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Policy of Lies #2
Trustworthy
Ten years ago, lovers and best friends Ivo Toreli and Robert Mackenzie were separated by death.
But sometimes life gives you second chances. Life...and a lot of cybernetic enhancements.
Trust Agent 505 may not remember who he was before he worked security for Trust Insurance, but now his prisoner thinks he knows him. This revolutionary named “Mack,” who has stolen one of Trust’s prized possessions, seems to think Agent 505 is named “Ivo,” someone from his past. Someone he once loved more than anyone on any of the inhabited worlds.
Ivo doesn’t remember any of it, of course. But if he’s going to get Trust’s property back from the revolutionaries, he’s going to have to play along.
And if playing along also means sleeping with a handsome, humorous, and slightly dangerous ex-soldier, all the better, right?
But sometimes life gives you second chances. Life...and a lot of cybernetic enhancements.
Trust Agent 505 may not remember who he was before he worked security for Trust Insurance, but now his prisoner thinks he knows him. This revolutionary named “Mack,” who has stolen one of Trust’s prized possessions, seems to think Agent 505 is named “Ivo,” someone from his past. Someone he once loved more than anyone on any of the inhabited worlds.
Ivo doesn’t remember any of it, of course. But if he’s going to get Trust’s property back from the revolutionaries, he’s going to have to play along.
And if playing along also means sleeping with a handsome, humorous, and slightly dangerous ex-soldier, all the better, right?
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 28, 2019
If I could have a story custom-written just for me, what would it be?
Well, it would be science fiction, of course. It would be about two men in love, of course. Two men who are friends, equals, lovers -- and forced by circumstances beyond their control to wrestle with issues of loyalty and betrayal. Let's make it a second-chance romance, a military SF-thriller, and what the hell, throw in the amnesia trope as well. There should be a thread of humor peeking through occasionally, and don't forget a steamy sex scene or three.
We now have MY PERFECT BOOK.
In theory, Trustworthy is my perfect book. All the ingredients are there. That made it a treat to read, even though the execution fell short of what I was hoping for.
Ivo and Mack, childhood friends and each other's only "family," have an indestructible bond built to last a lifetime. But life can be precarious, especially for soldiers fighting a war against terrorists. And memory is a precarious thing as well. I don't want to spoil anything; you can check out the blurb for a nice overview of what's in store here.
The story's shortfalls I blame primarily on the weird (to me), inexplicable (to me) convention that m/m novels must be teeny-tiny wee little mini-novels (in this case 160 pages) instead of REAL, full-length novels of 300 pages or more. Oh well. I won't get my rant engine fired up for that topic, because if I do I may never be able to shut it off.
But this book gave me at least a taste of what a "perfect for me" story would be like, and I'm grateful to have found it.
Well, it would be science fiction, of course. It would be about two men in love, of course. Two men who are friends, equals, lovers -- and forced by circumstances beyond their control to wrestle with issues of loyalty and betrayal. Let's make it a second-chance romance, a military SF-thriller, and what the hell, throw in the amnesia trope as well. There should be a thread of humor peeking through occasionally, and don't forget a steamy sex scene or three.
We now have MY PERFECT BOOK.
In theory, Trustworthy is my perfect book. All the ingredients are there. That made it a treat to read, even though the execution fell short of what I was hoping for.
Ivo and Mack, childhood friends and each other's only "family," have an indestructible bond built to last a lifetime. But life can be precarious, especially for soldiers fighting a war against terrorists. And memory is a precarious thing as well. I don't want to spoil anything; you can check out the blurb for a nice overview of what's in store here.
The story's shortfalls I blame primarily on the weird (to me), inexplicable (to me) convention that m/m novels must be teeny-tiny wee little mini-novels (in this case 160 pages) instead of REAL, full-length novels of 300 pages or more. Oh well. I won't get my rant engine fired up for that topic, because if I do I may never be able to shut it off.
But this book gave me at least a taste of what a "perfect for me" story would be like, and I'm grateful to have found it.
September 6, 2018
There’s nothing better than being proved wrong in a good way.
I started this book almost sure I would dnf. The first in the series was a disappointment and I tried this one only because I’d already bought both before the publisher closed early this year.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the prologue and the rest didn’t disappoint.
Despite my dislike for the amnesia trope, I loved the story and I never found it frustrating. The characters were very well crafted, the plot had a good balance of action and sweetness, touching difficult subjects without ever loosing levity. I practically inhaled this book.
The nine-year gap between the two books (not in the story, between the publication’s dates) is clearly evident. The writing improved so much that I would never have guessed both books were written by the same author, if it wasn’t for the fact that so many of the first book’s strong points could be discerned here, only more polished. The story just flew and it was a pleasure to read.
I started this book almost sure I would dnf. The first in the series was a disappointment and I tried this one only because I’d already bought both before the publisher closed early this year.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the prologue and the rest didn’t disappoint.
Despite my dislike for the amnesia trope, I loved the story and I never found it frustrating. The characters were very well crafted, the plot had a good balance of action and sweetness, touching difficult subjects without ever loosing levity. I practically inhaled this book.
The nine-year gap between the two books (not in the story, between the publication’s dates) is clearly evident. The writing improved so much that I would never have guessed both books were written by the same author, if it wasn’t for the fact that so many of the first book’s strong points could be discerned here, only more polished. The story just flew and it was a pleasure to read.
May 15, 2024
THIS WAS SO GOOD!! The sci-fi military romances I've tried so far haven't been great so I went into this with very low expectations, and not only were my expectations easily met but they were blown away. This was amazing!! The worldbuilding was incredibly well done, the military aspects were done well, the MCs were wonderful, I loved the pacing of their second chance romance and the balance between light/dark moments and action scenes vs emotional scenes was done perfectly.
Sidenote - if you're a Stucky fan and you love those post-CA:TWS fanfics where Bucky is recovering from everything the poor guy's been through then this story is for you! The MCs are very similar to Steve and Bucky and many of the plot beats have direct parallels to Stucky, which is probably another reason why I loved it.
First off, I loved the worldbuilding and the way the author approached it. There was no info-dumping, there was no confusion. The author methodically introduced elements of the world as they became necessary to the plot and I easily kept up with everything. The MCs live on Calypso, an inhospitable desert planet with an atmosphere that's too thin for humans to comfortably breathe so humanity have built multiple large biodomes and everybody lives in them. Big corporations control each of the biodomes and they don't take kindly to people wanting to be independent business people (in particular, those stubborn farmers who insist on not belonging to a conglomerate). So there's a resistance movement consisting of people who spend their time fighting against the big corporations. In addition, we learn about different tech, what living in or outside of the biodome is like, what people's daily lives are like etc. What I loved was how realistic everything seemed. The MCs have spent their entire lives on Calypso and the way they went about their day to day lives, doing their jobs, using specific tech, talking about specific Calypso things immediately immersed me into this world and I felt like I was right there with Ivo and Mack, on Calypso through the entire story. My interest in sci-fi romances is mostly the romance so I'll tolerate subpar worldbuilding but in this case, the worldbuilding was an extra treat because it was so well done.
Another small but important thing I loved is that the MCs at some point and it's as adorable as it sounds.
But the best part of the story was the romance. .
I loved the WTF aspect that was happening from the moment we're re-introduced to Ivo. He's our POV character the entire time but what's great is that none of us - Ivo, Mack, readers - know what the hell happened with Ivo. We also don't know why Mack and because Ivo's our POV character and he couldn't care less, we don't find out right away. There are SO MANY questions that readers and Mack are desperate to know and the answers are slow in coming but when they come - OH BOY!!
Another thing I loved was how the author paced the MC's second chance romance. The book is basically a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers setup, except it's even more interesting because one of the MCs doesn't consider the other an enemy and the other one doesn't remember the first 'lovers' part.
As I said, I loved the way the author paced the second chance romance because Ivo's various issues were always accounted for so no shortcuts could be taken. In a way, Ivo ends up falling in love with Mack a second time, but their relationship is different from what it was 10 years ago, which makes complete sense. And no matter what, Mack is the stone pillar by Ivo's side, putting up with his severe mood swings (including very violent outbursts), his distrust, his confusion etc. We all know that Mack will never leave Ivo's side again because things went to shit the last time he did that and he refuses to lose the man he loves again, especially after the universe gifts that man back to him. Mack will do whatever it takes to help Ivo recover and to reclaim the lives they'd both lost, which is exactly the kind of thing I want in a romance.
There's so much more to the story but I don't want to spoil anything else. There are many things you'll wonder about as you're reading. All of these questions are answered at the right time.
The only thing I wasn't keen on was that there were too many plot threads that the author felt the need to resolve near the end. I guess she didn't want to extend the book but she also didn't want to leave anything open ended, which I appreciate. But things felt a bit messy towards the end. This could have been resolved by leaving out the plotlines that didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things () and spending more time on the ones that did matter, like . In particular, I felt that last reveal wasn't as much of a gut punch as it should have been, since the character in question wasn't a huge part of the story. If those other plotlines had been removed, then the extra space could have been devoted to putting that character in more frequently, which would have led to a much stronger WTF moment when we find out who he is.
But asides from that minor quibble, this book was incredible, not just as a romance but as a sci-fi romance. If you're a fan of second chance romances, military romances and/or forced proximity romances, I highly recommend this one. And if you're a Stucky fan - run, don't walk.
Sidenote - if you're a Stucky fan and you love those post-CA:TWS fanfics where Bucky is recovering from everything the poor guy's been through then this story is for you! The MCs are very similar to Steve and Bucky and many of the plot beats have direct parallels to Stucky, which is probably another reason why I loved it.
First off, I loved the worldbuilding and the way the author approached it. There was no info-dumping, there was no confusion. The author methodically introduced elements of the world as they became necessary to the plot and I easily kept up with everything. The MCs live on Calypso, an inhospitable desert planet with an atmosphere that's too thin for humans to comfortably breathe so humanity have built multiple large biodomes and everybody lives in them. Big corporations control each of the biodomes and they don't take kindly to people wanting to be independent business people (in particular, those stubborn farmers who insist on not belonging to a conglomerate). So there's a resistance movement consisting of people who spend their time fighting against the big corporations. In addition, we learn about different tech, what living in or outside of the biodome is like, what people's daily lives are like etc. What I loved was how realistic everything seemed. The MCs have spent their entire lives on Calypso and the way they went about their day to day lives, doing their jobs, using specific tech, talking about specific Calypso things immediately immersed me into this world and I felt like I was right there with Ivo and Mack, on Calypso through the entire story. My interest in sci-fi romances is mostly the romance so I'll tolerate subpar worldbuilding but in this case, the worldbuilding was an extra treat because it was so well done.
Another small but important thing I loved is that the MCs at some point and it's as adorable as it sounds.
But the best part of the story was the romance. .
I loved the WTF aspect that was happening from the moment we're re-introduced to Ivo. He's our POV character the entire time but what's great is that none of us - Ivo, Mack, readers - know what the hell happened with Ivo. We also don't know why Mack and because Ivo's our POV character and he couldn't care less, we don't find out right away. There are SO MANY questions that readers and Mack are desperate to know and the answers are slow in coming but when they come - OH BOY!!
Another thing I loved was how the author paced the MC's second chance romance. The book is basically a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers setup, except it's even more interesting because one of the MCs doesn't consider the other an enemy and the other one doesn't remember the first 'lovers' part.
As I said, I loved the way the author paced the second chance romance because Ivo's various issues were always accounted for so no shortcuts could be taken. In a way, Ivo ends up falling in love with Mack a second time, but their relationship is different from what it was 10 years ago, which makes complete sense. And no matter what, Mack is the stone pillar by Ivo's side, putting up with his severe mood swings (including very violent outbursts), his distrust, his confusion etc. We all know that Mack will never leave Ivo's side again because things went to shit the last time he did that and he refuses to lose the man he loves again, especially after the universe gifts that man back to him. Mack will do whatever it takes to help Ivo recover and to reclaim the lives they'd both lost, which is exactly the kind of thing I want in a romance.
There's so much more to the story but I don't want to spoil anything else. There are many things you'll wonder about as you're reading. All of these questions are answered at the right time.
The only thing I wasn't keen on was that there were too many plot threads that the author felt the need to resolve near the end. I guess she didn't want to extend the book but she also didn't want to leave anything open ended, which I appreciate. But things felt a bit messy towards the end. This could have been resolved by leaving out the plotlines that didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things () and spending more time on the ones that did matter, like . In particular, I felt that last reveal wasn't as much of a gut punch as it should have been, since the character in question wasn't a huge part of the story. If those other plotlines had been removed, then the extra space could have been devoted to putting that character in more frequently, which would have led to a much stronger WTF moment when we find out who he is.
But asides from that minor quibble, this book was incredible, not just as a romance but as a sci-fi romance. If you're a fan of second chance romances, military romances and/or forced proximity romances, I highly recommend this one. And if you're a Stucky fan - run, don't walk.
May 7, 2017
This is the second book in the sci-fi Policy of Lies series and is a solid follow up. Ivo and Mack were involved when they were younger, but they're separated after a battle with rebel forces. Years later Ivo, with no memory of his past, ends up taking Mack prisoner and the reunion begins.
It is definitely not all hearts and flowers and our heroes are certainly made to work for their happily ever. They're on opposing sides of a corporation war and this becomes more apparent with a few surprising admissions from Mack. I enjoyed the world building, which was pretty dark and oppressive. There was plenty of snarky tension between the leads and it was super hot. Ivo has a unique and refreshing voice, despite his memory loss and I just adored Mack.
This was definitely enjoyable, but it felt a little short. If anything, I wanted a little more from the novel, longer maybe and more depth. Good read and I recommend you check out A Policy of Lies. A Policy of Lies
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
It is definitely not all hearts and flowers and our heroes are certainly made to work for their happily ever. They're on opposing sides of a corporation war and this becomes more apparent with a few surprising admissions from Mack. I enjoyed the world building, which was pretty dark and oppressive. There was plenty of snarky tension between the leads and it was super hot. Ivo has a unique and refreshing voice, despite his memory loss and I just adored Mack.
This was definitely enjoyable, but it felt a little short. If anything, I wanted a little more from the novel, longer maybe and more depth. Good read and I recommend you check out A Policy of Lies. A Policy of Lies
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
May 26, 2017
3.75 stars rounded up
Although listed as Policy of Lies #2, I think Trustworthy can still be read as a stand alone. I read A Policy of Lies 7 years ago (gulp!) and I remember nothing from it, but I can still enjoy this one. The world-building might be a little lacking, but the information given is not too difficult to follow.
OR... probably because I just finished reading a Steve/Bucky fanfiction, so the plot of Ivo losing his memory and became pretty much this 'cybernetic-enhanced human' reminded me of Bucky *laugh*.
Anyway, despite the gloomy premise -- Ivo fell, died, revived, lived his life as Agent 505 without memory -- but I thought the whole story had a light tone into it. When Ivo reunited with Mack, whom he took as hostage, Mack chatty behavior slightly diminished the angsty edge.
I loved that this book focused on just the two of them, there weren't a lot of secondary characters in it. I enjoyed all the banters, and Mack trying to make Ivo remembered about the two of them.
It was a good read for me :)
PS: Since this is pretty much a sci-fi genre, I'm going to put this as an entry for my Personal Challenge 2017 ; Category 1: Sci-Fi Romance
Although listed as Policy of Lies #2, I think Trustworthy can still be read as a stand alone. I read A Policy of Lies 7 years ago (gulp!) and I remember nothing from it, but I can still enjoy this one. The world-building might be a little lacking, but the information given is not too difficult to follow.
OR... probably because I just finished reading a Steve/Bucky fanfiction, so the plot of Ivo losing his memory and became pretty much this 'cybernetic-enhanced human' reminded me of Bucky *laugh*.
Anyway, despite the gloomy premise -- Ivo fell, died, revived, lived his life as Agent 505 without memory -- but I thought the whole story had a light tone into it. When Ivo reunited with Mack, whom he took as hostage, Mack chatty behavior slightly diminished the angsty edge.
I loved that this book focused on just the two of them, there weren't a lot of secondary characters in it. I enjoyed all the banters, and Mack trying to make Ivo remembered about the two of them.
It was a good read for me :)
PS: Since this is pretty much a sci-fi genre, I'm going to put this as an entry for my Personal Challenge 2017 ; Category 1: Sci-Fi Romance
August 28, 2019
In a faraway time, on a distant planet far from Earth, Astrid Amara sets up a tale of romantic suspense and cyberpunk assassins, espionage and betrayal, death and resurrection, and it all adds up to a fantastically entertaining story, the second in the Trust series.
Trustworthy read a bit like some Steve and Bucky fic to me. Whether that was Amara’s intention or not, I have no idea, but who cares? I didn’t mind it a bit. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that idea amped up my love of the story by several degrees. The Prologue opens a full decade prior to the meat of the story, but the impact of the introduction was imperative to inspire the appropriate emotional tone. It is beyond obvious that Robert “Mack” Mackenzie and Ivo Toreli are deeply, passionately in love when the story begins. There is no question that they mean to be together and love each other for as long as they both shall live. Their connection is a combination of chemistry and history, and combined, their commitment to each other bleeds from every paragraph.
But then, an unexpected mission goes terribly wrong and ends it all. ‘Til death do you part becomes a painful reality, and it was impossible not to feel the impact of it after Amara had built such a solid connection between Mack and Ivo, and did it with no little precision.
Their reunion ushers in a heavy dose of dramatic conflict when Mack realizes the man trying to kill him is the man he’d buried a decade before—perhaps not the same man in every way, but his Ivo nevertheless. Ivo’s enhanced cybernetics comes along with a case of drug dependency and coercive amnesia which exposes how effectively Mack has lost the love of his life even as he sees Ivo standing before him. That they are in pursuit of an item of no small consequence on behalf of opposing factions sets up their forced proximity and subsequent isolation, Ivo’s grudging dependence on Mack as he goes through withdrawals, some unexpected revelations—which is never not great—and Mack’s determination not to lose Ivo a second time. The only urge Ivo feels, however, is to complete his mission, and if that means sleeping with Mack, betraying him, and/or killing him in the process, so be it.
Trustworthy culminates with all the danger and drama promised along the way, and I loved the way Amara resolved things with Ivo and Mack even if I felt some things were settled a bit too hastily for Ivo. Dragging it out, though, would have only added word count rather than filling in blanks readers can’t fill in themselves, so I was able to go with the flow and simply relish the fact that they’d been given a second chance at a happy ending.
Characters from book one in the series, Policy of Lies, make an important cameo appearance in Trustworthy, but this book is an absolute standalone. Filled with action, danger, and plenty of suspense along with solid world building for such a short novel, Astrid Amara also crafts a lovely romance that engaged both my feelings and my imagination.
Reviewed for The Novel Approach
Trustworthy read a bit like some Steve and Bucky fic to me. Whether that was Amara’s intention or not, I have no idea, but who cares? I didn’t mind it a bit. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that idea amped up my love of the story by several degrees. The Prologue opens a full decade prior to the meat of the story, but the impact of the introduction was imperative to inspire the appropriate emotional tone. It is beyond obvious that Robert “Mack” Mackenzie and Ivo Toreli are deeply, passionately in love when the story begins. There is no question that they mean to be together and love each other for as long as they both shall live. Their connection is a combination of chemistry and history, and combined, their commitment to each other bleeds from every paragraph.
But then, an unexpected mission goes terribly wrong and ends it all. ‘Til death do you part becomes a painful reality, and it was impossible not to feel the impact of it after Amara had built such a solid connection between Mack and Ivo, and did it with no little precision.
Their reunion ushers in a heavy dose of dramatic conflict when Mack realizes the man trying to kill him is the man he’d buried a decade before—perhaps not the same man in every way, but his Ivo nevertheless. Ivo’s enhanced cybernetics comes along with a case of drug dependency and coercive amnesia which exposes how effectively Mack has lost the love of his life even as he sees Ivo standing before him. That they are in pursuit of an item of no small consequence on behalf of opposing factions sets up their forced proximity and subsequent isolation, Ivo’s grudging dependence on Mack as he goes through withdrawals, some unexpected revelations—which is never not great—and Mack’s determination not to lose Ivo a second time. The only urge Ivo feels, however, is to complete his mission, and if that means sleeping with Mack, betraying him, and/or killing him in the process, so be it.
Trustworthy culminates with all the danger and drama promised along the way, and I loved the way Amara resolved things with Ivo and Mack even if I felt some things were settled a bit too hastily for Ivo. Dragging it out, though, would have only added word count rather than filling in blanks readers can’t fill in themselves, so I was able to go with the flow and simply relish the fact that they’d been given a second chance at a happy ending.
Characters from book one in the series, Policy of Lies, make an important cameo appearance in Trustworthy, but this book is an absolute standalone. Filled with action, danger, and plenty of suspense along with solid world building for such a short novel, Astrid Amara also crafts a lovely romance that engaged both my feelings and my imagination.
Reviewed for The Novel Approach
September 7, 2021
4.5 rounded up to 5
I liked this more than I thought I would. The story is familiar - evil corporations, struggling bio farmers, on some unfamiliar planet eking out a living. Our boys were orphans together, lovers, joined the Calypso recon and soldiered for them.
Then one of them died. Ivo. We saw it. But then we met agent 550. Who Mack recognizes instantly as Ivo. I liked the writing, the relationship, the snark. I liked the politics and the world building. I rate it a happy find and an occasional reread.
I liked this more than I thought I would. The story is familiar - evil corporations, struggling bio farmers, on some unfamiliar planet eking out a living. Our boys were orphans together, lovers, joined the Calypso recon and soldiered for them.
Then one of them died. Ivo. We saw it. But then we met agent 550. Who Mack recognizes instantly as Ivo. I liked the writing, the relationship, the snark. I liked the politics and the world building. I rate it a happy find and an occasional reread.
May 1, 2017
3.75 Stars
Having last read A Policy of Lies a few years ago, it took a while for me to reengage with the world building of the story. Trustworthy is the sequel to and part of Policy of Lies series; a sci-fi fantasy set in Calypso, a planet on Sol 10 system. It started with a mix of fun, charming and passionate accounts which peaked on a tragedy.
Told from Ivo Toreli or, later on, Agent 505's POV in first person, it showed the different of the MC's conscience - or lack of thereof - before and after the life-changing incident. That alone got my sympathy for Ivo and Mack, even up to tolerating the (much too often) teary-eyed moments they had throughout the story.
As gloom as that state seems to be, overall tone to this entry is not as dark as Levi & Tiergan's story in A Policy of Lies to me. On the contrary, with such a dismal outlook of life and a few body counts on pages, Trustworthy gave off lighthearted feeling. Most of the time the scenes struck me as a sci-fi road trip, with enemies with benefits making the most of what they had in store.
I liked that this book give some sort of closures to the main characters of both books. That it didn't try to tying up ALL loose ends, but at least give off the promising vibe for their future. That saying, I wish Mack could have his own POV so reader could see his insight. I thought it could bring more emotions to the fore, showed reader the deeper side of Mack than the seemingly always chatty and cheerful person; as well as giving different angle of the story. Especially considering the misunderstanding that brought about the whole lot of anguish and suffering.
Advanced copy of the book is kindly provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Having last read A Policy of Lies a few years ago, it took a while for me to reengage with the world building of the story. Trustworthy is the sequel to and part of Policy of Lies series; a sci-fi fantasy set in Calypso, a planet on Sol 10 system. It started with a mix of fun, charming and passionate accounts which peaked on a tragedy.
Told from Ivo Toreli or, later on, Agent 505's POV in first person, it showed the different of the MC's conscience - or lack of thereof - before and after the life-changing incident. That alone got my sympathy for Ivo and Mack, even up to tolerating the (much too often) teary-eyed moments they had throughout the story.
As gloom as that state seems to be, overall tone to this entry is not as dark as Levi & Tiergan's story in A Policy of Lies to me. On the contrary, with such a dismal outlook of life and a few body counts on pages, Trustworthy gave off lighthearted feeling. Most of the time the scenes struck me as a sci-fi road trip, with enemies with benefits making the most of what they had in store.
I liked that this book give some sort of closures to the main characters of both books. That it didn't try to tying up ALL loose ends, but at least give off the promising vibe for their future. That saying, I wish Mack could have his own POV so reader could see his insight. I thought it could bring more emotions to the fore, showed reader the deeper side of Mack than the seemingly always chatty and cheerful person; as well as giving different angle of the story. Especially considering the misunderstanding that brought about the whole lot of anguish and suffering.
Advanced copy of the book is kindly provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2017
Liked this even better than the first one.
May 11, 2017
All in all, I enjoyed this story. It was a somewhat simple MM Military Romance with gritty diction and stark themes. None of the technology was extremely advanced, so it had more of an urban science fiction feel, but you could tell humans had been bopping around the stars for some time. Even though the science fiction was light but well-thought out and there was blood and guts and violence, the story was very much a Romance. There’s even love and puppies and other mushy stuff. It read quickly–I finished it in a few hours–and didn’t seem as layered as what I’m used to with Amara’s work.
I can’t really say I connected two either of our protagonists, Ivo and Mack. They seemed a bit sickening sweet to each other in the beginning (which may say more about me than the work itself) and the transition into ten years later didn’t feel as long or as heavy as it should have felt. Part of me wonders if that was a point of view problem but maybe it’s just me. Like I said, this was an easy plot and it chugged along nicely.
This is sort of standard MM Romance, with not too many gay contemporary issues dealt with. You could have made the characters straight and it wouldn’t have changed the story much, but this takes place in the future so maybe they are more socially advanced than we are. Something I did find interesting, was that Justin didn’t remember he was gay or bi at first, or at least he’d never considered it; being hooked up to so many drugs it was impossible for him to remember the day of the week, let alone his normal sexual response.
Even though there was a strong military romance theme, I think I would have liked more military themes and more science fiction, also less romance in the beginning and a longer slow burn. I wasn’t completely buying the lovey dovey stuff, but ignore me–enjoy your ooey gooey love fest!
Even though this is a part of a series, it’s a standalone. Similar works: Shadow Fray by Bradley Lloyd, Gryfalcon by Anna Butler, or if you want something a bit more erotic, Dark Space by Lisa Henry. All three are MM military romances with Shadow Fray and Gyrfalcon both being lighter on the explicit sex, while still mentioning cock and ball bits… and so I don’t end a review with ‘cock and ball bits’, I’m going to finish writing this sentence.
I can’t really say I connected two either of our protagonists, Ivo and Mack. They seemed a bit sickening sweet to each other in the beginning (which may say more about me than the work itself) and the transition into ten years later didn’t feel as long or as heavy as it should have felt. Part of me wonders if that was a point of view problem but maybe it’s just me. Like I said, this was an easy plot and it chugged along nicely.
This is sort of standard MM Romance, with not too many gay contemporary issues dealt with. You could have made the characters straight and it wouldn’t have changed the story much, but this takes place in the future so maybe they are more socially advanced than we are. Something I did find interesting, was that Justin didn’t remember he was gay or bi at first, or at least he’d never considered it; being hooked up to so many drugs it was impossible for him to remember the day of the week, let alone his normal sexual response.
Even though there was a strong military romance theme, I think I would have liked more military themes and more science fiction, also less romance in the beginning and a longer slow burn. I wasn’t completely buying the lovey dovey stuff, but ignore me–enjoy your ooey gooey love fest!
Even though this is a part of a series, it’s a standalone. Similar works: Shadow Fray by Bradley Lloyd, Gryfalcon by Anna Butler, or if you want something a bit more erotic, Dark Space by Lisa Henry. All three are MM military romances with Shadow Fray and Gyrfalcon both being lighter on the explicit sex, while still mentioning cock and ball bits… and so I don’t end a review with ‘cock and ball bits’, I’m going to finish writing this sentence.
April 18, 2023
So I finished this book in a day and I really wanted to try and make it last, but I neglected my deadlines and devoured this incredible novel. It broke my heart so much!
The Prologue sets up Mack and Ivo's relationship really well before the battle where so that you really feel connected to them before this.
I loved the world that Astrid has created her description of Calypso and the sand dunes was wonderful and beautifully done. Amara has a way of creating her world that makes her fantasy and Sci-Fi so brilliant and Trustworthy didn't disappoint.
some lines will stay with me like "it was hard, sometimes, to love someone so intensely that you felt like breaking just by breathing the same air as them."
This is a very sad read but I loved every minute of it and had a happy ending. I found it impossible to put down and want to re-read it again.
The only slight criticism I have is that It wasn't long enough. I feel that there is so much potential here for more. Maybe we could have had another 100 pages of Mack and Ivo at the beginning before the time skip.
But is it a criticism if I wanted more?.... I guess not.
Overall 4.5 stars!!! And another publication by Astrid very soon ;)
The Prologue sets up Mack and Ivo's relationship really well before the battle where so that you really feel connected to them before this.
I loved the world that Astrid has created her description of Calypso and the sand dunes was wonderful and beautifully done. Amara has a way of creating her world that makes her fantasy and Sci-Fi so brilliant and Trustworthy didn't disappoint.
some lines will stay with me like "it was hard, sometimes, to love someone so intensely that you felt like breaking just by breathing the same air as them."
This is a very sad read but I loved every minute of it and had a happy ending. I found it impossible to put down and want to re-read it again.
The only slight criticism I have is that It wasn't long enough. I feel that there is so much potential here for more. Maybe we could have had another 100 pages of Mack and Ivo at the beginning before the time skip.
But is it a criticism if I wanted more?.... I guess not.
Overall 4.5 stars!!! And another publication by Astrid very soon ;)
June 10, 2017
4.5 stars
I was excited to see this book available, because as much as I loved Policy of Lies and it's world, there were a few things I wanted to see tied up and this book did that for me. While they were just minor characters in this story, I greatly enjoyed the appearance of Tiergan and Levi from book one.
This author's writing style always works for me, and this is no exception. I enjoyed how she handled the timeline of the story and the juxtaposition of the character was so well handled. I rather wish we had gotten some Mack POV in the story, but even without that, it had lots of feels and just the right amount of angst for me.
If you read book one, DEFINITELY read this. If you have not yet read book one, I suppose this could be read as a standalone, but you'd miss a lot of world-building from book one... and a great read.
I was excited to see this book available, because as much as I loved Policy of Lies and it's world, there were a few things I wanted to see tied up and this book did that for me. While they were just minor characters in this story, I greatly enjoyed the appearance of Tiergan and Levi from book one.
This author's writing style always works for me, and this is no exception. I enjoyed how she handled the timeline of the story and the juxtaposition of the character was so well handled. I rather wish we had gotten some Mack POV in the story, but even without that, it had lots of feels and just the right amount of angst for me.
If you read book one, DEFINITELY read this. If you have not yet read book one, I suppose this could be read as a standalone, but you'd miss a lot of world-building from book one... and a great read.
October 29, 2017
3,5- Stars
May 31, 2017
Review can be read at It's About The Book
First off I haven’t read the first book in this series. I bought it years ago. Always meant to read it but like so many others just haven’t yet. That being said I did not feel like I was missing anything. I do however need to bump it up on my TBR because this was a pretty good read. The world building is fascinating. I was engaged from the first page. It’s a quick and intense read that I didn’t want to put down. I’d be happy to see this series continue.
It starts off with the MCs as soldiers in an army on the planet Calypso. They’ve been friends most of their already sad lives. Both orphaned at young ages they formed a bond. Transitioned to lovers. They’re everything to each other basically. Then tragedy strikes. Mack thinks he loses Ivo but on a mission years later he finds him alive but not the same man at all. Ivo has no memory of the man he loved more than anything in the world. Ivo is a tool. A killing machine for a company with no point too low to sink. A company willing to do anything to keep it’s power. Mack is in the resistance fighting that company. So the guys find themselves on opposite sides when they reunite. Ivo has no memories of his prior life so trusting what Mack, the enemy to him, says isn’t as easy as it should be.
I loved almost everything about this book. Ivo was a mess. His addiction and memory loss was a crutch for the plot to rely on heavily at times but it all worked. I did feel like there were moments the book got a little crude but these guys are soldiers and they’ve never had to sensor themselves with each other. I did feel the deep connection between the guys. I hated the bad guys. The politics and intrigue involved were very interesting. Great world building. This is a really good story. If you love soldiers and Sci-Fi or even just a good vs evil type of story I think you’ll enjoy this quick read. I can’t believe I waited all these years to delve into this world. At least I have another book to pick up ASAP!
First off I haven’t read the first book in this series. I bought it years ago. Always meant to read it but like so many others just haven’t yet. That being said I did not feel like I was missing anything. I do however need to bump it up on my TBR because this was a pretty good read. The world building is fascinating. I was engaged from the first page. It’s a quick and intense read that I didn’t want to put down. I’d be happy to see this series continue.
It starts off with the MCs as soldiers in an army on the planet Calypso. They’ve been friends most of their already sad lives. Both orphaned at young ages they formed a bond. Transitioned to lovers. They’re everything to each other basically. Then tragedy strikes. Mack thinks he loses Ivo but on a mission years later he finds him alive but not the same man at all. Ivo has no memory of the man he loved more than anything in the world. Ivo is a tool. A killing machine for a company with no point too low to sink. A company willing to do anything to keep it’s power. Mack is in the resistance fighting that company. So the guys find themselves on opposite sides when they reunite. Ivo has no memories of his prior life so trusting what Mack, the enemy to him, says isn’t as easy as it should be.
I loved almost everything about this book. Ivo was a mess. His addiction and memory loss was a crutch for the plot to rely on heavily at times but it all worked. I did feel like there were moments the book got a little crude but these guys are soldiers and they’ve never had to sensor themselves with each other. I did feel the deep connection between the guys. I hated the bad guys. The politics and intrigue involved were very interesting. Great world building. This is a really good story. If you love soldiers and Sci-Fi or even just a good vs evil type of story I think you’ll enjoy this quick read. I can’t believe I waited all these years to delve into this world. At least I have another book to pick up ASAP!
December 8, 2024
4.5 rounded up
I liked this more than I thought I would. The story is familiar - evil corporations, struggling bio farmers, on some unfamiliar planet eking out a living. Our boys were orphans together, lovers, joined the Calypso recon and soldiered for them.
Then one of them died. Ivo. We saw it. But then we met agent 550. Who Mack recognizes instantly as Ivo. I liked the writing, the relationship, the snark. I liked the politics and the world building. I rate it a happy find and an occasional reread.
I liked this more than I thought I would. The story is familiar - evil corporations, struggling bio farmers, on some unfamiliar planet eking out a living. Our boys were orphans together, lovers, joined the Calypso recon and soldiered for them.
Then one of them died. Ivo. We saw it. But then we met agent 550. Who Mack recognizes instantly as Ivo. I liked the writing, the relationship, the snark. I liked the politics and the world building. I rate it a happy find and an occasional reread.
June 16, 2019
Read for the TBR Series Knockout challenge. I'd read the first book in the series for the Pushing Boundaries challenge, and enjoyed it so much, I put the sequel on my reading list.
Astrid Amara is likely to be added to my list of favorite authors. This is the third book of hers I’ve read and I’ve highly enjoyed all of them.
Trustworthy takes place in the same world as A Policy of Lies, only 20 years later. The main characters are new (because who wants to read a book about 50-somethings when 20- and 30-somethings are so much more attractive *end saracasm*), but the books share a common enemy, Trust Insurance.
These two characters are what makes this book so special. Ivo and Mack have been friends—and more— since they were five years old.
Mack is thrilled to find Ivo alive 10 years after he'd watched him die. Ivo/Agent 505 doesn't remember Mack or anything about his past. But as the two are forced into close quarters for a week or so, some things about Mack stir Ivo's subconscious. He calls Mack names he used in the past (smartypants, Tiger) and every once in a while, he finds tears in his eyes. The trip is not without its problems. Storms arise, dogs are rescued, Mack throws away all of Ivo's Peak (a highly-addictive drug Trust provides its agents to keep them under control) and Ivo goes into severe withdrawal.
Once back to civilization, Mack meets with fellow revolutionaries Levi and Tiergan, the two protagonists from A Policy of Lies. Tiergan, with his laser eye, treats Ivo's broken thumb, and Levi, still a reporter, interviews Ivo to uncover all the evils Trust has done.
Trustworthy is a wonderful book, even if it's a bit short. There's even enough left up in the air for there to be a third book. I'd be up for that, but I don't think it's going to happen. Guess I'll just have to read something else by Astrid Amara.
Astrid Amara is likely to be added to my list of favorite authors. This is the third book of hers I’ve read and I’ve highly enjoyed all of them.
Trustworthy takes place in the same world as A Policy of Lies, only 20 years later. The main characters are new (because who wants to read a book about 50-somethings when 20- and 30-somethings are so much more attractive *end saracasm*), but the books share a common enemy, Trust Insurance.
These two characters are what makes this book so special. Ivo and Mack have been friends—and more— since they were five years old.
From day one we had each other’s backs. And when puberty struck, we had each other’s fronts too.Ivo, the narrator, tells us the history of his relationship with Mack in the prologue. He does such a great job of describing the two of them—all with tongue planted firmly in cheek—when we meet up with Mack 10 years later, he still exhibits the traits Ivo so lovingly described.
... he was also a brilliant motherfucker with a fabulous memory, a great knack for fixing things, voracious reading habits, and a total sucker for postcoital snuggles. He was complicated like that.Except now Agent 505 doesn’t remember Mack and finds his constant motion and chatter annoying. But the two have to team up to find the missing thingamabob that Mack stole from 505 and dumped in the desert. Road trip!
I liked blowjobs, beer, and shooting things. That was it, honestly.
Mack is thrilled to find Ivo alive 10 years after he'd watched him die. Ivo/Agent 505 doesn't remember Mack or anything about his past. But as the two are forced into close quarters for a week or so, some things about Mack stir Ivo's subconscious. He calls Mack names he used in the past (smartypants, Tiger) and every once in a while, he finds tears in his eyes. The trip is not without its problems. Storms arise, dogs are rescued, Mack throws away all of Ivo's Peak (a highly-addictive drug Trust provides its agents to keep them under control) and Ivo goes into severe withdrawal.
Once back to civilization, Mack meets with fellow revolutionaries Levi and Tiergan, the two protagonists from A Policy of Lies. Tiergan, with his laser eye, treats Ivo's broken thumb, and Levi, still a reporter, interviews Ivo to uncover all the evils Trust has done.
Trustworthy is a wonderful book, even if it's a bit short. There's even enough left up in the air for there to be a third book. I'd be up for that, but I don't think it's going to happen. Guess I'll just have to read something else by Astrid Amara.
February 12, 2021
You definitely do not have to read the first to read this one, but I think it helps in understanding exactly what Trust Ins. is doing and how.
I loved this one, and I'm not sure if it was just personal taste. The story flowed better for me. I loved Mac and Ivo. I appreciated the realism woven through like smells after being days in the desert. The little dog was the best. I thought the purpose and plan of the revs was clever and actually set up well, meaning, the example, Mac didn't just magically have the tech skills needed. I did have some issues; we learn what happened with Ivo's Dad, but nothing about the mom. Where was she? (I can maybe assumptions, but...) I was a little confused with the timeline during the chase through the desert. Also, at first, I didn't follow our understand that the package was propelled a distance off instead of just dropped out of the vehicle. Yet, none of these issues hampered my enjoyment of the reading. Overall I felt this book hit all the bases at least good if not well. I was touched by Mac's joy in seeing Ivo alive, held in suspense on how the revs would succeed, happy to see the Doc and Levi.
I loved this one, and I'm not sure if it was just personal taste. The story flowed better for me. I loved Mac and Ivo. I appreciated the realism woven through like smells after being days in the desert. The little dog was the best. I thought the purpose and plan of the revs was clever and actually set up well, meaning, the example, Mac didn't just magically have the tech skills needed. I did have some issues; we learn what happened with Ivo's Dad, but nothing about the mom. Where was she? (I can maybe assumptions, but...) I was a little confused with the timeline during the chase through the desert. Also, at first, I didn't follow our understand that the package was propelled a distance off instead of just dropped out of the vehicle. Yet, none of these issues hampered my enjoyment of the reading. Overall I felt this book hit all the bases at least good if not well. I was touched by Mac's joy in seeing Ivo alive, held in suspense on how the revs would succeed, happy to see the Doc and Levi.
May 29, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
I really enjoyed Ivo and Mack's story. The story is told exclusively from Ivo's perspective and you really come to feel for him throughout his journey. I really loved Mack and the way he never gave up on Ivo once they were reunited. They made a really good team.
The story itself was good. It was giving off major Robocop vibes to me, but I didn't think that was a bad thing at all. You definitely don't need to read the first book in the series in order to enjoy this book. I didn't even know it was part of a series until I finished it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a bit of sci-fi.
I really enjoyed Ivo and Mack's story. The story is told exclusively from Ivo's perspective and you really come to feel for him throughout his journey. I really loved Mack and the way he never gave up on Ivo once they were reunited. They made a really good team.
The story itself was good. It was giving off major Robocop vibes to me, but I didn't think that was a bad thing at all. You definitely don't need to read the first book in the series in order to enjoy this book. I didn't even know it was part of a series until I finished it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a bit of sci-fi.
June 5, 2021
I really liked this book. The whole reunited-after-supposed-death thing is right up my alley, but it’s super hard to find books with that theme. My only complaint is that I’d like to have seen more of what these two get up to after the dust settles, but that’s probably just me being greedy.
September 7, 2018
4.5 stars
I'm not sure I can say enough good things about this book. Simply outstanding.
I'm not sure I can say enough good things about this book. Simply outstanding.
did-not-finished
May 10, 2018Dnf 56%
Maybe I will come back to it one day. When I'm in the mood. I'm bored reading it..
Maybe I will come back to it one day. When I'm in the mood. I'm bored reading it..
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