Memory Surgeon - The Color Of Betrayal by Hollie Smurthwaite @H_Smurthwaite

MY REVIEW

I will warn you about The Color of Betrayal by Hollie Smurthwaite. There are triggers involve: explicit sex scenes that are smokin’ hot, alcoholism, violence and plenty of profanity. Sounds right up my alley, how about yours? LOL

Jolene is a memory surgeon working for the Agency, a spy. She could read people’s memories, but did her best not to remove them. If she did, they became hers and that is a heavy load to bear. She has no family, losing her best friend when the Agency faked her death. Exercise is her panacea, being still an impossibility. Jogging made her feel free.

Their team consists of five people: Jolene, Stadler, Sara, Ryan and Jorge. Ryan was the older brother, Sara is the rebel sibling, Stadler is the father figure, Jorge is the younger brother, and Jolene is the fucked up child.

She meets Cass in the coffee shop and is immediately smitten. She has no time for a relationship and too many secrets to keep. Their dialogue, as their relationship builds, has me cracking up, but he has his secrets too.

The deeper into the story I go, the more I choose the characters I will root for and those I want to see go down. The danger rises as secrets are exposed and betrayals come to light. I was so surprised at The Agency and never saw that coming, though any group that keeps secrets to work outside the normal boundaries, can be considered armed and dangerous.

Jolene will be put to the test all right. Will she be stronger for it, or will it be the end of her? Who can she count on for support? Can she have a romantic life?

Even though the books in the series can be read as stand alones, I highly recommend starting with the first, because the characters will be making an appearance in future books and knowing their backgrounds adds extra to the stories to come.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Jolene, a recovering alcoholic with the psychic ability to experience people’s memories, helps a secret government agency take down drug syndicates.

No secret is safe . . .

As a memory surgeon, Jolene can slip into other people’s memories. She can see them, experience them, even steal them. To atone for her past, she’s been using her psychic gift to help the Agency, a secret government entity, taking out drug lords across the US. After a screw-up on an assignment, she’s back in Chicago, where her own worst memories live.

The last thing she needs while trying to make up for her mistake is a sexy distraction. Cass is a little sweet and a lot gorgeous. The only problem: she can’t have him and the job. But when he offers his friendship, she can’t resist.

While Jolene and Cass try to pretend there is nothing beneath their friendship, her mission spins out of control. Now, both their lives are on the line. Will her growing powers be enough to save her? Or will secrets send her right back to the darkest depths of her past?

The Color of Betrayal is a steamy paranormal romantic suspense novel with psychics, spies, twists, and dark themes. Great for fans of KF Breene, Jeaniene Frost, and Kim Harrison.

Although this is book two of the series, it can be read as a standalone. The main characters change each novel.

Content warning: Explicit sex scenes, references and depictions of physical violence (NOT between the protagonists), alcoholism, profanity and not just a little.

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller
343 pages, ebook
Published October 31, 2022 by Hollie Smurthwaite
Series: The Psychic Colors Series, Book 2

ABOUT HOLLIE SMURTHWAITE

Hollie Smurthwaite is a paranormal romantic suspense author of The Color of Trauma and The Color of Betrayal. The Color of Trauma was the winner of the 2020 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project in adult fiction. She lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and too few pets. In past lives, she’s been a checkout clerk, massage therapist, office manager, recruiter, magazine staff writer, pepper spray hawker, and belly dancer.