Absinthe of Malice

There's no possible way to explain the relief I felt when I discovered that this book is not the end of the 'Sinners' series. I'm so not ready to read that final book and I hope the author takes a really long time to write it. 'Absinthe of Malice' is many things - a journey, both emotional and physical, a redemption, a coming together, a fight to be for four men who've been to hell and back, and a battle with inner demons - but a finale it is not. It is, however, fabulous.

Everything is different this time around as Crossroads Gin heads out to tour small unknown holes in the wall. Miki, Damien, and Rafe are all older and wiser than the first time they did this, and Forest has never done it. For Miki, especially, this is so difficult because he's leaving the only home he's ever had. Hell, he finds himself missing not only Kane, but Dude, which kind of blows his mind. There are memories for Miki and Damie to deal with. Memories of the two who aren't with them. The fact that their first gig ends up having some crazy in the crowd stabbing people, starting a riot, Miki ending up hurt which brings Kane flying in, and then Brigid. Well, there are emotions for Kane and Damie to work through, and for Miki and Brigid.

One of the best parts of this book, for me, was watching these guys blend together to form something more than their individual parts. I mean, Miki and Damie are about as blended as two people can be outside of surgery, but Forest and Rafe are just getting to know them and vice versa. You can't have a band if the guys in it aren't family and even though these men already are, through their romantic partners, they needed to be a family of four in order to make this all happen. They needed to trust and learn to share their demons. Because some of their demons still have a stranglehold on them.

There are parts of this book I can readily admit were hard to read. So much of Miki and his demons is in here, from his childhood, the accident where the original band died, finding Kane and being terrified of losing him, of losing any of the Morgans as they've all become something in his life he never thought he'd have. Each of the men and the couples are shown but it's Miki, and Damie to an extent, whose emotions and issues are what yanked at me and made me bleed. Of course because it's a 'Sinners' book there's a bit of a mystery involved and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

“We’re here with you—me, Kane, and everyone else—but you need to see someone. To get some help for all of the goddamned shit you’ve been through, because you’re dying inside, Sinjun. Just as sure as if you took Kane’s gun and blew your head off.”

'Absinthe of Malice' was everything I'd hoped it would be and so much more. Except, really? The ending? You had to do that to me? I guess I'm going to have to reassess my thinking on not nagging the author for the final book. A truly wonderful addition and I thank you, Rhys. I enjoyed every moment.

Reviewed by Morningstar for Diverse Reader

This book is about Crossroads Gin getting back up and out on tour to bring themselves closer together, not just friends but more, family. Damien is determined to make this happen so much that he willing to leave his love Sionn at home while he travels the country with Miki, Forest, and Rafe. Just the band, no managers, no fancy hotels, no arenas of screaming fans, none of the pomp and circumstance that would normally go with them. Will it work?

There’s this song by Andra Day called Rise Up that fits perfectly for what these guys are meant to be to each other. The bases of the song is about saying one piece isn't better than the other. And when this piece is struggling the other pieces are there to help. They’re gonna lift the others up. They’ll be there. If one is going through pain, the others go through it with them. In Absinthe of Malice each one of these is struggling with their past and their demons and if they can learn to trust and lean on each other they can bring each other up from the bottom so that they aren’t doing it alone. But trust for some of these guys is hard won.

I always find it a struggle to read a book about more than one couple but Rhys does it perfectly in this book! Each POV was clearly understood and a flow that made the switching easy to follow and see why the switch was important. And yeah this book is about all of Crossroads Gin and each has their own struggle to work through but most of the main focus is on Miki. How Damien and Kane have to learn to coexist within Miki’s life without putting Miki in the middle of their issues. It’s about Miki finding his music again out on the road and not losing Kane, the love of his life. It’s about what Miki has lost in his life and what he has found on the journey to where he is now. And most importantly there is there’s a mystery and danger involving Miki.

The banter and dialogue with each couple always makes me smile and brings warmth to my heart and this book was no different. Rhys makes it hard to choose a favorite couple and for that I am grateful because it makes it much more enjoyable to love them all equally. And as always the smexy is strong in this book!!! She creates so many FEELS in this story and such a range that we are laughing, crying, scared, and shocked! It truly was a great way to catch up with these guys and get me looking forward to next and last book! You do NOT want to miss it!

This is an amalgamation of sorts, a coming together of all four couples from the first four books. Set in various locations across the United States, Miki, Damie, Forest, and Rafe are putting the Crossroads Gin name out there and making things happen. Damie’s insistence on traveling in a beat up van with no roadies and staying in motels that even bugs don’t want creates some friction, but what’s a good story without it?

We get to spend some time with each of the couples, and it wouldn’t be a Sinners novel without the beloved Morgan matriarch and patriarch, so they have small but incredible moments dotted throughout, as well. We see into the depths of Miki’s heart and mind, watch Rafe battle demons he may never truly overcome, and witness Damien’s and Forest’s struggles, as well. Woven throughout it all, though, is the music that drives the hearts of these four men.

Being a Rhys Ford novel, there is mystery and intrigue aplenty, and the emotional roller coaster will have you clinging to the edge of your seat. Oh, and bring tissues – because CHAPTER 13!!! It will rip your heart to shreds, and I’m not ashamed to say that I started crying at the preface to the chapter and I don’t think I stopped until well after it was done. (I might have re-read it a couple of times, too, because it was just that intense!)

Superlative writing, characters so flawed they’re perfect, and plots within plots, this is a fantastic addition to the Sinners queue. Don’t miss it. It’s worth all five stars I’m giving it, and more if it were possible to grant them!

ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review by Divine Magazine.


**Same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.**