NEVER LET ME FALL

A dark paranormal romance brings violence, suspense, and heat as an investigator helps a felon clear her name of murder.

Helena Grayse is out of prison after serving a decade for the murder of her boyfriend. She’s lived a hard life, a life that only seems to get more difficult with each day. After having been kicked in the face by his stepfather when he was 5, Thomas Brown can no longer see color. Instead, he can see shadows of death and the memories leading up to a person’s demise. It’s why he’s often called to work homicide cases, though the detectives don’t know the full extent of his gift. When Thomas spies Helena in a cemetery, he’s able to glimpse color for the first time in years. It’s either a miracle or something about Helena is important to his abilities. Unfortunately, this book is rife with stereotypes, abuse, and ableism. Thomas’ thoughts frequently turn to how unfulfilled his life is without being able to see color: “A life without color was a life without passion.” There are even times when he thinks being completely blind would be “an odd sort of relief.” There is little explanation of how Thomas’ abilities work, leaving readers to simply accept that this is the way things are. The gratuitous amount of tragedy found in both the hero's and heroine’s pasts and presents makes for an unsettling read. Nearly every character here is a victim of abuse or has been an abuser in some capacity. No amount of happily-ever-after could temper the sheer amount of carelessness in Thomas’ portrayal as a colorblind person or the unnecessary violence perpetrated against the main characters.

Disappointing.