Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend and have promoted her projects on my blog. However, I purchased this ebook for full price.
Probably the best praise I can give this novel is that I meant to read a chapter or two before bed and when I looked up, my Kindle read 100% and it was past midnight. Oops.
Though this book can be read as a stand-alone, Sam and Micheal from the previous book, Takeover, both make appearances and connect to one of the main characters in this novel.
This book was more intense than the first in the series in two separate ways. The sex is much farther along the kink spectrum and the previous tragedies of the two main characters had me in tears multiple times. Eli and Justin have both had their lives run them through the wringer, and Zabo does an excellent job of doling out the details sparingly. The conflict that these histories create is heart-wrenching, but only inspired me to root harder for the characters to have their happily ever after.
The author also gets a special shout-out for diversity, with one of the main characters representing a minority I haven’t often seen in genre fiction. It was not for diversity’s sake, but instead, the character’s personal history helped to inform his character development.
I already have the next book downloaded and can’t wait to read it.
Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.
Currently reading: “Roman Holiday” (a Chronicles of St. Mary’s short story) by Jodi Taylor and Due Diligence (Takeover #3) by Anna Zabo
“when I looked up, my Kindle read 100% and it was past midnight.”
You can’t really give higher praise!