After fangirling over Darcy and Agent Burke (whoops, I mean Agent Arrogant and Annoying) for the past seven books, I was really, really looking forward to reading about them. I did enjoy the romance bit, but otherwise the story was quite...disappointing. It was simply too much.
Like seriously, either Darcy or Alistair (or both of them at the same time) was attacked, knocked out cold, held hostage, threatened, etc...in practically every chapter (minus the three chapters of tangoing in the sheets, but seriously guys, ain't nobody got time for that). It got so ridiculous that I was really starting to question just how "badass" and competent the good guys are supposed to be, if their security detail is that shitty.
Of course, everything worked out perfectly in the end, with a somewhat anticlimactic non-showdown that just felt...meh. Still love Darcy and Alistair to bits, but sadly they couldn't save the book's idiotic logic holes.
3 stars.
And now for the grand finale!
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SERIES REVIEW
*disclaimer: these are all my personal opinions about the series as a whole* I'll try to keep it spoiler-free. And sorry for the giant wall of text.
WRITING 3 STARS
Definitely readable for good afternoon entertainment. Like a popcorn & chips kind of movie, just sit back and enjoy the show. I did notice, though, that the writing style was quite simplistic, with short, choppy sentences, and a tendency for repetition and lots of telling. Also, as much as I dislike internal monologues, here I really wanted to see more of it! Internal thoughts could have added more depth to the characters, especially the ones with dark pasts.
PLOT 3 STARS
The overarching plot was tied well with each individual story. I liked the author's creativity with the different settings. BUT the plot was also extremely formulaic, to the point where I already knew that Chapters 11 and 12 were gonna be the "obligatory sex scene" chapters. And yep, I was spot-on 90% of the time. Also, the deus ex machinas were getting more and more ridiculous (still shaking my head over the giant lemurs), but thankfully with the appearance of Team 52, it dialed back a bit. Still, the fast pace and action were good, overall, with some moments of great tension.
CHARACTERS 2 STARS
I'll be honest. The characters in general were pretty meh and two-dimensional. The majority of the heroines were interchangeable, with the exceptions being Darcy, Morgan, and Sloan (yup, the badass gals). Same deal with the heroes. Even worse in the last book, when they were all present in the same room...everyone sounded like blobs.
It wasn't much of a problem for the most part, since the books were mainly plot-driven, but this became a disadvantage for characters like Ronin. He had so much potential--his "dark" past in the CIA was never explored, only mentioned in snippets. I felt his character got cheated of potential growth and development.
The villains were totally lame. Silk Road's efforts at sabotaging the heroes' missions were incredibly laughable most of the time (but when they did get the upper hand, the heroes were the ones who looked stupid, so I guess idiocy is a two-way street). Also, so many mook deaths. Made worse by the fact that all the villains were so cookie-cutter, I really couldn't give a fig about any of them. They just existed to be killed and conquered.
ROMANCE 3 STARS
The romance, on a whole, was "insta," which worked in some books, but in others, it really detracted from the storyline and definitely showed the characters poorly, highlighting their flatness and cookie-cutter roles.
Best Couple
Declan & Layne (Book 1)
Well, it certainly helped that they were the first couple I read about, so their romance plotline was the most original. The chemistry felt natural and the buildup to romance was the least insta out of all the couples featured in the series (minus Darcy and Alistair).
Honorable Mention(s)
Alistair & Darcy (Book 8); Diego & Sloan (Book 7)
Mostly because I'm biased and a fangirl of Darcy and Agent Burke, but they did have great chemistry and UST throughout the series, which definitely helped. It just sucks that their storyline was absurd and dumb. Diego and Sloan, on the other hand, were kind of insta, but I really enjoyed their banter and their badass fights against the enemy. Power couple, whoo! (Wish their story was longer, though.)
Worst Couple (imo)
Callum & Dani (Book 2); Logan & Sydney (Book 3); Ronin & Peri (Book 6)
Sorry, but these couples were the most forgettable to me. Even worse, I started getting Dani and Sydney mixed up, and clearly it isn't my brain. Logan I just never really liked. Not much to say about Cal except that I don't remember enough about him to make a comment. As for Ronin and Peri, they were a serious missed opportunity. Peri was bland and her need to "save" Ronin and show him how to live again seemed so superficial, and Ronin's nonexistent character development made it all the worse.
Dishonorable Mention(s)
Oliver & Penelope (Book 7)
I just couldn't get over the squickiness reading about the parents getting it on. Also, they were the most insta out of everybody.
SAFETY
Totally safe reads, romance-wise. No OW/OM drama, no cheating, none of the guys were really manwhores (THANK YOU!), little to no mention of past relationships; does mention birth control & safe sex practice.
Non-romance safety: Plenty of action violence, but it's non-detailed and non-graphic, except for mentions of blood. Lots of mooks died (and nobody cared). Brief mentions of torture, murder, deaths of family and friends, but all non-detailed and non-graphic.
OVERALL RATING 2.75 STARS
Er...that's kind of low. But anyway, I do think the series has its highlights and awesome moments. It was a fun read, if a bit predictable. But predictable can be good, no?