S.E.X. Review~ Rio by RJ Scott

Hunted by killers. Protected by a monster.

Lyric Thornwood is on the run, his name stamped on a kill order flooding the dark web. Someone inside the system wants him erased—and Marcus Kessler, the billionaire who twisted Lyric’s stolen code into the murderous AI LyricNight, is hunting him like prey.

Desperate and alone, Lyric follows a ghost contact to a rundown LA garage. What he finds there isn’t safety—it’s Rio Villareal. Rio doesn’t care about code, firewalls, or ghost signals. He knows fists, loyalty, and the kind of violence that keeps his found family alive. When Lyric crashes into his world, Rio should walk away. Instead, he claims the stranger as his responsibility—and maybe something more.

Rio is a dark, explosive story of found family and recovery scarred by violence. With a hunted hacker, a fighter built for blood, and an AI hell-bent on revenge, survival comes at a cost—and only obsession might be enough to keep them alive.

This reader absolutely enjoyed Rio, Redcars 3 by RJ Scott. Rio was a larger than life and protective character in the first two books; one who piqued my interest and did not disappoint.

A fighter, not necessarily by choice or nature, Rio and his friends became involved further into the underbelly of trafficking and murder when Lyric, a man from Jamie’s past showed up at Redcars, nearly dead and in need of help.

The overall arc of the three stories is well developed and well written. Ms Scott took careful planning and engaged the reader in all characters from the first book and throughout.

As much as these characters are morally grey, I cannot help but feel for them and cheer for them to succeed in their mission of survival.

Getting a better understanding of Rio only endeared me to him more than I originally thought. He and Lyric walked a thin line of trust and eventually love which brough out a softer side to Rio towards the end of the book.

A series worth reading, Ms Scott’s venture into the darker side has sure hit the mark

Definite S.E.X.

A five handcuff review

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2025 ©Evelise Archer All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.