Skip Trace

This is a tough book to rate. Overall, Burke/Jensen have crafted an interesting fantasy world filled with rich characters. I am a big fan of the Chaos crew members, especially the helpful alien Qek and stalwart captain Elias and look forward to reading more adventures in which they work together , probably engaging with the new alien species that has suddenly emerged.

But.

As a romance reader, this series is starting to bug me big time. Three books into the series, and we have Felix aka Flick aka Felix (I think I'm finally getting used to the multiple nicknames!) pulling the “I'm not good enough for you” card on Zed aka Zander, and then taking off for more than half of the book? Not cool. I don't want to see their relationship tested in each book; I want to see it deepen and develop while the two men are together. See Whyborne & Griffin in Jordan L. Hawk's Widdershins series, Lucien and Stephen in K.J. Charles' Magpie series, or the two MC's in Harper Fox's Tyack and Frayne series for examples that keep the MCs togther without becoming boring or stagnant. Kelly and Jenn, you have created two great MCs with distinctive personalities who are going to clash in the normal course of their interactions; why not let that happen and let them work it out instead of making it all or nothing in each book?

Also the interactions with the god-like Guardians race are intriguing, but at times they function literally as deux ex machina, which leaves fewer options for Felix or Zed to demonstrate their own ingenuity and strength.

I'm still in for book 4 of this series, but if Felix and Zed don't show some signs of growth I won't stick around for the planned finale in book 5.