Shannon C.’s review of Driven by Eve Kenin
Futuristic romance published by Shomi 28 Aug 07

I’d heard quite a lot about this book when the Shomi line from Dorchester started, and since Ms. Kenin’s sequel is already high up on the list of books that Sybil thinks I need to read, I thought it would be good to unearth this book from my TBR and give it a go.

The world of the story is a post-apocalyptic one, with the government being manipulated heavily by Duncan Bane, the head of Jansen Trucking Company. The Jansens practically own the highway, and nobody travels without the Jansens’ leave. Raina Bowen, an independent trucker, has already had her dealings with the Jansen company, and now wants only a temporary trucking pass so she can compete in the race to Gladow Station, where she hopes to win a huge prize that will keep her sister Beth safe and out of the clutches of Bane. What she doesn’t count on, though, is the complication of Wizard, whom she was supposed to meet in order to get her passes. After Wizard is attacked by Jansen truckers, Raina rescues him, and the two embark on an adventure that will pit them against Bane, and force them to acknowledge their attraction to each other.

I liked Raina a lot. Unlike a lot of kick ass heroines who have chips on their shoulders, I found Raina’s reasons for her attitude to make perfect sense. She’s never really known emotional support, and she doesn’t like depending on others. I understood that, and I loved watching the cracks slowly build in the armor that she has built up for herself.

Wizard is a great match for her. He, too, has secrets, although I figured out what they were long before Raina did. Still, despite his past, he comes off as a very tender, sexy man, and I loved watching him discover love. Naturally, when these two damaged people come together, their union is explosively passionate.

The secondary characters were introduced well, and though I hope some of them get their own stories, I never felt that the sequel-baiting was obvious. My only real quibble with characterization was that I found Duncan Bane to be over the top in his villainousness. The only thing he could have done to make himself appear even more cheesy would have been for him to kick a puppy.

The plot is exciting and moves along at a brisk enough pace that I was able to enjoy it. The climactic scenes were just as exciting as one could hope for, and the story resolves itself in such a way that it’s obvious there will be a sequel, though the main story of Raina and Wizard is over for now.

This book has everything I enjoy in my paranormal romance–a well-realized and unusual setting, two great and compelling characters, and lots of action. It didn’t quite have that spark that indicates an A book and it took me just a shade too long to get into it, but when I finally got invested, I very much enjoyed the story and definitely think it deserves the praise it has received.

Grade: B

Read other reviews of this book from Alicia and Gwen

Summary:
ROAD WARRIOR
Raina Bowen knows she can handle herself just fine against anything the harsh Northern Waste throws at her. Until it throws her an enigmatic stranger called Wizard. First, she has to haul him out of a brawl he can’t hope to win. And next, her libido is shooting into overdrive at the feel of his hard body pressed against hers on the back of her snowscooter. But there’s something not quite right about this guy. Before she can strip bare Wizard’s secrets, they’re lured into a race for their lives, battling rival truckers, ice pirates…and a merciless maniac with a very personal vendetta.
Read an excerpt