Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Borders Between Empires
SERIES: Luxor City Series
AUTHOR: Sasha Hope
PUBLISHER: NineStar Press Publications
LENGTH: 315 Pages
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2023
BLURB:
Detective Hanni Nassar finds himself in enemy territory while investigating a string of robberies. After accidentally crossing the Central Empire’s borderline, he comes face to face with Jaemin Yi, a high-ranking Alpha of the Southern Empire’s Elite.
A cop and a gangster, both Hanni and Jaemin are suspicious of each other at first. Jaemin wants to know what Hanni’s doing on Southern turf, and Hanni wants to know if Jaemin’s notorious boss has any involvement with his case. Their initial meeting is tense, but soon Jaemin starts pursuing him for his own dissolute reasons.
Despite the clandestine rumblings through the streets of Luxor City, this isn’t about a case anymore.
Jaemin Yi is persistent. He thaws Hanni’s frigid airs and shows him there’s nothing wrong with caving to his more primal desires once in a while. As an Omega working in an Alpha-dominated field, Hanni has buried the Omegan side of himself, and Jaemin seems keen to draw it to the surface.
But where did his sudden interest come from? And will the lines crossed be too much for Hanni to handle or will adversarial passions heat up the borders between Empires?
Notes
This book is a standalone, but it’s a story that is part of the Luxor City series, which are all standalone novels.
REVIEW: 4
The job of a Police Officer in a lawless city would always be difficult, especially as Hanni was an Omega who tended to break convention, thriving in the process. Following a lead, Hanni accidentally crosses the border into the South and was promptly pulled up by Alpha Jaemin Yi. However, what happens when, in the eyes of the lawless, Hanni becomes too good at his job?
Borders Between Empires is part of the Luxor City Series but can be read as a standalone novel. I have not read any of the others, so I can attest to this. What I encountered was a well-written detective story that contained a balance of work and Alpha/Omega fun. Did it set me on fire – no – but I thoroughly enjoyed a tale that kept me turning the page until the words said – The End.
The story is told in the third person, which, other than a few paragraphs, was all from Hanni’s viewpoint. As the copy I read was not the final, I will not comment on any technical aspects. Worldbuilding suited my reading tastes – it gave me enough to form pictures of people and places without going into minute detail.
I especially enjoyed the police action. The concept of gangsters policing their own areas, occasionally teaming up with the local cops (without reprisals), was an exciting twist. And this is where Hanni and Jaemin earn mutual respect. Indeed, it could be said that one of their dates was when the men teamed up to thwart a hijacking. There were other less formal ones.
Hanni is competent and levelheaded – not one for flighty dramatics, which was good to read. Although, he knows what he wants and, more precisely, what he will not tolerate. The only annoying thing Hanni did was chew his bottom lip, which, since a particular sparkly vampire series, the habit has been my pet hate. As for Jaemin, he is a protective Alph enamored with Hanni. Per his rank within the Southern hierarchy, I have no doubt that Jaemin is lethal – but given the single viewpoint, this aspect is voiced – not explored.
Overall, I found Borders Between Empires well worth reading. The road to love is not plain sailing. Could it have been grittier – yes, which would have upped its rating. Nevertheless, the pursuit between Alpha and Omega entertained me with pockets of high drama and police action.
RATING: 
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