Ben

Assassins to Order #2

by J.P. Sayle, Lisa Oliver

Has Fate taken science and shown it who’s boss, when everything about Nico and Teilo is not what it seems?

Ben was happy looking out for the wider shifter population in his role as acting council lead. Then one particularly complex case involving the assassin program unfolds, making him question what he’s doing. When Ben comes across a photo, it sends him on a race home to Paraguay to fight for the shifter’s ultimate gift—his mates.

When the scientists leave Teilo and the others to rot in their cages—disappearing without a word—Teilo is ready to give up. Every waking minute of his life he dreams of freedom, a life he wants to share with Nico. Teilo doesn’t understand their connection, he just knows he can trust it soul deep.

Nico knows nothing else but life in a cage and his skills to bestow death on those the Devil wants dead. The only person who keeps him from going feral is his cage brother, Teilo. The man scientists use to get Nico to comply with their demands. Kept in their animal forms, with no food or water, they both know the end is coming for them.

That is, until a strange cat visits their basement…

Finding each other is just the beginning. Teilo and Nico have to heal, and Ben has a responsibility to the council. Can the three men untangle the binds that hold them and find the answers before someone else has to suffer the same fate?

Ben is a gritty MMM Paranormal Romance story. The book includes scenes of graphic violence and intimacies between three men (none of which are blood related). We intend it for adults only—please store your e-content responsibly and enjoy.

Genres: Paranormal, M M Romance, Romance, Shapeshifters, M M M, Contemporary, LGBT

265 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 22, 2023

About the author

Where does one start with about what I do?
I’m a writer, but I’m sure you guessed that by now if you’re reading this, hey? What you might not know is I’m a little quirky, live in my pj’s most of the time and have cake Saturdays with my sisters every week. I dedicate a little of my time to taking care of my grandbabies and on the dedicated writing days I like to write an eclectic mix of romance, suspense and paranormal fantasy. In the main I’ve written gay romance but I’m branching out under another the pen name in the future, so watch this space.
I’ve a passion for books like you would not believe and it led me down this path and now I’ve over 29 books released and heading towards releasing a whole lot more. The way my head is I never know where I’ll be headed next. I hope you’ll find a little joy in my words and follow me to see where the journey takes me and you.
If you’re interested at some point in 2021 I’ll be writing under the name JP Paton which will be F/M crime and Fantasy two of my favourite things. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled 


French
Par où commencer par ce que je fais?
Je suis écrivain, mais je suis sûr que vous l’avez deviné maintenant si vous lisez ceci, hein? Ce que vous ne savez peut-être pas, c'est que je suis un peu excentrique, que je vis dans mon pyjama la plupart du temps et que je prends un gâteau le samedi avec mes sœurs chaque semaine. Je consacre un peu de mon temps à m'occuper de mes petits-enfants et lors des journées consacrées à l'écriture, j'aime écrire un mélange éclectique de romance, de suspense et de fantaisie paranormale. Dans l’ensemble, j’ai écrit une romance gay, mais je vais dans le futur sous un autre nom de plume, alors surveillez cet espace.
J'ai une passion pour les livres comme vous ne le croiriez pas et cela m'a conduit dans cette voie et maintenant j'ai plus de 29 livres publiés et je me dirige vers la sortie de beaucoup plus. La façon dont ma tête est, je ne sais jamais où je vais me diriger ensuite. J'espère que vous trouverez un peu de joie dans mes paroles et que vous me suivrez pour voir où le voyage vous mène, moi et vous.
Si vous êtes intéressé à un moment donné en 2021, je vais écrire sous le nom de JP Paton qui sera le crime F / M et Fantasy deux de mes choses préférées. Assurez-vous de garder les yeux ouverts 


Spanish
¿Por dónde empezar con lo que hago?
Soy escritor, pero estoy seguro de que ya lo habrá adivinado si está leyendo esto, ¿eh? Lo que quizás no sepas es que soy un poco estrafalario, vivo en mi pijama la mayor parte del tiempo y tengo pastel los sábados con mis hermanas todas las semanas. Dedico un poco de mi tiempo a cuidar de mis nietos y en los días dedicados a la escritura, me gusta escribir una mezcla ecléctica de romance, suspenso y fantasía paranormal. En general, escribí romance gay, pero en el futuro me voy a diversificar con otro seudónimo, así que mira este espacio.
Tengo una pasión por los libros que no creerías y eso me llevó por este camino y ahora tengo más de 29 libros publicados y me dirijo a lanzar muchos más. Por la forma en que está mi cabeza, nunca sé a dónde me dirigiré a continuación. Espero que encuentres un poco de alegría en mis palabras y me sigas para ver adónde nos lleva el viaje a ti y a mí.
Si está interesado en algún momento en 2021, escribiré bajo el nombre de JP Paton, que será F / M Crime y Fantasy, dos de mis cosas favoritas. Asegúrate de mantener los ojos bien abiertos 

Reviews

[Audi♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart hurt for Nico and Telico. Ben saved them just in time. Ugh.
I'm ready for this Devil mfer to die. 😡

DID YOU CATCH THE END ABOUT MARVIN AND HIS BELLY?! HEHE!!!!

“Look Nico, this is what freedom looks like,” he said, and his mouth did that funny thing where it curled up at the edges."

[Emmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

Nobody does trashy goodness as well as Lisa Oliver and I'm having such a blast reading this OTT universe they made with J.P. Sayle.

The Tangle Tentacles series it's always a comfort/no brain needed reread for me, and I always have fun with it, so I'm happy to give this spin-off series a try again now that all the audiobooks are out 😄

Narrator: Kevin Earlywine

[Taylin Clavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Love Bytes – 4.75 Hearts
While examining paperwork acquired from the shifter council archives, Ben sees a picture that has him hastily returning to his home country of Paraguay. His mates, Nico, and Teilo are being held in cages – part of an assassin’s program, and Ben’s senses tell him they are close to death.
Ben is the second novel in the Assassin’s To Order series, and I am so glad the authors decided to do this spin-off. I love the stories. Knowing what came before gives a more in-depth reading experience because there are some updates and interactions with the Thalassa family - but at a stretch, one can do without. In this installment, I was given a brutal yet heartwarming treat. Also, Ben’s family are introduced, whose diverse personalities could feature in future stories as another powerful family alongside the Thalassa boys.
The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Ben, Nico, and Teilo. I can’t honestly say much about the technicalities as I was too engrossed in the story. Worldbuilding centers around the conditions, people, and upbringing of the assassins within the program, which was bloody and cruel - kudos to the author for how these areas were written.
Ben, Nico, and Teilo form a triad relationship. Nico, and Teilo don’t know how to live in the world; all they’ve had are cages and a leash, surviving from minute to minute with no hope of planning for the future outside of the next kill. Yet, despite their background, Nico is the protector, and every time Teilo kills, his soul has an emotional backlash. Both have intimate feelings for the other, but they can’t act on them through bars. Their only education was how to scope a mark and kill – reading, writing, sex-ed, personal interaction, and development are deemed unnecessary. So, when they gain freedom, cuddling, and ice cream are big things. Ben is their teacher, guide, and whatever they need him to be.
The story is a brutal, no-holds-barred account of the horrific life that the shifters, specifically Nico, and Teilo, have endured. Ben helps bring them into the light, and this is a beautiful journey. However, as is the nature of these stories, the oppressed have talents, and retribution is on the cards alongside some lovin’. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story - and judging by the epilogue, there’s another in the series to look forward to - wuhoooo.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Marvin with Ben not being my favorite guy. Yes, as a member of the council he seemed to be working towards making changes, but he also tried to get Marvin to go through tests knowing what that lovely shifter had been through. It didn't exactly endear me to him and I was dubious about his true intentions. Thankfully Ben having his own book cleared that right up. He's firmly on the side of good and despite wanting to make things better for the shifter world, he rightfully places his mates above everything else. As it should be.

My heart absolutely broke for Nico and Tielo. The horror they'd endured was even worse than the Lost Boys. Ben almost didn't make it in time to save them they were so bad off. They were also completely cut off from the real world. These panther shifters had no concept of money, mates, common decency, or even sexuality. No information was shared with them except for the barest amount needed for them to kill their target. It was abuse of the highest order. It was sickening. Nothing made me happier than when their revenge was decided to be carried out.

This book isn't as steamy as the previous one or the Tangled Tentacles series. Ben's mates were not in a good way when they are first rescued and they also had significant trauma to heal from as well. I didn't mind this. I too was more focused on making sure the men who did this to them could never hurt another soul again. I loved how Ben worked hard to make sure his mates had everything they could want in the end. He was determined to make their dreams come true and he never once complained about any sacrifices it would take on his part.

As is usual the epilogue gave us the next man to find his mate. I'm happy it's Duran because that man was vocal about how much he wished for his. There are still some loose ends to tie up connected to the plotline of Ben which gives us reason for Duran and Wyatt to team up to help. Of course Duran didn't expect this would lead him to his mate, and wait until you figure out who it is. *wink wink*. Wyatt is still a favorite of mine so I hope this trip leads him to his fated as well!

[Katriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, I have read every single book in this series, as well as the Thalassa brother's series. Let me just say, In order to get maximum enjoyment from all of the books, along with the characters, I highly recommend reading them all. Every single one, cause if you don't you're missing out on wonderful characters, and the added details you get from each book.

This addition featured Ben, and his two mates Teilo and Nico, who were captives of the scientist's. They weren't born, they were created in test tubes, and treated like experiments. Both of the men thought they were going to die in those cages, until this man, along with his brothers, comes and rescued them both. And from that moment on, Ben teaches them about things that no one has ever thought them before.

It is so sweet to see, the almost childlike features of both Teilo and Nico. They both remind me of Marvin, just not as sunshiney. They both have a lot to learn, and sometimes they have trouble understanding what's going on around them. But on thing is for sure, they are going to do whatever they can to protect each other, now that they are free.

The writing across all of these books have been truly incredible! How both of these authors manage to not only keep all the details straight, but to also come up with more details and scenes astound me! All of that to say that this was really well written. Terrific background, excellent plot lines, great side characters, and I love the action scenes. They are so good! A bit descriptive at times, but in a good way!

In this book we as readers got introduced to soo many new characters. Primarily all of Ben's family. I enjoyed that they all had their own individual personalities, that set all of them apart from one another.

I'm really looking forward to Duron's story, I'm eager to know who his mate is, along with what we're going to learn in the next book! Will we find out who the 'Devil' is? Will we uncover more of the horrific actions that occured at the hands of these despicable men? We have to wait to find out.


I highly recommend not only this book, but this series to anyone who loves a good mystery, along with terrific characters.

*I received an early copy of this book and this is my honest review.*

[Yuki · Rating 1 out of 5]

J’ai la sensation d’avoir lu le tiers de l’histoire, j’ai l’impression que l’auteure a survolé l’histoire de Ben. Nous a donné quelques bribes de leurs histoires vite fait ( parties de jambes en l’air, rencontre familiale… etc on même eu dois au couché du soleil sur la plage pour la fin lol)
Tant de possibilités à developper, approfondir et ça méritait pour une fois qu’on voit la réalité d’une vie à trois d’un ménage. C’est une facilité et fainéantise narrative que de sortir à tout bout de champ c’est histoire d’âme sœur. Comme ça pas grand chose à faire juste nous décrire leurs relations sexuelles et les éléments perturbateurs hors couples, un minimum d’intrigue, un peu de mal être u côté romance, ils vécurent heureux et c’est ça.

Même si tu es compagnons de vie ça ne veut pas dire que tout roule et que ça fonctionne à tous les niveaux. Les auteures oublient de rendre leurs romances crédibles. Les relations Walt Disney j’en ai marre.
Surtout lorsque qu’on fait un MMM et MMM assez sombre avec des éléments traumatisants pour les personnages principaux.
J’ai lu mais sans plus, j’étais pas dedans. Même si j’ai apprécié Ben, Nico et Teilo. J’attendais plus de leurs relations en vraie. Parce qu’en vraie Ni et Teilo n’avaient besoin que de leurs libertés. Ben n’était là pour le côté sexy porn et la logistique. À bien y regarder tu enlèves Ben de l’équation et c’est juste une histoire d’amour simpliste entre Nico et Teilo. D’où le besoin d’aller au fond des choses et arrêter avec les facilités scénaristiques. Je renie pas le truc d’âme sœur, je veux juste que cela soit travaillé.

Ce que j’ai lu concernant ce livre c’était comme ci j’étais arrivée presqu’a la fin du film. Film étant la relation entre les 3. Et non une histoire et relation dans son entièreté.
Juste dommage.

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

There is an on-going plot line to these books, so they are best read in order. We met Ben in book one of this series, and I didn't much like him in that book.

Here though, we get all of Ben, Nico and Teilo and I really enjoyed it.

Nico and Teilo are left for dead when things go down in book 1. They are cage brothers, identical but not related. They were made and trained as assassins, much like the lost boys in book one. And the feelings they have for each other, they cannot define but those feelings were used against them by those training them.

Ben rescues them and gets them back to full health. They are confused by Ben and their feelings for him but once Ben explains about mates, and what Nico and Telio feel for each other is not wrong, they are ALL in.

I loved how innocent Nico and Teilo are, given what they have been doing and what happened to them. It's difficult reading, when they are telling Ben what happened to them.

It's quite a bit darker than book 1, Marvin, I thought, but also a bit steamier. Given there are three of them, hardly surprising but I loved how the physical relationship moved quickly, once Nico and Teilo understood their feelings. I wanted to wrap those cats up and snuggle on the sofa, I really did!

Again, I'm left with questions, but mostly these revolve around the plot and where it's going and what's gonna happen next!

I know WHO is next, cos this leads wonderfully into Duran's book,he's one of Marvin's lost boys.

I enjoyed this a bit more than Marvin, but I can't do 4.5 stars on some sites, so I'll leave it at 4, and hope that the next book pulls that extra bit out of me.

4.5 very good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere

[Emilye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Header, It Is

Assassin2

Nothing like dropping head first into an expanding series, to set one’s head spinning.

Ben Putney left all of his family behind to join the Shifter Council. Now, he has found out that the council is responsible for abusing shifters, genetically engineering shifters, and experimenting with making them, Whitman for hire.

And worst of all, one of the secret labs has his fated mates, in cages, with obvious signs of mistreatment. His panther wants to go… now. He and his brothers arrive at the hidden lab just in time. Only two shifters have survived, and they need immediate medical attention. They are his mates.

As details emerge, the truth of an elaborate scheme is revealed; and cleaning up the Council will be a mammoth task. But, his mates are not helpless - they have skills and intelligence; they just lack life experience.

Ben’s priorities shift from council concerns to mated issues, and protecting his mates is number one. Passing the baton is a real part of this continuing world.

On to the next book.

[Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Marvin and looked forward to Ben, and it was a good story. Not a 5/5 but maybe a 4.5? It was a satisfying meal of a book. What to say and how to say it without spoiling it for others. "Ben" has all the elements needed in a story and they are woven together with skill, to create an engaging story threaded into the ongoing main plot for the series. Yet, as happens often with any good story within a series, the reader is left wanting more. More character development - I feel like I almost know who Teilo and Nico are - but not quite. The in-book story was threaded with darkness and all sorts of possibilities but they were not explored deeply. It is a strange feeling when you end a story in a series that has all the elements. Satisfaction - yet wanting more. Happy with the ending - yet needing to move on with the story. Pleasure and sadness.

[Sue Milkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

THREE IS THE PERFECT NUMBER

Another MAGNIFICENT Book for this ASSASSIN'S TO ORDER Series. Ben the temporary head of the shifter council has a surprise waiting for him in Paraguay. His fated mates Nico and Teilo are desperate for for rescue. Can you imagine never tasting ice cream... Nico and Teilo are cage brothers. This is a Book that will touch your heart. LISA OLIVER and JP SAYLE have done it again with heart and wonder. I loved this Book. I love this new spin off series. These shifters mean business. It's go time. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND THIS ASSASSIN'S TO ORDER SERIES!!!!!!!!!!

[Becky A · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ben" received FOUR stars.

I miss hanging out with the Thalassas, but I like this series.

The novel gained *stars* for these items:

* gained for: "The book caught my interest in the first five pages."

* gained for: "I thought about the book when I was forced to set it down and re-enter society."

* gained for: "There were no info dumps, poor writing, or copy edit mistakes that jerked me out of the story."

* gained for: "I was sad when the book ended. I wanted more!"

The novel failed to gain stars for this item:

NO STAR gained for: "That's it. I'm hooked on this author. I will automatically try anything she/he/they writes."

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Marvin, Ben wasn't my favorite character, so I was surprised he was getting his mate. He wasn't a bad person as such, just naive in a lot of ways.
Telio and Nico went through so much before Ben could get to them, and he really earned his redemption in my eyes by the way he treated them and helped them learn about the world. These two know very little about life outside of a cage.
Low angst in the relationship. Some violence as the mates take out the trash scientists and some sweet, sexy times.

[Kamia Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great addition to the series

I am enjoying the continuation of this series very much. I pre-ordered Ben and was not disappointed. I love how we get a HEA in every book while still heading towards an ongoing story arc. Although these stories have just a tiny bit of darkness in them, it pairs well with the romantic side of the story. It's just enough without being sticky sweet. I love the lack of a lot of angst in a story. So, all in all this was a great read. I can't wait for the next book in the series and am definitely hoping they will all be on audio soon.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben

A great addition to the series, it was good to see Ben find his mates, although so sad for all the pain they had experienced. I feel like we learnt more about Telio than Nico. Glad to see Duron is up next.

[Margaret Gallacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

I’ve been following Tangled Tentacles and was hoping for more stories like that, thanks because your books, fantastic stories, brilliant characters and more important romance

[Earlene Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay Read🤔

I can't put my finger on why I rated it low but something was missing in this storyline that had me rating it a 3😭. Too many characters and confusing actions😓!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent story. I love this series and these authors.

[Neats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a new twist on shift romance I loved this series. It was a great spin off to the tentacles series. I loved the colab between these authors great series

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEN is the second in the Assassin's To Order series and focuses on Ben and his mates, Teilo and Nico.

Ben made some questionable decisions in Marvin's story but redeemed himself completely in this one! When he arrives in Paraguay and finds the scientist's facility, he also finds his mates who are dying. This was a horrific scene to read, being so well-written I felt as though I was there. Teilo and Nico are test-tube babies, trained with pain, and assassins without remorse... that they're allowed to show, anyway.

The story moves along in leaps and bounds as more things become clear but Ben always puts his mates first. Their needs and considerations shape the choices he makes, along with the lessons he has to learn as they figure out what being mates actually involves. Another scene that got me was when Teilo and Nico first met Ben's mom. Oh, boy, did that make my eyes leak?!

The last chapter leads us to the next lot of mates, which I really can't wait for. I don't know who it is yet, but I'm really hoping for either the grumpy 'gator OR Ben's brothers. I know have two groups I want stories for and if they intermingle, well, so much the better!

A brilliant addition to this series and HIGHLY recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 17, 2023

[Anne]

* MMM
* feaed mates
* shapeshifters
* medical experiment
* virgin MCs
* age gap
* hurt/comfort
* sweet MC
* protective MCs
* HEA for the happy throuple