Making it Happen: Review & Giveaway: THEIR BOUNTY by K.A. Merikan (Four Mercenaries #1)

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Review & Giveaway: THEIR BOUNTY by K.A. Merikan (Four Mercenaries #1)

Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited.

Length: 90,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Blurb

--- Taken. Prized. Possessed. Loved. ---

Clover is an orphan and has led a tough and chaotic life. No stability. No money. No friends. He trusts no one.

His already miserable life takes a nosedive when he ends up in the hands of a human trafficking gang. Someone has placed a request for a young albino man, and Clover is to become the property of a mysterious buyer who will stop at nothing to satisfy their depraved desire. Clover’s fate seems sealed until four bounty hunters appear to take out his captors and accidentally save him.

The four mercenaries want to move on, but when Clover pleads for protection, they offer it to him at a price. In the beginning, the arrangement is all kinds of shady, but as he gets to know the four men who’ve taken him on a wild ride, his developing feelings might become as dangerous as the elusive buyer.

But can a relationship with four such different men even work? Men who kill for a living? Men so full of contradictions?

Tank. The massive ex-soldier eager to be Clover’s Daddy.

Pyro. Wild, tattooed, with a filthy mouth and an itch for violence.

Boar. Ginger, bearded, a big teddy bear who can turn into a grizzly.

Drake. Dark and dangerous, with a tongue as sharp as his knives.

Can these men provide him with the love and security he craves? Or has Clover made the worst mistake of his life?

THEIR BOUNTY is a dark gay harem contemporary romance, book 1 in the “Four Mercenaries” trilogy. The story contains scenes of explicit violence, offensive language, morally ambiguous characters and lots of scorching hot, emotional, explicit scenes.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: abduction, polyamory, mercenaries, bounty hunters, albinism, commitment issues, indecent proposal, dark past, male bonding, human trafficking, size difference, enemies to lovers, danger, alpha male, found family, size difference, distrust, shared, victim and protector

Carra's Review

Though this author duo is known for their darker, grittier stories, so far I’ve read two of their “sweeter” ones; therefore, I wasn’t sure what to expect with Their Bounty being labeled “dark” other than the themes it would touch on listed in the synopsis. What I found was something decidedly unconventional, yet still compelling enough for me to enjoy the overall story.

When it comes to the four mercenaries—Tank, Drake, Boar, and Pyro—it’s pretty much a case of what-you-see-is-what-you-get…maybe with a slight exception for Boar who may seem a softie at times, but can be fierce when the need arises. They’re tough, hardened, and skilled in what they do. It’s easy too to see Tank as a Daddy, Pyro as the wild one, Boar as considerate and loving, and Drake as the aloof, intense loner.

Clover…well, let’s just say I’m on the fence regarding him. Yes, he’s just nineteen—and this shows given his indecision in many instances, and the actual decisions he makes in others. This is particularly evident in a scene with Boar, the sweetest of the team (as much as any of them can be considered “sweet”) and the one who becomes the most attached to Clover. The way Clover reacts to the intimacy frankly pissed me off. Does Clover learn and grow during the story? Yes, though his trust issues make things very difficult, and for me it was a bit frustrating to read.

Are there plenty of hot scenes? Of course—it’s to be expected in this duo’s books. Remember though, this is a harem situation so with a couple of exceptions this is more about Clover’s relationship with each individual on the team. Those relationships do play a part in how all five of them work together, but the overall story is not about a group romance—it’s more about how they make everything work as a unit.

This story is not going to be for everyone (obviously—even for me, I have to be in the right frame of mind to read the darker stuff). But if you’re the type of reader who likes to go down the dark rabbit holes and are okay with blurred lines and sometimes questionable situations, you’ll enjoy Their Bounty and will want to continue on with the series. For me, Clover’s attitude and the way the story felt longer than it needed to be has me giving it 3.5 stars. I’ll be checking out the next book in the series to see where things go from here, even if it’s only to get my fill of Boar (yes, he was my clear favorite). This book is strictly for readers 18+ for adult language, sexual content with multiple partners, adult situations and instances of human trafficking as well as a borderline dub-con scene.

About K.A. Merikan

K.A. Merikan are a team of writers who try not to suck at adulting, with some success. Always eager to explore the murky waters of the weird and wonderful, K.A. Merikan don’t follow fixed formulas and want each of their books to be a surprise for those who choose to hop on for the ride.

K.A. Merikan have a few sweeter M/M romances as well, but they specialize in the dark, dirty, and dangerous side of M/M, full of bikers, bad boys, mafiosi, and scorching hot romance.