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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved their story but I'd be lying if I didn't say I missed the rest of the gang. I know different series, sames universe. Still I was happy to get more of Austin's story and see him finally get a little happy.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
- 2nd: 01/01/2024
3/5
- 1st: 22/03/2022
2,75/5
I liked it well enough but I felt like there was not a "real" plot except for the romance.
3/5
- 1st: 22/03/2022
2,75/5
I liked it well enough but I felt like there was not a "real" plot except for the romance.
Love and Payne surprised me. It's a stand-alone book with Austen and Zach.
I loved the little insight into Auten's world that is both brutal and harsh. I admit that Zach surprised me. When we first met him, I didn't quite like him much, but he grew on me and with this story I loved him! What an amazing character.
While the story is not that long a lot happens and I liked the little adventure. It was well written. Just as the world-building for Zach's family. The Austen and Zach that go into the story are not the same ones at the end!
In short, I loved this little interlude in the THIRDS Universe!
I loved the little insight into Auten's world that is both brutal and harsh. I admit that Zach surprised me. When we first met him, I didn't quite like him much, but he grew on me and with this story I loved him! What an amazing character.
While the story is not that long a lot happens and I liked the little adventure. It was well written. Just as the world-building for Zach's family. The Austen and Zach that go into the story are not the same ones at the end!
In short, I loved this little interlude in the THIRDS Universe!
So I'm kinda alone in this one seeing all the great reviews and it kinda makes me think if I listened to another story than the one they read.
First there were soooo many characters I couldn't keep them straight, frankly trying to figure out who was who made me space out in the on-goings.
Secondly so many nicknames forOsborn Osmond I had to remind myself of his name. Especially everyone AND his family calling him Zach made me again space out in the on-goings trying to remind myself that his name is Osborn Osmond and the family surname is Zachary. (True to fact I thought his name was Osborn and checking the blurb proved me wrong!).
So many cheesy and over the top lines!!! Who goes around saying "manly muscles" and "sexy sexiness" that is above the age of 14? How can I take the characters, and in this instance ALL and EVERY character (mother, sisters, brothers etc etc), seriously?
What was the point of starting Austen's POV.
I get that the point was to show that being smaller doesn't mean being weak but mentioning again and again that fact in this premise did 2 things, 1st) It was like one was trying to convince ones self by repeating that fact and 2nd) it cancelled out the again repeated fact of how strong Bear shifters are. Yes Austen had special training but throughout the book I felt that Bear shifters were treated by even the author as mindless muscle than anything else.
Finally Austen going round and round on being with Oz, not being with him, having a little taste, not having one, etc etc. It was exhausting! That together with Oz half-assing the whole thing and accepting everything Austen wanted, plus their limited interactions it didn't make for a very convincing love of the ages. Although seeing as how the book ended
First there were soooo many characters I couldn't keep them straight, frankly trying to figure out who was who made me space out in the on-goings.
Secondly so many nicknames for
So many cheesy and over the top lines!!! Who goes around saying "manly muscles" and "sexy sexiness" that is above the age of 14? How can I take the characters, and in this instance ALL and EVERY character (mother, sisters, brothers etc etc), seriously?
What was the point of starting Austen's POV
Spoiler
with a sex scene with Brayden? Do as a reader that I'm shipping a pairing want to know about one of the 2 MCs's sexual encounters? NO! Do I wanted to read that even though Austen liked and wanted Osmond he still fucked others? NO! This is a total turn off!!!I get that the point was to show that being smaller doesn't mean being weak but mentioning again and again that fact in this premise did 2 things, 1st) It was like one was trying to convince ones self by repeating that fact and 2nd) it cancelled out the again repeated fact of how strong Bear shifters are. Yes Austen had special training but throughout the book I felt that Bear shifters were treated by even the author as mindless muscle than anything else.
Finally Austen going round and round on being with Oz, not being with him, having a little taste, not having one, etc etc. It was exhausting! That together with Oz half-assing the whole thing and accepting everything Austen wanted, plus their limited interactions it didn't make for a very convincing love of the ages. Although seeing as how the book ended
Spoiler
in more of a HFN and them announcing they are officially dating, maybe that was the purpose for a 2nd book for Austen and Osmond?
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I love this world Cochet has created. This is a spin off of the THIRDS and it’s Austen and Zack’s story. It was emotional…I liked the way Austen moved past his trauma and opened his heart, he deserves happiness…
I always love THIRDS and related stories, so I loved this one. The narrator's cadence was a little odd, so it's a good thing the story kept my attention.
I loved it. I loved their relationship. So wholesome.
My only problem was how often the destructive delta members were mentioned. So distracting, and a little annoying, especially since I just read 12 books(!!!) about them. Even zach with his huge family and own team and squadron spent the entire book gushing about destructive delta. We get it; they're legendary. Mext characters please! Nonetheless, it is a standalone. So yeah, anyone can read it. All you need to know is the virus and all that, and she explains everything in the glossary.
Also no epilogue. Who does that?
4 stars.
My only problem was how often the destructive delta members were mentioned. So distracting, and a little annoying, especially since I just read 12 books(!!!) about them. Even zach with his huge family and own team and squadron spent the entire book gushing about destructive delta. We get it; they're legendary. Mext characters please! Nonetheless, it is a standalone. So yeah, anyone can read it. All you need to know is the virus and all that, and she explains everything in the glossary.
Also no epilogue. Who does that?
4 stars.
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.***
4.5/5 stars I'm surprised by how much I liked this one, especially after the let down that the last Thirds was.