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Subject X

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Recent Harvard graduate Charlotte Kane tends to be the most practical person in the room. A self-proclaimed nerd and former tomboy, Charlotte still isn't used to the world's reaction to her since she traded in her sweatpants and hoodies for skinny jeans and sundresses. And she's just begun to settle into her new job as a research assistant at a prestigious biotech powerhouse, Philadelphia's Genesis Life Systems, when Owen Becker walks into the subject waiting room.

Owen Becker is pure, distilled masculinity. He's also been the subject of a shadowy Genesis research study for twenty-seven years—a classified one now run solely by Charlotte's prickly and secretive boss. With just one glance at Charlotte Kane, Owen knows he has to have her. But he fears that the secret behind his study might be too much for the new researcher to understand—and far too dangerous for her or anyone else to know about.

When a chance accident on their second date reveals something unbelievable about Owen Becker, Charlotte's world is turned entirely upside-down. As she struggles to reconcile what she's learned about her irresistible new boyfriend with everything she knows to be true about science and the world she lives in, her lingering dislike of her new boss shifts into something more like suspicion. Determining that he's up to something dark—and that Owen is at the center of that something—Charlotte is forced to test the limits of what she's willing to do for love and lust.

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 16, 2016

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About the author

Emma G. Hunter

1 book41 followers
Emma Hunter lives with her family in Philadelphia. With a career in finance and a degree in mechanical engineering, she has taken the only logical next step and begun writing novels. Outside of reading and writing, Emma’s main hobbies revolve around food—she’s been known to spend hours at a clip in the kitchen, will drive many miles out of her way for an exceptional meal, and rarely shows up to a holiday gathering without way too many desserts. Subject X is her first novel.

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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Leo.
5,085 reviews647 followers
July 17, 2022
I really thought the blurb sounded like a fun, different kind of romance but I just couldn't get invested in the characters. The plot was rather week and I didn't care enough for the characters to really be invested in the romance
Profile Image for Jennifer.
Author 13 books976 followers
March 25, 2016
My official review will post soon. But don't let that stop you from one-clicking this fabulous book now. More people should be talking about it!
Profile Image for Rumer Haven.
Author 9 books87 followers
February 17, 2016
I don't want to get too specific and give away any spoilers but will just say that this is both an exciting and endearing read! Charlotte is such a relatable protagonist and very engaging as the story's narrator. She's the full package yet adorably self-deprecating in her science geek-chic way. Owen, too, is kind, intelligent, and a feast for the mind's eye, but I appreciate how the author avoids making him the cliche alpha male by infusing him with real vulnerability. He's beautifully masculine, and his and Charlotte's physical chemistry is undeniable, but Owen isn't as perfect as his lean, chiseled looks, which gives him dimension and likability. His flaws are sweetly attractive, not brooding and brutish as can be so common, and I really love him and Charlotte as a pair. Even when thrust into an extraordinary situation, they remain ordinary people and work through their conflicts realistically. There are elements in the plot that could so easily go over the top, but in this author's hands, the story remains grounded with much heart, which balances wonderfully with some thrilling tension and action. Subject X has a bit of everything, and I look forward to more in this series from Emma Hunter.
Profile Image for Stephanie- The Boyfriend Bookmark.
487 reviews342 followers
March 7, 2016
Charlotte walks into orientation on the first day of her new job. Seems easy enough, meet your boss, have some lunch and learn about the company you are going to work with, then dive right into work right? Well, when your boss doesn't show up for orientation and they have to go look for him to join you for your team lunch, things are going to be a bit awkward right? You have no idea. Not just awkward, but a whole new kind of torture. Not too bad until a secret subject shows up for his tests, a day too early. Charlotte can't take her eyes off of him. He is a fine specimen of a man and could possibly be on the cover of the next GQ if he wanted. Unfortunately, she cannot date him. That is against company policy. I mean, not that he has asked her out or anything. But there is something about him, something so captivating. She just can't get him out of her mind.

For Owen, this day was just another test. He's been doing them for so long now, it hardly seems to bother him. Except what the test represents and everything he knows about himself. The past, the present... it's a bitter pill for him to swallow. But when he walks into the lab on the wrong day, everything in his world shifts. She is the most incredible woman he has ever seen or met and he knows beyond a doubt that there is something there. Something real. Something terrifying. Something that will change everything in his life.

Charlotte feels the connection. She just wants to see him, to know about him and to be near him. She doesn't know anything about him, but she knows that he lights a fire in her and she doesn't know what to do. So she orchestrates to meet him the next day when he comes back from his scheduled appointment. She wouldn't see him otherwise. She knows that he is part of a top secret study that Genesis is conducting and she does not have a high enough clearance to be a part of it. She hasn't even been with the company long enough to be allowed to know his story.

A chance meeting on the wrong day changes everything for Charlotte and Owen. She knows his secret now and there is no going back. But I don't think she would even if she had the choice. She is already in too deep and her heart is already involved. One long weekend, one miraculous test and it is done for these two. But... there is always a but right?

There is something very unique about Owen. He has a gift, a result of a tragic accident in a Genesis lab. He was just a boy. But it changed his world forever. Very few people know about it and he is about to let Charlotte in on it too... Owen never looked at it as a gift. He always felt it was a curse.

Will Charlotte be able to see past it? Will she understand it? How will it change their relationship? Will he lose everything if he lets her in on it? And what about her weird boss? How does he factor into all of this?

Here is what I loved about this book: the romance just seem natural. It was meant to happen and Charlotte was the one it was to happen with. Yes, it seemed quick, even to the characters, but there was something magical and powerful about how they felt for one another. There were insecurities for both of them in their new romance, but there were strengths that they gained form one another.

This book is not your typical romance, score one for the author. It takes a simple hot love story and puts such a great twist into it you just don't want to put it down. You want to know what the outcome is going to be.

Overall, I thought it was a great read and I am excited to read more from this author in the future. I think there is a lot of potential in this story line and I am anxious to see where it goes and what happens to Charlotte and Owen.
Profile Image for Donna ~ The Romance Cover.
2,907 reviews323 followers
August 1, 2016
Subject X by Emma G Hunter
3.5 stars!!

“…You can’t lose a war if all your soldiers are invincible.”


For a debut author, Emma G Hunter has me really excited. I love reading newbies, that excitement of the unknown and finding a little gem in the process and Emma G Hunter really delivered. I didn’t know what to expect, the synopsis had me intrigued as did the title so with trepidation, I dived in.

The writing style was great and certainly didn’t read of a fledgling career, the authors voice was sure, succinct and delivered an intriguing story from start to finish. The character connection was fantastic, the bubbling underlying chemistry throughout was undeniable and both characters were hard not to love. For me, character connection is so important and many authors fail to nail it for me, so for a debut author to bring that to table is no mean feat, colour me impressed.

Charlotte Kane recently graduated Harvard and is now out in the work place spreading her scientific wings. Landing a job at the prestigious biotech powerhouse, Genesis Life Systems, Charlotte is keen to stamp her mark. Charlotte has a professional work ethic, she wanted to work hard, well and climb, she has great aspirations and can back it up. Genesis was the best foot hold she could have ever dreamed of and was not about to let this fantastic opportunity go to waste. Her direct manager though did not appear to share the same work ethic and it is not long before Charlotte begins to wonder and worry about the man that is supposed to be her mentor, she feels she has drawn the short straw.

Menial tasks are a given at the beginning of any job and when her latest one puts her in the path of Owen Becker, suddenly, things are looking up. Being the consummate professional that she is though, Charlotte has misgivings about the man that makes her pulse race and her panties wet. Fraternization with subjects in the trials is strictly prohibited, but as her mentor is the man in charge of Owen does that really count? Their attraction is palpable; their chemistry is off the charts but what is Owen Becker hiding? What trial is he a part of? Is he ill? Or is it something else entirely?

“…it’s the shameful secret that has isolated him for most of his life…”


Owen Becker was a lawyer and had been part of a trial at Genesis for over twenty years. Twenty years of monthly tests and yet he is still standing, fit and strong, just what was his secret? Owen oozed charm and charisma yet underneath was a man that was secretive and vulnerable. A man that had been on his own for a long time for fear of his secrets being unearthed and the ramifications thereafter. There was something about Charlotte though that even the stoic Owen Becker couldn’t resist, if anyone could understand him, surely it would be her? Could he take that risk? Could he make that jump?

“The only way you’ve hurt me is by leaving. You are not bad for me unless you are gone.”


I so want to talk about this story, the direction it took totally took me by surprise but to say would be a huge spoiler so I have to keep my lips firmly shut. I love being blindsided though and though at first I was a little sceptical I was soon firmly consumed by the story unfolding before me. For me this was more a romantic suspense type read, that air of mystery running throughout whether it be the secret surrounding Owen or the secrecy surrounding Charlotte’s mentor. I did think that this was a standalone but it is apparent after reading that this is a “to be continued,” at least I hope it is and I cannot wait for more from Emma G Hunter and Owen and Charlotte in particular.

www.theromancecover.com

Profile Image for Karen Komarinski.
1,134 reviews15 followers
March 20, 2016
This story takes you on a ride of your life. Charlotte has just graduated and has been employed by Genesis as a research assistant. She has been pared with researcher Todd Strickland who has the reputation of being the best at what he does but hard to work with. Charlotte finds him to be secretive and quirky. Charlotte's world turns upside down when test subject Owen Becker arrives to the lab on the wrong day, but it turned out to be the right time for them both. This book has it all suspense, mystery and a hot steamy love affair. I usually don't care for cliff hangers, but this was well played. I can't wait for the story of subject X to continue. I just want to thank Jennifer Locklear for bringing this book to my attention.
Profile Image for Vera mallard.
459 reviews12 followers
May 12, 2016
Secrets and Mysteries

Love That Will Not be Denied



Secrets, mystery, intrigue, suspense, and intense sexual attraction; this book has it all. Get your favorite beverage, relax in your favorite chair, and get ready for a roller coaster ride as you enter Emma Hunter's world of Subject X.


STORY LINE:

Charlotte Kane, graduate of Harvard bio engineering, has been accepted into the Genesis Life Systems assistant program. Genesis is renowned for its' work in the biological sciences and part of the well-known conglomerate, Garrison.

Her supervisor is a nerdy secret man; you realize immediately something is off with him. After processing blood test after blood test, which is boring work for Charlotte, she meets client Owen Becker. Why has Genesis tested Owen for so many years? Why is his testing a top-level security clearance? He is handsome, sexy, sweet, polite and the attraction is instantaneous and runs both ways. Dating between staff and client is strictly forbidden but nothing can stop the attraction running between these two.

Something is going on at Genesis; secret testing, top security level clearances required for Owen's test, a secretive boss, and the mystery behind Owen's testing and his abilities.

Come along with Charlotte and Owen as they solve the secrets and mystery of Genesis and why they have tested Owen over 25 years.


CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:

Author Emma Hunter crafted an emotional romance story filled with mystery, suspense, and secrets. Ms. Hunter kept the suspense at top peak throughout a she set the hook early and reels in the reader. You realize early in the story that something is definitely happening behind the scene with Emma's supervisor, Todd Strickland.


Ms. Hunter did a very skillful job of portraying Todd Strickland, as a manic, over-achieving, self-seeking, driven, and greedy scientist. His was a character that I loved hating. He is the typical driven evil scientist. Ms. Hunter gives us hints that Genesis maybe not be all it reveals to the public.


Owen Becker is portrayed as an insecure man with secrets. Secrets I will not reveal to you. He is model handsome, has a heart of gold, charisma by the buckets, and an immediate and intense attraction to Charlotte. His back-story was woven into the story-line as we get peaks at the mystery and secrets of his past and present and then Ms. Hunter reveals all to the reader.


Ms. Hunter skillfully brought the plots together to form a complete well-written story-line then she leaves you panting for the next book in the series. Ms. Hunter leaves you knowing there is much more to come in the tale of Owen, Genesis, and Charlotte.


Charlotte's character growth throughout the book was skillfully developed as Ms. Hunter brought her from an insecure tomboy to a mature young woman who is beginning to understand her worth. Charlotte is intelligent but very insecure with her feminine side. Raised as a tomboy, she is insecure with male female relationships; Owen opens up a whole new world of emotion to Charlotte as he shows Charlotte how he sees her.


This is a well-written and developed book. The pacing never lagged and I never lost interest in the story. Ms. Hunter's talent for grabbing the reader and holding on is apparent as she weaves her tale of love, sex, romance, mystery and secrets. This book contains intense and explicit sexual content; I felt the love scene could have been less lengthy and achieved the same effect for the story-line.


RECOMMENDATION: 4 STARS

This is a well-written book by a talented new author. I recommend this book for adult only as it contains explicit sexual content.

Book Review copy received from The Romance Reviews and the author in return for an honest book review. Book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion; book reviews on line and on my blog, are my opinion.









Profile Image for AJ.
3,288 reviews1,074 followers
April 12, 2016
3.5 stars!

This is a really enjoyable read. A super-steamy and swoony romance with a bit of mystery and a very mild supernatural twist.

Charlotte is beginning her first job as a Research Assistant at a prestigious genetic research laboratory. Thrown into the deep end by a supervisor who seems completely preoccupied in his own ‘top secret’ studies, she easily loses herself in the tedium of her work, until Owen Becker walks in for his routine testing.

Owen is the most gorgeous specimen of man that Charlotte has ever laid eyes on, and though they share an immediate attraction and a brief moment of flirtation, she is forbidden from fraternising with anybody participating in a study within her area. But neither of them are able to forget about each other, and when Owen returns the following day they share an explosive kiss that changes everything.

This is such a great romance. Full of flirting, banter and a nice amount of chemistry, Charlotte and Owen decide that the rules forbidding them from a relationship are flexible and throw themselves into an intense and fast moving relationship. They don’t hide from each other or play games, they want each other, they make that very clear, and though Owen is a gentleman all the way, things progress quickly between them, and holy damn, it’s hot! The sexy time is SIZZLING, and I loved that we got to see a great mix of sweet, sexy, funny and meaningful moments between them.

But Owen has a secret. It’s one that he has never shared with anybody outside of his family, and when Charlotte inadvertently finds out, it only draws them closer together. But how does it all tie into his frequent visits for testing at Charlotte’s workplace, can it have anything to do with her boss’ suspicious behaviour? And what would happen if his secret were ever revealed?

I enjoyed this book. The romance is great, the mystery builds nicely and the slight supernatural twist provides something unique. It builds to a big ending, and that little twist at the end lets us know that the story isn’t over yet.

This is a really impressive effort for a debut novel. The story has a lot of heart and all of the elements are blended together really well, but at its centre are great characters who are both sweet, funny and instantly likable, and their beautiful love story.

I really liked it – 3.5 stars.


A review copy of this book was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Courtney.
2,030 reviews208 followers
May 18, 2016
I have to say, Emma Hunter rocks it with her debut book, Subject X.

When I read the blurb, I was definitely intrigued to see how this would play out. Some have marked this as a paranormal book, but it’s definitely not. This is definitely more Sci-Fi/Fantasy and it’s quite interesting.

Owen is a subject at Genesis where Charlotte just started working as a research assistant. Owen is quite unique – he has a gift. Only two people know about it…until Charlotte.

Will she be able to see past this? Will she be scared and run? What happens in their relationship?

The instant attraction is obvious to both Owen and Charlotte. Their relationship does move at a faster pace and Charlotte finds herself questioning a lot of what she is doing. But at the same time, she finds it hard saying no to Owen. And Owen finds it hard to keep himself away from Charlotte. Neither can explain the electricity they feel but they aren’t going to deny it either.


As things heat up quickly between Owen and Charlotte, things at Genesis are also getting sticky and more uneasy. Charlottes’ boss is acting more on edge and not himself.

Does Charlotte chance putting her job at risk to see exactly what her boss is up to? Or does she let things lie and chance her relationship with Owen?

What I love about this book is that there are so many variables in play. It’s not just about the romance, but about the science behind everything. I was highly pulled into the whole plot and kept wanting to know what was going to happen and what the outcome would be.

I have to say, I was not expecting that ending. I actually had chills go up my body with that ending. I am definitely hoping we don’t have to wait long for the next book in this series.

All in all – great debut by Emma Hunter.
Profile Image for Krista.
1,153 reviews66 followers
April 8, 2016
3.5 stars.

Recent college grad Charlotte has landed a job as a research assistant at a major biotech company called Genesis Life Systems. She is very excited to start on this new venture. Her boss often seems aloof and her starting project is blood samples. She adapts to the flow and finds her routine until Owen shows up to give specimen samples on the wrong date.

Owen is pure sex on a stick and draws Charlotte in. To try and accommodate him, she squeezes him in only to have her boss scramble out and halt further interaction stating that Owen is a higher classification of testing that Charlotte has no clearance for.

This strikes up a small flag for Charlotte but she brushes it off. Coincidences have Owen and Charlotte meet again and the form a connection. But things start to get stranger in the lab as well as with Owen. On the second date Charlotte discovers why he is currently being tested at Genesis....

Is it enough to keep her away from Owen? Will the research company figure out why Owen is different?

One click to find out.
Profile Image for Maria Vickers.
Author 47 books395 followers
March 29, 2016
Marvel meets real world? Subject X by Emma Hunter finds new college graduate Charlotte getting a job as a research assistant at Genesis Labs in order for her to figure out her future, and that’s exactly where she meets Owen. He is enrolled in one of the research studies and comes in on the wrong day for his appointment. From the moment she met him, she knew he was different…and how right she was. She tried to fight it, but he wouldn’t let her and they go out on a date. Never before has Owen felt like this about someone and he certainly never expected to find attraction or love at Genesis, and yet, that is exactly what he finds the moment he laid eyes on Charlotte.

Once she learns his secret, will she run or will she stay? And what exactly is her boss Todd doing with all of the samples he collects from Owen? Nothing is exactly easy between Owen and Charlotte and there could be more danger lurking in the shadows. The book was a bit overly descriptive and wordy at times, but the overall story was really good and enjoyable. 3.5 stars!
Profile Image for Fleur.
3 reviews
June 19, 2016
so happy this was just 2.99. this was a letdown. the characters don't do much- she is besotted, he is good looking. that's as good as their personalities get. the book veers between sci-fi wannabe and hot romance wannabe. neither works, and the two main characters lack chemistry. promised to be steamy, and the love scenes were barely okay.

i might have been kinder and awarded two stars, but the ending is a cliffie. nothing says cash grab and buy my series like a cliffhanger ending.
Profile Image for Nancee Cain.
Author 12 books639 followers
April 17, 2016
What a fun read! It was like my favorite rom com combined with Marvel Comics. (and who doesn't love a Super hero?) I enjoyed this debut novel from Emma Hunter. The plot was intriguing, the dialogue witty and there was plenty of hot sex. I didn't see all the plot twists and certainly was unprepared for the ending. I look forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Mell.
1,584 reviews4 followers
June 11, 2016
Eh. The summary sounded better than the novel actually was. Despite being smart, Charlotte read like a high schooler. The entire plot felt like subpar fanfiction. The mystery aspect was also a disappointment. It's more science than supernatural, despite what other reviews said.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews