other half coverRating: 4 stars
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Length: Novel


Having discovered Dr. Kamal’s notebook, Vic and Jacob now know that Jacob is more involved in the psychic world than they once imagined. With Jacob and his family listed as involved with Kamal’s experiments, it is clear something happened in his past, but he is not sure what. Even worse, the men are still unclear what Jacob’s abilities might be and what his family knows about it all. The guys realize the only way to find out more is to do some digging around Jacob’s family home. So they decide to schedule their wedding for the next month in Wisconsin to give them an excuse to do some looking around as they plan.

Getting any information is frustratingly difficult, however. The few clues they manage to find seem to lead to one dead end after another, and it is clear to Vic that it is all taking a toll on Jacob. It is hard for him not knowing his abilities, not to mention the uncertainty about what his parents might be hiding, and how much of his childhood is a lie. At the same time, the men are trying to plan their wedding while short on time, and neither man is particularly good at managing all the details. Even as they begin to uncover more of the truth about Jacob’s past, Vic and Jacob realize that it’s not nearly as important as what the men have come to mean to each other now, and the future they will have together.

Other Half is the twelfth book in Jordan Castillo Price’s wonderful Psy Cops series. I am a huge fan of this series, having started it when I was new to reading romance a million years ago, and Vic and Jacob continue to be one of my favorite couples. This is a deeply connected series that follows the same couple in Vic and Jacob, so you are going to want to read these in order.

This story picks up on the heels of the revelations from Bitter Pill, as we learn Jacob and his family are in Dr. Kamal’s notebook and Jacob was somehow involved in experimentation. But big questions remain, including what Jacob’s abilities might be and what his family knew about what was going on. We have seen from the beginning that Jacob is fascinated with psychic abilities (and that Vic’s powers have always been a huge turn on for him). So when Jacob first found out that he was more than just a Stiff, he was thrilled. But now he is realizing that there are things about himself that he doesn’t know, and that he may never fully understand, and it is incredibly hard for him.

The mystery end of things is pretty low key here, at least compared to the intensity of most of the other books in the series. There are some scary moments, but most of the investigation is watching the guys research and talk to people as they look for answers. So I think this story is less about the thrilling side and more about how Vic and Jacob work through this uncertainty. We really see how much support they give one another and how they are such a team. After so much time spent dealing with Vic’s issues, Jacob’s problems are now at the forefront and Vic is there for him all the way, constantly reassuring him that nothing will change Vic’s feelings and being there to prop Jacob up when he is struggling. It all ties nicely together with the wedding theme, as we can see how strong the connection is between the men and the wedding itself is just wonderful. It is so very Vic and Jacob in every way and really highlights how far the men have come together.

I wished for a little more clarity by the end on what Jacob’s parents knew about what was going on. We do learn the root of what happened in Jacob’s past, but not tons of detail, though I assume more will develop in future books. But some of the central questions for Jacob are how much his family knew and how many lies they were telling him and I still don’t totally understand his parents’ role in all of this. I also found the set up didn’t totally work for me. The guys decide they need to dig around in Jacob’s parents’ house for clues to his past and so they schedule the wedding for the following month to give an excuse to get back there a lot while planning. But other than the first time they go home and tell Jacob’s parents they are getting married, they never actually seem to go there and do any investigating. All the arrangements appear to be made remotely or by Jacob’s sister. The guys don’t ever actually return home to make plans until a week before the wedding, and that is presented as an afterthought, not the original plan. And while they are there, they are running so ragged doing wedding stuff they barely have time to do any investigating. So this set up just didn’t hold together for me as they are supposedly getting married at this time specifically so they can go back and forth and check things out, yet they never actually do until just before the wedding.

While the investigation itself might not have been as intense as some in the past, this book really showcases the heart of the series and that is Jacob and Vic’s relationship. Watching as we see the other side of their dynamic, this time with Vic offering support to Jacob’s many questions about his past, just highlights how good these guys are for each other. We also see how Vic is able to step out and outside his comfort zone to be there for Jacob when he needs him. These guys are such a favorite couple of mine and I really enjoyed seeing how strong their bond has become and watching them celebrate that love with their friends and family.