Let it Burn

Unbreakable Ties #3

by A.V. Shener

The epic conclusion to the Unbreakable Ties trilogy.Shortly after surviving the chaos on Fire Island, when it seems that life might finally return to normal, Chris’s dark past comes knocking.

He had given up his adopted parents’ inheritance, not wanting anything to do with the monsters of his youth. But giving up the money isn’t as simple as he thought, and his devilish brothers aren’t willing to wait for what they believe is rightfully theirs.

Unwilling to burden Ethan and Anthony, Chris turns to Jay for help with sabotaging the brothers’ horrifying plan.

But how can he fight a past that won’t stay buried?

CONTENT

Let it Burn is a dark tale and is meant for a mature audience and contains graphic depictions of non-consensual sex, violence, and abuse of a minor.

Genres: M M Romance, Dark

326 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2024

About the author

A.V. likes to take a ride into the dark side of writing, but always makes sure to find his way back. If he can make his readers both captivated and uncomfortable, he knows he did his job.

Find me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/av_shener_w...

And on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

And this is my website:
https://avshener.wixsite.com/avshener

Reviews

[loverexreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let it Burn by A.V. Shener is book 3 and the last book of the Unbreakable Ties series.

After reading the conclusion of Ethan, Chris, Jay and Anthony's story, I'm totally satisfied with how it all ended.

However, getting to the end was once again quite a ride, taking us back to the darker side of human nature. This time, we finally learned more about Chris's past with his adoptive family, and it broke my heart. Looking back at the first book in the series, it's amazing to think how my perception of Chris changed over the course of the story. He made me feel a whole range of emotions. I hated him, he disgusted me and also he touched me and I felt so much empathy for him. In Let it Burn, I loved Chris with all my heart, I wanted to hug him and reassure him. I love that in this series, nothing is exactly as it seems.

There wasn't a moment's break in the plot, perhaps apart from a really sweet moment between Ethan and Anthony. The tension was relentless and often there was a sense of desperation that hung over the whole story. I loved that in this book, and in the whole series, A.V. Shener wasn't afraid to put his characters in danger or in extremely difficult situations. The stakes always seemed high, and it was scary to always feel like they weren't going to get out of these situations.

This was the kind of book that could end with or without an HEA. Both options could make a lot of sense in the context of the story. The author definitely made a choice that was fitting for Ethan, Chris, Jay and Anthony. There are moments at the end of the book that still haunt me and linger in my mind.

It was without question one of the most unique stories I've read in recent years. I encourage anyone who loves dark fiction and likes to be challenged out of their comfort zone to give this series a chance.

I'll have to go back and read Chaos in my Wake, A.V. Shener's first book. I'm officially obsessed with his writing.

[Ashley -Goldstarreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect conclusion to this trilogy. Chris’ demons have come back and won’t go down without a fight. Chris goes to Jay for help. They need to solve the problem with the will to keep Trevor from taking desperate measures to get what he feels is owed to him. This story is just so good and so intense in the best way. It kept me on the edge of my seat, chewing on my fingers while I devoured it. The bond these four men share is everything. I didn’t think in book 1 that I would love Chris but I do. I definitely didn’t think I would love him and Jay but by this book you love all four and want them to get their HEA. The author does an amazing job showing us the deep depravity of young Daniel’s life and Chris’ baggage. The pain and suffering he has lived through is truly heartbreaking. I loved every twisted, dark moment of the last book.

[LillyRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

When will the book be out? I already know it’s going to be good!

[Jennifer Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what an ending to this series. I will say at first I hated Chris. My heart hurts for him for all he has gone through and endured. These four friends relationship started off rough but there is no one else on their side and there hard core die hard friends.

[Christopher O · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the last book in the Unbreakable Ties trilogy. I’ll miss reading about Chris, Jay, Ethan, and Anthony, even though it feels like Shener left it open for a possible fourth novel. Perhaps he’ll return to them in the coming years.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This final instalment had me on the edge of my seat the entire time with my nails digging into the cushions jeez what a ride!

But please tell me this isn't really the end?!? I miss Jay already 😭

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

Let it Burn is the third book in the Unbreakable Ties series. The books are intended to be read in order and this review will naturally reveal spoilers for the series.

Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.

[Christina Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: you must read the first two books

We have reached the end sadly.

We have watched the friendship between Chris, Jay, Ethan and Anthony rise, fall, plummet, and then rise from the ashes.

It took loss, guilt, pain, fighting, blood, deceiving, and torture but we finally get that HEA we've been seeking for our fighters since book 1.

I wouldn't mind at all if the author revisited these four and gave us more of their Dysfunctional lives

[Linda Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been an amazing trilogy. I’m so glad I found this author. I wish I had before but I’m here now and hope to read more of his books. This was dark,twisted and kept me page turning continuously. If you’re looking for a thrilling book this is it.

[read_with_lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending, of a great series !!

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗺, 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗴𝘂𝗻, 𝗮 𝗸𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘆𝗲—𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱.”

Name: 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻
Series: Unbreakable Ties book 3
Author: @av_shener_writer
MM Thriller
MMC - Jay, Chris, Anthony & Ethan

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
The final chapter and OMG the gates to hell are open again!

Chris get confronted with the demons off his past ! His evil adoption brothers are standing at his house.. and they want him 🤬

@av_shener_writer Hand down and deep bow for your characters, especially Chris ! This is such an complex character and with each book I understood him better and better. I went from hating to loving him.. and now I just want to hold him and never let him go ❤️

And Jay, he is a rock. He goes from the martyr to a great protector. I really hated him, he was pure evil and I couldn't understand how cruel he could be to chris, but also such a great friend to Ethan & Anthony. Ofcourse he had his prison trauma.. but come on...

Anthony, had my heart from book 1 and this never changed. He is the broken boy, destroyed. he undergoes so much abuse I really cried for him. All he wanted was love, and so many people took advantage of him 😢

Ethan, the best friend everybody wants. He was the stable character and become Anthony his world. I'm so happy that Ethan & Anthony found each other. I need another book about them ! PLEASEEEE

They are so 🔥🔥 together

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀/𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀
graphic depictions of violence, humiliation,
abuse of a minor,
consensual and non-consensual sex.

[RSB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Closure

It’s so bittersweet for this final chapter of the guys’ lives. I hate that this is the end of the journey, but I needed to see some resolution, a victory.

Victory for these guys is hard-fought, though. The story of Chris’s childhood hurt my heart, but I really appreciated that the author didn’t go into traumatic detail about the abuse he suffered as a child. It still made me hate the brothers with everything in me, and I held onto hope that they would get what they deserved in the end.

Jay and Chris team up in an unexpected alliance, but they find themselves in a terrifying and helpless position once the brothers catch up to them. Their suffering deepens their bond as they work together to try and escape the situation they are thrown into.

We see characters from past books return, which really added depth to the story, and it brought the series full circle. I really enjoyed seeing Chris and Jay patch up their past and fight for their futures.

Ethan and Anthony explore their new relationship and are mostly oblivious to the storm raging in Chris and Jay’s lives. Until Ethan notices some strange behavior from Chris, that is. He and Anthony go off on a hunt for their friends to end the trauma and start their true friendship, now with no more secrets or grudges.

I LOVED this series. I hate to let it go, but I look forward to more from the author!

[P A-S · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with the first two books, I really enjoyed this one. It’s still very twisted, but I found it to be slightly less dark than the previous two.
My favorite aspects of this book were:
- Learning more about Chris’s past adds another layer of depth to Chris sharing his story in book 1 and a lot of what he does in book 2.
- The complexity of Mickey’s character. I like that he isn’t purely good or evil. It’s complicated!
- The enduring bond of their friendship. Maybe this should be obvious, with the name of the series being Unbreakable Bonds, but I think it’s easy for people to describe friendship that way and not really mean it. It was a questionable title for book 1, but it hints at what’s to come. Book 2 really puts it to the test, and then book 3 takes that to another level. This really firms up that even between Chris and the people he’s hurt, their bonds really are unbreakable.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4

Perspective: third
Tense: past
POV: multiple

[Diana Hockley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was somewhat involved with this novel, having beta-read it as an ongoing story. However, I do not believe that this will negate my review because I am a shark when it comes to detail and characterisation.

The story surges forward on the lives of four young men previously shown in Our Sweet Revenge and Unbreakable Ties. Chris's situation is deteriorating, as his carefully hidden whereabouts are routed by his so-called "brothers," who are intent on revenge and the destruction of Chris's life. No matter what he tries to do to deflect their purpose, his family, especially his sons, are plunged into danger.

How his two other friends, Anthony and Ethan, learn of his peril is the stuff of nail-biting tension.

Aviv Shener is a young man who is an up-and-coming best-selling author. His book has a depth of characterisation not often seen in this genre, along with a good solid thriller, the last of this trilogy.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the first two books, we need a conclusion. This book will leave you feeling angsty and twitchy throughout. This book is about Chris, his brothers have been scorned and want what they believe is theirs. We get a POV from Trevor, along with the other guys. It adds more narrative and makes you feel the hatred behind the torture he dishes. We learn more about Chris, when he was known as Daniel and the abhorrent neglect and abuse he endured until he was 18. Trevor has always been the real evil brother, despite Andy's little games, he also has an innocence about him, manipulated and controlled by Trevor in a different way. There is so much violence in this book, I could feel every punch and kick. Again, we are held right to the end for the rescue and the four friends come full circle, all back together at the cabin where it all started. This trilogy has been so gripping, full on throughout; it pushed me out of my comfort zone and in the end all four men won me over.

[bookgoddess96 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I am stunned. Speechless. Mind blown. This was a perfect end to a dark and twisted series. Again many twists that I don’t see coming. My heart was RACING! This series deals with very dark themes and some very deep seated trauma. I’m in awe of the friendship between the 4 guys, it might be a little toxic but they show up for each other time and time again. Would move heaven and earth for each other. I would highly advise to check the trigger warnings. But this series is an absolute must read if you enjoy books that completely mess your head, and MM thriller/horror.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This os the final part of the trilogy and also amazing! Such a brilliant story! Very dark, very intense, very gripping! 🤩👌 highly recommend!

[M's ☆~HEA~☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

🤍If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend.🤍 I wasn't ready for this story to be over so I kept forcing myself to put it down to prolong the inevitable😭*may be spoilery*

Dima, Mr. Roberts is in trouble, and he needs our help. His life is in great danger.” “Good.”

Dima is such a little bitch but he's so funny. I loved that Mickey had a redemption in this book as I was plotting his death for most of book 2. Obviously allowing Dima to guard our precious flower Chris was a horrible idea but if the guys didn't allow ridiculous things to happen then we could never enjoy their misery.

Jay grabbed Daniel’s hair and pulled his head up. “I asked, do you like it?” “I... yes. Yes.” “Then let me hear how much.” “Jay, I don’t want—” “Let me fucking hear it!” Even Trevor jumped at that unexpected roar.

I was too excited for Chris's backstory & the arrival of his adopted brothers. Trevor was obviously conniving and cruel but Andy was just scary. I am still curious about Jay's behavior in the house, whether he was acting for Trevor or not during that scene, or if his old grudge was coming out. I have my suspicions but Chis is willing to let it go so for now I will too. Can I say how much I enjoyed Andy running into the house to look for Trevor😅🔥

Ethan kissed the top of Chris’s head, his arms wrapped around him. “Are you okay?” “I think... I think I’m going to pass out now.” “Go ahead. I got you.” “I know you do.”

This right here. The platonic bromance between E & Chris. I was always wondering if they would be more but with Ethan's admission to Ant and Ant being so accepting of Chris & E's friendship I understand the bromance will never progress. And I'm OK with that. Anthony doesn't deserve any less and Chris & E are happy as they are. I am always in awe of how well their relationship is written - i can't think about them without happy crying.

This was such an amazing HFN for these guys. With their horrible luck I can't imagine it will be smooth sailing and I hope we get to see them in the future somehow. I will miss you guys 🤍🤍

[Sazzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third and final book of this series and good God did we go through it to get here.

Again, absolutely outstanding storytelling by A.V. Shener and I have no doubt that these 3 books will stay with me for a very long time.

Let it Burn takes back through Chris's past with his adoptive family. We see exactly what he went through, not just by his words but through recollections too and it absolutely broke me. At the end of book 1 I was not his biggest fan but now? Now it all makes absolute sense. Never have I read a book where my opinion of a character has done a total flip the way it has in here and I applaud the author for this massively (I'm stubborn so changing my opinion is not an easy thing for me to do haha).

The tension in this book was at an epic level and it never rested for a second. Constantly wondering whether this would play out the way I thought it would (btw it never did, brilliant writing again) and it had me on the edge of my seat for the entire read.

Of the 3 books this one is definitely the most sinister & uncomfortable of them all, to the point that I had to take moments away from it just to clear my head a bit!! And, for me, that's exactly how I want it to be. It pushed so many boundaries to an almost breaking point by my God did it do it spectacularly.

As with books 1 & 2, phenomenal characterisation, the visualisation in this is the best I've ever read (not some of the best, the absolute best) and there are scenes in this that will haunt me for a long time (angel wings will never have the same innocence for me as they once did).

Phenomenal book, phenomenal ending to the most phenomenal series I have ever read. I beg you to read this if your boundaries like to be breached and your limits pushed to the absolute maximum. You won't ever forget it.

[Gale MR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I'll feel warm again anytime soon after reading the conclusion of Ethan, Ant, Chris and Jay's story. To say it is thought-provoking is a gross understatement. It brings Cold, Twisted and Psychotic to the highest level. When I first started reading the series, I was intrigued by the close relationship between the four men and its intricacies, but I wasn't convinced it fits the box of being called friendship.. Three books and so many bone-chilling challenges and terrifying trials later, I can say that their friendship has literally been through the wringer and has come out bloodied, broken, but still alive. They faced every horror thrown at them and survived, becoming a different type of men - jaded, wary, grown up version , looking at each other through the light of each painful memory. They learned the hard way that secrets can crawl out of even old graves; that nothing can stay hidden forever, and that being honest and open with each other is the only way to overcome any obstacle.
Let it burn - such a suitable name for a story, where all the illusions, Innocence, beliefs, memories and lies literally burnt to the ground, leaving only ashes behind and the bare, newborn hope - of something good to come.

[Theresa Lambe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy....I have no words. Talk about an EPIC conclusion to this tale! If I could describe it....TRAINWRECK.

but not because it's bad. It's good. But you want to look away and can't. You have to figure it out. Why? Here goes. If you read the first three (YOU NEED TO!) you'll probably get done reading the first one and hating Chris, for reasons you can't really explain. Once you read the second, you'll probably hate Jay. And find the same thing...you aren't quite sure why. But here, in this hell of a tale, you'll end up feeling sorry for them in degrees you don't even know.

This whole saga had kept me on the edge of my seat, and I can't recall any time I dreaded reading a story more and yet wanting to read it so badly. A.V. has a gift of keeping you on the brink of wanting to throw your book and push you on reading. Make sure you don't miss this conclusion.

[the.aquarius.booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

before reading, make sure to check your cw to make sure that this book is right for you and not rec for under 18
this is a series, I would read books 1&2 first.
Its like Ethan and Anthony dont even know Jay & Chris...and Chris and Jay have learned nothing. when Chris and Jay start spending alot of time together, don't ignore the signs. As dysfunctional as their friendship is, over the course of the series, these guys have grown in their friendships. This installment centers on Chris. His character has the most growth this series aside from Jay.
This book is hard to read at times. The author truly understands the dark side of human behavior. It's uncomfortable and realistic. You finally understand these complex characters, and their stories have come full circle.

[gettinglostINAbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are all animals at our core, and it’s time for you to become a predator, or you’ll end up the prey.”

- This trilogy is an addictive, page-turning, and thrilling read.
- The story centers around childhood friends facing extreme challenges, including manipulative men, abusers, and psychopaths.
- It’s a MM spicy thriller, with a romantic element, and it includes themes of consent, dub-con, and non-con.
- The narrative explores dark themes like revenge, manipulation, humiliation, blackmail, backstabbing, abuse, perversion, torture and kidnapping.
- Despite the chaos, the central theme of friendship shines through, with the friends showing forgiveness and unwavering support for each other.
- The series is dark, unique, emotionally intense, and highly recommended.

Full review can be find on Our Deadly Reunion page.

[Maniyun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read all 3 books in one go in 1 day , couldn't put it down , needed to see how it's ends , although it was more dark fiction not dark romance but i enjoyed every part of it , like iam watching a action o crime thriller film
The genre was more drama and action or slice of life (what a life) than romance and love story , and were so invested in Jay and Chris story , my poor chris how much u tolerate those bastards and life and to be able to build a new life after these is admirable
I think i would be happy to read more about them and need to see them more happy and relax , for now iam happy that they can get rid of those monsters

[Michael Bails · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I’m proud of myself that I made it through the trilogy. Intense to say the least. I’m usually not so squeamish about triggers but I think the worst was about Chris’ past in that family and the perverted lifestyle he had to endure. I’m hoping with all the trauma these four endured, they were able to get professional help along with the love of each other.
My reason of three stars is that these darker, twisted books are too much for me around MM romances. From the other reviews though, many readers loved it.

[S.B. Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did love this third entry to the series, but it felt unfinished! I think it ended a bit too abruptly and I really wanted to see these guys sink into whatever their HEA could look like as we reached the end.
Everything else was fantastic, as always, and I really cannot wait to see what A.V. Shener writes next - so addictive to read!
If a bonus epilogue were to come out, I would be aaaall over it!

[Bexbookrex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing and unhinged!

Let It Burn by AV Shener is the 3rd book in the Unbreakable Ties series. The first two books were unsettling, dark, and disturbing and the third one held up the storyline. I enjoyed the morbidity and entertainment value of the books but I definitely think they should all be read together.
Intriguing and unhinged, I don't recommend if you are faint of heart!
Romance - 1/5
Steam - 2/5
Humor - 0/5
Angst - 5/5
Writing - 4/5

[Crex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not going to lie and say that ending was satisfying bcs it wasn’t but this book kept me on my toes and had my heart beating so fast😭. I would have loved to see them heal and show how happy they are after everything they had been through. I need a fluffy book after this. Bye

[K Sarah]

This series was so full of twists, turns and so much horrific things. It made me sick, but couldn't stop reading it. Very happy with the ending--even if I could read 3 to 4 more on these men.

[Bart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great conclusion to a page-turning, character-driven, sexually-charged, and frequently disturbing trilogy. A.V. Shener writes excellent gay erotica. Enjoy!

[Kimberly Morehouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a ride

t
These four friends are really put through so much. Many terrible people and things, but together they come through it all .... And stronger.