Maybe Jackson would be different if he were in love. If he were in a relationship. Or if the world outside this room hadn’t fallen into violent chaos, hadn’t become a constant war we have no choice but to fight. Maybe he would take his time. Be softer. Gentler. Maybe he would smile or even laugh. Maybe I would be different too.

Haven by Claire Kent is a book that had me psyched for a very good reason. I had just found out that Ms. Kent previously wrote as Zannie Adams, an author who suddenly disappeared after publication of a handful books of which Complicated ended up being a favorite of mine, which as a result is an author I have been trying to find for the past thirteen years! It has been a long wait to re-discover Ms. Adams writing as Claire Kent, and I was so excited to pick this up and indulge to my heart’s content.

First published in August 2021 and told in the first person from the heroine’s point of view, this is a post apocalyptic romance featuring 25 year old Jackson and 21 year old Faith, both survivors of an event known as the Impact. The Impact is an event which took place five years prior to the story, during which an asteroid hit Europe, wiping out the whole continent, wreaking havoc on the environment, and destroying economies and governments across the globe. It was estimated that more than half of the global population had died off since the Impact and its aftermath which continues five years on.

Faith is the daughter of the couple who set up the New Haven Farm years before the Impact, the place where the story mainly takes place. Her parents, wanting to live off the grid, built a farm with all the necessities required for self-sustenance, the main reason behind the survival of those at the farm when the rest of the world had pretty much collapsed.

Faith has known Jackson since she was twelve years old, Jackson having come to live on the farm as an angry and surly teenager having spent his most formative years in foster care. Even though Faith had more or less being fascinated by Jackson since then, which she never would admit to, neither of them show much inclination of having deeper feelings for each other, that is until you peel back the layers which reveals a whole other story.

As the story delves deeper into the lives of Faith and Jackson, readers get to see what simmers underneath; the red hot attraction between the two that blazes to life, consuming both of them. What starts out as an occasional night during which Faith goes to Jackson and they have the kind of sex that most talk about and few ever actually get to experience in their lifetimes, turns into a craving that just a few nights a month won’t satisfy.

What is most interesting is how Faith’s inner turmoil and restlessness with life becomes key to bridging the gap between the physical and emotional connection between the two. Jackson I would say, was a delight in every sense. Sexy, silent, broody, and the kind of man who takes charge in the bedroom, leaving you breathless and wanting more!

As the story is written solely from Faith’s point of view, the reader must understand Jackson through her eyes, and I would say it was delightful, going on that journey of discovery right alongside with Faith. The true depth of Jackson’s feelings for Faith starts becoming more evident as the story moves towards its climax and I loved Jackson for being the man who gives Faith a safe space to just let go and be vulnerable, which was sexiest aspect of the story if you ask me. There is nothing sexier than a man who knows how to treat his woman right, who knows when to nudge, take charge, and offer the comfort of a warm embrace when in need. Such is Jackson, and I loved him to bits for that very fact. The pace at which Faith and Jackson’s relationship develops and progresses was realistic. And the sex scenes outrightly naughty and smutty in the best way possible!

Recommended for readers who like romances in post-apocalyptic settings, with a commanding hero who makes you swoon just by stepping into the pages.

Final Verdict: Rediscovering Zannie Adams as Claire Kent was definitely the best find in recent times. Loved the adventure, the buildup, hot sex, and tenderer emotions explored in this post apocalyptic romance!

Favorite Quotes

It’s dark in his room. He’s already in bed. A board squeaks on my third step, the same board that always squeaks.
I hear his covers rustle. He’s moving now. He knows I’m here. I set the candle down on the table. When I reach the bed, he grabs for me and pulls me onto the mattress, stretching me out as he rolls on top of me.
Without a word, he kisses me, deep and hard and hungry.

His eyes crawl up and down my body. From my face to the place his cock moves in and out of me. My eyes have adjusted more so I can see more details. His messy hair keeps falling into his eyes, and he’ll give his head a quick jerk occasionally to move it out of the way. His bare chest has a scattering of dark, coarse hair, and the impressive definition of his arms—the strong, corded muscles there—flex and tense.
I have a brief impulse to stroke them. Feel the shape of them. To trace his familiar features with my fingertips. To push his thick waves back from his forehead.
I don’t do any of that.

Then he rasps out one word. “Kitten.” Right before he pushes me up against the wall and kisses me hard.
I should be annoyed by the mocking nickname, but I’m not. Irrationally, it gets me really hot. I grab for his neck and open to the kiss, and before I know it, I’m wrapping one leg high around his thighs and grinding my aching pussy against his leg.

He makes a guttural sound and jerks his head slightly, his nostrils flaring. “Tell me you want me.”
I make a sobbing sound as the words trigger something deep. I scratch lines into the skin of his arms. “I want you.”
He speeds up, pounding into me so hard the bed bangs loudly against the wall. “Tell me who you want.”
“You. Jackson. I want you. Jackson. You. Only you!” The last words come out as a hoarse cry because I come hard on the heels of them.

Purchase Links: Amazon