An enjoyable story and slow burn romance

This story is a slow burn on the romance side. The is definitely an enjoyable mystery on the journey finding the murders and FDA drug cover up, and the trail lead to an unexpected place. I enjoyed the narration some character voices more than others but will absolutely look for more work from this author and narrator.

3 people found this helpful

an intriguing beginning of a series

I love books with unique, non-run of the mill characters so when I can pick up a crime family or mercenaries I grab it. Justin is working for himself and his handler brings him a very high dollar case, that will help him get closer to his goals of getting out of the business. At first, he isn't interested, then when he hears the amount he can't pass it up. Two doctors have been killed over their research for a cancer cure and someone wants him to find out who murdered them and to take that person out as well. However it is not a one-man job and his handler has just the man for him.... maybe in more ways than one.
Gabriel is sexy with an accent and also a mercenary and they tiptoe around each other at first but soon give into attraction.
I loved both of these men, the storyline was pretty good if not a bit underdeveloped but still interesting enough. I loved the peek into Gabriel's past and would have liked more of Justin's. I did love the end and want the next book ASAP.
I love Kenneth Obi's narration. I loved the slight accent and the voice of Justin that was not a tough growly man's voice. I felt it gave him more relatability.

2 people found this helpful

Deadly Lover: Exit Strategy Book 1

Omg this audio book was absolutely positively amazing. I would highly recommend this audio book.

2 people found this helpful

I'm not sold on this...

Reading the blurb (something that I missed with the previous book I listened to and it caused some confusion on my part), and looking at the cover, I expected something a bit different from this book. I expected murder and mayhem, something on the grittier side, and most definitely more mystery and suspense. I mean look at that cover - doesn't that scream darkness and danger to you? Alas, expectations...

Justin Mallory and Gabriel Prescott, alike yet so different. They run in the same circles, and not. What they are certain about is that they do not do partners - in any meaning of the word. Still, the job they are hired to do is not a one man job, so they are forced to a very reluctant partnership. There's a new cancer drug that's about to hit the market, promising fewer side effects than the current ones. What FDA does not know is that the drug has a dark side, fatal flaws that Big Pharma will, and have gone to great lengths to hide - murdering two of their own. So the reluctant duo is tasked to stop the drug and expose the secrets before it's too late.

So, back to expectations, from this you might expect a lot of action, spying and covert operations. Sure there was that but it was not the main focus of the book rather the romance aspect was. So if you are looking for a steamy read this might be your next read, but if you are looking for action of another kind you might want to reconsider.

Also, considering that this book took place only over a short period of time and the level of trust Justin and Gabe developed didn’t quite fit. I don’t mean instant trust don’t exist, I’m just not believing that people in their professions trust easily –or at all. I did like that they were both scarred and had issues. I like my heroes flawed and troubled. It gives them that edge that I'm so fond of. In the end though, the pieces of this story and the characters didn't quite fit for me.

There's something about Kenneth Obi's narration that don't quite do it for me, and I can't really put my finger on why. I mean, he has what I usually look for in a narrator. The different voices for the different characters and he adds some feeling to the narration as well. And in this book he even does accents. What else can a listener want for? But for some reason I still find myself spacing out more often than not. There's just something that makes it feel uninspiring. I'm never engaged. I'm also fully aware that this is just my subjective feelings and I do recognise that Obi is a good and talented narrator. So in the end I think this will be a case of "it not you, it's me". I also urge you that if you do enjoy Obi's narration I do believe you'll enjoy this book as well, so don't write it off on my account.

The story isn’t over when this book ended. Sure the mystery such as it was is resolved but there are many lose ends to tie up, not the least how Justin and Gabriel intend to move forward – do they get out of the life and start anew together, or do they continue as before with danger lurking around every corner?

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

2 people found this helpful

Partners in bed and partners at work!

When is the audio of the second book coming out because Mama needs it like now! 😁 What a gloriously thrilling and exciting audio it is! ❤️ I loved this fast-paced, action-packed, antiheroes romance. It was refreshing, exciting and simply enthralling! 😍


Justin Mallory is really good at what he does, otherwise he wouldn’t survive more than a decade in this espionage world. But now he has a new job, a job with the pay that could possibly lead to his retirement but comes with equally greater risks. And most importantly, this is not a one man job. Justin needs a partner if he is to pull off this job and he doesn’t to partners. Period! 😁 So when he met Gabriel Prescott, the man who’s supposed to be his partner, the man who irritates the hell out of him and entranced him greatly at the same time, sparks literally flew! Gabriel was supposed to come only when the job is coming to an end and he is now insisting an equal partnership. And Justin soon realized losing his heart to Gabriel is even more dangerous than unraveling this treachery which could possibly kill both of them. 😉


I find some reviews complaining about how insta fast between these two MCs. Let me tell you one thing, these guys are living like there’s no tomorrow. Both are antiheroes whose job is very morally questionable and they could die anytime. So no, I don’t think the attraction and relationship between them is too insta. It was realistic, scorching hot and on-so-exciting for me. ❤️ Again, Kenneth Obi did an excellent job narrating the hell out of these two men. The UST was sickening! And the sex? It was glorious! 🔥🔥🔥 Eargasms! I also loved the action/thriller aspect of this story. It was well-written and kept me on edge most of the time. The ending is somewhat HFN so I’m hoping to get the second audio ASAP. 😌 Recommended to anyone who likes their romances exciting and thrilling! 😉


4.75 partners in bed and partners in work stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟







Audio rating

Story - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Narration - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

1 person found this helpful

Very well narrated, story is great!

Loved the story and the narrator, I’m buying the bundle! Loved the start of this series.

Worth a listen

Only four stars for this one as I didn't feel a strong connection to the characters as I have with other books by this author. Kenneth Obi's narration is stellar as always. I will definitely continue the series as the reviews say the final installment is the best.

Excellent Series

This is book 1 of the Exit Strategy series. I actually read it a while ago, but it wasn't until I was gifted several Audible credits for my birthday that I bought and listened.

As always, it was the Awesome Mr. Obi who was the narrator. He always manages to give each MC have such distinctive voices and characteristics. He's just brilliant.

Can't wait to listen to the rest of G. Love and Special Sauce's adventures.

4.5*

I do Love, G Love and Special Sauce. The characters and a new to me band to listen to.

Assassin lovers

Drake is great at writing about deadly men. Justin and G fit the sexy and dangerous description. This book is nice mixture of suspense and romance. If you enjoy the sexy times in Drake/Elliott books, you won't be disappointed in the steam level in Deadly Lover. Kenneth Obi does a great job bringing these killers to life. Obi does a great job with the mysterious characters, and Justin and G seem to have quite a few skeletons in their closets. This does end as a HFN with a cliffhanger, but fortunately, the other books in the series are already out on audio.