Sequel to Rise & FallTHIRDS: Book Five As the fiercest Defense Agent at the THIRDS, Destructive Delta’s Ash Keeler is foul-mouthed and foul-tempered. But his hard-lined approach always yields results, evident by his recent infiltration of the Coalition. Thanks to Ash’s skills and the help of his team, they finally put an end to the murdering extremist group for good, though not before Ash … though not before Ash takes a bullet to save teammate Cael Maddock. As a result, Ash’s secrets start to surface, and he can no longer ignore what’s in his heart.
Cael Maddock is no stranger to heartache. As a Recon Agent for Destructive Delta, he has successfully maneuvered through the urban jungle that is New York City, picking up his own scars along the way. Yet nothing he’s ever faced has been more of a challenge than the heart of Ash Keeler, his supposedly straight teammate. Being in love isn’t the only danger he and Ash face as wounds reopen and new secrets emerge, forcing them to question old loyalties.
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Hang on, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride
Yay!!! It’s my long-awaited Ash & Cael story. We pick up at the bar and oh how I love Tony. We learn about Cael’s and Ash’s pasts and something is going on with Sloane. What we discover is troubling and heartbreaking for multiple reasons. So glad they have their family/team to help and support them.
Love, love the banter and the bickering that’s prevalent in this series. It never fails to cheer me up. I’m with Cael on watching Dex and his dad, no better form of entertainment. “I want everything with you for as long as I can get it.” I like Cael’s claws and sparring is intense, sexy foreplay. I like when Dex defends Sloane. It makes me want to hug and hug-five him. Hmm, things are happening in the shadows and it makes me worried and extremely curious. It bears saying again, Dex and Cael have an awesome dad. Haha, green jello, that’s so creative and the album scene, so hilarious and cute. Poor Dex but at the same time, I can’t wait. I do love when Dex and Cael team up.
Loved watching Ash and Cael become closer and getting to see a sweet and tender side to Ash and a protective side to Cael. I also loved how Cael is so patient and understanding when it comes to Ash; however, there were times I wanted to shake Ash senseless. They really take care of each other when it matters though and are each other’s center. So many things happen in this book that will leave you breathless but it’s also full of beautiful moments.
Against the Grain by Charlie Cochet is the fifth book in the THIRDS series. This is a fantastic paranormal/Urban Fantasy series that hooks the reader with well written plots, incredible characters that pull you into their journey and fantastic action. This book is no exception.
Ash and Cael are main romantic focus here although we get plenty of the other characters and their evolving relationships. These characters are sweet and steamy so we get a good amount of that in the story but that’s not the only treasures the readers are blessed with.
We have a story here filled with suspense, conspiracy, surprises, adventure, action and drama…. and of course some humor. The book is exciting, entertaining and satisfying. I can not wait to read more in this series.
It was good to see the vulnerable gentle side that Ash displayed in this book. It made me actually see him in different light. It was bad that it took him so long to finally let go of the feelings he has carried since his teen years, but once he did, his and Cael’s relationship was so passionate and at times sweet. Cael’s past really surprised me. In a way it also showed the family dynamics between Cael, Dex and Tony. I liked getting a glimpse into their past. And Ash’s life out of the office let me see that there was more to him that grouchy a$$hole.
This time it seemed that the trouble for the team was very personal. Team members were targeted, missing facts and evidence made everyone suspicious and unable to trust anyone. In the end it all went back to the beginning. That which should have stayed in the past, crawled out to continue where it left off. But Sloane and Ash love their men too much to let it happen. It was awesome. All the mystery, the subterfuge and questions piled on top of questions made for hours well spent. Great addition to the series as always.
I’m a bit starry eyed right now. I’ve been curious to read about Ash and Cael’s story since I first started this series and now that I’ve read it, I’m not disappointed. AT ALL.
It was lovely and soft and surprisingly void of the drama I was expecting. It still had it’s fair share of pain, and Ash had to deal with his past and his being in the closet before he finally starts giving himself and Cael a chance to be really happy.
They were lovely together, sweet and protective, and I absolutely adored them individually too. Cael with his sweet and shy demeanor, his insecurities and scars, and Ash with his brashness and protectiveness, his big heart.
The story was compelling and it had a couple of “ohmygod this is so scary” bits that I can’t wait to see developed. I’m starting Calvin and Hobbs story right now.
Heck yeah! We finally get Ash and Cael’s story. I needed to know all about them the moment we met these characters and saw their adorable romance that was obviously more. Who can resist a story about a big, mean, but also a softie? And a small, tough, but also vulnerable? Both men have their pasts, complexities, baggage … you name it. And we also continue to learn more about the other characters. It just adds to what we learned in the previous four books, both in regards to the story and to the characters.
Oh, and Ash and Cael are HOT together.
And you’ll love Tony aka Dex and Cael’s dad even more after this book. He’s awesome! I laugh every time he’s talking with his sons.
I think this book has the strongest plot so far. We get more information and answers, some closure, and for me – confirmation that I was right in predicting several things. A lot of loose ends are tied up, and a new element is introduced, so it’ll be interesting to see where the overarching plot takes us from here.
I am dying to read the next book! It will focus on Calvin and Hobbes … and we all desperately need to know what the heck is going down with those two. The snippets from other books are just not enough! At least not for me.
Thanks you for this awesome series, Charlie!
I loved that this book focused on Ash and Cael. Their relationship has been budding in the background for past four books, and it definitely deserved to be in the spotlight. It was nice to get to know Ash and Cael better, even if they tried to break my heart with the conflict surrounding their relationship. Once again, difficult issues were examined and tragic secrets came to light, all the while the Destructive Delta team must survive the targeted attacks against them.
The audiobook was performed well. Mark Westerfield does a fabulous job with the narration and did a great job with voicing Ash and Cael as well as all the other characters.
Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars. I loved the writing style and the plotline has gotten more intricate the further into the series we get. Ash annoyed me a couple of times with his excuses why he couldn’t be with Cael, but there was no stopping that chemistry.
5 stars
Heat Level: 4
Narration: 5
Yes! We finally get Ash and Cael’s story and it’s all I wanted and more!!!
We still get more if the Team and Dex and Brody of course but this is Ash’s story and we’re given more insight into his past and guilt that’s kept him from Cael for so long. Cael never really gave up hope and as danger threatens their time and Cael’s life, we see Ash’s true power and love for Cael in spite of it all.
Another thrilling story, with heat and danger and still includes some patented Dex moments!!! Totally awesome addition to the series!
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I love everything about this series – the plot, the characters, the whole world built with such meticulous details. In this one I love the POV change and a refreshing take on the whole story.
Wow… I’m completely shell shocked, out of my mind. After the hilarious way Charlie Cochet finished book 4, I was sure nothing ever could top that, so I was wrong, soooo wrong. This book continued exactly when the previous one ended and gave you a false sensation of safety. You’d think everything was developing just fine and then, again, all changed and left you open-mouthed. Not only the romantic part of the story, or the intrigue-dangerous-action-packed one but the mere core of the plot since book 1 and …. WOW… The main twist in the story just got more interesting!!! I can wait for what Ms Cochet is planning for book 6!!!
I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Against The Grain is the first book where Dex and Sloane are not the main couple. Instead, we concentrate on Ash and Cael, and to be fair, their story has been a long time coming. We start where the previous book finished, with Tony wielding Old Betsy, but to the guys’ surprise, it doesn’t go down how they expected. Instead, Ash learns more about Cael than he realised he didn’t know, and it makes him want to ‘try’. This is still difficult for Ash, and it’s not without it’s hiccups, but Cael is prepared to help him where he can. Now, this wouldn’t be a THIRDS book if something else wasn’t going down, and this time it’s all mixed in with Sloane’s loss of control, plus it turns out Ash’s loss of control, and maybe one other. You are left not knowing who to trust, apart from the family that is Destructive Delta!
Everything does become clear, plus it means a change for our crew, but they are prepared to fight for what they believe in. I will admit that I actually missed Dex’s banter more than I thought I would. Although he is (obviously) still around, he isn’t the main character and therefore the quips are there as much. Still, I enjoyed the mix of action, intrigue, romance, and sex. Ash and Cael’s story is one that I wanted, waited for, and thoroughly enjoyed. I loved all the intrigue, the questions, and how this book complements the series as a whole. Most definitely recommended by me.
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2017 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!