I was pretty excited going into Variable Onset. This author is a fave of mine for romantic suspense novels with her interesting, likable characters, unique plots and twists, and great action sequences. Add in a May-December romance and a fake relationship, and I’m already hooked. While Variable Onset did have many of the hallmarks of a great romantic suspense, I was more on the fence than I expected.

Miss Reyne writes great characters and Lincoln and Carter were no exception. I liked both men, found their personal stories interesting, and absolutely loved their dynamic and banter. I also really liked the existing underlying sexual tension that was immediately apparent. Unfortunately, the romance felt off and a little underdeveloped. Although a slow burn in this situation made complete sense, it felt like there were a lot of false starts. The existing attraction and chemistry from the past resurfaced when these two are paired together for a case, and I was fully onboard. I expected it to slowly develop from there but it took a different path, intensifying surprisingly fast considering the men never had much beyond the initial attraction years ago. Then, just as quickly, that flame was dwarfed by the case. While I got why things were put on the back burner, I never really got to see any development on page nor did I get much time to see these two as a couple toward the end and it just left me underwhelmed on the romantic front.

Suspense and mystery wise I did enjoy the way this story came together. Variable Onset ended up being more scientific study, mystery based versus fast-paced action, but it was a nice change of pace with some good reveals and red herrings that kept my attention all the way through. Overall I’d consider Variable Onset a good suspense story that uses a fun fake relationship trope and has great banter between characters. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy more casual mystery and suspense versus thrillers, but it’s not one I’d point to when someone asks for a top choice for romantic suspense with good angst and action (that would be this author’s other works).

I absolutely LOVED this book! The chemistry between the two MCs was EXACTLY what you want in a romantic suspense. I reviewed this book for Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and gave it a B. Highly recommend this book!

solving serial murder cases takes a special set of skills. first, there is connecting the cases. then there's establishing the pattern. in variable onset, the re-emergence of serial killer dr. fear, has forensic genetics expert lincoln monroe hoping to be at least consulted.

to his surprise, he's put on the field. and then he learns that his partner is none other than his former student carter warren. and that makes things complicated. carter has his reasons for wanting lincoln there, some of the related to the case, others relating to an inconvenient fascination with his former professor.

but undercover and pretending to be a couple while seeking to find a serial killer doesn't make for the most romantic meet cute, it works for these two. the sparks between them fly, and the way they work together complements them perfectly.

**variable onset will publish on may 4, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

Based on the synopsis I really wanted to love this book., and I tried. I’m sure many will love this however I did not connect with these characters. The pacing of the book was stilted one my opinion and reading it did not keep my attention.

I will not be sharing my opinion in a review outside of NetGalley.

3.5 stars

I wasn't sure if this was a 3 or 4 star book for me. I like this author, but something about the storytelling bothered me. I kept having to re-read sections to see who was speaking or which POV it was. There were also some unexpected jumps, either in time, viewpoint, or actions, that maybe were supposed to be startling or suspenseful, but were just confusing. I also expected a bit more worry and activity if the FBI was working on such a short timeline to find the victims. Again, I was confused at various points throughout. But, on the good side, I liked both Lincoln and Carter; the author does a nice job with their relationship; she has good information on how they figure things out; and it is well-written with only a few proofreading issues in the ARC.

To summarize, maybe it was just me. I do like this author so would read more by her.

Variable Onset was romantic suspense done right. The heat between the characters didn’t overshadow the mystery, and the mystery didn’t outshine the romance. Both were equally matched.

There were a few problems too, such as how it felt like Lincoln and Carter were mostly just stumbling onto the clues, not necessarily that they were sleuthing them out.

Sill, I’m a fan. I can’t stop requesting Layla Reyne. I know I’ll be back.

This was a great balance of mystery and romance. Often times you have mysteries with a touch of romance or romance with a touch of mystery, but this managed to keep them both moving side-by-side. The characters are fun and the mystery intriguing.

Professor Lincoln Monroe teaches at Quantico. Once a field agent, he settled into the role of professor when he became a father. While the marriage didn’t last, ending with an amicable divorce, he never did return to the field—until now that is. Eight years ago, Carter Warren was a student in his class; one he never forgot. When approached to help aid in the apprehension of one of FBI’s Most Wanted, Lincoln ends up reuniting with Carter to work as his partner in the case.

Is this a queer romance book nestled in a crime thriller? Yes friends it is.

There is a serial killer at large dubbed Dr. Fear. This is, well, cheesy I know but also a title I can imagine the media actually using for a killer whose MO is forcing his victims to die in a method related to what they fear the most.

This book took me back to the time when I used to watch the Hannibal TV series. A crime drama frought with just as much sexual tension as this book has. It’s mystery thriller with a slow burn romance embedded within it and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here was a wonderful little surprise that stabbed me in my trope loving heart. You see, when Lincoln agrees to join the case what he didn’t fully expect was to be going undercover as a married couple with Carter. Yes, absolutely yes.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carina Press, and Layla Reyne for a copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading mystery and suspense. There was a time when that was the only genre I read, but then came romance and MM romance and I was hooked... Layla Reyne gives me a combination of all and I really appreciate that ;)

Now let me start off by saying that this is a mystery/suspense first...all the rest takes a backseat in this story but that doesn't mean it is less important. It is not a hearts and flowers book though, so don't expect too much on the love and kisses front. Though there are kisses....

While the suspense builds, so does the sexual tension between Lincoln and Carter.

The slow build was extremely slow in this one and even with my love for all the mystery, I have to admit I could have done with a bit more romance...

Still, it kept me on the edge of my seat and I was utterly captivated...

If you are a fan of the mystery/suspense genre and you don't mind the romance taking a backseat, then you should really give this one a go.

A slow-burn mystery romance that has two FBI agents hunting a serial killer. Lincoln and Carter are paired together to catch two killers. The book will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish trying to figure out who the killer is. Carter and Lincoln's romance is suspenseful, romantic, age -gap and they are hot together. Layla Reyne never disappoints and this done didn't either.

This was a slow burn, suspenseful ride. Both Lincoln and Carter were well written with distinctive voices. I was here for their chemistry and mutual trust and respect.

I was pretty sure I knew who the bad guy was and I ended up being right, but that doesn't bother me. If you know me you know that I am not about suspense. I like to know whodunit and I may *cough* read the end of the book so I know what I am in for. I didn't do it for this one, but I have no qualms with doing it. LOL

Look. I read the blurb. It said that two dudes who happen to be into each other have to go undercover as a couple to catch a serial killer. I didn't expect high levels of gritty realism. I just wanted some fun...but I didn't get it because there's "low levels of realism" and there's "nobody thought for more than 0.2 seconds if the circumstances used to have the characters fake-makeout make even a tiny bit of sense".

The serial killer they are hunting targets couples. He abducts them, does nasty serial killer things to them for a while and then kills them after a certain amount of time. He's taken another couple and they estimate that they have another 30 hours so...they decide to pretend to be a couple in the hope that the serial killer targets them. After killing the other couple presumably because from the way he's described I did get the impression that setting up the special serial killer playground that is specifically targeted for each victim is going to need time. Besides...the couple that's currently missing is a straight couple and the previous victims we hear about were straight as well, so wouldn't it be better to try this undercover routine with one as well? Just in case the killer has a type?

Additionally, Lincoln, one half of the couple, hasn't been in the field in years (he teaches) and gets now thrown into it again, when what he seems to actually need is therapy...more than any of the characters on Criminal Minds and both of these grown men who went through the FBI academy can't stop thinking about their nether regions for long and get a hard-on every time they get into the personal space of the other dude because deep down (hihihi) they're still teenagers.

And the writing style was just...dull. Everything gets overexplained and the voices of the two were indistinguishable.

Oh, this is definitely a mystery to work the mind and a relationship to pull on your emotions. It's a slow burn romance as FBI agents Carter and Lincoln go undercover as a married couple to lure out a serial killer who targets those and tortures them with their fears.
This is a really well written story. The methods of investigation for how and what they search for to narrow the suspect pool are very interesting. Things can go a bit in depth and technical for a couple of moments and it makes you think about what they're saying and doing. I like that the case takes the front seat to the MC's relationship as everything slowly amps up as more people are hurt and the case becomes more entangled.
Carter and Lincoln are quite different characters but they work so well together. There's a history there from when Lincoln was Carter's teacher at the FBI academy, tension built as they were attracted to each other but was never acted on. Now that they are in close quarters with each other, there's no denying how they feel and how their connection is getting stronger by the day. They have an intense undercurrent throughout with a chemistry that's easily noticeable from the first time they're together on the case.
I love the plot and the mystery and the relationship is entertaining. I was gripped right from the start and loved all of the people involved, both with the case and in the private lives of the MC's. It's a great cast of characters, especially the towns people that welcome Carter and Lincoln, even with some of them unknowingly under suspicion. Definitely a recommended read!
I received an ARC via NetGalley and am happily giving a review.

*~~*ARC kindly provided from the publisher/author to me for an honest review *~~*

Full review to come

5 stars

Layla Reyne is an author who can be a bit hit and miss for me, yet something about her writing keeps me coming back to her books.  I thoroughly enjoyed her début series, (<strong><em>Agents Irish and Whiskey</em></strong>) but was less enthusiastic about the follow up (<strong><em>Trouble Brewing</em></strong>), even though I liked the characters and most of the plotlines. In fact, there are a lot of things I like about her books – likeable characters, complex plots, snappy dialogue and steamy love scenes, plus Ms. Reyne’s ability to write movie-style action scenes is impressive.  All those ingredients were there in her last couple of series, but they didn’t seem to gel quite as well as before.

So I’m really pleased to report that her latest novel, <strong>Variable Onset,</strong> turned out to be a welcome return to form.  It’s a standalone, and is one of her best books to date, containing a well-executed, complex plot and two fully fleshed-out leads whose romance unfolds at a pace that allows the author to properly develop the chemistry between them and really build the UST.

The story revolves around the hunt for a serial killer who has managed to evade capture for decades.  The notorious Dr. Fear preys on couples, kidnapping and torturing them, preying on their deepest fears (fire, claustrophobia, drowning…) until the victim begs for death – and then repeats the torture with the second victim. The killer strikes in cycles and goes to ground after each one; now it seems that they may have just become active again and for the first time, the FBI may have a clue as to where this person might be.

Special Agent Lincoln Monroe has been with the FBI for fifteen years, the last ten of them at Quantico, where he teaches courses in forensic science.  He loves what he does, but his specialty in forensic genealogy has seen him being pulled into more and more active investigations recently.  Field work doesn’t really play to his strengths, but when he learns Dr. Fear appears to have embarked upon his next killing cycle, he immediately accedes to his boss’ request for help on the case.  Even more bad news awaits however; the latest couple to have been abducted are the daughter of Lincoln’s former mentor (who was the last agent to have tracked Dr. Fear) and her fiancé.  If the killer remains true to form, they have less than forty eight hours to find them alive.

It’s truly a race against time, and Lincoln makes his way to the small town of Apex, Virginia, to meet with the agent he’ll partner in their search for the couple and the killer. In his rush to get underway, Lincoln wasn’t even told the agent’s name – and the last thing he expects is to arrive at his new ‘home’ to find a party in full swing. Even more unexpected, the door is opened by Carter Warren, a former student – the trainee of his nightmares, and of the occasional fantasy – who drags him inside, presses a wedding ring into his hand and immediately introduces him around as Professor Lincoln Polk, the new university librarian – and his new husband.

Carter had a huge crush on Lincoln back when he was at the academy, and thinks his geeky professor has grown even hotter with age. He wanted Lincoln on the case because he’s the Bureau’s resident expert on Dr. Fear and created their cover as a couple in the belief that it might draw them out – but is also determined not to pass up the chance to broaden his working partnership with Lincoln into something more.

The suspense plot is clever, twisty and dark as Lincoln and Carter realise that not only is Dr. Fear killing again, but they’ve got a copycat to deal with as well – whom Dr. Fear seems to want them to catch. Suspects and red herrings abound but clues don’t – and even when one does surface, it seems to offer more questions than answers, and I changed my mind about the identity of the villain several times. Layla Reyne’s research is always impeccable, and her forays into investigative detail are fascinating; plus she does a great job evoking the small college town atmosphere and of fleshing out the secondary characters.

The two leads are strongly characterised and three dimensional, and their slow-burn relationship is full of crackling sexual tension. Lincoln is in his early forties and co-parents his teenaged daughter with his ex-wife (who he counts as one of his best friends). He’s meticulous, dedicated and a bit prickly, his daughter is the most important person in his life and he’s cautious about relationships, having been burned in the past, but can’t deny the pull he feels towards Carter – has felt since the first time they met eight years earlier. Back then, Carter was an aggravating smartarse – and one of Lincoln’s brightest students. Too smart, too cocky, too flirtatious and too damn attractive for his own good, he was exactly the sort of trouble Lincoln didn’t need, and not much of that has changed in the last eight years. Or that’s what Lincoln believes at first. Quickly he comes to see that while Carter is still gorgeous, talented and outgoing, he’s also kind, highly competent and clever, and that they’re a good fit, both professionally and personally.

Variable Onset is a terrific read – a fast-paced, suspenseful mystery combined with a sexy, slow-burn romance that is just right for this particular story. I liked how the fake relationship adds to the romantic tension with both men wondering whether their growing feelings are due to their enforced proximity or something more; it’s not an uncommon trope, but I liked the way it was handled here. I would perhaps have liked to see a little more of Carter and Lincoln’s togetherness at the end of the book, but ultimately I’m happy with the way things played out between them. I did, however have a couple of issues with the plot; one, I found the resolution of the main Dr. Fear plotline a little clumsy and two, I’d have liked a little more time spent on the personal quest that led to Carter’s being in Apex in the first place.

But none of those issues affected my enjoyment of the book one whit. I’m sure Ms. Reyne’s many fans will enjoy it, and if you haven’t read anything of hers before, this would be a great jumping-in point. Carter and Lincoln are engaging, relatable characters, and I’ll be at the front of the queue if Ms. Reyne decides she’s got more of their stories to tell.

4.5 stars / B+

Overall I really enjoyed this enjoyable mystery and romance. I loved the idea of the former student (now FBI agent) who was and still is not for his former FBI professor. These two were interesting and the UST was fabulous! The town was also really interesting with lots of secondary characters that stood out (although sometimes I had to recheck who was who since there were so many).

I enjoy Layla Reyne's action/mystery books a lot and this was no different however I do have to say that there were a few things that confused me. I still don't understand how they knew that the killer probably had early onset of gray hair or any other genetic abnormality. The science was interesting but I just didn't understand how they reached their conclusions. The copycat killer and his motivations could have been explained in more detail as well. His motivations were murky to say the least. I like the CSi aspects and the police procedural I just wanted to understand the logic and the reasons they came to their conclusions better than I did.

However, despite that I really enjoyed this story and these two characters. I liked the town and I liked the action/mystery. I'm definitely hoping we get more from these two and the crazy town they were in.

Back in the romantic suspense discussion we aired in "Big Gay Fiction Podcast" episode 217, Layla Reyne talked about a book she was working on that included a forensic genealogist. That book is here with Variable Onset. You all know I’m a big fan of Layla’s brand of romantic suspense and she’s knocked it out of the park again with this story of second chance, fake relationship romance set with the backdrop of catching a notorious serial killer.

We get introduced to forensic genealogist Lincoln Monroe and his field of expertise right away as he’s teaching a class at Quantico. I loved this dual look at both Lincoln–a bisexual agent who divorced, with a teen daughter and who has been out of the field for a few years preferring now to teach–and his specialty. The art of looking for details to pin down facts was fascinating, such as looking at elements in a picture to help determine when it was taken, intrigued me throughout the book.

FBI Director Beverly arrives though to put him back in the field. Dr. Fear, a killer who “diagnosis” his subject’s fear and then kills them using that fear, is back and has taken the family of a senator Oliver Kirk, a former FBI agent who’d previously worked on the case. His partner ends up being a former Quantico student who made him bristle–Carter Warren. Of course, these two were attracted to each other back then and that adds layers of baggage for them now.

From the get go, I loved everything about Lincoln and Carter. From the minute Lincoln arrives in Apex to begin the assignment and discovers the house he’s sharing with Cater to discover a house warming party with most of the town in attendance. Lincoln finds out as he walks in the front door the cover that he can Carter are married. It’s hilarious but also touching because there’s an instant spark restored to these guys as they have to play the part…and man do they sell it.

They’ve got a lot of work to do. Dr. Fear always operates on a schedule and that means time’s a tickin’ to recover the senator’s family. But there’s more going on too. Carter is looking for information about his parents. He knows he’s adopted and he’s discovered over the years that it appears his parents were killed near Apex. On top of it all, it’s looking possible that Dr. Fear has lured them both to be his victims.

To find out what’s happening, Lincoln goes to work in the archives at the local university’s library and Carter is in at the local police department as a trainer. It puts them right where they need to be and they’re only helped more because the entire town has fallen in love with them and their cover story.

The investigation had me hooked from the beginning. Layla does a great job of showing the investigation and showing what Lincoln and Carter are doing to track down the killer through years of archives and trying to talk to townsfolks without tipping their hand was fascinating. There’s a perfect balance between the ins and outs of the forensics, the suspense and associated action and the romance.

And oh the romance… That fake relationship they started with grew and grew over the days they were in Apex. They went from kisses and touches that were necessary for the cover to comforting each other after stressful days and that might lead to more kissing. Since they were living together for the sake of that cover, it made it easy for them to grow the romance.

The Dr. Fear case certainly took its toll on them to wrap it up, which of course I’m not going to spoil here. As is often the case with Layla, I stressed in the final act of the book wondering how on earth this was going to wrap up and end in an HEA. Of course it did and it was wonderful.

I loved everything about Variable Onset, from the core romance to the case that had to be solved, the citizens of Apex, Lincoln’s family and everything else. While this is released as a standalone, I really hope that someone we get to revisit Carter and Lincoln and honestly the realm of forensic genealogy because I enjoyed all of it!

Between the complex, thrilling mystery and the seriously hot, slow-burn romance, Layla Reyne’s Variable Onset is one amazing ride! Cover to cover, Ms. Reyne held me spellbound with the steadily mounting tension and all the twists and turns this story takes. Variable Onset is brilliantly written, and I loved it!

Catching the serial killer and solving the mystery take the front seat in this exciting story, but there’s enough unresolved sexual tension between the main characters that the romance is never far from the surface. Their mutual attraction is intense, and Ms. Reyne keeps it up throughout the entire novel.

FBI Agent Lincoln Monroe is a happily divorced father of a teenager, and content teaching forensic genealogy in his Quantico classroom. It’s been years since he’s worked in the field, but when the daughter of his highly revered mentor is kidnapped, Lincoln steps up and agrees to go undercover and help solve the case. At the top of his list of issues (and he’s got a few): his partner-to-be is his most annoying (but incredibly gorgeous) former student, Special Agent Carter Warren.

Still crushing on his former professor, Carter has carried a torch for Lincoln for the past eight years. Needing a cover for the mission, Carter seizes his chance and slips a wedding ring on Lincoln’s finger! It’s the fake relationship trope, and this one’s a real delight. Layla Reyne clearly had so much fun with it, and I love seeing these two men dance around each other. Their chemistry is amazing, and Variable Onset is a superb romance.

The suspense builds steadily as Lincoln and Carter work their way through the clues to solve the mystery. After all, the clock is ticking! It’s a clever story, with the creepy serial killer and their copy-cat. Plus, there’s a bonus of wonderful descriptions of this charming college town, filled with intriguing characters and some very interesting goings-on within the community.

I’ve just discovered Layla Reyne’s amazing stories, and I can’t wait to see what this talented author comes up with next. I know Variable Onset is billed as a standalone novel, but I'd sure love to see Lincoln and Carter tackle some more mysteries. I’m keeping my fingers crossed this is the start of a fantastic new series.

VARIABLE ONSET is the less steamy standalone of fake-husbands, age-gap, slow-burn romance from Layla Reyne, in teacher reunited with former student kind of story. The sparks between leading men already happened some years ago off page and the book followed their reunion while under cover over a case.

While I liked L and Carter enough, something felt slightly off throughout the story. After years of not seeing one another, their quick and easy rapport - not to mention the snarky back and forth between them - were the source of amusement yet struck me as too casual. Especially taking into account the weight of the case they were handling and basically without backup nearby initially. This had me musing that the pair was either too confident, reckless, or both.

That said, I did enjoy following the faceted scores the agents facing, both in personal and professional front. The bunch of side characters played as distraction (and frankly felt like only serve the purpose as potential suspects to muddy the water) as well as lend the charming small town vibes to the story. I wasn’t too keen on the way the main case handled in the end, too. Those who loved dramatization may eat the sequence up - me, not so much. I expected more from two supposedly skilled and seasoned agents than their spur of the moment proceedings. Also, wth with LEOs trying to recruit someone into a triad while working on active case? I mean, really?? Equal opportunity was fine and dandy, but the timing... really??

Dissents aside, The silver-linings came in the form of L’s close circle. I love L’s family, especially how great his relationship was with his ex wife (this getting more and more common in books I read - less unnecessary drama or A-hole exes - which I approve). That L’a bisexuality also wasn’t treated as an issue - either with his family or Carter - was also a plus. To be fair, I did find VARIABLE ONSET enjoyable in general, just not as much as I thought I would.


Copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another amazing story by author Layla Reyne. Filled with all the best tropes, Variable Onset had all the prickly snark, tender moments, and heart-stopping action one could ask for. Both Carter and Lincoln are genuine, flawed individuals who fit together in a way that makes you root for them from the beginning and the final resolution of their journey was so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes. There's minimal angst between the main characters, but the external plot provides enough conflict to keep the pages turning. I had my suspicions about the guilty party from the first time we saw them, but the mystery was moved forward with such skill that I wasn't sure of them until the final reveal. Although there is minimal heat in this book, the tension between Carter and Lincoln is so high that I didn't realize until the love scene at the end that there hadn't been any others!