A review by galleytrot
SWAT Ed.: Fox & Bull by A.E. Via

  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

READ: Jan 2023
FORMAT: Audio 

BRIEF SUMMARY: 
In this contemporary romance set an hour out of Atlanta, SWAT Lieutenant Fox is beginning to grow tired of the negative PR that comes with high-stakes decision making on the job. After his most recent job gets him a suspension, he volunteers his free time to help Bull’s father with an ongoing vandalism problem at his ranch. 

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 3.75 / 5⭐ 
This was a nice romance that breaks a bit away from the action that most of the Nothing Special series is known for. We still get a couple of SWAT scenes, but we’re more heavily focused on the main pairing and what’s going on at the ranch instead of on the streets of Atlanta. 

Fox and Bull are both in a position to re-evaluate their current miserable paths in life – Fox on a career path he never necessarily wanted, and Bull in avoiding relationships over his fear of abandonment. Fox is ready, willing, and able to help fill the hole in Bull’s heart, while in the meantime he finds happiness and purpose in the goings-on on the ranch – especially once he meets a rescued Arabian horse in need of rehabilitation. 

TECHNICAL / PRODUCTION: 3.5 / 5⭐ 
I want to say that it’s weird how Fox manages to get away with the things he does in this book. Can we talk about excessive force? There are two people whose lives he’s potentially changed through the use of non-lethal ammo. The first over trespassing and an act of mischief that was never committed, and the second over a fight that never even got to start. Both cases are treated as a completely reasonable thing to do in their scenarios. The latter may be more justifiable as self defense, but there are many other less-potentially-life-altering ways to incapacitate somebody, or even just to scare them off. 

Don’t get me wrong, I like bad ass men doing bad ass things, but excessive force is kind of a whole problem that needs to be talked about more. I have seen what rubber bullets and bean bag rounds can actually do to people. I won’t say there’s no case where they could possibly be useful, but This Ain’t It.

Production-wise, there were a couple of issues with the audiobook. I'm not sure if the problem was in the writing or in the audio editing, but there were a couple of points where lines were tried twice, but the second take was not edited out. There was also one point with an audible crackling. Aiden Snow's performance, however, was great as always.

FINAL THOUGHTS - OVERALL: 3.75 / 5⭐ 
If you’re looking for more delicious man-on-man fun, this one is a bit of a tease for a while; but when it gets there, it gets there. You won’t find too much APD stuff in this book, and the mandatory Nothing Special Cast Parade doesn’t happen until the last fifth of the book, so if you’re here looking for more God and Day content, this one might be a pass for you. 

There is representation in this book for the gays and not much else. There are a couple characters described in previous books as non-white, but you wouldn’t know it if you read this book as a standalone. 

The following elaborates on my content warnings. These may be interpreted as spoilers, but I do not go into deep detail.
This book contains: police brutality and excessive force; a past situation of abandonment; a panic attack; a horse that was rescued from an abusive situation; mention of a past parent's death from breast cancer; and, an intimate moment captured without consent and used as blackmail.
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