ARC Review: Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon

Barbarian Alien
Author: Ruby Dixon
Series: Ice Planet Barbarians (Book 2)
Publication: Berkley (January 25, 2022)

Description: The second novel in the Ice Planet Barbarians series, the international publishing phenomenon—now in a special print edition with bonus materials and an exclusive epilogue!

Liz Cramer swears she’ll find a way off of this alien planet she’s stuck on—then she meets Raahosh, the surliest and stubbornest alien, who won’t leave her alone, and she just might be okay with that...

Twelve humans are left stranded on a wintry alien planet. I’m one of them. Yay, me.

In order to survive, we have to take on a symbiont that wants to rewire our bodies to live in this brutal place. I like to call it a “cootie.” And my cootie’s a jerk, because it also thinks I’m the mate to the biggest, grumpiest alien of the bunch. Raahosh believes the cootie’s right, so he steals me away from the group, determined to make me fall for him—or else.

He has no idea who he’s up against.

And if I didn’t want his insufferable self so much (thanks, cootie), I’d let him know exactly what I’m thinking. As it is, I’m doing my best to fight this instant attraction. Just because the symbiont thinks we’re supposed to be together doesn’t mean I have to go along with it. And if we fool around a little, it’s merely biology. It doesn’t mean I’m in love—or that I’m destined to be his.

My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Ice Planet Barbarian series and stars Liz and Raahosh. She's a smart-mouthed, contrary sort of woman. He's a bit of a mystery. He's scarred and quiet and something of an outsider in his tribe.

When their symbionts resonate for each other, they have wildly different reactions. He is so happy to finally have someone of his own and to be able to make a family. She's completely against anyone or anything making decisions for her.

When he kidnaps her and decides to keep her until their mating bond is fixed, she is decidedly unhappy. But when they are found and returned to the clan, she is disturbed to find that Raahosh is to be exiled for his act of kidnapping her.

By this time, she's pregnant and has fallen in love with the big surly alien and she isn't going to let anyone separate them. She begins a successful campaign to irritate everyone in the clad until they exile her out of sheer frustration. Meanwhile, Raahosh hangs around their cave and brings gifts of food to Liz to show his devotion. And he neglects his own health and well-being. 

This was another sexy romp with stranded human women and big blue aliens on a planet that is hostile to both species. Fans of erotic light science fiction will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:

It's true. I am having a bad day. To think that despite being kidnapped by aliens and living in a smelly, freezing, broken cargo hold for the last week wearing nothing but a short nightgown...I can have a day worse than that? Why yes, yes I can.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.