Reviews: Single Malt and Cask Strength (Agents Irish and Whiskey) by Layla Reyne

Single Malt (Agents Irish and Whiskey #1) by Layla Reyne
Publication Date: February 27, 2017
Page Count: 194
Published by: Carina Press
Source: Purchased
Genre: M/M, Law Enforcement, FBI, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The heart’s a resilient beast.

Eight months after the car crash that changed everything, FBI agent Aidan Talley is back at work. New department, new case and a new partner. Smart, athletic and handsome, Jameson Walker is twelve years his junior. Even if Aidan was ready to move on—and he's not—Jamie is off-limits.

Jamie's lusted after Aidan for three years, and the chance to work with San Francisco's top agent directly is too good to pass up. Aidan is prickly—to put it mildly—but a growing cyber threat soon proves Jamie's skills invaluable.

Jamie's talents paint a target on his back, and Aidan is determined to protect him. But with hack after hack threatening a high-security biocontainment facility, time is running out to thwart a deadly terrorist attack. They'll have to filter out distractions, on the case and in their partnership, to identify the real enemy, solve the case and save thousands of lives, including their own.

What a great start to this series! I love a bit of romance with my action, and this book had the perfect amount of both. The FBI case was fast paced, and I found it very entertaining.

I really love both protagonists. Jamie is such a sweetheart, loyal and brave and a real stand up guy. Aidan comes off as straightforward and no nonsense. Together, though, they have great chemistry and lots of  awesome banter. I loved the slow build up and seeing these guys work together and grow closer. Their age gap worked for me, and I just knew they would make a great pairing, both professionally and personally!

My only negative was the overload of technobabble - or tech speak - that had me lost right along with Aidan. I was around when computers were invented, so I consider myself pretty savvy, but I will admit that I was lost with the jargon at times.

4.5 stars

Cask Strength (Agents Irish and Whiskey #2) by Layla Reyne
Publication Date: May 1, 2017
Page Count: 205
Published by: Carina Press
Source: Purchased
Genre: M/M, Law Enforcement, FBI, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Professionally, the FBI team of Aidan "Irish" Talley and Jameson "Whiskey" Walker is as good as it gets, closing cases faster than any team at the Bureau. Personally, it’s a different story. Aidan’s feelings for Jamie scare the hell out of him: he won’t risk losing another love no matter how heart-tripping the intimacy between them. And loss is a grim reality with the terrorist Renaud still on their trail, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake.

Going undercover on a new case gets them out of town and off the killer's radar. They're assigned to investigate an identity theft ring involving a college basketball team in Jamie's home state, where Jamie's past makes him perfect for the role of coach. But returning to the court brings more than old memories.

As secrets and shocking betrayals abound, none may be more dangerous than the one Jamie’s been keeping: a secret about the death of Aidan’s husband that could blow his partner's world apart and destroy forever the fragile bonds of trust and love building between them.

I spent the first part of this book SO angry at Aidan. Then I was angry at Jamie for taking such crap from Aidan, even though deep down he wasn't okay with things. The story line was much simpler to understand, even though new characters were added (just to muddle my mind with who's that again?) The plot was a little slower and not as intense as the first book, and I felt the FBI case took a backseat to the relationship drama. I love me some angst, and this book definitely brought it!

Cask strength had a great pace and enough tension to keep it interesting. I am completely invested in Aidan and Jamie's relationship, and I can't wait to see what happens between them in the next book.

4.5 stars