A review by intheblackout
Dark Space by Lisa Henry

5.0

this was amazing

[b:Dark Space|16174363|Dark Space (Dark Space, #1)|Lisa Henry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1354020610l/16174363._SY75_.jpg|22023544] is the sci-fi romance I never knew I needed in my life. I had it on my kindle for a while now, and I just decieded to pick it up on a whim. And I'm so happy that I did!

Set sometime in the future, space travel technology has advanced like crazy. However, another species, the Faceless, are even more advanced. Brady Garrett is one of countless conscripted. He's stationed on the station Defender Three.

Cameron Rushton was captured by the Faceless four years ago. When he is returned in stasis in a pod made from Faceless technology, Brady is brought along to help get him free. Complications in the opening of the pod lead to Brady and Cameron being connected. Brady acts as a kind of pacemaker for Cameron, with a side-effect of mind-reading.

Reading about these two getting closer while under quarantine (a bit close to home), was so interesting. On one level they are getting to know each other as strangers, but the mind-reading fast tracks their relationship. [a:Lisa Henry|5050492|Lisa Henry|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1346826268p2/5050492.jpg] did an amazing job interweaving Brady's and Cameron's emotions, without making it overly complicated.

The worldbuilding was also brilliant. For the most part this is set on a space station, so everything we learn about earth and the Faceless is through a group of people stuck together in close quarters. As well as Brady or Cameron re-living the others past through their emotional memories.

One thing I loved was that when Brady, who had previouly believed he was straight, began developing feelings for Cameron, he didn't fall into a pit of self-hatred. He came to terms with his new feelings rationally. He didn't let the other homophobic recruits influence his feelings for Cameron.

The ending felt a little rushed, and I would have loved a longer page count so it could have been fleshed out more. However, I still loved it and can't wait to see how it continues in [b:Darker Space|20700258|Darker Space (Dark Space, #2)|Lisa Henry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1444376339l/20700258._SY75_.jpg|40019913].