Ohhhh, I absolutely LOVE this one! The plot, the action, the suspense, the romance—EVERYTHING! It was utterly the perfect sequel to Insight. The build up from the very beginning, easing into Holden and Six's story, and then leading into Chase and Elijah's fate in the end was absolutely chills-inducing! I was completely wrapped up in this whole book. Needless to say, Santino Hassell definitely is climbing up the ranks in my favorite authors list!!!
I really thought I'd have a hard time getting into the paranormal angle of M/M romance, more so a world full of psychics and empaths, precogs and postcogs, and telepaths alike. But surprisingly, I'm enjoying and devouring every page of it. Like I couldn't get enough of these characters that were so well developed. And the flow of the story that was just flawless. I feel like I'm crawling out of my own skin, thinking about how long I have to wait until Sightlines, the next book in The Community series, comes out.
I saw Holden Payne in such a different light here compared to back when I was reading the first book. I thought he was this untrustworthy promiscuous guy who just lured guys he wanted to play with. Just a club owner and empath who welcomes fellow queer psychics with open arms. But all of that changed here. Especially when he established that powerful and deep connection he has with Six. I turned to love him fiercely. He had such a huge turnaround and character growth you wouldn't miss. And when you reach the end of this book? You'll feel deep in your bones just how strong and brave this guy truly is. No matter how much he doesn't see himself as such. It was still shining and was brightly reflected in the pride in Six's eyes.
Sixtus Rossi blew everything and everyone out of the water in this book. I'm actually in love with the fact that Six is like part cyborg. How he's an invulnerable/impenetrable—someone who doesn't feel anything like a normal human does or lacks any kind of social skills. It deepened and intensified the feels and the intrigue factor of the whole thing even more. He was completely unreadable because of how strong his mental shield was. But that also makes him over the top observant; he'll notice the smallest, faintest of things that it will melt your heart, knowing he sees or feels these things. I just loved how intense the chemistry and connection he has with Holden. That stark possessiveness and protectiveness he has for his man. The meaning and impact of it all to the tale melted my insides so much more.
The story of this series just gets better and better with every book. The deeper they go in this blissfully different world, the more I get sucked in. The more I appreciate and love every moment. My mind is racing and my heart is beating wildly every time I remember how this one ended, anticipating what might happen on the third book. All the characters were utterly remarkable. The entire crew is back. That's right, Nate Black and Trent Castille from Insight make an important appearance too! But I absolutely cannot wait for the next book to be here. I'm in dire need of Chase and Elijah's story. It will be EPIC. I just know it.