It’s been five years since Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett
first worked together to solve the Tri-State murders, and time has been
both harsh and kind. Engaged now, they face the challenge of planning a
deeply uncertain future together. Zane is at the pinnacle of his career
with one last mystery to solve, while Ty is at sea in a world where he’s
no longer the tip of a spear.
There’s just one more hurdle in the way of their happy ever after: a traitor from their inner circle who threatens to burn their world to the ground.
There’s just one more hurdle in the way of their happy ever after: a traitor from their inner circle who threatens to burn their world to the ground.
Comment: This is the final book in the Cut and Run series by this author. The series started of as a partnership between Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban who wrote the first four books together. Then Abigail Roux picked the series alone and carried it until this 9th book, where it all ends. Sort of, because there's a spin off series I'm sure will feature Ty and Zane somehow, even in small appearances.
In this final book, Ty and Zane finally set in stone the commitment they have and the love that unites them. But things aren't as easy as that because they still have one enemy to find out and a lot of loose ends to solve before they can live their happy life.
While dealing with conflicts, wrong impressions, and strange fighting methods, the boys keep being the same old and their dedication and love are the things that, along with their friends, help them finish this last hurdle before getting their final HEA.
Of course, in such a long series, some books have been better than others. This happens with every series and as each reader has a different mind, it's obvious not everything is done well for everyone. This final book is bittersweet for two reasons for me. First, I feel ad this is over because the characters feel like friends. An second, I feel sad this last book isn't as amazing as some of the others were, where each scene between them was like an emotional roller coaster waiting to happen. They're happy now and I feel great for that, for I have to confess part of the allure, which was to see them do things they didn't think they would - in terms of a romantic relationship - no longer has the same intensity, because we already know they're happy for eternity.
This book finishes many loose ends, namely who the spy we've seen mentioned from some books ago is and why that person did many of the things out heroes had to deal with. I don't feel surprised negatively by the identity of the villain. I mean, I had no clue that person could be guilty and honestly I never was really interested in that, but there's another information we learn now that kind of changes things.
I get that the author tried to justify her choices and present a twist that would wow the reader too but I don't know if I'm just not impressed or if I never was invested in that sub plot but it didn't strike me as that worrying. I can see why many readers probably didn't like the identity of the second mystery person who did something int he previous book. I wasn't expecting either and I think the author did it more for drama purposes than a real plot need, but I can understand why it bothered some. Still, I feel rather numb about it.
This book has two main ideas to develop then. To look for the killer of Richer Burns - from the previous book - and thus finding out who the big mastermind is and also to find a coherent end for Ty's and Zane's occupation. Sure they will have a bookstore but Ty needs something more and apparently that happens by the end.
I think this story, being it the last one, focused too much on action related scenes like the subjects I talked about, lots of fighting, which it's proper for special agents like the two protagonists. The quieter times felt more like filling up of space. In a way I feel bad about this because their relationship was the biggest beacon call in the series and I feel it kind of lost focus n this last story where I wanted more reassurance of it. Not that it isn't clear they're happy, like I said, because are so, but I would have liked to see it more.
All in all, this book won't be the one I remember the most. For me, the books where they struggled and finally admitted they wanted to be together were the best. I'm a romance reader and for me, the romance has the focus, no matter how good or bad the things surrounding are. Sure, a good world/plot/development helps and is more than welcome, for me, the thrill of the relationship's development is the biggest thing to seduce me.
I'll think how good it is to know Ty and Zane are happy and reaffirmed their love in this book but, deep down, I also feel that part of things wasn't given its deserved attention.
As always, this is my opinion and what I felt like when reading. I guess the memory of what happened will be better than the actual read of the book was. But despite the things I didn't care about or which I think weren't as special, I'll still treasure Ty and Zane as one of the best LGBT couples in romance for me.
Grade: 6/10
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