I came for the romance, but I was pleasantly surprised by the political thriller aspect. I actually felt a little disappointed in the romance. There was so much back and forth, with one or both going from hot to cold with each other, that I couldn’t fully enjoy the romance. But the most intriguing part of this book was the politics of Jafir, and the AI that is used to try and uncover a coup. This was very well written. I’ve not read anything by Abrams before, and I’m interested in reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Berkley for the arc!
I agree with other reviews in that this was much more suspense/spy thriller type than romance. The wording and terminology was a little complex at times but you can tell the author really tried to make it authentic either way her word choices (just had to embarrassingly consult google a few times 😂). I would have loved a little more connection and physical tension between AJ and Damon as AJ seemed really torn and showed a lot of indecision. The book moved at a solid pace and didn’t leave me bored with the suspense and action. Really solid read!

This novel initially felt familiar, and I soon realized why—it's a reissue of a work originally published under Stacey Abrams' pen name, Selena Montgomery in the 2000’s. While the romance-suspense premise intrigued me, the execution leaned heavily toward suspense with minimal romantic elements.

The writing style is sophisticated, perhaps to a fault. Ms. Abram’s use of advanced vocabulary, while fitting for the educated characters, occasionally disrupted the reading flow. The political and technical terminology requires careful attention, and some readers may need to consult a dictionary.
The relationship between AJ and Damon lacks the emotional depth typical of romance novels. AJ's character development feels inconsistent, with her indecision about Damon becoming repetitive. For readers expecting steamy scenes, be advised that the intimate moments are fairly mild.

However, the suspense elements is where this book really shines. The plot moves at an engaging pace, featuring unexpected twists that keep readers guessing. Ms. Abrams demonstrates skill in crafting complex narratives, where she could excel in legal or crime thrillers.

Recommended for readers who enjoy:

Light romance with strong suspense elements
Political intrigue and spy craft
Intellectually challenging vocabulary
Well-paced mystery plots

Not recommended for those seeking:

Traditional romance focus
Steamy encounters
Light, casual reading

Overall, approach this as a suspense novel with romantic elements rather than a traditional romance, and you’ll find it more satisfying.

Romantic suspense reads can always be entertaining and this one was no different. I struggled a little with some of the terminology and felt it was a little bogged down at times with political words, but it was still a great story if you can get past that. Because of some of the overly complex language, I had to re-read some passages in order to make sure I understood everything properly. With this book, romance is not as present as some other reads, but it is still there and good. It’s more of a back seat, so I wouldn’t even quite label it as romantic suspense because it isn’t quite as prominent as I normally find with this genre. The suspense aspect though was a lot of fun, and really entertaining and kept me engaged. I found the pacing to be perfect for this book. It kept my interest, and I was only interrupted by having to re-read passages. The twist on this one was great and I didn’t see it coming.

I'm rounding up from a 3.5. I've read Selena Montgomery's work before (yes, I know it's a pen name) and she's pretty solid. I think I've read this book before? Is it a re-issue? Either way, this is a lovely category romantic suspense. You'll zip through it while also having to stop and re-read some paragraphs to make sure you understood the spy logistics correctly. A good book for a long train commute.

I read While Justice Sleeps and Rogue Justice, different series but excellent reads and this title didn't disappoint.
Let me start with cons, the one thing I did not like about this novel is that there are a lot of political words that the average Jane or Joe might not be familiar with. I had to look up several words throughout the book to understand the context.

I always enjoy the suspense and romance in a Abrams/Montgomery story. This one was more of a thriller but the romance was not lacking. I was a little confused by the romantic tension between AJ and Damon. AJ's pouting and teetering with her feelings for Damon was irritating. There's a Scripture in the Bible "let your yes be yes and your no be no. This was something I wanted to scream to AJ.

I received a copy of this galley in exchange for my thoughtful and honest review

This was my first time reading a book authored by Stacey Abrams/Selena Montgomery. I was intrigued by the blurb and the romance-suspense label. I don't read many romance-suspense novels, thus this novel was outside of my regular reading comforts.

The one thing I did not like about this novel is that there are a lot of "high brow" words. I had to look up two words in the prologue to better understand the sentence. I understand that the characters are educated individuals, however, having to look up words took the excitement out of reading the novel. I felt the novel was more of a suspense and low-level spy novel than a romance novel. I didn't understand the draw between AJ and Damon. AJ's constant pouting and back and forth with her feelings for Damon was irritating after a bit. The steam level is about a level one or two in this novel. I prefer more graphic love scenes.

Overall, this was a far read. I do like the author's writing style. I am hoping there will be a legal or crime drama (sans romance) soon by this author. I would read that genre. I would recommend this novel to individuals who like suspense novels with minimal romance.

This book was okay! I think the writing was good and room for improvement but overall I would read another book by this author!

This book is both fiery and tender. It perfectly blends heart-pounding action with romance that I absolutely adored. it’s a must-read for anyone who loves a gripping love story with a twist.