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Inked #2

Thirds

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For Aleks, the third time wasn’t the charm…and fighting for survival was only the beginning…

Aleks is a tattoo artist at Inked. He’s also a man with a troubled history and a future bent on vengeance. But his plans for revenge are derailed when he meets a man with ties to his past. A man who also holds a promise of the future.

Brogan is dangerous for Aleks in more ways than one. He’s former military, a successful businessman and a strong hand in the bedroom—everything Aleks wants, under the worst possible circumstances. It’s up to Aleks to figure out what—and who—is worth fighting for.

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2016

28 people are currently reading
222 people want to read

About the author

S.E. Jakes

38 books1,740 followers
SE Jakes writes m/m romance. She believes in happy endings and fighting for what you want.

You can contact her the following ways:

You can email her at authorsejakes@gmail.com

You can post to her Facebook page: Facebook.com/SEJakes

You can Twitter her: Twitter.com/authorsejakes

You can post on her Goodreads Group: Ask SE Jakes

You can follow her on Tumblr: http://sejakes.tumblr.com

You can ask her a question as part of the Ask The Author program on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/4595...

Truth be told, the best way to contact her is by email or in blog comments. She spends most of her time writing but she loves to hear from readers.

***
SE Jakes is the pen-name of New York Times Bestselling Author Stephanie Tyler (and half of Sydney Croft!)

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5 stars
68 (24%)
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100 (36%)
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89 (32%)
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13 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for ♣ Irish Smurfétté ♣.
715 reviews163 followers
October 12, 2016
Full reviewage on Prism Book Alliance®

Here’s the short of it, before I get to the long of it: I like the characters, there’s a bit of head hopping in terms of narration, these guys can be drama llamas sometimes, some plot points were spot on and provided a good base for everything, while others not so much, the writing has highs and lows.

I’m going to start with Aleks and Brogan, the two main characters in this story. I like them both, their different personalities and approaches to life making for a good mix in terms of making for an interesting relationship and endless possibilities for future stories. I understood Aleks more than Brogan as far as motivation for their decision making and ways of thinking about things. I think we could use more of Brogan and his history, a more personal approach as opposed to most of it being provided in terms of his family and their doings.

This was also affected by the scales balancing a bit more heavily towards telling than showing in some places. I didn’t get to feel along with learning about each of Aleks and Brogan, why they are where they are in their lives, and wanting to make the changes and take the risks they feel they must. This is a story about revenge and, I sometimes felt the weight of the stakes, but not always.

Drama llamas. That’s how these two sometimes reacted during their conversations with each other. They sometimes felt over the top, and used to generate conflict. They weren’t necessary. The nature of the story presented plenty in that department and, when organically included, it totally worked. I became invested. The strength of the those threads was uneven but these Brogan and Aleks kept me interested.

And Quinn and Con. They did, too. Keep me interested, that is. They injected some humor, a bit more danger, and a reference point that helped to ground the story, keep it steady on its feet when things faltered, whether in focus or intensity. Even in the scenes they appeared, it was easy to see the progression in their relationship. They’re definitely two very different people who work well together, and do not hesitate to help their friends. In this case, that’s Aleks.

This is, at the center, a story about revenge. We get some backstory about why Aleks, and Vann, are unrelenting in carrying out their plan. Some of this is told in a way that feels a little disconnected, almost like it all was done to someone else. In some scenes, though, it’s maddening and heartbreaking and it’s not difficult to understand why they have been working up to this for so long.

The guys in this Inked universe are all complex, have complicated histories, and are by no means angels. These characteristics remain consistent throughout the story. All of it helps feed the reality that Brogan and Aleks are each looking for home in the arms of someone who accepts them, challenges and all.

There’s a staccato rhythm that sometimes comes through in the writing, and it temporarily interferes with the mood. However, there are plenty of scenes that display that spark, that indefinable quality that Tyler owns like a badass in her storytelling.

I enjoyed this more than the first book in the series and, by the end, I wanted to learn more about and spend more time with Brogan and Aleks, and certainly Quinn and Con.
Profile Image for Ezi Chinny.
2,689 reviews530 followers
April 17, 2020
No real chemistry and choppy writing

1.5 stars rounded up. This book was a bit of a mess. It didn’t flow, It just was not well written. I liked the concept and back story but it wasn’t developed well. One super moody hero and a nice Dom who wasn’t a real Dom, more like a top. Even the sex wasn’t that exciting to read. This was a really disappointing as I love the Men of Honor series. I know she can write some really sexy and captivating love stories. This wasn’t memorable to me.
Profile Image for Antisocial Recluse.
2,711 reviews
October 10, 2016
Kind of disappointing. I really didn't "get" Aleks and Brogan together. The convoluted history for Aleks was mostly confusing, not so much the fighting part, but what he was supposed to be finding out and doing. There was too much anger for no particular reason. The plot was not solid by any means. The sex was meh and didn't feel passionate. Which is really too bad because SE Jake's can do it all very well in her books. I am glad that she is getting back into the swing of writing. I think she has been through a lot the last couple years. So it wasn't unlikeable, just not very engaging.
Profile Image for OJ.
147 reviews11 followers
November 27, 2016
This is my review of THIRDS, by SE Jakes. This is a Gay Guy/Straight Girl Co-Review with my partner in crime Lisa Arbitrary Click the links below to see the whole review and more.
OJ Library LOGO - Copy (2)

THIRDS, by SE Jakes, Gay Guy/Straight Girl Review

Thirds

At long last our heroine is back and she delivers a solid return with Thirds, the second novella in the Inked series. Although this is the second book in the series, and it does contain appearances by Colin and Quinn from Hold The Line, this is most definitely a stand alone on its own merits and does it ever have merits. A good, solid story that I’ll get into later and SE Jakes’ signature smoking hot MM sex scenes! I sincerely hope she continues with an Inked 3. These are extremely enjoyable novellas that merit further life.

THE CHARACTERS

Aleks:

“The guy had dark hair and hypnotically dark eyes. He scanned the crowd, wearing only blue shorts and white tape on his hands. …Damn, the guy still looked the same. Better, actually. His face was chiseled and matured— model material— his body still muscled but a fighter's muscles. Aleks didn't have the tattoos back then that Brogan noted running down his arms— he'd only worn blue shorts, so Brogan would've seen them if he had.”

Hot, sexy, Aleks was coerced and forced in the dark underbelly of MMA, the dark matches - matches to the death, when his brother was kidnapped and held for ransom… the ransom was Aleks’ participation in the dark matches. Aleks, a sub, is in the final stages of exacting his revenge for his brother’s death, however one very distracting complication comes up – Brogan!

This is Aleks’ story, and a highly intense one at that!

Brogan:

“He looked just like Aleks remembered— a little older. Tanned. Blond, blue-eyed, All-American and handsome as fuck. His bearing was military and if Aleks closed his eyes, he could picture that night, making fast work of one of his first opponents in the ring while Brogan watched him intently. Sometimes the fights made Aleks hard— a purely physical reaction his body had to fighting— but that night, it had been all about Brogan's intense stare.”

Brogan is the heir to the Montgomery-Johnstone fortune, although he’d never wanted to follow into the family business, he went into the military and became Special Forces, much to his cousin Harry’s chagrin… Little does Brogan know just what Harry has been doing with the family fortune.


THE STORY

This is an awesome story for an MMA junkie such as myself. I’ll admit it, it’s one of my weaknesses and this story is pure adrenaline with a heavy dose of testosterone.

Forced into the deep underbelly of MMA, the dark matches – matches where the winner is determined by who lives and dies – via his handicapped kid brother ‘s kidnapping and being held for ransom, except the ransom wasn’t cold, hard cash. The ransom was Aleks’ being held captive to participate in the dark matches. And the orchestrator of this was none other than Brogan’s cad of a cousin, Harry.

“Harry was rich, bored, looking for easy entertainment for his wealthy and out-of-town clients.
It was also a front for the Russian mob.
And now Harry's cousin was standing right in front of him, like a package with a bow on top. Leverage.”

What Brogan doesn’t know is that Aleks is out to avenge his brother’s death as a result of his escaping from the dark matches. Aleks and his friend in captivity, Vann, had managed to escape and as a result Aleks had lost his brother, Berdy, and Vann his first love, Lola.

THE WRITING

SE Jakes is back, with a vengeance, and she’s not messing around. This is pure, unadulterated, testosterone fueled, kick ass MM, with a heaping dose of heavy man sex like only she can write, flawlessly edited to within an inch of its life.

“Please don't make me do this was really please force me into this. Brogan had been playing the Dom/ sub game long enough to tell the difference. "Is that your new safe word?"
"No. Same," Aleks managed. "Orange."
"Good. Come on, then."”

It only gets better, and insanely hotter, from there.

THE DISCLAIMER

We would like to thank Stephanie Tyler with providing Gay Guy/Straight Girl Reviews with a copy of this book in exchange for our honest review.
Profile Image for Lisa Arbitrary - AttentionIsArbitrary M/M Blog.
332 reviews136 followers
December 21, 2016
3.5 Stars rounded up because SE <3

*This is my half of my co-review with OJ on our GayGuy StraightGirl Blog


Oh my goodness it is great to have SE Jakes back and in form! No matter my mood her men are always a good fit. She is writing with a loose flow and an intense vibe that just nails you right to your chair.

CHARACTERS

Brogan assessed him and frowned. “You’re not good at following orders.”
Aleks raised his chin and demanded, “Prove to me they’re worth following.”


Aleksandr Solonick
– A bossy sub with a very dark past and a future of retribution.

Brogan Montgomery-Johnstone – Dom and All-American handsome businessman, Brogan recalls Aleks from years past and is going to make sure Aleks remembers him.

Harry – Brogan’s brother and “the biggest fish” in the fighting ring.

STORY

This is a book about revenge.

Book two in the Thirds universe fits right in. Aleks is a tattooist in Con and Quinn’s parlour. Aleks comes from a very dark past and is on a life mission to right wrongs. He has focus and determination until Brogan distracts him with some hot dom action. Their lives are deeply intwinded already, but neither knows just how deeply.

You are entering a dark world of cage fighting, human-trafficing, and mafia corruption. Luckily, Con and Quinn have thier shit straight enough to lend a hand when necessary. Maybe, just maybe, with the help of their friends, these two can find a way to right some wrongs and mend their hearts along the way.

WRITING

Finding a prologue in a novella was neat. It was necessary and set a necessary dark tone for this book. As I said earlier I found the flow here very easy to read and, more importantly, to get into. I was absorbed.

~ ~ ~

Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
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http://www.attentionisarbitrary.com
Profile Image for Carey.
1,213 reviews
October 3, 2016
I should have reread the first one, first. Also, fair warning, the Amazon version is over at 80% and the remaining 20% is promo
Profile Image for Laura DeSimone.
661 reviews27 followers
October 6, 2016
I loved it. It seems like along time since we had a book by SE Jakes and she does not disappoint with this book. This is one of those stories where two people see each other across a room, in this case a fighting pit and just know. Aleks and Brogan are two such people and they have a story to tell.
Profile Image for whimsicalmeerkat.
1,276 reviews57 followers
December 9, 2021
Well, that is the sweetest D/s rich guy death fighting ring book I have ever read
Profile Image for Donna.
461 reviews5 followers
November 3, 2019
Recon Reckoning

Aleks is committed to avenging his brother's death by stalking and killing the heartless rich asshole who owned his fighting skills for years. But when the landlord of the building where he inks walks into the tattoo shop, he remembers why he's been jerking off to the memory of that face for the past decade. Brogan recognized Aleks as the fighter he craved 10 years ago and still fantasizes about at night. But what will happen when Aleks is torn between his past and present? Does he even have a chance at a future? Another engaging read from the deviant mind of SE Jakes.
1,068 reviews6 followers
September 29, 2018
To hell and back

I have a real weakness for men that has been through hell, who are broken and haven't been treated good by the world and Aleks is certainly one of them. Forced to fight in death matches, caged and not being able to save his brother he hasn't had much of a break in life. When he meets Brogan and finally finds someone he feels something for it's someone with ties to his past.
I'm so happy that Aleks and Brogan found each other even if it comes with a lot of bumps in the road.
Profile Image for M..
476 reviews2 followers
March 30, 2019
Aleks was forced to fight for the entertainment of others. Brogan just happened to be related to the man running these fights. After many years Aleks and Brogan cross paths. Their sex is just as rough and sexy as these two men, and it’s hot. There’s a little dom/sub action; I would have enjoyed more scenes of them. This book was good and the ending was great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Hrtnsoul28.
1,180 reviews
February 19, 2017
Aleks and Brogan's storyline was unique also. The end with Harry was so sudden, I did not expect it to go down that way. I will be reading more from this author I loved her writing.
Profile Image for Joyfully Jay.
9,076 reviews517 followers
January 30, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars


Thirds is the second book in S.E. Jake’s Inked series and follows Aleks, one of the artists who works in Con and Quinn’s tattoo shop. Although those two guys appear in this story, Thirds would stand alone fine if you jumped in here.

This story is kind of an interesting take on enemies to lovers in that Aleks is the only one who really knows the full story about their connection. He doesn’t believe that Brogan is involved in Harry’s dirty dealings, but he has to be sure. And if nothing else, Brogan is a way to get to Harry. But it turns out, not only is Brogan innocent, but he is exactly what Aleks needs. Aleks is full of pain and anger and intensity, and Brogan somehow is able to reach him and help him deal with all those feelings. The guys have a relationship with some light kink, along with a lot of alpha aggression between the two of them that is super hot. But it is clear that while Aleks has his own agenda, he is falling for Brogan despite himself. So we have this relationship that is truly growing on one hand, but Alek’s need for revenge is still raging on the other.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.


Profile Image for 4u2nv.
355 reviews10 followers
October 14, 2016
This one is much darker than the first book and still managed to be smoking hot.
I can't even begin to imagine what I would do if I were in Alek's place. And I would've run from Brogan too. Luckily Brogan never gives up because Aleks needed saving...and a good spanking... Which he got of course.
Profile Image for Lea Blottiaux.
483 reviews2 followers
October 27, 2016
Very Good Read

Thirds was a good read. It had all the different combinations of genres to keep it interesting. Aleks and Brogan had a lot of tension in the beginning, but their romance was finally allowed to happen. Very Good Read.
Profile Image for Erin.
273 reviews2 followers
November 25, 2016
Thirds

Alex's went through so much and lost someone close. Brogan was raised by his uncle and aunt then went to the military. These two went through went through so much and grew closer despite everything. Erin
Profile Image for Pianisuparse.
2,265 reviews47 followers
November 22, 2016
4 'Alek was delicious oh yes he was and the whole forbidden, secretive shit made the dynamic between him and Brogan even hotter. Still pining for my Tommy and Prophet' stars.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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