Review: Superb Sequel
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 1, 2013
Loved the swashbuckling space adventure and romance of the first book so I looked forward to this second book in the series that makes Cookie and Neith the leading characters.  This one has a slightly different feel with the adventure part being muted somewhat with the plot focusing more in internal conflict in this one.Cookie and the rest of the crew hear word of a lucrative bounty opportunity so decide to break a governor's son out of a slave brothel, return him to his family and collect the bounty.  Simple, right?  That is until the mission is successful and Cookie gets the young man on board Annie.  Torin takes one look and recognizes Neith realizing that their chances of a reward aren't happening the way they left things with Neith's dad.  Best they can do is to take Neith to his home and leave it at that.  Then things get worse when Cookie, or Killian which is his real name, realizes that Neith has been given a nastily working drug that leaves the poor guy requiring a dose of sexual release quite frequently in fact until the drug wears off.  Killian obliges him and starts to have feelings for the younger man, but now he has to wait and wonder if Neith returns his interest since the drug warps and inhibits Neith's emotions.  Trouble continues to dodge their heels when the slavers pursue them putting Annie's crew on the run yet again.  Being on the run is what they're best at though.  Neith has one more potentially devastating big reveal that he has to face in the end, but at least he won't be alone for it.It was great getting back with the fun crew of the Crux Ansata.  It has been two years since the adventure bringing Rain to Torn.  Now its Killian's turn.  He has lived a lonely existence with a past full of pain.  He's a caregiving type who takes care of those around him, but for the first time he has found someone to cherish.  And Neith, he's grown up a bit since the last time we saw him in the first book.  He's tired of trying to please a parent who won't ever be pleased and will always look on him as a disappointment so the sheltered governor's son tried to make a go of it in the big wide universe out there.  He didn't get far when he fell in with the slavers and became the star attraction in a brothel.  He's shaken, mentally bruised, but not down.  Slowly, he comes to realize what Killian means to him.  I loved their gentle romance though don't think that's all there is.  These two can light up the sheets for certain.And even though this book focused on Killian and Neith, it was still great fun that the rest of the crew got good amounts of page time too.  Rain hasn't softened up Torin at all and Jeret is still just as precocious as ever.  Can't wait to get my paws on Jeret's book next.Those who love space opera and adventure should definitely give this series a try.  Thank you to Net Galley and Carina Press for the opportunity to read this book for review purposes.