Review: Love and Let Die by Lexi Blake

Title: Love and Let Die

Series: Masters and Mercenaries #5

Author: Lexi Blake

  A Tragic Love Story

Charlotte Dennis’s mission was clear: distract and misdirect CIA operative Ian Taggart by any means necessary. If she failed, she would never see her sister again. With her training, it should have been simple, but after one night in Ian’s arms, she knew that saving her sister would mean losing the man of her dreams.
Ian was tracking a terrorist when he met the beautiful American daughter of a Russian mobster. His instincts told him Charlotte was trouble, but his body craved her like a drug and his heart would not be denied. She took his ring and his collar. For once he was truly happy. But as he closed in on his target, her betrayal cost him his mission while her sacrifice saved his life. As she died in his arms, Ian vowed he would never love again.

A Dangerous Reunion

For six years, Charlotte has thought of nothing but returning to her husband, her Master. Working in the shadows, she has devoted herself to earning a chance to reclaim her place in Ian’s life. But forgiveness isn’t a part of Ian’s vocabulary.
Nothing is more important to Ian Taggart than his new mission. But the information he needs is firmly in the hands of the woman who betrayed him. To catch his most dangerous prey, Ian will have to let Charlotte back into his life. As the hunt takes them to some of the world’s most exotic locations, the danger grows and their passion reignites.

Will Ian forgive his wayward submissive or lose her again?

Note before review: I posted 3 status updates till I reached 15%, after that nothing. The explanation for this is very simple: I just couldn’t tear myself away after that, even though there were some amazing quotes!

I feel so great for finally reading the book, it seems like I’ve waited forever for Ian’s book[though it was well worth it]! The series is centered on the work and personal lives of the McKay-Taggart security team members. Till now we’ve seen all the characters we’ve met in the first book fall in love: Ian’s younger brother(Sean), Adam and Jacob, Liam, Eve and Alex. Along with them we see Simon, Jessi and Damien(his book is next).

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The book starts exactly where the other one left of: Ian gets a visit from his 5-year dead wife. Yes, you read right, dead… or, at least, she was supposed to be. Both of them face a bigger threat to their well being than their reconciliation: Charlotte(Ian’s wife) is haunted by one of the Russian syndicates(mafia branch) and our ever-present friend Eli Nelson

(he can’t seem to frigging die, the idiot!).

 As it could be expected Ian is very stubborn and he acts like an idiot asshole. He tries to lie to himself and her that :

1)      He had never loved her

2)      He had loved her but got over it

3)      He still kind of loves her but can’t forgive her

4)      He loves her but can’t trust her

Through this all Charlie stays strong and doesn’t murder him, though he does get punched a few times(made me feel very good, even if I empathized with him a little). I really liked her character: she was strong, smart, loyal and knew what she wanted. Most importantly she was patent in the face of Ian’s bullshit.

Amaranthe - Serendipity; the song reminds me of Charlie

All in all I had a blast reading this book and I totally recommend the whole series to anyone who likes contemporary suspense, lots of action and a little BDSM thrown in(and a lot of great dirty talk! They really aced it!).

Favorite quotes:

“It wasn’t like I hired him. I don’t fucking hire any of them. They show up for work and then Grace gets pissed when I won’t pay them. PTSD Jesse followed Alex back from Florida like some lost puppy. I keep telling Alex not to feed strays. They never fucking go away. "[Ian at his best]

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“What the fuck are you doing here? Come to think of it, how did you get in?”
Everyone was getting through his security these days.
“You let me in, Ian. I showed up at the gates. You buzzed me in after making me promise I was the pizza man.”
It was worse than he thought. “I did not.”
Sean nodded, his eyes wide and an amused grin flashing on his face. “Oh, yes, you did. You got the munchies somewhere around midnight. It’s all right, man. You were very controlled and perfectly manly when you threatened to shoot me if I put anchovies on your pizza.”[Ian and his brother]

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“He’s supposed to be on his honeymoon.”
Alex’s big body was suddenly in the doorway. “Eve and I canceled. This is so much more important.”
God, Alex was going to kill him. He really was going to vomit. “I don’t need anyone to hold my fucking hand.”
“Oh, no. You misunderstand. I wasn’t talking about being here for you emotionally. I know you would never let me do that. I was talking about how much fun it’s going to be to watch you deal with Kris…Charlotte. Eve and I agreed watching this shit go down is going to be way better than Hawaii.”
Now he sent his best friend his happy middle finger. “Fuck you, Alex.”
“Come on, man. You were always there for me. You have woman troubles. You can lean on me.”
“You make it sound like I’m menstruating, Alex.”
Sean nodded. “That would explain the mood swings, and so very much of my childhood.”
He sent his brother a look that should have had him running. “I don’t have mood swings. I just hate everything. See, that’s what they mean by even tempered.”

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One of my personal favorite:

“You have an interrogation room?” Charlie asked, her voice incredulous.
“Doesn’t everyone?” He wasn’t going to apologize for having a proper home.[He also has a holding cell. Nothing if not prepered our Ian =))]

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Rating: 

Also in the series: