Ty and Zack are both FBI agents, but every book there is a life and death situation. Mandi: I think everything in this series is totally revved up. Plus, Roux and Urban have a way of just pulling you into the story so deeply, it’s hard for me to pick up any of their books and NOT read it cover to cover without looking up. It’s all just so… emotionally draining and uplifting at the same time. Then there is the passion between the two of them, the stress of keeping their relationship a secret, the uncertainty of the future, the depth of feeling that neither of them expected to have.

I get the exact same way! I think it’s a combination of so many things with that series… The suspense and high octane action that keeps us on the edge of our seats as Ty and Zane work to solve whatever case they are working on. It takes me a few days to stop having that jittery feeling (I also realize I may be slightly insane). Mandi: I often say I am “wrecked” after I read one of Urban & Roux’s books because I am completely emotionally drained. In just November and December, I read over 20 m/m books and keep looking for new suggestions.

I was lucky enough to have downloaded a copy of Cut & Run a year ago or so, and was immediately hooked on the series and genre as a whole. I figured it might be a good time to pop my m/m cherry. I remember you and a few others talking on Twitter about the Cut & Run series, and then later that week you went on and on… and on… and on (I’m seeing a pattern here) during the Friday Top Ten about one of the books. I was in a bit of a reading funk, not really looking forward to anything specifically, needing a bit of a change. Nicole: I just started reading m/m books in November of 2011, just a few short months ago. Mandi: How long ago did you discover m/m books and what was the first one you read? I work full time as an office manager and I’m insanely addicted to Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream, or Cold Stone’s cake batter ice cream with cookie dough chunks, or just cookie dough in general… (I sold him a watch he never wears.) We have two dogs and one cat, and they make the rules of our house. Nicole: Oh dear, I’m not very interesting… Let’s see – I’ve been married for 5 years now to my college sweetie whom I met while manning the jewelry counter at the department store we both worked. Give us a little more background about yourself. Mandi: First of all Nicole, we know you tweet and blog. We wanted to do a post exploring just what it is that draws us so emotionally to certain characters in this genre.

After a little pushing (me pushy? No way.) she tried the m/m romance genre…and she has found some great books. I talk a lot on Twitter with Nicole (who also blogs at The Book Pushers) about books.

Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper