Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux

First Published: 1 Sept 2008
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages: 376
Format: Ebook
Finished Date: 26 November 2012

Synopsis

A series of murders in New York City has stymied the police and FBI alike, and they suspect the culprit is a single killer sending an indecipherable message. But when the two federal agents assigned to the investigation are taken out, the FBI takes a more personal interest in the case. Special Agent Ty Grady is pulled out of undercover work after his case blows up in his face. He's cocky, abrasive, and indisputably the best at what he does. But when he's paired with Special Agent Zane Garrett, it's hate at first sight. Garrett is the perfect image of an agent: serious, sober, and focused, which makes their partnership a classic clich: total opposites, good cop-bad cop, the odd couple. They both know immediately that their partnership will pose more of an obstacle than the lack of evidence left by the murderer. Practically before their special assignment starts, the murderer strikes again this time at them. Now on the run, trying to track down a man who has focused on killing his pursuers, Grady and Garrett will have to figure out how to work together before they become two more notches in the murderer's knife.

My Rating

My Review

I loved it. What more can I say? The build-up, the plot, the suspense, the characters, everything. It was just so good. And Ty Grady and Zane Garrett, perfect beyond belief.

From the start, the story intrigued me. I knew this was going to be an M/M from reviews I saw. Now, you see, I don’t really read M/M, but it is a secret guilty pleasure of mine. (Well, not really a secret anymore, is it?) And this blew all my expectations out of the water and more. Amazing in every way.

Let’s start with the storyline briefly before moving on to what I really want to talk about, the characters, shall we? This is a romantic suspense novel that I truly enjoyed. While I did suspect the killer rather early on, it was just unfounded suspicions. Nevertheless, it didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the book, but that was perhaps because I was more focused on the characters than the plot actually. Overall, the plot was well set-up and I liked that it did focus more on the characters than solely on the suspense side. And the romance. Alright, not so much of romance in a way, rather, just the build-up of sexual tension, and the culmination of it, because this book didn’t have that much of romance.

By the end of the book, I knew one thing. I was in love with Ty Grady and Zane Garrett. Don’t tell me they aren’t real, because I’m certain they are. They’re too perfect not to be. ;) But perhaps, I love Zane just a bit more than Ty.

I loved the sexual tension in this. When Zane pulled Ty close, I swear I died. It was just… I don’t even know how to describe it. And the sex? Hot beyond belief;)

I also loved how we find out a little bit of the characters here and there. While it isn’t made explicit, at the end of the book, one realizes that one has actually gotten to know them, though there isn’t any real heart-baring moment in the book. Sure, there are several parts here and there, but I think the authors have written the characters so well, that you don’t have to hear about their past to understand them. Somehow, unexplainably, you just do. The bantering between the characters was super amusing. It kept the book lively and engaging, while at the same time revealing more and more of each character.

We saw a lot of Zane in this book. Like, a lot of thoughts were written from his point of view. Yet, Ty wasn’t neglected. And that was something I really liked. I got to see both characters very evenly, albeit a lot from Zane’s point of view. Maybe that’s what caused me to fall irrevocably in love with him.

Zane and Ty are so perfect for each other. While they don’t know it yet, being an incurable romantic, I can just see that they’re gonna be so amazing for each other. And while they both tried to pretend to themselves it was just about the sex, it was pretty obvious they each developed feelings for each other along the way. And that was something I truly enjoyed seeing, especially in the later books.

In this book, I really couldn’t find any flaws in it. Well-written, with a very interesting voice. Good characters, actually they were amazing, interesting plot, and a great set-up for the start of their relationship. What’s not to love? But yes, I do agree that there were instances where the book jumped too quickly. Like all of a sudden, 5 months passed within a few pages while it took practically half the book for a single week. But this is such a minor thing, it didn’t really bother me. One thought did cross my mind though, is it possible for them to fall so hard for each other within only a week? Granted, it was an extremely action-packed week, where many things occurred to draw them close together.

All in all, I adored this book. Loved it. I was addicted, completely. Zane and Ty were hot and amazing characters, who very three-dimensional. They were very real, and to me, the authors conveyed who they were extremely well. Plot-wise, it was great too. I knew that when I finished this book, I simply could not wait to read the next. I had this book on my shelf for a year, and I am so thankful for that little voice that told me to read this book. Because I got sucked into an amazing series, with amazing characters, that you simply cannot help but fall in love with.