Last Kiss

Hitman, Book #3

By Jessica Clare & Jen Frederick

ISBN# 9780425281529

Author’s Websites:  http://jillmyles.com/ & http://jenfrederick.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Vasily was taken into the Petrovich Bratva as a young boy and was forced into sexual servitude to Elena Petrovich.  He later became a soldier with a reputation as their Volk, ruthless with the reputation of killing anyone, even his own sister.  What most don’t know is that his sister is alive and well, his ‘killing’ of her was a rouse to protect her from the depravity that he was forced to live through.  She’s been hidden away ever since and Vasily hasn’t seen her in ten years. But it’s the only way to keep her safe.

Vasily recently killed Elena’s brother, the head of the Bratva and Elena is next on his list, but he must wait as it would be too suspicious to kill them too close to one another.  But now he’s ready to make his run at leading the Bratva, he just has to convince the elders.  They set him on a task to find a painting that most believe is only a myth.  Unfortunately he owes a debt to the head of another Bratva for helping with the ‘killing’ of his sister and the debt it being called in.  He also wants the painting.  If Vasily fails to retrieve it and hand it over, his sister will pay the price.

Naomi was kidnapped 18 months ago.  She has Asperger’s and is a genius once you get past her quirks.  She has chosen to help her kidnapper to save herself.  She does what she loves best for him, hacking into the deep net and skims money into his accounts.  But now her brother has mounted a rescue, only she is now in the hands of another assassin, Vasily.  He wants her to find a painting for him, but wants her body as well.  And strangely enough she’s not all that opposed to it … once she gets used to his germs (she hates germs!).

I found this story to be very hard to stick with in the beginning.  Naomi was clinical by nature not feeling or understanding emotions.  She only knows facts, and rattles them off at every chance she gets.  Vasily was a Russian on a mission, talking in clipped harsh tones.  Conversations and thoughts between the two were cold and stiff, making it hard to take them into your heart or even caring what happens between the two.

But I did stick with the story through to its completion.  And as the story wore on, and things heated up between the two, the ice between the duo melted and they both learned what their hearts were really for!  I really enjoyed watching Vasily learning Naomi’s quirks and actually caring enough to learn not to trigger her episodes.  I loved their protectiveness of one another as well.

But the few scenes of Naomi talking to her brother had me laughing out loud with her oversharing and his reactions!

The edition I read, also had a bonus short story about Nikolai and Daisy at Christmas.  It was a quick sweet story about their first Christmas.  It was a nice little gift for the fans of the series.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy in exchange for an honest review*