Customer Reviews

Unleashed (Futuristic Romance)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lacey Garrett is a computer programmer. Her fiancé steals her program wipes out her savings, and then runs off with everything. Lacey ends up picking up Oliver, the cat he abandoned, and moving to a secluded area. She only wants to be left alone so she can try to salvage the one client she has left.

When Lacey read a post on one of the "geek" boards asking for help identifying some images, Lacey answers. Her good deed did not go unpunished. Lacey finds herself and Oliver transported to another planet.

Zain Masters is a former advance scout for InterGlax. (Think space law enforcement.) He has been on InterGlax's Wanted List for about ten years now for the death of his partner. Zain and his sentient ship, Reene, were simply exploring a planet when they came upon a camouflaged section and found themselves being shot out of the sky. From the looks of nearby debris, it is obvious that someone is hiding something worth killing over. Reene needs repairs fast. His energy cells are failing. But even if Reene gets patched up they cannot leave without turning off the weapons that shot them down. In a nearby dome, Zain finds odd images and needs help figuring them out. Help came from a "juvenile planet" (one who still believes it is alone in the universe). He did not expect the female he beamed aboard to be so lovely or have a cat in her arms. He also did not expect for Reene to lose more power and be unable to send her home. They team up in hopes of figuring out the images and getting off the planet. But it turns out the dome is only the tip of the iceberg, literally.

Things go from bad, to worse, to impossible. It is up to a man, a woman, a cat, a small brain ship, a few lasers, and a crustacean (yes, you read that right) to take down the biggest and deadliest corporation in the galaxy.

***** When author C. J. Barry sets out to give readers an action packed romance, she does not hold back any punches! Just like her other space adventure novel, titled "Unmasked", I began reading and could not stop until the last page had been turned. Barry is causing me to lose too many hours of sleep. I may need to take some time off work just to catch up on my bed rest. UNPUTDOWNABLE! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I have to describe this book as AWESOME!

Lacey Garrett has answered an email requesting help from "zainman" only to find herself in the strangest dream she's ever concocted. Only, it's not a dream.

Zain Masters, an intergalactic planet cartographer had his ship shot down while trying to check the planets surface, and is now stuck under a force field. He needs help translating pictures and text to hopefully turn off the lasers and force field, Zain has beamed Lacey into his life-threatening predicament.

Stuck in an unknown environment, Lacey rises to the challenges threatening her life in the form of "Bobzillas" - Godzilla like creatures that look remarkably like her ex-fiancee Bob. But what Lacey fights the most is the woman within. After all, how can she fight the attraction that has been UNLEASHED for an alien?

Ms Barry has a phenomenal ability weave a paranormal action packed romance that spans the universe. I am blown away with her creativity. I was amazed at how the story plot sucked me in as a reader and yet the bulk of UNLEASHED revolved around only Zain, his sentient space ship Reene, Lacey and her cat Oliver. The "UN" series has me hooked, and with the introduction of Zains' sister, I'm hoping for another story.

As for our heroine, Lacey has had several rude awakenings in the last couple years of her life. And while she was already very likeable, it was amazing to watch her bloom with Zains love. Her fuzzy bedroom slippers cracked me up - what a mortifying way to get kidnapped by an alien!

Zain, a man of mystery from UNEARTHED and UNCHAINED, finally has his story told. Used to working by himself, he has an ego (that gets him nowhere), but at the same time, has the ability to recognize he needs help. The help he gets is from a human, who seems worldly but has normal fears that he takes the time to help Lacey through. It melted my heart and I wasn't disappointed at all!

While the Bobzilla initially instilled fear in me, the way Lacey used them turned them into a major source of belly laughs. I don't think I will ever think of Godzilla the same thanks to Ms Barry!

So, if you haven't read a book by Ms Barry yet, I highly recommend picking up this story. Lacey falls into the category of a kick-butt and rescue her man heroine! (Note: This is part of a series. Yes, you can read it alone without any confusion. But, in the first two novels, he is single...)

I just loved this book. It is as good if not better than the other two, but the whole series is great. Lacey and Zain are terrific, sexy, interesting and complex characters. I hope Barry continues to write futuristic novels. Read all three in this series and you won't be disappointed.

In Virginia, a distraught Lacey Garrett knows she must start over since her former fiancé stole her business and her savings, and left behind a cat Oliver and nothing else. She vows on New Year's Eve to never allow anyone especially a male to interfere with her life.

However, five minutes after her resolutions to play it safe and ignore men, Lacey and Oliver find themselves on board a spaceship because she as Cyber Queen responded to an email from someone named Zainman asking for help. Captain Zain Masters demands Lacey and Oliver provide him with answers to how he was shot down by laser cannons on an allegedly uninhabited planet. Now they have five days to resolve what is going on or else while creatures out of a 1950s B movie harass them on some strange planet in which Oliver adapts faster than Lacey perhaps because of the Zain distraction factor. Still she begins offering real solutions in between Zain's delightful kisses.

In her latest "Un...ed" tale (see UNEARTHED and UNRAVELED), C.J. Barry provides readers with a wild fun science fiction romance that will make true believers out of those who nay say ET. The exhilarating story line moves forward faster than the speed of light as the action never slows down from the moment that Zain's equipment malfunctions until the final climax. The star-crossed in love lead pair is a wonderful coupling while the support crew from Oliver to the enemy make this a fabulous journey into space as only C.J. (cerebrally jocular) Barry can escort readers.

Harriet Klausner

Lacey Garrett is making a stand. After all, when your so-called fiancé ran off with her business & her life saving and leaves her with a tube of toothpaste all squished out....well, actually his cat, Oliver...a girl has to get her priorities straight. First, rebuild her career; two, stay in control of her destiny, and fight to the death anyone who tries to take that away from her; and three, when in doubt play it safe.
Of course, Lady Fate has a sense of humour and just adores having a wee giggle on Lacey, for not more than 5 minutes after making those firm New Year's Resolutions she finds herself aboard a spaceship - beam me up, Scotty style - worse, on another planet! And while the Capt. Video is tall, muscular and quite a gal's dream, Lacey is determined he won't push her...and Oliver...around! Enough is Enough!

Lacey at first believes Capt. Marvel is stuff dreams are made of - literally - but once she dashes outside the spaceship, and she finds she is not in Kansas...um, Virginia any more, and she and Toto...hum, Oliver...are not going to be a happy campers. That will teach her to answer strange emails!

Zain Masters is just "borrowing" Lacey...um, and her cat...to get some answers. He was shot down on a strange planet that is supposedly uninhabited, but those laser cannons did not get there by accident! He saw a strange configuration of designs inside the one domed buildings on the forbidding planet and sent out a desperate call for help. It was answered by Lacey, and she seemed to have insight to the riddle, so he was just "borrowing" her to pick her brain. But a malfunction plops Lacey and Oliver down on his teeny space ship, and they have about 5 days to solve the riddle and get out of "Dodge".

Lacey is not thrilled, though Oliver takes things in stride, that they are on a distant planet harassed by a Godzilla-like creature - that just happens to bear a strong resemblance to her ex-fiancé, Bob. But once she gets a handle on things, she is thrilled actually to be a real part of a team instead of being used and dismiss. She could actually help Zain, if only he would let her.

Once again, C.J. Barry brings her brilliantly funny wit to an outer-space, Indiana-Jones adventure. It's a riot of fun, with Lacey and Zain more than heating up things along the way. Barry's third novel announces she is here to stay and one of the brightest voices in Sci-Fi Romance today!

After reading Susan Grant's Contact I became interested in these futuristic romances, and Unleashed didn't let me down. I eagerly jumped into this book and didn't emerge until I was finished. From Zain Masters to Lacy Garrett these two were made for each other. I also enjoyed Reene and Oliver and Torrie,Zain's sister. Even the aliens were enjoyable especially Bobzilla and finelly Po. I highly recommend this book and will be awaiting for Unmasked the book coming out in May/2005. I even pre-ordered Unraveled. I think that Barry will have a promising career writing these books if she can keep up the spirit. Gives a new meaning To I'm in love with a man from the stars and boy what a hunk.............

When Lacey Garrett takes a moment to answer a message board poster's question, she has no clue that doing so will soon have her teleported to another planet. Zain Masters believed that he had been scouting a simple, out of the way world. Then a hidden laser shot his ship out of the sky. Lacey is the only person who seems to understand the strange markings on a local monument. Markings that seem to hold the key to a way out of his situation. But something dangerous lurks beneath the surface. Barry's third book in the Un series is a fun adventure/romance, but the planet hopping plotlines of the previous entries is missing this time out. Lacey and Zain spend most of the novel in one place, a desert planet the Warrior Programmer dubs Death Valley. Despite the lack of world building diversity Barry's story is a delight to read. Highly recommended.

Lacey Garrett is a computer programmer. Her fiancé steals her program wipes out her savings, and then runs off with everything. Lacey ends up picking up Oliver, the cat he abandoned, and moving to a secluded area. She only wants to be left alone so she can try to salvage the one client she has left.

When Lacey read a post on one of the "geek" boards asking for help identifying some images, Lacey answers. Her good deed did not go unpunished. Lacey finds herself and Oliver transported to another planet.

Zain Masters is a former advance scout for InterGlax. (Think space law enforcement.) He has been on InterGlax's Wanted List for about ten years now for the death of his partner. Zain and his sentient ship, Reene, were simply exploring a planet when they came upon a camouflaged section and found themselves being shot out of the sky. From the looks of nearby debris, it is obvious that someone is hiding something worth killing over. Reene needs repairs fast. His energy cells are failing. But even if Reene gets patched up they cannot leave without turning off the weapons that shot them down. In a nearby dome, Zain finds odd images and needs help figuring them out. Help came from a "juvenile planet" (one who still believes it is alone in the universe). He did not expect the female he beamed aboard to be so lovely or have a cat in her arms. He also did not expect for Reene to lose more power and be unable to send her home. They team up in hopes of figuring out the images and getting off the planet. But it turns out the dome is only the tip of the iceberg, literally.

Things go from bad, to worse, to impossible. It is up to a man, a woman, a cat, a small brain ship, a few lasers, and a crustacean (yes, you read that right) to take down the biggest and deadliest corporation in the galaxy.

***** When author C. J. Barry sets out to give readers an action packed romance, she does not hold back any punches! Just like her other space adventure novel, titled "Unmasked", I began reading and could not stop until the last page had been turned. Barry is causing me to lose too many hours of sleep. I may need to take some time off work just to catch up on my bed rest. UNPUTDOWNABLE! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I just recently discovered C.J. Barry, and this is the second book I have read by this author. I read and enjoyed "Unearthed", and liked it well enough to try another.
Unleashed has our Earthwoman heroine, Lacey Garrett, transported without her permission to another world, were Zain Masters has summoned her for assistance to break free of a mysterious force that caused his ship to crash on an unknown planet.
Smart, independent heroine combined with sexy, alpha, but not too alpha hero make for a great combination. Barry's futuristic world is interesting and believable with great supporting characters, humor and action, this book makes for a great summer read. This is not a heavy, dark toned story but a light romp with well developed characters who you root for from beginning to end. I enjoyed this book and will definately read more of CJ Barry's books.

CJ Barry is one brilliant voice in furturistic romance these days. What makes her so special is just not the slam bang super adventure tales, the strong sexy romances, but her ability to weave humour through them. Don't UNstop!!! I want UNmore!!!

I loved the monster!!! Keep them coming and I shall keep reading them!

UNVery UNmuch UNLooking to the UNnext UNone!!!