumble, he-man is gonna have to get waxed and bleached!

It's almost an illegal undercover assignment. The boys will have to steer clear of Interpol, Europol, Scotland Yard, and the Italian Guardia di Finanza. Among others.

The Characters
Special Agents Ty Grady, a former Marine who needs to be doing, and Zane Garrett, practically an idiot savant with numbers, a drug addict, and alcoholic, are partners beating the crap out of each other.

Special Agents Michelle Clancy, Fred Perrimore, Scott Alston, and Harry Lassiter are having too much fun with the thought of Ty and Zane's undercover assignment.

Special-Agent-in-Charge Dan McCoy is enjoying this too much. Stacy Knight handles briefing and debriefing of agents when new or unusual tech will be used. Assistant Director Richard Burns is McCoy's boss.

Corbin, the brains of the operation, and Del Porter, pretty arm candy, are known for their high-dollar thefts. Lorenzo Bianchi with his lovely wife, Norina, and Vartan Armen are their partners.

The Cover
The cover, oh, yeah, definitely "Welcome on Board" for this cruise with the boys. Thank god Urban/Roux are including that lifesaver in the spare white background. We could easily find ourselves overboard from laughing.

The title is too funny, a case set at sea on a cruise ship. Well, what else can you call it but Fish & Chips.