What do you think?
Rate this book
The Superheroine Collection #6
Never Too Late for Heroes
Agent Geena Fox is counting down the days to her retirement. On one bittersweet day six years ago, her team of superheroes defeated Jewel, the world’s most evil villainꟷbut Geena’s secret lover died in the process. Now her boss has assigned her a rookie partner, Leigh Walker, and that’s the last thing Geena needs. She sends the woman off on a wild goose chase searching for a long-lost missing person to get her out of her sight. However, what Leigh finds will turn Agent Fox’s world upside down.
Meanwhile, over in a retirement home in Missouri, four old women sharing the surname Power are arousing suspicion with their strange behavior. Their nosy nurse is convinced they are not what they seem. Geena and Leigh meet with the mysterious Powers, and realize the women might hold the key to stopping Jewel, once and for all.
Meanwhile, over in a retirement home in Missouri, four old women sharing the surname Power are arousing suspicion with their strange behavior. Their nosy nurse is convinced they are not what they seem. Geena and Leigh meet with the mysterious Powers, and realize the women might hold the key to stopping Jewel, once and for all.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2020
10 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Brooks
23 books327 followersA.L. Brooks was born in the UK but currently resides in Frankfurt, Germany, and over the years she has lived in places as far afield as Aberdeen and Australia. She works 9–5 in corporate financial systems and her dream is to take early retirement. Like, tomorrow, please. She loves her gym membership, and is very grateful for it as she also loves dark chocolate. She enjoys drinking good wine and craft beer, trying out new recipes to cook, and learning German. Travelling around the world and reading lots and lots (and lots) of books are also things that fight for time with her writing. Yep, she really needs that early retirement.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
March 29, 2020
This was a lot of fun! With life getting in the way, I was a little late getting to read this book from YLVA. As a huge superhero geek, I was really looking forward to it so I was happy to finally dig into it today. I have read all of Brooks’ books except for The Club (yes, I know it’s supposed to be her best, I’m getting to it eventually) and while I have enjoyed most of them, I think this might be my new favorite by Brooks. This was pure entertainment and just a joy to read.
Where do you go to find a bunch of ageing superheroes with aches and pains? Why a retirement community of course. That right there, that premise, just completely drew me in. We always get superheroes coming into their powers, or at their prime, or even a little washed-up, but retired sexagenarian superheroes, that just doesn’t happened that often and I was hooked from the beginning of this book.
This is light, sweet and even at times fluffy superhero story. What I love about YLVA’s Superheroine Collection is that each book is so different. From dark and gritty, to light and fluffy, there is a superhero book for any type of fan. While I love a darker superhero story, I also like the ones that can make you smile. This had a light humor throughout, but still had some action. Considering this is a superhero story the violence was pretty low, it is there but nothing explicit. This is a story for adults but someone younger could absolutely read it.
This book has a large cast of characters, eight in total. There are characters in their their 20’s, 50’s and 60’s. While there are eight main characters, the POV bounces between only four of them (if I’m remembering correctly). I’m not always big on multiple POV’s like this, but luckily each character felt very unique so I didn’t have trouble knowing whose POV I was actually in. The only issue I had was names. There were a few characters that were called by either their last name or first and I would have to stop reading for a quick pause for my mind to say, oh yes that means this character. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but I prefer when authors stick to one name or just shortening it for an obvious nickname. The character themselves where all well done and really made the book for me. I’m a more character driven reader so liking almost the whole cast is always a plus.
Besides the action and humor, this book does have a romance. Actually this book has two of them. I’m not going to say what ages or the characters names since I don’t want to spoil anything. Both romances are quite sweet and pretty angst free. There is a little “will they or won’t they?” but for the most part they are pretty fluffy romances. While there are some sweet kisses, there are no explicit sex scenes. I do have to say that I was disappointed that my favorite character didn’t find a potential love interest. She was the only POV we are in who didn’t have a potential love interest so if you read the book you will know what I’m talking about. I wouldn’t mind a sequel where maybe she can get her HEA.
Being stuck home on a Saturday, worrying about loved ones and friends, this got everything bad out of my mind for a few hours. This book made me smile, which I can count how many times that has happened in the past two weeks on one hand, so I appreciate Brooks a little more for helping me to do that. If you are looking for something fun to read that will hopefully make you smile, I think this book would be a good choice.
A copy was given to me for a honest review.
Where do you go to find a bunch of ageing superheroes with aches and pains? Why a retirement community of course. That right there, that premise, just completely drew me in. We always get superheroes coming into their powers, or at their prime, or even a little washed-up, but retired sexagenarian superheroes, that just doesn’t happened that often and I was hooked from the beginning of this book.
This is light, sweet and even at times fluffy superhero story. What I love about YLVA’s Superheroine Collection is that each book is so different. From dark and gritty, to light and fluffy, there is a superhero book for any type of fan. While I love a darker superhero story, I also like the ones that can make you smile. This had a light humor throughout, but still had some action. Considering this is a superhero story the violence was pretty low, it is there but nothing explicit. This is a story for adults but someone younger could absolutely read it.
This book has a large cast of characters, eight in total. There are characters in their their 20’s, 50’s and 60’s. While there are eight main characters, the POV bounces between only four of them (if I’m remembering correctly). I’m not always big on multiple POV’s like this, but luckily each character felt very unique so I didn’t have trouble knowing whose POV I was actually in. The only issue I had was names. There were a few characters that were called by either their last name or first and I would have to stop reading for a quick pause for my mind to say, oh yes that means this character. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but I prefer when authors stick to one name or just shortening it for an obvious nickname. The character themselves where all well done and really made the book for me. I’m a more character driven reader so liking almost the whole cast is always a plus.
Besides the action and humor, this book does have a romance. Actually this book has two of them. I’m not going to say what ages or the characters names since I don’t want to spoil anything. Both romances are quite sweet and pretty angst free. There is a little “will they or won’t they?” but for the most part they are pretty fluffy romances. While there are some sweet kisses, there are no explicit sex scenes. I do have to say that I was disappointed that my favorite character didn’t find a potential love interest. She was the only POV we are in who didn’t have a potential love interest so if you read the book you will know what I’m talking about. I wouldn’t mind a sequel where maybe she can get her HEA.
Being stuck home on a Saturday, worrying about loved ones and friends, this got everything bad out of my mind for a few hours. This book made me smile, which I can count how many times that has happened in the past two weeks on one hand, so I appreciate Brooks a little more for helping me to do that. If you are looking for something fun to read that will hopefully make you smile, I think this book would be a good choice.
A copy was given to me for a honest review.
March 2, 2020
This book would make a fantastic movie! It’s fun and exciting, with more serious undertones about duty and growing old.
Six years ago, under the supervision of Agent Geena Fox, a team of cousins with superpowers defeated supervillain Jewel. One of the superheroines died in the fight, or at least that’s what they thought. Geena Fox is now eagerly waiting for retirement, while the superfamily is growing old too fast in a retirement home. When Leigh Walker, a rookie, is assigned to her, Geena sends her on what seems to be a fool’s errand. Leigh, however, is determined to prove herself and not simply be seen as the daughter of her senator father. When she finds the woman Agent Fox thought she’d never see again, everything speeds up. Fyre Power is no more dead than Jewel, and the superheroines get back together for the ultimate fight to save the country.
I absolutely love the idea of ageing superheroes, and Brooks does a great job telling the story of this extraordinary family: Fyre, her sister Reed and their cousins Val (Jewel’s sister), Mary and Sunny. The gap between elderly bodies and superpowers is underlined with both gentleness and humour. As strange as it might sound, all the characters are very relatable, even though most of them have superpowers and the others are secret agents of some kind. They are flawed and full of doubts but steadfast and strong.
There are two romances happening simultaneously: Geena has had a secret crush on Fyre forever and vice versa, and Agent Leigh Walker finds herself falling for the nosy but oh so sweet young nurse, Dana, at the retirement home where the Power quartet lives. One is older women finally overcoming their fears and getting a second chance, the other one is young love in all its freshness. Both love stories are sweet and full of promises.
The whole supervillain thing was fine but what I enjoyed the most was the banter between the cousins, the relationships with the agents and with Dana, the way each and every woman steps up and gives her best when necessity calls. It’s a whole lot of badass and I love it.
Never Too Late for Heroes is published as part of Ylva’s Superheroines Collection. I read the first ones, missed a couple and will go back to these ASAP…
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Six years ago, under the supervision of Agent Geena Fox, a team of cousins with superpowers defeated supervillain Jewel. One of the superheroines died in the fight, or at least that’s what they thought. Geena Fox is now eagerly waiting for retirement, while the superfamily is growing old too fast in a retirement home. When Leigh Walker, a rookie, is assigned to her, Geena sends her on what seems to be a fool’s errand. Leigh, however, is determined to prove herself and not simply be seen as the daughter of her senator father. When she finds the woman Agent Fox thought she’d never see again, everything speeds up. Fyre Power is no more dead than Jewel, and the superheroines get back together for the ultimate fight to save the country.
I absolutely love the idea of ageing superheroes, and Brooks does a great job telling the story of this extraordinary family: Fyre, her sister Reed and their cousins Val (Jewel’s sister), Mary and Sunny. The gap between elderly bodies and superpowers is underlined with both gentleness and humour. As strange as it might sound, all the characters are very relatable, even though most of them have superpowers and the others are secret agents of some kind. They are flawed and full of doubts but steadfast and strong.
There are two romances happening simultaneously: Geena has had a secret crush on Fyre forever and vice versa, and Agent Leigh Walker finds herself falling for the nosy but oh so sweet young nurse, Dana, at the retirement home where the Power quartet lives. One is older women finally overcoming their fears and getting a second chance, the other one is young love in all its freshness. Both love stories are sweet and full of promises.
The whole supervillain thing was fine but what I enjoyed the most was the banter between the cousins, the relationships with the agents and with Dana, the way each and every woman steps up and gives her best when necessity calls. It’s a whole lot of badass and I love it.
Never Too Late for Heroes is published as part of Ylva’s Superheroines Collection. I read the first ones, missed a couple and will go back to these ASAP…
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 22, 2020
#6 of the Superheroine Collection from Ylva, the first one for me.
Usually, I’m not a big fan of Superheros and -heroines, but this one I liked very much. These power-women are not young, stunning and indestructible, they are older women in her late fifties, early sixties. And this makes them even more lovable.
Six years ago, six women named Power, all related as sisters or cousins and who all have some kind of superpower, and their assigned Agent Geena Fox had a big showdown which ended with two presumed dead. Five of the Power’s were fighting on the right side of the law, with Jewel the renegade and greedy one on the other side. After this blowout, Reed, Sunny, Val and Mary live a slow life at a retirement home. They had lost not only their power, but they also lost one of them, Fyre.
Agent Fox is sitting out her last days before retirement, she’s still suffering the loss of her secret lover and regrets that she never told her that she loved her. Now she has to deal with a rookie partner Leigh Walker, which she does not think much of. But Leigh is surprising her with finding a long-lost missing person. Maybe she isn’t that bad as she thought.
The case they have to solve involves Jewel again. But what was Jewel’s plan? With her mind-controlling ability, she’s the world’s biggest enemy. Can the Power’s get her power back in time to stop the renegade again, this time forever?
I love the writing style of Mrs. Brooks. The story is interesting and captivating, add some humor and a lot of strong but vulnerable women, and you have a wonderful story. It was fun to see how these older women got their mojo back while struggling to find her power again. I envied them as they could walk and running again like nothing ever happened to them, my knees are still hurting, so after a short time, I gave up trying to train with them. It was hilarious and exciting to watch them train. More than once I had to laugh at their antics. And we witnessed how the young agent Leigh gained confidence and worked her way into Fox’s team, together with the assigned nurse Dana.
A very entertaining, adventurous and funny read with two romances on the back seat.
My rating 4+
Thanks to Ylva for receiving an ARC for an honest review.
Usually, I’m not a big fan of Superheros and -heroines, but this one I liked very much. These power-women are not young, stunning and indestructible, they are older women in her late fifties, early sixties. And this makes them even more lovable.
Six years ago, six women named Power, all related as sisters or cousins and who all have some kind of superpower, and their assigned Agent Geena Fox had a big showdown which ended with two presumed dead. Five of the Power’s were fighting on the right side of the law, with Jewel the renegade and greedy one on the other side. After this blowout, Reed, Sunny, Val and Mary live a slow life at a retirement home. They had lost not only their power, but they also lost one of them, Fyre.
Agent Fox is sitting out her last days before retirement, she’s still suffering the loss of her secret lover and regrets that she never told her that she loved her. Now she has to deal with a rookie partner Leigh Walker, which she does not think much of. But Leigh is surprising her with finding a long-lost missing person. Maybe she isn’t that bad as she thought.
The case they have to solve involves Jewel again. But what was Jewel’s plan? With her mind-controlling ability, she’s the world’s biggest enemy. Can the Power’s get her power back in time to stop the renegade again, this time forever?
I love the writing style of Mrs. Brooks. The story is interesting and captivating, add some humor and a lot of strong but vulnerable women, and you have a wonderful story. It was fun to see how these older women got their mojo back while struggling to find her power again. I envied them as they could walk and running again like nothing ever happened to them, my knees are still hurting, so after a short time, I gave up trying to train with them. It was hilarious and exciting to watch them train. More than once I had to laugh at their antics. And we witnessed how the young agent Leigh gained confidence and worked her way into Fox’s team, together with the assigned nurse Dana.
A very entertaining, adventurous and funny read with two romances on the back seat.
My rating 4+
Thanks to Ylva for receiving an ARC for an honest review.
March 19, 2020
Never Too Late For Heroes is the 6th installment in Ylva’s successful Superheroine Collection and A. L. Brooks did it proud. She addressed the super hero concept from a novel angle, namely what happens if they stop believing in their usefulness and lose their powers along the way.
Meet the Power family - sisters Reed and Fyre and their cousins Val (her sister, the now evil Jewel), Mary and Sunny. After they killed Jewel in a big showdown some 6 years ago their fire slowly faded and now they are residing in a Missouri retirement home – all, except for Fyre (but no spoilers).
Agent Geena Fox is almost ready to retire when they assign Leigh Walker as her eager new partner. Geena doesn’t want a side-kick and so to get her out of the office she sends Leigh on a useless solo mission, or so she thinks. Leigh’s discovery, however, sets off a chain of events that will change both their lives.
Expect plenty of action because we are talking super heroines here. But next to the humor and high-jinx the author also made sure to add pathos. Getting old is no joke. Love and loss. We even get two sweet romances for the price of one! I thought it stalled a bit here and there but overall it was a thoroughly entertaining read!
f/f no explicit scenes
Themes: aging, older women, retirement home, superheroes, one bad seed, the bitch is back, cute nurse Dana likes to snoop, mind control, the ultimate show down.
4.2 Stars
* A free copy was provided by Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Meet the Power family - sisters Reed and Fyre and their cousins Val (her sister, the now evil Jewel), Mary and Sunny. After they killed Jewel in a big showdown some 6 years ago their fire slowly faded and now they are residing in a Missouri retirement home – all, except for Fyre (but no spoilers).
Agent Geena Fox is almost ready to retire when they assign Leigh Walker as her eager new partner. Geena doesn’t want a side-kick and so to get her out of the office she sends Leigh on a useless solo mission, or so she thinks. Leigh’s discovery, however, sets off a chain of events that will change both their lives.
Expect plenty of action because we are talking super heroines here. But next to the humor and high-jinx the author also made sure to add pathos. Getting old is no joke. Love and loss. We even get two sweet romances for the price of one! I thought it stalled a bit here and there but overall it was a thoroughly entertaining read!
f/f no explicit scenes
Themes: aging, older women, retirement home, superheroes, one bad seed, the bitch is back, cute nurse Dana likes to snoop, mind control, the ultimate show down.
4.2 Stars
* A free copy was provided by Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
March 6, 2020
Now this is what I call an adventure novel!
Just take one agent waiting for retirement, add in a green rookie partner, four retired superheroes currently living at the Hazy Days Nursing Home, one nosy nurse, and a super villain everyone thought was dead. Add in a few surprising characters and a little romance (two romances actually), and you have Never Too Late for Heroes by A.L. Brooks.
The characters really do make this story something special, especially the Power ladies. They are not only superheroes; they are super people that I would love to hang out with. They are funny, quirky, irreverent, and sweet. The story itself is interesting and keeps you reading. The romances are heartwarming.
I had a lot of fun reading this novel. If you love a good adventure with some very special superheroes and a bit of lovely romance, try this book.
I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Just take one agent waiting for retirement, add in a green rookie partner, four retired superheroes currently living at the Hazy Days Nursing Home, one nosy nurse, and a super villain everyone thought was dead. Add in a few surprising characters and a little romance (two romances actually), and you have Never Too Late for Heroes by A.L. Brooks.
The characters really do make this story something special, especially the Power ladies. They are not only superheroes; they are super people that I would love to hang out with. They are funny, quirky, irreverent, and sweet. The story itself is interesting and keeps you reading. The romances are heartwarming.
I had a lot of fun reading this novel. If you love a good adventure with some very special superheroes and a bit of lovely romance, try this book.
I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
November 23, 2020
This is book six in The Superheroine Collection by Ylva Publishing which has featured novels by Lee Winter, Fiona Zedde, and Alex K. Thorne, among others, under the common theme of lesbian superheroines. The series novels varied from sweet to dark and ‘Never too late for heroes’ is by far the funniest of all.
Agent Geena Fox is still broken-hearted after her secret love died defeating Jewel, the world’s most evil villain, and is counting days until her retirement. When she’s assigned rookie agent Leigh Walker as her partner, Geena sends her to solve a cold case disappearance. When Leigh finds a clue to solve the case, Geena’s world will be turned upside down…
I really enjoyed this book, even though the superheroine premise is known, its take on it is very original. A group of over 60s retired superheroines living in a nursing home who are hilariously funny? Yes, please! It’s a very weird premise but Ms. Brooks makes it work really well.
This is a very character-driven story with not one or two, but with at least eight very important characters. Ms. Brooks takes her time to present them all to the reader and make each one unique and multifaceted, which is a testament to this author’s writing skills.
Even though this is mainly an action book, there is also space for not only one romance but two. However, both romances are a bit in the background so don’t expect the level of heat that Ms. Brooks is capable of writing, like in her debut novel ‘The Club‘. They are sweet and cute, and the characters are so lovable that it’s impossible not to root for them.
The action and intrigue parts are very well written and keep the reader turning pages, or in my case, listening. But the action isn’t dark or violent, it’s light with some funny moments. Ms. Brooks finds the right balance between action, seriousness, humor, and romance making ‘Never too late for heroes’ absolutely entertaining.
I’ve listened to the audiobook narrated by Abby Craden and as usual, the result is awesome. With eight very important female characters plus a few more, the overall result could have been a disaster with a less experienced narrator but Ms. Craden made all the voices and the characters’ personalities distinctive. The pacing of the action was spot on, as well as with the more romantic or introspective moments. With almost 9 hours of story, it will keep you entertained and it’s worth a listen. 5 stars.
Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
Agent Geena Fox is still broken-hearted after her secret love died defeating Jewel, the world’s most evil villain, and is counting days until her retirement. When she’s assigned rookie agent Leigh Walker as her partner, Geena sends her to solve a cold case disappearance. When Leigh finds a clue to solve the case, Geena’s world will be turned upside down…
I really enjoyed this book, even though the superheroine premise is known, its take on it is very original. A group of over 60s retired superheroines living in a nursing home who are hilariously funny? Yes, please! It’s a very weird premise but Ms. Brooks makes it work really well.
This is a very character-driven story with not one or two, but with at least eight very important characters. Ms. Brooks takes her time to present them all to the reader and make each one unique and multifaceted, which is a testament to this author’s writing skills.
Even though this is mainly an action book, there is also space for not only one romance but two. However, both romances are a bit in the background so don’t expect the level of heat that Ms. Brooks is capable of writing, like in her debut novel ‘The Club‘. They are sweet and cute, and the characters are so lovable that it’s impossible not to root for them.
The action and intrigue parts are very well written and keep the reader turning pages, or in my case, listening. But the action isn’t dark or violent, it’s light with some funny moments. Ms. Brooks finds the right balance between action, seriousness, humor, and romance making ‘Never too late for heroes’ absolutely entertaining.
I’ve listened to the audiobook narrated by Abby Craden and as usual, the result is awesome. With eight very important female characters plus a few more, the overall result could have been a disaster with a less experienced narrator but Ms. Craden made all the voices and the characters’ personalities distinctive. The pacing of the action was spot on, as well as with the more romantic or introspective moments. With almost 9 hours of story, it will keep you entertained and it’s worth a listen. 5 stars.
Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
July 20, 2021
A humorous action adventure about 5 retired former superheroines; their handler and arch nemesis!
A good bit of fun and a light read, but still plenty to keep the plot moving and to get to know the characters. Some light women loving women romance thrown in for good measure, and you've got a perfect lazy afternoon read.
It was free on YLVA's website not long ago, and I'm glad I snapped it up.
A good bit of fun and a light read, but still plenty to keep the plot moving and to get to know the characters. Some light women loving women romance thrown in for good measure, and you've got a perfect lazy afternoon read.
It was free on YLVA's website not long ago, and I'm glad I snapped it up.
May 1, 2020
This started with such a fabulous premise that there are so many possibilities but not all can be done in any kind of depth. Four older ladies, with the aches and pains of a formerly active life, at least have each other in the retirement. Cousins and siblings, they have known each other their entire lives and used their powers as a formidable fighting force. Having lost two of their sisters six years before, Reed, Sunny, Mary and Val Power pass their days in each other’s company with no sign of their supernatural powers until the odd incident or two occurs.
Agent Geena Fox is set to retire in the near future when her boss assigns her a partner in the form of a rookie agent who seems to be where she is by virtue of her family connections only. She supposes she can put up with Leigh Walker until her retirement but notifications of odd goings on send her in the direction of the Power women before all hell breaks loose.
I enjoyed the action and the pace but felt the story overall fell short on characterization and some choices regarding the number of fairly dominant characters should have been made for an average length novel. One can get away with two blossoming romances in a book this long but with four sisters from the home, two agents, another two relatives with main roles and then a horde of agents, military personal and other characters. There weren’t enough pages do to do the eight main characters justice. I would absolutely have read this as a four part series in order to become as invested in the characters as I was in the plot.
The two romances would have been brilliant with just a little more information about the woman. I’m dying to know how the Jewel became the person she was. I felt there had to be more to Fyre in her leathers on her bike than the flimsy reason she gave. Sunny and her unusual dress sense needed more visibility. Reed starts as a dominant character and gets lost in the crowd.
A book with four aging women as superheroes – one book is not enough. I never do this but here it is. Please take this book back, use it as a framework and write it in four parts. Please.
Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Agent Geena Fox is set to retire in the near future when her boss assigns her a partner in the form of a rookie agent who seems to be where she is by virtue of her family connections only. She supposes she can put up with Leigh Walker until her retirement but notifications of odd goings on send her in the direction of the Power women before all hell breaks loose.
I enjoyed the action and the pace but felt the story overall fell short on characterization and some choices regarding the number of fairly dominant characters should have been made for an average length novel. One can get away with two blossoming romances in a book this long but with four sisters from the home, two agents, another two relatives with main roles and then a horde of agents, military personal and other characters. There weren’t enough pages do to do the eight main characters justice. I would absolutely have read this as a four part series in order to become as invested in the characters as I was in the plot.
The two romances would have been brilliant with just a little more information about the woman. I’m dying to know how the Jewel became the person she was. I felt there had to be more to Fyre in her leathers on her bike than the flimsy reason she gave. Sunny and her unusual dress sense needed more visibility. Reed starts as a dominant character and gets lost in the crowd.
A book with four aging women as superheroes – one book is not enough. I never do this but here it is. Please take this book back, use it as a framework and write it in four parts. Please.
Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
February 8, 2020
Hazy Days Residential Care is home to the four Power cousins, Reed, Mary, Sunny and Val for the past six years. Agent Geena Fox, a legend in the Agency, has been desk sitting for the last six years while counting her days until retirement. Dana Chapman is a newly hired nurse at Hazy Days who has an incurable desire to snoop especially on the interesting Power cousins. Agent Leigh Walker is six months into her first year in the Agency and newly assigned to be trained by Agent Fox.
Six years ago the Power cousins and sisters used their Super Hero powers to kill their nemesis named Jewel. Unfortunately one of the Power sisters also died that day. It was a day that changed all their lives and affected their futures.
Never Too Late for Heroes by A. L. Brooks is book seven in The Superheroines Collection of independent novels. This is an enjoyable action filled read. I had a hard time putting this one down to take care of my real life in between my reading time. Ms Brooks creates her cast of characters as if they alone were the only main character. Each one is uniquely different, likeable and if they are the villains you really cannot wait for their comeuppance.
There is a lot going on in this novel however it is so well crafted you are never confused. Intrigued definitely. Confused, never.
I am an over sixty year old reader and applaud Ms Brooks for creating her super heroes fifty years and older. There are so few novels which I truly can identify with the main characters.
4.5 ⭐️
Six years ago the Power cousins and sisters used their Super Hero powers to kill their nemesis named Jewel. Unfortunately one of the Power sisters also died that day. It was a day that changed all their lives and affected their futures.
Never Too Late for Heroes by A. L. Brooks is book seven in The Superheroines Collection of independent novels. This is an enjoyable action filled read. I had a hard time putting this one down to take care of my real life in between my reading time. Ms Brooks creates her cast of characters as if they alone were the only main character. Each one is uniquely different, likeable and if they are the villains you really cannot wait for their comeuppance.
There is a lot going on in this novel however it is so well crafted you are never confused. Intrigued definitely. Confused, never.
I am an over sixty year old reader and applaud Ms Brooks for creating her super heroes fifty years and older. There are so few novels which I truly can identify with the main characters.
4.5 ⭐️
February 15, 2020
Singularly unique in the sub genre of superheroes :) I really enjoyed this. It just felt real, which is saying something considering folks have super powers in it, hehe. And on top of all that ya get two different rom arc's, and even if it's at a minimum you still root for them. There were only a few times where it slowed down and my interest waned. Overall it was extremely entertaining.
June 7, 2020
What a great fun read, old superhero’s....who would of thought...thoroughly enjoyed this book....more Power to them.
August 1, 2021
I’ve never read a superhero book before, and after reading this one I don’t know why I didn’t venture out before.
If you’re expecting or hoping for some grand romance, this isn’t for you. There are two small, tiny even, love stories. These subplots are really cute actually. This book full of strong female superheroes just screams movie to me, or better yet series. But unfortunately we won’t ever see it, this makes me sad. At times I did feel like maybe I missed a book or even books as there is so much history between the characters. It’s kind of nice but a bit unsettling as well. The superhero plot is fun and I absolutely would think this would make for some great visual entertainment as well.
This book is well written, the characters are fun and I am happy I took a chance reading this when the publisher offered this book for free.
If you’re expecting or hoping for some grand romance, this isn’t for you. There are two small, tiny even, love stories. These subplots are really cute actually. This book full of strong female superheroes just screams movie to me, or better yet series. But unfortunately we won’t ever see it, this makes me sad. At times I did feel like maybe I missed a book or even books as there is so much history between the characters. It’s kind of nice but a bit unsettling as well. The superhero plot is fun and I absolutely would think this would make for some great visual entertainment as well.
This book is well written, the characters are fun and I am happy I took a chance reading this when the publisher offered this book for free.
August 5, 2020
This was a very fun listen - and completely unique. Part of the Superheroines collection by Ylva Publishing authors, this story by A. L. Brooks focuses on a group of geriatric former superheroes that have since been put out to pasture in a Missouri retirement home. Their former handler Geena Fox, waiting out the days until she can retire from an unnamed federal agency, is stunned when a link from their past resurfaces - a significant one that conjures up old feelings and leads to a new adventure none of them saw coming.
On the surface, it may not seem a story like this would have mass appeal, but really - it was quite entertaining. Especially in the care of Abby Craden who really outdoes herself. The sheer number of characters she is required to perform - each with their own unique voice - was astounding. And as usual - she nailed it. Especially the four cantankerous older women - a few of whom curse like sailors. Some of the things coming out of their mouths had me laughing out loud. This a large and varied cast - not everyone is of the older variety. There is a young rookie agent assigned to Fox who gets more than she bargained for in her new job, a young nurse from the retirement home that becomes part of the team and several other peripheral characters. Additionally, there are a few sweet romances that come into play, secondary to the main story.
This is a superhero story unlike any I've seen before so if you think you might enjoy that, or are a fan of Craden's and want to appreciate her mad skills, give this one a try.
On the surface, it may not seem a story like this would have mass appeal, but really - it was quite entertaining. Especially in the care of Abby Craden who really outdoes herself. The sheer number of characters she is required to perform - each with their own unique voice - was astounding. And as usual - she nailed it. Especially the four cantankerous older women - a few of whom curse like sailors. Some of the things coming out of their mouths had me laughing out loud. This a large and varied cast - not everyone is of the older variety. There is a young rookie agent assigned to Fox who gets more than she bargained for in her new job, a young nurse from the retirement home that becomes part of the team and several other peripheral characters. Additionally, there are a few sweet romances that come into play, secondary to the main story.
This is a superhero story unlike any I've seen before so if you think you might enjoy that, or are a fan of Craden's and want to appreciate her mad skills, give this one a try.
March 6, 2020
I'm pretty sure that my loud squees can be heard throughout the Caribbean because I've been waiting for this story like forever! Older superheroes, check. Grumpy senior cop with a bubbly rookie, check. A nosy nurse who just has to be in the middle of everything, check. An awful villain who is crazy beyond measure, check. This author has done a wonderful job of giving me vivid descriptions of each character and their quirky personalities because I can easily imagine what these awesome women would look like if they were real. This author has also done a great job of portraying each character’s deepest thoughts, their unpredictable emotions and their points of view without confusing me in the process.
July 21, 2021
Too many main characters sometimes I get lost reading this book. Two romances but not too much background on their story, especially Agent Fox and Frye. The action was good, but the romance was not so good and I was disappointed when both couples got together without a follow up.
April 12, 2022
Never Too Late For Heroes was a lot of fun. It was light and entertaining, with such an original plot.
A bunch of retired superheroes who suddenly get their powers back to fight their nemesis. Add in a couple of FBI agents and a nosey aged care nurse and there is a great mix of banter, laughs, grumpiness and just a smidge if romance.
This is the first book by A.L. Brooks that I have read, and even though I'm sure her others probably don't stick to the superhero theme, I look forwarding to checking a few more out.
A bunch of retired superheroes who suddenly get their powers back to fight their nemesis. Add in a couple of FBI agents and a nosey aged care nurse and there is a great mix of banter, laughs, grumpiness and just a smidge if romance.
This is the first book by A.L. Brooks that I have read, and even though I'm sure her others probably don't stick to the superhero theme, I look forwarding to checking a few more out.
May 11, 2020
It took me a while to get into this as it has various characters and I was unsure where it was heading.
It was a mixture of a female version of cocoon with super powers. I confess to getting confused on who was a sister or cousin. The introduction of a bad sister using her powers for evil was promising but it just did not deliver for me and I was left disappointed.
One character was described as being "plump" which I found jarring. Perhaps throwback to childhood as not used in flattering terms.
There was romance, but it did not add anything to the story.
I did enjoy it in parts but part way through it felt like it had run out of steam.
Arc received from Ylva for honest review.
It was a mixture of a female version of cocoon with super powers. I confess to getting confused on who was a sister or cousin. The introduction of a bad sister using her powers for evil was promising but it just did not deliver for me and I was left disappointed.
One character was described as being "plump" which I found jarring. Perhaps throwback to childhood as not used in flattering terms.
There was romance, but it did not add anything to the story.
I did enjoy it in parts but part way through it felt like it had run out of steam.
Arc received from Ylva for honest review.
March 5, 2020
I’ve really been enjoying Ylva’s series of lesbian superheroes in their Superheroine Collection. After five good books I’ve been starting to think that they’re going to come up with a dud. This book isn’t that – in fact, it may be the best so far.
It’s funny yet serious, faintly mocking and satirical yet fully embracing of the genre and filled with great characters. It’s unusual to read a superhero book where the main protagonists are getting on in years and it adds a fresh perspective to the storytelling.
I’ve enjoyed A.L. Brooks’s writing previously (my favourites are The Long Shot and Dark Horse). Brooks doesn’t have a particular type of storyline, each book is pretty different from the others, so I can’t really say that this book is a departure. It’s obvious that Brooks can write in various genres.
The blurb doesn’t give too much of the story away, so I’m not going to put in any spoilers. There are two romances in the story, both involving the agents. My favourite is Agent Fox’s – a lot of yearning but in a stoic, professional way.
The writing is assured and crisp, and the banter is genuinely amusing. I enjoyed the fact that though the Power women are superheroes they are also human. They make mistakes and have their own foibles, and that adds depth to the story.
If you like lesbian superhero stories (and who doesn’t?) then do yourself a favour and read this one.
Note: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
It’s funny yet serious, faintly mocking and satirical yet fully embracing of the genre and filled with great characters. It’s unusual to read a superhero book where the main protagonists are getting on in years and it adds a fresh perspective to the storytelling.
I’ve enjoyed A.L. Brooks’s writing previously (my favourites are The Long Shot and Dark Horse). Brooks doesn’t have a particular type of storyline, each book is pretty different from the others, so I can’t really say that this book is a departure. It’s obvious that Brooks can write in various genres.
The blurb doesn’t give too much of the story away, so I’m not going to put in any spoilers. There are two romances in the story, both involving the agents. My favourite is Agent Fox’s – a lot of yearning but in a stoic, professional way.
The writing is assured and crisp, and the banter is genuinely amusing. I enjoyed the fact that though the Power women are superheroes they are also human. They make mistakes and have their own foibles, and that adds depth to the story.
If you like lesbian superhero stories (and who doesn’t?) then do yourself a favour and read this one.
Note: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2022
YES! Everything about this book is a hella yes! Multiple and amusing points of view, several romantic storylines, laugh out loud spit coffee over the book kind of banter, family dynamics in the good and the bad and writing that made me experience all the feels. I am in love with the ensemble cast but if push came to shove I'd have to say my favourite character is Reed. She made me laugh more than any other character, although I need more adventures with Agent Fox and, and, and all of them really. They all added to the brilliance of this book and I just simply adore A.L Brooks writing style. Highly recommend this book ... and the audio which is done phenomenally by Abby Craden.
March 25, 2020
Well its a feel good cutesie story. My best description is "Cocoon meets The Incredibles ".
The first 3/4's of the book involved the "60 something" Power's cousins/sister restoring their "incredibles" powers and practice, practice, practice. (I kept getting confused who were cousins and who were sister, I'm not sure why the mix was necessary. They could have all been sisters. It would have made it easier)
Then the story gets a little more interesting when the evil sister does something bad and the sister/cousins have to jump into action. But that gets resolved pretty quick and unfortunately after ALL the "incredibles" powers practicing, not much was used during the rescue.
The story is pretty juvenile and the romances were very mild and unnecessary.
Obviously I dont recommend this book.
The first 3/4's of the book involved the "60 something" Power's cousins/sister restoring their "incredibles" powers and practice, practice, practice. (I kept getting confused who were cousins and who were sister, I'm not sure why the mix was necessary. They could have all been sisters. It would have made it easier)
Then the story gets a little more interesting when the evil sister does something bad and the sister/cousins have to jump into action. But that gets resolved pretty quick and unfortunately after ALL the "incredibles" powers practicing, not much was used during the rescue.
The story is pretty juvenile and the romances were very mild and unnecessary.
Obviously I dont recommend this book.
March 2, 2020
This was a fun romp! I loved the concept of aging superheroes. We meet four of them in a retirement home ironically named Hazy Days, but fortunately our heroines have all their mental faculties. Unfortunately, they do have the physical ailments of old age – poor sight and creaking joints. They drink, tease, and complain, and make enemies of the other old folks there.
Then something changes but we don’t know what’s going on at first. There are some hints but I was in the dark until later on. Meanwhile an agent, Geena Fox, at an unknown agency is given an unwanted young partner and gives her an assignment to check out a rumor of someone, not expecting anything to come of it. Then everyone heads off to the retirement home to check on the Power cousins. To add to the intrigue, a nosy young nursing assistant is spying on the Powers.
A couple of things bothered me. The nursing assistant puts out a fire by spraying water from a fire extinguisher. What? No way would it have enough water to do that, besides extinguishers don’t use water. The nursing assistant is often referred to as a nurse, seemingly with the skills of a nurse, but without the training, and then she implausibly gets a plum job at the end.
But those were small issues that I could overlook, because this was so amusing and entertaining. I loved that the superheroes are all old women. One of them has a secret love for an agent who reciprocates those feelings, but neither knows. Fortunately, the cousins are not clueless. There is a second romance, too, between the two younger characters. The evil villain is also a woman and related to the superheroes. I have to admit that I kept wondering how she would have turned out if the others had included her in their youth, but I will never know. This is a great addition to the superheroine collection.
I received an ARC from Ylva for an honest review.
Then something changes but we don’t know what’s going on at first. There are some hints but I was in the dark until later on. Meanwhile an agent, Geena Fox, at an unknown agency is given an unwanted young partner and gives her an assignment to check out a rumor of someone, not expecting anything to come of it. Then everyone heads off to the retirement home to check on the Power cousins. To add to the intrigue, a nosy young nursing assistant is spying on the Powers.
A couple of things bothered me. The nursing assistant puts out a fire by spraying water from a fire extinguisher. What? No way would it have enough water to do that, besides extinguishers don’t use water. The nursing assistant is often referred to as a nurse, seemingly with the skills of a nurse, but without the training, and then she implausibly gets a plum job at the end.
But those were small issues that I could overlook, because this was so amusing and entertaining. I loved that the superheroes are all old women. One of them has a secret love for an agent who reciprocates those feelings, but neither knows. Fortunately, the cousins are not clueless. There is a second romance, too, between the two younger characters. The evil villain is also a woman and related to the superheroes. I have to admit that I kept wondering how she would have turned out if the others had included her in their youth, but I will never know. This is a great addition to the superheroine collection.
I received an ARC from Ylva for an honest review.
March 17, 2020
Agent Walker was new to the agency and getting there wasn’t without its problems. Being, what some would call too short and others would just call being too small for the job she had her work cut out for her. So like many other women trying to work in a job surrounded by men she had to work that much harder. It didn’t help that her father was Senator Randall Walker who thought she wasn’t up to the job and was waiting for her to fail. When she was asked to work with the legendary Geena Fox she knew this was her chance to prove all of her doubters wrong.
Agent Geena Fox was counting down the days til her retirement. At one time she was the agent in charge for a group of women who had special talents, super-hero talents. But her last job leading the five ladies fighting the criminal Jewel didn’t go exactly as planned. Not only was Jewel killed but more importantly so was one of the women she worked with that she had fallen in love with. The four superheroes that survived also lost their powers, so they were sent to live out their days at the Hazy Days Residential Care Home. Did I mention the ladies, Sunny, Reed, Mary and Val Powers were all related. Cousins that grew up together they won’t be separated even if they were too old to fight crime.
It comes as a shock to many, that just as Agent Walker came to be working with Geena Fox the once presumed dead Jewel was back to cause trouble. It also was evident that the Power ladies were suddenly experiencing a return of their former abilities. Now the fun can begin.
Ms Brooks writing keeps improving and putting down her books is certainly getting harder. Never Too Late for Heroes is one of those books, a nicely paced, humorous read, filled with adventures the Powers thought they had lost forever. Very, very nice read.
ARC via Ylva Publishing
March 15, 2020
A ARC copy was given to me by YLVA for a honest review.
This is a story about become a heroine again and find the partner for life. I really liked the book about agent Geena Fox and her superhero friends, who tried to restore their powers. Geena Fox and her rookie agent Leigh Walker, try to fight old enemy - Jewel from Geenas past and they become help from four heroines from senior residence Hazy days and their nurse. The story goes fast and every character in thes story must deal with their unspoken feelings.
This is a story about become a heroine again and find the partner for life. I really liked the book about agent Geena Fox and her superhero friends, who tried to restore their powers. Geena Fox and her rookie agent Leigh Walker, try to fight old enemy - Jewel from Geenas past and they become help from four heroines from senior residence Hazy days and their nurse. The story goes fast and every character in thes story must deal with their unspoken feelings.
February 1, 2021
A. L. Brooks is a widely fluctuating author for us. On one hand we’ve disliked some of her characters immensely and on the other, we’ve totally loved some of her work. So she’s a hit or miss. This book is a totally hit for us.
Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
March 4, 2020
Thoroughly entertaining read (4.5 stars)
I didn't read the story synopsis before I read this book so all I had to go on was a quick glance at the book cover before I dug into the story. If you want an extra bunch of (good) surprises in your reading I'd suggest going into the book blind like that; elements from the synopsis as they reveal themselves in the book itself are super fun to read.
This story started out charming me thru the introduction of several hilarious characters and their close knit bonds and by the end, it was pure fun and a rush to read to see what happens next. There's some truly adorable romantic fluff flying about when the suspense wasn't ramping up to ever higher levels; when you're not cooing over romantic pairings, you're turning pages blazing past any preset agreements you may have made with yourself beforehand ("I'll just read x number of chapters right now and then put the book down until the next time.") to see the resolution of a cliffhanger that much sooner or to continue being a fly on the wall to the adventures and shenanigans of the book's characters. I loved the diversity of ages and skin hues/tones represented here, having so many powerful women in one book (powerful in one way or another) and the abundance of wonderful healthy complex inspiring relationships between women. The story often had the feel of a really good popcorn movie the way it's written making it all the more entertaining and tough to stop reading; there is at least one scene that is typical of popcorn movies but here let's just say it's infinitely better in its casting and leave it at that as a teaser. For the curious, yes there are male characters in the book but they are a minority in number.
Initially the main characters were tough for me to remember and keep track of in my mind and the use of the agents' first names in one place and last names in others added to that until I was in the flow of the story and the characters were more familiar to me. It's the only thing I can point to as a downside in this book and it's a very minor one at that.
If you're looking for a story that will make you laugh and 'awww', sit on the edge of your seat and read (or want to read) well past your bedtime, this one fits the bill. I also recommend the author's other books for good reading and am curious to see what they will publish next. I will more than likely be reading it regardless of the genre.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't read the story synopsis before I read this book so all I had to go on was a quick glance at the book cover before I dug into the story. If you want an extra bunch of (good) surprises in your reading I'd suggest going into the book blind like that; elements from the synopsis as they reveal themselves in the book itself are super fun to read.
This story started out charming me thru the introduction of several hilarious characters and their close knit bonds and by the end, it was pure fun and a rush to read to see what happens next. There's some truly adorable romantic fluff flying about when the suspense wasn't ramping up to ever higher levels; when you're not cooing over romantic pairings, you're turning pages blazing past any preset agreements you may have made with yourself beforehand ("I'll just read x number of chapters right now and then put the book down until the next time.") to see the resolution of a cliffhanger that much sooner or to continue being a fly on the wall to the adventures and shenanigans of the book's characters. I loved the diversity of ages and skin hues/tones represented here, having so many powerful women in one book (powerful in one way or another) and the abundance of wonderful healthy complex inspiring relationships between women. The story often had the feel of a really good popcorn movie the way it's written making it all the more entertaining and tough to stop reading; there is at least one scene that is typical of popcorn movies but here let's just say it's infinitely better in its casting and leave it at that as a teaser. For the curious, yes there are male characters in the book but they are a minority in number.
Initially the main characters were tough for me to remember and keep track of in my mind and the use of the agents' first names in one place and last names in others added to that until I was in the flow of the story and the characters were more familiar to me. It's the only thing I can point to as a downside in this book and it's a very minor one at that.
If you're looking for a story that will make you laugh and 'awww', sit on the edge of your seat and read (or want to read) well past your bedtime, this one fits the bill. I also recommend the author's other books for good reading and am curious to see what they will publish next. I will more than likely be reading it regardless of the genre.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2020
This was fun. When I decided to read it, I didn't realize this was another book in the Superheroine series, but, it was, and it was pretty awesome.
There's a group of cousins, they Powers, they have, well, powers. They worked together with a FBI handler to right the worlds wrongs. Then, one of their own died in a humongous fight. They thought that their bad guy nemisis died too. After the fight, they lost their powers, and moved as a group to a rest home.
But, suddenly their biggest bad might be back, but, maybe also their deceased cousin too?
The mystery of what exactly the big bad was doing was interesting, as was the story of whether or not the heroines could get back their powers and win. And, the romances were cute, but, I was happy that they didn't overwhelm the rest of the novle.
A really great read.
I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an Honest Review
There's a group of cousins, they Powers, they have, well, powers. They worked together with a FBI handler to right the worlds wrongs. Then, one of their own died in a humongous fight. They thought that their bad guy nemisis died too. After the fight, they lost their powers, and moved as a group to a rest home.
But, suddenly their biggest bad might be back, but, maybe also their deceased cousin too?
The mystery of what exactly the big bad was doing was interesting, as was the story of whether or not the heroines could get back their powers and win. And, the romances were cute, but, I was happy that they didn't overwhelm the rest of the novle.
A really great read.
I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an Honest Review
October 25, 2021
easy, sweet, and funny story of a band of former super heroes who get back into the superhero game again (now in their sixties)
a couple of inconsistencies in characterization of super powers, but overall a good plot and not a lot of angst… even considering the topic at hand
abby craden’s voice acting for the many Power women earned this book an extra 3/4 star
a couple of inconsistencies in characterization of super powers, but overall a good plot and not a lot of angst… even considering the topic at hand
abby craden’s voice acting for the many Power women earned this book an extra 3/4 star
March 17, 2020
This was a fun adventure/ superhero novel - I’m usually not a big fan of sci-fi kinda books but I enjoyed this one. It had humor, seriousness and heart.
March 9, 2020
No synopsis needed.
Ms. Brooks cannot be pigeonholed. Her books rarely disappoint and her foray into the superheroine storyline hits the mark. There's humour, action , adventure and romance all nicely blended into a tale with a really despicable villain and a "rocking" retirement home...
I read through the night to the end and highly recommend with 5 stars.
An ARC rec'd from Ylva Publishing for my unbiased review.
Ms. Brooks cannot be pigeonholed. Her books rarely disappoint and her foray into the superheroine storyline hits the mark. There's humour, action , adventure and romance all nicely blended into a tale with a really despicable villain and a "rocking" retirement home...
I read through the night to the end and highly recommend with 5 stars.
An ARC rec'd from Ylva Publishing for my unbiased review.
February 25, 2020
I’m a big fan of superheroes and fantasy stories. This gets 4 stars just for the kudos of such an innovative point of view with which to tackle a genre that can seem overdone at the best of times.
Each character was individually defined and quirky in entirely different ways. I just wish that there could have been more time to explore each one in depth. I almost want a prequel spin off of all of the Powers family as I feel there is more story to tell with each of them.
The pace was very good and rarely lagged which can be tricky when juggling so many characters and two different romance arcs thrown in just for the challenge.
I just wish there more time with all of them!!! I think the boom could have easily been about 100 pages longer without suffering too much in the way of plot and pacing. Not a bad critique to have! Would work great as a graphic novel!
Each character was individually defined and quirky in entirely different ways. I just wish that there could have been more time to explore each one in depth. I almost want a prequel spin off of all of the Powers family as I feel there is more story to tell with each of them.
The pace was very good and rarely lagged which can be tricky when juggling so many characters and two different romance arcs thrown in just for the challenge.
I just wish there more time with all of them!!! I think the boom could have easily been about 100 pages longer without suffering too much in the way of plot and pacing. Not a bad critique to have! Would work great as a graphic novel!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews