San Diego is hit by an earthquake that leaves the city in
ruins. With rescue uncertain, a small pocket of survivors
must band together in order to stay alive. Lauren Boyer is
on a run with her EMT partner when the earthquake hits.
After the first shock, she frees herself with the help of
Garrett Wright, an Iraqi War veteran. Together they gather
the survivors and supplies needed for them to stay alive.
Their rag-tag group includes a pregnant teen who's due any
day now, an old-man and his granddaughter, and a young man
in a coma. They must also contend with a group of ex-cons
who've escaped from a prison work vehicle who will stop at
nothing to remain free.
AFTERSHOCK by Jill Sorenson brings the aftermath of
devastation down to a personal level where the myriad
reactions to stress and fear can bring out the true
character of a person and this ties directly into Lauren
and Garrett's romance. These two come together at a
critical moment when all the outward labels are stripped
away and mean nothing. All that matters is surviving and
protecting those who can't protect themselves and this is
where the story triumphs. Lauren is a strong female lead
who must let go of the past and learn that she is worthy of
being loved. Garrett is a broken man, unable to forgive or
forget his mistakes. Together they must learn to trust each
other not only with their survival but with their past that
still haunts them.
Lauren and Garrett chemistry is immediate and hot (I'm
staying away from the 'earth-shattering' analogies,
although I've wanted to type them, because Ms. Sorenson's
writing isn't clichéd and her review shouldn't be either),
and while that attraction stays strong throughout, I love
the layers of sweetness and respect that underlies it.
There are secrets between them, but those secrets don't
hide the truth of their character.
Jill Sorenson assembles a wonderful mix of characters that
captures the scope of humanity. Two of my favorites are
Owen and Penny. Owen is an escaped convict and Penny is a
pregnant teen and yet they're interaction with each other
is touching. Again, the labels are stripped away so we see
these two characters for who they are and while neither
will ever fully escape from their past, they're not bound
by it so that dictates their future.
Brilliantly set against the devastation of an earthquake,
AFTERSHOCK reveals the spirit of survival and humanity and
shows that outward labels don't always reveal the true
character. Sexy, touching, and packed with tension,
AFTERSHOCK is a great romance.
THERE'S A FINE LINE As an emergency paramedic, Lauren Boyer
is dedicated and highly capable. Until an earthquake
strikes, trapping her beneath the freeway with a group of
strangers-including Iraq war veteran Garrett Wright...
BETWEEN PERIL AND PASSION Handsome and take-charge Garrett
aids Lauren in her rescue efforts, even as the steely look
in his eyes seems to hide dark secrets. When a gang of
escaped convicts goes on the attack, Garrett's bravery
makes him more than a courageous bystander to Lauren. If
they can save the others before time runs out, maybe, just
maybe, they can explore the fire igniting between them-if
the truth about who he really is doesn't pull them apart
forever....