Review: No Love Lost - Lexi Blake

When Ezra Fain joined the ranks of the CIA, the last thing on his mind was romance. After meeting Kim Soloman, it was difficult to think of anything else. A tragic mistake drove them apart, leaving him shattered and unable to forgive the woman he loved. But when his greatest enemy threatens her life, Ezra leaps into action, prepared to do anything to try to save her.

Solo accepted long ago that she won’t get over Ezra. She’s worked for years to get back into his life, looking for any way to reignite the love they once shared. Unfortunately, nothing seems to penetrate the wall he has built between them. When she’s arrested for a crime she didn’t commit, she believes she’s on her own.

Racing across the globe, Ezra and Solo find themselves together again, caught in the crosshairs of the agency they sacrificed so much to serve. Days on the run soon turn to steamy nights, but Levi Green isn’t about to let them find their happily ever after. And when the smoke clears, the men and women of McKay-Taggart will never be the same again.

Masters and Mercenaries Series:
The Dom Who Loved Me
The Men with the Golden Cuffs
A Dom is Forever
On Her Master's Secret Service
Sanctum (Novella)
Love and Let Die
Unconditional (Novella)
Dungeon Royal
Dungeon Games (Novella)
A View to a Thrill
Cherished (Novella)
You Only Love Twice
Sweet Child O' Mine (Short Story)
Luscious (Novella) (Topped book 1)
Adored (Novella)
Master No
Just One Taste (Novella) (Topped book 2)
From Sanctum With Love
Devoted (Novella)
Dominance Never Dies
Submission is Not Enough
Master Bits & Mercenary Bites: The Secret Recipes of Topped (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 2.5)
Perfectly Paired (Novella) (Topped book 3)
For His Eyes Only
Arranged (Novella)
Love Another Day
Master Bits and Mercenary Bites: Girls Night (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 3.5)
At Your Service (Novella) (Topped book 4)
Nobody Does it Better
Close Cover (Part of the Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection)
Protected (Novella)
Lost Hearts (Memento Mori) (Originally published as Memento Mori) (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 1)
Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 2)
Enchanted (Novella)
Lost in You (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 3)
Long Lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 4)

No Love lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 5)

Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection:
Close Cover - Lexi Blake
Justify Me - J. Kenner
Say You Won't Let Go - Corinne Michaels
His to Protect - Carly Phillips
Rescuing Sadie - Susan Stoker
Her Guardian Angel - Larissa Ione

Visit Lexi Blake's website for more information

Review:
We have been building up to Ezra Fain and Kim Soloman's book since the beginning of the Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten series. We've seen first hand that they're both crazy about each other but at the same time there is a lot of resentment between them for things that happened in the past. Ezra blames Kim for the things that happened between them but at the same time he just threw away their relationship without even trying to see her side of things.

Like a lot of fans I've been really looking forward to their book, I wanted to dig deeper into where things went wrong and I knew their chemistry would be explosive when they finally gave in to it. Lexi Blake never disappoints on that front, especially when she can throw in a lot of danger and push her characters over the edge as they fight for their lives. I'm not going to lie, there were moments when I really wanted to shake some sense into Ezra. The way he kept punishing Kim constantly and always immediately jumped to the worst conclusions about her got really irritating after a while but by the end of the book we do see a huge turn around in his character and he works hard to become a better man for her. I always knew Kim had secrets but I could never have even begun to guess all of them so there were some really brilliant revelations throughout the story too.

I loved seeing all of the Lost Boys come together for one last mission with the help of some of the McKay-Taggart crew, one of the things I've enjoyed most about this series is the ongoing camaraderie between the group and they way they always look out for each other and that hasn't changed here. While I really enjoyed the romance and was happy with the way things turned out for Ezra and Kim I was slightly disappointed that they spent so much time apart, really they were only together for such a short time before their relationship imploded and then they were apart for so long that it was a bit hard to understand why they were still so madly in love with each other. I totally got the sparks flying when they were back in each others vicinity but they'd both spent years longing for each other from a distance. 

That's only a slight niggle in the grand scheme of things though and overall this was a fast paced story full of action and intrigue. It ties together a lot of threads that have been ongoing for at least 5 books now and it definitely leaves the whole Masters & Mercenaries crew in a very different place to where they started. I can't wait to see where Lexi takes this world next because I have a strong feeling we're nothing to be saying goodbye to it any time soon!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Long Lost - Lexi Blake

A stolen past

The only thing Tucker remembers of his past is pain. Used in a doctor’s evil experiments, his memories and identity were erased, and his freedom taken. He believed his nightmare was over when he was liberated by the men and women of McKay-Taggart, until he heard the name Steven Reasor. The idea that he could have been involved in the terrible experiments that cost his “brothers” everything crushed him. A desperate attempt to force him to remember the truth almost cost him his life. Now his world is in chaos and his only path to finally uncover the truth and atone for his sins leads to Veronica Croft.

A painful present

Veronica “Roni” Croft knew Dr. Steven Reasor was bad for her, but she also saw a side of the man that no one else knew. Even as she began to believe their employer was hiding something sinister, she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Their affair was passionate and intense, but also fraught with danger. When he disappeared under mysterious circumstances, she took her first chance to run and never looked back. She has stayed hidden ever since, running from forces she knows are too powerful to overcome. But now the man she believed was dead, the man she mourned, has returned and needs her help.

A dangerous future

As Tucker and Roni unravel the secrets of his past, a dark force rises and threatens to destroy them. Their only chance for survival will require them to join forces with the Lost Boys’ worst enemy. Only together can they finally unlock Tucker’s past. But as Tucker’s memories begin to come back, will it free them both or tear them apart forever?

Masters and Mercenaries Series:
The Dom Who Loved Me
The Men with the Golden Cuffs
A Dom is Forever
On Her Master's Secret Service
Sanctum (Novella)
Love and Let Die
Unconditional (Novella)
Dungeon Royal
Dungeon Games (Novella)
A View to a Thrill
Cherished (Novella)
You Only Love Twice
Sweet Child O' Mine (Short Story)
Luscious (Novella) (Topped book 1)
Adored (Novella)
Master No
Just One Taste (Novella) (Topped book 2)
From Sanctum With Love
Devoted (Novella)
Dominance Never Dies
Submission is Not Enough
Master Bits & Mercenary Bites: The Secret Recipes of Topped (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 2.5)
Perfectly Paired (Novella) (Topped book 3)
For His Eyes Only
Arranged (Novella)
Love Another Day
Master Bits and Mercenary Bites: Girls Night (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 3.5)
At Your Service (Novella) (Topped book 4)
Nobody Does it Better
Close Cover (Part of the Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection)
Protected (Novella)
Lost Hearts (Memento Mori) (Originally published as Memento Mori) (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 1)
Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 2)
Enchanted (Novella)
Lost in You (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 3)
Long Lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 4)

No Love lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 5)

Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection:
Close Cover - Lexi Blake
Justify Me - J. Kenner
Say You Won't Let Go - Corinne Michaels
His to Protect - Carly Phillips
Rescuing Sadie - Susan Stoker
Her Guardian Angel - Larissa Ione

Visit Lexi Blake's website for more information

Review:
I've been waiting for Tucker's story ever since I first started reading about the Lost Boys. He's always been so protective of his brothers, proven at the end of the last book when he sacrificed himself so that one of their wives wouldn't be hurt, but there have also been hints at a much darker side to his past where he might even have been involved in the early experiments they were used in. He still has no memory of his past thanks to Dr Hope's mind wiping drugs but rumours that he might at one point have been her right hand man are driving him insane. He can't bear the thought that he might have been responsible for anyone else's suffering so when Levi Green offered him an experimental cure he took it.

After taking the cure Tucker spent two weeks in a coma while his brothers continued their desperate search for answers. The only lead they have is Roni, a woman who once worked as an intern for Hope but who has been in hiding for the last few years. Roni knew Tucker when he was Steven Reasor and she's the only one who might be able to help him figure out how involved he was in Hope's experiments. Roni remembers two very different sides to Steven, there was the guy at work who most people were terrified of, and the one she knew privately and had a brief but intense affair with. When she meets Tucker she discovers yet another side to his personality she's not quite sure what to make of him.

Tucker may not remember the time he spent with Roni but for years he has dreamed of her face and he knows she was important to him. Now the two of them, along with the rest of the Lost Boys, are desperately trying to piece everything together so they can all learn their true identities and hopefully get their lives back. But their enemies are circling and as Tucker's memories start to return it places them in more danger than ever before.

This series is just getting better and better with each and every book. Tucker is easily my favourite of the Lost Boys and it was so good to see him finally figure out exactly what had happened before his mind was wiped. There were some really heartfelt moments in this book between him and his brothers and I loved the romance between him and Roni. Roni had very good reasons for being wary of Tucker and the rest of the team but she's a fighter so with her mother's support she does her best to help them all. I can't stand Levi so I'm really hoping we'll see him brought down soon, he's been causing trouble for the team for far too long so I'd be very happy to see Ezra or Solo put a bullet in him in the next book (fingers crossed!).

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Lost in You - Lexi Blake

Robert McClellan was forced to serve as a soldier in a war he didn’t understand. Liberated by McKay-Taggart, he struggles every day to reclaim the life he lost and do right by the men he calls his brothers, The Lost Boys. Only one thing is more important – Ariel Adisa. The gorgeous psychologist has plagued his dreams since the day they met. Even as their mission pushes him to his limits, he can’t stop thinking about taking his shot at finding a life beyond all this with her.

Ariel Adisa is a force to be reckoned with. Her performance in Toronto proved she’s more than just a brilliant mind, but Robert still acts as if she is a wilting flower who needs his protection. Joining him on the mission to Munich should be the perfect opportunity to test their skills and cement their relationship. She and Robert are an excellent match. But when a stunning secret from Robert’s past is revealed, their world is turned upside down and nothing will ever be the same again.

While they chase dark secrets across Europe, Robert and Ariel realize that the only thing worse than not knowing who you are could be discovering who you used to be...

Masters and Mercenaries Series:
The Dom Who Loved Me
The Men with the Golden Cuffs
A Dom is Forever
On Her Master's Secret Service
Sanctum (Novella)
Love and Let Die
Unconditional (Novella)
Dungeon Royal
Dungeon Games (Novella)
A View to a Thrill
Cherished (Novella)
You Only Love Twice
Sweet Child O' Mine (Short Story)
Luscious (Novella) (Topped book 1)
Adored (Novella)
Master No
Just One Taste (Novella) (Topped book 2)
From Sanctum With Love
Devoted (Novella)
Dominance Never Dies
Submission is Not Enough
Master Bits & Mercenary Bites: The Secret Recipes of Topped (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 2.5)
Perfectly Paired (Novella) (Topped book 3)
For His Eyes Only
Arranged (Novella)
Love Another Day
Master Bits and Mercenary Bites: Girls Night (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 3.5)
At Your Service (Novella) (Topped book 4)
Nobody Does it Better
Close Cover (Part of the Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection)
Protected (Novella)
Lost Hearts (Memento Mori) (Originally published as Memento Mori) (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 1)
Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 2)
Enchanted (Novella)
Lost in You (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 3)
Long Lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 4)

No Love lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 5)

Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection:
Close Cover - Lexi Blake
Justify Me - J. Kenner
Say You Won't Let Go - Corinne Michaels
His to Protect - Carly Phillips
Rescuing Sadie - Susan Stoker
Her Guardian Angel - Larissa Ione

Visit Lexi Blake's website for more information

Review:
Lost in You is the third book in Lexi Blake's spin off from the Masters and Mercenaries series about the lost boys who were rescued by McKay-Taggart. The men all lost everything when their memories were wiped by evil scientist Hope McDonald and they're all still trying to figure out who they were and where they came from. In the meantime they've become as close as brothers and they all look up to Robert as their leader. Robert is determined to help his brothers find out who they are, he wants to find out exactly what was done to them and stop it from ever happening to anyone else but he's pretty much given up on the idea of finding anyone from his own past. He'd rather focus on the future he is longing to build with fellow team member Ariel.

We've seen the connection between Robert and Ariel throughout the first two books but for some reason Robert has always been holding himself back. Now we start to realise that he's terrified of hurting her. He doesn't remember his old life but he suffers with awful nightmares and he knows there is a darkness inside him that he doesn't want to taint Ariel with. Ariel has been in love with Robert for months but she's also afraid of what will happen if he ever gets his memory back. Could he have family out there waiting for him? Would he still love her if he could remember his past? The questions plague her and make her wary of committing to a relationship with him. But they've been circling each other for so long now and something has to give, once they've crossed that line it'll be impossible to step back over it.

The group is still surrounded by danger on all sides as rogue CIA agent Levi Green is still trying to get hold of the drugs that wiped their memories. He wants to recreate the experiments using American soldiers but the lost boys and McKay/Taggart will stop at nothing to prevent that from happening. They are also focused on trying to get hold of any information they can about McDonald's experiments, partly to stop it falling into enemy hands but also so they can try to figure out a way to reverse the damage that was done to them. With their enemies closing in, and Ariel keeping some pretty dangerous secrets, things are officially about to go FUBAR.

This was definitely my favourite book in the series so far, I loved the romance between Robert and Ariel but I'm also really enjoying getting to know the other lost boys better and it's been really interesting to see them slowly starting to uncover more about their pasts. There are some HUGE revelations in this book, ones that completely took me by surprise, and I'm already desperately waiting for the rest of the series. The ending made me think Tucker's book is next which I'm really excited for but I also hope we're going to see a lot more of Esra and Solo soon.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Lost and Found - Lexi Blake

Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.

Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.

Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.

Masters and Mercenaries Series:
The Dom Who Loved Me
The Men with the Golden Cuffs
A Dom is Forever
On Her Master's Secret Service
Sanctum (Novella)
Love and Let Die
Unconditional (Novella)
Dungeon Royal
Dungeon Games (Novella)
A View to a Thrill
Cherished (Novella)
You Only Love Twice
Sweet Child O' Mine (Short Story)
Luscious (Novella) (Topped book 1)
Adored (Novella)
Master No
Just One Taste (Novella) (Topped book 2)
From Sanctum With Love
Devoted (Novella)
Dominance Never Dies
Submission is Not Enough
Master Bits & Mercenary Bites: The Secret Recipes of Topped (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 2.5)
Perfectly Paired (Novella) (Topped book 3)
For His Eyes Only
Arranged (Novella)
Love Another Day
Master Bits and Mercenary Bites: Girls Night (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 3.5)
At Your Service (Novella) (Topped book 4)
Nobody Does it Better
Close Cover (Part of the Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection)
Protected (Novella)
Lost Hearts (Memento Mori) (Originally published as Memento Mori) (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 1)
Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 2)
Enchanted (Novella)
Lost in You (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 3)
Long Lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 4)

No Love lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 5)

Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection:
Close Cover - Lexi Blake
Justify Me - J. Kenner
Say You Won't Let Go - Corinne Michaels
His to Protect - Carly Phillips
Rescuing Sadie - Susan Stoker
Her Guardian Angel - Larissa Ione

Visit Lexi Blake's website for more information

Review:
Lost and Found is the second book in Lexi Blake's spin off from the Masters and Mercenaries series about the lost boys who were rescued by Taggart and McKay. These men lost everything when they had their memories wiped by a sadistic scientist and they're still trying to find out information about their pasts and exactly what happened to them. Owen may have no memory of it but he knows that he betrayed the rest of his team when trying to save his mother and sister from the scientist who held them all captive. He's been trying to make amends ever since but he worries that his brothers will never forgive him for the mistakes he made or fully trust him again, partly because he can't forgive himself.

The team is focused on trying to find a cure for their memory loss but they also want to ensure that details of the experiments conducted on them and the drugs that Hope McDonald created are destroyed so they can't be used to harm anyone else in the future. That's where Dr Rebecca Walsh comes in. Rebecca is a highly intelligent and well respected doctor who specialises in research into potential cures for Alzheimer's disease. Her research could be the key to unlocking their memories but since she worked with Hope McDonald in the past the team are unsure if she can be trusted. Now it's up to Owen and the others to get close enough to Rebecca to figure out which side she's on, and to find out exactly how much she knows about Hope's experiments.

I know some readers will be familiar with these characters from the original Masters and Mercenaries series but as someone who hasn't had a chance to read those books yet (I've been too busy catching up on Lexi's rereleases of her Bliss and Texas Sirens series!) I am still thoroughly enjoying this spin off. I'm really enjoying getting to know all of the Lost Boys and I have to say Owen might just be my new favourite. Owen is haunted by his past, he betrayed his team to save his mother and sister and they were murdered anyway so he lost the respect of his brothers and his family in one fell swoop, yet he can't remember any of it. He can't properly grieve for the family he doesn't remember and it's hard to win back the trust of the people he should be closest to when he can't even remember why he didn't trust them to help him. There is a real vulnerable side to Owen that made it impossible not to root for him to succeed in his mission.

Rebecca didn't exactly have a normal childhood, a genius who flew through school and college far faster than her peers she never spent much time with children her own age and was always focused on her studies instead. When her mother became sick she put everything on hold to help care for her and watching her slowly being destroyed by Alzheimer's disease left Rebecca determined to find a cure. She is super focused on her career and doesn't trust people easily so it surprises her when she feels such an instant connection to Owen. He's keeping a lot of secrets though so even though the attraction between them is real and intense things are bound to go horribly wrong when she discovers the truth. I loved how open Rebecca was about her desires and what she wanted from her life, she was willing to take risks in both her career and personal relationships but as her past is about to catch up with her she suddenly finds herself in danger. Owen is the first person she wants to turn to for help but there are some things she can't quite bring herself to tell him about so things are going to get complicated fast.

This was an action packed story with lots going on but it never lost focus on the romance, I loved spending time with all the lost boys and getting to learn more about their background and I also really enjoyed the mystery of what was happening in Rebecca's life. Rebecca and Owen make a brilliant couple, they both make mistakes but when it comes down to it they trust each other enough to work together. Rebecca is thrown into the deep end when she realises what Hope McDonald was up to with her research but her reaction was totally believable and after her initial shock starts to fade she comes out fighting. Things are really starting to move forward now and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Original Cover

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Lost Hearts (Memento Mori) - Lexi Blake

Six men with no memories of the past

One leader with no hope for the future

A man without a past

Jax woke up in a lab, his memories erased, and his mind reprogrammed to serve a mad woman’s will. After being liberated from his prison, he pledged himself to the only thing he truly knows—his team. Six men who lost everything they were. They must make certain no one else gets their hands on the drugs that stole their lives, all while hiding from every intelligence organization on the planet. The trail has led him to an unforgiving mountainside and a beautiful wilderness expert who may be his only hope of finding the truth.

A woman with a bright future

River Lee knows her way around the Colorado wilderness. She’s finally found a home in a place called Bliss after years lost in darkness. The nature guide prefers to show her clients the beauty found in the land, but she also knows the secrets the mountains hold. When she meets Jax, something about the troubled man calls to her. She agrees to lead him to the site of an abandoned government facility hidden deep in the forest. She never dreamed she was stepping into the middle of a battlefield.

A love that could heal a broken soul

Spending time with River, Jax discovers a peace he’s never known. Their passion unlocks a side of himself he didn’t even know he was missing. When an old enemy makes his first move, Jax and River find themselves fighting for their lives. But when his past is revealed, will River be caught in the crosshairs of a global conspiracy?

Masters and Mercenaries Series:
The Dom Who Loved Me
The Men with the Golden Cuffs
A Dom is Forever
On Her Master's Secret Service
Sanctum (Novella)
Love and Let Die
Unconditional (Novella)
Dungeon Royal
Dungeon Games (Novella)
A View to a Thrill
Cherished (Novella)
You Only Love Twice
Sweet Child O' Mine (Short Story)
Luscious (Novella) (Topped book 1)
Adored (Novella)
Master No
Just One Taste (Novella) (Topped book 2)
From Sanctum With Love
Devoted (Novella)
Dominance Never Dies
Submission is Not Enough
Master Bits & Mercenary Bites: The Secret Recipes of Topped (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 2.5)
Perfectly Paired (Novella) (Topped book 3)
For His Eyes Only
Arranged (Novella)
Love Another Day
Master Bits and Mercenary Bites: Girls Night (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book) (Topped book 3.5)
At Your Service (Novella) (Topped book 4)
Nobody Does it Better
Close Cover (Part of the Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection)
Protected (Novella)
Lost Hearts (Memento Mori) (Originally published as Memento Mori) (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 1)
Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 2)
Enchanted (Novella)
Lost in You (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 3)
Long Lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 4)

No Love lost (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten Series book 5)

Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection:
Close Cover - Lexi Blake
Justify Me - J. Kenner
Say You Won't Let Go - Corinne Michaels
His to Protect - Carly Phillips
Rescuing Sadie - Susan Stoker
Her Guardian Angel - Larissa Ione

Visit Lexi Blake's website for more information

Review:
Lost Hearts (Memento Mori) is the first book in a spin off from Lexi Blake's Masters and Mercenaries series featuring a group of men known as "The Lost Boys" who were previously rescued by Taggart and the McKay crew in the original books. I have to admit I'm fairly new to Lexi's work, I fell in love with her writing this year when I discovered her rereleases of the Nights in Bliss and Texas Sirens series previously written under the pen name of Sophie Oak and I'm slowly catching up on her urban fantasy Thieves series but I've not actually read the Masters and Mercenaries books yet (they're on my list but she has a huge backlist so it's going to take me a while to get fully caught up!).

Anyway, that means I've met Taggart and some of his men in the series I've already mentioned but I don't know any of the background history of the Lost Boys so I was worried I might be a little lost starting this book. Luckily Lexi Blake does a great job of catching new readers up and even though I'm now even more excited about reading the previous stories I didn't have any problem diving in here. I think it helps that all of her books are so interconnected, the setting for this story is actually Bliss so we get to catch up with characters from that series and it was good to see some familiar faces.

Jax is one of the Lost Boys I've previously mentioned. Alongside his brothers he has no memories of his life until approximately 3 years ago when they woke up in a lab after having their memories wiped in a sick experiment. The men have no pasts and before their rescue they were regularly tortured as their captor tried to reprogram them into perfect soldiers. Now they're on the run from some very powerful people but at the same time they're trying to track down more information about what was done to them and find out about their lives before they were initially captured. Their research has led them to Bliss where they believe that a secret government lab is hidden in the wilderness that may contain the key to their missing memories. River is an experienced tour guide who knows the area like the back of her hand so Jax and his brothers need her help desperately to find the secret laboratory, but can they find the information they're searching for before their past catches up with them?

Jax and his brothers are great, I loved getting to meet everyone and see how much they've all been affected by what they suffered and I'm looking forward to all of their stories. The brothers are all totally different but have been bonded by their shared experiences and they have some powerful allies in Taggart and his team. I really hope they're all going to get a book because I want to know more about all of them. Jax is a really sweet guy, he's been through so much but somehow still manages to put his trust in River and show her how much she means to him. He's ashamed of things he did in captivity but has done his best to move forward with his life and just really wants to find a place to call home.

River is quite a prickly character at first, she had a pretty bad experience with her ex that left her understandably wary of men and the recent death of her father has left her worn down and struggling to cope. I found her very easy to relate to and although there was a point where I wanted her to trust in Jax and not listen to a complete stranger I did understand where she was coming from and felt it made her character even more realistic. I enjoyed the chemistry between her and Jax, they hit it off immediately before they know they're going to be working together, and things are only made complicated thanks to a mistake on his brother's part and the fact that River has huge trust issues. Jax is very patient with her though and when River makes up her mind she puts her all into helping Jax and his family.

I really enjoyed this story and I'm definitely excited to continue this series, it's also left me even more eager to catch up with the original Masters and Mercenaries books too so Lexi Blake has definitely gained a fan in me this year!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle: