Title: Nothing Special V

Series: Nothing Special 05

Author: A.E. Via

Narrator: Aiden Snow

Genre: Contemporary, Action, Men in Uniform

Length: 12 hrs, 29 mins

Publisher: A.E. Via

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Atlanta’s notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine Edwin Steele – who’s been black-listed from his Oakland department – to join the team.

Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn’t respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle – City Councilman Rasmus Steele – shows him a video of God’s team in action, he knows right away it’s where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith.

Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God’s technology special-ist/computer genius, “Tech”, he’s willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves.
Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there’s no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him…surprise all of them.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Nothing Special V is (obviously), the fifth book in AE Via’s Nothing Special series.
I have absolutely loved this series from the start, although I’ve not read it and only been listening to the audio. Which I at first found out, because this book has some very long and steamy sex scenes, which usually I find rather boring. However, Via does an excellent job of writing multiple, very explicit scenes into books that actually fit in the flow of story, as opposed to being crow-barred in because hey, let’s have characters have sex in stupid places (Via doesn’t do the latter, but it’s one of my pet hates in romances, erotic or otherwise).

The audio narration is performed by Aiden Snow, which summed up in one word is sublime. Each book, although has one couple which is the primary focus, features a whole cast of characters which become more complex and developed throughout the course of the books. At this point we’re talking seven or eight sets of lovers with a handful of other characters who have popped up more than once in the course of the series. What I love the most about Snow’s audio is how he gives these very complex characters distinctive voices and feels. I felt this more so in this book because at the end we have a character with an English accent pop up, and another with a Southern drawl also pop up. This was a totally amazing performance that reflected Snow’s skill and versatility to narrate a story and perform the characters in a way that does the writing justice.

Nothing Special V brings technical, computer and communications specialist for the Atlanta PD’s most successful narcotics squad, Tech. Tech joined the team as part of a deal, which Lieutenants God and Day helped him get a deal when he was caught hacking into government databases while trying to find his brother. Tech is smart as hell, he’s been to MIT and only got caught hacking that one time. He joined the unit as their tech specialist, but he continued to become a detective in his own right. However, being much younger than his colleagues, as well as having a much more slight build with significantly less muscle, means that he feels his team are over protective of him. But Tech has been working and training because it is his dream to become a field officer, as well as help with the technical side of things.

To make this more complicated, we multiple storylines from multiple characters. In particular, the first couple that started this series, God and Day, the leaders of the squad. After becoming engaged, and despite working together and living together, fears and insecurities have caused a breakdown in communication. While they aren’t all out brawling there is a lot of tension. I liked this particular aspect because not only did it reflect the characters past. I liked how the tension showed that things aren’t always rosy in a relationship, especially with the dangerous and stressful job they have, even though they have their HEA.

Lieutenant Godfrey of the APD isn’t took happy when he is forced to take a new member on his squad. They aren’t even recruiting and he and Day haven’t asked for more boots on the ground. But he has a new guy and that man is ex-marine, medal of honour recipient Steele. Since leaving the service Steele has found it difficult to find his place in a career as a police officer. But it is his uncle who pulls some pretty serious strings to join a team that would better fit him before Steele’s dependence on alcohol got any worse. Steele isn’t exactly happy that his uncle did what he did, despite being his only surviving family, and it also has Steele living in the same state as his uncle once more. Yet when he first lays eyes on Tech, he is instantly intrigued. Suddenly, his new job is looking better and better, and he finds out his uncle left out a few important details when he had shown Steele a video of the APD team in action.

The book is full of passionate love scenes, a number of comedic moments and plenty of action. This is a must read (or listen) series for anyone that loves to read about rough and tough law enforcement guys. They work and play hard. This is an ongoing story, so it’s vital to start this series from the start and not treat this as a standalone book.

The end of this audio also features a short story which involves the brother and the adopted son of some of our most beloved characters from the APD Narcotics squad. It was a nice little story, and while it’s removed from the world of cops and action, I really liked how well developed the romance and characters felt – both have changed a lot since we first met them in earlier novels of this series and have been written into very mature young men that reflect the values of the cops in their lives.

There is one more book in this series, the set up for it was laid towards the end of Nothing Special V, and I can’t wait to hear the audio for it and get what I’m sure will be another stellar performance by Aiden Snow.

Title: Don’t Judge

Series: Nothing Special 04

Author: A.E. Via

Narrator: Aiden Snow

Genre: Contemporary, Action, Men in Uniform

Length: 9 hrs, 48 mins

Publisher: A.E. Via (24th July 2019)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Detective Austin Michaels didn’t think life could get any better after he was accepted into the most notorious narcotics task force on the East Coast, headed up by two of the baddest Lieu-tenants with the Atlanta Police Department – Cashel Godfrey and Leonidis Day.

Michaels knew he would fit right in as the team’s sniper, having received his fair share of com-mendations for marksmanship. He was just as badass as the rest of the twenty brothers that made up their team. But when Michaels lets their prime suspect get away from a huge bust with over a quarter of a million dollars in drugs, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it right.

Left with no other options, God chooses to bring in outside help, calling on his long-time friend and bounty hunter, Judge Josephson.

Judge was considered one of the best trackers during his enlistment in the United States Ma-rine Corps. After retiring, he used those skills to become one of the most sought out fugitive trackers in the country. When Judge gets a call from his old friend needing his help, he quickly tells God, yes.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Don’t Judge is the fourth book in A.E. Via’s Nothing Special series. It is important to read these books in order, there is a whole cast of strong secondary characters who have already had their romance story told and so it would be rather confusing to jump straight in at book 4.

I really only know A.E. Via’s work from this series, which I have loved. To be perfectly honest I am actually kind of surprised at how much I got into this series. However, there is so much going on, so much depth to each character and so much plot and character development. This is an action filled series with off the charts steamy sex scenes that can satisfy all the reader’s needs.

And being that this is the audio, we once again have Aiden Snow, who has done the narration on the previous books, working his magic at bringing the characters to life. He has the perfect tone and timbre that suits the rough and tough world of a police narcotics squad, as well as an equally rough bounty hunter. Absolutely love his narration and cannot think of any criticism.

Onto the story itself:

The main characters of this instalment of Nothing Special series is Detective Austin Michaels and bounty hunter Judge Josephson.

Austin got the job of a lifetime, in the equally revered and feared Atlanta PD narcotics squad run by Lieutenants Leonides Day and Cashel Godfrey (who also happen to be life partners, their story kicks off the series in book 1). Another plus is that because there are a number of gay men, a number of whom have lovers within the team, Austin is proud to serve in the most accepting and diverse group in Atlanta PD. Even if they do get stares and whispers from others who are less tolerant. However, you cannot argue with results.

Austin is a sniper and like his team mates, is dedicated to making busts and bringing down some of the most dangerous drug lords in the city. However, when a bust goes wrong, Austin is not only injured but he also balmes himself for letting a very important man get away from them.
God and Day, although against Day’s better judgement, bring in God’s old buddy from the military, who is now a kickass bounty hunter, Judge Josephson (as well as his awesome dog, a Great Dane). Judge is hired to help bring in the man that they lost, and it is Austin who is paired up to go with Judge.

Judge and Austin don’t exactly hit it off straight away, in fact, they do not get along. Joseph is surly about the job as he realises that he doesn’t have too much time left in the bounty hunter game, as both he and his dog are getting too old to keep up. Austin is high strung because he blames himself for losing their man and therefore is the reason that Day and Knight brought in Judge. These guys are complicated, there is great sexual tension between them from the start. Yet, they have complicated personal lives that pop up during the course of the book and the job of chasing one man down does get a tad complicated – but not impossible with the help of the people of the Atlanta PD Narcotics team.

This was a great addition to the series. It’s full of danger and tension (both the sexual and dangerous kinds). If you love a gritty cop story, with great sexual chemistry, high danger and high adrenalin that will keep you going from beginning to end of the book, I recommend to give this whole series a try and not just this book.

Title: Here Comes Trouble

Series: Nothing Special 03

Author: A.E. Via

Narrator: Aiden Snow

Genre: Contempoary, Crime, Thriller, Suspense

Length: 8 hrs, 30 mins

Publisher: A.E. Via

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Detectives Mark Ruxsberg and Chris Green are very good at their jobs. Being the enforcers for God and Day’s notorious Atlanta PD Narcotics Task Force causes the crazy duo to get into more trouble than they can often get out of. The pair never misses out on an opportunity to drive their lieutenants crazy with their dangerous, reckless, and costly stunts, landing them in the hot seat in front of God…often.

Ruxs and Green love their jobs and they don’t mind the very demanding schedule that leaves them little time for socializing or dating. It’s fine with them, they enjoy hanging out with each other anyway.

However, most of the men in their close circle of friends and colleagues are pairing off and set-tling down. God has Day, Ro has Johnson, and their Sergeant Syn has Furious.

For the past several years, Ruxs has only sought out the advice and company of one person, his partner and best friend Green, and vice versa. Both of these alpha males are presumed straight, but neither can deny the heat that’s building in their once-“just friends” relationship.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Here Comes Trouble is the third instalment of AE Via’s Nothing Special series, which is based around the action and romance of Atlanta PD’s elite narcotic team, lead by partners, both in personally and professionally, God and Day. This series can be read out of order, however, I would say that that there could be some confusion when it comes to the two couples from book 1 and 2, as well as a third couple which had formed in book 1 and featured somewhat heavily though it. Being that these characters are a team and how Via has written it, these guys lives intertwine significantly.

I’ve absolutely loved this series so far and I’ve loved Aiden Snow’s narration throughout of the series so far as well. His voice has the right tone and timbre that just goes so well, pulling off the rush of emotion combined with the danger of the job that these men do.

I looked forward to book 3, which is the story of two of the detectives, who do a lot of the leg work on the streets for the team, Mark Ruxberg and Chris Green. I think it’s because of Green’s name, but I kind had these two guys cast in my head as the two cops from the movie Boondock Saints – Greenly and Duffy. However, if you know what I’m talking about, then you will also find out that I am very wrong. Rux and Green are as strong and tough as their bosses, Lieutenants Days and Knight. These guys work hard and live hard, although lately they spend most of their free time together just hanging out eating pizza and drinking beer. Yet, despite all that even despite having openly gay bosses, Rux and Green don’t know everything about each other. When talk of dating brings tension between the two men, we begin to learn that there is even more to these guys. As it is they have complicated families, like most people, but there is a new level of emotion at play in their friendship. Add the danger from their jobs and these guys have to navigate an emotional minefield. And being tough, manly men, they aren’t super good with being honest with their feelings.

Fans of the series will not be disappointed. There is action, hot sex and so much sexual chemistry I wouldn’t have been surprised if the characters had imploded before their story started (I know, that makes little sense, bear with me). For those that like hot cops, a lot of action and deadly adventure, I think that this is the book and series for you to get into.

Title: Embracing His Syn

Series: Nothing Special 02

Author: A.E. Via

Narrator: Aiden Snow

Genre: Contemporary, Action, Thriller

Length: 11 hrs, 14 mins

Publisher: A.E. Via (4th June 2019)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Sergeant Corbin “Syn” Sydney had dedicated his life to becoming the best detective. So when he heard there was an opening on the notorious Atlanta Narcotics Task Force, he jumped at the chance. But, what he wasn’t ready for was realizing just how lonely he’d made himself, when he observed the loving and dedicated relationship between the two men he served under: Lieuten-ant Cashel “God” Godfrey and Lieutenant Leonidis Day.

Syn prepared himself to accept his lonely fate until he walked into a small pub and met the long-haired, tattooed bartender, Furious Barkley. Before Syn can even understand why, he’s over-come with feelings he barely recognizes: passion, yearning, craving. And if the dark, lustful gazes are anything to go by, Furious might be feeling the same things for him.

Just two thing needs to happen before Syn and Furi can give each other what’s been missing from their lives for so long…Syn needs to find the evidence that proves Furi’s innocence of murder, as well as protect him from a past that refuses to let go.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Embracing His Syn is the second book in AE Via’s Nothing Special series. Although I’m not particularly familiar with Via’s work, I absolutely loved, loved, loved (it feel I need to emphasise how amazing that book was) Nothing Special and was keen to get into Embracing His Syn as soon as I could. Being that I had just left the world of Day and God and their team on the narcotics squad I honestly had no doubt that I would love this book and therefore had some high expectations, from both Via and the narrator, Aiden Snow.

I feel that this is going to be a very short review because I loved every moment of Embracing His Syn. However, I should say that I strongly recommend reading or listening to book 1 first because it sets the scene and many of the characters are back in the sequel, continuing from where they had left off in Nothing Special. I suppose you could get away with not having knowledge of book 1, but I feel that there is stuff going on under the surface that is easier to understand if you are already familiar (or assumes the reader is already familiar) with the Nothing Special world.

Quite simply, it was exactly what I expected it to be and so much more. The story overall itself is quite simple, but the characters are complex with so much depth that it is obvious that there is a lot of smaller moving cogs that carry the plot forward. The sex scenes are also very, very steamy and well written. If you’re like me who doesn’t like a lot of sex scenes or pointless sex scenes to pad out a book, there is nothing pointless about any sex scene in this story. Each sex scene deals with the concerns of the two MCs as they navigate their fledgling relationship.

The narration is also brilliantly performed. Much like the author, I’m not too familiar with the work of Aiden Snow from other audio books. However, he had done an amazing effort bringing to life the guys of the Nothing Special series, from the main characters to the equally complex secondary characters. His tone and deep voice is absolutely perfect for the characters that Via has concocted because it brings in the edge and danger that is associated with the plot of the book. But Snow also has a gentleness that not only makes the sex scenes so amazingly real even with the overwhelming strength of the characters, but his voice helped me feel the raw emotions of the characters. An amazing performance and one that I would love to relisten to in the future.

The story starts with Sergeant Corbin Sydney, aka Syn. He’s transferred to Atlanta PD’s most revered and successful teams, the narcotics squad, which is now headed by Lieutenants Day and God. The book picks up a couple years after Day and God’s story and the two are going as strong as ever, and they are both as awesome and as dangerous as ever. Syn is set through his paces, because Day and God only want the best on their team, but Syn is up for anything. He will never compromise his morals and beliefs for anyone. Shortly after being accepted on the team, there begins a string of murders which involve men being drugged, which is what brings Syn and his new team into the case.

Syn meets the man called Furious Barkley at his local pub, where Fury works while trying to finish school so that he and his best friend can open their mechanic workshop. It’s Fury’s dream, but he had left it on hold while he had been with his abusive ex-husband. After running away from the man, Fury gets a job with his ungrateful uncle at the pub and supplements his income doing solo porn videos so that he can finish school and get moving with his plans. However, things change when some of the male performers are killed which not only brings Fury into contact with Syn at the police station, but also brings him back on the radar of his ex-husband.

Fury has a lot of baggage because of his previous relationship. Syn has a protective streak a mile long and was instantly attracted to Fury. Syn, though, isn’t just a sexy cop, he has some hidden depths that seem completely opposite to his character at first, but in the end shows just how wonderful he is as a character. I think people will also appeal to Syn’s and Fury’s relationship plays out in bed and out of bed, because of how Via wrote this, it feels like a relationship that is on equal footing. The guys have to work together to not only deal with the imminent danger, but to also deal with the mental baggage so that they can make a proper go at their relationship.

Much like the first book, I recommend this one to people that love hot cops, a story with a touch of danger, a lot of love and a heck of a lot of sex.

Title: Nothing Special

Series: Nothing Special 01

Author: A.E. Via

Narrator: Aiden Snow

Genre: Contemporary, Action, Thriller

Length: 9 hrs, 47 mins

Publisher: A.E. Via (14th May 2019)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Detective Cashel “Cash” Godfrey is big, tattooed, and angry so people typically keep their dis-tance. He’s fresh out of the police academy, however, no one is looking to partner with the six-foot-four beast with a huge chip on his shoulder and an inability to trust. When Cash scans the orientation room he wasn’t expecting to find sexy hazel eyes locked onto him. Eyes of the handsome Detective Leonidis “Leo” Day.

Leo is charming, witty, hilariously sarcastic and the only one that can make Cash smile. He’s proud, out, and one bad-ass detective.

Together, Cash and Leo become the most revered and successful narcotics detectives Atlanta’s ever seen. Able to communicate and understand each other, without even having to voice it, they quickly climb up the promotional ranks.

When Cash saves Leo’s life in a raid that turns deadly, Leo begins to see something in the big man that no one else does…something special. But Leo fears he’ll never break through the im-penetrable wall that protects Cash’s heart.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Nothing Special is the first book in AE Via’s series of the same name. Being that I’ve not read much of Via’s work in the past, I had no idea what to expect, but the blurb seemed interesting, especially if you’re in hot cops and gritty action.

And wow! This was amazing. I loved this book from start to finish.

There were so many hot sex scenes, but they didn’t feel superfluous, in fact I was impressed because I normally hate too many sex scenes in books, especially because many of them don’t feel that they belong in the story and have just been slapped in for a sexy break between high points.

The story starts with Leonidis Day, or just Day. His first day on the force as a detective he is paired up with Cashel Godfrey, or God as he is better known. Day gets trouble from a fellow officer on his first day for being gay, but Day is a fighter and doesn’t stand down. He is also immediately aware of just how sexy his hulking, tattooed partner is. Four years later Day and God have become an unbeatable force in the drug squad. They’re known for their cowboy antics but no one can argue with their results. They are not only partners, they are also best friends.

But things change as their feelings have evolved from day one to the present and they are faced with having to admit to a few things. God and Day aren’t scared and Day is not about to lose his best friend when he knows that they are meant to be so much more. A couple life threatening instances create tension that neither can deny. Through all this, the sexual tension, their jobs and illness, we also get to know so much more about God and Day, more about their family and how this ties into their motivations as characters.

The plot and premise is actually quite simple, but there are so many moving parts that are so well executed, I was hooked from the start and was sad to see the end.

The characters are wonderful. As well as Day and God, there are also a number of secondary characters who are just as vital to the story as the MCs. Each of them are very well developed, we are given their backstory, we see them grow. Nothing Special is one of those books where I am just so happy because the characters are so well fleshed out, the character arcs makes sense as the story goes along so there aren’t any wild card scenes that don’t make as much sense as the rest of the book. The chemistry between Day and God is electric. It’s so easy to understand why they are such good partners and why it is so natural that their relationship evolved into something a lot more. I think I just have to leave it at that I love each everyone of Via’s characters.

The narration was as amazing as the book itself. I don’t think that I am familiar with the work of Aiden Snow. However, he has a tone and timbre that matches the gritty, dangerous feel of the book and the cops that put themselves in the line of fire to do their duty. His voices for Day and God are great and it was just a joy to listen to. I especially loved how he was able to convey the snarkiness and the caffeine junky that is so central to Day’s character. Day and God are both very strong men, and this is heard in the narration. Overall, a wonderful performance that I cannot fault.

I recommend this one to people that love hot cops, a story with a touch of danger, a lot of love and a heck of a lot of sex.