Rating: 5🌈
Unusual Emotions is the third book in Shelby Rhodes’ amazing paranormal romance series, The Unwilling Adventures of Harlow & Foxx, so a couple of things right away. If you’re reading this series, you are already familiar with the trigger warnings, so I’m not going to repeat them.
Secondly, if you’re familiar with Shelby Rhodes writing, either here or any of this author’s work, then again, see my sentence above about triggers. Rhodes’ writing just comes with a certain amount of warnings, primarily because of the various types of themes and content that are present in this author’s work. If you know, you know.
As this is the third book in this remarkable series, one that has to be read in order, then a reader knows what is in store for them and the characters here. Proceed forward with knowledge!
Unusual Emotions tells us exactly what our characters are dealing with. After the traumatic events and deepest horrors of the past revisited that Taste of Fear put Foxx and Harlow through, now the impact of those events and its consequences, emotionally are seen here on the partners.
Unsurprisingly, Foxx is having nightmares, the burning marks upon his body still visible, his emotional state is shattered as much as his damaged threads. Hes not in good shape as the book opens. But just as shocking, neither is his partner Harlow. He’s having feelings, anger , fear, and more, which he’s trying not to identify. He’s a psychopath and , in his own words and mind, he’s not supposed to be having feelings.
Rhodes weaves an intimate, increasingly confused relationship between two characters that always thought they knew what their relationship was about. Until recently, and Foxx’s recent traumatic experiences have upset him and their dynamic. Both sides are stumbling around, dealing with their own issues, their partner’s unspoken difficulties with the current situation, and a multitude of new cases involving them and weird elements.
It’s Foxx and Harlow trying to figure out how to make their relationship work but it’s changing in ways neither understands. The author lays this out , all the fears, the misguided ways their friends and bosses interfere in the process, all the challenges that realistically make them not trusting of anything deeper than a work relationship, it’s complicated journey that makes them feel more real and broken. Incredible stuff here.
Threaded through this slow burn journey over broken glass pathways is the cases Tony is throwing their way. Unusually big numbers, scary details, weird situations. Each one coming with some defining features and scenarios that will, I’m sure, add up to something even more terrifying to the partners later on.
And I’m not just talking about the cliffhanger of that ending!
Yes, it does have a wowzer of a cliffhanger here. We also knew that would happen.
Unusual Emotions (The Unwilling Adventures of Harlow & Foxx Book 3) by Shelby Rhodes is one incredibly powerful and heart stopping book. Our connection with Foxx and Harlow is made stronger, and we are all so happy that they have made a new step forward in their journey. Now about that cliffhanger!
Highly recommended! Read them in order. Not one is a standalone.
Love the covers.
The Unwilling Adventures of Harlow & Foxx:
✓ At First Irritation #1
✓ Taste of Fear #2
✓ Unusual Emotions #3
â—¦ Thirst Quenched #4 – August 24,2024
â—¦ False Morality #5 – TBD
Buy link
Unusual Emotions (The Unwilling Adventures of Harlow & Foxx Book 3)
Blurb
Foxx Honeywell here… Have you ever wanted something, but then when it finally happens, you panic and think of all the things that could go wrong, because things have always gone wrong? No? Just me? Well, let’s backtrack.
We pick up where we last left off…after the hypocritical murdery priests. Yeah, I’m still dealing with all that. Cases come and go, and things are normal…but then normal flies out of the window. All because my mind decided to focus on things it shouldn’t. Because, as is often the case, emotions and feelings don’t give a shit about timing, place, or the sanity of those involved!
Speaking of sanity. My annoyingly insane partner, HARLOW, decided that he wants to make it all the more complicated by feeling ‘something’ as well.
Long story short, more cases, more confusion, and just the urge to burn the world down in a fit of anger…because why the bloody hell not? Things are decidedly not okay.
CONTENT WARNING: This is a slow burn M/M paranormal romance book, that ends in a cliffhanger. Please see inside or my website for full content warning!
• Publisher: (June 11, 2024)
• Publication date: June 11, 2024
• Language: English
• Print length: 343 pages
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 