Evan and the Alpha

by Cherry Pickett

Evan
Getting shot off into space is not my idea of a good time. Getting kidnapped by a bunch of crocodile-like aliens who want to sell me to the highest bidder sounds even less fun—but that’s my current reality.

Now I have to convince Sobek, the guy in charge, to keep me by his side instead … Although, it doesn’t hurt that he’s kinda cute, in a weird way.

But what’s up with all this “omega” stuff?

Sobek
I cannot believe my brothers kidnapped a sun spirit, of all things. Worse, this Evan is whiny, weak, annoying, and very pretty—I mean, strange. Ah, well—at least he’ll fetch a high price for us; omegas usually do, and a sun spirit omega going to market is unheard of.

Although … Evan doesn’t seem to know much about being an omega. Maybe he just needs a good alpha. If he sticks around, I could teach him a thing or two …

A Research Mission Gone Wrong

Space exploration is dangerous, but Evan doesn’t realize just how dangerous until he’s kidnapped by aliens on a supposedly uninhabited planet. Lucky for him, the kroakka assume he’s a sun spirit, a descendant of the sun gods. That might keep them from killing him, but it doesn’t stop them from trying to sell him into bondage—as “an omega,” no less.

Biology and culture unravel and clash as Evan slowly realizes he’s falling for the brute who captured him.

Now, Evan must convince the alpha Sobek that keeping him around is a much better plan—despite the brutal code of honor that compels Sobek to fight, tooth and claw, to keep Evan by his side.

Genres: M M Romance, Aliens, LGBT, Omegaverse, Fantasy

302 pages, Paperback

Published October 19, 2023

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

It's not worth writing a real review for this. Ahead are the notes I wrote after finishing the book. Includes swearing, ranting and spoilers.

What the fuck kind of ending is that?

Nothing is resolved!

Sure, his dad is dead - whoopee! - but what about Scott and his mum? No closure whatsoever.

There's no romance at all in this.

All this time is just skipped and there's 0 character development. 3 whole months are skipped just after Evan discovers that yes, he is indeed pregnant. Raaaah.

Was it necessary to have a patricide plot?

This uses my most despised trope which is where the MC is dismissed/infantilised and decisions are made in his stead.

And then! Another trope I hate: caught in the act of fucking. 3 family members, in sequence, walk in on them.

Finally, a dramatic and traumatic birth.

…pass.

Just about the only thing I liked about this, was that in the worldbuilding all aliens are born as betas, and they get to decide when and if they want to transition into an omega or an alpha.

[Val]

I think the book started very fast and was really fast till the end. I would’ve liked it better if we were to discover the world and the relationship slower. Their relationship could’ve started a little later with more interactions. Even thought I can see that it wasn’t exactly insta love or whatever but it still felt fast considering the situation they were in.
I think Evan and Sobek’s relationship could’ve been developed better, if you don’t mind a fast paced romance I would say go for it.

Book’s fast pace actually makes it easy to go into the world and the characters. I think it could’ve been better if we could’ve seen the fun side of Evan and the culture differences more. Though I must have to admit that Evan’s homophobic dad, who didn’t want Evan to bring his bfs to meet the family, having to come to whole different planet just to see his son pregnant and mated with a huge alpha alien was a lot of fun.

If you are into reading alien romances and also are looking for some omegaverse read, you can give this book a chance.

I think overall this was a fun read, fun to get into a brand new world. Thank you to Booksprout for a copy!

[Ashley -Goldstarreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evan and the Alpha, it was so good and different and creative. It had some unique and new Alpha/Beta/Omega concepts and some aspects I’ve read in other stories, the new, unique merged very well with the old and told a creative and enjoyable story about a new alien species on a new alien planet with a human, Evan. Evan travels to a planet to assist a scientist in looking for microbes aka life, which Evan finds life. Crocodile like aliens capture him and take him to market to sell because turns out, Evan is an omega and omegas are pretty much like peppery but they are respected and adored. Sobek, the crocodile alien - Kroakka - is an alpha and deems Evan a sun spirit omega that will fetch him and his beta brothers quite the pebbles. But Evan decides he wants to stay with Sobek and sets out to convince him not to sell him. From there the story takes quite a few twists and turns with lots of action. There are warrior fights to the death, injuries, blood, knots and heats, eggs and mpreg. So many enjoyable facets to this story. It is well written. The characters are fantastic and deal with cultural differences and similarities and fighting to understand one another. There is love and mates, some angst and drama. The only thing I didn’t like was the ending felt abrupt. It didn’t feel like the end of Sobek and Evan’s story. It felt more like a HFN. I still enjoyed the story and it’s still worth reading. I would still highly recommend it. I want more of this creative new world. It was excellent world building and I hope to see more of Veda-3.

[Trip]

DNF @ 43%

I liked the idea of this book and the concept/set up to start was interesting, but sadly the way Sobek and all of the aliens refused to listen or learn when Evan explained his situation just got really annoying.

Also I was just really not keen on the aliens lifestyle, with all the death and killing of one's parent was the last point for me. It all just seemed ridiculous, if the aliens all enjoyed their lifestyle and such maybe would have got it. But throughout Sobek questioned in his mind, but then just went and did things - despite Evan saying how much he hated it and trying to find other ways.

Overall just really not for me bit too dark and cruel, although the world building and writing is incredible if you enjoy the more brutal stuff you may enjoy more.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure why I finished this book other than I some what liked the characters. There was no romance in this book, not a single vow of anything between the two main characters other than you are now my mate and that's that. There aren't even any intimate moments that make you feel a relationship between the two, just some (consensual) rough sex moments and that's about all the interaction between them. There is also no world building or science at all in this sci-fi novel. I can like a sci-fi romance without one or the other, but not when it doesn't have either. I can think of 50 questions off the top of my head and not one had any sort of explanation. The most annoying question being how the humans and aliens just so happened to speak the exact same language when they didn't even know the other existed, or how a reptilian race would even have the same vocal capabilities that humans do. There was also nothing at all that explained how the human male was changed into an omega who could get pregnant or how an egg laying cold blooded race was able to reproduce with a warm blooded mammalian race. I don't need actual science or anything remotely factual in a fiction story, but I do want some kind of explanation no matter how far fetched. I'm not sure what this story was striving to be, but I don't think it reached it.

[A.E. Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5/5) This was a fun sci-fi gay romance, though I don't normally gravitate (haha) toward the omegaverse. Both main characters Evan and Sobek are fun to get to know and watching them grow closer is a heart-warming treat. I also very much appreciated that Pickett was able to write Sobek as an alpha male who isn't a domineering monster. We meet Evan, a somewhat shy guy who's hitched a ride into space to take a job for lack of anything better to do. While he works, he becomes separated from his habitat and winds up kidnapped by a group of crocodile-like creatures. Their leader, Sobek, takes a liking to him, though he surpasses his desires because he knows he will have to sell Evan soon. Well, one things leads to another - and Evan and Sobek wind up in each others' arms, but will their passion be able to survive their clashing cultures? This sweet story is one of the reasons I'm a fan of Pickett's! Definitely worth a read!

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmmm...this was good...Very different than what I'm use to but oddly entertaining. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it all that well. The beginning didn't grab me as much until Evan was kidnapped by Sobek and his brothers and "sold" to the highest bidder. Then the story picked up...a lot of questions but since this is a fantastical world the author built, I just went with the flow and enjoyed it for what it was...entertainment. So many trials Evan went through from his capture, his mating, his pregnancy to his crazy family. This romance kept me guessing on what's gonna happen next...definitely a page turner til the very end. I must say I was kind of disappointed at the end. All ended well but I would have loved an epilogue.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nina Diab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I look deep into his eyes. “I’m not an omega.” My voice pitches to a whisper. “But if I was, then I’d want to be your omega.”

I really enjoyed this book. Great world building. Sobek's culture is very different than human Evan's. It was interesting (but also very sad in some regards- in my opinion). I liked the dynamic between Sobek and Evan and they had such great chemistry. I liked a number of supporting characters. Evan's family was horrible and crazy, all except for his brother Vince, whom I really liked and hope will get his own story. An interesting read that I couldn't put down. Ending was a little abrupt and disappointing. This definitely needs an epilogue, and there are still some unanswered questions that I'm hoping will be addressed in a sequel and not just forgotten. This was the first book I've read by this author and I will be reading more. 4 stars.

[Es Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a much better read than I expected. It's not your typical simple alien romance, and the author's note explains that they were specifically trying to avoid that. They clearly understand the concepts of colonialism, gender, and some aspects of our world being changeable within the limits of physics, but their world building would benefit from some international travel. I am definitely looking forward to what this author comes up with in the future.

The book ends very open-ended in terms of how the couple settle in to their life, but the larger world questions can be answered in another book featuring another couple, in that way this could be the start of a good series.

I think the cover might not be reaching the correct audience, as it's made to look like a simple romance/smut-driven book instead of a plot-driven one.

[LJ Henley · Rating 5 out of 5]

When his parents urged him to go into space and work for a scientist as his helper, Evan thought it would be something to do, get his life on track. Little did he know he would be trapped by an alpha that looked like a crocodile and spoke English. Sobek intended on selling the little, green eyed sun god at the market, earning some extra money or pebbles, (money on his planet). But Evan begs Sobek to keep him. there's lots going on in this book and it is very interesting, so I urge you to give it a read! I am hoping this is just book one of many! There is a definite HEA for both of them and their little baby!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Evan and the Alpha by Cherry Pickett. I loved Evan and Sobek's story. I loved how Evan changed but still retained his attitude and personality. I liked Evan's brother, Vince, but hated the rest of his family. I would have liked a better description of Evan's baby's features. It would be interesting to see what happens when the Columbia arrives in two weeks. This feels like the first book in a series, but there is no indication that it is part of one. The ending makes it seem like it should be though.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always like the weird ones, this one does not disappoint.
It's an omegaverse space novel, that doesn't have much space travel but gets right into it on a far away planet and the unexpected lifeforms that inhabit it.
Evan comes across these life forms alone, a crocodile looking species with a slightly humanoid body.
Fate steps in and he finds himself enthralled by this new species, especially the alpha Sobek.
They mate and have to deal with the consequences, and there are many.
Its a spicy and exciting book.
I can't wait to see if more comes from it

[Nicole Deanne Veracruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evan was on a mission to another planet to try and assist a scientist and finding other life forms. He ends up getting abducted for the purpose of being sold at Market. Evan did not know that he was an Omega therefore worth more to this alien species. But he such his eyes on Sobek and convinces him to keep him rather than sell him. What follows is not a instantaneous happily ever after they really have to work for it and fight for it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evan's Fate . . .

Evan was sent to what was thought to be an uninhabited planet in order to help another scientist in the attempt to find life. Instead, he is captured by the Kroakka and will be sold because it turns out that he is an omega and they are valued (although he doesn’t have a clue what an “omega” is). Evan doesn’t want to be sold, and tries to convince Sobek that he should keep him for himself. He didn’t realize that Sobek would have to fight and risk his life in order to win Evan. Will Sobek survive? What will happen to Evan?

[Angel Roo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by raising author, but I will be looking for more.

I loved the characters of Sobek and Evan. They had great chemistry, even if Evan did not believe himself to be an omega.

Lots of action and adventure as Sobek fights to keep Evan. Lots of steam and feels.

My only issue was the rather abrupt ending. It didn't feel complete. Perhaps an epilogue??

Otherwise, a very entertaining read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sandra Sanches · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an exploring mission in another planet Evan mets a race that looks like crocodiles and their alpha takes Evan to sell him,but the pull between them is strong and Sobek claims him as his omega.And this is the beginning of their hard path,fights to the death,treachery,betrayal, feminization,pregnancy,kidnapping,all happens to them.And love and lots of steam!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full marks here for a creative and engaging premise. While for me there were some rough edges in the execution of that premise (both feelings and plot points move quickly and go, at times, to places I didn’t always love) overall I found this to be an interesting, enjoyable read, helped by a polished writing style and did I mention, a creative premise? 4 stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mari · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I liked the beginning, but after about 38%, it started to go downhill. The introduction of the other humans was not done well. Starting with Darwin - he just...is there now? Then with the others... it feels childishly written. lastly, I had to round down from 2.5 because I could not stand the fact that the author wrote in a 90s Valley Girl accent. Exact quotes: "But like... yeah," "I meant like... after?" The author does this "like" every other paragraph. The story lost me a bit with that.

[MM Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Evan and the Alpha and their bumbling romance. It was so hilarious about the misunderstanding between and the clash of different cultures and world beings. I felt the author, Cherry Pickett, did a great job of making this light and captivating with the backdrop of a dark trope of kidnapping and trafficking in a omegaverse.

[WickedxMaddiexReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Evan and the Alpha. It was such a great take on omegaverse with some aliens and space travel. So good! I have read 100+ omegaverse books and even more alien/space books but have yet to read one that was a mix that just works!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[將薇 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was weird, and not always in good ways.
There were some editing flaws, and not really any world building. Everything was super predictable and cliche, not a twist on an established genre.
It felt like it was building to a sequel, but that never happened so I'm not sure what all of it was for.

[P Leslie]

DNF just not for me.

[Amanda]

DNFed in the first few chapters due to the incredibly annoying main character.

[...]

DNF @15% ... lol, hard no.