Belle Jamison is alone except for her ailing father and her
best friend. Her sole goal is maintaining her father's good
health. It's tenuous at best. But the financial burden of
the assisted living center and worry leads her to a
perpetual state of anger and of making excuses for her
failure to succeed at dead end jobs.
Rome likes working alone. He is desperate to provide his
four year old daughter a resemblance of a normal life and
for the most part he has. But if the company ever learns of
her unusual abilities, they won't think twice before nabbing
her.
Belle can't afford to lose another job, but now it's not
just herself that's playing devil's advocate with her life,
but a scientist. She is slipped a formula, created in a lab
and, like a virus, it changes her DNA until she's not just a
threat to any embittered customer, but a danger to the world.
Rome's orders are to neutralize Belle. However his
definition adapts as she adjusts to her changes. His plan is
to use Belle as a bribe; her for a normal life for his family.
The change leaves Belle weaker than a kitten with a full
grown set of claws. Expecting death, instead she wakes to
find herself in a different apartment. Faced with death or
experimentation, Belle chooses the third option, and runs
when Rome leaves her alone. In her weather riddled escape
from Rome and Vincent, she catches a ride from Tanner, a
young man with thoughts of grandeur.
Belle's powers are connected to her emotions, and right now,
she is hot for Rome. The thought of having sex with him
starts her burning; flames blossoming from her hands. Surely
they'll combust if they ever consummate. Belle must learn
how to control her erratic emotions or there's no chance of
any life without causing a natural disaster. Being attracted
to her beauty and her spitfire tongue is not part of his
plan. Neither is being shackled by young Tanner, who
according to his psychic ex-wife, will be influential in
controlling Belle's powers.
It is a game of cat and mouse. How long before he tires of
her and decides she's not worth the effort? Will Vincent of
Observation and Application of Supernatural Sciences stop or
will he use her father as leverage? Will they be able stay
ahead of Vincent? The moments together and near elemental
related disasters bond Belle to Rome. He falls in love with
her. Is she still as expendable as he planned?
Gene Showalter reminds us as adults how events can be tossed
on to us. Although the changes in Belle are extreme, and not
just hormonal, they are just as earth shattering. I didn't
like Belle Jamison's character. She reminded me too much of
the dark rebellious years, when I was raising my sons. But
the storyline, Ms. Showalter's talent with words, and
keeping the action flowing with barely time to breath, kept
me turning the pages. By the end of the book, I no longer
felt like throttling Belle's character, and could understand
where her motivation came from.
Earth, Wind & Fire aren't just a band anymore... Used to be my greatest achievement was holding a job more than three days. Now suddenly I can shoot fireballs, chill your drink, or blow-dry your hair at fifty paces with a blink of my eye! It all started when this crazy scientist dropped something in my Grande Mocha Latte. Of course I got wicked sick. Next morning I'm waking up with this total hottie bending over me. He tells me 1)his name's Rome Masters, 2)he's a government agent and 3)I can control the four elements with a thought. He seems even less pleased by my (apparently irreversible) transformation than I am... Because now he'll have to kill me.
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