Inherit the Stars by Laurie A Green #scifi #romance

Title: Inherit the Stars (The Inherited Stars Series)
Author: Laurie A Green
Genre: scifi romance
Publisher: Array Press
Available: Amazon $6.99 (Kindle) 401 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:

STEAMY SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE...JUST WHAT THE GALAXY ORDERED! 

To escape the merciless Ithian Alliance, Sair, a fugitive slave, makes a desperate deal with Drea Mennelsohn, captain of the prototype ship, Specter. But putting his life in the hands of a woman as mysterious as she is beguiling could turn out to be the biggest mistake of his life, especially when the price on his head begins to escalate. 

Drea seems to want far more from the fugitive than just payment for his passage on her ship. Though neither can deny the sizzling chemistry and growing bond between them, Sair must soon make an agonizing decision that could result in the loss of the remarkable woman he has fallen in love with—and their chance to inherit the stars.

This is also available in three serialized parts:
Inherit the Stars Part 1: Flight (The Inherited Stars Science Fiction Romance Series) $0.99 125 pages
Inherit the Stars Part 2: The Network (The Inherited Stars Series) $2.99 170 pages
Inherit the Stars Part 3: Sacrifice (The Inherited Stars Science Fiction Romance Series) $2.99 126 pages

What I liked:

Sair is exactly my kind of hero. Despite his subspecies' reputation for ferocity and aggression matched by large, muscular build, Sair is a tortured hero with a soft  heart, lacking the arrogance and testosterone-boosted ego of the typical alpha male. Not sure I'd rate him as a beta either though.  He's strong, loyal, caring, devoted to his women (yes, you did read that as plural but no spoilers!), and sexy as heck. Given into slavery at a young age, he's done what he's had to to survive and prosper, and it's given certain skills in the bedroom. This comes in useful since he has little else to offer for help in his escape. The story is told entirely from his point of view, and I have absolutely no issue with this since we remain in the one perspective for the entire serial/novel. 
Drea is a strong, complex woman, and we get to know her in a very natural fashion over the three parts. The secondary characters are also fully fleshed and well developed, and the romance intense. The conflict fuels the story and the action, with a good dose of thorough and intriguing world building (including the horrifying Ithian culture), plot twists, action and adventure. 


What I didn't like:

I'm not a fan of serials, but since all three parts were released in quick succession and swiftly followed by the full novel, it didn't keep you waiting (full disclosure: I read the full version prior to it being contracted and published). Part one gives you a good introduction if you're not willing to pay out for the full novel from a new author,but personally I find big books  released in parts a bit frustrating. Both part one and part two end on cliff-hangers,hence much of my irritation with serials. I am not a patient person! To me, the full novel falls more naturally into two parts, the first focusing entirely on Sair and his predicament, then moving on to his and Drea's joint quest for freedom and happiness.

In conclusion:

This, to me, sums up a lot of what I love most about science fiction romance - the two main elements are perfectly woven together to produce a heart-twisting, exciting romance adventure in a futuristic, technologically-advanced setting. For those nervous about paying out for the full novel from a new author, the serialization is the place to start, providing cliff-hanger endings are okay by you (though all three parts are available to curb any impatience!). I loved the technology and the characters, and can't wait to read more by this author. 

Deep Deception by Cathy Pegau #scifi #romance

Title: Deep Deception
Author: Cathy Pegau
Genre: SciFi Romance (f/f)
Publisher: Carina Press
Available: Amazon $1.99 (Kindle) 208 pages
Rating: 4*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:

Colonial Mining Authority agent Natalia Hallowell doesn't always play by the rules, but she wouldn't compromise a case either. Put on administrative leave under a cloud of accusation, with no support from her boss, Natalia seeks a little anonymous companionship at her favorite bar. But she's surprised when the woman who catches her fancy starts buying her drinks.

Desperate, Genevieve "Gennie" Caine has no choice but to seduce, drug and tie Natalia to the bed to get her attention. With the Reyes Corporation after something she has, Gennie needs Natalia to open an investigation and distract them long enough for her to get off Nevarro.

Natalia doesn't trust Gennie—despite the growing attraction between them—but the corporation's suspiciously high profits and abnormal business dealings convince her that they must be hiding something. She has no idea just how deep the deceptions run…

What I liked:

In this one the romantic tension was much higher and in far more jeopardy than Caught In Amber and Rulebreaker, with both the main characters having issues and secrets that could do far worse than simply make a romance difficult.

What I didn't like:

I didn't find either heroine as likeable as those in other Pegau books I've read, so I had a harder time connecting and emphasizing with them, despite the justification in Gennie's case. I also think that Natalia's 'illness', having been made out as something deadly, abruptly became a minor factor when I felt it should have been more pivotal.

In conclusion:

This is not my favourite of Pegau's books, but still an exciting, heart-wrenching SFR worth reading. Light on the SF but with plenty of tension, emotional and action-wise, with thriller and espionage elements.

Rulebreaker by Cathy Pegau #scifi #romance #ff

Title: Rulebreaker
Author: Cathy Pegau
Genre: SciFi Romance (f/f)
Publisher: Carina Press
Available: Amazon $1.99 (Kindle)  247 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:

Liv Braxton's Felon Rule #1: Don't get emotionally involved.

Smash-and-grab thieving doesn't lend itself to getting chummy with the victims, and Liv hasn't met anyone on the mining colony of Nevarro worth knowing, anyway. So it's easy to follow her Rules.

Until her ex, Tonio, shows up with an invitation to join him on the job of a lifetime.

Until Zia Talbot, the woman she's supposed to deceive, turns Liv's expectations upside down in a way no woman ever has.

Until corporate secrets turn deadly.

But to make things work with Zia, Liv has to do more than break her Rules, and the stakes are higher than just a broken heart…

What I liked:

I loved the development of the romance between the two heroines, Liv and Zia. It was sweet, sensual, and felt very natural. I'm also a sucker for a redeemed thief. There was plenty of angst and heartbreak, which are top of my wish list for a story with real emotional punch. The world building was solid, though a little lacking in SF elements for my usual fare, and very smooth and believable character development. I also like how the story fitted in with Caught in Amber and Deep Deception, but without requiring you to read either in order to follow the setting and characters.

What I didn't like:

The SF elements were a touch on the light side for my tastes. This, however, is a plus for anyone put off SciFi romance by the prospect of heavy scientific or technical description that might bog the story down.

In conclusion:

This is an ideal starting point for those new to SciFi romance while still delivering a satisfyingly romantic thriller/action filled story for long-term SFR fans. Fans of industrial espionage might also enjoy this story, as will f/f readers.

Queen of Starlight by Jessa Slade #scifi #romance

Title: Queen of Starlight (Sheerspace 1)
Author: Jessa Slade
Genre: scifi romance
Publisher: Red Circle Ink
Available: Amazon $0.00 (Kindle)  167 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:

Her body is his prize, but he'll risk the stars for her love... Transformed by empathic crystals into the perfect paramour, Benedetta Galil is the last treasure of her fading world. When raiders attack—seeking to corrupt the crystals and conquer all of charted space—she gives herself as a prize to the one man in the universe who values freedom over power. Mercenary sheership Captain Corso Deynah left oppression behind him on a burning planet and has no use for a sex slave, even one as seductive as Benedetta. But while he stubbornly resists her body, her fierce spirit tempts him, and he will risk everything—his ship, his seclusion, the very stars—to win not just her passion but her love. 


What I liked:
Beautiful lyrical writing and descriptions that I adored. Also sex scenes written along the same vein, that managed to be hot and sensual without lots of explicit wording, some of which I often finds spoil the overall descriptions with words that jar me out of the scene. The world building was awesome and intriguing (I have a thing for crystals anyway, so to have these used to enhance a body's sensitivity and enable an empathic kind of union totally grabbed me). Despite the hero's insistence that he was a jerk, he really wasn't, and though I'm not a huge alpha fan I was won over by his devotion to a cause that he hadn't really wanted to take up.


What I didn't like:
The hero calls himself a jerk or similar several times at the start, to the point where I almost stopped reading. It was done too many times and really wasn't necessary after the first couple of mentions. Also, despite the beautifully written scenes, the couple had sex at what seemed totally inappropriate times and places, as if the author had felt compelled to force them in to avoid them being missed out completely. Both times this totally pulled me out of the story. I felt these could have been put elsewhere and broken the flow a lot less. I also didn't like the heroine as much as the hero - in some respects she almost came over as a bit of a wet blanket but just about avoided that label.

In conclusion:
This is a good book for fans of scifi romance, especially those who prefer the sex scenes hot and sensual rather than full out explicit, if you can excuse the weird timing and settings.  Some SF purists might dislike the science behind the crystals bonding to humans (in that respect, I would point to Anne McCaffrey's Crystal Singer). I would probably read the rest of the books in the series and more by this author.