Review of Chameleons

[Shannon Ruane]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Chameleons" by Onyx Gold.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Chameleons by Onyx Gold is filled with intense passion, risk, and a significant amount of making love. What initially begins as a story of an ambitious African-American literary agent, Zia, who has yet to find the "right" author to help her climb the professional (and financial) ladder turns into a nightmare. The unintended results of her initially fortunate "rags to riches" success place her in a situation she may not be able to escape. Zia desperately needs to learn there is a reason why personal and professional relationships should not mix.

The story emphasizes the protagonist Zia is an African-American woman. She suffers from a medical condition that resulted in her eyes completely losing color. Zia is frequently asked (what she refers to) "the question;" is she biracial? Constantly defending herself results in psychological anxiety. Her fortunes change because she meets two seemingly perfect men. An employee of a nearby law firm and the "right" author both meet her shortly after the story starts. They are both handsome millionaires who adore her. The way they express their love for her forces her to make a difficult choice. One man does not care about her appearance, deeply loves her, yet (seemingly) has no sexual passion for her. The other admires her appearance and overtly displays the sexual desire she desperately craves. Appearances should not matter, yet her unique appearance moves the plot forward and determines her fate and the fates of those around her.

What I enjoyed most about Chameleons is Onyx Gold's writing style. The setting and character descriptions are vivid, preventing confusion between multiple characters and locations. One challenge of writing a romance novel is learning how to describe intimate moments in a way that does not alienate the audience. Readers of a romance genre novel naturally expect explicit moments. Using common/cheesy euphemisms for parts of the body would be equally undesirable as using extremely vulgar descriptions. Instead, the author chose to use powerful, uncommon words, as well as medically accurate terms for body parts and movement. Readers would likely continue reading to understand the details and visualize each moment. Violence (both in and outside the bedroom) is also described thoughtfully.

I also enjoyed how the protagonist is an African-American woman who is strong, ambitious, and willing to risk her own life to help others. Zia also has flaws and makes serious mistakes. She eventually recognizes and corrects her mistakes. A problematic writing representation is minorities must be tragically misunderstood. The opposite problem is writing to the stereotype of minorities must be all-powerful and perfect to be considered "valid characters." Onyx Gold wrote Zia as a human being instead of focusing on writing a story about minorities.

What I dislike about the story is the ratio of erotic moments to moments that do not involve making love. Chameleons indicates multiple times how disturbing recent crimes are and the importance of catching the perpetrator. Beyond the suspense of which millionaire she should choose, little suspense is present. If this was strictly a romance genre novel then writing that way would be logical. Including elements of significant crimes and blending genres in the story misleads readers who assume they would get a little bit of both genres. Many readers probably could instantly identify the criminal. The characters remain clueless until the end. Their "evidence" would not be accepted in a 21st Century court easily; although with all their money, the characters could bribe any problems away.

I also dislike how the other characters react. They seem unaware of the severity of their situations. I realize the ending moments should have been the most shocking. However, I was shocked by how forgiving someone was with Zia instead of outraged. Additionally, having two millionaires instantly fall in love with Zia is unrealistic, when most parts of Chameleons are semi-realistic. The chaos at the end of the book (while uncommon) is not unheard of amongst experienced law enforcement and criminal analysts. Jazz (Zia's best friend) and Zia have to complete disgusting tasks but talk like everything is a typical day at work.

Ultimately, I would rate this book with a 3 out of 4 stars. I admire Onyx Gold's writing abilities regarding her descriptions of erotic and outside experiences and characters. Furthermore, writing a Zia as a human being rather than a stereotype impressed me. Finally, although the plot is simple, I was still engaged and enjoyed the story.

I would recommend this book for adults who are interested in romance and crime genres. People who enjoy "intense" erotic and violent scenes would probably enjoy this book. Finally, those who prefer short stories (under 240 pages) would enjoy Chameleons. There is also a sequel for readers to look forward to if interested.

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Chameleons
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[brohashi]

Thanks for your thoughtful review. I like how you were able to express so much about the book without giving the story away.

[SherryR54]

This one looks like a good read. I do like the romance angle.

[Melissa VanCleave Plant]

I would disagree with your assertion that the explicit descriptions are medically accurate. At one point the author makes a statement that one of the men put his face in her vagina. Absolutely not medically possible as a vagina is a purely internal structure. An infant face barely fits after hours of stretching, there is no way a full-grown male face would fit into a vagina.

[Clare Jose]

This doesn't seem like a book I would enjoy. But I too am amazed at how much you wrote about the book.
Thank you for your review.

[Maliha Naveed]

Being not a fan if erotic or intense love stories, I wouldn’t like to read it but I must admire your way of reviewing it; in such detail and accuracy. Loved your style!

[CoolReads]

Hi Shannon!
You have provided good input on the erotic contents. Well-done! I sampled some pages of this book under BOTM. The serial killer angle was interesting.

[Michelle Menezes]

I've read the sample of this book, and it made me want to read the story. However, the mention of the unrealistic aspects has me wondering if this is the right fit for me. I do enjoy romantic thrillers, but I'm feeling unsure if I should pick it up.
Thank you for the detailed review!

[Rashi Agrawal]

Thank you for a detailed and engrossing review. This book seems like a good read. The romance part is what attracted me the most! Putting it in my reading list right away.