This was wonderfully written, it had everything that I was looking for from the description. It has a great suspenseful feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the plot of the book, and thought it worked with the genre. J.S. Raynor has a great writing style and was able to creating interesting characters.

Fun exciting thriller that combines mystery and intrigue with enough scifi to pump things up. Solid book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

I really WANTED to like this novel, I found the original remise interesting, a man blinded in the war gets a chance to see again, he just must keep his ability a secret from everyone. Then, he gets other extraordinary skills as a huge bonus. Almost a sort of new superheroic character. But then, he finds a girl he likes, and they are almost instantly in love and life is just perfect and they are living together.

Thie guy in this novel should have run right out to purchase a lottery ticket, no way he could lose!

Lost me along the way as there is no chance to set aside your necessary "suspension of disbelief" to get to the conflict. Well, I assume there is SOME at least teeny challenge in this novel that the hero isn't able to instantly conquer or what would be the point?

However, despite the great set-up, and the decent wordsmithing, for me, it just seemed a bit juvenile, and when the romance (which I find annoying in most cases) entered the scene it quickly became just silly and cringe-worthy. Oh, even his God-given blessings are um extravagantly provided (if ya get my drift).

I couldn't finish the book, hopefully you will find it more plausible and enjoyable! I had high hopes for this one, and I was excited when my request was approved - but, the point is to post honest reviews, and, for me, this one is a non-starter.
Not my cuppa, but could be yours...

Review: Elvis is that you on the cover?

Let me get this straight. Douche ba......er, Alex is a decorated officer, trained at Sandhurst in his early twenty somethings. Check. He chases after the Taliban that shot/killed two Afghan sentries and he and his unit get blown up by a suicide bomber. In the country. In a shack. I really doubt someone that well trained, in country, would make stupid ass moves like that. Perhaps a truck loaded with explosives piling into the installation would have been more believable.

A now blind Alex is still super hunky as attested to by all the hot nurses. He has got a big shlong that nurse Debbie likes to wash and kisses him on the lips when he leaves the hospital. He was the best in all sports and constantly wants to have sex with anything that flinches. He tries to kiss an American officer but she rebuffs his moves. Turns out she is hotter than a Chinese tea kettle so you know there is going to be sexual fireworks later. MEOW!!!

Alex is so perfect and handsome that dogs instantly submit to him as master and all the girls want to bang him. He now has super eyes that can see anything, even evily deeds so you better watch out. But do not let anyone know that you have special eyes cause.. who knows.

The writing is limited in a way that provides descriptions when not needed. Pages and pages of backstory and descriptions of ongoing events cluttered the novel. If you are going after the Taliban in the NOW, you do not need to say that "he is going on a dangerous mission". I think the events imply that it is dangerous. Also missions are planned events, not impromtu.

The last thing that bugs me is the authors interpretation of Van Morrison's song "Brown eyed girl". It was not a song about abandonment and rejection. It is a song of nostalgia and reminiscing about young love. It was originally titled "Brown skinned girl" to highlight an inter-racial relationship.

Rating: 1.6/5