This is not the first F/F book that I have read but this one surprised me. I really enjoyed Queen's Ransom. This is book four in a series and I even though I had not read the other books I was not lost reading Queen’s Ransom. I will be going back to read the other books in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of Queen's Ransom in exchange for an honest review. Full disclosure, I did not read the previous books which may impact this review, There were so many characters and the storyline about the drive by shooting and the actions taken afterwards were so unbelievable and farfetched that I just couldn't finish this one.

I've missed reading about the Madigans and I was so excited for this one! Helena and Celia are so cute together, and I loved that their relationship slowbuild and it didn't go fast, Celia just had got out of years of a toxic and abusive relationship with her ex husband and she needed to worry about her kids too...thankfully, Helena was there to accept everything good that Celia had to offer, every ounce of pureness and comfort that Helena needed too while living in a life of danger since she was born.

F/F romances aren’t my go-to. However, I make exceptions when they’re part of a series that I’m already invested in – or when they’re written by a trusted author – especially one who is on my auto-read list. Queen’s Ransom fit all of those categories for me and for the record, I have absolutely no regrets (not that I expected to have any.) 😉

Basically, I loved Celia and Helena. They had both been through more than enough separately. Together they were stronger. Family and loyalty was everything to both of them – especially since they knew from experience what betrayal was. They would do anything for someone they loved and in Queen’s Ransom they proved it over and over again. Celia may not have known about the Madigan family business, but she knew how to care for someone she loved. Helena was determined to protect Celia from the danger she thought she brought to her, but Celia was determined to protect Helena’s heart and soul. They were more alike than either of them realized.

Celia fit right in with all the Madigans. She was a true nurturer to all of them and Helena was their protector. They deserved their HEA. Speaking of which….

As much as I loved Helena and Celia’s story, it was hard to ignore the pain that another Madigan sibling was going through. It makes sense that Holt would be the last Madigan to get his own story, but the wait as well as the set-up in Queen’s Ransom was torturous. I have no doubt that Layla Reyne will make the wait for Kane and Holt’s story worth it, and even though I’ll be sorry to say goodbye to the Fog City series, Silent Knight can’t come soon enough.

A great addition to the Fog City series. I'll admit, I wasn't as excited to read about Celia and Helena, but ended up enjoying the story. Although we saw a lot of them both in the original trilogy, it was nice to get inside their POVs. I enjoyed seeing their reactions not only to each other but also about their families and the previous events of the books. Both sweet and sultry, this book packs a lot of emotion into a small package. I'm really looking forward to the next story!

Good book. Enjoyed storyline. Bit of action. Not interested in the male side so probably wont read the other books in the series. Would recommend it.

Helena Madigan and her brothers have been putting the final pieces in place to run their assassin business on their terms. That means checking out all targets, no guns, and no collateral damage. She has been away for a while working, meeting with contacts and smoothing ruffled feathers. Her time away has also kept her apart from Celia Perri, the gorgeous mechanic whose brother, Chris, is marrying Helena’s brother, Hawes. When Helena gets back in town, the first place she wants to go is Celia’s shop. Now that things are slowing down with the business, it could be a chance for the women to explore the attraction between them. But when a shooter attacks the garage, things are thrown into chaos.

The Madigans are determined to protect Celia and her family, so they move them into their house for a few days while they try to sort out the threat. It’s not clear if the danger is coming from Celia’s violent ex, or from someone who is unhappy with the Madigans and their new business plan. While keeping Celia close is important to keep her safe, it also makes Helena nervous. She doesn’t want to expose Celia and her kids to danger, nor does Celia know about the true nature of the Madigan business. It may be safer for Celia if Helena just keeps her distance. But Celia is stronger than people think and she is not willing to be pushed aside for her protection. Now they have to track down who is behind the shooting and what they are after so that Helena and Celia can explore the feelings between them.

Queen’s Ransom is the fourth book in Layla’ Reyne’s exciting Fog City series. While the first three books form a trilogy focused on Hawes and Chris, this newest story brings together a new couple in Celia and Helena. While this book isn’t quite as connected to the main series arc, Helena and Celia do appear in the earlier books, and all the series characters show up here as well. There is also a lot of assumed knowledge about past events, so this one is really best read by those familiar with the other books.

Celia and Helena have a great connection and I enjoyed seeing them together. Helena comes across a little icy and reserved in the original trilogy and so I liked seeing her softer side here. She is still tough as nails and could kill you 50 different ways, but she has a bit of vulnerability, as well as a sweetness that comes through to round out her character. Celia is caretaker, but also with a tough side. She is strong and independent and there is a nice balance to her character as well. So the two women are a great fit and there is a nice sensuality to their connection, as well as the pairing of two strong, intense women. Celia is coming into this world somewhat blind.

She knows bits and pieces, and has been exposed to some darker things with her brother being in law enforcement. But here she is learning the true nature of the Madigans’ business, which is obviously outside of the law, along with many of the tactics they use. I think Reyne does a nice job developing Celia as a woman who can accept these realities and who can live on the fringes of this world in a believable way. There is also a nice sense of family here, particularly for Celia, who was so isolated as part of her abusive relationship with Dex. So I really enjoyed the scenes where we see the Perris and the Madigans come together, particularly as they will now be family due to Hawes and Chris’ upcoming marriage.

This book starts with the two women already having a friendship and an attraction to one another, so they sort of slide into something more serious fairly quickly. I wished for a bit more of that early development to be shown here, however. Because they fall together so easily, the conflict has to come from a lot of getting together and pulling back on Helena’s part, as she worries about things being too much for Celia. So I think showing more of things developing would have given them more personal story, instead of resting so much on this part of the conflict.

The suspense story here presents an interesting situation in that they start off not even sure who is the target of the shooting (both women are at the garage at the time). So they need to dig through all the potential threats to try to figure out what is going on and the origin of the threat. We get to see all the assorted Madigan skills in play, from working contacts, to fighting bad guys, to doing high-tech mojo. The siblings are so much fun, especially when they are working together. And here we get Chris and Celia along for the ride too. While the case is a new one, it does bring in characters and some story elements from earlier books. I did find myself at times a bit lost with all the contacts and all the various threads, and I don’t think the case keeps up as many thrills and as much suspense as the storylines from earlier books. But we do get a nice discrete case that gives the women a chance to bond and find their way to one another.

The story also brings in a bit about Holt and Brax, who will be the focus of the final book coming out in May. At times I think they stole some of the focus from Celia and Helena, since both men are so clearly in such a bad way right now. But it also made me really excited for their story, as there has been a strong connection between these guys all along.

So if you are fan of this series, definitely check out Helena and Celia’s story. It ties together nicely with the first three books, while still giving a great journey of their own for the women.

Queen's Ransom is a great extension of the fog city universe. I was really excited to see a mob family with a female head which I haven't seen very often. With the book opening with Helena returning from finishing up the power hand off between her and Hawes and dealing with the fall out of their grandmother's betrayal from the previous book. Of course, nothing is ever quiet around the Madigens and Perri's so they have to figure out who targeted Celia's shop and why which causes some problems for Helena and Celia. The way the mystery and the relationship intertwined was really well done. With it being the author's first foray into an FF pairing, I was a bit nervous but I was not disappointed. It was really well done and I loved how Celia and Helena's relationship progressed throughout the book. It's definitely a great addition to the romantic suspense genre.

This is the fourth book in the Fog City series, a F/F romance featuring Hawes’ sister Helena and Chris’ sister Celia. It’s a great continuation of the story arc, an intriguing prelude to book five and a wonderful romance story for two characters I really enjoyed in the previous books. Plus the references to two of my favorite characters who also inhabit this SF universe was fun! My only complaint? It’s too short! I wanted more of these take-no-prisoners women!

The book takes place a few months after the end of book three and a couple weeks before Chris and Hawes’ wedding. The sparks we saw earlier between Celia and Helena have been dampened by Helena’s withdrawal and absence on business. She returns, hoping to pick things up with Celia when their reunion is ruined by gunfire. Thus commences the suspense part of the story, the who and the why, and the romantic friction as Helena is torn between what she wants and her natural inclination to pull away in order to protect.

The suspense part of the story moves fairly quickly and I wish it had been more involved. I missed seeing Helena get to be a surprise bada** to the ill informed. There’s not enough of it here. It almost felt like some elements had been left out.

But the story is sweet and the character development as both these women heal from their past damages courtesy of others is inspiring and hopeful. I look forward to more of their relationship in book five.

Reyne does such a great job conveying emotion in her writing and giving the reader the feeling they are right there, on scene observing all the action. I feel like I know these characters, like I could go to SF and find them. She is one of my favorite authors due to the realistic portrayal of place and time and her world building. She has created a universe with a strong sense of believability and that so enhances her story telling. Her characters are real, flawed, emotional human beings that we can empathize with and care deeply about and root for. This book does not stray from that level of storytelling. Highly recommend.

**I voluntarily read an arc and this is my unbiased opinion.**

Helena Madigan and Celia Perri come from two different worlds: Helena has taken over her family's assassin business while also continuing her career as a criminal defense lawyer; Celia is a hardworking single mother of two teenagers and owner of a well known car repair and restoration shop. But despite their differences, both women share a strong attraction towards each other and a desire to find out what might happen if they give it a chance. With the upcoming wedding of Helena's brother Hawes to Celia's brother Chris, emotions are running high and Helena can't make herself stay away from Celia. But when a drive-by shooting targets Celia's shop, the Madigan family goes to work, bringing the Perri family into their home while they find the people responsible and make them pay. Forced proximity brings Helena and Celia closer together, giving them the chance they've been longing for... as long as they manage to keep out of harm's way.

Queen's Ransom is an action-fueled and spicy new addition to the Fog City series and focuses on the leading ladies of the series, Helena and Celia. As a devoted fan of Layla Reyne's books, I was delighted to read this w|w romance! Celia and Helena have been dancing around each other since their first meeting, and their love story is as exciting and intense as they are. I enjoyed getting a peek into Helena's vulnerable side while also seeing her step up as leader of the family business. Celia's story is one of survival and it was wonderful to see her getting the help she needs and gaining confidence in herself. While both women have different strengths, they're definitely stronger together and I love the way they work to support each other!

Like the other books in this series, Queen's Ransom expertly blends together action and romance. This book brings back well loved characters and introduces some new players, while also building up the tension between Holt and Brax in preparation for their upcoming book, Silent Knight. I also love the way characters from Layla Reyne's other series -- Agents Irish and Whiskey and Trouble Brewing -- are involved in the world of Fog City. Highly recommend!

Not alone

I love the contradictions that make up the Madigans and Perris. Cores of steel softened and strengthened by love and family. Separately they’re amazing but together they’re unstoppable. I wish I could be one of them. I am so happy that Celia and Helena found their way to each other and that these families have another connection that binds them together. “I was trying to stay away, trying to keep you safe, but I want you. I’ve wanted you since I first laid eyes on you.” Helena and Celia burn and quite frankly I’m not sure which one scares me more but I absolutely am enamored with them both. These women are fierce, strong and anyone would be lucky to have them as a friend or more. Lucky for us we get it all: stellar action, electrifying steam and scintillating suspense. Did I mention that I NEED Holt and Brax yesterday? Oh and I still want mistletoe cannoli.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. .

Okay well first thing is first make sure you read the others in the series. I didn't and I wish I did. I will correct that now. I liked the book but where I haven't read the others I was lost in a few places and felt like I should have know the characters a lot more then I did. The relationship was nice to watch form and the characters worked well together. I liked the world and the family seems like a crazy but close knit family and it'll be interesting to see how they got to this point and what happens next.

This book is a brilliant addition to the Fog City series.

Its star pair also take a place on the Shelf of Hotness just the same as their respective brothers did in the first three entries.

Queen's Ransom firmly puts the focus on the women at the heart of the Perri and Madigan families as they dance around the attraction between them.

I was fascinated by the sparks flying between Celia and Helena every time they met and here they finally explode 😁

The romance is a mix of frustrations and feelings, Helena takes a while to get her head in the game, although it's pretty clear her heart's already invested.

There's only a couple of smexy times but they are definitely heated and full of passion.

Their second garage encounter in particular demonstrates perfectly the push and pull between the two women.

They work their way up to a steamy set of orgasms that starts with a heated kiss on a dolly, skirts the top of Whiskey Walker's vintage car, and ends up with them wrung out in a panting heap in the office.

Helena's fears about the dangers anyone who gets involved with her family might face were a driving force throughout.

And they came into a full on collision with Cee's waste of space ex husband Dex.

Anyone who's read the other books knows how dangerous Helena is, but Cee's no weakling either.

So when someone shoots up her garage after she and Helena's first kiss, she's not willing to just sit back.

I really liked the suspense element of the plot. It worked for me within the narrative, it flowed well, mingling adrenaline rush moments with nerve tingling tension points.

I won't go into depth, I don't want to spoil the clever way Layla intertwines the two families together with a shared threat.

And while Chris and Hawes are getting closer to their wedding and are as strong as ever, Brax and Holt are struggling and my heart was breaking at their interactions.

Their book is going to round off the Fog City series and I absolutely cannot wait for that.

We also get a few Easter Egg name drops for Layla's other San Francisco set romantic suspense series' and it made me smile every time.

I don't think it's easy to throw a different pairing romance into an established MM series but it absolutely works here imho.

I didn’t know what to expect with this book. I didn’t read any of the previous ones in the series. Other than some background info that did not seem to matter. The story starts off with action and excitement. The fast pace action continues throughout, this story was hot and steamy along with being action packed.

I was not sure what to expect in this book but I was hooked once I started reading it. Celia and Helena's book was action packed and had a new set of questions that the family needed to find answers to.

Celia, freshly divorced from her abusive husband, finds herself in a drive by shooting unsure if she is the target or if it is someone else. While looking for the answers and protecting her family and preparing for her brother Chris's wedding to Hawes at the Madigan compound she begins questioning her attraction to Helena and desires to explore it for more.

Helena, newly returned from an extended family business trip also finds herself in the drive by shooting with Celia and questioning the target. She too struggles with her feelings for Celia but just desires to keep everyone safe from the unknown threat..

This book was an action packed, addictive read. The chemistry between Celia and Helena was off the charts. The return of the characters from the previous books was great and the interactions between all of the characters felt natural and enjoyable. As the story unfolds, more questions get asked as everyone works for a resolution. I will be sorry to see this series end as I have enjoyed all of the books but I will admit that I can not wait to see what happens in the final installment for Brax and Holt's story. Overall, this was a great read that I would recommend to others.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

This is a one sitting read. Exciting, full of action, mystery and romance. Protecting the one's you love is hard, especially when your family is the target of multiple criminal organizations. This is Celia and Helena's story. Helena wants to keep Cee safe but others are targeting her. You will see familiar characters as well as some new. And if you have not read the series, you will want to.

The book opens with Helena Madigan dropping by Celia Perri’s auto workshop after being away for months.

Based on the pair’s interactions, readers learn that there is a simmering connection between the pair that Helena prevented from going further. When a drive by shooting took place right after, the plot grew thicker with Helena and her family coming together to track the perpetrator and reveal the reasons why Helena stayed away from Celia.

I read this as a stand-alone and revelled in the colourful characters within both sides of the family. Although there was a whole lot to digest with the history between characters and their respective pairs, fans of the series would enjoy the follow ups.

4 stars. With Helena, the Queen, successor of assasin-in-chief, having to juggle her legal commitments and desperate to draw near yet apprehensive to do so with Celia, this is a jam packed read. Celia deserved much better from her past relationship and the intensity of their mutual attraction made it a delight to read.

I just reviewed Queen’s Ransom by Layla Reyne. Thank you NetGalley and Valentine PR & Literary Management for the ARC.

I definitely don’t recommend that someone read this book as a stand-alone because it picks up where the last one left off. This is the first book that I have read of Layla’s and the action, dialogue, tension, characters were great. I’m not a reader of M/M romance otherwise I would start at book 1.

Didn’t like this very much. If you’re into raunchy cheesy romance books, you’ll probably like this! Didn’t vibe with the writing much and kind of got bored.

Even if FF isn't your thing, this is a decent read in the Fog City series.

Book 4 in the Fog City series technically could be read as a standalone, as it's a story that takes place after the events of books 1-3 have calmed down somewhat, and seemingly there's a chance for Helena to get her girl, and there are enough hints and enough mentions of who the previously featured characters are, so that readers won't get lost. But, those tales are excellent, and I highly recommend reading them so as to fully get the Whole Madigans Experience. They're what made me request this book, despite FF not being my thing.

It's a tale where there's one strong, badassed female who still has to protect her family from their past, and a strong female who's been abused and downtrodden but who wants to protect the new family she's found. The women are opposites in size and attitude, but neither is less than the other. Helena might be kick-butt and used to getting her own way, with plans to secure the safety of the Madigans and the Perris but she has a softer side that isn't allowed to surface all that often, until the softer Celia needs help.

I was so glad that there wasn't tons of sex in this, as FF isn't my thing - I picked up the book because of the ones before and because this author is worth reading whatever she puts out - but what there was didn't detract from the danger surrounding the Madigan empire and felt appropriate. You won't get the full-on (MM) sex in all its descriptive glory that books 1-3 have, phew, but you do get a couple of women who're attracted to each other acting on that. I found it a little LOL that both the assassin-lawyer and the mechanic wore sets of lace lingerie and despite a day's hard slog, were up and ready for it, but that was because the author made the sex organic, and not there for the quota that readers expect, I felt. I thought I'd end up skimming but it wasn't anything TMI and tbh, it almost felt as if the author shied away a little. Boobs and fannies came out but lingerie stayed on, all the way through, if I'm not mistaken. I particularly liked that seeing that the tale took place over a month (in the run up to Hawes's and Chris's wedding), the I LOVE YOU words weren't uttered too soon, just because it's a romance and readers expect that. The words didn't come during or before sex scenes and in fact, there was very little introspective from either lead, and it was only at the end that the words came out, at the right time and without too much fanfare. I think that by then, actions had spoken louder than words.

Weirdly, the leads for book 5, Holt and Brax, came across as more tortured and open with their feelings than Helena or Celia. I don't quite recall what's gone wrong between them, but book 5 - the final in the series - is out in May, and that should also be well worth a read. Holt was already hurting from the betrayal by his ex-wife, Amelia, and now he's lost his best friend and the person he's starting to have romantic feelings for. Add in a baby who's also hurting, and maybe an ex who's not going to be too happy that he's moved on, and I think we'll be in for a decent read.

ARC courtesy of the author and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.