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No one writes AWKWARD, PAINFUL, HILARIOUS, CRINGE-INDUCING, AWESOME, SWEET, TENDER, SEXY dialogue as well as Gregory Ashe. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll wince…and then you’ll wish the book was longer.
So, is The Same End good, phenomenal, or what? Yes, it is. It’s brilliant and features one of the three best couples in romantic suspense. The other two – in case you’re curious – are Emery Hazard and John-Henry Somerset (Hazard and Somerset), and Auggie Lopez and Theo Stratford (The First Quarto), who are also characters penned by Mr. Ashe. Look, if you love romance, then you should be reading Ashe. #hottip
But back to this story. You’re going to have to go and do your homework if you’re sneakily trying to start this series with the last book (terrible idea FWIW)), but here’s a quick catch up: Teancum Leon is a wildlife veterinarian in Utah. Raised in a large Mormon family, he left the church shortly after coming out to his family. He’s a glass half empty kind of guy who can find the worst case scenario in – well, in everything. It’s endearing. For real. Tean is newly single after ending a TOXIC relationship with his married best-friend-since-childhood, Ammon Young, a police detective. In The Same Breath, Tean meets Jem Berger, a grifter, after Jem’s foster brother goes missing. By the end of that novel, they’ve investigated Benny’s disappearance/murder, had an affair that ended badly after Tean discovered Jem was a grifter (thanks, Ammon) and accused him of running a con on him; and Tean finally dumps Ammon. It concludes with Jem and Tean reconciled, but only as friends. In The Same Place, Jem is trying and failing to find gainful employment, and still squatting in vacant apartments; Tean is hoping to date someone new, helping Jem learn to read, and navigating a friendship with someone who has trust issues and lots of secrets and possibly a drug problem. It’s challenging. Ammon – a two-faced jerk who bullies Jem whenever Tean isn’t around – left his family and moved into Tean’s apartment building hoping for a reconciliation. When Tean’s colleague and friend is accused of murder, Tean and Jem try to help clear her name. Jem is a talented investigator, Tean is his calm and cool sounding board who encourages him, and they nearly die before finally identifying the true killer.
The Same End picks up with Tean happily back at work and trying to date (with Jem’s mischievous support) via a hookup app known as Prowler (yes, it’s as hilariously bad as the name suggests), AND trying to maintain friendships with both Jem and Ammon.
“You didn’t misunderstand. We’re going to have dinner. Together. You’re both my friends, and you need to be able to spend five minutes in a room together.”
“Five minutes,” Ammon said. “Starting now.”
“You said we were having pizza,” Jem said. “You didn’t say we were also having a torrential douche.”
“I want to point out that he started it.”
“You started it by being you and having your dumb face—”
“Ok,” Tean said.”
Ahem. Meanwhile, Jem is struggling – with reading, his relationship with his newly identified birth mother, his feelings for Tean, and the daily struggle to let go of a past that continues to sabotage his efforts to be a better man – a man worthy of Tean (whom he adores). Ammon is still trying to get back together with Tean, and secretly harassing Jem and anyone he meets via the Prowler app. He’s a total fucking asshole and we hate him with every fiber of our being and we never feel differently. So don’t get all hopeful.
The mystery suspense part of the story kicks off after Ammon asks Jem to meet with a key suspect in a murder investigation who – hospitalized after fleeing the murder scene – insists Jem can clear his name. After initially refusing the request, Jem reluctantly meets the man – and is immediately transported into horrific memories of his time at Decker Juvenile Hall. Antonio Hidalgo was one of a trio of boys who made Jem’s life a living hell – raping and torturing him for fun. Antonio is accused of killing his girlfriend Andi (a former childhood foster friend of Jem’s), but Antonio insists Tanner Kimball is the true killer. Tanner was the trio’s ringleader and seemed to gain a sadistic pleasure in destroying Jem’s life. Jem thought he locked those nightmares away forever – but in The Same End it’s clear he hasn’t. He hasn’t forgetten – or forgiven.
Seeing Antonio destroys Jem’s hardfought equilibrium and the traumatic nightmares of his time at Decker wreak havoc on his mental health; his hatred of Tanner – and desire for revenge – drives him to take the case anyway. It also motivates a concerned Tean to help him. What follows is a hellish road trip that nearly tears their friendship apart. The investigation is ugly, dark and complicated, and nothing and no one is quite what they seem. Friends, it’s creepily excellent.
But you aren’t only interested in the mystery, are you? You want to know about Jem and Tean! It takes time – and new emotional honesty as both men face their biggest fears – to finally bring this pair together; it’s a painful and bumpy path to happily ever after. Jem is on the struggle bus when the story begins, and things go from bad to worse after he pursues Tanner. He’s using stolen pills to maintain his fragile sanity, but he can’t sleep, he’s a jittery and emotional mess, and he can’t hide his desperate unhappiness from Tean. Meanwhile, Tean nervously navigates around the secrets Jem is keeping about his experiences at Decker – hoping Jem will confide in him, and trying to steer him away from plans for revenge. Their relationship dynamic swings wildly from one moment to the next; hilarious banter gives way to searing, emotional examinations of the beauty and ugliness of the lives they’re both living, into gentle, tender displays of the deep affection they have for each other. Jem is fascinated by Tean’s world view and eager to see it the same way, and Tean tries to understand the forces and experiences that created his amazing, damaged best friend. We know they love each other, but they struggle to let go of the doubts and fears that keep them apart. Enter Ammon. Yep, he lurks in the periphery of this case and tries hard to drive a wedge between them and unfortunately for him, his actions ultimately provide the catalyst for them to admit what they truly feel about each other.
In an incredibly moving and supremely satisfying sequence, Tean and Jem finally become the romantic pairing readers have longed for from the moment they first met – but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Jem finally reveals his past to Tean, and Tean realizes the damage Ammon has wreaked on his life and relationships. And they still haven’t solved this case! Things rapidly go from lovely to ugly and terrifying, and the novel ends with a gentle peek at the new life Jem and Tean are forging together. I loved it and hated it! Readers, this is classic Ashe – satisfying his readers but leaving us yearning, hoping, desperate for more. It’s the perfect endnote for this imperfect pair.
Fans both old and new will be well satisfied – happy – with this last book in the tremendous The Lamb and the Lion series. They’ll also be clamoring for MORE – more Tean, more Jem, more investigations… and more from this ridiculously talented author. Excellent; highly recommended.
Buy it at: Amazon
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Grade: A
Book Type: Romantic Suspense
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 29/01/21
Publication Date: 01/2020
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.
I love romance novels - all kinds.
I love music - some kinds.
I have strong opinions about both and I like to share them.
Related Reviews
Recently finished The Lion and the Lamb series plus the short stories. Got all long-winded about The Same End on Good Reads
Minor head scratchers:
Q1: How can Tean be in his profession, given how he seems to hate participating in the taking a living creature’s life? (He even tries to eat vegetarian, doesn’t he? At least pre-Jem.) It’s good for story purposes, but it seems like it would be the wrong profession for him, since a lot of creatures die for various reasons. I just find it odd.
Q2: How can Tean’s family be okay with
Just wanted to mention to those who love this series that Ashe is releasing a collection of short stories on 2/5 named Jem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild. Ashe is definitely the gift that keeps on giving!
He is! I love that he gives us these little glimpses of “normal” life in between the books, and that he gets to exercise his talent for humour. I got most of these stories with his newsletter, and I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard in ages as I did when I read Cheap Seats!
This book is an EPIC ending to the series!
Jem and Tean’s relationship is superbly developed, whilst Ammon remains an Absolute Arsehole and my most hated character in all of GA’s books.
Great review, Em. I don’t know how you manage to review such a complex book – it’s going round and round in my head and I had to reread the end to check on some things!
I’m looking forward to the vignettes on 5th February………..
Greg’s books are tough to review, that’s for sure!
As for Ammon – not sure he’s worse than Douchebag Dylan and Officer Scumbag, but he’s certainly up there with the “most hated”!
Mmmm, I think Ammon’s definitely worse than Douchebag Dylan because of the length of time he’s abused Tean – also the breaking of trust from a childhood friend.
Officer Scumbag has potential to match Ammon as I suspect he may reappear.
Just curious, since I haven’t started the series yet but plan to, does Tean ever analyze why he’s stayed with an awful person like Ammon for so long? Is there a moment of self-awareness or self-insight where Tean understands why he’s stuck with a bully all this time? I want to read Ashe, but I’m concerned I’ll be constantly annoyed at the main character for failing to see that he’s in an abusive relationship.
Yes. And it’s Gregory Ashe, so… it’s complicated.
I – luckily – have no direct experience of such things, but isn’t part of the issue with such relationships the fact that the person who is being manipulated either can’t or won’t see it? Like you, I get frustrated when characters can’t see that, but I do realise that it’s a big part of the problem. There’s a similar situation in Yet a Stranger in the sense that there’s emotional manipulation going on but the characters involved fail to see it for what it is, although it’s perfectly clear to the reader. But they DO eventually see it and get out.
A question, does Ashe write any healthy m/m relationships in his stories? (side characters, etc.) I gather the protagonists finally end up in a loving relationship, but in my albeit very limited experience with him, I noticed almost all other male/male relationships are somewhat abusive or toxic. Thoughts?
I’m wondering if this might be the reason I’ve been sort of hemming-and-hawing about starting one of Ashe’s series rather than just jumping in the deep end. Based on all of the reviews I’ve read here, the books sound terrific with complex plotting and complicated characters; but, also based on the same reviews, I sense there are always problems in the central m/m relationship. Perhaps I should do as you’ve suggested elsewhere and go into the books expecting “mystery/suspense with romantic elements” as opposed to full-on romance, but I must admit I find it somewhat baffling—and, frankly, just a little retrogressive—that Ashe depicts so many gay relationships as toxic/abusive/unhealthy.
I really enjoy Gregory Ashe’s books and I don’t usually go for majorly angsty books. His MCs are always flawed/damaged and their relationships go through highs and lows over the course of their series. There is no neat tying up of all loose ends to get a HEA at the end of each book, or even of each series. Most books end with a HFN of some kind, even if it’s some kind of compromise. I do find plenty of romance in these books though and the ‘best’ couples are definitely the three mentioned by Em in her review!
Personally, I think that this series or the second Hazard and Somerset series, A Union of Swords, are the best ones to start for people new to GA’s books. IMO The Same Breath is his best book, so would give you an idea whether you wanted to continue with his books or not. My least favourite series is the Borealis series – I don’t think that the MCs, plots or secondary characters are as compelling as those in the other series, so I wouldn’t recommend this as a place to start.
I want to stress, my experience of reading Ashe’s books is very limited, one whole book and parts of two others. I didn’t see any healthy relationships portrayed. Other than that I’m going on what Em and Caz have said in their reviews. It struck a cord because, totally unrelated to this, I’ve been doing reading and discussing with my daughter about the old “bury your gay” tropes in movies and TV, as well as the fetishizing of gay pain–works that put gay men through all kinds of emotional and physical pain, with or without an HFN, or HEA at the end. I am absolutely NOT saying that’s what Ashe is doing! I think he just writes really angst-filled books. But it made me realize I hadn’t heard about any healthy gay relationships in his books.
I’m pretty sure that’s not what he’s doing and your “he just writes really angsty books” comment is much closer to the mark. Horses for courses and all that – I’ve been having a comment-conversation with Dabney the last few days about a book by an author whose work I used to love but whose most recent work just isn’t for me. All I can say about Ashe is that the relationships he writes are messy and complicated in a way that feels… real, in the sense that we all have crap to deal with and don’t always deal with it well. In my review of this one (at GR), I point out that his characters make mistakes, they let each other down and they even hurt each other at times, but they never stop trying to be better and do better… and they do get there eventually. But then I like angsty books and that the problems that confront these characters don’t just go away overnight. (It takes Emery Hazard a whole 5-book series to finally admit to the fact he’s suffering from PTSD and decide to do something about it, for instance.)
WIth all that said, I get that his books can be tough going and aren’t going to be for everyone :) But I’m still gobbling them up as fast as possible!
Books don’t have to be for everyone. I have respect for Ashe’s work, in part because I have a lot of respect for your reviews. Not just yours, of course, but reviewers who take the details of a book and analyze them and see past the surface stuff concerning character development, writing cohesiveness, pacing, etc. The fact that I do agree so often with your analysis of books, even if I don’t always enjoy the same books, means I respect it when you say, “This guy can write!”
I agree w/what Caz says, but I’ll add to it. These 2 have been friends since early childhood. They take their mission trip together as young men and that’s when the relationship segues from friends to lovers. Tean is deeply in love with Ammon – and committed to being part of gay couple with him; Ammon…not so much. He gets married! And has kids! And keeps gaslighting Tean with promises and explanations and promises. Jem sees all of this at a glance & he’s the first person who recognizes Ammon for what he is: a user and abuser slowly but surely destroying Tean.
This! I just glommed the Lion and Lamb series and you summarize the Ammon/Tean situation well. I’m not so sure that I’d go so far as to say he’s been destroying Tean (but using and abusing, absolutely).
As the story starts, they’ve been in their dysfunctional relationship for 10 years, and I think Tean has pretty much accepted his relationship with Ammon as it stands. Only when Jem comes on the scene does Tean start to realize he can have a more satisfying relationship–that he, weirdo that he is, is actually worthy of a better relationship–and that he has outgrown his relationship with Ammon. Jem helps Tean to see that old relationship through new eyes.
As for Ammon, he’s quite a piece of work. I loved when he tells Tean in book 3 (I think)
I tried Ashe because of the rave reviews here, read the North & Shaw trilogy, and appreciated the writing very much. BUT there was *so much* wrong with the heroes and how they related to each other. I didn’t feel it was all constructively addressed (addiction and, if not active self-harm, certainly choosing courses of action that were dangerous and self-destructive), and the time they spent together as a couple (and the ways they spent it) didn’t give me confidence in a HFN much less a HEA.
That said, I was reading that trilogy as romance (if romantic suspense) and if I had not expected some kind of healing/bonding resolution I would have been less disappointed. Good books, but not the books I wanted to read. So I’ve been hesitant to try any others. It was a lot of pain with not much payoff for me. I do intend to go back to Ashe but I’m not going to approach it as romance.
One thing to add – their story isn’t finished; he’s writing four more books for them, and although I don’t know exactly what direction they’re going to take as regards the central relationship, I’d be surprised if it isn’t addressed in some way.
The Hazard & Somerset books might work better for you in terms of the relationship arc, because it plays out over a longer period of time.
They don’t fit my definition of romance. I would place them on my “with romantic elements” shelf on Goodreads. But I don’t think Ashe works for me. My old brain doesn’t seem to process his prose well. His narrative style confuses me. :-)
GA’s books are definitely more romantic suspense/romantic mysteries – but IMO the romantic elements are so strongly woven into the stories that they wouldn’t work as suspense or mystery alone. And that, to my mind, means they’re not just mysteries with romantic elements. I just listened to a romantic suspense novel with hardly any romance in it, and in which the story would have worked perfectly well without the tiny bit that the author injected near the end. I’d term that a “romantic elements” story; Ashe’s books need both romance and mystery for them to work properly.
Good point! I see what you’re saying and that makes a lot of sense. I should shut up now since my experience with Ashe’s books is so limited.
Nah, you’re as entitled to your opinion as anyone. I’ll shut up as well though, after saying that the first book of his I reviewed here – Paternity Case – is a, well, case in point; the mystery is so strongly linked to the characters (Somers in this case) and by extension to his relationship with Hazard, that the story just wouldn’t be the same if the romance was an “added extra”..
I read the Paternity Case review. Great review and I see your point about the mystery being strongly linked to the characters and would not stand without that relationship. My only caveat would be my personal definition of a romance novel — it should would include an a mostly complete romantic arc or definite relationship established within each book. So, for me, even a book where the background relationship is vital to the story doesn’t count as a “romance” but as a book with romantic elements unless the relationship come front and center at some point in the book and there is come closure. I absolutely respect that other people have different definitions and expectations about what a romance (or romantic suspense) novel is. :-) Thanks for the discussion!