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A review by lenoreo
Code of Ethics by April White
5.0
https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/10/06/code-of-ethics-by-april-white/
I received a free copy through Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4.5 stars — OK, I’m just going to say it. This is my favourite series in the Smartypants Romance Universe. It never lets me down. It always brings so much more than just a romance (which, there’s nothing wrong with romance — I fucking LOVE romance…it’s all I read). But seriously, it introduces me to things from the past, things happening in our world that I haven’t taken the time to find out about. In this case I have basic overview knowledge of Canada’s shame (which I can say, because I’m Canadian), but through Dallas it became personal. And I think I always avoided looking further into details of our horrible past with First Nations because I didn’t want to know details. And while there’s still SO MUCH to learn about all of that, I actually got a deeper dive in the context of this story, and it was just…I just really appreciated that. It’s like, this is the perfect way to get through in my brain — give me a story, give me a character to love and connect with, make it personal.
Wow, that got off on a tangent. Needless to say I want to recommend it to EVERYONE, especially my fellow Canadian peeps.
The thing I found interesting in this particular story in this series (which can be read as a standalone, it’s just enriched as a series) is that I had a harder time connecting to both Dallas and Oliver in the beginning. We ended up seeing their very rough edges at the start…they didn’t give the best first impression. Oliver was a bit douche canoe-y, and Dallas was standoffish and serious. But in some ways, I feel like it makes it that much more satisfying as you slowly get to know them both, and you peel back their layers to see what makes them who they are. They appear so one-dimensional at first, but there’s SO MUCH going on under the surface, for both of them. And I fell in love. With them individually, and them together.
Dallas is the least like me. Like, I don’t think in any universe I would call myself competent and capable and self-sufficient. But I admired that about her. It made sense for her, and she never made others feel less than — it was just who she was. I loved learning about the things in her past, the elements of being First Nations that shaped her, and how much her family influenced her. She had her own roadblocks to mow through, and it was frustrating to watch at times, but it was so satisfying when she started figuring shit out and making the right choices.
Oliver was so complex in so many ways. Like, I’m not sure I can completely describe all his facets. He was made up of a lot of fear, and that manifested in some intriguing ways. But as we learn about his past, it makes sense. He had his own growing to do, and I was proud of him for breaking out of the walls he’d built around himself. He was so sweet and loving in his gooey center. He had a bit of a beta thing going on, and you know I love me a beta boy. Sensitive guys just get to me…especially when they’re atypical.
I was worried I wouldn’t fall in love with them together, because they really rubbed each other the wrong way for a good portion of the first half of this story. But I did. I loved the way they brought out lightness and trust and safety in one another. I definitely felt their chemistry, and I just loved them together.
LOTS of fantastic secondary characters. Like, it was a buffet of good peeps. Of course we get to see all of the cipher security peeps, from our previous 2 couples, to the characters crossing over from the KITC series…and I feel like I love them more in this setting. Which is weird, but whatevs. And then there’s Dallas’s family. Dude, I’m going to need stories for all of them, kthx. Well, especially Reed and Christi. I loved how hilarious and sassy they were, how capable, how loving, how close.
So yeah. Gush gush gush. Whatever. So I love this series, sue me. I am going to need it to continue indefinitely though. I hope that’s not a problem.
I received a free copy through Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4.5 stars — OK, I’m just going to say it. This is my favourite series in the Smartypants Romance Universe. It never lets me down. It always brings so much more than just a romance (which, there’s nothing wrong with romance — I fucking LOVE romance…it’s all I read). But seriously, it introduces me to things from the past, things happening in our world that I haven’t taken the time to find out about. In this case I have basic overview knowledge of Canada’s shame (which I can say, because I’m Canadian), but through Dallas it became personal. And I think I always avoided looking further into details of our horrible past with First Nations because I didn’t want to know details. And while there’s still SO MUCH to learn about all of that, I actually got a deeper dive in the context of this story, and it was just…I just really appreciated that. It’s like, this is the perfect way to get through in my brain — give me a story, give me a character to love and connect with, make it personal.
Wow, that got off on a tangent. Needless to say I want to recommend it to EVERYONE, especially my fellow Canadian peeps.
The thing I found interesting in this particular story in this series (which can be read as a standalone, it’s just enriched as a series) is that I had a harder time connecting to both Dallas and Oliver in the beginning. We ended up seeing their very rough edges at the start…they didn’t give the best first impression. Oliver was a bit douche canoe-y, and Dallas was standoffish and serious. But in some ways, I feel like it makes it that much more satisfying as you slowly get to know them both, and you peel back their layers to see what makes them who they are. They appear so one-dimensional at first, but there’s SO MUCH going on under the surface, for both of them. And I fell in love. With them individually, and them together.
Dallas is the least like me. Like, I don’t think in any universe I would call myself competent and capable and self-sufficient. But I admired that about her. It made sense for her, and she never made others feel less than — it was just who she was. I loved learning about the things in her past, the elements of being First Nations that shaped her, and how much her family influenced her. She had her own roadblocks to mow through, and it was frustrating to watch at times, but it was so satisfying when she started figuring shit out and making the right choices.
Oliver was so complex in so many ways. Like, I’m not sure I can completely describe all his facets. He was made up of a lot of fear, and that manifested in some intriguing ways. But as we learn about his past, it makes sense. He had his own growing to do, and I was proud of him for breaking out of the walls he’d built around himself. He was so sweet and loving in his gooey center. He had a bit of a beta thing going on, and you know I love me a beta boy. Sensitive guys just get to me…especially when they’re atypical.
I was worried I wouldn’t fall in love with them together, because they really rubbed each other the wrong way for a good portion of the first half of this story. But I did. I loved the way they brought out lightness and trust and safety in one another. I definitely felt their chemistry, and I just loved them together.
LOTS of fantastic secondary characters. Like, it was a buffet of good peeps. Of course we get to see all of the cipher security peeps, from our previous 2 couples, to the characters crossing over from the KITC series…and I feel like I love them more in this setting. Which is weird, but whatevs. And then there’s Dallas’s family. Dude, I’m going to need stories for all of them, kthx. Well, especially Reed and Christi. I loved how hilarious and sassy they were, how capable, how loving, how close.
So yeah. Gush gush gush. Whatever. So I love this series, sue me. I am going to need it to continue indefinitely though. I hope that’s not a problem.