I loved every, single thing about this one, including Nick J. Russo's outstanding voice performance. I've not read many Amy Lane books (though I own qI loved every, single thing about this one, including Nick J. Russo's outstanding voice performance. I've not read many Amy Lane books (though I own quite a few) but this one sure will make me hurry up on the rest of them. <3
Merged review:
I loved every, single thing about this one, including Nick J. Russo's outstanding voice performance. I've not read many Amy Lane books (though I own quite a few) but this one sure will make me hurry up on the rest of them. <3...more
4.5 stars! Holy wow, this one went all out on the nail-biting factor. There were several places I didn't think Devlin *and Tom!* were going to get out4.5 stars! Holy wow, this one went all out on the nail-biting factor. There were several places I didn't think Devlin *and Tom!* were going to get out *relatively* unscathed.
I genuinely love Sebastian. Considering all that he has been though, all he's seen and had to do, he has a surprisingly tender heart beneath all the casual insouciance that he shows to most everyone but those few closest to him. (view spoiler)[I dread to think what it will do to him when Kat's secret comes out. And it will. All secrets do, eventually. (hide spoiler)]
This one was kind of a "locked door" mystery, with the newly appointed Prince-Regent being accused of the murder of a married Marchioness, who he claims was already dead when he found her. Supposedly waiting for him for a assignation she had invited him to by a secretly delivered note. Lord Devlin is pulled into investigating by Jarvis *the worst kind of political snake*, because the murdered woman is wearing a necklace belonging to Sebastian's mother, who drowned while wearing it when he was only eleven years old. Jarvis only wants to prove the prince innocent but Sebastian can't resist the lure of that necklace. And I'm convinced there are some dark and awful things represented by that necklace on the horizon for Sebastian.
The plot and the setting are marvelously well done by the author and I am well and completely hooked on this series, and happily so. The audio was superbly narrated by Davina Porter. With the first book, it took a few chapters to get used to some of her male voices but her performance is just stellar, and she kept me locked into the story. This was an awesome listen!...more
I've been putting off this review for 2 weeks, and honestly, I've been sitting here with this screen open for the last 2 hoAudio reread June 24, 2021
I've been putting off this review for 2 weeks, and honestly, I've been sitting here with this screen open for the last 2 hours, still not knowing how to say all the twisted up, barbed-wire emotions this made me go through.
Usually in reading any story, I always have a feel for where it's going or who did it or what the characters are going to do. Not this time, and that was also true for most of the book. I was pretty much gobsmacked by the ending though I guess I shouldn't have been *the old 20/20 hindsight*. Maybe more that I didn't want to see the ending.
Through all of North & Shaw's stories, it's always impressed me how patient and understanding North is with Shaw. Yeah, they're always squabbling and Shaw makes North yell at him a lot, but a good deal of that is Shaw yanking his chain on purpose. That's just part of their best friend dynamic, and mostly I love it, it makes me laugh. This time, North's patience gets pushed too far and all the things he's buried down deep so he can function and be who he thinks he's supposed to be finally come out.
For the first time, I was so angry with Shaw that it bordered on the edge of dislike. It's never been a secret that both guys have big issues that neither one of them will deal with. And Shaw has always just kind of done whatever he wants, and North always gives in, to make Shaw happy. However, this time he just kind of rides roughshod all over what North wants, about almost everything. I do love Shaw and he's quirky, funny and soft-hearted but that doesn't excuse the way he disregards North, however unintentionally it may be in doing. Then some of Shaw's issues that he has been hiding come out in the most painful way possible for North McKinney and breaks the dam on his own, all those buried things that he swallows down all the time. And it freaking hurt. ...more
Before I made it through the first 30 minutes of this audio, I knew Gregory Ashe was going to do it to me again, in the "why the hell do I keep doing Before I made it through the first 30 minutes of this audio, I knew Gregory Ashe was going to do it to me again, in the "why the hell do I keep doing this to myself?" kind of way. I guess because I'm addicted to fantastically plotted, well written, brutal crime fiction with complicated, broken men who frustates me equally much as they make me love them? ...more
4.5 stars. Another wonderful romance from Mimi Matthews! (view spoiler)[I have to confess though that I was kind of angry when I figured out that Nich4.5 stars. Another wonderful romance from Mimi Matthews! (view spoiler)[I have to confess though that I was kind of angry when I figured out that Nicholas never had any intention of seeking Maggie out, had she not unknowingly sought him out. That excuse about being afraid to see her married, as he was sure she was, was a little weak for me. But Maggie forgave it, so I could do no less. Besides, he definitely did make up for it. (hide spoiler)]...more
4.5 stars. And here I was thinking this series would be a little less fraught with angst and pain. How stupid of me. In all seriousness, I may not sur4.5 stars. And here I was thinking this series would be a little less fraught with angst and pain. How stupid of me. In all seriousness, I may not survive Hazard and Somers. I guess we all have to die sometime though, right? ;)
Hazard and Somers have left the events of their last case behind and moved on. They've bought a house together, Somers is back at the Wahredua PD and Hazard is adjusting to life taking care of the house, and Somers. And relaxing, finally. Except that he isn't. Everything I feared when Ree resigned, and then some, is what happens. And John knows something is wrong but he doesn't know what, and he doesn't know how to fix it.
The beginning of the book is just as dark and wrenching as anything they've gone through before, and maybe even more so. Both guys are struggling. It's pretty clear that Ree is suffering some degree of PTSD from all that happened before and for the first time, John doesn't know what to do. Then both a new partner for John and a new case comes along, and when John brings it home, it's like Ree wakes up and all of a sudden, he's interested. As the case progresses, it becomes clear that somebody is interested in Hazard too.
No matter how bad things do get, one thing that's clear is Ree and John need each other and their connection is more intense and volatile in a way it hasn't been before. And though they absolutely put each other through the wringer this time, by the end *thank God* their relationship feels even stronger. Ree was able to finally trust John with things about himself that he'd held back before and I think they both needed that.
These guys both have so many damn issues, they do & say things the wrong way and sometimes I just want to bang their heads together, see if that won't knock some sense loose. But they both never stop caring, and they always want to do what's right, even when it costs them.
And one of my favorite things? I love how excited Emery Hazard gets about his dry as dust documentaries, and how completely uninterested *but amused* Somers is over it all. <3
The writing every bit as sharp as I've come to expect from Gregory Ashe and the plot is fast paced, tense and compelling as always. I cannot put these stories down and I resent every minute I have to. As a note for the audiobook, I have to give props to Tristan James, who gave perfect voice to Hazard and Somers. He made the story live and breathe for me and I'm really looking forward to seeing where our guys go from here.
Disclaimer: A copy of the audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review....more
Though I love Vic & Jacob and I’d happily listen to Gomez Pugh recite the alphabet, this was not my favorite.
Vic is always funny to me, I love him. IThough I love Vic & Jacob and I’d happily listen to Gomez Pugh recite the alphabet, this was not my favorite.
Vic is always funny to me, I love him. I love the way he’s changing and growing over time. He’s still paranoid *with good reason*, snarky, impatient and a bit anti-social *LOL*. But he also likes *some* people now and there are others that he cares about besides Jacob.
And unless Jacob suddenly has a complete personality change, I’ll always love him. ❤️
But this book didn’t keep my attention like all the previous ones because Vic & Jacob were hardly together at all in the story, despite the fact that they live together and were working on a case together. Vic spent more time with all the other characters than Jacob and that’s my main attraction to this series. Besides Victor Bayne’s tangled, neurotic, lovable self.
Don’t get me wrong, I always enjoy the psychic investigations and at times these stories can keep me on the edge of my seat. However, this time it felt like there were too many issues going on at once, though they did all tie together.
The excellent writing, characters I love and amazing narration made this an entertaining listen nonetheless....more
4.5 stars! I love Kit and J.X. and love how their relationship has grown. Spending time with Kit's snark and J.X.'s sweetness and care of Kit was just4.5 stars! I love Kit and J.X. and love how their relationship has grown. Spending time with Kit's snark and J.X.'s sweetness and care of Kit was just what I needed.
The narration for this series couldn't be more perfect. Kevin R. Free nails Kit's personality every time and J.X. comes across just as clearly as Kit. I genuinely look forward to the next one! ...more
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