'Enemies of the State' by Tal Bauer
- Jan 16
- 3 min read
Author: Tal Bauer
Rating: B
Vibe: West Wing fanfic meets beach read—with abs
Let me just start by saying, Enemies of the State is ridiculous. The premise is ridiculous. The decisions the characters make are ridiculous. The idea that any of this could happen in the actual White House is so far beyond the pale that you'd need a telescope to see plausibility from where this book is standing.
And yet? I couldn't put it down.
The setup: Jack Spiers is the newly elected President of the United States—a widower, presumed straight, drowning in global crises. Ethan Reichenbach is the Secret Service agent running his detail—openly gay, professionally rigid, and built like a tank. They're not supposed to be friends. They're definitely not supposed to be more than friends. But this is an M/M romance, so you know exactly where this train is headed. The fun is watching it barrel toward the inevitable while a rogue Black Ops unit tries to blow everything up.
Here's the thing: Ethan works. He's competent, restrained, and yes—a huge, jacked, gruff muscle Adonis. Sign me up. Bauer gives him just enough interiority to make the forbidden longing land, even when the circumstances are patently absurd. The slow burn delivers, and the will-they/won't-they tension does its job, even if you already know the answer is "obviously they will."
Jack is... fine. My issue isn't with him as a character, but with how Bauer handles his sexuality. The "I've never been attracted to a man before, but you" trope can work, but it felt like a missed opportunity here. Why not just make him bi? Or pan? Or demisexual? The "gay for you" framing always sits a little weird with me—it suggests queerness is an exception rather than an identity, and in 2016 (when this was published), we had the language to do better.
As for the plot: yes, there's a thriller element, and it's not half bad. There's political intrigue, a mystery with actual stakes, and enough action to keep things moving. But let's be honest—you're not here for the geopolitics. You're here for two men in suits making deeply inadvisable choices because they can't keep their hands off each other. And on that front, the book delivers.
Do I need to mention that virtually every decision they make about hiding their relationship is catastrophically stupid? From where they sneak off to, to what they say, to... just, all of it? These are supposed to be the most powerful and cautious men in the country, and they have the operational security of teenagers sneaking out past curfew. But honestly, if you're reading this book expecting tactical realism, you've wandered into the wrong section.
Enemies of the State isn't trying to say anything profound about the gay experience. It's not exploring the weight of coming out in middle age, or the politics of queerness in the highest office in the land. It's an action-thriller with two hot men falling for each other against impossible odds—and that's fine. Sometimes you want steak; sometimes you want popcorn. This is popcorn. Buttery, salty, ridiculous popcorn.
If you go in expecting substance, you'll be disappointed. But if you're in the mood for escapism with a side of spice and a plot that moves fast enough that you won't have time to question it—grab this one for your next flight or beach day. Just don't think too hard.
