Spy vs. Spook

I love this series and this whole bundle. What I didn’t know is that this particular set has 5 books and a novella all from the same universe and same characters. This particular review is about first 63% of the set and the books included are: The Start of a Beautiful Friendship, Houseboat on the Nile, Not My Spook!, and Forever. The other two books Pick Up the Pieces and Foolish Me are about a pair of secondary characters who are quite important but I decided to read about them at a later date.

THE START OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP Prequel

In this novella we are first introduced to Mark Vincent who is one of the protagonists of the series. He is a WBIS agent. Here we can clearly see that he is a master of disguise and manipulation. Many would call him a psychopath for what he does for living. It does take a strong character and will to kill but I would consider him a professional so long as he does not cross the line. There is a difference between “cleaning job” and being a serial killer – illusions of grandeur and playing God and so long as Mark does not cross the line, I am good. In this prequel Mark after a very unsuccessful mission due to no fault of his own is forced to take a leave of absence to cool off. He goes to Paris and there he meets a man names Louis and they spend two weeks together – naked. Mark is playing a role of a clumsy American businessman Rick. In the end it turns out that “Louis” is an agent too from a French group Division and his name is Pierre. Their meeting and interaction lay groundwork for a solid friendship and mutual respect. And that’s how the story of Mark and Vincent begins.

HOUSEBOAT ON THE NILE

The first book in this series depicts the beginning of relationship between Mark Vincent of the WBIS and Quinton Mann of the CIA. These two men stand on the opposite sides and are sworn enemies as both their agencies are rivals.

Mark Vincent is a hard man and a stone-cold assassin. He is a professional and is good at what he does. In fact, he is considered a legend and someone to be feared. But there is more to Mark than meets the eye. No one imagines him as a man who is compassionate, who roots for the underdog or who cares for those who gave him direction when he was young. His life was never easy, he had to claw his way up and anyone who threatens him and the people he cares for will be eliminated with extreme prejudice. And here is Quinn Mann. He was born with a proverbial silver spoon in his mouth to loving parents and big family. His family’s legacy is to follow in their footsteps and to join the CIA and to become a valuable asset. He is content with his life. But it all changes when they finally meet. They are intrigued and it starts a game of cat and mouse. They are trying to see how far they can get each other to go. They push and then they up the ante, and in the end both are just obsessed and come together to explore this unwanted attraction.

The beauty of this book is also in its unique writing style. We not only get the POVs of both MCs, but also the fact that nothing is ever missed – the events are backtracked and every moment and thought are accounted for. The character development is fabulous, the supporting characters are amazingly written, every detail is well-staged. It may seem a little slow, but we get a 360 degrees panoramic view of everything. And as for UST and slow burn, there is that between the MCs but it’s also interspersed with their intimate interactions with other people, fantasies and daydreams that will sustain the lovers of smut till the moment of Mark-and-Quinn-man-on-man-action arrives and it is HAWT !!!

I loved the intrigue, the political angle and every single aspect of spying and spooking, the danger and the lethal grace. It is a wonderful novel with elements of thrilling chase, dangerous games between two dangerous men and the beginning of a sensual relationship that will change their lives for good.

NOT MY SPOOK!

This book focuses on personal and professional relationships that Mark has with Quinn and they both have with their respective agents. Here we see how step by step both men become closer, their fears and vulnerabilities hidden behind mocking glances and leers from Mark and ice mask and composure from Quinn.

It’s hard to warm up to Mark but once you start looking deeper you see a transformation from lethal agent to concerned friend to tender and passionate lover. He seems skittish with Quinn and as soon as feelings get too deep he runs. He is not used to somebody caring for him and does not know how to handle it. But thanks to Quinn and his persistence they manage to get back together. Quinn is a gentleman to the core. He is warm and caring and is not afraid to show Mark that what they have is too good to let go and persuades him to fight for them. I loved how he sometimes pushed Mark and how cautious he became when he felt that Mark might bolt.

There are many secondary characters that are worth mentioning. First, Mark gets a new protege William Matheson who appears to be capable and deserves Mark’s approval but what tops it all is the fact that he falls for Theo Bascopolis aka Sweetcheeks, a former rent boy who is Mark’s friend. Their dynamics are sweet and sometimes funny and slightly cringe worthy in a good kind of way that of an embarrassed Mark listening about his fellow agent’s personal life, but the way Mark is understanding and patient makes him so approachable and just plain decent no matter what he tries to portray. Then comes Portia Mann, Quinn’s mother who is a very elegant and classy lady. She is wise, witty and smart and she loves her son very much. And the way she understands and accepts Mark as her son’s partner is heart-warming and just makes me wish that all the mothers were that accepting.

When Quinn is in trouble Mark uses everything at his disposal and we see how ruthless he is when somebody he cares about is in danger. The subterfuge, the intrigue and all the innuendoes make for a fascinating read. This world of tough agents by day and tender lovers by night is so worth waiting for. Quinn and Mark are passionate and even loving sometimes. They crash, they hold on and they tether each other without even knowing. So good!!!

FOREVER!

This book focuses more on development of personal relationship between Quinn and Mark. Or, there is plenty of intrigue, subtle and not so subtle maneuvers and of course Mark’s deadly skills and Quinn’s impeccable demeanor. I liked that finally they both started getting really close, that their day to day life was connected, that they were really trying to make it work.

Mark starts to finally accept that it is alright for him to be …fond of Quinn as he likes to put it. It looks like he is scared of the L-word and avoids it at all costs, even in his own head. He is still as fearsome as ever but he can drop the attitude when he is with Quinn. I loved the quiet, passionate and simple daily moments that they had ranging from eating take out, decorating a Christmas tree and even going on vacation together. Quinn seems to come from the background that is very different from all the rest of people. His family is considered the Royalty of Intelligence Community so they have a reputation to uphold. He may seem as pretentious when he says “Manns would not be swayed by this or that” but knowing how he is, it actually becomes endearing and even cute. Mark helps him broaden his horizons – first pair of jeans, eating from a take out container. I know, they are a pair!!!

The chemistry between two men is amazing and many encounters prove that but with those come tender words and gestures that make them more than simple sex. This is a romance story that encompasses so many little subplots, secondary characters that it makes for quite a long reading. But as Mark Vincent said: à chacun son goût – to each his own taste. This is better savored and slowly enjoyed. It’s not fast, it’s not insta, it’s not simple. It has a measured tempo, gives you a chance to really know the MCs, how they became the men they are today. It shows their strengths and weaknesses, their likes and dislikes.

Here we finally meet the Sebring Family. This just shows the difference between how both Quinn and Mark were raised, how much love Quinn got growing up and a stark contrast of how lonely Mark is. But they welcome him into the fold because of how much he means to Quinn. They are all quite the characters. I loved reading about how they interacted, who was who, their love stories and heartaches. It is said that a Sebring only loves once. And Quinn truly thought that he found his one and only when he was a teen. But due to happenstance he finally realizes that it’s not true and exactly who THE ONE is for him. It’s Mark. There are never words of love exchanged on the pages between them but one – FOREVER.

But there is always someone who tries to get the upper hand, to harm and to kill. But this time the victim is an innocent woman, Portia Mann, who is caught in ambitions and greed of one man, Senator Wexley. But Fate is unpredictable and it all goes down in a huge pile of doo-doo for him because he tangles with the wrong family – the Sebrings and as Mark is now a part of it too he will not rest until this man is destroyed. This is a meticulous attack to strip away what that sleazebag loves the most – his power. But even that is not enough and Quinn and Mark go on a mission together to avenge Quinn’s mother. It was cleverly done, very sophisticated. I loved reading how Mark worked. He certainly knows the craft of revenge. And it’s best served cold.

In conclusion I would like to say that I loved this series, the protagonists, the slow burn and magnificent character development and world-building. It was wonderfully written and I will definitely continue with the series and I highly recommend it!