Transparent Is a Color

Subparheroes #3

by Kaje Harper

Perry's mother told him he'd develop the superpower of flight, like his grandfather. She even named him Peregrine, so folks would call him "The Falcon." Spoiler— they don't. Because when he did come into his power, all he got was the ability to change colors. Not even himself, like some kind of Chameleon Man, but the color of objects. He can de-pukify the shade of his bedroom curtains, turn a bully's sweatshirt pink, or even turn a red traffic light green. (Not a good idea.) He hasn't told anyone except his disappointed mom about his power. What would they call him? The Interior Decorator?

Back in high school, under stress, he did convince his power that transparent was just another color. Now that ability's sometimes fun in an illicit way. Then one morning, in the mailroom at work, he turns a cardboard box transparent and sees a bomb inside. And Perry's ordinary life explodes.

Sergeant Deckard of the Nova City Bomb Squad never thought much about superheros, or supervillains for that matter. He has plenty of work with ordinary humans and their explosives. Until he and his bomb-sniffing dog, Nix, get called to a possible-explosives situation in a highrise mailroom. The guy who reported the bomb is a nerdy twink in dark-framed glasses who pushes all of Deck's buttons. When he finds out the young man has a weird superpower and may be the target of a villain, every protective instinct comes into play.

Deckard's goal is to keep his job, his dog, Nova City, and Perry intact. His libido can just sit down, shut up, and take a number. But as their attraction gets hotter and the villain closes in, their future might be blown apart before it even has a chance to start.

Transparent Is a Color is a part of the multi-author Subparheroes MM romance series.

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Superheroes, Urban Fantasy

271 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 23, 2024

About the author

I get asked about my name a lot. It's not something exotic, though. “Kaje” is pronounced just like “cage” – it’s an old nickname, and my pronouns are she/her/hers.

I was born in Montreal but have lived for 30 years in Minnesota, where the two seasons are Snow-removal and Road-repair, where the mosquito is the state bird, and where winter can be breathtakingly beautiful. Minnesota’s a kind, quiet (if sometimes chilly) place and it’s home.

I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – fifty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have a few Young Adult stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)

My husband finally convinced me that after all the years of writing for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I have a weakness for closeted cops with honest hearts, and teachers who speak their minds, and I had fun writing four novels and three freebie short stories in that series. I was delighted and encouraged by the reception Mac and Tony received.

I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published. A complete list with links can be found on my website "Books" page at https://kajeharper.com/.

You can find me and my book reviews on my author page here on Goodreads - I hang out on Goodreads a lot because I moderate the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. I also post free short YA stories on that group, more than 50 of them so far.

You can also find me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KajeHarper

Reviews

[BookSafety Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Perry started laughing and groaning in turn, his hand slowing on his softening cock. “Oh my God, that was awesome. I think I jizzed your nose. I’m sorry.”

My first (successful) Kaje Harper read, and it was fun. Unfortunately didn’t feel like a romance book for a big chunk of it, as it was a super slow burn with little build of the relationship before anything happened, beyond the characters just being attracted to each other. The middle was really slow in terms of action as well.

When things finally happened, both externally and in the relationship, it was very enjoyable. I just wish there was more of it.

The entire concept was a lot of fun tho, I just love the idea of superheroes with completely underwhelming powers. Made for a lot of funny moments. Both MCs were lovable and sweet, and the bomb dog Nix was adorable.

I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately so maybe I’m being harsh, but I was a little too bored to give more than 3.5 stars, rounded up.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Police officer
Shitty superpower
Forced proximity
Dog dad
Bomb squad
Age gap
Mystery solving
Slowest burn
Low heat

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Bomb threats
On-page car accident (no one injured)
Size difference
Death of two unnamed characters in bombing (off page, some details)
Gun violence
Homophobic boss (including use of homophobic slur)
MC and SC abducted
Neglectful and cold parent
MC and SC held hostage

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Suspenseful romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: No switching on page (only one sex scene), but assumed versatile
Main characters’ age: 23 and 34
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 271
Happy ending: Yes


“My mom’s going to kill me.” Interesting that he’s more worried about his mother than prison. Although Deckard had met a mother or two in his time he’d have taken a jail sentence to escape.

“When’s your birthday?” Deckard hesitated, then said, “Near Halloween.” “A Scorpio, then. You know that’s the sign most closely associated with sex?” Perry regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. “You don’t believe that astrology stuff, do you?” “Who me? No. Never.” Perry put a hand over the little Pisces fish tattoo above his left hip.

Perry stared at him for another minute, then slowly held his arms wide. “Hug?”



You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was fun, but not the best I've read by this author. I liked it to a point but the worldbuilding was sparse. I suppose that's because this is a coral series, but still, I needed a bit more on that aspect for the story to be rounded. I liked what the author did with Perry's superpower though. It was very interesting how something that could be dissmissed at first, that everyone overlooked and made fun of, could become so capital. What it didn't work for me that well was the two main characters. I liked them just fine, but, I don't know, there was something that didn't click for me. Like something was missing. Sometimes their reactions threw me out of the story, but I can't understand why. I loved Nix though, and I would have loved to see even more of her. And as over the top as it was, I laughed a lot at that catsuit scene with the military man.
So, overall, this was fun, and BReading this with Ele did it even more enjoyable.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange yet rather witty story, with an intriguing title...at least it got MY attention:) The story is good although a bit on the "out there" side. It manages to show how dangerous the world can be...but didn't we all already know that?

Perry is a subpar superhero, and Deckard is the member of the bomb squad team who has to deal with him...or maybe that should be "has to support and woo him". Perry comes from a line of “supers,” but his ability to change the surface color of things does not make him "special" like some of the others of his kind...at least not as far as his mother is concerned. What she and the rest of the world don’t know is that Perry can make the surface of objects transparent, after long practice with his ability. Perry has to be very persuasive, if he wants to be able to do what is needed because of his "superness". He has not yet fully explored his ability.... but he's working on it. With a bomber stalking the city, Perry is about to find out just how far his ability will take him.

I have to admit, believe it or not, that the story does actually begin to grow on you. I would almost have to call it an amusing read...if nothing else it's certainly cleverly done. I don't believe i will be visiting with these guys again anytime soon...but for sci-fi fans...this will probably go over great.

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the premise -- hapless schmuck with seemingly irrelevant power finds his own inner hero, etc etc -- but the execution was a major miss. Strange, because Kaje Harper is usually reliable for me. That said, I've only read the angsty/ wolfy Kaje Harpers, and this is definitely not that. I'm not sure this is aiming for the romcom space, but it is at least romcom-adjacent -- and now I know that Harper writing in this style is not for me. The writing felt facile and forced; there was no discernible connection between the two MCs, other than the purely physical; the dudes themselves were dull, dull, dull; there was a misogynistic evil-mother subplot jammed in that really had no reason to be there; and the crime plot was silly, un-engaging, and slow-moving. Honestly, I only skimmed the last 50 percent or so, and that was more than enough.

This also featured my peeviest of pet peeves: excessive use of italics to indicate interior monologue (i.e. shift from 3rd past to 3rd present). This. Drives. Me. Bananas. Because those italics are always overused. Often multiple times per page! Truly the slipperiest of slopes. And the italicized bit is always so banal and unnecessary. This is an immutable truth, authors, so stop doing it!! Italics should only be used in dialogue tags to indicate soul-crushing disdain and/or sarcasm on the part of the speaker!! Stop misusing these poor creatures!

A real bummer.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for the narration, 3.5 stars for the story

The multi-author Subparheroes series puts an interesting spin on the superhero genre, featuring characters whose superpowers are, well, less than ‘super’. In this story, Peregrine (Perry) Crawford has the ability to change colours – not himself (he’s not some kind of Chameleon Man), but of objects, whether it’s turning the puke-green curtains of his childhood bedroom curtains a much more pleasant and cheery yellow or his school-bully’s sweatshirt pink – or being able to see through the top layer of something to what’s underneath, because transparent IS a colour. Right?

Perry is actually descended from a line of superheroes – his grandfather could fly and his father could levitate (his superhero name was The Elevator); his mother even named him Peregrine in hopes that he, too, would develop the power of flight and would be known as The Falcon. But things didn’t pan out that way, much to his mother’s perpetual disappointment – and Perry is just an ordinary guy trying to live an ordinary life in Nova City. With his mother down on him all the time, Perry made the sensible choice to mostly cut her out of his life, but with no other family (his father is dead) he’s lonely, and while not shy, isn’t particularly self-confident, either. No-one apart from his mother knows about his superpower, and intends to keep it that way – but his life is turned upside down when, one morning in the mail room of the high-rise where he works, he turns a little bit of a random cardboard box transparent – and sees that it contains a bomb.

Sergeant Deckard of the bomb squad – accompanied by his trusty sniffer dog, Nix – soon arrives in response to the call about a suspicious package, and when Nix does her thing and confirms the box does indeed contain explosives, the building is evacuated while the device is neutralised. As Deckard is heading back to his cruiser, he sees the the cute, nerdy guy who raised the alarm peering into the back window – but before he can do much more than call out for him to step back, he sees a silver car pulling away, its driver wearing a rubber fox mask and pointing a gun out the window directly at Perry. Instinctively, Deckard takes Perry to the ground as something hits the side of the car just above their heads – and as the silver car roars away, jumps up and into the driver’s seat ready to give chase, just as Perry scrambles in the other side. With no time to insist on him getting out, Deckard tells him to buckle up and screeches off in pursuit, but a malfunctioning traffic signal (it seems) brings the short chase to an end as the silver car peels through a junction and Deckard is brought to an abrupt stop by a collision. Despite the evidence of his eyes, however, Deckard feels that something is off – he just can’t put his finger on what it is. Or why his passenger is suddenly looking so guilty.

Transparent is a Color is an entertaining, if not especially deep, story featuring a slow(ish)-burn romance between two likeable leads, and a straightfoward plotline in which our heroes are pitted against whoever is planting explosives across Nova City. Kaje Harper strikes a good balance between funny and serious, and although the mystery element is maybe a bit underdone - we don’t get to do any investigating alongside the characters and we’re not given any clues to go on - I don’t think the mystery is meant to be the focus of the story. Far more interesting is the mystery surrounding the cryptic letters Perry keeps receiving from something called SPAM (yes, there are plenty of sandwich jokes!) and the focus on Perry’s character growth as he learns to accept that maybe his superpower isn’t as useless as his mother always told him it was. I really liked that he gets to use it to save the day, and to see his confidence growing as he realises that others don’t think of his power as something to be dismissed or made fun of at all.

The romance between Perry and Deckard is cute, warm and funny and there’s plenty of chemistry zinging between them. Deckard clocks Perry immediately as totally his type – slight, nerdy, twinkish and bespectacled – but squashes thoughts of attraction because he’s a cop and Perry is a witness, even when it becomes clear that the attraction is mutual. On the one hand I appreciated that – so many of these types of stories have the leads hooking up when doing so is not only unethical but could damage an investigation – on the other, it means that the sex scenes feel a bit as though they’ve been tacked on at the end. I didn’t mind it too much though – these guys waited long enough for their fun, after all ;)

The secondary cast isn’t huge, but the standout is Nix; the closeness of the relationship and the trust between Deckard and his dog is really well-written, and I liked the way Perry so easily slots into that. And the way Perry deals with the army recruiter towards the end is an absolute hoot.

J.F Harding is one of my favourite narrators, so I was delighted when I learned he would be narrating this one. His performance is well-paced, expressive, expertly characterised and clearly differentiated, and his portrayal of Perry captures every facet of his character - his nerdiness, his insecurity, his sharp mind and sense of humour and his innate kindness. Perry’s light tone is nicely contrasted with the deeper, slightly growly note in Deckard’s voice, and the humour in the bantering exchanges between them comes through strongly and is perfectly timed. It’s an excellent performance all round and definitely added to my enjoyment of the story.

Transparent is a Color is charming, adorable and a lot of fun, and is an audiobook I’d certainly recommend if you’re in the mood for something light-hearted but which has something serious at stake. It’s true that not all heroes wear capes – sometimes the nerdy guy in the glasses doesn’t need one ;)

[Arta reads at night · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
A nice and easy book. Enjoyed it a lot. Nothing too complex but it’s well written and engaging

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars on the Kaje Harper Scale, which means that I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t among my favorites by her. The writing is as good as ever, certainly above average in comparison to most authors, and I liked Perry’s superpower, the way it worked and the part it played in the story. The mystery was just outlined enough to make a frame for the character and relationship development, but there wasn’t much chance to “investigate” alongside the characters, since there weren’t any real clues.
The romance itself was pretty straightforward, with just a little delay to keep up appearances of propriety since Perry’s a civilian involved in a police case Deckard’s part of as a cop. Perry’s the one who gets more character development throughout the book, and I liked how he came to accept and appreciate that his power isn’t useless as his mother always told him and how he got to use it openly both to support himself and have fun, on top of helping Deckard’s team. I also appreciated that the toxic mom was left where she was, out of Perry’s life, even though sending her the certificate to show her that she was wrong to belittle Perry and his superpower was a nice touch.
It goes without saying that Nix, the explosive detection dog, was one of the best parts of the book.
To put it in my friend Rosa’s words, it was fun but nothing earthshattering.

[Guy Venturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you see transparent if there is no color?

You will always see what is beyond what is transparent, but you have to learn to interpret what little you can see. This may be good or bad.

For Perry, changing an objects color is easy. It just may not last long. But that can be helpful when trying to choose the right color, as you can quickly try another one. Or several colors. Or several friends.

Being the son of a superhero brings great expectations and potentially great suffering. But you would expect the suffering to be from accidents and injuries received while performing your superhero skills and abilities. Not from the teasing and bullying because you do not have any super abilities other than changing the color of objects.

Even a short lifetime of not being able to make friends when everyone makes fun of you, Perry still had a good attitude and loving spirit. He just needed friends and family for support. With his father dead and his mother his worst non-supporter, family was out of the question. Tucker was more trouble than friend, but at least he was willing to help Perry.

When the evil in the world appears inside a box on Perry's mail room delivery cart, he turns his super power into opportunity as he contacts the police about the bomb to save lives and property.

Yet at first he receives little support for his efforts as his boss is upset over the evacuation of the building, while the police and legal restrictions hinder him as they try to protect him as a witness. The worst is the difficulties created by the separation of authority and responsibility between police, fire, and legal for the human and superhero legal systems when both are involved.

Perry manages to help identify the bomber after preventing several bombing attempts that failed, but some did kill people. His most successful secret of transparency may be much more difficult, but it locates his much needed mate and gains many friends. Love as transparent in both directions as magic can make it.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, something to note for myself, since I only read one other Subparheroes book before this one (An Ex-Hero's Guide to Axe Handling) - apparently SPAM is an organization that appeared in all of the books in the Subparheroes series. That's interesting!!

I enjoyed this book very much!! Perry's minor superpower was so unique!! I loved the way Perry thought of other things being colors (transparent, dirt, leaves) so that he could use it when he needed it the most. His motor mouth was funny too - that scene where Perry tried to get rid of the military man was HILARIOUS.

I really liked the relationship progress too - yes, it might be a little to fast for the ILY in my opinion, but they did get the sexy times only near the end. Because Deckard was strong enough to think of Perry as witness and himself a cop and they couldn't cross the line yet, until Perry no longer a witness.

I am really curious with other books in this series now. Most of them are from authors I never read before, so maybe this would be a good chance to try their works.

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was adorable! Kaje Harper's Transparent is a Color is part of the multi author Subparheroes series. This is the first book in this series I've read, but since it's a standalone series we can read them in any order we like.

Transparent is a Color is a feel good, opposites attract romance with a unique story concept. The audio version is beautifully performed by J.F. Harding.

an audiobook copy of Transparent is a Color was provided for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own

[Natalie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

June 2024
Kindle edition

Now that's more like it. Wish I'd started this one earlier, since I ended up staying up late to finish. Good book. I liked the colour changing power, the guys and the plot. I'm glad the mother didn't get more than a phone call. Nix was adorable. I liked how accepting everyone was when they learnt the truth. It was mostly a fun one that kept the relationship professional until the end.

[Terri Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was wonderful. Kaje Harper gave me a pitch-perfect minor super powers story, with a good romance, a dangerous mystery, impressive worldbuilding, humor, inclusiveness, and -- and this is something I see authors fail at too often -- great animals. There were only two, but still! Really good. I hope she writes one about the best friend. I'd totally read that, super powers not needed. :)

[Fearne Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is cute, charming, and frivolous, and I blooming loved it.

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quirky and I enjoyed it. Heroes and villains with super powers... Nice. Not something I'm use to with MM romances but very interesting and entertaining. Perry with his superpower wasn't anything great for some(especially his nasty mother) but it was enough that he was a hero. Teaming up with Deckard in solving the mystery behind the attacks was entertaining. This was definitely a slow burn kind of romance. But it was worth the journey to their HEA. Very Nice and I recommend if you like a fun read.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Molly Otto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, fun read and highly appreciated they kept it mostly professional, well still on the case. Shows the character of Deck that yes, he cares, but he takes his job seriously and wants to make sure Perry is really safe and has a choice before starting anything. Good humor throughout. If looking for a low angst story with humor, this does the trick.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise looked fun, but the book worked out better than I expected. I liked it a lot. This kind of multi author series can have big hits and big misses more so depending on what the common prompts for each story are and how the author can work with them. So far I have only read this one (which to me is a hit), so I can't say if all will hold in quality, but the concept of super people with useless or bizarre powers is definitely a fun, novel one. And the use of color that Kaje used for Perry's power is very creative.
Now I'm tempted to get into other books from the series. Maybe not all, but a good select few. We'll see.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is my favourite of the Subpar Heroes series books I’ve read so far! I loved Perry’s superpower, Nix the bomb sniffing dog, and Deckard - who was just an awesome human being and perfect for Perry. This was fun with just the right balance of action, danger, humour, and sexy times.

[Claire Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

I loved this, it was such a fun read/listen that I spent the day doing everything I had to do while listening to this.

Perry, our subpar superhero was so much fun and Sergeant Deckard was a great opposite to him. I enjoyed their slow burn relationship as well as the mystery surrounding the bomb that was left in his delivery room which led to a larger investigation which brought these two together.

Several times I was laughing out loud, I think the people walking past me thought I might be crazy.

A fun and different read that I didn't know I needed.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Rainbow Gold Reviews. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read/listened to a few other books in this series and have been enjoying it. I am a fan of the superhero genre in movies and tv shows, so I love when it’s the plot of a well written book. Kaje Harper is a great author that I haven’t read enough of because my time to sit and read books is limited. I was super excited to find out that Transparent is a Color was being released on audio. And J.F. Harding is a really good narrator. It was a match made in heaven.

Perry is a Clark Kent resembling, mailroom employee whose subpar superpower is to manipulate colors. Including transparency, which is a bit more of a strain for him. But when practicing looking through some packages to reduce the boredom of his job, he sees a bomb. Because he doesn’t want the police or any other government run organization to know about his power, he makes up a flimsy excuse on why he thought it was a bomb to the police. Sergeant Deckard doesn’t believe Perry’s explanation for a minute, and he gives Perry his number in case he can get more from the man.

More bombs are discovered around the city, and Perry starts getting disappearing notes from a mysterious group called SPAM (which is canon to the series.) He calls Deckard for help and ends up moving in with the sergeant until they can find if the notes mean to bring danger into Perry’s life. Perry, Deckard and Deckard’s lovable bomb sniffing dog, Nix, end up working together to find out who might be sending the bombs to powerful people in Nova City. Of course, romantic feelings develop as they spend more time together.

This story is a lot more than just catching a criminal, though that is a big part of it. Perry’s always felt inferior to his “super” relatives. His own mother has practically disowned him over his tiny gift of color manipulation. Helping Deckard and really learning to use his power gives Perry a confidence he didn’t have before. It makes him accept all that he is and be proud. And Deckard, he could just use someone to balance out his seriousness and bring a little bit of color to his life, literally.

Transparent is a Color was a great addition to the Subpar Superheroes series. There were a lot of great side characters in addition to the main ones. I would love to read or listen to more from this author and the series.

[Gabbi Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing subpar about this book!

When an author I love steps out of their comfort zone to try something new, I’m always both in awe and a little hesitant. In awe because stepping out of one’s comfort zone is a brave thing to do and a little hesitant because readers might not always appreciate the bravery involved.

Kaje is a favorite author of mine, so I grabbed a copy of this book and read it in an afternoon. With love and affection. I totally related to Perry (Peregrine). His mother had high – and unrealistic – expectations for him. So, having ‘disappointed her’ and left the nest, he’s making his way through the world on his own. His power, as a child, was to change the color of things. Oh, I would’ve loved to be able to change the color of my high school bedroom. Peach should NOT be a thing. Nor puke green.

As an adult, Perry’s discovered he can also make things transparent. For fun, he checks out the packages of the people whose parcels he delivers at him hum drum day job. I get monotony as well. His power shows him things he’s rather not see (was that a vibrator or a dildo he’s spotted – I’m so traumatized for him that I can’t remember) He’s bored right up until the day he spots a bomb. His whole life is turned upside down. What has been a casual quirk has now become a life-or-death situation.

Enter Sergeant Deckard – Deck to everyone. He and his bomb-sniffing dog – an adorable cocker – Nix (who is named after the Goddess of Night – whether intentionally or not is a question because the dog is just so cute!). Deck’s suspicious of Perry in every way. And also attracted. But, you know, those ethics. Kaje is good about rarely letting her characters step over ethical lines – so this book takes ssssllllloooooowwww bbbbbuuuuurrrrnnn to a whole never lever. And it worked! As Deck worked to figure out who was trying to kill people with bombs, he was falling more and more in love with Perry. As Perry tried to figure out what SPAM was, he was also struggling with his new ‘superhero’ powers. Powers that, as you might imagine, come in handy.

I loved this book – loved everything about it. Humor, adventure, a cute dog…what’s not to love? Yes, this isn’t a normal Kaje book – but you can also find that little bit of angst she’s so good with. I recommend the book and the series looks pretty nifty too!

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transparent is a Color (Subparh
eroes series)
By Kaje Harper
Published by the author, 2024
5 stars

This marvelous story puts a more literal spin on the notion of subparheroes. There is plenty of danger and death, but Kaje Harper manages to keep it light and humorous in the spirit of the romantic comedy is actually is.

Peregrine Crawford is the scion of a superhero family, but has disappointed his mother by developing what appears to be a fairly lame superpower—he can change the color of things. Isolated from his family by his supposed failure, he’s a lonely young man. He doesn’t seem particularly shy, but he faces the world with a complete lack of self-confidence.

Then Perry finds a bomb in his mailroom workplace using the one rather special aspect of his power: he can make things transparent (hence the title of the book). Through this discovery he meets Sergeant Deckard, big blond member of the Nova City Bomb Squad--and his remarkable bomb-sniffing dog Nix. In classic rom-com silliness, Perry ends up being taken to Deckard’s house, because not only is the sergeant convinced he can’t take care of himself; but he feels an instant attraction for this awkward, nerdy guy. Right away the protocol-driven cop is torn between his duty as a policeman and his desire to be close to Perry (who doesn’t help at all).

The personal situation is more than balanced by the sudden deadly violence that shakes up Nova City, all tied to the bomb Perry found. Deckard can’t tell Perry what’s going on, yet can’t bring himself to put Perry at risk by cutting him loose. To add to the confusion, mysterious notes from something called SPAM begin to appear for Perry.

Harper writes this very well. The characters are great and the complicated situation is handled with skill. Harper moves back and forth between the plotlines, ratcheting up anxiety over the crimes at the same time the emotional sparks build between the two protagonists.

And just when you think the story is over, we get a little bonus; a dollop of comic relief that cleverly masks another moment of threat. Meanwhile, we get to watch Peregrine Crawford turn into something more than his mother ever thought he could be, and it warms the heart.

A well-crafted story with amusing and interesting characters is what Kaje Harper always gives her readers. That’s why I keep coming back.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you, like me, have often wanted superhero movies to be a bit gayer, then this is the book for you!

Perry was raised to believe he would have great superpowers and save the world by his mother, who puts all other mothers to shame when it comes to saddling children with outsized expectations. Unfortunately for her dream, Perry's powers are a bit more...modest, shall we say. Instead of flight, or super strength, or invincibility, Perry can change the colors of inanimate objects. Great when you need to redecorate on the fly or if you leave the house accidentally wearing two different colored shoes; not super helpful when saving the world. Or so he thought.

One day while sorting packages in the mailroom of a very fancy apartment building, Perry decides to take a peek inside one of the boxes addressed to a judge. Not by opening it, but by turning one of the sides of the box transparent. Unlike most mundane deliveries (or even the spicier deliveries) he has seen in the past, this time he sees a bomb! When he calls the police and the (reluctantly) take his nonsensical claims (how else do you explain that you know it's a bomb without revealing you can turn things transparent?) seriously, he meets Deckard from the bomb squad and his adorable bomb detecting dog Nix. And they are thrown into one of the weirder cases Deckard's ever seen--and also white hot attraction that needs no assistance from explosives!

This book managed to strike the perfect balance between funny and serious, while keeping the case at hand the same delightful mixture. A villain leaving deadly packages that also spew glitter everywhere while running around in a garish fox mask is just about the level of serious I was looking for, and it delivered! Perry and Deckard are very cute together, Nix is the perfect sidekick, and I honestly just really had fun in this world. The romance part is a bit of a mutual pining, slow burn since Deckard is a police officer and Perry is heavily involved in his case, but the build up and payoff are perfect!

I love a series that can subvert a genre, and asking "what if the superpowers handed out weren't all super useful for saving the world?" and then building a series off of it is great! Definitely looking forward to seeing where these authors take us.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good take on the theme and a sweet couple.

Rating: 4🌈

“Peregrine Crawford stared in horror at the box sitting on top of his delivery cart. That’s a bomb.”

I’m a fan of Kage Harper’s work. This author manages to take a “ordinary” person’s, or someone who has been categorized as “sub par”, approach to an extraordinary set of circumstances and make it and him relatable.

That’s Perry whose super powers are anything but. Perry can make things change colors but not indefinitely. Yellow rug to blue. Until the color fades. He has one more talent but it doesn’t always work and takes a lot of power and practice. So Perry hasn’t told anyone about it. That makes him a disappointment to his mother, especially as his only job he can hold is in a mailroom.

Perry is that easy to connect with character. One whose life changes when he does the right thing and meets Sergeant Deckard of the Nova City Bomb Squad and his canine patrol partner, Nix.

Harper combines an investigation into a serial bomber with a sweet developing relationship between Perry and Deckard. The super hero organization, SPAM, isn’t much of a element here but does appear largely as a smaller thread.

This is a good take on the theme and a sweet couple.

Subpar Heroes series- 15 books:
🔷The Accidental Necromancer by Liv Rancourt
🔷Behind the 8-Ball by A. E. Wasp 5/30/2024
🔷Transparent Is a Color by Kaje Harper
🔷Impossible Things by Alexa Land
🔷My Not-So-Super Blind Date by Allison Temple 6/6/2024
🔷An Ex-Hero's Guide to Axe Handling by Jenn Burke 6/13/2024
🔷In The Nick of Time by Elle Keaton 7/25/2024
🔷Static/Cling by Jaimie Samms 7/30/2024
🔷Spiritual Guidance Not Required by Jacy Braegan 8/1/2024
🔷What Could Go Wrong? By Toshi Drake 8/6/2024
🔷License to Chill by Chantal Mer 8/8/2024
🔷Code Name Dolittle by Lynn Michaels. 8/22/2024
🔷Signed, I’m Yours! By Rhys Lawless 8/29/2024
🔷A Taste of Danger by Morgan Brice. 9/5/2024

[Geetha Krishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superhero story with a difference. Superheroes are very much real and the civilian law enforcement is not happy with the collateral damage they cause, but are helpless to do anything since the supes have their own courts.

Perry is a supe, but he has hidden his powers from everyone. His grandfather was a well-known hero, but the only power Perry has is to change the colors of objects that he can see. When he was in school, he convinced his power that transparent is a color too. Now, he uses his power to just peek into the packages that he has to deliver to the rich and famous who live in the apartment complex where he is a delivery boy.

When he sees a bomb in a package meant for a judge, Perry calls the police. Decker is a detective in the bomb squad, and he isn't convinced of Perry's reasons of suspecting a bomb, but when his dog, Nix confirms that there is indeed a bomb, he is intrigued. Soon after, someone attempts to shoot at Perry, and Decker saves him.

Convinced that Perry's life is at risk, Decker has him move out of his apartment and move into his. But more bombs appear, and it seems as if the bomber is determined to get to his target, even if he has to go through Perry to do it.

I very much enjoyed the writing and plot. Perry and Decker are both very likeable characters, and Nix, the police dog is just the best. The interactions between Perry and Decker and the way Perry has to reveal his powers slowly was all very well done. I laughed out loud at how Perry dealt with the US army person who came to recruit him.

The people of the bomb squad, Perry's landlady, and his friend, Tucker, all form a found family for Perry whose mother is so ashamed of his powers that she ignores his existence. I just hate parents like her.

Perry and Decker form a nice couple, and I liked that they waited till everything is resolved before they got together despite falling stupid for each other much before.

All in all, this was a very entertaining read. If you like superheroes and humorous fiction, you will like this one.

[Penumbra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transparent is a Color is the third book in the ‘Subparheroes’ collection written by various authors. This stars Perry who has the power to change colors or make objects transparent. There is also Sergeant Deckard, or ‘Deck’ who Perry starts to work with. This is told in third person from Perry and Deck’s povs.

This was a cute story, exactly what I was looking to read at the time. Something lighter with a little mystery. The blurb gives a slight run-down of the plot but I’ll add a bit more. This is insta-lust with Deck being protective of Perry. Everyone loves Deck’s bomb-sniffing dog, Nix. Someone is trying to kill a judge in the building Perry works in and Perry keeps getting caught up in the mess. He tends to run to danger instead of staying where he’s sent. Deck has his hands full protecting the city and keeping Perry out of trouble. Mysterious notes show up for Perry and then disappear. Who is April and what does ‘SPAM’ mean? There’s a lot of little subplots that Perry and Deck must solve. Perry hides his power until he can’t keep it a secret any longer because he wants to help. The plot and subplots were fun and entertaining. It held my interest the whole time.

Perry and Deck made a good couple. I was confused at what appeared to be a change in Perry’s personality. At the beginning he seemed shy and passive, but as the story went on, he was not either of those. He could be very determined even if he was afraid. I’d say he tended to be goofy, but sweet. Deck had his hands full trying to keep Perry from doing something impulsive. We learn later that Perry was a lot like his late father, whereas his mother was a Superpower groupie.

I enjoyed reading Transparent is a Color and would read it again. I recommend it to others who are looking for a light-hearted read. I give this book, 5 Stars

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
Audio: 4.5⭐️

This was fun. Perry’s power and its creative application is great. Between a mom who chipped at his self-worth and being bullied and friendless, his self-esteem isn’t great, but he’s good-natured and self-deprecating in a way that’s more “eh, this is my life” rather than severely insecure. He’s just impetuous and bratty enough to be slightly exasperating but loveable, and Deckard enjoys that side of him. He loves Perry’s kindness and desire to do the right thing even when it puts him in danger. Deckard is straitlaced, protective, and needs color in his life as much as Perry needs someone who sees him.

The villainous motives are comic book perfect. The SPAM subplot isn’t. It’s like a side plot in a multi-comic arc that had to be incorporated. It drags the pace, makes the book longer than necessary, and/or uses pages that should've gone to Deckard's development. To me it's not comedic and has no thematic weight. Perry doesn’t aspire to be a superhero so SPAM’s attention doesn’t matter. His mother made him feel useless and unwanted, and they could have helped that part of his journey but don’t. They’re successful as a matchmaker service though.

I also had a tough time with the older people Perry knows. They are all very acab and anti-establishment, which is fine, but the story gives contradictory vibes about them. The MCs give a nod of acknowledgement to the validity of why they feel this way, but then the story makes them caricatures.

J.F. Harding does a great job with the narration as usual. His pace and tone are good, and he nails Deckard’s gruff reluctance and Perry’s nature. How he voices Perry helps make his impulsiveness and brattiness softer. I think he made an enjoyable book even better.

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic story idea! And the best news is it’s told by a fantastic storyteller. Kaje Harper’s characters are always rich in emotion with strong characters, and these two main characters, Perry, the young man with slowly developing superhero powers, and Deckard, the bomb squad cop who takes Perry under his wing (and into his heart) are a wonderful complement to each other. They also spiked my need to see this story all the way through without many, if any, breaks and to root for Perry’s superhero powers. As an added bonus, readers are treated to time with Deckard’s police dog, Nix, who was adorable and smart and worked for his kibble.

But what appealed to me most was the concept of a subpar hero at the heart of the story. I’ve always been a sucker for the underdog, the misfit, the sweet, warm, smart human who needs to be loved and appreciated. Kaje Harper brought that character to life in Perry and made my day. He also had a warm, self-deprecating sense of humor and a streak of rebellious independence.

The dialogue was sharp with witty banter and the story moved along with action-packed adventure as Perry and Deckhard tried to ID and outwit a villain sporting a fox mask.

The relationship building was slow, but steady, and I knew these two would make a perfect couple right from the beginning. With the abundance of dangerous and strange situations Perry and Deckhard faced, they kept their heads and hearts focused, and in the way of the best of romances, readers were treated to their HEA.

[Mary Forster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author for me and just reading the blurb of the book, it sounded really good so I thought I would give it a try and I'm so glad that I did.

"Transparent is a Color."

Perry stared at him for another minute, then slowly held his arms wide. “Hug?”

Perry has a superpower and it's not the one that his mother wanted. His mother is so disappointed that he isn't able to fly like his father. Perry distances himself from his mother and just lives his life how he wants. His superpower is changing colors and being able to see inside stuff. He works as a mail room clerk and when he happens to change a package, he sees that it is a bomb. He calls 911 and Perry meets Sergeant Deckard.

Deckard works with the bomb squad with his dog Nix. When he reports to the building that was reported with a bomb, he meets Perry. Deckard needs to know how Perry knew it was a bomb and he can tell when Perry isn't being truthful or only provided some of the truth. When Perry's life ends up in danger, he is stuck with Deckard.

This book will take you on a fun, humorous, wild ride. I love how the author brings the main MC's together and what they are able to do. It is a slow-burn romance but I didn't mind that at all. You get to know more about the characters and how they work well together. These two are such a trip and I do believe I will be adding this to my reread shelf because it's just that good.

#I received an ARC from GRR (Gay Romance Reviews) and this is my honest review.

[Dear Reader 0801 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read in this multi-author series involving almost superheroes, Subparheroes and it was a fun and easy read. It’s low angst and a bit of a slow burn but I enjoyed getting to know Perry, the Interior Decorator and all his quirky powers along with Deckard and his dog partner, Nix.

Perry has lived his life believing his ability to change the color of things isn’t important enough according to his mother and goes about his days working in a mailroom for a building and living in a rented room from his feisty landlady. Until one day when his curiosity for peeking in packages but making part of the packaging transparent reveals someone’s villainous intentions to unalive someone with a device. Enter Deckard and his device-sniffing dog, Nix. What follows is a chase to uncover the evil-doer behind the fox mask, figure out what and who is behind the mysterious messages from SPAM that keep popping up and prevent anyone else getting hurt.

I enjoyed seeing Perry’s progress through the book and how he goes from this unsure mailroom worker to embracing his powers and using them both for good and also eventually finding something he enjoys doing. It’s a slow burn so the story does more work on developing the friendship/relationship between Perry and Deck through the story with some spicy bits towards the end.

This was a great introduction into the series and looking forward to more from these subpar heroes!

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I've only read superhero romances a couple times, but I was fascinated by the concept of subpar heroes and the premise of this story intrigued me. Who would have thought of the ability to change the surface color of things to be a superpower, and transparent as a color? What a concept! Perry gets himself into quite the conundrum when making one of the boxes he's sorting transparent to peek inside and discovers a bomb! What would he do? He could get in trouble for snooping through mail. He could get in trouble for such a power, or risk being forcibly used by the government if they find it useful.

I could totally relate Perry's anxiety, nervousness, and rambling. I really connected with him. I liked the dynamic between Deck and Perry, and enjoyed the way their relationship developed. I love dogs, and Deck's dog, Nix, was as sweet as she was talented, so I was happy for her presence in the story. I also liked the supporting characters.

The story was interesting, suspenseful, and exciting from the start and I was completely hooked. It was my first book in this series and I would definitely check out more.

I listened to this on audiobook narrated by J.F. Harding. I thought he did a great job bringing these characters and this story to life and I had no trouble differentiating between the different characters' voices.

Overall: 5 stars
Performance: 5 stars
Story: 5 stars