Bad Bishop

A Marriage of Convenience Gay Romantic Suspense (Perfect Play, Book 2)

By: Layla Reyne

Narrated by: Christian Leatherman

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.

©2022 Layla Reyne (P)2024 Layla Reyne

Heartbreaking and emotional...

This story is heartbreaking and an emotional read. I absolutely loved Marsh and Levi in this one. You get all the feels and swoony moments. I can't wait for book 3 of the series.

As for narration Christian Leatherman did a great job portraying these characters.

Intense

I really enjoyed this book however it did take me a minute to get into it but that is my fault for not reading the first book. I will definitely go back to the first as I was intrigued with the other characters. I loved seeing both MC'S get more confident in each other and the relationship. They believe it would be over after the things they were going thru. I did get this on audio and the narration was very well done. Highly enjoyed the narrator.

Fast paced

First things first, if you're just discovering this series, you'll want to read book 1, Dead Draw before diving into this one. This is not a series of standalones. Bad Bishop picks up where book 1 left off, and I didn't think it was possible, but the tension is even higher. Of course, there's some tension in the marriage of convenience as well, but that's called falling in love, even if they have to do it kicking and screaming. Marsh has been burned by love, so he's trying to guard his heart while Levi deals with guilt over his late wife. Levi and his son, David, broke my heart as they sorted through their grief. I am about 2 yrs into my own grief, so I completely relate to Levi. Anyway, these guys are going to have to learn to trust each other if they're going to make it as a couple, and that's only if they survive the case they're working on. Of course, we get another cliffy with this book, so I'm impatiently waiting to see what's next for these guys, personally and professionally. Christian Leatherman has voiced both books, and he showed his talent for accents in this one. He also has a knack for adding the right amount of tension into a scene - and into a cliffhanger. So, all in all, Bad Bishop is a fast paced romantic suspense with steadily increasing tension and a steamy romance between two lovable FBI agents.

Loved it!

I devoured this MM romantic suspense. This book has fantastic, complex characters with an intense, and engaging plot. The narrator did a fantastic job narrating this book and I was completely immersed in it. This book has one of my favorite tropes: marriage of convenience. I loved how the story drew me in and kept me wanting more!

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Intrigue and romance

Marshall and Levi need to solve the crime while keeping their loved ones safe. The on going story draws you in and keeps you wanting more.

good next instalment

📖 Story comment: good pace, likeable characters, engaging story.
Bad Bishop picks up right where Dead Draw left off - Levi and Marsh are back in the thick of things looking for answers with the help of familiar ally's. I enjoyed the strengthening and development of Marsh & Levi's relationship and the pace of the story meant there was never a dull moment.

This series ticks all my boxes. I'm finding as I'm getting older, I enjoy older characters and books that are more story and less se*y times with some real life struggles and lives that aren't perfect. Smart, intelligent, well written characters with great chemistry and amusing banter.

🎧 Narrator comment: I enjoyed Christian Leatherman's performance of Bad Bishop. He suits the characters giving them each their own voice and personality, has good timing, inflections and intonations and brings all the life and emotion to the story for a completely immersive experience.

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📌 Where does it fall on my personal scale? 8
• 1 not my thing • 2 didn't like the narration • 3 didn't keep my attention • 4 was good, but once was enough • 5 enjoyed it • 6 will listen again if i'm in the mood for the narrator [4⭐] • 7 goes on the "re-listen" list [4⭐] • 8 kept me up past bed-time [4.5⭐] • 9 recommended to family/friends [4.75⭐] • 10 own it in all formats [5⭐] • 11 keep a copy with me at all times [5⭐]

Such a good continuation!

Bad Bishop is book 2 in the series so make sure you finish book 1 before starting! I absolutely loved this book. The narrator did a great job with the whole book and I loved listening to it! The voices and accents were spot on. The tension is even more intense in this book and I was here for it. I love angst and I love tension especially in an MM book. Marriage of convenience and MM? I was hooked. The cliffhanger was a big one and I honestly can’t wait for the next book to come out so we can get more from this story!

Very entertaining!!

Christian Leatherman did such an amazing job with this narration. The different accents and inflections he used easily made me forget that it was just one person.
This story is part of a series and I would recommend reading or listening to the previous books as this one jumps right in the middle of a story. It is full of mystery and intrigue with a great romance and a dash of spice thrown in. I will definitely be following the author to read what comes next!

Fun Sunday Afternoon Listen

You met these two, Levi and Marshall in book one Dead Draw. You should listen to the first book to have proper grounding for the story, as Bad Bishop picks up where book one leaves off. I love this couple! They start as a marriage of convenience when Levi needs money to pay off his deceased wife’s medical bills and Levi and Marshall work on a case that Marshall accidentally messed up.

You learn more about Levi and Marshall both separately and together as a couple, as well as with Levi’s son, David. Book two follows them as their cases become dangerous. They bond as a family of three over them running from a dangerous case.

This book is what I call a Sunday Afternoon Read, you complete it easily and fast on a weekend afternoon. Christian Leatherman does a fantastic job on the series. I do speed up my audiobooks to 1.5x speed.

*Listener Note: I received a free copy of this audiobook through Gay Romance Reviews (GRR) and this is my honest review.

Not at all surprised at how much I enjoyed it

SO GOOD!
Not surprised.
Can't wait until the next one!
Also, I think when Layla wrote this, she was already thinking about the narrator & evilly grinning about all the accents he would have to do.
He did pretty well, all things considered, (though I wonder if his natural accent is of a New Yorker, b/c that seemed to slip in at times when not needed, not that I'm being super judgmental about it, because the narration was pretty darn good).
Now I want the next audiobook out NOW and I'll have to wait.
Le sigh.