Otherwise Occupied by Shay Savage

My thoughts

After having read Otherwise Alone, I’m intrigued if Evan Arden will be able to meet Lia in book two, Otherwise Occupied. This isn’t the first book I’ve read from this author, Shay Savage. Surviving Raine is my all-time favorite book and its sequel Bastian’s Storm will be always special to me. Seeing Bastian in a happy ending is the best way to conclude his story and knowing a kind of guy like him deserves his second chance.

Otherwise Occupied is about Evan Arden whose life revolves around his job and lives to please his mob boss, Moretti. He’s living in denial and crave for the companionship of a hooker, Brigitte, in return he gave her special attention. He doesn’t normally show care or concern with anyone except for Brigitte.

To avoid nightmares at night, he took Brigitte home to let her give him blowjob and allow her to sleep in his bed. That closeness, her smell and warmth of her body gives him peace of mind and nightmare-free at night. With someone beside him during the night, he could sleep. But then, his thoughts automatically wanders to that woman who unexpectedly arrived in his shack in the middle of the Arizona desert. Lia Antonio. As much as he wants to forget Lia, the thoughts of her and their lovemaking in that one lonely night in his shack kept coming back to him.

Reading about a hit man isn’t my first read. My first hit man was Cain, Killing Game by Felicity Heaton and it’s a novella. I’m not going to compare since they are different books although the heroes are both professional hit man. Both are hired to kill without remorse. My first hit man came from a rich family and isn’t even a broken guy. He isn’t even suffering from any emotional anxiety unlike Evan. He was just compelled to do the job because he ran away from home. He’s broke and needed the money to survive alone in New York. 

What I’m saying is that my experience reading Evan Arden who’s one heck of a damn Marine sniper, suffering from psychosis, tried to pretend that his life is normal and nothing is wrong with him. Just like normal people, we are a master of disguise. We pretend that we are fine but deep inside we are just like Evan.

Evan was having trouble with his PTSD. He’s in denial. He wants to feel nothing and deals with it with flying colours. But then, a person has his limitations. Everyone has their breaking point. He is like a balloon, when he can’t contain his thoughts and emotions he exploded big time, which is imminent for someone who is suffering from PTSD. The last part of the book, Evan frightens me and at the same time my heart weeps for him. I pity him because he has no one to care for him at the time he needed someone to be at his side. Odin was just lucky that at the last part Lia was there. Lia saw Evan broke down and being tugged down by a team of SWAT Team.

Otherwise Occupied isn’t an all-nighter book for me. I could go back to reading it without annoyance and remember the details even if I skipped from reading it in a day or two. If I was stoked with reading Surviving Raine series, Otherwise Occupied is still a book worth-reading but be prepared for some explicit sex scenes and violent killings.

Of course, I’m off to reading the third book, Otherwise Unharmed.

Ratings:       4 Stars

Bastian’s Storm

My Summary

Bastian and Raine are now living off in a condo in Miami near the beach. It was a truce they both agreed since Raine didn’t want to be reminded  her life in their own little island. For Raine it was hell, to him it was his heaven. The island is his own salvation; his paradise.

Everything she loved, I hated. Everything that frightened her, I loved.

After being rescued, Bastian has been struggling to control his anger and kept it securely locked somewhere in his control system so that he wouldn’t get into trouble  with Raine. At the same time,  he’s been fighting  to keep himself sober since they were rescued but the call of the alcohol in his body was always there inviting him; teasing him to get at least a sip. He knew he could control the urge but the talk he just had with Landon was weakening his resolve to stay sober. He needed the drink but he knew his relationship with Raine would end the minute he took that drink. He needed it but he couldn’t live without his Raine.

But then being out of the mob doesn’t mean you’re really out. Leaving is not an option once you are part of it. He knew that at the back of his mind but still believe he could get out of their control. Bastian has no choice but to go and fight again this time for Raine and his son, Alex. After learning from Landon that he has a son and the boy’s under Franks custody tightened his resolved to accept the fight leaving him no option. This is the fight he wanted most to win. He knew the cycle  would never end. Landon would always ask for a favor and would always assure him that he will be released after he won the tournament but not really. He knew that his family – the family that he never had – will always be used as pawn against him and to push him to do their bidding.  He knew he must kill Franks including Landon, his father figure.

My curiosity was pricked by Evan Arden, the guy representing  Moretti in the tournament. He is an ex-Marine sniper and Bastian’s  best contender in the tournament. Bastian knows  little about him; and the more he needed to be cautious.

The twist was a surprise for me. Although I am tempted to give out some spoilers, this time I wouldn’t give in.

My Review

I’ve been putting this off for a while not because I don’t like it. I’m a bit afraid that this book may not outdo its first installment.  Surviving Raine is my all time favorite and being disappointed in book two is like a disaster I would like to avoid as much as possible.

What I love most other than Bastian is his son, Alex. Physically,  Alex was a copy cat of Bastian. He’s cute and adorable. Seeing the boy  is like watching himself in that same age he was. Seeing his mannerisms from the boy melts his warrior heart.

Always the sex scenes are smoking hot. it always makes me wish to be in Raine’s place for once. That It was me humping Bastian. Lol. Nothing has changed. Their love for each other was stronger than before. Raine is always there for him even if he’s grumpy all the time.

I like how Bastian love Raine. His love for Raine is a woman’s dream to have that kind of man beside her. RAINE HERE is extraordinary. How she put up with Bastian’s behavior whenever he is being overly grumpy around her friends has shown her maturity to understand him and keep their relationship strong and intact.

The action scenes are bloody but on a tolerable level.

There are two things that annoyed me. One Lindsay; two, the book cover.

Lindsay is insensitive and childish for bringing in and drinking wine while Sebastian had been struggling for a while to keep himself sober. It’s rude to bring in wine when it’s not even her house; much more inviting someone to ask a toss and drink iced tea instead. If I would be in his shoes, I would be insulted.

Two, I agree with some reviewers. The book cover needs revision. Really. There’s no way I pictured Bastian would look  that way.

Other than these two I find the book worth reading. If like me you’re really into Bastian there’s no way that you shouldn’t pass on this. It’s a must read. Though I love more Surviving Raine, Bastian’s Storm will be always be special to me. Seeing him have his own happy ending this time is a bliss for me.

★★★★ stars