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Pros & Cons #1
Pros & Cons of Vengeance
*FIVE JOBS. FIVE CHANCES FOR REDEMPTION. One thing’s for sure: these men are no angels.*
There’s nothing like being blackmailed by a dead man to really bring a group of cons together. And what a group we are: a hacker, a thief, a con artist, a thug, and a Federal agent with an axe to grind. The deal is simple, we do the jobs and Charlie’s lawyer wipes the slate clean for each of us, one at a time.
Since job number one calls for some muscle, it looks like I’m up first. I’m Steele Alvarez, ex-Special Forces Close Protection Specialist (aka, a bodyguard for some not so nice guys).
After learning what the job is — taking down a seemingly untouchable senator with a penchant for beating up young male prostitutes — I’m in. No questions. A bullet ought to do the trick.
Then I met Senator Harlan’s latest victim: Breck Pfeiffer, the gorgeous hooker with a heart of gold and the soul of a fighter. One look at him and I’m gone. That kid laid me out harder than any punch ever did. I’ll do anything to protect Breck, even kill for him. But Breck doesn’t want the senator dead, he wants vengeance.
If we’re going to find a way bring down the slimebag and get the blackest mark on my record erased, I’m going to need all the help I can get.
Like it or not, we’re all in this together.
There’s nothing like being blackmailed by a dead man to really bring a group of cons together. And what a group we are: a hacker, a thief, a con artist, a thug, and a Federal agent with an axe to grind. The deal is simple, we do the jobs and Charlie’s lawyer wipes the slate clean for each of us, one at a time.
Since job number one calls for some muscle, it looks like I’m up first. I’m Steele Alvarez, ex-Special Forces Close Protection Specialist (aka, a bodyguard for some not so nice guys).
After learning what the job is — taking down a seemingly untouchable senator with a penchant for beating up young male prostitutes — I’m in. No questions. A bullet ought to do the trick.
Then I met Senator Harlan’s latest victim: Breck Pfeiffer, the gorgeous hooker with a heart of gold and the soul of a fighter. One look at him and I’m gone. That kid laid me out harder than any punch ever did. I’ll do anything to protect Breck, even kill for him. But Breck doesn’t want the senator dead, he wants vengeance.
If we’re going to find a way bring down the slimebag and get the blackest mark on my record erased, I’m going to need all the help I can get.
Like it or not, we’re all in this together.
224 pages, ebook
First published September 8, 2018
221 people are currently reading
995 people want to read
About the author
A.E. Wasp
42 books619 followersAfter time spent raising children, earning several college degrees, and traveling the world with the U.S. State Department, she is returning to her first love - writing.
A dreamer and an idealist, Amy writes about people finding connection in a world that can seem lonely and magic in a world than can seem all too mundane. She invites readers into her characters’ lives and worlds when they are their most vulnerable, their most human, living with the same hopes and fears we all have. An avid traveler who has lived in big cities and small towns in four different continents, Amy has found that time and distance are no barriers to love. She invites her readers to reach out and share how her characters have touched their lives or how the found families they have gathered around them have shaped their worlds.
Born on Long Island, NY, Amy has lived in Los Angeles, London, and Bangkok. She currently lives in Fort Collins, Colorado for who knows how long.
A dreamer and an idealist, Amy writes about people finding connection in a world that can seem lonely and magic in a world than can seem all too mundane. She invites readers into her characters’ lives and worlds when they are their most vulnerable, their most human, living with the same hopes and fears we all have. An avid traveler who has lived in big cities and small towns in four different continents, Amy has found that time and distance are no barriers to love. She invites her readers to reach out and share how her characters have touched their lives or how the found families they have gathered around them have shaped their worlds.
Born on Long Island, NY, Amy has lived in Los Angeles, London, and Bangkok. She currently lives in Fort Collins, Colorado for who knows how long.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
July 31, 2022
This was even better than expected and I'm so intruiged to get to the second. Hopefully soon.
Read
September 24, 2018DNF at 55%
I really did try to like anything about this book. It's not a bad book it's just not for me. There was so much humor in it that after some time it started to sound like a high school drama or a frat house filled with horny men and not con artists on a mission. I could not take them seriously at all, and therefore I could not get into the book or the plot which in my opinion should have been addressed a little more seriously. Breck was just a smidgen away from annoying juvenile but real close, his friend Danny was completely intolerable, Steele I thought I liked but when he first liked Ridge and then kind of transferred his attention on his twin brother while still thinking about how hot he was - it turned me off completely. I really hoped that the plot twist will save it for me but even that felt shallow. So, I throw in the towel, we break up and stay acquaintances, ok?
I really did try to like anything about this book. It's not a bad book it's just not for me. There was so much humor in it that after some time it started to sound like a high school drama or a frat house filled with horny men and not con artists on a mission. I could not take them seriously at all, and therefore I could not get into the book or the plot which in my opinion should have been addressed a little more seriously. Breck was just a smidgen away from annoying juvenile but real close, his friend Danny was completely intolerable, Steele I thought I liked but when he first liked Ridge and then kind of transferred his attention on his twin brother while still thinking about how hot he was - it turned me off completely. I really hoped that the plot twist will save it for me but even that felt shallow. So, I throw in the towel, we break up and stay acquaintances, ok?
July 11, 2019
this was an absolutely delectable tale of vengeance. there's nothing i like more than a good revenge plot! the characters were all fantastically multi-faceted, and i can't wait to see what they all get up to next in the next books!
September 4, 2022
I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical. But I loved it!
Insta love, humorous, a bit of action and absolutely amazing characters.
Insta love, humorous, a bit of action and absolutely amazing characters.
March 24, 2019
This story (and the whole series) has potential. Sorry to say it isn’t fully tapped.
Heist movies are definitely my favorite ones. And this book looks at first glance like a heist story. The group of cons with golden hearts is forced into making several schemes together. I totally don’t mind the unreality of the whole situation, because the premise is good and the characters are fascinating and likeable. Unfortunately, the sex scenes (though steaming hot) overwhelm the possible heist story. What could be a great Ocean’s-Eleven-but-gay story turns into an interesting but not truly exceptional romance with suspense twist.
Starting the books I thought I would fell in love with the plotline, but instead the characters are those who saved this story for me. It is hard not to like Steele and Breck. And the whole gang pack is just hilarious. I can’t wait to read their books. Next one is about Wesley and Danny, I expect the whole lot of witty dialogues. As for Steele and Brekkie – even though this is not a long book, they are pretty developed and three-dimensional.
If only the heist plot was more developed and not so simple… It is still an enjoyable read. I will definitely read the next one in this series.
Heist movies are definitely my favorite ones. And this book looks at first glance like a heist story. The group of cons with golden hearts is forced into making several schemes together. I totally don’t mind the unreality of the whole situation, because the premise is good and the characters are fascinating and likeable. Unfortunately, the sex scenes (though steaming hot) overwhelm the possible heist story. What could be a great Ocean’s-Eleven-but-gay story turns into an interesting but not truly exceptional romance with suspense twist.
Starting the books I thought I would fell in love with the plotline, but instead the characters are those who saved this story for me. It is hard not to like Steele and Breck. And the whole gang pack is just hilarious. I can’t wait to read their books. Next one is about Wesley and Danny, I expect the whole lot of witty dialogues. As for Steele and Brekkie – even though this is not a long book, they are pretty developed and three-dimensional.
If only the heist plot was more developed and not so simple… It is still an enjoyable read. I will definitely read the next one in this series.
Read
February 13, 2022dnf @ 25%
dnf
August 9, 2024One of the MCs in this gives off the most icky, leering, lecherous old man vibe I think I’ve ever encountered. His every other thought is about how hot everyone is and that he’d ‘do them’, and when he realizes one of the side characters has a twin brother (who happens to be the other MC), he can’t stop thinking about the two of them together, filming them, how much the sex worker (MC) charges, etc. It was non stop and I didn’t get past chapter 6. He even calls the MC ‘sweet cheeks’ and pinches his ass within two minutes of meeting him.
September 13, 2018
“I’m just a boy, kneeling on top of a boy… begging him to fuck me.”
Top read of 2018 for me! Loved it!
I want more.
Like right now.
Uh now.
*runs off to annoy May Archer and AE Wasp*
Top read of 2018 for me! Loved it!
I want more.
Like right now.
Uh now.
*runs off to annoy May Archer and AE Wasp*
March 6, 2019
Overall this was a fun and exciting read.
The story was pretty original, but also familiar in a way. It was fun and entertaining, and the romance wasn't bad either.
So it starts out at a funeral for this mysterious Charlie - who, when he gathered up this 4 criminals and the FBI agent, made me think of Charlie's Angels and this could not have been a coincidence okay haha - who was a really good theif himself.
He gathers these 5 together post mortem with the the help of his Lawyer, Miranda, he blackmails them into helping him with 5 cases, and all of them are to help take down bad guys.
The first one lands on the shoulders of Steele Alverez, former Special Forces and now a bodyguard to some bad people from time to time. The others are helping but the lead on it falls to Steele.
When the pictures that Charlie has look a lot like Ridge Pfeiffer, the expert theif in the group of five, it turns out to be his twin, Breck, in the picture.
When he and Steele go to fine Breck and figure out what it going on and just what they have to do, Steele and Breck have almost an instant connection that they deny to themselves, although not for long.
As the story progresses, I thought their journey to love was a tad rushed, but once they got there it was fun and I adored them together. I was disappointed with their first time but a later time made up for it - whew was it hot ;)
Breck is a hooker prior to this book, but he doesn't hook again in this so if you are someone worried about that like me, you don't have to worry. Neither of them are with anyone else in this book.
I liked how this book also started building up the other characters too, starting to flesh them along side our two MC's, and I already adore them all so I'm excited to read their stories too. Next is Wesley and Danny, and Wes, while having a lovable charm to him...can also be an asshole, so I wonder if we'll get some love/hate thing or just a lot of banter which could be so much fun :D
Overall this was an enjoyable read with a great climax - very entertaining for me to read - and a fun couple, although it did take me a bit to warm up to them because Steele was very "it's all about sex" at first as was Breck who didn't seem to believe much in love. But that changes as they get to know each other.
Solid thumbs up from me, and I will be eagerly awaiting Danny and Wes's story :D
The story was pretty original, but also familiar in a way. It was fun and entertaining, and the romance wasn't bad either.
So it starts out at a funeral for this mysterious Charlie - who, when he gathered up this 4 criminals and the FBI agent, made me think of Charlie's Angels and this could not have been a coincidence okay haha - who was a really good theif himself.
He gathers these 5 together post mortem with the the help of his Lawyer, Miranda, he blackmails them into helping him with 5 cases, and all of them are to help take down bad guys.
The first one lands on the shoulders of Steele Alverez, former Special Forces and now a bodyguard to some bad people from time to time. The others are helping but the lead on it falls to Steele.
When the pictures that Charlie has look a lot like Ridge Pfeiffer, the expert theif in the group of five, it turns out to be his twin, Breck, in the picture.
When he and Steele go to fine Breck and figure out what it going on and just what they have to do, Steele and Breck have almost an instant connection that they deny to themselves, although not for long.
As the story progresses, I thought their journey to love was a tad rushed, but once they got there it was fun and I adored them together. I was disappointed with their first time but a later time made up for it - whew was it hot ;)
Breck is a hooker prior to this book, but he doesn't hook again in this so if you are someone worried about that like me, you don't have to worry. Neither of them are with anyone else in this book.
I liked how this book also started building up the other characters too, starting to flesh them along side our two MC's, and I already adore them all so I'm excited to read their stories too. Next is Wesley and Danny, and Wes, while having a lovable charm to him...can also be an asshole, so I wonder if we'll get some love/hate thing or just a lot of banter which could be so much fun :D
Overall this was an enjoyable read with a great climax - very entertaining for me to read - and a fun couple, although it did take me a bit to warm up to them because Steele was very "it's all about sex" at first as was Breck who didn't seem to believe much in love. But that changes as they get to know each other.
Solid thumbs up from me, and I will be eagerly awaiting Danny and Wes's story :D
September 3, 2018
4.5 Stars
I’m seeing lots of co-writing lately, so seeing a pair of authors, both of whom I like, I’m in and I really enjoyed this one. The prologue opens with an anonymous figure, a sixth man who isn’t part of the group nor part of the plot, at least not yet. The rest of the men are introduced and the terms and expectations of their “benefactor” are introduced. Character building is excellent right from the start and the first section of the book begins revealing the personalities and skills of each. Steele is a mercenary/bodyguard type and he’s chosen to rescue a beaten up rent-boy, Breck, who happens to be the twin brother of another guy in the group, Ridge. The villain is an evangelical senator who maintains power using blackmail but also indulging himself with drugs and the men he hires to have sex with his political donors. It’s a very slow burn for Steele and Breck and not a lot in the way of sex scenes. No filler sex here! Romance does progress well and I could relate to them as a couple.
The story has a slow start too, since there are so many figures to introduce; Charlie, the deceased, Miranda the lawyer, Josie the cook and jack-of-all-trades at the house, Leo the FBI agent, Ridge, Carson, Wesley and of course Steele. The plot to bring down the Senator occupies the balance of the narrative, serving to give much more depth to the guys and cement them into a team. It’s fun and funny in parts with plenty of snark and sarcasm, abrasiveness and attraction between a couple of the other guys including Danny, Breck’s friend. There’s softer scenes like brotherly reconciliation between Ridge and Breck and dialogue and discussions between the rest of the guys. Breck and Steele do get enough page time to make the romance believable and solid. Overall I’d say this was quite successful in building anticipation of future adventures.
I’m seeing lots of co-writing lately, so seeing a pair of authors, both of whom I like, I’m in and I really enjoyed this one. The prologue opens with an anonymous figure, a sixth man who isn’t part of the group nor part of the plot, at least not yet. The rest of the men are introduced and the terms and expectations of their “benefactor” are introduced. Character building is excellent right from the start and the first section of the book begins revealing the personalities and skills of each. Steele is a mercenary/bodyguard type and he’s chosen to rescue a beaten up rent-boy, Breck, who happens to be the twin brother of another guy in the group, Ridge. The villain is an evangelical senator who maintains power using blackmail but also indulging himself with drugs and the men he hires to have sex with his political donors. It’s a very slow burn for Steele and Breck and not a lot in the way of sex scenes. No filler sex here! Romance does progress well and I could relate to them as a couple.
The story has a slow start too, since there are so many figures to introduce; Charlie, the deceased, Miranda the lawyer, Josie the cook and jack-of-all-trades at the house, Leo the FBI agent, Ridge, Carson, Wesley and of course Steele. The plot to bring down the Senator occupies the balance of the narrative, serving to give much more depth to the guys and cement them into a team. It’s fun and funny in parts with plenty of snark and sarcasm, abrasiveness and attraction between a couple of the other guys including Danny, Breck’s friend. There’s softer scenes like brotherly reconciliation between Ridge and Breck and dialogue and discussions between the rest of the guys. Breck and Steele do get enough page time to make the romance believable and solid. Overall I’d say this was quite successful in building anticipation of future adventures.
June 7, 2020
Well this was certainly an enjoyable set up for what looks to be a fun series.
I loved all the characters and the MCs in this one. Although, I felt the love between these two was premature. Did I believe their chemistry? No doubt, Breck and Steele had boat loads of that which translated nicely in the bedroom but I didn't believe they were "in love". Nonetheless, I really enjoyed their book and the heist theme that run through it. I mean who doesn't love a good heist movie? I know I do.
Some things were pretty obvious like the identity of the "interested party" and the connection between him and the our group of criminals but I'll just wait for the final book where it'll hopefully be revealed in all its glory.
Next book please!!
I loved all the characters and the MCs in this one. Although, I felt the love between these two was premature. Did I believe their chemistry? No doubt, Breck and Steele had boat loads of that which translated nicely in the bedroom but I didn't believe they were "in love". Nonetheless, I really enjoyed their book and the heist theme that run through it. I mean who doesn't love a good heist movie? I know I do.
Some things were pretty obvious like the identity of the "interested party" and the connection between him and the our group of criminals but I'll just wait for the final book where it'll hopefully be revealed in all its glory.
Next book please!!
dnf
September 23, 2018DNF @ 40%
Ahhh... I was looking forward to this one. Both authors have written books I’ve enjoyed in the past, so this is rather unfortunate ☹️
Seeing all the 4 and 5 star ratings make me feel like the odd one out which I definitely am. But alas, no amount of wishing and praying will get me to magically love this book.
For all intents and purposes, the book is well written. No grammatical errors or anything. I guess I just didn’t click with the book? I swear I tried! I tried so hard!! 😩
Ahhh... I was looking forward to this one. Both authors have written books I’ve enjoyed in the past, so this is rather unfortunate ☹️
Seeing all the 4 and 5 star ratings make me feel like the odd one out which I definitely am. But alas, no amount of wishing and praying will get me to magically love this book.
For all intents and purposes, the book is well written. No grammatical errors or anything. I guess I just didn’t click with the book? I swear I tried! I tried so hard!! 😩
August 9, 2020
Book Reaction: https://neverhollowed.com/2019/09/11/...
Rating: 3.5 Stars – that place between like and love
Rating: 3.5 Stars – that place between like and love
June 20, 2020
What a delightful book, I’m glad I have started this series and I’m bummed I can’t binge the whole thing cuz they aren’t all out yet. I thought it was particularly funny to have a Charlie and a Bosley. The only reason it didn’t get five stars is that the characters were kind of hard to get straight at the beginning. The very first few pages gives a cast list type thing, but I almost feel like that made it more confusing than just getting to know the characters through the story.
August 2, 2021
Reread via audiobook July 2021:
Alexandre Steele ***4 Stars***
Tor Thom ***3.5 - 4 Stars***
Story: ***4.5 Stars***
Alexandre Steele ***4 Stars***
Tor Thom ***3.5 - 4 Stars***
Story: ***4.5 Stars***
September 16, 2018
3.5 stars...
The blurb drew me in instantly but the story left me wanting something different.
Five people of different skills attended Charlie’s funeral, not by their own volition but because they got blackmailed by Charlie. Charlie before he died gathered information about our 5 characters, of their past that they didn’t want to come out so they have no other choice but to do what Charlie wanted them to do.
There are some missions that they have to do, missions that Charlie did not get to finish and if they do them, everything Charlie had on them gets erased.
The prologue introduces us to the characters from the POV of someone we don’t know. It was very interesting but I forgot everyone until I actually started reading the rest.
The first mission is being given to Steele.
Steele started as a very interesting character but Breck appears and I was like nope. They didn’t match at all, I didn’t feel their connection. And I feel so bad, because I really wanted to like the story. Steele had a lot of potential.
And then I met Breck… I didn’t like him at all. Breck is the twin of Ridge, one of the guys of the group. They have a bad past with a mother not caring at all for them. Breck found himself in a difficult situation later in his life, so he started having sex for money. His brother goes mad when he learns what he’s been doing and when they go find him Breck starts to act like a brat(I don’t know how else to explain it). I did not like him.
In about 30% or something of the book they have their first sexual encounter which I partially skipped.
So here comes some issues I had and I am probably in the minority. I don’t know why, maybe because I was expecting something else, maybe I started with the idea that Steele, one of our mc’s, would fall in love with someone from the group, or I don’t know but I didn’t really enjoy it.
There wasn’t a lot of action, not a lot of drama or angst. They had a plan for their mission, they executed it in the last chapters and that’s it. I wanted some mystery.
My favorite character of them all was Leo Shook, the Special Agent. I am going to assume his book is going to be the last. Also Carson was so interesting to read and I want to find out what were the meetings he had. Westley was a bit boring and his love interest as well.
Maybe the next one will be better and I’ll actually like the characters.
The blurb drew me in instantly but the story left me wanting something different.
Five people of different skills attended Charlie’s funeral, not by their own volition but because they got blackmailed by Charlie. Charlie before he died gathered information about our 5 characters, of their past that they didn’t want to come out so they have no other choice but to do what Charlie wanted them to do.
There are some missions that they have to do, missions that Charlie did not get to finish and if they do them, everything Charlie had on them gets erased.
The prologue introduces us to the characters from the POV of someone we don’t know. It was very interesting but I forgot everyone until I actually started reading the rest.
The first mission is being given to Steele.
Steele started as a very interesting character but Breck appears and I was like nope. They didn’t match at all, I didn’t feel their connection. And I feel so bad, because I really wanted to like the story. Steele had a lot of potential.
And then I met Breck… I didn’t like him at all. Breck is the twin of Ridge, one of the guys of the group. They have a bad past with a mother not caring at all for them. Breck found himself in a difficult situation later in his life, so he started having sex for money. His brother goes mad when he learns what he’s been doing and when they go find him Breck starts to act like a brat(I don’t know how else to explain it). I did not like him.
In about 30% or something of the book they have their first sexual encounter which I partially skipped.
So here comes some issues I had and I am probably in the minority. I don’t know why, maybe because I was expecting something else, maybe I started with the idea that Steele, one of our mc’s, would fall in love with someone from the group, or I don’t know but I didn’t really enjoy it.
There wasn’t a lot of action, not a lot of drama or angst. They had a plan for their mission, they executed it in the last chapters and that’s it. I wanted some mystery.
My favorite character of them all was Leo Shook, the Special Agent. I am going to assume his book is going to be the last. Also Carson was so interesting to read and I want to find out what were the meetings he had. Westley was a bit boring and his love interest as well.
Maybe the next one will be better and I’ll actually like the characters.
September 20, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up. M/M Charlie's Angels. I mean, really, the guy that pulls the group together (in death, supposedly) is named Charlie and his accomplice is Miranda Bosley with her sidekick Josie for the assist and a phone voice that we haven't been clued into who it is yet. - they aren't even trying to distance themselves from the concept but outright embracing it.
Recycled tv concept or not, it's somewhat unique and I liked it a lot. I am looking forward to each story but I hope I like the added love interest a bit more than I liked Breck. I didn't hate him. He grows a lot in this book but I didn't really like him or his brother Ridge as much as the others.
I guess what this book misses is that since it's made up of mostly white collar antihero "criminals" and conmen... I was kinda expecting the book to actually utilize more of the long con ideal. They gaslight the bad guy in this one but it's all done very quickly without any real finesse or "wow, I didn't see that coming" moments.
Next book comes out in Oct 2018 so we won't have to wait long to see how this grows.
Recycled tv concept or not, it's somewhat unique and I liked it a lot. I am looking forward to each story but I hope I like the added love interest a bit more than I liked Breck. I didn't hate him. He grows a lot in this book but I didn't really like him or his brother Ridge as much as the others.
I guess what this book misses is that since it's made up of mostly white collar antihero "criminals" and conmen... I was kinda expecting the book to actually utilize more of the long con ideal. They gaslight the bad guy in this one but it's all done very quickly without any real finesse or "wow, I didn't see that coming" moments.
Next book comes out in Oct 2018 so we won't have to wait long to see how this grows.
abandoned
November 13, 2018DNF. Really wanted to finish this book especially since 1 of the main characters is Cuban & books in this genre that have non white characters are few & far between. But honestly I couldn’t. The beginning of this book is funny. I thought it was gonna be a cool James Bond type of story, but once i got deeper into the story, every character in the book just whined. And whined. And then whined some more. And I don’t get or understand insta love stories so as soon as that occurred I lost interest
April 24, 2019
WOW. this was a fun read and really, REALLY well done. It is always a joy to find such Gems as this one ... and it is very hard to find another good book after reading this one.
I loved the idea of the story and how it was done. Can't wait to get my hands on the other books
I loved the idea of the story and how it was done. Can't wait to get my hands on the other books
February 19, 2020
Story: 4.5 Stars!
Narration: 3.5 Stars!
Overall: 4 Stars!
This series was one of my favorites last year and listening to the first two books in preparation for the release of the third book was something I was looking forward to. The thing is, while I loved listening Pros & Cons of Vengeance almost as much as I loved reading it the first time around, I had a bit of a problem with the narration. This is the first time I've listened to a dual performance and my first time listening to either Tor Thom or Alexandre Steel, so I have no clue who is who, so let's go with Narrator 1 (N1) for Steele's chapters and Narrator 2 (N2) for Breck's.
While N1 has a nice timbre and for the most part I really liked his deeper tone of voice, I found it difficult to enjoy the voices he used for Breck, who was one of the MCs and as such has a lot of lines, and Ridge, his twin brother. They are young, Breck has one year of college left, but you wouldn't know it by their voices, they both sound soooo old and that was both annoying and distracting. N2 was my favorite of the two, if nothing else because all the voices he used were all more in point with the characters.
Other than that, well, I don't know how these kinds of collaborations work, and perhaps, I had some false expectations which contributed to me feeling a bit let down by the performance, but overall, even if it took some time getting used to some of the voices and the narration wasn't my favorite, the audiobook was almost as enjoyable, entertaining and captivating as the ebook was and I'm already looking forward to listening to the next one!
Narration: 3.5 Stars!
Overall: 4 Stars!
This series was one of my favorites last year and listening to the first two books in preparation for the release of the third book was something I was looking forward to. The thing is, while I loved listening Pros & Cons of Vengeance almost as much as I loved reading it the first time around, I had a bit of a problem with the narration. This is the first time I've listened to a dual performance and my first time listening to either Tor Thom or Alexandre Steel, so I have no clue who is who, so let's go with Narrator 1 (N1) for Steele's chapters and Narrator 2 (N2) for Breck's.
While N1 has a nice timbre and for the most part I really liked his deeper tone of voice, I found it difficult to enjoy the voices he used for Breck, who was one of the MCs and as such has a lot of lines, and Ridge, his twin brother. They are young, Breck has one year of college left, but you wouldn't know it by their voices, they both sound soooo old and that was both annoying and distracting. N2 was my favorite of the two, if nothing else because all the voices he used were all more in point with the characters.
Other than that, well, I don't know how these kinds of collaborations work, and perhaps, I had some false expectations which contributed to me feeling a bit let down by the performance, but overall, even if it took some time getting used to some of the voices and the narration wasn't my favorite, the audiobook was almost as enjoyable, entertaining and captivating as the ebook was and I'm already looking forward to listening to the next one!
September 24, 2020
It took a while for me to get into this book, but i will admit to falling in love with the characters and their interactions are a lot of fun. A variety of personalities and talents that go together so well, i really liked seeing the plot develop and their plans were great.
The romance between Steele & Breck is pretty insta and while obvious attraction, growing chemistry and connection throughout. With some steamy scenes and learning about the others history. It still fell to the side for me compared to the rest of the cast who stole the show.
The group moments and developing of various relationships are all great, i love the idea of the different tasks too and look forward to reading the rest of the series. Seeing everyone move forward together in the end, this book definitely felt like an introduction for everyone.
The charlies angels inspiration is obvious and so perfect! I love those vibes in the action scenes and teamwork. Although as usual the mystery is so frustrating for me, but i was ready for it as the 'interested party' was shown at start. So presume shall be like that until the final book/Leos which i can't wait for as i loved him here.
Overall an enjoyable fast paced read, with an interesting underlying plot that covers the whole series so i look forward to reading more.
The romance between Steele & Breck is pretty insta and while obvious attraction, growing chemistry and connection throughout. With some steamy scenes and learning about the others history. It still fell to the side for me compared to the rest of the cast who stole the show.
The group moments and developing of various relationships are all great, i love the idea of the different tasks too and look forward to reading the rest of the series. Seeing everyone move forward together in the end, this book definitely felt like an introduction for everyone.
The charlies angels inspiration is obvious and so perfect! I love those vibes in the action scenes and teamwork. Although as usual the mystery is so frustrating for me, but i was ready for it as the 'interested party' was shown at start. So presume shall be like that until the final book/Leos which i can't wait for as i loved him here.
Overall an enjoyable fast paced read, with an interesting underlying plot that covers the whole series so i look forward to reading more.
April 15, 2019
I so need this book in audio. Ideally with Greg Boudreaux or Michael Leslie, because they kill it with the voices.
The relationship between Steele and Breck is...well, fun. And their first time together was downright charming. Loved this book and wish the others were already out. This cast of characters is going to take us on a heck of a ride--and I can't wait.
The relationship between Steele and Breck is...well, fun. And their first time together was downright charming. Loved this book and wish the others were already out. This cast of characters is going to take us on a heck of a ride--and I can't wait.
February 24, 2020
It’s Charlie’s Angels meets Mission Impossible with a little touch of the A-team thrown in for good measure…
and it’s all done in a very sexy and humorous way…
‘Pros & Cons of Vengeance’ was very reminiscent of shows/movies that were not only a part of my youth, but shows/movies that I loved to watch. While ‘Charlie’s Angels’ was the first of these shows to come to mind for me and for what I think is very obvious reasons…first we have the mysterious Charlie and while this Charlie is dead we never did meet the original Charlie from television and then we have his ‘lawyer’ Miranda “Bosley” and a cast of 5 angels vs the three female angels that the television Charlie had.
It’s when we come to the angels that we start to deviate to other shows/movies…such as Mission Impossible or Oceans Eleven. Shows/movies where the team is comprised of men who each have their own unique talents and for the most part tend to walk on the wrong side of the law but ironically they also seem to have stronger moral fiber than many who claim to be on the right side of the law.
Regardless of any reflections of past shows/movies that these stories seemed to bring to mind for me the stories themselves were refreshingly original.
I was surprised to realize that “The Pros & Cons of Vengeance” my first time reading this author and happily it’s turned out to be a good time. Stories that contain a bit of romance, adventure and intrigue are among my favorites and always have been going all the way back to the days numerous shows/movies that this story engenders memories of.
Here in ‘Pros & Cons of Vengeance’ the author had a really big task to accomplish since it is the starting point for everything that comes after. The reader never actually meets the mysterious Charlie since everything begins with his funeral. This was seriously one ‘reading of the will’ that I would have loved to attend because basically it’s also a case of ‘blackmail from beyond the grave’ as it says in the blurb 5 jobs, 5 chances for redemption. Each man is given a mission and once he accomplishes it, Charlie’s lawyer Miranda Bosley will wipe the slate clean of whatever it is that Charlie has on them. So not only do we get the story/1st mission, we also get to meet a very ensemble cast of characters…there’s the 5 men in question and a group of supporting characters who will also recur in future stories.
‘Vengeance’ is the first mission and it’s assigned to ‘Steel’ Alvarez ex-Special Forces close protection specialist. His assignment, should he decide to accept…nothing too complicated, just take down a seemingly untouchable senator with a proclivity for abusing young male hookers. Needless to say, Steel’s all in on this one and that’s before he meets Breck Pfeiffer one of the senator’s most recent victims. However, Steel’s no fool he knows he can’t accomplish his mission without a little…ok maybe a lot of help from his ‘friends’?
‘The Pros & Cons of Vengeance’ for me was one of those stories that I could just sit back, relax and enjoy. There was action, intrigue, romance and laughs so may laughs and in the good way. The story was laced with a solid dose of humor and it was the kind that kept me smiling and laughing.
I won’t say that I’m fussy when it comes to comedy, but I feel like it’s one of those things that you either get or you don’t. I’ve read books or watched shows/movies that were suppose to be humorous and I haven’t even cracked a smile while everyone else is rolling on the floor and the opposites happened as well, for me it just comes down to you get it or you don’t. I got it…seriously or maybe not so seriously in this case I got it.
As well as a new to me author on this one, I got not one but two new to me narrators by the names of Alexandre Steele and Tor Thom. I have to admit not being familiar with either narrator I can’t say who voiced what throughout the course of the story but I can safely say that I enjoyed the narration in it’s entirety, which is a huge relief for more than one reason…one of course being that I had to listen to the story and thankfully because these two knew what they were doing, I don’t need to worry about getting anything wrong about who did what, that I did or didn’t like. I can just summarize with I enjoyed it all.
This story was simply delightful and add to that the fact that as I said back at the beginning for me it was very reminiscent of so many shows/movies from my youth shows/movies like Charlie’s Angels, Mission Impossible, Ocean’s Eleven with a touch of ‘A-Team’ and ‘The Avengers’ and no I don’t mean the Marvel Avengers. The thing about all of these shows that I loved was that they had a touch of everything in them…there was action, adventure, romance, mystery suspense and humor (sometimes more than others but there was usually at least a light touch of humor). It’s a good recipe for any story if it’s done right because really it offers a little bit of something for everyone if it’s done right and so far it seems like the author has found a good mix to create something that a lot of people should enjoy.
*************************
An audio book for ‘The Pros & Cons of Vengeance’ was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
and it’s all done in a very sexy and humorous way…
‘Pros & Cons of Vengeance’ was very reminiscent of shows/movies that were not only a part of my youth, but shows/movies that I loved to watch. While ‘Charlie’s Angels’ was the first of these shows to come to mind for me and for what I think is very obvious reasons…first we have the mysterious Charlie and while this Charlie is dead we never did meet the original Charlie from television and then we have his ‘lawyer’ Miranda “Bosley” and a cast of 5 angels vs the three female angels that the television Charlie had.
It’s when we come to the angels that we start to deviate to other shows/movies…such as Mission Impossible or Oceans Eleven. Shows/movies where the team is comprised of men who each have their own unique talents and for the most part tend to walk on the wrong side of the law but ironically they also seem to have stronger moral fiber than many who claim to be on the right side of the law.
Regardless of any reflections of past shows/movies that these stories seemed to bring to mind for me the stories themselves were refreshingly original.
I was surprised to realize that “The Pros & Cons of Vengeance” my first time reading this author and happily it’s turned out to be a good time. Stories that contain a bit of romance, adventure and intrigue are among my favorites and always have been going all the way back to the days numerous shows/movies that this story engenders memories of.
Here in ‘Pros & Cons of Vengeance’ the author had a really big task to accomplish since it is the starting point for everything that comes after. The reader never actually meets the mysterious Charlie since everything begins with his funeral. This was seriously one ‘reading of the will’ that I would have loved to attend because basically it’s also a case of ‘blackmail from beyond the grave’ as it says in the blurb 5 jobs, 5 chances for redemption. Each man is given a mission and once he accomplishes it, Charlie’s lawyer Miranda Bosley will wipe the slate clean of whatever it is that Charlie has on them. So not only do we get the story/1st mission, we also get to meet a very ensemble cast of characters…there’s the 5 men in question and a group of supporting characters who will also recur in future stories.
‘Vengeance’ is the first mission and it’s assigned to ‘Steel’ Alvarez ex-Special Forces close protection specialist. His assignment, should he decide to accept…nothing too complicated, just take down a seemingly untouchable senator with a proclivity for abusing young male hookers. Needless to say, Steel’s all in on this one and that’s before he meets Breck Pfeiffer one of the senator’s most recent victims. However, Steel’s no fool he knows he can’t accomplish his mission without a little…ok maybe a lot of help from his ‘friends’?
‘The Pros & Cons of Vengeance’ for me was one of those stories that I could just sit back, relax and enjoy. There was action, intrigue, romance and laughs so may laughs and in the good way. The story was laced with a solid dose of humor and it was the kind that kept me smiling and laughing.
I won’t say that I’m fussy when it comes to comedy, but I feel like it’s one of those things that you either get or you don’t. I’ve read books or watched shows/movies that were suppose to be humorous and I haven’t even cracked a smile while everyone else is rolling on the floor and the opposites happened as well, for me it just comes down to you get it or you don’t. I got it…seriously or maybe not so seriously in this case I got it.
As well as a new to me author on this one, I got not one but two new to me narrators by the names of Alexandre Steele and Tor Thom. I have to admit not being familiar with either narrator I can’t say who voiced what throughout the course of the story but I can safely say that I enjoyed the narration in it’s entirety, which is a huge relief for more than one reason…one of course being that I had to listen to the story and thankfully because these two knew what they were doing, I don’t need to worry about getting anything wrong about who did what, that I did or didn’t like. I can just summarize with I enjoyed it all.
This story was simply delightful and add to that the fact that as I said back at the beginning for me it was very reminiscent of so many shows/movies from my youth shows/movies like Charlie’s Angels, Mission Impossible, Ocean’s Eleven with a touch of ‘A-Team’ and ‘The Avengers’ and no I don’t mean the Marvel Avengers. The thing about all of these shows that I loved was that they had a touch of everything in them…there was action, adventure, romance, mystery suspense and humor (sometimes more than others but there was usually at least a light touch of humor). It’s a good recipe for any story if it’s done right because really it offers a little bit of something for everyone if it’s done right and so far it seems like the author has found a good mix to create something that a lot of people should enjoy.
*************************
An audio book for ‘The Pros & Cons of Vengeance’ was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2018
It all became clear to me at that moment what Charlie's ultimate motivation had been. These weren't personal vendettas or petty crimes he wanted to be solved. He wanted justice, the kind he couldn't get from inside the system.
It was the premise for this new series that immediately drew me in: a group of high profile criminals being blackmailed into doing a bunch of big jobs together.
Even better when the big jobs entail completely screwing over some really horrible people.
And what a team to get the job done: Steele, an army veteran turned bodyguard slash thug with a past; Ridge, a master thief who's elusiveness is only trumped by his looks and his devotion to his brother; Carson, a talented grifter who can turn into anyone and do anything when he wants to; Wes, a hacker with an affinity for all-nighters; and Leo Shook, a FBI special agent who's set adrift when the man he's been hunting for a decade suddenly finds an early demise.
Their connection is Charlie, an information broker who was recently killed and left a will that sets these five men on five missions, or else the incriminating information he has on them will be released into the wrong hands. Though reluctant at first, the five quickly arrange themselves with their situation, especially when it turns out what the job's goals are.
Pros & Cons of Vengeance covers the first mission on which Steele takes point: destroy the life of a corrupt, paedophilic and very influencial senator. Second main and POV character to Steele is Breck, a sex-worker who had an unfortunate run-in with said senator. Breck also happens to be Ridge's twin brother.
The book was TONS of fun to read. The writing flowed so easily I completely lost track of time because I was so absorbed, the characters were great, the humor funny and it was overall incredibly engaging.
I still found it to be a bit.... superficial? at times. It lacked depth in several areas: the romance wasn't very emotional and I wasn't really feeling it; when Steele's tragic past was revealed it wasn't congruent with what had been hinted at, and I still have no idea what exactly he did after he left the army - supposedly be a bodyguard for "bad people" but it's extremely vague; some parts of Breck's issues are mentioned and then simply forgotten. The mission mostly runs smooth without any setbacks, which on the one hand I appreciated, on the other hand so many supposedly complicated or high stake things were glossed over, while personal drama that didn't make much sense got a lot of attention.
Some things also felt overly sexualised which made me a bit uncomfortable - especially how Steele acts in the beginning. I get that he has a very flirty personality, but the way he behaved with Breck when they first meet felt off to me.
Despite the very frequent talk of sex, the book is not erotica and the sex scenes (fewer than I had thought given the overall sexual vibe) are not very detailed.
Sex work is another frequent topic, with several discussions about how people perceive it and Breck reflecting on his job. I overall liked how it was handled, most of the judgemental cr*p some people say about it is challenged.
I also liked the side characters: Miranda, the lawyer making sure Charlie's final will is acted out correctly, was great and Josie, who acts as a housekeeper but that clearly isn't all there is to her, was an absolute delight.
Overall I had a truly great time reading this book and I am very much looking forward to the sequels, especially the book focusing on Carson!
Content warnings for: violence, corruption, blackmail, abuse of power, various forms of child abuse, mentions of addiction.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2019
I wanted to love this book but ended up just liking it. The beginning started off strong for me. The latter half was not as good and got a bit ridiculous. There was also far too much insta love for my liking. However, this is not an all negative review.
I really liked seeing the merry band of misfits come together. Here are five men thrown together who don’t trust each other and couldn’t be more different. All have secrets they want kept and all have to live and work together until their tasks are done. I would so watch this reality show. I’m curious about how the rest will play out. It was very funny in places. So I have hopes for the rest of the books.
I really liked seeing the merry band of misfits come together. Here are five men thrown together who don’t trust each other and couldn’t be more different. All have secrets they want kept and all have to live and work together until their tasks are done. I would so watch this reality show. I’m curious about how the rest will play out. It was very funny in places. So I have hopes for the rest of the books.
August 29, 2021
„Pros & Cons: Steele“ ist der Auftakt zu einer neuen Reihe von A. E. Wasp und auch mein erstes Buch von ihr.
Die Autorin konnte mich direkt zu Beginn fesseln, indem sie nicht Klassischerweise mit der Geschichte begonnen hat, sondern erst einmal eine Auflistung der Charaktere als „Wer ist mit von der Partie und Wer ist Wer“ ähnlich der Charakterauflistung im Programmheft beim Theater oder dem Cast eines Filmes gemacht hat. So kommt sofort dieses „Ah es hat was von einem Film, Theaterstück, das wird eine rasante Story“ Gefühl.
Ein wie ich finde gelungener und mal wirklich nicht typischer Einstieg in die Story. Und anstatt danach mit den Charakteren und der Geschichte loszulegen gibt es erstmal durch den Prolog, den „der interessierte Freund“ für sich beansprucht eine Übersicht über die sich versammelnden Herrschaften und was sie so machen.
Der Schreibstil ist flüssig, rasant, ohne zu schnell zu sein, es gibt eine Menge Humor, tolle Dialoge, eine sehr ausgelassene, aber doch spannende und immer passende Grundstimmung und ich habe das Buch in einem Rutsch runter gelesen.
Die Grundidee: Fünf Männer, jeder von ihnen in einem anderem Metier tätig und darin ein Meister zu einem Team zusammenzubringen, durch eine Erpressung bei der Stange zu halten und zu nötigen Aufträge zu erfüllen, klingt erstmal nicht wie eine gute Idee. Aber es ist genial. Zu Anfang wehren sich die Fünf noch, wirken als ob aus ihnen kein Team werden kann und sie sofort wieder abhauen wollen, aber nach kurzer Zeit ergänzen sie sich einfach richtig perfekt, in ihren Fähigkeiten und Talenten und man sitzt da mit dem Buch und denkt: Ja das wird so gut.
Den ersten Auftrag und Anfang darf Steele Alvarez machen, ein ehemaliger Special Forces Close Protection Specialist und nun Bodyguard.
Steele ist der Typ Mann wo man sofort denkt: Sexy, witzig, taff, stark, gewissenhaft in dem was er tut und ein Experte in seinem Job. Und genau so ist es. Er ist ein wirklich sympathischer Protagonist, der unglaublich viele Stärken ins ich vereint, aber in den Momenten, wo er schwach wird, seine Schwächen, Fehler zeigen und eingestehen muss, sich nicht zu stolz dafür ist. Klar er hat so eine Art, dass er der große Beschützer sein möchte und das führt zu so mancher Reiberei mit unserem anderen Protagonistin. Aber Steele möchte nur diejenigen beschützen, die ihm wichtig sind und kämpft mit Dämonen aus seiner Vergangenheit als Soldat und Fehlern für die er sich verantwortlich fühlt. Wenn er also zu beschützend ist, dann nur weil er in dem Moment nicht anders kann und nur so mit gerissenen Situationen umgehen kann.
Breck Pfeiffer, unser anderer Protagonist, ist nicht nur optisch das Gegenteil von Steele, sondern auch mit seiner ganzen Art. Er ist sehr attraktiv, weiß das auch, arbeitet als Escort-Boy und nein er ist kein kleiner süßer Schatz, der da irgendwie reingeraten ist ohne zu wissen was er tut. Er ist zwar jung, aber weiß genau was er will, tut, hat keine falschen Illusionen und muss nicht wie die Jungfrau gerettet werden.
Steele und Breck sind sofort auf einer Wellenlänge und flirten ziemlich offen und heftig miteinander. Kein Hin und Her, kein „Soll ich zeigen, dass ich ihn will“. Nein das zwischen Steele und Breck eine heftige Anziehung besteht ist jedem sofort klar, dem Team und dem Leser. Und das ist wirklich toll so.
Klar am Anfang ist Steele noch zurückhaltend, denkt zu beschützend, möchte Breck oder seine Lage nicht ausnutzen, aber als Breck klar sagt was und wen er will, ist alles klar und Steele gibt seine Zurückhaltung auf.
Zwischen den beiden gibt es eine Menge an Witz und Humor, wenn sie zusammen sind, tolle Dialoge, Auseinandersetzungen, die die beiden aber immer durch miteinander reden gelöst bekommen und wirklich tolle, heiße Sexszenen. Da ist einfach von Anfang die richtige Chemie vorhanden.
Der Rest des Teams und die zwei Damen (ich erzähle da jetzt nicht weiter, um nicht zu spoilern) sind wirklich klasse. Es kommt immer wieder zu witzigen, amüsanten Dialogen, ein bißchen erfährt man schon über die anderen, aber nie zu viel, es ist genau die richtige Mischung an Info, um neugierig auf die weiteren Bände zu bleiben.
„Pros & Cons: Steele“ ist eine Mischung aus „Oceans Eleven“, „Charlies Angels“ und Heist-Movies/ Serien. Es hat Spannung, Witz, ist sexy, tolle Charaktere, zwei Protagonisten, die super harmonieren, einen tollen Auftakt bilden, spritzig, zum Mitfiebern und Lachen. Man findet das Team sofort sympathisch, möchte umbedingt, dass sie den Auftrag schaffen, es dem „Bösen“ so richtig zeigen und ja auch wenn die Fünf alle was auf dem Kerbholz haben und quasi als Kriminell gelten, so wünscht man sich ab S. 1, dass die Jungs da heil rauskommen und am Ende gemütlich mit einem Cocktail ihren Erfolg feiern.
Von mir eine klare Leseempfehlung!
Anmerkung: Ich durfte das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar lesen und möchte mich nochmal Herzlich beim Second Chances Verlag bedanken. Auf meine Meinung hatte das in keiner Weise Einfluss.
Die Autorin konnte mich direkt zu Beginn fesseln, indem sie nicht Klassischerweise mit der Geschichte begonnen hat, sondern erst einmal eine Auflistung der Charaktere als „Wer ist mit von der Partie und Wer ist Wer“ ähnlich der Charakterauflistung im Programmheft beim Theater oder dem Cast eines Filmes gemacht hat. So kommt sofort dieses „Ah es hat was von einem Film, Theaterstück, das wird eine rasante Story“ Gefühl.
Ein wie ich finde gelungener und mal wirklich nicht typischer Einstieg in die Story. Und anstatt danach mit den Charakteren und der Geschichte loszulegen gibt es erstmal durch den Prolog, den „der interessierte Freund“ für sich beansprucht eine Übersicht über die sich versammelnden Herrschaften und was sie so machen.
Der Schreibstil ist flüssig, rasant, ohne zu schnell zu sein, es gibt eine Menge Humor, tolle Dialoge, eine sehr ausgelassene, aber doch spannende und immer passende Grundstimmung und ich habe das Buch in einem Rutsch runter gelesen.
Die Grundidee: Fünf Männer, jeder von ihnen in einem anderem Metier tätig und darin ein Meister zu einem Team zusammenzubringen, durch eine Erpressung bei der Stange zu halten und zu nötigen Aufträge zu erfüllen, klingt erstmal nicht wie eine gute Idee. Aber es ist genial. Zu Anfang wehren sich die Fünf noch, wirken als ob aus ihnen kein Team werden kann und sie sofort wieder abhauen wollen, aber nach kurzer Zeit ergänzen sie sich einfach richtig perfekt, in ihren Fähigkeiten und Talenten und man sitzt da mit dem Buch und denkt: Ja das wird so gut.
Den ersten Auftrag und Anfang darf Steele Alvarez machen, ein ehemaliger Special Forces Close Protection Specialist und nun Bodyguard.
Steele ist der Typ Mann wo man sofort denkt: Sexy, witzig, taff, stark, gewissenhaft in dem was er tut und ein Experte in seinem Job. Und genau so ist es. Er ist ein wirklich sympathischer Protagonist, der unglaublich viele Stärken ins ich vereint, aber in den Momenten, wo er schwach wird, seine Schwächen, Fehler zeigen und eingestehen muss, sich nicht zu stolz dafür ist. Klar er hat so eine Art, dass er der große Beschützer sein möchte und das führt zu so mancher Reiberei mit unserem anderen Protagonistin. Aber Steele möchte nur diejenigen beschützen, die ihm wichtig sind und kämpft mit Dämonen aus seiner Vergangenheit als Soldat und Fehlern für die er sich verantwortlich fühlt. Wenn er also zu beschützend ist, dann nur weil er in dem Moment nicht anders kann und nur so mit gerissenen Situationen umgehen kann.
Breck Pfeiffer, unser anderer Protagonist, ist nicht nur optisch das Gegenteil von Steele, sondern auch mit seiner ganzen Art. Er ist sehr attraktiv, weiß das auch, arbeitet als Escort-Boy und nein er ist kein kleiner süßer Schatz, der da irgendwie reingeraten ist ohne zu wissen was er tut. Er ist zwar jung, aber weiß genau was er will, tut, hat keine falschen Illusionen und muss nicht wie die Jungfrau gerettet werden.
Steele und Breck sind sofort auf einer Wellenlänge und flirten ziemlich offen und heftig miteinander. Kein Hin und Her, kein „Soll ich zeigen, dass ich ihn will“. Nein das zwischen Steele und Breck eine heftige Anziehung besteht ist jedem sofort klar, dem Team und dem Leser. Und das ist wirklich toll so.
Klar am Anfang ist Steele noch zurückhaltend, denkt zu beschützend, möchte Breck oder seine Lage nicht ausnutzen, aber als Breck klar sagt was und wen er will, ist alles klar und Steele gibt seine Zurückhaltung auf.
Zwischen den beiden gibt es eine Menge an Witz und Humor, wenn sie zusammen sind, tolle Dialoge, Auseinandersetzungen, die die beiden aber immer durch miteinander reden gelöst bekommen und wirklich tolle, heiße Sexszenen. Da ist einfach von Anfang die richtige Chemie vorhanden.
Der Rest des Teams und die zwei Damen (ich erzähle da jetzt nicht weiter, um nicht zu spoilern) sind wirklich klasse. Es kommt immer wieder zu witzigen, amüsanten Dialogen, ein bißchen erfährt man schon über die anderen, aber nie zu viel, es ist genau die richtige Mischung an Info, um neugierig auf die weiteren Bände zu bleiben.
„Pros & Cons: Steele“ ist eine Mischung aus „Oceans Eleven“, „Charlies Angels“ und Heist-Movies/ Serien. Es hat Spannung, Witz, ist sexy, tolle Charaktere, zwei Protagonisten, die super harmonieren, einen tollen Auftakt bilden, spritzig, zum Mitfiebern und Lachen. Man findet das Team sofort sympathisch, möchte umbedingt, dass sie den Auftrag schaffen, es dem „Bösen“ so richtig zeigen und ja auch wenn die Fünf alle was auf dem Kerbholz haben und quasi als Kriminell gelten, so wünscht man sich ab S. 1, dass die Jungs da heil rauskommen und am Ende gemütlich mit einem Cocktail ihren Erfolg feiern.
Von mir eine klare Leseempfehlung!
Anmerkung: Ich durfte das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar lesen und möchte mich nochmal Herzlich beim Second Chances Verlag bedanken. Auf meine Meinung hatte das in keiner Weise Einfluss.
September 18, 2019
I found a new series I’m in love with! A group of dubious guys, being blackmailed into working missions/cons to right some wrongs. All lead by a mysterious voice, Mr X “Al”. Shades of Charlie’s Angel’s here. Each and every one of the 5 members are so well developed, the interaction is so snarky, I am rooting for them all.
This first mission brings the team together. This is seeking vengeance and justice, the kind that they couldn’t get from inside the legal system against a corrupt politician Rentboys, Breck and Danny, come under the protection of the team, and it’s instant lust between Breck and Steele. We are talking about some smoking hot chemistry.
This first mission brings the team together. This is seeking vengeance and justice, the kind that they couldn’t get from inside the legal system against a corrupt politician Rentboys, Breck and Danny, come under the protection of the team, and it’s instant lust between Breck and Steele. We are talking about some smoking hot chemistry.
July 22, 2022
DNF @ 48%
I was prepared for ridiculous, but I’m sorry…
You’re subvocalizing a conversation through your tooth communication device directly in front of the villain, who is close enough to touch you (is in fact touching you) and he isn’t going to notice this ventriloquist act happening right in the middle of your conversation with him?! Come on, now.
I was prepared for ridiculous, but I’m sorry…
You’re subvocalizing a conversation through your tooth communication device directly in front of the villain, who is close enough to touch you (is in fact touching you) and he isn’t going to notice this ventriloquist act happening right in the middle of your conversation with him?! Come on, now.
February 22, 2021
A decent story. Needs a good edit.
I thought this could have been about sixty pages shorter. A lot of the inner monologue stemming from the characters was uneeded.
Giving the short time span of the storyline the romance was extremely rushed and lacked finesse.
I thought this could have been about sixty pages shorter. A lot of the inner monologue stemming from the characters was uneeded.
Giving the short time span of the storyline the romance was extremely rushed and lacked finesse.
September 17, 2018
4.25 Stars!!
I highly enjoyed this one! Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
I highly enjoyed this one! Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews