ANISE: A Tale of True Love in a World Gone Mad

In Henry's dazzling debut novel on the search for love, 17-year-old Anise Hunt is left to cope with her grief-stricken father. First her half-sister is killed by a virus that over several generations has wreaked havoc with humanity's genes, and then her mother dies under mysterious circumstances. Her father urges Anise to marry a well-to-do Harvard student with impeccable genes, but instead she seeks refuge in the ghetto inhabited by "degens," as the genetically degenerate are known. While the influence of Pride and Prejudice is clear throughout, the dark, brutal and twisted forms of love the characters exhibit are more reminiscent of those in Wuthering Heights. The prose flows easily through an enthralling plot, marred only by a couple of girlishly idiotic actions. (Jan.)

Forecast:POD titles have an uphill slog, but an ad in Romantic Times, plus a blurb from a big name or two, could help this one reach romance readers who might otherwise overlook it.