The Hitman's Final Job

Pine Ridge #1

by Ana Ashley

Have you ever met a hitman who dreams of having a veggie patch?
It's me. I'm the hitman.

It's the day before I retire from ten years of killing people for hire. Not only am I given one last job- wasn't that job in Budapest last month THE last job?- but then I find out I'm tasked with killing my best friend's dad.

Did I mention he's a total silver fox, the smartest man I've ever met and my all-time crush?

Yeah...life sucks.

Now I have to figure out who hired me so I can stop them. But keeping Vaughn safe while trying not to fall in love with him is a threat I didn't expect to face.

The Hitman's Final Job is a small-town romance featuring suspense, heat, and the sweetness of two men finding real love amongst danger. You can expect slow-burn tension, emotional depth, unexpected humor—including a surprisingly heated giant vegetable competition—and the kind of love that makes you want to stop running.

Genres: M M Romance

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 14, 2026

About the author

Meet Ana Ashley, your friendly neighborhood romance author!
Ana has been lost in the pages of books for as long as she can remember, taking a few amusing missteps with her childhood writing attempts. But everything changed when she discovered the magical world of LGBTQ+ romance—cue the confetti!


Ana's books offer sweet and sexy romance with a charming mix of humor and heart. Getting her guys together wouldn't be the same without the meddling but well-intentioned cast of secondary characters, who always insist on having their own story.


When she’s not crafting heartfelt tales, you can find her indulging in her favorite pastime of baking delicious treats, enjoying quality time with friends, or staying up late immersed in the pages of a good book.

You can find out more about Ana and her works-in-progress by joining her Newsletter. To sign up visit Ana's website anawritesmm.com

Reviews

[Nancy Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
THE HITMAN'S FINAL JOB (PINE RIDGE SERIES) di Ana Ashley
Recensione: The Hitman's final Job è il primo libro della nuova serie di Ana Ashley. Vi consiglio però di leggere il libro 0, Returning To Pine Ridge perché i due libri sono collegati tra loro.
In questo romanzo, decisamente più lungo del precedente, conosciamo meglio Vaughn e Silas. Vaughn Reeves è un imprenditore che studia nuovi metodi per lavorare meglio il terreno e studia come fare crescere piante ed ortaggi in terreni complicati. Per questo motivo, Silas, l'altro protagonista del libro nonchè migliore amico del figlio di Vaughn, Ronan, viene ingaggiato per ucciderlo.
Silas è un sicario di professione, è stanco di quella vita e vorrebbe "andare in pensione" ma prima gli assegnano un caso particolare: senza un vero motivo e addirittura con solo una foto, gli dicono di andare a Varsavia, cercare Vaughn e ucciderlo. Ma Silas conosce troppo bene Vaughn e decide di prendere tempo e capire chi lo vuole morto.
Per questo motivo si trasferitrà a Pine Ridge e vivrà in casa con Vaughn. Le cose tra i due saranno complicate perché l'attrazione tra i due è fortissima (e Silas ha una cotta da anni per Vaughn) ma non vogliono rovinare il loro rapporto con Rowan.
Anche in questo libro ho percepito che il focus fosse più sul giallo che ruota attorno Vaughn e la sua morte e meno la parte romance. Il romance ovviamente c'è e solo quando il pericolo sarà scampato che finalmente ho respirato l'amore che i due provano l'uno per l'altro e alcune scene mi hanno fatta sospirare per quanto sono state ben descritte.
Ho anche adorato ritornare a Pine Ridge, una small town dove tutti si conoscono e ho percepito la calma che si vive in piccole cittadine come Pine Ridge. Mi sono ritrovata sbalzata dentro questa cittadina e ho sentito il profumo del caffè della colazione, ho sentito il profumo del pane, la forte amicizia che lega tutti i protagonisti della cittadina. Vorrei che Pine Ridge fosse reale per passarci un mese e fare la conoscenza di tutti i protagonisti. Ah, e voglio assistere alla competizione delle zucchine falliche! Ahahaha solo questa cosa vale tutto il viaggio!
Adesso devo aspettare per il terzo libro, che vedrà protagonista Rowan.
Consiglio assolutamente questa serie, Ana Ashley scrive benissimo, ti fa entrare dentro la storia e respirare i luoghi descritti. Voglio davvero bere un caffè alla caffetteria di Pine Ridge e assolutamente voglio assaggiare il pane caldo di Tess!

English Review: The Hitman's Final Job is the first book in Ana Ashley's new series. However, I recommend reading Book 0, Returning to Pine Ridge because the two books are related.
In this book, we get to know Vaughn and Silas better. Vaughn Reeves is a researcher for improving soil and studies how to grow plants and vegetables in challenging soil conditions. Silas is a professional hitman; he’s tired of that life and would like to “retire,” but first he’s assigned a peculiar case: without any real reason—and with nothing more than a single photo—he’s told to go to Warsaw, find Vaughn, and kill him. But Silas knows Vaughn too well and decides to buy himself some time to figure out who wants him dead.
He moves to Pine Ridge and moves in with Vaughn. The attraction between them is very strong (Silas had a crush on Vaughn for years), but they don’t want to ruin their relationship with Rowan.
I felt the focus was more on the mystery revolving around Vaughn and his death and less on the romance. The romance is obviously there, and it wasn’t until the danger had passed that I finally got a glimpse of the love the two feel for each other—and some scenes made me swoon because they were so well-described.
Pine Ridge, a small town where everyone knows each other, and I could really feel the beauty that exists in small towns like Pine Ridge: I could smell the coffee at breakfast, the scent of fresh bread, and sense the strong bonds of friendship between the town’s characters.
I wish Pine Ridge really existed so I could spend a month there and get to know all the characters. Oh, and I want to watch the phallic squash competition, that alone is worth the WHOLE trip!
Now I have to wait for the third book, with Rowan as the main character.
I absolutely recommend this series—Ana Ashley writes beautifully; she draws you into the story and lets you breathe in the places she describes. I really want to have a coffee at the Pine Ridge café, and I definitely want to try Tess’s warm bread!

[Estela · Rating 5 out of 5]

**ENGLISH VERSION**
⭐️ 5/5 - A spectacular start to the series!
The Hitman's Last Job by Ana Ashley is an MM romance that has it all: suspense, delicious slow-burn tension, small-town romance, and explosive chemistry.
What is it about?
Silas Cross is ready to leave his life as a hitman behind after ten years in the business. All he wants is peace, a home, and a garden. But his boss demands one last job. The ultimate twist comes when he discovers his target is Vaughn Reeves, a brilliant and harmless 48-year-old scientist working to end world hunger. The added complication? Vaughn is his best friend's dad... and Silas's unrequited crush since his teenage years.
To protect him from other killers, Silas embeds himself into Vaughn's peaceful life in Pine Ridge under the guise of taking a vacation. While they try to uncover who wants the scientist dead, forced proximity breaks down their walls and unleashes years of pent-up sexual tension, both knowing their time together has an expiration date.

My thoughts:
I loved this from beginning to end, just like everything Ana Ashley writes. The plot perfectly balances corporate investigation suspense with romance. It’s a delicious forbidden romance, packed with sweet moments and high-heat scenes. Seeing a dangerous assassin integrate into a small town (complete with a "special" vegetable contest!) is absolutely wonderful.
It is a well-rounded book with a very satisfying happily ever after (HEA) that leaves you wanting more. I can't wait to read book two and get Rowan's story.
Highly recommended!

Note: I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

**SPANISH VERSION**
⭐️ 5/5 - ¡Un inicio de serie espectacular!
The Hitman's Last Job de Ana Ashley es un romance MM que lo tiene todo: suspense, tensión a fuego lento (slow-burn), romance de pueblo pequeño y una química explosiva.
¿De qué trata?
Silas Cross está listo para dejar su vida como sicario tras diez años en el negocio. Todo lo que busca es paz, un hogar y un huerto. Pero su jefe le exige un último trabajo. La sorpresa es mayúscula cuando descubre que su objetivo es Vaughn Reeves, un científico brillante e inofensivo de 48 años que busca acabar con la hambruna mundial. ¿El problema añadido? Vaughn es el padre de su mejor amigo... y el amor platónico de Silas desde la adolescencia.
Para protegerlo de otros asesinos, Silas se infiltra en la pacífica vida de Vaughn en Pine Ridge bajo la excusa de unas vacaciones. Mientras intentan descubrir quién quiere muerto al científico, la convivencia forzada derriba sus muros y desata una tensión sexual contenida durante años, ambos sabiendo que su tiempo juntos tiene fecha de caducidad.
Mi opinión:
Me ha fascinado de principio a fin, como todo lo que escribe Ana Ashley.
La trama equilibra a la perfección el suspense de la investigación corporativa con el romance. El romance es un prohibido delicioso, lleno de momentos tiernos y escenas de alto voltaje.
Ver a un peligroso sicario integrarse en un pequeño pueblo (¡con concurso de verduras "especiales" incluido!) es maravilloso.
Es un libro redondo, con un final feliz (HEA) muy satisfactorio que te deja con ganas de más. Estoy deseando leer el segundo libro para conocer la historia de Rowan.
¡Totalmente recomendado!

Nota: Recibí un ARC de este libro y comparto mi opinión honesta de forma voluntaria.

[Bill Bottomley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy. This review is submitted voluntarily.

Silas has been a hitman for 10 years and the book picks up just as he’s finishing up what he thought was his last job in Budapest. Unfortunately, his handler has other ideas including his formal last job. He meets up with his colleague, Zuza, in Warsaw for that assignment. It turns out that his best friend’s father, Vaughan whom we met in Book 1, is attending a conference in that city and he is Silas’ next mark. Silas, of course, recognizes him and refuses to believe that there could be any reason for him to be a target. So, he and Zuza decide that they need to investigate how and why it happened. Next thing, Silas at Vaughan’s farm and lab outside Pine Ridge, a small town in Colorado. What’s interesting is that both Silas and Vaughan are in love with each other, and are both dealing with the same threats without telling each other. They tell each other about their feelings but promise not to act on them because of Silas’s best friend and Vaughan’s son, Rowan.

This is the first book in the Pine Ridge series and demonstrates the author’s mastery of suspense. She feeds the reader with one snippet of information at a time. Until the end, she does not reveal whether the villain from the first book is involved with this contract, but we do once again see Atlas and Kai from the previous book as well as a bunch of townsfolk from Paradise Ridge. Silas is a hitman with a heart (cliché but it fits) and one can almost see how he ended up in that profession based on his description of his background. He and Rowan applied to the FBI together and the latter was accepted while Rowan was channelled into a secret agency because of his particular skill set. Vaughan is by nature a simple farmer who ended up with a doctorate and doing research into reviving “dead” soil to permit food production anywhere in the world. They have loved each other almost from their first meeting thirteen years ago. Even after they finally act on those feelings, they keep them under wraps, so the citizens of Pine Ridge won’t see and possibly tell Rowan. There is plenty of steam, but it totally fits into the plot. Speaking of which, this book has essentially two parallel storylines, the threats against Vaughan and the love story between the two MCs. In typical small-town fashion, there are lots of people present and ready to support the couple.

This book was almost impossible to put down, and I finished it in a day, despite its almost 300-page length.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC and ALC review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first book in the new Pine Ridge series gives us the story of Silas, a hitman who wants nothing more than to have his own veggie patch and Vaughn, and agricultural scientist who is developing a way to renew dead soil. Vaughn’s son, Rowan, and Vaughn have been best friends since college, but both Silas and Vaughn have both harbored feelings for each other for years. When a threat to Vaughn’s life collides with Silas’ profession, he makes the trip to Pine Ridge to find out who and why. As the two of the get to really know each other, they try to keep their feelings at bay. The developing relationship is equal part sweet and spicy, as Vaughn realizes he’s spent too much time isolating himself and Silas discovers what it means to discover a found family. This book has lots of character development, a bunch of wonderful side characters in the residents of Pine Ridge and everything you love in a small town romance and lots of yearning before these to inevitably get together. Even though these two did a great job at communicating, they still had to fight for their HEA. I really enjoyed this book, but the timeline seemed rather confusing at times, but other than that, I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was an unenjoyable listen for me. While the vocal intonations for Vaughn was spot on, the one for Silas kept changing, sometimes sounding like something from the northeast, sometimes there was a southern twang to it. The sheriff’s voice came across as a good ‘ole southern boy, when I thought he was a born and raised member of the town, which is in Colorado. There are a lot of foreign accents in this book, and not a one of them were successful, some of them down right uncomfortable and stereotypical and not in a good way. Usually, I run my audio books at 1.2x speed but I had to slow this down to normal because it seemed like the narrator was trying to rush throughout the book, sometimes almost sounding like he was out of breath. I received an advance listener copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me captivated from page one. It is the perfect balance of danger, mutual pining, intense emotions, sweet moments, spiciness, and the genuine love that gives you all the heartfelt feels.
Silas is a hitman who goes into protector mode when he realizes his final target is his best friend's father, and the man he has had intense feelings for years.
Vaughn is kind of a hermit, always in his research lab studying to find ways to feed people in places where they currently can't grow food. He's been getting threats for the last couple years and recently it has escalated. He foolishly keeps this to himself until it is almost too late, because these latest threats will have deadly consequences. Running into Silas at a conference is a surprise, one he is more than happy about. The only thing he struggles with are his hidden feelings for Silas.
When Silas shows up at Vaughn's for a 'vacation', these two men are happy to spend time together, but filled with such longing and trying their best to keep some distance. But their connection is too deep to ignore for long and blossoms into something amazing.
This book will have you edgy with anticipation, waiting for the bad guys to strike and to figure out who they are. You'll be eagerly awaiting every tension filled moment between Silas and Vaughn.
There are many secondary characters that add a lot of depth and humor to the story. There are many friendly neighbors and new friends in the small town that are like a friendly, welcoming community. There's some danger and violence, laughs and friendship, attraction and sexy times, a long awaited connection finally develops, along with a deep love and a sweet, heartwarming HEA.
I would definitely recommend this book.

I received an ARC from the author, this review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

[Karyn Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silas’s story is filled with action, vulnerability, and the challenge of leaving behind the life he has known. After ten years as a hitman, he’s ready to retire, but his final job becomes complicated when he’s tasked with killing his best friend’s father, Vaughn. The problem? Vaughn is a brilliant, charming silver fox and the man Silas has secretly admired for years.

I loved the way Silas and Vaughn’s relationship developed, with so much trust, patience, and understanding between them. Beneath Silas’s tough exterior is someone who has spent years surviving, and watching Vaughn see the person underneath made their connection feel so special. Vaughn was the perfect person to challenge Silas, support him, and show him that he could have a life filled with love and acceptance.

The balance of suspense, humour, and emotional moments was handled so well. There were plenty of situations that made me laugh, but also moments that showed growth, healing, and the importance of finding someone who truly sees you.

Overall, this was a fun, heartfelt romance with great chemistry, lovable characters, and a unique storyline. A protective hitman, a brilliant silver fox, unexpected feelings, and a second chance at happiness—this was a fantastic read.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5

Oh my! This was a great story to listen to; Alexander Cendese did a fantastic job performing The Hitman’s Final Job.

This is a fantastic best friend’s father, small town, romantic suspense book. Silas is hired to kill Vaughn for what is supposed to be his last job because he wants out of the hitman life. We are treated to a great romance between two men who just can’t resist each other even though they know they should. While the heat between them sizzles, Vaughn has to find out who hired him to kill Vaughn so he can get the contract cancelled.

There is a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes which we find out bit by bit as the story unfolds. The hot romantic relationship is very entertaining but I also loved how we were kept in suspense until nearly the end of the story.

There are a few bonus scenes after the last chapter and I loved reading them. I think they are little teasers for the next couple of books in this series and I can’t wait to read them.

A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.

[Likes2Explore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall 5 STAR
Performance 5 STAR
Story 5 STAR

*suspense *small town *age gap *best friend’s father *slow burn *mm romance

Absolutely Delightful!

I can’t stop smiling right now.

Alexander Cendese brought all the warm fuzzies to life with humor and heart. He has a voice that I could listen to for hours and never get tired of.

Ana Ashley has given us an incredible cast of characters that I easily fell in love with and I am looking forward to getting to know better as the Pine Ridge series continues. I love the small town setting with the suspense and romance. It was cute how everyone welcomed newcomers and got in everyone’s business.

The festival contest was too funny. I volunteer at a food bank and hand out food for our local produce truck and this reminded me of all the times people would comment on the interesting produce that we would sometimes get that would have worked really well in the contest ;)

Silas was too adorable with the veggies and I just loved Vaughn’s reactions to him.


Thank You to the author and team for this ALC.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this romance between two wonderful men in Silas and Vaughn. With a perfect balance between romance and suspense, a dash of drama and a well deserved HEA this book kept me engaged from start to finish.
Silas decides to retire as a Hitman but is given one final job. A job where his best friend’s Dad, Vaughn, is the target. Vaughn also happens to be a man that Silas has pined after for a very long time. So it becomes a very difficult and complicated job to keep silver fox Vaughn alive and discover why this inauspicious researcher from a small town has come to the attention of the wrong people.
With plenty of charming side characters in Pine Ridge to keep things interesting, moments that gave me some feels and others that had me smiling, steam mixed with sweet and a heartwarming HEA for two men who are perfect for each other I had the biggest sappiest smile on my face at the end of this very enjoyable book.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshingly original plot🔬🌱👨🏻‍🔬

4.5🌟 stars
I was immediately drawn into this well-written age gap MM romance plot, which I found out of the ordinary, with professional hit man Silas and altruistic scientist Vaughn playing the key roles. They've been attracted to each other for years without acting on it. Can they? Dare they? Will they? All relevant to their attraction since Vaughn's son Ryan is Silas's longtime friend and both fear Ryan's reaction if they actually get together. It was Silas's undercover job and how it had him flummoxed and worried that gave the story that unusual edge. Silas's care for his friend's feelings and his readiness to sacrifice bigtime: really touching.

Steam 🔥🔥🔥
Writing 📚📚📚📚1/2
Romance 💖💖💖💖1/2
Plot 📚📚📚📚📚
Suspense 😯😯😯😯

I read a complimentary advance copy of the story; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Andrea Smedley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is first in a series but it's helpful to read the prequel, Returning to Pine Ridge, first, as this introduces the characters of Pine Ridge and provides some of the backstory. In this first full length book of the series, Silas is ready to retire from his job as a hitman - yes, a hitman! But he's given one last hit, on a man he knows, the father of his best friend. And he knows that Vaughn cannot be guilty of anything evil which means he needs to find out who ordered the hit and why. So Silas basically moves in with Vaughn and starts living a very domesticated life, whilst trying to find out what's happening in the background. The whole hitman storyline made it a bit different from Ana's other small town books and I enjoyed the difference, whilst still getting the eccentric small town vibe. A satisfying ending. Look forward to Rowan's story next!

I received an ARC

[Raven and Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author’s characters! Vaughn and Silas are honestly perfect together. Silas may be living a secret life as a government assassin, but he wants out. He just never expected his final target to be someone he knows - the guy he has crushed on forever who just happens to be his best friend’s dad. He would never hurt Vaughan obviously, but now he has to keep him safe and figure out what is going on. Truthfully, the danger and mystery are a side note to the developing relationship between our MCs and to Silas realizing what kind of life he wants to lead. It is a sweet story with some moments of danger and lots of feelings. I highly recommend reading it. And it’s the start of a new series so more is certainly to come.

[Readingwithmypack · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

Silas and Vaughn are sooooo good together! I'm always a sucker for best friend's dad as it is, but I thought that this whole set up just added so much fun to this story because of the sheer pining for each other both of these men engaged in for YEARS before they finally get a chance to get together. The cherry on top was really the town, Pine Ridge, and its inhabitants who just add SO MUCH charm to this book!

I think you'll definitely enjoy this if you like books that have fun side characters that are doing their best to wingman/wingwoman for their friend, campy hitman that finally shoot their shot, and big bad villains that I have a feeling we'll learn more about in the next book.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! It was so much fun, the story line was so creative and grabbed ahold of you from the beginning. Silas and Vaughn are perfect….. together, separate, they are just so great. I love the way they communicated their want’s and desires but knew they shouldn’t cross any lines. I did not want this one to end. Pine Ridge seems like such a great place and I cannot wait for Rowan’s book. I also want to go read the Prequel Novella I did not know existed before reading this one.

I received this book as an ARC from the author and these are my honest opinions.

[AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome read from Ana Ashley! We get two MC's you won't be able to resist - you'll love them from the get go. Then there's Pine Ridge we've seen in the prequel story and which shapes up to be a great setting for the series, with plenty of supporting characters that make the story all that more interesting.
And! Last but not least, there's some crime to spice the story up, which I loved and look forward to see more of!
The series is just starting and I am so looking forward to see where it goes. I'm a huge fan of Ana's writing and love to see it develop in new directions!

[Tanya Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

After 10 years as a hitman, all Silas wants is to retire and raise veggies. Budapest was supposed to be his final job, now he is being sent to Warsaw. When Zuza points out the target, Silas knows something is wrong. No way does Vaughn Reeves belong on a hit list; he's a research scientist for god's sake. He's a soil scientist finding ways to bring overworked soil back to life. It's off to Pine Ridge for Silas so he can get to the bottom of who and why did Vaughn's name come up.

[Lisa Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ana Ashley always has a way with small town stories, and this was no exception. It's impossible not to fall in love with the people and the town of Pine Ridge. I loved Silas and Vaughn together, and I'm hoping to see more of them in this series. I'm really excited for Rowan's book next.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved following Silas as he embarks on his final job but is surprised to find out who the mark is. A vacation in pine ridge is needed to get more answers.

[Fiona V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know how Ana’s books keep getting better and better but they do. Silas and Vaughan’s story has mystery, some suspense, a town I wished was real and a couple who are perfect together.