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rebeccabadger's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
haletostilinski1's review
4.0
I think I was the most excited for this one in the series. Leo intrigued me from the beginning of this series, and I really wanted to know his relationship with Charlie, why he was an apparent law-abiding FBI guy brought into this band of criminals and Charlie's missions.
We slowly got more as the other books went on, and with the last book ending with Charlie revealing himself to be the "interested party" to Leo and that he was still alive, I was really excited to read their story.
It started off well, with these two reuniting and right away having reunion sex - so we know right away that these two have a history, whatever that might be, and it isn't the first time they've had sex. There's an intimacy to it. They know each other well.
But when Leo is kidnapped and Charlie wakes up handcuffed to the hotel bed naked, and Steele and Breck come into check on Leo and find Charlie, alive and well...well, Charlie has some explaining to do. And they have to rescue Leo, wherever he is.
Throughout the book we go back and forth in time with flashbacks. At first we get when Charlie and Leo first met and how they fell in love, then we get other points in their relationship as well as a few other flashbacks.
And in the present, it's a race against the clock for Charlie and our other Pros & Cons guys as they try to find Leo before the person who took him kills Leo or Charlie or both of them. Because whoever took Leo, it's personal....
Overall, I loved this. I'd been waiting for these two and for the most part they didn't disappoint.
This had the usual amount of typos that AE Wasp has, which at this point is bothersome more than annoying. It's just how this author does it, and her stories are good enough to get past it, ultimately. I do wish she would try harder to catch them, though...like idk if she doesn't read through herself for edits at some point or what, but...I think she should.
Anyway, back to the story. For the most part, I loved these two together. Their beginning was so interesting and had me hooked.
But I did take one star off of this and that's because of the present day stuff...which, I didn't feel like we got enough of with these two. Eventually they do find Leo and we It left me disappointed.
Also the story did this a few times, where it cut ahead to the next part pretty abruptly, and skipped parts that I would have liked to see.
Also in the present, I felt like we didn't get enough of these two just...together. It lowered my enjoyment when so little was focused on these two and their relationship. I know for these two, they're settled into their relationship, and while it's been a complicated one, and not exactly a traditional one, they've still been together for quite awhile.
But like...where was the heat? Where was the passion? Being settled doesn't mean we shouldn't get the.
There were soft and sweet moments between these two, to be sure. But...in the present they were kinda missing that passion and heat, I gotta say. I did adore these two, but...I just wish we had gotten a few scenes focusing soley on them and their love for each other.
It was so focused on the bad guy case of the book, and the other guys in the group (which, isn't bad. I love the other guys, I do, but...they already got their own books. We don't need to focus so much on them) that I just...wasn't getting enough from these two.
Which, not exactly their fault, and more the writing, honestly. Choosing to barley focus on them and their relationship. Taking focus away from them made it feel like they weren't as in love as they felt in the flashbacks, and even in the very beginning of the book when they had their reunion in the present day before Leo was kidnapped.
Even the epilogue, as great as it was to have the group together (I do genuinely love these ten guys and Miranda and Josie as well), it again barely focused on Charlie and Leo, and what their life is like post story.
And it was totally setting up the events I'm sure will happen in the holiday short the author said will be coming out soon (which I'll totally read, no doubt about that), which again...takes away from Charlie and Leo's romance, though. I would have rather had an epilogue focused mainly on them.
So that was my main complaint with this, and hence the taking off a full star. Once we get into the present, with these two reunited...there wasn't enough of them and I was left feeling a little bereft by the ending of this.
I was thinking to myself "I enjoyed this a lot, I couldn't put it down, it kept my attention, a good portion of this I absolutely loved...but why am I feeling like something was missing?" after I finished. I thought more about it and it was because I was feeling duped out of more on the Charlie and Leo relationship. I wanted so much more.
They had a good beginning in the flashbacks, a wonderful beginning, and I know we can't know all of what they did and how they lived the last together, but even the glimpses we got of later years were nice. But just the present day...and their ending...it just left a little to be desired, unfortunately.
The plot was interesting enough. I was totally right about who the bad guy was. I wasn't too worried about him, even when he tried to do his worst.
But speaking about another part that was abrupt - - another part that I feel should have been included that was just skipped over.
Anyway, the bad guy was taken care of (he was a shit, to be sure, but he wasn't that hard to take care of. He was more desperate than anything else, and a desperate man isn't one with a plan, to say the least.)
So overall, I enjoyed the first half for sure, definitely 5 stars, loved getting to know Charlie and Leo's beginning, seeing them fall in love, all that good stuff. The plot overall was entertaining and kept me interested. But I just had too much a problem with the above stuff I talked about, which means I would give the second half probably around 3 stars, rounding this out to 4 stars.
Fairly solid overall, but falling short where I wish it hadn't. The second half read more like it was the action/plot stuff first, romance second, when it should be the other way around. This is a romance book first and foremost, after all.
So I'm so happy we got this last installment, and of course I'll be reading the short that lets us say goodbye, in way, to all our couples, because I have so enjoyed this series overall, and the author also said she's starting a spin-off series, so we're not saying goodbye to this world quite yet, which I'm happy about.
I still definitely recommend this, too. I just felt like the ending fell short when it didn't need to. I need more with Leo and Charlie, because I fell in love with them as a couple and wanted more.
Still a thumbs up for me, though.
We slowly got more as the other books went on, and with the last book ending with Charlie revealing himself to be the "interested party" to Leo and that he was still alive, I was really excited to read their story.
It started off well, with these two reuniting and right away having reunion sex - so we know right away that these two have a history, whatever that might be, and it isn't the first time they've had sex. There's an intimacy to it. They know each other well.
But when Leo is kidnapped and Charlie wakes up handcuffed to the hotel bed naked, and Steele and Breck come into check on Leo and find Charlie, alive and well...well, Charlie has some explaining to do. And they have to rescue Leo, wherever he is.
Throughout the book we go back and forth in time with flashbacks. At first we get when Charlie and Leo first met and how they fell in love, then we get other points in their relationship as well as a few other flashbacks.
And in the present, it's a race against the clock for Charlie and our other Pros & Cons guys as they try to find Leo before the person who took him kills Leo or Charlie or both of them. Because whoever took Leo, it's personal....
Overall, I loved this. I'd been waiting for these two and for the most part they didn't disappoint.
This had the usual amount of typos that AE Wasp has, which at this point is bothersome more than annoying. It's just how this author does it, and her stories are good enough to get past it, ultimately. I do wish she would try harder to catch them, though...like idk if she doesn't read through herself for edits at some point or what, but...I think she should.
Anyway, back to the story. For the most part, I loved these two together. Their beginning was so interesting and had me hooked.
But I did take one star off of this and that's because of the present day stuff...which, I didn't feel like we got enough of with these two. Eventually they do find Leo and we
Spoiler
don't even get a reunion hug or kiss or anything between these two. We just cut to Leo being rescued and Charlie and a few others from the group there, but barely interaction between these two.Also the story did this a few times, where it cut ahead to the next part pretty abruptly, and skipped parts that I would have liked to see.
Also in the present, I felt like we didn't get enough of these two just...together. It lowered my enjoyment when so little was focused on these two and their relationship. I know for these two, they're settled into their relationship, and while it's been a complicated one, and not exactly a traditional one, they've still been
Spoiler
married for 15 years. Yep, I suspected that one too and I was right! They weren't just on and off boyfriends for 15 years, they've been husbands all this timeBut like...where was the heat? Where was the passion? Being settled doesn't mean we shouldn't get the
Spoiler
tearful and passionate reunion scene, and even reunion sexThere were soft and sweet moments between these two, to be sure. But...in the present they were kinda missing that passion and heat, I gotta say. I did adore these two, but...I just wish we had gotten a few scenes focusing soley on them and their love for each other.
It was so focused on the bad guy case of the book, and the other guys in the group (which, isn't bad. I love the other guys, I do, but...they already got their own books. We don't need to focus so much on them) that I just...wasn't getting enough from these two.
Which, not exactly their fault, and more the writing, honestly. Choosing to barley focus on them and their relationship. Taking focus away from them made it feel like they weren't as in love as they felt in the flashbacks, and even in the very beginning of the book when they had their reunion in the present day before Leo was kidnapped.
Even the epilogue, as great as it was to have the group together (I do genuinely love these ten guys and Miranda and Josie as well), it again barely focused on Charlie and Leo, and what their life is like post story.
And it was totally setting up the events I'm sure will happen in the holiday short the author said will be coming out soon (which I'll totally read, no doubt about that), which again...takes away from Charlie and Leo's romance, though. I would have rather had an epilogue focused mainly on them.
So that was my main complaint with this, and hence the taking off a full star. Once we get into the present, with these two reunited...there wasn't enough of them and I was left feeling a little bereft by the ending of this.
I was thinking to myself "I enjoyed this a lot, I couldn't put it down, it kept my attention, a good portion of this I absolutely loved...but why am I feeling like something was missing?" after I finished. I thought more about it and it was because I was feeling duped out of more on the Charlie and Leo relationship. I wanted so much more.
They had a good beginning in the flashbacks, a wonderful beginning, and I know we can't know all of what they did and how they lived the last
Spoiler
15 yearsThe plot was interesting enough. I was totally right about who the bad guy was. I wasn't too worried about him, even when he tried to do his worst.
But speaking about another part that was abrupt -
Spoiler
Gabe ends up shooting Leo, and then next chapter and BAM, we're in the hospital and Leo's okay and everyone's there and....none of the aftermath? No Charlie running over to Leo and freaking out? No seeing them trying to save Leo, and only hearing about it afterward?Anyway, the bad guy was taken care of (he was a shit, to be sure, but he wasn't that hard to take care of. He was more desperate than anything else, and a desperate man isn't one with a plan, to say the least.)
So overall, I enjoyed the first half for sure, definitely 5 stars, loved getting to know Charlie and Leo's beginning, seeing them fall in love, all that good stuff. The plot overall was entertaining and kept me interested. But I just had too much a problem with the above stuff I talked about, which means I would give the second half probably around 3 stars, rounding this out to 4 stars.
Fairly solid overall, but falling short where I wish it hadn't. The second half read more like it was the action/plot stuff first, romance second, when it should be the other way around. This is a romance book first and foremost, after all.
So I'm so happy we got this last installment, and of course I'll be reading the short that lets us say goodbye, in way, to all our couples, because I have so enjoyed this series overall, and the author also said she's starting a spin-off series, so we're not saying goodbye to this world quite yet, which I'm happy about.
I still definitely recommend this, too. I just felt like the ending fell short when it didn't need to. I need more with Leo and Charlie, because I fell in love with them as a couple and wanted more.
Still a thumbs up for me, though.
mirocchi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
showarst's review
5.0
I have been looking forward to the final book of the Pros and Cons series. It was the perfect way to end this series (though we do have the Christmas edition to look forward to- yay)!
I love all these characters. Charlie and Leo are my favorites though. I loved learning about how they met and fell in love. The chemistry and passion they had for each other was palpable. The HEA made me smile and sigh in happiness. I’m so glad we get to see these characters again.
I did figure out pretty early who the bad guy was but it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. Every moment was perfect.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys intrigue, humor, and romance.
I love all these characters. Charlie and Leo are my favorites though. I loved learning about how they met and fell in love. The chemistry and passion they had for each other was palpable. The HEA made me smile and sigh in happiness. I’m so glad we get to see these characters again.
I did figure out pretty early who the bad guy was but it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. Every moment was perfect.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys intrigue, humor, and romance.
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