Review: Heels and Heroes by Tiffany Allee + Giveaway!

Format read: ebook provided by the author
Formats available: ebook
Genre: Paranormal romance
Length: 79 pages
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Date Released: January 7, 2013
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Brenda is a second-rate superhero, normally more concerned with uniform fashion than defeating bad guys. But when a violent, new super villain declares war against her city, she suddenly finds her specialized power to deafen sound in high demand.
As if facing the destructive force of a new enemy isn’t bad enough, she finds herself paired with the powerful, yet emotionally distant, Justice. Forced to work at the side of the only man who gets her heart pounding, Brenda is not only in danger of losing her life in battle, but also her heart to a man who might not be able to love her back.

What if being a superhero was just like having an aptitude for sports, or math?

Some people have it, and some people don’t. Some folks are better at it than others.

It’s just that the “minor” superheroes attend “career day” at the local high school wearing masks. Everyone may know they exist, but they still need to hide their secret identities. because where there are superheroes, there are also super-villains.

And also super-egos, and not just in the Freudian sense.

Brenda has always been kind of the “runt of the litter” when it comes to superpowers. She knows she’s got a second-rate power. Her parents, both retired members of the local Council, have never hesitated to remind her of that fact, every single time they see her.

Neither has her younger brother. He’s the one who got the first-rank talent. He’s the one her parents dote on. She’s just a nobody in their eyes.

And in the eyes of everyone in the Chicago superhero council. She’s good enough to show up at ribbon cuttings and career fairs, but no one asks for her when they need a powerful talent.

Until the Howler comes to town. Because his talent is just what it sounds like. A mind numbing howl of sound that knocks out everyone within reach of his voice. Including superheroes. While everyone is out, the Howler robs banks.

And kidnaps the Mayor of Chicago for ransom. (Too bad it wasn’t one of the Daleys. But enough of the walk down memory lane)

Brenda’s talent is sound blocking. She’s the Silencer, and the only superhero the Howler can’t take down. They all hope.

But she’ll need to work with a team of talents, because she can only block the Howler if she can find him, and that’s not her talent.

Justice can track a superhero. Justice, the hero of all Brenda’s hottest dreams. But she knows that no first-rate talent would ever look at second-rate her for two seconds.

She has no clue that Justice has done nothing but look at her for months. Since the second he moved to Chicago. He’s only keeping away from her because he believes that everyone he loves gets killed. Just like his parents and his sister.

He doesn’t trust his emotions not to be a distraction. And a danger.

Justice has never learned that love is what makes life, even super-powered life, worth living. And Brenda has never had anyone believe in her.

Too bad the Howler is targeting both of them, just when they’ve found each other.

Escape Rating B+: I had such a terrific time reading this story! I really hope there are more stories in this world. What a blast!

Brenda has learned to live with so little validation from her super-powered family that she’s created an entirely separate and very worthwhile life for herself as a mundane. In that world, she has a purpose and authority and she owns her life.

Justice finds her take-charge attitidue in her day-job a real turn-on.

Her diffidence when she’s with her family made this reader want to slap someone upside the head. Justice takes care of that, verbally at least. The family dynamic is sad but real–how many families are there where the very talented child is treated like royalty and the normal child is treated like a doormat?

Justice and Brenda’s relationship develops quickly but naturally. It doesn’t feel like the insta-love you often read in short novellas, because they have known each other for several months, and have been attracted to each other. They’ve just both resisted the pull for reasons that turn out not to matter.

Absolutely super superhero romance.