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Fog City #1
Prince of Killers
No indiscriminate killing. No collateral damage. No unvetted targets.
These are the rules Hawes Madigan lives by. Rules that make being Fog City’s Prince of Killers bearable. Soon, he’ll be king—of an organization of assassins—and the crown has never felt heavier. Until the mysterious Dante Perry swaggers into his life.
Dante looks like a rock god and carries himself like one too, all loose-limbed and casually confident. He also carries a concealed weapon, a private investigator’s license, and a message for the prince. Someone inside Hawes’s organization is out to kill the future king.
In the chaos that follows the timely warning, Hawes comes to depend on Dante. On his skills as an investigator, on the steadiness he offers, and on their moments alone when Hawes lets Dante take control. As alliances are tested and traitors exposed, Hawes needs Dante at his back and in his bed. But if the PI ever learns Hawes’s darkest secret, Hawes is sure to get a knife to the heart—and a bullet to the brain—instead.
There’s no shortage of twists and turns in this new romantic suspense trilogy from Layla Reyne. Prince of Killers is book one of three. Fair warning: buckle up, cliffhangers ahead!
These are the rules Hawes Madigan lives by. Rules that make being Fog City’s Prince of Killers bearable. Soon, he’ll be king—of an organization of assassins—and the crown has never felt heavier. Until the mysterious Dante Perry swaggers into his life.
Dante looks like a rock god and carries himself like one too, all loose-limbed and casually confident. He also carries a concealed weapon, a private investigator’s license, and a message for the prince. Someone inside Hawes’s organization is out to kill the future king.
In the chaos that follows the timely warning, Hawes comes to depend on Dante. On his skills as an investigator, on the steadiness he offers, and on their moments alone when Hawes lets Dante take control. As alliances are tested and traitors exposed, Hawes needs Dante at his back and in his bed. But if the PI ever learns Hawes’s darkest secret, Hawes is sure to get a knife to the heart—and a bullet to the brain—instead.
There’s no shortage of twists and turns in this new romantic suspense trilogy from Layla Reyne. Prince of Killers is book one of three. Fair warning: buckle up, cliffhangers ahead!
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2019
377 people are currently reading
1896 people want to read
About the author
Layla Reyne
53 books1,031 followersLayla Reyne is the author of What We May Be and the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Perfect Play series. She writes sexy, intense LGBTQIA+ romance featuring competent adults in kitchens, sports arenas, car chases, and other high-stakes situations. Whether it’s adrenaline-fueled suspense, rival athletes, vampires and shifters in alt-realms, or love mixed with mouth-watering foodie goodness, queer folks finding happily-ever-afters is guaranteed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 374 reviews
June 5, 2019
Annnnnnndddddd we're off!
Hopefully we don't crash and burn at the end of this deal because Cuppers is IN-ves-ted. Fair warning though, it looks to be a marathon not a sprint for both the romance and the action storylines.
To be perfectly honest, I was more locked into the action storyline than this burgeoning romance-like thing between Hawes and Dante. Surprising, but Reyne developed the details of the tech elements and the legal ones and that worked for me more than I would've thought, though it didn't hurt that the narrative is briskly paced and kept me engaged intellectually.
Nor did it hurt that it's told from Hawes' perspective and I really connected with him. He was foisted into the role of leader of his family at a tender age, a family that dabbles in a whole host of illegal activities to boot. I like characters that are morally grey and Hawes fits that bill. Though he's loyal and has put a premium on protecting his family in private he often feels overwhelmed with and saddled by his obligations to them. He's also burdened and haunted by a past mistake which he's endeavoring to rectify and in so doing brings with it the added bonus of safeguarding his family in the long term. To that end he's begun extricating them from certain aspects of the business his grandfather put into place which seems to have everyone and their cousin in a tizzy. However, that does not mean he's above a bit of vigilante justice every once in awhile for the truly worthy.
Only his "good" deeds keep getting preempted by shenanigans and ballyhoo due to the aforementioned "tizzying"!
Everyone is gunning for him and the only place he finds solace is rockstar doppelgänger, man bun having, 😍🙌 handy in the kitchen, Dante Perry who swoops in and makes himself at home. Literally. Things moved swiftly between them, not so fast that I had to completely suspend disbelief but fast enough to give me pause a time ortwelve two. They certainly seem to have something happening between them. I'm not sure what yet and I'm absolutely not sold on it but I do like the kinky adjacent thing they have happening. I also like that they are equally dangerous and can hold their own, bedroom romps notwithstanding.
So, I'm in it for the long haul, cliffs and all and would recommend Prince of Killers if any of the above tweaks your fancy.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Hopefully we don't crash and burn at the end of this deal because Cuppers is IN-ves-ted. Fair warning though, it looks to be a marathon not a sprint for both the romance and the action storylines.
To be perfectly honest, I was more locked into the action storyline than this burgeoning romance-like thing between Hawes and Dante. Surprising, but Reyne developed the details of the tech elements and the legal ones and that worked for me more than I would've thought, though it didn't hurt that the narrative is briskly paced and kept me engaged intellectually.
Nor did it hurt that it's told from Hawes' perspective and I really connected with him. He was foisted into the role of leader of his family at a tender age, a family that dabbles in a whole host of illegal activities to boot. I like characters that are morally grey and Hawes fits that bill. Though he's loyal and has put a premium on protecting his family in private he often feels overwhelmed with and saddled by his obligations to them. He's also burdened and haunted by a past mistake which he's endeavoring to rectify and in so doing brings with it the added bonus of safeguarding his family in the long term. To that end he's begun extricating them from certain aspects of the business his grandfather put into place which seems to have everyone and their cousin in a tizzy. However, that does not mean he's above a bit of vigilante justice every once in awhile for the truly worthy.
Only his "good" deeds keep getting preempted by shenanigans and ballyhoo due to the aforementioned "tizzying"!
Everyone is gunning for him and the only place he finds solace is rockstar doppelgänger, man bun having, 😍🙌 handy in the kitchen, Dante Perry who swoops in and makes himself at home. Literally. Things moved swiftly between them, not so fast that I had to completely suspend disbelief but fast enough to give me pause a time or
So, I'm in it for the long haul, cliffs and all and would recommend Prince of Killers if any of the above tweaks your fancy.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2022
Audiobook - 3.5 stars
Story - 3 stars
Hmmmm... I don't get it. But for some weird reasons it was entertaining. Maybe I will get it in the next book. I felt like I was thrown in the middle of a battle scene.
Story - 3 stars
Hmmmm... I don't get it. But for some weird reasons it was entertaining. Maybe I will get it in the next book. I felt like I was thrown in the middle of a battle scene.
June 11, 2019
4.5 Stars!
No indiscriminate killing. No collateral damage. No unvetted targets.
Those are the new rules that the new King has put in place and not all that are ruling under him are happy with these new terms. He learns this by a man who strolls (literally) into his life and lets him know someone is wanting to knock him off his throne. Dante Perry is tall dark and mysterious. He gives out this warning and from there chaos consumes the pages. Trust is given and lost. Hearts are broken and lives are taken. That's pretty much all I can say without spoiling the story. But what I will say is the following:
This is one of those books that are hard to put down once you start them.
I loved the family dynamic. Grandma was strong and quite scary. Helena is someone I would want to have my back and quite the badass. Holt is this big burly man that I just want hug and cuddle. I adored him and hope he gets a book with a certain sheriff. I couldn't be the only one who felt that connection. Then there is Hawes. I loved how fierce he was in the way he took care of his family. They were all pretty fierce in the way they protected each other.
The story clicked all my boxes. I love a good crime family tale that has a mob-esque vibe. I can not wait to get the next book because that ending was complete torture.
Happy reading dolls! xx
IndiGo Marketing & Design gave me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
No indiscriminate killing. No collateral damage. No unvetted targets.
Those are the new rules that the new King has put in place and not all that are ruling under him are happy with these new terms. He learns this by a man who strolls (literally) into his life and lets him know someone is wanting to knock him off his throne. Dante Perry is tall dark and mysterious. He gives out this warning and from there chaos consumes the pages. Trust is given and lost. Hearts are broken and lives are taken. That's pretty much all I can say without spoiling the story. But what I will say is the following:
This is one of those books that are hard to put down once you start them.
I loved the family dynamic. Grandma was strong and quite scary. Helena is someone I would want to have my back and quite the badass. Holt is this big burly man that I just want hug and cuddle. I adored him and hope he gets a book with a certain sheriff. I couldn't be the only one who felt that connection. Then there is Hawes. I loved how fierce he was in the way he took care of his family. They were all pretty fierce in the way they protected each other.
The story clicked all my boxes. I love a good crime family tale that has a mob-esque vibe. I can not wait to get the next book because that ending was complete torture.
Happy reading dolls! xx
IndiGo Marketing & Design gave me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2021
Reread April 2021: Audiobook = ***3 Stars***
********************
Original review October 2019:
***4.5 Stars***
Dante Perry...
You have no idea, Hawes Madigan!!! But you aren't any better, so don't give me that look!
Yeah well, nobody's perfect. And no worries, I have a thing for criminals who have a vulnerable and caring side, with multiple layers only waiting to be peeled off, so you are safe. ;-) As is your new ally. Or enemy? Well, whatsoever, I do love me some "rock god" hottie who is not quite what he seems as well. And guys reading books are sexy as hell.
The former trying to find out what happened at night three years ago, the latter determined to bury this secret so deep that it hits the edges of Narnia. Of course they are bound to clash at some point. If they can fight that sizzling attraction to each other, that is...
A bit OTT here, a few eye-rolls there, but there are books out there where I don't mind either and this is definitely one of them. Told from Hawes's POV, it was entertaining and gripping, with some twists and turns and guessing moments and a last quarter that had me on the edge of my seat. But what the heck did I get myself into? I can't even say I haven't been warned about the cliffys, so note to self: listen to your inner voice when it says "WAIT UNTIL THIS SERIES IS COMPLETE!!!". Gahhh! Well, at least I have book #2 at the ready, so one cliffy down, one more to go. ;-)
********************
Original review October 2019:
***4.5 Stars***
Dante Perry...
The guy who rode a Harley, always had a book on him, looked and strutted like a rock star, and carried a pistol, knife, and cuffs. A mystery.
You have no idea, Hawes Madigan!!! But you aren't any better, so don't give me that look!
Assassinate people for a living, no problem. Run a multimillion-dollar company before age thirty, can do. Ride a motorcycle in San Francisco, fuck no.
Yeah well, nobody's perfect. And no worries, I have a thing for criminals who have a vulnerable and caring side, with multiple layers only waiting to be peeled off, so you are safe. ;-) As is your new ally. Or enemy? Well, whatsoever, I do love me some "rock god" hottie who is not quite what he seems as well. And guys reading books are sexy as hell.
The former trying to find out what happened at night three years ago, the latter determined to bury this secret so deep that it hits the edges of Narnia. Of course they are bound to clash at some point. If they can fight that sizzling attraction to each other, that is...
A bit OTT here, a few eye-rolls there, but there are books out there where I don't mind either and this is definitely one of them. Told from Hawes's POV, it was entertaining and gripping, with some twists and turns and guessing moments and a last quarter that had me on the edge of my seat. But what the heck did I get myself into? I can't even say I haven't been warned about the cliffys, so note to self: listen to your inner voice when it says "WAIT UNTIL THIS SERIES IS COMPLETE!!!". Gahhh! Well, at least I have book #2 at the ready, so one cliffy down, one more to go. ;-)
June 6, 2019
4 solid stars
This is the first book in the Fog City series by Layla Reyne.
As I enjoyed both her previous series: Agents Irish and Whiskey and Trouble Brewing I was really excited about this new series.
Prince of Killers introduces us to Hawes Madigan, Holt - his twin and Helena - their sister. They are very close, but Howes becomes the king of an organization of assassins that live by some strong rules: "No indiscriminate killing. No collateral damage. No unvetted targets."
From the beginning of the book Hawes is warned that someone wants him killed. I had some theories, but I am pretty glad I didn't guess who it was. I don't like predictable stories.
At first this story was a little slow paced, but then we get action, a little suspense and some surprises on the way.
Dante Perry was a mystery. I enjoyed his silent presence, even if I wondered many times about his true motives.
The attraction between both main characters is undeniable and we get some hot scenes.
Wish I could share more, but I will let you discover the surprises on your own.
In the end I must mention the really painful cliffhanger!!! Now I am dying to read more. Right after I finished this one I went searching for the next book's release. And I was SO disappointed that we don't have a release date yet.
The author does give us a warning in the blurb: "Prince of Killers is book one of three. Fair warning: buckle up, cliffhangers ahead!"
Again, I will mention I am looking forward to reading the next book and see how the author will be able to reconnect the main characters. Something tells me it's going to be nearly impossible for Hawes to trust again with all his heart. But we'll see.
"When Justice failed, Hawes and his family righted the balance."
This is the first book in the Fog City series by Layla Reyne.
As I enjoyed both her previous series: Agents Irish and Whiskey and Trouble Brewing I was really excited about this new series.
Prince of Killers introduces us to Hawes Madigan, Holt - his twin and Helena - their sister. They are very close, but Howes becomes the king of an organization of assassins that live by some strong rules: "No indiscriminate killing. No collateral damage. No unvetted targets."
From the beginning of the book Hawes is warned that someone wants him killed. I had some theories, but I am pretty glad I didn't guess who it was. I don't like predictable stories.
At first this story was a little slow paced, but then we get action, a little suspense and some surprises on the way.
Dante Perry was a mystery. I enjoyed his silent presence, even if I wondered many times about his true motives.
The attraction between both main characters is undeniable and we get some hot scenes.
Wish I could share more, but I will let you discover the surprises on your own.
In the end I must mention the really painful cliffhanger!!! Now I am dying to read more. Right after I finished this one I went searching for the next book's release. And I was SO disappointed that we don't have a release date yet.
The author does give us a warning in the blurb: "Prince of Killers is book one of three. Fair warning: buckle up, cliffhangers ahead!"
Again, I will mention I am looking forward to reading the next book and see how the author will be able to reconnect the main characters. Something tells me it's going to be nearly impossible for Hawes to trust again with all his heart. But we'll see.
This review is posted on DirtyBooksObsession
October 24, 2019
**Warning : rant on the way !!!**
If I don’t enjoy a book, well, so be it, not a big deal, move on. But when it happens with a book from one of my favourite authors…puff goes my usual composed self.
After several chapters, I really had to check if I did load the correct book because it was so, so bad for me, not just meh, but bad !!
1- The cliched characters : the awards go to the sister, a never-sleep-deadly ninja at night and a talented lawyer at day (we are spared the custom worn behind the suit, there is that), the magic keyboard (I will leave it at that because no one likes a too lengthy review) and finally, the MC Hawes Madigan, powerful and envied future king of an assassin organization, but shush : he’s now a covert vigilante with vulnerabilities (code name for “how the heck did he made it so far and still be alive and succesfull ?”).
2- The Background : did I missed a prequel ?. I’m all for a good slow unravelling. But here, I felt like I stumbled in the middle of a story that started quite early on with no “replay” available.
3- The plot has potential but was tarnished by the amount of “suspend-belief” required and the wrongness of the pace.
4- The romance : granted, the chemistry is strong, the sex scenes were hot, but the happenstance of all this was absolutely unrealistic : Hawes can’t trust anybody, for obvious reasons, but meets Dante, whom he knows from shit and let him spend a full week in his home, office, and bed…yeah, highly plausible…not. Don’t get me wrong, there is potential for a very hot “enemy-to-lover” romance, but the introduction of it was poorly executed.
Saying I started on the wrong foot is an understatement : I started on the wrong feet, wrong hands, wrong body and wrong brain. Only the cliffy was a much needed beacon (thus 2 stars instead of 1).
Rant over !!! Sorry for being so harsh 😞
Now, the multi-million-dollar question : should I pursue ? I so enjoyed Layla Reyne’s previous works, her talent worked so, so well for me before, but will it be there in the next 2 books and enough to salvage this first part ?
“Once bitten, twice shy” : I need some recovery time to ponder.
May 30, 2019
4.5 stars
Oh, this book is mean! And I can't even really talk much about why because of spoilers! And that damn cliffhanger!
I will say...that was such a mean cliffhanger and if you absolutely hate cliffhangers, I'm saying right now to wait to read this until all three books in this trilogy are out.
I was not expecting that, but I should have, and I was more surprised by this then I thought I would be.
I have to say that before the end, I was gonna give this four stars, because while it was enjoyable and riveting and interesting, I didn't feel there was enough happening between Hawes and Dante. They had chemistry, they had heat and some good scenes....but there wasn't enough, not even for a first book in a series.
This book ends with only a week having gone by, so we barely scratch the surface of any feelings and then the ending happens and then you're left wondering what the fuck is gonna happen!
And that's why I ultimately gave this 4.5 stars while rounding up, because of that ending which explained so many things at the same time it opened so many more questions! And because of the climax before the ending, which was surprising and interesting and fun to read.
I will also say that it's interesting how things are flipped in this story...and I can't say more on that because spoilers, but people will get it once they read.
This story follows Hawes Madigan of the Madigan empire - running a successful business by day, and a successful....assassin business by night. But Hawes isn't your typical assassin. He has a soul, he has a heart, and he cannot, under any circumstances, kill an innocent person. He only kills the truly bad or vile, who have escaped justice for horrible crimes. But he makes absolutely sure that no one innocent is around, that no one will get caught in the crosshairs, and he's changing things for the better in the Madigan family business as the head of the business and criminal side of it.
He's like...the best anti-hero. Because he can't be a hero by murdering people, no matter who they are, but...he's a good person, ultimately. He's kind and he cares. He's the "Prince of Killers" as he's known around San Francisco, or Fog City, as they like to call it, but he's more like a Vigilante, taking things into his own hands, with the help of his brother and sister and close colleagues - other assassins.
But then Dante Perry walks into the restaurant he's at and into Hawes' life and changes everything. First by warning him someone's trying to kill him...and then in other ways...
When some of his assassins turn on him and try to kill him, Hawes has mounting problems to contend with, especially with Dante Perry showing up, a PI who has a special interest in Isabelle Costa, THE reason that Hawes is no so extremely thorough with vetting his targets and the area around them, THE reason he started to change things so much.
And that's all I can say on that. We don't get Dante's POV in this book, which was frustrating but then I understood why at the end. Now I wonder if we'll get his POV in the next book now...I hope so!
So, is the ending frustrating? Yes! I was mad about it, but also shocked and left wanting so much more which to me, tells me all I need to know about my enjoyment of something. I was mad because I wanted more, because I need to know what happens next!
And now I'm gonna have to wait months or however long until the next book comes out! Unfair!
So, overall? I think this book will frustrate you as much as make you love it. It's a double edged sword. And I need the next book like yesterday, please!
Ultimately, two thumbs up from me. Whew, what a start to this series!
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review.***
Oh, this book is mean! And I can't even really talk much about why because of spoilers! And that damn cliffhanger!
I will say...that was such a mean cliffhanger and if you absolutely hate cliffhangers, I'm saying right now to wait to read this until all three books in this trilogy are out.
I was not expecting that, but I should have, and I was more surprised by this then I thought I would be.
I have to say that before the end, I was gonna give this four stars, because while it was enjoyable and riveting and interesting, I didn't feel there was enough happening between Hawes and Dante. They had chemistry, they had heat and some good scenes....but there wasn't enough, not even for a first book in a series.
This book ends with only a week having gone by, so we barely scratch the surface of any feelings and then the ending happens and then you're left wondering what the fuck is gonna happen!
And that's why I ultimately gave this 4.5 stars while rounding up, because of that ending which explained so many things at the same time it opened so many more questions! And because of the climax before the ending, which was surprising and interesting and fun to read.
I will also say that it's interesting how things are flipped in this story...and I can't say more on that because spoilers, but people will get it once they read.
This story follows Hawes Madigan of the Madigan empire - running a successful business by day, and a successful....assassin business by night. But Hawes isn't your typical assassin. He has a soul, he has a heart, and he cannot, under any circumstances, kill an innocent person. He only kills the truly bad or vile, who have escaped justice for horrible crimes. But he makes absolutely sure that no one innocent is around, that no one will get caught in the crosshairs, and he's changing things for the better in the Madigan family business as the head of the business and criminal side of it.
He's like...the best anti-hero. Because he can't be a hero by murdering people, no matter who they are, but...he's a good person, ultimately. He's kind and he cares. He's the "Prince of Killers" as he's known around San Francisco, or Fog City, as they like to call it, but he's more like a Vigilante, taking things into his own hands, with the help of his brother and sister and close colleagues - other assassins.
But then Dante Perry walks into the restaurant he's at and into Hawes' life and changes everything. First by warning him someone's trying to kill him...and then in other ways...
When some of his assassins turn on him and try to kill him, Hawes has mounting problems to contend with, especially with Dante Perry showing up, a PI who has a special interest in Isabelle Costa, THE reason that Hawes is no so extremely thorough with vetting his targets and the area around them, THE reason he started to change things so much.
And that's all I can say on that. We don't get Dante's POV in this book, which was frustrating but then I understood why at the end. Now I wonder if we'll get his POV in the next book now...I hope so!
So, is the ending frustrating? Yes! I was mad about it, but also shocked and left wanting so much more which to me, tells me all I need to know about my enjoyment of something. I was mad because I wanted more, because I need to know what happens next!
And now I'm gonna have to wait months or however long until the next book comes out! Unfair!
So, overall? I think this book will frustrate you as much as make you love it. It's a double edged sword. And I need the next book like yesterday, please!
Ultimately, two thumbs up from me. Whew, what a start to this series!
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review.***
August 4, 2020
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Not For Me*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. Hawes while being a leader, didn't feel like a leader. He didn't have that... feeling of power, if that makes sense? Though I think, mainly, that it was the writing that didn't work for me. Then of course, the insta-lust/love thing. I hate those. How can you trust someone so fast (a day of knowing each other) when you're a goddamn assassin?! Doesn't make sense. Then on top of that, it's was very predictable. And of course I should mention that none of the characters were interesting enough to enjoy the book, nor was the sex hot - hell I skipped the sex scenes.
I didn't find Hawes nor Dante hot, at all. None felt powerful, none felt commanding, none felt like Alpha males... I like the concept though, assassins, so there was potential; it just didn't live up to it in my eyes. Overall the timeline was a couple of days, less than a week. It all felt too fast forward, same with the apparently connection (that I didn't feel) between the two main characters. There was no build-up, not development, nothing. I must say I was quite disappointed. However, I knew from the first chapter that I wasn't gonna be for me; I just hate giving up and kept giving it a chance - it didn't get better. Hell, even the action wasn't all that, it was too fast.
The Characters:
The list is a bit long so I've put it in a spoilers tag.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - Contemporary Romance (M/M).
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - None.
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - Unsure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Not really.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2 stars.
June 12, 2019
4.75*
Hawes Madigan is known as the Prince of Killers. Two minutes older than his twin Holt. And that two minutes makes all the difference. Hawks is the Prince soon to be the King. But he has the support of Holt and his sister Helena. Together (along with Holts wife Amelia) they are a strong united front.
The book opens with a stranger (Dante) informing Hawes someone in his organisation is trying to kill him. Dante’s warning proves correct. And Hawes finds himself torn between his attraction to Dante. And the wariness that he knows nothing about him.
This is a strong well written interesting and addictive read. This author is new to me although I have seen her books popping up occasionally.
It ends on a cliffhanger. Although if you continue on and read the blurb for the next book King Slayer it takes away the cliffhanger for now...
Just waiting for King Slayer now....where’s that tumbleweed emoji when you need it?
June 22, 2019
*4,5 stars*
Layla Rayne definitely has a talent for creating heart-breaking dilemmas and writing action/thriller plots.
The sexual and personal tension between Hawes and Dante is crackling, the pull and push deliciously provoking and the problems of gargantuan proportions:
.) Considering what Hawes does for his ‘second job’ trusting someone is a case of ‘better safe than sorry’.
And why would Dante trust the guy who runs an organization of assassins?
Trust is an issue on all levels here. Because lives depend on it.
.) Hawes’s secret: Clearly this is the issue which is going to create the most damage between the two men. The cliffhanger at the end hints at it. Argh. The hurt! I have no idea how there can be a comeback from that!
.) the Madigan family: after the events in this book which had my head spinning as the author throws plot twist after plot twist at us, getting accepted by that super tight family will be virtually impossible. And I can’t blame them.
This book is told from Hawes’s POV (I wonder if book 2 will be from Dante’s?), and it’s clear he is a deeply complex man. One who does have a moral conscience and who thinks about what he is doing and why. And one who suffers from guilt when things go wrong.
But does that make it right to take the law into your hands?
I’ve always had problems with the vigilante idea, and I’m sure one could write essays about its morality, value and justification.
Is it wrong to kill people who literally get away with murder (or similar horrific crimes)?
Is it wrong to get innocent people justice when the legal system fails them?
If one of your loved ones died and the responsible person was not sentenced for it, wouldn’t you agree with a vigilante approach, too?
Very difficult questions – and not something I can answer or would like to discuss here.
All I can say is that it makes me feel a teeny bit uneasy what Hawes and his family do. The scene with the needle was emotionally painful. And it wasn’t because I felt sorry for the guy at the receiving end of it, but because I found it hard watching Hawes and his siblings do it.
My thoughts on Hawes’s personal issues are expressed much more easily – my heart went out for him big time. How can you find love if you have a title (Prince of Killers) to uphold and a family tradition to continue? How would you go about telling THAT to a prospective partner?
Layla Rayne throws all these issues at us in what is a very well written mystery (I had no idea who the traitor was until we got there) and the story of a heart-rending, unlikely attraction.
I can’t even call it love story at this point because we don’t really know what Dante has been thinking all along. The attraction between him and Hawes is evident, as are the want and the desire. And there is the odd tender moment which made my heart beat faster, but the end blows all that up and leaves it hanging in the air.
Kudos for the author for getting me so involved I spent half the night thinking through ideas how this could continue!
So why not all the stars?
To me the scenario – a family like that, doing THAT second job in their ‘spare time’ – feels a bit too unlikely. I didn’t mind suspending my belief though, and as a consequence I really enjoyed this!
Looking forward to book 2!
Layla Rayne definitely has a talent for creating heart-breaking dilemmas and writing action/thriller plots.
The sexual and personal tension between Hawes and Dante is crackling, the pull and push deliciously provoking and the problems of gargantuan proportions:
.) Considering what Hawes does for his ‘second job’ trusting someone is a case of ‘better safe than sorry’.
And why would Dante trust the guy who runs an organization of assassins?
Trust is an issue on all levels here. Because lives depend on it.
.) Hawes’s secret: Clearly this is the issue which is going to create the most damage between the two men. The cliffhanger at the end hints at it. Argh. The hurt! I have no idea how there can be a comeback from that!
.) the Madigan family: after the events in this book which had my head spinning as the author throws plot twist after plot twist at us, getting accepted by that super tight family will be virtually impossible. And I can’t blame them.
This book is told from Hawes’s POV (I wonder if book 2 will be from Dante’s?), and it’s clear he is a deeply complex man. One who does have a moral conscience and who thinks about what he is doing and why. And one who suffers from guilt when things go wrong.
But does that make it right to take the law into your hands?
I’ve always had problems with the vigilante idea, and I’m sure one could write essays about its morality, value and justification.
Is it wrong to kill people who literally get away with murder (or similar horrific crimes)?
Is it wrong to get innocent people justice when the legal system fails them?
If one of your loved ones died and the responsible person was not sentenced for it, wouldn’t you agree with a vigilante approach, too?
Very difficult questions – and not something I can answer or would like to discuss here.
All I can say is that it makes me feel a teeny bit uneasy what Hawes and his family do. The scene with the needle was emotionally painful. And it wasn’t because I felt sorry for the guy at the receiving end of it, but because I found it hard watching Hawes and his siblings do it.
My thoughts on Hawes’s personal issues are expressed much more easily – my heart went out for him big time. How can you find love if you have a title (Prince of Killers) to uphold and a family tradition to continue? How would you go about telling THAT to a prospective partner?
Layla Rayne throws all these issues at us in what is a very well written mystery (I had no idea who the traitor was until we got there) and the story of a heart-rending, unlikely attraction.
I can’t even call it love story at this point because we don’t really know what Dante has been thinking all along. The attraction between him and Hawes is evident, as are the want and the desire. And there is the odd tender moment which made my heart beat faster, but the end blows all that up and leaves it hanging in the air.
Kudos for the author for getting me so involved I spent half the night thinking through ideas how this could continue!
So why not all the stars?
To me the scenario – a family like that, doing THAT second job in their ‘spare time’ – feels a bit too unlikely. I didn’t mind suspending my belief though, and as a consequence I really enjoyed this!
Looking forward to book 2!
December 18, 2019
I knew this was going to end with a cliffhanger and, you know what, I didn't care because Layla Reyne is rapidly turning into one of my top of the tree romantic suspense authors and if I have to wait to get the next instalment, then so be it!
This is a powerfully strong opener to her new San Francisco set trilogy, packed with interesting and intriguing characters, twists and red herrings, double crosses and unexpected plot lines, a strong sense of time and place and, above all else, two utterly compelling main characters whose chemistry sparks off the page.
I'm not sure how things are going to move on from where Layla left the ending, but that twist was one I hadn't seen coming and it will have massive implications for both Hawes and Dante going forward.
Argh, there's so much I want to say but the narrative is so intricately intertwined that I can't even leave hints, so I'll just say - read this book!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
This is a powerfully strong opener to her new San Francisco set trilogy, packed with interesting and intriguing characters, twists and red herrings, double crosses and unexpected plot lines, a strong sense of time and place and, above all else, two utterly compelling main characters whose chemistry sparks off the page.
I'm not sure how things are going to move on from where Layla left the ending, but that twist was one I hadn't seen coming and it will have massive implications for both Hawes and Dante going forward.
Argh, there's so much I want to say but the narrative is so intricately intertwined that I can't even leave hints, so I'll just say - read this book!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
December 5, 2019
3.5★'s Rounded Up
Do you think knowing a book is going to be a cliffhanger is a spoiler?
I’m kind of on the fence about the heads up, I personally feel a little spoiled. I know people want to know ahead of time but I think I like the shock, the OMG, I can’t believe you did that to me! The I need the next book now feeling. The need to throw your Kindle across the room feeling. I didn’t get that here. For sure this ended on a cliffhanger, and yes, I guess I was shocked, but I knew it was coming and well, I knew exactly when and how because I knew it was coming. And truthfully, knowing something was coming kind of had me guessing, ya know? Looking for what it could be.
Anyway…
I think I’m just overall on the fence about this one. First and foremost my morals are screaming at me. I want to be the girl who can love the bad guy but at the end of the day, he’s still kind of a bad guy and I have to reconcile that inside my head. The premise of this family is cool though, I get it, I really do, and I felt for them but then I’d be reminded and the struggle would begin all over again. But guys, that is on me.
Next, I just don’t get the entire Dante situation. The Madigan Family is all Trust No One for real and this guy just walks in and stays for breakfast. I understood Hawes’ need for Dante but, well, not really. Would this be considered insta-love or at the very least insta-lust? No, not insta-lust because Hawes was going all in it seemed. Dante seemed to be the calm in the storm for him and that is more than lust. It just happened with zero discussion, just was and boom, he was kind of in the inner circle.
The cop. Who is this guy and why are we supposed to know he’d never let anything happen to the family, especially Holt? I swear I missed something huge with this part of the story. For some reason I pictured him as an old guy but I read a review where someone thinks he could be a love interest? I need some help here. I think I totally missed something.
I think I expected a bad ass Prince of Killers. I think he read like that at first but then he didn’t. I just don’t believe he’d be careless. I get we are supposed to see he would do anything for his family but also wants to do it with soul but he ended up coming across a little soft and not so bad ass. Plus, he would not have opened his trust and arms to Dante if he was who we think he is. It just didn’t jive.
Aside from my minor issues I did like the setup and feel like in time I’ll end up digging both Hawes and Dante. I liked the secondary characters and their roles. I liked the suspense, mystery and especially the action. I loved the shock to the family because it was a shock and really, aside from being spoiled, I liked the cliffhanger for God’s sake because sometimes it is fun to be like OMG! I think I just need to accept this as the setup and do the wait and see.
Oh, and it was nice to hear about some old friends, it is always fun to be in the know.
**ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take Promotions in exchange for an honest review.**
Do you think knowing a book is going to be a cliffhanger is a spoiler?
I’m kind of on the fence about the heads up, I personally feel a little spoiled. I know people want to know ahead of time but I think I like the shock, the OMG, I can’t believe you did that to me! The I need the next book now feeling. The need to throw your Kindle across the room feeling. I didn’t get that here. For sure this ended on a cliffhanger, and yes, I guess I was shocked, but I knew it was coming and well, I knew exactly when and how because I knew it was coming. And truthfully, knowing something was coming kind of had me guessing, ya know? Looking for what it could be.
Anyway…
I think I’m just overall on the fence about this one. First and foremost my morals are screaming at me. I want to be the girl who can love the bad guy but at the end of the day, he’s still kind of a bad guy and I have to reconcile that inside my head. The premise of this family is cool though, I get it, I really do, and I felt for them but then I’d be reminded and the struggle would begin all over again. But guys, that is on me.
Next, I just don’t get the entire Dante situation. The Madigan Family is all Trust No One for real and this guy just walks in and stays for breakfast. I understood Hawes’ need for Dante but, well, not really. Would this be considered insta-love or at the very least insta-lust? No, not insta-lust because Hawes was going all in it seemed. Dante seemed to be the calm in the storm for him and that is more than lust. It just happened with zero discussion, just was and boom, he was kind of in the inner circle.
The cop. Who is this guy and why are we supposed to know he’d never let anything happen to the family, especially Holt? I swear I missed something huge with this part of the story. For some reason I pictured him as an old guy but I read a review where someone thinks he could be a love interest? I need some help here. I think I totally missed something.
I think I expected a bad ass Prince of Killers. I think he read like that at first but then he didn’t. I just don’t believe he’d be careless. I get we are supposed to see he would do anything for his family but also wants to do it with soul but he ended up coming across a little soft and not so bad ass. Plus, he would not have opened his trust and arms to Dante if he was who we think he is. It just didn’t jive.
Aside from my minor issues I did like the setup and feel like in time I’ll end up digging both Hawes and Dante. I liked the secondary characters and their roles. I liked the suspense, mystery and especially the action. I loved the shock to the family because it was a shock and really, aside from being spoiled, I liked the cliffhanger for God’s sake because sometimes it is fun to be like OMG! I think I just need to accept this as the setup and do the wait and see.
Oh, and it was nice to hear about some old friends, it is always fun to be in the know.
**ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take Promotions in exchange for an honest review.**
June 5, 2020
Prince of Killers by Layla Reyne
Fog City series book 1. Romantic suspense mystery. M - M. Cliffhanger. Big one.
A family of assassins of which the business has been passed on to the next generation. It was a relief to learn fairly early that their killing is out of justice and not just profit. But that’s a gray area, isn’t it?
From there, there is intrigue, betrayal and hot m-m sex.
I hesitated to mark this as romantic suspense but yes, sex, and the start of a relationship but that cliffhanger....
Quick jump into the action and fast moving with twists and turn to keep you attentive. I will admit flat out I’m afraid of sister Helena!
3.5 rounded up to 4 for the nonstop action.
Fog City series book 1. Romantic suspense mystery. M - M. Cliffhanger. Big one.
A family of assassins of which the business has been passed on to the next generation. It was a relief to learn fairly early that their killing is out of justice and not just profit. But that’s a gray area, isn’t it?
From there, there is intrigue, betrayal and hot m-m sex.
I hesitated to mark this as romantic suspense but yes, sex, and the start of a relationship but that cliffhanger....
Quick jump into the action and fast moving with twists and turn to keep you attentive. I will admit flat out I’m afraid of sister Helena!
3.5 rounded up to 4 for the nonstop action.
June 5, 2019
** 4.75 stars **
I enjoyed reading this book. Ms Reyne sets a fast pace to a story about millionaire businessman by day and a leader of the organization of ruthless assassins by night and a mysterious PI having hidden agenda. They don't call Hawes Madigan Prince of Killers for nothing. He has been the man who delivers justice when the legal system fails and scumbags slip through the cracks. He is the strength that keeps his family safe making the tough calls and bearing responsibility. But one mistake three years ago haunts him every day and changes the way he sees what he does. He puts his family on a new track. But it's hard to be the strong one and then go back to loneliness, to not being able to trust anyone with his secrets and his life. When a man approaches him to deliver a warning, it starts a chain of events that brings to light betrayal that is way too close to home.
Dante Perry is the man who wants to get close. He is a wild card, and Hawes should be wary. But he needs someone to take his power even for a bit because the load is too hard to carry alone. Constantly on alert and not knowing who is the foe and who is a friend, he has no choice but to trust Dante who saves him time and again and makes him hope for something more between them.
Since this book is told from single POV that of Hawes, not much is known about Dante other than what Hawes sees and feels for him. Hawes himself is very likable character. He is loyal, trustworthy and puts his family first. The book spans barely a week but when danger forces two men together they connect on intimate level giving each other what's needed at the moment.
The identity of the culprit is a devastating blow to the family, and they have to live with consequences of their actions. The book is suspenseful, engrossing and a nonstop roller coaster. The Madigan siblings Hawes, Holt and Helena will lose everything if they don't uncover the truth. I liked their dynamics, the ease with which they accepted each other, their shared bond.
I wish I knew more about Dante though. He is still an unknown as a person at the end of the book. The end is really a big cliffhanger which Ms Reyne mentions in the beginning. But it's just so unexpected and well-aimed at piquing my curiosity about what is going to happen next that I barely can wait for the next one. It's not insta trope here, just intense emotions surfacing when people are under pressure that might lead one day to more. I liked it and I highly recommend it! Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
I enjoyed reading this book. Ms Reyne sets a fast pace to a story about millionaire businessman by day and a leader of the organization of ruthless assassins by night and a mysterious PI having hidden agenda. They don't call Hawes Madigan Prince of Killers for nothing. He has been the man who delivers justice when the legal system fails and scumbags slip through the cracks. He is the strength that keeps his family safe making the tough calls and bearing responsibility. But one mistake three years ago haunts him every day and changes the way he sees what he does. He puts his family on a new track. But it's hard to be the strong one and then go back to loneliness, to not being able to trust anyone with his secrets and his life. When a man approaches him to deliver a warning, it starts a chain of events that brings to light betrayal that is way too close to home.
Dante Perry is the man who wants to get close. He is a wild card, and Hawes should be wary. But he needs someone to take his power even for a bit because the load is too hard to carry alone. Constantly on alert and not knowing who is the foe and who is a friend, he has no choice but to trust Dante who saves him time and again and makes him hope for something more between them.
Since this book is told from single POV that of Hawes, not much is known about Dante other than what Hawes sees and feels for him. Hawes himself is very likable character. He is loyal, trustworthy and puts his family first. The book spans barely a week but when danger forces two men together they connect on intimate level giving each other what's needed at the moment.
The identity of the culprit is a devastating blow to the family, and they have to live with consequences of their actions. The book is suspenseful, engrossing and a nonstop roller coaster. The Madigan siblings Hawes, Holt and Helena will lose everything if they don't uncover the truth. I liked their dynamics, the ease with which they accepted each other, their shared bond.
I wish I knew more about Dante though. He is still an unknown as a person at the end of the book. The end is really a big cliffhanger which Ms Reyne mentions in the beginning. But it's just so unexpected and well-aimed at piquing my curiosity about what is going to happen next that I barely can wait for the next one. It's not insta trope here, just intense emotions surfacing when people are under pressure that might lead one day to more. I liked it and I highly recommend it! Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
October 3, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
Prince of Killers is the first book in Layla Reyne’s new Fog City series and it is off to a fabulous start. I am a big fan of Reyne’s writing and so I was excited to see her take on another suspense series set outside her Agents Irish and Whiskey universe. This one had me from the very first pages and I found I just couldn’t put it down. The thriller part of the book is exciting and incredibly well done, the developing relationship between Dante and Hawes is engaging, and I loved the interaction among the Madigan siblings.
This book kept me totally engrossed as it is fast paced and full of twists and turns. The hits keep coming for Hawes and his family with threats constantly appearing and it kept me eagerly turning pages. Reyne manages to keep so many moving pieces all working together and the plot is clever and twisty without feeling out of control. All of these folks are hard, brave, and dangerous and so there is also a bit of fun watching them outmaneuver the various threats. It is all just incredibly exciting and well done. As this is the first book in the trilogy, we do get some resolution as to who is behind the initial threat, but there are a lot of plot threads that don’t play out fully here, leaving us plenty of room for things to develop in the next two books. I”ll also note that there is a big cliffhanger here, so be prepared to be impatiently waiting for the next book after you finish this one!
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
Prince of Killers is the first book in Layla Reyne’s new Fog City series and it is off to a fabulous start. I am a big fan of Reyne’s writing and so I was excited to see her take on another suspense series set outside her Agents Irish and Whiskey universe. This one had me from the very first pages and I found I just couldn’t put it down. The thriller part of the book is exciting and incredibly well done, the developing relationship between Dante and Hawes is engaging, and I loved the interaction among the Madigan siblings.
This book kept me totally engrossed as it is fast paced and full of twists and turns. The hits keep coming for Hawes and his family with threats constantly appearing and it kept me eagerly turning pages. Reyne manages to keep so many moving pieces all working together and the plot is clever and twisty without feeling out of control. All of these folks are hard, brave, and dangerous and so there is also a bit of fun watching them outmaneuver the various threats. It is all just incredibly exciting and well done. As this is the first book in the trilogy, we do get some resolution as to who is behind the initial threat, but there are a lot of plot threads that don’t play out fully here, leaving us plenty of room for things to develop in the next two books. I”ll also note that there is a big cliffhanger here, so be prepared to be impatiently waiting for the next book after you finish this one!
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
June 27, 2019
OK this was going along kind of slowly and I wasn't sure because I didn't really like either MC. I mean choosing 3 "H" names for sibling MC's was driving me a bit bonkers keeping them straight (no pun) -- then some of the other people. On the plus it is set in my new home so yeah that was good. I could use more SF really (hint hint). But I wasn't feeling the romance. More like F*&^ first and ask questions later which seemed out of character for Hawes (who, to me, will always be Hawke because that Hawes does not roll off your tongue!). I kind of liked Holt actually - and that detective chief guy (starts with K...still reeling from cliffhanger so not so with it on the names).
Up until at least mid way through it was a 3 star read meaning just ok. I mean the sex was pretty hot - but not enough to carry the book without the connection. I mean it's the action and the why of it that steals the show here completely. Then I started to notice things about 50% in- and it wasn't quite what it appeared and HOLY HELL the last 18%. All I can say is hang on to your hat because that is one nasty Cliffhanger!!!
(P.S. and this takes place in the matter of only a week or so -- which made me up the rating as well because it FEELS like a month or two!)
Up until at least mid way through it was a 3 star read meaning just ok. I mean the sex was pretty hot - but not enough to carry the book without the connection. I mean it's the action and the why of it that steals the show here completely. Then I started to notice things about 50% in- and it wasn't quite what it appeared and HOLY HELL the last 18%. All I can say is hang on to your hat because that is one nasty Cliffhanger!!!
(P.S. and this takes place in the matter of only a week or so -- which made me up the rating as well because it FEELS like a month or two!)
July 1, 2019
I’m still oscillating between a 3.5 or 4, but rounding up for now.
After the super fun trilogy that was Trouble Brewing, I was hoping the author would write a spinoff about some of my favorite characters, but instead we got this brand new series starter featuring assassins. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting and I still dont know what I’m feeling at the end.
Hawes is the titular character, the Prince of Killers and head of an organization of vigilante assassins. Despite his activities, he really is a loyal and kind man who loves his family and his city, and just wants to build a legacy that will keep the innocent people safe. I loved his interactions with his family, their love and banter is on point and pretty entertaining, even during daunting times. Dante on the other hand is an enigma - despite his assertions that he wanted to help Hawes, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. We also don’t get his POV, so I felt like I didn’t get to know him well enough; just that he has ulterior motives. There is obviously very interesting chemistry between the two right from the beginning and I can see the potential for explosive times, but we only got a glimpse of it this time. I thought both the characters of Holt and Helena were fascinating and very much in contrast to Hawes, and that makes them a pretty cool trio. I love how they always stuck together and I appreciated that family dynamic.
Layla Reyne writes very fast paced novels and this was no different. I flew through the book in just a few hours and never wanted to put it down. There is betrayal in the air right from page one and the author made sure to sustain that suspense for me throughout. I really couldn’t guess the identity of the traitor and that was a nice shock. The story takes place almost in the span of a week, so I liked how the author showed the possibility for more for the couple and didn’t veer into instalove territory. It was all going fine until that monster of a cliffhanger that made my jaw drop and I don’t even know what to do now anymore. Wow was that a brutal last line.
Finally, I just wanna say that this was a fun and entertaining novel, definitely more in the suspense category rather than the romance. If you enjoy books with antiheroes, vigilante assassins and kickass siblings, then this book is for you. There is a lot of suspense going on here that’ll keep you guessing. But be prepared for a completely unexpected cliffhanger at the end that will blindside you. I’m still reeling from the shock and can’t wait for the sequel.
After the super fun trilogy that was Trouble Brewing, I was hoping the author would write a spinoff about some of my favorite characters, but instead we got this brand new series starter featuring assassins. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting and I still dont know what I’m feeling at the end.
Hawes is the titular character, the Prince of Killers and head of an organization of vigilante assassins. Despite his activities, he really is a loyal and kind man who loves his family and his city, and just wants to build a legacy that will keep the innocent people safe. I loved his interactions with his family, their love and banter is on point and pretty entertaining, even during daunting times. Dante on the other hand is an enigma - despite his assertions that he wanted to help Hawes, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. We also don’t get his POV, so I felt like I didn’t get to know him well enough; just that he has ulterior motives. There is obviously very interesting chemistry between the two right from the beginning and I can see the potential for explosive times, but we only got a glimpse of it this time. I thought both the characters of Holt and Helena were fascinating and very much in contrast to Hawes, and that makes them a pretty cool trio. I love how they always stuck together and I appreciated that family dynamic.
Layla Reyne writes very fast paced novels and this was no different. I flew through the book in just a few hours and never wanted to put it down. There is betrayal in the air right from page one and the author made sure to sustain that suspense for me throughout. I really couldn’t guess the identity of the traitor and that was a nice shock. The story takes place almost in the span of a week, so I liked how the author showed the possibility for more for the couple and didn’t veer into instalove territory. It was all going fine until that monster of a cliffhanger that made my jaw drop and I don’t even know what to do now anymore. Wow was that a brutal last line.
Finally, I just wanna say that this was a fun and entertaining novel, definitely more in the suspense category rather than the romance. If you enjoy books with antiheroes, vigilante assassins and kickass siblings, then this book is for you. There is a lot of suspense going on here that’ll keep you guessing. But be prepared for a completely unexpected cliffhanger at the end that will blindside you. I’m still reeling from the shock and can’t wait for the sequel.
June 17, 2019
While this book had its ups and downs for me, I was completely invested by the last 25%. This is a story that will be continuing over three books, so yes, there is a hell of a cliffhanger at the end of this one. The romance is absolutely not resolved, nor is the main underlying plot point.
This first book introduces us to Hawes (said Prince of Killers) and his siblings Helena and Holt, all of whom have positions with the family businesses. The family loves and supports each other and is going through a tough time both personally and professionally and this is what pushes the storyline. Things are unsettled and seemingly getting more dangerous and they need to find out why. Dante suddenly drops into Hawes' life with a warning and things just snowball from there. Hawes may not be sure what Dante's game is but he finds himself not just trusting the man (and I have to say I was a bit surprised by how quickly and how far he let Dante in), but getting very involved. Yet suspicion remains that Dante may not be what or who he seems.
There were times where the story slowed a bit during the first part. There is a lot of set-up and getting to know the characters and the situation. As the story progressed, the pace definitely picked up. There is plenty of action and I was kept wondering as to who was behind Hawes' sudden problems. The romance isn't quite there yet, but there is an undeniable attraction and a pull between Dante and Hawes, who have great chemistry. Told solely from Hawes' POV we get to know him and his family more than we get to know the still mysterious Dante.
Then there's the last scene. It's unexpected and a BIG cliffie and definitely left me wanting to read the next book as soon it comes out.
This first book introduces us to Hawes (said Prince of Killers) and his siblings Helena and Holt, all of whom have positions with the family businesses. The family loves and supports each other and is going through a tough time both personally and professionally and this is what pushes the storyline. Things are unsettled and seemingly getting more dangerous and they need to find out why. Dante suddenly drops into Hawes' life with a warning and things just snowball from there. Hawes may not be sure what Dante's game is but he finds himself not just trusting the man (and I have to say I was a bit surprised by how quickly and how far he let Dante in), but getting very involved. Yet suspicion remains that Dante may not be what or who he seems.
There were times where the story slowed a bit during the first part. There is a lot of set-up and getting to know the characters and the situation. As the story progressed, the pace definitely picked up. There is plenty of action and I was kept wondering as to who was behind Hawes' sudden problems. The romance isn't quite there yet, but there is an undeniable attraction and a pull between Dante and Hawes, who have great chemistry. Told solely from Hawes' POV we get to know him and his family more than we get to know the still mysterious Dante.
Then there's the last scene. It's unexpected and a BIG cliffie and definitely left me wanting to read the next book as soon it comes out.
July 29, 2019
Unlike the typical lone assassin character often used, Layla Reyne adds a fresh twist to give us an assassin royal family, with Hawes Madigan as heir to the dynasty. “Uneasy sits the crown” and all that when the mysterious Dante shows up. It’s insta-lust but Hawes allows him access to secrets of his life as Dante seems to understand and accept his family’s secret occupations. The world building is excellent in creating a backdrop and history for the Madigan family with a strong action plot that was only a little thin here and there. Hawes and Dante’s connection was very insta-lust and felt as if Hawes moved way too fast but it actually fits the plot.
Then we get that cliffhanger! I don’t mind the wait between novels, so here’s a warning if you’d rather wait til they’re all out. I’m going to anticipate the he...ck out of it though. The twist at the end is jaw-dropping and I feel sooo bad for Hawes! Layla Reyne is a cruel, cruel author and now has me completely enthralled with this series. I was initially going to give 4.5 stars but thinking about it, that twist and cliffhanger at the end really elevates the entire book. #ANovelTakePR
*An ARC was provided by the author, publisher or a promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review*
Then we get that cliffhanger! I don’t mind the wait between novels, so here’s a warning if you’d rather wait til they’re all out. I’m going to anticipate the he...ck out of it though. The twist at the end is jaw-dropping and I feel sooo bad for Hawes! Layla Reyne is a cruel, cruel author and now has me completely enthralled with this series. I was initially going to give 4.5 stars but thinking about it, that twist and cliffhanger at the end really elevates the entire book. #ANovelTakePR
*An ARC was provided by the author, publisher or a promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review*
September 2, 2019
LOVED IT.
As usual with this author. I started the book and couldn't put it down!
Can't wait for the next book!!!
As usual with this author. I started the book and couldn't put it down!
Can't wait for the next book!!!
December 7, 2023
DNF @ 52%
Sorry, but this is so dumb that I can't keep going. Everything about Hawes' approach to the assassination business was filled with stupidity and cringe and overall, Hawes' decisions made him come across like a whiny, woe-is-me dumbass instead of the badass, competent assassin boss he was supposed to be.
The big problem is that the author clearly wanted Hawes to be a Good Bad Guy. It wasn't enough for him to have a heart of gold and care about his family, but the author has Hawes run his assassin business with very strict guidelines which are meant to prevent causing any death/injury/damage to anybody who isn't their target. This is a nice fantasy but in reality, it wouldn't work. The amount of extra time, resources and risk that Hawes has to deal with in order to maintain those standards makes it unrealistic that he would continue being The Prince Of Killers (ie the Biggest, Baddest Assassin In Town) and stay under the authorities' radar if he uses that approach.
For example: they're planning to blow up a warehouse that was used for human trafficking. They make sure they time the explosion so there aren't any victims inside but when a random dude shows up and starts investigating the warehouse, everything has to stop and Hawes puts himself and his people at risk by spending extra time and effort to safely capture this dude and get him out of the way. All of this was filled with stupidity. Why would Hawes put the lives and freedoms of his own people at risk for a random nobody? Why would they blow up this warehouse (causing huge damage, risk to the neighboring area, a mess to clean up etc) when they could have just reported it to the cops, who would make sure it wasn't used for illegal purposes again? How does blowing up this one warehouse do anything to stop the human traffickers from continuing their operations? Everything about it was dumb.
There's also the ridiculous way that the author has everybody in the city (including law enforcement) know about Hawes and his group, know what they do and happily support them because of their We're Good Guys act. This might work in a superhero movie where things aren't meant to be realistic but this was happening in present-day, normal world San Francisco. The scene where I DNF'd involved
But never mind the public because what pushed it over the edge was the way the city's entire law enforcement division seems a-okay with what was happening. There's no way that the Chief of Police would treat Hawes' blatant vigilantisms by just sighing and whining at him to not be so obvious. We're supposed to believe that the Chief knowingly allows a group of vigilantes to go around his city, deciding who deserves what level of justice and he just lets them do it. It was absurd.
Then there's Hawes' ridiculous behavior which made him come across like a pathetic, whiny dumbass instead of the competent head of an assassin organization. Multiple times, the guy allows strangers into his vicinity, into his home and into his family's home. It's the worst with Dante. The author fusses about his brother doing a background check on Dante and his sister waves around a knife and does an I'M A BADASS WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR routine (which made me cringe because it's so obvious that Dante could crush her with one foot), but none of that solves the problem that Hawes blindly trusts these strangers when he has no reason to. And he doesn't only allow these people within physical striking distance of himself and his family but he also blindly trusts anything that these strangers tell him.
The fact that the Chief of Police is buddy-buddy with the entire family and comes and goes when he pleases is already ridiculous. But to have Dante stroll into Hawes' life with no explanation for why he's suddenly interested in protecting Hawes and then having Hawes happily accept Dante into his life, allow him around his family, show him around his business and allow Dante to spend the night in his apartment were all ridiculous. This isn't a competent assassin - it's a dumbass who should never be left alone with his infant niece because a kidnapper could just smile at Hawes, ask to hold the baby for a few minutes and Hawes would hand her over and agree to go get them coffees or something, leaving the kidnapper plenty of time to stroll away. I mean - there's stupid and then there's STUPID.
It doesn't help matters that Hawes spends a huge amount of time whining about how he doesn't want to be the head of the assassin organization. How it's stressful and causes him anxiety and how he dislikes it. To make matters worse, the guy runs a legitimate multi-million dollar cold storage facility so he has a good, legal, less stressful life just waiting there for him. So why doesn't he pull out of the assassin business? Hawes constantly acts like he has to stay the Prince Of Killers but the author's reasoning why made no sense. On paper, it's because it's a family organization and he's the oldest so he 'doesn't have a choice'. This, despite his parents being dead, his grandparents nearly being dead (and not being involved anymore) and his siblings seemingly following Hawes' lead. There's nothing anybody could do if he decided to quit and there's nothing stopping his siblings from leaving either. All of them have real, legitimate careers so they don't have to keep doing the assassin business if they don't want to. My gut instinct is that Hawes stays because he likes the attention, he likes the badass label and he likes that he gets to be in charge despite being an incompetent dumbass.
Nothing about Hawes appealed to me when it comes to badass assassin characters. I don't want a bad guy character who whines about not wanting to be a bad guy. I don't want a dude who will blindly trust a random guy who walked into his life or one who will melt into a puddle of panic at the thought of some random passerby being killed during a hit. I'm sorry, but if you're going to have criminals as your MCs, allow them to be criminals. They can still have a heart of gold, they can still love their family/pets/soulmates, they can still be funny and donate to charity and enjoy watching sports or anything else. But working so hard to sanitize a bad guy to make him come across as a good guy only succeeds in making him look pathetic and incompetent.
Then there were the smaller things that bothered me:
+ The two big crime situations that Hawes' group deals with in the half I read (human trafficking warehouse, ) were situations that law enforcement absolutely could and should have been dealing with. Why are these random vigilantes taking care of these issues?!? The author provides the excuse that . It's ridiculous. If you're going to create a city that's ruled by corrupt law enforcement, then make sure to establish that but that's not what the author established in this story.
+ Hawes' apartment having his bedroom be in the loft space and having the loft be accessibly at times by stairs or at other times by a ladder, depending on which one the author found more convenient at the time. It drove me nuts, especially because the idea of a badass assassin boss using a ladder to access his bedroom made me laugh with embarrassment. I mean - sure, the guy acts like he's 10 years old at times but he's not actually and he's not supposed to come across that way.
+ Hawes' grandpa (Papa Cal) is in the advanced stages of Alzheimers when the book starts. It's supposed to be very depressing and tragic but the problem is that Papa Cal was never once on page during the half that I read and since readers don't know him at all, I know I won't care once he passes away (which I'm sure happens later in the story)
+ There was way too much focus on Hawes' sister, brother, sister-in-law and his niece. They show up in nearly every scene and while I liked all of them, I wasn't reading the book for them.
+ All the female characters had the exact same personality and demeanor, which always annoys me. Having tough, competent female characters is great but I hate it when they're all written the exact same way.
+ Some of the action scenes were really difficult for me to understand. I had a hard time picturing what was happening, in particular, how people were situated. It was confusing and annoying.
+ I loved another book I read by this author (The Last Drop) and a huge part of what I loved was how smoking hot the smut scenes were. So I was eagerly awaiting the first smut scene between Dante and Hawes because the UST between them was sizzling. Then the first sex scenes is fade to black. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? I have no doubt that there are fully explicit smut scenes later on but I was already annoyed and I had reached the halfway mark so having the first eagerly anticipated smut scene end with FTB was a major disappointment.
+ I know the book ends with a cliffhanger and I easily guessed what it would be early on, purely because of the author's sloppy approach to the premise. I asked myself: why does Hawes trust Dante so easily? Well, it's obviously because . It's a pet peeve of mine but I hate it when authors spoil major series plot points in the summaries of future books.
Overall, I still really like this author's writing style but the author's approach to this particular premise and these characters weren't what I wanted. Based on other reviews, I think this author's way of writing romantic-suspense isn't my cup of tea so I'll try other books because I did love The Last Drop.
Sorry, but this is so dumb that I can't keep going. Everything about Hawes' approach to the assassination business was filled with stupidity and cringe and overall, Hawes' decisions made him come across like a whiny, woe-is-me dumbass instead of the badass, competent assassin boss he was supposed to be.
The big problem is that the author clearly wanted Hawes to be a Good Bad Guy. It wasn't enough for him to have a heart of gold and care about his family, but the author has Hawes run his assassin business with very strict guidelines which are meant to prevent causing any death/injury/damage to anybody who isn't their target. This is a nice fantasy but in reality, it wouldn't work. The amount of extra time, resources and risk that Hawes has to deal with in order to maintain those standards makes it unrealistic that he would continue being The Prince Of Killers (ie the Biggest, Baddest Assassin In Town) and stay under the authorities' radar if he uses that approach.
For example: they're planning to blow up a warehouse that was used for human trafficking. They make sure they time the explosion so there aren't any victims inside but when a random dude shows up and starts investigating the warehouse, everything has to stop and Hawes puts himself and his people at risk by spending extra time and effort to safely capture this dude and get him out of the way. All of this was filled with stupidity. Why would Hawes put the lives and freedoms of his own people at risk for a random nobody? Why would they blow up this warehouse (causing huge damage, risk to the neighboring area, a mess to clean up etc) when they could have just reported it to the cops, who would make sure it wasn't used for illegal purposes again? How does blowing up this one warehouse do anything to stop the human traffickers from continuing their operations? Everything about it was dumb.
There's also the ridiculous way that the author has everybody in the city (including law enforcement) know about Hawes and his group, know what they do and happily support them because of their We're Good Guys act. This might work in a superhero movie where things aren't meant to be realistic but this was happening in present-day, normal world San Francisco. The scene where I DNF'd involved
But never mind the public because what pushed it over the edge was the way the city's entire law enforcement division seems a-okay with what was happening. There's no way that the Chief of Police would treat Hawes' blatant vigilantisms by just sighing and whining at him to not be so obvious. We're supposed to believe that the Chief knowingly allows a group of vigilantes to go around his city, deciding who deserves what level of justice and he just lets them do it. It was absurd.
Then there's Hawes' ridiculous behavior which made him come across like a pathetic, whiny dumbass instead of the competent head of an assassin organization. Multiple times, the guy allows strangers into his vicinity, into his home and into his family's home. It's the worst with Dante. The author fusses about his brother doing a background check on Dante and his sister waves around a knife and does an I'M A BADASS WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR routine (which made me cringe because it's so obvious that Dante could crush her with one foot), but none of that solves the problem that Hawes blindly trusts these strangers when he has no reason to. And he doesn't only allow these people within physical striking distance of himself and his family but he also blindly trusts anything that these strangers tell him.
The fact that the Chief of Police is buddy-buddy with the entire family and comes and goes when he pleases is already ridiculous. But to have Dante stroll into Hawes' life with no explanation for why he's suddenly interested in protecting Hawes and then having Hawes happily accept Dante into his life, allow him around his family, show him around his business and allow Dante to spend the night in his apartment were all ridiculous. This isn't a competent assassin - it's a dumbass who should never be left alone with his infant niece because a kidnapper could just smile at Hawes, ask to hold the baby for a few minutes and Hawes would hand her over and agree to go get them coffees or something, leaving the kidnapper plenty of time to stroll away. I mean - there's stupid and then there's STUPID.
It doesn't help matters that Hawes spends a huge amount of time whining about how he doesn't want to be the head of the assassin organization. How it's stressful and causes him anxiety and how he dislikes it. To make matters worse, the guy runs a legitimate multi-million dollar cold storage facility so he has a good, legal, less stressful life just waiting there for him. So why doesn't he pull out of the assassin business? Hawes constantly acts like he has to stay the Prince Of Killers but the author's reasoning why made no sense. On paper, it's because it's a family organization and he's the oldest so he 'doesn't have a choice'. This, despite his parents being dead, his grandparents nearly being dead (and not being involved anymore) and his siblings seemingly following Hawes' lead. There's nothing anybody could do if he decided to quit and there's nothing stopping his siblings from leaving either. All of them have real, legitimate careers so they don't have to keep doing the assassin business if they don't want to. My gut instinct is that Hawes stays because he likes the attention, he likes the badass label and he likes that he gets to be in charge despite being an incompetent dumbass.
Nothing about Hawes appealed to me when it comes to badass assassin characters. I don't want a bad guy character who whines about not wanting to be a bad guy. I don't want a dude who will blindly trust a random guy who walked into his life or one who will melt into a puddle of panic at the thought of some random passerby being killed during a hit. I'm sorry, but if you're going to have criminals as your MCs, allow them to be criminals. They can still have a heart of gold, they can still love their family/pets/soulmates, they can still be funny and donate to charity and enjoy watching sports or anything else. But working so hard to sanitize a bad guy to make him come across as a good guy only succeeds in making him look pathetic and incompetent.
Then there were the smaller things that bothered me:
+ The two big crime situations that Hawes' group deals with in the half I read (human trafficking warehouse, ) were situations that law enforcement absolutely could and should have been dealing with. Why are these random vigilantes taking care of these issues?!? The author provides the excuse that . It's ridiculous. If you're going to create a city that's ruled by corrupt law enforcement, then make sure to establish that but that's not what the author established in this story.
+ Hawes' apartment having his bedroom be in the loft space and having the loft be accessibly at times by stairs or at other times by a ladder, depending on which one the author found more convenient at the time. It drove me nuts, especially because the idea of a badass assassin boss using a ladder to access his bedroom made me laugh with embarrassment. I mean - sure, the guy acts like he's 10 years old at times but he's not actually and he's not supposed to come across that way.
+ Hawes' grandpa (Papa Cal) is in the advanced stages of Alzheimers when the book starts. It's supposed to be very depressing and tragic but the problem is that Papa Cal was never once on page during the half that I read and since readers don't know him at all, I know I won't care once he passes away (which I'm sure happens later in the story)
+ There was way too much focus on Hawes' sister, brother, sister-in-law and his niece. They show up in nearly every scene and while I liked all of them, I wasn't reading the book for them.
+ All the female characters had the exact same personality and demeanor, which always annoys me. Having tough, competent female characters is great but I hate it when they're all written the exact same way.
+ Some of the action scenes were really difficult for me to understand. I had a hard time picturing what was happening, in particular, how people were situated. It was confusing and annoying.
+ I loved another book I read by this author (The Last Drop) and a huge part of what I loved was how smoking hot the smut scenes were. So I was eagerly awaiting the first smut scene between Dante and Hawes because the UST between them was sizzling. Then the first sex scenes is fade to black. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? I have no doubt that there are fully explicit smut scenes later on but I was already annoyed and I had reached the halfway mark so having the first eagerly anticipated smut scene end with FTB was a major disappointment.
+ I know the book ends with a cliffhanger and I easily guessed what it would be early on, purely because of the author's sloppy approach to the premise. I asked myself: why does Hawes trust Dante so easily? Well, it's obviously because . It's a pet peeve of mine but I hate it when authors spoil major series plot points in the summaries of future books.
Overall, I still really like this author's writing style but the author's approach to this particular premise and these characters weren't what I wanted. Based on other reviews, I think this author's way of writing romantic-suspense isn't my cup of tea so I'll try other books because I did love The Last Drop.
December 11, 2023
3.5/5
this was a nice surprise! i enjoyed the writing, the action scenes actually entertained me, and the tension between the two MCs was sizzling. it might not be the most exhilarating assassin story ever written, but it still held my attention and kept me curious as to what would happen next.
first things first... everything dante did was ridiculously sexy.
he'd lean against things, put his hands on hawes' waist, slam people's faces into tables for insulting hawes in front of him... the list goes on. he'd also just casually bring a book with him everywhere. like are we kidding? the man is hot as fuck for no reason.
also—some authors like to go overboard when making their characters flirtatious, which can ultimately lead to them coming across as tacky and obnoxious. but i found dante to be tasteful in his flirting, the perfect amount of teasing without being overly pushy, and to me that really magnified his attractiveness.
i liked hawes well enough; truthfully, other than being a bad guy with a good heart he didn't have all that much of a personality, but there were moments when something he said or did brought a smile to my face. he clearly loved his family and always put them first, and he could hold his own in dangerous situations—two things i can always respect in a person.
was his title "prince of killers" a tad cringe? maybe, but it clearly worked for him, so i'm not mad at it. although me personally, if someone busted into my house to assassinate me, asked if i knew who they were, and then looked me dead in the eye and said they were the "prince of killers", i don't know if i'd be able to keep a straight face. but again, that's just me.
did i have to suspend my disbelief sometimes? yes. did i care? honestly, probably not as much as others might have. some things hawes and his siblings did were admittedly pretty illogical or unrealistic, but i personally didn't find them eye-roll inducing enough to make me dislike the book.
i will say, though, that the author went out of her way—maybe too much—to make it apparent that even if hawes was the ringleader of a shady, illegal business, he was still an extremely compassionate guy with a good and kind nature. he did whatever he could to avoid killing innocents (even in high-stakes situations where it seemed extremely impractical), put himself at risk to save victims of other serious crimes, and even donated money to lgbtq youth shelters.
what a valiant guy, right?
he doesn't have to be a cold-hearted, ruthless killer who annihilates everyone and everything in his path, but i feel like his morals and noble characterization didn't really mesh with that of a supposedly feared and deadly assassin. vigilante justice and people's personal justifications for carrying it out can be complex and nuanced, but someone who's alright with straight up murdering other people for a living (even if they are the scum of the earth) being so goodhearted just seemed improbable to me. not to mention the fact that he was unusually trusting to outsiders for being the head of an empire with a huge target on his back.
i also have to admit that the big reveal in the last chapter was slightly underwhelming. like, A+ for the idea, i'm here for it—i just feel like the execution was missing a little excitement and drama. i was expecting more of a bang, especially since the moment was clearly intended to be a major cliffhanger.
even still, it was an enjoyable read overall, and you can bet that i'll be tuning in for the next book in the series to get the full scoop on my man dante.
this was a nice surprise! i enjoyed the writing, the action scenes actually entertained me, and the tension between the two MCs was sizzling. it might not be the most exhilarating assassin story ever written, but it still held my attention and kept me curious as to what would happen next.
first things first... everything dante did was ridiculously sexy.
he'd lean against things, put his hands on hawes' waist, slam people's faces into tables for insulting hawes in front of him... the list goes on. he'd also just casually bring a book with him everywhere. like are we kidding? the man is hot as fuck for no reason.
also—some authors like to go overboard when making their characters flirtatious, which can ultimately lead to them coming across as tacky and obnoxious. but i found dante to be tasteful in his flirting, the perfect amount of teasing without being overly pushy, and to me that really magnified his attractiveness.
i liked hawes well enough; truthfully, other than being a bad guy with a good heart he didn't have all that much of a personality, but there were moments when something he said or did brought a smile to my face. he clearly loved his family and always put them first, and he could hold his own in dangerous situations—two things i can always respect in a person.
was his title "prince of killers" a tad cringe? maybe, but it clearly worked for him, so i'm not mad at it. although me personally, if someone busted into my house to assassinate me, asked if i knew who they were, and then looked me dead in the eye and said they were the "prince of killers", i don't know if i'd be able to keep a straight face. but again, that's just me.
did i have to suspend my disbelief sometimes? yes. did i care? honestly, probably not as much as others might have. some things hawes and his siblings did were admittedly pretty illogical or unrealistic, but i personally didn't find them eye-roll inducing enough to make me dislike the book.
i will say, though, that the author went out of her way—maybe too much—to make it apparent that even if hawes was the ringleader of a shady, illegal business, he was still an extremely compassionate guy with a good and kind nature. he did whatever he could to avoid killing innocents (even in high-stakes situations where it seemed extremely impractical), put himself at risk to save victims of other serious crimes, and even donated money to lgbtq youth shelters.
what a valiant guy, right?
he doesn't have to be a cold-hearted, ruthless killer who annihilates everyone and everything in his path, but i feel like his morals and noble characterization didn't really mesh with that of a supposedly feared and deadly assassin. vigilante justice and people's personal justifications for carrying it out can be complex and nuanced, but someone who's alright with straight up murdering other people for a living (even if they are the scum of the earth) being so goodhearted just seemed improbable to me. not to mention the fact that he was unusually trusting to outsiders for being the head of an empire with a huge target on his back.
i also have to admit that the big reveal in the last chapter was slightly underwhelming. like, A+ for the idea, i'm here for it—i just feel like the execution was missing a little excitement and drama. i was expecting more of a bang, especially since the moment was clearly intended to be a major cliffhanger.
even still, it was an enjoyable read overall, and you can bet that i'll be tuning in for the next book in the series to get the full scoop on my man dante.
June 25, 2019
On a scale of 1 to 10, that cliffhanger was a 12. Can't wait for more!
January 24, 2022
3.5 stars.
Intense, thrilling, and sexy! As my dear friend Simone noted in her review, the story inspired two - or three - eye-rolls. And had it been lengthier, the twists and turns would have packed more of an emotional punch. Still, I was very entertained by this gripping romp into the criminal underworld and its morally gray characters, along with the burgeoning relationship between Dante, a mysterious private investigator, and Hawes, an ethical - well, as ethical as he can be - assassin.
And the best part? Since the series is complete, I can avoid the cliffhanger that frustrated many of my Goodreads friends. Guess my nearly two-year reading slump had some perks!
Intense, thrilling, and sexy! As my dear friend Simone noted in her review, the story inspired two - or three - eye-rolls. And had it been lengthier, the twists and turns would have packed more of an emotional punch. Still, I was very entertained by this gripping romp into the criminal underworld and its morally gray characters, along with the burgeoning relationship between Dante, a mysterious private investigator, and Hawes, an ethical - well, as ethical as he can be - assassin.
And the best part? Since the series is complete, I can avoid the cliffhanger that frustrated many of my Goodreads friends. Guess my nearly two-year reading slump had some perks!
February 4, 2020
I liked this. I think?? I mean... this is a fine book but I just feel like something was missing. Some of the betrayals in this book didn’t hit as hard because I don’t really know any of the characters?? I just feel like so much emphasis was placed on the reader being emotionally invested with the characters but like I said... didn’t know them that well.
Also, I have a really hard time buying that this super rich and organized crime family can be infiltrated in a few days just because a hot white guy with abs comes strutting by. There, and I can’t stress this enough, ain’t NO DICK in the world that’ll have you out acting a fool in these streets giving up family secrets & space in your nightstand after like 4 days. 😑
Anyway I will say the very last twist shocked me a little and has me heavily considering reading the next book.
Also, I have a really hard time buying that this super rich and organized crime family can be infiltrated in a few days just because a hot white guy with abs comes strutting by. There, and I can’t stress this enough, ain’t NO DICK in the world that’ll have you out acting a fool in these streets giving up family secrets & space in your nightstand after like 4 days. 😑
Anyway I will say the very last twist shocked me a little and has me heavily considering reading the next book.
May 16, 2021
Well. I think I have found my next Death and the Devil series 🖤. Absolutely loving this take on the assassin/cop genre. Hawes and Dante are divine🔥.
Book 2 beckons....
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2 beckons....
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 9, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Stars
🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 Call the Fire Department level.
Damn! Ok I guess I’ll be moving right into book two then. Because there’s no way to finish this one and not do that. Cliffhanger much? I don’t know how you guys who read these as they came out did it. I’m so glad I am reading them with all three books available. It wasn’t on purpose but it worked out well.
Romantic suspense/action/mystery is one of my favorite things and this book delivered. I’ve written this in other reviews but it’s really hard to find books that blend romance with suspense, action or mystery without something suffering. Not the case here. I was fully invested in everything. I did have a hunch at who was behind things but I don’t have a clue yet who the big bad is that’s still out there.
And can we talk about the sizzling chemistry between Dante and Hawes? 🔥 It was insta lust but I think...actually I know, after the events of this book, that the road to love is going to be slow. With the way this book ended, it feels impossible even. I have a feeling there’s going to be some serious UST and pining in the next one and I can’t wait. 🔥 scenes in this one were not abundant but what there was, was crazy hot. It was all in the little things too. Touches that lingered just a second too long. Heated glances. Hot. As. Hell.
I loved Hawes’s family too. They were great. And I loved that San Francisco was the setting. I’m in California and my aunt lives there so it’s a frequent spot for me to visit. I really loved seeing streets and landmarks I recognized. AND. Is it just me or is there something between his brother and Kane? 🤔
Anyway, I highly enjoyed this and for sure recommend it for fans of romantic suspense. But make sure you have book two waiting in your queue. 😉
🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 Call the Fire Department level.
Damn! Ok I guess I’ll be moving right into book two then. Because there’s no way to finish this one and not do that. Cliffhanger much? I don’t know how you guys who read these as they came out did it. I’m so glad I am reading them with all three books available. It wasn’t on purpose but it worked out well.
Romantic suspense/action/mystery is one of my favorite things and this book delivered. I’ve written this in other reviews but it’s really hard to find books that blend romance with suspense, action or mystery without something suffering. Not the case here. I was fully invested in everything. I did have a hunch at who was behind things but I don’t have a clue yet who the big bad is that’s still out there.
And can we talk about the sizzling chemistry between Dante and Hawes? 🔥 It was insta lust but I think...actually I know, after the events of this book, that the road to love is going to be slow. With the way this book ended, it feels impossible even. I have a feeling there’s going to be some serious UST and pining in the next one and I can’t wait. 🔥 scenes in this one were not abundant but what there was, was crazy hot. It was all in the little things too. Touches that lingered just a second too long. Heated glances. Hot. As. Hell.
I loved Hawes’s family too. They were great. And I loved that San Francisco was the setting. I’m in California and my aunt lives there so it’s a frequent spot for me to visit. I really loved seeing streets and landmarks I recognized. AND. Is it just me or is there something between his brother and Kane? 🤔
Anyway, I highly enjoyed this and for sure recommend it for fans of romantic suspense. But make sure you have book two waiting in your queue. 😉
June 18, 2019
Well what an ending - argghhh I hated it 😬😮 I understand that this leads drama and angst into book 2 ... I get it, twists and turns !!! This was a terrific read and had me hooked but heavens I wanted something different at the end ( no spoilers here )... let’s see what others think !
Read
May 3, 2021Listen to this while gardening. Still love these guys.
June 10, 2019
Layla Reyne is back with a brand new romantic suspense series with Fog City. Told entirely from Hawes Madigan's POV, he is the Prince of Killers who is taking over his family empire and because he is a good guy at heart, there are people who want to unseat him.
In comes Dante Perry, who is a PI with information for Hawes and wanted to help him. I honestly don't know much about Dante and his mission and why did he keep popping up in Hawes life. Everything is a puzzle for me and I'm full of questions, but I can see that Hawes do appreciate his presence.
There are more suspense and twist and turn towards the end, which gave me a good whiplash. The more revelation I learned, the more I nervous I got. As for the romantic development between Hawes and Dante, there's just too much secrecy for it to be anything good. Despite Hawes position in the family empire, he is a vulnerable man who is trying to hold everything together and he needs Dante by his side, but with Hawes keeping one of the biggest secret from Dante, I don't know how he thinks it will work out in the long run. For me it feels doomed from the beginning. Suffice to say the book ends with a cliffhanger that the author forewarned in the beginning. The next book can't come soon enough.
In comes Dante Perry, who is a PI with information for Hawes and wanted to help him. I honestly don't know much about Dante and his mission and why did he keep popping up in Hawes life. Everything is a puzzle for me and I'm full of questions, but I can see that Hawes do appreciate his presence.
There are more suspense and twist and turn towards the end, which gave me a good whiplash. The more revelation I learned, the more I nervous I got. As for the romantic development between Hawes and Dante, there's just too much secrecy for it to be anything good. Despite Hawes position in the family empire, he is a vulnerable man who is trying to hold everything together and he needs Dante by his side, but with Hawes keeping one of the biggest secret from Dante, I don't know how he thinks it will work out in the long run. For me it feels doomed from the beginning. Suffice to say the book ends with a cliffhanger that the author forewarned in the beginning. The next book can't come soon enough.
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