No Love Lost

4.5 stars--NO LOVE LOST is the fifth and final Instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES: THE FORGOTTEN erotic, BDSM, romantic suspense series focusing on six former military soldiers (Jax, Dante, Sasha, Tucker, Owen, Robert and Ezra/Beck) whose minds and lives were eradicated and erased by a secret, unauthorized military experiment. This is former CIA operatives Kimberly ‘Solo’ Solomon, and Ezra Fain aka Beckett Kent’s story line. NO LOVE LOST should not be read as a stand alone as the story line has been building throughout the series. THE FORGOTTEN is a spin off from the author’s Masters and Mercenaries series; several characters from the aforementioned series as well as the Nights in Bliss, Colorado and Texas Sirens series cross over for familiarity. NOTE: If you have not read Lexi Blake’s original Masters and Mercenaries series, their may be some confusion as it pertains to the Lost Boys and their backstory. WARNING: There are some BDSM scenes as well as Dom/sub sexual scenarios. SOME BACKGROUND: Several months (years) earlier, the mercenaries from the McKay-Taggart Black Ops group rescued, from an unauthorized military lab, run by Dr. Hope McDonald, six men they labelled the ‘Lost Boys’. With their memories wiped clean, no ID, and no traceable DNA, the Lost Boys were essentially ‘new born’ soldiers trained to kill and destroy. The Forgotten are their stories. Told from third person perspectives, covering several years beyond the present, NO LOVE LOST focuses on the acrimonious and caustic relationship between former CIA operatives, former lovers, and the now divorced couple Kimberly ‘Solo’ Solomon, and Ezra Fain aka Beckett Kent. Divorced for years, our couple struggled with the reality that the fine line between love and hate goes a long way when Beck continues to blame Solo for the death of his brother but Levi Greene, a common enemy who has set his sights on our story line heroine, will pull Beck back into Kimberly’s life but in doing so Beck’s anger and pain would push her away one last time. Fast forward seven years wherein the team at McKay Taggart will discover Solo’s whereabouts but in doing so will inadvertently threaten everyone Kimberly loves. What ensues is the rebuilding but tempestuous on again, off again relationship between Beck and Kim, and the fall-out as too many lies and secrets, once again, threaten the fragile hold on trust and love . Beckett Kent aka Ezra Fain is a man with a temper who lashes out at the woman he loves. Issues of trust, miscommunication, words said in anger and haste between the couple add fuel to an already simmering pain. As Solo struggles with her need for a man who pushes all of her buttons, the enemy is biding his time in an effort to destroy Beckett and Kim. The relationship between Beckett and Kim is a second chance relationship that has been burned one too many times. Beckett blames Kim for the loss of his brother but it will be the secrets and lies that will push Becket over the edge. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense with some light BDSM, Dom/sub and spanking scenarios. There is a large ensemble cast of familiar, colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including several of the author’s previously mentioned series. The timeline of NO LOVE LOST jumps approximately seven years wherein the author is setting the stage for her next spin off: Masters and Mercenaries-Reloaded. NO LOVE LOST is the culmination of five interwoven storylines about The Forgotten-a group of men who lost their lives, their minds, their family and respect; a detailed story of family and friendships; betrayal and vengeance; secrets and lies; love, loss, and forgiveness. The premise is emotional and engaging; the romance is heart breaking yet seductive; the characters are struggling to find a place in the world.

With certain authors I know I am going to probably need tissues nearby when I read their stories. Usually with any story written by Lexi Blake, I yell, am incredulous when it comes to what she does to some of her characters, and in some cases, ready to throw the book across the room. In No Love Lost, Lexi Blake takes us on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and her characters are along for the ride. Without giving anything away, buckle up and get ready for Solo and Ezra's ride. Oh, make sure you have some tissues on hand.

5 Star Review of No Love Lost (Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten #5) by Lexi Blake I have been waiting not so patiently for Ezra Fain and Kim (Solo) Soloman’s story and oh what a story it was. Have you ever anticipated a book so much, that you didn’t want to start reading because you knew that when it was finished the series would be ended? That is the position I found myself in reading No Love Lost. For fear of accidentally letting something slip, this will be a brief review. All I will say is that this is Lexi Blake at her finest, she certainly saved the best for last. This was one heck of a roller coaster of a read and I admit to tears, so have the tissues on stand-by. A fitting ending to what has been an amazing series. No Love Lost is a fast paced story filled with suspense, danger, intrigue and emotions that had me on the edge of my seat. Lexi Blake had me fully invested from the first chapter to the last and I highly recommend this book.