Where There’s a Will (Panopolis #3)

Title: Where There’s a Will (Panopolis #3)
Author: Cari Z
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release Date: April 30, 2016
Genre(s): Superheros/Fantasy Romance
Page Count: 290
Reviewed by: Renée
Heat Level:  2.5 flames out of 5
Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5

Blurb:

Being a Hero in Panopolis means living the high life: parties, money, influence, even reality television. And I’m one of the most powerful Heroes in the city. I have plenty of fans, a manager who looks out for me (after himself), and a job that pays the bills. I should be enjoying myself.

Unfortunately, the downside of my superpower means I can’t touch anyone, which tends to puts a damper on things. I probably don’t deserve all those perks anyway, since I’m working in secret with two of Panopolis’s biggest villains to undermine GenCorp—my main sponsor and the company that controls what gets through my force field.

I obviously don’t trust my corporate overseers, but they’ve hired a new scientist who actually seems interested in helping me. Dr. Mansourian might have the answers to all my questions—not to mention a starring role in most of my dreams—but he’s hiding something big. If I let him have what he wants, I might not live to regret it.

Then again, the way things are going in Panopolis these days, I might not live either way.

There’s something about Cari Z’s writing. She can pull me into a story like few others can. And she doesn’t even usually write contemporary, which is my subgenre of choice. BUT, she has done a good job with this series as far as making me feel like I’m a part of this world.

The first two books were Raul and Edward’s story. And I honestly thought I’d continue to read about them in Book 3. But lo and behold…..it’s time for a new Superhero’s story. I should’ve seen that coming with as much page time as Craig Haney (aka Freight Train) took up in the first 2.

Superhero books are not my cuppa……usually. There are few authors I would read them for, and Cari Z is one of them. It’s her writing. She just knows this subgenre and writes it well enough to pull it off.

Freight Train, as with all Supers, came about his powers through an unexpected accident. Don’t ask me to remember details of that shit – that’s too granular for even me. And, as a result, he has a “force field” around him that nothing can penetrate. Everything pretty much bounces right off him. So he can’t get hurt, right? But it also means that HE can’t touch anyone. No touch from another person in 7 years! That would make anyone go crazy!

But he’s a good guy, a nice guy, overall. He just wants some love! The new scientist at GenCorp, his sponsor, becomes interested and smitten with him, and the feelings are very mutual. I did find myself wondering at times whether Craig latched onto the “feelings for him” train because it was the first guy in so long who showed interest and could touch him, but I was ok with how it played out.

There is a LOT of suspension of belief because of the nature of the book, but when in Superhero and Supervillain world, I was realistic (ha!) about my suspension of belief. Cari Z does a great job of world-building.

I enjoyed this for a light, fun, minimal-angst read. If you’ve never read this author before, please check out the short, FREE story: Ten Simple Tips for Surviving the Apocalypse.

 

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