Review: Excellent!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 26, 2014
This book was provided to me in return for my honest review as part of the M/M Romance group's DBML program. I have not received any compensation for this review, it's freely given.I thought this was a great read - it was well written, with the dystopian world-building, the characterization - I was able to easily connect to the MCs, and the snark! Oh how I love me some snark!The Variants are people whose DNA has been genetically altered so that they have some sort of special gift. Damien's gift is that he'a able to locate people. He doesn't like taking contracts, but he can't turn down one that involves children. Blaze is an irreverent jerk, but takes the job seriously & he's all about helping the children too. He gift, like his name implies is that he can start fires.Because of past abuse issues, Damien has a rather severe case of OCD; he can't function if certain things are not done a certain way, he can't stand to be touched, & he can't have anyone behind him. He agrees to take a job finding 40 children missing from one of the Academies. Blaze is hired to guard his back, although Damien prefers to work alone.Right away, Blaze knows that Damien has control issues and he's able to calm Damien down enough to be able to function normally. At least as normal as Damien can get. And for some reason, Damien feels like he can trust Blaze, even allows Blaze to touch him.While out in the field, working to find the missing kids, the pair continues to form a bond. Soon, they become lovers; although finding Blaze's ex, Shudder McKenzie, seems to throw a bit of a wrench into the mix because it's fairly evident that those two still have some unresolved feelings for each other. It's never quite clear whether or not Shuds has some hope of reuniting with Blaze, but Shuds can definitely see that Blaze has fallen for Damien.Shuds joins the pair on their quest to find more of the missing children once he's certain that the kids won't be returned against their will & that neither Blaze nor Damien have any intention of collecting the bounty hanging over his head.Once all the children found, Damien cuts & runs; believing that Blaze deserves someone normal & that he'd be a danger to Blaze at some point later in the future. Blaze lets him go, but only for awhile then he tracks Damien down & convinces him that they should be together.I was kind of concerned there for a bit because it looked like maybe the author was going to pursue a threesome with Damien, Blaze, & Shuds. And I was sure that it wasn't the right thing for any of the characters. But she kept the romance between Damien & Blaze & I am glad.This is the first time I've ever read anything from this author & based on this story & I would love to read more of her work.