Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Defying Logic
SERIES: Valor and Doyle, Book 5
AUTHOR: Nicky James
NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 12 hours and 53 minutes
RELEASE DATE: May 3, 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:
Each book in Nicky James’ stellar Valor and Doyle series outdoes the previous, and her latest installment, Defying Logic, is no exception. This story of Quaid Valor and Aslan Doyle finding their way through love and loss to become a stronger unit together is truly something special. Quaid and Aslan’s relationship continues to grow and develop in authentic, beautiful ways. It defies all logic how good they are together, how completely they meet the needs of each other despite how very different they are and how improbable the change their love for each other engenders in each of them.
In the previous book, Inevitable Disclosure, Quaid is adrift, at loose ends, not sure where he fits or what he should do next. While he’s searching for purpose, he’s also struggling to trust completely in his relationship with Aslan. Deep emotional scars and insecurity continue to rear their ugly heads, but Aslan, the reformed playboy, shows himself to be the model boyfriend, stalwart in his presence and reassuring even in the face of Quaid’s at times challenging behavior.
In Defying Logic, the tables have turned. Aslan is now reeling and adrift with his career. Being a homicide detective is a job he loves, a job he’s meant to do but now has become a threat that Aslan is avoiding at all costs. He fights a daily battle to maintain his sobriety and is coping through reckless, impulsive behavior that is out of character for him in many ways. He’s a wounded soul who’s suffering – trying to find his way back but isn’t sure how or even if he can do it.
Quaid is now the rock solid support Aslan needs. He’s made it his mission in life to support Aslan and do whatever he can to help him and let him know he’s loved. He gives Aslan anything he needs even if it pushes against Quaid’s own boundaries. The sweet caring and unadulterated love between these two is clutch-your-heart-happy-sigh-inducing swooniness. Plus, a new, unexpected “friend”, Oscar, is introduced and brings out a different side of each of them. Their scenes together are beyond adorable.
You need to read these books in order (and who would want to pass up a minute with Quaid and Asian anyway, amirite?) Each book builds on the last, and the place where this is most evident is in the audiobooks. In Defying Logic, Nick J. Russo really comes into his own. He’s better than ever, portraying Quaid and Aslan like he is them. He accomplishes this because he knows these men so well and intuitively gets what James is trying to accomplish emotionally in each scene with them. Russo’s fundamentals are top notch, especially his intonation and pacing. He delivers the lines naturally, with all of the pitch changes and cadence variations that so acutely impress upon us who Quaid and Aslan are and how they work so seamlessly together. He is technically precise in a way few narrators are, but he’s still fluid with a natural ebb and flow to the dialogue that reflects how Quaid and Asian so perfectly balance each other out.
Neither James or Russo give short shrift to the side characters either, like Aslan’s partner Torin, Quaid’s new partner Frawley, and Quaid’s new “BFF” Ruiz, all of whom are fully realized and brought to life in a fulfilling way. They aren’t throwaway characters or fillers and Russo gives them the respect and investment they deserve.
Gah, these two … Quaid and Aslan are sweet and sexy, shmoopy and swoony, but also push and challenge each other. They feel like real people and James keeps their flaws intact as they work hard on their newly developing relationship. People are messy and so is life. Defying Logic shows us two committed men trying to find their way through the mess.
The book ends with a satisfying soft cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more posthaste, but we will have to wait until September for what comes next. In the meantime listen (or relisten) to Russo’s immersive performances on the series audiobooks. Valor and Doyle is one of the best series I’ve read, and Defying Logic is unquestionably one of the best books/audiobooks of 2023.
RATING: 
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