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Nothing Special #2
Embracing His Syn
Librarian Note: Alternate Cover Edition for ASIN: B00M7JAE44.
Sergeant Corbin 'Syn' Sydney had dedicated his life to becoming the best detective. So when he heard there was an opening on the notorious Atlanta Narcotics Task Force, he jumped at the chance. But, what he wasn't ready for was realizing just how lonely he’d made himself, when he observed the loving and dedicated relationship between the two men he served under: Lieutenant Cashel ‘God’ Godfrey and Lieutenant Leonidis Day.
Syn prepared himself to accept his lonely fate until he walked into a small pub and met the long-haired, tattooed bartender, Furious Barkley. Before Syn can even understand why, he’s overcome with feelings he barely recognizes: passion, yearning, craving. And if the dark, lustful gazes are anything to go by, Furious might be feeling the same things for him.
Just two thing needs to happen before Syn and Furi can give each other what’s been missing from their lives for so long... Syn needs to find the evidence that proves Furi’s innocence of murder, as well as protect him from a past that refuses to let go.
God, Day, Ronowski, and Johnson are still as entertaining as ever...
You'll swoon over God's massive take-charge attitude...
You'll laugh hysterically at Day's never-ending wit...
You'll fall in love with Furious' mysterious, sexy demeanor...
and...
You'll embrace Syn...
Disclaimer: The main characters of this book DO NOT participate in polygamous sexual pairings.
Sergeant Corbin 'Syn' Sydney had dedicated his life to becoming the best detective. So when he heard there was an opening on the notorious Atlanta Narcotics Task Force, he jumped at the chance. But, what he wasn't ready for was realizing just how lonely he’d made himself, when he observed the loving and dedicated relationship between the two men he served under: Lieutenant Cashel ‘God’ Godfrey and Lieutenant Leonidis Day.
Syn prepared himself to accept his lonely fate until he walked into a small pub and met the long-haired, tattooed bartender, Furious Barkley. Before Syn can even understand why, he’s overcome with feelings he barely recognizes: passion, yearning, craving. And if the dark, lustful gazes are anything to go by, Furious might be feeling the same things for him.
Just two thing needs to happen before Syn and Furi can give each other what’s been missing from their lives for so long... Syn needs to find the evidence that proves Furi’s innocence of murder, as well as protect him from a past that refuses to let go.
God, Day, Ronowski, and Johnson are still as entertaining as ever...
You'll swoon over God's massive take-charge attitude...
You'll laugh hysterically at Day's never-ending wit...
You'll fall in love with Furious' mysterious, sexy demeanor...
and...
You'll embrace Syn...
Disclaimer: The main characters of this book DO NOT participate in polygamous sexual pairings.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2014
About the author
A.E. Via
36 books3,045 followersA.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to spicy to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
When she's not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family--a husband and four children.
Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors. I've contracted and successfully published a couple authors - whose information can be found on my website - who can tell you that my passion is giving other writer's stories the love and care it deserves so it could be a gift to another. Visit my site to learn more!
Go to A.E. Via's official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she'll appear next.
When she's not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family--a husband and four children.
Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors. I've contracted and successfully published a couple authors - whose information can be found on my website - who can tell you that my passion is giving other writer's stories the love and care it deserves so it could be a gift to another. Visit my site to learn more!
Go to A.E. Via's official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she'll appear next.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
December 3, 2014
This book was FUN, and it was SMEXY as all hell, but it was also kind of silly and poorly edited.
Ms. Via thanks her editor in the acknowledgements. Perhaps firing her would be a smarter idea? There were numerous grammatical issues and typos that got in the way of the story. My biggest complain was the lack of commas with markers of direct address:
I want to suck sweets.
vs.
I want to suck, sweets.
The first indicates an urge to lick a lollipop; the second implies "your cock." There's a difference.
Fortunately, we got plenty of dirty, rough action: intense, humpy, steamy play in spades. Syn and Furi (pronounced "fury" like "furious," NOT "furry" as in "critter") go at it and go at it some more.
The story meandered, and all the cop characters seemed the same, including Day/God from book 1. The focus was mostly on Syn and Furi's developing relationship, but there were two "mystery" story lines as well: the first had to do with Furi's abusive ex and was mostly resolved (although I definitely wanted more background information about how Furi got himself into that situation in the first place); the second, involving good-looking men being drugged and killed, floundered and was dropped.
I love me some gay cops, and god knows we need more of them, but EVERY cop in this precinct was gay, and some of what went on at the station and during the busts was unprofessional to say the least. Also, breaking into other people's houses for fun? Not so much.
Furi was a schizophrenic character: unsure and scared yet dominant and defensive. I doubt a man coming out of an abusive relationship would act the way Furi acted. And Syn, who was vaguely gay for/out for Furi, was a bit of a chic with a dick.
I swear, if Syn told Furi he was beautiful one more time...well, fuck, I should have started a drinking game.
Ms. Via thanks her editor in the acknowledgements. Perhaps firing her would be a smarter idea? There were numerous grammatical issues and typos that got in the way of the story. My biggest complain was the lack of commas with markers of direct address:
I want to suck sweets.
vs.
I want to suck, sweets.
The first indicates an urge to lick a lollipop; the second implies "your cock." There's a difference.
Fortunately, we got plenty of dirty, rough action: intense, humpy, steamy play in spades. Syn and Furi (pronounced "fury" like "furious," NOT "furry" as in "critter") go at it and go at it some more.
The story meandered, and all the cop characters seemed the same, including Day/God from book 1. The focus was mostly on Syn and Furi's developing relationship, but there were two "mystery" story lines as well: the first had to do with Furi's abusive ex and was mostly resolved (although I definitely wanted more background information about how Furi got himself into that situation in the first place); the second, involving good-looking men being drugged and killed, floundered and was dropped.
I love me some gay cops, and god knows we need more of them, but EVERY cop in this precinct was gay, and some of what went on at the station and during the busts was unprofessional to say the least. Also, breaking into other people's houses for fun? Not so much.
Furi was a schizophrenic character: unsure and scared yet dominant and defensive. I doubt a man coming out of an abusive relationship would act the way Furi acted. And Syn, who was vaguely gay for/out for Furi, was a bit of a chic with a dick.
I swear, if Syn told Furi he was beautiful one more time...well, fuck, I should have started a drinking game.
June 8, 2019
Audio – 5 +++ stars. I can’t imagine a better narrator for this series of OTT Alphas than Aiden Snow!!! And the sex scene performances are nothing short of audio porn!! HAWT!!!
Story – 3.5 funny and entertaining stars
Story – 3.5 funny and entertaining stars
November 5, 2019
Just as ott, hot and ridiculous as the others. There is a really funny scene here with the foursome from book 1...almost peed myself laughing :)
I really enjoyed reading this one, and even though the whole foursome thing (book 1) is still weird to me... Day will always be my favorite character. He is just awesome and funny ;)
Fury and Syn were oke, but I didn't like them as much as all the others. Fury came off as a bit of whimp...but he was really dominant in the bedroom...even after being in an abusive relationship for 2 years. His character just didn't make much sense. But like I said...enjoyed reading this one and this has definitely become one of my favorite mm series.
4 stars from me
I really enjoyed reading this one, and even though the whole foursome thing (book 1) is still weird to me... Day will always be my favorite character. He is just awesome and funny ;)
Fury and Syn were oke, but I didn't like them as much as all the others. Fury came off as a bit of whimp...but he was really dominant in the bedroom...even after being in an abusive relationship for 2 years. His character just didn't make much sense. But like I said...enjoyed reading this one and this has definitely become one of my favorite mm series.
4 stars from me
September 19, 2022
This book is not really four-star worthy. But I four-star enjoyed it.
I started to type up a synopsis for this book, and realize how utterly ridiculous this story is. I mean, the main characters are named Syn and Furious. It's a murder mystery (that's never really solved) it's gfy, it's a porn star on the side, it's D/s, it's alpha and more alpha. But it was cheesy m/m fun!
Audiobook is fantastic. I don't know how Aiden Snow keeps it together when reading some of these lines.
Blaming Cassandra for encouraging me to add this one 😂 ...on to book three!
I started to type up a synopsis for this book, and realize how utterly ridiculous this story is. I mean, the main characters are named Syn and Furious. It's a murder mystery (that's never really solved) it's gfy, it's a porn star on the side, it's D/s, it's alpha and more alpha. But it was cheesy m/m fun!
Audiobook is fantastic. I don't know how Aiden Snow keeps it together when reading some of these lines.
Blaming Cassandra for encouraging me to add this one 😂 ...on to book three!
December 12, 2018
Re-read 25th November - 27th November 2018
Hot entertaining read
I liked it, I really did. It's hot and funny with some hot alpha males.
It's not perfect but it made for an enjoyable read.
Syn's social life has always come second to his career, he's just joined the Narcotics Task Force run by God and Day which he sees as a great career move. Syn has been alone for so long he can't envision anything else and he's resigned to this life until he walks into his new local and sees Furious (I'm seriously not liking some of the names here) and for the first time in his life he finds himself attracted to a man.
Now there must be something in the water because nearly everyone working there appears to be gay. I'm obviously a fan of gay romance but even I think that's pushing it a bit. Lol.
This has a couple of stories running through it the one with Furious and his ex gets sorted but the murder must continue into the next book which is where I'm heading now.
Hot entertaining read
I liked it, I really did. It's hot and funny with some hot alpha males.
It's not perfect but it made for an enjoyable read.
Syn's social life has always come second to his career, he's just joined the Narcotics Task Force run by God and Day which he sees as a great career move. Syn has been alone for so long he can't envision anything else and he's resigned to this life until he walks into his new local and sees Furious (I'm seriously not liking some of the names here) and for the first time in his life he finds himself attracted to a man.
Now there must be something in the water because nearly everyone working there appears to be gay. I'm obviously a fan of gay romance but even I think that's pushing it a bit. Lol.
This has a couple of stories running through it the one with Furious and his ex gets sorted but the murder must continue into the next book which is where I'm heading now.
December 30, 2017
5 Stars!
Syn and Furi. The names this author comes up with for the couples in this series is truly unique. I anticipate her next coupling name's with each new book. She hasn't failed me yet.
This couple was a hot addition to this series. Syn comes in and kicks some butt and even takes a go at God when he's tricked by the duo that is God and Day. He's a feisty one. I adored him. Syn has never been in a relationship and has never been a attracted to a man. That all changes when he see's this long haired tattoo hottie serving drinks at a bar that's right across the street from his apartment. Syn has a hard time staying away from the man and is confused about his reaction to him. But he doesn't shy away from it, no this man takes action and makes his interest known. It is a bit rocky in the beginning with Syn being a private man and with Furi being so open and not willing to be a secret. Furi has had a horrible marriage he is still trying to distance himself from. He's not willing to be with someone who isn't confident in their relationship. He was beaten down emotionally and physically and is still trying to find his footing, but he refuses to be with someone who doesn't want to completely be with him in the open. Syn finds this a bit difficult in the beginning. Not because he is ashamed that the person he's with is a man. It's that he's new to the relationship world and has always been a private person. But with Furi all those walls are being knocked down and he's willing to do anything to prove he's nothing like Furi's ex and that Furi can lean on him and trust him. I loved them together. I loved their smexy times as well. Syn might have been the Alpha boss in every aspect of their relationship, but Furi took that roll when they were between the sheets or against a wall. LOL I loved the way they balanced each other out.
I enjoyed this much more the second time around. Pick this series up if you haven't yet!
Happy reading dolls! xx
Syn and Furi. The names this author comes up with for the couples in this series is truly unique. I anticipate her next coupling name's with each new book. She hasn't failed me yet.
This couple was a hot addition to this series. Syn comes in and kicks some butt and even takes a go at God when he's tricked by the duo that is God and Day. He's a feisty one. I adored him. Syn has never been in a relationship and has never been a attracted to a man. That all changes when he see's this long haired tattoo hottie serving drinks at a bar that's right across the street from his apartment. Syn has a hard time staying away from the man and is confused about his reaction to him. But he doesn't shy away from it, no this man takes action and makes his interest known. It is a bit rocky in the beginning with Syn being a private man and with Furi being so open and not willing to be a secret. Furi has had a horrible marriage he is still trying to distance himself from. He's not willing to be with someone who isn't confident in their relationship. He was beaten down emotionally and physically and is still trying to find his footing, but he refuses to be with someone who doesn't want to completely be with him in the open. Syn finds this a bit difficult in the beginning. Not because he is ashamed that the person he's with is a man. It's that he's new to the relationship world and has always been a private person. But with Furi all those walls are being knocked down and he's willing to do anything to prove he's nothing like Furi's ex and that Furi can lean on him and trust him. I loved them together. I loved their smexy times as well. Syn might have been the Alpha boss in every aspect of their relationship, but Furi took that roll when they were between the sheets or against a wall. LOL I loved the way they balanced each other out.
I enjoyed this much more the second time around. Pick this series up if you haven't yet!
Happy reading dolls! xx
December 1, 2014
3.5 Stars!!!
For some reason I just couldn't get in to this one. I don't know if it was the timing, as I never really had a good chunk of dedicated reading time to get in to this one. Or maybe it was the writing style, as it seemed to take me forever to read it....maybe too wordy or something.
I never really connected with Furi or Syn. Syn's character I never really understood. His sexuality was hard to pick up on. I think he was straight but was attracted to his old roommate but never could take the next step and be intimate with him. But then Syn meets Furi and he's all for it.
There was really nothing wrong with the storyline either. It had a bit of a suspense/mystery element. Syn is a cop and he's investigating some deaths that occurred at Illustra, the porn company Furi worked for.
The sex was hot. It took a bit to get there but once it happened, there was plenty of steam. There was also some good banter amongst Syn and his co-workers.
I think this is a probably a case of it's me and not the book itself, so I encourage others to give it a shot and I would definitely check out other stuff by this author.
For some reason I just couldn't get in to this one. I don't know if it was the timing, as I never really had a good chunk of dedicated reading time to get in to this one. Or maybe it was the writing style, as it seemed to take me forever to read it....maybe too wordy or something.
I never really connected with Furi or Syn. Syn's character I never really understood. His sexuality was hard to pick up on. I think he was straight but was attracted to his old roommate but never could take the next step and be intimate with him. But then Syn meets Furi and he's all for it.
There was really nothing wrong with the storyline either. It had a bit of a suspense/mystery element. Syn is a cop and he's investigating some deaths that occurred at Illustra, the porn company Furi worked for.
The sex was hot. It took a bit to get there but once it happened, there was plenty of steam. There was also some good banter amongst Syn and his co-workers.
I think this is a probably a case of it's me and not the book itself, so I encourage others to give it a shot and I would definitely check out other stuff by this author.
December 12, 2019
Syn and Furi. The names this author comes up with for the couples in this series is truly unique. I anticipate her next coupling name's with each new book. She hasn't failed me yet.
This couple was a hot addition to this series. Syn comes in and kicks some butt and even takes a go at God when he's tricked by the duo that is God and Day. He's a feisty one. I adored him. Syn has never been in a relationship and has never been a attracted to a man. That all changes when he see's this long haired tattoo hottie serving drinks at a bar that's right across the street from his apartment. Syn has a hard time staying away from the man and is confused about his reaction to him. But he doesn't shy away from it, no this man takes action and makes his interest known. It is a bit rocky in the beginning with Syn being a private man and with Furi being so open and not willing to be a secret. Furi has had a horrible marriage he is still trying to distance himself from. He's not willing to be with someone who isn't confident in their relationship. He was beaten down emotionally and physically and is still trying to find his footing, but he refuses to be with someone who doesn't want to completely be with him in the open. Syn finds this a bit difficult in the beginning. Not because he is ashamed that the person he's with is a man. It's that he's new to the relationship world and has always been a private person. But with Furi all those walls are being knocked down and he's willing to do anything to prove he's nothing like Furi's ex and that Furi can lean on him and trust him. I loved them together. I loved their smexy times as well. Syn might have been the Alpha boss in every aspect of their relationship, but Furi took that roll when they were between the sheets or against a wall. LOL I loved the way they balanced each other out.
This couple was a hot addition to this series. Syn comes in and kicks some butt and even takes a go at God when he's tricked by the duo that is God and Day. He's a feisty one. I adored him. Syn has never been in a relationship and has never been a attracted to a man. That all changes when he see's this long haired tattoo hottie serving drinks at a bar that's right across the street from his apartment. Syn has a hard time staying away from the man and is confused about his reaction to him. But he doesn't shy away from it, no this man takes action and makes his interest known. It is a bit rocky in the beginning with Syn being a private man and with Furi being so open and not willing to be a secret. Furi has had a horrible marriage he is still trying to distance himself from. He's not willing to be with someone who isn't confident in their relationship. He was beaten down emotionally and physically and is still trying to find his footing, but he refuses to be with someone who doesn't want to completely be with him in the open. Syn finds this a bit difficult in the beginning. Not because he is ashamed that the person he's with is a man. It's that he's new to the relationship world and has always been a private person. But with Furi all those walls are being knocked down and he's willing to do anything to prove he's nothing like Furi's ex and that Furi can lean on him and trust him. I loved them together. I loved their smexy times as well. Syn might have been the Alpha boss in every aspect of their relationship, but Furi took that roll when they were between the sheets or against a wall. LOL I loved the way they balanced each other out.
January 12, 2018
**2.5 Stars**
So after saying goodbye to 2017 with a banging 5 star read, I was hoping for a good start to 2018. Sadly that is not the case.
I wanted to like this book. And I did like parts. But Furious ruined it for me. Furious made me, well, furious 😡. I hated how he overreacted to everything Syn did. He had anger issues and jump to conclusions as every turn. I realize he had a bad history with his husband. I know it sucked. But good grief! Give Syn a fucking chance to breath and to understand his sexuality before you go jumping all in his shit for "hiding" his relationship with you. Or just assuming he is a closet homophobe who beats his partners. I wanted to bitch slap him so bad and tell Syn to move on.
And lets not forget how Furious would fight Syn about his safety and continually did dumbass things when he knew there were murders as well as his husband and brother-in-law still out there. Then he would play old "I can take care of myself" when clearly he couldn't. Ugh!
I absolutely ADORED Syn. I felt he did everything right given the circumstances and it was totally understandable. I would rate this 5 stars for him but unfortunately, Furious ruined it. I still plan to read the next book. It seems to be a favorite of my friends in this series. We shall see...
So after saying goodbye to 2017 with a banging 5 star read, I was hoping for a good start to 2018. Sadly that is not the case.
I wanted to like this book. And I did like parts. But Furious ruined it for me. Furious made me, well, furious 😡. I hated how he overreacted to everything Syn did. He had anger issues and jump to conclusions as every turn. I realize he had a bad history with his husband. I know it sucked. But good grief! Give Syn a fucking chance to breath and to understand his sexuality before you go jumping all in his shit for "hiding" his relationship with you. Or just assuming he is a closet homophobe who beats his partners. I wanted to bitch slap him so bad and tell Syn to move on.
And lets not forget how Furious would fight Syn about his safety and continually did dumbass things when he knew there were murders as well as his husband and brother-in-law still out there. Then he would play old "I can take care of myself" when clearly he couldn't. Ugh!
I absolutely ADORED Syn. I felt he did everything right given the circumstances and it was totally understandable. I would rate this 5 stars for him but unfortunately, Furious ruined it. I still plan to read the next book. It seems to be a favorite of my friends in this series. We shall see...
July 30, 2019
The Story: 3 Pants Off
I was never a big fan of Syn and Fury when I read the book and I’m still not a fan. They just don’t set things on fire 🔥 and just their overall everything is just “meh”. Def my least fave so far 👎🏽
The Narration: 4 Pants Off
Aiden Snow is still giving it his all but not even his amazing narration could save the story. He still out here producing the best moans though 🥵 (eargasm).
June 18, 2019
Bottom line - I love alpha men who aren't abusive, and this story gave me what I love in spades. While there is some inconsistency and the plot runs around some, I really just sat back and enjoyed Aiden Snow's beautiful performance.
Snow's voice is rough and gravelly, deep and sexy, emotion-filled goodness and it serves A.E. Via's over the top alpha men perfectly. I know, without any doubt, that this series on audio is going to go into my re-listen catalog.
Dual POV romance with plenty of steamy hot sex, some humor, lots of action, some angst*, and a very happy ending.
Series Recommended.
Story = 3.5 stars, Narration = 5 stars; Total = 4.25 stars
*Trigger Warnings:
Audio copy of Embracing His Syn provided by author in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
January 15, 2020
Ok, first off, Via really needs to stop being so effusive in her thanks to her editor in the acknowledgements, because the editing in these books just ain't that good. I've read worse, but I expect better from books that cost this much.
Now on to the book itself- utter brain candy. There isn't any mental nutrition to be found in these books. The plots are completely illogical, make no sense, points are dropped or unexplained. But I really didn't care, because it was just FUN. I went ahead and gave this 4 stars, not because of the quality of the writing or the plot, but just how much fun I had reading it.
I wonder how long the author sits, thinking up these absurd names: Cashel "God" Godfrey, Leonidas Day, Furious AKA Furi, Sydney AKA "Syn". Don't even ask how she got Syn out of Sydney, I stopped trying to figure that out early on.
Now on to the book itself- utter brain candy. There isn't any mental nutrition to be found in these books. The plots are completely illogical, make no sense, points are dropped or unexplained. But I really didn't care, because it was just FUN. I went ahead and gave this 4 stars, not because of the quality of the writing or the plot, but just how much fun I had reading it.
I wonder how long the author sits, thinking up these absurd names: Cashel "God" Godfrey, Leonidas Day, Furious AKA Furi, Sydney AKA "Syn". Don't even ask how she got Syn out of Sydney, I stopped trying to figure that out early on.
December 24, 2016
I loved it ... this series is great !!! While the focus was on Furi & Syn we still got to enjoy the craziness of Day and the uber Alpha God. These guys are like family and really remind me of The Thirds - without the shifters. I love the sense of loyalty and friendship... okay it's time for book 3
February 10, 2015
***2.5 Mega Testosterone Stars***
Unfortunately, this one just didn't really work for me. At one point I texted my friends telling them it felt like I was reading the gay Expendables!
The guys in this book were too over-exaggerated. They were my cup runneth over with testosterone, over the top, amped up Alphas. Everyone's beefed up, carrying guns the size of a toddler and has about a 3 minute sexual turnaround time. I needed to completely suspend reality in order to get on board with ALL THAT.
Unfortunately, the book was also thin on plot. The romance/suspense balance was completely off. The story elements were there, but it failed in execution. Maybe it's a case of wanting to do too much and not having a clear idea of what the full picture should look like? Or maybe, less is more. Here you've got the main character romance, glimpses of the couple from the previous book, a porn industry murder mystery, a drug dealer gone rogue, a vengeful feminist group, domestic violence and a crazy ex-husband with a psychotic brother.
And maybe it's just me, but I really can't wrap my mind around the author's choice of character names. We had God and Day in the previous book and here we have Corbin "Syn" Sydney and Furious "Furi" Barkley. And before you ask "what kind of name is Furious?" His momma named him that because that's how she felt when he was born. True story.
But what did work? The SEX! Oh my! Ms. Via sure can write a panty melting sex scene! All the stars for all the sex!
And finally, the book is in serious need of editing. Not just grammatical, but geographical as well. Last time I checked, the Missouri River didn't run anywhere near Atlanta. Also, it's an over three hour drive from Atlanta to Savannah....not sure how the characters could leave Atlanta after noon, eat lunch and walk around in Savannah and be back in Atlanta before 4pm, handle shit at home, and then make it back to Savannah for dinner by 7pm. Again...looks like it's required that I completely suspend reality.
I'm beginning to think that maybe Ms. Via and I just don't mesh.
July 6, 2019
The beginning of the book was actually spectacular! I loved the team and how the situation played out. But from then on, it all kind of went downhill for me. I really didn't care for either Syn or Furi. Both characters lacked depth. The plot was all over the place, and the case they were "investigating" fizzled out in the middle of the book. I don't know if it's just me, but God and Day's behavior was rather bizarre and erratic. Again, major part of the book consisted of s*ex that, by the time I reached 65% of the book, I started skipping.
Sasha Pain's angle could have been good but it felt like its potential wasn't realized. This book could have been good for me, if there was at least decent amount of police work shown or there was some kind of character's development or even background. But it was just shallow and unfinished. Syn's thoughts sometimes made me cringe, honestly. It seems that I am not meshing with this author's writing style at all. I will put this series on hold. I did like her Promises series, so I don't really know why this is such a miss for me.
Sasha Pain's angle could have been good but it felt like its potential wasn't realized. This book could have been good for me, if there was at least decent amount of police work shown or there was some kind of character's development or even background. But it was just shallow and unfinished. Syn's thoughts sometimes made me cringe, honestly. It seems that I am not meshing with this author's writing style at all. I will put this series on hold. I did like her Promises series, so I don't really know why this is such a miss for me.
December 4, 2023
Now this one here, slacked on the mystery. I mean who was attacking the guys and why Fury. The only one that treated the ladies with professionalism. I still can't wrap my head around that.
With so much relationship building.
With so much relationship building.
September 8, 2022
Well this one wasn't as good as the first but was still hot 🥵. The loose plot lines here detracted a bit for me. I'm not even going to go into what they were. Just poorly researched.
Nonetheless, this was a heck of a lot of fun to listen to and we got to visit again with God and Day and their 'friends'. Worth it for that scene alone.
Nonetheless, this was a heck of a lot of fun to listen to and we got to visit again with God and Day and their 'friends'. Worth it for that scene alone.
April 16, 2021
3 Stars! It was ok.. Chemistry between the MCs was off, I didn't particularly like the convoluted suspense plot (the porn angle did not make any sense) I enjoyed the humor and steam, but it did not make up for the other jarring issues.
April 10, 2023
When a position opens on God and Day’s elite task force, Corbin Sydney, known to his friends as "Syn", takes the plunge and interviews for the spot. Out of everyone, he is lucky enough to be chosen for the team. That’s not to say they make it easy for him to start, but he ends up fitting in with the team really well. Syn is curious when he joins the team. He’s never acted on any feelings for a man other than having once had feelings for an old roommate that didn’t go anywhere. Being on the team, he sees other same sex partners...Ro and Johnson, God and Day and their interactions as a solid loving couple. It really starts to make him think. He’s certainly not happy being alone, but he’s not found that perfect someone to fit with him. Then one night he wanders into a pub and meets Fury (Furious), the very sexy bartender. I They don’t dive hard and fast into a relationship, because Syn doesn’t really have experience, and Fury is dealing with a lot of leftovers from his last relationship, a marriage with an abusive partner. When they finally do come together it’s really hot in a lot of ways. Like God and Day, these two just fit with the other. This is a very solid story in a very loosely connected series. There was an instant connection with God and Day, but Syn and Fury took a little a little more time because of their personalities that often didn't seem to mesh at all. There were some fantastic moments in this story, though, and the characters are really well written. The story has a lot of humorous moments and a lot of really "hot" moments. This story is very different than the previous two, but that is what made me get book #3. Syn and Fury will simply grab your heart and won’t let go. A word about this series....if you are already a fan of MM Romances, you will probably love this series... but if it is a first try with the genera...you might want something a bit more vanilla.
January 14, 2022
This series is getting better with every book.
The audio is awesome..... I mean it's Aiden Snow....
The sex is fucking HOT and I'm falling in love with every single character. It is low angst, but still has me sucked in from the first page.
Both Syn and Furi were everything I wanted out of them. I loved seeing how their relationship played out. How one was more dominant in bed and the other was more dominant in life. The insta-connection between them is perfection, and I love that these couples stay strong from the start, even when they get into fights.
Of course every book makes me love God and Day more and more (which means I might need to up my rating on them).
I don't know exactly what it is about this series but I'm loving it and I will definitely re-listen to these books again.
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The audio is awesome..... I mean it's Aiden Snow....
The sex is fucking HOT and I'm falling in love with every single character. It is low angst, but still has me sucked in from the first page.
Both Syn and Furi were everything I wanted out of them. I loved seeing how their relationship played out. How one was more dominant in bed and the other was more dominant in life. The insta-connection between them is perfection, and I love that these couples stay strong from the start, even when they get into fights.
Of course every book makes me love God and Day more and more (which means I might need to up my rating on them).
I don't know exactly what it is about this series but I'm loving it and I will definitely re-listen to these books again.
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January 24, 2015
This book possesses the most ridiculous character names -- Furious, Syn, God, Day. But they'll be what I will remember most. Everything else (except a couple of supporting characters) was kind of blah -- the sex, the MCs, and an uninspired murder mystery.
Furious is on the run from an abusive husband. Syn has just moved to Atlanta to join an elite police task force. He's only had feelings for one man before, but he didn't act on it. He meets Furi (with his glorious, long, fluffy hair), and it's lust at first sight. He becomes Furi's protector, while letting Furi take the reigns elsewhere.
Furious was all over the place in terms of his characterization. I also found his relationship with his straight best friend confusing. They called each other "babe," kissed on the lips and cuddled on the couch. It seemed there might be a triangle brewing, but nothing came of it. And after 300-plus pages, I still didn't know much about Syn (like, for instance, why his nickname is Syn instead of Syd). And why was he initially hesitant to reveal his relationship with Furi? This team was full of gay men.
Most of the women in this book were horrible. From the man-hating porn stars and lesbians to the mother who gave her son a terrible name out of anger, there weren't many positive portrayals. No matter what the women's actions, I still didn't like the name calling. It was "porn bitch this," "crazy bitch that." When Syn said he was the "whore whisperer," (ha, ha) to a suspect, I almost DNF'd. Did he forget he was dating a porn star, and Furi's best friend was also a porn star?
Maybe if the murder plot was handled better, I would have been able to understand the rancor better. As it appeared, the case didn't make sense, and it was never fully explained why these men were targeted, if what they were accused of was true, and how the suspects got involved. These murders could have been totally erased from the plot, and it wouldn't have made a difference to the core story. Furious dealing with his ex provided more than enough action and tension.
I have no desire to read "Nothing Special," but I have to admit God and Day piqued my interest. They easily overshadowed the MCs in this story. Looks like they're the Jesse and Evan ("Conquest") of this series; no other couple will be able to compete with their awesomeness. It's never a good sign when you want to know what the "B" couple is up to more than the main one.
Furious is on the run from an abusive husband. Syn has just moved to Atlanta to join an elite police task force. He's only had feelings for one man before, but he didn't act on it. He meets Furi (with his glorious, long, fluffy hair), and it's lust at first sight. He becomes Furi's protector, while letting Furi take the reigns elsewhere.
Furious was all over the place in terms of his characterization. I also found his relationship with his straight best friend confusing. They called each other "babe," kissed on the lips and cuddled on the couch. It seemed there might be a triangle brewing, but nothing came of it. And after 300-plus pages, I still didn't know much about Syn (like, for instance, why his nickname is Syn instead of Syd). And why was he initially hesitant to reveal his relationship with Furi? This team was full of gay men.
Most of the women in this book were horrible. From the man-hating porn stars and lesbians to the mother who gave her son a terrible name out of anger, there weren't many positive portrayals. No matter what the women's actions, I still didn't like the name calling. It was "porn bitch this," "crazy bitch that." When Syn said he was the "whore whisperer," (ha, ha) to a suspect, I almost DNF'd. Did he forget he was dating a porn star, and Furi's best friend was also a porn star?
Maybe if the murder plot was handled better, I would have been able to understand the rancor better. As it appeared, the case didn't make sense, and it was never fully explained why these men were targeted, if what they were accused of was true, and how the suspects got involved. These murders could have been totally erased from the plot, and it wouldn't have made a difference to the core story. Furious dealing with his ex provided more than enough action and tension.
I have no desire to read "Nothing Special," but I have to admit God and Day piqued my interest. They easily overshadowed the MCs in this story. Looks like they're the Jesse and Evan ("Conquest") of this series; no other couple will be able to compete with their awesomeness. It's never a good sign when you want to know what the "B" couple is up to more than the main one.
![Profile Image for Kati *☆･ﾟ [a bit distracted atm].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1725834613i/144158876._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
May 3, 2024
4**** stars
Bahahahaha, this whole series is just so OTT (esp. books 1-5) but when you know what to expect you just gotta have to love them. They are so ridiculously bad ass. It's save to say, these mofo's are not for everybody's liking.
And seriously, Aiden Snow as the narrator for the audios gives all these guys his everything. He’s so freaking perfect for this series. (Don’t say it! I know, I say that in pretty much every review for this series *lolll)
**************
Nothing Special Series
Book 1 - Nothing Special - 4.5 stars
Book 2 - Embracing His Syn - 4 stars
Book 3 - Here Comes Trouble - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Don’t Judge - 3.25 stars
Book 5 - Nothing Special V - 4.5 stars
Book 6 - SWAT Ed: His Hart’s Command - 4.5 stars
Book 7 - Ex Meridian - 4.5 stars
Book 7.5 - A Nothing Special New Year - 4 stars
Book 8 - SWAT Ed: Fox & Bull - 4.5 stars
Bahahahaha, this whole series is just so OTT (esp. books 1-5) but when you know what to expect you just gotta have to love them. They are so ridiculously bad ass. It's save to say, these mofo's are not for everybody's liking.
And seriously, Aiden Snow as the narrator for the audios gives all these guys his everything. He’s so freaking perfect for this series. (Don’t say it! I know, I say that in pretty much every review for this series *lolll)
**************
Nothing Special Series
Book 1 - Nothing Special - 4.5 stars
Book 2 - Embracing His Syn - 4 stars
Book 3 - Here Comes Trouble - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Don’t Judge - 3.25 stars
Book 5 - Nothing Special V - 4.5 stars
Book 6 - SWAT Ed: His Hart’s Command - 4.5 stars
Book 7 - Ex Meridian - 4.5 stars
Book 7.5 - A Nothing Special New Year - 4 stars
Book 8 - SWAT Ed: Fox & Bull - 4.5 stars
March 7, 2021
Same as the first novel: rediculous. Shallow. Boring sex, but that might be the performance.
September 4, 2024
I'm here for the hot detectives and this one delivered. Perhaps not as good as the first in this series but it's a 3 ⭐⭐⭐ for me and I 'm going directly to the next!
July 5, 2019
I enjoyed this book as much as the first installment of this series. Aiden Snow has this sexy timbre to his voice that is perfect for these characters. As the narrator, he was able to convey the various emotions in this angst-filled story.
In this book 2, a new detective Sergeant Corbin "Syn" Sydney moved from Atlanta to Philly to join Detectives Cashel Godfrey and Leonidas Day's unorthodox yet highly effective law enforcement team. While working Syn met a skittish bartender Furious Barkley whom he found intriguing in a way he hadn't allowed himself to consider a man in a long time. This created a tension between Sun and Furi because Furi was very comfortable with his sexuality and had been out of the closet for a long time. Then add in the fact that Furi was on the run and hiding from an abusive husband for the past couple of years. Syn and Furi had quite the obstacles to their new romance, and it gave this novel some angst.
The mystery and suspense in this novel dealing with Furi's murdered co-workers wasn't difficult to figure out. It got the whole task force gang involved and added danger to this story. Syn and Furi were sweet, hot and entertaining together. I really look forward to the next installment of this series.
In this book 2, a new detective Sergeant Corbin "Syn" Sydney moved from Atlanta to Philly to join Detectives Cashel Godfrey and Leonidas Day's unorthodox yet highly effective law enforcement team. While working Syn met a skittish bartender Furious Barkley whom he found intriguing in a way he hadn't allowed himself to consider a man in a long time. This created a tension between Sun and Furi because Furi was very comfortable with his sexuality and had been out of the closet for a long time. Then add in the fact that Furi was on the run and hiding from an abusive husband for the past couple of years. Syn and Furi had quite the obstacles to their new romance, and it gave this novel some angst.
The mystery and suspense in this novel dealing with Furi's murdered co-workers wasn't difficult to figure out. It got the whole task force gang involved and added danger to this story. Syn and Furi were sweet, hot and entertaining together. I really look forward to the next installment of this series.
February 7, 2017
Re-read January 2017
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
October 6, 2022
Furi and Syn were everything!!!
I enjoyed their book so much, and I'm thankful I decided to continue this series. 💜
We have:
✨ hurt/comfort
✨ protective MC (hell, I was obsessed with how protective Syn was)
✨ first time with a man for one of them
✨ romantic, sweet, and tender gestures (like the delicate expression and caresses; I loved when Syn was playing with Furi's hair)
✨ tattoos
✨ very HOT scenes
✨ found family
I can't wait to continue reading and see more of Furi and Syn, and Day and God.
What I didn't like was the ending. It felt a bit rushed and I needed to see more of one thing in particular... But I was happy with the epilogue! Also, Furi was annoying at times in the beginning. 🤣
P.S. I love their found family. How supportive and protective they are of each other. 💜
I enjoyed their book so much, and I'm thankful I decided to continue this series. 💜
We have:
✨ hurt/comfort
✨ protective MC (hell, I was obsessed with how protective Syn was)
✨ first time with a man for one of them
✨ romantic, sweet, and tender gestures (like the delicate expression and caresses; I loved when Syn was playing with Furi's hair)
✨ tattoos
✨ very HOT scenes
✨ found family
I can't wait to continue reading and see more of Furi and Syn, and Day and God.
What I didn't like was the ending. It felt a bit rushed and I needed to see more of one thing in particular... But I was happy with the epilogue! Also, Furi was annoying at times in the beginning. 🤣
P.S. I love their found family. How supportive and protective they are of each other. 💜
November 29, 2014
You know what I don't like in my m/m books? Vaginas. I'm pretty sure both of the MC's in this book had one. They were two angst filled tween girls trapped in men's bodies. They both drove me nuts with their over dramatic insta love. I can't stand in a m/f book when a heroine is written as a stereotypical drama queen. It's even worse for me when male characters are written this way. There was non-stop talking about "his man" and there were a lot of sappy scenes/moments. Here's a few examples:
"They'd stayed on the top deck until the sun came up. Lying in each other's arms on the plush deck couch, basking in their new love"
*Basking? Really? Are they lizards?
"Furi felt like he was dating Prince Charming"
Yeah, unless you're a 7 year old girl that's not going to work for me.
"Furi made sure to use extra conditioner in his hair and blew it dry so it was extra soft just the way Syn liked it."
*Cuz yeah guys do that. I swear I could go on an entire tangent just about Furi's stupid hair. Every scene possible Syn was brushing it off his face tenderly or fisting his hand in it. Again, something we see a lot in m/f books.
The police in this story, including Syn, were the most ridiculously unprofessional group I've ever read. It was just way too unbelievable.
"They'd stayed on the top deck until the sun came up. Lying in each other's arms on the plush deck couch, basking in their new love"
*Basking? Really? Are they lizards?
"Furi felt like he was dating Prince Charming"
Yeah, unless you're a 7 year old girl that's not going to work for me.
"Furi made sure to use extra conditioner in his hair and blew it dry so it was extra soft just the way Syn liked it."
*Cuz yeah guys do that. I swear I could go on an entire tangent just about Furi's stupid hair. Every scene possible Syn was brushing it off his face tenderly or fisting his hand in it. Again, something we see a lot in m/f books.
The police in this story, including Syn, were the most ridiculously unprofessional group I've ever read. It was just way too unbelievable.
December 6, 2014
I didn’t like this one as much as the first book. Syn and Furi are a hot couple, yes… but somehow I couldn’t connect with them as easily as with Day and God.
I was never able to really grasp Syn’s sexuality. Half of the book he thinks he's straight (he's not in the closet)… and then all of the sudden he falls in love with a guy? Okay, I’ve read other GFY stories but this one… I don’t know… I just couldn’t make up my mind.
What rubbed me the wrong way was the instant-bottoming thing. How can a guy know that his wannabe lover… who is still a virgin in gay sex… is a greedy bottom? Because without a chance to experience how it feels you can’t know what you desire the most, right? But perhaps Furi is a psychic?
I loved meeting Day and God again… I loved their banter as much as in the first book. :)
The storyline itself was okay, there was suspense and mystery and lots of hot steaming sex. Maybe a dozen sex encounters too much for my liking, I started skipping pages while trying to read them. Well…
Overall, it wasn’t a bad book and I enjoyed most of it. Hopefully I can click better with Ruxs and Green in Here Comes Trouble.
September 23, 2014
2.5 stars
It has potential. I think if there was more research done and a better editor used this could be a really good book. The sex scenes were well above par and the characters were likeable. There were a lot of inconsistencies though. The time jumps and poor geography started to get to me in the last quarter of the book. I probably wouldn't have noticed if I didn't live where the book is set.
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