A review by lionelle_swithens
The Cardigans by Cole McCade

5.0

 5 Awed Stars

Read: 25/02/2023 Recommended by Bee, who is also Buddy Reading This Series with Me 😋 Yay

What to expect from this book? 🤔
👉S01E01 The Cardigans - TV Style Inspired Series

🫶 Adult MM Office Slow Burn Romance
🤭🌈Two Grumpy Queer Detectives with Cranky & Stubborn Attitudes
🤫 Co-Workers to Lovers
🍟☕️ Sweet Chemistry & Tension 🧁
🚔👉 Crime Investigation/Murder Mysteries
☠️🪚 Intense Graphic Crime Scenes Description
🌃 Fantastic Scenic Descritions
😌 Very Diverse Plot with Lots of Queer Rep
🤟 Awesome Side Characters
👏👏👏👏 top-notch writing

Series: Criminal Intentions #1 (Season 1 Episode 1)
Cover: 3/5
Ebook: 202 Pages
Story: 5/5

About the Criminal Intentions Series:

This book series is set up like a TV show rather than a traditional book series. Each book is like an episode within the season, with its own storyline contributing to the plot of the entire series.
When it comes to Mal and Seong-Jae's romance, it's a slow-burn like a TV Romance, where you're waiting forever for the MCs to finally get together.
While romantic developments are present from the beginning of this series, don't expect a full-blown romance in the first book.
It's more about the build-up chemistry, anticipation, and tension that lead to the eventual romance, with all the twists and turns that keep you hooked episode after episode.

If "The Closer" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" had a baby, it would be this book. With both MCs being non-caucasian (Persian/Korean) and queer, with side characters across gender and sexuality spectrums.

So, if you're a fan of that,(or Bones meets Castle)😬*begrudgingly whispers*, you will like this book. You can expect an amazing, driven plot and incredible top-notch writing.
With lots of tension bt the MCs, and the suspense of a Crime Drama Series, this might just be your next obsession (I know it's mine!)

And compared to what's on TV these days, this series is a breath of fresh air.

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"We shall try,” Yoon corrected softly, and Janine beamed at him.
“Aren’t you a sweet boy. And handsome, too.” She turned that wide smile on Malcolm. “Isn’t he handsome?”
Malcolm groaned, dragging his hand over his face. “Janine.”
Janine only smirked, tapped a few more buttons on the screen, and bustled away, leaving them alone. Malcolm thought Yoon would leave it alone, until that soft, fluid voice lilted mockingly at his shoulder. “Well, Khalaji? Am I handsome?”
“Don’t be an ass,” Malcolm said, and followed Janine to the printer.'

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Genre/Trope: Adult/MM Romance/Slow Burn/Age-Gap/Forced Proximity/Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Murder Investigations/Uniformly Hot/Fighters Fight/Queer/Bisexual Rep/Ace Rep/Tv Styled/Diverse Plot/Sequel
Caution/Trigger Warnings: At the beginning of every book in this series, you will find a very detailed trigger warning list. Here are some of them. (view spoiler)
Plot: 5/5
POV: 2

Main Characters:
5/5 - Malcolm Khalaji, nickname: Mal, old wolf, 43 yo, Persian Jewish American, stubborn, cranky, kind and protector of the people, works at Baltimore Police Dept., with a mystery past;
5/5 - Seong-Jae Yoon, nickname: android, robot, crow, 33 yo, Korean American, stoic, cranky, strict, and a stickler for the rules, fav hobby is psychoanalyzing everyone and everything (but preferably Malcolm), new employment in Baltimore Police Dept., also has a mysterious past;

About Book 1 - Episode 1 The Cardigans:

Let me start by saying this!
How does someone write so beautifully and simply at the same time? 🤗
🤔 I don't know how to describe this kind of writing, I've never seen it in my life. It's so well-described, with a kind of flourish in the words, yet very simple to understand but complex that the same time. AArrrggg 🤭
Just, WOW! I'm still in awe with this book.

😍 Ohhh, Seong-Jae... ohhh Malcolm...
Please, please take me out of my misery... sence they appeared I'm was already SHIPPING THEM!!!

Fact about me!
I don't usually like slow burns.
Nah, not for me... so why do I like this one? 🤔
From what I can gather from my all over the place brain, it's a slow burn but at the same time it isn't?!?! I think is because this series is set up like a TV show, and that kinda changes things.

Now, the theme of this book, or the case that (🤔 Khalaji+Yoon) Khalajoon are investigating.
It made me cry. It's very well put...it's difficult writting this kinda themes in a way that it's gruesome but also treated delicately, it's very well crafted.

It's so difficult to describe this book, this author's writing for me...
Not only do you have the nightmare murder mystery and everything that comes with that, but you also have a perspective, a glimpse of what the case is doing to the MCs, not just in terms of being queer and how the world sees you, but also mentally speaking of how complicated cases are, how disturbing, and how much energy you waste on them when most of them are dead ends because you don't have any clues... everything all piled together makes you, demands of you to take some time to process it all or break...
It's just amazing, I hope I made the book justice!

Totally recommend this mesmerizing book.

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"Who told you where I live?” Yoon stepped past the threshold and nudged the door closed with his elbow. “It was in your personnel file,” he said matter-of-factly, as if it should be perfectly obvious.
“Why were you reading my personnel file?” When Yoon didn’t answer, Malcolm sighed. “Asshole.”
“Jaji,” Yoon replied without missing a beat.
...
Muttering under his breath, he pulled the wardrobe door open. “I need to get dressed.”
Yoon only stood there, his head tilted in that infuriating way, a damned android that seemed to be malfunctioning when it tried to process why Malcolm was so annoyed.
Malcolm clenched his jaw, stared up at the iron cross-beams overhead, sent up a prayer up to anything that would listen, then muttered, “That means get out, Yoon.”
Yoon tilted his head to the other side. Then, “I would not have supposed you were shy,” he said, before walking out and closing the door behind him.
Malcolm stared after him, then closed his eyes and thunked his forehead against the wardrobe door, reminding himself to just breathe.'

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Side Characters: 5/5

Meeting Sade, a indigenous two-spirit computer geek was a blast...such a brat and a cutie!
And of course, Captain Anjulie (beautiful name btw), was so funny.
Can't wait to know more about them!

Humor: Medium Low Focus
Angst: Medium High Focus
Steam Level: None, just chemistry & tension, it's a Slow Burn
Romance: Low Focus ( it's the 1st episode)
The Ending: 5/5

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'The sound of Sade’s fingers rattling on the keyboard came over the line, then, “I’ve got hard glossies, no digital. Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly.”
Malcolm sighed with fond exasperation. “I bite back, little spider. Don’t forget that.”
“Promise?”
“Stop that, brat. I’ll be there in a minute.” Ending the call, he started for the stairs, flinging back to Yoon, “Come on. Sade’s got something for us upstairs.”
Yoon’s soft footsteps trailed in his wake. “Do I want to know?”
“No. You really don’t.”
They were halfway up the stairs before Yoon spoke again, a low, taunting lilt at Malcolm’s back.
“So you bite back?”
“…god damn it, Yoon,” Malcolm groaned, then spilled onto their floor and into the homicide unit bullpen.'

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Cons: In other occasions, I would've said the omnivore food was a con for me, but Khalaji asked, in a non-judgmental way, if Yoon was vegetarian or vegan, and if he wanted to look for another place to eat... so now that I know that the characters and the author will not make fun and respect my lifestyle, I will respect them back. Now, it doesn’t bother me what they choose to eat, I just ignore it.
Favorite character? (view spoiler)
Would I read more of this author? Yes
Would I recommend this series? Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? Yes, it's possible!
This is my 1st book by Cole McCade.
Enjoyment: 5/5

🔍🤔 Letters Found: O 📌🐦

Criminal Intentions Series Season 1:

Episode 1. The Cardigans - 5,0 stars
Next:
Episode 2. Junk Shop Blues - 4,5 stars
Episode 3. The Man With The Glass Eye - 5 stars
Episode 4. Changing Faces - to come stars
Episode 5. It's Witchcraft - to come stars
Episode 6. Where There's Smoke - to come stars
Episode 7. Cult Of Personality - to come stars
Episode 8. Collateral Damage - to come stars
Episode 9. A Single Bright Candle's Flame - to come stars
Episode 10. Backdraft - to come stars
Episode 11. Crescendo - to come stars
Episode 12. The Hatter's Game: Part I - to come stars
Episode 13. The Hatter's Game: Part II - to come stars

NEXT SEASON 2


Hope this review was helpful. Click Here To See All My Reviews

!! I don't equate fiction stories to real life. It's a matter of personal taste and what you are willing or want to tolerate in the books you read. We all have different opinions and preferences when it comes to the kind of books we enjoy, so it's important to respect and remember that it's just a book!!