Wow. Wow. I was SO disappointed in this book. I loved the first 2 books in the series and was expecting something of similar quality. It was nowhere near this - it was almost like a completely different author wrote this one. A very impatient author who rushed just about everything. Things that didn't work for me;
The MCs:
- Tommy's personality didn't work for me at all and made absolutely no sense - it was like it completely changed shortly after Mateo's arrival. He'd suffered some of the worst abuse possible, being all weak and miserable when Stephen attacked him, yet suddenly he's threatening Mateo with a knife, demanding to fuck him, watching Mateo shoot his stalker in the knee without blinking and confident as ever about Mateo's family liking him? One second breaking down because Pablo told Mateo about his past, the next boldly showing off the scars on his wrists and talking about his past? And what on earth was up with him suddenly being some pro sex fiend in the bed after what he'd been through, after his limited and very, very bad experience? Seriously, what the fuck. Tommy made absolutely ZERO sense to me and it destroyed the book for me.
As for Mateo, what was the man thinking? In the beginning he was logical, feeling sorry about having pushed Tommy too far. But only minutes passed in Tommy's company before he was all up in Tommy's face and days later he was pushing him again for commitment and sex. If this book should've worked just a little bit, they would've had to take their TIME. Slowly grow to know and trust each other again. This went way, way too fast! Everything in this book was just rushed. My neck started hurting from a whiplash with the speed and force of their personality changes.
- The FBI agents who just walks in and tells two ex-gangmembers with absolutely no ties to law enforcement about a huge undercover sting? Seriously? Which part of this made sense to anyone? I am... speechless!
- Mateo wakes up form a "click" in the living room, yet Stephen doesn't hear Mateo wake up Tommy, explain the situation, the both of them get up, put on their clothes while discussing nick names? Is he deaf?
- Mateo and Tommy being so "easy" with their new relationship. We're talking about a tough guy, a gang-member who's had to hide his bi-sexuality the majority of his life of fear of being killed for it because of a volatile environment, someone who spent so many years in a violent gang, who's NEVER had a serious relationship before - and a guy who was beaten and abused his entire childhood, who's never been in a relationship or let other people in before. Yet, wow, look at that, they take it like fish to water. Again, not believable.
It's rare that I write reviews, I usually don't care enough, but this really, really disappointed me. Loved book 1 and 2, didn't get through book 3, but this, eurgh!