Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: Defying Logic

SERIES: Valor and Doyle #5

AUTHOR: Nicky James

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 489 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2023

BLURB:

Two months ago, a catastrophic incident on the job forever changed Aslan’s life. It left him shaken and scarred, unsure if and when he would be able to return to work. Fighting to stay sober and battling his mental health, Aslan finds other crutches to help him cope.

Work and a challenging new partner have kept Quaid busy, but he spends every free minute nurturing Aslan’s wounded soul, ensuring his live-in boyfriend knows he is loved and cherished and not alone.

When Quaid gets entangled in a strange missing persons case, Aslan finds himself craving the job he’s abandoned. He wants to be part of the action.

To do so, Aslan needs to overcome significant personal barriers, and Quaid is willing to help in any way he can.

Their bond has grown exponentially, but what does the future have in store?

REVIEW:

I snagged his hand and tucked it inside my jacket, pressing it to my heart. He smiled, acknowledging the sentiment. “I love you too.”

My short and succinct review (aka How Many Superlatives Can I Cram Into One Paragraph?):  This is the best book I’ve read this year. It’s gloriously long. Aslan is fantastic. Quaid is fabulous. Together they are exquisite. ‘nuff said.

For those of you who want a full review:  Opening to the first page of a Valor and Doyle book is like coming home. Quaid and Aslan have become our family (although, I’d rather Aslan be my friend. With benefits.) The book follows the same formula as its predecessors, with a very intriguing case intertwined with the continuing story of Quaid and Aslan’s relationship and the challenges they face. Nicky James outdid herself giving Quaid one heck of a complex missing persons case. I was fooled the whole time. The continued character development is superb for both men. This book is largely about Quaid’s growth and it’s magnificent. One of the key takeaways from Defying Logic is that Quaid would do anything for Aslan (and vice versa). Quaid’s patience, intuitive understanding of Aslan’s needs, his support and comforting are the heart of this book.

It’s now two months since the events that changed Aslan’s life forever in Inevitable Disclosure. He’s not back to work yet and he’s fighting to stay sober every day. He wants so hard to stay clean, not just for himself but also for Quaid. Given all he’s going through, his strength is incredible, despite his thoughts to the contrary. He grapples with whether or not he’s a good person anymore. It’s heartbreaking! Aslan, you are not a bad person, you’re so very, very good.

Some random thoughts…

• There’s so much love and affection between these men!! I spent a good portion of 489 pages swooning.

• Nicky hates writing spicy scenes (she’s a procrastinator extraordinaire, coming from someone who has perfected the art) but she has gifted us with gorgeous, touching, intimate scenes. My favorite book sex is when it’s filled with barely contained emotion between two men deeply in love. I was not disappointed.

• All things Oscar!!!! You haven’t met Oscar yet and I’m not going to give you any clues, just that he’s the best new character to the series. I’ll leave you with Aslan’s sage forewarning to him: “You haven’t seen the sneer yet, but you will. He thinks it’s scary. It’s not, but we still respect its presence.”

• Ruiz is stellar! The pseudo-flirty banter between him and Quaid is hilarious and shows how much Quaid has loosened up. Aslan has really “rubbed off” on Quaid (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

• Quaid has increased his repertoire of facial expressions to include the glare, the fret, and the frown, along with The Sneer™, his time honored specialty.

• Quaid assesses his personality when it’s pointed out he can be abrasive, unlikable, and snarly. Is he deserving of the comparison to a bristly kitchen cleaning implement?

• I love the scenes of domesticity – bickering over tofu oatmeal, watching tv, or Aslan ruining dinner (crunchy meat??) – and how comfortable Q&A have become in their silences.

• Aslan is precious with his niece Kylee. Foreshadowing, perhaps?

With this book, Aslan and Quaid have become one of my all-time favorite MM couples. Their character arcs continue to grow in complexity. I can’t wait to see what comes next, although Nicky makes it petty clear at the end of the book. We only have to wait 14,083,200 seconds, or 3,912 hours, or 163 days till release day.

RATING: 

BUY LINK:

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