Ocean Light by Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity #2
Published by Berkley on June 12th 2018
Genres: Paranormal, PNR, Sci-Fi
Format: eARC
Source: Berkley, Netgalley
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Security specialist Bowen Knight has come back from the dead. But there's a ticking time bomb in his head: a chip implanted to block telepathic interference that could fail at any moment--taking his brain along with it. With no time to waste, he should be back on land helping the Human Alliance. Instead, he's at the bottom of the ocean, consumed with an enigmatic changeling...

Kaia Luna may have traded in science for being a chef, but she won't hide the facts of Bo's condition from him or herself. She's suffered too much loss in her life to fall prey to the dangerous charm of a human who is a dead man walking. And she carries a devastating secret Bo could never imagine...

But when Kaia is taken by those who mean her deadly harm, all bets are off. Bo will do anything to get her back--even if it means striking a devil's bargain and giving up his mind to the enemy...

OCEAN LIGHT

by Nalini Singh

Since listening to the audiobook of Silver Silence I’ve been obsessed with the Psy-Changeling world. I’m making my way through the first books in this series via audio and loving them. If you don’t mind jumping in in the middle of a series – Silver Silence is a good place to start but you definitely want to read all of them because the other books just give you a deeper reading experience.

So…Ocean Light. My friends know how fascinated I am with the ocean. There is nothing more mysterious on this planet than the creatures and biosphere underwater so reading about ocean changelings totally ticked my boxes.

Bowen Knight, security chief of the Human Alliance, is a charismatic, fascinating character. He has the alpha-thing down pat, but there is also a kindness and goodness in him that just made me love him so hard. He fights for his life, against all odds, holding on to his positive attitude although he knows that the chances are overwhelmingly high that he’ll end up a vegetable – something he fears most in his life, not having control over his mind. But he sacrifices it all for the people he loves. Bo is a noble, good man, much more than he gives himself credit for. He is a man of principles and those are unmovable. I just loved him.

He’d found the one person who sang to his heart and he’d found her at the worst possible moment in his life.

Kaia’s changeling form is not revealed until the very end but I think it’s pretty easy to guess. Her playful, loving nature, her way of taking care of her people by cooking them their favorite foods, her levelheadedness and sweet composition that still holds an edge, made me love her. Kaia has issues aplenty but she doesn’t let fear stand in her way for long – she grabs it by the horns and wrestles it down.

She’d never be an easy lover, his siren. But she’d love fiercely and she’d light up his fucking life.

The woman in Kaia wasn’t looking for love and Bo definitely wasn’t the man she would have picked but fate doesn’t really give you options. She’s the perfect counterpart to the man who is so aware of the duties to his people. She teaches him to let loose and play and underscores Bo’s protective side. She makes him laugh and brings out his playful and romantic side. I adored their relationship, they fell in love at the best and worst time. Their time is limited but they give all they have, hoping for the best, expecting the worst.

They might only have a fragment of an instant in time, but he’d make that fragment extraordinary.

The ocean world Nalini Singh built is utterly captivating. I could see the city underwater before my eyes. It was lush and exuberant, beautiful and abundant and I loved spending time there. I loved reading about whales and octopus, turtles and orcas. It felt like a place from the future, something that is possible.

I’m completely intrigued by all of the side cast in this installment. Miane and Malachai definitely need their own story, and I also want to see Kaia’s other cousins mated! They are so mischievous, lovable rogues with a constant twinkle in their eyes.

The Psy-Changeling universe is very political. The world the three factions are trying to build is very complex and full of machinations and schemes. It makes for a slower read but in no way is it boring. I love the rich and complicated world Nalini Singh has created. It is captivating, spell-binding and I hope we get lots and lots more of books in this series. Ms Singh is at the top of my favorite authors with her beautiful, emotion-filled writing which is so full of romance and love and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!

“You are the greatest gift of my life.”