Author: J.R. Loveless
Publisher: DreamSpinner Press
Rating: 4/5 Smooches
Blurb:
The ADA Chronicles: Book One
In an attempt to atone
for his sins and find some solace, ADA Agent Gabriel Romero helps other
Deviants in need. But with threats from both sides — Normals and the Deviants
who despise them — he finds it harder and harder to outrun his ghosts,
especially after a difficult mission to rescue twin brothers held at an enemy
compound, where Gabriel meets Alexander Ryker. Gabriel finds his new charge
unexpectedly attractive, and that’s a complication he does not want — one he
thinks he doesn't deserve.
Despite the frosty
reception from the stubborn agent who rescued him, sheltered telepath Alex
feels an instant connection through the pain he sees in Gabriel's eyes, and he
does everything he can to gain his attention. The realities he must face while
mastering his ability are hard, but failing to learn to defend himself is not
an option. Soon he'll need his newfound strength to convince Gabriel he
deserves to live and love again.
Review:
His Salvation is a
contemporary science fiction story based in an alternative world. The world is
split between the Normals, humans, and the Deviants, humans with special gifts.
On a surface level, the book presents a battle of good vs. evil with a romantic
element. However, there is a depth to this book that is intriguing.
No one
understood how the abilities developed, but the tension grew thick between the
humans without gifts and the humans who possessed them. Ten years ago, a third of
the population on Earth began to exhibit signs of strange behavior. The first
incident pertained to a man who could levitate things around him when upset or
angry. Within a month’s time, there were over five hundred documented cases of
similar events happening all over the United States. Eventually it became known
as a worldwide epidemic.
Normal human
beings grew afraid of what these gifts could do to them or their families.
Angry mobs broke out a year after the first occurrence.
In
this world, which looks a lot like our own, family and friends turn on each
other in brutal and violent ways. The lines of evil and good become blurred
very quickly. Although it is a natural human reaction to fear the unknown, J.R.
Loveless takes this ignorance and ramps it up to horrific levels. In order to
survive, Deviants need to hide who they are from Normals, which, of course,
creates tension and resentment.
But
the battle of good and evil in this book is not just between the two factions,
there is also a battle of wills within the Deviant sector, and that is even
more dangerous to the characters in this book. The Agency for Deviant
Assistance is the light at the end of the tunnel for Deviants. They offer
guidance, training and knowledge to help the persecuted Deviants.
There
are a lot of metaphors in this book, and it is difficult to not read and think
of the horrors that took place in Nazi Germany, especially when it is noted
that many of the Deviants are forced to live in concentration camps. Some of
the brutal ways people are killed seem to be taken right out of headlines from
the past and present. There is an undeniable depth to the plot and characters,
which Loveless explores with a passion.
ADA
Agent Gabriel Romero is devoted to helping people. He has had a tortured past,
and he seems to use his position in the ADA to try to make amends for past
tragedies that blames himself for. Gabe is a 35-year old military strong,
disciplined agent. He has no personal life, and he tries to keep an emotional
distance from his peers and charges.
Enter Alexander Ryker, 19-year-old empath who
is running for his life and the life of his twin brother, Jason. Although the
young men are twins, it is Alexander who intrigues Gabe the first time he sees
the green-eyed man’s photo.
Alexander’s
reaction to seeing Gabe is nothing short of awe.
The man was
breathtakingly gorgeous. Dark hair kept in a military style fade, with strong
chiseled features and a beautifully muscled body caused Alex to feel hot all
over, and not from the run through the woods.
A small scar
across his brow made him appear even more dangerous. The amber eyes reminded
Alex of the honey maple syrup his grandmother used to make. He was obviously in
pain and being stubborn about it. When the broad expanse of tanned skin was
revealed as the other man removed his shirt, Alex had to bite back a gasp at
how strongly his body reacted. A strange warmth settled between his thighs, and
he felt his dick growing hard. He dropped his hands into his lap to cover up
his body’s response.
When those
honeyed eyes met his, Alex’s gaze flitted away for a moment, only to come back
to them. The man closed his eyes against Alex’s perusal, and Alex tried to
reach out, to see what thoughts the man held, only to hit a wall. Surprise
widened his eyes by a fraction, and his breath caught. He’d never met anyone he
couldn’t read. How could the stranger block him so completely? Then he started
to wonder who the men were and why they’d rescued him.
Gabe
and his band of Deviant misfits spend the remainder of the novel trying to keep
the twins safe, and despite all his efforts to stop his feelings, Gabe falls in
love with Alexander, who has never had feelings (physical or emotional) for
another person before. Gabe is a veteran of heartbreak, a victim of abuse and
very jaded. Alex is naïve, sheltered and optimistic. Let the games begin.
Gabriel
glanced around the cell walls but didn’t see any identifying numbers. Agitation
glittered in his gaze, and he looked at Tank and Bear. They’d been in there too
long. The longer they remained in the compound, the more likely they would be
discovered and possibly captured. “Be ready for anything.”
Bear’s eyes
widened a fraction at the realization that Gabriel intended to use his
abilities. In four years, the team had only seen him use them a handful of
times. The three of them stepped back from the cell.
Taking a deep
breath, Gabriel concentrated on the plexiglass door. The glass shuddered before
a powerful boom reverberated against the cement walls and it fairly exploded
into pieces that scattered across the corridor floor. Gabriel pushed inside the
cell in the breath of a second. He hauled Jason up into his arms, tossing him
across his shoulder. “Let’s go,” he commanded quietly.
The moment
Alexander stood from the bed, a piercing alarm sounded throughout the complex
and red lights started flashing everywhere. Gabriel swore profusely. “Go, go,
go!
Loveless
is a good storyteller and her characters are well defined and intriguing. The
world she has created is intense and realistic, although there are some areas
of the story that seem to jump around a bit. Overall, she has done a great job
combining realism and science fiction. Her main and supporting characters are
well developed, and her use of dialogue moves the story forward. This first
book leaves the reader looking for more books in this series.
Buy
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Excellent review! I have to agree wholeheartedly, His Salvation is a great read and the way the powers and power play are done within make me want to bug JR for when book 2 will come out :c)
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