Follows with Intent

Hazardverse: Sidetracks #2

by Gregory Ashe

Keeping your eye on the prize isn’t always a good thing.

Nico knows he’s difficult; he has the string of exes to prove it. But staying sharp was the only way to stay safe in the cutthroat world of modeling, and it turns out, graduate school isn’t any gentler. Career first. Boys…later.

Jadon knows he’s burning out; his partner at the Metropolitan Police is more than happy to remind him of that fact. But the last time he let himself get distracted, people died, and he’s not going to let it happen again. And Nico was nothing but a distraction.

When a chance encounter brings them together again, Nico isn’t interested in apologies, and Jadon isn’t interested in Nico—or at least, that’s what he tells himself. But when the stalker Jadon has been trying to catch marks Nico as his next target, they have no choice but to stick together. And the longer they’re together, the more they realize that what they want might not be what they need.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Mystery, Contemporary, LGBT, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 24, 2024

About the author

I'm a long-time Midwesterner. I've lived in Chicago, Bloomington (IN), and Saint Louis, my current home. Aside from reading and writing (which take up a lot of my time), I'm an educator.

While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!

My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.

Reviews

[Snjez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had many ups and downs while reading this. Overall, I think that Nico and Jadon are good for each other, even though they are both quite a mess. The relationship development could have been better. As it is, it felt a bit rushed. There were some situations that I thought were adorable, but they were overshadowed by all the things that didn't work for me here.

Before I start with the negatives, I have to say that I love Nico. He was my favorite character in H&S books, those that I've read, so I was looking forward to reading his story.

The first thing that bothered me was everyone objectifying him. It was disgusting. And why does he have to constantly apologize for being a model? What's wrong with that?

There's one thing that didn't make sense to me. First of all, he is obviously traumatized by everything he experienced in his modelling career and wants to be taken seriously. Second of all, it's obvious that there's a creep stalking him. And yet, that's what he decides to wear for the Halloween party and then goes outside alone, in the dark?

The last 50 pages or so ruined what could have been a 3/3.5-star read for me. It would be an understatement to say that I didn't enjoy reading one particular scene. And I skipped the last sex scene. It felt so off, considering what Nico went through before that. It totally killed the mood for me. Also, no shower?

Two more issues I had with the story: The mystery was a bit underwhelming and weak, and I found most side characters very annoying. I'm sorry to say this, but I really don't like North. 🙈

I think that Nico, and Jadon, deserved so much more than they got here.

[alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧: Happy audiobook release! The day we welcome Kale Williams to the exclusive club of Hazardverse Narrators has arrived at long last: https://www.audible.com/pd/B0DVJ74Q2F

[4.5] Patrons had an early looksie at the cover back in January, and we've done our utmost to keep this secret close to Jadon’s (firm & muscular) chest. It makes me happy to see GA isn't afraid to experiment and shake things up for funsies, keep things fresh. He clearly veered off from his usual cover fare to harmonize with the book's more romantic suspense leanings, and boy, when I say none of us saw this coming 😂😳

This new installment to Hazardverse: Sidetracks features my personal favorite “pair the spares” trope with Nico (Hazard’s ex) and Jadon (Shaw’s ex) at the helm. To think #Jaco started off as a fan favorite coupling that picked up traction until GA, the most generous writer on the planet that he is, delivered. The true embodiment of "ask and you shall receive."

After witnessing their first meeting in the flash piece “Meet (Not Cute)” in Tangents: Volume 1, I was absolutely buzzing to see what would become of these two in the months that followed. So as soon as Follows with Intent began its grand serialization over on Advanced Ashochism, I was ready to withstand week-long intervals between chapters and his infamous cliffhangers for my Jaco fix.

Disclaimer: While the dynamics, cameos, and past references will be most enjoyed if you’ve already read the Hazard & Somerset and Borealis series, it’s MUCH easier to slip into the rhythm of things compared to the crossover series, Iron on Iron (which I'll always dissuade first-timers from reading because, oh dear, I can see the lost expressions). On the other hand, if this book happens to be one of your first forays into the Hazardverse, don’t be surprised if your interest is piqued and you feel compelled to traverse in reverse to fill in the gaps.

That said, if you're a stickler for spoilers and reading orders, keep in mind this book does contain major spoilers re: the Big Bads in Borealis Investigations & Hazard and Somerset: A Union of Swords.

More details on reading orders here: https://www.gregoryashe.com/hazardver...

As for the next serialization to take its place, Fer (Auggie’s creatively foul-mouthed & protective big brother) is getting his shot at love in a pure romance?? GA is expanding his genre territory faster than a New York minute.

On that note, off I slither to reread this adventure straight through from the very beginning…

*ETA: GA also commissioned two pieces of Nico/Jadon art (one SFW, the other NSFW) that were shared with patrons (any paying subscriber) on the same patronage site linked above. If you’re interested, of course 😉

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I love when an author takes a character I absolutely despise and somehow changes my opinion of them completely. I hated Nico while reading the first Hazard and Somerset books and he appeared to be a vapid, selfish person. He was, to be fair, those things but he grew through experiences and seeing that growth had me seeing another side to him. I wanted him to have his own HEA because he was so heartbroken over Emery even though he knew they weren’t meant to be.

Jadon has always been a character I’ve liked. He was put through the wringer, as all of Ashe’s characters are, and he has the scars to prove it. He is so lonely it hurts but he tries to fill in the voids of his life with work. He feels he has something to prove so he works constantly and it’s worn him down.

These are two broken men who find something in each other over late night texts. When Jadon cuts off communication completely all of a sudden it hurts Nico and adds to his self doubt. They are thrown together though and it seems that fate is out to get them. But this is no romance and they have a lot of work to do before they can be together. There is romance in the book though. I loved seeing the little things Jadon did for Nico. That picnic was adorable!!!!

I sort of guessed who was behind the assaults early on but there was still a doubt for me. I enjoyed the time Nico and Jadon spent together when they weren’t fighting. Luckily they didn’t fight much since this is one book and not a series. They call each other out on some hurtful truths but they also discuss what went wrong and do not let a fight just pass on by.

This isn’t Ashe’s best but it is perfect as an extra for all fans of his books. I loved the appearances of Hazard, North and Shaw (those two are exhausting!). After the heaviness of all the crossover books this was a great change, having one story and not being dragged over the coals for several books. You have to read the other books to understand this story though and those books are so good. There is so much backstory though so this is in no way a stand-alone.

[ancientreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike many of GA's fans, I have always been fond of Nico -- fight me, Nico-haters! -- so am very glad to have his backstory and also to watch his relationship with Jadon take shape. Now I'm sitting here itemizing all the aspects of this book I loved, but as I have a work deadline I shall say only that I bitterly resent Gregory Ashe for introducing me to Kierkegaard, whom I'm now evidently going to have to read, or at least read about. Ugh, why does Nico have to be so smart.

Four stars rather than five because this wasn't quite as polished, technically, as most of GA's books, and because there was one post-quarrel resolution that I thought came too easily.

[Cyndi (hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ditto all of these words: alyssa's review ❤️❤️❤️

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I'm super happy that Nico and Jadon have found their person, but this felt like a HFN not a HEA and I want more of them.

I need to see Emery meet Jadon, I need to see Nico's horror at the situation, and honestly I just need to see Jadon and Nico actually have something really good happen for them because they've both had to deal with some really shitty events.

North and Shaw practically being Jadon's best friends is actually really sweet and I always enjoy seeing the softer side of North!

As usual, I just need more of these characters!

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirst trap cover ✅ Romantic suspense spin off between two characters I've been rootin for for years ✅✅✅

I loved reading this weekly on Ashe's patronage page and it has it's wider release today and it was everything I wanted for these characters. Good balance between the love story and the mystery plots and seriously Greg you didn't go halves with this cover which is a major departure from all your others!!

[Crystal D. Budy · Rating 5 out of 5]

*uncontrollable squeeing* I loved this book so much! Much more a romantic suspense than traditional mystery with romance subplot (what we typically see with Greg's books), it was so much fun. GA serialized this book on his patronage site, Advanced Ashochism, over the past five months and it's been awesome (and painful!) to read a chapter every week.
Also, that cover!? OMG.

If you're familiar with Greg's books, you may recognize Jadon (from the Borealis books) and Nico (from the Hazard and Somerset stories). I've always enjoyed both of these side characters in their respective series, Nico more so in the last two H&S arcs than the first one, but I never disliked him. There had been chatter among Greg's readers for ages about these two linking up. And after we got to see their first meeting in the flash piece “Meet (Not Cute)” in Tangents: Volume 1, I was even more excited. There was just some kind of chemistry between them. That chemistry continues in Follows with Intent. So much flirting, bickering, and sexual tension. We also get to see much deeper into Jadon and Nico's personalities than we typically do, and they are now close to the top of my list of favorite couples. GA's side characters are always so enchanting and fun, I'm so glad he's exploring their stories.

While being familiar with the Hazard & Somerset and Borealis series will enhance the reading experience, it's not necessary. This book can stand on its own quite nicely. Warning, though: there are some spoilers for Borealis Investigations & Hazard and Somerset: A Union of Swords in this book. If you'd like to read those books before diving in, the lovely Alyssa created an amazing suggested reading order which is available at GA's site here.

If you aren't already subscribed to Advanced Ashochism, you should consider joining! Not only do patrons get early access to things like this (come join us in the torture when we have to wait a whole week after a cliffhanger), there is other exclusive content such as art! We also got a sneak peek at that cover (fans self) back in January and had to keep it a secret until now lol. Next up being serialized is a contemporary romance (!?) featuring Fer, Auggie's delightfully foul-mouthed big brother, and it promises to be another good one!

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another five stars for Gregroy Ashe.

At the beginning , i didn´t see it how the Nico/Jadon pairing was going to work out,but they have a lot of chemistry.

With Nico, it has been a journey, because at the beginning, when he was Ree's boyfriend , I didn't like the character. With the development of the plots, I empathized with him and now I have grown fond of him, because in this book the character evolves a lot.

Jadon is another example of a secondary character who becomes a protagonist and and you see what a great character he is.


It´s can be read as a single book and serves as a gateway to Gregroy Ashe's universe.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this serialized in GA’s patron site, so I need to reread it as a whole entity unto itself, but I really enjoyed this side quest into how 2 minor Hazardverse characters that I really like in their original appearances (can’t believe how my feelings about Nico changed! The mark of a good writer lol) find themselves both in peril & in love. Plenty of GA angst, but also less weight.

[StayCalm81 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5⭐️
We finally got Nico’s story, his love story with an HEA or at least HFN. Nico was one of those characters that grated on my nerves in the beginning of H&S, then he was ok and by the end of the last arc I was in love with him, the rereads only made me love him more and I wanted the best for him. When I found out that his love interest was going to be Jadon, sweet and gentle Jadon, I was so happy. These two really deserve happiness after all the trauma.

I was amazed that in such a short book GA could give us a credible story of two people falling in love, an angsty and engaging mystery and some of the best cameos. Emery, Shaw and North were…well…themselves…and I love them.
My only complaint is that it felt like a beginning, I want more of them. Nico and Jadon have great chemistry, so hot together and they have a beautiful tentative thing by the end of the book but I want to see their relationship develop GA style, see them together working through all their insecurities and fears and trauma, there is so much to tackle there, I want them together and happy in a more solid relationship. A series maybe? 🥹 please Gregory 🙏

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generous author.
Jaco leap despite prickly,
squishy, sexy selves.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A- for the narration; B- for the story - 4 stars overall

Follows With Intent is a single-title romantic suspense novel that first saw light of day as a weekly serial for members of Gregory Ashe’s patronage platform. It’s part of the Hazardverse: Sidetracks series, which consists (so far) of a couple of sets of short stories and flash fiction (Tangents) and two full-length novels featuring popular secondary characters from some the author’s best known series. One, The Kiss Principle is a contemporary romance starring Fernando Lopez (older brother of Auggie, from The First Quarto ), and the other is Follows With Intent, which features Nico Flores from the Hazard & Somerset series and Jadon Reck from Borealis Investigations , who met for the first time in the short story Meet (Not Cute) (which can be found in Tangents: Volume 1 ).

While this is a standalone that isn’t linked to storylines in either of the aforementioned series, I don’t think it will work independently for anyone who isn’t familiar with the characters and their backstories as told in those books. And there are necessarily some spoilers in this review.

Nico, a grad student looking for mentorship and to get into a good PhD program, is attending a week-long theology seminar at Chouteau College in St. Louis, and Jadon is attending a symposium for LGBTQ+ law enforcement professionals that is also being held there. After their initial meeting some months earlier – Nico had to deliver something to North and Shaw for Emery – he and Jadon started messaging each other regularly and got to know each other over lots of late-night text conversations - which ended suddenly when Jadon just stopped responding to Nico’s messages. They haven’t been in contact since, so the last thing they’re expecting is to – literally – bump into one another in a coffee shop on the college campus.

Jadon has been investigating a string of sexual assaults on college students and becomes concerned for Nico’s safety, especially after he realises that Nico bears a strong resemblance to the most recent victim. Much to Nico’s annoyance Jadon appoints himself his protector, but Nico’s protests – he’s a grown man and doesn’t want or need a bodyguard - fall on deaf ears.

That’s the set up for the suspense plot, and it also provides a reason for Nico and Jadon to spend time together and start to address some of their unresolved issues. And there are a LOT of unresolved issues; in fact, both men are dealing (or not dealing) with so much trauma – Nico’s kidnap by the The Keeper of Bees , Jadon’s near death at the hands of someone he trusted - that I couldn’t help thinking that maybe they needed a therapist rather than a boyfriend!

Follows With Intent is more focused on the relationship drama than on the suspense side of things as Nico and Jadon start to inch their way back to each other – which doesn’t happen without some difficult conversations and brutal honesty on both their parts. That isn’t always easy to read, but I’ve always liked Mr. Ashe’s laser-sharp insight into what makes his characters tick and his willingness to let them be unlikeable when necessary.

Nico has come a long way as a character over the various books he’s appeared in, going from the bratty former model who was Hazard’s (completely unsuitable) boyfriend to a valued friend and colleague, without having a complete personality transplant. He’s smart and funny, but hides a lot of insecurity and needs self-validation; he wants to make a career in academia so as to convince himself he’s moved beyond his past as an underwear model and is more than the pretty face and body that are all men seem to want from him. He was deeply hurt when Jadon ghosted him, which added to his already large pile of insecurities about his self-worth, while Jadon decided Nico would be better off without him because he doesn’t have time for anything in his life besides work. In reality, it was because he blames himself for being so ‘distracted’ by his relationship with Shaw that it meant his ex-partner was able to get away with all the awful things he did, and he’s been working himself into the ground ever since Barr’s arrest. Jadon knows his colleagues think he must’ve been stupid not to know what his partner was doing so he just buries himself in work; he needs to stay focused, and Nico would be too much of a distraction.

I read Follows With Intent as it was serialised, and while I enjoyed it, the mystery/suspense plot is not as complex or tightly written as in the author’s other books and the romance is missing a few important pieces. Jadon and Nico are a good fit as a couple and have great chemistry; they flirt, they bicker and they hurt each other sometimes, but they clearly understand each other well enough to know when they’ve screwed up and want to fix it. I was rooting for them to sort out their crap and get together, but seeing at least some of those late-night texts would have added depth and context to the romance. Using a lead couple who already know each other is a common device in romantic suspense because it allows the author to skip the getting-to-know-you phase of the relationship (which, in a romance novel, is the whole focus of the book) and focus more on the plot, but unfortunately, that also risks the romance being ‘undercooked’ because readers/listeners don’t get to experience it along with the characters. Here, we’re presented with the fact that Jadon and Nico have already got to know each other a bit, but we never really know what those texts were about, other than that they’ve told each other things they’ve never told anyone else, so we’re missing an important chunk of relationship backstory.

But with that said, they’re good for each other. They do get to have some adorable moments together (the picnic in the library) and it’s clear that they see and appreciate each other for who they are. The story ends on a very firm HFN with the pair making plans to get together for weekends and holidays while Nico finshes his studies and they figure out how to make long distance work for the time being.

Kale Williams is someone I always enjoy listening to, so I was pleased when Gregory Ashe announced he’d signed on to narrate Follows With Intent. His voice is easy on the ear, and the performance is smoothly paced with a good variety of character voices, male and female, which are clearly differentiated. My one real criticism is that Jadon and Emery Hazard sound a little too similar, but as they never appear in scenes together it’s not too much of an issue. His portrayal of the two leads fits them really well – Jadon’s warmth and good-humour come through strongly in his dialogue, although there’s also a sense of someone wound really tight lurking underneath, and Mr. Williams does a great job of capturing Nico’s waspishness and hinting at the vulnerability that lies not far from the surface. North and Shaw appear briefly in the story, and I liked his take on them both; North is loud, growly and obnoxious as ever, while Shaw is calm, insightful and softly spoken.

I can’t say that Follows With Intent is one of my favourite Gregory Ashe books, but I enjoyed the narration a great deal and am glad that Nico and Jadon, who’ve both been through such a lot, have found some well-deserved happiness.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Honestly I’m surprised by how much I loved this… Jaden and Nico are fantastic for each other. Thank the gods Nico has grown up since we first met him, cause it’s really only in series 3 of H&S I stopped wanting him ☠️. I found the mystery in this on the lighter side, while keeping me interested. I did actually guess who it was, but I think Greg did a good job trying to throw the reader off 😂 but the ending was *chefs kiss*.

I would actually read more of these two… shocking.

[Laura Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much! I was one of the lucky ones who got to read it first on Advanced Ashochism, and I was captivated right away.

Nico and Jadon are the kind of characters that are incredibly easy to fall in love with. As side characters in the Hazardverse, they are always a pleasure to see when they pop up on the page, but in their own story they really hold their own. Nico has so many sides to him, so many interesting facets to his personality, and thats what really elevates him from a side character to a leading man. He is flawed, complicated, and so very human. Jadon is the biggest sweetheart around he’s a perfect example of how the cream will always rise to the top. Seeing him return, bigger and better, was an absolute joy.

The story was fun, fast-paced, and tense — interspersed with achingly sweet moments that acted as a welcome reprieve from the high-stakes drama. What I really enjoyed, though, was how different Follows With Intent was from usual mystery novels. Instead of it being a “whodunnit” it’s more of a “who-will-do-it”, and you’re on tenterhooks trying to figure who the villain is.

There was a really lovely balance of romance and suspense in this story. Gregory Ashe is so talented in his craft that he can keep you hooked on a book, regardless of whether you came for the love story or the mystery. If, like me, you came for both, I have no doubt that you will find a wellspring of enjoyment from this book.

I think it’s a brilliant idea to explore the lives and stories of the other characters in the Hazardverse. All of Gregory’s secondary characters (no matter how small their role may be) are so real and grounded, that I’m certain any one of them could have their own spin off story and it would be a hit. I’m really looking forward to Fer’s story next!

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

My kingdom for a prologue where we actually see some of these vaunted texts.

And -- given how much stuff both characters are dealing with, and how uncertain their futures are -- an epilogue that takes us a wee bit past the HFN we end on.

I love Nico and Jadon so I enjoyed this regardless (though how much more trauma must poor Nico take??). But holy cow, including the mythical texts in a prologue or weaving them throughout the story would have made it soooooo much better.

[Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read the background books "Follow with Intent" is drawing on, but not recently enough to really "get" this book—it's not a totally satisfactory standalone. But it's Gregory Ashe, so his gift for incidental description is still very much on display. Grading on a curve—Good Ashe, not Great Ashe.

[Nelly S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Lio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has some of the most romantic Gregory Ashe scenes I have ever read in them!!!!!

[Kazza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Bad. Happy Jadon got his Story.

I said in a review of one of the Borealis Investigation books that Jadon Reck deserved his own book and that I’d read it. Something along those lines. So, I’ve read Jadon’s book and I’m glad I did. It probably wasn’t as satisfactory as it could be. It’s left Jadon and Nico, the latter from the Hazard and Somerset series, connected but it’s still not organised enough an ending for me. Hmm, maybe I could phrase that better. Anyway, I dropped off the H&S series because Emery is a Neanderthal so it did feel like I missed something in this book because of that. It’s a kind of standalone but not entirely.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

•spoilery-ish•

Nico, trying to get serious about his career and PhD, attends a conference in St. Louis where he runs into Jadon. Jadon is coping with his past trauma by running himself into the ground at work. When he's sent to a symposium at the same campus where Nico is, their chance encounter brings up old feelings, good and bad. But when Nico becomes the target of a stalker, they have to stay together to keep safe and catch the offender.

We see Nico and Jadon in their meet cute short story ("Meet (Not Cute)", Tangents: Volume 1), but what we don't know until this book is that they started a texting friendship that ended when Jadon ghosted Nico. Jadon is going through it, rightfully so because he really has some trauma. He stopped texting Nico because he has convinced himself he was so distracted by Shaw before that he missed the fact his partner was so evil, and he doesn't want that to happen again. He's running from his problems by burying himself in work and hoping everything goes away. When Nico comes back into his life, it's the wake up call that he needs. Nico sees how Jadon is worn down and pushes him to take care of himself and take the time to heal. Jadon is a sweet and patient man, and Nico is the spark of life he's been missing. I feel like I should've known more about Jadon's background, but I'm glad we get to a more rounded version of his character here and that he finally starts to recover from what he went through.

Nico is just Nico. Bar the one scene from H&S: Union of Swords, I've always liked him even though he can be exasperating. He doesn't know exactly what he wants, he's always trying to impress other people, and copes with his insecurities by making everything a bit dramatic. Jadon ghosting him ramped up these insecurities even more but Jadon is so calm and cool that he has no problem calling Nico out on his shit. Jadon is truly interested in who Nico is as a person and wins him over by seeing through the shiny veneer to the nerdy and passionate guy underneath. He gives Nico a space where he's allowed to be his authentic, messy self, and Nico loves him for it.

I'm so happy they found each other. They are good guys who were in love with people who couldn't love them back, but really they couldn't be more perfect for each other. The picnic date was all I needed to be sold on these two, but I do wish we got more of their texting relationship and how they went from two strangers on a couch to who they are in this book. It ends on a strong happy for now which work perfect for where they are at.

The case was interesting but you could kind of tell what was going to happen. Poor Nico stuck in another traumatizing situation, but of course superhero Jadon is there to save the day. I loved the real talk scene with North and Shaw too, and I'm excited for more crossover shorts with Nico/Jadon and the whole gang. I'm so glad Ashe does these Sidetracks stories for our favorite side characters, hopefully there's more to come!

Read if you like:
• romantic suspense
• Hazardverse
• opposites attract

•••••••••••••••••••••

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

former president of the go away nico club would now die for him without hesitation

[Riva · Rating 4 out of 5]

**audiobook review**
This is a wonderful stand-alone book based in the Hazard & Somerset AND Shaw & North Universe. This is Nico and Jaden’s book. Although not strictly necessary to have read both series to enjoy this book, it really helps with the emotional context. We recently know Nico as Emery Hazard’s assistant, but before that he was Emery’s boyfriend before John Henry. We know Jaden from the Shaw & North Borealis series. Jaden dated and was “in love” with Shaw when the boys were on a “break.” Both these men finally get their HEA.

We start the book with Emery dropping Nico off at a philosophy seminar at a college in pursuit of his PhD. He has come a LONG way from his underwear model days! Jaden is also there to attend a LGBT+ in law enforcement seminar. Both men have not fully recovered from their respective traumas and pursued a relationship in the intervening years that didn’t work out. Now they are thrust together with a serial rapist on campus. Jaden tries to warn and protect Nico as Jaden pursues the rapist, but Nico is insecure and thinks Jaden is just asserting authority over him. Bad things happen. The mystery is good and the growth in both men is realistic. There are cameos from both series which are hysterical.

Kale Williams does his usual amazing performance that really brings these men to life. Highly recommend if you are a fan of either series.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

This book is the second in the series that the author is calling Hazardverse: Sidetracks. I somehow missed the first in the series, Tangents, which is a collection of short stories. One of those stories details how Nico and Jadon met and the text exchanges they shared. Until I realized that, I felt that I was missing something here in this book. I am familiar with Nico from the Hazard and Somerset books, and Jadon is a familiar name from the Borealis Investigations series, but I had less recall for Jadon’s full story. This is definitely a book that you want to read while having some sense of this world.

I was thrilled to see that Nico had his own story.

Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.

[Carol (bookish_notes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took awhile to warm up to this book but I liked it by the end. And I’m saying that as someone who actually liked Jadon and Nico before this book and wanted them together when the first suggestion about them being together was mentioned. I listened to and finished this book on audio. Kale Williams was a very good narrator for the characters! First time listening to him I think? But I like him.

Content warnings include Harry Potter references, kidnapping, PTSD, sexual harassment, and mentions of assault/rape.

The mystery in this book was good, not great. Jadon is supposed to be solving the investigation but he’s also bone tired and worked himself ragged with no sleep so he’s not firing on all cylinders and no one is really questioned like a real investigation would be? The way the mystery gets solved is by circumstance than anyone finding anything out.

This book takes place at Chouteau College (where North and Shaw went to school) and Nico is there for a seminar that could hopefully help me get into a PhD program and Jadon is there for a mandated “symposium for LGBTQ law enforcement professionals”.

Nico has hangups around being taken as a serious scholar when a lot of people around him only know him as an underwear model and his looks, not as brains. He is still slightly traumatized from the events that happened with The Keeper of Bees.

Jadon is a mess and has zero home/work life balance. He still has hangups with what he went through with the old detective force and he’s not dealing with it well.

I don’t know why I’m surprised but this does have sex scenes. I think all of the author’s recent books have been so…tamed down with almost no sex scenes sometimes I was just shocked there were some here.

It’s my own personal hangups that 1) I don’t think I’ve ever read a standalone Gregory Ashe novel where the two characters get together after basically just one book and it’s weird, 2) there’s a lot of story about them getting to know each other BEFORE the book begins and keeps referencing their late nights texting that never happens in any previous Hazardverse book so I did get annoyed by that, and 3) there’s apparently an epilogue that’s only under the author’s $10/month or $100/year subscription and I’m all for bonus stories being locked under subs but when the book doesn’t have an epilogue within it and it’s locked under a paywall I just get annoyed.

But the story was good and I liked the guest appearances by Hazard, North, and Shaw. They were so funny but I also love all of them and especially North and Shaw’a shenanigans but I love that they’re actually friends with Jadon.

I was most surprised to learn that the St. Louis arch have a museum and you can ride up to an observation deck?? I thought they were just, like, sculpture type landmarks or something.

Do note that Jadon and Nico first meet in “Meet (Not Cute)” in the Tangents Vol. 1 short story collection, and this takes place between books 3 and 4 in Iron in Iron (doesn’t spoil Iron on Iron though). But this does spoil the first story arc of Borealis Investigations and who attacked Shaw during college. It leaves the second story arc of Hazard and Somerset: A Union of Swords vague and doesn’t really spoil who the Keeper of Bees is.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even since I witnessed Nico and Jadon's meeting in Tangents: Volume 1 I've been waiting for this without knowing if I'll ever get it. And now, here it is *dances*

These two characters have a lot of issues to work out, and that's evident from the very beginning. And they have good reasons for these issues; if you have not read Borealis Investigations & Hazard and Somerset: A Union of Swords you can take my word on it. I suffered across all of it so you don't have to do it :P

So now, they both deserve a little happiness coming their way :D

Nico is one of my favourite secondary characters in the Hazard-verse, he's smart and funny but also is someone who, in his own words, 'needs validation'. A string of bad relationships had crushed his self-confidence and he wants, needs a successful career in academia to convince himself he's more than 'that underwear model'.

And Jadon is still paying the consequences of the Barr affair and his career in the force might be in peril because of that.

So when they bump into each other (quite literally, there is spilt coffee involved) at Chouteau College things get a bit complicated. Because Jadon ghosted Nico. Because Nico wants to a be serious student and stay focussed in his seminary. Because there is a sexual predator on campus.

And yes, you can imagine who became the target of said predator.

I love how the interactions between Nico and Jadon are absolutely realistic and faithful to their particular hang-ups. Yes, they generate a lot of misunderstandings and a lot of friction between them but in true GA fashion, they are acting their traumas and can't stop themselves. But they can (and do) explain themselves. They are aware and trying hard to do better. Which is hard to do when both of their careers are in jeopardy and there is a stalker following one of them.

And damn! I was SO sure I knew who was the culprit and I had to wipe that smug smile on my face because I was utterly wrong *bangs head against desk*

And I loved, loved, loved that Nico was able to escape by himself, and even when he was recaptured he didn't give up and did everything right, to the point in which Jadon was almost superfluous. Almost. Well, maybe a little necessary. But mostly, it was Nico's doing :P

I enjoyed the little glimpses we had of Nico and Emery's relationship, how we can see that they were able to construct a solid friendship from the ashes of their failed romance.

And I also liked Shaw and North's part in the story; how both of them are supportive of Jadon each of them in their very particular way *laughs* But I always like when we get to see the most thoughtful and compassionate side of Shaw. ♥

I hope we'll have more of these two, I'd like to see how they work it out :D

[Bizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure what to do with Gregory Ashe at this point. For the most part, I like his mysteries, and I think he’s capable of great character work. But so many of his couples are horrible and toxic to each other and it’s unclear to me whether I’m supposed to leave the book with reservations about them, or whether I’m supposed to think these couples are going to have a long and happy future together (because I don’t).

Seemingly every one of his books has characters getting mad and saying extremely hurtful, cruel things to each other. Why? People can have arguments that don’t look like that, and arguments that involve yelling and personal insults aren’t inevitable in romantic relationships. It’s possible to write interpersonal conflicts that don’t involve those behaviors. Ashe is a good enough writer to do that, so why does he always seem to fall back on these same tropes?

In this book, there’s an attempt to explain why Nico falls back on toxic behaviors when he’s hurt. I thought that part was well done, and it’s an example of how you can write the “saying mean things when hurt” trope in an interesting way. But the problem is, Jaden does a lot of the same things, and Nico’s close friend says it’s Nico’s fault that Jaden said cruel things because Nico provoked him, and also that it’s inevitable that a man like Jaden is going to be possessive in a way that undermines Nico’s autonomy. There’s also a very weird undercurrent of victim-blaming Nico for being sexually harassed by a professor. All of this crossed the line for me from realistically exploring someone’s negative traits into “mistreatment of your partner is fine and normal when they deserve it,” especially because almost none of it is reckoned with outside of shallow apologies. It’s compounded by the fact that Nico got a lot of unfair blame in the Hazard & Somerset books, giving me the feeling that I’m supposed to enjoy seeing him get put in his place or something. It all left me with a bad taste in my mouth and sapped any enjoyment I might otherwise have gotten out of Nico and Jaden’s “happy ending.”

Also, subjecting me to North and Shaw is an automatic minus a half-star, because those two are horrible and their “humor” is cringeworthy when it’s not straight-up abusive. I don’t really enjoy that Hazard has turned into this caricature of a controlling person with weird interests and no filter, either. In scenes like the beginning of this book, he doesn’t feel like a real person anymore, just a joke you’re supposed to laugh at.

[Gabbi Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a secondary character gets his moment to shine (an audio review)

I’ll admit I don’t always pay enough attention of secondary characters in books. In the Hazard and Somerset series, though, my co-reviewer Dana has been pleading with Gregory, in her reviews, to give Nico a story.

Apparently Gregory heard her! (Or he’s just really clever and knew fans would want Nico’s book as badly as she does…)

Was I thrilled? You better believe it! I just didn’t know what to expect.

Nico’s got issues. Having Emery Hazard as a boss is a whole trip to the therapist’s couch in and of itself. But Nico’s clung to that job and done his best. He’s a former model with a philosophy degree who is assisting a private investigator.

Yeah, that made my head hurt.

Truthfully, hearing about Nico’s experience as a model was painful. Yet somehow, after that, he picked himself up, got a degree, and has striven to continue his education. All while dealing with Emery vagaries.

So it’s great he’s going to a seminar where he has a chance to garner some attention with others in his field of study.

Enter Jadon.

Nico and Jadon used to text each other. They used to have a sort of thing from a distance.

And then they didn’t.

Now they’re in proximity. Jadon believes Nico’s being stalked and Nico thinks Jadon’s overreacting. What follows is several days where Jadon follows Nico and tries hard not to fall and Nico pretends he doesn’t want Jadon because, you know, academics.

Then things go sideways, and each man realizes what the other means to him.

I won’t go into details because, you know, spoilers.

I will say I enjoyed this audio more than I was expecting. I love Gregory, though, so I shouldn’t have been surprised. The story was top quality and Kale Williams’s narration was so perfect for Nico and Jadon’s voices. I hope there’s more of these two to come.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Rainbow Gold Reviews.

I had been hoping for this book since the first book in the Hazard & Somerset: Arrows in the Hand series. I had wanted a book about Nico so much, and I was lucky enough that the romantic interest happened to be a side character in Gregory Ashe's Borealis Investigations series. It was like a 2 for 1 deal.

Nico was a young man who had started dating Hazard in the very first H&S series. He was boisterous, sometimes over the top, and I think he was looking for a "daddy." Watching his interactions with Hazard in the beginning of this book made me so glad that their romantic/sexual relationship ended fairly quickly. The overprotective, fatherly way that Hazard treated Nico would have seemed a bit creepy to me, had it lasted. Nico is getting out of town to attend a theological seminar at Chouteau college in order to get his degree. While Nico was an unapologetic man-whore in the first series, there have been a lot of changes in him. He questions all of his desires and impulses as if he can't trust anything his body tells him. He doesn't have trust in too much actually. He strives to be demure and unnoticeable and fights an eating disorder left over from his modeling career. All that is to say that he has so much more dimension than I had come to expect.

Choteau college must be near or in St. Louis, since that is where Jadon works as a police officer. Like Nico, he dated a main character in a previous series. Jadon and Shaw's relationship wasn't as dramatic as Nico's was with Hazard, but it still ended quickly, and he occasionally works with Shaw and his business and romantic partner North. Jadon has some internalized angst after not realizing that his previous work partner was a murderer. It seems like he is trying to overachieve at his job in order to make up for his naivety. I don't know that I connected with him as much as Nico, but it was nice to see him as a possible love interest.

Jadon has been following some leads on attacks that were happening to students at the college. At that point, it doesn't seem like there had been any fatalities, but the attacker was upping his game. And though this seminar Nico is at takes place while the regular semester is out, Jadon is vigilant, especially with Nico in town. It seems that they might have had something in the past that happened under my nose, or off page that I didn't know about. After ghosting Nico, Jadon still feels attraction for him and protective of him. Not in the creepy "daddy" way, though, phew! But besides some lingering hurt over being ghosted, Nico doesn't know if he can trust Jadon, and he's hellbent on proving that he can handle life without someone to help him with every little thing. There isn't a ton of warm and fuzzy feelings between them, and I couldn't help but not feel the connection between them as much as I have some of the author's other pairings.

Well Jadon's suspicions pay off as Nico starts to feel like someone is following him and someone tries to grab him on the street. The suspects for the would-be attacker are many. And though I tried to guess, I found myself guessing wrongly most of the time. I am a fan of how the author equally gives equal time and attention to the mystery in his books as the slow burn romances. Kale Williams was a new narrator for this author, but I have enjoyed several of his works in the past and thought he was a great fit for Jadon and Nico. It was a great book and I can't wait for more stories in the Hazardverse world.

9/10 Pots of Gold (90% Recommended) – Compares to 4.5/5 Stars

[TJ_Arby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't normally write anything about the books I read but here goes.

I only read a couple of the Hazard and Sommerset books, so my knowledge of Nico is limited. I thought he was treated pretty poorly to be honest. Strung along by Emery, who had very obvious feelings for someone else. Nico's frustration seemed valid to me. I don't know what he did in later books that warrants the author to appear to not like him very much.

It's odd to write a romance book about a character that annoys you, but that's the vibe I got. Pages of Nico explaining what an awful person he is, and apologising non stop. I think you could cut the word count by 15% if you removed the word 'Sorry' from this book.

As I said, I've not read all the books, but Nico did not seem to be apologising for anything more than being emotional or snappy. He hasn't harmed anyone or cheated and lied. He has been isolated, treated like a piece of meat for his looks, and now kidnapped twice. I don't think this character has anything to apologise for.

I just want to sweep in and scoop him up, take him to a different book universe so he doesn't have to feel so bad for just existing and expressing himself.

So onto other issues, in between both characters hating on themselves, I felt zero romantic connection. I'm utterly shocked at the I Love You's after a couple of dates and one intimate encounter. I skipped the final sex scene because it all felt so weird.

I was really looking forward to Nico getting his own book, but this feels like character punishment.