RESONANCE SURGE by Nalini Singh

Blockbuster author Nalini Singh’s latest is RESONANCE SURGE, the seventh book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity sub-series and simultaneously book twenty-two in the Psy-Changeling series. This paranormal romance series has been going since 2006, and Singh brings in new ideas or sub-series to keep the overall concept fresh. The series focuses on shifting alliances and power struggles between humans, shapeshifter changelings of various kinds of animals, and the Psy with their paranormal mental (and sometimes physical) powers.

RESONANCE SURGE brings us two sets of twins. There are two romance plot lines, the primary with Yakov and a secondary romance with his Stone Water Bear twin Pavel. Yakov ends up mating with one of another set of twins, Theodora. Theo’s Psy twin Pax is a peripheral character, but Theo and Yakov definitely take center stage here. The secondary romance is between two men--Pavel and his empath mate, Arwen Mercant.

The Psy are pretty mentally and emotionally screwed up by the consequences of their species’ decision a few decades ago to pursue Silence, or the absence of all emotion. This is a fun authorial construct because it gives the human or the changling in the romantic pairing the opportunity to show the damaged Psy how wonderful and restorative love can be. Theodora is a low-level Psy with only limited mental powers, but her family could not dispose of her due to her connection to her highly powerful twin. Poor Theo was tortured for years by her sadistic grandfather, but she’s determined to right the wrongs her horrible family perpetrated during her grandfather’s lifetime.

Theo is investigating a “rehabilitation” center where Psy deemed unacceptable under Silence were tortured. This center is in StoneWater Bear territory in Moscow, so the bear clan sends Yakov out to work with Theo. Yakov has a touch of foreseeing ability, and Theo turns out to be the mysterious woman of his dreams, literally, that he has been dreaming about for decades. What a fun set-up to have this instant connection between these two disparate individuals!

RESONANCE SURGE is set amongst the boisterous and fun StoneWater Bear clan, which guarantees a delightfully charming read. There’s plenty of angst and Psy drama, but the often-obscenely-high stakes that show up in some of the Psy-Changeling books are thankfully missing this time. Sometimes I like to have my romances be a little more placid, and RESONANCE SURGE brings two couples together with a heartwarming mating for each. I can’t wait to see where Singh takes us next in this paranormal romance series.

Where are the broken? That is the propulsive question that unleashes a world of secrets in New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s Resonance Surge . . .

StoneWater bears Pavel and Yakov Stepyrev have been a unit since birth, but now Pavel’s life is veering in a new direction, his heart held in the hands of Arwen Mercant, a Psy empath—and the only man who has ever brought Pavel to his knees.

This is it. A point of irrevocable change. For Pavel . . . for Arwen . . . for Yakov . . . and for another pair of twins whose bond has a far darker history.

A low-Gradient Psy, Theodora Marshall is considered worthless by everyone but her violently powerful twin, Pax. She is the sole person he trusts in their venomous family to investigate a hidden and terrible part of their family history - an unregistered rehabilitation Center established by their grandfather.

Places of unimaginable pain designed to psychically wipe minds, leaving the victims shells of their former selves, the Centers are an ugly vestige of the Psy race’s Silent past. But this Center was worse. Far, far worse. And now Theo must uncover the awful truth - in the company of a scowling bear named Yakov, who isn’t about to take a Marshall at face value . . . especially a Marshall who has turned his dreams into chilling nightmares.

Because Yakov is the great-grandson of a foreseer . . . and he has seen Theo die in an unstoppable surge of blood. Night after night after night . . .