Shades of Allegiance

Anomaly #3

by Sandy Williams

Lieutenant Ramie Ashdyn is going home—or rather, to the hellhole that is her home world. With vengeance driving her, she’s intent on tracking down a dangerous criminal who could help her unravel the conspiracy that’s threatening the Coalition. Unfortunately, old enemies are sabotaging her efforts, jeopardizing the lives of the few people she trusts. To accomplish her mission, she’ll need to be cunning and ruthless. And that means scrapping her conscience and burying emotions her adversaries could exploit.

Of course, being cunning and ruthless would be easier if the Coalition hadn’t sent “Rest In Peace” Rykus to retrieve her. Ash is the only person who can detect the telepaths who have infiltrated the government, and Rykus must keep her safe until they can escape the planet. But with secrets between them and Ash determined to contact the Known Universe’s most feared crime lord, staying alive—and together—might be an insurmountable feat.

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Ebooks, Science Fiction Romance

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 26, 2021

About the author

Sandy Williams writes urban fantasy and science fiction, both with a strong shot of romance. She's a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope and loves books with high stakes and fantastical settings. When she's not being a bookworm, she loves playing board and card games like Dominion, Quacks of Quedlinburg, Dungeon Petz, etc (but not Goblins because she ALWAYS loses that damn game).

15% off your first order when you buy direct at www.sandy-williams.com

Reviews

[Bry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aug 2023
I have waited so long for this book. And in the end I am unfortunately feeling very disappointed. The majority of this book deals with an entirely new villain that is only verrrry loosely tied to the overall story. And it ends without closure for a huge number of plot points.

What happens with the war with the Saracians? What happens with either of the telepathic dynasties? Does the coalition survive? If it doesn’t what happens to all the loyalty trained anomalies? What happened with Rip’s sister and her drug smuggling activities? Does Rip know she’s a smuggler since he arrived at Glory on one of her company’s ships without anyone knowing? What happens to Javery? Did they survive/win/lose the Saracian invasion? How does Ash cope with her newfound mental freedom and does she have any side effects?

I really enjoy sci-fi romance novels and while I like that romance is the forefront of the novel I also want a plot, and closure for that plot. In this case I think the over arching plot was just too big. Too many possibilities, characters, politics, consequences that it feels impossible for them to be buttoned up in this format or number of books.

I will say Rip and Ash were still great characters, but the amount of pain/hurt they are subjected too should have killed them like 18 times over. I think I have been spoiled by other sci-fi romance novels that are a bit more believable and I now hold the genre to a higher standard than I used to.

I would still read other things from this author though, and her Kennedy Rain series looks interesting.

January 2021
HOLY CRAP IT COMES OUT JANUARY 26!!!! That’s only like 2 weeks away!!! Preorder in and now to reread books 1 and 2!!

October 2019
Still checking in on this book even though I know from the author’s blog she’s working on Her urban fantasy book. I just can’t help it! I love this genre and this series was such an excellent example of how to do it right that I need closure! When I do finally get to read this book I’m gonna savor every word!

November 2018
I am still randomly checking the author’s blog every couple of months for an update on this book, but she is writing the first book in a new series instead. Not gonna lie, I will probably read it and love it, but my need for closure on this series is strong y’all! Good things come to those who wait!

March 2017
Gah! This author has pretty much become an auto-buy for me and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shades of Allegiance picks up shortly after Shades of Honor with Ash (Lieutenant Ramie "Ash" Ashdyn) back on her home planet, Glory. She's set on tracking down crime lord Neilan Tahn and stopping the telepaths who are rumored to have infiltrated the Coalition. She's not sure who to trust after her five year absence and the changes she's undergone since leaving cause her to pause where she would've attacked first and asked questions later. Rykus is working to save his home world. The separation is proving to be hard, but manageable because she knows he's safely away from Glory's underworld - until he's not.

He was a warship rattling beneath her feet, and she lived for pushing him off course.

For me, the relationship between Ash and Rip (Commander Rykus) was a perfect blend of will they/won't they, then please-don't-go-separate-ways, finally please-don't-die! She loves to throw him off balance and he struggles with wanting to be extra sure she knows his feelings for her have nothing to do with their forced connection - one gives her all the power, the other gives it to him, only he's promised to never use it.

She was his mission, his universe. He would destroy galaxies to keep her in his arms.

There were ~five years between the release of book 1 and 3, with the biggest gap (4+ yrs) between book 2 and 3. Admittedly, it took me a bit to refresh and get back into the world of Ash and Rip after so long, but things got interesting quickly and I soon found myself cheering for Ash once again. Going into this I wasn't sure if it was to be the finale or not. I'm still not 100% sure because while the threads throughout were wrapped up, others were dangled and would allow for more story to be told. Guess we'll see.

[Wendi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book picks up shortly after the second in the series. Ash has returned to her home world of Glory to further unravel the mystery of telepaths infiltrating the coalition. Ash has to carefully navigate her return to Glory as old enemies rise up and she isn’t sure of who she can trust.

One of the things I love about this series is the evolution of Ash. In this book we get to see glimpses of Ash’s former life on Glory. The return to Glory was brilliant because we get to see who Ash was and how that drove her to become who she is now. This book really tied all the difference pieces of Ash together. I especially loved the dynamic between Ash and Rykus in this book. There was a power shift between the two which presents new challenges for them to navigate together.

This has quickly become one of my all-time favorite series. Sandy Williams can make you laugh, be on the edge of your seat and feel heartbroken at times. The world building is FANTASTIC! There is action around every corner, romance and so many interesting characters. Ash and Rykus’s romance was so carefully laid out between the three books. No spoilers, but I think everyone will be pleased with where they ended up. It is always bittersweet when a great series ends, but I hope we get more from the KU and its intriguing cast of characters and places.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Amazon
*Genre* Science Fiction / Romance
*Rating* 4.0

*Thoughts*

Shades of Allegiance, by author Sandy Williams, is the third and final installment in the authors Anomaly trilogy. For the first time in a little over 5 years, Lieutenant Ramie "Ash" Ashdyn is going home to the hellhole that is her home world; Planet Glory. She's intent on tracking down the criminal mastermind, Neilan Tahn, who she believes can help her unravel the conspiracy that's threatening the Coalition by disrupting as much business of his that she can. Ash is an anomaly. She's badass. She's stronger, faster, and more skilled than normal humans.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[LiterarySerpent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honour to beta read this and can wholeheartedly say that it was perfect. This book wraps up Ash and Rips story wonderfully. It will make you sad and happy. It will shock you. It will keep you captivated from the beginning to the very end.

I have loved Sandy Williams' writing from the very first day I discovered her work. Her storytelling is masterful, her action scenes are spectacular. She always has a shocking plot twist or reveal right around the corner. And best of all, she knows exactly where to punch you for it to hurt most.

This may even be my favourite of the Anomaly books and while I am sad that I won't be reading about Ash and Rip again, I am so so excited to see what the author comes up with next. :)

Even if it has been years since you read this series, ESPECIALLY if it has been years, you should pick this up once it is published because I absolutely guarantee you will be sucked back into this wonderful world Sandy has created.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, what an intense, emotional rollercoaster to round out the Anomaly series. Lieutenant Ramie Ashdyn returns to her home world Glory to search for a crime lord that she hopes will help her with the telepathic conspiracy threatening the Coalition. She’s not sure who she can trust in the dangerous world she escaped from years ago, and there are people who want to settle old scores. When the man she loves, Rhys (RIP) Rykus shows up she’s happy to see him, but doesn’t want him to stay in the hellhole that is Glory. He’ll do anything to keep her safe, and she will do the same for him, but when they’re together they’re a force to be reckoned with. With non-stop danger, attacks from unexpected places, secrets and lies, it’s going to take a miracle to get through this mission in one piece. There are times when neither Ash or Rip know what is going on with the other, and it is heartbreaking for them as they fear the worst. I loved the conclusion because although it was what I hoped would happen, I wasn’t sure how everything was going to turn out until I was finished reading. And then of course, I was sorry it was over because I enjoyed it so much.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's my favorite of the series. The relationship between Ash and Rhys evolves, we learn more about Ash's life before she leaves Glory.
I found that Miri and Hauch could have been more present in the story. Especially Miri. I wish I knew why Ash was so upset with Chace; I understand the old suspicion of their past reality, but even at the end, when she has multiple proofs of Chace's goals, who wants to accomplish what she started before leaving Glory, she remains very hostile towards him.
I really liked Bian's message that Rhys listens to on his comm cuff towards the end. However, I wish I had known why he hated Ash so much. Is it because she slept with his son? Because she was a boss? As I like when authors ties all the threads at the end, the end of the novel left me a little unsatisfied on this subject. But I'm glad Tahn undid Ash's brainwashing (although, for an all-powerful organized crime boss, it's a little hard to believe that he did this purely out of altruism. This gesture must have subsequent motivations. ...)
It would be nice if the author continued this series, there is still plenty of potential for intrigue (nothing is settled with regard to telepaths, the Coalition crumbles, the planet of Rhys is invaded ...).

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this series. Both Ash and Rip were good characters and I liked the whole anomaly and failsafe story line. I struggled a bit at first with this book as it’s been a while since I read the previous books and it took me a bit to remember. I will likely go back and re-read the first two. I liked getting to see a bit of where Ash came from. I really dont want the series to end.

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Williams can surely write a riveting Sci-Fi ride! It is exciting, stress-inducing and all kinds of fun to read. It is also very tightly crafted and complex, making the journey even better. The only downside is in the length of time it takes before each book publishes. After waiting for FOUR years, there is little memory left of each previous book, making it almost impossible to pick up the story and characters to the extent that would undoubtably make it a rousing 5 star winner.

[Barb Lie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shades of Allegiance by Sandy Williams is the 3rd and final book in her Anomaly series. I have read and loved the first two books in this series, but I worried that after a 4-year absence, that I would not remember much. No worry, since I just needed to read my previous reviews, and once I started this book, I could not put it down. Refresher: Ramie Ashdyn (Ash), our fantastic heroine, is an Anomaly, a human who is smarter mentally and physically than the normal person, which makes her an elite soldier, who is faster, stronger, with phenomenal endurance then the regular soldiers. Because of her training, though she is close to her friends and team, she can be difficult to get along with, as she is very tough, brash and independent.

Ash returns home to Glory, after being away for 5 years, and assumed dead. She is determined to use her old contacts to find a crime lord to get information to fight a conspiracy trying to destroy the Coalition. As Ash meets some of her old friends, who are shocked and upset not knowing she was still alive; she also must face many of her enemies who hate her and want her dead for real.

Rykus, our hero, is a well-known commander for the Coalition and is Ash’s fail safe, and lover. Over the first two books, we know about the strong chemistry and feelings they have for each other, and us loving them together. Rykus follows Ash, making sure to have her back, since she is always getting into terrible situations. Some of our old friends, Hauch, Chance, Mira are back, but not pleased about her return.

What follows is an all-out battle that will put their lives constantly in danger during this non- stop, exciting, intense, wild adventure. Ash also tends to keeps things secret from her friends, as she is determined to find the people who were responsible for the deaths of her team years before, as well as learning more about the conspiracy. As they continually face battles, Ash & Rykus‘s love for each other, continues to be hot and heavy. I do love them together, but with Ash’s penchant for putting her life on the line, we worry about their future. Ash and Rykus will accept some help to get where they need to go, even if they can’t trust the source. To say too much more would be spoilers, as a lot happens.

Sandy Williams does a fantastic job in continuing the flow of this complex world , and she has created some great characters. Most of all, I love Ash, and her chemistry with Rykus is off the wall. Shades of Allegiance was an action packed, exciting, dangerous, pulse pounding story that had me unable to put the book down, especially as we raced to the tense climax. I was very happy with Williams giving us a fitting end to this series. If you like Sci-fi, lots of action, great romance, and twists and turns along the way, then you should be reading this series.

Barb
The Reading Cafe

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to this book for a long while, ever since the second book was released in 2016. In Shades of Allegiance we see more of Ash's background and there were some interesting twists that I didn't expect in her past which made me very intrigued. The book starts off with Ash on Glory and is filled with action from the very beginning. I did feel like there was a lot of action packed scenes in this book and less downtime for the characters. It felt like Ash was constantly fighting both mentally and physically which made her seem drained throughout the book and not her usual witty self which I missed.

I did love Ash and Rykas' relationship and how it developed more in this book. I loved how they were both on the same page with their romance in this book and how they each wanted to fight to protect the other. I really like how far their relationship has come since the first book and I loved seeing them be together in this book.

I liked the storyline and how we find out more about telepathy and who's behind everything but I did think there were a lot of new characters introduced in this last book and it made it difficult to care for their role in the plot. And because there were so many new characters I felt that not every story and plotline was wrapped up.

Overall I liked this book but I did think there was too much action and not enough moments between the characters. I thought the storyline was intriguing throughout and what I loved most about this book and the trilogy overall was Ash and Rykas' relationship, I loved reading about them.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Garrett Olinde · Rating 5 out of 5]

The four year wait was a drag, but I enjoyed the book. Lots of action. As I read, the previous two books slowly came back to me, mostly. If I did not have so many unread books, I might think about rereading the whole trilogy. And, it ends in such a way that there could be another book.

[The Book Worm · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I absolutely and irrevocably loved books one (Shades of Treason) and two (Shades of Honor) of this Anomaly series.This third book, however, was a lot harder to get into and left me slightly disappointed.

First, it's longer than any of the others. There's so much happening that the story could have easily been broken into two books. That it wasn't means that there is a lot of plot to digest - and, at the same time, not enough detail shed on some parts.

For example, I never understood why Rykus managed to arrive on Glory when he did. I assume it was because he wanted to help Ash with whatever she was dealing with, but it didn't feel exactly natural or that well explained. There's a whole subplot from book two (Ash's dealings with Rykus' sister) that I had expected to be covered in this one - and instead we are left on a cliffhanger in relation to that (in the bonus epilogue you can access after the end of Shades of Allegiance the author "promises" to write a whole new book about it, but so far it hasn't happened. And there are pieces of the plot literally missing at the end - you never really get to see how Ash killed her nemesis and got rid of half a dozen anomalies, how exactly she ended up on Tahn's ship, and how he managed to break the loyalty training. All that works well in the story, but deserved more detail.
Don't get me wrong, Shades of Allegiance is still a great book, and if you've read the first two you need to read this one. I still loved living Ash's and Rykus' adventures with them and wish there more books in the series, but it's just not as good as the first two.

[E Varady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Series Review

This series does a good job building a partnership among equals. So few authors let the female be stronger than her male partner in any respect. This wasn't a pairing where she was always weaker and less than him. I appreciate that she could be stronger in some areas, and vice versa. I also appreciated the way consent played into their relationship, and particularly his concerns about her consent being given freely. He knew there was a dynamic calling it into question, and they both had to address it.

One of the few things I disliked was that Ash was the only female to make it through the training. I know this is to make her feel like a special snowflake but it implied women in general were too weak to pass. That blatant sexism was offensive and disappointing to see. I am so tired of this way of storytelling where women only shine when another woman, or women in general, is/are torn down.

On another note, while the pacing of the plot in the first two books is good, in the third its way off. For about 85% of the book, it moved slow enough I was expecting at least another book or two would be needed to wrap it up. Then suddenly the ending speeds through the last 15% or so and bam. So many things are left unanswered. What happens on Glory? How will the situation on Jevery get resolved? And what's the plan foe the telepaths? We get glimpses into those things but I think the story would have been better served by extending the plot to address some of these things.

Overall, a good read and would recommend.

[Pamelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over 2 weeks to finish. I stopped and read another book in the middle. This dragged on for me. While we get to see where Ash grew up and what she endured, it wasn’t very interesting for me because what I really wanted was to get back to the main plot: telepaths invading the Coalition. Glory was a whole new cast and new dynamics that ultimately had nothing to do with the main overarching plot. So they felt like filler to me. So much filler, 68% to be exact. At 68% Ash gets back on the main task and then things speed up and the main plot continues to play out. I’m not totally satisfied with how it plays out but at this point it’s good enough. Moving on.

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final instalment in the Anomaly series, it was so much better than the second one.
Ash is searching for the “factions”, and scheming went up, a lot. I loved it, I loved that Rykes is almost always supportive. We learnt a lot about her past in Glory, and all the crime bosses there.
I was surprised several times by the way things turn out. There was a lot of fighting once again, some romance and a lot planning behind every scheme.
The ending was a bit disappointing IMO, I didn’t get closure on all the topics I wanted to, but I’ll get over it.

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent series. (I just reread books one and two so I'd be up to speed for this, book three). High action and an interesting world with anomalies, telepaths and the loyalty-training gives us a nice twist on the Forbidden Love trope. This book we get to see Glory, Ash's homeworld and find out more about her backstory.

I hope there's more in the series, but I feel like Ash and Rykus took a big step closer to their HEA even if the political situation is still dire.

[Ron Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my, book three in the series and it is a hum dinger. There is a continuation of a good plot with good characters and some explicit sex. I hope we don't have to wait as long for the fourth in the series as we had to wait for this one. But, I can be patient.

[Aubrey Schlue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth it

This is my first SciFi series and I am so glad that I decided to give it a go. Sandy Williams is a superb author and this was an enthralling third addition to the Anomaly series that I couldn’t put down.

[Northy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know…. It took me a long time to get through and I gave up a couple times…. I found the story hard to follow and the ending just seemed to… happen…. The writing and world building remain good - but this one felt, I don’t know, convoluted in a way that struggled to hold my interest…

[Merideth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
This was a great book.

[Jacqueline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um, what happens to :insert everything that's not the 2 main characters:?

[Mskychick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because it had been 4 years since book 1 came out, I reread books 1 and 2 before reading this book, Shades of Allegiance. I thought book 3 is the weakest of the trilogy by far. I was glad to revisit Rip and Ash, though. They are awesome!