Rating: 4🌈

Kudos to Finley for including her trigger warnings at the beginning of the story instead of making her readers hunt for them or discarding them altogether. I always appreciate a author who does this for their readers.

In Atlas, the third of the Mike Bravo Ops series, the warnings apply to a secondary character who’s a victim of domestic assault and abuse.

There’s an author’s note also on a main character’s pov on sex workers but, honestly, I don’t see that a perspective that changes over time due to character development was necessary, or triggering.

Could be wrong though.

Atlas is a member of the Mike Bravo Ops team sent under cover to discover who’s stealing from an owner of a strip club, said owner being a bit of a criminal himself. The job has a murkiness about it from the beginning that not all the team is happy with. Especially Atlas who’s been assigned the job of bartender, wearing the barest of bottoms, and getting groped by the clientele as well. Accused by the team of being judgmental, this isn’t a job he’s comfortable with.

Finley’s characterization conveys all this information well on Atlas but at the same time doesn’t make him feel like he’s being condescending. Instead, he’s stuck trying to figure out why the people are there , their lives and motivations. You might want to shake him but he’s a good person. A really ginormous person. Who quickly becomes fixated on the stripper on the pole dazzling everyone in front of him.

That’s Lemon, who loves the power he possesses when he’s on stage or dancing for clients privately backstage. But there’s more to Lemon, and the life he’s living. Secrets he’s keeping.

I liked the dynamic between Atlas, who seems powerful in so many ways but unsure in others, and Lemon who has a inner strength and power not easily seen but a outer vulnerability and beauty that draws people to him.

The story has some nice details and twists to it, especially in regards to the main characters and their relationship.

A aspect of the story that didn’t do much for me was that element that this job was supposed to be Atlas’s chance to prove himself able to fill a leadership position, second in command to Travis, their boss. Domino, the team member in that role is “retiring “ from their unit to have a family and Atlas is the one being considered to replace him.

Thing is nothing about Atlas’s actions here point towards him acting like he is ready for such a role. Not that Domino acted in the best interests of the team in accepting this job, but Atlas’s had no choice in anything here except go along with the decisions made by others. With the exception of vouching for Lemon when the situation called for it.

So I’m perplexed as to how this element of the story works or doesn’t work, in my opinion. It feels like it was just written in to justify the fact that the author had Domino leaving and needed some additional “framework” for him. Just an afterthought sort of aspect of the story.

The rest is strong, but not without its flaws. There’s two characters left without being accounted for, including one who had a major role here.

Atlas is being referenced as the third book of three but it in no way feels like a finale, especially with those loose ends left dangling at the end of this story.

Also there’s still so many men of Bravo Ops without partners. Like Zeus, Decaf, or Romeo , I think. Even though Domino was written off due to matrimony happiness and a transfer to a linked agency, chances are he will pop up again. So I’ve no idea if this is a finale or not. As a series it doesn’t come across as complete.

I’ve enjoyed all three books with Iris still my strong favorite. I’m recommending this series to date for fans of Eden Finley, those who love conflicted main characters, with a bit of suspense and action thrown in.

Buy Link:

Mike Bravo Ops: Atlas

Mike Bravo Ops:

✓ Iris #1

✓ Rogue #2

✓ Atlas #3

Description:

ATLAS

Working undercover at a strip club is not my usual kind of job. If it weren’t a great opportunity to show the Mike Bravo team I can run my own op, I wouldn’t have agreed to it.

When my boss asks me to befriend the biggest gossip in the establishment, the person who knows everything, I’m even more reluctant. Because that happens to be one of the dancers. The only dancer to catch my attention in all the wrong ways.

I need to be professional or I will never prove I’m leadership material.

Only problem is, the guy with the stage name Lemon makes me want to be anything but professional.

LEMON

I’m sick of the new bartender throwing dirty looks my way. He’s as judgmental as he is hot, and let’s just say he’s really judgmental.

I don’t know why he’s working here if he looks down on us dancers so much. He could bartend at a regular club.

But when he saves me from a drunken customer getting too handsy, his attitude suddenly flips, and we find ourselves becoming … friends?

Underneath the judgment, it turns out Atlas is a total sweetheart.

Maybe more caring than anyone I’ve ever met.

I’ve never had a relationship before, but something tells me it could be way too easy to fall for the gentle giant.