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Chance Assassin #1
Chance Assassin: A Story of Love, Luck, and Murder
Vincent Sullivan is down on his luck. When a chance encounter generates a job prospect he’s too desperate to decline, Vincent is well on his way to a career in crime. But after the job goes wrong and he’s gravely injured in the process, things couldn’t get much worse. Except that he may have just killed a man.
With the entrance of a mysterious stranger, life is finally starting to look up. Unless his luck is about to run out for good.
With the entrance of a mysterious stranger, life is finally starting to look up. Unless his luck is about to run out for good.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2013
55 people are currently reading
1452 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Castle
7 books125 followersNicole Castle was raised in New Mexico. She now lives in Oregon. Chance Assassin: A Story of Love, Luck, and Murder is her first book.
You can reach her on Goodreads or Facebook, as well as view Frank and Vincent's continued adventures at:
http://nicolecastlegreatesthits.blogs...
You can reach her on Goodreads or Facebook, as well as view Frank and Vincent's continued adventures at:
http://nicolecastlegreatesthits.blogs...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
September 8, 2016
This book was an insane mix of romance and psychopathy... I sort of loved it but, at the same time, felt horrified. Nicole Castle really pushed my limits today!
How is this different from the other assassin books out there? Well, for one, moral ambiguity abounds. The marks (targets) are a mix of good and bad people. They cry, they beg, and I felt their humanity. It was kind of grotesque the way that Vincent enjoyed the killing- and few of the gritty details are spared. Whereas in other books, the bad guys are very bad and the assassins come with a functioning moral compass, here Vincent and Frank were borderline sociopathic. They SO didn't care about the people that they killed. It was very Tarantino-esk.
To boot, there is graphic descriptions of child abuse and underage sex (as young as . I was most certainly squeaked out at times. Vincent is no shy little flower and we get to see all of the ways he uses and gets used. I think that author was super bold in making Vince so young in this book, and creepily, described as looking even years younger.
In short, this book really pushed my boundaries as a reader. However... I found myself being completely drawn into V and Frank's obsessive love story. Their absolute need for one another was captivating and the way that they complimented each other (as odd as it seemed at times) was beautiful to witness. Sure, their relationship was built on a twisted foundation, but Vince and Frank were very sweet to one another. Frank's blushing virgin-vibe was a lovely twist, and Vincent's over-the-top-ness became remarkably endearing. Oh, and I loved Vincent's vanity and complete comfort in his sexuality, despite his age.
I even enjoyed the sleazy secondary character of Charlie, a great foil. However, I didn't love the introduction of the other characters in the end (except for Bella!) because I thought it got a bit muddled and generic. As others have said, it kind of veered off and cheapened everything that came before it. However, this book was a stellar read for those dark fiction lovers!
How is this different from the other assassin books out there? Well, for one, moral ambiguity abounds. The marks (targets) are a mix of good and bad people. They cry, they beg, and I felt their humanity. It was kind of grotesque the way that Vincent enjoyed the killing- and few of the gritty details are spared. Whereas in other books, the bad guys are very bad and the assassins come with a functioning moral compass, here Vincent and Frank were borderline sociopathic. They SO didn't care about the people that they killed. It was very Tarantino-esk.
To boot, there is graphic descriptions of child abuse and underage sex (as young as . I was most certainly squeaked out at times. Vincent is no shy little flower and we get to see all of the ways he uses and gets used. I think that author was super bold in making Vince so young in this book, and creepily, described as looking even years younger.
In short, this book really pushed my boundaries as a reader. However... I found myself being completely drawn into V and Frank's obsessive love story. Their absolute need for one another was captivating and the way that they complimented each other (as odd as it seemed at times) was beautiful to witness. Sure, their relationship was built on a twisted foundation, but Vince and Frank were very sweet to one another. Frank's blushing virgin-vibe was a lovely twist, and Vincent's over-the-top-ness became remarkably endearing. Oh, and I loved Vincent's vanity and complete comfort in his sexuality, despite his age.
I even enjoyed the sleazy secondary character of Charlie, a great foil. However, I didn't love the introduction of the other characters in the end (except for Bella!) because I thought it got a bit muddled and generic. As others have said, it kind of veered off and cheapened everything that came before it. However, this book was a stellar read for those dark fiction lovers!
March 7, 2013
4.5 stars. Amazing, twisted romance between a cold, murderous assassin and a damaged teen. 16 year old Vincent is living on the streets doing what he has to to survive. He is stabbed one night during a robbery job for which he was to be paid $50. He turns on his attacker then hikes for hours in the snow to get back to his sleazy 'mentor' Charlie. At Charlie's door he collapses into the arms of the most beautiful man he's ever seen, Frank.
Frank is an assassin and Charlie is his handler. There is an immediate connection between Frank and Vincent and Frank takes him under his wing, teaching him the business of murder, and hiding him from Charlie who now wants him dead. Their love affair is slow to develop, intense and obsessive. When they do get around to it the sex scenes are erotic and rough. Vincent is no shrinking violet twink. Both characters are amoral and violent but so intriguing and appealing.
The story is rich with detail and character development. The plot is suspenseful. Unlike other m/m assassin romances, the author doesn't shy away from the murder scenes. Strangulations and stabbings are described fairly explicitly although briefly enough that I wasn't turned off. Frank's 'marks' are not all bad people either. So at times I felt quite sorry for them and guilty that I was enjoying the book so much. The final HEA felt a tad too easy/sweet for this story but I suspect this is just a temporary pause in this couple's journey.
This book would really appeal to fans of Stockholm Syndrome, Angel and the Assassin and Natural Born Killers and any of those darker m/m romances. It's another excellent example of self-publishing in the m/m genre and it's fantastic value at only $3.99 for 340 pages.
Frank is an assassin and Charlie is his handler. There is an immediate connection between Frank and Vincent and Frank takes him under his wing, teaching him the business of murder, and hiding him from Charlie who now wants him dead. Their love affair is slow to develop, intense and obsessive. When they do get around to it the sex scenes are erotic and rough. Vincent is no shrinking violet twink. Both characters are amoral and violent but so intriguing and appealing.
The story is rich with detail and character development. The plot is suspenseful. Unlike other m/m assassin romances, the author doesn't shy away from the murder scenes. Strangulations and stabbings are described fairly explicitly although briefly enough that I wasn't turned off. Frank's 'marks' are not all bad people either. So at times I felt quite sorry for them and guilty that I was enjoying the book so much. The final HEA felt a tad too easy/sweet for this story but I suspect this is just a temporary pause in this couple's journey.
This book would really appeal to fans of Stockholm Syndrome, Angel and the Assassin and Natural Born Killers and any of those darker m/m romances. It's another excellent example of self-publishing in the m/m genre and it's fantastic value at only $3.99 for 340 pages.
March 25, 2013
4.25 stars
Well this was an experience that's for sure, never have I been so undecided on how to rate a book or had so many mixed emotions. From memory the only other book I can remember giving me this much hell was A Dangerous Man and that was depressingly wretched. It's rough trying to love what is basically a twisted, obsessive relationship. Horrified fascination for the f%$ked up goings on between Vince and Frank are the draw card. It wasn't the murders that got to me the most, it was all about Vince. I was fighting a losing battle with my heart and head, trying to justify and convince myself that he was an innocent, naive 16 year old who had the misfortune or luck (the jury is still out) in meeting Frank. Was his devotion and love for Frank the turning point in becoming a depraved killer? A tiny part of me knows he was bat shit crazy already and Frank was the catalyst or tipping point. I have to be honest this was not enjoyable, I did feel empathy "briefly" which soon disappeared by their freaky cool, calm and collected attitude towards killing.
An impressive and well written story, which I won't be reading again. Recommended for anyone who likes it dark and rough.
Well this was an experience that's for sure, never have I been so undecided on how to rate a book or had so many mixed emotions. From memory the only other book I can remember giving me this much hell was A Dangerous Man and that was depressingly wretched. It's rough trying to love what is basically a twisted, obsessive relationship. Horrified fascination for the f%$ked up goings on between Vince and Frank are the draw card. It wasn't the murders that got to me the most, it was all about Vince. I was fighting a losing battle with my heart and head, trying to justify and convince myself that he was an innocent, naive 16 year old who had the misfortune or luck (the jury is still out) in meeting Frank. Was his devotion and love for Frank the turning point in becoming a depraved killer? A tiny part of me knows he was bat shit crazy already and Frank was the catalyst or tipping point. I have to be honest this was not enjoyable, I did feel empathy "briefly" which soon disappeared by their freaky cool, calm and collected attitude towards killing.
An impressive and well written story, which I won't be reading again. Recommended for anyone who likes it dark and rough.
April 22, 2017
Two insane and immoral guys who drive cross-country to assassinate cheating husbands and traitorous rats and who also happen to have an edgy romance going on? Oh, baby! And parts of this debut by Castle are an absolute delight to read, not in the last place the clever dialogue. On the other hand, and darn this, Chance Assassin is SO flawed. To start with the very best; the Micky & Mallory Natural Born Killers associations, that Shelley pointed out in her awesome review. The wittiness! The badass dialogue resulting in evil snicker-worthy quotes like these:
To achieve dialogue like the above, the characters must be pretty special indeed. And Frank sounds like a wet dream… on paper. He’s mysterious, fluent in seven languages, the Brontë sisters obsessed, ruthless and cold, but also a vigorously blushing assassin with a French accent and handsome looks. You’ll get acquainted with him via the narration of his new protégé, the 16 year old Vincent, who looks like a 12 year old blond haired angel and has a past of foster homes and sexual relations with every male thrice his age that happened to glance his way (which means a lot of men, since they all seem to be instantly attracted to him).
Frank and Vincent possess the kind of mysterious allure that would have drawn me right in if I had been much younger. Unfortunately, the years have made me less perceptive to being impressed with a collection of fascinating characteristics, when the MCs that possess them never live up to them in a manner that rings true. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that both MCs were constructed of random peculiarities to create an image of them being obscurely complex and deep characters.
I just deleted an entire paragraph in which I was beating around the bush sympathetically. A second attempt: This book was neither plot- nor character-driven. Chance Assassin is a long book and it drifted on aimlessly really. There was a lot of ‘telling’ done by the narrator, also about side-characters that were of such little importance to the story, that they didn’t deserve the attention they were given. There were violent, blood and gore filled missions and semi-edgy sex scenes that will be considered ‘approach with caution material’ by some (there are references to underage sex, sexual abuse and when it comes to violence: these guys are assassins, go figure), but I read in, what could best be described as a, Valium-daze. I was mostly unphazed by what should have been thrilling highlights, but were over in the blink of an eye and never posed any form of conflict, a sense of urgency or consequences.
And I’m so sorry, because goddamn, does this author have talent! It just felt like she bit off more than she could chew. An impression that I saw confirmed when reaching the conclusion. She was clueless as to how to wrap things up. Looking back, pondering, I think that Chance Assassin could’ve packed a huge punch if it had started with the knowledge that all would be doomed eventually; that living in the fast lane comes with great highs and, ultimately, a price (think The Secret History by Donna Tartt, where you learn on page one that something terrible has happened and you read on, fascinated and desperate to find out how it will all fall apart). I wonder if adding this sense of impending doom and, automatically, a powerful climax would have helped Chance Assassin to become more of a cult-classic.
“Can I shoot him?” I asked.
“That remains to be seen,” he teased.
“May I shoot him?” I clarified.
“Yes, you may.”
I flashed him an angelic smile. “And may I kill him?”
His ears glowed red and he nodded. “Yes, you may kill him.”
I slid of his lap, kneeling between his legs.
To achieve dialogue like the above, the characters must be pretty special indeed. And Frank sounds like a wet dream… on paper. He’s mysterious, fluent in seven languages, the Brontë sisters obsessed, ruthless and cold, but also a vigorously blushing assassin with a French accent and handsome looks. You’ll get acquainted with him via the narration of his new protégé, the 16 year old Vincent, who looks like a 12 year old blond haired angel and has a past of foster homes and sexual relations with every male thrice his age that happened to glance his way (which means a lot of men, since they all seem to be instantly attracted to him).
Frank and Vincent possess the kind of mysterious allure that would have drawn me right in if I had been much younger. Unfortunately, the years have made me less perceptive to being impressed with a collection of fascinating characteristics, when the MCs that possess them never live up to them in a manner that rings true. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that both MCs were constructed of random peculiarities to create an image of them being obscurely complex and deep characters.
I just deleted an entire paragraph in which I was beating around the bush sympathetically. A second attempt: This book was neither plot- nor character-driven. Chance Assassin is a long book and it drifted on aimlessly really. There was a lot of ‘telling’ done by the narrator, also about side-characters that were of such little importance to the story, that they didn’t deserve the attention they were given. There were violent, blood and gore filled missions and semi-edgy sex scenes that will be considered ‘approach with caution material’ by some (there are references to underage sex, sexual abuse and when it comes to violence: these guys are assassins, go figure), but I read in, what could best be described as a, Valium-daze. I was mostly unphazed by what should have been thrilling highlights, but were over in the blink of an eye and never posed any form of conflict, a sense of urgency or consequences.
And I’m so sorry, because goddamn, does this author have talent! It just felt like she bit off more than she could chew. An impression that I saw confirmed when reaching the conclusion. She was clueless as to how to wrap things up. Looking back, pondering, I think that Chance Assassin could’ve packed a huge punch if it had started with the knowledge that all would be doomed eventually; that living in the fast lane comes with great highs and, ultimately, a price (think The Secret History by Donna Tartt, where you learn on page one that something terrible has happened and you read on, fascinated and desperate to find out how it will all fall apart). I wonder if adding this sense of impending doom and, automatically, a powerful climax would have helped Chance Assassin to become more of a cult-classic.
March 1, 2014
~ ~ ~
Anniversary Price Drop to .99 cents - through 3/5/14
Great bOok, craZy fun read!
http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Assassin...
~ ~ ~
4.75 Stars
Assassins Falling in Love - What could be better?
Quirky
Weird
Twisted
Eccentric
Murder
Death
Blood
Off-beat humor
Confession: I love assassin books.
It feels so wrong, doesn’t it? How could I cheer for the killers, crave to know more about them. Feel sorry for them. Find them Sexy? Maybe it’s that they’re those – oh, so broken, need to be fixed, hate that this is their life characters – that the good girl in me needs to help to... WAIT
**insert record needle scraaaatch here**
That’s not what it is about the Chance Assassin boys that I adore so much. It’s that they’re just so, strange. I mean, really strange. These guys aren’t like anyone else you’ve read about. Sure, they’re broken and I do sort of want to understand them. But, they love what they do. It’s their given talent and what the hell, this is what society made them so this is what you’re gonna get. Guilt free is a very good way to approach this kind of book.
So, like I said, you have these two bad boys, who turn out to be damn good assassins. They’re completely mental and they’re sexy as hell together. Once they finally get together anyway. Plus, Vincent’s cheeky humor surprised the hell out of me. He may know his young life was unfortunate, but he goes with it. Uses it. Survives it. And, he has no shame in using his twinky, good looks to survive. Then there’s shy, reclusive Frank and he is, well…could he just be my assassin? He could shoot me from afar, stab me from behind, strangle me….uh, yeah, just read the book.
THE CHARACTERS
Vincent - Poor beautiful baby. He’s lost his family, been used, abused, homeless and yet, he has a hilarious sense of humor and self-confidence to spare. The story is told from his POV in a sort of, light-hearted, film noir tone.
Frank - To be a great assassin one should be cold, removed, emotionless. Well, that’s the persona Frank tries to convey. But I think he feels too much, cares too much and he really takes care of those he cares about. That is until they piss him off.
We also have a bitch assassin who can completely hold her own, a handler who needs to be handled, and a sweet, innocent, artistic boy in pigtails. Every character was very visual and identifiable.
THE STORY
Frank and Vincent are brought together by a job gone wrong. From there on out they’re sort of stuck together. With hit jobs being the mechanism for carrying the story forward, it’s the quirky, kinky and weird relationship between Frank and V that will keep you hooked. There was a bit of Bonnie and Clyde styling going on here and it worked. The edginess of the each looming assignment had me slightly concerned, but I was just having too much fun to slow down.
THE WRITING
Character development is what it’s all about with Nicole Castle. I found Frank and Vincent completely engrossing. Their bizarre weirdness and perfect blend of opposite natures make them a couple that excited me no end. I can’t wait to read more about them and follow along on more assignments. They’re just too good at this to stop now.
*Update:
Freebie shorts on the authors blog - Greatest Hits
http://nicolecastlegreatesthits.blogs...
~ ~ ~
I want to thank Nicole Castle for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
~ ~ ~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
Anniversary Price Drop to .99 cents - through 3/5/14
Great bOok, craZy fun read!
http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Assassin...
~ ~ ~
4.75 Stars
Assassins Falling in Love - What could be better?
Quirky
Weird
Twisted
Eccentric
Murder
Death
Blood
Off-beat humor
S-T-R-A-N-G-E
Confession: I love assassin books.
It feels so wrong, doesn’t it? How could I cheer for the killers, crave to know more about them. Feel sorry for them. Find them Sexy? Maybe it’s that they’re those – oh, so broken, need to be fixed, hate that this is their life characters – that the good girl in me needs to help to... WAIT
**insert record needle scraaaatch here**
That’s not what it is about the Chance Assassin boys that I adore so much. It’s that they’re just so, strange. I mean, really strange. These guys aren’t like anyone else you’ve read about. Sure, they’re broken and I do sort of want to understand them. But, they love what they do. It’s their given talent and what the hell, this is what society made them so this is what you’re gonna get. Guilt free is a very good way to approach this kind of book.
So, like I said, you have these two bad boys, who turn out to be damn good assassins. They’re completely mental and they’re sexy as hell together. Once they finally get together anyway. Plus, Vincent’s cheeky humor surprised the hell out of me. He may know his young life was unfortunate, but he goes with it. Uses it. Survives it. And, he has no shame in using his twinky, good looks to survive. Then there’s shy, reclusive Frank and he is, well…could he just be my assassin? He could shoot me from afar, stab me from behind, strangle me….uh, yeah, just read the book.
THE CHARACTERS
I got hit on a lot. What could I say? I had a prettier face than most women, and an ass that had turned so many heads I deserved a chiropractic commission.
Vincent - Poor beautiful baby. He’s lost his family, been used, abused, homeless and yet, he has a hilarious sense of humor and self-confidence to spare. The story is told from his POV in a sort of, light-hearted, film noir tone.
Frank had officially passed from the realm of sexy and slightly dangerous to cute and crazy. For a moment I wanted to hide from him, just so I would never again have to see the sociopathic glint in his pretty green eyes.
Frank - To be a great assassin one should be cold, removed, emotionless. Well, that’s the persona Frank tries to convey. But I think he feels too much, cares too much and he really takes care of those he cares about. That is until they piss him off.
We also have a bitch assassin who can completely hold her own, a handler who needs to be handled, and a sweet, innocent, artistic boy in pigtails. Every character was very visual and identifiable.
THE STORY
Frank and Vincent are brought together by a job gone wrong. From there on out they’re sort of stuck together. With hit jobs being the mechanism for carrying the story forward, it’s the quirky, kinky and weird relationship between Frank and V that will keep you hooked. There was a bit of Bonnie and Clyde styling going on here and it worked. The edginess of the each looming assignment had me slightly concerned, but I was just having too much fun to slow down.
THE WRITING
Character development is what it’s all about with Nicole Castle. I found Frank and Vincent completely engrossing. Their bizarre weirdness and perfect blend of opposite natures make them a couple that excited me no end. I can’t wait to read more about them and follow along on more assignments. They’re just too good at this to stop now.
I loved being in Frank's arms. It felt special, being that the only other people he ever picked up were dead.
*Update:
Freebie shorts on the authors blog - Greatest Hits
http://nicolecastlegreatesthits.blogs...
~ ~ ~
I want to thank Nicole Castle for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
~ ~ ~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
July 22, 2016
4.5 Stars, but I'm rounding up here.
Psst... I apologise in advance to my GR buddies for a too long review, I couldn't help myself - sowwwy.
Chance Assassin is Nicole Castle’s debut novel and it is superb. A clever and twisted highly amoral love story - and it is a love story. Just like Natural Born Killers with Micky & Mallory was a love story (ha!) So too is the story of Frank and Vincent. I mean, murdering sociopaths get to fall in love too, don’t they?
The story begins with 16 year old Vincent freezing, bleeding and quite possibly dying when a ‘job’ goes horribly wrong. After making his way back to ‘safety’ he quite literally falls into the arms of the most handsome man he’s ever seen - the man of his dreams. Frank.
Their eyes meet and everything changes …
“I felt a sense of calm wash over me, like the end of a horror show when a commercial comes on to advertise exactly what you need, and suddenly the world is safe and warm and you don’t even have to make up your mind what to eat because of course it’s Snickers and always has been.”
See, totally a love story! Strange, twisted and quirky – it’s my favourite kind.
So, long story made short: Frank is a dark assassin, and Charlie is his handler who wants Vincent dead and Frank? Well …. He likes the mouthy suggestive kid who has more than intrigued him. So he hides Vincent from Charlie and takes him on the road, assuming the role of Vincent’s protector and later his mentor.
The relationship is a power struggle of sorts: Frank tries to keep Vincent innocent and Vincent wants to learn the trade, but more than that he wants in Frank’s pants.
“The idea that Frank was a murderer discouraged my affections less than the knowledge that he hated me. In fact, I was flattered”
Vincent’s fearless tenacity and teasing charm leaves Frank helpless, and thus Vincent becomes V – assassin in training. He’s a natural.
“I really wanted to see him kill again. I salivated at the thought of it. And more than that, I wanted in on the action.”
Now don’t judge V a lunatic from that quote alone please. That’s just his kink and he really doesn’t have a moral code in regard to death. That’s just the way he is, and I can’t blame him.
Vincent’s past is a disturbing one, which I’ll leave for him to tell you about because nobody tells it like Vincent – with detached matter of fact witticism that packs more punch than any sob story. It’s a wonder that he’s still alive really. Alive, but not unaffected.
Vincent is kind of nuts, and the sexy but very scary Frank is an enigma all his own. I’m not about to spoil your fun because discovering them for yourself is the best part. But I will say is that V is funny, loving and deadly - a cute crazy-arsed killer without an ounce of remorse, and I loved him. Frank is the perfect anti-hero: dark, introverted, intelligent, cold blooded killer, sociopath, compulsive obsessive, sexy like the devil makes sexy, paranoid and fiercely protective.
Vincent and Frank are a psychologist’s wet dream; both are uniquely multi-faceted characters who seized my attention absolutely.
The relationship dynamic is disturbing, witty, sexy, scary and sometimes sick. But it’s theirs and theirs alone. You’ll never come across another one like it.
I loved being inside Vincent’s head; every thought is a unique perspective without consequence or repercussion. His vanity never outweighs his shame and his masochism is as much a source of discomfort as it is humour.
“It took all my concentration not to get an erection now that he was being mean to me again. He was really fucking sexy when he was hostile.”
I love uncovering the reason and psychology of socially deplorable characters like Frank and Vincent. Think of Bonnie & Cylde and Micky & Mallory – couples that do bad shit. Their stories are epic and will remain icons forever, no matter how badly they behave. There is murder here and not everyone they kill deserves it, but they are assassins and they got a job to do.
This story might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and a few of V’s kinks are a bit hard to stomach but it never bothered me much. The story is too fascinating, too fresh and just too damn good for me to give a monkey’s about morals and how I should feel about it – I don’t care. I’m too much of a Quentin Tarantino fan to care.
The author has done an awesome job and I treasured every word of V’s narrative, right up until the 85% mark.
The tempo changes and the unwelcome arrival of new characters at this point spoils the mood for me, I couldn’t see a reason for it. Perhaps only to establish a sense of jolly normalcy? Who wants normal when we’ve lived through this epic adventure of murder and mayhem? I don’t. I want guns and glory - not normal!
It just means that for me this novel went from being potentially magnificent, to simply splendid - hence not quite the full 5 stars.
Chance Assassin: A story of Love, Luck and Murder. That’s exactly what this story is about: Love, Luck and Murder - don’t think that the cover is metaphorical either, nope - you can interpret that quite literally.
Chance Assassin is not without flaws but I don’t care. I’ll recommend it for those who can wave goodbye to their morals with the middle finger raised.
Nicole Castle has done a sterling job and I will be stalking her relentlessly to see what she delivers next.
‘Do you want to die? ‘I asked, terrified that he’d say yes.” For you? With you? Willingling. Otherwise,no. Not anymore.” … yeah, totally a love story *sigh*
**End Note: My stalking pays off and Nicole Castle is working on a sequel (YAY!) Which gives that ending a lot more weight. **
Psst... I apologise in advance to my GR buddies for a too long review, I couldn't help myself - sowwwy.
Chance Assassin is Nicole Castle’s debut novel and it is superb. A clever and twisted highly amoral love story - and it is a love story. Just like Natural Born Killers with Micky & Mallory was a love story (ha!) So too is the story of Frank and Vincent. I mean, murdering sociopaths get to fall in love too, don’t they?
The story begins with 16 year old Vincent freezing, bleeding and quite possibly dying when a ‘job’ goes horribly wrong. After making his way back to ‘safety’ he quite literally falls into the arms of the most handsome man he’s ever seen - the man of his dreams. Frank.
Their eyes meet and everything changes …
“I felt a sense of calm wash over me, like the end of a horror show when a commercial comes on to advertise exactly what you need, and suddenly the world is safe and warm and you don’t even have to make up your mind what to eat because of course it’s Snickers and always has been.”
See, totally a love story! Strange, twisted and quirky – it’s my favourite kind.
So, long story made short: Frank is a dark assassin, and Charlie is his handler who wants Vincent dead and Frank? Well …. He likes the mouthy suggestive kid who has more than intrigued him. So he hides Vincent from Charlie and takes him on the road, assuming the role of Vincent’s protector and later his mentor.
The relationship is a power struggle of sorts: Frank tries to keep Vincent innocent and Vincent wants to learn the trade, but more than that he wants in Frank’s pants.
“The idea that Frank was a murderer discouraged my affections less than the knowledge that he hated me. In fact, I was flattered”
Vincent’s fearless tenacity and teasing charm leaves Frank helpless, and thus Vincent becomes V – assassin in training. He’s a natural.
“I really wanted to see him kill again. I salivated at the thought of it. And more than that, I wanted in on the action.”
Now don’t judge V a lunatic from that quote alone please. That’s just his kink and he really doesn’t have a moral code in regard to death. That’s just the way he is, and I can’t blame him.
Vincent’s past is a disturbing one, which I’ll leave for him to tell you about because nobody tells it like Vincent – with detached matter of fact witticism that packs more punch than any sob story. It’s a wonder that he’s still alive really. Alive, but not unaffected.
Vincent is kind of nuts, and the sexy but very scary Frank is an enigma all his own. I’m not about to spoil your fun because discovering them for yourself is the best part. But I will say is that V is funny, loving and deadly - a cute crazy-arsed killer without an ounce of remorse, and I loved him. Frank is the perfect anti-hero: dark, introverted, intelligent, cold blooded killer, sociopath, compulsive obsessive, sexy like the devil makes sexy, paranoid and fiercely protective.
Vincent and Frank are a psychologist’s wet dream; both are uniquely multi-faceted characters who seized my attention absolutely.
The relationship dynamic is disturbing, witty, sexy, scary and sometimes sick. But it’s theirs and theirs alone. You’ll never come across another one like it.
I loved being inside Vincent’s head; every thought is a unique perspective without consequence or repercussion. His vanity never outweighs his shame and his masochism is as much a source of discomfort as it is humour.
“It took all my concentration not to get an erection now that he was being mean to me again. He was really fucking sexy when he was hostile.”
I love uncovering the reason and psychology of socially deplorable characters like Frank and Vincent. Think of Bonnie & Cylde and Micky & Mallory – couples that do bad shit. Their stories are epic and will remain icons forever, no matter how badly they behave. There is murder here and not everyone they kill deserves it, but they are assassins and they got a job to do.
This story might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and a few of V’s kinks are a bit hard to stomach but it never bothered me much. The story is too fascinating, too fresh and just too damn good for me to give a monkey’s about morals and how I should feel about it – I don’t care. I’m too much of a Quentin Tarantino fan to care.
The author has done an awesome job and I treasured every word of V’s narrative, right up until the 85% mark.
The tempo changes and the unwelcome arrival of new characters at this point spoils the mood for me, I couldn’t see a reason for it. Perhaps only to establish a sense of jolly normalcy? Who wants normal when we’ve lived through this epic adventure of murder and mayhem? I don’t. I want guns and glory - not normal!
It just means that for me this novel went from being potentially magnificent, to simply splendid - hence not quite the full 5 stars.
Chance Assassin: A story of Love, Luck and Murder. That’s exactly what this story is about: Love, Luck and Murder - don’t think that the cover is metaphorical either, nope - you can interpret that quite literally.
Chance Assassin is not without flaws but I don’t care. I’ll recommend it for those who can wave goodbye to their morals with the middle finger raised.
Nicole Castle has done a sterling job and I will be stalking her relentlessly to see what she delivers next.
‘Do you want to die? ‘I asked, terrified that he’d say yes.” For you? With you? Willingling. Otherwise,no. Not anymore.” … yeah, totally a love story *sigh*
**End Note: My stalking pays off and Nicole Castle is working on a sequel (YAY!) Which gives that ending a lot more weight. **
July 31, 2014
I’d never been a very good Catholic. I wasn’t fond of guilt, and our church didn’t employ any of those handsy priests I’d heard such delightful things about, so I saw no reason to attend.It occurs to me that I use the words “love” & “awesome” a little too freely.
Oh, and “fuck.” I definitely say that word too [fucking] much.
I say this because I want you to know, whoever you are reading this, that when I say…
I…
Fucking…
LOVE…
this book…
This book is FUCKING AWESOME.
I really, really mean it.
I knew I had no bullets, but even so, I didn’t want to aim it any closer to my future husband than needed.I read 535 books last year, almost entirely in MM, not counting the rereads, and this was the absolute best. The standout.
Maybe I love it so much because it was unexpected. I hadn’t read any reviews, or heard anything by way of internet word-of-mouth. I’d never heard of the author (I think she’s self-published? Maybe?).
I bought it because I liked the cover & I needed a change from my usual diabetic fare.
I took a chance, and lo, was richly rewarded.
I loved being in Frank’s arms. It felt special, being that the only other people he ever picked up were dead.I have never enjoyed reading about 2 people roaming the US on an assassin-killing spree so much. I never thought I would actually enjoy anything like that. I like books about criminals & assassins but I’ve never giggled & felt turned on while reading about (not a major spoiler, but if you don’t want to know any details, please don’t click).
Frankly, it’s ludicrous. I don’t even like Natural Born Killers!
(I think it helps that while both seem to have anti-social personality disorders, they do have a moral code.)
I’d created a mental dictionary of Frankspeak, so when he said he’d break my fingers it meant he cared about me, and I’ll break your neck was I love you. Threatening to kill me was the best. That translated to I want to fuck you on the floor right now, but I’m shy so you’ll have to tear my clothes off me first.But Nicole Castle created such great characters—Vincent and Frank are so perfect together and even the baddies are fantastic.
I could’ve read this book forever.
I can see why some people were disappointed in the last quarter or so of the book. There is a definite & sudden change in tone. But reader-me, who was mind-boggled with love for these characters, (**whispers**) really didn’t mind. I was too happy with the book overall to care about the imperfect ending.
So, in my firmest, most serious tone I say unto thee, please read this book.
Buy this book, for yourself, for your friends, for those friends of your friends who you not-so-secretly dislike & are really kinda jealous of.
(But not for your mother, ‘cause if she’s anything like mine, she’s too busy reading a diet book about sneaking vegetables into gluten free brownies to read anything AWESOME like this.)
Or, you know what? You can borrow it from me. Just ask!
How could I not be in love with a man who folded something after strangling me with it?
07/30/2014
After the 367th reread I have to say....STILL AWESOME. Still FUCKING awesome! And as for the ending...
July 16, 2015
When I first read the names of the characters, I remembered Vince and Jules from Pulp Fiction.
They are nothing alike. Except for the bickering. And being capable of doing anything. No scruples or regrets. And the loyalty. They complement each other.
Vincent is a minor, he has not read a whole book in his life, he watches TV till his brain explodes. Frank is much older, he has not seen a film in his life, and reads the same book again and again till the words leak out of his ears.
Frank is naïve. Vincent is just the opposite.
Frank kills for a living. Vincent has just killed to save his life.
Vincent talks too much. Frank is believed to be mute.
They are so different it’s a wonder to find something in common. They share the fascination for a life leaving a person’s eyes.
And they also share the feeling they can’t live without each other.
Everything about them can be described with superlatives and still form a single soul.
This book is a bit perverse. A bit pervert. A bit crazy. A bit depraved. A bit sick. A bit degenerate. A bit immoral. A bit decadent. A bit disturbing. Ok, now forget about the “bits”.
I totally loved this book. The writing is superb. It wraps Vincent’s thoughts and feelings in a dense and delicious flavor. I must say, in spite of the style being that dark and that macabre (or maybe just because of it), it was hot as hell. I don’t want to think about what that says about me as a person.
I love psychos. It’s not that just because a MC is nuts I will automatically love the novel. But it’s demonstrated by my read shelf that I end up enjoying those books immensely. Maybe I have such good luck. Maybe only brave authors dare to write about them. The thing is, reading about madmen is like a drug for me: once I taste it, I can’t quit. But it has to be good stuff.
This book is depraved as hell. And convincing, too. The MC are assassins and they are not sorry for killing people. In fact, they experience something as magnificent as an orgasm at the prospect of murdering someone. The sex is intense, too. It’s not described profusely, but now and then, while narrating, Vincent unexpectedly inserts one scene that completely disarms me and short-circuits my neurons.
The form is beautiful and poetic in a way that each word is well selected to almost ensemble a song. It sounds like music to my ears. And the content is shocking and amazing, making it all mesmerizing and fascinating.
I love black humor, and this book has it in spades. It was fun and high quality.
I’m aware the ending was disappointing for some readers, that it even spoiled the whole book. Let’s face it, it’s a bit anticlimatic, but I don’t believe it’s that bad. What I complain about is the epilogue. It’s cheesy and sappy. It reminded me of the Harry Potter’s end. And that’s not a compliment.
A compelling reading. I absolutely loved it. But based on the plot and reviews of the second book, I’m not sure I’ll read it. I’m not really interested in seeing the sequel of the epilogue, how they manage to have an “ordinary” life amongst “ordinary” people after their lives being that unsetting. It’s unfair. It’s like saying “Yeah, they were bad, but now they are redeeming themselves acting good.” No, I don’t want them to be forgiven, or justified. They are bad and bad they will be. For me, at least.
March 14, 2013
4,5 stars
Let`s start at the end and why I didn`t give the full five stars.
As much as I liked Vincent`s - the hot-blooded, underage rookie-assassin - voice as first person POV, as much as I laughed and cried with him, fell in love with Frank - the cold-blooded super-assassin - right with him; the HEA was kind of a let down. This is a romance and they are supposed to live happy ever after but did they deserve a HEA ? Um....no!
For once I would have prefered a bad ending to an unusual and highly entertaining romance. Going down in a hail of bullets - in a blaze of glory, Bonnie and Claude-style - would have made this cotton candy for depraved minds-story a truly outstanding read, IMO!
Might be just me - forget it...;-)
I found the character-developments of Vincent and Frank - through Vincent`s eyes - fascinating. Slowly revealing the why`s and how`s throughout the story in bits and pieces - kept me glued to the pages.
A violent and passionate love affair coming from imperturbable, well placed trust at first sight.
I don`t want to think about what would have happened to Vincent if he didn`t meet Frank. On the other side it would have saved many peoples lives. The corpses pile high on our two lovebirds roadtrip of death and destruction.
Great secondary characters - sleazy Charlie, Frank`s handler who saved Vincent from the streets and later his worst enemy, Frank`s chosen `family` - his little brother Casey and some really scary women...
Very well written story without a single boring page, a lovestory without angst or unnecessary conflicts (as funny as that may sound) - loved it.
If you want to know if this is a book for you just take a closer look at the cover...the bleeding heart isn`t meant figuratively...
Warmly recommended!
Let`s start at the end and why I didn`t give the full five stars.
As much as I liked Vincent`s - the hot-blooded, underage rookie-assassin - voice as first person POV, as much as I laughed and cried with him, fell in love with Frank - the cold-blooded super-assassin - right with him; the HEA was kind of a let down. This is a romance and they are supposed to live happy ever after but did they deserve a HEA ? Um....no!
For once I would have prefered a bad ending to an unusual and highly entertaining romance. Going down in a hail of bullets - in a blaze of glory, Bonnie and Claude-style - would have made this cotton candy for depraved minds-story a truly outstanding read, IMO!
Might be just me - forget it...;-)
I found the character-developments of Vincent and Frank - through Vincent`s eyes - fascinating. Slowly revealing the why`s and how`s throughout the story in bits and pieces - kept me glued to the pages.
A violent and passionate love affair coming from imperturbable, well placed trust at first sight.
I don`t want to think about what would have happened to Vincent if he didn`t meet Frank. On the other side it would have saved many peoples lives. The corpses pile high on our two lovebirds roadtrip of death and destruction.
Great secondary characters - sleazy Charlie, Frank`s handler who saved Vincent from the streets and later his worst enemy, Frank`s chosen `family` - his little brother Casey and some really scary women...
Very well written story without a single boring page, a lovestory without angst or unnecessary conflicts (as funny as that may sound) - loved it.
If you want to know if this is a book for you just take a closer look at the cover...the bleeding heart isn`t meant figuratively...
Warmly recommended!
March 20, 2013
0 - 76% = 3.95 stars
77 - 100% = 1.5 average (some bits are a 5, some are a 0.02)
The last quarter managed to thoroughly and methodically negate everything I enjoyed about the first 3/4. Except when .
I think the author got lost, and didn't know how to finish the book. They need an editor. A real editor, not a copy editor. Because there's such potential here.
Weasel, a note just for you:
77 - 100% = 1.5 average (some bits are a 5, some are a 0.02)
The last quarter managed to thoroughly and methodically negate everything I enjoyed about the first 3/4. Except when .
I think the author got lost, and didn't know how to finish the book. They need an editor. A real editor, not a copy editor. Because there's such potential here.
Weasel, a note just for you:
July 30, 2016
3, 5 stars that could have been 10 stars!
I have to calm me down first.
I can't remember when I was THAT pissed off last time after finishing a book!
The last 15% ruined the whole book for me.
It was 5 awesome stars to 85% and 1,5 WTF-stars for the last 15%.
I can't believe it!!! VERY VERY PITY.
Let me talk about the first 85%.
Unusual love story. LOVE IT.
Unusual main characters. LOVE IT.
Unusual POV. LOVE IT A LOT.
Unusual writing. LOVE IT.
All this together was a real page turner and made an excellent thrilling read for me. An addictive and totally crazy mixture out of Natural born killers and Léon: The Professional.
The last 15%...
The good news: HEA.
The bad news: it was simply BAD.
Without any logic and without any sense.
WHY?
An appearance of some new characters that I didn't really understand, that I didn't like and didn't feel.
I am not against the HEA, I am a big fan of the HEA. But if it made at the expense of the plot, the characters, all possible sanity, sense and credibility I don't need it.
Simply strange. Not in a good meaning.
Have I said already that I am pissed off?! I AM!!
Still I would highly recommend this unusual debut novel.
Because 85% of the book was simply ingenious and this 85% belongs to the top 10 of the year 2013 for me.
October 13, 2014
Amazing debut. I can't wait for more by Nicole Castle! Little secret: she said on her blog that she's going to write more about Vincent and Frank, but there's nothing decided yet. I'll be stalking her.
Chance Assassin: A Story of Love, Luck and Murder
or, An international super assassin in love with an emotionally unbalanced kid from Podunk, Illinois.
There's no need to talk about the plot, because it's in the blurb up there, but it definitely delivered everything I wanted and more.
I loved loved loved Vincent's voice. It was compelling and sympathetic. He's a tough kid with a vulnerable side he shows almost unconsciously when talking about himself...
I'd always taken pleasure in wearing clothing that didn't belong to me, especially if it came from somebody I cared about or desired. It made me feel like I was wanted; secure, as if anyone who saw me would know I was spoken for just because my shirt was too big.
...and man, does he know how to tell a story! The facts of his life are spread evenly throughout the book, so there's no infodump in the beginning.
Vincent and Frank share an immediate connection that the author makes natural and not rushed; from there, it only gets better, with Vincent slowly seducing and corrupting the sexually innocent Frank and at the same time being almost childishly infatuated, seduced by Frank's every glance or touch.
Their relationship develops slowly, and then with a burst in the middle of the novel, always loving and protective on either side. Frank takes care of Vincent without pushing him over his limits and Vincent understands him and helps him in a more psychological way, getting him to open up and trust him.
I brought my hand to my lips and gently placed it on his shoulder, wondering whether this was how he felt after a job where I played bait; invincible. It wasn't about money. I'd killed someone who intended to harm the person I loved. I'd protected him.
Nicole Castle has a very interesting and distinctive writing style that definitely worked for me and uses creative ways to describe situations and people through Vincent's voice.
He smelled like he'd extinguished a full ashtray with a bottle of cheap cologne.
Despite all these merits, I did have a few niggles with Chance Assassin.
One of these is the violence and death in the book. It's not that I have a problem with them per se, but I didn't quite understand how they fit in Frank and Vincent's relationship. Vincent is remarkably unfazed by Frank's job and has a very, um, open attitude towards killing people. He also accepts violence from Frank very easily – it's not really described, just mentioned in passing and explained as a way for Frank to be listened to and respected, but it's not explored in depth and has apparently no substantial reason.
Also, I found a few typos – very few, but still annoying, because the genitive/plural confusion is a big personal pet peeve of mine. And... Minolo Blahnik shoes? Some cheap knock-offs, are they?
Final quote – this one describes perfectly the sexual side of Frank and Vincent's relationship:
I was his fire, one look boiling his blood and turning him from a man who'd blush at a dirty word to one who'd make me feel like a virgin again, shying away from the scandalous things he whispered in my ear while he made lick my come off his fingers.
Chance Assassin: A Story of Love, Luck and Murder
or, An international super assassin in love with an emotionally unbalanced kid from Podunk, Illinois.
There's no need to talk about the plot, because it's in the blurb up there, but it definitely delivered everything I wanted and more.
I loved loved loved Vincent's voice. It was compelling and sympathetic. He's a tough kid with a vulnerable side he shows almost unconsciously when talking about himself...
I'd always taken pleasure in wearing clothing that didn't belong to me, especially if it came from somebody I cared about or desired. It made me feel like I was wanted; secure, as if anyone who saw me would know I was spoken for just because my shirt was too big.
...and man, does he know how to tell a story! The facts of his life are spread evenly throughout the book, so there's no infodump in the beginning.
Vincent and Frank share an immediate connection that the author makes natural and not rushed; from there, it only gets better, with Vincent slowly seducing and corrupting the sexually innocent Frank and at the same time being almost childishly infatuated, seduced by Frank's every glance or touch.
Their relationship develops slowly, and then with a burst in the middle of the novel, always loving and protective on either side. Frank takes care of Vincent without pushing him over his limits and Vincent understands him and helps him in a more psychological way, getting him to open up and trust him.
I brought my hand to my lips and gently placed it on his shoulder, wondering whether this was how he felt after a job where I played bait; invincible. It wasn't about money. I'd killed someone who intended to harm the person I loved. I'd protected him.
Nicole Castle has a very interesting and distinctive writing style that definitely worked for me and uses creative ways to describe situations and people through Vincent's voice.
He smelled like he'd extinguished a full ashtray with a bottle of cheap cologne.
Despite all these merits, I did have a few niggles with Chance Assassin.
One of these is the violence and death in the book. It's not that I have a problem with them per se, but I didn't quite understand how they fit in Frank and Vincent's relationship. Vincent is remarkably unfazed by Frank's job and has a very, um, open attitude towards killing people. He also accepts violence from Frank very easily – it's not really described, just mentioned in passing and explained as a way for Frank to be listened to and respected, but it's not explored in depth and has apparently no substantial reason.
Also, I found a few typos – very few, but still annoying, because the genitive/plural confusion is a big personal pet peeve of mine. And... Minolo Blahnik shoes? Some cheap knock-offs, are they?
Final quote – this one describes perfectly the sexual side of Frank and Vincent's relationship:
I was his fire, one look boiling his blood and turning him from a man who'd blush at a dirty word to one who'd make me feel like a virgin again, shying away from the scandalous things he whispered in my ear while he made lick my come off his fingers.
July 31, 2015
DNF @ 20%
I know I'm gonna be in the minority for this. And I probably didn't give this book enough of a chance. I love violence, and serial killers, and sociopaths galore. Yum! Throw in some blood play and non-con scenes and I'm like a five year old boy who just got the firetruck toy of his dreams for his birthday.
But Chance Assassin just hit all the wrong buttons for me, and I found myself skimming by 10%. My first problem was Vincent. He's six months away from being seventeen, and has pretty much lived an abused life after being orphaned from a car accident. Which is a great setup for a really messed up would-be assassin, but the whole "I look like a fourteen year old that every woman and man wants to fuck" just rubbed me the wrong way. Sorry, but I like my assassin stories to be from people who acted a little less pouty.
And Frank was okay from the little I read of him thus far. But his blushing countenance and obvious sexual desires for a "kid" who looks prepubescent (yet makes it known that everyone wants sexually) doesn't do much for me.
Even getting to the scenes of murder didn't do much. Maybe I'm just desensitized, or my expectations were higher. *shrugs* I just don't have a high tolerance for soldiering on with a book that could potentially get better later on when I'm struggling with it so much in the beginning.
I know I'm gonna be in the minority for this. And I probably didn't give this book enough of a chance. I love violence, and serial killers, and sociopaths galore. Yum! Throw in some blood play and non-con scenes and I'm like a five year old boy who just got the firetruck toy of his dreams for his birthday.
But Chance Assassin just hit all the wrong buttons for me, and I found myself skimming by 10%. My first problem was Vincent. He's six months away from being seventeen, and has pretty much lived an abused life after being orphaned from a car accident. Which is a great setup for a really messed up would-be assassin, but the whole "I look like a fourteen year old that every woman and man wants to fuck" just rubbed me the wrong way. Sorry, but I like my assassin stories to be from people who acted a little less pouty.
And Frank was okay from the little I read of him thus far. But his blushing countenance and obvious sexual desires for a "kid" who looks prepubescent (yet makes it known that everyone wants sexually) doesn't do much for me.
Even getting to the scenes of murder didn't do much. Maybe I'm just desensitized, or my expectations were higher. *shrugs* I just don't have a high tolerance for soldiering on with a book that could potentially get better later on when I'm struggling with it so much in the beginning.
November 29, 2014
I was all set to give this book five stars. How could I not love it? It has strains of Natural Born Killers and The Professional, and reminded me strongly of Richard Rider's genius Stockholm Syndrome. It was so very close to being perfect. But it fell apart in the last quarter, when too many things were happening at once. This book, pared down to just Vincent and Frank, would have been sublime. It was funny in places, yes, but there was an underlying intensity that stemmed from the these two damaged MCs finding each other through the morass of their respective lives. I wanted things to be tough for them, I wanted them to suffer a little and come through all of that together, just the two them against the world. Instead, the last 20% or so was a bit of a mess. I felt like the author added all these unnecessary secondary characters and it just clogged up the narrative. I also had minor issues with inconsistent characterization (especially with Frank) but I'll leave everyone to make up their own minds about him.
Sorry, that was my little rant for the day. It really is a good book if you can overlook my niggles. It's well-written and ridiculous and compassionate. Overall, I enjoyed it tremendously and will happily read any forthcoming works from this author.
Sorry, that was my little rant for the day. It really is a good book if you can overlook my niggles. It's well-written and ridiculous and compassionate. Overall, I enjoyed it tremendously and will happily read any forthcoming works from this author.
May 27, 2016
This is the craziest book I've read in a long time. The relationship between Vincent and Frank is all kinds of nuts and really somewhat sweet, and I could not get enough of these two.
When we meet Vincent, he is just shy of his 17th birthday, homeless and broke and bleeding out from a knife wound. He manages to make it to the hotel room of Charlie when the door is answered by Frank, the man of his dreams, just before he passes out. We start to get the story of Frank and his handler Charlie, as Vincent does all he can to stay by the mysterious Frank's side. Frank takes care of Vincent and soon the two embark on a bloody road trip from one hit job to another.
What makes this book tick is that Frank and Vincent love what they are doing. They take great joy in the stalking and the killing. They also have an intense love and loyalty for each other. Underneath all of that are two men who have suffered greatly during their lives, and still find comfort in mundane things (Vincent's love of soap operas and sarcastic humor and Frank memorizing classic literature). Charlie is all kinds of sleazy and a good villain. If you are a fan of the movies Natural Born Killers and Pulp Fiction, this book will work for you.
When we meet Vincent, he is just shy of his 17th birthday, homeless and broke and bleeding out from a knife wound. He manages to make it to the hotel room of Charlie when the door is answered by Frank, the man of his dreams, just before he passes out. We start to get the story of Frank and his handler Charlie, as Vincent does all he can to stay by the mysterious Frank's side. Frank takes care of Vincent and soon the two embark on a bloody road trip from one hit job to another.
What makes this book tick is that Frank and Vincent love what they are doing. They take great joy in the stalking and the killing. They also have an intense love and loyalty for each other. Underneath all of that are two men who have suffered greatly during their lives, and still find comfort in mundane things (Vincent's love of soap operas and sarcastic humor and Frank memorizing classic literature). Charlie is all kinds of sleazy and a good villain. If you are a fan of the movies Natural Born Killers and Pulp Fiction, this book will work for you.
August 10, 2013
What. The. Fuck?!?!?
This book was all kinds of sick, twisted, insane, depraved, perverted awesomeness...
...until the end.
When I first started reading, I thought, "Oh this is gonna be so good!" Then about a third of the way through I was feeling a bit green at all the horrifying events happening and I had to put the book down and assure myself that no, I am NOT a pedophile; I'm just reading about one. I had to go read about some rock stars (love you Evan and Jesse!) to cleanse my palate before I could pick up the book again.
I went back to the book and justadored enjoyed all the fucked-upedness (I made a new word!) that was going on. About 77% into it I had to stop and make sure I was still reading the same book. Gone was Vincent's insane mind. Gone was Frank's sociopathic behavior. Then at the very end the whole book took a WRONG turn and I ended up on the doorstep of the Waltons. WTF???
I almost DNF'd at 98%. The ending was just that bad for me.
Damn! This book had so much potential to be on my best of the freakin' best shelf but the ending just ruined everything for me. What a shame.
This book was all kinds of sick, twisted, insane, depraved, perverted awesomeness...
...until the end.
When I first started reading, I thought, "Oh this is gonna be so good!" Then about a third of the way through I was feeling a bit green at all the horrifying events happening and I had to put the book down and assure myself that no, I am NOT a pedophile; I'm just reading about one. I had to go read about some rock stars (love you Evan and Jesse!) to cleanse my palate before I could pick up the book again.
I went back to the book and just
I almost DNF'd at 98%. The ending was just that bad for me.
Damn! This book had so much potential to be on my best of the freakin' best shelf but the ending just ruined everything for me. What a shame.
June 7, 2015
2.5 Stars
The idea of this book was great, but it failed in execution. I'll keep this short and sweet. I had problems with it from the beginning. I never bought the reason why
The middle dragged and there was a lot of telling and not showing. I was bored with the repetitive training, plus none of "their jobs" brought anything new to the table. The ending made no sense and did not fit who Frank was. There was no need for any of the new characters that made an appearance at the end. The only part I liked at this point was That was justice and fitting the characters.
I didn't think this was all bad. I liked Vincent's sense of humor and Frank's mysteriousness. They made a great team in every way.
The idea of this book was great, but it failed in execution. I'll keep this short and sweet. I had problems with it from the beginning. I never bought the reason why
The middle dragged and there was a lot of telling and not showing. I was bored with the repetitive training, plus none of "their jobs" brought anything new to the table. The ending made no sense and did not fit who Frank was. There was no need for any of the new characters that made an appearance at the end. The only part I liked at this point was That was justice and fitting the characters.
I didn't think this was all bad. I liked Vincent's sense of humor and Frank's mysteriousness. They made a great team in every way.
September 14, 2013
DONE! :D Wow, I haven't read a book this fun in a long while. I love bad guys in love and assassins who aren't crybaby-pussycats which is often the case with romance novels (or they end up being undercover cops and actually all nice and good ;) )
I loved the dynamic between Vincent and Frank. Vincent's narration had me laughing out loud lots of times and his cold blooded attitude, excitement about aggression and murder was an exciting addition. I love being taken on a journey by an author and Frank and Vincent were fantastic, multidimensional characters :).
The language and descriptions are fantastic. SO funny and SO appropriate for the characters. Some of the pop-culture based metaphors were so brilliant I stopped and had to re-read them.
I'll just put in some of my status updates as well:
""I'd gone from homeless to hospital chic with one well-placed knife."
Ha ha, brilliant. I'm hooked :D"
"I am SO excited about this book! Jackpot! The characters are fun-fucking-tastic. I usually hate first person pov and didn't even notice it much here. Shows how a good writer can make things work.
Vincent's internal narration is exactly what I love - he is flawed, but often doesn't notice it himself, the reader is trusted to see it for themselves. I like when an author doesn't assume I have the brain of a monkey."
"NNn!!! I want to read on, but I want to savor it longer, so I have to stop. One thing I have to say though - wow. The sex was freaking scorching. The characters have such real reactions and the way their relationship progresses so slowly is very realistic as well <3"
"Frank and V on the beach reminded me of 'By the Sea' song from Sweeney Todd haha With Frank all broody and V chirpy ;D"
The few things I didn't like that much (but don't diminish the general enjoyment, so it's still a 5* :) ):
-I didn't really care about the characters introduced at the very end. I really didn't need Maggie's and Casey's life story and be told just how cool they are. After what Vincent's been through in his life, he seems a bit too open to them. Frank is another thing, because we don't get his pov and keep learning new things about him.
-There was a lot of *talk* of sex, Vincent reminiscing on what they did or for how long, but the reader is rarely put on the spot, with focus on the sensory aspects of sex. I think the first time they had sex was great, really emotional and hot. But then again, it is the style in which the whole book is written, with Vincent often going back and describing stuff that had happened, so it fits. I'm only saying I prefer sex more detailed and prolonged ;D
All I have to say is: Bring on the sequel! :)
I loved the dynamic between Vincent and Frank. Vincent's narration had me laughing out loud lots of times and his cold blooded attitude, excitement about aggression and murder was an exciting addition. I love being taken on a journey by an author and Frank and Vincent were fantastic, multidimensional characters :).
The language and descriptions are fantastic. SO funny and SO appropriate for the characters. Some of the pop-culture based metaphors were so brilliant I stopped and had to re-read them.
I'll just put in some of my status updates as well:
""I'd gone from homeless to hospital chic with one well-placed knife."
Ha ha, brilliant. I'm hooked :D"
"I am SO excited about this book! Jackpot! The characters are fun-fucking-tastic. I usually hate first person pov and didn't even notice it much here. Shows how a good writer can make things work.
Vincent's internal narration is exactly what I love - he is flawed, but often doesn't notice it himself, the reader is trusted to see it for themselves. I like when an author doesn't assume I have the brain of a monkey."
"NNn!!! I want to read on, but I want to savor it longer, so I have to stop. One thing I have to say though - wow. The sex was freaking scorching. The characters have such real reactions and the way their relationship progresses so slowly is very realistic as well <3"
"Frank and V on the beach reminded me of 'By the Sea' song from Sweeney Todd haha With Frank all broody and V chirpy ;D"
The few things I didn't like that much (but don't diminish the general enjoyment, so it's still a 5* :) ):
-I didn't really care about the characters introduced at the very end. I really didn't need Maggie's and Casey's life story and be told just how cool they are. After what Vincent's been through in his life, he seems a bit too open to them. Frank is another thing, because we don't get his pov and keep learning new things about him.
-There was a lot of *talk* of sex, Vincent reminiscing on what they did or for how long, but the reader is rarely put on the spot, with focus on the sensory aspects of sex. I think the first time they had sex was great, really emotional and hot. But then again, it is the style in which the whole book is written, with Vincent often going back and describing stuff that had happened, so it fits. I'm only saying I prefer sex more detailed and prolonged ;D
All I have to say is: Bring on the sequel! :)
July 9, 2018
I LOVED THIS!
Oh, I would want Antony Star to be Frank....
I mean....
Oh, yes..Perfect Frank...really...see
Okay...my brain just fizzled out looking at Antony Star.
But really this book was great. It didn't shy away from being killers. No crap like..."Oh, I only kill bad guys" Or passing on a job because of ethics. Cheating husband? BANG! Testifying against a drug lord? BANG? Stole my parking spot? BANG! Refreshing that the author didn't try to make Frank into an ethical killer.
I did get a little emotional, and wanted to stop Frank from killing one time. Reminded me of Jax in SOA killing Gemma.
I am looking forward to future stories with Vincent and Frank.
One more...because DAMN!
Okay, I'm done.
~~~~~~~~~~
I came to write my review and fell down the Antony Starr gif hole again.
I had pretty much the same reaction as the first time around.
While you root for Vincent and Frank their jobs as assassins isn't glorified. They aren't the good guys. They'll complete a hit on someone for taking your parking spot.
Vincent gets off on the kills. But I still loved them.
My only worry is for the next book. How will retirement change them.
I don't want them to go soft. I like them ruthless, except when it comes to each other, and the ones they care about.
GAHHH Charlie! Although I never liked him, it was still rough to watch his and Franks final moments together.
Oh, I would want Antony Star to be Frank....
I mean....
Oh, yes..Perfect Frank...really...see
Okay...my brain just fizzled out looking at Antony Star.
But really this book was great. It didn't shy away from being killers. No crap like..."Oh, I only kill bad guys" Or passing on a job because of ethics. Cheating husband? BANG! Testifying against a drug lord? BANG? Stole my parking spot? BANG! Refreshing that the author didn't try to make Frank into an ethical killer.
I did get a little emotional, and wanted to stop Frank from killing one time. Reminded me of Jax in SOA killing Gemma.
I am looking forward to future stories with Vincent and Frank.
One more...because DAMN!
Okay, I'm done.
~~~~~~~~~~
I came to write my review and fell down the Antony Starr gif hole again.
I had pretty much the same reaction as the first time around.
While you root for Vincent and Frank their jobs as assassins isn't glorified. They aren't the good guys. They'll complete a hit on someone for taking your parking spot.
Vincent gets off on the kills. But I still loved them.
My only worry is for the next book. How will retirement change them.
I don't want them to go soft. I like them ruthless, except when it comes to each other, and the ones they care about.
GAHHH Charlie! Although I never liked him, it was still rough to watch his and Franks final moments together.
September 1, 2013
Intensely bleak brat fic. Tall, dark and deranged assassin meets horribly abused boy with the looks of an angel and the morals of an alley cat. Love, redemption and numerous violent murders ensue. HEA. I am somewhat gobsmacked.
October 9, 2016
One of the best WTF books that i ever read.
Todo, absolutamente todo de este libro es un espectacular what the mierd grande como una casa. Desde los personajes, totalmente desequilibrados, psicópatas, narcisistas, perversos, pero tan ADORABLES, hasta la historia muy fuera de lo habitual, con un estilo de humor bien oscuro, con giros repentinos que por momentos me hicieron dudar si estaban faltando palabras o párrafos enteros o si me estaba fallando la cabeza, que eso no lo dudo eh, pero en serio, en varias oportunidades tuve que releer capítulos completos y me quedaba mirando al horizonte con una cara de lechuga olímpica. Y aunque le falta bastante trabajo a la edición y se notan errores grosos de gramática y temporales y un golpe de horno no le vendría nada mal, creo que la autora y su creatividad se merecen un fuerte aplauso.
Lo mejor de la historia, el vínculo entre los personajes principales. Frank y Vincent aka ¨Frankie boy & V.¨ *grito bien agudo* Ellos son pura química, y llevan a cabo conversaciones demensiales y absolutamente divertidas en situaciones límites. Dos personajes bien intensos y antagónicos con pasados escabroso, no pueden tener una relación lánguida, así que acá encontramos una conexión apasionante desde el comienzo. Hay sexo kinky. Hay aventuras. Hay angst y hay amor poco convencional de color rojo sangre, pero amor al fin.
Entonces, si te gustan las historias descaradas, con toques de humor, muerte, mucha sangre y pesonajes bien retorcidos pero que en el fondo son osos de peluche, en donde la salud mental está en tela de juicio constantemente, acá está tu libro.
Para cerrar, ¿alguién más vio a Pip y a Lindsey Stockholm Syndrome acá? Yo sí. ♥♥♥
Todo, absolutamente todo de este libro es un espectacular what the mierd grande como una casa. Desde los personajes, totalmente desequilibrados, psicópatas, narcisistas, perversos, pero tan ADORABLES, hasta la historia muy fuera de lo habitual, con un estilo de humor bien oscuro, con giros repentinos que por momentos me hicieron dudar si estaban faltando palabras o párrafos enteros o si me estaba fallando la cabeza, que eso no lo dudo eh, pero en serio, en varias oportunidades tuve que releer capítulos completos y me quedaba mirando al horizonte con una cara de lechuga olímpica. Y aunque le falta bastante trabajo a la edición y se notan errores grosos de gramática y temporales y un golpe de horno no le vendría nada mal, creo que la autora y su creatividad se merecen un fuerte aplauso.
Lo mejor de la historia, el vínculo entre los personajes principales. Frank y Vincent aka ¨Frankie boy & V.¨ *grito bien agudo* Ellos son pura química, y llevan a cabo conversaciones demensiales y absolutamente divertidas en situaciones límites. Dos personajes bien intensos y antagónicos con pasados escabroso, no pueden tener una relación lánguida, así que acá encontramos una conexión apasionante desde el comienzo. Hay sexo kinky. Hay aventuras. Hay angst y hay amor poco convencional de color rojo sangre, pero amor al fin.
“Frank was already teaching me tons of fancy new words, like sodomy and fellatio and analingus, when I thought blowjob and butt-fucking were technical terms. And he described everything so romantically, sharing my body and tasting me instead of just saying he wanted to fuck my brains out or eat my ass. My favorite was la petite morte. Little death. Orgasms. It was no wonder the French had such a reputation for seduction. What he could do with his tongue alone was worth storming the beaches. And that was without being able to breathe out of his nose.”
Entonces, si te gustan las historias descaradas, con toques de humor, muerte, mucha sangre y pesonajes bien retorcidos pero que en el fondo son osos de peluche, en donde la salud mental está en tela de juicio constantemente, acá está tu libro.
“He admitted to me that seeing a person die was one of the most incredible experiences he’d ever had. It made him feel human, watching the life leave their eyes. I tried to tell him that fucking me would make him feel like God, but he didn’t buy it.”
Para cerrar, ¿alguién más vio a Pip y a Lindsey Stockholm Syndrome acá? Yo sí. ♥♥♥
June 20, 2013
A Perfect Pair of Nut Jobs.
This is a story about love at first sight between two exceptionally amoral critters.
I absolutely loved Vincent and thoroughly enjoyed 'living' the story through his unique POV. He's hilarious and cheeky and altogether insanely in love with the apple-of-his-eye, Frank.
Vincent's love/lust/obsession never wavered and it was adorable in the most rotten way. Here's an example of how he sees Frank:
His face was badly bruised and swollen and altogether painful looking, but it really brought out his eyes.
It's crazy but so unexpectedly wonderful and hilarious.
I loved how ridiculously outrageous these characters were. I loved how downright appalling they were and LOVED how crazy they were for each other.
It's sad to say (as noted in other reviews) that at about the 85% mark the book takes a sharp left turn and loses it's unique story line. It seems to kind of patch itself up into a cookie cutter HEA. Dammit.
Don't let the ending dishearten you though 'cause the rest was 'bloody' marvelous.
*Thanks to Super Shelley for recommending this little darling. It's exactly what I needed :)
This is a story about love at first sight between two exceptionally amoral critters.
I absolutely loved Vincent and thoroughly enjoyed 'living' the story through his unique POV. He's hilarious and cheeky and altogether insanely in love with the apple-of-his-eye, Frank.
Vincent's love/lust/obsession never wavered and it was adorable in the most rotten way. Here's an example of how he sees Frank:
His face was badly bruised and swollen and altogether painful looking, but it really brought out his eyes.
It's crazy but so unexpectedly wonderful and hilarious.
I loved how ridiculously outrageous these characters were. I loved how downright appalling they were and LOVED how crazy they were for each other.
It's sad to say (as noted in other reviews) that at about the 85% mark the book takes a sharp left turn and loses it's unique story line. It seems to kind of patch itself up into a cookie cutter HEA. Dammit.
Don't let the ending dishearten you though 'cause the rest was 'bloody' marvelous.
*Thanks to Super Shelley for recommending this little darling. It's exactly what I needed :)
August 30, 2013
Holy. Hell!
This book messed me up and I loved every perverted, dark, twisted, inappropriate minute of it. Every minute. There is not one thing about this book that I hated and I don't know what the hell that says about me. Ha! Chance Assassin had everything I love, the dark and twisted world with a sweet love story floating around in the murkiness. And this is not two sweet guys in a dark world. This was two screwed up characters in a screwed up world, doing absolutely FUCKED UP things.
It's so hard for me to know how much to say about this book because part of the joy (?) of it is that just when you think things can't get any more messed up...they do. I would hate to say something that would ruin those delicious "Oooohhhh shit! moments for anyone.
Vincent is a 16 year old boy who's just been stabbed doing a job for Charlie. Charlie's old, allegedly a doctor, and a totally perverted creep. Vincent is coming from something much worse than Charlie though, so When Charlie sends Vincent on a job it seems like a gift. Vincent gets stabbed though and we meet him as he's stumbling in the snow toward Charlie's hotel room. Charlie is not the one who opens the door. A tall, dark, and deadly looking stranger does, and that's how this morbid love story begins.
Frank is an assassin and the one to open the door for Vincent. While Vincent (our narrator) talks almost endlessly, is full of lippy comments, and is a beautiful twink of the highest degree, Frank is the opposite. He's quiet, intense, and the strangest mix of passiveness and deadliness. He's also 32 to Vincent's 16. Vincent, however, doesn't care and knows right from the beginning that Frank is meant to be his. Vincent is aggressive when it comes to sex but it's not just sex that he wants from Frank. He wants ALL of Frank.
I should not have been rooting for this relationship. Vincent is 16 and Frank is 32. It is so, so wrong but every time I tried to remind myself of that the chemistry between Vincent and Frank just blew me away. Their interactions and the way they play off of each other is brilliant. I haven't read a M/M where the MCs had better chemistry. It was so strong that it made me forget that Vincent was a minor, not because Vincent didn't come across as a teenager because he did, but because I just knew these two were two halves of a whole. The way I rooted for Vincent and Frank totally fucked with my brain. I couldn't stop myself though.
And then we have the fact that Frank kills people. A lot of people. For money. Frank also has no remorse and at no point in the book does he show remorse. He takes pleasure in what he does and eventually so does Vincent. I should have been appalled because this book doesn't shy away from the death and ugliness. Instead, at more than one point in the story, I found myself laughing while Frank and Vincent ended someone's life. I don't know how the author managed to do that; to horrify me and amuse me at the same time. It wasn't just the character's actions that threw me for a loop, it was also my reactions to those actions. What would have been horrible and stomach turning in another novel was somehow funny and, dare I say it, sweet in this one. It boggled my mind.
There is so much more I want to say about this book, and so much character and plot analyzing that I want to do. So much but I won't because I don't want to ruin it. Just read it. It's fucked up, horrible, sweet, twisted, dark, intense, funny, inappropriate, and absolutely fucking amazing. Read it.
This book messed me up and I loved every perverted, dark, twisted, inappropriate minute of it. Every minute. There is not one thing about this book that I hated and I don't know what the hell that says about me. Ha! Chance Assassin had everything I love, the dark and twisted world with a sweet love story floating around in the murkiness. And this is not two sweet guys in a dark world. This was two screwed up characters in a screwed up world, doing absolutely FUCKED UP things.
It's so hard for me to know how much to say about this book because part of the joy (?) of it is that just when you think things can't get any more messed up...they do. I would hate to say something that would ruin those delicious "Oooohhhh shit! moments for anyone.
Vincent is a 16 year old boy who's just been stabbed doing a job for Charlie. Charlie's old, allegedly a doctor, and a totally perverted creep. Vincent is coming from something much worse than Charlie though, so When Charlie sends Vincent on a job it seems like a gift. Vincent gets stabbed though and we meet him as he's stumbling in the snow toward Charlie's hotel room. Charlie is not the one who opens the door. A tall, dark, and deadly looking stranger does, and that's how this morbid love story begins.
Frank is an assassin and the one to open the door for Vincent. While Vincent (our narrator) talks almost endlessly, is full of lippy comments, and is a beautiful twink of the highest degree, Frank is the opposite. He's quiet, intense, and the strangest mix of passiveness and deadliness. He's also 32 to Vincent's 16. Vincent, however, doesn't care and knows right from the beginning that Frank is meant to be his. Vincent is aggressive when it comes to sex but it's not just sex that he wants from Frank. He wants ALL of Frank.
I should not have been rooting for this relationship. Vincent is 16 and Frank is 32. It is so, so wrong but every time I tried to remind myself of that the chemistry between Vincent and Frank just blew me away. Their interactions and the way they play off of each other is brilliant. I haven't read a M/M where the MCs had better chemistry. It was so strong that it made me forget that Vincent was a minor, not because Vincent didn't come across as a teenager because he did, but because I just knew these two were two halves of a whole. The way I rooted for Vincent and Frank totally fucked with my brain. I couldn't stop myself though.
And then we have the fact that Frank kills people. A lot of people. For money. Frank also has no remorse and at no point in the book does he show remorse. He takes pleasure in what he does and eventually so does Vincent. I should have been appalled because this book doesn't shy away from the death and ugliness. Instead, at more than one point in the story, I found myself laughing while Frank and Vincent ended someone's life. I don't know how the author managed to do that; to horrify me and amuse me at the same time. It wasn't just the character's actions that threw me for a loop, it was also my reactions to those actions. What would have been horrible and stomach turning in another novel was somehow funny and, dare I say it, sweet in this one. It boggled my mind.
There is so much more I want to say about this book, and so much character and plot analyzing that I want to do. So much but I won't because I don't want to ruin it. Just read it. It's fucked up, horrible, sweet, twisted, dark, intense, funny, inappropriate, and absolutely fucking amazing. Read it.
August 1, 2016
Wow, this book was amazing - I literally had no idea what was going to happen next and the author did such a great job of building the tension.
I always felt like there was so much going on that I just missed my first time through this book, I am shelving it 'to read again'...
Fantastic character development and very unique story, and as I mentioned above, really great pacing. Highly recommend.
I always felt like there was so much going on that I just missed my first time through this book, I am shelving it 'to read again'...
Fantastic character development and very unique story, and as I mentioned above, really great pacing. Highly recommend.
April 16, 2022
So strange... DNF 48%
August 30, 2015
5 Stars read for me.
I struggled for quite some time how to write this review simply because I don't think that there's anything I can write that can do justice the awesomeness that this novel is.
My friend asked me to describe her the book that got me so excited in one sentence and I said to her:
"It's a very dark love story, but funny and positive in Tarantino kind of way."
If it was me, I would be all over it after this description, but this book features very twisted or distorted love relationship,so it makes it hard to recommend. I also think it's one of the most beautiful and honest mm love relationships I ever read. It just doesn't fit in your usual mold. The story is told from first person POV- Vincent's. Vincent or V is absolute delight to read. I think I could read 100 books more from his pov- he has that funny, refreshing and interesting view of world.I'll give you few of his gems:
-Poor Frank. He was probably completely normal when he didn’t have to deal with someone like me. Everyone I spent prolonged periods of time with ended up wanting to cause me harm in one way or another. I likely would’ve driven my parents to child abuse if they hadn’t wisely gotten themselves killed before I reached my hormonal teenage years.
-Ernest’s last night on earth was a nice one. The stars were out, the weather was warm, and he’d get to see a real blond before his insides were introduced to the outside.
Yup, that's V for you. Face of an angel, mouth of a pirate and mind of psychopath in becoming. :)
I couldn't believe this a debut novel! I think Nicole Castle and I are going to have nice writer/reader relationship. I saw on her blog she's working on a sequel to Chance Assassin and I can't wait to be inside world Castle created again. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.
March 9, 2013
This book is quite impressive, and for the price I was so glad that I decided to grab it. It was a bargain.
The characters in it are very well described, and by 10% of the way through I already felt that I knew them. Especially Charlie, why does every town in America have a Charlie?
The character Frank has the same pull and allure that a vampire would. Tall, dark and creepy. His eccentricities make him very alluring, and reading Vincent's descriptions of him were surprisingly enough to make me laugh (I usually poker-face my way through life, I was quite impressed). I had coffee running down my face on one embarrassing occasion. Perfect narrator, although he tends to go off of rants at what looks like clumsy timing. Not enough to be annoying, but noticeable.
The story picks up quickly, and wraps up well except for one thing. Did Vincent ever get that thing from the safety deposit box in Paris? Hmmm. Wonder if he liked it, although I'm sure he did.
This book is not for people who can't handle dark humor and an abundance of violence, but it's well written, has only a few clumsy sentences and no editing errors come to mind. All over recommended to anyone who has ever watched the movie 'The Professional' and enjoyed it. Or Boondock Saints now that I think of it. I could totally see Frank dropping a toilet from a fire escape onto a guy.
Sex scenes were sort of short but constant. Rough, but what else should anyone expect from the characters in the book?
The description alone promised exactly what was delivered, and the cover was very well done.
One of my rare 5 star reviews goes to Miss Castle. Thank you for publishing this. It made my day.
The characters in it are very well described, and by 10% of the way through I already felt that I knew them. Especially Charlie, why does every town in America have a Charlie?
The character Frank has the same pull and allure that a vampire would. Tall, dark and creepy. His eccentricities make him very alluring, and reading Vincent's descriptions of him were surprisingly enough to make me laugh (I usually poker-face my way through life, I was quite impressed). I had coffee running down my face on one embarrassing occasion. Perfect narrator, although he tends to go off of rants at what looks like clumsy timing. Not enough to be annoying, but noticeable.
The story picks up quickly, and wraps up well except for one thing. Did Vincent ever get that thing from the safety deposit box in Paris? Hmmm. Wonder if he liked it, although I'm sure he did.
This book is not for people who can't handle dark humor and an abundance of violence, but it's well written, has only a few clumsy sentences and no editing errors come to mind. All over recommended to anyone who has ever watched the movie 'The Professional' and enjoyed it. Or Boondock Saints now that I think of it. I could totally see Frank dropping a toilet from a fire escape onto a guy.
Sex scenes were sort of short but constant. Rough, but what else should anyone expect from the characters in the book?
The description alone promised exactly what was delivered, and the cover was very well done.
One of my rare 5 star reviews goes to Miss Castle. Thank you for publishing this. It made my day.
July 14, 2019
Ummm. Wow. Ohh. I'm at a loss...
I shouldn't have liked this book. It ticks uncomfortable boxes galore.
But I did.
I shouldn't have adored Vincent and Frank. They are cold-hearted killers.
Or are they?
This tale of love, luck, and murder took me by surprise and left me craving more of their craziness.
I do wish V was a bit older...or Frank was a bit younger...kind of squeaked me out a bit.
Deb echoed my thoughts almost exactly!
I shouldn't have liked this book. It ticks uncomfortable boxes galore.
But I did.
I shouldn't have adored Vincent and Frank. They are cold-hearted killers.
Or are they?
This tale of love, luck, and murder took me by surprise and left me craving more of their craziness.
I do wish V was a bit older...or Frank was a bit younger...kind of squeaked me out a bit.
Deb echoed my thoughts almost exactly!
December 27, 2024
INFINITE STARS. INFINITE!! I'm throwing ALL the stars at this one ... because, WOW!!!!
This is one of those moments where I truly wish GR had more stars in their rating system, because, did I mention? This book (and the author, Nicole Castle) deserves ALL of them <3!!!
This book, these men, this series ... definitely amongst my rare absolute favorites :-)!!
I have much more to say but in the meantime, seriously, READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!
This is one of those moments where I truly wish GR had more stars in their rating system, because, did I mention? This book (and the author, Nicole Castle) deserves ALL of them <3!!!
This book, these men, this series ... definitely amongst my rare absolute favorites :-)!!
I have much more to say but in the meantime, seriously, READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!
June 29, 2013
This is probably one of the fucking nuttiest books I've ever read, yet I say that with the highest level of affection. It mentions some incredibly dark themes and issues, yet when presented by our MC Vincent, there is no time for sadness or horror to linger before we're once again swept away in this whirlwind of utterly bizarre mind fuckery.
I don't think I've ever read a book like this and I can't decide whether that is a good thing or not. I've been thinking about this review for a while, or, more specifically, how to describe their relationship.
"Yes, sir," I said, watching him leave the room and knowing that maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but some day when I least expected it, Frank would hurt me very, very badly for what I'd done. And under that threat, I had the best orgasm I'd had in years.
Their epic love saga started off with the moment their eyes had met...
But then our eyes met, and everything changed.
That was literally one of the most blatant cases of instant love I've ever seen. And I couldn't care less. These characters.. Once you get to know them, you grow to realise that they are the most bizarre, unconventional people with fucked up minds and an even more fucked up past. And once you understand that, I found it almost normal that of course they would fall in love at first sight. Because really, you wouldn't get too far into this book if you didn't take things into stride. As the book goes on, you grow to love and humor these characters and perhaps most of all, you stop questioning their state of mind because hell, we already know they're crazy. Despite being utterly off the rocket, the characters skilfully evoke a range of emotions from humour to sympathy to well.. Let's just say the sex scenes were rough, dirty and hot.
There's not much to the plot. It's not an elaborate scheme that they have to unfold or anything despite being assassins. Most of the book is just well.. Training Vincent to be an assassin and just following them on their assassin-y way.
I don't want to scare off some of the readers who like to walk the dark side of gaymance, but this is a pretty easy read emotionally and mentally. It's not that there aren't dark moments (because as I said early, it contains some pretty dark issues and themes) but the author doesn't allow time for us to feel sadness or horror. It's there, then it's briskly swept aside and suddenly it's just not there.
This is obviously not a very realistic book. And I've wondered how to convey my thoughts because in my mind, this book feels almost like a contradiction. It's like how I was swept up into almost thinking that the love at first sight could actually happen just because it's Vincent and Frank. It's just that the characters are so bloody out there, and the events in this book are so out there, and when you put everything together, the author almost makes you believe that 'out there' really could be a place that exists. I apologise for what probably is an incredibly grammatically incorrect statement which is ambiguous at best but that just about sums it up for me.
In the end, all I can say is this is an incredibly quirky book that others may find difficult to read if they're not in the right mood yet I found it incredibly enjoyable. It's fucked up on all accounts but incredibly endearing at the same time. Expect the weird, weirder, and weirdest.
Rating: a bit more than 4
I don't think I've ever read a book like this and I can't decide whether that is a good thing or not. I've been thinking about this review for a while, or, more specifically, how to describe their relationship.
"Yes, sir," I said, watching him leave the room and knowing that maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but some day when I least expected it, Frank would hurt me very, very badly for what I'd done. And under that threat, I had the best orgasm I'd had in years.
Their epic love saga started off with the moment their eyes had met...
But then our eyes met, and everything changed.
That was literally one of the most blatant cases of instant love I've ever seen. And I couldn't care less. These characters.. Once you get to know them, you grow to realise that they are the most bizarre, unconventional people with fucked up minds and an even more fucked up past. And once you understand that, I found it almost normal that of course they would fall in love at first sight. Because really, you wouldn't get too far into this book if you didn't take things into stride. As the book goes on, you grow to love and humor these characters and perhaps most of all, you stop questioning their state of mind because hell, we already know they're crazy. Despite being utterly off the rocket, the characters skilfully evoke a range of emotions from humour to sympathy to well.. Let's just say the sex scenes were rough, dirty and hot.
There's not much to the plot. It's not an elaborate scheme that they have to unfold or anything despite being assassins. Most of the book is just well.. Training Vincent to be an assassin and just following them on their assassin-y way.
I don't want to scare off some of the readers who like to walk the dark side of gaymance, but this is a pretty easy read emotionally and mentally. It's not that there aren't dark moments (because as I said early, it contains some pretty dark issues and themes) but the author doesn't allow time for us to feel sadness or horror. It's there, then it's briskly swept aside and suddenly it's just not there.
This is obviously not a very realistic book. And I've wondered how to convey my thoughts because in my mind, this book feels almost like a contradiction. It's like how I was swept up into almost thinking that the love at first sight could actually happen just because it's Vincent and Frank. It's just that the characters are so bloody out there, and the events in this book are so out there, and when you put everything together, the author almost makes you believe that 'out there' really could be a place that exists. I apologise for what probably is an incredibly grammatically incorrect statement which is ambiguous at best but that just about sums it up for me.
In the end, all I can say is this is an incredibly quirky book that others may find difficult to read if they're not in the right mood yet I found it incredibly enjoyable. It's fucked up on all accounts but incredibly endearing at the same time. Expect the weird, weirder, and weirdest.
Rating: a bit more than 4
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