Protect Us: A Sci Fi Romance

by R.A. Roque

Chad and Yumi have mental abilities that make them powerful and dangerous. If not for the training provided by The Agency, they'd lack skill, refinement, and purpose. As two parts of the most powerful Protector's Circle ever, Chad and Yumi are just one mission away from becoming full-fledged Protectors. Chad has the ability to listen in on any mind in the universe, while Yumi has a mental shout that can fry a person's brain in three seconds flat. But neither of them is all-powerful, and Yumi has a weakness that causes her immense pain whenever someone touches her. Chad's weakness may just be the unrequited love he has for Yumi. As the pair travels to a routine wormhole stabilization, Chad and Yumi have more than their feelings to worry about. It turns out the Agency hasn't told them everything about the mission, and when they find out the truth, they'll need to make a choice that'll change their lives forever. Protect Us is a sci-fi romance novel set in a future where telepathy and other mental abilities are commonplace. If you like palpable sexual tension, steamy love scenes, and action-packed space adventures, then you'll love R.A. Roque's beautifully written gem.

317 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2015

Reviews

[J.D. Carabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not necessarily my normal read - though it's Sci-Fi, which I love, and it has Psis, which I also love. It's more mellow than my usual. It is a slow paced, sweet romance with Sci-Fi elements.

R.A. Roque sets up a world that is interesting and thoughtful. There are so many hints to the wider picture, I was dying to know more about, but our focus for this story is really two people - Chad and Yumi. Chad carries an overwhelming flame for Yumi even though they have been separated for years, but Yumi carries a trauma so deep that being touched causes her physical pain.
I felt a good connection with the two characters, especially Chad. He was very warm and likeable, someone I would like to know in real life. Yumi's trauma keeps her apart from others and the mystery of it might have kept her apart from me a bit as well. But she's an angry young girl, striking out because of the pain within. I could relate and sympathize with her.
The supporting characters Shiv and Gracie were great friends any of us would be happy to have.
Chad and Yumi's growth and change are the story, and it feels natural and real. The antagonist is mysterious and subtle.


Chad is a bit insecure and unsure of himself. He's the perfect popular guy who doesn't realize his popularity or charm. I was very happy when he stepped up to the challenge and took charge. Yumi's opening and allowing herself to be vulnerable and to trust the people who care about her was quite fulfilling.
The angst of being torn apart and facing a heart rending tragedy - which was of a very interesting metaphysical nature - was sad. But the most memorable moments was when Chad decided to enjoy what time he had with Yumi instead of running, and that brought tears to my eyes. The question of "If you only had one day left to live, what would you do." is answered very well here.
Yumi's trauma was disturbing - and thankfully not as disturbing as it could have been, I was worried there for a bit - but still, heart rending in a way that any mother or anyone with a mother will immediately feel.

I did not really like the ending - it fell a bit flat for me. I would have liked a bit of action to the faceoff, a psionic fight there would have been great. There's this whole universe to explore and they go home? I wish they would have went to the new alien's world - who we were introduced to in such a teasing and fleeting manner! I wanted that to be so much more of the story. Interstellar politics, Human duplicity, dubious organizations that have shady agendas! I hope that R.A. Roque explores that in much more detail in later books!

The romance sets up through the whole book, and doesn't consummate until the end. Its a slow burn with very real reasons for the MCs not to physically connect until Yumi's trauma is dealt with. Though there are some steamy hints throughout, the hot stuff is part of the resolution. I'm partial to the hot stuff, which was well done when it was finally presented.
The pacing was the main issue for me. Lots of internal ruminations and conflict - which I get, most of the conflict was in the MCs heads - but it made it run a bit slow for me. Yumi & Chad did feel like young adults, with the insecurities and at times misguided confidence that comes with youth.
The psionic elements are very intriguing - the idea of using Psis to assist space travel was pretty unique. The internal rooms and landscape for telepathic communication was also well done and interesting. If R.A. Roque takes this storyline and further explores the aliens and politics, further books are definitely on my list.
I was provided a copy of this book for an honest review.

[Emma Jaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex characters that evolve throughout the story. The tale starts with four young adults, all with complex mental powers, who share a deep bond finishing their training in different parts of the galaxy. Yumi is hard as nails, but can't stand being touched due to a childhood trauma. Chad is so compassionate that he has trouble speaking his mind. I liked the fact that this pair have non gendered stereotype behaviours, usually it is the male that is callous, and the female that is overly emotional, but as the story unfolds, the reasons and causes of their behaviour unfold.
When Yumi projects herself into Chad's mind, their 'virtual' selves can touch, but neither one wants their relationship to be mental only, besides, the rules say they can't get together, but that is the least of their problems. An alien delegation to Earth and a conspiracy brings things to a head in a suitably dramatic fashion, although aspects of the quartets past are left unsaid, which I'm dying to know.
Excellent writing, intriguing, unusual characters and believable world building make this scifi with a central romantic element a winner for me.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong plot with some issues

I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was an interesting read for me. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book even though the book has some issues with it's pacing and staying consistent in the style.

This book has a very interesting and unique plot, one that I haven't encountered before. We follow two characters in a future where some people develop special abilities and are trained to be protectors of the everyday people. These protectors have 'circles' which consist of a total of 4 members who's powers are drawn together and are strongest when together. People with these abilities are trained by The Agency for multiple years and separated from their circle during this time until they graduate to being full protectors. The Agency utilizes them not only as protectors for various missions but to stabilize wormholes that allow for intergalactic travel.
We follow Yumi and Chad, two members off a circle that are connected beyond just their circle and beyond being ex's. They haven't seen each other for 3 years while training and are suddenly forced to work together on a seemingly suspicious mission. To succeed in this mission they need to learn to be together again and become stronger. While trying to figure out the suspicious actions of The Agency they also must battle with their rekindled feelings four each other and with Yuki's dark past that has held her back and begun to reek havoc on her soul.
Along with a strong idea this book has well done characters. None of them fit stereotypical gender roles, none are cookie cutter Mary sues, and all of them have a unique voice. Yumi, Chad and their other two circle members Gracie and Shiv are all unique believable characters. I was interested in them and cared about them.
So with a strong concept and good characters, I really enjoyed the red and it helped mask some structural issues but not fully. Unfortunately this book felt super rushed, entire issues would be brought up and solved in one chapter. The core concept never felt fully fleshed out and I didn't feel like this was intentionally done to be explained in other books. Certain aspects didn't make sense but could have with a little more background or thoughtful explanation. Every major plot point in this book deserved more time and more focus and expansion. Because they were interesting!
The other distracting point in this book was that it seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis, it was 95% SciFi adventure with a romantic side, and 5% 'romance novel'. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a healthy dose of sexual tension and escapades in a book but there were only a few cases of this. The problem is that characters would have really out off character and out of place thoughts and conversations. To remind you about the 5% of sexual content the characters would randomly have super perverted thoughts. This was super distracting because the actual romance between Chad and Yumi is life goal style. When the book has been describing a sweet loving man who doesn't care if he can't touch the woman he loves and then suddenly inserts a slightly perverted out of character doesn't match with how he's presented statement, it just doesn't make sense. I wish the book would either go full romance and have consistent and believable sexual banter or go full science fiction novel, drop the out of character sexual banter and pursue the already solid chemistry and relationship development hiding under the sex talk. Keep the steamy sex scenes either way cause they work, but make the characters consistent.
So that's why I'm so torn. I loved the idea of this book but found that every time it broke away from the story to the forced sexual undertones I just wanted to get back to the main plot! It was so interesting! I want to read the next book to learn more about this world and it's characters. But partially because this book felt rushed and felt like things were missing and I'm hoping to find those things later on.
Worth the read but has room for improvement. I hope the later books figure out what kind of book they want to be. Because once they do I think the concept could go a long way.

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

PROTECT US by R.A. Roque is a science fiction Romance set in the distant future. In its classic description the novel has a Happy-for-Now ending and the author does a good job of growing the characters through the course of the story. Uniquely the narrative is first person from the dual perspectives of the hero and heroine, Chad and Yumi. R.A. Roque clearly defines the point-of-view by chapter breaks and mid-chapter separations where appropriate. Introspection by the main characters gives a nice flow to the plot that keeps the reader cheering for the supposed underdogs. It must be hard in science fiction writing to coax the reader into dispelling disbelief in order to buy into the story. Certainly in contemporary romance the ultimate solution to the main character’s conflict and dilemma must be believable and not fabricated in the moment. This is probably not true in science fiction where at the whim of the author “anything can be possible.” Still, being a contemporary writer, I will always feel more gratified at the end of a novel when I as a reader can identify with the grit and tenacity that allows the hero and heroine to prevail. It is the old adage that the solution to the hero trapped in a deep hole isn’t to have him suddenly be able to LEAP out of the pit. I certainly enjoyed the story and characters immensely. I am a member of the Goodreads Review Group and reviewed PROTECT US as a member of

[Mina Harker · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like sci-fi, female characters that aren't bimbos, male characters that aren't asshats, complex character relationships, exs that aren't childishly dickish to each other and actually manage to get along as professionals and friends, interesting plot, nefarious bad guy organizations, and just an over all amazing read, Protect Us is for you. If you don't like sci-fi, read it anyway.

I am absolutely in love with this book. It was a great, diverse cast of characters I really liked. This was a really, really fun read and I loved the whole, relighting old flames thing. It was over all a very satisfying read.

[Joseph Minart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Power of the Mind Conquers All
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2016
Protect Us: A Sci-Fi Romance is about two characters, Chad and Yumi, who live in a future era where the notion of traveling through wormholes is commonplace. Written in a first person, we follow the journey of two young Protectors, who are trained by the Agency to concentrate and train their unique abilities. Their love flows in particular undertones which make this book more being romance, than bent on the aspects of science fiction.

At first glance, I feel like this novel is for young adults. The authors use very simple sentences to convey her thoughts. But what makes this book unique is the fact of alternating the perspective within each chapter between our two young characters. It did take me some time to like reading it (it grew from a two star to a three star in a matter of time) but I'm pleased that I continued the course and gotten to know the characters through their mental faculties.

[Rafael · Rating 2 out of 5]

A first novel written by an untalented writer presents no problem to a reviewer. The review will write itself. A first novel written by a writer whose talent and potential is under development presents a conundrum. In Protect Us by R.A. Roque, a story set in the distant future when travel between galaxies is a routine made possible by wormholes, we can see glimpses of the author’s flair and abilities.

From the outset, the writer utilizes a clever and deft technique to overcome the inherent weakness of first person stories: their inability to show the internal thoughts and struggles of characters other than the protagonist. In Protect Us, the chapters alternate between Chad, protagonist 1a, and Yumi, protagonist 1b. Their love for one another is the foundation for the story’s tension, conflict, and drama. It instills in the reader what every author, both beginner and expert, strives mightily to achieve: emotional involvement. You will rage, despair, laugh, sympathize, scorn, grin, roll your eyes, and thrill as the interactions between the two lovers form and shape the plot. An untalented writer will cause a reader to turn the page with great indifference.

Moreover, the author achieves what very few first time authors can accomplish: an exceptionally well-edited book (I found no typos and I’m good at it), no misspellings, and near flawless grammar.

Unfortunately, the author’s promise and potential, solid though it is, cannot overcome the structural flaws created through inexperience. For example, the author leaps at every opportunity to inject herself into the story. When Chad and Yumi, martial arts experts both, begin a sparring session, Chad observes, “She stepped into a back stance, snapping hands into position and doing that little beckoning thing that Morpheus does to Neo in the movie The Matrix. It was infuriating.” Indeed.

Or, when told he will command a Class 4 starship, though he has trained only in Class 2 starships, Chad muses, “A Class 2 starship is like a minivan back on Earth…” Leaving aside that in a universe where wormholes are ubiquitous, a starship would be necessary in the first place, it is doubtful Chad would have any idea what a minivan is. Or who Morpheus is. Today’s youth (God bless them) have no idea what a floppy disk is. Without any foundation or context, only the author can form these analogies and though the story is replete with such intrusions, I limit myself to two for the sake of brevity.

The most telling sentence in this book however, is an innocuous one. “You would usually say dating.” It is Yumi’s response to an alien’s incorrect use of ‘mating’. Obviously, the author well understands an alien would not have mastered English’s more subtle nuances. But the distinction does not apply to the story’s humans. They all speak with present day idioms, slang, and pop culture speech patterns.

Since we no longer use words like ‘forsooth’ and ‘harken’, I very much doubt the future’s youth will use: cool, get it, frickin, amazing (especially with the ‘so’ preface’), super, awesome, whatever, as if, and wtf (spelled out, of course). Speaking of which, vulgarity, an acceptable literary form when used for emphasis or as a character’s personality, is well within a writer’s prerogative. But in this world, the slightest provocation results in everyone (except the aliens) dropping f-bombs everywhere. It just gets tedious.

I am confident in recommending this book to fans of Romance novels enthralled by the emotional ups and downs two people must endure on the road to happiness and love everlasting. The author does a credible job of detailing just that. I also recommend this book to those interested in following the career of a burgeoning novelist or to readers contemplating their first novel. Science Fiction enthusiasts may be disappointed as the SF aspect serves only as incidental backdrop, a casual, undeveloped throw-in to the journey of Chad and Yumi.

I urge the author to stay the course. Writing is a learnable craft.

[Marie-Jo Fortis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Protect Us is a novel in search of an identity. It claims to be a sci-fi romance, and it certainly includes elements of romance and sci-fi, but rather than embracing both genres, it vacillates, it navigates, it hesitates.

The science fiction elements, for one. Although we are located somewhere in the future, somewhere in the universe, the description of the environment is so minimal that the reader can never plunge into this brave new world which, here, seems like a simplified decor made of light and illusion—some video game. The Native American game main character Yumi plays in the beginning, with fake arrows and fake blood, seems as real as the rest of it. Ironically, because of its descriptions, this scene appears far more tangible than most of the ones supposed to represent the real life of the characters.

Most novels need descriptions and I would argue that sci-fi ones need to be particularly strong, almost tactile, as there is little point of reference besides the author’s imagination. What disappoints is that R.A. Roque hardly explores her own imagination. The all-white clothing, for instance, is sci-fi cliché. And, in the future, it still wrinkles? They still eat salad and drink scotch or whisky; I didn’t see, say, vitamins being breathed in like oxygen or robots rebelling or breaking down. What I mean to say is that I needed details of everyday life that made me believe I was being projected into another time. But suspension of disbelief never happened.

Mental activities are essential in this work. Mind reading, sensing, telepathic abilities shared by Yumi, Chad and the other members of their powerful circle. But these abilities call up the past as much as they call up the future. They call up psychics, even mysticism. So they do not quite click with the science fiction universe R.A. Roque wants to claim, for she paints it with such a broad, impatient brush when the depiction needs precise tools.

The romance aspect makes a little more sense and is, honestly, more interesting. The part of Yumi who cannot be touched is enough for a central theme—and certainly more universal than a silly wormhole or a generic Agency that did little to this novel, except hinder it with a crumbling sense of no tomorrow. Forget sex scenes as well. I’ve read steamier stuff, sorry. Instead, clean up the language, develop characters through show, don’t tell. And think of writing for a YA audience, for the prose and the general tone here lend themselves for the young, certainly not for the fully grownup. Mostly, give your work a valid ID.

[E.G. Manetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Protect Us has a lot to recommend it. The basic premise is highly inventive. Earth has fallen back into a form of dark ages while youngsters with psychic talents are recruited by a shadowy, extraterrestrial Agency to serve as a type of paranormal ranger force. The story revolves around the two main characters, Yumi and Chad, who are given a questionable assignment that forces them to resolve their issues as a couple while dealing with danger and treachery.

Regrettably, the narrative is somewhat uneven. Told from alternating perspectives, the internal voice of the Chad often does not sound like a twenty-something young man. ‘I sighed again and tried to perk myself up.’ The world building is often awkward, parenthetical asides that distract from the story flow and don’t really ad much. ‘The park was part of the purification system for the air we breathed.’ ‘The Grid is the name for what used to be called the internet.’ Even more distracting are constant references to Yumi’s and Chad’s shared traumatic history which is interspersed somewhat randomly throughout the narrative as if a prologue had been broken up and scattered through the story. All are technical flaws that a good story editor could address.

Even with the flaws, Chad and Yumi are engaging characters and I found myself heavily invested in the success of their mission, the resolution of their relationship issues, and the outcome of their battle with The Agency.

3-stars.

[Brian Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young adults who enjoy an easy reading romance should love this book. I suspect many of those readers would give it five stars.

Unfortunately, too many decades separate me from that period. So I must judge the book from a middle-aged man’s standpoint.

In my opinion the story is 95% romance, and about 5% science fiction.

I believe the romance story has been well executed. The story builds interest by pitting the characters against many things that stand in the way of fulfilling their romantic hopes. Some of these are self-induced, some are external forces.

I felt the science fiction elements didn’t fare as well. For the most part the science fiction seemed like an incidental backdrop to the romance story. Lovers of romance will not care about this. Those who love science fiction may be disappointed.

Judging the book as a romance, I felt the story moved a little too slow. Conflict and tension existed, but it often felt a bit too shallow and contrived for me. With greater depth the pacing could be forgiven, even enjoyed.

So, as a middle-aged man the story gets three stars. However, I believe many young adult readers will identify strongly with the characters, and enjoy the story – particularly if they seek an easy to read romance story.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Protect Us by R.A. Roque is a fantastic read! I was invested from the very beginning, which is unusual for me, but the world Roque depicts automatically drew me in.

Life hasn’t always been the best for Yumi. Until she met Chad and Gracie, Yumi lived a life of abuse and brutality. Being included in Chad and Gracie’s family was some of the happiest years of Yumi’s life, especially as Yumi and Chad started developing a special bond. However, the Agency soon recruited the three. For the past several years, Chad, Yumi, and Gracie have been separated to train and strengthen their unique abilities to become the strongest Protectors to ever exist. However, one mission will truly test if they are strong enough to reach their full potential.

Yumi has the emotional control I can only dream about. She likes to keep people at a distance (emotionally and physically) and is very calculating in her actions. She also has a blatant rule about disrespecting...see full review here: http://papercraneseandd.blogspot.com/...

[Claire Milbrandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I was gifted a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely loved this story and cannot wait to start the next book. The characters are complex, well rounded, and an absolute delight! Things change so quickly in the story that you hate to put it down. In many stories you can see exactly where it will end and how the characters will change - but not in this one! The storyline is fabulous and a wild ride that you can follow and a world that is easy to imagine.

The characters have interesting banter and dialog. I truly enjoyed Chad and Yumi, from the beginning to through the end. Their growing relationship is completely believable and enjoyable to read.

I don't want to give any spoilers! But this is a must read for Sci-Fi Romance readers. I tend to give or take space stories, however this one drew me in completely and i couldn't put it down!