Sunday, June 30, 2019

Review: Unsung Heroine by Sarah Kuhn

Unsung Heroine by Sarah Kuhn
Series: Heroine Complex, Book 3.5
Publisher: DAW
Genre: Urban Fantasy
ISBN: 9780756415730
Release Date: July 2, 2019
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Lucy Valdez is many things: fight trainer/bodyguard to superheroines, fabulous vintage fashion plate, undisputed karaoke queen at local joint, The Gutter. She is also one of the toughest fighters in all of San Francisco without superpowers. So why can't she seem to confess her feelings to her longtime crush Rose Rorick, head of the San Francisco Police Department's Demon Unit?

Well.... actually, she knows why. She's afraid Rose won't like the real Lucy, the Lucy underneath all the fabulous bravado. (She is still fabulous underneath that bravado--just in a different way.)

When a mysterious new karaoke star rises up at The Gutter and eclipses her, Lucy finds her confidence further shaken--and when strange, seemingly supernatural happenings threaten both this new star and The Gutter's very existence, she must rise to the challenge and investigate alongside Rose. Will Lucy be able to vanquish the demonic threat to her beloved karaoke haven, confess her true feelings to Rose, and reclaim her karaoke throne?

Unsung Heroine is fresh, fun, and fast-paced. It has all the quirky action I’ve come to expect from Sarah Kuhn’s Heroine Complex series plus a romance that will make you smile and sigh.

Lucy may not have superpowers, but that doesn’t stop her from being one of the most fearsome fighters in all of San Francisco. Lucy is a fantastic heroine. She’s vibrant, quick-thinking, caring, tough, has a fun sense of fashion, and she’s a local karaoke star. Beneath all of that, she’s also deeply vulnerable. She’s been hurt and guards her heart so fiercely she’s afraid to go for what she wants. And what she wants is Rose, head of SFPD’s Demon Unit. Rose is quiet, serious, strong, and a total geek. I absolutely loved Rose and I really wish we had her point of view in this story, but I’m biased because she’s one of my favorite characters in this series. Rose and Lucy are friends, but it’s easy to see they’re meant to be so much more. Lucy has her reasons for holding back and I understood them, but I was rooting for her to take a risk with Rose because I knew they’d make a dreamy couple.

Romance is only one part of Unsung Heroine – there’s also a new demon threat shaking things up. A demonic force is attacking a new talent – and Lucy’s new rival – at The Gutter. Attack confetti and possessed mic cords? It’s all in a day’s work for Jupiter/Tanaka, Inc. Evie, Aveda, Bea, and co. are on hand to help save the day and the results are quirky, fun action sequences. If you don’t mind some spoilers from the first two Heroine Complex books (the majority of this story takes place between books two and three) you can jump right into Unsung Heroine. If you’re a fan, you’ll delight in seeing all your favorites, though the focus of the story never strays from the main characters or plot. I adored seeing Evie and Aveda help Lucy not only battle demonic forces, but figure out her love life (I can’t imagine ever not having a soft spot for Aveda). All in all, Unsung Heroine was a blast to read. It’s got strong heroines, a sensual and oh-so-sweet romance, and a fantastically fun plot that makes the pages fly by.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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