Dissident (Bellator Saga, #1) by Cecilia London Series: Bellator Saga #1
Published by Principatum Publishing on March 17th 2015
Pages: 273
Amazon
“I will always be with you…”
Rising Democratic star Caroline Gerard hasn’t had an easy year. After losing her husband, she is raising two small children alone while trying to navigate the tricky and sometimes shallow halls on Capitol Hill. A string of nasty speeches has her scrambling to apologize to any number of candidates, including newly elected Republican Jack McIntyre. Falling in love again is the last thing on her mind.
Jack McIntyre might have a reputation as a playboy, but he has his sights set solely on his new colleague. Can he break through Caroline’s grief and capture her heart?
Told mostly in flashback and set against a chilling fascist backdrop, Dissident is a rollercoaster ride of political intrigue, passionate contemporary romance, and undying love.
For readers 18+. Ends in a cliffhanger. The first part in a six book saga.
I don’t read nearly enough romantic suspense/mysteries, which is surprising since it’s a sub-genre I like. This book combines romantic suspense with political intrigue that, in theory, should be right up my alley. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
Dissident is the first full-length novel in a six book series. The story is told primarily in flashbacks. The prologue starts in the present and does a good job setting a suspenseful tone. However, it gives away a little too much information about the main characters’ relationship, and that took away some of my excitement in discovering if—and to what capacity—they would end up together. While I was initially caught up in Caroline and Jack’s romance, – although I couldn’t suspend belief enough to buy that player Jack slept with several hundred women – the progression is so slow I began to lose interest at times. Honestly, most of the flashbacks drag, and the occasionally repetitive dialogue only adds to that effect.
Caroline and Jack are likable and levelheaded overall, but the conflict between them at the end seems like it’s blown way out of proportion. Caroline overreacts to something that two adults should be able to rationally discuss, and it translates into manufactured drama.
On the plus side, I loved the tension and political mystery revolving around the characters in the present. We have no idea how our government crumbled into such a frighteningly corrupt state, or how Caroline and Jack wind up in the center of the action. I’m curious to see how the plot unfolds. At the same time, I’m wondering if there’s really enough story to stretch out among six books.
**ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**
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