Dared to be different, which is why it's PERFECT
There's usually at least one entry in every series I read (of any genre) that ends up blowing the others out of the water. And for me, this one is it. The best of them all, and my absolute favorite. Like I said earlier, this book dared to be different in more ways than one. Apart from one of the more obvious differences (which is the narration being from four characters instead of the usual two), it did what my previous favorite (book #3) did, only amplified it. This one was far more intense, at least for me. It didn't follow the same formula at ALL, and in so many ways.
No overly endangered heroine in constant need of rescue.
No overprotective hero who wants to control his woman.
No smooth-sailing romance with zero obstacles.
No two people with a ridiculous obsession with sex.
It broke so many previously set "rules," and I LOVED that about this book. While some readers may not take too kindly to the changes implemented, I for one am not one of them.
We've got the heroine Tara. Tara is one tough woman in that she's the only one capable of protecting herself with actual fighting skills. Tara is no dainty damsel, and in fact, is the first woman to not need ANY rescuing (not in the conventional sense, anyway). She's also the first "nerdy" heroine. Gasp, right? Granted, I couldn't FULLY appreciate this little tidbit because specific characteristics that make her a nerd are conveniently unexplored, save for her smarts. And since hero Aiden of course thinks she is beautiful anyway, the nerd factor is sorta a non-issue at the end of the day. I was just excited to see that SOMEONE can be a nerd in these romance books. I'll take what I can get lol.
But let's speak on Aiden, though, who is of course the new hero front and center. We already got introduced to him in the previous couple of books, but as always, it's nice to better get to know him. And get to know him we do, because my gawd, what this man went through in his past had me writhing in my damn seat. As tough as Aiden and the rest of the Trident guys are, Aiden is the first to be this much vulnerable. In a sense, it is Aiden who needs the rescuing in this story, given his hellish past that he can't recall and the resulting PTSD. This is another way this book dared to be different: by flip-flopping the hero and the heroine in realistic ways.
Now this doesn't automatically mean that Aiden is helpless or weak. But it does mean that it's such a perfect way to show him as human, as someone who can be damaged in ways that he can't escape from on his own. I loved seeing the hero being protected for once. It's so refreshingly different. And the romance factor is exactly the kind of romance that attracts me the most: Messy. I love, love, LOVE romances that are rough around the edges. How can one find love when things are THIS complicated? And things are definitely complicated, since the only person who knows Aiden's hidden past is Tara herself, whose former employer is the one responsible for nearly killing him. She remembers well, but Aiden...well, he does not. I reiterate, what a MESS.
If there's one thing I initially complained about, it was the first sex scene between the Aiden and Tara. Given the specific circumstances, it felt way out-of-place and forced. I serious scoffed and said, "Already?" However, once the story more established itself and more details came into play, it started making a lot more sense why the scene was placed there. It did eventually serve a specific purpose in its own way, which I can accept. I'm probably in the minority here, but I actually appreciated how little sex played a role in this book. It wasn't the be-all-end-all, wasn't the ultimate solution to problems, wasn't glorified. It made the characters feel less like horny teenagers and more like self-controlling adults, and thus, far more likable.
Anyway, I guess that's enough praise outta me. I just love when I read a book I loved, ya know? The writing, the characters, the unique love story. Even the lawyering angle, which was crazy different. Looks like I got a long way to go before the next entry, but I can be patient. I just don't look forward to the name "Cassey" when I so much wanna see "Casey." But that's a whole 'nother topic.