The Face of My Killer: An Angsty Second Chance MM Romance

Wow! I really enjoyed this one. This is a suspense/mystery wrapped in a second chance romance. Theo is just trying to get through life with his job and meddling friends and family in his romantic life. When his cousin reminds him that he agreed to let her finances family stay at Theo’s farm before her wedding, he comes face to face with someone he’s tried to forget for over 10 years. When Bailey arrives as his friend’s fiancés family farm to help prep their barn for the wedding, he has no idea that the man who left him years ago is the owner of the cottage he’s staying in. As he’s fixing things around the barn Theo approaches him with such violent hostility and punches him square in the face. This anger comes as a shock to Bailey because the last time they saw each other it was nothing that should have spiked these feelings in Theo. Now he’s worried about what he might have done. Did he make a mistake during a blackout? What did he do to deserve to have the man who he once loved hate him so much. As the days go on and details don’t add up, Theo questions everything he thought he true. He is in search of the truth in hopes of making everything right again but not before the past comes to try and wreck everything both men have worked so hard for. This story was paced so well and I think the transitions from past to present to explain the story and what happened were nicely spaced out. I was rooting for these guys the moment I realized what actually happened! The spice…

I am honored to have received an ARC for this book because I could not put it down!! And it was perfect, not a single negative thought. The story pacing and character development was consistent throughout. And the plot itself gripping the entire time. Little by little the details of the night they lost each other are revealed throughout the whole story. But in-between there are subplots that are equally as gripping. If you had a high school romance, then Bailey and Teddy getting together is adorably nostalgic. If you're into hurt/comfort, then learning more and more about Bailey's childhood is for you. At the same time in the present, Bailey and Teddy are learning to trust each other again and rekindle what they had. I pretty much figured what was going on from the beginning, but even still I was on edge with anticipation for Bailey and Teddy to really talk to each other and put the pieces together. This wasn't a smut heavy book per se, but man can Jordan write a scene 💦 And I am in love with the sex rep, from two teens figuring things out at a realistic pace to two trauma riddled adults that more than once start and do not finish and it's OKAY. The exploration of trauma and recovery is full of angst. And the perceived larger and tougher guy has more/stronger trauma reactions, which I really appreciate the subversion of tropes. Healing is non linear and not something you can do alone and is wonderfully portrayed with both Bailey and Teddy. The only downside is I read…

The Face of My Killer - Jordan Victoria 🌟 4.25/5 🌟 * SPOILERS * When I started this book, I completely went in blind. I didn’t even know what it was about. I feel like those are the best books that really capture you because man, this book alone surprised me at every turn that I was not expecting. I will say to please read the trigger warnings because your mental health is very important. Even though some parts weren’t too much, I still recommend taking care of yourself. Theo and Bailey had my heart from beginning to end. What Bailey went through was rough and I knew without a doubt this man was stronger than he let on. The things that he went through just made me want to coddle him so nothing harmful could ever touch him. I don’t want to give too much away but man, Bailey’s home was so toxic that I’m surprised how strong he came on top. When Shane finds him, I was crawling in my skin because all I could think of was “not again, hasn’t he been through enough?” I never knew I needed a HEA until these two got what they deserved. When Theo found out what happened, ugh, my heart broke for him because he had no idea! Jesus…. My god. My heart broke for these two so much, especially their time apart. If anyone deserves a life full of joy and happiness, it’s these two. If you want a story that keeps you on your toes and surprises you with every turn of the page, read this book because wow… just wow! I cannot wait to read the next book because yep, I’m all in for this…

5 ⭐⁣⁣⁣ 2.5 🌶️⁣⁣⁣ WHAT TO EXPECT MM dark romance Hurt/comfort Second chance Best friends to lovers Forced proximity Mental-health rep MC with situational mutism Emotional and angsty MY THOUGHTS This is a debut! A debut?! Yes, a debut! And I loved it. One of my most anticipated reads of the year! The danger, confusion, and angst are visceral. The dual timeline: past & present converge on the MCs like a train wreck that can’t be stopped. I found myself anxious and panicky reading along with both Bailey and Theo, even though I knew they were going to end up together. There were so many questions about how we were going to get from where the book starts to an HEA, and Jordan keeps you wondering for most of the book. Just be prepared: they have not had easy childhoods, easy lives. BOTTOM LINE Yes! Going on my must-read author list. I already can't wait for book 2. CONTENT WARNINGS (Some of these may be spoilers; full list in the front of the book) Include PTSD and cPTSD, depression, panic attacks, anxiety, blackouts, parental abuse, on-page violence, on-page murder, sexual abuse and grooming (not by MCs), emotional abuse (not between MCs), arson, dead animals (details on-page), explicit sexual content –A🩷 Thanks to Jordan Victoria for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, and Fable.

5 absolutely devastating stars 😭✨ Honestly, this book had me from the second I saw the cover because LOOK AT IT. But I was not prepared for the emotional damage waiting inside these pages. This is a dark romantic suspense that had me completely locked in from start to finish. Equal parts emotional wreckage and edge-of-your-seat tension, this story had me constantly needing to know what really happened and where everything was going next. Bailey and Theo absolutely wrecked me in the most painful, beautiful way. These are two people carrying years of trauma, guilt, anger, grief, and misunderstanding. Watching the truth slowly unravel between them was heartbreaking. The dual timeline worked SO well here, slowly revealing the past while the present timeline kept the tension high the entire time. What really stood out to me was how raw and messy the healing felt. Nothing is magically fixed overnight. These two have to confront painful truths, relearn each other, and untangle years of hurt. Their younger relationship felt so soft and genuine that it made everything that followed hurt even more. And Bailey… god, Bailey had my whole heart. I wanted to protect him at all costs. This book is heavy, emotional, and genuinely hard to read at times, so definitely check content warnings beforehand. But if you love angst, hurt/comfort, second chance romance, and suspense that keeps you glued to the page, this one absolutely delivers.