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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Q: How do you think you’d fare in a post-apocalyptic situation like a huge solar storm, where power was totally lost?
It’s something that I’ve thought about before, when I’m reading dystopian fiction or on the admittedly rare occasion of talking with someone about their prepping stash.
It can be a pretty grim topic whether IRL or in fiction. But when romance is added to the latter equation we're offered something beautiful out of the chaos and fear. Linda Howard and Linda Jones work this magic in their book After Sundown.
Ben Jernigan is a former Marine and current near-recluse who retreated to Wears Valley—a community in the Smoky Mountains—after losing some of his men and faith during war. After learning in advance that a life-changing solar storm is imminent, he does the unexpected and informs the only person he remotely cares about, gas station owner Sela Gordon.
She thinks he’s crazy.
But she prepares for what seems to be impossible—a world that will likely be without power for at least a year.
The storm hits and people are taken back to a time when everything was done without the benefit of electricity...and internet. As they try to become accustomed to this new life Ben and Sela are increasingly attracted to the other, though the odds against them—from external and internal forces—seem pretty huge in this post-apocalyptic world...
Ben and Sela shine throughout this book as both of them have some growing to do to meet the demands facing them. Someone has to step up to lead their community, and it’s rewarding to see Ben start to come down from his mountain and Sela learn to use the voice that she usually chooses to keep quiet.
Howard and Jones have the whole alpha hero thing down, and Ben’s a model example of the type. He’s protective, strong, and determined. He’s resourceful when it comes to surviving and when he’s reluctantly moved to take care of people their chances of surviving go up exponentially (this is just me speculating, but it’s the overall effect he gives off).
When he turns his sights to Sela it’s very intense, and in a way that feels familiar (and exciting) to me as a Linda Howard reader and fan. Their attraction crackles and arcs between them, thrillingly interrupting the narration of day to day post-apocalyptic life. This is a slowwwww burn.
Speaking of the narration, I feel like I learned a lot about how to possibly survive in a post-apocalyptic world because Howard and Jones go into so much detail about the practicalities. On one hand, it's kinda cool, and I settled into the soothing recital of what Ben, Sela, and her family and friends have to do to make it. On the other, there are times when the narration starts to feel a bit dry, and I wanted more time between Ben and Sela, who don’t really get any meaningful face to face time together until approximately 25% into the novel.
After Sundown largely ignores the outside world for most of the book, giving its readers a sustained glimpse into a particular community during a time when their world comes crashing down. There's a lot on the main characters's plates, and they do worry about the eventual intrusion of outsiders in their community, but I missed the emotional impact I was expecting to see in a post-apocalyptic read. After all, there are a lot of people dying as a result of the storm--millions and millions--and I didn't see a real emotional toll of that on anyone in the book. That seems a little odd to me.
In the end After Sundown is a post-apocalyptic romance that’s got its share of violence, but that’s also encouraging and at the best moments, pretty tender and lusty. I wanted more more more time with Sela and Ben but oh boy did that Epilogue deliver.
3.5 ⭐️
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Edelweiss+ but all opinions provided are my own.
It’s something that I’ve thought about before, when I’m reading dystopian fiction or on the admittedly rare occasion of talking with someone about their prepping stash.
It can be a pretty grim topic whether IRL or in fiction. But when romance is added to the latter equation we're offered something beautiful out of the chaos and fear. Linda Howard and Linda Jones work this magic in their book After Sundown.
Ben Jernigan is a former Marine and current near-recluse who retreated to Wears Valley—a community in the Smoky Mountains—after losing some of his men and faith during war. After learning in advance that a life-changing solar storm is imminent, he does the unexpected and informs the only person he remotely cares about, gas station owner Sela Gordon.
She thinks he’s crazy.
But she prepares for what seems to be impossible—a world that will likely be without power for at least a year.
The storm hits and people are taken back to a time when everything was done without the benefit of electricity...and internet. As they try to become accustomed to this new life Ben and Sela are increasingly attracted to the other, though the odds against them—from external and internal forces—seem pretty huge in this post-apocalyptic world...
Ben and Sela shine throughout this book as both of them have some growing to do to meet the demands facing them. Someone has to step up to lead their community, and it’s rewarding to see Ben start to come down from his mountain and Sela learn to use the voice that she usually chooses to keep quiet.
Howard and Jones have the whole alpha hero thing down, and Ben’s a model example of the type. He’s protective, strong, and determined. He’s resourceful when it comes to surviving and when he’s reluctantly moved to take care of people their chances of surviving go up exponentially (this is just me speculating, but it’s the overall effect he gives off).
When he turns his sights to Sela it’s very intense, and in a way that feels familiar (and exciting) to me as a Linda Howard reader and fan. Their attraction crackles and arcs between them, thrillingly interrupting the narration of day to day post-apocalyptic life. This is a slowwwww burn.
Speaking of the narration, I feel like I learned a lot about how to possibly survive in a post-apocalyptic world because Howard and Jones go into so much detail about the practicalities. On one hand, it's kinda cool, and I settled into the soothing recital of what Ben, Sela, and her family and friends have to do to make it. On the other, there are times when the narration starts to feel a bit dry, and I wanted more time between Ben and Sela, who don’t really get any meaningful face to face time together until approximately 25% into the novel.
After Sundown largely ignores the outside world for most of the book, giving its readers a sustained glimpse into a particular community during a time when their world comes crashing down. There's a lot on the main characters's plates, and they do worry about the eventual intrusion of outsiders in their community, but I missed the emotional impact I was expecting to see in a post-apocalyptic read. After all, there are a lot of people dying as a result of the storm--millions and millions--and I didn't see a real emotional toll of that on anyone in the book. That seems a little odd to me.
In the end After Sundown is a post-apocalyptic romance that’s got its share of violence, but that’s also encouraging and at the best moments, pretty tender and lusty. I wanted more more more time with Sela and Ben but oh boy did that Epilogue deliver.
3.5 ⭐️
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Edelweiss+ but all opinions provided are my own.
3 1/2 stars. What a crazy book to read during a real-life pandemic! Sure made me grateful for electricity although I did kind of envy their ability to gather together. I wonder if there will be a sequel? I hope so.
Another survival story from Linda Howard, this time on a whole different scale.
Ben, a former marine who lives isolated up in the mountain in his fortress of a home, reluctantly warns Sela, the shy general store owner of the nearby town about an upcoming solar storm that will be catastrophic for the whole power grid.
Unsure whether to believe him or not, Sela starts stocking up on some essentials anyway, which puts her well ahead of everyone else when the official announcement is made.
With communications and electricity down, the town has to find a way to function and survive in conditions none of them are really prepared for, and Sela ends up in a leadership position within her community.
Ben, who initially refuses to join the townspeople, happy and well prepared in his isolation, eventually finds himself drawn in by Sela and the few people he has allowed himself to get to know.
While they make a well balanced couple, supportive and understanding of each other, their love story develops as a background to the new community that's being built, so I didn't get to enjoy the romance as much as I would have liked.
Also, I would have probably enjoyed the story a lot more had I not read it during the pandemic that sadly made their reality feel a bit too close for comfort...
Ben, a former marine who lives isolated up in the mountain in his fortress of a home, reluctantly warns Sela, the shy general store owner of the nearby town about an upcoming solar storm that will be catastrophic for the whole power grid.
Unsure whether to believe him or not, Sela starts stocking up on some essentials anyway, which puts her well ahead of everyone else when the official announcement is made.
With communications and electricity down, the town has to find a way to function and survive in conditions none of them are really prepared for, and Sela ends up in a leadership position within her community.
Ben, who initially refuses to join the townspeople, happy and well prepared in his isolation, eventually finds himself drawn in by Sela and the few people he has allowed himself to get to know.
While they make a well balanced couple, supportive and understanding of each other, their love story develops as a background to the new community that's being built, so I didn't get to enjoy the romance as much as I would have liked.
Also, I would have probably enjoyed the story a lot more had I not read it during the pandemic that sadly made their reality feel a bit too close for comfort...
After Sundown is the story of a small town in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee that undergoes a radical change after a worldwide power outage due to a solar storm. Sela Gordon and her Aunt Carol, who run the local gas station and convenience store are elected to take control of the town. Their job would be much easier with the help of local survivalist, Ben Jernigan, but he has vowed never to get involved with the problems of others again. His days in the military have left him jaded and bitter. When Aunt Carol is hurt falling down a flight of stairs, shy Sela must assume leadership, and once again looks to Ben for help. If her attraction to him isn't one-sided, then she might be able to talk him into stepping up.
This is an unusual story for Linda Howard. She usually writes romantic suspense with lots of action and suspense, but this story just rolls along at a leisurely pace as each problem that faces the community is dealt with using common sense and cooperation. It is a very topical story during the current pandemic, but other than a minor climax at the end, it lacks substance. Overall, a disappointment.
This is an unusual story for Linda Howard. She usually writes romantic suspense with lots of action and suspense, but this story just rolls along at a leisurely pace as each problem that faces the community is dealt with using common sense and cooperation. It is a very topical story during the current pandemic, but other than a minor climax at the end, it lacks substance. Overall, a disappointment.
I am probably in the minority for this book coz I was expecting a 5 star knock me out story and it left me wanting more. C’mon it is co-authored by LINDA HOWARD so what should there be, not to like. But sorry to say, this end of the world post apocalypse story just never worked for me as it should have. The dialogues and banter which I was expecting to be a cracker between the leads was kept to the minimum but the romance was slow-burn and super exciting.
Ben is a retired marine whose lonely existence high up in the mountains is exactly what he needs. He hates socializing and community existence and being responsible for anyone after being a witness to the horrors of army life. Sela is shy and extremely reticent to be in the forefront of anything even though she is capable of always doing what needs to be done. When a solar storm hits the world and everyone is plunged into unfathomable darkness, with Ben’s warning, Sela and her aunt rallies the whole community together to survive the loss of power for indefinite length of time.
In a way this story kind of related to the pandemic situation we are currently facing with access to everything that we consider normal being shut down and it was hopeful to read about the survival techniques used by the people to fight against the odds. Of course, the going is not easy as the greed and selfishness and even hunger cause the rotters to bound out of the woods and attack the old and feeble.
The story definitely has its moments with a cantankerous aunt proving humor and I simply loved BEN, uh, excuse me but I am a huge fan of super brooding heroes who needs saving and I loved Sela’s quite strength and reliability to lead her people even though she prefers the background.
3.5 stars for this slow-burn romantic suspense.
This review is published in my blog rainnbooks.com, Amazon India, Goodreads and Twitter.
Howard is obviously experienced and talented enough to give us a good approximation of some of her better romantic thrillers, but this fell short in a lot of ways. The beats were so predictable as to be boring. It was readable after a slow start and the main characters had good chemistry.
Maybe it hit different reading during a pandemic. Killing off half the population of the world and the characters all sort of shrug seemed so callous in 2020. Billions can die as long as the white community in this one valley are fine? Rolling my eyes at this one.
Maybe it hit different reading during a pandemic. Killing off half the population of the world and the characters all sort of shrug seemed so callous in 2020. Billions can die as long as the white community in this one valley are fine? Rolling my eyes at this one.
Was this the best book to read during COVID? Hell no, but once I started I just couldn’t stop!! This book was so well crafted! Both the thriller/survival aspect and the romance felt realistic and well balanced. If you have anxiety, I would wait until COVID is over. But damn it’s good. Also it’s like 2 am so sorry if this makes no grammatical sense. I couldn’t stop reading once I started.