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Bounty Hunters #5
Promises: The Next Generation
Duke Webb has run the most successful bail recovery agency in Atlanta for over twenty years. That’s because he has a team of trained, competent hunters backing him up to keep his name feared on the streets. But Duke knows that nothing can go on forever. His hunters are in committed relationships and ready to settle down, and so is he. That’s what leads him to start his new training program.
“That’s the new vision for Dukes. Veterans operating and tracking behind the scenes with a new powerhouse apprehension team on the streets.”
Brian and Quick are the first to offer up two new recruits.
Kellam Knight has studied martial arts under his sensei, Quick, since he was eight years old. A tossed-out reject from high-society, Kell has a problem fighting on the right side of the law. If he sees an injustice, he has to correct it. He doesn’t have to run and cower from his enemies anymore, he’s a fighter who can protect himself and others. When Quick offers Kell the opportunity to join Duke’s training program, he’s all in. Except he’s not prepared for the straight, over-confident, extremely disciplined, sexy man Brian has recruited to be his partner.
Tyrell Jenkins’ world was flipped upside down when his father never returned home from his last deployment. He’d been Ty’s teacher, mentor, his guide to living a righteous life as a good man. His father didn’t raise him to be like every other young, stereotypical male in Atlanta. Instead, he’s been taught to be respectful, to speak the language of real men. When Brian King – his father’s most trusted comrade – finally comes to him with the truth, he doesn’t come alone. He comes with trained men hidden in the shadows… and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a brotherhood unlike any other.
This novel is a part of a series but can be read as a standalone. No cliffhangers.
Trigger Warning: This story contains mild acts of bond recovery agent violence.
“That’s the new vision for Dukes. Veterans operating and tracking behind the scenes with a new powerhouse apprehension team on the streets.”
Brian and Quick are the first to offer up two new recruits.
Kellam Knight has studied martial arts under his sensei, Quick, since he was eight years old. A tossed-out reject from high-society, Kell has a problem fighting on the right side of the law. If he sees an injustice, he has to correct it. He doesn’t have to run and cower from his enemies anymore, he’s a fighter who can protect himself and others. When Quick offers Kell the opportunity to join Duke’s training program, he’s all in. Except he’s not prepared for the straight, over-confident, extremely disciplined, sexy man Brian has recruited to be his partner.
Tyrell Jenkins’ world was flipped upside down when his father never returned home from his last deployment. He’d been Ty’s teacher, mentor, his guide to living a righteous life as a good man. His father didn’t raise him to be like every other young, stereotypical male in Atlanta. Instead, he’s been taught to be respectful, to speak the language of real men. When Brian King – his father’s most trusted comrade – finally comes to him with the truth, he doesn’t come alone. He comes with trained men hidden in the shadows… and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a brotherhood unlike any other.
This novel is a part of a series but can be read as a standalone. No cliffhangers.
Trigger Warning: This story contains mild acts of bond recovery agent violence.
312 pages, ebook
First published August 27, 2018
268 people are currently reading
503 people want to read
About the author
A.E. Via
46 books3,239 followersA.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to spicy to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
When she's not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family--a husband and four children.
Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors. I've contracted and successfully published a couple authors - whose information can be found on my website - who can tell you that my passion is giving other writer's stories the love and care it deserves so it could be a gift to another. Visit my site to learn more!
Go to A.E. Via's official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she'll appear next.
When she's not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family--a husband and four children.
Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors. I've contracted and successfully published a couple authors - whose information can be found on my website - who can tell you that my passion is giving other writer's stories the love and care it deserves so it could be a gift to another. Visit my site to learn more!
Go to A.E. Via's official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she'll appear next.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
September 2, 2018
This ended up being a disappointment for me. This installment of the series was not as gritty and humorous as the others. It read more like an M/F YA. That wasn't typo...M/F YA. Right down to the blushing virginal "bride" and the chauvinistic husband.
February 26, 2023
1.5
There’s a lot I wanted to say about this book and I’m glad I didn’t go into a rage review because I woulda said some tings 😤 but I’m gonna say I found this book to be highly disrespectful and it plays on the stereotypes of black people and the character of Tyrell is one I’ll very much wish to forget with his Hotep ass.
So let’s get into it....
“Hood is a state of mind”
This comes up a lot in the book where the main Mc is not like those other black guys, his mind is above them he’s intelligent, he’s the good black and man does that make me angry. He speaks intelligently and doesn’t do the slang but let’s clear this up. Slang better known AAVE (African American Vernacular English) is its own damn language with rules just like the required form of English. Speaking AAVE does not make you dumb, hood or whatever this fool named Tyrell was tryna make it out or be. I can speak AAVE, I can also speak patois and let me tell you it takes a lot to differentiate between all forms because they are not the same. So yeh I’m a little pissed of this book was written for the white gaze or the non black gaze which goes a little something like “see they don’t have to be like that”. Hood is hood, you’re not less human, it doesn’t make you stupid or a criminal cuz you’re from the “hood”. It’s what we’re dealt as a society and this book in this time frame especially with what’s happening is just so wrong it makes me annoyed.
Tyrell as a whole...
Sir,
Don’t think, don’t speak, please shut the fuck up forever and ever. Your form of thinking is annoying and whatever grown look was meant to be presented all it came down to that this was a child. A boy playing dress up with black manhood.
Playing on stereotypes while also using those stereotypes to make him cool.
So yeh he’s the intelligent black guy, simply the best just better than all the rest and yet all the things associated with being black is what makes him cool it’s what makes him attractive (you see how that works). Hood guys be killing it with their Timbs and iced out in their jewelry and this is what makes him so appealing to his other half. He hood but he ain’t that hood...
There’s so much I wanna say but I’ll just end it here by saying I dislike this book on another level. The story is ridiculous and wasn’t needed, the main characters present heteronormative and it irks me cuz yeh so awesome the virgin and his king 🙄
SideNote: I didn’t even get into how women are represented in this book, but I’ll just say it’s not good not good at all.
There’s a lot I wanted to say about this book and I’m glad I didn’t go into a rage review because I woulda said some tings 😤 but I’m gonna say I found this book to be highly disrespectful and it plays on the stereotypes of black people and the character of Tyrell is one I’ll very much wish to forget with his Hotep ass.
So let’s get into it....
“Hood is a state of mind”
This comes up a lot in the book where the main Mc is not like those other black guys, his mind is above them he’s intelligent, he’s the good black and man does that make me angry. He speaks intelligently and doesn’t do the slang but let’s clear this up. Slang better known AAVE (African American Vernacular English) is its own damn language with rules just like the required form of English. Speaking AAVE does not make you dumb, hood or whatever this fool named Tyrell was tryna make it out or be. I can speak AAVE, I can also speak patois and let me tell you it takes a lot to differentiate between all forms because they are not the same. So yeh I’m a little pissed of this book was written for the white gaze or the non black gaze which goes a little something like “see they don’t have to be like that”. Hood is hood, you’re not less human, it doesn’t make you stupid or a criminal cuz you’re from the “hood”. It’s what we’re dealt as a society and this book in this time frame especially with what’s happening is just so wrong it makes me annoyed.
Tyrell as a whole...
Sir,
Don’t think, don’t speak, please shut the fuck up forever and ever. Your form of thinking is annoying and whatever grown look was meant to be presented all it came down to that this was a child. A boy playing dress up with black manhood.
Playing on stereotypes while also using those stereotypes to make him cool.
So yeh he’s the intelligent black guy, simply the best just better than all the rest and yet all the things associated with being black is what makes him cool it’s what makes him attractive (you see how that works). Hood guys be killing it with their Timbs and iced out in their jewelry and this is what makes him so appealing to his other half. He hood but he ain’t that hood...
There’s so much I wanna say but I’ll just end it here by saying I dislike this book on another level. The story is ridiculous and wasn’t needed, the main characters present heteronormative and it irks me cuz yeh so awesome the virgin and his king 🙄
SideNote: I didn’t even get into how women are represented in this book, but I’ll just say it’s not good not good at all.
dnf
September 24, 2018DNF @26%
I tried to keep going with this. I loved the other Bounty Hunters books...well except Ford's book, so I was excited that we get a new generation. But this was not on the same level as the other books. Ty was bland and stiff. I literally read his POV in my head, in a monotone voice. He had no "voice"....no depth. And he was very judgmental. Every single person he came across he criticized...how they looked, how they dressed, how they acted. Yet he delivered "packages" that he didn't know what was in them and didn't want to know. He said himself he knew Cheddar didn't come by the items in necessarily a legal manner. But I guess as long as you don't know what's in it you can't be held accountable, right?
I also get the message Via was trying to convey with waiting for "the one" but to me, it was just too preachy. And another of my friends said this read like YA and I agree. These guys were in their mid to late twenties yet the dialog and thoughts were like teenagers.
I've heard how all this goes down later in the book, and I just don't think I would be happy with the results so I'm tapping out. Hopefully the next one will be better. I will certainly give it a try but these books are way too expensive to waste money on if this is the way they continue.
I tried to keep going with this. I loved the other Bounty Hunters books...well except Ford's book, so I was excited that we get a new generation. But this was not on the same level as the other books. Ty was bland and stiff. I literally read his POV in my head, in a monotone voice. He had no "voice"....no depth. And he was very judgmental. Every single person he came across he criticized...how they looked, how they dressed, how they acted. Yet he delivered "packages" that he didn't know what was in them and didn't want to know. He said himself he knew Cheddar didn't come by the items in necessarily a legal manner. But I guess as long as you don't know what's in it you can't be held accountable, right?
I also get the message Via was trying to convey with waiting for "the one" but to me, it was just too preachy. And another of my friends said this read like YA and I agree. These guys were in their mid to late twenties yet the dialog and thoughts were like teenagers.
I've heard how all this goes down later in the book, and I just don't think I would be happy with the results so I'm tapping out. Hopefully the next one will be better. I will certainly give it a try but these books are way too expensive to waste money on if this is the way they continue.
December 15, 2018
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I enjoyed the previous books in this series and was excited to get a new and younger generation of bounty hunters. But this one wasn't exactly what I was thinking it would be like. The dialogue felt very stiff at times so it was hard to connect to the characters and their stories. I also just didn't see the romance between Ty and Kell since they seemed to be focused on more as individuals than as a couple.
Even with parts that had me wanting more from these characters I didn't think this was a bad story and it did keep me entertained.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I enjoyed the previous books in this series and was excited to get a new and younger generation of bounty hunters. But this one wasn't exactly what I was thinking it would be like. The dialogue felt very stiff at times so it was hard to connect to the characters and their stories. I also just didn't see the romance between Ty and Kell since they seemed to be focused on more as individuals than as a couple.
Even with parts that had me wanting more from these characters I didn't think this was a bad story and it did keep me entertained.
September 6, 2018
Cinderella fantasy - chauvinistic, misogynistic fantasy spun for young girls which teaches them, someday a man will come and fix everything wrong with your life, thus you are not capable of improving your life so just keep pretty and alluring for this eventual man.
Promises, the Next Generation, spins the same tale MM style. To make this narrative work a lot doesn’t make sense, like Quick letting his adopted son, and Vaughan allowing his adopted brother, to live in near poverty. Kell working a penny ante job despite the fact that both his adoptive father and brother are wealthy and could get him a job that pays better than the pittance he earns at the dojo. This would make sense if Quick and Vaughan were evil stepfather/brother, but they’re spun as heroes (of course, being former MCs).
Now, to go with the grossly offensive Cinderella fantasy, Via has decided to turn a MM relationship into a facsimile of a traditional FM relationship, complete with the “so which one of you is the wife” aspect as Ty increasingly treats Kell like the little woman.
Ty is a misogynist who’s been convinced his slut shaming means he respects women. Let’s be clear, men treating women like Queens who should keep their treasures hidden is not romantic, it’s the epitome of the Madonna/Whore complex. To complete the slut shaming vibe Kell is, inexplicably, a virgin (Ooh, Ms Steele) as, of course, anyone who doesn’t save themselves for their man is a whore. An expectation Ty does not place on himself, of course, misogynists never do.
Ty’s equally misogynistic father has taught him the complete gamut of double standards and toxic masculinity that is the core of the King/Queen paradigm, complete with “your (wo)man’s beauty is only for you, but you strut as much as you want.”
After several chapters of slut shaming hard, Ty decided he didn’t need to keep his gross views to one gender, he could expand and started treating Kell like a woman he expects to don a bastardised version of a burkha, whilst (sh)he keeps a tidy home and cooks.
Back to those inconsistencies that make little sense, Ty, despite his very middle class childhood, is living in the “hood.” It’s explained has necessary because all of Ty’s money goes to keeping his mother in a nursing home. Yet Ty has flashy watches and designer clothes. Later, when he’s putting his “rescue Kell from his shitty life and evil step father/step brother” plan into full effect he has tons of money, enough to build a house. Has he turfed his mum out of Paradise Gardens Sunset Villa or was the “projects” aspect just so Via could shoehorn in her casual racism by making Ty “gangsta.”
Don’t even get me started on the cringeworthy “hood speak.” This one was a desperately bad swing and a miss.
Promises, the Next Generation, spins the same tale MM style. To make this narrative work a lot doesn’t make sense, like Quick letting his adopted son, and Vaughan allowing his adopted brother, to live in near poverty. Kell working a penny ante job despite the fact that both his adoptive father and brother are wealthy and could get him a job that pays better than the pittance he earns at the dojo. This would make sense if Quick and Vaughan were evil stepfather/brother, but they’re spun as heroes (of course, being former MCs).
Now, to go with the grossly offensive Cinderella fantasy, Via has decided to turn a MM relationship into a facsimile of a traditional FM relationship, complete with the “so which one of you is the wife” aspect as Ty increasingly treats Kell like the little woman.
Ty is a misogynist who’s been convinced his slut shaming means he respects women. Let’s be clear, men treating women like Queens who should keep their treasures hidden is not romantic, it’s the epitome of the Madonna/Whore complex. To complete the slut shaming vibe Kell is, inexplicably, a virgin (Ooh, Ms Steele) as, of course, anyone who doesn’t save themselves for their man is a whore. An expectation Ty does not place on himself, of course, misogynists never do.
Ty’s equally misogynistic father has taught him the complete gamut of double standards and toxic masculinity that is the core of the King/Queen paradigm, complete with “your (wo)man’s beauty is only for you, but you strut as much as you want.”
After several chapters of slut shaming hard, Ty decided he didn’t need to keep his gross views to one gender, he could expand and started treating Kell like a woman he expects to don a bastardised version of a burkha, whilst (sh)he keeps a tidy home and cooks.
Back to those inconsistencies that make little sense, Ty, despite his very middle class childhood, is living in the “hood.” It’s explained has necessary because all of Ty’s money goes to keeping his mother in a nursing home. Yet Ty has flashy watches and designer clothes. Later, when he’s putting his “rescue Kell from his shitty life and evil step father/step brother” plan into full effect he has tons of money, enough to build a house. Has he turfed his mum out of Paradise Gardens Sunset Villa or was the “projects” aspect just so Via could shoehorn in her casual racism by making Ty “gangsta.”
Don’t even get me started on the cringeworthy “hood speak.” This one was a desperately bad swing and a miss.
August 31, 2018
I liked the series and the blurb for this Next Generation sounded good, so I bought it.
This does not read like a usual A.E.Via book. I did not finish it and returned the book.
On amazon someone mentioned this book was too preachy, which I second.
I could not relate to the MCs.
Ty reads like an arrogant prick with a dash of unnecessary religious preaching sprinkled on top.
Apparently the 'righteous life as a good man' was coded talk for religious upbringing..
Thanks, but no thanks, If I wanted the opinion of religious nut jobs I'd talk to my family.
It's late and I had high hopes for this book, so yes, this reads a bit pissy. #notsorry
This does not read like a usual A.E.Via book. I did not finish it and returned the book.
On amazon someone mentioned this book was too preachy, which I second.
I could not relate to the MCs.
Ty reads like an arrogant prick with a dash of unnecessary religious preaching sprinkled on top.
Apparently the 'righteous life as a good man' was coded talk for religious upbringing..
Thanks, but no thanks, If I wanted the opinion of religious nut jobs I'd talk to my family.
It's late and I had high hopes for this book, so yes, this reads a bit pissy. #notsorry
September 5, 2018
I can't. I just can't. There was so much wrong with this book... things the characters said and did... that were so insanely contrary to the way they're written, that the whole thing flat out didn't make sense!
Honestly, Tyrell Jenkins drives me crazy. He's supposed to be an educated, financially savvy, genius strategist... whose number one priority in life is to provide for his mother. Yet he lives in the hood while spending an insane amount of money on name-brand clothing, and delivers packages for a black-market thug, because he doesn't have a real job?!
And to make matters worse he's constantly monologuing about how he lives his life in some sort of pseudo-enlightened state... that makes him sound like a self-righteous, narcissistic, fanatic.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The whole thing left me gaping. I feel like this series took a sharp left into la-la land. I almost DFN it, but stuck it out because I love the previous books and had hopes the author would somehow pull a rabbit out of her hat at the very end, but nope. It didn't happen.
I have no words.
Honestly, Tyrell Jenkins drives me crazy. He's supposed to be an educated, financially savvy, genius strategist... whose number one priority in life is to provide for his mother. Yet he lives in the hood while spending an insane amount of money on name-brand clothing, and delivers packages for a black-market thug, because he doesn't have a real job?!
And to make matters worse he's constantly monologuing about how he lives his life in some sort of pseudo-enlightened state... that makes him sound like a self-righteous, narcissistic, fanatic.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The whole thing left me gaping. I feel like this series took a sharp left into la-la land. I almost DFN it, but stuck it out because I love the previous books and had hopes the author would somehow pull a rabbit out of her hat at the very end, but nope. It didn't happen.
I have no words.
September 8, 2018
I really enjoyed this - the dynamic was quite different. Tyrell lived by the old values from his family and believed that respect and care must be shown to your eventual soulmate. After meeting Kell he was awestruck and decided Kell was clearly his. Kell loved his sensei and worked hard to prove he was able to manage his trial promotion as a recovery agent. Always a fighter for justice, Kell had a soft heart. As he slowly came to understand Tyrell, he realized they were a perfect match. Yes this was a bit fluffy for this series, Yes there was some “almost try hard” dialogue with Tyrell moving from philosopher to gangster, but I couldn’t put this down and loved the Cinderella vibe. The characters are great and I’m glad this series is continuing. ❤️
January 29, 2020
3 stars
I enjoyed this, and it's only the things I feel like I missed out on that have me rating this way.
I just wish the off-page happenings had been more on-page. I really would have liked to see Ty and Brian spending time and bonding, to have seen Ty and Kell working together a few more times, and dating, because it felt like their lives were just surface.
There's the bones for a great romantic story, I just felt like the meat got left mostly off page.
I enjoyed this, and it's only the things I feel like I missed out on that have me rating this way.
I just wish the off-page happenings had been more on-page. I really would have liked to see Ty and Brian spending time and bonding, to have seen Ty and Kell working together a few more times, and dating, because it felt like their lives were just surface.
There's the bones for a great romantic story, I just felt like the meat got left mostly off page.
September 12, 2018
❤️❤️❤️ it!! No angst. Just two men who fell into a love that was right for them.
August 9, 2020
Book Reaction: https://neverhollowed.com/2020/04/14/...
Rating: 2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn book
Rating: 2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn book
January 5, 2022
1.5 stars
Umm…i don-… umm…
Well, as previously mentioned last month when I read some of the other Bounty Hunter books, they just aren’t for me, except for book 4 (Brian and Sways book)
This book, no idea where to start… the beginning had promise, although Ty and all his talk about finding his queen for a good chunk of the book made me question how he will take falling for Kell, since this is an MM book.
Umm I think Ty’s actions were very old fashioned and what he was looking for in a partner… I definitely was a little turned off by that, but that is just me. Also I felt as though Kell became more submissive the more time he spent with Ty, compared to how bad ass he was in the beginning of the book.
I will say Ty calling Kell “shorty” and going in to “hood talk” or slang was weird since Ty was very I felt traditional so when he transitioned to the slang it just felt like a different character.
Their whole relationship to me was in a weird timeline..it just didn’t flow as well as I think the author intended. It just felt awkward and I was cringing.
I was also hoping for more action with either the Bounty Hunters or with the “gang war”… it felt very anticlimactic.
Overall Aiden Snow saved this book and kept me wanting to continue just to hear his voice but by about 60% I was massively rolling my eyes.
Umm…i don-… umm…
Well, as previously mentioned last month when I read some of the other Bounty Hunter books, they just aren’t for me, except for book 4 (Brian and Sways book)
This book, no idea where to start… the beginning had promise, although Ty and all his talk about finding his queen for a good chunk of the book made me question how he will take falling for Kell, since this is an MM book.
Umm I think Ty’s actions were very old fashioned and what he was looking for in a partner… I definitely was a little turned off by that, but that is just me. Also I felt as though Kell became more submissive the more time he spent with Ty, compared to how bad ass he was in the beginning of the book.
I will say Ty calling Kell “shorty” and going in to “hood talk” or slang was weird since Ty was very I felt traditional so when he transitioned to the slang it just felt like a different character.
Their whole relationship to me was in a weird timeline..it just didn’t flow as well as I think the author intended. It just felt awkward and I was cringing.
I was also hoping for more action with either the Bounty Hunters or with the “gang war”… it felt very anticlimactic.
Overall Aiden Snow saved this book and kept me wanting to continue just to hear his voice but by about 60% I was massively rolling my eyes.
May 12, 2024
So sad to hear about the loss. I can't imagine the courage it took to pick yourself up and write another book. 💔
Didn't expect this direction, but I understand a lot of this was inspired by the author's late brother's personality, principles, morals, and way of living... And I'm actually okay with it. It may have sounded too backward or conservative for others, but I respect that other beliefs exist that mirror this fiction. Although some of it felt like niggles to me, some may appreciate it, for they, too, have similar stances on marriage, relationships, and virtues. These were character builds of two good men with different religious practices and morals who chose to love and accept each other's differences and shared a passion for helping and protecting civilians.
I did love both of their commitment to each other and the job. As soon as they decided they were soulmates, they went all in. No hesitation, just trust and love. When they got a chance to get the job as bounty hunters, they foresaw a future career they could be great at and decided there and then to fully commit to the mission. This wasn't as impressive as book 4, which I personally think is the best installment in the series, BUT I appreciated the way it conveyed good feelings for me. Comfort, safety, tenderness, romance, commitment, and even hope. Somehow, it felt like a fairy tale in some parts, and my inner dreamer rejoiced in those instances.
Prince Ty and Knight Kel felt like the perfect soulmate pairing to me. ❤️
Didn't expect this direction, but I understand a lot of this was inspired by the author's late brother's personality, principles, morals, and way of living... And I'm actually okay with it. It may have sounded too backward or conservative for others, but I respect that other beliefs exist that mirror this fiction. Although some of it felt like niggles to me, some may appreciate it, for they, too, have similar stances on marriage, relationships, and virtues. These were character builds of two good men with different religious practices and morals who chose to love and accept each other's differences and shared a passion for helping and protecting civilians.
I did love both of their commitment to each other and the job. As soon as they decided they were soulmates, they went all in. No hesitation, just trust and love. When they got a chance to get the job as bounty hunters, they foresaw a future career they could be great at and decided there and then to fully commit to the mission. This wasn't as impressive as book 4, which I personally think is the best installment in the series, BUT I appreciated the way it conveyed good feelings for me. Comfort, safety, tenderness, romance, commitment, and even hope. Somehow, it felt like a fairy tale in some parts, and my inner dreamer rejoiced in those instances.
Prince Ty and Knight Kel felt like the perfect soulmate pairing to me. ❤️
August 23, 2022
3.5 stars, I glad to have some new blood in the bounty hunters, I would have like to see some more action from this couple being Kellam was supposed to be a real bad ass. Kellam and Tyrell were sweet together. Yes, Ty seemed old fashioned and came off as judgmental but I do think he meant well 🤗 , he was brought up to take care of and treasure the woman in his life which turned out to be a prince. That prince who turned out to be Kellam didn't need a protector but a partner. The author wrote this book with her brother in mind so thank you for sharing such a special person with us readers.
February 26, 2023
I've given this one 3* because it could be a 1* book in some instances and a 5* in others. I'm struggling really on how to rate and review it because there's some great parts and some bits that had me cringing.
I'll direct you to my friend Darien's review for a lot of my thoughts.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm not a member of the Black community but there were times I was seriously shaking my head at some of the thoughts offered up in this book.
I'm also not a Muslim, but again there were times when I was icking over the way that religion was expressed here.
The thing that I can't understand the most though is that A.E. is an author of colour, so some of the stereotyping of black men in the hood felt really like it was laid on with a trowel.
Of course, Tyrell doesn't subscribe to those behaviours, he's been brought up to be a real man and treat women like Queens and to respect them and always be above the temptations of life.
Tyrell is the son of Brian's best friend, the LT who died in his arms while they were captives in that cave out in whichever warzone it was. The man was a Kenyan Muslim who we only get visions of through both Brian's recollections and through Ty's flashbacks and voice of his father moments he has in his inner monologues.
Now, it's difficult to be critical here because the Author Note states Ty was based on aspects of her own recently (at the point of writing) deceased brother, so the character is clearly of importance to her and his behaviours mirrored to some extent on a real person.
But, it was just way too much. Tyrell is some kind of sainted dude who wants to do everything for his partner. And he's a sanctimonious arse for a lot of it!
So the love interest here, Kellem Knight, is to all intents and purposes a female turned into a male character. He's smaller than Ty, he's got long flowing locks of blond hair that cause people to stare and treat him like he's feminine.
He was kicked out of home at 15 by his rich politician father when he came out as gay and we never hear anything about that again after the initial explanation of why he lives in a dodgy part of Atlanta even though Quick pretty much adopted him and trained him into a Master Martial Artist in four different forms?!
Also Kell comes out of nowhere. If he's essentially Quick's adopted son, Vaughn's younger brother, how comes we've never heard of him before this book?!
This book also subscribes to the worst heteronormative religious beliefs - that the "effectively" woman in the relationship, ie Kell, should be covered and only be viewed by his man, should be willing to be kept at home and be looked after in all things etc ad nauseum.
Now, again it sounds like I'm ranting about everything. But there were a lot of bits that I did actually like. I liked the way these two guys did try to live to their own moral codes (even if those codes aren't ones I'd subscribe to) and that they both wanted to do right for their communities and help with Duke's Bonds company to get criminals off the streets.
I liked the way that Tyrell's probable demi-sexuality was treated, he'd had relationships etc but hadn't felt what he believed his father and mother had had, unconditional accepting love, for anyone until he crossed paths with Kell.
I loved the way each took care of the other in the way they both needed. This is very romantic if you're of the viewpoint that marriage is an end point. There's a very much feel of "fated mates" to this book too. They're married within two months of meeting! Still, if you know, you know 😁
I also liked very much the interesting approaches Ty took to capturing the two bail jumpers him and Kell were tasked with, it amused me in both instances that Duke couldn't understand how using trickery rather than brute force could work.
So, overall I've come down in the middle with this one. It could have been great though.
I'll direct you to my friend Darien's review for a lot of my thoughts.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm not a member of the Black community but there were times I was seriously shaking my head at some of the thoughts offered up in this book.
I'm also not a Muslim, but again there were times when I was icking over the way that religion was expressed here.
The thing that I can't understand the most though is that A.E. is an author of colour, so some of the stereotyping of black men in the hood felt really like it was laid on with a trowel.
Of course, Tyrell doesn't subscribe to those behaviours, he's been brought up to be a real man and treat women like Queens and to respect them and always be above the temptations of life.
Tyrell is the son of Brian's best friend, the LT who died in his arms while they were captives in that cave out in whichever warzone it was. The man was a Kenyan Muslim who we only get visions of through both Brian's recollections and through Ty's flashbacks and voice of his father moments he has in his inner monologues.
Now, it's difficult to be critical here because the Author Note states Ty was based on aspects of her own recently (at the point of writing) deceased brother, so the character is clearly of importance to her and his behaviours mirrored to some extent on a real person.
But, it was just way too much. Tyrell is some kind of sainted dude who wants to do everything for his partner. And he's a sanctimonious arse for a lot of it!
So the love interest here, Kellem Knight, is to all intents and purposes a female turned into a male character. He's smaller than Ty, he's got long flowing locks of blond hair that cause people to stare and treat him like he's feminine.
He was kicked out of home at 15 by his rich politician father when he came out as gay and we never hear anything about that again after the initial explanation of why he lives in a dodgy part of Atlanta even though Quick pretty much adopted him and trained him into a Master Martial Artist in four different forms?!
Also Kell comes out of nowhere. If he's essentially Quick's adopted son, Vaughn's younger brother, how comes we've never heard of him before this book?!
This book also subscribes to the worst heteronormative religious beliefs - that the "effectively" woman in the relationship, ie Kell, should be covered and only be viewed by his man, should be willing to be kept at home and be looked after in all things etc ad nauseum.
Now, again it sounds like I'm ranting about everything. But there were a lot of bits that I did actually like. I liked the way these two guys did try to live to their own moral codes (even if those codes aren't ones I'd subscribe to) and that they both wanted to do right for their communities and help with Duke's Bonds company to get criminals off the streets.
I liked the way that Tyrell's probable demi-sexuality was treated, he'd had relationships etc but hadn't felt what he believed his father and mother had had, unconditional accepting love, for anyone until he crossed paths with Kell.
I loved the way each took care of the other in the way they both needed. This is very romantic if you're of the viewpoint that marriage is an end point. There's a very much feel of "fated mates" to this book too. They're married within two months of meeting! Still, if you know, you know 😁
I also liked very much the interesting approaches Ty took to capturing the two bail jumpers him and Kell were tasked with, it amused me in both instances that Duke couldn't understand how using trickery rather than brute force could work.
So, overall I've come down in the middle with this one. It could have been great though.
March 16, 2022
Why did I wait sooo long to read this??!! It’s a super sweet, action packed story.
October 8, 2019
4.75 stars
Looking forward to the upcoming books in this series. I truly enjoyed to rhythm and flow that Ty and Kell had together.
Looking forward to the upcoming books in this series. I truly enjoyed to rhythm and flow that Ty and Kell had together.
September 4, 2018
If you’re like me and have been following this series, you’ve probably grown attached to all of the guys that have been introduced so far. They’ve become like a family, and so my interest was piqued when I read the synopsis and realized that things were going to take a new direction. And while this author is very well known for the powerful alpha male characters she brings to every book she writes, The Next Generation takes things down a decidedly different route.
If you’re expecting to find a bunch of macho alpha-types who exude strength and masculinity while hunting down their bounties…well, Duke, Quick, Dana, Ford and Brian are still here ;-) But Ty and Kell are quite different from them on many levels—though just as qualified to do the job of a bounty hunter…if not quite in the way you might expect. I liked that they didn’t fit the classic A.E. Via alpha male mold but still possessed their own skills and experiences that made them both uniquely qualified to handle the job.
I really liked Kell’s character a lot. He has the requisite crappy family past before being taken under Quick’s wing, and I loved that instead of brute strength or military training, he has an incredibly strong martial arts background. Ty was not as easy for me to warm up to. While his old-fashioned values and his attitude towards love and marriage are admirable and something to which everyone should aspire (in a more utopian world, sadly), it did feel a bit much to me, mostly in how it was repeatedly referred to and the words and phrasing he used—which didn’t always match the rest of his speech patterns that sometimes reflected more where he lived than the educated, more sophisticated man he really was.
There’s something deep down in both Kell and Ty that almost immediately recognizes the other as their perfect match, their soulmate and the one they are meant to be with. Here though this translates to things between them moving fast…a bit faster than you might expect though not quite insta-lovey. For me it was a bit too fast, I needed more time for on-page relationship development to become comfortable with where their relationship wound up heading.
Another thing that was different about this book compared to the others in the series was the amount of action. This story is far more focused on Kell and Ty, the background of their characters and their interactions, so there’s not anywhere near as much action and suspense as you might expect, especially if you’ve read the rest of this series.
This is an interesting direction in which the author has decided to take this series as things evolve for a younger generation of agents, and I’m curious to see where things go from here. While you probably could read this book without reading the others in the series first, I personally would recommend reading them in order so you have the full background of the other characters you’ll see as the supporting cast here...and don't go into this story with any preconceived notions based on the rest of the series. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
If you’re expecting to find a bunch of macho alpha-types who exude strength and masculinity while hunting down their bounties…well, Duke, Quick, Dana, Ford and Brian are still here ;-) But Ty and Kell are quite different from them on many levels—though just as qualified to do the job of a bounty hunter…if not quite in the way you might expect. I liked that they didn’t fit the classic A.E. Via alpha male mold but still possessed their own skills and experiences that made them both uniquely qualified to handle the job.
I really liked Kell’s character a lot. He has the requisite crappy family past before being taken under Quick’s wing, and I loved that instead of brute strength or military training, he has an incredibly strong martial arts background. Ty was not as easy for me to warm up to. While his old-fashioned values and his attitude towards love and marriage are admirable and something to which everyone should aspire (in a more utopian world, sadly), it did feel a bit much to me, mostly in how it was repeatedly referred to and the words and phrasing he used—which didn’t always match the rest of his speech patterns that sometimes reflected more where he lived than the educated, more sophisticated man he really was.
There’s something deep down in both Kell and Ty that almost immediately recognizes the other as their perfect match, their soulmate and the one they are meant to be with. Here though this translates to things between them moving fast…a bit faster than you might expect though not quite insta-lovey. For me it was a bit too fast, I needed more time for on-page relationship development to become comfortable with where their relationship wound up heading.
Another thing that was different about this book compared to the others in the series was the amount of action. This story is far more focused on Kell and Ty, the background of their characters and their interactions, so there’s not anywhere near as much action and suspense as you might expect, especially if you’ve read the rest of this series.
This is an interesting direction in which the author has decided to take this series as things evolve for a younger generation of agents, and I’m curious to see where things go from here. While you probably could read this book without reading the others in the series first, I personally would recommend reading them in order so you have the full background of the other characters you’ll see as the supporting cast here...and don't go into this story with any preconceived notions based on the rest of the series. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
August 30, 2018
Sad
I’m really sad to say i didn’t like this story at all. I love love all the other books in promises but this just wasn’t for me felt out of place compared to the others.
I’m really sad to say i didn’t like this story at all. I love love all the other books in promises but this just wasn’t for me felt out of place compared to the others.
September 14, 2018
2.5 Quite different
In her foreword, AE mentions the loss of her brother and how it inspired the content of the story, so maybe that explains the kind of characters drawn here. And a few characters in other books have been borderline but this one really felt like it should be an MF story. Ty was written like he’s some perfect specimen of man with a strange code of conduct composed of a mix of Islamic religious and other cultural absolutes taught by his father. His father was Brian’s fellow soldier. He’s looking for his “queen” at the start, being all judgmental with people, especially women and all those sayings in his head smack of misogyny to my mind. There’s jarring notes, like Brian texting Ty without telling him who he is instead of, oh, I don’t know, calling and talking to him like a normal person instead of breaking into his house at midnight just to ask him to come work for Duke. And never having contacted him in the six years he’d been back. But logic isn’t always a focus in these books.
Then Kell’s character is drawn like some delicate, virginal woman substitute, with all the glorious hair and covering himself all up like an Islamic woman would wear a hijab and it was just *weird*. Okay, so he’s supposed to be a martial arts expert, whatever but it didn’t help the characterization. They were a very strange fit with the crew from the first few books. The Promises series have never quite achieved the same appeal for me as the Nothing Special series. Lastly, although it wasn’t too bad, I really wish the editing was better. It kind of annoyed me with missing words, erroneous punctuation and sentence structure. However, it was readable and definitely in her style and I kept reading just to see if it would improve or get stranger. It was sort of both. Just wasn’t one I liked too much.
In her foreword, AE mentions the loss of her brother and how it inspired the content of the story, so maybe that explains the kind of characters drawn here. And a few characters in other books have been borderline but this one really felt like it should be an MF story. Ty was written like he’s some perfect specimen of man with a strange code of conduct composed of a mix of Islamic religious and other cultural absolutes taught by his father. His father was Brian’s fellow soldier. He’s looking for his “queen” at the start, being all judgmental with people, especially women and all those sayings in his head smack of misogyny to my mind. There’s jarring notes, like Brian texting Ty without telling him who he is instead of, oh, I don’t know, calling and talking to him like a normal person instead of breaking into his house at midnight just to ask him to come work for Duke. And never having contacted him in the six years he’d been back. But logic isn’t always a focus in these books.
Then Kell’s character is drawn like some delicate, virginal woman substitute, with all the glorious hair and covering himself all up like an Islamic woman would wear a hijab and it was just *weird*. Okay, so he’s supposed to be a martial arts expert, whatever but it didn’t help the characterization. They were a very strange fit with the crew from the first few books. The Promises series have never quite achieved the same appeal for me as the Nothing Special series. Lastly, although it wasn’t too bad, I really wish the editing was better. It kind of annoyed me with missing words, erroneous punctuation and sentence structure. However, it was readable and definitely in her style and I kept reading just to see if it would improve or get stranger. It was sort of both. Just wasn’t one I liked too much.
September 1, 2018
I’m so so sad about this review.
When you like a series so much and you expect something as equally good and then this happens. I don’t know. I feel bad that I have to give this 2 stars. I practically DNF’d this.
First of all, I have nothing against anyone’s religion, but this here just didn’t fit. It was so much religion and tradition in this book and then their relationship happening so fast. So fast that in the 3 weeks they knew each other they got married. And they hadn’t even done anything sexual, no kiss. I did not feel their love, they were so different.
At one point, Kell changed so much from how he started. Where was all this anger he had in him? At 50% I did not recognize him. It all felt so wrong… and I feel sad and bad.
I only gave it 2 because there were scenes I liked. Ty could be better. I liked how calm he was, how kind. But then everything so out of order.
Maybe I didn’t like it because I wasn’t expecting this.
The bounty hunters from the previous books are retiring and want people to take their places. Younger people. Brian and Quick suggest their own. Ty and Kell.
The story starts with getting to know them before they meet each other and become partners. It was so slow. Very slow. But it kept me focused. Then things fell out of place.
Ty was looking for his queen, a woman that he as a real man would protect and take care, but he found Kell. How is that even possible when in the half of the book Ty didn’t stop mentioning it.
I don’t know. I sincerely apologize for this.
When you like a series so much and you expect something as equally good and then this happens. I don’t know. I feel bad that I have to give this 2 stars. I practically DNF’d this.
First of all, I have nothing against anyone’s religion, but this here just didn’t fit. It was so much religion and tradition in this book and then their relationship happening so fast. So fast that in the 3 weeks they knew each other they got married. And they hadn’t even done anything sexual, no kiss. I did not feel their love, they were so different.
At one point, Kell changed so much from how he started. Where was all this anger he had in him? At 50% I did not recognize him. It all felt so wrong… and I feel sad and bad.
I only gave it 2 because there were scenes I liked. Ty could be better. I liked how calm he was, how kind. But then everything so out of order.
Maybe I didn’t like it because I wasn’t expecting this.
The bounty hunters from the previous books are retiring and want people to take their places. Younger people. Brian and Quick suggest their own. Ty and Kell.
The story starts with getting to know them before they meet each other and become partners. It was so slow. Very slow. But it kept me focused. Then things fell out of place.
Ty was looking for his queen, a woman that he as a real man would protect and take care, but he found Kell. How is that even possible when in the half of the book Ty didn’t stop mentioning it.
I don’t know. I sincerely apologize for this.
February 22, 2024
Lovely installment, "for the culture!" Well done
March 9, 2019
I've finished the book 4 days ago and debated ever since if I should write my opinion. But it kept me up at nights so here goes. Please apologize any wording/grammar mistakes, English is not my native tongue.
Let me say first Mrs. Via's books has been automatic buys for me, Here Comes Trouble is one of just eight books I marked with five stars plus (of more than 3000 m/m romances I've read).
But this one? I began being flabbergasted, then disappointed and ended angry.
The key propositions as I understood them are:
- A female-like person has to stay virginal to be worthy
- A female-like person should not reveal face or hair to others
- Only believers (regardless of which religion) are good, morale people
- If you are not married, you don't really love and respect your partner, never mind how long you are together
- If a female-like person meet a man they immediately cease to be responsible for themselves but let him decide
- If you are a couple the female-like person won't be required to use his year-long education/training as your male will do everything for you
- Woman who wear sexy/revealing clothes are sluts and just want to snare a man
- People living in bad conditions (in the hood) are lazy, agressive and strange speaking
- Accepting jewelry is not a gift but you commit yourself
Each and every one of these statements are - for me! - so, so very wrong.
No, Mrs. Via, just NO!
All in all, even if one does not take offense this book was way too preachy and the strewn-in 'hood-language' left me mystified.
I feel cheated as none of the key points of the story were mentioned in the blurb. Instead the blurb read like one of Mrs. Via's usual action-packed stories with equal strong Alpha-types.
I'm very sorry to say that I will meticulously scan the blurb and the comments here on GR before I ever buy another A.E.Via book.
Let me say first Mrs. Via's books has been automatic buys for me, Here Comes Trouble is one of just eight books I marked with five stars plus (of more than 3000 m/m romances I've read).
But this one? I began being flabbergasted, then disappointed and ended angry.
The key propositions as I understood them are:
- A female-like person has to stay virginal to be worthy
- A female-like person should not reveal face or hair to others
- Only believers (regardless of which religion) are good, morale people
- If you are not married, you don't really love and respect your partner, never mind how long you are together
- If a female-like person meet a man they immediately cease to be responsible for themselves but let him decide
- If you are a couple the female-like person won't be required to use his year-long education/training as your male will do everything for you
- Woman who wear sexy/revealing clothes are sluts and just want to snare a man
- People living in bad conditions (in the hood) are lazy, agressive and strange speaking
- Accepting jewelry is not a gift but you commit yourself
Each and every one of these statements are - for me! - so, so very wrong.
No, Mrs. Via, just NO!
All in all, even if one does not take offense this book was way too preachy and the strewn-in 'hood-language' left me mystified.
I feel cheated as none of the key points of the story were mentioned in the blurb. Instead the blurb read like one of Mrs. Via's usual action-packed stories with equal strong Alpha-types.
I'm very sorry to say that I will meticulously scan the blurb and the comments here on GR before I ever buy another A.E.Via book.
April 27, 2023
The most ridiculous, cheesy and sweet of the entire series.
February 14, 2024
This was shockingly different to the first 4. I have no words, the chauvinism and misogyny were just bleugh! I think I only finished it because of Aiden Snow.
September 2, 2018
It's difficult to rate this book. A.E. Via books are usually auto-buy for me. All books in Promises series are on a reread shelf for me. This book could have been really good, but for me one of the main MC just did not work.
The story was slow burn. The wooing and romantic gestures, and development of relationship was good.
The new direction in series - next generation - I liked and would like to read next books.
I loved seeing character from previous books. Dana was amazing and saved the book with his humor.
Kellam was likable MC. Outwardly he was shy and quiet, but he was strong inside. His fighting scenes were fun to read. Liked him a lot.
Tyrell was an asshole who ruined the whole book. He thought he is better than others, sat on his high-horse and looked down on everyone else.
- in first 25% of book all I read was Ty's hatred of women. All women are bitches, easy and whores. Only his mom was not, but that was because she changed everything for the man she married and stopped living once he died.
- Ty disrespected Duke (his boos) on multiple occasions.
- with all Ty's talk about tradition he still disrespected Quick who was like father to Kellam.
- he disrespected every single couple from previous books. They all live in committed and loving relationships, but Ty thought if they are not married they are not really committed and together. He can think whatever he wants, but making Dana feel awkward in that conversation was just such a bad move.
- Ty saw world only in black and white - all criminals were bad people (no one could change, no one could make mistake, no one was wrongly accused...they all were evil deep down). The MC can have his superior opinions and beliefs, but then he started to force them on Kellam (to protect his kind heart) and that was just shit thing to do and did not sit well with me.
- Ty judged every single person around him where he lived - they all were just lazy if they lived in poverty.
In the end this book is a disappointment for me. I love Promises series, but if the characters that I love from previous books will become these old grandpas who are behind times and will be disrespected by the newbies, then I will have to stop with this series.
The story was slow burn. The wooing and romantic gestures, and development of relationship was good.
The new direction in series - next generation - I liked and would like to read next books.
I loved seeing character from previous books. Dana was amazing and saved the book with his humor.
Kellam was likable MC. Outwardly he was shy and quiet, but he was strong inside. His fighting scenes were fun to read. Liked him a lot.
Tyrell was an asshole who ruined the whole book. He thought he is better than others, sat on his high-horse and looked down on everyone else.
- in first 25% of book all I read was Ty's hatred of women. All women are bitches, easy and whores. Only his mom was not, but that was because she changed everything for the man she married and stopped living once he died.
- Ty disrespected Duke (his boos) on multiple occasions.
- with all Ty's talk about tradition he still disrespected Quick who was like father to Kellam.
- he disrespected every single couple from previous books. They all live in committed and loving relationships, but Ty thought if they are not married they are not really committed and together. He can think whatever he wants, but making Dana feel awkward in that conversation was just such a bad move.
- Ty saw world only in black and white - all criminals were bad people (no one could change, no one could make mistake, no one was wrongly accused...they all were evil deep down). The MC can have his superior opinions and beliefs, but then he started to force them on Kellam (to protect his kind heart) and that was just shit thing to do and did not sit well with me.
- Ty judged every single person around him where he lived - they all were just lazy if they lived in poverty.
In the end this book is a disappointment for me. I love Promises series, but if the characters that I love from previous books will become these old grandpas who are behind times and will be disrespected by the newbies, then I will have to stop with this series.
April 18, 2020
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
I love this series so much. So the guys are ready to not take such an active role in retrieving their bounties and they are looking to bring in some they think they can trust. Kell has a problem with acting before he thinks but Quick gives him the opportunity to do something else with himself, he’ll just need to show the other guys he is worthy. Ty has pretty much been on his own since his father’s deployment, working to support his mother’s care while trying to find his soul mate.
Ty’s father taught him such a different way to see the world and others and I just loved it and how much he respected others and how he treated everyone. Kell has trouble believing anyone would really want him after all that had happened with his father and how stand-offish he is to many but the right man can get past his defenses.
I loved how Ty didn’t let the fact the Kell is male keep him from exploring a relationship with him, even if he wasn’t quite ready to admit it. Kell deserved to be cherished and Ty wasn’t scared to do that or stand up to his stubbornness. I loved seeing their thoughts and feelings throughout the story and it made it even easier to understand and connect with them. They worked well together as partners at work and in their personal life and will get so much more time as they live their life together. I hope Ty’s dedication to Kell and their marriage will put a bug in the other guys’ ears possibly for the future. I look forward to meeting Dana’s and Ford’s recruits next time.
The cover art by Jay Aheer is great and I love how they all are similar in style but still different.
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
I love this series so much. So the guys are ready to not take such an active role in retrieving their bounties and they are looking to bring in some they think they can trust. Kell has a problem with acting before he thinks but Quick gives him the opportunity to do something else with himself, he’ll just need to show the other guys he is worthy. Ty has pretty much been on his own since his father’s deployment, working to support his mother’s care while trying to find his soul mate.
Ty’s father taught him such a different way to see the world and others and I just loved it and how much he respected others and how he treated everyone. Kell has trouble believing anyone would really want him after all that had happened with his father and how stand-offish he is to many but the right man can get past his defenses.
I loved how Ty didn’t let the fact the Kell is male keep him from exploring a relationship with him, even if he wasn’t quite ready to admit it. Kell deserved to be cherished and Ty wasn’t scared to do that or stand up to his stubbornness. I loved seeing their thoughts and feelings throughout the story and it made it even easier to understand and connect with them. They worked well together as partners at work and in their personal life and will get so much more time as they live their life together. I hope Ty’s dedication to Kell and their marriage will put a bug in the other guys’ ears possibly for the future. I look forward to meeting Dana’s and Ford’s recruits next time.
The cover art by Jay Aheer is great and I love how they all are similar in style but still different.
June 14, 2020
Finishing this series is bitter sweet but to end on this book mind blown it is my favorite and I actually listened to it twice.
I love how confident Tyrell is in himself. He didn’t see himself with a man but he never discounted it either. When he meets Kellam he just knew he was the one for him. It was kinda amazing.
Kellam always knew he was attracted to men but he never meet someone who he wanted to be with until Ty. I can’t even with how sweet these two are yet they are so freaking deadly I loved it.
I will probably read and re-read this book because it just gave me all the good feels.
Oh and hello Aiden’s narration get out he KILLED it, drop the mic all that!
I love how confident Tyrell is in himself. He didn’t see himself with a man but he never discounted it either. When he meets Kellam he just knew he was the one for him. It was kinda amazing.
Kellam always knew he was attracted to men but he never meet someone who he wanted to be with until Ty. I can’t even with how sweet these two are yet they are so freaking deadly I loved it.
I will probably read and re-read this book because it just gave me all the good feels.
Oh and hello Aiden’s narration get out he KILLED it, drop the mic all that!
May 15, 2022
I am going against most other reviewers I guess. Loved it. Will read it again. I love the direction the series is taking. #thatsall
May 13, 2019
This starts out a little slow as it shows us where Kell and Ty each are in their lives before they are recruited to be the new trainee partners of Duke’s Bail Bonds/Bounty Hunter company. It is time for the original members to take a more behind-the-scenes role, and Kell and Ty are set up to be the newest street team.
These guys each have interesting backstories. Kell was high society but kicked to the curb when he came out at 15. On his own, he sought refuge in dojo where “Quick” found him and showed him there was something else to focus on. Fast forward approximately 15 years, and he is now a master in four different disciplines. His biggest issue up to this point has been controlling his anger and keeping his lethalness in check when trying to save others in trouble. Quick is also a member of Duke’s company and recommended Quick for the job. I kept trying to figure out why, at his age, he was still so short on money, but I never really figured it out.
Tyrell (Ty) is a different being. He was brought up by his African father who taught him how to be a “good man” and how to treat others respectfully. He really didn’t fit in where he lived in the hood, doing somewhat shady delivery jobs, but he was doing so in order that he could provide the best care for his ailing mother. Yet, he spent oodles of money on his clothing. Things just didn’t seem to be adding up for me with him. He had been going through life in search of his “queen” (think a gay “Coming to America”) and mourning the loss of his military father, something for which he never got any answers. Then, Brian, an old friend and military brother of Ty’s dad, with those answers and following up on his father’s wishes to look after Ty, recruits him for Duke.
Ty and Kell seem unlikely partners, but it is clear from the get go that they click and are exactly what the other has been looking for or needing. Kell is a bit different in that he is almost always completely covered up in what sounds like ninja wear, though he has other reasons for doing so. Ty’s respectfulness of even the little things, such as Kell’s dress, sets the tone for their relationship and enables Kell to open up to him. The biggest issue I had with this story was the pacing. It starts out slow, picks up and then gets pretty interesting as the guys meet and start training. But then, it seems to skip time, and before you know it, they are engaged, but have barely spoken. Very expensive jewels are given cementing the pairing, and while it is all explained on Ty’s side, it felt as though Kell was just accepting everything without much explanation or hesitation. On the other hand, these guys took things very slowly. I don’t think they even kissed until after the engagement. So, the pacing had me frequently questioning whether I missed pages.
I did love seeing the other bounty hunter crew and watching them in action, and some of this was definitely interesting. Overall, however, I wasn’t wowed and struggled a bit not to skim my way to the finish line. I am a huge fan of Ms. Via and am definitely looking forward to jumping back into some of her other series.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
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