This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Rule on my blog, now!
After reading the first book and watching Marked Men: Rule + Shaw, I knew that I wanted to continue on with this interconnected series - I love a tortured leading man, and Crownover does a pretty decent job in exploring a number of serious topics and issues in this series without glossing over the trauma some of the characters have experienced. The premise of this second installment certainly intrigued me - the fact that Jet and Ayden were roommates is a trope that I have only read a handful of times, and I was excited to see where it would lead these characters.
With Jet being a musician and me still riding the wave of the Stage Dive series by Kylie Scott as I continue with that interconnected series as well, I enjoyed how much emphasis the author put on Jet's commitment to his music career and band. Often with musician-centered romances, the leading man will either abandon his band in favor of his girl, or somehow decide that music is not the life for him. Jet tells Ayden multiple times how important music is to him, and there are so many instances of Ayden realizing that she misjudged Jet's passions or work ethic because she did not understand what went into a successful music career.
Ayden as a character has me wading somewhere in the middle of she is tolerable and that I wanted to knock some sense into her. I understand that she has been through a lot, and considering what is alluded to in her past, I can see why she wanted to have a fresh start and be away from a family that seemed to only take advantage of her. That being said, she can clearly communicate her feelings and frustrations when necessary, so it was somewhat annoying to see her abandon her way of effectively communicating in place of passive aggressive comments and avoiding conflict when it was staring at her in the face.
Jet was a more well-rounded lead compared to Rule, in my opinion. Rule felt more reckless and temperamental compared to Jet, and it was nice to see a male lead that was at least able to regulate his emotions. Sure, both of them have gotten into their fair share of brawls and fist fights, but for different reasons and caused by different circumstances. Jet seems to play the long game whereas Rule acted in the moment, and it is a defining feature that separates their characters and personalities. I enjoyed how much Jet was ready to go to bat for his passions and career, while also recognizing that his actions affect other people - especially when it came to his relationship with Ayden and the complicated feelings that had for one another.
Rule and Shaw make a number of appearances throughout the book, and I would recommend reading this series in order if you do not want to be spoiled for the events of Rule. I enjoyed the callbacks to prior events, and Crownover was able to sprinkle these into Jet without overtaking Ayden and Jet's stories. For this book, we definitely saw more of Jet's support system in place of Ayden's, and while hers was still present, his life and burdens definitely kept the story moving along for me compared to Ayden's plot lines. Sure, Ayden's trials and tribulations were certainly burdensome and taking a toll on her, but I wish it was not mostly thrown into the book over halfway through.
If you are looking for some new adult college romance that tackles a number of issues while still incorporating a solid romance, this series is right up your alley. These books are quick and easy to read - a perfect series to dive into if you are in need of serious drama and fun, messy romance.
You can add Jet on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.
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