Book Review: Nothing Special by A.E. Via

Reviewed by JustJen

Title: Nothing Special
Author: A.E. Via
Heroes: Cashel “Cash” Godfrey/Leonidis “Leo” Day
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 255 pages
Publisher: Amira Press Publishing
Release Date: March 21, 2014
Available at: Amira Press Publishing, Amazon & All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes

Blurb: Detective Cashel ‘Cash’ Godfrey is big, tattooed and angry so people typically keep their distance. He’s fresh out of the police academy, however, no one is looking to partner with the six foot four beast with a huge chip on his shoulder and an inability to trust. When Cash scans the orientation room he wasn’t expecting to find sexy hazel eyes locked onto him. Eyes of the handsome Detective Leonidis ‘Leo’ Day.

Leo is charming, witty, hilariously sarcastic and the only one that can make Cash smile. He’s proud, out and one bad-ass detective.

Together Cash and Leo become the most revered and successful narcotics detectives Atlanta’s ever seen. Able to communicate and understand each other, without even having to voice it, they quickly climb up the promotional ranks.

When Cash saves Leo’s life in a raid that turns deadly, Leo begins to see something in the big man that no one else does…something special. But Leo fears he’ll never break through the impenetrable wall that protects Cash’s heart.

Nothing Special takes the reader through various emotions throughout the richly fulfilling plot that’s full of erotic gay romance, heartache, passion, trials and tribulations, police action scenes, and an intriguing twist that comes to an amazing ending that’s impossible to see coming.

Title and Synopsis created by the LaSalle Sister of Man2Mantastic.

Review: 

Wow, this one was hot stuff!  I loved these guys right from the get go.  They have been detective partners for four years, and right from the beginning when Cash (or God, as he is mostly known) stood up for Leo against a seemingly homophobic officer, they were the perfect match.  They have such wonderful chemistry even as friends with lots of fabulous banter and joking around.  But when they take things to the next level, they are smokin!

Leo is out and proud, and Cash is a big grumbly (straight?) hard ass.  But Leo has no trouble seeing through his gruffness, and I loved how he always knew just how to handle Cash.  Cash has a pretty big secret though, and eventually circumstances force it out into the open throwing everyone into a kind of tailspin for a while.  Cash did not have a very good childhood, and his mother and brother are completely oblivious and even turn away when they learn the truth.  But Leo is there for him, through thick and thin, having his back both on the job and off.

As for the job, they are tracking down drug kingpins, so they are busy going on raids and leading the other officers as the leading team on the cases.  So, there is plenty of action in their professional, as well as personal lives.  There were times that I thought things were a smidge unbelievable or that there wasn’t any way things could possibly happen that way in real life (mainly regarding to their jobs), and calling Cash “God” throughout most of the story kept throwing me off, but I was definitely not disappointed, as this was one hot, fast paced read.

As an aside, it wasn’t until Cash referenced his chef friend and college roommate, Prescott, that I made the connection to Prescott Vaughn from You Can See Me, which I also recommend.

Additionally, these guys are completely committed to each other, but they do end up playing with another couple.  I found this to be really hot stuff, but some people might not feel the same.

Regardless, Ms. Via has grown with each book I’ve read and definitely on my auto-read list.  This was no exception, and I look forward to more, including a follow up to this story.

Overall Impression: I loved it

*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*