ARC REVIEW Spectre by Shiloh Walker

Yay! Reading Shiloh Walker makes me happy. Spectre is a stand alone, although I do hope Tia's brother will get his own story eventually, told in the third person but switches focus between Tia and Meric. I love the characters in this book. Meric "Spectre" was raised to be a killer, his father was ruthless and if Meric hadn't of killed him at the age of 14 Meric would be a soulless and ruthless as his father. Sarge found him shortly after and saved Meric and while Meric still grew up to be an assassin Sarge fine tuned his skills and taught Meric to trust and have morals and rules. Even after Sarge died Meric never strayed from his own rules so when Boston mob boss and leader of a white slavery ring offers him a job to kill the sister of the cop who busted his brother Meric knows he's not going to take the job band unless he does does something someone else will.

Tia had a difficult childhood with a irrational mother who hated her and after she died was left to an Aunt who clearly hated her too. Tia always knew she was different from everyone else and everyone else made it clear she wasn't "normal". It wasn't until she was older that she was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, Aspergers. It took Tia a while to find her "normal" but she likes her life now with her best friend and her brother, even though he lives in another state, and her job teaching painting to kids who are just like her.

Spectre knows the only way to keep Tia safe is to remove her from the playing field; after all you can't kill what you can't find so he kidnaps her. But he was smart enough and observant enough to realize the transition and move would be easier for her with familiar things so he brings her dog, and art supplies and with how organized she is it was easy to pack clothes and toiletries. I love that he cared enough to do this that he understood that it mattered. Tia is scared and confused at first but when Spectre explains to her what's happening and when she gets proof she's more cooperative. I love that they are both blunt they are straight forward with their emotions and fears their was no whining and hemming and hawing, and I love Meric's solution.

Overall, this was a great read. The action is intense and the romance is hot, with some light bondage play. The story as a whole was fantastic, I love Shiloh Walker's writing she writes and I completely become immersed in the story and invested in the characters. If you are new to Shiloh Walker she does tend to get graphic, one reason I love her, as the Warning that is attached to the blurb says Warning: This isn’t a snuggly, comfy read. The male MC is a hired killer, while the heroine is neuro-atypical. Some dark material is involved—the hero kidnaps the heroine. There’s also violence when he goes on a rampage against those who put a contract on her. Also references of abuse (not against the heroine). Also very graphic, erotic scenes with minor bondage play.