Virtually His by Gennita Low

This book just knocked me on my ass. I read it in one sitting, staying up half the night to reach the last page. Then I laid awake a bit longer trying to figure out how to share this thrill ride without ruining it for others. Everything that happened in this story was a surprise. Determined to tell everyone about this read, I even considered writing up a review and asking Ms. Low to check it for potential spoilers. Then I ditched that idea and figured I’d just be adamant (using the F word a lot) that folks read it, but remain vague as hell.

Then, this morning, I checked Low’s website to see how much of this story she is sharing with readers. Whoa. Quite a bit if you drill into her site and read the blurb for the next book, Virtually Hers. Whew. That makes it easier to review Virtually His, but I can’t say enough about how much I benefited from going into this read completely blind. As far as I knew, Virtually His was the start of a new series for Low. Aside from a few blog posts about the virtual reality technology, I had read little about the story. Hadn’t even read the back cover blurb. I simply ordered it from Amazon and waited for its release. (After reading her backlist last year, Low is an auto-buy for me.)

When I picked up the book, I read the back cover first. The blurb is a cryptic introduction of Helen Roston, the book’s heroine and Low’s newest ‘ultimate secret operative’. Very scifi. Then I read the acknowledgements. Low thanks the individuals who read/critiqued for her along the way and apologized for keeping the hero’s identity from them. Hmmm. I hadn’t read a word of the story yet and already my mind was jumping ahead.

Page one kicks off the story with a classified government memo and is followed by outtakes of Roston’s virtual remote viewing training. This was a really clever way of bringing readers up to speed without the traditional info dump. I call them outtakes because Low infuses each lecture or session excerpt with classroom antics from Helen, her star pupil. Funny and insightful. By the time the story begins, we all know that Helen, aka Hell, is a beloved smartass.

Right away, characters from Low’s previous books show up. While I had already recognized the acronyms of government agencies Low established in earlier stories, I had expected nothing more than mention or reference to those early characters. I was still thinking whole new series, whole new cast. Series slut that I am, I was thrilled to see familiar faces in full attendance to guide and care for the new heroine.

As the project unfolds, Hell continues to endear readers with her wit and determination. All the while, the unnamed hero watches her, his intent questionable, his own character suspect. And she knows he is watching. The effect? There is sexual tension long before their first virtual meeting. That tension is heightened by his formal position as the one in control as well as by his sexual manipulation of her in her first virtual tests. He is her monitor (think handler) during virtual remote viewing and each of his tests serves to bind her to him with unerring trust. Sexy as all get out.

Low deftly uses the imagery of shadow and light and a surround sound echo instead of voice to keep the hero’s cover. She also employs a hilarious device to hide his appearance in later virtual meetings—allowing Helen to create her own image (avatar) of him, fueled by her wicked sense of humor. Every sensation, every image adds to the sensual undertone, pulling the reader into the romance. All the while, Low is carefully assembling the critical pieces that make up the story’s endgame. Cunning, sexy and more than a little devious. You will just shake your head when it all comes together.

We do get the hero’s POV throughout. Not too much, but enough to ensure the reader will not sleep until his identity is revealed. We also get a handful of alpha commandos positioned to execute the final mission. Neither Helen, nor the reader knows the true intent or purpose of each commando. Low cloaks them all in mystery, leaving Helen to wonder who, if any, could be her monitor. As Helen’s need to unmask him escalates, so does the readers’. I was dying here. Trying to imagine each one as the monitor. Even taking a couple of leaps, curious about just how outrageous Low could be. I could not figure it out. Had no fucking clue. Loved that.

I also loved the humor. In one instance, Low introduces a commando during a tension-filled, high-level government briefing. His appearance and the subsequent vampire comment from his peer had me laughing so hard I nearly wet myself. Overall, for every dangerous alpha speaking softly (shiver), there are equal doses of spirited, adolescent banter. Again, sexy as all get out.

So, familiar characters, enticing romance and bulging alphas all headed toward a dangerous mission. What else? Villians, yes. But they don’t take up too much time or space. More like they provide another twist that pops on the next to the last page.

That leaves the hero’s identity and the book’s conclusion. Both of which will kick your ass. When he did finally appear, his description alone stopped my heart. In that instant, Low delivered a wallop that gave new meaning to the concept of pivotal moment. Not saying who he is. And trust me, if you go looking, you’ll find the answer. Don’t. Do. It. Savor this book first.

As for the ending, well…shit, I’m not saying anything about that either. I’ll just say that I was a touched pissed. Didn’t expect that and August is a fucking long way from now.

Buy Virtually His here.