Automaton - Cheryl L Davies

In the not too distant future, after the huge successes of role-playing games, virtual worlds and reality shows, it was only a matter of time before somebody went too far. Welcome to Gameworld, a remote island with a population unaware that they exist only to entertain players. People's lives are dictated by their "owners" and broadcast around the clock and around the globe. It's the world's biggest game and the stakes keep increasing. Dean 3012 is a good guy living on the Island with his girlfriend, Lily. With a baby on the way, life is perfect. But when things take a sinister turn, the couple are plunged into a world of darkness. In the real world, Lily's owner Amelia is more than a watcher of the game. Obsessed with Lily's happiness beyond reason, Amelia will threaten anyone -- real or virtual -- in a misguided effort to protect her. Dean must somehow find a way to gain self-determination and fight for all their lives, even if it means discovering that his life isn't real.