Luciana Piccolo is kidnapped and taken as hostage back to the HQ of the Order of Prometheus. This rebel group is trying to remove totalitarian leadership from the remaining regions that make up what used to be the United States and Lucy's father is the leader in the Northeast. Lucy's kidnapper, Taylor begins to show her the ropes around HQ and before Lucy realizes she's right in the middle of the action and questioning where exactly her home is.
I have really enjoyed O'Shea's previous books but this one really blew me away. It starts out quickly, jumping right into the action and the world is built bit by bit throughout. This dystopian future with 5 regions under seemingly equally horrific leaders pulls you right in. The plot keeps you so invested and the action doesn't seem to have any lulls, pulling you along through new revelations that just keep getting better.
Lucy is stuck in the middle, knowing the unsavory realities of her home region and also pulled into the idealistic hopes of the Order. Taylor is a mystery to start out with, giving little insight into her thoughts, just as you'd expect from a person of her militaristic background. As we get to know her little by little you understand her actions and why she continues even when she'd like nothing better than to run away.
The first 2/3 of the book are told from Lucy's perspective and then we jump to the last 1/3 told from Taylor's. This was pretty unique and the change kind of threw me a bit but I really liked how we got to know Taylor so much better.
I loved all the side characters in this, Mason, Hunter, Delilah, Theia and more all added to this wonderful plot. Each has good and bad qualities and their reactions seem so human and their histories with each other are all so closely tied together. I loved how they played off of each other and how they come together as a team, especially in the final portion of the book where we see Finley and Cassie added to the group.
I think the one gripe I had about this was the MCs ages, their experiences and actions put them at the very least in their late 20's but they are supposed to be only 19 and it feels a bit unbelievable in a few parts. I think especially with Lucy's final position their age just seems to me to be too young, even in a society like this where kids would have to grow up more quickly.
This is definitely going right back in my TBR, I really enjoyed Lucy and Taylor's epic adventure and will be reading it again in the future. O'Shea is now an author on my must read list, especially after reading this one that is so different from her previous two. If you're in the mood for a fun adventure in a future dystopian setting full of political intrigue and rebellion plus a side of romance this is the one you're looking for.

The time is somewhere in the foreseeable future. The setting is the former United States of America. O’Shea envisions the future USA divided into five regions with insurgents rising up against the autocratic regime governing each district. The Order of Prometheus are the rebels fighting to overthrow the established rulers and bring fair and democratic governance back to the people.

Luciana Piccolo is the heiress to her father’s region when he steps down as President. It is during her father’s annual masquerade ball that Lucy is kidnapped by one of the Order’s assassins. She is then forced to be with Taylor, her kidnapper, as she works at finishing her assignment of assassinating all the regional heads of power and their families.

O’Shea is proving once again that she is a writer of exceptional and entertaining novels. She is surprisingly comfortable in this dystopian futuristic genre which is a big step away from her pure romance novels. The Order offers us a frightening insightful look at what could truly be possible in these unprecedented times. And while she is scaring the pants off us, O’Shea melds into the mix a heart bracing love story between an insulated heiress to power and a fortune with an orphan raised to be a killing machine.

I hold O’Shea in the highest regard and in the esteemed company of Gerri Hill, E.J. Noyes, Michelle Larkin, Lee Winter and Ann McMan. The Order is a definite must read novel of 2023.

I received an advance review copy  from Bella Books through NetGalley.  I am leaving this review voluntarily.

5 big stars
Wow, what a ride! In this powerful and well executed long (more than 150,000 words) novel the author imagined a dark dystopian future for America. It's so well paced that makes you want to just keep reading. There is a lot of action, energy and tension packed in it, but also a lot of emotions. Both the plot and the character development are excellent, and O'Shea has managed to give a strong message to all of us. Her next book can't come soon enough. Highly recommended!