Published by Riptide
Released on October 27, 2013
Pages: 270
Format: eARC
So… the end of the last book left things hanging and it was one of the best books I’ve ever read in the m/m thriller/romantic suspense niche ergo sequel was a total must-buy. Lived up to my expectations and then some.
This book must be read in order for most of it to make sense and have significance.
This one opens up several months after the crushing ending of the last one. Tom is still with EE, training and running missions with his new partner Cope in Eritrea. He regrets letting Prophet push him into walking away and that he felt he had to because it sure hasn’t been working for him. He wants him back in so many ways, but Prophet no longer works for EE and he’s impossible to find unless he wants to be found.
Prophet’s running missions on his own now, keeping track of lots of things he’s got going on including Tom who walked away from him and he let him, and its all grinding him down until he finally acknowledges for the first time that he can’t let Tom go. The hurricane that threatens Tom’s aunt down in New Orleans has him on his way to help someone Tom cares about since Tom is away and can’t do it himself.
Only, Tom does show up and their together partnering against trouble as always only this time its Tom’s past that never stayed in the past. Their also partners in a true sense doing what they do best to each other physically, but also managing to clear the air on a few things. Murder charges for Tom, old voodoo magic surfaces with premonitions and a murderer stalks them in the bayous. Tom and Proph’s sort of romantic adventure.
The plot on this one had to take up their suspended love story where it left off and did an awesome job of blending the intensity of their situation and feelings with all the fun whimsicality blended with obnoxiousness that are these two opposites. I will never see the term ‘alligator death roll’ the same ever again. There is also the freshness of the suspense portion of the plot.
The pacing was bingo on the spot and I never once felt it was off or that the story bogged down. This one had various types of moments, but it kept up the pace.
The backdrop of Tom’s home turf of the bayous and New Orleans was painted so well and offered almost an atmospheric feeling for this story. I was spooked out walking through the graveyard and swamps with them. Not knowing when someone was watching or meaning harm. Thank goodness for Tom’s extra sense that warns him when something has a bad vibe. It was great delving into Tom’s back story and seeing a bit of what made him what he is. Proph’s anger, protectiveness and a wee hint of possessiveness were great to see as he sees where Tom came from.
As to the characters, Tom is revealed in this one, but parts of Prophet are too. When Tom opens up to him, Prophet knows that for their relationship to work that he has to open up too. From the hints I’m getting, Prophet is a secret, wrapped up in an enigma and hiding out as a mystery. The guy just as so many layers of past to him and stuff that he can’t even tell Tom about. I enjoyed how they both have this tug o’ war thing going on with their trust and affection. They both try to pull away for various reasons, but also are equally determined to not let each other run. Things were left with another to be continued ending still tentative and still fragile, but definitely in a better place than the last book ended with.
Just an observation in passing, I really like these covers. Each one has been a different tattoo on Tom’s body and each tattoo appeared in the story offering some significance to both men. Now I’ll be watching for it when the third book comes out.
Those who enjoy m/m romantic suspense involving hot, strong spec ops heroes who can’t seem to avoid danger and trouble long enough to finish an argument or make it to a bed need to give this one a try.
About S.E. Jakes
SE Jakes writes m/m romance. She believes in happy endings and fighting for what you want.
You can contact her the following ways:
You can email her at authorsejakes@gmail.com
You can post to her Facebook page: Facebook.com/SEJakes
You can Twitter her: Twitter.com/authorsejakes
You can post on her Goodreads Group: Ask SE Jakes
You can follow her on Tumblr: http://sejakes.tumblr.com
You can ask her a question as part of the Ask The Author program on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/4595…
Truth be told, the best way to contact her is by email or in blog comments. She spends most of her time writing but she loves to hear from readers.
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SE Jakes is the pen-name of New York Times Bestselling Author Stephanie Tyler (and half of Sydney Croft!)
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Excellent review Sophia. I still haven’t stepped into the m/m genre yet but some day soon I think I’m going to have to try them. I love that the covers fit the series and what’s happening in them. I’m huge on covers and them really meaning something.
Thanks, Anna! I know m/m isn’t for everyone. Romantic Suspense and Historicals were the route I took into this pairing and I loved the strong characters and the low angst, but since then I’ve sampled every romance subgenre there is for this type of couple. The covers are cool. It reminds me of when I read Abigail Roux’s Cut and Run series where those objects on the cover play a part in the story too. I have to admit that I’ve been known to be turned off by a book when the cover didn’t match the story- bad of me… Read more »
Excellent review Sophia. I still haven’t stepped into the m/m genre yet but some day soon I think I’m going to have to try them. I love that the covers fit the series and what’s happening in them. I’m huge on covers and them really meaning something.
Thanks, Anna! I know m/m isn’t for everyone. Romantic Suspense and Historicals were the route I took into this pairing and I loved the strong characters and the low angst, but since then I’ve sampled every romance subgenre there is for this type of couple. The covers are cool. It reminds me of when I read Abigail Roux’s Cut and Run series where those objects on the cover play a part in the story too. I have to admit that I’ve been known to be turned off by a book when the cover didn’t match the story- bad of me… Read more »
I really enjoy S. E. Jakes books, but haven’t dug into this book or the one prior to it yet. This review has me chomping at the bit. Thanks for giving me something else to add to my ever growing TBR pile!
You’re welcome, Kitt! Definitely go with Catch a Ghost first because this one totally feeds off that one. Truthfully, one of the main characters, Prophet, is a minor character in her other romantic suspense series and a few of the minor characters in these are crossovers too. Haven’t read that series yet.
I knew Prophet sounded familiar & was hoping it was the same Prophet I’d already been introduced to. 🙂
Yep! He’s been in a few of the Men of Honor books which I still need to read too b/c its not just him, but a few other characters that pop in and out crossover too.
I knew Prophet sounded familiar & was hoping it was the same Prophet I’d already been introduced to. 🙂
Yep! He’s been in a few of the Men of Honor books which I still need to read too b/c its not just him, but a few other characters that pop in and out crossover too.
You’re welcome, Kitt! Definitely go with Catch a Ghost first because this one totally feeds off that one. Truthfully, one of the main characters, Prophet, is a minor character in her other romantic suspense series and a few of the minor characters in these are crossovers too. Haven’t read that series yet.