Love this series.
Love the MCs

It was a wonderful series.

4 Stars!

Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Riptide Publishing via NetGalley
Genre: MM Romantic Suspense
Part 3 of 4

Mini Review:

Poor Jericho is having a hard time with the fine line between right and wrong.

<b> "We've been working on the bastard for the better part of the year. One man against the DEA and FBI, but the slippery bastard hasn't given us enough for a jaywalking ticket, let alone a federal conviction. There's been nothing easy about it."</b>

I absolutely love Wade and his shifty ways. And I love all the ways that are Jericho and Wade.

Can't Wait for Home Fires!

Reviews posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and V's Reads: http://wp.me/p3AKEA-2bd

4.5 Stars for this contemporary M/M police romance.

This is the third book in a series and best enjoyed when read in order.

Jericho Crewe is still working as Undersheriff in his small border hometown of Mosely, Montana. It's only been a few months since his return and everything's been mostly a mess. His father's murder is still unsolved, though Jericho isn't losing too much sleep over taht fact. He held no love for his abusive, criminal, estranged father. Learning he has two half-siblings has been a trip, and tangling with his shady step-mother and even shadier ex-boyfriend, Wade Granger, has been an exercise in minefield transit.

This time, however, Jericho's unwilling to hide his relationship with Wade from those who matter--and he's tired of worrying that the Feds who have a constant tap on Wade's phone lines will out him. Besides, his boss knows all about Jericho and Wade's complicated history.

The police work in this book doesn't involve Wade or smuggling. A local prostitute has been murdered, and all the evidence--a whole lot of it in fact--seems to point toward a local brain-damaged man. Will Archer went to high school with Jericho and Wade. He was injured in a car wreck and has been largely non-verbal since. How this gentle man could be responsible for the violence at the crime scene Jericho can't fathom. And, the investigation leads to an outsider to town, a man who seems particularly interested in the case, and peculiarly aware of the details not released.

I really liked how Jericho worked through the angles of this case, and how he kept looking for the truth, even though it was super hard to find. It was also an interesting look at small town justice, and how dedicated some law enforcement officers are to doing their job right--people beyond Jericho, btw. It always strikes me that Jericho has such a sense of right v. wrong, and yet is startlingly in love with Wade Granger, the (alleged) definition of a career criminal. This book really does draw their romance into the open, and causes issues for Jericho and his job--though he's getting worn out as an undersheriff and is open to exploring his career opportunities yet again.

I'm anxious to pick up the fourth book in this series and see how Jericho reconciles his open love for Wade, and his life in Mosely. A review copy was provided by NetGalley.

Another Common Law installment, another sexy cover. Each portion of this series includes a smaller arc in addition to the larger one spanning all the books, and in Darkness, we have Jericho investigating the murder of a local prostitute. When a local man with an intellectual disability is immediately fingered for the crime, the clues seem to be too tidy for Jericho, so he follows his instincts, which bring him to a different lead. This book had Jericho in a lot of emotional turmoil as he struggled with feeling what it was right to do though the law didn’t allow it, and the push and pull was very well written. In previous installments, he was very much on the side of the law, but this one had him struggling with what to do when you have no evidence, but you know you have the wrong man for the crime. And I have to admit, Jericho’s inner dialogue had me right there with him wanting him to serve out his own brand of justice.

While I loved Wade in the first two books, he was just this side of annoying in this one. The author reeled him in in the nick of time for me. It was just too much that Wade was always one step ahead of Jericho, and there were too many times it was by the skin of his teeth. I will say I was disappointed at how fade to black this book was after the amazing tension between Jericho and Wade. I am not a fan of the build up that’s never brought to fruition. But, alas, maybe in the last installment. But back to this one, we learned just how far Wade was willing to go for Jericho, and it seems, for now, they’re in it for the long haul. And I really hope they are, because I think they are a very specific fit, and I’m not sure someone else could put up with either of them.

I am interested to see where the last book, Home Fires, will go, as the larger arc was sort of wrapped up in this one. Overall, Darkness was a solid addition to the serial, and I’m looking forward to see how things come to an end for Jericho and the town of Mosely.

Darkness is not what I expected, but that's not to say that it isn't a good book, because it is. What it isn't, is the steamy, action packed romantic suspense I had been expecting. I'm a little disappointed that it isn't what I had been expecting, but for what it actually is, I'm pretty satisfied. The case Jericho is on this time is of a murdered prostitute. The obvious suspect is a man who has developmental disabilities due to an accident, and at first it seems cut and dry, but of course, it isn't that easy. Jericho has a nose for when something isn't exactly as it appears, and it serves him well here.

As for Wade, and their whatever is going on, nothing is easy between them. They're still on opposite sides of the law, and the law is closing in on Wade now. The feds are really surveilling Wade closely, and Jericho is warned about this, just in case things between him and Wade perhaps heat up. Speaking of heat, I have to say, this is where my expectations weren't met. There is little steam in Darkness, and that really let me down. I wanted some steamy, dirty, criminal vs sheriff, man on man detailed sex and I didn't get it. There is one scene between the two, with a really nice lead up to it, but it is low on details, of the fade to black type. Ugh, fade to black is my least favorite kind of love scene. But, it does fit in with the rest of this story, as the entire story, the entire series, is spare and low on extra details.

Jericho is really starting to question his role in law enforcement during this case. He's starting to question his morals, his whole way of thinking, and whether or not he truly believes in the system he works to uphold, thanks to what he almost does near the end of the book. I really felt for him, and I really hope he resolves this issue in the next book. I also really hope he and Wade get the HEA they so richly deserve!

In this story, we find Jericho doing his job, with no interference from the FBI or DEA. An actual case that is his to solve. Even though all the evidence points to one killer, it’s just to neat. With his instincts telling him one thing, how to prove otherwise.

I really felt the mental and emotional struggle that Jericho feels throughout this story. He is fighting to believe in a system that has let him down more then once. Also the same system is trying to dictate his personal life. When it all becomes to much, he must decide just what is important to him.
In this installment who did what is more important to our main character then what he I’m can prove. For Jericho this is a fundamental problem with how he sees his role in life. Wade is their around the edges, of course but not a main part in this book.

This was an interesting story. I would recommend reading them in order but this is a very good series and i enjoy it. i am glad i got to review it

I'm writing this review immediately after I finished the book, which almost never happens. At any rate, I can definitely say this was another wonderful addition to the Common Law series. I love learning more about Jericho and his past. I find it interesting how his sense of right and wrong is different from what you expect from a cop. It makes you think because while it's different, that doesn't always mean he's wrong.

This was a really intriguing novel as well, as the mystery added a lot of suspense to the novel. It doesn't take too long for certain secrets to be revealed but it just adds more intrigue to the novel. Knowing something isn't the same as fixing something. The truth doesn't always come out in the way one wants.

Also, this novel had a lot of more of Wade Granger and despite all of his problems - if you want to call them out - he's still obviously someone that cares about Jericho. He's not on the same side as the cops, but is he really that far away from them? Everyone suspects him when things go wrong, but Darkness shows more of his inner character, I believe, and I found it fascinating.

This was my favorite book of the three in the series so far. The plot was better than in the first title, and Jericho seemed much more like himself than he did in Embers. I'd give this a solid 4 stars.

4.5 shining stars rounded down to 4 mostly because still no 1/2 stars here on GR.

Well that was unexpected...

We've all been waiting for the sexy times to arrive and they did...I'm betting it was seriously hot...but, I can't say for sure because damned if I didn't get the bedroom door slammed in my face...figuratively speaking.

There was one scene in this book that was definitely the lovin' and sexy times I've been waiting for these men to share. Unfortunately it seems that Jericho and Wade prefer to have their privacy and while things started on page that was not where they finished. I admit I was the tiniest bit disappointed because for me the passion and sexual tension between these two is off the charts. Needless to say I had to let my imagination take over so let me just assure you a good time was had by all in my mind.

While I may have been a little disappointed by the whole fade to black issue the rest of this book did not disappoint me at all. The main story line for this book became fairly predictable early on but that really doesn't bother me because it's the bigger picture here that's got me hooked. It's the stories playing out in the background that are why I keep coming back so willingly. The local police corruption, Jericho's efforts to sort out what really happened to his father, his sense of responsibility to his new-found siblings and their mother, Nikki. Nikki's role in some of the criminal activities going on around town and just generally anything and everything involving Wade.

Jericho's having a bit of a crisis of faith. He's a cop and he believes in the system, or at least he does until it seems like the system is failing and the innocent are looking guilty while the guilty are getting away with murder and who knows what else. While Wade's got his back at least he does as much as Jericho will allow. It would seem that Jericho's not sure of much anymore. Just like the city of old, Jericho's walls are crumbling and while he's not sure what or how, he's thinking things need to change.

Without a doubt my absolute favorite part of this story has been the relationship dynamics between Jericho and Wade. I'm more than a little curious to see where things are heading between these two men and can't wait to dive in to the next book and hopefully get the answers to all my questions.

So far things are sitting happily at 4.5 stars with me and while I'd love some sexy times between these two that's just the voyeur in me and no real reflection on the amazing story that this author has been telling. I'm so looking forward to the next book because hell yeah, more Jericho and Wade! But sadly it's also the final installment in this series so it's a mixed blessing but I'll take it.

Darkness is the third installment of the Common Law series featuring intrepid cop, Jericho Crewe, back in his small hometown of Montana where nothing is easy whether it is his cases or his relationships.

The Common Law series really must be read in order as it flows one book into the next.

Jericho is coming to realize that his life has gone a new direction that won’t allow him to just cut ties again and head back to his homicide work in LA. For now, he’s under sheriff work of helping his friend Kay, the county sheriff root out corruption and work local crime while still figuring out his dad’s murder keeps him busy if not fulfilled. There is also that niggling itch of attraction and need between him and the enigmatic Wade Granger who works the other side of the law.

Jericho is almost relieved to be given a homicide case involving the death of a prostitute until his cut and dry case gets troubling real fast. And is it bad of him to be glad that for once, Wade seems to have nothing to do with it? But others are involved and Jericho is faced with a tough dilemma that makes him question what he believes about his work as an officer of the law and justice.

In the meantime, he also looks hard at what he knows has always been there between him and Wade. He wants Wade, but how can it be possible when they stand on two sides of the law? For the present, he’ll take what he can get even if it puts his career in jeopardy.

Yes, things are heating up between Jericho and Wade even as Jericho must face some tough truths and a difficult moral dilemma from his murder investigation. Each installment has me more enamored with Jericho than ever. I enjoy the mysteries with each book, but it is being along with Jericho as he faces trouble at work, his mixed up relations, and his even more complicated relationship with childhood friend and lover.

The overall series arc moves forward with certain reveals and threads tied up, but it is obvious that things are coming to a head. I can’t wait to see what happens in the final book.

Those who appreciate a slow-build plot and romance in an m/m romantic suspense should definitely take a look at this series.

My thanks to Riptide Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really, really, really enjoying this series. This book has been my favorite so far. Review link below.

We FINALLY get some action! Wade and Jay get it on! However, they are fade to black so if you're looking for some hot sex to read about, look elsewhere. I personally don't care. I love Wade and Jay. Period. I love how they get each other. I love that they have history. I love how they support each other. I love that they are forbidden. I cannot get enough! The mystery in this installment was another enjoyable read. Kate Sherwood seriously has my number.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
I love this dark and gritty series so much! The third book brings us back to Mosely, Montana, where Jericho Crewe is now working as an under sheriff. This time, while the problems of smuggling, drugs, and organised crime still swirl around the town, Jericho’s focus is on a simple homicide.

This is the first story in the series with a contained story arc. This murder mystery has more depth and complexity than a stand-alone novel could ever manage. The wonderfully complex characters were established in the first two books – the complicated relationships and dubious morality aren’t new but they are expanded on in this third story.

For the first time, we see moments of actual intimacy between Jericho and Wade. I wouldn’t go so far as to describe it as romance, but there are flickers of vulnerability that humanise both the cop and the criminal. The chemistry between these two continues to build and deepen even as the barriers that keep them apart remain in place.

This story focuses less on the FBI investigation and more on Jericho and Kay. Kay gets more and more interesting as the story progresses and I’m really starting to love her. Similarly, Nikki and the bikers take a backseat this time as the murder investigation consumes Jericho’s time and attention.

In this third book, there are some important revelations that push the main series storylines forward, but they aren’t central. I really enjoyed the murder mystery interlude that allows for character and relationship development without complicating the story any further.

This is such a brilliant series and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

This series really knows how to blur the lines between right and wrong. It's pretty clear where those lines converge by the description of Darkness. It's also getting harder for Jericho to ignore Wade's twisted logic, especially when the law doesn't seem to be on the right side of things.

Jericho doesn't always follow the book, but outright breaking the law isn't something he's willing to do. Wade doesn't have the same black and white vision that Jericho has and in Darkness, there doesn't seem to be any other way to free an innocent man and keep the guilty man from walking away. This book puts both men (Jericho and Wade) on the line and the story is intense, in more ways than one.

I love the dynamic between Jericho and Wade in the Common Law series. Wade's not any easier to figure out for the reader than he is for Jericho, but it's obvious that there's more to him than his shady dealings. It's obvious he cares, which is what keeps Jericho coming back even though he knows it's not the smart thing to do - which he's reminded of on a regular basis by other characters who care about him. Jericho sees something in Wade that others don't though and that's what keeps me wanting them to find a way to get past those blurred lines.

Darkness was a turning point. A couple of mysteries were solved and Wade and Jericho are definitely getting closer, but Kate Sherwood isn't done with them yet. There's one more book left in the Common Law series and as anxious as I am to read Home Fires I'm not quite ready to say good-bye. *sigh*

I am enjoying the Common Law series so much! It's like one of those mini-series on TV. Full of intrigue and developing relationships between the characters.

Book 3 is my favorite so far. I've felt bad for Jericho throughout. He's such a smart man. He's also an honorable man and that puts him in difficult situations with the less than honorable people around him.
Maybe he’d been set up and manipulated. Again. Maybe he should just sit back and get used to it, since it seemed as if everyone else in the damn universe was smarter than he was and could plan everything out far into the future.

But he IS smart. It's just that his heart is big and pure.

I think Wade's heart is also big and pure. (stop laughing at me) I've had a crush on him since book 1. There's really no reason to, but I feel bad for him a lot of the time. I also feel so proud of his smarts. Go Wade!

As you can see, I'm pretty invested in this series. I'm invested in Kayla, Nikki, Nicolette and Elijah as well as Jericho and Wade. Hockley? Not so much. ;-)

We had some big reveals in this instalment. It's not to be missed!

This review will post on The Blogger Girls on March 5th, 2017.

3.5 stars

We are quickly coming to the finish line in this series, and I think I liked this book the best so far. I loved that Jericho is getting his attitude back and has started to stand up for himself more. I loved that he and Wade are inching closer together and very, very soon I will get my happy-ever-after for these two. It has been a long time coming, the writing is superb, I'm intrigued, and so I keep coming back for more. Seriously, I need to know how this series ends.

Each book follows the progression of Jericho and Wade, but also a totally new story line that these two have to maneuver. In this installment, a mentally disabled man is accused of murder, but Jericho is not convinced he did it...and Wade, of course, just drops enough breadcrumbs to confuse Jericho into not knowing if he is getting a clue into the real murderer or if he is intentionally be thrown off track. Honestly, I am unsure how Jericho made it this far with Wade. An ethical lawman and his obsession with the apparent lawlessness of Wade. No wonder I keep coming back. Love isn't easy, but these two take the difficulty to the extreme.

Several months into his “vacation” working as under-sheriff for his high school friend and lover, Kayla, Jericho Crewe has re-adapted to things far better than he’s willing to admit. Unlike his job as an officer among the anonymous multitudes of LA, however, Mosely, Montana lays every consequence of his actions bare and unavoidable. Much like his feelings for his other former lover, and ongoing complication, Wade Granger.

The first in this series, Long Shadows, was a compelling introduction to Jericho’s story, and hooked me from the start. The second, Embers, drew me in, but I still felt like more of an outsider, possibly because of Jericho’s own fight with his own convictions. Darkness, however, was an entirely different experience for me as a reader. Jericho isn’t surrendering so much as he’s accepting the truths about himself that he couldn’t outrun.

Jericho is correct when he refers to Kayla and Wade as the angel and the devil (respectively) on his shoulders. But, after three books worth of Jericho waging his own internal battle, I was delighted to see him realize they were sort of telling him the same thing: sometimes, the law can’t dictate what’s right and wrong. Sometimes, that distinction can only be found in the intentions of the actors—in the heart.

While I’ve consistently found Wade to be an extremely compelling character, I was especially happy with the dynamic between he and Jericho in Darkness. For the first time, Jericho seems to understand that he has the power to truly hurt Wade with his assumptions and distrust of Wade’s intentions. Wade’s protectiveness and boundaries when it comes to his own sense of right and wrong echo Jericho’s realization that sometimes the law just isn’t good enough. The epiphany that finally allows Jericho to see what Wade really means to him, and the intimate and reflective moments that followed were some of my favorite parts of the series so far.

All in all, Darkness is an excellent addition to an already strong series. My appreciation of Jericho increased substantially over the course of the novel, and my affection for Wade did much the same. These characters have definitely grown on me as I’ve gotten to know them better, and I highly recommend reading this series from the beginning. With only one story left, I can’t help but be both excited and worried to see what happens next, even though I’ll be sorry for it all to end.