Reviewed by Tidal
TITLE: Blood and Tears
SERIES: Flesh #3
AUTHOR: Ethan Stone
PUBLISHER: DSP Publications
PAGES: 310 Pages
Blurb:
The last thing Gabe Vargas wants to do after nearly dying is to leave his young son. But that’s exactly what FBI Agent Drew Bradley is asking him to do. According to Drew, the only way to protect Gabe and find his wife’s killer is to fake Gabe’s death.
With an already established adversarial relationship, protecting a hothead like Gabe isn’t exactly a picnic for Drew either. But Drew lets his guard down and a desire for Gabe leaves him confused. Before the crime can be solved, Drew will have to risk more than his life. He’ll also have to risk his heart.
Review:
This is the third book in the Flesh series and it is a thrill ride. Gabe Vargas is working with the FBI and they faked his death. He has lost his wife and his son is being kept safe for him. I love the characters in this book and it is a treat to see how the characters have grown and evolved. Gabe started out as a street kid, he is a loving dad now.
Gabe is under the protection of Agent Drew Bradley and neither wants to be in the same room with each other. As difficult as it is, it does not take long for them to realize that they will have to put their differences aside. With Gabe off the grid it buys them some time to find who killed his wife and who tried to kill him. Again as in the other books in this series we are treated to a good number of characters that we really get to know well. The reoccurring characters are a treat because we get to see how they have grown from the beginning of the series.
Just as in real life is true in this book that many of the things we see in people and in what we hear are not always what they seem. It is gritty and the action never stops. The characters are believable and credible. I like to see the dynamics in the relationship between Gabe and Agent Drew unfold. Agent Drew has to come to terms with some unexpected desire; Gabe has to come to terms with trust issues and being vulnerable.
I love the twists and turns in the story. I make mental lists as to who the killer could be. Often I am wrong and I do not mind that at all. I like the challenge if it. Ethan Stone delivers one with this book. There are more possible suspects than most books offer and that was what I found most exciting because I did not feel rushed or cheated in getting to know them.
The thing that I liked most was the realism, and vulnerability in the characters. The sex scenes were steamy and did not leave anything out but they fit in at the right moment too. They did not seem to be just dropped in at the last minute for shock value. The book is full of revelations, reunions and justice. My heart was in my throat throughout the whole book right until the last page. This book is definitely worth your time and money.
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