Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling #8)
Paranormal Romance
July 6, 2010
Paperback, 368 Pages
Berkley

Why I read: Love, love, love this series!

Favorite Quote: Reaching out with a deliberate slowness, Max brushed his knuckles over her cheek. The sensation was a hot whip over her skin. “The things I plan to do to you, Sophie,” he whispered in a deep voice that made her toes curl.

Sophia Russo is a Justice Psy. She is able to delve into criminal minds and retrieve their memories – critical memories needed to prosecute the suspects at trial. She can also then project those memories to up to five people, a very useful tool in the justice system.She has seen the worst of the worst, and her sanity is slowly fading away.

Max Shannon is a cop with a natural mental shield to Psy interference. He has finally brought in Gerard Bonner a sadistic criminal that has murdered and tortured many women. Before Bonner goes to trial, Max wants to know where he has buried the bodies so they can be returned to their grieving families. Sophia is called into to retrieve these memories from Bonner, but his brain is a very odd place. She tries, but she can’t locate where he is storing that information.

Meanwhile, Nikita Duncan’s empire is starting to fall. Three of her advisors have died in what appears to be accidents, but Nikita doesn’t believe in coincidences. She calls in Max to investigate these deaths, and asks Sophia to be the filter between the Psy and the human Max. Forced to work together, Max is enamored with Sophia. Unfortunately, Sophia is also a Sensitive, one that can’t touch another without getting bombarded with that person’s memories and thoughts. With Sophia fragile as it is, she can’t risk touching another. Max can’t wait to get his hands on her..but his patience will be tested as their attraction grows. Sophia figures she will be dead within the year, so she has a screw it attitude and decides to break through Silence and pursue this sexy cop.

Oh Nalini Singh, I do adore your books. When I heard Bonds of Justice was to feature a human hero and a Psy heroine, I may have scrunched my nose a bit. I do prefer Singh’s super sexy shifters. But, Max holds his ground quite well for a human. He is so darn sexy, and his patience and willingness to fight for Sophia totally endeared me to him. Although the actual sex scenes in this book are not plenty, the romance, and tension, and overall sexual lusting is very rich.

Sophia is a special kind of Psy, being a Justice Psy and as usual, Singh continues with her complex Psy world. Sophia is deep into the PsyNet and because she is also a Sensitive, one that can’t touch another, that adds another layer for her to conquer besides breaking out of the Silence. The love scenes become very interesting when just the brush of Max’s hands against her causes her senses to go ballistic. For as meek and mild as she comes across, she also can dive into a child molester’s mind and make him chop his own wee-wee off. (<—true story) I wanted to see more of that side of her. Her ruthless, bar none side. She has a lot going on – J Psy whose shields are cracking, can’t risk touching anyone, and then starts getting flashbacks into people’s lives. I thought she really latched onto Max quick and once she does, she never looks back. I believed in Max’s attraction more than what Sophia reciprocates. Her side felt a bit rushed but at the end of the book I was satisfied with their love story.

I also love getting more from Nikita Duncan, who happens to be Sascha’s mother. Nikita seems like such the perfect, cold Psy. But things are starting to happen and I just love the little tidbits Singh drops in her books that have you scratching your head and dying for the next one. We also get a nice glimpse into Lucas and Sascha’s life, and a surprise they have coming their way.

Bonds of Justice is a nice addition to this really unique world Nalini Singh writes. Besides solid love stories, she really builds this fascinating world and I can’t wait to see what she gives us next.

Rating: 4/5

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