| Genre | Bisexual / Pansexual/Panromantic / Contemporary / Agents/Spies / Law Enforcement / Military/Former Military / Erotic Romance / Action/Adventure / Mystery/Suspense/Thriller |
| Reviewed by | Barb Manning on 24-June-2024 |
Their romance is entering rough waters.
After almost dying on their hiking trip, Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett have a moratorium on the word vacation. This makes it hard to discuss their newest case: an undercover operation aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Their mission is to collect information by posing as Corbin and Del Porter, a pair of wealthy international smugglers who also happen to be happily married.
It takes less acting than either man expects, and not just because both smugglers are out and proud. Del is a coddled trophy husband with a penchant for short shorts, while Corbin is possessive and jealous, happiest with cards in one hand and an expensive drink in the other. As they settle into their roles, the lines around what’s pretend and what’s real begin to blur.
Even undercover, “Corbin” and “Del” have big problems. They have an enemy aboard the ship, though whether it’s their criminal connections, the authorities, or some mysterious third party isn’t clear. No one on this ship trusts anyone else, and if Ty and Zane can’t change that, they’re going to end up dead.
Reader discretion advised. This title contains the following sensitive themes: Drug Use (non-consensual), Explicit Violence
First edition published at Dreamspinner Press, December 2010.
*This is a limited re-release of the original series, without changes. Some aspects of the story are now dated, and an updated version will be published at a later date.*
'Fish & Chips' is the third installment in the Cut & Run series by Abigail Roux. In this episode, Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett are back on the job in Baltimore and trying to settle into their relationship. These two dynamic and interesting men have their work partnership down, the personal relationship is the one that worries them.
As they feel their way around how to establish an ongoing relationship and love life, the Bureau sends them off undercover on a Christmas Caribbean cruise. Their assignment is to impersonate two out and proud gay married men, Corbin and Del Porter, who are part of an international smuggling ring. Ty and Zane are two men used to assignments that require a lot more action from them. Sitting around the pool portraying two wealthy gay men forces the two of them to examine their relationship as their assumed personalities begin to affect the way they treat each other in private. Ty starts to worry about how little he knows about Zane's past, while Zane discovers a softer, more sensitive depth to Ty.
Still, the couple faces several perils on this assignment with aplomb while struggling to figure out each other. There are some real trust issues here. Ty and Zane will face down mountain lions and inject themselves with drugs they expect to kill them, but neither can come forward and say, "I love you". They spend a great deal of their time on this assignment second-guessing the other's feelings. Not being able to trust what's coming out of the other's mouth places both Ty and Zane in some hazardous situations.
At this stage in the series, Roux has two very strong characters that are so realistically evolved that they have personal traits that conflict with each other. This richness does not often occur with fictional characters. I very much like Ty and Zane and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of their story.
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. The first edition of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review.
| Format | ebook and print |
| Length | Novel, 290 pages/100800 words |
| Heat Level | |
| Publication Date | 24-June-2024 |
| Price | $6.99 ebook, $17.99 paperback |
| Buy Link | https://riptidepublishing.com/collections/cut-run/products/fish-chips |
