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diya13's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eliezrah's review
4.0
This was a good story of friendship, learning to love yourself, and letting the past go. Mason & Hunter are so good for each other. There are some heart wrenching moments in the book, so be prepared. Seeing their growth & love develop was so great though.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.
kjnrose's review
5.0
I have really enjoyed this series and this book was great. This book has wonderful characters, a great storyline and is very well written. It's a slow-burn between two guys who have worked together and liked each other for a while, miscommunication makes things crawl. I loved it and the others in this series, if you haven't read the others, you should.
bookpimpfairy's review
5.0
Beautifully handled
So, having read Katherine's other books, I decided to give this one a shot. I was warned about the events that may trigger me, and yep, they were rough, and yet they were handled beautifully. These two have been through so much with shared experiences and yet so different at the same time. And how they handled them proved how different they are and how substance abuse in a family affects everyone differently.
This book gutted me and built me back up in the way the actions of the surrounding characters affected all. Truly beautiful, add in non binary rep in the best way possible, so it's worth a read even if yeah it hurt.
So, having read Katherine's other books, I decided to give this one a shot. I was warned about the events that may trigger me, and yep, they were rough, and yet they were handled beautifully. These two have been through so much with shared experiences and yet so different at the same time. And how they handled them proved how different they are and how substance abuse in a family affects everyone differently.
This book gutted me and built me back up in the way the actions of the surrounding characters affected all. Truly beautiful, add in non binary rep in the best way possible, so it's worth a read even if yeah it hurt.
pip_dolyn's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ofbooksandromance's review
4.0
RTC but I love a good romance that takes me on an emotional rollercoaster and this book did exactly that for me. It was sweet but also heartbreaking and I loved the mix of the two. It was done very well and hit the spot for me.
I received an arc of this book and this is my honest opinion
I received an arc of this book and this is my honest opinion
adam_ant's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jugglingpup's review
4.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
Book three is here! I have been counting down for so long for this one. I love how this series is not just m/m. This is a full queer group. There are lesbians, trans people, gay people. I have yet to be in a queer group that was loving and wonderful that were just one identity. It is details like this that make me adore this series and this author.
The geekiness continued in this one so strongly. There were game references, even one to a favorite game of mine. Movie references, feelings about Jar Jar Binks. There was even some art geekery. It just felt like the characters had full lives and interests. It was so heart warming to see the love and support from the café staff.
This romance was a bit harder for me. Addiction is not a plot I want to read about. I grew up in an area so overrun with heroin there is a documentary called Heroin Town about it. I currently work in criminal law in an area with lots of meth. I have been around addiction and addicts most of my life. Reading about addiction is interesting to me, same as reading mysteries aren’t. It is work. So the fact that I still read this book and rated it four stars says a lot about McIntyre. I was still invested in the characters and the romance. I still needed to read every word, even when this book should not have worked for me. I loved that there were different perspectives. The characters were impacted by addiction in different ways and had drastically different views. They had to figure out how to navigate the other’s pain to be together.
There was a line near the end of the book from a character I did not expect that punch me in the heart. I started crying. Had to put down the book and just cry. By the end I was grumpy about this. Hunter and I are both grumpy and closed off in a way that stems from childhood trauma. So hearing words that affirmed that and didn’t try and excuse anything or blame me/Hunter for that was incredibly powerful. The amount of intense feelings and fleshed out characters makes this series one that you have to read.
I highly recommend.
I got an ARC of this book.
Book three is here! I have been counting down for so long for this one. I love how this series is not just m/m. This is a full queer group. There are lesbians, trans people, gay people. I have yet to be in a queer group that was loving and wonderful that were just one identity. It is details like this that make me adore this series and this author.
The geekiness continued in this one so strongly. There were game references, even one to a favorite game of mine. Movie references, feelings about Jar Jar Binks. There was even some art geekery. It just felt like the characters had full lives and interests. It was so heart warming to see the love and support from the café staff.
This romance was a bit harder for me. Addiction is not a plot I want to read about. I grew up in an area so overrun with heroin there is a documentary called Heroin Town about it. I currently work in criminal law in an area with lots of meth. I have been around addiction and addicts most of my life. Reading about addiction is interesting to me, same as reading mysteries aren’t. It is work. So the fact that I still read this book and rated it four stars says a lot about McIntyre. I was still invested in the characters and the romance. I still needed to read every word, even when this book should not have worked for me. I loved that there were different perspectives. The characters were impacted by addiction in different ways and had drastically different views. They had to figure out how to navigate the other’s pain to be together.
There was a line near the end of the book from a character I did not expect that punch me in the heart. I started crying. Had to put down the book and just cry. By the end I was grumpy about this. Hunter and I are both grumpy and closed off in a way that stems from childhood trauma. So hearing words that affirmed that and didn’t try and excuse anything or blame me/Hunter for that was incredibly powerful. The amount of intense feelings and fleshed out characters makes this series one that you have to read.
I highly recommend.
sharingthebooklove's review
4.0
I enjoyed this 3rd book in the series featuring Mason and Hunter.
Id say the subject matter in this one is a little bit darker, more angsty than the previous books in the series but it works. Mason and Hunter, have secrets and pasts that haunt them and together they work to overcome these. I would have liked to see maybe one of the 'past issues' resolved a little different - it felt unfinished BUT maybe the series continues and this will be resolved going forward.
trigger warning possible for drug abuse!
Id say the subject matter in this one is a little bit darker, more angsty than the previous books in the series but it works. Mason and Hunter, have secrets and pasts that haunt them and together they work to overcome these. I would have liked to see maybe one of the 'past issues' resolved a little different - it felt unfinished BUT maybe the series continues and this will be resolved going forward.
trigger warning possible for drug abuse!
mmromancereviewed's review
5.0
Full review:
https://www.mmromancereviewed.com/2022/05/intelligence-check-by-katherine-mcintyre.html
https://www.mmromancereviewed.com/2022/05/intelligence-check-by-katherine-mcintyre.html