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Assassin/Shifter #2
Alaska, with Love
Josh Montgomery is a red-blooded American male that loves his job and loves women even more. Part of an elite team run by General Derek Jacobs, Josh and his fellow assassins take pride in their jobs. When one Assassin gig turns into a rescue mission on the side, Josh's life is turned upside down by the man he rescues. Now, he has to take a good long look at who he really is.
With the help from his friends Mateo, Riley and Troy, Josh tries to understand what he's feeling.
Mark Patterson joined Doctor's without Borders to do good in a foreign country. Little did he know a maniacal drug lord would kidnap him and use him to deal drugs, among other things.... Without any hope of rescue, Mark resigns himself to his prison. Until early one morning when he's rescued by a blonde God. Josh Montgomery is tall, light and beautiful....and straight.
Being in close quarters only makes things harder on both men, will Mark get his man? Will Josh take a chance.... In the wilds of Denali Forest the two men come together, but is it for good? Or will Mark's past drive them apart?
Warning: Men making love.
With the help from his friends Mateo, Riley and Troy, Josh tries to understand what he's feeling.
Mark Patterson joined Doctor's without Borders to do good in a foreign country. Little did he know a maniacal drug lord would kidnap him and use him to deal drugs, among other things.... Without any hope of rescue, Mark resigns himself to his prison. Until early one morning when he's rescued by a blonde God. Josh Montgomery is tall, light and beautiful....and straight.
Being in close quarters only makes things harder on both men, will Mark get his man? Will Josh take a chance.... In the wilds of Denali Forest the two men come together, but is it for good? Or will Mark's past drive them apart?
Warning: Men making love.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2012
23 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Sandrine Gasq-Dion
79 books1,345 followersI have been blessed in this life to not only have parents that support me, but kids that do as well. I grew up in a loving but "Old School" French household. My parents worked for the airlines (TWA) so I was able to see a lot of Europe as a kid. I moved to Seattle Washington at the age of 22 and stayed there for twelve years before moving to Alaska for a little over two. Fairbanks, AK was one hell of an experience and I wouldn't hesitate to go back! I spent a little over a year in South Carolina before moving back to Arizona. I then left for Kansas for five years and now reside in Arizona. I've been connected to the military in one way or another for over half my life and wouldn't change a thing about it. Writing has become my full time job and I've never been so happy doing a job I love and being able to do it in my jammies. I plan on writing until I dry up and die. Hopefully, that won't happen soon!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
August 23, 2020
Josh Montgomery is a member of an elite assassin team of the government, and his life turns upside down when he rescues Mark Patterson from a sadistic drug lord.
Till this moment he considered himself straight, but now, feeling insanely attracted to Mark, he is really starting to question that.
Insta-lust, but not insta-love. Their relationship develops slowly, and it takes six months for them to clear their feelings: for Josh to accept who he really is, and for Mark to recover from his capture and abuse.
I felt the suspense storyline forced, and very much alike the one in the previous book.
The secondary characters were great again, Mateo and Riley’s appearances made me smile.
The erotica is steamy, lovely, and emotional.
The paranormal aspect appears at the end of the story, so I’m looking forward to reading the next book of the series.
Till this moment he considered himself straight, but now, feeling insanely attracted to Mark, he is really starting to question that.
“Huh?” Josh was lost in those deep blue pools. God, he was drowning and he didn’t care.
Insta-lust, but not insta-love. Their relationship develops slowly, and it takes six months for them to clear their feelings: for Josh to accept who he really is, and for Mark to recover from his capture and abuse.
I felt the suspense storyline forced, and very much alike the one in the previous book.
The secondary characters were great again, Mateo and Riley’s appearances made me smile.
The erotica is steamy, lovely, and emotional.
The paranormal aspect appears at the end of the story, so I’m looking forward to reading the next book of the series.
He'd never been kissed the way Josh kissed him. It held the promise of everything Mark ever wanted, love, commitment and a family.
August 10, 2016
There's nothing wrong with the story, but it's superficial and trope-filled frothiness doesn't suit my palette. Even as a mindless marshmallow read it just doesn't hit the right notes for me. I literally forgot I was reading this book at the 75% point and came back to finish it for a challenge. I think this is the first time with this author and we don't meld.
(\_/)
(O.o) *shrugs*
(\_/)
(O.o) *shrugs*
December 22, 2018
Not even Greg could pull this one out.
It has good stuff:
√big alpha that's possessive and protective
√big guy bottom
√virgin
√action storyline
√hurt/comfort
But...
It was instalove on steroids.
If I had to hear one more time how beautiful and/or hot they thought the other one was...
I get it. I got the memo and the flyer and the handout from the class you guys taught and I even saw the billboard.
You're hot for each other and you've both got permawood.
I thought it was slightly unbelievable that Mark would be interested in sex at all given that he was kidnapped, raped and used to traffic drugs by a psycho for 3 months but... that's just me.
The action storyline was mostly nonexistent due to them fucking like rabbits 24/7. It's hard to get anything done that way.
I did like the wolves though and Greg's narration, so I'll give it 2 stars.
It has good stuff:
√big alpha that's possessive and protective
√big guy bottom
√virgin
√action storyline
√hurt/comfort
But...
It was instalove on steroids.
If I had to hear one more time how beautiful and/or hot they thought the other one was...
I get it. I got the memo and the flyer and the handout from the class you guys taught and I even saw the billboard.
You're hot for each other and you've both got permawood.
I thought it was slightly unbelievable that Mark would be interested in sex at all given that he was kidnapped, raped and used to traffic drugs by a psycho for 3 months but... that's just me.
The action storyline was mostly nonexistent due to them fucking like rabbits 24/7. It's hard to get anything done that way.
I did like the wolves though and Greg's narration, so I'll give it 2 stars.
April 2, 2017
I've read the first book in this series and it was oke....I found this one mildly better. The editing is still very bad and the MC's are pretty cheesy. That's oke if you like cheesy, but I don't. I like my MC's a bit more badass and manly. For me the cheese and sweetness was a bit too much. I still think these books are missing something....hopefully that something will develop in the next books.
The characters were very like-able. I liked them better than Mateo and Riley from book 1 (yes they make an appearance in this one also). Mark was a nice guy and I've really liked Josh since I first met him in book 1. This book starts out with some triggers and I was a bit surprised at how fast Mark had healed, especially emotionally. However, they did spend 6 months apart, Mark healing and Josh coming to terms with his feelings. So this wasn't as insta-lovy as the first book.
I still think the backgroud plots in these books are ridiculous....doesn't stop me from reading them though. Also a plus.....this book actually had a shifter in it. He wasn't the main character and he didn't shift until the book was almost over, but he was there at least !!! So I still have hope for the next book. I hope they will keep getting better and I hope to encounter a lot more shifter, because these assasins are sweet, but badass ?? Not really.
3 stars from me and on to the next one....I can't help myself :)
The characters were very like-able. I liked them better than Mateo and Riley from book 1 (yes they make an appearance in this one also). Mark was a nice guy and I've really liked Josh since I first met him in book 1. This book starts out with some triggers and I was a bit surprised at how fast Mark had healed, especially emotionally. However, they did spend 6 months apart, Mark healing and Josh coming to terms with his feelings. So this wasn't as insta-lovy as the first book.
I still think the backgroud plots in these books are ridiculous....doesn't stop me from reading them though. Also a plus.....this book actually had a shifter in it. He wasn't the main character and he didn't shift until the book was almost over, but he was there at least !!! So I still have hope for the next book. I hope they will keep getting better and I hope to encounter a lot more shifter, because these assasins are sweet, but badass ?? Not really.
3 stars from me and on to the next one....I can't help myself :)
December 21, 2013
As I'm away for the holidays, I'm too busy**4 Sweet & Emotional Stars**
reading and relaxing to write reviews lol
So I'll be adding some quotes if I get the
chance xx
"I've got you Mark, you're safe now."
"I couldn't stop thinking about you, the way you kissed me, touched me - it was absolutely all I thought about, Josh."
"The second I saw you - I don't know...it was like a bolt of lightning hit me. I couldn't think about anything else but you, Mark.
I had to get you to safety, and then I had to make you mine."
"I want you because of who you are, because you're beautiful. I wanted you the second I say you."
LOVING this series mates... Off to the next!
June 7, 2019
Someone told me this series is like crack. They're not entirely wrong. It's really, really hard to stop once you start...except maybe with an intervention. But who needs that?
Once again the story features a badass assassin who only kills truly bad guys. This time the assassin rescues a doctor from a horrifying situation. Trigger warning: Rape.
Greg Tremblay, under his Greg Boudreaux alias, narrates this story just as wonderfully as expected. Seriously though? One of the only reasons I've given this such a high rating is because of Greg's entertaining narration. There are definitely issues with the story, the writing, and the editing (I whispersynced so I both read and listened), but Greg's narration sweeps those concerns away in pure pleasure.
There were two things I absolutely loved in this story though (besides the narration): first, Mark goes to therapy after his ordeal. It wasn't just a quick fix and jumping into bed with Josh. Second, when Mark and Josh first make love it's not super easy, pound 'em into the mattress...it was a realistic love scene that didn't take away from the passion. Me likey.
Me likey a lot!
Greg's narration absolutely elevates this story to pure entertainment. Bottom Line? It was FUN. Fun enough that I bought the next two books in ebook and audio.
NOTE: Don't be confused like I was. Though this is called the "Assassin/Shifter" series, there is, in fact, only a brief mention of shifters in this story, and they don't really show up until book three.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
May 3, 2013
3.5 Stars
As soon as Josh Montgomery spotted Mark through his rifle scope, he knew. His whole world was about to change.
Josh Montgomery is part of an elite squad of assassins working for the government. Sent in to take down targets, blow shit up, and rescue civilians whenever possible. After Mark Patterson is pulled from a world of hurt and torture, Josh is assigned / volunteered to protect Mark through his recovery. But Josh can’t stop fantasizing about the beautiful man in his protection. All he wants to do is keep him safe, hold, kiss, and fuck him! His attraction to Mark is all consuming—turning Josh into an adorable, sexy mess. Haha..Fumbling through his new desires for a man with a cute, dirty and hilarious inner voice.
”He needed something in his mouth to stop him from sounding like a complete idiot. He groaned again, because God help him, that thing he was thinking about keeping his mouth shut with was attached to Mark.”
But Josh doesn’t want to push or hurt Mark while he fights through his nightmares of pain. So he runs….
Can Mark and Josh work through the confusion and pain to find love? Will Mark get his man? Will Josh see all of those hot fantasies come to life? Fingers crossed.
The chemistry between Mark and Josh is HOT! Fun, sexy, and sticky! And the kissing…*whistles*…oh, how I love the kissing! Deep kisses, sloppy kisses, Eskimo kisses, and oh-my-oh-my-curl-your-toes kisses! I loved every lick and nibble.
I had a lot of fun in this world. Come on! A team of assassins! How can you not have a ball with a bunch of assassins? Humor, macho energy, and action all come together to bring this story to life. The camaraderie between these guys jumps off the page. Strong characters with an addictive mix of cocky and sweet. I loved their jabs and jokes with each other. I could feel how much they loved each other with each insult and hug. Haha…Such guys! Can’t wait to meet more of the gang.
Josh and Mark’s story made me laugh and melt with blushes, kisses, hand holding, and constant hard-ons. I’m so hooked!
On to the next book……
January 8, 2015
No secret that I loved Military, alpha, wolves, beautiful men in my M/M books.
This one have it all.
It's started with sad story about Mark, and I felt hurt for him.
Thank God Sandrine put my broken heart back together again after 'that' horrible moment of Mark's life with lots and lots of love from Josh and Dakota (the wolf, our next hero) in Alaska.
I loved Josh Assassin's family bonding, and I met Riley and Mateo again!
Can't wait to read about that sweet wolf Dakota and Sam!!!!
Well done Sandrine!
This one have it all.
It's started with sad story about Mark, and I felt hurt for him.
Thank God Sandrine put my broken heart back together again after 'that' horrible moment of Mark's life with lots and lots of love from Josh and Dakota (the wolf, our next hero) in Alaska.
I loved Josh Assassin's family bonding, and I met Riley and Mateo again!
Can't wait to read about that sweet wolf Dakota and Sam!!!!
Well done Sandrine!
August 6, 2014
Ugh... I just didn't dig this one like the first one. Still going to try the next one though since I can get it on Kindle Unlimited.
November 13, 2018
So this is a thing I did I decided to get the first 6 books in this series because hey...audible and narrated by Greg Boudreaux (or Greg Tremblay) so I'll do a bit of a ramble about the first 6 books when I get to the last one that I listened to which was 'For the Love of Caden' I was going to add the cover but apparently GR would rather I didn't so words it is.
September 21, 2016
Overall book review: 3
Audio book: Greg Boudreaux (Narrator
Book cover: 3.5
So this is gonna be one of those annoying series I’ll probably read till the author stops putting them out. Reason? F@*# if I know, but there something that makes me pick the damn things up time and again.
So by the end of this book (actually before that but I still finished it) I wanted to throw something. I was rolling my eyes like a 10 year old and huffing in frustration. My husband started looking at me with raised eyebrows around halfway through already.
I’m gonna say that I like the characters. Not LOVE them but like seems an okay word. I don’t like big bad ass military guys turning into mushy love sick puppies within 10 sentences of meeting the “love of their life”. Man did things get cheesy and overly sweet... The plot in this one didn’t help much either, but who am I to complain. So this random guy stalks this doctor and...okay I’m skiping that to avoid spoilers. If you read this you’ll understand what I’m saying.
There were funny and sweet moments that did make it entertaining, and I enjoyed it for what it was. My mood might have also had a hand in this review. But really?? Like I said, I’ll probably end up reading the damn thing till the end anyway, and maybe I’ll curse myself for doing or so or maybe the author will surprise us. Let’s see.
Audio book: Greg Boudreaux (Narrator
Book cover: 3.5
So this is gonna be one of those annoying series I’ll probably read till the author stops putting them out. Reason? F@*# if I know, but there something that makes me pick the damn things up time and again.
So by the end of this book (actually before that but I still finished it) I wanted to throw something. I was rolling my eyes like a 10 year old and huffing in frustration. My husband started looking at me with raised eyebrows around halfway through already.
I’m gonna say that I like the characters. Not LOVE them but like seems an okay word. I don’t like big bad ass military guys turning into mushy love sick puppies within 10 sentences of meeting the “love of their life”. Man did things get cheesy and overly sweet... The plot in this one didn’t help much either, but who am I to complain. So this random guy stalks this doctor and...okay I’m skiping that to avoid spoilers. If you read this you’ll understand what I’m saying.
There were funny and sweet moments that did make it entertaining, and I enjoyed it for what it was. My mood might have also had a hand in this review. But really?? Like I said, I’ll probably end up reading the damn thing till the end anyway, and maybe I’ll curse myself for doing or so or maybe the author will surprise us. Let’s see.
January 22, 2013
3.5 on this one. It's a little far fetched, from Mark wanting sex after being sexually abused by his captors for months, to Josh all of a sudden being ok with and wanting to be gay. And even though they take things slow, there is a lot of sex. However, this series is quickly growing on me. I love the action/adventure assassin part and am really looking forward to the paranormal aspect, which we finally catch a fleeting glimpse of when Dakota turns into a man at the very end. Still no idea where this is going, and I still want more stories on the other guys, so I'm off to read the next one.
May 26, 2017
Wow, for a guy that never suspected he was gay (or bi), that was the easiest coming out I've ever witnessed. Josh went from questioning his sexuality to being out and introducing Mark as his boyfriend in about a week. I dunno, I'm thinking this series is just not for me :(
Read
January 21, 2013The second in the series and you realize the author is building her world, adding characters and situation. The story of Josh and Mark is not so different from Mateo and Riley, they actually share the same cabin the previous couple did, the main difference is that, while in the previous couple Riley was playing straight, but well aware to be attracted to men, for Josh this is the first time he has real feelings for a guy.
Truth be told, Josh is not so “unwelcoming” to this feelings, sure, he is worried, and a little scared, but never once he denies his feelings are real and not really trouble they are for a man. There are other things that Josh is worried about, mainly the fact that Mark was sexually abused and he fears his sexual interest will arise bad memories in the other man.
These stories are delivering what you are expecting when buying them, i.e. hot strong men falling in love for the first time with another men. The author plays a lot both with the physical difference between the men, usually one is very muscular and macho man, while the other is lithe and sophisticated, but also with their social status; I’m not talking about money, since both men have jobs that allow them a good lifestyle, but more about the society they belong to and frequented until their meeting. In a way Josh is more rough, but he has also a very kind heart who is the right man for Mark now, a man in need of tender love.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1470033917/?...
Truth be told, Josh is not so “unwelcoming” to this feelings, sure, he is worried, and a little scared, but never once he denies his feelings are real and not really trouble they are for a man. There are other things that Josh is worried about, mainly the fact that Mark was sexually abused and he fears his sexual interest will arise bad memories in the other man.
These stories are delivering what you are expecting when buying them, i.e. hot strong men falling in love for the first time with another men. The author plays a lot both with the physical difference between the men, usually one is very muscular and macho man, while the other is lithe and sophisticated, but also with their social status; I’m not talking about money, since both men have jobs that allow them a good lifestyle, but more about the society they belong to and frequented until their meeting. In a way Josh is more rough, but he has also a very kind heart who is the right man for Mark now, a man in need of tender love.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1470033917/?...
September 15, 2012
I did enjoy book one and was looking forward to book two, but as other reviewers have stated this one just was yucky. It's a "healing c*ck" story or how one man can heal another man's brutal rapes with his magical penis. I would have stopped reading when Josh kept getting erections when poor Mark was in a hospital bed recovering from being raped, but I wanted to find out when the shifters appeared. I really am all about the shifters.
Another poor sub-plot was the under-developed issue with Mark's ex-boyfriend. That sub-plot went nowhere and should have been revamped so it made sense.
Hopefully the other books in this series are nothing like this one. Plus, I would have really appreciated a warning about the vicious on-screen rape. People with triggers should beware.
Another poor sub-plot was the under-developed issue with Mark's ex-boyfriend. That sub-plot went nowhere and should have been revamped so it made sense.
Hopefully the other books in this series are nothing like this one. Plus, I would have really appreciated a warning about the vicious on-screen rape. People with triggers should beware.
December 12, 2022
✮4 Stars✮
November 14, 2013
An assassin and a relief doctor walk into a bar…. No, just kidding. In this second installment of the very exciting Assassin/Shifter series, Josh is as straight as an arrow, never thought of a man as attractive, although he has no prejudices against gay people, he just always figured it wasn't for him. Until he sees Mark through the scope of his sniper rifle and all Josh wants to do is rescue him and protect the most beautiful man he's ever seen. In this book the author is pairing an assassin, a man who does his job with no qualms about the scum he eliminates, with a man who saves lives and has dedicated his own life to that cause. This story is about more than differences. It's about seeing beyond the surface and learning to trust your own instincts.
Mark is working for Doctors Without Borders in South America when his mobile clinic is ambushed, all the people are killed, and Mark is taken hostage by a drug dealer. For three months Mark is forced to peddle the drugs while enduring severe physical abuse and daily sexual abuse. He prays constantly for someone to help him and one day his prayers are answered when a gorgeous man rescues him and takes him safely away. Josh had a front row seat to the horrors that Mark endured and he can't wait until he can get him out of there. Now, Josh has been assigned babysitting duty to make sure Mark can get to a point where he can live his life again. Who knew the physical attraction on both sides was going to flame volcano hot? Josh doesn't know what to do, he only knows he's fighting a losing battle trying to keep his hands off of Mark.
But when a bad nightmare on Mark's part leads to Josh kissing him, Josh completely freaks out worried that he took advantage of a guy who is still recuperating from rape. Josh disappears and sends Troy to babysit. But, when Mateo and Riley get involved, there's no stopping Mark from going after the one guy who has made him feel and want again. It takes a few months before Mark heads to Alaska, though. He needed to work with a therapist and get some of his thoughts and emotions in a better place so he is healthier when he gets to Josh. And, oh boy, when he does get to Alaska and surprises Josh? It's wonderful and sensual and cozy and beautiful.
Trouble follows Mark to Alaska in the form of his ex who was behind all of Mark's horror in the first place. Josh, Mateo, and Troy have to take care of that scumbag before Mark is safe… This was a great second book in the series and I'm still interested to read more, and I'm going to do exactly that.
Mark is working for Doctors Without Borders in South America when his mobile clinic is ambushed, all the people are killed, and Mark is taken hostage by a drug dealer. For three months Mark is forced to peddle the drugs while enduring severe physical abuse and daily sexual abuse. He prays constantly for someone to help him and one day his prayers are answered when a gorgeous man rescues him and takes him safely away. Josh had a front row seat to the horrors that Mark endured and he can't wait until he can get him out of there. Now, Josh has been assigned babysitting duty to make sure Mark can get to a point where he can live his life again. Who knew the physical attraction on both sides was going to flame volcano hot? Josh doesn't know what to do, he only knows he's fighting a losing battle trying to keep his hands off of Mark.
But when a bad nightmare on Mark's part leads to Josh kissing him, Josh completely freaks out worried that he took advantage of a guy who is still recuperating from rape. Josh disappears and sends Troy to babysit. But, when Mateo and Riley get involved, there's no stopping Mark from going after the one guy who has made him feel and want again. It takes a few months before Mark heads to Alaska, though. He needed to work with a therapist and get some of his thoughts and emotions in a better place so he is healthier when he gets to Josh. And, oh boy, when he does get to Alaska and surprises Josh? It's wonderful and sensual and cozy and beautiful.
Trouble follows Mark to Alaska in the form of his ex who was behind all of Mark's horror in the first place. Josh, Mateo, and Troy have to take care of that scumbag before Mark is safe… This was a great second book in the series and I'm still interested to read more, and I'm going to do exactly that.
February 5, 2014
That was so freaking sweet and so very romantic. I know! It is a book about assassins! I don’t know what else to tell you, it was very romance driven. I was very excited for the next book in this series. Josh being the straight guy and all made me even more excited. Hearing that the Shifter part of the story would be introduced in this one just added to my already silly excitement. Now, I was a bit nervous as well. I knew this one was going to touch on something I am very uncomfortable with and it did, but it didn’t dwell and it moved on in a very healing and healthy way so ok, it happened but I got to move on and not have to be so very sad. It was awful though. Anyway…this one was much more relationship driven and less shoot em’ up but still was really good. Don’t get me wrong, there was shooting and danger and all that I just really feel like the main focus was on Josh and Mark and believe me, I was totally ok with that! So, another great installment to what is becoming to me a great series. Read.
June 10, 2012
Very unlike Book 1, IMO. Very sappy and corny and nothing much really seems to happen, except Josh and Mark turn into a pair of girls right after the rescue. Actually, the things I enjoyed most were the cameo by Riley and Mateo from Book 1 and the introduction of the wolves for the later books.
Was glad when it was all over.
Was glad when it was all over.
March 18, 2015
3.5 stars
June 13, 2016
bello bello bello.
January 26, 2014
Jeez. Don’t hold back on the torture. (Sarcasm.)
And, um, why do we need a repeat of the exact same scene the previous book ended on? I already read that, thank you.
Yeah, this did not start well for me.
In one of the first new scenes Mr Assassin Guy watches his future love interest being raped. And does nothing but watch. Yeah, I suppose acting rashly might endanger the rape victim (and not only the assassin), but I was still pretty sore about that at the time. I mean the inability to do anything in this situation could have made for a haunting scene for Josh, something to haunt him – but that potential was completely wasted. I guess he was just a tad too turned on…
Well, at least they’re not prettifying much of the physical consequences of ongoing rape and abuse. Much.
Because the physical is as far as it goes. Both Josh and Mark are thinking sex about each other from the get-go. Mark’s just woken up in the hospital, his body still suffering the pain of what he was subjected to. He’s even getting hard looking at Josh while talking about how he was raped. But I suppose the attraction between them is much stronger than trauma or torn tissue. Right. (Can you feel the eyeroll?)
This sucks. It’s a complete turn-off.
How are these people even joking about what happened? And not in that harsh gallows-humour kind of way, but banter.
I am kind of glad this turns into a shifter series soon, since thus far all the relationships follow the fated mates pattern anyway. In fact, to get through the rest of this without foaming at the mouth I’ll just pretend these guys are actually fated mates too.
(Still doesn’t make the rape thing better but I’ll take what I can get. )
Um. Why do we get a recap in the middle of the book of what we just read?
Why even have these section breaks when the scene continues seamlessly and viewpoints shift every other paragraph anyhow?
Why are all the women in this series (thus far) aggressively slutty? I should mention that most of the guys are equally slutty, so perhaps instead of feeling slightly irritated I should be glad about the show of equality.
But does everyone’s first reaction, first thought, first sentence out of their mouths really have to be about the other person’s sexy sex-appeal riddled super bod?
The whole thing doesn’t make a lick of sense to me – but then again these aren’t books you read for the sake of realistic plot.
Some minor stuff irked me beyond what I already ranted about. Such as Mark’s attitude towards that nurse. Or a few remarks here and there. And, well, the ending’s pure mush. (And let’s not even start on the lack of editing.)
Still, I have to say this is not a bad way to introduce the shifter element into the series. A kind of obvious sneaking it in.
Maybe what annoys me most is all the wasted potential here. So many good opportunities that fell flat.
At the same time, most of the times when I began to get seriously upset at something that defied reason, the book managed to present me with a sort of explanation. The first volume did the same.
That in itself strikes me as interesting. Did the author write along and suddenly realize that she needed to justify where her creative flow had taken her? That’s kind of how it felt to me, anyway.
Right now I’m hoping that this is one of those series that improve a lot over time (and there’s certainly ample room what with the number of books that have come out). Because there’s a vibe I appreciate underneath it all. Plus you can rarely go wrong with versatility in loving relationships.
And, um, why do we need a repeat of the exact same scene the previous book ended on? I already read that, thank you.
Yeah, this did not start well for me.
In one of the first new scenes Mr Assassin Guy watches his future love interest being raped. And does nothing but watch. Yeah, I suppose acting rashly might endanger the rape victim (and not only the assassin), but I was still pretty sore about that at the time. I mean the inability to do anything in this situation could have made for a haunting scene for Josh, something to haunt him – but that potential was completely wasted. I guess he was just a tad too turned on…
Well, at least they’re not prettifying much of the physical consequences of ongoing rape and abuse. Much.
Because the physical is as far as it goes. Both Josh and Mark are thinking sex about each other from the get-go. Mark’s just woken up in the hospital, his body still suffering the pain of what he was subjected to. He’s even getting hard looking at Josh while talking about how he was raped. But I suppose the attraction between them is much stronger than trauma or torn tissue. Right. (Can you feel the eyeroll?)
This sucks. It’s a complete turn-off.
How are these people even joking about what happened? And not in that harsh gallows-humour kind of way, but banter.
I am kind of glad this turns into a shifter series soon, since thus far all the relationships follow the fated mates pattern anyway. In fact, to get through the rest of this without foaming at the mouth I’ll just pretend these guys are actually fated mates too.
(Still doesn’t make the rape thing better but I’ll take what I can get. )
Um. Why do we get a recap in the middle of the book of what we just read?
Why even have these section breaks when the scene continues seamlessly and viewpoints shift every other paragraph anyhow?
Why are all the women in this series (thus far) aggressively slutty? I should mention that most of the guys are equally slutty, so perhaps instead of feeling slightly irritated I should be glad about the show of equality.
But does everyone’s first reaction, first thought, first sentence out of their mouths really have to be about the other person’s sexy sex-appeal riddled super bod?
The whole thing doesn’t make a lick of sense to me – but then again these aren’t books you read for the sake of realistic plot.
Some minor stuff irked me beyond what I already ranted about. Such as Mark’s attitude towards that nurse. Or a few remarks here and there. And, well, the ending’s pure mush. (And let’s not even start on the lack of editing.)
Still, I have to say this is not a bad way to introduce the shifter element into the series. A kind of obvious sneaking it in.
Maybe what annoys me most is all the wasted potential here. So many good opportunities that fell flat.
At the same time, most of the times when I began to get seriously upset at something that defied reason, the book managed to present me with a sort of explanation. The first volume did the same.
That in itself strikes me as interesting. Did the author write along and suddenly realize that she needed to justify where her creative flow had taken her? That’s kind of how it felt to me, anyway.
Right now I’m hoping that this is one of those series that improve a lot over time (and there’s certainly ample room what with the number of books that have come out). Because there’s a vibe I appreciate underneath it all. Plus you can rarely go wrong with versatility in loving relationships.
October 14, 2012
Having read book #9 (yeah, I started reading the series from the wrong end, but the blurb sounded quite good) I decided to buy three first books as well. The first one was okay, I even kind of liked it, but this, oh boy, this was a total disaster! Ugh, I don't even know where to start. And I have only myself to blame for buying it in the first place.
So, why 1 star?
The whole story was highly unrealistic.
First of all, a straight guy suddenly becomes gay. Don't get me wrong, I love GFY stories, but what we have here is some kind of parody. In a good GFY story there's always some angst, what with questioning one's sexulity, being afraid of how others are going to react when they find out the truth, and all these things that should have been here as well. What we get instead is a straight turned gay assassin who gives BJs like a pro and who wants to marry the guy he barely knows. Just WTF is this?
Oh, and don't even get me started on the whole rape thing. There should have been drama. I think that flashbacks would have worked perfectly. Instead we read about a guy who was raped, now constantly sporting a hard on and salivating at the thought of having sex with another man. Again, WTF?
And why the hell at least one of the MCs in this series always giggle? Yeah, I'm not talking about this book only. The same goes for book #1 and I even took a peek at book #3. Most of them giggle!! Well, at least book #9 is giggle free, thank God.
As for the dialogues, ugh. Some of them were killing me.
“Just go slow, think of me as a woman but...not.” - Seriously??
And finally, the writing. Frankly, it's a mess. There's a lot of spelling mistakes. This is just one of them:
He ran his hands up and down Mark’s stomach softly; all while his tongue played with Mark’s naval. - Mark's naval? Really??
All in all, this is not a book I would recommend to anyone. But that's just my opinion. Obviously, some readers did like it and there will be more considering it a great read. I, however, am not one of them.
1 star
So, why 1 star?
The whole story was highly unrealistic.
First of all, a straight guy suddenly becomes gay. Don't get me wrong, I love GFY stories, but what we have here is some kind of parody. In a good GFY story there's always some angst, what with questioning one's sexulity, being afraid of how others are going to react when they find out the truth, and all these things that should have been here as well. What we get instead is a straight turned gay assassin who gives BJs like a pro and who wants to marry the guy he barely knows. Just WTF is this?
Oh, and don't even get me started on the whole rape thing. There should have been drama. I think that flashbacks would have worked perfectly. Instead we read about a guy who was raped, now constantly sporting a hard on and salivating at the thought of having sex with another man. Again, WTF?
And why the hell at least one of the MCs in this series always giggle? Yeah, I'm not talking about this book only. The same goes for book #1 and I even took a peek at book #3. Most of them giggle!! Well, at least book #9 is giggle free, thank God.
As for the dialogues, ugh. Some of them were killing me.
“Just go slow, think of me as a woman but...not.” - Seriously??
And finally, the writing. Frankly, it's a mess. There's a lot of spelling mistakes. This is just one of them:
He ran his hands up and down Mark’s stomach softly; all while his tongue played with Mark’s naval. - Mark's naval? Really??
All in all, this is not a book I would recommend to anyone. But that's just my opinion. Obviously, some readers did like it and there will be more considering it a great read. I, however, am not one of them.
1 star
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2014
yeah...after two of her books, I think it is fair to say that Sandrine Gasq-Dion is just not the author for me. I found this book incredibly sophomoric. Putting aside the fact that Mark's reaction to being kidnapped and raped for three months seem highly unlikely, I just found the repetitiveness of the writing to be downright annoying. I may not have a photographic memory, but I also am perfectly able to retain info from one scene to another. I lost count of how many time that we were told that Mark was held captive for three months and raped. In almost the same wording every time. Or that Josh was a straight dude who never fancied dick. Over. And over. And over again. I was kinda hoping someone would shoot someone just to put an end to it all.
And while I am glad Mark decided to go to a therapist. I honestly don't see any real change to his character at all. Because he never really acted like it affected him at all.
Also I can maybe buy that Mateo and Mark used to be foster brothers. Or I could maybe buy that Mark's ex was one shady fucker. Or I could buy that Mark bumps into Sabine. But all three of them happening? No, not really.
You just have to suspend every shred of reality for this book to make any sense at all. And that is not even throwing in the shifters at the end. I ran out of patience nearly a quarter of the way thru, and so the rest of it just seemed at best highly unlikely, and at worse incredibly forced and cliché.
And for fucks sake, if the assassin tells you to hide in the fucking basement till he gives the all clear, don't just run out in the open, with no weapon or thought to how you are endangering everyone else, unless you are perfectly happy being shot dead.
Then there is the fact that pov would change on you in the middle of the scene (with three or even four povs) with hardly a care to signalling who the fuck we are reading now.
So basically to sum up this book:
Mark--To Stupid To Live
The Plot--To Cliiché To Stand
The Narration--To Fucked To Even Bother
The Stars--To Low To Count
And while I am glad Mark decided to go to a therapist. I honestly don't see any real change to his character at all. Because he never really acted like it affected him at all.
Also I can maybe buy that Mateo and Mark used to be foster brothers. Or I could maybe buy that Mark's ex was one shady fucker. Or I could buy that Mark bumps into Sabine. But all three of them happening? No, not really.
You just have to suspend every shred of reality for this book to make any sense at all. And that is not even throwing in the shifters at the end. I ran out of patience nearly a quarter of the way thru, and so the rest of it just seemed at best highly unlikely, and at worse incredibly forced and cliché.
And for fucks sake, if the assassin tells you to hide in the fucking basement till he gives the all clear, don't just run out in the open, with no weapon or thought to how you are endangering everyone else, unless you are perfectly happy being shot dead.
Then there is the fact that pov would change on you in the middle of the scene (with three or even four povs) with hardly a care to signalling who the fuck we are reading now.
So basically to sum up this book:
Mark--To Stupid To Live
The Plot--To Cliiché To Stand
The Narration--To Fucked To Even Bother
The Stars--To Low To Count
October 27, 2021
I liked the book. The characters are fun and funny. The action is good as well. I did struggle though with the believability factor. I don’t believe Josh suddenly liking guys, even if he had hid even from himself that he was gay, wouldn’t have caused him more issues than it did. I also don’t think Mark would have recovered as quickly as he did from 3 MONTHS in captivity. None his behavior after is what I think would normally be how someone behaves after a trauma like that. Mark’s also a doctor, even working for Doctors Without Borders, and he has no issues with Josh being an assassin? Yeah, not very believable, especially after his witnessing of violence. There was very little interaction between characters either, just lots and lots of sex.
Re-read via audio: Ok, maybe I have become better about letting my own opinion color my reviews. Even with the issues the story itself has (again in my opinion), I really love the story. I enjoyed watching these two come together. It is a feel good read for me. The narrator is awesome as always. He does such a good job with his voices. You can feel the characters come to life. I especially enjoy the fact that he tries to marry the action with the voice. So if the character is eating he voices the character with a muffle. So enjoyable.
Re-read: I still really enjoy this story. (I am still saddened knowing that there will be no more in the series. I really miss the author.) The realism is still out there, but it is so fun to just be and listen to this book.
Re-read via audio: Ok, maybe I have become better about letting my own opinion color my reviews. Even with the issues the story itself has (again in my opinion), I really love the story. I enjoyed watching these two come together. It is a feel good read for me. The narrator is awesome as always. He does such a good job with his voices. You can feel the characters come to life. I especially enjoy the fact that he tries to marry the action with the voice. So if the character is eating he voices the character with a muffle. So enjoyable.
Re-read: I still really enjoy this story. (I am still saddened knowing that there will be no more in the series. I really miss the author.) The realism is still out there, but it is so fun to just be and listen to this book.
February 16, 2014
2.5 Stars - In someways it was better than A Marked Man, there was less sex - at least in the first half - and both characters stayed true to their personalities. I just never really connected with them. It was instsa-love, which is fine to make a connection, but I just felt they really had nothing in common to keep them together other than they both thinking the other beautiful. There was the "magic penis" (as I saw someone refer to it) where they magically never got soft and came a gazillion times in an hour. Many of these things I give leeway for in a paranormal as it isn't true to life, but so far, no paranormals here. I was hoping for more from a series so highly rated. I didn't even end the book going, "well that was ridiculous but fun, let's try the next one" I'm just done.
BTW Grown men chuckle; little girls and boys giggle! I might even be ok if men giggled (once!) if being tickled, but not all the time!!!
BTW Grown men chuckle; little girls and boys giggle! I might even be ok if men giggled (once!) if being tickled, but not all the time!!!
October 9, 2013
Ok, so call me a weirdo, but this one I loved! The first book was not really my thing, even though Mateo was, but this one hit on all cylinders!
Josh is strong and sexy in pretty much every way, from his badass persona to his sexy sweetness that he only shows with Mark. I liked that he actually had to come to terms with his feelings and he had to make decisions based off of those feelings. It made the story feel real and more endearing to my heart. I loved that Mark was able to bring the softness out in Josh.
Mark is perfect! Seriously hot, a smart level headed doctor who I felt was a great match for someone like Josh. My biggest issue with the first book was the love interest of Mateo's which felt forced. This one didn't. Mark is exactly the kind of man you would expect your strong gay son to bring home, and the scene with Josh's mom is my favorite in the whole book! She is adorable!
"No wonder my Joshua brought you home. He's never brought anyone home." - This was after she fainted. Adorable!
I liked this one so much I might actually continue on with the series!
I give this 4.5 lipsticks...super sexy with two exceptionally sexy men!
Josh is strong and sexy in pretty much every way, from his badass persona to his sexy sweetness that he only shows with Mark. I liked that he actually had to come to terms with his feelings and he had to make decisions based off of those feelings. It made the story feel real and more endearing to my heart. I loved that Mark was able to bring the softness out in Josh.
Mark is perfect! Seriously hot, a smart level headed doctor who I felt was a great match for someone like Josh. My biggest issue with the first book was the love interest of Mateo's which felt forced. This one didn't. Mark is exactly the kind of man you would expect your strong gay son to bring home, and the scene with Josh's mom is my favorite in the whole book! She is adorable!
"No wonder my Joshua brought you home. He's never brought anyone home." - This was after she fainted. Adorable!
I liked this one so much I might actually continue on with the series!
I give this 4.5 lipsticks...super sexy with two exceptionally sexy men!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2016
http://bianchianita1971.blogspot.it/2...
Eccoci al secondo capitolo della serie: questa volta i protagonisti sono Josh, collega ed amico di Mateo, e Mark, un giovane medico volontario. La conoscenza tra i due avviene in circostanze drammatiche: Josh salva Mark dalla prigionia e dagli abusi perpetrati da un malvagio signore della droga. L'incontro però sconvolge entrambi, per motivi diversi: Josh si trova attratto per la prima volta in vita sua da un uomo e Mark, nonostante l'inferno che ha vissuto, sente di potersi fidare del bel cecchino e che questi potrebbe essere l'uomo giusto per lui. Ma la strada è in salita... Ho apprezzato il fatto che l'autrice conceda ad entrambi del tempo per superare traumi e paure e che i due, nonostante un'alchimia immediata, decidano di aspettare ed essere sicuri prima di vivere liberamente e pienamente il loro amore. Non temete, però, nella lettura del romanzo ciò non pesa minimamente.
Merita di essere menzionata poi anche la splendida ambientazione nel parco di Denali in Alaska... e niente, mi è venuta voglia di andarci in vacanza! (magari in estate, però)
Eccoci al secondo capitolo della serie: questa volta i protagonisti sono Josh, collega ed amico di Mateo, e Mark, un giovane medico volontario. La conoscenza tra i due avviene in circostanze drammatiche: Josh salva Mark dalla prigionia e dagli abusi perpetrati da un malvagio signore della droga. L'incontro però sconvolge entrambi, per motivi diversi: Josh si trova attratto per la prima volta in vita sua da un uomo e Mark, nonostante l'inferno che ha vissuto, sente di potersi fidare del bel cecchino e che questi potrebbe essere l'uomo giusto per lui. Ma la strada è in salita... Ho apprezzato il fatto che l'autrice conceda ad entrambi del tempo per superare traumi e paure e che i due, nonostante un'alchimia immediata, decidano di aspettare ed essere sicuri prima di vivere liberamente e pienamente il loro amore. Non temete, però, nella lettura del romanzo ciò non pesa minimamente.
Merita di essere menzionata poi anche la splendida ambientazione nel parco di Denali in Alaska... e niente, mi è venuta voglia di andarci in vacanza! (magari in estate, però)
March 8, 2017
3.5 Stars
Better than the first one, even if the plot was slightly weaker. I didn't understand the need to connect the ex to the sadistic kidnapper, or why all of that was necessary. *shrug* Also, I'm pretty sure that a simple phone call to a supervisor to check in as "okay" isn't SOP for Doctors Without Borders; if it is, I'd like to think they would have a code word or phrase for an aide worker to use alerting the organization to a possible hostage situation. (Yes, that was the one ridiculous detail - among all of the ridiculous details - that I just couldn't handwave away.)
Finally: JFC how many times is it necessary to mention how beautiful, how gorgeous, the MCs are? Well, I counted 32 uses of 'beautiful' in reference to the main characters (that does not include the times it's used to describe the scenery or someone else)...that's just ridiculous. These guys should be more than how they look, yanno? Gawd, and we thought straight men were bad focusing only on how women look...
Better than the first one, even if the plot was slightly weaker. I didn't understand the need to connect the ex to the sadistic kidnapper, or why all of that was necessary. *shrug* Also, I'm pretty sure that a simple phone call to a supervisor to check in as "okay" isn't SOP for Doctors Without Borders; if it is, I'd like to think they would have a code word or phrase for an aide worker to use alerting the organization to a possible hostage situation. (Yes, that was the one ridiculous detail - among all of the ridiculous details - that I just couldn't handwave away.)
Finally: JFC how many times is it necessary to mention how beautiful, how gorgeous, the MCs are? Well, I counted 32 uses of 'beautiful' in reference to the main characters (that does not include the times it's used to describe the scenery or someone else)...that's just ridiculous. These guys should be more than how they look, yanno? Gawd, and we thought straight men were bad focusing only on how women look...
July 21, 2014
I have to admit that I'm not seeing what others obviously are in this series. I read this because it was part of my challenge for this year, but I struggled through it to be honest.
Like the first one, I had trouble connecting with the MC's. I found their "voices" unrealistic. Josh is supposed to be a battle-hardened assassin, yet he comes across as sappy and sickening sweet. Mark, a doctor has been kidnapped and brutally raped for three months, yet this seems to have very little impact on his behaviours after he gets rescued.
It's again a GFY, which I usually love, but the amount of sex... especially with Mark's history and Josh never having been with a man? Sorry, but very unrealistic!
So overall, this was rather a disappointment, and I think I better just give up on this series...
Like the first one, I had trouble connecting with the MC's. I found their "voices" unrealistic. Josh is supposed to be a battle-hardened assassin, yet he comes across as sappy and sickening sweet. Mark, a doctor has been kidnapped and brutally raped for three months, yet this seems to have very little impact on his behaviours after he gets rescued.
It's again a GFY, which I usually love, but the amount of sex... especially with Mark's history and Josh never having been with a man? Sorry, but very unrealistic!
So overall, this was rather a disappointment, and I think I better just give up on this series...
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