Bad Bishop (Perfect Play book 2) by Layla Reyne

Bad Bishop is the second entry into Layla Reyne's Perfect Play action and suspense series. A marriage of convenience that has turned into more and an investigation that has Levi and Marsh traveling to international shores. Can Levi convince Marsh that they can have a real relationship while pursuing the bad guys, dodging danger and keeping his family safe?

From the blurb:

When a marriage of convenience becomes more than either husband bargained for…

Special Agent Levi Bishop needs to:

Keep his son and family safe.

Prove his boss was framed for a crime she didn’t commit.

Convince his selfless cowboy husband that his needs matter too.

Make a bold play before love slips through his fingers.

Special Agent Emmitt Marshall needs to:

Protect his husband and stepson.

End the nightmare that’s haunted him since his mentor’s murder.

Hack through layers of deception to identify the real threat.

Stop hoping someone will choose him.

Marsh is determined to go it alone, to guard his family and his heart.

But Levi’s life and heart are on the line too.

Cornered, Levi will chance any play to save the marriage and man he needs.

Rings were exchanged and promises made.

Marsh kept up his end of the bargain.

Now it’s Levi’s turn.

Bad Bishop is the second book of the Perfect Play trilogy, a swoony, edge-of-your-seat M/M romantic suspense series featuring a marriage of convenience between two FBI agents determined to stop a common enemy—and to do right by each other.

Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's Review:

When I say things are heating up in this marriage of convenience between everyone's favorite cowboy Marsh and single dad Levi Bishop, I mean it. At the start when these men entered into this deal neither expected to find exactly what they'd been looking for in one another. Marsh wants a family, people he can protect and care for. People who will stick by him and never leave. Levi is a widower. He wants stability for himself and his teenage son David. They both find this in Marsh.

"I will have your back, however I can do that, however you need me to, and I will give you a home and a heart to come home to. I promise I won't leave you."

I loved seeing Marsh slowly come to believe Levi when he said he was in it for the long haul. There is so much uncertainty surrounding their investigation, but none of that bleeds into Levi's convictions. He wants Marsh and not just for right now. My heart hurt for Marsh's vulnerability when it comes to relationships. How could anyone not love that big lug. Levi certainly found it impossible.

A lot of headway is made on the case, but it's not over yet! Secrets are revealed and by the end I was left with even more questions about who the major players really are. I'd even go so far as to say this one closed out with a soft cliffhanger. Definitely enough that I was taken by surprise at where we were left. The final book in this trilogy can't come out soon enough!

Rating: 5 Stars

SNik's Review:

Second in series (Perfect Play), must be read in order. Action/suspense. Established couple. Found family. 

After being suspended from the FBI, Levi and Marsh retreat to Marsh’s childhood home in Texas with Levi’s son David and a host of supportive friends that are recruited to help bring down the trafficking organization that tried to kill them. 

This part of Levi and Marsh’s story focuses on furthering their relationship as Levi is fully committed to making their marriage of convenience one that is real and he has to convince Marsh to give up his doubts and trust their feelings. 

I loved that there were more steamy interactions between Levi and Marsh and that Levi bravely communicates his intentions as well as includes his son David in his plans to move forward with Marsh. 

There are a ton of cameos from some favorite past characters from the author’s previous books, and Marsh’s friends are supportive and readily welcome Levi into their close circle. 

International travel, chess references, more intrigue and action, with plenty of affection and growing feelings between Levi and Marsh made this an entertaining and swoony read. 

Really don’t want to wait for the third book finale (but wait I must), and as with the first book there is a soft cliffhanger and HFN.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Tatted_book_freak's Review:

The intensity continues with the trafficking case, making leeway, slowly getting closer to making arrests, closing a tiresome and dangerous case, plus our favorite, deserving couple finding their HEA ending.  Not to mention, their bedroom tactics heating up to a combustible level! 

“ℕ𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕀 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕗𝕥 𝕋𝕖𝕩𝕒𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕕. 𝕀 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦. 𝕀 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕞𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕕.”

The development Marsh and Levi continue to make with their “marriage of convenience”, if you can even call it that anymore, is what makes this story that much more exciting. Their feelings continue to escalate to “dangerous” territory, mixed with Marsh’s continuous hesitancy of “deserving” love, pulled out my heart and broke it into a million pieces. 

“ℕ𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕠’𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕕 𝔹𝕚𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕡?”

Secrets continue to become exposed with this one, leaving a lot of wtf moments and lightbulbs exploding. Layla has a way of gaining her reader’s attention, reeling them in slowly before bam, checkmate! I don’t believe I’ve ever cried so much from happiness and fear with that ending! 

Rating: 5 Stars

Bad Bishop is available to buy as an ebook and paperback.