A review by mollyreadsandcrafts
Misdirection by Gregory Ashe

4.25

•spoilers• 

When North and Shaw are hired to protect a state senator's son they soon find him missing. On top of searching for him North's "uncle" Ronnie also hires them to find another missing man, though they suspect something more devious is involved. Between the case and Ronnie's threats, their relationship becomes even more strained as time starts to run out to find the missing people. 

All the cracks in the relationship that were hinted at before just get more obvious in this book. As it turns out, North has a lot of unresolved issues. Near the end of the last series North finally leaves Tucker, realizes he wants to be with Shaw, and works to make it happen. Now that they're there, it's becoming clear that maybe he jumped into something too quickly. Tucker is still a thorn in North's side and a lot of his hang-ups come from his past abusive relationship and his childhood. He cares deeply for Shaw but isn't in the place to be with him the right way while not pushing him away and losing him. 

Shaw wants to help him move on and be in a healthier place, but because North isn't ready for that step it comes across as pushy and stubborn. He oversteps boundaries and while it comes from a good place, tends to put himself and what he wants ahead of North and his relationship. He's such a genuinely good person, but that also turns out to be a bit of his downfall when he bulldozes to do what he thinks is the best. Just like North, Shaw loves him and wants what's best for him, though he doesn't go about it the best way. 

Their relationship is not like any other with their shared sense of humor and deep friendship. They care for each other so much but at the moment there's too much in their way. I understand the ending even if it is a bit of a bummer. The series so far has been building up to this moment and I do think taking some time to step back and reflect will be better for them moving forward, as much as it hurts everyone in the present. 

The state senator's son's missing person's case was kinda crazy. I'm sad the original offices are now gone. It felt like such an integral part of their story, the backdrop for so much that happened. I didn't try too hard to solve the case because North and Shaw were taking up all my concerns, but it was pretty interesting. It also showed some of the differences between North and Shaw, adding fuel to the fire that was slowly eating at their relationship. Not to mention fucking Ronnie, who I always forget about because he's just the worst and this cloud of doom that hangs over everything. He and Tucker can go fuck off. 

I'm always a bit wary at the end of these books. Especially with this one in particular I'm not sure what's going to happen next. I want what's best for them and it's hard to see their bigger picture sometimes when we see so much of their angst. They still have a ways to go, and I just want them to somehow be happy eventually.

Read if you like: 

• romantic suspense                              

• private investigators            

• friends to lovers               

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