Braine Reviews: Dangerous by Jax

Series: Morphate 1 (?)
Format: Digital ARC
Release Date: September 5, 2013
Publisher: eKensington
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A body that won't quit
Clothes that are barely there
Eyes that openly invite him to take what he wants

Devon Candler is nothing like the helpless, vulnerable woman Liam expected when he agreed to provide security for her secluded Catskill Mountain estate. Yet her life is at risk. Her enemies monsters. Her secrets devastating.

Liam Nash is a trained killer who takes no prisoners, fears no man. But to him this woman is seductively, devastatingly.

DANGEROUS is my first Jax (aka Jacquelyn Frank) novel and it was frickin' awesome! Generally I'm not a big fan of sci-fi or even para-sci-fi yet DANGEROUS proved to be an exception. I breezed through it and didn't have a problem getting acclimated to the modernity and semi-dystopian feel of The Federal States and its Morphate population. 

Let's start with the world building. Jax's creatures are called Morphates, they're vampire-like, immortal and almost invincible. They're the result of a genetic experiment years ago with New York's underbelly as lab rats. Currently they're discriminated and feared by humans in The Federal States not just for their criminal pasts and tendencies but also because they're virtually unstoppable. I like how she made the myth very straightforward and though it's more science that supernatural, I really dug the vibe.

Devon Candler is a rebel human advocate of sorts. A Morphate, Devon resents being turned into one. She's not necessarily anti-Morphate rather she wants to restore the balance of power between humans and her kind. Currently Morphates are treated like second class citizens and dealt with an iron fist because they're superhumans who can't be controlled without violence. She then developed weapons that would calibrate the situation unfortunately this didn't sit well with a certain pack of Morphates and they put a target on her back. So as not to jeopardize her project, Devon hired Liam Nash's NHK team as bodyguards and aside from being hired brawn, Liam also gave Devon some envy worthy body detailing in between. 

Kissing her skin wherever he could reach along her nearby hairline. It was the most peacful moment he'd had in years, and he didn't want it to end.

It's a given that Liam and Devon will gravitate towards each other and have their shot at the very coveted HEA. Liam, though human, is a great match for Devon not just in looks but in disposition, intellect and brawn. He's protective without being possessive and didn't suffocate and back his woman into a corner with all that MINE shiz Alphas are notorious for. As for Devon, even I had a lady boner for this girl. She can fight, she's not just smart but brilliant, confident and sexy as a pair of pencil thin stilettos! Their pairing is worth stalking because it's effectual and titillating. I think the main reason why I loved it so much was because of the lack of domination and all that mate marking UF/PNR tomes are known for. 

I'm not sure if DANGEROUS is part of a series or if it's stand-alone. I'm hoping that there'll be more books to come because I really love the world Jax built. It's politically charged filled with tons of intrigue, piled high with action. The setting is so interesting because The Federal States are in the cusp of a very important change involving the Morphates. So if the series progress, we're sure to meet more movers and shakers. Not if Jax decides to write more books, the secondary characters Inez Flores, hot single mom Latina, and the super gorgeous, Kellen Gordon, are great candidates to lead it. So Jax, aka Jacquelyn Frank, if you're reading this, please say you're thinking of Morphates 2!!!