Review: The Light Within Me

Reviewed by Jen
 

Abby has never felt like she fit in anywhere.  Her mother was killed when she was just a child, and now Abby works the crime beat at a local paper to feed her interest in unsolved murders.  She's never really connected with anyone, until she catches a glimpse of Noah in a crime scene photo.  She's so drawn to him that she tracks him down and asks him for an interview, setting in motion a chain of events that will change her life forever.

Noah is an alien from another planet.  He and five other warriors traveled to Earth 200 years ago to track down a band of criminals that escaped their penal colony.  The "Six Saviors" live their lives committed to their cause.  They can't go home until the criminals (and possibly their offspring) are contained.  And to keep them focused, they are prevented from ever feeling ultimate pleasure.  If they do,  they forfeit their longevity and their alien form --and are forced to live the rest of their lives as humans.

Noah has never so much as kissed a human woman.  He's never really had the urge to take the risk, until he meets Abby. The two have an instant connection that he struggles to fight. His honor insists that he put his mission first, but the more time he spends will Abby, the harder it is keep his priorities straight.  He tries to keep his distance. But all of that goes out of the window when one of the "colonists" targets Abby.

There were some things I really liked about the story. The writing is good. The world building is simple and easy to understand.  Noah is a sexy virgin with a solid sense of morality.  I really liked him and I enjoyed getting to know his fellow warriors.  The author does a good job giving each man his own voice, which kept them from all blurring together in my head.  I thought the interactions between Noah and Abby were hot, even though we had to wait awhile for them to seal the deal. And I found myself really rooting for them to make it work.

I really only had two complaints.  One was the predictability. The moment I heard Abby "never really felt comfortable in her own skin," I knew why. One element of her history did manage to surprise me, but the bigger picture was easy to see coming.  And while the climax was still exciting, I knew who the bad guy was very early on.  My other issue is --one of my biggest peeves-- is Love Too Soon.  Noah and Abby spent two days in each other's company before the "L-word" started flying.  A few more dates, even off-page, would have gone a long way to helping with the believability of their deeper emotions.

Those issues aside, I did enjoy the book. It had good pacing; interesting characters; and some steamy scenes.  I will definitely check out the next installment.  3 1/2 stars.


*Book provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Light Within Me

by Carly Fall

Release Date: November 1, 2011

Publisher: Westward Publishing