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Risdaverse #12
When She's Common
It's lonely for an extrovert on Risda III, the human refuge on the edge of the universe. Maeve craves company and friends, but she knows she can't keep harassing the locals for attention. What she needs is a pet to love on.
What she gets is...a stowaway. Sorta. Zhur is actually a praxiian prince on the run, and the cat alien needs a place to hide out. Maybe not this place, though, because it smells and it has animals and all his bespoke clothes are missing. He needs to get out of here
....Except he can't, because he's stranded without a credit to his name.
They're going to have to work together to fix things. Luckily for Zhur, Maeve has a plan. Maeve always has a plan. Unluckily for Zhur, most of Maeve's plans are bad.
...and this latest plan ends up with them being married?!?
What she gets is...a stowaway. Sorta. Zhur is actually a praxiian prince on the run, and the cat alien needs a place to hide out. Maybe not this place, though, because it smells and it has animals and all his bespoke clothes are missing. He needs to get out of here
....Except he can't, because he's stranded without a credit to his name.
They're going to have to work together to fix things. Luckily for Zhur, Maeve has a plan. Maeve always has a plan. Unluckily for Zhur, most of Maeve's plans are bad.
...and this latest plan ends up with them being married?!?
544 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2024
633 people are currently reading
813 people want to read
About the author
Ruby Dixon
161 books19.8k followersRuby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.
Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)
Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
February 27, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up because I’m a sucker for Risdaverse
I adore Ruby Dixon's characters and I spend so much of my reading time with her books smiling like an idiot and wanting to hug the hell out of these humans and aliens. Maeve (h) and Zhur (H) were no exception. I loved that Maeve was an extrovert and a people person and how in the author's note, Ruby said that she had Maeve do the opposite of what she would do in a situation lol. Maeve arranges to have a cat brought to Risda III to ease some loneliness and instead she gets a cat man, who's essentially royalty running from a coup.
Zhur is a spoiled brat with no real world skills and thinks Maeve's his servant at first. As frustrating as he was initially (though hilarious), I adored Zhur as he had some hard truths presented to him and as he grew to be a lovely partner for Maeve. In addition to adjusting to each other and figuring out what their circumstances are, Maeve and Zhur spend time managing Maeve's farm, socializing some, and eventually they get to the nitty gritty of what Zhur is hiding from and what he wants to do. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and neither are virgins (h had been celibate for years due to her abduction/captivity and lack of options on Risda; unsure how long it'd been for H and sex was more casual for him, there are some brief thoughts of his past experience but he also thinks several times how different h is for him).
Zhur and Maeve do have a slow burn to their relationship, which fits their unusual beginning. Their transition from awkward forced proximity to lovers was bumpy at first, but once they got going, they heated up the pages. Zhur was dedicated to figuring out what worked for Maeve and learning about his human. The physical intimacy also doesn't take the place of the emotional intimacy that continued to develop between them. Since Zhur's a Praxiian, he's also got some cultural norms that have popped up in other books, but are always funny when the human women are surprised.
I did feel that this story dragged at times and, as a friend's review points out as well, this is likely because it was written in a serial format and initially was published weekly. So some of the parts that may not have been as smooth for me, may have been perfectly fine if I'd been reading every week (also, just FYI, apparently you can interact with others on those weekly serials when Ruby Dixon does them and that's just so cool). This is still written really well and is engaging, it was just too long for me personally and I did find my focus shifting at times. It's still Risdaverse and wonderful.
Any time we get updates on past characters, esp as they have babies, I eat that up and there're multiple updates in this book. I now want to reread some books because of those snippets. There are side characters who haven't gotten their HEA yet who also get some page time and who'll apparently be getting their own stories at some point. Sometimes the mentions of side characters confused me, I wasn't sure if some had been in stories I didn't read or were brand new, but a couple really stood out. I also really want to know what's going on with Zhur's brother and the situation he had going on. Just like with her other series, Ruby finds ways to expand that feel natural and spark curiosity.
When Zhur figures out what he wants to do about the throne he's been ousted from, he does make a decision that I didn't love. I did love that Maeve was never afraid to scheme and put herself out there so it's resolved quickly and led to some excellent scenes though. The ending is them in their HEA with an epilogue three years later that had me completely satisfied and staring at my kindle with heart eyes.
I adore Ruby Dixon's characters and I spend so much of my reading time with her books smiling like an idiot and wanting to hug the hell out of these humans and aliens. Maeve (h) and Zhur (H) were no exception. I loved that Maeve was an extrovert and a people person and how in the author's note, Ruby said that she had Maeve do the opposite of what she would do in a situation lol. Maeve arranges to have a cat brought to Risda III to ease some loneliness and instead she gets a cat man, who's essentially royalty running from a coup.
Zhur is a spoiled brat with no real world skills and thinks Maeve's his servant at first. As frustrating as he was initially (though hilarious), I adored Zhur as he had some hard truths presented to him and as he grew to be a lovely partner for Maeve. In addition to adjusting to each other and figuring out what their circumstances are, Maeve and Zhur spend time managing Maeve's farm, socializing some, and eventually they get to the nitty gritty of what Zhur is hiding from and what he wants to do. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and neither are virgins (h had been celibate for years due to her abduction/captivity and lack of options on Risda; unsure how long it'd been for H and sex was more casual for him, there are some brief thoughts of his past experience but he also thinks several times how different h is for him).
Zhur and Maeve do have a slow burn to their relationship, which fits their unusual beginning. Their transition from awkward forced proximity to lovers was bumpy at first, but once they got going, they heated up the pages. Zhur was dedicated to figuring out what worked for Maeve and learning about his human. The physical intimacy also doesn't take the place of the emotional intimacy that continued to develop between them. Since Zhur's a Praxiian, he's also got some cultural norms that have popped up in other books, but are always funny when the human women are surprised.
I did feel that this story dragged at times and, as a friend's review points out as well, this is likely because it was written in a serial format and initially was published weekly. So some of the parts that may not have been as smooth for me, may have been perfectly fine if I'd been reading every week (also, just FYI, apparently you can interact with others on those weekly serials when Ruby Dixon does them and that's just so cool). This is still written really well and is engaging, it was just too long for me personally and I did find my focus shifting at times. It's still Risdaverse and wonderful.
Any time we get updates on past characters, esp as they have babies, I eat that up and there're multiple updates in this book. I now want to reread some books because of those snippets. There are side characters who haven't gotten their HEA yet who also get some page time and who'll apparently be getting their own stories at some point. Sometimes the mentions of side characters confused me, I wasn't sure if some had been in stories I didn't read or were brand new, but a couple really stood out. I also really want to know what's going on with Zhur's brother and the situation he had going on. Just like with her other series, Ruby finds ways to expand that feel natural and spark curiosity.
When Zhur figures out what he wants to do about the throne he's been ousted from, he does make a decision that I didn't love. I did love that Maeve was never afraid to scheme and put herself out there so it's resolved quickly and led to some excellent scenes though. The ending is them in their HEA with an epilogue three years later that had me completely satisfied and staring at my kindle with heart eyes.
February 14, 2024
i’m sorry i was dumb and didn’t realize she was still writing on her website shhdjdjdd😭 it’s done now(minus epilogue) but it was good<3 slow burn, enemies to lovers(kinda), high maintenance mmc, cat like mmc🤭‼️ it’s available on her website until tomorrow if anyone wants to read before it’s taken down🫶🏼
~~~~
ruby, how could you do this to me?! i spent 100+ days reading this daily on your website and now you take it off??!😭 i guess i have to wait until feb 24th to see how this ends😔
~~~~
ruby, how could you do this to me?! i spent 100+ days reading this daily on your website and now you take it off??!😭 i guess i have to wait until feb 24th to see how this ends😔
February 27, 2024
Good, but definitely could’ve been shorter 😭
February 26, 2024
Spoiled brat to Prince semi charming
Let’s be honest; Zhur is snobby and entitled to the extreme. He’s a cat-alien diva with a superiority complex as a result of his upbringing and station in life. For all those things, he isn’t necessarily mean. He takes a min to warm up to Maeve and his new situation in life, but he does grow on her and the readers. Maeve is an impulsive ball of sunshine who is lonely AF. They balance each other out.
Zhur had a much more impressive growth arc than Maeve, but she did grow in self-confidence and in her ability to be honest with herself. I’m excited about the clear introduction of more Praxxians for future books because they are so fun!
Spice: 4/5
Triggers: abduction (off page), captivity (off page), PTSD flashbacks, threat of assassination
Let’s be honest; Zhur is snobby and entitled to the extreme. He’s a cat-alien diva with a superiority complex as a result of his upbringing and station in life. For all those things, he isn’t necessarily mean. He takes a min to warm up to Maeve and his new situation in life, but he does grow on her and the readers. Maeve is an impulsive ball of sunshine who is lonely AF. They balance each other out.
Zhur had a much more impressive growth arc than Maeve, but she did grow in self-confidence and in her ability to be honest with herself. I’m excited about the clear introduction of more Praxxians for future books because they are so fun!
Spice: 4/5
Triggers: abduction (off page), captivity (off page), PTSD flashbacks, threat of assassination
November 14, 2024
Royal Catman!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍🌏
Character development: 😚☹️🥹😉
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Maeve - she was abducted from Earth by aliens, and she spent years as an exotic pet in an aquarium-like zoo. After she was freed, she moved to Risda 3, the planet where human women can be free and own farms. Maeve is a people person; she loves to talk and is very lonely. Her farm doesn’t require much maintenance, and her home is close to port, so she goes into town daily to find people to hang out with. Though everyone is busy, and her nights get long, so she decides to get a pet cat smuggled in by some shady guy.
The Hero: Zhur - he is Praxian (a cat-like race) and is the heir from the royal family. When there is unrest at the palace, and his brother’s assassins come after him, he is smuggled off-world and brought to Risda 3. He is used to living the high life of a Royal and his 30 trunks of luggage didn’t even arrive with him. He is left in his stasis pod in an otherwise empty dock apartment in the Port of Risda 3.
The Story: When Maeve goes to port and follows the instructions to the apartment over a bar near the docks, where her pet cat is supposed to be, she finds a large box with a white Praxian male, not a small house cat. She and Zhur introduce themselves and since they are both obviously doing something against the law, and he is trying to stay under the radar, they decide to help each other by hiding Zhur out at Maeve’s house. Zhur treats Maeve like a servant and is disgusted by the small primitive housing.
Zhur tells Maeve about approved pets on Risda 3, like the colorful lizard-like pet that Lord Varin’s wife acquired recently. He tells her he will pay her enough to get one of those pets if she was his servant. I actually really liked these characters. Zhur was stuffy and entitled, like you would expect of royal who grew up with all the wealth in the world. Maeve was a chatty woman who just wanted some company, which she gets when Zhur moves in no matter how much he annoys her.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Mason Lloyd and Jillian Macie. I really like both of these narrators, and they are absolutely perfect for these characters. They both have great voices and are terrific voice actors.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍🌏
Character development: 😚☹️🥹😉
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Maeve - she was abducted from Earth by aliens, and she spent years as an exotic pet in an aquarium-like zoo. After she was freed, she moved to Risda 3, the planet where human women can be free and own farms. Maeve is a people person; she loves to talk and is very lonely. Her farm doesn’t require much maintenance, and her home is close to port, so she goes into town daily to find people to hang out with. Though everyone is busy, and her nights get long, so she decides to get a pet cat smuggled in by some shady guy.
The Hero: Zhur - he is Praxian (a cat-like race) and is the heir from the royal family. When there is unrest at the palace, and his brother’s assassins come after him, he is smuggled off-world and brought to Risda 3. He is used to living the high life of a Royal and his 30 trunks of luggage didn’t even arrive with him. He is left in his stasis pod in an otherwise empty dock apartment in the Port of Risda 3.
The Story: When Maeve goes to port and follows the instructions to the apartment over a bar near the docks, where her pet cat is supposed to be, she finds a large box with a white Praxian male, not a small house cat. She and Zhur introduce themselves and since they are both obviously doing something against the law, and he is trying to stay under the radar, they decide to help each other by hiding Zhur out at Maeve’s house. Zhur treats Maeve like a servant and is disgusted by the small primitive housing.
Zhur tells Maeve about approved pets on Risda 3, like the colorful lizard-like pet that Lord Varin’s wife acquired recently. He tells her he will pay her enough to get one of those pets if she was his servant. I actually really liked these characters. Zhur was stuffy and entitled, like you would expect of royal who grew up with all the wealth in the world. Maeve was a chatty woman who just wanted some company, which she gets when Zhur moves in no matter how much he annoys her.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Mason Lloyd and Jillian Macie. I really like both of these narrators, and they are absolutely perfect for these characters. They both have great voices and are terrific voice actors.
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February 27, 2024
3 stars. This book… is unfortunately not my favorite in this series. I love the Risdaverse and was so excited for a new release, but this story just had the tendency to drag. Also, for how long the actual book is, the length of time that passed from when the MCs met to when they were pretty committed to one another was negligible. It literally took only *weeks* for the hero to have a total personality transplant. I never understand why authors do this, when they can easily write a few sentences that show the passage of time. The way this was written was just too unbelievable for me and the MCs went from barely tolerating each other to love within the span of a couple of orgasms.
I think that because this was written as a serial, it made the book a little less cohesive overall, and I’m sure that’s why there were parts that dragged and others that just flew past. Unfortunately, that resulted in me feeling just a mediocre connection between the MCs, nothing really earth shattering.
I’m also a little bit bummed about the authors note at the end and all the “side characters” that will have books. Do we really need Ruth Ann and Ruthie? After we already had Ruth? I just can’t imagine that their stories will be all that unique, and I wish she would move on to some more interesting characters instead. Not all named characters need their own book and HEA.
Safe
Heroine not a virgin but has been celibate since she was taken from earth
Hero had a few mentions of being with random courtesans, but no one he really ever allowed himself to get attached to, besides the one he lost his virginity to and that didn’t last long
No OM/OW drama or scenes
No cheating
I think that because this was written as a serial, it made the book a little less cohesive overall, and I’m sure that’s why there were parts that dragged and others that just flew past. Unfortunately, that resulted in me feeling just a mediocre connection between the MCs, nothing really earth shattering.
I’m also a little bit bummed about the authors note at the end and all the “side characters” that will have books. Do we really need Ruth Ann and Ruthie? After we already had Ruth? I just can’t imagine that their stories will be all that unique, and I wish she would move on to some more interesting characters instead. Not all named characters need their own book and HEA.
Safe
Heroine not a virgin but has been celibate since she was taken from earth
Hero had a few mentions of being with random courtesans, but no one he really ever allowed himself to get attached to, besides the one he lost his virginity to and that didn’t last long
No OM/OW drama or scenes
No cheating
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2024
Omg Ruby Dixon was g i v i n g when she wrote this book!! I still can’t believe it was over 500 pages haha. I went into it knowing it would be long and I might get annoyed but I actually didn’t have too much of a problem with the length, because the last 25% was interesting and we got to see some cool new stuff!! The MCs were great and fit well together (lol literally wink wink). Lots of great side characters pop up again in here too, which I loved to see. Another great Risdaverse novel!
🌈Queer rep: secondary - lesbian character, FF relationship, gay male character, MM relationship.
🌈Queer rep: secondary - lesbian character, FF relationship, gay male character, MM relationship.
June 5, 2025
Definitely one of my favorites in the series
March 3, 2024
Not only is this guy not my pet, but he's kind of a dick.
Y’all the way Zhur made me laugh!! And the best part was that it was completely unintentional. Like he was just a dick who used to rule a planet and had a ton of money. He didn’t know any better and Maeve came in like a wrecking ball. Like completely wrecked him in the funniest way then in the sexiest way. But I digress. Zhur was a total dick and it was so fun to see him get humbled. He was also very dramatic. Like teenage girl drama. Full of screaming and crying and hormones. Yes, he was also having a bad/hard time BUT the way he reacted to things! This ended up being such a fun read and I just love Ruby Dixon and this series so much. These books make me happy.
Also a little bit of Zhur so you understand. What I mean about the drama.
"You misunderstand me. That's just a human expression. Someone does you a favor, so you do a favor. Put the good back into the universe and all that." "There is no good left in the universe," I say bleakly. "Evil has won."
He was a great character and I loved this book.
Y’all the way Zhur made me laugh!! And the best part was that it was completely unintentional. Like he was just a dick who used to rule a planet and had a ton of money. He didn’t know any better and Maeve came in like a wrecking ball. Like completely wrecked him in the funniest way then in the sexiest way. But I digress. Zhur was a total dick and it was so fun to see him get humbled. He was also very dramatic. Like teenage girl drama. Full of screaming and crying and hormones. Yes, he was also having a bad/hard time BUT the way he reacted to things! This ended up being such a fun read and I just love Ruby Dixon and this series so much. These books make me happy.
Also a little bit of Zhur so you understand. What I mean about the drama.
"You misunderstand me. That's just a human expression. Someone does you a favor, so you do a favor. Put the good back into the universe and all that." "There is no good left in the universe," I say bleakly. "Evil has won."
He was a great character and I loved this book.
November 4, 2024
This one was a lot of fun! This is part of Ruby Dixon’s Risdaverse series, which I’ve been binging as the audios come out. I have had such a good time with this series and this was no different!
Maeve is a human living on Risda III, a farming planet, and she has saved up all of her money to get a pet cat…only she gets Zhur, a very spoiled, royal-in-hiding, cat-like alien instead. Now they have to live together and things get complicated (and funny). I loved how she decides to mess with him and how he goes from overly spoiled and entitled and bratty, someone who is used to getting his way and having countless others take care of him, to learning to help out.
Maeve is a human living on Risda III, a farming planet, and she has saved up all of her money to get a pet cat…only she gets Zhur, a very spoiled, royal-in-hiding, cat-like alien instead. Now they have to live together and things get complicated (and funny). I loved how she decides to mess with him and how he goes from overly spoiled and entitled and bratty, someone who is used to getting his way and having countless others take care of him, to learning to help out.
May 11, 2025
I'm sorry but this could have been 200 pages sorter and nothing would have been lost. Like at all. It was just way too long.
And Maeve....what a desperate doormat. She chased after him? Then confessed her feelings first and begged him to take her with him. He doesn't even apologize for literally abandoning her with zero plans to ever return. Then in the epilogue she brings up the baby talk? Every single relationship talk and action (their wedding, the first intimate moment, her again) EVERY single one, was driven by her. It was soooooo lame. Talk about settling for the bare minimum? wtf ew
And Maeve....what a desperate doormat. She chased after him? Then confessed her feelings first and begged him to take her with him. He doesn't even apologize for literally abandoning her with zero plans to ever return. Then in the epilogue she brings up the baby talk? Every single relationship talk and action (their wedding, the first intimate moment, her again) EVERY single one, was driven by her. It was soooooo lame. Talk about settling for the bare minimum? wtf ew
January 25, 2025
Omg 😳 I wish I would have taken the time to read this sooner I skimmed and played around but yesterday I opened this book and was done by the time I made it to work!! Ruby you’ve outdone yourself the Risdaverse series will forever have my heart !!
May 19, 2024
This was a delightful book. I’m usually always happy after reading a Risdaverse book and this one didn’t disappoint. We get an extremely extroverted scheming FMC and a spoiled bratty MMC. These two make quite the pair. I enjoyed the character growth of the MMC by the end of this book. The FMC is about the same as when she started, but it works.
I’m looking forward to the next book. I’m hoping this book drum rolls the start of a new series based on the ending. It’s a whole new planet to build out storylines on with the MC in “exile”. His brother’s book is already in the works and would be perfect to roll out the series. (TBH I may die a little if the brother’s book is just another Risdaverse book and we don’t explore some of the side characters who were introduced in the epilogue.)
I’m also liking that Ruby left the door wide open to see more human MC doing more than farming and corsairing. I love these book, but I’m all for something different in space. She’s given us a taste of it in some other books, however with all of the side characters it feels like we may be stepping away from that for a while.
My one complaint with this book was the length. I completely get it since it started as a daily serial, but it could have been at least a 100 or more pages shorter. Some scenes dragged on longer than necessary. Aside from that I really enjoyed the story. I can’t wait to read the brother’s book. 😁
I’m looking forward to the next book. I’m hoping this book drum rolls the start of a new series based on the ending. It’s a whole new planet to build out storylines on with the MC in “exile”. His brother’s book is already in the works and would be perfect to roll out the series. (TBH I may die a little if the brother’s book is just another Risdaverse book and we don’t explore some of the side characters who were introduced in the epilogue.)
I’m also liking that Ruby left the door wide open to see more human MC doing more than farming and corsairing. I love these book, but I’m all for something different in space. She’s given us a taste of it in some other books, however with all of the side characters it feels like we may be stepping away from that for a while.
My one complaint with this book was the length. I completely get it since it started as a daily serial, but it could have been at least a 100 or more pages shorter. Some scenes dragged on longer than necessary. Aside from that I really enjoyed the story. I can’t wait to read the brother’s book. 😁
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2024
This was actually 3.5 stars. I feel like this could be read as a standalone for anyone wanting a good monster-porn read or anyone who has a catman fetish and doesn't want to devote a ton of time to the whole series. This one was about Maeve who loves people and talking. She's very lonely on Risda as most of the women are naturally untrusting and like to keep to themselves. I guess the whole being kidnapped and sold thing might do that to a person. She decides to get a pet cat, even though it's illegal and goes through one of the A'ani that's starting the new cantina to get it. When she goes to pick it up, it's actually a Praxiian prince. One of his brothers killed his other brother to move up in the succession. After that, he came for Zhur, the current leader. Zhur's loyal servant helped him escape. One of the crazy bounty hunter Masaka females sent his stasis pod to Risda and sold his 30 suitcases full of unmarked credits and couture. She told the A'ani she was sending a cat his way. Maeve was upset and disappointed, but let the spoiled prince come home with her. He complained and thought she was his servant. They ended up getting married so the port authorities wouldn't be suspicious. They fell in love, but didn't say it to each other. He planned on leaving after he got things sorted. He ended up talking to his brother who claimed that he was never going to kill him, just depose him. Zhur said that he would publicly pass his title on to his brother in exchange for Maeve's safety. It was this whole big thing with his brother also wanting to marry a human, even though Praxiians think they're stupid and keep them as pets or servants. Maeve saw a video of their wedding announcement to the press. Leah was blinking out SOS. When Maeve tried to help Leah, she just told her that things had changed and that she now wanted to marry Zhor's brother, even though she looked sad. It was never cleared up in this book what that was all about. The epilogue had Leah pregnant with their first son though. I assume they'll be getting their own book soon. Meanwhile, Zhor was to be exiled to a moon with a luxury cabin for abdicating the crown. Maeve showed up at Leah's wedding to say she loved Zhor and would stay with him no matter where he lived. They were very happy on the moon. They became a makeshift homeless shelter/dating service for random humans who were given up by their Praxiian owners. With both princes now having human wives, it was fashionable. A few Praxiian dudes showed up to find wives while under supervision to make sure the women weren't forced. It ended with them getting it on to some Noli and deciding to have cubs. HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2025
⭐️4
🌶️3
the cat got the cream in this one!!!😝😼💦
**⚠️ NOTE: Safety ↓ contains some spoilers
——ˋˏBLURBˎˊ——
Lonely & stuck on an alien refugee planet, you order a pet “cat” online to keep you company. Instead, you get a cat-man-alien-thing otherwise known as Praxiian.
Unfortunately, your prissy little pet was some kind of noble back home and doesn’t adjust to life well on this refugee planet.
So, as worlds collide a slow burn romance ensues as you tame this wild cat.
——MY THOUGHTS——
I adore Ruby Dixon books & this was no different. I love this world & all the characters. While this was pretty long it didn’t bother me. It wasn’t over-the-top-amazing but I wasn’t bored!
It had cute moments, funny moments, a few swoons, & overall good low-angst time.
Slow burn - I have to be in the mood for this but I will say, bc it’s so charming it didn’t bother me!
——•TROPES & SUCH•——
slooooow burn
alien x human
low angst
marriage of convenience
friends w benefits
╰›the falling starts right when this does
both fall at same time
sweet, funny
noble x commoner
╰›idk how else to describe it (apologies!)
hea
——•SAFETY•——
no cheating
no virgins
no opd
🌶️3
the cat got the cream in this one!!!😝😼💦
**⚠️ NOTE: Safety ↓ contains some spoilers
——ˋˏBLURBˎˊ——
Lonely & stuck on an alien refugee planet, you order a pet “cat” online to keep you company. Instead, you get a cat-man-alien-thing otherwise known as Praxiian.
Unfortunately, your prissy little pet was some kind of noble back home and doesn’t adjust to life well on this refugee planet.
So, as worlds collide a slow burn romance ensues as you tame this wild cat.
——MY THOUGHTS——
I adore Ruby Dixon books & this was no different. I love this world & all the characters. While this was pretty long it didn’t bother me. It wasn’t over-the-top-amazing but I wasn’t bored!
It had cute moments, funny moments, a few swoons, & overall good low-angst time.
Slow burn - I have to be in the mood for this but I will say, bc it’s so charming it didn’t bother me!
——•TROPES & SUCH•——
slooooow burn
alien x human
low angst
marriage of convenience
friends w benefits
╰›the falling starts right when this does
both fall at same time
sweet, funny
noble x commoner
╰›idk how else to describe it (apologies!)
hea
——•SAFETY•——
no cheating
no virgins
no opd
February 27, 2024
I refuse to be objective about a Ruby Dixon serial. Five stars for the five minutes of joy and laughter it brought every day for months. Interacting with the community in the comments in real time is an added dimension I didn't know I wanted.
I read the whole book just to delay getting to the epilogue. I will read it again whenever I am sad. The Rubyverse is a balm and a refuge.
Zhur is close to the top of my favorite characters list. Maeve is his perfect foil.
I can see how reading the whole book without having followed the serial can make it seem drawn out or have an "off" vibe in some sections. I had those feelings with some of the other books I didn't know were originally serialized.
I read the whole book just to delay getting to the epilogue. I will read it again whenever I am sad. The Rubyverse is a balm and a refuge.
Zhur is close to the top of my favorite characters list. Maeve is his perfect foil.
I can see how reading the whole book without having followed the serial can make it seem drawn out or have an "off" vibe in some sections. I had those feelings with some of the other books I didn't know were originally serialized.
March 2, 2024
Cute and funny romance between a spoiled privileged prince in exile and a lonely extroverted former slave. Maeve just wanted a pet cat to keep her company. Instead, she got a box full of an asshole cat-man who thinks she's his servant. Zhur is fleeing a coup led by his younger brother and is meant to be hiding on Risda. I do always love a privileged aristocrat having to do physical labor and suffer the indignities of cheap shampoo. Romance blooms after they get married to ensure his protection on the refugee planet.
Longer than it needs to be, but still as charming and sexy and sweet as Ruby Dixon can get.
Longer than it needs to be, but still as charming and sexy and sweet as Ruby Dixon can get.
February 26, 2024
Vi devo confessare che sono piuttosto legata a Ruby Dixon, in quanto è stata lei a iniziarmi alla lettura in lingua. Per me le sue saghe e i suoi personaggi sono casa. E lo saranno per sempre. Ci sono sempre quando mi sento un po’ giù. Come per esempio oggi🥺 ed eccola che pubblica un nuovo libro della saga Risdaverse🥺
Mi ci sono fiondata come un topo sul formaggio.
Una storia veramente divertente e dolce, come solo Ruby riesce a scriverle. Maeve e Zhur sono veramente fatti l’uno per l’altra 🥹
Mi ci sono fiondata come un topo sul formaggio.
Una storia veramente divertente e dolce, come solo Ruby riesce a scriverle. Maeve e Zhur sono veramente fatti l’uno per l’altra 🥹
March 2, 2024
This book was great, I love all of the Risdaverse books. I found myself more intrigued by Leah and Rem’s storyline coming up, so fingers crossed for that one soon!
July 30, 2024
Can’t explain - just hilariously delightful
August 7, 2024
This hurts to say because i usually prefer ruby dixons longer books rather than her shorter novellas, but this was just such a disappointment for me
I didn't really like any of the characters, like at all - sure, lord hairball grew on me but man did he have a superiority complex. And i liked it at first because it made sense compared to how he grew up, but it just took too long for him to be humbled. I kept hoping that there would be a scene where he would have this big realization of how disrespectful and degrading he was towards her and that he then literally would drop to his knees and apologize to her, begging for her forgiveness... yeah that never happened
And maeve was so so so annoying to me unfortunately - she's basically the embodiment of when your mom meets one of her friends or colleagues in the supermarket and she then stands there and talks for 30 minutes while you're standing next to her, pulling her hand to make her stop talking because you want to go home
But the time my interest in this book for real flew out the window was when they agreed to have casual sex, which was around the 35-38% mark... and this book is way too long, so i just new that if they have sex so early on i'm not gonna give a fuck about what happens and i would have to force myself to finish this book... and i was right, i had to force myself to finish this book - i just didn't like anything about it. To me it felt like there was no chemistry at all between them, like they just went from really disliking each other to now maybe liking each other 10% more and the banter also just fell flat for me. He still thought he was so much better than her and he honestly didn't treat her all that well (sure it was better than before, but it was still pretty shitty) and she just got super horny after they cut his fur because now she could see his muscles - so his fur basically disappeared along with her backbone because from this point on all she thought about was sex and lord hairball knew it so he manipulates her with the promise of kissing to get what he wants, and she just goes along with it... there's also a scene where she wants to give him a blowjob to make him feel better (which there's nothing wrong with) but the way the scene is written, and how their relationship and dynamic, so far, has been described is just not it... it's like she's completely obsessed with him and he barely thinks about her - all he thinks about is his throne, his tangled fur and his biggest idol nassakth. So when she hides under the table to surprise him, she literally has to talk him into giving him a blowjob and that's just not sexy or romantic to me and i ended up rolling my eyes so hard at that scene that my eyes almost got stuck in the back of my head
So yeah... he was annoying, but grew on me - she was annoying, but didn't grow on me - they had no chemistry whatsoever, the sex felt way too rushed and not organic at all and it honestly felt like she just fell in love with him because he was there and she wasn't alone anymore, because every time she would think about him leaving she wouldn't think about how she would miss certain parts of his personality, she would stress about how she would be alone again and how she wouldn't have someone to talk to anymore... so yeah i didn't really feel the connection between them, it just felt like a convenience match if that's even a thing
the best part about this book was that alien salvotor wanting to hug the cows and then him promising to give the cows hugs from her as well, making the hugs girly so they would know they're from her and i think that was maybe 0.1% of the book so that's kinda sad - and i'm also 100% more interested in rem and leahs story already, so i'm hoping that's coming soon (crossing my fingers)
I didn't really like any of the characters, like at all - sure, lord hairball grew on me but man did he have a superiority complex. And i liked it at first because it made sense compared to how he grew up, but it just took too long for him to be humbled. I kept hoping that there would be a scene where he would have this big realization of how disrespectful and degrading he was towards her and that he then literally would drop to his knees and apologize to her, begging for her forgiveness... yeah that never happened
And maeve was so so so annoying to me unfortunately - she's basically the embodiment of when your mom meets one of her friends or colleagues in the supermarket and she then stands there and talks for 30 minutes while you're standing next to her, pulling her hand to make her stop talking because you want to go home
But the time my interest in this book for real flew out the window was when they agreed to have casual sex, which was around the 35-38% mark... and this book is way too long, so i just new that if they have sex so early on i'm not gonna give a fuck about what happens and i would have to force myself to finish this book... and i was right, i had to force myself to finish this book - i just didn't like anything about it. To me it felt like there was no chemistry at all between them, like they just went from really disliking each other to now maybe liking each other 10% more and the banter also just fell flat for me. He still thought he was so much better than her and he honestly didn't treat her all that well (sure it was better than before, but it was still pretty shitty) and she just got super horny after they cut his fur because now she could see his muscles - so his fur basically disappeared along with her backbone because from this point on all she thought about was sex and lord hairball knew it so he manipulates her with the promise of kissing to get what he wants, and she just goes along with it... there's also a scene where she wants to give him a blowjob to make him feel better (which there's nothing wrong with) but the way the scene is written, and how their relationship and dynamic, so far, has been described is just not it... it's like she's completely obsessed with him and he barely thinks about her - all he thinks about is his throne, his tangled fur and his biggest idol nassakth. So when she hides under the table to surprise him, she literally has to talk him into giving him a blowjob and that's just not sexy or romantic to me and i ended up rolling my eyes so hard at that scene that my eyes almost got stuck in the back of my head
So yeah... he was annoying, but grew on me - she was annoying, but didn't grow on me - they had no chemistry whatsoever, the sex felt way too rushed and not organic at all and it honestly felt like she just fell in love with him because he was there and she wasn't alone anymore, because every time she would think about him leaving she wouldn't think about how she would miss certain parts of his personality, she would stress about how she would be alone again and how she wouldn't have someone to talk to anymore... so yeah i didn't really feel the connection between them, it just felt like a convenience match if that's even a thing
the best part about this book was that alien salvotor wanting to hug the cows and then him promising to give the cows hugs from her as well, making the hugs girly so they would know they're from her and i think that was maybe 0.1% of the book so that's kinda sad - and i'm also 100% more interested in rem and leahs story already, so i'm hoping that's coming soon (crossing my fingers)
September 20, 2024
❤️❤️I Love This Series❤️❤️
Maeve & Lord Hairball a.k.a. Zhur (ZHURRRVAS) are such great characters & a great match🧡🤍🧡
Ok, so 130 chapters is a lot, BUT they’re not long, it’s their POVs typically, and I did take my time enjoying the book, definitely laughter of different types, some tears, sooo many new characters, I’m sooo glad there will be more books!!!
Am I the only one who would some times want to give Zhur a Blue or Purple FauxHawk FurDo with his pretty, pretty white fur??? With his permission of course 😸
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ what am amazing idea of a safe drop-off place for unwanted stolen humans!!!
🙀I think Remrrrtel murdered the other brother (Wesskth) because he was going to murder Zhur🤔
Maeve & Lord Hairball a.k.a. Zhur (ZHURRRVAS) are such great characters & a great match🧡🤍🧡
Ok, so 130 chapters is a lot, BUT they’re not long, it’s their POVs typically, and I did take my time enjoying the book, definitely laughter of different types, some tears, sooo many new characters, I’m sooo glad there will be more books!!!
Am I the only one who would some times want to give Zhur a Blue or Purple FauxHawk FurDo with his pretty, pretty white fur??? With his permission of course 😸
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ what am amazing idea of a safe drop-off place for unwanted stolen humans!!!
🙀I think Remrrrtel murdered the other brother (Wesskth) because he was going to murder Zhur🤔
March 27, 2024
Quite enjoyable despite my aversion to praxiians as LIs. The inclusion of a noble character added some diversity to the story, as it introduced a bit of political intrigue (and another alien world!) to the stale setting of Risda.
I was really surprised by the length, as Risda stories are usually short. The pacing felt all right for one of Dixon's serials, admittedly dragging a bit through the middle.
Zhur and Maeve were good leads, though their progress from wary allies to fuck buddies happened too abruptly for my taste. But, it's Risda, so honestly, you have to expect it.
I'm very intrigued by the Rem/Leah story considering it will take place on Praxii Minor, which should offer a refreshing change of pace. I'd love for Dixon to expand on these established metropolitan alien worlds she's created instead of the outposts/stations/backwater planets she usually favors. Those have been fun, but I'm itching for different locales at this point.
I was really surprised by the length, as Risda stories are usually short. The pacing felt all right for one of Dixon's serials, admittedly dragging a bit through the middle.
Zhur and Maeve were good leads, though their progress from wary allies to fuck buddies happened too abruptly for my taste. But, it's Risda, so honestly, you have to expect it.
I'm very intrigued by the Rem/Leah story considering it will take place on Praxii Minor, which should offer a refreshing change of pace. I'd love for Dixon to expand on these established metropolitan alien worlds she's created instead of the outposts/stations/backwater planets she usually favors. Those have been fun, but I'm itching for different locales at this point.
September 6, 2025
I like this story but it didn’t need 130 chapters
October 27, 2024
I read this as it came out in serial format and MAN I loved watching Zhur and Maeve figure things out in their messy, by-the-seat-of-their-pants way. Zhur had a lot of growing up to do (understandable given that he's getting his first taste of freedom in his life) and Maeve was the perfect match for him because she really didn't care who he was before, just who he could be now.
Which isn't to say things went smoothly. Zhur is a spoiled, entitled male when he first lands on Maeve's doorstep. Or, well, when she first awakened him from stasis. Regardless, his family status means he's gone through life as a pampered prince with servants and retainers who find a way to provide anything he requires. Maeve is the exact opposite of that. She refuses to wait on him, questions him about things people have never questioned him about, and pushes back in the most infuriating way. Except, it becomes a whole lot less infuriating the longer Zhur spends with her.
On Maeve's end, she might not have ended up with the pet she expected, but Zhur definitely keeps her from being bored. He's arrogant, entitled, and doesn't know how to do the most basic tasks. Despite all that, he somehow ends up growing on her. He gives her something to focus on other than her crushing loneliness and he's not THAT bad of a guy. She just has to keep in mind that he's an alien on the run and he won't be sticking around. Which means she absolutely can't fall for the arrogant guy and his strong arms.
Absolutely not. She wouldn't fit into his world AT ALL. And both of them know this.
An antagonistic beginning, family drama of a rather lethal sort, an unhinged meeting with Zhur's celebrity fanboy crush, a few familiar faces, a spoiled prince in hiding, and a lady who finds Lord Hairball growing on her in the best way. I <3 these Risdaverse stories so hard!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Which isn't to say things went smoothly. Zhur is a spoiled, entitled male when he first lands on Maeve's doorstep. Or, well, when she first awakened him from stasis. Regardless, his family status means he's gone through life as a pampered prince with servants and retainers who find a way to provide anything he requires. Maeve is the exact opposite of that. She refuses to wait on him, questions him about things people have never questioned him about, and pushes back in the most infuriating way. Except, it becomes a whole lot less infuriating the longer Zhur spends with her.
On Maeve's end, she might not have ended up with the pet she expected, but Zhur definitely keeps her from being bored. He's arrogant, entitled, and doesn't know how to do the most basic tasks. Despite all that, he somehow ends up growing on her. He gives her something to focus on other than her crushing loneliness and he's not THAT bad of a guy. She just has to keep in mind that he's an alien on the run and he won't be sticking around. Which means she absolutely can't fall for the arrogant guy and his strong arms.
Absolutely not. She wouldn't fit into his world AT ALL. And both of them know this.
An antagonistic beginning, family drama of a rather lethal sort, an unhinged meeting with Zhur's celebrity fanboy crush, a few familiar faces, a spoiled prince in hiding, and a lady who finds Lord Hairball growing on her in the best way. I <3 these Risdaverse stories so hard!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
September 30, 2025
I've been making my way through IPB/Risdaverse for the last two years, and my god, is Ruby Dixon prolific in her writing/release schedule. I've gotten through a lot of her work at this point, and this might be my favorite book so far. I don't think I've come across the "spoiled Prince is in hiding and has to learn how to behave like a normal person (alien?) so he doesn't blow his cover" trope before, but I was here for it. This book was funny, and I found myself chuckling out loud quite a bit. I always find myself coming back to the Rubyverse when I need a reliable palate cleanser. The underlying tropes might be different from book to book, but she has certain constant elements that feature in all of her work. Plus, her writing is solid, entertaining, and cozy-ish. And even though each book can technically be read as a standalone, since they each focus on a different couple, because she has created such an interconnected world of characters within all of her different series, it's nice to be able to step back in and kind of pick up where you left off, even if it's been a while, and know exactly what you're going to get with these books.
February 24, 2024
Reading When She's Common as a Daily Serial over on Ruby's Facebook/Website was an unmatched experience, I woke up giddy every morning with anticipation to read the next chapter (as I've done for all the previous Daily Serials too). Maeve and Zhur had such a fun push and pull romance, that had high stakes in the grand scheme of things, yet was mainly fluff and kisses. Which I LOVED. Ruby's writing in my favourite, the characters and atmosphere of her books are my comfort zone, you just know when starting a Ruby Dixon book that it'll deliver on the swoon and sweetness. It's always bitter sweet when it comes to an end, but her epilogues make me kick my feet. Until the one x
January 22, 2025
Loved THIS! I enjoyed this story immensely!
I was so sad to miss it when it was a serial, but unlike when the serials began in 2020- it just wasn’t as easy for me to keep up with…. And after it was released- knowing how long it was, I was nervous to begin but I shouldn’t have been. Every single chapter leaves you wanting more! Ruby Dixon is such a fantastic writer and I just adored this story and the twists and turns. Both Maeve and Zhur were really intriguing main characters- very different! A spoiled prince and an extrovert. They were funny! I laughed a lot. I just really loved this one!
I’m extremely excited to read the brother’s story and all of the other side characters we got to know! I’m curious if this one may create a side series also with how it ended? One thing is for sure, If Ruby writes it, I’ll devour it.
I was so sad to miss it when it was a serial, but unlike when the serials began in 2020- it just wasn’t as easy for me to keep up with…. And after it was released- knowing how long it was, I was nervous to begin but I shouldn’t have been. Every single chapter leaves you wanting more! Ruby Dixon is such a fantastic writer and I just adored this story and the twists and turns. Both Maeve and Zhur were really intriguing main characters- very different! A spoiled prince and an extrovert. They were funny! I laughed a lot. I just really loved this one!
I’m extremely excited to read the brother’s story and all of the other side characters we got to know! I’m curious if this one may create a side series also with how it ended? One thing is for sure, If Ruby writes it, I’ll devour it.
March 22, 2024
Here, we have Maeve, desperate for interaction, so she illegally requests a cat from an alien smuggler. Instead, she gets Praxiian prince, Zhur, who expects to be waited on hand and foot. She locks him out of her house and lets him stay in the barn until he learns manners. I felt like overall the dynamics were a little weird here. I feel like Ruby Dixon's extrovert heroines also read as aliens because she doesn't understand them. I enjoyed the eventual political machinations and am frothing at the mouth for Zhur's brother's story though.
March 12, 2025
So good
Maeve and Zhur are the main couple in this story. It was so good! This book is one of the longer ones in the Risdaverse, and I'm not mad about it. I enjoyed this book so much. The push and pull of the main couple from beginning to end is so good. Maeve just wants to have someone to talk to and decides to try to get a pet. She winds up with Zhur, a prince on the run. And boy, do they dislike each other at first. This was such a fun ride of a story!
Maeve and Zhur are the main couple in this story. It was so good! This book is one of the longer ones in the Risdaverse, and I'm not mad about it. I enjoyed this book so much. The push and pull of the main couple from beginning to end is so good. Maeve just wants to have someone to talk to and decides to try to get a pet. She winds up with Zhur, a prince on the run. And boy, do they dislike each other at first. This was such a fun ride of a story!
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