***A complimentary copy of this read was furnished by author in exchange for a review***
Mattia, the least in a family of immortal, alpha assassins is preparing to step into the family business. After an inkling of the target's identity, the reader is swept into his memory of that first assignment and earning his assassin moniker, Rogue.
As Mattia awaits the contract details, he cleverly maneuvers a designated 'fall' guy in place. He seamlessly arranges a life for his false identity by establishing friendships and allowing his charm to magnetize the fairer sex and to thwart suspicious whispers aimed his way after the deed is done. But the agreed upon contract upsets Mattia's carefully laid plans and causes unrest in the family business.
Fast forward twp hundred years land Mattia has become the assassin Rogue. He's bored with his immortal lot in life, but dutifully carries out his contracted assignments. When he meets his latest target's assistant, Lissie Renaud, Rogue is overwhelmed by a sense of deja vu.
Lissie appears to be the reincarnation of Rogue's long dead lady love. The most delectably irresistible and intriguing female he ever met. To say Rogue is smitten is an understatement as the longer he's around Lissie, the more he discovers similarities between the women. Lissie, too, is overwhelmed because she doesn't date and is out of her element when she's not working but finds Mattia easy to be with.
Definitely not disappointed, this reader was surprised romance seemed to propel this well paced foundation story. I enjoyed the triangle, and Rogue's desire but wasn't clear if he really understood his own situation. Though the writing style was formal and stilted for this reader's taste and caused a couple of false starts, it was fitting, though I would have appreciated more depth in the leads.
This reader's opinions on the read vary as much as the elements of the read. It dares the reader to pigeonhole it on a shelf. The immortality fits into PNR, UF, Fantasy or Sci-Fi; the speed of the romance was as quick as a PNR; the romance itself is both historical and contemporary and; the different locations are part travelogue, not to mention a bit of suspense, mystery, etc.
I liked but didn't love this installment. A new author captured this cynical reader's imagination with the right amount of characters and a terrific storyline. My curiosity is tweaked enough so that I want to know more about several characters and will watch for more of her work. Overall, this was an interesting enough read to classify it an enjoyable couple of hours on the window seat or at the beach.
Rating: 4stars