ARC provided by NetGalley. This was a fun and fast read. Unique storyline from a new author for me. Add this to your summer reading list.

2 ⭐️ So much potential


Summary:

A fanfiction writer by day and an assassin by night, Jen kills bad guys to help her mother pay for cancer treatment. But when her next target is the star of her favorite show and fanfiction, Gemini Divided, she goes deep undercover to find out why.


My Thoughts:


Even though the premise is ridiculous and unbelievable, I actually liked it. It gave me Miss Congeniality vibes except if Sandra Bullock was the one sent to kill Miss United States.

Female assassin. Undercover assignment. Celebrity crush. Secrets and lies. Suspense. Thriller. Mystery.

There were so many elements to this story that I loved, but the delivery wasn’t quite there. Here are a few things that hindered my enjoyment of the overall story.

• There were a lot of repetitive inner thoughts. Throughout the story, Jen kept having this internal crisis on whether or not she should kill Will. Obviously, I get it. Characters should have a crisis to overcome. But it was the same question and answers over and over again, “should I kill Will?”, “no, I don’t want to because he seems like a good guy but I have to prove he’s not bad”, or “I have to because if I don’t my mom won’t have a way to pay for her medical bills”. These thoughts could have been mentioned three times and I would have been satisfied. But it was constant, so I zoned out.


• This story is also extremely wordy. Again, lots of inner thoughts, and unnecessary descriptions. I was mostly interested in the dialogue so I had to skim most of it to stay interested.


• There were a few things that certain characters did or said that were so implausible I couldn’t get into the story. For example:

- When the new waiter at the coffee house straight up tells Jen she’s old and asks if she has a real job. Wtf? No one says that.
- Will not being able to handle weird 14-year-old fangirls was a stretch. I’m sorry, but what? Either be mean to them or hire security.
- The producer hiring a hitman to kill Will for happening to see the crates? Will is the lead actor in an incredibly popular TV show. He’s high profile and not really replaceable to the show. A producer would confirm if Will saw something he shouldn't before hiring an assassin to kill him.
- Once Jen and Will are on the run, she gets jumpy and unfocused. That doesn’t make sense. She has training from her military days and has 2 years of experience killing, she wouldn’t be freaking out when things get complicated.
- Jen not going to jail, but instead is given a clean slate by the FBI is unlikely. I get it. This is a fictional romance thriller, so we need these characters to have their happy ending, but the odds of this happening are slim. Maybe she would have a deal worked out with them but to get off completely free after assassinating a bunch of people? I doubt it.
- Jen's mom later learns what she did and simply says, “You shouldn’t have done it, of course, but I understand. If I had your skills, and something threatened you that way, I’d have done the same thing.” It’d be devastating learning that my daughter resorted to killing people to pay for my medical bills. Honestly, I’d have said, "let me die because saving my life is not worth risking your future."
- Will wanting to be romantically involved with Jen after knowing everything seemed far-fetched. Sure I could see forgiving her is possible, but wanting to actually date someone who has been killing people? No thanks.
- Also, when Will says, “When you disappeared, there was a hole in my life where you should have been, even though we hadn’t known each other long.” You’ve known each other for THREE days! Chill out bro. But I guess that’s romance for you.


Overall, Gemini Divided had a lot of potential - an exciting, fun concept but it just didn’t deliver.


Thank you to NetGalley and Books Go Social for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.

Gemini Divided by Lauren Kristen Roberts is a creative story with a few red herring along the way. The characters are likable for a Chic lit story but lacks the finishing touches that will have readers coming back for more.
The story felt unsure of what direction it wanted to go darker or more humor.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of Gemini Divided.
3 1\2 stars

I recently (maybe sometimes at the end of last year) read another book like this, with a woman compelled to become a hitman. That book started off well but tapered off without much backing for the love story in it. This, however, worked the other way around.
The writing was snappy and drew me into the predicaments that Jen finds herself in. We are quickly informed about how reluctantly she was forced into this role and how it changed her life. She spends a good part of her day winding down by fantasizing about a tv show. Only when her work and fantasy collide is she forced to reevaluate her life.
Her job sets her up to be in the inner circle of the show's leading man. She is barely there a day when things start to go sideways. Her thought process made sense despite the absurdity of the situation.
It got better once I was more invested in the eventual outcome. In some ways, the ending did tie up in a decent manner.
Since the time window of the entire plot is surprisingly short, there is not much more that I can talk about here. This is not for anyone who does not want a romantic angle in their otherwise action-packed narrative. Since there is a good deal of the action while the romance is the foundation that drives the action.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Although slightly disappointing this was a solid 3 star read. At times the pacing felt really off. It was really slow at some points but I flew through the ending. I think I expected a bit more fast paced action and more romance. I did find the descriptions of the movie set and what they did on set to be enjoyable. Just not enough action or romance for me!

I received a digital ARC of #GeminiDivided from BooksGoSocial through #NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

It was an intriguing idea, being hired to kill an actor you absolutely love. It started out slow, but took speed over the course and I liked the way it proceeded.
Jen was very real, her constant tug of war with her own self showed how her heart wasn't in this for a minute but she had to be numb for continuing it anyways.
Will, did seem unrealistic to be fair, but it's fiction, so I am okay with it. He was quite nice, and his reactions did seem genuine even when far-fetched.
It was an instant-bond trope, but well perhaps getting shot at and saving your lives together does significantly improve the bond.

In all, it was a decent read.

This book was a whole kettle of different. Even a bit different than what I was expecting. Well, it did start out kind of like was expecting and then took a major turn. One that I did enjoy. The story also had me wondering right along with Jen. Wondering if Will was as good as he appeared or was he just that excellent an actor BOTH onscreen and off. That part kept me busy.
Jen was definitely caught between a rock and a hard place but I still managed to like her. Even sympathize with her too. There was plenty of emotions to the story beginning with Jen.
Once Jen begins to learn more and starts to put some pieces together, things REALLY take off!
Throughout the story I kept wondering how on earth things could ever work out for the good. So, the story really did keep my interest there.
Can you guess how everything is going to turn out? You'll have to read the story to find that out.

" I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book through Netgalley. And these are my honest opinions about it.”

I loved the premise of fangirl by day, assassin by night. I really enjoyed reading Jen’s inner monologue and personal turmoil of her conscious trying to take over. She knew what she was doing was wrong, but it pays the bills.

I don’t know if I would classify as a romance novel perse. There was definitely a friend to lovers type of tension - or I guess I acquaintance to lovers? The timeline was not long enough for us to really get to lovers.

I still enjoyed it as a whole and found it very easy to get into. If Roberts were to find a way to continue it as a series, I would definitely be interested in following along.

I was given an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
I was not expecting to like this as much as I did. The plot was slightly predictable but also still surprising at points. I loved the interactions between the characters especially Will (the male mc), Jen (female mc) and Rachel (Wills co-star). One thing I really didn’t like was that the book was written in 3rd person, I by far prefer 1st person especially in romance books. Overall this book exceeded my expectations and I really enjoyed it.

Normally I would post what I put on my bookstagram, but I haven't had a chance to work on an edit for this book yet and I wanted to make sure I provided a review before the book is out. I just finished reading this book and I enjoyed it! I will say that it's different than what I have been reading lately, but that's something I enjoyed about it. I think the story was interesting and I could easily visualize the story as I was reading it.

Going into this story, I didn't expect Jen to be as conflicted as she was (Gemini Divided is a great title given her two different identities) about her assignment. I knew why she became an assassin and that she had a crush on Will from the blurb, but part of me expected her to be "cold". I found her to be interesting to read about. Will surprised me as well. I figured he wasn't a bad guy, but I did expect him to be different because he's an actor in Hollywood. I expected arrogance and an ego a mile wide from him, but he was the total opposite of that. I found myself crushing on him as much as Jen was!

I did enjoy this story, but I think there were a few things that I struggled with. The pacing of the story was off at times. It had a great start, but then slowed a little until Jen got into the action of meeting Will and being in California. Then, the pacing sped up and a lot happened in three days. I think from a reader perspective, I wish the beginning had been shorter, Jen had been around Will for a week or two, and then the action could take place. I think it would've built up their relationship more and the "Who hired me?" plot wouldn't have felt rushed. I still enjoyed it, but the pacing could've been worked out a bit more. Additionally, I would've liked this even more if it had been written in first person from Jen's POV rather than third person.

In my reviews, I typically rate spice (I have exceptions for YA books or books with heavy triggers where a spice rating feels wrong). If I had to rate the spice in this book, it would be zero, however, I don't think that spice is required for a book to be good. I've read countless YA books, adult romance, etc., with off the page scenes or really nothing and they are some of my favorite reads. I do think this story could have benefitted with a bit more tension/low level spice. They don't need to have implied sex or anything like that, but more of the hand holding, face caressing, kissing the back of her head (I died at that part because OMG) that we got in the story could've elevated their relationship more.
.
I think it would be cool to see Lauren revisit these characters again. When Jen was in protective mode and acting like his security, I was super into that. It would be cool to see Jen work as security or something in Hollywood, although given the ending and her cooperation with the FBI, that might not work. I still would love to see more of them, so if Lauren was wondering if she should write more about them, I say yes!

Check for my book edit on my bookstagram (@readwithevelane) and a blog post coming soon!

I want to start by saying thank you to NetGalley and the author, for the opportunity to read the ebook before the release date, and here’s my honest review.

Gemini Divided for me, started out strong. We have Jen this fmc that’s an assassin but hey, she has a heart and although she knows what she’s doing isn’t right, she’s making the world a better place… right? Until her new target is the guy in her favorite series, who she knows everything about (maybe?) and can’t see him as a bad guy.

The writing is ok, nothing bad about it but it could have been a bit more fast-paced. Sometimes I would find myself drifting off. The characters are alright, nothing wow. The action is definitely there and it was great. For me, it was kind of predictable from the beginning. The story build-up was kind of slow but ok. Overall, an ok read.

Wow- this book was fun to read, it had a bit of everything, action, suspense, romance! It’s definitely hard to categorise except to say that it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Jen is a big fan of the action series, Gemini Divided, featuring actors Will and Rachel. She spends all her spare time writing fan fiction about the show and it is clear from early on that she is a little bit in love with Will!
However Jen has another life- she is a paid assassin, earning enough money to pay her Mother’s medical bills. Normally the people she kills are terrorists or criminals and she works for her old army mentor which helps her to believe she is a vigilante force for good.
When she is sent her latest assignment she is shocked as she is asked to assassinate Will, lead actor on her favourite show and she has to make it look like an accident which means a job posing as Stephanie, Will’s new personal assistant. In normal circumstances a job as PA on her favourite Tv series would be her dream position but now she is terribly conflicted.
Jen tries to concentrate on the job at hand, knowing that it is the only way to earn the money but resolves to investigate Will to find out why he has been targeted. The assignment becomes progressively more difficult as Jen gets closer to Will and he seems like a genuinely nice guy . In fact it becomes clear that they both have feelings for each other.
This was a quick and entertaining read with plenty of thrills as well as some great characters. I liked the fact that there were some strong female protagonists and that it was Jen who ended up looking after Will, despite the fact he was one of the lead actors in an all action show.
This seems to be a debut novel by the author but I shall certainly be looking out for any of her future books. Definitely recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc.

I gave it my best. Read up to the 53% mark and skimmed the rest till the end. The story has potential, but without the romance aspect. Unfortunately, Gemini Divided came across as a cheesy soap opera to me. It wasn't even a mystery or thriller.

The beginning of the novel got my attention with the assasination scene, but that's about it. After that, most of the novel dealt with the protagonist's waffling on whether to move forward with the hit on her target. Nothing really developed and it was no surprise on the ending. Too bad that the romance aspect got in the way of the real story. A better narrative, in my opinion, would have been to play on the hitman with a conscience theme.

Gemini Divided turned out to be an unfortunate one star read for me. Too bad because it does have promise.

I received a digital ARC from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Gemini Divided is the first book that I have read by Lauren Kristen Roberts. It was a good and interesting story overall, but some things in the story were just so unrealistic that it kind of lost me. I mean if someone is was in the army and also has a couple of years experience as a hit woman, then you would expect that person to trust their instincts better and also remember things like that she hadn’t given her phone number to someone. I think the storyline itself had the potential to be a great story, but because of these unrealistic parts it fell a bit short. The story is about a woman named Jen, who becomes a hit woman because she needs money and fast to pay for her mom’s cancer treatments and her latest assignment Will, who just happens to be her favorite actor. She even writes fanfic about the show, Gemini Divided, that he plays one of the lead roles in. She knows everything about him or so she thinks, which is why she can’t wrap her head around the fact that he is her next target, especially since all of her targets in the past have been scums of the earth. Is Will who she thinks he is or is he simply really good at projecting a good persona? Will she end up completing her assignment? Read it to find out.

I really enjoyed this book and appreciate that NetGalley and publisher BooksGoSocial provided me with an Advanced Reader Copy for my unbiased review.

Gemini Divided was a fast paced and quick read. I am glad that Jen was the narrator because she was such a fascinating character. Reading about her inner thoughts as the story progressed added so much to the internal battle between her true self and her job as an assassin.

Will was also a great character to read about and brought some levity to such a suspenseful plot. Getting to know him as Jen did added to his appeal because it was obvious to the reader how he felt even though Jen didn't believe it.

I don't know if was an intentional red herring or not but I thought I figured who requested Jen's services only to be proven wrong. I hope all readers will enjoy how the author leads us in the wrong direction. It makes the reveal all the better.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by BooksGoSocial and #NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Interesting characters, premise, entertaining story with twists and turns.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Gemini Divided by Lauren Kristen Roberts is a romantic thriller that will appeal to fans of Finlay Donovan or Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The story revolves around Jen, a fanfiction writer by day and an assassin by night. One day, she's assigned to kill Will Bryant, the star of her favorite show Gemini Divided. She has to go undercover as his bodyguard in order to get close to him. Will Jen be able to become part of Will's life without revealing his true motives? Will she carry out her mission or will she fall for her target?

Here is an exciting excerpt from Chapter 1:

"Her mark was easy to locate. Fish Lips, as she thought of him, looked exactly like the pictures in his dossier, only slightly less gangster in real life. Maybe a tad chubbier, too.
She checked her watch. Midnight. It was time.
Rolling her shoulders, Jen settled into the stock of the rifle. She took a deep breath and cleared her mind. For a second everything was perfectly still.
Click."

Overall, Gemini Divided is an exciting blend of romance and thriller. I love books that blend multiple genres, and this book definitely fits the bill. One highlight of this book is the action and excitement that comes with Jen's assassin job. It made a nice change from the standard romances between celebrities and ordinary people. I did take off 1 star, because I found the actual romance to be a bit boring. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of romantic thrillers, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in January!

She’s an assassin.
He’s the target.
If you’re looking for a full on action-packed novel then this is the book for you. With a badass heroin who knows her way around firearms and fights bad guys as easy as counting one to three. And then, as if that’s not enough, there’s also a charming hero on a mission to sweep you off your feet. Don’t miss your chance to read this fantastic novel by Lauren Kristen Roberts on 31 Jan 2022 onward.

Janine Calley is a sniper who shoots her target from the rooftop by night and writes fanfiction about her favourite TV show, Gemini Divided by day. Jen has been living her double life just fine for years now. That is until she was assigned to kill Will Bryant, her celebrity crush, aka the star actor of Gemini Divided. She needed the money to pay for her mother’s cancer treatment. She got the job as a personal assistant to Will on a set up. As she got to know him, he really is a decent guy known to the public. And the more time she spend in Will’s presence, Jen became more curious on how Will ended up being on the hit list. When she discovered the truth she must decide if Will’s life worth saving because by doing so, she also risks her own life.

This is a voluntary review in exchange for the e-ARC I received. I’m truly grateful to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and the author for the chance. Thank you.
#GeminiDivided #NetGalley

This fast-paced action adventure features a female assassin who works mostly at night, which is perfect because it leaves her days free to write. Jen would much rather be a writer than an assassin, but she desperately needs money to pay for her mother’s experimental cancer treatments. Knowing that her targets were always bad people made the nature of her job easier to accept until she was assigned to eliminate her favorite TV personality. Outside of work, Jen was just a dorky fangirl who’d arranged her working hours around the popular TV show that featured handsome Will Bryant. The choice is not an easy one: whether to kill Will, or let her mother die--and probably get killed herself for failing her assignment. But time is short, and bullets start to fly before she has a chance to make a decision. Instead of killing Will, Jen soon, she finds herself defending both Will and herself as well
This book is as full of twists and turns as it is excitement. Be forewarned: once you are halfway through this book, you won’t want to set it down. So put some time aside—and get this book!

This book was a nice read. It had good characters and story line. It is about a woman named Jen getting out of the Army and finding out her mom has cancer. Her mom had hid that information from Jen so she wouldn’t worry about her. Her mom is in need of money to help fund all of the treatments she has undergone and for the ones in the furtive in hopes of beating the cancer. Her mentor from the Army offers her a job as an assassin to help make a lot of money to pay offer her moms bills. While she isn’t working, Jen loves to watch her favorite show a million times and write about it. She is the ultimate fan. When she is given her next assignment she can’t believe her eyes. It is to kill the star of her favorite show Will. She takes the assignment but isn’t planning on going through with it unless she finds some damping evidences that he is a monster and not the sweet and easygoing person he seems to be. She is given the job as his assistant. There is an instant connection between them two of them but he doesn’t know she was hired to kill him. She starts to really doubt this assignment as she gets to know Will better. Once she finds evidence that proves he isn’t evil she works as hard as she can to save his life numerous times. When it is all over and everything is laid out including the truth, of who she is and why she is there, will he forgive her? I received this ARC for my honest review.