What a thrill ride! This was a great action-packed romance that was exactly the kind of book that I love to read. While you can put the sci-fi tag on this, this really is a futuristic dystopian story with a good romance. I know some people don’t care for sci-fi, so don’t let that put you off. There are no aliens or spaceships or different planets, this is a look into a possible scary future of the world we know.

Around a century into the future the world is a much different place. With natural disasters, the sun heating up and air quality diminishing there are fewer and fewer good places to live. The USA is run by a general with his military in charge. Chicago is the new Capitol and that is where Julia lives. Julia is wanted woman because she is a Walker. A Walker is a person who can project out of their body into the world around them. The government has been collecting Walkers to force into service and be experimented on. Julia hides in plain site as a courier for a tech company. She lives her life alone with no family or friends. This all changes the day she runs into another Walker being hunted by the government. Julia can’t help but be attracted to Niko and wants to help her. These two women are the most wanted women in the USA. Is there any way for them to be together and stay free?

The book starts out and Aten takes the time to really explain what has happened to the world and what it is like now. It is a bit of info to take in, but it really works. Once you get by that first chapter you understand everything this new world is built. Then the story starts up and it’s this fast pace ride until the finish. I thought it was all well written. I never felt like I had questions unanswered or didn’t understand. Once the story picks up, everything flows very smoothly.

I’m such a character driven reader and I am happy to say I loved both characters. I was surprised how instantly I cared and connected with them. This is what I look for in a book and was very happy to find it. These are characters that I will remember for a long time. I also loved the Walker abilities. Julia is a real badass and it just made the book a lot of fun.

While this book is like reading the equivalent of a big blockbuster action movie, Aten takes the time for a good romance. I know romance fans are going to be happy; I loved these two as a couple. It is not insta love, but it is quick. Usually I like it to take longer, but in this kind of book with life and death in the balance I’m okay with it. And it’s not just that, it’s also that I believed in these two together. I believed in them as a couple and the connection they had. The sex scenes were all done well too.

Aten is a newer published author but every book she puts out is just a winner for me. She has quickly climbed her way to being one of my favorite authors. This book was just pure entertainment that I easily recommend to dystopian and romance fans. It was a joy to read and I can’t wait to see what Aten puts out next.

An ARC was given to me for a honest review.