Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Code Blue

AUTHOR:  N.R. Walker

NARRATOR:  Nick J. Russo

PUBLISHER:  Blueheart Press

LENGTH:  13 hours and 4 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  April 28, 2022

BLURB: 

Steve Frost had dreams of wearing the national championship belt in mixed martial arts, maybe even going pro, but instead finds himself working as a security guard for the rich and famous in LA.

Quickly earning a reputation for his blunt and precise people management skills, he lands a position on the security team for an up-and-coming boyband, Atrous. Years later, he’s head of security. He knows these boys, and with countless tours, flights, car trips, public events, and concerts, he’s closer to one band member in particular.

Jeremy’s been a pillar for Atrous since day one, but even more so these last few months. Now the face of the band more than ever, he’s also got himself the attention of a delusional stalker-fan.

When the fame and stress become too much, when Jeremy’s health takes a hit, Steve becomes Jeremy’s lifeline. But as Jeremy knows already, and as Steve is about to learn, not even the brightest star can shine forever.

REVIEW:

Note: This is book 2 in the series and as such contains major spoilers for the first book.  That said, this can technically be read as a standalone, but I think it’s better in context after the Code Red.

Steve Frost is head of security for the boyband Atrous.  He has traveled with the band for a number of years now and knows the members really well.  He also has a number of secrets that he’s not shared with anyone.  Jeremy, one of the leaders of the band has been struggling himself – first with the 8-week worldwide tour they’ve just finished and also with his health.  When it’s revealed that there is a crazed stalker who is targeting him, Steve is quite displeased to discover from management that this has been going on for some time and he’s just NOW finding out about it – when they were completely vulnerable in many other countries during this last tour.  So instead of a vacation, the whole security team is on high alert and Jeremy is going nowhere without Steve.

Steve moves into Jeremy’s mansion and takes over his life in a few ways.  Jeremy has been eating crap, not sleeping and it’s taken a toll.  Steve begins cooking him healthy food, getting him on a more normal schedule etc.  They’ve got some press to do, etc. but Steve’s real focus is trying to figure out who is behind the threats.  The emails, the packages, etc. are coming from all over so there’s no clear path to finding the culprit.  When the FBI gets involved and brings in a suspect, the news gets leaked.  And then the media circus really begins.

The whole security team has their hands full.  The boys are all under tight lockdown and none are happy about it.  Jeremy and Steve are pretty isolated spending all their time at Jeremy’s.  Steve is getting a strange vibe from Jeremy – like is he flirting with him?  But Jeremy has been a one night stand kind of guy for almost a decade with the band and it’s only ever been girls.  Steve has to be wrong about this, right?  Also Steve has NEVER divulged his own sexuality either.

As they search for the real culprit of the stalking heats up, Jeremy is really not happy with how things are going.  And he isn’t sure he really wants to continue with the band either.  Things are looking a bit bleak when there is a strange break in the case.  And that break shines a light on Steve’s past that he’s never shared with anyone.  Jeremy is mad that Steve hasn’t told him everything, but there is a reason for that.  And just when they think they know the whole truth about the stalking, there is another nearly deadly surprise.  Thank goodness for crack security!

I enjoyed this one a lot more than the previous book.  This book doesn’t focus as much on the concert part of the boy band saga, but more on the interpersonal relationships between the band, the label, the management company, the security team and the various partners of the band members.  The mystery is really good in this one with who is stalking Jeremy and how Steve’s past plays into it.  This is a really good commentary too on how the media can really be vultures exposing people’s pasts with little to no regard for them, their families, or anyone really.  I though Ms. Walker did a fantastic job of showing the mental and emotional toll of having your entire life laid out for so much clickbait and gossip fodder.  Disgusting really.  Jeremy coming to terms with his attraction to Steve is also really well written.  Jeremy has never been attracted to another man before an he’s really really confused about what his feelings are for Steve.  Steve worries that it’s a bit like Stockholm syndrome and that Jeremy is just grateful and dependent on Steve – not that he really cares for him in a long-term kind of way.  There really is just a lot going on for these two and with the constant pressure, definitely something’s gotta give 🙂

Nick J. Russo does a fantastic job of performing this book, as usual.  There are a lot of characters and the continuity was really great from the previous book.  I loved his choices for Jeremy and Steve and how they interacted. There is plenty of teasing and charming from Jeremy and Steve’s stern facade is shown to be a mask that he has worn to keep himself and his charges safe.  His pain at what he had been through was really well acted in this story and I always appreciate the way Mr. Russo can really pull his listeners in and tug very successfully on the heart strings.  I just wanted Jeremy and Steve to be happy.  Jeremy’s struggle with his feelings for Steve and “labels” I thought were really well told here and I really loved listening to this book.  Another winner for this author/narrator combination.  Highly recommended.

RATING:

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