Another really fun episode in this series. Although this book didn't feel like the finale to a series, I still enjoyed it! We have more screentime from a previously-introduced character who is quite fun as well as a really fascinating external conflict that I personally haven't seen much of in my reading travels. Cooper and Park don't have as much character growth in this story, but by this point, I'm quite happy with how far they've come and they're just as wonderful to read here as the previous books. The tension is excellent, however the climactic event doesn't get enough screentime, in my opinion, nor do we have much of a denouement and wrap-up that you'd expect for the final book in a series. (Perhaps I'm wrong and we aren't at the end?)


Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Cooper and Oliver have come so far and you can really see the both of them coming into their own at this point in the series. While we don't see as much character growth in this book, their chemistry and individual personalities are complex, dynamic, and truly entertaining to read. I'm fully invested in their story by this point. The steamy scenes are also always so different, which is fun because we're constantly seeing different sides to them. I'm utterly fascinated by the dichotomy between control and vulnerability (a theme that is again addressed in this book!).



PLOT: The plot had incredible and brilliant potential. We're returned to a thread that hadn't yet been resolved, the conflict itself is mind-blowing, the murder-mystery continues to impress. However the climactic event and end of the book are a bit of a letdown. It occurs far too quickly and feels as though it's resolved too easily (and yet also not completely). That disappointment does bring me down just a little bit, because I was hoping for more more more by the end. That being said, if you've read the previous books and loved the plot, you'll be right at home with this one.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


3:5/medium. Can't quite pinpoint why, but this book isn't quite as tense. Thoroughly enjoyable though!


CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


60%. While I didn't finish frustrated, I did finish a little disappointed. I'd hoped for the build-up to be a massive crashing tsunami of a climax and it felt much smaller than that. The ending feels over in moments and there are enough open threads left that I'm not actually sure if this was meant to be the end of the series or just another installment in a larger opus. I wasn't frustrated upon finishing though! This is definitely worth the read.