Review: Great start to a series!!!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 8, 2012
4.5 stars"I'm sure I don't know any more about your world than you about ours. We're too isolated from each other to change that."I saw this book, then I read the blurb and hesitated. Do I read it? The little voice in the back of my head was insistent, reminding that this book would be a challenge for me and dared me to step up. So I did, and I really liked it which surprised the hell out of me!First let me explain that I am not a fan of science fiction. Not in movies or in books, so when I read "their generation ship landed on the planet", that right there was the first hurdle. Then add to it the fact that this book is more a Mystery/Suspense than a Romance and that the author, G.B. Gordon, was unknown to me and I really started to have my doubts."He knew he should have kept his distance. You didn't give others a chance to leave you or hurt you."However, as soon as I started the book I was hooked. The author threw me right into the world of Santuario where I first meet Alex. Through his initial investigation into the body that was found, I learned a lot more about Santuario and about him. I liked him right away. He came across as a no-nonsense kind of guy, but really he just wanted to find that 'something' that would make him happy. I got the impression that he went through the motions but he never really lived. Since his past was filled with pain and abuse, I could understand where he was coming from. And as the story progressed I was thrilled with his development - how he eventually opened to Bengt and just stopped building his wall against getting close to him."Oh, come on, Alex. If you raise that wall any higher you're going to run out of bricks."Bengt was an amazing character too. He came across as such a huge, strong guy but really he was even more open about his feelings and very understanding about the people in Santuario and the differences between them. He had a temper to watch out for, but really he was adorable. He really believed in making connections and interacting and although it was difficult for him to accept that Alex was closed off he understood and put up with it. And I really had to admire him for that because at times I found myself wanting to shake some sense into Alex for his behavior and his constant withdrawal from Bengt."Welcome to Santuario"This world the author created with the Securitas, the Santuarians and the Skanians was very interesting to read. I appreciated the pace of the writing because there was a lot of information to go through and a lot of new terms to deal with. I felt a bit confused at first, but then got into it and it flowed nicely from there. The writing was very clear and precise and the plot kept me guessing all throughout. I read 60% of the book without interruption - I was that captivated with it! The only mishap - and I don't know if it's a formatting problem - is that there wasn't a clearly defined transition from Alex's present point of view and his flashbacks. It was just presented without the usual markings (italics, indentation, etc.) and that made it very confusing to follow."He realized he was well on the way to falling in love with a man who was different in every respect, and he had to idea how to stop himself."This has been classified as Romantic Suspense but to me is more a Mystery/Suspense with some Romance undertones thrown in the mix. Aside from the mystery and the world building of Santuario, I think this book establishes Alex and Bengt's friendship. It makes them confront their past, accept their differences and hope for something more. The one scene when they do get together was very passionate. It was told from Alex's point of view which made it that much more enjoyable. It wasn't explicit in any way, but what was written was both beautiful and emotional. I hope to see more romance from these two, it would make for a fantastic read."I can't repair my wall as fast as you tear it down."Will these two men from different origins come together and find the happiness they so desperately want? What obstacles will they have to overcome? These are just a couple of the questions I was left with. I am hoping that they will get answered in the next book. I am looking forward to it.