Honestly, I was really impressed with this debut novel. I didn't expect it to be so good and well written. Not that I thought it would be anything less but it's always different when you have no indication on how the author constructs a story and where it will lead you. The writing style is very important for me as a reader to be able to get into the story and connect with its characters. Although it took a while to get all the details together in my head of this rather complex world this story took place in, I soon started to love it after I finally had a rough overview put together. I was instantly captured by this very intriguing storyline.
This sci-fi romance had a great pace, was action-packed and would make a great movie. Especially because it had it all: advanced technology, crazy scientists, lots of action and suspense as well as hot and heavy but no overwhelming romance. It was a good balance of all the important things that made me want to get lost in and have more of.
(It’s impossible to place this book in one specific genre, so don’t get confused that I put it into sci-fi romance.)
The Story:
Kendra doesn't despise GV's unlike so many other people. GovCorp is the devil in disguise because they promised improvement but only brought destruction. So, having to work on a mission with Jake, a genetically engineered ex-soldier and cold-blooded killer, was not the problem but keeping a clear head while watching his perfectly formed and lethal body fight to protect her. It's just impossible to suppress all the fuzzy feelings bubbling up inside her.
‘Now, this guy could mean trouble. A lot of trouble. In a lot of different ways.’Although this isn't Jake's first mission it feels a lot harder than anything else he's done before. He is quite resilient to injuries and was created to kill and not to feel but this naturally born woman touches something inside of him which brings foreign and unwanted emotions to the surface.
‘One thing he’d learned during his short, perverted excuse for a life: naturals couldn’t be trusted.’Eventually they both realize that it's useless to fight their feelings and join in together on the fight against GovCorp. But what will it take to succeed against such a powerful institution? Can they find answers to their questions on Jake's batch and Kendra's family? The closer they get to unveil the truth, the more dangerous it gets. Will they be able to get out of this war alive in the end?
Thoughts:
Although the beginning was good it took me longer than usual to get caught up with the storyline and to get the hard facts straight. Facts about GovCorp and naturals and those Genetic InVitro (GovCorp’s military) were spread throughout, so every time I’ve read something new, I was wondering about something else. This hindered me a bit to fully enjoy the story at first, which doesn't mean that I didn’t later on. My mind just wanted to get caught up earlier to lie back and enjoy the romance. I might be a little spoiled by all the previous easy reads I had =P
The romance had a strong hold of the story somewhere along the way and I was worried (only for a moment though) that it would drift off into only romance but luckily, the action picked up again later on. So fear not, for it's not romance in disguise of action. Or is it?! =P
Not everything was comprehensible, particularly closer to the end with Anderson's intentions, but I was OK with that as it was fiction after all.
I wouldn't say that all my questions had been answered but it may be just me because I couldn't process all the information fast enough at the beginning as they were quite complex. Anyway, I'm sure I will get more insight of this constructed world with the next book in this series.
It wasn't hard to love Jake despite his upbringing or rather making because he still felt somewhat human. And although there were quite a few characters involved, I had no problem remembering their names and characteristics. The author made it easy for me to follow the story and to distinguish the different involvements. I normally would have gotten confused with more than four characters being prominent that often in a story but I believe that I especially loved it a lot more because it wasn't just about Jake and Kendra. There was so much more going on with Derek, Kendra's family and all of GovCorp's scheming that it was impossible for me to put the book down until I’d finished it.
The author did a great job outlining the story. When you got the gist of all the important things, you will find that there's lots of real life in it too; despite the otherworldly feel of the science part. Although who knows what we haven't been told that's been going on in all the labs around the world. Oops, I'm drifting off here.. So, anyway, to meet with refusal, rejection, detestation, fear of something unknown and different is to be expected everywhere people live. And I liked how this topic was addressed and worked into the story in an eye-opening way.
You could say I went into this book blind as there's no way to know how a new author goes about a story. Will the characters all be killed off at the end or will there be a happy ever after? I was kept in the dark until the end and this made reading this book so much more exciting and suspenseful.
I'm really curious for the next book in this series. I hope we soon get to know who it will be about, although I'm happy to read about all of them again since I took a liking on quite a few characters :) Cruz, Derek, Oliver...
-- I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. --
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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