Unraveled by C J Barry is the story of Rayce Cobourne who was introduced briefly in Unearthed. 

Rayce has had enough to being a treasure hunter. He is busy putting together his space station where he can run entertainment for guests and sit back and let the money roll in.  If only he had the money to finish building it before his investors get cold feet.

The solution to his problem comes in the form of Tru Van Dye, a woman who wants to hire him to find a priceless treasure.  Her mission is not for the money though, she was born at the Majj Institute but has never truly been a part of it.  Working on her father's projects all of her life she has never had the opportunity to undertake her own project and thus secure her future in the Institute.  Now her father has died and she is running out of time.  If she does not manage to succeed with her own project by the time of her 30th birthday she will be banished from the Institute forever.

Finding a mysterious artefact in her father's possessions Tru believes that it is the key to finding the lost Curzon Collection.  By finding the Collection she knows that her place will be secure.  The only problem is that she has never been off of the Institute except in virtual-reality and will need help in finding the Collection.  She decides that Rayce is the person to help her and she will do anything, even bribing him with half the collection and blackmailing him, if it means he will help her.

Rayce does not want to have anything to do with the Majj.  He feels that they were responsible for the death of his sister and he does not want to have anything to do with the people who demanded money for their inventions so that the poor, like his sister, could not afford to cure their illnesses and died.

But nevertheless Rayce finds himself working with Tru to find the treasure that will ensure both their projects are completed.

Tru is not prepared for the reality of Rayce and finds that her virtual-reality program has nothing on the actual man.  There is a lot of fun to be had when she continues to practice interacting with Rayce in the VR machine, little knowing that he has joined her and replaced his virtual self with his actual self.  Becoming closer in VR Tru finds herself falling for Rayce even as he finds that he is falling for a Majj.  But can they overcome their differences in the real world?

Added to this is the problem that someone at the Institute is determined to make sure that Tru does not return.  It would appear that there is corruption in the ranks and even if Tru finds her treasure it may be too late to save her career. 

Another fast-paced adventure from C J Barry takes us to a variety of planets as Rayce and Tru piece together the clues that will lead them not only to the Curzon Collection but also the truth about the Majj.

Vivid descriptions, humorous situations and a very likeable hero and heroine make this a futuristic romance worth reading in one sitting.  Out of this world!

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Also by C J Barry: Unearthed and Unleashed

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