It's strange.. as much as I didn't like the previous book I've read by SE Jakes (Dirty Deeds) I REALLY enjoyed this one. I felt I could really see Mick and Blue's relationship building even it wasn't in a very "orthodox" kinda way.. I loved getting to know both of them. I think about half of the book at least was building the relationship (and having A LOT of sex!) and them WHAM BAMM crazy action I couldn't put my kindle down and yet we ended in a peaceful and happy note. I also loved that we had the aggressive moments as well as the more tender ones. I did find myself almost with tears at one scene (then the action took me right out of the moment! wooooosh!)
This was a full story told in not that long book (~120 pages) which was great. Usually it's insta-love, mind blowing sex and not a lot of plot. Here we had it all!
We start of hearing about how Mick and Blue met for the first few times ending up not in the most happy note. They we fast forward a year in which Blue gets caught in the crossfire of a deal went wrong for Mick playing as a buyer interested in a new "rape drug". Trying to protect Blue, Mick convinces the seller that drugging Blue was too public and now they have to get rid of him - taking on himself the job so he can try and take Blue OUT of the crossfire. Then comes the sex portion of the novella though it still has a lot of feeling to it, and it's nice seeing how Blue is falling for Mick simply because he can't help himself, he ISN'T himself but also seeing how much Mick is trying to hold himself at an arm's length but can't succeed with someone like Blue around. They we return to the action as Mick has to return to "business" so he can take out the bad guys (which naturally doesn't really happens as Mick planned..)
I LOVED Blue's character. He is such a sweet heart on the one hand but he is also a real bad ass on the other! Not like the other guys - being a cold heart and well trained killer for being a professional thief and being good at it, having fun on the job and beyond it, climbing building for fun, timing himself on how fast he can do the staff he's good at. He kinda remind me of a Kender *.
[ * That's a fictional race in the "Dragon Lance" World which I've been reading again lately (Chronicles of Dragons Lance). Brought me back to my origins. To a bunch of friends having adventures together. I'm glad I can find the things I loved growing up, the things that made me laugh and forget myself in a world so different from my own (see, they have dragons and staff we don't :P) ]
Mick was a good character I just found Blue to be more interesting as a character. We also had a little glimpse of Prophet (one of the main characters in Hell or High Water).
The plot in this book takes place before the first book in Hell or High Water and it's a stand alone novel. So basically I'm saying you can read it if you want to have a feel to the world of EE (The company the guys at Hell or High Water work for and partially in Dirty Deeds, it's the same world and characters so..)
So, yeah - Recommended!
Hell or High Water is a 4 book MM Romance series by SE JAKES telling us the romance between Elijah "Prophet" Drews (a former navy SEAL) and Tom Boudreaux (former FBI). As a new member of "EE" (Extreme Escapes Ltd. - A private contracting firm), Tom is partnered with Prophet who isn't into having a partner. From there you can guess what happens :)
Each book has it's own story line / missions but there is a wider arc of story for all books. In the first book we learn more about Prophet (the case involve someone from his past) and the second gives us the background on Tom (taking place in where Tom grew up). The third build to the last novel and final confrontation of the wider story line. With the in-between novella mostly being about releasing sexual tension (which they do A LOT in this series which personally I'm less of a fan..). The fourth and last installment FINALLY deals with the big villain - Prophet's former best friend and SEAL team member John Morse ending this series with a bitter sweet note of everything that was lost, but enough that is still left to mend and heal. I can see Prophet and Tom living a long and happy life together.
I like the series but don't LOVE it. I have a few issues with it. Firstly, you better remember all the small details and who's who and what's their agenda when you go through the series because there is hardly any explanation to things that happened in the previous books or in the past and were re-visited. Second issue is I feel this series has too many similarities in MC to the Cut & Run series by Abigail Roux. Prophet is too much of a Ty and Tom is too much of a Zane. I do feel like these two series ARE independent and there is a "place" for both of them and yet I have my misgivings sometimes. My third issue I mentioned above - there is WAY too much sex. While there's a good reason - them using sex to communicate emotionally - it was TOO DAMN MUCH for me.
Free Falling (published 5 September 2012) ★★★★★
This is a standalone short novella telling us of Mitch and Blue, two EE
Ltd. operatives. Their story line takes place before Hell or High Water.
The
both of them have their appearances in some of the next books but they
bare no significant to the main story lines.
Dirty Deeds (published 13 January 2014) ★★★
This is an intended as a spinoff. Currently it's only a short novella of
Mal, former
teammate of Prophet in charge of shadowing Cillian - Prophet's neighbor
and a spook who Prophet suspects knows more than he's should about their
business. This one takes place in the same time
line as (and a bit after) the third book of "Hell of High Water".
Honestly, did really like this one so I don't think I'll continue with
this one whenever the next ones are published.
Books:
1. Catch a Ghost (published 13 September 2013) ★★★★
2. Long Time Gone (published 28 October 2013) ★★★★½
3. Daylight Again (published 5 May 2014) ★★★★
3.5. Not Fade Away (published 14 August 2014) ★★★
4. If I Ever (published 21 January 2019) ★★★★
 |  |  |  |  |
No comments:
Post a Comment