Salvation

The Anomaly #4

by Anna Hackett

John Brown can never forget that he was once the power-hungry crime lord, Gabriel Leven. He’s carved out a calm life for himself on the island of Haven—sanctuary for anomalies with powerful abilities—even though he knows they don’t trust him. Then he wakes chained in a secret underground lab. He feels the ghost of his past threatening to rise and his only hope is a feminine voice in the darkness.

Alternate Cover Edition for ASIN: B00FXWWSA0

Genres: Romance, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Science Fiction Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Ebooks

67 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2013

About the author

I’m a USA Today bestselling romance author who’s passionate about fast-paced, emotion-filled romantic suspense and science-fiction romance. I love writing about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals. I like to believe it’s possible for all of us to do the same.

I love hearing from readers and you can find me on Facebook, Instagram and my website: www.annahackett.com

Reviews

[Blacky *Romance Addict*]

You know, sometimes bad guys just shouldn't get their own books. It all depends of the level of evil someone is.
This guy here, he was evil. I don't give a crap about his childhood problems, bu-hu.
Someone who deals with human-trafficking, gun trafficking, murder, experiments and torture of countless people, forcing others to kill for you and I don't even know what else...
No. Nope. No matter how hard he cried for what he did. Cry away moron.

[Just Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

We don’t get much, and yet I get so many different feelings and I just liked it a lot.

John Brown nailed it.
I knew there was a reason why I like roses😂

Read: 15/09/2021
1st rating: 3.75 stars
Genre/tropes: Sci-fi/romance/action
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Dual -3rd person (John & Eve)
Will I recommend: Yes

[AvidReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this action filled romance.
Recommended.

[Maida (Medley of Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

RATING: 2.5 Hearts!

[Eleni Konstantine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion to The Anomaly series. The character of John is kind, gentle, grave and strong. But he didn't always used to be. Eve is feisty and longing for freedom and has a hell of a secret.

A book about identity, guilt, and second chances as well as trust and belonging. Oh and let's not forget the passionate sex.

I enjoyed the fact that John got a story.

Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this didn't affect the star rating.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last book in the series (so far as I know), and the big bad finds love. This story takes place a while after the previous one, and the new John Brown is the hero. He's a great guy, but occasionally has glimpses of his previous evil self. He awakens finding that he had been captured by someone who hated his former self. He also meets and is very attracted to, a woman who has a lot of spirit and strength. Their relationship grows very quickly. The physical part was believable as a reaction to the ordeal they were going through. The emotional part was perhaps accelerated due to that as well.

I was glad that they didn't just settle down and be happy as soon as they reached safety. Instead, there is some processing that has to happen. That helped make the relationship make more sense.

[Penelope · Rating 2 out of 5]

SALVATION, is the final book in Anna Hackett’s Anomaly series.

MY RATING GUIDE: 2 Stars. The series arc concludes with SALVATION. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy this book.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).

John Brown’s past is murky at best. His memories have been wiped and what he remembers isn’t good.

Eve is a Mind Raider. She has been captured for her powerful abilities a number of times yet managed to escape. But she finds herself a prisoner again. A new man, John, has just been placed in the cell next to her. Will Eve ever be free again?

Comments ~
1) SALVATION is bk 4 in this 4 bk series. It has an independent story with a HFN/HEA while also completes the series arc connecting the titles.
2) I thought this story seemed rushed. Also, John has had a memory “wipe” so how he was able to remember all the helpful information to keep them alive, I’m not sure since that wasn’t really explained. Yes, this a novella, so there is that. But still.
3) I didn’t feel enough information was shared about Eve to connect with her. She was simply a name. I didn’t connect with John either. He’s been the “terrible bad guy” for so long that believing he was the MC “good guy” was a difficult stretch for me. Actually, I would have been OK ending the series 1 title earlier.
4) I have read most of Hackett’s series. I believe this is an older series for her but I was curious and thought I’d check it out for fun. Guess I prefer several of her other series much more - Treasure Hunter Security, Phoenix Brother Adventures, Galactic Warriors, House of Rone, etc.

READER CAUTION ~ Not recommended to YA or to readers who prefer Clean fiction.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used occasionally.
VIOLENCE - PG-13.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Steamy scenes of intimacy occur and seemed rushed into the book, IMO.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Brown (aka Gabriel Leven) lives with the specter of his past crimes hanging over him. To be honest, I wasn't sure AT ALL if he'd be redeemable after all the pain and atrocities he dished out. But John isn't Gabriel. Having his soul stolen and his memories wipes effectively made him a new person. While he might not remember what he did, he remembers he did terrible things and he's kind of terrified of becoming that person again.

Nightmares, uncertainty, and fear make for poor bedfellows, methinks. And waking up chained to a table does not help with any of that.

Fortunately for him, he has (newly) untapped depths and a fellow captive who wants to escape just as much as he does. A few twists and turns and the two are on the run in the desert together and (as you can imagine) THINGS HAPPEN.

Sexy things. Rawr.

On Eve's end, she's just looking for her freedom. Finding it is only the start, though. She plans on keeping it no matter what. Finding out John, the dude she's been forced to rely on during their escape, is the infamous Gabe Leven does NOT go well.

A satisfying conclusion to the series with some smokin' hot desert sexy times. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Fiona McGier · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hugely disappointed in this, the 4th and last in the Anomaly series. I was so invested in the characters in the previous books, that I didn't want the person who achieves salvation, to get it. He didn't deserve it. And for him to also get a HEA of his own just didn't sit right with me. There is so little fairness in real life. I read fiction, especially romantic fiction, for the HEA and for the fact that the good are rewarded, and the evil are punished. That's not what happens in this book. You may enjoy it. I did not.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good ending to the series

So we finally find out what happened to Gabe Leven now that he's started a new life on Haven as John Brown. Since part of his memories stolen he's now a gardener on Haven. But has all the memories of his past deeds left? Or can they come back when he's kidnapped and on the run from another mad scientist named Keene? Can he find love with a woman who has all three anomalies?

[sharon e hochstetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

I like Eve. She fought hard and just wanted the freedom to choose. John is confused. He knows he was a very bad man. He is trying to be better. Fighting for a second chance. Eve will help him. Very good.

[Alyssa (HeartwyldsLibrary) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m DNFing this at 42%. I’m not here for an evil crime lord getting a redemption arc, thats a terrible choice. And I’m not here for the insta-lust of two people meeting and banging after only knowing each other for like an hour.

[Viktoria Hergovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, but good!

[Lindy Susan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

John & Eve

The last of the Anomaly Series. Great Books with lots of para normal paragraphs and many a Love story. Thank you ❤️🇨🇦

[MsRomanticReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salvation picked up around two years after book three.

I really liked John. Even with the prior knowledge of who and what he once was, the gentler side of him made me root for him especially during the times he was still being met with wariness. Everyone at Haven knew who he’d been, but meeting Eve was like a fresh start, a light to the dark and loneliness. Her compassion scared him because he didn’t think the new him could make up for his past sins or that he was deserving of happiness and forgiveness.

Eve was pretty amazing—tough, sexy, compassionate, bold. She had run away from home at fourteen and learned to fend for herself. She refused to see herself as a victim; she wanted to make her own choices and do what she wanted.

They had great sexual chemistry, and the sex scenes were scorching hot, primal, tinged with raw intensity. Although their closeness seemed a little rushed, it was believable because of Eve’s strong convictions about second chances being a clean slate, and she’d seen both sides of John—the terrifying one borne of flashbacks and nightmares, and the gentle one who tried to earn acceptance and forgiveness every day by doing good. When she learned about his full past, she was strong enough to make the distinction between past and present. It was very fitting to meld the meaning of her rose tattoos with John’s proclivity for gardening which brought the series to a very touching and satisfying ending.

My Kindle book ended at 78% followed by a preview of At Star’s End

Final Thoughts:

I started with book two by accident, but it still had me hooked, and while one or two things may not have been crystal clear to me, I wasn’t lost. I think you could read the first two books out of order, but I wouldn’t recommend doing that. While each story closes with a HEA for each couple, the main plot runs through all four books, and an important part of the overall story happens at the end of book three.

I really enjoyed the heck out of this series and the author’s voice. However, I think the series could have benefitted from a little more polishing up or an explanation of a few things.

The villain: I didn’t quite understand how a human was able to make these powerful beings do his bidding. He was quite vulnerable several times and could have easily been taken out. But more on that later.

Defenses: The defense against a mind raider was to avoid direct eye contact. The defense against a soul stealer was to avoid touch. The defense against a time thief was … nothing. How time thieves on both sides of good and evil didn’t milk that for all it was worth was beyond me.

To kill or not to kill: Leven and his scientists (aka team of Frankensteins) were replicating Nazi experiments, i.e. using humans and anomalies as guinea pigs. Considering he kept coming after Team Haven, it wasn’t explained why they didn’t take him out when they had the chance. Bay and Mara each had a chance to end him, yet they didn’t. The reason given was that they didn’t want to stoop to his level or be a killer. That made no sense to me at all.

Having said that about Leven, I let it go to read the full series, to see where it would go, and there was a good reason why he wasn’t dealt with sooner. With the last book in mind, it would have made more sense to have Leven escape each time rather than have the good guys look like they valued their own morals over the good of the masses.

I know this is science fiction, with an emphasis on fiction, and I’m not challenging the author’s prerogative to create the rules for her fictitious world. But for me personally, the questions/issues I had should have made sense in that world, and they just didn’t.

I will still continue to read more of this author’s work because at the time of posting this, I’m currently on book two of the Hell Squad series and loving the hell out of it.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd never thought that I would be rooting for the bad guy, but here I am doing exactly that. When I read the Anomaly Trilogy and came across Gabriel Leven (aka John Brown) I despised him as with any other villains. He was an evil and power-hungry crime lord who wanted to control and use anomalies for his own gain. Yet, something happened in Soul Stealer that changed how I felt about him. I felt sympathy for him and despite all the evil that he's done he kept popping up in my head and I wanted him to have a second chance...and a happily-ever-after too (yes, you heard right). Therefore, when I discovered that Salvation was released I was beyond excited. Here is John's story at last!

Salvation starts out with John chained in a secret underground lab. He can't recall how he ended up there. Then he discovers that he's not alone. Eve is an anomaly who has been held prisoner for experimentation for months. When they managed to escape they have no one but each other to rely on as they navigate the treacherous terrain of the Australian outback searching for safety while dodging their captors.

Although John lost most of his memories after having his soul almost removed, he is still left with few terrifying nightmares that still torment him. The evil that was left behind seems to still lurk inside of John and threatens to rise to the surface every now and then and especially when he uncovers the powers that Eve possesses. While John may not be the same man he was before, his past may be what destroys his relationship with Eve as truths are revealed in the end.

Although I wished Salvation was a bit longer, I still found this seven chapter story to be thoroughly satisfying. The story was nicely paced, the characters were admirable and the story flowed well making this story another winner in my book. I was so glad to see John get a second chance and his story was wonderful. Although I recommend reading the first three stories in the series, I believe Salvation can very well be a standalone read. Fans of paranormal/sci-fiction romance need to pick up Salvation along with the rest of the Anomaly Trilogy. Don't miss out!

[BreRile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good end to the series

It's probably a better ending than the John deserves, but you learn his backstory. Loved Eve!! It's fitting she is his redemption, and the how of his rehabilitation does provide some punishment for his prior bad acts (i won't say more to avoid spoilers). I wasn't sure he's worthy of her, but he redeemed himself in the end.

[Book Gannet · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I wasn’t sure whether or not I wanted to read this book. Gabriel Leven is the driving force behind all the other books in this series, in a very bad way, and I just wasn’t sure whether I cared enough to see him get a HEA. Mostly I was just happy he got his comeuppance in the last book. However, since I’ve read the rest of the series I couldn’t not read this one as well – and I’m glad I did. I should have known, really, should have trusted Anna Hackett not to lead me wrong.

After a lifetime of being the bad guy, John wakes to find himself in a precarious position. Alongside him is a feisty, mouthy redhead and together the pair of them launch an escape bid that leads them through danger and darkness with some hot sex on the side. There’s action and drama and all the things I love so much from this author.

Okay, so perhaps things happen a little too quickly between John and Eve and some things are resolved a little too easily towards the end, but on the whole this is a short, sharp tale that finishes off this series in fine style. If you like a bit of sci-fi with your romance, or a lot of romance with your sci-fi, and enjoy a bit of action and adventure in the mix, then you should probably give this series a try. Or you could start with the Phoenix Adventures (space treasure hunters!) or Hell Squad (dinosaur aliens!) and discover the real reason why Anna Hackett is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This last book in the Anomaly series was about a second chance. At the end of Soul Stealer Cate almost stole all Gabriel Leven’s soul and he changed he changed. The evil part of him left and in his place there was John Brown, a man who didn’t remember his previous evil exploits. Still, Heaven residents treat him with caution because of his past. While helping Cal with some duties he was kidnapped and found himself chained in some place. Also, there was other prisoner, Eve, a woman who had powers and were been tested. They joined forces to escape and fight their captors who seemed to know about his past. This is the book where the bad, evil guy shows his inner good and had an opportunity for the best. I was glad that after all that was told about Leven’s tortuous childhood he had a chance to change and have some real happiness not based on power. Smart how the author mentioned the childhood in the others books because I think she what preparing the reader to accept and feel compassion for John Brown. Love how the authors play with the reader emotions. Make me feel part of the story. Enjoyed the series a lot.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Brown has only fragments of memory before a strange incident on Haven. Since then, he's worked as a gardener. However, his past catches up with him when he's abducted for experimentation by some criminal scientists. In captivity, he meets Eve, a woman who awakens his body and some of his old memories. They escape together and try to leave their painful pasts behind. While on the run, the two forge a strong romantic connection while John wonders if he can really live as a normal man and love somebody.
Salvation is a story about second chances and seems like a coda to the Anomaly series. How much do our past misdeeds define us? Can we really become different people? John's circumstances are unique, but the facility with which others cut him some slack seems a little optimistic. Nonetheless, the ultimate message of the Anomaly series is one of hope: we can find more solace in the world if we are willing to let go of our nursed hatreds and past fears.

[Nikki Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final foray in the Anomaly series. Salvation is such a novel idea, the bad guy gets a chance at redemption!

When Cate removed almost all of Leven’s soul, he was left a changed man. Now using the name John he is happiest tootling about in the Havens gardens and watching the children play. His spirit and mind are at rest finally. The community still treats him with caution but he is no threat to them.
When Cal gives him enhanced duties on the mainland, he gets himself kidnapped and waked to find another prisoner, Eve. They manage to escape but not after some experiments are carried out on John and hints are left that they know just who he WAS.

Be prepared to come to love John with as much passion as you hated Leven!!!! Your emotions will be through a wringer but you will leave knowing that all is well in the world!

[Vinita Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story finds John Smith chained to a metal table trying to remember bits n pieces of his life. He meets Eve Myles who is also chained in a cage, she's an anomaly with triple powers. As John slowly regains his memory u wonder in which story was he portrayed. He remembers hurting people: hunting anomalies like Gvt agencies, the military, n other criminals: n having his soul removed. Eve n John escape the underground complex of the drug lord Silas Keene , who wants revenge for John's involvement in the death of his wife, into the Australian desert outback. Without giving away any spoilers, this story has a lot of action, romance, intrigue, n surprises. Can love truly be the way to redemption n salvation for someone who has hurt so many people?

[Chera · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the final book of the Anomaly Series, Salvation, John Brown is a human living a quiet but lonely life on Haven. He and Cal go to mainland Australia to retrieve supplies and he is captured. He wakes in a lab and realises he is not alone. A team come into the lab and begin administering a drug to him as one of the guards begins beating a woman held in a cage. Eve Myles and John escape when John unknowingly stops time. Then the chase is on across the Australian Outback. Heading north in hope of finding civilisation, the pair are dogged every step of the way.

I received the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eve and John. Who would have thought of that? Anna Hackett is who. It just blew me away that they were... No spoilers! But, WOW! Was I surprised or what.
The best way to read the Anomaly Series is from the beginning. You get a much better reading experience that way. But each novella will stand alone.
I love this series. It's got Romance, Action and a little Paranormal thrown into the mix.

I was given a copy of this book by the author. I received no compensation for it in any way. Just review it honestly. It's Great!

[Shoshanah Lila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is from: Salvation (Anomaly Series Book 4) (Kindle Edition)
4 1/2* (warning adult situations of violence and sex) In this continuation of the story, we have our main characters escaping to Haven. Salvation was an excellent title for this book as it includes ideas of second chances, forgiveness, and acceptance all wrapped up in an action flick. She even manages the magic of keeping down the sappy factor. ;) Loved how an enemy became changed to be part of the group on a physical as well as an emotional/soul level; very clever!

[Molly Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked how we were given the bad guy as our hero. The element of redemption and second chances was prominent and I enjoyed it. However the rougher sex, the quickness with which they got together, and the easy acceptance that Eve has when John hits her while in the grips of a nightmare was a little too much past my comfort zone. Otherwise, it is a nice way to finish out the trilogy and give us the "bad" guy's HEA.

[Jannie Cv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet John: gardener, supplicant, no longer whole. He yearns for acceptance, but fears he will never escape his past. John is kidnapped and in captivity with Eve.
Follow their bid for freedom and their growing attraction. The path is thorny, the romance sizzles. Can John overcome the drive for more power?
This exciting conclusion to the Anomaly series is an eye opener! Don't miss it!

I received an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Rosa Maria Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the Series

Wow ! The series was awesome and it was hard to put down until I finish it. It has action, suspense, passion, and steamy love scenes that leaves you saying ahhh? The characters were great with their special abilities that they had. I was happy that they found their special someone to love and have a happy ending. A must buy series that won't disappoint you in anyway

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant surprise to have as a bonus read in the Trilogy gift set.

This was a pretty interesting read- considering that the main character was very despised.

Definitely don't recommend reading this story on its own. Read the trilogy and then read about John.

[Jenny Delandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in 2022
John is captured by an old rival while on a mission with Cal. He meets Eve and together they escape..


Please read review lodged under the Anomolies Box Set