Title: Thunderball
Author: Mimi Riser
Publisher: Amber Allure
Genre: Paranormal M/M
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (12K words)
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
THE BLURB
Sylver Starr is a werewolf by birth, a cross-dresser by desire, and a secret agent for Earth Guardians, Inc.—although that last is beginning to wear a bit thin. Take tonight, for instance. Posing as participants, Sylver and his partner infiltrate the brutal blood-sport of dog fighting. Their mission is to rescue a kidnapping victim. Unfortunately, the victim is a giant mastiff who shows no sign of cooperating. Abused by his captors and trained to kill, he seems more interested in ripping Sylver to shreds. Understandable, but painful nonetheless. To Sylver, who knows the dog’s history, the situation is infuriating and heartbreaking.
And Sylver’s partner adds to the stress by being…well, himself. Sexy and aggravating in the same breath. He’s the great Hunter Steele—founder and chief of Earth Guardians, Inc.—a billionaire cat-shifter with a serious James Bond complex. Hunter cooks up these plots, and Sylver gets stuck with the dirty dishes. Always. For a werewolf, it’s not easy taking orders from a cat. Put it all together and Sylver’s had a bellyful. After this mission, there won’t be another. It’ll be bye-bye EG.
And hello Hunter’s rage, because no one quits his team—especially not Sylver. They’re not just work partners. In shifter terminology, the canine-feline pair are each other’s divinely appointed life-mates. Go figure. If this is a match made in heaven, someone up there has a lot of explaining to do. It’s difficult enough being married to your polar opposite, but when your spouse is also your boss, nerves will be rubbed raw—along with fevered flesh, because neither man is above using seduction to get his way. And both have their own brand of sizzle. In fact, if the two live long enough for this battle of wills to reach the bedroom, it’s anyone’s guess who will emerge on top. Then again, maybe it doesn’t matter. This is one sport, after all, where the winner may take all, but the “loser” still gets a big prize…
THE REVIEW
Thunderball is the sequel to Your Cheatin’ Heart reviewed here.
In this new adventure Sylver is contemplating resigning from Earth Guardians, the agency headed up by his husband Hunter so that he can concentrate on other activities, but Hunter would not hear of it and does everything he can to put a stop to that idea. But before we see who comes out on top, so to speak, they have one more battle to fight.
Cujo is the star of the dog fighting arena and has won his last 5 fights so he is the undisputed champion. Sylver’s job is to defeat Cujo who is actually Sam, a therapy dog stolen from his companion, a little girl namded Honey, and rescue him from his handlers so that he can be returned to his home. Poor Cujo has no idea of his origins and after five rights is now a battle scarred monster. The motto of his new owner is “Breed the best and bury the rest” and any dog who doesn’t win is usually disposed of. Sylver has to go into the ring and figure out a way to get Cujo (Sam) back without getting hurt.
In their usual way Hunter and Sylver cook up a scheme to put a damper on the illegal sport of dog fighting which, although outlawed in all 51 states in the US, is a thriving sport with many faithful fans. The key is to free Sam without anyone getting hurt, especially Sam who still thinks of himself as Cujo. In the confusion that resulted when they implemented their scheme Cujo gets loose and charges his former captors. Would he kill them? If he does this would mean that he could never return to Honey. Would he get hurt in the general stampede? What about Sylver and Hunter – would they manage to recapture Cujo (Sam) and escape unharmed? For the answers to these questions and many others you will have to read the book? 🙂
I really love this partnership especially when they try to out manoeuvre each other in bed. In Thunderball Sylver is in his element as a Dominatrix in bright red lipstick, mascara, fish net stockings, boots and a G-string, and it’s very difficult to wear a G-string while sporting an erection, as he found out. However the ensemble didn’t phase Hunter and I’ll just say that negotiations are still underway about whether or not Sylver will resign from Earth Guardians. Right now it looks like Hunter 1, Sylver 0. Hunter and Sylver are just as three dimensional and funny in Thunderball as they were in Your Cheatin’ Heart, and their escapades whether in human or shifted form ,will make you split your sides laughing.
Thunderball has a lot of action, suspense and hot sex and you’re in for a fun ride if you buy this book. Recommended.
