hexmakerRating: 5 stars
Buy Links: 
 Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Malachi is a fox shifter and a thief. One night, he stumbles upon a dead body and the murderer in the house he is attempting to rob. The murderer escapes and leaves Mal caught in the house and looking guilty. Fortunately, Dr. Owen Yates, forensic hexman for the Metropolitan Witch Police, ends up on the scene and he is able to use a hex to prove Mal’s innocence of murder. And, as it turns out, Owen is Malachi’s witch.

Owen is in the last days of his job with the MWP as he is about to be married off to a wealthy woman he doesn’t love. But Owen’s family is counting on the marriage to help their financial situation and as a member of New York’s elite society, Owen has been raised to do what is expected and protect the family. Ending up with a thief as his familiar is certainly not something the Yates family will be happy about, but Owen bonds with Malachi and protects him from those that want to see him thrown in jail.

As it turns out, the two men are quite compatible and the attraction is fierce between them. Owen has always had a need for a bit of sexual submission, and it turns out Mal is a perfect match for him in the bedroom. Owen is determined to be faithful to his wife once married, but the men decide that until that point, they will explore their connection that is clearly so strong.

Things are more wonderful between the men than either could have hoped, and they fit together so well, both emotionally and sexually. But the clock is ticking on their relationship as the wedding looms. And even worse, the murderer is determined to find Mal and silence him to prevent getting caught himself. As much as Owen tries to protect Mal, the danger still lurks around every corner. As the threats grow, Owen must decide if he is going to continue to put his family first, even at the expense of his own happiness, or if he will finally take the steps to have what he really wants from life and a future with Mal.

Ok, so you all know I love me some Jordan L. Hawk right? I mean, in 2015, I read 19 of her books, basically starting from scratch and reading everything I could get my hands on. So as always, I was thrilled to pick up her newest release, this one the second in the Hexworld series (well third if you count the short story the 13th Hex). Hexmaker continues the world of the Metropolitan Witch Police and their familiars. This time we get a delicious opposites attract with the straight laced, police officer Owen matched up with the free spirited thief Malachi.

First off, I absolutely loved these guys together. I am a sucker for opposites attract already, but these guys were just such a perfect match. I got a giggle at how kind of horrified each were at the other given their occupations. But at the same time, these guys are immediately able to overcome their preconceptions and connect with one another. I appreciated this particularly from Owen, who could have refused to bond or abandoned Malachi, but instead accepts him into his life immediately, despite the complications Mal brings. Mal’s more light hearted demeanor helps Owen to open up and Owen’s strong, steady presence helps ground Mal’s tumultuous life. And holy cow, are these guys a perfect match in the bedroom. Hawk is wonderful at creating heat and chemistry between her characters, but this book is perhaps the steamiest of hers I have read with that nice bit of domination and submission going on between the men. Seriously, they are incredibly hot together and Hawk gets the emotional connection between them so right.

The story also has a wonderful suspense/mystery plot as Mal and Owen, along with the MWP and the traditional police, try to uncover who is really behind the murder. It becomes much more complicated as the thief was attempting to steal a magical artifact that holds a lot of power. So someone is seeking not just to protect the identity of the murderer, but also to retrieve the device and use it for purposes still unknown. The mystery is exciting and twisty and Hawk gives us a great sense of suspense as Mal continues to be targeted and the men work desperately to keep him safe while finding out who is behind it all. So the story is a wonderful combination of romance with a really engaging mystery that kept me drawn in throughout the entire book.

I’ll end this review as I end pretty much every review for a book by Jordan L. Hawk. You should read the book, you should read the series, and you should read all the things! This one is fabulous, my favorite so far in the series, and another wonderful story. Definitely highly recommended!

P.S. Because apparently I can’t tell the difference between October 4 and 14, this is a prerelease review. We don’t usually run these because I know you all like to be able to get your hot little hands on the books right away when you read a review, but it is available for pre order. Sorry for teasing you with it before it is out!

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