Book Review ~ Hell & High Water (Thirds Book 1) by Charlie Cochet
Title: Hell & High Water
Series: Thirds: Book 1
Author: Charlie Cochet
Pages: 296
Published: July 7 2014
Blurb:
When homicide detective Dexter J. Daley’s testimony helps send his partner away for murder, the consequences—and the media frenzy—aren’t far behind. He soon finds himself sans boyfriend, sans friends, and, after an unpleasant encounter in a parking garage after the trial, he’s lucky he doesn’t find himself sans teeth. Dex fears he’ll get transferred from the Human Police Force’s Sixth Precinct, or worse, get dismissed. Instead, his adoptive father—a sergeant at the Therian-Human Intelligence Recon Defense Squadron otherwise known as the THIRDS—pulls a few strings, and Dex gets recruited as a Defense Agent.
Dex is determined to get his life back on track and eager to get started in his new job. But his first meeting with Team Leader Sloane Brodie, who also happens to be his new jaguar Therian partner, turns disastrous. When the team is called to investigate the murders of three HumaniTherian activists, it soon becomes clear to Dex that getting his partner and the rest of the tightknit team to accept him will be a lot harder than catching the killer—and every bit as dangerous.
5 huge Stars!
Detective Dex Daley was only doing his job, but testifying against his former partner who killed a young Therian has made him persona non grata with the rest of the force. With the crazy media attention and all the unwanted focus on him he can’t seem to escape the backlash. Then he gets jumped by a group of fellow officers and comes home to his boyfriend Lou moving out. When he gets transferred from HPF to the Thirds he’s not sure if things are looking up or not, after all Dex is human and hasn’t ever been a Soldier.
Meeting his Team Leader could’ve gone a bit smoother, instead Agent Brodie ends up rescuing him from an angry Therian who doesn’t like to share snacks. But Dex won’t give up trying to carve out his place on the team, even if Sloane Brodie doesn’t want him there. Quickly, they will all have to learn to work together to catch a killer. A killer who seems to have a personal agenda against their THIRDS team.
Somehow it seems I had read this book when it first came out but didn’t review it. In the mood for a Shifter book, I was scouring my Kindle, saw this sitting there and decided I’d try it out (I didn’t remember reading it). Immediately I was hooked. I absolutely loved this story. Not only was the plot fun, intense and engaging but I completely adored the characters as well.
Dex, wow, I cannot even begin to express how much I loved him. He was so funny and charming. His character was the kind of MC I wished were real and I could hang out with them. I loved that he was a bit of a clown but he was also smart, insightful and loyal. He could be a badass one minute, a petulant child the next and then all of the sudden he was sweet and caring.
Dex had such fun relationships with all the other characters and there was no way I couldn’t like him. The banter between him, his dad Maddock and his brother Cael had me laughing out loud. The antagonistic relationship with Ash was hilarious, I had no clue where they’d end up as far as the series was concerned. The best relationship though, of course, was between Sloane and Dex.
I had no clue if I was going to like Sloane. I figured he was going to be a complete tool (somewhat understandable though, I guess) throughout the entire book. However, I quickly found that I actually loved Sloane, even when he was not the most welcoming of partners, I connected with him. He’s easy to like and it’s obvious what draws Dex to him. The two of them together are great. Hot, sexy, fierce, sweet and sometimes frustrating.
The romance between Dex and Sloane isn’t the main focus of this book though, it’s more in the background. The story really centers around their case and the team investigating it. We get a good sense of how they work and how Dex starts to fit in with them. I personally loved that however I can see how someone who is tasing more for the romance might get a bit more frustrated. The pace that Dex and Sloane move is quite slow but with Sloane grieving Gabe it made a lot of sense. It was very natural.
Overall, I am adding this to my favorites list. I am now a fan of the series and a huge fan of this couple. Dex and Sloane are up there with my short list of favorite couples. I’m anxious to see where things will go in the series. It’s nice to have something unique and entertaining to look forward to. I highly recommend!
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
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