Hell & High Water

Book Review: Hell & High Water by Charlie Cochet

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

“Hell & High Water” by Charlie Cochet is an engaging and well-crafted novel that deserves high praise for its character development and intriguing world-building. Cochet introduces readers to the unique concept of Therians, a refreshing and fascinating addition to the urban fantasy genre. This inventive element sets the stage for a gripping story that keeps you invested from start to finish.
One of the standout features of this book is the well-developed and likable characters. The dynamic between the two main love interests is especially compelling, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers eagerly turning pages. The chemistry within the THIRDS team is another highlight, adding depth and a sense of camaraderie that enriches the narrative. While the mystery element may not be the central focus and can be somewhat predictable, it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. Instead, it provides a backdrop that allows the characters and their relationships to shine. Cochet strikes a fine balance between action, romance, and world-building, ensuring that the story remains captivating throughout. “Hell & High Water” is a thoroughly enjoyable read, offering a blend of excitement, romance, and an inventive take on the urban fantasy genre. It's a book that keeps you hooked with its engaging storyline and memorable characters. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a fresh and entertaining read.

So awesome!

What a awesome read. I loved Dex, he was hilarious but knew when to be serious. The rest of the Thirds were great as well in getting a peek at them as the story progresses. I'm definitely buying book two.

I will start by saying that this book had so much potential. I mean, we've got a team of sexy highly trained government agents (half of them shifters) that's trying to recover from the loss of one of their own. Then we have an enemies to lovers setup between the human replacement and his Therian (shifter) partner. This is great!Except, it wasn't. For me, this book was ruined by three things:1. The details - the many, MANY details. I have never read a book so full of unnecessary information in my life. I really didn't need to know every street they turned on whenever they drove somewhere, or exactly how many people worked for the THIRDS in every division, or the entire setup of every room they entered, or a list of every single tool and weapon they wore along with an explanation of how they worked, etc. etc. Details can be good, but they need to be relevant and should be interwoven into the story so that the reader barely notices they're there because they're so engrossed in what is happening. This book completely failed in that respect.2. Dex's childish behavior. The whole man-child thing did not work for me. Don't get me wrong, I love smartass characters who like to push people's buttons (like Austin in [b:Shattered Glass 13420351 Shattered Glass (Shattered Glass, #1) Dani Alexander https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327194818s/13420351.jpg 18819996] and Izzy in the Troubleshooter Series), but I just did not find Dex funny most of the time. For instance, the whole running from the bear Therian with the cheese doodles thing - that's exactly something I would have done...when I was twelve years old! The image of a grown man on his first day as a special agent behaving that way just made me cringe rather than smile.3. The incompetence. The fact that no one in the entire agency figured out based on the evidence that their suspect was a human ruined any notion that they were in any way intelligent or highly trained individuals. It was immediately obvious, and at the first mention of Isaac's metalworking, it was easy enough to deduce that he likely created metal claws mimicking those of a shifted Therian in order to frame them for the murders.One minor niggle I had was that I couldn't for the life of me figure out how Sloane could have heard Dex while he was having his sex dream since he was in a sleeping bay with the door presumably closed, unless Therians have superhuman hearing, but I don't think that was ever mentioned. Plus, if that were the case, there's no way Dex would have been able to eavesdrop on the team without them knowing he was there.I'm giving one extra star for the potential and for the UST (though the dream sex annoyed me as it's one of my pet peeves), but as much as I wanted to, I can't honestly say I enjoyed the book as a whole. So, unless a trusted friend (ahem, Lo-Lo!) can read the next one and assure me it's better, I do not plan to continue the series.