A Choreographed Coup

Love and Liquidation #2

by Jason Wrench

FROM POPULAR AUTHOR OF LGBTQIA ROMANCE JASON WRENCH

Book two in the Love and Liquidation series

Unseen enemies, hidden agendas and a love that defies all odds... The battle against extremism gets personal.

Graduate student Blayne Dickenson and boy-band member Ethan Bond are jolted out of their lives when a concert takes a deadly turn, marking the beginnings of a meticulously planned coup on the shadowy organization known as The Foundation.

An unexpected, injured visitor thrusts them deeper into this chaos, revealing a conspiracy against Pennington University. As threats mount, Blayne and Ethan' s bond becomes their anchor amid the chaos. Yet, when caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vendetta, can their love withstand the onslaught?

By some, they are honored as heroes, but their accolades come with perilous consequences. A lethal threat shadows their every step, demanding a perilous dance of wit and courage. Can they avert a catastrophic blow from a homegrown extremist group, or will their world crumble? Will their relationship with The Foundation take unexpected twists?

420 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2024

About the author

Jason Wrench writes. He writes a lot. He’s authored eleven academic textbooks, thirty-five plus research articles, authored numerous chapters in other books, and edited eight academic books. When he’s not in his day job as a college professor at SUNY New Paltz where he teaches in the Department of Communication, he’s writing romantic thrillers like 12 Days of Murder (November 2021) and Till Death Do Us Wed (February 2022), both with Pride Publishing. Jason loves reading/writing, Broadway, coffee, and his puggles. He’s a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Textbook and Academic Author Association.

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardly time to draw breath

After the events of Boy Bands and Bullets, you'd think Blayne and Ethan deserved a little time to take stock and just spend some quiet time together, their relationship so new but already strong. But no, absolutely no time for them or us to catch a breath before crazy times come round again.
You really need to read this series in order. All the cast of characters from the first book are here again, and this story starts one month after the events of Boy Bands and Bullets. Whether they're famous, grad student, lawyer, FBI, shady covert operator, all the characters feel very real to me, and I'm completely invested in them all.
This was another high-octane thriller, the stakes even higher and with even bigger targets than last time, which kept me up far too late but it was too gripping to put down. I loved Blayne and Ethan, and Kira was great again, but Phillipa was absolutely fascinating, as was Ms. Wilson. The ensemble cast worked for me.
I read the excerpt from the next book, Rhythmic Reclamation, and I was like 'WTF? Noooooo....' but I can't wait to see how they got there and where Jason will take them from that shocker.

[SandyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

A month after the events of book one, Blayne and Ethan find themselves back in a mess with terrorists and so forth. In this second book, there’s still the twisted, convoluted world of boy bands crossed with extra-governmental agencies but a bit more focus on secondary characters and less exposition overall definitely helped the flow for me. Without giving up plot, the story moves from the university where Blayne somehow still has a job to the Rose Lawn of the White House and while it’s all bonkers, it still makes sense within this world of espionage and assassins. Suspension of disbelief is needed, of course - boy band, assassins, PhD candidate who is not chained to his desk and his classroom make for some major necessary suspension, but worth it. Still some brain stumbles over expository bits that I found interesting but drew me out of the plot at odd times, but worth the commitment if you like freewheeling suspense with a bit of romance too. Bonus points for amazing three-dimensional secondary characters who identify as women.

[Traci S · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun to pick Blayne and Ethan’s story up again. It’s a fun premise, you don’t find a lot of books that mix boy bands, espionage, and covert pseudo governmental entities. It’s original and a bit wacky in the best ways. For me, where this book excels the most is in the strong characters. Blayne and Ethan are pretty lovely, but the side characters are also excellent. I especially appreciated the array of strong and interesting female characters! My favorite aspect though was seeing how strong Blayne and Ethan have become as a couple and how they really trust and rely on each to stay alive. It was a touch slow moving in the first half to me, but the action picks up and becomes quite a fun and twisty ride. Unique and creative.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story combines the most interesting elements into a story that is fun and so interesting. Blayne and Ethan really just want to be together and to grow their relationship. They are challenged enough by Ethan being in a popular, touring boy band while Blayne is a graduate student working and studying at a university. Who would expect these two to be dragged multiple times into crazy spy espionage and yet that is exactly what happens to them. They are strong together and they are there for one another as they deal with the craziness and that makes following along as they work their way through such an enjoyable read. Like the first book this one did not disappoint and Blayne and Ethan are such likeable characters it was easy to root for them as the action unfolded.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elaine Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second edition to the Love and Liquidation series featuring Blayne and Ethan. . When a concert turns deadly, the two are thrown into the middle of a coup against The Foundation. But that's only the beginning. As they uncover a conspiracy targeting Pennington University, their involvement deepens and the stakes get higher. Amid escalating threats, their bond proves to be their greatest asset, but a vengeful vendetta puts their love to the ultimate test. Honored as heroes yet targeted by a lethal threat, they navigate perilous challenges with wit and courage. Don't miss out on this heart-pumping adventure!

[Jo Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a little while to get into this, book 2 in the series. Although you could read it as a standalone I would highly recommend reading book 1 first to fully understand what is going on. The first third of this book was unremarkable to me as it was just Blayne and Ethan moving on from the events in the first book but then it got really interesting and I couldn’t put it down because I had to know the outcome. I wouldn’t recommend staying up until 2:00am to finish it is a smart move but that’s how compelling the story because. The blurb for book 3 is just as intriguing so I can’t wait for it.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished A Choreographed Coup and absolutely love it. This is the second book in the series, and it draws you in and won’t let you go until the last page. This is the second book in the series and was just as captivating as Book 1. I won’t give away any spoilers but know that you will not want to put the book down once you start it. I have been catapulted into the lives of the Zero bandmates and their loves and I want everyone to experience what Blayne and Ethan share. Do I recommend this book? Oh heck yeah! I can’t wait until the next in series since I’m hooked!

[Bkwrm24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan and Blayne ❤️

4 Stars ⭐️

Action, danger, adventure and Boy Bands. I adored seeing these guys again, their story is a lot of fun. Jason Wrench has a way of pulling together the craziest scenarios and making them work so well together. I can't wait for the next installment, this book was a wild ride and I know it will continue. I would recommend, this is not stand alone so pick up the first book as well.

* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two in the series and it kept my attention from the first page to the last, with another brilliant story that shows the strength and resilience of Blayne and Ethan’s love and relationship as they fight homegrown extremists and uncover a conspiracy against the university while constantly being targeted. Great action packed read.

[Deb Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great series and I really found this second book interesting and fun. The MC's Blayne and Ethan just want to be together but are dragged into a crazy spy plot and following their journey as they work their way through this was so enjoyable and kept you hooked wondering what would happen next!
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to be a wonderful mix of academia, politics and espionage with plots by dark forces and organizations thrown into the mix. The developing relationship between Blayne and Ethan adds just the right amount of romance to the plot and their bond is a necessary part of the plot. Great world building and characters.

[Mark]

I loved this book, although a couple of times I think I might have peed a little in my pants, as it scared the crap out of me worrying for the guys! Exciting, riveting and romantic. Who could ask for more?! I can't wait for book three in this series, I am definitely enthralled and excited to hear more. Enjoy this book!

[Chelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one. I found myself skimming chapters instead of reading it properly. I did really like Ethan and Blayne's relationship. I'm not sure if I would read book 3 or not yet.

Thanks to GRR for the ARC.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danger is closing in on them and a concert is going to become worse for them. They will need to face the danger together and try to beat the mounting odds from the conspiracy about them. How will they get on? Can they beat the danger? Will they get back to normal? See how they get on

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blayne & Ethan

There's a lot going in this story but I was here for all of it. It was a good follow up to book one.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethan and Blayne are on another adventure and we're happy to go on it with them. The nerd and singer romance has a great cast of characters along with the MMCs. This book is a fun ride.

[Rosalie (industrialreader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had so much fun with the second book in the series. So many good new characters and new thrills and suspense. Such a good next book.
Ethan and Blayne are so good together too.

*Thank you gay romance readers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.