Only Hard Problems by Jennifer Estep – Dual Review

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Description:
PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE . . .

My name is Zane Zimmer. To most folks, I live a seemingly charmed life as a Regal lord and the heir apparent to the powerful, wealthy House Zimmer, and the gossipcasts breathlessly follow my every swaggering move across the Archipelago Galaxy. I’m also a powerful psion capable of telekinesis, telepathy, and telempathy, and my deadly skills and prowess with my stormsword have made me the golden boy of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force.

But even golden boys have bad days, and the truth is I have more hard problems than I can solve.

The Techwave is building weapons to use against the Arrows in hopes of toppling the Imperium and taking over the galaxy. But even more worrisome is the fact that my old rival Kyrion Caldaren has a powerful new ally in Vesper Quill. Together, the two of them just might destroy everything I’ve sworn to protect.

I’m supposed to be relaxing with the other Regals during the Summer Solstice celebration, but when an enemy threatens the festivities, I’m forced to leap into action. As an Arrow, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family and the other Regals, even though my actions will cause only more problems—and just might end up being the death of me . . .

Barb’s Review:
Only Hard Problems by Jennifer Estep is the 3^rd book in her Galactic Bonds series. This story revolves around Zane Zimmer, the heir apparent to the powerful, wealthy House Zimmer. Zane acts like a playboy, when the gossipcasts get his attention, but he is head Arrow for the Imperium, ruled by Lord Callus Holloway.

Zane is a powerful psion with abilities of telekinesis, telepathy, and a powerful stormsword in defeating his enemies.   Zane is determined to stop the evil Techwave, who are building powerful weapons destroying many lands, in order to take control.  Zane is also trying to find Vesper & Kyrion, who escaped in the last book, and learned that Vesper was his sister, which upset him, since his father and grandmother have hidden this.  Zane has mixed feelings, as he knows that Holloway wants to remove Vesper’s psion powers for his own.  Will he bring Vesper and Kyrion to Holloway or will he find a way to save them?

It is the Summer Solstice celebration, with Zane, his father and grandmother attending, representing House Zimmer.  With pressure from his grandmother, Zane is supposed to present Lady Asterin a gift, with both of them totally disliking each other. Zane notices a former guard in the shadows and tries to follow him, as he suspects Techwave are in the building.  All hell will break loose when the Techwave guard brings out mechanical Black Scarabs, to kill the Solstice guards, and bombs are activated within the celebration.  Asterin is kidnapped, and Zane gets shot, but he is determined to rescue her.  To tell too much more could ruin it for you.

What follows is an exciting, non-stop action filled, suspenseful story that kept me unable to put the book down. The last third of the book was extremely tense and exciting, with some twists and surprises along the way.

Only Hard Problems was a tense last half of the book, that was intriguing, with violence, kidnapping, and psion magic.  Only Hard Problems was very well written by Jennifer Estep.  I did like Zane, and I suspect that somehow in the future, Asterid will be the one for him.  I can’t wait for what Estep has for us in the next boo, which will fully return to Vesper and Kyrion.  I suggest you read Only Hard Problems, as I fully enjoyed it.

Sandy’s Review: ONLY HARD PROBLEMS is the third instalment in Jennifer Estep’s adult GALACTIC BONDS science-fiction, fantasy series. ONLY HARD PROBLEMS focuses on Arrow Zane Zimmer, and his assignment to uncover the whereabouts of Vesper Quill. ONLY HARD PROBLEMS should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events and cliff hanger of ONLY GOOD ENEMIES

Told from first person perspectives (Zane Zimmer) ONLY HARD PROBLEMS follows Zane Zimmer at the Summer Solstice celebration, a multi-purpose party to be used by the Zimmer family. Zane has been ordered by his grandmother to court and marry a woman he despises but his ‘boss’ has ordered Zane to uncover the whereabouts of Vesper Quill.Vesper and her bond mate Kyrion Caldaren are on the run, in the wake of the many attempts against their lives. Zane is struggling with his need to protect Vesper, in opposition to the orders from the man in charge but an attack at the Summer Solstice celebration results in the theft of some new technological power, and Zane is now facing the possibility that everything is not as is appears to be.

We are reintroduced to Lady Asterin Armas, the woman to whom Zane does not want to be betrothed.

ONLY HARD PROBLEMS is another story of power and control, secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, magic, elemental stones, dysfunctional family values, and questionable facades. The fast paced premise is intriguing, captivating and imaginative; the characters are secretive and energetic.