RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
JAKE’S REDEMPTION: THE ANGEL EYES SERIES PREQUEL by Jamie Schulz Is a full length prequel to a new dystopian, western, sci-fi romance mash-up series. This story pulled me in right from the first chapter. The author brings you into a new world order in which females are in charge and the institution of slavery has reappeared. All of the characters in this book have survived the war, but some are much more damaged than others.
*WARNING: This book is written with authenticity to the sci-fi story so there are triggers for more sensitive readers which include scenes of abuse, torture, non-consent, rape and slavery.
Jake Nichols is trapped and enslaved. After two years of torture and abuse by his sadistic owner, he is loaned out to a neighboring fledgling rancher who needs his services as a builder. What he discovers is an owner unlike his Mistress, who does not believe in cruelty and submission. He begins to feel like the man he was before he was captured, but this is only a temporary reprieve. As much as he dares to hope for a future on the ranch with his new owner, he is afraid he must try to escape before he is returned to his Mistress. Death would be better than returning.
Monica Avery has given up on finding love. She works instead at sheltering those under her care from the harsh realities of this new society. When Jake comes to work for her, she is intrigued by him. He wants nothing to do with the females on the ranch, but he shows his caring nature with his treatment of the children and his respect of those who work with him. Monica wants Jake to care for her, but she knows he has been damaged and is just starting to trust she is not like other females. Can she rescue Jake from returning to a captivity that will destroy him?
As the slow burning romance between Jake and Monica grows, you are introduced to a whole host of secondary characters. Ms. Schulz has done a great job of world-building. I never felt bogged down by info or character overload. Every scene was interesting and integral to the plot and world-building. This is an emotionally charged story of a dark future where it does not seem females learned their lessons from the past. If you are looking for an extremely well written new story that is different from the norm, I can definitely recommend this book to you. I am anxiously waiting for the next book in this proposed six book series!
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.