THEY NEVER WANTED TO BE HEROES
Captain Tess Bailey and Shade Ganavan are still the galaxy’s Most Wanted, and with revolution in the wind and the universe on the brink of catastrophic war, the situation couldn’t be more desperate. Despite the Dark Watch scouring the known sectors for them, rebel leaders have handed the crew of the Endeavor a delicate and dangerous mission: break into Starbase 12 and free renowned scientist Reena Ahern. She’s the only one who stands a chance of tipping the odds in their favor for the first time in decades.
BUT PULLING OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE IS WHAT THEY DO BEST
The clock is ticking. But as their attraction builds and secrets are revealed, Tess and Shade must decide if they trust each other enough to execute this impossible prison break. They could change the course of history, but they’ll be risking everything… They’ll just have to tackle one crisis at a time.
Starbreaker picks up right where Nightchaser left off. I was incredibly anxious to see how Tess and Shade were going to become even closer.
One of the things that I really appreciated about Nightchaser, is that Tess and Shade had a real relationship struggle. As we learned in the last book, Shade had previously been a bounty hunter for the Dark Watch. And they both know it’s quite likely he’d “apprehended” friends of Tess, fellow Nightchasers. Tess, naturally, finds it difficult to get past this. Even more so when confronted with the wealth that Shade has garnered from his past.
Even with this, I was always confident that Tess and Shade would figure out their way. I’m normally not a huge fan of angst, and there’s definitely some here. But I absolutely adored everything about their relationship, especially seeing them work through this.
I did comment on secondary characters in Nightchaser, wishing that they were more developed. But here, I got much more development. Small moments that really defined who these characters were, and how they became the team they are. I loved that I got to see more of their strengths and personalities. There was one moment where I felt like the characters acted a bit recklessly, but it really gave us time to see the characters – who they are, what they stand for, and even the mistakes they make.
I’ve often said that characters and world-building are the way to my book-loving heart. Here the world-building is the background for the story, woven seamlessly into it.
The characters, their choices and decisions, are what really drive the plot in this book. The battle against the Overseer is becoming more and more fraught and dangerous. I can’t say too much, and risk spoiling things. But I loved everything that happened so much in this book – there was action, and revelations, and serious consequences. Another thing I appreciate – even when it breaks my heart – is that there are no easy wins. But it doesn’t mean they give up.
I just realized, this year, that one of my favorite tropes is Found Family. This series is really giving me all the Found-Family love. I think, what made me recognize it here is Shade, he sees the family he’s now with and appreciates them all the time. I love that he loves them because of them instead of just because they’re Tess’s.
I will say, this book ends on a heck of a cliffhanger. Yes, the main story-arc in this book is resolved, but we’re on the precipice of a possible revolution, or annihilation. And I’m worried about this found-family – a lot. I need the next book. Right away, please.
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