Review by R Lefler -- Chameleons by Onyx Gold
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R Lefler
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- Latest Review: Chameleons by Onyx Gold
Review by R Lefler -- Chameleons by Onyx Gold
[Following is a volunteer review of "Chameleons" by Onyx Gold.]
“All the red flags were there. She was simply blinded.”
Chameleons by Onyx Gold is about Zia, a literary agent in Los Angeles. The plot involves racial issues because Zia is black in a mostly white industry. She also has a rare condition that caused her eyes to be colorless, lacking melanin. This makes people fetishize her as “exotic” and she often gets asked if she’s mixed. So, while she’s looking for love, she has to doubt whether the guys like her for her, or if they only lust for her due to her unusual eyes. She also faces anxiety, especially during any embarrassing or awkward social situation.
The guys she meets are Baxter and Bryce. Bryce is an old-fashioned southern gentleman who works in the same building as Zia, as a lawyer. Baxter is the author of a novel that could become a huge success. If Zia can convince her higher-ups in the publishing company that the crime genre is not dead. It's a classic love triangle. We find out that one is the good guy, and the other is a dangerous man.
Chameleons joins the crime thriller and romance genres. I normally think of romance novels as boring. But here, the author corrects many of the worst romance tropes. They created a truly original take on both genres. It is the only book I could find by the author, or the only one under their pseudonym Onyx Gold. If it is a first novel by this author, it’s an excellent start.
What I liked most is how compelling Zia is. One romance thing I dislike is when the female lead has no personality. Two or more men fight over her like a piece of meat. I heard once that a female character is poorly written if she could be replaced by a lamp and nothing much would change. Zia is not like that. She’s fierce and determined to succeed. But she also has a soft, tender side that I liked.
I disliked that there were few twists or surprises. The first person I suspected of being the serial killer was. That’s not great crime thriller writing. There was one big reveal, but it wasn’t that shocking. I still think the book is a thrill ride. It won’t be good, however, for people who don’t like sex scenes or swear words. But every sex scene advances the plot, or reveals something important. And every expletive is in a situation where it would make sense to swear. I noted a few typos, but it seemed professionally edited.
I give this book 3/4 stars. I gave it 3 and not 4 because the plot was predictable. However, it’s a great fast-paced light read. It will keep you hooked until the very end. It’s good for people who are bored with the romance genre. This one’s spiced up with a little more violence, and more at stake than simply who the heroine will marry.
******
Chameleons
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
“All the red flags were there. She was simply blinded.”
Chameleons by Onyx Gold is about Zia, a literary agent in Los Angeles. The plot involves racial issues because Zia is black in a mostly white industry. She also has a rare condition that caused her eyes to be colorless, lacking melanin. This makes people fetishize her as “exotic” and she often gets asked if she’s mixed. So, while she’s looking for love, she has to doubt whether the guys like her for her, or if they only lust for her due to her unusual eyes. She also faces anxiety, especially during any embarrassing or awkward social situation.
The guys she meets are Baxter and Bryce. Bryce is an old-fashioned southern gentleman who works in the same building as Zia, as a lawyer. Baxter is the author of a novel that could become a huge success. If Zia can convince her higher-ups in the publishing company that the crime genre is not dead. It's a classic love triangle. We find out that one is the good guy, and the other is a dangerous man.
Chameleons joins the crime thriller and romance genres. I normally think of romance novels as boring. But here, the author corrects many of the worst romance tropes. They created a truly original take on both genres. It is the only book I could find by the author, or the only one under their pseudonym Onyx Gold. If it is a first novel by this author, it’s an excellent start.
What I liked most is how compelling Zia is. One romance thing I dislike is when the female lead has no personality. Two or more men fight over her like a piece of meat. I heard once that a female character is poorly written if she could be replaced by a lamp and nothing much would change. Zia is not like that. She’s fierce and determined to succeed. But she also has a soft, tender side that I liked.
I disliked that there were few twists or surprises. The first person I suspected of being the serial killer was. That’s not great crime thriller writing. There was one big reveal, but it wasn’t that shocking. I still think the book is a thrill ride. It won’t be good, however, for people who don’t like sex scenes or swear words. But every sex scene advances the plot, or reveals something important. And every expletive is in a situation where it would make sense to swear. I noted a few typos, but it seemed professionally edited.
I give this book 3/4 stars. I gave it 3 and not 4 because the plot was predictable. However, it’s a great fast-paced light read. It will keep you hooked until the very end. It’s good for people who are bored with the romance genre. This one’s spiced up with a little more violence, and more at stake than simply who the heroine will marry.
******
Chameleons
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Latest Review: Chameleons by Onyx Gold
