After witnessing a mob hit, surgeon Jack Francisco is put into protective custody to keep him safe until he can testify. A hitman known only as D is blackmailed into killing Jack, but when he tracks him down, his weary conscience won’t allow him to murder an innocent man. Finding in each other an unlikely ally, Jack and D are soon on the run from shadowy enemies. Forced to work together to … to survive, the two men forge a bond that ripens into unexpected passion. Jack sees the wounded soul beneath D’s cold, detached exterior, and D finds in Jack the person who can help him reclaim the man he once was. As the day of Jack’s testimony approaches, he and D find themselves not only fighting for their lives… but also fighting for their future. A future together.
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This was one fine book. I loved the action, the suspense and the way Ms Seville chose to tell the story, but I absolutely adored the main characters – Jack and D. The juxtaposition of Jack’s unreserved honesty and D’s guarded reserve appealed greatly to me. I really liked the side characters and the mystery of X, D’s friend, and their remote yet at the same time close relationship. Told from multiple POVs, the story depicts immeasurable pain, boundless courage and undying love between two men who despite their differences found common ground and dared to reach for the impossible.
Jack Francisco’s life was ordinary – respected colleague, good-looking man and possibly a good friend. But all of that was snatched away when he unwittingly became the only witness to a murder. And after choosing to stand up and testify, his life was no longer his own. So, when he looked into a barrel of a hired gun, he thought it was over. Not quite yet! Call it Fate or not, but in the next moment he found himself on the run with the man who was supposed to kill him. Who knew that that which didn’t kill him, would become the love of his life. I loved Jack’s patience, his faith in D and his unfailing belief that D is deserving of love, happiness and bright future despite his past. His care of D till the very end made me admire him even more. And his testimony on the stand was the s*exiest thing ever!!!!
D is stone cold assassin. He fears that one day he will simply cease to exist, since it’s hard to feel anything at all. But despite all those that he killed, he lives by a certain code of his own – never kill an innocent. So when he is blackmailed into eliminating the witness who couldn’t be any cleaner, he simply can not do it. Thus starts their trip to outrun the killers, assassins, traitors and bullets. D lost faith in human kindness, closed himself off completely, and yet here he was – a man willing to be there for him without expecting anything in return. The shift between them was so subtle, and D’s shell started to crack.
Both men open up to each other either due to forced proximity or simply because it’s time. Jack is there to help D purge the poison that is slowly eroding him from inside, he is there to help D find himself again and give him something worth fighting for. From awkward moments to the most intense intimacy known to me, both D and Jack choose each other and fight for their future no matter how long or short it might be. Some moments were truly heart-warming, some almost made me cry. D has changed so much. After all he has been through, his capacity to love and cherish really amazed me. And while Jack hasn’t suffered any great downfalls in his life, his courage and devotion to D and his willingness to sacrifice himself was truly admirable.
The story was truly suspenseful even during quiet moments – it was in the air just hovering over them. From one emotional high to another, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved Jack’s time alone when he tried to determine what it was he felt for D. I loved D’s dedication to making sure they both have a future they want. And I loved when D became Anson again. The epilogue was absolutely marvelous. I can’t find enough words to express how much I love these men, the journey they’ve had and the happy future they have yet to live! Highly recommend it! Amazing book!!!
This book was an entertaining adventure with engaging characters and over the top action scenes. The narration was nicely done.
Wow, what can I say? Is it possible to give this book more than five stars?
I have read many, many, many gay romance books, and listened to many as well. I have to say, this one has risen to the top of my favorites list. I’ve seen negative reviews, and to each I scratch my head and think, “Did we read the same book?” Because this was a masterpiece, in my opinion.
I do regret that the author seems to have disappeared from publishing, because I’d love to read more of her work.
I’ve known about this book for ages, but just never took the time to read (or rather, listen to). I never knew why, but I’m glad I finally listened to this one in audio. Several scenes I had to listen to a few times, they were just that good, like Jack’s day in court.
Love it, and wholeheartedly recommend.
Loved this book! Curious if the author is going to write a sequel, hope so!
Jack and D. Sigh. I love stories where the right person just brings All the Things to the surface and can’t be denied. This is a tough dynamic to pull off but Seville did it with grace and steam. I did find a couple places where Jack started placing conditions on D a little dicey. I understood why, moral-wise, but, I had thought by then he would know D better. That was my only cavil. But overall, this was exciting, sexy, moving and just a damn fun read.
I enjoyed the nontraditional pairing of characters, and the challenging situations they faced. It was nice that they both brought strengths to the relationship that made a critical difference at various times. The happily ever after was a little bittersweet, which seemed appropriate for the characters involved.
I liked this book very much. Jack, the surgeon who witnesses a mob murder and D an assassin sent to kill him are amazing characters full of depth, understanding and compassion. The latter maybe a strange tag to place on an assassin, but D only kills bad guys and when he sees handsome Jack so unafraid of him, he knows he can’t kill him. Instead he goes on the run with him, protecting him from the mob hit men whoa re now after not only Jack but D himself. The story is brutal at times, but then this is no vanilla romance, and the action scenes came across to me as very real, skillfully told. Kudos to the author for writing a gripping, gritty take of good vs evil. Highly enjoyable. 5 stars easily given.