Deep Deception by Cathy Pegau #scifi #romance

Title: Deep Deception
Author: Cathy Pegau
Genre: SciFi Romance (f/f)
Publisher: Carina Press
Available: Amazon $1.99 (Kindle) 208 pages
Rating: 4*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:

Colonial Mining Authority agent Natalia Hallowell doesn't always play by the rules, but she wouldn't compromise a case either. Put on administrative leave under a cloud of accusation, with no support from her boss, Natalia seeks a little anonymous companionship at her favorite bar. But she's surprised when the woman who catches her fancy starts buying her drinks.

Desperate, Genevieve "Gennie" Caine has no choice but to seduce, drug and tie Natalia to the bed to get her attention. With the Reyes Corporation after something she has, Gennie needs Natalia to open an investigation and distract them long enough for her to get off Nevarro.

Natalia doesn't trust Gennie—despite the growing attraction between them—but the corporation's suspiciously high profits and abnormal business dealings convince her that they must be hiding something. She has no idea just how deep the deceptions run…

What I liked:

In this one the romantic tension was much higher and in far more jeopardy than Caught In Amber and Rulebreaker, with both the main characters having issues and secrets that could do far worse than simply make a romance difficult.

What I didn't like:

I didn't find either heroine as likeable as those in other Pegau books I've read, so I had a harder time connecting and emphasizing with them, despite the justification in Gennie's case. I also think that Natalia's 'illness', having been made out as something deadly, abruptly became a minor factor when I felt it should have been more pivotal.

In conclusion:

This is not my favourite of Pegau's books, but still an exciting, heart-wrenching SFR worth reading. Light on the SF but with plenty of tension, emotional and action-wise, with thriller and espionage elements.

Rulebreaker by Cathy Pegau #scifi #romance #ff

Title: Rulebreaker
Author: Cathy Pegau
Genre: SciFi Romance (f/f)
Publisher: Carina Press
Available: Amazon $1.99 (Kindle)  247 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:

Liv Braxton's Felon Rule #1: Don't get emotionally involved.

Smash-and-grab thieving doesn't lend itself to getting chummy with the victims, and Liv hasn't met anyone on the mining colony of Nevarro worth knowing, anyway. So it's easy to follow her Rules.

Until her ex, Tonio, shows up with an invitation to join him on the job of a lifetime.

Until Zia Talbot, the woman she's supposed to deceive, turns Liv's expectations upside down in a way no woman ever has.

Until corporate secrets turn deadly.

But to make things work with Zia, Liv has to do more than break her Rules, and the stakes are higher than just a broken heart…

What I liked:

I loved the development of the romance between the two heroines, Liv and Zia. It was sweet, sensual, and felt very natural. I'm also a sucker for a redeemed thief. There was plenty of angst and heartbreak, which are top of my wish list for a story with real emotional punch. The world building was solid, though a little lacking in SF elements for my usual fare, and very smooth and believable character development. I also like how the story fitted in with Caught in Amber and Deep Deception, but without requiring you to read either in order to follow the setting and characters.

What I didn't like:

The SF elements were a touch on the light side for my tastes. This, however, is a plus for anyone put off SciFi romance by the prospect of heavy scientific or technical description that might bog the story down.

In conclusion:

This is an ideal starting point for those new to SciFi romance while still delivering a satisfyingly romantic thriller/action filled story for long-term SFR fans. Fans of industrial espionage might also enjoy this story, as will f/f readers.

Machine by Jennifer Pelland

Title: Machine

Author: Jennifer Pelland

Genre: Science Fiction (Romance/Erotica)

Publisher: Apex Publications

Available: $5.20 at Amazon.com

Rating: 4 stars

Rater: Pippa

Plot Summary:
Celia's body is not her own, but even her conscious mind can barely tell the difference. Living on the cutting edge of biomechanical science was supposed to allow her to lead a normal life in a near-perfect copy of her physical self while awaiting a cure for a rare and deadly genetic disorder.

But a bioandroid isn't a real person. Not according to the protesters outside Celia's house, her coworkers, or even her wife. Not according to her own evolving view of herself. As she begins to strip away the human affectations and inhibitions programmed into her new body, the chasm between the warm pains of flesh-and-blood life and the chilly comfort of the machine begins to deepen. Love, passion, reality, and memory war within Celia's body until she must decide whether to betray old friends or new ones in the choice between human and machine.

The good:
I was really hooked by an excerpt I saw from the opening of this. I loved the concept of it, the whole idea of if you put your mind and memories into another body, is it still you? There were lovely touches of technology and a good use of psychology. It questions the whole idea of identity, of soul and self, of sexual identity, and how much influence our body has on our mental state. A stark reflection of current society where so many people attempt to conform to the advertised 'ideal', often resorting to extreme surgery or damaging cosmetic procedures to achieve it.

The bad:
About halfway through the story, I felt it began to drag a bit. It didn't seem to be going anywhere particularly fast, and I wasn't really feeling the emotional impact that Celia was going through as I felt I should have. Her confusion came across well but the tension was just lacking for me.

In sum:
This was more of a thought-provoking story than an adventure. It was different and well-written but slightly missed the mark for me. The romance played a very small part overall (I know it isn't listed as a romance, but there is a romantic element in it with Celia grieving over her wife's divorce), and the erotica elements were probably too few for fans of the genre. While I'd read another title by this author, I'm not sure I'd recommend it to my sfr loving friends.

Additional:
Please note - Critique de Book DOES NOT accept requests to review erotic romance or erotica. This is a book that I bought, read and reviewed for my own satisfaction, and not representative of the genres generally accepted by the review site.