Reviewed by JustJen
Title: High Roller
Author: Tricia Owens
Series: Sin City #4
Heroes: Max/Ethan
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 159 Pages
Publisher: Tricia Owens
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Available at: Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Ethan hasn’t been assigned to guard a client since crossing paths with the Las Vegas mafia, so he’s eager to take on the talk of the city: the Slot Bandit. Rob Rexum is a man on the win streak of a lifetime. He needs a bodyguard to keep away the hordes of people who are desperate for a touch of his luck or a charitable handout. But he also wants Ethan to play his boyfriend in a strange ploy to get revenge on his ex-wife. Maxmillian Poole doesn’t like it and suspects there’s something more to Rexum’s story. But with Ethan pressuring him to work, Max relents, and immediately wishes he didn’t when issues of wealth and infidelity threaten to drive a wedge between him and Ethan.
Review: Ethan and Max are back to work with a new client. This time, Ethan is assigned to protect Rob Rexum, aka the Slot Bandit, a guy who has been cleaning it up in the casinos. He can’t seem to lose and is now basking in his winnings. The Elite Poole is forced to put some major restrictions onto his contract trying to keep Rob in line, but they get crossed a few times. Especially where Ethan is concerned.
Up to this point, Rob been trying to get revenge on his ex-wife, who accused him of being gay. So, he uses Ethan as a cover for the media, etc. to try and prove to the ex-wife that is precisely the case. When Rob starts to think he may actually be gay, he confides in Ethan and seeks Ethan’s help in discovering for sure. This causes some strife between Ethan and Max, but Ethan, now feeling a sort of friendship with the client, convinces Max to allow him to fulfill the contract.
There are some more twists and turns surrounding this case involving the ex-wife, Gypsy curses, challenging bets, etc. It takes some digging on Max’s part to get to the bottom of it all, and one final bet that sets everything right again. I love watching Max and Ethan’s relationship evolving and seeing them get through various issues which allow their relationship to grow. These guys have a great dynamic. It seems that Ethan is getting the short end of the stick sometimes and that he is taking what he can get while he can, but he isn’t a doormat by any means. These two have some of the hottest scenes with some really smexy dirty talk, but they also have great dialog outside of the bedroom as well. I’m still thoroughly hooked on these two and am jumping right into the next installment.
Overall Impression: I loved it
*I purchased my own, personal copy of this book for review.*
