Review: Catch a Tiger by the Tail

Author: Charlie Cochet
Series: THIRDS, #6
Released: February 5th 2016
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Source: Publisher for review
Length: 216 pages
Buy: Dreamspinner Press
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Calvin Summers and Ethan Hobbs have been best friends since childhood, but somewhere along the line, their friendship evolved into something more. With the Therian Youth Center bombing, Calvin realizes just how short life can be and no longer keeps his feelings for his best friend a secret. Unfortunately, change is difficult for Ethan; most days he does well to deal with his Selective Mutism and Social Anxiety. Calvin’s confession adds a new struggle for Ethan, one he fears might cost him the friendship that’s been his whole world for as long as he can remember.

As partners and Defense Agents at the THIRDS, being on Destructive Delta is tough at the best of times, but between call-outs and life-threatening situations, Calvin and Ethan not only face traversing the challenges of their job, but also working toward a future as more than friends. 

Dear THIRDS Nerds, the time has come. We now hold in our hands the long awaited, breathlessly anticipated new THIRDS book and the second one that strays away from Dex and Sloane, albeit not very far. Calvin and Hobbs’ story has been brewing for quite a while, what with their fear of change, Ethan’s selective mutism and social anxiety problems, and all the mayhem surrounding Destructive Delta on a daily basis.

Unlike the previous two couples we’ve gotten very familiar with, Calvin and Ethan have been best friends since childhood. They already trusted each other implicitly and even lived together, but friends to lovers stories can sometimes be more difficult than typical romances. It’s hard to overcome that barrier, to move forward from how it’s always been, and it’s even more difficult for someone like Ethan who desperately needs consistency and stability. We’ve been following their dance anxiously for several books, as seen through Dex’s eyes, and it was so fantastic to finally see them come together and decide that they’re worth the risk.

Although Catch a Tiger brings more difficult moments due mostly to Ethan’s illness and his family dynamic, it’s still a THIRDS book, which means it’s often hilarious. It couldn’t be anything else with Dex around, and I laughed myself into stitches several times. He is simply a contagiously happy person, a magnet for everyone around him. It’s always nice to see him from someone else’s perspective and realize, once again, how he changed this group of people by becoming one of them.

The overall plot took a back seat in this book, but it was still handled beautifully. Charlie has a plan, and that plan is slowly being revealed to us. Things are getting more complicated with each new page, but at the same time, Destructive Delta is becoming strong enough to handle just about anything. I loved seeing both Calvin and Hobbs grow and resolve their issues, not only because it’s their well deserved happy ending, but because it further strengthens the team.

Catch a Tiger ends with a cliffhanger, which I don’t appreciate, but find myself ready to forgive at this point. The cliffhanger isn’t about Calvin and Hobbs and their romance, but about the overall storyline. It is upsetting, but I believe in Charlie and know without a doubt that she’ll take us to a HEA for them all.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.