Review: Cask Strength by Layla Reyne

Title: Cask Strength (Agents Irish and Whiskey: Book Two)

Author: Layla Reyne

Length: 205 Pages

Category: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense

At a Glance: As usual, Layla Reyne doesn’t disappoint. This story is packed with action, danger, suspense and secrets, and there are myriad suspicious characters twisted up in the crime at hand.

Reviewed By: Maryann

Blurb: Professionally, the FBI team of Aidan “Irish” Talley and Jameson “Whiskey” Walker is as good as it gets, closing cases faster than any team at the Bureau. Personally, it’s a different story. Aidan’s feelings for Jamie scare the hell out of him: he won’t risk losing another love no matter how heart-tripping the intimacy between them. And loss is a grim reality with the terrorist Renaud still on their trail, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake.

Going undercover on a new case gets them out of town and off the killer’s radar. They’re assigned to investigate an identity theft ring involving a college basketball team in Jamie’s home state, where Jamie’s past makes him perfect for the role of coach. But returning to the court brings more than old memories.

As secrets and shocking betrayals abound, none may be more dangerous than the one Jamie’s been keeping: a secret about the death of Aidan’s husband that could blow his partner’s world apart and destroy forever the fragile bonds of trust and love building between them.

Review: After the loss of two important SFPD witnesses, Jameson “Whiskey” Walker and
Aiden “Irish” Talley are sent on a new assignment by their boss, Special Agent in Charge, and Aiden’s sister-in-law, Mel Cruz. Along with all the chaos at the end of Single Malt came the reality that Aiden and Jaime should put a stop to their ‘casual’ relationship, something Jamie had only pretended to go along with it—he never did casual. Aiden isn’t ready to change his ways, though. He will never do committed again, not after the death of his husband, Gabe, along with his work partner, Tom, at the hands of the devious and elusive terrorist Pierre Renaud. Aiden fears that he could again lose someone he cares for.

In Cask Strength Jamie goes undercover, returning home to his first love, basketball, as well as to his ex, Derrick. Jaime is still afraid that the press will find out that he’s gay, which he’d hidden during his university days in Charlotte, NC, and his rookie year in the NBA. Although he loves being the assistant coach to the team, the assignment is taking a toll on him; he’s reliving the life that he could have had, and he needs to protect his team from illegal gambling and identity theft.

Aiden is also undercover, working as Jamie’s manager, Ian Daley. He starts to see how well Jamie fits into this old/new life, and becomes worried when he sees how Derrick responds to Jamie. Jamie is still dealing with his feelings for Aiden, though, and is under strict orders from SAC Cruz. Jamie fears what will happen once the truth comes out.

Cask Strength is the second installment in the Agents Irish and Whiskey series, and Layla Reyne doesn’t disappoint. To really get a good feel for Jamie and Aiden, or if you like FBI or any type of law enforcement stories, I highly recommend reading Single Malt, book one in the series, first. I liked the idea of this plot, with Jamie returning to his home and basketball, something he really loves, and Aiden having to face the fact he could lose Jamie to that life. As usual, the story is packed with action, danger, suspense and secrets, and there are myriad suspicious characters twisted up in the crime at hand.

You can buy Cask Strength here:
[zilla_button url=”http://bit.ly/2vFNUUD” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Carina Press [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”http://authl.it/B01N36SYWC?d” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Amazon [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”http://bit.ly/2vFTmGW” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Barnes & Noble [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”http://apple.co/2vFCMar” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] iBooks [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”http://bit.ly/2vFXUNQ” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Kobo [/zilla_button]