Cyborg Warrior by Lisa Lace

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Can their heat overcome the odds?

Melissa is learning the world isn’t what she thought it was. When she meets a group of Liberators who oppose the Cyborg Eradication Project, she agrees to join an expedition set on freeing a group of cyborgs.

Thunder wants to free his cyborg brothers too. He takes Melissa prisoner, only to find that she stirs strange new feelings in him – primal, powerful urges he has neither the ability nor the desire to control.

Melissa can’t fight her attraction to the massive soldier-cyborg holding her captive. But soon they’re surrounded by Purity Force, and their chances of survival are slim. Can she and Thunder find a way to escape? If they do, will humans and cyborgs tear them apart?

Cyborg Warrior is Audiobook 4 in the Burning Metal series and a stand-alone, full-length science fiction romance. There are no cliffhangers, and a happy ending is guaranteed!

Cyborg Warrior

Cyborgs, Captives, and a Fast‑Burn Romance

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋🙂🤨🤣
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Solo Narration

🛡️ Audiobook Review: Cyborg Warrior (Burning Metal, #4)

Author: Lisa Lace
Genre: Science Fiction Romance / Cyborgs
Narrator: Michael Pauley

🦾 The Hero: Thunder

Thunder is introduced as a cyborg forged from tragedy — one of thousands of dying men transformed into machines, then awakened by firmware that granted self‑awareness. But the upgrade fractured some minds, turning them violent, and humanity responded with fear. Enter Purity Force, a military unit tasked with exterminating cyborgs, while ordinary citizens began betraying neighbors in a frenzy of paranoia. Against this hostile backdrop, Thunder and his fellow cyborgs hide in a remote Colorado lodge. When word spreads of captured cyborgs in New York, Thunder’s loyalty compels him to lead a dangerous rescue mission.

🎓 The Heroine: Melissa

Melissa’s journey is a classic coming‑of‑age clash between upbringing and independence. Raised on a strict rural farm, she was sheltered and taught to fear cyborgs. College, however, cracks open her world: she longs for freedom, new experiences, and even romance. Her crush — a student activist determined to fight for cyborg rights — pulls her into the conflict. When Purity Force detains cyborgs in New York, Melissa joins the student group heading into danger, unaware that her path will collide with Thunder’s in the most unexpected way.

🔥 Plot Dynamics

The collision of these two worlds — hardened cyborg warriors and idealistic students — ignites the central conflict. During the chaotic break‑in at Purity Force’s facility, Thunder seizes Melissa as a hostage, forcing her companions to retreat. What begins as an act of survival evolves into a tense captive‑romance arc, where Thunder’s hatred of humanity is challenged by Melissa’s presence. Their relationship becomes both a weapon and a vulnerability, reshaping Thunder’s role within his own faction.

🌟 What Worked

• The captive romance trope is handled with intensity: Thunder’s initial disdain for humans makes his gradual shift toward Melissa compelling.
• Thunder’s devotion transforms him into a destructive force when necessary, adding weight to the action sequences.
• The contrast between Melissa’s innocence and Thunder’s hardened cynicism creates sparks that drive the emotional core.

💔 What Fell Short

• The story’s brevity undermines the romance; Thunder and Melissa’s bond forms too quickly, veering into insta‑love territory.
• Thunder’s loyalty to Melissa isolates him from his fellow cyborgs, especially Savage, his leader. This conflict could have been explored with more nuance, but instead feels rushed.

🎙 Audiobook Narration

Narrated by Michael Pauley, the audiobook uses dual POV but a single voice. Pauley’s measured cadence suits Thunder’s mechanical gravitas, lending authenticity to his chapters. However, Melissa’s sections suffer — the narration feels more like reading aloud than embodying her youthful, emotional perspective. The lack of tonal variation makes her chapters less immersive, diminishing the contrast between human vulnerability and cyborg stoicism.

💭 Final Thoughts

This audiobook delivers a fast‑paced blend of sci‑fi action and romance, anchored by the tension between fear and empathy. Thunder’s arc — from human‑hating cyborg to reluctant protector — is satisfying, though the speed of his romance with Melissa may frustrate readers who prefer slow‑burn development. The narration captures the cyborg atmosphere but falters in human warmth. Overall, it’s a short but intriguing listen for fans of captive romance and futuristic rebellion, though it leaves you wishing for more depth and length to fully explore its themes.

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