Dodging The Bullet

by Octavia Jensen

Don’t mind me, I’m just running for my life. Divorcing the man who has kept me as a metaphorical prisoner for twelve years should’ve been a freeing experience, but my first attempt at moving on ends with a gorgeous stranger taking a bullet for me. What seemed like a random act of violence turns out to be a lot more targeted than I thought, and I have no one to turn to for help except for the guy who already risked his life to save me once. The problem is… he doesn’t seem to want to help me, and controlling my sarcastic remarks enough to plead my case to him is almost impossible. Reluctantly thrown together and holed up in one of his safe-houses, we work to figure out exactly what my ex-husband has planned for me and how to get me out of it. But there’s still so much I don’t know about the infuriating, smart-mouthed hacker who holds my life in his hands, and I’m afraid I might’ve gone from the frying pan into the fire when I find out he’s got some dark secrets of his own. It’s just too late to do anything about it.

Genres: Romance

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2023

About the author

Octavia Jensen is a coffee addict, a tale-spinner and a hopeless romantic, usually in that order. She spends her free time chasing adrenaline rushes or writing steamy, romance novels, and sometimes, those feel like the same thing.

Reviews

[CriSsStina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm Octavia Jensen's fan since I read the first books in her Eleven series (I have to come back to that series as soon as possible). But her books became an instant read for me after I read With All My Broken Pieces, and so I was soooo happpyyy when I received an ARC for Dodging the Bullet. The book met my expectations perfectly 🖤.

This was a quick read. It has some triggers, but nothing heavy. I don't consider this a dark read, maybe light gray, because of some touched subjects.

Cy and Olivia are couple goals. You would think he's a morally gray character ... he might be, but not when it comes to her. Liked them both equally, I usually tend to like one of the main characters more compared with the other. But not in this case.

He was attentive, caring, swoony, protective, loving, etc. Loved that he finally found a friend and partner in Olivia. While she was for so many years in an emotional abusive relationship, loved that she found her happy ending, finally.

Loved the epilogue. Didn't want the book to end. Can't wait to see what she will publish next 🖤.



I rated the book at 4.5* because something does not sit right with me. How the f*ck that second hired assas*n find them?? I thought Cy was the best at what he was doing, and the clown was a rookie and a drugg*e. Anyway, it's a small thing to overcome.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"This ugly world needs more bright souls like hers, not dark ones like her cr*minal husband or that clown f*cker."

"Maybe he’s been as lonely as I’ve been."

"It’s only been a day, but I’ll take it. I feel more wanted after twenty-four hours with him than I have in years with Ben."

“I love you, Cy. No penance. Just promise me you won’t keep things from me again and we’re all good.” That I could absolutely do. “I promise.” “Then you’re right,” she says simply. “We have no ending.”

[L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red flags? I am colorblind, suddenly I can’t see.

This was so cheesy and so cute and so hot and so sappy yet so sexy.

Ughhhhhhh, I know what my type a stalker/hacker who is out to kill me only to helplessly fall in love with me and become obsessed with me entirely and take a bullet for me and kill a man to save me. Is that too much to ask🥰🥰🥰

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

What addictive substance does Octavia Jensen put in her books??
This was soooo sweet? and healthy?? and HOT?? WOAH

[meka · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars!!

I haven’t rated a book 5 stars in so long I was starting to think something was wrong with me!! Little did I know, all I needed was to read an Octavia Jensen novel and it’d cure me ♡

I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved this. The banter was *chefs kiss,* the chemistry was off the charts and the suspense was subtle enough to keep the plot on track and keep you guessing. It’s amazing!! Octavia really knows how to write respectful yet dominant men. Cyprus’ character development (from feeling nothing to feeling everything) is so hypnotic. The way he cherishes Olivia in a way that she never knew was possible is so beautiful and her character development was just as compelling.

The plot was a bit predictable but it was such an easy, captivating read that I devoured it all in one sitting. I kinda wished there was ‘no ending’ (that’s a pun you’ll get if you read it ;)). Beyond honoured to have received a copy of this book and am leaving this honest review voluntarily <3

[Gia Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect blend of spicy and hilarious.

I felt like we got a lot of character development in this book, we went on Liv’s journey getting over an emotionally abusive ex and finding herself again.

I really wanted there to be more conflict when Liv finds out the truth about Cy, I felt like she was quick to forgive, and after everything she went through I can’t imagine how difficult it would have been for her to feel like her trust was broken again.

But this book was hilarious at times, and spicy as all heck. What a ride!

[Kiki⚜Franglaise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pas pu finir cette lecture si décevante (soupir)
Me sentant d'humeur chagrine, je vais donc être assez sarcastique.
C'est parti pour le jeu de massacre !

Les protagonistes m'ont vite exaspérée, sans parler de l'intrigue indigente.
Olivia (Liv), la fille géniale, si authentique et si déterminée, douée d'un esprit de répartie fulgurant... reste pourtant avec son abruti de mari pendant 12 ans sans y être forcée... Alors qu'elle est autonome professionnellement et financièrement, a fortiori. Elle semble ignorer qu'on ne vit plus comme au 19e siècle, il est possible de divorcer !
La manipule-t-il seulement, le sexe entre eux est-il une drogue dont elle ne peut se passer, lui fait-il un chantage immonde impliquant un horrible secret familial ? Même pas, et en prime il ne l'a pas touchée depuis 2 ans - non qu'elle s'en plaigne - et de toutes façons, il n'a jamais pu lui faire atteindre l'orgasme...
Alors vous le voyez venir de loin, cette fille formidable va rencontrer THE MAGIC DICK, enfin, le gars attaché à cet appendice génial qui va bouleverser son existence.
Ça ne va pas être un mec banal, on s'en doute, mais nul autre que le tueur engagé par son mari pour la buter.
Ce type, Cyprus (Cy), un archétype de monstre froid, sociopathe qui se complaît dans son existence d'assassin professionnel, épie Liv deux heures et décide brusquement qu'elle est une fille géniale et que son mari doit dès lors être un gros pourri pour lequel il ne souhaite pas travailler. Quelle intuition confinant presque à l'extra-lucidité !
Bon, j'exagère, il n"a pas juste admiré sa plastique superbe pendant la séance de yoga matinal en legging et brassière - Fabletics sans aucun doute. Naaaannn, c'est un vrai pro, il a donc écumé internet et décidé que c'était une nana géniale et sincère parce qu'elle donnait de son temps pour des oeuvres caritatives avec intégrité et altruisme (et non pour arranger la carrière politique de son mari, oh que non !)
Car Cy est un tueur à principes et aidé de son intuition hors du commun, il décrète qu'il préfère offrir à Liv (et à lui même) une petite mort, plutôt qu'une mort définitive... Car on se doute bien qu'elle prendre un pied monumental avec ce partenaire atypique. Vous devinez le message subtil en filigrane : cet anti héros est finalement plus humain que le mari qui semble être le prince charmant incarné ! Grosse, la ficelle.
Bref, pour moi tout sonne creux : l'évolution psychologique des protagonistes, leur humour soi-disant décalé, et que dire du grand méchant mari politicien caricatural et bête comme ses pieds... ?

Je démissionne sans avoir même pu avaler la moitié de ce roman, et aurai du mal à refaire une incursion dans l'univers de cette autrice, après ce fiasco.

[Charmain O'connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC for an honest review and I can honestly say I loved it!

Octavia Jensen just had a way of writing characters that I love to read. Strong, smart and sassy FMCs and broody, sexy MCs.

Dodging the bullet was no different.

Olivia is a senators wife, she’s meant to be the perfect image of a doting housewife. And, she is. But she’s unhappy.
After filing for divorce, she’s met with a hitman hired by her dear husband.

Enter Cyprus… straight away he sees her goodness and knows he can’t end her but that doesn’t make he wants to keep her… or does he?

Love. Love. Love.

Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️/5

[Kayleigh Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia is the wife of a man in the middle of an electoral campaign to be Senator. She decides she’s taking her life back, she wants to be free and happy, and a divorce is how she is going to get that.
Her husband won’t let her go that easy. He’s humiliated and decides there is only one option.
Hitman.

Cyprus is a hitman with a conscience. He won’t hurt good people. His life changes when Olivia becomes the job.

For her it’s a chance encounter with a handsome stranger. Will she gets what’s she always wanted? The freedom she’s always dreamed about.

When I saw this story and that an ARC was available, I signed up straight away. I read it in one sitting. Could not put it down.

The way the relationship between Liv and Cy developed makes for a great story. You really see Liv grow as a person and it’s such an easy, enjoyable book to read. Really do recommend.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This hitman/mark novella had NO RIGHT to be so adorable. I LOVED it. The spice was spicy, and the banter was TOP NOTCH. I laughed so freaking hard. Definitely read this one!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute quick read. I loved the story of Oliva and how her whole world changes. The banter between Oliva and Cyprus was amazing and kept me hooked. I couldn't put it down.

[Trinity · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶/5

TW - murder, contract killing (MMC is a hitman), violence, domestic violence (mentioned, implied), attempted murder, familial death (mentioned & recounted incl gun violence), divorce, pregnancy scare (mentioned, past), FMC met her (ex)husband when she was underage

CW - DubCon (i.e., the FMC probably would have not slept with the MMC if she had all of the facts), morning after pill used, public play, light breeding, cockwarming, choking

Tropes - hitman x mark, suspense, forced proximity, reluctant anti hero, banter, tension

He's basically a serial killer, what could possibly go wrong?

I'm still not sure what Octavia Jensen is lacing her books with, but I'm still addicted and not complaining 🤪

These two were so fucking cute!!! I was so onboard with *name redacted* (MMC) when he decided on sight that Ben Daley’s (secondary character) days were NUMBERED!!! Him and Liv immediately hit it off and I love that Octavia let us see the intimacy grow between them over a period of time instead of instalust based on the alley encounter 👀👅

*name redacted* (MMC) is v v v protective of Liv, even if that means withholding some important truths from her. In the end, I liked how it was handled and how the MCs communicated with each other BECAUSE COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT PEOPLE, TAKE NOTES!!!

Octavia Jensen honestly NEVER misses

Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪

🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek

[Naiara Chiquetto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia is married to an asshole senator and has decided to file for divorce. Then she meets a hot guy at the coffee shop and decides to go to the back alley with him to enjoy her life a little. And that's when someone shows up and tries to shoot her. The stranger, Cyprus, saves her and she decides to ask him for help to defend herself against her husband.

What she doesn't know is that Cyprus, like the attacker in the alley, has also been hired by her husband to knock her out. Except that Cy isn't one to take orders and, after stalking Olivia for a while and becoming quite enamored, he had already decided that the bullet would look much nicer in her husband's forehead (and Olivia, in his bed).💅

That's how they end up living together in Cy's cottage in the middle of nowhere, although Liv doesn't really know the circumstances of how they met (future problem alert lol).

Octavia Jensen is one of the authors I read blindly, not even reading the synopsis, not knowing what it's about. And I never regret it.

I loved their relationship. Cy falls all over himself for Olivia and does everything for her (except provide her with clothes lol). Olivia is funny, intelligent and brave, despite her circumstances. Their banter is very funny and has a kind of domesticity that I loved reading.

Although Olivia's mouth is already in the cookie jar literally five minutes after they meet, the 🌶️takes a while to get going. But the tension is very strong and they're not ashamed to talk about it. Liv also has a lot of trauma from her ex-husband and a lot of difficulty getting *there*, which I loved reading because I think it's missing (and it's missing a lot) in novels out there. But Cy is a patient and determined guy.

And, by the way, Octavia is the queen of dirty talking, and both Cy and Liv are masters of this art. You can't talk about an OJ book without mentioning the dirty talking.

I really enjoyed this book. I love Cy and Olivia and their relationship.

[INeedABookBreak · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5
I really enjoyed this spicy and funny h1tman romance! This author never misses for me! I love her style of writing as well as her strong FMCs and possessive broody MMCs.

Olivia is unhappily married to a Senator. She decides to take her life back and divorce him, but he can’t have that during an election year, so he decides to hire someone to unalive her. Cy isn’t a typical h1tman. He is more of a vigilante. Instead of taking out Olivia, he accidentally saves her and falls for her.

Although the tone of this book is actually on the lighter side, it deals with some heavy issues. Olivia was in an abusive relationship and has some major trauma as a result. She especially struggles with physical intimacy. I loved how Cy helped empower her. This book was a bit of a slow burn especially from this author, but it made sense for the plot. When it finally happens, the spice is definitely spicing.

This was a really fun read and I can’t wait to see what this author releases next!

[Lejla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read and a enjoyable book. The book is about Olivia who had to marry way too young to the wrong person due to coercion from their parents. Now she is older and more mature and realizes that she can no longer deceive herself, her marriage is a facade. But her husband is a power-mad, narcissistic senator who aims to become president one day. A divorce in the middle of an election campaign is not in his plans. He thinks he has a better chance of getting sympathy votes if Olivia is murdered instead. So he hires a hitman, Cyprus (The main male character). But to really ensure she dies, he hires another hitman, the clown.
Oliva is lucky though, because Cy takes a liking to her very quickly.

What I like about the book
- The banter between Olivia and Cy is top notch
- Love that the characters are older than 25 (so hard to find these days)
- Love romance with a touch of suspense in it which this one really had
- The communication between Oliva and Cy was mature and credible, love that
-Really hot s*x scenes

What I liked less
- Actually just the first scene between Olivia and Cy. It went too fast and at first I thought I had missed a page. Then I thought it was an illogical dream scene that Cy had made up. Like, why doesn't Olivia react to him already knowing her name? It is explained much later that he saw it on her take away cup, but still. They talked as if they had already met several times before.

But the rest of the book flowed much better and I experienced no more such things.

If you like a fast paced, hot, suspenseful romance where the bad boy falls really hard then this is the book for you!

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been an Octavia girl for some time. Her books drag you in and hold you till the last page. This book was no different. Olivia is in a loveless marriage to a man who finds out she wants a divorce. In steps Cyprus to be the man to do the job. Once he sees her, he has other plans. Plans which include her never finding out how they met. There is amazing banter as well see two people come to terms with finding love when neither of them thought they would. I hated for this book to end. I could have read ten more chapters of the two of them!

[whatjtreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cyprus Montez is a hacker/hit man with a conscious, and when he’s hired by a senator to take out the wife who wants to divorce him, Cyprus stalks her only to find that Olivia is not someone he can just easily get rid of. Olivia’s been with her husband for a long time, but the wedding was hasty and she’s regretted ever since. Cyprus is such a loner, but I really like him. He and Olivia were unknowingly looking for love and family, and I liked it that they found it in each other. Olivia got someone who appreciated her, and Cyprus got someone who loved him and became his family.

[Laci Steimel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book immediately grabbed my attention! I loved watching Olivia and Cypris grow and develop through the story. Olivia was always strong and sassy, but with Cyprus' help, she really grows into her own, emotionally and *ahem* other ways. Cyprus let's Olivia in, and I really enjoyed seeing his character development. The writing was great, and really helped immerse me in the story. Great read!

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked both characters and enjoyed their love story. However, I felt there were too many love scenes and not enough action. But, overall I enjoyed this.

[trashley.talks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dodging the Bullet is laugh out loud funny while still being extra spicy! Octavia Jensen has a gift for writing strong female characters with sharp tongues and a wicked sense of humor. This book is perfect for reading between dark or heavy stories, if you’re in a reading slump, or if you just want a break from reality to laugh all the way to the happily ever after. Be warned that you’ll never be able to play Mario Kart again without thinking of Dodging the Bullet. This was the second book I’ve read by Octavia Jensen, after The Night Cap (also 5⭐️), but definitely won’t be the last.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. It supposed to be a dark romance from what I’ve heard but I don’t think it was. I only gave it 4 stars because I kinda feel like it lost track of what it was supposed to be about. I did like the romance & spice though.. It was cute.

[C.L. Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Octavia Jensen

This one is slightly angstier and has a lot more action and suspense than most of her other stories. Which is A okay with me. The story, spice, love, and witty banter are all still there, too.

If you're looking for a story about a girl on the run from a hittman while being kept safe by another hittman (unbeknownst to her) and falling head over heels in the process... this one is definitely for you.

[Kaylah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when the man you’re about to get freaky with in the alley behind a coffee shop, who was hired to unalive you by your husband, ends up taking the bullet for you when someone else tries to unalive you? You get this wonderful story of banter, angst, suspense, and all the spicy scenes! Octavia never fails to amaze me and this book was *chefs kiss* 🤌🏽.

[Morgan Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just wanna say I could not put this book down!!!!! I was very lucky to receive an arc of it, and I really loved it. Olivia and Cyprus were both amazing characters, I wanted to give them both hugs a lot. It felt like watching an action rom com and I adored it! (I mean it’s an action rom com book so duh but you know what I mean!) Cyprus was really complex and an interesting antihero. Olivia deserves the world. The humor was also top tier. And the smut was just fantastic as always. Highly recommend!

[Isabella. R · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 The Better Bet Stars ⭐

It was quirky, it was unorthodox and damn it was filthy. A girl who unknowingly falls for her hitman and a man who will go to any lengths to help her. Why is this author not on everyone's radar? Frankly OJ has a knack for original storylines every time!

Maybe I’m just broken.
Maybe it doesn’t fucking matter. The end result is the same, and I need off this ride before I spend my thirties the way I spent my twenties: as a bored trophy wife with friends as fake as my tan.

She has finally filed for divorce. Olivia may be married to a respected politician but he has manipulated her for years. What Olivia doesn't know, is that her husband already has a hit on her even before the divorce papers a served.

Our anti hero Cyprus is an intriguing person. He's a ghost. No ties, no trails, no remorse. He may kill by a code, but it doesn't change who he is; well until he intercepts the secondary hit on Olivia. That's what you get when your doing dirty things with your target in an alley. 😏

I feel like fucking someone I might have to kill is pretty messed up, even for me, but if I ever crossed a line that dark, it’d be with Olivia fucking Daley.
But I won’t.
I can’t.

In a turn of events, these two are hiding out in his safe house. Cy and Olivia are strangely in sync and majorly attracted to each other. When Olivia's sexual dysfunction is revealed, it's Cy's wit, compassion and tenacity to get her off that becomes his focus.

These two were so dirty together. Phew, it was something else. A good girl gone bad and an Alpha hero who's a cinnamon roll. And finally, sex scenes written realistically that made it that much hotter. That Anal scene?? Damn 🥵🥵