Ball & Chain

Cut & Run Series, Book 8

By: Abigail Roux

Narrated by: J. F. Harding

Length: 10 hrs

Publisher's Summary

Home from their unexpected deployment, the former members of Marine Force Recon team Sidewinder rejoin their loved ones and try to pick up the pieces of the lives they were forced to leave behind. Ty Grady comes home to Zane Garrett, only to find that everything around him has changed - even the men he went to war with. He barely has time to adjust before his brother, Deuce, asks Ty to be his best man. But that isn't all Deuce asks Ty to do, and Ty must call for backup to deal with the business issues of Deuce's future father-in-law.

Nick O'Flaherty and Kelly Abbott join Ty and Zane at the wedding on an island in Scotland, thinking they're there to assuage Deuce's paranoia. But when bodies start dropping and boats start sinking, the four men get more involved with the festivities than they'd ever planned to. With the clock ticking and the killer just as stuck on the isolated island as they are, Ty and Zane must navigate a veritable minefield of family, friends, and foes to stop the whole island from being destroyed.

©2014 Abigail Roux (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Riveting Suspense, Complicated Friendship, Romance

If you could sum up Ball & Chain in three words, what would they be?

Forever Love, Forever Friends, and Forever Getting Into Trouble. :)

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed seeing Ty & Zane settled as a couple and a team, Ty adjusting to changes for his friends and also sorting out issues with his friends, the twisting suspenseful situation at the wedding, and the promise of what is to come.

Have you listened to any of J. F. Harding’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my third time listening to him narrate books from this series. I thought he did a fantastic job. I always lose myself in the stories and feel that he nails emotions, pace, humor, and tone well.

If you could rename Ball & Chain, what would you call it?

Murder At an Island Wedding

Any additional comments?

This is book eight in the series and it must be read in series order. I would also suggest reading the spin-off Sidewinder series book one, Shock & Awe, just before this one and after Touch & Geaux.

This book brings together Ty & Zane's story with the newly emerging Nick & Kelly one.

Can't wait for both the next Cut & Run and Sidewinder books coming next.

A Sidewinder Story

Hated this book and if I am honest it was a struggle to finish, when I did finish this book I deleted​ this story because I didn't want to see it on my Kindle again. I loved all the other books and Ty and Zane have been good friends but I am sorry to say that I won't be buying the last book. I don't want to read another Sidewinder story. Nick and Kelly are boring and how can he be the main character in a story about another couple. Isn't he suppose to be in a supporting role? Maybe the author Sidewinder books are not selling well so she decided to put a Sidewinder story in the guise of the Cut and Run series. I just disliked this book and I never want to see or read it again and I'm also done with the series. I have to thank the author for the wonderful books in the series Ball and Chain excluded of course but I think it's time to cut and run.

Great listen!

This is a new twist on an old plot, one that will through you for a loop.

Who knew Scotland could be so dangerous?!

Where does Ball & Chain rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Oh my gosh, it's amazing, I was both on the edge of my seat and laughing hysterically.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ball & Chain?

The fireplace!!!

Which scene was your favorite?

See previous answer, the fireplace scene with Ty and Zane. YowZa!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes I did, but it's quite long, it took a couple of days.

Any additional comments?

When Ty's brother, Deuce, asks Ty to be his best man at this wedding... in Scotland... all expenses paid, Ty and Zane welcome the almost vacation from their otherwise chaotic lives. Having just returned from a six month deployment, Ty comes home with more baggage than what he carries in his Sea bag. He isn't back two days when their boss calls both men into their office and tells them that since Zane is now in a Supervisory role, they can no longer be partners. Furthermore, since their relationship is now out in the open, Mac wants to transfer one of them to another state. Ty does the only reasonable thing he can think of, he quits. The one thing Ty is no longer willing to do is put his job before his lover.

The call from Ty's brother, Deuce, comes at the perfect time. An all expenses paid trip to Scotland for a week to be Deuce's best man with a plus one. Providing security for his niece should be a breeze, right? Come on now, this is Ty, Zane, Nick and Kelly we are talking about. Wrong! The tension between Ty and Nick is thick, Nick still fuming over events that happened in NOLA. When the bodies start piling up, the two men have to put their differences aside if they want to survive. No one is safe, and to spite having four of the most dangerous men in the world on the island with a crazy killer, the bodies continue to drop, at a maddening pace.

Stuck on an island in Scotland sounds like a dream, right? Again, wrong! A storm knocks out the phones and internet, a tree falls on the boathouse and all the boats are either destroyed or drift out to sea in the sub-zero waters, Zane's laptop has been fried. Murphy's law should probably be redefined in Webster's dictionary to Grady's law. The bonds are friendship, loyalty and love are put to the test as the four men race against time to figure out who the killer is and whether or not this is about Deuce's future in laws, or a threat that is far closer to home.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph... you seriously cannot take these two anywhere, and after the last couple of books, I'm convinced that Nick and Kelly aren't far behind that statement. Once again Roux delivers an action packed, non-stop, thrill ride of a story. It's intense, suspenseful, passionate and completely engaging. I was reminded of the movie Clue while listening to this book. Between the storm, the bodies piling up, so many possible suspects, the hilarity that ensues during it all. I can assure you that it was not the cook, since she is in the kitchen with the knife, in her back. In the midst of the madness, Ty is trying to convince Zane to marry him. I think I would have to agree with Zane, stuck on a deserted island with a killer(s) in their midst, not conducive for a happy engagement. Hell, they aren't even sure they'll survive long enough to attend the wedding they came to Scotland for.

JF Harding continues his narration of this motley crew. I love that he continually carries the same accents and tones from one book to the next for all the recurring characters. He also has the ability to convey the characters emotions at any given time to fit the words with the mood of the story. Let me just say, this book probably has the most secondary characters of any in the series thus far, and you can hear a distinct difference in each and every character.

Definitely a must read series, especially if you like the strong, overbearing alpha male type, and want to read or listen to a story where both men have those characteristics so you can see how the navigate a relationship and try to stay on a level playing field. The relationship between Ty and Zane the way they balance each other out, it's something amazing to behold. Not to mention that hot, monkey sex on the carpet by the fire. Yowza!!!

Awesome

Zane and Ty are awesome. I laugh out loud with Ty's sharp wit. Great characters.

Thumbs up for the series and narrator 👍👍👍

If good is the book excellent is the performance, I read the book years ago and is incredible how I could match after time every character and emotion as Harding did, marvelous job!!

Great continuation

After the last one this was nice to get back into the groove of the couple and to learn some more about other characters. Harding continues to do a great job with the narration.

Love!!!

I love Zane and Ty. I love sidewinder so hearing more of Nick and Kelly was great. Ty and Zane are one of my favorite M/M couples. This is my 3rd listen through.

Nick and Kelly steal the show.

This was one of my favorite books. I may be biased, because I love Nick and Kelly. The narration has only gotten stronger. I'm glad Nick doesn't sound weasely now, it didn't fit at all. Harding is one of the few male narrators in the genre that don't pitch their voice too high for female characters.

A little out there

This was a bit more “fantastical” than the previous books in the series. More “Clue” & “And Then There Were None” sorta mystery. I couldn’t quite get into this story, since it was a bit far off and espionagey, or a little more out of character. Still love the series tho. One more left.

Yet again, Harding adds more accents to his arsenal. Scottish this time. While it isn’t a heavy accent, he manages to make a convincing enough attempt to my American ears. The same can be said of Julian’s Irish accent, and Liam’s British accent. Truly enjoyed his narrations.

Not the best story in the series....

Another fantastic job by J.F. Harding. Quite authentic Scottish accents, plus his good English accent for the leader of the Snake Biters security team and that bloody nuisance Liam Bell. Although I've given the story 4 stars, I would up that rating for this narration...unfortunately, I could do nothing about the so-so quality of the story I'm afraid.

***Book Review*** dated 7/4/2013

OK, review time. It’s taken me quite a while to gather my thoughts and feelings for this one, but here goes.

First of all I want to say that I recognise that Abi has had a lot on her plate this year, what with her health and other stuff, not to mention everything she’s been doing for TJ & Eric, so if that sounds like a cop out it’s not; it’s just that there are far more important things to life than writing books, and if that means that the quality of the Cut & Run series has taken a slight dip with this book, I get it...I may not like it very much, but tough sh*t Bev, it is what it is!!

Now, for the review and I’ve got ‘Likes’ and ‘Dislikes’, but am still giving the book 4 stars cos for me, there was more to like than dislike.

LIKES

1. The ‘Reunion’ scene where Ty and the rest of the guys get back from their mission. I choked up, I’m not ashamed to admit it but would’ve loved a ‘haven’t seen you for six months, let’s get naked’ sex scene too 😉.

2. Talking of sex…notice that little segue there hehe, well that scene in front of the fire (29-31%, I’ll never forget it!!) was just about one of the best sex scenes in an m/m book EVER!! It had it all…it was extremely hot, it was raunchy, it was everything I’ve come to expect from these two….but most of all it was full of love and tenderness. Adored it.

3. The ‘marriage’ proposals. Hilarious. Yes, I can understand how they got on some people’s nerves eventually, but I thought they just showed how uncertain Ty still was about whether Zane really wanted him, and I wanted to both hug Ty and smack him upside the head for proposing so often....oh, and being rejected all the time let's not forget hehe AND I loved that it was Ty that did the proposing, not Zane...which would have done wonders for Zane’s own self confidence.

4. Nick and Ty – are their problems resolved??? I bloody well hope so, they need each other regardless of whether they’ve both got ‘life partners’…they definitely need a significant other who has their ‘six’.

5. ‘Tricky Dicky’ Burns dead…yay, put the flags out!! I didn’t like the way he treated Ty like a paid assassin at all, and Ty of course wouldn’t say no because doing what Burns told him would, he hoped, get him in his Dad’s good books…yeah right, like that’s ever gonna happen!!

6. Deuce & Livi married. A good move, and little Amelia is so lucky to have two Uncles like Ty and Zane.

7. Other forthcoming weddings…..my lips are sealed!!

8. Chester and that shovel…..need I say more??

DISLIKES

1. The main bugbear for me….and it seems with everyone else is too much Nick and Kelly, or Nick and Ty and nowhere near enough Ty and Zane….in fact, not a lot of Zane AT ALL!! We got glimpses of what he’d been doing for the 6 months that Ty had been away, but that’s it. This is Ty and Zane’s series, Nick and Kels have their own Sidewinder series, and I’ve no doubt that the next and final book (blubbering already) in the Cut & Run series will give us pointers as to what’s going to happen in the Sidewinder series, but until then….Nick and Kels are NOT Beaumont Tyler Grady and Zane Garrett!! No other characters can replace them IMHO, and it really shouldn’t even be attempted.

2. LIAM BELL, groans!! Really?? Let’s hope the bastard truly gets what he deserves in the final book ...hint, hint!!

3. At times, the plot was extremely far-fetched, rather like a badly written ‘Cluedo’ screenplay for a 1950’s film full of has-beens and never-will-be’s…you know the sort of thing - the Rev Green with the candlestick in the library but trips over the dog and knocks himself out or Miss Scarlett with the knife in the kitchen but burns her hand on the hob and faints from shock… And the ‘complete stranger’ event planner/maid of honour thing….so poor it’s not even worth mentioning so I won’t.

4. And finally, oh yes...the remote Scottish island shrouded in mist, with no mobile phone signal connectivity [well, what did you expect, it's in the middle of nowhere??] and full of ex Secret Service men…nah, didn’t work for me I’m afraid.


All in all then, rather a surprise to me that so many people disliked it so much. It’s not the best book in the series, but as I’ve said, given everything that’s been going on in the background, it could’ve been a helluva lot worse. I’m both looking forward to and dreading the final book.

What a ridiculous plot.

This is where Abigail Roux loses the plot with Cut and Run. The story arc for Ball and Chain is so bat sh@t, so ridiculous and complicated that I felt like I'd wasted hours of my life when we discover 95 percent of the story was in fact a smokescreen for an alternative scenario. The body count in this story is nuts. I only kept listening because of J F Harding's narration.

Amazing Series

A well written story with and interesting  concept.  The characters are likeable and the narration is very good.

Worst in the series

I cannot believe how bad this book was compared to the previous 7. Firstly I absolutely love Abigail Roux as an author I think she’s fantastic. The books she wrote alone in this series were my favourite. What the hell was this pile of rubbish though? This review will contain spoilers so be warned.

Firstly we get told that Ty isn’t the same person anymore that he’s haunted the light in his eyes is diminished. but then he’s smirking/chuckling/laughing throughout the book a lot! It completely boggles my mind. We literally missed a huge part of both of their lives, in the last book from what I remember Deuce’s daughter hadn’t been born yet, in this only she’s over a year old. Ty has been away for 6 months so that means we’ve lost over a year of the duos life. That really annoyed me.

The storyline was garbage in all honestly and little made sense. But you know what the worst part of this book is? THIS IS NOT A TH AND ZANE BOOK ITS A NICK AND KELLY BOOK! If I wanted to red about them I would have purchased sidewinder. I honestly don’t like Nick as a character so imagine my shock when he is the biggest part of this book.

Zane was completely forgotten in this book, he was given such a small part that I truly felt upset. The couple had come out to their family and friends in the last book and then ty was away but we don’t get to read about how things were for Zane or how he coped. And can we please stop with Deuce always interrupting them with a phone call during sex? It’s not funny anymore. The sex scenes were honestly bland and there we’re very few. This book was completely overshadowed by Nick and that makes me sad.

Also can we talk about the proposals, I thought they were cute but why the f*** did Kellie and Nick get engaged before Ty and Zane when it’s not event their own book! I feel like Abigail was trying to set up the next sidewinder books but all she really did was make sure I never read anything in that series. I’m honestly so upset that she could write our beloved ty and Zane the way she did. Also why did she suddenly change Nick so much? He’s now suddenly practically a son the the Grady’s even though in previous books Deuce hasn’t spent much time with him, he hadn’t been invited to the wedding, Ty’s parents never spoke about him etc. It’s like Abigail wanted us to like him more.

And don’t get me started on the Cartel being behind this whole shambles. I really hope Abigail gives the boys the last book they deserve because this was a mess.

Vacation is forbidden

Won't lie, the ending was my fave part but only for a reaccuring character.
loved the Agatha Christie vibes in this one!