This is more mystery, whodunit than romance or erotica. We spend most of the story solving crimes and dealing with other people, while Aidan and Jamie circle each other. That Aidan doesn't even know if Jamie is interested in men means nothing happens until much later in the book.

As well, there is a cliff-hanger ending, but since the next book will be out soon after, that shouldn't be a deterrent. It's exciting and tense, and I found it absorbing and interesting.

I already have [book:Cask Strength|34033755] Cask Strength (the next one) approved from Netgalley, just waiting for some free time to get stuck into it. 

If you like a strong mystery and don't mind having to wait for the romance, this might suit you. Read with thanks from publisher and Netgalley, Single Malt will be released on February 27.

The voice in this one is strong. ;)

Seriously, though, the characters and romance are fantastic. The build up of the relationship in this book is amazing, and that may be what I love most about romance.  I really adore emotionally damaged characters, real characters, and this book delivered a couple that I really loved.

They're smart too, which also appeals to me. I really liked that neither of them were dumb-bunnies.

…and the chemistry. Smoking! Their overwhelming attraction for one another leaps right off the page and into your heart (and maybe lower).

It's the perfect start to a new series, even if I could've lived without the cliffhanger.

The only thing that didn't ring true for me in the series were the depictions of the FBI agents. They're more like the tv version than the kind I've worked with, but that's a me issue and not an entertaining book issue. Sometimes too much knowledge hurts reading enjoyment.

WOW!  This is a new author to me and (obviously) a new series – it looks like both are amazing!

Some warnings:  This is a 3 book series and book one ends on very shaky legs (relationship-wise) and the “case” is definitely not solved – so if you’re the type (like me!) who hates to wait for the “answers” – you might want to wait til all 3 books are out because this is a very gripping story and you might be frustrated.

(The preliminary reviews I’ve seen of book 2 look just as daunting/unsatisfying – need book 3 fast!)

Things that make this book delicious:  FBI agents, super smart men, jocks, May/December, Irish brogue, mysterious pasts, mysterious deaths, computer crimes, slow burn romance.  (Three books in the series, mean the relationship doesn’t really start til near the end of this book.)

Things that make this book hard: Pining.  Aidan loved his husband and he’s dead and it’s so sad and hard to see him miss him so badly.  Lots of people: there is a LOT going on in this story and a lot of names – everyone’s got a secret – so you have to stay on your toes – you can’t know who’s really telling the truth.  Tense action.  There’s still danger and though we know the (eventual) outcome – it doesn’t make it less hard to read about.

I think, if you were/are a fan of Abigail Roux’s Cut and Run series – I think you’ll like this.  (So far – book 3 isn’t out yet).  It has a lot of that same emotional impact – the slow burn – the “I want you but I don’t want to want you” vibe and all that FBI action with plot twists and turns.  (And a Southern accent!)

While I definitely wish I’d waited til all 3 were out – I’m glad I have book two available and I can definitely recommend what I’ve read so far!

(Kudos to the names and character development - very clever and well thought out.)


4.5 of 5 stars (can’t be perfect because I don’t know how it ends!)

Single Malt is Ms. Reyne’s début novel and the first in a new romantic suspense series.  Lucky us!  Both author and series show great promise and I enjoyed the book a lot, so much so that as soon as I’d finished reading it, I checked to see when the next one is coming out; I’ll save you some time and just tell you it’s May.  For me, that’s not a moment too soon as I can’t wait to catch up with my new favorite crime solving duo. Before I go on, however, here’s a note of caution for cliffhanger haters:  Single Malt features a pair (Aidan Talley, ‘Irish’, and Jameson (Jamie) Walker, ‘Whiskey’) whose relationship evolves over the three book series.  There’s also a big case introduced that relates to Aiden’s past which unfolds over the course of all three novels, and isn’t resolved until the last book.  So Single Malt is mostly focused on the evolving partnership/relationship between Irish and Whiskey, and the first case they solve together.  It’s a fast paced suspense thriller that satisfied both my need for closure and desire for more.

FBI agent Aidan Talley is ready to get back to work eight months after losing both his husband and his FBI partner in a horrific car crash.  The lone survivor, he’s convinced the crash was no accident and is intent on finding the evidence to prove it.  Crushed with survivor’s guilt and fueled by his suspicions, Aidan is determined to move on and move forward.  A concerned visit from his FBI boss – who also happens to be his dead husband’s sister - wherein she provides additional evidence to support his theory about the crash, and reminds him he can take more time if he needs it, only intensifies his desire to get back to solving cases.  When Single Malt begins, it’s Aidan’s first day back at work and his focus is on a new case and new partner, Jameson Walker.

Walker left behind a promising NBA career and long-term partner to join the FBIUnwilling, as a professional athlete, to expose his private life to the public, or to find himself in a situation where his sexuality was an issue, he used his college computer science degree to become an expert in cyber crime.  Though he’s spent most of his career hidden away in the FBI technology cave, he’s eager to prove himself in the field.  When his boss, Special Agent in charge of the San Francisco FBI office, Melissa Cruz, informs Jamie his new partner is top San Francisco agent Aidan Talley (her brother-in-law), the man he’s lusted for for three years, he’s excited but nervous.  In a surprise move, she also brings up Aidan’s history and her suspicions about the accident that killed Gabe and Aidan’s partner.  Melissa asks Jamie to take another look at the evidence, but keep it from Aidan.  Jamie’s willing and agrees, but he’s wary of keeping secrets from his new partner.

Aidan isn’t prepared for his instant attraction to his smart, handsome and younger (by twelve years) new partner, but even if he wanted to do something about it, he won’t.  They’re partners - which makes Jamie off-limits.  And anyway, even if he feels a spark every time they’re together, Jamie’s not even gay (He’s pretty sure.  Ahem. Nice detective work).  In dual PoVs, readers discover how intensely both men react to this first meeting, and how committed they both are to not doing anything about it.  Yep. Sure.  Anyway, it’s not long before the two men hit the ground running on their first case together - an investigation into a hacking attempt on a high-security biocontainment facility in Galveston, Texas.  After working the case from San Francisco, it becomes clear they need to be on-site. They opt to stay together in a condo (yes!) that rather fortuitously is owned by Aidan’s family.  Jamie’s cyber skills are put to good use as they race to solve the case and stop the hacker, and Aidan is kept busy interviewing and short listing their suspect list.  When they link the hacks to a possible terrorist attack, it’s a race against the clock to stop the hacker and determine just who and why is targeting the facility.

The case Irish and Whiskey are tasked with solving is interesting (if a bit confusing), and Ms. Reyne masterfully drops little crumbs that eventually come together to reveal the master plan.  The suspect list is complex, and the local FBI agents assigned to help them - one of whom has his eye on Jamie - only seem to complicate the case further.   When they discover the hacking is linked to a terrorist Aidan has tracked in the past, and Jamie uncovers new information about Gabe, the car crash and it’s intended target(s) that he can’t share with Aidan, Ms. Reyne deftly wraps up one case and sets the stage for what’s to come.  There are red herrings, explosions, mixed martial arts… it all works.

But you want to know about the romance don’t you?  IT’S DELICIOUS and intense and the chemistry between Irish and Whiskey is off the charts hot.  It’s also super frustrating.  Aidan loved Gabe and being married, and after the accident, he’s vowed to keep all future relationships casual in order to protect himself.  Afraid to fall in love again, and filled with guilt about his attraction to Jamie, he does everything and anything he can to maintain a purely professional relationship with his partner.  Lucky for us, Jamie wants Aidan from the start.  He’s sensitive to his partner's past and knows Aidan’s fears (especially given their jobs), but he wants Aidan to admit there’s something special between them.  The first half of the book is a s-l-o-w burn as they struggle to keep their distance except... Aidan can’t control his jealousy whenever Oscar (Jamie’s cyber counterpart in TX) flirts with his partner.

The tension is thick, and readers, it’s so hard to wait for Aidan to accept Jamie’s tender affection and desire.  I found myself sneaking away to read because I just knew when they got together, it would be explosive.  It was.  It is.  Ms. Reyne delivers on all that suppressed lust in a scorching (but tender - you’ll see) love scene.  In fact, though I loved the casework and the relationship building, Ms. Reyne  writing absolutely shines in these physical expressions of Aidan and Jamie’s feelings for each other.   Irish and Whisky are my new favorite romantic pair - and I loved how their career relationship mirrors and overlaps their personal one.  They’re both so protective and intensely aware of their partner/lover/friend, it’s brilliant.

Single Malt concludes with Irish and Whiskey solving the Galveston case (after a nice frenzied last few chapters), but Ms. Reyne leaves us with a terrorist plot cliffhanger that has personal and professional ties to Aidan’s past.  Jamie is still secretly investigating the car crash, and new discoveries threaten his relationship with Aidan.  Aidan and Jamie are lovers, but have very different feelings about what their relationship looks like moving forward.

This is a tremendous debut from Ms. Reyne.  I can’t wait for book two, Cask Strength.

reviewed by AAR's Em Whittmann

I really liked this book. There are two investigations going on, with one of them off the books. The main terrorist investigation was really good. I had the mole wrong, thought it was someone else. It was an intense suspense story. And then you have to off the books investigation into Gabe, Aidan's husbands death and Aidan's FBI partners death Tom. It was ruled an accident but things come to light that show that it wasn't. Aidan was not only heartbroken but he was also seriously injured in the crash. So eight months later he is cleared for work and teamed up with a new partner in cyber crimes who is a real hottie. James/Whiskey has been checking out Aidan/Irish every time he sees him. And once Irish lays eyes on Whiskey the sparks start flying. But it is a slow burn. Aidan is still grieving for his lost love and feeling guilty that he is majorly attracted to Jamie. Why I gave this a 4 instead of 5 stars was Aidan always internally bringing up how guilty he is for feeling some thing for him. And when they finally hit the sheets, first thing Aidan does is think of Gabe and how he shouldn't be doing this. So what I'm trying to say is enough of internalizing these guilt trips and we are just going to stay casual when everyone knows it's not true. Also their boss is Aidan's sister-in-law who I think to partner them together for both of them to heal. Jamie went through some crap. Also, the story does end on a major cliffhanger.

Oh man, everyone seems to love this book and I just liked it. I mean, it was ok. Whiskey and Irish were fine characters, at least one of them was likable. The mystery wasn’t super obvious. I guessed the culprit, but I wasn’t 100% certain from the very beginning, which I am sometimes. The sex was fine. But none of it came together into something I just loved.

I was constantly confused why Whiskey and Irish were doing other people’s jobs. Both cases they work are someone else’s, though they seemed to be in authority. And when there were cyber attacks, it was Whiskey who countered them, despite the head of the institute’s cyber security—who would undoubtedly know that system better than Whiskey no matter what kind of crack hacker he is—sitting beside him.

I never felt I got to know either character well, especially Whiskey. Plus, I just never bought him as this ex-basketball star, super hacker, who could cook and sing, is courteous, and great in bed. He was too perfect. The man had no flaws, other than his mystery love for Irish. Irish was a dick from the very beginning. Yes, he had reason and all, but what about him was Whiskey so enamored with? I never saw it.

There were a few passages in which I didn’t know what was meant, but other than that the writing was fine. The editing seemed fine. The book was ok. It’s not that I’m even saying I disliked it. I’d read another one. But it was just ok.

Debut novel, first in a series

Still reeling form the deaths of his husband and his partner in a crash eight months ago, Aidan Talley is delivered another blow when he finds out the crash wasn't an accident. Back at work and planning to find out the truth, he's side-tracked by a new case and his attraction to his new partner.

Jameson Walker has been attracted to Aidan since he started work in the same office three years ago but he was off limits then because he was married and now he's grieving, that doesn't stop the attraction though.

The case was interesting and loosely tied in to what happened to Aidan's husband, it seems Aidan is surrounded by deception and betrayal at every turn. The twist at the end (plot not relationship) will further complicate things between Irish and Whiskey though. 

One teeny tiny little niggle, Aidan's niece was celebrating her first birthday, portrayed as a much older child, there is no way a one year old has the vocabulary this author bestowed on her.

Whiskey (given name: Jameson Walker) helped the Tar Heels win two national basketball championships and is now with the FBI in the Cyber Crimes division. Irish (given name: Adian Talley) is an Irish ex-pat and just returning to the FBI after the car crash that changed his life. His FBI partner Tom, and Aidan's husband Gabe died in the crash and Aidan is determined to find out what happened that day, and who is to blame.

But first Irish and Whiskey must solve a case involving cyber attacks on a bio-containment facility (think anthrax, etc.) in Galveston and race against the clock to figure out and prevent the terrorists' end-game.

The author does a stellar job of getting readers up-to-speed on all things cyber and "biohazardy" and keeping us informed and intrigued throughout. There are a good amount of action scenes and suspense and the pace of the book is fast .... and okay, furious. Juxtaposed with all this action is the relationship developing between Aidan and Jamie which is a slow and very hot burn, as each man needs to to work through past relationships. And when they finally come together, oooh, oooh it's worth the wait.

This is the first book in the series, and I won't say that the books ends in a traditional cliffhanger. Their case have been solved, but now new information is revealed that may bring Aidan closer to the answers about what exactly happened to bring about the deadly car crash.

I give Single Malt 4.5 stars and am looking forward to the next book in the series!

I was not expecting this book to be filled with so much mystery and intrigue. Single Malt is still a romance, but in this case, the romance isn't front and center of the book. There are two characters  and the story is told from alternating POVs, Aidan and Jamie. Aidan has been through a lot in the past eight months. He hasn't been back to work at the FBI ever since both his husband and FBI partner were killed in a car crash, with only Aidan being able to walk away from the accident. Now, back on the job, Aidan is paired up with a new, and younger partner, Jamie from the cybersecurity department. Aidan is a field agent and he's been given the task to oversee Jamie's skills to determine whether or not he'd be good to work in the field as well, despite Jamie being a bit of a recognizable sports celebrity. Jamie had been a well-known basketball player who has helped his team win two national championships, with hidden skills at being a professional hacker.

I love that Aidan and Jamie have nicknames for each other. Aidan's nickname is Irish, because of his Irish roots, and Jamie's is Whiskey, simply because of his name. Jamie's been in love with Aidan ever since he set eyes on him three years previous, but their newly formed partnership is too new to risk anything else with so much on the line. Aidan's twelve years older, but you never feel like that there's an age difference between the two. These two characters are both intelligent, and it helps them in long run against the threat of breaches into a biocontainment facility. Aidan is afraid to get close to anyone again after the absolute devastation he felt after losing his husband and partner, but he's not completely ignorant of Jamie's looks or his less-than-subtle advances.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book even though it does kind of get confusing at times. There's a lot of characters introduced and everyone seems to be a suspect. The thing is, all these secondary characters aren't really fleshed out and I kept on getting them confused with one another. The ending especially is action-packed and the story is left open with a cliffhanger into the second book, Cask Strength.

I liked reading Aidan and Jamie's story. Single Malt is low on angst, and is a slow burn and steamy romance. This book feels more like a mystery novel, which is a genre I'm not used to reading, admittedly. However, the story is enjoyable and a quick read and I look forward to reading book 2 in this series!

***Thanks to Carina Press for providing me an ARC through NetGalley***

A thrilling plot with a cast that made my heart squeeze. 

Aidan is still recovering from the loss of his husband and FBI partner when he is assigned a new case. And a new partner. Only his new partner is in the cave – the Cyber department - and he’s attractive to boot. 

Jameson Walker, aka Whiskey, loves the anonymity of the cyber world after his high-profile basketball career. That changes when he’s assigned to Aidan and thrust out into the field. Not only does he have to be out in public, he is with the irascible Aidan and the unlikely attraction he feels for the broken man. 

But Whiskey’s skills with the computer may be just what Aidan needs to discover who killed his partner and husband. As Aidan slowly begins to fall for his new partner, he has to ask himself if he can let go of the guilt or if it’s too much for him to handle. 

Aidan touched my soul in this book. I honestly cannot think of another book that has done that - made me cry so easily and being so aware of how hard my heart hurt. Could I swoon any harder? I didn’t think so, but when Aidan opens up, when he finally takes a step towards healing with Walker, Aidan proves me wrong. Sincerity is that man’s middle name, and he has a hard time trusting or letting people in because he doesn’t want to get hurt again. Who could blame him? Losing so many people? So, the moment he lets Walker tiptoe past a defense – even for only a moment – it’s so special to see. And the language is downright poetic at times:

“What color is that?” Aidan asked, putting aside the fact Walker had seen through the disguise he’d worn for three decades.

“Autumn,” Walker answered, voice dropping an octave. “Like a pile of fall leaves back home, right after it rains. Dark brown swirled with brick red and flecks of gold.”

Coffee with a dash of Goldschlager, Gabe used to say. But damn if Walker’s description, spoken in that seductive drawl, didn’t send another flare of desire scorching through him.

Then there’s Whiskey. Aidan assumes the man, with little to no training, won’t be the right fit for the field. Boy, is he wrong! Whiskey can hack into anything and dayum, the skills on this one! He’s the sugar to Aidan’s sour, and he had the right amount of charm and cunning to get the task done. The smarts are high in this one. And the humor!

“English, Whiskey. Translate the technobabble.”

Jamie shot out a hand, snatched the pen from Aidan’s grasp, and broke it in half. “Say ‘babble’ one more time, and I’ll break something else.”

I’d also like to mention the nicknames – Whiskey and Irish. Whiskey is a southern boy and his full name, Jameson Walker, is obviously taken from the smooth, slow burn of whiskey. Then there’s Irish. Hallooo there. I need to listen to the audible for this one! Also, Aidan doesn’t realize until a third of the way through the book that Whiskey leans towards men. It’s hilarious and when Whiskey comes out, Aidan’s flabbergasted – and relieved – because holla! Whiskey knows just when to push Aidan for more and when to pull back. The balance is disarming to Aidan, and I love seeing his walls come down one-by-one.

Single Malt is book one of a three book series, so it does end on a cliffhanger. As such, the external conflict dominates while the romance is slower to build. The FBI cases take the forefront with the death of Aidan’s husband and partner always lingering in the background. I didn’t mind this. It was high-octane, and I was so invested with the case. It also allowed them to build a connection, revealing one layer at a time, and it made the impact of the romance all the sweeter. 

Fun, jam-packed with action, and a slow burn. I can’t wait to pick up the next in this series!

I loved this.  The characters were great the writing was sexy and the story line was actually really good.  I have to know what happens next with the investigation.  Will definitely be keeping an eye out for the rest of these books!

Single Malt is the first book in Layla Reyne's Agent's Irish and Whiskey series.  I do not believe that these books will be standalones, as this story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and things aren't completely wrapped up neatly between the guys.  Normally, I really don't like cliffhangers at all, but I really loved this one!  I went into it knowing that it ended in a cliffhanger tho, so maybe that helped a little.

Aiden lost his husband 8 months ago in a car accident, and has a lot of survivors guilt because he made it out of the accident and both his husband and his work partner did not.  He is also feeling a lot of guilt about his attraction to Jamie, his new partner.  He feels like he is betraying his husband by wanting Jamie.  He comes off gruff and snippy to Jamie sometimes because of it.

Jamie is a former basketball star that is now a cyber genius.  He's had a crush on Aiden since the first time he saw him, but kept his distance because Aiden was married.  Now they they are working together his attraction shows and he can't help but flirt with Aiden, and he starts to realize maybe the attraction is as one sided as it seems.

This one is what I call a slow burn romance.  There is a ton of chemistry between the two of them, but it takes quite a while before they actually "get together".  These two are super hot together.

The plot started out a little bit hard to follow but in the end it all tied together nicely and got me REALLY excited about the next book.  If you love books with a storyline where you won't be able to guess "who the bad guy is" or what's going to happen next, and suspenseful romances with sizzling chemistry, then this is the book for you.

* I've included my blog post link, but it will not go live until 2/27/17.  I will also crosspost my reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble on the release date  *

The number one reason I grabbed this book was Ty and Zane. I miss them and their (and their friends) shenanigans. The thought of another two FBI agents giving me something similar to that made the decision to give Layla Reyne a try a no brainer. There were zero similarities beyond that. I’m still very happy about having time to enjoy this book though. 

Aiden is just now going back to work at the San Francisco field office after an eight month medical leave. Far too much has changed and it’s making going forward difficult. He’s still struggling with survivor’s guilt. The car crash that he survived took the lives of his husband Gabe and his partner Tom. Even though he’s going back to work with the FBI he now has a new role there. He’s no longer under cover and he’s been given a barely out of newbie stage partner whose previous career will never allow him to go under cover. 

Life in the cyber cave has been good for Jameson Walker. He enjoys his job with the FBI. He’s damn good at it in fact. Moving to the farthest coast from his home has gotten him out of the shadow of being a basketball god. The opportunity to work with Aidan is a dream come true for him. Jamie has had a bit of a crush on Aidan since he started there three years ago. The chance to work alongside him and learn from him is one of those too good to be true moments. Now Jamie just has to get Aidan to see him as a man, a man who can be more than just a partner at work, and on not some rookie kid that Aidan seems to believe he is. 

The only thing that annoyed me about Single Malt, the one thing that kept this from being a five star read… they’re both bazillionaires. I actually rolled my eyes at the three hundred thousand dollar car equipped with flasher lights. Although the super cool cars play into one of Jaime’s specialties well and makes for great banter between Irish and Whiskey and interesting reading for us. 

The one thing I always worry about with series that follow the same couple for multiple books are cliffhangers. NO cliffhanger! I hate a cliffhanger and will stop reading a series until all books are out once they occur. There is a piece of info given to one of our guys at the end but it just lets readers know that Aidan and Jamie have some interesting investigations headed their way. Those investigations will of course lead to some intense page turning action in the next book Cask Strength. 

I was also very pleased with how Jaime and Aidan didn’t drown me in their insta-love. Single Malt ends on a good note for them. It left me knowing that as the series continues us readers will get to see the relationship evolve while being entertained with these two men figuring out how to make them as a couple work while making the new work partnership continue to work with their personal involvement. I’m looking forward to seeing where this series will go.

DNF so will not be rating or reviewing. Thank you for the opportunity to read this title.

What a spectacular cliffhanger! Seriously, the ending alone made this book. Oh, and if I can toot my horn so to speak...I CALLED IT!!!!!!!!!

Okay, enough of that….and onto the good stuff. Please keep in mind that his is a Mystery/Suspense story with a bit a romance mixed in. Also, said romance is a slow burn. Like there is no contact until Chapter 15, where out of distress a kiss takes place, and then it is all downhill from there.

Layla Raine, does a wonderful job with the details in this book. I cannot imagine the amount of time she put into researching biomedical engineering, computer science and cyber intelligence. Then to take all that information and develop it into a captivating story and instilling said knowledge into the characters. Seriously, hats off to you. The story mesmerized me and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what the endgame could be. IMO, it felt like a PG version of the TV series 24.

I absolutely fell for Whiskey and Irish. I am a sucker not just for the 12 year age gap, but for second chances. I enjoyed the give and take of these two, and how well they work together despite all the baggage they carry. In the end, Whiskey and Irish are newly together; however, I have a feeling things might explode between them in the next installment given the terrible position Mel put Whiskey in. Even if the end justifies the means, Irish will not see it that way.

I cannot wait to see how the author plays out this series. Even though we are left with a cliffhanger, I believe everyone that reads this will love the ending that the author left us with.

When I started reading Single Malt I thought it would be one of those stories I personally find difficult to enjoy and review. Why? Mostly because it started out slow with a bit of an all over the place feeling. I took a liking to Aidan right from the start, so that was a point for my *YES keep reading* list. 

I also totally dug Jamie— former basketball pro turned cyber nerd and hobby hacker, I mean, come on!— and I really liked the vibe we got from the guys when they were together. It wasn’t a smooth start, not at all :) 

Aidan is extremely attracted to Jamie (who wouldn’t be!) but he’s just lost his husband a few month prior in a car accident that somehow spared his own life. Now, partnered up with the sexy, and quite frankly irresistible, computer pro he’s more than just a little prickly. Jamie takes his new partner’s harsh tone and testing of his skills in stride and gives as good as he gets. 

➷

For a while the plot was very unclear, perhaps for the first twenty to twenty-five percent, but I enjoyed the writing style and dialogue a lot; the characters were entertaining— superb! The thirty-something percent mark as a definite turning point for me and I started to truly LOVE the story. 

Looking back at it, the plot (once it picked up and became clear) was pretty intense and highly entertaining. I liked what the author did, how everything's somehow connected. There’s suspense and emotion, wonderful dialogue and extremely sexy sexy-times *wink wink* 

The romance felt real and intense, the chemistry palpable— one of the best. 

➷

If you know me, you’ll be pointing at Jamie right now, saying: "That guy! He’s soooo your favorite!" — Yes, he definitely is! 

I love, love, love Jamie. 

There’s something extremely sexy about someone who knows his computers in all the legal and illegal ways. He’s smart but not a show-off and has this sweet, playful and caring side! Swoon-worthy. 

I don’t have anything negative to say about Aidan. He’s interesting, but also broody and a bit self-hating, feeling like he's betraying his late husband with this newfound affection for someone else. As a character, he’s great though, I like his voice (just prefer Jamie, personally, heh). 

➷

Sadly the book ends with a cliffhanger of sorts. 

Just when the story starts to get super interesting we reach THE END.

For now. 

There’s a second installment in the making, THANK HEAVENS. 

I CAN NOT WAIT TO READ IT.

I hope we will get to know more about Jamie and his past.

Single Malt,  Layla Reyne

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance, LGBTQIA

 I couldn’t find any other books by Layla, so was hesitant about requesting this – I hate writing reviews where the book/author style and I just don’t gel, so try to choose carefully. The synopsis of this really drew me in though, and I usually enjoy Carina books so I took the plunge...and I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the next two.

Aidan, still grieving after the senseless death of both his husband and his work partner in the same car accident, is moved into a new position at work, with a  new partner to train as a field agent. 
Jamie is a tech whizz, former basketball star and 12 years younger than Aiden, yet from the first look there’s that magic sizzle of attraction between them despite Aiden’s grief, that draws the reader in. 
Thing is, I want more than just a romance, I want a story that keeps me reading and this book delivered all that and more. 

There’s quite a few tech references here and yet they’re written in such a way that non tech people like me can still grasp the importance, what part the knowledge plays to the plots, and that was perfect. 
I needed to be able to follow some of the tech trail as it plays such a huge part in how the plots work out, how people are tracked, how the FBI have info on what’s likely to happen. That works for me, I hate this anonymous CI info that often gets used in novels. I reckon with serious crimes the FBI and other agencies need more to go on than some vague tip from someone who may or may not be telling the truth. 
Computers can lie – its all in the programming but clever hackers ( hush my mouth, clever IT specialists who wouldn’t dream of illegal hacking.....) can get past that and lay trails of their own. Clever things Computers, and the people using them need to be several steps ahead. Its a skill you either have or haven't and Jamie definitely has. 

I love the personal bits too, the way Jamie has been watching Aiden from the shadows for three years, and now is partnered up to his crush? Attraction? Well, the guy he’s been lusting after anyway. 
Then when they’re together there’s more than just that visceral attraction, they like each other, feel like friends, respect each others skills. All things that make a longer term relationship work. Are either of them ready for that though, do they want it? Aiden at least is still struggling with his grief and now feeling attracted to Jamie hits his guilt switch too. 

There's some sex in here, but its very muted, and the adage Less is More really fits. Its perfect for the plot, perfect for the two guys and because so much is build up, when it does come it feels right, rather than in so many where its shirts off, trousers (men wear trousers, not pants....) hit the floor on page six and downhill from there. 
I want story first sex second and this book hits that really well, with the sensuality feeling inevitable rather than plugged in for titillation...

The novel has lots of good secondary characters too, Aiden’s brother Danny, who works in the family shipping firm, and his dead partner’s sister who’s also his boss. Then a host of characters at the other part of the investigation where they're called in to help in a case that makes up the  mainstay of this book.

 I enjoyed the way the story wrapped together relationships and of course the usual employment unwritten rules against them at work, family dramas and the issues they bring, and a cracking story, complex enough to keep me gripped reading, and yet with enough info to let me follow the tech side without getting lost. 
Kept me glued right to the end. And then there’s some surprises come out just when you think its all died down...
And the ending! Its not a cliff-hanger as such but there are some shocking revelations come out that are going to be the core of the next book(s). I can’t wait!
 
Stars: five, cracking read that has me drooling for more. 
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

Single Malt follows Aiden 'Irish' Talley, a 42 year old FBI agent still reeling from the loss of his partner of fifteen years and the loss of his husband in the same 'accident', and Jameson 'Whiskey' Walker, a 30 year old rookie who is well known in the public eye due to his days as a basketball player, and is more than he appears to be on the surface.
Aiden and Jamie have been attracted to each other for years, but have never spent considerable time with each other, until they get partnered together, and quickly find themselves falling into trouble, both professionally and personally. 

I love cop shows. I watch a ton of them. I love the dynamic between partners and the high stakes and the action. When I heard about Single Malt, I couldn't wait to read it. For me, this book didn't really disappoint. There's action, there's hacking, there's betrayal, and the physically (and possibly emotionally) strongest character of them all is a woman of colour (side note: we didn't see nearly enough of her so I hope this is fixed in the upcoming books).

Single Malt takes place over the span of about four weeks. Aiden and Jamie work together in the cyber division, and after quickly closing a paedophile ring case, and rescuing some kidnapped children, they are assigned to the case which will take up the majority of the series. Essentially, Single Malt is a book about a seemingly bio-terrorist plot, but as Irish and Whiskey uncover, there is more to it than originally seems. 
Everything about this book is fast paced (which includes the romance) which made it pretty easy to read. It was definitely enjoyable and fun to follow the investigation and see how at some turns, the main characters were misled. It wasn't particularly easy for them, and that made it slightly more realistic.

Now, the main romance.
Aiden acknowledges his attraction to Jamie, mostly, but thinks he's straight when they're first partnered together. I'm fairly certain he only thinks this as to make it absolutely impossible for them to ever be together. Other characters pick up on the chemistry between them, it's obvious and absolutely there, but because Aiden is still grieving Gabe, and thinks even looking at another man is betraying the memory of him, he's basically seeing what isn't there so he doesn't go after something he thinks he can't have. Things happen though, Jamie outs himself to Aiden, then they're involved in a couple of situations where they almost lose each other, and the flirting and the looks and the attraction building between them leads to more. It feels inevitable. The book was always going to lead to them hooking up, but with the decision that they make at the end (or more like Aiden's idea that Jamie kind of goes along with), (view spoiler) there's still roadblocks for them which will complicate their partnership in their future. 
The scenes between them are pretty hot though, so I'm not gonna complain. I'm fairly certain all the issues between them will be cleared up by the end of Barrel Proof (the third and final book of the series due out in August) and they will be a fully fledged couple at the end, so if possible romantic cliffhangers like this put you off then don't let it in this instance.

I love Jamie. I really really love Jamie, but did anyone else get the feeling that he knew how to do just slightly too much. He's an ex basketball pro, so he has a lot of stamina and strength. He grew up near a NASCAR track, so he knows how to handle cars incredibly well. His family was poor so he had to work in a cafe to make ends meet, so he knows how to cook incredibly well. He aced his classes in college and knows how to hack better than most other hackers. He's gorgeous and smart and charming and understanding. Basically the full package.
Do men like this truly exist? It made it easy to fall for him as a character, but there's definitely secrets lurking under the surface, there has to be. I have a feeling Cask Strength (book number two) might deal with this, which is something I'm definitely looking forward to, but it was just something niggling at the back of my mind whilst I was reading this. 

I like that the book ended on a cliffhanger (view spoiler) and it certainly draws you back in for the sequel, which is luckily due out soon. This book isn't perfect, but it's definitely fun and a great read with a promising plot and romance.

DNF at 63%

I really tried. But I couldn't cope with this writing style. I found it artificial, scattered and difficult to enjoy.

I noticed that I couldn't concentrate on the story-line and had to go back again and again to re-read what I hat read. It is normally not my art to read a book, and I blamed the story itself first, but it was most certainly the writing.

Besides, I have to confess that the case the both FBI Agents were working at and the way they approached it, was not very convincing and their investigation methods appeared amateurish, IMO.

Í failed to connect to the MCs. Maybe I should to avoid romance books where one of the MC has recently lost his partner/husband/lover. And 8 months is damn RECENTLY to fall in love again.

When reading became a chore I decided to give up.


If you can manage all this, then you probably would enjoy this book.

RATING: 4 out of 5

Single Malt is the first book of — what I assume will be — Agents Irish & Whiskey romantic suspense series. I assume it will be a trilogy, since currently there are three titles being listed; all will be released this year. I feel like I need to include advisory that Single Malt ends in sort-of cliffhanger situation. Not exactly related to the main characters’ life and death context, but there is a newly-surfaced information that will definitely play a SIGNIFICANT role to the development of the main arc.

After losing his husband, Greg, as well as his professional partner of 15-years, Tom, FBI Agent Aidan “Irish” Talley is now off undercover job and being transferred to Cyber. He is partnered with Jameson “Whiskey” Walker, twelve-years his junior, former two-time NCAA champion who turns to be a whiz in computer and hacking. Aidan’s boss wants him to train Jamie to be field agent, but at the same time, to work together to solve the accident that took away Greg and Tom’s lives.

I thought Layla Reyne — a new-to-me author — was able to write a balanced romance and suspense/action in this book. The chemistry between Aidan and Jamie is apparent. At the same time, the big case that they are dealing with, a hack threatening a high-security bio-containment facility which leads to potential deadly dirty bomb attack, is engaging. I enjoyed both part equally, even if sometimes the technobabble — oops, sorry Jamie — I mean, technical jargon went over my head.

For me, both men were likeable. Although I might be more attracted to Jamie. I couldn’t help it. There was more than meets the eyes with him. Jamie might used to be famous as basketball star, but he clearly knows his way around computers, and man, I love brainiacs. When Jamie shows his set of skills with hacking codes? So sexy! *grin*

There might be times when I thought Reyne was more “telling” than “showing” though; especially dealing with Aidan’s situation: his guilt over feeling attracted to his younger partner, and the fact that it has only been 8 months since his husband died. I felt that there could be a lot of tension, and feels, and hurt/comfort moments that weren’t fully materialized. But maybe I will get more of that in the next two books. There are still a lot of room for the relationship between Irish and Whiskey to progress. For a beginning, it was enough.

Like I said in the beginning, there is a cliff-hanger situation. I felt like I should’ve seen the twist coming. It is kind of a familiar “thing” in mystery/suspense genre. But I didn’t, not at all. So that was a good kind or surprise.

Bottom line, I enjoyed this. Can’t wait for book #2 coming in May.