Review: Spencer's Always Been My Favorite. Now I Know Why.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 6, 2014
From the very beginning, I knew that of the three on The Team - Ronin, Ford and Spencer - that Spencer was my favorite.And now I know why.All of the posturing and scheming and manipulating have led up to this moment. Ronin, Ford and Spencer formed an ace Robin Hood-esque Team years ago, which allowed them to steal from rich jerks who hurt others. Instead of giving their riches to the poor, however... they kept it. And now the culmination of two jobs gone wrong - one where Spencer killed a man and one where a man nearly killed Rook - is threatening absolutely everything these three guys have worked to build.On the surface, it's easy to think that Spencer is a serious prick. It seems as if he strings the girl he supposedly loves along for no reason other than that he has some serious commitment issues. Veronica Vaughn loves him so much and would do anything for him, and yet, he tends to treat her like a whore. But, the awesome thing about Spencer is, that's exactly what he wants you to think.Spencer has sat by during all the drama and danger and legal wrangling and watched Ronin and Ford worry themselves sick over the outcome of the final trial and what it will do to the women they love. And, Spencer loves Ronnie so much that he's willing to allow her to hate him than to see her involved in their situation. And, right there is why Spencer is better than all of them.JA Huss does a masterful job weaving a complex story about human trafficking, drugs and murder. It all started four books ago in Tragic when Rook escaped her scummy abusive husband and, purely by chance, met Ronin and fell in love with him. Over the course of the next two books, she met Ford and Spencer, all the while, her past was racing to catch up with her. And, catch up with her it did.Soon after, Ford met Ashleigh and her baby daughter Kate - again, purely by chance - and fell in love with both of them, despite Ashleigh's ties to a mobster.To all appearances, Spencer is the stable one. He met Veronica, a.k.a. Bombshell, at school. They shared romantic dates, sweet words, and super hot sex. Her father and brothers approved of him. They both held steady, normal jobs. They were together for years. And yet, when the s*** hit the fan and Rook, Ronin, Ford and Spencer are forced to take part in the trial of a dirty FBI agent involved in Rook's husband's human trafficking ring, it's their relationship that falls apart.Spencer Shrike is an amazing character. He's incredibly artistic, and his talents are brought to light in many ways. He creates beautiful custom motorcycles. He can paint masterpieces on the human body. He designs tattoos. Spencer is also wicked intelligent, crafting master plans, the ends of which can't be seen until they're actually upon you. And, the love he has for Ronnie is to-die-for-swoon-worthy. He would do anything for her - including give her up.Veronica is actually kind of perfect for him. She is equally creative and works as a tattoo artist in her family's shop. She is a force to be reckoned with and isn't afraid of much (except for blood, which does create a bit of a problem at times in her profession). And, Ronnie will go to ridiculous lengths to protect the people she loves.Guns tells the story of Spencer's efforts to cull The Team together in the final days before the trial and to hold them and his relationship with Ronnie together until it's all over. It was action-packed, incredibly sexy and included twists and turns that I never saw coming, including a huge one that goes back to Ford's book, Taut. Guns was also highly emotional. I felt so awful for Ronnie as she struggles to understand why Spencer pushes her away, yet seems to adore her at the same time. The flashbacks to the beginning moments of their relationship were so bittersweet, they brought tears to my eyes.The ending, though. was totally worth all the angst. The epilogue was absolutely perfect. But, the real treat came in the second epilogue, and it proves that JA Huss is not just good at what she does, she's freaking brilliant.Be forewarned, you absolutely need to have read all the books in the Rook and Ronin series - Tragic, Manic and Panic - plus Ford's book, Taut, before you read Guns if you want to have a prayer at understanding what's going on. This series is gritty and dirty and sexy and fun. Although I'm sad it's over, it was an absolutely incredible ride while it lasted.