LIVE, LOVE, SPY (Masters & Mercenaries: New Recruits 2) by Lexi Blake -review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 5, 2024

Life can often be awkward when you are a child genius. For Louisa Ward, that came in the form of meeting her one true love at age 12. TJ Taggart was perfect. But being a year younger and a full year ahead of him in school always made things weird. Working in the CIA has made her into a strong and capable woman. Until she sees TJ. Fifteen years later, she still gets butterflies every time she sees the gorgeous soldier, but she’s tired of waiting and ready to find love, even if it can’t be with him.

Not everyone knows what they want out of life when they are a teenager, but TJ Taggart could always see exactly where he wanted to go. But joining the Army would require a sacrifice. Since meeting Louisa, TJ knew his cousin’s brilliant, oddball friend was the woman he wanted to spend his life with. He couldn’t ask her to live that life with him. She was meant to change the world at some prestigious research job or maybe teach a new generation of geniuses like herself at an Ivy League school. There would be a chance to sweep her off her feet when his time in this dangerous life was done, and their happily ever after could begin.

Before he can make it home on his latest leave, TJ is kidnapped by an unknown adversary. As he waits to die, all he can think of is the time he wasted and how badly he wants to be with Lou. He’s more than a little surprised when his sweet, quiet girl shows up leading a CIA special ops squad to bust him out. Back in Dallas, it’s time to claim the woman of his dreams. He has a plan to win her over, until the adversary who almost killed him returns to finish the job.

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REVIEW:LIVE, LOVE, SPY is the second instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS & MERCENARIES: NEW RECRUITS erotic, Dom/sub romantic suspense series-a spin off-next generation series set in the author’s Master & Mercenaries worlds. This is Special Forces soldier TJ Taggart, and genius / CIA operative Louisa ‘Lou’ Ward’s story line. LIVE, LOVE SPY can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading book one LOVE THE WAY YOU SPY. Lou is the daughter of Boomer and Daphne Ward, and TJ is the son of Theo and Erin Taggart.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including Dom/sub interactions, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from omniscient third person perspective LIVE, LOVE, SPY follows the best friends to lovers relationship between our story line couple. TJ Taggart and Louisa Ward have been best friends most of their lives, and their developing love for one another was constantly being tested. Believing TJ didn’t feel the same Lou was considering looking elsewhere for love until an emergency call sent her team to Germany in an effort to rescue the man that she loved. A rescue, a seduction, an operation involving the CIA, MI6, CSIS and international espionage finds TJ and Louisa facing an adversary that may or may not be connected to the past. What ensues is the rescue and recovery of TJ Taggart, the developing Dom/sub/ love relationship between TJ and Lou, and the potential fall-out as the team is targeted for sins of the past.

Once again, the world building is innovative, intricate and complex; the characters are numerous, charismatic and captivating. The man in charge, Ian ‘Big Tag’ Taggart is overwhelmed by the shenanigans and sex lives of the next generation, often sending Big Tag into a tail spin in an effort to ‘bleach’ the images from his mind. The moments are humorous, fun and alone, worth the price of admission.

The relationship between Lou and TJ is a best friends to Dom/sub to lovers. TJ and Lou have struggled with their attraction to one another for as long as they can remember. Lou’s attempts at seduction have been rejected by our story line hero but both suffer with issues of low self esteem, both believing they are now worthy of the other’s love. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate; the Dom/sub scenes are provocative.

LIVE, LOVE, SPY is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, espionage and deception, family and friendships, acceptance and love. The premise is elaborate and entertaining; the romance is seductive; the characters are powerful, determined and resolute.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one LOVE THE WAY YOU SPY

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings.