Long Time Gone (Hell or High Water Book 2)

Usually follow-up books are not as good as the first, if the first was very good. You're used to a certain standard and it can be hard to meet said standard. Not here. I wouldn't be able to say, if I love Catch a ghost (review here) or Long time gone more.

Tom and Prophet's characters and relationship get more depth and I really felt like I knew them in real life. You don't have to forgo the sexy scenes between them, but do prepare for heartache. Oh my god, the heartache and overall feels! Luckily you'll get Aunt Della and her housemates, so there's still enough humour in this one. I'm really hoping we'll see them again.

The same thing happened again as with the first book: first half I'm all in, the second I start to drift. It's not that I was bored, not exactly, just that the story seems a bit disjointed, and I can't muster up the concentration.

Disregarding that, I absolutely adored Tommy & Proph together. They're solid on the job and in the bedroom. And in the kitchen. And outside on the lawn. So much hotness on these pages! I think their dynamics are a bit off still though, one seems to always chase the other. There's an imbalance of power between them that I'm hoping will disappear.

As opposed to the previous book, I enjoyed the mystery more in this one. It seemed more thought through and actually culminated before the end of the story. I'd like to show more see Tommy's precognition taken advantage more of, though. Both on and off the job.

I still can't shake the feeling of familiarity; the storyline is just so similar to the Cut & Run series. I'll give [b:Daylight Again|20699996|Daylight Again (Hell or High Water, #3)|S.E. Jakes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398466878s/20699996.jpg|40019637] a go but if I keep making mental comparisons, that's it then. show less

Never has so much happened with so little action. That didn't come out the exact way I mean it. There is plenty of action, what with a hurricane, murders, police chases, swamps, alligators, stoners and even an air boat. But for most of the book it's just Tom and Prophet alone in a cabin in the swamp and believe me....that is such a good thing! They finally get to confront each other, their fears and their future together and they come out of that swamp with a better partnership then when they went in. These two strong alpha men realized so much about themselves and each other, not to say everything is all sunshine and roses, they are far from that, but at least they're on the same chapter if not the same page.

I loved everything about show more this book. The men, the storyline, the setting, the angst, and definitely the sex (no wonder that swamp was so steamy with those two in it). I can't wait for more in this series. I'm dying to know more about the über mysterious Cillian and those men following Prophet around doing good deeds without being seen. Love it love it love it! I think anybody who isn't offended by two men loving each other and loving hard would enjoy this book and hopefully fall for these guys too. They remind me so much of Ty and Zane (from the Cut & Run series by Abigail Roux and Madeline Urban) mixed with a little Will and Taylor (Dangerous Ground by Josh Lanyon) and that is never a bad combination.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. show less

"We are all searching for someone whose demons play well with ours. --Author Unknown"
"They both kept walking toward on another, until he was able to grab Tommy. 'I don't like this at all.'
'No shit.'
'I'm talking about the alligators. The people I can handle.'"

Love this continuation of Proph and Tom's story. I had the same problems with it that I had with the first book, namely that it kind of jumped around and I felt like I was missing things because one minute they'd be okay and saying that they're gonna not run from each other again, then the next they'd be fighting--not always for a clear reason--and unsure of their future. It was a bit frustrating. Plus, there is the fantastical nature of how they endure so much physical abuse over show more and over for years, yet still are perfectly fine. But I still love this couple, love the development of their relationship, and am excited to read what's next for them. Plus more of Mal's story! (His story, Dirty Deeds, popped my S.E. Jakes cherry.)

"This was past and present slamming together. And his future was the man who was holding him, which hit Tom as hard as it must be hitting Prophet." show less

Great

4 ⭐️

I enjoyed the continuation of Tom and Prophet’s storyline. I liked that this one focussed on Tom’s background and helped him deal with the things he can’t change in his past.
I enjoy Prophet. I like his brand of honesty. I still think it must be exhausting being Prophet with everything he has going on and all the smoke and mirrors.
Looking forward to learning more about his seal team in the next one.

Merged review:

Great

4 ⭐️

I enjoyed the continuation of Tom and Prophet’s storyline. I liked that this one focussed on Tom’s background and helped him deal with the things he can’t change in his past.
I enjoy Prophet. I like his brand of honesty. I still think it must be exhausting being Prophet with everything show more he has going on and all the smoke and mirrors.
Looking forward to learning more about his seal team in the next one. show less

I started this one the minute I finished the previous one. And it just kept getting better and better. More of Prophet and Tom. More super hot alpha males...really what more can you want? You want a good story? Well, personally, I think this was also provided. I definitely didn't know "who did it" until it was revealed. I honestly had no idea until the end!

So, again, please keep them coming. I want more!

IDK - this just didn't gel for me. I find the MCs' discussions very disjointed, with so many thoughts never really articulated. They clearly understood each other, but I didn't! I enjoyed the back story on Tom but it really wasn't enough to pull me fully into the book. I will however likly continue the series since a match between Mal and Cillian sounds v intriguing!