The Color of Trauma

by Hollie Smurthwaite

Experiencing another's past could end her future . . .

Kiera is a memory surgeon. With her gift of removing and holding other’s traumatic memories, she’s helped dozens of women but hasn’t helped herself. Now Dean, a Chicago homicide detective, is asking for even more: for her to look into the memories of a coma victim to help him catch a serial killer.

Clues and romance unfurl, but as Dean and Kiera get closer to each other, the killer gets closer to Kiera.

The Color of Trauma is a thought-provoking paranormal romantic suspense novel. If you like unconventional heroines, dark themes, and psychological dramas, then you’ll love Hollie Smurthwaite’s suspenseful story.

Content warning: Explicit sex scenes, references and depictions of physical and sexual violence (NOT between the protagonists), PTSD reactions, minor drug use, profanity and not just a little.

Genres: Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Thriller, Suspense

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2021

About the author

Hollie Smurthwaite writes paranormal romances where magic meets reality, blending wit, angst, and steamy chemistry with themes of trust, empowerment, and found family. Known for her complex characters and humor in dark moments, her stories make readers laugh, cry, and sigh. 

She lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and a tragically small number of pets.

For a free prequel short story to The Psychic Colors series, sign up for her newsletter.

Reviews

[Hollie Smurthwaite]

I'm the author, so I'm not going to rate my book because that would be weird. But, I wanted to save this space.

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Color of Trauma by Hollie Smurthwaite was an awesome surprise for me. I thought it would be a good fit. The premise had a twist and finding something different is very unusual. Needless to say, it made the book very hard to put down in the wee hours of the morning.

I love that Kiera is not a ‘young adult’, but a mature woman. She has a gift that leaves her with few friends, spending many hours alone, and sex…well, she has a friend that money can buy.

She is a memory surgeon. She does most of her work for free, taking on one or two big paying jobs a year. She couldn’t tell you why she does them, but it does give her clients a little bit of peace. She takes a traumatic experience a person has suffered, erases the facts from their mind yet leaving the memory that something bad did happen, and takes it as her own. She has a driver, no need for a license, because her ‘job’ has triggers that muddles her mind and her actions, making it too dangerous to drive.

Chicago has a serial killer and Dean Matthson is the head detective on the case. He, and others at the precinct, call her and others like her memory munchers. It is an apt description, though it does sound kinda rude. He knows it is frowned on using them for an investigation, but he is going to do it anyway. The clock is ticking and it won’t be long before another life is lost.

I love the character of Kiera. She may come across as weak, but stand back when she gets her hackles up. She can take care herself, doesn’t back down from a fight, and has some spicy language. I love that she finds humor amongst the darkness, in the dialogue. It’s not bad enough that the trauma she takes into her mind, her home life left a lot to be desired. Her scars were invisible, but that doesn’t mean there is no pain, pain that can be debilitating.

If Kiera ever wrote a memoir, which she would never do, she would title it The Color of Trauma Is Pink…The worst memories were always a shade of pink.

I can understand someone’s fear over memory surgeons abilities, but everything good can be used for bad. Some major damage could be done, but so much good could come from it too. It’s that age old question: Just because you can do something, should you?

The attraction is quick, instalove, maybe, but when you feel the spark how do you avoid the fire? It would take a special person for her, but also for him. Dean is a homicide detective. He never knew when he would be called out or when his shift would end. They both have baggage and I am eager to see how they handle it. I feel confident there will be some kind of happy ever after…won’t there?

The psychopath serial killer finds a target and zeroes in on her. He had researched her, reading lots of articles. He thought if he ever wrote a memoir, he would name it The Psychopath And The Empath. I knew this would happen, but that’s okay.

There was one blip that bothered me, but maybe because I saw something similar in one of my favorite TV crime shows. I thought about it for a minute or two and wondered how much time passed during that blip. That could make a huge difference that is not always easy to determine.

I am loving the The Psychic Color series by HollyieSmurthwaite and I can hardly wait to see what she does in Book II, The Color Of Betrayal, Jolene and Cass’ story.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Color Of Trauma by Hollie Smurthwaite.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely recommend this if you like (dark) romantic suspense with a bit of a paranormal aspect. Intriguing characters and a thrilling serial killer plot, plus a bit of romance and sexy times and a really interesting concept for a paranormal power to build it all around.
It's dual POV and I enjoyed both Kiera and Dean's voices. Lots of trauma that gets very dark, but also lots of snark, especially from Kiera, so the book got a few laughs/snorts out of me amidst the dark themes.
The ending was satisfying - no cliffhangers - but I'm still very curious to see what's next for these characters. Now, where can I sign up to get an early review copy of book #2? ;)

2024: Reread in audio format. Narration was good. I enjoyed both narrators.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/6/2022)! 🎁

[hailey (booksofhails) ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I immensely enjoyed reading this book. The whole concept of a person being able to view traumatic memories of people is very interesting. I really enjoyed watching Dean and Kiera’s story unfold. I wanted to cry right along with them during certain parts of the story. I love how the author was able to accurately portray trauma.

The mystery in this book had me gripping my seat and anticipating what was going to come next. This is a perfect read for those who like serial killer documentaries, mysteries, and romances.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprising read from a new to me Author. An intriguing concept and plot. A little dark, quite captivating.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would look for more from this Author!

This is my honest review of an ARC.

[Sarah Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Representation: Gay Black supporting character, Black side character, side Achillean relationship

Overall: 3.25-stars

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions
• No cheating
• No OW drama
– Although the Heroine becomes jealous and insecure about a co-worker who gets along well with the Hero. The OW and Hero were never friends or exes, just ex-colleagues from their university days.
• No OM drama
• Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away
• Does have a ~2-week separation (both celibate)


Possible Triggers: Yes
• Intrusive thoughts
• PTSD
• Stalking
• Forced institutionalization
• Sexual assault
• R@pe
• Murder
• Mutilation
• Discussion of the death of a child from abuse


Ending: HEA

[Merlin’s Cove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing premise which was almost completely ruined by excessive sex scenes. Not just excessive though…this was MIRACULOUS sex, the kind that could help to cure longstanding trauma, the result of holding memories of numerous violent crimes perpetrated on women. The insta love wasn’t the issue because it seemed to happen over a number of weeks and months - it was insta LUST rather than insta LOVE in truth, and I had some issues with the speed of intimacy based on the character Keira’s stated backstory.

Now anyone who has read my reviews before knows that I don’t like the romance genre. Hate it actually. Has some truly awful tropes in it that does woman no favours. I have been known to love a good Karen Rose book, or the occasional other romantic suspense novel. This book should just be erotic fiction, nothing more. The story gets so lost in all the relationship and sex stuff that it may as well be in a separate book, and THAT’S the book I’d want to read.

So, concentrating on the book without the over abundant sex and relationship drama…for one thing it would make it a much shorter book, which would be a positive! It would be much less bloated and would probably have more impact, if it concentrated on the really interesting idea of memory surgeons, and their ability to help solve crimes. I don’t even mind romances/love stories in books as long as it doesn’t overwhelm the point of the book. I wanted to see more of the crime fighting side, and the emotional impact on the main characters. The main male character, Dean, felt to be a wish fulfilment fantasy to me! A man who never pushes their partner, who can control himself to such an extent that no matter what she wants/needs during sex he can do, without a microsecond of hesitation or selfishness…I mean, I have a wonderful husband who knew I had triggers that he had to navigate and even he wasn’t always perfect/able to be completely in control - and he’s always managed to keep me feeling safe and loved. I don’t believe that a human being exists that could behave like Dean does, especially one who believes there is such darkness within him.

This book mostly confused me - and annoyed me. I did not enjoy reading the majority of it, yet at times I was itching for some reading time because I really liked the premise of crime and memory surgeons. I think this is two books - one is the crime/memory surgeon and the other is a wish fulfilment sex book, with some relationship drama thrown in - that’s the only way my mind can cope with it. So I think I’ll go for a ⭐️ on the sex book and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ on the crime/memory surgeon book. It would have got more than 3 ⭐️’s if there was more attention paid to that part , so I’ll give it a ⭐️⭐️.5, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️ as I’m feeling kind.

I’d recommend this book if you’re a romance fan - emphasis on the sex part of that genre, or you like erotic fiction. This book does have some crime and a fantasy element, which is how it trapped me…so tread carefully! I really hope that you enjoy this book if you choose to read it. It had great writing and some extremely good characters that I wish we saw more from and about, which all just added to my frustration. This could have been SO GOOD! As it is though it’s a 2.5 ⭐️ rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Thanks to BookSirens and the author, Hollie Smurthwhaite, for sending me an eARC, free of charge, to review. As always, all opinions are my own.

[Kelly Hagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good romantic suspense with strong characters, a cop and a mind surgeon. They are hunting a serial killer to prevent him from hurting anyone else and Keira is the key to help find this mystery man, who manages to evade capture.

I felt the story held a lot of promise and overall was a good read which is why I gave 4 stars. However it did feel a little choppy at times and dare I say it, did drag a little between the short chapters, and different character perspectives.

The romance was also solid with great chemistry at times which held my attention and kept me reading to see what would happen between them next.

I also felt the ending seemed a little rushed and could have probably been extended just a little more.

All in all a worthwhIle read and it deserves a 4. With maybe a little more editing a more fleshed out ending we would probably get the 5.

Will keep my eye out for other titles by this author in future.

[Amelia Blackmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Color of Trauma is the first book in the Psychic Colors series written by Hollie Smurthwaite.

*Extreme SA
*Memory psychics
*Serial killer

Dean is a cop that requests the help of Kiera who is kind of a memory psychic, her official title is a memory surgeon. She can see into people’s minds and find their trauma memories which help the cops solve crimes that were committed against victims.

In the middle of working together to solve the murder of a young woman, Dean and Kiera develop a strong relationship.

Trigger warning: This book has scenes that include extremely graphic, on page sexual assault. It is not between the two main characters, but it is detailed in very specific details.

No OM/OW drama between the main characters, no third act breakup.

Format: Libby audiobook
Genre: Contemporary fiction, romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Kiera (FMC) & Dean (MMC)

[MammaDi3Gatti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phew, this novel is both a tough read and a glorious one. It's romantic suspense, yes, but it's also very dark in parts, and for some, that will be disturbing. And content warnings are a must; see the very end of my review for those.

The book includes a taste of the paranormal in its introduction of the "gift" of memory surgery. People lucky or unlucky enough to have this gift are able to pull memories from others. What they do with those pulled memories varies; Kiera cuts traumatic memories out from victims of horrible tragedy (criminal and otherwise) and internalizes them, stuffing them into boxes in her own memories. The victims are then relieved of memories that hold them back from living.

Homicide detective Dean seeks out the help of a memory surgeon, hoping to pull memories of an attack from the mind of a victim in a coma. Kiera reluctantly agrees and finds herself pulled into the investigation. She also finds herself pulled towards Dean. Both Dean and Kiera have a lot of personal darkness to deal with, but they seem to deal better when they're together then when they're apart. There's a little bit of push me-pull you with each of them thinking the other one is better off without them, and even knowing that there's an HEA, I found myself anxious for how everything would work out.

The author doesn't rush the telling of this tale, and she unapologetically allows both Kiera and Dean to be imperfect and at times a little wrecked. Neither is superhuman in spite of any gifts or talents, and that makes them very relatable. She's also able to inject lightness into the story, and for a book where darkness is a main character, the lightness is very appreciated.

If you like your romantic suspense to veer into psychological thriller territory, you'll find a lot to like here. If you're a romance lover, you can be assured that in spite of the crazy, Kiera and Dean are made for each other.

I received an ARC of this book for free from the author and BookSirens. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!

Content warnings: Memories of traumatic assault, rape, abuse, violence, murder, and more.

[Krysten · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the author of a highly underrated self-published book that deserves to be waaaay more popular than it is, I can say without a doubt that The Color of Trauma is another such highly underrated self-published book that deserves to be waaaay more popular than it is. Because this book is ahhh-mazing—but it is not for the faint of heart. (Also, make sure you don't have anything on your schedule for the next 24 hours, because once you start reading, anything else just ain't happening.)

Everyone has terrible memories, awful experiences that they wish had never happened, that they wish they could forget. Most of us eventually learn to live with the usual human stuff, like breakups and deaths of loved ones and betrayals. But not everyone is able to overcome the effects of life-altering traumas like witnessing violence, being assaulted or raped, or surviving near-death experiences. But what if you actually could rid yourself of those experiences and the feelings associated with them? What if there was a way to remove your bad memories, just dump them on someone else and walk away lighter? Would you do it? Would you put the burden of your past trauma onto someone else? And on the flip side, if you could do that for someone, would you?

That's the intriguing concept Hollie Smurthwaite tackles in The Color of Trauma, which takes place in a world exactly like ours, but for one thing: There is a small group of people who have the ability not just to see someone else's memories, but remove the ones they don't want. Like anyone who doesn't fit into the mainstream, these "memory surgeons" are misunderstood, feared, reviled, even hated, solely for being different.

The problem wasn't really Kiera but their ignorant society and people's habits of judging others no matter how little evidence available. The world didn't know or accept Kiera, not really, though they had no trouble using her.

It's a nice thought, being rid of your worst experiences, but what are the repercussions? What is the cost—not just financially, but emotionally, mentally, psychologically? For both the subject...

Denial as a coping mechanism wasn't inherently bad, but those holes in memory had to become weaknesses, didn't they? A person couldn't just remove their trauma. They had to integrate it or live in that fight for the rest of their lives.

...and the "surgeon" who takes on the burden of those memories?

They were always there, the memories, like sharks swimming deep in the ocean of her mind, never sleeping, always hunting, always hungry.

Sounds pretty heavy (and it is, no doubt), but the mark of a brilliant writer is that you can pose big questions and make a statement while still entertaining the hell out of your reader. In this case, these big questions are woven into a complex and compelling story with a whole lotta drama, suspense, and hot romance.

Smurthwaite's writing is so fresh and compelling and witty and real. Not only that, but she pulls you into the characters' lives straightaway, and makes you feel for them. Maybe you can't exactly relate to them (being a "memory surgeon" or a homicide detective aren't exactly common jobs, and not too many people are kidnapped on a regular basis or are famous enough to be recognized by strangers) but somehow you can just the same. Feeling like you don't fit in because you're different is relatable. Being afraid of losing someone or something that's too good to be true is relatable. Feeling lost, unable to find where you belong or what your purpose is, like you're not good enough to be happy—yep, relatable. I swear I felt everything the characters felt: Their rage, their despair, their hope in the face of hopelessness, their joy as well as their fear over losing it.

And that's when you know you have a damn good book.

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I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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[Angeloflight · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun ride. I love books with psychic heroines and cop heroes.

[Sarah Cudlipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This one not only kept me on the edge of my seat, but it had my emotions all over the place in the best possible way! I love a good psychic romantic suspense novel and they are sometimes difficult to find. But, like this one, when you're able to come across one, it so makes all that time and looking more than worth it.

I could tell that Dean and Kiera were soulmates right from the jump. But getting to join them on their journey to discover that for themselves was truly magical. It was beautiful and their relationship and character development was on freaking point! There is something about psychic romantic suspense novels that makes the killer even more chilling. I'm not sure if it's because of the psychic character getting so deep inside the killer's head or what, but it just makes it so much spookier and almost haunting.

Every aspect of this book had me waiting with bated breath in anticipation of what was going to happen next all while wondering how all of the pieces were going to come together and it was going to end. I'm now a Hollie Smurthwaite fan for life and I hope she writes so many more of these! It was EPIC and I cannot recommend it to others enough! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Buffy Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Not a story for the faint of heart. There are graphic descriptions of traumatic events and PTSD.**

This was a very interesting premise. Of course there are people who would absolutely choose to forget their worst trauma if they could. Personally, everything we experience - good and bad - shapes who we are and for that reason I would not choose to forget. That being said, if you could maintain the lesson learned and feeling or knowledge of what happened, without remembering the actual trauma, that would be extremely tempting. This very concept is even addressed in the book. The ethics in general of removing a traumatic memory are explored in depth and made the entire idea surprisingly believable.

The characters had chemistry with sweet, but hot love scenes, and a shared sense of humor. They were endearing and relatable with personalities and experiences that felt very authentic. I appreciated that everyone behaved like adults causing no extra, over-the-top, unnecessary drama beyond the obvious conflict of the book.

Overall, this was a highly emotional read that was hard to endure at times, but was pretty great all the more for it.

[John M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly amazing first novel in a series where I can’t wait for the next! Every move is just perfect - as though this is a first book in a 3rd series, not a first novel in a first series. I was utterly hooked by page 50. Maybe I’ve read too many novels, but this is the first time I can say “I’m hooked” in a very long time. Going to be a great series! So assured and so right, every single move.

I didn’t know such extraordinary writing existed in mixed genre novels. Sorry to say I assumed the mashup genre variations out there were like the dime novels of the past. Nothing like that here! With her mastery of craft, Ms. Smurthwaite could write anything from classics to this lovely, unique novel, full of wonderful, likeable and seriously challenged characters. And what a great sex scene! With all the effects our heroine has due to taking on such intense traumas for others, sexuality can have so many trauma triggers, and yet this wonderful author navigates the intimacy with such grace, compassion, understanding, and frankly, somehow she makes it feel so real and so right that it makes it soooo hot of a scene. Wow! Seriously, this is a first novel?

Personally, I’m a trauma therapist with decades of experience. In this book the heroine excises trauma, literally removing the memory by taking it into herself. This is a big part of the intensity of the novel, especially as Keira (heroine) is one of the few therapists that can deal with, but not easily, the really bad traumas. I love the world around trauma Ms. Hollie creates here, with her complete creation of the realistic challenges with police, public misunderstanding, client confusion, and all the frustrations that go with a barely understood means of healing trauma.

As a trauma therapist I’m amazed that every detail around the therapy was dead-on, exactly like what so many well trained healers work with in any version of modern trauma work today. The lack of understanding of how it works, how we do what we do, how we avoid the troubles our heroine has, and how safe modern trauma therapy requires quite a lot of client education. I say this only to show how that even though the means of taking the trauma in is very different (glad I don’t work this way), all the other details are perfect and right in the story. Even a little detail like her clients must do their after-care/homework for this to work well. I give my clients homework. It’s a must to truly heal.

Bottom line: Wow! I recommend the hard cover purchase. I’m thinking collectible. That’s the highest recommendation I can make for any novel in a digital age. This is a very gifted author and I know I’ll be collecting all the hard cover versions as they arrive. Can’t wait! I even love the Content Warning after the dedication! So absolutely Thrilled to find a great new author! They are vanishingly rare.

[Bridget Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read - great character build - unique theory for lead story with physic capabilities - romance builds and grabs your attention

[Anna Ryding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really entertaining and a unique story. Haven't read anything like this before. Thank you for the ARC, BookSirens

[Tonya Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so different than what I have ever read. In the beginning it was hard to figure out and the times they talked about colors. But the actual storyline was awesome. The end was fantastic.

Kieran and dean really had something from the beginning when he asked her to go into a victims brain and retrieve some clues to catching this disgusting serial rapist and killer.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[VoraciousReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. If I were Kiera, I would never have forgiven Dean for what he put her through. He said that he wanted to “find justice for victims like Brittany”. Where was the justice for KEIRA? He KNEW what Brittany had suffered and he was perfectly willing to put Kiera through it as well.
2. The book made it sound like Dean and Keira had this amazing bond but at the first small speedbump in their relationship, they were both perfectly willing to ghost each other.
3. I didn’t like that Keira never told Dean about her parents’ book deal and that it was the real reason she didn’t go to the picnic with him.
4. I was enjoying this book until it got really weird and Dean “embodied his serial killer”. I could understand him trying to get into that mindset to do his job but it was really creepy that he started fantasizing about stabbing Keira in the uterus because she wouldn’t go to his family picnic.

[Larissa Distler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my typical type of book at all, but I fell in love with Kiera and Dean! I think the concept of memory surgery is fascinating and I loved that Hollie Smurthwaite gave those who performed them real psychological consequences.

I'm intrigued by what a world with people who can do these memory surgeries would look like on a broader scale. After Dean successfully solves a case using a memory surgeon for the CPD, how long does it take for other officers to try implementing this strategy? At one point Grace Page, the federal agent, muses about using memory surgery for a force of good to solve cases. Does this escalate? Did Dean open the proverbial can of worms?

There's so much potential here! However, all that aside, I enjoyed reading this book. I could have done with less graphic detail of rape/murder and maybe that's why I typically stay away from this genre.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot and couldn’t wait to get back to it. The idea of the protagonist being a “memory surgeon” was science-fictiony, but I liked it. There were a few things that could have been improved upon. In one part the protagonist was swearing and using vulgar language so much, that I really didn’t understand why at all. I don’t understand the backstory of her rich, entrepreneurial parents who drugged her and had her committed when she was 17 because she wouldn’t take a case that paid $7 million. She ended up taking the case so she could be released. I also hope that when a character said, “ I work better if I marinate on it for a bit.”, it was the fault of auto-correct. I’m sure she meant ruminate.
I am proud of this Northbrook writer and look forward to reading more from her.

[Ann Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling, suspense romance with a serial killer plotline and a paranormal twist. A really enjoyable story with intriguing characters and plenty of steam. It is quite dark with a lot of trauma but gripping and went at a good pace.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Merged review:

A thrilling, suspense romance with a serial killer plotline and a paranormal twist. A really enjoyable story with intriguing characters and plenty of steam. It is quite dark with a lot of trauma but gripping and went at a good pace.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Geraldine Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kiera is a memory surgeon. With her gift of removing and holding other’s traumatic memories, she’s helped dozens of women but hasn’t helped herself. Dean, a Chicago homicide detective, is asking for even more: for her to look into the memories of a coma victim to help him catch a serial killer. I couldn't get enough of this book . It has so many twists and turns you want to keep reading to find out who is the killer and what happens with Dean and Kiera . A must read for anyone that likes a little mystery with love>

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't. Know what to expect going in and was pleasantly surprised as I started reading. This book has a little bit of everything from psychological thriller to romance. I enjoyed reading about how Kiera and Dean met and how their relationship developed throughout the book. Both fighting demons alone and then together. The premise of the book was also new and interesting. The thought of there actually being M&M's would be quite interesting in reality. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a little dark with their light.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book. It is a little too cheesy for my tastes, but if cheesy is what you like, you're gonna love this one. Everything else is pretty good; the writing style, the plot line, the climax, the ending, everything makes sense, not too dramatic. If there's a second book in the series, then I would read it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ebony Jackosn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book it’s amazing. i don’t write reviews and will keep this one short. This was a very interesting and unique romance novel in fact it is much more than a typical romance. This book is very original the heroine is strong but vulnerable, insecure but not weak and womanly not girlish. Yes her moods are erratic at times but with good reason not some sniffing woman child who throws tantrums just because every the day of the week ends in d.a.y

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good start of this series. Kiera really was an interesting character and her abilities just made her character more intriguing. The entire book was fast-paced, and as I read along the plot, I got to see how not only did she show her strong feelings for her partner Dean, but the price of what her ability costs her. I look forward to seeing the second book in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sarah Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

“ 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. ”— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚, 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞
*ARC review *
I really loved Kiera & Dean's story! It was the perfect mix of thrill, mystery and romance. It was an emotional rollercoaster, exploring unique themes.
I enjoyed this one SO much, and can't wait to read more from this author

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dean is a detective looking for a serial killer and Kiera is a memory surgeon who team up to fond the killer. The characters are engaging and well developed with plenty of chemistry throughout the pages. The storyline has plenty of twists and turns throughout the pages that kept me glued to the book.

I received a copy and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.