Blog Tour ~ Ricochet (Out For Justice, Book 1) by Reese Knightley (Review + Excerpt)
RICOCHET
Out for Justice, Book 1
REESE KNIGHTLEY
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 07.07.18
AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2KZe6y5
BLURB
WITSEC victim Noah Bradford knows secrets that could get him killed, and staying hidden seems like a good plan. What he didn’t plan on is losing his heart to a man who is sworn to protect him.
Battle scarred US Marshal Robert “Mac” Mackenzie has a job to do, and guaranteeing the safety of Noah Bradford is at the top of that list. Mac will do whatever it takes to keep Noah safe, even if it means walking away.
Mac and Noah, brought together during extreme circumstances, have been separated by evil. It's been six years, give or take, and Noah is coming for vengeance against the men who killed his mother. He's on a collision course with Mac, who has no idea of the man Noah has become. Sparks fly and the heat sizzles when these two powerful men are reunited, but will they survive the passion the past created?
EXCERPT
Noah sat watching Mac through the windshield of the SUV. Mac had gotten off the freeway before pulling over next to a roadside stand. The man got out and bought a bunch of flowers and although Noah wondered why, he didn’t ask.
A few miles down the road, Mac pulled into a cemetery.
“I’ll be right back,” the marshal said after parking the SUV. Mac got out and walked across the grass, avoiding headstones until he stopped before one and placed the flowers in the vase in front of it. He looked so totally alone, standing strong against the wind.
Mac’s lips moved as he talked to the grave, and Noah could tell this was someone important to Mac by the way his fingers lingered on the gray headstone. Something about Mac standing alone near the grave caused a tightness in Noah’s chest, and he found himself leaving the warmth of the SUV.
Mac looked up when he shut the vehicle’s door, and their eyes met across the distance. Noah didn’t approach. He just wanted Mac to know he was there if the man needed him. A moment later, Mac approached and they both silently got back into the vehicle.
“Was that a friend?” Noah asked tentatively.
“Family,” Mac said brusquely, and Noah turned to glance out the window, swallowing the lump in his throat, and then looked back at Mac.
His gaze was drawn to the dark-haired man with a sexy five o’clock shadow growing along a chiseled jawline. Although he couldn’t see it from this side, the scar running down the left side of the man’s face gave Mac a dangerous look. In the close confines of the vehicle, Noah was very aware of the power in Mac’s corded arms and shoulders. The muscular chest he’d been held against during the escape drew his eyes time and again.
Mac took a series of side streets before getting them back to the safe house. Sitting on the couch, he tracked the marshal with his eyes, watching as the man turned on the television and selected a station. Jake and Jenny were on their way back but had stopped for a bite to eat.
He found himself staring at Mac’s trim hips. His eyes darted away before returning after a brief moment to lock on Mac’s ass. Freaking hell, no way would a man like Mac want him. Yet that didn’t stop him from wishing. He would have given anything for Mac to look at him and see someone other than a needy WITSEC victim.
Mac stalked back toward him, and Noah jerked his gaze to the television. Despite feeling displaced and scared, he felt better with Mac nearby. The man hadn’t said a word since they’d returned from the cemetery, and Noah couldn’t figure out what he’d done wrong.
Mac dropped onto the couch next to him. The marshal’s scent reached his nose, and his overactive imagination pictured Mac’s scent on his body and how that would possibly work. His pulse suddenly hummed in his ears. The man’s weight dipped the cushion, and one massive thigh innocently brushed against his leg. Instant arousal hit, and Noah lifted one of the small decorative pillows to clutch in his lap.
Mac scowled at him, and Noah shifted beneath the somewhat angry stare. Again, he wondered if he’d done something wrong. The normally kind man was missing, and in his place was an irritated stranger.
The marshal’s phone rang, and Mac’s eyes narrowed before he answered it.
“Mackenzie,” Mac snapped.
“If you have stuff to do, I’m fine on my-” Noah stopped when Mac shushed him with a stern look.
4.5 Stars!
Noah Bradford is happy to be placed into WITSEC awaiting the apprehension and subsequent trial of Drug Lord Terrence Manning and his right-hand man, Ricky Stevenson, Noah’s stepfather. Growing up under the two sadistic men who killed his mother and made his life a living hell, he never knew if he’d survive as long as he did. With US Marshal Mac MacKenzie and his partner Jake assigned to protect both Noah and his best friend Jenny until the trial, Noah finally begins to live a little and experience things he’d missed over the years.
Over time Mac and Noah develop feelings for one another but much to Noah’s disappointment Mac never acts on them. Between Noah’s young age and the fact that Mac refuses to jeopardize their safety, it’s a struggle for Mac not to start something but he’s able to keep Noah at a safe distance. Mac will do whatever it takes to keep Noah safe and unfortunately, he makes a decision that sets the two men on a life-changing course when he transfers Noah’s protection to another Marshal.
Years later, the case is still not over but Noah isn’t the same young man Mac rescued. Now Noah is on Manning’s trail and he’ll stop at nothing to bring him and Stevenson down and get his vengeance. The only thing that hasn’t changed are the feelings Noah and Mac share for one another.
So it seems that this is the first book by Reese Knightley and let me tell you, it’s awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and fell in love with both Noah and Mac. Ms. Knightley did a fantastic job of telling us this story and it made it nearly impossible for me to put it down. I am waiting anxiously to see what comes next.
Noah’s character is exactly the type of character I love. When we first meet him, he’s this vulnerable, innocent, damaged boy. It’s hard to even think about what he lived through as he grew up with the group of monsters he lived around. My heart ached for him but I loved that he was also strong and brave and resilient.
His character changes a lot from the beginning of this story until the end. Ricochet takes place over several years and so we get to see Noah evolve from innocent child to abused young man to a badass adult. But no matter how much he changed, he still had that endearing quality as well.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. It’s not perfect, there are a few too many characters introduced and a few unanswered questions. However it also has me excited to see more stories in the series and to find out more about some of my favorite characters we met.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**
Ricochet is the first book in Reese Knightley’s Out for Justice series and her debut novel! Once I started this book, I could not put it down and stayed up way too late making sure I finished it just hours after starting it.
The beginning of this book is hard to read, not the writing but the life Noah is living. There’s a lot happening at the beginning of this book and you really need to focus on the story. Noah is 17 and his life is miserable. Though he wouldn’t think so, he’s strong to have survived what he’s going through.
This story takes place over many years. I appreciated the way the author handled this story, and especially the relationship between Noah and Mac. Both at the beginning and when they are reunited. In my opinion, it was absolutely perfect. This story involves many branches of the government, some truly horrible bad guys, was action-packed and kept me on the edge of my seat through most of the book. This has set up a lot of future books and I can’t wait to read all of them!
I loved both Mac and Noah, and all the many supporting characters introduced in this book. I can’t wait to read all their stories! There’s drama in the story, but it was never just for the sake of drama. There wasn’t anything that made me roll my eyes and think that could/would never happen. I’m not a conspiracy theory believer, but I think there are probably groups like Phoenix that do exist in most governments. Fingers crossed that they don’t, though, lol!
This is a book that I will read many times and highly recommend! It’s not an easy read because Noah’s life isn’t easy but he comes out the other side stronger! Seriously, give this book a chance, it’s fantastic!
Rating: 5++ Stars!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A native Californian, Reese spends her time creating stories from the characters rattling around in her head, which has caused her to talk to herself on more than one occasion. Her love for reading mystery, fantasy, action and adventure, and contemporary romance led to her love of writing, which keeps her up day and night. Next to writing comes her love for coffee and wine, in no particular order. When not writing, Reese can be found working a part-time job where she day dreams of writing. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted at Reeseknightleyauthor@gmail.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Reese_Knightley
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