Natural Selection

Research and Desire #2

by Katie Allen

Previously published under a different title

There's something wickedly naughty about love on the run

Darwin Bloom has no true identity—his laboratory creators made sure of that. Darwin isn't his real name and living on the lam doesn't exactly allow for deep romantic relationships, but the feelings he's developed for engineer Tom Cooper are strong enough to try.

Tom Cooper's life changed forever when he met Darwin. Gone are his fears of intimacy—Tom wants to do whatever Darwin asks, whenever he asks. How is it that the big, beautiful construction worker can seem dangerous and delicious at the same time?

But when Darwin's mysterious past comes back with a vengeance, there's more than just incredible sex at stake. Darwin promised Tom he'd never leave him…but keeping him safe might mean doing just that.

This book is approximately 68,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you're looking for with an HEA/HFN. It's a promise!

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, LGBT, Science Fiction, Romance, Gay

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2012

About the author

Katie Allen is the fabulously filthy-minded alter-ego of romantic-suspense author Katie Ruggle. She lived in an off-grid, solar- and wind-powered house in the Rocky Mountains until her family lured her back to Minnesota. When she’s not writing, Katie rides horses, trains her three dogs, cross-country skis (badly), and travels to warm places where she can scuba dive. A graduate of the police academy, Katie is a self-professed forensics nerd. A fan of anything that makes her feel like a badass, she has trained in Krav Maga, boxing, and gymnastics. You can connect with Katie at http://katieruggle.com/, https://www.facebook.com/katieruggleb..., or on Twitter @KatieRuggle

Reviews

[Simsala · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story like a nursery rhyme.
With every repeat of the chorus a word or event gets added.

Three-fourths of the book were nothing but telling about a slowly progressing relationship between a saint and Bambi frozen in the headlights.
Lots of lovey-dovey stuff that was kinda cute but with the third round of telephone sex - because Tom was too afraid to get touched - the story slowed down to snail`s pace and as they finally came together I was already asleep.
I skimmed the last quarter and finally some storytelling was done and I got the background information I missed earlier but it was way too late to make Darwin`s Natural Selection a gripping story.
Disappointing.

[Hart's Reader Group · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first and last Katie Allen book. I requested the book from NetGalley because the premised seemed interesting, and I hadn't read a quality M/M romance before--so, heck, I decided to give it a try.

I was disappointed, and here's why:

- The story is slow
- It's not an erotic story (they have a lot of phone sex and then the one sex scene I read lacked heat). It was simply a M/M romance NOT a detailed and erotic tale.
- I couldn't believe the attraction between Tom and Darwin was real
- I couldn't take the slow pace or boring, un-engaging story, so I DNFed.

Redeeming qualities (somewhat):

Dialogue was quick and fun -- though it didn't make up for the lack of emotional or sensory depth.

Also...apparently, I like a little F in between the M and M in my erotic romances. I can now say with certainty that M/M romances aren't my thing.

Sorry, Katie. I do wish you luck with republishing your Ellora's Cave books with Carina. I just hope the other books aren't as lightweight as this one.

[Gabbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by Katie Allen and it definitely won’t be my last! I really enjoyed the different twists and turns the plot of this book has as well as the humorous and sexy side of Ms. Allen’s voice.

Six months ago Tom was brutally attacked as part as a hate crime. Since the attack, Tom suffers from almost debilitating panic attacks and he constantly struggles at trying to get his life back to some kind of normalcy. One day at a job site he is approached by a very handsome construction worker, Darwin. Being around Darwin immediately makes Tom anxious and when Darwin asks him out, Tom almost has a full blown panic attack. But Darwin doesn’t seem fazed by Tom’s reaction and give him his number and tells him to call him. Thinking of nothing but to escape, Tom quickly leaves, but Darwin’s kindness and Darwin’s phone number seem to be almost all he can think about.

When Tom is forced to bring a date to his sister’s dinner party, Tom manages to gather up his courage to call Darwin. Tom just knows that Darwin will turn him down because of the flaky way he acted, but to Tom’s surprise, Darwin seems to be thrilled he called and asks him out. This both confused and excites Tom, but he is determined to try to keep his anxieties at bay and have a good date. When they meet the next night, Tom quickly realizes that Darwin is truly as beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside. He’s kind, thoughtful, and sexy as hell, and is somehow able to put some of Tom’s fears to rest. Despite his fears and anxieties, Tom finds himself truly becoming enamored of the handsome Darwin and slowly starts to become more comfortable around him as they continue to get to know each other. As trust and friendship turn to passion, Tom knows he must face his fears and anxieties if he ever wants to have a real relationship with Darwin. But there’s more to Darwin than meets the eye. There’s a mystery about him that Tom can’t seem to figure out and when Darwin finally comes clean about whom he really is Tom’s trust and love for Darwin is really put to the test.

I really loved this book! I thought it was very well-written and between the action, romance and likeable characters, I ended up reading this book cover to cover in one sitting. Both heroes are very interesting and sexy men. Although Tom has many anxieties and fears, he’s really stronger than he realizes he is. I liked how much personal growth he goes through as he starts to allow Darwin into his life. Once he made his mind up about Darwin, Tom became a force to be reckoned with. Also, I though Darwin was a truly sweet and wonderful man. His patience with Tom was lovely as well as his ability to put aside some of his own needs to help Tom with his anxieties. I thought that both men were perfect for each other and I enjoyed their story immensely.

Darwin’s Natural Selection is the second book in the Human Design series. I admit I have not read the first book in the series, but honestly, this book is really well written enough to be a stand-alone book. I didn’t feel lost and kept up with the story very easily. Since the first book is a M/F book, I’m not sure when I’ll be getting around to reading it, but since I really liked this book a lot, I’ll probably eventually do it. There is a definite happy ending at the end of the story, but since it looks like there’s going to be at least three more books, it definitely ended with a bit of cliffhanger for me. This didn’t bother me in the least because this too ended in a positive note. I’m definitely interested in seeing how everything turns out, so I’ll be keeping an eye on the rest of the series. Recommended!

[MostlyDelores · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I have been waiting for this book FOREVER. No book could live up that, but it didn't seem to have the same... sparkle that I expect from Katie Allen. And the story just stops towards the end because this is book two of a five book series, with an arc that won't be resolved until book five (I assume). So, not a cliff hanger, but not HEA (yet) either.

[Avid Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darwin's Natural Selection (Research & Desire #2) by Katie Allen
3 stars
M/M Romance
Triggers: Kidnapping, Attempted Rape, Anxiety Disorder, stalking
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.

This is the second book in the story and while you don't necessarily need to read book 1, there are a few characters that make a repeat appearance.

Darwin and Tom are a strange couple. Tom is an architect who is working on the same job as Darwin, who is a construction worker. They see each other a few times before Darwin muscles up the courage to ask Tom out.

What follows is a strange relationship where there could have been a great more development. I thought that this story lacked development of the main characters and instead, just kind of skimmed along. I wanted more.

Tom and Darwin then find themselves running from the very people that Darwin swore he would never return to. However, they never really do figure out who turns him in, despite the reader knowing and then you have the brothers who are there, in the background, but not really a part of the story.

While this story was somewhat dry and there was very little chemistry between the main characters, I am hopeful that the next story will give me more.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a solid 4 star read but I'm i bumping my rating up to counter the low ratings of other obviously psychopathic reviewers! *shrugs* The dialogue in this book is witty, sexy and laugh out loud funny. I think I just found a new favorite author ;D

[L4dyGrey]

I've been waiting for this book with breathless anticipation !!!!!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all Darwin doesn't have any memories of his life before he became a lab experiment, he's a pretty easy-going guy. He might be quick to get hit with the possessive MINE mentality when he lays eyes on Tom, but he's careful with him. He does his best to ease Tom's fears as they slide into a relationship.

But being on the run and trying to fly under the radar of the government guys who could cause a lot of problems for anyone deemed to be important to Darwin makes their relationship a little tricky. Especially considering what Tom's dealing with.

So. Sticky government agents probably hell-bent on doing some very bad things if they get their hands on Darwin or his brothers, a man who jumps at shadows and whose self-esteem took a big hit six months before, and the easy-going guy who will do anything to keep him safe. Yeah, things are a little complicated, but nothing a lab-enhanced soldier can't handle. Mostly.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can give this a solid 4 stars, but I gotta admit... I wanted more... *sigh*

I picked up Natural Selection before I realized that there was a previous book. Honestly, it didn’t make a big difference. I wasn’t totally lost, but I did find myself wondering exactly what did happen to Darwin when he was held captive and essentially used as a lab rat. For that reason and the fact that evidently all the characters who will eventually have their own story were introduced in Erotic Experiments, I’ll probably have to go back and read that first book. Enough references were made that I wasn’t lost, but I still want to fill in the blanks.

As for Darwin and Tom? I really liked their story. They were both drawn to each other, but they both had their own reasons for keeping their distance. I loved the push and pull of their relationship, my only complaint is that I wanted more. Everything got semi resolved between them and then… it was just over. Hopefully, readers will get more of Darwin and Tom later… speaking of which….

The next book in the series is Carnal Chemistry and I personally can’t wait to see Calvin find his HEA. It promises to be interesting.

On a side note, this series was previously released under the titles Experimenting with Ed, Darwin’s Natural Selection, Chemistry with Calvin and Aristotle’s Anatomy. I think I kinda like the new titles better 😉

I received Natural Selection in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Ela (Mouse333) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok but I wanted to see more scenes where Darwin and the others interact. I know that they separated but they still had to be in contact with each other and I wanted to see how Tom would react to all of them and then how they would all interact.

The story in this book was ok but I thought that the way in which Darwin was found out was a bit random.

I do want to continue with this series as I want to see how it all ends and if they will live in hiding for the rest of their lives and what will happen.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this series was really good. While each novel can be read as a stand-alone, for better enjoyment I recommend reading in order. Experimenting with Ed MF, Darwin's Natural Selection MM, Chemistry With Calvin MF and sadly the last book Double Dose MFM. (A fifth book? I for one am hoping).
All five of the 'leading' male characters plus their counterparts were great, very likable. The interaction between the characters was often humourous and throw in a mild sprinkle of suspense with bad guys rounded the storylines nicely. Heat and 'hell yeah sex' in all the novels.

Cheers

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

An okay story. I didn't read the 1st in the series but had no trouble following the story line. Darwin is an escaped research experiment working as a construction worker. Tom is an engineer. The story goes as one hurt male tries to help another hurt male. Not a bad story but just not what I hoped it to be.

[Jes Jester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent for the genre. That being super smexy MM paranormal. Not my favorite from this author, but still enjoyable nonetheless.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off....I LOVE Katie Allen's books. I've read them all, and the nook that led me to her was the first Human Design book, Experimenting With Ed. I love, love, loved that book.....so the follow-up had some big shoes to fill. And for the most part, I was not disappointed. This story is m/m, which I love....the sex was suuuuper hot, but the storyline just left me sort of, I don't know....blah.

This book was Darwin's story. He's the 2nd in the group of five guys that are escaped "experiments". They all had their memories wiped away, so all they remember is their time in the lab and what has happened to them since their escape. The government was trying to build a better soldier....enhanced senses, enhanced strength, enhanced everything. But they all got tired of being human lab rats, so they escaped and have all been living new lives in various parts of the country.

So, back to THIS particular book. Darwin is a construction worker and he sees Tom Cooper one day on his work site. Tom is the designer of the building that Darwin is helping to construct. After building up his courage, Darwin finally goes up to Tom and gives him his phone number. Lucky for Darwin....Tom is gay. Tom doesn't plan to call him at first (even though Darwin is INSANELY HOT). You see, Tom is pretty fresh out of a bad relationship in addition to being the victim of an hate crime which left him beaten and hospitalized. But fast-forward a little bit, and Tom finally calls Darwin. Come to find out, Darwin is just about the nicest and most patient guy on the planet. And he and Tom work through all of Tom's fears together. (And it involves some super hot phone sex, y'all!)

But we all know this can't last, because the government is actively looking for Darwin. And thanks to Tom's asshole of an ex-boyfriend, he gets found. Not wanting to go back to being a lab rat, Darwin goes on the run...taking Tom with him. Aaaannnnddddd this is the part of the book that caused me to give it 3 stars. The escape and the little bit that came after seemed so rushed. Like, there was all this action and critical plot points occurring, but it was only a chapter or so dedicated to it. More time was spent talking about Tom's sister's engagement dinner that it was on the big escape that was the final act of the book.

Overall, I liked the book. I loved the characters and the romance was hot.....but the end just sort of fizzled and went limp. And when we're talking about two hot dudes having hot dude-on-dude sex.....nothing should go limp. Ever. Solid three stars, though. And Katie Allen remains one of my favorite authors.

[Christi Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:
This is book #2 in this series and I have not read the first book. There were a few vague references to it, but this story overall wasn't affected by that missing book in my reading repertoire. If anything, what's missing in this story is just the simple details of what exactly was done to Darwin while he was in that treatment facility and how they escaped. There are five people who are on the run from the facility and it sounds like they will probably all get a story. They were medically enhanced in some way.

Darwin has no idea who he really is and has no memory past nineteen months ago. The premise is really interesting and I really should go back and read book #1 (it's an m/f book). As a person now, he is witty and funny. He has the patience of a saint. He likes Tom so much and is so drawn to him that he really puts up with a lot of stress (both sexually and mentally) to be able to date Tom. I loved how devoted he was to the idea of making Tom comfortable, no matter what he had to do. He's a guy who naturally takes the reins and likes things pretty rough, but he stomps all that down so not to scare Tom. Above all else, he wants a relationship with Tom and will do whatever he has to do to get that...it made him a great character that I fell in love with. Between that and the way he used his sense of humor to make Tom relax...loved that.

Tom...poor Tom. My heart ached for him. He was brutally attacked six months ago and is having a really tough time letting go of that fear. To add problems, Darwin physically resembles the guy who attacked him which just ratchets his fear up higher. He knows his fears are unfounded and is as frustrated with himself as anyone. I loved the late-night phone calls between the two after their dates went wrong between the two. Their chemistry was allowed to develop without the physical threat which was perfect for Tom's mental place.

This book was a little bit of sci fi, a little bit of romantic suspense, a little bit of erotic romance, and a whole lot of beautiful contemporary romance. I enjoyed it. There is an overriding story of the five people who escaped which looks like it will flow over the course of the five books. I will probably check them all out as they release because I want to know how things end up for Tom and Darwin.

[Angelus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good edition to Katie Allen's M/M romance books. But this one was a little different from Private Dicks/Hide Out. It's slightly more sweet in comparison. But it was well written. Another difference is that this book leaves me wanting more. I find that the ending needed more closure. So Tom and Darwin spend the rest of their lives on the run? Sure they love each other and everything, but it'll take it's toll. I kind of want to know if they actually managed to settle. As Darwin explained, Tom basically left a pretty good life. I would love a closure book. Darwin could get a little help from, oh I don't know, two certain private investigators, a blond former bouncer and his hunky cop boyfriend. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I would love to see that. Plus would love to see Andrew get his comeuppance when Tom finds out that it was his ex who ratted Darwin out. It was a bit of a "What happened to the mouse?" moment for me. Plus he disgraced the name of Andrew! He needs his ass kicked. All in all a good book, but I think it needs a little more.

[C is for **censored** · Rating 3 out of 5]

The star rating given reflects my opinion within ‘the official goodreads rating system’.

1 star: Didn’t Like it
2 stars: It’s Okay
3 stars: Liked it
4 stars: Really Liked it
5 stars: It Was Amazing

I don’t really give a rat-fuck that there are some who think I ‘owe’ an explanation for my opinion. Nope, nada, and not sorry about it.

Sometimes I may add notes to explain what my opinions are based on, and sometimes I don’t. I do this for me, on my books, in my library and I don’t ‘owe’ any special snowflakes a thing. Fuck off if you don’t like it and stop reading my shit.

Particularly given the ‘modifications’ to reader’s personal content going on (and outright censorship), unless particularly motivated I will not comment in detail.

It would help if GR was forthcoming in the new ‘appropriate’ and would make a site-wide announcement delineating the new focus from a reader-centric site to one that is now for authors and selling.

[Brutally Honest · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had its issues. There was the whole fear-connected-to-pleasure thing, which honestly kind of freaked me out. Darwin was just honestly too patient, and Tom was much too traumatised and apparently not willing to go to therapy to get better or anything.... but had no qualms using his boyfriend. And then there were the side characters pushing Tom into a relationship, as though a magical boyfriend would magically fix everything... They were right, of course, but it's completely unrealistic.

This book received a three star from me because I still liked it despite its flaws - the lab rat hero trope is my favourite. Some of the sex scenes were very yummy too.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having not read the first in the series, I was a little leery to read this book. But someone whose taste I trust recced it, and I'm glad I took the chance. You don't read about too many heroes who suffer from severe anxiety, and I really enjoyed how patient and understanding Darwin was with him. He didn't push, he let Tom come to him at his own speed.

The pacing was good, and I really enjoyed the author's writing style and voice. I laughed out loud quite a few times.

[Crispy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful. Handled the issue of PTSD linked to an attack on a gay man with great sensitivity and tenderness. At the same time the book retained Katie Allens trademark wit and eroticism. Darwin was a great hero.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll write a review tomorrow :)

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. I could relate to Tom on so many levels. Wish we could all find our own Darwin's!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was 3.5 stars for me. It's the second book in a series, though I haven't read the first one. I think I would have benefited from the additional knowledge about the world here that I might have gained by reading book 1 first. But, this was enjoyable, and I am interested in reading the rest of the series. This is the only M/M book in the series. Books 1 & 3 are M/F, and book 4 looks to be M/F/M.

Darwin Bloom is a ghost. He doesn't remember anything before about 19 months ago. Apparently he was a soldier being experimented on to try to create the perfect warrior. They wiped his memory, enhanced his strength and senses, and messed with his brain. He and his 4 friends escaped, but they decided they'd be safer spread throughout the country, only keeping in touch by burner phone. So, he's on the run, with a fake name, and a construction job. He's starting to become attached to his cabin, and he loathes having to leave it. He knows that someday soon the lab will come looking for him though. He also definitely shouldn't be getting involved in any type of relationship. It wouldn't be safe, or smart. But, the engineer on his construction site has caught his attention, and now he can't help but want to get to know him.

Tom Cooper was attacked 6 months before and could have easily ended up dead. Ever since, he's been terrified of pretty much everything. He has panic attacks where he's scared to leave his house, or his office, or even his truck sometimes. He wants to just get over it, but he's having a very hard time doing so. When he sees Darwin at the site, he gets very nervous. Though he's attracted to him, Darwin's a bigger guy, muscular and blond, just like Tom's attacker, and he's having a hard time differentiating, especially when he gets scared and freezes up. He wants Darwin, but Tom's afraid no one will be patient enough to deal with all of his issues.

Tom and Darwin's chemistry was great from the start. It even managed to show through Tom's panic episodes most times. Darwin was extremely patient and understanding with Tom's issues, and helped him to overcome many of them. I really liked their interactions, and how much easier it was for Tom over the phone at first, rather than in person. Tom's sister was a hoot too, and I enjoyed their relationship as well. I want to know more about Darwin's friends, so I guess I need to go back and read book 1!

I enjoyed this story, but it was often hard to read about how debilitating Tom's anxiety issues could be. It was painful to watch him working through his issues, and how much embarrassment they caused him. Also, Tom's ex was a completely worthless piece of crap, and I was so ticked about the things he did. I felt there needed to be a little more closure on those issues though. The overarching storyline here is obviously continuing through the entire series, though the relationship itself does get the HFN that the publisher guarantees.

I will definitely be reading the rest of the series, in order to get a clearer picture of the issues the characters are facing. I look forward to knowing more about them!

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club

[Elizabeth SomebodysSomething · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot going on in this book. PTSD on one hand, government labs in the other. It's a weird combo, but the book is fun and the pace quick. I'll definitely read this series.