Review - A Perfect Darkness

Title: A Perfect Darkness
Author: Jaime Rush
Publication Date: 2009
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: C+
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: The book was given away at RT 2009 and I got my copy signed.

A Perfect Darkness is the first book in a new Offspring series by Jaime Rush. Twenty years ago the government had a classified program involving people who had some form of psychic skills. They were given a special shot thought to enhance these psychic abilities, but there were unfortunate side effects, such as an enhanced sex drive and mental instability. Most of these individuals either died in accidents or committed suicide. They left behind families and more importantly children who also had psychic gifts. The man who first started the experiment years ago is now collecting the offspring and trying to use them in another experiment, regardless of whether or not they want to participate.

Amy Shane is one of these offspring. She has always known she is different from other people. She mainly keeps to herself, repairing peoples' computers. She is able to detect a person's mood based on the color of their aura. One night a man breaks into her apartment and tells her that she is in danger. A few minutes later men in black arrest and detain the man, who she later learns is Lucas. Amy begins an investigation into who Lucas is and she discovers a group of other people like herself, each with a different psychic ability. The more she learns the more she is convinced they must rescue Lucas from the men in black.

A Perfect Darkness is off and running in the first chapter and never lets up. Even though this book is marketed as paranormal romance, it could easily be marketed as romantic suspense, as well. There is a lot of action and suspense threaded throughout the story. Rush takes her time establishing just exactly what is going on. As Amy is thrown into this conspiracy theory, so is the reader. As Amy puts the pieces together some questions are answered and new ones crop up. The plot sort of reminded me of the television show Heroes. It is easy to see that there will be multiple plots interwoven between books in the series. The romance between Amy and Lucas was wrapped up by the end of this book.

This brings me to my major quibble with this book. Amy and Lucas spend about three-quarters of the book apart. Lucas is able to visit Amy in her dreams, but this leads me to another issue I had. Most of Lucas and Amy's relationship was established off page prior to them meeting officially face to face. Because it was off page, the reader doesn't get a chance to see them discover each other. I like it when there is time to see the relationship unfold. That was bypassed and instead, instantly Lucas and Amy are thrown together and the reader is just supposed to believe that these two are in love. The romance didn't work for me.

My favorite character by far was the morally ambiguous, Eric. He stole the show right from the beginning for me. The reader is never really certain if he is a good guy or a bad guy and I loved it. Rush has a lot of potential with this character and I can't wait to see what she does with him. A Perfect Darkness is a strong start for this new exciting series, but the romance was less than stellar. I am looking forward to see how the second book measures up.

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