Sequel to Thick & ThinTHIRDS: Book Nine THIRDS Team Leader Sebastian Hobbs and Chief Medical Examiner Hudson Colbourn are as much in love now as they were nearly seven years ago when a tragic event on the job destroyed their relationship. The two drift together only to be pulled apart time and time again. When Hudson draws the interest of dangerous enemies, both within and outside the … and outside the organization, Seb wants nothing more than to protect the man who still means everything to him.
As life-and-death events, an uncertain future, and startling truths draw Hudson and Seb to each other yet again, they must make a choice: trust their love and take strength from what they share, or lose what matters most… for good this time.
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** 4.75 stars **
I finally got to Seb and Hudson’s story. I loved most of it. The chance to see more of Hobbs family was absolutely wonderful. At times Hudson was a tad annoying for going back and forth and making Seb suffer. But Hudson suffered as well both physically and in his heart.
Both men needed to change because Hudson finally listened to those around him and looked at how things were between them from others perspectives. He saw that love alone wouldn’t be enough, and that some things would need to be different. I loved the sweet, quiet and passionate moments Seb and Hudson had. They were such darlings together.
This time I had a glimpse into THIRDS from a different angle. Hudson and Nina’s department finally got some attention. And I really liked Nina. She is a wonderful friend who helped Hudson see things that he stubbornly refused to see. And in the end what a twist that was! I never saw it coming. Ms Cochet surprised me yet again. There were ups and downs, betrayal and anger, comfort and laughter – through all of that Sebastian and Hudson finally found the balance that was missing in their relationship. And this time they will make it work for sure. Another wonderful addition to the series!
I’ve got the biggest smile right now. “Darkest Hour Before Dawn” completely exceeded my expectations and I loved it so much.
Seb and Hudson have always intrigued me, since the first time they appear on page and start interacting with one another. Their story was heartbreaking and sad and scary, so I was so curious to read about them some more, the happy ending they’ve both yearned for, for so long.
I think the Therian bond between couples is probably one of my favourite things of Charlie Cochet’s THIRDS universe. We’ve already seen that bond in action with Sloane and Dex (and boy, was it both exciting and SCARY) but I was still very curious to see it with two Therians.
Seb and Hudson were stunning MCs: they’re both flawed and a bit broken, scared and scarred and they love each other so much, that I nearly cried at every chapter. Again, I love the “found family” trope, always have, and seeing the Hobbs family call themselves Hudson’s pack nearly undid me.
The last few chapters are packed with action and twists and revelations, some of which I kind of already guessed, but they were still delightful and left me both excited and terrified for the next few (the last *cries*) books.
You know how you start a series, see that there’s quite a few books, and hope that each book is good and the series worth the time commitment? Don’t even worry about that. I’m nine books in and I haven’t been able to put any of them down. Not even for a second (ok, ok, I do when I’m working, but I’m dying to get home and finish reading). When I was only a few paragraphs into the first book, I just knew I’d love the whole series.
I thought it would be hard to choose a favorite book, and it has been so far … until this book. This is hands down my favorite. What a story! I loved everything about Darkest Hour Before Dawn, but especially (finally) reading Seb and Hudson’s story. There has been so much build up in the previous books! Their relationship is everything; full of so many emotions, but at the center of it all, a pure love. Plus, it’s great to finally read/view/understand things from their point-of-view.
Each book up until this point has been giving us pieces and details of the overarching plot. The last book brought them together, weaving into a big picture, but this book dove straight into the meat of things and I never wanted it to end (I mean, there are more books, but this book was just so good).
I have high hopes for the next book and I’m sure it won’t disappoint. Nine books in and I’ve given them all 5 stars. I’ve had many, many people tell me this is a must-read series, one of the best series, one of Charlie Cochet’s best works … and I’m now the one gushing all of that to whoever will listen.
This is the 9th book in the THIRDS series and it is yet another compelling entry in this fantastic series. I’m so depressed there is only one more book to read in this series but I am hopeful that the TINS series will pick up where these books leave off.
This book centers on the relationship between Hudson and Seb that we’ve gotten glimpses of throughout the series. It’s well done with lots of backstory, more fleshing out of other characters as well as the main characters and more movement in the overriding story arc. I was a little annoyed with Hudson for his take on why he and Seb, as bonded mates, could not be together but I guess there wouldn’t have been much story here without that element!!
There are some great plot twists, points that make you want to just smack Sparks even more than usual, and enough Dex and Ash to provide amusement. The absolute best part of the story I can’t comment on as it would be a spoiler but it’s great!
Things I particularly enjoyed: being proven correct on my hypothesis from the foreshadowing in the last book, getting even more Lou who I’m really coming to enjoy, the idea of how much Dex is going to irritate Sparks which is mentioned several times in this book.
Only thing I’m having a problem with is the variation from “accepted shifter mythology” in terms of the reaction to Dex and Sloane’s mate bond. In this series the fact that Dex is a marked mate to an alpha serves as a challenge to other Therians whereas in every other shifter universe that would be a definite hands off and show your respect thing. It’s just kind of a brain buzzer because it is so out of the norm.
I am looking forward to where this series goes now with the TINS element but am bummed it’s going to be a while now before I find out how all of that plays out.
*I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review *
Seb and Hudson have been dancing around one another for years. It’s no surprise that the drama between and around them is pretty huge as it’s part of all the THIRDS crazy, but it’s the personal touches and juicy history that makes this story unique. It was so much more than a case of disappointed hopes, things not working out, or the pitfalls of interoffice dating; Hudson’s unbearable grief, Seb’s crushing guilt, and a whole slew of villains conspire to keep them apart.
Dex won’t take that lying down however, and orchestrates a few “collisions” between them that both help and hurt their second chance. I didn’t mind his meddling at all because he’s right. I also love his blunt acknowledgment of the goods and bads of both Seb’s and Hudson’s behavior. For Dex to call a spade a spade in and amongst his silly maneuverings brings attention to the gravity of what’s going on.
It’s Hudson that really has the most growing to do, I feel. Yes, Seb has his own part to answer for, but he’s also much more grounded in who and what he wants and does his best to respect Hudson’s misguided and childish requests. Hudson bothered me at so many moments because of his immaturity, his selfishness, his “woe is me” attitude, and his general dismissiveness of Seb and his heart. The tragedy that tore them apart honestly had less to do with their separation than Hudson’s continual rejection and that bothered me quite a lot. Combining that with his treatment of Nina and I was less-than thrilled with the man that I’d previously come to love.
Their reconciliation was good, though I think it really could have been stronger. The drama surrounding a reprehensible interloper seemed out of proportion to the dangers that could have been the catalyst to bringing Seb and Hudson back together. It would have been better to focus on the group that wants Hudson rather than the individual that has nefarious designs his backside. In addition to all that crazy, there’s a rather obvious yet surprising reveal that flummoxes everyone and bears incredible implications for so many things going forward.
Shock, steam, sweet feels, and a whole lot of butt-kicking carry this part of the series and paves the way for a whole lot more of all that as we approach the series conclusion.
Wow! To see the inner details of Hudson’s And Seb’s emotions drew their story in such a new light! I think this might be one of my top 3 parts of the series! Simply amazing!
Another amazing book in the series!! The plot continues with many changes and some unexpected revelations. Sebastian and Hudson’s love story in the middle of all the danger situations, was an emotional roller coaster that kept me at the edge of my seat until the last page. I cannot wait to see what happened next!!
I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Darkest Hour Before Dawn by Charlie Cochet is the ninth book in the THIRDS series. This is a paranormal m/m romance that is best read in order to understand the interactions between characters, the overall plots and the intriguing world created within the series.
This book gives us more information about the Chief Medical Examiner, Hudson Colbourn, and THIRDS Team Lead, Sebastian Hobbs. These two characters so clearly are bonded and in love but life keeps coming between them. They need to trust in love. I love the characters in this series and Seb and Hudson are no exception.
The story has suspense, angst, danger, action, emotion, humor and steam. The series gets better and better with each book. This one had me feeling scared they wouldn’t figure it out.
Always yours
What a fantastic and amazing series THIRDS is! I fall in love these characters more and more with each book. I absolutely love Seb’s family. They’re completely wonderful. Seb, I love him so much. He’s fierce, loyal and loves without boundaries. Hudson made me laugh a lot with his dry humor and he cares so much. I gotta admit they both frustrated me quite a bit in this book (Hudson more so at certain points) but their pain broke my heart. Thank gods they have Dom, Nina and Dex in their lives to lift them up and make them face some harsh truths.
“Baby, you always have my attention. Always. There’s never a time when you don’t have it, even when you’re not around.” I adore Seb and Hudson. They’re sweet and sexy, just like biscuits. I adore Seb’s nickname for Hudson. It’s everything. “He’s all that matters.” It seems like trouble finds everyone in this found family no matter who they are. In this case trouble comes from multiple directions along with some mysterious help. BTW, there are some jerks in this book who I do not feel sorry for.
Dex never fails to brighten my day, whether it’s with his words or actions, and I think every day probably has some form of threat level fuschia. I loved seeing the multifaceted sides and all the antics of the characters in this series, especially the dancing. They make me laugh and pull at my heartstrings. I hope we get so many stories, Seb’s teammates, especially Dom; Austen, the sneaky bugger; Taylor as he needs love; and Wolf, who was a surprise and yet not. I hate to break it to Rosa but I don’t think her gf is “normal” but only time will tell.
This was a little harder for me to get into compared to the other THIRDS books. Hudson was just a bundle of silly angst and put Sebastian Hobbs through hell. But the other characters and the humor of the series helped keep me entertained and I just exercised my suspension of disbelief. I ended up enjoying the book.
Darkest Hour Before Dawn is the last book (so far) in the THIRDS series, and you do need to read the other books in the series to get the complete picture. It is in previous books that we have learned about the Hobbs family, about Hudson’s relationship with Nina, and how Therians view the whole being marked phenomenon.
Now, I will admit to being torn going into this book. I like Hudson – the sexy, nerdy doctor who has helped Dex and Sloane without question. Okay, so maybe with some questions, but he still helped. BUT you then get the Hudson that is constantly pulling Seb to him, only to push him away again. I understand the story of how it happened, and I understand the guilt behind it. I also understand the bonding that is there between mates. What I don’t understand is how Seb could carry on wanting Hudson with how he was behaving. Nina had it right with what she said to Hudson, but it was a few years too late in my opinion. I will also admit to getting slightly fed up with the ‘poor me’ Hudson routine.
On the whole though, this book manages to tie up some loose ends whilst leaving you with plenty of questions going forward. With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, I found the pacing very smooth, with peaks of action in amongst the talking. This book is still a welcome addition to the series, and definitely recommended by me.
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2017 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!