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The Superheroes Union #1
The Superheroes Union: Dynama
What if your evil ex really was evil?
TJ Gutierrez used to be a superhero. But after the birth of her twins seven years ago, she hung up the yellow spandex. Until the day her archenemy and ex-husband, Singularity, breaks out of prison. When it becomes clear he's after the kids, she's forced to call the nanny helpline—and once again become...Dynama!
Annmarie Smith doesn't have a superpower. She saves the world by keeping kids safe while their parents fight evil.
She temporarily moves in with TJ, and the way the magnetic mama puts family first captures Annmarie's respect, and maybe her heart—even though she knows better than to fall for a superhero. Still, it's hard to resist their wicked chemistry. Kapow!
But they can only hide from the world for so long. When Singularity's quest for custody puts the kids' lives in danger, can the two women conquer the evil villain and save TJ's family—all before their first date?
34,000 words
TJ Gutierrez used to be a superhero. But after the birth of her twins seven years ago, she hung up the yellow spandex. Until the day her archenemy and ex-husband, Singularity, breaks out of prison. When it becomes clear he's after the kids, she's forced to call the nanny helpline—and once again become...Dynama!
Annmarie Smith doesn't have a superpower. She saves the world by keeping kids safe while their parents fight evil.
She temporarily moves in with TJ, and the way the magnetic mama puts family first captures Annmarie's respect, and maybe her heart—even though she knows better than to fall for a superhero. Still, it's hard to resist their wicked chemistry. Kapow!
But they can only hide from the world for so long. When Singularity's quest for custody puts the kids' lives in danger, can the two women conquer the evil villain and save TJ's family—all before their first date?
34,000 words
89 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
4 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Diaz
1 book4 followersRuth Diaz chooses to spend her life walking between worlds. With one foot in the fantastic and one foot in the sensual, she enjoys writing people to destinations they might never have reached on their own. When she's not creating space station-shaped castles in the air and crafting unearthly love stories, she works as a freelance editor and reads in her spare time. A misplaced Arizonan, she and her husband are currently stranded in upstate New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 22, 2017
3.5 stars.
This was more than just an okay read. That said, it stumbled on a trope that it didn't need and, without it, it could've been better. I'll get that out of the way.
A big complaint in f/f writing is insta-love and, at first, I didn't think this had it. Insta-sex? Definitely. But, that happens sometimes, right? So that wasn't necessarily a big deal. And, the author actually did a decent job showing what the two leads liked about each other and gave them a little intimacy beforehand. I internally groaned, though, when they later claimed love after only two days.
The whole story just felt too rushed and would've benefited from more angst and story conflict over a longer amount of time.
The villain (ex-husband) also came across, at the end, as too simple in his execution of his completely non-developed plan. Though, yeah, self-absorbed a-holes can be shortsighted. lol. And, strangely I was somewhat sympathetic to him. Rather than being evil for evil's sake he "does bad things" without realizing how his actions affect others so that strikes a different tone for sure. That's more douchey than evil.
The good...It's a superhero story! That's fun. TJ, formerly known as Dynama, is the superhero in question that has gone underground after her ex's incarceration. Instead of stealing the spotlight, she remains behind the scenes assisting other superheroes as the Hidden Hand where she's able to mentally move objects and people. She's also a single mother of twins and that's where Annmarie, the needed babysitter, steps in. When it's learned that the ex escapes prison, TJ shifts into superhero mode while Annmarie picks up the slack as homemaker. It's pretty cute how they all interact, actually.
Both characters are well-defined and TJ and Annmarie's interactions are natural so the chemistry is there. The kids are also written in a realistic manner. There's enough of a little crime caper to drive the story and it's interesting how the world of superheroes work together. As a lead, TJ is both a bisexual and a Hispanic character so that was nice to see. The story also has an unexpected twist in the end that I liked. I loved the book cover, too.
Overall, it's a light and kinda fun read. If you're in the mood for it, give it a try.
This was more than just an okay read. That said, it stumbled on a trope that it didn't need and, without it, it could've been better. I'll get that out of the way.
A big complaint in f/f writing is insta-love and, at first, I didn't think this had it. Insta-sex? Definitely. But, that happens sometimes, right? So that wasn't necessarily a big deal. And, the author actually did a decent job showing what the two leads liked about each other and gave them a little intimacy beforehand. I internally groaned, though, when they later claimed love after only two days.
The whole story just felt too rushed and would've benefited from more angst and story conflict over a longer amount of time.
The villain (ex-husband) also came across, at the end, as too simple in his execution of his completely non-developed plan. Though, yeah, self-absorbed a-holes can be shortsighted. lol. And, strangely I was somewhat sympathetic to him. Rather than being evil for evil's sake he "does bad things" without realizing how his actions affect others so that strikes a different tone for sure. That's more douchey than evil.
The good...It's a superhero story! That's fun. TJ, formerly known as Dynama, is the superhero in question that has gone underground after her ex's incarceration. Instead of stealing the spotlight, she remains behind the scenes assisting other superheroes as the Hidden Hand where she's able to mentally move objects and people. She's also a single mother of twins and that's where Annmarie, the needed babysitter, steps in. When it's learned that the ex escapes prison, TJ shifts into superhero mode while Annmarie picks up the slack as homemaker. It's pretty cute how they all interact, actually.
Both characters are well-defined and TJ and Annmarie's interactions are natural so the chemistry is there. The kids are also written in a realistic manner. There's enough of a little crime caper to drive the story and it's interesting how the world of superheroes work together. As a lead, TJ is both a bisexual and a Hispanic character so that was nice to see. The story also has an unexpected twist in the end that I liked. I loved the book cover, too.
Overall, it's a light and kinda fun read. If you're in the mood for it, give it a try.
August 29, 2012
The premise of this book deserves 6 stars. I felt like I was reading a cool continuation to The Incredibles which is one of my favorite movies ever.
In a world where superheroes are very real and very busy with their personal lives, TJ is trying to get by as a super raising young twins. I LOVE the ides of a superhero, single mom. It's made the more kick ass that she's Latina.
However, I had two issues with this novella.
1) Annamarie. The plot of trying to keep your evil ex husband from snatching your kids was enough all on it's own. The romance with Annamarie just wasn't working for me. Their relationship felt very rushed. I felt like they hooked up because they were supposed to, not because they actually liked each other.
As the feelings warm, I still felt like Annamarie was not prioritizing the mortal threat with getting TJ naked. Or maybe TJ wasn't prioritizing. I was attached to TJ and her kids. Not to Annamarie.
2) The editing. There were sentences I had to reread more than once, all over the place. There were also instances of head hoping that confused the heck out of me. One moment I'm in TJ's head and the next I'm in Annamarie's.
Those issues aside, I loved that action and the characters. Diaz has a brilliant imagination. Brilliant. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
In a world where superheroes are very real and very busy with their personal lives, TJ is trying to get by as a super raising young twins. I LOVE the ides of a superhero, single mom. It's made the more kick ass that she's Latina.
However, I had two issues with this novella.
1) Annamarie. The plot of trying to keep your evil ex husband from snatching your kids was enough all on it's own. The romance with Annamarie just wasn't working for me. Their relationship felt very rushed. I felt like they hooked up because they were supposed to, not because they actually liked each other.
As the feelings warm, I still felt like Annamarie was not prioritizing the mortal threat with getting TJ naked. Or maybe TJ wasn't prioritizing. I was attached to TJ and her kids. Not to Annamarie.
2) The editing. There were sentences I had to reread more than once, all over the place. There were also instances of head hoping that confused the heck out of me. One moment I'm in TJ's head and the next I'm in Annamarie's.
Those issues aside, I loved that action and the characters. Diaz has a brilliant imagination. Brilliant. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
September 1, 2018
Whenever I see these sort of books (often on Netgalley) I sort of internally make fun of them. But not wanting to end a month on a total dud, this one was found at our library of all places and it looked like it just might be cute enough (superheroes and lesbians, how can you go wrong) to override the innate inanity (oh, that’s nice and fun to put together), but no, innate inanity it was, all the way through, covered in a giant thing of cheese and not even a fancy cheese, think one of those velveeta or kraft prepackaged processed cheese pockets for mac’n’cheese. So this is how you go wrong with superheroes and lesbians…smother them in cheap cheese, throw in every corny romance cliché in the book as it were at the, set them up on a super predictable path, put some morals in place and tie it all up nicely with a silly oversized bow. Mission accomplished. And now I’m comfortably justified in making fun of these books all this time. They are silly. Mildly entertaining and novella size is a great convenience. Probably meant to be sequalized, but doesn’t look like the author got around to it. Still a surprisingly random find for our library. Other than that, mindless distraction. Nice to see superheroes unionized, though, so progressive. I prefer my own Latina superhero. And that, ladies and gentleman, is also cheese.
September 27, 2012
TJ Gutierrez is a divorced former superhero with twin children. Her ex-husband is a villain named Singularity, who can manipulate gravity in nasty ways. Our story begins when Singularity escapes from prison and starts hunting for TJ and the kids…
And then there’s Annmarie Smith, who helps save the world not with superpowers, but by looking after the children of superheroes while they’re fighting evil. She moves in to watch the twins while TJ does everything in her power to intercept and stop her ex-husband.
We’ve seen superhero stories look at family dynamics before (The Incredibles being a great example), but Diaz approaches it from a different angle. Her heroine is trying to build a new life and to protect her children from an overly powerful and potentially abusive father. Aspects of the story are almost painfully believable and realistic.
There’s also a romantic plotline, and while at times Annmarie seems a little too perfect, I liked her romance with Gutierrez, as well as her role in the world of superheroes. (Because how would a superhero ever be able to trust a regular babysitting service?)
The ending didn’t work as well for me. My biggest complaint was that it felt like Diaz pulled out a deus ex machina for the climax. But overall, it was a good read.
And then there’s Annmarie Smith, who helps save the world not with superpowers, but by looking after the children of superheroes while they’re fighting evil. She moves in to watch the twins while TJ does everything in her power to intercept and stop her ex-husband.
We’ve seen superhero stories look at family dynamics before (The Incredibles being a great example), but Diaz approaches it from a different angle. Her heroine is trying to build a new life and to protect her children from an overly powerful and potentially abusive father. Aspects of the story are almost painfully believable and realistic.
There’s also a romantic plotline, and while at times Annmarie seems a little too perfect, I liked her romance with Gutierrez, as well as her role in the world of superheroes. (Because how would a superhero ever be able to trust a regular babysitting service?)
The ending didn’t work as well for me. My biggest complaint was that it felt like Diaz pulled out a deus ex machina for the climax. But overall, it was a good read.
February 25, 2014
This was pretty well done, except that it felt compressed. The couple goes from being total strangers to falling in love far too quickly; the whole story takes place over about four days, and our heroines are in bed together by the second night.
I think the story would have worked a lot better with some more time and additional dealings with the ex. As it is, we get one encounter, a quick office visit, and then the big finale. Stretch that out to, say, three decent "battles" over the course of two or three weeks, then the conclusion, and the relationship wouldn't feel nearly as rushed. The continuing stress would have been a more plausible way for them to bond, and we would've gotten a better idea of what the ex's motivations were. Instead, he's left as a two-dimensional threat who exists only to drive the romance plot by simply existing.
That said, what there was of the story was well done. It just felt like a novel chopped down to novella length, and I'd like to see the author try her hand at longer material. She's got a neat universe set up here, and I'd like to see more of it.
I think the story would have worked a lot better with some more time and additional dealings with the ex. As it is, we get one encounter, a quick office visit, and then the big finale. Stretch that out to, say, three decent "battles" over the course of two or three weeks, then the conclusion, and the relationship wouldn't feel nearly as rushed. The continuing stress would have been a more plausible way for them to bond, and we would've gotten a better idea of what the ex's motivations were. Instead, he's left as a two-dimensional threat who exists only to drive the romance plot by simply existing.
That said, what there was of the story was well done. It just felt like a novel chopped down to novella length, and I'd like to see the author try her hand at longer material. She's got a neat universe set up here, and I'd like to see more of it.
December 10, 2018
Domestic f/f romance with superheroes!
May 29, 2018
This was sweet and satisfying, and I enjoyed the chemistry between TJ and Annmarie. I really liked this novella’s exploration of the challenges of single parenting with superpowers, and I loved Annmarie’s fierce devotion to her work. I’d love to read more in this universe.
August 19, 2012
Full disclosure: I'm a friend and beta partner of Ruth Diaz. I read this for the first time a few weeks ago, and absolutely loved it. On one level it's a very simple story—a woman tries to protect her family, and in the process, finds unexpected love—with a straightforward plot and a feel-good resolution. On another level, it's incredibly complicated and clever and subversive in its relation to the superhero genre. Superhero stories that make it to the big screen are overwhelmingly male-centered and focus on big world-changing action; The Superheroes Union: Dynama is just as much about what happens when the heroes go home. What is their home, anyway? Is it possible to separate their work from their lives? TJ Gutierrez (AKA Dynama) has to tackle that problem head on, as a superhero single mom whose ex-husband has gone supervillain. Her problems are larger-than-life, in true superhero fashion, but instantly relatable. She's vulnerable, but resourceful, both because of her superpowers and her natural intelligence. And her love interest is shown to be so lovely and sweet (though not boring and flawless) that it seems utterly natural for them to fall in love.
This novella is perfectly balanced between the epic ass-kicking stuff and the domestic making-pancakes stuff. It works as a romance and an action story at the same time. The description doesn't stop at the bedroom door, but sex isn't the linchpin of the story, either, and I think it would appeal both to regular readers of lesbian romance and those who don't know the first thing about it (like me). I'm really looking forward to new installments in The Superheroes Union series, because Dynama really has it off to a banging start.
This novella is perfectly balanced between the epic ass-kicking stuff and the domestic making-pancakes stuff. It works as a romance and an action story at the same time. The description doesn't stop at the bedroom door, but sex isn't the linchpin of the story, either, and I think it would appeal both to regular readers of lesbian romance and those who don't know the first thing about it (like me). I'm really looking forward to new installments in The Superheroes Union series, because Dynama really has it off to a banging start.
September 30, 2012
This book was a lot of fun to read! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's set in an Incredibles-like world where superheroes are a reality, not just a comic book staple. I especially enjoyed the world building and all the little glimpses at what the world would be like if superheroes and supervillains actually existed; the Superheroes Union was the most obvious example of this, but I liked the little, passing references too, like news about superheroes trending on Twitter.
The reason I only gave this three stars instead of a higher rating is because the romance between TJ and Annmarie fell a little flat for me. I really liked both characters; I wanted to root for them to get together, but I just didn't really feel any chemistry between them. What I enjoy the most about romance novels is watching the two leads fall in love with each other -- seeing them discover each others' strengths and weaknesses and quirks, and slowly coming to love them. This relationship unfortunately fell into the "insta!love" trap -- they met, they fell in love. I could see where the author was trying to avoid that (the conversation over dinner, for example), but it just didn't work for me.
But that was the main weakness. This book had enough strong points that I will look forward to the author's next book! I'm looking forward to any future installments in this series; I'd love to read more about the other superheroes or anything else set in this universe!
The reason I only gave this three stars instead of a higher rating is because the romance between TJ and Annmarie fell a little flat for me. I really liked both characters; I wanted to root for them to get together, but I just didn't really feel any chemistry between them. What I enjoy the most about romance novels is watching the two leads fall in love with each other -- seeing them discover each others' strengths and weaknesses and quirks, and slowly coming to love them. This relationship unfortunately fell into the "insta!love" trap -- they met, they fell in love. I could see where the author was trying to avoid that (the conversation over dinner, for example), but it just didn't work for me.
But that was the main weakness. This book had enough strong points that I will look forward to the author's next book! I'm looking forward to any future installments in this series; I'd love to read more about the other superheroes or anything else set in this universe!
August 13, 2015
This was just delightful from beginning to - all too soon! - end. Diaz clearly has a love of comics and superheroes, and this novella shines with both homage and deconstruction. Add to that compelling characters, and a bisexual woman of color as the protagonist and it all pulls together wonderfully. You can see the "twists" coming from a mile away, but that's true for every superhero narrative if you're familiar with the tropes, and it doesn't ruin the novel a bit.
Like other reviewers, there could definitely be much more here. I would have loved to see more background on Annmarie, more of the other superheroes, and even more about TJ's children. Of course, I just greedily want more of all of it, and it's a shame that Diaz didn't go on to write further.
Like other reviewers, there could definitely be much more here. I would have loved to see more background on Annmarie, more of the other superheroes, and even more about TJ's children. Of course, I just greedily want more of all of it, and it's a shame that Diaz didn't go on to write further.
September 5, 2016
Despite The Superheroes Union: Dynama being only 89 pages, Ruth Diaz does a great job fleshing out TJ and Annmarie. Both women are fierce in their own right; TJ hits full on mama bear mode when she hears Singularity is out of prison and Annmarie does whatever it takes to help TJ with her kids and keep her home running. Annmarie grew up with two superheroes as parents and no powers of her own, so she’s all too familiar with what it’s like for children when their parents need to take off at a moment’s notice to save the day. While TJ may be an active superhero, everything she’s done in the seven years since she sent her ex to prison has been to keep her kids safe.
Full review: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/super...
Full review: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/super...
August 30, 2012
I loved the world of this book, and I liked the characters, but the whole thing seemed a bit blink-and-you'll-miss-it. Once it was over, I wanted the book to be twice as long, and it would have been nice to see the romance develop a little slower.
That being said, if the author writes any more books set in this universe, I'll read the hell out of them. Female POC superheroes? HELL TO THE YES.
That being said, if the author writes any more books set in this universe, I'll read the hell out of them. Female POC superheroes? HELL TO THE YES.
April 5, 2020
Looking for a book to satisfy the Read Harder challenge to read a romance starring a single parent, I found this title via the excellent Book Finder at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books (https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/). A superhero story, plus the romance and single parent angle, made this an irresistible choice. The premise is simple: superhero single mom hires nanny, superhero single mom and nanny find (and make, oo-la-la!) love, supervillain ex-husband breaks out of prison and seeks to get kids back, superhero battle ensues. It was a breezy read, with some fun worldbuilding around the messy domestic lives of the alter egos of heroes.
May 14, 2018
Everything I ever wanted from a superhero story and more. My only complaint? How did the author, editor, and proofreaders miss the fact that one character kept switching from Invincible Woman to Invisible Woman and back?
October 7, 2021
Sweet and straightforward. A light and pleasant afternoon of reading.
May 24, 2017
I am not a huge Superhero fan but this book was a lot of fun! I've been enjoying the twist in this genre writers are giving it. The romance was a bit quick for me but I'm partial to slow burns. Still very enjoyable.
September 10, 2012
Minimal Good vs. Evil + Lukewarm Romance = Bummer!
As with a few of the titles I've reviewed recently I find myself citing the blurb as giving a great enough gist of the plot I don't have to summarize it myself. In boiled down basics THE SUPERHEROES UNION: DYNAMA's blurb lays it out. Former superhero mom, evil ex-husband-slash-arch-enemy father of her twin kids, babysitter to the rescue, romance, superhero custody battle, neat and tidy ending. Except that the ex isn't really all that evil, the babysitter spends more time ogling the mom's breasts and whining about her childhood than being really useful, and the mom herself seems very detached from it all.
I'm a geek for anything superhero related and thought I'd be getting something a little more Sky High or The Incredibles-ish with the family element. What I got was a pair of heroines I found very dislikable. Annmarie is bland, whiny, and well, what we geeks call a Mary-Sue. TJ has so many names, nicknames, and aliases (Heidi, Hidden Hand, Dynama, Terry, etc.) I was constantly confused who was being referred to. When I could figure it it was TJ who was being spoken of I found her to be completely 2 dimensional. There was a lot of telling the reader she cared about her kids and not a lot of showing. More dumbfounding to me was how TJ and Annmarie never had a moment of sorting out the girl-girl attraction, since TJ had obviously been married to a guy I expected there to be at least a moment where it would be noted between them that she was bisexual. (Yes, I admit this was my first lesbian romance so maybe I just don't know how these things are supposed to be done but it felt contrived to me personally because there was never any discussion of the matter).
The whole evil ex part of the plot was so slow and boring up until the end I almost didn't finish it. I honestly think this should have been a plot for an actual superhero comic book because it read like one without the pictures to pull it along. I honestly didn't want to review TSU:D because I felt guilty for not liking it and really don't want readers to think it had anything to do with it being a GLBT romance. I was actually thrilled to try a lesbian romance finally but found it lacked in the areas I would dislike whether the couple were m/m, f/m, or f/f, orientation really didn't matter here, unlikable characters and a lackluster plot just didn't sell me.
If you're looking for a superhero romance (as I was) I'd suggest a pass on this one. There's just too much focus on the politics of being a superhero and the couple are too unlikable as individuals to enjoy as romantic interests. If you're a fan of lesbian romance already you might like it but I honestly have no basis for comparison yet so I can't be a fair judge.
***Review copy received via NetGalley.
As with a few of the titles I've reviewed recently I find myself citing the blurb as giving a great enough gist of the plot I don't have to summarize it myself. In boiled down basics THE SUPERHEROES UNION: DYNAMA's blurb lays it out. Former superhero mom, evil ex-husband-slash-arch-enemy father of her twin kids, babysitter to the rescue, romance, superhero custody battle, neat and tidy ending. Except that the ex isn't really all that evil, the babysitter spends more time ogling the mom's breasts and whining about her childhood than being really useful, and the mom herself seems very detached from it all.
I'm a geek for anything superhero related and thought I'd be getting something a little more Sky High or The Incredibles-ish with the family element. What I got was a pair of heroines I found very dislikable. Annmarie is bland, whiny, and well, what we geeks call a Mary-Sue. TJ has so many names, nicknames, and aliases (Heidi, Hidden Hand, Dynama, Terry, etc.) I was constantly confused who was being referred to. When I could figure it it was TJ who was being spoken of I found her to be completely 2 dimensional. There was a lot of telling the reader she cared about her kids and not a lot of showing. More dumbfounding to me was how TJ and Annmarie never had a moment of sorting out the girl-girl attraction, since TJ had obviously been married to a guy I expected there to be at least a moment where it would be noted between them that she was bisexual. (Yes, I admit this was my first lesbian romance so maybe I just don't know how these things are supposed to be done but it felt contrived to me personally because there was never any discussion of the matter).
The whole evil ex part of the plot was so slow and boring up until the end I almost didn't finish it. I honestly think this should have been a plot for an actual superhero comic book because it read like one without the pictures to pull it along. I honestly didn't want to review TSU:D because I felt guilty for not liking it and really don't want readers to think it had anything to do with it being a GLBT romance. I was actually thrilled to try a lesbian romance finally but found it lacked in the areas I would dislike whether the couple were m/m, f/m, or f/f, orientation really didn't matter here, unlikable characters and a lackluster plot just didn't sell me.
If you're looking for a superhero romance (as I was) I'd suggest a pass on this one. There's just too much focus on the politics of being a superhero and the couple are too unlikable as individuals to enjoy as romantic interests. If you're a fan of lesbian romance already you might like it but I honestly have no basis for comparison yet so I can't be a fair judge.
***Review copy received via NetGalley.
August 30, 2012
(Crossposted from my review journal; sorry for any repetition with other reviews.)
Dynama, in the title, refers to the former superhero alter-ego of TJ Gutierrez, who retired the name and the yellow spandex costume when her ex-husband went to Superhero Prison for becoming a burgeoning supervillain. Jon, aka Singularity, was a gravity-controlling hero with the best of intentions, but he had some pretty evil actions to go with them. TJ wanted to protect her infant twins after he went away, so she gave up Dynama in favour of becoming "The Hidden Hand", whose superhero gimmick is that you never see her -- she blends in, using her telekinetic powers remotely to help rescue people and prevent havoc.
The story opens, more or less, with her ex breaking out of prison, and concerns TJ's efforts to protect her kids, Marisol and Esteban, from their supervillain father who wants custody. Enter Annemarie, the nanny hired by the Superheroes Union to look after the twins while TJ tries to hunt Jon down. Annemarie is the child of superheroes from pre-union days and has spent most of her time trying to avoid "metas" in general, but she and TJ have instant chemistry.
It has a lot of interesting worldbuilding. In this version of the world, superheroes have a union and certain legal and financial protection, but it's also obvious the setup is fairly new. It doesn't go overboard with the details -- there was an opportunity here to just build and build and build, but fortunately that doesn't happen. Enough hints are dropped to give a fairly accurate portrait of the world TJ lives in without overwhelming the reader.
The only complaint I had is that the story moves very fast -- there's not a lot of time in-story between meeting, falling for each other, and the climax. Some of the initial attraction is a little jarring because of the speed at which it moves. But on the other hand that's not really uncommon for the genre, and nothing I wouldn't handwave away in a movie romcom or even in a longer novel than this.
It's an imaginative adventure story with deft romance and good porn thrown in, and the interpersonal dynamics otherwise -- Jon's pursuit of his kids, their reaction to his presence, the way TJ tries to deal with him and protect her children -- rings very true. If you like superheroes and reading about the way they interact with society, it's a great read.
Dynama, in the title, refers to the former superhero alter-ego of TJ Gutierrez, who retired the name and the yellow spandex costume when her ex-husband went to Superhero Prison for becoming a burgeoning supervillain. Jon, aka Singularity, was a gravity-controlling hero with the best of intentions, but he had some pretty evil actions to go with them. TJ wanted to protect her infant twins after he went away, so she gave up Dynama in favour of becoming "The Hidden Hand", whose superhero gimmick is that you never see her -- she blends in, using her telekinetic powers remotely to help rescue people and prevent havoc.
The story opens, more or less, with her ex breaking out of prison, and concerns TJ's efforts to protect her kids, Marisol and Esteban, from their supervillain father who wants custody. Enter Annemarie, the nanny hired by the Superheroes Union to look after the twins while TJ tries to hunt Jon down. Annemarie is the child of superheroes from pre-union days and has spent most of her time trying to avoid "metas" in general, but she and TJ have instant chemistry.
It has a lot of interesting worldbuilding. In this version of the world, superheroes have a union and certain legal and financial protection, but it's also obvious the setup is fairly new. It doesn't go overboard with the details -- there was an opportunity here to just build and build and build, but fortunately that doesn't happen. Enough hints are dropped to give a fairly accurate portrait of the world TJ lives in without overwhelming the reader.
The only complaint I had is that the story moves very fast -- there's not a lot of time in-story between meeting, falling for each other, and the climax. Some of the initial attraction is a little jarring because of the speed at which it moves. But on the other hand that's not really uncommon for the genre, and nothing I wouldn't handwave away in a movie romcom or even in a longer novel than this.
It's an imaginative adventure story with deft romance and good porn thrown in, and the interpersonal dynamics otherwise -- Jon's pursuit of his kids, their reaction to his presence, the way TJ tries to deal with him and protect her children -- rings very true. If you like superheroes and reading about the way they interact with society, it's a great read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2012
This was actually a fun read although I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if it had been longer. I would have liked a bit more time to see the main pair together and make the relationship a bit more believable.
TJ is a former superhero that now stays undercover but still works on behalf of the superheroes union. She has a lot on her plate with her day job and as the mother of twins. She is undercover and well hidden due to her now ex-husband being under lock and key for turning to the evil side. He unfortunately has escaped and in order for her to work on getting him back in prison so her kids will be safe she has to hire a babysitter.
Annmarie is the non-superpowered kid of superhero parents who takes the job sitting TJ's kids. She isn't too fond of the whole superhero lifestyle since she basically was left to raise herself and not be seen or heard. She doesn't have a lot of nice thoughts but finds out really quickly that TJ is not like her parents but really loves her kids and wants them to have the most normal life possible. She ends up moving in with TJ to help keep the kids safe and to provide assistance as needed to the woman she not only respects from a parenting standpoint but is also highly attracted to.
The relationship between the two women heats up very quickly due to the danger they are both in and progresses to love a little fast for my taste. I enjoyed the glimpses of how superheroes are treated in this world and will look out for more in this series just due to the novelty of an organized union for both superheroes and meta-humans. It was fun and quick with some fairly stereotypical good/bad guy types but the campiness is balanced by a good core conflict.
Thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.
TJ is a former superhero that now stays undercover but still works on behalf of the superheroes union. She has a lot on her plate with her day job and as the mother of twins. She is undercover and well hidden due to her now ex-husband being under lock and key for turning to the evil side. He unfortunately has escaped and in order for her to work on getting him back in prison so her kids will be safe she has to hire a babysitter.
Annmarie is the non-superpowered kid of superhero parents who takes the job sitting TJ's kids. She isn't too fond of the whole superhero lifestyle since she basically was left to raise herself and not be seen or heard. She doesn't have a lot of nice thoughts but finds out really quickly that TJ is not like her parents but really loves her kids and wants them to have the most normal life possible. She ends up moving in with TJ to help keep the kids safe and to provide assistance as needed to the woman she not only respects from a parenting standpoint but is also highly attracted to.
The relationship between the two women heats up very quickly due to the danger they are both in and progresses to love a little fast for my taste. I enjoyed the glimpses of how superheroes are treated in this world and will look out for more in this series just due to the novelty of an organized union for both superheroes and meta-humans. It was fun and quick with some fairly stereotypical good/bad guy types but the campiness is balanced by a good core conflict.
Thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 16, 2012
A romantic bisexual superhero adventure, The Superheroes Union: Dynama is a wonderfully fun piece of fiction from Ruth Diaz. The basic premise is as crazy as it is original - when her supervillian ex-husband escapes from prison, a retired superhero is forced to break out the spandex once again, leaving her kids with a nanny who specializes in superhero families . . . and with whom she falls in love.
What I loved most about the tale is the fact that Diaz doesn't try to recreate the feel of a superhero comic book adventure. Hers is very much a story of people, emotions, relationships, and (most importantly) consequences. She looks at the very human awkwardness of a messy divorce, and the equally human awkwardness of a new relationship, all within the context of a world where superpowers are a fact of life, not a driving force. There's are no grand schemes of world domination to thwart, just relationships to be resolved or mended.
TJ/Dynama is a wonderfully complex character, one who makes you believe that a woman can be a wife, a mother, and a superhero all rolled into one. She's neither perfect nor infallible, and makes the same bad kind of decisions any of us could make. As for Annemarie, the first word that comes to mind when I think of her is 'cute'. She is just such an adorable character, she actually comes across as less authentic than her superpowered lover, which may not have been an intentional twist, but one that I enjoyed.
Overall, this was a quick, fun, feel-good read, and one with a happy ending that still leaves room for more stories in Diaz's world.
As published on Bending the Bookshelf
What I loved most about the tale is the fact that Diaz doesn't try to recreate the feel of a superhero comic book adventure. Hers is very much a story of people, emotions, relationships, and (most importantly) consequences. She looks at the very human awkwardness of a messy divorce, and the equally human awkwardness of a new relationship, all within the context of a world where superpowers are a fact of life, not a driving force. There's are no grand schemes of world domination to thwart, just relationships to be resolved or mended.
TJ/Dynama is a wonderfully complex character, one who makes you believe that a woman can be a wife, a mother, and a superhero all rolled into one. She's neither perfect nor infallible, and makes the same bad kind of decisions any of us could make. As for Annemarie, the first word that comes to mind when I think of her is 'cute'. She is just such an adorable character, she actually comes across as less authentic than her superpowered lover, which may not have been an intentional twist, but one that I enjoyed.
Overall, this was a quick, fun, feel-good read, and one with a happy ending that still leaves room for more stories in Diaz's world.
As published on Bending the Bookshelf
August 6, 2012
3 1/2 stars. TJ Gutierrez --aka Dynama, aka The Hidden Hand -- may be a superhero but she's not supermom. When her ex/arch-nemesis Singularity escapes from supervillains jail, she knows he's going to come after their twins, and she can't take care of them and take care of him at the same time. So she hires Annemarie, a disturbingly attractive nanny whose only power is a super immune system.
Annemarie is as competent as she is cute, and her nurturing extends to TJ as well. It feels good to be the one being taken care of for a change -- but of course it would be wrong to make a move on an employee. Meanwhile, Annemarie is just as interested, but also hesitant: the lonely daughter of two superheroes, she thinks to herself, "that kind of thing never works out -- they run off and save the world. It's just what they do. She'll never stay for you."
Set in an "Incredibles" type world where some people are born with paranormal abilities, this is a fun, quick read. (The world-building isn't especially original, but in the novella format that might be just as well; it's easy to step into this world and get what's going on.) TJ's power is levitation, and she uses it for tasks as various as defeating a giant shark on legs and keeping a sick child's vomit aloft until a bowl can be placed under it. There's some chilling suspense when Dynama and Singularity duke it out, but little angst to the romance, just two grown-up people falling in love under far less than ideal circumstances.
(reviewed from eArc provided by netGalley)
Annemarie is as competent as she is cute, and her nurturing extends to TJ as well. It feels good to be the one being taken care of for a change -- but of course it would be wrong to make a move on an employee. Meanwhile, Annemarie is just as interested, but also hesitant: the lonely daughter of two superheroes, she thinks to herself, "that kind of thing never works out -- they run off and save the world. It's just what they do. She'll never stay for you."
Set in an "Incredibles" type world where some people are born with paranormal abilities, this is a fun, quick read. (The world-building isn't especially original, but in the novella format that might be just as well; it's easy to step into this world and get what's going on.) TJ's power is levitation, and she uses it for tasks as various as defeating a giant shark on legs and keeping a sick child's vomit aloft until a bowl can be placed under it. There's some chilling suspense when Dynama and Singularity duke it out, but little angst to the romance, just two grown-up people falling in love under far less than ideal circumstances.
(reviewed from eArc provided by netGalley)
July 20, 2012
This really gets a 3.5 but there's no half star rating on here so I've marked it as a 3.
TJ secretly helps the Superheroes Union with some stuff - as long as her identity gets kept safe - as she holds down a full time job and is a full time mum. But when she hears that her ex has broken out of prison, she calls in the help of a nanny - a nanny that only works with superheroes kids so she knows the importance of keeping secrets. What neither of them counted on was falling for each other. TJ has to capture her ex before he discovers where she and the kids stay, luckily she has a few superhero friends who are willing to help.
When I read the blurb for this, I automatically thought of The Incredibles. It's similar in the fact that it shows superheroes in their normal lives as they try to keep their real identities secret - except TJ is actually the opposite, she keeps her superhero identity secret. I really liked the characters in this - TJ will put nothing before her kids (which is what every parent should do) whereas some superheroes will put superheroing (what?) in front of their kids. I liked that Annmarie is a superhero offspring with no super powers of her own - she helps the kids deal with stuff that no one else can explain, mainly why secrets must be kept secret.
Definitely a must read and I'll be keeping an eye out for sequels - which I'm hoping will follow a different superhero each book.
TJ secretly helps the Superheroes Union with some stuff - as long as her identity gets kept safe - as she holds down a full time job and is a full time mum. But when she hears that her ex has broken out of prison, she calls in the help of a nanny - a nanny that only works with superheroes kids so she knows the importance of keeping secrets. What neither of them counted on was falling for each other. TJ has to capture her ex before he discovers where she and the kids stay, luckily she has a few superhero friends who are willing to help.
When I read the blurb for this, I automatically thought of The Incredibles. It's similar in the fact that it shows superheroes in their normal lives as they try to keep their real identities secret - except TJ is actually the opposite, she keeps her superhero identity secret. I really liked the characters in this - TJ will put nothing before her kids (which is what every parent should do) whereas some superheroes will put superheroing (what?) in front of their kids. I liked that Annmarie is a superhero offspring with no super powers of her own - she helps the kids deal with stuff that no one else can explain, mainly why secrets must be kept secret.
Definitely a must read and I'll be keeping an eye out for sequels - which I'm hoping will follow a different superhero each book.
September 9, 2012
The premise of this book really caught my attention and I couldn't wait to read it. Overall, the story and charcaters are interesting, but, it needs more pages. The romance between TJ and Annemarie needed more build-up, it kind of felt like they were just thrown together. Flasbacks of TJ and Jon's relationship would have been a wonderful way to give us more of an idea of both the superhero's and villian's character. I kind of felt like everything was glossed over and this book could use a good fleshing out.
The book could also use another once over from an editor. There were times when I had to go back and reread because I was unsure who was talking or who's point of view something was from. Also, during the second romantic scene TJ starts off wearing cutoff jeans and a tank in the kitchen and by the time they reach the bedroom she's wearing a blouse and slacks.
As I said, I really liked the idea for this story and despite it's problems I did enjoy reading it. I would give this author another another go.
The book could also use another once over from an editor. There were times when I had to go back and reread because I was unsure who was talking or who's point of view something was from. Also, during the second romantic scene TJ starts off wearing cutoff jeans and a tank in the kitchen and by the time they reach the bedroom she's wearing a blouse and slacks.
As I said, I really liked the idea for this story and despite it's problems I did enjoy reading it. I would give this author another another go.
March 5, 2016
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
This novella was so much fun! It's a play on half a dozen stereotypes and clichés, and they're all done so well, and with such a lighthearted approach, that this story is just a blast to read.
Dynama a novel about superheroes, and I'm not just talking about the kind that wear spandex. I feel like F/F novels rarely focus on being a mother and on the importance of parenting, so it was refreshing to read a novel with two women whose sole focus is on protecting the children in their care.
It was the only superpower Annmarie had ever wanted, and it was its own kind of magic.
Read the full review on Just Love Romance!
July 2, 2014
I truly don't like superhero stories, and this one didn't change my mind about that. Nonetheless, Ruth Diaz somehow managed to take a silly setting and a dorky plot, and in the middle of them place characters who are warmly human, with appealing emotional vulnerabilities; there's sweet romantic chemistry and children I can actually care about: I call this quite an accomplishment, although perhaps having achieved it in spite of the aforementioned handicaps of ridiculousness makes it seem more of an accomplishment than it is. Another problem with the book is that it's too short, with the women falling into lasting love almost instantly; there's a lack of substance to support anything longer, though. Rated three stars for being far more appealing than it ought to be with all its flaws.
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April 6, 2013Superhero TJ Guiterrez's supervillain ex just busted out of jail and is probably headed straight for their kids, complicating TJ's budding romance with Amber, the nanny the Superheroes Union sent to take care of her kids. Diaz clearly has great love for the superhero genre, while offering a lot of things it doesn't usually consider: Bisexual Latina superheroes! Unionization! Childcare benefits! The recognition of the constraints of childcare on women! This is a novella rather than a novel and could probably have used some expansion, but it's fun. I hope there's a sequel about TJ's friend Vincy aka The Invincible Woman.
February 15, 2016
More books like this, please! (F/F superhero/nonhero romance)
It's shorter than I tend to prefer (and therefore contains fewer layers/twists), but it was excellent: just the right amount of action, with a nifty premise. I do hope there are sequels eventually. (But there's no cliffhanger, so go read it.)
It's shorter than I tend to prefer (and therefore contains fewer layers/twists), but it was excellent: just the right amount of action, with a nifty premise. I do hope there are sequels eventually. (But there's no cliffhanger, so go read it.)
November 19, 2016
An enjoyable superhero read. I liked the interactions between heroes especially the little nicknames (for example, The Invincible Woman is Vincy and Gear Girl is Gigi) it makes the whole thing seem more real. I would love to see more of this series, will there ever be a #2.
Recommended for fans of superhero books and anyone looking for a good not too long read.
Recommended for fans of superhero books and anyone looking for a good not too long read.
August 23, 2012
I picked this up because it was cheap and the concept was interesting. I can't say the concept completely succeeded in the execution - comics are such a visual medium, and not everything survived in the translation to novella format - but it was such a fun, cute read that I didn't care.
February 18, 2013
This was a fun little book that has a lot of conflict stemming naturally from the characters and their day-to-day lives. It's fun to see the very mundane challenges of being a working parent recast in the context of having superpowers.
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