Prince of Killers

I'm still oscillating between a 3.5 or 4, but rounding up for now.

After the super fun trilogy that was Trouble Brewing, I was hoping the author would write a spinoff about some of my favorite characters, but instead we got this brand new series starter featuring assassins. I wasn't sure what I was expecting and I still dont know what I'm feeling at the end.

Hawes is the titular character, the Prince of Killers and head of an organization of vigilante assassins. Despite his activities, he really is a loyal and kind man who loves his family and his city, and just wants to build a legacy that will keep the innocent people safe. I loved his interactions with his family, their love and banter is on point and pretty entertaining, even during daunting times. Dante on the other hand is an enigma - despite his assertions that he wanted to help Hawes, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. We also don't get his POV, so I felt like I didn't get to know him well enough; just that he has ulterior motives. There is obviously very interesting chemistry between the two right from the beginning and I can see the potential for explosive times, but we only got a glimpse of it this time. I thought both the characters of Holt and Helena were fascinating and very much in contrast to Hawes, and that makes them a pretty cool trio. I love how they always stuck together and I appreciated that family dynamic.

Layla Reyne writes very fast paced novels and this was no different. I flew through the book in just a few hours and never wanted to put it down. There is betrayal in the air right from page one and the author made sure to sustain that suspense for me throughout. I really couldn't guess the identity of the traitor and that was a nice shock. The story takes place almost in the span of a week, so I liked how the author showed the possibility for more for the couple and didn't veer into instalove territory. It was all going fine until that monster of a cliffhanger that made my jaw drop and I don't even know what to do now anymore. Wow was that a brutal last line.

Finally, I just wanna say that this was a fun and entertaining novel, definitely more in the suspense category rather than the romance. If you enjoy books with antiheroes, vigilante assassins and kickass siblings, then this book is for you. There is a lot of suspense going on here that'll keep you guessing. But be prepared for a completely unexpected cliffhanger at the end that will blindside you. I'm still reeling from the shock and can't wait for the sequel.