Enemy of My Enemy

The Executive Office #2

by Tal Bauer, John Solo (Narrator)

Length: 18 hrs and 12 mins

An affair that stunned the world.
Two men, committed to their impossible love.
One general, determined to destroy them both.

President Jack Spiers and former Secret Service Agent Ethan Reichenbach throw caution to the wind, committing themselves publicly as the first out male lovers and partners to occupy the White House. Jack moves Ethan into the Residence, but as Ethan settles into his new role as first gentleman of the United States, not everyone is thrilled with their choices. When it seems like the world turns against them, Jack and Ethan must turn to each other, finding the strength together to press on.

In the chaos, Jack’s relationship with the Russian president, Sergey Puchkov, grows closer, and the two nations find themselves working almost as allies. But President Puchkov has secrets of his own, secrets that could rip everything apart. And Ethan steps back into the action with Lieutenant Adam Cooper, taking charge of a covert kill team tasked with hunting down General Madigan once and for all.

But Madigan is elusive, and his dangerous reach is long. He strikes at Jack and Ethan from the shadowy corners of the globe, unraveling their entire world. As the mad general draws new allies together, he is single-minded in his quest to destroy the only two men who ever beat him.

He will stop at nothing until Jack and Ethan are shattered men, worlds apart, and struggling to get back to one another.

And after that, Madigan’s true revenge begins…

****
Special Second Edition includes 20,000 additional words!

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Military Fiction, Suspense, LGBT, Politics

19 pages, Audible Audio

First published October 6, 2016

About the author

Tal Bauer writes breathtaking, heartfelt, and often action-packed gay romance novels. His characters are head over heels for each other and fight against all odds for their happy ending. Nothing stands in the way of love. Tal is best known for his romantic suspense novels, including the Executive Office series, The Murder Between Us, The Grave Between Us, The Night of, and his MM sports romance, The Jock.

Website - www.talbauerwrites.com
Amazon Author - http://amazon.com/author/talbauer
Instagram - @TalBauerWrites
Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/f1fd8baec198/talba...

Reviews

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up because POTUS!

THIS IS A SPOILER FREE REVIEW.



I was dumb-struck and overwhelmed when I finished this book. I think I was in shock! It took me 3 days just to pull myself together enough to write this review!

A few things off the bat:

1. This is not a standalone. You need to read Enemies of the State before starting this one. (Which is a 5 star book, beloved by just about everyone.)

2. If you see a review with a spoiler tag, RUN AWAY SCREAMING! There are some outrageous secrets and revelations in this book and you will enjoy it SO MUCH MORE if you let them smack you in the face while you are reading. Jaw-drop worthy surprises.

3. This is a long book coming in at just under 500 pages. Start this on a lazy day because you are not going to want to put it down once you start.

Enemy of my Enemy starts off right where Enemies of the State left off. Ethan and Jack are in love and exploring their new passionate, sexual relationship. The evil white house moles are gone (save one) and Ethan starts his new job in Iowa which starts a long distance relationship for him and the POTUS.

OK, there you go! I don't want to say anymore. I will say that there are some new faces in this book, and new couples who are on the brink of romance. You will love all of them, guaranteed. I will also say that this book was absolutely riveting and suspenseful and you WILL be tense during many of these scenes. If ever a M/M romance should be turned into a movie, it is this series. Speaking of which, you should watch the movie London Has Fallen and imagine Gerald Butler as Ethan and Aaron Eckhart as Jack. Just pretend Gerald doesn't have a wife and these two men have a slow burning romance going on. Worked for me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AsOd...

The only criticism I have is that it ended on a cliffhanger HFN for Ethan and Jack and a full-on cliffhanger for the other couples. Tal says the next book comes out in March and I will absolutely be the first in line to buy it.

Highly recommended!

Galley copy of Enemy of my Enemy provided by NineStar Press in exchange of an honest review.

This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT'S LIVE....

https://www.amazon.com/Enemy-My-Execu...

6+++++ Stars!

This is probably my favorite read of the year.

I shamelessly requested an early review copy of this one. I loved the first one. And I was so excited when this one hit my Kindle. I opened that bad boy up and BAM....7611 locations.



The first 20% or so I was getting acclimated to all of the characters again. Trying to remember who was who. Who was bad. Who was good. And then.....then this one took off at lightening speed. I couldn't stop reading.

Twists. Turns. Surprises. Gut-Punches. Tears. Screams. Shock. Awe. Anger. You name it, I experienced it reading this book.

This is a political thriller. We're talking edge of your seat, can't look type of stuff.



I was floored at some of the things that happened. How Tal Bauer comes up with this shit I have no idea.

But at the crux of this series, there is romance. Not just one romance, a few romances. I fell in love with some of the secondary characters. And I am going to be pissed as hell if any of them turn out to be bad guys.

I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about the plot. I wouldn't even know where to begin. Just start with book 1 and



It's going to be one hell of a ride.

I loved this book. Every. Single. Thing. About. It.

"A new dawn is coming. A new sky awaits us all."

DISCLAIMER: I feel like I must disclose that this one had more of a cliffy-feeling ending then book 1. Plot wise anyways. Several things are left open that I am literally dying to know how they are resolved. DYING.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

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

Reread - June 2022

Audiobook - 3 stars

story - 4.5 stars

John Solo has a good voice but his whispering .....Ugh!

Adam and Faisal.... GAAAHHHHH!!!!!

***********************************************
5++++++++++++ Stars



That was an INTENSE, roller-coaster, heart thumping ride.

MC 1 Jack Spiers: POTUS Ethan’s Boyfriend.

MC 2 Ethan Reichenbach: FGOTUS/BOTUS Jack's Boyfriend

Others

Scott Collard: Ethan’s BFF,and new Presidential Secret Service Detail Lead

Levi Daniels: Close friend of Ethan and Scott; also on the Presidential Secret Service Detail

Sergey Puchkov: Russian President and an amazing person.

Sasha Andreyev: Former Air Force officer, sweet caring and in love with Sergey.

Lieutenant Adam Cooper: Marine and Faisal’s Heart.

Prince Faisal al-Saud: Royal head of the Saudi Intel, Adam’s love and My new book boyfriend. He is number 2 after Logan and dethrones Alexei and Zane.

Corporal “Doc” Camacho: Marine Doctor and Adam’s friend and a very funny guy.

I will tear through the whole world to get to your side. Always

This book picks up from where the Enemies of the State ended.
Jack and Ethan are still going strong as a couple and Ethan is now living in the white house. They are getting pressure and backlash from the media and party members due to their relationship.

I loved how they stood by each other even with all the pressure.

The relationship development between the two was amazing. The sweet moments between them were tender, loving and had my insides all warm and fuzzy. Their chemistry was on top and oozed off pages. The sex scenes were minimal and sweet without being boring and i loved that.

He wanted Ethan so badly, all the time. Wanted to be in his arms, wanted to hold his body close. Wanted to wrap their sweat-slick bodies up and forget the world, and just make love over and over again. His lust for Ethan had grown exponentially in conjunction with his love, and now, it seemed like making love to Ethan was another way he could say the words, could tell Ethan he loved him. That he loved him so much he would gladly unmake his whole world, his entire career, for the two of them to have a future together.



The story was so action-packed and fast-paced kept me at the edge of my seat.

At 58 % there was a twist that i did not see coming at all, that made me more invested, it was a game changer, my heart ached for Ethan and Jack too, there was uncertainty i was like:



then i went all Meredith Grey:



Madman Madigan is one of the best Villains I have ever read about… He was cruel, psychotic, manipulative and on a mission that was just ridiculous but I enjoyed reading about him….Ok wait second best Villain THANOS takes the throne.

“Take a look at your lover, Jack. Take a good, hard look at Ethan Reichenbach.What do you see? Someone you love? Someone who loves you? Or do you see a killer? A hardened predator? A wolf, trying so hard to be a good little sheep for you.”

And the Award for the Best secondary cast couple goes to…

Adam and Faisal. I loved these two and my heart ached for them. I was such joy to read about them Every time they were on page, I was like Awwww and Please let them be. Loved! Loved them, for me, they stole the show from Jack and Ethan,even with the few pages they had. I savoured and took into heart all the wonderful moments these two had and wished for even more.

“I’m dreaming,” Faisal whispered, his voice faint and rough. “Ahlambeek, Adam. Qalby.”
Adam shook his head. He couldn’t speak, not when Faisal was telling him he dreamed of him and called him his heart.
“I am dreaming,” Faisal repeated. “The one I love wouldn’t be here. He wouldn’t come to me. He’s too afraid of our love.”



Oh! Sweet Love!

“Early on, we had this… rat hole of an apartment in Kuwait. I worked intel, so I could get away a lot. We had a mattress on the floor, dark, heavy wood everywhere, shutters nailed closed. You know.” He glanced at Doc.
Doc clearly had no idea. He stared back blankly.
“We drank coffee at dusty Internet cafes and wandered the slums. No bodyguards, no royalty, no Marine Corps...” He trailed off. “He’d recite poetry by candlelight. We didn’t have any electricity. He drew sketches of us on the walls with charcoal from our fires.”

Thanks to Tal, in this special Edition we get to read how they met. And that was just wonderful.

A man, standing by the river, caught his gaze.
A circle of lanterns rested by his feet, tilted panes of red, yellow, and green glass throwing a rainbow glow over his burnished skin. Dark hair, cut neat. A slim figure, but tall. Designer jeans, the kind that came from Dubai or Damman or Bahrain. A long-sleeve shirt, light and fitted to his frame. Honey eyes that stared right back at Adam. A gentle smile curved the man’s lips, and a flicker from one of the candles below spread blue light over his cheek. The angle of his jaw could cut diamonds. The sun could set beneath the arch of his cheek.
Adam’s breath faltered. His jaw dropped, just a bit, as he stared.

I am in love with them. I know this is Jack and Ethan's book but Faisal and Adam's story made it more interesting.

Faisal! Faisal! Damn! The Saudi stole my heart, with his sweet words and Arabic Love Poems.

“ Come with me, Adam. Keep me company all night long. Tell me stories about you. I will show you the sunrise in the morning.”

Every time he called Adam Habibi



It ends with a cliffy, thank God book 3 is already out but i will take a little break this had me on edge, i need some fluff and smut before i can handle more.



Highly recommended.

[Dan · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's difficult not to be hard on this author. He can write well, and there's so much potential...but the actual execution leaves a lot to be desired.

Jack is duplicitous, as I had expected from the beginning. He has been my biggest issue with these books from the get-go. Everything with Jack is underdeveloped, flat, or completely forced. He just isn't believable.

Men still randomly cry--out of nowhere.

Ethan's infatuation with Jack is inexplicable. Jack goes from claiming he's straight, to he's bisexual, to being essentially only "Ethan-sexual" or gay-for-you. It's cheap, unearned, and a hero like Ethan deserves better than this D-bag. The author does seem to acknowledge this, however, as multiple characters share the fear: Jack does not love Ethan the way Ethan "loves" him.

The return of a certain someone from the past is meant to be a gut-punch, but it just comes off as a cheap, soap opera-esque trick.

The pacing is quite uneven, and I dislike novels that end in cliffhangers.

Ultimately, the author chooses to have the characters somewhere on the spectrum of unhappy to miserable. There's a ton of contrived angst. And all we get in exchange are a few fleeting, barely-there moments of happiness.

[Bibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5 stars*

Some words to describe Enemy of My Enemy
Amazing, thrilling, adrenaline-packed, I am in need of book 3.

Imagine if you may, Jason Bourne+ James Bond +Jack Traven (Speed) having a mutated sibling and you might just begin to understand how amazing and thrilling this book is.

p.s. Enemies of the State is book 1 of this series and must be read in order.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****5 Stars*****



Wow, just wow!
I knew Enemy of my Enemy would get me hooked.
What I wasn’t expecting was to feel like this:

All.The.Time.
Have you ever wondered?

Well, I just did.


With my heart in a speedy mode, endless gasps, exclamations and swear words I finally reached the last page.

What for? To be left hanging, people.

I need book 3 YESTERDAY!

Now, I need you to take me seriously.
As a reader there is nothing I relish more than a page turner and Enemy of my Enemy does the job.
The story line behind the romance is astonishing, gripping and addictive.
The characters are alive. It’s impossible not to be seduced by them. Even the evil ones, fighting for power to take over the world, left me in awe. What the heck?! These guys seem to live in another frequency, a madness dimension

and let me tell ya: It’s freaking frightening.

The way the author played with the narrative giving us insights from different parts of the world where we could read different POV’s worked brilliantly; it added a 3D effect in the story.

Ethan and Jack are joining my list of favourite couples.
Jack by far is my favourite: a mix of vulnerability, kindness and a gentle nature perfectly balanced with strength, loyalty and integrity. As a result, we have a seriously hot and charismatic President. Ethan? Ethan is his rock.

Enemy of my Enemy is an unbelievably fast paced page turner about power, politics, love, deceits, strategies, trust and betrayal.

Isn't that sad?

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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

Reread via audiobook February 2021: *** ? Stars***

I... stilldon'tlikeJohnSolo'snarration! There, I said it. I liked parts, but... hated others, especially the goddamn whispering. I can tell you, old ladies (read: me) don't hear as well as they used to and this whole turning up and down the volume got on my last nerve!

***********************************************
Original review November 2016:

***5 solid stars***

Honestly? Right now I truly wish Jack Spiers would be real…

Some people said in their reviews that you have to suspend your disbelief when you read this story. I even said it myself when I recommended it to a friend and you probably have to, but after what happened last night, I’m not so sure anymore if it is that overstated, at least on some points. This is fiction, the reality… not so much. Don’t worry, I won’t give a political statement and I’m less than qualified to do so, but after last night I look at this story in a slightly different light. Who knows what the future will bring? Right now everything seems possible and I’m a bit too horrified to think about it at the moment.

This book, though, deserves nothing less than 5 stars from me. I loved everything about it. It was fast-paced, action-packed and thrilling, but also sweet and tender, hot and passionate. To my mind, Tal Bauer did a great job in keeping it well-balanced, so the romance was not overshadowed by the action and vice versa. I won’t get into the story itself, because the blurb is informative enough and other reviews explained it much better than I ever could.

Once again, the tone was sometimes a bit cheesy, but by far not as much as in the first book and somehow it did not bother me this time. I loved the development of Jack and Ethan’s relationship, even though they had to fight off resistance from almost every angle (sometimes even worse), but I was glad that their love proved to be strong enough in the end. Their chemistry was almost palpable and their sexy times were just… Whew!

BUT… What I also loved were the side characters, especially Adam and Faisal. At times, for me those two men even were on the verge of stealing Jack and Ethan the show and I can hardly wait to read more about them.

The general situation is still not solved at the end and one sentence pretty much sums it all up, but could also be the word of this day:

The world was still crazy, still dangerous and deadly, and they had to do something about that.

This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession

[Meags · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++ Stars

This story just went a mile a minute and I loved every second of it.

Although a bit overwhelming at almost 500 pages, I was a tad worried this story would drag for me or that it would take way too long to complete. But this didn’t happen (and I shouldn’t be surprised based on my love of the first book). I zoomed through these pages, whip-fast, devouring chapter after chapter, POV switching between a large cast of compelling and memorable characters, as the stakes got higher and higher, as the good guys poured their blood, sweat and tears into trying to stop Madman Madigan from quite literally destroying the world.

The main focus was once again on core couple, President Jack Spiers and his head-of-secret-service-turned-first-gentleman Ethan Reichenbach. These two just go from strength to strength as a couple, in the face of some pretty devastating public scrutiny and under the constant cloud of threat of Madigan and his countless traitorous operatives (some of whom remain unidentified and way too close to the President’s inner circle). Through it all, though—despite some MAJOR roadblocks thrown their emotional way—these two remain epic on all levels, with love and commitment and promises of forever practically pulsating off the page. Simply put, I adore them.

On the periphery, but still super important and highly engaging in their own rights, are two more pairings—whose connection and relationships challenge Jack and Ethan for that loveable top-couple spot. I’m, of course, referring to Lt. Adam Cooper and his forbidden lover, Saudi Prince Faisal, and also Russian President, and Jack’s closest ally, Sergey Pushkov, and his newly acquired aide/bodyguard/friend, fighter pilot Sasha Andreyev. The former couple already have a lot of history wrapped around their story, making the need for their ultimate HEA all the more pertinent for me as a reader, and the latter pair, although new and not yet a couple, have such potential, I can’t wait to get to their spin-off stories.

I also can’t go by without commenting on how much I adore Ethan’s two Secret Service Agent besties, Scott and Levi. These two are personal faves of mine and their survivability through this series remains vital to my happiness. Seriously, I will KICK OFF if the third book kills off any of my faves. I will go feral on Bauer’s ass, and not in a fun way.

Honestly, as one of my absolute favourite reading experiences of the year, Enemy of My Enemy deserves all the praise for delivering what is undoubtedly one of the best romantic-suspense stories I’ve read in the M/M genre to date. I simply can’t get enough of these characters, their romances, or this crazy complex, over-the-top (but badass) action-thriller plot. I’m here to see it all through and I can't wait to do so.

[Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Rounded down because I can only suspend my disbelief so far! But wow, what a wild ride that was!

Things you should know before reading this book:
1) If you have not read Enemies of the State, read it first, as Enemy of My Enemy is not a stand alone book.
2) If it's been awhile since you're read Enemies of the State, consider rereading it.
3) Enemy of My Enemy ends on more of a cliffie than Enemies of the State did (plot-wise, not relationship-wise), so prepare for that...
4) You might want to consider taking notes as you read to keep up with the threads and who is good or bad, if you can figure it out (because we just don't freakin know most of the time!) since we'll undoubtedly have to wait a few months for book 3.
5) Suspend your disbelief. Turn it off, if you can, because the plot will stretch the limits of it.
6) And sit back and enjoy the ride. Hope you like roller coasters!

Enemy of My Enemy was even more action packed and intrigue filled than Enemies of the State. I was at the edge of my seat for nearly all the 400 pages. And, as I mentioned, it ended on more of a cliffie than Enemies of the State did, so be warned -- you are going to want more as soon as you're finished...and you'll have to wait, just like me.

I can't go into the plot here, because you need to go in blind. What I can say is that the conspiracies run deep and vast and no one, including the reader, knows who they can trust. It's one huge mindfuck.

Jack and Ethan - I just love them. Even when my heart was breaking, I loved them. Together, I really think they can do anything. And Madigan and his (not so) Merry Band of Madmen are determined to tear them (and everything else) apart. Jack and Ethan got one thing after another after another thrown at them and there does not look to be an end in sight. And there are other releationship threads, too that I really really want to see explored. Gimme gimme gimme!

We do get some answers, but we also end up with a whole lot more questions. And my biggest question of all, which I will share, is: How long will we have to wait for book 3?

-------------
ARC of Enemy of My Enemy was generously provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

[Elise ✘ a.k.a Ryder's Pet ✘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second re-read: 04.11.2019
I decided to continue the re-read of the series since I've already started it. I love Jack and Ethan's relationship, even the cheesiness. There's too many POVs which I btw skimmed/skipped through. I only wanted the Jack and Ethan parts. There's so much information and politics in this series that in the re-reads I very much skip those parts. One time was enough. That being said, I still shed a tear or two, even knowing what happens.

Re-read: 16.09.2018
Though I love watching Jack and Ethan grow closer, it's a little bit stressful with all the other POV. Seriously, two POVs is enough, four-five? Then it's a bit too much, specially when their POVs contain a shit ton of information. Again though, I shed a tear even though I knew what would happen. However, I struggled a bit to finish the book; perhaps I was too tired to read (my eyes hurting) or the book just wasn't good enough for me this time around. I skimmed a lot of POVs that didn't involve Jack and Ethan.
New Rate: 3 stars

“I need you right now,” Jack whispered. “After today, I need you, Ethan. I need my rock.”
Arms wrapped around him, holding tight, and Jack rested his head on Ethan’s shoulder as Ethan’s hands stroked up and down his back. “You always have me,” Ethan breathed into the hair over his ear. “Always.”

⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Getting better*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱

Way better than the first one. There wasn't too much information and politics, and there was actually focus on president Jack Spiers (46) and former Special Agent - now first gentleman - Ethan Reichenbach (we FINALLY got his age: 41) relationship; like getting to know them as a real couple. I won't write a long review as I should've been asleep, however I will say that it was a awesome read with lots of action, twists and heartbreak (I think I shed a tear...), loyalty and friendship and big betrayals. Overall, a good read and I'm a little excited and nervous (really so) for next book.
The Executive Office Cast:
White House:
→ Jack Spiers: President of the United States
→ Ethan Reichenbach: First Gentleman and former head of Presidential Secret Service Detail
→ Scott Collard: Ethan’s lifelong best friend, and new Presidential Secret Service Detail Lead
→ Levi Daniels: Close friend of Ethan and Scott; also on the Presidential Secret Service Detail
→ Elizabeth Wall: Secretary of State, and Jack’s closest advisor in his Cabinet
→ Lawrence Irwin: Former Director, CIA; promoted to Chief of Staff after attempted coup
→ Pete Reyes: Press Secretary
→ Kate Triplett: Director, Secret Service
→ Todd Campbell: Director, FBI
→ Richard Rees: Director, CIA
→ Olivia Mori: Deputy Director, CIA
→ Meredith Peterson: National Security Advisor
→ Diana Ramirez: White House Counsel
→ Lewis Parr: Secretary of Defense
→ Sarah Carter: Attorney General
→ Julian Aviles: Secretary of Homeland Security
→ General Bradford: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
→ Admiral McDonald: Director of Naval Operations
→ Gus Miramontes: Special assistant to the President
→ Jason Brandt: First Gentleman Press Secretary
→ Barbara Whitley: White House Social Secretary
→ Jennifer Prince: White House Floral Designer

Russia:
→ Sergey Puchkov: Russian President
→ Sasha Andreyev: Former Air Force officer
→ Ilya Ivchenko: Director FSB (Russian State Security Services)
→ Dr. Leo Voronov: Presidential Physician
→ General Moroshkin: Russian General, Western Military Headquarters

Marine Corps Special Operations Team:
→ Lieutenant Adam Cooper
→ Staff Sergeant Wright
→ Staff Sergeant Coleman
→ Lance Corporal Park
→ Corporal Kobayashi
→ Lance Corporal Ruiz
→ Corporal “Doc” Camacho
→ Corporal Fitz

Madigan’s Faction:
→ Former General Porter Madigan: Traitor to the United States
→ Former Captain Ryan Cook: Former Army Captain convicted of war crimes

Saudi Arabia:
→ Prince Faisal al-Saud: Royal head of the Saudi Intel. Dir. Former SID agent
→ Prince Abdul al-Saud: Governor of Riyadh

Other:
→ Captain Leslie Spiers: US Army, Deceased – wife of Jack Spiers, killed in action in the Iraq War
→ Jeff Gottschalk: Traitor, former Chief of Staff; killed in attempted coup by Black Fox
→ Colonel Song: Central Military Commission, People’s Republic of China

“You really are my hero. And you always will be.” What could he say to that? Ethan buried his face in the curve of Jack’s neck and breathed in his soft, woodsy scent. The hint of pine that came from his aftershave, the tang of his shampoo. The scent of his skin. “And you’re mine. Always.”

Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemporary Romance (M/M)
Series: - Series, Book Two.
Love triangle? - No.
Cheating? - No.
HEA? - No.
Favorite character? - Ethan Reichenbach.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - Probably not.
Rating - 3.5 stars.

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

Did I love this as much the second time round? I certainly did! Not that I am much further with theorising who the traitorous traitors are... :) This will not be my last reread either, I'm sure. Still feel like I did after my first read:

That was a hell of a roller coaster of action and emotion, shaken and stirred with an intensity any good thriller would be proud of! (Still waiting for that movie, btw...)
I have no idea how Tal Bauer pieced a plot that intricate together, all I can say is that it certainly blew my mind! (and my nerves remain frayed at the edges)

I was wondering at the end of book 1 how Jack and Ethan would be received by the public in the long run and how it would affect their relationship. We certainly get an answer to that, and may I say, it is (unsurprisingly) painful.

(Ok. I know he isn't blond, but I agree with Tal - Quintessentially this is Jack for me!)









In fact the two men are snowed under with one blow after another on a personal and professional level. Not only is it their relationship that comes under worldwide scrutiny, but Mr. Madman Madigan seems omnipotent and always twenty steps ahead of them. His power is so far reaching it gave me the creeps - Jack and Ethan's lives felt threatened every single moment of the book, and my permanent teeth crunching left me with sore jaw muscles. :)

Despite it all we see Jack and Ethan evolve (and considering the seriousness of their situation I did enjoy those 'sweet' moments), see their bond strengthen and their feelings for each grow deeper. I loved that Tal Bauer builds on what they had in book 1 and shows in their lovemaking how their relationship develops further. Argh and that scene at around 50% - perfection! So far, so good!









Until chapter 16 happens. The Oscar winning plot twist might not have been unexpected in hindsight. But at the time it hit me like a freight train. And what happens in the aftermath of this event is ... well, heart-wrenching doesn't even cover it. Intense hurt and unbearable anguish (for the characters) and serious lip biting and hanky grabbing (for me) were the immediate result. Boy, does Tal know how to twist a knife in an already f***ed up situation! So well done!

I really don't want to give away any more on the Jack and Ethan front because I think it would spoil your enjoyment! Apart from this: Something is really burning the inside of my pocket. :) and that our guys are maybe not totally in the clear with each other. (When is book 3 released again? Tal???)

The sheer amount of events that follow are mind-blowing and the action left me breathless. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Please be aware, there is a good amount of political content in this book. But, don't let this scare you away. I'm not heavily into politics, and I had no problem taking it all in - it is part of the plot and, imo, somewhat 'lighter' than what we had in book 1.

Some people might argue that the plot borders on the unrealistic, but I would like to remind those readers that this story is set slightly in the future, in an AU, and that anything could happen there! You will have to suspend belief on occasion, but I can't see anything wrong with that. At all.

However, two little niggles keep niggling me in a niggly way 1. Why does Sergey not consider the possibility of Sasha surviving? Yes, his mission is pretty suicidal, but Sergey must know about ejector seats etc. etc? 2. As much as I love S. and S. and what happens at the end, I'm not sure if Sergey doing a GFY isn't a tad too much.

What I haven't mentioned yet is that we get some totally awesome new/ish secondary characters: Adam, Faisal, Sasha and we get a lot more of Sergey. I thoroughly enjoyed them and their stories. Loved Faisal's dreamy Arabian prince image, and Sasha's loyalty and earnestness. Again, if this sounds cryptic - there is a reason for it! (It's all good, I promise!)

Yes, I loved this book and it will be tough waiting for the next one. Very tough. Tal Bauer has written a brilliant sequel in an epic series.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Well fuck me sideways.

Seriously? Could Bauer put his two protagonists through any more angsty scenarios than they already have been? The answer is YES and then some.

Every few chapters ratchets up the intensity and just when you think there’s nothing else that could go wrong, it becomes an absolute shit show of epic proportions as Bauer pulls the reader along watching the train wreck unfold in mind blowing reveals and setbacks.

The character development, the complexity of emotions, the heart stopping terror and insanity that Jack and Ethan go through?? Fucking hell! Add an intricate, ingenious plot of a madman hell bent on destroying the world and not only is this the ultimate in romance but action suspense to the max as well. It doesn’t hurt that the supporting cast is superbly fleshed out and equally captivating - especially enigmatic Russian president Sergey and his faithful pilot Sasha, as well as swoony soldier Adam and his forbidden love with Saudi prince Faisal.

The world is literally on fire and on the brink of mass annihilation. My brain was taxed. I had palpitations. I teared up as proclamations were made throughout. Though this is mainly about Jack and Ethan, there’s actually six men involved here who converge together and will have to pull out all the stops to save humanity. Again, this is London Has Fallen and every Jack Ryan and Mission Impossible movie all rolled into one with 3 stand out love stories. Overall, fucking compelling story telling! Bring the alcohol and a defibrillator! You’re gonna need it here and no doubt for the conclusion!!

[Sophia Triad · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The White House welcomes Ethan Reichenbach as the president’s partner and first gentleman of the United States”

Ethan and Jack are writing history! Ethan is now the proud occupant of the East Wing and the ‘First Lady’s Office which is now renamed as ‘Office of the First Gentleman’.

Finally, we can read about the first reactions from the receivers of the news. From:

-The American citizens: supporters and haters
-The press
-The members of Jack’s party: The Republican Party
-The nations who have a death penalty for homosexual behavior
-The nations who outlaw the homosexual behavior, but they don’t punish it with death
-The slightly more liberate countries on the LGBT rights
-The friendly world nations and European Union

The news about Jack and Ethan’s relationship are shocking not only USA, but also the globe. Most of the reactions are not positive. You can even call them hostile. This reality is mostly important for the foreign policy. The fragile equilibrium of all the nations’ relationships has been shaken and twisted.

Is Jack allowed to change the Global Order based on his personal choices?
Will he feel all right with himself if he changes US’ entire foreign policy?
Will he feel all right if he starts cutting off aid to hostile countries?

It has been tougher than ever to be the US President. If Jack is not strong enough, he will be crashed down. But he has Ethan. And their love can conquer anything.

On the other hand, there are some unexpectedly friendly nation leaders:
-Saudi Arabia does not comment at all. Although imams are calling for a reaction and homosexuals are punished with death there.
-Russian president is trying to write history too.

Conversely, Ethan has two major problems that have nothing to do with foreign policy
1. He has to assume the role of the First Lady and take over all her responsibilities. Of course you can understand he has no clue how to plan social events and organize afternoon teas and full state dinners and choose flowers and bone china designs. Some of the situations he gets himself into are hilarious with Ethan behaving goofily trying to organize official dinners.
2. He has just started realizing that he is in a relationship. Jack seems to be braver than him and wants to take extra steps. But Ethan’s old love life is not suited for someone who occupies the East Wing. The undeniable truth that he used to be a bit of a man-whore will come back and bite Ethan’s ass. The press crucifies him. This is another insidious hit on Jack.

You may think ‘This is it! Jack and Ethan are fighting for their right to be together inside the safety of the White House and at the same time they are learning to be together and overcome their old lives’ emotional baggage.’

Well, I thought so too but I could not be more wrong!

Soon after our beloved couple is settled in the White House, sh!t start to happen all over the world. The situation will go out of control before you say ‘porcelain, china, and bone china’. The plot is accelerating after a while and you are not allowed to catch your breath and whisper ‘what the f@ck!’ Destruction, blood, deaths, vicious attacks, almost 3rd world war.

I don’t want to reveal anything else about the plot. I just want to add:
1. Things are never what they seem.
2. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. But who is my enemy in the first place?
3. You will never know what happens next. But when it does happen, it will make sense.
4. The secondary characters and couples are so important for the plot. Try to read carefully between the lines!
5. Forgiveness is as important as acceptance.

Some readers may give a bad rating because the events and the outcomes may not be believable to them. These things will never be real in the real world – especially having a man as the ‘First Gentleman’ in the White House.
Well, this is Fiction! In Fiction, you are allowed to dream and to wish for a better world with people with equal rights, equal opportunities and definitely for a world more compassionate and understanding.

I am holding my breath for book 3…

[Rina Pride · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relido com prazer! Como amo essa série de livros 😍😍😍😍O segundo consegue ser ainda melhor que o primeiro! Só aqui temos o presidente da Rússia friend do presidente do EUA ( aprende vida real kkkkkkkkkkk). Sonho dos russos lgbtq era ter um presidente como o Sergey. O Sergey é o próprio meme da cariucha 🤣EU ADOTO GAYS, LAVE A SUA BOCA PARA FALAR DAS MINHAS GAYS 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 I’m with you all the way stars

President Jack Speir and his partner, Ethan Reichenbach, have certainly made some changes to the White House. Not only are the battling bigotry and hate in the U.S., other countries are joining in and tensions are high all around the world. But that is not the only fight they have. Madman Madigan is gaining strength and power on his way to his ultimate goal. But what is his end game, what does he want?

Jack and Ethan are crazy about each other, but yet they each have some insecurities to deal with. They are so sweet and tenderness with each other is just beautiful. I think they might be one of the favorite couples

"I love what we have built. I only have to say I need you, and you have me. You have me, no questions asked. I trust you more than I trust myself, sometimes.”~Ethan

And this was what he loved about Jack. Strength wrapped in an effusive optimism, a soul that promised the world would be a better place if you only just held on and never let go

The ups and down and unexpected surprises of this book had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. The author did an amazing job of keeping you interested in not only the main story of Jack/Ethan, but all of the secondary stories. Relationships are strengthened, whether it is friendships of the President and a former adversary, or lost loves, this book has it all.
This book is not a stand-alone, and you must read book 1, Enemies of the State. Yes, this does end with a cliffy, but it is actually one I can live with.

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio...4.5 Stars
Story 5 Stars

Well daaaammnnnn it's like that?! Good gawd talk about action-packed, heart-stopping, nail biting story line! Annnnnd add a couple of swoon-worthy couples and I'm totally won over!

So now I have to take a bit of a breather before moving on to book 3 because it's over 20 hrs long 🤯🤯.....

[Mariam, · Rating 4 out of 5]

reread 1: nov 11-16, 2022

You know, if nothing else, Madigan is SUCH a good fucking villain.

Also, I don't want to talk about THE ANGST of this fuckin book. I just want to protect Ethan and Scott FOREVER and always.

Ps, John Solo is a actual GOD.

💜
💗
❤️

“When you smile, my heart skips a beat.”

You know it's saying something when it takes me more than 24 hours to finish a book.

How? How is this book JUST 477 pages??? Like SLAP ME DUMBFOUNDED but I swear to God, this book is 700 pages. Nothing short is possible. I laughed a good minute when I saw how it was 1399 pages on my phone and cried in fallocast.

Gazing up at him, Ethan’s eyes held what felt like the whole universe’s weight in love, a look so tender, so full of adoration and devotion, and all for him.

So. Much. Happened in JUST THIS BOOK, it's unquantifiable how things seemed at the start of this book, hell I think that the beginning was a decade ago and I aged begrudgingly the more I reached the end.

Ugk. What a book. What a series. What a beautiful love story.

his soul shaped like Ethan’s smile.

Fucking loved Ethan and Jack, loved seeing how both of them VALUED each other so much, how neither of them took the other, or their love for granted. I loved seeing that so much, it felt like a breathe of fresh air.

“This hasn’t been easy—”
“Nothing truly worthwhile ever is.”

Jack completed him, fit into his soul in a primal, perfect way. The world—as insane, as crazy, as horrible as it was—made sense with Jack. It spun right. All his edges were smoother, his dark spaces calmer.

🖤 This book, compared to book 1 was more plot heavy and held a shit ton of multiple povs (cries in fallocast) and holds together 3 relationship.

He didn’t want to be a hero. He didn’t want to have the world hanging on his decisions. He just wanted to love Jack.

#1 Ethan and Jack 👑
#2 Faisal and Adam 🙇
#3 Sergey and Sasha 🌌

“I love being in love with you. I love this. Waking up together. Seeing the sunlight on your face. Running my fingers through your hair.” He did. “Touching your body.” His leg slithered over Ethan’s, sliding between them. “When you smile, my heart skips a beat.”

“When God designed your features and joined your brows
Paved my way, then trapped me with your gestures & bows
United the knots of my doing and of my budding heart
Fate convinced me to be enslaved to thee.”

No matter what. No matter if he had to cut out his own heart one day. He would do it. He would offer it up on a platter for Puchkov. For this man, his president, he would do anything. Whatever Puchkov asked, whatever he needed. He could feel the conviction settling into him like a vow, deep into his bones and into his blood.

And my favorite part of it all was literally ALL OF THEM went through a time they thought their beloved had died/was severely injured and completely LOST. THEIR. SHIT. it was reading a dynamite snap and it 🤚🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

“Forget trying to be a hero. Trying to change the world. You just lose everything, and it’s not worth it. It’s not fucking worth it to be in the world without them.”

My favorite part was: Faisal called Adam Habibi. I've never heard someone in my family call their beloved in that beautiful, heart trembling nickname but omg, my entire body trembled the second I read that. I'm Muslim and the significance of that nickname knocked my breath away and I spent the entire night thinking about that sacred name.

Faisal rolled deep into him, sighing.

“When I sink my eye into yours,” he breathed. “I catch a glimpse of a deep dawn and I see ancient yesterday.”

“It’s a poem,” Faisal whispered. “By Gibran to his love.” Groaning, Faisal’s eyelids fluttered closed. “When I am with you, these poems make sense to me at last.”

Wanna applaud and bless the road Tal walks on. The amount of research and dedicated details he put into this book rendered me speechless. Like, I think I WANT TO write a book one day and Tal just holds a candle in his own league.

No, not just a lover. The love of his life, the man who meant everything to him.

“Ethan… I need you.” He needed Ethan, badly. He needed to be with Ethan, feel his body, his presence. Feel the clench of muscles in Ethan’s arms as they wrapped around him. See the light ignite in Ethan’s eyes, a brilliance that came just before his smile, a smile that was Jack’s alone. Run his hands down Ethan’s back, and run his fingers through Ethan’s chest hair. Watch him sleep, and feel him reach for Jack’s body. Feel his own heart clench, the force of his love for Ethan so overwhelming, so blindsiding that it scared him at times.

Jack’s smile grew slowly as he gazed into Ethan’s eyes. All the calamity in the world, all the dark and shadowy parts of governing, and all the moments when he felt like he was never enough, could be smoothed over by Ethan’s unwavering confidence in him. Who was this man Ethan knew, this rock star, this good man? He seemed like someone Jack would want to know.

What a book, what a gorgeous series holding a family of outstanding characters. What a world Tal built. I don't want their stories to end and I am absolutely sad I'll be reading book 3 now.

He’d never asked for Ethan’s love, never sought it out. Never went seeking a new life, or a love that had remade everything about himself. His soul had been purified with Ethan’s love. His body, remade down to his veins with Ethan’s kisses, the caress of his hands, the stroke of their bodies together. He was a man reborn, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of his former life, his soul more radiant than he’d ever been before.

His body seemed both foreign to him, remade in some fundamental way, and yet absolutely perfect at the same time. As though it was always meant to be like this. He was always meant to love Ethan, in this and every way.

initial reactions:
Tal, YOU FUCKER

[Elisa Glendenning (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read Jun 2022

Loved it just as much as the first time ❤️ My only grumble is that I’ll never experience that shocker of a twist with fresh eyes again but nonetheless, it was still just as impactful!!!!!

******* Original Review *******

Warning: This series is highly addictive! May result in pissed off hubbies and kids from total abandonment and weight gain due to lack of activity/stress eating

Have been through the wringer with this and loved every minute. Enemy of my Enemy is action packed and I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety. Mad Madigan, always two steps ahead, is one deranged SOB, and hell bent in destroying Jack and his allies in his quest for worldwide domination. Jack and Ethan are settling into The White House as an unwed couple and from the onset of Ethan’s new role as First Gentleman, everything is thrown at them and I mean EVERYTHING. It made me appreciate the previous novella all the more. From the beautiful highs to the agonising lows - it was so well written. Tal Bauer is an evil genius!!! No one is perfect but at one point I wanted to throttle POTUS. Thank god for Scott!!! Jack and Ethan are now one of my favourite couples and as much as I’d have loved the focus to have been entirely on them, I really liked the other romantic threads. There is such a rich cast of secondary characters, that you can’t help but be sucked in by their stories as well.

Did I have to suspend belief and overlook certain elements? Without a doubt! But this series is just too entertaining. It is supposed to be set 15 years in the future after all. Can’t wait to read the finale but have to get some work done first.🥴

[Christelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars : what a ride !!

This is not a standalone : it picks up right where we left Jack, POTUS, and Ethan, ex-secret service agent and now “First Gentleman”. And when I say that, I mean it : first page and bam : already in !!
Sometimes, you get disappointed in the follow-up, with too much expectation on the way. Not here : even better than book 1. Totally riveting.

Suspend total disbelief here, because the plot is crazy insane, but in the best gripping and fast-paced way.
For all fans of action, conspiracy, treachery, mind-game perfectly mixed with holy hotness but also heartbreaking romance, this is it.

I was so glad to come back to Jack and Ethan who fight for establishing their relationship, together, always together even when separated. Add some wonderful characters : the long-time friends, Scott and Daniel, the black-op Adam and his supportive dream guy, Faisal – stop here : **HUGE sigh** : I so love Faisal, his intelligence, his patience and his strength – and of course, the colorful Sergey, president of Russia and his bodyguard Sasha.

No spoiler here, but I can just say that there is not one minute of boredom, between the partial unraveling of the conspiracy that started in book 1 and the chemistry and emotions between the characters. Only niggles : less tears would be fine and I do hope Sasha’s relationship’s development will be different than Ethan’s.

Warning : total cliffhanger and I’m eagerly looking forward to book 3 to see if the world will be saved and hopefully hear some ringing bells !!

Thumbs up to Tal Bauer – Highly recommended

-------------------
re-read in March 2017 : still loved it !!

[Barbara➰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this book wrecked me. I teetered from raging to crying to swooning and back to crying again with everything in between.

This was literally me reading this book

I don't know whether to kiss Anne or kill her for introducing me to this series lol. It broke my heart on so many levels only to put it back together again.

Anyone who knows me, knows I HATE angsty books. I just can't take it and it will take me days to recover. This is one of those books, but I just can't stop reading. So much is going on and Jack and Ethan deserve their HEA. I want to see it so bad.

Now, we all know that "oh shit" moment.

I did NOT see that coming. I was ready to throw my iPad across the room. This could NOT be happening right now. But it did and when all the dust settles, literally and figuratively, Jack and Ethan will be stronger for it. It definitely hurts getting there. But we know their love is true and can withstand through anything, even the end of the world as we know it.

On to book 3....

[Vallie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who'd win a competition on a sequel surpassing the first novel in a series? This author... I'm completely rung out, sleepless, and feel like been to hell and back. Talk about emotional whiplash.

Amazing, freaking amazing book.

5 + stars

It felt like forever waiting for the sequel to Enemy of the State to come out, but it was so worth the wait!

Tal Bauer brings more romance, more suspense, more action-packed sequences, more conspiracy, and more plot twists than ever before. Do not read this if you have not read the first book. You won’t have a clue what’s going on. Having said that, I barely had a grip on what’s happening for the majority of the story but I loved it!

The banter among the agents cracked me up to no end, especially since Ethan is now with Jack in the white house as first gentleman. Yowza! Jack and Ethan are just spectacular together. Their emotional connection rivals their sexual chemistry in an unbelievable way. I just dig them as a couple so freaking bad.

I especially liked that it was not all roses. I think the author has tried to make this as close to realistic as possible –if this were ever to happen, what factors would come into play? Tabloids, scandals, the PR nightmares, the political implications, picking out the china? All of it is addressed and dealt with very well.

And of course, as if this could ever be simple, the mystery aspect comes out full force. It’s like being on a treadmill and going from a flat out spring to a jog, to a fast pace walk, and back to a sprint over and over and over. I hyperventilated during some parts, physically leaning forward to read and clutching my I-pad, because I COULD NOT HANDLE THE TENSION.

Dear god. Amazing writing, the plot went places I would never have imagined, all leading to what I am sure will be an extraordinary third follow up. The plot is heading toward a science-fiction path which I welcomed as it was so effortlessly introduced. Man, some of the things that happened here.

Loved loved loved loved this to death. Definitely a favourite and highly recommended!

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. See this review on Gay Book Reviews.

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

05/09/2024 reread

07/08/2023 reread

6/3/2022 reread. Ah, this one made me cry again.

6/27/2021 reread. Loved it. Made me tear up and sigh. Good stuff.

OMFG, this was freaking intense!!!! Don't get me wrong, I loved the story and Jack and Ethan, but, man, it was a roller coaster. Tal Bauer put her men through some tough times and they came worse for wear but still in love and hopeful.

First part of the book was absolutely wonderful. Both Jack and Ethan navigated life as a committed couple inside of White House with all its responsibilities. I liked how no matter what, at the end of the day they were all each other needed. There were plenty sweet and funny moments despite the tensions mounting outside their little happy love bubble. I liked their interactions with agents who by now have become trusted friends.

One thing about the book that was different from previous ones was that here we were presented with 3 different couples. Adam and Faisal, Jack and Ethan, and surprisingly Sasha and Sergey (although in their case it was one sided for now). Every couple got page time, and every couple expressed deep feelings. I enjoyed reading about all three.

The second part of the book has turned me into a crying mess! Oh, the hurt, the angst, the pain in all its possible forms! There was so many emotions pouring from Ethan, there was so much tragedy, I kid you not! I had to step away from the book for a couple of days to cool off. One would say that some parts of this story were a little out there and too unrealistic, but I put that aside and it helped me to really get into the story. Wilder things can happen.

The book went from fast paced to supersonic with all the events happening, men holding each other in times of trouble, so much love and devotion but also betrayal... f*ck, I am scared to start the next one since betrayal is so close to home, I do not want to know who but I NEED to know who!!!! That sounded better in my head. Jack and Ethan, Adam and Faisal, Sergey and Sasha are about to be in a world of hurt and danger, and I will be there for the ride as soon as I collect my wits and courage, because Tal Bauer does not pull any punches with their bodies and hearts. Outstanding!

[BookSafety Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

“I love you so fucking much. It gets hard to breathe sometimes when I think about you.”

Aight, I gave book 1 a ‘tissue warning’ because I cried quite a bit while reading it, so now I’m left wondering what the *hell* I’m supposed to say about this one. I cried my damn eyes out, lol.

I feel like every Tal Bauer review I write is about the same. Writes like no one else… a crazy amount of emotions… nail-biting suspense… my favorite author, etc., and it’s all still true. This book was a ride and a half, let me tell you. It contains one of the most heartbreaking moments I’ve read, actually, and I still loved it to bits. Perfect if you like romantic suspense or political aspects, but amazing no matter what. There’s a also a beautiful romance in the middle of everything going on.

Actually, there’s nearly three love stories in this series, with amazing side characters that feature more and more (see the quote at the bottom of this review for a glimpse of my favorite pair or side characters). I love the ‘multiple POV’ aspect so much, and it really is needed with a massive plot like this with a giant cast of characters.

Where do you go from here, Ethan? Where do you go when your life shatters and everything you planned for evaporates? […] What’s left for you now?

But yeah, utter heartbreak aside and nearly every character being near death at one point or another, it’s a fantastic book. Tal Bauer can do no wrong.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
POTUS
First gentleman
Political thriller
Romantic suspense
Size difference
Established couple

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Graphic violence
Explicit sexual content
Homophobia
PTSD
Flashbacks
Hate crime (physical attack, side character)
Internalized homophobia (side character)
Severely injured side character
Gun violence
Execution video
Suicide bombing
On-page killing
Death of side characters
Suicide (antagonist)
Brief mentions of sexual situations with dubious consent (antagonist and side character)
Injured MCs
Alcohol consumption

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: Yes, but neither MC look elsewhere.
Breakup: Yes
POV: 3rd person, multiple POV
Genre: Romantic suspense, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 41 and 46
Pages: 477

And this was what he loved about Jack. Strength wrapped in an effusive optimism, a soul that promised the world would be a better place if you only just held on and never let go. A solid core of unflappability, the center of him rooted in gentle happiness. Jack radiated joy to Ethan’s soul, and he basked in Jack’s grins, his playful personality, like a tree turning its leaves to the sun.

“Loving you will never be a mistake to me,” Faisal finally said. “If you believe our love is a mistake, then that is your burden to bear.” His voice, as always, was soft and gently accented thanks to his private English tutors in Riyadh and his Oxford education. It tore at Adam’s heart, always. The tenderness containing a core of ferocity, a hidden fire that rivaled the sun.

[Vanna (on-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!! Loved it!! 💞 despite the mind-blowing🤯, heart-stopping action 😱and twists and turns😳
The second book in the series starts right where the first one ended, with Jack and Ethan officially together and the couple enjoying their intimacy 🔥💕 🔥without the secrecy. Although they are no longer hiding their relationship, the scrutiny, the homophobia and the relentless attack by the media and opposing leadership does make Ethan feel a little guilty. But Jack's love stands strong and he doesn't let any of the criticisms hold him back. He forges ahead with his new alliance and friendship with the Russian President and starts working on the promises he made to his voters. But General Madigan is still out and it looks like his strength is growing every day with new threats reported in South America, Africa, Europe and even Russia. Jack has great allies and friends in Faisal and Sergey but they themselves are under constant attack from within. But then half-way through the book we are thrown a huge curve-ball no one was expecting😳🤯.. After that, things just get bad to worse. With new threats and traitors looming in every corner Ethan and Jack can't trust anyone but a very small group of friends. Can they survive? 😢
This book certainly has it's OTT moments and it plays out like James Bond, Jason Bourne and Mission Impossible movies all combined.😳😱. The villain is super powerful, is everywhere and can do anything, anytime.. 🤯. So yes, the relentless angst and being on edge did become too much😨😰. But the passion and chemistry between the two MCs in addition to the other ensemble characters who are going through their own romance and drama saved it from becoming a high-action disappointment. The ending didn't resolve anything.. we are left with more questions than answers, but it did show that there is now going to be some resistance and a plan of vengeance from our rag-tag team of Jack, Ethan and their allies (or so I'm hoping) so I'm jumping onto book 3. If I don't get an HEA after that.. I'm gonna be super mad😡

[M.I.A · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd re-read

🤦🏽‍♀️ Even knowing all of the outcomes, I still found myself weeping during Enemy of My Enemy .
First time around everything surprised me, in retrospect this one is a bit on the dramatic side. Well a lot on the dramatic side. It does require one to embrace the fact that this is after all fiction.
It's like a political soap opera. And I was just as captivated and at the edge of my seat as the first time.
🤷🏽‍♀️
The first half of the book is utter romantic bliss with a few niggles that are unavoidable. Ethan and Jack blossom. These two are so intertwined, codependent, in love with being in love. It's non stop lust overload. I loved every moment. 💕

The second half of the book all hell breaks loose. Its suspenseful, stressful, intense and a total mind fuck. Knowing General Madigan is evil incarnate doesn't make the mystery of his followers any less enticing. Trust no one. Despite being enemy of the state, number one on the terrorist list he outmaneuvers everyone, his plans have plans and his followers are embedded deep and he's ten steps ahead at all times. He is one well crafted villain *shudder*

“The best way to utterly break a man, General, is to take him to his absolute limits and then wrench him beyond them. Brutally. Rip away everything a man holds dear, one by one. Strip him of his security. His safety. His sanity.” Madigan smiled. “And then he’s yours to destroy.”

This book has it's OTT moments, foolish heroics, ridiculous near-death experiences and dramatic displays of love.

My absolute favorite thing is that Ethan and Jack are fallible. Their important roles doesn't negate the fact they are men and as they say it takes a village. They fall apart, they fuck up, they make dumb decisions but they're surrounded by such incredible allies. Honestly without them I dont know how Jack would accomplish anything, he's a bit of a mess

Allies that I've grown to love just as much as Ethan and Jack.

Sergey Puchkove, Russian president, gruff, idealistic, snarky. Sasha Andreyev, his right hand man with the unrequited love and hero worship he's bestowed upon Sergey. these two, seriously, all the hearts

Marine Lieutenant Adam Cooper and his love for Prince Faisal al-Saud of Saudi Arabia. Constantly crooning endearments in arabic. They couldn't be cuter

As a treat you even get short stories at the end that shows the beginning of those background romances.

This series is seriously gripping, nail-biting, edge of your seat kind of read and the romance is ever present. Loved every second.

[Antisocial Recluse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still the most incredible ride! Waiting not so patiently for Enemy Within. I'm preparing for my mind to be blown!

To those five stars, add a bunch more, plus one box of tissues, 9 1/2 missing fingernails and a heart rate that only recently returned to normal! I cannot think of enough superlatives for this second installment from Tal Bauer. They've outdone themselves. You thought Enemies of the State was exciting? Prepare to have your excitement quota BLOWN AWAY!

First and foremost this is a love story. Jack and Ethan are so deeply in love and the strength of their romance is woven throughout this story. Which is an incredible feat, considering the drama, suspense, excitement and danger that our intrepid couple are confronted with. Theirs is not the only love story either but Jack and Ethan's transcends them all. Ethan is navigating his new position as First Gentleman while he and Jack also face public and political backlash. On top of that, Madigan is still on the loose and wreaking destruction on global levels. The turmoil brings greater involvement with Sergey and Prince Faisal and puts Ethan's closest friends and colleagues on the front lines. I enjoyed seeing the expansion of their involvement.

Characterization in Tal Bauer's books is simply phenomenal. It's so easy to slip into this world that Tal has created and feel and react with them. I laughed, sighed and cried my way through every moment. Tal also brings all of their knowledge and experience to every location. I believe they must have spent time in the countries and cities in the story. I really felt that I was experiencing being in Saudi Arabia, in Moscow and in the heart of Washington DC and the environs of the White House. Atmosphere, scenery, everything pulled me right into the scenes and kept me enthralled.

I can't recommend this book any more highly to everyone and anyone. I will be waiting impatiently, groveling and begging for the next installment of this truly epic series. You must read book one before this one.

I received an ARC from the author and I'm pleased and happy to offer my review!

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for fans of intense military action, political intrigue, with a healthy dash of m/m romance. For fans of Jack Reacher, Robert Langdon, Jason Borne, and Mikael Blomkvist.

This story was off the rails INTENSE!!! Silly me and thinking the first book was wild, this one kicked it up to 11. There are so many twists and turns in this book...it's been a long time since I was that shocked. I mean, I had an idea of what could possibly happen, but no where near this craziness. It starts off with this announcement.

The White House welcomes Ethan Reichenbach as the president’s partner and first gentleman of the United States.

I had lots of questions about this, doesn’t the First Lady or First Gentleman have to be married? But the book answered that for me, nope. However, this decision has stirred up a hornets nest.

“Seventy-five other nations also outlaw homosexual behavior, Mr. President.” Elizabeth pulled out a sheet of paper from her padfolio. “Their governments haven’t said much so far, but we’re expecting statements.”

To Jack, this is all new for him, the judgement and commendation. (Which seems weird since he ran under the Republican ticket!) To Ethan, this is exactly what he’s experienced his entire life.

“This…complete dismissal of me as a person. As a man. To them, since I’m gay, and especially since I’m out about it, I’m not worth the same as a straight man. My masculinity. It’s always suspect. I’m always looked at as half of a real man.”

And this is just their personal life! There are so many things happening and characters moving in this story, it wasn’t hard to follow, but it was thrilling and exhausting. I don’t know that I’ve ever read this fast to figure out what the heck was going on!!!

Other than Jack and Ethan, I can’t get enough of Faisal and Adam. This small side story between an American special operations Marine and the Royal head of the Saudi intelligence was such a beautiful forbidden love. The poem Faisal quotes by Kihil Gibran led me down a rabbit trail looking for more from this poet.

There are a few short stories at the end that were such a lovely addition. More from Jack and Ethan, Sergey and Sasha and of course, Adam and Faisal.

[Lisazj1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful present from the equally wonderful Smutty Elf, thanks so much! I can't wait to read this! <3

*Edit* 4.5 stars. Well, I read it, now I need to recover from it! With this book you need to go ahead and suspend disbelief *for the improbable, not impossible*, strap on the seat belt and hang on as best you can. It's a wild, adrenaline filled ride, one emotional tailspin after another and a couple of gut-punch shock moments. I kid you not.

Yet there's also a sweet, tender romance, passionate, sizzling sex and a lot of good men giving their all to try and make the world safe from a powerful group of madmen bent on destroying everything.

I really loved Ethan and Jack here *mostly*. They're together finally, working on building a life with each other. Because nothing is ever easy for them, when everything inevitably blows up, I literally could not put this book down until the one damn thing went right. If i had to wait more than a week to find out what happens next I would absolutely lose my mind. Good timing on reading this now, me. *pats self on the back*

Thanks again to Smutty Elf for the kickass Christmas gift, I loved it! xx

Now I'm going to go collapse and read something sweet.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

**5 stars**

Do you want a rollercoaster of emotion? Read this series.

Happiness, awe, shock, anger, tears, screams broken hearts. Name it. I’ve done it all. I’ve felt it all.

This second book is the best so far. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars because it definitely deserves so much more. It was fast-paced, full of action and never left the romance behind.

Enemy of my enemy continues with Ethan and Jack’s journey as the most controversial couple in the world. I won’t get into the plot because I don’t want to spoil anything. You gotta suffer the same way I did *muahahaha*. If you want: read the blurb, it tells you enough about what you are getting into.

Ethan and Jack’s love just take my breath away. I adore the way they interact with each other and the way they *show me* how truly and deeply in love they are. That’s always a "must-have" for me when I’m reading, especially when it’s a sequel.

“I’m with you all the way”

Again, it hovered over the edge of being way too cheesy at the beginning but with everything that happened AFTER, I’m glad it was like that because I just grabbed myself to those words that were said at the beginning to continue reading through my (and Ethan’s) broken heart.

“I love you,” he breathed. “Know that. No matter what. I love you. And I’ll do anything for this love, Ethan. Anything”

God, seriously if Ethan hurts, I hurt even worse. And I didn't suffer only with him. There are some new side characters introduced by Bauer in this book that I immediately connected with. That’s what I like about Bauer, his writing style sucks you into the story and he makes you feel so much and so connected with the characters that it doesn’t matter who, as long as they are good people, you’ll feel their joy or pain. That’s what happened to me with Adam and Faisal *sigh*. Those two made the story way better for me… I was constantly waiting to read more about them and hoping they’ll stop hurting. They almost steal the show from Ethan and Jake. ALMOST.

And don’t get me started with Sergey and Sasha………….. AND DOC! I love that sarcastic bastard. Adam is a lucky one having him on his team. I hope none of them turns out being the bad guy or I swear I’ll lose my mind.

I’m so thankful for the several POV. It improves the reading experience, it makes you feel like you are watching a movie instead of reading a book and it helps you to get to know more things about different characters.

I like how Bauer continued developing this story. I’m utterly impressed by everything he had built till now; I’m envious of his mind, of his imagination. There are lots of thing going on and there are billion of things he has to take into account to put this story on the edge of realism that............ *gasp*

I’m kinda afraid this will happen on RL now…

This weekend I’ve been reading non-stop so I’ll jump to the third one RIGHT NOW. Who said sleeping is important? I’m relieved they are all out because this one ended on a cliff-hanger and I can’t wait to get started.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

You think you know what this is about? YOU KNOW, NOTHING!

I was not prepared for this book. To begin, you must, absolutely HAVE TO, read book 1, Enemies of the State, FIRST! If you don't read book 1, book 2 will be so far outside of your ability to comprehend, you'll DNF it by 20%. Don't do that!

It is going to be hard to review this without revealing spoilers, which you should not do to yourself. You have to read both of these books without any foreknowledge.

From Book 1 we were introduced to The President of the United States, Jack Spiers, and his Secret Service Agent lead, Ethan Reichenbach. They broke all the rules and came out the other side together. Buuuuut...

Book 2 seriously kicked them in the ass. I was not expecting anything like what I read based on my experience of Book 1. When I read Book 1, I was expecting a simple romance where the President falls in love with his bodyguard. I was not expecting espionage and treason, and assassination plots! And then we get Book 2. Ahh, book 2. Well, whatever you think you know, throw it away. This book is an action packed thriller with twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the VERY. LAST. PAGE.

There is romance (unexpected couples who are too cute for words!) and there is heartache (bring the tissues!!!), immeasurable fear of all variety, and tension. The world is in chaos and Jack and Ethan don't know who to trust. Are their allies really their allies? Are they even safe in the White House?

Loyalties are tested, conspiracies are unraveled but will they learn the truth in time? At the end of Book 2 we don't have all the answers. It does end on a cliffhanger, but it's not jarring. The next book (when is that going to be Tal?) is going to be crucial I think to everything we've experienced so far. It's all been leading up to Book 3 (I assume it ends with Book 3, though I don't know).

I planned my days for a week around reading these two books and I am sooo thankful I had a team of people reading this with me. If you are serious about reading this series, you will find encouragement, support, and a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, here:https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

5 BIG STARS for Enemy of My Enemy. Now the impatient waiting for Book 3.