Beyond Fate by Lee McCormick (Beyond Novella #1.5)

TITLE: ⟫ Beyond Fate

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Beyond Book #1.5

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ “Maybe in our next life, things will be different? It can be you and me. Maybe we’ll finally fit. Soulmates, right? So maybe…”

Clay

I’ve been on a hundred jobs, but I’ve never met a person like Jayce Holden. He’s everything I shouldn’t want, wrapped in a protective package that seems hellbent on making sure I’m safe from his family. Making sure I’m his.

I'm not sure what I want... not when my mission is to kill his father, and Jayce is the only person who knows where to find him.

Jayce

I’ve had a dream of the same man my entire life. Sometimes, he’s soft and sweet… and sometimes, he’s trying to kill me. Sometimes he does.

When Clay walks into my life, I recognize him immediately. I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him, whatever it takes to make him mine… even if it means defying my family and putting everything on the line.

BEYOND FATE is a dual POV novella that follows Jayce and Clay into the future for their shot at finding happiness in their next life. While connected to the Beyond universe, this is a uniquely crafted story set in the future to give two characters their very deserved happily ever after. Expect high heat, an assassin and the son of a mafia boss fighting for their chance at love, and the HEA that everyone demanded.

REVIEW: ⟫ I was one of those people who read the first book in this series and felt bad for Jayce and Clay, so when I heard that the author was going to release a novella featuring the two of them, I was so here for it. And this did not disappoint. Set in a non-disclosed future, Clay is an assassin for the government who does whatever is needed in order to get the job done. Including putting himself into the position to have to handle a serious sexual assault – all in a day’s work. But then the giant mechanic that keeps watching puts himself in the middle, messing up Clay’s plans for getting close to the big boss and suddenly, all bets are off.

The tension between Clay and Jayce is palpable from the very beginning and getting to see what they are thinking through the dual POV is excellent for understanding just what the heck is going on. Jayce has memories – dreams of Clay – that have been going on for a very long time and just wants to figure out what the hell is going on. And maybe see if Clay could be the one person in the horrid existence he is living that can make it all worthwhile. Clay, on the other hand, is discovering that there are things about his past and himself that he has no memories of and Jayce just happens to be one of them.

Despite being a novella, the story doesn’t rush straight into a relationship between the two of them. Instead, it simmers in the background whilst the story of a son desperate to get out from underneath the thumb of his evil father and the government assassin who should be using said, unknown son in order to get to the father hurtles along with a sense of impending doom hanging over everything. The interactions between Clay and Jayce get more and more intense, and things throw us into meeting characters that we completely and utterly hate (I’m talking Nick here) as well as hopefully someone we’ll meet again (Rhys) and this story grabs you and doesn’t let go.

I’m beyond excited for the next instalment and really pleased that Clay and Jayce got the action and romance that they deserved. A very satisfying novella and I recommend giving this author a read!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Beyond Time by Lee McCormick (Beyond Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Beyond Time

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Beyond Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ SETH

I always thought my world would begin and end with Jayce Walker. When a sleep study offers us life-changing money, we jump at the opportunity. There’s only one I don’t have insomnia. Bluffing my way in is easy, but getting there and losing everything that’s ever mattered is a nightmare I can’t escape.

Jayce is gone. My only ally is a voice in my head named Clay, who insists the body walking around — the one I’ve known and loved my entire life — belongs to a man named Kade, and he only wants one thing.

To kill me.

KADE

Most people don’t get second chances, but I did. Brought back to life by a power-hungry company, I have one thought: I want revenge.

But... the man I’m chasing isn’t Clay. His name is Seth, and all my years of being a heartless, psychopathic killer never prepared me for the way his wide eyes make me feel. I don’t know how to deal with the emotions still knocking around in my chest that used to belong to someone named Jayce.

They make me question things. They make me wonder if my agenda has changed…

I want to make Seth mine.

~~~

BEYOND TIME is a dual POV dark romance with a twist on soulmates that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Prepare yourself for scorching heat, high emotions, and a psychopath who doesn’t know what to do with all the feelings he’s suddenly being forced to experience. Guaranteed HEA with a universe that’s wide open for exploration!

REVIEW: ⟫ Well, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for, but boy oh boy, this kicked 2024 off with a bang!

The premise is so simple and yet full of twists, turns and idiosyncrasies and the characters are fully fleshed out – even the ones that are not at the forefront of the story for long become real through memories and feelings. The idea of bringing back assassins from the past is absolutely genius, and Clay and Kade were the ultimate duo. Their first task is to take the other one out – to prove that they are worthy – but both men have a personal stake in things. After all, Clay killed Kade once already.

Add to that baby-tiger Seth and the depths to his character that could not have been expected, and this book is an absolute roller-coaster of a ride. It’s actually difficult to know who to root for – the ultimate bad boy who decides from one taste of Seth that they are meant to be, or Clay who simply wants to keep Seth safe. And then we have Seth, who seems to be drawn to the very person who wants to kill him! It’s a troubling one – unless you’re used to, and love, the whole concept of Psychos in love!

I really enjoyed this and am very pleased to see that it is the first in a series – I can only imagine where the author will take things from here and I am excited to see where this goes.

I received an ARC from GRR.