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evaxo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I liked both Syn and Fury seperately, but as a couple they are absolute perfection! And the spice was excellent, with the narration also amazing.
Now into why uts not a 5 star: (TW for DV). The trauma of the MC had been handled better than in the last book - but I still don't think it was hadled correctly. If someone has trauma from a past even & what happened after it, it is not appropriate to berate that person for asking 'how do you feel' after a similar even takes place between the two. This is a trauma response and it's designed to keep him safe - wouldn't take much to reassure him at that point that you are fine, still happy to be with him and he is safe. Instead, we have the traumatised character become guilted into believing that's by asking he is conveying lack of trust and he shouldn't do that, shouldn't even feel like that. - >Not okay<-. He is made to tell himself ''this man I barely know would never hurt me because he says so" when his expirience with someone he did know well and trusted was the opposite, and then is made to feel bad about the natural fear reaction he has. It's like if a woman who's husband beat her in an argument, flinches, when her new partner raises his voice - you wouldn't tell her to get a grip cause this guys won't hurt her... So that really got to me.
Other than this, they really were a beautiful couple and both the romance and the sex was great, the secondary characters were well developed-both likable and hateable where appropriate & ofc the involvement of God and Day was a lovely addition.
Now into why uts not a 5 star: (TW for DV). The trauma of the MC had been handled better than in the last book - but I still don't think it was hadled correctly. If someone has trauma from a past even & what happened after it, it is not appropriate to berate that person for asking 'how do you feel' after a similar even takes place between the two. This is a trauma response and it's designed to keep him safe - wouldn't take much to reassure him at that point that you are fine, still happy to be with him and he is safe. Instead, we have the traumatised character become guilted into believing that's by asking he is conveying lack of trust and he shouldn't do that, shouldn't even feel like that. - >Not okay<-. He is made to tell himself ''this man I barely know would never hurt me because he says so" when his expirience with someone he did know well and trusted was the opposite, and then is made to feel bad about the natural fear reaction he has. It's like if a woman who's husband beat her in an argument, flinches, when her new partner raises his voice - you wouldn't tell her to get a grip cause this guys won't hurt her... So that really got to me.
Other than this, they really were a beautiful couple and both the romance and the sex was great, the secondary characters were well developed-both likable and hateable where appropriate & ofc the involvement of God and Day was a lovely addition.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence
DV and SV are not between the MCs of the book, they concern a past relationship.pisces1_1318's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kara_hildebrand's review against another edition
5.0
Audio Review
Embracing His Syn is the second book in the Nothing Special series by the talented A.E. Via. I'm a huge fan of A.E.'s and I love this series so much. I had the pleasure of listening to it in audio and it totally amps up the sexiness and suspense! Aiden Snow's voice is so deep and growly and I just love it. Corbin Sydney, or Syn. He moved to Atlanta to join God and Day's task force. He's a good cop. Dedicated, fair, by the book and straight. Until he meets Furious. Furi is a tall, sexy, tatted bartender and Syn can't look away. He doesn't care that he's a man, he wants him. But he's not used to the feeling. He isn't ready to run out into the street and declare his intentions, but there's just something about Furi. Furi is running from his past. He just wants a fresh start and Syn is not the place to start. He's a cop. Not a good idea. But the more he sees him and talks to him, the more he wants him. This is all new to Syn and Furi's past comes back to get him. Can these two make it work amongst all the drama? I loved this story! My Lord, listening to Aiden is a fantastic experience. And hearing God and Day, Ronowski and Johnson is always a treat. I'm still fanning myself from Nothing Special! Overall, I loved the story, and the narration. I can't wait to get my hands and ears on Here Comes Trouble!
Embracing His Syn is the second book in the Nothing Special series by the talented A.E. Via. I'm a huge fan of A.E.'s and I love this series so much. I had the pleasure of listening to it in audio and it totally amps up the sexiness and suspense! Aiden Snow's voice is so deep and growly and I just love it. Corbin Sydney, or Syn. He moved to Atlanta to join God and Day's task force. He's a good cop. Dedicated, fair, by the book and straight. Until he meets Furious. Furi is a tall, sexy, tatted bartender and Syn can't look away. He doesn't care that he's a man, he wants him. But he's not used to the feeling. He isn't ready to run out into the street and declare his intentions, but there's just something about Furi. Furi is running from his past. He just wants a fresh start and Syn is not the place to start. He's a cop. Not a good idea. But the more he sees him and talks to him, the more he wants him. This is all new to Syn and Furi's past comes back to get him. Can these two make it work amongst all the drama? I loved this story! My Lord, listening to Aiden is a fantastic experience. And hearing God and Day, Ronowski and Johnson is always a treat. I'm still fanning myself from Nothing Special! Overall, I loved the story, and the narration. I can't wait to get my hands and ears on Here Comes Trouble!
whatcha_listening_to's review against another edition
4.0
Embracing His Syn by A.E. Via
4 Stars
Syn and Furi are explosive! I do love when these two come together its hella hot. Alpha vs Alpha its entertaining and sweet I know that contradicts itself but it really was.
I very much enjoyed the friendship they have and we get more of God and Day.
Again the narration is fantastic Aiden is killing these books for me. I want more, more, more.
4 Stars
Syn and Furi are explosive! I do love when these two come together its hella hot. Alpha vs Alpha its entertaining and sweet I know that contradicts itself but it really was.
I very much enjoyed the friendship they have and we get more of God and Day.
Again the narration is fantastic Aiden is killing these books for me. I want more, more, more.
clumsycrane's review against another edition
4.0
4-4.5 stars.
Re-listen #1. This one is definitely 4 stars. Furious drives me crazy for most of the book. Stubborn man.
Re-listen #1. This one is definitely 4 stars. Furious drives me crazy for most of the book. Stubborn man.
perachdavida's review against another edition
3.0
Ugh. Well. I think my reading of this series stops here. I’m REALLY troubled by some of the things in here. Which is a shame, because in so many ways, this book is spectacular. The representation of a domestically violent relationship between 2 men is extremely rare in romance and so that alone makes this story valuable. Also, I love the characters of Fury and Syn, and the relationship between them. Finally, the sex scenes are five alarm fire crazy-hot.
But the misogyny is overwhelming. Which is quite strange because the author is a woman. When the gay male characters want to insult each other, they call them “a little bitch” or a slut or a whore. Now those terms could be used in a teasing way among friends, or in a hot way during sex, and I’ve certainly come across those uses in both MM and MF romance books and it doesn’t bother me. But in this book, it is clearly mean-spirited and derogatory. One character is accused of “having a vagina” when another character is annoyed with him.
And this was a really gross direct quote, from one of the male side characters, about the woman he’s marrying. “She supports everything that I do. Always has my back. Fucking sweet as hell. Not all needy and demanding like a lot of girls. She’s a hard worker and smart, but not afraid to let me be the man in our relationship. And she and my mom are inseparable. That’s the type of woman you don’t let get away.”
Ewwwwwwwwwww.
And worst of all, the villains in the book are a group of female sex workers who have been sexually assaulted during filming by male actors, and decide to get even by drugging and murdering them (?????). That’s not even really a spoiler, it gets figured out early in the book. The main organizer of the group is described, derogatorily, as a “radical lesbian feminist”. And every time they have to question a suspect, they refer to them as “those crazy bitches.”
Listen. You can be a gay man and still be a misogynist. You can be a self-hating female misogynist. I understand that these characters are police officers, and some people would make a case that that is realistically how they speak. But that is not something to champion or condone. We all know there are zillions of things in romance that are not realistic, and that kind of speech and attitude is one aspect of reality that I read romance specifically to get away from.
But the misogyny is overwhelming. Which is quite strange because the author is a woman. When the gay male characters want to insult each other, they call them “a little bitch” or a slut or a whore. Now those terms could be used in a teasing way among friends, or in a hot way during sex, and I’ve certainly come across those uses in both MM and MF romance books and it doesn’t bother me. But in this book, it is clearly mean-spirited and derogatory. One character is accused of “having a vagina” when another character is annoyed with him.
And this was a really gross direct quote, from one of the male side characters, about the woman he’s marrying. “She supports everything that I do. Always has my back. Fucking sweet as hell. Not all needy and demanding like a lot of girls. She’s a hard worker and smart, but not afraid to let me be the man in our relationship. And she and my mom are inseparable. That’s the type of woman you don’t let get away.”
Ewwwwwwwwwww.
And worst of all, the villains in the book are a group of female sex workers who have been sexually assaulted during filming by male actors, and decide to get even by drugging and murdering them (?????). That’s not even really a spoiler, it gets figured out early in the book. The main organizer of the group is described, derogatorily, as a “radical lesbian feminist”. And every time they have to question a suspect, they refer to them as “those crazy bitches.”
Listen. You can be a gay man and still be a misogynist. You can be a self-hating female misogynist. I understand that these characters are police officers, and some people would make a case that that is realistically how they speak. But that is not something to champion or condone. We all know there are zillions of things in romance that are not realistic, and that kind of speech and attitude is one aspect of reality that I read romance specifically to get away from.
nephilimitless's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
I love Syn. I love Furi. I love their ridiculous nicknames and the perfectly reasonable explanations for them. I love how these two interact with the rest of the team. Again, I love how AE Via builds tension. The spicy scenes are perfect. The pacing is also great; I continue to be impressed with how well AE Via balances the relationship, its buildup, and what I refer to as the "cop plot". This is the one that REALLY hooked me into the series.
reading_rainy's review against another edition
4.0
This book is not really four-star worthy. But I four-star enjoyed it.
I started to type up a synopsis for this book, and realize how utterly ridiculous this story is. I mean, the main characters are named Syn and Furious. It's a murder mystery (that's never really solved) it's gfy, it's a porn star on the side, it's D/s, it's alpha and more alpha. But it was cheesy m/m fun!
Audiobook is fantastic. I don't know how Aiden Snow keeps it together when reading some of these lines.
Blaming Cassandra for encouraging me to add this one
I started to type up a synopsis for this book, and realize how utterly ridiculous this story is. I mean, the main characters are named Syn and Furious. It's a murder mystery (that's never really solved) it's gfy, it's a porn star on the side, it's D/s, it's alpha and more alpha. But it was cheesy m/m fun!
Audiobook is fantastic. I don't know how Aiden Snow keeps it together when reading some of these lines.
Blaming Cassandra for encouraging me to add this one
lexee9's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this story and these characters! I loved getting to come back and see God and Day, a few years later where they now have a task force and are leading it. Syn is a new hire that comes in guns blazing with his morals, which was awesome. We get to see how good of a guy he really is and proving it without a doubt. Syn is the new Sergeant on the task force, 3rd in charge. He meets Furi in the bar that Furi is bartending in and is drawn to him. He doesn't know what to do with it at first as he has never been with a man or really drawn to men prior to this. But he can't ignore what it is with Furi. I loved how these two came together. Furi is trying to get divorced from his abusive ex that he ran from. He has finally made the decision to file, which will let his ex know where he's at and at the same time things start taking off with Syn. I loved how these two start blending together and the dynamics between them. We also have a murders and drugs that Syn is working on taking down. There is plenty in this book to grab and hold your attention all the way through. I was listening to the audiobook and the narrator does a phenomenal job with it and the characters and truly brings it to life. I have truly adored this series and I can't wait to get more on the rest of the task force members.