Review: Mind Game

Reviewed by Jen
 

Nicolas Trevane is an ice-cold sniper for the military. And he is part of a group of soldiers who took part in an experiment to enhance their psychic abilities. Many years ago, the man who conducted the experiment, Dr. Peter Whitney, did the same thing with a group of young orphan girls. But there were major complications and he found homes for all the girls except one. That girl, Lily, he adopted himself.

Since Whitney’s (supposed) death, Lily has been searching for the other women who were part of that long ago experiment. She found out that one, Dahlia, is living in the bayous of Louisiana. She has been working as some kind of agent. But she is isolated, due to her “abilities.” Nicolas volunteers to go find her and help bring her back to reconnect with Lily.

When Nicolas gets to her home, it’s under attack. He is unable to save the two nurses who lived there and helped raise Dahlia. And her military handler, Jesse, has been tortured and is dragged away. Fortunately, Dahlia had not been home when her home was targeted –and Nicolas intercepts her as she approaches, saving her from the danger.

Dahlia has series problems associated with her abilities. Energy surrounds her like a magnet. And when emotions, violence, or something similar, surrounds her, she becomes violently ill; she has seizures; and when it’s really bad, she starts fires. Fortunately, Nico is an “anchor.” He can help calm the minds of other psychics. And he becomes the first man, really the first person, Dahlia is able to spend any significant amount of time with. Their attraction is fast and fierce. But she fears it, because she has never known any person she could ever trust to stay in her life. She does care about Jesse, though, and she works with Nico to find and rescue him.

As the book progresses, we learn that our original band of soldiers from Shadow Game aren’t the only Ghostwalkers that Whitney made from military recruits. Jesse is also one –and there are several others we are introduced to (like the Norton twins) –some of which will later have their own books.

There’s a-whole-lot of sex in this book. And it is very steamy. I like Nicolas as a male lead. He’s the strong, silent type. But beneath still waters, something runs deep in him. Not the least of which is a molten heat that sets pages on fire.

There’s also some intrigue. Something about military plans for a stealth something or other. But to me, all that is just backdrop for the character development and love (ok, lust) story. 3 1/2 stars.