Reviewed by Tammy
TITLE: Gabriel 
SERIES: Order of the Black Knights, #5
AUTHOR: RK Staunton
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 219 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 21, 2017
BLURB:
Gabriel Ingram is running from his past. It’s common knowledge at the college where he teaches that he’s a former CIA technical analyst, but no one knows the things he really did—or about the rage and bloodlust that are his constant companions. He’s holding on to his normal life with both hands, but he knows someday he’ll lose his grip.
Lucas Craig is a social worker studying to become a family therapist. For reasons Lucas can’t understand, the normally reclusive Professor Ingram takes an interest in him, and Lucas secretly hopes their friendship might become more.
Then Eric, Lucas’s roommate, disappears. Lucas is frantic. The police are no help. With nowhere else to turn, Lucas begs Gabriel for his expertise.
What starts as a simple errand to help a friend becomes a journey into a violent world of gangs and human trafficking—one that will bring Gabriel face-to-face with the forces intent on stealing his soul. But Lucas might be the one who can save him—if Gabriel can get them out alive.
REVIEW:
EVERY CENTURY has seen its knights. But there are those who are never seen. They do what must be done, what has to be done— when nobody wants to get their hands dirty. They are called the Black Knights. First created in the 1100s by the wizard Moriel, these men seem cold and hard, and it is said that some have no soul. But for each knight, there is one who can bring out the man who waits inside. The question is whether he will kill the individual before he figures it out.
Through the ages, they’ve conquered and ruled and taken what they wanted. And they have adapted to modern times. Instead of being bullies for hire, they have taken their skills further— the Internet, the CIA, government infiltration, hacking, special ops, assassination, but each one of them has a need they don’t understand— to squash, kill, or destroy.
If the Knight pardons an enemy, he will no longer be cursed. If not, he will continue to live the same life again and again, and each life will make him harder and more unyielding. And each life will make it less likely that he can be saved.
Gabriel is Professor Ingram and he has what he feels is an unhealthy interest in a graduate student at the college he teaches at. Gabriel has taken to buying Lucas Craig a morning coffee and muffin as he is sure Lucas doesn’t eat anything before arriving for class. Lucas can barely get up most mornings let alone have time for breakfast. Lucas works as a social worker, studies to be a family therapist and is also a volunteer for a suicide hotline. Luckily Lucas’ flatmate Eric has taken to waking him up early so he makes it to college on time, until the morning Eric isn’t there to wake him up!
Eric thought he was hooking up with a gorgeous guy after his shift tending bar at Sparks except when he got there he was kidnapped! Eric woke up from being drugged handcuffed to a bed in a run-down motel. And so, started Eric’s time as a sex-slave.
When Eric hadn’t been home for three days Lucas was beside himself but when he reported, him missing no-one was interested in a missing gay man! Lucas went to Gabriel to ask for his help in locating Eric. Gabriel knows that getting involved in the search for Eric is going to result in him being drawn back into the life of the CIA. To protect Lucas, Gabriel has him move into his house and to his utter surprise while Lucas is near him he calms the rage inside Gabriel.
Gabriel was an unexpected find for me. This is the first story by RK Staunton that I’ve had the pleasure of reading but it will most definitely not be the last. I have no hesitation in recommending Gabriel to all m/m, mystery, romance lovers. I urge you to get your copy of Gabriel, you really need to find out if the relationship between Lucas and Gabriel lasts. Do they find Eric? Does Gabriel manage to remove the curse from himself?
Have you got your copy yet? No? WHY NOT??
RATING: 
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