Dash gets a call from the last person he ever expected to hear from again and is entangled in a decades long cold case. As he puts himself in danger in his quest for the truth, his now shaky relationship with Bobby also hits a breaking point.

It. Has. HAPPENED!!! Six books, thousands of pages of miscommunication, multiple life threatening incidents later - Bobby and Dash got their shit together. Not going to lie, it wasn't looking good at the beginning of the book. (What is Deputy Bobby doing out here dating all these people?!) They are still struggling with the same lack of communication from the last book but tensions are rising even higher. Their relationship starts to crack under the stress, but when push comes to shove they both realize they either have to be brave or lose something special. It's a lesson in raw vulnerability and trust. Both their love confessions are so swoony and loving. You can tell how hard it is for both of them, especially Bobby, to talk about how they feel but they finally gain the courage to try. And now we get sweet Bobby/Dash moments! 

It's intriguing to figure out the dynamics of everyone's relationships when all we have is Dash's POV. We only see Bobby through Dash, who idolizes him and puts him on the perfect pedestal. But we learn through other characters - like Fox and Indira - that of course he's imperfect. The Last Picks are a supportive and loving group, but aren't afraid to bring the hard truths. I love that we also get to see a bit of Dash through Bobby's eyes when he's talking about how Dash's actions impact him and make him feel. I haven't minded the single POV but it is cool to see other character's perspectives. 

As has happened before with this series, the case Dash is working on mirrors the issues in his life. A group of people hid their love and kept their feelings locked down and it eventually led to a tragic ending. It's kind of heavy but it was a relevant case to support what Dash is feeling. And it delivered on some high adrenaline scenes I love. Even though it's a bit more serious the book is still 100% a fun and cozy mystery. 

A side note - I'm reading all the bonus epilogues and short stories as I go through the series and sweet Keme!! Gah I just want to wrap him up in a big hug. I love his and Dash's relationship, even the little hints we get of Keme and Bobby's relationship. They are like big brothers (though I laugh every time Keme is called the big brother) but also have some fatherly traits. They respect him boundaries but do whatever they can to support him. They're just all so endearing and I love them. 

I tried to space these books out but I'm already catching up to the latest releases. I don't know what I'm going to do when I'm done with these lovable dummies! Thankfully Ashe has many a short story and flash fiction on his patron page so I can continue to get my fill of them. 

Read if you like: 

• cozy mystery   

• found family   

• friends to lovers 🥹

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