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lezreadalot 's review for:
Lunatic
by Onley James
“You just gave me a third-act speech about feelings so that you could ask me on a date?”
For a while it was looking like this might be my least favourite of the books so far, but it managed to pull back from that edge. I didn't have all of the same nitpicks with this as I have with the others, but I had some. Archer and Mac's love story isn't quite instalove, since we find out they've been hooking up for a few months prior to the start of this. The plot deals with both of them working on a super secret psychopath training programme that Thomas has them recruited into, and a hit that's been taken out on Mac. We find out a lot of things for the first time in this book. And I guess that's part of my problem.
Spoiler
In some ways, it seems like this series has been heavily plotted out in advance, and I enjoy that, because it means we got all that Avi/Felix foreshadowing, and we know that Thomas/Aiden has been happening in the background too. So it's kinda annoying that so many things came out of left field here. Archer isn't actually a drinker/alcoholic; fine. I'm glad for him. It does feel kinda cheap that that was just dropped on us, with no hints whatsoever. And the supposed close relationship that Archer has with Noah, and all the time he's apparently spent with Noah and Adam... I really wish we'd seen some of that in the background in a couple of the books. If we did, it got completely lost in the other things happening. Noah has this huge emotional reaction to the news that Archer has been lying to them, and I at first was left feeling like Archer. Like... and? Why are you so upset? Why should I care? I eventually came around, but I really wish more groundwork had been laid.This isn't instalove, but I have to say again that all these romances read and feel the same? I don't mind, because I don't hate the obsessive and possessive vibes, but some parts of the dynamics between the two guys... I literally felt like I'd read it all before. The sexy scenes felt boring and copy-pasted. But I can't lie: I did love Archer and Mac together. Not the most memorable romance, but they had some great moments, and they're un-normal about each other in the way I like best.
And I do love this fucking weirdo found family. I love seeing the brothers bicker and banter and interact with each other and bond over murder. It's just as gory and violent and over the top as the others, but I've become used to that. Or at least, I know how to brace myself for it. Also, Onley James knows how to make me intrigued with her side characters. I want more of the strip club lesbians! And are Park and Gift getting a book? I hope so. We also got the set up for the last book, which is going in a direction I didn't quite expect. This is the couple I've been anticipating for the entire series, so I'm crossing my fingers that I'll like it.
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