By Gini Koch

Place: Publisher & Year: New York: DAW Books, Inc. 2010

Genres: Science fiction, thriller, romance

Series: Alien; 1

Format: Paperback (mass market)

ISBN: 9780756406004

Audience: Adult

Number of pages: 389

Setting: Pueblo Caliente, AZ, Roswell, NM, & New York City

Time period: Contemporary

Plot summary: As marketing manager, Katherine “Kitty” Katt, is on her way back to work from jury duty, she witnesses a bizarre scene outside of Pueblo Caliente’s courthouse.  Before she has a chance to think twice, she has killed her first alien parasite/ superbeing with the only weapon she had on hand – her pen.  As a result, she now has several good looking Men in Grey trying to recruit her to their agency.  Kitty soon finds herself racing at hyperspeed to save her family (and the world), while discovering intimate secrets about her new colleagues.

Appeal factors:

Pacing: This is an incredibly fast paced story.  Kitty is deeply involved in the action by the third page of the story.

Characterization: The novel is told in first person through Kitty’s perspective.  Important secondary characters include agents Jeff Martini & Christopher White, as well as Kitty’s mother, Angela Katt.

Frame: The frame is set by both the title and the short introduction.  The title refers to the romantic elements of the novel, while the introduction refers to comic books and superpowers.

Story line: A fast and fun story about family, relationships, and saving the world from alien terrorists using unconventional means.

Subject headings:

From Pima County Public Library:

Extraterrestrial beings — Fiction.

Science fiction.

Somewhat similar authors:

Christine Feehan

Iris Johansen

J.R. Ward

Personal notes:  I really enjoyed this book – it had many laugh out loud moments for me.  I found the writing to be very witty.  I definitely plan to keep on reading this series because it is just a whole lot of fun.

Other: Diversity – aliens, empaths, imageers, superbeings, homosexuals, terrorists

Gini Koch’s website