Alpha Barman

J.T.'s Bar #1

by Sue Brown

Jake Tyler walked out of Covert Ops two years ago, a devastated, broken man after he discovered his sister brutally murdered by her husband, Riley. Since then he’s found a kind of peace running a rural bar. The last thing Jake Tyler expects is his former team to turn up with grim news. Jake’s ex-brother-in-law has escaped from prison and is heading Jake’s way. The team is here to protect Jake, whether he likes it or not – a decision reluctantly shared by their leader, Jake’s ex-lover Mitch Mitchelson.

Mitch is angry and hurting. The man he trusted – the man he adored more than anything – abandoned both his team and Mitch. Jake never gave Mitch a chance to help or come to terms with his desertion. Regardless of mission protocols, Mitch isn’t about to open his heart again to that kind of pain.

But the strong attraction between them can’t be denied. How are they ever going to work together when Mitch still resents Jake’s disappearance, and to Jake, the team represents everything that destroyed him in the first place? And meantime they wait for Riley to find them... and to settle the threat once and for all.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Military Fiction, LGBT, Fiction, Audiobook

190 pages, ebook

First published November 24, 2016

About the author

Hot guys, big hearts, Sue's world.
Sue Brown is a Londoner with a dream to live on a small island. Coffee fuels her addiction to writing romance with hot guys loving each other, and her Adorkadog snores in harmony as she creates.

Reviews

[Gigi · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I really liked the blurb for this one, it wasn't able to deliver the hot-covert-ops action like I had hoped. The covert ops group basically sat around the bar, holed up protecting Jake from an escaped felon, and gossiped about their love lives. This set up the future stories for the series, but it did nothing for me. At about 50% my hope was for some hot-and-steamy make-up sex, but it was unremarkable and a little awkward. There is one more sex scene, but it didn't bring the heat.

This one didn't work for me. Cannot recommend.

This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gods, what an obnoxious book. I've read some Sue Brown before, and I can't help but wonder if this is some kind of rerelease from an older book or something....but there's some writing incompetence here that I don't recall from her other books. The characters, especially Jake, are horrible. His motives make very little sense to me. As does the fact that he's supposedly some highly trained, kickass killing machine but in the span of 24 hours, he falls off a barstool and lightly sprains his ankle, then pokes himself in the eye, scratching his eyelid...while merely having a conversation with someone.

Then there are just those weird moments where nothing's gelling the way it should. Mitch tells Si to secure Howie and Jake, Si takes off with Howie, then Mitch is behind the bar screaming at Jake to get down. What a well-oiled machine this covert ops team is.

Or how about when the actual killer, Marshall (who’s a deputy, which is just needlessly fucking confusing) turns out to have started over in the exact same small Wyoming town that Jake ran away to? That's....quite a coincidence.

Oh, there's also this nifty part where Mitch tells Jake that as soon as the sheriff gets their statements, Jake can open up his bar again. Despite the fact that it's a fucking crime scene and no, no, he wouldn't be able to open up after statements were taken.

Marshall's former partner in crime, Emilio Sanchez, gets picked up for a robbery and just decides to confess to a murder from years ago? Really?

Si and Riley never got along, Jake said they were always like oil and water, and Si never stopped believing Riley was guilty, but as soon as Riley is proven innocent, Si is all holding Riley's hand and shit, and Mitch is all, "He missed him" and Jake's like, "They were partners."

WHAT?

For some reason, at the end, Jake is wearing tac pants.

Do bartenders normally wear tac pants?

Sue Brown apparently forgot how to use commas....

"Mitch's hair was wet, slick and droplets of water caught in his chest hair."

No, she wasn’t talking about lube.

Don’t even get me started on this exchange:

”I didn’t hear shots.” “He’s using a silencer.”

The term “and nor was”? Drives me fucking crazy.

This just isn't worth the memory it takes up.

[Erth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being part of a covert team means you live in each other's pockets and you become a family. In Jake and Riley's case they even became brother-in-laws. And life was perfect until it wasn't. Jake found Riley standing over the dead body of his sister holding a bloody knife. In that instance everything changed for them and the team. Now it's years later and an accident has freed Riley to an escape from prison and everyone is positive he's headed to Riley!

Friends, ex-lovers, and murderers seem to be converging on Jake's bar in Wyoming. One way or another answers will be discovered by everyone there!

This is a tension filled story of friendship, family, love, loss, trust and grief. But especially hope. All beautifully wrapped in a romance. The characters come alive in front of you through a skillfully developed plot.

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus - · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobook:

It's not Greg's fault that I didn't really like this book, he did an amazing job as always and at least I could enjoy listening to his voice.

I hope you will enjoy the story more than I did, but if the next book in this series will be out on audio and Greg will be the narrator, I will still gonna listen to it.

[Dia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 stars

I got this as a freebie from Amazon and I must admit I enjoyed the cover and the blurb seemed interesting. Well the story was not. I wanted SO much more. It was supposed to be full of action. I had too high hopes for this one. At least it was free and not very long. I was able to finish it pretty quickly.

I didn't really like the main characters. They were supposed to be strong men, but they acted like teenagers... There's not much steam.

I won't continue this series because I just couldn't get interested in the secondary characters either.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm anticipating a bunch of alpha males with overdosed of testosterone and some good suspense/action. But this book didn't really deliver on the suspense and action front. Right from the beginning, I felt like being thrown into a middle of a series, even though as far as I know there isn't a prequel. I feel a bit disconnected and having a hard time understanding the team dynamic and their relationship.

The main plot of the story, which is Jake's sister being murdered by her own husband, Riley, who happened to be Jake's best friend is plainly unbelievable. Without having prior knowledge of anything, I just knew it from the start. Why would a bunch of so-called 'brothers' not believing Riley is the biggest mystery of all.

When the incident happened, Jake took it hard and flee the team including his long termed boyfriend, Mitch. Apparently, they are in a committed relationship. I did questioned why would Jake do that, but people do fickle things when they undergo a trauma and I forgive him for ditching his own boyfriend. But why can't Mitch locate him? They are in a covert op business, finding someone who doesn't want to be found isn't that hard. Jake even name his bar, JT, like a neon sign saying 'I'm here!'

Due to the weak plot and several issue that doesn't work well for me, I can't find myself to enjoy this book even though I love my alpha male on male action.

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

Filled with repeat arguments, flimsy murder case (where is the motive?!), villain that pretty much came out of nowhere and that case was solved about 2/3rd of the book without ANYONE ever really did a good investigation out of it, instant-love for the secondary characters...

... plus these bad-ass guys pretty much only sat down at the bar doing nothing while apparently the villain was able to track them without lifting a finger.

B.O.R.I.N.G.

[Aeren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Malo no cubre lo suficiente para explicar lo MALO que es este libro, voy a culpar al KU porque en serio, imaginad un cruce de un buen día del Sálvame Limón con algún episodio de una de las muchas series de polis que pululan por nuestra TV. Aparte la redacción parecía como inconexa, frases cortas y dialogos que más servían para rellenar espacio. Parejas sin química, insta love entre secundarios porque claro, semejante maravilla de la narrativa necesita continuación y si sigo me van a bloquear, (otra vez). Huid ahora que podéis, yo voy a necesitar muchas copillas navideñas para deshacerme de ESTO.

[Cadiva · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*

This is one of those books where I can't put my finger on just what it was didn't work for me but there was definitely something.

I didn't feel the chemistry between the two main characters at all, the plot made little sense and was over and done with by 80% only for a new threat to appear out of nowhere and the rest of the supposed special ops team felt under developed.

There's a massive lack of action for a book that's supposed to be about a team of highly trained alpha males and the ex veteran customers are written like they suddenly forgot all their training.

The only real sex scene happens almost at the end of the book and it's practically over as soon as it begins. There's also some interesting punctuation throughout which detracts from the narrative and the book could have done with being tightened up a bit to get rid of stuff which felt like filler.

#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Elyxyz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Voto: 3.5 stelle.
Questo è uno di quei casi in cui la mancanza di mezze stelline mi urta i nervi, perché secondo me servirebbero: tre sono poche, quattro un po’ troppe.
È un libro discreto, che nel complesso mi è piaciuto, ma ho trovato un po’ caricaturali certe scene e soprattutto certi dialoghi, addirittura surreali.
Se però amate i grossi uomini col grilletto facile e i guai col fiato sul collo, mixati con le seconde possibilità e le riappacificazioni col passato, credo che potrebbe piacervi.
Ora sono curiosa di vedere come sarà il prossimo, appena uscito.

[Kristy Maitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not impressed with the story plot even if we get a pulling start. My main problem with it was the fact that Jack or J.T. best friend Riley is charged for killing the love of his live Sharon and nobody believes him even if he is telling everyone that he did not do it.

So times pass and the whole story plot circles around the fact that Riley really did not kill Sharon.

I don't know why but somehow the whole story developing looks ridiculous to me.

[Antisocial Recluse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did some proofreading for this book and an ARC was provided to me by the author for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion. A review was not a requirement.

I really enjoyed this story, especially since it seems like it could be a series starter. I'm a sucker for military and mercenaries anyway. JT, now known as Jacob Tyler, walked away from his team after a personal tragedy. One of his team, Mitch, was also his boyfriend and he too was left behind. Two years later, Mitch and the team appear at the bar Jacob now owns, because of probable danger for him. Jacob is still considered a member of the group but Mitch is still angry over the way he disappeared without a word.

I have to say, the action was a bit sparse and the plot was a little thin in spots. But I enjoyed the secondary characters a great deal, especially the other team members and Jacob's loyal customers, who were also veterans. It's a second chance at a relationship for Mitch and Jacob and they have to work through the issues. There's not a lot of sex scenes, just a couple in the latter part of the story. It was still fun, and funny fairly often. I would like to see some future stories about others in the group.

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake and Mitch are part of a Covert Operations Team, they are also lovers. They are part of a close knit Team of Operatives, like a family, they have each others backs. All this changed when Jake’s best friend and Brother in Law, Riley, is discovered by Jake, standing over the dead body of his wife, Jake’s only sibling.

Jake is shattered by this incident and he secretly resigns and disappears without telling Mitch or other Team members. His Testament lands Riley in jail serving time for the murder of his wife. Jake’s settles thousands of miles away from it all, in a small, peaceful backwood town in Wyoming. Recovering slowly from the trauma of it all, he buys a bar with a local guy, Howie, with the proceeds of his share of the house when he left Mitch.

His peaceful existence is disrupted when he opens the bar one day and sees all his Team Members sitting at a table in the corner. Mitch is among them. Jake is annoyed seeing them there, but when he finds out why, his life is disrupted all over again.

Riley has escaped from prison and is coming looking for Jake.

************************************
‘His Shield’ by Sue Brown is a complete departure from what I would normally read, don’t normally go for gung-ho military action man stuff. Having finished it in a day, I don’t think I’ll be spending much more time with the series. Usually I like series where characters from Book 1 and onwards keep popping up in each successive book.

There was some weird plot lines here that I found odd but I want to avoid, ‘spoilers’. Other reviews apparently noticed them too.

It’s a shame because there are several characters here in Book 1 that I’d like to follow up. Alas and alack. 🥹

[Daniel Mitton · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews. Rated 3.5 out of 5.0 Love Bytes.)

I really like this author, and honestly have enjoyed everything I’ve read that she has written. This start to a new series was also enjoyable, but a little bit unexciting in my opinion. I liked it, but I got to the end, which has a line which will lead directly into the next book, and I didn’t have any strong feelings on whether or not I would grab the next one when it comes out. I’m kind of middle of the road on this one, and will have to wait and see.

The entire story takes place in a bar. Okay, to be fair, there are a few scenes outside the bar, but the story is really set at J.T.’s bar. A little hole in the wall out in the middle of nowhere in the heart of the Midwest.

J.T., or Jake Tyler as he prefers to be called now, left the Covert Ops team that he was on two years before when he found his best friend and brother-in-law, Riley, a fellow team member, standing over the body of his wife with a knife in his hand. The wife was Jake’s sister, and Jake’s testimony put Riley in prison. But Jake’s life fell apart. He quit the team and walked out without a word to the love of his life and team leader, Mitch. Then he fell into the bottle and somehow ended up with a bar. I wasn’t super clear how that happened. I also wasn’t clear on what the Covert Ops team actually did, where they were headquartered, etc. I’m curious if that will be developed in the next book, because it didn’t feel like it was in this installment.

Now Riley has escaped from prison and the Covert Ops team has shown up at the bar to protect Jake. The bar customers, a group of ex-military and retired cops are behind him as well, and the book’s core is the group preparing for Riley’s arrival.

I think what kept me from enjoying the book as much as I had hoped, was the whole Riley story. It was a play on the smoking gun story, but in this case the dripping knife. Jake’s testimony put Riley in jail. Riley said he didn’t do it, they had been best friends for life and Jake didn’t even pause to wonder? A little unbelievable to me, if I’m being honest…even if the dead woman was his sister. And then there was Riley’s escape (conveniently while on the way to the hospital) and trip half way across North America to the bar, all while waiting for his appendix to rupture. I had a friend who had their appendix burst, and leading up to it, they could hardly move, say nothing about steal cars and travel a couple thousand miles while avoiding the police. That didn’t seem realistic at all to me.

Another thing which kind of knocked me out of story is a pet peeve of mine. It is when an author gets a word incorrect across cultures. And this time it was a biggie in my opinion. I lived in the UK for a couple years and I’m familiar with the term “Barman”. It is never used in the US. Here the more gender neutral “Bartender” is the norm. A little thing, but it seemed odd.

For some reason, I never quite felt connected to the characters in the book. I just finished reading it ten minutes ago, and I couldn’t describe anyone in the book. There are quite a few side and background characters in the story, and lots of room for offshoots, so I’m expecting there will be multiple sequels. And as I said at the top, the last line is a total setup for book two.

I’ll end by saying that while I love this author, and the book was an easy and quick read, it left me a little “meh”.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/17/2019)! 🎁

[Giuls · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ne avevo sentito parlare bene, però questo libro non mi è piaciuto.
L’ho trovato abbastanza noiosetto, soprattutto contando che si tratta di un libro in cui l’azione dovrebbe essere prevalente. Invece si passa più tempo ad organizzare il tutto che ad agire. Tutto quello che fin da subito si capisce dovrebbe succede accade più o meno a metà libro e si risolve in poche pagine (e decisamente non come mi aspettavo), poi abbiamo delle scene di discorsi e discorsi e ancora discorsi tra i vari personaggi che mi hanno fatto abbastanza cadere le braccia.
Il grande problema del libro, in realtà, è che non sembra il primo di una serie, si è lanciati completamente nell’azione, tant’è che come prima cosa sono andata a controllare che non avessi sbagliato qualcosa e che non fosse il secondo della serie (almeno). Per questo motivo inizialmente ci ho capito abbastanza poco e probabilmente proprio per questo non sono riuscito ad entrare del tutto nella storia.
I personaggi, inoltre, non mi sono piaciuti per niente. Non ne ho sopportato uno, sono solo un gruppo di uomini con il testosterone a palla che non sono in grado di far niente senza un’arma in mano. Stop, perché questo è quanto vanno in profondità le descrizioni dei personaggi, che quindi sono piatti come delle sottilette e anche di più.

Nel complesso un libro che proprio non mi è piaciuto e che mi ha assai deluso.
La cosa migliore del romanzo? La lunghezza. Per fortuna è un libro corto, altrimenti probabilmente l’avrei anche abbandonato

[Joyfully Jay]

A Joyfully Jay review.

2 stars

Alpha Barman was something of a chaotic frustration to review. On the surface the story is basic and the type of thing I like — guy runs from pain only to be dragged back into confronting everything he tries to abandon. But too many characters, a frankly boring plot, and too little depth made for an unsatisfying read. The story moves quickly enough for the first half, and while it drags considerably during the last chapters, there is a general resolution to most of the niggling plot bunnies. Jake and Mitch are a couple for more than 2 years before Jake walks away. But we aren’t given much insight into that time so when they reconnect, they read more like strangers than old flames. And while that worked to demonstrate the passage of time, it also led to my lack of interest in the characters. We just aren’t told enough about them to care about their relationship, either professionally or romantically. The rest of the team are just shallow in their development and their actions carry little weight, including the insta-love between one of them and Jake’s co-owner in the bar. They seem to exist on page as fillers and to assist with plot contrivances without ever achieving much significance.

Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.

[MillsyLovesBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** REVIEW 3.75 ***

This is my first Sue Brown read and I'm a huge fan of M/M books, so love finding new to me authors.
The Cover is great with a good strong Blurb and i was really looking forward to this book. I enjoyed all the characters but felt this book was missing something. The plot and story line were good, very well written i just feel it could have been longer maybe more of a back story it just felt a little rushed. Is that to say i didn't enjoy it well that would be a NO i did enjoy still. It flowed i just wanted more as it was a short read if there was more i feel it would have made the book even better. I'm not going to give lots of detail about the story as the blurb covers enough i don't like to give to much away would i recommend this author Yes i would her writting is good and story lines interesting. Would i recommend this read again yes i would but i would point out it's a short easy read with good strong characters.
And i will be looking out for the next book there's no major cliffhanger but you get a one line ending leading you into thinking maybe this could be a series.

Reviewed by MillsyLovesBooks

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[Ed Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. There’s something about the way Sue Brown writes that really appeals to me. This is the second book I’ve read by her and I loved them both. In fact, it’s the second book I read by her this week. I like the fact that her stories are slow burn and the characters take their time building up to the sex scenes. I love good raunchy sex as much as anybody, but I also enjoy the slow burn. I’m looking forward to many more enjoyable hours reading her books.

[Candice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ummm....



I won't be reading on in this series.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy this author but I had a bit of trouble with this one. I'm not sure what the problem was cause I liked the characters but the story just felt off. The who done it felt rushed, Mitch & Jake were sparking but not much of a fire imo. I wanted to see more of the secondary characters so the 2nd book is a must.

[Relly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 stars

The idea of this one was good, and the blurb made it sound right up my alley, but unfortunately it didn’t live up to it, and I found myself bored and skimming through. The guys weren’t that much of alphas and there wasn’t really a lot of action. I am interested in Si and Howie’s story but I’m not going to pursue it at this time.

[Trio · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was an adventure. Alpha Barman is the first book in Sue Brown's J.T.'s Bar series.

The audio version of Alpha Barman is performed by Greg Boudreaux.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there were a definition for the phrase “sexual tension” it would most surely be found in author Sue Brown’s latest release, Alpha Barman. Not only is this story loaded with testosterone fueled action, it is also a glorious window into the tight bonds formed between military-like units that are set up for the sole purpose of extraction and protection. Yes, they may have to kill in order to keep the good guys safe, but these are men who take their roles seriously and who redefine the idea of “having one’s back” in a tight situation.

The story appears to be a simple one, yet the emotions that fuel the plot are complex and multi-layered. When Jake arrives at Riley’s house to find him standing over a dead body, dripping knife in his hand, the only thing he can understand is that the man he has called his best friend for most of their lives has just appeared to murder Jake’s sister, Riley’s wife. Without any other thought, Jake becomes the star witness in a circumstantial case against one of their own team–a brother in every sense–and is responsible for having Riley put away in prison. But his sister’s death has taken a toll—one that Jake is not sure he can ever recover from, and the only thing he is sure about is the need to resign from the team and put it far behind him—that includes his closeted lover and team leader, Mitch.

The two had been hiding their relationship for quite some time, and when Jake’s world splits in two, he runs—far from the team and farther from Mitch. He opens a run-down bar in Wyoming, and lives in anonymity for almost two years. But the past has a way of catching up to a person, and when the team suddenly arrives on his doorstep with the news that Riley has escaped, Jake realizes he must face his demons once and for all. It surely doesn’t help that his attraction for Mitch is alive and well and still mutual. Now the race begins to outwit Riley and make sure he doesn’t murder again.

If you are looking for fluff or men who ask questions first and act second, then this story will not be the one for you—but, if you like your men tough and resilient, then read on because the one real strength Alpha Barman has is that it’s packed full of fascinating characters who know their own minds and won’t stop at much to get what they want. This team of guys is disciplined and sharp. They play hard and fight clean, but it’s their loyalty and care for each other that really stand out. They are not afraid to call each other out if they feel that their brother has his head up his proverbial ass. When Jake’s thoughts about Riley’s guilt runs contrary to the rest of the team, they are the first to confront him with questions that he had just been too emotionally overwhelmed to address before. The same goes for Mitch and Jake—there is definite unfinished business with these two, and that sexual tension I mentioned at the beginning of this review is front and center in every interaction they have with each other.

However, before I lead you to believe this is just a alpha mix ‘em up, with sex thrown in for good measure, I will tell you that there is such genuine remorse and pain in Jake and, by association, Mitch, that the tender moments these two allow themselves to share are really good. Theirs is a story of near lost chances and the work they must do to reconcile or say goodbye for good is real and raw. But author Sue Brown doesn’t just give us two interesting characters in this story; instead, she offers up a supporting cast who mesh together so well it is plain to see how these guys became the elite force they are known for being. The dialogue between them is biting and smart, peppered with humor and a sense of camaraderie that is both refreshing and delightful to read.

While Alpha Barman could have given us a bit more action, particularly in the second half of the story, it does leave us with a thrilling ending that is not exactly a cliffhanger, but rather, a tease that alludes to the next story in what I hope will be a long series for this author. There is so much left to explore with this daring group of men, and I’m hopeful that we will get to see these guys in full on fighting mode in the future.

Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach Reviews

[Roxs Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first read by Sue Brown. The blurb really attracted me; I love military style, action, covert operations and sexy alpha men interested in M/M. This book kept my attention because I was really expecting some very exciting action to happen and a major sexual explosion between Jake and Mitch. I kept waiting but when it finally came, it fell short for me.

This storyline had so much potential so I was very disappointed that it didn’t deliver for me. I felt the first half where the team is waiting on Riley to arrive to be considerably unrealistic and dragged on too long. Would a covert operations team of 5 really be assigned to protect one man at a rural location free of charge?

After waiting through half of the book for Riley to arrive, which I believe, was supposed to be the climax, all the secrets of the past are revealed in what I felt was a very rushed and somewhat unrealistic scene. The whole story had really been about the murder of Jake’s sister and whether it was her husband Riley or someone else. When the truth is revealed, it seemed anti-climactic and out of nowhere for me. The story then settles back into Jake and Mitch’s relationship and how or if they are going to move forward together.

The resentment between Jake and Mitch is reiterated too many times without any real conversations to help explain why Jake felt it was necessary to abandon everything 2 years prior and to get their relationship moving forward. Both these men are very stubborn and needed the help of their friends to get their lives back on track. Thankfully, the two do manage to put aside their resentment and anger long enough for a roll-in-the-sleeping bag before they are separated again. The author does give a couple of decent M/M sex scenes to appease the reader.

I don’t want to give away the storyline or discourage others from reading this book since it may be exactly what you like and there is a little teaser at the end to entice you to keep reading when book 2 comes along. It hasn’t enticed me but you need to form your own opinion. I really see this series as having potential and I hope the author manages to bring the excitement to the pages next time.

[Sara]

2 Hearts

This didn’t work for me and that makes me sad because this author is traditionally one that I really enjoy.

I’ll keep it simple.

I didn’t like the way Jake left Mitch. You don’t have a relationship with someone for two years and walk away without a word or a look back. That didn’t sit well with me regardless of Jake losing his shit over the murder of his sister. Just, no dude. Their reunion was full of repeat arguments that should have been put to bed with at least the third go ‘round. I never felt like they were a couple that were in love and it wasn’t because they had to hide at work. For me, that should have made them closer but, whatever.

The threat of Riley made a little sense but how this group of Alpha men that are part of a Covert Ops team did not. There are too many shows on TV today that have taught us how to profile a subject and these men, these former teammates of Riley seemed utterly clueless as to who Riley was. An actual motive was absent and really, the most action we saw was the men moving around the bar and talking about… nothing really. The additional plot of Jake’s sister’s murder was a head scratcher and so over the top that I couldn’t buy into it. I needed more.

I am okay with the relationship progression with Mitch and Jake. I’m totally fine with the side characters and their deal as well, but for me, this didn’t work at all.

The story had a lot of promise but too much was left out to make it believable while robbed me of enjoyment and yet, the last line intrigued me but I don’t know if I will move on with the series.

[Valeria DePaula · Rating 4 out of 5]

✔ Letto! Qui conosco la storia di JT Jake, un ex agente delle squadre speciale,  un duro. Che però va a pezzi, come tutti gli essere umani, quando scopre che il suo amico ha ucciso la propria moglie, che era niente di meno che sua amata sorella. È così perso che lascia tutto i tutti anche l'uomo che convive da più di 2 anni e se ne va, lasciando i vestiti, lavoro, il suo amore, i suoi amici della squadra, per una destinazione ignota a tutti. Senza una parola d'addio... ingrato!
Due anni dopo, la squadra che ha abbandonato con tanta leggerezza lo ritrova nel suo nuovo lavoro. Un bar che porta il suo nome di quando lavorava come agente.... JT. Si ritrovano li per salvarlo dal presunto assassino di sua sorella che a quanto sembra sta arrivando per ucciderlo.
Quello che credeva fosse certo verrà messo in discussione. L'uomo che ha abbandonato farà di tutto per prottegerlo, perché nonostante tutto quello che gli ha fatto, andandosene via senza una parola.😩 Lo ama e lo vuole indietro.😕 I suoi amici della squadra lo considera ancora come un fratello e faranno di tutto insieme a Mitch per tenerlo vivo.
Meritava tutta questa considerazione? forse.... ma io lo avrei fatto soffrire un pochino.
Per me è ❤ ❤ ❤ e 💋 

[Lara71 · Rating 3 out of 5]

La storia aveva un potenziale enorme purtroppo non è stato sviluppata appieno
Mi aspettavo molto di piu' da questo libro
La trama pareva avvincente:un ex agente di squadre di salvataggio ( o simili non ho ben capito) un ex cognato accusato di uxoricidio che evade per vendicarsi dell'uomo' che l'ha mandato in prigione e un ex amante che viene mandato con il resto della squadra di appartenenza a proteggerlo,
Personaggi piatti, la parte suspense risolta con un finale affrettato e inverosimile a mio parere campata in aria mentre la parte romance praticamente è inesistente e mi ha lasciata alquanto insoddisfatta, dopo due anni di lontananza mi aspettavo almeno un chiarimento fatto meglio
Alcune parti parevano messe li tanto per fare pagina, esempio da dove caspita sbuca lo sceriffo con i suoi uomini ?!?!
No, purtroppo non è stato all'altezza delle mie aspettative
Tutto si risolve molto in fretta anche in modo inverosimile
Sarebbe più un 2 però siccome è più poliziesco che altro diamo 3

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read - nothing too taxing (there was an element of whodunnit, but no real suspense), but the range of secondary characters were what really made this - it was almost like a team love affair, not just the two MC. Although this story was well wrapped up the last sentence (literally) set up book two, which I would read.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

bella storia,avventura e amore,hot quanto basta