Read my reviews of previous books in The Game series:
Top Priority (#1) | Their Boy (#2) | Breathless (#3) | Doll Parts (#4) | Out of the Ashes (#5) | The Shepherd (#6) | Adrift in the Embers (#7) | Hostile Takeover (#8) | Senseless (#9) | The Secret Plan (#10) | Apex Predator (#11) | Prowl (#12) | Hide With Me (#13)
I enjoyed Doll Parts, the first half of the storyline involving Lucian, KC, Cam, and Noa and their intertwined relationships. The end of that book establishes a solid “happily for now,” not leaving us with a cliffhanger (hard or soft) like some of the duets in this series where the installments are closer together. Instead, we get a different sort of cliffhanger at the end of the previous book, which does an excellent job of launching us into this story and allows Dee to resolve a few lingering issues—and force her characters to confront all-new ones. Even with the glimpse of what was to come from the ending of Hide With Me, the sweetness of the first prologue is plenty of warning that something will soon definitely hurt. Luckily, we’re not in total suspense for too long, though the road to full recovery for all the characters involved won’t be easy.
Doll Parts focuses primarily on the relationship that builds between Noa and KC, including how that relationship shifts the already solid bond between Noa and Cam. We also get glimpses into the Lucian/KC, Lucian/Noa, and KC/Cam dynamics essential to building a solid foundation when multiple relationships intersect. The dynamic I was never worried about involved Lucian and Cam, who make their total power exchange (TPE) seem so effortless that it’s easy to pretend these men were always meant to be together. They definitely are, but Dee once again uses the overarching theme of this series to offer readers a compelling but painful view into the “darker” side of how things can turn rotten when a TPE dynamic informs the structure of a relationship. The angst of this book is in the realm of relevant relationship conflicts that arise from the inciting incident of a medical issue; this is not a book that relies wholly on the medical issue as an external conflict that puts the characters through the wringer. The conflict between Lucian and Cam is significantly different from the abuse Corey undergoes earlier in the series; however, even when unintentional, the damage and lasting effects can be problematic when involving TPE.
Even deliciously angsty books can turn too dark to be truly enjoyable. Dee uses her impressive experience with narrative structure and point of view to effectively balance the necessary difficult storytelling with the eventual positive resolution. Her excellent characterization also means that even once I have enough information to see the light at the end of the tunnel, my heart still breaks for Cam when we return to his storyline and follow along as he catches up to present events. The choice of POV also informs the additional development of the sweetly unique relationship between Lucian and Noa in this book that resolves a lingering but painful obstacle to Noa and KC’s true happily ever after.
The final relationship arc, one seemingly effortless but absolutely worthy of attention, featured in this book brings the evolution of this incredible foursome full circle in subtle but delightful ways. On the surface, the prologue showing the original encounter between Lucian and KC appears to exist to provide context for how Lucian’s life looks in the present day. However, it also highlights the adorable jock/prep friendship that persists between KC and Lucian as adults and offers a solid but subtle framework for their individual love story. They might be adorably swoony with each other in the best Dom ways, but the love between these two men is just as important as that between Lucian/Cam and KC/Noa, ultimately serving as the final, and possibly most essential, supportive bond in this particular foursome.
The work all these characters do to repair their relationship(s) throughout this book would not have been possible without the affection and care (and hard love) of the amazing found family Dee has developed within this series. Cameos are fun, but the bonds of truly supportive friendship they allow are much more important, especially because not even book heroes should exist in a vacuum. That being said, Dee also indulges her faithful readers with additional climactic moments (pun totally intended), such as an incredibly sexy scenario featuring many of our favorite Tops that is still entirely respectful to and appropriate for the relationships and dynamics established in previous installments to this intricate series.
The extended epilogue features a vacation everyone deserves, not just the core four of this book, and allows readers to spend additional time with other beloved series characters. Once again, rather than pure fluff, Dee takes advantage of this interlude out of real life to craft a truly perfect happily ever after for Lucian and Cam, KC and Noa, and all the other delightful variations therein.
Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.
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