Book Talk Review; Devil In The Details

L.J. Hayward is trying to kill me...

If there’s one thing assassin Ethan Blade knows, it’s how to plan a job. How to study a target, find the weak spot, and strike. He keeps his guns clean, his knives sharp, and his heart sealed away behind more locks than his precious cars. Alone but safe. Until Jack Reardon burrowed his way into Ethan’s life, his car, and his heart. This may just be the deadliest mess he can’t plan his way out of.

Jack wasn’t sure he’d see Ethan again—not after the less-than-stellar ends to their previous hookups. Even finding the assassin skulking about his apartment isn’t as reassuring as it should be, especially when he works out Ethan’s motive for being there might not be personal. That said, Jack will take any chance he can to salvage their relationship, assuming he survives whatever plan Ethan is cooking up.

Ethan and Jack had a bargain, but the parameters changed and neither are certain how to move forward—together or apart. But before they can start to renegotiate, lives, trust, and hearts are endangered by ghosts from the past. Even if they dodge their enemies’ bullets, there’s a risk of friendly fire, and when you let someone get too close, even small knives can cut deep.

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L.J. Hayward is trying to kill me with this series. Ethan and Jack are hot, their stubborn, and so in love but not acknowledging it they're killing me.

We finally get into Ethan's head and I about died. He feels so much, I knew he did but as we never got to see his side of things it was hard to read him. Though I had some suspicions. And even though there are plenty of things he doesn't say, there is a lot that he does. 

Ethan broke my heart in this novella. He felt so much, he had his own agenda, of course, one that Jack had no idea about. Being in his head, seeing his emotions play out, even though he tried so hard to hide them from Jack was heartbreaking. 

Jack, for all his running and hiding and pretending, is finally getting it. He's allowing himself to feel what his heart wants to feel and while he has a long way to go I was happy that he finally stopped being oblivious. 

L.J. Hayward steps it up with the action, the twists, the turns, the heat, and the emotion. I loved every single second of this book. I need book two now because I don't know how long I'm going to last while waiting for everything that came out in this novella to come to fruition. 

Devil In The Details is fun, it's hot, and it's so Jack and Ethan. The story arc that started in the first novella came to a head, but Jack and Ethan are really only just beginning. I have no idea what's going to happen between then in book two, but I'm excited. But also scared. Because who knows what L.J. Hayward has up her sleeve. I do hope that we get more of Ethan's POV though. He's such a fascinating character. While he's no longer a total mystery there are still tons of things that we don't know about him. 

Another thing I need to see in book two? That Kiss!! So many times they almost kissed but didn't. I think I may die of anticipation before we finally get it. I know that once it happens they will no longer be able to hide what they feel for one another, so I get why they haven't but man I need them to. 

*Quote

"Being the reason Jack smiled warmed me through and made me want to do nothing else for the rest of my life." 

"The only thing holding me together right now was his arms." 

"Jack was so close to losing his last grip on sanity. And maybe he should. Maybe it was time he stopped denying it and just admit what he was feeling. It was getting harder and harder to shove that one fact aside. 
He wanted to kiss Ethan Blade." 

"You told me not that long ago I couldn't ask you to not care for me. Well, Ethan, this is me caring for you. A lot." 

-Abri