Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Ricochet
SERIES: Out for Justice #1
AUTHOR: Reese Knightly
NARRATOR: Tristan James
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
LENGTH: 8 hours, 55 minutes
RELEASE DATE: December 19, 2019
BLURB:
WITSEC victim Noah Bradford knows secrets that could get him killed, and staying hidden seems like a good plan. What he didn’t plan on is losing his heart to a man who is sworn to protect him.
Battle scarred US Marshal Robert “Mac” Mackenzie has a job to do, and guaranteeing the safety of Noah Bradford is at the top of that list. Mac will do whatever it takes to keep Noah safe, even if it means walking away.
Mac and Noah, brought together during extreme circumstances, have been separated by evil. It’s been six years, give or take, and Noah is coming for vengeance against the men who killed his mother. He’s on a collision course with Mac, who has no idea of the man Noah has become. Sparks fly and the heat sizzles when these two powerful men are reunited, but will they survive the passion the past created?
REVIEW:
Romantic suspense and mysteries are some of my favourite genres, and each time I find a new book has been released it makes me happy. This time I got a bonus of trying a new author, not only new to me, but also this author’s debut novel.
Ricochet spans over many years. We first meet Noah when he was 17, trapped in a horrible and dangerous situation. He’s held captive by the man responsible for his mother’s death some years earlier. One night the place he was staying was raided by law-enforcement and he was rescued by a marshal; Mac who also put him into witness protection. Fast forward some years and Noah hasn’t only left WITSEC but also been recruited into a black ops organisation; Phoenix. He’s sent all over the world for the most dangerous and impossible of missions. At the same time he’s also been looking for the men responsible for killing his mother.
There is a lot, or well some, time jumping in this book. They do make sense for the story bringing it forward. Allowing for Noah to grow up and become the man he is present day. At the same time I also felt like I missed a few things in the between. Important events that the listener was told about instead of shown, where feelings developed. Strong feelings that enabled a seven year separation between our heroes to keep said feelings alive. I just couldn’t feel it.
Speaking of the timeline, I’m glad this story spanned so many years. It made Noah and Mac’s relationship feel more on equal terms. I don’t know that I particularly saw them as a couple. Well, I could definitely see Noah’s fascination with all things Mac back when he was 17. Mac saved him and protected him, took care of him. It was hero-worship and a crush for sure. I could also see how said feelings would stay and grow with time. At the same time I couldn’t quite believe in Mac’s interest in Noah beyond the protective part. Their age difference for one, but also because we weren’t there for the two years they spent together and formed the strong bonds that haunted them both.
The story itself was a bit, okay very, fantastical, not at the top of the unbelievable list, but it’s on there. However, that didn’t matter in the least. I was invested in Noah and his fate early on and fascinated by Mac. I always wanted to know more and was thoroughly entertained by their story. And the hunt for the bad guys was thrilling to say the least. The hints about the other members of Phoenix definitely have me wanting to know more.
Every seasoned narrator has their own style, their own way of narrating a book. They have their pacing, voices and strengths. Tristan James performance was true to form. For me one of his biggest strengths, or well, he has many of them; his voice and passion to name a couple. But I wanted to highlight his range of accents. He gets me every time with them. This time we also got some German thrown into the mix. This book is definitely worth listening to for him alone. The entertaining story is a nice bonus though 🙂
Ricochet is the first book in the Out for Justice series, and it will be interesting to get to know the rest of the team and follow their adventures. Me things there will be a lot of action and danger in my future.
RATING: 
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