Reckless Rescue by Rinelle Grey

Title: Reckless Rescue (A Barren Planet Romance #1)

Author: Rinelle Grey
Genre: Scifi Romance/Space Opera
Publisher: Self (27th February 2013)
Available: $2.99 at Amazon
Rating: 3 stars
Rater: Pippa


 
From the publisher: 

Marlee's people are dying—the valuable anysogen gas that covers their planet is making the entire population infertile. When the council tells her she must leave her partner and choose another to improve her chances of having a baby, she’s devastated. She swears she’ll never love again—it hurts too much.

Tyris thinks he has everything he wants, despite his world suffering from overpopulation—until his wife leaves him because he is forbidden to have children.

In an attempt to convince his world, and his wife, that he’s worthwhile, Tyris goes hunting for a lost planet said to contain untold riches in the form of anysogen gas.

When he crashes on her world, Marlee and Tyris agree to pretend to live together while they try to repair his ship and escape from the planet. But as they battle the harsh winter on the planet together, keeping their distance becomes even more challenging than the snow, the council and the risks of a real relationship...

What I liked:

I loved the premise about the essential FTL fuel becoming scarce, a similar situation to present day with fossil fuels running out, but combined with the horrible side effects of nuclear power when it goes wrong. Marlee and her people are in a terrible, emotionally desperate situation on their planet, with a real moral conundrum that promised much conflict. I liked the idea of Tyris's quest, and the concept of the contraceptive chip being forced on anyone with a criminal record. The romance was sweet and the bedroom scenes tastefully done. Forbidden love (and in a way, this is a play on that trope with partners being chosen, but then forced to break up) is one of my favourite themes, and this story does it with a twist.

What I didn't like:

Emotionally, the story fell flat for me. Considering how many options there were for serious conflict,  the tension was lacking, particularly in the romance. It didn't go deep enough. Plus it had a slightly weak plot line toward the end regarding the lack of enthusiasm to escape amongst some of the colony members that wasn't adequately explained. The opening scene also made me dislike the two characters intensely, leaving me with little sympathy for the hero at the start. This was mitigated somewhat throughout the story with Tyris supporting Marlee, but I couldn't empathize with him totally.


In conclusion:

If you like dystopian scifi with romance and aren't looking for the 'everybody dies' scenario, this could be for you. Some interesting world building and differing concepts of society, but not visceral enough for me. I really, really wanted to love this story but can only say it scored a 'like' - I would probably read the sequel to see how the overall story arc develops, although it wouldn't be high on my TBR priorities at the moment.

Made for Her by Jessica E Subject

Title: Made for Her

Author: Jessica E Subject
Genre: Military/Futuristic Erotica/Romance
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company, LLC (January 12, 2013) Available: $2.99 at Amazon
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa


From the publisher: 

After terrorists murder the love of her life, Major Mikayla Jones trains squadron after squadron of the clones her husband helped develop to take to the skies. When she discovers a young clone of her husband in her newest class, her world spins out of control. How can she command the look-a-like when she can’t help but yearn for him to fill the ache in her heart?

Dare was created to be the best. As the first Daniel clone to leave Onatria Labs, he needs to prove he is more than just a DNA copy. To do that, he must rely on the wife of the man who donated his genes. But when she refuses to train him, Dare faces discharge and a return to the labs. Can he convince Major Jones to finish his training—and find a way into her bed? Or will long-kept secrets unhinge the entire clone project?

What I did like:

I'm a huge fan of the idea of cloning, and of Jessica's previous works in general. Being faced with a clone of your lost love sets up great potential for emotional and ethical conflict. There's also a brilliant plot twist that was a tear-jerker, and had me physically reeling - I really hadn't expected it. The ending will leave you reaching for a hanky and hoping for a sequel.

What I didn't like:

For me, this focused a little too much on the sex rather than the emotions behind it and the inner conflict of the main characters. For all his claim of wanting to be the best, Dare seemed more set on getting into Jones's panties, and for all her 'I shouldn't', she didn't put up as much resistance as I would expect. I felt it could have been deeper and been explored more. It wasn't as heart wrenching as some of her previous works, and I would have liked to know much more about this near future world, and the cloning process.


In conclusion:

Fans of military-based scifi romances and erotica will enjoy this. For me it lacked some emotional depth, and I prefer my scifi more offworld, although I loved the cloning aspect and the big twist. While this particular story may have missed the mark for me a touch, I'm still a huge fan of J Subject's writing and will be back for more.


DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that this blog does NOT accept submissions of erotica. Any erotica reviews posted on this site are of books bought or personally gifted to the reviewer (Pippa) and not through general submission to Critique de Book.

Starheart by Greta van der Rol

Title: Starheart (Ptorix Empire #4)
Author: Greta van der Rol
Genre: Scifi Romance/Space Opera
Publisher: Self (latest edition April 2013)
Available: $3.99 at Amazon
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa


From the publisher:

Freighter Captain Jess Sondijk thought she had her life under control until Admiral Hudson's Confederacy battle cruiser stops her ship to search for contraband. His questions reopen matters she had thought resolved. What if her husband's death during an official boarding wasn't accidental?

Hudson has his own questions. Who in the Confederacy is trading with the Ptorix? And what price is high enough to pay for starhearts, the prized jewels the aliens call the windows of the soul?

Jess and Hudson's interests collide in more ways than one as they follow a shadowy trail of deceit and corruption in search of the truth. But while Jess is more than willing to put her life on the line to protect what's hers, Hudson must balance the risk of inter-species war at worst and the end of his career at best, in a deadly game of political intrigue, murder and greed.

What I liked:
This was a fun book, in the true spirit of classic space opera akin to Star Trek and it's ilk, with good tension and interesting plot twists. A spunky heroine does it for me every time, and we get that in Jess. She's had it tough and skirted the grey area between legal transport and smuggling. She's smart, confident, and yet caring - no coming over as a hard-nosed bitch determined to be the match of any man, and yet being totally up to the challenge. Personally I enjoyed the secondary story line with her first officer Santh, and would have liked more on him. In that respect, the story felt slightly unbalanced.

What I didn't like:
So why didn't this rate a five? In a word, Hudson. I cannot stand smug men. In spite of his charms, his attitude just made me want to slap, and despite the situation they were in, I begrudged Jess surrendering. Also, one major stunning revelation at the end gave me a very 'huh?' moment. Not because I object to the content. I just couldn't see the overall point to the story, except to cause some additional conflict. But forgiveness came far too quickly to make it a significant conflict, so I felt a little 'why do it?', unless it has more relevance in another book in the series.

In conclusion:
This is classic space opera that Star Trek fans would probably enjoy. It had my heart going and had me rooting for the good guys and gals, and I would definitely read more by this author. It also stands alone well despite being labelled book four, so even someone totally new to the series would be able to enjoy this without reading the others (as I did).

Her Cyborg Awakes by Melisse Aires

Title: Her Cyborg Awakes (formerly titled Cybot Awakens)
Author: Melisse Aires
Genre: Sensual Scifi Romance
Publisher: Grand Street Publishing (first published February 1st 2009)
Available: $0.99 at Amazon
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa



From the publisher:
Sabralia lives a lonely but luxurious life in Emperor Sirn’s Harem, her only companion is her obedient servant, Qy, a cyborg. Her life has largely been controlled by others, but when Sirn demands his Harem pleasure his Commanding Officers at a victory celebration, Sabralia makes a daring plan to hide to avoid rape by Sirn's men.

The Palace is ambushed and her cyborg gets her off world. The impossible has happened−Qy the gentle cyborg becomes the man he once was, the warrior Kaistril. Pursued for valuable information, Sabralia is thrust into dangerous, unfamiliar situations where she must stand up to the challenges, or lose the man she loves. Sensual Sci-fi Romance Novella

Please note - I read the earlier release of this novella, and it's since been republished, so errors in the formatting and editing may since have been fixed.

What I liked:
The heroine was a 'plump little queen' rather than some kick-ass female warrior or skinny sidekick, but this fact didn't make her weak or unbelievable as a character. Despite her privileged background and lack of experience, she made up for it in inner strength, loyalty, and compassion, and her willingness to learn and take responsibility. It made a refreshing change to have a plus sized heroine, and one willing to take chances despite her natural fears. Her personal growth throughout this story was a massive highlight for me.

What I didn't like:
I'm not a huge fan of Alpha males, and despite Qy's submissive introduction, he's pure Alpha once he regains himself. But released from his cyborg slavery, he still holds himself back from claiming Sabralia as he could so I warmed to him. There were also more spelling and formatting errors than I'd normally forgive, including a couple of sentences missing so many words that I couldn't make sense of them - enough to pull me out of the story. There were also a few repetitions. However, as noted above, this novella has recently been rereleased, so I'm hoping those have now been fixed.

In conclusion:
For those tired of stereotypical heroines but who still like their males all Alpha (with a sensitive edge), this is for you. Enjoyable, sweet but with full on, passionate bedroom scenes, plus interesting touches of tech for the scifi fans.
 

Unknown Futures by Jessica E Subject

Title: Unknown Futures
Author: Jessica E Subject
Genre: Scifi Erotic Romance Short Story (F/F)
Publisher: Decadent Publishing (1NS series)
Available: Decadent Publishing (multiple ebook formats), All Romance Ebooks, Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Pippa

From the publisher: Attacked as a young adult, Jewel is left scarred and alone. She applies to the 1 Night Stand service, believing no one can see past her appearance to love her. But she doesn’t expect to be sent to a space station where her date could be any number of unusual alien species.
Flavia left everything behind to be one of five humans working for the Space Service space station. Extremely homesick, she is excited to learn she will be a guide to a woman from Earth visiting the station for a couple days. She is immediately drawn to the petite woman, seeing past her scars to her true inner beauty, stirring unforeseen desires.
Unfortunately, Jewel is there for a date which Flavia hasn’t been told about. Can she contain her lust and simply show her a good time? Or will she let her desire lead them into an unknown future?

What I liked: This story had me in tears, but for all the right reasons. Jewel's been dealt a bad hand from the start, and anyone who reads this without hoping for her to get a HEA has no heart at all! The whole will-they, won't-they tension throughout kept me on the edge of my seat.

What I didn’t like: There was a little too much telling at the start, and I felt snatched away from the two main characters far too quickly, and really hope we might get to hear more from Jewel and Flavia.

In sum: Another sweet and sexy story, which despite its erotic romance label isn't as heavily explicit as I'd expect for the listing. 

Please note: Critique de Book does not accept review requests for erotica. This is a book bought by the reviewer for their own enjoyment, not one from the submission queue.

The Light Within Me by Carly Fall

Title: The Light Within Me
Author: Carly Fall
Genre: Sci Fi Romance
Publisher: Self (November 1, 2011)
Available: FREE at Amazon (as of today's date)
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Dihanna

From the publisher:

When Abby and Noah meet, there is an explosive attraction between them that neither can deny . . .

As a shy, awkward, social misfit, Abby has gone her whole life feeling as though she's different from everyone else and she simply doesn't fit in well with society as a whole. She longs to feel a real connection with someone, and she finally does when she meets Noah.

Unbeknownst to Abby, Noah is from another world and his sole purpose is to hunt down the evil of his people that was unleashed on Earth hundreds of years ago. He's certain he isn't going to be able to return to his home, and anger and the need for revenge are his constant companions. His focus has been eradicating the evil and making them pay for taking his life on his world away from him.

Noah tries desperately to fight his attraction to Abby so he can keep his focus on his mission. But when Abby gets dragged into the evil and mayhem from Noah's world, he realizes that maybe with Abby he can find a home here on Earth...if he can save her in time.

What I liked: This author weaves a good story, and does so with skill. Noah, who is 522 years old, comes to Earth to capture the criminal colonists who had escaped from their planet that they had been placed on.  Once there, he meets Abby. She strikes something in him, even though he is not quite familiar with relationships with Earth women. He fights it, of course, but they are just too good together. As the story progresses, they both learn important things about themselves, and about what they need to do. In sum, I do think this was well written. The author cast believable characters, and the story caught me. And I sure would not mind reading more about these characters.

What I didn’t like: Too much sex, and too much graphic sex. I’d like to see less sex and less relationship development reliant on it, and more other plotty stuff in any book, including this one.

In sum: This is a really good story, one for the sci fi - romance fans, but be advised that there is a lot of sex. For the erotica lovers, this is a 5-star book.

Final Solution by Michael Davis

Title: Final Solution
Author: Michael Davis
Genre: Sci Fi Adventure
Publisher: Champagne Books (May 7, 2012)
Available: $5.99 at OmniLit 
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Dihanna


From the publisher:

Three stellar wars have stretched the ability of Earth’s ruling authority, the Council, to control the populace across twelve star systems. Unrest among the people threatens the oppressive reign of the government and they’re left with one option: to execute the Final Solution. Their grand scheme is so abominable; should the truth leak out, it could threaten stability of the Order and incite open rebellion. 

For their plan to succeed, they must depend on the unique talents of one telepathic man and his blue skinned wife. The couple becomes unwilling pawns to help the Council expand beyond Dominion space into new regions of the galaxy. They unravel lies within lies and discover the scheme risks, not just the New Earth Empire, but the very fabric of the universe. The destiny of humanity itself, and the quest to resolve the ultimate enigma of all sentient beings, falls upon the unlikely duo.

This is a story that pulls at your brain, and your heart.

Logan Riggs, our hero, fights hard for what he thinks is right, and he loves just as passionately.

What touched me most, in truth, was Logan's love for his wife, Cali (he calls her “Little One”).  Cali is from a different planet (Vega Star System), and loves her people very much. She also knows that they have been abused and even tried to be obviated from existence.  I also loved the relationship, the dynamic, between Paxton, a giant of a man, and Riggs, who are are constantly on opposite ends, but still working in the same army so to speak.  It’s funny how the story takes you to the place where the answers are usually found: in your own front yard.

In the end, Cali’s love saves Logan, and helps him finally see how to fulfill her life's ambition -- and when he does, he saves himself and Paxton.  And a race.

I have no minuses, or caveats. It’s a remarkably good story, well thought out, touching, and very worth every bit of 5 stars. Or 6.

Unacceptable Risk by Jeanette Grey

Title: Unacceptable Risk
Author: Jeanette Grey
Genre: Science Fiction Romance/Cyberpunk
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Available: $3.50 at Samhain Publishing
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Pippa








Plot Summary:

She may learn to live for love…if vengeance doesn’t kill her first.

Plix spends her lonely, gritty life trying to solve the mysteries her father left behind. Armed with a variety of cybernetic enhancements and a talent for getting into places she shouldn’t be, she searches for clues to his murder—and who’s responsible for poisoning her city.

Waking up on a street corner with her brain wiring fried to a crisp, she figures she must have gotten close this time. There’s only one man she trusts to pull her back from the brink: a tuner who can retrieve the evidence hidden deep in the recesses of her mind. A man she dares not let too close to her heart.

When Edison downloads a secret SynDate schematic from Plix’s burnt-out circuitry, he knows with dreadful finality that nothing—not even the fiery kiss he’s been holding back for years—will stop her from pursuing her quest past the point of insanity.

All he can do, as he helps her plan her final mission, is ease her pain, watch her back…and hope one of them doesn’t pay with their lives.

---

Product Warnings

Contains a heroine intent on kicking ass and taking names, a high-tech dystopia, cybernetic body modifications, and emotionally charged, sensual romance. 

The Good:

This is a sad but sweet story, with a dark, gritty edge, that made my heart ache for the two central characters. Plix isn't the usual kick-ass heroine - she's quietly but irrepressibly determined, tolerating huge amounts of pain and grief to fulfil a goal, denying herself anything remotely like a normal life. Edison is geeky but strong, and while Plix's blind stubborness drives him to despair, he still does his best to help her even as it carves out his heart every time. Their struggle to repress their obvious feelings for one another had me in tears.

The Bad:

I struggled to find anything to criticise. There is a slight element of repetition in Plix's two forays for information that made me wonder if the opening was a flashback and now I was seeing the events in real time, but the fact that she gained something new told me it wasn't.

In Sum:

This book absolutely tore my heart out. None of the technology is overdone if that's something you struggle with in reading scifi, and yet it's comprehensive and believeable. There's an equal balance between the romance and the science fiction elements. Loved it and want more.

Refugees on Urloon by Melisse Aires

Title: Refugees on Urloon
Author: Melisse Aires
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Publisher: Lyrical Press Inc
Available: $3.99 at Lyrical Press Inc
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa












Plot Summary:

Two weary refugees, two moons and a life-changing fertility festival. Watch out for a whole lot of sensuality.

Under normal circumstances, Svana, non-military maintenance crew, and Captain Liam Ringel, a highly respected military instructor, would never have crossed paths. A sudden anomaly, however, thrusts them into deep space where they are rescued by the inhabitants of an exotic and isolated waterworld, Urloon. 

With no rescue forthcoming, the refugees can choose between adapting to the sea or farming the land. Svana is saddened when her budding friendship with Liam changes due to their different choices. However, when they are invited to an alien fertility festival, the Moonfest, they are given the opportunity to create a memory that will impact and intertwine both their futures. 

WARNING: Alien fertility festival, aurora lights, dancing alien beasts, body paints and hot pheromones. M/F Sensual.

The Good:

The story doesn't waste any time throwing you into the action and there are several threads running through it to keep up the tension. It made a nice change to read a romance story where the couple are an older generation than a lot of those I've read lately, and the uncertainty between them throughout the story despite - or perhaps because of - their experiences in life made their relationship poignant. The idea of alien pheremones invoking a fertility festival and of humans adapted for aquatic life hooked me from the start. The adaptation process is especially intriguing. For 37K words, there's a lot packed into this story.

The Bad:

I felt the stories of the two main groups of antagonists in this was slightly underplayed overall. I feel the Wilders especially should have been a little more significant in their threat earlier in the story.

In Sum:
This is a sweet and sensual romance, skillfully woven into a human society adapted to an alien world. Easy to read and compelling.

Even Villains Fall In Love by Liana Brooks

Title: Even Villains Fall in Love
Author: Liana Brooks
Genre: Science Fiction Romance/Superhero/Romance
Publisher: Breathless Press
Available: $2.99 Breathless Press (also available at Amazon $3.09)
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Pippa

Plot Summary:

A super villain at the top of his game must choose between the world he wants and the woman he loves.

If you believe the rumors you know that Doctor Charm, the wickedly sexy super villain, retired in shame seven years ago after his last fight with the super hero Zephyr Girl. The fact that the charming Evan Smith—father of four and husband of the too-beautiful-to-be-real Tabitha—bears a resemblance to the defeated Doctor is pure coincidence. And, please, ignore the minions.

Everything is perfect in the Smith household, until Tabitha announces her return to work as a super hero. Evan was hoping to keep her distracted until after he rigged the 2012 presidential election, but—genius that he is—Evan has a backup plan. In his basement lab, Evan has a machine whose sole purpose is keeping Tabitha hungry for him.

But children and labs don’t mix. The machine is broken, and Tabitha storms out, claiming she no longer knows him. World domination takes a back seat to meeting his daughters’ demands to get Mommy back right now. This time his genius isn’t going to be enough—he’s going to need both his evil alter-ego, and the blooming super abilities of his children to save his wife. But even his most charming self might not be enough to save their marriage.

The Good:

I LOVED this book! I've been waiting on it since I read the blurb back in January, and it didn't disappoint. The premise of a supervillain marrying the superhero really intrigued me, even if his methods for maintaining his perfect marriage seems morally questionable. What else would you really expect from the villain? So, the idea was novel and the blurb compelling. The story is very well written. Each chapter starts with a little snippet of internal though by the main character, each of which gives you a bit more insight into his mind and helps you empathize with him. Normally that kind of break up in a story can irritate me by pulling me out, but not in this case. The romance is sweet and sexy without the need for graphic bedroom scenes. The classical elements of the villain are all here - minions, dastardly plans and diabolical machines - but at the centre of it is a man who loves his wife and family enough to give up the world for them. There were great touches of humour too, as much as lines to tug on your heartstrings.

The Bad:

A sudden shift in location and identities left me a little confused in the middle of the book and it took me a few pages to get back up to speed. However, I felt this was probably in keeping with Evan's own confusion over the turmoil that had taken over his life.

In Sum:

It made me laugh, it made me cry, and I defy anyone not to go 'awww' by the end of the book. You'll be in no doubt about who is the real villain of the piece. Thoroughly enjoyable and a new twist on the old 'good vs. evil' in the greatest comic book tradition - but all grown up.

Buy this book. There is no alternative. :)