Nothing Special Books 1 - 5

Nothing Special #1-5

by A.E. Via

A Box Set of the Award-Winning Nothing Special Series by International Best-selling Author A.E. Via

To be accepted into the most notorious narcotics task force on the East Coast is an incredible honor. A rogue collection of the most feared and unorthodox detectives, independent of standard departmental jurisdiction. Headed up by two of the baddest’ Lieutenants with the Atlanta Police Department - Cashel 'God' Godfrey and Leonidis Day.

"We were a unit tonight, moving as one. Even apart, we are deadly, but when combined – we are f**kin’ unstoppable."
~~ God ~~

Set Contains Books 1 - 5:
Book One: Nothing Special - God & Day
Book Two: Embracing His Syn - Detective Corbin Sydney & Furious Barkley
Book Three: Here Comes Trouble - Detectives Mark Ruxsberg & Chris Green
Book Four: Don't Judge - Detective Austin Michaels & Bounty Hunter, Judge Josephson
Book Five: Nothing Special V - Detectives Edwin Steele & Shawn Murphy (Tech)

NO NEW CONTENT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE TITLES

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Audiobook, LGBT, Detective, Erotica, Friends To Lovers

1708 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 19, 2020

About the author

A.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to spicy to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

When she's not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family--a husband and four children.

Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors. I've contracted and successfully published a couple authors - whose information can be found on my website - who can tell you that my passion is giving other writer's stories the love and care it deserves so it could be a gift to another. Visit my site to learn more!

Go to A.E. Via's official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she'll appear next.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Still fanning self* I’m late to the A.E. Via party, but I’m so glad I finally arrived! I’ve had her books for a long time, but when the Nothing Special audio box set came out, I dove right in. Aiden Snow is one of my favorite narrators and holy hotness ya’ll he really made this audio for me. He did an amazing job with his narration of all of A.E. Via’s men we meet in this series. He kept me fully immersed in this story and I was finding any good excuse to pop my headphones back in! Aiden just made these growly, alpha males come to life! I could go on and on about the narration, but it’s the amazing world and stories that A.E. Via has written that made this audio. Along this five books in this box set we meet some amazing men. We first meet then Detectives God and Day and the task force they ultimately build around them. Four books later and I still have such a soft spot for them, and if pressed, I’d admit they are my favorite! Close behind them were Detectives Ruxs and Green who were endlessly entertaining in their antics as the Enforcers for their now Lieutenants God and Day. I loved how their relationship evolved from partners on the force, as well as at home. I also have such a soft spot for Syn, the Sergeant working for God and Day. I loved him finding his true self and owning his sexuality with his man Fury. Detective Michaels story was also a highlight of this series. I enjoyed his enemies to lovers story with bounty hunter Judge. Last we get to know Tech, the technology behind the team equipping them with their gadgets and keeping them safe with his work. I loved seeing him showing his team he could be an asset in the field, not just behind his monitors. I enjoyed seeing him fall for the newest member of the team, Steel, a highly decorated Marine. In edition to all these men working with God and Day in their elite task force was some other amazing people we meet along the way. Such as God’s brother Genesis, and Curtis, the adoptive son of two of the team members. There was so much to love about this series so far! I laughed, fanned myself, and frequently found myself with a smile on my face as I listened to these amazing stories. I’m so glad there are two more available in audio to come, because I need more!!

[Krissreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a massive 54h23m audio book and I actually loved every second of it. While it was narrated by Aiden Snow who sounds delicious, it was in third person which sucks ass.

Rating’s below but each book has their own review also:

Book 1: Nothing Special (Day and God) 4⭐️

Book 2: Embracing His Syn (Furi and Syn) 3⭐️

Book 3: Here Comes Trouble (Rux and Green) 4.5⭐️

Book 4: Don’t Judge (Micheal’s and Judge) 4⭐️

Book 5: Nothing Special V (rounded 4⭐️)
Story 1: Steele and Tech 2.5⭐️
Story 2: God and Day Novella 4⭐️
Story 3: Curtis and Jensen Novella 3.5⭐️

[Cinnamon bun · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a special offer on this box-set, and since you can’t enter an MM book forum without being drowned by gushes of A.E. Via praise, I decided to take a chance. That’s despite me reading His Hart’s Command (Nothing Special #6) a while back and not being even remotely impressed.

But I’m sad to say this purchase was a complete dud. And the series is – unfortunately – quite aptly named. There’s truly nothing special about these stories.

The guys in these books are such over the top manly-men it’s just plain silly. All that’s missing is some shirt-less chest pounding and Tarzan-esque jungle-yodeling to complete the ridiculousness that are these characters. All the macho posturing and inane dialogue feels like a comedy of sorts. The kind where you need a pillow to hide behind because of all the second-hand embarrassment.

But the characters aren’t even the worst part in my opinion. This is supposed to be a detective series. All the guys are in law enforcement, some way or another. And all their interactions, and lives, center around their work and their various cases. However, it’s obvious that Via doesn’t know the first thing about police work. And this is most definitely one of my pet peeves. Authors writing about stuff they don’t know. Thinking they don’t need to do any proper research because they think they can make it credible by being vague and half-assing everything. But their ignorance shines through. Every single time. And what makes it even worse is that it’s not just one book, no, this is an entire series.

An I just can't understand how anyone can give these books 5 stars...

https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...

[Rebecca Azizov · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's review time 🎧
Warning ⚠️ : a full series, mm romance, police romance, standalone stories.

Narrator score🎧 ; Aiden Snow is absalutly perfect, i love his narration so much, and he did a wonderful job with this series.

Level of steam🔥: the books are hot! Like all of them.

Level of anxiety and sadness0😱😢: some parts in the books made me sad here and there you had you police drama and partners drama as well. But nothing over the board.

The book itself📖: ok, when I got this series to review i thought how to write a review about a whole series.
So I've decided to write a short review about each book.
1. Nothing Special, ohhhh God how i love God and Day. J
How i love this couple they are full of banter and sass and they are oozing sex appeal. The is great to start the seriesit was about coming out, working as a couple and a lot more drama, and a bigger family drama.
2. Embracing his Sin - this book was good as well, not as wow as the first one, but good nevertheless. Sin is a great character he took a lot of crap from God and Day, and he was a great character. Fury is a great character as well. I liked the couple a lot, and the fact that God and Day were part of the story made me smile a lot.
3 here comes trouble - Rux and Green are my all time favorite i adore them !!!! The book was so good
4. Don't Judge - another good book in this bundle, Michaels is a good character i like him a lot.
5 nothing Special 5
A good book, not my favorite but yet again the story was good

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of these stories before and they have become among my favorites in the MM romance genre.
A.E. Via has made a lasting contribution to romance and action adventure with this found family of characters within the Atlanta PD.
I spent a happy weekend getting away from it all and rereading this box set.
I love these guys and God and Day are beyond wonderful. 😍

[Mimi]

4.75 stars

Listened to the audio set and I enjoyed it better the second time around. I loved all the guys and revisiting their HEA's.

[Amorcsn · Rating 5 out of 5]

when I say I love ALL OF THESE MEN!!!!

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken as a whole, the Nothing Special Box Set of books one through five is a testosterone-fueled extravaganza of alpha male personalities. Some titles in the series are more action-packed than others – I definitely would have enjoyed more dangerous, in the field task force activity – and some are missing strong plots. But every last leading man is smoking hot and sexy AF, and the chemistry is off the charts in each book. Yes, some of the storylines are implausible (every member of the East Coast's most notorious and effective narcotics task force is gay??) and you’ll need to set your disbelief and nitpicking aside, but this series is all about entertainment value, and of that there is plenty. Action-adventure stories, be it in book or film, are often ridiculous and over-the-top – just take a look at Mission Impossible – but they're still fun. And believe me, all of these drool-worthy leading men are far hotter than almost anyone you'll see on the big screen.

The true beauty of this series is the close found family of “big ass, alpha, macho motherfuckin’ lovers” who are genuinely caring, affectionate, and loyal to all the team members. The camaraderie and banter are off the charts. There’s a fair amount of dry humor, too. The wonderful thing about the later books is that you get snippets of the previous couples’ interactions (and making out.)

The thing is, the plot in some of the books – especially Embracing His Syn – is beyond weak, and the editing is truly atrocious throughout. I mean, I can’t believe there actually was an editor. Grammatical errors are on almost every page and there are multiple inconsistencies with timelines, ages, and geography. A major character’s last name is even spelled two different ways. As the series progresses, the grammar improves but the discrepancies seem to worsen. These are major distractions that I would never overlook in another book but I find myself doing just that in this series because I love the characters so much. It’s definitely a character-driven series.

There is So. Much. Sex. Dare I say, there's too much for me personally (I started skimming). I have no problem with graphic sex at all (bring it on, baby!), it’s just the number of sex scenes I grew tired of. The problem is that plot, the task force action, the actual policing – everything – takes a backseat to sex. I'll mention, too, that the foursome scenes between two loving, established couples at the end of book one are controversial to some readers. I personally don’t like sharing but it didn’t put me off the book. There are no multiple pairings in any of the subsequent books.


Book One – Nothing Special 4.75 hearts

Cashel “God” Godfrey and Leo Day are detectives on Atlanta’s police force and have been partnered for five years. They are regarded as hotshots in the city's war on drugs. The men have that exciting dynamic often found between characters who are partners in law enforcement, firefighting, or military special forces. This is a relationship where a strong magnetism and bond exist between the partners well before attraction kicks in. The pressure and risks they endure in their extremely dangerous work result in an unparalleled level of trust in, and reliance on, each other. In addition to the focus on the changing relationship and the hunting down of a drug kingpin, there’s an intriguing side plot which includes the revelation of God’s secret life.

It’s been about nine months since I’ve read a book this sexy. There’s nothing hotter than two alpha males going at it. Gah! Lots of growling, slamming bodies against the walls, grasping throats, throwing each other on the bed with dominance – it’s animalistic at times. And then other moments – in their words, making love – are sweet and filled with tenderness. The dirty talk alone made me weak in the knees. Look for a, shall I say, “special” relationship between God, Day and two other detectives on the force. Heads up if you don’t like sharing – this book might not be for you.

A facet of this book I enjoyed is how completely at ease God and Day are about the evolution from work partners who are friends to partners who fuck. There is no pages-and-pages-long dance of should we or shouldn’t we. It just organically happens after a series of challenging events, including a fight where God pushes Day across the room with such force he crashes into furniture. See, alpha males!

All in all, this is a fantastic start to the Nothing Special series. We shall see, but I think it’s going to be hard to beat God and Day’s chemistry.

Trigger/Content Warning: Child Sexual Abuse


Book Two – Embracing His Syn 4 hearts

Book Two picks up a couple of years after Nothing Special. New on the scene in Atlanta's PD is Sergeant Corbin “Syn” Sidney, third in command in God and Day’s special narcotics task force. He meets bartender Furious “Furi” Barkley and aggressively pursues him at the bar across from his apartment. Furi eventually agrees to a date but Syn is a no-show because he had to investigate a murder outside a porn studio. Isn’t he shocked when Furi – a porn actor – is brought in for questioning? Furi escaped a violently abusive soon-to-be ex-husband with no money, so he moonlights in porn while completing his mechanic’s certification and saving to purchase his own garage with a friend.

There are two simultaneous plotlines: the series of murders of male porn actors, and Furi being stalked by his ex. The first is very weak, holds little mystery, and is short-lived. The second holds significantly more danger and suspense. Overall, there isn't much task force action which is kind of the point of the series.

Even with the shortcomings, this book is saved by the wonderfully sexy Syn and Furi. They are a playful couple despite the danger they face. Syn rules on the street but Furi takes charge in bed with a bit of a Dom/sub dynamic. It's Syn’s first time with a man and the sex is hard and rough, yet sensual at times. The steam was rising off the pages. I absolutely loved Day’s nickname for Furi – Porn Puppy.

Furi huffed in annoyance, “Syn, I took six months of self-defense courses at the YMCA this year. I can fight for myself.” Syn looked at Furi like he’d lost his damn mind. “At the Y? Well hell, that’s great Furious. If you ever get jumped by the Village People, feel free to pull out those moves."


Book Three – Here Comes Trouble 4.5 hearts

Yes, indeed, long-time partners and best friends Chris Green and Mark Ruxsburg are trouble. They are known as The Enforcers and they play by few rules on the job. And, they are highly entertaining.

Chemistry is something A.E. Via knows how to create, and this friend-to-lovers story is bursting with it – romantic, sexual, and as the best of friends. Next to God and Day, this is my favorite couple – and my second favorite book - partly because FTL is my favorite trope and partly because they’re so much fun.

The back end of the book is focused on Ruxs and Green’s special relationship with Curtis, the teenager God and Day took care of after catching him robbing a convenience store in book one. It’s an endearing storyline. Ruxs’ embittered relationship with his mother forms another secondary plot and it’s heartbreaking.

The task force plot is once again weak and the final take down of the bad guys occurs off page. What a disappointment since those types of scenes are what The Enforcers are all about.


Book Four – Don't Judge 4 hearts

This book has all the crime fighting action and danger that the last two books were missing. The plot is much stronger, filled with shootouts, high speed chases, stakeouts, bounty hunting, and all-around mayhem. I wish this level of the war on drugs had been consistent throughout the series. Unfortunately, it also has the most forgettable leading men.

Austin Michaels was hired onto the task force as a sniper at the end of Here Comes Trouble, in which he had a completely different persona. He was meek, pesky, and like an overly eager puppy. A bit of a milquetoast, really. He’s tough and so much more appealing after his apparent personality transplant in this book, even though he's depressed with a bad attitude and rage issues. He’s frustrated and irritable being around all the lovey-dovey gay couples on the force while he faces a future with no partner.

God calls in a favor from badass bounty hunter Judge Josephson to catch and return a witness to Atlanta, and he seems Michaels with him to keep the arrest legit. Judge thinks no way will Michael's be interested in his old, grouchy self. Little does he know his age (twelve years older), maturity, and experience turn Michaels on, as do his thick beard and stray gray hairs.

Judge's father and his girlfriend – Judge’s de facto step-mom – are likable characters, and Judge's affectionate relationship with them is at odds with the personality he displays otherwise.


Book Five – Nothing Special V 4 hearts

In a departure, the chapters in book five alternate not only between Steele and Tech, but include God and Day as well. I love having the addition of the God and Day storyline. Green and Ruxs have significant face time, and even Furi is around. There’s a lot of focus on the team, with the noticeable and strange absence of Michaels and Judge.

Inconsistencies and implausibilities abound in this volume. Green and Ruxs arrive to a raid in a … garbage truck? Which plows through six Escalades by itself. Then they stand on the roof of the truck and take out twenty-six baddies by themselves? God and Day’s team has changed from twenty-three members to nine. And the timeline has jumped around a few times. Sigh.

A city councilman needs a favor from God and Day's chief: his nephew, Edwin Steele, needs a job after quitting his position with the Oakland police department after homophobia led to his partner dying when backup was purposely delayed. God doesn’t like to be told what to do, but Steele is a retired, highly decorated, special forces Marine and will be a significant asset to the team. In fact, he partners up with Green and Ruxs to make The Enforcers’ no-holds-barred activity even crazier.

Steele’s love interest is Shawn “Tech” Murphy, a technology/hacker genius in charge of the team’s comms. Steele and Tech are okay, but probably my least favorite couple. Realistic or not – I’m guessing not – the hacking is interesting and fun to read about.

If you read the series, which I recommend, you must do it in order and it really should be read as a whole. The great thing about the box set is being able to read the stories back-to-back without having to wait. Patience is not my strong suit! At the time of this writing, there are three more books in the series not included in this box set.

If big alpha leading men, occasionally preposterous action scenes, and so much sex it would make porn stars exhausted are not your thing, and you think poor editing will pull you out of the story too much, pass this series by. Otherwise, dig in and enjoy this entertaining box set for the characters and their brotherhood!

ARC kindly provided to Love Bytes Reviews in exchange for an honest review.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it and my reviews are in the individual books

[Chancey "Does not give out 5's like candy" Knowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating (Scale of 1-5) =
2.5 stars, I rounded up for the consistency of the author, and because I feel strongly bundling is such a great gift for readers especially those on a tight budget.
Overall: I think readers looking for escapism (especially books 2-5) with alpha males and lots of hot sex will really like these books, but... and there are a lot of buts, I feel there are multiple facets that could make getting through a bundle of this size tedious for others at best.
I found them okay but never bad. To me, they were better written than pure brain candy, but nothing stands out. The only things memorable were the location and 1st couple (Bk 1): the location because I'm originally from outside Atlanta, so that would not be true for most readers. The first couple, because book one is the only one we truly get any depth, have characters fleshed out, see growth over time, and their names are interesting. Plus, they feature prominently in all the stories. More specifics discussed in the below breakdown.

(Note: Sometimes, I review or "comment on" each individual book on GdRd's as I complete it, and then combine them for the bundle's review. I did not do that this time. There were plenty of reviews for the individual books, and I did not feel there was enough to separate books 2-5 to warrant individual reviews. The exception being book one; I bought and read it before the bundle. May actually do the reverse and put this review on the individual ones for future reference.)

Blurb =
Book one, 2 stars due to the lack of trigger warnings and other warnings often important to readers.
Books two-four, individually, were all at least 4 stars. They were much better with warnings etc...
For the bundle, 3 stars. Possible triggers from book 1 were still not mentioned, but at least the words "UNORTHODOX and INDEPENDENT " were used to describe the squad, because these stories require a strong ability to "Suspend Belief"; one cannot be a stickler for procedures etc... Think like the premise of Hawaii 5-0, results are all that matter very little constraints etc...

My Genre Scale = 4 stars
Odds if not your genre = 1 star unless wanting lots of hot sex

Development of: =
*World = 3.5 stars book 1, 2 stars for the rest. Book 1 establishes the how, why, and what of this task force if not in a lot of depth or grounding in the world in which we currently live.
*Characters = Book 1, 3.5 stars, we get more background and growth than in the others. Books 2-5, 2.5 stars. The others start to run together, backstories are different but characters are not. All are over the top gorgeous, bad asses (even the few non-cops), and most are huge alphas, with similar in style names like Fury.
*Plot = 1st 3.5 stars, the others range from 2.5 stars to 3 stars. Actual plots were often overshadowed by antics, personal drama, and sex. (which is fine for those looking for purely entertaining reads like for the beach).

What stood out (taking in consideration I've completed over 2000 m/m books) = Not much was memorable even while still reading back to back. Except for the 1st couple and the enforcemers, I got where I couldn't remember who was paired with whom they felt so similar. If I had to choose 1 thing, it would probably be Curtis; The young teen they caught robbing a Mom and Pop store.


Mood Type : Appeal to those looking for... (and /or those who should avoid) Some things were already mentioned above like LOTS of sex, ability to suspend belief (example: All gay, coupled up, elite Atlanta PD task force given cart blanch) etc... Those who want or don't mind a world of only beautiful, honorable, but boundaries pushing Alpha males should be fine. After book 1, other than the occasional mention, the only female detective disappears.

Warnings =
Book 1 should come with some definite trigger warnings, because serious sexual abuse and parental betrayal figure prominently in one main characters background. Plus, some readers are strongly opposed to reading about established couples playing with other couples or people and/or pairings of more than two; this is featured in book one and mentioned in one or more of the others. The others include things like stalking abusive exes, mild PTSD, family abuse, etc... but they were dealt with more superficially to move the story and came with blurb warnings individually (I believe).

HFN/HEA = Yes, all have definite HEA and wrapped up nicely, before the SWAT team I'd focused on starting book #6.

Series Notes =
*Reading on? I would have skipped books 2-4 if it were not for them being bundled. I was going to skip to 5 due to the wedding. I may circle back to the SWAT off shoot later on, like next summer but currently not reading on.
*Reading back to back? Yes, due to the bundle, books 1-5 were read back to back.
*Can be easily read without the previous? I think book 1 needs to be read before all the others, but otherwise each of the following could be read without reading the others. Technically, one could follow without book 1, but...

Rating Notes = (SubPlots, thoughts, etc... )
Entertaining and surfacely engaging. Not memorable as such, but fine for passing time. Consistent style and writing throughout, so how one feels about one book likely to feel about the others. Some proofing / typo issues (much more so with the later books). Occasional muddy timeline or task force details (like 20 in squad then 9 without clarification), but again, nothing that really disrupted the flow.

***************
Below is my philosophy on reviewing!
***************
1. I try to take into account and note common pet peeves noted by other readers
2. "Brain candy' does not necessarily carry a negative connotation. (What is brain candy? Publishing industry 's version of pop music - Typically: formulaic, from a prolific author published often and quickly (like monthly), things escalate fast, and are often solved easily etc..) It has its uses: to pass time when tired, on the beach, etc... The problem comes when "brain candy" is unexpected or even disguised.
3. Why rate the blurbs? :
Like many readers, I do not like to think I'm reading one kind of story; just to end up with another. But...I also don't think a book should be docked stars for being as stated. If I don't like stories about "_________", and I choose to read it; I shouldn't give it 2 stars based JUST on my preferences. Unless... it wasn't clear in the blurb.
4. Other Factors that effect my perspective when reviewing:
Since 2009, I have exclusively read m/m. My 1st was in 2007. I am a Kindle diehard, and I never do audio for m/m. I read at least 100+ books a year - with an average length of 220± pages. My Goodreads lifetime rating (at the start of 2022) was a 3.60 average for 1715 books. Which considering, one should be better at picking out books the more one reads, I feel is an accurate average. I have over 800 reviews within the m/m genre here on Goodreads.
5. I'm really confused by reviews that consist of just 2 to 3 sentences - with no explanation or evidence. I'm even more baffled when it receives "likes". I'm unsure of how it is useful to others on whether or not to pick a book, for example: "It was a fun read". Umm okay... What made it fun? For that matter, what do you define as fun? Do not even get me started on people who have rated over a 1000 books with a 4.99 rating average. How is that helpful? And there's is absolutely no way that every book is above average great / 5 star read. Why even bother to rate books?
6. I am not a writer nor a wordsmith, but I am a passionate reader. I joined the m/m group years ago, but I mostly lurk. I like to ask questions, debate, and quite possibly play Devil's advocate - which is hard to do online, with unknown people - to whom you are also an unknown- and no body language is available to convey intent. Plus, true debates seems to be a lost art form where respect and even friendliness can be shown between those with fundamentally different opinions.p

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Audible Review**

This was fantastic. Every book in the bundle was entertaining. I found myself LOL a lot and entranced with whatever drama from beginning til the end. Starting off with God and Day was a blast (Leo was so snarky but loyal to God). They are really the perfect couple...but I gotta say I really loved Fury and Syn. Their love story was intense, emotional and sweet. I had soooooooooooo much fun with Green and Rux. Those guys were off the chain. I don't know if its the way the author had with words and/or the narrator but this was so good. I'm glad this came in a bundle. Kept me entertained for days. Loved Aiden Snow voice.

[Della Slight Hiatus Senpai · Rating 5 out of 5]

3/31/22 Re edit!! I have a 4 day weekend and I am about to listen to this again before I listen to New Year. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
And Lots of LIQUOR!!!! 🥵💃🏾🎧





5/2/21. 50 hours of YASSSS!!!!!

If y'all want the FULL EXPERIENCE listen to OVER 50 HOURS of this with AIDEN SNOW!!!

Im sorry when he told Day


"Take it, This your dick now".....


Lordt! I swear Audible got so much more of my money!!!! Just so I could listen to the rest of the guys just on GP!

I loved this series I still listen to it now 😍😍😍😍

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

**********Contains Spoilers**********

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. Each book in this collection is reviewed separately.

Nothing Special 1 - I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed getting to know Day & God, yes they were far from perfect but when they both finally admitted their feelings for each other, they had an extremely strong relationship which made their working partnership that much stronger. I loved how God got his family back after everything he’d been through. Even after his mum and brother hated him because it seemed like he’d mu*dered his step dad for no reason, which it was actually in self defence after everything he’d been subjected too from that extremely ab*sive man. He still anonymously provided for them and loved them completely even after they only showed him hate. The scenes with Day & God and Ro & Johnson were really hot. What I didn’t like was that there were quite a few derogatory and misogynistic words/sayings throughout this story, that made me cringe a bit but was still really a good story.

Embracing His Syn - I really enjoyed this book. Furious is exactly who Syn needs, he earns Syn’s trust very quickly so Syn is able to fully let go and give Furious complete control in private considering how demanding his job is. The scene when Syn and Furious break into Day & God’s house in the middle of the night and found out about God & Day and Ro & Johnson had me giggling. I love how as soon as all Syn’s found family made up of his team hear about Furious’s ex-husband being ab*sive and that he didn’t get the protection order filed, they offer to help him if he can’t get hold of Syn for some strange reason and he’s in trouble, just call and they’ll be there as he’s now part of their family. What I didn’t like was that there were quite a few derogatory and misogynistic words/sayings throughout this story, that made me cringe a bit but was still really a good story.

Here Comes Trouble - I really enjoyed this story. I liked seeing the build up to their new relationship status and being best friends as well as work partners. I liked seeing how Ruxs & Green could be vulnerable together and let themselves go. I also loved their bond with Curtis that morphs into fathers’ and son after Curtis’s mum passed away. Ruxs & Green balance each other out, especially when parenting Curtis, Ruxs is pretty strict and Green is a complete softy so they find a middle ground. I loved getting a hint of Curtis & Genesis’s connection and hopefully we get some more of them but Curtis has to grow up a wee bit first, since he’s 17 years old and still in high school and Gen is 22 years old and finishing college. I’m glad Green was there to support Ruxs with his mum, and thought about what he’d want instead of doing what he wanted and sending her to jail instead of Rehab. What I didn’t like was that there were quite a few derogatory and misogynistic words/sayings throughout this story, that made me cringe a bit but was still really a good story.

Don’t Judge - I really liked this book. I’m glad Michaels got his happily ever after. Him and Judge are great together as they’re exactly what each other needs, they don’t just rollover and go with it. They both fight tooth and nail before accepting each other. Man Michaels has some anger issues lol and he’s completely bada*se. I loved meeting Judge’s dad and his step mum Linda. I loved Booken he was such a gentle giant with only certain people lol like Judge and Michaels but was an awesome partner to Judge on the road while Bounty Hunting. I loved getting some more of Curtis and Gen, they’re so cute together. I loved how Michaels team were angry at Judge, especially Day when Judge tried to see him after he basically abandoned him when he heard that his dad was about to pass away, and Michaels ended up nearly getting k*lled by their fugitive they’d apprehended. What I didn’t like was that there were quite a few derogatory and misogynistic words/sayings throughout this story, that made me cringe a bit but was still really a good story.

Nothing Special 5 - I really liked this book. I loved Tech & Steele. Their chemistry is explosive. I love how taken Steele is with Tech especially with the way he dresses. I would’ve loved a bit more of Tech and Steele’s relationship but was totally not upset about getting to hear from Day and God as well. I loved getting to see Day and God’s surprise bachelor party, the dancing with Furious and Blair was an extremely hot scene and their wedding was totally them. I’m glad we got a bonus short story about Gen and Curtis as I’ve been hoping for more of their relationship since I first read about their blossoming relationship in book 3. Hmm Free seems to fit in with the team straight away, he seems very jittery so hopefully we find out what his a*sehole of his dad did to him, and I’m wondering how his relationship with Hart starts out. I guess I’ll have to wait until I read the next book. What I didn’t like was that there were quite a few derogatory and misogynistic words/sayings throughout this story, that made me cringe a bit but was still really a good story.

I’d definitely recommend this collection, each book in the series and author to everyone.

[Chelsie Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Audiobook (audible) - 5 books in one plus a bonus story.

Nothing Special 5⭐️ - God and Day’s relationship is so precious and amazing. Love all the trust and respect they have for each other and the slow build over 5 years of partnership. Lots of spice in the second half of the book. The character development with not just the mmc’s but also the sc’s is really help develop not only their relationship but also the storyline.

Embracing His Sin 5⭐️ - Sin and Fury are such an adorable couple, love the relationship buildup and the solid gay persona verses the newly gay but confident persona and how the relationship plays out. The abusive ex/step brother aspect really sucks but adds more reality to this story. So happy that Fury learns to trust in Sin’s possessive strong nature.

Here Comes Trouble 4⭐️ - Green and Rux’s story doesn’t do them justice, especially with the previous couples stories. Felt like they were not fully developed. Though Gene and Curtis’ story within theirs was so adorable and I want a full story of them.

Don’t Judge 5⭐️ - the forced proximity tension between these two is just the perfect amount of sexual tension. The build up is so deserving of the massive amount of releases that occur. Sucks that there is such a heart breaking separation they go through, and cannot man up to their feelings and admit it to each other. But rough breaks do make for even better makeup scenes. My heart strings were pulled heart with these 2 mmc.

Nothing Special V 4.25⭐️ - God and Day are going to get married!!! Though Day seems uncharacteristically shy in telling God what he feels about the lack of planning for the wedding. New player Steel and Tech are the new couple but we also see a lot of God and Day POV’s also. Feel like the author really dropped a volatile part of the story with Vasquez, unless this is going to continue in Freeman and Hearts book. But he’s still trying to get Tech and use that relationship. Happy that God and Day worked through their communication issue and had a celebration that worked for them both.

Bonus Chapters 5⭐️ - Genesis and Curtis post wedding. I really hope that these bonus chapters are not the only Genesis/Curtis pov’s in the series, really want their own couple book. What’s up with Curtis and his volunteer boss? Why is he letting him dock him over so much? He’s a homophob and doesn’t want him at his center so is trying to get him to quit. Love that Gen was able to fix the issue with Curtis’ boss and that the team gave Gen the information needed to fix that situation. Of course Curtis is going to k ow that Gen fixed the situation.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this Audible listen! Aiden Snow was incredible!! I highly highly recommend!! It was emotional, exciting, tense, so funny and passionate!

I loved getting to know all of these characters. It was such a fun listen! I’ll definitely be listening to the rest of the series!

Nothing Special (God and Day)
God and Day were hilarious! I couldn’t get enough of Day! They were such an odd pair at first but then made total sense. I understand why the foursome with Ro and Johnson upset people. God was so territorial over Day but there was only ever an attraction with that other couple and everyone consented so whatever floats the boat😂 I loved the addition of Genesis and was so glad that family issues were resolved.

Embracing His Syn
Syn and Fury were so interesting together. Fury’s ex-husband Patrick and Brother Brandon were terrible humans! I loved how Syn was there for him every step of the way. I also thought Fury having a past in the porn industry was comical but everyone was cool with it. I also loved that he did what he needed to do so he could open his own garage. They were such an endearing couple!

He Comes Trouble
Ruxberg and Green were such weirdos! And I loved it. The fact they fell in love was kind of funny - cause no one else could handle them!! The issue with Ruxberg’s mom and dealer BF was disturbing. The fact the boyfriend thought they were actually in love was dumb on his part. I loved the inclusion of Curtis!! The fact he called Rux and Green both dad was cute!

Don’t Judge
Michaels and Josephson was steamy! I lord how Michaels did everything he needed to do to become part of the team! Judge was so lonely and I loved how he couldn’t resist Michaels! I liked the age difference. It worked.

Nothing Special V
Tech and Steele were awesome! I loved them together. I loved how they took the time to get to know each other before they started hooking up. They complimented each other so well. It was a large age gap too! I loved getting caught on God and Day’s wedding. I also loved how we got to see how in love Rux and Green plus Syn and Fury still were. They were all so good together!!

Bonus chapters with Genesis and Curtis
I didn’t realize this listen has this extra. It was a great short story with some drama but such an emotional connection with this couple. Gen was so supportive and protective over Curtis. They are so good together!

[Pertan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did look forward to rereading this series, but I got disappointed. My head was probably deep in the fog the last time for me not to notice all of the things that annoyed me this time around.

All MCs are alpha badasses with macho complex. In these 5 books we have already 7 pairings and another one on the way, plus a throuple. They are all really big, and jaw droppingly good looking. All 19 of them are so gorgeous they turn heads as they walk by.
There’s misogyny. The only female cop got injured early on, and worked as an admin for the group, until she quit because it was so boring since they didn’t let her do any investigative or practical work anymore… All other females are also in the periphery, overly doting mothers or majorly failing mothers, or a combination of the two.
A lot of stuff that is not in the slightest realistic. A baddass group of special police forces, all gay, most of them paired up within the group, and they are allowed to do pretty much what they want and take on whatever cases they want.
Another impossible event: one guy goes for a 1,5hour lunch break, when he comes back his manager quit (after being blackmailed to do just that 5 mins before), someone found a new manager and he and a delegation of officials are there, having already had the time to talk to all the employees and looking at a lot of suggestions to improve the place… In 1,5 hour… ?!?!

We also have the MAJORLY homophobic asshole that turns into some kind of bestie to our first MCs (God and Day), not to mention that he has some kind of psychology degree that makes him a wonder profiler… He also pairs up with another asshole that stalked and harassed Day relentlessly. This second asshole also gets a personality transplant and becomes bestie with God and Day (couple no 1).

With all this said (and no mention of other stuff) I still like a lot of the characters a lot of the time and somewhat enjoy the read. They are all also softies towards their partners, and to their teammates in between all the ribbing.

So - now onwards to re-read Heart and new tech- genius’ story, guess that’s the next one.

[Amy Stauffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review

4.5 Stars (5 Stars - Narrator, 4 Stars - Story)

This is my second time listening to this series, and I cannot tell you how convenient it is not to have to switch between books. It definitely makes it easier to binge listen!

In this box set, we have 5 couples—all alphas in their own way, and all macho for sure. It definitely helps in their line of work, as the overall story arc plays through the background of each book. That said, each couple reaches their HEA by the end of their book.

These stories are all highly entertaining, often funny and irreverent, with a great set of men that are easy to fall for. While all are very take-charge kind of guys, they all have their unique qualities and talents. They work well together.

I thoroughly enjoy this series it’s one of my favorites, and I find myself grinning every time it comes up somewhere on Facebook. This series leaves a lasting impression and will have you dying to listen to it again.

Aiden Snow KILLED the narration of these stories. He was absolutely perfect to bring these men to life through his captivating voice. His range is incredible, too, as is his ability to stay in character and keep the voices consistent from book to book. That is very important because randomly giving a character a different voice, in another book, can be very jarring. No worries, as that doesn’t happen here. He is consistent, and his voice is like honey to my ears.  

[Rosemary Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title (Audible Membership)

#1 Nothing Special

Okay, right up front, if you are at all homophobic, this book is not for you.
It's a mixture of hot emotions, hot drama, and hot sex, between super hot guys.
Oh, the storyline is emotionally charged.

#2 Embracing His Syn

A new transfer has his ethics and loyalty tested on joining the new task force headed up by God and Day.
Although he had spent his time, up to now, building his credibility on his own, he was now open to a relationship, especially as the barman across the street had caught his eye.
However, the road to true love isn't ever smooth, so they have a few obstacles to avoid before the HEA will ever occur.

#3 Here Comes Trouble.

Two detective partners who always seemed to be getting themselves into costly scraps realised that they really weren't interested in anyone other than each other when it came down to dating and sex.

#4 Don't Judge

A bounty hunter is called in when an escaped snitch gets away with a tote bag full of drugs.
Due to "Judge's" record of rough treatment of when recovering runaways, Detective Michaels volunteers to keep everything above the law.
Of course, there's drama in the recovering of the felon, not to say a lot of sexual tension is happening.
Overall, it almost falls apart, but what happens is better read in the author's version, not my poor synapses of a good yarn.

#5 Nothing Special V
Tech had kept himself to himself, although he couldn't help to envy the loved up couples around him.
He unskilled himself, trading his tech expertise with one on one combat training, with one of the best instructors in the field.
Then the Marine shows up, and that was that.
There's a lot in this episode. there's too much to critique here. It was a very interesting and dramatic experience.

[Abstract Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 1

A pleasant and easy read

Not trying to be unfair to the author but the easiest way to describe this book is a palate cleanser. It’s a good read, sexy and full of action. Good balance between the plot and erotica. Gorgeous strong yet tender MCs. Enjoyable side characters. What’s not to like? It’s got everything. But it is an easy read, not angsty, not something I’ll carry in my memory for years to come, just enjoyable for here and now.

Oh, and the “controversial” foursome scene that some readers hated? Well, I loved it. Read believable, the characters weren’t strangers, they’ve known each other for years, some have craved each other for years. That part of the book is 11/10 for me.

And the narration by Aiden Snow has TOTALLY made it work for me. Gorgeous performance.

Book 2

Could listen to Aiden Snow talk all day….

And that’s what made me get to chapter 36, about 80%. But when we got to the boat and French chef scene, it just went down hill…

These series have such a potential. And they are 70% but the 30% provides me with so much unpleasant eye rolling that I will most likely won’t continue with the series forward…

Syn and Furious had an interesting and sexy dynamic, I enjoyed them.

[Lexee Toste · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved all of these stories!!! I was pulled in from the very beginning and still wanted more set in this world after the last book in this collection and the bonus story. I loved all of the characters and watching them all come together and find their person in the midst of taking down the bad guys. It's really nice that we get to see past characters from the previous books throughout the series as well. God and Day are awesome and I just love the dynamic between them and the dynamic between their team as well (starting with the second book). There is plenty of action and intrigue in this series and these men are alphas that are ready and willing to walk into danger to do their job and keep each other safe. I love watching the different relationships form and build. This collection was awesome and I will absolutely be reading more in this series and by this author!
The narrator was phenomenal. He did a fantastic job with all of the characters and bringing them to life and the story. He was great with the different voices and the emotions and just had that extra dynamic that really added to my enjoyment of the books.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

MM Excellent series

I found this series through recommendations from a Facebook audio group, and I am so thankful to them; they all spoke highly of it, and I am the same.
It would help if you read/listened to these books in order to tell the stories of the following couples: God and Day, Sin and Fury, Ruxsberg and Green, Michaels and Judge, Steele and Tech, and many side characters.

These books are full of strong alpha males with a soft, horny side. These are great stories that kept me engrossed from the beginning. It didn't feel like 51.5 hours. I thoroughly enjoyed this series.

Aiden Snow does an excellent job of narrating these books. Clear, concise and easy to follow. I did speed up to 1.20 on audible, which is usual for me.

Brilliant, I highly recommend these books.

Nothing Special Series Box Set, Books 1-5
By: A. E. Via
Narrated by: Aiden Snow
Series: Nothing Special Series, Book 1-5
Length: 51 hrs and 39 mins

❤❤❤❤❤ Overall
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration
📚📚📚📚📚 Story
Read at 1.20 speed on Audible

[Wide Eyes, Big Ears! · Rating 5 out of 5]

The men of the elite Atlanta PD Narcotics Task Force work hard and play harder. They’re big muscly men who punch first and ask questions later—and that’s with each other as well as the bad guys! The task force is jointly headed by LTS Cashel “God” Godfrey and Leonidis Day and the two men are partners at work and at home. Each book in this series centres on a different m/m pair, one or both of whom work in the task force:
Book 1: Nothing Special (Lts God and Day, Ro and Johnson)
Book 2: Embracing His Syn (Sgt Syn and mechanic Furi)
Book 3: Here Comes Trouble (Enforcers Rux and Green)
Book 4: Don’t Judge (Sniper Michaels and bondsman Judge)
Book 5: Nothing Special V (Steele and Tech, God and Day)
Bonus Novella: Rux & Green’s son Curtis & God’s brother Genesis

These are high heat / high testosterone action-romances. The characters’ actions don’t always make sense but it’s hard to care about that with so much alpha beefcake! 🎧 Aiden Snow has a really DEEP voice that totally suits the characters and the high level of heat! The box set of the first five books is great value!!

[Ailidh Kloosterhuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came upon this author in one of the fb groups I joined to do a book reading, and am I glad I took the challenge. It has lots of action, emotions, and keeps you addicted from start to finish. The main characters in the 5 books are different couples, but in the same settings. It should be unbelievable that a whole narcotic department consists of gay alpha men who struggle with their emotions when falling in love but are deadly on the streets of Atlanta. But the author describes it realistically, probably because of her backgrounds, and the characters have the same struggles and emotions as we all struggle with. The first couple that comes together are the founders of this special team, long-time friends which seems to become so much more. In the rest of the series, we meet different team members from the brotherhood that will fall in love. In most cases with little drama but plenty of emotions and humour. I can't wait to read more of this series and of this author.

[Mari Cardenas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

What's better than one Nothing Special audiobook? Well, what about 5 action-packed stories in one over 50-hr audiobook? If you're a fan of the series or new to it, this is definitely an audiobook you can't miss out on.

From God & Day to Steele & Tech, passing through Syn & Furious, Rux & Green and Michaels & Judge, and the bonus chapters, you'll get 5 fast-paced, very steamy stories, with Alpha men MCs like Ms. Via likes to share with us. I won't say they're perfect, but they are very entertaining and each story showcases how talented AE Via is at writing action and making her stories believable.

Aiden Snow does a fantastic job with the narration and bringing these men to life. His voice is just perfect to show off how manly these guys are and he really brought the books to a whole other level. Definitely recommendable!

[CB · Rating 5 out of 5]

A total of 8 books in this series, plus a short make for an epic reading marathon full of sexy, sexy MC and action packed stories. I think they are best read in order but you could probably read them as stand-alone's; however, all the MC's (except #7) appear in each other's stories so it's more entertaining to to read them all chronologically.

Looks like there may be at least 1 more to be released in 2022 with 2 new MC's that were briefly mentioned but no need to wait for it as each all the MC's get their love story at the end of each book. I did really love #7 with Ex & Meridian, who were also 2 new MC's just for that book.

[Dhamiera Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were 5 great stories surrounding men of an Atlanta police force that were centered on love. I didn't realize that the relationships were M-M, but that made the love scenes very interesting. My favorite aspect is that the team worked and lived as a family while still pursuing their individual love interests. God (Godfrey) was the leader with Day as his partner and love interest. They were front and center in each story given their positions with the team. Almost every officer was thoroughly discussed and even God's brother Genesis got a small novella. The newcomers were tested but welcomed in by everyone. I loved that each stroy was similar but unique.

[DENICE · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOT DRUG ENFORCEMENT DETECTIVES

These stories are about hot, athletic, policemen who become detectives at a rapid rate due to their dedication to their jobs. It starts with Cashell Godfrey (God) and Leonidas Day (Day) and ends with God’s brother (Genesis) and detectives Green and Row’s adopted son, Curtis. The lives and loves of these detectives and the day to day business of their jobs show that even though they are gay, they live the perilous lives of detective in Atlanta, Georgia. The stories are superbly written.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never get tired of reading these books

All the books in this series grabs you from start to finish. I could never get enough of these characters especially God and Day. I have read these books so many times and each time it's like am reading it for the first time. I even bought the Jazz albums that was mentioned and I love it. A E. You are definitely one of my favourite authors.

[GM Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten Stars!!!! I absolutely love love love this series!!!! The stories are jam packed with amazing characters, edge of our seat suspense and action, and swoon worthy romance. And all wrapped up in a satin smooth bow that is the voice of narrator Aiden Snow. I am hooked with this author, narrator, and the whole cast of hot and steamy characters Miss Via has created. Definitely a must read/listen!!!!

[Enid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I"m rating this one for the BONUS content on the series via Audible. First of all the narrator is excellent. Each book has its own perks but the cohesion of the series is spot on. This series bundle includes a 5 chapter bonus story about Curtis and Genesis (described in one word: beautiful).

It is worth the 50 plus hours of listening.