Why the Devil Stalks Death

Death and the Devil #2

by L.J. Hayward

Jack Reardon uncovers secrets for a living, and the Meta-State spy is pretty good at it. Or rather he thought so until he met Ethan Blade—assassin, warrior, enigma. The unlikely pair have decided to give living together a shot, but Jack’s not entirely certain what he’s gotten himself into—or exactly who he’s in it with. Jack’s worries are compounded when he’s assigned to a police strike force hunting a serial killer. With each new puzzle piece, Jack considers the true nature of a serial killer—and how similar it is to an assassin. To one particular assassin who’s having trouble adjusting to retirement. Jack’s unsure how to help Ethan—or if he even can. When the killer strikes close to home, Jack must race against the clock to stop another murder, despite the price someone has put on his head. Could the matters be connected? Is a certain assassin at the centre of both? Surrounded by killers, the only one Jack wants near disappears, leaving Jack drowning in secrets. He’ll have to do what he does best—unravel the secrets, including Ethan’s—to stop the killer and save the life he and Ethan have only just begun to build. **Content Warning** Child abuse and child sexual abuse in a character’s history and not depicted directly on the page.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Mystery, Contemporary, Crime, Military Fiction, Action

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 2018

About the author

L.J. Hayward has been telling stories for most of her life, a good deal of them of the tall variety. She loves reading but doesn’t seem to have enough time between wanting to be a more disciplined writer, being the actual erratic writer she is, and working for dollars in a dungeon laboratory. She also lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland, but rarely sees a beach and can’t surf, though she thinks living on a houseboat might be fun. At least then she’d have an excuse to get a cat.

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as fucking stressful in round 2 because the timelines are confusing as fuck, and I couldn't remember shit from the first time I read this because I have 3 anxious braincells on a good day, and today was the worst.

The absolute fear and stress of the unknowns between Jack and Ethan throughout all of book 2 HAD ME FUCKED UP.

It's also just wonderful and beautiful how different your experiences can be when you re-read? Like the differences you notice, or characters you see differently, or your perspectives change...
I feel I was just so angry at Jack throughout my first read, and knowing the ending, made this read SO WILDLY different?
Main points being:
- I actually feel really sorry for Adam Quinn in this time around. He was just a wonderful smart charming sexxy man who wanted Jack's stupid unavailable ass.
- The side characters like Lewis had more meaning? Because I was less busy being wrapped up in jack/ethan shenanigans.
- Even though the romance is super prevelant, I spent more time enjoying the action movie parts?


Despite this:
NEVER HAVE I EVER WANTED TO SCREAM AT 2 FICTIONAL MEN MORE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!?!
KISS YOU IDIOTIC FUCKS...


PLUS FIRST KISSES AND MY FAVE SAUSAGE DOG OF ALL TIME???
I'm obsessed.
I stand by my first review.
I think this is in my top 3 reads ever???
And i'm fast approaching 500 books read ever!! OMG!









1st Review:


Never have I EVER been so fucking stressed reading a silly lil goose book in my whole life.
This book is sooooooo heavily under-rated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!

Ethan forever.
Short round forever.
Let these men be happy and kiss forever now, or ffs, I will wish that LJ Hayward can never find her car keys when she's late for every event they ever attend.
My only critique of this book is Jack being a potato ass mf who doesn't BEG when he should. I WANNA SEE YOU BEG MY MAN. Ya'll better be on your knees crawling through glass to prove your love in the next book you ass hat.

Don't get me wrong, I had a whole fucking lot of feelings through this whole book. mostly along the lines of this...



BUT AGAIN...
📢IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS SERIES, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.📢 READ THIS SERIES OR ELSE!

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus - · Rating 5 out of 5]

MIND. BLOWN. AGAIN.

I'm pretty sure there are still sparks circling around my head...

There really was only one person Jack wanted at his back these days. And he was part of the reason why Jack needed someone at his back.

At this rate, Jack Reardon will probably swear off his birthdays for the foreseeable future... It's been two years since he 'celebrated' one in a torture shack in the Australian Outback looking death aka Ethan Blade in the face. One year since he met him again under pretty unusual circumstances. Granted, the outcome, namely the beginning of a more than out of the ordinary relationship with the enigmatic assassin was worth it. Another birthday is looming now and it is once more not looking good and Jack finds himself in trouble all over again. Trouble that involves hand cuffs. And not the fun kind...

"I'll see you soon". That's what Ethan told Jack when they parted ways just after deciding on taking the next step in their relationship. Seems like both men have a slightly different understanding of the word 'soon', though, since months passed without a call, a word, a glimpse. Not that Jack has much time to think about it since the search for a serial killer keeps him pretty busy, even more so when said case becomes personal. A bit too personal for Jack's taste because someone painted a target on his back and suddenly there is more than one guy with a gun breathing down his neck. To top it all off, he also has to deal with a former fling-turned-coworker who cannot seem to take no for an answer. Things get even more complicated when Ethan returns and the fact that Jack would like to keep the latter from him, stirs up old insecurities, doubts and half-truths he thought they had left behind. And in the end it all comes down to trust...

Hands down, for me this is one of the best and most intriguing series ever!!! I mean, which other series can claim to have forty mini-cliffies in one single book? Yes, we are back to the non-linear storyline with chapters alternating between past and present, or in this case Before and After and no, I won't tell you what happened prior to/past that point. The non-linearity and the intricate mystery kept me once again on the edge of my seat, though, and even if my neighbor probably heard the one or other cry of frustration, this is definitely part of the charm of this series for me and makes it rather unique, only emphasized by the brilliant writing.

And then there are Jack and Ethan... I love how far they have come in their relationship. Even if it's soon pretty clear that both guys are still walking a fine line between trust, feelings and ingrained habits, it's also clear that - as unlikely as it might seem - they could not be more perfect for each other.

"In spite of the pain and the risk, in spite of everything and everyone else, I want this. I don't know what I'm doing, Jack, but I want to keep trying. With you."

Ethan was at his most vulnerable here - sometimes even raw, bare and exposed - and I can't even begin to describe the feelings this evoked in me. There is more background on him in this book and insight into bits and pieces of his past which are downright painful, but these things made him the man he is now and I wouldn't want him to be any other way.

Wounds healed and the scars they left were testaments of life.

Ethan will always be my (anti)hero in this series, but Jack also grew more and more on me. There was one point I wanted to get in line and buy a ticket on him myself, but everything was forgotten with something incredibly sweet he did for Ethan and with something I (and probably everyone else who loves this series) waited a long time to happen.

The ending was all I could have hoped for. Once again we get Ethan's POV and I was over the moon again to read his thoughts. Although this book does not end on a cliffhanger, the very last word made me a bit anxious about what will happen next.

This series keeps getting better and better - if that's even possible - and it entirely earned its place on my best-ever-epic shelf. Highly recommended!

***ARC generously provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!***

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one gets 5++++++++++++ stars

I am in love with this series.

“It’s nothing to be worried about, Jack. I’m just . . . it’s a surprise. For you.”
Jack feathered his lips over the newest bruise, a purpling patch under Ethan’s ribs. “What sort of surprise entails this?”
“A good one, I hope.”
“Nothing is worth you getting hurt.”
Ethan cupped his hands around Jack’s face, holding him still and staring into him so deeply Jack thought he saw something flicker for a second in Ethan’s fixed pupils.
“Some things are worth it,” Ethan whispered.
Feeling raw and exposed, Jack asked, “Like what?”
“Like you, Jack.”



I was hooked from page one.



Like book 1, the story is told in the After/before timeline. I have to admit at first i was confused then i decided to go with the flow and actually enjoyed this type of storytelling.

The writing is so good. L.J knows how to write action scenes and the blend between action/mystery and romance is well balanced.

The characters are so likable, I loved them from the moment they were introduced in book 1.
I have to say Jack is kinda low-key dick! i wanted to shake him and smack him a few times while reading this book, for his smart-stupidity. Ethan on the other hand was really amazing, for an assassin, Ethan is one lovable guy. The Villain you root for.

The character develop was so well done. We get to know Ethan better, some of the questions left pending in book 1 we get the answers here. This is one of those series where you get to experience and feel the MC's fall in love. We are not told, you just know because you feel it too. Or maybe it was just me.

The sex scenes! dear Lawd!! are soooooo hawt! Damn! this author can right some scorching sex scenes. Cold shower people! Cold Shower!! There were so many firsts. Hard not to drown in ecstasy.

Ethan closed his mouth over the head of Jack’s dick and sucked. A strangled, inarticulate sound escaped Jack. Thankfully it was so twisted by ecstasy it didn’t count as talking, and Ethan didn’t stop. He slid further down, moving slow but devotedly, his tongue and lips doing things to Jack he hadn’t felt in a very long time.



GAH! I Loved this book!



Now that the cat is out of the bag! Thank you so much Christelle! for this amazing gift.

[Renée · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who is Ethan Blade?

We, along with Jack, find out in this book.

Hayward continues to blow me away with her writing talent. She's just so clever! Every minute of this story entertained me, especially the relationship development. This is going straight to my best of 2018 shelf.

The mystery in this one, once again, hits a little too close to home. Jack is especially vulnerable when forced to work with a past hook-up, which he doesn't want Ethan to find out about.

These two flawed men finally open up to each other. A lot. Feelings are admitted, but it's still not enough. Neither man feels secure in it, and that's when things go awry.

As much as they opened communication, my frustration lingers because there is still so much they aren't saying!

But it was enough, for now. Secrets are revealed, and we finally get to see what has shaped Ethan to be the man that he is. Sigh. I just want to hug him and bring him home.

This one is the best so far! They keep getting better.

"You give me so much, Jack. Warmth and comfort and a secure place to be myself. You give me acceptance and understanding. You've given me the life I always wanted but never thought I could have."

Ohhhhh….and there's an epilogue from Ethan's POV. I may have melted. A bit.

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars ☆

Jack pressed a finger to my lips. "Sometimes there isn't a choice." He drew his finger over my mouth, up my cheek, under my eye and then into my hair. Beautiful brown eyes going soft, he repeated, "I am so sorry you had to deal with him, as a kid and now. Anything you need, just ask me, okay, baby?"
Despite the twisting guilt and flowing doubts, I had to laugh. "Baby?"
Grimacing, Jack muttered, "I was trying something. Clearly, it didn't work."
My laughter subsided into a smile as I closed the space between us. "Don't sell yourself short. It may have worked more than you thought it did."

✧ must protect Ethan at all costs (this man was so loyal towards Jack that he would literally do anything!! just to keep him safe and happy, he deserves the world and more 🥺). his backstory was heartbreaking, but i expected it as much after some things he revealed in the first book. 😭
✧ oh, Jack. he annoyed me throughout the first half and parts of the second half, if i'm being honest. let's just say he made some *cough* stupid *cough* decisions that had me rolling my eyes bc i just wanted him to trust Ethan already (and stay away from Adam outside of work 🤪) but i still liked the romance overall so he's forgiven by the end. 🙄 i'm glad he was quite aware that he needed to finally admit his feelings out loud tho. ok but THE FIRST KISS, omg it was so worth the wait—and i loved how, the moment they had their first kiss, they couldn't stop with the kisses. 😏
✧ the then vs now chapters didn't work for me this time around, unfortunately. i was still invested in some parts of both timelines; however, i also skimmed other parts bc i just wanted to get to the next chapter.
✧ me @ Adam:


THIS MAN COULDN'T TAKE A HINT. he was the main reason i couldn't enjoy this as much as the first book, his presence was just there and i'm like sorry but can you pls leave? 😭

overall, the book had its good moments, but i wish the plot had been different for the next chapter of Ethan and Jack's story. i still loved their banters, as usual. i swear, these two better have cute, fluffy shit in the next book with no angst interruptions bc the first two books had enough of that and i just wanna see them happily in love, okay.

[Reem]

🎧 re-read because Pauline got me excited to br,, and it's still a 5 star series!

-
It’s….I just…..THIS GODDAMN BOOK IS PERFECTION! I’ve got heaps to say and I’m too emotional, especially after the ‘Coda’ chapter😭💔!!!!!

THE PLOT IS INCREDIBLE, better than the first book if you can believe it’s possible! We got a serial killer, mysterious assassin group, tickets on an MC’s life though I don’t understand how that works! Is it real? someone just puts an ad for a kill and assassins apply? and the police can see it? WTF!, an old hookup, I liked him tbh😂! AND A HORRIBLE DEVASTATING PAST🔪🔪🔪

THE ROMANCE IS GLORIOUS, their relationship development has a good pace, only if you read the novellas in between. They’re good together, a lot of chemistry, their interactions are a rollercoaster of emotions, for the reader as well. It annoys me a little how Ethan would do anything for Jack, even behind his back, it’s just not healthy! The smut 🔥🔥🔥AND GOD, JACK’S SURPRISE AND THAT WHOLE INTERACTION WAS JUST….EVERYTHING 🫢😩😭💔♥️

THE NARRATOR IS MARVELOUS, he has such a calm delightful soothing voice. He’s not as good at doing voices as other narrators but he did better here than the first book. And his Ethan Blade chuckling an “As you wish, Jack.” BRO….KILLS ME EVERY TIME 🧡.

[haletostilinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, I was SO stressed out reading this until about 80 percent when everything was coming to light and we were learning all these things.

Mostly because of this line early on that made me FREAK OUT. And then until it was revealed exactly what happened, I was tense and worried and freaking out. It got better the more we learned, but I was a MESS okay.

Because in the 1.8 book, Jack and Ethan agreed to commit to each other, as in, just each other, to start a relationship. So seeing this line so early on of "If Ethan didn’t kill him for fucking someone else." Made sirens go off in my brain, okay haha. And also if you're checking under this spoiler tag, don't worry, Jack does NOT cheat on Ethan at all. This line was really just a mean trick by the author to make us think he did. Because while it's true Jack fucked someone else....8 months ago when he and Ethan weren't committed, it is not true that he fucks someone else, or has fucked anyone else, since the one guy between two of Ethan's visits real early on in their arrangement.

The only hiccup here is that Adam turns out to be a past hook-up and now someone Jack is working with, and Adam will NOT take no for an answer. I have to say that Adam annoyed me. He seemed like a cool guy and all...but I don't think it's endearing or cute or anything when someone continues to make flirty comments and made passes at you when you've said no MANY times. First couple of times, sure, I don't fault people for that. Or for even caring a torch for that person and pining for them, even if they said no. But if they persist and persist and the person clearly is not interested and says no, and they keep doing it...it's bothersome.

And hell, idk, there have been times when I haven't minded persistence that much, if it's clear that the person saying no clearly doesn't want to and is saying it for other reasons than them not wanting the person. In that case, I can get past it.

But Jack, while clearly still attracted to Adam - and thinks it clearly, annoyingly - he also thinks how it's never going to happen, because that's all it is, and Jack has Ethan, and for months and months now it's been all about Ethan for Jack. And now that they're committed, even when it's been 4 months since they saw each other, Jack says no.

And you know, what's worse than just the insistence by Adam is that once he knows about Ethan and Jack, he still tries something - not that he succeeds - and it's really annoying. And I get what happens to him affects him greatly and I felt for him, but I also didn't quite like how he kinda blamed Jack for it - and didn't apologize once for how he behaved.

Ugh, whatever, Adam in the end wasn't important. Ethan and Jack were.

This followed along in the same vein as the first book, with the "before" and "after" for the past and present storyline - in this case, a month prior to the "after" in the "before" part is when Ethan comes back from whatever he was doing for 4 months since the end of the last novella in this series. We understand why it took so long when he tells Jack what he's been trying to do for almost a year now: he's quit being an assassin

Anyway, like the first book, we don't see Ethan in the "after" for quite some time - until late in the book - even though he's talked about, but we seem him plenty in the "before"

It was torture, is what it was, and the author loves torturing us because as we were getting more and more great and amazing things between Jack and Ethan in the "before" while things were apparently falling apart in the "after" so we couldn't quite enjoy everything happening in the past.

And I mean, it felt like an overreaction on Jack's part to what he thinks Ethan will do to him when he "walked in" on him and Adam (which was really nothing, just Adam making one more pass at Jack and Jack of COURSE just about to push him away but Ethan seeing what Adam is trying to do right before that happens. OF COURSE. That annoyed me so much, that there was all this worrying and stressing over something that wasn't too big of a deal.) At least, Jack totally exaggerated because of COURSE Ethan wasn't going to try and kill him and of COURSE Ethan wasn't so blind with rage or jealousy that he'd try to kill Adam. Like, come on Jack, give the man you love some credit.

In the end it felt a little used for the drama of it all - and to have me on the edge of my seat - which frustrates me a little but is also something I can get past because it fucking worked, okay! I was a total mess! lol.

But really, in the end it does work out and these two men just become all the closer. And yes, WE FINALLY GOT A KISS. WE ACTUALLY GOT MULTIPLE KISSES! ALL THE KISSES!!! YASSS. And it was glorious and wonderful and everything I ever wanted! I want these two to kiss all the damn time now. ADJshkashdk

So yes, miss Hayward, I was a ball of angst and stress while reading most of this and I could NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN. So, mission accomplished. But ohhh, it was so mean! Because it all turns out okay and they work through and we get them so much closer to a happy ending, or beginning, whichever way you want to look at it. A HEA, I should say :P.

And also Ethan finally fucks Jack and it was glorious and hot and passionate and I've been waiting for it even if it's not been as much of a desire as my desire for the kiss.

Also we get to learn more about Ethan - and it was fucking heartbreaking - but I was happy to learn more about Ethan, even though it was devastating, just because I love Ethan so much and I want to know all about his character, almost as much as Jack does ;)

And I loved Jack too, for finally getting his head out of his ass and seeing what he had right in front of him. Not that he didn't see Ethan, just that...he was still holding back for so long, and he didn't need to anymore, and you can see the change in him by the end when he gets his head right out of his ass, and it's amazing and awesome and I. LOVED. IT!!!

And okay aside from the huge relationship - and character - development that was my favorite part(s) of this whole novel, the plot was really well done too, and it weaved so seamlessly together, and it was nail biting and when we find out how exactly a serial killer is tied to Ethan's past, it's shocking but also...kind of expected at the same time. Or more, it just makes so much sense once it is revealed.

And gahh, Ethan...what he did for Jack, to protect him? MY HEART.

Okay okay, gahh, I love these two together SO much and I love this series and I absolutely loved this book so much, despite the stress and heart palpitations it caused me. Loved, loved, loved this. I can't praise it enough.

And oh yes, I totally did tag "cliffhanger" because of the last two lines. It makes me want the third book - or more .2, .4 and such books if there are going to be (idk, I want there to be. I don't want this series to end) - really bad, SO bad. But don't worry, it's no cliffhanger relationship wise. I also tagged this HFN, because they truly do get to that place, and on the most solid ground in their relationship in this entire series that we've seen so far.

And yeah, Jack and Ethan clearly have a bit to go before firming up that shaky ground at their feet, but I look forward to seeing them get through those hurdles (in the 3rd book or next few novellas, whichever happen).

So, yeah! HIGHLY recommend this, I absolutely adored it, I was on the edge of my seat and I couldn't get enough. A must read if you've loved this series so far! <3

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books really are so much fun to read.

Suspense + L.J. Hayward = thriller heaven.

She keeps me on the edge of my seat better than most.

This case in particular I thought benefited by the "before" and "after" gambit maybe moreso than the first book. Admittedly I missed Ethan's perspective but I understand why it works better coming from Jack's perspective. But I will warn you, the end of every chapter will likely leave you somewhere in this neighborhood...



Each and every chapter made me want to find out what happened next, chomping at the bit to see these two parallel storylines merge.

I think this is the first story I've ever read about a serial killer wherein I cared so little about finding out who the killer was in favor of finding out more about Ethan, though I think everyone who's been following this story has been patiently waiting to find out more about him. That time has come, my friends.

His past is both heartbreaking and rage inducing so mind the content warning. As disturbing as his backstory is it also comes with a surprising and unforeseen twist that I found absorbing and am hopeful more details will be forthcoming about... it in future installments.

Not to give too much away but Ethan's past is the source of friction between he and Jack, causing some setbacks that coupled with a charismatic and exceedingly flirty secondary character from Jack's past combined forces to turn the tension up to DEFCON 2 levels.



It was a close call a couple of times. I was worried they may not make it but I underestimated them. However, all those close calls led to some gloriously romantic moments and a wealth of sexy times.

The only quibble I have is a few things seem to be being overused but none of them were enough to significantly hinder my enjoyment nor will they prevent me from pouncing on the next one in this series.

Once again, if you've not started this series and you enjoy imperfect characters who are giving their relationship their all or romantic suspense then this series is a must read.



A copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Wendys Wycked Words · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been hooked on this series ever since I read the first page of "Where Death meets The Devil". I fell in love with both Jack and Ethan (though Jack is the one that really cranks my engine) and I couldn't wait to see what was gonna happen next. This is not a figure of speech...I literally couldn't wait, and so I kind of ...stalked the author :P 



Now, I don't want to give too much away about this one, because this is a suspense series and I think it should be read without any spoilers. This makes writing a review a bit of a challenge ;) No worries though, I am up for it :P 

For all you Ethan lovers out there...this book will give you much more insight into your favorite assassin !! You will learn more about his (heartbreaking) past and how he came to be the man he is today...



Out of all the books in this series, the long and the shorts, this one is definitely my favorite. It was also the most "emotional" one. Both men have admitted to "feeling" more but that's just not enough...

There are still so many secrets and insecurities that need to come out and when they do...they explode...

In spite of the pain and the risk, in spite of everything and everyone else, I want this.

Jack's track-record with relationships is shit, so he is just waiting to screw things up. Ethan hasn't ever been (or wanted to be) in one before, so he has no idea what he is doing... It was painful to watch at times... I just wanted to shout out: TALK !! 



I guess it's a (badass)guy thing. Thankfully they do pull their heads out of their asses at some point :P And I was literally swooning when we got to the epilogue



This book is written in the same style as the first book. Which means something major has happened, and we get a back and forth between the before, and the after... I normally don't like flashbacks and such but in this case, I am a big fan !!

I highly recommend this series, it has definitely earned a spot on my "favorites of 2018" list. 



 

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[Snjez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I decided to continue with this series, because this story was very satisfying.

I absolutely love Ethan and Jack, they are perfect together. To be honest, I was much more interested in how their relationship developed than the mystery part of the story.

The "before" and "after" chapters worked perfectly in the first book, but I'm not sure they worked so well in this one. The two storylines were too similiar and the timelines so close together that I had to pay extra attention to how each chapter ended. It was a bit distracting and I felt it prevented the story from flowing smoothly.

The epilogue was wonderful. I love reading Ethan's POV.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5***** stars

“A second [killing] ticket came up on you fifteen minutes ago. We have no idea what for, but, Jack, it’s been picked up already.” Shaking his head, Jack denied what he knew was coming.
“By Ethan Blade.”

This book drove me nuts!

This is an 11hrs audiobook and it was hinted right at the beginning that something had happened that Ethan felt betrayed by Jack. AND WHAT HAPPENED IS NOT REVEALED FOR MANY HOURS. I guess it was to keep the reader hooked but I was so impatient the whole time I can even say I really enjoyed getting on the journey that led to the reveal of events. Man!


This time I was very confused with the different time-lines —I wasn’t quite able to separate the events so often didn’t know if I was currently in the Before or in the After. Nevertheless this was again a wild ride with a thrilling plot line and enough twists and turns to keep me constantly hooked.



And Ethan, oh sweet Ethan. Even though we don’t get his POV in this book (or at least not before the coda) we learn a lot about Ethan and his past. and. it. is. heartbreaking.

The romance part with these two was intense and so very wonderful at the same time. It is so blatantly obvious how madly in love they are with each other but both not ready to acknowledge or saying it out loud. And they still manage to hurt each other. But when they are on the same page and okay they are just so caring and beautiful and perfect together. ♡


Loved Coda from Ethan’s POV at the end. Can’t wait to see how the story further progresses.


Honorary mention: Victoria
The narrative about her is almost a romance for itself.




**************
Death and the Devil Series:

Book 1 - Where Death Meets the Devil - 4.5 stars
Novella Collection - Death and the Devil - 4.5 stars
Book 2 - Why the Devil Stalks Death - 4.5 stars
Book 2.5 - Dealing in Death - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - When Death Frees the Devil - 4.0 stars

[Christelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

**5 +++ stars** 😍



I’m **ADDICTED** !!! I lOVE this series. It’s as if this author, after getting into my head, wrote this series to hit all my buttons…spooky !!
That’s why I love reading : to get immersed and tag along with the MCs, experiencing their feelings, without a moment of boredom nor confusion.

Jack, Jack, Jack…Yes, what has been holding you for so long while being so attuned to Ethan and seeing the best of him ???
Ethan, Ethan, Ethan…how I love slowly discovering you behind all this coldness and calculation…yes, you’re so strong for opening up so completely to Jack despite all your fears.

Chemistry off the charts, hotness, tenderness, suspense, suspicions, manipulations, action, friendship,…so, so much…

This is not a standalone : there is Where Death Meets the Devil with the first encounter between Jack Reardon, Australian “spy” agent and Ethan, elusive and feared assassin and after that...well, it’s just an amazing journey toward an improbable, inevitable and swooning fusion.

Dear LJ Hayward : congratulations. you scrambled my brains, but left me sated. Now, keep working that well but way more faster : I’m ready for more of Jack and Ethan.


PS : Thank you so much for this amazing gift !!! I finished 2018 and started 2019 in a blaze of glory !! 😘

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, it happened: THE LONG AWAITED FIRST KISS 💕

You might have noticed by now that I’m binging this series, because it’s an almost physical need by now to finally see Jack and Ethan happily together. And relationship wise, this installment didn’t disappoint: yes, we have ups and downs, but both men aren’t without flaws, stubborn, wary, each with his own baggage, but for me, it made them more real in my head.

Thinking of it, isn’t it funny that we fell in love with a cold blooded assassin (with a conscience) with white eyes, who doesn’t take his socks off during sex? And Jack, who has a neural implant that he can use to record scenes, replay and analyse them, and even take (and make) phone calls? And we feel that they’re “real”?

Although… I think that part of this realness is Rowan Scott’s narration: the amount of emotion and unsaid words he can infuse in a simple “Jack” said by Ethan? It makes the experience so much better than “just” reading it…

So yes. For the relationship development, I would have easily given it 5 stars. What stressed me out (again) were the dratted time jumps: the “before” and “after” timelines were too close to each other, i really had to focus and even read back to know where we’re at. I get why the author chose to do it (and I’m afraid she’ll continue with this way of storytelling in the next book 🤷‍♀️). But I’m not a fan. And it stressed me out 😅

I wasn’t a huge fan of the mystery plot either, but the action scenes were -again- extremely well written, especially the bike race.

And I agree with my fellow goodreads friends - Victoria deserves a book of her own 😬

4.5 stars nevertheless, rounded up because of - fucking finally - THE KISS ❤️❤️❤️

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My yearly re-read of this series, 4th time now? This time was freakin fantastic because it was with friends and they all loved it/hated it/screamed in my ears about it so much that it was really a full body immersive experience.

I do really love Jack and Ethan. L.J Howard is a book genius in my eyes and this series is pretty much perfection for me.


Read Feb 2023

Loved this book again for my 3rd (I think) re-read. This is probably my favourite of the three and reading it again I love seeing all the little things that I didn’t realise on my previous reads. So much to pick up on. Especially after reading Ethan’s Novella to follow which ends up giving so much depth to the storyline, seeing it from both sides. The back and forth timeline is done brilliantly and still kept me riveted, despite knowing what was going to happen. I once again lapped up any tidbit about Ethan’s past, he is such a fascinating character and I love how the author didn’t just info dump his backstory all in book 1. Slowly learning why he is the person he is has been brilliant. Love the relationship development between Jack and Ethan here. Definitely recommend reading the novellas prior to this as they add a lot.

Thanks Jamie for letting me convince you to read this, made it even more fun 🤩

[Fabi NEEDS Email Notifications · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to have to think about this one. RTC

...later...

I finished this morning but I still don't know how I feel about this book. On the one hand, I love, adore, and can't get enough of Jack & Ethan. I love their unusual relationship and all of their life risking adventures. Two alpha males who are as smart as they are tough, making it even more special when we catch a glimpse of either of them letting down their defenses with each other.

The first book in this series, Where Death Meets the Devil, is my favorite book of the year. The four novellas that followed it are a must read as they continue the story for Jack & Ethan.

In this book, the 1st full-length follow-up one, we learn so much more about Ethan. His past catches up to him and Jack has to scramble to figure out how to maintain a relationship with someone he loves but has yet to fully understand.

It's a great crime/mystery plot. I enjoyed it. However, what didn't work for me this time was the time jump between chapters. The "before" and "after" that occurred at every!single!chapter! I found myself first annoyed, then confused, then annoyed again. This format DID work for book 1. It DID NOT work for book 2. It only added unnecessary confusion to what is actually a very interesting plot.

I'm going to go with 3.5 stars. I really liked the story, but wish it had been told in a linear time frame. There are a few typos that still need to be cleaned up so I'm going to round down this time for GR's strict star rating system.

[Rosabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a mindfuck! But I really want to know: was Adam necessary?

I mean I know he was part of a "plan", but it made me doubt Jack, specially the way this one was written, because the author stopped with the double timelines for the short books, but in here it came back, and well JACK SCARED ME!! 🥲🥲 I'm gonna need a psychologist appointment when I finish this series. *breaths into a bag*

But, this was also so beautiful, when I had the whole picture I calmed the fuck down! I shouldn't have doubted Jack, I mean his dick is the energizing bunny, but he is loyal and a fierce protector, I understood why he went to Adam sometimes, he could give him the insight that Ethan could not, the poor boy, because of his past, is so closed off that Jack didn't know how to deal and he trusted his fears to Adam.

I still don't like it, but I can understand it.

And Ethan, my HEART 💔, the love, patience and understanding he has, I would applaud him for it, but he has those qualities because he thinks he doesn't deserves Jack, so he watches from afar and... *wipes her tears* Anyways, I loved that he ended up stronger, his beliefs in himself and in his relationship with Jack became stronger also, so that was ugh! EVERYTHING! 🤯🤯

It was a good one, with mindfuck, love, tenderness, doubts, fears, understanding. A FUCKING ROLLERCOASTER!!!!

I need water... 🥲

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most important thing first:
🚨THE KISS, LADS, THE KISS FINALLY HAPPENED AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. THE AGONY IS OVER THANK GOD🚨

Moving on.
Wow, THIS BOOK DROVE ME INSANE! But in a good way?

If you’re thinking of starting it in the beginning of a stressful work week as I so brilliantly did, just don’t. You won’t get anything done because you’re too busy obsessing over Jack and Ethan and WTF IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.

Jeeeeez, there were so many secrets, chapter cliffhangers, twists and turns FROM PAGE ONE TILL THE VERY END with no fucking room to breathe and I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT AAAH! The pace, case, relationship development, side characters and plot twists were incredible in this one.

But even more incredible was my love, my one and only, my blushing, hurting, brave, funny, resilient, dangerous baby Ethan. Fuck, I love him so much, I’d throw myself in front of an Assassin X for him. He deserves everything and more after all he had to suffer through 💔. He probably even deserves better than Jack, whom I wasn’t a fan of in this one for the most part. I’m sorry Sir but YOU ARE NOT APPRECIATIVE ENOUGH OF THIS LITERAL ANGEL BY YOUR SIDE FFS!
It DOES turn out he isn’t as bad as were led to believe from very early on in the story, which brings me to a very important question: Why you lying to us Ms Hayward?! WHY?! Poor Jack didn’t really stand a chance with me for most of the book because of that. I apologise, Jack, I was (mostly) wrong in threatening to kick you in the nuts repeatedly.

Also, the timelines were confusing to me, probably because they were too close together and in settings too similar to each other. I had to check many times if I was in a before or after chapter.

All that didn’t take away from the fact though, that my heart hurt, raced, stopped, broke, leaped, swelled and stuttered reading this. This series is just that good. Fuck, I’m already scared of the book hangover I’ll have to face once I’m done.

4,5⭐️

THANK YOU to my book bff Reem for joining me in a spontaneous BR and for guiding me through it and for not giving in to the urge to spoil even though I provoked you to many times 😂🧡

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this one. Just love the way the author uses two separate timelines alternating throughout the book - and seeing everything slowly come together in the end. And the ending with Jack & Ethan -💕

[Teal · Rating 4 out of 5]

**** 3.5 stars ****

What an entertaining mess.

But before I say anything more about that, here's a public service announcement: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK WITHOUT FIRST READING THE INTERVENING SHORT STORIES/NOVELLAS, i.e #1.2, #1.4, #1.6, and #1.8.

For that matter, don't read this without having read Book 1 first -- but you would never consider doing such a thing, right? Of course not. This series must be read in order, and the short stuff between Books 1 and 2 contains relationship development so crucial to the story that I don't understand why the author chose to package it that way. But now you've been informed that that's how it is, and I've done my duty.

Onward to the entertaining part. And the mess part.

Entertaining:
We get dropped into the middle of all-hell-has-broken-loose, with Jack cuffed in an interrogation room, not only in deep shit with the police but with ominous hints that he's in deep shit with Ethan as well. And in the latter case, deservedly. Fun times!

Mess:
Because the narration uses the same now/then alternating chapter style as Book 1, we spend most of the book not knowing exactly what's going on or why. That worked wonderfully well in the first book, where the before/after settings were starkly different -- desert vs. city, 1 year prior vs. present day. Here the story is set in one city over the course of several weeks, which made it difficult for me to keep track of which storyline I was in at any given moment. Adding insult to injury was the formatting of the Kindle book: there's no Table of Contents, so it wasn't possible to jump back and forth between chapters. With an alternating timeline like this, it's vital to be able to revisit the previous chapter of that storyline. I don't know who's at fault here, but this needs to be fixed as soon as possible.

Entertaining:
Nothing blows up, alas, but there's still plenty of high-stakes action and drama and sexy times. I love Jack (the jury's still out on Ethan, simply because even this far along in the series he doesn't seem quite real to me), and it was easy to coast along, trusting that the author was going to pull it all together in the end and it would all make sense.

Mess:
It didn't make sense.

At least not to me. I always give these action-adventure-thriller type stories a lot of leeway for being nutso and over-the-top and less than fully credible, because that just comes with the territory. But the fundamentals of who did what and why they felt the need to do that in the first place... left me baffled. YMMV. Perhaps it made perfect sense and the failure was at my end. At any rate, it sadly deflated my enjoyment of the last 30% or so of the book.

Plus there was entirely too much unnecessary relationship angst based on refusal to communicate, and the writing had a tendency to lurch into overly-verbose flowery goopiness during intimate scenes. I wish a tough-love editor could have had a go at the manuscript.

Plus I can't possibly leave without griping about one of the secondary characters, who was mis-written (is that a word?) for his role in the story. Possible mild spoiler, so: This was someone who was clearly supposed to be a sympathetic character, in fact was presented as a could-have-been for Jack, a "good man" who would have been near-ideal for him if Ethan wasn't already in his life. Yet the guy was a blatant sexual harasser, eventually graduating to a stalker. WTF? There was nothing sympathetic about him, and at no point did I ever give a shit about his welfare. What a prick.

So, how to rate this? I've been brooding about that for several days. 3.5 stars nails it pretty well, and while I should probably round down, I'm going to round up instead to reflect the enormous amount of enjoyment I derived from the first 70% or so. Which I suppose is another way of saying that "entertaining" outweighed "mess."

[Mariam, · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don't know if I hate this book or FUCKING HATE!!!!! this book 😡🤬😤😮‍💨🙄😒🤬🤬🤬

Like do I rate it, 1 star or 4 stars? Y'all be the judge because IM LOOSING MY SHIT, MY SANITY AND MY WAKANDA.

But emotions were never clear cut. Nothing was ever pure hate or love, guilt didn’t always come from doing the wrong thing, and grief was a pain unique to everyone, understandable, but ultimately fathomless to others.

man, I wanted to BITCHSLAP Jack SO FUCKING BAD. I internally apologize to Nark for all the second-handed threats she received on how MERCILESSLY I wanted to deal with Jack.

Tentative Rating: 3.5-stars ⭐✨

My precious baby Ethan deserves better, deserves vengeance. DESERVES ALL THE GOOD SHIT IN THIS WORLD AND NONE OF THE PISSING MOCKERY OF THESE FOOLS!!!!!

“But when I got out of the car and saw you waiting for me, I changed my mind. In spite of the pain and the risk, in spite of everything and everyone else, I want this. I don’t know what I’m doing, Jack, but I want to keep trying. With you.”

His pain, his past, everything he went through, man I NEVER BEEN MORE TEMPTED TO CREATE ILLEGAL SINS!!!

“Some things are worth it,” Ethan whispered.
Feeling raw and exposed, Jack asked, “Like what?”
“Like you, Jack.”

“But most importantly, intellectually and emotionally. I have never felt so alive with anyone else. So . . . human.”

My precious baby Ethan Blade. He's so loved in my heart.

Wounds healed and the scars they left were testaments of life.

I think I have 2 books left in the series. And ALL I FELL IS SICKENING DREAD.

I feel dread cus I'm scared I'm gonna hate them more and I feel sick cus I'm just handing myself grief and a giant pile of book mourning.

“Then I met you. You were cranky and sad and really wanted to punch me.”
“With reason,” Jack grumbled into his shoulder.
“With very good reason. Yet you didn’t. You walked with me, you talked with me. You made me laugh. You laughed with me. At me. You never hesitated to get angry at me, despite believing I was Ethan Blade, feared assassin. And I wanted you because of all that.”

[Ele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the best. Mystery and romance are perfectly balanced. Hayward has some mad skills. Can we get a story for Adam too, please?

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm only half joking when I say I had to wrangle my spirit back into my body to write this review 😂 I was barely hanging on after THE KISS FINALLY HAPPENED, but my spirit nearly left this mortal plane reading the end of this book! Seriously, the CODA TOOK ME OUT! I am so weak for Ethan Blade it's not even funny, and listening on audio takes down all of my defenses. How does something as simple as how he says Jack's name have so much power? I can't with that man. Having a chapter narrated by Ethan is almost too much. Good freaking luck to me for book 2.5 I guess 🤣 Someone might need to check on me.

Seriously though, this was a banger of a book 👏🏻 It deserves all the stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Everything about it worked for me. The mystery, the pacing, the relationship development, everything was spot on. The only thing that tested my patience was Jack F'ing Reardon who I wanted to smack six ways to Sunday 😤 He pulled out the big dumb in this one, doing something stupid at almost every turn that hurt precious baby Ethan. I'm pretty sure I made audible sounds of frustration throughout most of the book 😆

Things worked out in the end and I enjoyed the ride, but I can't wait to see what happens next! I'm in love with this story, the characters, and the audiobooks. It's all amazing! 😌 I'm sad I'm so close to the end now, and I don't want to let go. I know I only get one first read, but at least I have comfort in the fact that I have a new favorite to re-read whenever the mood strikes 💙

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I hoped for. ❤️❤️

Thank you Elf sleuthing a la Elmer Fudd for gifting me this! WOOT! You just made my Monday!! <3

[Clara's Book Lab · Rating 5 out of 5]

🚨someone call triple zero cos my heart just exploded🚨🚑🚑🚑💨

This was the most intense book I have read in a while. My hands were sweaty, head spinning and heart palpitating throughout the book. I think this book aged me at least a year 👵🏻

But it was all worth it. I would do it all over again for Ethan and Jack 💗

Nothing else needs to be said, just that if you do decide to read this book, grab a friend that will hold your hand and listen to all your rambling and screaming 😌

PS. This is the first book that has made me cry during a bj lol didn’t know a bj could be so freaking romantic and heartbreaking 🥹

[Starr (AKA Starrfish) Rivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I marked this on the "cheating" shelf, and some would argue that it's not really cheating.

Technically, it happened BEFORE the MCs decided to try living together (and implicitly go steady)

But also, it happened AFTER Book 1, after the MCs got together and knew there was special between them. I suppose some of this was explored in all the little novellas that aren't on Amazon for sale. I now don't have the urge to read them. I HATE reading about sex, even flirtation, when it's not between the MCs.

And given that the whole "cheating" thing was extremely central to this entire book, because the on-and-off f*ck buddy Jack had in between Blade's visits was now a work colleague and persistent pursuer of Jack... and given how Jack continuously struggled between Adam and Blade, wavering sometimes in his decisions... and how he kept going to Adam despite Blade being the one he should have been going to...

PISSED ME THE HELL OFF! I assure you!

So you understand why I can't possibly give this book 5 stars, despite the nice way it ended. I was too mad at Jack most of the time.

BUT. I will read the next book...grumble...

Oh, and there were quite a few typos.

[Ky · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5 stars*

Definitely one of the best series I've read this year, The Death and the Devil are back with some mystery, action and a good deal of jealousy and angst.

Jack and Ethan have come so far from their first meeting in the desert and their relationship is slowly but steadily moving forward. These two are perfect together, not because they are destined to be so, but because they see each other for who he really is and they don't back down, they don't want to change the other in order to fit them. They are vulnerable together and they aren't afraid to be real. Ethan doesn't back down in the face of Jack's supposed actions in this book, but soldiers on and fights for what they have. Likewise, Jack sees Ethan for who he is and wants him for everything - his faults, his good qualities, his burdens...

In "Why the Devil Stalks Death" we get a lot of background information about Ethan and finally a few aswers about him. There is still so much mystery surrounding him, he is Ethan after all, but after reading this story I feel like I can understand him a little bit better. Did you ever wonder why Ethan feels so strongly about always keeping his socks on? It certainly isn't because his feet are cold, and that's far from the only thing we learn about him. We also get a delicious little Coda at the end of the book that is narrated by Ethan!

Only the second book in the series and so much has happened already! A lot of that is due to the novellas that take place between the events of the main books and are essential to the plot, the characters and the progression of their relationship. Another part is L.J. Hayward's quality to pack her books full of interesting scenes and meaningfull events insted of bland pages that are just space-fillers.

Little tip-warning: Don't even try to read this as a standalone, other than the fact that you would most likely be lost, you also would make a huge mistake in missing out the whole amazing story of Jack and Ethan. Start at the beginning and enjoy the journey!

There's no cliffhanger at the end, but there is a clear indication that this is far from the end of the road - that little word at the end was full of promises and possibilities!

Now I'm going to very patiently sit on the edge of my seat and anxiously wait for the next part in Jack and Ethan's story. With the way we left them it's bound to be very interesting!


*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!*

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5 stars +++*

Reread August 2019

And darn, it was so, so worth it! Not only was I reminded of so many details my poor old brain had forgotten, but it was simply glorious to see Ethan and Jack end up in a pretty solid place for now. To top this off in spectacular style we also see … the hard limits each man has set fall in a beautiful way: the kiss, the blowjob, the socks.

Not that all of this came without any hick-ups or searing hurt and anguish. Far from it. The road to all the glory that is the last chapter and coda is plastered with Himalayan-high obstacles and abyss-deep feelings indeed. And 41 breath-taking chapters, virtually each of them ending in some kind of bang. (no puns intended here 😁)
Although, as always Ethan and Jack are super hot and sizzling together!

I’m more than ready for book 2,5!

Original review

Waiting for this one was really hard.
Was it worth the wait?



Well, that was me once I started and it says it all. I was glued to my seat from the very first word to the last.

Just like in book one, L.J.Hayward takes us on a journey between two timelines: before and after.
And again she uses this to maximise the tension and emotional turmoil of both, the mystery plot and the relationship development between Ethan and Jack.

Seeing the two men happy and bonding in the 'before', but finding them hurt and at odds with each other in the 'after' was more than agonising. What the heck had happened? Did Jack really do the unthinkable as we are made to believe? And what is it that Ethan keeps secret?

And this is just the beginning of many questions asked and answered: about Ethan's past, Jack's relationship with Adam, their work and most of all: does IT finally happen? You know what I mean, don't you?! The thing we've all been rooting for so badly!!!



What can I say but ... that moment is one of the most sigh-worthy I've ever read. LJ Hayward writes heat, love and vulnerability beautifully on all levels. And it isn't only Jack that opens up in every way. Ethan does do. When those hurdles between them fall, they don't just topple over quietly, but they crash loudly in such an earth-shattering way, I was virtually blown away, and had to reread again and again.

Absolutely stellar!
As is the Coda written from Ethan's POV! So appreciated and so moving and hot!
What a fantastic end! (Oh, and I loved that last little surprise!) I can only but wonder what on earth Miss Hayward is going to put these two through in the final book!

This series, without any doubt, will be one of my most favourite ever. Book 3 can't come soon enough!

Highly recommended!

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fucking hell! This book had my anxiety out of control.

I’m not lying when I say I spent approximately 95% of this book going crazy with stress and anxiety and fucking angry at Jack, because let’s be honest, he wasn’t his best self on this book, some of the shit he did got me so angry that I’m still not sure if I’ve forgiven him.

Like YES ok? Yes the ending made it all the pain be worthy, but still! Fuck Adam!

[patrícia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I’m giving this book 5 ⭐️ after all the pain, suffering, edgy-as-fuck feelings, anxiety, frustration, and rage. Even when I was feeling good and the love was flowing, I was always on high alert, just waiting for one of them to fuck everything up. I need therapy and a pacemaker after this.

I was sooooooooooo angry with Jack—for letting things escalate, for not putting in the effort that was needed from him. But Ethan, too—ahhhhhhhhh grrrrrrrrrrff! These two infuriating men, JFC. Bruhhhh. I know Ethan was an idiot too, but I don’t think he was as weak as Jack. He’s never been in this situation before, and his traumas don’t allow him to think as clearly as Jack should be thinking.

And Adam… fuck. I don’t like people like him—who push when they’re told no, who don’t step down. He was arrogant, and I know I’m being biased, but I don’t like him. Jack’s obsession with making sure Adam was okay—sometimes over Ethan’s needs—rubbed me the wrong way. I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly made myself nauseous.

And finally—finally—it was as glorious as Pauline promised 🥹🙌🥰. But there’s still so much road ahead… like an endless highway. And I want more. I need these two stupid fucks to get their shit together, Netflix and chill, drive Victoria, and fuck like bunnies till death do them apart. That incredible ending gave the hope I needed after this. I was gladly manipulated into happiness 😅

Jack snorted and tightened his arms around his lover. “Crazy bastard.”
“Half right, Ja—”
The last of the word was lost inside another kiss.

I have to add—the writing was once again brilliant. The most engaging I’ve ever read. There’s no dull moment, no rest, nothing. It’s all heart-attack-inducing adrenaline from start to finish.

Since book one, there have been too many operations/entities/secret service names to keep track of. It would be great to have a glossary in every book with all these damn abbreviations.

[Mug · Rating 3 out of 5]

as soon as i read that “if ethan didn’t kill him for fucking someone else” line, i immediately looked up spoilers (just for that part) bc i wasn’t about to sit thru an entire book if jack cheated. he didn’t, so i settled down and kept reading. but, even knowing that, this shit still pissed me off….why did jack, at literally every turn, decide to do the stupid shit he did!??! i could’ve pulled my fucking hair out!!!

you go undercover as yourself, realize ur working with an ex-hookup, and u decide to keep that personal connection to urself and not tell ethan, the man u just committed to and had move in to ur place??? WHY!!! it’s weird.

ur ex-hookup, adam, is so thirsty and aggressive and pushy and begs and pleads to go to after work drinks/dinners, just the two of u, which he OBVIOUSLY hopes will encourage y’all to start hooking up again and you AGREE!?! WHY!!!!! and u specifically state u don’t wanna talk about work there and refuse to mention ur a TAKEN MAN😭😭😭 jesus fuck, so ur just chilling and knocking back cold ones with ur ex-hookup after spending all day working with him, instead of going home to ur committed partner!?!! u felt adam purposely press his boner into u after getting off ur motorcycle that first drinks/dinners night and it didn’t change ur mind about the after work drinks/dinners????

you start to lowkey be thankful for the after work drinks/dinners with adam bc u kinda don’t look forward to going home at the moment bc ur current committed squeeze isn’t putting out and is being a lil distant…..i mean, literally WTF jack!!!!!

you find urself struggling to understand/help ethan and so u get drunk with adam and start telling adam extremely personal things about ethan in hopes that adam has some insight????? that’s so incredibly fucked it’s not even funny. what a fucking violation!!!

and feeling guilty about telling adam all that shit about ethan, jack resigns himself to telling ethan the truth…but ethan asks to go first and reassures jack that he wants to be there and be with him, but he’s struggling with the past and doesn’t know what he’s doing and what his place in the world is bc he only has jack, and he thought he could be what jack wanted and needed but thinks he’s failing. jack, hearing this, hurts for ethan, and is about to say something, but ethan plows on asking jack if he’s sleeping with adam bc jack talks about adam all the time and spends a lot of time with him outside of the job. jack is all like it’s still part of the job (LIES bitch u can’t actually believe that😐), and ethan is like okay but u don’t spend time with the other strike force team member outside of the job. (clock him ethan!) and jack is having a hard time keeping up with ethan’s train of thought from ‘i wanna be here’ to ‘are u fucking adam’, apparently🙄.
i mean it literally makes miles of sense, ethan is saying he’s committed and it’s scary bc he only has jack, but jack’s got work and friends and a family outside of ethan and a mf he’s spending wayyyyy to much time with outside of work and is jack as committed as ethan is bc ethan feels maybe jack doesn’t have as much riding on this commitment as he does or isn’t fully in it….but jack’s thought process is basically, wtf i can’t keep up with these changing topics and “Stupidly, Jack had thought they were past all the manipulation and mind-fucking.” like ??????? are u actually serious😵‍💫😵‍💫🥴🥴 is that seriously what ur thinking about right now when u KNOW you’ve been acting wrong af!!!! eventually jack admits he used to hook up with adam in the past, but that isn’t happening in the present. doesn’t tell ethan about all the hella personal beans of his he spilled to adam tho. wtf jack! remember when u were gonna tell ethan the truth!?

so they make up and fast forward a few days, they’re getting hot and heavy without having locked their front door, and of course, adam shows up, liquor in hand, and opens the door right up like an ass, and ethan goes full assassin mode, pointing his guns at adam. adam fucks off like a smart man, after first pouting and saying i ShOuLd HaVe KnOwN like a dumbass. there’s a small scuffle between jack and ethan, just for jack to neutralize the weapons and assure ethan that adam’s gone. ethan immediately fucks off and locks himself in bathroom.
jack goes after him right? or just waits for ethan to take the space he needs and be there for him afterwards, to explain or whatever right??? NO, jack gets pissed. at himself a little, but also:

At McIntosh. If she hadn’t put him on this bloody job as *himself*, none of this would have happened. He wouldn’t have made Ethan think he was cheating. Ethan wouldn’t have nearly shot an innocent man. Adam wouldn’t have shown up at his fucking home.

like WHAT THE FUCK jack…..take some fucking responsibility for your actions. the job you were put on didn’t require you to hang out with ur ex-hookup after work AT ALL!!!!! that was YOUR choice!!!! if you kept it strictly professional, as you should have, NONE of those things would have happened!!!!!! it’s literally ALL YOUR FAULT jack……YOU did this to urself and ur relationship!!!
anyway, so yea, jack gets pissed and mostly directs it at other people and stalks off to adam’s HOTEL ROOM to yell at him….🫥….instead of stay with his man and resolve things on that front. IDIOTIC AS FUCK!!!!!!!!! like why tf would u run after adam, against whom you’ve JUST had to fight CHEATING allegations, to his HOTEL ROOM no less, instead of sorting shit with ethan FIRST!!!?!?!! JAIIIIIILLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!! jack and adam fight a little, but mostly jack feels sorry for adam bc he’s so pathetic and beaten down, partly bc he just found out jack has a partner🙄💀 jack leaves, but not before basically tucking a drunk adam into bed like 🙄🙄🙄 i mean literally why! does that seem like normal procedure to do for an ex-hookup after discovering he signed a lease in ur city partly bc he thought y’all had a chance??? lmfao it’s actually jokes at this point. jack goes back home, realizing that oh shit, i didn’t do enough to make sure ethan was okay……like really bitch, NOW it occurs to u to think about ethan🙄 ethan isn’t there, needs some time, but tbh he isn’t sufficiently angry enough at jack for my tastes.

oh and now the strike force is back together and working in adam’s hotel room??? idk why it had to be there at all. but at least jack told ethan this time. but again, ethan is way too chill about it. the next time they see each other, ethan is all i missed you, i’m sorry for leaving etc etc like tf??? why haven’t u got jack on his knees groveling for his LIFE rn😒 in fact, it’s ethan who gets on his knees and does the one thing he said he’d never do, which in the context of their relationship at the moment, despite jack’s gift, felt wrong, like ethan is pushing himself bc of the instability of their relationship. i kinda wish that had just stayed a hard limit for ethan. and while ik ethan is keeping his own secret, that shit’s way more understandable and forgivable than the dumbass, messy ass way jack’s been acting this whole book.

i mean can u imagine ur committed partner consoling his ex-hookup, who he’s been spending an inordinate and unnecessary amount of time with, by telling him he’s a good man, smart, funny, and SEXY and there’s nothing wrong with him….all bc his ex-hookup is sad about maybe not being as good at his job as he thought bc normal reasons but ALSO bc he couldn’t convince jack to give him another chance???😭😭😭 moving very weird, i tell u!!!! like every time jack has the chance to act normal around adam, to act like he actually respects his current partner, he chooses to tow the line instead. like when jack goes home that night and finds out ethan has been keeping information to himself that could have helped with the case jack’s currently working, jack gets pissed and runs to adam’s hotel room🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ fucks sake.
jack’s all wah wah wah i can’t believe ethan would keep secrets from me, exactly the same way i was withholding truths from him, but how dare ethan do the same to me wah wah wah…..so jack starts talking to adam about his relationship problems with ethan, again, WEIRD and fucked up to be talking about this to ur ex-hookup who u are aware currently wants u back so bad. and then u have even more weird shit like this:

[Adam] studied Jack’s face for a long while, exposing his own feelings in his eyes. The intent in them hit Jack in his guts, and not in an uncomfortable way. A warm pressure grew in Jack’s stomach as Adam’s crisp scent surrounded him, permeated him. Sex had been good with this man. Great, even. It could have easily become brilliant, if they’d let it. God, it was more than that, though. Jack hadn’t been lying when he told Adam he was a good man. He would be an easy man to be with. Jack wouldn’t have to worry about deadly mood swings or big fucking secrets—except his own.

and that’s when jack realizes he’d have to lie to adam about his real job and who he really was, but he doesn’t have to with ethan so boom settled. how romantic. getting lowkey turned on with ur ex-hookup (while ur committed to another man) and reminiscing on how good y’all could’ve been😭😭 like HELPPPPPPP😭😭😭 oh but not as romantic as letting adam continue his approach, to the point that adam’s got his hand on the back of jack’s neck and his lips an inch from jack’s lips….and jack stands still like that long enough to let adam say a few words and lean in to kiss jack’s jaw. like, again, WHAT! THE! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh and that’s the compromising position ethan catches them in…..no worries tho bc when everything’s said and done, ethan was always on jack’s side, never planned to kill him, tried to protect jack this whole time, and helped jack catch the judge. but, mostly importantly, literally let everything jack did slide bc ethan ‘lied and kept secrets too’🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴 KILL ME!!!!!!!!! i wanna bop the author on the head bc what the HELL IS THIS😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

okay so to recap, ethan (srry bb i love u but it has to be said) is so desperate to be loved and cared for (and lowkey chosen over adam) and apparently so unaware how a relationship works, that he lets jack disrespect the fuck outta him and believe jack’s behavior is basically half his fault bc he kept secret the things he knew about the judge. i mean fucking shoot me in the face. so jack takes what tiny tiny responsibility he can manage to scrounge up for his actions, not much btw, and ethan doesn’t know any better, so he’s like perfect all’s well that ends well. i’m TIREDDDDDDD. what the actual fuck happened here. rip to my good time. while the author definitely wants to convey that jack didn’t REALLY do anything outright ‘wrong’ per se, bc omg i made u think jack cheated but he didn’t so absolved and u should be grateful, i do not fucking agree. jack had UNLIMITED opportunities to make better decisions, to make decisions that showed more respect to his relationship, to make decisions that wouldn’t worry ethan, or cause confusion or hurt or misunderstandings, and at LITERALLY EVERY hurdle, jack chose the ambiguous path. the judge may have been the main villain in this book, but jack was the secondary villain and he terrorized his own relationship AND my peace of mind.

but thank u, jack, for managing to piss me off so bad, that you’ve trampled thru my review writer’s block🤣🤣🤣🤣 and also fuck u, jack, for quite possibly ruining my enjoyment of this series😭😭

genuinely confused why the the author would take this route for this book. i was actually looking forward to jack and ethan having fights and working thru their growing pains, but THIS SHIT???? truly mind-boggling. the complete opposite of what i would expect to see in a ROMANCE. i wanted these two to have fights that helped them understand each other better, helped them learn to communicate better, when to be patient and when to push, ya know, things that would help them grow TOGETHER, that strengthened the established trust and intimacy, natural conflict that would occur from two people navigating a relationship when one of them is new to it and the other might as well be new to it for all the wisdom he has💀, not fights bc one of them is doing literally all he can to NOT beat the cheating allegations and the other is deathly worried his partner is cheating on him bc he’s not good enough.😕😕😕

omg and the first kiss being initiated by ethan makes me want to strangle jack even more!!!!!! on one hand, i love that ethan overheard that jack only kisses on the mouth when he’s in love and decides to tell jack he loves him by kissing him on the mouth, i mean muah gorgeous! but on the other hand, it’s just another thing jack fucked up so bad. he had MILES of opportunities to kiss ethan on the mouth, he’s been wanting to do it for SO FUCKING LONG, and yet its excuse after excuse from jack about timing this or whoops the moment passed that, like bitch, YOU ARE the moment, create it, tf🙄 shit just feels so out of balance with them, ethan is all in, and jack is like well yea sure i’m all in and then turns around and behaves like a fucking bozo who’s confused about the meaning of all in and how to act properly when ur committed to someone.

the problem is the rest of the plot, like the action and mystery and shit, was SOOOOO GOOOD…..like the stupid ‘did he or did he not cheat’ bullshit took away from that, even tho i knew the answer was not the entire time!!! like do u know how piss fucking poor u have to act to piss me off the whole book even tho ik u didn’t cheat💀💀💀 i swear to fuck, if jack doesn’t start acting right in the next book….👊👊👊