Author: Jordan L. Hawk
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 216 Pages (Kindle)
Category: Historical, Fantasy
At a Glance: There is so much to love in this story. Every Jordan L. Hawk book I pick up brings about a singularly amazing and memorable reading experience.
Reviewed By: Jules
Blurb: A straight-laced policeman. A lighthearted thief.
A murdered millionaire.
Fox shifter Malachi steals for one of the biggest crime rings in New York City. But when he witnesses the murder of a millionaire, the only person who can keep him safe is Dr. Owen Yates, forensic hexman for the Metropolitan Witch Police—and Malachi’s witch.
Owen is horrified to discover his familiar is an uneducated thief. Even worse, Malachi threatens to unleash Owen’s deepest desires…desires Owen can’t act upon, as he’s destined for an arranged marriage to secure the Yates family fortune
Their agreement: Malachi will be Owen’s lover as well as his partner, until the day of the wedding. But as their hunt for the murderer carries them from teeming slums to Fifth Avenue mansions, Owens begins to realize Malachi commands his heart as well as his body.
With dark forces drawing ever closer around them, Owen must decide whether to bow to the demands of duty, or to risk everything for the man he loves.
Review: If you’re an established Jordan L. Hawk fangirl or fanboy, then you can just stop reading this review right now. ::pauses:: Ha! I kid…I kid… But seriously, if you already love the word magic that Hawk creates, particularly in her historical paranormal books, then of course you’re going to love her latest. No question. But, if you’re not yet reading the Hexworld series, then I definitely want to speak to you. If you haven’t yet experienced this amazing world of witches and familiars, hexes and intrigue, you are absolutely missing out. Get. On. This. Ride. Now.
Hexmaker brings back forensic hexman, Dr. Owen Yates, who we met in Hexbreaker, and introduces us to Malachi, fox familiar and career thief. The two meet at the murder scene of one of the Four Hundred—the elite of New York’s society—and the spark between them is immediate. Mal is cheeky. God, so cheeky. And instantly likeable. He has attitude for days and pulls no punches with his snark. It is clear straightaway who he respects and who he doesn’t, and also, who he wants to flirt shamelessly with. Owen honestly never stands a chance.
Owen doesn’t ever see Mal as only a thief, as most others do. It’s easy for others to dismiss Mal as simply a skilled second-story man, but that one-dimensional characterization couldn’t be further from the truth. And, Owen knows this. Instead, he mostly sees a man who is smart, observant, loyal, and has great potential. What he doesn’t see coming, however, is the sexy dominant Mal unleashes in the bedroom.
“Shocked by the feral’s bold speech, Owen looked up. Their eyes met, Mal’s amber gaze seeming to strip him raw with its heat. Then a slow, vulpine smile curved Mal’s lips.
“Oh no,” he murmured. “I see how it is. You’re right where you want to be, ain’t you? You belong on your knees. On your knees, sucking my cock.”
All the air seemed to leave the room. How could Mal possibly have seen, have guessed, when no one else ever had? It was as though something in Mal recognized something in Owen; a connection that defied all logic.”
RAWR! I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t see that coming either. But, I loved it. I would say that this series is definitely Hawk’s sexiest. I don’t know if it’s the fun of exploring the familiars’ sexuality—I can’t imagine the author didn’t have a blast with the unforgettable sensuality of Cicero in Hexbreaker, for example—but, I am not complaining!
As with any of Hawk’s stories, though, I have to say that the mystery, suspense, and breathtaking action sequences are still the main attractions. The hunt for the killer, as well as both Malachi’s and Owen’s pasts, bring an intriguing cast of characters into the fold, a couple of whom I wanted to yell, “You’re suspect!” at. In fact, there is one twist, just before the book’s climax, that I was completely blindsided by. Fantastic awesome craziness.
It’s easy to get immersed in Hawk’s language, all her subtle nuances and hidden cleverness. That is to say, some of her cleverness is downright tricky and hidden—though, some of it is more out there in the open. I marvel at all of it. From more easily detectable gems like “Mal let out a bark of laughter,” and “A sly grin slid onto Mal’s face,” to the much more covert naming of a certain hexman. There is so much to love in this story. Every Jordan L. Hawk book I pick up brings about a singularly amazing and memorable reading experience. But, I have to say that the Hexworld books are quickly becoming some of my favorites.
You can buy Hexmaker here:
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