I’m the biggest monster on the planet.Hale Hauser is a Company killer. Perfectly engineered, highly trained, superbly effective. But when ordered to assassinate his own kind, Hale rebels, and the Company buries him in a hole so deep that no one has ever escaped.After escaping, Hale hides on Kuseros, a backwater Colony on the Deep Frontier. He begins a new life as Sandringham Snow, pilot and … Sandringham Snow, pilot and smuggler. Hired by Kez, a local runner, to retrieve a box of black-market glands, Hale follows her through the maze of strange loyalties and twisted customs of Kuseros’ underground gangs. In payment, he takes the one thing only a woman can give him, and discovers the one thing his new life is missing.
But Kez has a secret, which will threaten them both. To protect her, Hale must unleash the monster. Can he control the killer inside long enough to discover the truth before it destroys them? Or will he lose everything just as he’s found it?
WARNING: contains graphic and explicit scenes. If such scenes disturb you as a reader, please do not continue.
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So, when I started this book I didn’t realize the entire thing was written from the perspective of the H, but once I got a few chapters in and realized it wasn’t going to switch over to the h perspective, I got excited. Why, you ask? Well, because I feel like the male perspective in romance is severely undersold.
Now, this isn’t exclusively a romance. It stands solid on it’s own as an action/adventure type sci-fi story, with plenty of suspense and drama to keep you interested through the entire book. But the romance that blossoms from the unexpected connections these characters have and the trials they are forced to endure develops a life of it’s own that compliments the story so beautifully. This isn’t a sweet story, don’t get me wrong. There are moments of respite and humor scattered throughout that let you catch your breath and recoup from the events that are happening…
But as our H becomes more deeply immersed and invested in the life of our h, we discover not only how ardently he admires her strength and loyalty to her family, but how much he has come to her and would stop at nothing to protect her.
The voices of these characters stay consistent through the entirety of the story, and they are so, so easy to get invested in! I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do, because I’m not generally a fan of this type of world/sci-fi inspired setting, but the details were rich and lush and felt so genuine and relatable that I couldn’t help but get sucked in. Definitely recommend it! What a fresh perspective 😀
If you want a fun ride, read this book. Snowburn has all the great world-building I love in my science fiction, plus three-dimensional characters, suspenseful action, and really imaginative sex scenes. No same-old, same-old for E.J. Frost.
The story is narrated by Hale Hauser, aka Snow, who once served as a special-forces soldier in space. He wound up in prison after he was betrayed by the powers-that-be. He busted out and is hiding out on an outer colony, working as a pilot under an assumed name. When he meets Kez he gets sucked into her dangerous business as a runner (a courier, often of illegal things). Danger doesn’t phase Snow, and he develops feelings for Kez. He appreciates her unabashed appreciation for him, his body, and the fact that he’s a total badass. He admires her integrity and the way she protects her family, both blood relatives and friends. Things get complicated and wickedly dangerous because of Kez’s obligations, leading the two of them off on a couple perilous missions.
The action is well done and the world-building is top-notch. A detail here, a detail there, all build to create a vivid picture. But the best thing about the book is the character’s voice. I felt like a friend was telling me a story, a big mean, scary friend, only I know he’s got a surprising soft side. And loyalty as strong as steel. Through Snow’s point of view, I felt like I knew Kez, as well. I’m all about stories with strong female protagonists, and Kez makes the grade. She’s brave, smart, and talented. This is a great sex-positive story, too. She saw Snow, she wanted him, she pursued him, and she got him. Cool.