Abigail Roux: Ball & Chain

Abigail Roux--Cut & Run Book 8 - Ball & ChainI’ve made it to book eight. Deuce, Ty’s brother, is getting married in Scotland and his in-laws, the Stantons, have been receiving threats–corporate espionage and all that. He asks Ty to invite one of his Recon buddies along for some extra protection. Ty calls up Nick and tells him to bring a date and a gun, so he brings a date with a gun. The in-laws are rolling in it and foot the bill for an all expenses paid week on their private Scottish isle for the 30 odd guests of the wedding party (another hundred or thereabouts are scheduled to arrive on the day). After the wedding party was ferried over and neatly tucked away on the island, a storm rolls in and things go awry. The first morning after their arrival, the Stanton’s company’s head of operations is found dead on the beach and when they try to alert the authorities, they find both means of communication and modes of transportation cut off. And from there, it was like playing Clue and being sober while the other players are all three sheets to the wind.

This was a very sloppy story, plot points often seemed forced or disingenuous. And one of the characters I really liked, the very little I saw of him, seemed to be an almost completely different person (not bad, just different). But the best thing about this volume is getting to see another couple interact (I saw their relationship coming a mile away and I was rooting for it, too) and getting to know Nick. But even parts of those story lines seemed to be dialed in. It was rather disappointing.

The story ends with a very huge leap forward for Ty and Zane and an ultimatum that I fear will put Nick in a position to have to choose between killing someone he’s close to or having someone he’s close to killed. In that case I think Nick might consider taking himself out, but I really hope it doesn’t go that way. I am leaning towards it not going that way because of what the person who threatened him did right before they threatened him. But the story was messy, so anything is possible. Two things I hope for is Nick not keeping mum about his threat and getting the story on how the second featured couple got together. But since I just (like just–I went to go find the cover for book 8 and saw this on the way) found out that there’s a three volume series for them, I’m fine if they don’t get into it. I’m such a glutton for punishment. I was seriously hoping for this. I should be ashamed of myself.

The one thing I absolutely do not want to see is Zane or Ty being the bad guy. Not even as a fake-out. I just don’t want my heart to break like that even if it’s only for a few pages. Just…no. Other than that, there isn’t much else to say. I’m not going to dwell on how let down I feel. I only have one more to go.

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