Book Review: Fair Play by Josh Lanyon

Title: Fair Play
Series: All’s Fair, Book 2
Author: Josh Lanyon
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy provided via NetGalley
Published: November 10, 2014 by Carina Press

Fifty years ago, Roland Mills belonged to a violent activist group. Now, someone is willing to kill to prevent him from publishing his memoirs.

When ex-FBI agent Elliot Mills is called out to examine the charred ruins of his childhood home, he quickly identifies the fire for what it is--arson. A knee injury may have forced Elliot out of the Bureau, but it's not going to stop him from bringing the man who wants his father dead to justice.

Agent Tucker Lance is still working to find the serial killer who's obsessed with Elliot and can't bear the thought of his lover putting himself in additional danger. Straightlaced Tucker has never agreed with radical Roland on much--"opposing political viewpoints" is an understatement--but they're united on this: Elliot needs to leave the case alone. Now.

Tucker would do nearly anything for the man he loves, but he won't be used to gain Elliot access to the FBI's resources. When the past comes back to play and everything both men had known to be true is questioned, their fragile relationship is left hanging in the balance.

Reviewed by: Crissy

Why I Read This Book: As a hardcore Fanyon, I could not not read this book. Plus after reading the beginning of Elliot and Tucker tension-filled relationship and their terrors with The Sculptor, I could hardly wait to see what was in store for them this time.

In A Nutshell: If you read Fair Game, read this book. It kept me on my toes and kept me guessing until the absolute end. Totally worth it.

The Setup: Elliot’s hippy father is in the final stages of publishing a controversial book, outlining his time as a revolutionist in the sixties and someone is trying to silence him by any means. When he goes underground, Elliot turns to his former-FBI training and the help of his lover to find his father and hunt down his would-be killer.

What I Liked: As with many of this author’s stories, this book is rich in plot and content. It’s a cozy mystery in many ways, but this one ends up not feeling so cozy, which is a pleasant change for this author. I love the mystery of this story, the way I’m kept guessing to the point that I finally gave up and let the author lead me on the journey they wanted me on.

What I Also Liked: The relationship between Elliot and Tucker is damn sexy and has been since they finally gave in way back in the first book, and for the most part it’s solid. But I really liked that they are not perfect. Tucker and Elliot keep secrets from one another, they argue, they go to bed angry—they’re a real couple. And I’m so vested in their relationship that my heart hurts when they hurt. It’s a sign of wonderful writing.

Most of all, I love the family unit Elliot and Tucker have formed. They still have Elliot’s dad, who is obviously part of that family, but Elliot and Tucker, if when they don’t have anyone else, they have one another. And this book is the first time Tucker is realizing that. Tucker, who was raised in foster care, doesn’t really know what family consists of, so the family he and Elliot form is rough and possessive, and they are each protective and jealous of it in their own way. It’s a beautiful thing to watch, really.

The story was not exactly what I was expecting from this author. I mean a sixties hippy who had, at one time in his life, planned to over throw the government being hunted? But it really worked. I also love the many intricate pieces that pop up throughout the story and how I’m not exactly sure how they fit until the last possible moment. There are parts of this story that left me breathless for several different reasons. This story a beautiful symphony of words.

In My Opinion: This is a must read and then a must re-read. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll put Fair Game on my re-read list again (for the fourth time) as well.

Memorable Moments:

“Yes, I believe it. He’s never lied to me. Well, I mean, excluding fostering unquestioning belief in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and John F. Kennedy. Anyway, I think the first two were mostly my mother.”

What did messy mean? A trail of broken, bloody emails leading from Roland’s sign in to this inbox?

They say revolution is a young man’s game, and that’s probably true.

But all at once it occurred to him what Tucker was telling him, showing him. Safety. Protection. Support. Whatever Elliot needed from Tucker. But most of all, Dominance.

He wore a pinky ring with a large diamond. Not that a pinky ring was an indication of character. Well, maybe.

Crissy’s Rating:

Add to Goodreads  |  Buy on Amazon