Sharon’s Review: Stars & Stripes by Abigail Roux

Abigail Roux

Stars & Stripes (Cut & Run #6)

Riptide Publishing, August 13, 2012 | 292 pages

Author’s website | Goodreads | Buy book here

Backblurb:

Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett have managed the impossible: a few months of peace and quiet. After nearly a year of personal and professional turmoil, they're living together conflict-free, work is going smoothly, and they're both happy, healthy, and home every night before dark. But anyone who knows them knows that can’t possibly last.



When an emergency call from home upsets the balance of their carefully arranged world, Ty and Zane must juggle family drama with a perplexing crime to save a helpless victim before time runs out.

From the mountains of West Virginia to a remote Texas horse ranch harboring more than just livestock and childhood memories, Ty and Zane must face their fears—and their families—to overcome an unlikely enemy and bring peace back into their newly shared world.

Genre & Keywords:
M/M Romance, Contemporary, FBI, Texas, Cowboys, Coming Out, Tigers

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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Heat level: 3 out of 3 flames (hello! Ty in a Stetson)
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Reviewed by SharonS.:

Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way, I loved it. I am so invested in Ty and Zane’s relationship at this point I don’t care what they are doing as long as they do it together. But I tried to look at the story objectively so I could review it. I thought it was one of the funniest of the series. How could it not be with all the cat jokes and cowboy innuendos? Ty and Zane are still in the puppy love phase of their relationship and doing it like bunnies, sexy cowboy bunnies. They are getting comfortable showing affection to each other and finding it harder to hide it while at work. They are talking about spending the rest of their lives together.

We finally get to meet Zane’s family in Texas when his father gets shot by people trespassing on their ranch. The books have become more concentrated on Ty and Zane’s relationship, but I thought there was a clever and solid “who dunnit?” in this one. Abi Roux is a big supporter of Big Cat Sanctuaries and has been raising money with the sales of this book to adopt Barnum, a Bengal Tiger at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary. There are tigers in this book and it made for some hilarious moments with Ty. You will love Zane’s father and understand more about why Zane behaves the way his does when you meet his mom. We found out Ty can sing in the last book, in this one we find out Zane has a talent too, other than making Ty scream .

It is no secret this is a coming out book, but only to their families. It was a little heartbreaking to see them struggle with the fear of telling their parents, but I liked how Roux handles things. The two families handled things differently. Did I tell you I love Zane’s father?

Roux’s writing style is smooth and natural which means you don’t notice the prose as you read. I feel like I am watching a movie so the story goes by fast. It was over to soon. There are so many laugh out loud scenes, but this is one of my favorites. It makes me laugh every time I imagine it.

“Good or bad?” Ty asked, rubbing his fingers over Zane’s chest to soothe him. Smith chose that moment to come out of hiding, pouncing on his moving fingers and landing on Zane’s chest. His claws sank in, turning the bed into a frenzy of cat fur, flying linens, and screaming FBI agents.”

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The series so far:
#1 Cut & Run -> reviewed here
#2 Sticks & Stones -> reviewed here
#3 Fish & Chips -> reviewed here
#4 Divide & Conquer -> reviewed here
#5 Armed & Dangerous -> reviewed here
#6 Stars & Stripes
 

Related book:

Warrior's Cross -> reviewed here

Interview:
Abigail Roux talks about Ty & Zane and more
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