I squeezed this in between two ARCs to get those pushed out on their publication dates and well who needs an excuse to read a hot MM romance?
After reading Double Full, I knew I was going to finish out the Nice Guys series by Kindle Alexander at a minimum. And after reading this one, I’m thinking I may want to look at other works by Alexander. This one was a good bit better than the first in the series and definitely made me want more from them. Good thing I still have Full Domain, the final book in the trilogy, to look forward to!
The primary reason this book was better than Double Full, is the build up to the sex. In the first book Alexander plows right in (double entendre intended). That book opens with a hot and heavy locker room sex scene, but you don’t get to the first sex scene in this book for quite some time and even then, it’s phone sex and then video chat because of the characters jobs.
I am all about that delayed gratification in these books. If the authors jump in too quickly and go all out, where do you have to go from there? Most of the time it’s nowhere and the books end up landing flat as a result of this, but if you hint and tease for a good portion of the book you get a much bigger pay off in the end.
This book picks up not long after the first with Mitch, US Marshall from the first book and son of Colt’s team doctor, still looking for the person (or persons) who tried to kill Jace, but he’s not getting anywhere. He’s become friends with Colt and Jace and ends up visiting Dallas and staying with them for another case and runs into Cody, a Texas Ranger hopeful, at a bar and they’re immediately drawn to each other.
Mitch chose the T-shirt that had a print screen across the front saying, ‘I’m not gay, but twenty bucks is twenty bucks’, and smiled, looking in the mirror. He’d save the one that read, ‘I’d bottom you so hard,’ for tomorrow. Hopefully he’d be picking Cody up from the airport wearing that one. (154)
Mitch has the whole bad boy thing going on with the tattoos and inappropriate t-shirts in the office. And Cody has the whole straight-laced, perfect country boy next door thing going on and yet they’re inexplicably drawn to each other.
The story revolves mostly around the two of them trying not to scare the other one with the intensity of their feelings and Cody’s being super wrapped up in his job and not wanting to derail his future as a Texas Ranger. They have two epic weekends of sex together, with a quite a bit of phone and cam sex, while Mitch has finally got the break he needs on Jace’s case.
The big drama, post mini “let’s not talk about our emotions” drama, of the case occurs towards the end when those who allegedly are responsible for targeting Jace attempt to kill Cody because of his relationship with Mitch. I legit teared up because Alexander definitely kept the details mum, even though obviously there needed to be a happy ever after. I was 100% screaming in my head “HE CAN’T DIE, NO HE CAN’T THEY JUST CONFESSED THEIR LOVE, IT CAN’T HAPPEN LIKE THIS.” And clearly it didn’t, because there was the most adorable proposal at the end, and of course I hissed yessssssssss, because squeeeeee right?!?
I also felt Alexander did a better job with the sappy romance and the humor in this book than in the first. The humor in the t-shirts above, and then this sappy vomit/swoon-inducing one depending on your mood,
I don’t think I’ll ever want you to leave. You’re the part of me that’s been missing. I’m off when you’re not around. (354)
But in general, I really enjoyed Mitch’s turn from bad boy into lover boy and then into family man. Not that they had a baby or anything, maybe in the next book, but Cody’s family means a lot to him and that rubs off on Mitch who realizes how long it’s been since he’s spent any time with his family. Plus, that proposal with both family’s present was beyond adorable!
Recommendation: Definitely worth the read! If you can make it through the first book, Alexander’s writing has clearly evolved and in my opinion gotten better. The story was more engaging and the delayed gratification made it even better than the wham bam sex from the first book. I’m not sure where the next book, Full Domain, is going, but if I had to guess I’d say it’s Mitch’s tech friend Aaron Stuart, and maybe the other protagonist will be Mitch’s partner Kreed, but I haven’t actually looked yet! (Shocking right?) But with this book ending on a bit of a cliff hanger, you can bet all the characters so far will make at least one more appearance, so yay for that!
Opening Line: “The recline of Mitch Knox’s oversized leather chair fit him perfectly.”
Closing Line: “‘Well, of course you have. Tomorrow’s Christmas, you know that right? This couldn’t wait twenty-four hours?’ Kreed sarcastically replied. ‘Probably not.'” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
Other Books in Nice Guys:
- Double Full (#1)
- Full Domain (#3)
Additional Quotes from Full Disclosure
“Mitch had always had a thing for big blonds with blue eyes and ink. Had he just died and gone to heaven?” (47)
“When Cody relaxed and opened for him, he needed no further invitation. There were no awkward moments, no learning how the other kissed. They just fit from the very first press of lips.” (60)
“Yeah, he was totally in love. Cody sucked him, rimmed him, and fucked him until his ass throbbed, and then cooked the perfect meal for him . . . steak and beans. They were a match made in heaven.” (295)
“Actually, he been more than adamant that he was one hundred percent convinced they didn’t have their man where his case was concerned.” (361)
Thank you very much for reading the books. <3 You have to know how much it helps.