Hunt the Dawn
I received an ARC from NetGalley for this unbiased review.
The day I put down Race the Darkness, I've been waiting to read Hunt the Dawn.
Lathan was introduced in book one of Fatal Dreams, and even though it was just a couple of drive-by mentions, he really intrigued me. He seemed so different from Xander. So stoic, quiet, almost rude - it made me want to know more.
Learning more about Lathan makes everything clear. Where I thought he might be slightly unlikable, he was definitely not. Not in the least. As his story unfolds, the reader can't help but admire how he took what could've been ten bushels full of lemons and turned them into one-hundred gallons of lemonade. Yes, he's that magical and captivating.
Evanee's story starts out desperate and slightly sad. We don't know why right up front, but she's scraping every cent to get by, and not even close to happy with her living and working situation. Things start to unravel, and she falls into Lathan's arms, pretty much literally.
When they come together, it's like puzzle pieces that have been looking for their perfect fit, both in love and in purpose. Things start to fall into place and the serial killer case Lathan is working on seems to be connected to odd health-impairing nightmares that Evanee is having. Not only can she not explain them, it's hard for Lathan and his FBI contact to believe them.
Our hero catches on quick while his old pal is still wary, and that makes for some tense situations. We get to revisit Xander, Isleen, and the OIO, where they try to help make sense of Evanee's dreams, but the best advice they're given is from Xander and Isleen themselves. After all, they've already been through the wars, and know how to spot another couple that are meant to be together as they were.
Lathan and Evanee do their best to navigate the murky waters of their relationship as well as picking apart the mystery that draws them together. In doing so, they discover they can't protect each other from everything, even though there are promises made - but with tenacity and determination, heroes usually win in the end.
I loved this story as much as the first, and I'd read more if Ms. Roads decides to continue with the series. Either way, I'll pick up more of her work in the future. Hunt the Dawn gets 4.5 stars.