Ericksen (Gen-Heirs: The Guardians of Sziveria Book 5)

What if marriage were merely a contract and love a separate issue? A heartbroken father has lost his family. His wife and son are murdered, and his sixteen-year-old daughter is missing. Local law enforcement has bungled the investigation and lost the gathered evidence. Henry Castien turns to his former protégé, Vayden Dossett, to find out who did this to him and recover Cia. Tribunii Melody Ericksen is the Haven City Enforcement Services agent assigned to the case. Although she knows that her department has mishandled the situation, she is earnest about recovering Cia Castien and needs to work with Vayden to do it. But Melody and Vayden have a history. Matched by a matchmaker, Melody turned Vayden down when she realized that his gen-common genetics were beneath her Gen-Heir lineage.

Ericksen tells a tale of love and compassion that overcomes prejudice and ambition. Set in a future that is eight hundred years post-Cataclysm, humans have been sorted into a genetic caste system that awards higher rank, wealth, and prestige to those with special genetic skills, the Gen-Heirs. Only Gen-Heirs can rise to positions of power to become Guardians. The crime that brings Melody and Vayden together for a “second chance” takes a backseat to dynamics of their relationship, as Melody comes to admire Vayden’s investigativeupbringing has not only been extremely prejudiced, but abusive. In a twist of expectations,

Vayden demonstrates abilities far beyond his gen-common status and Melody’s genetic talent may not be what her social-climbing parents have claimed. A vision of future humans

that’s a combination of acerbic, thoughtful, and heartwarming!

Joan Lai