ARC Review: Shadow Falling by Rebecca Zanetti

Shadow Falling
Author: Rebecca Zanetti
Series: The Scorpius Syndrome (Book 2)
Publication: Zebra (August 30, 2016)

Description: Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her trust in her fellow man had gone from shaky at best to nonexistent. Her mysterious rescuer wants to convince her he’s the exception. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.

If the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk. And the way his arms wrap around her tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire . . .

My Thoughts: First, this is the second book in a series and, apparently, we got a lot of backstory there that wasn't repeated in this one. The world has fallen apart. A new virus called scorpius has killed most and those who survived are in danger of going insane in a world that has lost all its infrastructure.

The main characters in this one are Vinny Wellington and Raze Shadow. Vinny was a noted FBI profiler before the world fell apart. She was recently rescued from the sociopath who is now the President of the United States. Raze is the one who rescued her but he has an ulterior motive. He needs to trade her to a Mercenary group who is holding his only sister hostage.

They have taken refuge in a place in Los Angeles that is called the Vanguard. It is where some survivors who are not insane have gathered to try to survive. The Vanguard is suffering from internal problems with a self-appointed preacher who wants to keep the Pure - those who haven't caught the virus - separate from those who have had the virus and is willing to take hostages to keep his people safe.

Between the Mercs who want Vinnie because they think she knows the location of a secret bunker that has the scientific labs, medicines, and other supplies to help find a way to let those infected stay sane and the President who wants Vinnie back because he wants to torture her and also believes she can use psychic gifts to find the bunker, Vinnie is in danger from all sides.

Raze tries not to get close to her but this is a romance. You know that that is a battle he is doomed to lose. I liked the way the romance grew through the book. Raze was the definition of an alpha warrior but Vinnie is no shrinking violet. Her strengths matched up nicely with his.

While the romance plot came to a successful resolution, there are still lots of questions remaining about the part of the plot that had to do with finding the bunker. I would guess that there is at least one more book coming. I'll be watching for it.

Favorite Quote:

Some of the words he could make out, but many were just burbles. Most people, when they lost it to pain or fear, just cried. Not Vinnie Wellington. No, she let loose with tons of words, crying and talking intermittently.

The woman couldn't even cry like a normal person.

Why the hell that warmed his chest and tickled his mouth into a small smile, he'd never understand.

I got this one for review from Amazon Vine. You can buy your copy here.