Lucas Vallois is always in control. He’s building an empire in the glittering city of Cincinnati and created his own family from his three close friends. The self-made millionaire has everything he wants within his tight grasp. But his world starts to crumble after he’s jumped by a trio of thugs late one night after leaving a club. The warning is clear—give up his new property venture or end up … up dead.
Caving to the demands of his friends, Lucas accepts the help of bodyguard, Andrei Hadeon, as he hunts for the source of this new threat. But as Lucas gets closer to uncovering the danger, he realizes the sexy Romanian bodyguard poses an even bigger risk to his carefully constructed world. Trapped by a need he never expected, Lucas must find a way to deny the shiver of longing he cannot control.
His brother. His warrior. His heart. Four friends. Unbreakable bonds.
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I’m hooked on this series. I started with Psycho Romeo (Ward Security #1) but… it pushed me to see what this series was about… Lucas and his friends were before Psycho Romeo. I don’t regret stopping to read Unbreakable before the rest of Ward… Lucas’s story is amazing. How these guys got together, the events, the shared love…everything. I highly recommend it and recommend getting the novellas between each book as you go along too. It really helps fill in the gaps with the main characters. Really this book is simply stunning!
Shiver is the first book in the Unbreakable Bonds series, and I have just found myself a whole new series that I would like. No, actually, scrap that. I don’t want this series, I NEED it!!!
This story is about Lucas and Andrei, self-made millionaire and bodyguard. This book is serious and yet also amusing. They both make a comment about how corny their relationship is, a film was even made about it. This made me chuckle out loud, even as I was concerned about what was going to happen next. I love Lucas – his strength, his friendships, and how he isn’t prepared to let others do things for him that he isn’t prepared to do himself. He is also an arrogant, high-handed jerk at times, but will admit to when he’s wrong. As for Andrei, he is a sweetie. Okay, so that may be the wrong word to describe an underground fighter/bodyguard, but he is. These two have a rocky relationship with a HFN ending, but their relationship is very strong and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
The mystery side was enough to keep me guessing (although I’m happy to report my instincts were correct lol). There was plenty of action, as well as action between the sheets. Although the main focus of this book was Lucas, you also get a good glimpse of the others and potential partners for them. As for Rowe, I both want to and don’t want to read his, because I think my heart might get broken before I get a HEA!
Excellently written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, I adored this book. The dialogue flowed and felt completely natural whilst reading. I was intrigued and enthralled, and thoroughly loved every word. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
Well now, wasn’t this just the most delightful bit of M/M romantic suspense I’ve read in a long time!
Drake and Elliott are new to me authors, I think I came upon the series through another author recommendation and I wish I could remember who it was now, because I want to thank them!
Shiver has everything, a little angst, a lot of suspense and action, wonderful cast of characters, dark and tortured alpha heroes and M/M romance. Oh and let’s not forget the steamy sexy! Yowsa!
Four friends, who are more like family, with unbreakable bonds, and this first book in the series has everything you could possibly want for those of us who love the dark, romantic suspense genre.
Go, hurry, get this on your TBR list, you won’t be sorry…I already have book 2, but there’s no doubt I’ll be reading them all!
Really love this series, as everyone in the books, I love and want more of their stories. I started with Shatter, so I already had an idea about this book, but knew I would really love it, and love it I did! This book was everything I thought it would be. I just wanted more. I wanted more time for Andrei and Lucas to actually be together, rather than either fighting their attraction based on their working relationship, or when they were separated for a period of time. I wanted more time for theme to be together. I am excited for the short stories that have been written and want to dive into those. In reading Jude & Snow’s story you get a better look into Lucas and Andrei’s relationship and that is how I fell in love with them. Cannot wait for Rowe and am most excited for Ian’s story!!
Shiver is the first book in the Unbreakable Bonds Series by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliot. Lucas and Andrei are flippin’ hot! And the story kept me reading with it’s well written plot, suspense, action, interesting characters and steam. I really need to read more in this series.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation
Great story. I loved these characters, can’t wait to read the other books in the series!
Lucas is a cutthroat businessman and has bought property in a seedy part of town. He is receiving threats, so his friend puts a bodyguard on him. Lucas being ex-military can take care of himself and doesn’t make it easy for Andrei..in so many ways.
This is a nail-biting story, with lots of action and intrigue. The budding romance makes it even more exciting.
Now I am sure the book is good on its own but I highly recommend the audio. Kenneth Obi gives Lucas such a sexy voice with sort of a sexy roughness, and Andrei a slight accent. he adds excitement where needed and turns this good story into a more thrilling listen! I want all of these men’s stories and cannot wait for more.
Fantastic start to an amazing series – I’ve devoured all the books in the course of week. I LOVE the world building here, adore how the stories stay connected and enjoyed every minute of these books!
I Fucking love this story!
This book keeps you on the edge of your seat, page after page. So hold on and get ready for the ride!
Deliciously sensual, ‘Shiver’ by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott is the aptest title for a book whose narrative is a delight to the senses. We meet highly successful, sinfully sexy millionaire Lucas Vallois, bisexual owner of several venues that include one or more restaurants, a couple of nightclubs for thrills, and a gay bar or three. He has plans to expand his empire in Cincinnati but there is someone who will try to stop him. After sending three muggers to roll him, his friend insists Rowan Ward insists he had a bodyguard. In walks Andrei Hadeon, a fit young sexy Romanian that Lucas finds hard to resist. The writers make use of richly detailed text to describe a lavish world of privilege where the bodyguard Andrei, a man of lesser means, somehow fits and quite beautifully, too! The found-family represented here is heart-warming given the challenges of each member. I’m looking forward to revisiting this universe by diving into the other books of the series.
Shiver has everything I need in a romance, great story, engaging characters, tons of UST and that magical ingredient where it just draws you in and you can’t put the book down. I loved both Lucas and Andrei’s characters and I was really rooting for them to find a way and be together without all the external forces trying to keep them apart. I understood Lucas’s initial reluctance to date a man, but having Andrei come along and blow him away was just told so very well by the authors. Andrei was so selfless doing what he did with the underground fight ring, my heart went out to him. I think the close friendship between Ian, Rowe, Lucas, Snow (and now Andrei hopefully) made the book for me; that closeness and how they were each others family. This book is a comfort read for in that it’s just about perfect, and if I’m in a reading slump it’s one of my go-to series, it just ticks all boxes for a great read for me and it’s got a prime place on my favourites shelf.
3.5
“Come back to me.”
When Lucas is viciously attacked, Andrei is assigned to him as his bodyguard. Trying to find the villain who is trying to scare Lucas off, the two men are unable to deny the growing attraction between them.
The story is well written, albeit in need of some extra editing. It manages to convey the suspense of the thread and the urgency of time running out.
The person behing all the heinous acts is one I had seen coming but was disappointed that I was correct, I would have loved if it would have been someone Breckenridge!
Throughout everything happening with Lucas, the common thread of the story is the unbreakable bound between Lucas, Snow, Rowe and Ian with Lucas being the leader of the bunch and Ian the baby.
There is mention of their past together and I would really like to know what these men have experienced together.
I simply enjoyed reading Lucas & Andrei’s story, insisting to being bad at monogamous, no strings sex, but end up doing exactly that, with some utterly smoking hot sex. And of course the suspense made this a fab read and look forward to reading the continuation of this series.
Unbreakable Bonds is a great series created by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott. Four men carry physical and emotion scars form a family bond not by DNA but love and mutual respect. The first books centers around Lucas and Andrei. Lucas is the head of the family – the protector. He finds himself in need of protection and falls for his bodyguard.
The ending of the book could have been better but overall it was a good book.
I fell in love with the characters from the opening chapter
Such a refreshing blend of suspense, comedy, and romance of
A well-written plot that flows seamlessly kept me engaged throughout the read
Strong characters that are well defined and easy to connect with
If you enjoy a good suspense, m/m and this is a must read
THIS SERIES IS PERFECTION
Awesome book! Exciting page turner action packed draws you in and holds you there.
It is the first book in a series. MUST read the whole series. Don’t worry you will want to anyway! Worth every penny!