Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet (Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads)Also by this author: Breath of Fire, Starbreaker
Published by Sourcebooks, Inc. on January 1, 2019
Genres: Action & Adventure, Romance, Science Fiction
Pages: 416
Captain Tess Bailey and her crew of Robin Hood-like thieves are desperate and on the run. Pursued by a vicious military general who wants them dead or alive, Tess has to decide if she can trust Shade Ganavan, a tall, dark and arrogant stranger with ambiguous motivations.
Shade Ganavan had oodles of arrogance, oodles of charm, and oodles of something that made me want to kick him in the nuts.
What Tess and Shade don’t know about each other might get them killed…unless they can set aside their differences and learn to trust each other—while ignoring their off-the-charts chemistry.
Nightchaser is the first book in Amanda Bouchet’s new Sci-Fi series and if you haven’t added this one to your TBR shelf yet, I recommend you do. I loved Bouchet’s Kingmaker Chronicles series so I was excited to get my hands on this book and right from the start I was pulled into an action-packed story that had a number of twists and turns.
Tess Bailey is the main character in this story and she has plenty of secrets, most of which would either get her killed or put into a laboratory. Tess has not had an easy life and everything that has happened to her so far has made her stronger and more willing to do whatever she needs to in order to protect the people she loves. As captain of the Endeavor, her crew’s lives are in her hands, but they have become the family she needed and right from page one, it’s clear that this group is there for each other but also, willing to stick together no matter what danger they are in.
From the first page of this book, the action pulled me right into the story. It’s clear Tess is running from something, and I mean more than just the fact that she stole a floating lab from the government. With the Dark Watch surrounding her, Tess still keeps a level head and gives her crew the option of following her or escaping on a pod. Of course, no one was willing to abandon her and as they make a jump through a questionable black hole, they end up somewhere they never expected, another sector.
There are a number of secondary characters in this book that help move the story along, most of which make up the crew of the Endeavor. Jax is probably my favorite out of the entire group. He has so much history with Tess and their relationship is one where they love each other like family because of everything they have been through together.
The other character I will mention is one Tess meets when looking for someone to repair her ship after the face off with the Dark Watch. His name is Shade Ganavan and he is something else. I loved his arrogance and the banter he and Tess had throughout the story. As with Tess, Shade is hiding something and while we know what it is (no…I’m not telling), Tess has no clue and is completely unaware of the internal battle he is having as he is drawn to Tess more and more.
The attraction Shade and Tess have to each other is clear to everyone and as they find themselves both acting on it and then in Shade’s case, trying to back off, I couldn’t help but want them to just get together. Bouchet did a great job of showing the conflict that Shade had throughout his interactions with Tess and the rest of the crew. The romance and way the relationship evolved was well done even though it felt quick.
The one thing I wish there was more of in this book was a better explanation of the sectors and how the Overseer came to power. I am hoping that in the future books, there is a better explanation around all the different sectors (at least those that are important) and how everything evolved into this world.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and will definitely be checking out the next in the series when it is available. It has plenty of action, a developing romance, and the secrets that are revealed along the way are keeping things interesting. I will be curious to see where the rest of this story goes with Tess and her family as well as the other pieces that are unresolved. If you’re looking for an adult Sci-Fi with a bit of romance, consider checking this one out!
About Amanda Bouchet
Amanda Bouchet grew up in New England where she spent much of her time tromping around in the woods and making up grand adventures in her head. It was inevitable that one day she would start writing them down. Drawing on her Greek heritage for the setting and on her love of all things daring and romantic for the rest, her debut trilogy, The Kingmaker Chronicles, took form. She writes what she loves to read: epic exploits, steamy romance, and characters that make you laugh and cry.
A French master’s graduate and former English teacher, Amanda lives in Paris, France. She met her husband while studying abroad, and the family now includes two bilingual children who will soon be correcting her French.
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