Limecello’s review of Beyond Fearless by Rebecca York
Paranormal romantic suspense published by Berkley 4 Dec 07
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book. I’ve never read a book by Rebecca York before, and while I’m intrigued, I’m afraid I’m not enthralled. The premise of the book is interesting enough, but the story lost me after a while. There were a lot of unique qualities and intricacies, but put together, it became too much.
Anna Ridgeway is a psychic, and uses her powers to support herself as a magic show for hotels and clubs. She’s nice enough, but I never felt particularly attached to her. Yes, I rooted for her and didn’t want bad things to happen to her, but I didn’t identify with Anna. It’s hard to explain – but she’s a bit too withdrawn, or anxious. Anna is something of a contradiction, supposedly the most powerful character, but she never seems to be in control.
Zachary Robinson is a hero I had a hard time getting to know. It didn’t help that none of the characters really knew what was going on throughout the book. Zach doesn’t seem to have is rather static, and doesn’t exhibit a range of emotion. He’s a nice guy, and capable, but he lacks real warmth. While Zach is intimately tied to the heroine, and completely invested in her, you still don’t really get the sense of who he is or what he’s about.
I began reading the story, and wasn’t entirely sold, but remained interested. Zachary, then Anna are introduced to the reader individually, both in their “native” element – a place neither of them really gets back to. That might have something to do with why I felt neither Zach nor Anna were very established. I know too much explanation would have ruined the plot- or killed the suspense aspect, but it seemed like characters were coming out of the woodwork and even they didn’t particularly know what they were doing (in regards to the story).
Still, the main point is people are out to get Anna (and consequently Zach) – a lot of people, actually, and Zach and Anna form a psychic bond. They’re soul mates. Even this, I could get behind, but there were times when even my suspended belief ended. Anna and Zach “meeting” as children I accepted. The other psychics, or Dariens Lindsay and Jordan, who connect with them, I was skeptical about, but could understand. However, the fact that Anna and Zach could exercise not only mind control, but physically manipulate objects to the point of changing them physically, including the weather, I could not believe.
I think it was slightly difficult to really get into the book because too much was happening all at once. The characters could never catch a break – while spending time together they were being psychically attacked, trying to strengthen their own psychic connection, having sex, reaching out to other psychic presences good and bad, hiding from attackers and using mind control. I would have liked the story a lot more if certain aspects were scaled back a little. The book just went too far. Beyond Fearless felt rather incomplete, and I know it’s part of a series, but it felt like the characters had no closure. I also felt the strongest relationships occurred were when Lindsay and Jordan showed up and befriended Anna and Zach. One thing I did like, however, is how Ms. York gave her villain a back-story. He wasn’t very layered, but you knew where he was from, what he was about, and what his goals were. Well, one of the villains – there were a number of others that I believe have appeared and will appear in other stories.
As something slightly off topic, I’m afraid I didn’t particularly like Ms. York’s webpage. The layout is fine, but the links, and way those were set up weren’t so great. It wasn’t very user friendly, and I had a devil of a time trying to find this book link. [Likely some of it has to do with updates, or lack thereof.]
I liked the story, and thought what happened was interesting, and would like to get to know the characters better. Likely this will happen in the subsequent novels, and for those of you who enjoy series, and not only paranormals but romantic suspense (because this novel is both) – you’ll might like these books.
Grade: C–
On the lush Caribbean island of Grand Fernandino, Anna Ridgeway is working her “magic.” Blessed with uncanny psychic abilities since she was a child, she now uses her gift in a mind-reading act at a nightclub. But she’s been plagued with a sense of impending danger since she arrived on Grand Fernandino. Her feelings are confirmed when evil forces coalesce around her and international treasure hunter Zachary Robinson.
At first, Anna fears Zach’s very presence. But when they touch, their physical and psychic bond astonishes them. They find they share a common past- and an uncommon passion for each other. But there is a sinister figure from long ago who will never allow their love to survive. A man who has been hunting them all their lives…
Read an excerpt here.
