Pandemonium
Cougar Creek Publishing LLC (August 18, 2020)
"Romance at the end of the world never looked this good. A biker and a college girl make for an unlikely, but sizzling page turner. If the apocalypse comes, I want my very own Ripper by my side! A must read." - Raven Dark, author of the Devil's Outlaws series
.The intersection of danger and desire
Kenzie Dunwitty is laser focused on finishing college and landing a job that will give her the security she craves. With a deadline looming, she disconnects to finish a paper. When she emerges, the world is sliding into chaos. Overnight, a simple flu virus has morphed into a lethal, worldwide pandemic. Kenzie seeks refuge at her prepper cousin’s compound and finds herself face to face with a deadly sexy stranger.
Ripper Solis, ex-Army Ranger and current enforcer for an outlaw motorcycle club, protects the people he considers his own. He’s not a nice guy. Not a man that a woman turns to for support and comfort. Not the bad boy hero in the romance novels Kenzie’s escaped into for years. Or is he?
As law and order break down, and the ever-present threat of the virus hangs over their heads, Ripper’s strength and resourcefulness offer an irresistible allure. Sexy and commanding, he’s everything she ever wanted. Their chemistry is combustible.
Will love save the day, or will the perilous new world obliterate their future?
Readers might be apprehensive about starting a series centered around a highly contagious virus. While it’s similar to the flu, and society goes into chaos, that’s pretty much where I’d say similarities to real-life, end. The virus in the story has a much more sci-fi side effect. The storyline is still enjoyable despite a distant connection to Covid.
A fast acting virus with a murderous twist…
Mackenzie, is forced to flee college during finals week because of the mysterious flu that hit the world hard and fast. At first she thinks it will blow over and life will return to normal. It doesn’t take long to realize the state of the world is much more serious. People are dying from this new flu, and some are turning murderous. To survive, she turns to her “dooms-day” cousin, Miles.
I don’t recall that the author ever indicated what mental disability Miles had, but I appreciated the way it was woven into the story. He’s an important part of the team for survival. Miles alone had kept a house stocked with food and supplies for surviving the apocalypse. He’s loved and respected, never implied to be a liability to the team. His mind processed information differently from his peers, and it didn’t hold him back. It made him a strong asset.
No one can predict how their small team of lovers and strangers will survive.
Pandemonium has post-apocalypse action, a steamy romance between a college girl and a hot biker, and all the unknowns of how to survive a world-changing virus. Set in Portland Oregon, it was cool to read about the characters visiting places I’ve been to myself over the years. Susanna Strom did a great job getting the reader to connect with each character. The odds are definitely stacked against them in the end of Pandemonium.
Kristin lives in the PNW with her husband, and three kids. She loves to read YA fiction, fantasy, and romance. She enjoys a few side-hustles, including creating bookreels/booktoks for authors. The only shows she watches are re-runs, and if she’s not reading a book, she’s listening to one.
