Face Value

Title: Face Value

Author: RJ Scott

Publisher: Silver Publishing

Publisher URL: spsilverpublishing.com

ISBN/BIN: 9781614955511

Genre: {M/M} Contemporary Suspense Series

Rating: 4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Dragon Minx 

Becket Jamieson’s known he was adopted since age ten but on his twenty-first birthday, he gets a big shock.  A lawyer provides details about his birth mother and he’s told his original name was Robert Bullen. Learning the truth isn’t a good surprise since the prominent Bullen family is associated with the mob and they’re very dangerous. He gets caught gathering incriminating evidence against them and it leads to a horrible beating and temporary blindness.  

Sanctuary Agent Doctor Kayden Summers is a man of action and being cooped up, while Becket heals, is driving him nuts. But that’s not his only problem. When Beckett regains consciousness, he doesn’t trust Kayden but even worse is Kayden’s attraction to his charge. The question is whether Kayden can keep Beckett safe from the men after him, while they explore a relationship that’s taken then both by surprise. If they survive the assignment, do they have a future? 

Face Value is the newest release in RJ Scott’s Sanctuary series and it begins shortly after The Only Easy Day left off. Because of the continuation of some characters and the story line, I recommend the books be read in order. 

The story is well-written and it begins with an emotional scene where Beckett finds out about his past. It’s very well done, making you feel sorry for what he lost as a child and the horror of realizing what happened all those years ago. There’s really a lot going on in this story. The romance between Becket and Kayden is the heart of the story but finding out about Beckett’s mother and his past and keeping him safe from the Bullen family is just as important. Weaving together the numerous story threads is done with finesse, pulling all the parts into a cohesive whole.   

The relationship between Beckett and Kayden is a little rocky in the beginning but once it gets going, it works well. The suspense part of the story permeates everything and the scene near the beginning where Beckett is beaten…well it’s pretty horrific.  The characters are well developed, the plots flows smoothly and there are a few twists and turns for added action, including a nice one at the end. The attraction between Beckett and Kayden is intense but there isn’t lots of sex, so please take note. Watch for the next release, Still Waters, coming in May.