Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Hacked
SERIES: Licking Thicket: Horn of Glory #3
AUTHORS: Lucy Lennox and May Archer
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 356 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2022
BLURB:
Well-known computer security infiltration specialist Jasper Huxley has never met a system he can’t hack. Whether his assignment is accessing a highly-classified Pentagon server or modifying his high school report card, he’s always got a botnet, an exploit, or a little bit of social engineering he can call up to get the job done. But there are certain things he can’t finesse, no matter how hard he tries.
•Beating the infuriatingly adorable, adorably infuriating Kevin Rogers in the Enchanted Javelin Toss to qualify for the Horn of Glory Conqueror’s Tournament. (Robbery.)
•Sharing a house and–worse–a network with Kev. (Gah.)
•Being forced to allow a non-trained, non-serious, and non-resistable civilian to take part in a critical intel operation. (•side-eyes Kev)
•Keeping Champion Security’s system safe from increasingly sophisticated black hat threats. (Once again… Kev.)
•Maintaining his distance from the man haunting his thoughts… especially when he learns that Kev’s a virgin. (At least for now.)
In short, when Kevin Rogers is in the picture, the safe and peaceful life Hux has managed to construct for himself gets suddenly and irrevocably… hacked. (And it’s all Kev’s fault.)
REVIEW:
Hacked, an enemies to lovers romance, is the third and final book in the Licking Thicket: Horn of Glory series. It pairs together Carter’s cousin and best friend, Kevin Rogers, with Champion Security’s computer hacker and tech specialist, Jasper Huxley. This book brings about the conclusion to the Horn of Glory/drug cartel saga, as well.
Kev lives in his basement lair at Carter and Riggs’ house in Licking Thicket. He’s a nerdy homebody but is working on overcoming his social anxiety. He’s just not big on peopling; he much prefers his online life to real life, finding the former easier to navigate and manage. Most of his interaction with others is through the Horn of Glory online game. In fact, his nemesis in the game – and increasingly in real life – is Hux. He can’t seem to get away from the man because, for the duration of the book, Champion Security is camped out in the house while their office’s security has been breached.
Hux is a retired Marine who thinks Kev has gorgeous Clark Kent looks and is brilliant, funny, and sweet (and a full-time couch potato), but nonetheless, he drives Hux up a wall:
“He was also a nosy know-it-all who was always right there, invading my life, trying to steal my job and my sanity.
Because of his own computer expertise, Kev is assisting Champ on the Horn of Glory case, which is infuriating Hux. He doesn’t like Kev doing part of what should be his job and he’s convinced Kev is just seeking attention. Being involved with the team and feeling productive is going a long way toward lessening Kev’s insecurities. He’s long felt powerless and misunderstood among his family of cardiologists, and even feels unloved by his parents. He finally feels useful.
Because this is a dual POV, we know that both men are attracted to the other, they’re just not acting on it. After finding himself fantasizing about Kev and after a long, slow burn, Hux finally does something about it. Kev is a virgin and when they finally get together, it’s not only sexy its sensual, too. But Kev still isn’t convinced Hux is as into him; maybe it’s just a fling for him.
The best parts of the book are Hux’s pet rabbit, Rodrigo, who’s currently living part time in Kev’s lair, and the ridiculously funny details of the online farming game: the Vat of Regretful Choices, the Root Vegetable Plight, and Platypus Pasture among many others.
“HogMasterHux was crouching in the middle of a chicken pen with his hands over his head, getting pecked by overly aggressive poultry and rapidly losing health points.”
My least favorite part of the book – and the series – is the mystery of the game controllers, called “horns”, and their connection to a South American drug cartel, money laundering, drug shipments, and corrupt DEA agents. It just didn’t interest me and I found the whole idea preposterous.
Regardless, this is a Lennox and Archer collaboration so the writing and character development is top notch. Despite my dislike for the overarching theme of the series, I did enjoy Hux and Kev’s romance. If you’ve been reading the series, you will likely enjoy this conclusion.
RATING: 
BUY LINK: