Last Line

By: Harper Fox

Narrated by: David Thorpe

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

John Griffin and Michael South - agents in the renegade counterterrorism agency Last Line, and closer than brothers. It's a fast-lane life of danger and excitement. John loves every minute of it, but he's facing one big problem now: his feelings for Mike have flared up from friendship into a passion he can no longer hide. And Mike, although the bravest and best of partners, doesn't feel the same.

Their one sexual encounter leaves them baffled and alienated from one another. Mike is a haunted man, shaken by flashbacks to his past life as an MI5 agent and a mission in Russia that went terribly wrong. He's been left with a need for violence between the sheets, and John isn't prepared to hurt him.

Not everyone has Mike's best interests at heart. Their ruthless boss hires a ghost from Mike's past to help track down a Russian war criminal who's planted a nuclear device in the heart of London. Anzhel Mattvei knows all of Mike's dark secrets, and soon regains his former sexual thralldom over him, leaving Mike locked in battle for his will and his soul. Anzhel has turned Mike into a human detonation device. Only John's love can pull him back from the brink - and save millions of lives in the fallout zone.

©2014 Harper Fox (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Way Too Sadistic

I stopped this when it got to the torture scene in the shower. I have listened to and read many a BDSM book but this story line was just too much. Gratuitous and disturbing. Just ruined what was building up to a good love/redemption story. Sorry Harper, you failed on this one.

Great writing; spotty storyline; VG narration

I held off on this series for years, wondering when/if the third book would be written. Altho I gave up hope on #3, I was thrilled to discover both books available on audio via AudibleRomance.

As always, quality writing from Harper Fox (evocative/deft... in some ways, akin to Garrett Leigh) but full potential of storyline missed b/c of too many inconsistent and/or illogical points for me. Nonetheless, I plan to jump right into the sequel.

1st time listening to narrator David Thorpe = A- (very good).

(Also, as general FYI/clarification, S&M and/or bloodplay during sex does NOT equal torture. Obviously, YMMV but there's a difference between 'not your cuppa/kink' and mischaracterising a scene in a book.)

If you have a free credit..get this...it's ok...

you have to get past the coldness of the narrator, and his British accent which does not add to the story at all, but if you have a credit to use, I liked this one once I got into it.

I don't know what happened to the second book in the series but I had to return it. Could not get half way thru, didn't care if I finished it, and goodness knows I tried...I tried for hours of repeat...what a disappointment.

Ok

Content warning for torture. Kind of awkward magic in this one. I really like some of this author’s books but this one was merely ok. It perhaps tried for nuance but was really just a confusion of withholding details from the reader. Aside from some characters living through a couple things they shouldn’t have, the magic wasn’t necessary to make sense of the plot. The guys held too much in reserve for not great reasons, and the secondary characters were too villainous or kind of flat. Try Seven Summer Nights for a better take on ptsd & magic. This wasn’t terrible, and I did finish it.

Steam: Medium. Content warning for rape. Problems throughout with consent. Some M/M details on page that think they’re kink but are unprocessed trauma that is not enjoyed. Most of the tension is bad tension.

Narration: I frequently lost track of who was who. The Russian pronunciation wasn’t great.

Wonderful story. Excellent narration.

The characters are fascinating. The story is engaging, suspenseful, and has a supernatural twist. The narrator does an excellent job. I can't wait to listen to the next book.

shoook!

If you are sensitive to rough sex or manipulation, then you should skip this one. If you forge ahead and listen anyway, don't tear down the author. The author has no control over your inability to see the story beyond your Un-comfortability of certain scenes.

I have never read a story like this! I am shook, amazed, stunned, but most of all absolutely fascinated with Harper fox and her story's. I'll be honest, I did not read the title details and went in blind because I have yet to be disappointed so I knew I would like it, I'm so glad I did it that way. Because holy! This one hurt. I did have to move past my own un-comfortability of the two main love interest not immediately being able to fall into place with one another. And like someone else wrote in their review - the shower scene where john walks in - absolutely broke me,

I also struggled with Michael not being able to see that he was programmed to be the way that he is but then at the end it all comes together, and I get it. It was still painful to see John get hurt and have to see Michael with someone else when he wasn't in his own mind and choosing it for himself.

Also, this story is SO MUCH MORE than just two gay men. This story is so intricate and interesting that it just captures you!

So so so good!

Chapter one was disgusting.

I cannot imagine what it took for Harper to portray such utter brutality in the first long pages of this book. I truly regret reading them.

Harper Fox does it again.

She’s rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors. Creative storytelling, wonderfully-developed characters, suspense, action, and plenty of heat.

The chemistry between these two MC’s makes the whole tale incredibly hot and the supernatural aspect to their relationship adds an unexpected twist.

The narrator is excellent. His voice is perfect for these characters and I love his accents.

Intense & believable

I love Harper Fox. The way the characters are built - complex humans with difficult stories- it’s too good. I really appreciate the slow build of the paranormal (I guess that’s what you would call it? Fantasy elements maybe?). This book is great as it is but there’s all these hints and bits of foreshadowing that really deliver in the second book. There are definitely some trigger warning moments (rape), so beware, but I do think the story is told in a way that allows us to really know John and Michael in those moments. Really intense, definitely worth it in my opinion. I have listened to this book and it’s sequel several times.

not a complete series

Warning.... this 2 book series is NOT complete. There should be a 3rd book, it's been years and no new book. I checked authors website and she is now writing it but is releasing it in chapters through Patreon so you must pay and subscribe to read it.

That being said... I liked the book and characters. Interesting story line that went a little crazy by the end with magic. Was not expecting that. Still did really like it in the end. Narration was great.

Gratuitous torture porn indeed (big yikes)

This book needs so many more trigger warnings than words can explain. It's also more of a psychological horror with a barely there paranormal twist, than a "thriller and romance" - and the amount of torture (sexual, psychological and otherwise) is astounding. Not a fan and slightly disgusted with the hours I put into getting through this book.

Expected M/M Romance thriller, got torture porn

I am so disappointed with this book. The narrator was great but the story... I expected a thriller with a bit of BDSM, but this was not it... this was gratuitous torture porn. I have listened to all of Harper Fox's books and she's never written anything that made me want to throw up. This did. Within the first few hours of this audiobook we got:

Torture
Brainwashing
mass murder
rape
water torture
Coerced BDSM with knives
Rape/torture/cutting of a man with severe PTSD.

What the hell happened? Take out all of the gratuitous torturous sex and maybe there's a good thriller here. I stopped this when it got to the torture rape scene in the shower when Michael's lover was forced to watch. I have listened to and read many a BDSM book but this storyline was just too twisted even for me. Gratuitous and disturbing, written for shock value. This had none of the beautiful prose I've come to expect with a Harper Fox book. I could not finish it.

listen to in a day

not only did it have a great story line to it, and get me listening to book 2 in the series as soon as book one finished ( which I listen to in a day while I worked).

but the narrator is one of the best I've listened to, to date! he is excellent at individual accents and can switch between the characters so fluidly that is almost like having a narrator and cast. certainly going to be hunting out other books he's the narrator of. 👍👍👍

Interesting plot… Amazing narration!

Honestly, I normally go for the soppy romance stories but took a chance on this book as it was included with audible. Honestly, the story was interesting and drew me in from the 1st chapter! David Thorpe does an amazing job of narration. Can’t recommend this audiobook enough!

A good yarn

Interesting story will great narration. The preview of the next book was a little long for my liking.

one of the best

Anyone who is uncomfortable with torture, rape or unclear consent should steer clear.
Performance was amazing the narrator really brought life into the characters. I really loved the book but the end part was horrible. It was out of place, the jump from over all dark theme to rolling in the grass and playing happy home felt somehow glued over.

Liked

Liked this story. Bit of a while to grasp what was happening. Looking for book 2 now.

Amazing Story

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