A review by mx_manda
Storm Surge by Naomi Lucas
4.0
Naomi Lucas is a master at writing creepy, monstrous characters who are believably not Nice Guys. It's taken a couple forays into her Cyborg Shifters universe, but I think I finally get it now...and I really like it here. Hers are not stories to read if your mind is occupied elsewhere. She has a unique voice and way of telling a story that can be difficult to follow at times. I'm saying...you have to commit to her stories if you want to reap the full benefits of them.
I really liked this story, and I was smitten with both of the mains. Storm Surge is a tense horror novel with a monster romance thrown in. Yes, Stryker is a cyborg, but his bestial side seems to be more in control than his machine or human parts. It's why he wears a metal mask—he will never be safe to be around, no matter how friendly he is with you. His beast is snappy... and when they meet Norah, he definitely wants a taste and to coil her in his clutches and never let her go. Sexy and terrifying. Norah is an interesting personality that I haven't seen portrayed in romance: a detached cooler person who doesn't really love anyone or anything. Not because she was traumatized and determined not to, but because she just doesn't feel on that level. She likes other people. She's fond of them. But she can not honestly say she loves them—not even her family. When she falls fast and hard for Stryker, her analytic side wants to step back and try to figure out what's going on with her. Seeing them come together and how they have to work around Stryker’s unique challenges was sweet.
Whoo. I will definitely be diving into the next one and re-visiting the others I tried last year.
I really liked this story, and I was smitten with both of the mains. Storm Surge is a tense horror novel with a monster romance thrown in. Yes, Stryker is a cyborg, but his bestial side seems to be more in control than his machine or human parts. It's why he wears a metal mask—he will never be safe to be around, no matter how friendly he is with you. His beast is snappy... and when they meet Norah, he definitely wants a taste and to coil her in his clutches and never let her go. Sexy and terrifying. Norah is an interesting personality that I haven't seen portrayed in romance: a detached cooler person who doesn't really love anyone or anything. Not because she was traumatized and determined not to, but because she just doesn't feel on that level. She likes other people. She's fond of them. But she can not honestly say she loves them—not even her family. When she falls fast and hard for Stryker, her analytic side wants to step back and try to figure out what's going on with her. Seeing them come together and how they have to work around Stryker’s unique challenges was sweet.
Spoiler
Those forehead "kisses" made my heart go all gooey. If those were not the sweetest damn things, made sweeter by the fact that there's no magic resolution to his snake's desire to bite and consume everything—especially Norah. He's safe, but not safe-safe without his mask. And likely never will be.Whoo. I will definitely be diving into the next one and re-visiting the others I tried last year.