One book,Two Missions, and a memory-key full of secrets!After a series of terrorist attacks on fracking sites owned by a Gas multinational named Drilsink, Sir James Aiken’s agency is bought in to find the radical Eco-terrorist group responsible. He sends Sam and Declan to work undercover at Imperial College where Intel suggests the group are recruiting. While Sam works behind the scenes, Declan … works behind the scenes, Declan takes on the identity of Geologist Dr. Tobias Hunter and soon makes an enemy of a fellow science geek- a man who Declan comes to despise more than Sir James Aiken!
When the operation moves from London to Munich and then Vienna, Sam, and Declan are thrown headlong into a spy scenario straight out of the thriller novels they love to read—but with a distinct and disturbing sexual twist! Sam meets an old friend and uncovers shocking information about James’ past.
With Erik Madsson still imprisoned inside the A.L.L. HQ, James comes to realize that he should have listened to his son. Keeping the enemy inside his own home is about to be the biggest mistake he has ever made.
This book is an M/M Romance thriller, therefore contains graphic gay sexual references.
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Powder Burns is the 5th book in the Shatterproof Bonds series. All these books build off events from previous books, so you’ll want to listen to them all and in order, as such there may be spoilers to previous books in this review. Also of note, if you haven’t read/listened to the series prequel novella, Top Hat – I would highly recommend that before this book. It can be enjoyed without, but it brings further depth to parts of the story.
At over 10 hours this is the longest of the series – but the pacing is so well done that it didn’t drag out at all. I was enthralled and didn’t want to stop listening. I am so freaking excited about this book and this series – yet it’s so hard to share how absolutely brilliant it is without spoiling anything. So many things from previous books continue to thread throughout the series in ways that make me want to immediately listen again from the beginning. I also cannot express how wonderful the mystery/suspense/thriller aspect is. You could remove every single sex scene and still have a fantastic book.
Thankfully – no one did, because the now married Sam & Declan and their sexy shenanigans are HOT. Boy do they enjoy when their undercover selves meet each other. It’s a fun and interesting twist for the couple and for the listener.
Again, this is a complete story (actually, it’s almost two stories meshed into one longer one), yet Starling sets up the tease that Sam & Declan have more missions ahead of them. Now that I’m all caught up – I’ll eagerly be awaiting another addition to the series.
Narration:
Gary Furlong continues a fabulous narration of the series. Not only does Starling add more characters in this book, but Sam & Declan have undercover personas as well. Furlong’s ability to seamlessly shift between real and pretend is amazing and brings a depth to the writing that I don’t think could be achieved through merely reading it myself. This writer/narrator team is perfection.
What I Think: Ladies, Gentlemen and those of you yet to make up your minds, welcome to part 5 of the Shatterproof Bond series! Without further ado, let’s dive into this tale. Mr. Shadows strikes again, separating our beloved couple to different assignments which leaves them both filled with anxiety as this will be Dec’s first solo mission. But the worst part for the lovebirds is their separation. They think they’ve got an agent on the inside who can ensure that Mr. Shadows doesn’t try anything crazy until even he’s sent in a mission and I can’t help feeling it’s deliberate but the show must go on and so the mission begins. Sam to his new assignment and Dec to his new alias. Then we get introduced to a new set of characters altogether and one is them has a serious fetish for shoes and stockings that made me chuckle, but one of the characters already feels so familiar that I’m betting it’s Sam like you’ve never seen him before. And just as I thought, Sam is giving me fever. One of the best surprises was the exact origin of one of the scientists that Dec’s alias works with! On behalf of my adopted home country, I say ‘thank you, Ma’am.’ But it’s just a week into Dec’s assignment and things are already going awry. Not only is his background research material incomplete, he’s also missing Sam so much that it’s making me ache until we finally get a breather. I envy the openness in this relationship and the shy girl in me still reads some of their erotic scenes peeking between my fingers but I simply adore the way they can just ask for what they want, knowing the other person won’t be put off. Instead, will be just as engulfed with desire which makes Dec’s desire so sensible. Only for Dec to have to talk some sense into Kei, who really undermined himself and lowered his value in my eyes. What happened to giving in with honor? Dec had to scold him like a kid and I praise him for his maturity. I would have just kept smacking him with feeling until his brains reset back to factory settings. But Dec has an even greater surprise awaiting him and I’m cackling to myself while the poor man starts guilt tripping over his strong physical reaction to someone he doesn’t even know. But since I know who that is, I’m very content to let him flounder (hark! Is that a latent sadistic trait I’m discovering?) only for my cackling to get tripped up by the erotica that ensued. It felt like my body couldn’t tell whether to be turned on or not, while my mind was singing a hallelujah chorus. Meanwhile,somebody, anybody, please smack Darius for me. Not only is he definitely up to no good, I can’t stand one more second of his popinjay behavior. And if you thought these tales couldn’t get better, you thought wrong. Think secret and hurried assignations all over the damn place and you’re going to need some Long Island ice tea to keep you cool. Once more, this tale reminded me why I love to read. The worlds that tales take you through is simply amazing. I’d never thought or heard of things like fracking and shale gas. I do my bit to be eco-friendly – recycling, saving water, researching organic makeup and beauty products so I can switch over, bamboo toothbrushes etc you know, the little things but this tale had me taking breaks to go research eco-terrorism and the fracking argument. I never knew ecoterrorism was such a big deal. What part of the moon have I been living on? Romance, erotica and homework. An utterly delicious package but how do these two still end up with time to get up to mischievous things with each other? Goes to show that you’ll always make time for the things that count. My anger at Mr. Shadows is at raging She-Hulk level by now. Apparently, he has sent his men into a dangerous situation once more with less than complete information and placing so many at risk. Even getting to see Mrs. K in machine-cleaner mode and seeing another shocking side of her does not distract my rage. This assignment is as layered as an onion while still connected but for once, Mr. Shadows is being given the runaround and I read with bated breath as everyone but Mr. Shadows become dispensable collateral damage. I took a break to growl at my nibling (who just gurgled and laughed at me. Can you imagine? The little lady does not fear me one bit.) At the cost of repetition, can someone be my hero and smack Darius please? Just when the lovers get a break, they’re sent out again on the same assignment but still different jobs where Sam is hit by a very serious blast from the past and I do suspect Dec is about to go into caveman mode. Everything Sam and Dec are were tested by this assignment. And I mean everything. All the things that should have pulled them apart though only pulled them ever closer but I had hoped the secrets were all gone just as Mme. Isobel happily dropped me into an abyss of secrets! If I didn’t respect Sam’s mental strength before, I now worship it. Only great willpower can stop you from crumbling when your whole world turns upside down. That, and love, of course. This tale has so much going on that I had to stop myself from sneaking to the back to ensure this is the last of this heart stopping series and to be certain my boys come out of this together but I wasn’t left floundering for long as Sam finally, finally has his father over a fucking barrel. I blame my marshmallow heart because I couldn’t crow in delight as a tiny part of me felt real pity for Mr. Shadows, while it was truly humbling to see what happens when the shoe is on the other foot. As the show begins to lead to its violent crescendo, I became irritated and anxious, soaking up Dec and Sam’s anxiety, until I had to lock myself away and finish this tale. Why must villains monologue? Why ? It’s vastly annoying and I can understand why another Sam from one of my favorite series hates it so much. Then terror made my sleep flee as Dec starts to unravel under the effects of the damage he’s taken, while Sam has to look on helplessly. Their enemies so wish! The Awesome Sam will always have a plan as he turns this into an erotica show worth dying for. A good warning: One should remember to never meet their heroes and this is something I’ve experienced enough to know. It’s the reason I never go out of my way to read about the lives of my favorite stars or authors. I don’t need anything but their glorious performances and art. Only for it all to end in a glorious win, a macabre bloodletting and a magnificent cliffhanger with so many unanswered questions. Yes, there will be a book 6 for which I shall wait with bated breath. But, I must ask this one question – If a man’s err,erm equipment is referred to as fruit and veg, what’s the female equivalent, Ma’am?
Verdict? The most intense of all the tales, nothing is ever as it seems so enjoy keeping up and some sleepless nights!
Isobel Starling’s Shatterproof Bond series just keeps getting better and better! The dark, intriguing story surrounding Sam and Declan continues to build in the fifth novel, Powder Burns. A wonderfully complex cast of characters keep an incredible mystery flowing along, and I’ve been continually stunned by all the twists and turns! Meant to be read in order, you need to start with As You Wish, where it all begins.
If you’re going to take the plunge, I highly recommend you do this series in audio. Performed by the amazingly talented Gary Furlong, I can’t imagine any other narrator could even come close to doing this amazing story justice. With the incredible variety of accents, dialects, and languages Ms. Starling includes in this series, I can’t help but wonder if she wrote the Shatterproof Bond series just to hear Mr. Furlong perform it.
The thing I love the most about all of Isobel Starling’s writing is that I can never tell where her stories will go next. Little details turn out to have a huge impact, things come back to haunt, and unexpected events propel the story in a completely different direction from what I’d expect, and it makes for an incredible experience.
In addition to the unique and clever plotline in the Shatterproof Bond series, Ms. Starling creates spectacular chemistry between the characters. There’s an intricate web of personalities in this cast. I’m loving the darkness of the secrets these people are keeping, and there’s no end to the depth of their depravity.
One of my favorite romance authors, Isobel Starling outdoes herself with Sam and Declan’s relationship. She blends sensual BDSM scenes, erotic power exhanges, and tender, playful games into their coupling and the result is stunning. These two men are amazing together, and for me, there’s nothing better than hearing Gary Furlong bring their lovemaking to life.
I truly thought Powder Burns was going to be the final episode of the Shatterproof Bonds series and I’m thrilled to find out there’s to be at least one more book. Starling leaves us with a brilliantly written cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to see where the adventure goes from here.
Audiobook review:
Overall: 5
Performance: 5
Story: 5
I’m ready for more of Sam and Declan!
Powder Burns is the latest installment of the Shatterproof Bond series and I loved it. I have to confess that I was a bit confused in the beginning because of all the various names being tossed around. You see, I hadn’t read the book and Sam and Declan, as well as other characters, assume several different personas during this story. There are also (or so it seemed to me) quite a few more characters than in previous installments.
Having said all of that, once I caught on to the various names, I was so hooked. This installment of the story seemed even more complex than the others and the audiobook was significantly longer. Declan is the one who gets the brunt of the pain in Powder Burns and some of what he goes through has him questioning Sam’s loyalty to him. Sam has the most undercover identities, many of which Declan finds captivating; he was particularly fond of Kitty.
Sam and Declan have been looking for leverage against Sam’s father so they can leave his organization without any repercussions and they think they have it. After their mission concludes they are anxious to get back home and have it out with Sir James. Unfortunately, fate has something else in store for them.
Powder Burns has a heart-stopping cliffhanger ending and I can’t wait for the next installment. I hope Isobel Starling doesn’t keep us waiting too long.
Gary Furlong turned in an even more fantastic performance than in the other books because of the wide variety of voices needed for this installment. I can’t recommend this series enough.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
It’s no secret that I love narration by Gary Furlong and, in this audiobook, he once again excels. The roll call of characters is quite extensive in Powder Burns, so lots of scope for different voices, and even accents and speaking in foreign languages. I am particularly impressed with the German! In between voices, the story is told in crisp English tones.
Now…confession time. This is the first book in the Shatterproof Bonds series that I have read or listened to. I found it easy to jump right in and enough of the backstory is there so that I didn’t feel confused. The plot is detailed enough that I could lose myself in it, which is something I need in these troubled times.
I read a couple of chapters and listened to a few more, so became aware of the typos in the ebook. Fortunately these didn’t cross over into the audio version. That is my only negative point. I will definitely go back now and read the other 4 books.
Steamy M/M romance, mysterious, thrilling – One crisis resolved but an ongoing one still lingers…
This is a sequel to a series of stories all pertaining to Sam and Declan, a sweet and saucy M/M couple. Fortunately, there is a foreword with a brief synopsis of what has transpired in the last few books. In this book there is the ongoing story of Sam and Declan’s lusty relationship but other interwoven plots I hope we see resolved by the end of this series.
This book comes in two parts with a mission that rolls over to the second part. Declan and Sam are sent off in separate missions, which Sir James had promised would not happen. He’s not always a man of his word. Declan is pretending to be Dr. Tobias Hunter, a Geologist specializing in hydraulic fracturing (Fracking). He is trying to find out more about the Eco-Rev group (Eco-Revolutionaries or Terrorists). Things get dicey many times for our pair of crime fighters. Oh yeah, Sam shows up in a most surprising way! The over-arching plot of Erik Madsson’s revenge on the Aikens and who is pushing Madsson’s buttons is ongoing with no resolution in this book. To be continued in THE REBEL CANDIDATE, the next book in this series. Actually, there is a shocking and heart-pounding ending.
There was so much going on in this book: Former lovers show up, bad guys get away only to be caught again, new characters are introduced, former characters meet a surprising end, Sam and Declan find every opportunity to “get together” throughout, and all of this tied up in a most remarkable ending. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through A Novel Take PR and I give it 4.5 steamy, mysterious stars!