Title: To Adam with Love
Series: The Gray Zone 01
Author: Adrienne Wilder
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Length: Novel (230pgs)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (29th August 2011)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 1/2Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Adam’s mother brought him as a child to the Gray Zone, the no man’s land between the crumbling city and the Dens were the Kin-the Dragons-and Lesser-Breds-their mixed-blood offspring-live. He was different, not completely Human, and she knew fear and prejudice would drive people to do horrible things… like a father trying to kill his son. Five years later, Adam’s father is behind bars and Adam has come home to the Zone, the last place anyone would expect innocence, loyalty, and devotion, to complete his becoming Lesser-Bred and find his best friend and only love, Ean.
But Ean has a life of his own. He’s always wanted to belong to Batu, the Male Kin who has watched over him since childhood, but now Ean’s caught in a deadly trap of biology and vengeance: he isn’t enough to feed his beloved Adam during the dangerous transformation, and Kin won’t allow an emotional bond in their midst. Years ago Ean lost Adam after failing to keep him safe. Now that Adam is back, will a simple feeling give Ean the strength to defy everything he’s ever known and keep them together?
Review: Warning this book is set in an established world that Darwin’s Theory 1,2,3,4 and Blood Bonds are also set in. so if you are a new reader of Adrienne Wilder’s books like I am it was frustrating to keep flipping to the front of the book to the Glossary to find out what certain words in Italic’s meant.
Adam is returning to the Gray Zone after almost five years and is hoping that Ean will still be hanging around. Ean believed Adam was dead. After all, Batu said he was and Kin don’t lie. This is a darkish story that I am not really sure I liked personally. But, it was an interesting read. Set in a universe much like ours but with Kin (Dragon) and lesser-bred (human-dragon) with both being treated like crap by humans and lesser-bred being treated even worse by Kin.
I liked the characters of Adam and Ean. They grew up with each other and figured out early how they felt for each other. Although, Ean had much more difficulty identifying his feelings, as though he is human, he was brought up by the Kin so only knows the Kin way of things. Adam is about to become (change into a lesser-bred) and needs the help of the Kin. He has also just seen his father sent to prison for trying to kill him and killing his mother and anybody who stood in his way. So he is dealing with the trauma and nightmares of that and his fear of changing into a lesser-bred.
The story flicked back and forth between the past and the present. This filled you in on the background of Adam and Ean; and also Brian, who we are introduced to. There was some world building but not enough for the length and depth of the book. The Glossary of certain words was helpful but also a pain, as I had to pull out of the story, dart back to the beginning and look the word up; so for the first half of the book I was stopping and starting.
So what would I recommend? This is a good book and if you have read the other Adrienne Dane books then it will be a smoother read for you. It has sex, youthful love which develops into adult love, a good storyline and a few dark bits as well. so really not sure if it’s really my cup of tea (I will have to read all Adrienne Wilder’s books to find out) but I have a feeling that this will hit the spot for many readers.