Temporary Partner

Valor and Doyle Mysteries #1

by Nicky James

Can two rivals work together to solve a case?

When an infant is taken from his carriage in broad daylight, missing persons detective Quaid Valor must race against the clock to find the child and bring him safely home to his family. Unfortunately, Quaid’s partner isn’t available, and his team is spread thin. Begrudgingly, Quaid must accept help from his rival, homicide detective Aslan Doyle, if he wants to get the job done.
Aslan is Quaid’s opposite in every way. He’s bold, outspoken, arrogant, and the office playboy. And much to Quaid’s chagrin, Aslan seems to have set his sights on Quaid as his next conquest.
Quaid doesn’t have time to deal with Aslan’s flirty behavior when he’s trying to solve a case and juggle his cheating ex’s incessant interruptions.
It doesn’t matter how attractive Aslan is or the undeniable chemistry they seem to have. Getting involved with Aslan would be a huge mistake.
But as tension with the case builds, Quaid keeps forgetting he’s supposed to hate this new partner. Maybe Aslan is exactly the kind of distraction he needs.
Temporarily at least.
Right?

**Temporary Partner is the first in the Valor and Doyle Mysteries. Please view any trigger warnings by using the Look Inside feature**

Genres: M M Romance, Mystery, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Crime, LGBT

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2022

About the author

I live in the small town of Petrolia, Ontario, Canada and I am a mother to a wonderful teenage boy (didn't think those words could be typed together...surprise) and wife to a truly supportive and understanding husband, who thankfully doesn't think I'm crazy.

I have always had two profound dreams in life. To fall back hundreds of years in time and live in a simpler world, not bogged down by technology and to write novels. Since only one of these was a possibility I decided to make the other come alive on paper.
I write mm romance novels that take place in fantastical medieval type settings and love to use the challenges of the times to give my stories and characters life.

Reviews

[Snjez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Ever since I read the short prequel to this book, Department Rivals, I couldn't wait for this one to come out and it didn't disappoint.

Quaid and Aslan are now among my favorite bookish detectives. I loved their dynamics, the banter and their chemistry. I just love the way this author writes characters. They feel real and well developed.

There was a good balance between the mystery and the relationship development. The pacing was just right and the way things developed totally worked for me. The mystery itself was excellent and everything made sense in the end.

I'm happy with the way the story ends, though I wish I had book 2 in my hands right now because I can't wait to read more about those two.

Even though it's possible to start the series with this book, I would strongly recommend reading the prequel first. Events from that short story are mentioned here, and it's where Quaid and Aslan 'work together' for the first time. It's really fun, it's a great introduction to both characters and their dynamic, and it just makes for a better reading experience.

*******
Re-read 7/2022: Loved it. Off to read book 2. 🤗
Re-read 10/2022: Listened to the audiobook. Excellent narration by Nick J. Russo.
Re-read 1/2023: via audiobook. Still a favourite.
Re-read 4/2025: via audiobook

[len ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“We did it.”
“Maybe we don’t make such a bad team after all.”
“I won’t tell if you don’t.”
“My lips are sealed. They might make us do this again.”
He softly laughed. “Can’t have that.”
“Never.”

Anything Nicky James writes, I will read.

Although I still have a lot of her backlist unread, I don’t doubt there will be more new favorites I’ll find as I make my way through. Whether long or short, her books always pack some emotion and feeling in them, either related to mental health or hard subject matters not discussed in a lot of different forms of media. Since I know she researches her topics well with in-depth analysis of the subjects she’s writing about (books, television/media, psychology), I don’t ever doubt I’ll be into learning something new and positively assured that it’s been well-researched.

But for Temporary Partner, I can say that it was…enjoyable, to say the least, and while I was definitely hooked on the case, curious about where the relationship is going, and quite honestly, enjoyed some parts from the characters, I can’t help but feel like this is one of my least favorites by Nicky James. Nonetheless, there are still aspects I appreciated and enjoyed, and therefore my enjoyment was not been completely faltered.

For starters, I don’t really read MM mysteries, and when I do, I don’t always go into them more for the characters than the plot. I’m a firm believer that there needs to be a balance in both, and if one is lacking, the book lacks for me. Yet in this aspect, the book wins. There is a pretty moderate balance between the romance that is slowly developing and the case the two characters are investigating. The relationship is not established whatsoever, and there is no HEA or HFN, simply because both characters haven't even thought about each other in a romantic way. So, for anyone wondering, in my opinion, this book is hardly a romance, and romance is not at the forefront. Personally, though, this didn’t bother me, and I’m excited to see where the author takes the two characters and their ongoing lusting fury. Not only do they give in to their attraction after the 50% mark, but the relationship is solely based on attraction and lust at the moment. This would normally bother me, but because it’s a new series, I’m glad the relationship isn’t formed yet. It gives it time to develop, ensuring a small connection is slowly growing where two characters find themselves unexpectedly attracted to each other. I think if the relationship had been established, it would have made the story weaker because it wouldn’t be giving the two rivals time to understand their mutual attraction. Instead, giving a hint of their attraction teases the reader, but allows both characters to get to know each other more.

With that being said, the book is more plot-focused, so for all you character-driven lovers, this can come off as a disappointment. Despite the fact that I am a character-driven person and someone who prefers characters over the plot, I still want that mystery part in my mystery/thriller books. I’m not saying the author needs to make them super complex that I’ll be oblivious to every part, especially since I’m not much of a mystery reader myself, but you gotta give me more than an easy puzzle to solve within the first pages of the book. While the case here was not something that had me at the edge of my seat (as it was not thrilling or anything), it was still entertaining and easy to follow along. Small hints are thrown in between the pages, and it’s a case of whodunnit as we go along with Quaid and Aslan to find out who took a 5-month-old baby. Luckily for me, the case never took over. Instead, the case and relationship knocked over each other a lot. During their investigation, both Quaid and Aslan start developing attraction for each other, all while the case starts being peeled layer by layer.

As for the characters, I can already see some people disapproving of the way they acted. But perhaps it’s because it’s fiction, or because of the magical spell Nicky’s writing always has on me, I could oversee the faults I’m sure others will find in both characters. To an extent. You have Quaid Valor, who’s known to have a stick up his ass, grumpy, isolated, and following his father’s footsteps. Known to be non-approachable, the best way to describe Quaid is by comparing him to an onion: someone with layers that need to be peeled. Sympathizing with him was easy. Even though he may come across dumb for others, I could understand his situation. While he’s aware he should stop giving in to his lying and cheating ex, the manipulation of feeling alone is strongly there. Stubborn, proud, and short-tempered, Quaid is a workaholic but is also afraid of not settling down. At thirty-five, he’s afraid of not finding a partner and starting a family. As the clock ticks by, his time is only getting more limited, so he feels like his only options are going back to his lying ex as he fills him with apologies and words of remorse. His grumpy personality has developed by how his life has been lived, one of loneliness. His story has slowly been revealed as Aslan approaches him with questions to get to know him better, but there’s still a lot left untold with room to be discussed. On the other hand, we have Aslan Doyle, who’s the complete opposite of Quaid. Described as proud and out bisexual playboy, with a flirtatious nature, and as a “fuck it” type of guy, Aslan lives his life peachy. While his work takes over a lot of his time, he’s not going to feel guilty for enjoying things in life that would normally be concerning for someone of his age, at forty two. Yet underneath his flirty personality lies his past where he struggles with alcoholism and feels guilty for it. Both characters are dealing with their own intoxications that slowly pull at them.

But here’s where my praise really ends. Both characters are, without a doubt, unprofessional in their area of work. Aslan’s flirtatious nature gets annoying and sometimes comes off as gross, and Quaid’s added comments don’t necessarily help. A lot of their comments came off as misogynistic and overall rude. Like how the topic of sexual harassment was mentioned once towards Aslan by Quaid, which caused him to ponder it, but then he went back to his previous (unprofessional) remarks, as if nothing really changed. Or how Aslan would sexualize some of the women or comment on their appearance, or calling women whores. Admittedly, the banter was delightful in some parts, but for the most part felt immature. Not only with their comments, but in how they acted during the time they were working. It’s astonishing how two men in their mid-lives acted the way they did during a case featuring a baby who was kidnapped. Granted, I was asking myself how they had such job roles when their personalities felt completely childish during a big part of the job. If you can ignore all this and can get behind the fact that “it’s just fiction,” you should be fine.

Both characters were hypocritical in their own way. While Aslan wore his badge of hookups with pride, Quaid criticized him for it. He’d slut shame him and shake his head, yet he’s one to talk for being someone who goes back to his ex knowing damn well he’s being an idiot. Then there was how pushy Aslan was. At first, I was able to understand why he was bothered with how Quaid kept thinking about Jack (his cheating ex) and not fully ignoring him because it did interfere with the case, and therefore Quaid’s distraction distracted Aslan. Yet, this continued throughout the whole novel, and his pushiness got frustrating. He would tell himself it wasn’t his business, yet would continue making it his business and criticize Quaid for what he was doing. Aslan made Quaid feel worse than he already did by the situation, and it didn’t help at all. For example, when they were interviewing one of the suspects, Lauren, he’d make comments directly and indirectly towards Aslan. He emphasized how someone could possibly continue sleeping with someone when they know they’re cheating, or telling Quaid that he could learn from Lauren because she knew how to deal with a lying, cheating asshole (since she was describing how she immediately left after finding out the person she was sleeping with was a cheater). Like, was it necessary for Aslan to bring up Quai’s personal life during an interrogation? This was 85% in, but throughout the whole book, Aslan spends most of his time mentally slapping Quaid for his actions, bringing up his personal life into their work environment.

As I said, at first I could understand him, but it felt hypocritical. Not only would he say it wasn’t his business but he made it his business, but he also reacted harshly and badly when Quaid not only told him the truth of who he is, but when he pushed his buttons. So in essence, it’s okay for Aslan to push and annoy, but when he’s told one single and truthful comment, he takes it like a kid who’s just had his lollipop taken away. I couldn’t bring myself to care about him after that. Hopefully in the next book he’ll improve or have some sort of development because his two-faced actions provided no reassurance of him being a likable character.

My other problem is how there is no backstory on the rivalry between the departments. We’re just told that the MSU (Missing Persons Unit) and Homicide department hate each other and have a rivalry going on with each other. I would have appreciated some sort of backstory on being told what and why caused this rivalry. Why are these two departments, that deal with serious issues that intertwined, have a rivalry to the point where they hate each other? Why do they act like middle schoolers around each other? Why would one member be considered a traitor if they saw them working with the enemy? We’re introduced to the rivalry in the prequel novella, but even that didn’t help in providing enough story on the reasonings behind these grown-ass men and women acting like middle schoolers around each other.

In conclusion, Temporary Partner, while a little disappointing, still provided a new series that I’m looking forward to seeing more of. I’m excited to see how the feelings of both MC’s will develop, especially because both currently seem emotionally unavailable, and there needs to be some communication the two need to have first before deciding to make more official steps. I’m still excited to see where the author takes us with these two. Although I’m trying to not have high hopes and expectations for new and upcoming releases, with Nicky James being a favorite author of mine, I can’t help it.

[nark · Rating 4 out of 5]

✦ this was a pretty enjoyable read overall! definitely gonna continue with this series.
✦ the mcs - Aslan and Quaid were... interesting. they both annoyed me in their own ways tbh lol. they definitely had nice chemistry overall though. lots of tension, eye fucking, banter and dirty flirting galore.
✦ the case was put together very well. i managed to suspect the kidnapper correctly, which is a shame, but still, there were still some things that i didn't see coming at all.
✦ good ratio between the mystery and the romance. love to see it.
✦ if you're considering reading this, i recommend reading the prequel first. it sets up their whole dynamic pretty well.
✦ definitely want to try book 2 as soon as it comes out. very interested to see how their relationship will develop!

[Drusilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second reading 07/2025
via audiobook: I'm soooo madly in love with these two. It was quite good to reconnect.

First reading 09/2024
Bloody perfection.
I finally understand the hype surrounding these books. So happy I finally read it too.
It was a bit tricky to read it on weekdays when you are constantly distracted by work and the like, or have to sleep in between. My goodness, it was great and so exciting, I really had trouble putting it down. And I definitely wouldn't have expected that after the short prequel book. I also didn't expect the case surrounding the kidnapped baby to take up so much space in the story and keep me reading. That alone is impressive, considering I am so easily distracted or bored.
And then Quaid and Aslan, Aslan and Quaid. Yes, I was briefly annoyed, but luckily it didn't last too long. I don't like this rivalry and mutual ugliness at the precinct. But I started to fall in love with both characters very quickly. And I finally get it, guys I get it. Really fucking perfection.

“You might hate me, Quaid, but when this case is over, you’ll have a hard time forgetting how good it felt when I sucked your cock down my throat and made you come so hard your knees wanted to give out. You’re thinking about it right now, aren’t you?”
His breath stuttered. “You’re not that special, Aslan. And I’m under no illusions that it meant anything to you. What’s done is done. You’ll forget about it in less than a week and move on. I know your type.”
I pulled away, frowning. For the second time in two days, his words hit their mark, and I found myself feeling irrationally wounded. 😳😳😳😳😳😳

[Lau ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two months have passed since the building day when everything started. Valor and Doyle have the memory lingering on their minds, but both have ignored it to keep going with their lives.


Quaid is still with that manipulative Jackhole who keeps cheating on him. Doyle is back to his playboy self to forget about his other cravings, even though it’s not working for him as it used to before Quaid happened. When a baby is missing and Valor finds himself without a partner, they send him Doyle. After all, they have shown how good they are at working together…


I loved this. I have to admit that there were times that the vibe was a bit too light for a missing child case and they keep flirting in inappropriate circumstances, so if you are looking for something realistic/dramatic, this may not be the best option. For me, the balance between the mystery and the romance, the fun and hard scenes was ✨perfect✨


“I’m driving () I always drive on a date.”He winked.
“It’s not a date.”
“It could be a date.”
“It’s not.”
“Maybe a little.”
“Then I’m not going.”


The mystery, which I tend to find boring, was super entertaining. I only figured it out one chapter before they did, so I’m counting it as an author’s win. Although there was one tiny thing that didn’t convince me and the author forgot to explain -for those who read the book: #adoption-, I can’t remember the last time I was reading a thriller/MM romance where I cared about the mystery that much.


As for Aslan and Quaid, I hope they figure out soon they have to be together. I’m in love with Aslan, he hates Jackhole almost as much as me and keeps trying to convince Quaid he deserves better than him, that he’s gorgeous, fun and worthy of all the love. Aslan still doesn’t understand why he’s so worried about Quaid's personal life, but it feels wrong to see him feeling sad and weak and hopeless.


I was pretty sure I was having an emotion. 😶


I may be in love with Aslan, but Quaid is the one breaking my heart. He knows he should break up with Jackhole for good, but he can’t stand the loneliness, the feeling that he’ll never find anyone again, that he’ll never have the family he desperately yearns for. He’s running out of time, his life is a joke and even Aslan pities him. Aslan, whom he’s afraid of falling in love with because he’d be the perfect boyfriend material if he wanted the same as him. Which he doesn’t, and never will. Aslan is a playboy, and Quad has had enough playboys for a lifetime.


“Fuck you,” he muttered.
“Maybe next time?”
() Quaid lanced me with his trademark sneer. “You don’t do repeats, remember?”


I’m super excited to see the development of their relationship, especially of Quaid’s, as he realizes how worthy he is. I hope Aslan figures out soon he’d be better off with Quaid than keeping the only once lie going on…


“We did it.”
“Maybe we don’t make such a bad team after all.”
“I won’t tell if you don’t.”
“My lips are sealed. They might make us do this again.”


PS: I highly recommned to read the prequel novella, #0.5 Department Rivals, before reading this one.


↬ Valor and Doyle Mysteries:

0.5. Department Rivals: 3 stars
1. Temporary Partner: 4 stars
2. Elusive Relationships: 4 stars
3. Unstable Connections: 4.5 stars
4. Inevitable Disclosure: 4.5 stars
5. Defying Logic: 3.5 stars

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

re-read on audio - Feb. 2023
Nick J. Russo did a fine job narrating these two. It was nice going back to their beginning. ♡


4.25**** stars


Okay, I love these guys, not gonna lie. I enjoyed this one a hell of a lot and I already can’t wait for the second book to release.



I loved their work dynamic. They were a good team and even if a little reluctant, had each other’s backs. The case they were on was gripping and I (at least) had no fucking clue who the kidnapper was.

As the next case will be a homicide I’m glad each of them will have experienced the daily work of the other by the end - what hopefully helps to gain more sympathy and respect for the other unit. Aslan is now already there, I think.

I loved that quote:

“I don’t know how you do it,”
“Do what?”
“Work MPU. … It makes me sick.
…
“How is homicide any better? At least if I resolve a case, people come home alive. It’s a victory. Your victims are already dead. There’s no coming back from dead. Same brutality, same sickos, except we were too late to save them.”

Az's and Quaid's romance def starts rocky and it was exciting. But what I didn't like, hence the rating, was that Aslan’s persistence towards Quaid made me feel uncomfortable for Quaid. This was more than just a little sexy banter.

"I’m telling you, one night with me, and you’ll forget all about Jacky-Boy.”
“This conversation is over.”
“Is that a no?”
“That is a no, never, forget it, and you’re out of your goddamn mind.”

He was really pushy but Quaid held up against him as strong as he could. What he gave Aslan was on his own terms and I am so glad about it. So I can leave this book still loving them both. And what they shared was so hot!


Both characters are well developed. I have a feeling I know a lot about them and their inner workings without it all been put out there. I def want to know more about their respective stories and where they’re coming from.

And I must say. How it ended with the two of them got me freaking excited for book #2.



**************
Valor and Doyle Mysteries

Prequel - Department Rivals - 4.5 stars
Book 1 - Temporary Partner - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Elusive Relations - 4.75 stars ♡
Book 3 - Unstable Connections - 5 stars
Xmas-Novella - Relative Commotions 5 stars
Book 4 - Inevitable Disclosure - 4.25 stars
Book 5 - Defying Logic - 4.25 stars
Book 6 - Disrupted Engagement - 4.5 stars
Book 7 - Matrimonial Merriment - 5.0 stars

[Juli · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped reading this book at 14%. Normally I wouldn't rate a book I didn't finish, but here we are.

I've read several books by this author and have enjoyed them - some enough to reread, some enough to 5-star. Investigator husbands are my absolute favorite pairing, and I love a good enemies-to-lovers arc. I read the prequel novella so I had some background. All of that to say that I was really surprised to start reading this book and realize that not only did I not enjoy it, I actively disliked it.

Why does everyone hate each other?
At 14%, I'd been told that the homicide unit and the missing persons unit hate each other to the point where anyone speaking to the other "side" is considered a traitor. Why? I wish I knew. I'd been told that Aslan (from homicide) and Quaid (from missing persons) hate each other more than anyone else. Why? I wish I knew. Sure, they're opposites, but to actively hate someone for being different and to have such unprofessional conversations? Aslan also hates his brother-in-law for reasons that aren't really that reasonable. I wasn't impressed with anyone's emotional maturity.

Why are the characters cardboard cutouts?
The characters in this book are pretty flimsy one-dimensional stereotypes. We have the playboy bisexual MC who will have sex with anything that moves, the uptight gay MC who doesn't connect well with other people, the clingy cheater of an ex boyfriend who can't take no for an answer, the rich young mother with fake breasts. The insults they fling around are equally as flimsy. Even at 14% I expected more depth.

Under the spoiler tag is the MC's first conversation in the book, and so far as we know, only their second conversation ever. It takes place at a crime scene, so in a professional setting:

Quaid: “Mmm… Feels good having a lady between my legs. What do you think, Valor? Oh, wait. Never mind. You don’t know the pleasures of a woman. You’re missing out.”

Aslan: “Did your well of whores dry up? They all discovered what a purebred asshole you are, didn’t they? Gotta take pleasure from a gasoline-powered hunk of steel now, don’t you? A word of advice. Batteries are cheaper. That’s what happens after forty. You lose your appeal—or so I’m told. I have a few years to go yet.”

Quaid: “Wow. That was a whole string of smartass comebacks. I’m impressed. Excuse me while I mark this day on my calendar.” I took out my cell and feigned typing. “Quaid Valor tries to be funny.” I said each word slowly as I fake tapped on the screen. “Unknown entity up his ass must have perished.”

Well, that's a bit of biphobia and misogyny. And there was misogyny in the prequel as well, comments that no other characters even blinked at. There was some fat-shaming in the prequal as well. Was it intentional? Does the author know it's there? Sometimes it's clear that a character is written to have such a prejudice, and it advances the storyline. It's hard to tell here and I'm not sure it advanced the story line.

Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me and I can't recommend it.

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus]]

3.5 stars?? maybe 4? 🤔

a summary in gifs of my reading experience
me during the first half:



however, the second half i was like:


in conclusion, the first half was a struggle for me to get through. not only was i frustrated and annoyed A LOT with both mcs, but also the side characters that kept appearing during the case (everyone was literally yelling/arguing and i'm over here like can yall calm down and talk it out bc this is messy af 😭). i will say, despite my frustrations, i liked how Aslan and Quaid were flawed mcs. to me, a flawed and complex character means potential for character development (and i LOVE reading about character developments in any story) so i can already see the potential for both of them in the later books. i also liked how we got backstories for Aslan and Quaid in a way where the bits and pieces we learned about them only had me intrigued to know more.

the mystery aspect was okay imo... and i think it was bc the yelling and arguing between all the characters just gave me a headache lol but i was right on who the culprit was so i guess there is that.

the romance is non-existent atm, which is understandable bc this is only the first book. so far, i just feel the physical connection between them, but i hope we get to see the emotional part later on as well! the second half was when i truly felt something between them (they had some cute moments, which i appreciated bc it was a nice break from the annoyance i felt previously 🤣) so i'm looking forward to—hopefully—a good development between them as a pair, romantically, but also as individual characters.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okaaaaay, I’m in. I’m so in. THIS WAS SO GOOD!

I don’t even know if I enjoyed the mystery or these characters more?! Both were exceptionally well constructed, with so much depth right off the bat.

The case was genuinely engaging. I was guessing right along with them and only figured it out a few paces ahead, so that’s a huge win in my books! Everything got tied up perfectly and in a really satisfying way.

But honestly, it’s the characters that really got me:
Quaid is the guarded, meticulous, scowling, ‘stick-up-his-ass’, extremely intelligent Missing Persons detective, who’s emotionally bruised by his horrendous ex. His struggles with his (ex)relationship were… a lot sometimes. I kept wanting to shake him and scream “you deserve better!” before kissing his forehead and whispering to him that everything is going to be okay.
But it also felt so very authentic and made me root for him even more to rediscover his self worth after what that scum bag put him through 🥺

And then we have his temporary partner Aslan from the rival department, who is such a little shit - cocky, immature, arrogant as hell - and yet somehow already endearing? At least to me. I could see the softness underneath all that bravado, and I’m obsessed with where this is going.

What I really loved was how much depth we already got. Both of them showed cracks in their armor, just enough to hint at what’s coming next. It felt like a perfect tease - satisfying as is, but clearly just the beginning of something so much more.

And the banter?? The animosity, the tension, the spark?!? JUST SO GOOD. I ate it all up. These two are clearly going to be perfect for each other, and I already want to squish them together and force them to talk about their feelings.

Damn, this was so much fun and I’m so ready for more, so I’m going straight into book 2 😍

PS: I absolutely recommend reading the prequel novella first, I can imagine feeling a smidge lost, if you start with Temporary Partners!

[Sana⁷ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is everything you can expect of it. Will this be an insult if I say that it feels like a fanfic? Some fanfictions are truly phenomenal, beautiful gems found among the rocks. Some are unpolished rocks, with the potential to become something shining and pretty. Others are just rocks, hard, with edges, that you cannot fix no matter what. Temporary Partner feels like one of the rocks, I just can't decide if it has a potential to become more or not.

Normally a story that it's exactly how you might expect of it wouldn't be a problem, but for a reader like me, well, I expected something much more. Something much better.

I will try to keep this review short and quickly make a list of things that I liked and I didn't like about this book.

The plot:

Temporary Partner follows two detectives, Quaid Valor and Aslan Doyle, that becomes temporary partners to solve a mystery of a missing five month old baby. From the very beginning there is a tension between them. They do not see eye to eye, not just because of an existing rivalry between their departments (Quaid works for MPU and Aslan works for homicide), but also because of what had happened between them in the previous case they worked on together. They have to brush aside whatever conflicts they had with each other to find missing kid.


Things that I liked:

~ The case.

I was instantly hooked to it, eagerly waiting for all the missing clues and trying to figure out who the culprit is.

~ The loving father/son relationship.

That's something that is surprisingly rare to find. Usually one or both characters suffer of daddy issues, but here Quaid managed to build a great relationship with his father, which I really liked.

~ An autistic representation.

Graham, Aslan's nephew, is autistic. And both Graham's mother and uncle are not only aware of this, they are clearly educated and know how to behave around him. Both are not dismissing his needs and are giving the kid their full attention, praising him and having understanding of him being in his own little world. I loved that a lot.

~ Aslan's clear adoration for his nephew and niece.

He would catch the moon for these kids if they only asked. That's so cute.

~ Quaid's awareness of how other people perceive him.

He knows that he appears as unfriendly, and usually it doesn't bother him, but he's always doing his best to look sympathetic when he's talking to witnesses.

~ Quaid's dutifulness towards his job.

The man is practically married to his job. It makes him miserable, because of all the missing people and sad stories, but you can sense how serious he is about every case. He's fully focused on his job, doing his best to solve the case and often paying the price for it with his health and his internal struggles.

~ Aslan's being aware of Quaid's health problems and always giving him a helping hand.

I can say many unpleasant things about Aslan's character, but I liked how often he noticed Quaid's exhaustion and sadness. He encouraged him to eat and go to sleep so he could function better the next day. Also made him laugh and distracting him from thinking about his ex.

~ Aslan's addiction problem.

I liked that he had it and that he could admit that he has a problem, instead of hiding it and trying to battle his demons alone. It made him more real and more sympathetic.


Things I didn't like about this book: (it doesn't feel like much, but these are a very significant problems for me)

~ Aslan's POV.

He had a stick up his ass a mile long, was cold, cynical, standoffish, and sadly, one of the hottest fucking guys I'd ever met in my forty-twk years of life. Despite all of his negative traits, it took effort to be in his presence and not throw him over the first hard surface I could find and fuck his brains out.

Life would have been easier if his physical attributes didn't tick all my boxes and make my dick hard.

I watched his throat work, and my mind went immediately to the gutter. I bet he could deep-throat without gagging. Hell, I bet he sucked a mean cock. Something about the anal-retentive type. They always thought they had something to prove. What wouldn't I give to find out.
I shifted in my seat when my jeans got tight.

I HATED his POV. I truly hated to be in his head. He has some sympathetic moments, I can admit that, but overall it was very unpleasant for me to read a story from his perspective. I disliked all his comments with a sexual overtone that he send towards Quaid and I hated how easily he changed a cute moment into a sexual one. He irritated me how unprofessional he was in his job, shamelessly ogling the potential witnesses, throwing rude comments and not focusing on his case. I didn't like his "sense of humour" at all. It was truly exhausting for me to get through his POVs.

~ The Quaid and Aslan relationship.

I wanted to see an emotional connection, but their relationship is based on a sexual attraction. It's not something I'm looking for, unfortunately.

~ The Quaid and Jack drama.

He didn't care if I was neck-deep in a case and didn't have time for him. He didn't care that I'd put my foot down after six times catching him with another guy and had told him to never contact me again. Jack simply didn't care. I didn't know how long this whole act would last since I'd caves each and very time before. It wasn't even that I believed he could change. It was simply easier to take him back and turn a blind eye to his extracurricular activities no matter how much it hurt.

Why was it needed? I'm genuinely asking, because I don't know. Why there always has to be an ex that's a cheating bastard and why there always has to be a character that's, for some reason, cannot free himself from the obviously toxic relationship? I would perfectly understand if Quaid was gaslighted by Jack, if he was constantly hearing how unlovable he is, how unattractive, how nobody would want him, how there is only one person who he could count on. You know what I mean? If he was a completely insecure person who would feel trapped, without any way to free himself, despite knowing that he's in a toxic relationship. But that's NOT who Quaid is. He's a man with a great job and great reputation, having a loving father, with great looks - he could have anybody he could want (Aslan's is a perfect example of it). But despite that, for some reason, he's battling with a feeling of loneliness, and because of that, he's tolerating a cheating bastard as his boyfriend. It didn't make sense to me at all.

~ The sex scenes.

"You have such a pretty mouth, Quaid. I bet you can do amazing things with it."
"I guess you're about to find out."

If someone enjoys reading things like this, great, no judgement here. But for me sex scenes written this way are cringe and make me uncomfortable.


I will read book two right after this one, hoping that things will change for the better, but who knows. I hope that the case will be interesting, at least! ;)





Valor and Doyle Mysteries series - my rating:

Temporary Partner: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
Elusive Relations: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4,5/5)
Unstable Connections: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
Inevitable Disclosure: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

[NicoleR.M.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished the audio and wow!! What a perfect job Nick Russo did, once again!
I can’t wait for him to finish the third book in this series.

4,5 Stars.

Nicky James is such a talented author - she can write everything, whether it's a heavy, angsty book, a lighter enemies to lovers, suspense, or books about phobia's; they at least have one thing in common and that is that they all touch my heart, make me feel all the feels. Her characters are always dimensional, genuine and real, with flaws and imperfect traits.
She can write steamy, sexy scenes, or write a book that's heavier on the romance. Either way, I will read them all.

This is the story of Quaid and Aslan. Opposites, and supposedly enemies since they both work for a different Toronto Police department and they don't think very highly about each other’s departments. Aslan is a homicide detective with a reputation of being a player. He's bi-sexual and hasn't made a secret out of it. Quaid is from the Missing Persons Unit. A gay detective with a supposedly stick up his ass, and they are forced to work together in a case of a missing baby. The MPU is short in personnel and Quaid’s usual partner is temporarily unavailable.

Aslan likes to rattle Quaid every now and then, specially when mentioning the kiss they shared a couple of months before, something Quaid would love to forget about. (You can read all about that kiss in the free prequel to this series, Department Rivals).
But for some reason, they work. They find their groove together and get to know each other on a more personal level. Both struggle with different topics in their lives and the longer they work together, the more there seems to be a natural interest in each other's lives. Quaid has his reasons why he joined the MPU and he has a very persistent ex, who cheated on him, but who doesn’t seem to understand the message that they are over. Quaid’s own mixed signals aren’t very helpful in that matter.

”Can I say something?”
“No,” he snapped. “For the love of God, please don’t.”
“You deserve better than that piece of shit.”
“I’ll file your opinion away with everyone else’s, thank you very much.”
I huffed a laugh. “Don’t get pissy with me. I’m not the one who stuck his dick where it didn’t belong. How many times before you learn your lesson, huh? This isn’t love.”
“Like you’d know what love looks like.”

Aslan struggles with other stuff, like the care for his sister and her kids with an (mostly) absent father, and his alcohol addiction.

Despite Quaid's denial, there is a palpable sexual tension between them, a chemistry that is undeniably there. And as a reader, you wonder how long it will take for them to give in. I loved their dynamics, their banter. How Aslan kept pushing Quaid's boundaries. It was surely entertaining and there was great humor too. When you decide to read this book (and I recommend you do!) you have to be aware that there will be no HEA or not even a HFN, since the romance is still under construction. There’s not even anything more than just plain sex in sight.

”Can we get through this case without it being awkward?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“It probably shouldn’t have happened.”
I shrugged. “It is what it is. I’m not sorry.”
The soft hint of a smile he wore faded and I read his mind like it was a billboard on the side of the highway.
“I’m just another nudge in your bedpost now, huh?”
“Let’s go figure out what we’re doing,” he said, his voice huskier than usual.

The suspense part - the missing baby - is neatly solved when you close the book. It hadn't put me on the edge of my seat, but it sure held my attention throughout the book, and there were some unexpected twists and turns, so it was just as entertaining as the romance. I thought it was pretty well balanced.
Another winner by Nicky's hand, and I can't wait to see what she'll come up with next.

I kindly received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my voluntarily, unbiased review

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5* Somewhat reminiscent of the 80s cop buddy movies, but with leading gay/bi characters.

“Rumor has it you’ll screw anything with two feet and a heartbeat.”

Detective Quaid Valor (35) works in the Missing Persons Unit. He is a perfectionist at work and home, but has a habit of taking his cheating boyfriend back multiple times.

Aslan Doyle (30s?) works in homicide. He is obnoxious playboy, equally dating men and women, and never going back for seconds.

There is serious rivalry between homicide and the MPU.

They are asked to work together on a case of a missing five-month-old child. The jokes made by Doyle is on par for this type of story, but still obnoxious. Despite his immature behavior, Doyle seems to understand Valor’s inner workings. They play off each other well.

Found it very unprofessional that Doyle was distracted by boobs in a bikini while questioning a woman over her missing child. Contrary to that behavior, he is a wonderful uncle to his sister’s children.

A decent mystery, with loads of screwed up people, hot sexual encounters and slowly developing characters made this story entertaining.

Ends on a hfn, but no committed relationship.

[MarianR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't think of a single book by Nicky I don't enjoy. 😎💞
It's not necessary but I recommend you read the prequel. I think it gives you more perspective on the life of the mcs and you see them working together for the first time. Also i personally felt that in the prequel there was more rivalry than in this one? Idk, maybe is just me. 🤷‍♀️🧐

But well! First of all, this is not a book about romance, so if you start it with that in mind stop because this is just the BEGINNING of the couple's possible-future romance (here begins our patience).🥴💀

Summary: We have Quaid and Aslan, detectives from different departments, working together on a case of a missing child. Both are opposites and while they are solving the mystery they cannot deny the attraction they have. 👀🤭

It has more mystery and things of the case, with some moments of tension and with some kiss and other things😏🥵 but oh dear, in terms of the emotional? A disaster.
Both mcs are not ready.

-I think Quaid needs therapy, with some stuff (spoiler) and his ex is the worst. So i hope that in the next books we see that.
Also i can see the issues about trusting that he is going to have when he starts a relationship with Aslan. Again, his ex is the worst.
-It's fun to read Aslan, but even though here is mentioned about his alcoholism problem, i don't think things get any easier in the next ones. 😭

I can't wait for the next one! 🤩❤️

A little abot them:
"You’re much prettier.”
“Could you not?”
“Not what? Stare at your ass every time you turn around? I’ll try. It’ll be hard not to.” I gave him a chef’s kiss and mouthed. “Perfection.”

A little about Aslan:
"I hope you’re writing this down. This woman knows how to deal with a lying, cheating asshole. You could take a lesson from her.”

A little about Quaid:
"The ones I surrounded myself with were the cases I’d been assigned to over the years. The ones I’d never solved. They were the faces that infiltrated my dreams at night, calling me a failure. For every new person I hung on the wall, a small piece of me died inside."

[Elisa Glendenning (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars 💫

I thought the prequel novella was pretty great but this exceeded expectations. I haven’t been this excited over a crime fighting duo since Criminal Intentions!!!

In the beginning, I wasn’t too sure as both MCs didn’t come off well in my eyes. Aslan (still hate the name 🙄) was just a tad inappropriate and Quaid frustrated me for putting up with his cheating ex boyfriend for so long. However, it didn’t take me long to get fully on board. These two not only have intriguing backstories, they have serious chemistry/banter and the case itself, whilst not suspenseful, kept me entertained and mostly guessing right until the very end.

I also really loved how they worked the case together, leaving no stone unturned - it felt spot on to me (many a time have I been left frustrated when police procedures haven’t been portrayed realistically 🙄). I actually kind of wish they hadn’t cracked the case but I didn’t dwell on that for too long, especially after the penultimate chapter which was not only deliciously hot, but oh so satisfying! couldn’t wait for Aslan to run into Quaid’s ex and it didn’t disappoint 🤣

Cannot wait for the next instalment!!!

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Aslan and Quaid are a fantastic detective duo that are the perfect opposites attract and grumpy/sunshine dynamic. On top of the great chemistry Aslan and Quaid both have, I also appreciate both detectives having personal struggles that are very different and surprising compared to how they portray themselves to the public. I loved that for whatever reason Aslan and Quaid are unable to lie and pretend around each other, because they both have an uncanny ability to see through every façade.

Besides the great detective element, the overall mystery of finding a kidnapped baby was well executed in how the case progressed and developed. Leaving me surprised at how everything turned out.

Overall I enjoyed this great start to a very promising series that leaves me excited to see the next installment with Quaid and Aslan. They both are left in such a precarious situation and I'm exciting to see what happens next.

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 5 Stars

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook - 4.5 stars. Thank you Simone. 😊😘😘

Story - 3.5 stars

I ended up liking this one. Especially the mystery, it kept me glued from the beginning to the end. Loved the writing, it flowed so well.

As for the characters! Oh boy! They didn't sound like adults. Aslan talked like a horny dude bro who peaked in college. Gosh! what the hell was that? Anyway, I have hopes for him still, I hope he matures as the series progress. No one is that horny all the time. Something odd is, I like Aslan a lot. I just wish he sounded his age.

Quaid was okay, I still need more time with him, he might just end up being a favourite but laaawd! He needs to get rid of that ex. UGH!! Really Quaid? you are better than that.

Overall, it is a good start to this series. Started listening to book 2 and the mystery has got me hooked already. I believe, I have been mystery starved for a while now.

[BookSafety Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Loneliness had substance. It had the power to consume me. It ate at my core. It crawled into the tiny cracks left behind in my heart from Jack’s lies and betrayal.

It’s a good thing I love Nicky James as much as I love romantic suspense, because Aslan Doyle is absolutely insufferable, lol. A manwhore who brags one minute and gets angry for being called out on his promiscuous ways the next. The emotional maturity of a 10 year old. Purposefully commenting hurtful things. Super crude. Honestly, during this book, he’s the exact opposite of a catch.



It’s my second time trying to read this series (don’t think I finished book 2 last time), and I know he gets better, but a character like that would normally make me give up. But in Nicky James we trust, and I’ll try to stick around long enough to get to the good stuff (i.e. character development) this time.

Quaid is not a perfect character by any means, but I have a much easier time understanding and empathizing with him. I mostly just hurt for him, and want him to stand up for himself with his awful ex. He’s lonely and hurting, and he’s got tall-ass walls and mostly just seems cold to others.

I studied the ceiling, wondering how the next ten minutes would play out. I imagined Aslan would come back into the room, dress, and tell me to have a nice life. “And that’s fine,” I said under my breath. “I knew that going in.”

I really love how the police case is built up and solved. Super clever, and even when you think you know what’s going on, you don’t actully know.

I know I’m gonna kinda dislike both main characters in book 2, so here’s for book 3, lol.

And yes, even after this shitshow review, it’s 5 stars. I might think Aslan is a used wetwipe, but it’s so well written.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Series
Romantic suspense
Police procedural
Coworkers
Law enforcement
Enemies to lovers
Reformed manwhore (eventually)
Commitment issues
Trust issues
Emotional slow burn

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
MC recovering alcoholic (no relapse)
MC experiencing cravings
Infant kidnapped (off page)
Some details of SC with chronically ill child (hospitalized)
Sexual harassment
Details of MC being cheated on by ex
Themes and details of infertility (side character)
Mentions of parent suffering a stroke (past, off page)
MC harassed by ex (texts, calls)
On-page dissociation
Alcoholic MC tasting alcohol through kiss
Alcohol consumption (not by addict MC)
Explicit sexual content
Low self-esteem and sense of self-worth
Brief mention of SC having miscarriages (past, off page)
MCs using guns (no shots fired)
MC’s sibling gone missing as a child (not found)
Disordered eating (skipping meals, eating too little, extreme focus on health)

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Quaid is harassed by his cheating ex throughout the book
Breakup: N/A, not actually together yet
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Romantic suspense
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 35 and 42
Series: Series, book 1
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 357
Happy ending: No (not yet)


“Go.” “Sorry. Got caught up in all your beauty. Sue me.” My comment earned me his trademark sneer and the finger. I chuckled. If only he knew that was not a turnoff.

Another tiny bead of precum formed on his tip right before my eyes, and I caught it on my tongue, slowly drawing away and letting the clear bead stretch between us. Quaid groaned loud enough I cast a glance up. He stared down with parted lips and yearning. “That is so hot.”

I was too easily manipulated. I must have had the word desperate tattooed on my forehead for every jerk on the planet to see.



You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...

[alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.5] a sneering grump & a vivacious flirt from rival departments against a mystery backdrop? CALL ME FULLY INVESTED.

>> while optional, i highly recommend reading the short prequel beforehand to get the full context of a team-building event alluded to often in the story. you can find the link at the start of the book. <<

when the missing persons unit has their hands full and have no choice but to request an extra pair from homicide, Quaid and Aslan unexpectedly find themselves teamed up once again, this time for a real case.

their dynamic is rivetingly charming—on one hand, you have Quaid (infamously known as "Mr. Anal Retentive") always aiming for the jugular with his low blows, and then there's Aslan, casually referring to his "nice Italian sausage" like it's your average Sunday Funday 🤣 you can imagine how adorable their mutual quips can be.

an example of typical Aslan shenanigans:

"Wow. That was a whole string of smartass comebacks. I'm impressed. Excuse me while I mark this day on my calendar." I took out my cell and feigned typing. "Quaid Valor tries to be funny." I said each word slowly as I fake tapped on the screen. "Unknown entity up his ass must have perished." I gave him a once-over, cocking a brow. "I didn't think you came with a sense of humor. It's kinda hot."

but there are also layers to each character that gradually unravel as their backstories are explored, from the toxic cycle Quaid is trapped in with his cheating ex, to his reason for joining the MPU, to Aslan's struggle with alcoholism and his dedication to his roles as both brother and uncle.

i was slightly concerned re: the extent of Aslan’s flirtations on the job, but i needn’t have worried 😌 giving a special mention to Nicky James for addressing the arguably sexual harassment behavior instead of brushing it aside as is often done in the genre 👏🏼

keep in mind that the romance is still ongoing (as in i wouldn't even consider the ending HFN, let alone HEA, since the possibility of an actual relationship hasn't so much as crossed their minds yet), so patience is key on that front. however i'm sure the payoff will be delicious and absolutely worth the wait.

while the mystery doesn't possess the same nail-biting tension as the author's other works (the suspect pool is small and there isn't a palpably substantial threat to the safety of the MCs themselves), the fact that i read this in one go and the slew of developments left me pondering the agony of wanting something that you physically can't have after putting the book down is proof enough.

all aboard the Valor and Doyle train!

*already predicting there will be readers pointing out the blatant unprofessionalism in certain scenes, but as an avid Hazard & Somerset series fan, rest assured that this is nothing in comparison 😂

[Saimi Vasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando un bebé de 5 meses desaparece en pleno día del patio de su casa, el jefe de la unidad de secuestros y desaparecidos llama a Quaid Valor para que se encargue del caso. Pero su compañera no esta disponible por un problema familiar, así que le asignan como compañero temporal al detective de homicidios Aslan Doyle. Así que dejando la rivalidad entre departamentos de lado, ambos detectives se deberán enfocar en encontrar las suficientes pistas y desentrañar el misterio de la desaparición del infante. Sin embargo, todas las personas involucradas son sospechosas. ¿Cómo lograrán los detectives encontrar la suficiente información para recuperar el bebé si todos mienten? ¿Porqué secuestrar a ese niño? ¿Podrán realmente trabajar juntos?

Este es uno de esos libros que te da exactamente lo que estas esperando. Está lleno de acción, misterio, diversión y sarcasmo que hacen la lectura rápida y entretenida. Además nuestros protas tienen una química increíble, sus reacciones y diálogos están llenos de sarcasmo y doble sentido, que refleja su verdadera personalidad.
Me gusto muchísimo como se manejo el misterio, como el autor nos guío por todos los personajes hasta que nos hizo ver los verdaderos culpables (los que menos me esperaba), pero todavía haciéndonos ver que no todo lo que parecía era así.
Así que voy a seguir la lectura de esta serie, esperando que los demás libros los protas desarrollen una relación mucho mas profunda y poder conocer sus pasados y sus verdaderos sueños para el futuro.

[Gustaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was brilliant.
I was engaged in the mystery plot from the very beginning and even though I thought I had figured out the bad guys pretty early (which I had), the plot kept me engaged and second guessing myself. bot Aslan and Quaid were great characters and their chemistry was off the hook. Even though the romance took the backseat for the mystery and we are leaving this book without too much of a relationship development between them, I'm sure they will get there. And the times they did get together, let's just say it was explosive.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. I need more. ASAP.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the prequel, I didn’t expect to find Aslan and Quaid’s mindset at the beginning of this book to be mostly unchanged when it came to the hostility between their units and, to a certain degree, even between each other. At first, I thought it the downside of the prequel showing how they seemed to have made progress, even after a day, while the first book still had to establish their characters and initial dynamic for the readers who didn’t read the prequel. Maybe it was a little bit of that, but after thinking about it and seeing the characters’ reasoning and how they processed and reacted to the events of the prequel, I think it worked quite well, it was both in character and realistic that the slight progress made that day would be too little to take root without some reinforcement. Given that there’s a gap of a few months between the prequel and this book, it makes sense that the reinforcement phase is still very much in progress.

So, Aslan and Quaid get thrust into a temporary partnership to deal with a baby’s kidnapping. And yes, the reasons for their names are addressed here and in Aslan’s case it made clear how he turned up this way. What else could you expect from the child of a woman who named her son ‘Aslan’ because she’s a huge fan of Narnia? I excused a lot of his more childish remarks after learning that. 😂
I had more than a few occasions to “forgive” him and it goes to the writing’s credit—or maybe just my mood, who knows—that it didn’t bother me how often he straddled, and in at least one occasion went way over, the line between professional and unprofessional behavior with his comments.

The investigation was interesting and well-done. It kept me guessing until the end, even though some of my suspicions turned out to be correct.
The best part was once again what I mentioned in my review of the prequel: I loved how flawed these guys are. They have real issues that are not even close to being solved at the moment. They make progress and then there are setbacks, both in their relationship and their individual issues. It could’ve so easily been frustrating, and I won’t lie, sometimes seeing them going from almost friendly to back-to-full-blown-hostility gave me whiplash, but it was done in a good way. They were (mostly) mature enough to deal with it without making me feel like I was reading about thirty- or forty-year-old teenagers and at the same time no magic cock or kiss made their every problem disappear.

This is very much the first book in a series, and it is exactly how I think a first book should be and so rarely is in this genre: there’s still a lot to deal with in the relationship and they are nowhere near together by the end of the book. They’ve had sex, they are clearly getting close, especially in Aslan’s case there are evident signs that the resident playboy has found the person who’ll make him rethink is avoidance of commitment, Quaid seems to have finally learned how to put his foot down and not get sucked back in the toxic cycle with his cheating asshole ex, but who’s to say any of this will stick? I wouldn’t even consider the ending of this book HFN, not in the way that usually means, and I love that. Most of the best series I’ve read in this genre started with something like this, setting everything up for the relationship development and leaving the rest of the series for the actual development, because what’s the point of making it a series if the characters are madly in love and everything’s perfect by the end of the first book?
I hope this is a good sign and I very much look forward to the next book.

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus - · Rating 5 out of 5]

A month later... Audiobook = ***4 ❤️

*************************

Story = ***4.5 - 5 ❤️***

[Papie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I.LOVED.THIS.SO.MUCH.

Serious anal Quaid, and sexy pushy laid back Aslan, working together to solve a baby kidnapping.
Their banter, their chemistry, the way they pull the good cop/bad cop routine.

The mystery had me on the edge of my seat. I loved all the crazy secondary characters, aka suspects.

I had so much fun! Jumping straight to the next book!

[Em Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highly engrossing series opener. Temporary Partner (re?)introduces us to detectives Quaid Valor and Aslan Doyle as they team up on a missing child case. Apparently there is a prequel to this book that I did not read, but I’d definitely recommend doing so if you plan to pick this up. I could follow along fine, but details from the prequel are referenced and I think I would have had a better reading experience with full context.

35 year-old Quaid Valor is a detective with the Missing Person Unit and his life is the job. He’s highly stressed with uptight tendencies that seem to come loose when loneliness starts peaking its head in. 42 year-old Aslan Doyle is a detective with the Homicide unit and his life is also the job. Unlike Quaid, Aslan lives an unattached life hopping from bed to bed without a care in the world and is much more flexible when it comes to the definition of rules. The two detectives do not get along. Quaid wants Aslan far away from him, and Aslan is mostly indifferent outside of the fact that he wants far into Quaid’s pants. I think this is where reading the prequel would’ve helped because I wasn’t sure I even liked Aslan the first half of the book. He’s 42 but reads like a 21 year-old horny, inappropriate f-ckboy. His come-ons felt more gross than flirtatious, so I think maybe the prior book established (and explained) their dynamic better. That said, the latter half of the book I really liked him and the budding situationship with Quaid. I have a feeling watching them unfold is going to be tucked away nicely in my favorite couples lexicon.

The case in this was good! This story is very 50/50 (ok maybe 60/40) when it comes to the mystery and romance so I was happy the mystery kept me glued in until the end. Like I said up top, it was a great opener and I’m looking forward to diving in more. Quaid and Aslan have a journey ahead and I think it’s going to be an exciting one.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! On to book 2

[Kaity · Rating 2 out of 5]

2-2.5 stars

Ehh… soo hmm.. 😕

Currently sitting here thinking about the book I read, thinking to myself how much I wished I liked it more. I was excited when I saw the audio came out today, and I one clicked that since I enjoy some Nicky James writing!

But it seems the last couple Nicky James books haven’t clicked with me as much as her “Trials of Fear” series. I honestly didn’t really like either main character in this book..

Aslan was a little too annoying and didn’t take it well when his behavior was thrown in his face or he was called out for being a player, when it seemed like that was a status he embraced… he also sexualized all the women they were questioning (Clara, Lauren, literally any women).. it was weird and if I were those lady’s I would have been extremely uncomfortable in that officers presence. I get that was to show he was the “player” of the homicide squad but umm he should have been written up for harassment with all the things he was doing!

And Quaid…I just plain thought he was an idiot…idk,I know I can’t talk since I haven’t been in a toxic relationship but dear god his relationship with Jack literally drove me bonkers.. everyone told him he deserved better, yet he still would give let Jack take up space in his mind, i was shook it took waaaay over the 50% mark probably closer to the 70% mark for him to block Jack on his phone...I didn’t get why it took him that long to do that.

I will say that Aslan and Quaid did have some good banter moments, but to me they were few and far between.

The main reason is stuck with the book was for the mystery, I had a good idea of who the culprit could be and I was right, but not some of those twists at the end those got me.

This was definitely not a “romantic suspense/mystery” it was a mystery with some sexual tension (and two sex scenes) but it didn’t end with them getting together, it was them ending in a better “friendship” place than they started out in. Not really a HFN situation..

I felt like maybe I should have read the prequel novella that was brought up at the beginning in the authors note.. I think that would have cleared the air about the MPU and Homicide, and why those two departments hate each other.. it literally made no sense.. I was confused.

Nick J Russo narrated this book, he did a good job, kept me going when I probably would have DNF’ed if I was just reading it physically.

At this point I am not sure if I will pick up book two..but never say never…

[Ben Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the surface our duo in Temporary Partner couldn't be more opposite. The hostility between their two teams; Quaid Valor in the Missing Persons Unit and Aslan Doyle in Homicide. The rivalry between the two departments gives Quaid and Aslan's relationship an almost star-crossed lovers aspect.

Quaid is by the books and always has a disapproving scowl at the ready whenever Aslan's being Aslan. Aslan on the other hand is the playboy of the office, who's willing to skirt the rules to solve a case.

A department stretched thin and a missing child case puts Quaid and Aslan together as partners. A recipe for certain disaster.

Quaid and Aslan have that perfect opposites attract going on. I loved seeing Aslan's ridiculousness finally crack a smile out of Quaid. Both have a lot more going on than either of them let show through their façade. We get bits of them opening up to each other here, but it's just the beginning.

As partners on the case, they work very well together. Once you look past the arguing bookended by totallywork appropriate flirting and innuendos. If I ever get kidnapped in a fictional book, I hope they're on the case!

While I was definitely more interested in Valor and Doyle's relationship, the mystery was also engaging. It was full of family drama, dark secrets, and twists.

Another mystery romance series to binge equals a happy Ben :D

[Eugenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The too lazy to write a review review: I’m digging these two men & I mean to follow them through this series.

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Again the Nicky-Nick combo has given me a win.

The book: Quaid and Aslan work in rival departments in the Toronto PD and they are put together on a case.
To say that Quaid doesn't like Aslan is a understatement. He shows it every chance he gets. But he's also attracted to him which, in his opinion, is inconvenient.

Aslan on the other hand is extremely attracted to Quaid and after that kiss they shared, he wants more, Even though they have different needs. Aslan is a playboy who doesn't want commitment while Quaid want a monogamous serious relationship and a family.

That doesn't stop the sparks from flying though and they finally succumb to these sparks, with a NSA hookup.

I loved seeing Aslan the playboy unconsciously start falling for Quaid.
Quaid is a tougher nut to crack, but there were some interest from him as well.

There was a good balance between the romance and the mystery, and I loved that neither overshadowed the other. I loved the procedures described and I loved their banter.
And the steam? yum!

The audiobook: Nick Russo absolutely nailed the voices. I adore his narrations, and this audio is no exception. the emotions, the tones he used: He was prefect for this book.

Niggles:
- Aslan came off as too much of a horndog in the beginning. Thank goodness it petered down.

- Quaid taking his ex back after SO MANY cheating incidents made him come off as a bit spineless . It made me question his judgment and took me a while to warm up to him.