Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: A Step too Far

SERIES: Too Far #2

AUTHOR: H.L. Day

PUBLISHER: Self Published

RELEASE DATE:  June 3, 2019

BLURB:

Two men. Three identities. An unstoppable attraction.

Desperate for his luck to change, Jake Spencer manages to land a dance contract with Dmitry Gruzdev. The job has plenty of perks including a simmering lust between him and Dmitry’s hulking brute of a bodyguard, Mikhail. Life is finally looking up. Except as the shine wears off, it becomes clear that Jake’s stepped into a world of darkness and depravity where Bratva answers to no one and allies are not what they seem.

Mikhail’s hiding a secret: there is no Mikhail. He’s simply a front for undercover operative, Ryan Harris. A means to gain access to Dmitry. Ryan’s not stupid. There’s no way he’s going to get distracted by a pretty face, no matter how attractive Jake might be. That would be far too dangerous for all concerned. Only it’s not that simple and before Ryan knows it, the line between personal and professional begins to blur spectacularly.

Lust develops into more. Secrets start to unravel. Ryan’s got an impossible choice to make: keep Jake safe or maintain his cover. But how much does Dmitry know? The hunted may be about to become the hunter, blowing both men’s worlds to pieces and leaving them with nothing.

Can a relationship built on lies ever lead to love?

Warning: This book contains a seductive dancer prone to getting into trouble, a gruff man who’s anything but, and a villain that just won’t go away.

REVIEW:

After reading book one, I wanted so much for someone to just beat the tar out of Dmitry. If you haven’t read book one, you need to or you will be lost. Also, there are some triggers. Controlling mafia boss, who has people beaten, killed, threatened, you name it. It’s a bad situation, but it’s the mafia, so hello.

I was so torn for Mikhail and Igor when I found out who they really were. They just wanted to get the job done and go home, but trying to get the info they needed was near impossible. And having to stomach what Dmitry wanted them to do or was having done around them was getting worse every day. It made them want to vomit. After helping Valentin get free in book one, one would hope that Dmitry wouldn’t pick another boy to take his place. But they were dead wrong. Jake runs in, disrupting a rehearsal to audition for Valentin’s spot. And Mikhail/Ryan was immediately smitten. But Dmitry was just as captivated. Just for different reasons. Mikhail/Ryan tried subtly to get Jake out of it, but Dmitry was too good at manipulation and Jake was now stuck in a world he wanted no part of. When he was thrown in to what was expected of him, he was shocked, disgusted and much more. But Mikhail/Ryan had to explain in any way he could, that Jake had to do this or could possibly die. But soon Jake overheard something he wasn’t supposed to and now things are getting dangerous. Dmitry has found out a lot of things and it has all went to shit. Ryan is doing everything he desperately can to save Jake, but he can’t find him and Ryan now fears the worst. But he refuses to give up. The bad part is, he may have no choice.

I don’t know how undercover cops can do their jobs when in situations like that. You know there are government people and cops undercover all over this world and I don’t know how they stomach what they have to see or do, just to stay hidden. Unfortunately, some go bad themselves. Thankfully, Ryan and George (Mikhail and Igor), but damn the stuff they had to do. And heaven forbid they make one little mistake. Their bosses were up their butts for it, when these two were the ones with their lives on the line. It’s scary stuff. Even more scary when you fall for the person you are supposed to be indifferent too. Ryan tried in so many ways to help Jake and to make it better for him, but he had to maintain his cover too. That’s the point where I’d be even more at a loss. Do you quit after so long undercover and try to make it or turn a blind eye to all that is happening, especially to the one you care for?

And Jake. Bless his heart. All he wanted to do was dance. And make it in the world of ballet. But was thrust into a world of lies and secrets and bad men. My heart broke for him, when the wool got dropped from his eyes and he really got a glimpse at what his world was now. Truly horrible. And no matter what he did, there seemed to be no way out. Trying to escape got him a beat down, so he went numb. Doing what he had to do to survive as long as he could. Completely devoid of himself. What was there to live for anyway? He couldn’t dance, was a prisoner, and the one man he cared for was told was dead. Another point in which I would wonder if life was worth it. And what decision I could make to stop it all. A harsh reality.

It’s a tough read. Life is not all sunshine and roses. It’s very far from that, in fact. But it’s a hell of a book. A hell of a series.

RATING: 

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