Bishop’s End Game (Endgame #3) by Katie Reus-Review & Excerpt tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 28, 2020
Read the final book in the Endgame trilogy where blood is thick, but passion is thicker…
He kidnapped a princess to exact revenge.
Set up for a crime he didn’t commit, Ellis Bishop takes the law into his own hands to exact justice and clear his name. Unfortunately, that means he has to kidnap a crime boss’s daughter—a perfect mafia princess, set to become queen of a dirty empire. What he didn’t count on was falling for his mortal enemy’s daughter.
He wasn’t supposed to fall for her.
Arianna hates the man who kidnapped her, but soon she realizes that things aren’t what they seem. Ellis was framed by her stepfather and is trying to clear his name. If she helps him, it means betraying her family. But how can she turn her back on him when he’s innocent… when her stepfather turns out to be a monster she never really knew at all?
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REVIEW: BISHOP’S ENDGAME is the third and final instalment in Katie Reus’ contemporary, adult ENDGAME erotic, romantic suspense trilogy focusing on the Bishop siblings. This is former DEA agent Ellis Bishop, and grade school teacher Arianna Stavish’ story line. BISHOP’S ENDGAME can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Ellis and Arianna) BISHOP’S ENDGAME follows the struggle to uncover the truth. Several months earlier DEA Agent Ellis Bishop witnessed the murder of his partner Carter, but reporting the crime found Ellis on the run for the murder he did not commit. Accused in his partner’s murder, Ellis is forced to go into hiding in an effort to stay one step ahead of those pushing to take him down. Fast forward to present day wherein Ellis will kidnap Arianna Stavish, the step- daughter of the man who killed his partner, believing Arianna is as dirty as the man in question. What ensues is the building relationship between Arianna and Ellis, as our couple search for the evidence to prove Ellis is innocent of his partner’s death.
Ellis Bishop can no longer trust the people in charge having witnessed first hand the who and how of his partner’s murder. With several members of his department on the take, Ellis turns his attention to Arianna Stavish, with woman with whom Ellis will fall in love. Arianna Stavish is completely unaware of her step-father’s illegal activities, activities that point directly at our story line heroine. Caught between her step-father and her would-be captor, Arianna agrees to help take down everyone involved.
The relationship between Arianna and Ellis begins acrimoniously as Ellis kidnaps our heroine to get to the truth. Believing Arianna is as dirty as her step-father, Ellis is hoping to gather the information needed to take down everyone involved including Arianna Stavish. In hiding, and on the run, Ellis and Arianna will bond and their relationship will grow, as our couple uncover the truth. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
The secondary and supporting characters include Ellis’ siblings Evan and Evie; Arianna’s step-father Vitaly; Ellis’ mentor and boss Kyle Bird, as well as several law enforcement. The requisite evil has many faces.
BISHOP’S ENDGAME is a story of family and betrayal; of vengeance, murder and innocence; of acceptance, love and moving forward. The premise is engaging and captivating; the romance is seductive and intense; the characters are energetic, colorful and strong. BISHOP’S ENDGAME is an exciting and thrilling conclusion to Katie Reus’ Endgame trilogy.
Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Bishop’s Knight
Bishop’s Queen
Bishop’s End Game
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
Ellis stood as well, his movements liquid grace. “We’ve got a few minutes.”
He’d warned her that when they docked, their boat might be checked, so the two of them were going to hide in a secret cubby in the closet. She was curious why it even existed, though could more or less gauge the reason. To hide stuff.
She wasn’t sure who was helping them, just that one of his friends was apparently super rich. Yeah she knew his family was wealthy, but owning a yacht was a totally different kind of wealth.
Like one-percent crazy money.
Ellis opened the closet door, his broad shoulders filling up the sleek, teakwood frame. When he stepped farther inside, she followed after him. It was already cramped but then he pressed something on the wall—a button of some kind she couldn’t see—and the panel slid back to reveal a small, carpeted space that would fit two standing people. Barely.
He stepped in first and pressed back against the wall.
She moved in after him, plastering her body to his because there was no other choice. He was rock-hard against her, all lean muscles and raw strength. And good God, the man was tall and built. She’d known it, but being in the enclosed space really drove home that point.
“It’s going to get dark in here, but it won’t be for long.” His deep voice was all soothing and gentle. Very different from when he’d first kidnapped her. Just the sound of his voice did strange things to her insides—things she was going to ignore. “And if things go sideways, just act like you’re here against your will.”
“Okay,” she said quietly, trying to ignore how good he smelled. It was hard when her face was right up against his chest. That masculine, dark scent she was coming to associate with him wrapped around her, making her light-headed, and she leaned even closer against him.
He pressed a section of a small double hook that looked as if it could be used for hanging hats or robes. As soon as he did, the wall slid back into place with a faint swishing sound.
The architecture of this was incredible, and if he hadn’t told her about the buttons earlier, she never would have seen either one. She wondered if this storage area was for smuggling cigars or something.
As she shifted against him, she tried really hard not to be aware of all of his sleek muscles and rock-hard body against her. She thought the sexual part of her had not only died, but withered away years ago. Around Ellis it was coming to life with a vengeance. Which was so inappropriate, and really, the worst timing ever.
She hadn’t been with anybody since she’d gotten completely sober, had turned down so many dates she couldn’t count. It was as if men knew she wasn’t interested so they came out in droves or something.
She simply didn’t want to get to know anybody because eventually it would lead to getting naked. And she was terrified of what that entailed.
She wasn’t sure she could have sex sober. Or good sex. Ugh.
Closing her eyes even though it was dark, she laid her cheek against his chest and took a steadying breath. He smelled spicy, something masculine that she was still trying to pin down. Whatever it was, she liked it as much as she liked the feel of his hard chest against her. The man might have kidnapped her originally, but right now she felt strangely safe with him. Bonded, almost. And when he’d kidnapped her, he’d gone out of his way to be gentle with her, even when he’d thought she was a monster. He could have done anything he wanted, but when she’d brought up rape, he’d been so disgusted and horrified.
He shifted slightly, moving a fraction as he settled his big hands on her hips. And oh, wow, she liked the feel of his hands on her—way too much.
Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, and IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.
However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category.
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