Crucify my Love: Gay Book Reviews: [146-ENG] Review: Public Enemy, Undercover Lover

Series: -

Volume: 1/1
Publisher: JMS Books LLC

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, BDSM, Interracial, Crime

Length: 60 782 words

Pages: 194

Read in: English
Review copy format: epub

Rate:✮✮✮✮✮✮

Being used by his journalist girlfriend and living in the shadow of his father and brother, Andrew gives up his job in the police and opens a security company. Unfortunately, his biggest and most serious rival is Isaac, an incredibly attractive former thief whom Andrew once put in jail and with whom at some point he had more than just business encounter. It was just this one time and it was supposed to stay that way, but it turns out that Andrew and Isaac are unable to control the attraction they feel towards each other. When Dalton, Andrew's old friend and, as it turns out, Isaac's son, falls victim to the elusive thief who leaves no trace, men decide to join forces to ensure Dalton's safety and capture the criminal. Cooperation, however, is not conducive to concealing the romantic affair that slowly gets out of Andrew's and Isaac's control.

The moment I took a quick look at the blurb of "Public Enemy, Undercover Lover" by Amanda Meuwissen I considered this novel to be interesting and worth reading. However, I need to point out that when I started reading this book, it turned out it's really fantastic and even better than I thought. Let's start with the main characters, or more precisely their work and what's so great about it. The idea of showing the dynamics between former police detective and ex-thief (who have known each other since the time the former tried to put the latter in jail, which he eventually succeeded in) is already incredibly interesting. However, if we add to this mix a bit of competition, as both of them now work in security, and a large dose of sexual attraction, we get something amazing, wonderful, addictive. Some of you will definitely say that a simple idea is not everything. And indeed, the idea alone is sometimes not enough. Amanda Meuwissen, however, boasts a really great way of building this story taking into consideration tension, action, sexual intercourse, humor. To put it simply, "Public Enemy, Undercover Lover" is not only a great idea for a novel, but also a perfect execution of it.

Since there is already amazing chemistry between the former police detective and the ex-thief, it is impossible not to have the topic of a second chance for a normal life. In "Public Enemy, Undercover Lover," I really liked the fact that Isaac is not mad at Andrew for putting him in prison, he does not try to get his revenge, and their relationship even before they became very intimate was quite good. And this is why Isaac has a genuine chance to lead a normal, fair life, and thus he can find happiness. It is thanks to Isaac's sensible, adult approach to life and responsibility that this second chance really makes sense. I think it is also worth mentioning that normal life is his main goal, and everything else, including love, is just an additional, somewhat unexpected advantage of the whole situation. Isaac is not stupid, he knows that in his case it pays off to be honest, even if it is not always easy, and that's what I like this character for.

I think that "Public Enemy, Undercover Lover"' 's great advantage are the side characters and the relationship between them and the main characters. You just can't miss it. Each of them brings something important to the novel, whether in terms of action or emotions, because when some of them support Isaac and Andrew, when they learn about their relationship, the others make their lives more difficult and miserable. What's more, Dalton is undoubtedly the most important side character in the novel, and it has nothing to do with the fact that he is Isaac's son. This guy is just great. Stubborn, cute, he supports his father all the time and tries hard to push him into Andrew's arms, which means that every time he appears, the reader is not able to restrain a smile. In fact, without such characteristic side characters, "Public Enemy, Undercover Lover" would not be the same novel and to a large extent would lose its uniqueness. In this book every detail has a role to play, which in my opinion emphasizes the author's undeniable talent.

Finally, I would like to write a few words about a motif that I did not expect to see in this novel, namely Dom/sub. To be honest, I have read more than one story with D/s motif in it, but "Public Enemy, Undercover Lover" is the only one in which this dynamic makes the characters' sexual games so incredibly hot. The author managed to present the D/s dynamic in Andrew and Isaac's relationship in a phenomenal way, which builds the tension between them and makes it noticeable to the reader. The air between the leading characters sparks so much that while reading our hearts skip a beat. Believe me, I haven't read a novel in which sexual tension would be so noticeable for quite some time. It's just something fabulous.

To sum up, "Public Enemy, Undercover Lover" is a fantastic novel that I can recommend to you with a clear conscience. It is incredibly interesting, insanely hot, and the characters are simply brilliant. The whole thing is more addictive than any other novel, so don't hesitate and read "Public Enemy, Undercover Lover". It's really worth it.

Headcanon: Dalton is a real pain in the ass when he starts talking with his father about marrying Andrew.

Fanfiction idea: When Dalton goes out on a blind date, Isaac decides to follow him to make sure that his boy is safe. He takes Andrew with him, because why not.

AU idea: Middle Ages!AU, King Andrew is robbed by the country's best thief, Isaac. Isaac decides to play a little with the king, because he is very attractive and cute when he gets angry.

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Here's some more about:

Book Title: Public Enemy, Undercover Lover

Author: Amanda Meuwissen

Cover Artist: J.M. Snyder

Release Date: May 23, 2020

Trope/s: Enemies to lovers, Redemption arc, Found family, Sexy dad

Themes: Second chances

Heat Rating: 5 flames

It is a standalone book.

Add on Goodreads

Second chances come in many forms – career changes, criminal reformation, fatherhood, even sex with a former enemy.

Blurb

Isaac Ford seeks help from the detective who put him in prison -- now security consultant, Andrew Wen -- after an unexpected prison break weeks before his release. Despite an almost twenty-year age difference and being on opposite ends of the law, the attraction between them culminates in a one-night stand that teeters Isaac between turning himself in and returning to a life of crime. His decision is made for him when he discovers a young man waiting for him at his safe house -- the son he never knew existed.
Months later, Isaac has been reconnecting with his son, Dalton, and started a security consultancy of his own, looking for a fresh start. His past catches up to him, however, when he runs into Andrew at the police station, both seeking information on a new thief. Andrew isn’t happy Isaac left that night or that he’s been encroaching on his business, but the passion between them rekindles as trying to one-up each other turns sexual. Neither plan to let anything more come of their tryst until Andrew finds out about Dalton, who he knew in college, and a theft at Dalton’s job forces Isaac and Andrew to work together.
Dalton playing matchmaker complicates things. What’s worse is how easily Isaac and Andrew keep giving in.

Buy Links

Publisher | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Excerpt

The warmth that spread through Isaac’s chest surprised him, but he didn’t have much time before Dalton would be back, and Andrew discovering he had a son was just as bad as any enemies.
Then a bitter thought crossed his mind. “Did you track me again?”
“No. I just come here.”
That might be true. This was closer to the persona Isaac remembered from when Andrew was a detective. Sympathetic, earnest, almost sweet. It was just as well that he’d found his way off the force.
He looked like he had half a mind to take the empty seat in front of Isaac but hesitated with a bite at his lip. “I know we’re still at odds professionally, and I’m sure you’ll infuriate me to no end trying to steal more jobs from me in the future, but ... I never actually apologized for Christmas.”
“Andrew --”
“I get why you left,” he pushed on. “I wasn’t exactly hospitable, and you still kept your end of the bargain. You’ve been a model citizen ever since. You know, besides shameless shenanigans in uniform and invasion of privacy,” he whispered. “But I won’t talk if you don’t.”
The smile that alighted Isaac’s face in response surprised him too. He tried to think of a comeback, only for Andrew’s eyes to fall to the empty seat again and notice the second drinking glass.
“Are you on a date?”
“No,” Isaac said too hastily. “It’s not a date.”
“If it was one of your associates, you wouldn’t care, but you’re anxious. Stealing more clients from me already? Or maybe you are planning a job, and you just use security as a front.”
He was teasing again, Isaac could tell, but that's what all the naysayers said: that Isaac was faking it. Once word of the new thief finally spread, they’d all say it was him. A few skirts of the law were one thing, but he couldn't risk going back to jail, not when he had Dalton.
Dalton -- who was out of the bathroom and headed for their table!
“Listen, now isn’t the best --”
“Andrew?”
Andrew spun around when Dalton called his name.
When Dalton called his name.
“Dalton? Oh my God, how are you?”
They hugged, completely unabashed in their open display of affection.
“Why are you never on Facebook?” Dalton squeezed Andrew tightly. “I can hardly keep up. Did I hear you quit the force?”
“Almost a year ago now. I started a security firm.”
“That’s awesome! And kind of funny. My dad does security too. Dad? What’s with the face?”
Dalton’s eyes landed on Isaac, and when Andrew turned to see that no, there was no other man in line of sight to be the bearer of that endearment, his jaw nearly hit the floor.
“Dad?”
“Do you and Andrew know each other?”
“How do you know each other?” Isaac threw back, because if they’d slept together, he would have an aneurism right there in the café.
“Andrew tutored me in Art History in college. How do you know him?”
The actual answers flitted through Isaac’s mind.
He was my nemesis.
He’s the detective who put me in jail.
We fucked on his living room sofa half an hour before I met you, and I helped him through two orgasms yesterday.
“We ... dated,” Isaac sputtered -- and what the hell was he thinking?! “Briefly.”
‘WHAT?’ Andrew mouthed in disbelief, but he must not have been able to think of a better answer either, because he screwed his face into embarrassed shock for Dalton’s sake and said, “Yeah! Very briefly. Boy, that must sound super weird since he’s your dad.”
“Not ... weird,” Dalton said, glancing stoically between them. He had Isaac’s knack for hiding his emotions unless he wanted others to know them. “I mean, we’re all adults. You’re a good guy, Andrew, and Dad’s --”
“A criminal,” Andrew blurted, unable to keep his floundering word-vomit under control any better than Isaac had. “That’s why we broke up! Detective, thief ... you know ...”
“Conflict of interest,” Isaac saved him.
“Exactly!”
“Sure.” Dalton nodded as if that made perfect sense, which it did, but that didn’t alleviate any of the awkwardness.

About the Author

Amanda Meuwissen is a bisexual and happily married 35-year-old geek. Primarily an M/M romance author with a focus on urban fantasy, she has a Bachelor of Arts in a personally designed Creative Writing major from St. Olaf College and is an avid consumer of fiction through film, prose, and video games. Amanda lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her husband, John, and their cat, Helga.