The Cleaner

Houlihan Men of Dublin #2

by Brooke Summers

They call me The Cleaner

My job? Make bodies disappear without a trace.

I've done it for years—killed to protect my family, my crew. And I'd do it all over again without a second thought.

Then there’s her—Lisa Turner. She’s the perfect storm that I didn’t see coming.

I met her years ago, a broken girl with eyes that screamed for salvation. I thought I could ignore it, push her away, but fate had other plans.

She’s back in my life now, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone hurt her. She saved me once, and now I’ll protect her from whatever demons still haunt her.

But an unknown foe is coming for us.

Our pasts resurfacing—and it just so happens that mine and Lisa’s pasts are on a collision course.

Only one question remains, will we be strong enough to face the unknown together? Or drown in our secrets?

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2024

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Brooke Summers is a Mafia Romance author and is best known for her Made Series.


Brooke lives on the West Coast of Ireland with her daughter and husband where her stories come to life.

Brooke is represented by Nikki Groom at SBR Media.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Dark Mafia Romance, and this is the second book in the Houlihan Men of Dublin series. I read the first book in this series before picking up this book. There is a lot in this book that could trigger a reader, so please check triggers warnings before picking up this book. I loved this book so much. There were dark moments in this book that broke my heart, but there are also twists and turns that were so great. I love the characters, and the story took me on a wild ride. I loved it so much.

[Brandi-Lynn Weiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 was fantastic, but book 2 was a nonstop roller coaster of emotions. I can’t even explain how my heart broke for Lisa & what she went through. I never hated a character more than I did Tanya & wanted to jump & beat the ever loving hell out her. And Lisa’s dad made me just as angry for not protecting his daughter. But if there was ever a character I really admired it was definitely Lisa. She turned into this fierce & deadly woman & I loved it! Her & Maverick were killer together & the perfect couple.
The action in this book was nonstop & I couldn’t put it down. My only complaint would be that I really wanted to see Lisa unleash all her years of hurt in dad, & I wished Lisa would’ve had more of a showdown w/Tanya. With everything that bitch did to her, she got off too easy.
But nonetheless this book was amazing & definitely a must read! And that ending!! What the heck Brooke! I can’t wait for Emmanuel’s story next, I need it like yesterday!

[Dymon Knapps · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨
The Cleaner
Author: Brooke Summers
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ 1.5

The plot of the book starts off strong. Lisa’s story is dark and intense. Both Maverick and Lisa were well-written. Maverick’s admiration for Lisa was refreshing after seeing how she was mistreated by her father and his mistress. Even with his dangerous lifestyle, Maverick was able to be himself when he was around Lisa. I truly felt for Lisa and was so glad that she was able to find people who truly cared for her and I was glad to see her gain self-confidence throughout the book.

That being said, some aspects of the book didn’t work for me. The constant time jumps leading from months to years with little context. Also, the romance between Maverick and Lisa felt rushed; they instantly decided to be in a relationship after one date. I feel like there was no build-up of chemistry. Additionally, I felt that their relationship took away from Lisa’s growth. It started to feel like she was dependent on Maverick for her happiness. Regardless I overall enjoyed the storyline and the ending which left on a cliffhanger.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

¿Un libro sobre asesinos que matan personas malas? Obviamente tenía que leerlo.

[Lofty · Rating 5 out of 5]

5*
Maverick has seen Lisa a few times but knowing how young she is kept away. He's drawn to the sadness that she shows.
Lisa's life hasn’t been easy the affair that her father had ruined their family and the damaged caused to her mum.
When they meet again he's determined it's for keeps.
A fantastic story I loved the characters and couldn't put the book down.

[Koneko Kagoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️,5/5

🌶🌶/5


Honestly, I really think the whole story, including the plot and the love story could have been way more developed! I did enjoy reading this book though! I wanted to ARC read it to discover something new, and I did! And I was thrilled to! Although, at some point, we kinda lose why Lisa can't tell Maverick who she really is, you know. There's no real danger there. Or at least that's what I felt. I don’t care about time jumps but they did happen way too quickly. According to me, the overall story needed more development. And in terms of vocabulary, I really think there's something to be done there because there's a LOT of repetitions and damn woman, there are so many bad words and insults that exist and you keep using the same ones! I also felt like the more Lisa was surrounded by men, the more she was losing her strength, and became less “badass”. I guess I would have prefered something more balanced, with a touch of adequate feminism. Oh, and last thing, I found it cool that there were only three spicy scenes, although they felt repetitive, and I guess I would have liked more originality? Or patience and comprehension? Mav and Lisa’s love story went reeeeeaaally quickly, too quickly. I would have adored seeing them falling in love for real, and working through their relationship. Lisa was my favourite character! She was so inspiring! And I can’t even imagine what your Google researches look like. 😂 But I still devoured this book, which was really easy to read, as well as it made me discover something new! And I wanna know why what happened to Ava happened!! And who the hell did this??

[Kimberley Pritchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Brooke Summers and Love Notes PR for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a review.

This Irish gang romance was a refreshing change; I haven't read a romance quite like it before. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. Although the story contained adult content, it was not overwhelming and seamlessly fit into the narrative.

This is the second book in the series. Even though I hadn't read the first book, I was able to follow the story, which suggests that the series is interconnected.

Would I recommend this to others? Yes, but do check the triggers as there are themes of suicide and death

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review

Overall rating: 3.5⭐️
🌶🌶

The plot was okayish. It felt a little underdeveloped. It also felt like the author rushed through the book because there were a lot of time jumps. And very little relationship building between characters. It was kind of a good book since i finished it in 1 sitting, but I expected more. It needs more development.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please check your triggers because this story is sooo good but is very heavy. I couldn’t get enough of Lisa and Maverick. Both with dark paths but give each other a bright light in each other! Definitely read the first book to follow the other characters in this one.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shannon Godwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow! Talk about a whirlwind. I love Lisa & Maverick. Lisa has a heart of gold just trying to do the right thing. I love how protective both Lisa and Mav are. I also love the way the book is written handling the time gap between everything. I am so looking forward to the next book.

[Lori Hammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa and Maverick have crossed paths a few times over the years. Third times a charm but now they have careers that shouldn't. Theirs is a suspenseful, danger-filled life full if secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed their story.

[Olivia Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first ARC and wow what a read.

The gang/mafia style story really isn't the type of book I would pick up but I honestly could not put this down, I finished it in a couple of days. I don't want to give away any spoilers as it's so good. It's very fast paced and there's constantly something going on. It has a bit of a Sons of Anarchy vibe to it. It's devistating, exciting and heartwarming, it puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions. I recommend you read the trigger warnings before reading this book as it's very heavy. Lisa's story was heartbreaking, I loved her and Devin's relationship and wanted to read more of it. Devin's story was also devistating and how Lisa got revenge, I had no idea that was coming. I loved Lisa's character and how she developed into such a strong woman after everything she had been through. Lisa and Maverick's storyline was so good, they were the perfect power couple. I would of loved to have read more of their story when they knew about each others jobs. I just didn't want to book to end.

I haven't actually read the first book in this series but I don't think you need to, each book is about a different character and I managed to follow the story perfectly although I think I needed a diagram of a family tree, I couldn't keep up with all the names and who was related to who. I was also getting annoyed at how much Maverick was calling Lisa 'baby' was giving me the ick but the storyline was so exciting I managed to see past it.

I'm so glad I got the chance to read something a bit different and it certainly did not disappoint.

Thank you to Love Notes PR for my copy.

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE CLEANER is the second instalment in Brooke Summers’ contemporary, adult HOULIHAN MEN OF DUBLIN dark, erotic, Mafia romance series-a spin off from the author’s MADE series. This is twenty-one year old Lisa Turner, and twenty-seven year old Maverick O’Hara aka The Cleaner’s story line. THE CLEANER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. For fans of the author, there is a slight cross over with the Fury Vipers MC.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Lisa and Maverick) THE CLEANER covers approximately eight years wherein a thirteen year old Lisa Turner is thrust into a dark and dangerous world precipitated by the death of her mother, and the neglect by her father Ben Turner. Over the next several years, Lisa gains control of her life, becoming someone and something no one recognizes but it is when she reconnects with our story line hero will Lisa’s future become hardened in stone. Maverick O’Hara is an assassin; a cleaner who takes down the baddest of the bad but someone else is taking aim at Maverick’s targets, someone who will be known as the Hanging Reaper. As Maverick and Lisa’s relationship quickly builds into something more, the past returns, taking aim at our story line couple.

The world building follows several paths including the destruction and take down of the local scum, people who target the innocent, children, women and the weak. As Lisa must come to terms with the past, Maverick must come to terms with the woman with whom he has fallen in love.

The relationship between Maverick and Lisa begins years before when Lisa saved Maverick’s life. Lisa is a woman who has experienced more loss and grief than any child should but a woman who is stronger for the experiences of her dangerous past. Maverick is determined to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love,a woman who is just as capable as the man she loves. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate.

There is a large ensemble cast of coloful, dangerous and familiar secondary and supporting characters including several from the author’s MADE series and FURY VIPERS MC Dublin. We are introduced to co-owner of The Agency Travis James; Lisa’s father Ben, her long suffering mother;and Ben’s girlfriend Tanya. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE CLEANER is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and obsession, power and control, madness and murder, acceptance and love. The premise is dark, dramatic and intense; the romance is provocative; the characters are desperate, dynamic and broken.

Heed the trigger warning-they are numerous and dark.


copy supplied for review

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today starts a new chapter, one that I’m not entirely sure I’m ready for. But I have no choice.

As their lives get pulled from under them and a choice to take control from those who have caused nothing but pain, Maverick & Lisa paths are about to cross, entwining them deeper into the dark corners of Dublin's streets.

The blood may wash away.
The rope collided ready for its next victim.

Can two tainted souls rebuild their lives and keep the secrets close to their chest?

“I saved you; you saved me. I say we’re even.”

“We both know that we didn’t need the other to do so.”

“It sure as hell felt nice to have it though.”

This was very dark, gritty and with strong female empowerment.

More of the story comes to life in book 2 Houlihan Men of Dublin, still following the events of the world that is created you are able to pick up and follow this story easily.

You are pulled straight into Lisa’s story of everything she’s gone through with no details left out giving you more of her character. I really enjoyed reading her development, her past certainly changed her and she was given the opportunity from an unexpected source to seek justice.

Lining up with Maverick's story these two cross paths early on and fate clearly wants a twist idea with these two being together. Maverick is known as The Cleaner his reputation is deadly enough but now someone else is haunting down his targets kills. This was fun reading how each event was going to unfold for both characters, we know early on what is happening…however the character’s don’t.

Both characters connect really well and fit in nicely together within this world, I like having the difference and the strong female character of Lisa. She was definitely one of my favorite female characters from Brooke summers.

“I’ve got my own scars too. But sometimes you’ve gotta take a chance, right?”

[Karen B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book as an ARC. All thoughts are my own. Thank you to lovenotespr for the opportunity!

The Cleaner is book 2 in the Houlihan Men of Dublin series. I did not read book one, however, each book is able to be read as a standalone. 

Maverick and Lisa have known each other for years. They met when she was 16 and he helped save her and her friend from a bad situation. Years go by between their meetings but there has always been something there. The story is dual POV, which I enjoy, but I was not expecting that since the summary of the book is coming from Maverick's POV. They both have dark secrets that they try to keep from each other, but we all know how that pans out...

This book fell flat for me. Unfortunately, I felt like the plot was all over the place and the entire story was very rushed. Every couple of chapters, a large chunk of time has passed, and it just didn't feel complete. The story was predictable and there was very little character development, but I think that's a given with the story being under 300 pages. I think if this story had 100-200 more pages, there would've been more time to give the characters AND story more depth. There are also a lot of language differences, since this book is based in Ireland. I found myself having to look up words often because they weren't familiar to me. There were also SO MANY characters... I literally couldn't keep any of them straight. I feel like when a book is this short, the character list needs to be less involved. 

If you like these tropes, this may be the book for you!

☘️ Age gap (he is older)
☘️ Mafia romance
☘️ Trigger warnings (please read first!)
☘️ Touch her and die 
☘️ Dual POV




#foundfamily #romance #foryoupage #fyp #fiction #bookish #goodreads #bookstagram #kindleunlimited #romance #books #bookreview #kindle

[Rohini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa has suffered a lot. Watching her mom death in her hands and a fucking bastard father who cheated on her mother.
I really hate her father and that stupid bitch Tanya who made my baby Lisa so broken.
Luckily she meet good people and become strong.

Maverick started working for hooligan gang to teach the man who has been abusing his sister and almost killed her. He saved Lisa when some fucking assholes want to hit her.


Fuck , I really love the twist and started loving the book from chapter ten. Really the story became so interesting and exciting. 🤭



Five years, it took five years to meet each other again with new versions of themselves. I really loved the story and how the author wrote the characters and their development so well🤌🎀


The interaction between Lisa and Maverick's parents is so good and lovely. And the interaction between Maverick and Orna(Lisa foster mother) was so cute like how orna is so nervous to meet him...same as Lisa when she is meeting his parents. 🫂


Lisa has got amazing friends who support her and always be happy. I really like Mellisa and Callie. They are so cute that I really want to read their stories too.


The story was too good and I can’t able to say goodbye to them. I really started falling for them and now I don't want to finish the story and move on. This is the reason I love paperback copy of the books. You can own the book and feel like they are with you.😩😭🎀




And it's end with cliffhanger. The next book is The silencer. I am really exicted for the next book.

Yeap, Lisa and Maverick's story was finish. They had happy ending. You can give it a try if you love books with happy ending like me🤭🎀


Anyways thank you for considering me for the arc reader and I am really happy to review this wonderful story 🥰😇

[Alyx Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cleaner by Brooke Summers is book 2 in the Houlihan Men of Dublin series. While written after The Eraser and a standalone, the events are concurrent. Readers will be able to understand everything that is happening, the characters motives and baggage is recognizable. Dialogue between new and returning characters is hilarious, and it is true if you’ve read the previous book some events will have a deeper impact, the book is so well written it stands on its own flawlessly.

Brooke Summers has written yet another dark and violent enthralling romance, and I am so here for it. Lisa and Maverick both have pasts filled with darkness, violence and trauma. I love how through the beginning years they have these moments where their paths cross. This idea of coincidence, where the idea that a different choice could have put them both on a vastly different path. But life didn’t work out that way, instead, they both work for the same Agency, protecting those unable to protect themselves. Both are feared, not only for their skill but because they’re like ghosts, no one knows who they are or what they look like.

So of course they were destined to fall in love with each other. Lisa and Mav’s story is intense, emotional and scorching hot. The twists Brooke throws at us are epic, making this one of my favorite books, and I’ve read most of her books by now. I adore the Houlihan Men, all of them. The interaction between the characters is hilarious, making me laugh out loud. I love how sometimes I know what one of the characters is going to do or say. Brooke has created a world that I can step into easily and feel at home in. I can’t wait to read the next book!

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚ARC Review📚

Genre: Mafia Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
POV: Dual
Burn: Medium

Tropes: OTT & Possessive Hero, Hidden Identity, Organized Crime, Found Family, Trauma Survivor, Killer Couple, *check trigger warnings*

This is the second book in a series but can be read as a standalone.

Maverick O'Hara joins his uncle's gang at a young age and quickly rises through the ranks. His specialty? Disposing of bodies without leaving a trace. He vows to protect his family and friends at all costs. Maverick first spots Lisa Turner when she’s a teenager, and over the years, they cross paths a few times. However, it’s their final encounter at a bar that truly changes things. Lisa has grown, but Maverick hasn’t forgotten about her. Determined to win her over, he sets his sights on her for good.

Lisa Turner starts the story as a 13-year-old girl who endures deep trauma but eventually rebuilds her life. At 16, she makes a choice to protect her family—an act that unknowingly triggers a chain of events, leading to the beginning of an entirely new life.

Maverick and Lisa’s story spans eight years. From the very first page, this book hooks you in with its emotional rollercoaster. It’s filled with betrayal, vengeance, lies, murder, secrets, love, and acceptance. The romance is perfectly balanced—a bit steamy but never overwhelming or distracting from the plot. The chemistry between Maverick and Lisa feels genuine, and you can truly feel their love for one another.
Though the book doesn’t end on a full cliffhanger, it certainly sets the stage for the next installment. I can’t wait to dive into the third book in the series.

Thank you Love Notes PR and Brooke Summers for the ARC.

[Emily Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Love Notes PR and Brooke Summers for the ARC of The Cleaner
3/5⭐️
3.75/5🌶️

I will start by saying that while this is the second in a series of standalone there was a lot of information thrown around that was hard to follow and a lot of people and different relationships to keep track of. Since there are a few different time jumps the author tried to keep you up to date with what was happening in the background with all the other characters, but at times it was hard for me to follow. The time jumps also seemed a bit random since it seemed little had changed between each jump other than the lives of the background characters. Some made since because the relationship between Lisa and Maverick would have been incredibly fast if there wasn't, but it made the story feel a bit disconnected.
The main characters Lisa and Maverick worked really well together. I was nervous in the beginning when she started out so young, but I was glad they found each other when they were both adults. Lisa was scared to show Maverick every broken piece of her and even those that she had put back together even though she knew way more about him than he could have imagined. It's silly because neither ever asked any questions of the other because they didn't want any questions asked back at them...but how do you go months dating and basically living with someone without the topic of your job coming up?
If you like the blurb for this book, but haven't read The Eraser (Book #1) yet I would probably recommend starting there. At some point I will go back and read it before book #3 comes out and hopefully it will make everything seem a bit more connected.

[Lottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

overall rating is 3.75🫶🏻

Okay, I'll start out by saying this book surprised me! I was a bit skeptical because I didn't realise it was book two in a series until I received the arc and even though you can read them out of order I don't really like doing that, but it was really good and I didn't feel like I was missing out on any details! The plot in this book was brilliant, I really liked the way that the rivalry of the gangs, the crime groups, and the agency were presented. The drama, danger, and mystery really drew me into the world. I also felt empathy towards the main characters, especially Lisa, because she went through it. The book starts off when she is thirteen, and then we see parts of her life that lead up to her being 21. This was a really good way to establish her background as a character and others as well. The thing I didn't really like about this book was how fast the relationship came about between maverick and Lisa, it's like he saw her, realised she was an adult now and not a teenager and five pages later she was in his bed and he was in love with her. The insta love/ fast paced relationship just isn't for me guys I'm sorry😭 And also toward the end of the book the fmc really started to annoy me because she kept contradicting herself and being sad about something happening that I won't spoil but she basically hinted that she wanted it to happen, it just didn't make a lot of sense to me but I'll get over it. Thank you to the author and love notes pr for the opportunity to read this arc, and I hope you all love this book if and when you read it!

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

TROPES: Serial Killer x Serial Killer, age gap(ish), multiple timelines, dark romance, gangs, insta love

I was given this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest review

I really liked the concept of this book, but there were just some things that made the book not live up to my expectations.

I still don't know how I feel about the fact that he first saw her when she was 13 and he was 18 and when they first interacted she was 16 and he was 21... Now when they finally get together she's 21 and he's around 26/27 which I didn't have a problem with but it happened immediately after they reconnected after 5 year which kind of made it feel like he was interested in her when she was 16 and was just waiting until she was legal 🤷‍♀️

I liked the idea of the Agency and Lisa working for them and Maverick and his Uncle's gang but I just felt like they weren't executed well. They didn't explain very well how it all worked and what other organisations there were. This is the second book in the series so maybe it was better explained in book 1 but with how they explained things in this book, I still had lots of questions. Especially about why The Agency was double booking instead of talking to each other about who is taking what job.

I also felt like they didn't explain enough to fill the gaps of the time jumps, especially the 5 year one. I still have no idea how she knows Callie and Chloe or why they call Ciarán "Cowboy". Her best friend, Clodagh also "disappeared" about halfway through and then they just mentioned her a few times but we didn't even actually see her again after around the 40% mark

I did still really like Mav and Lisa together and I liked both their characters. The book was still interesting and an easy, quick read. I also really liked the side characters, I would have even liked to have seen more of them. This book could've been longer, to address some of the issues. I felt like with how short the book was, it was hard to address all the issues they needed to address

Thank you to Love Notes PR and Brooke Summers for the ARC

[~lil maso~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Robyn for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner

This is the second book in the Houlihan Men of Dublin series, and the story focuses on Lisa and Maverick, aka The Cleaner.

Maverick joined his uncle’s gang at eighteen after a family crisis. He learned he was very capable of killing and had a specialty: he made bodies disappear without a trace.

Lisa is a young woman who surprised the heck out of me. 😁 After the trauma she experienced as a teenager, I am amazed that she not only strengthened her outlook on life but also her confidence. This is one down-to-earth, shrewd young woman who I really like.

Oh, my word, the anger that grows after the way Lisa has been treated by her father and his girlfriend knows no bounds. I was nearly foaming at the mouth in a rage. That’s how dynamic the writing in this book is and how much readers feel a part of the story. Plenty of other scenes have you feeling deep emotions, not necessarily negative ones.

As usual, this author has woven a little bit of magic into her story—not literally but creatively—and it has turned out to be sensational.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*

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[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

He may have started at a young age, but it just made him better at what he did. His family is large, in charge, and will do whatever is needed to protect everyone in the family, extended family included. His twin is married to the head of the Irish Mafia, one of his uncles runs the gang he's part of, and another is a member of the local MC. Maverick is a member of the Houlihan Gang and he makes no excuses or apologies for who he is or what he does.

When her family implodes, Lisa is left picking up the pieces, but unfortunately, fate isn't done with the shit show she calls her life. As a thirteen year old, she should be enjoying life and living it as a young girl having fun, but fate has different plans for Lisa. Her life seems to just keep getting rougher and rougher until she finds a new family, but the danger hasn't just simply vanished. When she needs help the most, it seems like fate has stepped in again and paved her path for her.

I loved this story in the Houlihan Men of Dublin and I can't wait to read more. The characters are rough, dangerous, and all about family. However, I do warn you to please heed the TW and CW for this story as well as others in the series. While they are good stories, they do lean to the dark side and there is a lot that could trigger someone. Please be sure to take care of yourself and read the TW and CW for this book. Brooke Summers writes great stories, but they can be dark.

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently finished The Cleaner by Brooke Summers, and I have to say, it was quite the ride! This dark romance captivated me with its unique premise and complex characters, making it a memorable read.

The story revolves around the protagonist, known only as "The Cleaner," who has the chilling job of making bodies disappear. Right from the start, I was drawn into this unsettling yet fascinating world. The moral ambiguity of the Cleaner’s actions really struck a chord with me, as I found myself grappling with questions of loyalty and justice throughout the book.

One of the standout aspects for me was the character development. The Cleaner is not just a ruthless figure; their internal struggles and desire to protect loved ones add layers to their personality. I felt a genuine connection to their journey, which made the emotional stakes feel incredibly real.

The pacing kept me on my toes—there were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, while still maintaining a coherent storyline. However, I did find that some parts felt a bit rushed, especially towards the end. A little more depth in certain plot points would have made the resolution even more satisfying.

Overall, I’d rate The Cleaner 4 out of 5 stars. It’s an engaging read that successfully blends dark themes with emotional depth. If you enjoy thrillers with complex characters and moral dilemmas, I highly recommend giving this book a try!

[Debbie Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot!Hot!

This story hooked me from page one!Maverick was my heartthrob,my savior and I was glad he was there for Lisa. She needed someone like him in her life,she had no one in her life to love her,be there when she needed a loving hand to hold her when her life was only getting worse and worse each day.I was in the back ground when Lisa took all the pills,then try to hang her self,telling her buck up,don't give up,life will better.Alo,ng comes her foster mother and her friend Tammy,some Dr's. who cared for her,show her kindness, be there for her.Maybe that's why she was living that second life,maybe she was expressing her self and getting the hurt,angry out.But it brought Maverick back in her life and she really blossom, she felt love ,beautiful, cared for.But they each had a very big secert and she along was afraid it would effect Maverick 's feelings towards her and their relationship. She was but to the test when he was kidnapped by her father's sick girlfriend/wife,Lisa came in cool has a cumber and made her pay for all the sins she did against Lisa,but Maverick found out Lisa's hidden secert,he may of been shock at first but it made them stronger has a couple. The ending was good except someone had to die,then not so much.This story had some gore in it and other stuff but it made the story,it got the job done and the bad people off the street one way or another!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa hasn’t bad it easy. She has to deal with a lot of trauma and self-loathing but she is a strong woman who doesn’t back down. She cares about others and will fight in their stead and has one of the biggest hearts you’ll see. Shoutout to her close friends and foster family for looking out for her when she needed it most.

Maverick is a solid presence and will fight for you. He is an upcoming leader in the Hoihan gang and will support his friends and family. He is measured and controlled and someone who knows what he wants.

These two! They have a chance encounter but their relationship doesn’t grow until years later when they’ve each established themselves and has a chance to get to know each other better. There is an implicit trust and respect they have for each other and while they might keep their occupations away from the other, they will do anything to make the other person happy and secured. Their story together and individually is full of heart and soul.

We also see connections between characters from across the author’s other works and it’s enjoy are seeing how this universe comes together. There is much suspense and drama and the author does well with the story. Plus that tease!

Overall this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to what’s next.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sylviane BM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa n’a pas eu une enfance heureuse. Après le divorce de ses parents, après la mort de sa mère elle a du vivre avec son père et sa nouvelle épouse, la maratre, la méchante belle mère et tout de suite elle s’est sentie indésirable. Une tentative de suicide, des hopitaux, elle a du se retrouver seule jusqu’à ce que son chemin la mette sur une femme bienveillante. Mais tous ces drames l’ont marqués et elle est devenue au fil des ans une jeune femme qui ...

A chaque moment de sa vie elle a rencontré Maverick, le nettoyeur, lui plus agé, lui qui nettoie après, lui qui n’hésite pas à protéger ce qui lui appartient et sa rencontre avec Lisa va aussi bouleverser sa vie.

Devenue une femme maintenant il ne peut s’éloigner d’elle.

Ils ont un destin entre croisé. Leur métier est entre croisé mais voilà ni l’un ni l’autre ne peut rien dire. Tu m’étonnes vous vous voyez dire oh chéri j’élimine des gens sous contrat, oh chérie je nettoye et torture des gens. Vive les repas les soirs.

Bien sur tout ne peut rester cacher et comment chacun va-t-il réagir?
Lisa trouvera-t-elle enfin le bonheur, des réponses?

Lisa fut très touchante et j’ai eu envie de la prendre dans mes bras et de gifler sa belle mère, ou de lui planter un talon dans l’oeil.
Une romance sombre attention qui traite de dépression, suicide, tortures, meurtres, viols sur mineurs, mafia.

[Jamie Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked getting to read Maverick's story. Lisa's past was so tragic and sad. I liked how she took care of Devin and what she did for him. I liked the twist in the story with Tanya and her family.
Tanya and Lisa's dad were horrible people. I liked how sweet Maverick was with Lisa, even while being a killer. I thought it was interesting how Lisa was recruited into the Agency also. I liked how Maverick was so sweet with Lisa for her first time and how he told her she was his and he wanted her in his life.
“𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗯, 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲.”
"𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨?"
“𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼. 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮. 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻. 𝗡𝗼𝘄? 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼.”
"𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙮 '𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨'? 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚.”
"𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱.”
"𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲."
I thought it was funny how Lisa kept leaving "presents" for Maverick. It was funny how he couldn't figure out it was her all along. This was a great quick read and I enjoyed getting to read Maverick's story finally.

[Grinning Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was a good one. In order to not give spoilers, I’m not going to do my usual breakdown of triggers and tropes. First thing you should know is that this book has more triggers than an NRA swap meet. DO check the author’s website, because your mental health is not something to trifle with.
If you can get past the triggers, this book has an intricate backstory that is somehow just right, and unforgettable characters. Maverick is the latest of the Houlihan unalivers to find his true love. He is a delightfully morally gray antihero, in the best sense of the word, and he loves his woman with a focus and intensity that he has previously shown only in his prolific (and graphic) work as an unaliver for the mob family. Yeah, he’s a killer and a criminal, but he still has that certain Je ne sais quoi…. He’s delicious.
I’m not going to say much about the heroine except that she has been through worse-than-heck and is both likable and full of surprises. She is indeed Maverick’s perfect match.
I loved this book. I think one of Summers’ strongest skills is building connections between characters. Her character game is strong. I can’t think of a single character whom I feel neutral about. One of the qualities of an excellent book is that it makes the reader feel, and this book has that in spades.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kasey · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I got this ARC, I was so excited to read the book because the idea that both the FMC and MMC were assassins sounded like such a cool idea, but overall, I was left disappointed. I started reading this book in the beginning of December, but it was very slow starting off, so I just came back to it and finished it today.

This book spanned over 5 years which is not my favorite when I am reading a book, and I felt like the buildup to get to the present took forever. I did not feel any connection to what the FMC, Lisa, was going through. Then she randomly meets one of the bosses of the Agency and she just agrees to work for them. Seemed out of the blue for her character when she seemed meek and weak. Also, I wish we had some more chapters in her training and how she transformed into The Hanging Reaper. Then the book jumps forward 5 years, and she meets Maverick again and they just start hooking up. I felt no connection between them and their relationship felt bland. The book also skipped all over the place too quickly, which was frustrating. Other characters were also just introduced randomly, and I had no idea who they were. Overall, I was disappointed by this book, and I wish if the plot was thought out a little more and the timeline flowed better, I would have liked it better!

Thank you LoveNotesPR for the ARC for an honest reivew.