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The Reflex Part 1: First Book in The Reflex Series
Can Cara live a happily ever after when her marriage, her relationships, even her family live with the lies and secrets she has withheld from them? It was never with malice, but regardless, the people in her life do not know the full truth. Her life moves forward, with no one being the wiser, until it doesn’t. Until the lies and secrets are forced to be revealed. The Reflex Series follows the belief in time, space and reality moving along and taking all of us for the ride. Because for most of us, it’s what we do. We ride through with our lies of omission, little white deceptions, secrets, and mysteries. Sometimes we enjoy the ride, and often we struggle with it. But…we ride, regardless. Now, imagine a hiccup in the ride. Not a struggle or challenge, but a tangible, personal, reality glitch. Envision a moment, or series of events, capable of creating doubt in what you know to be true. Welcome to the The Reflex series.
230 pages, Paperback
Published July 21, 2022
3 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 1, 2023
"Nerdection Must Read"
Cara Andre. Cara Bianco. Chase Bennett. The Reflex.
If you love spy quests and characters with multiple identities that not even their shadows know of, you’re in for an exciting surprise!
‘He told us why they call you the Dark Angel of Death. He said you received your moniker because you looked like an angel but had the heart of the devil, and no soul to speak of.’
Denison has developed some really great characters and the overall plot was fresh and interesting to read. I loved the family drama with Max and Mia being irrational teenage twins and Nic, Cara’s husband, being a caring yet messy person. I couldn’t help but smile at the whole scenario of their adorable family situation Denison manages to pull off extremely well, even in this spy quest novel.
I was also amazed at how Cara quickly took on her spy role after being a regular housewife for 17 years (not that there’s anything regular in being a housewife though).
Moreover, the best part of this book in my opinion was the Russian- American rivalry among the spies, and I would have liked to read more about this internal war situation.
However, one thing that bothered me was the third-person narrative told in present tense, as it was difficult to follow and a little confusing at times. Moreover, many of the main characters were undercover agents, and I do agree that was kind of cool, but seemed a little overdone.
There were a lot of surprising twists and turns in ‘The Reflex’ that kept me engaged. Almost all characters had their own fair share of lies and secrets, which were revealed slowly. It’s the kind of book you read in one sitting and then stare off open-mouthed at a wall by the sheer amount of shocks you had to handle.
That’s the beauty of manipulation. If done well, the minds you’re controlling truly believe they are acting of their own accord.
Maria Denison’s intricately plotted page-turner ‘The Reflex’ is a spy thriller cross cute family drama cross fantasy, and you’ll love to get your hands on this book if you’re a fan of spy fiction with strong female protagonists.
Cara Andre. Cara Bianco. Chase Bennett. The Reflex.
If you love spy quests and characters with multiple identities that not even their shadows know of, you’re in for an exciting surprise!
‘He told us why they call you the Dark Angel of Death. He said you received your moniker because you looked like an angel but had the heart of the devil, and no soul to speak of.’
Denison has developed some really great characters and the overall plot was fresh and interesting to read. I loved the family drama with Max and Mia being irrational teenage twins and Nic, Cara’s husband, being a caring yet messy person. I couldn’t help but smile at the whole scenario of their adorable family situation Denison manages to pull off extremely well, even in this spy quest novel.
I was also amazed at how Cara quickly took on her spy role after being a regular housewife for 17 years (not that there’s anything regular in being a housewife though).
Moreover, the best part of this book in my opinion was the Russian- American rivalry among the spies, and I would have liked to read more about this internal war situation.
However, one thing that bothered me was the third-person narrative told in present tense, as it was difficult to follow and a little confusing at times. Moreover, many of the main characters were undercover agents, and I do agree that was kind of cool, but seemed a little overdone.
There were a lot of surprising twists and turns in ‘The Reflex’ that kept me engaged. Almost all characters had their own fair share of lies and secrets, which were revealed slowly. It’s the kind of book you read in one sitting and then stare off open-mouthed at a wall by the sheer amount of shocks you had to handle.
That’s the beauty of manipulation. If done well, the minds you’re controlling truly believe they are acting of their own accord.
Maria Denison’s intricately plotted page-turner ‘The Reflex’ is a spy thriller cross cute family drama cross fantasy, and you’ll love to get your hands on this book if you’re a fan of spy fiction with strong female protagonists.
October 5, 2023
The Reflex written by the author Maria Denison is the first book in The Reflex Book Series. The main character of the story is Cara. She is married to a handsome husband Nic. Cara and Nic are the parents of a teenager: Max and Mia. They are twins. Dealing with two teenagers seems like a lot of work to Cara. Jinx is Cara's friend. They were roommates in Washington, DC for ten years. After Jinx, Cara came to Cleveland.
Cara's best friend Connor Mitchell Reed is the Director of the CIA. He knows Cara more than Nic. While working at the agency, Cara was misunderstood by many colleagues. They used to think that Cara gets favors from Reed and she sleeps with him. Nic doesn't like Reed to be around Cara but over the years, he has accepted the fact that he is Cara's best friend and would stay in her life. Read this story to know about Cara's work as a spy.
The twists and turns in the story made it an interesting read. The characters are written by the author well. I was amazed how Cara's character picked up from being a wife, mother to being a spy. The writing style of the author is nice and the title is suitable. Looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
Cara's best friend Connor Mitchell Reed is the Director of the CIA. He knows Cara more than Nic. While working at the agency, Cara was misunderstood by many colleagues. They used to think that Cara gets favors from Reed and she sleeps with him. Nic doesn't like Reed to be around Cara but over the years, he has accepted the fact that he is Cara's best friend and would stay in her life. Read this story to know about Cara's work as a spy.
The twists and turns in the story made it an interesting read. The characters are written by the author well. I was amazed how Cara's character picked up from being a wife, mother to being a spy. The writing style of the author is nice and the title is suitable. Looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
July 18, 2023
The lovely author sent me a copy of her book to read and review and let me tell you, it exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed this book so much!
Our story begins showcasing a rather suburban lifestyle of the two main characters and their family as we are introduced to them. We later uncover that they share a secret past which i don’t want to say too much on as it will spoil the plot twist.
I absolutely loved the Jack Reacher and Sherlock mentions throughout the book as well as all of the banter between the main characters.
The ending was a complete shock and an absolute cliffhanger and i am so relieved that Maria sent me the second book because after reading this i immediately needed to know what happens next and you will too.
Our story begins showcasing a rather suburban lifestyle of the two main characters and their family as we are introduced to them. We later uncover that they share a secret past which i don’t want to say too much on as it will spoil the plot twist.
I absolutely loved the Jack Reacher and Sherlock mentions throughout the book as well as all of the banter between the main characters.
The ending was a complete shock and an absolute cliffhanger and i am so relieved that Maria sent me the second book because after reading this i immediately needed to know what happens next and you will too.
April 4, 2023
Awesome! Of course I am bias because I wrote it. LOL.
If you are looking for a page turner with many twists and turns you don't expect, please read. It's essentially a spy secret and lies mystery that unfolds when a fairy tale life begins to crumble. When you build your life like a house of cards, it's only a matter of time before the weight brings it down.
If you are looking for a page turner with many twists and turns you don't expect, please read. It's essentially a spy secret and lies mystery that unfolds when a fairy tale life begins to crumble. When you build your life like a house of cards, it's only a matter of time before the weight brings it down.
December 27, 2023
Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.
I struggled to get through this. It was interesting and I think the premise was great, but it felt too over the top for me. I think I would have enjoyed it just fine as a tv show, but the book fell a little flat. Reading the 2nd one now so maybe I'll change my mind!
I struggled to get through this. It was interesting and I think the premise was great, but it felt too over the top for me. I think I would have enjoyed it just fine as a tv show, but the book fell a little flat. Reading the 2nd one now so maybe I'll change my mind!
September 18, 2023
This was a very good read. I absolutely loved the twist and turns! I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It started a little slow burt once it picked up, it really picked up. This is a very CIA/thriller with a lot of spice.
March 22, 2023
Great read, dig the Sci fi elements and 80's references looking forward to reading book 2.
August 15, 2023
Cara and Nic seem to have a normal suburban life. Two kids, a growing business, and monotonous errands. But when Cara begins to hear “The Reflex” by Duran Duran playing wherever she goes, she feels that something is wrong. Her past has come back to haunt her. When she seeks out her ex-handler and best friend Reed to get his help in identifying the threat, she sets into motion a series of events that will turn her life completely upside down. No one is who they seem. Will Cara and Nic be able to use their supernatural connection to find the truth together?
I would rate The Reflex Part 1 by Maria Denison 4 out of 5 stars. The book starts out a little slow, but becomes interesting very quickly when Cara travels to get Reed’s help. Denison did an amazing job writing all of the relationships, and the complicated friendship between Cara and Reed was an amazing contrast to the intense and vibrant love between Cara and her husband Nic. Cara was a strong, hilarious, and “dangerous” main character, and I absolutely loved how she was constantly putting the men around her in their places. There were so many plot twists that were completely unexpected while simultaneously fitting perfectly within the story line. The ending left me needing more, and I can’t wait to read The Reflex Part 2.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in love stories combined with CIA thrillers, as this book is a perfect mix of the two. It is definitely only for mature audiences, as there are multiple explicit sex scenes and a lot of violence. I would also add trigger warnings for mentions of rape, attempted rape, murder, and druggings. This book offers an amazing love story between Cara and Nic, as well as a flirtatious friendship between Cara and Reed, while also keeping things interesting with constant action and mystery solving. Definitely a fun book to pick up when you get the chance!
I would rate The Reflex Part 1 by Maria Denison 4 out of 5 stars. The book starts out a little slow, but becomes interesting very quickly when Cara travels to get Reed’s help. Denison did an amazing job writing all of the relationships, and the complicated friendship between Cara and Reed was an amazing contrast to the intense and vibrant love between Cara and her husband Nic. Cara was a strong, hilarious, and “dangerous” main character, and I absolutely loved how she was constantly putting the men around her in their places. There were so many plot twists that were completely unexpected while simultaneously fitting perfectly within the story line. The ending left me needing more, and I can’t wait to read The Reflex Part 2.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in love stories combined with CIA thrillers, as this book is a perfect mix of the two. It is definitely only for mature audiences, as there are multiple explicit sex scenes and a lot of violence. I would also add trigger warnings for mentions of rape, attempted rape, murder, and druggings. This book offers an amazing love story between Cara and Nic, as well as a flirtatious friendship between Cara and Reed, while also keeping things interesting with constant action and mystery solving. Definitely a fun book to pick up when you get the chance!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews