A review by laurenjodi
Blaze Erupting by Rebecca Zanetti

3.0

Blaze Erupting
3 Stars

Series note: This is a novella that takes place after the events of Scorpius Rising and prior to Mercury Striking. It provides an update on Deke and Nora McDougal's activities with the Brigade, and can be read either as book #0.6 or #4.5 although reading it after the first 4 books provides valuable insight. For instance, it appears that the
SpoilerBrigade HQ in Missouri is one of the elusive bunkers that the President, Vanguard, and the Mercs are searching for
.

In this installment, Hugh Johnson, a nuclear threat assessment expert, is recruited by Ellie Smithers, his former college lab partner and current computer guru for the Brigade, to help thwart a potential terrorist attack on the nuclear power plants across the country.

Zanetti packs in a great deal of plot in the shorter format, but this also results in a rather rushed romance as Hugh and Ellie's second chances relationship progresses almost directly from "Hi, how have you been?" to "let's rip each other's clothes off". While there is some character development for Hugh, readers learn next to nothing about Ellie.

In terms of the plot, there are some compelling twists, and it will be interesting to see if any of the details are merged into the main story arc.

Overall, this is a good introduction to the Scorpius Syndrome series for new readers and a nice bonus for those already immersed in the action.