I honestly have no idea if there's ever been a book, let alone a series, where I had to stop reading because I was laughing so hard. Felix is irreverent, un-PC, and so damn funny I just can't. I'm absolutely sure there will be people who dislike him because he makes fun of and does ridiculously insensitive things to poor, blind Lane, and that's fine, but just know that his brand of awesome brings Lane out of his misery and self-pity into a place where he embraces life and everything crazy he and Felix end up involved in. There's something so wonderful about this pair with all their humor, recklessness, and their vulnerable hearts that I'm kind of mad that I finished the books. They're absolutely going on my re-read shelf to be enjoyed over and over.
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From the opening I knew the story would be intense. I didn't know it would be irreverent and completely endearing though. Despite the prologue bit being in Lane's POV, the rest of the story is in Felix's. I loved it, but being totally honest? I want Lane's thoughts and words too. Especially because his whole world has been upended by the bad guys and he's got a firecracker who can't cook to save his life and is making fun of his new disability to contend with. Who knew they'd find affection under all their sass? But tenderness they did find. In a big way. There were a lot of misunderstandings and hurt feelings to go along with all the funny stuff, but it all made it feel like a much more real connection than it would have been otherwise.
As for the drama surrounding all of their crazy, the energy fed off of Felix's thoughts and motivations thus ramping up both the tension and the lightness his brand of humor lent the situation. It was clear who the villain was and it stayed focused on them and their motivations, which I appreciated. The story flowed well and the progression was believable. Well, for the most part. Once they get to Vegas it gets a little far-fetched with the various add-ons to the bad guys' businesses, but other than that, I really enjoyed this story. The banter was funny to start, then I got a little uncomfortable, especially once they added in the sexy times in a slightly skeezy, awkward way, and then it got a lot better, so much so that I was pretty much head over heels for Lane and Felix. It was juvenile, definitely, but the way it all came together, the steam, the tenderness, the insensitivity, the humor, the suspense...it just all worked for me. 4.5 stars.
A new normal is hard to find, especially when you're Felix and Lane. While it's obvious that Lane is struggling to find his place in the force now that they're settling near his family, Felix is actually trying to make the best of their more mundane existence. Domesticity both suits them and doesn't. Felix's love of the house is hilarious and the way he treats Lane while they adjust is just as funny as it is sweet. He's finding a loving family that he never had and his attempts to replace Lane in the family are so dang funny. I wasn't expecting Felix's family drama to be the star in this story, but it certainly was in a lot of ways. The cat stealing, the service dog training, the over-eating...there was so much in this one that was incredibly adorable. On the opposite end, though, are the more disturbing elements.
To say the bad guy in this one is a surprise and utterly depraved is pretty much an understatement. So when we learn who it is you can look back and say, "yeah, they were pretty shady," but I honestly never grasped just how messed up that individual is or that they were the actual mastermind behind all the crazy. It's seriously dark and twisted. What I do love here is that Felix gets to use his brand of usefulness along with his smarts. It's not always apparent just how intelligent he is, but he really shines in this one. His heart and his brain and his passion are all on full display in this story and I couldn't be more proud of him. I also had moments where I had to put the book down because I was laughing so hard. He just gets my kind of humor and he finds ways to work it in when we need it, when we least expect it, and when it only suits him. It was awesome. 4.5 stars.
When it's clear that Lane is being put off more and more because the force can't seem to grasp that Lane's immense skill doesn't care that he's blind, he's left at loose ends. He's missing something big from his life and has no idea how to get it back. Felix is similar in that he has literally zero experience with "normal" so when they get the text request for a little adventure and a whole lot of money, it's not a surprise that they both jump on it with both feet and no hesitation. Well, okay, a little hesitation, but that's because neither of them can figure out how to communicate their needs to one another when they each think they should be wanting "normal" and can't seem to make it stick. Their relationship is so believable in that they consistently progress but discover new things to work through to become even more solid. Ugh, just when I thought I couldn't love them more.
And then they also get the added bonuses that no one has been honest with their motivations and goals, they get a drunk house guest, and find a new pet for their menagerie...it's just all kinds of crazy and new to enjoy along with what we've already come to expect from Felix and Lane. The antagonist is a little muddied here, but only because there ends up being so many players that the threads become tangled like nobody's business and we're left to sort it out along with them. Some of the answers were pretty obvious, and others made you think you knew, then they doubled back and became something different, only to come out on the other end to match what you thought you knew in the first place. I liked the twists and turns in this one despite the more frantic pacing of their actual drama shenanigans. When we get the conclusion of what they should be doing with their lives, it opens up the door for so much and I seriously hope we get more. Not just Cal's story, but some of the craziness that Felix and Lane will no doubt get into. 4.5 stars.
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