Audiobook Review: Promises Part 4 (Bounty Hunters #4) by A.E. Via

Brian King was honorably discharged from the United States Navy five years ago. He'd left with the highest honors a man can receive in his country, but he'd paid the ultimate price to earn them. He'd returned home with all his limbs, his right mind, and with his only brother Ford, at his side. But, one thing had been lost, maybe for good...his voice.

Now, being a bounty hunter is Brian's only means to satisfy his need to calculate, track, and capture. He missed companionship, he missed communicating. So, when he met Sway Hamilton - in the most unconventional means - he'd been surprised at his special way of understanding Brian's every look...and touch.

Sway grew up in the rough part of ATL, trailing behind his twin brother Stanton and his best friend, Dana. He and his brother had a bond only twins could understand. So when Stanton's life was taken during their sophomore year in college, Sway didn't think he'd ever recover. However, Sway knew there was more to life than heartache.

Sway has to learn to trust in love, and Brian has to believe that Sway will always understand him even if he never speaks again.

Contains mature themes.

Listening Length: 11 hours and 3 minutes
Narrator: Aiden Snow

Reviewer: Annery

This is the fourth book in the Promises Series, and it’s finally Brian’s turn for a HEA. If you’ve been following along, and why wouldn’t you? Brian is Ford’s younger brother. Bad things happened to him during his military days and Brian came home with PTSD mostly manifested in Selective Mutism. It’s been four (4) years and Brian has adapted, learning ASL, using text-to-speech technology, and otherwise expressing himself pretty clearly through his body language. Though he continues to go to therapy and do the recommended exercises, mostly to please Ford, he’s resigned to the fact that his mutism may be permanent. He’d be fine with that except that it seems to hinder the possibility of finding a real relationship. Until Sway.

Sway is Dana’s childhood friend, a nurse, and a man who’s deeply empathetic to the suffering of others, sometimes to his own detriment. Sway & Brian met as a one-off in the previous book, and when they see each other again at Ford and Dana’s the spark shines brighter than ever. They’re exactly what the other wants and needs.

The course of this book, like the others, follows the men of DBB on a particular case and the blossoming of their own romance. In this instance, the formula worked super well for me. The development of the relationship between Brian and Sway was organic and the personal issues of their lives weren’t brushed under the rug of LOVE. They did find their HAPPY in each other, but they didn’t cease being the men they were prior to meeting and their issues didn’t magically disappear. Most of all I appreciated how it’s obvious that the author thoroughly researched ASL and it’s speakers and doesn’t make the whole plot contingent on Brian being vocal again.

For those wanting some A.E. Via style scorching smex fear not, she’s got you covered and Aiden Snow delivers the goods. Despite some bumps I liked this series as a whole and loved the audios, so if you need some aural comfort, a warm blanket in these angst ridden days, the men of DBB will keep you safe.