Reviewed by Amber
TITLE: Juggernaut
SERIES: Strain #.5
AUTHOR: Amelia C. Gormley
PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing
LENGTH: 378 pages
BLURB:
They helped destroy the world. Now they have to survive the new one.
For rentboy Nico Fernández, it’s a simple job: seduce a presidential advisor to help cement approval to launch Project Juggernaut. He’s done similar work for General Logan McClosky before, and manipulating people for his favorite client beats the hell out of being trafficked for slave wages in some corporate brothel.
Zach Houtman feels called to work with the most vulnerable outcasts of society. But his father, the Reverend Maurice Houtman, insists that Zach work for him instead as he runs for Senate. Zach reluctantly agrees, but is horrified to see his father leave behind Christ’s mandate of love and mercy to preach malicious zealotry and violence instead. Zach even starts to suspect his father is working with fundamentalist terrorists.
When Project Juggernaut accidentally unleashes a deadly plague that claims billions of lives, Nico and Zach are thrown together, each bearing a burden of guilt. With only each other for safety and solace, they must make their way through a new world, one where the handful of people left alive are willing to do anything—and kill anyone—to survive.
REVIEW:
There is absolutely no denying how much I absolutely loved Strain. I was not expecting how amazing that book was…so when I realized more books in the series were coming out, I was absolutely on board. Juggernaut is essentially the events leading up to Strain. This book fills in the back history and gaps that Strain had left behind. It’s funny I never realized I had questions that needed answered until I read Juggernaut, major points to the phenomenal author on that foresight. Juggernaut also includes the story involving Zach Houtman, devout religious man and eldest son of Maurice Houtman and elder brother of Jacob Houtman from Strain and Nico Fernandez professional escort and college student.
Nico and Zach have absolutely everything going against them. They don’t even meet/interact until midway through the story but when they do meet there’s a connection and it’s undeniable. Zach is just coming into his sexuality so he’s not accustom to the desire that Nico ignites in him. Nico, dealing with huge guilt regarding his involvement in the virus outbreak deals with his own issues but his pull towards Zach is hard to deny. They come together in passionate urgency and true to form with this author it’s amazing and hot and passionate and it leaves you wanting so much more.
Like I mentioned before there are so many factors working against Zach and Nico. Plus the majority of this book is them being apart from each other which is heartbreaking and gut wrenching for them and the reader. With the virus spreading, one immune and one not they risk so much just being in the same room but their love won’t be denied and it’s a beautiful thing.
I’m a huge fan of this author. Yes, I would have loved more with Nico and Zach but even with the distance this book was fantastic. There’s so many more ways to go with this story and I’m excited to continue reading about these unbelievable characters.
Any fan of Strain will enjoy the heck out of this story and if you’re intrigued….this is a good place to start…..highly recommend!!!
RATING: 
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