Dead Draw

A Marriage of Convenience Gay Romantic Suspense (Perfect Play, Book 1)

By: Layla Reyne

Narrated by: Christian Leatherman

When a marriage of convenience is the only play left…

Special Agent Emmitt Marshall knows how to: Wear a cowboy hat. Hack anything. Win at chess. Fall in love with emotionally unavailable men. He even knows the perfect play to catch the terrorists who killed his mentor.

Special Agent Levi Bishop doesn’t know how to: Move on after his wife’s death. Help his grieving son. Pay off his mountain of debt. Fix the mess some cowboy cyber agent made of his case. The same cowboy who proposes a marriage of convenience to stop a common enemy.

Marsh is either the answer to Levi’s prayers—or a handsome nightmare in a Stetson. Levi doesn’t know. But both men do know their cases and lives are at a dead draw. There’s only one play left… I do.

Dead Draw is the first book of the Perfect Play trilogy, a swoony, edge-of-your-seat M/M romantic suspense series featuring a cocky hacker with a heart of gold, a widowed father who needs so much help, and a plan only a cowboy could cook up. Grab your hat, hold tight to the reins, and enjoy the ride!

©2022 Layla Reyne (P)2024 Layla Reyne

Great start to a new series!

Christian Leatherman does an outstanding job of brining this story to life.
Layla Reyne has knocked it out of the park with Dead Draw, the first in the Perfect Play series.
I defy anyone to not fall in love with Marsh and Levi. These two are just so irresistable.

I loved the chemistry and connection they shared. Each wary of getting to involved. Both trying to keep things just business. That is impossible when they are so perfectly suited for each other.
The action and intrigue will keep you on the edge of your seat. This story will keep you guessing as you turn page after page.

It is the perfect blend of romance, intrigue, family and so much more.
I was left counting the days until I get the next installment in this series.
I'm hooked!

Slow Burn Romance

This story had a lot of twists which kept it interesting. The romance in this book took a while to get heated so if you like slow burn books this is it. Agent Bishop and Agent Marshall had so much pain in their life it took them a while to build that true romance. I love how this turned from a marriage for a job to the real deal. The narrator was easy to follow as far as switching characters which is a must when doing multi cast voices. I could have prob used a little more emotion but wasn’t bad over all. Layla did a great job writing plots that took you for a turn every step and packed a powerful heated romance at the end. I sooo need more of Emmit and Levi now that I had just a taste of their passion. Can’t wait for Bad Bishop to get released.

Great Listen!

This is the first book I read from this author. It was a good story. Two opposite FBI agents Marshall who seems to be a rebel hacker and likes to sometimes do things off the book and Levi who does things by the book. Marshall offers a struggling Levi a proposal, they get married so he could help Levi and also continue his investigation and Marshall will pay him so he could payoff some debts. It was a great, enjoyable story. I listened to the audio book and the narrator did a good job telling the story and giving the characters a voice.

"Cowboy up Agent Bishop!" - Emmitt Marshall

📖 Story comment: good pace, likeable characters, entertaining banter, interesting story.
I was intrigued with Marsh's character in Silent Knight and What We May Be and delighted to find out he was getting his own series. Dead Draw drops us straight into the action with Marsh trying to fix a mistake made on an FBI Op gone wrong by proposing a marriage of convenience (... not a fake marriage ...) to Levi, giving them a way to work together to "fix things" and solve both their cases - that's all by the end of chapter 2 and the action never stopped. 😁

Dead Draw ticks all my boxes. I'm finding as I'm getting older, I enjoy older characters and books that are more story and less se*y times with some real life struggles and a life that isn't perfect. Smart, intelligent, well written characters with great chemistry and amusing banter. The cases Marsh and Levi are working are complex and interesting and kept my attention from start to finish.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Draw so will forgive the "bit of a cliff-hanger" ending and look forward to the next instalment.

🎧 Narrator comment: My experiences with Christian Leatherman are limited to Silent Knight and What We May Be, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed and Dead Draw is another stellar performance. He suits the characters giving them each their own voice and personality, has good timing, inflections and intonations and brings all the life and emotion to the story for a completely immersive experience.

-------
📌 Where does it fall on my personal scale? solid 8 👍👍
• 1 not my thing • 2 didn't like the narration • 3 didn't keep my attention • 4 was good, but once was enough • 5 enjoyed it • 6 will listen again if i'm in the mood for the narrator [4⭐] • 7 goes on the "re-listen" list [4⭐] • 8 kept me up past bed-time [4.5⭐] • 9 recommended to family/friends [4.75⭐] • 10 own it in all formats [5⭐] • 11 keep a copy with me at all times [5⭐]
--------
⚠️ I received a review copy of this audiobook at my request, it has in no way influenced my review.
--------

Love Levi and Marsh!!!

Loved the story!  Lots of action, intrigue, complex plot and delightful romance!     Levi and Marsh are so awesome together, they are sweet, steamy and so powerful together.   

Loved the narration!!   I enjoyed how the narrator brought  Levi and Marsh to life for me!  

This is book one of the Perfect Play Series and it does end on a cliffhanger.  I am so looking forward to Bad Bishop, the second of this series.