ARC Review: Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks

Written in Starlight
Author: Sloane Brooks
Publication: Atria Books (October 13, 2026)

Description: A storybook chambermaid’s and an intergalactic bounty hunter’s worlds—and hearts—collide through a magical book, threatening to rewrite fate in this romantic portal fantasy with a cosmic twist. Perfect for fans of Tusk Love and The Spellshop.

Della Farley has always known her place: scrubbing floors, keeping her head down, and dreaming of something more. But when she stumbles upon a strange book that seems to be writing itself—a story about a man named Ansel Tulzok, a wanted fugitive traveling the stars—her quiet life turns extraordinary.

Light-years away, Ansel finds a mirror copy of the same book. Page by page, the story unfolds with details of a woman he’s never met—one whose words feel achingly familiar. As the two begin writing to each other through the mysterious pages, they open doors not just to each other’s worlds, but to their most vulnerable hopes and fears.

But every story has its price. And as their worlds entwine and their hearts collide, Della and Ansel must decide how far they’re willing to go to change the ending fate has written for them.

My Thoughts: WRITTEN IN STARLIGHT was a fantasy romance. Della Farley is an underappreciated chambermaid in a dull provincial town. One day when she's sending most of paycheck home to her sick mother, she's almost run over by the duke's carriage. What could be a wonderful romantic opportunity turns sour when Della finds herself speechless in his presence. She does find an unlabeled package that contains a strange story about a wanted fugitive named Ansel Tulzok who is traveling the stars.

Ansel also finds a strange book about a chambermaid in a small country town. It doesn't take them long to learn that they can read each other's life stories and can write and influence them too. Since both are lonely, it doesn't take long to form a friendship which quickly becomes a romance.

After Della is fired from her job, she finds a way to switch stories and ends up on Ansel's spaceship where they learn that it is easier to read someone's mind in writing than when they are actually in the same place. However, romance blossoms as do friendships with Ansel's very eclectic crew.

But the villain that Ansel is trying to find to clear his own name on his home world is not eager to be caught and may have some designs on both of their books. 

This was an entertaining love story in an interesting world where librarians aren't allowed to actually read the books in their collections. Della's mother ignored this rule which has a lot to do with Della's ability to switch from world to world yet never feel like a part of any until she meets Ansel.

I recommend this one to fantasy and romance lovers. 

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

ARC Review: Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle

Enter the Nightmare
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: Harmony (Book 12)
Publication: Berkley (June 30, 2026)

Description: Nightmares become real when a woman trying to rebuild her life enters the Hotel of Dreams in this exhilarating Harmony novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.

Alice Radstone should have known not to return. Her life before the Hotel of Dreams had been the perfectly cloistered world of a teacher at the Ballantine Academy. When the death of her mentor forced her out, she was left to reinvent herself in the big city. Since then, things have not gone well. Ten months ago, after her first trip to the hotel, she woke up in the locked ward of a hospital for the criminally insane, told that she had murdered her husband on their wedding night. She has no memory of the husband or the wedding but after escaping the asylum, one thing is certain—she is never going back.

Unfortunately, Alice’s second reinvented life is also deteriorating rapidly, which is why she finds herself once again at the Hotel of Dreams—this time hiding in the shadows of her room, a dead body in the shower, and two men wearing masks creeping toward the bed to kidnap her. Again.

When the enigmatic and decidedly dangerous Owen March shows up, claiming he’s there to rescue her, she has no choice but to accept his offer—and hope that he doesn’t intend to kidnap her, too.

With Alice and now Owen in the killer’s sights, time is running out. Alice and Owen must trust each other and the electric passion between them if they are to make it out of this hotel alive.

My Thoughts: The latest Harmony romantic suspense title pairs Alice Radstone and Owen Marsh. Alice has been in hiding since escaping from a mental hospital where she was sent after being accused of murdering her husband on the first night of their honeymoon. Owen has been hired to find her but has become that his client doesn't have Alice's best interests in mind.

Alice and Owen meet at the hotel where Alice had spent her wedding night. She was called back to that place in hopes of finding out all the things she doesn't remember about her wedding night. Owen arrives in time to rescue Alice from the thugs who are trying to drug her and bring her back to the mental institution. Alice wasn't quite alone. She had a dust bunny named Sebastian along with her as backup. He's duded out in sunglasses and sleeked out in his fighting form when Owen arrives.

The trio manages to escape the hotel and the thugs and find their way to the casino hotels of Illusion Town while they work out who wants to put Alice away and why they do. Owen proposes a Marriage of Convenience which provides Alice with some protection from her enemy. The pair fall in love as they solve Alice's problems.

This was another entertaining paranormal romance from a prolific author. I like the snappy dialog between the main characters. I also really like the antics of Sebastian the dust bunny who has all sorts of fun in a casino hotel. The plot was fast-paced and exciting. 

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

Audiobook Review: Angel-Seeker by Sharon Shinn

Angel-Seeker
Author: Sharon Shinn
Narrator: Tamara Marston
Series: Samaria (Book 5)
Publication: Audible Studios (July 20, 2010)
Length: 18 hours and 35 minutes

Description: The award-winning author returns to Samaria in this richly romantic tale that begins where Archangel left off. In that time, the women who craved the attention of angels were known as angel-seekers, a term used with awe by some - and scorn by others.

My Thoughts: The fifth book set on Samaria focuses on roles of women. It tells the story of Elizabeth who begins the story working as a cook on her cousin's farm and longing for more. She travels to Cedar Hills which is a new city being constructed near a new angel hold. 

Elizabeth longs to be loved and cared for and begins the story as a sort of vain, superior sort of woman. She goes to Cedar Hills in the hopes of attracting the love of an angel because women who have angels' angelic babies are cared for. But there are many, many young women who have come to Cedar Hills for the same reason and the competition to attract an angel is fierce. 

She does begin a sort of relationship with an angel, but her real career begins when she meets a healer named Mary. Mary takes Elizabeth as an apprentice which gives her a skill of her own. Elizabeth also meets a Edori man who, once freed from slavery, became a worker in building the new Cedar Hills. However, her focus on gaining a home by having and angel baby means that she is overlooking any other sort of possible relationship.

The second woman the book focuses on is Rebekah. She is a Jonsai which means that she is kept in seclusion and under the rule of her father or brother. She meets the angel Obadiah when he is shot down by some sort of weapon and is in danger of dying in the desert. Rebekah has been sent to the oasis to get water for her stepfather's traveling caravan. She nurses the angel even though she knows that her stepfather and the other Jonsai would prefer that he die. 

Obadiah becomes Rebekah's secret. When she returns to her family home in Breven, she sneaks out to continue her relationship with Obadiah who is there to treat with the Jansai for the angels. Obadiah wants to take Rebekah away with him to Cedar Hills, but she is afraid to leave the life she knows. But when she becomes pregnant, her time among the Jansai becomes impossible. Women who transgress - and becoming pregnant out of wedlock with an angel no less is a major transgression - are dealt with harshly. She has already seen her cousin who had an affair with another kind of traveling merchant beaten, stoned, and left in the desert to die. 

When her pregnancy is discovered, the same fate is meted out to her. But her brother has slipped her a waterskin and she was left wrapped in a blanket which gives her a chance for survival. Only being discovered by Elizabeth and her Edori man saves her life and gives her a chance at a new one with Obadiah.

This was an engaging story about two women looking for love and finding it though in very different ways. It is the final book in the Samaria series. 

I bought this one March 12, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh

Atonement Sky
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity (Book 9)
Publication: Berkley (July 15, 2025)

Description: The hunt for a stealthy predator takes a damaged J-Psy to the heart of falcon territory in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh…

Justice-Psy Eleri Dias knows the end is near for her, her mind one step away from fatal psychic exposure. In the short time that remains, she is determined to atone for an act of omission that has haunted her for a long, cruel decade. But that decision not only means facing a powerful changeling wing leader, but also putting herself in the path of a serial killer.

Falcon wing leader Adam Garrett is fiercely protective of his family and his clan. After losing his parents as a teenager in a shocking act of malice, Adam has no forgiveness in him for the J-Psy who betrayed him, betrayed them, at the most painful moment of his life. But the evil that stalks his territory will allow him no respite, forcing him once more into contact with the J he has never been able to forget.

Everything that could’ve been between Eleri and Adam was lost years ago, a shimmering promise crushed. As they work to uncover a monster, the moment of reckoning looms ever closer. Soon, there may be no more time left for either atonement...or love…

My Thoughts: ATONEMENT SKY was another excellent story in an excellent series. J-Psy Eleri Dias has one last goal before she succumbs to her mind's disintegration. She wants to catch the notorious serial killer known as the Sandman who has developed a fixation on her and keeps sending her letters. 

However, doing so will take her to the Arizona desert and a meeting with falcon that she met when she was an apprentice in her trade. Adam Garrett if the wing leader of his clan and has hated Eleri for years. Her mentor lied during the case trial of the murders of his parents, and the murderer got off with the official verdict of an accidental death. Adam blames Eleri for not stepping in and contradicting her mentor.

This ill feeling is complicated by the fact that the two of them were destined to be mates. But the years have changed both of them. Silence has fallen and the Psy are hanging on by a thread. And Eleri has had her mind worked on so much by her keepers that she is almost completely emotionless. 

This story was engaging. I loved the relationship that grew between Adam and Eleri. I liked the focus on the winged clan. I also liked the way many of the different groups managed to work together to solve a problem plaguing the Psy and the humans. 

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

ARC Review: It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle

It Takes a Psychic
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: A Harmony Novel (Book 11)
Publication: Berkley (June 3, 2025)

Description: Two unlikely allies search for the secrets of their pasts while on the run within the Alien world of Harmony in the thrilling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.

Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. Her high profile attracts the attention of an organization of elite, secretive collectors. They want her to authenticate the artifacts that aspiring members submit as evidence to join their group. The ceremony takes place at a glittering reception where Leona is shocked to discover that one of the relics is a powerful Old-World object known as Pandora’s Box. But she’s not the only one interested in that artifact.

Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent—they say you never see him coming—is also there. Leona knows she must not underestimate him. Attempting to make a discreet exit, she stumbles over the body of a waiter wearing the emblem of a dangerous cult. Before she can alert authorities, a police raid sends the reception into chaos. To avoid being arrested, Leona slips away with Oliver—a risky decision that gets her fired.

Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. But Leona knows the real danger may be the irresistible attraction between herself and Oliver.

My Thoughts: Leona Griffin has been hired to authenticate artifacts at a gala being held by an organization of elite and secretive collectors. When she discovers that one of the artifacts is definitely radiating psychic powers but is of Old World provenance, she finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy. 

Oliver Rancourt is also at the gala because of the object Leona is authenticating. It was stolen from his family's museum. When the police raid the gathering, Leona and Oliver manage to escape with the object and after discovering a murdered server. 

They decide to team up to discover the thief. Oliver wants to know who has stolen the object known as Pandora's box. And Leona wants to track down an artifact that has a connection to her and her sister's origins. 

Leona also finds a friend in a dust bunny she names Roxy and who has a fascination with fascinators. The trio travels to a small town that was purportedly once the center of Vincent Lee Vance's plans to overthrow the existing government and replace it with his own. Rumors say that he was put into stasis and will return someday. 

This was an engaging paranormal romance. I loved the banter between Leona and Oliver who each have psychic gifts that they were trying to keep secret. The dust bunny also adds humor to the story. 

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

Friday Memes: It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

Beginning:

The dust bunny chortled from underneath a nearby display stand.

Friday 56:

"Good morning, you two," Darla sang out. "Any manifestation sightings last night in your room?"

"Afraid not," Leona said.

This week I am spotlighting It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle. This eleventh book in the Harmony series is from my review stack. Here's the description from Amazon:

Two unlikely allies search for the secrets of their pasts while on the run within the Alien world of Harmony in the thrilling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.

Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. Her high profile attracts the attention of an organization of elite, secretive collectors. They want her to authenticate the artifacts that aspiring members submit as evidence to join their group. The ceremony takes place at a glittering reception where Leona is shocked to discover that one of the relics is a powerful Old-World object known as Pandora’s Box. But she’s not the only one interested in that artifact.

Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent—they say you never see him coming—is also there. Leona knows she must not underestimate him. Attempting to make a discreet exit, she stumbles over the body of a waiter wearing the emblem of a dangerous cult. Before she can alert authorities, a police raid sends the reception into chaos. To avoid being arrested, Leona slips away with Oliver—a risky decision that gets her fired.

Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. But Leona knows the real danger may be the irresistible attraction between herself and Oliver.

Audiobook Review: Only Cold Depths by Jennifer Estep

Only Cold Depths
Author: Jennifer Estep
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang & James Fouhey
Series: Galactic Bonds (Book 4)
Publication: Audible Studios (December 20, 2024)
Length: 15 hours and 4 minutes

Description: New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Estep continues her Galactic Bonds series with a new action-packed adventure that blends science fiction, fantasy, and historical romance. This rollicking space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soulmates story and “Pew! Pew! Pew!” battle scenes. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Dune, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

A woman who can’t control her power ...

Everyone knows the name Vesper Quill. I used to be a lowly lab rat working in a Regal-owned corporation, but thanks to my truebond with Kyrion Caldaren, I’m now one of the most wanted fugitives in the Archipelago Galaxy.

Kyrion and I have spent the last few weeks avoiding bounty hunters, along with the Arrows, the elite Imperium warriors tasked with capturing us. Now we’ve journeyed to a distant planet that’s supposed to be a refuge for truebonded couples, but when new enemies appear, we’re once again in grave danger.

As a seer, inventor, and engineer, I’m skilled at figuring out how things work, but I can’t quite understand my growing magic and newfound psionic abilities. The clock is ticking, and if I don’t figure out how to tap into my power, I’ll doom myself to a gruesome fate, along with Kyrion.

A man who can’t let go of his fear ...

As Kyrion Caldaren, I’m used to being respected and feared, especially given my telekinesis, telepathy, telempathy, and other powerful psionic abilities. What I’m not used to is being on the run, but as a rogue Arrow, I’ll do anything to protect Vesper.

Just when I think we’ve finally reached a safe haven, trouble finds us again, reigniting all my fears about losing Vesper.

When the cold depths of our enemies’ plan are finally revealed, the truth is more terrifying than anything I could imagine. Soon Vesper and I are fighting for our lives again, but even with our growing truebond power, this is one battle we might not survive.

My Thoughts: This fourth book in the Galactic Bonds space opera series has Vesper and Kyrion trying to find refuge from all those chasing them. They have traveled to a distant planet where truebonded couples are supposed to be able to take refuge. 

However, that doesn't protect them from bounty hunters and other enemies who either want to return them to the ruler who wants to drain their psychic powers or the enemies who want to compel Vesper to repair their super-weapon and make it more effective. 

Vesper is also dealing with her recently discovered family including a brother who is now the head of the Arrows and a long-time rival of Kurion's. Then there is Vesper's mother who abandoned her as a young child because she didn't think she was useful but who has now found a potential use for her. 

Vesper and Kyrion are also still trying to come to terms with their truebond. Neither knows what to expect from it or how to use it and both are wary of it. 

This was an entertaining science fiction romance with lots of space opera details from inventions to weapons to fighting techniques. 

I bought this one December 10, 2024. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Only Hard Problems by Jennifer Estep

Only Hard Problems
Author: Jennifer Estep
Narrator: Max Roll & Lauren Fortgang
Series: Galactic Bonds (Book 3)
Publication: Audible Studios (February 20, 2024)
Length: 6 hours and 15 mintes

Description: New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Estep continues her Galactic Bonds series with a new, action-packed adventure that blends science-fiction technology and magical fantasy elements with a touch of historical romance. This rollicking space opera focuses on a fan-favorite secondary character who’s part hero, part villain, and all arrogance. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE . . .

My name is Zane Zimmer. To most folks, I live a seemingly charmed life as a Regal lord and the heir apparent to the powerful, wealthy House Zimmer, and the gossipcasts breathlessly follow my every swaggering move across the Archipelago Galaxy. I’m also a powerful psion capable of telekinesis, telepathy, and telempathy, and my deadly skills and prowess with my stormsword have made me the golden boy of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force.

But even golden boys have bad days, and the truth is I have more hard problems than I can solve.

The Techwave is building weapons to use against the Arrows in hopes of toppling the Imperium and taking over the galaxy. But even more worrisome is the fact that my old rival Kyrion Caldaren has a powerful new ally in Vesper Quill. Together, the two of them just might destroy everything I’ve sworn to protect.

I’m supposed to be relaxing with the other Regals during the Summer Solstice celebration, but when an enemy threatens the festivities, I’m forced to leap into action. As an Arrow, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family and the other Regals, even though my actions will cause only more problems—and just might end up being the death of me . . .

My Thoughts: The third Galactic Bonds novel is Zane Zimmer's story. He's scion of a wealthy family and a favored topic for the gossipcasts. He is also the head of the Arrows now that Kyrian Caldaren has fled with Vesper Quill. 

However, he does have some problems. In the realm of the personal is adjusting to the news that Vesper Quill is his sister. He's also dealing with a grandmother who is determined to see him married off to a woman who comes with lots of mineral rights and who hates Zane. In the realm of the galactic is always the Techwave who have as their goal taking over the galaxy. 

A Summer Solstice celebration goes bad when the Techwave brings troops to the event in the hopes of stealing technical date and causing havoc. Zane battles to protect his family and his government and learns some things about his potential bride. 

This is a nice fill-in story. I don't think it would stand alone well. However, having read the first two books in this series, I liked knowing more about Zane.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Only Good Enemies by Jennifer Estep

Only Good Enemies
Author: Jennifer Estep
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang
Series: Galactic Bonds (Book 2)
Publication: Audible Studios (July 18, 2023)
Length: 14 hours and 12 minutes

Description: New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Estep continues her Galactic Bonds series with an action-packed new adventure that blends science fiction, fantasy, and historical romance. This rollicking space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soulmates, slow-burning, and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

A woman on a mission...

My name is Vesper Quill. I used to be a lowly lab rat, toiling away in obscurity developing brewmakers and other household appliances. But thanks to my seer magic and my own ingenuity, I’m now a Regal lady and the head of a successful corporation.

My mission? To destroy the Techwave, the dangerous group that has stolen my designs and plans to weaponize them against the Imperium. But when my mission takes an unexpected turn, I’m once again surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

Further complicating matters is Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord whose fate is bound to mine. Kyrion doesn’t realize the two of us still have an unwanted connection that puts us both in grave danger...or does he?

A man surrounded by enemies...

My name is Kyrion Caldaren. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’ve been tasked with tracking down and destroying the Techwave before they seize control of the Archipelago Galaxy.

My other mission? Find a way to assassinate Lord Callus Holloway, the Imperium ruler who wants to take my psion power for his own. Holloway is also a threat to Vesper Quill, who haunts my thoughts, despite the broken bond and distance between us.

When I realize Vesper is in danger, my priorities change, and I vow to use all my telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities to help her. I will save Vesper from her enemies and mine—even if I have to burn down the whole bloody galaxy.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Galactic Bonds series begins with Vesper and Kyrion apart from each other. Vesper is consolidating her hold on her new corporation and getting used to the idea of being a Regal lady. She is also working to defeat the Techwave who is stealing her inventions and putting them to bad uses. 

Vesper knows that the bond between herself and Kyrion was not broken, but she doesn't want to be bonded to anyone who doesn't love her. She's had enough in her life of being the one left behind without care or thought. 

Kyrion is at home and wondering why thoughts of Vesper keep crossing his mind. He doesn't want a bond with her because he knows that Callus Holloway will only exploit it and steal their power. He also knows the Holloway regrets making Vesper a Regal lady and wants control of her corporation. 

When Vesper is kidnapped by the Techwave, Kyrion is ready to throw away everything else to rescue her. But Holloway has sent three additional Arrows to also "rescue" Vesper and return her to him so that he can use her. 

This was an entertaining science fiction adventure which combines a lot of romance with the more science fiction parts of the story. Vesper and Kyrion overcome their reluctance to embrace their bond and learn that they are stronger together and apart after embracing it. However, two against the universe are still long odds and a happy ending seems to be far in their future. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep

Only Bad Options
Author: Jennifer Estep
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang
Series: Galactic Bonds (Book 1)
Publication: Audible Studios (September 20, 2022)
Length: 12 hours and 35 minutes

Description: New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction/fantasy adventure with a dash of historical romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

A woman who sees everything...

Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research-and-development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.

I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

A man who can’t forget his past...

The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will.

My Thoughts: ONLY BAD OPTIONS is the first in a space opera series. Vesper Quill is a lab rat for Kent Corp primarily working on brewmakers. She has a talent for being able to fix things and she is also a seer. Abandoned by her Regal mother for not having enough psionic power, Vesper has made her own way. But when she discovers a flaw in some new spaceships Kent Corp is building for the Imperium, she finds herself deep in a conspiracy to overthrow the Imperium. And then she finds herself offered up as cannon fodder in a battle between the Imperium and the Techwave.

Rescued by Kyrion Calderan, an Arrow for the Imperium, she finds herself again in the heart of power. She and Kyrion find themselves bonded which is something neither of them wants. Kyrion witnessed the bond her parents had and the way Callus Holloway, the leader of Imperium, used it to his advantage. He doesn't want to give Halloway any more weapons. 

All Vesper wants is to get away and find a safe place to build her own life. Being bonded with Kyrion isn't a life goal for her either. But many people are eager to use her or blame her for the upcoming revolution and she will have to find and master some new psionic gifts if she hopes to survive. 

The pair goes to a friend of Kyrion's who believes that he can break the bond between them and leave them free to pursue their own goals. Both find themselves missing the bond and the comfort of having someone else of their own, but a broken bond is much safer for each of them. At least, they believe it is broken...

Filled with action, political intrigue, and romance, ONLY BAD OPTIONS was a great start to a new series. 

I bought this one March 10, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: People in Glass Houses by Jayne Castle

People in Glass Houses
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: A Harmony Novel (Book 10)
Publication: Berkley (May 7, 2024)

Description: Two people desperate for answers wade through smoke and mirrors within the alien world of Harmony in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.

His name is Joshua Knight. Once a respected explorer, the press now calls him the Tarnished Knight. He took the fall for a disaster in the Underworld that destroyed his career. The devastating event occurred in the newly discovered sector known as Glass House—a maze of crystal that is rumored to conceal powerful Alien antiquities. The rest of the Hollister Expedition team disappeared and are presumed dead.

Whatever happened down in the tunnels scrambled Josh’s psychic senses and his memories, but he’s determined to uncover the truth. Labeled delusional and paranoid, he retreats to an abandoned mansion in the desert, a house filled with mirrors. Now a recluse, Josh spends his days trying to discover the secrets in the looking glasses that cover the walls. He knows he is running out of time.

Talented, ambitious crystal artist Molly Griffin is shocked to learn that the Tarnished Knight has been located. She drops everything and heads for the mansion to find Josh, confident she can help him regain control of his shattered senses. She has no choice—he is the key to finding her sister, Leona, a member of the vanished expedition team. Josh reluctantly allows her to stay one night but there are two rules: she must not go down into the basement, and she must not uncover the mirrors that have been draped.

But her only hope for finding her sister is to break the rules…

My Thoughts: The tenth science fiction romance set on Harmony was another excellent book in the series. Molly Griffin is determined to find her sister who was lost in the alien tunnels underground. She was part of the Hollister Expedition. Only the navigator - Josh Knight - managed to make it out alive. But he is psi-burned and has disappeared after escaping from a psychiatric hospital.

Molly is an artist who tunes crystal but her adopted mothers run a detective agency. They manage to track Josh down to a creepy old mansion made of fireglass and filled with tuned mirrors outside a small town. The house is built on a hot zone and filled with psychic influences. 

Molly shows up, determined to help him get over his psi-burn so that he can find her missing sister. He's cranky and irritable; she's stubborn and determined. It's a match made in Harmony heaven. Or it would be if Molly believed in matches. She's keeping secrets that she feels make her ineligible for the Covenant Marriage that most on Harmony eventually enter. 

Since Josh's mental problems after the ill-fated Hollister Expedition mean that he was dropped from the matchmaking agency who was looking for a covenant marriage for him, he isn't all that concerned about a future marriage either. He's much more interested in restoring his ruined reputation.

Teaming up - and using Molly's psychic talents to heal Josh's - is the only way that both will be able to get what they want. Luckily, Molly's dust bunny Newton is glad to go along for the ride as long as she keeps supplying the Zing Chips!

This was another excellent romance between two people who feel that they are well outside the norms for their culture. Both have strong powers that they feel the need to conceal from everyone until they learn to trust each other enough to share. 

I enjoyed the witty banter, the dust bunny, and the adventure. 

Favorite Quote:

"I'm sure it will do nicely," she said.

"Let's hope so, for your sake, because if it doesn't 'do nicely,' you'll be sleeping on a sofa or the floor."

"Your skills as a gracious host are a tad rusty, aren't they?"

"Try nonexistent."

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

Book Review: The Phoenix Code by Catherine Asaro

The Phoenix Code
Author: Catherine Asaro
Publication: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy (September 27, 2022)

Description: The Nebula Award–winning author “continues to dazzle us with brilliance in combining science, romance and adventure.” —Romantic Times

MIT professor Megan O’Flannery is one of the world’s leading research scientists on artificial intelligence for androids. Most of her work consists of working with computer simulations, so when the company MindSim gives Megan an opportunity to work with an android, she jumps at the chance.

Hidden and secret, an underground compound in the Nevada desert offers Megan a spectacular lab where she can live and work, mostly alone except for robotic assistants—and the android. Although it appears physically indistinguishable from a human man, Megan realizes she has a lot of work ahead if he is ever to think and act like a human, let alone the superspy that MindSim wants him to be. She loosens the controls on his behavior, allowing the android—who soon chooses the name Ander—the freedom of more independent thought.

However, when Raj Sundaram, the reclusive genius of robotics, arrives at the compound to work with the android, Ander’s behavior takes a strange turn, causing Megan to distrust Raj. As Ander’s development spins out of control, he throws the project into chaos, going rogue even as he becomes stronger—and more dangerously human.

“This novel is clearly science fiction first with a dynamic climax that will stun the unsuspecting audience who will fail to break The Phoenix Code before Ms. Asaro reveals the ending of this keeper.” —Painted Rock Reviews

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this science fiction story. Megan O'Flannery is a research scientist whose specialty is artificial intelligence. She is a leader in her field. Currently working at MIT, she gets a chance to work at MindSim which is developing an android for military use. 

Raj Sundaram is a genius in the field of robotics who has made millions consulting with companies attempting to build human-like androids. He is also a recluse and a difficult personality -- to everyone except Megan who understands and enjoys him. 

When the two get a chance to work together in the desert of Nevada on an android who names himself Ander, things get quickly out of hand as the android goes rogue kidnapping them and determines to find the androids who were made in a rival project. The story moves from the desert of Nevada to the lights of Las Vegas to a retreat in California. There are assorted villains along the way who have their own uses for a human-like android. 

I liked the science, the action, and the romance between Megan and Raj. The story raises all sorts of questions about making androids and the consequences of doing so. 

Favorite Quote:

Soon humanity would have to answer the question: When did self-modifying software become a cognizant being with rights under the law?

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Fall by Christie Meierz

The Fall
Author: Christie Meierz
Series: Tales of Talori Space (Book 3)
Publication: Self-Published (March 2, 2015)

Description: Laura Howard, Earth Fleet widow and exile from human space, found more than safety on Tolar: she captured the love of a Tolari ruler and became a powerful empath. But an ambitious provincial ruler is willing to commit monstrous crimes to open communications with the outside world, and Laura wakes to find she has no memories of Tolar - or of the man who once held her heart. With his allies vying for control of the planet and his own province caught in the middle, her bond-partner must risk his life and Laura's to take the one action that might save her life and his own honor: fight for the leadership of the ruling caste.

The Fall is the story of a world re-opened to the stars after millennia of isolation, and the hazards and opportunities that abound when one’s feelings are known to everyone around you.

My Thoughts: While the Monral plots to seize control and open Tolar to human trade - with the major advantages going to him, Laura Howard is adjusting to life on an alien planet. She has found love with the Paran and rediscovered her abilities as an artist, but she misses her family back in human space. 

Then she has an accident and loses her memories of all the time she's spent on Tolar and forgotten her bond with the Paran. While dealing with her memory loss, she revisits all her insecurities including that her father convinced her that she wasn't smart enough to suit him. She becomes convinced that no one could love her as she was. That everyone wanted her to be someone else before she could be worthy of love. 

She is also dealing with a very strong empathy that almost overwhelms her senses. However, she is getting an assist in dealing with her problems from the Jorann, who is the ancient mother of all the Tolari.

Her struggles are happening at the same time that the Monral is using more and more dirty tricks in his quest to gain control of the planet. One of his plots has taken him so far beyond what is acceptable that his bond mate Sharana has left him and has even traveled to the Jorann to ask that the bonding be removed. 

This story moved the emphasis from the romances to the political arena and deals with a culture very reluctantly opening itself up to a galaxy that it had previously abandoned.

Favorite Quote:

Laura laughed. Fathers and sons acted the same way everywhere, it seemed. When Papa built an arbor on the grounds of the southern summerhouse in Brazil, he had knowingly built it over her brother Tommy's favorite hiding spot. Vondra's chuckle joined in, and then Veryth started giggling. Laura sipped some more of her tea to smother a foolish grin.

I have a family again.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Farryn's War by Christie Meierz

Farryn's War
Author: Christie Meierz
Series: Exiles of the Drift (Book 1)
Publication: Parania Press; 1st edition (September 22, 2015)

Description: A novel of love, vengeance, and a world re-opened to the stars.

The empathic Tolari of the Beta Hydri system shunned space travel for thousands of years, until the former ruler of Monralar, Farryn, tried to shake his people from their isolation—tried and failed, losing his honor in the process. Now an exile, he strives to put his past behind him by building his own criminal empire among Earth's colonies.

Only Farryn’s estranged lover Sharana—scholar, political analyst, and empathic sensitive—dares to follow him into human space, desperate to find out what has become of him, hopeful of convincing him that she never betrayed him. Unfortunately, Earth Central Security is watching, and when she falls into their hands, Farryn decides to rescue her – so he can kill her himself.

My Thoughts: After being exiled from Tolari Space after an attempted coup, Farryn is building a new life and empire of his own in human space. But when the bond-mate he believes betrayed him comes to look for him, he needs to save her from Earth's Central Command in the person of Adeline Russell.

Sharana is a scholar and empath and makes a perfect tool for Adeline who wants to capture Farryn and learn all of the Tolari secrets.

This was a fast-paced story. However, just a trigger warning, Adeline isn't at all opposed to torture to reach her goals. There are lots of examples of Sharana being tortured throughout the story. 

I enjoyed the worldbuilding in this story. The Tolari are interesting people with lots of interesting abilities including the ability to disappear. I liked the romance between Farryn and Sharana which really had to go through difficulties before things worked out.

Fans of space opera will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:

Pallavi's voice dropped even lower. "Central Command." She clenched one hand on his shirt front. "They have her. They killed her bodyguards. My fault, I'm afraid."

"Who, Lady?" he asked. "Whom did they take?"

"Your bond-partner."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Farryn's War by Christie Meierz

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

TAU CET STATION, INNER RING, CHAIRMAN'S RESIDENCE

The dead nurse sprawled across a desk partly covered by medical monitors, pale hair green under their glow. Her charge, the Chairman of Central Command himself, lay ancient, withered, and unconscious in his life support bed in the middle of the spacious bedroom, but his life was safe -- for now.

Friday 56:

"The Monral is going to beat me senseless the next time I spar with him," he went on. "He cares about you, and I made this possible -- against my better judgment, I might add. So did it work? Did you find him? Tell me you did not just cripple yourself for nothing."

"I cannot sense anything more than a pace away, Bertie."

His eyes narrowed. "You fail to answer my question."

This week I am spotlighting Farryn's War by Christie Meierz. I got this one recently after watching a book launch on Amazon. Here is the description from Amazon:

A novel of love, vengeance, and a world re-opened to the stars.

The empathic Tolari of the Beta Hydri system shunned space travel for thousands of years, until the former ruler of Monralar, Farryn, tried to shake his people from their isolation—tried and failed, losing his honor in the process. Now an exile, he strives to put his past behind him by building his own criminal empire among Earth's colonies.

Only Farryn’s estranged lover Sharana—scholar, political analyst, and empathic sensitive—dares to follow him into human space, desperate to find out what has become of him, hopeful of convincing him that she never betrayed him. Unfortunately, Earth Central Security is watching, and when she falls into their hands, Farryn decides to rescue her – so he can kill her himself.

Book Review: Daughter of Suralia by Christie Meierz

Daughters of Suralia
Author: Christie Meierz
Series: Tales of Tolari Space (Book 2)
Publication: Self-Published (April 21, 2013)

Description: For Marianne Woolsey, linguist and tutor, being empathically bonded to the leader of the Tolari turns out to be a bed of roses - complete with thorns. Especially thorns.

The Earth Fleet ship Alexander may be is gone, for now, but Earth Central Command hasn't given up trying to get Marianne back. As she struggles with issues from her past and a bond-partner who can't be tamed, she just wants to find out where she fits in a society that isn't quite human.

My Thoughts: In this second book in the Tales of Tolari Space trilogy, Marianne is getting used to being bonded with the Sural and is surprised when she becomes pregnant. She knew that choosing to become Tolari would mean physical changes but hadn't realized that would include her reproductive system. 

Meanwhile, Earth's Central Command has not given up on trying to reclaim Marianne and return her to human space. They are sure that she knows secrets that they are willing to do all sorts of underhanded things to learn.

Central Command's next ploy is to send Laura Howard, the wife of the Admiral the Sural killed in the first book, with a plan of jerking both of them off the planet when Laura touches Marianne. That plan is foiled using Tolari technology that Earth doesn't know about, but it leaves Laura stranded and in the care of the man who killed her husband.

This story is about Laura's changes as she adjusts to a new planet and develops powerful talents she never knew she had. And finds a man who is able to be her second love for her newly extended future.

Favorite Quote:

Cena tilted her head to one side. "Our ancestors were human, but we are not, high one. The ones who brought us here engineered our minds as well as our bodies. We do not want to lose sight of what it means to be truly creative, or forget that the greatest of us can create true beauty."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Maraan by Christie Meierz

The Maraan
Author: Christie Meierz
Series: Tales of Tolari Space (Book 1)
Publication: Self-Published (October 6, 2012)

Description: A brilliant young teacher. A seemingly cold alien ruler. A love Earth Central Command tried to prevent.

High school teacher Marianne Woolsey was teaching Spanish in rural Iowa when Central Command decided her linguistic talents would be better exercised teaching human languages to the daughter of an alien ruler on a planet 24 light-years from Earth. Deeply wounded by a childhood trauma, she has always avoided men, but now she's thrown into close contact with a man who is as gentle as he is dangerous.

Driven by duty, deadly to anyone who dares cross him, the Sural has ruled his province and led his planet far longer than he can admit to his daughter's human tutor, and he hides much more from the space-faring races of the Trade Alliance than he is willing to admit. What he doesn't want Central Command to know, he has to conceal from Marianne, but she is keeping her own secrets from him - and as an empath, he knows it.

My Thoughts: A Spanish teacher from Iowa named Marianne Woolsey is drafted by her government to travel to Tolari to act as a tutor to the daughter of the ruler of the planet. Her government hopes to find out more about the strange and reclusive Tolari. 

Marianne arrives to find a world very different than her own. Outwardly, it looks like a medieval civilization. But her opinion quickly changes as she learns more about the people, and especially the Sural who rules the largest area on the planet and is the supreme ruler of all other areas. She enjoys the challenge of learning new languages but misses human contact despite her weekly calls to the ambassadorial ship in orbit around the planet. 

Marianne has a past trauma in her life which is readily apparent to the empaths who surround her, and which makes it difficult for her to realize that the Sural is falling in love with her. This is very much a "slow burn" romance. She's on the planet for 8 years before any sort of romance begins that she recognizes. 

And while she is falling in love, the humans who are in orbit are getting more and more anxious to find out about the aliens who live on the planet and threaten to pull her out to drain her of everything she's learned but not told them about. 

But the aliens have been keeping a number of secrets and they aren't willing to share them with Earth's Central Command. Nor are they willing to surrender a woman who has bonded with their leader. 

This was a fun space opera and romance. 

Favorite Quote:

"Don't leave me," she whispered to him in English. "I need you." In Tolari, she added, "Beloved."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle

Sweetwater and the Witch
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: Harmony (Book 9)
Publication: Berkley (September 20, 2022)

Description: Welcome to the world of Harmony, where—despite its name, things are anything but—danger lurks just beneath the surface in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author, Jayne Castle.

If there’s something Ravenna Chastain knows, it’s when to end things. And after she almost winds up the victim of a cult that believes she’s a witch, it’s easy to walk away from her dead-end career, ready for a new start. But where to find a job that would allow her to use her very specialized skill set? The answer is clear: she becomes a matchmaker.

But even a successful matchmaker can’t find someone for everyone, and Ravenna considers Ethan Sweetwater her first professional failure. After nine failed dates, Ravenna knows it’s time to cut Ethan loose. But Ethan refuses to be fired as a client—he needs one final date to a business function. Since Ravenna needs a date herself to a family event, they agree to a deal: she will be his (business) date if he will be her (fake) date to her grandparents’ anniversary celebration.

What Ethan fails to mention is that attending the business function is a cover for some industrial espionage that he’s doing as a favor to the new Illusion Town Guild boss. Ravenna is happy to help, but their relationship gets even more complicated when things heat up—the chemistry between them is explosive, as explosive as the danger that’s stalking Ravenna. Lucky for her, Ethan isn’t just an engineer—he’s also a Sweetwater, and Sweetwaters are known for hunting down monsters…

My Thoughts: The story begins with Ravenna Chastain being held in a cage in an underworld cavern waiting to be executed for being a witch. She was supposed to be undercover for the FBPI but her backup seems to be delayed. It looks like Ravenna and her new dust bunny friend Harriet will have to rescue themselves. Using her psychic ability to create psychic fire, she manages to capture the main villain just before the FBPI finally arrives. 

Ravenna decides to change careers after her ordeal. After all criminal profiling and matchmaking aren't really all that different. But Ravenna has a new problem in an unmatchable client. Ethan Sweetwater has had nine unsuccessful dates and, while Ravenna wants to buy out his contract, he demands one final date - with her. 

Luckily, Ethan is a phlegmatic engineer with a hidden hunter talent, because when he comes to pick her up for their date, he finds that she has been attacked by the last person who was matched with her. He's come toting a gun and saying that she has to die so that he can preserve his business. Ethan rises to the occasion and takes care of things. 

However, that is just the first mishap the couple experiences. A number of attacks by hired killers give the couple a lot of chances for "bonding experiences." Through each of them the couple gets closer even though Ravenna is convinced, but not excited, that they are just fake dating. 

This was another great episode in the Harmony universe. Harriet the pen-collecting dust bunny is a great addition to the roster of dust bunnies who have bonded with the main characters in this series. I really like the dialog in this series and this one had especially crisp dialog, I liked the way Ravenna and Ethan came to trust and accept each other's foibles. 

Favorite Quote:

"What is that?" she asked warily.

"The universal solution to ninety-seven percent of life's problems. Duct tape. Hey, Harriet."

Harriet rose on her hind paws. The tips of her ears peeked out from her dryer lint fur. There was an air of alert readiness about her. She was ready for the next game.

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

Book & Audio Review: Crowbones by Anne Bishop

Crowbones
Author: Anne Bishop

Narrator: Alexandra Harris
Series: World of the Others (Book 3)
Publication: Ace & Penguin Audio (March 8, 2022)

Length: 351 p,; 11 hours and 17 minutes

Description: In this engrossing and gripping fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her friends must find a killer—before it’s too late.…

Crowbones will gitcha if you don’t watch out!

Deep in the territory controlled by the Others—shape-shifters, vampires, and even deadlier paranormal beings—Vicki DeVine has made a new life for herself running The Jumble, a rustic resort. When she decides to host a gathering of friends and guests for Trickster Night, at first everything is going well between the humans and the Others.

But then someone arrives dressed as Crowbones, the Crowgard bogeyman. When the impostor is killed along with a shape-shifting Crow, and the deaths are clearly connected, everyone fears that the real Crowbones may have come to The Jumble—and that could mean serious trouble.

To “encourage” humans to help them find some answers, the Elders and Elementals close all the roads, locking in suspects and victims alike. Now Vicki, human police chief Grimshaw, vampire lawyer Ilya Sanguinati, and the rest of their friends have to figure out who is manipulating events designed to pit humans against Others—and who may have put Vicki DeVine in the crosshairs of a powerful hunter.

My Thoughts: Vicki DeVine didn't know what she was starting when she mentioned Trickster's Night to her terra indigene employees. Now, they are all trying various looks for their disguises and Vicki is trying to keep them from choosing something too scary.

Vicki has a full house at The Jumble for the holiday too. Her guests range from a couple of almost newlyweds, to some Intuit acquaintances of Julian's, to a mixed-bag of college professors who want to learn more about the Others. 

Things start to go wrong when a trick-or-treater comes to the door dressed as the Crowgard bogeyman Crowbones which scares the feathers off Vicki's Crowgard employees. When the trickster is found murdered and gutted, it soon becomes clear that something more than disapproval of a costume is going on. 

Crowbones is real - an elder and a hunter - who has come to Lake Silence on the track of contamination that is spreading to some adolescents of the Sanguinati and the Crowgard. When the Elementals conspire to block all access to the area, it is up to Vicki and her friends Chief of Police Wayne Grimshaw, bookstore owner and Intuit Julian Farrell, and her vampire attorney Ilya Sanguinati to find out what is going on and stop it before they are all doomed.

The story gradually unfolds through the viewpoints of a number of different characters. And the suspense builds with every page. I enjoyed the chance to catch up on the lives of the beings in and around The Jumble. Alexandra Harris does a wonderful job narrating the story.

Favorite Quote:

She nodded. "I'd better get these groceries up to the house before my guests start thinking nibbling on dead donkey is a good idea."

Even for a human, she said the most peculiar things. That's why he found her appealing.

I got this one on publication day. (Actually, I preordered it on September 21, 2021,) You can buy your copy here.

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.