Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
Series: Rook and Ronin Spinoff #3
Published by Science Future Press on 31 March 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Format: eARC
Source: Xpresso Booktours
THIS IS NOT A STANDALONE BOOK - IT IS HIGHLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU READ ALL THE PREVIOUS NOVELS AND NOVELLAS BEFORE STARTING THIS BOOK
Spencer Shrike is a man with a plan. Get in. Get out. Move on. He loves Ron the Bomb, and her safety is the only thing on his mind these days. But life is a tricky bastard, and conning criminals for the better part of ten years brings its own set of problems. Sure, Rook lied her way out of a sticky situation, covering for crimes Ronin, Ford, and Spencer committed, and getting them all off scot-free in the process.
But not everyone is buying Rook’s story, and Spencer is desperate to figure out who’s in town setting them up for a fall.
Veronica the Bombshell Vaughn has put up with Spencer Shrike’s shit for years and where has it gotten her? A big fat nowhere. No ring, no house, no kids, and no promises. In fact, Spencer is worse than ever—completely distant and moody. She’s done sitting at home, pining over a man she can’t have.
But she’s not opposed to fighting for him.
Ron the Bomb fights hard and she fights dirty, so she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get Spencer’s attention.
But now there’s another man in town with his eye on her. He’s got secrets too, but unlike Spencer, Bobby Mansi is more than willing to let Veronica in on them.
The entire Rook and Ronin series comes full circle. Every con, every lie, and every skeleton in the closet is back for one final shot at vengeance and the only way to set it right… is to get out the guns.
*I received a free ARC of GUNS from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange of an honest review*
Holy freaking amazeballs, Batman! GUNS pushed a lot of buttons, and for almost the first half, I was so mad at Spencer! The way he treated Ronnie just wasn’t right, even if he thought he was doing it for all the right reasons! And even if GUNS is called The Spencer Book, it was just as much Ronnie’s book, as it is written in dual point of views. And I loved getting to know Ronnie better, because underneath her beautiful exterior and seemingly capable and strong actions, she is pretty insecure, especially when it comes to Spencer. And that brings me back to being mad at him again…
In GUNS, the team’s past is coming back to haunt them all, and it’s coming really fast. Spencer will do everything possible to keep Ronnie safe, even if that means he hurts her in the process. Leaving her hanging at every turn is his way of trying to make this happen. She is an awesome woman, and she really doesn’t deserve what Spencer is dishing out for her. And while I have always appreciated Spencer, for most of GUNS, I just couldn’t. I don’t understand how he could ever think pushing Ronnie away would be good for either of them in any way.
Rook and Ash are present in many scenes as well but both of them are pretty insensitive to Ronnie’s troubles, especially because they are fully a part of the team, while poor Ronnie is on the outside looking in. However, when push comes to shove, Ronnie totally shows the world, and herself, that she can take good care of herself! And in my opinion, Ronnie totally rocks! She is at least as important as Spencer in this story, if not more. She is smart, quick-witted and ready to go the extra mile to save the people she loves the most – without pretending to cut anyone out of her life.
Getting to know the full back-story concerning the team is truly awesome, and it’s easy to see how they now make sure to always have each other’s backs. It also explains why Spencer thinks it’s a good idea to keep Ronnie at arm’s length, even if I don’t agree with him at all. Of course, he does have his good moments, too, if not there is no way I could have given GUNS five brightly shining and hot stars.
Other books in this series:
(99 CENTS) ROOK AND RONIN OMNIBUS: TRAGIC – MANIC – PANIC
Ford Novella SLACK: A Day in the Life of Ford Aston
Ford Novel TAUT: The Ford book
BOMB Novella: A Day in the Life of Spencer Shrike
Things really do come full circle in GUNS, and especially towards the end, things speed up and many things happen at the same time. Shots are fired, and I was reading with my heart in my throat as things did not at all seem to unfold the way I wanted them to! I have followed these characters through all of the books and novellas in the series, and I enjoy them all in different ways. I do believe your enjoyment of GUNS will be greater if you are already attached to the characters before you delve into this amazing finale.
And I just have to say two words about the second epilogue. That was so great, and I really wouldn’t mind getting more stories from that one character’s point of view if there ever will be more books in the Rook and Ronin universe… As usual, I was completely and utterly swept away by the writing, and the story. So many things are on the line for all of the characters, and they are all shook up in different ways before GUNS is over. If you haven’t started reading this series yet, you should definitely take advantage of the omnibus price for the Rook and Ronin trilogy, and then, of course, you should find the time to read Slack, Taut and Bomb as well.
Vic is not all bark. People think his name is short for Victor, but it’s not. It’s short for Vicious. What parent would name their kid Vicious? Fern Vaughn, that’s who.
“Maybe. Except he’s not my man. Is he? He obviously thinks I’m some sort of throwaway trash from the way he treated me this morning. And it’s not anything he said, it’s just – the way he walked away like it was nothing.”
She stands and goes back to her bedroom, leaving me to wait. It pisses me off that everyone seems to know Spencer better than I do. Just plain pisses me off.
“You will never forget this day, Veronica Vaughn. For the rest of your life, whenever someone asks you what the best day of your life was, this will be in your top three.” “What about the other two?” I ask. “We haven’t made those memories yet, Bomb. But we will.”
Thanks for stopping by today! Good luck in the giveaway 🙂
FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC REVIEW! I loved this book too and am so glad that I’m not the only one who wanted to throttle Spencer! He has his moments though. And I think Ronnie really stepped up in her own way. And that Epilogue…. yep! I loved it too!
Naomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace
Thank you, Naomi 🙂 Yes, I loved the book, but I would have gotten in Spencer’s face so bad if I was a character in the book *grins* Ronnie was made of awesome – this was just as much her book as it was Spencer’s!
Thanks for stopping by.
Awesome reviews I only read book 1 of this series but each review I read of the following makes me kick myself for not binge reading it STAT! It sounds like it only gets better from here!
I did binge read this series, I loved ever story, novel or novella – the characters are just so well done.
Thanks for stopping by, Giselle 🙂
*sigh* Gosh, I sure do seem to be sighing a lot over this book, Lexxie. And your review is fantastic!! Yep, Ronnie is quite the heroine – I don’t know – she might be my favorite. There was so much going on in GUNS and I did stay upset with Spencer over his treatment of Ronnie. I didn’t agree with it but I did understand his motives. And those epilogues…LOVED them both!! I can’t tell you how much I adore the fact that I made you a Huss fangirl, Lex! I’m thrilled you enjoy these characters every bit as much as I do. 🙂
Hope your Wednesday has been wonderful. It’s Tuesday to me since my kids didn’t get back til yesterday…I’m behind! *ha* **BIG HUGS**
Twitter: talksupeblog
Ok I’m going to jump in the Huss bandwagon but I’m liking the spinoffs better than the original series. Can I get away skipping R&R and just dive in to this one instead?
TY so much Lexxie! I’m so glad you put up with Spencer and held on to the end! LOL! <3
I’m glad you’re still loving this series/spin-off/all-of-it, Lexxie! It’s greatly motivating in getting me to read them all myself 😉 Wonderful, enthusiastic review!
Ronin i think…maybe lol
Okay, I had to stop reading your review because I have Guns on my Kindle and it’s not happy that I haven’t read the novellas yet. But I am glad I read you were pissed at Spencer so when I do read it and I’m muttering at him about being a jerk to Ronnie, I can include you (and Brandee) on my side in the scolding. I hope you have a great week, Lexxie!