Guiding Desire

Guardian & Conduit #1

by Alexa Piper

“I feel very possessive when it comes to you. I have no right to, but I do. You became mine when I touched you. And I want you to be mine. Of your own free will. Do you understand, kitten?”

In a world where Guardians are superpowered humans, Conduits must help them manage their powers to prevent them from self-destroying. Guardians and Conduits live apart from regular humans, royalty in a society run according to rank and AI reasoning.

Orrey grew up thinking he was a regular human, but when Guardian Senlas accidentally touches him, he imprints on Orrey, dashing all notions of a normal life Orrey wanted to dedicate to making the city he loves safer for everyone.

Now, Orrey has to come to terms with the fact that he is a Conduit, and Senlas's, on top of that. The Guardian is kind and caring, yet Orrey's changed status shoves him into a reality he wasn't prepared for. It will have him and Senlas and their found family of a team weather dangers from inside the city walls and from outside them, all while learning to rely on each other.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Gay, LGBT

380 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2023

About the author

Alexa Piper writes steamy romance that ranges from light to dark, from straight to queer. She’s also a coffee addict. Alexa loves writing stories that make her readers laugh and fall in love with the characters in them.
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Reviews

[Grey Story · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel inadequate to properly write a review for this because all I want to do is shout "GOOD, GOOD BOOK, IT WAS GOOD, READ IT, VERY GOOD" and that's not actually helpful in convincing anyone to actually read it.

This book has:
* MM Relationship
* Fluid concepts of gender and sexuality, very casual and clearly common/accepted in society
* One-sided fated mate type of situation (sort of) with the imprinting - and the fact that it has more nuance than fated mates is <3
* Sci-fi meets Fantasy worldbuilding - AI is used heavily to operate society (with questionable results), advanced medicine and technology, but living in walled cities for protection from "Hounds" - blue skinned monsters that live in the wild forest
* Found family trope
* Interesting story with interesting tidbits revealed over time to our regular-turned-Conduit MMC Orrey

I was enjoying reading this so much that I couldn't stop thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. I'm so glad I came across this a couple weeks after the 2nd book came out so I don't have to wait and I've already dived in. I purchased both books and I'm super happy I did.

That said, I know this won't necessarily be for everyone. The plot may seem a little slow for some folks but I liked the pacing. There's some spice but not a lot of it. It ends on a sort of cliffhanger in that there isn't a resolution and a big fight just happened.

[Catarina Águas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this, it made my bl manga heart very happy.
Senlas was very protective and possessive of Orrey from the beggining and I loved it.
Orrey was confused qith everything but he fit right in with the whole group.
I loved them as a couple and individually.
I can't wait for the next one

[Flick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a start to a series!!!

I absolutely loved this! That’s particularly impressive given I hate cliffhangers and this ends on one (not relationship wise but story wise it’s a fairly big one). Even with a cliffhanger popping up I still absolutely freaking loved this and the incredible world Alexa has created. It’s fascinating in so many ways, from the various cultures, history of the cities, food, clothing (so cool to see clothing be completely non-gendered), and relationships. I loved the little snippets at the beginnings of chapters from various books in that world, it was a great way to give more information without random info dumping. I also love that while we got a good foundation for the world in general the way Guardians and Conduits live is something we discover with Orrey so it feels very natural. The Guardian/Conduit world is so different to how Regular people live and I liked that some of the things I chafed at (like Conduits being in the custody of a Guardian who imprints on them) were actually framed very differently once you got to know what Guardians (at least the majority who weren’t total jackhles) were like and how they treated Conduits. It added so much depth to the story because you really could feel where Orrey was coming from and how strange everything was for him. I’m also loving the AI angle and really interested to see how that plays out. Orrey is awesome and whilst he’s been completely yanked out of everything he saw as normal I liked that he was able to still stand up for himself. I will admit, he occasionally annoyed me with his idealistic views (my child, not everyone wants to live like you do) but honestly, it fits for how he’s been raised and the information he’s taken as true his whole life. I strongly believe that he’ll come round once he’s able to see that there are always more sides to the story and different views on what does or doesn’t work. I think Col will really help on that front. Senlas is a total babe - I love that man so much and wanted to tell Orrey how lucky he was that he’s got such a genuinely awesome Guardian. He might be gruff and sometimes not know what to say (or how not to say the wrong thing) but he works so hard to love Orrey and be gentle and kind and understanding with him. I also love the secondary characters in this, although honestly they’re as good as MCs with how fantastically they’re written. I hope we get to see Col, Vin, Karmine and Taros find their HEA whether that’s with their own imprint pairing or just with their forever person/persons. I’m super excited to see what comes next!

[MM Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review for Guiding Desire by Alexa Piper.

Why does Alexa Piper have to write the most engaging, original story with the most romantic love story for the ages that leaves you wanting for more with a huge book hangover???!!! This is what Senlas and Orrey did to me.

Alexa Piper outdid herself once again. She’s amazing writer! An amazing artist.

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guiding Desire ends with what I would term as a soft cliffhanger.
The worldbuilding and character development is rich and detailed. There's a lot to establish.
There's an edge of tension throughout as things are not as they seem.
Interesting start to a new series

[Sully Smutty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this is a 3+, maybe 3.5 rounded down, because I've got to leave room for rounding up later in the series.

Guideverse, Sentinelverse, biokink, whatever you want to call it, it's got a biological imperative with Guardians and Conduits.

This is a book to read when you want to take your time and just read for the sake of reading. It's a slow buildup, has a slice-of-life element for a bit with the hourly and daily routines, and obviously there's an insta-whatever, because, biology.

I liked the found family side characters, the forced connection, the horn cat (what IS a horn cat, where can I find a picture, I need to see this), learning roles, caretaking, telekinesis, the Eastern food (that's how I interpreted it anyway), and I'm just in a biokink phase right now, so it's exactly what I'm after.

There is a series plot cliffie, not a relationship cliffie (biology, remember?), and I guess the series isn't finished yet.

It's on Kobo+.

Oh, pet peeve, something that probably won't bother anyone else. But repetition drives me up the wall, and abrupt pet names do too, so the kitten pet name (I do like that pet name in general) was really grating. I like my pet names cute and spread out.

Oh, another complaint, I'm getting a savior vibe from Orrey, hopefully that corrects itself in book 2, which I'm diving into immediately.

[Starlightfox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so happy to receive this book before release that I just read it in one go ☺️
But I took a while to write this review because I had mixed feelings about it - so let me explain a bit.
First of all I have to say I really enjoyed this book - I love the idea behind it and the world building.
I really love all the guys but I have to say that Vin kind of caught my interest and the reaction he causes in the Bots were so hilarious 😬
Why I had to think a bit about this book had more to do with the developing relationship between Senlas and Orrey, because I feel at this point its still a little bit imbalanced (which is understandable - don't get me wrong) BUT I really trust Alexa because so far she always delivers GREAT books !
So I'm simply waiting excitedly for the second book and want to tell her THANK YOU ❤️

[Raven and Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and I am so hooked on Senlas and Orrey. I adore fantastic sci-fantasy and this certainly fits my preferences to a capital “T!” This story was so unexpected and delicious! It also hit my love of found family because that is exactly what Senlas’s team is: a family. Orrey has no idea he is a Conduit and has none of the education that one would receive. He suddenly finds himself thrust into this world he didn’t really pay any attention to and the object of a Guardian’s complete and utter devotion. Senlas just wants to keep him safe and make him his in every way. But only if he can convince Orrey to be in it 100%. Their relationship was so sweet and tender and Senlas is so careful with him which is the opposite of how he would normally be. And honestly that made his treatment of Orrey that much better. I cannot wait to see what happens with this. It ends in a soft cliffhanger but not for our two heroes.

[K-Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how complex this world was yet still so easy to read because of how drawn to both Orrey and Senlas I became. All it takes is one touch from Senlas to change the path of Orrey's life. It was interesting to be with him as he learned and adjusted to his new reality. We get a good dose of you are mine and possessiveness from Senlas which is totally my jam. I was also pleasantly surprised with how sweet the intimacy was. I definitely hope we will get more in this world and with Orrey and Senlas as they keep growing together.

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Start

This is a really good start to this new series. I was hooked right from the beginning. I can't wait for more.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an interesting story. First off, the world building is great, and I like that who or how many you love or what gender you are or how you express your gender - none of these things are an issue in this world, in general. A family is what you decide it is, sex is natural, someone who identifies as he/him can wear a sun dress. However, in the Guardian/Conduit world, the consent of the Conduit for the sex acts that *may* be needed for them to do their job is only a recent occurrance, and imprinted Conduits seem to still be under the same kind of control through conservatorships. I find this a really interesting reflection of our society in many ways. The AI aspect is fascinating to me as well, since AI is a reflection of the input it recieves and therefore has bias. It it also tempered by human input, but seems to ultimately have the last say, which I can see where that might lead to a bunch of problems. We see this world through two kind of unreliable narrators - but they are unreliable because they either don't know themselves, or assume a lot of information. For example, there are hints that they live on a planet deliberately populated by humans in the past, and have gained their powers through interactions with the environment. Therefore, the Hounds are not the aliens - our main characters are. There are also three main human groups in the story - the city dwellers, who are happy to be "protected" behind their walls; the insurrectionists who think those with powers and AI shouldn't have government of the walled cities; and those who choose to live outside the walls. But we only learn about these groups (and the Hounds) through the eyes and experiences of the MCs. The characters were themselves interesting - the MCs and the supporting cast were all well drawn, but in particular Orrey reads as quite detatched and very much a product of his environment. Senlas has built himself a family unit through his crew, and imprinting on Orrey seems to just top that off. Meanwhile, Orrey has his life upturned and takes a much longer time to come to terms with everything that happens, as well as the emotional attachment/fallout which to him does not coincide with physical desire for Senlas. Senlas at least doesn't treat his Conduit like property, although he could. He also spends quite a bit of time convincing Orrey that Guardians are just people like any other, since Orrey's impression of Guardians are that they are role models and basically good. Anyway, I have a lot of thoughts about this world. Will read the next in series because we ended on a kind of cliffhanger and I want to know what happens next and how all this other information is relevant!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guiding Desires is in a new genre for this author, but it’s far from obvious. They bring this book to life with the same charm, depth and detail as all of their other work. Conduits and Guardians have a new and unusual power system. The world of Wild Hunts and walled cities has history and politics. Many of the characters are loyal and courageous while some of the side characters make you want to root against them.

Protector Orrey is just doing his job of keeping the peace in the hot sun when a chance encounter upends his life. Both he and his new Guardian Senlas need time working out their new dynamic. They’re surrounded by a quirky and talented found family who has their back.

When I heard the ending referenced as a cliff hanger I was ready to be upset - but no need to fear. While our favorite characters need to figure things out, it’s not nearly as dire as I tend to expect with that term.

[Erin McArdle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. Interesting world building that was constantly expanding. The characters were sweet and enjoyable to be with.
Had a very real “Aw man!” When I found myself at the end of the book.
The ending is, technically, a cliffhanger but not a painful one if that makes sense.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time)]

Thank you for the gift, An Elf who "borrowed" Santa's gift bag!

[author_books_friends · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guiding Desires
Alexa Piper

Senlas touched Orrey and their whole life changed, Orrey had to learn a new way of life making it hard to change from his training from work.

Senlas was very protective in a good way, not too overwhelming.
I really enjoyed Senlas work Brothers and loved Orrey's family.

Senlas work brothers made Orrey always welcomed and fit in with them.

There was mentions of different types of food that was very interesting in the storyline.

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was at times a sweet and funny story. I liked the characters and the slow build of their relationship. They actually worked on it. The spice was nice. The world building was very insufficient. The plot twist in the end was surprisingly good. I will read the next one.

P.S. This ended with a cliffhanger.

[Sandy Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A winner for me!

I totally enjoyed this dystopian magical adventure, featuring "imprinted" fated-mates type MCs and a lot of interesting world-building with some danger sprinkled in. The next book promises to be a lot more danger, now that we have our footing...

Orrey is a Protector, a "regular" person, sort of like a police officer, and he's patrolling the crowd at a parade honoring the city's Guardians when there's a kerfluffle, and suddenly one of the lauded and famous powerful Guardians is holding his hand...and refusing to let go. Because it turns out, Orrey is a Conduit, one of those equally lauded and practically worshipped people that Guardians need to channel their power...and not only is Orrey a Conduit, he's Senlas's Conduit. Senlas has imprinted on Orrey, a more rare and special bond that not everyone finds.

Seeing Orrey's entire life change, his confusion over what he knows and how he trained to be a Protector versus what he needs to learn and get used to as part of the inner world of Conduits and Guardians, his eventual found-family of Senlas's team of Guardians and Conduits, his being "adopted" by lead the team's lead Conduit, and most of all, his developing connection with Senlas...reading all this is a helluva lot of fun. And I LOVE how Senlas immediately claims him, thinking of Orrey as "his," practically begging him not to channel for and especially not sleep with other Guardians...they have a lot to discuss, and Orrey can't even wrap his head around being a Conduit at first (turns out there was a lazy clerical issue when Orrey's class was tested, and they missed Orrey...!). But he's immediately all-important to Senlas, who is one of the sweetest MCs out there.

There's some danger afoot, a potential plot against Senlas's team, and Orrey's trained to and instincts demand he constantly run toward danger to save/help, rather than stay back and protected like most Conduits need to do (they're considered precious resources). This of course makes Senlas crazy...but he's so supportive of Orrey, understanding this is all new to him, Orrey has no idea of the nuances and social expectations among Conduits and Guardians...gah. It was adorable, seeing him woo and support and be so damn hopeful around Orrey, hoping Orrey will come to want to be around Senlas as much as Senlas wants everything with Orrey. TOO CUTE.

It's one of those sex positive worlds, and I had to hear WAY TOO MUCH about Orrey's sexual history (apparently most people matter of factly experiment with their classmates to figure themselves out)--but luckily I heard NOTHING of Senlas's, no idea if he's a Guardian who slept with Conduits to channel his powers (which is typical)--there's also no annoying OM drama, thanks author. Just...I really don't need to hear another word about Orrey's experiences with other (nameless, faceless at least) people. BUT. Other than that? LOVED this book.

Minor quibble at the end, it's rushed, and under fire, Orrey seems to barely even think about/worry ab out Senlas, which bothered me. It ends at a decent point, they're still in danger and it's a bit of a cliffie, but Orrey and Senlas are at least together. Still, a bit more evidence of emotional connection would have made it stronger.

HFN, fated-mates type imprinting, sex-channeling power, touch channeling power, unique world, living in an advanced city but behind a huge wall with a dangerous wilderness all around...different and fun! Highly recommended, and I'm on to book 2.

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You became mine when I touched you. And I want you to be mine."

For a book that Alexa Piper freely admits she wrote for funsies, I am so glad that she ended up deciding to release it. And bonus it's going to be a series!!! The worldbuilding in this one was incredibly interesting. In a nut shell: Most "regulars", or everyday humans, live in cities surrounded by giant walls for protection. In addition to this we have Guardians, who are basically super tall humans whom have innate powers. Then we have Conduits. These are usually petite humans who can act as a, you guessed it, conduit for a Guardians magic to help them from overloading on power. It's a delicate and quite intimate balance. A Conduit can act for any Guardian they so chose, and some help many. The exception are those Conduits whom have been imprinted upon by a Guardian. Once this extremely rare event occurs, the Conduit becomes theirs and will only help other Guardians in dire emergencies. I hope you could follow all that, but if not it is explained very well in the story.

Orrey is one of those rare Conduits that finds himself being imprinted upon by Senlas. What makes this even more rare is that Orrey was never made aware of his Conduit status. He's lived his whole life believing he's a regular and now this new life has been thrust upon him out of no where. He's understandably confused and quite stressed. Senlas is at a loss. He's never dealt with an untrained Conduit who has no formal knowledge of their lifestyle. What he does know is that Orrey is his and he isn't letting him go. Ever.

I really liked how protective Senlas was of Orrey, yet he knew when it was time to back off. His Conduit has been used to taking care of himself for a long time. There is definitely a learning curve for both of them. It was sweet seeing them navigate their new circumstances together. Both were so worried about doing or saying the wrong thing. It helped that the members of Senlas' team were an absolutely amazing, and hilarious, group of people. I truly hope to see some of them find their matches in the future of the series.

This one doesn't quite end on a cliffhanger, but it does end with more of this story to go. Fuckery is afoot and the team has no idea who can be trusted. Things are definitely not always as they seem and I look forward to seeing where the plot takes us as this series progresses.

[SophiaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

This world is a strange one. I like a lot of aspects of this plot and story but also don't like some. Fex. I'm always weirded out when magic exchange is dependent on intimate touch and especially penetration. I get that this can also create tension and drama but I don't like it. The implications would be that a parent hopefully will not but sadly could not help their children if at all possible and also that the one being used has a great potential for being seen as an object. It leaves a prostit*** taste in my mouth for sure. It also creates a power imbalance which is further emphasized by the fact that the average Guardian is said to be about two to three heads taller than the average Conduit. This also shows for me when Orrey was confused about the fact that Senlas asked for a monogamous relationship between the two. Did he expect to be passed around the team? Is this really such a strange concept to really have to be addressed that it is due to Senlas being an S which are especially possessive that he is not free to sleep around anymore?

Another thing irking me is purely a personal preference, well that could be said for every part of a review as a whole in reality. I'm not sure about Senlas' and Orrey's relationship balance. At times it feels weirdly parental. Do you have your perisole, did you eat enough, do you want to sleep a bit, let me kiss your head. Is this supposed to be some light d/s play? I started to expect Senlas to hold out his trousers for Orrey to step into. I also don't get if Senlas and Orrey are verse or not. There are signals to yes but the amout of times Senlas says "I want to fill you" or something to that extend during one scene and Orrey replies in kind makes me question for one and for the other makes me scream for the love of ... stop it ... yes, yes, we heard it the last 10 times, just do it already .

That being said, the concept as a whole is intreguing and I'm getting more and more curious about the Hounds. Also the powergrab angle is going to create a lot of tension, I don't want to reveal anything thus writing so vaguely. I also love that the team is so close knit and such good friends outside their job. I want to read more about the two of them but also want the others find their HEA.

[Merit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a slow-burn romance in a not too complicated SF-world.
Poor Orrey finds his world upside down and that many things he's been taught are not the full story. He's quite hesitant to accept all the new things, new world view, and his new situation, including his sudden bond with Guardian Senlas. For Senlas it's like love at first sight - it reads a bit like fated mates - but the nature of the bond is one-sided, so Orrey doesn't feel anything. I found this difference in feelings, which lasts the whole book, quite off-putting. It didn't help that I found Orrey hard to like. He came across as apathetic, close-minded, and without a grain of self-preservation (I mean, refusing the mandatory pain killers after a serious surgery is just plain stupid - casually inserted content warning for medical stuff here).
The pacing of the story is very slow and not much happens. It's daily things, which I usually don't mind, but there were things about the society that made me uneasy, and I didn't like that Orrey spent more time with Senlas's team/friends than with Senlas himself (especially friends that call Orrey 'beautiful' and seem to flirt when everyone knows he is Sinlas's). They hardly had any relationship-building, even when they were together. I get it, this is the first in the series, but even so, usually the author creates a satisfying relationship in the first book of a series. To me, this one fell flat.
I have the feeling the really interesting bits are yet to come in the following book(s). So yes, the story ends with a cliffhanger, but the couple is secure, together, and has a HFN. I will read the rest.

[Lisa Tobleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting premise but frustrating characters

This was an interesting premise and read. However I felt like I was reading a psych textbook for much of it. The weird scientific analysis of Everything from the surprising Conduit ne police officer got Old really quick. His actions did not scream police protector, they screamed naïve child who has never dealt with humans ever. And the idiotic mantras “this isn’t real” just. No. I actually like dystopian post apocalyptic novels where society can be stratified and there are communities living “outside of the walls” who disagree with how things are run inside the walls. But apart from our rather child like main character and his weirdly disproportionate Guardian love interest, there is only so much “reading the phone book” I can take before I give up. There are interviews with actors who played in science fiction shows that talk about memorizing technical jargon as like reading the phone book. It doesn’t make sense because it is all made up. The food is a good example of this here. After a while I have no basis for reference of Any of the food because there are no similar words outside of hummus and chips. Everything seemed to happen for very definite reasons and the snippets of text excepts at the beginning of every chapter were interesting, but more time getting into the story and less into the unnecessary details and renaming everything would have been nice.

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world building is super interesting here, and the way the whole Conduit/Guardian/ “regular” human thing works as the guiding structure of the whole social fabric is well explained in the story (so well explained that I’m not even going to try to sum it up in this review). I loved Orrey, the Conduit who didn’t know that’s what he was, and I mostly liked Senlas, who’s deeply well meaning as well as occasionally more possessive/overbearing than he really needed to be, although I think that’s supposed to be a feature, not a bug, of his whole Guardian identity. They both settle into their new dynamic with plenty of chemistry, some sweetness, and a demonstrable level of care and carefulness for each other: it’s clear everyone is doing their best– it’s hard not to like that. I also absolutely adored the supporting characters, a vividly drawn and deeply likable chosen family that adds so much to the story. As a final note, there’s clearly more story to come at the point where this one leaves off– this is definitely something I’m looking forward to, but a part of me was sad to see the narrative stop where it did, as these are easy circumstances, and characters, to get invested in.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guiding Desire - Holdable Conduit

‘Senlas left his clothes on and walked into the room, slid the door closed behind him. There wasn’t really space on the bed for him, not with Orrey stretched out all over it, but the Conduit was easy to move. And there had to be something inside Orrey, some instinct, that had him curl against Senlas within moments, letting out a relaxed breath in his sleep. “I’ll protect you, kitten,” Senlas said, his voice barely loud enough to be called a whisper.’

An AMAZING 1st book in Alexa Piper’s newest series, Guardian & Conduit, Guiding Desires drops us into a world where Conduits are beings, found young, who are destined to help siphon extra energy for the protector Guardians.

Orrey unexpectedly finds himself paired with Senlas, who must find a way to understand the needs of his surprised Conduit, while coming to terms with his own feelings of imprinting on Orrey.

This is truly an epic tale with creative dialogue, settings, and unusually labeled flora and fauna found in this unique world. Alexa Piper blends the fantastical with MM romance in a story where you will be ‘screaming’ for the next book in the series.

[Alex (HEABookNerd)]

DNF @ 50%

It took me a bit to decide if I wanted to DNF GUIDING DESIRE but ultimately I read for fun and when my kindle said I still had 3 hours left and I groaned...well, I realized that I wasn't enjoying this enough to push through. The concept was really good but the execution, particularly in the writing style, was not very good. The world was interesting but confusing to fully understand what was going on and how the society worked. And the writing was just strange; I've never read Alexa Piper so I don't know if this is her regular style but there was just odd word choices, and everything felt stilted while also being too flowery. It almost felt like it was a translation or maybe English isn't the author's first language but it made it hard to read because it didn't flow and the dialogue often sounded unnatural to the way people talk.

On a positive note, I liked the found family that Senlas had created with his team and that they were ready to open their arms to Orrey and protect him as one of their own.

[circexin · Rating 3 out of 5]

i am very confused with how i feel about this book. i don't love it nor do i hate it, but i enjoyed reading it. fated soulmates with size difference? right up my alley. i got into this book not expecting anything and during the first 10%, i thought we were going to get a lot of action since one of the main character was Senlas, a Guardian, but this book was mainly about Orrey adjusting to life as a Conduit.

i did not like Orrey very much because there was just no.. effort, on his part in trying to learn and adjust in his new life which frustrated me. he got tolerable in the later part of the book but still a little annoying.

i liked Senlas but he really did Not have to call Orrey kitten every time. you know what feeling when you read a word too many times, it starts to read/feel like the word is misspelt or it reads weirdly in your mind? yeah that happened to me with the word kitten.

i like the world and the other characters in this so im definitely going to be reading the rest of the books in the series.

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply cannot wait for the next book in this series.
Great world building. Very interesting main and secondary characters. Story moves along, maybe a little slow for some. But it's worth it as there's a lot of story building.
A 'regular' Orrey works in the city of Argentea as a city protector. During a parade to honor the Guardians, a ruling class with psychic powers, Orrey stumbles into a Guardian, Senlas. It's found out he's a Conduit and bonded to Senlas. Conduits channel and stabilize Guardian powers, usually through touch and sex.
The calm, controlled life that Orrey is used to, his presumptions of how the world is run, gets turned on it's head. And he needs to adapt to a new reality.
Orrey and Senlas' relationship is based on a desire to learn about each other, there's some sex, but it fits well into the storyline. There's lots of cuddling and affection.
Found family and fish out of water tropes. This is a well written tale. Ends on a cliffhanger.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woof, Alexa has created another world so detailed and rich while giving us another great couple, Orrey and Senlas. Orrey, a regular discovers he's not so regular, when he is touched by a Guardian, Senlas. And everything Orrey thought he was, thought he knew, changes. He's thrust into a world of privelege but also danger. Orrey finds himself with a whole new family, Senlas's team. But he also has his blood family. I do love Piper's ability to give us incredible found families and in this book, blood family! Orrey's parents and Senlas's aunt, so fun, so loving. In addition to Orrey and Senlas figuring out Orrey's conduit abilities and their feelings for each other, we get fun times with the team, threats from parents, picnics, smexy times. There is a suspense arc that is built on slowly from about midway in the story until the cliff hanger at the end. And such a cliff hanger. Don't worry, our boys are good but what a set up for the next book. I can't wait.

[Alastair H · Rating 4 out of 5]

💥Imprinting
💥Size difference
💥Sci-fi feels
💥Found family

I picked this one up because it looked interesting and different. It's a lower angst Sci-fi/futuristic romance with lots of good tropes and was my first book by this author.

I'd say it definitely was worth it! I really enjoyed reading a sci-fi (sort of) book that didn't have pages and pages devoted to explanations or world building. It was really easy to follow. I did however with the entire guardian conduit system was explained a little more. Even at the end of the book I didn't really understand what channeling vs buffering actually were. That being said the confusion didn't detract from the story.

Also completely loved the romance. Senlas and Orrey are so good together and I loved Coldis. Senlas's affection and possessiveness felt sweet instead of stifling. Overall I thought it was an unusual sci fi mm romance and I'm excited to read the rest of the series.

[Scatteredashes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read with superb world building and great characters. It did feel that we got a lot of information at the beginning and while everything was always sort of moving forward, there were a few scenes that dragged on a tad bit for me. And most of the real action was saved for the very end. If the pacing had been a touch more in line, I would've given it 5 stars. I absolutely loved the world that Alexa built here and there's lot of culture and food described. Senlas and Orrey are fun to watch as they learn how to navigate with each other in their lives. Orrey more so as he's not just thrown into a new team but a new world of Guardians and Conduits he never expected to be a part of. I can't wait to read more of these guys and really hope we get more of Coldis and the other Guardians as well!

[Mir Jak · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...you are maybe the sweetest, most precious person I have ever encountered........"

I really enjoyed this sci-fi novel - set in a world where AI's control pretty much everything, we have a protector who's life has just turned upside down...... Orrey discovers he's a conduit and trying to change his mindset as well as living as per his new status which does cause issues.....and Senlas doesn't really help because he's grumpy and standoffish....but oh so protective/possessive. The romance between them is a combination of innocence and steamy ...... very cute. Interesting world as well - there's no information overload at the beginning....rather we discover bits as you go along the story.....so there are a few twists and surprises.....ends on HFN but plot continues onto book 2......looking forward to it !!!