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Undead Love #1
Undead Love
Undead Love finds itself in the sweet spot where The Walking Dead meets the Romance Genre. Gritty, dark, and sexy, it hits the adrenal gland for all the right reasons! In their former lives, Rus was a school teacher and Polly was a waitress. In the apocalypse, they are both survivors. Rus is a rogue with no desire to connect with the outside world. The only company he keeps are the memories of his former life. That is until he meets Polly, the young, fearless wild-card who has joined forces with a family living on a secluded farm. Polly doesn't know what to make of this rogue man who has no regards for the rules of her clan. All she knows is that in a world crawling with death, there is something about him that makes her feel alive. Rus and Polly are caught in a whirlpool of passion and danger as they explore the countryside, searching for supplies. When they find themselves trapped in a cabin, waiting out a violent thunderstorm, the zombies lurking outside aren't the only thing that threatens to tear them apart.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2016
107 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 23, 2016
Undead Love
by new author Lee Sutherland is all about the feels, despite the surrounding zombie apocalypse. There was a very hot, very sincere, very relationship-y tone to the quick romance that develops between hunky widower Rus and his kindred spirit Polly. The book starts off with Rus, who hasn't seen another human in a year, camping by the roadside for another glimpse of the gorgeous girl he saw at a convenience store the week prior.
He follows her back to a secluded farm and encounters the rest of the small community with whom she lives. It was refreshing to read a post-apocalyptic story that featured kind and generous people who weren't looking to destroy the remnants of civilization with their greed and violence. Maybe this is because Sutherland's zombies are fairly easy to kill and not very smart, even though their pack mentality can be deadly to humans. But this story isn't really about the zombies.
"It wasn't just his looks that undid her, it was his personality. The combination of a man who was tough and vulnerable all at the same time." Add in Rus's rugged handsomeness, peekaboo wolf tattoo, concern for others, and Berserker tendencies to save the girl he loves from zombies, and I was a little in love myself. Likewise he is enamored with the tough girl with the independent streak and luscious curves. Even though their relationship moves quickly, it felt genuine. I think people in that situation would quickly recognize and sift through attraction and compatibility.
For a novella that clocks in at 137 pages, I felt the characterizations were very strong. A couple of the supporting characters are well developed and the backstories for the main characters are fully explored. The pace and descriptive detail were just right for a novella of this length. The author clearly likes to focus on key scenes to push the narrative along, and they are well done. Although the zombies are short-shrifted in terms of the hows and the whys, they provide appropriate dangerous tension when needed. After all, the point is that Rus and Polly learn that love isn't dead.
Much of this story is told from Rus's perspective. As a widower, he has trouble letting go, and must make peace with that decision. He was unprepared to feel affection for a new person, and he had to let that percolate. At the same time, he couldn't help himself in regards to Polly. Honestly, even the way the man grabbed her hip was hot. Told mainly from a male perspective, the intimate scenes were very erotic and yet tender. I saw in a Reddit post that Mr. Sutherland had not read romance prior to writing this book and found the sex scenes the hardest to write. All I can say is that I can hardly credit that statement; if this is a first attempt in the romance genre, then I DEFINITELY want to read more. Freshman effort? A BIG 4.5 stars!
He follows her back to a secluded farm and encounters the rest of the small community with whom she lives. It was refreshing to read a post-apocalyptic story that featured kind and generous people who weren't looking to destroy the remnants of civilization with their greed and violence. Maybe this is because Sutherland's zombies are fairly easy to kill and not very smart, even though their pack mentality can be deadly to humans. But this story isn't really about the zombies.
"It wasn't just his looks that undid her, it was his personality. The combination of a man who was tough and vulnerable all at the same time." Add in Rus's rugged handsomeness, peekaboo wolf tattoo, concern for others, and Berserker tendencies to save the girl he loves from zombies, and I was a little in love myself. Likewise he is enamored with the tough girl with the independent streak and luscious curves. Even though their relationship moves quickly, it felt genuine. I think people in that situation would quickly recognize and sift through attraction and compatibility.
For a novella that clocks in at 137 pages, I felt the characterizations were very strong. A couple of the supporting characters are well developed and the backstories for the main characters are fully explored. The pace and descriptive detail were just right for a novella of this length. The author clearly likes to focus on key scenes to push the narrative along, and they are well done. Although the zombies are short-shrifted in terms of the hows and the whys, they provide appropriate dangerous tension when needed. After all, the point is that Rus and Polly learn that love isn't dead.
Much of this story is told from Rus's perspective. As a widower, he has trouble letting go, and must make peace with that decision. He was unprepared to feel affection for a new person, and he had to let that percolate. At the same time, he couldn't help himself in regards to Polly. Honestly, even the way the man grabbed her hip was hot. Told mainly from a male perspective, the intimate scenes were very erotic and yet tender. I saw in a Reddit post that Mr. Sutherland had not read romance prior to writing this book and found the sex scenes the hardest to write. All I can say is that I can hardly credit that statement; if this is a first attempt in the romance genre, then I DEFINITELY want to read more. Freshman effort? A BIG 4.5 stars!
not-interested
September 23, 2016Never, ever, ever will I read a book with a man-bun on the cover. Turn in your man card now, you no longer have any need for it...
Want to read
March 1, 2018💝 FREE on Amazon today (1/1/2018)!💝
February 11, 2023
Ever since the world ended and the dead began to rise again, people have only just been barely surviving.
Rus, a schoolteacher in a small town, hunkered down with his ailing wife while their town was pillaged by the dead. It was hard -- between watching neighbors fall to the zombies and his wife slowly losing her battle with cancer, Rus was slowly losing himself to the harsh reality of this new life. When his wife finally passes on, he shuts down. He promised her that he would keep living and he's kept his promise in the year that followed, but he's growing tired and lonely.
Polly has lost her faith and trust in strangers. After a grueling and heartbreaking journey from Florida during which she lost her father, she's struggled in the new world. She happened to join Connor and Phil and their family along the way, but she refuses to let anyone close for fear that she'll lose them too.
During a supply scavenging mission, Rus and Polly cross paths, and their lives will never be the same again.
***************
Written in third-person POV, "Undead Love" follows Rus and Polly as they attempt to survive in the new world after the zombie plague ravages the world.
This romance was kinda creepy actually. Rus happens to see Polly while she's scavenging supplies at a gas station and this is the first person he's seen alive in over a year. And apparently he's lost literally all social etiquette. When she runs off for very obvious reasons -- you know, he's a stranger who could hurt or kill her for the thrill of it -- he decides he MUST see her again and camps out near the gas station. He was literally willing to sit through days of rainstorms in order to see her again and then decides to follow her home when she comes back, like full-on follows her on his motorcycle with his lights off after sunset so she doesn't know he's there. Now, thankfully she sees him and calls for Connor and Phil to meet her and confront him, but what the hell?
Following someone home even during the zombie plague does not a romance make.
They weren't even all that good of a couple. They barely had things in common and Rus was constantly filled with guilt for wanting to be with someone else after his wife died in his arms (before she came back as a zombie of course). Like his inner monologue was literally wanting to be with Polly and then immediately feeling guilty for nearly the entire book. There was barely any conflict that kept them apart other than his guilt because Polly, despite being closed off and scared of letting people in, was willing to be with him. I hardly saw much trepidation on her end for the romance. Sure, the steamy scenes with them were okay -- repetitive and blah, but fine -- but I just didn't like the pairing.
The plotline of this being during the dystopian after-zombie plague times was fine. There were battles with zombies and we see some people lose their lives to them, but the main and secondary characters were fine from the zombies. Rus basically had a superpower mode that protected him from dying or getting bit so he was able to take down full groups of zombies focused on him. Great...
All-in-all, this was a blah book with a mostly creepy romance (with a happily ever after) and a nearly pointless inclusion of the zombie plague.
I received a free copy of this book under its previous title "Next to Dead" via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rus, a schoolteacher in a small town, hunkered down with his ailing wife while their town was pillaged by the dead. It was hard -- between watching neighbors fall to the zombies and his wife slowly losing her battle with cancer, Rus was slowly losing himself to the harsh reality of this new life. When his wife finally passes on, he shuts down. He promised her that he would keep living and he's kept his promise in the year that followed, but he's growing tired and lonely.
Polly has lost her faith and trust in strangers. After a grueling and heartbreaking journey from Florida during which she lost her father, she's struggled in the new world. She happened to join Connor and Phil and their family along the way, but she refuses to let anyone close for fear that she'll lose them too.
During a supply scavenging mission, Rus and Polly cross paths, and their lives will never be the same again.
***************
Written in third-person POV, "Undead Love" follows Rus and Polly as they attempt to survive in the new world after the zombie plague ravages the world.
This romance was kinda creepy actually. Rus happens to see Polly while she's scavenging supplies at a gas station and this is the first person he's seen alive in over a year. And apparently he's lost literally all social etiquette. When she runs off for very obvious reasons -- you know, he's a stranger who could hurt or kill her for the thrill of it -- he decides he MUST see her again and camps out near the gas station. He was literally willing to sit through days of rainstorms in order to see her again and then decides to follow her home when she comes back, like full-on follows her on his motorcycle with his lights off after sunset so she doesn't know he's there. Now, thankfully she sees him and calls for Connor and Phil to meet her and confront him, but what the hell?
Following someone home even during the zombie plague does not a romance make.
They weren't even all that good of a couple. They barely had things in common and Rus was constantly filled with guilt for wanting to be with someone else after his wife died in his arms (before she came back as a zombie of course). Like his inner monologue was literally wanting to be with Polly and then immediately feeling guilty for nearly the entire book. There was barely any conflict that kept them apart other than his guilt because Polly, despite being closed off and scared of letting people in, was willing to be with him. I hardly saw much trepidation on her end for the romance. Sure, the steamy scenes with them were okay -- repetitive and blah, but fine -- but I just didn't like the pairing.
The plotline of this being during the dystopian after-zombie plague times was fine. There were battles with zombies and we see some people lose their lives to them, but the main and secondary characters were fine from the zombies. Rus basically had a superpower mode that protected him from dying or getting bit so he was able to take down full groups of zombies focused on him. Great...
All-in-all, this was a blah book with a mostly creepy romance (with a happily ever after) and a nearly pointless inclusion of the zombie plague.
I received a free copy of this book under its previous title "Next to Dead" via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2017
I've always been fascinated with the whole zombies/end of the world type shows and books. Do I think it's going to really happen? Who knows, anything is possible. I didn't read the description of this book. I went in based on the title and cover because it sounded good. Being a new to me author I wasn't sure what I was in for except for the author's imagination on what they think could happen.
Rus didn't pretend to be somebody that he wasn't. He had his own tortured past and I think that that helped contribute to me and liking him in the story. He lost people but continued to live his life the best way that he could, given the plague. He was a total Daryl!! Crossbow and all!
Polly was a tough chick. I loved that she wasn't a helpless women who couldn't do what she needed to provide for her self and others.
Being told from constant back and forth 3rd POV was a little exhausting. I wanted to like it but it made it a little hard to connect with the characters and their story.
I really wish their had been more interaction between the characters. I'm huge in dialogue but there was more inner musings then there was conversation. It didn't really take away from the story, but it made it harder to connect.
If your a fan of the walking dead (the tv show) then you will enjoy this story. It has it's own spin to it with the romance aspect of Poll and Rus but the zombies were pretty much the same.
Overall, I really liked it. It had action and finding love when you didn't think it was possible. With closure and steam this is a book for people who like a little gore with their heat and love. It was fast paced but totally worked for the story. I plan on reading more from the author in the future. 3.5/4 stars #2OCCJD
Rus didn't pretend to be somebody that he wasn't. He had his own tortured past and I think that that helped contribute to me and liking him in the story. He lost people but continued to live his life the best way that he could, given the plague. He was a total Daryl!! Crossbow and all!
Polly was a tough chick. I loved that she wasn't a helpless women who couldn't do what she needed to provide for her self and others.
Being told from constant back and forth 3rd POV was a little exhausting. I wanted to like it but it made it a little hard to connect with the characters and their story.
I really wish their had been more interaction between the characters. I'm huge in dialogue but there was more inner musings then there was conversation. It didn't really take away from the story, but it made it harder to connect.
If your a fan of the walking dead (the tv show) then you will enjoy this story. It has it's own spin to it with the romance aspect of Poll and Rus but the zombies were pretty much the same.
Overall, I really liked it. It had action and finding love when you didn't think it was possible. With closure and steam this is a book for people who like a little gore with their heat and love. It was fast paced but totally worked for the story. I plan on reading more from the author in the future. 3.5/4 stars #2OCCJD
dnf
February 26, 2017I tried so hard to finish this book but it was so cliched. It sounded amazing but the book and I weren't meant to be.
No rating as I DNF it.
No rating as I DNF it.
December 23, 2016
Set VERY MUCH in the Walking Dead world. Was it fan fiction?
July 23, 2020
The writing and editing of this novel was fairly clean in the ARC version of the manuscript, with occasional typos and awkwardly constructed sentences. The world building was surprisingly good, with the zombie apocalypse fairly well described. The characterization was fairly poor, with the hero being better described than the heroine. I typically read romance novels because the main protagonist is female, but in this novel the main protagonist was the hero and the heroine was more of an adjunct to him. Therefore, I found this romance quite unsatisfactory. It was somewhat jarring to read a romance where the heroine is the sexual object instead of the hero. The development of the romantic relationship was okay, though I was not very emotionally invested in either of these characters. The plot and pacing was exciting and quick. There was medium angst in this novel and very high stakes, which tends to be one of my preferred narrative structures for a romance novel. This novel used the Partner in Trouble trope and the Only One Bed trope. The world building was four stars. The plot and pacing was four stars. The characterization and development of the romantic relationship were two stars. The fact that the main protagonist was not the heroine is also two stars. The combined rating for this novel is therefore three stars. This novel ends on a Happy For Now ending instead of a cliffhanger, which is a plus. I do not recommend this novel to readers looking for zombie apocalypse romance novels. There are many others that are far better. I am not interested in reading the next book in this series, and I will not be buying myself a keeper copy of this novel.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 25, 2020
Love zombie apocalypse stories, so that was a great aspect to this story for me. Love the danger and action! The romance for me was lacking though; I didn’t really connect with the characters, and I wasn’t a fan of the writing style. It’s an entertaining story, but didn’t have that wow factor for me. Needed more to the ending as well. This story starts with the characters already in the apocalyptic world with some flashbacks to their lives before. Rus sees Polly while she’s searching for supplies. He’s automatically hot for her and wants to find out more about her. I wish it felt like he liked her more for herself than just being a woman in a world that doesn’t have very many women. There’s some sweet moments there between Rus and Polly though, and some spice. Wasn’t a fan that she’s a smoker; eww. Also, not into a dead wife scenario. I liked Polly more in the beginning of the story than in the ending; the past knowledge about her and that she became more of a damsel as the story went on, were the main factors in that, but I appreciate her wanting to improve. Both are likable characters; Rus is such a nice, protective guy. Overall, I liked the story and was entertained. I’d say a 3.5 for a rating; rounded up to a 4 because I love zombies!
May 30, 2017
**4 Undead Stars**
This book takes you through an absolute emotional rollercoaster! The two main characters are Rus, a man on his own surviving after the death of his wife, and Polly, a woman who has found a family that has accepted them into their home as one of their own, including the strength of family relationships and some issues within the family. As soon as you begin the book, you are taken into a world quite like The Walking Dead, which appealed to me very much. I felt like I was reading about a society quite like the societies in the television show. But these characters are not as dark and mean, or at least most of them aren't.
Rus and Polly have an instant connection, but they are both hesitant to begin a relationship because of their own separate fears. As the book goes on, you find yourself rooting for the couple and wanting more for their relationship. Lee Sutherland did a wonderful job portraying life after such a horrible "apocalypse." I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
Heather
Mommy's Late Night Book-up
This book takes you through an absolute emotional rollercoaster! The two main characters are Rus, a man on his own surviving after the death of his wife, and Polly, a woman who has found a family that has accepted them into their home as one of their own, including the strength of family relationships and some issues within the family. As soon as you begin the book, you are taken into a world quite like The Walking Dead, which appealed to me very much. I felt like I was reading about a society quite like the societies in the television show. But these characters are not as dark and mean, or at least most of them aren't.
Rus and Polly have an instant connection, but they are both hesitant to begin a relationship because of their own separate fears. As the book goes on, you find yourself rooting for the couple and wanting more for their relationship. Lee Sutherland did a wonderful job portraying life after such a horrible "apocalypse." I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
Heather
Mommy's Late Night Book-up
April 9, 2021
34% and must just must have racism
I try ,really I do. This wasn't the most exciting book not even that well wrote . it had a young writer feel to it. I was meandering along when ( I am assuming some "white" boys came along) she get the ever pleasant racism. Cause when zombies are trying g to eat you we absolutely have time to throw some of that in after all everyone knows the racist survives the end of the world and just lives to show how racist he is .🤷 I just can't even with this book any more .The stereo type is getting old. After all we know that the public eats up this stuff... myself? I don't got time to waste on that stuff ..I don't entertain hate and don't want to read about it . so that's it for me .the writer ticked off one of my pet peeves and I got no more time for that junk 🙋
I try ,really I do. This wasn't the most exciting book not even that well wrote . it had a young writer feel to it. I was meandering along when ( I am assuming some "white" boys came along) she get the ever pleasant racism. Cause when zombies are trying g to eat you we absolutely have time to throw some of that in after all everyone knows the racist survives the end of the world and just lives to show how racist he is .🤷 I just can't even with this book any more .The stereo type is getting old. After all we know that the public eats up this stuff... myself? I don't got time to waste on that stuff ..I don't entertain hate and don't want to read about it . so that's it for me .the writer ticked off one of my pet peeves and I got no more time for that junk 🙋
April 22, 2018
pretty good read
This book was really interesting and definitely held my attention. Polly is a tough independent women and runs into Rus when she's in town scavenging. Rus is a lone wolf but finds himself drawn to Polly.
This book was insta love and had some awesome action packed moments. The sex scenes were ok. Repeatedly saying, manhood, womanhood and his "member" really took the sexiness out of it. So it definitely needed the heat factor upped.
This book was really interesting and definitely held my attention. Polly is a tough independent women and runs into Rus when she's in town scavenging. Rus is a lone wolf but finds himself drawn to Polly.
This book was insta love and had some awesome action packed moments. The sex scenes were ok. Repeatedly saying, manhood, womanhood and his "member" really took the sexiness out of it. So it definitely needed the heat factor upped.
April 8, 2021
Next to Dead by Lee Sutherland is a wonderful story to read. This is book number one in this wonderful start to a brand new series that I am so hooked on and can not wait to read the rest. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about horror, Sci-Fi and paranormal romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 28, 2016
Fantastic start for a new series
This book was so exciting and the author was so creative in her writing? Their is plenty of action, drama, and steamy romance with awesome characters. Hopefully it will be a new series with the previous characters mentioned in this book.
This book was so exciting and the author was so creative in her writing? Their is plenty of action, drama, and steamy romance with awesome characters. Hopefully it will be a new series with the previous characters mentioned in this book.
August 16, 2021
I finished this yesterday and am having trouble even remembering the story all that much. The only thing I recall is the moat of zombies. Genius idea to trap them and make a moat of starving zombies all around your compound.
January 10, 2018
Not enough zombies
Not enough zombies or sex. Or development of characters. Better then some tho. It's more of an erotic romance with zombie apocalypse in the back ground
Not enough zombies or sex. Or development of characters. Better then some tho. It's more of an erotic romance with zombie apocalypse in the back ground
March 3, 2018
It was good
It was a pretty good read even if I was not really looking for the racey sex scenes. So there.
It was a pretty good read even if I was not really looking for the racey sex scenes. So there.
August 16, 2018
Huge disappointment 5% zombie story 95% trashy romance novel didn't even finish reading it.
October 5, 2019
Reminded me a bit of a naughty Walking Dead episode.
February 27, 2017
When a virus outbreak evolved into raising the dead into the undead, the entire world crumbles. Rus has been alone for the last two years, having lost his wife to cancer right when the outbreak started. Polly was weathering the outbreak with her Father, until he sacrificed himself for her to have a chance to live. A chance encounter between the two of them during supply runs causes a connection that they do not want to fight. Can love survive the end of the world as we know it.
I went into this book expecting a dystopian zombie book with a hint of love, but in reality I ended up reading a romance that had just a smidge of zombies thrown in for flavor. I think I would have liked this story more if I was wanting a romance book to read, but I was actually looking for an action packed zombie fest, which this was not. The book was not bad in any way, it was just not for me at this exact time. It was a really fast read and I blew through it in one sitting because the characters were engaging and I liked the sneak peaks of zombie violence shown. And yes, I love the cover, totally swayed me to read the book (minus the man bun, but nobody is perfect).
The book itself takes place over one week, but flashbacks were used to give back story for both characters as well as a general overview of the world. The outbreak concept is very similar to the Walking Dead, where a bite from the infected turn you, but also when you die you automatically turn since everyone ends up being infected. I liked both character's independently, but I felt like the romance was a little forced since time was so short and they barely knew each other, but I guess when the world ends and people are almost all dead, you gotta love the one you are with.
Overall it was an interesting romance story, the first it seems in a series of standalone romances set in the same world. This was the first book I have read by this author and he writes romance and passion well, as well as realistically flawed characters.
I received this title in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
I went into this book expecting a dystopian zombie book with a hint of love, but in reality I ended up reading a romance that had just a smidge of zombies thrown in for flavor. I think I would have liked this story more if I was wanting a romance book to read, but I was actually looking for an action packed zombie fest, which this was not. The book was not bad in any way, it was just not for me at this exact time. It was a really fast read and I blew through it in one sitting because the characters were engaging and I liked the sneak peaks of zombie violence shown. And yes, I love the cover, totally swayed me to read the book (minus the man bun, but nobody is perfect).
The book itself takes place over one week, but flashbacks were used to give back story for both characters as well as a general overview of the world. The outbreak concept is very similar to the Walking Dead, where a bite from the infected turn you, but also when you die you automatically turn since everyone ends up being infected. I liked both character's independently, but I felt like the romance was a little forced since time was so short and they barely knew each other, but I guess when the world ends and people are almost all dead, you gotta love the one you are with.
Overall it was an interesting romance story, the first it seems in a series of standalone romances set in the same world. This was the first book I have read by this author and he writes romance and passion well, as well as realistically flawed characters.
I received this title in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
January 2, 2021
Didn't like it.
Meh, there was a lot I didn't like in this book. 1. The hero has a wife who died from cancer that he wasn't over and seemed like never would be. 2. For a zombie book, it was boring. 3. The leader liked the h and was super jealous but he was still an OK dude and the next book he's the H. Mehhhh this book just wasn't for me, it took me DAYS to finish and I had to make myself. The steam was vauge and happened like once 2/5.
Meh, there was a lot I didn't like in this book. 1. The hero has a wife who died from cancer that he wasn't over and seemed like never would be. 2. For a zombie book, it was boring. 3. The leader liked the h and was super jealous but he was still an OK dude and the next book he's the H. Mehhhh this book just wasn't for me, it took me DAYS to finish and I had to make myself. The steam was vauge and happened like once 2/5.
October 3, 2016
After the wold was decimated by a viral outbreak that turned the infected into zombies, Russ is a total loner, but not by choice. Everyone he knew before was gone, including his wife. He ends up going at it alone until he spies Polly raiding a gas station and finds himself immediately drawn to the badass lady who will shoot you in the face as soon as look at you. He wanted to get to know her more, but her tough as nails group shut that down because, when supplies are running low, there’s no telling who you can trust. But Russ passes Polly’s tests and gets in good with the rest of her band, which include some lovely elderly people who love to cook and gossip. But, as you can guess, the comforts of home are fleeting when the undead come calling.
Polly and Russ are more similar than they’d like to admit; hardasses with warm centers and deep hearts. They quickly form a bond based on lust and mutual respect. While both want more, Russ is haunted by the wife he lost, and tries to keep Polly at arm’s length. And when they find themselves trapped by a storm, the undead are not the only thing coming between them.
First things first; this cover is great. Like, the woman on front isn’t in a crop top or a bikini like they usually are on covers. Although, she looks like she still raids the Sephora counter for some Urban Decay pick-me-up, but wouldn’t you? Shit’s expensive. Anyway, the cover is really an eye catcher and, as soon as I saw it, I was really receptive to anything Sutherland threw at me. There were a few missing commas, and that sort of thing, but it’s really easy to ignore the errors when you’re wondering if Polly and Russ are going to live to see another day. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Sutherland told me about his book two plans. So, if we’re lucky, we’ll follow up with the next installment of this apocalyptic love story.
Polly and Russ are more similar than they’d like to admit; hardasses with warm centers and deep hearts. They quickly form a bond based on lust and mutual respect. While both want more, Russ is haunted by the wife he lost, and tries to keep Polly at arm’s length. And when they find themselves trapped by a storm, the undead are not the only thing coming between them.
First things first; this cover is great. Like, the woman on front isn’t in a crop top or a bikini like they usually are on covers. Although, she looks like she still raids the Sephora counter for some Urban Decay pick-me-up, but wouldn’t you? Shit’s expensive. Anyway, the cover is really an eye catcher and, as soon as I saw it, I was really receptive to anything Sutherland threw at me. There were a few missing commas, and that sort of thing, but it’s really easy to ignore the errors when you’re wondering if Polly and Russ are going to live to see another day. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Sutherland told me about his book two plans. So, if we’re lucky, we’ll follow up with the next installment of this apocalyptic love story.
January 19, 2017
I originally gave this novella three stars, but after some thought upped it to four. Here’s why:
For me it wasn’t a good fit, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good and I don’t believe an author should be penalized because they didn’t write a story to fit my particular likes and dislikes. There wasn’t anything about the story or writing that stood out to make me dislike it, and my lack of love for the story really came down to personal preference. I was told in advance that this is a romance first and foremost, with the zombies being a secondary plot, and even though I prefer for the focus to be on the survival of the characters rather than the budding romance, I decided to give it a try. Sometimes I to mix it up. Unfortunately, I have a strong preference for first person stories - it just helps me connect with the characters better - especially when it comes to a romance, and the third person narrative in this novella left me feeling detached. Again, that’s just a personal preference and doesn’t mean there was anything wrong with the writing. There wasn’t, and this literally was an “it’s not you it’s me” scenario.
So here are some details about the story that might help you decide to give this novella a shot. The writing was clean and not overly wordy and the editing well done, the characters were well developed with back stories that made you care about them and understand what drove them, and the world building was good. It’s a pretty typical zombie outbreak, with no twists or turns, but enough detail is given to help readers understand the circumstances the characters now find themselves in, and there was just enough steam to keep the romance reader interested.
If you enjoy a romance set in a zombie world, then I definitely recommend giving this quick and easy read a chance!
For me it wasn’t a good fit, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good and I don’t believe an author should be penalized because they didn’t write a story to fit my particular likes and dislikes. There wasn’t anything about the story or writing that stood out to make me dislike it, and my lack of love for the story really came down to personal preference. I was told in advance that this is a romance first and foremost, with the zombies being a secondary plot, and even though I prefer for the focus to be on the survival of the characters rather than the budding romance, I decided to give it a try. Sometimes I to mix it up. Unfortunately, I have a strong preference for first person stories - it just helps me connect with the characters better - especially when it comes to a romance, and the third person narrative in this novella left me feeling detached. Again, that’s just a personal preference and doesn’t mean there was anything wrong with the writing. There wasn’t, and this literally was an “it’s not you it’s me” scenario.
So here are some details about the story that might help you decide to give this novella a shot. The writing was clean and not overly wordy and the editing well done, the characters were well developed with back stories that made you care about them and understand what drove them, and the world building was good. It’s a pretty typical zombie outbreak, with no twists or turns, but enough detail is given to help readers understand the circumstances the characters now find themselves in, and there was just enough steam to keep the romance reader interested.
If you enjoy a romance set in a zombie world, then I definitely recommend giving this quick and easy read a chance!
October 1, 2016
Loved the story, which I think the author should be proud of. If you like The Walking Dead you most likely will like this novella, which has lots of zombies but the real story focuses on the living. Regarding another review, I would not deny myself the pleasure of a good read merely because of the cover of a book, man bun or not lol. Covers should be designed to draw ones interest enough to read the blurb and this one did for me, Congrats Lee Sutherland!
July 30, 2020
This is my first time reading anything from this author and I chose to read the book based on the cover and the blurb. The book lived up to my expectations and I really enjoyed reading it. I liked and appreciated the world and character building that the author has done in this book and I am looking forward to reading more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 12, 2017
This would have been a 3-star read, but the h in this book was a c**t ---and I do not use that term lightly. I actually hate that word, but it fits here. I think the author should have come up with a better way to push the story than turning the h into a horrible person. What she did was UNFORGIVABLE in an apocalypse.
August 21, 2016
I wrote this book and I'm pretty dang proud of it. I wanted to write something with the spirit of The Walking Dead that also touched on the relationships characters have, especially love, in the apocalypse.
Want to read
February 2, 2017Just finished. Review to come in the morning!
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