Long & Short Reviews
Lainey was living a completely normal life – until a strange virus accidently released ended up killing a large percentage of the world. She never thought she’d be living post-apocalypse, but here she was a year after the infection started spreading, just trying to just survive another day. Even though Laniey had worked hard to keep herself safe eventually her luck ran out. By chance she met Nolan exactly when she needed a helping hand, but can Lainey learn to trust when the world has ended? While I can totally understand in the current climate readers might not be in the mood for an apocalyptic “strange virus kills a large percentage of the world” style of story, I just couldn’t help myself. I’ve enjoyed plague stories my whole life and even though I prefer this storyline in my fiction and not my real life – I couldn’t resist reading another plague-related story. I admit to being pleased the author in no way tried to make this based on Covid-19 – the plague started in a car accident in Atlanta (a CDC worker in the crash had samples of the virus that were released) and the symptoms were bleeding from the eyes, nose and mouth. So this helped solidify the story as fiction and not like anything going on currently in our reality. This definitely helped me enjoy the story more. I was really pleased that Lainey didn’t just fall over herself when she met Nolan. Even though he clearly was a good man and just wanted to help her, Lainey insisted on not lowering her guard, which I couldn’t blame her for. The world was a totally different place and it’d be stupid to just assume because someone did something nice they didn’t have any other motive. Admittedly this didn’t lend much of an air for romance, but I enjoyed watching Lainey and Nolan come to know each other and slowly develop feelings. It made the romance much slower paced, but it made their whole relationship a lot more believable and relatable. Readers who like plenty of conflict and action should really enjoy this story. I was pleased the plot moved in a logical and quick pace – Lainey and Nolan coming to a bargain where he’d help her build a decent and safe wall and then she’d get him a solar-panel ATV for transportation. I enjoyed watching their relationship deepen and the trust grow between them along with their romantic feelings. The story had a good overall pace and plenty of action. While the ending wasn’t a cliff-hanger this is absolutely part 1 of an ongoing story. This part of the arc was well resolved but readers who enjoy everything neatly wrapped up might feel mingled emotions in that the next stage forward is clearly set up but readers will have to wait for the following installment. With good characters, a totally believable story line (even though it’s the end of the world) and a fast-moving pace this was a great story I really enjoyed.
