Yours

Rose Rising #4

by Thea Masen

My True Mate is somewhere on this starship. But finding her won't be easy.
I’m in love with my best friend. I’ve wanted her ever since we were young, and it’s only gotten worse. She’s sensual and fun and knows me better than anyone else in the five solar systems. But she doesn’t think of me that way. Ever since I found out my True Mate is on The Rose, I’ve been avoiding Vera. If my fated mate is here, I should be looking for her—not pining after my best friend. No matter how hard I try to move on, Vera’s the only one I want. And tonight, she’s looking at me in ways that make me feel exposed and brazen. It makes me want to something stupid—like kiss my best friend. What would she do if I tried?
Zenth is acting weird. He’s never been a tease or a flirt, but ever since we left the space station, he’s been dating a lot more than normal. I’ve barely seen him, and I don’t like it. I miss my best friend. When we’re given twenty-four hours on the pleasure planet Mookon 5, I make it my mission to find out what’s going on with him. But now that we’re finally spending time together, it’s clear Zenth isn’t the only one acting strange. When did my best friend get hot? And why does every touch between us feel charged in a way it never has before?
If you like your spicy romance sweet and sensual, you'll love this out-of-this-world friends to lovers alien romance.

Friends to lovers
Fated mates
Alien anatomy
Pleasure planet
Exhibitionism / voyeurism

Genres: Science Fiction, Aliens, Romance

137 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2023

Reviews

[Honest Mabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was a solid 3

This was okay. It wasn’t great and it wasn’t terrible. I knew really nothing about the two MC’s so I had no real connection with them yet.

[Héloïse ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Vera, you already are it for me. I love you. I've loved you since we were teenagers. Since I first noticed girls, I only ever really noticed you.”

Finally, my first 4 stars for the series! I knew I had to stick with it.

Friends to lovers with soulmates? Yes, that's what I'm here for.

Here's a couple where you can feel the emotional connection. Yes, maybe the fact that they're childhood friends has something to do with it, but all I see is a novella where sex isn't everything, where there's emotions, emotional attachment, and feelings that are contradictory but not too much; they just make sense.

“She's my best friend, the sun I orbit, my first love.”

[Ketty · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Friends to Lovers
- Sci-fi romance, mmc is an alien, fmc is human
- Pleasure planet, akin to Canto Bright (Star Wars) or reminiscent of Risa (Star Trek)
- More Star Trek vibes, it's why I read this series and we all know it
- True Mates / Soul Mates
- Sabotage, it's getting good y'all

I did receive an ARC for this book, but I was going through a massive reading slump at the time so didn't get to read it within the time period. I have however bought every single one of these books ARCs or not because they are amazing. This tag will be in the next three books, I tried to catch up for the latest one but I am slow mode right now.

The eternal bookworm struggle, which trope is better? I constantly go back and forth on what I like more, friends to lovers or enemies to lovers, and I think both can be fun and it really depends on the mood. Then I read this book. It may have settled the debate for me, this is the absolute best friends to lovers I have ever read. Yes, it has the cliche of "I didn't want to lose what I had" and "why didn't I notice before" but they are cliche for a reason. It was so good, so well done, and so satisfying when they finally got over everything and just did it.

These books are so good, they are short and heavy on the romance but don't lack on the drama that feels like an episode of Star Trek. It's got just enough plot in their 100-something pages to fluff up the spice and make it about more than alien peens and species that get pregnant through their throats so the boys have euphoric properties in their...juice. Not that those aren't fun.

Every book gets better and better. This one was top tier amazing. Four more books left in the series and I am going to have the emptiest of spots in my life when it's over.

[Robyn G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends to lover and mutual pining in alien romance just hits different.
Vera and Zenth are so sweet together and they was so easy to read!

[Billie Yankie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friends to lovers is always a hit or miss for me and this one was a little meh for me. But I'm excited for the rest. This series is messy in the best way and I'm loving it.

[Sheridan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable friends to lovers, once again an easy but enjoyable read.

[Britt 🐺 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I can feel her gaze on me, but I won’t meet her eyes. I’m afraid if I do, she’ll see all the longing and love I hold for her. Will always hold for her.”

This was my favorite book in the Rose Rising series yet! I have had so much fun with every book but something about the angst that Thea Masen wrote into this book had me in such a chokehold. Friends to lovers isn’t a favorite trope of mine but I was hooked from the very beginning.

Zenth & Vera were so cute. I loved their friendship and how they let the lines between friendship and relationship blur. The club scene was done so well, I felt like I could picture an alien sex club and Zenth & Vera exploring their growing feelings for one another in one of the booths. I can’t wait to find out who’s been betraying The Rose!

[Meghan Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What happens on Mookon 5 stays on Mookon 5”

Another great installment of the Rose Rising series!! This author has such a knack for creating engaging, fun story arcs within the larger story of The Rose starship journey. All the books work as stand-alones, but the experience is enhanced if you read them all in order.

I love that we get a friends to lovers this time!! Vera & Zenth’s story is fast paced and very spicy! These books are perfect palate cleansers when you want something fun that can be read in one sitting.

[Vianca (Vee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🪐“Vera means more to me than anything or anyone in the five solar systems.”

This series has me hooked! After every story I’m left more intrigued as to who the saboteurs are.
I loved getting to read about Vera and Zenth! Best friends who never wanted to cross the line for fear of their friendship suffering. They have always had a close relationship and he has always loved her. One night on Pleasure planet opens a whole new door for this pair of best friends! 😍 It was such a good quick read and I can’t wait until the next book!!!

[Hails · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yours is a best friends to lovers, fated mates alien romance and I’m so in love. The banter between the couple is hilarious and truly chefs kiss. Plus, the alien MMC has aphrodisiac ✨essence✨, a long dexterous tongue, and he’s blue. What more could a girl want? Literally nothing, that’s what. Every single book is better than the last in this series. Yours was so incredibly heartwarming as well as SPICY. One of their first spicy scenes is in a stairwell and the next is in a *pleasure* club… yeah I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Available on Kindle Unlimited!

[Sky Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book in the series yet! Definitely read from the beginning with book one, but this book is chef kiss sweet alien romance. Friends to lovers, and a delicious tension of should I shouldn't I that kept me turning pages until the very last page. Devoured this morsel in one day and loved every minute. Can't wait for the next book.

[Poetry Drive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fated mates, childhood friends to lovers and even more mystery and sabotage. And shapeshifters!

Zenth and Vera are are cute couple, having known each other all their lives. They’re comfortable and have a great sibling-like relationship… until one day, they both get curious about the different path their relationship could take.

So sweet and angst, yet filled with love and a HEA.

[Ruby Dalegendaryreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a fan of friends-to-lovers trope, but this kinda worked, a little bit. I wished we had a better communication between the characters and not just a life-threatening twist that kinda forced them to be together.

I'm not sure I'm gonna continue with the series any longer bc frankly, I didn't know the people involved.

[Anuschka-Marie' · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I really enjoyed this book. Especially the part with the lookalike. The sabouter is driving me nuts though!!! I want to know what's going on! I can't wait for book 5 and more pieces to the puzzle....

[C.L. Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite so far

I absolutely loved this novella. I loved that they were friends first and once the veil lifted… it was hot. Standing at the gambling table, my heart raced. Loved this spicy story. Thea Masen is amazing!

[Jasmyn Faulk · Rating 5 out of 5]

BFFF

Oh the not so slow burn! Best Friends Fricking Forever! I really enjoyed this story! I also like the touch on the other couples from the previous books so we continue to get to see them “grow” hehehe. I am dying to know more about the saboteur, ugh!

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I won’t meet her eyes. I’m afraid if I do, she’ll see all the longing and love I hold for her. Will always hold for her.”

Alien romance has me in a chokehold. Friends to lovers is not a trope I normally go for but this author is changing my mind AGAIN. This addition to the Rose Rising series was so damn sweet, I think I got a toothache. The Rose and it’s crew have their hooks in me and Thea has me salivating for the next books.

[Maci Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series. This one has been my favorite so far, though I have said that about each one. A spicy alien romance novella, I would highly recommend.

[Brie Fogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhhh the yearning!! The fun banter!! Even though I wish we had met these characters in previous books to set the stage, I still loved the relationship development 😍

[Nessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was okay. Grump meets sunshine although I'm not that big a fan of the heroine.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yours

Vera and Zenth have known each other since young and were best friends. Something has changed between them. Will they give in?