So this is an interesting situation. Normally, to review this – the end of a series, we would have previously been reviewing the earlier books. We didn’t here, but of course I read them. So in a nutshell here is what has happened:In book one we mostly meet each of the MCs. It is a long, long, long book. Heart wrenching. Like 16 hours of audio, 384 pages. If I hadn’t been intending to review this – the last book in the series, I would have stopped at that first book. It is Kate’s first book and there are absolutely times that it shows. First, it is in the 3rd person omniscient voice. This can be a very bulky and awkward style to read. Definitely not my favorite. Second, OMG all the back-story. We heard all about the ex (Justin), the horses, the secondary boyfriend (Ryan), the best friend (Chris), the sister (Tatiana), the mother (Anna)…. You get the idea. It was a long book full of angst and whining and really, I never got why any of them wanted to even ATTEMPT a Triad relationship, they were all so messed up.Then there are several free books that go EVEN deeper into the back story and those I honestly only skimmed. They didn’t add to my enjoyment or appreciation of the story, so I go the idea and moved on.Book 2 got a lot better. Now the three are together and are starting to work through some of their crap. There is a little more sex – not necessary to make a good book, but certainly something we expect in a Triad book, and it was conspicuously scant in book 1. The relationship is deepening and we see a little bit more as to why they should actually try to make things work. Though, if I’m being honest, I still wasn’t all that sold by the end of this book. Dan just drives me crazy. He’s so whiny and full of doubts and insecurities that I would have kicked him to the curb early on without regret. I don’t know why Evan felt he added so much to the relationship and I never quite understood what was missing between Evan and Jeff that they needed a third… it kind of felt like having a baby to save a bad marriage. Which brings me to Book 3.By Book 3 the writing has improved. The characters are more believable. The relationship is more understandable and I actually found myself rooting for them a little bit. Then we get some drama in the form of Dan’s fugitive sister coming in and causing a boat-load of trouble and leaving the boys with a baby in the end.There are a lot, lot, lot of holes in this story and I suppose some people would call that realism, but I’m not so sure. After spending so much time setting up the hurdles to their happiness, the end got a little to pat for me. Even Chris ends up with a boyfriend between books 2 and 3… I didn’t even know he was gay/bi!I liked the depth the story went into on some levels, but mostly, I think it was a story in need of more editing.If you love horses, difficult, angsty men, and long, involved stories – this is the series for you. Lots to read, lots of angst. If you are more – direct – this series will annoy the crap out of you. I guess I fall in the middle, I was glad to have read it, but it took work.I give the story 3.5 of 5 heartsAs for the audio version: Peter Brooke did a great job differentiating the different men for me. By the time he got to this book he’d been doing it for hours and hours and it was a tight performance. His female voices were a little screechy and hard to listen to, but I guess what can you do with a deep voice like that?He seemed to really understand the characters and I have to believe that some of my enjoyment of this third book was the listening rather than just the reading. I didn’t listen to the first two, if I had, maybe I’d have enjoyed it more. Hard to say.I give his performance a 4.5 of 5 hearts.Overall a 4 out of 5 hearts An other emotional roller-coaster of a book by Kate Sherwood. Jeff's health problems and Evan and Dan's fighting make you wonder if a HEA is even possible for these guys and adding Dan's criminal and mercenary sister into the picture doesn't make thing any easier.This felt shorter than the first two, but it was still satisfying.I think this is an amazing series and I wish there were more books!
What do You think about Of Dark And Bright (2012)?
3,5 stars - not as good as the first two books in my opinion but still very nice to read.
—unipony30
OMG Love, Love, Love, Loved!!!! Best ever MMMI feel bereft I have finished this series.
—jai
