No one looking on the outside would ever think Gabrielle Cody was nothing more than a vulnerable woman who could easily find herself a victim of the seedy streets she roams. As a warrior of God, Gaby is not only able to protect herself but with every breath she protects those whom the world has written off.

Her current role is that of protector for a bunch of washed up prostitutes, women who are at the bottom of the cesspool called life, women who are prey to the dregs of humanity and barely surviving while trying to remain in one piece. It’s hard enough remaining vigilant and focused without a certain Detective hounding her, wrecking havoc on her senses. An unknown in her life, causing her to yearn for things she has no business yearning for. Gaby is an oddity of nature who spends her time wallowing with the taint of all that is wrong , she has no business wanting anything or anyone.

Luther Cross is man ruled by his sense of right and wrong. Things are clear for him, protect the innocent and lock up the bad guys. Or at least they used to be until one slight young woman, who is an enigma, came into his world and turned it upside down. Unsure how she’s involved in the rash of dead bodies showing up on his streets but one thing is for sure, he won’t rest knowing she’s in harms way. So whatever he needs to do to keep her safe and get her to trust him he will,  because no matter what she’s done he refuses to let her go. 

As a fan of L.L. Foster’s previous works under another name, I was a little surprised to see she’d stepped over into a darker storyline. Can an author who’s past works caused more laughter than chills really come up with a heroine who spends more time crushing bad guys than falling in love? The Acceptance is the second installment in the Servant Series but I was able to jump right into the thick of things and had no problems catching up on Gabrielle Cody’s world. Her personality is abrasive; she has a rough exterior, on paper uneducated but in reality smarter than a Harvard grad. Gaby’s call to eradicate the evil lurking, waiting for its next victim made her a heroine I found myself in awe of. Tough doesn’t even begin to describe her fighting skills and her willingness to stare or better yet beat down the lowliest of scum had me ready to pay homage. Gaby’s innocence of sex only adds a special charm to someone so jaded otherwise.

Luther is just what someone like Gaby needs in her world. Unwilling to allow what comes across as quirky to some, insane to others, stop him from seeing the woman underneath the shell. The fear, the hope and the need for someone to look out for her even if she doesn’t realize it. He doesn’t understand his overwhelming need to stay close but he does, no matter how much she tries to push him away.

L.L. Foster has outdone herself and created a street hip saga that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next disturbing incident. If the backdrop of prostitution wasn’t enough, the serial killer lurking and waiting on its next victim made for an intense read. The Acceptance easily made its way onto my Joyfully Recommended list for January and I can’t wait to see what happens next in the world where a young warrior of God brandishes her own style of punishment.