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Bouncing Back
Being a supervillain is easy. Being a hero has costs.
When Elam Bentley, formerly known as the infamous supervillain Rubber Bandit, agreed to enter the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project to train to be a hero, he didn't realize the sacrifices he'd have to make. Faced with teammates who don't trust him, former villains who see him as a traitor, and the prospect of making restitution for his past misdeeds, Elam doubts he has the ability to stick to the hero path. Knowing that his team leader, stressed out single mom Rightcross, has put everything on the line to back his rehabilitation, raises the stakes even higher. He can't let her down.
An investigation of slot machine manipulation leads to a tangled conspiracy ... and to someone targeting Rightcross and her team. Elam might be new to the hero world, but he knows how to think like a villain. He might just be the key to unraveling the mystery and keeping Rightcross and her daughter safe—if only he can keep himself from falling for her in the process.
When Elam Bentley, formerly known as the infamous supervillain Rubber Bandit, agreed to enter the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project to train to be a hero, he didn't realize the sacrifices he'd have to make. Faced with teammates who don't trust him, former villains who see him as a traitor, and the prospect of making restitution for his past misdeeds, Elam doubts he has the ability to stick to the hero path. Knowing that his team leader, stressed out single mom Rightcross, has put everything on the line to back his rehabilitation, raises the stakes even higher. He can't let her down.
An investigation of slot machine manipulation leads to a tangled conspiracy ... and to someone targeting Rightcross and her team. Elam might be new to the hero world, but he knows how to think like a villain. He might just be the key to unraveling the mystery and keeping Rightcross and her daughter safe—if only he can keep himself from falling for her in the process.
248 pages, Paperback
Published December 27, 2025
7 people want to read
About the author
Amber Gabriel
20 books80 followersEver since I was a little girl, I have loved to read. One of the first books I remember reading was a Wonder Book version of Cinderella. It was in the reading station in my kindergarten class, and I loved the illustrations. I would pick that book out every time, so my teacher finally removed it from the shelf to force me to expand my horizons. Now I have my own copy.
Another book that influenced me very early on was Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy World. It told a story of two creative painters who painted a mural of a large sun inside someone’s house. I thought the idea was genius, so I drew a large sunshine on my wall with crayon. It was scrubbed off, but I continued to have a desire to express myself artistically.
In middle school, I enjoyed writing, and my English teacher told me I would write a book someday. I loved to read, sometimes reading late into the night. When I was not reading, I was making up stories in my head for my own amusement, but I never wrote them down. I was more interested in drawing and painting than writing. I have since painted numerous works of art, including some very large outdoor murals. You can see some of them if you do an internet search of Paint by Amber.
Over the years, I have had a lot of trouble with insomnia. I had heard that if you write down your ideas, it will help you to be able to go to sleep. That didn’t help, but I did end up writing some complete novels. Recently, I was diagnosed with narcolepsy, and understanding my sleep patterns, along with scheduling at least one nap during the day, has greatly improved my quality of life. The line between dreaming and wakefulness for me is sometimes blurred, and some of my ideas come straight from my dreams. Others are worked out while I’m lying in bed unable to sleep. It was fun to type them out, and I am planning to continue writing.
My goal as an author is to write the type of books that I would like to read. My favorite genre is fantasy fiction, and I read and write books that tackle difficult issues but resolve themselves into a happy ending. I hope you enjoy my stories and characters as much as I do.
Another book that influenced me very early on was Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy World. It told a story of two creative painters who painted a mural of a large sun inside someone’s house. I thought the idea was genius, so I drew a large sunshine on my wall with crayon. It was scrubbed off, but I continued to have a desire to express myself artistically.
In middle school, I enjoyed writing, and my English teacher told me I would write a book someday. I loved to read, sometimes reading late into the night. When I was not reading, I was making up stories in my head for my own amusement, but I never wrote them down. I was more interested in drawing and painting than writing. I have since painted numerous works of art, including some very large outdoor murals. You can see some of them if you do an internet search of Paint by Amber.
Over the years, I have had a lot of trouble with insomnia. I had heard that if you write down your ideas, it will help you to be able to go to sleep. That didn’t help, but I did end up writing some complete novels. Recently, I was diagnosed with narcolepsy, and understanding my sleep patterns, along with scheduling at least one nap during the day, has greatly improved my quality of life. The line between dreaming and wakefulness for me is sometimes blurred, and some of my ideas come straight from my dreams. Others are worked out while I’m lying in bed unable to sleep. It was fun to type them out, and I am planning to continue writing.
My goal as an author is to write the type of books that I would like to read. My favorite genre is fantasy fiction, and I read and write books that tackle difficult issues but resolve themselves into a happy ending. I hope you enjoy my stories and characters as much as I do.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 21, 2025
Amber Gabriel's newest Novel is part of the SVR Superhero Universe originated by H.L. Burke.
Bouncing Back returns to The former Rubber Bandit as he enters into the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project. This is probably the most religious leaning book in the entire universe. It shows the way Elam's thoughts and feelings have changed since getting on the right side of the law.
This story was so heartfelt and funny. It even has a cute kid with a dog.
While this novel gives Elam a pretty solid conclusion., I sincerely hope Amber Gabriel continues to write in this super powered universe.
Bouncing Back returns to The former Rubber Bandit as he enters into the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project. This is probably the most religious leaning book in the entire universe. It shows the way Elam's thoughts and feelings have changed since getting on the right side of the law.
This story was so heartfelt and funny. It even has a cute kid with a dog.
While this novel gives Elam a pretty solid conclusion., I sincerely hope Amber Gabriel continues to write in this super powered universe.
November 1, 2025
Technically, I'm the publisher of this, but it really captures the essence of the universe and takes you on a fun adventure with heartfelt moments and character growth.
December 28, 2025
Bouncing Back was the perfect conclusion to Elam's story!
Elam has come a long way from where we first meet him. His rehabilitation is well underway, but he is still holding onto an exit plan. As he works with the team, including a veteran team member he has fought against in the past, he struggles to fully believe that he can make this thing work, and with his growing attraction for his boss.
Chris only recently became team leader, and while the promotion should mean bright things for her future, she has a lot on her plate. A daughter with a rare type of epilepsy, a team that is inexperienced, a supervillain on the loose who feels impossible to track down, DOSA breathing down her neck to crack the case, and her romantic feelings that she's in denial of is a lot for anyone to deal with.
I love how Elam's relationship with Chris develops! They are so well suited for each other. Elam is so sweet and respectful of Chris's boundaries, both with herself and her daughter. Their powers compliment each other's perfectly. Bonus: he is great with kids!
There are faith themes, and it's probably the most Christian book in the SVR universe. These themes feel very natural and authentic.
I was given an advance copy, and these are my honest thoughts.
Elam has come a long way from where we first meet him. His rehabilitation is well underway, but he is still holding onto an exit plan. As he works with the team, including a veteran team member he has fought against in the past, he struggles to fully believe that he can make this thing work, and with his growing attraction for his boss.
Chris only recently became team leader, and while the promotion should mean bright things for her future, she has a lot on her plate. A daughter with a rare type of epilepsy, a team that is inexperienced, a supervillain on the loose who feels impossible to track down, DOSA breathing down her neck to crack the case, and her romantic feelings that she's in denial of is a lot for anyone to deal with.
I love how Elam's relationship with Chris develops! They are so well suited for each other. Elam is so sweet and respectful of Chris's boundaries, both with herself and her daughter. Their powers compliment each other's perfectly. Bonus: he is great with kids!
There are faith themes, and it's probably the most Christian book in the SVR universe. These themes feel very natural and authentic.
I was given an advance copy, and these are my honest thoughts.
December 26, 2025
Another fun superhero adventure from this author! As an early aside, I hope Amber writes more superhero stories (whether in Heidi’s universe or in her own) because she’s really good at action and characterization and balancing them incredibly well. This one also has a cute romance and faith conversations that never come off as preachy or being shoehorned in, which I really liked and appreciated.
Elam has definitely grown on me over the course of these two books and I especially loved his interactions with Chris’s daughter. Chris was great too along with the rest of their team who I really enjoyed getting to know.
A solid ending to this duology with a hopeful beginning for more collabs like this in the future!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: an ex verbally gaslights/puts down another character; a child has epilepsy and a few on and off page seizures
Language: gah; heck; prick; crap; dang it; screw up; suck; hell (as a place)
Violence: fighting with weapons, superpowers, hand to hand (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a bomb goes off inside a building with a person inside (not detailed)
Sexual: a character feels sexy; a woman’s called hot; mild suggestive hints/comments; kissing (not detailed)
Alcohol/Drugs: characters drink
Other: superheroes/supervillains/superpowers; death and grief; an ex verbally gaslights/puts down another character; a child has epilepsy and a few on and off page seizures
****Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜****
Elam has definitely grown on me over the course of these two books and I especially loved his interactions with Chris’s daughter. Chris was great too along with the rest of their team who I really enjoyed getting to know.
A solid ending to this duology with a hopeful beginning for more collabs like this in the future!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: an ex verbally gaslights/puts down another character; a child has epilepsy and a few on and off page seizures
Language: gah; heck; prick; crap; dang it; screw up; suck; hell (as a place)
Violence: fighting with weapons, superpowers, hand to hand (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a bomb goes off inside a building with a person inside (not detailed)
Sexual: a character feels sexy; a woman’s called hot; mild suggestive hints/comments; kissing (not detailed)
Alcohol/Drugs: characters drink
Other: superheroes/supervillains/superpowers; death and grief; an ex verbally gaslights/puts down another character; a child has epilepsy and a few on and off page seizures
****Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜****
November 2, 2025
This book was one of my favorite I read this year!!! One of the main characters Elam has an amazing redemption arc as he learns to be one of the good guys. It has a cute love story and will keep you turning pages!! (I had the privilege of Beta Reading the story!!)
Want to read
November 2, 2025Gotta read this!
January 1, 2026
Bouncing Back completes Elam Bentley's redemption arc - he's finishing his stint in the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project by serving a one-year term on the Reno team. If he gets through this, he'll be a full-fledged hero. If he doesn't, well, it's back to jail. He has his work cut out to earn the trust of the team, though. And his attraction to his team leader, single mom Rightcross, isn't helping matters.
I'm not sure what I thought about this one. I enjoyed Stretched Thin, and I think Bentley is a fun character with much to root for, but for some reason, Bouncing Back didn't quite hit the spot. There was a lot going on with the DOSA team, along with a child with epilepsy, and everything just felt a little messy going between the POVs of Rightcross and Elam.
The gospel message was also a bit more explicit and in your face than other SVR books, so it felt a bit odd.
At any rate, it was still a fun read!
I'm not sure what I thought about this one. I enjoyed Stretched Thin, and I think Bentley is a fun character with much to root for, but for some reason, Bouncing Back didn't quite hit the spot. There was a lot going on with the DOSA team, along with a child with epilepsy, and everything just felt a little messy going between the POVs of Rightcross and Elam.
The gospel message was also a bit more explicit and in your face than other SVR books, so it felt a bit odd.
At any rate, it was still a fun read!
December 27, 2025
A cute romance with plenty of action, heart and humour finishing Elam's solid, believable redemption arc. I think it has a stronger religious (Christian) leaning than the other books in the SVR world but remains light enough not to be a turn off to the non-devout reader. It is a great finish to the Rubber Bandit's story.
I received an ARC and voluntarily leave an honest review.
I received an ARC and voluntarily leave an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews