Review: Caressed by Ice

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling #3
Rating: ★★★★★

As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now he is a defector, and his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins – cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna…

 

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted – and had her mind violated – by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives…

Book 0.5: Beat of Temptation (See Wild Invitation Review)
Book 0.6: Whisper of Sin
Book 1: Slave to Sensation
Book 2: Visions of Heat
Book 2.5: Echo of Silence (See Wild Embrace Review)
Book 3: Caressed by Ice
Book 3.5: Stroke of Enticement (See Wild Invitation Review)
Book 4: Mine to Possess
Book 5: Hostage to Pleasure
Book 5.25: Dorian (See Wild Embrace Review)
Book 6: Branded by Fire
Book 7: Blaze of Memory
Book 8: Bonds of Justice
Book 9: Play of Passion
Book 9.5: Declaration of Courtship (See Wild Invitation Review)
Book 10: Kiss of Snow
Book 10.5: Texture of Intimacy (See Wild Invitation Review)
Book 11: Tangle of Need
Book 11.1: Partners in Persuasion (See Wild Embrace Review)
Book 12: Heart of Obsidian
Book 12.1: Flirtation of Fate (See Wild Embrace Review)
Book 13: Shield of Winter
Book 14: Shards of Hope
Book 15: Allegiance of Honor

Of the first three novels in this series, this is undoubtedly my favorite. I absolutely adore Sascha and Lucas’ story in Slave to Sensation, but there’s something so incredibly heart-wrenching about seeing Judd find his way to an HEA with Brenna – the wolf they worked so hard to save in that first book.

This has absolutely NONE of the issues that I noted in my review for Visions of Heat, and none of the future books do either, but it’s so incredibly refreshing to come into this book and just be met with equal strength and character from both the hero and heroine – right from the beginning. It doesn’t matter that Brenna thinks that she’s going insane (something that would actually be understandable considering what she’s been through), she’s still more than a match for Judd, for melting the Silence that he holds close to him…for a very good reason.

After 14 full-length novels in this series, the romance in this one remains one of my all-time favorites. I don’t think I can give it much more praise than that.

The other favorite thing in this book is the ramping up of the world-building and over-arcing plot. I cannot say enough how amazed I am at the world that Nalini has created. And not just the world, because while it’s intricate and detailed and I know that it continues beyond what I see on the page, we see this world through the catalyst of change.

Silence has been in effect for over 100 years by the time we first enter the Psy-Changeling world. And it’s been working…so they say. But there are too many examples of it failing, and the Council isn’t able to keep all of them contained anymore. The protocol is fraying around the edges, and when the strongest begin to leave…change is imminent. Even now, so many re-reads later, I’m still caught in the stress and worry over how they’re going to make it better. Because the world they live in right now may be the best they were able to come up with, but it’s sure not great, not even really good with all the losses each race is enduring.

So we get to see not only the Changelings push for change, because they’re powerful even if the Psy have forgotten they’re more than just animals, AND we get to see the very beginnings of the Psy push for change.Revolution is inevitable.

In this oh-so-real world that I’ve come to love, with the characters that feel like friends, how could I not be invested in the outcome of this intricate and detailed story?

Whenever I re-read, I’m struck anew by how far in advance Nalini Singh has planned things out. There are hints and thoughts, comments and off-hand mentions of people, places, ideas, that only really come to bear fruit much, much, much later in the series – sometimes 10 or 12 books later. That, to me, is amazing and part of what makes this world, this series a favorite.