Book Review: Moon by Laurann Dohner

Title: Moon
Series: New Species, Book 10
Author: Laurann Dohner
Genre: Paranormal romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from publisher
Published: April 30, 2013 by Ellora’s Cave

Dr. Joyce Yards has never met anyone as irresistible as 466. Their therapy sessions are growing hotter, his raw sexual hunger becoming aggressive, and he refuses to discuss anything except the possibility of getting her naked. Joy understands the dire consequences if she indulges her passion. It will break her heart but she must walk away.

Moon has been drugged, his memory shattered, and he’s now little more than feral, a dangerous threat to everyone. In their need for help, the NSO doctors turn to the only female Moon ever cared about—the one who left him behind two years ago.

Moon isn’t the same male Joy once knew. There are no rules now. If sex tames the wild beast and triggers his fractured memories, allowing him moments of lucidity, then Joy will give him everything, body and soul. She’ll do whatever it takes to save him—even at the cost of her own life.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Enjoyable addition to a series I love but not my favorite because of the reunion romance.

The Set Up: Dr. Joy Yards is a New Species therapist when they’re first released from captivity. 466 is one of her patients and he pushes her to act on their attraction. Joy knows the serious consequences for both of them so she runs away. Now two years later, 466 is called Moon and has been inexplicably drugged so the New Species council brings Joy to help since Moon has told others of her abandonment. Moon and Joy can no longer fight their attraction.

Why I Read this Book: I love this series and await each new release.

What I Liked: I love the New Species. I’m a sci-fi fan so the idea captures my imagination. The premise is that these species of humans were created in labs by splicing animal DNA with humans. The pharmaceutical company tortured these hybrid humans for years before they gained their freedom. The New Species characters from the previous books have strong appearances in this book and I love that. I also enjoyed the inclusion of new secondary characters and hope they get their own books with HEAs, especially the caustic Jericho and the biker bad-boy Harley who is Moon’s best friend.

What I Also Liked: The romance between Joy and Moon hits all the expected points. It’s deliciously erotic and has a decent amount of tension. Joy and Moon should take to each other more, especially about their pasts, but when they do finally have their big discussion it has some emotional pay off. Still, I’ll be honest, most of the romance takes place between the sheets and that ain’t bad.

What I Didn’t Like: I’ll admit I’m not a reunion romance fan and this romance didn’t change my mind. So much time is spent explaining why Joy made the decision she did and how much it hurt Moon that it steals the show from their current romance. Plus, it makes their romantic conflict predictable because it’s purely a matter of understanding and forgiveness. There are no twists and turns in this romance unlike the other books in the series because Joy and Moon already knew each other and readers know how an erotic romance is going to turn out.

Second, Moon was drugged most of the book so I never got a sense of his personality. Part of the charm in this series is that the heroes have an innocence and naivety to them that is rare in romance but because Moon is literally out of his mind half the book I didn’t get this from him. The New Species characters have a different kind of relationship to the world around them since they grew up in labs so they don’t relate to people or sex in the same way others do in romance books and I love this. However, I didn’t get this from Moon’s character and I missed that greatly.

IMO: Series readers like me should absolutely read this just for the world building and the secondary characters; I enjoyed it on that level and think others will too. New readers should go back to the first book and catch up because this likely won’t be the book to capture your attention as a reader.

 

J9’s Rating: