Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links from Amazon and other networks which means I earn from qualifying purchases. Shades introduces us to Killian and Nick, two men who have secrets and an undeniable connection. SHADES by Jamie Reese Publication Date: May 21, 2018 Publisher: Romandeavor Incorporated Genre: LGBT Romance Length: 344 Pages Purchase: Amazon Story Rating: 5/ 5 Romance Rating: 4/5 Description: Killian Marks is a third-generation hitman. After hunting monsters for over twenty years, he lives under no illusions of happily ever afters and fairy tales. Until he meets a man who threatens to disarm him, by giving him hope for a future and showing him there’s more to life than just death. For Nick, living in shadows is second nature. He’s all too familiar with the dark side of humanity and knows how delicate life can be. Each new day is a gift, even though it means doing it alone. But he’ll risk his survival for the one man who awakens something deep within and leaves him yearning for more. Nick wants to solve the mystery behind the dark, brooding man, while Killian craves the life and light emanating from Nick. They soon discover they have more in common than either could have anticipated. With both their lives and hearts at stake, they must confront the ghost from Nick’s past intent on tying up a loose end. Only then will they truly find peace, and discover the shades of life in between. Review: I think this is a great example of when bad covers happen to good books. To be honest, I have no idea how I ended up with this book. Cover aside, the synopsis isn’t something I would typically be interested in. Hitmen are violent and I rarely enjoy reading about violence. But one day the book showed up on my Kindle then I got an email with a blog tour schedule and I was on it. Silly me, I must have signed up for the wrong book! Anyway, all that aside the book was awesome! We start off getting to know Killian. He’s cold and stand-offish and intimidating. But, the author did a good job of humanizing him quickly. There’s a big heart hiding behind his mask. Then we meet Nick. Nick was awesome, we could be best friends. We see things the same way why would you ask someone to roll their sleeve up when they can take off their whole shirt? I love meeting characters who are similar to me! The book had a lot of action, drama, and suspense. I don’t read this stuff enough to say whether it was good, but I enjoyed it and I think that’s the important part. I needed to know what would happen next. Even though there was a lot of suspense and violence, the author never lost sight of the romance. Now for the good parts… The sex, Oh. My. Goodness. Actually, lets back up. Their first kiss was flippin’ hot. Maybe even my favorite first kiss. I want to get that tangled up over a kiss again. It was sweet and desperate, and passionate. That one kiss conveyed so many emotions the characters didn’t know how to express. Ok, now the sex! *fans* A while ago I talked about the perils of trying to slam my kindle vs. a physical book. This book brought light to the matter of fanning yourself with a paperback vs. fanning yourself with a kindle. It was tastefully written, there was nothing explicitly graphic. But, oh my goodness the author conveyed all the important parts. The grunts and growls, the sound of slapping flesh that tells you everything you need to know about what they’re doing. My only problem, and it’s more me being picky than anything else, is that the do we need to use a condom conversation should never happen in the heat of the moment. If you’re thinking clearly enough to remember the last time you were tested or to determine whether testing is necessary mere seconds before the condom should be ripped open, you’re doing something wrong. Thanks to this book, I’ve added sex on a boat to my sexy bucket list. Overall, Shades was a well written and engaging romantic suspense title. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a lengthy read that will have you captivated from the first page. Up Next on my Kindle You Won't Miss a Thing Get all the book lists, lifestyle tips and exclusive deals right to your inbox every month. Subscribe Thank you! Your self care calendar will be in your inbox shortly.