A Fresh Fictional Take On The EVE Gene

Genetics. Twins. And a mystery within a family. 

The EVE Genome by Joanne Brothwell
Genre: Paranormal Romance with a slice of Sci-Fi Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Release Date: October 24, 2013 Pages: 288
I'd like to thank the author for supplying me and an eARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Favorite Line/Passage: He still had my chin between his thumb and index finger with his muscular arm between us. I glanced down, his gaze too intense. I needed space. Oxygen. His thin cotton t-shirt was tight against his frame, the fabric fitted to his arms, highlighting thick biceps. A snake tattoo twisted from his wrist all the way to his upper arm, the forked tongue eternally lashing out at his heart. (2% on Kindle)
Description: Adriana Sinclair is an evolutionary mystery. Her blood type matches nothing in modern medicine. When a failed blood transfusion kills her twin sister, Adriana discovers she's a throwback to an original human that scientists have coined the “Mitochondrial Eve.”
Still reeling from her sister's death and the subsequent realization of her family’s secret, Adriana struggles to put her life back in order and focus on her college studies. She finds comfort in Kalan, the new guy whose striking albino features and friendly manner keep her distracted from the wreck her life has become. Kalan is exactly what she needs right now, even if he does seem a bit too interested in Adriana's mysterious bloodline...        NIGHTSTAND WORTHY
My Splats: a tale of intrigue and possibilities twined between sisters, their genetics, and the concept of the 'First Eve'.
The story opens with an analytical quote about mankind's beginnings, setting the groundwork for the foundation yet to come. Quotes continue with each chapter, building the mystery yet revealing clues. They were a nice 'take a peek' method of keeping the reader reading. 
I found the concept of one (or in this case) twins possessing a true genetic link to the First Eve very thought-provoking. The angle the author chose forced me to examine my own beliefs and ability to widen my scope of possibilities. I always love it when a fictional story does that. 
The writing is intense at times, suspenseful even within the shortest of scenes. Action, the pace speeds up as more genetic details unfurl. Multiple point of views is used to introduce the reader to the characters and give a more intimate connection with each. The characters are well described and unique. I especially liked Adriana and her real, strong, damaged, feminine feel; it complimented her feisty fighter persona well. As did I enjoy Kalan's quiet and soulful demeanor, and the other male lead--Marcus. The manner in which they are brought together to adopt a common mission defines them even more. 
With the untimely death of her sister, Adriana is left as the focal point of a genetic testing center. Though she tries to move forward with her life, things become blurry and unsure. Kalan enters the story, a nice guy who happens to be an albino and might--just might--have more in common with Adriana than she wants to discover. As the story revs up, questionable building blocks of Adriana and her twin sister's make up rear their ugly heads.  
When a new surprising roadblock hampers any genetic investigation, Kalan opens up about his theories regarding her sister's death, the genetic center, and even her family as a whole. Upping the ante even more, the two soon uncover facts that may or may not be true, sending both on an emotional tightrope. A tightrope that might even connect to Adriana's mother. Eventually, experiments go awry and the three must delve into the danger zone of the genetic center to retrieve what's theirs or the consequences could be catastrophic.  I'd recommend this story to the New Adult reader. Mature subjects are present, but handled delicately and with care. 
Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian prairie where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis. Of course, her two pets, a retired police dog with titanium fangs and a feral barn cat missing two toes, make the safety of surrounding wildlife, at best, uncertain. Joanne is known to daydream, and ever since grade school has been accused of having a poor attention span. The truth is, she has an alternate reality inside her head, where characters speak to her, sometimes so loudly (and incessantly) she just can’t hear anything else! Joanne is the author of three urban fantasy novels, The Eve Genome, Stealing Breath and Silencing Breath, as well as Forest of the Forsaken, an eerie adaptation of Hansel and Gretel.
What are your thoughts on the idea of the First Eve or a true Eve gene?