Conrad

Assassins to Order #4

by J.P. Sayle, Lisa Oliver

C an the beast lurking inside Conrad be the answer to fighting the evil that threatens Kylo’s world?

A call changes everything for Conrad. He has one mission when he arrives in to ensure that no one finds Devil. His cage brother’s life depends on it. What he doesn’t expect is to meet his mate—the one man he cannot lie to and who seeks answers.

Kylo, pissed at the world and near a nervous breakdown when he discovers he’s been duped by the council lead, demands they send him an assassin. The ode ‘be careful what you wish for’ could never be truer for Kylo when the last thing he needs or wants is an assassin mate.

His sole focus is hunting for Devil.

The Fates have other ideas and when it becomes personal, both men have something to lose—love and family. Time is running out and they must work together to prevent the hidden force behind Devil from destroying everything in their world as they unravel the organization that has held Paraguay in a grip of terror.

Have the Fates made the right decisions? They are about to find out.

Conrad is the last book in the Assassins to Order series — a gritty MM Paranormal Romance. The book includes scenes of graphic violence and intimacies between two alpha males that will leave you begging for more.

Genres: Paranormal, M M Romance, Romance, Shapeshifters, Magic

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2023

About the author

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


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


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

Reviews

[Audi♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won't lie. I'm a little pissed they would make us HATE Devil/James, then throw in he's fated to one of our guys...smh. he was an evil fuck with or without that chick.
I guess I have to read the next book to feel sorry for him 🙄
**Updated I read it, and don't feel bad for him. Yall had me hating him for the past few books, then switched it last minute... I'm not impressed.

OMG, THEN THERES A BOOK ABOUT ALL THE BABIES! 🥹

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conrad had a different vibe to the other books in the series with the assassin being confident, sort of cheeky, and into kink. Hes certainly the most well adapted of the assassins. It made for an interesting read.
This book wraps up the devil storyline but leaves an assassin without a mate, so I hope there's another spinoff.
I liked Kylo and his family and am glad he found a mate.
The showdown was epic

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that's it folks. The last book in the Assassins To Order series has come. It's Conrads turn to find his fated and low and behold his mate just so happens to be Kylo, the man he's been sent to Paraguay to take on a wild goose chase after the Devil. This puts Conrad in quite the sticky situation as mates are supposed to come before all others, yet by helping his mate capture the Devil, he'd be betraying the man he's called his best friend and family since their confinement. Fortunately, Conrad finds a sort of middle ground which will give Kylo some answers he seeks, while still protecting Wyatt and his mate.

This book is quite different from the rest of the series. All of the previous assassins had been limited in their ideas or experience with physical intimacy, which is why I thought it kind of came out of left field for me that Conrad was an experienced Dom. Not only him, but Wyatt as well. I could absolutely see where the instinct came from as any type of control had been stripped from them for most of their lives. It was just a drastic turn from how the rest of their crew turned out.

The Devil storyline is wrapped up by the end of this one, along with Selina's. That being said, there is still one assassin left unmated in their little group: Ekon. A few subtle hints make me wonder if he will be getting his own story in a spin off, possibly with a certain magic user in a feather coat? His appearance in the story intrigued me and left me with unanswered questions. Why was he there? What was his angle? And why the hell does he wear a giant coat made of feathers!?

[Katriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa and JP have kept their readers hanging on the edge of their seats. Each book we get yet another clue about what's happening. More information is slowly shared, and with each book you read; you not only get to know more characters but you also learn more information. Details that Lisa and JP seem to like making us wait for.

I've loved every book so far in this increasingly mysterious series, that started with a series called Tangled Tentacles. In Conrad's book we not only got to know him more, but we got to know who his mate is, along with action scenes galore!! And my, oh my, was Conrad a hybrid. I would classify him as a super hybrid, he has so many different animal spirits apart of him. Which I found really cool and unique! I've never read a book where a MC Is a plethora of different shifters. And no, I'm not going to tell you what animals he can shift into, that's going to be left as a surprise for you.

Now, I did enjoy the plot, and the way this book was written and the pacing was excellent! As always. The characters were fantastic, the authors introduced us to some new characters that I really hope we'll get to know more about soon. The scene where Kylo and Conrad realized their mates was kind of iconic, considering what Conrad knew about James.

I do want to mention, (cause I was thrown by it( is there is Dom/Sub elements apart of this book. As someone who doesn't love to read that, I still enjoyed the story overall, but for me, it definitely caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting it. But hey! Whether you like Dom/Sub elements in your books, or you don't, I do think you'll still enjoy this story. I certainly did! I'm very excited to see what this dynamic duo does next.

[Patricia Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dynamic duo authors JP Sayle and Lisa Oliver have written an amazing, gritty, gripping, totally awesome, crazy, wild, smoldering, more twists and turns than a roller coaster, fast paced, action packed, and totally awesome tale. Conrad and Kylo are as different as daylight from dark, and, at first, I thought there was no way they could fit together. But I was absolutely, positively, and most definitely 100 percent wrong. These multi-mega-talented storytellers had me hooked from Alexi-the first book in the marvelous Tangled Tentacles series-through to the fantastic Assassin's To Order series. I very seldom buy every single book in a series PLUS the spin offs, but I would mostly DEFINITELY recommend getting all of them ASAP!!!

[Emmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️

I guess this one was my favourite of this series 🤔

This couple was actually kind of cute together and felt like they complimente each other (of course with the unusual amount of cheese and drama).
I also really appreciated that the BDSM was left alone! I was really worried knowing Lisa Oliver's past with it, but they just did some light D/s exchanges and left it at that, which is perfect by me.

The whole situation with James and Wyatt was extremely frustrating and I'm really worried about how they are planning to redeem him in his own book.


Narrator: Kevin Earlywine

[Taylin Clavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Love Bytes – 4.75 hearts
Having seen his fellow assassins find their fated mates - and was happy for them; Conrad never dared to dream that it could happen to him. The moment Conrad met Kylo, he knew that this was the man he would give his life to protect. He didn’t know that Kylo would save him in return.
Conrad was a story that I was both eager and sad to read. Eager, because it was another story in a world where I have come to love all the characters. Sad, because it is the last of the series, and I will miss these boys. Nevertheless, I melted while reading this story. Their journey encompassed the words, family, and partner.
The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Conrad and Kylo. The series has created an unusual world of shifters, DNA manipulation, the horrors they have endured, and the happiness that can come from finding your fated mate. Each of the shifters has been gifted with a mate that compliments their differing needs and this coupling is no different. Conrad and Kylo engage in a minor Dom/Sub relationship in the way that each need something to be able to let go of the horrors they have endured and witnessed. Each man provides strength to the other and although BDSM isn’t a genre I usually read; I totally get why these two alphas’ need this form of relationship.
Kylo is the oldest brother of the Paraguay clan. He is a panther shifter, natural protector, and a cop who wants justice above all else. For the last twenty years, he’s had a heavy weight on his shoulders with no one who he could lean on, and he is near breaking point. Conrad gives him strength and a way to let go and know that he is safe.
Conrad’s DNA has been manipulated to the extent that he has multiple animals within him, from a spider to a dragon. Given the environment he grew up in, Conrad discovered long ago - the preferred scene in which he could find pleasure. He recognized that Kylo was a man that needed all the animals inside him. In return Kylo and his family give Conrad the support and sense of family he’d never had and didn’t know he longed for.
Regarding the story arc, Conrad intends to protect his assassin brother Wyatt, but considering the man is the mate of Kylo’s arch enemy it’s a tall ask. However, the story has some clever twists and turns including an unhinged daughter to navigate to ensure that all is as well as it can be at the story conclusion. Kudos to the author’s here too as they have not shied away from the dreadfulness of experimentation and its consequences. Some people may get a little queasy at some scenes, but without them, the story would deny the reader the full consequences and emotional fallout of the horrors.
I understand that Conrad is all about the assassins’ program and their individual mates, but the only thing stopping me giving this story full marks is that (and it’s a personal thing) I’d have liked to see more of the Thalassa brothers in it. The series was kicked off by the Tangled Tentacles mob and it would have been nice if they’d had been there a bit more in the last.
So, it is with a tear in the eye that I say goodbye to the Tentacles and Assassins and hope beyond hope that JP Sayle and Lisa Oliver receive inspiration to write something with them all and their children in the future.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.

[Manuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, there's a lot, and I mean a LOT, going on in this book. But it works. At least it did for me. As this is book four in a series, and as usual I haven't read the previous books, I have to take this into account, that had I read the previous books I had a better understanding who the characters are. Kylo works in the local law enforcement and requested help from the shifter council to get help from a group of assassins, who have been trained under mysterious circumstances and a lot of personal sacrifice. Conrad, the assassin assigned to help Kylo turns out to be Kylo's mate and has a personal interest in helping Kylo to find the source of evil in the jungle of Paraguay, that has plagued the area for two decades.
The book was easy to read, the story pretty straight forward and also easy to follow. I loved both Kylo and Conrad together and in their professional lives. There was enough backstory from the previous books to understand what was going on and who's who. I am sure should I get to read books one to three there will be details become so much clearer but it didn't hinder the flow and I put the few questions I had on the backburner for the other books.
This basically means, I do recommend to have read the previous books, so you can enjoy this one even more without having to query the why and who in it.
The world building is dystopian with shifters, magic, scientific experiments. Trigger Warnings: We have in flashbacks people (younger children) who had been experimented on fighting for their lives in training like death matches, with torture implied by their jailers. There's a discovery of a mass grave with skeletons of children, human and hybrid. There are aspects of mental illness and downright evil craziness by various characters. And right at the end there's mpreg, but that's only touched lightly. Will we see those children run around in a big get together in a special novella? Maybe. Who knows.
Besides this there were characters from previous books there, as well as some nice side and supportive charcters that I really started to like very much. Kylo's parents and his brothers and also Pete, his PA. I would love to find out more about Pete. What will happen to him. Will he continue to work for Kylo?
I enjoyed reading Conrad and will get my fingers on those other books in this series.



****** I won this ARC ******

[Yuki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf 31%
Je ne recommande pas cette série. Copier/coller d’histoires et personnages. Relation non développée, personnages à peine esquissés. Le sexe c’est la solution à leurs problèmes 🤦‍♀️. Cette auteure est paresseuse et prends ses lecteurs pour des abrutis. Apparemment elle a raison puisqu’ils lui mettent des 4,5 étoiles. C’est du pur junk/fast-Book pur jus que j’ai dû me farcir. Ça s’améliore pas ça empire.
Littéralement, les mecs se rencontrent en moins d’une journée s’est emballé. Un des deux à des pratiques BDSM, l’autre rien mais tout va bien pas besoin de parler, communiquer c’est bon plongeons dedans!! De la merde! Ils ont des moralités d’ordre éthique différentes mais cool on est âme sœur ton va bien dans le monde des bisounours. Viens on va faire une scène au rabais de partie de jambes en L’air, saupoudrée d’éléments BDSM minables pour rendre ça encore plus vide. Dès les premiers tout ça. Une petite scène d’action pour nous dévoiler les animaux intérieurs d’un des personnages et mettre en avant un potentiel méchant pour détourner l’attention et le Devil toutes ses actions abominables passées sont pardonnées sous prétexte de l’accouplement et nouveau méchant 😭. Tout ça dans les 9 premiers chapitres, il y en a 19 lol 😆. Le reste c’est du vide du remplissage. Oh😲 l’auteure à l’outrecuidance de faire épilogue Really. Du grand n’importe quoi. Tout à fait pénible 🙄.
Rendez moi mon argent et mon temps.
Hop à la poubelle tout ça, achats regrettables et malheureux.
Se sont ces auteures qui donnent plus envie de lire du MM. car toujours pas le talent pour l’écriture. Et qui mettent à là mal le genre, qu’elles desservent plus qu’elles n’apportent.

[SophiaH]

No rating. The following paragraph right at the beginning of the book made me question if I wanted to continue because whenever possible I avoid reading BDSM. Maybe I will try it in the future. It is sad though as it is the last in the series which goes hand in hand with closure. I just don't understand why authors would do that to readers. There are a lot of people out there who don't enjoy this kind of sexual expression. This would have been fine in the middle of a series so people could skip it and pick up the next one again but putting it at the end is just mean. It puts readers in the difficult position to either never know the end or try and blend out all those small hints, conversations and scenes they don't enjoy reading which in turn doesn't make for a pleasurable reading experience. Not to mention the lack of connection to the MC if you skip important passages to their relationship. So sadky I DNF without a rating. Maybe someone who read it can tell me how extensive the bondage and powerplay is in this book as I don't want to get invested only to having to stop midway through?
.
Conrad needed a different kind of release, like the one he’d discovered in a club he’d gone to for one of his kill orders. He’d discovered bondage and found he liked to use it on others. It had been too long since he’d allowed himself to let go.

[Stephanie Bonsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an end to a series (though I do hope we get a short story where poor Ekon finds his mate).

This book is certainly packed with action in every sense of the word. From learning more about Wyatt and James, to the stand off with Selina which was epic, to gruesome discoveries in the jungle, seeing Conrad's animals in all their glory and of course hot, sexy action. I really enjoyed reading Conrad's story and he seems the most undisturbed of the assassins, as he seems to fit into everyday life much more easily than the others. I loved the scenes between him and Kylo's mother, where he wasn't perhaps so comfortable! The action was fast and furious especially the stand off scenes with Selina where the destruction was total. The contrast between that and Kylo's normal day at the office was vast and exceedingly well written. The only thing I didn't enjoy so much was the total dominance Conrad seemed to have over Kylo. With the other mates, the relationships seemed much more balanced, but Conrad totally seems to overpower and control Kylo. However, with that being said and it's only my preference, it is still a stunning end to a very different and enjoyable series.

I would suggest that the books are read in order, as this will make names and events much clearer to the reader. Also I suggest that any readers read the trigger warnings before reading as there's a lot of gruesome things in this book, but they are totally necessary for the story to flow.

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

CONRAD is the fourth and final book in the Assassin's To Order series and... NO! Just, NO!!! This can't be the final book. It just can't. There's still a brother that needs to find love, plus I need the details of Wyatt and James, so NO!!!

These authors really love to stomp all over my heart. I know they'll do it, but I just can't seem to help myself when it comes to reading their stories. Conrad is the most jovial of the brothers and yet is also the one to never give up control. When he finds his mate in Kylo, he is all in. He trusts Fate, simple as that. I did wonder about Kylo as he is quite highly strung in previous books, but I needn't have worried. Conrad knew how to calm him down!

I loved how the overall story arc came to a satisfying end, plus there is a specific scene when Kylo takes care of Conrad that I found both heartrending and absolutely beautiful!

I'm just not prepared to say goodbye to these guys. I loved the Thalassas and am so glad I read their stories, but I'm afraid the Assassins have knocked them off their perch. Don't get me wrong, I still love all the Krakens, but these guys... And Ekon hasn't got anyone yet! Don't leave him alone. He broke my heart. 😭 He needs to find his mate, PLEASE!

Absolutely brilliant and HIGHLY recommended by me. Just... please... don't leave me hanging. Bring the boys back and let Ekon find happiness!

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

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

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 21, 2023

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

It infuriated me that "they" created these things/beings "they" now wanted killed one by one, because it didn't fit their plans for their creations to run free. They wanted them caged until needed for dirty deeds. UGH!! The " Devil's" family connections and his mate were stunning, and had me a bit gobsmacked (in a good way). Kylo's mom is my fave. Her chat with Conrad after the 'big scare' and threats to slap him, then make him hug her, OMG- my eyes got a bit damp' moms , right??? This was an emotional journey and a catharsis for what had transpired in the other books, and up to this point , it was a rebirth by the end! Kudos Jane and Lisa. The epilogue was a brilliant conclusion.

[Raven and Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wrap up to this series. I was absolutely blown away. This whole series, along with the one before it, has been so good. Conrad and the rest of his brothers, the assassins and lost boys, deserve their happy endings. I have loved all of these characters. They have been through so much. Kylo and Conrad make quite the pair. I loved how Kylo’s family just welcomed Conrad, and Ben’s mates too, right into the family. I am sorta sad to see this series end but I look forward to what comes next.

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

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


This is book 4 in the Assassins To Order series, and I strongly recommend you read books 1 to 3 first. OR at least, book 3 Duron. The Devil pops up first in that book.


I think, for me, Sayle and Oliver saved the best for last! I LOVED this, the final book.


Conrad is an assassin, and Kylo a police officer in Paraguay where the lost boys seem to originate from. Kylo has been chasing The Devil for 20 years and calling for an assassin to finally help him seemed like a good idea. Until Conrad gets off the plane and they scent each other: mates!


What I especially liked about this one was that Conrad is fully aware of his sexuality, while his brothers had not been. And Kylo calls to his Dom, much like his lion. And while Kylo is an Alpha male, a panther, he doesn't question Conrad and his connection and what Conrad can do for him, he just goes with it, and accepts what the Fates have planned for him.


Loved that Wyatt pops up, and who with and how THAT all plays out! Kinda saw that coming in the last book, but loved that it gets explained.


The Devil and what happens with all that was a surprise, and I loved the showdown! I'm still not entirely sure how many animals Conrad has, but they range from a blue dragon to a spider and everything inbetween. What happens between them all at the showdown was shocking but Kylo took it all in his stride. Loved that, while Conrad's lion is his most Dominant animal, the dragon has to have the last say!


There is talk of the other assassins, but only Wyatt pops up, The Thalassa guys are mentioned as well, but none appear here. I kinda missed them!


I'll miss ALL these guys, now both series are finished, but I think this really was a fitting end. I do hope we get some follow ups shorts!


I was waiting for this, and it did not disappoint.


5 full and shiny stars


*same worded review will appear elsewhere

[Becky A · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Conrad" received FOUR stars.

The novel gained *stars* for these items:

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

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

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

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

The novel failed to gain stars for this item:

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

[Sue Milkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MAGNIFICENT finale to this INCREDIBLE SERIES!! JP SAYLE and LISA OLIVER are such a writing duo breath of fresh air. ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS!!! Conrad and Kylo were the perfect couple to end the madness!! I never guessed Conrad was the extreme assassin shifter!! I enjoyed this so much and this gave me pure satisfaction for the ending. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND THIS ASSASSIN'S TO ORDER SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[October · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the last full book in the Assassin's to order series ( there is a following novella), and sadly I didn't enjoy it as .much as the other books. I was expecting more conflict and drama between the MCs and was looking forward to it. I was also confused about how the devil's part was glossed over after he had been a criminal for 20 years. It wasn't terrible but it was just unsatisfying to end things this way.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth and last book of this fantastic series. I absolutely loved this story. The characters are so well written and the story line keeps you engaged from the beginning to the end. This was such a wonderful series and a fantastic story.

[Aly Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this was not sure how it could work this the reason Conrad was going there when he meet his mate but it did, the way he was upfront with him from the start I really like that. And how it turns out the daughter was a lot more unhinged than anyone realised such a good series.

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is an awesome read. The pacing and delivery is smooth, the characters are well-developed and the plot is twisty and multi-layered. Best of all it answers 99.5% of my questions. Yes, I still have a question. With no spoilers - I get the rest of them, but Kylo? How?

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kylo's story is great!

This is a great story. With all of the bad and disturbing things the mates must go through it only seems to strengthen their bond.
Conrad's reaction to Mom is funny and a joy to read about.

[Neats · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Anne]

Each book follows a different couple. But the books have to be read in order to understand the plot.

* shapeshifters
* found family
* light kink
* Mpreg