Enemy Of My Enemy (The Executive Office #2) by Tal Bauer

Enemy Of My Enemy  (Tal Bauer)

SUMMARY

Fifteen years from now, an affair rocks the world.
Two men commit to their impossible love.
One general is determined to destroy them both.

President Jack Spiers and former Secret Service Agent Ethan Reichenbach throw caution to the wind, committing themselves publicly as the first out male lovers and partners to occupy the White House. Jack moves Ethan into the Residence, but as Ethan settles into his new role as first gentleman of the United States, not everyone is thrilled with their choices. When it seems like the world turns against them, Jack and Ethan must turn to each other, finding the strength together to press on.

In the chaos, Jack’s relationship with the Russian president, Sergey Puchkov, grows closer, and the two nations find themselves working almost as allies. But President Puchkov has secrets of his own, secrets that could rip everything apart. And Ethan steps back into the action with Lieutenant Adam Cooper, taking charge of a covert kill team tasked with hunting down General Madigan once and for all.

But Madigan is elusive, and his dangerous reach is long. He strikes at Jack and Ethan from the shadowy corners of the globe, unraveling their entire world. As the mad general draws new allies together, he is single-minded in his quest to destroy the only two men who ever beat him.

He will stop at nothing until Jack and Ethan are shattered men, worlds apart, and struggling to get back to one another.

And after that, Madigan’s true revenge begins …

MY REVIEW

“The White House welcomes Ethan Reichenbach as the president’s partner and first gentleman of the United States”

Ethan and Jack are writing history! Ethan is now the proud occupant of the East Wing and the ‘First Lady’s Office which is now renamed as ‘Office of the First Gentleman’.

Finally, we can read about the first reactions from the receivers of the news. From:

-The American citizens: supporters and haters
-The press
-The members of Jack’s party: The Republican Party
-The nations who have a death penalty for homosexual behavior
-The nations who outlaw the homosexual behavior, but they don’t punish it with death
-The slightly more liberate countries on the LGBT rights
-The friendly world nations and European Union

The news about Jack and Ethan’s relationship are shocking not only USA, but also the globe. Most of the reactions are not positive. You can even call them hostile. This reality is mostly important for the foreign policy. The fragile equilibrium of all the nations’ relationships has been shaken and twisted.

Is Jack allowed to change the Global Order based on his personal choices?
Will he feel all right with himself if he changes US’ entire foreign policy?
Will he feel all right if he starts cutting off aid to hostile countries?

It has been tougher than ever to be the US President. If Jack is not strong enough, he will be crashed down. But he has Ethan. And their love can conquer anything.

On the other hand, there are some unexpectedly friendly nation leaders:
-Saudi Arabia does not comment at all. Although imams are calling for a reaction and homosexuals are punished with death there.
-Russian president is trying to write history too.

Conversely, Ethan has two major problems that have nothing to do with foreign policy
1. He has to assume the role of the First Lady and take over all her responsibilities. Of course you can understand he has no clue how to plan social events and organize afternoon teas and full state dinners and choose flowers and bone china designs. Some of the situations he gets himself into are hilarious with Ethan behaving goofily trying to organize official dinners.
2. He has just started realizing that he is in a relationship. Jack seems to be braver than him and wants to take extra steps. But Ethan’s old love life is not suited for someone who occupies the East Wing. The undeniable truth that he used to be a bit of a man-whore will come back and bite Ethan’s ass. The press crucifies him. This is another insidious hit on Jack.

You may think ‘This is it! Jack and Ethan are fighting for their right to be together inside the safety of the White House and at the same time they are learning to be together and overcome their old lives’ emotional baggage.’

Well, I thought so too but I could not be more wrong!

Soon after our beloved couple is settled in the White House, sh!t start to happen all over the world. The situation will go out of control before you say ‘porcelain, china, and bone china’. The plot is accelerating after a while and you are not allowed to catch your breath and whisper ‘what the f@ck!’ Destruction, blood, deaths, vicious attacks, almost 3rd world war.

I don’t want to reveal anything else about the plot. I just want to add:
1. Things are never what they seem.
2. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. But who is my enemy in the first place?
3. You will never know what happens next. But when it does happen, it will make sense.
4. The secondary characters and couples are so important for the plot. Try to read carefully between the lines!
5. Forgiveness is as important as acceptance.

Some readers may give a bad rating because the events and the outcomes may not be believable to them. These things will never be real in the real world – especially having a man as the ‘First Gentleman’ in the White House.
Well, this is Fiction! In Fiction, you are allowed to dream and to wish for a better world with people with equal rights, equal opportunities and definitely for a world more compassionate and understanding.