Another Great Story

Hazard and Somerset are my favorite book characters. Now with a teenager in their life,things are a little bit hectic. .There is still a murder to be solved, friends and family involvement. The narrator was excellent

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Family dynamics...The good the bad and the ugly!!

All the feels. Hazard and Somerset are really sinking their teeth into being Dads, and all the highs and lows that accompany that work. Enter murder and mystery and teenager ANGST and well....I couldn't stop listening. Colt(teen angst) has issues and when you finally hear what the problems are, my heart broke. Gregory Ashe pulls you in and gets you invested in the best possible way. Next book please....

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excellent series

I swear this author is trying to break me with the conflicts he is inflicting on his already established couples. Hazard and Somerset have already weathered a lot of storms in their relationship and in business, and the hits just keep on coming. Some new changes for the couple came in the last book, when a teenage boy showed up on their doorstep claiming Hazard was his father. Whatever the truth of that claim, Hazard feels an affinity with the struggling teen and the two men take the kid in to their home.

Colt has become a big part of the story at this point. His idolization of Hazard and his blatant dislike of Somers puts a strain on their relationship. Hazard doesn’t accommodate Colt’s bad behavior is often “bad guy” when it comes to parenting. The last thing Somers wants is another reason for Colt to hate him, so he tries to be the “good guy,” which means taking all the insults and disrespect. Somers is damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t in Colt’s eyes. I feel for the guy, but that doesn’t stop me shaking my head at his decision to keep a blackmailer secret from his husband. As for Hazard, I found him to be drier and crankier than ever. Some of his comments may have been meant as sarcasm, but it is getting harder to tell. Still, somehow when it’s just Hazard and Somers, I can still feel their love for one another, so I’m really hoping that they will make it through their new challenges.

While they are trying to find some sort of harmony in their personal lives, Somers’ dad asks Somers and Hazard to go on a weekend hunting trip to keep an eye on a soon to be divorced couple and their son to make sure one parent doesn’t try to kidnap their kid. On this trip, Colt gets to spend some time with his good friend Ash (bonus), until the soon to be divorced dad is found dead and there is a mystery to be solved. Immediately, there is a suspect in the crazy Ozark Volunteer neighbor, and Hazard is hired as a PI to clear the suspect’s name.

The case is out of Somers jurisdiction as a Wahredua police chief, but he works with Hazard anyway. There is no end to the amount of people who wanted to see the victim dead, though, he wasn’t a nice guy. Following in his footsteps, is his son Junior. I mention Junior because he is a suspect and he has already had a conflict with Colt in the first book, and some of the things he does in this book are sociopathic and scary. I foresee him being a problem in the future books of this series. Colt’s biological dad also shows up in this book, and he is just a horrible guy. To my relief, he ends up in jail at the end of this book, as does the possible killer in the main mystery. I feel like there are a few questions whether the actual killer was brought to justice, but since the person arrested deserved to be for other reasons, I’m not losing sleep over the result.

The underlining theme of this story, the things a parent will do for their child. Whether it be allowing and making excuses for bad behavior, wrecking the car of the coach who cut your child from a sport, or possibly committing murder. It also explores the entitlement that results. At the end of this book, things do seem to be a bit better for Hazard, Somers, and Colt, but with this author, I am not sure what they will be put through in the next book. I want to bring up a few side characters that are worming their way into my heart. I said it in my review for book one, but I really want to see Hazard’s ex, Nico, get his chance at satisfying life and a romantic interest as well. Ash is a little stupid for Colt in this book, but there is a real sincerity to him, and I look forward to seeing if there is a possible connection for those two boys.

It’s no secret that Hazard and Somerset are my favorite couple written by Gregory Ashe. They were my first and hold a special place in my heart. I absolutely recommend this book, as well as the previous books and series, if you haven’t yet. The audiobooks narrated by Tristan James are even more awesome. His narration brings the story to life.

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Great new series

This is the second book of the 3rd H & S series These are not stand alone books, so you really need to read the first book to understand what is happening in this one. When we last left our dynamic duo, they had decided to become foster parents to a troubled young man. This left us all feeling good. But it is apparent in this book that somebody needs parenting classes. IMO (and I have teenagers) Hazard comes off as WAY to strict and John Henry is WAY to lenient. But they are not alone. Apparently, most of the parents in this story are horrible and it gets one of them killed. So the investigation begins.

Although there is a murder mystery, this is really John Henry’s story of learning what it is to be a husband and parent to someone who doesn’t like him; and the lengths he will go to protect his family. It is also the story of what happens after the “happily ever after.” There is major conflict between the couple and at times I was worried they wouldn’t make it. John Henry does some truly stupid things that almost get him killed. Colt comes off as a really horrible teenager at times and the whole family probably needs counseling after this adventure. It is a wild but great ride with a ratifying ending.

Tristan James once again hits it out of the park. There was a lot of emotion in this story and he gave a wonderful performance.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review

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Outstanding!

I could listen to Tristan James recite the phone book. He does an outstanding job of bringing Custody Battles to life.
I know every time I get my hands on a new Gregory Ashe book I am in for a great read!
His stories are always so multi faceted. It's so easy to go down the rabbit hole and binge the entire book in one sitting!
No matter what trouble will always find Somers and Hazard. The mystery in this story is told with intrigue, attention to detail and all the questions you could want as a reader.
The emotional aspects of this book are many. I loved seeing all the different examples of parenting, the good the bad and the ugly.
Custody Battles is a great addition the the Somers and Hazard world and I can't wait for whatever comes our way next!

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I honestly think. . .

. . . that this might be the best H & S novel yet. The story really kept me riveted to my air buds the entire time. Frequently in stories that follow the same couple, the relationship becomes anticlimactic after they’ve gotten together. Dull, even. Mr. Ashe has amazingly kept the glimpses into their relationship fresh. Like we’re still getting to know these men and still have lots to learn. I always thought of kids as a “jump the shark” move, but parenting in these books has added a dimension that really fleshes out their relationship. And, the mystery: a perfect setting for all the above.

Tristan James, as always, nails it.

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Amazing!

“And you get this look on your face when you’re considering body disposal sites.”

To say I’m obsessed would be an understatement. Somers really pulled through in this one, and man did he have a lot set against him. I’m loving how this little family grows.

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Gregory Ashe and Tristan James OMG

I throughly enjoyed this book. There is one place I am not happy about John Henry, but I’m NOT doing a spoiler!

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Dads and their sons

RANCH. MURDER.

I love when all the characters are together and there's a murder while they're all isolated in one place together. I mean, this isn't a repeat of Transposition, because anyone can just drive off whenever they want? Weather's fine. Everyone has cars. BUT STILL. We have Hazard, Somers, their foster son Colt, Ashley (Colt's best friend), Somers's FATHER, and a whole host of new characters. It's like a game of Clue. Love it.

Content notes include sexual harassment, homomisia, attempted murder, actual murder, violence, blackmail, and racism.

This story goes back to the root of WHY I love these Hazard and Somerset books and why I'm still here at book 13 wanting more. We are back to relationship angst but Gregory Ashe manages to spin this differently? There's NEW angst between Hazard and Somers and I don't even know how that's possible. It's like we've all been through enough, but there is always more.

In this book, we have come to a head with parenting style and we see Hazard and Somers attitude towards Colt to be a reflection of how they grew up. In the last story arc, we saw the frayed relationship Hazard had with his father and we know Hazard was raised with discipline and a lot of yelling. There's one end of the spectrum. Then, there's how Somers was raised - a rich, white boy who got everything he wanted and how others perceive you is EVERYTHING. This is the opposite of the Emery Hazard childhood. So, I think this story arc can be summed up with a slow burn on Hazard and Somers being parents. All they've had to deal with so far is Evie, who is a literal child. They haven't figured out the teenage years yet. And when Colt drops on their doorstep out of the blue and they wind up taking him in as their son, it's a huge learning curve for everyone.

I don't necessarily agree with reviews that have said Hazard and Somers feels far removed from the characters they were in earlier story arcs. I just think that this story arc requires a lot more patience to understand WHY Hazard and Somers are the way they are in these past 2 books, and I do get that people aren't happy and would want to drop the story. But we've already made it this far! Why not finish the story arc out? I admit I have been slower at reading these books this time around, but thank god Tristan James is back with audiobooks and putting them out so fast after the ebooks are published! The wait time between ebooks and audio is not long at all. He IS Hazard and Somers for me at this point, and I think it really helped speed the book along by hearing the story in audiobook vs. reading it with my eyes.

I did make a comment in my last review for Relative Justice that there were a lot of audio mistakes as to who was who, and I am happy to report there's way less of that in this audiobook. If there were any bumps or mishaps, it was not noticeable at all.

It is interesting how I keep coming back to this series, because I've soured on reading cop books since I started this series a few years ago. But thankfully, there are changes to the series and to the characters themselves that still make it...okay? Hazard is a private investigator and we definitely still see more of him investigating and solving cases while the rest of the police force just gets in the way. These past two books we've dealt more with the county police, which is interesting. Like, I'm surprised Sheriff Engles is still at the job considering everything that happened with his son in the last story arc. All these run-ins with the county cops is going somewhere? But I can't quite tell where that is yet from this book.

Then there's Somers as Police Chief. Which is...eh. Don't love it. I wonder how long he's going to keep at it. Why can't he be a PI with Hazard? I'm worried for Somers since his dynamic with his detectives and the rest of the cops has been weird since he became Chief. Where is this going? This is hinting at something. It's probably nowhere good once you add in the fact that Somers has been remarkably restrained and sober so far this story arc? I have a feeling something bad is going to come crashing at their door soon.

The mystery aspect of this book, while very fun to see them untangle, is confusing. Mostly because we're introduced to a LOT of characters in a very short amount of time and I just couldn't keep them straight for the longest time in my head. I think it's because I was listening to the book in audiobook at a pace that doesn't allow for pauses unless I hit the pause button like every 10 seconds or something, as if I were reading a book to piece together who was who? I don't know. That's just me and big casts of characters that get introduced all at once. This mystery here is related to custody battle for a child like the title suggests, but it also works to address the custody battle Hazard and Somers has to keep Colt from his abusive birth father. This book is intense.

I wonder what we'll see by the end of this story arc. Is this the last or will there be more? How many books will there be? I want Colt to find his HEA with Ash. Will we get that? They just SAY they're friends but everyone else is convinced they're going to wind up together. And Ash is adorable! And I love Colt. They're just teenage boys who maybe need to stop getting into situations that get them into so much trouble? Two braincells between them, I swear. Colt's emotions in this book is all over the place, and sometimes it does feel like a bit much? I love him, I know he's a teenager and he's been through a lot. But I wish Colt's characterization in this series was dialed down a tad bit.

Then, what's the deal with Nico? I know he has a therapist but maybe he needs a new one. I feel bad for him and it's so funny how Hazard mothers him now too. I like that Nico and Hazard are basically friends now with no hard feelings between them. I want Nico happy and to eventually find love too. Spin-off for Nico? Except with WHO? I don't know.

There's weirdly not a lot of Dulac and Darnell this story arc, after seeing Dulac so much in the last one. I know Dulac is no longer Somers's partner but it's weird. I miss his frat bro attitude and would love to see more of him where I'm not suspicious anymore that he's the murderer (sorry, Dulac. You were super suspect and definitely my top pick for the Keeper of Bees for the longest time).

Shaw, from the Borealis books, did get a mention (though not by name). But I can recognize the St. Louis fax machine resume fiend when mentioned. Only Shaw can work up Hazard up so much while not even being in the same city as him.

And for more guest appearances, we see Theo and Auggie!!! This was VERY interesting. Their books are part of a newsletter serial by the author and we've only gotten 2 of their 4 books so far. Their stories take place BEFORE Hazard arrives in Wahredua in Pretty Pretty Boys. So obviously they're together. BUT I NEED TO KNOW MORE. Anyways, it's funny to see that everyone answers Hazard's calls (eventually and under threat), and somehow Hazard always gets the answers he was searching for.

What's to come in the next book? I have no idea. Something wild and angsty, I'm sure. I haven't even brought up Naomi and whatever her deal is with her neo-Nazi group in Wahredua. This story throws the whole thing out of whack and I'm sure it's going to come back on everyone later. Can't wait to read the next book in this series.

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It's Gregory Ashe, therefore, is magnificent

I don't know how to explain how I felt while reading this book. Yes, there were moments that were fantastically funny.
Shrugging, Hazard opened the car door. “You’re my husband. I prefer you out of prison.”

“Always the charmer.”

“Sixty percent for the sex, John. Forty percent for the home improvement projects.”

But there were others, most of them, when I wanted to scream... to everybody, TBH. And yes, I get it, I get why Somers keeps quiet about Danny Lee; I get why he tries to run interference between Emery and Colt when Emery is angry. I also get why Emery is so hard with Colt, and, after meeting Danny Lee, I get why Colt hates Somers so much. And there lies the reason why this wrenched my guts: because I know that all that they are doing will explode in their faces, but I can't blame them.

They are doing what they can to protect themselves and the ones they love. And it's heart-wrenching. Argh!!!!

And the case? Well, this time I was sure I knew who was the culprit. Not because I had hard evidence; as a matter of fact, I only had what someone said that got me thinking: ah! that is! S/he (not giving you any clue!) is the culprit. Alas, I was wrong. Again ~sigh~

But the people involved in this case? Well... let's say they aren't really good people. They are not evil (except for one who, I agreed with Emery, is a total psychopath), they are just weak, selfish people who don't know better and keep repeating their parents' mistakes.

Oh, and there is so much about parents and parenting in this book! Custody Battles, after all, is the title of the book, and there are three going on here. But there is another underlying theme, too: how we may forgive someone, but forgetting is not always easy.
"...Selective attention. Finding patterns. My brain picking things out in what you do and say because I looked for those things
—that stuff about you, about your parents—for so long.”

Somers is really, really struggling here. He can't understand Colt's hate, and no matter what he does, Colt keeps rejecting him; he keeps getting in fights with Emery about how to deal with Colt (and finding himself repeating his parents' patterns without even noticing it... until he does); Danny Lee's repulsive threats; his father, telling him that he needs "...to resolve this situation. Quickly. And quietly.”

By the end of the book I hated the phrase: 'Let’s see what we can do about that'

And we have two endings here: the one regarding the case and the one regarding their personal lives. Spoiler alert: they both are heart-stoping. One, because is so full of danger, suspense and adrenaline that you feel breathless; the other, because, at least I, wanted to physically separate myself from the story and scream. I never loved John-Henry more than here.

So, yes, another Gregory Ashe book: smart, stunningly written and, of course, an emotional roller coaster. Did you expect anything different? :P

EDIT FOR REREAD: Aaaaargh! This book is one of those books with which I have a love-hate relationship :P I hate who Somers is most of the time here, I hate that he is still so insecure even when I understand why he feels this way; I hate how shitty is Colt's behaviour although, again, I understand from where he is coming; but that's what I love, too: that I understand why the characters act the way they do. And that, by the end, they all have understood some of their mistakes and are better persons (and parents!) because of it.

Such magnificent characters, such wonderful writing!

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