I can’t believe this is the first H’s Ankhor book I’ve read because I absolutely loved it!
Though I did read this book as a standalone, I found myself wishing I’d read the earlier books in this series–not because I got lost or couldn’t keep up with the story, but because this MC has obviously been through so much already and I wanted to experience it firsthand. Even without knowing anything about these characters, it was easy for me to get caught up in the steamy tension between Jazz and Tex. This romance is a slow burn, but filled with delicious longing and pent-up desire from the very start. Tex’s complete obliviousness about his more-than-friendly feelings towards Jazz was adorable, even if I did want to scream at him to just make out with Jazz already.
In between all the searing gazes and jerk off fantasies, Jazz and Tex dealt with some seriously stressful situations and dangerous people. When Jazz got thrown back in the local jail for a few hours I was completely freaking out, but seeing how soft and caring Tex was afterwards calmed me right back down and showed me how deep their bond really is. Similarly, my heart was aching when I finally found out what landed Jazz in prison the first time. It’s obvious that Jazz grew up so much while he was away, and I felt as proud as Tex to see him taking on more responsibility and proving he can make good decisions.
David Allen Vargo’s narration took this already great story to the next level. Tex’s accent was totally swoon-worthy, and there was so much emotion in every character’s perspective that these men felt completely real to me. When Tex and Jazz were fighting with the Vipers, I felt like I was right there with them, just as anxious and scared and determined to best them. When Tex and Jazz finally *finally* started hooking up, I felt like I would go up in flames. When Tex doubted Jazz, after everything they’d been through, I felt every ounce of Jazz’s pain. I do think I would have loved this story no matter what, but the narration here definitely enhanced my reading experience.
**I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.