I HATE Glen Somerset!!!!

How dare he drive a wedge between Emery and John. Worse yet, how dare they let him. Stubborn. That's what they are. They love one another so much but they let pettiness come between them. Which of course, is all the opening that people need in order to try to drive them even farther apart. From Emery's father's cancer to John's father's mayoral election, and Nico and Dulac sniffing around "being supportive", their relationship goes up in flames fast.

With neither Emery or John willing to resolve their issues, work becomes their best outlet. Hazard had been hired to work on a blackmail case for Glen Somerset and John Henry had all but been told to collaborate with his fiancé on it. Thank God they can still work together, because at this point that's about all they've got left.Their professional relationship has always brought them back together and this time it is no different. When working side-by-side they can finally set aside their differences and just be themselves. Almost. By the end of the book, they both finally remember who and what is important to them and stop acting like petulant children.

Throughout the whole book I was just waiting for the Bee Keeper to make some kind of a grand appearance, but all I got was this teensy weensy small little clue. Which is just so unfair because I want to know more now! The next book needs to come out in audio sooner rather than later, or the anticipation might just kill me. Now, I'm the one acting like the petulant child.

I got the book five days ago and I've already listened to it twice. You know, just in case I missed something really important the first time. I highly recommend this book.

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I want to scream!!

I was literally crying actual tears of frustration by the end of this one. I want to give it 5 stars and also 1 star. It's so well written and the characters are so complex and wonderful. But after seeing how frustrated reviewers always seem to be with Somers, my heart breaks for him and I start to hate everything Hazard does more and more. John has done 100% of the emotional leg work and given 100% of the support throughout both series. Hazard carries all the trauma and Somers has this unreal amount of patience and confidence. He somehow never allows Nico to rattle him for too long, just like he was able to move past his own torture and help Hazard through his PTSD last summer. This is not a criticism of Hazard at all... I'm just explaining what I see in Somers.

Sometimes Somers reminds me of an enthusiastic dog, constantly following Hazard, living off of the rare and reluctant pats on the head, and bouncing back from constant whacks on the snout with astonishing speed and no decline in enthusiasm. He and Hazard both do these amazing things to help each other behind the scenes using things like blackmail and it shows the reader that they both care. But Somers is the one making every big gesture, providing all the emotional growth AND support, and doing all the apologizing (Hazard does this sometimes, but only in a self hating way that martyrs himself). The reader definitely sees how much Hazard loves Somers, and somehow we also just accept that John is so secure that he knows it all on his own, even after catching exes with Hazard and getting verbally demolished all day by the guy he loves. How is he so incredible?! Hazard is an amazing character and he's gone through a lot. But when someone finds it hard to communicate emotion, it does not give them a free pass to not grow or concede, and then make them heroes for sometimes saying "I love you John." Even if it's with all the conviction in the world...

Dulac was the only person fighting for John's feelings in all these books (as weird as it may have been), and John shut that down with such a ruthless efficiency that it actually hurt because I just want someone for John... anyone. Hazards exes are never shut down this way... unless they do it to themselves, that is. I just need Hazard to show John that he is growing and that he loves him, and not in some way John won't ever know about!

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An emotional kick to the stomach

I never thought I would come so close to wanting to murder John Henry Somerset. For the partner who is described as being the one who can read people, he was pretty much illiterate through most of this book. The strain between them was viscerally painful at times to the point where I would have to stop and take a breath before continuing. That being said, John redeemed himself in the end (even though Hazard would probably like to kill him for it.)

The central mystery was also well thought out and well-executed. The author is always great at providing a cast of unique possible suspects and this was no different. I was convinced the culprit was every one of them at some point!

As always, Tristan James brings Hazard and Somerset to life in a way that no other narrator could. His performance was top notch and he deserves an award for voicing Dulac.

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Such a great series.

I loooooovvvvvvvvvveee this series. From book to book I don't know if I'm pissed at Emery or John-Henry more. I think its about 75% John-Henry/25% Emery. I don't think there was enough "Ree" for my liking. (Tristan James saying Ree is too cute). They are both such hot messes. I loved the ending. It gave me all the feels. I cannot wait to read/listen to the next book. Can it come out now? Please?

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Another great Hazard and Somerset story.

The ending of this moving story is a beautiful affirmation of the unique relationship between Hazard and Somerset and their struggle to overcome two lifetimes of social and family abuse to have what they both desire most in this world.

Relationship angst still going strong

This is my third time reading this book? I love angst and this definitely delivers. There’s a LOT of relationship angst in this book, and it’s really masterful how deep the hurt goes even after all this time Hazard and Somers have been together.

It comes from an unexpected source - Glennworth Somerset, Somers’s father. He’s calling in debts owed and this puts a wrench into Hazard and Somers’s relationship. You might think that everything should be FINE after the big proposal in the last book, but then you wouldn’t know the author very well. Everything is very much not fine.

Content notes include homomisia, racism, violence, parent with cancer, parent in hospice, death of a parent, unaddressed PTSD, blackmail, misogyny, unethical medical practice (psychiatrist sleeping with a patient), and a mention of animal abuse.

I think this is the first time I’ve read a book in this series that starts off with a Reprise section? It’s to remind you of the deals Hazard and Somers each individually made with Glennworth Somerset in desperate times. It’s like how before every tv episode in a series, there’s a small recap of things you should remember that happened in previous episodes that will be relevant in the coming episode. This is like that.

Glenn is running for mayor against Somers’s ex-sister-in-law, Naomi. While his dad is not a good person and old money, he’s somehow the lesser of two evils when it comes to Naomi. And his request is that Somers has to move out and pretend up through the election that he and Hazard have broken up. It’s a real mess.

I won’t say I’m a huge fan of the mystery aspect of this book, and honestly I’m still a bit fuzzy on the details even after rereading this book, but it’s compelling enough. It features a character from a previous book (Savanna Twilight). Her sister reports her as missing and that’s where everything gets twisty as the story unravels.

I did like the scene at the beginning where we see Hazard being extremely uncomfortable hanging out with Somers at their neighbors, Rebeca and Noah, along with a number of people in their friend circle. This includes Somer’s detective partner Dulac, Dulac’s boyfriend Darnell, Hazard’s ex-boyfriend Nico, Hazard’s first paying client Mitchell, pastor at their local church Wesley, and Wesley’s girlfriend Susan. It’s a very odd group of friends all things considered, but it was a nice scene to see all of them interacting in regular day fashion and no worries yet.

The book IS also just sad in a lot of places. There’s the relationship drama between Hazard and Somers of course. I don’t necessarily agree that any of this was on Hazard, but maybe it’s because I emphasize with him more.

Then there’s the father and son relationship that plays out in this book. Both with Hazard and his father, as well as Somers with his. They both have rocky relationships with their fathers and both still have a need to be seen, and to be loved, and acknowledged in some way. There’s some hardcore daddy issues all the way down.

And, look, I will say I usually don’t care for sick parents in books at all, but we’ve seen in the events of what’s to come for awhile so I wouldn’t call what happens in this unexpected? We’ve known that Hazard’s father has cancer for awhile now and it’s still hard to read this book and see it all getting worse. Tougher yet is reading the scenes between Hazard and his father, while knowing what’s to come. It’s heart-wrenching.

How Hazard manages to solve the problem that is Glennworth Somerset, though, does lighten the mood. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out in future books and if Glenn manages to keep his word.

I think the ending was a little too Three Billboards (aka the movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) for me and I absolutely despise that movie, so I can’t say I love what happened here even though it was meant as a sweet and tender moment.

The audiobook, though, is great, as expected. Tristan James does his job bringing the characters to life and there is one particularly scene between Hazard and Somers that left me laughing SO hard. When I read the text for this book, I was looking forward to listening to it on audio and Tristan James DELIVERED. There’s also the bonus of Evie learning new words that she should absolutely not be saying and that is also hilarious.

This book is a whirlwind of emotions, and at the end of the day, the relationship angst between Hazard and Somers is enough to keep me engrossed in the book and what keeps me coming back time and time again to read. Unfortunately, the mystery aspect of this takes a back burner for me compared to the other books in this series, and we’re still no close to finding the Keeper of Bees in this book than the last one.

***Thanks to the author for giving me an e-ARC and audiobook to read and review!***

Great Series

This is one of my very favourite series. I absolutely love Emery and John Henry.
However I have to admit that this book was not my favourite, I struggled Too like Emery in this one, for far too much of the book he was really a complete jerk. The last few chapters were very redeeming, But I am hoping that maybe in the last few books I will see a nicer Emery. Anyone who has read the majority of the series and this couple knows that Emery is a marshmallow in the centreAnyone who has read the majority of the series and this couple knows that Emery is a marshmallow in the center. It would just be nice to see a tiny bit more of it with the adults in his life.
And really can Nico just go away.
And don't get me started on Gray Duloc. He is turning out to be just a big creep. I thought it was amusing before but this book- yeah -no.
Anyway I look forward to the next book in the series because the last chapter in this one was fabulous.
And of course Tristan James is amazing as the narrator really brings these stories to life.

Soapy Mystery + Angsty Relationship

While this one was not my favorite, it was still a solid 5 star read. The others I would just put over 5 stars. First, Hazard & Somers find themselves in a tough spot and spend some time apart, like not broken up, but it causes so real rifts between the two. The mystery this time while still really interesting, I could pick it out right away, last book I guessed, but it was not as noticeable. This one was kind of like a soap opera. But you get everything in this book, all the feels as well as the different dynamics between all the characters. I am obsessed any time Evie is in the books especially while interacting with Hazard, melts your heart. By the end of this, I wanted to give Hazard the biggest hug and just help him so much. I know this series is leading up to something nuts in the next one, and so it was kind of nice of Greg to give us a bit of a reprieve from the super intense cases. Tristan James on the audio was fantastic, and I cannot wait to continue.

Fantastic!

another fantastic read/listen! Love the series, love Tristan, its a bit quirky so be prepared!

Gets me every time!

Great story, great narration! I misted up, I laughed, I did housework just to keep listening. The day this series is over will be a sad one. I’m the meantime, I got another ready to go!