Audio ARC Review: The Nightmare Before Kissmas (Royals and Romance #1) by Sarah Raasch

 

Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas in a sexy, quirky romcom where the golden-hearted Prince of Christmas falls for the totally off-limits Prince of Halloween.

Featuring beautiful ruby sprayed edges!

Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make- out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.

But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.

Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween.

It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.

Title: The Nightmare Before Kissmas (Royals and Romance #1)

Author: Sara Raasch

Publisher: Bramble

Expected Publication Date: October 8, 2024

Review:

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an audio galley of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This book was so much fun. Not only was a cute and cozy fantasy read but it was quirky with tons of banter and just the right amount of sexy!

I had not ever listened to books by this narrator before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Let me tell you, Ellis Evans had the perfect voice for this story.  If I didn't want to give the story 5 stars before, Evans's narration would have pushed it there. He has just the right amount of tension to make you fall in love with the main character, Nicholas "Coal" Kringle. I also enjoyed how he changed his voice for the other characters in the story but it wasn't cheesey.

The premise of the book with it's roots in holidays is truly unique. I loved the idea of holidays being courts ruled by royalty. It reminded me a bit of fae courts. Even the magic the characters exhibited by the characters had a sort of fairy quality to it. I will say I would have liked to see this idea explored a bit more. While the story line was good, I feel like the world building needed to be tightened up a bit. The idea of Santa being a king and Christmas ruling all the other holidays was nothing like any other book I've read. But a background of the courts and how they came to be would have been a nice edition to the storyline.

I enjoyed the LBGTQ+ representation in this one, as well. The characters were very fluid. And I didn't feel like their sexuality defined them but was just a part of who they were.

The interesting part of this book for me was the fact that Raasch grounded a lot of the story in reality by including things like college and majors and what life will look like after graduation. It really cinched the coming of age portion of the book by showing these young adults who are still trying to find their place in the world. The depiction of their confusing emotions as they try to navigate adulthood is spot on.

Raasch fleshes out her characters very well. Coal is the "screw up" of the family who is set to inherit the position of Santa. But he's not sure what that entails as he's really been kept out of the loop by his dad. His brother, Chris, is truly his best friend. The tenderness and bond in their relationship is palpable throughout the story. Iris I liked but wish I could have seen more from her. While she's also Coal's best friend, I feel like she was more of a background character in this book. Her character is not as fleshed out as the others. Almost like Raasch is saving that for the next story. And Hex, my goodness, talk about swoon worthy. He knows all the right things to say but is also just shy enough to keep you wondering where he'll go next when he speaks.

The pacing of this story if fairly fast. Each chapter moved along at a good clip and I was never bored. Raasch gave us drama and mystery and humor all rolled into a cozy blanket of fun holiday fantasy.

I think one of the best parts of this book was how detailed the author was with her descriptions. When the characters were in the Christmas palace, it was so easy to picture it in my mind. When they were outside in the cold with snow falling, I could feel that chill. She did a wonderful job with putting me in the thick of things as the reader.

The romance was tender and sweet but also there's a quite a bit of spicy to it that had me squirming a bit. I think I may have even blushed! But the connection between Hex and Coal is very solid so their experiences together are all the more heightened for it.

There is a lot of hope in this book. Hope that Coal and Chris will be happy. Hope that Hex and Coal will work out. Hope that Coal can change the climate of his holiday by standing up and enacting change.

The story is fun with a lot of humor, a bit of drama and mystery, plus a whole lot of fun sexy times.  It blends the spooky season of Halloween with the joyful season of Christmas in a way that me want to experience all the joys those holidays bring right now! I'm really looking forward to more installments in this series; there have to be some, right? because the ending of this book totally leaves you hanging for what other characters might experience in the future! If you're looking for a cozy fantasy with some spice, this one is a great pick!

Author:

Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES, the first in a trilogy, came out October 14, 2014 from Balzer + Bray. It does not feature her hand-drawn pictures.

Audio ARC Review: Fiasco (Uncharted Hearts #2) by Constance Fay

Equal parts steamy interstellar romance and sci-fi adventure, Constance Fay's FIASCO is a perfect wild romp amidst the stars.


Cynbelline Khaw is a woman of many names. She’s Generosity, a cultist who never quite fit in. She’s Bella, the daughter who failed to save her cousin’s life. And then there’s Cyn, the notorious bounty hunter who spaced a ship of slavers.

She’s exhausted, lonely, and on her very last legs―but then a new client offers her a job she can’t refuse: a bounty on the kidnapper who killed her cousin. All Cyn has to do is partner with the crew of the Calamity, a scouting vessel she encountered when she was living under a previous alias. One tiny little issue, she’s been given an additional deliver the oh-so-compelling medic, Micah Arora, to the treacherous Pierce Family or all her identities will be revealed, putting her estranged family in danger.

Hunting a kidnapper doesn’t usually mean accidentally taking your sexy new target to dinner at your parent’s house, a local mystic predicting you’ll have an increasingly large number of children, or being accompanied by a small flying lizard with a penchant for eating metal, but, as they field investigative hurdles both dangerous and preposterous, Cyn and Micah grow ever closer. When a violent confrontation reveals that everything Cyn thought about her past is wrong, she realizes that she has the power to change her future. The first part of that is making sure that Micah Arora is around to be a part of it.

Title: Fiasco (Uncharted Hearts #2)

Author: Constance Fay

Publication Date: June 4, 2024

Publisher: Tor Bramble

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Bramble Books for providing me with an audio galley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

In this follow up to Calamity, we are reacquainted with Cyn Khaw: a bounty hunter who goes by many names disguising herself as a private investigator who has spent her life hunting her cousin's killer. When she gets a chance to hunt the killer down, she's paired with the crew of the Calamity. But she's given an ultimatum by one of the family's: save her family and herself by turning in Micah, the ship's medic, or lose everything.

If you have not read the first book in this series, stop and go read it. Not only was it fabulous, but you will not understand many of the relationships in this book if you do not read that one first. This is definitely not a stand alone.

This is the first book I have reviewed in the audio format. I will saw I was skeptical at first; worried the narrator would be computer generated and I would have a hard time getting into the story. I was pleasantly surprised to be hearing Paige Reisenfeld's voice. This is my first audio by this narrator and I thoroughly enjoyed her. Her tone was perfect and she helped me to love the female main character and all her quirks.

Cynbaelline Khaw, aka Bella, aka Cyn goes by all the names trying to keep her true identity a secret. I remember her being introduced to us in the first book, though I didn't know it was her at the time. And once this was revealed, the story of her and Michah began to make much more sense. She's sassy and smart and is no stranger to being alone. She has spent her life in her own bubble, keeping her family at arms length and not allowing herself to be involved with anyone more than is necessary to her job. Cyn, to me, doesn't know her worth. And her character certainly develops around this in the book. She doesn't think she deserves to be loved or to have friends. She had to make some truly tough decisions in this book. And, while you initially believe she will only do what is good for herself, you find that's really not who she truly is. She has a big heart and that shines through as the book progresses.

Michah Arora is a character I know well from the first book in this series. I loved his character. He's smart and has a great head on his shoulders. He cares a lot about his crew; they are his friends and his found family since his exile.  He's super protective of those he loves. And he's got a sense of humor to him that shined for me in this book. He makes light of some more tense situations which helped to ease some of the more tense scenes in the book. I do wish I'd had more from him.

Speaking of romance, it's in the book, but it was not the main thing that drove the book. What drives this book is the off planet wonder of a different world, the challenge of finding people in such a large area of space, and the fight that ensues to ensure people are safe. The universe of this series is so large, reminding me of Star Trek or even Star Wars and all the planets and places that are visited in those worlds. The shining point of this book is the action and adventure it brings. Did I like the romance, sure, but it was definitely a very slow burn. And if you are looking for closed door, this is not that. The intimacy scenes are definitely a bit descriptive. But I enjoy that in my romances!

And the comedy aspect of this series is really what had me coming back and wanting to read this installment. Fay works it in so well to the story, just as she did with Calamity. Can I just say the ingenuity of creating a lizard that eats metal is genius! I absolutely adored that character and hope to see more of them in future books in this series.

Now, the ending has me a little worried as I would love to see more of Cyn and Micah in future books and the ending has me thinking that may not be possible. Though with Cyn's background, I think she could weasel her way into the next book (if there is one). 

If you're looking for a sci-fi space chases with mystery, romance, fight scenes, and found family, pick up this series and watch is unfold. As my second foray into the space romance genre, I can see it as one of my new favorites. I hope Fay continues the series as I'd love to see more of these space relationships unfurl.

Author:

Constance Fay writes space romance novels and genre fiction short stories. Her short fiction can be found in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Catscast podcast, and other publications. She has a background in medical device R&D and lives in Colorado with a cat who edits all her work first.

 

Review: The Ashes & The Star Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia #2) by Carissa Broadbent

Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.

In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies. Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.

When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.

But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power – and the devastating love that could be her downfall.

Title: The Ashes & The Star Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia #2)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Original Publisher: Nasyra Publishing

Original Publication Date: April 14, 2023

Traditional Publisher: Bramble

Expected Publication Date: June 4, 2024

Review:

Did you read the first book? No? Then don't read this review. And go read the first book and the novella right now!

Oh how I love this world. Broadbent does such a fabulous job building the world out to the reader. I feel immersed in everything that happens. Part of the action. Part of the romance. She draws out emotion so easily. And with the slight cliffhanger that was book #1, I was chomping at the bit to get to this one. PLUS I wanted to see how the characters from the novella were woven in. I was not disappointed in the least. I may even say I liked this one more than the first! Though that's a hard line to cross.

Oraya is left floundering at the end of book one, not knowing her background or where she belongs, not knowing who she can trust, and certainly not knowing what her future holds. And she certainly does not want to form an alliance with the man she thought she knew but has found she cannot trust: Rhain. But he is her only hope of reclaiming the kingdom.

I absolutely adore Oraya. She continues to be a strong character, and strong willed. She's feisty but you can see through to her vulnerability. And it's this vulnerability that keeps her heart open just that bit to maybe allow for some healing in her relationship with Raihn. She has a lot of emotion to process in this book: betrayal, death, grief, And Raihn will do anything he must to win back her trust and have her at his side once more. He continues to be my all time favorite male vampire character, and that's saying something because I had Lestat on a pedestal for a LONG time! He is so conflicted over his role and how he must balance it with his humanity. He is extremely self aware and this is a nice change to some of the self-absorbed characters he is surrounded with.

And enter Vale and Lilith, and of course all the other side characters but I was most interested in how they fit in this story. I love how Vale returns. I love how timid Lilith seems but she's a bad ass. And we see more of Mische, of course. These characters really are kind of in the background and I'm hoping to see more of them come out with the next two dualogies. Give me all of Mische's story because she really deserves her own spotlight!

I enjoyed the pacing of this book. It was a bit slower than the first, a little less action, but the story still moved and the plot was great.

And DUAL POV! I needed this in the first book so I'm glad we got it in the second book. It's hard for me to read a fantasy in only one point of view. I find it so much harder to understand the world if you do not have multiple perspectives. 

As far as romance, well you know it's there. And it's a bit spicy, which I love. But there's also a lot of working up to it, with a bit of a slow burn as Oraya finds her way back to forgiving Raihn and seeing he never meant to hurt her, believed all he did was to protect her.

Once again, Broadbent has exceeding my expectations. Rating is 4.5, purely based on the fact that, while the writing is good, it wasn't what I saw in Six Scorched Roses, which surprised me. I know things can only get better, though, and I'm truly looking forward to the next installation in this series/world! 

Author:

I've been concerning teachers and parents with mercilessly grim tales since I was roughly nine years old. Since then, my stories have gotten (slightly) less depressing and (hopefully a lot?) more readable. Today, I write fantasy novels with a heaping dose of badass ladies and a big pinch of romance.

When I'm not writing, I'm working at my day job in cybersecurity marketing, watching too many movies, or drawing. I live with my fiance, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in Rhode Island.

 

Review: The Serpent and The Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) by Carissa Broadbent

 

Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Title: The Serpent & The Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia #1)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Original Publisher: Nasyra Publishing

Original Publication Date: August 3, 2022

Traditional Publisher:Bramble
Traditional Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Review:

Where to begin with this. I picked this up at the recommendation of many in the book world after finishing another story that left me in a reading slump. I honestly wasn't expecting it to pull me out. Imagine my surprise when the story and the characters totally captured me!

Humans versus vampires is always an interesting mix. You would think, inevitably, the humans would lose. After all, the powers of the vampire along with the almost impossibility of them being "killed" is unsurpassed. But this story takes a very "human" girl and puts her in circumstances where she must defend herself and survive. 

The plot is common enough: the humans and vampires live separately, the vampires pretty much in control of all. Yet here we have a girl, Oraya, who has lived her whole life amongst the walking dead because one of the vampire kings chose to keep her and protect her. The reasoning is initially unclear but I will say I kind of figured it out early on. This didn't detract from my love of the story, though. I like the idea of the world being split into different kingdoms of vampires, each with their own abilities and form. That is something that is new to me and made the story line much more interesting than if the powers had been the same for all the vampires. I also like the Hunger Games type plot line that was woven into the story line. While the elements were very similar to what we saw in Collins' books (it's obvious Broadbent used this story line to jump start her own story), I still enjoyed how the paranormal elements were incorporated into that part of the story line. Plus this book gives us a slow burn romance with sexy times, which you definitely don't get from the other story, and is much more terrifying with the vampire story line that's given to us.

The world building here is phenomenal. But it's also why this book only got 4.5 stars from me. The set up is factions of vampires who control different parts of the world while the humans live in sections where they are meant to be kept safe. I enjoyed the set up, but I felt the build was a bit slower than I would have liked it to have been. And at some points it was a bit confusing to flesh out. The flashbacks are important but I think there were too many of them, information that was interesting but not necessarily important to the story line overall. I kind of wanted the action to pull me through the book the whole time but it was not until about 50% through until I really felt this happening. After that, the action kept the pace fast and enjoyable. And Broadbent easily incorporates one of my favorite tropes: Enemies to lovers. And it's slow and simmering. One of things I loved most about the world building and plot was that the romance did not overshadow the main reasoning of the story. It was there, but it was not why I kept reading; it was the action and intense plot line that pushed me along. I also feel like this book could have benefitted from more than one point of view. I needed to be in Rhain's brain, and possibly even Vincent's.

The characters are so well developed in this story. Each and every one important in some way to move the story along. Enemies, friends, allies, lovers, all built to round out a world that is beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. Oraya, the FMC who is set up to break down all the barriers in her way. Rhain, the reluctant vampire. Vincent, the controlling morally grey ruler. And Mische, the best friend! This was another of my favorite parts of the story. I just loved her connection with Rhain. He cares so much for her throughout the book and by proxy Oraya begins to care, as well. 

Oraya is probably one of my most favorite female protagonists ever. She's smart, sassy, and willing to do just about anything to stay alive; even align herself with the enemy if she must. Think Katniss with more wit and a few surprises thrown in once we find out a bit more about her background. Throughout the book, Oraya surprises us again and again with her keen knowledge of vampire ways and her ability to fight them off.

Raihn is what every sexy vampire should be. Is he cut-throat, for sure. But he has this soft side that I was not expecting. It kind of threw me a bit because you see it right off the bat, rather than him morphing into it. He has humanity, which is unexpected for sure. There was never a point in the book where I hated him or wanted him to go away because he really was built out to be a caring, concerned character despite his vampire ways.

The Kejari (the vampire Hunger Games) is where the book really takes off. So much action. So many twists and turns. And that ending. I didn't even know what to think. The sacrifices from the characters were unbelievable. But I do wish the plot had been somewhat different from what we got from Collins in her first book. It was just a tad too similar to me and I really wanted originality.

Overall, this story was fantastic. I'm truly looking forward to seeing where it goes from here because how could things possibly turn around with those twist at the end!

Author:

I've been concerning teachers and parents with mercilessly grim tales since I was roughly nine years old. Since then, my stories have gotten (slightly) less depressing and (hopefully a lot?) more readable. Today, I write fantasy novels with a heaping dose of badass ladies and a big pinch of romance.

When I'm not writing, I'm working at my day job in cybersecurity marketing, watching too many movies, or drawing. I live with my fiance, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in Rhode Island.

ARC Review: Remedial Magic (A Course in Magic #1) by Melissa Marr

 

The Magicians meets One Last Stop in this brand-new fantasy romance Remedial Magic, about an unassuming librarian who 1) has fallen in love with a powerful witch; 2) has discovered that she is a witch; and 3) must attend magical community college to learn how to save her new world from complete destruction by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr!

Ellie loves working in her local library in the small town of Ligonier. She loves baking scones and investigating the mysterious and captivating in her spare time. And there is nothing more mysterious and captivating than the intriguingly beautiful, too properly dressed woman sipping tea in her library who has appeared as if out of nowhere. The pull between them is undeniable, and Ellie is not sure that she wants to resist.

Prospero, a powerful witch from the magical land of Crenshaw, is often accused of being… ruthless in her goals and ambitions. But she is driven to save her dying homeland, and a prophecy tells her that Ellie is the key. Unbeknownst to Ellie, her powers have not yet awakened. But all of that is about to change.

Title: Remedial Magic (A Course In Magic #1)

Author: Melissa Marr

Publisher: Bramble/Tor Trade
Expected Publication Date: February 20, 2024

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble/Tor Trade for providing me with an egalley of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This was my first Melissa Marr book. I have heard really great things about this author but have not had a chance to read anything by her before now. I was excited to read this for the magical aspect as well as the LBGTQ+ representation I was promised as I'm trying hard to expand my reading palette. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed with either of these in this book. 

My first issue is the blurb versus what you actually get in the book. I thought I was getting Ellie and Prospero's story, which you do to an extent. But we also see several other points of view in the book, which was not evident in the blurb at all. So now, rather than having to focus on two POVs and their romance blooming, I was forced to watch multiples POVs and romances. Normally, I'd be ok with several POVS, but six? It was just too much for my brain to be happy with. The marketing of this one needs to be tweaked. Maybe give a hint there are other POVs when showing what it is to the public. On top of that, all the characters suddenly have romantic interests and it just all seemed so impossible to believe, even for a fantasy.

From the beginning, I could tell what would happen to Ellie. It was very obvious to me and I would have liked a bit more mystery there. She's a normal functioning human then POOF she's a witch. And after trying her hardest to figure out what happened to all these people who disappeared, now it was her turn? It was just to contrite for me.

The world building for this one isn't bad. I enjoyed the magical aspect. And I love a good magical academia book. But I didn't see as much of that as I would have liked. Even at half way through, I was still trying to figure out when the characters would take part in classes that would help them with their magic. It took way too long to get going.

In all honestly, I was bored with this book. I tried to be invested in the characters but since they were barely developed it was hard to really care about them in any deep way. I didn't connect with them or want to know how their stories would turn out. The author gave me no reason to want to know.

There was nothing drawing me to pick this book up and read. I read it only because I knew I'd have to review it, so I pushed myself through chapters. But I also had the hope things might pick up later on in the book and they didn't. I ended up skimming many of the chapters.

I will admit, I was initially drawn in by the cover art (I can't pass up a beautiful cover) and then the blurb drew me in further. But even with those, I was disappointed in what was presented.

I am doubtful I would move on to the rest of this series, even with the cliffhanger ending.

Melissa Marr is a former university literature instructor who writes fiction for adults, teens, and children and sometimes teaches in an MFA program. Her books have been translated into twenty-eight languages and been bestsellers internationally as well as domestically (NY Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal).

After a quieter spell the last few years (due to both adopting a sick baby & health complications--in part due to her lupus), she is back in 2024 with a queer fantasy (Remedial Magic), a picturebook about a wee one and his two moms (Family is Family), and a graphic novel about teen Harley & Ivy (The Strange Adventures of Harleen & Harley).

She currently lives with part of her family (wife & 2 of her 3 children) in Arizona.

ARC Review: Calamity (Uncharted Hearts #1) by Constance Fay

Bramble's inaugural debut is equal parts steamy interstellar romance and sci-fi adventure, perfect for fans of Firefly and Ilona Andrews.

She’s got a ramshackle spaceship, a misfit crew, and a big problem with its sexy newest member…

Temperance Reed, banished from the wealthy and dangerous Fifteen Families, just wants to keep her crew together after their feckless captain ran off with the intern. But she’s drowning in debt and revolutionary new engine technology is about to make her beloved ship obsolete.

Enter Arcadio Escajeda. Second child of the terrifying Escajeda Family, he’s the thorn in Temper’s side as they’re sent off on a scouting mission on the backwater desert planet of Herschel 2. They throw sparks every time they meet but Temper’s suspicions of his ulterior motives only serve to fuel the flames between them.

Despite volcanic eruptions, secret cultists, and deadly galactic fighters, the greatest threat on this mission may be to Temper’s heart.

Title: Calamity (Uncharted Hearts #1)

Author: Constance Fay

Publisher: Bramble

Expected Publication Date: 11/14/23

Review:

Thank you to Bramble for providing me with an early copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed her are my own.

Science fiction, romance, blasters, and spaceship fun! Temper is an outcast, thrown out of her family for being a traitor. She takes to scouting to make her way in the world. But when she agrees to a job for one of the Five families, she gets into more than she bargained for and learns family is not just those to who you are blood related.

I really enjoy a good science fiction book. A book where the world is built with reality in mind. Thrown in some fast paced action scenes and a hot romance and you've got yourself a fun filled story. I love the world Fay has built with the families who rule. It reminded me of the mafia: think Godfather. But the families are not the only ones who can come out on top. Give me a rag tag group of misfits who can fight their way to the top, even with all the sticky predicaments they get into, and you've reeled me right in. Think Spaceballs, but in a book!

Temeperance is a prickly sort. She's no nonsense and doesn't seem to care what others think of her. She's worried about her crew and making sure they survive. Sometimes to the detriment of herself. I like her selflessness, though at times I wanted to bonk her in the head. She put herself in so many situations where she was sure to die but got lucky on more than one occasion. Arcadio was a nice character but I really didn't feel like I knew him. We see him through Temper's eyes, so of course he's this hot guy who she just cannot believe would be interested in her. But I didn't get as much of his personality as I would have liked. Frederick is someone I know we'll see in the future. He appears as a total jerk, who just could not possibly be redeemable. But I feel like I'll see more of him in future books of this series and my mind may change. Overall, I wish I could have gotten more fleshed out characters in this book. Having the story told from just Temper's POV limited that a bit for me.

The romance was a fast burn. It was a little too fast for me, to be honest. I needed more connection with the characters. It's not insta-love, perse, but it straddles that line. The MMC is too easily won over by Temper and I just didn't feel like it was totally really. But the sexy scenes, which I honestly wasn't totally expecting, were smexy and gave good fodder.

The pacing was good. It leant to a quick read. I wanted to see exactly where the book would go. But I did figure out early on there was no way this story would totally play out in this book. I'm interested to see what future books in this series bring. 

For an author and her first full length book, I found this one truly enjoyable. It was witty and charming. I loved how the FMC spoke directly to the reader, as if she were sitting right in front of you telling her story. I rather enjoyed it.

I will say I did get lost in some of the action scenes. They seemed to be a little all over the place for me. Describing so much I was left wondering what exactly I was supposed to be seeing.

If you're looking for a fun, outer space adventure with some hot romance and characters who will win you over, pick this one up and give it a go!

Author:

Constance Fay writes space romance novels and genre fiction short stories. Her short fiction can be found in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Catscast podcast, and other publications. She has a background in medical device R&D and lives in Colorado with a cat who edits all her work first.