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5+ stars for Freeing Eden: A riveting genetic engineering science-fiction romance (Ascent of Eden Book 1) by G.S. Kenney #scifiromance #romanticscifi #newrelease #bookreview

N. N. Light
3 hours ago4 min read


Title: Freeing Eden: A riveting genetic engineering science-fiction romance (Ascent of Eden Book 1)

Author: G.S. Kenney

Genre: Romantic Sci-fi, Science Fiction Romance

 

Book Blurb:

 

He’s not as innocent as he seems.

 

All interplanetary trader Zara wanted after an exhausting day was a few relaxing hours with an attentive, if mindless, baseclone. But when the handsome young man unexpectedly speaks his name to her, she knows he must be something more.


Kell remembers nothing of his maker’s past, and he doesn’t want to. He’ll form his own memories—and he wants them all to be with Zara, flying wherever she goes.


The conflict-torn planet Eden was supposed to be just a stop en route, but Kell begins recalling fragments of memories from Swifthammer, Eden’s now-deceased resistance leader. Despite Zara’s misgivings, Kell acknowledges Swifthammer as his maker and is drawn into Eden’s fight against the planet’s foreign warlord, Reuel. But Reuel’s schemes take a dangerous turn when it becomes clear he has tampered with Kell’s programming. Could the memories Kell now begins to experience be… Reuel’s?


Kell struggles to bring peace to Eden by reconciling Swifthammer’s love of his home planet with Reuel’s ruthless practicality. While these opposing forces war in Kell’s mind, Zara fears she may be losing her heart to the man who is poised to become Eden’s next and most terrible warlord. And they’re running out of time.


Read Freeing Eden to find out if Zara’s and Kell’s love can survive this growing challenge. Can Kell find an identity all his own—and a future he and Zara can share together?

 

My Review:

 

A unique and romantic science fiction story perfect for fans of Ruby Dixon and Sherrilyn Kenyon.

 

Zara is a Nela’ani trader who transports goods across space. She’s taking a break at an autobrothel, looking to spend time with a mindless baseclone, but instead she meets Kell, who is much more than she bargained for. They travel to Eden, a planet ripe with conflict and poverty, hoping to do some good. There Kell starts to remember his maker—a deceased resistance leader named Swifthammer—and find himself in opposition with a warlord named Reuel in complex ways.

 

Zara and Kell are both distinctive characters with different goals, leading them in opposite directions. Both internal and external conflict stand in the way of their relationship and their survival, making their character arcs and the romance subplot rich.

 

The worldbuilding is also exquisitely executed with descriptive details, politics, technology, and conflict. Most of the action takes place on Eden, a more primitive planet made up of farmers. The terrain is interesting with a landscape that shifts, making travel impossible for non-natives of the planet. The chemical composition of the planet allows the growth of a special type of daisy used to make a powerful drug. Warlords feud over the land and use force to make sure the farmers grow enough of the drug to meet interplanetary demand.

 

With the strength of the characters and the worldbuilding, the plot is engaging. The survival of Eden rests on Kell’s shoulders and without Zara keeping him grounded, Kell wouldn’t have the strength to carry the burden of Eden’s safety on his shoulders. The storyline is wrapped up nicely in this first book and the scene is set for the sequel, The Last Lord of Eden.

 

All and all, a fantastic read.

 

My Rating: 5+ stars

 

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Author Biography:

 

Author G. S. Kenney writes romantic speculative fiction novels. Her first science-fiction romance novel Freeing Eden, published by Soul Mate Publishing, was a 2018 RWA Golden Heart® finalist. She has also written four other science-fiction books and one fantasy romance.

 

G. S. Kenney started reading early, and never stopped. In kindergarten, drawn in by a book with a picture of three witches at a cauldron, she learned to read by starting with Shakespeare's Macbeth and is in awe of her mother's patience. Now she writes stories of her own (and still loves Shakespeare). Interested in many fields, she studied the “Great Books” at St. John’s College, where she now serves as a trustee. She also studied architecture at Harvard and financial planning at Boston University, conducted post-doctoral research in psychology at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, and developed software systems in use all over the world.

 

In addition to writing, G. S. Kenney is an avid photographer and world traveler, along with her husband, the love of her life. When not "on the road," they reside in Marin County, California, where a dream of having a lemon tree of their very own has somehow morphed into an entire citrus orchard. They have two children, two grand-cats, and a host of grandchildren growing faster than it seems possible.

 

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Reviewed by: Michelle

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