Rabid Reading

I love it when a trilogy ends well. When I flip the last page of the final book, read the final words, and then flop back on my bed/couch/whatever, sighing happily and floating on a cloud of pure bliss.

The Rook and Ronin trilogy has been a favorite of mine from the day I started reading it (you can read my reviews of book 1 and 2 HERE and HERE). Much as I adore Rook's boys - and when I say adore, I mean wish they were real so I could have my wicked way with them - this is really Rook's story, and in Panic, she absolutely shines. With her erotic modeling days behind her and more money in the bank than she knows what to do with, it seems her future couldn't be brighter. But as Rook quickly discovers, moving on - growing up, if you will - comes with its own unique set of challenges. Even more so when she and Ronin both have pasts that are hellbent on catching them.

What I like most about Rook is how beautifully honest she is. Sure, she has secrets, and yeah, there are more than a few scary skeletons lurking in her closet, but she doesn't pull punches or play silly games - she's just herself. This is her life, her journey, and if you don't like it, you know where the door is. Don't let it hit you on the way out. I heart that about her. She's just so frank and engaging, so real, it's impossible not to hop on her bandwagon. Heck, I didn't even try. I just gave in, accepted how amazeballs she was, and haven't looked back since. (She hasn't given me any reason to, either.)

Rook's journey wouldn't be complete without her boys. Ronin, Ford and Spencer are a trifecta of hotness, and their devotion to Rook doesn't waver for a second - which of course makes them even more irresistible! We learn a lot more about the guys' shared past in Panic, and just how badass and wickedly devious they are capable of being - even more so than they were in book 2. I was a bit sad that Spence didn't have a larger role to play, but he made his page time count. As for Ford, he tried hard to steal the show, and I gotta admit, he came damn close a time or two, but I am and always will be a Ronin girl. Ronin is just so...so...everything, and I heart him like crazy. Really, though, it doesn't matter which guy rings your bell, whether you're a Spencer super-fan, a Ford fanatic, or a raving Ronin supporter like I am. They are each fantastic in their own way and you're going to fall in love with all of them.

Love is not something you will feel for the character of Clare. She's back and causing a lot more trouble than she's worth. I feel for the girl and all she's been through, but if she'd walked out in front of a bus, I wouldn't have minded at all. Terrible, I know, but gahhh, she just rubs me the wrong way. Always has. As for Rook's douchebag ex, Jon....UGH. Don't get me started.

Panic hits a home run on every front. It has tension, suspense, romance, hot smexy times, and some truly incredible jaw-dropping moments that I never saw coming. It was the perfect ending to an exceptional NA contemporary trilogy and if I didn't have to worry about breaking my bank, I would buy you all copies of the books so you could experience this awesomeness for yourselves.

5 Stars ★★★★★

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

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