...Bookfanatic

'Stormin' Norman' is the last book in this series to date and ironically it is the one that has me raging. If you've read the series or even my reviews than you know that these stories began with Hairy Harry's Carseat.  That was when Pete and Evan met and started their relationship. Book 2 Bob, Destroyer of Leads brought us, Will & Lawrence and they're still around. Book 3 we got to revisit Pete & Evan and a bit of an introduction to Jesse & Dan so now...

In the last book we get more Jesse & Dan.  So far we know that they've been partners for 7 years, unfortunately that partnership has been sorely tested because Jesse has a job that takes him away from Dan for undetermined amounts of time, to who knows where, to do who knows what and sometimes with who knows who.  All things considered I think Dan's either really amazing to have stuck it out in this relationship for as long as he has or he's just a glutton for punishment.  But let's go with really amazing because he does genuinely love Jesse and wants to be with him, so yes, I like Dan...sorta...kinda...almost and this is all I'm going to say on Dan because explaining why I'm not over the moon about him would mean revealing to much of this book.

Ok so here's where the rage starts.  Jesse gets called away because of his mysterious job again.  Dan told him the last time that 'it was the last time' and he wasn't willing to wait, so if Jesse goes Dan won't be keeping the home fires burning.  It's a tough decision and I honestly don't blame Dan. Jesse might only be gone a week or two but past history has shown it could be a month or more...maybe a year or more.  This is why whenever Jesse has gone in the past he's ended things with Dan, he didn't think it was fair and wanted Dan to be able to move on if he chose to which he didn't but finally Dan's reached his breaking point. Again I can understand this.

What I can't understand is...who the hell does Evan think he is.  Yeah, I know that one came out of no where. Evan as I have discovered is a meddler and that's ok, let's face it we all have friends or family who meddle to some degree.  Evan goes way over the line on this one.  

I understand being loyal to your friends and wanting to protect them emotionally but there are limits and blaming someone else for the irresponsible actions of your friend or sending other friends to get that same person you're blaming rip, roaring drunk so they can tell him he needs to move on with his life, or manipulating that person at every turn is wrong. I give kudos to Pete because he at least tried to make Evan back the f'-off.

I think the main reason that Evan's behaviour was totally reprehensible at times was because Jesse was their neighbour and friend before he left, he was the reason that Evan and Pete ever got to meet Dan.  Jesse was also very much in love with Dan, which is obvious to everyone but apparently the fact that he might be hurting too is of no consequence to people especially Evan. Plus frequently interaction between Dan and Jesse was initiated by Dan not Jesse and yet, Evan blames Jesse.  Evan was so blinded by his own opinions and his personal experience that he couldn't see what an ass he was being.

So have you figured out that this book made me more than a little bit angry? It's a book a work of fiction, I get that truly I do.  But I have to admit I admire an author who can make me so angry that I no longer like one of the MC's in this series. A character, whom I had honestly thought was quite adorable before and nearly 12 hours after finishing the book I am still more than a little annoyed with this character and really, really wish he was a real person so I could tell him what I think of him and it isn't anything nice.  

Strangely enough this also ended up being one of the better books in this series.  I don't know if there's more whether or not I'll continue to read them and I think I'm just not going to worry about making that decision until, if and when the time comes that it needs to be made.  I will still read Sue Brown though because...Damn! No ones ever made me so mad at an MC I liked, that I quit liking them.  As annoying as it was, it was also pretty impressive.