Lucky Strike (Share the Love Book 2)

I love scifi and I love Jane Davitt's writing, so I was very excited to start this story. Unfortunately, while I liked the plot - it was a fun and fast paced scifi, I also was more disappointed than not. I do not ever feel qualified to comment on the technical aspects of writing, but I just did not like the author's voice in this book. It was too mechanical for me I guess? And I read 99% of what she wrote with Alexa Snow and some of her solo works. And I always liked her voice before.Characters were likeable, but once again, they could have been so much more - I just felt that we were introduced to the sketches of something that could be instead of memorable, vivid portrayals. And do not get me started on the speed they fall for Lian - yeah there are some lines about love being fast and all that and in the action/adventure story I am usually more accepting, but I wanted to know more about what these brave guys who had been through so much together saw in Lian except feeling sorry for him.2.5 stars rounded to three.

Jake Slant, Captain of the Mama Rose, encounters Lian Paradine on his way back from a night out drinking after hearing the naive young man trying to procure passage to the planet Crestel from another captain. When the other captain refuses to take Lian through the impending Sentar meteor shower despite money being no object, Jake drukenly steps in and agrees to take Lian for a sizeable fee. Jake may be gruff and badass, but at heart he is a good man and knows that leaving Lian there will not end well for the increasingly desperate-sounding wealthy Crestel native. Intending to lift off the following morning, Jake takes Lian back to the ship and Jake’s first mate and lover, Rill.Rill is a nova, a genetically engineered human conceived in a lab to a client’s specific requirements. Designed to be physically perfect specimens, the majority of novas end up as pleasure workers in the sex industry. When his original buyer never collected him, Rill was sold off to a family who then on sold him into an underground child sex agency. Rill was working in an adult whorehouse when Jake met him, after having been released by his last owner when Rill became too old for the man’s tastes. Despite his horrid childhood, Rill has long since dealt with his past by the time of this story, although there are, of course, some remnant effects in his wariness of strangers and attitudes towards sex. That initial wariness Rill has of Lian quickly vanishes as the sweet young man somehow bypasses all of his barriers. And it isn’t only Rill’s defences that Lian gets under.The Paradines are the mega wealthy family that discovered the fuel that enabled current forms of space travel, amongst other technologies. Even though Lian grew up in wealth and privilege, his caring and considerate nature make him easy to love. Although reluctant to divulge his reasons for his haste to get home at first, Jake and Rill insist on the disclosure before heading anywhere. The betrayal that ended in Lian’s cousin’s death, and Lian’s discovery of it, catches all three men in a run for their lives as the murderer pursues them through the Sentar shower. Hopping from meteor to meteor in a twisted game of cat and mouse, the three men in the Mama Rose nevertheless find themselves drawn together. Lian’s innate sweetness and his ability to see straight to the hearts of the two men endear him to both of them. Jake and Rill’s relationship is strong, but when they meet Lian they find a space between them the exact shape and size of Lian, like he always belonged there. Of course, it’s not all as plain sailing as that, as they are forced to deal with the murderer intent on killing them and the rapidly developing feelings between the three of them.Lucky Strike was a fun, sexy, fast-paced page turner with three very likeable characters that were all well developed and nuanced. The writing was excellent and the story interesting. However, the story felt like it was just a touch underdeveloped to me. All the elements were there, but I was left feeling like each of them was slightly truncated. I would have liked to see more development in the relationship of the three MCs as well as know more about Lian’s family and the consequences of his return to Crestal. I did really enjoy how their personalities were starting to fit together with Jake’s strength, Lian’s sweetness and Rill’s sensible practicality. They each temper and strengthen the others and I liked how Jake and Rill bring Lian into their existing relationship. It felt organic, even with the short time frame the story took place in. It wasn’t all instantly easy, each of them had their doubts and insecurities as they tried to adjust to the new dynamics.

This sci-fi menage M/M/M adventure/thriller follows the uber-wealthy Lian Paradine on his flight to warn his family on Crestal that his cousin Palan is a murderer. Problem is, Lian his no ship and he's desperate to return to his home world before Palan can silence him, just as he'd killed his own brother.Jake Slade is an impetuous transport captain. He ferries cargo and people all over the galaxy aboard the Mama Rose and only cares to keep his lover and shipmate, Rill, happy. Rill is a Nova, a genetically-bred humanoid who (as most Nova have) has been a sex worker. He's beautiful, captivating, even, and Jake has had his hands full keeping Rill from the unwelcome advances of men and women, alike.They are a solid couple, who don't mind extra bedmates from time-to-time. Lian is so youthful and innocent, Rill is attracted to him and convinces Jake to take him on as a passenger.The big problem? Traveling to Crestal in the short time window before Palan arrives will put the Mama Rose into the heart of a meteor shower. Lian has the skill to navigate through the meteor shower, but he lacks the finesse to be a skillful third in Jake and Rill's bed...at first.This was an interesting sci-fi thriller. I really didn't see all the twists coming. Palan, naturally, follows the Mama Rose and the showdown is more touch-than-go. Just when we think Lian, Jake and Rill will make it to Crestal unharmed, well, the whole scheme gets blown sky-high.And Lian's family isn't so sure Palan did anything wrong. Nope, it looks quite a lot like LIAN has some serious 'splainin' to do.Good chemistry, good heat, and interesting characters really brought this one to life, for me. I enjoyed the sci-fi elements, and how each character brought more than his own desires to the table. Each man felt incredibly different, and increasingly likable.I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest review.