Review: Final Lover (Exit Strategy #3) by Jocelynn Drake

Rating: 4.75🌈

Final Lover while only being the third book in the series really puts the finishing touches on the romance of Justin Mallory and Gabriel Prescott. Now semi-retired and living in the high security house of their dreams in Colorado with their two cats and two German Shepherds, things should be easy.

But with the damaged pasts, high adrenaline needs for excitement or just something to keep a unusually intense mind occupied, both men are wondering what’s next for them. How do they get a HEA? Is it even possible?

A slide into a case involving a targeted man and young son on the run, an old acquaintance of Gabriel’s, and a mystery that will form the basis of the next book and relationship, Forbidden Lover #4. That’s an entirely new couple and dynamic.

Drake does such an excellent job creating a believable portrait of an established relationship that’s still got issues to solve, factors that each person must consider and communicate to their partner. Even among the assassins/mercenaries, whatever the job title they have at the moment. It’s still a fully developed adult relationship, with the requisite trust and commitment issues. And Drake brings that to their table every time.

The mystery, the new assassin Kai, the vulnerable father and son, even the GSDs and Norwegian Forest cats, are fantastic characters and support elements.

This is wonderful entertainment and a fast paced story to dive into and devour.

As is the series.

The next two books find Justin and Gabriel acting in secondary roles so enjoy them in their Final Lover fashion!

I’m highly recommending it.

The series should be read in the order that they were written to understand the character development and events that happened.

Exit Strategy series:

✓ Deadly Lover: Special Edition #1

✓ Vengeful Lover #2

✓ Final Lover #3

✓ Forbidden Lover #4

✓ Accidental Lover #5

Buy Link:

Final Lover (Exit Strategy Book 3)

Description:

Two assassins meet, don’t kill each other, and fall in love.

It’s happily ever after, right?

Not so fast.

Reformed mercenaries Justin Mallory and Gabriel Prescott have taken the big leap of living together. They’re even working together.

But “one last job” has them taking a falsely accused man and his young son into their home for safe keeping.

While dodging bullets and fellow hitmen out for the $27 million bounty, Justin and his G Love realize that falling in love was the easy part. Building a life together might be more than they bargained for.

Join Justin and Gabriel for their final adventure as they protect an innocent man and uncover the missing piece to their forever.

Review: Deadly Lover: Special Edition (Exit Strategy #1) by Jocelynn Drake

Rating: 4.5🌈

Deadly Lover is my second book that I “backtracked” to when I discovered the couple in the course of reading a sequel series, Shadow Elite.

This couple, now “semi-retired”, are deadly assassins who are uncles to Alexei, an assassin as well and lover of Soren. They’re both infamous and family due to their roles and now new connections so they certainly pop up during missions or gatherings.

It didn’t take long for them to become a couple I seriously wanted a history for.

Deadly Lover begins their journey. It’s where they meet, begin a tenuous understanding of each other and start a relationship that teeters between a frightening friendship and something more fragile.

All while chasing a mystery and in turn finding themselves prey in a game where it’s billions of dollars and lives at stake.

Drake takes a chance with the dynamics here and tilts the revelations being delivered all on the side of assassin Gabriel Prescott. A deeply haunted, damaged man, the trauma of his past makes itself known by his scars, his arrays of tattoos, and his PTSD. All of which will be addressed as part of his character’s thread as the series progresses.

The character of Justin Mallory is more of an enigma. As the relationship between the men develops and the trust of their true selves becomes a final test, it’s Justin who’s that last one with the barriers raised. He’s fluid and yet he’s got a strong core. So you get him and can connect with him without having any history or knowledge about him.

This dichotomy between the main characters surprisingly works because our focus is on Gabriel, his emotional damage and trauma, while maneuvering the reader away from the narrative void that is Justin Mallory’s history and foundation.

It makes you wonder what’s coming.

The path they are on is halting, uncertain, and dangerous. The author never lets us or them forget that either.

The book ends not even on a HFN which is realistic. But on a we are going to try to make it work.

The next novel picks up several months later. It’s quite the transition.

Review coming soon.

I’m most definitely recommending this series. And Deadly Love. It’s well written. Great plotting, with a fascinating framework for the characters and relationship growth going forward. Full of exciting action and dialogue to pull you into the conversation, it’s a win all around.

Exit Strategy series:

✓ Deadly Lover: Special Edition #1

✓ Vengeful Lover #2

◦ Final Lover #3

◦ Forbidden Lover #4

✓ Accidental Lover #5

Deadly Lover: Special Edition (Exit Strategy Book 1)

Description:

New Expanded Content for Deadly Lover!

Justin Mallory is an assassin. But he’s really a good guy.

He has years of bad decisions to make up for, starting with agreeing to join the CIA after being recruited out of the Marines. No reason to add more black marks to his soul.

Now he chooses the jobs and he works always alone. It’s safer that way, and he can make sure the good guy always wins.

But this job…he can’t do alone.

Two scientists are dead and a dangerous drug is on the cusp of winning FDA approval if he doesn’t track down the culprit behind the lies and murders.

Gabriel Prescott is a well-trained, efficient, and cold-blooded killer. After a brutal betrayal left his lover dead, Gabriel is out only for himself.

But when this lucrative contract lands in his lap, he can’t pass it up. Even if it means working with the unpredictable and insane Justin Mallory.

Dodging bullets and secret meetings force them to depend on each other.

And one hot, frantic night together leads to a hidden sweetness and questions of whether they could possibly have something more.

Author’s Note: As a gift to readers, I have expanded the original Deadly Lover by nearly 20,000 words, giving readers a deeper understanding of Justin and Gabriel. Furthermore, I have added the short story Lover Calling to the special edition so you can enjoy even more of these fun assassins.

RELEASE BLITZ for Cold Light – Criminal Delights: Assassins by Michelle Frost (excerpt and giveaway)

Cold Light RDB

Cold Light: Assassins

Criminal Delights Series, Book 14

Michelle Frost

Dark M/M Romance, Assassins, Motorcycle Club

Release Date: 06.03.19

Blurb

Being an assassin wasn’t something Lexington Campbell ever envisioned for himself, but after spending eight years doing just that, he’s prepared to take his place at the table of his father’s motorcycle club, The Iron Heretics.

Arden spends his nights dancing on stage at Spritz, one of St. Louis’s hottest night clubs, and waiting for Lex to pass back through town. After being orphaned young, he fears letting himself get too attached to the distant, bearded Lex, even after three years of inviting the man into his bed.

When Lex finds himself with a price on his head, he unknowingly pulls Arden into the darkness with him. When things aren’t what they seem, and enemies abound, will they find themselves still standing together in the cold light of day?

Warnings: attempted sexual assault, blood, graphic violence, morally dubious characters

http://getbook.at/ColdLightCD

Cold Light Teaser 2

Cold Light Teaser 1

Excerpt

“Lex?” Arden’s voice was worried and he spun to find his lover at the bottom of the stairs looking adorably rumpled, with his blond hair sticking out every which way, and his long pale legs bare and sticking out of the bottom of one of Lex’s t-shirts.

A flare of panic lit in his chest, but he quickly extinguished it. He wouldn’t let prejudice or his father’s decade old warning stop him from acknowledging Arden for exactly what he was: his. “Baby, this is Mace,” he pointed to Mace. “And…” he trailed off as he turned to the other men, all three of them staring at Arden like teenage boys at a wet t-shirt contest. “Hey,” he barked, voice deep and commanding. “Mind reeling in your tongues and introducing yourselves?”

Mace laughed beside him, setting the mugs on the table and walking over to Arden. Lex felt the tic in his jaw, but held himself in check, no matter how badly he wanted to walk over there and step between them. “You’ll have to forgive us,” Mace said, charm that Lex knew he wielded like a weapon in full effect. “We didn’t realize Lex had company. I’m Mace, taught your boy everything he knows. Well, everything interesting anyway.” He winked. “And those three are Larry, Moe, and Curly.” Arden’s eyes went wide, darting between Lex’s face and Mace’s. “I’m just shitting you. They’re Axel, Waylon, and Damon. And you are?”

“Arden,” he said holding out his hand for Mace to shake. Of course, shaking wasn’t enough and Mace lifted Arden’s hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss against his knuckles.

“Mace,” Lex ground out when he lingered over Arden’s fingers a little too long. Mace released him with a smug look at Lex, but took a step back. “Give us a minute, would you?” he asked Mace and the room at large. The other three were obviously used to Mace’s flair for the dramatic and had already moved to seat themselves around the table and were pouring cups of coffee. One of them—Axel, maybe—had Pip cradled in his lap. Mace turned back toward the table as well, giving them the illusion of privacy.

“Sorry,” Arden whispered when Lex stepped into his space.

Lex pressed a quick kiss to his lips to cut off that line of thought altogether. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about. This is our home and we’re not going to hide here. Although,” he glanced down at Arden’s beautifully muscled legs. “Maybe pants would be a good idea.”

Arden gave him a small smile. “I’m gonna run up and shower to get this,”—he pointed at his head—“under control. Then I’ll be back down.”

Arden disappeared back up the stairs, and Lex was glad no one was standing close enough to see the glimpse of his ass cheeks peeking out from the bottom of those lacy panties he liked to wear sometimes—and under his damned t-shirt too. The man was going to be the death of him. He discreetly adjusted himself before he turned back to the table and Mace lifted an eyebrow at him.

“Not one word,” he warned as he sat down in one of the empty chairs and pulled the coffee pot toward him. As he filled his cup, he kept his eyes on his task, but let his voice take on the low warning tone that would clearly imply exactly what he’d do to any of them if they treated Arden with anything less than respect. He needed to know now if he any of them had a problem with him being gay or Arden being…well, Arden. “If any of you feel like you need to get back on your bikes now that you know—”

“Lex,” Mace interrupted him. “The club’s changed a lot since you’ve been gone.” The corner of his mouth quirked up, undoubtedly remembering one of the numerous times the two of them had almost gotten caught with their pants around their ankles. “We’re Heretics. Non-conforming is kind of what we do.
MichelleFrost_1

Stories have always been Michelle Frost’s escape. Even as a kid, she can remember writing stories featuring her favorite cartoon characters. Now, her characters are a little more grown up, as are the stories she likes to tell. A self-proclaimed coffee addict and a bit of an introvert, she can most likely be found at any given time, on any given day with her hands on a keyboard or her nose in a book.

Amazon Author Page: http://author.to/Michelle

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