Refuge

by Emily Andrewsen

When the task of leadership unexpectedly falls upon Kit Kelly, she must put aside her personal and social prejudices to work with the Dwellers. Despite their differences, the Defenders, who refuse to give up the fight, and the Dwellers, who hide in refuge, have a common enemy in the Icers, who have taken international control and remain undefeated in the battle for freedom. But freedom comes with a price, which Kit has paid over and over again. Now, after finding an unexpected connection with a community of Dwellers, Kit finds herself drawn to their leader, Drew Miller. Life would be so much simpler if she could just hate him, but instead she finds herself falling for him. When the enemy comes knocking at their door, will they have what it takes to see through the treachery and lies to save their people? What will the cost be this time?

397 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 18, 2020

Reviews

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world has been purged by Icers, men who take great pleasure in the pain of others, capturing and torturing people by slowly freezing them bit by bit. Kit is a Defender. Trained by her father since her youth to be an unstoppable force, she is decisive, self-assured, and strong-willed. But when desperate times meet their group, Kit's father leads their small band of Defenders to a Dweller compound, where some decided to take refuge shortly after the first Icer attacks in order to preserve life and society. On the way there, they are attacked, and Kit's father dies in the scuffle. Finding herself saddled with his position of leader, Kit leads her wounded Defender team to the Dwellers, where she meets the leader's son, Drew. They get off on the wrong foot, but as her team's extended stay forces them to spend time together, Kit finds herself unwittingly drawn in to Drew's charms.

After the Icer attacks took everything from her, Kit has become a very hard person, and this story is about her opening up, learning how to trust and love again. We all face our own trauma, and Kit has faced her own fair share of it, but has never really dealt with it, keeping it all bottled up. The story is about learning to let go of trauma to start healing and how to accept love when you feel undeserving.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book!! It's main strengths are: dialogue and world-building. I find it refreshing to encounter characters who talk to each other like clever people at their best do--teasing and jabbing and having fun with each other, which element is often missing in books. I also really enjoyed the world system of the book--which unfortunately seems plausible in a post-apocalyptic world taken over by hostiles. I felt like these schisms and groupings of humans would actually happen as people tried to deal with such altered circumstances. The book shows those who respond with honor and increased kindness and service--even in characters who are crusty on the outside but sweet in how they treat people. It also shows people who revile and betray each other, which would also happen in such a world situation. Somehow Kit (MC) remains tough without losing her tenderness to other people, and she reacts to the loss of her friends and family with increased determination to do her best to protect those who remain. I'm on my second reading of this book and I just find more to enjoy!

[Joanne Reinhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

You've got it all Emily! Action, drama, suspense, mystery, intrigue and a tender love story

I'm all in, can't wait for more! You have the gift of story telling. It's so exciting to know an author in real life and to find out something I wouldn't have expected. Keep it up girl!