Overload Flux (Central Galactic Concordance Book 1) by Carol Van Natta #spaceopera #scifirom

Title: Overload Flux (Central Concordance Book 1)
Author: Carol Van Natta
Genre: Space Opera/Scifi Romance
Publisher: Chavanch Press
Available: Kobo, B&N, Amazon (272 pages $3.99)
Rating: 4*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:
Brilliant investigator Luka Foxe must act fast if he's going to save the civilized planets of the Central Galactic Concordance. For as a pandemic sweeps across the galaxy, someone is stealing the vaccine. To make matters worse, Luka's hidden mental talents are out of control, leaving him barely able to function in the midst of violence and a rising body count. The convoluted trail leads to a corrupt pharma industry and the possibility of an illegal, planet-sized laboratory. In the face of increasing threats, he must rely on an enigmatic, lethal woman who has secrets of her own.

Mairwen Morganthur hides extraordinary skills under the guise of a dull night-shift guard. The last thing she wants is to provide personal security for a nova-hot investigator, or to be plunged into a murky case involving sabotage, treachery, and the military covert operations division that would love to discover she's still alive. Worse, she knows that two more deaths won't bother their enemies one bit. Their only hope for survival is to share their darkest secrets. With everything in their universe at stake, can they learn to trust one another?

What I liked:
I liked that the protagonists were older, almost my age, though that isn't clear until quite late in the book. I grew fond of both characters though connected with Mairwen more with her social awkwardness softening her mostly hard ass female persona. I also liked the slow burn romance, which was sweet rather than adding to the tension, plus I'm a huge fan of stories with psychic/superhuman talents. The setting was detailed and interesting enough to hold my attention without being overwhelming.

What I didn't like:
I'm not a fan of criminal investigation/thriller style stories, and this dragged the pace of the story right down for me, with not quite enough action to compensate. The two chapters featuring Hildree especially didn't seem to add to the narrative, since we later get her 'perspective' via Foxe/Zheer (unless she's going to feature later on in the series) so I'd happily have skipped them. There's also way too much introspection/inner monologues, which again slow the story down.

In conclusion:

If you like CSI style space opera and a sweet, slow burn romance with an older couple, this is for you. If you prefer action, it's there but not quite the amount that would have scored that fifth star from me. However, I found the main couple adorable and their special talents interesting. I definitely want to continue with reading this series.

Disclaimer: All information correct at time of posting. Book purchased by the reviewer from a legitimate retail site for their own personal enjoyment.