Take a chance.Staff Sergeant Alexei Dvorkin doesn’t trust easily, and he most certainly doesn’t trust spies. He’ll work with them if ordered to, but that doesn’t mean he has to like it. Except Agent Sean Delaney is proving to be the exception to the rule. There’s something about Sean that gets under Alexei’s skin and won’t let go. Alexei would be lying if he said he wasn’t interested in what lay … interested in what lay beneath the agent’s mask. When they’re assigned together for a mission, Alexei vows to keep Sean safe all while trying to coax the hot agent into his bed.
Hold onto hope.
Agent Sean Delaney has spent his entire adult life living a lie for his country. When the MDF tasks him with finding evidence of criminal wrong-doing against the owner of a private military company, Sean knows exactly how to play the game to get what he wants. He just doesn’t know how to handle Alexei’s advances, nor his own attraction to the younger soldier. Being a spy is lonely work, and Sean knows he should keep his distance, but saying no to Alexei is impossible from the moment they first kiss.
In a world of lies, the truth can be deadly.
When the mission takes a turn for the worse, the only thing left to do is run. In the wake of betrayal, and in the path of danger, can their fragile trust survive the battle?
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This is my review of the audiobook:
This is an exciting installment in the awesome Metahuman Files series. Alexei and Sean finally get together, and they’re sexy and surprisingly funny together. Alexei is cocky as always, but he is also protective and witty. Sean deals with the guilt over lying to his family for years, and he is basically alone and lonely until the sexy Russian sets his sights on him. I am so glad they don’t have a lot of unnecessary angst in their relationship, because there’s plenty of drama in Sean and Alpha Team’s latest mission.
Along with a terrific storyline, we have the fantastic performance of a narrator who always takes a great book to an even higher level. I am loving this series and have already recommended it to friends.
In a world over 200 years in the future where the United States coastal cities are surrounded by water due to global warming, metahumans possessing supernormal powers live amongst the normal human population. Splice, a chemical weapon of mass casualties, results in the death of almost every human being exposed to it. For those that live, some are benign and law-abiding. For others, superhuman powers are used to commit crimes including acts of terrorism.
As a result of his cover for the previous mission, Jamie Callahan agrees to hit the campaign trail in support of his father’s bid to run for President of the country. With Jamie gone, Kyle is stuck spending time in the apartment that he shares with Alexei. Lucky for Alexei, he is sent to cover Sean’s back as it gives him a way to escape Kyle’s blue ‘missing Jamie’ mood. Staff Sergeant Alexei Dvorkin’s distrust for Agent Sean Delaney did not prevent him from brutally protecting him when Sean confronts a villain from a past undercover operation with the CIA. When the two are assigned together for a mission, it doesn’t take long for the men to start craving each other. When the mission goes belly up, both men are there for each other and both get safely back home thanks to Alexei’s fire skill and Sean’s ability to become intangible.
Once again author Hailey Turner writes a sci-fi military adventure packed full of ALL that is essential in ANY wonderful book: great world-building (a world populated with interesting characters possessing supernatural powers), excellent character development (the leads grow together as team members, friends, and lovers), distinctly defined conflict with an overarching plotline for the entire series, and clearly delineated conclusion, which eliminates the immediate threat applicable to the current novel. In addition, she checks off the additional boxes of impeccable pacing (the rate at which the writer introduces key elements in the story) and precise balance (the distribution of varying types of elements in the narrative)! She provides readers an incredible M/M action-driven romance that isn’t dependent on the quantity or quality of sexual scenes.
In the Shadows is the third book of Hailey Turner’s Metahuman Files series. Events in this book build on those from the first two and while a complete story, there are ongoing story arcs so you’ll definitely want to listen to them all & in order. As such, there may be spoilers to previous books in my review.
I enjoyed this one even more that the first two (which I already praised highly). I think partially because the world building is established and Turner has given us some characters and story arcs to really sink into and get to know even better. I already liked Sean & Alexei, but them getting together was a wonderful experience. Plus, Turner has this great mix of suspense/thriller, romance, and a little bit of humor. The action scenes were unstoppable.
I’m really looking forward to In The Blood.
Narration:
Greg Boudreaux continues to be wonderful. And this is a chance to really enjoy his Russian accent skills. I also like that character voices from previous books are consistent. Makes this series absolutely bingeworthy.
This was incredible.
I loved the two previous books in this series, but “In the Shadows” definitely takes first place. It’s so much more compelling and addicting, and that’s completely down to the two main protagonists. I love Jamie and Kyle, I really do. But Sean and Alexei are something wholly different and special.
The story is completely packed with action and daring escapes, an incredible car chase that left me reeling for hours, explosions and undercover spywork, life-or-death situations and twist and turns and a tension that keeps building and building. It also has a fake relationship™ (a trope that I love with my whole body and soul), the hottest sex scenes and sweet and soft moments that will catch you unawares and completely destroy you.
It also has two wonderful MCs. Alexei is one of the sexiest book characters I have read about. He’s territorial and protective, gruff but also sarcastic and unapologetic about who he is and what he likes. He’s also in seduction mode for half of the book and whew, I wouldn’t have stood a chance in Sean’s place. And Sean, on the other hand, is quite different from Alexei: he’s a spy, he’s got multiple personalities he can switch to in a blink of an eye. He’s also lonely and insecure and shy and so endearing that I can confidentely say he’s my favourite in the Metahuman Files universe. His power is also so badass and I’m so excited to see what else will happen with him, and his burgeoning
relationship with Alexei.
I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, but since I already have been warned that it will be brutal (*cries*), I might take a break before Hailey Turner works her magic and totally wrecks my heart.
This is the third book in the Metahuman series and it definitely should NOT be read on its own. This series has an overarching plot line with a lot of character development that occurs in the previous two books. Reading this book on its own will not be as enjoyable as reading it after the first two books.
Alexi Dvorkin and Sean Delaney finally get their love story. I was so excited for their book since I’ve been in love with Alexi the first time I met him. He’s so gruff and unapologetic with an unwavering loyalty to his team and family. He deserves wonderful things in live and Sean is exactly what he needs. Sean—this poor man living his double life, I was so happy when the truth was finally revealed to his family. The plot for this book was exciting and had me on the edge of my seat. Hailey Turner does such a fantastic job with all her action scenes. There was not one part of this book that I did not love.
Greg Boudreaux narrated this audiobook, just like he did for the previous two books. He really does such a wonderful job with the character voices –especially those Russian accents. I really love his performance and thoroughly enjoyed myself as I listened to this book. I highly recommend it.
Alexei and Sean! My favourite in the series because ALEXEI!!!!! Another book filled with action and romance. This series was made for me! That car chase is my favourite action scene of all time.
I love how Sean fits in with the team perfectly. The team is badass as always and their banter is so good. Alexei’s and Sean’s chemistry is through the roof and the sex is scorching hot. Now that is one way to learn Russian!
This book is written in dual POV and cannot be read as a standalone. It’s a continuing story even if it is a different couple. Of course the previous books are awesome, so it’s not a hardship!