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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
4 Stars!!
Ahhhhh, there’s the Cochet I know and love!
Zach is my favorite kind of MC and that’s nice and BIG. Ha! At 7’4”, 310 pounds, this wonderous package of pure manly man is basically the poster child of gentle giant to the max. Unf. All he wants to do is love on Austen. Yes please!
Now, Austen’s one lucky bastard to garner the attention of such a teddy bear, but he’s a little bit prickly. He’s had a shit deal dealt to him and no one has ever cared about Austen nor thought him deserving of such. The last thing he needs is any emotional attachment. Nope. However, when Zach’s life is threatened, Austen finds himself forced into close quarters with 90+ members of all things bear and he doesn't know what to do with them or himself. It’s the fucking twilight zone of familial good feels!
Seriously, this series can do no wrong and I apologize for my review that is not a review. Newbies just need to start with [b:Hell & High Water|22267616|Hell & High Water (THIRDS, #1)|Charlie Cochet|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402315007s/22267616.jpg|41645331] and veterans need to catch up if they haven’t already. I loved pretty much everything about this because it brought the laughs, the adorbs, the sexy, and those twisty feels that I always revel in! Cochet can’t write fast enough for the next in series!!
Ahhhhh, there’s the Cochet I know and love!
Zach is my favorite kind of MC and that’s nice and BIG. Ha! At 7’4”, 310 pounds, this wonderous package of pure manly man is basically the poster child of gentle giant to the max. Unf. All he wants to do is love on Austen. Yes please!
Now, Austen’s one lucky bastard to garner the attention of such a teddy bear, but he’s a little bit prickly. He’s had a shit deal dealt to him and no one has ever cared about Austen nor thought him deserving of such. The last thing he needs is any emotional attachment. Nope. However, when Zach’s life is threatened, Austen finds himself forced into close quarters with 90+ members of all things bear and he doesn't know what to do with them or himself. It’s the fucking twilight zone of familial good feels!
Seriously, this series can do no wrong and I apologize for my review that is not a review. Newbies just need to start with [b:Hell & High Water|22267616|Hell & High Water (THIRDS, #1)|Charlie Cochet|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402315007s/22267616.jpg|41645331] and veterans need to catch up if they haven’t already. I loved pretty much everything about this because it brought the laughs, the adorbs, the sexy, and those twisty feels that I always revel in! Cochet can’t write fast enough for the next in series!!
After the terrible way the original thirds series ended, I wasn't expecting much. But thankfully Cochet left off the Mary Sue characters and brought the series back to her strengths. Families aren't dysfunctional and committing mass murder for each other, and most people aren't super human though there are moments when Austin's superiority gets a bit annoying.
I wish Cochet would get over the bad trope that her heroes need to be unbeatable and universally loved. Most of all do well being totally average. That said, without latter thirds dex popping up and making everyone love him everywhere, this book was a lot better than the last few. Zach's family was amazing, though I wish there were more women kicking ass and less maternal figures, but sexism is par for the course in m/m romance. Cochet used to be the exception to that, but not lately. I've sadly stopped expecting better in this genre.
I wish Cochet would get over the bad trope that her heroes need to be unbeatable and universally loved. Most of all do well being totally average. That said, without latter thirds dex popping up and making everyone love him everywhere, this book was a lot better than the last few. Zach's family was amazing, though I wish there were more women kicking ass and less maternal figures, but sexism is par for the course in m/m romance. Cochet used to be the exception to that, but not lately. I've sadly stopped expecting better in this genre.
Oh man Zach and Austen's book was exactly what I wanted for them.
Zach and his family just warmed my heart.
I loved Austen and Bray's relationship too and hope to see him get his own book.
Zach and his family just warmed my heart.
I loved Austen and Bray's relationship too and hope to see him get his own book.
4.5 improbable stars
So, this contained all the snark, sexiness, and action that I've come to expect from this universe. It also had the far fetched plot line that you need to just accept and not think too hard about.
I like Austen and Zach (though why the baby of the family ended up with his surname as a nick name baffles me) I can see the set up for future novels in this world and I’ll probably read all of them just for fun.
So, this contained all the snark, sexiness, and action that I've come to expect from this universe. It also had the far fetched plot line that you need to just accept and not think too hard about.
I like Austen and Zach (though why the baby of the family ended up with his surname as a nick name baffles me) I can see the set up for future novels in this world and I’ll probably read all of them just for fun.
Like many THIRDS fans, Austen has been on our radar and sneaking into our hearts every time he appears. I have been not so patiently awaiting his happily every after, not to mention any tidbit of info I could gleam about this mysterious man.
Austen does not believe in happy endings. Life has taught him that it's never fair and true good is hard to find if it even exists at all. That is until he meets Zach. Zach is an anomaly to Austen. No matter how hard he tries to antagonize or push his buttons, Zach never wavers in his calm and kind treatment of Austen. As much as that confuses Austen, it also intrigues him to the point where he spends his free time checking up on him from the shadows. The only person who comprehends the most how Austen feels is his fellow TIN agent Brayden. Brayden is Austen's best friend and sometimes friend with bennies, but that's where their relationship ends. Brayden knows how Austen feels about Zach:
“He makes you wish for something you shouldn’t be wishing for.”
Zach, sweet bear therian Zach. He was so patient and understanding with Austen. Even when Austen would lash out at him he never resorted to being unnecessarily cruel. It was also adorable how his whole family supported him in his quest for Austen's heart. Along with Brayden, whom I truly adored, Zach's family brought a nice touch to the story. Austen and Zach's HEA was definitely a hard one. There were plenty of road blocks and of course a crazy mysterious bad guy sending out hired killers after them. That's what made their finally getting together so great.
It struck him then how lucky he was. Austen had hidden his heart away, unwilling to allow anyone to claim it, but with Zach, he’d not only allowed Zach in, but he’d chosen to gift his heart to Zach.
The ending felt a tad bit rushed to me, or maybe that's just me wanting more . I could have read a hundred more pages of Austen and Zach, especially if it included some more peeks of Brayden. As a side character I really enjoyed him and hope to read about his HEA with a certain brother. 4.5 stars
Austen does not believe in happy endings. Life has taught him that it's never fair and true good is hard to find if it even exists at all. That is until he meets Zach. Zach is an anomaly to Austen. No matter how hard he tries to antagonize or push his buttons, Zach never wavers in his calm and kind treatment of Austen. As much as that confuses Austen, it also intrigues him to the point where he spends his free time checking up on him from the shadows. The only person who comprehends the most how Austen feels is his fellow TIN agent Brayden. Brayden is Austen's best friend and sometimes friend with bennies, but that's where their relationship ends. Brayden knows how Austen feels about Zach:
“He makes you wish for something you shouldn’t be wishing for.”
Zach, sweet bear therian Zach. He was so patient and understanding with Austen. Even when Austen would lash out at him he never resorted to being unnecessarily cruel. It was also adorable how his whole family supported him in his quest for Austen's heart. Along with Brayden, whom I truly adored, Zach's family brought a nice touch to the story. Austen and Zach's HEA was definitely a hard one. There were plenty of road blocks and of course a crazy mysterious bad guy sending out hired killers after them. That's what made their finally getting together so great.
It struck him then how lucky he was. Austen had hidden his heart away, unwilling to allow anyone to claim it, but with Zach, he’d not only allowed Zach in, but he’d chosen to gift his heart to Zach.
The ending felt a tad bit rushed to me, or maybe that's just me wanting more . I could have read a hundred more pages of Austen and Zach, especially if it included some more peeks of Brayden. As a side character I really enjoyed him and hope to read about his HEA with a certain brother. 4.5 stars
adventurous
emotional
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.25 stars!
I've been waiting what seems like forever for Austen and Zach's book. They have been my most anticipated romantic couple in this whole universe aside from any new books coming out with Dex and Sloane.
I was so so excited to be able to delve into their story and how they get to their own happily ever after.
Let's just say, it was a hard one, one of the hardest (except for Hudson and Seb...) journey's to get there, mainly because of Austen and his past and because of it how hard it is for him to trust anyone, or a good thing, or himself.
Osmond Zachary, or Zach (or Ozzy) is a huge, well over 7 foot tall, over 300 pounds that are mainly muscles, bear Therian...but he's one of the kindest, gentlest people there is. His whole huge NINETY-SIX people total family is. But Zach...well, Zach is a grown up, but...still seen as the baby of the family.
Because he's the youngest of 10 children. TEN. Yowza. 7 boys and 3 girls - although I think one of the brothers was missing, because I kept only counting 6 guys and the 3 girls. Finley! That name was mentioned in the beginning but never again. I don't know if he was supposed to be among the brood and just not having any role in everything going on...or if Cochet just totally forgot about him. That seems more plausible. This is why...if you're going to have a ton of people for a family (and thus a lot of a characters) a list of them should be kept nearby lol.
But anyway, when Zach and his team are guarding a politician - and anti-therian politician - and his young 5 year old or so daughter as their leaving the THIRDS headquarters, the politician is attacked, and in the scuffle Zach gets hurt, which lands him in the hospital.
Sparks calls Austen, and Austen rushes to Zach's side, despite his constant claims that he doesn't feel much for Zach, that's he's okay without him, that he's fine on his own.
While there, paid assassins come to kill Zach, and because of that, Austen - and his TIN friend Brayden - have to protect Zach.
When Zach's mother suggests hiding Zach (and their entire family) at their family lodge in the mountains, Austen has no choice but to agree.
This story was mainly about getting Austen to get to a place to let down his walls and let Zach in, to trust him and himself, to be with Zach. Zach was already there, Zach was already in love with him and was just...waiting for Austen.
But Austen doesn't have a good past at all - and even being a TIN agent, he's had to isolate himself more often than not for the job, to get it done. Austen really doesn't know any other way.
Even Zach's mother hugging him makes him tense and uncomfortable.
So Zach...has some work to do. But through it all, even when he doesn't give up, he never pushes Austen in to anything or forces himself on Austen or demands anything. If anything he is always aware of his size and trying to not make it a problem or a factor.
Zach is so gentle, so sweet, and he's always so good to Austen. But Austen determinedly believes that he's no good for Zach, not a good person, and once Zach sees that, that he'll walk away.
But when Austen is protecting Zach with his family all there, they're around each other longer than they ever were in the pervious three years, and Zach just makes Austen fall more and more in love with him. But still, there's a push and pull with Austen, a back and forth.
I do think that what got Austen to a place to accept a relationship with Zach was good, but not handled the best. I just feel like even getting Austen's thoughts from the "we can't" to "I want to" stage would have been good, because while the transition makes sense, it was also a little abrupt. Like one minute Austen is still saying no and the other he's ready to be in a relationship with Zach. Just a little more with that transition would have helped, I think.
Not that I didn't love where they ended up and how this ended, and like also didn't make me excited for more with Dex and Sloane. And glad these two got to a good, happy place - also the ending was funny and adorable and sweet.
All of this was spent away from our original THIRD crew - Dex and Sloane and the others are mentioned but we never see them - and that will probably be like what the other books are like in this THIRDS universe novel series, I bet. The TIN series will give us Dex and Sloane and the others and this will most likely keep them on the back burner, which is fine, I just miss Dex and Sloane haha.
Austen and Zach did have amazing chemistry together, and the way Austen made Zach blush sometimes ;) When Austen let his guard down, even a little, you could tell how much he felt for Zach and just how much he was holding back because of his own fears. I loved seeing him fall for Zach just more and more, the more he was around him.
Also, I wanted to see Austen and Zach talk more, because they have a fight near the end and when they're able to talk about it again...they don't. I'm happy they made up and all, but I think those issues talked out would have been good. If an issue is brought up, I liked to see it resolved, talked out.
Other than those few frustrations, I really enjoyed this overall. I recommend it, especially for those who've been waiting and waiting for Zach and Austen's love story like I have.
Can't wait for the next novel Miss Cochet has to offer in this universe. I'm hooked!
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review.***
I've been waiting what seems like forever for Austen and Zach's book. They have been my most anticipated romantic couple in this whole universe aside from any new books coming out with Dex and Sloane.
I was so so excited to be able to delve into their story and how they get to their own happily ever after.
Let's just say, it was a hard one, one of the hardest (except for Hudson and Seb...) journey's to get there, mainly because of Austen and his past and because of it how hard it is for him to trust anyone, or a good thing, or himself.
Osmond Zachary, or Zach (or Ozzy) is a huge, well over 7 foot tall, over 300 pounds that are mainly muscles, bear Therian...but he's one of the kindest, gentlest people there is. His whole huge NINETY-SIX people total family is. But Zach...well, Zach is a grown up, but...still seen as the baby of the family.
Because he's the youngest of 10 children. TEN. Yowza. 7 boys and 3 girls - although I think one of the brothers was missing, because I kept only counting 6 guys and the 3 girls. Finley! That name was mentioned in the beginning but never again. I don't know if he was supposed to be among the brood and just not having any role in everything going on...or if Cochet just totally forgot about him. That seems more plausible. This is why...if you're going to have a ton of people for a family (and thus a lot of a characters) a list of them should be kept nearby lol.
But anyway, when Zach and his team are guarding a politician - and anti-therian politician - and his young 5 year old or so daughter as their leaving the THIRDS headquarters, the politician is attacked, and in the scuffle Zach gets hurt, which lands him in the hospital.
Sparks calls Austen, and Austen rushes to Zach's side, despite his constant claims that he doesn't feel much for Zach, that's he's okay without him, that he's fine on his own.
While there, paid assassins come to kill Zach, and because of that, Austen - and his TIN friend Brayden - have to protect Zach.
When Zach's mother suggests hiding Zach (and their entire family) at their family lodge in the mountains, Austen has no choice but to agree.
This story was mainly about getting Austen to get to a place to let down his walls and let Zach in, to trust him and himself, to be with Zach. Zach was already there, Zach was already in love with him and was just...waiting for Austen.
But Austen doesn't have a good past at all - and even being a TIN agent, he's had to isolate himself more often than not for the job, to get it done. Austen really doesn't know any other way.
Even Zach's mother hugging him makes him tense and uncomfortable.
So Zach...has some work to do. But through it all, even when he doesn't give up, he never pushes Austen in to anything or forces himself on Austen or demands anything. If anything he is always aware of his size and trying to not make it a problem or a factor.
Zach is so gentle, so sweet, and he's always so good to Austen. But Austen determinedly believes that he's no good for Zach, not a good person, and once Zach sees that, that he'll walk away.
But when Austen is protecting Zach with his family all there, they're around each other longer than they ever were in the pervious three years, and Zach just makes Austen fall more and more in love with him. But still, there's a push and pull with Austen, a back and forth.
I do think that what got Austen to a place to accept a relationship with Zach was good, but not handled the best. I just feel like even getting Austen's thoughts from the "we can't" to "I want to" stage would have been good, because while the transition makes sense, it was also a little abrupt. Like one minute Austen is still saying no and the other he's ready to be in a relationship with Zach. Just a little more with that transition would have helped, I think.
Not that I didn't love where they ended up and how this ended, and like also didn't make me excited for more with Dex and Sloane. And glad these two got to a good, happy place - also the ending was funny and adorable and sweet.
All of this was spent away from our original THIRD crew - Dex and Sloane and the others are mentioned but we never see them - and that will probably be like what the other books are like in this THIRDS universe novel series, I bet. The TIN series will give us Dex and Sloane and the others and this will most likely keep them on the back burner, which is fine, I just miss Dex and Sloane haha.
Austen and Zach did have amazing chemistry together, and the way Austen made Zach blush sometimes ;) When Austen let his guard down, even a little, you could tell how much he felt for Zach and just how much he was holding back because of his own fears. I loved seeing him fall for Zach just more and more, the more he was around him.
Also, I wanted to see Austen and Zach talk more, because they have a fight near the end and when they're able to talk about it again...they don't. I'm happy they made up and all, but I think those issues talked out would have been good. If an issue is brought up, I liked to see it resolved, talked out.
Other than those few frustrations, I really enjoyed this overall. I recommend it, especially for those who've been waiting and waiting for Zach and Austen's love story like I have.
Can't wait for the next novel Miss Cochet has to offer in this universe. I'm hooked!
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review.***