In a post-apocalyptic city where everyone has a unique power and rival gangs vie for control through a dangerous, power-enhancing drug, Ambrose—son of a gang lord—struggles with addiction and dreams of a peaceful life with his boyfriend Cai, who belongs to the enemy gang. As Ambrose seeks recovery and a fresh start, the story explores themes of addiction, healing, and forbidden love against a backdrop of shifting realities and fractured family loyalties.

Reader Review Summary

Set in a post-apocalyptic world where every human develops a unique power, the story follows Ambrose, the son of a major gang lord, and his boyfriend Cai, who belongs to a rival gang. The city is divided by the invention of Ethertyx, a drug that temporarily enhances powers but leads to their eventual loss through addiction. Ambrose’s struggle with addiction, his desire to escape gang life, and his relationship with Cai form the core of the narrative. The plot includes elements such as established romance, gang rivalry, time manipulation powers, and alternate timelines, with a focus on Ambrose’s journey toward recovery and a peaceful life. The book also features a character named Suyin, who has the ability to heal withdrawal symptoms, and explores themes of family, love, and the consequences of power. Graphic violence, explicit sex, and drug use are present throughout the story.

Readers appreciated the established relationship between Ambrose and Cai, noting that the story begins with them already together, which allowed for exploration of how they maintain their bond rather than just how they fall in love. The depiction of addiction and recovery was frequently highlighted as nuanced and respectful, with several readers mentioning personal resonance or praise for the handling of these themes. Ambrose’s time-freezing power and the variety of abilities in the world were seen as engaging, and the character-driven focus, especially on Ambrose’s internal struggles, was well received. Suyin was mentioned as a standout supporting character, and the book’s pacing and action in the early chapters were noted as attention-grabbing. Some readers also enjoyed the Romeo and Juliet parallels and the inclusion of queer romance in a sci-fi setting.

A common criticism was the limited world-building, with multiple readers expressing a desire for more background on the apocalyptic event, the origins of powers, and the structure of the city and gangs. The pacing was another frequent issue: some found the story slow to start, while others felt the main conflict and resolution arrived too late or were rushed, particularly in the final chapters. The use of flashbacks was sometimes confusing, and some readers felt the characters, especially Cai and side characters like Atlas, were underdeveloped or lacked sufficient on-page interaction to fully invest in their relationships. The shift in focus during the second half, including the alternate timeline plotline, was seen as abrupt or less engaging by some, and the ending was often described as abrupt or unsatisfying.

The book has an average reader rating of 4.0 out of 5 from 20 ratings and 18 full reviews, with publication scheduled for July 2025. It is categorized as science fiction but was sometimes described by readers as closer to urban fantasy due to the prominence of magical abilities over technological elements. The narrative includes explicit content and trigger warnings for violence, sex, and drug use. Several readers expressed interest in learning more about the world’s history or seeing side characters like Suyin featured in future works, and some compared aspects of the story to other media such as the Grishaverse. The book is a standalone novel and is the second published work by the author, Kate Peters.