A Sammy Review: Down and Dirty (Cole McGinnis #5) by Rhys Ford

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

“You are my brother’s best friend. And from what Cole’s told me about you, not someone I’d wake up to the next morning,” Ichiro murmured, scrubbing at his tired face. Peering out between his fingers, he barked a short laugh. “Fucking you would be a huge mistake, Bobby.”

Bobby’s laughter was nearly as bitter as the coffee he’d brought over for Ichiro to drink. “Well, if there’s one thing I’m good at, Sunshine, it’s making huge fucking mistakes.”

Bobby Dawson is an ex-cop with a bitter past and a slew of one-night-stands. Sure, he’s handsome, fit, and pretty damn hilarious, but if there’s one thing he’s not, it’s boyfriend material.

Jae, Cole, and most everyone who knows him all agree on that. But there’s something about Ichi, and Ichi with Bobby that make all the past screw ups seem surmountable.

It’s true. They’re the kind of couple that shouldn’t be together. Bobby has a son Ichi’s age, he sleeps around, Ichi’s too innocent… the excuses go on, but even excuses run out when love is involved

Bobby didn’t want this. He’d never wanted to feel that connection to another man. Men were… disposable. Holes and mouths who laughed and maybe kept him company but eventually wandered off like strays finding a new home.

He wasn’t supposed to want to keep them. To soothe them or wipe their tears when their worlds were shattered by violence. The world was a tough place. He’d seen enough blood and death to stare it down until it whimpered away, but he’d never wanted to keep someone else safe from its looming, dark presence.

Until now.

And it scared the shit out of him.

Down and Dirty runs concurrently with a lot of the events in Dirty Deeds, which I really appreciated, as it allows us to really see the growth of Bobby and Ichi’s relationship from the very start.

Like all other Rhys Ford books I’ve read, she has a definitive voice that is immediately recognizable and completely enjoyable. There’s a balance of humor along with a seriousness that one would think may be hard to maintain, but she does it with near flawless precision. The way she gives her characters life allows the reader to feel close to them, like they know them on a personal level, and this book was no different.

For readers of the series, we’ve gotten to know Bobby a bit along the way, and Ichi more recently. We had bits and pieces of their lives, but what I loved about this book is that it revealed a whole other layer to both characters, but particularly Bobby. I knew on a basic level that he was more than an aging man whore with a need to box and sharp wit, but that was more just my personal thought process. Rhys really gave us the window into his past in Down and Dirty, and it wasn’t at all what I expected.

On top of that, we also get to see pretty much all of our favorites, with a few exceptions. But if you’re worried that Jae and Cole are going to be forgotten in this, don’t be. They are in here plenty without taking over the story and making it their own. We even get a brief but kick-ass appearance from Claudia, some sweet words from Scarlet, and a dash of Mike that will make you want to hit your head on the desk. The story did a great job of making it Bobby and Ichi’s, but still giving us everyone we’ve come to know and love in the previous four books.

I do have a few small bones to pick. For one, that ending. WHAT WAS HIS ANSWER?! I mean, I’m hoping I know what it is. But… I need to know!. Secondly, I really wish we got to see more of Bobby with his family. We see him debating about telling his Uncle, but never really find out if he does. And I’d love to have seen more of him and his son. But can you blame me for being greedy? Of course I want more.

All around a great addition to a wonderful series.

The cover art by Reece Notley does a very nice job of connecting to the other books and making them all appear cohesive. I can definitely picture Bobby as the cover model, but I’m not so sure about Ichi. The model who is meant to depict him just seems a bit too buttoned up for me. Still, it’s a nice cover that connects to the story through small details.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback      All Romance (ARe)    Amazon     Buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Expected publication: January 2nd 2015 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
original titleDown and Dirty
ISBN139781632166159
edition languageEnglish
seriesCole McGinnis #5

• Cole McGinnis Series includes:
• Dirty Kiss (Cole McGinnis, #1)
• Dirty Secret (Cole McGinnis, #2)
• Dirty Laundry (Cole McGinnis, #3)
• Dirty Sweets (Cole McGinnis, #3.5)
• Dirty Day (Cole McGinnis, #3.6)
• Dirty Deeds (Cole McGinnis, #4)