Tag Archives: space

Vorian and Beau’s romance gave me all the feels

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Submitted by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For a lot of the time period of this book we’re going over old ground but this time we see it from Vorian and Beau’s perspective.

It was interesting to get a different view of what was going on in Kaelum’s book (not as much with Jax/Wesley’s) but it did mean that for the first half of the book, the only new thing happening was the burgeoning romance.

Fortunately, that was enough for me to not care because Vorian and Beau were so desperately right for each other. They’ve both been treated as disposable objects, have had little support, encouragement or kindness in their lives.

So when they meet on Crux’s ship after Beau’s been beamed up from Earth, the situation is ripe for them to find a soulmate. And I very much appreciated the slow nature of their relationship, it’s not all instant chemistry and big lusty thoughts.

They connect through acts of compassion, Beau sees Vorian as something other than the bastard child of the disliked Crux, the half-brother of Kaelum that no-one wanted, the Queen’s child – but one born from an act of violence.

My heart hurt for Vorian so much. He is nothing like the character we were given a perspective for in Book One. He is steadfast, faithful, conflicted and – ultimately – a Thorizan halfbreed who will help remove the danger his father presents to all.

Beau is a sweetheart, he’s had a rough time of it and just wants to find a home and in the strange alien ways of Thorzan he does just that.

I loved Kenosi throughout this book too, and I really hope we might get back to this series and find out if he also finds his own eight-foot blue-skinned warrior to love!

#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review

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Forced proximity and a surprise twist make this second entry a hit

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58657555._SY475_Declared by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This second entry in Sam and Fawkes’ alien Sci-Fi series is just as good as the introduction book but has a totally different tone.

The differences between Jax and Wesley were never more obvious than after their ship was forced to land on the ice cold moon Zathkar with most of its systems damaged but Wes is very quick to put Jax in his place about thinking he’s weak just because he’s smaller.

I loved the dynamics between them. Jax may be in line to be the Thorzi’s next Proeliator, their greatest warrior, but he’s also a ray of sunshine, always smiling and very aware of his place as a hybrid.

Wes may be a human, and more susceptible to the intense cold of the moon, but he’s also resourceful and won’t let Jax despair over the fact he can’t “protect him”.

When Wes meets the leader of the ancient enemy the Zathki that live beneath the surface in cleverly constructed tunnels, it becomes very clear that both sides in the turbulent conflict have been played by Crux.

I loved the tone of this book, it’s a bit less directly political than the first one and there’s obviously less need for extensive world building so the narrative moves swiftly through the crash landing and into the revelations that the Zathki are actually Thorzi also, just a different version. They are the Scientists to the Thorzi Warriors.

They bounce off each other as Jax begins to realise that there is more to what he’s been told about their planet’s history and the nature of the human abductions that Crux (he of the bad behaviour in book one and the series’ main nemesis) has been performing.

Learning about the differences in what are essentially the same people has more than a few similarities with how humanity treats people differently because of their ethnicity or where they were born.

It paints a poignant picture of a home world destroyed by people unwilling to work together towards better goals and instead, utterly destroying their planet and being forced into exile on Thorzan and Zathkar.

There’s also a bit more of a sense of slowburn in the relationship between Jax and Wes, even though it takes place over a relatively short period of time. It’s clear there is an attraction between them, but Jax’s honour and his future role makes him feel he cannot accept Wes as a potential mate because of his own hybrid nature.

Wes, with a great deal of humour, some rather funny pointed Star Trek and Star Wars references which had me chuckling, puts Jax firmly in his place about what’s suitable or not and their have a few very sweet and low key sexual encounters before the main story arc kicks in.

Suffice it to say, eventually things take a turn for the better and Wes’ position as Jax’s mate becomes as obvious as Lucas’ was for Kaelum in book one!

And it all leads into the final set-up for book three which I am desperate for. Kaelum’s half-brother Vorian, the Bastard – like literally that’s his official title! Born from Crux’s forced mating of Kaelum’s human mother and Beau, the most vulnerable of the humans who were abducted from Earth.

I can’t wait!

#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review

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Release Blitz: Starfall Ranch by California Dawes

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Starfall Ranch | California Dawes

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Release Date: October 26, 2019

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZMR2PT3

Powell’s: https://www.powells.com/book/-9781702848992

Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781702848992

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/993918

STARFALL RANCH PR TEMPLATE

Blurb

Two women seeking refuge from trauma on an alien world meet in a storm under the unlikeliest circumstances. At the edge of the galaxy, under the apple boughs, can they reach out and take hold of their happily-ever-after?

Thisbe Vandergoss is a London socialite on the run from her controlling family. With all her assets frozen and her friends on Earth just as likely to sell her out than help her out, Thisbe signs up to be a mail-order bride on the lush moon world, Sirona.

Shiloh Kerridan left Earth five years ago, seeking to put a galaxy between herself and the people who hurt her. Shiloh has thrown herself into the creation and maintenance of Starfall Ranch, a cozy piece of farmland that boasts juicy apples and the best goats cheese on Sirona. She’s vowed never to let anyone in again, and she certainly has no patience for rich off-worlders who show up on her doorstep unexpectedly.

Especially when Thisbe shows up in the middle of a streak of bad luck: her fruit trees have succumbed to disastrous blight, her farm bots keep mysteriously malfunctioning, and a local mining company is breathing down her neck to parcel out her land. If Shiloh’s bad luck keeps up, she’ll have no choice but to sell her beloved farm and sanctuary. Thisbe is determined she won’t let that happen, but will Shiloh open her heart enough to trust again?

Excerpt

“Shy! Welcome to the Galactica!” The bartender sidled up to them on the other side of the bar as they approached.

He looked like a porn star version of a lumberjack, dressed up in a sleek holographic purple pair of trousers and waistcoat on top of a crisp white shirt. His elegantly trimmed beard was a matching shade of purple, and he had had his eyes augmented to be UV reactive; they glowed soft lilac in the dim light of the club.

“Taryn, congratulations on your big opening. The place looks great.” Shy smiled, but her voice held the same rigid tension Thisbe could sense in her entire body.

“Wait ‘til you try the drinks!” Taryn smirked boyishly as he reached for a series of bottles and ingredients. “And who is this?”

“This is Thisbe!” Shy had to shout as more people poured into the club and the DJ turned up the volume.

“A pleasure, Thisbe! New in town, I take it?”

“Arrived with the storm!” Thisbe said before Shy could reply. “It’s so good to finally get out on the town for a night!”

“Well, welcome to Banidavale! I’m so glad you two could make it out for tonight! Cheers!”

dawes-headshotAbout the Author

California Dawes is a lover of romance, fantasy, mystery, and the allure of the open road. Her romances are always set in queernorm worlds where complex characters explore the depths of their desires, pursue the truth of their hearts, and sometimes fight some demons along the way.

She lives in the San Francisco area with two highly opinionated cats and the sweetest dog in the universe. When she’s not writing swoon-worthy romances, California enjoys RPGs, running, road trips, and good coffee shops.

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Social Media

Website: http://www.californiadawes.com

Twitter: @inkyfirelight

Newsletter sign up: https://mailchi.mp/2bf0983d84d7/californiadawes

Instagram: @inkyfirelight

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