Defying Logic

Valor and Doyle, Book 5

By: Nicky James

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's Summary

Continue with Valor and Doyle as they solve more mysteries and navigate their growing relationship.

©2023 Nicky James (P)2023 Nicky James

✫✫ 5 Stars ✫✫ I love this series!

I really love everything about this series! I listened to books 1-4 months ago and have been stalking Audible waiting for the next book and now I am just sad that I finished and will have to wait for more Valor & Doyle! These guys both stole my heart. I love how different they are but also how their differences compliment each other.

In this book both Aslan & Quaid have a lot of issues to work through and as always they help each other with these issues. Quaid is patient and helpful to Aslan and the PTSD he is dealing with while Aslan helps Quaid deal with changes at work and his difficulty dealing with change.

The mystery in this book was great, I'm not always great at figuring out what is going on but I was at a loss throughout this entire book. Every time I thought I knew what was happening I was wrong.

Nick Russo will always be the perfect narrator for this series!

another fantastic addition

THE STORY:
I think this book is my favorite, so far, in this series.

Quaid and Aslan are back at it again, however, after the events from their last case, (Inevitable Disclosure), Aslan is left reeling. He's struggling to get back to work. He's struggling with his sobriety.
Quaid is his rock. Quaid steps up to the plate and gives Aslan all the courage and love that he needs to get back on his feet, all the while solving a missing person's case with a new partner.

This installment is full of banter, snark and all the emotions that you would expect from a couple falling deeper in love with each other.
Of course, Ruiz and Torin are ever present in this book. Quaid's relationship with Ruiz continues to grow, as Torin's love for Aslan (as a brother) is most evident in this book.

In previous books, Nicky has given us a hint to where the next one will take us, and after reading the last paragraph, I cannot wait for book 6!!

I love how much Quaid & Aslan's relationship has grown since meeting them in Department Rivals.
As this series is continuation of the growth between the same couple I'd strongly suggested that the books in the series are read in order

THE NARRATION:
Again, Nick J. Russo did an amazing job with the narration.
The emotions and feels that he puts into voicing the character, whether it's the main characters or secondary characters giving another dimension to the author's story. 

Another Winner!

4.5 stars for the book
5 stars for the audio

Gahhh this was so so good.

I am LOVING these two men and their realistic relationship.
Their perfect banter, the way they take care of each other, the way they show their love... so so good.

This case was also enjoyable, although I did have an idea who the culprit was. It was fun to see the case unfold and to experience these two men working with each other.

Highly enjoying Ruise and his part in the books. His friendship with Quaid is so cute.

All in all, another winner from NJ.

And as always, the audiobook was perfection by Nick J Russo. He really IS Valor and Doyle.

You’re the most precious thing I own. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”
I pulled from his hold and mock-sneered. “You don’t own me, Doyle.”
He winked and fit his helmet over his head. “That’s what you think, hot stuff. You’re mine.”

OUTSTANDING!

Nick J. Russo does an outstanding job of bringing this story to life.
The Valor and Doyle Mysteries series just keeps getting better with each new installment.
The growth and commitment that Az and Quaid have moved into is amazing. Seeing how their relationship has evolved into what it now is has to be the best thing about this series. I love how well these two communicate, even when things are tough. The support and unconditional love they share is beautiful. The finger taps to the heart gets me every time.

Add is a head scratching mystery to solve and I am glued to the pages of Defying Logic. This mystery has the detective running around almost blindly, racing to save the victims. The way the crime was wrapped up was perfection.

The secondary characters add so much depth to this series. Az's parter Torin is such a huge part of this group. When Quaid is assigned a new partner you can only imagine how well he does with change! I love the friendship that has grown between Quaid and his IT Tech Ruiz!
The ending game me all the feels! Now I will wait impatiently for the next installment in this outstanding series.

FANTASTIC!!!!

I've said that word before...Fantastic....and I mean it once again with every fiber of my being! This series is in my top five of all time and this book clinches that title! OMG, the action all the way through, the feels...Nicky James is such an incredible author and Nick Russo is the perfect narrator to bring her work to life. I am so sad that this one is coming to an end soon.

Valor and Doyle the cutest grumpiest couple.

this is another home run 10/10 a brilliant book,i can't wait for the next one to come out!

LOVE

I love this series so much. I appreciated how Nicky James worked through Aslan's recovery from the shooting. The mystery du jour is solid, but the relationships are front and center in this installment. Nick J Russo brings it all to life skillfully. His Torin steals the show in this book's audio , with Ruiz close behind. Highly recommend.

All the love for Aslan and Quaid❤️

Book five continues where book 4 left us, Aslan now fighting trauma and PTSD, which Nicky James writes in a very convincing and true to life manner. This is definitely not a standalone!

The support from Quaid is stunning and so filled with love for Aslan, their their fight for each other and their relationship growth truly touch my core. The romance in this book was everything I wished for, I have longed for them to get here, to really accept their love for each other and truly delve into their love.

Torin was a true support for Aslan, though first I feared he pushed to much. Ruiz has grown on Quaid (and me!) and I believe Frawley mirrors Quaid so much that it was hilarious at times.

The suspensense in this book was a bit toned down in compare to the other books, which I really really liked, I feel that the focus here was way more on the relationship between Aslan an Quaid and I´m so looking forward to more of these two❤️

Again Nick Russo overwhelms me with his voice acting, whether it be the intimacy between Aslan and Quaid or the characters they are looking into to solve the criminal case. Wow!

loved it!

I loved this book in the series! I love this narrator and he does a great job bringing these guys to life in audio! I love listening to each book! I can't wait for the next one!

This series gets better and better!

I absolutely loved this latest book for Valor and Doyle! Do I say this every time? Yes, I do. Did I also need to relive in in audio? Yes, yes I did! This series just gets better and better with every book. There are so many feels and emotions in this book, and Nick Russo did an amazing job of bringing those to life for us once again. Nick has such a way with bringing Quaid and Aslan to life with each story. The emotions that Nick brings to this story, were really poignant this time around. Aslan continues to heal from his last case, facing demons from his past with Quaid by his side. I love how they continue to become closer, fall more in love, and seeing Aslan show his love for Quaid more often. The support Quaid provides Aslan as he works through his lingering fears and doubts is so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Case wise, Quaid begins working a missing persons case with his new partner, Frawley. These two start off as oil and water, and manage to butt heads at every turn. They begin to find a bit of footing with each other, thanks to Aslan gently guiding Quaid. Their case is intense, intricate, and takes them digging in several directions. Aslan dabbles in some grunt work on this one while still on leave, as well as Ruiz, who is quickly becoming a favorite character of mine. His banter with Quaid is top notch, and Aslan even gets into the friendship mix with Ruiz. I loved the intricacies of the case, and I had great fun trying to figure it out with the rest of the team. Once again Nicky James has done a fantastic job weaving another wonderful tale for Aslan and Quaid. There could be 100 books with these two, and I would be just as eager to read the next! I am SO looking forward to their next book!!

Overlong, Drawn out, boring

I really enjoyed the other books in this series, but this book really did fit the title. it defied logic . The actual plot for the missing persons was simple, flimsy, but the author drew out the investigation for far too long, giving us a crumb here and there when the culprit was obvious. Even the interactions between Valor and Doyle became repetitive and stale. I stuck it out to the end, but it was a struggle.

Perfect!

It’s a pleasure to listening Nick J. Russo bring to life Quaid and Aslan, I love this serie. Defying Logic is the aftermath of Aslan previous case and Quaid helping him cope with it, I love how these two are so in love with each other and they will do everything to help one and other. The end left my wanting more!!

Another hit

Love these two, and Nick J Russo brings them to life perfectly. Can’t wait for the next one

Good story

Intricate storyline and great mcs
So good to have a crime story without murders
Hope there will be more in this series

Absolutely Amazing ❤

WOW......... Another truly outstanding narration by Nick J Russo in defying logic no 5 he's amazing in bringing Quaid and Aslan to life it's emotional and beautiful these guys are so special together the love the fun and banter despite times of pain and anger but always their for each other through it all truly brilliant thank you Nicky James for this fantastic series recommend so much. ❤

Emotional rollercoaster

First to anyone who has read Nicky James’ books, that is all that has to be said. It’s a Nicky James book. These should be in a special rating group because few can bring to life the stories and characters the way Nicky does.
This is the fifth in the series. The series centers around two detectives who are so individual in characteristics that while reading the story and trying to figure out the mystery, I can’t help but smile at the relationships and daily routines these two lives take.
While Quaid does not like change, he is faced with a new partner. This abrasive behavior between the two is made more laughable by the interaction of Az with Frawley. Quaid’s banter with Ruiz also makes me laugh. This author has the ability to keep some of the hardest subjects and instill some lightness to the story.
The disappearance of three people is Quaid’s latest case. While he is working to adjust to Frawley, he is also chasing clues to where the three missing people fit together. On the path to finding what happened to them there are so many twists that by the end it turns out to be totally different than I would have imagined. In a change from the normal mystery outline, Nicky James takes the story to a totally unexpected resolution. Now I’m more than ready for the next in this captivating series. I have to give credit to Nick J. Russo. For me he has become the voices of the characters in this series. His ability to give each character their own personality and connect the listener to the story makes him one of my top narrators.

Amazing as always!

Story: This series never stops surprising me! All the feels, the mysteries, the characters - pure brilliance!
The relationship between Aslan and Quaid is developed with such thoughtfulness and care, that it rings genuine and true at every moment, while the mysteries they face keep the reader on their toes with the constant guessing game.
Every book, including this one, is what the reading experience is all about!
Narration: Perfect match. Just perfect.

Another intriguing mystery to solve.

The Narration :

This is the fifth book in the series narrated by Nick J Russo and he knows the main characters so well it feels like he can anticipate their motivations, needs and desires. He flawlessly captures them with all their vulnerabilities on display and brings them vividly to life.

The Story :

Quaid and Aslan are back solving another missing persons case as well as navigating the aftermath of the previous case. Aslan is fighting hard to arrive at some semblance of “normal” to get back to work and Quaid is giving him all the strength, support and encouragement that’s required. Quaid is also under pressure as he comes to terms with his new partner at work and his new case. A case that has many unanswerable questions, a number of suspects and twists and turn’s galore.

My heart went out to Aslan as he struggled with his sobriety and his coping mechanisms. Quaid once again shows that behind his hard exterior is a caring and compassionate man who knows what to do to help Aslan slay his latest demon. Throughout all the stress these wonderful men were there for each other both emotionally and physically which only strengthened their love for each other. Quaid also had me giggling when he interacted with Ruiz as that particular friendship solidified further.

This is a very engaging and enjoyable listen that gripped me from the very start. I love the story telling ability of this author. Each new instalment in the series is riveting, entertaining and innovative.

Beautiful words amazing performance

I loved being back with Aslan and quiad my emotions were mixed my heart was full

Nick j russo gave us another stunning performance i loved every minute of defying logic thank you to Nicky James for Aslan and quiad and Nick j russo for your beautiful narration