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Kick at the Darkness #2
Fight the Tide
Adrift in a post-apocalyptic world, they only have each other. Is it enough?
A virus that turns the infected into zombie-like killers spreads through a burning world thrown into lawless chaos. Lovers Parker and Adam have escaped to the open sea when they hear a message over the airwaves from a place called Salvation Island—a supposed safe haven.
Orphaned as a child, werewolf Adam has always longed for a pack. He’s eager to investigate the island, but Parker doesn’t think for a nanosecond that the voice on the radio can be believed. He doesn’t trust anyone but Adam and is determined to keep it that way. They don’t need anyone else complicating their struggle to survive. Or do they?
Danger on the high seas can surface in a heartbeat, and if Parker and Adam aren’t careful, the current will drag them under.
This gay romance is a dystopian adventure featuring a werewolf, his boyfriend, and their struggle to find a place to call home.
A virus that turns the infected into zombie-like killers spreads through a burning world thrown into lawless chaos. Lovers Parker and Adam have escaped to the open sea when they hear a message over the airwaves from a place called Salvation Island—a supposed safe haven.
Orphaned as a child, werewolf Adam has always longed for a pack. He’s eager to investigate the island, but Parker doesn’t think for a nanosecond that the voice on the radio can be believed. He doesn’t trust anyone but Adam and is determined to keep it that way. They don’t need anyone else complicating their struggle to survive. Or do they?
Danger on the high seas can surface in a heartbeat, and if Parker and Adam aren’t careful, the current will drag them under.
This gay romance is a dystopian adventure featuring a werewolf, his boyfriend, and their struggle to find a place to call home.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2016
About the author
Keira Andrews
61 books2,845 followersKeira aims for the perfect mix of character, plot, and heat in her M/M romances. She writes everything from swashbuckling pirates to heartwarming holiday escapism. Her fave tropes are enemies to lovers, age gaps, forced proximity, and passionate virgins. Although she loves delicious angst along the way, Keira guarantees happy endings!
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December 26, 2023
Reread 12/23 in preparation for book 3, coming January 2024
Whoa. This book packs an emotional punch.
Original review:
Parker and Adam aren’t just running away from creepers. They are running away from destruction and shattered hope.
Endless days at sea, dwindling supplies, fear of the unknown … and a voice on the radio promising salvation. Welcome to the new post-apocalyptic world.
Adam is mesmerized by the voice, blinded by the possibility of safe land at last. But Parker remembers the Pines, the horror of watching pieces of Adam’s flesh floating in jars. Parker doesn’t trust anybody.
Fight the Tide picks up where Kick at Darkness left off. This book cannot be read as a standalone. It’s a continuation of Parker and Adam’s story.
More character driven and slower paced than the first book, Fight the Tide focuses more on the internal struggle, but the story, told in alternating third-person POV, is gripping and suspenseful nonetheless.
Adam still doesn’t understand why his parents lived separate from a pack. He longs to belong to a community and wants to make peace with his werewolf half. Parker wonders why he isn’t enough. He wants to be strong for Adam, but he hurts inside.
Sailing the Bella, Parker and Adam meet some unsavory characters, but they also learn that banding together can make you stronger.
New secondary characters are introduced: a makeshift family consisting of Craig, his 8-year-old daughter Lilly, Abby, and her 13-year-old son Jacob, who’s a typical surly teenager.
Life as we know it came to an end when Craig and Abby were on their third date, but they stuck together against the odds, and they are good people: honest, optimistic, trying so hard to keep it together for their kids.
My heart broke for Jacob. It’s hard enough to be 13. It’s that much harder to be 13 in the middle of a world torn apart at the seams. So much loss, so much pain.
Parker, Adam, and their new friends have to decide whether to head south toward the Caribbean or try to find the mysterious Salvation Island—be it utopia or a trap.
The men never give up on each other. There is conflict, yes, but there is also lust and LOVE, so much love: selfless and giving.
The sex here is hot, rough, and intensely passionate.
Parker loves it when Adam takes control; he loves Adam’s wolf form and just wants Adam to take him. Adam needs to be filled but is worried Parker will balk at exploring his desires.
But he needn’t have worried. Parker is all in, and the scene with Adam letting go is damn sexy and emotional—it’s not for everyone, but I thought it was necessary here to show the complete trust between the men.
The ending is a HEA for the MCs, who are safe, in love, and in it together, but this story isn’t over. Even before I learned that Keira Andrews is planning a third and possibly fourth book in this series (which can I just say, Thank you, Jesus!), I thought we hadn’t seen the last of these men.
This book is on my mothafuckin' Kindle, bitches.
Step back.
HUZZAH!
Because ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, people. Pay attention.
Whoa. This book packs an emotional punch.
Original review:
Parker and Adam aren’t just running away from creepers. They are running away from destruction and shattered hope.
Endless days at sea, dwindling supplies, fear of the unknown … and a voice on the radio promising salvation. Welcome to the new post-apocalyptic world.
Adam is mesmerized by the voice, blinded by the possibility of safe land at last. But Parker remembers the Pines, the horror of watching pieces of Adam’s flesh floating in jars. Parker doesn’t trust anybody.
Fight the Tide picks up where Kick at Darkness left off. This book cannot be read as a standalone. It’s a continuation of Parker and Adam’s story.
More character driven and slower paced than the first book, Fight the Tide focuses more on the internal struggle, but the story, told in alternating third-person POV, is gripping and suspenseful nonetheless.
Adam still doesn’t understand why his parents lived separate from a pack. He longs to belong to a community and wants to make peace with his werewolf half. Parker wonders why he isn’t enough. He wants to be strong for Adam, but he hurts inside.
Sailing the Bella, Parker and Adam meet some unsavory characters, but they also learn that banding together can make you stronger.
New secondary characters are introduced: a makeshift family consisting of Craig, his 8-year-old daughter Lilly, Abby, and her 13-year-old son Jacob, who’s a typical surly teenager.
Life as we know it came to an end when Craig and Abby were on their third date, but they stuck together against the odds, and they are good people: honest, optimistic, trying so hard to keep it together for their kids.
My heart broke for Jacob. It’s hard enough to be 13. It’s that much harder to be 13 in the middle of a world torn apart at the seams. So much loss, so much pain.
Parker, Adam, and their new friends have to decide whether to head south toward the Caribbean or try to find the mysterious Salvation Island—be it utopia or a trap.
The men never give up on each other. There is conflict, yes, but there is also lust and LOVE, so much love: selfless and giving.
The sex here is hot, rough, and intensely passionate.
Parker loves it when Adam takes control; he loves Adam’s wolf form and just wants Adam to take him. Adam needs to be filled but is worried Parker will balk at exploring his desires.
But he needn’t have worried. Parker is all in, and the scene with Adam letting go is damn sexy and emotional—it’s not for everyone, but I thought it was necessary here to show the complete trust between the men.
The ending is a HEA for the MCs, who are safe, in love, and in it together, but this story isn’t over. Even before I learned that Keira Andrews is planning a third and possibly fourth book in this series (which can I just say, Thank you, Jesus!), I thought we hadn’t seen the last of these men.
“I lied to you.” . . .
Adam went very still. “Okay. Tell me.”
[Parker] couldn’t meet Adam’s eyes . . . A sob tore out of his throat. “I said I wasn’t broken, but I am.” . . .
“We’re all broken,” Adam murmured . . . “We're [all] scared.”
This book is on my mothafuckin' Kindle, bitches.
Step back.
HUZZAH!
Because ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, people. Pay attention.
August 6, 2016
3.75 Stars.
I absolutely loved book one and couldn't wait to read this one.I stopped reading this to read another book,but when I came back to it I struggled with it.
What didn't work for me
I just adored Parker in book one but found him too insecure and needy here and his inner thoughts were too repetitive.
Without question this Author writes great sex scenes and these boys are seriously hot together but there was one scene that completely turned me off......I'm sure if you've read the book you'll know which one I'm referring to.I like to think I'm not naive,after all I like my M/M books to be as filthy as possible,but that scene......well,do people even do that??
What worked for me
Well,obviously....Adam,he's just perfect.I loved how patient and understanding he was with Parker.
Brilliant secondary characters that they formed a bond with.
I loved the fact that the majority of the book was set at sea.And I'm so interested in Salvation Island.I'm sure it's not as perfect as it seems.
But 2017 for the next one??
I'm quite happy with the conclusion here and I will read the next one if I stumble across it.
I absolutely loved book one and couldn't wait to read this one.I stopped reading this to read another book,but when I came back to it I struggled with it.
What didn't work for me
I just adored Parker in book one but found him too insecure and needy here and his inner thoughts were too repetitive.
Without question this Author writes great sex scenes and these boys are seriously hot together but there was one scene that completely turned me off......I'm sure if you've read the book you'll know which one I'm referring to.I like to think I'm not naive,after all I like my M/M books to be as filthy as possible,but that scene......well,do people even do that??
What worked for me
Well,obviously....Adam,he's just perfect.I loved how patient and understanding he was with Parker.
Brilliant secondary characters that they formed a bond with.
I loved the fact that the majority of the book was set at sea.And I'm so interested in Salvation Island.I'm sure it's not as perfect as it seems.
But 2017 for the next one??
I'm quite happy with the conclusion here and I will read the next one if I stumble across it.
August 16, 2024
HE PUT HIS ARM, UP TO THE ELBOW… INSIDE WHAT NOW???
JAIL.
Notes to future self, for when I forget this books plot.. by tomorrow.. and need to come remember what it was about..
1. Close to ✨absolutely nothing ✨
2. Lots of sailing around/sailing talk because apparently Parker is a pirate in his spare time
3. Pretty much no zombies and considering it’s a series… about zombies… bit weird 🤷🏻♀️
4. Miscommunications/no communication that would have led to 80% less book if they just opened their mouths and had a yap
5. Parker complaining (internally) alot and Adam looking hot on a boat.
6. HIS WHOLE FUCKING ARM WENT INSIDE HIS AS-
💀💀💀
JAIL.
Notes to future self, for when I forget this books plot.. by tomorrow.. and need to come remember what it was about..
1. Close to ✨absolutely nothing ✨
2. Lots of sailing around/sailing talk because apparently Parker is a pirate in his spare time
3. Pretty much no zombies and considering it’s a series… about zombies… bit weird 🤷🏻♀️
4. Miscommunications/no communication that would have led to 80% less book if they just opened their mouths and had a yap
5. Parker complaining (internally) alot and Adam looking hot on a boat.
6. HIS WHOLE FUCKING ARM WENT INSIDE HIS AS-
💀💀💀
October 24, 2017
After reading "Kick at the Darkness," I was one of several people pestering Keira for more of Parker and Adam's story, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to get not only this second installment, but also the promise of a third *and* fourth book.
Yay, go exceeded expectations!
This second book, "Fight the Tide," picks up where book 1 left off, with Parker and Adam on a boat, sailing south toward Florida, as the zombies thankfully can't swim.
This story is significantly different from the first, in that it is much less about the action and killing infected creepers (and the occasional evil human) to survive, but more psychological.
Early on in this book, Parker is attacked by a small group of bad guys, while waiting on the boat for Adam to return from a supply run along the east coast.
Although only slightly harmed physically, the mental damage done was much more severe, coloring Parker's ability to trust anyone other than Adam.
So lots of page time (and mental anguish) is devoted to whether or not Parker and Adam can trust not only a family that they rescue from a sinking sailboat, but also the soothing voice on the radio that beckons them to the 'safety' of a mysterious island off the coast of Daytona.
Although I did truly love getting more Parker and Adam, I must admit that I did miss the pure adrenaline rush from the first book, as they overcame obstacle after obstacle to fight their way from the Bay Area to Boston.
The pacing of this book was much more 'slow and steady' than the break neck speeds seen in the first story, though it never dragged. There was just a lot more time allotted to introspection of their situation and thought as to what their lives might look like now, during 'the after.'
Okay, now for the pink elephant in my review of this one...
Yes, there was one fisting scene, which while done really well, was still soooooo not my thing. I was all "ick, eww, nope, nope, NOPE." So just putting that out there for those also squicked (the fuck) out by that particular act.
But the rest of the sexy scenes were typical Parker and Adam, hot and heavy, hard and fast, which did totally work for me. Cold shower, anyone? ;- )
The story ends at a good stopping point, with the boys safe and their HEA firmly intact, so I'd rate this one around 4 stars and definitely recommend it.
I'm not sure where books 3 and 4 will go, but I hope that a certain broody 13 y.o. finds his own awesome, little teen wolf to care for him, too.
------------------------------------------------
My ARC copy of the book was provided by the author through Indigo Marketing (thanks, Lori!) in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
July 29, 2016
Keira Andrews never misses. This was highly entertaining, although not quite as exciting as part one. The characters grew and I love them a bit more. The writing is the best you'll find in the genre and I will definitely be reading the next in the series.
Now, on to SPOILERS!!!
I love butts. I love looking at butts (see the butt above.) I love reading about butts. I love touching butts and I love putting stuff in butts... HOWEVER, Keira Andrews has crossed a butt too far. This author writes the hottest sex in m/m... I just think that maybe she has tried to outdo herself this time? I really don't know. The scene in question actually made sense story-wise, but... NO! There is truth in the phrase, "Too much of a good thing," and this was just too much butt. I'm sure there are lots of people who will enjoy the scene and I wish them luck and ask that they keep their fists to themselves.
Now, on to SPOILERS!!!
I love butts. I love looking at butts (see the butt above.) I love reading about butts. I love touching butts and I love putting stuff in butts... HOWEVER, Keira Andrews has crossed a butt too far. This author writes the hottest sex in m/m... I just think that maybe she has tried to outdo herself this time? I really don't know. The scene in question actually made sense story-wise, but... NO! There is truth in the phrase, "Too much of a good thing," and this was just too much butt. I'm sure there are lots of people who will enjoy the scene and I wish them luck and ask that they keep their fists to themselves.
April 28, 2024
3.5 Stars (original rating)
As a solo work, this was a great story. I was engaged from start to finish and I can’t express in words how much I adore the main characters Parker and Adam.
The ongoing trials and tribulations they face in this sequel are progressively more intense and emotionally wrought as the story unfolds. Parker’s emotional turmoil and personal insecurities were so palpable and draining to me as a reader, that it affected my entire mood this week, which just goes to show how brilliant the writing quality and character development is if it was impacting me so profoundly.
I even relished getting Adam’s POV in this instalment, which seemed necessary considering how divided he and Parker often were throughout the story. However, there was never a moment where I sided with one character over another when they were constantly expressing conflicting opinions regarding their survival plans, which, again, demonstrates Andrews' impressive ability to make her characters relatable and authentic, grounding her extreme pandemic world in a very believable sense of reality.
For me, Parker and Adam are one of my favourite M/M couples I've ever read. I realise it’s a tad weird to put so much of my focus in a romance when the story is set in such a brutal and despairing new world, yet I can’t help but be overjoyed every time these two have a great moment together, which never fails to make me sigh and smile with contentment, regardless of the horrors of the world around them.
Although, I must admit, as much as I appreciated this sequel and the storytelling, my enjoyment and praise here is nothing compared to how I personally reacted to the first story, Kick at the Darkness. I can’t help but compare sequels to their predecessors, and as such, this sequel was slightly lacking for me. I simply didn’t experience the same thrill or obsession that I did when reading (and re-reading) the first story. I know it’s unfair to judge one story against another, yet I can’t seem to help myself in this particular case.
I landed on a 3.5 rating, which I couldn’t help but round up because it’s Andrews, and she, much like her characters, is constantly delivering great reads that leave a mark, so I’m always going to be found leaning more favourably. Plus, Parker and Adam are characters that still demand love and attention, and I'm happy to keep giving it to them.
I'm especially happy that this apocalyptic sequel was left open-ended and I can’t wait to see what’s in store next for Parker and Adam!
*******************************************
Re-read (#2): January, 2024
Nine years on and not much has changed in my reaction to this book, except it might be more of a 4-star read for me now, interestingly.
I still found it heavier in tone, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but my anxiety was not happy about it. Interestingly, I found this harder to read than book one (Kick at the Darkness), which to some would sound like a ludicrous statement, but just goes to show how intensely I react to emotional angst, because I deem what the characters go through here a level-up on the emotional trauma scale, over all the crazy zombie run-ins they experienced on their cross-country road-trip in book one.
I still found it really hard to exist in Parker’s POV, feeling every moment of turmoil, panic, and distrust that he so passionately expresses throughout this story. As a fellow over-thinker and stress-head, I could all too well imagine myself being in Parker’s shoes in the same circumstances, panicking and getting so frustrated with the conflicts at hand, and it was NOT a fun place to be. In this way, I’m kind of torn between being impressed with the complexity of his character and just damn exhausted from having to inhibit that mind-space for so long.
Although Parker and Adam are at odds A LOT in this story, regarding next moves, that are literally life or death in their harsh new reality, I did appreciate that their love and connection never wavered, not even once, with support and trust always coming first, even when they were arguing intensely about what to do to survive. Keeping the romance central, even among all the suspense and drama, was another impressive feat by Andrews.
I never mentioned in my original review how much I liked the additional secondary characters, but I certainly did. Having the boys be joined by some fresh faces, ones they were hesitant about but grew to care about like family, was a great way to build the story and make the stakes even higher.
I’m still not sure how I feel about the werewolf stuff or how the last portion of the story played out, or whether I liked where the characters were left during the final pages, but as I said previously, I’m glad it was all left open-ended enough that more storytelling was not only inevitable but also necessary.
The nine-year gap between the first two books and the now available trilogy closer, Defy the Future, will surely provide a lot of answers and bring some new (hopefully not too scary or stressful) things to Parker and Adam’s lives, and as a long-time fan of this series, I could not be more excited to see how it all ends.
Kick at the Darkness Series
Book 1 - Kick at the Darkness (5 Stars)
Book 2 - Fight the Tide (4 Stars)
Book 3 - Defy the Future (4.5 Stars)
As a solo work, this was a great story. I was engaged from start to finish and I can’t express in words how much I adore the main characters Parker and Adam.
The ongoing trials and tribulations they face in this sequel are progressively more intense and emotionally wrought as the story unfolds. Parker’s emotional turmoil and personal insecurities were so palpable and draining to me as a reader, that it affected my entire mood this week, which just goes to show how brilliant the writing quality and character development is if it was impacting me so profoundly.
I even relished getting Adam’s POV in this instalment, which seemed necessary considering how divided he and Parker often were throughout the story. However, there was never a moment where I sided with one character over another when they were constantly expressing conflicting opinions regarding their survival plans, which, again, demonstrates Andrews' impressive ability to make her characters relatable and authentic, grounding her extreme pandemic world in a very believable sense of reality.
For me, Parker and Adam are one of my favourite M/M couples I've ever read. I realise it’s a tad weird to put so much of my focus in a romance when the story is set in such a brutal and despairing new world, yet I can’t help but be overjoyed every time these two have a great moment together, which never fails to make me sigh and smile with contentment, regardless of the horrors of the world around them.
Although, I must admit, as much as I appreciated this sequel and the storytelling, my enjoyment and praise here is nothing compared to how I personally reacted to the first story, Kick at the Darkness. I can’t help but compare sequels to their predecessors, and as such, this sequel was slightly lacking for me. I simply didn’t experience the same thrill or obsession that I did when reading (and re-reading) the first story. I know it’s unfair to judge one story against another, yet I can’t seem to help myself in this particular case.
I landed on a 3.5 rating, which I couldn’t help but round up because it’s Andrews, and she, much like her characters, is constantly delivering great reads that leave a mark, so I’m always going to be found leaning more favourably. Plus, Parker and Adam are characters that still demand love and attention, and I'm happy to keep giving it to them.
I'm especially happy that this apocalyptic sequel was left open-ended and I can’t wait to see what’s in store next for Parker and Adam!
*******************************************
Re-read (#2): January, 2024
Nine years on and not much has changed in my reaction to this book, except it might be more of a 4-star read for me now, interestingly.
I still found it heavier in tone, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but my anxiety was not happy about it. Interestingly, I found this harder to read than book one (Kick at the Darkness), which to some would sound like a ludicrous statement, but just goes to show how intensely I react to emotional angst, because I deem what the characters go through here a level-up on the emotional trauma scale, over all the crazy zombie run-ins they experienced on their cross-country road-trip in book one.
I still found it really hard to exist in Parker’s POV, feeling every moment of turmoil, panic, and distrust that he so passionately expresses throughout this story. As a fellow over-thinker and stress-head, I could all too well imagine myself being in Parker’s shoes in the same circumstances, panicking and getting so frustrated with the conflicts at hand, and it was NOT a fun place to be. In this way, I’m kind of torn between being impressed with the complexity of his character and just damn exhausted from having to inhibit that mind-space for so long.
Although Parker and Adam are at odds A LOT in this story, regarding next moves, that are literally life or death in their harsh new reality, I did appreciate that their love and connection never wavered, not even once, with support and trust always coming first, even when they were arguing intensely about what to do to survive. Keeping the romance central, even among all the suspense and drama, was another impressive feat by Andrews.
I never mentioned in my original review how much I liked the additional secondary characters, but I certainly did. Having the boys be joined by some fresh faces, ones they were hesitant about but grew to care about like family, was a great way to build the story and make the stakes even higher.
I’m still not sure how I feel about the werewolf stuff or how the last portion of the story played out, or whether I liked where the characters were left during the final pages, but as I said previously, I’m glad it was all left open-ended enough that more storytelling was not only inevitable but also necessary.
The nine-year gap between the first two books and the now available trilogy closer, Defy the Future, will surely provide a lot of answers and bring some new (hopefully not too scary or stressful) things to Parker and Adam’s lives, and as a long-time fan of this series, I could not be more excited to see how it all ends.
Kick at the Darkness Series
Book 1 - Kick at the Darkness (5 Stars)
Book 2 - Fight the Tide (4 Stars)
Book 3 - Defy the Future (4.5 Stars)
September 21, 2024
1/10/2024 Reread - Still 4 Stars
I’m happy to report that my feelings toward this sequel have basically remained unchanged!
Admittedly and repeatedly, this was heavier, more stressful, and significantly less enjoyable just because of the constant anxiety and inner turmoil of both Parker and Adam. Having said that, all their fears and reservations are completely valid, and their actions and reactions fall in line with what they have experienced in this new awful world order.
The love continues to remain strong, and though I really dislike one of their sexual proclivities, that is simply due to personal preference.
I’m off to read the long awaited conclusion!
————
4 Sequel Stars
Whew - that was one intense experience!
Reality has really sunk in and it isn't pretty nor reassuring. Nothing will ever be the same and that's truly sobering and depressing.
Doubt and fear run rampant as Parker and Adam both struggle with their own personal limitations and insecurities. The very real danger is not only the mindless, zombie infected wanting to tear their flesh apart, but also the other survivors who are trying their darnedest to not get dead - unfortunately by any unsavory means possible.
So these two wonderful guys are put through test after test - physically, emotionally - and though they were understandably, maddeningly frustrating at times (mostly Parker), the love they have for each other was the best thing about this story. They each knew they'd grab onto and fight with everything they had to keep what was theirs, and that was a wonderful thing to witness, despite all the twisty, emotional angst.
Though not as fast paced or thrill a minute as the first, I'm grateful for this sequel. It was well fleshed out and had a certain weight to it, equally intermixed with tender and hot lovin (minus one scene that's just not my cuppa). I can hardly wait to see what's in store for these two next!!
Kick at the Darkness Series
1. Kick at the Darkness - 4 Stars
2. Fight the Tide - 4 Stars
3. Defy the Future - 4 Stars
I’m happy to report that my feelings toward this sequel have basically remained unchanged!
Admittedly and repeatedly, this was heavier, more stressful, and significantly less enjoyable just because of the constant anxiety and inner turmoil of both Parker and Adam. Having said that, all their fears and reservations are completely valid, and their actions and reactions fall in line with what they have experienced in this new awful world order.
The love continues to remain strong, and though I really dislike one of their sexual proclivities, that is simply due to personal preference.
I’m off to read the long awaited conclusion!
————
4 Sequel Stars
Whew - that was one intense experience!
Reality has really sunk in and it isn't pretty nor reassuring. Nothing will ever be the same and that's truly sobering and depressing.
Doubt and fear run rampant as Parker and Adam both struggle with their own personal limitations and insecurities. The very real danger is not only the mindless, zombie infected wanting to tear their flesh apart, but also the other survivors who are trying their darnedest to not get dead - unfortunately by any unsavory means possible.
So these two wonderful guys are put through test after test - physically, emotionally - and though they were understandably, maddeningly frustrating at times (mostly Parker), the love they have for each other was the best thing about this story. They each knew they'd grab onto and fight with everything they had to keep what was theirs, and that was a wonderful thing to witness, despite all the twisty, emotional angst.
Though not as fast paced or thrill a minute as the first, I'm grateful for this sequel. It was well fleshed out and had a certain weight to it, equally intermixed with tender and hot lovin (minus one scene that's just not my cuppa). I can hardly wait to see what's in store for these two next!!
Kick at the Darkness Series
1. Kick at the Darkness - 4 Stars
2. Fight the Tide - 4 Stars
3. Defy the Future - 4 Stars
January 15, 2024
*4.5* Bumping up my rating on a second read. Still don’t understand what I put in the spoiler, but I love their relationship.
***Original review***
Post apocalyptic, gay/mm romance, shifters, zombies, book two!
This story begins right where book one ended. Parker and Adam board a 40 ft sailboat, they leave land hoping for better survival chances as zombies can't swim. As with any good apocalyptic story, it's not just the zombies you have to watch out for, humans can be assholes too.
Parker is extra annoying in this one, but only because of the trauma they endured in book one and some additional horror at the beginning of this one. They overhear a radio message, telling them of a zombie-free island, that all are welcome. This becomes an ongoing argument throughout the book.
“Dude, you were a cinema major. Don’t tell me you never watched zombie movies. The message on the radio calling people to a safe haven? It’s always evildoers. Every. Single. Time.”
I have to side with Parker on this one. Adam has the luxury of being a werewolf, and for the most part he doesn't have a whole lot to fear because of his healing abilities and additional protections we learned in book one.
They meet some awful humans, and some lovely humans. People die, people learn new skills, life goes on as they keep sailing.
I didn't like the second book as much as the first. Mostly because 98% of this book was on the sailboat, and I'm not a fan of bouncing along on the ocean. There is also a really weird "fisting" scene that felt completely out of place in this story. It wasn't the actual kink that bothered me, it was the reasoning behind it. The spoiler won't ruin the story for you, just goes into more detail of why I found this a little ridiculous.
Disputes that dash of oddness, their relationship is still so genuine and sweet.
“I don’t want to hold you back.”
“You don’t. You hold me together.”
Overall, a decent story, not as good as the first but still enjoyable. Authors note at the end says there will be a book three, which I will happily read when it's released.
*Side note. I know forgiveness is golden, but I absolutely DO NOT forgive the woman at the end of the story. You can't be a part of doing horrific crimes to other people, and then expect to be absolved just because it's the end of the world, and you promise you won't make bad choices again.
***Original review***
Post apocalyptic, gay/mm romance, shifters, zombies, book two!
This story begins right where book one ended. Parker and Adam board a 40 ft sailboat, they leave land hoping for better survival chances as zombies can't swim. As with any good apocalyptic story, it's not just the zombies you have to watch out for, humans can be assholes too.
Parker is extra annoying in this one, but only because of the trauma they endured in book one and some additional horror at the beginning of this one. They overhear a radio message, telling them of a zombie-free island, that all are welcome. This becomes an ongoing argument throughout the book.
“Dude, you were a cinema major. Don’t tell me you never watched zombie movies. The message on the radio calling people to a safe haven? It’s always evildoers. Every. Single. Time.”
I have to side with Parker on this one. Adam has the luxury of being a werewolf, and for the most part he doesn't have a whole lot to fear because of his healing abilities and additional protections we learned in book one.
They meet some awful humans, and some lovely humans. People die, people learn new skills, life goes on as they keep sailing.
I didn't like the second book as much as the first. Mostly because 98% of this book was on the sailboat, and I'm not a fan of bouncing along on the ocean. There is also a really weird "fisting" scene that felt completely out of place in this story. It wasn't the actual kink that bothered me, it was the reasoning behind it. The spoiler won't ruin the story for you, just goes into more detail of why I found this a little ridiculous.
Disputes that dash of oddness, their relationship is still so genuine and sweet.
“I don’t want to hold you back.”
“You don’t. You hold me together.”
Overall, a decent story, not as good as the first but still enjoyable. Authors note at the end says there will be a book three, which I will happily read when it's released.
*Side note. I know forgiveness is golden, but I absolutely DO NOT forgive the woman at the end of the story. You can't be a part of doing horrific crimes to other people, and then expect to be absolved just because it's the end of the world, and you promise you won't make bad choices again.
November 25, 2016
Loved it! But the best part was at the very end:
And a hundred other FLAIL/EXCITED/DANCING gifs.
Parker and Adam’s journey will continue in 2017!
And a hundred other FLAIL/EXCITED/DANCING gifs.
January 10, 2024
Re-read - Jan 2024 - must have tougher skin now because "the arm scene" did not affect me 😅. Moving onto the last one now!!! OMG finally ❤️
February 2019 - yep loved this just as much this time round however.... I did not remember that particular scene with the arm... I really don't mind those scenes but this one had me squirming something fierce.
Still loved it though. Looking forward to the next book!
Review
5 fangirling HEARTS!!
This review won't be very comprehensive. It will be full of the ramblings and ravings of a fangirl!
This book has sexy times (that term is far too tame for what Adam and Parker get up too!!).
It's sweet and funny!
And it definitely had me tearing up!
This book was less gorey and less suspenseful than the first, mostly because the boys are at sea for the majority of the story so they come across less creepers. I think it was more emotionally stressful than the first, as Parker has to deal with some pretty terrifying experiences and Adam starts to feel empty without a pack/family. But somehow it was still sweet, funny and a generally positive book. Don't know how Andrews does it!
Everything about this series is perfection to me and I am waiting on tenterhooks until the third book is released!!
P.S. If you haven't read this series put it on your TBR list, like right now! Go go! Do it ;-).
And only in July! I CAN'T WAIT!!! squeeee
February 2019 - yep loved this just as much this time round however.... I did not remember that particular scene with the arm... I really don't mind those scenes but this one had me squirming something fierce.
Still loved it though. Looking forward to the next book!
Review
5 fangirling HEARTS!!
“Whatever comes, you’re my home.”
This review won't be very comprehensive. It will be full of the ramblings and ravings of a fangirl!
This book has sexy times (that term is far too tame for what Adam and Parker get up too!!).
He stripped off his clothes and jacked himself, pulling his foreskin back from the glistening head. Spreading Parker’s ass, he spit onto his hole. “You want it like this? Want it rough?”
“Yes,” Parker moaned. “Fuck me ’til your cum drips out and I smell like you all over and—”
Adam couldn’t wait another moment before slamming his cock into Parker’s hole.
It's sweet and funny!
“You’re stuck with me now. You might come to regret it. Probably already do.”
With a laugh that sent warmth through Parker’s chest, Adam shook his head. “Nope. You’re stuck with me too.”
“It’s a real hardship. You’re all sweet and brave and gorgeous. Ugh. The shit I have to put up with.”
And it definitely had me tearing up!
A sob tore out of his throat. “I said I wasn’t broken, but I am.”......
Tears spilled from his cheeks, and he couldn’t dam the flow this time.
“We’re all broken,” Adam murmured, one hand stroking over Parker’s head.
This book was less gorey and less suspenseful than the first, mostly because the boys are at sea for the majority of the story so they come across less creepers. I think it was more emotionally stressful than the first, as Parker has to deal with some pretty terrifying experiences and Adam starts to feel empty without a pack/family. But somehow it was still sweet, funny and a generally positive book. Don't know how Andrews does it!
Everything about this series is perfection to me and I am waiting on tenterhooks until the third book is released!!
P.S. If you haven't read this series put it on your TBR list, like right now! Go go! Do it ;-).
***************************
And only in July! I CAN'T WAIT!!! squeeee
October 14, 2016
Not as good as the first book.
I didn’t expect things to keep being the way they were. Of course I expected a change. It was only logical.
When the apocalypses comes, people go like bat out hell. Needs are more urgent, more basic. The kind of: running away from death and seek food and essentials. This was book #1.
Once these needs are more or less covered, when danger is more or less away, survivors long for and seek other things: a safe place, a society, a shelter. They wonder about the tomorrow. About the future. All in all, a place to thrive. This is book #2.
When they find it, they have to adapt and live in that new society, which tries to be as similar to the one before the ‘end of the world’, but still there are changes that are to be accepted, and improved, if possible. It’s a re-learn of how to live again in a more or less ‘normal’ and ‘functional’ way. I guess that will be book #3.
So I couldn’t exactly assume this book was going to be like the previous one.
Still, I missed things. So many things. I think it was a neat book, but it could have been much better, IMO.
The first book was thrilling, sexy, funny, exciting. And so fulfilling in the emotional sense.
Here it was all… off.
The pace is much more slower, and I don’t complain. I was pleasantly surprised that they spend the whole plot in the sea, on a boat, making incursions in the coast in order to be provided with food, water and fuel.
And Adam looking pretty on a boat...
Hardest job EVER.
But that doesn’t mean they are free of challenges. They not only have to survive the shortage of supplies, but also the risk of meeting people you cannot trust until proved wrong.
It’s not easy to drag the action in only one place with such an hermetic environment and a limited number of characters and interactions, all of that in a rhythm that avoided me from getting bored. So I congratulate Keira for achieving it.
Man is a wolf to man, after all.
Josy says Parker’s sense of humor is missing. I agree, he was more bitter, more cynical, although I don’t mind that very much. Maybe because I read the first book a year ago, so I don’t see the sheer contrast as clearly as I should.
One of the strongest assets in the first book was the chemistry. The sex was dirty and exciting. The relationship was very sexy even when they weren’t having sex. The banter, the smiles, the glances, Adam’s beast taking the reins, Parker’s cheeky attitude… Now, I did miss all of that.
To my surprise, that compelling atmosphere that used to surround them here is not only uninspiring but even anticlimatic. I’m not happy to say I was let down. Even the most daring scenes were… out of place, like very far away. Told as if they were happening to other people. Yes, I’m talking about the .
However, I’m so into these characters and their story that I can only say I’m eager to keep reading their adventures.
*****
*****
I read this with my twin monster Josy!
I didn’t expect things to keep being the way they were. Of course I expected a change. It was only logical.
When the apocalypses comes, people go like bat out hell. Needs are more urgent, more basic. The kind of: running away from death and seek food and essentials. This was book #1.
Once these needs are more or less covered, when danger is more or less away, survivors long for and seek other things: a safe place, a society, a shelter. They wonder about the tomorrow. About the future. All in all, a place to thrive. This is book #2.
When they find it, they have to adapt and live in that new society, which tries to be as similar to the one before the ‘end of the world’, but still there are changes that are to be accepted, and improved, if possible. It’s a re-learn of how to live again in a more or less ‘normal’ and ‘functional’ way. I guess that will be book #3.
So I couldn’t exactly assume this book was going to be like the previous one.
Still, I missed things. So many things. I think it was a neat book, but it could have been much better, IMO.
The first book was thrilling, sexy, funny, exciting. And so fulfilling in the emotional sense.
Here it was all… off.
The pace is much more slower, and I don’t complain. I was pleasantly surprised that they spend the whole plot in the sea, on a boat, making incursions in the coast in order to be provided with food, water and fuel.
And Adam looking pretty on a boat...
Hardest job EVER.
But that doesn’t mean they are free of challenges. They not only have to survive the shortage of supplies, but also the risk of meeting people you cannot trust until proved wrong.
It’s not easy to drag the action in only one place with such an hermetic environment and a limited number of characters and interactions, all of that in a rhythm that avoided me from getting bored. So I congratulate Keira for achieving it.
Man is a wolf to man, after all.
Josy says Parker’s sense of humor is missing. I agree, he was more bitter, more cynical, although I don’t mind that very much. Maybe because I read the first book a year ago, so I don’t see the sheer contrast as clearly as I should.
One of the strongest assets in the first book was the chemistry. The sex was dirty and exciting. The relationship was very sexy even when they weren’t having sex. The banter, the smiles, the glances, Adam’s beast taking the reins, Parker’s cheeky attitude… Now, I did miss all of that.
To my surprise, that compelling atmosphere that used to surround them here is not only uninspiring but even anticlimatic. I’m not happy to say I was let down. Even the most daring scenes were… out of place, like very far away. Told as if they were happening to other people. Yes, I’m talking about the .
However, I’m so into these characters and their story that I can only say I’m eager to keep reading their adventures.
*****
*****
I read this with my twin monster Josy!
August 6, 2016
Full Disclosure: I am NOT a huge fangirl of zombie apocalypse or shapeshifters, don't care for paranormal stories in general, werewolves .... meh. But .... I loved "Kick at the Darkness" and the sequel "Fight the Tide" is as good as, if not better than the first book in the series.
Keira Andrews' deft, funny, heartbreaking, mad writing skills really shine in this story. "Kick at the Darkness" introduced 18-year-old college freshman Parker and graduate student Adam and carried them from coast to coast, from California at the beginning of a zombie-like pandemic to Massachusetts where Peter hopes to find his parents still alive. While "Kick at the Darkness" felt more akin to Stephen King's "The Stand," this book is more subtle and personal as Parker and Adam sail down the eastern seaboard in hopes of finding somewhere safe from the zombie-like creatures on shore.
Andrews beautifully shows how Adam and Parker's love has strengthened and become the one thing in the uncertain unimaginable world they find themselves in in which they can completely believe. Their chemistry has always been unbelievable hot, but the deepness of their relationship brings about some no-holds-barred man sex that is all kinds of tender, hot, dirty and sweet.
As they travel, they pick up broadcasts from "Salvation Island" welcoming all to their sanctuary stocked with medicine, food and water. Parker is dubious while Adam feels a longing that calls to his wolf, just from woman's voice on the broadcast. When they encounter another sailboat in distress, Abby and her son Jacob and Craig and his daughter Lilly become part of their family, and together they must decide who to trust and how to find safety and security in a apocalyptic world.
This plot just picks you up on page 1 and carries you throughout with nary a miscue and you may find yourself reading the book in one sitting. "Fight the Tide" will hit you in the feelz and leave you wanting more from Keira Andrews and her lovingly developed characters. Read this book!
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Keira Andrews' deft, funny, heartbreaking, mad writing skills really shine in this story. "Kick at the Darkness" introduced 18-year-old college freshman Parker and graduate student Adam and carried them from coast to coast, from California at the beginning of a zombie-like pandemic to Massachusetts where Peter hopes to find his parents still alive. While "Kick at the Darkness" felt more akin to Stephen King's "The Stand," this book is more subtle and personal as Parker and Adam sail down the eastern seaboard in hopes of finding somewhere safe from the zombie-like creatures on shore.
Andrews beautifully shows how Adam and Parker's love has strengthened and become the one thing in the uncertain unimaginable world they find themselves in in which they can completely believe. Their chemistry has always been unbelievable hot, but the deepness of their relationship brings about some no-holds-barred man sex that is all kinds of tender, hot, dirty and sweet.
As they travel, they pick up broadcasts from "Salvation Island" welcoming all to their sanctuary stocked with medicine, food and water. Parker is dubious while Adam feels a longing that calls to his wolf, just from woman's voice on the broadcast. When they encounter another sailboat in distress, Abby and her son Jacob and Craig and his daughter Lilly become part of their family, and together they must decide who to trust and how to find safety and security in a apocalyptic world.
This plot just picks you up on page 1 and carries you throughout with nary a miscue and you may find yourself reading the book in one sitting. "Fight the Tide" will hit you in the feelz and leave you wanting more from Keira Andrews and her lovingly developed characters. Read this book!
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
August 25, 2024
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
well this installment was pretty decent. it was a bit slower and more character driven than the frenzied zombie apocalypse vibe of the first book, Kick at the Darkness. i just wish Parker wasn't so...himself...for like 97% of this book lol! i totally get that he's 18, has ptsd, and that he's naturally high strung. and i understand that it's a really difficult time, emotionally and mentally. but he's got this really awesome bougie skill set that makes him pretty awesome, but he's also moody like the weather, really overprotective of adam without really listening to what his man needs, and also really obtuse about his trauma. i dunno. i feel mean because i know he's been through some shit the past couple months, but i'm just not vibing with his character.
hopefully the next in the series, Defy the Future, will give me the resolution i've been needing and everyone gets their HEA!
well this installment was pretty decent. it was a bit slower and more character driven than the frenzied zombie apocalypse vibe of the first book, Kick at the Darkness. i just wish Parker wasn't so...himself...for like 97% of this book lol! i totally get that he's 18, has ptsd, and that he's naturally high strung. and i understand that it's a really difficult time, emotionally and mentally. but he's got this really awesome bougie skill set that makes him pretty awesome, but he's also moody like the weather, really overprotective of adam without really listening to what his man needs, and also really obtuse about his trauma. i dunno. i feel mean because i know he's been through some shit the past couple months, but i'm just not vibing with his character.
hopefully the next in the series, Defy the Future, will give me the resolution i've been needing and everyone gets their HEA!
January 7, 2024
I am so ready for book 3! SO SO SO ready! Just a few more days. I am very glad I reread books 1 & 2. It's been a minute, ya know? Onward -- soon. :)
-----------Original Review -- July 2016----------------
~~~BR with Dani!!~~~
We'll keep the shenanigans over on her thread :-)
Yeah, so it isn't much of a secret among those who know me that I was clamoring for this book. Yep, Kick at the Darkness was one of my top 10 books last year and as soon as I got word that Fight the Tide was eminent, I was all grabby hands. Patience is overrated.
Fight the Tide wasn't event driven as much as Kick at the Darkness was. It is still about the human condition and finding out who you really are when the times get tough. It's about Parker and Adam dealing with the fears and uncertainties of what the future will bring and figuring out their place in it. Parker, especially has a rough time of it because he isn't as physically strong as Adam. He underestimates himself, though. Parker is strong. He is resilient. But it takes him a really long time to see it. Of all the characters we encounter in this series, it is Parker who goes through the hero's journey.
There's also a mysterious radio call about an island. Too good to be true? Maybe. It certainly would not be the first time. But what if Sanctuary Island is the haven the voice on the radio claimed? What if a new life could be found there? So there are decisions that must be made. Trust or not?
They meet people along the way, some good and some not so good and it's the not so good ones that cloud their hopes of a future where they are doing more than just surviving.
For the whole book, they are well and truly living in a post-apocalyptic world. They mostly stick to the water, so they don't have many encounters with the creepers - only when they have to go to shore to scavenge for supplies are the creepers ever really a danger. And a time or two, those encounters proved tragic. But in this new world, like the old one, you can't trust everyone you meet. So just avoiding the creepers, isn't enough.
There is a small cast of secondary characters that Parker and Adam encounter during a storm. And they are really good people. Inexperienced on the water, but they are - like everyone else - trying to survive a plague. Abby and Craig were on their third date when all hell broke loose, so they rushed to get his daughter, Lily, and her son, Jacob, and made a run for it. It's actually kind of amazing that they made it as far as they did, but they got lucky.
Fight the Tide, like Adam's all but forgotten thesis documentary, is also about found families. My favorite kind. Family doesn't have to be who is blood related to you, and that is shown in spades here.
I remember the ending of Kick at the Darkness being quite vague, not only about the state of the world, but also, Adam and Parker were just so new that I couldn't call their ending an HEA. Sailing off into the sunset does not a happy ever after make! Well, their ending here is more solid. Some may still consider it an HFN, but it is solid enough that for me it is an HEA. But there is more to come, so who knows what the frak will happen!!!!
I am happy we will be getting more, because there are a ton of unanswered questions, including where this virus really came from and if a cure can be found. And lots of werewolf type questions and I'd kind of like for Jacob to find someone when he is older (he is way too young right now). Plus, I could never turn down an opportunity to have Adam and Parker set my Kindle on fire with more of their scorching hot and deeply emotional sexytimes. You can feel the love pouring off these two!
All in all, I'm putting Fight the Tide in at 4 "you are my home" stars. Recommended!
-----------------
ARC of Fight the Tide was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
-----------Original Review -- July 2016----------------
~~~BR with Dani!!~~~
We'll keep the shenanigans over on her thread :-)
Yeah, so it isn't much of a secret among those who know me that I was clamoring for this book. Yep, Kick at the Darkness was one of my top 10 books last year and as soon as I got word that Fight the Tide was eminent, I was all grabby hands. Patience is overrated.
Fight the Tide wasn't event driven as much as Kick at the Darkness was. It is still about the human condition and finding out who you really are when the times get tough. It's about Parker and Adam dealing with the fears and uncertainties of what the future will bring and figuring out their place in it. Parker, especially has a rough time of it because he isn't as physically strong as Adam. He underestimates himself, though. Parker is strong. He is resilient. But it takes him a really long time to see it. Of all the characters we encounter in this series, it is Parker who goes through the hero's journey.
There's also a mysterious radio call about an island. Too good to be true? Maybe. It certainly would not be the first time. But what if Sanctuary Island is the haven the voice on the radio claimed? What if a new life could be found there? So there are decisions that must be made. Trust or not?
They meet people along the way, some good and some not so good and it's the not so good ones that cloud their hopes of a future where they are doing more than just surviving.
For the whole book, they are well and truly living in a post-apocalyptic world. They mostly stick to the water, so they don't have many encounters with the creepers - only when they have to go to shore to scavenge for supplies are the creepers ever really a danger. And a time or two, those encounters proved tragic. But in this new world, like the old one, you can't trust everyone you meet. So just avoiding the creepers, isn't enough.
There is a small cast of secondary characters that Parker and Adam encounter during a storm. And they are really good people. Inexperienced on the water, but they are - like everyone else - trying to survive a plague. Abby and Craig were on their third date when all hell broke loose, so they rushed to get his daughter, Lily, and her son, Jacob, and made a run for it. It's actually kind of amazing that they made it as far as they did, but they got lucky.
Fight the Tide, like Adam's all but forgotten thesis documentary, is also about found families. My favorite kind. Family doesn't have to be who is blood related to you, and that is shown in spades here.
I remember the ending of Kick at the Darkness being quite vague, not only about the state of the world, but also, Adam and Parker were just so new that I couldn't call their ending an HEA. Sailing off into the sunset does not a happy ever after make! Well, their ending here is more solid. Some may still consider it an HFN, but it is solid enough that for me it is an HEA. But there is more to come, so who knows what the frak will happen!!!!
I am happy we will be getting more, because there are a ton of unanswered questions, including where this virus really came from and if a cure can be found. And lots of werewolf type questions and I'd kind of like for Jacob to find someone when he is older (he is way too young right now). Plus, I could never turn down an opportunity to have Adam and Parker set my Kindle on fire with more of their scorching hot and deeply emotional sexytimes. You can feel the love pouring off these two!
All in all, I'm putting Fight the Tide in at 4 "you are my home" stars. Recommended!
-----------------
ARC of Fight the Tide was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2016
Cross-posted at Outlaw Reviews and at Shelf Inflicted
I complained that Kick at the Darkness, the first book in Keira Andrews’ zombie apocalypse series was lacking in the horror elements and thrilling action scenes that I expect from zombie novels. It is a horror-romance, with the romance front and center, so I should have known better than to expect the gore-fest in Brian Keene's stories. Despite my criticism, I still enjoyed the growing relationship between Parker and Adam along with the difficulty of trying to survive in a changing world.
The second book in the series was even more sedate, yet I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it considerably more. Parker has accepted that Adam is a werewolf. Adam’s keen eyesight and extra strength come in handy when watching for possible threats or fighting off zombies. Adam is sweet, protective, and considerate of Parker. Now that he’s not hiding who he is, he has become a much more open and warmer person. There is some backstory about Adam’s past, the isolation he grew up with, and the untimely death of his family. His wolf craves the warmth and love of a pack.
The opportunity comes when Parker, despite his misgivings, responds to a radio call from a family whose boat is in danger of capsizing during a storm. Earlier on, while Adam is making a supply run and Parker is alone aboard Bella, pirates sneak up on him, conk him on the head with his own pistol and make off with his supplies. The physical assault and humiliation Parker endured has left him deeply suspicious of other people.
Though it takes time for Parker to warm up to the newcomers – Craig and his daughter, Libby, Craig’s girlfriend, Abby, and her teenage son, Jacob – they end up bonding and working well together. The secondary characters were very well developed and memorable, so when bad things start to happen, the tension really ramps up.
Though Parker feels at times that he is not enough for Adam, his character has matured significantly. He’s not the snarky, annoying youth he was in the beginning. He is an adept sailor, his survival skills have improved, and he is developing a relationship with the family in his care, particularly with the pimply and stubborn Jacob. The growth of Adam and Parker was one of the most enjoyable parts of this story for me. Their sex was hot, intense and loving. There was a fisting scene, lovingly written and helping to further develop the trust between Parker and Adam.
When Jacob is injured, they can no longer ignore that seductive voice on the radio beckoning them toward Salvation Island. Finally, there is a chance for security and the pack that Adam needs. Do they continue on their journey, or risk the possibility of entering a trap?
Though the story ends hopefully for our main characters, I’m glad to know their journey is far from over.
Thanks to Christine from Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group for lending this to me.
I complained that Kick at the Darkness, the first book in Keira Andrews’ zombie apocalypse series was lacking in the horror elements and thrilling action scenes that I expect from zombie novels. It is a horror-romance, with the romance front and center, so I should have known better than to expect the gore-fest in Brian Keene's stories. Despite my criticism, I still enjoyed the growing relationship between Parker and Adam along with the difficulty of trying to survive in a changing world.
The second book in the series was even more sedate, yet I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it considerably more. Parker has accepted that Adam is a werewolf. Adam’s keen eyesight and extra strength come in handy when watching for possible threats or fighting off zombies. Adam is sweet, protective, and considerate of Parker. Now that he’s not hiding who he is, he has become a much more open and warmer person. There is some backstory about Adam’s past, the isolation he grew up with, and the untimely death of his family. His wolf craves the warmth and love of a pack.
The opportunity comes when Parker, despite his misgivings, responds to a radio call from a family whose boat is in danger of capsizing during a storm. Earlier on, while Adam is making a supply run and Parker is alone aboard Bella, pirates sneak up on him, conk him on the head with his own pistol and make off with his supplies. The physical assault and humiliation Parker endured has left him deeply suspicious of other people.
Though it takes time for Parker to warm up to the newcomers – Craig and his daughter, Libby, Craig’s girlfriend, Abby, and her teenage son, Jacob – they end up bonding and working well together. The secondary characters were very well developed and memorable, so when bad things start to happen, the tension really ramps up.
Though Parker feels at times that he is not enough for Adam, his character has matured significantly. He’s not the snarky, annoying youth he was in the beginning. He is an adept sailor, his survival skills have improved, and he is developing a relationship with the family in his care, particularly with the pimply and stubborn Jacob. The growth of Adam and Parker was one of the most enjoyable parts of this story for me. Their sex was hot, intense and loving. There was a fisting scene, lovingly written and helping to further develop the trust between Parker and Adam.
When Jacob is injured, they can no longer ignore that seductive voice on the radio beckoning them toward Salvation Island. Finally, there is a chance for security and the pack that Adam needs. Do they continue on their journey, or risk the possibility of entering a trap?
Though the story ends hopefully for our main characters, I’m glad to know their journey is far from over.
Thanks to Christine from Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group for lending this to me.
July 21, 2016
“But no matter what happens, my life is with you. Pack or no pack, island or no island. Whatever comes, you’re my home.”
It's a very rare occasion that I enjoy stories with established couples, mostly because they don't manage to hold my attention. This is so not the case here. If not better, Fight The Tide is just as good as its prequel, Kick at the Darkness.
Keira Andrews is one hell of an author. She created characters that feel real and multi-dimensional, and kept "building" them throughout the story. It's these characters that drive the plot in this book. The pace is not frantic like in the first story, but trust me when I say that there's no lack of suspense or surprises.
Parker and Adam have escaped to the open sea. The word as they knew it has come to an end and there was nothing they could do but try to survive. Hope comes in the form of a radio call about Salvation Island, a creeper-free place that offers safety. And here lies the conflict of the story.
Parker is suspicious and mistrustful. He doesn't trust anyone, and for him, Salvation island is just another trap. Nobody can blame him, especially after what happened at The Pines. But Adam...Adam needs a home and a family. Adam needs to belong. He is made to belong in a pack, and the Island could become their home. I understood where both MCs were coming from. Parker is young, he feels insecure and like he's not enough for Adam. Adam, on the other hand, can't deny his nature.
The cast of secondary characters is pretty awesome. They 're very integral to the plot, and by the end of this book they become something more. The become family. I hope we see more of them in the future.
Lets take a minute to talk about the sex. Although sex between humans and werewolves (when they 're in animal mode) is pretty icky for me, it didn't bother me here. It felt subtle, and, thank God, there was no knotting (don't shoot!). There is also a that was a BIG surprise. It was more emotional than kinky, and it felt so natural between the MCs. That scene touched perfection for me, because it described perfectly Adam's emotional and physical fullfilness. Um....
As far as the couple is concerned, the story felt complete for me and the HEA is strong. But there are loose ends: . So I was very happy to learn that there will be a third and a fourth book in the series.
In the end, this is a story about love that can happen in the most hopeless of places, during the most horrible times. And what's worst than the zombie's apocalypse?
"Sure, the virus had changed everyone’s lives, but Parker’s impact was just as enormous for Adam. Despite the horror, the world was a strange, wonderful place."
July 27, 2016
I really enjoyed this second book about Parker and Adam. Even more so than the first, because it was less creepy, but more emotional.
Parker and Adam have set sail for parts unknown. Their relationship grows and they become closer. When they get a distress call, they respond and save a family. A mother and her 13 year old son Jacob and a father and his daughter Lily. I really liked Jacob, he was so sweet and akward and unsure. I hope we'll get to read more about him in the books to come.
They have also been getting weird messages on the radio from some woman, who's trying to convince all survivors to come to Salvation Island. It's supposed to be a safe harbor and all are welcome. Parker has been through a lot of shit and he is wary of all strangers, but Adam is mesmerised by the message and the woman's voice....
When tragedy strikes, they have no choice but to set sail to this unkown island and hope for the best.
This book was sweet, emotional and sexy. It did however have one scene that some might not really appreciate. To me it felt a bit weird and it came out of the blue, but I wasn't bothered by it. Ofcourse I am talking about the "fisting scene".
In all the other sex scenes, they just had regular, dirty talking, hot sex :) So if it bothers you, I would just skip that one scene and read the rest, because it really is a great book !!
I liked all the extra characters we were introduced to and I can't wait to see what's gonna happen next.
5 stars from me !!!
January 18, 2024
Re-read 17th - 18th January 2024
Decided I needed a re-read since it’s been 6 years and the third and final book is out 🥳
I’m also upping the rating to a solid 4*
Original review - 3.5*
Having just finished 'Kick at the Darkness' I couldn't wait to start this book and so ignoring my huge to-read list this jumped straight to the top.
Before I continue on I have to say my only issue with the previous book was Parker at the beginning, he was so annoying that it was only the great reviews by friends that kept me reading. Obviously once I'd got past the first part I was well and truly hooked and loving it and I couldn't wait to start this.
And it started so well, Parker and Adam are sailing and with the zombies/creepers unable to tolerate water all is good?
Well kind of.
The problem is they need supplies which means land which means zombies/creepers and these aren't the only things they have to worry about.
This was different enough to make it fresh and interesting and again I found myself glued to every page but....
Firstly there was one eye watering scene which I had to re-read to make sure I'd got it right. I had and trust me reading it the one time was enough, more than enough. Lets just say it wasn't my favourite scene.
Now while I love Adam with a passion Parker annoyed the every loving shit out of me again. I know he's scared and yes he's young (it's so easy to forget just how young he is) and things have changed so much but I could have done with him being less annoying and needy.
Despite the above this was a good solid read and I can't wait for the next one.
Decided I needed a re-read since it’s been 6 years and the third and final book is out 🥳
I’m also upping the rating to a solid 4*
Original review - 3.5*
Having just finished 'Kick at the Darkness' I couldn't wait to start this book and so ignoring my huge to-read list this jumped straight to the top.
Before I continue on I have to say my only issue with the previous book was Parker at the beginning, he was so annoying that it was only the great reviews by friends that kept me reading. Obviously once I'd got past the first part I was well and truly hooked and loving it and I couldn't wait to start this.
And it started so well, Parker and Adam are sailing and with the zombies/creepers unable to tolerate water all is good?
Well kind of.
The problem is they need supplies which means land which means zombies/creepers and these aren't the only things they have to worry about.
This was different enough to make it fresh and interesting and again I found myself glued to every page but....
Firstly there was one eye watering scene which I had to re-read to make sure I'd got it right. I had and trust me reading it the one time was enough, more than enough. Lets just say it wasn't my favourite scene.
Now while I love Adam with a passion Parker annoyed the every loving shit out of me again. I know he's scared and yes he's young (it's so easy to forget just how young he is) and things have changed so much but I could have done with him being less annoying and needy.
Despite the above this was a good solid read and I can't wait for the next one.
January 20, 2024
4.5 Stars
I'm not a fan of scary books. I think I've made my cowardice quite clear before, so no need to rehash, right? What I love about this series is that even though it's set in a world that is literally on fire, with people dying by the thousands or becoming "infected" Creepers and mauling those that are left behind, it's the romance between Adam and Parker that that shines through most brightly.
Fight the Tide picks up where Kick at the Darkness left off with Adam and Parker sailing the Bella Luna, staying close enough to see shore, but not close enough that the creepers, who can't swim, can reach them. They only go ashore for supplies, and it's Parker, not Adam who is adamant about trying to stay away from everyone and everything.
Beautifully written by Andrews, Parker's anxiety is palpable and, while totally justified with what he has been and continues to go through, it's only Adam who is able to really give Parker peace.
When Parker and Adam first hear a voice on the radio offering a safe haven, Adam is drawn to the voice, while Parker is hell bent on staying as far as possible from "Salvation Island".
When Adam and Parker (grudgingly) help a family floundering on the water they end up teaming together, all of them just trying to survive in this new world, but when complications force their hand they have to make a decision that could change their lives completely.
I love that the characters have grown and matured since Kick at the Darkness. Adam and Parker are solid in their relationship and they work together really well. While my heart broke for Adam's internal desires for he and Parker to find their pack, their home, and it created a deep resonance in a story that could have gone the easy route and stayed just about the thrills, I felt my heart shatter for Parker and everything he goes through.
I absolutely love the sexy times get even more intimate, including one scene featuring one of my favorite kinks in erotica (Side note: thank you, Keira Andrews, for that scene - it was delightful!)
However, Fight the Tide doesn't just deliver on the sexy, and the romance, it delivers plenty of thrills as the characters still have to worry about the infected creepers, pirates, running out of food, water, gas and other supplies.
I'm really enjoying this series, and while there is a solid HFN, it's certainly got enough tiny threads that Andrews could weave another tale or two for our enjoyment. I, for one, am desperately hoping that the series will continue and we'll get more Parker and Adam.
This is a smart, swiftly-paced, interesting thriller set against a dystopian backdrop with paranormal elements, but the real meat and bones of the story is the romance between the main characters and the love that shines through even their darkest times.
Recommended!
Note: IMO - Fight the Tide is not a standalone. It must be read with Kick at the Darkness.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Fight the Tide provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
I'm not a fan of scary books. I think I've made my cowardice quite clear before, so no need to rehash, right? What I love about this series is that even though it's set in a world that is literally on fire, with people dying by the thousands or becoming "infected" Creepers and mauling those that are left behind, it's the romance between Adam and Parker that that shines through most brightly.
Fight the Tide picks up where Kick at the Darkness left off with Adam and Parker sailing the Bella Luna, staying close enough to see shore, but not close enough that the creepers, who can't swim, can reach them. They only go ashore for supplies, and it's Parker, not Adam who is adamant about trying to stay away from everyone and everything.
Beautifully written by Andrews, Parker's anxiety is palpable and, while totally justified with what he has been and continues to go through, it's only Adam who is able to really give Parker peace.
When Parker and Adam first hear a voice on the radio offering a safe haven, Adam is drawn to the voice, while Parker is hell bent on staying as far as possible from "Salvation Island".
“This is Salvation Island. We are twenty-nine point-nine-six-five-three degrees north and seventy-eight point-zero-eight-five-seven degrees west.”
“What the fuck?” Parker pushed himself up on one hand, his shoulder blade connecting with Adam’s nose.
“Ow. Shh.” Adam listened intently, rubbing his nose absently, his mouth going dry.
“We have plentiful food and water. We are free from infection and violence. It is safe here. All are welcome. Join us as we build a new home. This is Salvation Island. It is November seventh.”
The woman’s voice echoed, like a loose thread begging to be pulled. Parker had good reason to be afraid, and he was probably right that they should give Salvation Island a wide berth. But still…
When Adam and Parker (grudgingly) help a family floundering on the water they end up teaming together, all of them just trying to survive in this new world, but when complications force their hand they have to make a decision that could change their lives completely.
I love that the characters have grown and matured since Kick at the Darkness. Adam and Parker are solid in their relationship and they work together really well. While my heart broke for Adam's internal desires for he and Parker to find their pack, their home, and it created a deep resonance in a story that could have gone the easy route and stayed just about the thrills, I felt my heart shatter for Parker and everything he goes through.
I absolutely love the sexy times get even more intimate, including one scene featuring one of my favorite kinks in erotica (Side note: thank you, Keira Andrews, for that scene - it was delightful!)
“But you’ll let me?”
He leaned in and whispered across Parker’s lips, “I’d let you do anything.”
Parker could only kiss him in reply, his heart thundering. He’d get this right—he’d be what Adam needed. He had to be, or Adam would keep looking, even if it was only subconsciously. And that would lead to more people, and maybe even that damn island. No, Parker would protect them. Had to stop them from falling into a trap the way they did before, when Adam had been made helpless.
Neither of them would be helpless again.
He broke away, saliva trailing from his mouth to Adam’s. “Let’s do it. I’m going to fuck you the way you need.”
Adam’s smile lit up his golden eyes, and he nuzzled Parker’s cheek. “Tomorrow. We’ll sleep on it, and I’ll make sure I get myself ready. If you still want to—”
“I will. I will want to so fucking much.” He dug his fingers into Adam’s arms and stared into his eyes. “I promise. I’ll take care of you.”
Still smiling, Adam hauled him close in a full-body hug that warmed Parker inside and out. “You always do.”
However, Fight the Tide doesn't just deliver on the sexy, and the romance, it delivers plenty of thrills as the characters still have to worry about the infected creepers, pirates, running out of food, water, gas and other supplies.
I'm really enjoying this series, and while there is a solid HFN, it's certainly got enough tiny threads that Andrews could weave another tale or two for our enjoyment. I, for one, am desperately hoping that the series will continue and we'll get more Parker and Adam.
This is a smart, swiftly-paced, interesting thriller set against a dystopian backdrop with paranormal elements, but the real meat and bones of the story is the romance between the main characters and the love that shines through even their darkest times.
Smiling, Adam tipped up Parker’s face and kissed him softly. “I love you so much.”
He cupped Parker’s cheek, running his thumb over the stubble there. “But no matter what happens, my life is with you. Pack or no pack, island or no island. Whatever comes, you’re my home.”
Recommended!
Note: IMO - Fight the Tide is not a standalone. It must be read with Kick at the Darkness.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Fight the Tide provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
January 5, 2024
Re-read January 2024 so I'm ready for book 3! Just as good the second time around.
Review originally posted at Sinfully.
Different in tone, but just as good, Fight the Tide is a quieter, more character driven story then the action-packed, run for your life first book, Kick at the Darkness. That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of tension, and some life or death moments, but the focus is more on surviving versus living and learning to adapt and change to suit the new reality. It picks up shortly after the first one left off and should not be read as a standalone.
The majority of the book takes place on the boat Parker and Adam escaped to at the end of Kick at the Darkness. Weeks have passed and since the creepers don’t swim, they’ve been surviving nicely. Scavenging in ports along the way, fishing for food. They’ve encountered few other survivors, not much more than glimpses of other boats or their news transmissions. What little they know of the spread of the virus throughout the country and the world isn’t good. Their somewhat idyllic existence is really only an illusion though, and it is shattered first by a woman’s radio transmission promising a safe, creeper free refuge called Salvation Island and then by a run in with other survivors.
Parker is dealing with insecurities and fear, what happened at the Pines still lingers. While Adam may not remember all of it Parker does and is suffering the after-effects, so he immediately writes the island off as a trap. Adam, however, feels a pull towards that voice that he can’t explain. This becomes the main point of conflict between them as the days go on and they encounter others, some good and some bad.
From all my experience with LOST and The Walking Dead books and series, there is one thing I know for sure: unexpected radio transmissions and any group promising sanctuary, salvation, etc., are not to be trusted. There’s a good chance you’re going to end up captured, killed or eaten and you need to proceed with extreme caution. Suffice to say, it was easy for me to understand Parker’s feelings. Adam loves Parker and would give his life for him, but he’s been thinking more and more about the family he lost and how they kept themselves isolated from other wolves. Adam sees the potential safe-harbor of Salvation Island as a chance to build a new family. A new pack. When the choice is pretty much taken out of their hands, they are surprised at what they find and it only drives Parker’s insecurities about not being enough for Adam and his mistrust of outsiders to increase, while Adam has a completely different feeling.
In this one we get both Adam and Parker’s points of view. Points of view which are very different with regard to how to move on. Parker and Adam have only known each other a few months, but the love and trust is undeniable. Parker loves all of Adam, wolf and man and Adam is completely in love with Parker. Parker knows that, but with recent events wreaking havoc with his mind, at times he feels weak and he wonders if Adam wouldn’t want to seek out another wolf.
I am in love with Keira Andrews’ writing. She hasn’t failed me yet. This is another story full of gripping tense scenes, wit, emotional highs and lows and amazing romance. Parker still has that filthy mouth and is willing to give Adam whatever Adam wants or needs. Even the kink is emotional and romantic, though one scene in particular tested even my limits.
I refuse to spoil anything, but there is a new cast of secondary characters that will also steal your heart. One in particular that Parker builds a bond with that I hope to see a lot more of in the future. Again, there is no cliffhanger and Adam and Parker are a happy solid couple, but there is plenty more story to be explored. I am thrilled to know that Parker and Adam will have at least one more book and that a secondary character will get their story told as well. At this point, as long as Keira keeps writing these stories I will keep devouring them.
Review originally posted at Sinfully.
Different in tone, but just as good, Fight the Tide is a quieter, more character driven story then the action-packed, run for your life first book, Kick at the Darkness. That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of tension, and some life or death moments, but the focus is more on surviving versus living and learning to adapt and change to suit the new reality. It picks up shortly after the first one left off and should not be read as a standalone.
The majority of the book takes place on the boat Parker and Adam escaped to at the end of Kick at the Darkness. Weeks have passed and since the creepers don’t swim, they’ve been surviving nicely. Scavenging in ports along the way, fishing for food. They’ve encountered few other survivors, not much more than glimpses of other boats or their news transmissions. What little they know of the spread of the virus throughout the country and the world isn’t good. Their somewhat idyllic existence is really only an illusion though, and it is shattered first by a woman’s radio transmission promising a safe, creeper free refuge called Salvation Island and then by a run in with other survivors.
Parker is dealing with insecurities and fear, what happened at the Pines still lingers. While Adam may not remember all of it Parker does and is suffering the after-effects, so he immediately writes the island off as a trap. Adam, however, feels a pull towards that voice that he can’t explain. This becomes the main point of conflict between them as the days go on and they encounter others, some good and some bad.
From all my experience with LOST and The Walking Dead books and series, there is one thing I know for sure: unexpected radio transmissions and any group promising sanctuary, salvation, etc., are not to be trusted. There’s a good chance you’re going to end up captured, killed or eaten and you need to proceed with extreme caution. Suffice to say, it was easy for me to understand Parker’s feelings. Adam loves Parker and would give his life for him, but he’s been thinking more and more about the family he lost and how they kept themselves isolated from other wolves. Adam sees the potential safe-harbor of Salvation Island as a chance to build a new family. A new pack. When the choice is pretty much taken out of their hands, they are surprised at what they find and it only drives Parker’s insecurities about not being enough for Adam and his mistrust of outsiders to increase, while Adam has a completely different feeling.
In this one we get both Adam and Parker’s points of view. Points of view which are very different with regard to how to move on. Parker and Adam have only known each other a few months, but the love and trust is undeniable. Parker loves all of Adam, wolf and man and Adam is completely in love with Parker. Parker knows that, but with recent events wreaking havoc with his mind, at times he feels weak and he wonders if Adam wouldn’t want to seek out another wolf.
I am in love with Keira Andrews’ writing. She hasn’t failed me yet. This is another story full of gripping tense scenes, wit, emotional highs and lows and amazing romance. Parker still has that filthy mouth and is willing to give Adam whatever Adam wants or needs. Even the kink is emotional and romantic, though one scene in particular tested even my limits.
I refuse to spoil anything, but there is a new cast of secondary characters that will also steal your heart. One in particular that Parker builds a bond with that I hope to see a lot more of in the future. Again, there is no cliffhanger and Adam and Parker are a happy solid couple, but there is plenty more story to be explored. I am thrilled to know that Parker and Adam will have at least one more book and that a secondary character will get their story told as well. At this point, as long as Keira keeps writing these stories I will keep devouring them.
April 18, 2024
4.0 Stars
I loved the first book so I don't know why it took me so long to pick this one up but I loved it too. I loved Adam he was just so patient and understanding.
“In that moment, I knew you were different. That I could trust you. And in the morning, we fucked like nothing had changed. Like I was the same.” He was silent before whispering, “That meant so much to me.”
I just adored Parker in book one but I kinda found him too insecure here and his inner thoughts were too repetitive. I get why he was traumatized but I still don't get why he was that insecure. He was funny tho.
“Very good. We love children.” Because they taste the best? That succulent young meat? Super juicy. Or maybe you’re just huge perverts.
The sex was amazing, the fisting just surprised me. I did not expect these two to get kinky. I normally hate fisting but since Adam is a werewolf with amazing healing and all that I liked it.
I can't wait for these two to get their HEA.
“Well, here we are on Salvation Island. First night of the rest of our lives. Our very long and happy, stress-free lives.” [..] “But no matter what happens, my life is with you. Pack or no pack, island or no island. Whatever comes, you’re my home.”
I loved the first book so I don't know why it took me so long to pick this one up but I loved it too. I loved Adam he was just so patient and understanding.
“In that moment, I knew you were different. That I could trust you. And in the morning, we fucked like nothing had changed. Like I was the same.” He was silent before whispering, “That meant so much to me.”
I just adored Parker in book one but I kinda found him too insecure here and his inner thoughts were too repetitive. I get why he was traumatized but I still don't get why he was that insecure. He was funny tho.
“Very good. We love children.” Because they taste the best? That succulent young meat? Super juicy. Or maybe you’re just huge perverts.
The sex was amazing, the fisting just surprised me. I did not expect these two to get kinky. I normally hate fisting but since Adam is a werewolf with amazing healing and all that I liked it.
I can't wait for these two to get their HEA.
“Well, here we are on Salvation Island. First night of the rest of our lives. Our very long and happy, stress-free lives.” [..] “But no matter what happens, my life is with you. Pack or no pack, island or no island. Whatever comes, you’re my home.”
October 16, 2016
More like 2.5-3 stars.
It pains me to say, but this one wasn't as good as the first one. I think something was missing in Adam and Parker's romance.
There was much action, some unnecessary losses and I think this one was a bit dark.
This book takes place a couple of months after the first's one ending. After sailing on board of their ship for quite a time, Adam and Parker encounter some other survivors, but not all of them are good people.
After some "adventures", they're on their way to Salvation Island, which looks like a utopian place, but that's their only hope.
I found this a little slow, and I forced myself not to DNF it a couple of times.
I think a third instalment is supposed to come out next year, but I'm not sure if I'll read it. We'll see.
It pains me to say, but this one wasn't as good as the first one. I think something was missing in Adam and Parker's romance.
There was much action, some unnecessary losses and I think this one was a bit dark.
This book takes place a couple of months after the first's one ending. After sailing on board of their ship for quite a time, Adam and Parker encounter some other survivors, but not all of them are good people.
After some "adventures", they're on their way to Salvation Island, which looks like a utopian place, but that's their only hope.
I found this a little slow, and I forced myself not to DNF it a couple of times.
I think a third instalment is supposed to come out next year, but I'm not sure if I'll read it. We'll see.
July 18, 2016
Full disclosure: I beta read this book.
I found that, for me, Keira Andrews managed to do the near impossible: put out a sequel that is as good as or better than the first book. Fight the Tide is more character driven, perhaps, than Kick at the Darkness, but that was everything I wanted as a reader. One of my biggest complaints (if that's the right word) about KatD was there were a lot of character things I wanted to know more about, especially with regards to Adam (the werewolf). And in Fight the Tide, Keira delivers! I finally felt like I really knew Adam and I loved that we got to see his point of view and know how he saw Parker, post-apocalyptic life, etc.
The read was very fast for me. I couldn't put it down once I started and I sped through it in a day or so. (Which is fast for a beta read, because I make a lot of notes.) It was fast paced, exciting, fit the characters from the first book, and held plenty of thrills and moments of angst and earned joy.
I'm excited to see what she does for book three!!! *jumps for joy*
Recommended in every way, but you definitely have to read Kick at the Darkness first to fully enjoy this book.
I found that, for me, Keira Andrews managed to do the near impossible: put out a sequel that is as good as or better than the first book. Fight the Tide is more character driven, perhaps, than Kick at the Darkness, but that was everything I wanted as a reader. One of my biggest complaints (if that's the right word) about KatD was there were a lot of character things I wanted to know more about, especially with regards to Adam (the werewolf). And in Fight the Tide, Keira delivers! I finally felt like I really knew Adam and I loved that we got to see his point of view and know how he saw Parker, post-apocalyptic life, etc.
The read was very fast for me. I couldn't put it down once I started and I sped through it in a day or so. (Which is fast for a beta read, because I make a lot of notes.) It was fast paced, exciting, fit the characters from the first book, and held plenty of thrills and moments of angst and earned joy.
I'm excited to see what she does for book three!!! *jumps for joy*
Recommended in every way, but you definitely have to read Kick at the Darkness first to fully enjoy this book.
July 28, 2016
Story Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Hero Rating, Parker ~ 4.5 STARS!
Hero Rating, Adam ~ 5 STARS
Heat Level ~ 5 STARS!
Ending ~ 5 STARS and to be Continued!
Overall Rating ~ 5 HUGE SURVIVAL STARS!
WARNING this review contains some spoiler so read on if you must.
This series has been AMAZING so far and now the wait is on for the next book in this series which should be released in 2017.
Special Note : This series MUST be read in order!
Hero Rating, Parker ~ 4.5 STARS!
Hero Rating, Adam ~ 5 STARS
Heat Level ~ 5 STARS!
Ending ~ 5 STARS and to be Continued!
Overall Rating ~ 5 HUGE SURVIVAL STARS!
WARNING this review contains some spoiler so read on if you must.
This series has been AMAZING so far and now the wait is on for the next book in this series which should be released in 2017.
Special Note : This series MUST be read in order!
December 29, 2023
⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️
Set a couple months after book one, Fight the Tide follows Adam and Parker’s search for safety and their struggle surviving the new world.
The plot is much more relationship-centered than the previous installment, focusing on the romance and the newly found family rather than the apocalypse.
It was fun to get Adam’s POV alongside Parker’s. I loved seeing both of their thoughts and emotions.
I can’t wait for these two to finally get their HEA, because my heart hurts for them. I just want them to be happy.
It’s a testament to the author’s writing, absolutely encapsulating and immersive, that I’m so invested in the lives and happiness of these fictional characters.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and tropes(spoilers):
- Violence, death and typical zombie gore
- Half-shifted sex
- Rimming
- Coming untouched scene
- Vers MCs
- Fisting
- Physical assault
- Found family
- HFN ending
Set a couple months after book one, Fight the Tide follows Adam and Parker’s search for safety and their struggle surviving the new world.
The plot is much more relationship-centered than the previous installment, focusing on the romance and the newly found family rather than the apocalypse.
It was fun to get Adam’s POV alongside Parker’s. I loved seeing both of their thoughts and emotions.
I can’t wait for these two to finally get their HEA, because my heart hurts for them. I just want them to be happy.
It’s a testament to the author’s writing, absolutely encapsulating and immersive, that I’m so invested in the lives and happiness of these fictional characters.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and tropes(spoilers):
- Violence, death and typical zombie gore
- Half-shifted sex
- Rimming
- Coming untouched scene
- Vers MCs
- Fisting
- Physical assault
- Found family
- HFN ending
July 27, 2016
Broken, scared Parker and Adam keep on trying to survive.
"But what if it goes wrong? What if bad people come?"They get a sweet HEA, but their story doesn't end here. I'm really looking forward to the next books in this series since there's still so many unanswered questions.
"Then we'll deal with it. Together. We never had any guarantees in life. Never will."
"That's true." He inhaled as deeply as he could and nodded. "As long as we're together, we can handle it."
"Always together. No matter what."
July 26, 2016
4.5 stars rounded up because still no 1/2 stars here on GR and damn this was too good to round down...so, let's give that cover a 1/2 star for being so pretty.
As much as I wanted to read this book. I have to admit I was also a little apprehensive. Did I really want to read another book aboutZombies? Creepers, honestly they are so not my thing, but I loved that first book. It was awesome...so yes, I did want to read this, thankfully because as it turned out it to was awesome and yet, quite different from the first book.
In 'Kick at the Darkness' we were introduced to Parker and Adam just as the virus that would potentially turn everyone into Creepers was unleashed on the world forcing them to work together to stay alive and for Parker uninfected. We left them as they were about to seek safety on the ocean in a sailboat.
Life on the high seas may keep them safe from the Creepers but it's with brutal force that Parker gets reminded, while waiting for Adam to return from a supply run, that Creepers are not the only threat to be guarded against.
While Parker and Adam are definitely a couple I have very much enjoyed that they've each retained their individuality as well. Often times expressing opposing viewpoints...Parker wanting to shut them off from the world, Adam wanting to find a place that they could begin again and be a part of a community, Adam wanting to go to the voice on the radio that promised them safety and shelter a sanctuary, Parker wanting to run from it, Parker wanting to ignore the plea for help during a storm, Adam wanting to give that help. It is was when they responded to that mayday call that things ultimately become both better and more complicated. Arriving just in time to rescue what looks to be a family of 4. Parker and Adam soon realize that these people need their help if they are going to survive so unable to simply leave them to their own devices Parker and Adam find themselves part of a group that slowly morphs into a family.
Throughout all of these conflicting opinions these two talked, yes even argued but never did they lose faith or respect for each other and the one thing that both were always in agreement on was their passion for one another. Travelling with 4 other people may have made having sex a challenge but these men were definitely up to the challenge (pun intended).
Sex was to say the least intense both physically and emotionally with these two men ...what you expected less? Seriously? Zombie....I mean Creeper Apocalypse here folks? Seize the day and make every moment count for crying out loud, you never know when it might be your last.
As their newly forged family resumes its journey they find themselves facing new dangers. Together they suffer more pain and loss and ultimately they are forced to answer the sirens call from the radio that never seems to leave Adam's thoughts, while plaguing Parker with nightmares. It's with a mixture of optimism and a pessimism that this group heads towards what will likely be the end of their journey one way or another.
Ironically the decision to seek the safety and sanctuary promised by the mysterious voice on the radio was taken out of both their hands and forced by their mutual need to keep promises that each have made to protect their newly formed family and hopefully give them the sanctuary that has been promised.
'Fight the Tide' for me became a story that was more focused on Parker and Adam's struggles as individuals and as a couple. Parker waged a constant war against his fear of not being able to be all that Adam needed. While Adam was haunted by the knowledge that he was only one man or rather one werewolf and protecting Parker and their newly formed family might be more than even he could handle. In spite of all the uncertainty of the world the one thing that was clear is that together he and Parker would face whatever came at them and keep their newfound love safe from a world gone mad.
Happily there is more to come. That's right 1 possibly 2 more books. So much could happen during this time and I am now totally resigned to my fate...I am here for the duration no more doubts or reservations about reading what comes next...I say 'just bring it!'
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An ARC of 'Fight the Tide' was graciously provided by the author through Indigo Marketing in exchange for an honest review.
As much as I wanted to read this book. I have to admit I was also a little apprehensive. Did I really want to read another book about
In 'Kick at the Darkness' we were introduced to Parker and Adam just as the virus that would potentially turn everyone into Creepers was unleashed on the world forcing them to work together to stay alive and for Parker uninfected. We left them as they were about to seek safety on the ocean in a sailboat.
Life on the high seas may keep them safe from the Creepers but it's with brutal force that Parker gets reminded, while waiting for Adam to return from a supply run, that Creepers are not the only threat to be guarded against.
While Parker and Adam are definitely a couple I have very much enjoyed that they've each retained their individuality as well. Often times expressing opposing viewpoints...Parker wanting to shut them off from the world, Adam wanting to find a place that they could begin again and be a part of a community, Adam wanting to go to the voice on the radio that promised them safety and shelter a sanctuary, Parker wanting to run from it, Parker wanting to ignore the plea for help during a storm, Adam wanting to give that help. It is was when they responded to that mayday call that things ultimately become both better and more complicated. Arriving just in time to rescue what looks to be a family of 4. Parker and Adam soon realize that these people need their help if they are going to survive so unable to simply leave them to their own devices Parker and Adam find themselves part of a group that slowly morphs into a family.
Throughout all of these conflicting opinions these two talked, yes even argued but never did they lose faith or respect for each other and the one thing that both were always in agreement on was their passion for one another. Travelling with 4 other people may have made having sex a challenge but these men were definitely up to the challenge (pun intended).
Sex was to say the least intense both physically and emotionally with these two men ...what you expected less? Seriously? Zombie....I mean Creeper Apocalypse here folks? Seize the day and make every moment count for crying out loud, you never know when it might be your last.
As their newly forged family resumes its journey they find themselves facing new dangers. Together they suffer more pain and loss and ultimately they are forced to answer the sirens call from the radio that never seems to leave Adam's thoughts, while plaguing Parker with nightmares. It's with a mixture of optimism and a pessimism that this group heads towards what will likely be the end of their journey one way or another.
Ironically the decision to seek the safety and sanctuary promised by the mysterious voice on the radio was taken out of both their hands and forced by their mutual need to keep promises that each have made to protect their newly formed family and hopefully give them the sanctuary that has been promised.
'Fight the Tide' for me became a story that was more focused on Parker and Adam's struggles as individuals and as a couple. Parker waged a constant war against his fear of not being able to be all that Adam needed. While Adam was haunted by the knowledge that he was only one man or rather one werewolf and protecting Parker and their newly formed family might be more than even he could handle. In spite of all the uncertainty of the world the one thing that was clear is that together he and Parker would face whatever came at them and keep their newfound love safe from a world gone mad.
Happily there is more to come. That's right 1 possibly 2 more books. So much could happen during this time and I am now totally resigned to my fate...I am here for the duration no more doubts or reservations about reading what comes next...I say 'just bring it!'
*************************
An ARC of 'Fight the Tide' was graciously provided by the author through Indigo Marketing in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2024
Rating 2016: 4.75
And now I really have to wait until sometime 2017? Yes it's a real good HFN and the guys are still strong together and in love but I'm worried; not just because something has to happen in the next book but more because of this one term: omega.
Hm, one of the things I liked in that series: it's definately a shifter story but Keira Andrews never cared about the Holy Gral of Shifter stories - there's no mate-concept and I didn't miss it, not at all, so there is a chance that she also doesn't really care about omega theories ... but I'm worried and will be until conviced otherwise by the next installment. Really 2017 and probably not before summer?!
And if I had to remember how I felt about that story I just have to read Todd's review before starting the part 3 because there's no doubt that I'm going to read it.
November 21, 2021
3 stars ⭐️ I was really excited about starting this book since the first one was one of my favs, but turn out this hadn't worked out for me. Compared to the first book, this was boring and the lack of action. The pace was slower. But I loved the secondary characters, and they brought up a nice touch to the story.
I loved our sweet big bad wolf, Adam! But Parker sometimes really annoyed me with his insecurities and neediness which came, out of nowhere. And there was something missing Adam and Parker's relationship too.
But I still love reading more of Adam and Parker, and I can't wait for the next book.
I loved our sweet big bad wolf, Adam! But Parker sometimes really annoyed me with his insecurities and neediness which came, out of nowhere. And there was something missing Adam and Parker's relationship too.
But I still love reading more of Adam and Parker, and I can't wait for the next book.
July 26, 2016
Kick at the Darkness surprisingly enough was one of my Top 10 books of last year. Why surprisingly? Well, I'm more of a contemporary romance reader. Dystopian, zombies, and werewolves aren't exactly my thing but from the first page, I was hooked. After reading KatD I wanted another book, but I feared whether it'd be as successful as book 1. I needn't had worried because this book was kick a$$.
My highlights:
-Adam & Parker. I love their devotion to each other and the intensity with which they love each other.
-The characters that were introduced. They added to the story without overtaking it.
-The world that Keira Andrews has created. This world is dirty, gritty, and raw. It's every man for himself. The author made me believe it. I can feel the despair and anguish that her characters feel.
-The chemistry between Adam & Parker----> HOT. DAMN!
-The end. KA left us all emotionally satisfied while letting us know it's not over.
Can this read be read as a standalone?Absolutely not! You have to read book one first, or you'll be completely lost.
Any negatives? Nope.
All in all, this was a complete success. If you want an edgy, raw, intense romance do yourself and pick up this series! 5 Stars!
ARC kindly provided to Gay Book Reviews for an honest review.
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