PERMISSIONby TM FRAZIER
Permission is the conclusion of Grim and Emma Jean's story.
War breaks out in Lacking. The streets aren't safe.
When an unexpected person from my past arrives in town, I'm forced to make a choice between the life I've always wanted, and a life I never knew I could have.
I didn't know how strong I was until I met Grim.
But am I strong enough to live without him?
Well, darnit. There is nothing more sad than a final book in a trilogy you were enjoying going rogue and ruining the ending of a series for you. I guess I feel like this one kinda let me down. I went from two action packed books that had me hooked and kept the story moving in a forward progression, to a book that started out with a lot of daydreaming and unrealistic fluff - setting the pace for this book as none too pleasing. I'm sure it was probably a me thing seeing how I built this all up in my head based on the first two books, but I was hoping for an epic finish. Apparently there was an epic finish (I cheated and looked after I DNFd it), but I read it a little (a lot) differently than I thought I would. This one just lacked the luster I got from the first two. I know this is a me thing. I know it, sadly....
I think I was a tad more nit-picky with this one. For instance, in the very beginning of the book, Grim was carrying Gabby with a visceral need to save her for EJ. He talks about the blood staining his white sneakers, but the rest of his internal monologue is him daydreaming of a baby bump on EJ and giving her a life outside of Bedlam. I would have thought the main focus was getting Gabby and yourself to a safe place and not dreaming of white picket fences - but this went on for a few pages. I already wanted to start skimming, and that is not a good sign. This was the very beginning pages of the book, so the fear was this book was going to be full of fluff. While we did get the just finale on this, I wasn't as impressed with this final installment as I was with the first two. This also didn't feel like a 'dark romance' to me, after it was all said and done, so I feel it may have been misclassified with that description as well. This one started at a 3 star and declined rapidly for me as the book and theatrics went on.
I also felt like this was a very rushed book with some very unexplained variables that I literally shook my head at. I don't like holding BIG secrets from the other half of the equation....and that part bugged me to no end. I don't understand how some things were played out as they were, because again....why rush it? If you are so stuck in your ways, and so strong only to bend over backwards for something makes me question that strength all along. But, then again....I can pretend to understand that need for normality and your biggest desire ever coming true, so yay for that as well.
BUT, this isn't to say that I hated this book - because I didn't. I just felt completely and overwhelmingly....underwhelmed by it. I didn't enjoy it. I feel I needed to preface this whole review because, while it isn't a glowing one, I honestly didn't hate it but it was a bit ridiculous in the whole scheme of things. I feel that TM Frazier set up a precedent with the first two books so I was hoping for that type of gripping read to keep me on the edge of my seat while finishing out their story. I've really enjoyed the first half of the series by her. Even though this one didn't capture me like the first two, getting Grim and Tricks' HEA was the best result I received after skimming the rest of this one. I have purchased all her books preceding this one so that I can read them, so I will eventually take some time to do that. Overall, this had a really good start to the series, but this final book kind of ruined what the series could have been for me.
One thing that really bothered me was this final book was almost the length of the first two combined, which is also a huge factor in my unhappiness with it. With the first book being 167 pages, the second being 206, and this one being 310 (per Amazon) - the price and page count didn't warrant a separation into three books, in my personal opinion. I am tired of the length being unnecessarily split into three books to drag out a series and I feel like this trend is probably starting to become more of the norm. This will make me rethink buying some trilogies for a little while since I am feeling ultimately burnt out on this idea. This is also the second trilogy in a row to start out with a great premise only to peter out and lose steam by the final book, making me feel like I didn't get the most bang for my buck.
I guess, the biggest let down was how easily things were fixed or washed away. I had a hard time with how Gabby was just forgiven, as well as Mona in a sense. Maybe I am confused, or I've forgotten something along the way (happens when you read so many books), but I was pretty sure they were working against EJ in the last book. This book had me confused quite a few times, and I hate when that happens. It was almost as if it was a word grab, talking me in circles. Some of it wasn't necessary, and the rest was fluff. I didn't think the story was lining up for me as well as I had hoped. Some actions felt overly flowery and the easy way out was taken on one too many conclusions. But mostly there was a lack of grit that one would expect for the type of story that was being told. Like, how was there was an abundance of money to buy up blocks of houses to clean up the area, but they couldn't do that before? Secrets were explained after the fact, but you couldn't have explained it better before all the shootings? You didn't mind people you love getting hurt just to benefit your agenda or get the answers you thought you needed? You have no problems killing people for a supposed wrong they did you, but confirmed wrongs were married and sent off away from family? Like.... really? I found myself scrunching my nose and squinting my eyes at quite a few parts in this one.
I'm so bummed this one took the turn it did. I guess I had more of a problem with this one than I thought I did. <sigh>
"You might be the cause, but it's not your fault."
~BEE
PURCHASE PERMISSION
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PURCHASE PERVERSION (book 1)
PURCHASE POSSESSION (book 2)
T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a word she wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Today bestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages and published all around the world.
T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy‘wrongside of the tracks romance’ with morally corrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines.
Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, is while some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better at describing it in the final stages of decay.
She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch her because she's not ready to wake up from this amazing dream.
~CONNECT WITH TRACEY~
AFFILIATE LINKS USED
UNCORRECTED ARC REVIEW
COPY PURCHASED FOR GIVEAWAY
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