Review: Divide & Conquer by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux

Divide & Conquer

(Cut & Run #4)

by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

Each and every book in this series feels different than the one before. In FISH & CHIPS there’s quite a bit of emphasis on the assignment that Ty and Zane are thrust into. But in DIVIDE & CONQUER, I feel like the crimes that have been happening all over Baltimore come second to the emotional storm that festers between Ty and Zane.

If you’ve read the last book, Ty reveals something huge at the most inopportune moment, causing Zane to really stumble back and think upon his words. In this book, we finally see Zane’s reaction or, in reality, his non-action. Zane is known for his analytical mind. He is always processing things mentally, but no matter how much or how long he thinks about Ty’s words, he’s unable to conjure up a suitable response. I can’t say that I was frustrated with this part because I feel like I know Zane’s personality and he isn’t the type of person to simply saying something he doesn’t mean. His constant thinking on this subject is SO in character for him that I can’t be mad at him, though I would have loved to hear those special words stem from his mouth.

While bombings are happening all over Baltimore and hitting several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Ty and Zane are caught in the midst of it all. In a sense, I felt like the bombings in the suspense subplot of the book also mimicked the several jaw-droppings “bombs” that Urban and Roux dropped in the character/romantic storyline.

When Ty’s oldest and best friend, Nick visits him along with the rest of Ty’s recon team, Zane realizes that there is someone else out there who cares about Ty as much as he does. However, as more events transpire, Zane doesn’t know just how close Ty and Nick really are...

Urban and Roux end this book with A KILLER ENDING. It gutted me, spinning me off into an emotional breakdown. My heart lurched in my chest. I just don’t see how this is going to work unless one of them breaks. Urban and Roux fuse so much passion and love in their books that I’m surprised that more people haven’t found out about it yet. Regardless of the fact that this is a relationship between two men, this series is the most passionate, emotionally-inspiring romance I’ve read in a long time. I can only hope that Ty and Zane can resolve this mess and show all that love really does conquer all.

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Fish & Chips by Abigail Roux

 

 

Fish & Chips

(Cut & Run #3)

by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

FISH & CHIPS opens with Ty and Zane beating the seven shades of shit out of each other. Immediately, I am grinning from ear-to-ear because I know I am sitting down to read more entertaining scenes such as this one when I’m reading a Cut & Run book.

After Ty and Zane go at it for a couple more rounds, they are called in for duty. Their next case is a doozy which involves chest waxing, eyebrow shaping, massages, spray tan, fake tattoos and the works. Why, you ask? Well because Ty and Zane will be posing as an openly gay couple who are involved in an international smuggling ring on a Christmas cruise in the Caribbean. Ty must work on his British accent, and work even harder to pull off the ridiculous hair color he is sporting on this case.

Ty and Zane are not too thrilled about the prospects of this mission, and they soon find out that more parties are involved, making this assignment far more difficult and exponentially dangerous. After several attempts on their lives, the guys finally take matters into their own hands.

FISH & CHIPS focuses a lot more on the suspense plot, but the romance is still very much there. This storyline allows the romance to bloom and I think Urban and Roux did a fantastic job of incorporating a strong romance awhile still keeping focus with the mystery aspect of the story. There was a great balance.

I am absolutely hooked onto this series! Ty and Zane have me wrapped around their fingers. Every moment is entertaining and I can only imagine the kind of trouble they will get into next in DIVIDE & CONQUER.

Favorite Quote:

“That’s my gun,” Ty said in an offended voice. “They hid my gun in the sex toys? That’s not right, man.”

My Ty: Jensen Ackles

 

My Zane: Eric Bana 

 

 Purchase Links: Amazon

ARC Review: Stars & Stripes by Abigail Roux

 

 

Stars & Stripes

(Cut & Run #6)

by Abigail Roux

Just when I thought I couldn’t love this series any more than I already do, Roux gives us a fantastic, heartfelt, yet adventure-filled ride with STARS & STRIPES! This book blew my mind from beginning to end. Just 30 pages into this book, Roux had me laughing out loud and also crying with the amount of heartbreak. If there is one M/M couple out there who has my heart, it’s Ty and Zane. The trials and tribulations they have experienced by being together are finally brought up in STARS & STRIPES. Readers who have been following this series will finally get what they have been praying for: Ty and Zane come out to their parents. But the reveal isn’t an easy one.

Their parents are just now finding out that their children are gay and they don’t always take it well. Some are more accepting than others and that just warms my heart, but at the same time, there are a few who simply can’t stand the fact that their son is gay and it just breaks my heart to read about this happening to my two favorite guys.

Added to that stress is the fact that Zane’s father has been shot in Texas. So Zane takes a trip back home where he hasn’t been in a while to try and figure out what has happened. It turns out that more is going on because dangerous animal predators, the Benal tigers are going missing from their shelters. Panic arises in Texas as these tigers continue to be taken.

 In comes Ty, providing a helping hand (even though one hand is broken), yet nothing can separate Ty from Zane. They are in it together and when Zane is feeling the wrath from his mother, Ty is there to remind him that he is not alone.

STARS & STRIPES was a thrill to read from the very first page. Roux seems to have taken this series in stride and doesn’t seem like she has any intentions of slowly down anytime soon. It was perfect, the ideal blend of the wickedly entertaining hysterics and so much passion and love. So much.

Worthy of note is the Roux’s ability to write sex scenes. I’ve read so many sex scenes both of the M/M genre and not, but none of them can truly compare to the ones we’ve seen in this series and particularly this book. Roux fuses rough, dirty rutting with passionate embraces and lingering kisses. It’s as if Roux possesses a secret ingredient that she adds into these scenes to make them more delicious. Whatever it is, I hope she had a hoard of it in her keeping. It’s gold!

STARS & STRIPES is easily one of my favorite reads of 2012 and Ty and Zane are my favorite M/M couple ever. Roux just writes on a higher calibre and I think STARS & STRIPES tops even that!

Favorite Quote #1:

“Is that a mirror in your pocket, baby?” he said to Clancy with a goofy leer. “’Cause I can sure see myself in your pants.”


 Favorite Quote #2:

“How is it that you love cats so much and hate all other forms of animal?”
Ty frowned. “I don’t hate all other animals.”
“Horses. Dogs. Chipmunks.”
 “They’re twitchy, Zane. And chipmunks have shifty eyes.”
“Moths?”
“They have erratic flight patterns!”

*ARC provided by publisher

 

Purchase Links:Amazon

Review: Sticks and Stones by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Hunter

 

 

Sticks & Stones

(Cut & Run #2)

by Madeleine Hunter and Abigail Roux

Whenever Ty and Zane are together, I can’t help but sigh in happiness. These two are so sweet on each other that I can’t get over how romantic this series is despite all their alphaness, heartaches, action and jokes. There’s just so much depth in these characters and I don’t think I can put into words how much I love them together.

STICKS AND STONES takes a different route than the previous book in the series. When the guys are experiencing some problems with the psych evaluations at work, this puts them in a position where Burns asks them to take a little R & R. For Ty and Zane, this can’t be good news because when on vacation, you tend to be idle and an idle mind leaves lots of time with personal demons. I feel like this book was slightly darker than the first one. There’s less joking around and more focus on Zane’s demons. He’s still experiencing nightmares and can’t really find a break long enough for him to truly relax. It seems that when he is with Ty, he gets some relief.

So now that they are stuck with all this extra free time, Ty takes Zane to visit his family who are a bunch of crazies just like Ty. It must run in the family or something because they are just so great! However, Ty harbors these hard feelings towards his dad, Earl when the old man starts putting his son down. Zane doesn’t like this and his protectiveness starts to rise, but then what can he really do to Ty’s father without causing some extreme tension?

I loved reading about this side of Ty and Zane. We get a far more deeper peek into their lives through Ty’s family life and also through the pains that Zane is experiencing. Their relationship is inspected by Ty’s brother, Deacon and some problems within their relationship are brought to the forefront. I think in a way this only solidified the fact that they are so meant to be together!

The moments between Ty and Zane are just precious. They are loving and moving and the sweetest thing I’ve read in M/M romance for awhile.

As Hunter and Roux develop this amazing unbreakable bond between Ty and Zane, there’s also the suspense subplot to look forward to. So this made for a read that seemed to go by too quickly. I can’t wait to read the next one!

 

 

 Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Cut & Run by Abigail Roux

Cut & Run

by Abigail Roux

(Cut & Run # 1)

Two Alpha FBI agents. A murder case and a whole lot of steam.

That’s how I would describe Cut & Run. In the first book in the addicting series that stars Ty Grady and Zane Garrett, my M/M fantasies have been brought to life.

There are so many things I loved about this series. I don’t think I could name them all. First off, I just need to remind everyone again that I LOVE TY AND ZANE!!!! Seriously, the next couple that is next to them on my “favorites things” list is Blay and Qhuinn from the BDB series and you know how much of a fan I am of them already. Ty and Zane are on the same field. In this book, we see the claws come out. When Ty and Zane are unwillingly put together on a case, things get rough and though they bicker the entire time, it’s always entertaining to read their banter. No one does it better.

Paired with the good humor, there is also a stellar suspense plot that pulls the entire story forward. I was hooked from the first page and really couldn’t stop until the very end. As Ty and Zane work together on the case, you can see their relationship slowly changing. They go from hating each other to insulting one another to finally learning to trust their new partner. There was already so much growth to their relationship and this is only the first book!

I noticed that there was some lagging in transitions. I think this may be due to the fact that two authors are working together to make this work, so it wasn’t as tight. But I still really enjoy this book!
If you’re looking for an M/M romance series that will blow you away, this is it right there. Look no further.

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Armed and Dangerous by Abigail Roux

Armed and Dangerous

(Cut & Run #5)

by Abigail Roux

ARMED AND DANGEROUS is Abigail Roux’s first attempt at writing solo. If you were worried that it wouldn’t hold the same appeal, fear not. Roux does a fantastic job of keeping things concise and giving us readers everything we wanted and more.

Ty and Zane are hands down my favorite M/M couple ever. To me, there is nothing better than a romance involving two men that love each other beyond reason. ARMED AND DANGEROUS showcase the ups and downs like any relationship, but for me, this felt a lot more personal for some reason. I have the mention the epic love scenes between these two. Not only are they smoking hot and seem to go on forever (I’m not complaining), but they just feel more organic than other M/M romances I’ve read in the past. Whether that’s due to Roux’s amazing writing or the fact that you feel as if Ty and Zane truly love each other is anyone’s guess.

 As Special Agents, Ty and Zane have a little more stress on their shoulders as they try to bring back Julian Cross to Baltimore after rumors are spreading that he is the only person who has knowledge on the private hits that are occurring. Of course, nothing is ever that easy and Ty and Zane find themselves in a lot of trouble as they try to do their job. With fun twists along the way, Roux creates an interesting story that only adds to the overall appeal of this book. If I didn’t read for the romance, then I would read for the suspense.

 I’m told that Julian and Cameron are also from a previous title by Roux and Hunter called WARRIOR’S CROSS. Already I am twitching to get my hands on this book, because as much as I loved the romance between Ty and Zane, there were some great moments between Cameron and Julian as well. Also, Julian has some great one-liners in this book that had me laughing out loud.

 This book just really had it all. There was a perfect blend of hot and sexy, of sweetness and love and that pulse-pounding action you expect from this series. A book that is able to make me experience a whole rainbow of emotions is a stellar one to me. And with that, I can’t help but give 5 raving stars to ARMED AND DANGEROUS. This book is almost too good to be true!

Favourite Quote:

 “Julian, would your friend be able to find a bigger plane for us? One he could fly?” Cameron asked as he turned in his seat. Julian shrugged. “We could ask him.”

 “Yes. Let’s go ask him,” Ty muttered.

“That’s fucking stupid.”

“Fine,” Julian said, his tone making it clear he was reaching the end of his patience. “We’ll solve this like men.”

“What do you want, MacGuffin, a duel?”

“No.” Julian held out both hands, one palm flat, the other held over it in a fist. “Rock, paper, scissors. Two out of three.”

Ty rolled his eyes and held out his first, apparently willing to play. Julian hit his palm three times, and Ty kept time with his fist in the air.

But when Julian threw a paper, Ty reached into his jacket with his other hand and pulled his gun, aiming it at Julian.

“Ty!” Zane said in exasperation from the front seat.

“Glock, paper, scissors. I win.”

“You’re an ass,” Julian muttered.

Gah! How can you not love them???

 

 

 

Purchase Links: Amazon