Husbands Aidan Talley and Jameson Walker team up again as Agents Irish & Whiskey for their most precarious case yet in this established couple gay romantic suspense novel.
FBI agent Aidan Talley just wanted to spend the holiday weekend cheering on his husband’s basketball team. Instead, he’s investigating a cargo theft for the family business and coming face-to-face with a loose end from the case that almost tore him and Jamie apart.
Coach Jameson Walker may spend his days on the sidelines now, but Jamie refuses to stay there when it comes to his husband. When Aidan is cornered by his past, Jamie will do whatever it takes to ground him in the present, including stepping back into his hacker shoes for the Bureau.
Aidan and Jamie thought they’d seen it all, but the City of Angels has more than one ghost in store for them. As revenge and redemption collide, Agents Irish and Whiskey will have to trust in their love and their partnership to solve the case for the family they have, for the one they lost, and for the one they want to call their own.
Angel’s Share is the final book in the Agents Irish and Whiskey LGBTQIA+ romantic suspense series. While it can be read as a standalone, it is best enjoyed after reading the other books in the series.
One of the most satisfying things for me as a reader is when I can revisit existing couples to get one more glimpse into their lives. The great thing about Angel’s Share is that we get more of Aidan and Jamie while the author gives us a fresh storyline. That makes it so very easy to sink right back into the world of Agents Irish and Whiskey once again.
I love how they each keep each other grounded, knowing the other is there for them no matter what. Their bond is as solid as ever without feeling overdone, and they are as hot together now as they’ve ever been.
It was great getting to see all of the supporting characters again as well. The author has created a great network of characters from their different series that continue to be there to reinforce our guys every step of the way.
In Angel’s Share you’ll find the suspense and excitement we’ve all come to expect in this author’s works, and for me I was totally engrossed in the story from start to finish. This was a great way to wrap up things for Aidan and Jamie as things come full circle, though I’d never be surprised if they were to pop up somewhere else in this author’s other stories again.
5 stars for Angel’s Share, it’s a perfect end for one of my favorite couples!
About the Author
Layla Reyne is the author of What We May Be and the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Perfect Play series. She writes sexy, intense LGBTQIA+ romance featuring competent adults in kitchens, sports arenas, car chases, and other high-stakes situations. Whether it’s adrenaline-fueled suspense, rival athletes, vampires and shifters in alt-realms, or love mixed with mouth-watering foodie goodness, queer folks finding happily-ever-afters is guaranteed.
Husbands Aidan Talley and Jameson Walker team up again as Agents Irish & Whiskey for their most precarious case yet in this established couple gay romantic suspense novel.
FBI agent Aidan Talley just wanted to spend the holiday weekend cheering on his husband’s basketball team. Instead, he’s investigating a cargo theft for the family business and coming face-to-face with a loose end from the case that almost tore him and Jamie apart.
Coach Jameson Walker may spend his days on the sidelines now, but Jamie refuses to stay there when it comes to his husband. When Aidan is cornered by his past, Jamie will do whatever it takes to ground him in the present, including stepping back into his hacker shoes for the Bureau.
Aidan and Jamie thought they’d seen it all, but the City of Angels has more than one ghost in store for them. As revenge and redemption collide, Agents Irish and Whiskey will have to trust in their love and their partnership to solve the case for the family they have, for the one they lost, and for the one they want to call their own.
Angel’s Share is the final book in the Agents Irish and Whiskey LGBTQIA+ romantic suspense series. While it can be read as a standalone, it is best enjoyed after reading the other books in the series.
Layla Reyne is the author of What We May Be and the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Perfect Play series. She writes sexy, intense LGBTQIA+ romance featuring competent adults in kitchens, sports arenas, car chases, and other high-stakes situations. Whether it’s adrenaline-fueled suspense, rival athletes, vampires and shifters in alt-realms, or love mixed with mouth-watering foodie goodness, queer folks finding happily-ever-afters is guaranteed.
Can Seth and Evan save the warlock’s next target, bring down his crime syndicate, and live to tell the tale?
Blurb
When a coven of dark warlocks killed Seth Tanner’s brother, Seth became a man driven by vengeance, sworn to stop the cycle of ritual killings, willing to die for the cause. He never expected to fall head over heels in love with the witches’ next intended victim. Evan Malone didn't believe the supernatural was real until Seth swept in with his magic and motorcycle to save him from being the next sacrifice.
Now they’ve gone on the road together, hunting the rest of the coven while they figure out how to keep the white-hot, once-in-a-lifetime bond between them. Days are filled tracking their paranormal quarry, honing their monster hunting skills, and gaining control of the small magics that have made a life-or-death difference. Nights are spent together, entangled in adrenaline-fueled passion, learning how to make this love last forever despite the odds. Seth fears that if they don’t eliminate the rest of the coven, they’ll be on the run forever, and more people will die. Evan is afraid that Seth’s obsession with revenge means they might not survive to get a happily ever after.
Seth and Evan head to West Virginia to confront one of the dark warlocks, a master con man running a cybercrime empire. Can Seth and Evan save the warlock’s next target, bring down his crime syndicate, and live to tell the tale?
Signs and Wonders is a thrill-packed supernatural thrill ride with plenty of paranormal suspense, hurt/comfort, hot nights, found family, deadly magic, immortal witches, determined hunters, haunted places, creepy ghosts, impressive explosions, spooky chills, and sexy thrills, and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.
Excerpt
“I know you’re busy saving the world, but if you can spare a few days to heal, it would keep you from re-injuring the joints,” he warned. “I can give you something for discomfort and inflammation. Ice will help. The best medicine is not doing any new damage until the old damage heals.” “We were planning to take a couple of days here before we head south,” Seth said. “The witch disciple will be at the top of his game, so we need to be ready for him.” They thanked Matt and followed Travis to a no-frills conference room down the hall. St. Dismas had once been a hotel, and its origin showed in the layout. While the building wasn’t fancy, fresh paint and good maintenance hid the flaws. Brightly colored accents and punchy but inexpensive art made the corridors warm and homey. Seth felt certain that Travis had a lot to do with St. Dismas’s welcoming atmosphere. Brent Lawson greeted them with handshakes instead of the usual backslaps, and Seth figured Travis warned him about their injuries. Brent was around the same age as Travis, with short blond hair, blue eyes, and an athletic build. Despite having left the FBI years ago to become a monster-hunting private investigator, something about his manner still suggested “federal agent.” “Sometime you two need to come to Pittsburgh just to have fun,” Brent said. “In nice weather, when you’re not chasing ghoulies and ghosties. See a baseball game, eat pierogies, try some local beer. We’ve got it going on here.” Travis just shook his head and closed his eyes, resigned. “Ignore my partner’s ill-advised attempt to be cool. But we have plenty to do and lots of good food.” “Seriously? The priest is giving cool lessons?” Brent bantered. “Ex-priest. And yes. Because you need all the help you can get after so many years in those boxy suits with the high-and-tight hair.” Travis’s voice lacked heat. Seth always figured that for the two work partners, bickering was half the fun. Seth and Evan helped themselves to coffee while Travis passed around the donuts. They chatted while they ate before getting down to business. “Parker’s chasing down a lead between Fletcher Swain’s wellness empire and some shady online fundraising companies.” Evan shared what his brother had discovered. “I’m thinking that his retreat in the no Wi-Fi zone is pretty suspicious, and likely to be where he does the rituals.” Travis took notes as they talked. “Yeah, I think that makes sense. I’ll see if any of our contacts know more.” “I’m working with some folks to untangle the whole paranormal pharmaceutical cartel,” Brent said, refreshing his coffee. “The warlock in Cleveland was deep into it. I don’t think it’s Fletcher’s main focus, although he’s probably involved.”
Carra's Review
Another witch disciple, another adventure for Seth and Evan! Something I appreciate with this series is that each new for is not a cookie cutter of the last one (or any other one) before. The settings, the circumstances, the new characters—there is continuing variety to keep things fresh, and I love the way the author incorporates actual places and their history into each story. I’ve gone down my own research rabbit holes to learn more just thanks to this alone.
I love that the dynamic between Seth and Evan feels just as strong now in book seven as it did at the end of book one. They are just as solid together as ever, and continue to be one of my favorite long-running series couples. I also love how protective Seth continues to be of Evan, and that they both continue to put each other first.
This time a young man named Cameron is a disciple’s target. I though he and his partner Tyler were sweet, and Tyler’s protective attitude lines up with Seth’s too. The guys also bring in some friends to help this time around, and I really enjoy enjoy when this author pulls in characters from their other series to work together as a team. Here it’s Travis and Brent from the Night Vigil series, and their skills are a great help in this situation.
This story was engaging and kept a good pace. The guys got right down to business and laid everything out on the table with Cameron after they’d scoped things out and kept the disciple’s goons from getting the jump on him. Given that the disciples are growing more impatient as the series goes on, things feel like they are starting to move more rapidly with the guys and their support team as well.
Signs and Wonders was a great 4.5-star read for me. I hope the author continues to bring in supporting characters from their other series, I really like the team aspect that’s been building up and think it’s a great contribution to the books.
I would strongly recommend reading this series in order as each book builds from what comes before, though if you want to just jump in I think there is probably enough backstory given to give you an idea of what is going on. You’ll just get more enjoyment from it if you start at the beginning. Also keep in mind that with the adult language and sexual content, this book is meant for readers 18+.
About the Author
Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic and urban fantasy, with less romance, more explosions.
All of the modern-day Morgan Brice and Gail Z. Martin series crossover, so characters from one series appear in cameos and on page in important secondary roles in books from other series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the more you read the more the expanded universe of friendships and connections becomes clear.
Morgan and Gail believe that paranormal elements make any story even better, and her worlds are full of ghosts, psychics, shifters, creatures, vampires, monster hunters, and magic.
She's also a huge fan of the TV show Supernatural. (Chibi art by Kamidiox)
One castle, five authors, five love stories, all at the same holiday event!
Blurb
Racing Toward Love by Jeanne Adams
Dr. Oriela Deschamps was overjoyed to get a job appraising an estate for the Wellington family in the small English town of Caynham-On-Ledwyche. From the first meeting with the Byron "Bo" Wellington, Ori knows the job is going to be a challenge. First, there's Bo himself - the sexy, grumpy heir to Ribald Racing Stables. Then, there's the exceedingly dangerous artifact that's the centerpiece of her appraisal. That artifact, a set of riding silks from 1947, carry a curse and someone wants them for dark and desperate reasons. Can Ori's magic save them, or will the would-be thief kill both Ori and Bo, just as they find their special Valentines?
Fae-ted Mates by Morgan Brice
Dawson and Grady King are honeymooning at Caynham Castle, hoping to take a break from monster hunting. They have one piece of family business to handle, involving a generations-long agreement with the Welsh Fae. When things go wrong, will Dawson and Grady survive, or will they be trapped in the Faerie realm forever?
Romance Sells Records by Caren Crane
After watching her mother’s hope for a grand romance get dashed time after time, Hannah Evans grew into someone with no tolerance for romance. Callum Hughes’ parents had an enviable relationship, and he wanted the same for himself: if only he could convince Hannah to trust what they could build together.
Cupid Comes to Caynham by Seressia Glass
In Cupid Comes to Caynham, Oliver Jones' family has run the Boar and Knight off and on for centuries. After his father's death, it is now Oliver's responsibility to manage the ancient pub, a duty that leaves him no time or desire for love--until professional tourist Shayla Munroe literally falls at his feet. With Valentine's and Shayla's departure date fast approaching, does love have time to bloom or will it die on the vine? Not if Venus and Cupid have anything to say about it.
The One Who Got Away by Nancy Northcott
Hastings Whitney grew up driven not only to succeed but to be seen to succeed. His focus on success cost him two marriages and any number of relationships. Now he has a second chance with the woman he never forgot, jewelry designer Corinne Lanier. Has he changed enough to balance work with a relationship? Or will a business crisis bring old habits back to the fore? And is there a sinister side to his problem?
Excerpt from Fae-ted Mates by Morgan Brice
CHAPTER 1
GRADY
“I can’t believe we’re really here.” Grady King pulled Dawson along by the wrist to the check-in desk. “It’s a real castle!”
“It’s called Caynham Castle. Not exactly a surprise—it sort of looks like one,” Dawson teased fondly.
“Yeah, but ‘Magic Kingdom’ isn’t a real kingdom,” Grady retorted. “Truth in advertising is rare.”
The lobby was in one of several buildings along the wall of the outer bailey. Dark wood wainscoting covered the lower half of the hewn stone wall, matching the counter. A large oil painting of a man in the opulent clothing of another century hung behind the check-in desk. Grady assumed it was one of the many Earls of Caynham whose most recent descendant still owned the castle and ran it as a hotel and event destination.
The woman behind the counter watched their banter with a bemused look. “Welcome to Caynham Castle. I’m Constance. Could I have your last names, please?”
Grady plunked their joined hands onto the counter so that the matching rings showed. “King. My husband and I have the honeymoon suite.”
“Theatrical much?” Dawson joked. “She’s seen married folks before, I’d wager.”
“We’ve never been here before or been married before. Don’t dim my joy.” Grady knew he was being over the top, but everything about the trip had his excitement cranked up to the max. Honeymoon. England. Castle—and our own suite. Vacation. And no monsters for two whole weeks.
“He had a lot of coffee on the flight,” Dawson told the woman in a faux-apologetic tone. His grin made it clear that he enjoyed Grady’s enthusiasm.
“You have to understand,” Grady confided in Constance, “we’ve had several friends who absolutely loved their stay here. They told us plenty about the castle. I want to find all the gargoyles.”
“Let’s get you checked in so you can deposit your luggage and go hunting,” Constance said with a smile.
Grady’s eyes widened. “I didn’t mean hunting them—” He snapped his mouth shut, realizing that she hadn’t meant their kind of monster hunting. Dawson subtly elbowed him in the ribs, but his unspoken message was clear.
Don’t freak the mundanes.
“Grady and Dawson King.” Grady tugged a bit on their joined hands, loving how the matching gold bands caught the light.
“Ah yes, here’s the reservation. And it seems as if your friends have sent some welcome gifts. There’s a package from Teag Logan and Anthony Benson, one from Erik Mitchell and Ben Nolan, and another from Simon Kincaide and Vic D’Amato.”
Her tone shifted as she read the names, and her eyes widened. “Oh. Oh, my. Are you all in the same business?” She dropped her voice. “Do we have a ghost problem again?”
Carra's Review of Fae-ted Mates
Dawson and Grady should be able to enjoy their honeymoon at a castle in England without having to worry about supernatural shenanigans, right? Oh, sure, of course. I mean, they’ll just run quick errand visiting the fae while they are there, and then get right back to celebrating. Easy peasy. Oops.
I’m sure you already know - after all, if their friends who are also all involved in the supernatural couldn’t avoid it when visiting Caynham Castle before them, why should Dawson and Grady be any different? But things are always tricky with the fae, so of course the guys take every precaution. Yet we all know things rarely go as planned, so get ready for an unexpected twist to add some eerie drama to the mix (okay, yes, of course we’re all expecting it—that’s what we’re here for after all).
Given the shorter story format for the collection things move quickly, just shy of being rushed, but the devotion of the two men to each other shines through when things are at the most desperate point. That heart of the story is bookended by another great look at the castle and surrounding area, and a chance to help castle residents with their own disturbance of a different fae variety.
Fae-ted Mates gets 4 stars from me, and if you’re wondering if the guys get up to any naughty physical activities, relax—the obligatory scenes are there too for your enjoyment. Of course that means I’m going to let you know this particular story in this collection is meant for readers 18+ for sexual content ;-)
Meet the Authors
All five authors are members of the same Facebook Author Group - Romance Bandits
Life is good for Eric Schuster. He owns a highly successful tech company, has a great group of buddies, and he’s about to marry the man of his dreams. Eric is pleasantly surprised to find the transition from friends to lovers has been easier than he thought. However, after running into an overly friendly ex-boyfriend on an impromptu trip to their shared hometown, Eric realizes things are about to get complicated.
Zane Richards is a quintessential California surfer dude turned professional sailor. His laid-back approach has helped him navigate difficult times in his life. Eric may not share his easy-going mindset but Zane knows without a doubt Eric is the one. However, carving a future together may require confronting a piece of the past Zane thought he’d left far behind. Both men will have to decide if they’re willing to risk what they know for a chance to lean into always.
“Hmm. I want to drop this, but…I have one last question. What did you mean about ‘being from here?’ I know San Francisco is home now but this is a nice place too. I always thought it would be kind of cool to move back someday so I could—”
“No. No way. Never,” I replied emphatically.
I tried and failed again to make a getaway. Zane pounced on me and held me down, snaking his arm across my chest to keep me next to him.
“O-kay…where’s this coming from?”
“I can’t explain it. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.”
“It sounds stupid.” I met his patient gaze, hoping he’d cut me some slack, but he didn’t budge and I had a feeling he wouldn’t until I spit it out. “Fine. I was teased pretty mercilessly for being a geek from kindergarten through high school. I never fit in. I wasn’t blond, athletic, or particularly charming. I was smart. Smarter than I appear to be now,” I huffed.
“Who bullied you? I’m gonna kick some ass. No one messes with my man,” he said, nuzzling my neck.
I chuckled, running my fingers along his spine. “Thanks. I told you it sounded lame. I’m a perfectly well-adjusted adult when I’m not here. And I’m actually pretty good when I come for quick family visits, but this feels different. It feels like I’m being thrown back in time and forced to hang out with the cool kids. Today was a great example. I made a fool of myself out there and I made you mad. Yeah, I was jealous but that was only part of it. I also wanted to prove I’d grown up a little and that I wasn’t the same sunscreen-caked dork who’d sit under an umbrella and read when he went to the beach anymore. I guess I still am.”
“You seem to be forgetting one major detail, Er.”
I traced the laugh-lines at the corner of his eyes and pushed his hair from his forehead. “What is it?”
“I like you just the way you are. I don’t expect you to change and develop a sudden passion for things I enjoy doing. Just be you. And if that means you’d rather finish a chapter lounging in the sand than jump in the water, that’s okay by me.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. It comes with the territory. I wouldn’t want to spend the rest of my life with you if I didn’t love all your weird habits,” he teased, pulling us both to sit up.
“Weird? Me? I bet you can’t name three weird things about me,” I declared as I sauntered toward the bathroom.
“I bet I can name ten. I’ll give you my list at breakfast. Jump in the shower while I call housekeeping and ask them to change our sheets.”
I stopped in the doorway and frowned. “Just tell them I spilled water on them or something.”
“Why lie? I’m going to tell them my boyfriend got jizz on my side of the bed and…”
I shook my head mournfully and turned on the shower to drown out his silly speech about being stuck with a messy lover and crusty sheets. I chuckled at his ‘put upon’ tone and called for him to join me before stepping under the spray. I stopped abruptly and backed up to look at my reflection. My cheeks were flushed, my eyes were bright, and my smile spanned my entire face. I was incredibly happy and if I said so myself, it looked good on me.
Carra's Review
I truly enjoyed Zane and Eric when I read their story Leaning Into Love, so of course my interest was piqued when I found out they were getting a follow-up story. Leaning Into Always was a chance to see where they’re at as they are planning to be married, but also to delve into some insecurities that seem to be present on Eric’s side.
Told from Eric’s point of view, we get to take a look into his thoughts when an old friend-with-benefits pops back into Zane’s professional life. For Eric, whose teenage days were not at all ideal—in part due to Zane’s old friend—this spurs self doubts to rise along with jealousy and a bit of territoriality…something Zane doesn’t understand, and that introduces friction between the two of them.
What this story does show though is how deep and strong Eric and Zane’s connection runs, and how much they love each other. There’s a good bit of angst and tension, and Zane’s old friend Dean made me sufficiently annoyed to the point where it actually impacted my rating just a bit.
Leaning Into Always was a good story and a perfect way to revisit Eric and Zane’s relationship without it seeming redundant following the first book. It was a solid 4-star read for me, and I’d definitely recommend it after reading Leaning Into Love. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content (not to mention a bit of a bedroom surprise from Eric…yep, that’s a little tease…).
Meet the Author
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in an almost empty nest.
Books by Lane Hayes:
Better Than Good, Better Than Chance, Better Than Friends, Better Than Safe, The Right Words, The Wrong Man & The
Right Time, Leaning Into Love and Leaning Into the Fall, A Kind Of Truth, A Kind of Romance, A Kind of Honesty, A Kind of Home AND A Way with Words
