I finished the audio and wow!! What a perfect job Nick Russo did, once again!
I can’t wait for him to finish the third book in this series.
4,5 Stars.
Nicky James is such a talented author - she can write everything, whether it's a heavy, angsty book, a lighter enemies to lovers, suspense, or books about phobia's; they at least have one thing in common and that is that they all touch my heart, make me feel all the feels. Her characters are always dimensional, genuine and real, with flaws and imperfect traits.
She can write steamy, sexy scenes, or write a book that's heavier on the romance. Either way, I will read them all.
This is the story of Quaid and Aslan. Opposites, and supposedly enemies since they both work for a different Toronto Police department and they don't think very highly about each other’s departments. Aslan is a homicide detective with a reputation of being a player. He's bi-sexual and hasn't made a secret out of it. Quaid is from the Missing Persons Unit. A gay detective with a supposedly stick up his ass, and they are forced to work together in a case of a missing baby. The MPU is short in personnel and Quaid’s usual partner is temporarily unavailable.
Aslan likes to rattle Quaid every now and then, specially when mentioning the kiss they shared a couple of months before, something Quaid would love to forget about. (You can read all about that kiss in the free prequel to this series, Department Rivals).
But for some reason, they work. They find their groove together and get to know each other on a more personal level. Both struggle with different topics in their lives and the longer they work together, the more there seems to be a natural interest in each other's lives. Quaid has his reasons why he joined the MPU and he has a very persistent ex, who cheated on him, but who doesn’t seem to understand the message that they are over. Quaid’s own mixed signals aren’t very helpful in that matter.
”Can I say something?”
“No,” he snapped. “For the love of God, please don’t.”
“You deserve better than that piece of shit.”
“I’ll file your opinion away with everyone else’s, thank you very much.”
I huffed a laugh. “Don’t get pissy with me. I’m not the one who stuck his dick where it didn’t belong. How many times before you learn your lesson, huh? This isn’t love.”
“Like you’d know what love looks like.”
Aslan struggles with other stuff, like the care for his sister and her kids with an (mostly) absent father, and his alcohol addiction.
Despite Quaid's denial, there is a palpable sexual tension between them, a chemistry that is undeniably there. And as a reader, you wonder how long it will take for them to give in. I loved their dynamics, their banter. How Aslan kept pushing Quaid's boundaries. It was surely entertaining and there was great humor too. When you decide to read this book (and I recommend you do!) you have to be aware that there will be no HEA or not even a HFN, since the romance is still under construction. There’s not even anything more than just plain sex in sight.
”Can we get through this case without it being awkward?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“It probably shouldn’t have happened.”
I shrugged. “It is what it is. I’m not sorry.”
The soft hint of a smile he wore faded and I read his mind like it was a billboard on the side of the highway.
“I’m just another nudge in your bedpost now, huh?”
“Let’s go figure out what we’re doing,” he said, his voice huskier than usual.
The suspense part - the missing baby - is neatly solved when you close the book. It hadn't put me on the edge of my seat, but it sure held my attention throughout the book, and there were some unexpected twists and turns, so it was just as entertaining as the romance. I thought it was pretty well balanced.
Another winner by Nicky's hand, and I can't wait to see what she'll come up with next.
I kindly received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my voluntarily, unbiased review
NicoleR.M.M.
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