tried & TrueRating: 4.75 stars
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Length: Novel


Dex and Sloane’s wedding is just around the corner and the guys are preparing for the festivities, while also getting ready for their transition to working for TIN. They have some time off and are enjoying the chance to be with their friends and family, particularly the close team from THIRDS.

The good mood is shattered, however, when an old enemy resurfaces. The Makhai have been behind all kinds of trouble, including the death of Dex’s parents and Dex’s own kidnapping. Their goal is Therian supremacy, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it, even kill their own kind. When the Makhai attack, suddenly the team is thrust into crisis, just days before the wedding. Destructive Delta is now called upon for one final mission, one that risks all of their lives, in order to save one of their own. It will take all of their skills, as well as the bonds of family they have built over the past four years, to stop the Mahkai and prevent anyone else from dying. Dex and Sloane have their happily ever after in their grasp, and they are determined to get their future together.

It is no secret that I am an enormous fan of the THIRDS series. I think Cochet has created something incredibly special here and I have loved reading about Dex and Sloane and their extended THIRDS family. I have been reading in this genre a long time, and I can honestly say there are few series that have made such a huge impact on readers and garnered such devoted fans the way THIRDS has done. So it was a bit bittersweet to pick up Tried & True, as it is the last official book in the series. Now I say official because there are two caveats. First, while the THIRDS series is ending, the new TIN series with Dex and Sloane is on the horizon. Given the way things have shaken out with the various players, it seems likely that we will get a chance to see some of these other side characters in this new series as well. Second, there will be some standalone THIRDS books with stories for some of the side characters, like Austin and Zach. So things aren’t officially over here, but we do wind down this main series and tie things up for many of the overarching story lines.

In Tried & True, we return to a more suspense-oriented story, which I really enjoyed. Some of the more recent books haven’t been quite as “investigation” focused as earlier stories, but things are really exciting and suspenseful in this final book. I don’t want to reveal too much about what happens here, but the bad guys resurface, there is a kidnapping, an attempted kidnapping, and a race against time to make a rescue. Not to mention to resolve the crisis before Dex and Sloane’s wedding. Destructive Delta gets together for one final mission all together and there is excitement, thrills, terror, and some major butt kicking going on here. I loved how the case pulls in not just the main team, but all kinds of THIRDS players, giving us a chance to reunite with a lot of folks we have met over the series. The Makhai have been a threat for a while, so this book is a nice way to pull things together and give some resolution on that plot. Overall it is exciting and thrilling and really well done.

While the suspense side of things gets major focus, the heart of this book is Dex and Sloane and the transition they are making, both into their married life and their new role in TIN. It has been four years since Dex joined THIRDS and became a part of the team, and they have grown into a family. This book really reinforces the connections they all have to one another, and the fact that these people would all do anything to help and protect each other. There are many tender moments here as we see the characters really appreciating one another and relying on each other for support. And of course, we have Dex and Sloane’s wedding, giving us a happily every after for the central characters in this series and tying things together in a really romantic and wonderful way.

I really love how Cochet balances the suspense and the romance and even the bonds of friendship here. As readers we have come a long way with these guys and this book really highlights what has made this series so strong. There is an exciting suspense plot, accompanied by a really wonderful sense of connection between the characters. Tried & True is a fabulous send off for the THIRDS series and a great way to transition into the future for both the character and the series.

A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.

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