First Dimension

"Don't you ever tell me how to speak to her."

First Dimension
Rebecca Royce
The Saga of Safe Haven, book one
ebook, 118 pages
Published 2010 by Liquid Silver Books
Previously published in 2009
ISBN 9781595786500

The only person who can save not one but two dimensions, Hadley Pettigrew is living a simple, undisturbed life on Earth, completely unaware of who and what she is. That is, until a dark, seriously sexy stranger kidnaps her off her science vessel and forces her to change all of her beliefs about what is and is not possible in the course of twenty-four hours.

When faced with the decision of letting his princess continue to suffer or using her daughter to return to his own dimension, Hawk easily chose to kidnap Hadley. What he didn't anticipate was how much he would admire her intellect or desire her body. Together Hawk and Hadley will have to overcome past obstacles to carve out a new future, not just for themselves but also for more people than they ever dreamed possible. The first year in a new dimension has arrived.

Who will live and who will die is almost as important as who will fall in love.

So this is a book one, but there was never a book two. There's no mention of First Dimension on the author's site either. At one time it was sold through B&N but Goodreads is the only place I can find it mentioned now. Oh, and Youtube. It's been on my TBR since 2010 and only now that it's dropped off the face of the Earth am I getting to it. Go figure.

Over two centuries ago, Hawk became the leader of his princess's guard, taking on a blood oath to never betray his loyalty to her and protect her no matter the cost. And, well, the task wasn't exactly a success. 

She's trapped now, within our dimension, in a coma wherein she is awakened every thirty years by a man named Pettigrew who then beds her and sires from her a daughter that will live no longer than thirty years. Whether trapped by a spell or by her own willingness who knows. And honestly, it takes a couple chapters in before you even come to understand that much. 

Having failed at every other attempt to free his princess, Hawk makes a decision that could ultimately condemn him a traitor and abducts one of her daughters in an attempt to return to his own dimension. He needs the royal blood to cross over, leaving behind the immortality and great powers he possesses here. His crew follow him into the madness of his plot where things don't go exactly as planned. 

The goal was to take Hailey Pettigrew, but Jeremiah, Hawk's second in command, leads them to Hadley, her twin sister. Here's where Hawk comes to regret his plan. He doesn't want to hurt Hadley and can't promise that he can save her life. 

Hadley is one unique woman. Sure, she's pissed at being kidnapped and held hostage from her bed in the middle of the night but aside from that, and even more than that, she's curious. As she watches Hawk suffer an attack that leaves his body going up in flames, only to regenerate before her very eyes, she comes to the realization that nothing is as it seems and becomes all too eager to listen to everything Hawk has to say, believing every word.

And once she crosses over with Hawk and (most of) his men, Hadley discovers a world beyond her wildest imagination. All the while conversing with a giant squid from her dreams.

I have to say, Hawk is rather extreme. First with Jeremiah when the guy suggests he be a bit nicer to Hadley and then, once in Haven, when his man Stone offers to assist Hadley as they make their way to Astor, the capital city. Woah! Who would have thought that would be such an issue. God forbid the woman mention Stone's name afterward, as she did, and create a whole issue out of it. "High School 101" indeed! Our dear hero has insecurity problems. Jealousy problems. Temper problems, too.

And I laughed my ass off throughout the entire ordeal. The guy is deliciously insane.

While it may take a bit to get into the flow of things, this story is actually a great twist on the whole making a deal with the devil thing. The attraction between Hadley and Hawk is instant and yes, the romance may feel a bit rushed, but it works in this case. For this reader anyway.

4 out of 5 stars.

Now, what the hell happened to book two?!

UPDATE (10/29/14)
First Dimension was re-written, and republished, under the title Everywhere and Nowhere on July 4, 2014. It's sequel is currently a WIP by the author.