Unleashed (Futuristic Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

Lacey at first believes Capt. Marvel is stuff dreams are made of - literally - but once she dashes outside the spaceship, and she finds she is not in Kansas…um, Virginia any more, and she and Toto…hum, Oliver…are not going to be a happy campers. That will teach her to answer strange emails!

Zain Masters is just “borrowing” Lacey…um, and her cat…to get some answers. He was shot down on a strange planet that is supposedly uninhabited, but those laser cannons did not get there by accident! He saw a strange configuration of designs inside the one domed buildings on the forbidding planet and sent out a desperate call for help. It was answered by Lacey, and she seemed to have insight to the riddle, so he was just “borrowing” her to pick her brain. But a malfunction plops Lacey and Oliver down on his teeny space ship, and they have about 5 days to solve the riddle and get out of “Dodge”.

Lacey is not thrilled, though Oliver takes things in stride, that they are on a distant planet harassed by a Godzilla-like creature - that just happens to bear a strong resemblance to her ex-fiancé, Bob. But once she gets a handle on things, she is thrilled actually to be a real part of a team instead of being used and dismiss. She could actually help Zain, if only he would let her.

Once again, C.J. Barry brings her brilliantly funny wit to an outer-space, Indiana-Jones adventure. It’s a riot of fun, with Lacey and Zain more than heating up things along the way. Barry’s third novel announces she is here to stay and one of the brightest voices in Sci-Fi Romance today!

When Lacey read a post on one of the "geek" boards asking for help identifying some images, Lacey answers. Her good deed did not go unpunished. Lacey finds herself and Oliver transported to another planet.

Zain Masters is a former advance scout for InterGlax. (Think space law enforcement.) He has been on InterGlax's Wanted List for about ten years now for the death of his partner. Zain and his sentient ship, Reene, were simply exploring a planet when they came upon a camouflaged section and found themselves being shot out of the sky. From the looks of nearby debris, it is obvious that someone is hiding something worth killing over. Reene needs repairs fast. His energy cells are failing. But even if Reene gets patched up they cannot leave without turning off the weapons that shot them down. In a nearby dome, Zain finds odd images and needs help figuring them out. Help came from a "juvenile planet" (one who still believes it is alone in the universe). He did not expect the female he beamed aboard to be so lovely or have a cat in her arms. He also did not expect for Reene to lose more power and be unable to send her home. They team up in hopes of figuring out the images and getting off the planet. But it turns out the dome is only the tip of the iceberg, literally.

Things go from bad, to worse, to impossible. It is up to a man, a woman, a cat, a small brain ship, a few lasers, and a crustacean (yes, you read that right) to take down the biggest and deadliest corporation in the galaxy.

***** When author C. J. Barry sets out to give readers an action packed romance, she does not hold back any punches! Just like her other space adventure novel, titled "Unmasked", I began reading and could not stop until the last page had been turned. Barry is causing me to lose too many hours of sleep. I may need to take some time off work just to catch up on my bed rest. UNPUTDOWNABLE! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.