Review: Out in Blue

I have some mixed feelings about this book. For the most part, I really liked it. The world building was great. The story is unpredictable and action packed. (I'll get to the downside in a minute.)

Ginger was raised as a human in a demon colony after the death of her parents. Though most of humanity fears demonkind and archangels, she has never shared that prejudice. So when she overhears some poachers plotting an attack on the archangel Wren, she can't help but intercede. She calls her adopted demon-father for back-up and then runs off to save Wren on her own.

Wren can't believe that a human, a stranger, would ever sacrifice their own safety to save one of his kind. He trusts no one. Lark, the demon who guarded his family turned on them years ago, killing his parents and sending him on the run. He's lived in hiding ever since. He's been cut off and alone, until Ginger enters his life.

Ginger manages to save Wren, but they have to go on the run from the poachers. So they return to the Sanctuary where Wren grew up. It's there that he is contacted by Lark. It turns out that the demon has been holding his father captive all these years and now he wants Wren too. At this point, the action escalates as Wren struggles to rescue his father and bring justice to the man who destroyed his family. This, as he and Ginger fall in love.

And that is where my problems kick in. Unfortunately, insta-love shows up in a lot of romances. But here, it's like mega-insta-love. Wren and Ginger are in love in two days. And they tell each other over and over and over. And over. And if the declarations aren't enough to make it clear, Wren takes to calling Ginger, "Gin-love"... which I hated. Then they decide to mate and start calling each other "mate." And I hated that too. I think I am especially annoyed by this because I liked everything else about the book and this could have easily been avoided. If the bond between them were a predestined biological link, I could buy it. If a bit more time had passed with them together, I could buy it. If they professed their love to each other 75% less often, I could be ok with it. But alas, none of these were the case.

There are some really interesting secondary characters here... especially Jett, who will clearly be the hero in the next installment. I will definitely give that one a chance and hope that maybe demons take a little more time to fall in love.

A little less than 4 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Out in Blue

by Sarah Gilman

Release Date: July 27, 2011 

Publisher: Entangled Publishing