Must-read romances: 'Prototype,' 'Extraction,' 'General Misconduct'
Prototype by M.D. Waters
What it's about (courtesy of Dutton Adult):
Emma looks forward to the day when she can let go of her past—both of them. After more than a year on the run, with clues to her parents' whereabouts within her grasp, she may finally find a place to settle down. Start a new life. Maybe even create new memories with a new family.
But the past rises to haunt her and to make sure there's nowhere on the planet she can hide. Declan Burke wants his wife back, and with a little manipulation and a lot of reward money, he's got the entire world on his side. Except for the one man she dreads confronting the most: Noah Tucker.
Emma returns to face what she's done but finds that the past isn't the problem. It's the present—and the future it represents. Noah has moved on and another woman is raising their daughter.
Why you should read it: I adored Archetype. It was edgy, weird and really good. I didn't know what to expect with Prototype, Emma is broken, she found out she was a clone and that her past was riddled with love, loss and a daughter. There's a strange love triangle that will break your heart, it was actually very well done and will definitely pull you in different directions. I loved the evolution of Emma and Noah's characters. While everyone was a little lost in Archetype because of secrets and memory loss, both are very aware of all that they have lost and stand to gain in this installment (actually, conclusion — it's the final book!). My favorite part is this delicate balance M.D. strikes between romance and action. A lot of books lean more one way or the other and this was the perfect blend of sci-fi, action and the sweet longing of falling (or re-falling) in love. I recommend this series to anyone who wants more meat to their romance, who wants a realistic push-pull relationship with each of the characters and the characters themselves.
Some questions for M.D. Waters …
Your heroine in one line?
M.D.: A woman who is determined and driven and proactive in her decisions.
Your book in one word?
M.D.: Free-for-all (En dashes aren't cheating! Right? *crosses fingers*)
What are you working on right now?
M.D.: A spinoff featuring Leigh Bennett, a woman I introduce in Prototype. She's sarcastic and strong, but also very broken by her past. We're going to some dark places, emotionally speaking.
Epic one-liner from Prototype?
M.D.: "Freedom be damned."
Extraction by Stephanie Diaz
What it's about (courtesy of St. Martin's Griffin):
Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her 16th birthday when she'll be tested for Extraction, in the hopes of being sent from Kiel's toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be "extracted," she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life. What she finds initially at the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it's free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid—but life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too. Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet's leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.
Why you should read it: I really feel readers are either going to love this book or not. I enjoyed it because I love dystopian worlds, the idea of sectors, of evil leaders and, of course, a "test" that separates the main character. The villain was a bit clichéd, but the writing and plot flew along and had me reading this all in one sitting. Clementine is a strong heroine who is torn between her new life in the core and Logan, the boy who is destined to die at age 20 on the toxic surface of the planet. (I say torn, but Logan is always there in her mind.) There are similarities between this and another book with testing, simulations and landscapes, but all in all it was a fun escape from the present, and I'm very interested in where Clem is going in the next book.
Some questions for Stephanie Diaz …
Your heroine in one line?
Stephanie: Clementine is a fierce fighter and a loyal friend, who will do anything to prove she deserves more than the life she started out with.
Your book in one word?
Stephanie: Brutal.
What are you working on right now?
Stephanie: Book three in the Extraction series.
Epic one-liner from Extraction?
Stephanie: "I fall asleep with a whisper on my lips, telling myself to be brave."
General Misconduct by L.A. Witt
What it's about (courtesy of Samhain):
Ensign Aiden Lange is taking a hike—and it's not for the pleasure of seeing Okinawa's Hiji Falls. It's in the hope that claiming he took a fall on the rocks will cover up the fact he was beaten up in a gay bar. Not a place a Naval Academy grad wants to get caught if he's serious about his career.
At the end of the trail, a surprise comes with the scenery. A gorgeous young guy in swim trunks.
Connor didn't come up to the falls to find a man, but he's instantly intrigued by the ensign with the bandaged eyebrow. A hike turns into dinner, and before he knows it, he's up to his heart in love with the gentle, infinitely patient Aiden.
It's a small world, though, and an even smaller island. It's only a matter of time before they're caught by a man who's more than just Connor's overprotective father. He's also Aiden's high-ranking boss. Someone with the power to force Aiden to choose—Connor, or his naval career.
Why you should read it: This is the second book in the Conduct Unbecoming series (finally!) and centers on Aiden and Connor. I really enjoyed the first book, and this spinoff was just as good (it can also be read as a stand-alone). Connor is the general's son … yeah … and poor Aiden has just graduated from the academy and the two instantly fall in love. As a military brat, I loved seeing how the dad reacted (obviously not loved for the main characters, but it was very realistic; we were not allowed to date anyone on base either) and how the two heroes dance around each other and all their obstacles. The main word that comes to mind is sweet. Their romance was sweet, each hero is sweet, and if you love reading fun and adorable heroes falling for each other, it's the perfect getaway book.
Some questions for L.A. Witt …
Your heroes in one line?
L.A.: The warning on the blurb summed them up pretty well: Two adorable guys who don't give a damn that the deck's stacked against them.
Your book in one word?
L.A.: Sexy.
What are you working on right now?
L.A.: As always ... what am I NOT working on? LOL I'm about two-thirds through a sequel to Aleksandr Voinov's Dark Soul, working on a story about a tattoo artist and a porn star with Cat Grant, a modern Mafia novel of my own, and an inspirational novel (yes, you read that right).
Epic one-liner from General Misconduct?
L.A.: (OK, it isn't quite a one-liner, but ...)
I barely knew him, but he did something to me that no other man had. I couldn't even put my finger on what that was. All I knew was my world had been off its axis since the moment I'd laid eyes on him at Hiji Falls.
And I didn't want it back on that axis any time soon.
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Jessie Potts, also known as Book Taster, adores books in all forms. She also does reviews for RT Book Reviews magazine and works in the submissions department at Dreamspinner Press. You can follow her on Twitter (@BookTaster).