In a future Earth torn apart by prejudice and religious strife, the penalty for violating the law is death ... or worse. Only the members of the outlawed Auric Rights League dare to confront the restrictive Inter-Continental Police, doing whatever they must in a battle for their survival. Raven Armistead, the daughter of the Auric Rights League leader, and Val Tarrant, the ICP agent hunting her, are betrayed by both sides, framed for murder and targeted for execution. Reluctant allies, they become fugitives in a world where they must make their own laws. If they are successful, they will create a new world order. But if they fail, the coming civil war will be the least of their problems.
Winner of the EPPIE Award for best science fiction ebook original
Winner (2nd place) of the Sapphire Award for best sf romance of 1998
Finalist, Affaire de Coeur Reader's Award for best futuristic of 1998
Excerpt
Raven looked at her chronometer. Eight seconds. A stray spark could set off the explosion at any moment.
"Get away from that door!" she shouted at the intruder. Then, lowering her shoulder, she charged the ICP agent, sending them both to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. He struggled to break free, but she hugged him tight and rolled to the side, into the shadow of a hulking desk. His head struck the back of the desk and he lay still.
Twisting around to study the glittering specks filling the air around them, shining with a light only Auric eyes could see, she lifted her arm and sculpted the tiny crystals into a wall of energy. Just in time. Sizzling pieces of thermite explosive flew out of the door, melting holes through steel desks and leaded-glass monitor screens.
She pressed close against the agent, the pulse in his neck beating against her cheek. Fear overrode her normal revulsion at being inside another person's aura and she molded herself to him, wrapping one arm around his neck and twining her legs with his.
A tremor ripped through her, from her scalp down to her toes. The energy crystals surrounding her altered their frequency, stinging her with tiny shocks. The agent's back arched and a low moan escaped his lips. The auras had aligned.
Professional Reviews
Under the Covers - Very Highly Recommended
Science Fiction romance at its finest, RAVEN'S HEART skillfully blends politics, religion, mental powers, and very, very sexy romance into an irresistible
page-turner that fairly explodes with sexual tension, action, suspense, and all the rest of the good stuff.
It's fair to say that Raven Armistead, member of the Auric
League, and one of the league's deadliest enemies, Val Tarrant, agent of the Inter-Continental Police, have a very explosive first meeting--wherein she saves his life
from a bomb she has just set in the IPC office. In so doing, she uses her mental powers to meld their auras--which leads to some very explosive emotions later on (which you have to read to know that Val has taken an oath of chastity and isn't feeling at all chaste where Raven is concerned). Needless to say, their involvement
gets them traitor status from both their organizations. Their lives at forfeit, they run, they fight, but do they win?
Ms. Dunne writes with a masterly grasp of the genre. This is a great read. Not only does it carry a full load of sizzle, it is also a thoughtful look at a future that might,
with several permutations, actually come into existence. RAVEN'S HEART is definitely a book to read, read again, and recommend to all your friends. Grab it as
soon as you can--it's guaranteed to warm your winter evenings.
Reviewed by Patricia White 7/15/98
Romance Communications - Spectacular
Spectacular! Jennifer Dunne's innovative and imaginative new world sets the standard for the science fiction romance. Readers can expect to experience an array of emotions as this bullet-paced novel unfolds, refolds, doubles back and envelopes itself. Superbly and masterfully constructed, RAVEN'S HEART is a potent package. By developing complex dramatic and sexual tension, Jennifer Dunne draws the reader into a harrowing trap of intrigue. This one has movie written all over it.
Affaire de Coeur - 4 1/2 Stars
4 1/2 STARS. Raven's Heart is a fast, exciting read packed with steamy sexual tension, smoking action, and enough suspense to keep the reader up way past bedtime. Ms. Dunne is a writer worthy of note.
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