Blurb
A virus has rendered humanity mostly extinct. Keira Starr is alone, staying alive by staying on the run, sleeping in empty gas stations and the trunks of cars long abandoned on the highway. The world is overrun by “Ghosts,” the mindless, bloodthirsty dead, but they are the least of her problems. She is being hunted by ragtag groups of ruthless men, independent contractors working for a mysterious human trafficking ring. When she is finally captured, she discovers that Derrick Caine, despite his gruff demeanor and appearance, may just have a different agenda altogether.
Review
A deadly virus has wiped out most of humanity, and the survivors have banded together into two groups with several factions in order to fend off the Ghosts—zombie-like creatures who can infect living people with one bite.
Derrick Caine sides with the Fortress—one of the factions who are fighting the Ghosts and the Seekers. (The Seekers are brutal men who are trafficking women and children for profit.) In order to rescue the trafficking victims, Derrick must infiltrate the Seeker ranks. His soul is blackened from the things he’s done and from the horrible things he’s turned a blind eye to, but the loss of his young daughter haunts him the most. Then he saves Keira Starr from a fate worse than death, but never expects her to wind her way into his caged heart.
OMG! What an awesome story! Derrick and Keira have an instant connection. My heart broke for them, especially Derrick, so many times. They’re both hard, stubborn, damaged people. She is kickass and honorable. Derrick, well, I’ll be honest…he’s a sexy, gruff, foul-mouthed, gun-toting, cigarette-smoking, mentally-unhinged country boy, and he’s absolutely perfect. He’s exactly the type of person you need at your side when fighting gangs of rapists and murderers. He’s protective and respectful of women, and he wants nothing more than to kill everyone who deserves it. In my mind, he’s a real hero.
The narrative flowed well and kept my attention. I was shocked by the twist at the end, and then the double twist blew me away. I was so relieved! I like Ms. Raines’ writing and would love to read more of her work.
5 Stars