A Jeri Release Day Review: Love and Payne (A THIRDS Universe Novel) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Austen Payne, THIRDS Squadron Specialist Agent (SSA) for Destructive Delta and TIN operative, has seen the worst the world has to offer, faced lethal killers, and helped bring down dangerous organizations. But nothing terrifies him more than falling in love. After years of undercover work, Austen is a master at defending himself and protecting his heart… until he meets Osmond Zachary.

THIRDS Defense Agent Osmond Zachary has a huge, doting family, yet something is missing in his life. After meeting grumpy, foul-mouthed, jittery cheetah Therian Austen Payne, Zach knows exactly what that something—or someone—is. Unfortunately Austen seems determined to avoid Zach at all costs.

When Zach foils an assassination attempt, he ends up in the killer’s crosshairs, and Austen is Zach’s best chance at staying alive. Zach hopes the crisis will bring them closer, but Austen has every intention of walking away as soon as the danger is over.

Happily ever after isn’t for guys like Austen, but Zach is determined to show him it can be.

I am a tried and true THIRDS Nerd. Adore Dex and Sloane. I’m pretty sure Dex is my spirit animal. But it was time to move on. So this book is part of the “THIRDS Universe” but it isn’t centered around Destructive Delta.

If none of that made sense, go straight to amazon and read book 1. You’ll be hooked.

But I digress. We know Austen well. He started crushing on Sloan hard, but Sloan let him down easy. But Austen was always there- on the fringes like the spy he is.

And Zach we met almost immediately way back in book 1 when Dex had the audacity to take the last bag of cheesy doodles from the vending machine. ahh memories…..

Zach and Austen have always kind of tip toed around each other. Austen refusing to admit that he was crushing hard on Zach. And Zach wearing his heart on his sleeve but not wanting to spook Austen.

So when they are thrown together with basically no escape, Austen has no defense against the charms of Zach and his entire family.

And what an enormous family! My goodness. Another world that Ms Cochet has built for us. I look forward to getting to know them.

So yes, the THIRDS universe can and will happily survive without Dex and Sloan at the center. There is still tons of action, lots of sexy times and some really sweet, swoony romance.

I absolutely look forward to more of this offshoot. Although, I have a feeling that Dex and Sloan will be making an appearance in the near future.

Cover art: L.C. Chase. Perfect for the character and branding the series.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook
Dreamspinner Press Paperback
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Global Link
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iBooks

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 202 pages
Expected publication: September 4th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB07G76RPMT
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series THIRDS:

Catch a Tiger by the Tail

Smoke & Mirrors

Thick & Thin

Darkest Hour Before Dawn

Gummy Bears & Grenades

Tried & True

Love and Payne

A Jeri Release Day Review: Gummy Bears & Grenades (THIRDS #10) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

If you’ve read my reviews before, you know that I absolutely adore the THIRDS series. I eagerly await them and will put down whatever I am reading to pick the newest up. They are just straight up entertaining.

This installment was a novella. Which means I devoured it in an hour (I’m a fast reader). Set the night of Dex’s bachelor party, we watch the guys- and a few girls- drink, dance, party….and get into sticky situations. Because it is Dex and that is what happens.

I am fairly certain that every single character has at least a cameo in this novella. And there are a lot. So honestly, the reason it is not getting more than 4 stars is the amount of stuff crammed in this book. It was a bit too much and took a bit away from the story.

Did I totally laugh? Yep. Swoon? Yep. Giggle? Yep.

And she has left me panting for more.

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase. The cover is absolutely perfect. Wouldn’t change a thing.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 102 pages

Expected publication: October 4th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

Original Title Gummy Bears & Grenades

ISBN13 9781635339963

Edition Language English

Series THIRDS #9.5

A Jeri Release Day Review: Darkest Hour Before Dawn (THIRDS #9) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Book 9 of the THIRDS series takes us away from not only the usual main characters of Dex and Sloan, but also out of their team Destructive Delta. This installment involves Sebastian Hobbs- older brother of Hobbs- and Hudson, the medical examiner at THIRDS HQ.

Seb and Hudson had been a couple. Going so far as to have Seb mark Hudson. But when a child dies while out on a call, they blame themselves. Ignoring the pull of their union, they tip toe around each other for years. But Seb is tasked with watching out for Hudson because the unseen enemy has been keeping tabs on him.

Seb and Hudson have always been great supporting players in the THIRDS universe. Every fan I know wanted them to get their own book and work toward their happily ever after. This book really made the wait worth it.

We still see “our” guys, Dex, Sloan and the crew- but the focus really is on Seb and Hudson. Not only seeing them together, but seeing Hudson with the Hobbs family. Before the tragedy that tore them apart, Hudson was fully ingrained with the Felids.

And just when you think it is all sweet and happy and rainbows…….BAM! She does it again. I won’t say what. But I will say I texted another reviewer who had read it before me practically screaming my question at her. She laughed at me. Keep reading, she said. Like stopping was an option.

Seb is so, so, SO sweet. I just love him. And even though it was Hudson who kept them apart, you really understand why.

A lot happens in this book. There is more introduction to the new bad guys. Thank goodness for her glossary at the beginning!

And the ending. The ending is just perfect.

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase. Cover works for the story and branding the series.

Sales Link

Book Details:

ebook, 224 pages
Expected publication: April 25th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
Original TitleDarkest Hour Before Dawn
ISBN 1635336090 (ISBN13: 9781635336092)
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series THIRDS #9

A Jeri Release Day Review: Thick & Thin (THIRDS #8) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

***This has spoilers if you haven’t read the previous seven books! If you haven’t- what is wrong with you!***

As you might have noticed from previous reviews of the series- I love the THIRDS books. And I am not big on paranormal/shifter books at all. Someone convinced me to read book 1 and it was downhill from there. If you have no idea what I am talking about, move along. Or go back to book one and catch up. I wish I could start over.

Book 8 is a novella (sob! I want more!), because it was necessary to tie up some loose ends from book 7 and get us ready for book 9. I actually totally understand this as it would have been too much in the previous book and the next book focuses on two different main characters.

Our focus this time is Dex and Sloan, our original couple. Dex and Sloan have quite a bit of big news to share not only with the team and their friends, but also with Tony- Dex’s father and the man in charge of the team. News like, they are engaged, Sloan is now a Human-Therian Hybrid and they are becoming spies for the rogue group TIN. No big whoop!

The fall out from all of those three pieces of news, plus what it is going to do to Destructive Delta is the main focus of this novella and very necessary. You still get the laugh out loud funny, the sweet, the action and the oh OH so sexy times. You’ll see.

This just whetted my appetite- especially since there is a book 9 teaser at the end- and will keep me coming back for more.

Cover art by L.C. Chase is hot, eye-catching and works in every way.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 95 pages
Expected publication: February 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 163533389X (ISBN13: 9781635333893)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesTHIRDS #8

A Jeri Release Day Review: THIRDS Beyond the Books: Volume 2 by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

thirds-beyond-the-books-vol-2 If you are a THIRDS fan, you get excited about the next book coming out. If you are a rabid THIRDS fan, you join fan groups and wait for Thursdays. Because on Thursdays, Ms Cochet gives us what she calls “THIRDS Thursday”. A snippet of a story that isn’t in the books. We love those magic words “THIRDS Thursday is up!” so we can run to her website to sate our thirst for all things Dex and company.

If you have no idea what I am talking about at this point- just move on. Or actually, go back and start with the first book Hell and High Water. Then you will understand. If you are wondering how you had no idea you were missing THIRDS Thursday- it’s your lucky day! Volumes I and II of Beyond the Books brings together all those shorts into one convenient place.

These stories are at times sweet, sometimes hot, very often funny, and when she really wants to torture us, they can make you cry. These shorts are almost like movie outtakes, or scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor. I know that there are “prompts” that she uses to get a story started- often sent to her by fans. Like me. But, sadly, my prompt hasn’t yet been deemed worthy of a story.

You can easily read the whole book at once- or you can savor it and read a few at a time. Because they are all the characters we know and love but they hold not great importance to the Books (the original series), you can pick it up and put it down.

Of course I recommend these books. Any THIRDS fan worth their Cheesy Doodles needs them in their library. And the proceeds go to Big Cat Rescue.

All royalties from this book will be donated to the Big Cat Rescue.http://bigcatrescue.org/

Cover art by L.C. Chase works perfectly, including the Cheesy Doodles.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 138 pages
Expected publication: October 12th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 163477308X (ISBN13: 9781634773089)
Edition LanguageEnglish

SeriesTHIRDS

A Jeri Review: Smoke and Mirrors (THIRDS book 7) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

You have read the THIRDS series, right? If you haven’t- READ IT! Start at the beginning. Trust me.

Smoke and Mirrors is book seven in the excellent series, THIRDS. This book picks up with the serious cliffhanger ending from Catch a Tiger by the Tail, book 6. As fans of the series know, we were left wndering what happened to Dex when Sloane woke up to find him gone. And boy do we find out.

While many of the books deal with various relationships- Dex and Sloane, Ash and Cael, Calving and Hobbs- there is always an intriguing story behind it all. Complex and interesting, the continuing story sucks you in and keeps you coming back for more. To say you get invested in these characters is an understatement.

In this installment, there are no new relationships being formed. Instead, this book focuses all on the story. What really happened to Dex’s parents. Who know what. How intricate the web is. Who can you trust and not trust? Watching the team come together to save and help one of their own shows how tight they all are, We continue to see the romantic involvements between the various couples, and we hope beyond hope for other couples to form.

I have to say that the one big twist was pretty apparent even before it was revealed. Even with that knowledge, it was no less gasp worthy.

I have to mention that there was one brief part in the book that was so relevant to what is happening in the news, I wondered briefly if Ms.Cochet was psychic.

These books make you think, make you swoon, make you literally laugh out loud and make you cry. Although I love that it is a “gay romance” I would hazard a guess that if it were a mainstream romance it would be a chart buster and have producers fighting for the movie rights.

The tagline of “Everything changes” whetted our appetites and this book completely satisfied.

Cover art by L.C. Chase is perfect for the book and series.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon more links to come

Book Details:

ebook, 230 pages
Expected publication: July 8th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634773888 (ISBN13: 9781634773881)
Edition LanguageEnglishSeriesTHIRDS #7

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