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A review by divapitbull
When the Devil Drives by L.J. Hayward
5.0
When the Devil Drives is a Death and The Devil novella. It isn’t so much about story and what’s happening as it is about character development and the development of the ongoing relationship between Jack, government sanctioned spy and Ethan, freelance assassin. The guys have chemistry together and they both were on board with a friends with benefits arrangement. Neither have been involved in any sort of actual romantic entanglement in forever – and Ethan IF ever; so what could possibly go wrong?
Feelings. Feelings go wrong. They rear their ugly little heads and neither man knows what to do with them. Surprisingly Jack seems even less equipped to deal with them than Ethan – which given that Ethan is the “Asperger-y, socially inept, “abnormal” one – THAT says something! Both guys are slowly concluding that they like each other for more than sex, both are feeling the impact of the occasional insecurity and brush with jealousy and both are realizing that words like Mine and Monogamy would not be offensive. Also, of course both have no idea what to do with any of this. Both men still have little quirks to maintain distance – Jack won’t kiss on the mouth, Ethan won’t give oral sex…and the reader can’t help but hope that it’s all just a matter of time.
The novella takes place over the course of 2 months and 2 encounters. The first involves an attempted holiday weekend – which never goes well when spy and assassin are involved. The second involves Ethan again caring for Jack in illness. Nothing like the delirium of a fever to loosen lips and of course again neither man know what to do with some of the truths that slip out. End result – their “relationship type thing” is nowhere near settled but neither can continue to deny that it isn’t more than casual sex.
Looking forward to their next adventure!
Feelings. Feelings go wrong. They rear their ugly little heads and neither man knows what to do with them. Surprisingly Jack seems even less equipped to deal with them than Ethan – which given that Ethan is the “Asperger-y, socially inept, “abnormal” one – THAT says something! Both guys are slowly concluding that they like each other for more than sex, both are feeling the impact of the occasional insecurity and brush with jealousy and both are realizing that words like Mine and Monogamy would not be offensive. Also, of course both have no idea what to do with any of this. Both men still have little quirks to maintain distance – Jack won’t kiss on the mouth, Ethan won’t give oral sex…and the reader can’t help but hope that it’s all just a matter of time.
The novella takes place over the course of 2 months and 2 encounters. The first involves an attempted holiday weekend – which never goes well when spy and assassin are involved. The second involves Ethan again caring for Jack in illness. Nothing like the delirium of a fever to loosen lips and of course again neither man know what to do with some of the truths that slip out. End result – their “relationship type thing” is nowhere near settled but neither can continue to deny that it isn’t more than casual sex.
Looking forward to their next adventure!