Eva Marteinn never wanted to be a killer. Raised in the Commonwealth, where citizens live and die by the code of the Seven Sins, Eva is sickened by the barbaric punishments the High Priests inflict. When she’s Chosen as the first female bellator, Eva is devastated. But she is inordinately gifted at the very role she abhors. When she falls for her mentor, Ari Westergaard, she knows they should do anything to avoid each other. Balanced on a razor’s edge of desire and betrayal, the two uncover a secret that could overturn the Commonwealth itself. Eva must decide to either turn her back on Ari, and remain loyal to her home — or stake her life on the boy she’s come to love.

The relationship between Ari and Eva is fascinating. It is wonderful to see how they met and got to know each other. It's a terrific book with great characters.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC.

Four and a half
This started in such a way that I was instantly enthralled by Eva and also the world she lives in. The author has somehow managed to meld together numerous genres as Eva lives in a society that has risen up following the Earth being depleted of many natural resources so I guess you expect me to say dystopian . Well actually this book is more than that, a whole lot more !
Eva has been raised by the Commonwealth, a society that is blinkered by the teachings of its Priest's who rage against sins. Wrath, greed, pride etc but rather more crucially lust which brings me to a salient point, fornication is punishable by death or banishment . Children are created in laboratories and test tubes without parents to raise them and instead live in groups with caregivers. Touch, gentleness and feelings are frowned upon and punishable. I've seen some comparisons to the Hunger Games but honestly I got much more of a Handmaids Tale vibe.
Eva knows she's somehow different to those she has been raised with but hides her unfathomable abilities. Expecting to be assigned to work in technology she's absolutely floored when picked to be the first female Bellator, an elite killing squad. Here's she's mentored by Ari a confident, dangerous recruit who unknown to Eva has been watching her secretly for several years !
This story gallops along and just pulled me with it. I liked that even though it's technically dystopian we aren't hit over the head with eco warnings and instead its just a simple background. What I didn't like was from the start children are excited to watch executions and it felt as if humanity and emotions had been stifled. Also if not conforming to perceived desirable attributes people were ostracized, bullied and generally treated like slaves so a truly unpleasant society. Luckily the plot is essentially about Eva and Ari and their relationship. Things happen at breakneck speed which kept me glued to my kindle. There is almost a science fiction element here but it doesn't feel futuristic and actually much more totalitarian. The irony is that the Bellators, who truly are little more than assassins actually have a lot more freedom than those they oppress. This surprised me constantly and definitely kept me entertained and I cannot wait to read more about these characters and the dangerous situations that await them.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley