Undercover cop Deacon Shepherd lost everything trying to maintain his cover - the man he loved and the future he craved. He walked away and never looked back because it was the only way to keep Rafe alive.
The last thing he needs is to be dragged back in that world, but an attempt on Rafe’s life is enough to make him risk his heart again.
Rafael 'Rafe' Martinez wakes up in hospital, the victim of a hit and run. He’s stunned when the first face he sees is that of the man who betrayed him and left him for dead three years before. Witness protection had stripped Rafe of his name and now it seems someone from his past wants him dead. The only way he can stay alive is to trust the man who tried to kill him and then broke his heart. But how can he ever trust Deacon, and how can Deacon protect Rafe without falling in love all over again?
RJ Scott writes heartwarming, passionate MM/gay romance stories where every man finds his happily ever after. When not writing, she enjoys reading books, watching movies, spending time with her family, following Formula 1 (Forza Ferrari!), and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Email her here: rj@rjscott.co.uk
Deacon estuvo trabajando de encubierto durante mas de 2 años para lograr conseguir todas las evidencias necesarias para encerrar al líder de una de las familias mas peligrosas del país. Pero en su tiempo ahí conoció al sobrino del hombre, un joven inocente pero fuerte, que estaba buscando pruebas del asesinato de sus padres. Lamentablemente, Deacon se encariña con el joven y tiene que romper su confianza y su corazón para poder mantenerse en la nomina y detener al hombre de una vez por todas. Cuando unos años después Deacon se entera de que el joven (Rafe) se encuentra en peligro, hace todo lo que esta en su poder para protegerlo, aunque su corazón le pida mas, no sabe si el será capaz de perdonarlo y quizás entablar con el algo mas que una amistad. Podrá Deacon detener la amenaza contra Rafe? Podrá Rafe perdonar a Deacon por lo que le hizo hace años?
Este fue el mejor libro de la trilogía. Tiene acción, drama, química entre los protas, pero también tiene misterio, apoyo de otros personajes, además de una línea de trama fácil de seguir. Además, tiene buenos y lógicos diálogos, y si, aunque es instan-love, se perciben mejor los sentimientos de ambos protas. En fin, me pareció una buena conclusión para esta trilogía, y por lo que leí en esta serie, es una buena continuación de una serie del autor que involucra al grupo llamado Santuario, serie que leí hace unos años y que me gusto bastante.
But I kind of felt like I came in after the movie started. <<< see what I did there? I spent the first couple chapters feeling like I missed the beginning of the story. I'm pretty certain that Deacon's Law is supposed to stand alone, though, so the author just decided to start it after the MC's were well aquainted with one another, and in the middle of a scene.
I did settle into the story, but as romantic-suspense goes, Deacon's Law, while alright, wasn't my favorite. Compulsive stupidity is one of my turn-off's and the story was too much telling and not enough showing.
Rafe, especially, really bothered me. At 23, and naive as hell, he decided to take on his uncle, whom he suspected had killed both his parents. Rafe ended up in a very bad situation because his uncle's sons were psychopaths who wanted nothing more than to kill him -- painfully. If Deacon would not have been there, Rafe would be dead. I could understand him not really groking what he was getting into -- once.
But even three years later, it would seem that Rafe has learned nothing. He seemed bent on taking on Felix, the worst of his uncle's sons, even though he had severe injuries from a hit and run (probably Felix) and he's wanted to do it whether he had backup, or not. Seriously, dude, do you not have a brain in your head? Or, maybe you just have a death wish.
I remember when I finished book 2 a few years ago, that I was really looking forward to Deacon's story. I liked him a lot, then, and I liked him in Deacon's Law, too, but there was a disconnect, for me, because I never got the sense of attraction, beyond lust, between Rafe and Deacon, much less love. We don't get to witness their growing attraction and feelings, we only have what we're told.
The suspense plot was predictable enough, but I almost always forgive that. As much as I love romantic-suspense, the suspense isn't why I read it. Rafe and Deacon do get their happy ending, though, and as much as they go though to get it, I was certainly happy they succeeded.
Overall, I found Deacon's Law to be kind of forgettable, but not terrible.
---------------------- ARC of Deacon's Law was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
**** Fantastic thriller, with all the right elements ! **** Rafe's Uncle Arlo was no good, nor were his son's. Rafe, 23, never knew his Mom, but his Dad was everything a Dad should be. As he was dying he told Rafe the truth and had proof. So, Rafe decided to infiltrate his Uncle's business and life to get more proof before he took it to the cops. But it didn't work out that way. Deacon, 35, was his bodyguard...or was he?
Then, three years later he's in witness protection, as Craig, teaching kids and safe. One cousin and Uncle Arlo were dead, and the other cousin locked up in a Psych ward for life. When his smooth life is turned upside-down, he's back in Deacon's care. They have still got their feelings for each other they had three years ago.
They act on them. Hot sexiness is short lived when the evil, crazy cousin breaks out and comes for Rafe/Craig.
His rampage is deadly. Deacon saves Rafe and decisions made.
RJ Scott's writing is meticulous and spell-binding ! "Unputdownable." So much is happening and we get the intense emotions, the thoughts of our men, their hopes and dreams. Exciting. Romantic. Revealing. Highly recommended. ENJOY ! ==================== torture, murder, violence. ===============
‘Deacon’s Law' is the third book in a suspense-filled series full of murderous crooks and the heroes who fight them. This volume focuses on Deacon, Mac’s friend from the previous book, who is an experienced cop on an undercover assignment when his world goes to hell. He falls for Rafe, nephew of the gangster Deacon is trying to bring to justice, but has to pretend to kill him in order to maintain cover. Three years later, an unexpected event puts Rafe in renewed mortal danger – only the stakes are ten times higher than ever before, danger lurks around every corner, and while Deacon comes to his rescue, how is Rafe ever going to be able to trust him again? Talk about a relationship with history to overcome!
Release day review. This is book #3 in the Heroes series and RJ has continued the saga and brought back a little glimpse into a previous couple. In this story, we get to learn more about Deacon. Deacon and Rafe have a tumultuous (to say the least) beginning. After three years, circumstances bring Deacon back to Rafe. Rafe’s story is heart-breaking! After thinking he has finally escaped his crazy uncle and cousins, he finds out that he is still in danger and it’s life threatening. The second-chance story worked for me on all levels. Once they worked through some of their past, Deacon and Rafe are wonderful together. The epilogue tied things up nicely and even then, I didn’t want it to end.
This book has quite a few threads. It begins three years ago, with Deacon undercover and Rafe still reeling from losing his dad. Living with his mother's estranged family he meets Deacon. There's a lot more than meets the eye with Deacon's role as a low-level fixer/bodyguard for the Martinez family.
Fast forward three years and the fallout from their original meeting is still affecting them both. There's quite a bit of story I missed by not reading the first two books. This can be read as a stand-alone, but I definitely feel as if I lost much of the back story.
The back and forth, then insta-love, with a flourish of drama kept me in the story. Unfortunately, the same threads that were all over the beginning of the book continue to dangle until the end. Many of them just thrown in, not so much discussed but commented on and moved forward.
Not a lot of heat, a small mystery but an overall sweet love story. The epilogue was a huge piece of happy.
Deacon et Rafe avec un Culomètre à 🍑 📣 Livre reçu en service presse.
Dernier tome de la série Heroes, qui, malheureusement, ne me laissera pas un souvenir impérissable !
Trois ans auparavant, Deacon s'est infiltré dans une famille mafieuse pour déjouer un trafic de drogues et d'êtres humains. Sauf qu'il s'est attaché à Rafe et, pour sa sécurité, a fait semblant de le tuer. Aujourd'hui, Rafe est de nouveau en danger et Deacon revient pour le protéger et finir sa mission.
Ce dernier tome est vraiment très court et je pense que ça a une vraie incidence sur le développement de cette dernière histoire. Il y a une partie où Rafe et Deacon sont en confrontation et une autre où ils sont en pleine romance à suspense. C'est assez sympa, mais un peu trop du déjà vu à mon goût.
Bref, je ne sais pas trop quoi penser de cette série mais, je vais attendre la prochaine, avec RJ Scott, on a toujours un peu de tout et c'est vraiment cool !
I had the privilege to proofread this so I only skim read it while looking for errors so it was a pleasure to actually sit and read it properly in the context of it being book three in the connected Heroes series.
It's a clever approach to take to a romance between two people who knew they had something special but weren't in a position to act upon it at the time - having to shoot someone will do that to your chances of happiness!
But RJ Scott manages to pull the narrative back from what could have been an overly dramatic and one-dimensional overly angsty storyline featuring dodgy prison escapees and insane cousins to deliver a really sweet second chance romance.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
I had this book on my to be read list from December 3, 2014. I had been waiting on it from then. Shows how dedicated I am to some authors.
"Felix escaped and he wants you dead."
Three years after everything went to hell in a hand basket, Deacon was rescuing the young man who still weighed heavily on his mind. Meeting Rafe all those years ago, the then undercover cop was so deep he could do more more than protect the younger man who was looking for answers in all the wrong places. Rafe, now called Craig was under witness protection. He had been Deacon's charge until a hit had been ordered on him. There was something about Rafe that former cop Deacon would do anything to protect the younger man from. Even as far as killing him in order to keep him safe.
Now with family members gone, a new order was placed against Rafe and Deacon found himself once again rescuer.
Rafe didn't know who to trust. He'd had a rough life after losing his parents. When he tried to find the answers to his father's last words, he found himself being bullied by family members and hostage to their whim. The one person whom he thought he could trust had seemingly executed him and possibly saved him. Now with a new life, Rafe had no love for Deacon when they met again. How could he forgive Deacon when the man had lied to him, had basically killed him?
In R.J. Scott's latest and most anticipated Heroes series, readers are finally privy to Deacon and discover the man behind the plan. As a reader, I had scoured the author's website for a long time waiting for news of this book and now that it is here, I can breathe a sigh of relief. With the Sanctuary backing, this story encompasses saving Rafe and finding home. Suspenseful, very light on heat and mystery rolled into one. Now I can move on. [Sigh]
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author. Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
How do you balance the need to do your job, save lives and protect someone you’re falling for? This is the dilemma Deacon finds himself in. He’s undercover trying to take down a truly evil man and his family. Into the middle of all this wanders Rafe. While Deacon believes he’s innocent, how can he really tell? What do you do when the one person you want is the one you can’t step out of character for and show who you really are?
Rafe wants justice, for his mother and his father. He knows his uncle has something to do with both of their deaths. He needs to find something to prove it. While staying at his uncle’s house, he can’t fight his attraction to Deacon. But how can he be falling for someone who works for his uncle?
The first part of the story is all about conflicted emotions for both Deacon and Rafe. Deacon wants to do whatever he can to get Rafe out of harm’s way and Rafe is just as determined to not leave until he has the proof he needs.
The next part of the story happens three years down the road. Circumstances have led to Rafe and Deacon reconnecting. And the feelings from three years before haven’t gone away for either man. In the middle of danger, the relationship developing between Deacon and Rafe is a slow burn. And the sex is more sweet and caring than hot.
This story has all the intrigue, danger and angst you could want. It has some twist and turns as well. It keeps you on edge, waiting to see what happens next. This was book three in the series, it can standalone but is better read in the order of the series. I can’t wait for the next in this series.
3.5 Stars. I’ve always preferred cops, military and law enforcement characters in novels and RJ Scott has written another good one. The story starts during the time Rafe and Deacon first knew each other, and the circumstances that make Rafe a target again, three years later. Deacon now has to convince him that he’s not the bad guy Rafe thinks he is. Mac and Sam, from book two, are present to help both guys, since they’re holed up in Mac and Sam’s house. Rafe is understandably confused and very reluctant to have Deacon as his protector, after what he did the last time.
I liked Rafe’s determination to take care of himself, although his stubbornness became a little irritating before he and Deacon resolved things. Things were a bit slow in developing on the danger front but the eventual action scenes were well done and suspenseful. I was cringing with sympathy pain at one point! My biggest objection, and the reason I didn’t give more stars, was all the activities Rafe could do in a leg cast and with a surgical wound, after only a week or so. That really took me out of the story, as I kept wondering “ how in the heck can he do that without screaming in pain?” It didn’t make a lot of difference to the overall plot, so I enjoyed just about everything else, including a strong HEA with a peek into the future.
Heroes is a spinoff series from the Sanctuary books and Kayden makes an appearance to check on Rafe. I snapped up the Heroes books when they came out because RJ writes terrific suspense. You could probably read this as a stand-alone but some details referenced from prior books might be confusing. Romance occasionally takes a back seat to the action but is always a strong presence. I’d recommend reading this story after the first two Heroes books, which were favorites of mine, and enjoy all the suspense, adventures and unique romances that develop.
*An ARC was provided by the publisher via Jessie G Books Reviews in return for a fair and honest review*
RJ Scott is trying to kill me – one book at a time – but I'm loving every minute of it. Deacon's Law is her newest release and I thought it was wonderful. I should know better than to start one of her books late at night; I found myself reading until 5 a.m. and only stopped then because I just couldn't keep my eyes open any more. Deacon's Law is the third book in the Heroes series and it's a heart-pounding, heart-breaking (at some points), suspenseful and thrilling story that I hated to see end.
The story begins in 2013 and picks up again three years later. Deacon Shepherd is an undercover cop trying to gather enough information to bring down an evil family that deals drugs and is responsible for several deaths.
Rafe Martinez' father and mother are dead. He is living with his Uncle Arlo's family; Arlo was his mother's brother. Before he died, Rafe's father told him of the evil things his uncle has done, including killing his own sister, Rafe's mother. Rafe hates living with his uncle and his sons but he's determined to gather evidence against the family so that they can be brought to justice for their crimes.
Deacon has spent two years undercover, working his way up through the ranks in order to get close to Arlo. He doesn't think that Rafe is really part of the evil things his uncle does but he doesn't know for sure. He's in a quandary because he's attracted to Rafe but he can't let his attraction undermine his investigation; too many lives are at stake.
RJ Scott gave her characters in this book such depth that I could "see" everything that was going on and feel everything that they felt. Deacon ends up feeling tortured by the things he was forced to do while undercover. When Rafe sees Deacon again after four years, he is stunned; he never again wanted to see the man who tried to kill him.
When everything seems to be resolved at just over the half-way point in the book I knew that it couldn't be but I was still shocked at the devious plot that RJ Scott came up with and how the rest of the story played out. Rest assured that Deacon and Rafe get their HEA but not without some serious heart-pounding moments.
The epilogue that RJ wrote for Deacon and Rafe was wonderful and a perfect way to end their story. You might want to keep some tissues on hand for this one – for the sad stuff and also for the happy things that happen; both brought on the tears for me.
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
RJ Scott certainly does romantic suspense well…Deacon’s Law has action, tension, suspense, one crazy as a loon bad guy, and of course right alongside it all, a burgeoning romance between the main characters. It’s all done realistically and with enough left unknown for most of the story to keep the tension high—along with Deacon and Rafe’s emotions.
These two guys are both after the same thing—they want to take down Rafe’s uncle and cousins for what they’ve done and continue to do. They both have different reasons, and both go about things in their own way…but things don’t always work out the way you want them to. For the reader, this results in a bit of a second chance romance (along with a bit of an age gap) to fit right alongside the action and suspense.
Rafe wants his uncle and cousins to pay for what they did to his parents, and is willing to put himself in the middle of it all to do so. Deacon is working undercover long-term to get all the dirt on them as well for a whole lot more; the problem with undercover? You sometimes have to do things you don’t want to do, things that will change you and how others view you as well—something Deacon needs to make Rafe understand when they meet up again a few years later.
There’s plenty to keep your attention here in this story, and the excitement and heat clinched a solid 4 stars from me. Deacon’s Law was classic RJ Scott romantic suspense, so if you’re a fan of the genre you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
Three years after "Last Marine Standing," second installment of this series, we are thrown for a loop by R.J. Scott with the story of Deacon and Rafe, completely opposite in temperament, looks and ideals, but insanely attracted to each other physically--if not philosophically.
Deacon (rear on cover) is a mid-30s under cover agent assigned to get the goods on Rafe's criminal family in California. He is suddenly tasked by that family with becoming the bodyguard of their newly orphaned mid-20s nephew Rafe. What happens there, and how they fall in lust, then are driven apart in a brilliant plot device that you can figure out as it happens, leaves you hanging for a while, especially when that incident occurred three years before this story carries onward.
Fortunately, we have the two principals of the previous book, Deacon's childhood friend, ex-Marine Mac, and his boyfriend, local sheriff Sam, to help both Deacon and Rafe carry onward. This takes place in New England, where Rafe (in Maine) has appeared on Deacon's radar while he is visiting Mac and Sam in Vermont
From there it's all downhill--well, in terms of how Deacon, Mac and Sam try to keep Rafe stabilized while he is being stalked by a crazy cousin who is likely to be a serial killer.
That's all I'm going to say except for, "Get this book!" And let's hope the series continues.
Deacon's Law (Heroes #3) by R.J. Scott 4 stars M/M Romance Triggers: Murder, attempted murder, torture I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
Deacon is working undercover when he first meets Rafe. Right away, he knows that it will take every ounce of his self - strength to stay away from Rafe. He is attracted to him, knows that he wants to protect him, but also knows that this case is important. Despite his feelings towards Rafe, Deacon keeps his cover and does the unthinkable... he tries to kill Rafe in order to maintain his cover.
Rafe is out of sorts when we first meet him. He knows that his family was murdered, but what truly gets to him is that he is the butt of all jokes about being gay. He is living with his uncle now that his parents are deceased and his cousins are horrible. They like to pick on Rafe and push him around. Rafe is there on his own mission, so he just kind of takes it. Rafe hopes that Deacon is sharing the same attraction that Rafe does and one night, Rafe tries to show Deacon just how much he likes him.
When the dust settles, Rafe and Deacon have to figure out how to move past what happened and fight together to capture Rafe's crazy cousin. The action in this story is great and I love how strong Rafe is, despite not always feeling like he was.
Deacon and Rafe get what I would consider a second chance at love, because the first time was tainted with lies and deceptions. I really enjoyed this story.
This is the third book in The Heroes Series. A captivating book the writing was great. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters intriguing. The characters were well developed and thought out. Rafe and Deacon are the MC’s of this book. There was humor, murder, family, a school, a baby, a serial killer, love and so much more in this book.
Here is a quote from the book, “He was stuck, halfway out of the window. No way would he be able to get out and outrun anyone with his leg in plaster, but maybe he could call for help. “What do you want?” “This is Cisco,” Mac said, like he was just making conversation, and he stepped closer. “I’m leaving,” Rafe said quickly, leaning further out of the window. “You can’t stop me.”. There is more but you will need to read the book which I can highly recommend. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.
I always love RJ Scott's men, and this was no exception. Deacon and Rafe needed to be together, though they each understandably fought the pull they felt. Meeting when Deacon was undercover as a hired thug and Rafe was a potential suspect, they had a rough beginning. When Deacon was tasked with killing Rafe, saving the man he cared about was more important than falling in love. Meeting again years later, how could they ever end up together? Well, it's a great ride figuring that out. I recommend this book and others in this world (Sanctuary and Heroes). I was provided an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
First I've been waiting for this story for well it feels like forever. Deacon is a cop, a good cop, one who will do whatever it takes to break the case. Enter Rafe the nephew of Arlo the target of Deacon's investigation bright and innocent Rafe has joined his Uncle for one reason to prove Arlo murdered his Father and Mother. Deacon and Rafe have chemistry but falling for someone while undercover can't happen. Rafe gets out and is put into WITSEC with his new identity he builds a life until a car accident rips his world apart and brings Deacon back into his orbit. This book contains references to the Sanctuary series and has Mac and Sam from the second Heroes book.
As usual a well written story from Ms Scott. A good addition to the series, I think this was the best instalment so far. It was an interesting story, with some surprising plot developments. I enjoyed the mystery and the unexpected twists and turns. Don't want to say too much, because I don't want to spoil the story. Enjoyed coming across Sam and Mac again, and seeing how their relationship was developing. Recommended if you've been following the series.
I received this story as an arc and voluntarily wrote this review
This story has many twists and turns, tension runs high throughout and the characters keep you wanting just a little bit more that keeps you turning pages right till the end.
Apparently I added this to my tbr pile 2 years ago! Therefore understandably I was a little confused as to who Mac & Sam were, let alone Deacon. However, this turned out to be the best of the bunch so far. Really well written.
What another amazing book for this series!! RJ Scott never disappoints.
Deacon and Rafes story is a complicated one. Deacon is a undercover cop trying to get the bad guys. Rafe wants answers about his parents. They came together at the worst time but they couldn’t fight their attraction. Then one night both of their worlds turns inside out. Deacon wants to keep Rafe safe no matter what. Even if it means betraying him. But Rafe doesn’t know the truth about Deacon. Then life has a way of bringing someone special into your life, granted when someone is trying to kill you, you learn that love is worth the risk.
I don't know how RJ Scott does it all the time but this was another wonderful book. The much-anticipated third book in the Heroes series tells the story of Deacon and Rafe. Right from the start, I was captivated by this story. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, heart beating at full speed. It is a story full of suspense and heart-stopping situations. It is a story full of love, friendship and heart-warming moments. I was pulled through the whole spectrum of emotions, from anger and fear right through to laughter and love. The heat level is low. There are more tender and gentle moments than super hot ones. The anxiety and tension are high. Written in a perfect combination. RJ Scott can create loveable characters like no other. Deacon is a hard man but with a heart as soft as butter. Especially when it comes to Rafe. He will defend and protect him no matter what. He stands for his principles and takes his work serious to the extreme. Rafe might be the younger man but he has such a strong character. He has experienced so much emotional and physical pain it is hard to read. It takes times to forgive Deacon what he did but then it takes a strong man to be able to do that. It is always lovely to reconnect with the guys from earlier books, in this case, Mac and Sam. Even Kayden from the Sanctuary series makes an appearance. This is the third book in the series and can be read as a standalone. There are recurring characters so you might miss some references to their stories.
As usual, Rj has given us another great story. Included in that story are two main characters that I fell in love with. Rafe and Deacon meet under the worst circumstances. Before their relationship can truly begin, they are torn apart due to necessity. They both go through a horrific ordeal, each different but in their own ways just as devastating. Rafe is severely injured and Deacon must protect him for a man so sick and evil that as soon as he was introduced, I wanted to slam him upside the head with a friends skillet. While reading this I was taken on a ride of emotions that at times had me so sad, angry,hopeful and happy..rinse repeat. The love between these two men was wonderful to read about. The love making was amazing as well...made much more by the fact that these two LOVE each other and it shows in every touch. We also get to visit Sam and Mac from a previous book in this series..always love visiting former favorites. So to sum it up....evil tries to destroy good, good falls in love with good, evil tries again and love conquers all as it should and friends always have your back. I fell for the main characters, cried for them, laughed with them, and rooted them on through the entire book. There is so much more to this but I don't want to ruin anyone experiencing this for themselves. Rj delivered, as she always does!
I was given an Advanced Readers Copy for my honest opinion.
Deacon Shepherd, a former undercover cop, sacrificed his career and his relationship to protect Rafael “Rafe” Ramirez, walking away to keep him safe. For three years, Deacon lived in the shadows, believing their love was lost forever. But when Rafe survives a brutal hit-and-run, the man he thought betrayed him suddenly reappears at his bedside. Rafe, once forced into witness protection after dismantling his uncle’s cartel, is now a target again—and his only chance of survival lies with the man who broke his heart. As assassins close in and old enemies resurface, Deacon and Rafe must confront their painful past while fighting for their future. Bound by a love that refuses to die, Deacon knows this time he can’t walk away—he must fight to the end, even if it costs him everything.
I loved this story which was a high-stakes romance layered with themes of betrayal, redemption, and survival. I loved that Deacon’s decision to walk away from Rafe to protect him embodied the theme of sacrifice—giving up love, career, and identity for someone else’s safety. Yet from Rafe’s perspective, that sacrifice looked like betrayal. The tension between intention and perception highlighted how love can be both protective and devastating. I also loved that despite betrayal, danger, and bloodshed, Deacon and Rafe’s love refused to die. A lot of deep feelings and emotions in this powerful story. This was an MM story with mature content.
We first heard about 'Mac's friend Deacon' in book #2, and I for one could not wait to hear more about the elusive man himself. And what a story Deacon gets! The book opens smack in the middle of action, we get a glimpse that Deacon might care about Rafe for more than just a guy he's supposedly protecting.
Rafe is determined to find out the truth about his parents' deaths and that means pretending to be a dutiful relation to his uncle and his crazy, dangerous family. Deacon doesn't fit in the picture and Rafe starts to like the guy until he shoots Rafe at the lake and leaves him for dead.
Neither thought they would ever see each other again, let alone years later when Rafe is back in danger and Deacon once again trying to protect him. So things are a bit awkward (understatement!) between them but soon enough this turns into something a bit more and suddenly it's not just Deacon's head in the game - it's his heart.
I enjoyed the hell out of this. It was fast paced, exciting and the action was spot on. Mac and Sam's cameos were a lovely surprise, kept the story grounded in the series. There were some very gruesome bits but never too much, the action was just on the right side of suspense without being too graphic. Also, one of the finest epilogues in any book I've read in a long while - beautifully wrapping the loose ends of the story together while leaving you feeling on top of the world.
Deacon's Law is the third book in the Heroes series, and we get the story of someone who showed up in book two to help Mac out. Deacon was a quiet character in there, but someone who Mac trusted completely. In this book, we find out more about Deacon, and get an insight into the character he is. Rafe is the good guy, caught up in a mess that isn't of his making, but he is determined to see it through for reasons of his own. These two really go through the mill to begin with as Deacon is undercover. Once the story moves to present time, then things go more smoothly.
As with all of R.J. Scotts' work, this is a smooth story, with one scene changing to the next very easily. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. Although Sam and Mac do make an appearance in here, there is nothing here that a new reader would find confusing. Although it could be read as a standalone, I would definitely recommend the series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the third book in an absolutely excellent series - and by far my favourite so far! Ms Scott has done a fantastic job of combining a believable and passionate romance in a really intense and suspenseful story. It was also good to meet up with Sam and Mac, who lead in Last Marine Standing, and particularly poignant when Rafe needs a reality check.
There is plenty of insight into how both men are thinking and dealing with the cards they have been dealt - and in both cases they are selfless and self effacing. Deacon may be the undercover cop, but Rafe too was seeking justice. He suffers terribly for the truth, yet continues to be so positive. His lightness shines very brightly. Interestingly, even though Deacon has to act dark, I did not get the feeling that he is himself, which made the connection and the sweetness all the more believable and enjoyable. The safety and security he offered Rafe, was definitely repaid in the pleasure it gave him to be caring.
From suspenseful and violent all the way to cute and cuddly - 20 chapters of very enjoyable reading. Thank you Ms Scott.
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
How does Deacon get the man he shot to fall in love with him? I loved the dilemma at the centre of this story. Rafe only knows Deacon as his uncle’s bodyguard. The bodyguard who volunteered to kill him. It’s a brilliant start to a romance between a retired undercover cop and the man he feels compelled to save.
Each of the books in this series is completely original and the first three have only been loosely linked. This time, our hero is a cop, not military Special Ops, and the threat is from a crime family, not arms dealers, politicians or terrorists. But like the first two books, this is packed full of action. The romance between Deacon and Rafe is slow and complicated, but the focus is on Deacon’s hunt for Rafe’s evil cousin.
Like most action stories or films, I’m not entirely sure how plausible most of this book is - but it is definitely exciting. I love that this series isn’t formulaic and I really loved the characters this time around. I can’t wait for the next story.