Wild Card is the second installment in the Foster Bro Code series from DJ Jamison. The lawbreaker and the lawman he desperately wants. But one and done doesn't seem to work in getting Dalton out of his system, and Dalton refuses to let him go.
From the blurb:
I live for the moment. For instant gratification.
And Deputy Dalton Harvey will bring me a lot of gratification.
He's fighting our attraction, but I see the lust in his eyes. I don't care that he's slapped cuffs on me before and probably will again. It'll just make it all the sweeter when he breaks.
When that happens, I'll gladly dirty up that lawman and move on, like I always do. It doesn't matter that Dalton is one of the best men I've met. Or that he's sexy as sin with a sweet smile that always reaches his eyes. Everyone leaves in the end.
The only ones I trust are the strays I take in. The pets abandoned on the side of the road are thrown away just like me. I give them my heart because they'll be unquestionably loyal to me.
Unlike humans.
Unlike Dalton.
He says he wants more. He has honorable intentions. But he just doesn't understand.
He'll leave too. He'll have to when he becomes the sheriff this town needs.
I'm bad news. I'll only drag him down with me. And he deserves better.
He just doesn't know it yet.
Wild Card is Book 2 of Foster Bro Code about a group of brothers who live by a pact they made as kids to always have one another's backs. Expect lawman/lawbreaker, sizzling hot hookups, pet rescues, and emotional healing. TW for childhood neglect and abandonment off page.
SNik's review:
Second in series (Foster Bro Code), can be read as a standalone but best if read in order. Found family. Hurt/comfort. Dual POV. Heed content warnings.
Axel is the wild child of his foster family, runs his family junkyard, rescues strays, and sometimes gets involved in illegal gambling, while goading the sexy deputy that has arrested him more than once. Dalton has his own difficult past to overcome, and dealing with the possibility of running for sheriff is at odds with keeping and holding onto the tattooed lawbreaker that is afraid of abandonment.
The push and pull of Axel and Dalton was fun to read, their inability to stay away from each other, the knowledge that it might not be the smartest choice but being pulled along by their hearts anyway. I really appreciated that Dalton never quits on Axel, and that Axel allows himself to be vulnerable to heartbreak even worried that it is coming doesn’t stop him from wanting happiness with Dalton. They fit together, and appreciate each other, steam up the sheets, and commit fully once they become involved. I am really enjoying this series (and there are some cameos of some of the author’s other characters for Jamison fans).
Molly Otto's review:
Axel is our second Foster Brother to find his perfect partner. He has always skated that line of what is right and wrong, and the one person aside from his brothers who is stuck by his side is Deputy Dalton Harvey. Dalton can not push away this man who has slowly worked his way into his heart. When he allows himself to see the broken man, you deserve someone to love him. These two may seem to be complete opposites but are made to complete the other. Their banter is top-notch, and what makes them so dang beautiful when they commit to one another, they fully commit. Just shows that once you give someone a chance to show their true colors, they can show you how beautiful they really are.
It has been nice to see the continued growth of the brothers’ relationships now that Gray has returned home. You can see how much they need each other even through the hurt. They will always have the others back. Their growth alone will have me keep coming back to this series to see how strong their bond may become.
I really love this series from DJ; it shows that they can step away from what made them a popular author for something more. It was appreciated to see the cameo from previous works to show how those characters fit into this new world. I can't wait to see what comes next from this series and how the next brother finds their partner.
GreenwingReads review:
After the first book in the series, I knew this story would hurt and it did, but it was so worth it. Stories about foster kids always hit me harder and I suspected Axel's story would be especially tough because I have known kids just like him. After one abandonment after another, he has learned to keep people at arm's length. He has wrapped his heart in barbed wire to protect it. This makes him come off as tough, sometimes downright mean. It was difficult to read at times how dismissive and occasionally cruel he could be toward Dalton, but that made the pay off of Dalton's sweet, steady patience all the sweeter.
Dalton was wonderful. He is a good man to his very core. He isn't without his own demons though, and they hold him back. It was rewarding to see Axel open his heart to love and a future he wanted for himself, as well as to see Dalton take a chance on himself despite his past.
DJ's writing style is so impactful because the characters read like people you might know. They are so realistic and complex. They are dynamic and engaging. The relationship between the foster brothers and the exploration of the trauma they have suffered separately and together was interesting and impactful to read. I have grown attached to each of the brothers and I look forward to reading more of them.
Heather's review:
I love the push and pull of Wild Card! The hurt/comfort, opposites attract story with so much depth and a growing understanding of where each character comes from... add in the classic DJ Jamison banter and self-deprecation an you have a fabulous story... then you add puppies!!!
I love that these stories don't just revolve around the romance - they are about building the characters up and improving not only themselves but the town around them. There is also the strong found family element that gets me every time!
I can't wait to see what happens with the next brother's story!
Wild Card is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
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