The Scent of Us: Part One

Incredibly strong debut by a brand new to me author. The first part of this wonderfully written duology is an omegaverse story with darker undertones because it starts with the grimmier parts of the world building - slavery, violence and domestic abuse. The Omegas are not always valued and cared for. In cases like Juno - the protagonist here - some go through unimaginable horrors. Barely awakened as a new Omega, Juno was sold to cover her father's gambling debts. And as if that weren't enough, she was forcefully bound to her new owners and her first heat was recorded, like an insurance policy, to keep her docile and submissive. The story is built around Juno's personal growth, her captivity and miraculous escape. But during the time of captivity, there was one ray of sunshine that was giving her warmth and connection to humanity, one scent that embedded itself deeply into her olfactory senses - Julian, a beta, who was tasked to keep an eye on her while her alphas were out and about in their seedy dealings. The flow of the story was excellent, the tension gradually increasing. But what really drew me in were the descriptions of the scents, the careful mapping out of the fine details. It was a masterfully woven illusion like living inside the book - feeling, tasting, touching, listening.
Juno wasn't an ordinary omega - whiny, demanding, spoiled and childish. Her desire to live and her spirit to fight back were admirable. So it wasn't a surprise to see how she flourished and bloomed when she was saved by The National Omega commission and included in the experimental trials for dissolving of forceful bonds. Juno was such a stellar example of internal strength and resilience. After everything she went through - the pain and the trauma of her previous life - she still had enough trust and willingness left to put herself out there and start searching for scent match and a pack to call her own.
This was a really touching, heartfelt story for overcoming trauma, healing and finding coping mechanisms to move on and build a new life