Adverse Conditions: Reclaimed Hearts Book 1, Elle Keaton

While remaining the average length, or at least it feels average to all the other books from this author I've read, we're introduced to a whole lot of people, a lot of elements, a whole new town, and a couple that definitely has some high school angsty love to work out.

As the first book of the series we got something that had a lot of things to cover, as usual, but I think it might have been a little much to toss out all in the same book. Maybe some hints would have been better than how much intro we got into each of those elements because we ended up with a lot less of the natural evolution of Xavier and Vincent.

We got a little of everything here and I have to say, the half a star deduction is really only because we jumped from antagonistic bickering to spicy times to sweet and vulnerable to tentative dating to running scared and standing up to that fear, to their promise of an HEA all while learning about the danger stalking the town, a ridiculous ex, all the townspeople we're going to get to know, and a pup adoption. It was just too much to take us through the relationship evolution at a pace that left us feeling settled before we move on to, my sincere hope, is the property owner and our resident bat-wielding security guard.

I definitely loved the MC's and felt they were relatively well balanced. Vincent's run to "safety" without actually thinking clearly or logically was slightly predictable but annoyingly understandable. As a single mom I find myself wishing I could do the same thing when a potential romantic partner shows up and then I get dealt a blow from my ex or life in general. But it was Xavier's reaction to that, his determination to bring him back around, even if he needed a little push on the timing, was awesome. I was impressed and I have to say that I didn't actually think that's how that would play out because of the Xavier we met right in the beginning.

I'm invested and am really looking forward to diving back into the town and its impending peril and addictive love stories.

$5.99 on Amazon or FREE on KU!