“Anya's icy world is about to heat up...”

Former Kazakhstan

3145 A.D.

A thousand years ago, global nuclear war swept the earth into a permanent ice age. Now, many territories ruled by Barons squabble among themselves over their existing boundary lines and past grievances. Two such territories lay divided by the Tien Shan mountain range. To the north of the mountains, the Donetsk Territory is ruled by Baron Joshua Van Heisman, protector of the late Baron Jason Dubrovnyk's children. The childrens' cold-hearted uncle, Baron Richert Dubrovnyk, rules the territory south of the mountain range. West of both territories lies the Altai Territory ruled by the unscrupulous Baron Onred. Donetsk Territory has been at war with both neighboring territories for many years, one a family squabble, the other a desperate attempt to protect its citizens against the danger of invasion by Onred's forces.

For protection from both the deadly sub-zero temperatures on the surface and the threat Onred presents, the people of Donetsk Territory live either a crude twentieth-century existence deep within the caves and tunnels of the Tien Shan mountains or in the enclosed saucer-shaped habitat of Astana. Suspended a kilometer above the earth's icy surface, the glass-domed Astana is the home of the Baron Van Heisman and the Dubrovnyk children, the eldest of which is 23-year-old Anya...

Anya has loved Joshua Van Heisman for years. Unfortunately, as her protector, it's against the old Barons' laws for them to have a romantic relationship. Now, Joshua is bent on sending her away to marry the despicable Onred and ensure final peace between their territories. How could Joshua do this to her? As the eldest Dubrovnyk, she was in line for Baroness. Did Joshua want to retain his leadership so badly he'd send her away to keep it? His betrayal tastes like ashes on her tongue, never mind the sword he's thrust into her heart. Come hell or high water, he's determined to see her married to that tyrant Onred, a man she can't stand to be in the same room with let alone the same bed.

Joshua knows he must send Anya away before he breaks his promise to her father—to protect her, even from himself. And then there's the only chance he can see to end the bloody conflict between Donetsk and Altai, once and for all. No matter the cost to himself—and to Anya—they have the people to think of. He knows this was the right decision, but he secretly loves her so much, it's eating him alive. And it doesn't help that Anya is fighting him, tooth and nail, every step of the way.

Will Anya accept her fate? Even if she chooses obedience and marries Onred to save her people, can the man be trusted to keep his end of the peace? Or is he a greedy lunatic bent on the destruction of Donetsk Territory and Joshua's death to reap the spoils of war—no matter what choice Anya makes?

Jennette Green opens her Ice Chronicles series with a fast-paced story filled with action, suspense and incredible sexual tension between the two main characters. Finishing in third place in the 2011 Global ebook Awards, Ice Baron is set in a post-apocalyptic world that seemed so realistic and conceivable, I could see the crisp cold snow coming down so thick it obscured my vision, feel the ache in my legs as I slogged with Anya through the deep banks of snow, hear the wind howling through the thick pine branches and smell the unpleasant stench of laser-burned flesh...all from the ease of my own recliner.

Joshua and Anya have great chemistry. Both are strong leads, each with enough flaws to make them credible characters. As a woman I always enjoy a strong female lead in the books I read, but there are a few here that score a bit too high on the unbelievable scale. Anya flying an “airbird” after merely reading the pilot's manual on how to operate the autopilot doesn't fly, pun intended. Of course, with her penchant for leaping before she looks, she forgets to bone up on how to land the thing, which makes for some interesting moments. Joshua also seems to exhibit almost superhuman endurance after being beaten to a pulp several times. Even broken ribs and searing laser burns to the face don't stop him. I guess we're supposed to attribute it to his rugged upbringing in Tash. Finally, the biggest plot twist in the book is a bit too predictable, but it fits quite well into the well-written plot, so I have no beef with it.

Overall, Ice Baron reminds me a lot of the latest version of “Battlestar Galactica” with an undertone of “Save the Last Dance.” In an author's note at the end of the book, the story for Joshua's brainy, inventor-brother Michael is said to be upcoming. I hope so, but since it's going on two years since Ice Baron was published, I can only wonder what's happened to it...or if we will ever see it. I really do hope Ms. Green has it just about finished, because I loved Michael. I REALLY want to read his story.