Title: Onyx (Gem Series, #3)

Author: Freya Barker

Genre: Romantic Suspense-Slow Burn Romance

Release Date: November 6, 2023

GEM: a privately-funded organization operating independently in the search for—and the rescue and recovery of—missing and exploited children. Although, at times working in conjunction with law enforcement, GEM aims to ensure the victims receive justice…by whatever means necessary.

Onyx; balanced, strong, a guardian She’s the voice of reason, advocates, and strategizes. Supporting the team from the background, Onyx rarely goes out in the field. However, when a widespread child exploitation ring is discovered, her particular skill set is needed to get close. Unfortunately, her boss—a man she’s never laid eyes on before—is dead set against her taking the lead. Outvoted, he finds a way to keep her in his sights, risking his own exposure.

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5 Stars

It's always a good day when a new Freya Barker book comes out but I am sad just the same to see the end of this trilogy. Ms Barker unweaves the final webs on this expansive child exploitation ring, revealing the answers to all the questions that have not yet been answered in the series. A book strung high on emotions as the GEM team take down the last terror from their past and find some solice in coming full circle.

Onyx/Raj has been the quiet one in the background thus far and we don't really know too much about her. Her background in phycology has helped her to be the strength for those they have helped and brought out of this nightmare along the way. Sadly Raj's personal history makes her understanding of what others are feeling without them really even being able to explain it. When it is her turn to step out into the field and play her part, she doesn't really put up too much of a fuss. She is as determined as her team to take down the ring and save others from the pains of her past. Though she is strong, she still has some losses she has never really moved past, maybe the closure of this ring will give her a chance.

Jacob has so many regrets from that fateful night when he was ripped away. He has spent so many years hiding and building this empire in an attempt to finally take down the players that started the hell his and his teams life once was. Being out in the open is difficult for him to start. Fighting his feeling and not coming forward with all of his secrets and risking this final investigation is very difficult and certainly takes it's toll on him emotinally.

As the secrets are revealed and emotions are high, the goal never is forgotten and even when the feeling could get in the way, somehow these amazingly strong character seem to hold everything together when needed. The love that formed so long ago and has a second chance after all these years is something dreams are made of. I applaud Ms. Barker for her unique gift of sharing these difficult subject with enough detail to get her points across but not so much detail it is too much to read.

So sad to see these charcters come to an end, but maybe we will see some somewhere in another book along the way. Top Recomendation for me.

*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.***

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories. With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy. Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We've Read All Year Award for "Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!