Reviewed by Amber

TITLE: Enemies of the State

SERIES: The Executive Office #1

AUTHOR: Tal Bauer

PUBLISHER: NineStar Press

LENGTH: 324 pages

RELEASE DATE: February 15th, 2016

BLURB:

A rogue Black Ops unit with the president in their crosshairs.
A Secret Service agent who will break every rule.
A president falling for the one person he shouldn’t—a man.

Newly elected President Jack Spiers’s presidency is rocked from the very beginning, and he’s working furiously to keep the world from falling apart. Between terrorism attacks ripping apart Europe, Russia’s constant posturing and aggression, and the quagmire of the Middle East, Jack is struggling to keep his campaign promise—to work toward a better, safer world.

For Special Agent Ethan Reichenbach, Jack is just another president, the third in twelve years. With Jack’s election, he’s been promoted, and now he’s running the presidential detail, which puts him side by side with Jack daily. He’s expecting another stuffed suit and an arrogant DC politician, but Jack shocks him with his humor and humanity.

There are rules against a Secret Service agent and one of their protectees developing a friendship—big rules. Besides, Jack is straight as a ruler, and a widower, and Ethan has always avoided falling for straight men. Ethan keeps his distance, but Jack draws him in, like gas to a naked flame, and it’s a lure he isn’t strong enough to turn away from.

As the two men collide, rules are shattered and the world teeters on the verge of war, and a rogue Black Ops unit bent on destruction sets Jack in their deadly crosshairs. Ethan must put everything on the line in order to save the man he’s come to love, Jack’s presidency, and the world.

AMBER’S REVIEW:

“When you love someone, really love them, you’ll do anything. Figure anything out. Because having them in your life is worth more to you than living without them. That’s how I felt about Ethan.”

Ok, its official….I’m a fan!! Tal Bauer you are an amazing writer and this story was phenomenal. I loved the dynamic between the characters…this had it all angst, tension, denial, action, love, and suspense. This is a slow burn romance. These characters go through a lot of inner back and forth before they embrace what is right in front of them. There is A LOT of political mumbo-jumbo in this and when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. But the beauty about the way this story was spun the political stuff didn’t bother me too much. It all lead into some of the more important sub-plots so I didn’t mind it at all. It did drag at times but I see the need and the picture the author was trying to paint so overall, the dragging parts were a necessity.

Just a quick summary, Ethan Reichenbach is play by the book Secret Service agent. Having given his country more than 12 years of his life there is nothing he takes more seriously than his service. That is until he is put in charge of the newly elected President’s protection detail. The attraction emotional and physical hits Ethan full force and he finds himself continually breaking his own rules along with those rules handed down to him by the government.

President Jack Spier’s is caught completely off guard by his feelings for Ethan. He fights it, he denies it, and he avoids it. But when he gives in, he is ALL in and his acceptance and love for Ethan just explodes on the page.

Along the way these two have to protect themselves, those close to them, and the world against many that want nothing to do them harm.

This was like White House Down meets Olympus Has Fallen and throw in some sweet flirting, fiery passion, unbelievable loyalty, and incredible possessiveness (the smoking hot kind.)

Adored this book, the writing, the characters and I’m absolutely looking forward to book two…absolutely recommend!!!

RATING: 

SARINA’S REVIEW:

I’ve read a lot of books in my life…a LOT, and there is only one other book I’ve ever said this for: If this book were to be made in to a movie, I would watch the fuck out of it!  (The action scenes alone were pretty damn amazing!)  Seriously, I’d probably break the DVD player just putting this on repeat and I’d go buy a replacement with a grin on my face.

Jack is the President of the United States but even being the ‘Leader of the Free World’ can’t make up for the fact that he’s lonely.  Widowed 15 year prior and with no children, he’s pretty much on his own with nothing but himself and his work for any kind of meaningful company.  Ethan has worked as part of the secret service for over a decade and as the newly appointed head of the President’s security detail, he takes his job very seriously.  Getting involved in any way with a client can only lead to disaster, he knows this and has said it to others, but there’s something about the new President that draws him in anyway.  Amidst swirling politics and terror attacks, the men find themselves drawing closer but Jack is straight and Ethan has always made it a point to never fall for the ones he can’t have and there’s no one higher on the ‘don’t touch’ pedestal than Jack.  Too bad his heart hasn’t gotten the memo.

Oh my god, this book was amazing!  Just, I can’t remember the last time a first time author has completely blown my mind like this one has; everything else that I needed to get done was completely put aside just so I could finish this book.  Normally with a gay for you book, I find things moving faster than you would expect in real life but that wasn’t the case here.  I found the relationship and developing feelings between Jack and Ethan to be completely believable and the slow work up towards a relationship was extremely satisfying to me.  And when we finally got to the sex…*hums happily*…well, we’ll just say I wasn’t disappointed.  😀

There was quite a bit of politics bandied about in this book but I actually found it really interesting and getting to see the inner workings of the secret service was kind of fascinating to me.  There are also several points of view in the book, some from the enemy, and I was left guessing on that part, which was great!  And did I mention the action scenes?  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been disappointed by the lackluster action in a book but this one delivered and then some!  There was just so much going for this book and while it isn’t a happily ever after, it is a happy for now and as its just the first book in the series, I’m totally excited to continue reading.  This book was amazing and I highly, HIGHLY recommend it!

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

NineStar Press

Amazon

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