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Unlikely Dilemmas #3
The Unlikely Spare
What happens when a prince falls for the undercover agent pretending to be his bodyguard?
Nicholas
I’m the spare, the younger brother of the Prince of Wales. Ever since I was propelled up the order of succession, my job description has been: Exist. Don’t embarrass the Crown. Repeat.
After a security scandal, I’m assigned a new bodyguard. A hulking, brooding Irishman who glowers at me like I’ve personally offended his ancestors. He’s the first to be completely immune to my charm, which is rather inconvenient when you’ve always wielded wit like a defensive weapon.
And why I feel the need to continue trying to impress Officer O’Connell is anyone’s guess.
My upcoming royal tour of Australia and New Zealand should be a nice chance to escape the British winter and bask in some Southern Hemisphere sunshine. But it turns out that representing the monarchy in former colonial countries means confronting some uncomfortable truths about how all those Crown Jewels ended up in my family’s vaults.
And the whole visit would really be far more enjoyable if someone wasn’t trying to kill me.
Eoin
I’ve clawed my way from the slums of Ireland to the top level of Scotland Yard’s undercover agents. But a deep security breach within the force has me investigating my own colleagues while playing bodyguard to a privileged prince on a tour Down Under.
Something about Prince Nicholas gets under my skin like shrapnel I can’t dig out.
Still, I’m a professional. I can handle one posh git with a smart mouth.
But as we navigate koala cuddling sessions, didgeridoo lessons, and deadly spiders in hotel rooms, I see beneath Nicholas’s princely façade. I’m supposed to uncover which of my fellow bodyguards is a threat to Prince Nicholas, not become obsessed with the most complex, fascinating pain in my arse I’ve ever met.
The line between duty and desire blurs with each passing day and the danger to Nicholas intensifies.
How can I maintain my cover, protect Nicholas, and resist the urge to press him against the nearest wall and kiss that smirk off his face?
The Unlikely Spare is a royal romantic comedy/suspense featuring a party prince learning his place in the world and an undercover bodyguard with a chip on his shoulder. As threats escalate and attraction intensifies, both men must decide what they’re willing to risk—and what they’re willing to fight for.
Nicholas
I’m the spare, the younger brother of the Prince of Wales. Ever since I was propelled up the order of succession, my job description has been: Exist. Don’t embarrass the Crown. Repeat.
After a security scandal, I’m assigned a new bodyguard. A hulking, brooding Irishman who glowers at me like I’ve personally offended his ancestors. He’s the first to be completely immune to my charm, which is rather inconvenient when you’ve always wielded wit like a defensive weapon.
And why I feel the need to continue trying to impress Officer O’Connell is anyone’s guess.
My upcoming royal tour of Australia and New Zealand should be a nice chance to escape the British winter and bask in some Southern Hemisphere sunshine. But it turns out that representing the monarchy in former colonial countries means confronting some uncomfortable truths about how all those Crown Jewels ended up in my family’s vaults.
And the whole visit would really be far more enjoyable if someone wasn’t trying to kill me.
Eoin
I’ve clawed my way from the slums of Ireland to the top level of Scotland Yard’s undercover agents. But a deep security breach within the force has me investigating my own colleagues while playing bodyguard to a privileged prince on a tour Down Under.
Something about Prince Nicholas gets under my skin like shrapnel I can’t dig out.
Still, I’m a professional. I can handle one posh git with a smart mouth.
But as we navigate koala cuddling sessions, didgeridoo lessons, and deadly spiders in hotel rooms, I see beneath Nicholas’s princely façade. I’m supposed to uncover which of my fellow bodyguards is a threat to Prince Nicholas, not become obsessed with the most complex, fascinating pain in my arse I’ve ever met.
The line between duty and desire blurs with each passing day and the danger to Nicholas intensifies.
How can I maintain my cover, protect Nicholas, and resist the urge to press him against the nearest wall and kiss that smirk off his face?
The Unlikely Spare is a royal romantic comedy/suspense featuring a party prince learning his place in the world and an undercover bodyguard with a chip on his shoulder. As threats escalate and attraction intensifies, both men must decide what they’re willing to risk—and what they’re willing to fight for.
461 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2025
369 people are currently reading
2839 people want to read
About the author
Jax Calder
30 books1,092 followersJax's stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who’ll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.
Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. To read her exclusive novella Being Set Up, sign up to her newsletter: https://jaxcalder.com/newsletter-sign.... You can also join her Facebook group Jax's Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.
Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. To read her exclusive novella Being Set Up, sign up to her newsletter: https://jaxcalder.com/newsletter-sign.... You can also join her Facebook group Jax's Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
September 26, 2025
There were parts of this story that I liked, but overall I didn't enjoy it as much as the previous two books.
I liked Nicholas and Eoin as characters. I liked the slow burn, but I feel the romance took a back seat in this one. I was missing the chemistry and the level of emotion that the first two books had.
The story is heavy on politics and while I appreciate the author’s intention, I just wasn’t as engaged as I hoped to be. I found it quite repetitive. Not just the parts about colonialism, but also Eoin’s internal dialogues about his past, Nicholas and Eoin’s dynamic in the first half of the book, the actions of Nicholas’ protection team.
As with the previous books, you have to go with the flow with this one, because everything that happens is very far-fetched. I guessed two major things early on, just a feeling I had, and there’s one reveal I really wasn’t happy about. The resolution to the situation was equally far-fetched, but I have to say that the events prior to that had me on the edge of my seat, and for once I really liked the epilogue.
Wondering if there will be a book or a novella about certain two characters.
I liked Nicholas and Eoin as characters. I liked the slow burn, but I feel the romance took a back seat in this one. I was missing the chemistry and the level of emotion that the first two books had.
The story is heavy on politics and while I appreciate the author’s intention, I just wasn’t as engaged as I hoped to be. I found it quite repetitive. Not just the parts about colonialism, but also Eoin’s internal dialogues about his past, Nicholas and Eoin’s dynamic in the first half of the book, the actions of Nicholas’ protection team.
As with the previous books, you have to go with the flow with this one, because everything that happens is very far-fetched. I guessed two major things early on, just a feeling I had, and there’s one reveal I really wasn’t happy about. The resolution to the situation was equally far-fetched, but I have to say that the events prior to that had me on the edge of my seat, and for once I really liked the epilogue.
Wondering if there will be a book or a novella about certain two characters.
August 23, 2025
This started off strong for me, a romance between a stoic burly bodyguard and a sardonic witty prince, literally my catnip. I feel like at about the 60% mark it started to go off the rails a bit however….the third act conflict felt flimsy and the direction the plot took with the kidnapping required a bit too much suspension of belief in a story that already required a fair bit of a ‘just go with it’ attitude. I also kind of just had to roll my eye’s at the Prince ONLY JUST NOW discovering the extent of anti-colonial sentiment in the various colonies….like that kind of felt absurd to the point of distraction.
I did mostly enjoy the romance and chemistry between Prince Nicholas and Eoin O’Connell whilst I was reading it, but something about the dynamic didn’t really leave a lasting impact on me? Like I think the plot had lost me already a bit too much by the time we were getting some more honest intimacy time and that impacted my investment.
For those curious, you can totally get away with jumping into the story here. I came into this one primarily for the bodyguard romance trope as the prior two books didn’t really appeal to me as much, and whilst they all build on each other, you can absolutely work out what’s happening with very little trouble. If you have an inclination to read the first two though, I would encourage you do it in order as this book has spoiler for both of those.
I am always a little hesitant to read books set in Australia cause too often authors fall into the “Dundee cringe” factor and its a special kind of psychological torture as an Australian to have to read whatever stereotyped perception is being trotted out this time. I didn’t realise however that Calder was a New Zealander, so the whole experience actually felt pretty authentic (bit suss on that Alice Springs section though). Honestly, I had to admire that Calder really did not pull any punches when it came to calling out the historical and current bullshit the English Empire has been responsible for, which felt like a pretty serious and ambitious theme to tackle in a story that is otherwise pretty silly and OTT.
Honestly this had a similar flavour of idealised, detached from reality politics that RWRB gave me, not that this is a comp, but there is a definite similarity to the flavour it left in my mouth. I think that if you are after something thats kind of silly and fun then this could hold the potential to be a good time…I just kind of wish that it hit harder for me but it was a 3.5 star time 🥲.
I did mostly enjoy the romance and chemistry between Prince Nicholas and Eoin O’Connell whilst I was reading it, but something about the dynamic didn’t really leave a lasting impact on me? Like I think the plot had lost me already a bit too much by the time we were getting some more honest intimacy time and that impacted my investment.
For those curious, you can totally get away with jumping into the story here. I came into this one primarily for the bodyguard romance trope as the prior two books didn’t really appeal to me as much, and whilst they all build on each other, you can absolutely work out what’s happening with very little trouble. If you have an inclination to read the first two though, I would encourage you do it in order as this book has spoiler for both of those.
I am always a little hesitant to read books set in Australia cause too often authors fall into the “Dundee cringe” factor and its a special kind of psychological torture as an Australian to have to read whatever stereotyped perception is being trotted out this time. I didn’t realise however that Calder was a New Zealander, so the whole experience actually felt pretty authentic (bit suss on that Alice Springs section though). Honestly, I had to admire that Calder really did not pull any punches when it came to calling out the historical and current bullshit the English Empire has been responsible for, which felt like a pretty serious and ambitious theme to tackle in a story that is otherwise pretty silly and OTT.
Honestly this had a similar flavour of idealised, detached from reality politics that RWRB gave me, not that this is a comp, but there is a definite similarity to the flavour it left in my mouth. I think that if you are after something thats kind of silly and fun then this could hold the potential to be a good time…I just kind of wish that it hit harder for me but it was a 3.5 star time 🥲.
August 21, 2025
‘The royal family has always been the most prominent symbol of English oppression.’
I love this series so much. It finds the perfect balance between swoon worthy romance, an ott but totally bingeable plot and actual, important, valuable, educational themes and I think THIS WAS MY FAV INSTALMENT YET??
At its heart, this book belongs to Nicholas and Eoin. Prince Nicholas is the “spare” - always in his brother’s shadow but still expected to perform royal perfection on command. He hides the caring, kind and so very lonely man behind a polished smile and posh charm.
And then there’s Eoin, the Belfast mountain of a man who despises the crown with every fiber of his being, yet finds himself tasked with protecting the privileged prince he loathes.
What a pair and uuhuhuhu the SPARKS, my friends, THE SPARKS! And the eventual SEXUAL TENSION and UNBEARABLE RESTRAINT and most importantly the moment they finally SNAP 😮💨😮💨😮💨
Add into it some sarcastic humour and wit, the animosity, the bickering, the sharp edges slowly giving way to genuine longing and I was absolutely hooked on them.
But what makes this series so special is that it doesn’t stop at romance. Calder intertwines their story with sharp political critique, particularly the relationship between Northern Ireland and the British throne, and - most powerfully - the aftermath of colonialism. Injustice, violence, exploitation, profit over human lives, and the utter lack of accountability: England does not get away with anything in this book, and I loved that blunt honesty. Tell it as it is!! The only stumble, for me, was the ending - it dipped a liiiittle into “white savior” territory, which felt a bit meh after such incisive critique. Still, I really appreciated Jax Calder for taking on such a huge, sensitive topic head-on and her author’s note is fantastic and absolutely worth reading for the care and clarity it brings.
On top of all that, the overarching conspiracy plot ramps up here massively. Someone wants Nicholas dead (the same people behind the attempted Matheson kidnapping of book 2 😱), and someone on his own security team is in on it. But who??? I absolutely loved guessing along, I thought the twist was amazing and the explanation of everything in the end was satisfying, even if a little ott.
Overall, this book gave me everything I wanted: swoony romance, sharp political critique, humour, tension, and even some really educational fun facts along the way. So yeah, I really think it’s my favorite of the series! 🥰
4,5⭐️
Thank you GRR for this ARC, this is my honest opinion!
I love this series so much. It finds the perfect balance between swoon worthy romance, an ott but totally bingeable plot and actual, important, valuable, educational themes and I think THIS WAS MY FAV INSTALMENT YET??
At its heart, this book belongs to Nicholas and Eoin. Prince Nicholas is the “spare” - always in his brother’s shadow but still expected to perform royal perfection on command. He hides the caring, kind and so very lonely man behind a polished smile and posh charm.
And then there’s Eoin, the Belfast mountain of a man who despises the crown with every fiber of his being, yet finds himself tasked with protecting the privileged prince he loathes.
What a pair and uuhuhuhu the SPARKS, my friends, THE SPARKS! And the eventual SEXUAL TENSION and UNBEARABLE RESTRAINT and most importantly the moment they finally SNAP 😮💨😮💨😮💨
Add into it some sarcastic humour and wit, the animosity, the bickering, the sharp edges slowly giving way to genuine longing and I was absolutely hooked on them.
But what makes this series so special is that it doesn’t stop at romance. Calder intertwines their story with sharp political critique, particularly the relationship between Northern Ireland and the British throne, and - most powerfully - the aftermath of colonialism. Injustice, violence, exploitation, profit over human lives, and the utter lack of accountability: England does not get away with anything in this book, and I loved that blunt honesty. Tell it as it is!! The only stumble, for me, was the ending - it dipped a liiiittle into “white savior” territory, which felt a bit meh after such incisive critique. Still, I really appreciated Jax Calder for taking on such a huge, sensitive topic head-on and her author’s note is fantastic and absolutely worth reading for the care and clarity it brings.
On top of all that, the overarching conspiracy plot ramps up here massively. Someone wants Nicholas dead (the same people behind the attempted Matheson kidnapping of book 2 😱), and someone on his own security team is in on it. But who??? I absolutely loved guessing along, I thought the twist was amazing and the explanation of everything in the end was satisfying, even if a little ott.
Overall, this book gave me everything I wanted: swoony romance, sharp political critique, humour, tension, and even some really educational fun facts along the way. So yeah, I really think it’s my favorite of the series! 🥰
4,5⭐️
Thank you GRR for this ARC, this is my honest opinion!
August 24, 2025
~3.5~
This book got many things right: opposites attract, slow burn, bodyguard/client, humor. The first half was perfection, and then the book got political. Very, VERY political.
Clearly, the author feels strongly about Britain paying repatriations to the descendants of people enslaved by the British colonial empire for centuries. I don't disagree, but there's a time and place. The constant mentions of crimes committed became repetitive and preachy.
I loved the MCs: Eoin, an Irish Catholic from the streets of Belfast, and Nicholas, the easygoing playboy and spare to the throne.
There was plenty of tension, sexual and otherwise, but it didn't overshadow the lighthearted moments. The camping scene was hilarious.
The ending was a mixed bag for me. I was expecting more from the epilogue than a tepid HEA.
Also, don't get me started on what Nicholas and Callum (crown prince from book 1) were able to accomplish in less than 24 hours. There's fiction, and then there's pure absurdity, situations so unbelievable as to be farcical. This was the latter.
This book got many things right: opposites attract, slow burn, bodyguard/client, humor. The first half was perfection, and then the book got political. Very, VERY political.
Clearly, the author feels strongly about Britain paying repatriations to the descendants of people enslaved by the British colonial empire for centuries. I don't disagree, but there's a time and place. The constant mentions of crimes committed became repetitive and preachy.
I loved the MCs: Eoin, an Irish Catholic from the streets of Belfast, and Nicholas, the easygoing playboy and spare to the throne.
There was plenty of tension, sexual and otherwise, but it didn't overshadow the lighthearted moments. The camping scene was hilarious.
The ending was a mixed bag for me. I was expecting more from the epilogue than a tepid HEA.
Also, don't get me started on what Nicholas and Callum (crown prince from book 1) were able to accomplish in less than 24 hours. There's fiction, and then there's pure absurdity, situations so unbelievable as to be farcical. This was the latter.
August 29, 2025
Rating: 3
⭐️
The Unlikely Spare is the first book I’ve read by Jax Calder – but also the third instalment in the Unlikely Dilemmas series.
•~•~ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 📘
Even by just reading this book, I can already tell that Jax Calder is an amazing writer. Her writing’s style is addictive, and just so great, I couldn’t stop reading!
The Unlikely Spare is everything I generally enjoyed.
Eoin O’Connell, Detective at Scotland Yard, is tasked to protect Prince Nicholas Alexander, second in line to the throne and half-brother of the Prince of Wales, Callum. Indeed, not only a potential group of terrorists is targeting Prince Nicholas, but a traitor hide themselves in his Protection’s squad. While Eoin must do everything to prevent any potential danger to Nicholas – and find the traitor, a fascinating dynamic developed between the two of them.
•~•~ 𝓜𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 💙
Plot-wise, I don’t have any complaints. It was so interesting to search alongside Eoin for the culprit! Plus, with Jax Calder’s writing, it was bound to be great.
The author broached important subjects, despite the book being mainly a romance. There’s a lot of conversations and issues regarding colonialism, which was insightful.
However, this book wasn’t a full win. The main reason I couldn’t give it a higher rating was because of the characters, mainly Nicholas.
Eoin and Nicholas’s banter was the most enjoyable part about their couple. The rest? I don’t know. The romance lacked something, I guess, and I wasn’t invested enough. I don’t mind it when books focus more on the plot than the relationship. In this, though, I couldn’t find the balance between plot and romance.
I found the dynamic between Eoin and Nicholas too cliché for my liking. We have the typical broody and cold bodyguard and the reckless and bratty royal. How original. It was like ‘déjà-vu’. I felt like I already read this story. It wasn’t new, with a misunderstood prince who’s shackled by the expectations of his environment, who want to be free, etc.
Don’t get me wrong, those clichés are great sometimes! Typically I'm a sucker for the bodyguard trope. If I’m being honest, my dislike for their dynamic is mainly due to the fact that I couldn’t bring myself to appreciate Nicholas as a main character.
•~•~ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 💙
It’s hard to describe what went wrong with Nicholas. It's heavily subjective. I’ve read a lot of reviews praising him, so I’m definitely on the minority here. He just got easily on my nerves.
Nicholas used sarcasm in an abundant way. As someone who enjoyed being sarcastic on a daily-basis, Nicholas’ sarcasm was a lot. He’s annoyed? Sarcasm. He’s emotional? Sarcasm. He’s angry? Sarcasm, again! While I understand it's a coping-mechanism, Nicholas was an entitled prick.
Some of his actions toward Eoin were unfair. The way he reacted when he learned who Eoin really was? I was so sad for Eoin. And when you reached the plot-twist of the book, Nicholas cannot even redeem himself, preferring to throw a pity party at his situation. It was exhausting to read, not gonna lie. Eoin needed to have his life severely threatened for Nicholas to realize his undying love for Eoin. Past this realization, Nicholas became more bearable.
Sadly, Eoin didn't stick out to me. He was fine, but I didn't have a coup de cœur for him. I did appreciate how he was portrayed as a protector, the one who's doing anything and everything for his family.
[It appears Nicholas can say relevant things once in a while...]
•~•~ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 💙
Nonetheless, the ending was very satisfying and extremely entertaining. I didn’t see the plot-twist coming, and the revelation about a certain character made me mad in the most amazing way. I’m just sad for Eoin [again], that’s all I’m going to say.
And the conflict’s resolution? So good! I’ll admit, despite my complaints, Eoin and Nicholas did make a great team. Them ‘joining force’ was a powerful move, and for once, Nicholas didn’t feel useless. So yeah, I was ready to rate it two stars – but the ending left me satisfied enough that I had to add another star.
I’m definitely curious to read more books of Jax Calder. Fingers crossed, the previous books in the series will be more enjoyable!
•~•~ 𝓢𝓪𝓯𝓮𝓽𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓼 💙
> Safe ;
> No other people after meeting each other ;
> OMD/OWD : 🚫
Although, there’s a scene in which Nicholas was about to leave God knows where with a woman. Because of a 'small incident' involving his mother, Nicholas told the woman to leave him.
> Nicholas is described as a playboy; he had a lot of experience -- mainly with women. There's also mentions about his ex-boyfriend, Daniel [the only man he's ever been with in the past]. Nicholas isn’t hung-up on him anymore, though this past relationship impacted his current behavior ;
> Eoin didn't have any real relationships before.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
The Unlikely Spare is the first book I’ve read by Jax Calder – but also the third instalment in the Unlikely Dilemmas series.
“I want to know the stories behind the scars. I want to know who’s touched him before, who’s been allowed to see this unguarded, vulnerable version of him. I want to know if anyone else has ever made him tremble the way he’s trembling now, his control fracturing beneath my hands as I trace the line where soft hair disappears beneath his waistband, feeling the way his stomach muscles contract under my fingertips.”
•~•~ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 📘
Even by just reading this book, I can already tell that Jax Calder is an amazing writer. Her writing’s style is addictive, and just so great, I couldn’t stop reading!
The Unlikely Spare is everything I generally enjoyed.
Eoin O’Connell, Detective at Scotland Yard, is tasked to protect Prince Nicholas Alexander, second in line to the throne and half-brother of the Prince of Wales, Callum. Indeed, not only a potential group of terrorists is targeting Prince Nicholas, but a traitor hide themselves in his Protection’s squad. While Eoin must do everything to prevent any potential danger to Nicholas – and find the traitor, a fascinating dynamic developed between the two of them.
"I don’t know why I want this man to see me as more than just a playboy prince. I don’t understand why his particular judgment cuts deeper than any tabloid headline, why I find myself performing for an audience of one who refuses to applaud."
•~•~ 𝓜𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 💙
Plot-wise, I don’t have any complaints. It was so interesting to search alongside Eoin for the culprit! Plus, with Jax Calder’s writing, it was bound to be great.
The author broached important subjects, despite the book being mainly a romance. There’s a lot of conversations and issues regarding colonialism, which was insightful.
However, this book wasn’t a full win. The main reason I couldn’t give it a higher rating was because of the characters, mainly Nicholas.
Eoin and Nicholas’s banter was the most enjoyable part about their couple. The rest? I don’t know. The romance lacked something, I guess, and I wasn’t invested enough. I don’t mind it when books focus more on the plot than the relationship. In this, though, I couldn’t find the balance between plot and romance.
"Why it feels like losing something precious I never realized I wanted until it was already gone."
I found the dynamic between Eoin and Nicholas too cliché for my liking. We have the typical broody and cold bodyguard and the reckless and bratty royal. How original. It was like ‘déjà-vu’. I felt like I already read this story. It wasn’t new, with a misunderstood prince who’s shackled by the expectations of his environment, who want to be free, etc.
"His proximity is both torture and oxygen."
Don’t get me wrong, those clichés are great sometimes! Typically I'm a sucker for the bodyguard trope. If I’m being honest, my dislike for their dynamic is mainly due to the fact that I couldn’t bring myself to appreciate Nicholas as a main character.
•~•~ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 💙
It’s hard to describe what went wrong with Nicholas. It's heavily subjective. I’ve read a lot of reviews praising him, so I’m definitely on the minority here. He just got easily on my nerves.
“What the hell is stopping me from taking her home and showing her a great time?” he finally continues.
Before I can think better of it, I close the distance between us until we’re nearly touching.
“Because you’ll be thinking about me the whole time,” I growl in his ear. “And that’s not fair on anyone.”
Nicholas used sarcasm in an abundant way. As someone who enjoyed being sarcastic on a daily-basis, Nicholas’ sarcasm was a lot. He’s annoyed? Sarcasm. He’s emotional? Sarcasm. He’s angry? Sarcasm, again! While I understand it's a coping-mechanism, Nicholas was an entitled prick.
Some of his actions toward Eoin were unfair. The way he reacted when he learned who Eoin really was? I was so sad for Eoin. And when you reached the plot-twist of the book, Nicholas cannot even redeem himself, preferring to throw a pity party at his situation. It was exhausting to read, not gonna lie. Eoin needed to have his life severely threatened for Nicholas to realize his undying love for Eoin. Past this realization, Nicholas became more bearable.
"I’m so fucking in love with this man. The realization hits like a punch to my guts, stealing what little breath the gag allows. I’ve suspected I was falling for him, but I had no idea that I’d already hit the ground, and there’s no getting back up from this. There’s no extraction plan that would ever work to remove me from the spell this man has cast over me."
Sadly, Eoin didn't stick out to me. He was fine, but I didn't have a coup de cœur for him. I did appreciate how he was portrayed as a protector, the one who's doing anything and everything for his family.
"“The protector,” Nicholas murmurs, almost to himself. “Always putting yourself between danger and everyone else.” “Someone has to.” He turns to face me properly, tucking one leg under himself. It’s such a casual gesture, like we’re having a normal conversation rather than fleeing for our lives.
“But what about you? Who protects the protector?”
I keep my eyes on the road. “That’s not how it works.”
“Maybe it should be,” he says softly, and there’s something in his voice that makes my chest tighten."
[It appears Nicholas can say relevant things once in a while...]
•~•~ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 💙
Nonetheless, the ending was very satisfying and extremely entertaining. I didn’t see the plot-twist coming, and the revelation about a certain character made me mad in the most amazing way. I’m just sad for Eoin [again], that’s all I’m going to say.
And the conflict’s resolution? So good! I’ll admit, despite my complaints, Eoin and Nicholas did make a great team. Them ‘joining force’ was a powerful move, and for once, Nicholas didn’t feel useless. So yeah, I was ready to rate it two stars – but the ending left me satisfied enough that I had to add another star.
I’m definitely curious to read more books of Jax Calder. Fingers crossed, the previous books in the series will be more enjoyable!
•~•~ 𝓢𝓪𝓯𝓮𝓽𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓼 💙
> Safe ;
> No other people after meeting each other ;
> OMD/OWD : 🚫
Although, there’s a scene in which Nicholas was about to leave God knows where with a woman. Because of a 'small incident' involving his mother, Nicholas told the woman to leave him.
> Nicholas is described as a playboy; he had a lot of experience -- mainly with women. There's also mentions about his ex-boyfriend, Daniel [the only man he's ever been with in the past]. Nicholas isn’t hung-up on him anymore, though this past relationship impacted his current behavior ;
> Eoin didn't have any real relationships before.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
August 22, 2025
Honestly, with the way villains love monologuing about their motivations, I think it would be easier to start a podcast.
Tell me why this is always a huge factor in how they get caught. Doing crime but can't shut up about it. Giving details, plotlines and supporting characters and whatnot. Smh.
Unsure how to explain that while Nicholas is probably one of my favorite MCs in this series, this book is also my least favorite in the series. The others were just that good. Took a while for me to get into this one.
Why Nicholas? I guess his motivations and eventual accomplishments are just near and dear to me, as wildly unrealistic as they seem irl.
I also probably didn't love the book as much as the others because of the bodyguard trope, which I'm admittedly not a huge fan of.
Eoin didn't quite hit for me because he's kind of a Mary Sue(Gary Sue?). Even what he did wasn't really something he did.
There's also really not much about his life outside of his relationship(work and otherwise) with Nicholas. Does he have friends? Does he live in an apartment? Does he do literally anything outside of work? A hobby? I couldn't tell you.
Though maybe that's not fair because as a bodyguard, a lot of his life, by necessity, revolves around Nicholas and HIS life.
So maybe it's me? I want my MCs to fight and be unable to stay away from each other (due to the intensity of their feelings) so they have to fix things. I don't want them unable to stay away from each other because it's literally one's ACTUAL job to be there.
Though that does have its pros.
This book explored issues around colonialism/republican sentiment in former British colonies and given how strongly Eoin felt about this at the start, I'd have enjoyed a glimpse into how this Irishman is adapting to dating within the British royal family, rather than the epilogue we got.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed their dynamic.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” I tell him. “Probably,” he agrees cheerfully. “But what a way to go.”
This is coincidentally why I wondered why they didn't just dye Eoin's hair gray. Because a life with Nicholas is bound to have him graying sooner rather than later, so they might as well get ahead of it.
Unrelated:
I've loved the name Eoin since I first discovered the Artemis Fowl stories by Eoin Colfer decades ago. Seeing it in this made me absurdly happy.
But my ABSOLUTE favorite thing about this?
The multiple digs at England as a colonizer😂
Many, many, many digs.
Both from the MCs themselves and side characters.
Couldn't choose a favorite but outstanding —
'Especially after recently suggesting that perhaps “we’re keeping it safe for you” stops being convincing after two hundred years, and they could pioneer a new trend called reverse archaeology, where things mysteriously appear back in the countries they came from.'
“You English seem to have a unique relationship with sport. You invent all the sports like rugby, netball, cricket, and tennis, then get to watch all the other nations learn how to beat you.”
💀💀💀
Also, 10/10 for handling of cameos from previous MCs in the Calderverse(?).
Aiden and Tyler showed up for about half a page and dipped (leaving me waving enthusiastically like a deranged groupie).
None of this Ezra Palaszczuk stuff where his book was 600 stories ago but we still have to endure his main character syndrome in every one else's story for so much of it he may as well be the third MC(yes, I'm bitter, I couldn't help myself).
3* for the book in general, 1* for the incessant digs.
Tell me why this is always a huge factor in how they get caught. Doing crime but can't shut up about it. Giving details, plotlines and supporting characters and whatnot. Smh.
Unsure how to explain that while Nicholas is probably one of my favorite MCs in this series, this book is also my least favorite in the series. The others were just that good. Took a while for me to get into this one.
Why Nicholas? I guess his motivations and eventual accomplishments are just near and dear to me, as wildly unrealistic as they seem irl.
I also probably didn't love the book as much as the others because of the bodyguard trope, which I'm admittedly not a huge fan of.
Eoin didn't quite hit for me because he's kind of a Mary Sue(Gary Sue?). Even what he did wasn't really something he did.
There's also really not much about his life outside of his relationship(work and otherwise) with Nicholas. Does he have friends? Does he live in an apartment? Does he do literally anything outside of work? A hobby? I couldn't tell you.
Though maybe that's not fair because as a bodyguard, a lot of his life, by necessity, revolves around Nicholas and HIS life.
So maybe it's me? I want my MCs to fight and be unable to stay away from each other (due to the intensity of their feelings) so they have to fix things. I don't want them unable to stay away from each other because it's literally one's ACTUAL job to be there.
Though that does have its pros.
This book explored issues around colonialism/republican sentiment in former British colonies and given how strongly Eoin felt about this at the start, I'd have enjoyed a glimpse into how this Irishman is adapting to dating within the British royal family, rather than the epilogue we got.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed their dynamic.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” I tell him. “Probably,” he agrees cheerfully. “But what a way to go.”
This is coincidentally why I wondered why they didn't just dye Eoin's hair gray. Because a life with Nicholas is bound to have him graying sooner rather than later, so they might as well get ahead of it.
Unrelated:
I've loved the name Eoin since I first discovered the Artemis Fowl stories by Eoin Colfer decades ago. Seeing it in this made me absurdly happy.
But my ABSOLUTE favorite thing about this?
The multiple digs at England as a colonizer😂
Many, many, many digs.
Both from the MCs themselves and side characters.
Couldn't choose a favorite but outstanding —
'Especially after recently suggesting that perhaps “we’re keeping it safe for you” stops being convincing after two hundred years, and they could pioneer a new trend called reverse archaeology, where things mysteriously appear back in the countries they came from.'
“You English seem to have a unique relationship with sport. You invent all the sports like rugby, netball, cricket, and tennis, then get to watch all the other nations learn how to beat you.”
💀💀💀
Also, 10/10 for handling of cameos from previous MCs in the Calderverse(?).
Aiden and Tyler showed up for about half a page and dipped (leaving me waving enthusiastically like a deranged groupie).
None of this Ezra Palaszczuk stuff where his book was 600 stories ago but we still have to endure his main character syndrome in every one else's story for so much of it he may as well be the third MC(yes, I'm bitter, I couldn't help myself).
3* for the book in general, 1* for the incessant digs.
August 22, 2025
believe me, this rating is more painful to me than to you.
you all know that i love jax with all my heart, unfortunately this didn’t hit for me.
the first thing i want to say is that nothing enrages me more than written accents. yes, i do realize that it’s a me problem, but it still pisses me off.
then, this is heavily tied to the two previous books, especially the first one that came out two years ago. now, i understand that i’m more stupid than the general population, however i think a recap at the beginning would’ve been good for all people reading this. i literally had to pick up the unlikely heir and reread certain parts because i was confused.
three, i don’t care if i sound like a bitch: i’m here for the romance, not for the geopolitics lessons. the tone was extremely different from the two previous books, and with different i mean boring as fuck. i’m all for talking about colonization, what actually happened and how it still impacts people this day, but it doesn’t mean that you have to bore me to tears with it.
at around 70% it got better, but not that much to justify the rest.
also, what the fuck was that resolution? i won’t talk about it because it’s a huge spoiler, but it has to be the dumbest fucking way of dealing with a terrorist organization ever.
not gonna lie, the epilogue sounded amazing. if jax writes a book about their adventures i will literally buy it in a heartbeat.
unfortunately, the same can’t be said for this boring mess.
you all know that i love jax with all my heart, unfortunately this didn’t hit for me.
the first thing i want to say is that nothing enrages me more than written accents. yes, i do realize that it’s a me problem, but it still pisses me off.
then, this is heavily tied to the two previous books, especially the first one that came out two years ago. now, i understand that i’m more stupid than the general population, however i think a recap at the beginning would’ve been good for all people reading this. i literally had to pick up the unlikely heir and reread certain parts because i was confused.
three, i don’t care if i sound like a bitch: i’m here for the romance, not for the geopolitics lessons. the tone was extremely different from the two previous books, and with different i mean boring as fuck. i’m all for talking about colonization, what actually happened and how it still impacts people this day, but it doesn’t mean that you have to bore me to tears with it.
at around 70% it got better, but not that much to justify the rest.
also, what the fuck was that resolution? i won’t talk about it because it’s a huge spoiler, but it has to be the dumbest fucking way of dealing with a terrorist organization ever.
not gonna lie, the epilogue sounded amazing. if jax writes a book about their adventures i will literally buy it in a heartbeat.
unfortunately, the same can’t be said for this boring mess.
November 7, 2025
I’m embarrassed to admit that before agreeing to come on this tour, I hadn’t spent much time thinking deeply about the United Kingdom’s relationship with the Commonwealth, which is what remains of the once vast British Empire. The countries we collected like Monopoly properties throughout history. Although nobody ever agreed to play and we definitely made up the rules as we went.
I really liked this book. I've been waiting for Nicholas' story since The Unlikely Heir, I just knew he had more depth than the aloof persona he was trying to portray.
I was unsure how the mystery of the kidnapping in the previous book would tie in here, and even if it felt a bit out there, the reasoning behind their evil master plan for justice still made sense. Some people might find it “preachy,” but I really enjoyed the self-reflection and introspection about the UK’s horrible colonial history. As someone who lives in a Commonwealth country, I seriously can’t, for the life of me, understand why we have as our head of state a dude who lives on an island in Europe. Seriously, why? Can you imagine if the current monarchy did something similar? It would be the news of the century, although that’s hard to imagine, considering how they treated Meghan Markle.
Regardless, this is a very funny book. It’s a sort of judgy-acquaintances-to-lovers story, full of flirting, smouldering looks, and delicious banter. Nicholas spends a lot of time trying to convince himself he only wants to disrupt Eoin’s careful composure instead of admitting he has the hots for him, while Eoin does everything he can to think the worst of Nicholas, even as he realizes there’s more to him than he first thought. I mean, they both really contained multitudes ❤️.
But tonight, in this room, with Auckland’s lights glittering beyond the windows, we’re just Eoin and Nicholas.
The setting was awesome, the romance was cute, and both characters were well-rounded, flawed, and believable. The ending was everything I could ask for, giving both of them purpose and a HEA.
I really liked this book. I've been waiting for Nicholas' story since The Unlikely Heir, I just knew he had more depth than the aloof persona he was trying to portray.
I was unsure how the mystery of the kidnapping in the previous book would tie in here, and even if it felt a bit out there, the reasoning behind their evil master plan for justice still made sense. Some people might find it “preachy,” but I really enjoyed the self-reflection and introspection about the UK’s horrible colonial history. As someone who lives in a Commonwealth country, I seriously can’t, for the life of me, understand why we have as our head of state a dude who lives on an island in Europe. Seriously, why? Can you imagine if the current monarchy did something similar? It would be the news of the century, although that’s hard to imagine, considering how they treated Meghan Markle.
Regardless, this is a very funny book. It’s a sort of judgy-acquaintances-to-lovers story, full of flirting, smouldering looks, and delicious banter. Nicholas spends a lot of time trying to convince himself he only wants to disrupt Eoin’s careful composure instead of admitting he has the hots for him, while Eoin does everything he can to think the worst of Nicholas, even as he realizes there’s more to him than he first thought. I mean, they both really contained multitudes ❤️.
But tonight, in this room, with Auckland’s lights glittering beyond the windows, we’re just Eoin and Nicholas.
The setting was awesome, the romance was cute, and both characters were well-rounded, flawed, and believable. The ending was everything I could ask for, giving both of them purpose and a HEA.
September 1, 2025
⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️
A Prince vs bodyguard romance.
While the other two installments of this series were clear winners for me, The Unlikely Spare was a bit of a mixed bag.
I loved the grumpy bodyguard and the flirty sarcastic prince dynamic, the banter and the tension.
The plot, however, didn’t really hold my attention as much. I liked the action and the danger, when Eoin would protect Nicholas, their ‘adventures’, but the rest was all filler to me. The political plot line, the terrorist attacks, the twist — I didn’t care for any of it.
And for how much I liked the dynamic of the relationship and the characters, I didn’t feel the romance. I know I say this a lot, that it lacked feels, and really what does it even mean no one knows, but I didn’t feel anything more than attraction and sparks between these two.
I would’ve liked a bit more focus on the romance rather than the terrorism and effects of colonialism, because even though those could be some interesting topics that should be discussed, I don’t think a gay romance is quite the place for it.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Alcoholic parent (off page)
- Loss of a parent (off page)
- Threats
- Themes of colonization and its effects
- Kidnapping
- Top/bottom
- Shower sex
“This is inappropriate.” “Undoubtedly,” I agree cheerfully. “Most enjoyable things are.”
A Prince vs bodyguard romance.
While the other two installments of this series were clear winners for me, The Unlikely Spare was a bit of a mixed bag.
Someone evidently wants me dead. And one of the men tasked with keeping me alive is becoming increasingly distracting for all the wrong reasons. What a bloody mess.
I loved the grumpy bodyguard and the flirty sarcastic prince dynamic, the banter and the tension.
The plot, however, didn’t really hold my attention as much. I liked the action and the danger, when Eoin would protect Nicholas, their ‘adventures’, but the rest was all filler to me. The political plot line, the terrorist attacks, the twist — I didn’t care for any of it.
There’s nothing between us right now. No titles, no duty, no walls. We’re just Eoin and Nicholas. Nothing more, nothing less.
And for how much I liked the dynamic of the relationship and the characters, I didn’t feel the romance. I know I say this a lot, that it lacked feels, and really what does it even mean no one knows, but I didn’t feel anything more than attraction and sparks between these two.
I would’ve liked a bit more focus on the romance rather than the terrorism and effects of colonialism, because even though those could be some interesting topics that should be discussed, I don’t think a gay romance is quite the place for it.
“You realize this complicates everything?” “Darling,” I murmur back, “when has anything between us been uncomplicated?”
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Alcoholic parent (off page)
- Loss of a parent (off page)
- Threats
- Themes of colonization and its effects
- Kidnapping
- Top/bottom
- Shower sex
Read
September 26, 2025I read this author's "The Anonymous Hookup" and remember it mainly because it was one of the first ARCs I ever reviewed. It did not impress, but I kept seeing warm reviews of this one so gave it a try. Eh. It's what happens when you know that the monarchy is a fundamentally corrupt institution and the British Empire was built on slavery and extraction of resources, but you also want to write a bodyguard/royal romance because you're a sucker for that trope.
I also am a sucker for that trope (I haven't reviewed Miranda Dubner's "The Spare," but for the record I have both read it and listened to the audiobook and I love it; I was going to say I kinda love it, but let's be real, there's no "kinda" involved), but I don't think you can make it work if you take historical reality too much into account. Romances about royals falling for the common people are inherently iddy-fantastic; the fantasy falls apart if you try to shoehorn it into the real history of displacement and attempted genocide of native peoples. Honestly I don't think even KJ Charles could pull that off.
I returned this to KU because halfway through I found I'd been bored and skimming for a while -- apart from anything else, the attraction between the MCs had that "Because I, the author, said so" quality. I had meant, though, to write a whole review about one particular sentence, which I now can't quote exactly of course, but in the relevant scene the bodyguard character recalls listening outside his badly injured younger brother's door while the brother cried; the bodyguard brother remembers that he felt as useless as "tits on a bull" and that he was torn between going in and leaving the weeping brother his "dignity."
And wow, did that bring me up short. I spent a long time staring at the page and trying to unpack the gender politics. Tits, I guess, supply milk, and they're out of place on a bull because a bull can't supply milk; but breasts and milk here constitute a metonym for nurturance and care. So the text binds up the character's gender with his not knowing how best to care for his brother. (If only those tits had been on a cow, amirite?)
That's one. Then we have that word "dignity." What does it mean to say that a person who's weeping -- no, who's seen weeping; whose weeping is acknowledged; who is, perhaps, comforted while weeping -- has lost his dignity? Would this still be the case if the person in question weren't gendered male? The brother who's weeping has suffered a spinal cord injury in a building collapse and is now paraplegic; I don't think it's especially ableist to acknowledge that this would be a distressing event, surely one worthy of being wept over even if you think that crying is, in general, undignified. What is dignity, anyway? Is it incompatible with the expression of strong emotion? With the expression of great distress?
Anyway, I'm not likely to read any more books by this author, but I do have to give this one credit for eliciting many Thoughts.
I also am a sucker for that trope (I haven't reviewed Miranda Dubner's "The Spare," but for the record I have both read it and listened to the audiobook and I love it; I was going to say I kinda love it, but let's be real, there's no "kinda" involved), but I don't think you can make it work if you take historical reality too much into account. Romances about royals falling for the common people are inherently iddy-fantastic; the fantasy falls apart if you try to shoehorn it into the real history of displacement and attempted genocide of native peoples. Honestly I don't think even KJ Charles could pull that off.
I returned this to KU because halfway through I found I'd been bored and skimming for a while -- apart from anything else, the attraction between the MCs had that "Because I, the author, said so" quality. I had meant, though, to write a whole review about one particular sentence, which I now can't quote exactly of course, but in the relevant scene the bodyguard character recalls listening outside his badly injured younger brother's door while the brother cried; the bodyguard brother remembers that he felt as useless as "tits on a bull" and that he was torn between going in and leaving the weeping brother his "dignity."
And wow, did that bring me up short. I spent a long time staring at the page and trying to unpack the gender politics. Tits, I guess, supply milk, and they're out of place on a bull because a bull can't supply milk; but breasts and milk here constitute a metonym for nurturance and care. So the text binds up the character's gender with his not knowing how best to care for his brother. (If only those tits had been on a cow, amirite?)
That's one. Then we have that word "dignity." What does it mean to say that a person who's weeping -- no, who's seen weeping; whose weeping is acknowledged; who is, perhaps, comforted while weeping -- has lost his dignity? Would this still be the case if the person in question weren't gendered male? The brother who's weeping has suffered a spinal cord injury in a building collapse and is now paraplegic; I don't think it's especially ableist to acknowledge that this would be a distressing event, surely one worthy of being wept over even if you think that crying is, in general, undignified. What is dignity, anyway? Is it incompatible with the expression of strong emotion? With the expression of great distress?
Anyway, I'm not likely to read any more books by this author, but I do have to give this one credit for eliciting many Thoughts.
September 13, 2025
Welcome to MM Impossible!
Enemies to lovers/prince and bodyguard romance that started a little tedious and repetitive but then ratcheted up the tension to impossible levels. Gahhhhhh. Soooo good.
Things were impossibly lots of things.
Hear me out.
Didgeridoo playing “impossibly” deep.
Seconds stretching “impossibly” long.
Characters being “impossibly” stoic.
Spaces being “impossibly” confined x1 or small x1.
Calloused fingers being “impossibly” gentle.
“Impossibly” knowing someone.
"Impossibly” being enough.
Landscaping being “impossibly” quaint.
"Impossibly” finding love.
“Impossibly” stupid things being done.
“Impossibly” loud sounds occurring.
Not to mention the 👀eyes being “impossibly” deep x2 and “impossibly” blue x3.
Also, there were about in excess of 10 occurrences of eyes darkening in horniness.
I must give respect to the weight and appreciation given to indigenous Aboriginal and Maori culture and the implications/history related to the monarchy. Not an easy subject. It would have been so much easier to avoid these fraught and complex topics in favour of fluffy romance. Well handled Jax.
But actually what the hell are ya’ll doing in Cairns, Darwin and Alice Springs at Christmas? Nonsense!! No-one would expect anyone to visit at this time, particularly not ENGLISH ROYALTY!!
I could go on about the characters, but, as usual in romances by this author, they were fleshed out, interesting and had a satisfying arc. Eion (is that pronounced Ian??) was particularly hot.
Was about to leave it there but just remembered Nicholas’s “spine bowing” and him “levitating” and “arching” off the bed during 👆☝
It’s giving exorcist vibes.
Enemies to lovers/prince and bodyguard romance that started a little tedious and repetitive but then ratcheted up the tension to impossible levels. Gahhhhhh. Soooo good.
Things were impossibly lots of things.
Hear me out.
Didgeridoo playing “impossibly” deep.
Seconds stretching “impossibly” long.
Characters being “impossibly” stoic.
Spaces being “impossibly” confined x1 or small x1.
Calloused fingers being “impossibly” gentle.
“Impossibly” knowing someone.
"Impossibly” being enough.
Landscaping being “impossibly” quaint.
"Impossibly” finding love.
“Impossibly” stupid things being done.
“Impossibly” loud sounds occurring.
Not to mention the 👀eyes being “impossibly” deep x2 and “impossibly” blue x3.
Also, there were about in excess of 10 occurrences of eyes darkening in horniness.
I must give respect to the weight and appreciation given to indigenous Aboriginal and Maori culture and the implications/history related to the monarchy. Not an easy subject. It would have been so much easier to avoid these fraught and complex topics in favour of fluffy romance. Well handled Jax.
But actually what the hell are ya’ll doing in Cairns, Darwin and Alice Springs at Christmas? Nonsense!! No-one would expect anyone to visit at this time, particularly not ENGLISH ROYALTY!!
I could go on about the characters, but, as usual in romances by this author, they were fleshed out, interesting and had a satisfying arc. Eion (is that pronounced Ian??) was particularly hot.
Was about to leave it there but just remembered Nicholas’s “spine bowing” and him “levitating” and “arching” off the bed during 👆☝
It’s giving exorcist vibes.
August 23, 2025
The Unlikely spare is a fantastic forbidden love story between Nicholas, the spare heir to Britain, and his surly bodyguard Eoin. Together, they share incredible chemistry.
They clearly have a connection, but due to their respective roles, they have a strict boundary they cannot cross. This leads to many heated moments with lingering looks filled with longing and connection.
Overall, I enjoyed this romance between these two strong-willed characters are clearly determined, headstrong, and smitten with each other. This makes it even more complicated, given their roles and the secrets surrounding everything.
I found their dynamic one of the best parts of this story. I couldn't get enough of these two.
They clearly have a connection, but due to their respective roles, they have a strict boundary they cannot cross. This leads to many heated moments with lingering looks filled with longing and connection.
Overall, I enjoyed this romance between these two strong-willed characters are clearly determined, headstrong, and smitten with each other. This makes it even more complicated, given their roles and the secrets surrounding everything.
I found their dynamic one of the best parts of this story. I couldn't get enough of these two.
August 21, 2025
Soooooo, this book.
There are so many elements to it that I absolutely loved. But also one aspect that really grated on me as feeling like a personal lecture simply because of my nationality.
I'm all for books using their narratives to spread a political message, in fact, I generally love to see it, I think influencing people through the use of gentle nudges to see outside their own narrow world view is a wonderful thing.
Plus, I think the narrative and the utterly brilliant twist that happens because of it - which really is genius and shows truly incredible writing and forward planning - very much is something which should be thought about and given a voice.
Having got that out the way, the relationship aspect of the book is secondary to the suspense element but I still enjoyed it a lot.
Two men who couldn't come from more different backgrounds if they tried, somehow manage to reach beyond the surface layers to the hidden realities underneath an outward façade of aristocratic privilege and one of tough unfeeling Belfast cop.
Theirs is a fractious relationship from the off, Eoin is undercover trying to find a traitor in Prince Nicholas' protection team, he's got an idea in his head what this spare heir is going to be like and he doesn't deviate. He's judgemental and inflexible and doesn't see that Nicholas is hiding a world of pain behind his Princely attitude.
Of course the longer they spend time together, the more contentious things become, but also the more they interact, the more Nicholas' genuinely kind nature becomes obvious to Eoin, and the more he realises the tiny things which irritate him are the only ways Nicholas can have any kind of control in his life.
The suspense element of this book is its masterstroke, the tensions become almost unbearable as Eoin struggles to find any evidence of the traitor and as the reader gets to know each member of Nicholas' protection squad more, you're desperately wanting it not to be true.
As I mentioned previously, the twist is incredibly clever, it's honestly a work of sheer brilliance and took me completely by surprise, although I had guessed prior to that who the main baddie behind the scheming was, it still didn't prepare me for the shock of what happens.
Seeing these two very different men begin to rely on each other, after pages and pages of UST building up to an almighty explosive kiss, is another tick on the plus side to what makes this great storytelling.
The locations of Australia and New Zealand also provide almost secondary characters too, as the book moved through with an increased pace the closer to the final act we get. I still don't understand why Jax doesn't refer to the All Blacks (New Zealand's national Rugby Union team) by that nickname though.
She does it again here in this book while on a visit to Eden Park, just calling them the New Zealand rugby team (a reminder that there's no such game as rugby, it's rugby union OR rugby league, a personal thing that grinds my gears 😁)
But that's a significantly minor niggle in what is a very satisfying conclusion to this great trilogy. Book two remains my favourite, simply because Jax somehow made me fall in love with a Conservative MP, how I still don't know!
The whole series is a definite recommended read, just suspend a bit of belief over how inherited titles work in book one, otherwise they've been a total romp.
#ARC kindly received from the author via Neon Rainbow ARC Reviews, I am voluntarily leaving a review
There are so many elements to it that I absolutely loved. But also one aspect that really grated on me as feeling like a personal lecture simply because of my nationality.
I'm all for books using their narratives to spread a political message, in fact, I generally love to see it, I think influencing people through the use of gentle nudges to see outside their own narrow world view is a wonderful thing.
Plus, I think the narrative and the utterly brilliant twist that happens because of it - which really is genius and shows truly incredible writing and forward planning - very much is something which should be thought about and given a voice.
Having got that out the way, the relationship aspect of the book is secondary to the suspense element but I still enjoyed it a lot.
Two men who couldn't come from more different backgrounds if they tried, somehow manage to reach beyond the surface layers to the hidden realities underneath an outward façade of aristocratic privilege and one of tough unfeeling Belfast cop.
Theirs is a fractious relationship from the off, Eoin is undercover trying to find a traitor in Prince Nicholas' protection team, he's got an idea in his head what this spare heir is going to be like and he doesn't deviate. He's judgemental and inflexible and doesn't see that Nicholas is hiding a world of pain behind his Princely attitude.
Of course the longer they spend time together, the more contentious things become, but also the more they interact, the more Nicholas' genuinely kind nature becomes obvious to Eoin, and the more he realises the tiny things which irritate him are the only ways Nicholas can have any kind of control in his life.
The suspense element of this book is its masterstroke, the tensions become almost unbearable as Eoin struggles to find any evidence of the traitor and as the reader gets to know each member of Nicholas' protection squad more, you're desperately wanting it not to be true.
As I mentioned previously, the twist is incredibly clever, it's honestly a work of sheer brilliance and took me completely by surprise, although I had guessed prior to that who the main baddie behind the scheming was, it still didn't prepare me for the shock of what happens.
Seeing these two very different men begin to rely on each other, after pages and pages of UST building up to an almighty explosive kiss, is another tick on the plus side to what makes this great storytelling.
The locations of Australia and New Zealand also provide almost secondary characters too, as the book moved through with an increased pace the closer to the final act we get. I still don't understand why Jax doesn't refer to the All Blacks (New Zealand's national Rugby Union team) by that nickname though.
She does it again here in this book while on a visit to Eden Park, just calling them the New Zealand rugby team (a reminder that there's no such game as rugby, it's rugby union OR rugby league, a personal thing that grinds my gears 😁)
But that's a significantly minor niggle in what is a very satisfying conclusion to this great trilogy. Book two remains my favourite, simply because Jax somehow made me fall in love with a Conservative MP, how I still don't know!
The whole series is a definite recommended read, just suspend a bit of belief over how inherited titles work in book one, otherwise they've been a total romp.
#ARC kindly received from the author via Neon Rainbow ARC Reviews, I am voluntarily leaving a review
August 24, 2025
I was so excited for this book, the previous two books have been so good. Unfortunately something was missing with this story. I didn’t feel a connection between Nicholas and Eoin and the kidnapping plot was a bust for me.
Updated on 8/24/25
I was thinking about this book last night and I realized one major issue I had. I loved Nicholas, he was not the problem but Eoin was do boring! This is why they really had no chemistry for me. He was like cardboard. If there was more of them talking and getting to know each other and flirting while Eoin was protecting Nicholas then I think I would have enjoyed it more. That spark between them was missing.
I would have loved a story between the other two agents who were having a thing going on. That sounds more interesting to me.
Updated on 8/24/25
I was thinking about this book last night and I realized one major issue I had. I loved Nicholas, he was not the problem but Eoin was do boring! This is why they really had no chemistry for me. He was like cardboard. If there was more of them talking and getting to know each other and flirting while Eoin was protecting Nicholas then I think I would have enjoyed it more. That spark between them was missing.
I would have loved a story between the other two agents who were having a thing going on. That sounds more interesting to me.
January 1, 2026
I really enjoyed this! It did get a bit too educational and preachy for me at times though.
August 21, 2025
4.5⭐️
I enjoyed this book. I liked both men, and I liked how their story unfolded. I liked the lessons on both historic and current opposition to royalty and what it stands for, and mistakes made in the past by the aristocracy.
I love the way that Eoin and Nicholas clash at first and learn to love each other over time. I love the twists and turns they face along the way and their adventures when they’re on the run. However, I felt like the usually sweet and slow relationships that this author is famous for are overshadowed by the politics in the story. Having said that, I still found what was there lighthearted, really funny, and the chase was perfect.
I really enjoy this author’s books and I would never not read one; they don’t disappoint.
………………………………………………………….
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
I enjoyed this book. I liked both men, and I liked how their story unfolded. I liked the lessons on both historic and current opposition to royalty and what it stands for, and mistakes made in the past by the aristocracy.
I love the way that Eoin and Nicholas clash at first and learn to love each other over time. I love the twists and turns they face along the way and their adventures when they’re on the run. However, I felt like the usually sweet and slow relationships that this author is famous for are overshadowed by the politics in the story. Having said that, I still found what was there lighthearted, really funny, and the chase was perfect.
I really enjoy this author’s books and I would never not read one; they don’t disappoint.
………………………………………………………….
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
September 6, 2025
I was so bored. Started off quite well, but quickly started drowning in inner monologues that never ended but certainly repeated. I got so fucking bored. I appreciated the colonization discussion but I didn’t feel like there was enough romance to counteract it. I skimmed from 45% onward because I was so bored but wanted to know what happened with the terrorist plot.
The resolution certainly was…something. I felt like the two had little chemistry that disappeared quickly, the sex scenes were boring, the action scenes were mostly boring, and the epilogue was exceptionally boring.
I hated how the plot piece with Nicholas’ mom wasn’t resolved. I’m giving a star for the part of the book after Nicholas and Eoin broke off from the main team and went on an adventure. That was by far the best part of the book.
The resolution certainly was…something. I felt like the two had little chemistry that disappeared quickly, the sex scenes were boring, the action scenes were mostly boring, and the epilogue was exceptionally boring.
I hated how the plot piece with Nicholas’ mom wasn’t resolved. I’m giving a star for the part of the book after Nicholas and Eoin broke off from the main team and went on an adventure. That was by far the best part of the book.
September 3, 2025
Unlikely Dilemmas Book 3
Omg I loved this book! ❤️
Eoin ( But google says it pronounced Owen not Ian😅)
Anyway, Eoin is a police officer with Scotland Yard in London. And he’s Irish. Wait, he’s a detective.
Now Eoin is going undercover as a protection officer to find out who has infiltrated the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command or RaSP.
His client is Prince Nicholas Alexander, the younger half-brother of the Prince of Wales. He’s the royal “spare,” elevated in the line of succession after a scandal in the royal family a few years ago.
Nicholas is trying to prevent a hundred pounds of decorative steel from falling when Eoin intervenes and moves him from harm. Prince Nicholas is not impressed with his new protection officer.
Rick Cavendish is the leader of the team assigned to protect the prince and strongly opposed to Eoin being part of the team.
The royal family is out hunting / shooting birds? Is this really a thing?
Eoin is again looking after Prince Nicholas and again landing them in a compromising position.
“For a few heartbeats, we simply stare at each other. “That,” Nicholas says finally, voice strained, “was a partridge. Not an assassin.”
This book is Royal family shenanigans, high intrigue, motherly manipulations and royal protocols.
Prince Nicholas is sent off on a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand.
It looks like this mystery group will target the Prince while he’s on tour.
“Here’s another fascinating tidbit: in 1932, the Australian military fought a war against emus. And lost.”
🤣🤣As an Aussie , I can tell you that this is true 🤣🤣
The threat against Prince Nicholas is now confirmed to be in Australia.
Although the threat to Prince Nicholas also seems to be himself.
“Occasionally, I like to remind myself I’m still capable of making my own choices.” “There’s a difference between independence and recklessness.”
There’s tension between them, sexual chemistry crackling, lines getting blurred.
Nicholas has finished having a shower when he spots a spider and yells out.
“Not just any spider,” I say. “An Australian spider. Which means it’s likely to be carrying enough venom to kill a small village.” O’Connell glances at the spider, then back at me, his eyebrow arched in a way that makes my stomach flip strangely. “So I’m to understand that the second in line to the throne is being held hostage by a spider the size of a fifty-pence piece?”
Eoin realises that the spider may actually be a lethal funnel web spider and gets Nicholas , who is in a towel out of the bathroom.
One of the deadliest spiders in Australia, and they shouldn’t be found in this region at all. Someone put it on his bathroom- but who?
Another day, another potential threat. Eoin and Nicholas’s bodies are pressed together, trapped in a port-a-loo 🤣
Nicholas attempts some blatant flirting with Eoin the next day , but Eoin remains stoic and professional.
“Surely even you aren’t so entitled to think anything could ever happen between us.” His words land like a blow to my stomach. “I’m trying to be a professional and do my job. I would appreciate it if you’d let me,” he finishes.”
Eli is fighting this attraction hard.
Forensics showed security footage had been tampered with, meaning someone with access to the security systems is involved. Someone on the security team.
Prince Nicholas is giving a speech when there is a smoke bomb and flash bang grenade launched. Nicholas goes to save little children instead of himself. Two naval officers try to drag him into a vehicle , oh wait those are fake uniforms- they are the bad guys! And there’s more rushing in. Another guy with a syringe. The prince headbutts him , omg where’s my popcorn !
Eoin and Nicholas are safe for the moment but Eoin is furious that he might have lost Nicholas and kisses him.
“After two heartbeats, I recover from my shock enough to kiss him back just as ferociously, messy and raw and real.”
Eoin is trying again for professionalism but spiralling inside.
“My career, my mission, my professional integrity…all shattered because I couldn’t control myself when faced with the terror of almost losing him.”
It was a coordinated attack.
Five operatives, military precision, in-depth knowledge of their security protocols.
They are now off to New Zealand.
Prince Nicholas and Eoin are all angst and agonising want.
Nicholas decides he is sick of pretending and tells Eoin they need to do this once, get it out of their systems. Just one night.
They have a night of passion but afterwards Nicholas is reminded of another man who made him feel seen, desired, special. Then he broke Nicholas’s heart.
It’s Christmas!
Some more sexy times.
Eoin is struggling with his feelings and his job. Most of all, he wants Nicholas to be safe.
Eoin is told that there’s definitely a sleeper agent in Prince Nicholas’s security detail. And it appears another attack is imminent.
They are at a Hobbiton movie set when there is an explosion. Eoin and Nicholas run and Hotwire a car. It’s more action with guns firing . Nicholas also finds out Eoin is really an undercover agent and the betrayal is strong .
Oooh shocking twist, I didn’t see that coming.
Action- lots of action. But the good guys win!
“I notice you didn’t deny the boyfriend designation I gave you.” “Hard to deny when I already told you I loved you in the back of a terrorist’s van.” His breath catches. “About that—” “Nicholas—” “I love you too,” he says in a rush. “In case that wasn’t clear.
Omg I loved this book! ❤️
Eoin ( But google says it pronounced Owen not Ian😅)
Anyway, Eoin is a police officer with Scotland Yard in London. And he’s Irish. Wait, he’s a detective.
Now Eoin is going undercover as a protection officer to find out who has infiltrated the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command or RaSP.
His client is Prince Nicholas Alexander, the younger half-brother of the Prince of Wales. He’s the royal “spare,” elevated in the line of succession after a scandal in the royal family a few years ago.
Nicholas is trying to prevent a hundred pounds of decorative steel from falling when Eoin intervenes and moves him from harm. Prince Nicholas is not impressed with his new protection officer.
Rick Cavendish is the leader of the team assigned to protect the prince and strongly opposed to Eoin being part of the team.
The royal family is out hunting / shooting birds? Is this really a thing?
Eoin is again looking after Prince Nicholas and again landing them in a compromising position.
“For a few heartbeats, we simply stare at each other. “That,” Nicholas says finally, voice strained, “was a partridge. Not an assassin.”
This book is Royal family shenanigans, high intrigue, motherly manipulations and royal protocols.
Prince Nicholas is sent off on a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand.
It looks like this mystery group will target the Prince while he’s on tour.
“Here’s another fascinating tidbit: in 1932, the Australian military fought a war against emus. And lost.”
🤣🤣As an Aussie , I can tell you that this is true 🤣🤣
The threat against Prince Nicholas is now confirmed to be in Australia.
Although the threat to Prince Nicholas also seems to be himself.
“Occasionally, I like to remind myself I’m still capable of making my own choices.” “There’s a difference between independence and recklessness.”
There’s tension between them, sexual chemistry crackling, lines getting blurred.
Nicholas has finished having a shower when he spots a spider and yells out.
“Not just any spider,” I say. “An Australian spider. Which means it’s likely to be carrying enough venom to kill a small village.” O’Connell glances at the spider, then back at me, his eyebrow arched in a way that makes my stomach flip strangely. “So I’m to understand that the second in line to the throne is being held hostage by a spider the size of a fifty-pence piece?”
Eoin realises that the spider may actually be a lethal funnel web spider and gets Nicholas , who is in a towel out of the bathroom.
One of the deadliest spiders in Australia, and they shouldn’t be found in this region at all. Someone put it on his bathroom- but who?
Another day, another potential threat. Eoin and Nicholas’s bodies are pressed together, trapped in a port-a-loo 🤣
Nicholas attempts some blatant flirting with Eoin the next day , but Eoin remains stoic and professional.
“Surely even you aren’t so entitled to think anything could ever happen between us.” His words land like a blow to my stomach. “I’m trying to be a professional and do my job. I would appreciate it if you’d let me,” he finishes.”
Eli is fighting this attraction hard.
Forensics showed security footage had been tampered with, meaning someone with access to the security systems is involved. Someone on the security team.
Prince Nicholas is giving a speech when there is a smoke bomb and flash bang grenade launched. Nicholas goes to save little children instead of himself. Two naval officers try to drag him into a vehicle , oh wait those are fake uniforms- they are the bad guys! And there’s more rushing in. Another guy with a syringe. The prince headbutts him , omg where’s my popcorn !
Eoin and Nicholas are safe for the moment but Eoin is furious that he might have lost Nicholas and kisses him.
“After two heartbeats, I recover from my shock enough to kiss him back just as ferociously, messy and raw and real.”
Eoin is trying again for professionalism but spiralling inside.
“My career, my mission, my professional integrity…all shattered because I couldn’t control myself when faced with the terror of almost losing him.”
It was a coordinated attack.
Five operatives, military precision, in-depth knowledge of their security protocols.
They are now off to New Zealand.
Prince Nicholas and Eoin are all angst and agonising want.
Nicholas decides he is sick of pretending and tells Eoin they need to do this once, get it out of their systems. Just one night.
They have a night of passion but afterwards Nicholas is reminded of another man who made him feel seen, desired, special. Then he broke Nicholas’s heart.
It’s Christmas!
Some more sexy times.
Eoin is struggling with his feelings and his job. Most of all, he wants Nicholas to be safe.
Eoin is told that there’s definitely a sleeper agent in Prince Nicholas’s security detail. And it appears another attack is imminent.
They are at a Hobbiton movie set when there is an explosion. Eoin and Nicholas run and Hotwire a car. It’s more action with guns firing . Nicholas also finds out Eoin is really an undercover agent and the betrayal is strong .
Oooh shocking twist, I didn’t see that coming.
Action- lots of action. But the good guys win!
“I notice you didn’t deny the boyfriend designation I gave you.” “Hard to deny when I already told you I loved you in the back of a terrorist’s van.” His breath catches. “About that—” “Nicholas—” “I love you too,” he says in a rush. “In case that wasn’t clear.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2025
4 stars
The story starts a few weeks after the end of The Unlikely Pair, when Harry and Toby announced their relationship while the people responsible for the kidnapping attempt weren't on the run.
Nicholas is Callum's, the heir of the British throne, half brother. He became second in the succession line, the spare, after several members of the Royal Family were found guilty of bribery. His sister was also involved in Callum's murder attempt.
Because of all of that, Nicholas is very much at the center of the attention and his role has became more and more important, with a lot of engagements, pressures and expectations.
He hides his loneliness behind sarcasm and faux smiles.
Eoin is a Catholic Irish detective, assigned to Nicholas protection with the purpose of discovering who's behind the security breach in the Prince's protection.
Eoin, born and raised in Belfast, joined the police after losing his parents and, especially, with the purpose of protect and fight for the people who suffered under the British government. Eoin is dedicated to his job, he has no time nor will for distractions, he's spent years to build his career and his reputation.
The two of them couldn't be more different and yet they seem to not being able to stay away from each other's orbit. Especially when the Prince is asked to leave for the Australian and New Zealand tour in place of Callum.
Their physical closeness, the tension about all the potential risks, Nicholas' frustrations and Eoin's increasing difficulties about separating his personal emotions from his duty will create an explosive mix that will end with the two of them in the same bedroom.
I found the betrayal, that both of them suffered, very well written and I liked the parallelism about their different experiences. I also appreciated the information about the negative impacts of the British colonialism and all the parts regarding Australian and New Zealand Indigenous culture.
What prevented me from giving a higher rate:
The story felt unnecessarily long, there were some parts I struggled keeping my focus on, especially because the romance often took a back seat to the suspense.
And I don't like unfinished business, so I would have love to know more about Malachy.
I loved seeing Callum and Oliver again, they're still so sweet and irremediably in love. Singh was also a very interesting character, I would have liked to know more about him.
I received an ARC of this book from Neon Rainbow and this is my honest review.
The story starts a few weeks after the end of The Unlikely Pair, when Harry and Toby announced their relationship while the people responsible for the kidnapping attempt weren't on the run.
Nicholas is Callum's, the heir of the British throne, half brother. He became second in the succession line, the spare, after several members of the Royal Family were found guilty of bribery. His sister was also involved in Callum's murder attempt.
Because of all of that, Nicholas is very much at the center of the attention and his role has became more and more important, with a lot of engagements, pressures and expectations.
He hides his loneliness behind sarcasm and faux smiles.
Eoin is a Catholic Irish detective, assigned to Nicholas protection with the purpose of discovering who's behind the security breach in the Prince's protection.
Eoin, born and raised in Belfast, joined the police after losing his parents and, especially, with the purpose of protect and fight for the people who suffered under the British government. Eoin is dedicated to his job, he has no time nor will for distractions, he's spent years to build his career and his reputation.
The two of them couldn't be more different and yet they seem to not being able to stay away from each other's orbit. Especially when the Prince is asked to leave for the Australian and New Zealand tour in place of Callum.
Their physical closeness, the tension about all the potential risks, Nicholas' frustrations and Eoin's increasing difficulties about separating his personal emotions from his duty will create an explosive mix that will end with the two of them in the same bedroom.
I found the betrayal, that both of them suffered, very well written and I liked the parallelism about their different experiences. I also appreciated the information about the negative impacts of the British colonialism and all the parts regarding Australian and New Zealand Indigenous culture.
What prevented me from giving a higher rate:
The story felt unnecessarily long, there were some parts I struggled keeping my focus on, especially because the romance often took a back seat to the suspense.
And I don't like unfinished business, so I would have love to know more about Malachy.
I loved seeing Callum and Oliver again, they're still so sweet and irremediably in love. Singh was also a very interesting character, I would have liked to know more about him.
I received an ARC of this book from Neon Rainbow and this is my honest review.
August 18, 2025
4.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jax Calder has easily become one of my favorite authors, and this final installment in her Unlikely Dilemmas series brought so much good that I’ve come to expect from her writing. The story follows Nicholas, Callum’s half-brother and the “spare” to the throne, who unwittingly falls for his protection officer Eoin. The story is heavily around the terrorist plots that have been culminating over the series, with everything coming to a head in this installment.
I enjoyed both Nicholas and Eoin as characters, and there were many moments that pulled at the heartstrings but…(I know I know, I always have a ‘but’) something felt lacking in the tension that was present in the other books. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but maybe it felt as though the stakes of their relationship just didn’t seem as untenable as the other two, therefore the devastating push-pull felt non-existent🤷🏻♀️ Don’t get me wrong, Calder was doing her damndest to sell it, it just didn’t hit the same for me. This was still a good story with a very enjoyable romance.
The conclusion of the terrorist plot is where I had to stretch my imagination the most, but hey what’s a good story without a little fantasy! 😆
I’m sad to see this series come to a close, but looking forward to reading lots more Jax in the future!
Jax Calder has easily become one of my favorite authors, and this final installment in her Unlikely Dilemmas series brought so much good that I’ve come to expect from her writing. The story follows Nicholas, Callum’s half-brother and the “spare” to the throne, who unwittingly falls for his protection officer Eoin. The story is heavily around the terrorist plots that have been culminating over the series, with everything coming to a head in this installment.
I enjoyed both Nicholas and Eoin as characters, and there were many moments that pulled at the heartstrings but…(I know I know, I always have a ‘but’) something felt lacking in the tension that was present in the other books. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but maybe it felt as though the stakes of their relationship just didn’t seem as untenable as the other two, therefore the devastating push-pull felt non-existent🤷🏻♀️ Don’t get me wrong, Calder was doing her damndest to sell it, it just didn’t hit the same for me. This was still a good story with a very enjoyable romance.
The conclusion of the terrorist plot is where I had to stretch my imagination the most, but hey what’s a good story without a little fantasy! 😆
I’m sad to see this series come to a close, but looking forward to reading lots more Jax in the future!
October 8, 2025
I read the reasoning behind Jax's decision to write this story as she did, and I fully understood why. I also sympathise with much of what she said. However, I personally don't believe that such a detailed account of British colonisation belongs in what I believed would be a light-hearted romance. Can I just say that I'm totally against colonisation of any sort, I acknowledge the past and support reparations being made. However, I disliked being made to feel responsible for something that happened a long, long time ago. Parts of the story read like a history tome.
Nick and Eoin were well matched. I thought it was interesting that Eoin was Irish and a mention of the 'Troubles' was made, (more politics, was colonisation not enough, to hit us with ?). Their story was full of action, and the twist near the end was an interesting addition. I could have done with more character development, though. I didn't feel that I knew either of them very well by the end of the book. There was so much going on around them!
I enjoyed the previous books in this series, this one, not so much. I'm all for social injustice being mentioned in my books. Read some of my past reviews, but not to this extent. 2.5 stars
Nick and Eoin were well matched. I thought it was interesting that Eoin was Irish and a mention of the 'Troubles' was made, (more politics, was colonisation not enough, to hit us with ?). Their story was full of action, and the twist near the end was an interesting addition. I could have done with more character development, though. I didn't feel that I knew either of them very well by the end of the book. There was so much going on around them!
I enjoyed the previous books in this series, this one, not so much. I'm all for social injustice being mentioned in my books. Read some of my past reviews, but not to this extent. 2.5 stars
December 12, 2025
2.5 stars. This was one of my anticipated reads for the year, but fell really flat for me. I felt like character development was sacrificed for political issues, and while I have no problem with incorporating content like that in a romance, it shouldn't take over the story and it has to be done in a subtle and organic way. Having Callum from book 1 spouting whole paragraphs on colonization like he's a Wikipedia page was neither subtle nor organic. And the way the whole terrorist thing was handled in the end? Really?
The romance was fine and they had some nice banter, but Nicholas acted immature at various points and I struggled to see the multitudes he apparently contained, according to Eoin. The fact that he only seemed to really discover just now the problematic history of the country he's supposed to be able to lead, as second in line, didn't seem to point in that direction. But maybe he did, it's not like the author gave us a lot of insight in his character, except that he can be kind, hates all the rules he has to adhere to and has a bit of a wild streak. What he did in his spare time is anyone's guess. And then there were the things that just didn't make sense, like why was Callum's mother crying in the hallway? Why on earth would the bad guys put a deadly spider in Nicholas's room when their intention is to kidnap him and keep him alive? Seems a bit problematic...
This author used to be a favorite, but everything published after 2023 has been more miss than hit, unfortunately.
The romance was fine and they had some nice banter, but Nicholas acted immature at various points and I struggled to see the multitudes he apparently contained, according to Eoin. The fact that he only seemed to really discover just now the problematic history of the country he's supposed to be able to lead, as second in line, didn't seem to point in that direction. But maybe he did, it's not like the author gave us a lot of insight in his character, except that he can be kind, hates all the rules he has to adhere to and has a bit of a wild streak. What he did in his spare time is anyone's guess. And then there were the things that just didn't make sense, like why was Callum's mother crying in the hallway? Why on earth would the bad guys put a deadly spider in Nicholas's room when their intention is to kidnap him and keep him alive? Seems a bit problematic...
This author used to be a favorite, but everything published after 2023 has been more miss than hit, unfortunately.
Read
August 25, 2025This one isn't grabbing me, and the politics is just too much. I read to escape that stuff.
September 5, 2025
I don't care what you say -- I love this book and I love this series 🫡
October 20, 2025
absolutely loved it and the colonialism aspect was a bonus. maybe not perfect, but well done for sure.
August 24, 2025
Tak bardzo czekałam na tę część i może to był mój problem? Oczekiwałam intrygującego rozwiązania zagadki, która zaczęła się już w pierwszym tomie, a w zamian otrzymałam TO.
Wiem, że całą tę serię czyta się najlepiej, jeśli odłożymy na bok logikę i nie będziemy za wiele się zastanawiali nad fabułą, bohaterami i tym, co oni robią. Mimo wszystko bardzo polubiłam pierwsze dwie części i niezbyt przeszkadzały mi w nich luki fabularne.
Z tym tomem było podobnie. Relacja Nica i Eiona rozwijała się wolno, acz burzliwie (co prawda "wolno" w tym kontekście znaczy dwa miesiące, nie dwa tygodnie lub dni, jak w wielu innych tytułach) i z przyjemnością czytałam wymianę zdań między nimi.
Potem jednak przyszła akcja, rozwinięcie fabuły, czy jakkolwiek inaczej by tego nie nazwać. Mam wrażenie, że autorka chciała za bardzo przekazać swoje poglądy (z którymi zresztą w pełni się zgadzam) i w imię tego poświęciła sens, wiarygodność i zwykłą przyjemność płynącą z lektury. Plus, sposób przekazania uwag politycznych był tak suchy i dydaktyczny, że bardziej zniechęcał niż zachęcał. Myślę, że lepiej było by to zrobione poprzez rozmowę, a nie monolog. Ale może to tylko mojej odczucie, bo po prostu nie pasowały mi one do całej reszt książki (mimo że, jak wspomniałam wyżej - zgadzam się ze wszystkim w 100%).
Ogólnie to czuję się zawiedziona, bo oczekiwałam czegoś wow. Ostatecznie była to kolejna lekcja, żeby jednak pamiętać, żeby niczego nie oczekiwać. Za to z przyjemnością przeczytałabym więcej o sytuacjach wspomnianych w epilogu.
Wiem, że całą tę serię czyta się najlepiej, jeśli odłożymy na bok logikę i nie będziemy za wiele się zastanawiali nad fabułą, bohaterami i tym, co oni robią. Mimo wszystko bardzo polubiłam pierwsze dwie części i niezbyt przeszkadzały mi w nich luki fabularne.
Z tym tomem było podobnie. Relacja Nica i Eiona rozwijała się wolno, acz burzliwie (co prawda "wolno" w tym kontekście znaczy dwa miesiące, nie dwa tygodnie lub dni, jak w wielu innych tytułach) i z przyjemnością czytałam wymianę zdań między nimi.
Potem jednak przyszła akcja, rozwinięcie fabuły, czy jakkolwiek inaczej by tego nie nazwać. Mam wrażenie, że autorka chciała za bardzo przekazać swoje poglądy (z którymi zresztą w pełni się zgadzam) i w imię tego poświęciła sens, wiarygodność i zwykłą przyjemność płynącą z lektury. Plus, sposób przekazania uwag politycznych był tak suchy i dydaktyczny, że bardziej zniechęcał niż zachęcał. Myślę, że lepiej było by to zrobione poprzez rozmowę, a nie monolog. Ale może to tylko mojej odczucie, bo po prostu nie pasowały mi one do całej reszt książki (mimo że, jak wspomniałam wyżej - zgadzam się ze wszystkim w 100%).
Ogólnie to czuję się zawiedziona, bo oczekiwałam czegoś wow. Ostatecznie była to kolejna lekcja, żeby jednak pamiętać, żeby niczego nie oczekiwać. Za to z przyjemnością przeczytałabym więcej o sytuacjach wspomnianych w epilogu.
August 29, 2025
4.5⭐
The Unlikely series might be my favorite series of all time.
I'm madly in love with book 1 and 2 which are on my top 10 list of favorite books. Therefore I had huge expectations about this 3rd one. I am a big fan of the bodyguard , royal and forbidden tropes so, on paper, it was made for me.
This book was not at all what I was expecting. I thought I was going to read a romance only but it turns out it was way more than this. Very political with a lot of action. It was entertaining! I couldn't put the book down. The story is long (460 pages) so we can spend a lot of time with the characters. It was also funny as usual in this series.
I loved that it happened in Australia et New Zealand and that I discovered many things. I loved Nicholas and Eoin (I had no idea how to pronounce his name before). I loved the Jaysus and Feck referencedms. I loved their banter and I must say because it doesn't happen often with Jax : I LOVED the twist. I found it perfect and unexpected. I loved the Aiden and Tyler cameo and the press part about Toby and Harry and of course seeing "my" Callum and Oliver (love them so much).
However, the policital part took a huge part of the book where I would have preferred more romance. The author explained at the end of the book why she did it like this, I can understand her. But I want to read romances for love stories, not having a historical or political course. This is why it will be my least favorite of the series. I am not sure I will read it again in the future but I want to read the first 2 books every year forever.
Regarding the romance, I loved the dynamic between Nicholas and Eoin but everything happens too fast maybe. My favorite part might be the camping one + the epilogue which was amazing.
Thank you Jax for this great series. I don't know if it is now finished or not but I'll cherish these books forever. Thank you for bringing Callum and Olivier, Harry and Toby and Nicholas and Eoin to the world for us.
The Unlikely series might be my favorite series of all time.
I'm madly in love with book 1 and 2 which are on my top 10 list of favorite books. Therefore I had huge expectations about this 3rd one. I am a big fan of the bodyguard , royal and forbidden tropes so, on paper, it was made for me.
This book was not at all what I was expecting. I thought I was going to read a romance only but it turns out it was way more than this. Very political with a lot of action. It was entertaining! I couldn't put the book down. The story is long (460 pages) so we can spend a lot of time with the characters. It was also funny as usual in this series.
I loved that it happened in Australia et New Zealand and that I discovered many things. I loved Nicholas and Eoin (I had no idea how to pronounce his name before). I loved the Jaysus and Feck referencedms. I loved their banter and I must say because it doesn't happen often with Jax : I LOVED the twist. I found it perfect and unexpected. I loved the Aiden and Tyler cameo and the press part about Toby and Harry and of course seeing "my" Callum and Oliver (love them so much).
However, the policital part took a huge part of the book where I would have preferred more romance. The author explained at the end of the book why she did it like this, I can understand her. But I want to read romances for love stories, not having a historical or political course. This is why it will be my least favorite of the series. I am not sure I will read it again in the future but I want to read the first 2 books every year forever.
Regarding the romance, I loved the dynamic between Nicholas and Eoin but everything happens too fast maybe. My favorite part might be the camping one + the epilogue which was amazing.
Thank you Jax for this great series. I don't know if it is now finished or not but I'll cherish these books forever. Thank you for bringing Callum and Olivier, Harry and Toby and Nicholas and Eoin to the world for us.
November 17, 2025
This started out soo fun, I loved the brooding giant bodyguard x sassy spare prince vibes. Also the tackling? Hilarious!
I really liked the banter between those two and how Soon slowly got to see behind the facade.
My most favourite thing in this was learning so much about British history and what’s going on nowadays.
I honestly have to say for me personally the romance plot between those two was going in circles too much, and I read the same thing over and over again somehow. The drama between them at the end was a little unnecessary too imo.
The plot twist about 80% in had me SO shocked though that I read the rest in one go and really liked the ending!
Was this all super realistic? Hell no, but it was a lot of fun!
I really liked the banter between those two and how Soon slowly got to see behind the facade.
My most favourite thing in this was learning so much about British history and what’s going on nowadays.
I honestly have to say for me personally the romance plot between those two was going in circles too much, and I read the same thing over and over again somehow. The drama between them at the end was a little unnecessary too imo.
The plot twist about 80% in had me SO shocked though that I read the rest in one go and really liked the ending!
Was this all super realistic? Hell no, but it was a lot of fun!
August 24, 2025
3.5 but I love a forbidden bodyguard story so I’m rounding up. I’m not sure how Officer O’Connell could hear Nicholas squeak over a spider in the bathroom but a different bodyguard couldn’t hear him making undignified noises of passion he had never made before? This one definitely had some moments (resolution) that emphasized the fact this is indeed fiction. :) However, the banter and quick wit were both great and I enjoyed the series as a whole!
September 13, 2025
Yet another Calder book that I read nonstop. I have to admit that Eoin's attraction mainly, but Nicholas's as well, came a bit out of the blue and up until thentje book wasn't as riveting as usual, but after that point, it became everything I expected. Loved the tension, the chemistry between the heroes. Not the best in the series, but a worthy addition.
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