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Protocol
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 6, 2026
this book didn’t actually take me three weeks to read. i actually read the first page, put the book down for three weeks, and then read the rest in a day.
loved the start. the banter between cassie and eli was great. it did loose it’s affect a little in the middle. it started to feel a little dialogue heavy. don’t get me wrong, there were definitely conversations that needed to happen, conversations that were refreshing and don’t happen often in other books and conversations that pulled the story along… buuut there were also times when, that much clarification or banter that borderlined an argument, wasn’t needed.
i think sometimes the banter felt a little forced which came across just a little off.
at the end the banter flowed a little easier and the hard conversations made sense.
there were a few times when i thought the author could have made clearer decisions for the storyline.
i think the three that stand out to me still are;
one: her parents saw through media people acting crazy but the football game went off without a hitch. the way her parents spoke on it made it sound a little more serious. and maybe as an aussie the news might be handled differently. i’m not sure. i might be overthinking it. i think one line of dialogue here, maybe her mother saying she saw a strange video and then questioning it, would have made it seem more believable rather than them saying it the way they did. alternatively their could have been a line somewhere saying that her mum has news articles flagged for key words related to where cassie lives and works as just a proud supportive mother and then saw what was happening. i just feel the government would have locked that shit down so quickly.
two: this kind of bleeds into the first one in a sense that the infected zone didn’t make too much sense to me. eli’s workplace is infected. including the sewers and the streets and then the bridge. i’m not sure if i just didn’t read it correctly but the bridge felt further away, but yet there were infected there. again idk.
three: the government didn’t immediately lock down the vaccine. maybe if they had stayed somewhere for the night. a motel or somewhere the government didn’t know instead of his home it would have made a little more sense. or even a single line of eli threatening them not to come for one night. they’ve clearly spent years keeping this virus under wraps, i can’t see why they would say “eh let’s wait a day till we get our hands on it”.
another small note, i feel like the scene where eli is in the car, cassie in the shop, after they had ultimately just saved the potential end of the world, could have held more weight. just a small chapter. maybe she sees her hundred dollar perfume behind a display case and smiles as she recalls them talking about it. or maybe it’s a janitors cart with the same headphones that eli had and she remembers his silly questions. there were a few callbacks at the end but something a little stronger could have had a bigger impact.
i did very much enjoy the end scene at the restaurant where eli cups her cheek and she leans into his touch. very intimate and showed a lot without all the words.
that’s just my opinion though and i’m no one special. i still think this book deserves five stars. and i’ll happily buy a physical copy when i get a chance. overall, despite my nitpicking, i do think the author has a way with words. the beginning especially intrigued me. the dialogue, the explanations for what’s currently happening but then also the ability to provide context without over explaining was impressive.
p.s good job to hannah who helped edit because i only picked up on one small error :)
loved the start. the banter between cassie and eli was great. it did loose it’s affect a little in the middle. it started to feel a little dialogue heavy. don’t get me wrong, there were definitely conversations that needed to happen, conversations that were refreshing and don’t happen often in other books and conversations that pulled the story along… buuut there were also times when, that much clarification or banter that borderlined an argument, wasn’t needed.
i think sometimes the banter felt a little forced which came across just a little off.
at the end the banter flowed a little easier and the hard conversations made sense.
there were a few times when i thought the author could have made clearer decisions for the storyline.
i think the three that stand out to me still are;
one: her parents saw through media people acting crazy but the football game went off without a hitch. the way her parents spoke on it made it sound a little more serious. and maybe as an aussie the news might be handled differently. i’m not sure. i might be overthinking it. i think one line of dialogue here, maybe her mother saying she saw a strange video and then questioning it, would have made it seem more believable rather than them saying it the way they did. alternatively their could have been a line somewhere saying that her mum has news articles flagged for key words related to where cassie lives and works as just a proud supportive mother and then saw what was happening. i just feel the government would have locked that shit down so quickly.
two: this kind of bleeds into the first one in a sense that the infected zone didn’t make too much sense to me. eli’s workplace is infected. including the sewers and the streets and then the bridge. i’m not sure if i just didn’t read it correctly but the bridge felt further away, but yet there were infected there. again idk.
three: the government didn’t immediately lock down the vaccine. maybe if they had stayed somewhere for the night. a motel or somewhere the government didn’t know instead of his home it would have made a little more sense. or even a single line of eli threatening them not to come for one night. they’ve clearly spent years keeping this virus under wraps, i can’t see why they would say “eh let’s wait a day till we get our hands on it”.
another small note, i feel like the scene where eli is in the car, cassie in the shop, after they had ultimately just saved the potential end of the world, could have held more weight. just a small chapter. maybe she sees her hundred dollar perfume behind a display case and smiles as she recalls them talking about it. or maybe it’s a janitors cart with the same headphones that eli had and she remembers his silly questions. there were a few callbacks at the end but something a little stronger could have had a bigger impact.
i did very much enjoy the end scene at the restaurant where eli cups her cheek and she leans into his touch. very intimate and showed a lot without all the words.
that’s just my opinion though and i’m no one special. i still think this book deserves five stars. and i’ll happily buy a physical copy when i get a chance. overall, despite my nitpicking, i do think the author has a way with words. the beginning especially intrigued me. the dialogue, the explanations for what’s currently happening but then also the ability to provide context without over explaining was impressive.
p.s good job to hannah who helped edit because i only picked up on one small error :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2026
Protocol had an interesting premise, I was excited to read it as I love all things apocalyptic, but unfortunately it just wasn’t the right fit for me. I struggled with the writing style and found the story difficult to follow at times, with some transitions and plot developments feeling a little disconnected.
I also found it hard to fully connect with the characters. Their actions and personalities felt inconsistent to me, which made it difficult to become invested in either their individual journeys or the romance. As a result, the relationship never quite clicked for me.
While I can see elements that may work for other readers, this one ultimately missed the mark for my personal tastes.
I also found it hard to fully connect with the characters. Their actions and personalities felt inconsistent to me, which made it difficult to become invested in either their individual journeys or the romance. As a result, the relationship never quite clicked for me.
While I can see elements that may work for other readers, this one ultimately missed the mark for my personal tastes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow… didn’t think my first ARC read would also be my first five star read of the year. It takes a lot to get hooked on the first couple chapters but this book had me. The wit, the bickering, suspense and honestly the whole plot had me turning the pages as fast as i could. I started and finished this book in a day and honestly can’t wait to get a copy so I can read it again. The FMC is so relatable and the MMC is just to die for. I normally wait to start a series until it’s completed but I don’t mind waiting for this. I haven’t stopped thinking about this book since I finished.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 19, 2026
'They’re fugitives, running from who or whatever caused the outbreak, and Cassia is the only one who can stop it.
She just has to survive long enough to finish the vaccine… and figure out why Elias saved her.'
FANtastic start to the series! Look forward to more from this world.
The characters were very complex and compelling and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and intense and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend!
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy the read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
She just has to survive long enough to finish the vaccine… and figure out why Elias saved her.'
FANtastic start to the series! Look forward to more from this world.
The characters were very complex and compelling and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and intense and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend!
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy the read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I knew from page 1 this was going to be an incredible read! It's so well-written that the action scenes played out like a video game or movie I was watching in my head. The FMC is a badass but somehow still SO relateable, and Elias is the standard I'll forever be holding men to. Obsessed is an understatement; these characters will live in my head forever. I can't wait to read more about their world! This series will be an insta-read for every new addition.
July 26, 2026
This book is a quick read, you sit down to read get hook and the next thing you know you're done waiting for book 2 !!! It has an equal balance of whitty banter, suspense, and spice. I need more of Cassie and Elias !!!
July 31, 2026
Fun, fast, easy read! I liked the fast start. The story got my anxiety up multiple times and I couldn’t predict where the it was going next! Looking forward to reading more about these characters and their adventures
Review of advance copy received from Author
I could not put this book down! It had everything - romance, spice 🌶️, suspense. Seriously, booktok will love this! The main guy is so hot.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews