The Reflex

I went into this expecting a standard suburban spy thriller, but Maria Denison threw a massive curveball that I didn't see coming. This book refuses to stay in its lane, blending CIA-style tension with elements that felt like they came from total left field, specifically the mind-reading and telepathic "talking" connection. The story follows Cara, a stay-at-home mom who is actually a former "Dark Angel" spy. The pacing is a bit of a slow burn at first; it didn’t necessarily have me rushing back to pick it up every spare second, but whenever I did, I was genuinely entertained. The "Duran Duran" trigger, hearing the song The Reflex everywhere, was a clever way to build psychological tension.

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The transition from a "B-A mom with a secret past" story to something almost supernatural was jarring at first, but surprisingly effective. The "Reflex" isn't just a physical trigger; it’s a deep, mental bond. If you like your romance with a side of "wait, what just happened?", the twists here will definitely satisfy you.

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The real standout here is the "reality glitch" aspect. Denison brings in preternatural elements that feel like they come out of left field, but in a way that refreshes the spy trope. The telepathic/mind-reading connection between the characters was a surprise, but it added a layer of intimacy to the romance that you just don't see in typical thrillers.

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I’m giving this 4 stars because the twists were genuinely creative. Even though I was surprised by the sudden shift in genre, the author "earned" the shock value by weaving it into the deep-seated secrets of the characters' pasts. If you like a story that refuses to stay in one lane and features a strong, dangerous heroine who still has to deal with moody teenage twins, this is a great pick.

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Trigger & Content Warnings

-Violence: Graphic combat, descriptions of past torture/interrogation (backstory), and domestic threats.

-Trauma: Heavy themes of PTSD, childhood conditioning, and the psychological weight of a "erased" identity.

-Abuse: References to past physical and emotional abuse by authority figures.

-Family Stress: Depictions of the difficulties of parenting and strained relationships with teenage children.

-Explicit Content: There are sporadic and spread out explicit scenes or at least explicit verbiage