Reviewed by Vicki

TITLE: Dirty Heart 

SERIES: Cole McGinnis #6

AUTHOR: Rhys Ford

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 204 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2016

BLURB:

Final book in the Dirty Series arc.

Former LAPD detective Cole McGinnis’s life nearly ended the day his police partner and best friend Ben Pirelli emptied his service weapon into Cole and his then-lover, Rick. Since Ben turned his gun on himself, Cole thought he’d never find out why Ben tried to destroy him.

Years later, Cole has stitched himself back together. Now a private investigator and in love with Jae-Min Kim, a Korean-American photographer he met on a previous case, Cole’s life is back on track—until he discovers Jeff Rollins, a disgraced cop and his first partner, has resurfaced and appears to be working on the wrong side of the law.

As much as Cole’s fought to put the past behind him, he’s soon tangled up in a web of lies, violence, and death. Jeff Rollins is not only trying to kill Cole’s loved ones, he is also scraping open old wounds and long-forgotten memories of the two men Cole loved and lost. Cole is sure Rollins knows why Ben ruined all their lives, but he isn’t looking for answers. Now Cole is caught in a cat-and-mouse game with a cold-blooded killer with the key to not only his past but his future.

REVIEW:

Ugh! This is so hard! I started Dirty Kiss, the first book in the Cole McGinnis series, on January 29, 2013. I quickly caught up with the series, and eagerly awaited the last couple as they released. I deeply and truly love this series. To make them even better, I’ve listened to the awesome narration provided by Greg Tremblay, as he has brought the voice of Cole alive for me. I was heart-broken when I heard Rhys was ending the series, or at least resolving this current story line. She has said we’ll see Cole and Jae in the future but this series is over. Sob! But I do see why she feels it’s time to end it.

This review will contain spoilers the other books in the series, but will NOT contain spoilers for THIS story.

For those of you unfamiliar with the series, the books follow Cole McGinnis, former cop, as he rebuilds his life after losing his lover Rick, and his best friend Ben, and nearly losing his own life. In a night of tragedy, Ben murdered Rick, in the arms of Cole, almost killing Cole, then Ben turned the gun on himself. Cole has no idea why this happened. And we don’t either, for five books. Each book has its own story that is completed at the end of the book. During the first book we find out Cole is now a private investigator, and as part of a case he is introduced to Jae. Cole and Jae have a rocky romance, Jae being Korean and deeply in the closet, eventually being forced out, and forced to choose between Cole and his family. Cole has his own issues, he and his brother Mike are off and on, until their father shows his true hatred of Cole, and Mike chooses Cole. Along the way we meet Bobby, Cole’s best friend, also a former cop. We are also introduced to Ichiro, Mike and Cole’s unknown younger half-brother. Who eventually starts to date Bobby! Oh, and we can’t forget Claudia, Cole’s adopted mom/office assistant, Scarlet, Jae’s adopted Aunt, Maddy, Mike’s wife, Neko, Jae’s cat….  So it’s a big cast! The stories are nicely balanced between the case Cole is working on, the developing relationship between Cole and Jae, and some family drama on either side, depending on the book.

So things happen now and then that hint at what might have thrown Ben over the edge, Ben’s crazy-ass wife shows up at one point and tries to kill Jae, which makes Cole quite unhappy. But really, nothing tells us what was the cause. Cole may be a private investigator, but he doesn’t have enough info to actually get anywhere on why this happened, there isn’t much for him to go on, but it’s always hanging over his head. He and Jae go a while, then something comes up to remind them or drag them back in to it. Each book does have a mystery or something that Cole is working on, a murder usually, but we are always wondering why Ben shot Rick. Finally, with Dirty Heart, we get out answer.

As with the other books, Cole is drawn in to a “case”, Jae’s uncle had been shot at and Mike, who owns a security firm that was providing protection to the uncle, calls in Cole to figure out what is happening. Turns out there is more going on than they think, and Cole is pulled down the rabbit hole which leads to answers, finally. Rhys has asked reviewers to be very careful in how we review this book, not giving too much away. I would have been careful anyway, but I appreciate her desire to protect this mystery as long as she can. So I will not speak about any plot specifics.

I will say that this book was pretty dark, there is a really crazy, really pissed off guy, and he does some bad shit. My heart hurt several times, I was quite stressed. There are also moments of levity, the whole beginning had me laughing, as Cole chases a clown around a small circus…. Cole and Jae adopt a dog, who adds some humor to the story too. There are the usual sweet romantic moments between Cole and Jae, also the argumentative moments I’ve come to love just as much as the sweet ones. Claudia is there being her usual mothering self. Maddy, Mike’s wife, is very pregnant, and we get some good news about their baby that brought a tear to my eye.

Then there is the sex. Rhys Ford knows how to write a fucking sex scene. Pun totally intended. Cole and Jae are hands down my favorite couple in bed, or on the couch, in the shower, on the apothecary chest, where ever! There are several wonderful sex scenes in this book, one very lovely one in particular where things are reversed for the two. Jae has some confidence issues, and only occasionally tops Cole. He does in this book and it so just perfect. Cole is so careful and loving.

We do need to talk about the big thing, the resolution, the solution. We do get it. It was just a little difficult for me to put all of the pieces together, this book needs to be read slowly so you follow it all. I tried to do that, taking a couple of days to read it instead of rushing through it like I REALLY wanted to do. You have to pay attention, follow the trail and the pieces and it is there. Oh is it there. I had an idea in my head when this all started and I was almost, but not quite right. But I was very satisfied with the way it turned out. It was well worth the wait, and Rhys did a fantastic job with this whole thing. It was not carried on too long, I wasn’t tired of waiting, but I was ready to know and have it be resolved. It worked for me, just perfectly.

This was a violent, wild, crazy, hot, loving, sweet, satisfying ending to one of my favorite m/m series. I was left feeling a bit sad that it ended, satisfied with how it ended, and happy with what happened in the epilogue. I was stressed at several points, actually read a couple of scary scenes out loud to my husband, I cried twice I think, I laughed several times, gasped out loud a couple of times and ended with a big sigh and an “awww…..”

I have loved this series from the moment I started it, and this just wraps it up perfectly. If you have read the other books, you’ll love this one, and love the outcome. If you haven’t, go get Dirty Kiss and enjoy.

Loved it! Thanks for the crazy ride Rhys!

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

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