I really enjoyed these characters.
Darn you official synopsis! I really want to talk more about this book but this is one of those stories where it's tough to do so without spoiling elements that drive the plot. Since I'm not a fan of spoilers I'll try to give you guys a good idea of what to expect.
As it happens this is the second book in a series but when I was offered a copy to review I was told it could stand alone and I feel like it does a really good job of that. The only thing I feel is kind of missing is that some explanations in regards to the world building don't quite answer all of the questions you're likely to have in this type of post-apocalyptic set-up. That said, I felt it was enough to get me interested and keep me reading. It's not a zombie story but if you dig those types of things you should definitely check this one out.
In terms of the romance, I was really not expecting it to work for me. Evo/Tammie is about as pleasant as a Brillo pad used as a loofah. Since the story is told from her perspective she can be a bit tough to like at first. With good reasons thankfully and as she reveals what's made her who she is the layers unravel until you discover she's actually just a woman who has been through some dark stuff and come out stronger for it. Her hero, X, is hard not to like. But he's not been a perfect guy and the situation Evo finds him in leads to the one thing I feel is kind of important to spoil. If you have rape or abuse triggers let me give fair warning, you might find a couple of parts of the story uncomfortable to read. That said, I felt that Dyllin didn't use these devices carelessly and that they amplified the survival story side of this on an emotional level. Evo and X have a lot to overcome both physically and emotionally to reach their HEA ending and I liked them very, very much as a pairing. Even though I didn't love the book I might even go so far as to call them one of my favorite couples for their realism and enjoyable chemistry.
While the plot is pretty basic—hunt bad guys and save good guy—and that left me kind of meh on the overall action the strong characterization really made up for it. I will definitely be grabbing the first book and the next book. I'd recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic romances and my fellow beta hero lovers.
(Note: Review copy received via publicist.)