Seventh by Rachel White

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I liked that the rejection Hynd felt was real, and had more to do with fear of the disease he was in remission from than his disfigurement. Hynd wasn't simply moping away in his home, but faced persecution, and harassment when he went outside. My introduction to Julius wasn't promising, but I liked that he grew over the course of the story. I appreciated that both Hynd and Julius had to learn to trust each other, and both men had their own issues and problems to deal with. Julius may have been beautiful, but that in no way made his life perfect. The side characters were also interesting, and well developed.

The plot of the story was interesting, and I found myself drawn into the mystery as much as the characters. I liked the time they spent researching, and how it served to help the characters understand each other. I liked how the secondary cast fit into the plot of the story. They weren't merely props, and some grew as much as the main characters. The ending was well done, and I appreciated that things didn't work out quite the way I was afraid they might. Overall a really nice story, perfect for my weekend away.

mle