Christian Chatsworth-Brandeis is nothing if not devoted to his job. And even though the senator he works for is probably not the greatest human being on the planet, Christian is not going to let him down. Besides, it is only for a few more years and then he can be on to something bigger and better. But when a series of threats against the senator lead to the hiring of an additional security team--one that includes Stone Jackson--things go in some unexpected directions. And the almost completely fall off the rails when the senator disappears right before a series of important public appearances and fundraising events. But Christian has a plan...and he can only hope that his burning attraction for Stone--something it's clear is reciprocal--doesn't get in the way.

Fun. Lighthearted. Original. Steamy. These are all words I would use to describe this book. It is written in an engaging and entertaining style, and I found myself quickly drawn in to Christian and Stone's world. It is well worth a read, and is the first book in a series so I am looking forward to what's to come... ( )

3.5

( )

Loved this. It was a crazy, trope-filled romance just as the Dreamspun Desire range promised.

Update

Listened to audio. Enjoyed it just as much in this format. Narrator did a good job. ( )

Dirty politics, unfortunately, is not exactly news these days. But give me the promise of extra-dirty politics, a conflicted PR manager trying to keep a US senator out of the tabloids, a hot bodyguard trying to keep that same senator alive, and a seemingly impossible mission to keep the fundraisers going while said senator vanishes into thin air – with his latest mistress - now that sounds like an unusual and very promising setup. And ‘Ace in the Hole’ delivers in spades. Christian and Stone are intriguing men just by themselves, but put them together and you get fireworks on more than one level. The mystery of what happened to the senator, who is trying to kill him, and how the heck Christian and Stone are going to cover for his disappearance had me glued to the pages. Not to forget some truly fun secondary characters and a few twists and turns in the plot, and the result is a novel I enjoyed reading.

Christian is a complex character. He is a senator’s aide and a decent, honorable man. But even though his views are not always in line with what his employer believes, he has a need to be perfect at his job. He has something to prove, after all, so he refuses to fail. I think his dedication is wasted on a scumbag like his boss, but Christian is stubborn and it takes him a little longer to be able to admit that there may be a flaw in his plan.

Stone is tough, uncompromising, and excellent at his job of guarding clients’ lives now that he works for Wildcards, Inc. He used to be employed by some unmentionable, top-secret government unit that isn’t supposed to exist and cannot be discussed, and his experience with them has taught him how to figure out angles of attack and how to think like a sniper. When the senator, whose bodyguard hired Wildcards Inc., refuses to follow Stone’s advice, he quits the assignment (with Wildcard, Inc.'s agreement), not wanting to fail at his job. But then the senator vanishes, Stone gets hired by the senator’s wife, who is a great character in her own right, and he is right back in the thick of some very exciting action.

If you like mysterious stalkers who send death threats and require a former military man to protect their potential victim, if two career-focused men who get somewhat distracted by their attraction sound interesting, and if you’re looking for an exciting, action-packed read that is as suspenseful as it is hot, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )