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Every Move He Makes
Keeping an eye on his charge isn't easy. Keeping his hands off? Impossible... It took attending his own funeral to force Logan to accept a new life as an undercover MI6 agent. That doesn't make his latest assignment any less aggravating. Babysitting a Russian pop star with delusions that someone's trying to kill him. Other than an inexplicable attraction Logan ruthlessly suppresses, he couldn't have less in common with the irritating, arrogant rich kid. He's even prepared to walk away-until very real bullets start flying. After his mother's death, Zak Kochenkov's life unravels in an impenetrable haze of grief, drugs and alcohol-until one bodyguard candidate stands out. Except his hopes of having some fun with that guard's body evaporate when he realizes Logan is buttoned up tighter than a clam. The first thing Logan learns is that his charge won't do as he's told. And there's some secret behind his haunted eyes that shakes Logan's resolve to keep him at arm's length. Because he knows if he lets passion close his eyes, that's when danger will find them both... Warning: Contains a sexy bodyguard with a tortured past, and a spoiled rock star with a tortured conscience. Stir (don't shake), and prepare for spontaneous combustion.
298 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2013
49 people are currently reading
1140 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Elsborg
99 books1,671 followersBarbara Elsborg lives in Kent in the south of England. She always wanted to be a spy, but having confessed to everyone without them even resorting to torture, she decided it was not for her. Volcanology scorched her feet. A morbid fear of sharks put paid to marine biology. So instead, she spent several years successfully selling cyanide.
After dragging up two rotten, ungrateful children and frustrating her sexy, devoted, wonderful husband (who can now stop twisting her arm) she finally has time to conduct an affair with an electrifying plugged-in male, her laptop.
Her books feature quirky heroines and bad boys, and she hopes they are as much fun to read as they are to write.
After dragging up two rotten, ungrateful children and frustrating her sexy, devoted, wonderful husband (who can now stop twisting her arm) she finally has time to conduct an affair with an electrifying plugged-in male, her laptop.
Her books feature quirky heroines and bad boys, and she hopes they are as much fun to read as they are to write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
May 9, 2013
4.5 SUPER SEXY, ACTION FILLED STARS!!! Compelling reading from Barbara Elsborg that had me engrossed in the action right from the start… throw in some humour and sex that was off the charts on the hotness and emotional scale… and this was an excellent novel… my first from Ms Elsborg but most definitely not my last!!
Before my love of everything m-m romance, my reading passion was crime thrillers… and I devoured the best sellers list for my fix. Very rarely since reading m-m have I found an author that can combine the two genres. The same cannot be said for Every Move He Makes, Barbara Elsborg has combined the two perfectly. We know who the villain of the piece is, more or less from the start, so there is no mystery there, but there was plenty of action and our two MC’c are right in the middle of it. From the start, there is not an awful lot to love about these two characters… Logan is cold hearted but that is his way of dealing with things and Zak, well… he is just a mess and not very likeable at all… but it didn’t take long before we got to the real characters beneath all the bravado and I fell hook line and sinker for both of them, there was great chemistry between these two and not just in the sex department, there was banter and humour that had me totally laughing out loud and I seemed to be highlighting all the way through this book… I just LOVED IT!!
Josh McKenna was dead to the world and his family, in his place was Logan… with a new face and identity to go with his new name. Always a loner due to his self imposed isolation now he really was alone with only his focus, single minded determination and control which had so far sustained him and kept him alive. Any loss of control for Logan would be deemed as a failure, and with a highly competitive streak that was never an option, neither was any emotional involvement.
Having been beaten to within an inch of his life after working undercover for MI6 he is now asked to return to his original mission to infiltrate the gang that had been responsible for his near miss with death. His in, was Zak Kochenkov, the son of a Russian businessman, however, everything is not as it seems and after taking the position as Zak’s bodyguard Logan fears that there really is someone out to kill the the jumped up, arrogant, ungrateful shite the world would be better off without!
Zak Kochenkov, once the darling of the Russian pop scene, now lived a life of lies, drugs, drink and abusing his body into any kind of oblivion which kept reality at bay. On the run, they only have each other and Logan needed to know more about Zak in order to help, him but what he learned was of a lonely boy wanting nothing more than the love of a Mother that had no time for him and a Father who did love him unconditionally but was a busy business man with little time for his son. So Zak had just become an angry young man who played up for attention but really deep down he just wanted to be loved.
Looking deep inside the psyche of these two characters, really they are no different, both lost and lonely souls damaged by childhoods that should have been filled with love and affection yet they had both been starved… each of them having found different ways of dealing with it. Zak the playboy lifestyle as a pop star, fuelled by sex, drugs and alcohol and Logan had turned his internally and used it as a control to focus his discipline. Both men wanting to be noticed but for different reasons. Now, they both feel a connection between them, something neither of them had experience with. For Zak sex had been a means to an end a good hard fuck and ride the high on release… no talking, no kissing, no touching, no intimacy whatsoever. For Logan letting go of any emotion he knew would be his undoing… he was a control freak and losing control… No, that would never happen!
Now both men had opened their hearts and shared a part of themselves that had never seen the light of day, leaving them feeling naked and vulnerable to emotions they were struggling to come to terms with, the coldness in both of them had been filled with warmth and the passion and sensuality between them was intense, and the chemistry and sexual desire… well, that left me in a puddle of lust, these two were hot!!!
Barabra Elsborg certainly gave us two characters that had unknowingly embarked on a voyage of discovery… pushing away their selfishness to consider another and giving them both the will to live rather than exist… all the time embroiled in the action of being on the run from the bad guys trying to kill them, mix that in with the humour and you have an excellent read I would highly recommend to anyone enjoying this genre in m-m romance. My only grumble, would be Logan’s battle with his conscience over his feelings for Zak, he just seemed to go backwards and forwards like a yo-yo and as a reader it was probably just one too many times… and for Zak, the poor boy didn’t know whether he was coming or going. But other than that, I loved this book.
Before my love of everything m-m romance, my reading passion was crime thrillers… and I devoured the best sellers list for my fix. Very rarely since reading m-m have I found an author that can combine the two genres. The same cannot be said for Every Move He Makes, Barbara Elsborg has combined the two perfectly. We know who the villain of the piece is, more or less from the start, so there is no mystery there, but there was plenty of action and our two MC’c are right in the middle of it. From the start, there is not an awful lot to love about these two characters… Logan is cold hearted but that is his way of dealing with things and Zak, well… he is just a mess and not very likeable at all… but it didn’t take long before we got to the real characters beneath all the bravado and I fell hook line and sinker for both of them, there was great chemistry between these two and not just in the sex department, there was banter and humour that had me totally laughing out loud and I seemed to be highlighting all the way through this book… I just LOVED IT!!
“Why would someone want to kill you?” Logan asked. He shrugged. “I piss most people off sooner or later. Usually sooner.” “To the point they’d shoot you down in a London street?” “I can be very annoying.”
Josh McKenna was dead to the world and his family, in his place was Logan… with a new face and identity to go with his new name. Always a loner due to his self imposed isolation now he really was alone with only his focus, single minded determination and control which had so far sustained him and kept him alive. Any loss of control for Logan would be deemed as a failure, and with a highly competitive streak that was never an option, neither was any emotional involvement.
Having been beaten to within an inch of his life after working undercover for MI6 he is now asked to return to his original mission to infiltrate the gang that had been responsible for his near miss with death. His in, was Zak Kochenkov, the son of a Russian businessman, however, everything is not as it seems and after taking the position as Zak’s bodyguard Logan fears that there really is someone out to kill the the jumped up, arrogant, ungrateful shite the world would be better off without!
“I told you I’m not an addict.” He crammed a slice of tomato into his mouth and chewed furiously. “Though I do need a lot of sex.”
Zak Kochenkov, once the darling of the Russian pop scene, now lived a life of lies, drugs, drink and abusing his body into any kind of oblivion which kept reality at bay. On the run, they only have each other and Logan needed to know more about Zak in order to help, him but what he learned was of a lonely boy wanting nothing more than the love of a Mother that had no time for him and a Father who did love him unconditionally but was a busy business man with little time for his son. So Zak had just become an angry young man who played up for attention but really deep down he just wanted to be loved.
He’d been kind to him in the bathroom, not shouted, and apart from his father, Zak couldn’t think of the last time anyone had been kind to him, because he didn’t let them get that close.
Looking deep inside the psyche of these two characters, really they are no different, both lost and lonely souls damaged by childhoods that should have been filled with love and affection yet they had both been starved… each of them having found different ways of dealing with it. Zak the playboy lifestyle as a pop star, fuelled by sex, drugs and alcohol and Logan had turned his internally and used it as a control to focus his discipline. Both men wanting to be noticed but for different reasons. Now, they both feel a connection between them, something neither of them had experience with. For Zak sex had been a means to an end a good hard fuck and ride the high on release… no talking, no kissing, no touching, no intimacy whatsoever. For Logan letting go of any emotion he knew would be his undoing… he was a control freak and losing control… No, that would never happen!
Logan knocked his hand off. “And I’m too broken to fix so don’t try. Don’t tell me you love me or any of that crap because I’m not lovable.”
Now both men had opened their hearts and shared a part of themselves that had never seen the light of day, leaving them feeling naked and vulnerable to emotions they were struggling to come to terms with, the coldness in both of them had been filled with warmth and the passion and sensuality between them was intense, and the chemistry and sexual desire… well, that left me in a puddle of lust, these two were hot!!!
Logan pulled him close and pressed his forehead against Zak’s, their breaths mingling. “Make me come undone,” he whispered. “Undo me. Unravel me.”
Barabra Elsborg certainly gave us two characters that had unknowingly embarked on a voyage of discovery… pushing away their selfishness to consider another and giving them both the will to live rather than exist… all the time embroiled in the action of being on the run from the bad guys trying to kill them, mix that in with the humour and you have an excellent read I would highly recommend to anyone enjoying this genre in m-m romance. My only grumble, would be Logan’s battle with his conscience over his feelings for Zak, he just seemed to go backwards and forwards like a yo-yo and as a reader it was probably just one too many times… and for Zak, the poor boy didn’t know whether he was coming or going. But other than that, I loved this book.
May 10, 2013
3.5 stars...but I so wished it would have been more...
Room service: it’s the perfect scenario. You get to choose whatever you want. You get to eat in your pj’s. You get everything served up gorgeously in a pretty tray and delivered to you. But, despite all that is right with it, I’ve never once thought anything I’ve ordered was the best thing I’ve eaten.
This book should have been PERFECT. It’s exactly what I wanted. I read it in my pj’s. It got served up w/ a very pretty cover and delivered to my Kindle. I wanted it to be the best thing I’ve ever read.
Not quite there.
M16, Russian mafia, spies, intrigue, mountain training centers, 2 broken MC’s, HOT as can be, wearing each other down to get to the core.
The story is fantastic.
The MC’s, Logan (bodyguard)/Zak (Russian brat) are layered and interesting.
The banter is funny at times.
The action is entertaining.
However,
The writing gets sloggy in the middle.
The interaction between the MC’s is often repetitive.
Each of them can be annoyingly stubborn and whiney.
And I was so tempted to skim…lord help me, I was tempted…
All-in-all, the book was fun. It filled my hunger for an action-packed, smexy read. I felt slightly disappointed, but not distractingly so.
Recommended’ish. I can see a lot of people loving this book. I can see some having no patience for it.
September 4, 2015
Written January 29, 2015
4.2 Stars - Action-packed and steaming hot agent drama - Entirely my taste
Suspense, heat, speed, set in UK, a young popstar and an MI6 agent. Intriguing.
Oh lala, I enjoyed
This was fun, smexy and thrilling from the first to the last page.
***********************************************************
London, U.K
The MI6 agent Logan (or actually Josh McKenna) start the day attending his own funeral and later accept to babysitting an irritating, arrogant rich kid, a Russian (former) pop star.
Zak Kochenkov's London life is a big huge mess. Or actually more or less everything since his mother’s death a year ago. His life as a rock star is maybe over. It's drugs and alcohol—sex with strangers— and now also delusions that someone’s trying to kill him.
Logan, Zak's new bodyguard, has to change things fast, his adept is destroying himself and his life. They have barely said hello before there are some very real bullets whistling in the air. The feeling is there and pretty soon is a longing attraction growing. ~ The chasing, escape and adventure begins. So also a touching sweet romance.
***********************************************************
It started at full speed - on my edge....
Russian mafia gangsters, deceitful acquaintances, mysterious double-agents and raw villains are not to joke about. Lucky, then, that you have a big strong (sexy) MI5 agent who protects you. As I wrote in an update: I'm in pain of nervousness when I read this kind of action stories. There is always some nasty villain lurking behind the corner. There is not a peaceful moment. As soon as you think all is "well and safe", something happens.
A short summary:
• Two MC's who both hooked me. I felt a genuine interest for Zak and Logan.
• Not totally angst-free reading. Some hard life stories to swallow (those mothers, those teens...).
• A good crime plot and I liked the part up in the snowy Scotland. Thrilling, quite speedy and a bit scary.
• 'Light' and easy to read with a lot of fun banters. Time for both smiles, giggles and a tear or two.
The romance itself, and sizzling man-loving moments, were good, moderately frequent and gave me that cozy "grand-romance" feeling. Some up and downs, a few minor misunderstandings (but not too often or big), and *Yahoo* it wasn't a bang on it M/M, you had to wait.
Oh this dear sweet Zak-boy, his need to be loved and cared for was heartbreaking. It was so good to see how much he actually grew to a more mature man as the days went. Logan was a harder nut but it's good when a tough alpha warrior is the lovely cuddly boyfriend in the end.
***********************************************************
It had maybe been that last star from me if the book had been shortened and maybe compressed slightly at the end. But still, really good entertainment.
My second M/M romance by Barbara Elsborg and I like her style in these sexy thrilling suspense adventures. - Stories set in UK (or Europe) isn't a shame neither.
I LIKE - thrilling smexy fun stories, like this one
4.2 Stars - Action-packed and steaming hot agent drama - Entirely my taste
Suspense, heat, speed, set in UK, a young popstar and an MI6 agent. Intriguing.
Oh lala, I enjoyed
This was fun, smexy and thrilling from the first to the last page.
***********************************************************
London, U.K
The MI6 agent Logan (or actually Josh McKenna) start the day attending his own funeral and later accept to babysitting an irritating, arrogant rich kid, a Russian (former) pop star.
Zak Kochenkov's London life is a big huge mess. Or actually more or less everything since his mother’s death a year ago. His life as a rock star is maybe over. It's drugs and alcohol—sex with strangers— and now also delusions that someone’s trying to kill him.
Logan, Zak's new bodyguard, has to change things fast, his adept is destroying himself and his life. They have barely said hello before there are some very real bullets whistling in the air. The feeling is there and pretty soon is a longing attraction growing. ~ The chasing, escape and adventure begins. So also a touching sweet romance.
***********************************************************
‘This last week had tumbled along as if he and Logan starred in some made-for-TV thriller. And a crappy one at that. He could barely believe what had happened.’
It started at full speed - on my edge....
Russian mafia gangsters, deceitful acquaintances, mysterious double-agents and raw villains are not to joke about. Lucky, then, that you have a big strong (sexy) MI5 agent who protects you. As I wrote in an update: I'm in pain of nervousness when I read this kind of action stories. There is always some nasty villain lurking behind the corner. There is not a peaceful moment. As soon as you think all is "well and safe", something happens.
A short summary:
• Two MC's who both hooked me. I felt a genuine interest for Zak and Logan.
• Not totally angst-free reading. Some hard life stories to swallow (those mothers, those teens...).
• A good crime plot and I liked the part up in the snowy Scotland. Thrilling, quite speedy and a bit scary.
• 'Light' and easy to read with a lot of fun banters. Time for both smiles, giggles and a tear or two.
“Yeah, well,” Logan mumbled. “I shouldn’t have let it happen.”
Let it happen? Zak’s hackles shot up.
“But you’re hard to resist.”
His hackles went down again.’
The romance itself, and sizzling man-loving moments, were good, moderately frequent and gave me that cozy "grand-romance" feeling. Some up and downs, a few minor misunderstandings (but not too often or big), and *Yahoo* it wasn't a bang on it M/M, you had to wait.
Oh this dear sweet Zak-boy, his need to be loved and cared for was heartbreaking. It was so good to see how much he actually grew to a more mature man as the days went. Logan was a harder nut but it's good when a tough alpha warrior is the lovely cuddly boyfriend in the end.
‘Logan ran his thumb down the line of Zak’s jaw and up to his lip. “I dreamed about your mouth.”
OhGodohGodohGodohGod.’
***********************************************************
It had maybe been that last star from me if the book had been shortened and maybe compressed slightly at the end. But still, really good entertainment.
My second M/M romance by Barbara Elsborg and I like her style in these sexy thrilling suspense adventures. - Stories set in UK (or Europe) isn't a shame neither.
I LIKE - thrilling smexy fun stories, like this one
May 26, 2015
4.5 Stars!
I've become addicted to Barbara Elsborg books. And they are books I wouldn't normally even read. And I'm reading them and loving them. I can't stop!
This one was romantic suspense. There's got to be a good balance between the romance and the suspense for me to like it. And this one had all of the things I love....steam, banter, edge of your seat excitement and plenty of romance.
I'm not going to lie, Logan was very frustrating at times....he ran hot and cold with Zak.
And Zak sort of let him the first half of the book.
Barbara Elsborg's books are angsty. But it's the good angst. Plot angst, not relationship angst. It's my kind of angst!
Definitely another win for me!!!
I've become addicted to Barbara Elsborg books. And they are books I wouldn't normally even read. And I'm reading them and loving them. I can't stop!
This one was romantic suspense. There's got to be a good balance between the romance and the suspense for me to like it. And this one had all of the things I love....steam, banter, edge of your seat excitement and plenty of romance.
I'm not going to lie, Logan was very frustrating at times....he ran hot and cold with Zak.
And Zak sort of let him the first half of the book.
Barbara Elsborg's books are angsty. But it's the good angst. Plot angst, not relationship angst. It's my kind of angst!
Definitely another win for me!!!
February 19, 2019
Loved this one. This is the second book I've read by this author and I'm sure it won't be the last. Zac was just awesome..I really loved him. Logan was kind of an asshole, I warmed up to him at the end but he definitely pissed me off a lot.
I liked the suspense in this book and the humor. Zac was a funny guy. The sex scenes were hot but for me, there could have been more. It took a long time for them to get together. Just like in the other book, I hated the fact that there was no epilogue. Other than that, this was a very enjoyable read for me, 4 stars.
I liked the suspense in this book and the humor. Zac was a funny guy. The sex scenes were hot but for me, there could have been more. It took a long time for them to get together. Just like in the other book, I hated the fact that there was no epilogue. Other than that, this was a very enjoyable read for me, 4 stars.
June 9, 2013
“Spies, lies and automobiles.” Add in some inappropriate smexiness to Zak’s words and you get a perfect description of this exciting book!
So what is this book about?
First you meet Logan, er…formerly known as Josh. Apparently he is this super awesome undercover MI6 spook who used to look blah but now he looks hot. He had one tiny horrific moment and his cover in the Russian mafiya was blown, leading to some not so pleasant things happening to him. Now Logan is healed, but Josh is dead. His boss, Saunders, wants him to play bodyguard-slash-spy to Zak Kochenkov, a super-spoiled, rich brat who was formerly the lead in a popular Russian band called Dirty Angels. Oh, and get this: Zak’s father, Ivan, just happens to be a Russian billionaire with some important ties to the same Russian mafiya, who conveniently hires Logan to protect his son. But the question is whether Zak is even in any real danger. Or, are the bad guys after Ivan…or Logan?
Both Logan and Zak come with a lot of baggage. Like a whole cargo hold full of baggage! Logan’s life has been filled with so many secrets and deceit that he has never been able to stay with a lover very long before leaving. Always running away before they can leave him. Never giving himself and coming undone. He has a badass, hard exterior.
Will Zak be able to break down those barriers? What will happen once Logan’s secrets come out?
Zak’s life has turned into one alcoholic, drug induced, sexual encounter after another. And more than a few near-death experiences. He has pretty much become his own worst enemy with all his self-destructive behavior. How long can he go on without paying the consequences? I must be honest and say that I was really not liking Zak in the beginning. He came across as a soulless and selfish person. Ah, but he quickly weaseled his way into my heart. Zak grew A LOT over the course of the story and easily became my favorite.
What did I love?
♦ Lots of sexual tension followed by lots of hot lovin’! I swear, these guys are one of the hottest couples I’ve read in a while! So much sexual tension! They both fought their lust for each other as long as they could; damn they were hot! Both self proclaimed tops, but I guess it’s all in finding the right person, isn’t it?
♦ The quick pace. This wasn’t a short book but it was full-on from the beginning; from London to Scotland and back. I never got bored for a second.
♦ Plenty of snark and banter. The first exchange between Zak and Logan begins with Zak asking, “How big’s your dick?”, followed by Logan’s quick comeback of “How good’s your dental plan?” There are lots of smart quips in this one; I could quote all day.
♦ Lots of twists and turns. While some parts were a little predictable, I never could put my finger on what was going to happen next.
♦ It wasn’t too angsty. There were some dark moments, mostly related to both characters’ pasts, but the majority of the story was humorous and sexy.
What frustrated me?
The repetition of “that was a mistake” and “I shouldn’t have let it happen.” That got annoying fast and I wanted to slap them both. But it quickly resolved itself and Logan and Zak finally gave in to the lust. Therefore I’m only knocking off half a star.
I recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a fun, light read.
4.5 Stars
Reviewed for The Blog of Sid Love
So what is this book about?
First you meet Logan, er…formerly known as Josh. Apparently he is this super awesome undercover MI6 spook who used to look blah but now he looks hot. He had one tiny horrific moment and his cover in the Russian mafiya was blown, leading to some not so pleasant things happening to him. Now Logan is healed, but Josh is dead. His boss, Saunders, wants him to play bodyguard-slash-spy to Zak Kochenkov, a super-spoiled, rich brat who was formerly the lead in a popular Russian band called Dirty Angels. Oh, and get this: Zak’s father, Ivan, just happens to be a Russian billionaire with some important ties to the same Russian mafiya, who conveniently hires Logan to protect his son. But the question is whether Zak is even in any real danger. Or, are the bad guys after Ivan…or Logan?
Both Logan and Zak come with a lot of baggage. Like a whole cargo hold full of baggage! Logan’s life has been filled with so many secrets and deceit that he has never been able to stay with a lover very long before leaving. Always running away before they can leave him. Never giving himself and coming undone. He has a badass, hard exterior.
Will Zak be able to break down those barriers? What will happen once Logan’s secrets come out?
Zak’s life has turned into one alcoholic, drug induced, sexual encounter after another. And more than a few near-death experiences. He has pretty much become his own worst enemy with all his self-destructive behavior. How long can he go on without paying the consequences? I must be honest and say that I was really not liking Zak in the beginning. He came across as a soulless and selfish person. Ah, but he quickly weaseled his way into my heart. Zak grew A LOT over the course of the story and easily became my favorite.
What did I love?
♦ Lots of sexual tension followed by lots of hot lovin’! I swear, these guys are one of the hottest couples I’ve read in a while! So much sexual tension! They both fought their lust for each other as long as they could; damn they were hot! Both self proclaimed tops, but I guess it’s all in finding the right person, isn’t it?
♦ The quick pace. This wasn’t a short book but it was full-on from the beginning; from London to Scotland and back. I never got bored for a second.
♦ Plenty of snark and banter. The first exchange between Zak and Logan begins with Zak asking, “How big’s your dick?”, followed by Logan’s quick comeback of “How good’s your dental plan?” There are lots of smart quips in this one; I could quote all day.
♦ Lots of twists and turns. While some parts were a little predictable, I never could put my finger on what was going to happen next.
♦ It wasn’t too angsty. There were some dark moments, mostly related to both characters’ pasts, but the majority of the story was humorous and sexy.
What frustrated me?
The repetition of “that was a mistake” and “I shouldn’t have let it happen.” That got annoying fast and I wanted to slap them both. But it quickly resolved itself and Logan and Zak finally gave in to the lust. Therefore I’m only knocking off half a star.
I recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a fun, light read.
4.5 Stars
Reviewed for The Blog of Sid Love
dnf
May 25, 2019
DNF @52% and no rating
It's apparently too much to ask to
a) make the characters congenial enough, so I preferably wouldn't want to throttle at least one of them for almost half of the book and now that Zak seemingly got his act together and stopped behaving like a toddler, it's Logan's turn to p*ss me off with this game of push and pull
and
b) distinguish a change of scene by using points, stars whatever or maybe just by pressing the return key several times, so my poor old brain wouldn't feel the need to virtually screech to a halt with a loud "huh?" after half a sentence. Okay, the latter was probably me, but with increasing age you just need time to process certain things... ;-)
and
c) find something nice to read to sweeten my vacation which also gets me over the book hangover from hell
Please just ignore me and blame it on my dwindling patience. This book has lots of high ratings, so it's definitely me, not the book.
It's apparently too much to ask to
a) make the characters congenial enough, so I preferably wouldn't want to throttle at least one of them for almost half of the book and now that Zak seemingly got his act together and stopped behaving like a toddler, it's Logan's turn to p*ss me off with this game of push and pull
and
b) distinguish a change of scene by using points, stars whatever or maybe just by pressing the return key several times, so my poor old brain wouldn't feel the need to virtually screech to a halt with a loud "huh?" after half a sentence. Okay, the latter was probably me, but with increasing age you just need time to process certain things... ;-)
and
c) find something nice to read to sweeten my vacation which also gets me over the book hangover from hell
Please just ignore me and blame it on my dwindling patience. This book has lots of high ratings, so it's definitely me, not the book.
February 9, 2022
Spectacular!
Incredibly exciting and heart-stoppingly thrilling, Barbara Elsborg's Every Move He Makes ticks every box. Ms. Elsborg writes a great hurt/comfort story, and both of these MCs definitely need some comfort. It starts out with a fast pace and builds throughout, what a wonderful story!
Incredibly exciting and heart-stoppingly thrilling, Barbara Elsborg's Every Move He Makes ticks every box. Ms. Elsborg writes a great hurt/comfort story, and both of these MCs definitely need some comfort. It starts out with a fast pace and builds throughout, what a wonderful story!
March 20, 2022
Well, a big thumbs up 
and 4.5 stars from me. Loved it!!
How refreshing to find a humourous, sexy spy thriller from a British author with two hot lead characters, several you'd like to murder yourself (including both of the MC's at times), and a very decent plot.
Logan and Zak both needed their heads knocked together, or their backsides kicked.
...take your pick, at various stages of the book, and both had reasons for being as they were. I have to say Zak was not my favourite person at the start, snarky, selfish, whiny, lots of drink and drugs (although he felt in his mind that his reasons were valid), and it appeared that someone wanted to kill him, but because of the drink and drugs, no-one believed him....he did grow on me I have to say. Enter Logan 
, or should I say Josh with his film star looks (and there's a huge story there which I'm not going into here), who with the help of his employers MI6, is appointed as Zak's minder/bodyguard....oh, did I mention that Zak is Russian, an ex pop star over there, and someone together with his father, of significant interest to the Russian mafia....who as everyone knows, have made London their second home!!
There are several threads to the plot-line, and they were skilfully interwoven by the author including a rogue agent (No Adam Carter or Lucas North from Spooks in this story
), treacherous friends, distant family, smarmy bosses etc.,
All in all, I was very impressed with this book, and would love there to be a follow-up. Many thanks Madame Author.
and 4.5 stars from me. Loved it!!How refreshing to find a humourous, sexy spy thriller from a British author with two hot lead characters, several you'd like to murder yourself (including both of the MC's at times), and a very decent plot.
Logan and Zak both needed their heads knocked together, or their backsides kicked.
...take your pick, at various stages of the book, and both had reasons for being as they were. I have to say Zak was not my favourite person at the start, snarky, selfish, whiny, lots of drink and drugs (although he felt in his mind that his reasons were valid), and it appeared that someone wanted to kill him, but because of the drink and drugs, no-one believed him....he did grow on me I have to say. Enter Logan , or should I say Josh with his film star looks (and there's a huge story there which I'm not going into here), who with the help of his employers MI6, is appointed as Zak's minder/bodyguard....oh, did I mention that Zak is Russian, an ex pop star over there, and someone together with his father, of significant interest to the Russian mafia....who as everyone knows, have made London their second home!!There are several threads to the plot-line, and they were skilfully interwoven by the author including a rogue agent (No Adam Carter or Lucas North from Spooks in this story
), treacherous friends, distant family, smarmy bosses etc., All in all, I was very impressed with this book, and would love there to be a follow-up. Many thanks Madame Author.
October 9, 2014
Eh. It was OK. I wasn't bored. But I wasn't excited, either. It was like one of those Sandra Bullock or Jennifer Lopez films you watch on the telly just because they're on, but you remember bugger all when they're over.
August 9, 2016
4 gritty, suspenseful stars!
The book starts out with Logan attending his own funeral. That's right. He's an undercover agent for the UK (MI6) and he's got a new name and identity to protect him from the Russian mafia. He was beaten so badly on his last assignment nobody even recognizes him in the church...except his Autistic twin brother. Shit.
All that work for a this new assignment...protecting a drug and alcohol abusing little shit. He's an ex-musician and lives off his daddy's billions. He can't believe he got stuck guarding this kid who annoys the fuck out of him.
"Let me think. Do I really want to spend my time looking after a jumped-up, arrogant, ungrateful little shit the world would probably be better without?"
Zak pretty much lives to drink, take drugs, and hook up with guys for one nighters in the bars. But when several near-misses happen, he's beginning to think someone is out to kill him. But why? Oh yeah, he pisses off pretty much everyone he's come into contact with in his life. He's ditched his band in Russia, he's played a pretty nasty prank of a Russian mobster, his dad thinks he's an epic failure, and that's just to name a few.
Zak picks Number Five in his line-up of potential bodyguards. Why? Because he's FUCKHOT and didn't stand down to any of his annoying questions during the interview process.
"How big's your dick?" Zak blurted.
His father gave a roar of outrage.
"How good's your dental plan?" asked Number Five.
Logan is equally interested in Zak but that's a line he doesn't cross. Ever. His job is to stay focused on his job. When feelings come into play, people get hurt..and die.
The story is a serious case of blue balls for Logan and Zak. Logan fights his attraction until he can't anymore,
I wouldn't call the book smut until closer to the 75% mark and then the MM component really heats up...combusts actually. But the draw for me was the mystery and suspense. Someone is trying to kill Zak and it's Logan's job to protect him. Leave it to the MI6 to find out who they are but his priority is Zak's safety. With his long list of foes, it'll take some work to figure out who wants Zak dead. In the mean time, they struggle staying unnoticed and from physically attacking each other. Even if it did work out, when Zak finds out that Logan is more than just a bodyguard, it'll be over before it started.
I've come to really enjoy all things Barbara Elsborg. A great mix of mystery, suspense, humor and heat!
The book starts out with Logan attending his own funeral. That's right. He's an undercover agent for the UK (MI6) and he's got a new name and identity to protect him from the Russian mafia. He was beaten so badly on his last assignment nobody even recognizes him in the church...except his Autistic twin brother. Shit.
All that work for a this new assignment...protecting a drug and alcohol abusing little shit. He's an ex-musician and lives off his daddy's billions. He can't believe he got stuck guarding this kid who annoys the fuck out of him.
"Let me think. Do I really want to spend my time looking after a jumped-up, arrogant, ungrateful little shit the world would probably be better without?"
Zak pretty much lives to drink, take drugs, and hook up with guys for one nighters in the bars. But when several near-misses happen, he's beginning to think someone is out to kill him. But why? Oh yeah, he pisses off pretty much everyone he's come into contact with in his life. He's ditched his band in Russia, he's played a pretty nasty prank of a Russian mobster, his dad thinks he's an epic failure, and that's just to name a few.
Zak picks Number Five in his line-up of potential bodyguards. Why? Because he's FUCKHOT and didn't stand down to any of his annoying questions during the interview process.
"How big's your dick?" Zak blurted.
His father gave a roar of outrage.
"How good's your dental plan?" asked Number Five.
Logan is equally interested in Zak but that's a line he doesn't cross. Ever. His job is to stay focused on his job. When feelings come into play, people get hurt..and die.
The story is a serious case of blue balls for Logan and Zak. Logan fights his attraction until he can't anymore,
I wouldn't call the book smut until closer to the 75% mark and then the MM component really heats up...combusts actually. But the draw for me was the mystery and suspense. Someone is trying to kill Zak and it's Logan's job to protect him. Leave it to the MI6 to find out who they are but his priority is Zak's safety. With his long list of foes, it'll take some work to figure out who wants Zak dead. In the mean time, they struggle staying unnoticed and from physically attacking each other. Even if it did work out, when Zak finds out that Logan is more than just a bodyguard, it'll be over before it started.
I've come to really enjoy all things Barbara Elsborg. A great mix of mystery, suspense, humor and heat!
May 11, 2013
This is one long story. I guess it needs to be, because there is a lot going on. Murder, attempted murder, spying, international money laundering, bad mothers, bad fathers, drug and alcohol abuse, intrigue, lying, false friends, and both MCs have enough baggage to fill a 747.
Zak was a big star in Russia, but after the death of his mother, he has lost his drive, his way and is now just flitting from recreational drugs to getting drunk and an occasional hook-up.
He doesn't make the best of impressions in the beginning of the story, but I figured out quickly he is just trying to avoid his life and his thoughts, I actually started liking him very quickly.
He actually wanted to get his act together, he was honest with himself and with Logan, it took him a bit, but he didn't give up, he did all that crap that Logan had him do, went along with almost everything he asked of him.
Logan was a lot harder for me to like, I appreciated all he did for his family, especially his brother, but he didn't seem to want to even think about maybe trying to move on and open up more. It seemed for every step forward he took two back.
I was a little unhappy with the ending, I wanted him to make the move and go after Zak, I needed to see him go after what he wanted and maybe grovel a little.
It has a happy ending, no question about it, but again, it showed how much more Zak has changed and matured far more than Logan, although he did go through changes too.
The spy-thriller part was good, held my interest and I couldn't wait to finish the story once I started, I would like more of these two, maybe see them give Saunders a little payback.
Zak was a big star in Russia, but after the death of his mother, he has lost his drive, his way and is now just flitting from recreational drugs to getting drunk and an occasional hook-up.
He doesn't make the best of impressions in the beginning of the story, but I figured out quickly he is just trying to avoid his life and his thoughts, I actually started liking him very quickly.
He actually wanted to get his act together, he was honest with himself and with Logan, it took him a bit, but he didn't give up, he did all that crap that Logan had him do, went along with almost everything he asked of him.
Logan was a lot harder for me to like, I appreciated all he did for his family, especially his brother, but he didn't seem to want to even think about maybe trying to move on and open up more. It seemed for every step forward he took two back.
I was a little unhappy with the ending, I wanted him to make the move and go after Zak, I needed to see him go after what he wanted and maybe grovel a little.
It has a happy ending, no question about it, but again, it showed how much more Zak has changed and matured far more than Logan, although he did go through changes too.
The spy-thriller part was good, held my interest and I couldn't wait to finish the story once I started, I would like more of these two, maybe see them give Saunders a little payback.
May 14, 2013
Oh *sigh* ... this just about kills me but it's 3.5 Stars
This starts off so strong with great characterisation and background building. My heart was in my throat at 4% and I had a feeling this was going to be awesome. But then at around 25% it turns into a mix bag of really great reading and ... not so great (slumps) reading.
Overall the good outweighs the mediocre and I'm left feeling satisfied but not thrilled like I thought I would.
Zak was awesome and stole the show - yes, he's a brat and a selfish shit-head with a chip on his shoulder, but he soon sees the error of his ways and wins my admiration. The humor is typical Elsborg, which is a huge fat star all on it's own! Zak is just hilarious and brings so much wit and fun to these pages.
Logan was rather dull and annoying despite being sexy as hell and able to do parkour - he's a bit of an emotional wimp and needed a slap.
The sex: Another big star! Elsborg writes great sex! It should have been two stars, because I was expecting a bit more in the battle for dominance when two Tops collide. I wanted more aggression, more of a fight for the Top spot - pun intended.
I can't really decide where or why it went slightly wonky for me, but parts just seemed a bit too repetitive, drawn out and a bit, dare I say ...boring? slow in places. Where was the angst and suspense I know this author to excel at?
This relationship was frustrating: Logan and his mistakes - urgh! These characters deal with issues that prevent them from forming commitments and learning to love and accepting love in return and yes, yes - it's nothing new but has some heart and Zak keeps it light enough to keep me happy.
This is a spies, lies and romance story: plenty going on in the present and plenty to uncover from the past, it's a mite predictable but entertaining nevertheless.
I DO recommend this book for some fun action romance.
Believe me when I say that this is better than a hell of a lot of other m/m action stuff out there, so don't pass it up.
This starts off so strong with great characterisation and background building. My heart was in my throat at 4% and I had a feeling this was going to be awesome. But then at around 25% it turns into a mix bag of really great reading and ... not so great (slumps) reading.
Overall the good outweighs the mediocre and I'm left feeling satisfied but not thrilled like I thought I would.
Zak was awesome and stole the show - yes, he's a brat and a selfish shit-head with a chip on his shoulder, but he soon sees the error of his ways and wins my admiration. The humor is typical Elsborg, which is a huge fat star all on it's own! Zak is just hilarious and brings so much wit and fun to these pages.
Logan was rather dull and annoying despite being sexy as hell and able to do parkour - he's a bit of an emotional wimp and needed a slap.
The sex: Another big star! Elsborg writes great sex! It should have been two stars, because I was expecting a bit more in the battle for dominance when two Tops collide. I wanted more aggression, more of a fight for the Top spot - pun intended.
I can't really decide where or why it went slightly wonky for me, but parts just seemed a bit too repetitive, drawn out and a bit, dare I say ...
This relationship was frustrating: Logan and his mistakes - urgh! These characters deal with issues that prevent them from forming commitments and learning to love and accepting love in return and yes, yes - it's nothing new but has some heart and Zak keeps it light enough to keep me happy.
This is a spies, lies and romance story: plenty going on in the present and plenty to uncover from the past, it's a mite predictable but entertaining nevertheless.
I DO recommend this book for some fun action romance.
Believe me when I say that this is better than a hell of a lot of other m/m action stuff out there, so don't pass it up.
September 28, 2013
The premise of this book reminded me a lot of the Chimera Affair and also of Close Protection; and I five-starred the face off of those books. So naturally I was super keen to read this one. And I hate to say it, but I'm kinda disappointed. It just fell a bit flat for me. My feeling is that the MCs lacked chemistry, their relationship felt a bit forced and around the 85% marked it kind of careened into sappytown. The action bits were fun, and seriously, who doesn't love a good secret-agent romp? Ultimately, though, it wasn't enough to keep me riveted. On an unrelated note; why do all the guys on M/M covers look like complete douchebags?
May 28, 2018
4 stars!! What a thrilling ride!! It was a nice combo of Mission Impossible-James Bond-Bodyguard . It starts off with a bang; Logan (not his real name) is an MI6 agent and has had to change his identity due to a botched assignment as a spy in the Russian mafia. With his enemies still looking for him and other agents he can't trust he is walking a tight rope when his boss gives him a new assignment. The said assignment is Zak; a rich brat/musical prodigy who due to a personal tragedy is on a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol. Logan's job is to be Zak's bodyguard and to earn his trust and find out more about his father's business which may have ties to the same Russian mafia that almost killed him.
From the outside, it seems like an easy job for a man of Logan's talents; secure the target, safe-guard the target and get information from the target. Nevertheless, the instant chemistry between the two is hard to ignore and although Zak is more than willing to explore the attraction they share, Logan knows that anything between the two would further complicate the mission. Through life-threatening adventures and snow-covered Scottish mountains they discover that despite their differences they share pain and trauma from their past. Danger and adrenaline brings them closer and they start falling for each other despite Logan's misgivings.
The plot is very engaging and suspenseful without being over the top. There are plenty of sexy scenes despite the slow burn aspect of the chemistry between the MCs. There is enough baggage between the two for some angst, but nothing overwhelming to make the reader teary. My only complaint is that it deserved an Epilogue or another book; I would have loved to read more about Logan and Zak. 😊
P.S. Ms. Elsborg, please write a sequel 😉
From the outside, it seems like an easy job for a man of Logan's talents; secure the target, safe-guard the target and get information from the target. Nevertheless, the instant chemistry between the two is hard to ignore and although Zak is more than willing to explore the attraction they share, Logan knows that anything between the two would further complicate the mission. Through life-threatening adventures and snow-covered Scottish mountains they discover that despite their differences they share pain and trauma from their past. Danger and adrenaline brings them closer and they start falling for each other despite Logan's misgivings.
The plot is very engaging and suspenseful without being over the top. There are plenty of sexy scenes despite the slow burn aspect of the chemistry between the MCs. There is enough baggage between the two for some angst, but nothing overwhelming to make the reader teary. My only complaint is that it deserved an Epilogue or another book; I would have loved to read more about Logan and Zak. 😊
P.S. Ms. Elsborg, please write a sequel 😉
May 13, 2013
More like 2.5 stars
Oh my goodness. Finally finished. I had so high expectations of this book, but in the end it fell short. The longer I read the longer the story took. For me the most disturbing thing was - no chemistry between Zak and Logan. Yes, sorry and with regard to that - a story either works or not, well here it rather didn't. Until the end I didn't get what they liked, let alone loved at each other. And the development at the end? Sorry, didn't buy it at all.
Overall: The story was good enough for me to finish reading, no DNF this time. I wanted to know the end and the storyline wasn't over the top, only perhaps a bit convoluted and therefore difficult to follow. Add to that the repetitiveness of sexual encounter followed by 'will never happen again', it got tedious.
Oh my goodness. Finally finished. I had so high expectations of this book, but in the end it fell short. The longer I read the longer the story took. For me the most disturbing thing was - no chemistry between Zak and Logan. Yes, sorry and with regard to that - a story either works or not, well here it rather didn't. Until the end I didn't get what they liked, let alone loved at each other. And the development at the end? Sorry, didn't buy it at all.
Overall: The story was good enough for me to finish reading, no DNF this time. I wanted to know the end and the storyline wasn't over the top, only perhaps a bit convoluted and therefore difficult to follow. Add to that the repetitiveness of sexual encounter followed by 'will never happen again', it got tedious.
March 3, 2014
Angsty and action packed...
But I would've loved more chemistry between MCs and more romance.
There were some really hot times but mostly their relationship was frustrating - Logan and his mistakes!!!
These characters deal with issues that prevent them from forming commitments and learning to love and accepting love in return.
The action bits were fun, and seriously, who doesn't love a good secret-agent thriller?
Ultimately, though, it was a good read and fans of fun sexy action romance will enjoy it.
But I would've loved more chemistry between MCs and more romance.
There were some really hot times but mostly their relationship was frustrating - Logan and his mistakes!!!
These characters deal with issues that prevent them from forming commitments and learning to love and accepting love in return.
The action bits were fun, and seriously, who doesn't love a good secret-agent thriller?
Ultimately, though, it was a good read and fans of fun sexy action romance will enjoy it.
October 10, 2013
3.75 stars – An enjoyable romantic suspense novel about an MI6 agent posing as a bodyguard for a young Russian musician (and a good addition for anyone looking for a m/m “bodyguard/client” romance.)
What I liked: I hadn’t read Elsborg before and this was a good intro. I though her writing was overall smooth and very readable. The MCs were very appealing, good dialogue, taut action scenes, and the sexy times were very sexy
It’s also a nice slow burn. There’s some insta-lust, but the MCs don’t act on it, partially because they drive each other nuts, but then slowly warm to each other throughout the story.
It’s also nicely long, at over 300 pages, and the action scenes were spaced out, so even though there were some pacing dips (especially when the sexy times got more plentiful), things didn’t slow down too much, so for those who like sinking into a nice longer work, this will fit well.
What worked less for me: I dug the MCs, and I liked how they opened up to each other, but something felt flat to me, but it’s hard for me to put my finger on it.
There were some shortcuts that I could see why they were used, but I’m never a fan of. (E.g. the novel is told in alternating POVs between the MCs, but then suddenly jumps late in the novel to a villain’s POV. This is done to fill in a story gap, but to me, it’s jarring, and I always wonder if the story could have been told without it.)
Another example is that occasionally things would slide into telling paragraphs to cover a timespan, which also seemed jarring compared to the style before, which felt more immediate. (e.g. “And then they played at the beach and made love for hours.” It was there to tell us they were having fun and being intimate, but lost the immediacy of showing us.)
There were a couple things washed over at the end and not really explained.
But in the end, I did enjoy the book. (I read it on the beach—it was a GREAT beach read.) I really liked how the action was spaced out to keep things interesting, and I did like the characters and their progression a lot. I especially liked how Zak grew more and wasn’t someone in distress a lot and how he was able to meet Logan, and take care of him as well.
Also, because it’s Samhain, there are excerpts at the end, but they don’t hit until 96%, so you get a lot of mileage before that.
Recommended especially if you like romantic suspense, and a nice longer read, and are okay with some questions not being answered, but can just go with the flow. It’ s a fun flow to ride.
What I liked: I hadn’t read Elsborg before and this was a good intro. I though her writing was overall smooth and very readable. The MCs were very appealing, good dialogue, taut action scenes, and the sexy times were very sexy
It’s also a nice slow burn. There’s some insta-lust, but the MCs don’t act on it, partially because they drive each other nuts, but then slowly warm to each other throughout the story.
It’s also nicely long, at over 300 pages, and the action scenes were spaced out, so even though there were some pacing dips (especially when the sexy times got more plentiful), things didn’t slow down too much, so for those who like sinking into a nice longer work, this will fit well.
What worked less for me: I dug the MCs, and I liked how they opened up to each other, but something felt flat to me, but it’s hard for me to put my finger on it.
There were some shortcuts that I could see why they were used, but I’m never a fan of. (E.g. the novel is told in alternating POVs between the MCs, but then suddenly jumps late in the novel to a villain’s POV. This is done to fill in a story gap, but to me, it’s jarring, and I always wonder if the story could have been told without it.)
Another example is that occasionally things would slide into telling paragraphs to cover a timespan, which also seemed jarring compared to the style before, which felt more immediate. (e.g. “And then they played at the beach and made love for hours.” It was there to tell us they were having fun and being intimate, but lost the immediacy of showing us.)
There were a couple things washed over at the end and not really explained.
But in the end, I did enjoy the book. (I read it on the beach—it was a GREAT beach read.) I really liked how the action was spaced out to keep things interesting, and I did like the characters and their progression a lot. I especially liked how Zak grew more and wasn’t someone in distress a lot and how he was able to meet Logan, and take care of him as well.
Also, because it’s Samhain, there are excerpts at the end, but they don’t hit until 96%, so you get a lot of mileage before that.
Recommended especially if you like romantic suspense, and a nice longer read, and are okay with some questions not being answered, but can just go with the flow. It’ s a fun flow to ride.
February 21, 2018
✮4.5 Stars✮
May 12, 2013
The story started slow for me, but once it got started, there was a lot going on and it just made you want to keep reading, intriguing plot and the chemistry between Logan and Zak was great. I kept going back and forth with Logan and Zak of who I wanted to slap more sense into. Both of them at times were frustrating. Zak with his self-destructive behavior and Logan with his "mistake" thinking. Of course it all worked out in the end and they both seemed to grow up, Zak more than Logan. On a side note, I really didn't like Saunders and would have loved if somehow he could have suffered.
May 20, 2013
This book ultimately fell a little flat for me in the relationship department. The action was good, it was angsty in just the right amount and I liked both MC's enough, but their relationship never really ignited for me. The hot/cold aspect of Logan's feelings for Zak became annoying to the point where I wanted Zak to just be done with him. After a while, when the book should have been picking up for me, I found myself struggling to finish. Not a bad book, but just OK.
March 13, 2018
.... I really, REALLY wanted to like this one, and there were quite a few things that worked for me.
But, BUT the romance was -IMO- not believable and I have no clue why Zak is in love with Logan.
Let me start with this: the romance was skewed and the relationship was in no way equal -IMO.
When they finally give in and get to the smexy times (and the UST before the 'climax' heh heh heh *giggling* was delicious!) I was actually quite uncomfortable:
Logan would deliver him back to his father and disappear from his life unless Zak could make himself irresistible, the best Logan had ever had. So no protests, no arguments. He'd be what Logan wanted.
Say whaaaaaaaat? So Zak's not going to be himself in an extremely vulnerable situation, and he's going to bottom even though he doesn't want to, because Logan wants to even less?
Yeah naaaah! and then this happened, and I called time of death on the romance:
He hadn’t wanted to be the one who made the move to contact him, but the longer he waited, the more convinced he became that Logan thought he was doing the right thing by staying away. It wasn’t that Logan didn’t care, he cared too much.
.... When? Was it when Logan lied? When he lied again? When he pulled his dick out the first time they had sex (see quote above) and then left without saying a word? Calling it a mistake the next day, and not apologizing for leaving Zak in an EXTREMELY vulnerable situation while acting like a shitty coward?
I get that Logan came clean about his past, and that it had not been a "great" past, but these situations were just... Not very romantic OR decent. And I really did not feel that the romance/relationship was equal or balanced.
Logan never really redeemed himself in my eyes, and I really did feel that it was supposed to be Logan reaching for Zak and not the other way round.
But now to the good stuff, because it was definitely not all bad!
After reading Where Death Meets the Devil I have been on the HUNT for something equally awesome in the assassin/badass-genre, and this book came close in some areas.
I LIKED the mystery and even though I figured out where things were going pretty early, I still thought that it was a fun 'adventure'.
I liked Zak a lot and I was definitely intrigued by Saunders. Even though he was a total asshole, I still found him fascinating. Saunders was the definition of a complex character, I think, and I liked that, even when I didn't like him, which is a major thumbs up for Barbara Elsborg, considering I'm normally raging against hateful characters.
All in all this was very well written, I loved the mystery-parts and I liked Zak (alone) as a MC a lot, but the romance was not romantic and I really thought Logan should be the one 'coming' for Zak, considering his less than stellar performance before that.
If Logan's looking for help in how to do it, check out God's Own Country
But, BUT the romance was -IMO- not believable and I have no clue why Zak is in love with Logan.
Let me start with this: the romance was skewed and the relationship was in no way equal -IMO.
When they finally give in and get to the smexy times (and the UST before the 'climax' heh heh heh *giggling* was delicious!) I was actually quite uncomfortable:
Logan would deliver him back to his father and disappear from his life unless Zak could make himself irresistible, the best Logan had ever had. So no protests, no arguments. He'd be what Logan wanted.
Say whaaaaaaaat? So Zak's not going to be himself in an extremely vulnerable situation, and he's going to bottom even though he doesn't want to, because Logan wants to even less?
Yeah naaaah! and then this happened, and I called time of death on the romance:
He hadn’t wanted to be the one who made the move to contact him, but the longer he waited, the more convinced he became that Logan thought he was doing the right thing by staying away. It wasn’t that Logan didn’t care, he cared too much.
.... When? Was it when Logan lied? When he lied again? When he pulled his dick out the first time they had sex (see quote above) and then left without saying a word? Calling it a mistake the next day, and not apologizing for leaving Zak in an EXTREMELY vulnerable situation while acting like a shitty coward?
I get that Logan came clean about his past, and that it had not been a "great" past, but these situations were just... Not very romantic OR decent. And I really did not feel that the romance/relationship was equal or balanced.
Logan never really redeemed himself in my eyes, and I really did feel that it was supposed to be Logan reaching for Zak and not the other way round.
But now to the good stuff, because it was definitely not all bad!
After reading Where Death Meets the Devil I have been on the HUNT for something equally awesome in the assassin/badass-genre, and this book came close in some areas.
I LIKED the mystery and even though I figured out where things were going pretty early, I still thought that it was a fun 'adventure'.
I liked Zak a lot and I was definitely intrigued by Saunders. Even though he was a total asshole, I still found him fascinating. Saunders was the definition of a complex character, I think, and I liked that, even when I didn't like him, which is a major thumbs up for Barbara Elsborg, considering I'm normally raging against hateful characters.
All in all this was very well written, I loved the mystery-parts and I liked Zak (alone) as a MC a lot, but the romance was not romantic and I really thought Logan should be the one 'coming' for Zak, considering his less than stellar performance before that.
If Logan's looking for help in how to do it, check out God's Own Country
May 10, 2013
4.5 stars - I loved this story. The blurb was what pulled me in - it sounded absolutely perfect for me! But I wasn't so sure when I first started reading because it started off much slower than I had expected and I was thinking that perhaps it wasn't my cup of tea after all, and then I suddenly got hooked. I didn't want to put it down! The writing, the characters, the plot, the setting - it all seemed to work so well. Zak really won me over - he came across as a complete prick to start with, but he grew on me until I'd completely fallen in love with him. I also loved the witty banter between the two main characters. Zak was hilarious! Some of the things he said made me laugh out loud.
The only thing that really bothered me was the whole "that was a mistake" thing. Every time Logan said that, I wanted to slap some sense into him. The first couple of times he said/thought it? Fair enough, I guess I could see where he was coming from. But the millionth time he said it? I was almost screaming at him for being such a prat. Logan and Zak were so perfect together, and I was so frustrated it took him so bloody long to realise!
I'm praying there'll be more, not because the story was left feeling unfinished or anything, but simply because I loved these characters and the chemistry between them so much! I'll definitely be checking out more from this author, since it was my first time reading anything by Barbara Elsborg.
The only thing that really bothered me was the whole "that was a mistake" thing. Every time Logan said that, I wanted to slap some sense into him. The first couple of times he said/thought it? Fair enough, I guess I could see where he was coming from. But the millionth time he said it? I was almost screaming at him for being such a prat. Logan and Zak were so perfect together, and I was so frustrated it took him so bloody long to realise!
I'm praying there'll be more, not because the story was left feeling unfinished or anything, but simply because I loved these characters and the chemistry between them so much! I'll definitely be checking out more from this author, since it was my first time reading anything by Barbara Elsborg.
May 10, 2013
3,5 stars.
It had some lenghts in the beginning and Zak got on my nerves then (TSTL with the aggravated "he is so smart and has a maths degree, doing difficult sudokus in seconds etc" - but evidence in his behavior was rather "not two brain cells to rub together in his pretty head"), but he improved with the story flow.
Logan/Josh was a more interesting character with a kind of dramatic past and some of it was a little OTT in my opinion. The whole Bond-spy-action theme was somewhat entertaining, but not breath-taking, because not very original or innovative. Somewhere at the end the language moved into strange places, e.g. this little gem from a sex scene: "Orgasm galloped across the horizon like a black stallion. He could feel its hooves pounding in his head, echoing over his body." - WTF? For me that is beyond flowery and moved directly into peculiar...
What I liked here was the spacing of their love-story, how they came from instant attraction to maybe being more than just f*ck buddies, so overall it was a good read.
It had some lenghts in the beginning and Zak got on my nerves then (TSTL with the aggravated "he is so smart and has a maths degree, doing difficult sudokus in seconds etc" - but evidence in his behavior was rather "not two brain cells to rub together in his pretty head"), but he improved with the story flow.
Logan/Josh was a more interesting character with a kind of dramatic past and some of it was a little OTT in my opinion. The whole Bond-spy-action theme was somewhat entertaining, but not breath-taking, because not very original or innovative. Somewhere at the end the language moved into strange places, e.g. this little gem from a sex scene: "Orgasm galloped across the horizon like a black stallion. He could feel its hooves pounding in his head, echoing over his body." - WTF? For me that is beyond flowery and moved directly into peculiar...
What I liked here was the spacing of their love-story, how they came from instant attraction to maybe being more than just f*ck buddies, so overall it was a good read.
Read
May 12, 2013Not for me.
My lack of rating is not a judgment of the book. But I dnf.
I couldn't get over my irritation with Zac to the point that I didn't care how good the sex was, I just wasn't interested in spending more of my time with him. I tried, but . . . yeah.
That is not to say the book isn't well-written, because it is. It has some very interesting concepts and action, but it just came down to a clash between me and the character. Happens.
Logan might have been okay, but sorry Zac, you rubbed me the wrong way. Only managed one-third.
My lack of rating is not a judgment of the book. But I dnf.
I couldn't get over my irritation with Zac to the point that I didn't care how good the sex was, I just wasn't interested in spending more of my time with him. I tried, but . . . yeah.
That is not to say the book isn't well-written, because it is. It has some very interesting concepts and action, but it just came down to a clash between me and the character. Happens.
Logan might have been okay, but sorry Zac, you rubbed me the wrong way. Only managed one-third.
April 1, 2018
Wow, that was great. The premise of a surly bodyguard with a tortured past and a spoiled, self-destructive rock star hiding his own secrets hooked me, and I was not let down. The characters had such depth, and there was plenty of action and humor and sexy times. And even parkour, which my oldest son verified as authentic-sounding, ha ha!
May 23, 2015
4.5 Stars
June 26, 2021
A very good romantic suspense. The perfect balance of suspense and romance, that kept my interest piqued. When comes to dealing with MI6, the cat and mouse game, we are not sure what to believe, except Logan did wanted to keep Zak safe.
They are both such jerk to each other for half the book, but their banter is sort of hilarious because Zak is an annoying little shit. There are some angst thrown in. Of course things won't be all flower and roses while their lives is in danger. I thought Zak's backstory is kinda sad, rich family, but all alone, losing himself with drugs, alcohol and sex but then we learned about Logan's and that make Zak's situation pale in comparison. Logan might seems like the strong capable one, but underneath he is quite a mess. I'm glad to see him surrendering himself to Zak and finally feel happy for once.
They are both such jerk to each other for half the book, but their banter is sort of hilarious because Zak is an annoying little shit. There are some angst thrown in. Of course things won't be all flower and roses while their lives is in danger. I thought Zak's backstory is kinda sad, rich family, but all alone, losing himself with drugs, alcohol and sex but then we learned about Logan's and that make Zak's situation pale in comparison. Logan might seems like the strong capable one, but underneath he is quite a mess. I'm glad to see him surrendering himself to Zak and finally feel happy for once.
May 14, 2013
3.5 stars rounded up!
Okay, so as the minority who did't love this book, I feel I must put my thoughts into action with this one. I didn't hate it and maybe if it had been shorter, I would have liked it more. To be honest it was good and had some of my favourite things in it. Just, for me personally, this book wasn't amazing or wonderful.
Sticking with my minority, I genuinely loved Logan. Most preferred Zak and in some ways I could see why. For me though, it was Logan who captured my interest first. His life had not been easy and for me that felt true to his attitude and reactions to a lot of things.
Zak was a fun character and as screwed up as he was I liked him. There was a lot of pain in him and I believed it. I wasn't a fan of his man-whore past and it put me off him a little bit. Though I did like the way he was with Logan. There was a lot of things I found really nice about him, but equally annoying at times.
Part of the plot that got to me was the hot and cold aspect. Logan would make a move on Zak and then he would say it was an accident. Zak would say he doesn't kiss and then he would kiss or accept a kiss from Logan. It was constant and did get on my nerves just a bit. I would have liked more sex instead of just kissing for all the regret.
The crime part was the best part. I loved how that was added to Logan's past and Zak's problems. It was really good to see the action and Russian mafia parts. It was well developed and although I would have liked something more explosive, I did enjoy it. The ending was good, maybe it would have benefited from a longer ending?
Anyway, I would recommend this book. It's a good read, but not for everyone's tastes. I think a lot of people would enjoy it, like the ratings suggested. Just for me, it was a bit tough to get really into this book.
Okay, so as the minority who did't love this book, I feel I must put my thoughts into action with this one. I didn't hate it and maybe if it had been shorter, I would have liked it more. To be honest it was good and had some of my favourite things in it. Just, for me personally, this book wasn't amazing or wonderful.
Sticking with my minority, I genuinely loved Logan. Most preferred Zak and in some ways I could see why. For me though, it was Logan who captured my interest first. His life had not been easy and for me that felt true to his attitude and reactions to a lot of things.
Zak was a fun character and as screwed up as he was I liked him. There was a lot of pain in him and I believed it. I wasn't a fan of his man-whore past and it put me off him a little bit. Though I did like the way he was with Logan. There was a lot of things I found really nice about him, but equally annoying at times.
Part of the plot that got to me was the hot and cold aspect. Logan would make a move on Zak and then he would say it was an accident. Zak would say he doesn't kiss and then he would kiss or accept a kiss from Logan. It was constant and did get on my nerves just a bit. I would have liked more sex instead of just kissing for all the regret.
The crime part was the best part. I loved how that was added to Logan's past and Zak's problems. It was really good to see the action and Russian mafia parts. It was well developed and although I would have liked something more explosive, I did enjoy it. The ending was good, maybe it would have benefited from a longer ending?
Anyway, I would recommend this book. It's a good read, but not for everyone's tastes. I think a lot of people would enjoy it, like the ratings suggested. Just for me, it was a bit tough to get really into this book.
June 23, 2013
3 Stars
I wish i could rate this book higher and i wish this book end it as it began but unfortunately that did not happened.
I am not quite sure why this book did not worked out for me, in special cause has the right ingredients to make it a winner for me: MI6, russian spies, sexy guys, hot sex but something didn't really add up and i am not sure wot exactly. I just feel that something was missing but i can't put my finger on it to pin point what or were exactly it went wrong.
As the action in the book it's based in UK, mostly in London, when you add MI6 into the contest made this book even more tempting to read it. One of the reason being, i live in London and i love it here and i enjoy everything wot has to do with MI6, i think being an agent for MI6 sounds more sexy than FBI and CIA but that's just me.
The character's had nice chemistry, the story and the plot was good as well and let's not talk about sex that was really awesome but in a way i felt the book was rushed at one point and in the same time a bit too long.
But overall this book it was an enjoyable read and this is just my opinion and how i felt about it, other people might love it and will be a shame not to give it a go.
I wish i could rate this book higher and i wish this book end it as it began but unfortunately that did not happened.
I am not quite sure why this book did not worked out for me, in special cause has the right ingredients to make it a winner for me: MI6, russian spies, sexy guys, hot sex but something didn't really add up and i am not sure wot exactly. I just feel that something was missing but i can't put my finger on it to pin point what or were exactly it went wrong.
As the action in the book it's based in UK, mostly in London, when you add MI6 into the contest made this book even more tempting to read it. One of the reason being, i live in London and i love it here and i enjoy everything wot has to do with MI6, i think being an agent for MI6 sounds more sexy than FBI and CIA but that's just me.
The character's had nice chemistry, the story and the plot was good as well and let's not talk about sex that was really awesome but in a way i felt the book was rushed at one point and in the same time a bit too long.
But overall this book it was an enjoyable read and this is just my opinion and how i felt about it, other people might love it and will be a shame not to give it a go.
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