Panic: Rook and Ronin, #3 (Rook and Ronin, #3)

by J.A. Huss

• ISBN10: 1936413310
• ISBN13: 9781936413317
• Publish Date: 17 October 2013
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Imprint: Science Future Press
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 322
• Language: English

Reviews

[stacey_is_sassy]

Now I get it...

WoW!!!

So now I know what all the fuss is about. Loved all of the characters, loved how everything came together and all of my questions are answered...except one. Clare's situation still seems unresolved.

Great series, will definitely be reading Ford and Spence's stories.

[littleread1]

Panic is an epic end to the Rook and Ronin trilogy. It is in this book that shit really hits the fan and the typical contemporary romance story really flips and turns into a dark romance with a lot of mystery and intrigue. Ronin, Ford, and Spencer really fall into their roles of con men and Rook grows into a brave strong woman.

When I first started this series I certainly didn't expect it to take the turns that it did and end up here. It was a wild ride, and I loved every unexpected twist and turn. It is super hard to talk about Panic without spoiling the previous two books, Tragic and Manic, but I will give it a try.

Rook ... poor sweet mistreated Rook. You finally find out what a horrible horrible life she had led before she ended up in Denver. My heart broke over and over for her the more I found out about what she had endured. And ... when apologies are made ... heartbreaking all over again. I am so happy she found Ronin, Spencer, and Ford. They are the best thing that could have ever happened to her.

And oh buddy, does this ending ever set up the spin-offs for Ford and Spencer! WHOA. That's really all I can say, but someone loses their head and totally makes some choices that take me by surprise!

Panic is a fantastic conclusion to a romance, and set's up future stories without leaving you feeling incomplete! I don't know how she did it, but Huss has a fan for life in me!

[Angie]

I wasn't sure what to expect going into Panic after the end of Manic, but it was not this. Rook's abusive ex is in jail, and her first love has shown up, so what does this all mean for her? Well, none of this comes up until about two-thirds in, and that's when things head into Crazytown. Before the story takes a totally out of nowhere turn, it's all about Rook, Ford, and babies. Some of this I loved. Some of this I hated. My feelings are very torn on Panic, but I figure since I read it in one sitting--even as my puppies were jumping all over me--I must have liked it.

Let's start with Ford. I love him. I found him interesting in the previous book, because he was so different from Ronin and Spencer, but I fell for him in Panic. He is the only person who can actually see that something is seriously wrong with Rook and that she's hiding something major. He takes time to help her help herself, even if he doesn't know exactly what he's helping with. He got her into exercising, he helps her get back into school, and he's the only one who doesn't lie to her! He may withhold information that isn't his to tell, but he's a lot more honest with Rook than Ronin is. Sure, he's a little...unusual, but he's my favorite. Not necessary as a romantic partner for Rook, but I'd definitely think she'd be better off with Ford as a friend than Ronin for a boyfriend.

One of my biggest annoyances with Panic was all of the baby talk. Elise finds out she's pregnant so everyone is fawning over her and going baby shopping, except for Rook. We already know about her miscarriage, but there's more to it than that, which I won't go into. However, Ronin has baby fever. I'm pretty sure he's more excited about the baby than Elise and Antoine. He wants a family with Rook, and brings it up a few times, even though it's super obvious that she is not ready for that! He actually uses the phrase "barefoot and pregnant" which is just screwed up. She's only 20 years, just got out of an abusive relationship which caused her to miscarry, and all that's on his mind is wrangling her into another marriage and knocking her up. Ronin needs to open his eyes! Clearly, I still don't like him.

Then secrets start coming out. Ronin is a professional liar and he's been involved in some effed up crap. When faced with this truth, Rook doesn't want to hear it. I'm pretty sure she got slapped with the stupid stick between Manic and Panic. She runs from a man who almost killed her, but she does nothing when told that her boyfriend actually did murder someone? Really? But then things get crazy and I felt like I was reading a different book. I should probably mention that human trafficking ends up playing a huge role in the plot, so if that is not something you want to read about, then you should probably not read Panic. There's some super disturbing stuff discussed. I'm not sure if it was included to show that this kind of stuff happens here in America right under our noses, for shock value, or what. But it seemed so out of place that I had to roll my eyes a few times. Yes, it kept my interest, but necessarily in a good way.

Panic was really an unnecessary sequel, in my opinion. I really enjoyed the first two books, and I loved watching Rook take control of her life. I wanted to see her succeed almost as much as Ford did. However, it seemed like she took several steps back in this book for no reason. She's in an even more messed up situation than the one she ran from and is somehow connected to all kinds of illegal activities. I just feel like Manic made more sense as the end to this series, since almost everything here felt disconnected from the other books.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Linda]

This series is amazing. Panic is just as fast-paced and dark as Tragic and Manic, and I was really afraid for Rook at times!

This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews

[Ashley]

Nose Graze — Young Adult book reviews

This is a hard book for me to review because I don’t want to sound like a bitch.

In Panic it’s all about Rook’s ex-husband Jon. All about him. And to be honest, when Manic ended, I was ready to be done with Jon. It was over and I was ready to move on. But suddenly, he’s back full force in Panic. A lot more comes to light about Rook’s relationship with Jon and what happened there. I just felt like I was sick of Jon Jon Jon and was ready to move onto different things in Rook’s life.

The reason I feel like a bitch for saying that is because this book focuses largely on the abuse Rook faced. And I just feel bad for basically saying I didn’t want to hear about them. I don’t necessarily feel that way, it’s just that I assumed it had gotten wrapped up in book 2, and I thought book 3 would move on to different things.. but it didn’t.

I also think that Ford was such an awkward character. He always seemed so half developed for me, just dodging in and out. One minute I think he’s going to be hugely important, but he never actually gets there. He remains awkwardly lurking in the shadows, just popping in and out to remind me that he exists and that he might be ridiculously obsessed with Rook.

And also, I felt like the end was wrapped up so quickly and so neatly. The book spends a lot of time building up to the conflict and verrrrry slowly introducing it, but then it was over in like 10 pages. It seemed so quick and so easy, I didn’t totally buy it.

Also, Rook and Ronin spend a lot of time apart in Panic and that did make it slightly less interesting for me.